A Brand Apart

a 78-storey, 365m tower that is the tallest hotel-only building in the world, this is a prestigious project which ads another feather in their cap.

T o successfully manage and control construction costs on projects, it is essential that the Cost Consultant is appointed at the earliest stage of design, ideally at the preliminary conceptual phase. HQS Cost Management (HQS) has a long-standing relationship with The First Group, the developer of Ciel and was appointed as the Cost Consultant at the beginning of the design effort. HQS has also worked closely with NORR Group, the design architects and engineers of Ciel, on a number of projects. For Ciel, the process of managing the cost during design was already well established. Various procurement options for the main contractor were explored to ensure that cost risks were managed within agreed parameters. Implementing a rigorous cost control process was especially important to mitigate unexpected challenges related to the global pandemic and its associated supply chain issues. Working closely with the Ciel team, HQS studied value engineering ideas that controlled cost without compromising the project’s design intent and stated quality. With the construction phase nearing completion, HQS is proud to be associated with the project and deliver to the expectations of The First Group. HQS has been in the Middle East for over twenty years, providing pre-contract and post-contract cost management services. HQS is a boutique firm that works closely with clients to understand and deliver on their expectations without compromising the quality of the built work. Projects undertaken range from interior fit-out projects to large mixeduse developments. Projects in Abu Dhabi include Qasr Al Watan (Presidential Palace), Al Wathba Resort, ADCOP and IPIC Square.

Projects in Dubai include LIV Marina, Jewel of the Creek, Swiss International Scientific School and the recently completed Opus. Projects in the Northern Emirates include Sharjah English School, RAK Bank Head Office, and ADCOP Staff Accommodation.

In Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, recent projects include Ajdan Rise and Fairmont Hotel. In Oman, Dhofar Beach Resort Salalah and Muscat Plaza Hotel. Other regions where work has been undertaken by HQS include Libya, Algeria, Nigeria, India and the United Kingdom.

Specwall has contributed significantly in the making of the CIEL Tower, the latest addition to Dubai’s skyline, is an architectural marvel that has challenged engineering limits at several levels

Specwall is an advanced interior and exterior wall system with inherent insulation, acoustic and fire ratings in the form of a lightweight solid A1- and A2-rated panels which exceed current fire safety regulations and are ready to decorate. In the making of the Ciel Tower, the world’s tallest hotel, standing at 78 storeys and 365m which is located in Dubai Marina, projected to reset the global luxury hotel market, Specwall was chosen to replace drywall and blockwork in the development following the main client and contractor being impressed with the system after visits to existing sites. Specwall got involved with the CIEL Tower project in 2021. Their panels were specified for 72 floors of the development, as well as the ground floor and the basement.

The ground floor to the ninth floor is reserved for parking and presented some challenges due to the varying size of the wall panels needed thanks to different heights and curved sections. Specwall was perfect for this as it can easily be cut to any size and shape –a quality which also helped in the basement where wall heights were between 5m and 7m.

From the ninth to the 16th floor, CIEL Tower is made up of amenities, including a bar and infinity pool, and maintenance space. Specwall panels are inherently resistant to all types of damage, including from water, making them an ideal choice for these spaces.

Finally, the rest of the floors also benefitted from Specwall’s versatility due to the egg shape of the building. The ease of cutting Specwall at any angle made it a simple, effective solution to meet the specification of the building. CIEL Tower is an important project for Specwall and the manufacturer, TSSC. As

Working on Ciel Tower was an exciting technical challenge, which Specwall was perfectly suited to. Its lightweight panel system were designed, produced, supplied and installed to measure and fulfilled the complex design brief.

Specwall offers CIEL Tower inherent insulation and fire safety values, as well as coming with high acoustic performance which was supplemented by acoustic panels on the internal walls.

The company appreciates and thanks The First Group, NORR and China Railway for the support and confidence entrusted by them in Specwall as a solution to expedite the construction process.

The trend towards greener, more sustainable construction is becoming more urgent, especially in the UAE where both the government and private enterprise has recognised the key role the built environment plays in resource usage and the transition to Net Zero Carbon.

As technology advances, many developers are looking to reduce their environmental footprint as far as possible and create sustainable buildings. Products like Specwall are vital for this.

Specwall panels, manufactured in the Middle East by TSSC, have an extremely high fire safety rating, send only two per cent of material to landfill, reduce the amount of emissions produced during construction and can be 100 per cent recycled. Furthermore, they can be demounted, moved and re-used on site if the floor layout changes, and during construction all off-cuts can be reused in situ.

Using Specwall is an easy way of increasing your building’s environmental rating, reducing its embodied emissions, cutting waste and ensuring that your project is future proof for both occupiers and future buyers. Its system enables you to improve your structure and cut costs at the same time.

Amr Al Bawab

Chief Construction

Officer at Ciel, talks about the construction of the world’s tallest hotel and how it is a culmination of the group’s work

Ciel, the latest addition to Dubai’s skyline, is an architectural marvel that has challenged engineering limits at several levels. Amr Al Bawab, Chief Construction Officer, Ciel said that building superstructures of this type has traditionally presented considerable engineering and construction challenges. However, he feels that computational modelling technology has advanced considerably in the past decade. In conceiving Ciel’s architectural design, the tower’s shape was heavily influenced by wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamic modeling to reduce wind loads on the structure itself. The project management team is also employing collaborative technologies that aid workflows during the building’s construction phase. Al Bawab said: “These innovations have helped accelerate Ciel’s construction timeline, streamline processes, and drive operational efficiencies while reducing overall costs.”

Elaborating on his role in the construction of Ciel and how special the project was for him, he said: “As Chief Construction Officer, my role is to bring together all the respective teams involved in Ciel’s construction and development, while ensuring that everything operates smoothly, and that the construction process remains on schedule and within the project’s budget.”

Ciel is the largest and most ambitious project undertaken at The First Group to date, and while it has presented several challenges, the group’s nearly twodecade record of building large-scale residential towers and hotels in Dubai has fully prepared them for a project of this size and scope.