BAHÁ’Í WORLD CENTRE — Construction of the Shrine of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá has passed a significant milestone this week with the pouring of the concrete floor slab for the main edifice and the surrounding plaza. After many stages of preparation, the floor of the central area is among the first parts of the project to reach its final form as some of the walls enclosing the north and south plazas are nearing completion.

These and other recent developments on the site are featured in the images that follow.

Concrete was poured across an area of 2,000 square meters, creating a platform that will be paved with local stone and reach a final floor height of about 3.5 meters above the original ground level of the site.

The concrete surface of the floor slab is smoothed after pouring.

Views of the central plaza area before (top) and after (bottom) this week’s work.

Once the concrete of the plaza floor sets, the construction of the folding walls around the plaza and the pillars of the main edifice can proceed.

Pictured (center) is the purpose-made formwork that will used as a mold for the eight pillars of the main edifice, each of which will stand at 11 meters.

Work continues to advance on the portal walls enclosing the north and south plazas, as well as the pillars that will support the floor of the north plaza (foreground).

Formwork is being raised for the portal wall on the west side of the north plaza.

The portal wall on the east side of the north plaza is nearing completion.

Pictured here are two views of work on the east portal wall of the south plaza. The wall was built up in several layers, and its sloped upper edge is now being completed.

In a view of the site from the west, progress on a path encircling the Shrine can be seen in the foreground.

With the foundations and central floor slab completed and the portal walls nearing completion, the Shrine and its associated structures will begin to take form before long.