LIC Building

LIC Building, Chennai
LIC Building at Chennai, was the tallest skyscraper in India when it was inaugurated in 1959.
Map
Record height
Tallest in India from 1959 to 1961[I]
General information
TypeCommercial offices[1]
Architectural styleModernism (RCC-framed construction)
LocationAnna Salai, Chennai, India
Address102, Anna Salai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 002, India
Coordinates13°03′51″N 80°15′58″E / 13.064283°N 80.266065°E / 13.064283; 80.266065
Construction started1953; 71 years ago (1953)
Completed1959; 65 years ago (1959)
Inaugurated23 August 1959; 65 years ago (1959-08-23)
Cost87 lakh
330 crore (2016 prices)
OwnerLife Insurance Corporation of India
Height
Roof54 m (177 ft)
Top floor44 m (144 ft)
Technical details
Floor count15
Floor area11,700 m2 (126,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)H. J. Brown and L. C. Moulin (1953-1957)
L. M. Chitale (1958)
DeveloperCoromandel Engineering Limited (Murugappa Group)[2]
References
[3]

LIC Building is a 15-storied building in Chennai, India, serving as the southern headquarters of the Life Insurance Corporation of India. It is the first skyscraper built in India[4][5] and an important landmark in the city. Located on the arterial Anna Salai (formerly Mount Road), the building is 54 m (177 ft) tall. Initially built with 12 floors, the LIC Building was the tallest building in India when it was completed in 1959[4] and was surpassed by Mumbai's first skyscraper, the Usha Kiran Building, in 1961, which is about 80 m (260 ft) high.[6] The building marked the transition from lime-and-brick construction to concrete columns in the region.[7] The building is also known for using pile foundation technique for the first time in the region.[8] It was the tallest building in Chennai for over 35 years before being surpassed by the Hyatt Regency Building (erstwhile Magunta Oberoi) on Anna Salai and the Arihant Majestic Towers in Koyambedu, both in the mid-1990s.

  1. ^ "LIC Building". Emporis.com. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ "History". Coromandel Engineering. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  3. ^ "Emporis building ID 104430". Emporis. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ a b Srivathsan, A. (14 July 2007). "Reaching the sky". The Hindu. Chennai. Archived from the original on 18 September 2007. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  5. ^ "1951 A.D. to 2000 A.D." Chennaibest.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  6. ^ "Drawings of Usha Kiran". skyscraperpage.com. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  7. ^ Kannan, Shanthi (19 March 2005). "GREEN buildings". The Hindu. Chennai. Archived from the original on 7 May 2005. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference DC_ATallLandMark was invoked but never defined (see the help page).