Elephant Tower, Bangkok, Thailand

10,000 times bigger than a real elephant, and 10,000 times uglier too.Height: 102 meters

Cost to build: NA

Completion date: 1997 

Fast fact: The building contains a swimming pool.
If there’s one thing besides a smile that can represent Thai people, it's elephants.

From pretty much anywhere in this dusty district in northern Bangkok, you can catch a glimpse of this 102-meter-high jumbo building, with its eyes and tusks towering above a busy junction.

As well as highlighting the importance of elephants in Thai culture and history, the building also nods toward Thailand's coming-of-age, with high-tech offices, a shopping plaza and a floor of luxury residential suites. 

This would never make a list of the most beautiful skyscrapers, but there's no denying Elephant Tower's place in local hearts. Plus, you just can’t keep your eyes off it.

Overall structure

In Southeast Asia the white elephants were sacred, rare and venerated. To possess a white elephant was regarded as a sign that the monarch was ruling with justice and the kingdom was blessed with peace and prosperity. (In Thailand and Burma the traditon is still vivid).

As its name suggests, the Elephant Tower resembles an elephant. It is part of the new Ratchyothin business district north of Bangkok, Thailand. The 32 storey complex includes two office towers and a luxurious residential condominium as well as parking facilities for 1,200 cars. 

VSL was responsible for lifting four twin steel trusses approximately 100m above ground level from a temporary fabrication platform on the 3rd floor transfer level. Each pair of the trusses spanned 32,7m and weighed about 106t.