01 August 2013

Foundation work has started on the Cranleigh Abu Dhabi school on Saadiyat Island, following the award of the piling and early construction works to NSCC International-Abu Dhabi by the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), the master developer of major tourism, cultural and residential destinations in Abu Dhabi.

The specialised contractor in foundation engineering and marine works started the infrastructure work last month for the new campus of the prestigious 147-year-old British school with the laying of 800 piles as part of its first development phase.

Once the site building of Cranleigh Abu Dhabi is completed, it will contain 1,818 piles in addition to a total of 2,129 tonnes of steel reinforcement. The fourth quarter of this year will then witness the construction of the school’s superstructure, supported by a 320-tonne structural steelwork frame.

“TDIC is currently in the process of selecting the main contractor, which will be the next key milestone in the school’s development,” said Ali Al Hammadi, deputy managing director at TDIC.

“This is a milestone in the island’s transformation into a premier destination while demonstrating TDIC’s mandate to support the development of high-level education in Abu Dhabi,” Al Hammadi said.

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, which is expected to open next year “will provide educational benefits not only for the island’s residents and members of Abu Dhabi’s community, but the region as well,”
he added.

The school, which was designed by Godwin Austen Johnson Architects – a UK-based award-winning architectural firm – is located next to Manarat Al Saadiyat and the UAE Pavilion in the Saadiyat Cultural District.

Cranleigh Abu Dhabi – which is part of the full educational spectrum planned to open on Saadiyat – will become one of the largest school campuses in the emirate with open green spaces, extensive landscaping and an ambient environment stretching over seven hectares of land. Additionally, it will host co-educational facilities for more than 1,600 students, aged from three to 18 years, comprising separate junior and senior schools with each housing its own classrooms, faculty offices, administration offices, dining hall and library.

The school will also introduce a broad academic curriculum with an emphasis on arts, sports and culture. Furthermore, Cranleigh Abu Dhabi will provide state-of-the-art IT facilities, including electronic tablets for its pupils. It is also expected to offer flexible boarding opportunities in future phases – a first for Abu Dhabi.

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