FEBRUARY 2018 / VOLUME 12 / ISSUE 02

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

INTERVIEW
RASEM
BADRAN ON
REVITALISING
RIYADH
18

PROJECT
SOM DESIGNS
NEW CANCER
CENTRE FOR
CAIRO
36

Iraqi
Modernism
Face to face with a pioneer of
regional architecture
24
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 CONTENTS / 3

contents FEBRUARY 2018

MEA sits down with Hisham Munir,
the father of Iraqi modernist architecture
VOLUME 12
ISSUE 02

14 24 41
Industry Hisham Special
Insights Munir Report
Get the latest in initiatives and This issue remembers the achieve- Check out our special report, which
meet our new architect ments of an architectural icon discusses smart cities

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6 / COMMENT

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Architectural preservation
What should be protected and what should go?

This month, New York Abu Dhabi Art
RIMA ALSAMMARAE
Editor of Middle East Architect Gallery is hosting ‘Permanent Temporar-
iness’ (pg 16), an exhibition held in collab-
oration with DAAR directors Sandi Hilal
and Alessandro Petti. Consisting of seven
major installations and performances
focusing on the social, cultural and po-
litical dynamics that shape the lives of
displaced Palestinians, the work will also
examine the meaning of architectural
preservation – and whether or not
refugee camps should be considered for
protection.
While architectural preservation of-
ten focuses on reviving and protecting
structures built centuries ago, it also cov-
ers buildings that were constructed in
more recent times – like the modernist
structures or rough industrial zones that
have become part of national heritage.
The field of preservation reframes our
understanding of aesthetics and includes
material and immaterial cultures, and so-
cial and identity structures. Preservation
safeguards buildings that are claimed as
part of a political and social narration of
a city or people, and in seizing its subject,
preservation gives historical value.
With some Palestinians living in refu-
gee camps for more than 70 years now,
the questions arise: should refugee camps
be preserved? Do they have historical val-
ue? And if so, what does that say about the
false sense of temporariness?
“Refugee camps became sites of
heated discussions on what needs to be
remembered and what needs to be for-
gotten,” said Petti. “If we look at refugee
camps with the lens of architectural pres-
ervation, how might our understanding
of camps change? Can we consider them
cultural sites to be preserved? For many
it might even be disturbing to be forced
to look at refugee camps from this per-
spective, but this is the reality in front of
our eyes.”

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‘Permanent Temporariness’ will
speak to visitors differently depending
on backgrounds, however, the ‘Concrete
Tent’ installation will force audiences to
examine the brutal reality of a displaced
people. Inspired by a traditional refu-
gee tent, the installation recreates this
supposedly temporary and degradable
structure using a permanent material. It
will encourage the public to think about
whether or not Palestinian camps have a
history and how architectural preserva-
tion plays a role, despite the poor-quali-
ty and withering materials often used to
construct the tents and communities.
“I always say that architecture is the
tempo of time and place,” said Iraqi ar-
chitect Hisham Munir (pg 24). “You
cannot separate any proper work from
the time that it was made in… This is the
unfortunate part of dictators or govern-
ments – they erase things of the previous
era. These buildings are landmarks of
time – they should be kept so people will
know the history of their cities.”
If we are to agree with Munir, then
perhaps refugee camps should be re-
membered, and not just in books and po-
ems, but through architecture – the most
impactful of the arts.
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
COMMENT / 7
‘Concrete Tent’ by DAAR direc-
tors Sandi Hilal and Alessandro
Petti examines the meaning of
architectural preservation and
the important of refugee tents
in the Palestinian narrative.
Should they be preserved and
protected? Do they have archi-
tectural heritage?
GOT A COMMENT?
If you have any comments to make on
this month’s issue, please e-mail
rima.alsammarae@itp.com
8 / NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Tamayouz launches award for women in architecture
and construction
The international architecture ini-
tiative, Tamayouz Excellence Award,
which serves to promote architecture
for and from Iraq and the greater Mid-
dle East, has just launched its Women in
Architecture and Construction Award.
Part of a larger programme for 2018,
the award, which was once only open
for Iraqi female architects, is now open
for women of all backgrounds who
are contributing to the built environ-
ment of the Near East and North Africa
(NENA).
The Women in Architecture and
Construction Award was originally
launched in 2013 and ran till 2015. It
was then put on hold until this year.
Split between two categories, it recog-
nises an established individual’s con-
tributions to the field, as well as ‘rising
stars’ who show great promise.
TAGO Architects designs urban renewal project
for Sharjah, UAE
Turkish architecture firm TAGO Ar-
chitects recently revealed images of its
upcoming urban renewal project for
Sharjah, UAE.
Intended to contribute to the eco-
nomic and social development of the
emirate — the long-established indus-
trial centre of the country — the pro-
ject will consist of open and semi-open
common areas, residences, and com-
mercial and education spaces.
Led by architect Gokhan Aktan Altug,
TAGO recently signed on to design the
project, which will be implemented in
an area of 75,000m2.
The architects prioritised the
education structures and placed them
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
“We put the award on hold for two
years to prepare for its transition to be
open to all women from or working in
the Near East and North Africa,” said
Ahmed Al-Mallak, founder of Tamay-
ouz. “Before the award was open only to
women of Iraqi heritage and we felt that
it achieved its goals in offering a plat-
form and support to Iraqi women archi-
tects and construction professionals.”
He added, “So moving forward, we
hope that this award will have the same
impact that it had in Iraq elsewhere,
where women started to have hope for
the industry. In Iraq, the conditions
are not particularly favourable for fe-
male architects like in most [parts] of
the Middle East and beyond, so when
you start recognising women for their
efforts in the industry, it makes a posi-
tive difference. We had a lot of feedback
that communicated this, and we hope
that in broadening the candidature, we
can make the same difference in other
areas in the region that are comparable
to Iraq.”
Submissions for the award are open
until September 2018, and the winner
will be announced in November.
as the masterplan’s core hubs — around
them, residential and commercial
units rotate.
The blocks were shifted backward
toward the corners of the city plan,
with small public squares integrated
between them. Created as a grid plan,
the urban renewal project also features
independent areas for men and women.
Natural ventilation was also consid-
ered and addressed via the use of nar-
row streets and sidewalks. The renew-
able GRC coating material to be used
on the facades of the buildings is also
weather resistant.
Construction on the project is ex-
pected to begin by 2020.

CallisonRTKL to design the new headquarters of Saudi
British Bank
American architecture firm Callison-
RTKL announced the start of con-
struction on its new project in Riyadh,
a 135m-tall tower, which will house the
headquarters of the Saudi British Bank
(SABB).
One of the major planning and design
firms in the region, CallisonRTKL has
built some of the world’s most success-
ful projects for developers, retailers, in-
vestors, institutions and public entities.
The company was set up in 2015
following the merger of Callison and
RTKL Associates – two key subsidiaries
of leading asset design and consultancy
company Arcadis.
CallisonRTKL clinched the contract
after it won the project design compe-
tition organised by SABB, an associ-
ated company of global banking giant
HSBC Group.
As the design consultant, Callison-
RTKL was tasked to create a sophisti-
cated, inviting and secure space for the
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS / 9
bank’s 2,800 employees and its numer-
ous visitors.
The SABB headoffice will be a 46,544
m2 commercial office development
comprising primarily of a 135m-tall
tower. A supporting podium is integrat-
ed and connected to the tower housing
the key facilities for banking services,
food and beverage areas and employee
training facilities over a 7,013 m2 area.
The building is expected to be opera-
tional by early 2020.
10 / NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

The Dubai Frame opens to the public

The Dubai Frame, the emirate’s latest
tourist attraction, opened to the public
on January 1, complete with gold clad-
ding in a circular motif based on the logo
for the Dubai Expo 2020.
The structure comprises a pair of
150-metre towers that are connected
by a 93-metre-wide bridge, stationed in
Za’abeel Park, and resembling a massive
picture frame.
The ground floor of Dubai Frame fea-
tures a museum showcasing the UAE’s
history and its urban development,
while a 24m2 glass panel on the floor of
the bridge allows visitors to view the
city down below.
The landmark also represents the two
sides of Dubai: on one side visitors can
see ‘modern Dubai’ including the Emir- Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al as an “elegant architectural feat”.
ates Towers and Burj Khalifa; while the Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minis- The Dubai Frame was originally
other side offers views of the older parts ter and Ruler of Dubai toured the build- designed by Fernando Donis in 2008 for
of the city like Deira and Umm Harare. ing prior to its opening and described it a competition.

Iraq reconstruction summit to be held in Kuwait

Kuwait will host an international con-
ference from February 12 to 14 on the
reconstruction of war-torn areas in
Iraq, in cooperation with the World
Bank and private companies.
According to Arabian Business, Dep-
uty Foreign Minister Khaled al-Jar-
allah said that despite “past wounds”
– a reference to Iraq’s 1990 invasion of
Kuwait – his country had a “moral, hu-
manitarian and Arab” duty to support
its neighbour.
“The stability of Iraq is the stability
of Kuwait and the region,” he said.
Iraqi forces have regained swathes
of territory from the ISIL group since
the jihadists seized a third of Iraq and
large parts of Syria in 2014. In Decem-
ber, Baghdad declared victory over the
group following three years of war.
The Kuwait conference will devote
its second day to the role of the private
sector and civil society organisations in
reconstruction, Jarallah said.
Mehdi al-Alaq, the secretary gen-
eral of Iraq’s Council of Ministers, said
Baghdad and the World Bank had es-
timated reconstruction would cost at
least $100 billion.
“ISIS displaced 5 million people,” he
said, speaking alongside Jarallah in Ku-
wait City. “We succeeded in returning
half to their areas, but we need interna-
tional support to return the rest of the
displaced.”
The International Organization for
Migration said last week that by the end
of 2017, more than 3.2 million Iraqis
had returned home, but 2.6 million re-
mained displaced.
Nearly one third are reported to
have returned to houses that have been
significantly or completely damaged,
it said.
Alaq said heavy damage had also af-
fected oil, electricity, transport, com-
munications and manufacturing infra-
structure as well as basic services such
as water and sanitation.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM

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12 / DESIGNMENA TRIVIA NIGHT
Round two
Interior design and architecture teams are challenged to enter the second edition
of the designMENA Quiz for an evening of trivia and casual networking
Following the success of 2017’s
inaugural designMENA Quiz, it is
back for a second season on 25 April
in Dubai.
Interior designers and architects
are invited to join the team from
designMENA, Commercial Interior
Design and Middle East Architect
and compete to wrest the title of
‘UAE’s Smartest Creatives’ from
reigning champions LXA (aka the
‘Artistic Monkeys’).
For those of you who were not at last
year’s quiz, it was presented by Dubai
92 Radio presenter Catboy (Simon
Smedley) alongside his partner Lorra
and featured seven rounds, some
focused on design and architecture,
and others on general knowledge topics
including music and movies.
Competitors also faced a creative
round in which they were tasked with
creating a piece of designer furniture
using a single block of Plasticine.
The winner was Draw Link Group
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
for its ‘living room’ concept that was
commended for its intricate detailing.
The participating design and
architecture companies included:
GAJ, Perkins+Will, Wilson Associates,
Woods Bagot, LXA, Pallavi Dean
Interiors, Bishop Design, Kristina
Zanic, Aurecon, Brand Creative, 4
Space Design, Esra Lemmens Agency
and Cracknell.
Also joining the teams were event
sponsors Fagerhult, Kohler, Interface,
Mas Paints, Draw Link Group, Steelcase
and OFIS, with Pallavi Dean Interiors
joining us as the social media sponsor.
NETWORKING
Commercial Interior Design’s
editorial director Robert Willock
said, “The designMENA Quiz has
immediately become a fixture in the
design community’s diary. The list of
competitors at the first quiz last May
read like a Who’s Who of the region’s
creative industries. And while the
networking value of the event is not to
be underestimated, it is also simply a
huge amount of fun.
“Signing up a team of staff from your
design practice provides a great team-
buwilding opportunity as well as a
celebration of our sector’s wonderful
people and projects.”
The designMENA Quiz also offers
a limited number of sponsorship
opportunities to commercial partners
to benefit from involvement in this
entertaining evening of high jinks
with senior decision-makers from
the region’s interior design and
architecture community.
To register your team call Sophie
McHugh on +971 4 444 3223 or email
her at sophie.mchugh@itp.com.
If you would like to enquire about
sponsorship, please get in touch with
Andrew Cover on +971 4 444 3678 or
andrew.cover@itp.com; or with David
Bentley on +971 4 444 3396 or david.
bentley@itp.com.
 DESIGNMENA TRIVIA NIGHT / 13

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM

14 / INSIGHT: NEW ARCHITECT
Nizar Razak
The up-and-coming Iraqi architect from
Manhal Habbobi Consultants speaks
on his award-winning urban renewal
project for Sadr City in Baghdad
Born and raised in Sadr City, a district of Baghdad first de-
veloped in 1959 by Prime Minister Abd Al-Karim Qasim,
award-winning Iraqi architect Nizar Razak from Manhal
Habbobi Consultants, has long been on track to resew the
built fabric of his hometown.
Having won the Tamayouz Excellence Award for Iraqi ar-
chitecture students in 2017 for his urban renewal project for
Sadr City, Razak is committed to improving the lives of local
residents through his built work.
“Sadr City was built up in the 1960s to contain the immi-
grants coming in from the south of Iraq, but [the authorities]
only provided the residences,” said Razak. “Today, there are
many problems in the city, from density to the lack of open
areas, the spread of slums and many others. I hope to con-
tribute to solving Sadr City, Baghdad and Iraq’s problems.”
Upon graduating from Baghdad University, Razak joined
regional architecture firm Manhal Habbobi Consultants,
which has branches across the Middle East and Turkey, from
Istanbul to Baghdad to Dubai. And his office allows him to
work on a number of projects across various sectors, from
residential to commercial. In university, too, he developed
a renewal project for Baghdad’s famous Al Rasheed Street,
while designing cultural projects across the city.
His urban renewal project for Sadr City though is perhaps
where he has shined the most. Having designed a multipur-
pose urban development in Sadr City, his project features a
central space with a large number of secondary urban points
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
that spread across the district to improve the reality of
the population.
“During the design process, many asked me where the
main building was located. All they could see was public
space. And I would reply, ‘Of course. The main city leaks are
public space – it would be sad if I didn’t keep that in mind.”
“Six years ago, when I was accepted into the architectural
department at Baghdad University, I didn’t know anything
about architecture, but I had the help of many great teach-
ers, like Dr Ammar Salih Ashour. Now, not a second passes
that I don’t think how architecture has changed my life.”
As the prize for his 2017 Tamayouz win, Razak will likely
be attending Coventry University in the fall. According to
the initiative’s founder, Ahmed Al-Mallak, the young archi-
tect isn’t only special, he’s also important.
“He was born and raised in Sadr City – one of Iraq’s most
overpopulated and underdeveloped areas, [yet] his under-
standing of its problems and his love for the city makes him
a ray of hope for its people,” Al-Mallak said. “Whatever skills
or ideas he is going to acquire from Coventry can be directly
experimented in his city upon his return.”
Written by Rima Alsammarae
Images courtesy of Tamayouz
Excellence Award
 INSIGHT: NEW ARCHITECT / 15

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM

16 /INSIGHT: INITIATIVE
Permanent Temporariness
DAAR directors explore the historical
significance, culture and meaning of
Palestinian refugee camps through
new architectural exhibition at NYU
Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery is hosting ‘Permanent Temporar-
iness’, a mid-career retrospective of work by Sandi Hilal and
Alessandro Petti, co-directors of architecture studio and art
residency programme DAAR.
Opening on 24 February 2018, the exhibition will explore
how experience is shaped by one’s understanding of ‘perma-
nence’ and ‘impermanence’ through a series of seven major
installations and performances focusing on the social, cul-
tural and political dynamics that shape the lives of displaced
Palestinians.
Some of the artworks to be featured include ‘Living Room’,
a performance piece that lays bare the customs and cultural
significance associated with this space among traditional
Arab households, and ‘Refugee Heritage’, a series of lightbox-
mounted photographs taken by an official UNESCO photog-
rapher at Dheisheh camp in Bethlehem – the world’s oldest
refugee camp.
A third installation, ‘Concrete Tent’, was originally created
in the garden of the Al Finiq Cultural Center in Dheisheh, and
it is being reconstructed for the upcoming exhibition. Accord-
ing to the architects, it will serve as a pavilion that embodies
the contradiction of the “permanent temporariness of Pales-
tinian refugees”.
“The project tries to inhabit the paradox of how to preserve
the very idea of the tent as symbolic [with] historic value,”
said Hilal. “Because of the degradability of the material of the
tents, these structures simply do not exist anymore. And so,
the recreation of a tent made of concrete is an attempt to pre-
serve the cultural and symbolic importance of this archetype
for the narration of the Nakba.”
With many Palestinians living in camps for more than half
a century, DAAR’s directors ask through their art whether
or not these spaces should be preserved for the sake of the
people’s narrative and history. It’s an aspect of architectural
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
preservation that hasn’t been widely tapped yet. And accord-
ing to Hilal and Petti, in the last few years, architectural con-
servation has become a field of knowledge and a practice able
to reframe our understanding of aesthetics, cultural heritage
and history.
“We started to preserve and protect structures built cen-
turies ago, and later on, we discovered that even modernism
that claimed to be ahistorical needed to be preserved,” said
Petti. “We ended up considering rough industrial zones as na-
tional heritage. Refugee camps became sites of heated discus-
sion on what needs to be remembered and what needs to be
forgotten.”
He added, “If we look at refugee camps with the lens of ar-
chitectural preservation, how might our understanding of
camps change? Refugee camps are considered temporary
spaces to be quickly dismantled, but how then do we under-
stand Palestinian refugee camps that are now almost 70 years
old? Can we consider them cultural sites to be preserved?”
Petti and Hilal noted that it might be “disturbing” for peo-
ple to look at refugee camps from this perspective – removing
the temporariness of refugee status strips away any remote
comfort the general public has when hearing about displaced
people and their plights.
“One of the urgent questions becomes: Do Palestinian refu-
gee camps have history,” asked Hilal. “And how could this his-
tory be mobilised for the right of refugees to return instead
of being perceived as a threat? At the same time, how does
the concept of architectural heritage change when applied to
refugee camps?”
Written by Rima Alsammarae
Photos courtesy of DAAR
 INSIGHT: INITIATIVE / 17

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM

18 / INTERVIEW

Rasem Badran
The Palestinian architect who’s
revitalising Riyadh

“
The only way in which I benefitted from the State Mosque competition in Baghdad, was
that my work was published in many European architecture magazines,” said award-
winning Palestinian architect Rasem Badran, founder of Dar Al-Omran. “And by coinci-
dence, the Saudis got those magazines.”
It was the summer of 1982, and a committee for the Baghdad State Mosque was set up
under the chairmanship of renowned Iraqi architect Rifat Chadirji, who had personally invited
Badran to participate in the competition. By the following October, the Adjudication Committee
selected seven regional and international competitors to participate, including Maath Alousi,
Ricardo Bofill Taller de Arquitectura, Qahtan Al-Madfa’i, Makiya Associates, Minoru Takeyama,
and Venturi, Rauch & Scott Brown. The participants submitted their proposals by January 1983,
and come February, Badran’s concept was announced for first place, while Bofill and Alousi were
invited to give support.
Although the State Mosque was never built due to the ongoing Iraq-Iran war, the designs from
the competition were largely written about in international publications. And while Badran had
developed a number of projects during the 1970s, the Baghdad State Mosque competition was a
launching pad for his career.
“I think it was the Architectural Review that published the proposals of the three winners of
the competition,” Badran said. “It wanted to show how the mosque could be seen from different
points of view. So the client in Saudi ended up seeing the entries and liked my design. He then
invited me to Riyadh through a third party to participate in the competition for the redevelop-
ment of its old city.”
It was the summer of 1984, and Badran was invited to submit a concept that considered the
renewal of three existing buildings including a grand mosque, a governor’s palace and a cultural
centre. It was the first time he had been to Saudi Arabia, and temperatures were soaring. Hoping
to experience the vernacular architecture of the country, he toured a nearby fortress and later, a
former majlis of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
“The building was in another quarter of Riyadh, where the monarch family lived,” Badran said.
“There were a lot of mud houses with courtyards, but it had been left for a long time and it started
to deteriorate. So I took photographs of the majlis building because [I wanted to create a design]
that had the feeling of an authentic mud mosque.”
Badran’s first trip to Riyadh also included an excursion to the preserved mud city of Turaif in Written by Rima
Diriyah, which sits just outside of Riyadh. The original home of the Saud family, Diriyah boasts Alsammarae
not only historical and political importance, but also religious: it was the backdrop to the Expe-
dition of Muhammad ibn Maslamah. Images courtesy of
“It was so simple and serene,” said Badran, “and I just wanted to have a feeling of place. I also Dar Al-Omran

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 INTERVIEW / 19

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20 / INTERVIEW

wanted a sense of this innovative culture that once accepted

the harsh climate and came up with ways to cooperate with
the environment.”
Upon returning to his base in Jordan, he would devise a
design concept for the three buildings in Riyadh that would
reflect a dialogue with history. After submitting his proposal,
the authorities informed him he had won two out of the three
buildings, and that he should choose the one he wanted to
work on – their plan was to divide the work among three dif-
ferent architects. Badran chose the mosque.
“I tried to create an academic study, not just architectural
plans,” Badran explained about his design. “And the Arriyadh
Development Authority liked how we proceeded and visu-
alised the whole design. Those sketches were published in
many books later on – so the work became well known before
the building was even built.”
Established in June of 1974, the Arriyadh Development
Authority (ADA) has been largely responsible for the urban,
social and cultural development of Riyadh – and has, across
the decades, overseen the capital’s largest projects.
“The ADA has won six Aga Khan Awards, and among them
is my work. No other Arab city compares,” said Badran. “King
Salman is very cultural – he reads a lot and has many archives
about the old city. At that time, he had showed us what he
liked, which was often more about a feeling of heritage. And I
came to understand that feeling.”
According to Badran, the leader of the ADA had suggested
that he handle not only the mosque design but also the gover-
nor’s palace. “So we did,” said Badran. “And the mosque won
the Aga Khan Award in 1995.”
Badran designed the Great Mosque of Riyadh with the spa-
tial character of the local Najdi architectural idiom, without
directly copying it. The large complex consists of a group of
buildings behind limestone-clad walls, punctuated by tradi-
tional elements, such as gates and tall, square minarets. With-
in the complex, columns, courtyards and narrow passageways
reflect the Gulf’s traditional spatial experience. Creating a
dialogue between the past and present, the mosque’s walls
also feature triangular openings in patterned formations that
filter light and resemble vernacular building practices.
Later written about by Charles Jencks, an American archi-
tect and architectural historian, as well as the renowned critic
who first defined post-modernism in architecture, the Great
Mosque of Riyadh was only the beginning of Badran’s ongoing
relationship with Riyadh. The project was followed up with
the King Abdul Aziz Historical Centre.
“It was 1997, and the authorities told me I wouldn’t be in-
vited to compete because I had already been given too much
work and it wouldn’t be fair,” said Badran. “So they held a
competition and invited other architecture firms to partici-

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 INTERVIEW / 21

The Bujeiri de-

velopment uses
its rooftop as a
public plaza

The Great
Mosque of
Riyadh, which
won an Aga Khan
Award for Archi-
tecture

Opposite page:
Badran, an avid
sketcher, shared
his drawings for
the King Abdul
Aziz Historical
Centre and the
Great Mosque

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM

22 / INTERVIEW

pate and they asked me to be a jury member. We spent five

days going over the submissions, but we couldn’t find a pro-
ject worth being awarded. There was one submission by Japa-
nese firm Moriyama & Teshima, but it wasn’t completely ap-
propriate. So we told the director of the ADA that we couldn’t
find a winner, but he urged us to choose because the project
had to be completed by a certain date.”
The following day, Badran returned to Amman, but he
was quickly summoned back to Riyadh. The committee had
invited the dean of architecture at MIT to come review the
project proposals, and Badran was invited to collaborate with
an award-winning Saudi architect – “he was also my friend,”
explained Badran.
“So we presented something within two days,” he added.
“And the dean ended up choosing our concept, without know-
ing who submitted what.”
Again the client divided the work among three architects –
Badran, the Saudi architect and the Japanese firm Moriyama
& Teshima. An integrated urban project, providing cultural
facilities and green spaces, the core of the project is the mu-
seum, designed to be interactive and informative. The project
also conserved a number of adobe houses on site and exem-
plars of the vernacular architecture of the region. Within two
years, the historical centre was built and awarded with an
American architecture award.
“When Obama came to Riyadh, they had a visitor
programme and took him to the Great Mosque, palace and
the historical centre,” Badran said. When asked if he ever
feels proud, he answered quickly: “I never allow myself,”
and he waved his hand in the air. He continued: “And this
brings us to our last project – Diriyah, where the Saud family
comes from.”
The client asked for a proposal to revitalise the living quar-
ter that’s located just opposite the mud city in Diriyah, visited
by Badran years earlier. Known as the Bujeiri development,
Badran would come to design a massive project surrounded
by tall, slim palm trees and a wadi. With the weather slightly
cooler in Diriyah, which sits on the outskirts of Riyadh, it has submit”), Badran’s passion for not only the built environ-
long been a popular destination for family picnickers, said ment, but also the history and culture of the Arab world, with
Badran. all of its layers and nuances, is contagious, and has inspired
Designed and executed between 2007 and 2015, Bujeiri fea- generations of Arab architects.
tures an unprecedented morphological concept in the Middle Badran is currently working on a number of confidential
East – the slanted roof is considered a public plaza, and it of- cultural projects across the GCC, particularly in the UAE,
fers views of the nearby ancient mud city. and of course, Saudi Arabia. Up for an award by the Society
With Dar Al-Omran offices in Amman, Riyadh and Dubai, of Egyptian Architects for his achievement and contributions
Badran has worked across the region. And in addition to his to art and architecture, to be announced this coming March,
buildings, he can often be found engaging with architectural Badran is still at the peak of his career.
initiatives, academic programmes and artistic exhibitions co- “It’s an ongoing relationship,” he said of his work in Saudi
hosted with his family and children. With modesty seemingly Arabia. “But I guess I will have to keep entering competi-
in his blood (“Sometimes, I can be lazy with awards – I never tions,” he laughed.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM

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MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM


Hisham Munir
A pioneer of modernism in Iraq, the distinguished academic and
architect looks back on a lifetime of landmark projects
B
orn to an influential family in Feb-
ruary of 1930 in Khudhar Al Yas,
Baghdad, Iraqi architect and aca-
demic Hisham Munir has long been
considered a leader of modernist
architecture in Iraq. With more than 100 build-
ings developed during a 41-year career – cut short
by the constantly changing political environment
in Iraq that began to culminate in the late 1990s
– Munir contributed to the development of his
home country through both the built environ-
ment and academia.
“One day, when my brother and I were swim-
ming next to our house, we found two bricks and
on them, we noticed strange signs, or symbols.
COVER STORY / 25
We took the bricks to my father, who told us that
they were likely brought from Babylon some time
ago, as people used to bring brick from there to
finish their houses,” said Munir, as he recalled his
first spark of interest in architecture.
“The director of the archaeological museum
at that time confirmed the story. But 30 years
later, when I was asked to work on a monument, I
contacted people in the archaeology department
again. I mentioned the bricks, but someone from
the department told me that I had the wrong sto-
ry. He said the real story was that there was an old
Babylonian village and they had started to build a
bridge, but they couldn’t finish it.”
Inspired by his surroundings to become an
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
26 / COVER STORY
architect, as well as Islamic architec-
ture, in particular its inherent response
to and consideration of climate control,
Munir often looked to the past for in-
spiration and to the present for techno-
logical solutions.
Graduating from the University of
Texas in 1953 and the University of
South California in 1956, his early en-
gagement with mid-century American
architects and methodology greatly
influenced his architectural approach
and his future collaborations, both of
which reflected the period’s advanta-
geous environment for Iraqi architects.
Iraq was going through a period of
creative prosperity, despite the fre-
quent changes in leadership. As the
country moved from kingdom to
regime, renowned international archi-
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
tects were commissioned for large projects. Le Corbusier
built the Baghdad Gymnasium while Frank Lloyd Wright
masterplanned a district of Baghdad. And though he rejected
the invitation due to his political beliefs, Oscar Niemeyer was
asked to be part of a planning board in the 1950s, arranged by
King Faisal II. Iraqi architects, too, were returning from their
The Directorate
General of Po- studies abroad and becoming power houses in their own right
lice headquar- – this included Munir, as well as his contemporaries like Rifat
ters building Chadirji and Qahtan Al-Madfa’i.
After returning to Iraq in 1957, Munir would go on to es-
tablish Iraq’s first architecture department at the University
Iraqi Reinsur- of Baghdad with fellow Iraqi architects Mohamed Makiya and
ance Company Abdullah Ihsan Kamel in 1959.
complex
“At the time, I thought Abdullah was the best. The quality
and design of his work… He studied in the UK like Makiya, but
he continued at Harvard where he studied city planning,” said
Opening pages: Munir. “When we formed the department, he was already
the Baghdad teaching in the civic engineering department about relational
Chamber of
Commerce, and architecture. And when I was doing my post-graduate degree,
Munir today I was invited to be an assistant teacher, so I had some experi-
 COVER STORY / 27

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28 / COVER STORY

ence. I was the more academic one, I think, of the

three of us.”
Before he was assigned to develop the archi-
tecture department, Munir had established his
company in Baghdad in 1957. Called Hisham Mu-
nir and Associates, it grew rapidly and won many
of the design competitions it entered. Munir’s
early projects include the Mosul General Hospi-
tal, the Iraqi Engineers’ Union Headquarters and
the Baghdad Chamber of Commerce. His other
notable projects are the Agricultural Complex,
the Iraqi Reinsurance Company in Baghdad, the
Sheraton Hotels in Baghdad and Basra, and the
Al-Sabah Complex in Kuwait.
Having collaborated with North American
greats including Walter Gropius and his initiative
The Architects Collaborative (TAC), Canadian
architect Arthur Erickson, and a slew of British,
Brazilian and other international firms, Munir
often worked as a local associate, contributing to
the design and overseeing projects by large, often An archive
renowned firms. Such work included the Baghdad photo of Munir
on site in Iraq
Medical City and Complex Development Master
Plan with Whiting Rogers, Butler and Burgun, and
the Baghdad and Mosul Universities with TAC.
Munir first met Gropius during his studies at Architectural
the University of Texas, and following his move drawings of the
Iraqi Reinsur-
back to Iraq, the two would soon become frequent ance complex
collaborators. Perhaps, they were even friends –

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 COVER STORY / 29

with Gropius an apparent admirer of Middle Eastern rugs, Munir and his
wife once gifted the American architect with a kilim, which Gropius later
hung in his bedroom.
“TAC was doing the greatest work at that time,” said Munir. “I even sent
staff to oversee its projects in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, because Gropius
was always very worried about the quality of work done there. He con-
sidered the quality of the local prevailing practice to be almost primitive
compared to the new, high technology that was used elsewhere.”
Munir’s firm was recognised as a leading consultancy office in its own
right – his seamless blend of Islamic architecture and modern technol-
ogy was largely revered. He applied architectural and design solutions
that made sense for Iraq and for the time. And inside each of his buildings
were one-of-a-kind art pieces, created by Iraqi artists like Dia Azzawi and
Ismail Fatah Al Turk.
“I always say that architecture is the tempo of time and place,” Munir
said. “You cannot separate any proper work from the time that it was
made in. New material is not created as an extra, it is created out of need.
Each time and period brings with it new thoughts and new approaches.
“This is the unfortunate part of dictators or governments, though – they
erase things of the previous era. These buildings are landmarks of time,
and they should be kept so people know the history of their cities. I greatly
disagreed when they destroyed the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.”
By the 1990s, the political environment in Iraq caused great public dis-
tress, and there was an exodus of students, artists and academics. TAC was
no longer getting work due to the economic sanctions, and Munir found it
harder to continue running his office. By 1998, Munir closed his company
– a difficult decision no doubt – and he and his family left to Abu Dhabi
for a short while before relocating to Arlington, Virginia in the US, where
they have been ever since.
A frequent guest lecturer at Columbia, MIT and Harvard, Munir has
spent the last few decades writing and speaking. Currently working on his
memoir, he hopes to share his stories with a wider public one day. Most re-
cently, too, he was the recipient of Tamayouz Excellence Award’s Lifetime
Achievement Award.
“The 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to the architect
and academic Hisham Munir in appreciation of his contributions to the
development of Iraqi architecture,” said Wendy Pullan upon presenting
Munir with the award. “[He is] one of the pioneering practitioners and
mentors of generations of Iraqi architects who contributed to building
their country and to establishing the Department of Architecture at Bagh-
dad University, the first architectural department in Iraq.”
Looking back, Munir said he would likely change quite a lot. “There’s
new technology now,” he said. “I would make different forms.” Regardless,
many of his buildings remain, despite the lack of maintenance over the
years. “Even the Reinsurance building,” he mentioned. “It was burned,
but it’s still standing.”

Written by Rima Alsammarae

Images courtesy Tamayouz
Excellence Award & Hisham Munir

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30 / BRAND VIEW
MEET ATEF
KHEDHIR
La Casa’s senior concept architect discusses his theoretical approach to
architecture and the firm’s anticipated project Mall of Palestine
A Tunisian architect who’s worked in North Africa
and now Dubai, Atef Khedhir joined regional
architecture firm La Casa back in 2011, following a
one year stint with Australian company Schreiber
Hamilton. His move proved to be successful, as
he’s now handling one of La Casa’s biggest
upcoming projects - Mall of Palestine.
A senior concept architect, Khedhir is largely
in charge of concept designs for the firm’s retail
and residential work. His portfolio includes a string
of private residences across the UAE, as well as
larger retail and masterplan projects in various
cities around the GCC.
“I went to a masterclass on architecture in
Australia last year,” he said. “It was led by five
powerful architects based in Sydney and they gave
us example projects where we had to analyse local
culture and land. They taught us about working
with the human scale, and why you shouldn’t just
aim to be sustainable, but also responsible. That’s
what I strive to incorporate in my designs.”
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While last year was a monumental one for
La Casa with the firm taking on a number of
new projects, one particular highlight was the
announcement of the Mall of Palestine, which
looks to open its doors to the public in the first
quarter of 2019.
Set in Ramallah, the Mall of Palestine has
political significance and will provide economic
support to the local population, as well as a social
and entertainment destination.
“Being the first mall in Palestine makes it a
big deal,” said Khedhir. “The point is to give the
locals a gathering space where they can have a nice
experience. When we started to design it, we had
to resolve the varying levels of the land first, as well
as the movement of visitors. A particular challenge
was the access path from the main road to the
parking.”
A large structure that consists of varying
terraces that overlook the nearby valley as well as
the city of Ramallah, the mall also features a large
 BRAND VIEW / 31

atrium that connects mall-goers inside to views of

the surrounding environment.
“After we resolved a number of challenges, we
focused on the experience itself,” Khedhir added.
“On each level, you have access to the restaurants
located along the valley-facing side and they
all have open terraces. You also have access to
direct views via the atrium. So you have a constant
connection to the land and anyone in the mall
always has a sense of place.”
The mall consists of four main materials including
locally-sourced limestone, wood to reflect Palestine’s
olive-tree heritage, aluminium for cladding,
and glass.
“I’m very theoretical when I approach my work,”
said Khedhir. “According to the Haptic perception,
if you feel and touch something, it stays in your
mind and you can identify it later. So that’s what
we considered when working on this project – it’s
what drove us to work with local stone.”

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32 / PROJECTS

KAPSARC
A Saudi research centre designed by
Zaha Hadid Architects uses hexagonal
cells to provide shelter

D
esigned by Zaha Hadid Architects, the King
Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research
Centre (KAPSARC), a non-profit institution
for independent energy research in Riyadh,
has recently reached completion.
KAPSARC develops policies and economic frameworks
that reduce the environmental impact and overall costs of
energy supply and enable practical technology-based solu-
tions to use energy more efficiently.
At 70,000m2, the KAPSARC campus consists of five build-
ings: the Energy Knowledge Centre, the Energy Computer
Centre, a conference centre with an exhibition hall and 300-
seat auditorium, a research library with archives for 100,000
volumes, and a musalla.
Drawing from the five elements of the campus, the cen-
tre’s design is organised via a cellular and partially modular
system that integrates different departmental buildings as a
single ensemble with interconnecting public spaces.
The structural system of the hexagonal prismatic honey-
comb structures, which use the least material to create a lat-
tice of cells within a given volume, determined KAPSARC’s
composition as an amalgamation of crystalline forms that
emerge from the desert landscape and evolve to respond to
the environmental conditions. The honeycomb grid is com-
pressed towards its central axis as an extension of the natu-
ral wadi that runs to the west.
According to Zaha Hadid Architects, the modular design
generates consistent organisational, spatial and structural
strategies that drive all elements of the plan. The six sides of
the hexagonal cells further offer opportunities for increased
connectivity in comparison to rectangular cells.
The buildings of the campus surround a large public
courtyard that’s shaded by canopies supported by steel col-
umns. Presenting a solid, protecting shell to the harsh sun- Images courtesy
light from the south, the KAPSARC campus opens to the of ZHA

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 PROJECTS / 33

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34 / PROJECTS

north and west; encouraging prevailing

winds from the north to cool the court-
yard during temperate months and fa-
cilitating connections with any future
expansion of the campus to the north.
It also creates connections with the
researchers’ residential community to
the west.
Each of the buildings within the
campus is entered through this central
public courtyard that also serves as a
meeting space and link between build-
ings during temperate seasons. An un-
derground link also connects the main
buildings on the campus for use at the
hottest times of the year.
The buildings’ protective shell
shields KAPSARC’s porous architec-
ture within from the weather, while
specific hexagonal cells that are strate-
gically located within each building are
left open to create a series of sheltered
courtyards that welcome daylight into
the interior of the space.
‘Wind-catchers’ integrated within
the roof profiles on the southern sides
of each courtyard catch the prevail-
ing winds from the north, cooling each
courtyard.
“KAPSARC’s architecture promotes
transparency and encourages an ac-
tive exchange between researchers and
visitors,” the architects said. “By stra-
tegically off-setting floorplates, spatial
Drawing from
layering effects are created throughout
the five elements
the centre to provide views to the floors of the campus,
above and below; offering transpar- the centre’s de-
sign is organised
ency between floors in public areas de- via a cellular and
signed as collective zones for research- partially modular
ers to meet informally and exchange system

ideas. Secure areas and rooms

requiring privacy are located within
Hexagonal cells
areas of each building where floorplates
are located
overlap.” within each
KAPSARC is Zaha Hadid Archi- building and left
open to create
tect’s first project to be awarded LEED
a series of shel-
Platinum certification by the US Green tered courtyards
Building Council, as it was designed in that welcome
daylight into the
response to the environmental condi- interior of the
tions of the Riyadh plateau. space

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 PROJECTS / 35

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36 / PROJECTS

New National
Cancer Institute
Egypt’s cancer centre by SOM reinvents
the large medical campus

D
esigned by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
(SOM), Egypt’s New National Cancer Insti-
tute (NNCI) will stretch across a nine million
square foot campus just outside of Cairo. In-
tended to strengthen the institute’s position
as the largest comprehensive cancer centre across the Middle
East, Europe and Africa, the facility will be able to offer medi-
cal services to 1.7 million patients per year, as well as serve
as an international nexus of cancer research, education and
discourse.
When complete the medical campus will consist of a 1000-
bed hospital with an extensive out-patient centre. It will also
include a specialised nursing institute, hotel and housing, and
facilities for research, training, faculty and conferences.
To be located on a gently sloping, 35-acre site in Giza’s
Sheikh Zayed City, NNCI’s design meets the client’s vision
and phasing flexibility, and responds to the regional climate.
In achieving this, SOM created a unified system of functional
modules that are woven together via ‘circulation spines’ and
arranged around landscaped courtyards.
“The circulation spines offer patients, visitors and staff ac-
cess to the various campus programmes, as well as a network
of amenities including cafes, lounges, prayer rooms, retail,
paediatric activity areas and day care,” said Scott Habjan, as-
sociate director at SOM. “The staff spine not only provides an
efficient means to traverse the entire length of the campus,
it also fosters a sense of community through informal and
spontaneous interactions between clinicians, researchers Written by Rima
and students.” Alsammarae
The use of spines exemplifies the overall organisation sys-
tem’s goal of creating both “authentic cohesion” and orderly Images courtesy
separation for the campus. of SOM

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38 / PROJECTS

According to the architects, the cen-

trepiece of the new campus is its paired
in-patient and out-patient compo-
nents, which total four million square
feet. While the in-patient hospital is di-
vided into six modules, the out-patient
facility comprises a sequence of four
volumes. Both are interspersed with
courtyards developed in collabora-
tion with landscape architecture firm
Cracknell.
“The Grand Courtyard, which resides
between the hospital and outpatient
centre will provide patients and visi-
tors with a large, calming and shaded
venue within the campus,” said Hab-
jan. “Many patients with little means
will travel long distances from all cor-
ners of Egypt, as well as neighbouring
countries with their family members
in search of critical treatment at NNCI.
Many will arrive without an appoint-
ment and for them in particular, this
courtyard will serve as a welcome ex-
tension of the waiting lounges inside.”
According to Habjan, the ‘Open
Space Network’, in general, provides a
range of landscapes that offer places of
respite and contemplation, gathering
and interaction, and places that con-
vey the prestige of the medical institu-
tion. The courtyard organisation also
integrates indoors and outdoors and
assists in wayfinding, as the variety of
landscaping treatments defines each as
a unique marker.
Moreover, the entire hospital is situ-
ated above a massive support plinth.
Taking advantage of the site’s sloping
topography and the set of courtyards,
the underground areas reach six levels
below grade. Stretching across the insti-
tute’s entire site, it accommodates aux-
iliary clinical and research space, gen-
eral building support, the central plant
and distributed mechanical systems
and parking. Although fully integrated,
the internal planning of the facility was
designed for a three-step phasing strat-
egy to ensure an early start.

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 PROJECTS / 39

NNCI is set to
be the largest
comprehensive
cancer centre in
the region

The spaces are

interspersed
with courtyards,
meant to wel-
come visitors

“The circula-
tion spines offer
patients, visitors
and staff access
to the various
campus pro-
grammes,” said
Scott Habjan

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40 / PROJECTS

The architectural language further

expresses a conversation between
vernacular and modern architecture,
asserts Habjan. The functional build-
ing modules are clad in stone to con-
vey strength and permanence, and the
courtyards throughout the campus al-
lude to the local tradition of connecting
occupants to shaded outdoor space.
The circulation spines faceted glass
skins are also meant to represent light-
STAFF SPINE
ness and modernity, and both glass
INPATIENT MODULE
and stone surfaces feature abstract
PUBLIC SPINE

patterning inspired by Egypt’s history,

from Islamic influence to the ancient STAFF SPINE DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENT

PUBLIC SPINE
hieroglyphics. TPATIENT MODULE
CLINICAL SUPPORT

“The architecture of the campus en-

deavours to achieve a balance – creat-
PARKING

ing a modern place rooted in local her-

itage,” said Habjan. “The faceted glass
circulation spines with their ceramic
frit patterns are very prominent in the
image of the campus. In fact, they en-
close only a small part of the campus’
interior space. Also, the high efficiency
of the more ‘solid’ stone-clad pro-
gramme modules and the campus sup-
port platform combine to create a com-
plex well-tuned to its environment.”
He added, “This design reinvents the
large medical campus. [It] addresses
critical issues like cohesive growth,
phasing and programming flexibility, as
Hospital Nursing & Technician’s Institute

well connectivity and community in a Outpatient Center

Public Corridor
Faculty & Scientific Center
Research Center
Staff Corridor Conference & Training Center

new and exciting way.” Housing Mosque

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM

 A special report on smart cities

BUILDING
FOR FUTURE
COMMUNITIES
 INTRODUCTION / 42

A note from the editor

Driving the revolution forward

Smart cities will be impacted by changes in transportation and fuel

Changes in the urban environment modes, especially public-oriented op- control light and shade more, so you
over the next 10 years will be fuelled tions, would result in cleaner cities can get a much more human city and
by the worldwide evolution in trans- with healthier populations. a much more human environment
portation, fuel and building materials A reduced focus on cars, along with than you can if you’re driven by
industries, Gerard Evenden, senior ex- other transport changes, would also transportation.”
ecutive partner and head of studio at influence the shape of urban infra- A final influential factor is likely to
Foster+Partners, recently said. structure, allowing a renewed focus on be the fabric of the buildings them-
He was speaking ahead of his key- how buildings relate one to another. selves, as there is a global trend look-
note address at the Abu Dhabi Sustain- Without the constraint of planning ing for new materials and more effi-
ability Week, noting that shifts in these for large roads and multiple vehicle ac- cient ways of building.
three factors will likely bring about cess ways, architects would also have “The older techniques of building
significant change as cities continue to more freedom to address other is- are, in my view, beginning to die,” he
grow in size and population. sues, such as creating the right density said. “Pre-fabrication and the need for
“The advent of autonomous driving levels, designing the right amount of more efficient buildings, with more
is very close now and the whole way space between buildings, and explor- air tightness, is going to lead to a bet-
people will be transported around cit- ing how buildings orient themselves. ter quality of build, which in turn is
ies is going to change,” Evenden said. The impact of this, especially in hot going to have a massive effect on the
“That leads to a series of opportunities climates, could be significant. environment. Anything that happens
in terms of how you plan cities, which “In bigger spaces, you’re forced to in the building industry, anything that
have been dominated by the car for a have too much sunlight,” Evenden happens with the development of cit-
long time. That domination has led to explained. “In smaller spaces, we can ies, is going to affect the environment.”
open streets, but very little environ-
mental consideration.”
A United Nations study predicted
that an additional 2.5 billion peo-
ple could be living in cities by 2050,
thanks to continued urbanisation and
population growth, of which 90 per-
cent could be concentrated in cities in
Asia and Africa.
According to a press statement by
the organisers of Abu Dhabi Sustain-
ability Week, the urban built envi-
ronment contributes approximately
70 percent of global greenhouse gas
emissions.
Evenden said a combination of
cleaner fuels and the introduction
of more electric powered transport

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM

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44 / MARKET FOCUS

Building smart cities will require

more than bricks and mortar
According to a local expert, the fourth industrial revolution is encroaching, and we
will soon see people and machinery more seamlessly networked together

Every aspect of our lives, from the
classroom to the daily commute, is
being digitised as we move towards
the smart city paradigm, said Kamal
Mokrani, global vice president of InfiNet
Wireless. But unlike the jetpacks and
flying cars imagined to in the 1980s, he
added, smart cities are not only more
viable, but are taking shape around us.
“Governments within the GCC
have shown unparalleled ambition
in creating these digital societies,
embarking on long-term economic
visions that leverage technology to lay
the foundations for smart cities,” said
Mokrani. “So, what is the blueprint for
the smart society? What constitutes
best practice? And how can we ensure
the foundations are sound enough to
support value-adding solutions that
revolutionise everyday life?”
The first thing to recognise is that
legacy cable infrastructures can only
take the smart-city pioneer so far. Many
of the unique selling points of smart
cities involve the necessary feature
of mobility. Traffic optimisation,
automated public safety, and remote
health monitoring are just three
examples where key elements of the
ecosystem – such as vehicles, CCTV
cameras, people and so on – can be based
anywhere, with data made available

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MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM

 MARKET FOCUS / 45

that figures like these call for diligence

to and from them on a real-time basis.
Hard-wired solutions severely hamper
the delivery of such solutions.
“In addition, these cabled solutions
are extraordinarily disruptive in their
deployment, requiring significant
undertakings from the perspectives of
both civil engineering and the public
purse,” he said. “Both factors also
amount to considerable lifespans for
cabling projects, thereby dampening the
momentum of smart city initiatives.”
Wireless presents itself as an obvious
candidate for any government intent
on crafting its own smart city. But
care must be taken when selecting the
platform on which all future smart
solutions will be built, said Mokrani.
Choosing the wrong one might block
lead visionary advances.
According to GSMA Intelligence’s
2017 Mobile Economy report, mobile
internet subscriber penetration in the
Middle East and North Africa reached
36 percent in 2016 and is projected to
top 46 percent by 2020. Mokrani said
when selecting wireless platforms,
as many smart city solutions involve
continuous data feedback to and from
citizens, as well as municipal authorities.
“An effective smart infrastructure
also needs to enable split-second
decision making, in the order of three
milliseconds or lower for most known
applications today,” he said. “A suitable
mobile-internet solution needs to be
based on internet protocol (IP), provide
guaranteed delivery of each and every
packet, and be capable of connecting
seamlessly to any data source and any
current or future sensors.”
Consider a CCTV-based public safety
system – real-time image processing
is computationally expensive. Low
latency, reliability of data transfer,
and fast processing capabilities come
together to deliver features such as
instant facial or automatic number-
plate recognition, and a host of other
crowd-based analytics services that
ultimately translate into safer and more
secure environments.
However, smart infrastructure must
also mitigate interference and radio
noise, especially since the number of
wireless networks within the city will
increase as more services are rolled out.
“Our journey towards the smart cities
of tomorrow must be less of a sprint
and more of a methodical march,”
said Mokrani. “Healthcare, education,
security and public safety all await the
innovators. Their solutions – if built on
the back of a robust, flexible, responsive,
and reliable wireless platform – will
usher in that new smart city age we have
all been waiting for.”

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46 / TREND REPORT
Building up for 2018
Saeed Al Abbar, managing director at AESG, reports on the trends to look forward
to in building smart cities
While still challenging, the last 12
months have definitely seen an uptick
in the market as regional governments
and the private sector have adapted
to the new paradigm of lower oil
prices and set in place strategies
and programmes that provide a
more economically sustainable
development pathway.
As a result of these programmes,
the coming year holds much promise
for the industry, particularly for those
well placed to capitalise on the new
trends in the market. Despite this,
the lower levels of liquidity in the
market is certainly driving regional
government and private developers
to be very strategic with their
investment decisions. So, with this
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
in mind, let’s map out the key trends
and areas of focus for the building
industry in 2018.
ZERO AND NEAR-ZERO ENERGY
BUILDINGS
Off the back of the historic Paris Climate
Change Agreement in 2015, the world
began to set in place a clear roadmap
for decarbonising the global economy.
Buildings, which account for over 40
percent of global carbon emissions,
form the frontline of the fight against
climate change and in order to reach
the objectives of the Paris agreement,
we need to reach a point where the
building stock is net-zero by 2050.
With regional governments being
signatories to the Paris Agreement,
the region’s building industry will be
faced with the challenge of adapting
to this requirement. Those that act
now will have a significant competitive
advantage once such targets make
their way into regional building codes
and regulations – something that has
already commenced in Europe.
While the adage ‘you can’t get
something for nothing’ generally
holds true, we are now at a stage
where near-zero energy buildings are
a reality and can be made possible
through cost-effective means. The
interest is clear. In fact, even though
reaching a point of net-zero is slightly
more challenging, it too is gradually
becoming more main stream and
there are several upcoming projects

that have set net-zero targets. We are
currently even working with a number
of developers that have set near-zero
and even net-zero energy targets on
their projects.
COMMISSIONING
Though commissioning has rarely
been given its due attention in the
past, the most essential part of the
project as it brings all the systems and
services together and ensures they
work in harmony. I always use the
adage that no airline would receive
an aircraft that has not undergone a
rigorous testing, commissioning and
integration regime. Modern buildings,
which in many cases have more system
components than a jumbo jet and
represent a similar level of investment,
therefore also need to receive the same
care and attention when being brought
into service. I always tell clients that if
they try and cut corners and save costs
in commissioning, they are basically
accepting that they are happy to
receive a building that does not work
as intended – and consequently they
are not getting what they paid for. Not
only does inadequate commissioning
pose a significant risk to the safety and
health of those within the building, but
buildings not properly commissioned
will use upwards of 25 percent of
the energy they would have used
had they gone through an exercise
of optimisation and integration of
systems.
As the market has matured
over recent years and a number of
developers have observed the losses
they have incurred during operation
of inadequately commissioned
buildings, we are now seeing
greater focus on this area and most
developers are now employing the
services of third party commissioning
specialists to manage and oversee the
commissioning process right from the
start of design until handover.
This in turn will create greater
professionalism and accountability
in the MEP sector and significantly
improve quality, which in my opinion
is much needed in the region. To
use another analogy – the historic
practices of allowing MEP contractors
to carry out their own testing and
commissioning is like asking school
children to mark their own exam
papers without the teacher verifying
that they have marked their work
correctly or honestly.
VALUE ENGINEERING
With oil prices unlikely to bounce
back to previous highs, a premium will
be placed on value engineering and
innovation. Reflecting the importance
of this has been the emergence of
consultancy service providers and
contractors whose approach to
value engineering is led by technical
specialists and supported by cost
consultants rather than the other
way around. This has proven to be
more effective as it enables value
and system function to be clearly
understood and defined so that
value engineering does not become
a simple cost-cutting exercise. Many
developers have experienced the
issues with what I term ‘vandalism
engineering’ associated with simply
removing cost items from a BOQ
without due regard for whether the
building will still function as intended.
With our knowledge of the local
market, we have been successful
at applying value engineering
methodology to a number of projects.
I strongly believe that consultants
and contractors that are successful
in 2018 will be those that integrate
value engineering into their processes
and are able to provide more value at
lower cost to the client. To reiterate,
those that approach value engineering
as a pure cost-cutting exercise without
due regard for function or value will
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
TREND REPORT / 47
soon be found out as the developer
ends up with a building that does not
work as intended.
MANAGEMENT OF EXISTING
ASSETS
A number of high-value buildings
in the region are aging so there is
a greater need for managing these
assets to maintain their quality and
performance. We have seen a lot of
demand for recommissioning the
mechanical, electrical, fire life safety
and even façade systems of older
buildings to bring them in line with
modern standards and codes.
A developing trend has been
for property owners to request
recommissioning for their buildings,
which requires a holistic diagnosis of
all systems in the building to ensure
their proper functionality. This
includes a thorough review of vital
systems such as air conditioning,
the BMS, and fire and life safety
systems. Organizations that decided
to take this up in 2018 would do well
to treat BMS as the starting point,
as this is not only where building
systems are orchestrated but BMS
will also help pinpoint where systems
are not working in harmony. This
not only validates that the building
systems provide a safe and healthy
environment for occupants but also
provides significant energy savings.
Overall, the outlook for the building
industry is bright. As with any
industry, there will be challenges to
overcome. However, by paying careful
attention and adapting to the changes
and new trends in the industry,
developers will be able to safeguard
their investments and ensure smooth
operations for years to come. The
industry is moving forward at a rapid
pace and innovation is finally taking
a firm hold on the building sector.
Those that ignore these tides of
change will simply be left behind.
48 / PROJECT
Marasi Water Homes
U+A’s latest residential project in Dubai challenges the meaning of waterfront cities
A residential masterplan project
by Dubai Properties, Marasi Water
Homes is the first phase of a series of
developments for the Dubai Canal.
According to Sasan Niknam, design
manager at U+A, phase one consisted
of over 160 berths with arrays of palm
tree planters sitting on the pontoon
walkways, 10 floating villas, one float-
ing dining outlet, one floating yacht
club and two onshore adjacent plots
that hold the reception and lounge
buildings.
The homes were fitted with a smart
technology home system, MEP,
vacuum pump systems for sewage, and
they also come with their own private
yacht parking that’s adjacent.
“Marasi Water Homes opens up
a new residential typology in a way
that we propose to make use of exist-
ing waterways and canals,” Niknam
said. “In many European and North
MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM
American cities, waterfront living is
a very common development typol-
ogy. We don’t always need to reclaim
land to make more space, rather we
can make use of the water in a smart
way and make it accessible via floating
platforms.”
Designed in Dubai, the project was
manufactured and delivered turnkey
in Finland by Admares. The structures
were then shipped to Dubai and towed
into place. “The way the project was
built and delivered could be another
milestone in the future development
of smart cities,” added Niknam.
The Marasi Water Homes are es-
sentially no different to any on-shore
design that’s placed on a floating steel
pontoon. Similar to European build-
ings that have basement floors for
MEP equipment, the structures make
the most of their steel base.
“The pontoon not only allows the
structure to float, but it also houses
the entire technical heart and brain
of the project in a smart way,” said
Niknam. We made use of every single
corner and space.”
According to the design manager,
the team faced a number of challenges
in terms of water supply, sewer
facilities, electricity and air condi-
tioning. All items, he said, had to be
customised and detailed to fit the
project. Admares had a team of spe-
cialists involved to ensure the latest
European technology was considered
for the development.
“The air conditioning for instance
is a sea water cooling system,” said
Niknam.
“And similarly, other components
needed to be approved by the lo-
cal authorities. In order to realise
this project, a great team effort was
required.”
 PROJECT / 49

SPECIAL REPORT
URBAN & GREEN SPACES

No topic captures the present quite like

urban and green spaces, with industry
professionals proclaiming the fourth
industrial revolution upon us, and the UN
predicting 2.5 billion people to be living
in cities by 2050.

Architects are looking ahead the next

few decades and problem solving issues
of density, quality of community life and
sustainability. Join the conversation with
Middle East Architect’s March issue and
engage with local experts on the current
challenges and upcoming trends.

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50 / LAST WORD

Delivering efficiency
Arch. Saed Estaitia, head of design at Abdul Rahim Engineering Consultants –
ARACO, discusses the importance of architecture consultancy

Building an efficient system, process,

product or service requires expertise
to ensure that all components function
smoothly, so that productivity is
emphasised and wastage or downtime
is reduced or eliminated. Ultimately,
the end goal of developing and
maintaining efficiency is increasing
profitability. This is true across many
industries, and architecture is no
exception.
Consultancy services in architecture
help in understanding and determining
project feasibility through to project
delivery. Many projects are just not
suitable either in scale, design or in
applicability to Middle East climates,
so by adjudging the feasibility of a
project before its inception and for its
purpose and its location, there will be a
clear path to the project’s completion.
Another key area for consultancy is
in the ongoing supervision of buildings
under construction. Ensuring a project
remains on track is difficult, but it
is extremely important for both the
developers and other stakeholders’
as delays in projects cause severe
monetary losses.
To ensure a project is completed on
time, proper planning is necessary,
as is communication with the of the building and for savings in adopting and assessing the practicality
stakeholders in order to build realistic operating costs, such as energy and of new trends, staying on schedule for
deadlines. Further, when planning, it maintenance. In this regard, smart project completion, and in preventing
is also important to pre-empt delays and intelligent systems are a hot topic wastage of funds, time and effort.
either due to material sourcing, labour and nearly everyone wants to include a Client loyalty is no longer only
or other required resources. feature or two in their new projects. related to the fast-moving goods
Much of the consultancy done In general, the consultancy industry, it is considered part of
in architecture also surrounds the services provided by an architectural the architecture consultancy firm’s
applicability of materials in the Middle firm can introduce and familiarise success, however, this cannot be
East. It is necessary to inform clients the peculiarities of an unknown achieved unless the client is provided
of the appropriateness of the materials environment to a new player in the with the key deliverables of efficiency,
used for both the structural integrity market, and help seasoned operators in functionality and profitability.

MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 02.18 / WWW.DESIGNMENA.COM

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