India's Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) has become the world's largest office building, taking the title from the Pentagon after opening in December 2023. The project required £302m in funding and nine years to complete.
Size and scale of the complex
Spanning 35 acres, the 15-storey structure boasts 7.1 million square feet of floor space, surpassing the 6.7 million square feet at the United States Department of Defense headquarters. The Pentagon, constructed in 1943, had held the title for eight decades.
The imposing building stands 296 feet tall, compared to the Pentagon's 77 feet, and features 131 lifts. It was designed to house more than 65,000 diamond industry professionals, including cutters, traders and polishers. It is located in Surat, the city responsible for cutting 90% of the world's diamonds.
Amenities and design
Diamond professionals working within the vast complex can also benefit from its extensive amenities, including restaurants, banking facilities, five-star hotels and retail shops. The diamond trading complex, consisting of nine interconnected towers, was conceived by Indian architectural practice Morphogenesis.
Morphogenesis elaborated on the design: "The central spine is used for interconnection between towers on every level. The design enhances users' spatial and transitional experience across the building without highlighting the expanse of the structure."
"The central axis connecting all the offices is designed as an interactive hub comprising of break-out spaces, green atriums and a host of visual experiences. These spaces have been designed to foster social cohesion and community engagement."
Security and occupancy
The facility now houses more than 4,500 diamond workshops, alongside a national diamond research institute, an international convention centre, and global education facilities. Security takes centre stage, with over 4,000 CCTV cameras deployed to safeguard the precious gems. According to SBD's website, the "highly secured" premises features "checkpoints at all entry and exits".
Morphogenesis's CEO previously revealed to CNN that diamond firms had snapped up all available office space before construction was even finished. Following the landmark building's inauguration, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared: "Surat Diamond Bourse showcases the abilities of Indian designs, designers, materials, and concepts. This building is a symbol of New India's capabilities and resolutions."
Recent challenges
Despite its successful launch, the venture has faced considerable hurdles of late, with the nation's diamond exports hitting a 20-year low last year, according to Reuters. Sluggish demand from China, the world's second-largest market, was cited as a contributing factor, alongside Donald Trump's increased tariffs.
The report noted that this had left the world's largest office complex "eerily quiet, with only a few traders at work". Speaking on condition of anonymity, one Bourse official revealed that while more than 4,000 offices had been snapped up, only 250 were actually in use.
