An ITP Business Publication NOVEMBER 2011 / VOLUME 5 / ISSUE 11 NEWS, DATA, ANALYSIS AND STRATEGIC INSIGHTS FOR ARCHITECTS IN THE GCC INSIGHT FEATURE Uncovering the latest Exploring the many trends in regional benefits of Building education Information design Modelling ROUGH DIAMOND Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre takes shape in Al Ain What keeps us moving. The TWIN elevator system at ThyssenKrupp’s headquarters building Dreischeibenhaus in Dusseldorf (Germany):2 cabs, 1 shaft, 0 crowds. | Accept no Limits. NOVEMBER | CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2011 VOLUME 5 ISSUE 11 4 FRONT 8 Top stories in the world of architecture including PROJECTS Foster + Partner’s Kuwait A round up of the latest airport and a Dubai-esque project news from MENA ski slope in Sweden and the rest of the world 14 16 THE BIG PICTURE ANALYSIS Dubai’s Grosvenor House Speakers at the World towers are at their best when Architecture Congress call the lights come on for site specifi c design 22 24 OPINION COVER STORY Hisham Youssef asserts that On site at the SZ Desert clients should understand Learning Centre, which is and support architects taking shape in Al Ain 34 40 INTERVIEW Murat Tabanlioglu describes INSIGHT the latest projects to emerge Discovering the ever- from his Turkish fi rm’s expanding possibilities intrepid portfolio of Building Information 48 Modelling software FEATURE 58 MEA explores the latest trends and challenges when CASE STUDIES designing schools for the Maysan Residences by dwp, Middle East region MZ Architect’s Lagos design and LEED Gold-rated Mirdif 76 City Centre CULTURE 80 Cool products, clever ideas, and some of the latest gadgets THE LAST WORD in the design world Muhannad Sh. Assam, managing director for BEAD Architects & Designers www.designmena.com | 11.11 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT 1 Realgestalt, Berlin Lasting growth is a question of ongoing renewal rather than the resources available. FSB is a global pioneer with its cross-range Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) to ISO 14025 for “Public Project” and electronic hardware and for barrier-free handle systems. www.fsb.de/ISO14025 www.fsb.de/en It’s in your hands. FRONT | NOVEMBER Pearls for the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre (page 24) FOSTER REVEALS DESIGN FOR KUWAIT AIRPORT UK architecture giant unveils designs for major airport redevelopment 1,200M Foster + Partners has unveiled its The new terminal will help the building LENGTH OF EACH driving the project are design for Kuwait International will handle 13m become the world’s DEPARTURE equally impressive.” Airport, a major hub with a yearly per year. fi rst terminal to GATE WING The canopy extends to capacity of 13 million passengers. achieve LEED Gold. shade a large entrance plaza The fi rm’s passenger terminal Mouzhan Majidi, chief and is supported by tapering design comprises three symmetri- executive of Foster + Partners, com- concrete columns which are said to cal wings of departure gates, each mented: “The scale of the airport be inspired by the traditional dhow extending 1,200 metres from a shows Kuwait’s great foresight in sailing boats. 25-metre-high central space. recognising the benefi ts of strategic The terminal is located to enable Sustainable measures, such as investment in future infrastruc- future expansion to accommodate up roof-mounted photovoltaic panels, ture. The environmental ambitions to 50 million passengers a year. 4 MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.11 | www.designmena.com NOVEMBER | FRONT New schools planned in Abuu Dhabi’s Future Length of boulevard in Schools plan Nigeria’s Eko Atlantic (page 48) City (page 62) Sweden to trump SkiSki DubaiD b i DESIGNMENA.COM This month’s top stories on the online home with 700m indoor slope of Middle East Architect • Winners for 2011 Commercial Interior De- Plans have been revealed for a 700m The resort will also contain a sign Awards announced indoor ski slope in Sweden which will 3.5km cross-country skiing tunnel, • 25 essential iPad apps for interior design surpass the 400m Ski Dubai. a biathlon area, ice hockey and fi gure students Located outside Stockholm, the skating rinks, and a snow park for • In Pictures: Commercial Interior Design 2 70,000m Skipark 360° has been snowboarders. Awards winners designed by Berg Arkitektkontor, the Skipark 360° is a reaction to • Only 10% of ME construction professionals local branch of CF Moller Architects. reduced snowfall in Sweden, which is using BIM, says expert threatening the skiing industry. • Head for Heights Construction is due to start in 2013 or 2014 and will be completed within WEIRD PROJECT OF THE MONTH two years. Although there are around 30 indoor slopes around the world, with several in Europe, the most famous is arguably Ski Dubai, located in Mall of Sweden has experienced low snowfall. the Emirates. Turkish tower lauded by RIBA BNKR Arquitectura has designed an ‘earth- A 21-storey residential tower in Istan- scraper’ to get around the height restriction bul, designed by Turkish architecture in the historic centre of Mexico City. The fi rm Tabanlioglu, was among the 13 inverted pyramid contains a central void to winners of the RIBA International feed light to the underground storeys. Awards 2011. DATASTREAM The project, called Loft Gardens, was described by the RIBA judges AEDAS MIDDLE EAST - PROJECTS BY REGION as “an extreme demonstration of elegance and restraint within a subtly 6% modifi ed typology”. KSA Another Middle East building to 18% QATAR be recognised was Foster + Partner’s 47% Masdar Institute in Abu Dhabi, a ABU DHABI centrepiece of the zero-carbon city. 29% DUBAI Inaugurated in 2005, the RIBA In- ternational Awards honour outstand- ing buildings outside the UK. www.designmena.com | 11.11 | MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT 5 FRONT | NOVEMBER 60 SECOND INTERVIEW DR HANAN M. TALEB, FACULTY MEMBER, PEOPLE BRITISH UNIVERSITY IN Norman Foster pays DUBAI (BUID) tribute to Steve Jobs Why is it important to have enducation on sustainability? Education for sustainability has Norman Foster paid tribute to Apple’s become an essential tool for Steve Jobs, who died last month, citing him achieving sustainable develop- as “an inspiration and role model”. ment and has been adopted in a Foster + Partners is working for Apple number of countries throughout on its new campus in Cupertino, California the world. (pictured). Completion is slated for 2015. In a statement, Foster said: “We were What role can universities play? greatly privileged to know Steve as a per- They need to equip higher son, as a friend and in every way so much education graduates, who more than a client. Steve was an inspiration are likely to occupy future management Stuart Rough takes the hot seat. and a role model. and leadership “He encouraged us to develop new ways roles, with knowl- New chairman for of looking at design to refl ect his unique edge and skill Broadway Malyan ability to weave backwards and forwards sets that help between brand strategy and the minutiae of them in making UK-based fi rm Broadway Malyan has ap- the tiniest of internal fi ttings. informed-deci- pointed director Stuart Rough as chairman “For him no detail was small in its sig- sions. and added new staff to its Shanghai offi ce. nifi cance and he would be simultaneously Rough has led award-winning retail and questioning the headlines of our project Which universities workplace projects in China, Southeast together whilst he delved into its fi ne print.” off er courses on Asia and Europe, including the BASF, Sony Foster continued: “He was the ultimate sustainable architecture? I conducted a survey a few and Roche headquarter buildings. perfectionist and demanded of himself as months ago and it was shocking He said: “As part of the practice’s senior he demanded of others. We are better as in- to fi nd a lack of courses devoted management team I will focus on develop- dividuals and certainly wiser as architects to sustainable architecture, with ing the global reach of our 15-strong net- through the experience of the last two years the exception of the Masters work of bases from São Paulo to Shanghai, and more of working for him...he was one of course on Sustainable Design enhancing the unrivalled diversity of our the truly great designers and mentors.” of Built Environment from BUiD. 500+ sector experts, increasing our distinc- However, other universities have tive client focus, with 80% of 2010 income launched sustainability cur- from repeat business, and widening our ricula, such as KAUST and King portfolio of world-class projects.” Saud University in Saudi Arabia, The move will see director Melvin Davis, and the UAE’s Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, who has come to the end of his tenure as United Arab Emirates University chairman, relocate to the practice’s Shang- and the University of Sharjah. hai offi ce from 2012. Foster designed the new Apple campus. The energy effi ciency of a The competition It has been an incredible supertall building is in Qatar is huge, achievement to turn a small superior to the and that has driven desert city state equivalent down some of the into a global number of low- actual commercial tourism brand. rise buildings.” attractiveness We are going Adrian Smith, co- of it.” to see Dubai founder of AS+GG, Eamonn become more justifi es his well- Kerr, MD, mature.” known specialism in Sweett Simon Crispe, Atkins cloud-piercing Group structures commercial director 6 MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT | 11.11 | www.designmena.com Cultural center - Nouméa (New Caledonia - Pacific Ocean) Architect : Renzo Piano CONSTRUCT DIFFERENTLY. IN WOOD. uropean leader in glued laminated Etimber and wood constructions, MATHIS proposes innovative, economical and ecological solutions for all your projects. 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