Portal:Business and economics/Selected picture/February 2008

The Financial Tower, owned by Bitexco, a wholly large Vietnamese company is a skyscraper of 74 storeys and 7 basements which is currently under construction in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Its location is in the business district 1 of the city. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in September 2005. Construction of the tower was started in June, 2007 and the tower is due to be completed in 30 months. The tower will have more than 16 elevators of the latest generation that can reach any position and any floor in the building within 45 seconds. When the building comes into operation, about 10,000 people will work there. Because of its size, the project is designed with seven basements covering 33,000 square meters for parking and for equipment for the building's operation. The tower is located on an area of 6,000 m² with the floor area of over 100,000 m². Total cost reaches more than $120 million. Once completion, this will be the tallest building in Vietnam. But in 2010, this title will be surpassed by a skyscraper in Hanoi, Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower with the height to the top roof of 336 m, 70 stories. However, as far as the number of floors is concerned, this tower will still have the most floors in Vietnam. The tower will be made of steel and glass structure and shaped in a lotus petal. Lotus is considered as a symbol of Vietnamese culture.