- BankWest Tower
Infobox Skyscraper
building_name = BankWest Tower
location = Perth,Western Australia
constructed =1988
use = Commercial
roof = 214 meters (702 feet)
antenna_spire = 247 meters (810 feet)
floor_area =
height_stories= 52 (50 occupied)The BankWest Tower is the second tallest
skyscraper in Perth,Western Australia and the 15th tallest building in Australia . Until Central Park was completed it was the tallest building in the city. The roof is convert|214|m|ft|abbr=off|lk=on above the ground and the tip of the antenna is convert|247|m|ft|abbr=off above the ground. It overtookSt Martins Tower as the tallest in 1988.The 52 storey tower was built as the headquarters of the R & I Bank and the
Bond Corporation , with Alan Bond the principal supporter of the project.cite news
first = Rebecca
last = Keenan
title = Multiplex holds key to $134m BankWest deal
work =The West Australian
publisher = West Australian Newspapers Ltd
page = 46
date =2006-12-28 ] Construction began in 1981 and was completed in 1988. The building officially opened in October 1989 and was known as the "Bond Tower". After the collapse of the Bond Corporation, the "Bond" words were removed from the tower, and it became known as the "R & I Tower". When the R & I Bank was renamed to "
BankWest ", the tower took on the bank's new name.The tower has a cross section in the shape of a right triangle, with a series of bay windows on the hypotenuse. This maximises the number of corner offices.
The building rises above the former Palace Hotel which was built at the end of the 19th century during the days of the Western Australian
gold rush . The facades and stair core of the hotel were retained and restored to accommodate the former R & I banking chamber.The 51st and 52nd floors of the skyscraper contain an art gallery and private penthouse which is accessible only via a private lift on the floor below. [cite web|url=http://www.pro-design.com.au/gallery_info.php?gallery_id=33|title=ProDesign Photo Gallery - Bankwest Tower|author=ProDesign|year=2008|accessdate=2008-10-09]
It was announced in 2006 that the flagship occupant, BankWest, would not renew its occupancy lease, and would instead move to a new tower proposed for Raine Square. The building was leased by Ian Edwards and is recorded to be the biggest leasing deal in Western Australia's history.
ee also
*
Central Park (skyscraper)
*List of tallest buildings in Perth
*List of tallest buildings in Australia External links
* [http://www.googleearthhacks.com/dlfile8158/Bank-West-Tower,-Perth,-AU.htm 3D model of the tower] for use in [http://earth.google.com/ Google Earth] .
* [http://perthcam.bankwest.com.au/full.html Webcam taken from the Bankwest Tower]
* [http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=283 SkyscraperPage]References
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