Shopping sensation
The family-themed Bahrain Mall took shoppers by storm when it opened its doors in May this year. GCM reports on how the mall was built on a fast-track basis.
01 October 2001
A striking Arab fortress-like structure, the Bahrain Mall, now stands on what was until March 2000 a barren stretch of land in Bahrain's rapidly-growing Seef District. Its doors open onto one of the most modern, sophisticated interiors and an atrium area traversed by the first travelators to be installed in the country. And it is home to Bahrain's first hypermarket - Geant Stores.
The mall was built on a fast-track basis at a prime site adjacent to the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre and opposite the Seef Mall. The mall is a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity.
The external facade is reminiscent of a Bahraini fortress and the region's historical background is further reiterated in the tent-like structure which surmounts the atrium.
''The focus of development has been on family entertainment and shopping. A great deal of emphasis is placed on family ties and values in the region" says Shivam Sharma, senior project manager at Fu-Com International, the developer of the project.
"We have taken what is intrinsic in the culture of this region and have tried to develop on the concept," comments Raid Maddah, mall co-ordinator.
When Geant Stores opened its doors to the public on May 23, 2001 - even before most of the work on the mall was completed - it created a shopping euphoria probably unprecedented in the history of the country, according to Maddah.
The mall is now gearing up to create another stir in the market when it opens a new entertainment centre in December.
"The entertainment centre will be another first in Bahrain with its unique theme," promises Sharma, without revealing details.
The entertainment centre is being developed over an area of 4,500 sq m.
Fu-com International was set up a little over two years ago, in August 1999. It was then that the idea for the mall was conceptualised. Sharma has been hands-on on the project ever since it was conceptualised. This project has been the vision of Ayub Shaikh, managing director and Adil Mohd, chief executive officer of the company.
The complex occupies a 75,000 sq m plot and offers a total built-up area of 90,000 sq m on two levels.
"Meticulous planning and research from the team has gone into the design of the mall," says Sharma.
"Research from experts indicated that people do not like to shop on various levels. Therefore, it was planned to have retail areas all on one level on the first floor. The ground floor accommodates some 1,300 car-parking slots - making the mall the first facility of its kind to offer covered parking. It also includes utility outlets such as financial institutions, and automated teller machines (ATMs) and will have services such as a laundry / banks opening shortly."
In addition, there are 700 car-parking slots are located around the building.
The first floor, accessed by travelators and six elevators (panoramic and goods), has the 14,000 sq m hypermarket and 80 retail outlets including 15 fast-food outlets. It also has the entertainment centre.
The building comprises a steel frame structure supplied by Fujairah National Contracting (FNC) with steel decking and blockwork. The external facade, which is embellished with natural stone and turrets, is painted in a desert brown colour to provide a fortress-like impression. The roof comprises insulated corrugated steel sheets which have been waterproofed.
The car-park on the ground level is finished with interlocking pavers.
Internally, the four entrances open onto a large double-height atrium area, the focal feature of which is a centrally-placed fountain traversed by the travelators. The atrium measures 40 by 40 m.
The consultant Arif Sadiq Design Consultants has given great attention during designing, especially to the spacing of columns in the structure in order to provide column-free space within retail outlets. The firm's role in the project has been exceptional," says Sharma.
Work commenced on site on March 25, 2000. Excavation, stone-filling and compaction was completed by Bramco by the end of May. Work then started on the foundation footings and pedestals, with the erection of the steel frame taken up immediately, followed by the blockwork.
The project was being implemented at such a pace that the warehousing area was already being plastered by early September. By the end of November plastering works were completed on both levels and work was in progress on the focal atrium area and on the installation of natural stone on the external facade.
Key Construction, the main contractor, undertook work in two shifts and various building trades, right from the tiling to the false ceiling subcontractors, were engaged on site simultaneously. The project was completed on a fast-track within one year.
"We also had the assistance of the French concerns Othra for the project management and L'Immobiliere which did retail planning within the mall,'' Sharma adds.
The planning and layout of the hypermarket adheres strictly to the unique retail concept developed by Groupe Casino, the French company that operates the food retail stores throughout the world, Sharma points out.
"Geant Stores is designed and built like most of the other 7,000 stores of the chain around the world. The high ceilings (4.5 m high) render a feeling of space and the roof has been intentionally left without a false ceiling in order not to dilute the concept of retailing innovated by Groupe Casino over its 110 years of existence."
Geant Stores has a total of 60 check-out counters which include 10 internal counters, an ultra-modern bakery and a butchery, the hygiene standards of which match its European equivalents, according to Sharma.
''Another area we have focused on is the fisheries section, which has traditionally been a weak section in similar outlets in the country,'' he adds.
Geant Stores is backed by a total of 8,000 sq m of warehousing and office space. A staff force of 450 employees run the show. There is an excellent system of surveillance as well as receiving goods and warehousing. A great deal of attention has been given to handling of cash with a central cashiers office.
The foodcourt offers a choice of Arabic, Persian, Lebanese, American, Italian, Pakistani and Chinese food with provision made for seating 500 diners. In addition, there are specialty coffee shops. The complex includes a mosque to allow men and women to pray.
The mall also has five toilets which have been designed to facilitate the
handicapped.
Cooling is provided by water chillers delivering 2,600 tonnes of refrigeration to the complex.
The project was a race against time from start to finish. "The project was time and money bound. It was a major fight against time," comments Sharma. "With time at a premium, work on fitting out the hypermarket was carried out simultaneously with the construction of the building. Coordination of the various building trades presented quite a challenge," he adds. "Fitting out of a hypermarket normally takes about four months."
Sharma attributes the successful completion of the mall to meticulous project planning. He says: "A lot of input went into project initiation, by way of feasibility studies, and project planning. This facilitated the later stages of project implementation and execution."
"Already 95 per cent of the mall has been leased out and plans are in hand for expansion - a 650 sq m stand-alone restaurant is now being built within the mall's site," says Maddah.
The specialty restaurant, which managed by the US chain Applebee's, is expected to open within four months.
"We are very happy with the response we have received to our project. The single-level retail area and the covering parking have been major attractions of the mall, besides the Geant hypermarket concept which offers promotions and discounts on a daily basis," says Maddah.
Fu-com International, which is part of Business Management Associates (BMA) International, specialises in hypermarkets, mall management and supermarkets. BMA International also includes Fashion Stores, Discount Home Stores, Havelock-AHI (interior design solutions) and Orangerie (advertising agency).
