Milad Tower

Four tallest structures in the world are:

1. KVLY-TV mast, Blanchard, North Dakota, USA, 629 m (2063 ft) high;
2. Petronius Platform, Gulf of Mexico, 610 m (2001 ft) high;
3. CN Tower, Toronto, Canada, 559 m (1865 ft) high; and
4. Milad Tower, Tehran, Iran, 435 m (1427 ft) high.

Three of these tallest man made buildings are seen to be in North America, but the fourth and third are enough reasons for me - as a structural engineer - to feel proud, being in my first and second countries, respectively.

The Rls750 billion ($95 million) Milad tower, is part of The Tehran International Trade & Convention Centre. The project, first scheduled to be completed in 2005, and now estimated to be finished in March 2007, includes the Milad telecommunication tower offering rotating restaurants at the top with spectacular views of Tehran, a five star hotel, a convention centre, a world trade centre, and an IT park. The tower will cover over 95% of Tehran for communications services.

The complex also features a parking area of 27000 square metres, an exhibition hall, and an administrative unit.

Although known as the fourth tallest free standing (cantilever) structure in the world, it is the first considering the vast functional 12 storey structure on the top, also the only tower with octagonal base, symbolizing traditional Persian architecture.

The overall height of the tower is 435 metres from base to the tip of the antenna, while the reinforced concrete shaft is 315 metre high. The shaft weighs 80000 metric tonnes, and is constructed using sliding formwork. The raft foundation is 66 metres in diameter and 9 metres deep.

Milad means "birth" in Persian.