Surat bourse pips Pentagon as the world's largest office building

According to architects, it comprises over 7.1 million square feet of floor space. It took four years of construction work, which was twice hampered by Covid-related delays.

A newly opened building in the diamond hub of Surat in Gujarat has surpassed the Pentagon as the world’s largest office building, according to a report in CNN.

Surat Diamond Bourse, billed as a “one-stop destination” for over 65,000 diamond professionals, including cutters, polishers and traders, will welcome its first occupants in November, the report said.

It features a succession of nine rectangular structures spilling out from — and interconnected via — a central “spine”, and the sprawling 15-storey complex has been built across more than 35 acres.

According to architects, it comprises over 7.1 million square feet of floor space.

It took four years of construction work, which was twice hampered by Covid-related delays.

It is expected to be officially opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

New photos, shared exclusively with CNN, give a glimpse of the marble floors and light-filled atriums connecting over 4,700 office spaces, which can also double as small workshops for cutting and polishing diamonds.

The Rs 32-billion ($388 million) complex also houses 131 eleva­tors, besides dining, retail, wellness and conference facilities for workers.

The project’s CEO, Mahesh Gad­h­avi, told CNN that the building would prevent thousands of people from travelling, sometimes daily, to Mumbai by train to do business.

“It’s difficult … (some) people have to spend three and a half to four hours, daily, to come from their homes to their offices and back home again,” he was quoted as saying, describing the move to relocate businesses to Surat as a “better option”.

The building has been designed by Indian architecture firm Morpho­genesis after an international design competition.

Surpassing the Pentagon was not part of the competition brief, Gadhavi told CNN.

Rather, the project’s size was dictated by demand, he said, adding that the offices were all purchased by diamond companies prior to construction.