THE MOST CITY IN THE WORLD: TRANQUIL Madinah Region Development Authority’s Abdulmajeed Mangara on preserving culture and heritage in smart cities AN ITP MEDIA GROUP PUBLICATION VOL.2 2023 • ISSUE 004RAKCERAMICS.COM Imagine a space where your inspiration can run free. A world that tells your own story, every single day. At RAK Ceramics we help create the perfect living space, for you and your loved ones. Imagine your space. IMAGINE YOUR SPACECONTENTS VOL. 2 2023 • ISSUE 004 14 24 22 OPINION Paul Machin of Losberger De Boer discusses the use of modular construction as an approach to developing Saudi Arabia’s gigaprojects. 24 TECHNOLOGY An in-depth study into the potential predominant use of AI in future architectural practices. 26 DESIGN A detailed look into the Jeddah Al Balad HBIM project and its challenges from a data collection perspective. 30 EVENT COVERAGE Highlighting the important conversations from the Leaders in Construction KSA Summit 2023. 26 30 22 COVER STORY Eng Abdulmajeed Mangara, Director of the Smart City Program on improving the quality of life of Saudi residents while increasing economic growth in line with the Vision 2030 goals. 34 After successfully wrapping up the 2022 event line-up, Construction Week Saudi is gearing up for more exciting events in 2023. As we step into the second quarter, we are excited to host once again industry leading events: from Leaders in Construction conference series across the UAE, KSA, Qatar, and Egypt to infrastructure summits and annual awards. EVENTS CALENDAR For more information on conferences, contact Parul Rana, Conference Producer (parul.rana@itp.com). For all award-related inquiries, please contact Dmitry Lazarenko, Marketing and Events Manager (dmitry.lazarenko@itp.com). If you want to be one of our partners and take advantage of our sponsorship opportunities, please contact Anup Nagpurkar, Group Commercial Director (anup.nagpurkar@itp. com) or Moutaz Gadelhak, Commercial Director (moutaz.gadelhak@ itp.com). *All dates are subject to change at the editorial team’s discretion.* EVENTS 2023 CALENDAR 2307 NOVEMBERNOVEMBER Construction Week Awards 2023 Construction Week KSA Awards 2023 AWARDSAWARDS| EDITOR’S LETTER | 5 Inspiring beginnings Muhammed F. Alharari Deputy Editor W ith all the new projects reported on and covered this quarter, each competing in size, tech, and speed, one should take a moment to celebrate the full stretch of linearity that brought us here. This is the sector that has built our environment, our schools, our of ces, our houses, and our rooms. So much of our lives are lived looking at the smooth, rough, or lustred materials of the walls, and stepping on the narrow, broad, and ambiguous shapes on the ground. Hence, in this edition, I wanted to explore the human-cultural element in construction technologies and practices. Speci c highlights and my personal favourite is the cover story (page 14), where ‘smartisation’ is explained as a start to colourful communities rather than an end to cultural identity. Moreover, the FalconViz feature (page 26) follows one team out of Thuwal as it uses BIM technologies to document heritage sites, and nally, the Leaders in Construction KSA Summit 2023 coverage (page 30) where we spotlight the thought- provoking discussions that took place at the prestigious conference in Riyadh. As I look back at the journey of putting together this issue, I would like to thank the people who generously shared their projects and ideas with me, whether through online interactions or in-person meetings. A special shout-out also goes to those who responded to my intentions to write about the inspiring people who delivered inspiring results in the kingdom today. As you immerse yourself in this carefully curated collection of original and contributed articles, I invite you to also explore our website for additional news and stories that couldn’t nd their way into these pages. Sincerely, PUBLISHED BY AND © 2023 ITP MEDIA GROUP FZ-LLC. PO Box 500024, Dubai, United Arab Emirates TEL +971 4 444 3000 WEB: WWW.ITP.COM Offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London, Riyadh & Mumbai ITP MEDIA GROUP CEO Ali Akawi CFO Toby Jay Spencer-Davies Managing Director Alex Reeve EDITORIAL Group Editor Kate-Lynne Wolmarans +971 4 444 3541; kate.wolmarans@itp.com Digital Editor Julianne Tolentino +971 4 444 3855; julianne.tolentino@itp.com Deputy Editor Muhammed Alharari +966 11 512 2570; muhammed.alharari@itp.com Commercial Editor Angitha Pradeep +971 4 444 3278; angitha.pradeep@itp.com ART Art Director Amjad Ayche amjad.ayche@itp.com Designer Tofiq Memon tofiq.memon@itp.com ADVERTISING Group Commercial Director Anup Nagpurkar +971 4 444 3573; anup.nagpurkar@itp.com Commercial Director Moutaz Gadelhak +971 4 444 3177; moutaz.gadelhak@itp.com Commercial Manager Robert Cole +971 4 444 3417; robert.cole@itp.com Senior Sales Manager, Construction Week KSA Ahmad Amer +966 11 512 2570; ahmad.amer@itp.com PHOTOGRAPHY Chief Photographer: Rajesh Raghav Videographer: Muhammad Kaleem Video Editor: Liju Cheruvathur Multimedia Producer: Mina Vucic Social Media & Production Manager: Andy Ruedas ITP LIVE General Manager Ahmad Bashour +971 4 444 3549; ahmad.bashour@itp.com PRODUCTION Production Manager Denny Kollannoor Production Coordinator Mahendra Pawar Senior Image Editor Emmalyn Robles DISTRIBUTION Circulation Executive Rajesh Pillai Distribution Coordinator Avinash Pereira MARKETING Director of Awards & Marketing Daniel Fewtrell Website www.constructionweekonline.com Subscribe online at www.itp.com/subscriptions NOTICE: The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this publication, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are advised to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the readers’ particular circumstances. The ownership of trademarks is acknowledged. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publishers in writing. An exemption is hereby granted for extracts used for the purpose of fair review.| 5 THINGS | 6 | 5 THINGS | 6666666666 The kingdom’s construction industry is operating at maximum capacity, resulting in a surge of activity in the infrastructure, real estate, and tourism sectors. Construction Week Saudi provides essential insights into Saudi Arabia’s construction industry, including updates on gigaprojects and signi cant infrastructure projects. FIFA World Cup 2034 venue Saudi Arabia has initiated plans to submit a bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, proposing the inclusion of the NEOM giga-development in the northeastern region of the country as one of the venues. The world’s largest renewable energy project The Saudi National Development Fund (NDF) has announced its involvement in funding one of the world’s largest renewable energy projects, also marking the largest of its kind within the country.| 5 THINGS | 7 | 5 THINGS || 7777777777 Real estate and infrastructure projects cross $1.25 trillion in value Since the inception of Saudi Arabia’s National Transformation Plan in 2016, real estate and infrastructure projects yet to be completed have surpassed $1.25 trillion in value. New Murabba awards major contracts Saudi-based New Murabba Development Company (NMDC) has awarded Turner Arabia and Bechtel Corporation project management contracts for its development ‘The Mukaab’ in New Murabba, Riyadh. Diriyah Company and Partanna explores zero carbon projects Climate technology company Partanna has announced a partnership with the Diriyah Company, where both parties can actively explore the use of Partanna’s carbon-negative building materials throughout the $63.2 billion Diriyah project.LESSONS FOR YOUNG CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS Four pieces of advice from some of the region’s leading gures in the construction industry on what strategies have proven successful for them, and what the next generation of professionals needs to excel in the eld JOHN PAGANO – A LESSON IN PASSION The Group CEO of Red Sea Global, the PIF-backed developer behind ambitious regenerative tourism destinations, The Red Sea and AMAALA, has followed his passion all the way from Canada to the Red Sea coast. His wisdom for young minds is to “never question an opportunity, and always be open- minded and embrace it.” He advocates for the results of a passion- driven mindset that pushes achievers to explore their next moves. It is how you “take chances, be bold, and follow your dreams.” For those at a crossroads, Pagano would be the fi rst to point out that “what you do in your life should be about enjoying it. It’s about self- fulfi lment.” As an engineering major, Pagano started his career traditionally but began moving MALIK AL ASADI – A LESSON IN LOCALISATION The Director of Project Management at Scruff y Dog Creative Group (SDCG), a leading creative services company that has recently been awarded a $20 million contract for Six Flags Qiddiya, emphasises the importance of specialisation and localisation. He would tell new professionals joining his team that having a strong background might not be enough. “Many experts used to come with experiences in structures or fi t-outs, but they would never have a solid foundation in themes, which is not only about outputs but also about storylines and audience-directed messages.” The construction industry is evolving thanks to an all- encompassing wave of technological and operational breakthroughs. These innovations have changed established practices, design methods, and accepted solutions, and for the young professionals climbing the steps, or perhaps, about to enter the market, this presents an exciting and dynamic industry to build a career in. This feature carries the thoughts of four successful leaders, focusing on valuable lessons to remember, if one chooses to continue despite the uncertainties in the industry. up in the value chain at an early stage as he was keen to pursue something bigger within the developmental aspect of construction. That decision allowed him to seize many opportunities such as becoming Managing Director for the development of Canary Wharf, a world-renowned thriving business district in East London, England, and subsequent accomplishments. He understands that challenges can arise at any moment that can lead you to doubt yourself. “There are always moments when you’ll question if you’re doing the right thing, but I’ve learnt to never regret a decision because life is a journey and not a straight line.” He believes that going through previous roles was proper preparation for his responsibilities today, delivering one of the biggest gigaprojects in the kingdom. Al Asadi has 18 years of experience working on high-quality, large-scale projects in the fi elds of themed environments, attractions and rides, and this required a consistent ability to perform under stressful situations. But after developing the technical expertise, Al Asadi thinks young professionals should work on understanding their local market. “People in America are diff erent than your local audience, even if your audience included Americans living in an Arab country,” he pointed out. “Investigate what appeals to them”, he mentioned, putting emphasis on factors such as characters, music, and place. At its core, his instruction is about understanding the eff ects of what you are off ering. | THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | 8ABDULAZIZ ALABOUDI – A LESSON IN PERSISTENCE As an accomplished civil engineer and visionary leader, Abdulaziz AlAboudi advises the younger generation to fi rst have a clear and ambitious goal that they truly believe in, and then pursue that goal with everything they have. The CEO of Thakher Makkah does not allow any limiting beliefs to hinder his progress, and he thinks that neither should anyone who is aiming for success. A key takeaway from his lesson is to not worry about the results. He says: “Believe in your capabilities and work on developing them, and you will reach your goal. Your education and qualifi cations are just one factor in the equation of your success.” His goal-dedication mantra is demonstrated in his career, from honing his own skills to empowering several teams that look to him for guidance. He also points out that there is an obligation to see our ambitions through to the end, something he reminds himself of whenever he faces obstacles. Leading the development of a new benchmark in the real estate sector in the Makkah region, AlAboudi attributes the success he has found in his career to a passion for learning and a spirit to embrace challenges. JASON TURNER – A LESSON IN RESPONSIBILITY As the Landscape Director for the King Salman Park, which is developed to be the largest urban park in the world, Turner is a proponent of sustainable and environmentally-friendly designs. However, more than that, he fi nds value in working through responsibility. He has built his career of over 24 years designing and managing the implementation of a variety of landscape projects, from home and corporate developments to farms and town projects. His examination of self-suffi cient models and ecosystems that create equilibria with surrounding landscapes is motivated by two things that he would share with the younger generation. Firstly, necessity, or the urgency of action in the aid of humanity and life in general. As he points out: “We cannot, and indeed should not, continue to mine the ecosystem to feed our rapacious cities that keep growing at the planet’s expense.” Secondly, opportunity. The exploration of new technologies that might hold the potential to achieve stand-alone ecosystems for all major cities. “There’s a need for a paradigm shift away from an extractive relationship with our environment into one of reciprocity.” For Turner, there is responsibility in working in the construction fi eld, and future professionals should not shy away from it. According to him, “this paradigm will come from new thinking, from the next generation.” | THOUGHT LEADERSHIP | 9Next >