The world’s new largest office building is bigger than the Pentagon
The Belgian city of Antwerp may be known as the world’s diamond trading hub, while most rough stones are mined in Russia or Africa.
But some 150 miles north of Mumbai, India, lies a lesser-known gem capital: Surat, where around 90% of all the planet’s diamonds are cut.
Now, the city in Gujarat state has a record-breaking building to house its mammoth industry.
The newly-opened Surat Diamond Bourse is billed as a “one-stop destination” for over 65,000 diamond professionals, including cutters, polishers and traders. Featuring a succession of nine rectangular structures spilling out from — and interconnected via — a central “spine,” the sprawling 15-story complex has been built across more than 35 acres of land.
The trading center’s architects say it comprises over 7.1 million square feet of floor space, which would mean it has surpassed the Pentagon as the world’s largest office building.
The project is set to welcome its first occupants in November after four years of construction work, two of which were hampered by Covid-related delays. It is expected to be officially opened later this year by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was born in Gujarat and previously served as the state’s chief minister.
The Belgian city of Antwerp may be known as the world’s diamond trading hub, while most rough stones are mined in Russia or Africa. But some 150 miles north of Mumbai, India, lies a lesser-known gem capital: Surat, where around 90% of all the planet’s diamonds are cut. Now, the city in Gujarat state has…