< PreviousMoving toward integration LWK+Partners’ regional directors call for greater integration within the UAE’s residential developments Across the UAE, concerns of residential supply increasing ahead of demand suggests an oversupplied market that’s re- sulting in a downward turn of both sales and rental prices of units. Considered to be a soft market with a high number of upcoming projects likely to see completion (Abu Dhabi saw 65 percent of its supply pipeline materialise in 2018), sales and rents across the country are expected to continue drop- ping in 2019. In response, LWK+Partners’ Dubai-based directors Kerem Cengiz and Kourosh Salehi argue that, in moving forward, developments need to have greater integration in their programmes in order to widen the appeal, mature their offerings and create long-lasting foundations that nourish vibrant communities. Both Cengiz and Salehi argue for the need to create de- velopments where diverse populations are encouraged to live side by side. They advocate an urban planning strat- egy that promotes greater integration and brings together residents of different income backgrounds to live in mixed communities. This, however, requires legislation that would incentivise private developers to cater to a mixed customer demographic. “Residential is a very soft market now,” said Cengiz. “And that pushes people to question what the next step for devel- opment is. Is it more of the same in the future? I suspect the answer is no and I think developers need to facilitate a more integrated product with a mix of tenures and offerings, so we don’t just get communities that are purely branded by typol- ogy or financial tiering.” “There are many stakeholders and visionaries that need to participate in the future growth of our cities. Active dis- course and engagement of all those interested in the built environment is urgent and needs greater involvement,” added Salehi. “Developers and other market operators play a creative and enabling role and can facilitate progress. It is, however, vital that simultaneously a more long-term view of the future of our cities is adopted and is not purely left to the impulses and short-term trends.” The architects noted the potential possibilities of or- ganically-developed communities in Dubai, like Karama and Satwa, as well as neighbourhoods in Sharjah. To both, these mixed residential areas are relevant for several rea- sons, starting with their affordability, locality, full range of services and the fact that they cater to residents of different income brackets. “These areas are mature,” said Cengiz. “They’ve be- come self-sustaining in terms of their own population sizes Kerem Cengiz Kourosh Salehi MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 30 / SPECIAL REPORTand the needs that service those populations whether that’s based around resale, food and beverage, or different social activities.” Cengiz referred back to the UK’s strategy of “integrating, not segregating,” which the country achieves by ensuring that mixed residential developments dedicate a small part of their land to social housing. He noted that in the long-term, similar inducements could be offered to the residential mar- kets in the UAE to create greater diversity and richness in its collective activities and way of life. “Growth and advancement of the UAE’s cities in a cultur- ally diverse form is a goal shared by many, and to realise these ambitions, urban integration in a socially sustainable approach needs greater consideration,” he explained. Salehi pointed out that architects can still positively con- tribute to wider urban debate and residential development, by retaining their roles as advisors to clients and advocates of good practice. “Often the initial vision is provided by the developer; how- ever, the intricacies of sustainable communal integration and guidance through the process of design is a function of the lead consultants,” Salehi said. As the lead design architect for the Habtoor City Residen- tial towers, Salehi highlighted the value in maintaining a close partnership and dialogue between the developer and consultant. Written by Rima Alsammarae Images courtesy of LWK+Partners “Architects should play a more engaging and informa- tive role when working with client teams in order to deliver the initial vision and the long-term goals of the project,” he said. “A whole range of social amenities are incorporated in the Habtoor residences, which are about place-making and enriching the living experience, addressing the long-term needs and requirements of the tenants and all the stakehold- ers. That level of participation on behalf of architects in gen- erating content, advising and learning from successful de- velopments around the world where creation of sustainable communities is at the forefront of design ethos.” Oriental Bund in Foshan, China Savannah in Tseung Kwan O, Hong Kong Whitesands in Lantau Island, Hong Kong MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM SPECIAL REPORT / 31To be located in the centre of Bahrain, Big Box is an office tower that will sit along a prominent high- way intersection in Salmabad and rise to a height of 74m. Giving occupants panoramic views of the city and seascape beyond, the project consists of four stacked cubes with simi- lar proportions. While retail spaces and a lobby activate the pedestrian level, parking is placed in the aluminium louver- cladded podium box. Office spaces are designated to the three upper boxes, which are visually separated from the lower box, as they are cladded with a ceramic-fritted curtain wall. According to Omar Al Omari, founder and director of the UK-based OAOA, the concept of the project is a response to the client’s desire for the structure to stand out from other buildings in Bahrain and achieve a high-density commercial space using a reasonable budget. “The unique form of the building, as a series of stacked and shifting boxes, is a simple yet novel way of fulfilling these requirements within a complex set of planning and site con- straints,” Omari said. Due to the tight proportions of the plot, the architects found a rectangular plan to be the most efficient in terms of cost and area optimisation. And with a high water table in Bahrain, OAOA placed parking within the podium and raised it to create an inviting and permeable lobby and retail space at the base. An office tower in Bahrain designed by OAOA features four stacked boxes with façades consisting of innovative ceramic-fritted glass Big Box Written by Rima Alsammarae Images courtesy of OAOA MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 32 / PROJECTSMIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM PROJECTS / 3334 / PROJECTS MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 34 / PROJECTS“We didn’t like the idea of a typical stumpy building sitting on top of the podium. We intended to integrate the building with its podium to achieve tall- er, slender and more elegant propor- tions, so we replicated the proportions of the podium box in the remainder of the building, which resulted in four boxes,” added Al Omari. “These were offset from one another to take advan- tage of setback regulation allowances, maximising office space.” While the structure largely com- prises reinforced concrete and post tensioned slabs, the main shell of the building is a curtain wall of well-insu- lated double glazing that maximises views toward the surroundings with an added layer of ceramic fritting for shading and solar protection. The podium further features vertical aluminium louvers, which act as MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM PROJECTS / 35permeable skin allowing for cross air ventilation. “The use of innovative ceramic frit- ting for shading and creating the mono- lithic vertical pattern of the façade al- lowed us to maintain one predominant material – glass – to achieve a multi- tude of functions without the need to add thick material layers that are costly and which would obstruct the views,” said Omari. “The glass-to-glass corner detail also maximises the sought-after dual aspect ‘corner’ views from the inside, and gives the elegant appear- ance of a seamless glass box from the outside.” Omari noted that the use of ceramic- fritted glass is a passive design tech- nique, as it allows for clear natural light while providing shading to the required degree and location. “In most buildings, the glass is tinted or mirrored to decrease the amount of daylight,” he said. “Tinting makes everything appear darker while mir- ror glass reflects heat, exasperating the problem for neighbours and the envi- ronment…Fritted glass helps reduce glare and the need of added physical layers, such as louvers or screens. By reducing heat gain, we reduce cooling loads, which reduces the emission of heat and harmful gases from AC ma- chines, saving energy and lowering running costs.” The architects further embedded a LED strip used for feature lighting into the glass-to-glass corner, which high- lights the edges of each box, creating a contemporary visual impact. The building is intended to appeal to a wide spectrum of tenants, Omari added, from corporates to start-ups and individuals. Therefore, the design of Big Box’s public and shared spaces was kept “minimally elegant, flexible and highly functional”. To start construction in the next few months, Big Box is expected to be com- pleted by late 2020 or early 2021. MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 36 / PROJECTSCelebrating their 13th year, the Commercial Interior Design Awards will once again see the leading figures in the Middle East’s interior design and fit out community come together to crown the most deserving projects, people and firms at the design sector’s night of the year. Visit www.commercialinteriordesign.com/cid- awards for more information or contact one of our For sponsorship enquiries: Laura Collinder Sales Manager Tel: +971 4 444 3576 Email: laura.collinder@itp.com For nomination enquiries: Oscar Rousseau Editor, Commercial Interior Design Tel: +971 4 444 3457 Email: Oscar.Rousseau@itp.com For table booking enquiries: Lacie Curtis Table Sales Executive Tel: +971 4 444 3223 Email: lacie.curtis@itp.com For event enquiries: Teri Dunstan Events Manager Tel: +971 4 444 3227 Email: teri.dunstan@itp.com #CIDAWARDS Gold SponsorsSilver Sponsors Fit-out Partner Social Media Sponsor Beverage Sponsors In association with E S T . M I L A N O 1 9 6 9 Category Sponsors WEDNESDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER Submit your nominations Today! visit www.commercialinteriordesign.com/cid-awardsLocated in the heart of Dubai’s Downtown area, the Address Residence Fountain Views, designed by regional architecture firm Dewan Architects + En- gineers with associates DP Architects and Atkins, is a set of three mixed-use buildings perched atop a multi- level podium. Designed for Emaar Properties, one of the UAE’s leading developers, Fountain Views is one of the most recent addi- tions to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashed Boulevard, a wind- ing circular road that’s home to Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and Souk Al Bahar. An extension to the Dubai Mall, the project contains a po- dium with three floors of retail and nine levels of parking, while above this sits a mix of service apartments (783 units in total) and a five-star, 193-key Address Hotel. The three build- ings are connected via the podium as well as a bridge that also links back to the mall. According to Yann Pennes, projects director at Dewan, the architects were tasked with creating a project design of “unique character” while providing the maximum efficiency in use. This was achieved by designing the towers’ façades to Dewan Architects + Engineers completes mixed-use high-rise towers in the heart of Dubai’s Downtown area for Emaar Properties Address Residence Fountain Views Written by Rima Alsammarae Images courtesy of Dewan MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 38 / PROJECTSMIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 05.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM PROJECTS / 39Next >