Torre Colpatria

Colpatria Tower
Torre Colpatria
Record height
Tallest in Colombia from 1978 to 2 April 2015
Preceded by	Centro de Comercio Internacional, Bogotá 192 m (630 ft)
Surpassed by	BD Bacatá
General information
Status	Complete
Type	Office, observation
Town or city	Bogotá
Country	Colombia
Construction started	1973
Completed	1978
Opened	1979
Owner	Grupo Empresarial Colpatria
Height
Roof	196 m (643 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	48
Lifts/elevators	13
Design and construction
Architect	Obregón Valenzuela & Cía. Ltda.
Main contractor	Pizano Pradilla Caro & Restrepo Ltda.

Torre Colpatria (Colpatria Tower) is a 50-story skyscraper located at the downtown area in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the second tallest building in the country and the fifth-tallest in South America. It was constructed from 1973 to 1978, opened in 1979, and has a total height of 196 metres (643 ft). The main headquarters of Colpatria Bank are located in the building, and also a great number of other banks and financial corporations have offices in it. The building lies at the intersection of 26th street and 7th avenue, in the heart of the city's downtown.

Since 1998 the Colpatria Tower was illuminated every night with thirty-six color changing Xenon lights. But, in 2012, the Dutch lighting company Philips replaced the old lights with a 120-meters-high LED system to improve the lighting of the building and project high-definition images.

The building is a landmark in the country, and it dominates Bogota's skyline along with other structures such as the BD Bacatá, the World Trade Center, FONADE and Colseguros buildings.

On weekends and holidays, the top floor is open to visitors, where a cafeteria and a lookout are located.

Colpatria Tower was to be surpassed as the tallest building in Colombia by a new 206m tall apartment tower that was being built in the city of Cartagena, but that project came to an end after its structure was bent during a series of tremendous winds in 2007 so the city ordered it dismantled. By late 2015 and early 2016, both towers of the BD Bacatá were topped out and with 240 m (790 ft) and 204 m (669 ft), they became the tallest buildings in Colombia, leaving the Colpatria Tower on third place. However, the tower has become a referent among the citizens and one of the most remarkable places in the city.

The base of the tower is a square, constructed at the juncture of two of the most important avenues in Bogota. The building's facade comprises pilasters of concrete and vertical glazing bars, extending unbroken from ground level to the building's roof. The feature provides ventilation and natural light to offices.

The Torre Colpatria's complex includes a separate ten-floor building, built to give contrast to the main tower's height. There are several public and commercial banking offices, as well as parking facilities.

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Wikipedia