< PreviousNot every company should locate to ‘opportunity regions’, says Tabanlioglu’s Melkan Gursel cessful and beneficial for that place.” Tabanlioglu Architects has projects across the GCC, especially in the UAE and Iran, as well as elsewhere in the world, from Senegal to Kazakhstan to Morocco. Approaching each pro- ject takes a unique blend of research, knowledge-exchange, and the indepth analysis of context, environment and culture, Gursel said. While the firm’s design work is of high-calibre, the thought process be- hind the firm’s concepts is what drives its success. Most recently, a Tabanlio- glu-led renovation of a library in Istan- bul picked up a nomination for a 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The library stands as a great exam- ple of how the practice approaches its projects, as the team’s modus operandi began with reviewing the site, the pro- ject’s function, and learning about the community the project would cater to. It then determined a sensitive path forward that involved the reorganisa- tion of the interior and careful restora- tion of the building’s fabric, particular- ly of its prominent multi-domed roof. The architects’ aim was to respect what was already there, they said, while contributing to the positive ex- perience of those using the space and not overwhelming the contents of the library, which include precious, aged manuscripts. “Run-of-the-mill, mediocre projects may be usable, but they are not what people deserve,” said Gursel. “We have the tools and information to design for a better and happier life for all.” In a recent interview with Middle East Architect, Melkan Gursel, partner at the award-winning Turkish architec- ture practice Tabanlioglu Architects, said that while the GCC is in ample demand for development, not all architecture companies should get involved. “Many cities in the GCC assert great demand for their urban development,” Gursel said. “This creates a valuable medium for architecture and urban design. We are willing to be a part of it and contribute to it. “Yet, not every company should lo- cate to ‘opportunity regions’; rather, only those that can truly contribute and that know the geography, people, behavioural patterns, social ways and production attitudes – they will be suc- MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 08-11.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 10 / NEWS HIGHLIGHTSSharjah Architecture Triennial to take place across two regenerated civic buildings The Sharjah Architecture Triennial will launch its inaugural edition in No- vember 2019, taking place across two civic buildings in Sharjah as part of the platform’s commitment towards adap- tive reuse and preservation of modern- ist architecture. The two recently decommissioned buildings include Al-Qasimiyah School and the old Al Jubail Vegetable Market, both of which act as examples of 1970s and 80s architecture found across Sharjah and the wider UAE. Architecture from this area is ‘un- dervalued’ according to Mona El Mousfy, advisor to the triennial. During a previous interview with Middle East Architect, she said: “What happens here is that when a building is no longer structurally sound, the municipality makes the decision to demolish it, and up until now the ar- chitecture from the 1960s, 70s and 80s was not considered very valuable.” She added that government initiatives have until recently prioritised other types of architecture, such as the coral struc- tures found in the Heart of Sharjah. “Not only is this approach environ- mentally sustainable, but it also cre- ates a layered architecture in continu- ous dialogue, building upon the city’s history and memories while respond- ing to contemporary uses and evolving aspirations,” she said. The old market building in Shar- jah was designed by British engineer- ing consultancy Halcrow Group, who played a vital role in developing the region’s civic infrastructure. It is also symbolic of Sharjah’s history as a trade hub. Al Qassimiyah School, in turn, acts as the triennial’s headquarters. ‘Rights of Future Generations’ has been announced as the theme for the first edition, and will be curated by architect and scholar, Adrian Lahoud who is currently Dean of the School of Architecture at the Royal College of Art. The theme will look at how the ur- ban and environmentally-led decisions we make today are passed on from one generation to the next, and how by ad- dressing and reflecting on these deci- sions, cities can, in turn, create “new social realities”. MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 08-11.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM NEWS HIGHLIGHTS / 11Ossaid Aleitan “I always had this tendency to build from scratch,” said Jor- danian architect, youth activist and eternal optimist Ossaid Aleitan. “To imagine something and build it has always been a great passion, and this led me to study architecture.” Aleitan obtained his bachelor’s in architecture engineer- ing from the University of Jordan in 2009 and went on to complete his master’s in construction project management at the University of the West of England in Bristol in 2010. While he worked for two major engineering consultancy firms after finishing his studies, he began his own office in 2016. By now, he’s accumulated a number of titles. First and fore- most, he’s the CEO and founder of AlKafo for Construction Management & Design Consultancy, an Amman-based prac- tice that offers multidisciplinary design including landscape and interior design, architecture, engineering and renova- tion services. He’s a central commission member of the Jor- danian Engineers Association – the youngest architect to be elected to the association’s council. And while these two highly demanding positions leave little room for much else, Aleitan balances two other roles: Middle East coordinator for Tamayouz Excellence Award and lecturer at the Univer- sity of Jordan’s Department of Architecture Engineering. While Aleitan has designed projects in Jordan and else- where in the region, spanning the residential, urban, indus- trial and commercial sectors, his work with the Jordanian Engineering Association enables him to influence propos- als that aim to improve and develop the field of architecture within the country. His work with the association also includes participat- ing as a member of the training and qualifying committee, where he works to close the gap between architecture educa- tion and joining the workforce through training courses for fresh graduates. “The public work, such as my role with Tamayouz, teach- ing at universities, and voluntary work with students and youth is what revives me and recharges me to keep going,” Aleitan said. “Being part of Tamayouz is very enriching and valuable to me personally, as I have the opportunity to help raise the knowledge of young architects and students. It also allows me to shed light on the human and social sides of ar- chitecture, and as a member of the Tamayouz family, we help remind the architectural society what our duties as archi- tects toward society and humanity are.” To Aleitan, Jordan’s architectural heritage, culture and community is the region’s richest. Its engineers and ar- chitects, as well as its educational institutes, are a source of strength for the country. To distinguish himself and his practice, he said, he combines design services with construc- tion management. “I think it’s a common dream for all architects to design a landmark in their country, and it’s definitely a dream and hope of mine,” he said. “I also hope to contribute to Amman’s strategic projects, and to the city’s urban development.” Aleitan, who intends to get a PhD in urban planning, lists different ways of “rethinking Amman’s public spaces”, such as improving its parks and redeveloping crowded zones, like those that date back to the 1940s and 60s. “I have always seen myself in Jordan,” he said. “I am always eager to travel and learn, but then bring back that ex- pertise and knowledge that I’ve gained and accommodate it here in Jordan.” Meet Jordan’s rising star who shares his views on architecture in his home country and his vision to rethink Amman’s public space Written by Rima Alsammarae Image courtesy of Ossaid Aleitan MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 08-11.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 12 / INSIGHT: NEW ARCHITECTMIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 08-11.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM INSIGHT: NEW ARCHITECT / 13Burj Residence Located in one of Dubai’s busiest residential neighbourhoods, the Burj Residence by Dubai-based practice VHSD Design is surrounded by many low-rise houses and eschews gilded luxury for spatial opulence. The client requested a design that ensures the highest level of privacy and allows for the construction of a 1,600m2 house on a relatively compact plot. He also requested a certain level of grandeur with plenty of natural light. VSHD Design, an award-winning firm founded by Rania M Hamed, responded in kind by creating an L-shaped house that looks into the inside of the plot, allowing the family to enjoy the pool and the lush garden area while maintaining its privacy. The entry experience starts at the boundary wall, which optimises the plot size and overlooks the Burj Al Arab. A timber overhang was incorporated to complete the geometry of the “L” and to provide privacy to the internal corridor from the street side. One of the biggest challenges, according to the architects, was to redefine the meaning of luxury. “We wanted to create a mood of grandeur – a magnificent space minus all the usual glitter,” says Hamed. “We imagined a space that one would normally experience in museums and grand galleries.” This kind of grandiosity was achieved through mastering proportions, the use of natural materials and ample natural light. Accordingly, scale was key in the project where all the openings were fitted with full-length doors and windows that reach the ceiling level, giving all these objects a powerful presence and allowing for natural light to stream in. The internal “L” outline is transparent with large spans of sliding glass doors. The large glass panels have a slim linear profile creating a seamless boundary between outdoor and indoor spaces. This opens up the boxy structure of the house to a view of the pool and garden, and creates a visual link between all the living spaces. A private villa in Dubai by award- winning firm VSHD Design optimises privacy and natural materials Written by Shweta Parida Images courtesy of VSHD Design MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 08-11.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 14 / INSIGHT: RESIDENCEMIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 08-11.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM INSIGHT: RESIDENCE / 15Engaging with the edge LWK+Partners’ Kerem Cengiz and Jason Ho address minimising the impact of waterfront developments while maximising the user experience “It is a planning adage that cities with water tend to be more interesting,” said Jason Ho, director of planning and urban design at Hong Kong-based practice LWK+Partners. “Water- fronts are natural assets that should belong to everyone. They are public realm and should be accessible for the en- joyment of all, except when they are used for very specific and strategic uses that require direct waterfront access, like ports and naval installations.” Ho’s comments were part of a larger conversation that ad- dressed waterfront developments and the challenges they present to architects. According to Ho and Kerem Cengiz, LWK+Partners’ MENA managing director, such projects re- quire a well-informed approach that considers a multitude of factors. Chief among them are the impact of waterfront developments on the natural surroundings, as well as en- hancing integration and creating harmonious and activated environments for better interface and end-user experience. “As rapid urbanisation and population increase in and around coastal and riverside cities, the environmental im- pact on the river, coast and the ocean ecosystems will in- crease as well,” said Ho. “As planners, we need to be aware that natural environ- ments have their own carrying capacities,” he added. “If this is left unchecked and over-population occurs, then the harm done to the natural ecosystems could be difficult to reverse. At the same time, we have the opportunity to transform these waterfront environments into places that are interest- ing, unique, engaging and special not only for tourists, but also for the people who live, work and play there.” IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT According to Ho, the most common challenge presented by waterfront projects to architects and planners is the impact of development on the natural environment. In facing this dilemma, technical assessments are required to determine the existing conditions and provide recommended solutions to mitigate potentially negative effects of riverbank or coast- line adjustments on land and water. Planners and architects, said Ho, need to integrate these recommendations into their overall concept to ensure that a balanced approach to development is applied. “The consequences of global warming and rising sea levels are becoming more apparent,” he said. “We are witnessing a higher occurrence of tsunamis and hurricanes that have devastated large coastal areas, towns and cities. Govern- ments are starting to realise the mega problems caused by not preparing for such natural disasters, as most people, as- sets and wealth are concentrated around waterfront cities.” Ho then noted that further research and engineering solutions need to be considered to protect waterfront Aerospace City MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 08-11.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 16 / INSIGHT: MARKET FOCUScommunities against such disastrous environmental risks. “With the advanced technology that we have today, we should be able to address and tackle these risks on lives and property,” he said. One opportunity to alleviate the impact of waterfront con- struction on the natural environment is reclaiming coastal land that no longer serves its original purpose. The sustain- able reuse of existing buildings, while still bearing impact on surrounding land, reduces the negative effects of construction. One example is a regeneration project in China by LWK+Partners. While originally a manufacturing zone where coal and steel would be imported, the waterfront area had opened up to potential redevelopment as manufacturing and business zones started relocating outside of the city. “As time passed, we engaged with local authorities and proposed this huge opportunity to repopulate or reactivate this amazing artery,” said Cengiz. “Rather than demolishing these mid-20th century industrial buildings, we proposed reusing them, which allowed for adaptive reuse, permeabil- ity, new communities to thrive and an activated, vibrant wa- terfront connected to the rest of the city.” INTEGRATION Across the GCC, waterfront developments are largely manu- factured rather than organically developed over time. This can provide a number of advantages, such as creating solu- tion-based designs that pre-emptively tackle planning and urban development issues, including isolated building and not making the most of the waterfront in terms of connectiv- ity, mobility, amenity and views. While waterfront developments come in different types and sizes, from sea fronts to riversides, integrating such pro- jects into the surrounding urban realm is part and parcel to delivering successful projects that not only meet commercial demands, but also those of the relevant community. According to Cengiz, one of LWK+Partners’ projects in Chongqing, China successfully balanced this seeming di- chotomy. Called Danzishi Old Street, the multi-award win- ning project is a residential community underpinned by large retail components, community-based street retail and food and beverage offerings, which integrated an existing part of the community. “We believe that one of the biggest challenges in the GCC is that our developments tend to be very community centric,” Cengiz said. “And so, the response of the developer or the cli- ent is to meet the needs of that specific development, rather than make it a more permeable offer that integrates all the various amenities, including the water. “One of the ways we dealt with it in Danzishi Old Street is that in front of the residential towers, which were obviously private, was a broader retail and community context that then fed out into a more organic, mixed-use environment. We worked with a professor from Beijing University who is an ex- Jason Ho Danzishi Old Street MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 08-11.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM INSIGHT: MARKET FOCUS / 17he said, “you can offer an edge that would add value to not only the development, but also the adjoining properties and broader community.” CREATING HARMONIOUS ENVIRONMENTS LWK+Partners is working on a number of waterfront devel- opments across the Middle East and North Africa. While one in the GCC is a hospitality initiative that has special cultural criteria, such as separated areas for men and women, another in Egypt requires the resolution of existing issues. According to Cengiz, LWK+Partners’ role on the project in Egypt was very much peer review – the firm was brought in to address issues of inconsistency as well as to establish a “coastal look and feel appropriate to the location and adjacencies”. “The question was how to work with an existing set of crite- ria and commerciality, which in some cases have already been sold and in construction, to create an environment that feels harmonious,” Cengiz said. “And that largely comes down to materiality, looking at the masses and voids, hierarchies and use of colour. “Sometimes, being by the coast can be very playful, light- hearted and enjoyable. So how do we enhance that? Through integrating softer edges and touches, creating a lived-in feel. There’s no hard or fast rule – it’s about finding the sense of being by the sea and communicating it.” pert in the history and development of old hill-side villages, and how that works with contemporary urban culture, ori- entation and building. So, while we had that strong backbone of commerciality, there was also a deeply ingrained cultural approach that gave an interesting duality between modern and historic.” Cengiz added that the incorporation of such complement- ing factors attract visitors because it creates a cultural quar- ter through the arrangement of buildings, spaces and uses. In contexts when a surrounding environment does not yet exist, Cengiz noted that the challenge for waterfronts then becomes ensuring they don’t become independent and iso- lated islands. “In these scenarios it is important to respond to the needs of that development while also planning it in such a way that the engagement with the waterfront gives you different of- fers,” he said. “That edge between urban developments and the natural environment is an opportunity to create a nu- anced setting. It is essential to create varied environments through different types of plazas, pocket parks, play areas for children, public and more private spaces. Create other amenities and offers around it, too, so people can come and enjoy that development for the day as a visitor, not only as a resident. And in that, you allow that permeability, which mit- igates, in time, what might happen adjacent to it.” While it’s difficult to predict how the surrounding urban environment will develop in time, Cengiz insists that you can still address those edges in a way so as not to “turn your back”. “Through sensitive predictive planning and integration,” Written by Rima Alsammarae Images courtesy of LWK+Partners Kerem CengizWaterside Lantau MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 08-11.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM 18 / INSIGHT: MARKET FOCUSCityscape 2019 LWK+Partners to present global projects at the annual event For almost two decades, Cityscape Global has played a key part in shaping the region’s real estate market by bringing together local and international investors, homebuyers and industry professionals. Set to take place from 25 to 27 September 2019, at Dubai’s World Trade Centre, this year’s event promises to showcase new projects while providing a platform for networking and knowledge exchange. LWK+Partners will host its own stand, where it hopes to reinforce its presence in the Middle East and North Africa. Showcasing its broad spectrum of design work by highlight- ing six projects including the Hanging Garden Bridge (UAE) commissioned by Dubai’s RTA, Pavilia Bay (Hong Kong), Chongqing Jiangshan Yun Chu (China), Vanke Chongqing Headquarters (China), Vanke Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and the Nanjing Paradise walk (China), the firm hopes to il- lustrate its vast international experience as well as what it hopes to bring to regional development. “Our primary focus is communicating that we are a so- lution driven global business,” said the architects. “We are present because we believe in the UAE and the MENA re- gion, and through innovation in design, solutions rooted in tried and tested markets such as Hong Kong and China, we hope to foster open and collaborative partnerships that will deliver quality design, technical excellence and commercial success to the regional and international markets in which we operate.” Having established its Middle East office more than one year ago, LWK+Partners has begun delivering projects in the UAE, greater GCC and further afield. Across Cultures: Architecture in the Age of Globalisation When: 24 September 2019, 14:45 Where: Cityscape Global Conference About: In his keynote presentation, Ivan Fu, director of LWK+Partners and CEO of C Cheng Holdings Limited will ad- dress three main questions: In what way can the fundamental- ly different attitudes towards space, materials and iconography that are at work in Chinese architecture be integrated in other parts of the world? How should countries like China, which have a very high population density already, prepare them- selves for further population growth even more in the coming decades? How are architecture and design being redefined by the new generation of professionals and what is the changing role of architects? In addition to its stand, Ivan Fu, CEO of C Cheng Hold- ings Limited (the first listed architectural service pro- vider in Hong Kong and mainland China) and director of LWK+Partners will give a keynote presentation during the Cityscape Global Conference. “We firmly believe that the sharing economy is emerging as an important influencer,” the architects said. “This goes hand-in-hand with the creation of sustainable communities in the context of densification, permeability, mobility and diversity in our urban environments. “Our MENA studio is a leader in this debate and will seek to continue our leadership though innovative explorations across this agenda and how they will add value to all the key stakeholders in our broader community.” Ivan Fu Mengzhuiwan MIDDLE EAST ARCHITECT / 08-11.19 / WWW.MIDDLEEASTARCHITECT.COM INSIGHT: MARKET FOCUS / 19Next >