Middle East Architect - Sept 2010 by ITP Business Publishing

An ITP Business Publication | Licensed by Dubai Media City

SEPTEMBER 2010 / VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 9

NEWS, DATA, ANALYSIS AND STRATEGIC INSIGHTS FOR ARCHITECTS IN THE GCC

The region’s top 15 architecture ﬁrms revealed ANALYSIS All change for Cityscape Dubai

WORK IN PROGRESS An ITP Business Publication

AEB’s latest project in downtown Doha

PORTFOLIO Modern Mecca, an African spa and the new pride of Libya

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SEPTEMBER | CONTENTS

SEPTEMBER 2010 VOLUME 4 ISSUE 9 2 WHAT’S ON THE WEB WHAT See mo more of MEA online, with u up to date news and arch of projects and an archive case studies

9 SNAPSHOT A short sharp summary of industry news from the last 30 days, including Estidama training for architects

18 WORK IN PROGRESS AEB show us around its latest project in Doha, the city’s newest business park

30 COVER STORY From Kuwait City to Muscat, MEA unveils the top 15 local ﬁ rms in the GCC

6 OPINION Hisham Youssef tackles the proﬁts and pitfalls of emerging markets for architects and designers

12 ANALYSIS Cityscape is back in Dubai, but with a brand new name and focus

22 THE INTERVIEW Dewan founder Mohamed Al Assam talks about infrastructure, Iraq and where it all began

38 EDUCATION FOCUS Architects ﬁght it out for the UAE’s lucrative education contracts, in both the public and private sectors

44 CASE STUDIES A new cultural centre in the KSA, a health spa in Gabon and an iconic new project for Tripoli, Libya

54 THE WORK A detailed reference section covering all the regional projects MEA has looked at in recent months

60 CULTURE Cool products, clever ideas, and some of the latest books in the world of design

64 THE LAST WORD British artist Kevin Dean talks about his plans for the future in the UAE

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

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ABU DHABI’S ACC TO BUILD JORDAN’S TALLEST BUILDING

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US HARDWOOD COUNCIL TARGET UAE

Selina Denman argues that the design industry is inherently wasteful.

Industry body plan to give free seminar for architects and designers in Dubai.

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MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

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COMMENT | EDITOR’S LETTER

CALLING TIME SAUDI ARABIA The Mecca Clock Tower is a step backwards for Saudi Arabia

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

ot-in-my-backyard-ism was an attitude that I came across a great deal as a reporter in the UK. I used to attend planning meetings and see residents screaming abuse at developers when six-storey buildings were approved within a mile of their houses. Living in a town ﬂat with views into a dozen of my neighbours’ front rooms, I had little sympathy. I even found myself growing to hate the spokesmen from various heritage organisations, who would turn up week in week out to object to anything over four storeys that didn’t look like it had been built during the reign of King George. At heart I am a modernist and a ﬁrm believer that our cities should evolve as we do.

So it is with my cards ﬁrmly on the table that I introduce the topic of this week’s column, the Royal Mecca Clock Tower, which was unveiled by the Saudi government last month. At over 600m tall, the building can be seen for miles around, while its luxury penthouses and hotel rooms tower over the Grand Mosque. It is clear that the clock tower is a magniﬁcent feat of construction, with a huge footprint, seven separate towers and the clock tower centrepiece which will be six times the height of London’s Big Ben. Even looking at the limited pictures that have been allowed to seep out of the kingdom, the sheer size of the project is breathtaking. It is obvious why many in Saudi Arabia see the tower as a symbol of

The ﬁ nished Royal Mecca Clock Tower was unveiled last month.

Its critics rightly see it as just one in a long line of projects that have decimated the historical fabric of Mecca.”

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

the kingdom’s growth and ambition. But equally, it is easy to see why the monumental project – designed by European engineers – is controversial. Its critics rightly see it as just one in a long line of projects that have collectively decimated the historic fabric of Islam’s holiest city. Like Jeddah, Mecca’s old buildings are seen as little more than an inconvenience to city planners – as a result, they are increasingly making way for modern malls and metro lines. Five years ago, the Independent reported that fewer than 20 structures remained in Mecca that date back to the time of the Prophet (PBUH). Those that have disappeared include the house of Khadijah, the wife of the Prophet (PBUH), demolished to make way for public lavatories. In light of this, I find it difficult to see how anyone interested in architecture in Saudi Arabia could defend the development taking place around the Grand Mosque. The kingdom has already come under fire for failing to protect the historical districts of cities such as Jeddah. With Mecca – a city with over a millennia and a half of history – the stakes are far higher. As for the clock tower, if it had been built in Riyadh, Al Khobar or Damman, I would probably be praising it right now. But it wasn’t, and while Mecca may be a long way from my backyard, even I can appreciate that the city is a different kettle of fish. Mecca has had a landmark building for the last 1,400 years – it is difficult to see why it needed another one.

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COMMENT | EMERGING MARKETS

NEW HORIZONS OPINION New markets pose challenges for architects and designers

Hisham Youssef is an architect at Gensler, responsible for the ﬁ rm’s projects in Egypt and North Africa.

arkets in the MENA region have presented exciting and lucrative opportunities for international designers in recent years, as ﬁrms search to diversify their work load and get project experience. While the GCC has shown appreciation for the value added by the experience that international design ﬁrms bring, other nascent markets like Egypt, Libya, Algeria and Syria, are slowly coming to the fore, with some exciting opportunities of their own. These recent emerging markets present diverse project opportunities, but equally so, challenges for the uninitiated. The local experience of the design and construction industry has not caught up yet with the sophistica-

tion of taste, vision and demand by a new and emerging generation of global jet-setting executives and owners. The primary challenges lie, equally, with the expectations of the foreign design firms that are designing for these relatively young markets, as well as the executives who travelled and worked overseas. These challenges are primarily with the obstacles the local market experience poses: local consultant experience, contractor experience, and availability of materials necessary to realise the proposed designs. The first of these, local consultant experience, is that as international design firms rarely have an office in a new market, they have to rely on local consultants to provide local knowledge and project documentation.

Algeria is one of a number of North African countries with exciting prospects.

In new markets, construction methods and experience have a long way to go.”

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

Wonderful renderings are prepared, with seductive curvilinear shapes, undulating roofs and sophisticated curtain walls. We have all seen them and produced them, but the lack of experience of the local consultants in these emerging markets poses an obstacle to making the designs realisable. After the design phase it is the contractor that will make the design vision a reality – and here lies the second problem. We all know that not even the best drawn projects can be built well without a competent and experienced contractor. In these new markets, construction methods and experience have a long way to go. The final problem is the availability of building materials and products. The success of some design proposals is sometimes contingent on a particular material being used without which the design would look ordinary. Understanding the availability of building materials, execution of details, and even local import regulations and duty are crucial to executing a smart proposal in these new markets. Often great designs prove financially prohibitive beyond the reach of clients which leads to value engineering the projects to a point that makes the best designs little more than ordinary. Well executed buildings must start with smart design; design that factors in an understanding of the limitations of the local market. I have learned that one can always push the envelope, but until the market reaches the next level, quantum leaps could backfire. The key is designing smart from the outset.

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SEPTEMBER | SNAPSHOT

THIS MONTH’S NEED TO KNOW “It is known in the Arabic world that

“The building has become

the best designers are the Iraqis and the Lebanese,

a local attraction to the city’s population.”

which is something we are proud of.”

Ahmed Chami (Page 52)

Mohamed Al Assam, Dewan. (Page 22)

The operational life of white LED lamps is 50,000 hours, which is more than 10 years of continuous operation (Page 26)

“The participants worked incredibly hard over the course of about 48 hours to produce some exceptional and unique designs.”

number of architects at Khatib & Alami, MEA’s top local ﬁrm

Sareh Ameri-Mills (Page 16)

(Page 30)

BUDGET FOR SCHOOLS IN ABU DHABI (Page 38)

“It will be a source of pride for the nation it represents.”

“Increasing economic growth, improving the quality of life of citizens, and achieving balanced development of the Kingdom’s regions are some of (our) main objectives.”

Melkan Gursel Tabanlioglu (Page 48)

Khaled Al-Gosaibi, Economy and Planning Minister, Saudi Arabia (Page 11)

38 THOUSAND

TRADE VISITORS EXPECTED AT OCTOBER’S CITYSCAPE GLOBAL (Page 12)

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

SNAPSHOT | SEPTEMBER

Estidama is key to new developments under Abu Dhabi 2030.

ARCHITECTS OFFERED ESTIDAMA TRAINING New Pearl rating training programme offered by Abu Dhabi UPC Abu Dhabi has launched a training programme for architects, designers and contractors to help them understand the new Estidama Pearl Rating system. The Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC) has designed the training programme to help industry professionals understand how to achieve high Pearl ratings for new buildings in Abu Dhabi, and reach higher levels of sustainability in future developments. The ﬁ rst two courses cover understanding and awareness and application of the new system, and are applicable to architects, designers and developers, while a third course covers administration of the Pearl rating system and is aimed at those

who will assess applications. All the courses count towards achieving the ranking of Estidama Pearl Qualiﬁed Professional (PQP). “The successful implementation of Estidama’s principles and guidelines cannot be achieved without ensuring a seamless understanding of this sustainability initiative,” explained HE Falah Al Ahbabi, General Manager Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council. “The Estidama training programme will not only introduce the key aspects of Estidama to Abu Dhabi’s urban development industry, but will also aim towards integrating sustainability practices into Abu Dhabi’s urban development process in the long term.”

We aim to integrate sustainability practices into Abu Dhabi’s development process.” HE Falah Al Ahbabi, UPC general manager

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

The fi rst course on offer is Understanding Estidama and the Pearl Rating Systems for Buildings, Villas and Communities, which provide an overview of Estidama, and what is needed for developers to achieve certain Pearl certification levels. The second is the Application of the Pearl Rating System , which will provide professionals with a comprehensive understanding of the PRS credits. Those who attend this course will be prepared for the official PQP exams. The fi nal course on offer is the Administration of the Pearl Rating System courses, which will be provided to individuals that must assess applications. All three courses will run until 11 January. The Pearl rating system was unveiled earlier this year as part of Abu Dhabi’s Estidama framework. The UPC plans to use the strict sustainable guidelines to evaluate all new buildings in the emirate, and achieving an adequate Pearl rating could eventually become compulsory.

SEPTEMBER | SNAPSHOT

IN BRIEF

100

MASDAR MEGA DRIVE

FIVE ALIVE

A long-awaited revised master plan for Masdar City is nearly complete, according to the architect that designed the Abu Dhabi mega-project. Foster + Partners said in August that its own review of its plans for the carbon-neutral city is “nearing completion”, and will form part of a wider overhaul which will “refi ne the overall master plan design with the benefit of lessons learnt so far.” Lord Foster said the review reflected on “lessons learned” over the past three years. He also confi rmed that further phases of Masdar City would soon get underway.

Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers has endorsed the kingdom’s ninth

CHINA WIN FOR BDP

Five-Year Development Plan (2010-14), a US$373b plan that details spending on the nation’s infrastructure and welfare projects for the next half decade. Over half the money will be set aside for education and training, while 7% will be put aside for transport and housing respectively. Economy and Planning Minister Khaled Al-Gosaibi told reporters that the ﬁve-year plan focuses on providing housing, employment, education, health care and other services and facilities.

BUILDING BRIDGES

MILLION

PASSENGERS Work is due to start PER YEAR ARE next year on the expanEXPECTED TO USE THE EXPANDED sion of the King Fahad CAUSEWAY Causeway linking Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which will enable the connection to handle up to 100 million passengers a year. A new long-term plan, which will include the construction of two artiﬁcial islands, each 400,000m2 in size, was launched in August. One of the artiﬁcial islands will be located on the Bahrain side of the causeway and the other will be in the Saudi side, the report added. Work will include expanding the causeway to 48 lanes.

BDP has bagged a lucrative contract in Nanjing, China.

UK architect ﬁ rm BDP, which recently opened an office in Abu Dhabi, has won a contract to develop two buildings in China’s Jiangsu Province. The 70,000 m2 project is for two new buildings on a key site at Nanjing Medical University, and the ﬁ rst on the campus by foreign architects. One of the buildings is for teaching and research and the other is for administration. Project director John McManus said: “We are delighted to win such a prestigious commission. Our experience in higher education projects undoubtedly played an large part.”

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

NEWS ANALYSIS | CITYSCAPE DUBAI

GOING GLOBAL ANALYSIS Cityscape Dubai is back, but not as we may know it

t has been quite a year since Cityscape last closed its doors at the Dubai Exhibition Centre back in October 2009. The event had suffered a 50% drop in turnout and the record-breaking project launches and celebrity guests were only notable for their absence. Cityscape, long considered the barometer of Dubai’s real estate industry, got a frosty reception.

But in 2010 Cityscape is back with a new focus and a new name. Re-branded as Cityscape Global, the property road-show will focus on presenting emerging markets to Middle East-based investors, and linking up designers, contractors and architects with developers from China and elsewhere in Asia. At least, that is the plan. Chris Speller, Cityscape group director,

Dubai is not on the back burner. It remains our ﬂagship event.” Chris Speller, group director, Cityscape

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

CITYSCAPE DUBAI | NEWS ANALYSIS

says that the event has already got 38,000 trade visitors confi rmed, of which 10,000 will be flying in from overseas, as well as 200 exhibitors. North Africa will be represented by a stand-alone Egypt pavilion, which will host developers and government departments looking to make connections in the Middle East. Speller believes that Cityscape can harness Dubai’s skill and maturity as a centre for the world’s construction, architecture and property trade and make connections with developers and investors. Architecture fi rms will be well represented, with NikEXPECTED 2010 ken Sekkei, FX Fowle, VISITORS RTKL, AEDAS, Atkins, Dewan Architects, GAJ, DSA Architects, Gensler, RW Armstrong, Perkins Eastman and P&T already confi rmed exhibitors. “Cityscape Global is not only about Dubai or the UAE – it now covers emerging markets around the world, which will generate strong interest from investors from all corners of the globe,” explains Speller. “That said, Dubai’s role as the undisputed business hub in the Middle East is not forgotten. The location of the emirate and its infrastructure and transport links make it easily

High-proﬁle guests have been part and parcel of Cityscape in recent years.

38,000

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

NEWS ANALYSIS | CITYSCAPE DUBAI

FIVE THINGS FOR ARCHITECTS TO LOOK OUT FOR AT CITYSCAPE GLOBAL

Nakheel is unlikely to have as bigger presence as in previous year’s events.

1. The Egypt Pavilion will bring a host of Egyptian developers and political representatives to Dubai, including SODIC, Rooya Group, United Gulf Properties and the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development.

2. Exhibitors from more than 27 countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Morocco, China, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Poland, France, UK, Spain, Italy, Russia, Canada, USA and Chile.

3. The major ﬁ rms who will exhibit this year, including Nikken Sekkei, FX, Fowle, RTKL, AEDAS, Atkins, Dewan Architects, GAJ, DSA Architects, Gensler, RW Armstrong, Perkins Eastman and P&T.

4. Finished projects or phases of master developments that were unveiled in their planning stages at previous Cityscape shows, such as Meydan and Emaar.

5. The World Architecture Congress (WAC), which promises a ‘more accessible pricing structure’ this year.

30,000 METRES2 EXHIBITION SPACE

accessible from all continents, while it also has a number of world class hotels and conference facilities.” In terms of architecture, Cityscape hopes to help ﬁ rms headquartered in the Middle East make links with emerging markets such as China, where there is a great deal of work, but not nearly as much expertise. While many major ﬁ rms have offices in China – AEDAS, Atkins and Gensler among them – there is still plenty of work to go around in growing cities like Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou. At the same time, Cityscape Global is reaching out to architects’ love of awards with the 8th edition of the Cityscape awards, which will focus on sustainable development and major projects in emerging markets. A special award for best young designer in the UAE is also bound to be hotly contested between architecture students in the emirate. More generally, Speller says that while Cityscape Abu Dhabi and Jeddah, both of which took place this year, are more local – and in Saudi Arabia’s case, closed – markets, Dubai’s international nature makes it a perfect setting for a more globally-orientated Cityscape event. While Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi are the markets of choice for many at the end of 2010, Dubai is still important.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

“With exhibitors from more than 30 countries and attendance from 115 countries in 2009 Dubai is not on the back burner but quite the opposite, it will remain our ﬂagship event,” he says. But while the new focus for Cityscape may be appropriate given the ongoing market downturn in Dubai, does Speller miss the heady days of 2007-08, when Cityscape was known for its wild project launches and celebrity guests? “Of course 2004 to 2008 was an exciting time for anyone involved in the Dubai real estate market, and that included us. But we learn from the past as we continue to look forwards,” he says. “For local market players and regulators now is the time to address such issues as restoring investor conﬁdence, establishing price levels based on supply and demand, transparent legislation and ongoing construction progress.”

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REPORT | CAMEROON

HELPING HAND Students from the UAE have designed an innovative school project for Cameroon

t goes without saying that Ngoketunjia, in northern Cameroon, is a place with very different challenges to the United Arab Emirates. Despite being built next to a hydro-electric dam, Umbissa Island

has no electricity, as the power is transferred to Douala, Cameroon’s largest city. The island’s population live in the shadow of a dam on their land, but useless to them. But Umbissa Island has become an unlikely destination for a group

The challenge is not making fancy structures but making something that is simple, beautiful.” Petra Matar, student-winner

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

of UAE architecture students, who have designed a school to be built for the local children. The team won a recent competition by Open Source Arc and AUD International Aid (AIA), which challenged young architects to design a sustainable building using the limited resources available to them in the mountains of northern Cameroon. The design workshop took place at Shelter Gallery in Al Quoz, Dubai, at the end of May, bringing together architecture students from several UAE universities and high proﬁ le architectural ﬁ rms such as Atkins, RMJM and Hopkins. “It was an opportunity for students of the UAE to work together and use their knowledge and skills to design for children in a deprived region of our planet,” said George Katodrytis, an organizer of the event and professor at the American University of Sharjah. “The participants challenged their consciousness and ethical values. A large group of practicing architects joined this effort as well with equal

CAMEROON | REPORT

enthusiasm. The dynamics and outcome of this event were beyond our expectations.” The students were asked to design four classrooms of approximately 9x7 meters each, specifying that the designs needed to address directly social and economic needs as well as environmental and functional requirements in a region that has access to limited resources. The wining team – made up of Aezad Muzaffar, Wasib Mahmood, Naji Muneer, Enayat Ghaedi, Petra Matar and Saeid Khezri – designed a series of learning spaces arranged along a wall with staccato breaks in its structure. The team conceived of the walls as being a space from which knowledge and information can ‘leak’ into the classrooms extending from it. “The experience of designing for the welfare of a wider global community, was a unique opportunity. Coming from an academic background that focuses on innovative sustainable design, this project helped us apply our knowledge to

resolve real-life challenges,” said Aezad Muzaffar, a member of the winning team. Petra Matar, another student-winner, added: “It takes such a simple project to prove that the challenge in architecture is not making fancy structures but making something that is simple, beautiful.” The team admitted that they struggled with constructability issues, as coming up with a suitable design was only ARCHITECTURAL the ﬁ rst part of the STUDENTS FROM DUBAI AND SHARJAH process – they knew WERE INVOLVED that on the ground, the WITH THE skills of the workers, PROJECT contractors and engineers may be limited. Sareh Ameri-Mills, from the AIA, commended all the teams that took part for their efforts. “The participants worked incredibly hard over the course of about 48 hours to produce some exceptional and unique designs. Watching their collaborative effort was very inspiring for us.”

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

WIP | DOHA BUSINESS PARK

FULL CIRCLE WORK IN PROGRESS Arab Engineering Bureau is rounding off the corners at its Business Park Project in Doha

ocated on an 110,000m 2 site on Doha’s Airport Road, Arab Engineering Bureau’s (AEB) latest project in Qatar is one of its biggest yet in the country. The Business Park will eventually include six office buildings, a 300-room hotel and serviced apartments set around a striking, elliptical-shaped conference centre, formed from steel and clad in aluminium. WORKERS ON-SITE AEB estimate that CURRENTLY the project is around 30 lifts from completion, and with just under

1,400

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

1,400 workers onsite every day,the fi rm is racing to see the development fi nished before its 2011 deadline. “Construction is going on full speed,” said senior architect Sammy Juntilla. AEB’s portion of the development amounts to some 23, 771m 2 , which will form part of a wider business district. The fi rm has used curves and elliptical shapes for the buildings to create a dynamic composition and at the same time allow a fluid pedestrian network, but the curves in both the conference centre and the hotels have been a particular challenge during construction, Juntilla explained.

DOHA BUSINESS PARK | WIP

The egg-shaped conference centre forms the centerpiece of the development, but has a signiﬁ cant construction challenge.

“AEB estimates that the project is around 30 lifts from completion, and with just under 1,400 workers onsite every day the ﬁrm is racing to ﬁnish before the 2011 deadline.

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

WIP | DOHA BUSINESS PARK

I think every architect will be proud to see their designs become reality.” Sammy Juntilla, senior architect, AEB

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“The ellipsoidal shape of the conference centre using structural steel and the curvature for the hotel have been the most challenging part of the design,” he said. “That needs a lot of efficient coordination, control and monitoring of all trades.” All of the buildings within the complex are aluminum and glass clad, with accents of stainless steel, and Juntilla admitted that sustainable initiatives are “limited to the use of some materials like Low-E glass to reduce energy consumption and the introduction of LED lights.” That said, in design terms the Business Park is unique to Qatar due to its compelling curved form, centered on the conference center. “The concept was driven by the organic shape, where curves are emphasized. The focal point of the project is the eggshaped conference facility,” Juntilla said. A lot of thought has gone into parking and access also, and numerous vehicular access points and parking zones have been integrated into the design to avoid overcrowding and traffic congestion. The development is racing ahead in Doha, and fulﬁ lling the 2011 completion date is looking increasingly likely as the summer rolls on. Interior design and ﬁt out of the hotel and conference centre is being undertaken simultaneously with construction work, with the former due for completion in October 2011, six months ahead of the construction deadline, which is April. Juntilla said that seeing such an ambitious and unusual design coming to life, especially on such a large scale, was very rewarding. “I think every architect will always be proud and delighted to see his designs become reality,” he said.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

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INTERVIEW | MOHAMED AL ASSAM

ALL RIGHT NOW THE INTERVIEW

Mohamed Al Assam talks to Middle East Architect about infrastructure, Iraq and the future of Dewan

ith offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Dewan has come a long way since its foundation by 23-year-old Mohamed Al Assam in Baghdad. Over the last four decades, Al Assam has led Dewan from Baghdad

to Dubai to Abu Dhabi and, most recently, back into Baghdad, where Dewan is raking in contracts since reopening its office in 2008. At the helm of the now 300-strong architecture ﬁrm, Al Assam and his son, Ammar, have seen the UAE change irrevocably since they ﬁrst arrived in the country in 1976.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

“At the time we were looking for better opportunities, looking for freedom, both as people and as architects,” Al Assam said. “The opportunity was there in the UAE, and that is still represented now. Even in those years the UAE had the image of freedom, and that’s what I found when I ﬁrst came here. We

MOHAMED AL ASSAM | INTERVIEW

didn’t feel like foreigners or strangers, we had a great margin of freedom that we didn’t enjoy in our own country.” Dewan has thrived in the UAE since arriving over 30 years ago. The firm’s first building, the Baniyas Tower, was the first major modern development in Abu Dhabi, and in 2010 Dewan is working on two five star hotels and 19 schools in the emirate. Al Assam also has the benefit of having already lived through one financial crisis in the Gulf, at the end of the 70s, so the present economic situation was not as big a shock as it could have been. “The late 70s was very hard for us because we were small, but we passed it. This one is much bigger, volumewise, because the economy is much bigger than before. But if we learn from the history lessons than we know that this will pass as well,” he said. It perhaps because of this experience that Dewan has chosen to meet the economic challenges with expansion. Al Assam opened an office in Riyadh earlier this year, with plans for offices in Jeddah and Doha, Qatar, next year. But it is not just in terms of geography that Dewan plans to expand in the wake of the financial crisis. It’s focus on Saudi Arabia and Iraq has necessitated a new drive towards infrastructure development, and Al Assam has

this year set up a joint venture with Portuguese firm COBA to target what is an essential market in both countries, as well as in the UAE. “We are now targeting projects from metro lines, to roads, to sewage systems and marketing ourselves in Iraq, Saudi and UAE in that order. Iraq needs infrastructure right from zero, and in KSA and UAE there are big plans too,” he said. Al Assam is keen to stress that Dewan is an international firm, but the firm’s roots in Iraq are impossible to play down. Few Middle Eastern firms have anything close to the amount of contracts that Dewan has won in the past two years, and Al Assam’s background is undoubtedly a factor in this success. He was one of a golden generation of Iraqi architects who studied at the prestigious Baghdad School of Architecture before the destructive reign of Saddam Hussein began in 1979. Al Assam remembers the reputation that the city had even then for having the strongest faculty and churning out the best designers in the region.

“We had very strong teachers and most of the pioneer architects from Iraq in 20th century taught at that school. We are a generation that learned in that school when it was strong and good,” he said. “It is known in the Arabic world that the best designers are the Iraqis and the Lebanese, which is something of which we are proud.” This background, as well as Dewan’s quick re-entry into Iraq ﬁrst in 2003 and later in 2008, has shown a dedication to the country that is appreciated in the corridors of power in Baghdad. The ﬁrm recently won the contract to develop Iraq’s three holy cities, including the Shiite shrine at Al Kadhimiya, a project that Al Assam describes as one of his proudest. “The are huge in terms of the land, but this is the most prestigious project in Iraq at the moment. To master plan and design the old city, keep its character as an old city but at the same time modernize it and create an economic atmosphere that encourages investment so the whole economy of the area grows,” he said.

Dewan’s Sheikh Khalifa Residential Tower is its most recent project in Abu Dhabi.

“It is known in the Arabic world that the best designers are the Iraqis and the Lebanese, which is something we are proud of.

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

INTERVIEW | MOHAMED AL ASSAM

THEN AND NOW: Dewan in the Middle East

More recently, Dewan has secured the contract for the city council building in the city of Najaf. The design, with its transparent glass walls and opacity to the streetscape, is representative of Iraq’s new political scenery, Al Assam said, a factor which swayed the judges in Dewan’s favour. “In a dictatorship everything is closed, everything is inside, and whether they wanted it or not that was reflected in the architecture in Iraq. The government buildings that were built and designed in the 1980s and 1990s they were very much closed buildings, you can’t see from outside to the inside, they have small windows. Architects without knowing it reflected what the politics was of the time,” he said. “With our new design the jury understood what we wanted to say. They appreciated very much that we wanted to create a new philosophy in design for Iraq, showing that it is an open society, after being closed for a very long time.” It is another important aspect of Dewan’s design philosophy, Al Assam explained, that it is a firm very much rooted in the Middle East. Dewan’s architects come from old Arab cities like Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo, but they

BANIYAS TOWER Completed: 1989 Client: HH Sheikh Hazaa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Project: This 24-ﬂ oor offi ce tower in the centre of Abu Dhabi was one of the ﬁ rst in the emirate to utilise curtain wall systems in its façade. With its subtle hints of Islamic architecture, the building remains a landmark for Abu Dhabi even after 20 years.

175 METRES TOTAL HEIGHT OF THE 40-STOREY MEDIA ONE TOWER, DUBAI

AL KADHIMIYA Completed: 2010 Client: Baghdad Municipality Project: Dewan beat 10 other Iraqi and international ﬁ rms to secure this contract in Baghdad. The project is centred around the historical area – part of which are the holy shrines. It is also surrounded by historical market and traditional houses.

Dewan has a number of UAE projects, including Dubai’s Media One Tower.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

also consider themselves part of the modern world. The balance between old and new is something that Al Assam believes is essential to good contemporary design in the region. “When we design buildings we try as much as possible to reflect the fact that we are sons of both the modern world and of our tradition. This way I think we have been very successful,” he said. “This is reflected even in our offices, our office here in Dubai has a traditional style, but if you go to my office in Abu Dhabi it is completely modern. That was done on purpose because we are from tradition as well as being from the new world.” Al Assam believes that this, along with Dewan’s reputation as a nonhierarchical firm where it is easy to engage with the management, bodes well for 2010. While Al Assam and his sons, Ammar and Haider, all work within the senior echelons of Dewan, he feels the family links within the firm are more than just blood. “It is like a family, I mean it is a family, but most of the corporations they work as a machine and we don’t have this feeling. We started young and small and we grew but we kept this tradition, the family feeling. People feel that, and it’s something I am very proud of,” he said.

FEATURE | LED LIGHTING

LED technology is developing fast, and architects may find it a useful way of reducing a development’s carbon footprint

LED THERE A

s a number of countries in the Middle East struggle to boost their green credentials on the world stage, it is inevitable that lighting will become a hot topic. Architects tasked with producing truly sustainable buildings for a new generation of environmentallyconscious clients will be aware that lighting represents 22% of electricity usage in the Middle East. In markets like the UAE – where new regulations will rank buildings on their efficiency both in the design phase and at full capacity – lighting is a big factor in securing a high environmental ranking.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

And it is not just about saving face, it’s also about saving clients money. According to RWN Trading marketing director Carol Prince, GCC consumers could save US$400 million and 5.1 megatons of carbon dioxide emissions annually if they switched to more efficient lighting solutions. With the bottom line at stake, designers will be forced to look at the lighting they are specifying more and more. Prince believes the solution lies in Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), which have a substantially longer life than incandescent bulbs and use a fraction of the energy. The operational life of white LED lamps

LED LIGHTING | FEATURE

BE LIGHT is 50,000 hours, which is more than 10 years of continuous operation, or 20 years of 50% operation. This is a stark contrast to the average life of an incandescent bulb, which is approximately 5,000 hours. And LEDs are no longer limited to the bright, bluish white spotlights that they were some years ago. The technology has come a long way from the days when LEDs were strictly only used for exterior lighting displays. â&#x20AC;&#x153; LEDs are available as small solid light bulbs or in cluster form with diff user lenses, which are ideal for the home environment. These cluster beams can use as many as

Elevated highways are illuminated by LED lights in Shanghai, China

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

FEATURE | LED LIGHTING

We did this because we thought it was the right thing to do. We are on a big drive to be a more responsible business and lighting was one area that we could really start with.” Tom Lord, InterContinental, Dubai Festival City

“It is not enough to only switch 180 bulbs per cluster and the light is to energy-saving lights at home or spread evenly,” Prince explained. create new, low-energy buildings. In Another new product on the fact, municipalities and companies market is dimmable LEDs, which can also make a difference right now, offer extra savings in energy because being able to signiﬁcantly reduce when they are dimmed to the zero energy consumption and position they emit no energy, carbon emission, in addiunlike their traditional tion to overall costs.” counterpart that still To its credit emits energy loss at zero. Louis Hakim, VP of Royal Philips ElectronOPERATIONAL ics and CEO of Philips LIFE OF A WHITE LED LAMP Middle East, points out that the problem is even worse in non-residential developments. In Europe, 75% of non-residential buildings like public offices and schools use old 1940s technology, and only 1% is using lighting controls. Even if all new developments switched to environmentally-friendly lighting now the current rate of renovation in offices is only about 7% per year, and street lighting is not more than 3%. At this pace it will take 30 years to be able to reap the environmental and economic beneﬁts

50,000 HOURS

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

Philips is taking steps to encourage the change of mindset. This month the global lighting manufacturer will begin phasing out incandescent lamps in the GCC, a step that the ﬁrm hopes will draw attention to energy efficiency in the lighting world. RWN’s Prince believes the solution lies in Light Emitting Diodes (LED’s), which have a substantially longer life than incandescent bulbs and use a fraction of the energy. The operational life of white LED lamps is 50,000 hours, which is more than 10 years of continuous operation, or 20 years of 50% operation. This is a stark contrast to the average life of an incandescent bulb, which is approximately 5000 hours. Some companies in the Middle East are starting to take notice. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) properties at Dubai Festival City is in the process of replacing all of their interior lighting with LED solutions. A total of 35,000 light points – in hotel rooms, suites and public areas – will be replaced with sustainable alternatives. This is phase two of a project that has already seen the InterContinental and Crowne Plaza hotels replace all of their exterior façade lighting with LED solutions. As a result of this initiative, the hotels will reduce their carbon emissions by two million kg per year, and will minimize their energy costs by some 50%, explained Tom Lord, hotel manager, InterContinental Dubai Festival City. “We have done this for a number of reasons – one is to become a market leader in the ﬁeld of green. Secondly, to be honest, the lighting that we had on the outside of the building was failing in certain areas and the existing lighting solution just didn’t have any longevity. But mainly, we did this because we thought it was the right thing to do. We are on a big drive to be a more responsible business and lighting was one area that we could really start with,” said Lord.

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COVER STORY | TOP GCC ARCHITECTS

From Jeddah to Doha to Dubai, Middle East Architect reveals the top 15 local architecture ﬁrms in the GCC

any of the biggest and best-known projects in the Middle East bear the name of fi rms headquartered in the US, UK or Europe, but the fi rms of the GCC have also left their indelible stamps on the architecture of the region. From regional giants such as Saudi Arabia’s ZFP and Abu Dhabi’s Dewan, to the 5-10 person outfits of Jeddah, Dubai and Kuwait, Middle East Architect has ranked GCC’s brightest and best according to the number of architects on their staff. All of the fi rms that follow are headquartered in the GCC and completed our online survey at www.ConstructionWeekOnline.com.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

TOP GCC ARCHITECTS | COVER STORY

KHATIB & ALAMI Architects: 500 Staff: 1,500 HQ: Sharjah, UAE Founded: 1959 The firm: Khatib and Alami began its life in Lebanon as a consulting firm but has since spread to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait and Iraq, as well as the Caucuses and Europe. Founded by Samir Abdulhadi in 1959, the firm now has over 50 years experience in major projects in the Middle East, providing consulting services in architecture, planning, construction and IT and MEP systems. Project: Motor City Green Community, Dubai.

ZUHAIR FAYEZ PARTNERSHIP Architects: 300 Staff: 3,000 HQ: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Founded: 1975 The ﬁrm: With offices in Riyadh,

Mecca, Damman and Medina, ZFP are Saudi Arabia’s biggest architecture ﬁrm. Founded 35 years ago by architect Zuhair Fayez in Jeddah, the

ﬁrm now has international offices in Cairo, Dubai, Manila and Hyderabad, and a slew of major projects under its belt – including individual developments and those carried through with international partners. ZFP’s most recent project is the High Technology Park Buildings for Pension Fund in Riyadh. Project: ITCC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

DEWAN ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS Architects: 120 Staff: 230 HQ: Abu Dhabi Founded: 1984 The ﬁrm:

Founded in Baghdad by chairman and CEO Mohamed Al Assam, Dewan now has offices in Dubai, Riyadh, Baghdad, Manila and Doha. The ﬁrm is responsible for a number of high-proﬁle projects in the UAE but has most recently turned its attention back to Iraq, where it is currently working on a redevelopment of the area surrounding the holy shrines at Kadhimiya, Baghdad. Dewan are also currently developing six schools for the Abu Dhabi Education Council. Project: Media One Tower, Dubai, UAE.

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

COVER STORY | TOP GCC ARCHITECTS

DSA ARCHITECTS INTERNATIONAL Architects: 40 Staff: 71 HQ: Dubai Founded: 1985 The ﬁrm: Based in Dubai, DSA Architects has projects ranging from the Seychelles to Mexico including hotels, industrial and commercial projects, retail and residential.

The ﬁ rm behind both the Madinat Jumeirah and Dubai Old Town, DSA has a signiﬁcant presence in the region, and large offices in South Africa and Portugal to serve its regional markets. Other recent developments include Al Fattan Residences in Abu Dhabi, and IFA Fairmont Residences, Jumeirah Palm Island. Project: Tilal Liwa Hotel, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

ARAB ENGINEERING BUREAU (AEB) Architects: 81 Staff: 400 HQ: Doha, Qatar Founded: 1966 The ﬁrm: Over the past 45 years AEB has completed over 1,000 projects across the Middle East and Asia, from private villas to billion dollar mega-projects. Founded by Ibrahim Mohamed Al Jaidah in Doha, Qatar, the ﬁ rm now has offices in Abu Dhabi, Manila and Kuala Lumpur and plans to open a new office in Muscat, Oman, in the near future. Recent projects include the Park Hyatt Hotel in Doha, and a number of embassy buildings including the Omani embassy in Yemen and the Qatari Embassy in Cyprus. Project: Kempinski Tower, Qatar.

DRAW LINK GROUP Architects: 20 Staff: 80 HQ: Dubai Founded: 2000 The ﬁrm: With offices in Tunisia and Qatar, Draw Link Group’s

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

most recent projects are a boutique hotel in Deira as well as the Dougga Centre in Tunisia, where founding partner and lead architect Daousser Chennouﬁ hails from. Draw Link also designed the Al Mizar and Zabeel mosques in Dubai, UAE. Project: Dougga Centre, Tunisia.

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COVER STORY | TOP GCC ARCHITECTS

AL HATMY ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS

X ARCHITECTS

Architects: 30

Staff: 35

Staff: 320

HQ: Dubai

HQ: Muscat, Oman

Founded: 2003

Architects: 15

Founded: 1978 The ﬁrm: Based in the Omani capi-

tal of Muscat, Al Hatmy has worked in UAE, Pakistan and Africa since it was founded 30 years ago by Ali Al Hamdani. Recent projects include a building on Dubai Marina and a sports complex in Oman. The ﬁrm is also doing a great deal of work in Tanzania, and is currently developing the Royal Dar Es Salaam Golf Course. Project: Royal Dar Es Salaam Golf Course, Tanzania.

The ﬁrm: Started by Ahmed Al Ali and Farid Esmaeil just seven years ago in Dubai, X Architects has been involved in a number of well-received residential projects in the UAE, including Xeritown, an eco-city

designed in 2008 and the winner of Middle East Architect’s best mixed use development award in 2009. The fast-growing Emirati ﬁrm has also designed numerous villas, house boats and showrooms in the UAE and recently established an office in Abu Dhabi. X Architects has developed a reputation for highly-sustainable architecture and local design. Project: Kojack Motor Showroom, Motorcity, Dubai.

DUBARCH Architects: 10 Staff: 60 HQ: Dubai Founded: 1986 The ﬁrm: Started by

architects Amir Rahbar and Ahmed Al Banna in the late 1980s, Dubarch was responsible for one of Dubai’s first iconic landmark buildings, the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, on which Rahbar was chosen as lead consultant. Since then the firm has established offices in Abu Dhabi and Manila, and worked for high-profile clients including the Commercial Bank of Dubai and the Shangri-La Hotel. They recently worked on Qasr Al Sarab, a desert resort. Project: Qasr Al Sarab, near Liwa , Abu Dhabi, UAE.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

TOP GCC ARCHITECTS | COVER STORY

TRACE DESIGN Architects: 5 Staff: 25 HQ: Dubai, UAE Founded: 2008

3 SQUARE Architects: 6 Staff: 15 HQ: Dubai, UAE Founded: 2006 The ﬁrm: Primarily involved in interior design, 3 Square’s exterior and landscape work only accounts for around 15% of its total work. But the

ﬁrm are looking to boost this to over 30% in the next 12 months. With Nazneen Sabavala heading up the landscape design division has a number of projects under consideration. One of these projects includes a 20,000m2 farmhouse in Khawaneej, near Dubai. Project: Private residence, Dubai.

The firm: TRACE Design was founded by Yemeni architect Suhail Thabet, who returned to the Middle East in 2007. Since then, the firm has been extremely active in the UAE, designing the offices for Dubai firm Profound Management Corporate, and a five villa compound in Al Ain. TRACE is also involved in two highend restaurant projects. Project: Office concept, UAE.

YASSER HEJAZY CONSULTING ENGINEERS Architects: 5 Staff: 42 HQ: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Founded: 1991 The firm: Jeddah-based architect Yasser Hejazy recently entered into a partnership with Lebanese engineering company DEP. The firm is benefitting from Saudi Arabia’s recent construction boom, and is set to open offices in Riyadh later this year. Recent developments include the iconic Jeddah Gate Twin Tower and residential villas at the massive Knowledge Economic City. Project: Knowledge Economic City, Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

COVER STORY | TOP GCC ARCHITECTS

DXB.LAB Architects: 5 Staff: 7 HQ: Dubai Founded: 2000 The firm: Set up ten years ago by architect Khalid Al Najjar, dxb. lab has made quite a name for itself in the UAE, designing a range of commercial, residential and public sector developments. Since being joined by Shahab Lutfi, CEO, in 2005 the fi rm has stretched itself into larger scale projects, including, in 2010, two labor camps in Jebel Ali and six private villas. Project: Private villa, UAE.

GEC DAR - GULF ENGINEERS CONSULTANTS Architects: 4 Staff: 10 HQ: Kuwait City, Kuwait Founded: 2008

URBANPHENOMENA Architects: 4 Staff: 10 HQ: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Founded: 1999 The ﬁrm: Since starting out in Jeddah just over ten years ago, Urbanphenomena has sought to

bring together young architects and designers in Saudi Arabia. The ﬁ rm was set up by Mohammad Al-Sharif and Reda Sijiny and is involved in a number of residential projects in Jeddah and Riyadh. Project: Al-Wesal Residential Units, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

The ﬁrm: Headed up by sisters Shatha and Nada Al-Fahad, GEC DAR is only two years old but hoping to corner attract those clients in the Kuwaiti market who are looking for quality design within realistic budgets. The ﬁ rm’s latest project is a social center and building for Imams and preachers in Kuwait, other developments on the boards include the Amwaj Centre in Saudi Arabia and the White Residence in Kuwait. Project: Social Center & Imams Forum Building, Kuwait.

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FEATURE | EDUCATION

Global design ﬁrms are battling for lucrative school deals in the UAE, both in the public and private sector

chools and educational facilities have long been bread and butter for designers and architects

in the UK. But the last couple of years has seen many ﬁrms up sticks and move to the Middle East, as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and

Kuwait seek to shore up education sectors that have historically lacked investment and resources. In 2010, it is the UAE that is leading the pack in terms of opportunities for designers and architects, with the Abu Dhabi Education Council boasting a budget of AED9.8 billion for schools alone. ADEC already has

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

18 schools underway in Abu Dhabi, designed by various global ﬁrms, and plans for many more as part of its 10 year strategic plan. “The existing school stock in the government sector is extremely poor,” says Nadine Nackasha, head of British ﬁrm BDP’s Abu Dhabi office. “One of the key things that parents

EDUCATION | FEATURE

complain about here is that they can’t find good schools for their kids.” BDP is one of a number of UK fi rms that have set up shop in the UAE in an attempt to cash in on ADEC’s new education drive. The firm is currently involved in a design competition with a dozen other firms to design 15 new schools for Abu Dhabi.

ADEC is happy to admit that ageing facillites are one of the main reasons why growth in the emirate’s school stock is needed, but rising standards and new facilites are also a factor. Matthew Kennedy, Middle East director of Wates International, the construction company currently in a joint venture with Al Fara’a

Integrated Construction Group to build two major government schools in Abu Dhabi, knows about these new challenges ﬁrst hand. “Designs for schools are improving all the time to promote learning and academic achievement. ICT is a major part of the design, while seemingly simple things, such as trips, ﬁnger

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

Firms that have designed schools in the UK are now eyeing the UAE.

FEATURE | EDUCATION

PACK IT IN As an option for developers and designers, prefabricated or modular buildings are yet to take off in the Middle East. But in the education sector, where new facilities need to be built quickly, cheaply and sustainably, modular construction could well become a popular option for developers. “You reduce weight signiﬁcantly, you can make the buildings very air-tight and they are generally very energy efficient. It’s deﬁnitely something that should be

The UAE has numerous design challenges, including the climate.

investigated further in terms of low cost schools,” says Zander Muego, regional director at Thomas and Adamson International. Thomas and Adamson has been working with architects Stride Treglown on ﬁnding affordable options for the 70+ villa schools due to be closed down by ADEC by 2013. Nathan Hones, general manager at Stride Treglown, adds that prefabrication doesn’t necessarily limit designers. “In fact it offers up other opportunities that block work and traditional forms of construction doesn’t,” he explains. The problem with the market

traps, lighting levels and child-sized washroom facilities, have to be considered,” Kennedy says. But sustainability, the buzzword in Abu Dhabi in the last few years, is also paramount, explains Alberto Treves, section manager for education facilities design at ADEC. “This is the ﬁrst time that sustainability features have been incorporated into school design, including energy efficient air conditioning systems and water-saving devices,” he says. “Orientations, insulation and shading devices have been carefully planned, and electricity for classrooms will be generated on the school site.”

for prefab in the UAE, however, is that there is a lack of suppliers and a lack of knowledge about the options out there. “People are here and they’re willing to supply but often the products are manufactured in China or Turkey or even the UK. That is one of the biggest challenges,” Muego says. “The other thing is that ﬂat packs are only as good as the installer. They work very well in the UK and Australia because the labourers putting them together know what they are doing, but the challenge for the market here is to get that same level of expertise.”

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

BDP’s Nackasha says that these new demands, as well as an increased budget for new builds, make the education sector an exciting market. It also seems that in 2010 ADEC is ready to put its money where its mouth is – while in 2005 it required schools to be built for AED2,300 per square metre, now the budget is closer to AED4,500. “ADEC’s aspirations are very high, on a par with the BSF programme in the UK, which is very exciting. It’s great that high standards are being set,” Nackasha says. “They do have a lot of the same principles, but the local climate has to be taken into consideration as well as the promotion of sustainable materials, which is very new to building programmes here.” The public sector is only one area of opportunity for firms in Abu Dhabi, demand for private schools is also growing as the emirate expands. The recent announcement from ADEC that over 70 ‘Villa Schools’- low fee, private outfits that cater to the children of expatriates in Abu Dhabi – would be forced to close by 2013 has left an estimated 45,000 students needing new facilities. UK firm Stride Treglown, which recently opened an office in Abu Dhabi, has targeted this corner of the

EDUCATION | FEATURE

market. The firm has already found that fulfilling ADEC’s high standards for new schools with the limited budgets of villa school owners has been a significant challenge. “You have villa school owners who have been making 30 or 40% profit with a thousand pupils in a cramped and inappropriate villa school, now needing to fund a building of around 25 to 30 million dirhams,” explains Nathan Hones, general manager of Stride Treglown in the Middle East. “Even though ADEC provide land to these villa school owners, it does not address the construction costs, the land is often way out in Mussafah or Bani Yas City where it is available, but not overly desirable.” One of the most onerous requirements for the villa school owners is having to provide larger spaces per student, and having to incorporate science labs, music and recreation facilities and special education areas into their new facilities. In some cases these facilities are not required since the schools teach Indian or Filipino curriculums, with less emphasis on music and the arts. In order to address this, Stride has been working with ADEC to modify its requirement for villa schools, and the firm has already had some success. The most recent design manual

“The school is the end user and you’re not trying to recoup that initial capital cost after day one, you’re running it over ﬁve years. Nathan Hones, Middle East general manager, Stride Treglown

who seem to have been listening to the struggling low income schools and have made a number of concessions,” Hones says. Sustainability is still a factor for designers looking into the private school sector, but Hones believes that green initiatives, and their cost, are easier to justify to developers when they ABU DHABI EDUCATION are applied to a school COUNCIL’S BUDGET than an office building. FOR BUILDING “When people worry NEW SCHOOLS about sustainability adding to construction costs you usually find it’s developers selling apartments or office buildings and trying to recoup the cost at the point of sale. But ADEC look at the capital costs as they run that over an operating cost of five years, so when you do that it does tend to make even more sense,” Hones explains. “The school is the end user and you’re not trying to recoup that initial capital cost after day one, you’re running it over five years.”

issued to architects looking to design private schools has reduced the space per pupil from 2.2m2 per pupil to 1.8m2, and requiring music and art facilities only in schools where those subjects account for more than 40 hours per week in the curriculum. “This is a real step forward for ADEC

AED9.8 BILLION

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

Modern British schools (above and left) have been an inspiration to planners in the UAE.

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www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

TRIPOLI CONGRESS CENTRE | CASE STUDY

TRIPOLI CONGRESS CENTRE Architect: Tabanlıoğlu Architects Location: Tripoli, Libya CASE STUDY

THE PROJECT This 9,000m 2 project is set in woodland near Tripoli, Libya’s capital city and the country’s base for banking, finance, trade and international relations. Completed earlier this year, the Congress Centre will host world leaders visiting Libya for conferences and summits, as well as other VIPs and media.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

The building site is located next to the Zoo Park and set in woodlands close to the centre of the city. The Congress Centre is part of 25,000m2 site known as Congress Valley, which will include a hotel, private villas and other facilities for foreign leaders and dignitaries visiting Libya.

THE CONCEPT Tabanlıoğlu Architects designed the Congress Centre to reflect the country’s recent economic successes and openness to the outside world, represented by the lifting of UN sanctions against Libya in 2003 and the positive impact it has had on Tripoli’s economy. “The function of the building is to welcome world leaders in a natural environment, and as a place that is open to world cultures and where diverse languages meet up. It will be a source of pride for the nation it represents,” Melkan Gursel Tabanlıoğlu, a partner at the firm, said.

THE DETAILS The building’s perimeter is covered with a bronze mesh, which is decorated with patterns inspired by the trees that surround the site. The mesh provides daylight but also ensures privacy.

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

CASE STUDY | TRIPOLI CONGRESS CENTRE

THE SITE

TRIPOLI CONGRESS CENTRE | CASE STUDY

The interior glass walls are designed to be a metaphor for directness and openness, reflecting the building’s use as a forum for world leaders. They also provide views into the surrounding woodlands, with no horizontal or vertical mullions to obstruct the line of site.

Tabanlıoğlu has designed the building to be both contemporary and functional, but also to 2 reﬂect its natural surTOTAL FLOORSPACE roundings. “In alignOF TRIPOLI’S NEW ment with its function CONGRESS as a meeting place for the CENTRE presidents of the world, the building is strong yet symbolizes to be humble; it is simple but functional and ﬁ nds its expression in clarity and sincerity,” Tabanlıoğlu said. “It is also in harmony with the environment, making optimum use of natural resources such as daylight, greenery and water.”

9,000 METRES

The main conference hall is a rectangular space at the ground floor, with a circular seating plan. There are four other meeting rooms on the ground floor, as well as rooms for the media, lounges and VIP areas and a separate VIP entrance. On the first floor are two other conference halls, administrative offices and a restaurant. In an effort to reduce the impact of heat on the building, an 8-metre corridor encircles three sides while the main building is flanked by a 4-metre wide reflection pool while water elements provide a cooling effect in front of the building.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

MECCA GATEWAY | CASE STUDY

MECCA GATEWAY CULTURAL OASIS Architect: Design Worldwide Partnership Client: Sumou Real Estate Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia CASE STUDY

THE PROJECT This massive development will be home to museums, a convention centre, shops, hotels and apartments on the outskirts of Mecca. The client, Sumou Real Estate, drafted in Bahrain-based firm Design Worldwide Partnership (DWP) and Sidel Gibson Architects to come up with the overall concept for the site, which will serve as a cultural attraction for religious tourists and Saudis. The Cultural Oasis will include a Hajj museum, a visitor centre and a Centre for Sustainable Research, as well as four million metres2 of affordable housing, community services, schools and hospitals.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

CASE STUDY | MECCA GATEWAY

THE SITE The development will be built just outside the haram area of Mecca, meaning that it can be visited by anyone interested in the Hajj or the religion of Islam, whether they are Muslim or not. Situated close

to the main entrance to the city. The perimeter of the district is surrounded by planned communities and tall apartment blocks which protect the Cultural Oasis from high winds and sandstorms.

THE CONCEPT DWP has designed the Cultural Oasis to be a one-stop shop for those looking to learn about Islam. “This one is a place for all visitors to go. Anything you want to know about history and culture the journey of Hajj,” said Kristina Zanic, DWP founding partner. Zanic added that the development was in line with the traditional architecture of the Hejaz region. “We were asked by the client to really focus on Hejazi architecture, which was really something that is renowned in Jeddah. We focused on that but we also looked at very modernistic entrances, iconic spaces,” she said.

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

MECCA GATEWAY | CASE STUDY

THE DETAILS The entrance to the site is marked with a an Arabic masharabiya, which creates shading patterns on the walkway. “We wanted to create a pattern and shadow on the entrance road, as opposed to making the patterns just in the buildings themselves,” Zanic said. The designers tried to incorporate traditional Hejazi architecture, using simple but bold forms such as domes and cylindrical towers. Pedestrian archways and domes create a traditional sense of grandeur.

The main focal point of the Visitor Centre is a glass observation bridge connecting two design galleries and shops. The top level of the central tower is a large panoramic café for visitors to enjoy views of surrounding area. The glass bridge creates a gateway to between the business and cultural districts of the development. One of the largest galleries is the Hajj Museum which tells the story of the pilgrimage to Mecca over time. In the Time Line Gallery, the museum features a large digital map showing historical routes of pilgrimages from across the world.

The Convention Centre is housed under a giant shell-like canopy clad in bronzed metal panels, which covers the entire length of the exhibition space and projects over the grand arrival lobby. A large plaza which is adjacent to the arrival lobby provides space for evening outdoor events.

A pedestrian corridor circumnavigates the entire development and borrows urban features from both new cities and the old souks. The corridor runs parallel to a groundlevel tram system, which has stations shaded by tensile fabric structures and palm trees.

4 MILLION METRES2 OF HOUSING, SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS WILL BE BUILT

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

Zanic said that as a ﬁ rm, working in the realm of Islamic architecture had been rewarding. “It was exciting, understanding the culture because we’re not Muslims. I went out and bought books on the Hajj and on Islamic architecture, you get to understand and appreciate it,” she said.

SPA YACCINE | CASE STUDY

SPA YACCINE Architect: Ahmed Chami Location: Gabon CASE STUDY

THE PROJECT Spa Yacine is the first spa and fitness complex to be built in the West African nation of Gabon, a country of 1.5 million people bordered by Cameroon that is one of the most prosperous countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Moroccoborn architect Ahmed Chami designed the exterior of the 30,000 m 2 building while the interiors were designed by his wife, interior designer Nadia Benmoussa.

THE SITE The property is located halfway between the airport and centre of Libreville, Gabonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital city, home to 600,000 people. Spa Yacine is on the outskirts of a residential area, next to a site set aside for a botanical garden. The garden was not only the reason for the choice of location, but also the underlying concept â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the combination of architecture and nature.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

CASE STUDY | SPA YACCINE

THE CONCEPT Chami and his wife worked closely to ensure that the interiors and exteriors of the building complimented each other, and they managed not only the design but the construction work, landscaping and project management. “The result is an integrated concept which, incorporated into the natural 2 surroundings, FLOORSPACE OF offers visual and THE SPA YACCINE physical diversity and recreation,” Chami said.

30,000 METRES

THE DETAILS The cube-shaped elements of the building, laid out to optimally fulfil their function, appear to be seperate but still create one unit. Bridges serve as links between the elements and also offer space below for patios and sheltered landscaped gardens.

The complex was designed to give off an air of informal tranquillity, Chami explained, which was achieved by the alternating use of vertical and horizontal elements – among these are the stairway to the main entrance, vertical recesses on the front and horizontal elements on the facade. “It is the design of the facade which is pivotal to the harmonious nature of the building,” he said.

The interiors of the building were designed an individual concept for each space, whether for massage, fitness, relaxation or sauna, but it is the exteriors that have caught the eye of local residents. “The inhabitants of Libreville are quite fascinated by the shimmering colours of the chameleon coating“, says Ahmed Chami. “The building has become a local attraction to the city’s population.”

The facade is clad in aluminium composite panels that change colour in response to the sun. “The surface reveals everchanging colours, glossy hues and depths,” Chami said. “The building hence fits perfectly into its surroundings“. The facade, designed by Reynobond, also has the benefit of being very durable, the high-tech coating is strong and resistant to wear and tear.

Gabon has no specific regulations governing eco-friendly construction, but Chami said he was guided by the economical and ecological principles of modern European architecture. “The building has heat insulation throughout and a pleasant indoor climate, with air humidity and conditioning having been measured in relation to the intended use of the space,“ he explained.

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

PROJECT UPDATE | THE WORK

THE WORK PROJECT UPDATE

BURJ RAFAL

305

METRES TOTAL EXPECTED HEIGHT

Architect: P&T Client: Rafal Group Location: Riyadh

LUANDA SKY CENTRE Location: Angola Designer: Risco

KHAN SHATYR ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

100,000 METRES2 FLOORSPACE INSIDE THE DOME

Architect: Foster + Partners Location: Astana, Kazazhstan

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

This 62-storey tower in the heart of Riyadh, will be one of only three tall towers in the city and contain the ﬁ rst Kempinski hotel in Saudi Arabia. The tower – which will be the tallest in the Saudi capital – will include 260 luxury apartments, a 297-room hotel, and up to 6,000 sq2 of retail and a 2,000 sq2 ballroom in an attached podium. The 19,315 m2 site is on King Fahd Road near the King Abdullah Financial Centre.

Portuguese ﬁ rm Risco architects have designed these two towers to form part of a signiﬁcant development in Angola’s capital city of Luanda. Work has begun on Sky Residence II – a 22-storey residential tower – and the adjacent Sky Business Tower. Risco has designed the facades of the buildings to have two layers, increasing the cooling capability of the building to make them less reliant on air conditioning.

The Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre contains over 100,000m2 inside an ETFE dome, which has recently been announced the tallest tensile structure in the world. The tent-like, cable-net structure soars 150-metres into the air from an elliptical base to form the highest peak on the Astana skyline. Inside the tent is an urban-scaled park, along with entertainment facilities, shops, cafes and areas for events and exhibitions.

Client: Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council Architect: RNL Location: Abu Dhabi

NOBU DOHA Client: Nobu Architect: Rockwell Group Location: Qatar

JENAN CITY Client: Jenan Real Estate Architect: NORR Consultants Location: Saudi Arabia

TILAL LIWA DESERT HOTEL Client: Roya Architect: DSA Architects International Location: Madinat Zayed, Empty Quarter

THE WORK | PROJECT UPDATE

RUWAIS CITY

This massive master plan project has been drawn up by design ﬁ rm RNL for Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council. The 27km2 development will be a new city for Al Gharbia, including a harbour and marina, housing, schools, retail and recreation facilities. The development is in line with the Al Gharbia 2030 plan, which seeks to increase the population by creating a new industrial hub in the Western Region.

Created by New York designers Rockwell Group, this is a new 26,000ft2 restaurant for Doha waterfront. The three story building is raised on a glass podium, giving the impression that it is ﬂoating over the harbour from a distance, and will cater for around 250 people in its restaurant and rooftop bar. The building’s interiors feature hand-painted murals of koi ﬁsh by Japanese artist Hideki Kimura.

Jenan City will be a 44,655m2 mixed-used development in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, 2 which will include offices, apartments, a mall and a TOTAL hotel. Spread across two DEVELOPMENT adjacent sites, Jenan City will SITE provide upwards of 100 luxury apartments, a 250-room hotel and a mall on the ﬁ rst plot, and a medium density residential development on the second.

340,000 METRES

This project in the UAE’s Empty Quarter resembles a traditional desert fort, and is situated some two hours from Abu Dhabi. The 40,500m 2 hotel includes 120 guest rooms, a restaurant and a health club set around traditional courtyards. DSA Architects incorporated a number of traditional elements into the design, including thick walls and small windows enabling the building to keep cool in the summer months.

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

Client: Emergency Ong Onlus Designer: Tamassociati Location: Sudan

DJAMAA EL DJAZAIR Client: Government of Algeria Designer: Jurgen Engel Architekten Location: Algeria

BRITISH EMBASSY ALGIERS Client: British Foreign Office Architect: John Mc Aslan + Partners Location: Algeria

COPENHAGEN GRAND MOSQUE Client: Bach Gruppen A/S Architect: BIGBjarke Ingels Group Location: Denmark

Italian architecture ﬁ rm Tamassociati used discarded cargo containers to build staff accommodation. The ﬁ rm had used the containers to transport materials to Sudan. The buildings TREES WERE PLANTED house 60 staff, set around TO OFFSET THE a courtyard in which the CARBON USED designers planted 100 TRANSPORTING trees to offset the carbon MATERIALS TO they used shipping materiSUDAN als to Sudan.

150

Due to become the third biggest mosque in the world, the Djamaa El Djazair in Algiers has been designed in a joint effort by Jurgen Engel Architekten, Drees & Sommer and engineering consultancy Krebs und Kiefer. The project will include a prayer hall holding 35,000 worshippers, as well as the tallest minaret in the world, due to stand at 264 metres. The mosque will take more than four years to complete.

This project in the Algerian capital saw a thoroughly modern embassy building incorporated into the site of a colonial residence. The British Foreign Office had strict requirements relating to cost, use and security, all of which had to be balanced against design considerations by John Mc Aslan + Partners. The eco-friendly building also had to ﬁt into a tight 1,800m 2 footprint, without obscuring views across the Bay of Algiers.

Denmark’s ﬁ rst purpose-built mosque is being built in cooperation with the Muslim Council of Denmark, an umbrella organization representing 13 different Muslim organizations. The mosque is part of a 124,000m 2 religious complex that will include CAPACITY OF THE a prayer hall, shops, , an GRAND MOSQUE’S auditorium and an Islamic PRAYER HALL library. The project has received planning permission.

3000

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

THE WORK | PROJECT UPDATE

SALAM CENTRE

Client: Abu Dhabi Investment Council Architect: Aedas Architects Location: Abu Dhabi

RUKN AL AQEEQ Architect: Maan Alsalloum, Cowi Location: Saudi Arabia

BREAKWATER BEACON JEDDAH Client: Saudi Aramco Location: Saudi Arabia

LAUFEN FORUM Client: Laufen Architect: Nissen & Wentzlaff Engineer: Walther Mory Maier

THE WORK | PROJECT UPDATE

ABU DHABI INVESTMENT COUNCIL HQ

Touted as the new gateway to Abu Dhabi, the ADIC headquarters will provide 350,000ft2 of office space, as well as retail and food outlets for an estimated 2,000 workers. Designed by Aedas Architects’ London office, the two 25-storey towers utilize a number of high-tech green initiatives, including a mashrabiya screen which shifts in order to protect against direct sunlight. The towers will be completed in 2011.

The Rukn Al Aqeeq is a mixed-use development incorporating a 21 storey hotel and 12-storey office tower, linked by a single 2 storey of retail space. The TOTAL entire building will be clad DEVELOPMENT in stainless steel mesh and is AREA designed to be elliptical, with the hotel and office towers joining together at the fourth ﬂoor. The steel mesh is designed to help the building obtain a LEED ranking.

50,000

MILLION M

This contemporary lighthouse in Jeddah was commissioned by HOK, architects for the nearby King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) project. Designer Dan Tobin was originally asked to produce a 30m tower but the project ended up twice as high. Eventually the tower will include 150 lights, which will glow through the lattice of hexagons from top to bottom, and a marble interior.

Swiss bathroom company Laufen’s new headquarters is an unconventional design, constructed entirely from concrete and without windows. The two-storey showroom is a scale replica of a Laufen washbasin, and was constructed in a single mould with a 44cm-thick MOLD WAS USED concrete. 50 skylights provide TO CAST THE light while also limiting the CONCRETE FACADE effect of seasonal changes in the sun’s position.

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

ONE

CULTURE | LIKE WANT NEED

LIKE WANT NEED CULTURE

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SHOWER Duravit Modern bathrooms are designed to be more than places where you get clean, and Duravitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s multifunctional shower aims to bridge the gap between bathroom and personal spa even further. This shower unit is suitable for either back-to-back or corner installations, and with

dimensions of 1800 x 1100 x 2340 mm will ďŹ t into even the smallest of rooms. The frameless cabin, which is made of transparent glass, features a shower, steam bath, massage function and water hose, all controlled by an aluminium control panel which is mounted directly into the tiles.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

LIKE WANT NEED | CULTURE

CARPET

BUILDMART Danube This range of carpets from Danube are available in Buildmart stores across the region. A recent backlash against minimalist interior design has made patterned carpets are all the rage in 2010, not only because they liven up a space, but because they are a thrifty way of adding color to a room.

KITCHEN

BLENDER Kenwood

BOOK

BUILDING (IN) THE FUTURE: RECASTING LABOR IN ARCHITECTURE Princeton Architecture Press There is no denying the transformational role of the computer in the evolution of contemporary architectural practice. But are humans becoming irrelevant to the overall development of the built environment? Building (in) the Future confronts this important question and others like it with submissions from architects, engineers, fabricators, contractors, construction managers, lawyers, and scholars. The book examines how contemporary practices of production are reshaping the design and construction process in the 21st century.

With 100,000 man hours of development and 60,000 hours of testing, the Kenwood Cooking Chef is the blending enthusiast’s blender. Now available in Dubai, Kenwood has been making blenders for as long as man has been making soups and smoothies, and the introduction of heating technology make this an essential part of any kitchen.

100,000 MAN HOURS OF DEVELOPMENT WENT INTO THE KENWOOD COOKING CHEF

KITCHEN

FRIDGE Samsung Marketed as a new fridge for Ramadan, Samsung’s TWIN series has enough room for all those Iftar feasts, and, according to the promotional material, is doing its bit for the environment too because it prevents people from throwing out food when the fridge gets full. The chrome ﬁ nish and blue LED panel on the exterior also brightens up a dull kitchen.

www.constructionweekonline.com | 09.10 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

CULTURE | LIKE WANT NEED

APP

ACTPRINTER Houdah Although your iPad may do most things that a computer can do, it cannot do everything – namely print documents. This app costs less than a dollar, and lets you ‘reverse print’ your desktop documents to your iPad, allowing you to carry them to meetings, sites, etc.

78 BEDROOM

BED BoConcept

DIFFERENT COVER FABRICS AND COLOUR AVAILABLE

In its latest design, BoConcept have sought to create a bed which imitates the style of a hotel room with the flexibility of the home. This model comes in 78 different fabrics and colours, and the cover e o ovab b e, e , add d g to its ts longer onge g iss removable, adding

CARPET

AIR MASTER Desso Air Master is a new kind of high-tech carpet that traps and immobilizes dust, improving indoor air quality. Desso, the company behind the carpet, claims that tests show Air Master is eight time more effective at capturing and retaining fine dust than hard flooring, and four times more effective than standard carpeting.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

lifespan. The upholstered headboard is available in four sizes and is covered on the back, so it can be freestanding for those who want their bed in the middle of the room. The frame is availab b e in ssix ssizes. es. able

LAST WORD | KEVIN DEAN

INSIDE OUT THE LAST WORD British artist Kevin Dean, who worked on the interiors of the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, spoke to Middle East Architect When I left college I used to haul my portfolio all over London seeing publishers

and design agencies. I got some good jobs that way. The UK has a great tradition in visual art so I don’t have to look very far for inspiring

and influential artists and designers. I was recommended for the Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque project by the Royal College of Art. HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan liked my design for the courtyard floor and I went on to design various floors, walls and archways. I did plenty of research so that the finished designs have echoes of Islamic design. Sheikh Sultan was very interested in moving away from traditional Islamic geometric designs to more free flowing floral designs The best thing about working in Abu Dhabi was the people. The worst thing was not being able to travel on foot, either because of the distances involved or the heat. I am hoping to do more work in the Middle East and have just been discussing a new project in Dubai with the craftsmen that did much of the marble work on the Grand Mosque. As the world comes out of recession I think the Gulf is going to be an even more

exciting place for artists and designers. At the moment I’m working on several projects. My own brand of wall-coverings, textiles and tableware, as well as a restaurant mural and a new architectural project. The person who has had the most inﬂuence on me is probably my former tutor at

The Royal College of Art. My wife is a graphic designer. She’s also my greatest fan and critic.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 09.10 | www.constructionweekonline.com

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