The second Cairo skyscraper, 1958

A 31 storey apartment building

In 1958, Naoum Shebib was the architect, structural engineer and contractor for the second Cairo skyscraper, located on Corniche du Nil Street in Garden City district. This skyscraper was named the Sabet Sabet (Thabet-Thabet) building after its original owner. It was also nicknamed the Belmont Building since this company had an advertising billboard on the roof.

Description

This 106-meter (350-feet) building soars skyward with great elegance and finesse, offering its residents stunning views of the Nile. With its sober lines, this skyscraper marks the beginning of modernism in Egypt. It certainly brought about a radical change in the design of high-rise residential buildings.

Construction

This imposing building is located along the Nile, in the district of Garden City, where the bedrock lies more than 25 meters (82 feet) deep under clay soil. Therefore, particularly adapted foundations were needed to ensure a secure base. These foundations were built with piles made of reinforced concrete that was specifically developed for this building. The concrete was poured vertically into the ground where it reached the bedrock. Tight quality control was exercised in both manufacturing and casting this special concrete.