While Antwerp, Belgium, is famous as a diamond trading hub, Surat, India, is the lesser-known “Diamond Capital of the World” where the majority of all global diamonds are cut and polished.
If you’ve ever bought a diamond, regardless of its origin in Africa or Russia, there’s a nine-in-ten chance that it passed through Surat before reaching you.
The city has developed a skilled workforce and a well-established diamond industry, attracting diamond traders and companies from around the globe.
Now, the city boasts a record-breaking building to house its mammoth industry.
Surat is now home to the world’s largest office building, covering over 7.1 million square feet of floor space to accommodate its thriving industry. The state-of-the-art Surat Diamond Bourse (SDB) serves as a comprehensive hub for more than 65,000 diamond professionals, including cutters, polishers, and traders, further enhancing the city’s thriving diamond industry.
Surpassing even the Pentagon, it holds the title of the world’s largest office building.
The towers, covering 35 acres, consist of 15-story complexes interconnected, creating a massive 7.1 million square feet of floor space, exceeding the Pentagon by 600,000 square feet.
Certified “Platinum” by the Indian Green Building Council, the building features a central spine for wind funneling and chilled water circulation through the floors to combat soaring summer temperatures, which can exceed 110 Fahrenheit (43 degrees).”
