Morocco’s tallest skyscraper, the Mohammed VI Tower, is an iconic $700 million building designed to resemble a rocket ready for launch. Rising 250 meters (820 feet) across 55 floors in Salé, just outside Rabat, the tower is now the tallest building in Morocco and among the tallest skyscrapers in Africa. It has taken eight years to complete and is already being positioned as a major architectural and economic landmark for the country.
Located on the Bouregreg River between Rabat and Salé, the tower forms the centerpiece of the Bouregreg Valley Development Project, part of Morocco’s broader urban transformation strategy aimed at strengthening tourism, finance, and international business appeal. Its visibility from up to 50 kilometers away ensures it dominates the skyline in a way few buildings in North Africa do.
A Rocket-inspired Design
The skyscraper’s most talked-about feature is its rocket-like form. Its tapering profile was intentionally designed to evoke a spacecraft standing on its launch pad, a concept first imagined by Moroccan billionaire Othmane Benjelloun, chairman of Bank of Africa and the main force behind the project.
Benjelloun has said the inspiration came from his visit to NASA in the 1960s, where he saw the Saturn V rocket associated with the Apollo moon missions. That memory stayed with him for decades. When he first introduced the concept, he described wanting “a tower represented by a rocket,” symbolizing movement, ambition, and lift-off for Morocco’s future. Bloomberg reports the tower was inspired by “the rocket that put a man on the moon.”
Who designed the Mohammed VI Tower?
The architectural design was led by Moroccan architect Hakim Benjelloun in collaboration with Spanish architect Rafael de la Hoz. Together, they created a mixed-use superstructure that combines contemporary engineering with Moroccan design influences in the interiors.
The building’s refined interiors were developed by French designer Pierre-Yves Rochon, known internationally for luxury hospitality projects. Construction was delivered by a joint venture involving BESIX, TGCC, and international engineering partners, with advanced systems built to withstand seismic activity, strong winds, and flooding. The tower also includes photovoltaic panels on its south façade, adding a sustainability component to the design.
Inside Morocco’s $700 million tallest skyscraper
The Mohammed VI Tower is spread across more than 102,800 square meters (around 1.1 million square feet). It includes a luxury Waldorf Astoria hotel, premium office space, luxury apartments, restaurants, retail outlets, conference facilities, and a panoramic observation deck at the summit.
The tower is served by dozens of elevators and several technical terraces, functioning as a business hub and a destination for high-end tourism. Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan inaugurated the project on behalf of King Mohammed VI, further underlining its national significance. It represents Morocco’s push to position Rabat and Salé as global centers for finance, diplomacy, and tourism ahead of major international events, including preparations linked to the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
With its rocket-inspired form, luxury program, and symbolic purpose, the Mohammed VI Tower stands as one of the most significant architectural projects in contemporary Africa. Morocco’s tallest skyscraper-designed landmark is meant to project aspiration on a national scale.
