Middl Le East Architect 201311

An ITP Business Publication
NOVEMBER 2013 / VOLUME 07 / ISSUE 11
NEWS, DATA, ANALYSIS AND STRATEGIC INSIGHTS FOR ARCHITECTS IN THE GCC
p2// FRONT
Five star living
by the sea
p42//SCIENCE
Elevators are
going up
LAST WORD
DONALD TRUMP
ON WHY HE
BELIEVES
IN DUBAI
EVENT
Celebrating excellence
at the Middle East
Architect Awards
/p8
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NOVEMBER | CONTENTS
NOVEMBER 2013 VOLUME 7 ISSUE 11

2
FRONT
Top stories from the people and

projects that make up the world
of architecture
PROJECTS
A round up of the latest
project news from MENA
and the rest of the world
18
FEATURE
New tower for Beirut brings
back glamour to the city
34
DOORS AND WINDOWS
With the current boom

in construction projects
manufacturers are seeing a
rise in demand for quality
products
52
OLYMPICS
Controversy over Zaha Hadid

and her ambitious plans for a
stadium for the Tokyo games
Download Middle East

Architect today on iPad,
Android or Kindle
PEOPLE
Key people, top quotes
and news
AWARDS
Looking forward to
showcasing the best talent
at the Middle East Architect
Awards 2013
22
TECHNOLOGY
Are todays architects
making the best use of the
design tools now available?
42
SCIENCE
Elevator which can reach a
kilometre high unveiled in
Singapore by Finnish company
KONE
58
THE WORK
A detailed reference section
covering all the best projects
in the world
64
LAST WORD
Donald Trump talks about
his faith in a great future for
Dubai and golf
www.designmena.com | 11.13 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT
FRONT | NOVEMBER
146
Elevator in
Marina Sands
(Page 42)
LUXURY LIVING SHOWN

OFF AT CITYSCAPE
The Viceroy complex aims to reflect the dynamism of Dubai with five star living by the sea
TOP STORY
A major new development for the
UAE was one of the main features at
the Cityscape show, held at Dubais
World Trade Centre.
The Viceroy Dubai Palm Jumeirah
hotel complex offers ve star living
by the sea and is set to open in 2016.
Nadia Zaal co-founder of AbuDhabi based Zaya, a real estate developer, said the focus of the project was
to reect the dynamism of Dubai.
We are focusing on the vistas and

the Dubai skyline, she said. The
setting on The Palm is close to where
the yachts come in and where the
skydiving takes place.
It will have the feel of an urban
resort as it is right on the beach.
The entrance will feature a wooden sculpture inside a glass case. It will
be in the form of a double helix which
obviously resonates with everyone
after all it is our DNA.
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.13 | www.designmena.com
The DNA style

design at the
entrance to the
resort
It will also reect the traditional

arches of this part of the world.
It will capture a sense of place
with a reection of what I feel proud
of in the Islamic tradition but with a
contemporary feel.
Dubai real estate rm SKAI Holdings is partnered with Viceroy Hotels
and Resorts and the regional unit of
the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), the
worlds largest construction company.
NOVEMBER | FRONT
28
2013
storey
Beirut
Tower
Qatar UK
culture year
(Page 47)
(Page 18)
elopments
Dubaii de
developments
pushing forward
DESIGNMENA.COM
This months top stories from the online
home of Middle East Architect
DesignMENA summit conference
Development in Dubai is back on

track according to exhibitors and visitors to the Cityscape which took place
this week.
Models of how the city could look
in the future including a giant
observation wheel were some of the
major attractions at the event.

Exhibitors and delegates also said
there was a feeling of positivity back
in the air.
It seems like the optimism is back
and its certainly a busier event than
in recent years, said New York-based
Edward Mayer of FXFowle Architects
who worked in Dubai for six years.
My hope is that any boom or
growth is at a sustainable level. Last
time around that was not so. You really could do anything.
Now there are regulations and a
structure in place which should act as
a curb to excess.
Other showcases included the
Dubai Akoya development by DAMAC and a model of the Dubai Eye
Saudi Build Fair in Riyadh

Bathroom company Jaquar is showcasing its products at this years Saudi
Build Fair in Riyadh which takes
place from November 4 to 7.
Saudi Build is the largest business
to business construction fair in KSA,
targeting contractors, consultants
and architects. The event will also
feature new technology.
A company spokesman said: After
seeing our successful participation at
last years Saudi Build fair and the demand from clients in Saudi Arabia for
well coordinated bathroom concepts,
it was for us a logical step to showcase
our products and concepts at this
years Saudi Build Fair again. It gives

us the perfect platform to share our
latest quality and design standards
with professional clients. Saudi Arabia is a key market for us.
scheduled
Highlights of Dubais Downtown
Design fair
Chefs on camera in new Polynesian
themed restaurant
World Architecture Festival in
Singapore
New airport for 2018 World Cup
WEIRD PROJECT OF THE MONTH

Amazons new
headquarters looks
like three huge
soap bubbles and
is the idea of architects NBBJ who
say it will allow
in the maximum
amount of light.
Proposed location
is Seattle, USA.
DATASTREAM
LARGEST FIVE INDOOR WATER-PARKS
IN THE WORLD, BASED ON AREA
UNDER ONE ROOF
Source: World Traveller
KRAUSNICK
Germany
210,000m2
WORLD WATER-PARK
Alberta, Canada
68,000m2
KALAHARI
Ohio, USA
52,000m2
FALLSVIEW
New York State, USA
38,000m2
Saudi showcase for products
CHULA VISTA
Wisconsin, USA
33,000m2
FRONT | NOVEMBER
PEOPLE
UAE and Italy in

business tie-up
Falconcity plan gets

royal approval
The Falconcity of Wonders which aims to recreate
many of the worlds most famous buildings in one
Dubai location received a royal visit at Cityscape.
HH Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai and
chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated, visited
the exhibit on the opening day of the event, held
at Dubai World Trade Centre. Salem Al Moosa,
chairman and CEO of Falconcity of Wonders, presented an overview of The Medium Pyramid, one
of three pyramids which are set to be constructed
at the multipurpose mega-project.
Another group of visitors to the project came
from the Emirates Islamic Bank which is providing nancing for part of the project.
Al Moosa said, Falconcity of Wonders has
always enjoyed a successful business relationship
with Emirates Islamic Bank, one of the leading
Islamic nancial institutions in the UAE.
We appreciate the support they have given to
our customers and are delighted to know the various benets of the Home Finance Product which
will help our investors.
As well as real estate the project includes
projected replicas of the Eiffel Tower and Leaning
Tower of Pisa alongside an Egyptian theme.
The key is to design

buildings to be flexible
essentially enabling
them to change
and adapt to new
innovations without
requiring a new building
in 10 years.
RANDY EDWARDS,
vice president for
global healthcare
at HDR
Emirates-based real estate company

Tasweek is joining forces with Italian
architects Hilon Projectsitalia.
Tasweek will promote Hilons architectural consultancy services, market
its portfolio of real estate products, and
refer potential interior design projects.
Hilon will, in turn, provide architecture and interior design consultancy
for local and global projects handled its
new partner and also extend foreign
market assistance.
The agreement was signed by Hilon
president and founder Gianluigi Filippi
Tasweek CEO Masood Al Awar.
Al Awar said: It is important to have
a great set of partners to complement
the great portfolio of international
projects we have..
Hilon brings a unique Italian avour
of doing business, particularly at the
architectural and interior design levels,
that will add rich character to our own
global activities,. We look forward to a
long and productive partnership that will
mutually leverage our strengths and connections in our respective elds.
I think educational institutions

in this region are becoming
increasingly
aware that their
infrastructure is
inadequate vis a vis
their goals.
MARK MCCARTHY
education design
principal Perkins
Eastman
Prince Harry backs

Dubai Expo bid
The UKs Prince Harry backed Dubais
bid to host the 2020 Expo while attending a fundraising event at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel.
The Forget Me Not dinner was in
partnership with the Al Jalila Foundation and was set up to raise money for
the charity Sentebale which works with
vulnerable children in Lesotho.
The Prince thanked guests for their
support and wished the UAE well in its
bid to host the World Expo 2020.
Thank you for your attendance. I
wish Dubai 2020 success, the British
royal said in Arabic.
Earlier Prince Harry had been greeted
by singer Joss Stone and TV personality
Denise Van Outen.
In the modern period,

architecture has been rated
highest for its originality.
As a result the most
primal themes why a
building is made and
for whom have been
forgotten.
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2013 Pritzker
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architect
Acc
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FRONT | NOVEMBER
1
2
MENA PROJECT SNAPSHOT

1
KUWAIT
2
DUBAI
3
DUBAI
Top award for healthcare

project at world festival
Plant wall is new

feature of luxury hotel
New HQ for bank has

landscaped garden
A winner at the World Architecture Festival, held last month in

Singapore, was the New Sulaibikhat
Medical Center, currently under
construction in Kuwait.It received
the top award in the Future Projects
Health category. The ambitious
project is the work of AGi architects and those who focused on
the project were Joaquin PerezGoicoechea, Nasser Abulhasan and
Salvador Cejudo.
A vertical wall consisting of plants,

the work of French botanist and
architect Patrick Blanc, is the latest addition to Sotel The Palm
Dubai a Polynesian-themed
resort. Blanc is the inventor of the
concept of the vertical garden and
his work has been displayed around
the world. On an expedition to the
Philippines he recently discovered
a new species of begonia, which has
been named after him.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill have

been chosen to design the 32-storey commercial headquarters
for Mashreq Bank in Dubai. The
building has a square base for eight
storeys which include a two-level
conference centre, a 350 seat auditorium, banqueting hall for 100
people and a car park. The ninth
level hosts the staff dining room and
a cafeteria.which opens out onto a
landscaped space.
NOVEMBER | FRONT
GLOBAL PROJECT SNAPSHOT

4
USA
5
GERMANY
6
CHINA
New York project will offer views of US icons
Architect designs his own

dream home in Germany
Atlantis resort overlooking South China Sea
Bjarke Ingels Group in collaboration with Michael van Valkenburgh

Associates has unveiled plans to
develop the waterfront in Brooklyn,
New York City. Brooklyn Bridge
Park consists of a triangular timber
structure, serving both as pavilion
and platform.It will provide views
of the harbour area, the Statue of
Liberty, the Manhattan skyline
and its skyscrapers along with the
Brooklyn Bridge.
Volker Wiese demolished a rundown post war building in a cul-desac and went about designing his
new Bauhaus-inuenced two wing
home with symmetrically arranged
panels, with a sheltered courtyard
in its centre. It includes green terraces and Japanese gardens with
a large pond at the centre. A novel
feature is a glass panel separating
the swimming area from the koi
carp pond.
A new Atlantis resort is set to be

built in China in a partnership
between architects and designers
Fosun International and Kerzner
an international developer and
operator of destination resorts,
casinos and luxury hotels. It will
be situated along the Haitang Bay
National Coast and only the third
Atlantis worldwide, after the Bahamas and Dubai where the resorts
are major tourist attractions.
EVENT | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT AWARDS PREVIEW
AN EVENING
TO CELEBRATE
INNOVATION
AND
CREATIVITY
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT AWARDS
Its all set for the Middle East Architect Awards when the
winners will be revealed
he true excitement,
inspiration and
complete creativity of architecture
is set to be celebrated this
month at the annual Middle
East Architect Awards.
Tuesday November 5 is the
date and Jumeirah Emirates
Towers in Dubai is the venue
where the most innovative
talents in a profession which
is famous for its creativity
get together . The feeling of

positivity across the whole
region is perhaps unmatched
anywhere in the world and
the event is set to reect the
ground-breaking designs
which make the UAE at the
very forefront of the worlds
architectural design.
Whether it is in the eld
of hotels, sporting facilities,
homes, leisure or entertainment the Middle East is the
In association with
5
place to be for people with

rst the vision and then the
determination to create something very special.
The event also promises
to be a chance for engineers,
designers and architects to
get to hear of each others
projects and exchange some
news, views and ideas And the
ceremony will be a celebration of all that is best about a
truly inspiring business.
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT AWARDS PREVIEW | EVENT
Architects
have created a
masterpiece in
Dubai
MEET THE JUDGES
Here are the five members of our judging panel who had the task of
examining the huge number of entries for this years awards. All spoke
very highly of the quality on show and said they were delighted to see so
many exciting projects taking place
Salim Hussain
alim Hussain
is a dedicated
professional whose
focus is to design
and build sustainable, high
quality, relevant buildings,
currently employed by Brewer
Smith Brewer Gulf as head of
design.
His buildings have won a
number of awards and been
publicised around the world.
As well as having worked
across a range of sectors
including residential, arts
and offices, he has carried out

education projects throughout his career.
These include new-build
campus buildings for vocational colleges in Middlesbrough, Bristol and Birmingham in the UK and school
projects in the UK, UAE,
Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
He has also been an Undergraduate Unit Leader at Britains Nottingham Universitys
School of Architecture. Hussain is particularly interested
in the architectureal design

of schools and the way that
the physical environment can
play a part in a childs learning experience - by allowing
areas for classes and outdoor
experineces such as sports
and games and an alternative
site for learning.
Architecture has to ful l
basic functional requirements, but then transcend
them to make something
unique, something to inspire,
he said.
Dubai skyline. Although Jan

is now primarily involved in
the business development of
the company, he continues to
remain active in the design
process of NORRs projects
given his deep passion for
design. He is also a regular
speaker at universities in the
region and makes time to
share his experiences and offer advice to young architects
in order to invest in the future
of the whole profession. His
outlook for the future of
Middle East architecture and

construction development in
the UAE remains positive,
as he feels that the region has
ample room for architects to
exercise creativity in designing buildings.
Societies in the Middle
East, especially the Gulf
States, are changing.
People here are recognising that with success comes
the opportunity to change
some of the traditional ways
things are done, he said.
Yahya Jan
ahya Jan, Vice

President of
NORR International, is a graduate of the Princeton University and started his career in
the Middle East by working
at the design division of this
company 17 years ago. His
promotion to director of the
company followed many projects including the Emirate
Towers and the Shangri-La
Hotel, both prominent structures in the ever developing
In association with
5
10
Sandra Piesik
andra Piesik is
the founder of 3
ideas Limited, an
architectural consultancy specialising in architecture, design and cultural
research. She has worked
extensively in the United
Arab Emirates on projects
that have aimed to reconnect
historic UAE culture and its
heritage to the contemporary
environment, and has focused

in particular on the use of
palm-leaf construction methods in both modern architecture and product design.
Piesik is a chartered member of the Royal Institute of
British Architects and was
recently invited to become
one of the ominators for the
Aga Khan Award in Architecture projects.
Her recent project with

involvement of the Bedouin
women Arish House won
Highly Commended project
The Architectural Review,
Emerging Architecture
Award London 2010 and
has been widely exhibited
in the UK. Piesik is also an
author and has recently been
involved with a project to
construct homes from palm.
Nigel Craddock
igel Craddock is
regional director MENA for
Stride Treglown.
He is a passionate design
architect with over seven
years Middle East experience
acting as lead architectural
consultant on a range of projects, incorporating a term as
design manager for a Qatari
premier real estate invest-
ment and development company with a six month posting

in Libya. Prior to his arrival
in the MENA region, Craddocks experience covered
seven years UK architectural
experience working for award
winning local, regional, and
national practices covering a full breadth of project
experience. His work covers
large-scale resort, residential,
commercial, retail, educational, mixed use and military

projects, together with broad
experience in interior design.
Craddock is now the
regional director for Stride
Treglowns operations
across the MENA area and
is responsible for driving the
direction of the business and
design of a range of projects
in the region.
Pierre Martin Dufresne
ierre Martin
Dufresne of U + A
Architects graduated from the
Azrieli School of Architecture
and Urbanism in Canada in
the mid 90s before relocating
to South East Asia where he
attained his design knowledge
on large-scale projects with
HOK Asia Pacic while based
in Hong Kong.
He also worked in Singapore for three years as senior

design architect with award
winning Kerry Hill Architects. After moving to Dubai
in 2005 his work has since
matured on multi-disciplined
design on a variety of building
types and designs.
Throughout his career
Dufresnes design has been
instrumental in attract-
ing highly regarded clients

expecting only the nest
quality development with an
international elegance.
He has worked closely
and directly with prestigious
clients such as Hines US,
China Telecom PRC, Centrair
Japan, Aman Resorts Singapore, GHM Hotels, and Abu
Dhabi National Exhibition
Company UAE .
In association with
5
11
MODELS A HIT AT CITYSCAPE
Event sponsor 3dr created a vision of the future of Dubai which enthralled crowds
odel maker 3dr a

sponsor of the awards
- showcased some of
its creations at this
years Cityscape where plans for the
future development of the UAE were
on show.
A giant model of the proposed
Dubai Eye ferris wheel was one of
the most spectacular creations at the
event attracting large crowds.
Dani Antoun Bterrani who
founded the company said: The rst
step and most important is to understand what does the client want
the model for and understand their
vision towards the completed model
and the project.
Then we will study the level of
info the client has to produce his vision in a model.
We have vast experience to work
with a simple hand sketch to a fully
detailed three-dimensional les.
Based in Dubai the company has
recenetly worked with Zaha Hadid
on her vision for the main stadium
at the Tokyo Olympics while other
projects have included the Burj al
Arab for Atkins, World Trade Center
Tower One in New York and Hong
Kong Airport for Foster + Partners.
Bterrani, who lives in the UAE but
was born in Lebanon, said: Working
with Zaha Hadid and her team always requires our utmost concentration to details to enable us to portay
her vision. Every model we make for
Zaha is a new challenge for us.
In association with
5
12
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The cresent
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AN ARCHITECTURAL
MARRIAGE
GAJ fuses tradition and modernity to create striking designs
he Middle East has long

been identied as a region whose architectural
aspirations have never
lost sight of cultural heritage and
this outlook to preserve a legacy is
one that is embraced by architects
GAJ a company which is a prime
mover in incorporating traditional
Islamic themes into its modern
architectural creations.
Brian Johnson, managing partner
at GAJ believes: Architects can and
should reect the traditions of the
region in their designs for buildings
into four basic yet fundamental

elements - imagery and symbolism,
planning philosophy, sense of place,
traditional features and materials.
The design of the Dubai Creek
Golf Club is a reection of the
seafaring spirit of the region, using
the lateen-sailed dhow to provide a
unique imagery which is both immediately recognisable and essentially
Middle Eastern.
Although many other extraordinary buildings have been constructed in the region, the Creek Golf Club
is seen by many as the rst truly
In association with
5
14
modern building in Dubai which

captured that essence of a future
built upon the past.
The use of imagery and symbolism can also be seen in the design of
Abu Dhabis Sheikh Zayed Cricket
Stadium. The crescent is a strong
symbol of the region that is used in
both secular and religious imagery
and GAJs design for the Zayed
Cricket Stadium was born from this,
overlaying a crescent shaped seating
element with a reverse crescent roof
shade to provide one of the worlds
largest cantilever roofs.
Johnson said: The old street patterns of the region reect the organic
and apparently random evolution
of villages to towns and towns to
cities that is apparent throughout the
world but which has been especially
well preserved in the Middle Eastern
region. Families grow and rooms are
added; neighbourhoods form around
family and tribal groupings, and each
courtyard has its own special story.
GAJ said the Arabian Courtyard
Residence and Spa is a demonstration of the element of sense of place,
for its users to experience the magic
of Arabia.
Johnson said: Surprise twists in
direction momentarily confuse but
ultimately delight, the way in which
volumes compress and then dramatically explode just when you think
that you have experienced all that is
on offer, all of this has helped to keep
the Arabian Court at the forefront in
terms of the way in which architects
can manipulate and mould space to
convey an emotional response.
The design of the individual building elements is also an essential part
of the process to retain the spirit of
place that is common throughout
the region.
The element of traditional features and materials is a major factor
in GAJs design of the Bab Al Shams
Resort regarded as the rst desert
resort that really reects the ambience of an Arab village.
It incorporaties an array of older
features from the traditional falaj
systems - which ensure that water is
fairly and effectively distributed to
all the users - to the incorporation of
old Arab doors, from narrow streets
providing shade and protection to
stylised steps that serve the old forts
The beauty of
Arabic design
with a modern
twist
of the region. GAJs design team

said that the company is proving
that the balance of traditional ideas
interpreted in a modern way has a
resonance for the companys many

clients who are seeking to ensure
that identity is not lost in the rush for
modernity.
In association with
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ALUBOND FORGES
FORWARD
Top product from Mulk Holdings is growing across the world
Shaji Ul Mulk
- company
chairman
anufacturing and
distribution of Alubond a product from
awards sponsor Mulk
Holdings is forging ahead across
the world as demand grows.
The UAE, India, Europe, Saudi
Arabia, Africa and Turkey have all
seen recent new developments for its
manufacture and distribution and
new markets are constantly being
explored. This year the company
commissioned a $9.99m manufacturing plant for Alubond Composite
Panels in Mumbai, India.
Spread over 10 acres the manufacturing facility will primarily serve
the ever- growing Indian construction market and it marks the rst
part of an $81.7m expansion plan in
the country.
We are investing in seven manufacturing plants in India, Serbia, the

UAE and other parts of the world,
with a total investment outlay of
around $210m, chairman Nawab
Shaji Ul Mulk said.
The new Indian plant has a production capacity of a million square
meters of composite panels a year.
Overall, Mulks expansion will
create more than 2,000 jobs and
support a much greater number of
indirect employment opportunities for the local communities in the
longer term.
Shaji Ul Mulk continued: We are
pleased to commission Mulk Holdings latest venture in India, which
will ful ll a major gap and meet
growing demands for such products.
The company has already set up
marketing and distribution offices
in all major Indian cities and has
announced expansion plans in other
areas of the world.
In the UAE the Eurocon Building
is Alubonds global headquarters and
the largest production base operated
by Mulk. It has three production
lines with an annual capacity of more
than seven million individual sheets
and caters to customers across 24
countries in the Arab world.
Alubond is also an important part
of the companys work in Saudi Arabia where it is working alongside the
In association with
5
16
Al Olayan business on the distribution of the product. In Turkey Mulk

is in a joint venture with the Aldom
Group and when completed later this
year it will see the construction of
the largest single Alubond production plant in the world after a $50m
investment.
Shaji Ul Mulk signed the agreement with Aldoms Muzaffer Boynudelik at the Burj Al Arab.
The company has purchased two
large manufacturing plants in Serbia
which will be used for construction and aeronautical engineering.
One will be given over to Alubond
Composite Panels while the other is
being dedicated to the research and
design of light jets for executive use
and helicopters in association with
the Serbian government.
The facility in Banatski Karlovac
was opened in 2012 with the countrys prime minister Dr Bojan Pajtic
as a special guest.
Mulk Holdings has also acquired
the controlling interest in a Shanghai-based company specialising in
nanotechnology and a solar energy
plant in India.
Other renewable energy projects
are underway in the Middle East,
Africa and Afghanistan. Healthcare
is also a priority for the company and
it has an expansion plan to connect
up remote areas with healthcare.
Our modular process

makes your building a snap.
architecture.geometrica.com
FEATURE| STYLE
DAMAC and Versace bring

glamour back to Beirut
Former style capital of the Middle East gets a boost from developer
and fashion house with luxury homes project
Versace styles
epitomise Italian
design flair
18
eveloper DAMAC and

Italian fashion house
Versace say their joint
venture in Beirut will
bring about the citys most sought-after homes in an area formerly known
as the Paris of the Middle East.
The collaborative effort from the
UAE-based construction company
and the home interiors division of one

of the worlds top style-related brands
is forging ahead in the Lebanese
capital after some earlier delays.
The third oor of the 28-storey
DAMAC Tower, which has been
designed to reect the surging waves
of the sea, has now been completed.
The project is also viewed by its
two collaborators as a sign that the

market for construction work in the
country is one which holds promise
for developers and stakeholders.
The tower is situated in the marina
area of the city, which was compared
to the French capital in the 1960s and
early 70s because of its stylish buildings, world class cuisine and general
STYLE | FEATURE
air of sophistication. It is part of a

development going under the name
of Solidiere and the rst venture
by Versace into the region. Private
apartments, the lobby, health and
tness facilities and the reception will
all be out-tted in the brands custom
designs.
DAMAC Properties partnership
with Versace, a company so synonymous with glamour and luxury, offers
resplendent luxury for discerning
Lebanese residents, said Ziad Al
Chaar, the UAE-based developers
managing director.
The shared vision of the two
companies has combined to deliver
the most prestigious and sought-after
property in Beirut.
DAMAC Tower promises to
bring to Beirut a never-seen-before
top-end designer lifestyle and appeal

to a clientele who know what they like
and why they like it. They are stylish,
with a passion for the dazzling and
eye-catching.
The project won the Bloomberg International Property Award in 2010
for Best High Rise Architecture.
Al Chaar added it was a show of faith
in the countrys economic future.
Globally recognised brands lend
a condence to investors considering
investing in the property market in

Lebanon, he said.
This collaboration will be
viewed by international investors as
a strong endorsement in the future
viability and growth of the Lebanese property market.
Lebanons economy is forecast
to expand around 3.5% this year,
according to the International Monetary Fund, making it one of the fastest
growing economies in the region.
The expanding economy is
fuelling population growth, which
is currently outpacing the supply of
available quality accommodation.
There is also strong demand for
property from Lebanese expatriates who have been working away
and want to secure a property to
live in when they return home.
Lebanese expatriates whove been
working in GCC countries, for
example, have accumulated sizable
savings and have the desire and
the means to afford an apartment
in one of Lebanons new luxury
developments.
The designs are

in place and the
walls are going
up
The shared vision of the two companies has combined to

deliver the most prestigious and sought-after property in
Beirut.
Ziad Al Chaar: Managing director DAMAC
19
ADVERTORIAL | TECHNAL
Technal - elegance
and security
TECHNAL INNOVATIONS
Bahrain-based Technal Middle East is a pioneer in offering solutions
combining aethetics, practical and energy-efficient doors
new innovative design

from TECHNAL by
Bahrain-based Technal
Middle East (TME) is
set to increase energy efficiency when
it comes to doors and windows as
well as provide additional security
against break-ins.
The company says Lumal, which
is a TECHNAL brand, enhances the
aesthetics of modern buildings with
its minimalistic appearance while
boosting their overall thermal and
acoustic performance. It consists of
a concealed-opening slider which has
minimal visible aluminium frames.
This results in a higher glazed area
and better views to the exterior.
20
According to tests the innovation

gives eight to 14% more glazed area,
resulting in a solar factor (Sw) of 0.48.
Technal is the pioneer in develop-
ing concepts that offer elegance,

performance and functionality, says
Hesham Kameshki, marketing and
business development manager of the
The Lumeal
exterior
attraction
TECHNAL | ADVERTORIAL
TABLE 1: THERMAL PERFORMANCE

regional TECHNAL provider TME.
Lumal is a product with a unique
Glazing
new concept that aims to revolutioUw / (W/m2K) sizes
Dimensions L x H
Ug 1.1
Ug 1.1
Ug 1.0
warm edge
warm edge
nise the architectural aluminium segment. It offers a versatile solution that
Patio-door
1.85 m x 2.18 m
1.5
1.5
1.4
is cost effective and ensures higher
One leaf + one xed panel
4.50 m x 2.75 m
1.4
1.3
1.2
performances.
Patio-door
1.85 m x 2.18 m
1.6
1.5
1.5
The system allows new opening
Two leaves
4.50 m x 2.75 m
1.4
1.4
1.3
congurations by combining the xed
part and sliding part, associated with
Patio-door
1.85 m x 2.18 m
1.7
1.6
1.5
a very slim central meeting stile.
Three leaves three-rail
6.50 m x 2.75 m
1.4
1.4
1.3
Lumals concealed opening sash
concept totally moves away from the
SOLAR FACTOR FOR TWO-LEAF PATIO-DOOR
traditional sliding pocket window to
Sw winter
Sw summer
create new xed-sliding combinaSolar factor
Light colours Dark colours
Light colours Dark colours
tions, Kameshki said.
Glazing only 0.6
0.4
1.0
0.4
1.0
Additionally, Lumal can also be
used to manufacture large sliding applisible from the exterior. This limits the
the best solutions associate Lumal
cations, up to 4.5 m in length by 2.75 m
and solar protections, such as horizon- risk of break-ins.
in height for two leaves slider, with two
To meet the needs of clients in
tal sun breakers, in order to reduce the
or three rails and a maximum weight
solar summer contribution and energy terms of accessibility and design
load of up to 250 kg per leaf. It can
Inaccessible
Technal has developed additions to
accommodate a glass thickness ranging savings. In terms of security, Lumal
multlipoint lock
has a locking mechanism that is inthe Lumal range
from 24 to 32 mm, which is unique.
These include a rotating control
tegrated in the xed frame,
Lumals sliding bay comes
button, motorisation system, new
which is unique, while the
with multiple advantages, acdesigner handles and triple stainless
window is integrated behind
cording to Kameshki.
the wall.
steel bearing rollers for heavy loads.
He said It is slimmer, more
On a 100mm module, Lumal
In a traditional slider, the
efficient, and its patio-door
favours straight and minimalist lines
locking mechanism is inside
threshold allows easier acthe sash and is visible; and
with 68 and 77 mm of aluminium
cess to physically-challenged
visible on the periphery a reducit has a multi-point
people, while conforming to
tion of 35% in mass but a light gain of
lock accessible from
regulations and maintaining
The patio-door
the outside. But in
between a gure of eight and 14%.
tight sealing.
threshold for
Its high performance levels enable
the Lumal minimal
During winter, it offers the
easy accesss
it to comply with building regulations
sash, the system of the
benet of a higher glazing
such as the RT2012 and
locking mechanism is
surface with greater
Upright central integrated in the xed
permeability criteria of
brightness, while
meeting style frame that is not accesLow Consumption Buildduring summer;
ings, with air-water-wind
New additions to
performance ratings of
range enhance
A4-E5A-VB3.
designs
Thermal and acoustic
performances can reach
Uw=1.3W/m2.K and 37dB attenuation (see Table 1). Tests of permeability to air, water and wind also
Typical Lumeal
demonstrate the capacity to deal with
details
exceptional climate condition.
Ramps are also included in the
design to aid access for people who
have impaired mobility.
21
ANALYSIS | TECHNOLOGY
BIM MINIMISES
PROJECT RISKS
New technology is always becoming available to assist architects, designers

and engineers. But are professionals across the field always ready to embrace
it? This years Leaders in Construction - KSA conference heard that maybe the
best advantages of new developments are not always being taken - but if its
used in the correct way the latest devices can help a project to run smoothly
throughout its duration.
rchitects need to
adopt new technology in order to
ensure a high level
of information ow on projects
according to a leading business
analyst.
At this years Leaders in
Construction - KSA conference
22
Hassan Dajani, managing director of the building and construction arm of Bentley, spoke on
Reducing Project Risk.
And he said BIM (Building
Information Modelling) was a
major factor in ensuring plans
went to schedule and kept within
the agreed budgets.
This technology is here and it

is here to say, said Dajani.
He explained that BIM is a
digital representation of the
physical and functional characteristics of a building. But it also
goes into other realms encompassing time and cost. Dajani
said how BIM enables a virtual
TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY|| ANALYSIS
23
BIM can help to

reduce risk on
projects
information model to be handed from

the design team to the main contractor and any subcontractors and then
on to the owner and the operator with
each person adding their own specic
expertise to the single-shared model.
It allows, designers, contractors,
operators and architects to share information, he said. It does not have
to be a major project simple ones
can benet as well. All working on any
one project can share information.
If you dont adopt it you will fall
behind. Using the technology available you can control risks and hazards
and ensure your project is on track.
If you can build it virtually you can
build it in real life.
The model drives everythingdesign, procurement, construction
and operation. It all comes together.
Those working on a project can sit
down in a room and resolve problems
on the spot. Errors can be gured out

and the rewards of such an approach
many times outweigh the intial time
and effort taken.
As a concept BIM has existed since
the 1970s but it has only very slowly
gained in use which has been to the
detriment of the industry, said Dajani

who rst had direct experience of the
technology 15 years ago.
I was working for Bechtel in Los
Angeles and we were developing
a project called Computer Aided
Design which was a simulation of
It seemed simple enough. A

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The conference
heard how
disputes can
wreck projects
26
construction work. This was in 1998

so this concept is not new.
But what is sad is that the industry
has not adopted it (the concept of
virtual design) for so long.
He said the estimated cost of
installation of the equipment and
software in the 90s was in the region
of $250,000 but now it can be done
for as little as $2,000.
Dajani opened his speech by giving
his views on the major sources of
problems faced by the business.
Disputes between owners and
contractors, between designers and
engineers are all factors, he said.
These cost money and time. As
businesses grow and projects become
nore complex the prot for contractors starts to shrink.
In the UAE it is four, maybe 4.4%.
But it used to be in the region of ,
perhaps, seven to eight.
Sharing of information across
all parties is a major way to avoid
disputes and misunderstandings,
according to Dajani who was a board
member at Arabtec and holds a BSc
and an MSc in Civil Engineering
from the California State University
Visualisation
from stage one
at Long Beach. He has also holds a

second nasters degree in Construction Management from the University of Southern California.
There may be people in China,
Italy and the UAE all working on
the same project which is extremely
complex and if there is a lack of
co-operation this is truly a problem
which needs addressing
Delays in completion, projects

going over-budget, disputes and
differences between stakeholders
contractors and anyone else are all
very serious issues.
And in a lot of cases these are
caused by the people involved not
having enough information. But the
tools for controlling these problems
are now there.
FOCUS|HOSPITAL
New UAE Armed Forces hospital

Leo A Daly design replaces ageing medical facility
It is a privilege and honor to work with

the Abu Dhabi Command of Military Works
to design the agship military healthcare
facility for the United Arab Emirates, said
Leo A Daly III, chairman of the family rm.
As we endeavor to complete our largest
ever international healthcare project, we
are looking forward to bringing the latest
in patient and staff-centred design to the
Middle East.
The company has already worked in Abu
Dhabi on a centre for childrens health and
a similar establishment for the use of UAE
police officers.
With nal completion anticipated in 2016,
the new facility will also serve as a teaching
centre with a focus on cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics and burn care.
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28
Set to open in
2016
new hospital is set to be built

by architects Leo A Daly to
serve the whole of the UAEs
armed forces.
The Abu Dhabi Command of Military
Works has ordered the 300-bed, 117,000m2
Zayed Military Hospital to replace its current facilities which date back 45 years.
The new medical centres design specications includes a 260-bed medical and
surgical hospital, a 40-bed psychiatric hospital, a womens services building, security
facilities, a mosque and a utility plant.
The company one of the top 25 largest
design rms in the world - will work with
local partner, AE7, on the new hospital,
which replaces the previous facility located
in downtown Abu Dhabi.
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t
&&
COMMENT | EDITORS LETTER
THE PAST AND

THE PRESENT
EDITORS LETTER
Looking back at the history of buildings

and forward to the MEA awards
GOT A
COMMENT?
If you have any
comments to
make on this
months issue,
please e-mail
nick.ames
@itp.com
hile Dubai and

the rest of the
UAE are justly
world-renown
for stunning modern buildings I
feel the whole of this region does
not receive the praise it deserves
for its architectural heritage.
Its something I am particularly
interested in and Ive tried to feature
it in the magazine as much as I can.
There have been articles on
restoring the pyramids in Egypt,
other projects across the Middle
East involving Lebanese buildings
and mosques in Turkey, as well as
this editions look at the regeneration projects in Old Doha which
I am very pleased to see have a
strong historical slant.
And as I have been travelling
across the region I have been really
impressed at how the UAE, in quite

an understated way, does appreciate its history and heritage.
Although this may not be at the
forefront of everyones reasons for
coming to Dubai the older buildings up around The Creek area are
really worth a visit the old buildings and the modern designs throw
each other into sharp relief and the
contrast is striking.
Its very interesting to see how
features of the past have been incorporated into modern designs as well.
Islamic architecture is extremely
distinctive and has a beauty all of
its own so its very enlightening to
see how it has evolved.
Further aeld I have made some
trips out across the desert and one led
to Hatta, up in the Hajar Mountains.
As well as being a wonderfully mild
Islamic architecture has a beauty all of its own, so its

very enlightening to see how it has evolved.
30
climate it is a treasure of a place for

anyone interested in the history of
local architecture.
A whole village has been restored
using, as far as possible, traditional
methods and materials.
There is a central fort, with unusually lifelike mannequin sentries
poised ries at the ready, surrounded by traditional dwellings.
There is even an exhibit devoted
to constructing buildings from palm
leaves a technique currently being
re-explored by Sandra Piesik, one of
the judges of this years Middle East
Architect Awards.
And, most interesting of all to
anyone who likes buildings, exhaustive details of the how the old homes
were recreated and renevated
Hatta Village now consists of 30
buildings made of mud, hay, sandalwood and palm fronds, just the
way they were originally built using
techniques which date back literally
thousands of years. Overlooking the
village are two towers, known as
the two stones originally built
for defence but now ideal as viewing
platforms high in the mountains.
So for anyone looking for a
change of skyline and backdrop I
would really recommend a visit.
On a nal note the MEA
awards are close by now and Im
really looking forward to renewing
some of my recent acquaintances
and making new friends among the
people who are all united in one aim
to make the buildings of modern
Dubai the envy of the world.
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COMMENT | FAMILY, FRIENDS AND PROFESSIONALISM
NEPOTISM IN
THE WORKPLACE
OPINION
Should business keep it in the family?

Vasanth Kumar
on whether
family members
and friends
should be given
jobs by CEOs
he word nepotism is
from Latin word nepos
meaning nephew. It is a
favouritism shown to the
relatives or friends in business or by
companies. Nepotism is a controversial subject. It has both good and bad
effects and depends on the kind of
business setup.
While nepotism will have adverse
effects in large progressive organisations where as in medium and small
family owned business nepotism is
seen as natural can be useful at times.
Middle Eastern companies are
predominantly family owned and
form a major source of providing
employment. In such companies employing relatives in key positions can
be viewed as a tool to build legacies,

strengthen family unity, stability and
sense of commitment.
However in larger organisations
employing highly skilled professionals, work place nepotism can be
frustrating and leads to resentment. It
threatens positive corporate culture
and it should not be overlooked as it
will greatly spoil the company image
and growth as well.
An employee who is rewarded
and promoted because of personal
relationship to the decision making authority are likely to be under qualied
for the position he / she are expected
to ll. This can lead to an erosion of
leadership skills at the senior level and
also contributes to the demoralisation
Middle Eastern companies are predominantly

family owned and form a major source of providing
employment.
32
of more deserving candidates.

Good employees see no career
growth and in turn lose interest in
companys growth and start looking
for an opportunity to leave the company. This leads to attrition and it will
cost the company dearly.
Some employers feel hiring
relatives or friends saves costs on
recruitment and training. Some view
factors like level of loyalty, morale,
trust and commitment of friends or
relatives is much higher compared to
others in workplace. There are times
when a relative or friend can be most
qualied for a certain job .
On the ip side, family members or
friends may become complacent because they will not face consequences
for non-performance.
For long term perspective, companies can consider implementing
anti- nepotism policies and prohibit
hiring friends and relatives of existing
employees if there would be a direct
or indirect reporting relationship
between two individuals
Nepotism cant be abolished in
total as it is deep-rooted since civilisation began. The social-cultural,
economic and political structures are
given as common reasons for such
favouritism. However it will be a
recipe for disaster if hiring, promoting
and paying someone based on their
familial relationship rather than on
their actual merits and abilities. Since
human resources are among its most
valuable assets, utmost discretion
must be used in their selection or
promotion process; else growth and
bottom line of business will suffer.
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ARCHITECTURE
C IVIC
INTERIORS
LANDSCAPE
PLANNING
FEATURE | DOORS AND WINDOWS
INCREASING
DEMAND
FOR
DOORS
WINDOWS
AND
Architectural projects are gathering momentum as the global

economy picks up and this means manufacturers are benefiting
from an increase in need for associated products
he design of doors
and windows is everevolving as engineers
and architects look
to combine aesthetics, security
and practicality.
Factors from security to
climate inuence the subject
and innovations are common as
manufacturers seek to get ahead
of the competition.
New doors and windows are
in greater demand than ever
before as architectural projects
continue gathering momentum
in the wake of the recent global
economic recovery.
Massive housing projects in
Saudi Arabia, and the continuing
work in Qatar, Dubai and Abu
Dhabi are just some of the factors which are fuelling this need
34
and windows are a principal

factor in Middle Eastern building design in order to maximise
the use of natural light.
Demand for windows and
doors in the US is forecast to rise
9.3 percent per year to $34.2
billion in 2016, according to a
survey across the industry.
Among material types, plastic
windows and doors will see the
fastest gains, but different metals
still dominate the top end of the
market with steel always one of
the most popular choices due to
its strength.
The most common framing
materials used for windows
and doors are wood, vinyl, and
aluminium, but recent introductions to a competitive eld include breglass and composites.
Manufacturers also combine

materials - producing vinyl or
aluminium-clad wood products,
wood-clad vinyl products and
other such hybrids.
Vinyl is the most commonly
used framing material, because it
offers good thermal performance
and requires little maintenance.
It is especially appropriate to air
conditioning so so it one of the
most popular choices across the
Middle East.
It can be used to produce very
cost-effective products, but vinyl
windows can also be provided in
a choice of interior nishes, including woodgrains and colours.
Most vinyl products incorporate rigid vinyl with multichamber proles for strength
and insulation. Frame and sash
DOORS AND WINDOWS | FEATURE
35
Doors and
windows have
evolved through
time
corners in these vinyl windows are

generally welded, creating a joint
that is generally more resistant to
air inltration than corners fastened
with screws.
Other materials are also used by
a select number of manufacturers.
These include steel, cellular PVC,
and thermoplastic alloys, as well as
engineered plastics, and wood and
plastic composites.
Recent trends have seen a number
of manufacturers use composite
materials to offer a look resembling
a wooden window combined with the
low maintenance features of vinyl.
Within the industry, door panels
without any framing are referred to as
slabs. Residential entry door slabs
are primarily manufactured in wood,
insulated steel, and breglass.
Vinyl entry doors are also available, as are doors produced with
other composite materials. Sliding
glass doors and many hinged glass
models are also produced in vinyl and
aluminium. Interior doors are most
commonly made of wood. The most
common feature a hollow core and a
molded door face or skin.
Traditional wood doors feature
stile-and-rail construction. Vertical
stiles and horizontal rails are joined
together with solid wood panels to create a single door panel, but this method
is not common in the Middle East. For
security and the ability to withstand
Sliding door innovations

Innovative designs from sliding door company Dorma are
proving a hit with home owners and businesses looking to
mix practicality and aesthetics.
Magneo is the name of
a product currently on the
market which combines
convenience and safety as
well especially in the kitchen
where hot food needs to be
carried in two hands.
The design also allows in
as much light as possible
and has a self-closing feature
which can be programmed
according to usage.
Dorma says it can offer customers project estimation and
management, technical assistance, installation, after-sales
service and maintenance.
Since its formation the
business has grown to offer
a full range of technology
around the subject of doors
and works closely alongside
the elements most entry or exterior

doors sold today are steel.
A steel door slab features an
interior and exterior steel skin on
both sides of a core made up of an
Xxxxxxx xxxx
xxx xxxxxx
36
architects and designers

throughout all the stages of
construction projects.
Dorma launched its presence in Dubai in 1997 and has
since opened operations in
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and further afield to encompass more
than 50 countries in total.
The company has been involved with some of the most
prestigious projects throughout the region, including the
Burj Al Arab in Dubai, the
Dubai Mall, the Mall of Arabia
in Jeddah, the Burj Khalifa in
Dubai and the Yas Viceroy
Hotel in Abu Dhabi.
Its headquarters are in
Ennepetal, Germany and it
has major production plants
in Europe, North and South
America, Singapore, Malaysia
and China.
Demonstrations are available
at the companys Design Centre
in Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai..
insulating foam surrounded by a

wood perimetre to provide energy efciency. Steel door slabs are produced
in a variety of solid panel styles.
They often have a section cut out and
GEZE Middle East | P.O. Box 17903 | Jebel Ali Free Zone | Dubai U.A.E. | Tel: +971 4 8833112 | Fax:+971 4 8833240 | gezeme@geze.com | www.geze.ae
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replaced with a decorative glass panel

and can be available in stainable
versions to offer a woodgrain look
however this is relatively expensive.
Fibreglass had recently seen a tremendous increase in popularity in the
exterior door market. Constructed
similarly to steel doors, the breglass
composite skin in place of steel, these
types of doors are also designed to
provide good energy efficiency and
low maintenance. One advantage
of breglass is a comparative higher
resistance to dents.
New technology is at the forefront
of the construction and tting of windows and doors and is set to remain
there as the demand increases.
Martin Heuschkel of Swiss
company MetApp said his business
uses a particular alloy which is very
resistant to wear and tear especially
important in Middle Eastern conditions such as salt sea air and sand.
We work on landmark buildings
and we need to keep aesthetics in
mind he said. We can play with
surfaces and colours but we really do
need to use a material which will be
there for a long time and not need replacing. That is something architects
are particularly concerned with.
Another product becoming popular
comes from Origin - the Middle
Traditional
designs still
Glass can react

to outside
conditions
Technology creates smart windows

A breakthrough in technology has led to the creation of
new nanocrystal glass which
has the ability to control
the light and heat that gets
through it - meaning it could
be used to make smart windows that could reduce air
conditioning costs.
Windows coated with this
material could be integrated
with a climate control system
that a user could programme
to change with the time of
day, or respond to fluctuations
in sunlight or outside heat.
Smart windows made from
electrochromic glass work by
darkening when a low voltage
current is sent through them.
This means a coating on
the glass reacts to current
and changes colour, blocking the light. To make the
revolutionary new windows,
inspire
38
heat-absorbing nanocrystals
are grown in a flask
They are then mixed with
a light-absorbing compound
called niobium oxide which,
when heated, will encase
them in a glass-like structure.
The crystals are then used
to coat a standard piece of
window glass with heat to
bond the substances together. What comes out on the
other side is a sheet of glass
layered with a thin film of
nanocrystals which can then
be programmed with electrical charges.
The windows are aimed to
be included in homes, large
buildings and in cars, and
could have a huge impact on
energy costs, especially in
hot and dry climates such as
those experienced across the
Middle East.
Aluminium Building Systems
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Easts leading supplier of bespoke

aluminium bi-folding doors.
The company is set to showcase its
latest designs - specialist corner sets
-at The Big 5 this year.
Whilst the doors are currently
being manufactured in the UK, the
demand has been so strong in the rst
couple of years of operation here that
the business is planning to open its
own manufacturing facility in the
UAE next year.
Custom built and designed
products are still at the top end of the
market but with large scale housing
projects across the UAE and further
aeld standard designs are set to be
the most often installed.
But short-term companies who set
up one day and disappear the next
as well as a preference for cheaper
products are two major issues facing
high-end manufacturers.
Louisa Ait-Azgare is responsible
for business development for Hormann Middle East. She said: In this
region there is a real need to educate
about good quality products - not just
those that are cheap.
People need to understand why
expensive, but better quality, products should be used. They are longer
lasting so sustainability becomes a
factor and the full customer service
experience can be offered.
Windows are
a vital part
of Dubais
For centuries the

arch has been a
major feature
The arch in traditional architecture

Traditional Arabic architecture
features the arch more than
any other culture and doors
and windows have been designed throughout the years
to reflect this.
In the past designers have
developed a variety of new
shapes including the horseshoe,
multi-foil and pointed arches.
The concept was largely
inspired by mystical and
symbolic meanings associated
with the feature, as well as its
usual functional advantages.
Islamic architecture uses
it as a major structural and
decorative feature.
In the Muslim world this
characteristic is better described by the proverb the
arch never sleeps.
Historians have likened the
curve of the graceful branches
of the palm tree as a major
influence in design in their
intiitial construction.
But there is also a mystic
meaning derived from the
spherical nature of the uni-
cityscape
40
verse and the divine symbolism of the dome from which

the arch is derived.
Early Muslims knowledge of
geometry and laws of statics must also have played a
leading role in their choices of
various types of arch. The arch
was first employed for structural and functional purposes
but progressively it became
used for decorative purposes.
The first adaptation and
modification of the design of
the arch was the invention of
the horseshoe arch possibly
derived from the symbolic use
of the horseshoe in earlier ages
where it represented luck.
The use of the horseshoe
as a protector against the evil
eye in North Africa is maintained to the present day.
They are often mounted onto
front doors of houses.
Muslims used this arch to
develop their famous ultrasemicircular arch, around
which much of Islamic architecture has evolved.
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SCIENCE| ELEVATORS
42
ELEVATORS| SCIENCE
The new project

was unveiled at
the Marina Bay
Sands Hotel,
Singapore
Its far easier to

reach the 57th
floor
TESTING STATISTIC
305m
TRAVEL DISTANCE
OUT OF 333M
TOTAL DEPTH
rchitectural visions will be able to soar ever-upwards

after a major breakthrough in technology for high-rise
buildings which will allow an elevator to reach the summit of a one kilometre tall structure in a single leap.
Currently lifts pulled by steel cables can reach half that distance, but
the new light-weight carbon-bre UltraRope developed by Finnish
company KONE is set to revolutionise planned construction work
such as the Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia.
At present just one such system is in operation globally in the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore. It gives guests a 76 second ride from
the lobby to the 57th oor skypark and innity swimming pool.
But as more high-rise structures are planned KONE says its new
invention will revolutionise their designs.
This new lightweight cable will let buildings soar ever upward, said
KONE vice-president Noud Veeger. Architects can build higher and
they can also build greener as the new system uses far less power and
its cables are far lighter.
At present in any high-rise building to get to the top a change of lifts
is necessary. But a single ride from the ground to the summit will add
so much more of a wow-factor for people. That is what our work has
developed.
In tall buildings the height an elevator can reach is limited by the
weight of steel ropes needed to hoist it. The rope has to pull up not only
the car and the exible travelling cables that take electricity and communications to it, but also all the rope beneath it.
The job is made easier by counterweights but in a lift 500 metres
tall steel ropes account for up to 75% of the moving mass of the
machine. Shifting this mass takes energy, so taller lifts are more
expensive to run.
43
SCIENCE | ELEVATORS
The new
technology is
now in place
high above
Singapore Bay
Making the ropes longer would risk

the steel snapping under the load. But
KONE says it is able to reduce the
weight of lift ropes by around 90%
with its new technology.
The companys engineers say
carbon bres are both stronger and
lighter than steel and have great tensile strength, meaning they are hard
to break when their ends are pulled.
That strength comes from the chemical bonds between carbon atoms - the
same way that gives such immense
strength to diamonds.
According to Johannes de Jong,
KONE head of technology for large
projects, the steel ropes in a 400mhigh lift weigh about 18,650kg. An
UltraRope for such a lift would weigh
just 1,170kg.
Besides reducing power consumption, lighter ropes make braking a car
easier should something go wrong.
Carbon-bre ropes should also, according to de Jong, cut maintenance
The new invention was

tested at KONEs elevator
laboratory located in Tytryi,
Finland.
The facility is situated in a
limestone mine and extends
333m below ground enabling
KONE to test its elevators in
extreme conditions.
It consists of an intricate
network of shafts,
transportation routes and
tunnels.
The conditions in Tytyri
include both high and low
temperatures, dripping water
and high humidity.
The elevators that pass the
tests in these conditions are
most likely to withstand just
about any condition that a
modern building might face.
KONEs elevator test shaft
was built into the limestone
mine in 1998 and was the first
one in the world to enable
the live testing of elevators
for buildings over 200m tall.
146
LIFTS IN MARINA BAY

SANDS
44
bills, because they will last twice as

long as steel ones.
He also said carbon bre resonates
at a different frequency to other building materials, which means it sways
less as skyscrapers move in high
windswhich is what tall buildings
are designed to do. At the moment a
high wind can cause a buildings lifts
to be shut down. Carbon-bre ropes
Noud Veeger
very excited
at possibilities
unleashed
would mean that happens less often.

This is why we are calling this
project The Next Leap when it comes
to tall buildings, said de Jong at the
unveiling. As more and more people
move into cities high rise buildings
become so important.
The new elevator hoisting ropes
were installed in a passenger elevator
that travels from the ground oor to
the top of Tower Three of the spectacular Singapore hotel.
It also houses another 145 KONE
elevators and six KONE escalators.
Veeger said: I am very excited that
the rst global installation was made
here in Singapore at the impressive
Marina Bay Sands, a symbol of the
city and of innovative building technology. Marina Bay Sands is a pioneer
in adopting state-of-the-art technology and of smart building, and it is very
tting that our rst KONE UltraRope
installation was made here.
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FEATURE | |OLD
XXXXXXX
DOHA
Redevloping Old
Doha is a major
challenge
CULTURE CLUB
A joint project between Qatar and the UK will see architects compete to find the best
way of marrying up the traditional designs of the old city of Doha with rennovations and
developments which are badly needed. The scheme will see a major change to the urban
environment - but at the same time it is intended that the spirit of the best of what has
been there for centuries will be preserved for future generations to enjoy and appreciate.
aking inspiration
from the past and
projecting it into the
future is the object
of architects looking to preserve
past glories and rescue neglected
neighbourhoods.
Next month a major project
will see some of the most ne-
glected parts of the city of Doha

get a heritage regeneration in
a joint initiative undertaken by
UK and Qatari designers.
The collaboration is part of
the Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture and is backed by the British
Council, Royal Institute for
British Architects, the Doha Ar-
chitecture Centre and members

of Msheireb Properties.
In the last issue MEA
explained how the week-long
design residency in November
would bring together ve teams
consisting of architects from
both countries to work on the
areas of Al Asmakh and Najada
47
FEATURE | OLD DOHA
Traditional
Islamic
architecture
remains inspiring
48
Organisers say the competition

will be founded on the principal of Al
Turath Al Hai, or living heritage.
Now further details are available
of the plan which Tim Makower, the
man behind the Old Doha Prize and
principal of Makower Architects
operating in both Doha and London,
called: The foundation of a Qatari
Renaissance.
The organisers of the event have
stated what they hope to achieve:
Old Doha comprises an area of 250
hectares at the centre of which lies
the historic Souk Waqif and the new
Msheireb development.
Sketching out
the future look
of the city
FEATURE | OLD DOHA
The sprawling
mass of the old
city
50
Old Doha is under-going signicant regeneration and transformation, thanks to several powerful
catalysts, including the construction
of a new Metro, the Msheireb Project
and the World Cup which will take
place in 2022, making this an exciting
time for British architects to be forging connections in Qatar.
Despite this rapid modernisation and increased global outreach,
cultural heritage, society and religion
remain at the heart of large scale
developments in Qatar. There is an
increasing awareness of the importance of Old Doha as one of Qatars
principle heritage assets.
Dohas built form and architectural heritage reects the culture and
collective memories that make up the
identity of the city it is unique but
also fragile. The current economic
success and development of Qatar
offer opportunities but also pose a potential risk to this heritage. Rapid but
Regeneration is
Qatars capital
necessary
set for makeover
insensitive development could sweep

away the inherent character of Old
Doha and replace it with ubiquitous
urban forms.
Aisha Ghanem al-Attiya, spokesperson for Qatar UK 2013, added:
With this competition, we bring
together one of the worlds largest
and one of the worlds fastest growing
design sectors, the UK and Qatar,

while providing opportunities for
ambitious architects and designers in
both nations.
The winning team will receive
the Old Doha Prize and a grant of
$22,000 to further explore its ideas
with an exhibition, research project,
installation, presentation or lm.
The Curve Building, Showroom 12,

Sheikh Zayed Road, Al, Quoz 3, Dubai, UAE
UAE OFFICE
Tel: 04-3408626 Website: www.nahar.ae
Fax: 04-3408636 Email: dxb@einwood.ae
www.einwood.ae
FEATURE | OLYMPICS
HADID WINS
OLYMPIC DESIGN
GOLD
But plans have come under attacks from Japanese architects who say the
stadium is too big
Judges including
Tadao Ando
opted for Hadids
vision - but not
all agree
52
design resembling a
futuristic spaceship
by Zaha Hadid is to
form the centrepiece of
the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic
Games in Tokyo.
Tokyo triumphed over rival cities
Madrid and Istanbul to be named
next Olympic city after the torch
passes from Rio in 2016.
London-based Hadid topped a list
of 46 entries, including Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejima, and Toyo Ito.
Her vision includes a retractable
roof and seating for 80,000 people,
and has been described as resembling
a space-age mothership. It was

praised by the chairman of the selection panel, the Japanese architect
Tadao Ando for its dynamic, futuristic design, which he hoped would
serve as a shrine for world sport for
the next 100 years.
Hadid previously designed the
Aquatics Centre that formed the
arena for the London 2012 Olympic
swimming events.
It is an honour for us to be selected
to build the new National Stadium of
Japan, she said.
Our three decades of research into
Japanese architecture and urbanism
is evident in our winning design and

we greatly look forward to building
the new National Stadium.
The stadium will become an
integral part of Tokyos urban fabric,
directly engaging with the surrounding cityscape to connect and carve the
elegant forms of the design.
The unique structure is both light
and cohesive, dening a silhouette
that integrates with the city. The
perimetre of the stadium will be an
inhabited bridge - a continuous exhibition space that creates an exciting
new journey for visitors.
But some Japanese architects say
OLYMPICS | FEATURE
$1.2BN
IS THE COST
Tokyo residents
celebrate
Olympic award
Hadid on an
earlier Japanese
visit
the structure is too big.

Sou Fujimoto, the architect behind
this years Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, has joined Pritzker Prize laureate
Fumihiko Maki in opposing the plans
Maki has set up a symposium of
Japanese architects, including Toyo
Ito, Hidenobu Jinnai, Shinji Miyadai
and Tetsuo Furuichi to protest
against the size and scale of the

290,000m2 stadium.
Fujimoto said: Maki is protesting
against Zahas stadium on the basis
of the programme being too big the
area of the project being too big.
I hope that his protest is successful in shrinking the design to t the
context. Im not ghting Zaha. The
competition for the stadium was very
rigorous and we cant overturn everything. But the design could be better.
The new venue- which will cost
around $1.2bn - will replace the ageing Kasumigaoka National Stadium,
which was built in 1958 and served
as the primary venue for the 1964

Olympic Games.
Hadid was previously honoured
with Japans Premium Imperiale
award for contributions to architecture in 2009.
Among her most celebrated buildings are the Maxxi Museum in Rome,
and the Z-shaped Evelyn Grace Academy in Brixton, South London.
She is the designer of the Dongdaemun Plaza in Seoul, South Korea,
which formed the centrepiece of
the citys designation World Design
Capital 2010, and is scheduled for
completion in 2014.
The competition for the stadium was very vigorous

and we cant overturn everything. But the design could
be better.
Tetsuo Furuichi - Japanese architect and critic of project
53
ALISLAMIC
HAMRACENTRE
TOWER | CASE STUDY
PRINCE GEORGE
PRINCE GEORGE
ISLAMIC CENTRE
Architect: Studio Senbel
Location: Prince George British Columbia, Canada
CASE STUDY
THE PROJECT
The Prince George Islamic Centre
has been built to accommodate a
growing Muslim population in the
local area,.
It is a centre for learning for both
Muslims and non-Muslims and
includes a prayer hall and a multipurpose hall which can be used for
sports and cultural activities.
A gym and public library are also
included in the complex.
The centre will also be used to
organise and promote charitable
events as well as holding classes in
Islamic thought, philosophy and
other related subjects.
54
CASE STUDY | PRINCE GEORGE ISLAMIC CENTRE
THE SITE
The project is on the north-east
corner of 5th Avenue in the town and
Foothills Boulevard close to a number of residencies on the outskirts of
the town. Gradual growth of the site
is anticipated with expansion being planned along
the western side of the
building in linear form.
5TH AVENUE
Parking growth would
PRINCE GEORGE
take place to the northern side and the woodCANADA
land provides a natural
screen giving the property
and the nearby homes a sense
of privacy.
55
PRINCE GEORGE ISLAMIC CENTRE | CASE STUDY
AXIS TO
MAKKAH
THE CONCEPT
THE DETAILS
Thecentrerises gently with the local topography against

the backdrop of the forested escarpment. The roof forms were
created with reference to the georgaphical axis to Makkah. The
structureculminates in a minaret that rises above it. As well as
being a symbolic element of Islamic architecture, the minaret
assists in stack ventilation, contributing to the sustainable features of the building. Its designers call the project a solid visible
base around which current and future Muslims can nurture and
grow their faith.
56
The major functions of the centre, according to its designers are to provide a place for prayer, establish a learning centre,
create a place offering guidance, counseling and support, instill
pride in the local community, particularly among young people
and provide a venue for social and recreational events. A formal
garden and small orchard is part of the landscaped area outside
the structures walls. Cost of the project is around $1.2m.
PROJECT UPDATE | THE WORK
THE
WORK
PROJECT UPDATE
ST REGIS
HOTEL ABU
DHABI
Architect:
Hirsch Bedner
Associates
Location:
Xxxxx xx xxx
xx xx xxx xxx
xxx xxxx
MANDELA
ON THE
MOUNTAIN
Architect:
WHIM of
Rotterdam
Location: Cape
Town, South
Africa
7,200
SPECTATOR
CAPACITY
58
AL SHAQAB
EQUESTRIAN
PERFORMANCE
ARENA
Architect:
Leigh and
Orange Ltd
Location:
Doha, Qatar
The St Regis Abu Dhabi aims to

offer bespoke luxury with exceptional Arabian hospitality. Interiors
reecting colours of local sands and a
tribute to the areas Art Deco past are
all part of the overall design which includes 283 guest rooms and the Abu
Dhabi Sky Suite positioned 200m
above the ground and between two
towers - the highest suspended hotel
suite anywhere in the world.The hotel
is located along the Corniche..
A commemoration of the life and

achievements of the man who denes
the post-apartheid era in South
Africa is being planned. The building concept calls for a 60m tall and
30m wide structure on the side of
a mountain which overlooks Cape
Town. Inside would be conference
facilities and exhibitions devoted to
the countrys history and emergence
as a multi-cultural nation, following
the years of apartheid.
Located within the Education City

complex the Al Shaqab Equestrian
Centre is in three parts with a warm
area, an indoor performance hall
and an outdoor arena. The project
is arranged in a horseshoe shape
alongside the stables, training facilities and veterinary hospital to ensure
that all needs are covered for animal
care. The capacity is 7,200 and there
are facilities for VIPs, media and
competition judges.
Where next is now!

Where top quality in textile interior design encounters the demands of architects,
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is created at the worlds largest platform for contract textiles. And where search
quickly becomes nd.
For information and tickets at advance sale prices visit contact-contract.com
mary.ann.romano@uae.messefrankfurt.com, Tel. +971 4 389 45 00
January 8 11, 2014

Frankfurt am Main, Germany
EVENT | DESIGNMENA SUMMIT PREVIEW
Chance to
network and
exchange ideas
Top speakers and

panel debates
Event brings
together top
creative talent
DESIGNMENA SUMMIT 2013
Industry insiders provide CID with positive feedback for the DesignMENA
Summit 2013 and share their advice as to what the event should offer.
et for December 4 at the

Oberoi Hotel in Business
Bay, the DesignMENA
Summit 2013 gears up for
a full day of enticing panel discussions, international guest speakers
and intellectual stimulation.
Commercial Interior Design and
Middle East Architect magazines
are coming together for the occasion,
which will be the rst of its kind in
the GCC. And to set the wheel spinning, CID gathered some industry
insiders to offer ideas, feedback,
hopes and expectations.
Those who joined in on the roundtable discussion included: Pallavi
Dean, design director, Pallavi Dean
Interiors; Bruce Paget, interior
design lecturer at Heriot Watt University, Dubai; Linsey Thomson,
interior design teaching fellow,
Sponsors
60
Heriot Watt University, Dubai; and

Michelle Evans, managing associate,
HBA International.
While those who came together
had a positive outlook on the summit
and shared an excitement for what
would be achieved, many had suggestions concerning what they thought
would be interesting.
Dean suggested a panel discussion that covered bridging the gap
DESIGNMENA SUMMIT PREVIEW | EVENT
between architects and

designers, which would
ultimately bring both creative
sides together. The interior
designer was also interested in
hearing what someone based
in eastern parts of Asia would
have to say.
She explained: I think we
should bring someone who
is based in Asia, because we
always focus on the European
market, but what about the
Asian market?
Thats really quite interesting, and it needs more
attention.
Dean went on to explain
that perhaps discussing ecodesign and sustainability are
over-talked about. Dean posed
the question: Why not focus
on a single issue in that topic
and choose a speaker who can
really reel in the audience?
CID and Middle East Ar-
chitect heard a lot of great suggestions from the roundtable;.

However, a concrete pieces of
advice was brought forth by
Thomson who said: Youre
going to have to think about
whose sitting in the audience.
Its people who have left their
desk, theyve left work for the
day, and theyre currently
working on architectural
projects and interior design
projects, so you should sort of
get them away from the hum
drum of why am I working on
this just to get money in the
door, rather than at the end of
the day getting something new
out there, something really
innovative. So we should really help these guys nd ways
of getting new work out there.
What is going to help these
guys is a panel discussion that
maybe addresses how we can
get unique design to Dubai.
Opportunity for
professionals to meet
Audience can
contrivute to
panels
61
EVENT | DESIGNMENA SUMMIT PREVIEW
Debates,
discussion, news
and views across
the spectrum
something new. And what I mean by

that iswhat I see is clients just not
valuing and not paying for good design. You only get a handful of clients
willing to get good design out there,
but a lot of the time the design just
hits a certain mark, but theres nothing really innovative just blowing
your minds. Yes on paper its great,
and the presentation is great because
the talent is there but the reality is
not visualised.
Dean added: Dubai is dominated
by big commercial rms, and theres
a commercial reality to it. You cant
always have innovative brands, what
with client needs and demands, so
it does get put aside. In my opinion
62
Dubai needs really quirky, small

off-shoot rms, which London has,
which many other places have...
boutique rms.
The roundtable was full of
agreed-on opinions and the mutual
exhaustion of repetitive design in
the region. And the industry experts
essentially called for an open platform where designers, architects,
developers and operators could
come together and truly understand
the value of good design, and its
placement in the future of Dubais
performance in meeting international standards.
Thomson explained: The type of
work that gets pitched is phenomenal
but it never gets realised. Either at

the construction stage where it gets
watered down or a different stage... I
know lots of rms that are working on fantastic stuff, but is it really
realised at the end? No, and its just
going to keep going on and we really
need to talk about it. We need to nd
a way to x it.
Theres a gap between the vision
and the reality. And at the end of the
summit, were not going to close up
shop and say farewell.
There should be some forum
thats led by CID and that could be a
live thing that goes forward, where
people can sign up. Somethings got
to change.
REVOLVING DOORS | FOCUS
REVOLVING
DOORS
Focus
Innovation in design from GEZE
n an innovative new
design when it comes to
doors the new ECturn
inside swing door drive,
by GEZE links safety with
design aesthetics.
The engineers who created
it have deliberately used small
dimensions, so the drive can
be integrated into the door
leaf of internal doors.
ECturn Inside automatically opens and closes highquality doors invisibly.
A company spokesman said:
The appearance of the door is
not impaired. The wide range
of special functions such as
radio push buttons, mobile
radio remote control units or
acoustic signals allow the system to be tailored to specic
user requirements.
ECturn Inside can be operated in low energy and automatic mode. In low energy
mode, it sets the swing door in
motion at reduced speed.
Additional safety sensors

can be quickly and simply connected because the necessary
interfaces are already available in the drive as standard.
In the event of a power failure,
an optional battery provides
maximum security especially
for weaker people and those
with restricted mobility.
The door continues to
open and close automatically and securely. Of course,
the door can also be opened
manually in the event of a
power failure.
The company say its new
door system can be installedin
leaves with a minimum thickness of 55 mm.
The spokesman added:
Door leaf widths up to 1100
mm and weights up to 125
kilos are possible. The control
unit offers design freedom
in the room, for it can be
installed up to 10 metres away
from the drive.
Revolving door technology upgraded
63
LAST WORD | DONALD TRUMP
DONALD TRUMP
INVESTS IN DUBAI
THE LAST WORD
US real estate mogul Donald Trump is working in partnership

with developers DAMAC to create a new development called
Akoya. The Beverly Hills of Dubai will include
luxury residential homes, a golf course,
sporting and leisure facilities and restaurants.
Here, he reveals his belief in Dubais future
in an exclusive interview.
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Why did you choose Dubai for your latest golfing venture?
Dubai is one of the top destinations in the world. Its a fantastic place.
Have you ever played golf in the UAE?
No, and I am looking forward to it! I have heard a lot about the great courses there.
Why did you chose Gil Hanse as the architect?
Gil is a gifted designer and he understands this environment. Hes the ideal choice and we
have worked with him before.
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Head of Database & Circulation Gaurav Gulati
Have you an overall vision for the development you are working on with DAMAC?
Yes, we are committed to making the course unique and signicant to the development of
Dubai as a destination point for golfersand one of the great courses of the world.
Why did you agree to a partnership with the developer?
They are accomplished and know the territory well. They are terric.
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ITP GROUP
What are your opinions on Dubais immediate economic future?
Dubai has stabilised and remains a strong focal point for development, now and for the
future. I see it as having an amazing future.
Chairman Andrew Neil

Managing Director Robert Serafin
Finance Director Toby Jay Spencer-Davies
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Walid Akawi, Neil Davies, Rob Corder, Mary Serafin
Circulation Customer Service Tel: +971 4 444 3000
Is it a place you visit frequently and if so what are your impressions especially
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I have been to Dubai and I will be visiting more in the future. It is truly spectaculartheres
no place like it.
Have you any plans for the opening of the course?
Yes, but it is too soon to divulge them.

Will you be playing a round yourself?
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I sure willa great course!

Lastly what is your favourite building in the world and why?
Trump Tower. Its the rst skyscraper with my name on it, and it has become a landmark
building in NYC.
64
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An ITP Business Publication

NOVEMBER 2013 / VOLUME 07 / ISSUE 11

Photo: Amit Geron

NOVEMBER 2013 VOLUME 7 ISSUE 11

Top stories from the people and

DOORS AND WINDOWS

With the current boom

Controversy over Zaha Hadid

Download Middle East

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LUXURY LIVING SHOWN

We are focusing on the vistas and

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The DNA style

It will also reect the traditional

Development in Dubai is back on

major attractions at the event.

Saudi Build Fair in Riyadh

years Saudi Build Fair again. It gives

WEIRD PROJECT OF THE MONTH

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UAE and Italy in

Falconcity plan gets

The key is to design

Emirates-based real estate company

I think educational institutions

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Prince Harry backs

In the modern period,

Taking the stress out of your job...

MENA PROJECT SNAPSHOT

Top award for healthcare

Plant wall is new

New HQ for bank has

A winner at the World Architecture Festival, held last month in

A vertical wall consisting of plants,

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill have

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GLOBAL PROJECT SNAPSHOT

New York project will offer views of US icons

Architect designs his own

Atlantis resort overlooking South China Sea

Bjarke Ingels Group in collaboration with Michael van Valkenburgh

A new Atlantis resort is set to be

www.designmena.com | 11.13 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT

EVENT | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT AWARDS PREVIEW

get together . The feeling of

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place to be for people with

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT AWARDS PREVIEW | EVENT

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EVENT | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT AWARDS PREVIEW

MEET THE JUDGES

and offices, he has carried out

in the architectureal design

Dubai skyline. Although Jan

Middle East architecture and

ahya Jan, Vice

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.13 | www.designmena.com

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT AWARDS PREVIEW | EVENT

environment, and has focused

Her recent project with

ment and development company with a six month posting

commercial, retail, educational, mixed use and military