< PreviousCOVER STORY 20 CONSTRUCTION WEEK DECEMBER 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Men have traditionally dominated the construction and engineering sectors, but with changing times, more opportunities and avenues have opened up for women. This has resulted in a substantial increase in the number of women in the construction workforce in recent years. The construction industry has been criticised for its slow progress on several fronts, from technology to diversity. Globally, it has also been identified as the industry with the highest gender imbalance ratio, according to World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021. However, with a shift in mindset, the industry is embracing systematic, business- led approaches to workplace inclusion and diversity, while giving equal representation the importance it truly deserves. According to a recent report by McKinsey & Co, companies with greater gender diversity are 25% more likely to achieve above-average profitability than companies with less diversity. Public and private companies have undertaken a number of initiatives to increase the percentage of women in the industry on the basis of their merits and skills. That includes addressing issues like equal participation on boards and in leadership positions, closing the pay gap, and providing flexible work schedules. Construction Week addressed the aforementioned issues at the Women in Construction Conference. Panellists highlighted solutions to strengthen equal representation and eliminate gender bias. This sentiment was reflected in the keynote speech delivered by Susanne Mikhail, Regional Director for the Arab States at UN Women. She said it is the collective responsibility of both men and women across industries to create a more inclusive environment for women to grow and thrive. Evolution of workplace policies What does it take to make workplaces gender diverse and attractive for women? In the first panel discussion, titled “Challenging the region’s workplace policies,” panellists answered this questions and examined whether there are sufficient policies for a gender-balanced environment in the workplace. They also addressed the immediate gaps that the construction industry needs to fill to move towards gender equality. The panel featured Olga Litkovets, Director of Business Development and Marketing MENA at Cundall; Amer Mneimneh, Vice President of Urbanism + Planning for Middle East & Africa at AECOM Middle East; Shorouq Hamawi, Regional Communications and Marketing Director International Development, South Asia, Middle East, and Africa at Mott MacDonald; and Jane Miles, Senior Associate at Reed Smith, as panellists. “Having gender diversity and focusing on diversity has become an inevitable change that we all had to make. At some point, the construction industry has woken up to a reality that we have not progressed as much; we have not innovated as much, just because we were singly represented,” Litkovets said. The construction sector has “stopped innovation by not allowing a more diverse workforce to come and collaborate”, she added noting that gender-based restrictions have “limited” the industry’s ability to improve productivity. Litkovets added: “In today’s world, we Susanne Mikhail, Regional Director for the Arab States at UN Women delivering the keynote speech The construction industry needs to ll the immediate gaps to make it gender equalCOVER STORY DECEMBER 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 21WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM are seeing massive change. Companies are encouraging diversity and are bringing more women into the workplace and working towards creating a culture that is inclusive, creative, and productive.” Workplace policies have evolved, according to Hamawi, and companies are now appointing a diverse workforce to create such policies. She said: “We are seeing policies that do not tolerate discrimination, abuse, and harassment, and by that, we are creating a safe environment for women, which ultimately will result in having more women in the industry. “Inclusive workplaces are not only important for the staff; it isn’t just a good thing to do, but it is also good for business. It translates to retaining more talent, having happier staff, dealing better with customers and clients, and understanding the needs around you, which at the end focuses on enhancing revenue.” Supporting the comments on how policies have changed in nature, Miles noted: “There are changes and there are improvements, and the policies have evolved. For women, things are improving. It does seem, however, that there is a disparity among organisations.” According to Miles, there is a gender diversity gap between firms of various sizes. Smaller organisations are struggling to keep up with larger companies, which tend to have larger boards with a higher percentage of women on them. However, smaller organisations are taking significant steps, which Miles emphasised is “really important” for the industry. Fellow panellist Mneimneh, however, stressed that the industry has seen an evolution of policies, but these are not enough to change the perception of the construction industry. “It is important to start working from the very base and attract a pool of talent that is gender diverse and has the right skillset,” he added. Hamawi echoed Mneimneh’s remarks, saying that realigning construction companies’ policies, in the long run, will “help increase the representation of women as well as productivity and profitability”. Improving current workplaces for future generations Construction stakeholders in the region have created paths for young architects The investment required to attract more young women into the workplace outweighs the value it creates for organisations The conference addressed current movements to strengthen equal representation and eliminate gender discrimination “DIVERSITY IS NUMBERS AND INCLUSION IS IMPACT. BRINGING MEN AND WOMEN TOGETHER, AND MAKING THAT CHANGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, AND I AM SEEING THE CHANGE.” OLGA LITKOVETS, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING MENA, CUNDALLCOVER STORY 22 CONSTRUCTION WEEK DECEMBER 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM and engineers to follow, and there are now more female workers in on-site jobs. The million-dollar question, though, is how can we improve the situation? During the panel discussion, Swati Rokade, Associate, Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ); Tasneem Bakri, Assistant Manager - Operations, Alpin Limited; and Marwa Ahmed, Senior Project Manager at Cracknell, collectively agreed that there is scope for improvement. “It is good to see that we are having open conversations about diversity and inclusion, but taking that to its results is always a journey,” Bakri said, adding that while companies are making great efforts to achieve the results, the industry is still in the early stages of change. She added: “The idea here is translating those [conversations] into actions and results, and this is where it sets organisations apart; the organisations that are still having that conversation and the ones that have transferred that into action.” However, the onus also lies on education institutions and authorities in fuelling a greater intake of female candidates to fill engineering and architectural positions. Reflecting on the investment required to bring more young women into the workplace versus the value it creates for organisations, Ahmed said: “Communication is important, and so is the investment of both time and money towards a goal, which is to attract young engineers and architects into the business.” “In order to communicate with them, you have to create opportunities and hire young talent. This is not just to tick the boxes but to actually benefit from the value it would create to attract the future workforce,” Ahmed added. However, creating awareness at an early age is a way forward for young women entering the field, stressed Rokade. She said: “As a society, we all need to work together. In the past, we have marginalised certain roles for male and female members. But now we are changing the scenario, and I believe it has to be a joint effort at every level. It is important to start it at an early level, including at schools and universities.” Overall, the message from the panel is clear. The future generation of architects and engineers will develop innovations and breakthroughs in the construction sector; and the sector must create the right opportunities to support this. Rising through the ranks Women and men alike have the ability to delegate effectively, provide motivational leadership, and encourage team members to work in collaboration towards the success of an organisation. However, there are two recurring questions surrounding women in leadership. Why do we need more female leaders in the construction sector? Can women in leadership act as role models for young women entering the sector? A line-up of panellists comprising Anita Nouri, CEO / Business Development Director at Green Energy Solutions & Sustainability; Yannic Leveque, Design Manager at BESIX; Nadine Bitar, Strategic and Executive Advisor; and Aisling Guilfoyle, Project Engineer and Design Manager, Atkins discussed how the industry could ensure that female members have evolved from being a “Tick in the Box” and are bringing substantial knowledge when occupying managerial positions. “Over the years, what has happened is that women have found their voice and they’ve allowed themselves to find that voice,” Nouri said. According to her, women have historically taken a back seat, but now they’ve stood up and are collectively asking, “Why can’t we lead?” She added: “This is mainly because of the generations that came in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s that enabled their young daughters to stand up for themselves and to enter into The industry has made signi cant progress in bringing women to leadership roles based on merit and the right skillset Stakeholders are overcoming their resistance to change by supporting the advancement of high-potential women into leadership rolesCOVER STORY DECEMBER 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 23WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Talk the talk and walk the walk Gender diversity and inclusion is a task that requires participation from all members of the organisation, regardless of gender. Such activities also include the recruitment and retention of women, which is critical to the industry’s growth. Tom Elam, Talent Acquisition Director, SNC-Lavalin in the Middle East, and Nadine Halabi, Business Development Manager at Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC) joined the conversation and emphasised how organisations must make more efforts to become a ‘recruit and retain’ space. Taking the conversation from a recruiter’s perspective, Elam, who has been working to attract diverse talent in the region at SNC-Lavalin, said: “This is a journey, and a long one. We are only just starting out and are making positive inroads. From a recruitment perspective, the challenge I’ve faced in the last few years is that leadership would talk the talk but wouldn’t walk the walk, and that’s where there has been a need STEM education. Now, there are more women who follow this path and work alongside men.” Sharing her observation on how significant progress has been made in bringing women to leadership roles based on merit and the right skillset, Bitar noted: “I think we are in a very interesting time. We are facing multiple crises including climate change, a technology crisis, and we also have a crisis of intergenerational equity. Amid these crises that impact women the most, they are surviving.” However, Bitar stressed that over the last decade, women have risen to the challenge and are bringing solutions to such crises. She added: “Creativity and innovation are not only going to save us and the organisation, but also the planet.” On a slightly different note, Leveque, said: “I’ve never seen a barrier to being a woman on a construction site. I tell my team that we are all equal. We can be a draftsman, an architect, an engineer, and we can be a man or a woman and come from anywhere in the world. Ultimately, it is all about opportunity. “As a leader, I believe it is about setting the right example for the next generation,” she added. Leaders like Leveque, Nouri, and Bitar have inspired fellow panellist Guilfoyle, who was awarded the Next-Gen Woman of the Year 2021 at the Women in Construction awards organised by The Big 5 Summit. She said: “In the last few years, I have seen a female presence in leadership roles. I was working on a design-and-build project for Atkins. On site, we had a chief architect who was a female, and we had a resident engineer who was also a female. “The main concern, however, for me is that there is a tipping point where I would like to be elevated to a position because of my ability and not because of my gender, which is a fine line to meander.” The industry must highlight successful women at workplace and ensure that talent attraction strategy focuses on young female candidates for us to put in KPIs in our industry to ensure that our leadership has a target to achieve.” Echoing Elam’s comments, Halabi shared details about initiatives the Dubai Business Women Council has adopted to support the growth of female candidates across businesses, including within the construction sector. She said: “During the pandemic, we launched the DBWC Forums, through which we created dialogues with professionals from different industries. We highlighted the challenges that women were facing in those industries and provided tangible solutions.” Both Elam and Halabi reflected on the importance of providing equal and greater opportunities for women as a central element for the sustainable growth of the sector. However, they stressed that to support this, it is essential that women are retained in the workforce. “Retention is a far greater challenge, and I think we are doing some things right in terms of influencing policy change to ensure that we can retain women in the workforce. But we are certainly not there yet, and a lot more work needs to be done in that place,” Elam said. He concluded: “We need to be more authentic. We need to talk about the successful women in workplace and ensure that our talent attraction strategy talks to females, whether they are graduates, apprentices or leaders. There is a lot to do, but we are taking positive steps.” “RETENTION IS A FAR GREATER CHALLENGE, AND I THINK WE ARE DOING SOME THINGS RIGHT IN TERMS OF INFLUENCING POLICY CHANGE TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN RETAIN WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE. BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY NOT THERE YET AND A LOT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE.” TOM ELAM, TALENT ACQUISITION DIRECTOR SNC-LAVALIN MIDDLE EASTLEADERS QATAR 24 CONSTRUCTION WEEK DECEMBER 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM The developer is using post-tensioning concrete, which not only helps reduce cost but builds the structure ef ciently Asimple “ fiv e-minute drive” around Qatar will showcase the amount of con- struction underway to cement the nation as the touristic and infrastruc- tural hub it is transforming into, said Gary Dodds, Country Director Qatar, Cundall while speaking at the recently-concluded Lead- ers in Construction Qatar Summit 2021. Qatar is brimming with several opportuni- ties, evidenced across sectors and fuelled by the Qatar National Vision 2030. Construction Week captured the bustling construction activity in the nation through the conference, which was held virtually on 23 November 2021. The event featured three panel discussions, namely How is FIFA World Cup 2022 shaping Qatar’s construction landscape?; The huge pipeline of infrastructure projects in Qatar; and Development projects changing the face of Qatar’s tourism sector. HOW IS FIFA WORLD CUP 2022 CHANGING HOW IS FIFA WORLD CUP 2022 CHANGING QATAR’S CONSTRUCTION LANDSCAPE?QATAR’S CONSTRUCTION LANDSCAPE? FIFA World Cup 2022 has been “a major catalyst” in driving a rapid change in Qatar, and the projects surrounding the tournament are “priority projects” and have shaped the country’s construction landscape. Panellists Gary Dodds, Coun- try Director Qatar, Cundall and Pamela McDonald, Partner, Pinsent Masons alluded to this during the first panel of the Leaders in Construction Qatar Summit. Dodds added: “There has been a very aggressive construction programme to complete these [priority] projects.” Furthermore, both Dodds and McDonald deliberated on the “internationalisation” created by Qatar’s burgeoning construction and infrastructure sector. Dodds said: “We are seeing a lot of our international clients across sectors wanting to come to Qatar to be here for the large-scale tournaments and for their businesses. “The tournament has undoubtedly attracted high-pedigree companies who want to come to Qatar, and our company is benefitting from that.” Commenting on what changes the FIFA World Cup 2022 brought about in construction contracts and associated investment opportunities, McDonald, said: “The FIFA-related projects have been a major catalyst for quite a rapid change in Qatar. The projects that have been completed for the World Cup are in line with Qatar’s ambitions. “A lot of these projects involve highly complex and specialised infrastructure, hence there has also been an influx of foreign investment into Qatar, and that has been hugely beneficial for local construction companies.” McDonald also explained that the Qatari construction market has now become “more familiar with JVs or joint ventures”, and has become “more claim- centric” than it has ever been. Citing information released by Qatar International Centre for Conciliation and Arbitration (QICCA), McDonald further highlighted an increase in arbitration references as well as an increase in [QICCA’s] caseload, adding that the Qatari construction sector is becoming “desensitised” to formal dispute resolution. QATAR IS BRIMMING WITH CONSTRUCTION, INFRASTRUCTURE & TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES Construction Week highlights the key takeaways from the Leaders in Construction Qatar Summit that addressed the growth of and opportunities in Qatar’s construction, infrastructure, and tourism sectors “The FIFA-related projects “The FIFA-related projects have been a major catalyst for have been a major catalyst for quite a rapid change in Qatar. quite a rapid change in Qatar. The projects are in line with The projects are in line with Qatar’s ambitions.”Qatar’s ambitions.” Pamela McDonald, Partner, Pamela McDonald, Partner, Pinsent MasonsPinsent Masons Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatar has constructed a total of eight stadiums for the international tournament [Image: CW Archives]LEADERS QATAR DECEMBER 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 25WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM BUILDING ON A HUGE PIPELINE OF INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN QATAR It has been wisely and famously said that investment in infrastructure is a long term requirement for growth and a long term factor that will make growth sustainable. Qatar’s expansive and ambitious infrastructure has lent tremendous opportunities to the nation’s dynamic contracting sector. The second panel of the Leaders in Construction Qatar Summit featured Alex Hanna, Senior Director – Qatar, Khatib & Alami and Jesús Sancho, Managing Director Middle East, ACCIONA. Kicking off the discussion, Hanna identified social infrastructure and housing as key elements of Qatar’s infrastructural network. He said: “Since the first launch of Qatar’s Vision 2030, we have seen the nation become a far more developed economy that has grown accustomed to major programmes of work.” Sharing insights and predictions about the coming years for Qatar, Hanna said during the conference: “We see the next decade being a period of continued growth. But, it will also be competitive because everyone wants to work here in Qatar.” The country is currently mapping its journey towards a ‘knowledge-based economy’ as it takes marked efforts to diversify away from its oil-driven economy. During the panel, Sancho highlighted a recent announcement by the government of Qatar, about its budget, which entails $57.8bn in expenditure, of which 40-43% were allocated to major projects including in infrastructure, healthcare, transportation, tourism, and education. Qatar’s infrastructure is being supervised and governed by Ashghal, Qatar’s Public Works Authority, with all stakeholders in the country working around the framework and mandate(s) provided by the authority. Ashghal is central and inarguably crucial to all infrastructure work in Qatar, with road and rail serving as the cornerstones. A collaborative work relationship with Ashghal is fundamental for stakeholders engaged in contributing towards Qatar’s infrastructure. As a Qatar-based stakeholder, if you are not working with Ashghal, “you better pack and go!” remarked Hanna during the panel. Commenting on the nature of Ashghal projects that Khatib & Alami are working on, Hanna said: “Our projects with Ashghal tend to mitigate major infrastructure problems which are caused due to climate change and urbanisation.” On his part, Sancho explained how - in collaboration with Ashghal - ACCIONA is adding value to the country’s infrastructure. He said: “We have been closely associated with Ashghal for many years and have been bidding for the projects, especially the sewage treatment area.” Qatar’s drive for sustainability is reflected in stakeholders’ way of working. “We are happy to see Qatar’s committment and concern about sustainability and we can contribute in that respect,” Sancho said. The country’s vision for a sustainable future is deep-rooted in the construction and infrastructure around the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022, which promises to be a “connected and green” event, Hanna concluded. Al Wahda Arches in Qatar sits on the Lusail Expressway and serves as the gateway to Doha’s West Bay business district [Image: Shutterstock]LEADERS QATAR 26 CONSTRUCTION WEEK DECEMBER 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM HOW ARE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS HOW ARE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS CHANGING QATAR’S TOURISM SECTOR?CHANGING QATAR’S TOURISM SECTOR? “Over the last ve years, we have seen many different theme parks in Qatar. We are also seeing resorts popping up in the middle of the desert. There is great diversi cation underway.” Martin Baeuerle, Operations Manager, Cundall In transitioning from a business destination to a leisure destination, Qatar is making significant headway in its global position and perception, and in diversifying away from an oil- based economy. Through our discussions with key stakeholders and consultants heavily focused on Qatar’s construction landscape, we found that the region is indeed brimming with opportunities, and its potential will be unlocked in the years to come, with the FIFA World Cup 2022, being a “stepping stone” in that direction. The heightened construction activity across Qatar is fuelling its economic development. And, it will be interesting to see how the region’s efforts deliver on an ambitious yet feasible mandate. Construction Week successfully wrapped up its Leaders in Construction Qatar conference, shining the spotlight on the bustling activity, growth and major upcoming events and projects. Qatar’s Tourism Strategy, focuses on enhancing visitor e xperience as it ramps efforts in establishing itself as a tourism destination. Some of the key projects amplifying Qatar’s role in global tourism are Katara Cultural Village; National Museum of Qatar; Museum of Islamic Art; and all the stadiums surrounding the FIFA World Cup 2022. The final panel of the Leaders in Con- struction Qatar Summit featured Martin Baeuerle, Operations Manager, Cundall; Samer Aoun, Senior Manager – Qatar, Khatib & Alami; and Dr Max Clark, Vice President – Delivery Services, Parsons as panellists. “It’s ambitious, but feasible,” Aoun said about Qatar’s Tourism Strategy, while speaking at the conference. He added: “If you look at the variety of tourism projects under construction, you can understand just how serious the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) is in branding Qatar as a future top destination in the Gulf and in the world.” As Qatar evidently makes massive strides and efforts in achieving internationalisation and improving international awareness as a tourism destination, this is reflected in six key areas. Aoun outlined the key areas as coastal and desert tourism, cultural tourism, business events, sports tourism, urban and family entertainment projects and more. In enhancing its development projects, Qatar has seen an increased “beautification” of its several assets. Baeuerle said: “Over the last five years, we have seen many different theme parks in Qatar. We are also seeing resorts popping up in the middle of the desert. There is great diversification underway.” Qatar’s Lusail City has been integral to its current position as an upcoming tourism hub. The city has been planned and developed for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022. Highlighting this, Clark concluded: “With Lusail City, we [Parsons] have been engaged constantly. It’s wonderful to watch a city develop from the ground up, help build that vision, and see how such new cities fit in and emerge with the rest of Doha.” The Museum of Islamic Art is one among many key landmarks shaping Qatar’s tourism sector [Image: Qatar Tourism]LEGACY 28 CONSTRUCTION WEEK DECEMBER 2021WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM Long before Dubai embraced a series of superlatives in the biggest, tallest, highest, and smartest, it told stories of heritage, culture, and architectural excellence through intricacies. And while the smartest and first-of- its-kind are documented on your 16:9 screens and made ‘Instagrammable’, the architectural icons tell intriguing stories, go down as landmarks, evoke great nostalgia value, and [in some cases] are even inscribed on national currency. One of the many jewels in Dubai’s architectural crown is the Dubai Creek Golf Clubhouse, also referred to as the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. Construction Week recently met with Brian Johnson, Managing Partner at Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ), and the architectural and design mastermind of the resort, which comprises an 18 hole championship golf course, a nine hole Par three course, a mini golf course, Golf Academy, Tennis, FitLab, Padel Tennis and six restaurants. Johnson’s most popular and — arguably — best piece of work fits in his pocket. The Dubai Creek Golf Clubhouse is imprinted on the AED20 currency note. While that’s an accomplishment he is now habituated to, the industry veteran showcases a childlike glee and excitement while describing the intricate details and journey associated with the clubhouse project. With the Dubai Creek Golf Clubhouse, Johnson scored a hole in one [in golfing lingo], re-entering the Dubai market and cementing GAJ’s presence and position in the region. Dressed in an ethereal white from head to toe, Johnson shared with Construction Week: “You can design buildings but cannot really decide when and whether they become icons or not. For this project, we won an architectural competition, and I had a slight advantage, having been involved in the Emirates Golf Club and having dealt with HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai. I knew what he wanted.” He continued: “He [HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum] wanted something which would be unashamedly Dubai. The fantastic setting by the Creek meant that I was thinking of something with a nautical feel. The idea of the lateen sails gliding across the ocean was foremost in my mind. I wanted to design a building which — wherever you were on the golf course — you would see as a dhow sail, which is why the structure took a three-dimensional form.” Avoiding resemblant elements in designing a structure must be accompanied by a sense of consciousness and self-critiquing approach, both of which Johnson showcased, when he noted resonances between the Dubai Creek Golf Clubhouse and the Sydney Opera House designed by late Danish architect Jørn Utzon. Speaking with Construction Week, he said: “When I first saw the images [of the project] that the perspective artist DUBAI CREEK GOLF CLUBHOUSE: LEGACY & NOSTALGIA UNMATCHED As the UAE completes 50 years since the formation of the union and enters its 51st, Construction Week’s Disha Dadlani gains insights on the Dubai Creek Golf Clubhouse project, which has been instrumental to shaping the region’s infrastructural landscape [Images: Supplied] LEGACYLEGACY DECEMBER 2021 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 29WWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM was working on, it was not clear how it will all fit together. Sydney Opera House is a series of shell shapes with curved surfaces. And, that is one of the reasons why there are no curved surfaces on the Dubai Creek Golf Clubhouse. I wanted to use a sail as an architectural device, without having anyone connect it with the Sydney Opera House.” Johnson continued: “I consulted my model maker who very quickly put together a simple model which showed the forms as being completely flat. In this case, I had to prove to myself and HH Sheikh Rashid bin Al Maktoum that the project is not a copy of something that already existed.” “The perspectives show what the perspectives show,” he said, adding that even today, people often — when they draw the building — do so with a curved top, which the building doesn’t have. The project’s “flatness and absence of curved surfaces” lends effectively to the design of the lateen rigs or triangular sails. The building comprises three triangular flat double-lined sails, all of which “work up to a certain level just above the bottom arc as in-situ concrete,” Johnson said, explaining that the rest was pre-stressed concrete. “Pre- stressing stops any sense of curvature,” he said, once again reiterating the flatness of the sails in every direction. The lateen rigs’ design was made more achievable through the double lines, which as Johnson put it, “are beautiful because they symbolise the seams and canvas of a true sail”. However, no project is complete without its set of challenges. Brian Johnson, Managing Partner, Godwin Austen Johnson (GAJ) For the Dubai Creek Golf Clubhouse, achieving the desired flatness and erecting all pre-cast elements adequately was among the key issues, coupled with other construction challenges, Johnson said. Furthermore, he described it as a “complex, pre- stressed structure”, which was fabricated in Dubai by Emirates Precast and worked on by specialist engineers based in Australia, who showcased a sense of experience in pre-stressing. Outlining the complexities and intricacies of the project, he said: “The specialist engineers were focused on ensuring the sails stayed absolutely flat and did not sag in the middle or bow at the top. The actual construction of that was very complex, having first built the initial in-situ bottom of the base, and then having to erect the elements which became increasingly longer going up.” The project was conceptualised, designed and built thirty years ago, in an almost pre-CAD (computer-aided design) setting, when all architectural drawings were completed with a pencil, tracing paper, and log charts. “It was probably the last project I did which comprised such beautiful drawings,” Johnson said. It’s 2021; words like ‘heritage’, ‘legacy’, and ‘monuments’ are preserved in the past. Would a ‘legacy project’ such as the Dubai Creek Golf Clubhouse see the light of the day in the times we live in? “A lot of projects now in the UAE have got resonances with history and also the future,” Johnson said. He continued: “Nowadays, clients expect to be able to see the project before it is finished. The act of faith involved in showing people models, perspectives and drawings thirty years ago was completely different. The dilemma now is that a lot of projects have a lot of advisors as well, so the clarity of an idea sometimes could get diluted.” The nostalgia value that the Dubai Creek Golf Clubhouse evokes for residents and visitors alike is arguably unmatched. The project brought back Johnson to Dubai and consequently introduced GAJ to a promising market. And, as the company went on to design prisons, educational institutions, resorts, and more, the clubhouse will always remain a “first-born” for Johnson and GAJ. “THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SAILS ON THE DUBAI CREEK GOLF CLUBHOUSE WAS VERY COMPLEX, HAVING FIRST BUILT THE INITIAL [IN-SITU] BOTTOM OF THE BASE, AND THEN HAVING TO ERECT THE ELEMENTS WHICH BECAME INCREASINGLY LONGER GOING UP” BRIAN JOHNSON MANAGING PARTNER GODWIN AUSTEN JOHNSON (GAJ)Next >