Department of Taxes and Attorney General's Chambers Building

Department of Taxes and Attorney General's Chambers Building
Location within Botswana
Alternative names Attorney General's Chambers Building
General information
Status Complete
Type Office building
Architectural style Futurism
Location Nelson Mandela Drive, Gaborone, Botswana
Coordinates Coordinates: 24°39′18″S 25°54′31″E / 24.654998°S 25.908561°E / -24.654998; 25.908561
Current tenants Botswana Department of Taxes, Attorney General's Chambers
Construction started 1999 (1999)
Completed 2007 (2007)[lower-alpha 1]
Cost 42 million United States dollars
Owner Botswana government
Height 176.77 ft (53.88 m)
Technical details
Structural system Curtain wall, made of concrete
Floor count 15
Floor area 38,000 square metres (410,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architecture firm Pramod Patel Architects
Other designers The Fitzwilliam Partnership Botswana
References
[1][2][3]

The Department of Taxes and Attorney General's Chambers Building (sometimes shortened to Attorney General's Chambers Building) is currently the tallest building in Botswana[4] and one of the most expensive buildings built in Africa.[5] The building, located in the Government Enclave on Nelson Mandela Drive in Gaborone, is home to the Botswana Department of Taxes and the Attorney General's Chambers.

History

Close-up of Department of Taxes and Attorney General's Chambers Building and Ministry of Health Building

Miscommunication and financial mismanagement caused construction of the building to grossly exceed both the deadline and budget. The part of the building originally for the Attorney General's Chambers was assigned to three other departments (i.e. the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications; and the Department of Architecture and Building Services) before being assigned to the Attorney General once again. Lesego Motsumi, Minister of Works and Transport, reported that "the project had a time delay of 544 days which resulted in an additional cost of P11,734,464.27" (US$1.9 million in July 2007).[6]

Architecture

The building's design has been criticised for its glass windows, which can cause high energy costs in a hot climate.[7]

Notes

  1. Sources give differing completion dates. The Fitzwilliam (2012) page says the building was completed in March 2002 while the Sunday Standard (2007) article shows that the building was still under construction in 2007.

Citations

References

External links

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