An ITP Business Publication

DECEMBER 2011 / VOLUME 5 / ISSUE 12

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

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The regions largest architecture rms
PLUS

r e Pow
CASE STUDY
Leigh & Oranges impressive Equestrian Academy in Qatar

ANALYSIS
Adrian Smith delivers keynote speech at Green Build Congress

INTERVIEW
dwps new design director on working in danger markets

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KEO

2,190 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 240 ARCHITECTS

Top spot goes to Kuwaitbased rm KEO, with its whopping team of 2,190 staff in the GCC. The multi-disciplinary practice boasts regional offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman. Key projects include the QP District in Doha (pictured) and the Kuwait Investment Authoritys new headquarters in a 200m-tall tower In Abu Dhabi, KEO is working on Nation Towers on the Corniche, and is also behind several school projects for ADEC. In addition, KEO provided full design and supervision services for 23 Marina in Dubai Marina, which is now recognised as the tallest residential tower in the world at 395m.

ATKINS

1,770 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 200 ARCHITECTS

This years runner up is UK-based Atkins, a company behind some of the Gulfs most postcard-friendly buildings such as the Burj Al Arab (pictured) and the spiky Bahrain World Trade Centre. The rm has been working in the region for more than 40 years and has 10 offices in the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. Atkins yearly revenue for the Middle East, as of March 2011, totalled US$218.5m.

EAS

550 STAFF IN THE GCC

One of the surprise nds

this year is local rm Eng Adnan Saff arini (EAS), which boasts 550 staff and an undisclosed number of architects. The company was formed in

1968 and has offices in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Al Ain, Ras Al Khaimah and Qatar. A key project involves the provision of two 400-bed General Education Hospitals for the Ministry of Health in Iraq. The complex covers 10,000m 2 and construction is underway.

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AEB

regions largest practices

404 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 70 ARCHITECTS

Founded in 1966 as the rst architectural and engineering consulting rm in Qatar, Arab Engineering Bureau (AEB) took off in 1991 when it was acquired by current managing director Ibrahim Mohamed Al Jaider. The rm has regional offices in Doha and Abu Dhabi with further bases in Manila and Kuala Lumpur. Key projects include the tallest hotel in Qatar, the 62-level Kempinski Residences and Suites, and Dohas Al Sharq Village & Spa resort. With offices in Dubai, KSA, Qatar, Iraq, Libya and Egypt, Dewan has taken major strides since its formation in Baghdad in 1971. The company has grown from a

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DEWAN
246 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 90 ARCHITECTS

with 246 staff and 90 architects in the GCC. Led by founder Mohamed Al Assam and executive director Ammar Al Assam,

the total consolidated revenue in 2010, in the Middle East, totalled AED108.7m (US$29.6m). The company was behind the jaw-dropping Al Bateen School for Aldar Academies, which recently opened in Abu Dhabi and featured as a Building Focus in MEAs October issue. Dewan also designed the 750key Fairmont Hotel and Resort (pictured) for Breakwater Island in Abu Dhabi. Elsewhere, it is working on a 28-oor tower in Al Khobar, KSA.

two-man rm in 1984 to one of the

MZ ARCHITECTS
200 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 70 ARCHITECTS
Headquartered in Lebanon, MZ Architects has further offices in Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Libya, and Morocco. The company has an impressively large workforce in

the GCC, with a total of 200 staff comprising 70 architects. The practices most famous design is undoubtedly the curvaceous Aldar Headquarters building in Abu Dhabi, one of the most quirky and distinctive buildings in a country thats known for audacious developments.

Aldar HQ was voted the Best Futuristic Design by The Building Exchange (BEX) Conference held in Spain. The shape of this project - the rst circular building of its kind in the Middle East - is achieved through the use of a structural diagrid, a diagonal grid of steel. Another key scheme for the company is Eko Atlantic City in Lagos, Nigeria, in which MZ Architects provided the masterplan. The development consists of business, residential, commercial and leisure areas spread on 17,000m 2 of reclaimed land. The scheme will be home to a quarter of a million people. As well as masterplanning, MZ Architects will also be responsible for architectural, engineering and construction management of a number of towers in the city.

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RMJM

178 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 65 ARCHITECTS

Scotland-based rm RMJM has long been a regional stalwart, although its GCC staff numbers have shrunk since the downturn. It is currently working on two mixed-use towers in the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, a luxury commercial office in Manama, Bahrain, a shopping mall in Abu Dhabi and a nancial education facility in Bahrain. Its Middle East offices are located in Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, Bahrain and Muscat. RMJM was presented with the Overall Project of the Year and Commercial/Mixed Use Built Award at the 2011 Cityscape Awards for Architecture in Emerging Markets, for Capital Gate in Abu Dhabi. The much-anticipated project, which is the worlds inclined tower, is due to open this month. Acquired by the Stantec Group in December 2010, US-based Burt Hill is another rm to have cut GCC staff numbers in recent years. Nevertheless, the rm still makes the top 10, with 140 employees in the UAE including 34 architects. Burt Hills Dubai branch opened in 2003 to tap into the emirates emerging real estate market. Among the rms UAE projects are the multi-billion dirham Al Mafraq

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BURT HILL
Hospital, ADEC Headquarters, and the masterplan for Union Properties 3.5 million m 2 Motor City in Dubai. Key components of the project are Dubai Autodrome and UpTown Motor City. The Stantec Group offers services in planning, engineering, architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management and project economics for infrastructure and facilities projects, with approximately 11,000 operating out of 170 locations worldwide. Its acquisition of Burt Hill is part of its quest to become one of the worlds leading design practices.

140 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 34 ARCHITECTS

RW ARMSTRONG
126 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 30 ARCHITECTS
Founded in 1961 in Indianapolis, RW Armstrong has 18 offices in the USA, UAE, Libya, Egypt, Guam and Azerbaijan. Its UAE offices, in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, were established in 2006 and now employ a total of 126 staff with 30 architects. Key individuals in the regional rm include vice president Mona Salem, development sector leader Jeff rey Decker and Zaky

Abdulrahman, BD regional leader. In addition to architecture, the rm offers planning, design, interiors, programme management, project management and construction management. Its expertise includes building services, infrastructure, aviation, transportation and water services. RW Armstrongs Sun and Sky Towers (left) won the GCC Residential Project of the Year at the Construction Week Awards 2011. The project was acclaimed for its innovative technical strategies to solve complex construction challenges.

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WOODS BAGOT
120 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 100 ARCHITECTS
Winner of Large Architecture Practice of the Year, at the Middle East Architect Awards 2011, Woods Bagot is behind some of the GCCs most recognisable landmarks such as the stunning Qatar Science and Technology Park in Doha (right). The rm was established in Adelaide by former architect-in-chief for the South Australian Government, Edward John Woods. Since then the rm has grown into a signicant multi-disciplinary practice operating in Asia, Australia, the Middle East and North America.

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NORR GROUP

110 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 44 ARCHITECTS

Established in 1938, Norr has 900 professionals in 25 cities globally. In the GCC it employs 110 staff including 44 architects. Over the past 20 years, the group has worked on icons such as Atlantis-The Palm, Burj Khalifa, Emirates Towers and the National Bank of Dubai Headquarters. Its signicant projects in Abu Dhabi include Le Meridien Hotel, Sir Baniyas Island Resort and the expansion of the UAE Central Bank. In Qatar, the practice completed the striking Al Hitmi complex, which has become a symbol of the nation.

NAGA ARCHITECTS
110 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 42 ARCHITECTS
Naga Architects was founded

DWP

107 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 24 ARCHITECTS

With a total of 107 staff in the Gulf region, dwp employs 59 professionals in its Dubai office and 48 staff in Bahrain. It recently appointed Qasim Mansoor as general manager and Fariborz Hatam as design director for its Dubai office. Key projects include the FTV Hotel in Dubai, the Maysan Towers in Abu Dhabi and the Makkah Cultural Gateway project. Led by CEO Brenton Mauriello, dwps Dubai office was formed in 2007 while the Bahrain base was established in 2005.

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by Dr Shams Naga in 2000 and has experienced steady growth, currently employing 110 staff including 42 architects. This year the practice claimed the inaugural Building Information Modelling Award at the Middle East Architect Awards, for its exciting Sawari Residences project in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Elsewhere the company is working on the Al Khobar Hotel in Saudi Arabia, a 21-storey residential scheme called Octavian Tower in Dubai, Ajman University Housing and a blimp terminal building in Dubai.

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GAJ

105 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 38 ARCHITECTS

GAJ is one of the longestestablished UK practices in the

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Egypt, Tunisia and Oman that are in various stages of development. With new offices in Al Barsha, the management consists of six partners, ve

associate partners and eight associates. Managing partner Brian Johnson won Principal of the Year at the Middle East Architect Awards 2011 and was described by the judging panel as an icon of the Middle East architectural landscape.

UAE. It is behind several of Dubais modern gems, such as Dubai Creek Golf Club, Bab Al Shams, Arabia Court, Residence & Spa at The One and Only Royal Mirage. The rm is also working on multi-million dollar projects in

HOK

100 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 20 ARCHITECTS

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HOK appears to have expanded its presence in the Middle East, with a total of 100 staff in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. Notable projects in the region

include the massive US$10bn King Abdullah University for Science & Technology (KAUST) in Thawul, Saudi Arabia, which is being built for Saudi Aramco. The rm is also the design architect for the US$2bn New Doha International Airport, the New Kuwait Central Bank (above) and the ADNOC headquarters in Abu Dhabi. portfolio in Dubai includes the 82-storey Ocean Heights, the twin office towers at Boulevard Plaza (above) and the 123-storey Aedas Dubai office was established in 2004 and the company now has offices in Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Its expanding Pentominium in Dubai Marina. It is also working on New Doha International Airport in Qatar. Middle East turnover for 2010 totalled US$10m. HOK was established in St. Louis, Missouri in 1955. The name derived from the surnames of its three founders: George Hellmuth, Gyo Obata and George Kasabaum. The rst office in the GCC was established in Dubai in 1999 and annual turnover in the region is estimated at US$20m.

AEDAS

100 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 70 ARCHITECTS

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DSA

80 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 48 ARCHITECTS

Formed in 2002 in Dubai, DSA has delivered several landmark hospitality projects in the region. Its key schemes include Madinat Jumeirahs Mina A Salam and Al Qasr, Park Hyatt, The Palace, Qamardeen and Al Manzil. It is also behind Old Town Residences, Fairmont Hotel and Residences and Golden Mile Residences on Jumeirah Palm, as well as the One & Only Royal Mirage and the new One & Only The Palm. The office is led by managing director Steve Kelshaw.

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BSBG

70 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 22 ARCHITECTS

Under the guidance of group chairman John Mills, BSBG has been operational in the Middle East since 1976. Having completed IKEA on

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In addition to the IKEA projects, BSBG is involved in the City of Lights - a mixed-use development under construction in

P&T

54 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 11 ARCHITECTS

Based in Hong Kong, the

Reem Island, Abu Dhabi - that comprises a 60-storey commercial tower, a 26-storey hotel and a 34-storey residential block. It also worked on the refurbishment of the previously BSBG-designed Emirates Golf Club (below), one of Dubais most elegant leisure schemes.

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P&T Group has a history stretching back 140 years. It has actively been involved in the Middle East since 1998 and

Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, BSBG was awarded the design of the IKEA store in Doha, which has recently begun construction.

established an office in Dubai back in September 2004. Currently the rm employs 54 professionals in the GCC with a total of 11 architects. An Abu Dhabi office was opened in January 2007, to coincide with the awarding of a major scheme in Reem Island. In the same year it started work on the Al-Dana project in Raha Beach and two hotels in the Mina al-Arab resort in Ras al-Khaimah. Elsewhere in the GCC, P&T is working on the 70-storey Burj Rafal tower in Riyadh.

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BROADWAY MALYAN
48 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 28 ARCHITECTS
In 2011 the UKs Broadway Malyan celebrated the opening of seven schools designed for the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), including the Abu Dhabi West School (right). This year, Broadway Malyan also delivered the concept masterplan for the 10x10 project in Baghdad, Iraq, comprising a 17km 2 urban regeneration and extension of Sadr City. The project is named after its US$10bn value and 10-year delivery timeframe. Other projects include the masterplan and design of the Al Bandar residential project on Al Raha Beach, and the Mina Zayed masterplan, also in Abu Dhabi.

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KMA

45 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 12 ARCHITECTS

Founded by Dr Mohamed Alaa Mandour, KMA established its Cairo office in 1990, followed by a UAE office in 1995. The rm subsequently opened offices in KSA and Oman, and has built up a total workforce of 45 with 12 architects. Key projects include the Makkah Gate affordable housing scheme, the Icon development in Al Khobar, the urban development of Barkah City in Oman, the Ras Al Hamra development in Muscat and a Seven Seas complex, also in the Omani capital.

DUBARCH

43 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 9 ARCHITECTS

DRAWLINK GROUP
40 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 20 ARCHITECTS
This years runner up for the Boutique rm of the Year at the MEA Awards, Drawlink Group has a total of 40 staff in the GCC, with 20 architects. Recent projects in the Gulf region include the Radisson Royal and Hues boutique hotel, both located in Dubai. The company recently celebrated the opening of the convention centre for the Radisson Royal, located on Sheikh Zayed Road.

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Established by Canadian-Iranian Amir V. Rahbar and UAE national Dr Ahmed Abdul Rahman Al Banna, Dubarch has three architectural and interior design offices in the GCC. The Dubai office was set up in 1986 while an Abu Dhabi practice followed in 2007. This year, Dubarch opened an office in Qatar, bringing the total number of staff to 43 with nine architects. One of the companys key projects is Bayswater, a commercial scheme in Business Bay, Dubai.

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X-ARCHITECTS
30 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 16 ARCHITECTS

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Winner of the 2010 MEA Award for Boutique Firm of the Year, X-Architects was founded in 2003 in Dubai by Ahmed Al-Ali and

Farid Esmaeil. The company currently employs 30 staff, including 16 architects, which was just enough to make it into the top 25. Since its inauguration, the company has won a further two MEA Awards, for Best Mixed-use Project in 2009 and Principal of the Year in 2010. Key scheme include the Mosque for 2000 Prayers in Abu Dhabi (below), which incorporates an existing sculpture plaza to create an attractive public space. One of the rms most radical projects is Xeritown, which is currently on hold in Dubai. The scheme for 7,000 residents looks at the desert and local climate and works with it rather than against it. X-Architects has also carried out the urban design masterplan for Al Nasseem in Al Ain. The under construction scheme has been chosen by the UPCs Estidama as for Emerging Markets, for its Mangrove Elite Residence in Reem Island. The scheme was lauded in the Residential-Future Category. Another key project is Formed in January 2008, Abu Dhabis Bead Architects is led by managing director/ partner Muhannad Assam and comprises 35 staff with 26 architects. In 2010 the rm recorded a turnover of AED13.7m (US$3.73m). Bead recently picked up a gong at the 2011 Cityscape Awards an under-construction one of its rst pilot projects.

BEAD ARCHITECTS
35 STAFF IN THE GCC WITH 26 ARCHITECTS

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residential scheme in Danet Abu Dhabi. Bead has also designed Al Nasser Tower, a Class A office scheme in the Emirati

capital city. The project is most notable for its column-free oor space spanning between vertical steel support trusses.

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