The World Trade Center (also known as WTC Colombo or WTCC) (Sinhala: ලෝක වෙළෙඳ මධ්යස්ථානය, romanized: Lōka Veḷen̆da Madhyasthānaya; Tamil: உலக வர்த்தக மையம், romanized: Ulaka Varttaka Maiyam) is a 152-metre-tall (499 ft) twin building in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The 39-storey towers are built over a 4-storey retail podium, and thus each tower has a total floor count of 43. WTCC is owned and managed by Overseas Realty Ceylon PLC (ORCPLC).[1][2]
The WTCC was the vision of Singaporean, Shing Pee Tao, the founder of Shing Kwan Group, a commodities, shipping and real estate company. Tao acquired ORCPLC, a listed company on the Colombo Stock Exchange, which owned the undeveloped site at Echelon Square, Colombo. Formal planning approval was granted in January 1992 and groundbreaking took place in September.[3][4]
The building was constructed using pre-fabricated pre-cast concrete panels for the outer walls, columns and beam structures. The panels were bolted to each other and to the concrete floor to become poise facade of the building. Loads were also designed to be carried by a column-beam structure and the core walls were the lifts, toilets and fire staircase located in the centre of the building.
The WTCC was officially opened on 12 October 1997 by PresidentChandrika Kumaratunga. On Wednesday, 15 October (three days after the opening), the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) detonated a truck laden with explosives in the adjoining hotel car park, causing significant damage to the side of the western tower. The structure however remained intact due to its construction using cellate high-strength precast panels. The attack was modelled on the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York.[7] The WTCC was specifically targeted by the LTTE as it was the country's tallest building and the symbolic centre of its economy. A full restoration of the building was completed in approximately six months and the building was re-commissioned in June 1998.[4]
^"World Trade Center". ORCL.lk. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
^. Emporis. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
^"Fascinating insights on S.P.Tao's entry to SL". The Island. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
^ ab"World Trade Centre turns 15". Daily FT. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
^Chalk, Peter (2013). Encyclopedia of Terrorism: Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 168-169. ISBN9780313308956.
^Cooper, Kenneth J. (1 February 1996). "Bomb kills 60 in Sri Lanka's Capital". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
^Smith, Paul J. (2015). The Terrorism Ahead: Confronting Transnational Violence in the Twenty-First Century. Routledge. p. 17. ISBN9781317454281.
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Official website
April 08, 2024
world, trade, center, colombo, world, trade, center, also, known, colombo, wtcc, sinhala, මධ, යස, නය, romanized, lōka, veḷen, madhyasthānaya, tamil, உலக, வர, தக, யம, romanized, ulaka, varttaka, maiyam, metre, tall, twin, building, colombo, lanka, storey, tower. The World Trade Center also known as WTC Colombo or WTCC Sinhala ල ක ව ළ ඳ මධ යස ථ නය romanized Lōka Veḷen da Madhyasthanaya Tamil உலக வர த தக ம யம romanized Ulaka Varttaka Maiyam is a 152 metre tall 499 ft twin building in Colombo Sri Lanka The 39 storey towers are built over a 4 storey retail podium and thus each tower has a total floor count of 43 WTCC is owned and managed by Overseas Realty Ceylon PLC ORCPLC 1 2 World Trade Centerල ක ව ළ ඳ මධ යස ථ නය உலக வர த தக ம யம Location in central ColomboGeneral informationLocationColombo Sri LankaCoordinates06 55 57 N 79 50 38 E 6 93250 N 79 84389 E 6 93250 79 84389Construction startedSeptember 1992Completed1996 28 years ago 1996 Opening12 October 1997CostUS 130 million 1996 OwnerOverseas Realty Ceylon PLCManagementOverseas Realty Ceylon PLCHeightRoof152 m 499 ft Technical detailsFloor count43Floor area70 000 m2 750 000 sq ft Design and constructionArchitect s Anthony NG ArchitectsDeveloperOverseas Realty Ceylon PLCMain contractorTurner Steiner East Asia LtdWebsitewtc wbr lk Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksHistory editThe WTCC was the vision of Singaporean Shing Pee Tao the founder of Shing Kwan Group a commodities shipping and real estate company Tao acquired ORCPLC a listed company on the Colombo Stock Exchange which owned the undeveloped site at Echelon Square Colombo Formal planning approval was granted in January 1992 and groundbreaking took place in September 3 4 The building was constructed using pre fabricated pre cast concrete panels for the outer walls columns and beam structures The panels were bolted to each other and to the concrete floor to become poise facade of the building Loads were also designed to be carried by a column beam structure and the core walls were the lifts toilets and fire staircase located in the centre of the building The building which was under construction was damaged in January 1996 as a result of LTTE suicide attack on the Central Bank which killed 91 people and injured over 1 400 5 6 The WTCC was officially opened on 12 October 1997 by President Chandrika Kumaratunga On Wednesday 15 October three days after the opening the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam LTTE detonated a truck laden with explosives in the adjoining hotel car park causing significant damage to the side of the western tower The structure however remained intact due to its construction using cellate high strength precast panels The attack was modelled on the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York 7 The WTCC was specifically targeted by the LTTE as it was the country s tallest building and the symbolic centre of its economy A full restoration of the building was completed in approximately six months and the building was re commissioned in June 1998 4 Current tenants include the Colombo Stock Exchange Securities Exchange Commission Asian Broadcasting Corporation Hiru TV and various radio stations including GOLD FM and the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka See also editList of twin buildings and structures List of world trade centers 1997 Colombo World Trade Centre bombingReferences edit World Trade Center ORCL lk Retrieved 8 June 2017 World Trade Center Emporis Archived from the original on 2 April 2018 Retrieved 8 June 2017 Fascinating insights on S P Tao s entry to SL The Island 20 October 2012 Retrieved 20 January 2020 a b World Trade Centre turns 15 Daily FT 22 October 2012 Retrieved 20 January 2020 Chalk Peter 2013 Encyclopedia of Terrorism Volume 1 ABC CLIO p 168 169 ISBN 9780313308956 Cooper Kenneth J 1 February 1996 Bomb kills 60 in Sri Lanka s Capital The Washington Post Retrieved 21 January 2020 Smith Paul J 2015 The Terrorism Ahead Confronting Transnational Violence in the Twenty First Century Routledge p 17 ISBN 9781317454281 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to World Trade Center Colombo Official website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title World Trade Center Colombo amp oldid 1189786040, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
