Gulf Construction Online

Regional News

Update

01 September 2014

Work begins on embassy project

WORK has begun on the construction of a new embassy building for Bahrain in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The project is being undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in co-operation with the Ministry
of Works.

A construction agreement has been signed for the 7,500-sq-m two-storey building to be located in Abu Dhabi’s Diplomatic Area.

“The new building comprises the ambassador’s residence, a reception hall, conference hall, waiting lounge, offices, a majlis and other facilities,” said a spokesman for the ministry.

The project is scheduled to be completed by November of next year.

Almoayyed to fit out new restaurant

THE Gulf Hotels Group has signed an agreement with Almoayyed Interiors to carry out the interior fit-out for a new Indian restaurant at the Gulf Hotel in Bahrain.

The agreement was signed by Gulf Hotels Group chief executive and board member Aqeel Raees and Almoayyed Contracting’s executive director Hala Almoayyed.

The new 120-seat Indian restaurant is being developed in partnership with leading Indian chef Vineet Bhatia, who operates acclaimed restaurants in Europe and the Middle East, including two Michelin starred restaurants in London, UK, and Geneva, Switzerland.

“The outlet, which will be the 10th addition to Gulf Hotel’s fine dining portfolio, will set new standards for Indian cuisine in Bahrain,” said Raees. “We expect to open the restaurant by the end of the year,” he added.

Interior designs for the new restaurant has been completed by Dubai-based WA International, and will mirror other award-winning restaurants in Bhatia’s collection.

Maggi in key role at Arcadis

ARCADIS, a leading global natural and built asset design and consultancy firm, has appointed former Aecom vice-president Julio Maggi as the global leader for its commercially led programme management.

The appointment is part of Arcadis’ plans to expand significantly its programme management work aimed at tapping the boom in iconic projects and supporting infrastructure across the Middle Eastern region.

Maggi will be responsible for growing Arcadis’ programme management business and capabilities across its global business lines with a focus on growth markets including the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

Maggi has more than 32 years experience in the implementation of complex real estate developments and large-scale infrastructure programmes and projects across the US, Caribbean, Latin America and Middle East. He will initially operate from the Middle East, one of Arcadis’ primary markets, supporting EC Harris, an Arcadis company.

Stadium to serve community events

ONE of the stadiums Qatar is building for the 2022 Fifa World Cup will have various facilities that will help it serve as a centre for community events including classrooms.

“The Education City Stadium will have classrooms, offices, conference rooms and health clubs in addition to sporting facilities,” said a Gulf Times report quoting Qatar Foundation’s magazine The Foundation.

The stadium and surrounding complex have been designed with the very highest standards of sustainability in mind, the newspaper quoted Eid Al Qahtani, project manager, Capital Projects Directorate, as saying.

The Education City Stadium takes the form of a jagged diamond, glittering by day and glowing by night. The 45,350-seat stadium will be located in the midst of several university campuses.

Following the World Cup, the stadium will retain 25,000 seats for use by university athletic teams, the report said.

Saint-Gobain and Al Jaber sign deal

SAINT-Gobain recently signed two contracts in Qatar with Al Jaber Engineering worth a total of about €200 million ($267.44 million) for the supply of large-diameter pipes, fittings and valves.

The contracts are part of the “security mega reservoirs” project managed by Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), which aims to provide the country with a seven-day emergency supply of drinking water. The products will be mainly manufactured in France.

Saint-Gobain, a world leader in the habitat and construction markets, designs, manufactures and distributes building and high-performance materials.

UAE hires Saudi expat workers

THE UAE and Qatar’s construction firms are hiring expatriate workers who have failed to legalise their work status in Saudi Arabia.

According to the Saudi-based Arab News, the UAE has been able to take advantage of this pool of labourers to push forward with its mega-infrastructural projects that have suffered delays due to a shortage in manpower.

“About eight million expats in Saudi Arabia face obstacles in transferring their sponsorship to the companies they work in,” the report said.

“Expats workers will naturally move between Gulf states in pursuit of opportunities when they fail to achieve security where they are,” Fadel Abul Ainain, a consultant for several private companies, was quoted as saying. “Many neighbouring states have been able to take advantage of this crisis.”

Economist Ali Hamdan told the paper that “several firms in Qatar and the UAE” are interested in hiring expat workers who have spent many years in the kingdom. Qatar has huge financial wealth but faces a labour shortage due to its small population, he added.