The Octagon (Egypt)

The Octagon (الأوكتاجون) is the new headquarters for the Egyptian Ministry of Defense, being a part of a much larger initiative of moving all governmental offices to the New Administrative Capital.[3][4] The establishment of the new headquarters aims to be the largest in the Middle East, located in the New Capital, Greater Cairo.[5]

This article is about the headquarters of Egypt's Ministry of Defense. For the geometric figure, see Octagon. For other uses, see Octagon (disambiguation).
The Octagon
الأوكتاجون
Front view of The Octagon
Alternative namesState Strategic Command Center
General information
StatusUnder construction
Architectural stylePharaonic
LocationNew Administrative Capital
CountryEgypt
Coordinates29°56′16.5″N 31°39′14.1″E
Construction startedMay, 2016[1]
Cost$123,000,000
OwnerMinistry of Defense
Technical details
Floor count5
Floor area50,590,378 square feet (4,700,000 m2)[2]

The headquarters extends over a total area of 22,000 acres (89 km2; 960,000,000 sq ft), with about 50,500,000 square feet (1,160 acres; 4,690,000 m2) of it serving as floor area.[6] It includes 13 zones – each with its own specific role – making it the largest defense headquarters and office building complex in the world surpassing The Pentagon in the United States of America.[7][8] The Octagon is a part of a big establishment, which as a whole has worship venues, clubs, hotels, schools, playgrounds, residential projects, shopping malls, hospitals, and complexes for civil and administrative services. The place is secured by two Republican Guard units, and other means of security.[9]

Major General Dr. Samir Farag, Egyptian strategic expert, has stated during Egypt's president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's visit to the Octagon that the headquarters in the new administrative capital is the first of its kind in Egypt and the entire Middle East, continuing:

"This center is located in only 3 countries in the world, including the United States of America."[10]

The Six Centers

The (Octagon) State Strategic Command Center is composed of six centers:
  1. The Unified Strategic Data Center - has all the data of the state institutions.
  2. The Control Center of the Strategic Network - controls the administrative body of the state.
  3. State Utilities Management and Operation Center - controls state agencies and facilities.
  4. Telecommunications Network Control Center - ensures the stability of communications nationwide.
  5. Emergencies and Safety Center - governs emergency services and field security services.
  6. Weather Forecast Center - prepares the state defense center in case of any natural calamities.

In addition to a number of warehouses that secure the country's needs of strategic goods.[7][11]

Structure

The Octagon acquired its name because of its octagon-like architectural design, made up of the eight outer octagon-shaped buildings, thus representing all eight branches of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The entity as a whole consists of 10 buildings, 8 of which are external and two internal ones. Each building has eight facets connected to each other, with corridors connected to the heart of the structure known as the "main building," which is located in the middle.[12] While there are 2 central ministerial buildings located in the center of the octagonal structure, both connected to each other and to the rest of the eight external buildings by longitudinal corridors.

Design and architecture

The Egyptian Ministry of Defense/Ministry of War[13] headquarters' architecture was influenced by Ancient Egyptian architecture, as they've used pillars to support the buildings in a Pharaonic style.

References
  1. https://www.masress.com/fjp/219916%7C Masress
  2. https://www.masress.com/fjp/219916
  3. "Govt offices to be moved to administrative capital in mid-2020: official - Politics - Egypt". Ahram Online.
  4. "Egyptian president says to move governmentt headquarters to new capital in 2020". Xinhua.
  5. "الأوكتاجون" "The new headquarters of the Egyptian army "The Octagon"". Egy-Map.
  6. "Egyptian Generals compete the "Pentagon" with "Octagon", the new headquarters for the Ministry of Defense". Masress (in Arabic).
  7. "President El-Sisi Visits State's Strategic Leadership Center in New Administrative Capital". www.presidency.eg.
  8. "Egypt outdoes US Pentagon with new Octagon defense center: photos". AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز.
  9. "A new edifice embodies Egypt's future vision as a promising regional power". Youm7.
  10. "اللواء سمير فرج: مركز القيادة الاستراتيجى الأول فى مصر والشرق الأوسط". اليوم السابع.
  11. "President Sisi inspects Egypt's State Strategic Command Center". Egypt Today.
  12. "Photos and all you need to know about the Egyptian Ministry of Defense". Akhbarak.
  13. "Egypt's Defence Ministry renamed Ministry of War". Daily News Egypt.
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