middle east architect 2012-05

8/18/2019 Middle East Architect 2012-05

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

MAY 2012 / VOLUME 6 / ISSUE 05An ITP Business Publication

BUILDING FOCUS

Inside Woods Bagot ’s new tower

in Abu Dhabi’s Capital Centre

CASE STUDY

The Galleries office complex in

Downtown Jebel Ali by Bur t Hill

MEA quizzes Albert Speer on Qatar 2022 and

his practice’s famous arena designs

STADIUM SUPREMO


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3/68

MAY

| CONTENTS

www.designmena.com | 05.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT 1

4FRONT

This month’s top stories

including a report from the

CW Qatar conference 6

12

THE BIG PICTURELester Ali captures New

York’s soaring One World

Trade Center 14

ANALYSISQatar has a futuristic mega-

mall in the pipeline, but is

there real demand?20

OPINIONGeorgina Chakar asks

whether Doha is putting its

money where its mouth is 22COVER STORYMEA meets Albert Speer, the

frontman behind most of the

2022 World Cup stadiums30BUILDING FOCUS

60CULTURECool products, clever ideas,

and some of the latest gadgets

in the design world

44CASE STUDIESBurt Hill ’s The Galleries,

a student scheme for Abu

Dhabi and P&T’s Baku tower56

Inside International Tower,

Woods Bagot’s commercial

scheme for Abu Dhabi

THE WORK A detailed reference section

covering the projects MEA

has featured recently

PROJECTS A round up of the latest

project news from MENA

and the rest of the world

MAY 2012 VOLUME 6 ISSUE 05

64

LAST WORDNigel Craddock, design

manager for Stride Treglown

on client education


4/68

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 05.12 | www.designmena.com

FRONT

| MAY

2

QATAR STADIUMS ‘NOTROCKET SCIENCE’Construction Week Qatar conference throws up architectural debate

A heated discussion on the challenges

of Qatar’s World Cup stadiums took

place during last month’s Construc-

tion Week Qatar conference in Doha.

‘Building Towards 2022’, held in

the Grand Hyatt Doha, featured a

panel discussion on architectural

challenges involved in hosting the

event, including the use of cooling

technology and retractable roofs to

deal with the scorching summer heat.

Ivar Krasinski, design director for

STR-Edge, said that the technologies

are well within Qatar’s capabilities.

“Retractable roofs

have been around for

decades. We have already

seen sustainable cooling

technologies – that’s coming from

engineers. These are not rocket

science technologies – Qatar is more

than qualified to deliver them. I’m

confident it can pull it off.”

Yet Phil Dalglish, regional director

for Buro Happold, remarked that a

test stadium is required. “It is critical

that a prototype has to be established

somewhere along the line.”

El Hefny (top left);

Krasinski (bottom

left); Dalglish (far

right).

Another panelist,

Tariq El Hefny, project

director of Khalifa Sta-

dium Development called for

new stadiums to be more interactive

with the surroundings.

Dalglish concluded that the user

experience is more important. “With

the exception of the Bird’s Nest, no

one remembers the stadiums from

past events. It is the experience that is

going to make this World Cup great.

The key is ensuring that the attendees

and athletes get the right experience.”

1964Year that Albert

Speer formed

his company(page 24)

12NUMBER OF

STADIUMS FOR

QATAR 2022


5/68

MAY

| FRONT


• Futuristic tower in honour of Sheikh Zayed

revealed at Cityscape

• 25 essential iPad apps for interior design

students

• Light bulb with 20-year lifespan goes on

sale in USA• Sowwah Square design pedestrian-friendly

• RW Armstrong starts work on acclaimed

projects in Abu Dhabi

Global giant Atkins ha s provided an

update on trading for the year ended

31 March 2012, which indicated the

strength of the Middle East market.

A statement from the company

said: ”The group’s operations in the

Middle East and energy have contin-

ued to enjoy strong market conditions

and have ended the year trading in

line with our expectations.”

The update was in advance of the

group’s preliminary results an-

nouncement on 14 June 2012.

It added: “Overall, the group has

traded well through its fourth quarter

and expects to report results for the

year ended 31 March 2012 in line

Atkins flags ‘strong marketconditions’ in region

Mayor of Sydney blasts

‘clumsy’ Dubai architectureThe Lord Mayor of Sydney has la-

belled a planned design in her city as a

“clumsy Dubai-style hotel”.

The comment, by Clover Moore,

referred to plans for a second Sydney

casino and a six-star 350-room hotel

in Barangaroo, a new CBD in the city.

WEIRD PROJECT OF THE MONTH

Designers Victor Kopeikin and Pavlo Zabotin

have come up with a radical idea for combating

tsunamis, which uses residential skyscrapers as a

defensive shield. The project proposes self-sup-

porting residential units located in the sea which

form a single closed defensive chain.

DESIGNMENA.COM

DATASTREAM

Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney.

Atkin’s BurJ Al Arab.

4,000Expected total

occupancy of

International

Tower (page 32)

28Number of

storeys in Baku’s

AzerEnerji HQ(page 52)

151

with market expectations.”

Net funds were reported to be

around $194 million as at 31 March

2012 and “Atkins’ fina ncial position

remains strong”.

Atkins was behind several Middle

East’s icons including Burj Al Arab

and Bahrain World Trade Centre.

Moore’s attack came after New

South Wales premier Barr y O’Farrell

branded the project the “sort of

tourism-related investment we want”.

The scheme would sit in the middle

of the 22ha site at Barangaroo Cen-

tral, supposedly reserved for civic,

educational and recreational uses

with building heights capped at 30m.

Last year construction work began

on the US$5.4bn Barangaroo by Rog-

ers Stirks Harbour + Partners.

The scheme previously attracted a

negative Dubai comparison, with a r-

chitect Philip T halis labelling Roger’s

213m hotel “the worst of Dubai ‘look

at me’ architecture”.

B U I L D I N G S O V E R

3 0 0 M


1 5 0 M


2 0 0 M

60

13

UAE SKYSCRAPERS

(DATA FROM CTBUH)

I m

a g e : G e t t y

I m a g e : G e t t y


6/68


FRONT

| MAY

4

US-based architecture and design firm

RNL has announced the addition of Ala

Hason as MENA regional director.

Hason was previously director of

international development for Fentress

Architect s and also worked for the Denver

offi ce of international giant Gensler.

“Ala’s experience, spanning the Middle

East and Northern Africa to China and the

United States, is an enormous asset to the

firm and to the firm’s clients,” commented

Joshua Gould, chairman and CEO of RNL.

“His familiarity with the region, includ-

ing seven years in Kuwait will further our

goals of delivering world class-design to

clients throughout the MENA region.”

Hason added that he is looking forward to

delivering “true sustainable development,

which respects the heritage and the cultural

values of the area”.

Iraq-born architect Zaha Hadid picked up

an award from the UK’s Architects’ Journal

(AJ) for her outstanding contribution to the

status of women in architecture.

Hadid became the winner of the Jane

Drew Prize after the AJ Women in Archi-

tecture judging panel came to the unani-

mous decision.

The judging panel included Lord Richard

Rogers and Martha Thorne, chief executive

of the Pritzker Prize.

The judges said: “Hadid ha s broken the

glass ceiling more than anyone and is prac-

tically a household name. Her achievement

is remarkable.”

Hadid was the first woman to be awarded

the Pritzker Prize and will be the first

recipient of the revived Jane Drew Prize.

PEOPLE

RNL appoints MENAregional director

Hadid helps femalearchitect status

The best placed are those

who think with

a global

perspective...

it will certainly

be one of the

greatest World

Cups ever seen.”

Dan Meis, senior

principal,

Populous

Dubai is notdead. If you speakto any fit-outcontractor, theyare absolutelyflat-out. We arelooking to takeadvantage.”Campbell Gray,

Middle East

MD, Faithful +

Gould

I will the most importantconsideration is to make it a

multi-purposevenue. I think thedays are gonewhen you justbuild a racingcircuit.”

Richard Cregan, chief

executive offi cer of Abu

Dhabi’s Yas Marina

60 SECOND INTERVIEW

GEOFFREY BATZEL, DIREC-

TOR, PLANNING & URBAN

DEVELOPMENT, KEO

What are the risks/rewards

involved with doing business

in Qatar?The risks are companies eager

to join this massive undertak-

ing investing beyond their

means, and overextending

themselves by taking on too

much work. Another risk is

under delivering and loss of

professional reputation. The

rewards are the creation

or expansion of com-

panies who will gain

world class experi-

ence that can beused elsewhere.

Qatar’s suc

cess important

to the GCC?

A successful

2022 World Cup

will do great things

for the region’s global

image, demonstrating once

again that GCC members are

capable of undertaking the

most ambitious and complex

of projects; and in this case,

hosting the most prestigious

single-sport athletic event in

the world. Qatar is stepping

forward as a regional leader in

many different ways. This will

make Qatar and the GCC a new

tourist attraction for genera-

tions to come. If successful,

this will be a major feat in the

young history of the GCC.

reation

om-

ain

ri-

gs

lobal

ating once

Hason worked in Kuwait for seven years.

Zaha Hadid in the spotlight again.


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8/68


FRONT

| MAY

6

3

KUWAIT

Kuwaiti projects to top

$274bn in 2012

Kuwait will see 267 projects worth

$274bn begin this year, a new report

reveals. Driving the growth in

projects is the fast-paced population

rises, robust economy and surging oil

prices, the business intelligence firm

CPH World Media has said. Accord-

ing to the report, the Kuwaiti govern-

ment is expected to invest $3bn into

the building industry in the coming

five years, while the value of private

projects is expected to top $8bn.

2

QATAR

Broadway Malyan wins

flagship project

Broadway Malyan will design and

manage the delivery of the headquar-

ters and a presentation centre for Seef

Lusail, a huge waterfront district in

the north of Doha. The presentation

centre contains an interactive display

of the project, as well as a model of

Doha with future projects planned

for the city and an F&B outlet. The

design team will deliver architecture,

landscape and interior design ser-

vices for the presentation centre.

1

QATAR

Work starts on World Cup

training complex

Construction has star ted on a com-

plex designed by Perkins Eastman

which will serve as a permanent home

for football team Lekhwiya Club and

a training site during the 2022 World

Cup. The first phase will be com-

pleted by August 2012 a nd includes a

10,000-spectator stadium, practice

facilities and training fields. The

second phase will include a 12,004m2

75-key hotel, mosque and a multi-

sport arena.

2

MENA PROJECT SNAPSHOT

1

3


9/68

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FRONT

| MAY

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 05.12 | www.designmena.com8

MENA PROJECT SNAPSHOT

3

ABU DHABI

RW Armstrong has started con-

struction on projects including the

UAE Presidential Palace and the

Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club. Since

establishing its regional headquar-

ters in Abu Dhabi in 2006, the firm’s

project portfolio includes Sorouh

Sun & Sky Towers on Al Reem Island

which was completed in 2011, the new

Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority

headquarters and Masdar Institute of

Science and Technology.

2

EGYPT

Landmark PPP healthcare

scheme for Egypt

The design contract for Egypt’s first

healthcare project to use the PPP

procurement model has been won by

Scottish architectural firm Keppie

Design. The project i ncludes new

200-bed and 223-bed specialist facil-

ity, and a pediatric and emergency fa-

cility at the existing Smouha Hospital

complex. The team includes Egyptian

firms Detac Construction, The Arab

Academy and Bareeq Capital, as well

as the UK’s G4s a nd Siemens.

1

OMAN

Real Madrid architect

designs Bank Sohar HQ

Spanish firm Estudio Lamela, the

architect behind the remodeling of

Real Madrid’s legendary Santiago

Bernabeu Stadium, has been ap-

pointed by Bank Sohar to construct

its new head offi ce in Muscat. The

building comes complete with an

internal oasis traversed by three

internal bridges, hanging gardens and

sea views. The HQ project, budgeted

at $43.2m, occupies a 36,000m2 site

in Airport Heights, Seeb.

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FRONT

| MAY

10

GLOBAL PROJECT SNAPSHOT

1 2

3

3

CHINA

Woods Bagot wins airline

mega scheme

Woods Bagot has won the compe-

tition to design China Southern

Airport City, a 400ha mixed-use

district to support China Southern

Airlines. Located on the Liuxi River

in Guangzhou, the new district will

contain two wing-shaped parcels

bisected by a highway. A central

precinct contains Southern Airlines

University, an executive complex with

offi ces, a five-star hotel and VIP club

overlooking an expansive lake.

2

CANADA

Twisted tower planned for

Vancouver

A team comprising Buro Happold and

Danish architect BIG has proposed a

49-storey twisted tower for Vancou-

ver which will contain 600 residential

units. Commissioned by Canadian

developer Westbank, the project will

aim for LEED Gold certification.

The tower is situated on a nine-story

podium base with housing as well

as commercial and retail space. It

bears a strong resemblance to Dubai’s

twisti ng Infinity Tower by SOM.

1

NORTHERN IRELAND

World’s largest Titanic

attraction opens

Titanic Belfast, the world’s largest

attraction dedicated to the famous

sunken ship, opened its doors last

week in the capital of Northern

Ireland. Located on the site where

Titanic was designed and built, the

attraction’s six floors feature nine gal-

leries dedicated to experiences within

the ship. Designed by Todd Architects

and CivicArts, the complex is also

Ireland’s largest tourism project

covering 14,000m2 in area.


13/68


14/68


FRONT

| MAY

12

FRONT

| MAY

THE BIG PICTURE

One World Trade Center

This dusk shot by ITP photographer

Lester Ali captures One World

Trade Center, the replacement for the

destroyed twin towers in New York.

Designed by David Childs of SOM,

Manhattan’s new skyscraper will soon

top out at 104 storeys. A lofty height of

541m will be achieved through a large

antenna. Once open in early 2014 it

will be the tallest building in the West-

ern Hemisphere.


15/68


16/68

NEWS ANALYSIS

| MALLS

ANALYSIS

RETAIL THERAPYWith yet another megamall receiving approval, MEA discovers

whether there is real demand for more retail space in Qatar

Barwa

Commercial

Avenue (right)

and Gharafa mall

(below).

Lusail Municipality’s recent

approval of Marina Mall

will add yet another high

profile scheme to Qatar’s

retail arsenal. Designed by archi-

tecture firm HOK, the complex is a

striking space-age design that aims to

push the boundaries.

But while Marina Mall revels in its

futurism, many of Qatar’s pipeline

malls are rooted in traditional Ara-

bian architecture.

Local firm Arab Engineering

Bureau (AEB) is behind several

historically-flavoured malls that are

under construction in Qatar.

These include Gharafa mall, a

two-storey shopping arcade in Doha

inspired by traditional souks and

Arabian architecture, with pergolas,

wind towers and decorative arches.


The firm has designed a large mall

for Al Merqab, one of the oldest and

most famous shopping streets in the

centre of Doha. It contains cinemas,

food courts, department stores, as

well as offi ce space.

AEB’s managing director, Ibrahim

Mohamed Al Jaidah, adds: “Retail

theming has been quite a trend of late

in the region as it allows the design of

a mall which avoids the more indus-

trial looking buildings that have been

built in the past.

“With the design, the beautiful

Arabesque style was utilised while

integrating curta in walls to avoid the


17/68


18/68


NEWS ANALYSIS

| MALLS

opposite corners of the street, the one

that has the better ambiance will be

more successful. We really want to

build the mall with the best experi-

ence in Doha.”

Mat Green, head of research and

consultancy UAE for CBRE Middle

East, agrees that bigger and better

malls can w in customers. “As seen

from markets like Dubai, larger

destination malls have the ability to

cannibalise the market and ta ke away

share from other smaller or aging

centres,” he says.

When asked whether there is

enough population to support the

new malls in Qatar, Hughes replies:

“Only time will tell. Doha is trying to

create a city for the future. It is try ing

to manage growth and manage the

cultural and commercial aspects.”

CBRE’s Green is similarly positive,

and adds: “The future performance

of the retail market wil l of course rely

heavily on the country’s ability to

sustain solid population growth in the

coming years.

If a mall offers a

valuable public realm

then it is a valid

place to spend time.

It is a big, complex

organism with lots

of factors that affect

the design.”

Barry Hughes, HOK

HOK’s futuristic

Marina Mall

(top right) and

AEB’s Lulu

Hypermarket in

Al Khor.

“However, with close to 20% GDP

growth during 2011 and forecasts of

around 6% for this year, the economy

is certain ly doing its bit to help.

“The tourism sector is also

expanding rapidly and that could be-

come a major driver of retail demand,

although at this stage the market

remains business and not leisure led.”

Hughes believes that any develop-

ment in the region involves some

degree of risk. “T here is an element of

risk for any commercial developer.

“Time will tell whether these ex-

periments in the Middle East will be

successful. I am fascinated by Qata r.

We have an opportunity to create a

new place on a grand scale.”

Currently retail demand in Doha

remains “very strong” according to

Green, with most developments at, or

close to, 100% occupancy.

However, he continues: “With

significant new retail supply set to

be handed over during the next five

years there is a risk of future oversup-

ply. For now we expect to see the

established malls continue to perform

very well, although some new market

entrants may initially struggle to

achieve high occupancy rates.

“Qatar is expanding rapidly and

will need to continue to achieve

strong growth if it is to keep pace with

the current level of construction.”

Hughes believes that in many coun-

tries, malls aren’t taken seriously as

a piece of urban fabric. He continues:

“In the Middle East, you have places

where you live and work but there is

a third place where you spend a lot of

your time. This traditionally would

have been the souk.

“If a mall offers a wonderful public

realm then it is a valid place to spend

time. At HOK we take the shopping

mall seriously. It is a big, complex

organism with lots of factors that

influence the design.”

Green agrees that malls can be im-

portant recreational areas, especially

the large destination malls. “These

malls have become increasingly pop-

ular across the region with consumers

able to shop and spend leisure time in

a single location,” he says.

“By creating entertainment centres

and major leisure attractions, devel-

opers are able to increase the dwell

time of shoppers and driven up foot-

fall and retail sales. T he malls have

become the new social centres and

are increasingly popular among the

rapidly growing young population.”

Hughes believes that the malls in

Dubai can offer valuable lessons for


19/68


20/68


COMMENT

| EDITOR’S LETTER

18

The defence of Dubai’s architecture from a Sydney reader

suggests Moore’s comment was misjudged.”

EDITOR’S LETTERDEFENDING DUBAIWas Sydney’s Lord Mayor off the mark?GOT A

COMMENT?

If you have any

comments to

make on this

month’s issue,

please e-mail

oliver.

ephgrave

@itp.com

Infinity

Tower.Last month, the Lord Mayor

of Sydney, Clover Moore,

raised eyebrows in the

Middle East by labelling

an Australian development as “a

clumsy Dubai-style” hotel.

Moore’s attack was in response

to plans for a second Sydney casino

and a six-star 350-room hotel in

Barangaroo, a new CBD underway

in Sydney.

It was not the first time that Dubai

has attracted negative criticism f rom

Down Under. Last year, architect

Philip Thalis labelled Richard Rog-

er’s hotel in Barangaroo “the worst of

Dubai ‘look at me’ architecture”.

A few weeks ago, we published a

story about Moore’s comments on

designMENA.com and construc-

tionweekonline.com. It attracted

several thousand page impressions,

as well as many comments from our

online readers.

Tariq from Abu Dhabi posted: “It

is a pity that a political figure has to

denigrate others to bring attention to

her particular subjective v iewpoint.

The comment made was unneces-

sary and only serves to damage

international relations.”

Other readers leapt to the defence

of Dubai’s buildings and labelled

Sydney’s architecture as ‘boring’.

Elmer Fabros from Saudi Arabia

commented: “Dubai architecture

is not clumsy. In fact, it is fascinat-

ing, as they have unlimited funds to

experiment and produce fantastic

designs. For other areas, they have

limited funds, thus produce only

standard, boring designs and are

jealous of Dubai.”

However, one commenter on

designMENA.com sympathised

with Moore, stati ng: “It is really true

that most of the so called modern

towers of Dubai which were built

in the last few years are perfect ex-

amples of ‘look at me’ architecture.

“They looked like everyone

involved was too hungry for fame

and attention during the real estate

boom here. Surprisi ngly, most of

these non-architectural towers were

designed by some of the world’s top

architectural firms.”

Perhaps surprisingly, Sydney

professional Mick Dundee posted:

“Most Sydney buildings are boring,

built-to-a-price boxes. I have worked

in Sydney and Dubai and know

which buildi ngs I prefer to both work

on and look at.”

The passionate defence of Dubai’s

architecture from a Sydney reader

suggests Moore’s comment was

perhaps misjudged.

Granted, Dubai contains build-

ings that could be termed ‘clumsy’,

but this trait is not confined to t he

Emirates or the Middle East. For

example, my home city of London

contains countless post-war con-

crete monstrosities that sit next to

historic buildings, such as St Paul’s

Cathedral and the Tower of London.

Other modern buildings in

London could be termed boring,

due to conservative restrictions and

mindsets. This mindset was evident

in the rejection of Daniel Libeskind’s

1997 proposed extension to the Vic-

toria & Albert Museum - a project

that would have set the architecture

world alight at the time.

Architects in Duba i and the GCC

are certainly f reer in many respects.

Projects such as the 828m-high Burj

Khalifa and the twisting Infinity

Tower push the possibilities of archi-

tecture and engineering. One thing

is for certain: Dubai’s architecture is

certainly not boring.


21/68


22/68


23/68

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“I think it was important that you can see emotion in our

stadiums. They are Qatari stadiums - they have something to

do with the culture of the people.

E

ven at the age of 77, Pro-

fessor Albert Speer is not

thinking about giving up

his passion. The founder

of Albert Speer a nd Partners (AS&P)

was in Doha to give the keynote

speech at the Construction Week

Qatar conference: Building Towards

2022. Despite a grueling day in the

spotlight, Speer was spritely, good-

humoured, and eager to talk at length

about his background and his firm’s

key role in Qatar’s World Cup plans.

“The idea of retiring is not going to

happen any time soon,” he remarks. “I

do a little bit to stay healthy - I exer-

cise every morning, in the gym or the

pool, and I have a personal trainer.

As long as I feel I can influence and

bring ideas and creativity to the offi ce

I would like to stay.”

Speer says that he wasn’t particu-

larly inspired to be an architect, but

fell into the profession due to family

tradition. “It was less about inspira-

tion and more of a necessity. After

the war I was stammering a lot - I

couldn’t really speak. I left school and

did a carpenter’s apprenticeship.

“Then I went to the technical

school in Munich and studied archi-

tecture for five years. I followed the

tradition in the family - my grandfa-

ther and my father were architects.

“I wanted to do urban planning

in the future, but these possibilities

were not given at that time in German

technical schools. Munich is one of

the most beautiful cities but I got a job

in Frankfurt. In the 60s it was a very

grey and unattractive city.”

Speer explains that he received

his big break by pitching for work in

his spare time. “Over the weekend

and at night I started to do competi-

tions. The first two or three I lost but

eventually I won an i nternational

competition for the development of

the settlement in Ludwigshafen.

“My boss was very supportive as he

saw it was a good opportunity for me.

So I started a one-man offi ce. That

was in 1964. Now the company has

grown to about 120 people in German

and 30 people in Sha nghai.”

Despite winning its most presti-

gious job in Qatar a nd having several

projects in Saudi Arabia, Speer is

uncertain about opening an offi ce in

the Middle East. “If we continue to do

just consultant work there is no ne-

cessity to open an offi ce here. I prefer

that all the people are in Frankfurt as

we have very good connections. But if

we are invited to do a stadium or two

then we have to have an offi ce.”

He explains that his firm’s involve-

ment in the Qatar stadiums was unex-

pected. “We developed a new field of

activity i n doing bid books for large

sporting events. Every year there

is a sports fair in a city, in connec-

tion with the International Olympic

Committee. We decided to display

our Olympic competitions in a small

booth at the sports fair in Canada.

“Members of the Qatari govern-

ment visited us and later we got an

email saying ‘please come to Qatar,

we would like to talk to you’. We were

chosen and we did a good job.

“They wanted to have a very per-

sonal contact and didn’t want to have

one of the big players. I was not in the

negotiations - the next generation did

that. I think this was the right strat-

egy as the Qataris are 35-40 years

old. The client’s aim was to have the

best bid book given to FIFA and this

is what we, together with our partners

including Arup and Nusli, managed

to do. This is not the only reason for

winning, but it played a part.”

STADIUM SUPREMO

THE INTERVIEW

Oliver Ephgrave and Oscar Wendel talk to Professor Albert Speer of AS&P, one of

the main frontmen behind Qatar’s stunning arena designs

ALBERT SPEER

| COVER STORY


26/68


He also adds that the “emotion”

in the bid book was a crucial quality.

“I think it was important that you

can see emotion in our stadiums.

They are Qatari stadiums - they have

something to do with the culture of

the people.

“They are not just technical, which

could be built in Moscow or Berlin.

They were mainly done by a female

architect in our offi ce. I’m very proud

that these prototype Islamic stadiums

were such a success.”

Speer is optimistic that the

emotion of the renderings can be

replicated in the final products. “We

are part of the team and we hopefully

will be part of the execution team too.

You can never say they will definitely

build them as designed. There are so

many influences.

“But the decision maki ng people

on the bidding committee and the

execution committee are the same

people and I am very convinced that

they stick to the concept. Because it is

a winning concept.”

Speer says his favourite designs are

Al-Khor stadium, which resembles a

sea shell and the Al-Wakra stadium

due to its location in the city centre

and integration with leisure, shopping

and social facilities such as play-

grounds and swimming pools.

“Al Wakrah stadium is part of the

city centre and th is is very feasible

economically. All the ca r parking

spaces for the stadium can be used in

the evening, not just once a week.”

Speer adds that good city stadiums

can benefit the community. “In Ger-

many, for a long time people thought

that a stadium has to be far out in the

middle of nowhere because of noise

and litter. This changed completely.

“It is tied into the stadium design.

If it’s more attractive and people can

bring their children, if it’s open for

women, and interesting to stay there

because you have restaurants and

playgrounds and a place of worship,

then people are not just spending one

and a half hours there, but five hours.”

He cites his company’s Allianz

Arena in Munich, completed in 2005,

as a good example of a city centre

stadium. “A stadium can be a com-

munity meeting point. Our Allianz

Arena in Munich is a good example,

with all the facilities, restaurants and

playgrounds. It’s not only the match

itself, it’s the lifestyle.”

When it comes to other success-

ful city stadiums, he points to the

Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid and

London’s new Olympic stadium.

Speer was less positive about China’s

Bird’s Nest stadium.

“The Bird’s Nest is incomparable.

The Chinese wanted something

spectacular but it is not sustainable.

They have used steel to an amount

that is incredible. It’s an icon, but it’s

not used much,” he remarks.

AS&P is working on several proj-

ects in China, including large master

planning schemes. As an urban plan-

ner, he believes that the masterplan is

a viable model for the Middle East, if

it is executed correctly.

“It depends what is the context of

a masterplan - it is no solution if it is

trying to solve all problems. It has to

be flexible for future developments.

Things can change in terms of the

market and the population.”

He says that maintenance is criti-

cal. “Cairo has Sadat City, which was

started 25 years ago. It is a pure catas-

trophe, because parts are built, parts

are empty and others are run-down.

In many countries in the region,

maintenance is not k nown.”

Commenting on AS&P’s cur-

rent Middle East projects he says:

“We are doing a lot of work in Saudi

Arabia. We have done the Diplomatic

Quarter in Riyadh, which is still one

of the best urban developments in the

Arab world. We have designed and

engineered the King Abdullah Road

which is about 25kms long.

“We are doing a very nice building

in the centre of Riyadh - a huge crimi-

nal court project. It will be fin ished

at the beginning of next year. We are

working on a masterplan for 2032 for

Albert Speer

was in Doha

to present

the keynote

speech at the

Construction

Week Qatar

conference.

COVER STORY

| ALBERT SPEER

The critical challenge

for Qatar is not the

stadiums, it’s the

infrastructure. Tobuild a rail system of

100km in seven years

is really very hard.”


27/68


ALBERT SPEER

| COVER STORY

Alexandria. It is very complicated because of the change in the gov-

ernment. We are now waiting for decisions. Qatar is much faster.”

According to Speer, the greatest challenge for Qatar’s World Cup

delivery is not the stadiums. “A stadium can be built in two and a

half or three years. The critical part is infrastructure. To build a rail

system of 100km in seven years is really very hard.

“It’s not a question of construction – it’s the planning and coor-

dination and the permissions. You can’t have construction sites in

Doha everywhere. The people will explode. The plans have been re-

duced to 100km, which I think is feasible, but it is a huge challenge.”

He offers further words of caution: “The biggest errors i n huge

projects are done at the beginning because nobody thinks about the

alternatives of what is going to happen. I was told this by my former

teacher, a famous Swiss architect called Jakob Maurer.”

When asked whether he received any architectural advice from

his father or grandfather, Speer slowly shakes his head. He makes no

mention of his father, but speaks admiringly about his grandfather.

“My grandfather made enough money when he was 50 years old and

stopped working as an architect. He built himself a villa in the cool

area behind Heidelberg castle and lived until his mid 80s. He was a

very strong man. Many of his buildings that were not destroyed in

the war are protected buildings.”

Coming from a long line of Albert Speers, with both h is father

and grandfather bearing the same name, he reveals that this trend

is very un likely to continue. “I have no children. My brothers and

sisters have eight or nine children altogether, but there are no more

Alberts. I thin k there were enough.”

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28/68


COVER STORY

| ALBERT SPEER

QATAR WORLD CUP STADIUMS

AS&P’s delivery for the World Cup in 2022

includes the design of eight of the 12 stadiums.

One of Albert Speer’s favourite designs is the

Al-Khor stadium with a seashell motif (below).

The flexible roof the permanent lower tier

seats 25,500 and the modular upper tier seats

19,830. It offers spectators a direct view of the

Gulf from their seats and will be located in a

new sports and recreation zone. Speer’s other

favourite design is Al-Wakrah stadium, (above)

which is located in the centre of the city and

linkswith leisure, shopping and social facilities

such as playgrounds and swimming pools.

PORTFOLIO:

Albert Speer


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ALBERT SPEER

| COVER STORY

ALLIANZ ARENA, MUNICH

This pioneering stadium was completed in 2005 and provides

the home for FC Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 München. On

19 May it will stage the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final.

AS&P worked on the stadium along with Swiss architecture

firm Herzog & de Meuron. The arena facade is constructed

from 2,874 ETFE-foil air panels that are inflated with dry air.

It is lit up in different colours depending on the team that is

playing - red for Bayern Munich, blue for 1860 Munich and

white for the German national team and neutral events.

27www.designmena.com | 05.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT


30/68

CRIMINAL COURT COMPLEX, RIYADH

Currently under construction and scheduled for an early 2013

completion, this striking 44.4m-high criminal court complex

completes a set of public institutions with the intention of

breathing new life into the centre of the Saudi capital. A

wraparound strip of light at the base is said to form a natural

barrier, creating a feeling of security and emphasising the

raised status of the building. Footbridges bring the visitor

to the conically-shaped entrances along the main axes. The

facade features the region’s typical coarse chalky sandstone

panels. Narrow slits with window elements are strongly

recessed, minimising the exposure of the rooms to the heat

outside and accentuating the facade’s sculptural appearance.

COVER STORY

| ALBERT SPEER

28 MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 05.12 | www.designmena.com


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SITE VISIT

| INTERNATIONAL TOWERSITE VISIT | INTERNATIONAL TOWER


SITE VISIT

| INTERNATIONAL TOWER

The fin-tastic

facade of

International

Tower in Abu

Dhabi.

4,000EXPECTED TOTAL

OCCUPANCY


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With its rectilinear

plan and absence

of curves, twists

and roof-top or-

naments, International Tower seems

like a rather ordinary commercial

tower from a distance. Yet when the

measured vertical rhythms on the

facades come into view, it’s appar-

ent that the building was carefully

conceived and delivered.

Developed by Sino Gulf and

designed by Woods Bagot, the build-

ing is the first offi ce complex to be

launched in ADNEC’s huge Capital

Centre which adjoins the exhibition

centre. The ‘international’ moniker

was chosen for a very good reason, ac-

cording to SinoGulf ’s fund manager,

David Cockerton.

Standing in the a iry triple-height

lobby, Cockerton remarks: “Most

people that come here haven’t seen

anything quite li ke this in Abu Dhabi.

A lot of the global occupiers arrive

and say ‘this is exactly what I see

around the world’. That was precisely

what we were aiming for in terms of

the concept.

“What we wanted was a very sen-

sible, regular, flexible Grade-A com-

mercial building that global occupiers

can recognise. It doesn’t have lots of

architectural attributes like curves

and little corners that you can’t use.”

He continues: “I’d call it a smart

and sensible building. A global oc-

cupier can come in without any real

issues. There aren’t lots of columns,

so they can roll out the normal fit-out

that they have all around the world.

That’s pretty powerful.”

Woods Bagot principal Karim Ben-

kirane, who was also present on the

tour, adds: “I think the name Interna-

tional Tower has a fanta stic synergy

with the design brief. The way they

procured the design team was in an

international competition. They were

trying to replicate an international

brand and standard here.”

When it comes to the lobby space,

Benkirane remarks: “We created a

O l i v e r E p h g

r a v e v i s i t s W

o o d s B

a g o t ’ s I n

t e r n a t i o

n a l T

o w e r , a

n e w l y c o m p l e t e d c o m m e r c i a l

b u i l d

i n g i n

A b u D h a b i ’ s C

a p i t a

l C e n t r e

t h a t l i v

e s u

p t o

i t s g l o b

a l m o n i k e r

SITE VISIT



34/68


SITE VISIT


32

The northern

facade

uses the same

design language.

ceremonial entrance which needs to

align with the businesses that are go-

ing to be here. The finishes needed to

align with that design aspiration.”

According to Benkirane, the

finishes include black glass, timber

veneer, a ceiling which utilises the

same language as the external fins,

as well as stai nless steel mullions

and limestone flooring. “It's fairly

magnificent,” adds Cockerton.

Benkirane continues: “Taking

on the international standards also

meant that the building has to be

commercially viable. Net to gross was

incredibly important to the client.

This was helped by placing the core

on the eastern side of the building,

which allows a continuous floor plate.

“Another benefit was that the side

core eliminates the eastern aspect

of the building, which is one of the

harsher solar orientations, to help

reduce energy consumption.

“The western aspect on the build-

ing has got the large vertical fins

which tries to limit some of that solar

gain. The sun is very low on the west

so the vertical fins help to cut out the

light. Horizontal fins would only work

on southern facades.”

He points out that the fins have be-

come the most recognisable aspect of

the tower, with the disti nctive ripple

forming the logo for the ma rketing

collateral. “It’s fantastic that the

branding of the building has taken on

that idea,” adds Benkirane.

“From a different aspect they

look like they are changing. They’re

inspired by the shifting sands as the

wind blows through the desert. They

were originally glass but they became

more solid which is a little stronger

and more powerful.

“They are powder-coated alu-

minium, same as the mullions. At the

deepest point the fins are 1.2m. The

edge of the curtain wall ta kes on the

same profile of the fins. Also, there

are lights in between the fins, so the

facade looks spectacular at n ight.”

Yet the external artistry is not

confined to one facade. The north side

features a curtai n wall which “cracks”

to create a canopy. “It protects the

entrance but it’s giving you a clear

identifier as to where the entrance is,”

adds Benkirane.

He continues: “The rhythms on the

north facade are similar to the fins.

It’s trying to replicate what’s going on

in the western facade but not in such

a strong way, because it doesn’t have

direct sunlight. It’s also there to break

up the expansive facade but also give

it some verticality.”

Cockerton expects between 3,000

and 4,000 people to be working in

the building when it is fully occupied.

He adds that there is a 500m2 area

allocated for F&B or retail operators.

“In spite of the F&B areas in ADNEC,

Most people that come here haven’t seen anything quite

like this in Abu Dhabi. A lot of the global occupiers arrive

and say ‘this is exactly what I see around the world’.”

David Cockerton, fund manager, SinoGulf


35/68

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SITE VISIT



I think it’s important we have it here

within the building. It needs breakout

space for meeting visitors and guests

without necessarily tak ing them into

the offi ce space. It also helps to put

the building on the map by getting the

right operator in there.”

Another unusual quality of the

building is the lift strateg y, according

to Benkirane. “One thing

that is unique to the

region in a building of

this size is that there

is a low rise and high

rise lifting strategy

with destination lif ts.

This limits the wait-

ing times, which takes

you back to international

standards such as British Council for

Offi ces (BCO).”

The building contains 12 lifts

in two banks of six, with one half

serving levels th ree to 15 and the

other servicing 16 to 26. The high

rise lifts travel at a rate of six metres

per second. Benkirane describes the

clean-lined lift lobby areas as “inof-

fensive” as they need to appeal to a

wide global audience.

Walking into an open plan shell

and core space, one of the immedi-

ate qualities is the amount of natural

light. “There is no artificial light,

there is no glare and the depth of

light is fantast ic. It’s a very comfort-

The main

entrance is

protected by a

canopy.

41,000M2TOTAL NLA

ROLE COMPANY

Funding partner Abu Dhabi National Islamic finance

Fund manager Eastgate Capital Group

Development fund industRE

Development and asset managers SinoGulf

Architect Woods Bagot

Project Manager Coffey

Quantity Surveyor Blair Anderson

Structural & MEP Engineer Aurecon

Main contractor Group 3

MEP contractor Thermo

Enabling words NSCC

Fit-out ISG

BUILDING CREDITS

able environment,”

remarks Cockerton.

Benkirane adds: “The

depth of the floor plate has

been correctly engineered in terms

of optimum daylighting for the

building. It’s not too deep and not too

shallow to get too much light or have

dark areas. The approach is unique

in this region - it’s not about shape

or texture, it’s about intelligence in

commercial offi ce building.”

The next noticeable factor is the

impressive view over Abu Dhabi and

the gracious space between develop-

ments in Capital Centre. “You notice

from the view that the towers are not

squashed up close like in other places.

People expect the towers to be close

together but there is a lot of space,”

remarks Cockerton.

“This is the first complete building

in the master plan. We now have the

Premier Inn next door that has been

handed over. The overall masterplan

has 23 towers in total and a number

of hotels.”

Commenting on the dimensions

of the space, Cockerton adds: “When

you add in a raised access floor and

suspended ceiling, the floor to ceiling

height is 2.7m. This is an interna-

tional standard and not available in

all buildings in Abu Dhabi.”

At the time of the visit, 242 workers

were on site, primarily to complete

a fully-fitted show floor on level 18

in time for Cityscape Abu Dhabi.

Benkirane points out that the upper

floors (16-26) have an extra 50m2

due to the absence of the low-rise lift

shaft. The fourth floor was also a hive


37/68

SITE VISIT


www.designmena.com | 05.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT 35www.designmena.com | 05.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

As well as being

expressive, the

fins are used to

limit solar gain.

The approach is

unique in this region.

It’s not about shape

or texture, it’s

about intelligence

in commercial offi ce

building.”

Karim Benkirane, principal,

Woods Bagot


38/68

36

SITE VISIT



of activity with fit-outs on partitioned

offi ces. Cockerton adds that this floor

contains the prayer rooms as well as

wide corridors that are “perhaps a

little too generous”.

He continues: “The upper levels are

primarily built for global occupiers

who require spaces up to 1,750m2.

Other floors, such as this one, are sub-

divided between tenants with units as

small as 100m2.

We also have a choice between

shell and core and fully-fitted. We’re

the only offi ce building in Abu Dhabi

with this amount of choice.”

Another key considerable for many

global occupiers is sustainability, and

Cockerton states that the building

ticks all the green boxes.

“Our LEED certi fication for Shell

and Core is in the final stage. They

have confirmed we are in the Silver

category and it should be Gold. This is

important to us. I think LEED Gold

sends out a very powerful message.

LEED Platinum is a little too far.”

He adds: “Global occupiers are per-

haps not focusing on it as much as pre-

2008, but it is starting to come back.

It’s still a check list item and it gives

organisations with CSR procedures

a lot of comfort. It’s not just a case of

ticking the boxes - it also results in

reduced running costs.”

Green measures include a grey wa-

ter recovery system, low-flow nozzles

on all taps, the provision of bike racks

plus showers on each level, tinted

windows to reduce solar gain and the

procurement of locally-sourced and

natural materials.

For Cockerton, the green creden-

tials are yet another example of how

the tower lives up to its name.

“It is built to international stan-

dards, with global expertise in what

occupiers want.

“We are bringing something that

we know works internationally and

translating it into the local market.

The crucial thing is we have made it

locally relevant.”

Workmen were

busy completing

fit-outs in time

for Cityscape

Abu Dhabi.


39/68

29 - 31 MAY 20129 31 MAY 2012

JEDDAH CENTRE FOR FORUMS AND EVENTS

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international furniture, textiles, lighting, kitchen & bathroom and outdoor design products under one roof

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38

SITE VISIT



Technical drawings supplied by Woods Bagot

INTERNATIONAL TOWER

The north elevation features

a curtain wall which “cracks” to

create a canopy. The vertical

rhythms break up the expansive

facade while replicating the

fins on the western side of the

building in a subtle manner.

NORTH ELEVATION


41/68


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Case study

Heathrow Airport Midfield Pier 3 Project

Building type: Terminal 2 Concourse B, London Heathrow Airport

Client: Balfour Beaty

Investor: BAA

Architect: Grimshaw

Location: London, United Kingdom


43/68

Heathrow Airport chooses Qbiss One

London Heathrow Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the United Kingdom and more

international passengers pass through it than any other airport in the world. Owned and operated

by BAA Ltd., London Heathrow is continually being developed and expanded as well as existing

areas being refurbished and modernised to meet the growing needs of the modern traveller.

Flying high

The Midfield Pier 3 Project on Heathrow’s Terminal 2

follows a long history of Trimo’s involvement in

aviation projects at Heathrow and other UK airports

and highlights the company’s growing expertise

and portfolio in this sector. Forming part of the

£1.5 billion Heathrow East project, the midfield Pier

3 component is a £105 million freestanding building

on the airport’s Eastern Campus and is being

undertaken by contractor Balfour Beatty. Although

freestanding, the midfield pier is an integral part of

the overall modernisation of the terminal.

“The Qbiss One product was selected

as it boasts a modular facade panel

with expressed joints, folded tight

corner details and can be easily

adapted to interface with louvre

systems without express flashings.”

Julian Watt, Associate, Grimshaw

Lead Architects, Grimshaw, specified Trimo’s

exciting and state-of-the art Qbiss One modular

facade system as its combined functionality and no-

compromise aesthetics was important to express

the purpose of the building and the conditions under

which it will be used. The horizontal orientation,

together with the contrasting RAL 7016 and RAL

9006 riser colours, provided a visually striking

appearance. Additionally, the use of Qbiss One with

its optically smooth facade makes an impressive

architectural statement on the landscape.

In total some 1100 m2 of Qbiss One was specified on

the project and was installed by specialist cladding

installers, Lindner Schmidlin. Although on-going, this

particular component of the project was completed

late 2009, with Trimo’s involvement in the overall

Terminal 2 revamp continuing on other areas.

Trimo UK Ltd, UAE Branch office | Level 19, Monarch Office Tower | Office 1907 | One Sheikh Zayed Road | P.O Box 333840 | Dubai, UAE

t: +971 4 7050401 | m: +971 505093153 | [email protected] | www.qbiss.eu | www.trimo.org.uk


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Pre-Register for FREE to attend the exhibition:

www.cityscapeqatar.com/CSQab

REFLECTING QATAR’S NATIONAL VISION FOR 2030Visit Qatar’s Premier Real Estate Investment and Development Event

Meet leading real estate developers, regional authorities, and service providers and explore the exciting real estate

opportunities supporting Qatar’s 2030 vision.

5000+ participants ~ 100+ exhibitors ~ 3 days of intensive networking and learning ~ Qatar Real Estate Summit ~ Investor

Round Tables ~ Cityscape Awards for Real Estate, Qatar

Pre-Register for FREE at www.cityscapeqatar.com/CSQab to attend the exhibition

23 ~ 25 May 2012Doha Exhibition Centre, Qatar

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E. [email protected]

Silver Sponsor:Scan QR codeto register

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THE GALLERIESArchitect: Burt Hill

Location: Downtown Jebel Ali, Dubai

CASE STUDY

THE PROJECT

As the flagship project for UAE

developer Limitless, the Galleries

is a mixed-use scheme in Dubai

contain ing Grade-A offi ce, housing

and retail space. Since last

month, all four towers

in the Galleries Offi ces

Buildings are open, with

70% of the 800,000m2

space already leased.

Certified LEED Silver,

the scheme consists of two

groups of buildings, separat-

ed by a 20,000m2 landscaped plaza.

The towers rise from a common

podium known as The Gallery.

18MHEIGHT OF

LOBBIES SPACES


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45

|

www.designmena.com | 05.12 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

THE SITE

Located on the edge of Urban

Centre Zone 1 of Downtown Jebel

Ali, the Galleries sits next to t he

Jebel Ali metro station. With green

grounds, shaded seating areas, and

fish ponds, each building has a mini

version of the central plaza, for ac-

tivities during cooler weather. Bahaa

Abouhatab, head of projects, UAE,

Limitless, adds: “The original plan

was to build a centra l plaza from

the metro to the main building. As

Limitless still wanted to encourage

use of the metro, they built a shaded

walkway leading to the buildi ng,

which is about 200m.”


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THE CONCEPT

Abouhatab explains the concept of

the offi ce component. “We are keen

on creating a business hub that will

serve mostly international compa-

nies. However, we did not think of

it just as a business building - we

thought of it as an environment to

244,000MLEASABLE SPACE

serve the clients throughout the day.

It’s not just designed for working, it

considers the need for entertaining

and taking breaks. In terms

of the design itself, it is

extremely effi cient – the

depth of the floor plate

allows natural light throughout

the day, reducing the requirements

to artificial ly light the offi ces. It is

certainly a Grade-A building,

in terms of the way it fu nc-

tions and the quality of

materials used.”

THE DETAILS

Lobbies are designed with dramat-

ic 18m-high ceilings and with natural

materials such as wood panelling

and polished granite. An i ntercon-

nected glass and metal façade spans

approximately a quarter mile length

across the four buildings, creating

the effect of one horizontal tower.

The completed offi ce towers conta in

water-effi cient toilet cisterns and tap

heads that cut water consumption

by up to 30%. Energy consumption

is reduced as energy effi cient light

fittings and movement sensors are

installed in all lobby areas The high-

performance glass façades a llow

optimal natural light in, but keep

heat out.

2


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SETTING THE BENCHMARK

FOR THE REGION’SARCHITECTURE INDUSTRY

To submit your nominations, or for more information, please visit:

www.constructionweekonline.com/meaa

The 5th annual MiddleEast Architect Awards arean opportunity for theindustry to come togetherfor one night to toastexceptional performancein architecture,engineering & design.

NOMINATION DEADLINE:

THURSDAY 23rd

AUGUST 2012

NOMINATION DEADLINE:THURSDAY 23

rd AUGUST 2012

Luke Jones

Sales Manager, Middle East ArchitectTel: +971 4 444 3713Email: [email protected]

For table bookings and further information please contact:Michelle Meyrick

Events Manager Tel: +971 4 444 3328Email: [email protected]

Yazan RahmanSales Director, Construction GroupTel: +971 4 444 3351Email: [email protected]

For sponsorship enquiries please contact:

For nomination enquiries please contact:

Oliver Ephgrave

Editor Tel: +971 4 444 3303

Email: [email protected]

TUESDAY 23RDOCTOBER, 2012

THE WESTIN, DUBAI

Gold Sponsor Platinum Sponsor Category Sponsor


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THEVERTICALOASISArchitect: Aaron Marriott and

Clarissa WenbornLocation: Abu Dhabi

CASE STUDY


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49

|


THE PROJECT

This eco tower for Abu Dhabi was

designed as part of a Master’s course

at the University of Nottingham’s

Department of Architecture

and Built Environment.

Each year the studio

promotes high-rise

designs that respond

to the city’s climate,

culture and context,

tasking students to

generate new ideas.

The project Vertical

Oasis, by Aaron Marriott and Cla-

rissa Wenborn, recreates the oasis

at height on Abu Dhabi Corniche,

adjacent to the ADIA Tower.

THE CONCEPT

The students’ design was a re-

sponse to the lack of potable water in

the UAE, and the reliance on desali-

nation. To solve this, inspiration was

drawn from the oasis, a traditional

source of life for the region providing

settlement, water, trade and shade

from the harsh arid sun. The design

consists of a series of stacked ‘oasis

villages’ shaded by an outer perfo-

rated facade which wraps around

the building like a veil. Each village

includes its own green community

space, irrigated by an extensive

water recycling system.

49NUMBER OF STOREYS

IN THE TOWER


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THE PROJECT

This 28-storey tower complex is the

HQ for AzerEnerji, the state provider

of power for Azerbaijan. P&T was

tasked to design a building that is

highly secure and f unctional , which

reflects the technology used in Azer-

baijan’s new grid. It is capped w ith

a triple-high space for the company

president. The ground floor holds a

museum for the founder of Azerbai-

jan, an a ssembly room, a canteen

and a dispatch room where the entire

grid of the country is monitored.


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53

|

Q

AZERENERJI HQArchitect: P&T Architects and Engineers

Location: Baku, Azerbaijan

CASE STUDY


28NUMBER OF STOREYS

IN THE TOWER

The building is located on a promi-

nent site on Hydar Alieyev Prospect,

leading from the international

airport to the city centre. With

the prominent position and

dramatic core lighting,

the tower was envisaged

as a landmark for the

country. A dramatic

entrance is created by

lifting up the central mass

on a 1.4m high base, with a

ceremonial staircase.

THE SITE


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THE DETAILS

A VRV room in the facade on each

floor handles the AC rather than a

central system typically installed on

the roof. According to Frantzen, the

system will save approximately 30%

energy, since water is pumped hori-

zontally rather than up and down.

The capital cost is roughly the same

for both systems. At the top of the

tower, the president’s offi ce make s

full use of the protruded central

building mass. This tr iple height

space cont ain s an offi ce on the lower

level flanked by a boardroom and a

private lounge, while a balcony with

trees is level with the roof terrace

and is used for functions.

THE CONCEPT

P&T director Stephan Frantzen

explains the concept. “We used the

tension characterising electricity in

a simple way by slicing the building

into three elements and tilting the

middle portion slightly. The govern-

ment connection is expressed

by a serene and effi cient

design. It is clean and

simple, not gimmicky,

boring or running the

risk of becoming out

of date. Government

buildings do not need to

be boring even though they

are monumental and expresses

importance and authority.”

30%ENERGY SAVINGS

OFFERED BY THE VRV

SYSTEM


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F O R T H E M I D D L E E A S T C O N S T R U C T I O N I N D U S T R Y

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VISITwww.constructionweekonline.comfor more information


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56

THE

WORKPROJECT UPDATE


XEROX

EMIRATES HQ

Architects:

AK Design/

Adel Almojil

Consulting

Engineers

Location: Dubai

Designed by UAE-based AK De-

sign and Adel Almojil Consulting

Engineers, this clean-lined complex

serves as a showcase for the Xerox

brand in the Midd le East. It contai ns

a customer showroom, offi ces, work-

shops, support centres and train-

ing facilities. The large open-plan

areas encourage transparency and

interaction between departments.

The Xerox complex was completed

in late 2011.

MARINA MALL

Architect: HOK

Location: Lusail,

Qatar

Designed by HOK, th is futurist ic

retail complex for Qatar’s mammoth

Lusail development contains five

interconnected retail ‘islands’ with

water runn ing throug h the centre.

Smaller outlying pods will house ad-

ditional retail, exhibition and enter-

tainment space, such as a skate park

and children’s play area. It is aiming

for the top ranking in Qatar’s green

building i ndex and was recently

granted planning p ermission.

KUWAIT

CULTURAL

CENTRE

Architect: BDP

Location: Sabah

Al-Ahmad Cit y,

Kuwait

BDP has been appointed by the

Public Authority of Housing Welfare

to design a landmark cultural centre

in Sabah Al Ahmad, a new city for

2,500 people in the Kuwaiti desert.

According to the architect , the centre

will offer a n “inspirational home for a

wide range of cultural act ivities” a nd

includes a gallery, museum, theatre,

screening room, conference centre

and children’s theatre.

2,500 ESTIMATED

POPULATION OF

SABAH AL-AHMAD

CITY

5193M2 GROSS FLOOR

AREA


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THE W ORK |PR O JE C

T UPDATE

AL HAMRA

TOWER

Architect:

Skidmore,

Owings &

Merrill

Location:

Kuwait Cit y,

Kuwait

Designed by US giant SOM, Al

Hamra Tower is a sculpted concrete

skyscraper in Kuwait, valued at

US$950m. The commercial complex

contains offi ces, a hea lth club,

rooftop restaurant and a high-end

shopping mall with an IMAX cinema

complex and food cour t. Standi ng at

412m, it claims numerous height-

based rec ords such as ta llest building

in Kuwait, t allest ‘sculptural’ tower

and tallest stone-clad structure.

412MTOTAL HEIGHT OF

THE TOWER

ETIHAD

TOWERS

Architect:

Design by

Innovation

(DBI)

Location: Abu

Dhabi

Completed in November 2011, this

mixed-use project in Abu Dhabi

comprises five towers, plus an inter-

connecting podium, developed by

Sheikh Suroor Projects Department

(SSPD). It includes the 585-key

Jumeira h Etihad Towers Hotel. The

project contains three residential

buildi ngs, housing 8 85 apar tments, a

commercial offi ce tower, a shoppi ng

mall, restaurants and cafes and the

UAE’s largest banqueting hall.

AMAF

HEADQUARTER

BUILDING

Architect:

Lacasa

Location: Dubai

Lacasa won first prize in a competi-

tion design for the headquarters of

Islamic foundation, Awqaf & Minor-

ity Affai rs Foundation (AMA F).

Accordingly the design lang uage

of the, so far, un realised project

uses Islamic patterns and motifs.

Symbolism was used in the materials

and their relation to the masses to

reflect the entity. Functioning as an

offi ce complex, the building desig ned

to provide flexible spaces that can be

divided per the tenant ’s request.

JAMESON

HOUSE

Architect:

Foster +

Partners

Location:

Vancouver,

Canada

Jameson House is a new 35-storey

mixed-use tower in the Canadian

city of Vancouver and includes the

first residential development to be

completed by Foster + Partners in

North America. Fin ished at the end

of last year, the building is already

almost fully occupied, according to

the architect. The development com-

prises 1 1 storeys of offi ces and shops,

topped by 23 storeys of apartments.

US$1BN TOTAL VALUE OF

PROJECT

33,000M2 TOTAL GROSS AREA


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TOZEUR

RESORT

Architect: GAJ

Location:

Tozeur, Tunisia

Runner-up in the Hospitality &

Leisure category at the 2011 Middle

East Architect Awards, this boutique

63-key resort in Tunisia comprises

a destination spa, a banqueting and

conference centre and a cultural vil-

lage. Other facilities in GAJ’s Tozeur

Resort include local craft studios,

retail outlets, restaurants, nightclubs

as well as an Arabian Nights outdoor

dini ng experience and an outdoor

amphitheatre.

AL MIZHAR

VILLA

Architect: AK

Design

Location: Dubai

Designed by UAE-based AK Design,

Al Mizha r Villa is a contemporary

play on the traditional courtyard

houses of the Gulf region. T he con-

straints of the long, narrow site led to

the form of two ‘living tubes’ sliding

past each other to create a central

landscaped courtyard. T he northern

tube contains family-oriented func-

tions while the bedrooms are housed

in the southern tube and accessed via

a fully-glazed gallery. Both tubes are

anchored by a central living room.

7M COST OF THE VILLA

SARAYA

BANDAR

JISSAH

Architect: GAJ

Location: Oman

Designed by GAJ, Saraya Bandar

Jissah is a luxury resort and com-

munity nestled within a sheltered

bay where mountains meet the Gulf

of Oman. Residential units and rec-

reational facilities are located within

the valleys while two luxury hotels

sit adjacent to the beach. With views

middle east architect 2012-05

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