Middle East Architect | November 2012 by CENTROID (Planners.Architects.Engineers)

NOVEMBER | CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 2012 VOLUME 6 ISSUE 11 2

FRONT

Top stories in the world of architecture including Gensler’s Abu Dhabi bank

PROJECTS A round up of the latest project news from MENA and the rest of the world

PEOPLE Key regional appointments, famous architect news and top quotes

ANALYSIS

COMMENT Thierry Paret, president of the AIA Middle East and judge of the MEA Awards

Is LED technology the key to sustainable lighting in the Middle East?

INTERVIEW

FEATURE Analysis and reaction from the 13 winning projects, people and practices

Jason Burnside from GAJ, the recently crowned Architect of the Year 2012

CASE STUDIES

THE WORK

A detailed reference section covering all the best projects in the world

GAJ’s Sharjah resort, SOM’s medical city and Sheppard Robson’s Siemens HQ

CULTURE

LAST WORD

A snapshot of funky furniture, lighting and other accessories in the market

Bart Leclercq, WSP Middle East, on iconic structures and delivering projects

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FRONT | NOVEMBER

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GENSLER DESIGNS NEW ABU DHABI BANK HQ Headquarters building will form part of capital’s new CBD on Al Maryah Island

TOP STORY

NUMBER OF STOREYS

The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), has appointed Gensler to design its global head office in the capital’s CBD on Al Maryah Island. Gensler is providing full design and supervision consultancy services including architecture, interior design, landscape design, engineering and site supervision services. The new 67,300m2, 31-ﬂoor building will contain commercial office space, hub bank, tower lobbies,

trading ﬂoors, auditorium, conferencing centre and cafeteria. The building is designed around a symmetrical central core that displays a clear axial relationship between the waterfront and main vehicular road. The overall massing is spilt into two thin towers emphasising verticality and slenderness. A key driver of the design concept was to reﬂect the presence of a well-established bank, within the

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The facade features vertical ﬁns.

context of a contemporary society. To accomplish this, Gensler designers ‘veiled’ the building with an arrangement of vertical fins that are used to extenuate the towers, while simultaneously creating a dynamic exterior that responds to the environment due to the varied fin rotations. During the day, the fins modulate light and provide solar protection, while at night they give the illusion of a streaming glow, which is said to ‘create the aesthetic perception of authority in a straightforward manner’.

NOVEMBER | FRONT

C g e at Categories the h ME EA Archite c t Architect Awards w s 2012 2 20 (page a e3 32)

TWO

Awards handed to o d s designer of Siemens ME HQ (page 56))

Dubai tto build 150m-high ‘frame’ structure by 2013

DESIGNMENA.COM • Winners of ME Architect Awards revealed • Dubai to build ‘frame’ tower by 2013 • In Pictures: At the ME Architect Awards

Al Berwaz Tower, dubbed the Dubai Frame, has been approved by the Dubai government and is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2013. The window-shaped structure, which contains a 150m-high glass bridge, was designed by Netherlandsbased Fernando Donis.

The structure contains a glass bridge.

Donis also designed the London Gate, a similar large frame gate for the London Olympics. The Dubai project costs US$33m and is expected to attract about two million visitors and tourists a year. Dubai Municipality is supervising the design, implementation and management of the project. The building will have facilities enabling the hosting of cultural events, exhibitions and conferences on the ground ﬂoor area. Each side shaft will have lifts that will take the visitors to the top of the structure consisting of a café offering views of the entire city.

Doha Tower crowned world’s best skyscraper by CTBUH Doha Tower, the winner of Best Overall Project of 2012 at this year’s ME Architect Awards, has also picked up a prize from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. The project by Jean Nouvel was named Best Tall Building Worldwide at a ceremony in Illinois, USA. Doha Tower was earlier named the council’s Best Tall Building in the Middle East and Africa, and beat the four regional winners. Richard Cook, awards chairman and partner in Cook + Fox Architects, commented: “The skin of the building is a beautiful expression of the local culture, connecting this

very modern tower with ancient Islamic designs. “It also provides a fantastic pattern of light within the building, while efficiently dampening the heat gains internally of the sun’s rays.”

• Jason Burnside wins Architect of the Year • Doha Tower scoops best project award • Ex RMJM trio to set up new Dubai office • Twisted hotel tower to open in Bahrain • Habtoor Leighton set to construct Qatar’s ﬁrst rail link

WEIRD PROJECT OF THE MONTH

A skyscraper made from bamboo has been proposed by China-based Tokamarch Architects to address the country’s housing needs. The bamboo facade, inspired by traditional Dai homes, is said to provide protection against both the sun and wind. It also contains courtyards and gardens. DATASTREAM TALLEST CITIES IN CHINA (% of country’s buildings over 200m - data from CTBUH) REST OF CHINA

HONG KONG

21%

25 25%

BEIJING

DALIAN

NANJING

SHANGHAI

WUHAN

118%

CHONGQING

Nouvel’s tower collects another prize.

5% GUANGZHOU 6%

SHENZHEN SHENZHE

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11%

FRONT | NOVEMBER

60 SECOND INTERVIEW

PEOPLE

Ex RMJM trio to set up new Dubai base

Sir Nicholas is chairman of the board.

Grimshaw opens Doha office Renowned UK architecture ﬁrm Grimshaw, chaired by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, is establishing a permanent foothold in the Qatari market with the opening of an office in Doha. The office will also become the operational centre for four new partners – Neil McClements, Juan Porral, Declan McCafferty and Andrew Thomas. A statement from the company said: “All four moves are rooted in the optimism and conviction of the practice as it builds upon its reputation for inventive, innovative architecture across all building sectors and across the globe.” Further recent promotions include Keith Brewis as managing partner for international operations and Mark Middleton as a managing partner in London. Established in 1980, some of Grimshaw’s projects include the Melbourne Metro, Incheon Airport in South Korea and The Eden Project in Cornwall, UK.

One of the key differences with Bahrain Bay is simply that our infrastructure has been fully completed, without any debt.” ROBERT LEE, chief executive officer, Bahrain Bay, Manama

Former RMJM employees Tony Kettle, Colin Bone and David Tripney have set up a new design house, Kettle Collective, with plans to create a Dubai office. Focusing on architecture, but also providing urban, interior and product design, Kettle Collective has set up its head office in Edinburgh, but is also in the process of establishing a studio in Dubai which will act as a hub, providing links to key markets in the Middle East and Russia. During his time at RMJM, Tony Kettle led the design of the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland and Lakhta Tower, the new 456m tall HQ for Russian oil giant Gazprom. Tripney spent 20 years in Dubai, overseeing the sale of former company Holford Associates to Hyder Consulting, and was behind the delivery of Mall of the Emirates. Meanwhile, Bone spent ﬁve years at RMJM, heading up the European Studio as managing principal, with a focus on new markets such as Bahrain, Qatar and Russia.

Colin Bone, Tony Kettle, David Tripney.

People always ask: “How can you build a small building in front of a giant building, and I say, why not?” ANTHONY POON, architect for Chun Wo, a Hong Kong ﬁrm behind Reem Diamond in Abu Dhabi

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

GEORGE EFSTATHIOU, CONSULTING PARTNER, SOM What is SOM currently working on? We’re done with the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, and the Inﬁnity Tower in the Dubai Marina is almost complete. We have several projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, like the conference centre in the King Abdullah Financial District.”

Why do you think SOM deserved to win Large Architecture Firm of the Year? I think it’s the consistency over long periods of time in terms of quality and work that we do and we push the envelope as much as we can. We try to do buildings that can be built – it’s not just paper architecture. It’s great designing that service for our clients. Our buildings have the integration of sustainability and engineering, and we are able to keep the best people that we can hire. You just have to take a look at the history of SOM in architecture and engineering to see what we’re capable of doing as a company.

There are ten times more existing buildings than new buildings - existing buildings are a bigger factor in sustainability.” THOMAS BOHLEN, chief technical officer, ME Centre for Sustainable Development

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FRONT | NOVEMBER

MENA PROJECT SNAPSHOT 1

1 AFGHANISTAN

2 TURKEY

3 OMAN

National museum project won by Spanish ﬁrm

Emaar launches Turkish mega scheme

The Wave parades ﬁrst waterfront units

The Ministry of Information and Culture and the US Embassy have appointed Spanish ﬁrm AV62 Arquitectos to design the new National Museum of Afghanistan. The jury commented: “The strength of this design proposal rests on the balance between the architectural form and the presentation of the collections... [the] exterior appearance is distinctive yet understated and responds to the local context.”

Emaar Properties announced its Turkish subsidiary has launched an urban project in Istanbul, which is partly inspired by Dubai Mall. Emaar Turkey said ‘Boulevardi’ will include over 1,000 luxury homes, a 190-room ﬁve-star hotel, leisure facilities and offices. The centrepoint will be the Boulevardi mall, which will be one of the largest in Istanbul with 400 stores, an underwater zoo, ice skating rink and movie theatre.

The Wave, Muscat opened the registration for Marsa One apartments, the ﬁrst waterfront units to be launched in the development. Marsa One forms part of Almarsa Village, which comprises 121 luxury units in a marina-front position. A spokesperson added: “The apartments are speciﬁcally designed to make maximum use of the spectacular views over the marina and village, as well as take advantage of light and space.”

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FRONT | NOVEMBER

GLOBAL PROJECT SNAPSHOT 3

1 SINGAPORE

2 CHINA

3 GERMANY

Largest dome in the world underway in Singapore

Zaha Hadid to design HK university tower

Frankfurt airport extension completed by gmp

Construction has begun on the roof of Singapore’s National Stadium, the world’s largest dome at 310m, which is scheduled for completion in 2014. The 55,000-seat stadium and surrounding spaces, is the only complex in the world custom-built to host football, rugby, cricket and athletic events under one roof. It is designed to use only a fraction of the energy required for an equivalent fully enclosed stadium.

Zaha Hadid Architects will design a tower for the Hong Kong Polytechnic University which will also be home to the newly established Jockey Club design institute for social innovation. Expected to be complete by 2013, the building providing 15,000m2 of net ﬂoor space, housing 1800 staff members. It will contain a lecture hall, 10 classrooms, studios and workshops as well as a museum, exhibition space and communal viewing lounge.

German ﬁrm gmp has completed the extension to gate A at Rhein-Main airport, Frankfurt. It is 800 metres long, with an area of 185,000m2 and designed for up to six million passengers a year. On 10 October 2012, Fraport and Lufthansa start operations. The architect’s commission included the link between two gates, the baggage claim area, the required conversions of existing structures in Terminal 1 as well the new gate A+.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

FRONT | NOVEMBER

4 USA

5 GERMANY

6 CHINA

Foster + Partners wins New York tower competition

Henning Larsen picks up research centre project

OMA competes for China National Art Museum

UK giant Foster + Partners has been selected to design a new commercial tower at 425 Park Avenue, New York, for a partnership of L&L Holding Company and Lehman Brothers Holdings. The tapered steel-frame tower rises to meet three shear walls that will be illuminated. Each of the three tiers – low, medium and highrise – is deﬁned by a landscaped terrace offering panoramic views across Manhattan and Central Park.

Henning Larsen Architects has won the competition for a new research building for the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research in Stuttgart. The centre, for one of Germany’s top research institutions for renewable energy, is designed as a grid of small units to meet the requirement for a highly ﬂexible workplace. The building features various heights and is expected to be completed in 2016.

Dutch ﬁrm OMA has released its design for the National Art Museum of China competition with results announced next month. OMA has integrated a variety of city-like districts throughout the massive structure, with ‘classical’ museum spaces as well as modern, open-plan areas. ‘Districts’ include a city centre, periphery, a Chinese and international district, modern and historical areas as well as commercial and government areas.

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NEWS ANALYSIS | LED TECHNOLOGY

Is LED technology the key to sustainable lighting? Aidan Imanova investigates ANALYSIS

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

LED TECHNOLOGY | NEWS ANALYSIS

Scott Coombes, principal, AESG, agrees that lighting technology is indeed “shifting from the use of incandescent ﬂuorescent technology to LED technology.” Coombes continues: “Efficient lighting is needed for sustainable architecture. In 2009, a typical 13-watt LED lamp emitted 450 to 650 lumens, which is equivalent to a standard 40-watt incandescent bulb. “In 2011, LEDs have become more efficient, so that a 6-watt LED can easily achieve the same results. A standard 40-watt incandescent bulb has an expected lifespan of 1,000

hours, whereas an LED can operate with reduced efficiency for more than 50,000 hours, 50 times longer than the incandescent bulb,” he continues.

AESG is a sustainability consultancy based in Dubai.

“Most of the sustainability consultants prefer to propose LED lighting for budgetary projects which reduce lighting demand from the ASHRAE requirements.” Scott Coombes, principal, AESG

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NEWS ANALYSIS | LED TECHNOLOGY OLOGY

George Bou Mitri; Maryrose Sylvester.

1,000Hrs

ing away and new ones LIFESPAN OF 40-WATT technologies need to be adopted in order are coming into place,” INCANDESCENT to actually save on the she states. BULB carbon footprint generFor Coombes, LED ated here and also make technology has infinite sure that you have an efficient possibilities. “The uses of LED lighting system,” states George Bou lighting are limitless,” he says. “LED Mitri, general manager - Middle lights can be used for entertainment Coombes adds that LED lighting East, Africa & Turkey, GE Lighting. and architectural lighting and also as is sustainable as it uses less energy He describes the Middle East as a part of a sophisticated and state-ofthan most other types of lamps, has “multi-speed region” but concludes the-art interior design.” a longer lifespan, which causes less that the lighting organisation in the Despite all the benefits and advanfrequent replacement and reduces tages of LEDs, Coombes outlines that region is growing. the amount of waste. In addition it is Coombes adds: “Most of the there are, however, some concerns mercury-free and can be housed in countries in the GCC have started with the overall technology. He adds: special luminaries designed for easier “Some of the issues raised may be to reduce their carbon footprint. disassembling and recycling. Hence they started encouraging the colour balance, water damage and Another benefit is the ability to be sustainability regulations and energy UV sensitivity. dimmed, which opens up tremendous efficiency equipments to reduce “LEDs can shift colour due to age opportunities for additional energy electricity consumption.” and temperature. Two different white savings through the use of controls He continues: “As part of that, LEDs will have two different colour and motion sensors. some of the Middle East countries characteristics which can affect how Sylvester adds that with the adhave announced their Green Buildthe light is perceived.” vancement in LED usage, companies ing regulations and some of them Moving on to regional concerns, have to take more responsibility with have made it mandatory to achieve it is hard to tell whether the Middle their decision making. “Companies this. Green rating systems are also East has embraced this revolution of now need to make more complicated encouraged in many countries.” LED technology. “The region is rich decisions as old technologies are goCoombes states, however, that in oil, but then again, this is why new there are “no government regulations “Not everybody is at the same speed. Some have actually being made to drive LED lighting, but taken steps such as projects and proof points, wanting to they do have regulations to meet the mandatory energy reduction by perlearn about the technology better while others have been forming whole building energy simucompletely convinced. ” lation. This will incorporate lighting as well. In some of the government George Bou Mitri, general manager - Middle East, Africa & Turkey, GE Lighting regulations, they recommend to use LED lighting.”

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

LED TECHNOLOGY | NEWS ANALYSIS

He adds: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most of the sustainability consultants prefer to propose LED lighting for budgetary projects which reduce lighting demand from the ASHRAE requirements.â&#x20AC;? Coombes also brings up the extreme heat and humidity in the Middle East and how this may affect the employment of LED technology in the region. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Generally, the Middle East climate is determined as a very hot and humid place. LED performance is temperature dependent. LEDs used outdoors, such as outdoor signaling or in-pavement signal lights, in maintenance zones that are utilised in hot climates, could result in low signal intensities or even failure. It is recommended not to be used in caution zones to avoid accidents,â&#x20AC;? he says. When asked the same question, Bou Mitri compares the climate in the Middle East to Las Vegas, where GE has recently installed an entire LED roadway. According to Bou Mitri and Sylvester, GE installed 40,000 of its newest ERS outdoor ďŹ xtures, removing 1,200 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide by replacing these HID lights with LED systems. Sylvester informs that 2,300 cars were taken off the road annually. The 20 million kilowatt hour reduction and energy usage has saved the city $1.7 million, in addition to the maintenance and energy savings. Therefore in terms of the climate in the Middle East, Bou Mitri says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We look at some of the products like ERS outdoor ďŹ xtures and think of the heat level here. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re customising but we have very well positioned products that work here in the region so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re taking all these speciďŹ cs into account. To make sure that the products we use are compatible with the region, we consider the temperature risings, the heat level as well as the operating rhythm and maintenance rhythm that is used here.â&#x20AC;? Whether this is the reason for the slow movement towards LEDs in the Middle East is an uncertainty. Bou Mitri states: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not everybody is at the same speed. Some have actually taken steps such as projects and proof points, wanting to learn about the technology better while others have been completely convinced. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is deďŹ nitely becoming more and more accepted in the region,â&#x20AC;? he concludes.

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COMMENT | EDITOR’S LETTER

CLOSE CALL EDITOR’S LETTER

This year’s MEA Awards was a hotly-contested event

GOT A COMMENT? If you have any comments to make on this month’s issue, please e-mail oliver. ephgrave @itp.com

ow that the results of the 2012 Middle East Architect Awards have been revealed, the winners can deservedly pat themselves on the back and bask in the glory. It was a fantastic night for the likes of SOM, GAJ, Sheppard Robson and AGi Architects, who all picked up multiple awards. However, there were several people and projects which impressed yet narrowly missed out. Only one category received a unanimous vote from the judges and that was Best Overall Project, won by Jean Nouvel’s Doha Tower. For most of the other categories, the judges had a tougher time in deciding the winners due to the evenness of the competition. A particularly tight contest was fought for Architect of the Year. Jason Burnside from GAJ walked away with the award, ahead of Atkin’s Joe Tabet and Norr’s Yahya Jan. Both the runners up were highly praised for building landmark structures and only just missed out on the top prize. Meanwhile, a ﬁ rm that impressed yet left empty handed was Mangera Yvars Architects, in the Boutique Firm category. The Spain-based ﬁ rm was narrowly pipped to the post by

Farshad Mahdizadeh’s snack bar was described as a “real eye-catcher”.

AGi Architects. Mangera Yvars won rave reviews from the panel for its Faculty of Islamic Studies in Qatar. Judge Thierry Paret, AIA Middle East president, remarked that the project “re-conﬁ rms this ﬁ rm is on its way to better and bigger things” while Bart Leclercq, WSP, described its portfolio as “truly breathtaking”. One of the night’s surprises came from little-known Iranian architect Farshad Mahdizadeh, who was highly commended for two awards. Mahdizadeh’s bold apartment block in Iran was runner up in the Residential category, while his Circle Snack Bar was described by Leclercq as a “real eye catcher and a fabulous

“Only one category received a unanimous vote from the judges and that was Best Overall Project, won by Jean Nouvel’s Doha Tower.”

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

example of an architect that was thinking outside the box”. Leclercq added: “This must be the smallest architectural project ever but the amount of diligence that went into the design is remarkable”. Aedas’ Al Bahar Towers in Abu Dhabi also impressed the judges in the Best Commercial and Best Sustainable Project categories. The scheme was outmuscled in both categories by Sheppard Robson’s Siemens Headquarters in Masdar City. However, its façade was praised by Paret as an “innovative active solar screen system which makes for a fascinating solution to the otherwise entirely glazed building envelope”. This year’s competition was undoubtedly the most hotly contested MEA Awards yet. Congratulations are certainly in order for all the winners and runners up.

COMMENT | SAEED ALABBAR

GREEN DILEMMA OPINION

Why modern constructions still fall short of the mark Saeed Alabbar is director at energy and sustainability consultancy AESG, which is based in Dubai.

s the UAE entered the 21st century, globalisation brought with it many ideas and design concepts from the West. Costly, energy-intensive air conditioning technology was utilised to ensure that such buildings were able to maintain comfortable interior conditions despite the poor insulation. More recently, local governments introduced more rigorous codes, such as the Estidama Pearl Rating System in Abu Dhabi and the mandating of elements of LEED for buildings within Dubai World’s jurisdiction. While these steps are fantastic for the industry, and governments should be praised, there are still fundamental issues that need addressing.

Firstly, we need to start talking about a building’s energy use intensity and the energy consumption per square metre, rather than comparing buildings to theoretical baselines. Next, we need to set stringent quality control guidelines; the integrity of building envelopes needs major improvement. Some fantastic analysis goes into building designs to select the right glass and insulation but quite often this is lost during construction as insulation and facades are installed poorly with high levels of thermal bridging and air leakage. It is not only the contractors that are at fault here. A lot of building envelope designs done by architects in the region are very poor with enormous amounts of thermal bridging. Traditional Arabian buildings utilised natural ventilation methods.

A lot of building envelope designs done by architects in the Middle East region are very poor and have enormous amounts of thermal bridging.”

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

There is really little use in specifying the top of the range insulation if heat is allowed to pass through all the exposed elements of the building. Major savings in energy can be made by addressing this rather simple issue, which would not cost that much to ﬁx. We also need to move the discussion of green buildings into the realm of building operation. There is a lot of talk about green design and green construction but the objectives seem to stop once the building is completed and received its rating. Buildings do not consume energy while they are being built. They only consume energy when they are occupied so this should be the most important phase of a green buildings life. Finally, we need to ensure proper utilisation of new technology. Far too often when we look at existing buildings we see the most expensive, highest spec building management system turned off because it is not working properly or the operators do not know how to use it. Bridging the interface between construction and operation, through proper commissioning is essential, particularly as buildings are becoming more and more high-tech. There is a lot of great change that has happened in the industry over the past few years and the government and private sector are both making great strides in the realm of sustainable buildings. However, we must not rest on our laurels and should wake up every day and ask ourselves the fundamental question of how we can really make our buildings better.

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COMMENT | THIERRY PARET

JURY DUTY OPINION

Behind the scenes of the judging panel for the Middle East Architect Awards 2012 Thierry Paret is president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Middle East

was honoured to have been selected by the editorial team as a judge for the 2012 Middle East Architect Awards. This was my fourth time as a judge, twice for domestic American Institute of Architect State Chapters and once for another Middle East publication. The comparison was interesting as I found startling differences between the awards from my country and the ones here. First and foremost is the current economic situation in the US which means that projects there have to face the stark realities at hand which means having to be cost effective to get built. This is not to say that some ﬁnancial realities have not trickled down to our MENA region, but the differ-

ences are still glaring. The majority of entries submitted were for projects located in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE which showed the resilience of the key GCC countries. These areas still have a sense of optimism driving the market which is exhibited in this year’s entries. This gives great hope for the future of the profession in these challenging times. Lastly this market is truly international as reflected in this year’s Middle East Architect Awards with entries from American, European, MENA and Australian firms. Now to the awards. The entries encompassed the full gamut of project types from large, medium and small firms in the region. Upon completing my first review of all the entries, Nominations for the 2012 event were judged by a panel of six experts.

It was also refreshing to see so many entries return to simple, elegant buildings over the type of “pastiche” architecture lacking fundamental heritage and identity.”

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

I established my criteria for judging each category and looked at historical precedents in order to remain as objective as possible. I also felt that it was important to establish a standard of excellence against which all architects can measure performance, and inform the public of the breadth and value of architectural practice. According to Roman architect Vitrivus, a good building should satisfy the three principles of “ﬁrmitas, utilitas, venustas” which translates as durability, utility and beauty. Sustainability is the fourth principle which many architects forgot with the advent of technology in the 20th century. My ﬁnal criterion has to do with how well a building will age. Will it be a timeless work of art or just a fashion trend like bell bottoms or wide lapels on a suit which will lose relevance as soon as it is completed? I was impressed to see the approaches taken by many of the architects particularly in response to the true regional vernacular and their contemporary interpretations. It was also refreshing to see so many entries return to simple, elegant buildings over the type of pastiche architecture which lacks fundamental heritage and identity. I was particularly taken by many of the entries for the Commercial, Residential, Sustainable and Public Sector, Institutional & Cultural categories. The maturity shown was refreshing and encouraging to see and bodes well for the future of architecture in the region.

INTERVIEW | JASON BURNSIDE

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

JASON BURNSIDE | INTERVIEW

Oliver Ephgrave meets Jason Burnside, GAJ partner, education design specialist and newly crowned MEA Architect of the Year THE INTERVIEW

itting on a rooftop cafe, with no idea that he is soon to be crowned Architect of the Year at the MEA Awards, GAJ’s Jason Burnside ponders his chances of winning the event’s most prestigious prize. “What will be will be,” mulls Burnside. “I haven’t checked who I’m up against because I need to manage my expectations. I just want to turn up on the night.” It’s already been a good year for Northern Ireland-born Burnside, who was made partner at GAJ this spring, follow-

ing 11 years of dedicated work at the Dubai-based company. The down-to-earth Ulsterman remarks: “It has been a good year. Deep down it is ﬂattering to get a promotion as it shows the hard work has not gone unnoticed.” When asked why he chose architecture as a profession, he replies: “It was a funny introduction into architecture. I initially did a BTEC National Diploma in Building Studies and Civil Engineering which was a multi faceted course. The tipping point was when I saw St Aengus’ Church outside

It has been a good year. Deep down it is ﬂattering to get a promotion as it shows the hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.” Jason Burnside

www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

INTERVIEW | JASON BURNSIDE

Burnside hails from Derry, Northern Ireland.

of Derry by Liam McCormick. The building itself sits next to an ancient monument and it is so well connected. I thought it was so clever and beautiful. That was certainly the first time I really looked at a building in that way.” He continues: “Another building that inspired me was Richard Rogers’ Lloyds Building - a super high-tech ‘spaceship’ in the centre of London. I started looking at buildings as an art form rather than something we use as a commodity. That was when I thought I wouldn’t mind getting involved in architecture.” Burnside remarks that he headed to art college in Dundee to formally study architecture. After completing his training he received an out-ofthe-blue offer to work on a project in London. “They needed someone the next day, so I set off with one rucksack on a coach to Victoria Station. This was for a small practice called Clarke Associates and I ended up staying for five and a half years.” Burnside’s move to Dubai was similarly fortuitous. He explains: “In 2001 I had a chance to visit some friends over here. The only time I’d seen Dubai was in a Tomorrow’s World programme about the construction of Burj Al Arab. “In the last week of the holiday I had a chance meeting with Brian Johnson [managing partner of GAJ]. I had interview and got offered the job, so I convinced my wife to take a ‘year out’ and BURNSIDE MOVES TO live abroad. 11 years later, we’re UAE TO JOIN GAJ still here, and now we have a family. When I first arrived, the company had pitched to do archi-

2001

A ﬁrm in London needed someone the next day. I set off with one rucksack on a coach to Victoria Station.” Jason Burnside

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

INTERVIEW | JASON BURNSIDE

Victorian idea of get in there and head down. That was fine when it was taught with blackboard and chalk. However, due to the way kids are taught today, the buildings can’t stay with that mentality - you can now even question whether you need a classroom. Yet the parents need to feel assured that their child is getting a proper education, so there’s still a way to go in convincing people. Certainly what we are doing is breaking down the conventional stuff - corridor, classroom, and you are finding something more like office design.” Burnside adds that flexibility is a key consideration in many school projects, but not all. “Due to the horrendously tight timeframe to get schools done for the start of the academic year, we often build with precast - that is good and bad in equal measure. One of the schools had a cross wall construction - it was very quick with very little finishes to be done, but flexibility is a problem. “Some of the others have column and beam to maintain that flexibility. I think that allowing for flexibility in

the common spaces is a sensible way to go. However, the client tends to have their own views - the building won’t necessarily remain as a school. Maybe the buildings will be reused rather than demolished; these schools might be a hospital in the future. Allowing for some ﬂexibility is sensible, but if you want to make the building completely fool proof for the next 20 years, that’s another matter.” Commenting again on his recent promotion to partner, he says that his responsibilities are still the same. “It doesn’t change what I do,” he remarks. “People think that architecture is a very glamorous profession, but it’s 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. You can’t just come up with ideas and that’s it. The very privileged few architects can get away with that, but for the rest of us it’s a lot of grunt work. I still do my own drawings and modelling, and the late nights with the rest of the team. One has to wonder whether the situation will remain the same for Burnside in the wake of his new status as Architect of the Year.

One of Burnside’s signature projects - Gate Village, DIFC, Dubai.

People think that architecture is a very glamorous profession, but it’s 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration.” Jason Burnside

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

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T PRIVATE VILLA, DUBAI

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in association with Ehrlich Architects.

side, casts a giant swathe of shade.

T GEMS SCHOOL, DUBAI Commissioned by GEMS Education, the brief speciﬁed an efficient solution while creating the best possible educational environment. GAJ’s design strategy was to create internal courtyards at the centre of the individual blocks, introducing greenery and natural light to all spaces.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

JASON BURNSIDE | PORTFOLIO

T QATAR SCHOOL This school was based around the concept of a ‘street’ in which students interact and congregate as well as circulate to the various activities available. The street opens onto the football pitch and outdoor spaces, strengthing the link between outdoors and indoors.

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www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

COVER STORY | AWARDS 2012

The region’s architects and engineers flocked to The Westin Dubai to celebrate the Middle East’s best professionals, practices and projects

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

AWARDS 2012 | COVER STORY

ith a record number of entrants, a 33% increase from the previous year, the interest in the 2012 Middle East Architect Awards was notable for many reasons. While it demonstrates that awareness of the event is growing year by year, the sheer volume hinted that more projects have been launched and completed in the past 12 months and ﬁ rms are proud of their achievements. The winners of the 13 categories were determined by a panel of six expert

judges - a cross section of practicing architects, engineers and academics. Following a similar trend to last year, a number of ﬁ rms walked away with two or more awards apiece. US-based giant SOM enjoyed a hugely successful night, picking up three awards in total. As well as winning Large Architecture Firm of the Year, the company also received honours for Engineer of the Year (William F Baker) and Public Sector, Institutional & Cultural Project of the Year (Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi).

Dubai’s GAJ also received multiple honours, with awards for Architect of the Year (Jason Burnside) and Hospitality & Leisure Project of the Year (The Chedi Khorfakkan, Sharjah). Sheppard Robson won a brace of prizes for the Siemens Middle East HQ at Masdar City, in the Sustainable and commercial project categories. Another two awards were scooped by Kuwait and Spain based AGi Architects, for Boutique Firm of the Year and Residential Project of the Year (S Cube Chalet, Kuwait).

THE JUDGES

DAVID GREEN PARTNER, GAJ

PETER DI SABATINO DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE, ART AND DESIGN AT THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF SHARJAH

TAREQ ABUSUKHEILA PRINCIPAL AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, GENSLER

THIERRY PARET PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, MIDDLE EAST

BART LECLERCQ HEAD OF STRUCTURES, WSP MIDDLE EAST

YAHYA JAN VICE PRESIDENT AND DESIGN DIRECTOR, NORR GROUP CONSULTANTS

www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

SOM | Hedrich Blessing ©Nick Merrick

COVER STORY | AWARDS 2012

LARGE ARCHITECTURE FIRM OF THE YEAR

SKIDMORE, OWINGS AND MERRILL (SOM) Global giant SOM was recognised as the fi rm, with more than 100 employees, that has made the most significant impact on the GCC in 2012. The practice was a clear winner in this category and described by the judging panel as the “undisputed master of the skyscraper and many other building types”. One judge commented that the company’s endless number of great projects makes it the supreme example of a large architectural firm. It was also labelled as an architectural legend that pushes the envelope in every corner of the globe.

Collecting the award, George Efstathiou, consulting partner for SOM, said: “It’s another recognition for us. They use us as an example and called us a legend. It’s a testament to the people that work at SOM and the traditions of quality and services we provide to our clients.” When asked why SOM stood out from the rest of the nominees, he replied: “I think it’s the consistency over long periods of time in terms of quality of work. We push the envelope as much as we can. We try to do buildings that can be built – it’s not just paper architecture.”

“The company’s endless number of great projects makes it the supreme example of a large architectural ﬁrm.”

SHORTLIST

HIGHLY COMMENDED “This ﬁrm continues to deliver quality Middle East projects, such as International Tower in Abu Dhabi and St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort.”

GAJ

NAGA ARCHITECTS

LACASA

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

WOODS BAGOT

AWARDS 2012 | COVER STORY

ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR

JASON BURNSIDE, GAJ GAJ partner Jason Burnside was handed the prize for Architect of the Year. Burnside has amassed an impressive array of education projects, and he was recently made a partner at the ﬁ rm. The panel described him as an architect with a strong body of work that displays a sensitive and elegant approach to architectural design which is refreshing to see. Burnside said: “Without a doubt this is one of my career highlights. I’m really honoured to get this award and I’m chuffed to bits. It’s great to be recognised.” This particular award was an

extremely tough decision for the judges, and the result was the closest out of all the categories. Burnside added: “It was really tough, given the guys I was up against. Some of them have built landmark structures. I was surprised to win as my work is more small-scale.” Judges were impressed by Burnside’s well-crafted portfolio which includes a stunning private villa in Dubai, a parliament design, a distinctive mixed-use complex in DIFC, Dubai, and a number of sensitive school projects in Dubai and Qatar.

“Burnside has a strong body of work that displays a sensitive and elegant approach to architectural design which is refreshing to see.” HIGHLY COMMENDED “His designs are always original in shape and form, never a copy of a previous job.” JOE TABET ATKINS

SHORTLIST “A designer with a mature and consistent portfolio over many years in the business.” YAHYA JAN NORR GROUP CONSULTANTS

KHALED AL SHAMAA MEISA BATAYNEH DWP MAISAM

www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

COVER STORY | AWARDS 2012

OVERALL PROJECT OF THE YEAR

DOHA TOWER Famous French architect Jean Nouvel scooped the prize for Best Overall Project for his renowned Doha Tower. The striking cylindrical tower in West Bay area was recognised as the year’s best complete building. Judges described it as an elegant form with a careful integration of Islamic architecture – a building that bridges modernity and tradition through its external skin. Collecting the award, Haﬁd Rakem, architect partner/area manager, Ateliers Jean Nouvel,

said: “We are very happy and proud for winning. I would like to thank Jean Nouvel and HE Sheikh Saoud. Without the client and the architect, our dream cannot be realised.” He added: “I would also like to thank all the consultants and the contractor involved in the project, including Hubert Tonka, special advisor to Jean Nouvel and Michel Pelissie, CEO of Ateliers Jean Nouvel. As part of the prize, Atelier Jean Nouvel won a custom-made model from 3DR Models. Haﬁd chose a 1:500 scale model of Doha Tower.

“An elegant form with a careful integration of Islamic architecture. This tower that has become a symbol for an entire city.” SHORTLIST

HIGHLY COMMENDED “A worthy second place for its sustainability efforts.”

TERRACITY SHOPPING CENTRE ONCUOGLU & ACP

ST REGIS SAADIYAT ISLAND RESORT WOODS BAGOT

AL HITMI COMPLEX NORR GROUP CONSULTANTS

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

SOWWAH SQUARE ABU DHABI, GOETTSCH PARTNERS (GP)

AWARDS 2012 | COVER STORY

PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR

HOLLEY CHANT, KEO INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTS The prize for Principal of the Year was handed to Holley Chant, KEO’s corporate sustainability director, strategy, planning & urban development. Judges were looking for an individual who best demonstrated their ability to lead in challenging times. The panel remarked that Chant has worked hard to make sustainability a focal point in the industry. One judge added: “[Chant] has a long and proven track record and has been a driving force behind the success of KEO in the Middle East. “She is actively involved in educating design professionals and her involvement with regional municipalities makes her a sustainability champion.” Receiving the award, Chant said: “This is totally unexpected, I am just completely stunned and overwhelmed. I am extremely proud of my colleagues and team and even though this is a one-person award, we are all winners.” She added: “The important thing in sustainability is leading a team shoulder-to-shoulder. We appreciate young talent and especially innovation and the belief that the newest person you have could be just as good or even better than the seniors.”

“Chant has a long and proven track record and has been a driving force behind the success of KEO in the Middle East.” HIGHLY COMMENDED

SHORTLIST

“A promising individual in the GCC, bringing fresh, original design to the lifestyle sector.”

JOAQUIN PEREZ AGI ARCHITECTS

IBRAHIM AL JAIDAH ARAB ENGINEERING BUREAU (AEB)

TAREK N QADDUMI TNQ

DR SHAMS ELDIEN NAGA NAGA ARCHITECTS

www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

COVER STORY | AWARDS 2012

RESIDENTIAL PROJECT OF THE YEAR

S CUBE, AGI ARCHITECTS Elegant, sophisticated and simple. These were the words used by the jury to describe AGi’s S Cube in Kuwait, which featured on the cover of MEA last month. The jury noted the understated purity of design which takes into consideration the desert climate, with a façade devoid of unnecessary add-ons.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Dr Nasser B. Abulhasan, principal at AGi, said: “The joy is not just mine, but shared by the team and the client who lives in the project and allowed us to challenge the norm. “The design phase was about six months and construction took about 18 months to ﬁ nish. That’s what is special – that there are actually three clients in that house.”

SHORTLIST

“An interesting project in Iran which is notable for its bold form.”

ABADAN APARTMENT, IRAN FARSHAD MAHDIZADEH

COMMERCIAL PROJECT OF THE YEAR

MOP HOUSE, KUWAIT CITY AGI ARCHITECTS

MUTTAWAR RESIDENTIAL SEASIDE VILLAS, KSA DEVELOPMENT, OMAN ARCHITECTURAL KLINGMANN PROJECTIONS

SIEMENS MIDDLE EAST HQ, MASDAR CITY, SHEPPARD ROBSON UK-based Sheppard Robson impressed judges with its sustainable HQ for Siemens. The project was described by the panel as an innovative design that addresses the need for efficiency and sustainability, and a model for further research and development.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Accepting the award, Malcolm McGowan, managing partner, Sheppard Robson, commented: “It’s fantastic to win this award. We do a lot of work in the UK, but this is our ﬁ rst foray into designing highlyefficient commercial ﬂoor plates in another country.”

SHORTLIST

“This building has all the makings of becoming a classic landmark along Abu Dhabi’s Corniche.”

ADNOC HEADQUARTERS HOK

AL BAHAR TOWERS, ABU DHABI AEDAS

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

AL RASHED TOWER, SAUDI ARABIA NORR GROUP

CONFERENCE CENTRE KAFD, SAUDI ARABIA SOM

COVER STORY | AWARDS 2012

HOSPITALITY & LEISURE PROJECT OF THE YEAR

THE CHEDI KHORFAKKAN RESORT, GAJ GAJ’s Chedi Khorfakkan Resort in Sharjah was described by the judging panel as a “beautifully designed resort which has taken historical precedents into consideration through considerable research”. One judge remarked: “The architect managed to use all the technology available to develop a highly complex site into a beautiful top-end resort, with an astonishing level of detail.” Commenting on the design, Ignacio Gomez, associate partner, GAJ, remarked: “I feel great. It’s so fantastic after so much hard work that we got recognised by the market. Our project was based on intensive research. We were trying to ground the project with more historical context and study. “Our client, Shurooq, was heavily involved. It supported us and believed in the success of the project. We believe that it is going to be a benchmark in terms of design and quality.”

HIGHLY COMMENDED “A nicely scaled and elegant building which undeniably communicates the idea of leisure and relaxation to the resort users.”

MONTE CARLO BEACH CLUB LW DESIGN FOR TDIC

SHORTLIST

AL KHOBAR HOTEL, SAUDI ARABIA NAGA ARCHITECTS

ORIENT HOUSE DUBAI MUNICIPALITY

ST REGIS SAADIYAT ISLAND RESORT WOODS BAGOT

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

AWARDS 2012 | COVER STORY

www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

COVER STORY | AWARDS 2012

ENGINEERING FIRM OF THE YEAR

BURO HAPPOLD

World renowned company Buro Happold picked up the accolade for Best Engineering Firm. One judge remarked: “The best architects in the world use this company, and for a good reason - the ﬁ rm is all about good service and engineering innovation.” Collecting the award, Roger Nickells, managing director, Middle East, said: “We are delighted to be recog-

nised by our friends, the industry. We have got a ﬁ rm full of passionate people who love what they do, so this prize is very rewarding. “We are operating in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman; every region has its own challenges but whatever we are doing and wherever we are doing it, we are always enjoying ourselves. We’ve got our ﬁ ngerprints all over the market and we’re proud of that.”

SHORTLIST

RAMBOLL

SUSTAINABLE PROJECT OF THE YEAR

SIEMENS MIDDLE EAST HQ, SHEPPARD ROBSON Sheppard Robson’s Siemens Middle East HQ picked up its second prize of the night, demonstrating that it really caught the eye of the panel. One judge remarked that “any building achieving LEED Platinum should win is this category”, and this project is set to do so. The scheme was also said to be an innovative

HIGHLY COMMENDED

AL BAHAR TOWERS, ABU DHABI AEDAS

WSP

“The active solar screen is as a fascinating solution, and an appropriate response for the screening of fully transparent glazing.”

design that addresses, step by step, the project’s need for both efficiency and sustainability. Malcom McGowan, managing partner, Sheppard Robson, commented: “The amount of effort that went into the façade was incredible. We looked at many different variations of how to do it.”

SHORTLIST

BAZAAR IN MAHALLAT, IRAN LED & NEGINSHAHR

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

MSHEIREB DOWNSHEIKH KHALIFA MEDICAL TOWN, DOHA CITY, ABU DHABI MSHEIREB PROPERTIES SOM

AWARDS 2012 | COVER STORY

PUBLIC SECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL PROJECT OF THE YEAR

SHEIKH KHALIFA MEDICAL CITY, SOM SOM’s project in Abu Dhabi was labelled by the panel as a reﬁ ned, elegant and timeless design. It was also described as a humanistic model that was bold in conception, yet thoughtful and restrained in its execution. Tannar Whitney, associate, SOM, remarked: “It’s extremely exciting to have won this award.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

“We essentially created a ‘city within a city’. It’s a new take on hospital design which gives a welcoming feeling to the community, not giving that threatening feeling which other hospitals do sometimes. “This would not have been possible without Moustafa Abadan, partner, SOM, who led the design of the project.”

SHORTLIST

“This project is a real eye catcher and a fabulous example of an architect that was prepared to think outside the box.”

FARSHAD MAHDIZADEH, CIRCLE SNACK BAR

BOUTIQUE ARCHITECTURE FIRM OF THE YEAR

DUBAI SPORTS COUNCIL HQ DSA

GEMS SCHOOL, DUBAI GAJ

UAE UNIVERSITY, AL AIN COX ARCHITECTURE

AGI ARCHITECTS The Boutique Architecture Firm of the Year award went to AGi Architects, an emerging practice with offices in Spain and Kuwait. The panel noted the ﬁ rm’s uniﬁed style which respects the regional architecture in a modern manner. Earlier on in the evening the company won an award for Residential Project of the Year, with its beautiful S Cube project in Kuwait City.

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Nasser B. Abulhasan, principal, said: “It’s always an honour to participate in such events and to receive recognition for our work. “Without good clients and a good team nothing like this is possible. We are a local ﬁ rm but have an international presence and a growing reputation as we often provide industry solutions and understand our clients’ needs.”

SHORTLIST

“An innovative group whose work is both futuristic yet steeped in tradition. It is not shy of proposing expressionistic forms.” MANGERA YVARS ARCHITECTS

ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTIONS

LED ARCHITECTS

ONZ ARCHITECTS

www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

COVER STORY | AWARDS 2012

YOUNG ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR

ABDULLA AL SHAMSI, SHAPE Shape Architecture’s Abdulla Al Shamsi was crowned Young Architect of the Year - an award for the most impressive designer under the age of 35. Judges noted Al Shamsi as someone who is not afraid to be bold and explore the boundaries of architectural design. Collecting on Al Shamsi’s behalf, Ali Torabi, architect, said: “He

HIGHLY COMMENDED

deserved to win because he is a very talented architect - he was one of the top students at Columbia University. “In 2004 he set up a company in Sharjah, where he is from. This is a big advantage for him - he has a deep knowledge of the culture. “He is managing a very small ﬁ rm but we have won big projects. One of these is a very major project but it is conﬁdential at the moment.”

SHORTLIST

“A young man to look out for in the years ahead.”

HENRY TUNG – DXB LAB

ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

ATEF KHEDHIR LACASA

WILLIAM F. BAKER, SOM Respected engineer William F. Baker from SOM was described as an “individual with a status in the profession which is hard to match”. The jury added: “He has worked with some of the greatest architects around today. Baker is a distinguished structural engineer involved in the design of challenging projects, the most notable being Burj Khalifa.”

Collecting on Baker’s behalf, George Efstathiou, consulting partner, SOM, said: “Bill consistently shows high regard for design, architecture and engineering. “This is never more highlighted than in the Burj Khalifa where Bill made the concept of the building and it is now replicated by others. Bill knows how to make someone’s dreams come true into a reality.”

SHORTLIST

ISAAC COKER WSP

NASSER ABULHASAN AGI ARCHITECTS

KHALED ZAGHLOUL RW ARMSTRONG

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

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48/58

PROJECT UPDATE | THE WORK

CASE STUDIES

60/61 THE WORK

THE WORK PROJECT UPDATE

JAIDAH SQUARE

70,000M2 TOTAL CONSTRUCTIBLE AREA

Designers: Woods Bagot, MZ & Partners and United Designers Location: Doha, Qatar

BODRUM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Architect: Tabanlioglu Location: Bodrum, Turkey

NEO BANKSIDE

STOREYS TALLEST OF THE FIVE BUILDINGS

Architect: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners Location: London, UK

This seven-storey commercial office building broke ground in 2009. The initial concept was given to Woods Bagot to create the building’s primary plan. MZ & Partners further cultivated the building’s aesthetic as consultant of record. United Designers of London completed the detailed architectural design for the colour of the glass, the showroom façades and the ﬁt-out in the communal areas.

Bodrum International Airport, designed by Turkish architecture ﬁrm Tabanlioglu, was completed in June this year, with a construction timeframe of 15 months. The 455,000m 2 building consists of two main structures, an ‘air side’ of transparent glass and steel linear scaffold which connects to the planes and a ‘land side’ terminal building. Primary elements are organised to provide easy circulation for passengers.

Picking up two International Property Awards in 2011, Neo Bankside was designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. The development contains a range of six to 24 storey buildings with 229 residential units. Situated in the Bankside area of London, the scheme forms a linking between Southwark, the Thames and the Tate Modern. Apartments vary from studios to four bedrooms as well as penthouses.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 10.12 | www.designmena.com

62/63 CULTURE

www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

SHEIKH KHALIFA MEDICAL CITY | CASE STUDY

THE PROJECT

Conceived as three hospitals under one roof, the new Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) is a 300,000m2, 838-bed medical complex that will combine a general hospital and trauma centre with tertiary women’s and pediatric hospitals. It is a joint venture between ICME, Tilke, and SOM. The new complex is designed for SEHA, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, and will be the largest hospital in the country. The new facility will rise on the existing 36 hectare SKMC campus. Construction is scheduled to start in 2013, with completion in the second half of 2016.

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CASE STUDY | SHEIKH KHALIFA MEDICAL CITY

SHEIKH KHALIFA MEDICAL CITY Designers: ICME, Tilke and SOM Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates CASE STUDY

PUBLIC SECTOR, INSTITUTIONAL PROJECT OF THE YEAR THE SITE

2016

The primary site challenge was to identify a building location that would work in the short-term, when most existing campus buildings will remain, and later down the line when many buildings give way to future medical and mixed-use development. With zoning guidelines and phasing requirements dictating a modest height, the building’s prominence is ensured by a strategy that restrains the height of future perimeter development and provides grand entry boulevards to connect the main city streets to the campus centre.

COMPLETION DATE OF SKMC

www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

SHEIKH KHALIFA MEDICAL CITY | CASE STUDY

THE CONCEPT

Image © SOM

Envisioned as a ‘city within a city’, the design goes against the typical model of a medical centre to create a bustling campus-like environment of distinct character, vibrant public spaces and a sense of community. The client required distinct identities for each of the three hospitals while maintaining an overall uniﬁed expression. The facility’s two-storey base will house shared medical functions while the heart of the medical city, embedded in this base, is a vibrant ‘town centre’ of lobbies, cafes, retail, prayer rooms and education spaces.

838

THE DETAILS

NUMBER OF BEDS IN

Image © SOM

THE COMPLEX

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

Above the stone plinth, inspired by historic Arabic architecture, the ‘bed’ towers convey the identity of each hospital. Sun screens vary in design from the simple rhythm of the general hospital to playful colours and patterns of the pediatric hospital to the intricate mashrabiya-inspired geometries of the women’s hospital. From the landscaped entry drives to the main garden level and the light-fi lled courtyards that perforate the plinth, the medical city’s gardens will create a calm and healing environment. Within the base, a series of courtyards bring light and nature into these large floor plates, assisting in way-fi nding.

FOAMGLAS® Insulation

Composite Facade System, Mineral Render

Architect Murphy / Jahn Inc, Chicago / Berlin / Shanghai Build Under construction 2012 Application of FOAMGLAS® Façade insulation, about 6000 m2, T4+ slabs, 80 mm thick, adhesively bonded and mechanically ﬁxed to the structural wall Finish Lime renders in thick layer

Render system 1 Concrete wall 2 Lime adhesive 3 FOAMGLAS® slabs, bonded and mechanically ﬁxed

HIGH RISE BU OR ILD EF IN D A

Qatar Convention Center and Tower, Doha

THE BE ST FA C

Qatar Convention Center and Tower have been designed by Murphy Jahn Inc. with a creative and inspirational power, just like other projects for which they are famous, be it Deutsche Post building in Bonn or the Sony Center in Berlin. Qatar Convention Center and Tower will be an iconic symbol for the Doha skyline – a 550 m high tapering obelisk, containing a total of 112 storeys. It will also comprise a 100,000 square metre convention center. When architects are looking for aesthetic quality, it is the chance to explore new insulation system solutions for façades – systems which will have high impact resistance. No maintenance, no degradation within time and, most important, fire safety – these substantial benefits are only possible due to the specific FOAMGLAS® insulation properties, providing high compressive strength, dimensional stability and non-combustibility.

FIR

E F A ES 6 E13 84, E M AST

4 Reinforcing mesh 5 Lime render layer 6 Final layer of render

Ecological and fire safe, a recommended building material. Web: www.foamglas.ae Email: info@foamglas.ae Dubai office Tel: +9714 434 7140 Doha office Tel: +974 465 5360

SIEMENS MIDDLE EAST HEADQUARTERS | CASE STUDY

SIEMENS MIDDLE EAST HEADQUARTERS Architect: Sheppard Robson Location: Masdar City, Abu Dhabi CASE STUDY

COMMERCIAL PROJECT OF THE YEAR SUSTAINABLE PROJECT OF THE YEAR

THE PROJECT

20,000M2 AREA OF PROJECT

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

Winning both the Sustainable and Commercial categories at this year's MEA Awards, the Siemens Middle East Headquarters at Masdar City is anticipated to be one of the ﬁ rst buildings in the region to achieve LEED Platinum. The building was designed from the inside out to achieve maximum efficiency. A combination of traditional design and parametric analysis resulted in an efficient and compact form that has reduced material and embodied carbon. With completion scheduled for 2013, it will be the ﬁ rst headquarters building at Masdar City.

CASE STUDY | SIEMENS MIDDLE EAST HEADQUARTERS

THE SITE The building is located adjacent to the Masdar Institute (MIST) yet the surrounding site remains undeveloped. The design for the headquarters was required to meet Masdar City’s stringent masterplan guidelines. Office ﬂoors ﬂoat above a fully shaded public plaza which connects the level change between the existing adjacent podium and the more formal square with its Light Rail Transport station. The plaza has been conceived as a terraced extension of the existing public realm and encourages pedestrian movement within the heart of the site.

www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

SIEMENS MIDDLE EAST HEADQUARTERS | CASE STUDY

THE CONCEPT The building envelope was conceived as a box within a box. It consists of an inner highly-insulated, airtight façade designed to reduce thermal conductivity, and a lightweight aluminium external shading system which minimises solar gain while maximising daylighting and views from the building.

$46M

CONSTRUCTION VALUE

THE DETAILS

The office floorplates, each of 4,500m2, have been optimised for efficiency, daylight and flexibility using parametric modelling. They are punctuated by nine atria and served by six perimeter cores. Completely column-free floorplates incorporate 15m spans by using a post-tensioned flat slab

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

The variation in the form of the shading systems was designed to offer legibility to the architectural expression with each façade tailored to suit its solar orientation. Lightweight aluminium with a low thermal mass and high albedo function further reduces solar radiant heat transfer while maximising indirect daylight penetrating the ﬂoors.

with integrated void-forming technology. This reduces the material used by approximately 60% and improves ﬂexibility for the office space planning. The arrangement enables each of the ﬂoors to be subdivided into a combination of various space sizes and allows the building to be remodelled over time to accommodate between one and 32 tenants.

THE CHEDI, KHOR FAKKAN | CASE STUDY

THE CHEDI KHOR FAKKAN Architect: GAJ Location: Khor Fakkan, Sharjah Emirate CASE STUDY

HOSPITALITY & LEISURE PROJECT OF THE YEAR

100+

NUMBER OF SUITES IN THE RESORT

THE PROJECT Designed by Godwin Austen Johnson Architects (GAJ), this boutique hotel resort north of Khor Fakkan won the 2012 MEA Award for Hospitality & Leisure Project of the Year. The design draws inspiration from historical references in similar hillside settings. The slope and nature of the existing mountainside have determined the massing of the hotel form. It has been sited to reduce the cutting of the natural rock as much as possible. Vehicle access will be via a meandering road following the contours from Khor Fakkan.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

CASE STUDY | THE CHEDI, KHOR FAKKAN

THE SITE The development is situated at the base of the mountains, within a secluded sandy bay. With views out to sea and back towards Shark Island, the orientation of the bay and beach allows the complex to be secluded from the external environment. As commonly found in mountainous regions of Arabia, the development will be built around the natural contours of the land and constructed using local materials and vernacular features. The spaces and forms are said to mitigate the climate while providing surveillance of the surrounding area.

www.designmena.com | 11.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

THE CHEDI, KHOR FAKKAN | CASE STUDY

THE CONCEPT GAJ devised two concepts - the ‘fort’ and the ‘hill town’. The fort covers the front-of-house facilities including reception, spa and gym, pool, restaurants and business facilities. These will be located on the hilltop, ensuring that the hotel is a prominent landmark visible from

1580

YEAR IN WHICH KHOR FAKKAN WAS FIRST REFERENCED

THE DETAILS The centre of the hill town will contain a town square with cafés rather than the traditional beach restaurant. In the evening, the plaza will become a secondary focal point to the fort with external spaces aimed at encouraging guests to relax and dine in a laid-back and informal environment. Suites will be ﬁ nished in a slightly rough off-white render interspersed with natural stone elements based on natural colours and textures of the environment. The fort section will be constructed mainly from stone to reinforce its solidity. Timber pergolas and planting provide shade, modelling and depth.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

Khor Fakkan. Meanwhile, the hill town, located further down the slope towards the beach, will contain over 100 suites and a series of clustered courtyards. Each courtyard will be planted with aromatic plant species and trees while suites will have sea views and building entrances located at the rear.

More than

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PROJECT UPDATE | THE WORK

THE WORK PROJECT UPDATE

S CUBE CHALET

750M2

Architect: AGi Architects Location: Kuwait City, Kuwait

AREA OF PROJECT

AL HILAL BANK TOWER Architect: Goettsch Partners Location: Abu Dhabi

KAFD CONFERENCE CENTRE

28,350M2 SITE AREA

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.12 | www.designmena.com

Architect: SOM Location: King Abdullah Financial District, Saudi Arabia

Designed by Spain and Kuwaitbased architecture studio AGi Architects, the S Cube Chalet residential space is comprised of three intertwined seafront houses developed into three levels. Located in Kuwait City, each house is complete with an outdoor terrace overlooking the sea. The plot is divided into two units, mirror images of each another, separated by a staircase that leads to the third house on top.

Goettsch Partners (GP) has designed a 24-storey commercial development for Al Hilal Bank in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island. Totalling 87,570m2 overall, the tower includes 49,110m2 of office and retail space with 1,000 parking spaces for tenants and visitors. The speculative office tower is located in the capital’s new central business district, next to GP’s huge Sowwah Square project for Mubadala.

This futuristic complex by SOM provides a multipurpose event hall with operable walls, a 600-seat auditorium with full lecture and cinema support, and a ‘digital forum’ approach that allows all venues to be internally and externally networked. The conference rooms are clad in electrochromic glass which permits users to change from clear to opaque glass in order to control light levels and privacy.

70,000M2 TOTAL CONSTRUCTIBLE AREA

Designers: Woods Bagot, MZ & Partners and United Designers Location: Doha, Qatar

BODRUM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Architect: Tabanlioglu Location: Bodrum, Turkey

NEO BANKSIDE

STOREYS TALLEST OF THE FIVE BUILDINGS

Architect: Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners Location: London, UK

MASDAR INSTITUTE

86,138M2 AREA OF PHASE 1B

Lead consultant: RW Armstrong Designer: Foster + Partners Location: Masdar City, Abu Dhabi

Bodrum International Airport, designed by Turkish architecture ﬁ rm Tabanlioglu, was completed in June this year, with a construction timeframe of 15 months. The 455,000m2 building consists of two main structures, an ‘air side’ of transparent glass and steel linear scaffold which connects to the planes and a ‘land side’ terminal building. Primary elements are organised to provide easy circulation for passengers.

The Masdar Institute is the ﬁ rst development in Abu Dhabi’s eco-driven Masdar City. It is being developed in phases, with a total planned area of 343,740m2. Construction of the six buildings in Phase 1A commenced in 2007 and was completed in September 2010. Expansion of the existing campus under Phase 1B started in January last year, and is scheduled for completion in Q3 2012, covering 86,138m2.

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THE WORK | PROJECT UPDATE

JAIDAH SQUARE

CULTURE | LIKE WANT NEED

LIKE WANT NEED CULTURE

LIGHTING PH 50 Poul Henningsen Louis Poulsen has commemorated the 50 th anniversary of Poul Henningsen’s seminal PH 5 by introducing PH 50, a special version of the famous ﬁ xture. While the classic PH 5 version comes with a matte surface, the new PH 50 models have high-lustre surfaces, which give, together with ﬁve new colours, a novel look. It is available in Chili Red, Mint Blue, Wasabi Green, Coconut White and Olive Black.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11. 12 | www.designmena.com

B BOOK LE CORBUSIER REDRAWN - THE HOUSES St Steven Park Using the original drawings from the Le C Corbusier Foundation’s digital archives, aarchitect Steven Park has carefully redrawn 13 130 perspective sections, as well as plans, se sections, and elevations of exterior forms and in interior spaces. Le Corbusier Redrawn presents th the only collection of consistently rendered o original drawings (at 1:200 scale) of all 26 of Le C Corbusier’s residential works.

LIKE WANT NEED | CULTURE

BATHROOM STARCK 2 RANGE Duravit At ﬁ rst glance, Philippe Starck’s redesigned washing bowl in the Starck 2 range appears circular. However, on closer inspection it is revealed to be slightly oval. This small nuance is said to gives the form an organic, ﬂowing character. Starck’s design purposefully diverges from symmetry to create a natural, authentic feel.

APP WORLD ARCHITECTURE RCHITECTURE 100 2012 Woobius

FURNISHINGS CAMICIA CABINET Moschino and altreforme Italian fashion brand Moschino has joined forces with altreforme to create a collection of scenographic furniture inspired by a harlequin’s costume, made in Italy entirely with alumunium. The collection includes the lively camicia and pantalone cabinets (pictured) as well as tables, chairs, mirrors and boxes with archive Moschino prints.

This app for iPad is a guide to the biggest architect practices in the world, from Aedas to Zaha Hadid, as surveyed by the UK’s Building Design. Practices are ranked by the number of fee paying architects they employ. The app also includes the world’s best buildings in 2012, including projects by star firms such as OMA, Grimshaw and Herzog & de Meuron, as well as practices on the verge of becoming the next big names in the business.

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LAST WORD | BART LECLERCQ

Registered at Dubai Media City PO Box 500024, Dubai, UAE Tel: 00 971 4 444 3000 Fax: 00 971 4 444 3030 Web: www.itp.com Offices in Dubai & London ITP BUSINESS PUBLISHING CEO Walid Akawi Managing Director Neil Davies Managing Director ITP Business Karam Awad Deputy Managing Director Matthew Southwell Editorial Director David Ingham EDITORIAL Senior Group Editor Stuart Matthews Editor Oliver Ephgrave Tel: +971 4 444 3303 email: oliver.ephgrave@itp.com Reporter Aidan Imanova Tel: +971 4 444 3497 email: aidan.imanova@itp.com ADVERTISING Sales Manager Alexander James Tel: +971 4 444 3393 email: alexander.james@itp.com Sales Director, Construction Group Yazan Rahman Tel: +971 4 444 3351 email: yazan.rahman@itp.com Business Development Manager, Saudi Arabia Rabih Naderi Tel: +966 1 2068697 email: rabih.naderi@itp.com STUDIO Group Art Editor Daniel Prescott Designer Wasim Akande

STAND AND DELIVER

PHOTOGRAPHY

Bart Leclercq, head of structures for WSP Middle East, on engineering marvels and future projects

CIRCULATION

THE LAST WORD

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My personal favourite, out of all the projects we’re working on, is the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi.

It is by far the most exciting and challenging project we’ve ever been involved with.

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It’s currently under construction and will be an unprecedented icon.

The look of the white fare-faced concrete will be as if the base of the building is carved from a single piece of white marble.

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In addition, we are currently working on a number of conﬁdential projects both in the UAE and Qatar for high proﬁle clients.

These will certainly raise our proﬁ le in other industry sectors once these projects have reached completion. Our project pipeline remains strong and we are actively recruiting in all engineering disciplines.

It is a very exciting time as we can see the market changing. Qatar is strong and can only grow and we are facing up to our commissions well. It feels like the activity in Qatar is driving a desire to get things moving again

Certain images in this issue are available for purchase. Please contact itpimages@itp.com for further details or visit www.itpimages.com Printed by Atlas Printing Press L.L.C. Dubai Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions Audited by: BPA Worldwide Average Qualified Circulation 5,184 (Jan – June 2012) Cover image Jason Burnside, GAJ. Image by Murrindie Frew The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for error or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.

in the UAE and in particular Dubai.

Facing growing and emerging markets needs to be done in a sustainable manner. Our approach to growth is ‘considered’ as we carefully match opportunities against our current resource commitments. It is a careful balance to strike and I feel that we are doing this well.

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KONE Middle East LLC P.O. Box 21474, Dubai, UAE Tel. +971 4 2221393 MiddleEast@kone.com MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 10.12 | www.designmena.com 30 www.kone.com