Gulf Construction Online - New Landmarks nearly complete

Kuwait

The Sheraton Roundabout ... used by around 70,000 vehicles a day.

New Landmarks nearly complete

01 December 2001

WORK is due for completion this month on two major projects being built in Kuwait by Burhan Kuwaiti General Trading and Contracting Company - a residential project for Commercial Real Estate Company (CRC) and Kuwait Oil Company's (KOC) headquarters.

The project for the CRC is being built in Bneid Al-Gar along Gulf Road adjacent to the intersection of Second Ring Road.

The building incorporates a curved shape with all units facing the Gulf, affording future occupants a spectacular sea view.

Burhan was awarded the $14.5 million contract for the construction of the project in December 1999.

The original design called for 15 floors (25,856 sq m) of residential accommodation with five units per floor. However, the client later increased this to 16 levels, with a total floor area of 26,942 sq m. To allow for the additional floor, the scheduled completion of the project has been extended by two months to December 31, 2001.

The project also includes six villas immediately in front of the high-rise. These villas have a dedicated basement level parking with enhanced security, designed solely for the use of the occupants.

This underground level required additional expertise, in terms of waterproofing, because of the high water table in this region, according to Chris Preece, general manager of Burhan.

"Residents will have all the amenities at their doorstop, including two swimming pools, a health club and parks all located within easy access," he says. "This recreational area is located directly above the underground parking levels and coupled with the curvature of the building makes for a range of complexities not seen in traditional rectangular building construction."

Preece continues: "The CRC complex was awarded to Burhan in large part because of our aggressive schedule which shaved three months from the overall schedule from 24 to 21. This three-month reduction came as a result of a comprehensive review of the structure; the use of state-of-the-art computer estimation techniques; value engineering; the significant years experience of our staff; and the optimisation of resources during planning and construction.

"Not only did Burhan give the client a lower priced package, it also saved the client's money by reducing the time necessary for construction, in turn enabling the client to earn revenues from early occupancy in advance of that originally anticipated during the design phase.

"A major challenge on the project in view of the tight schedule was that another floor was added as the upper floors were nearing completion. The original structural design, however, allowed for this variation from a structural standpoint. We anticipate project completion on schedule by the end of this year."

KOC Headquarters

Work on Kuwait Oil Company's (KOC) headquarters in Ahmadi commenced in May 2000 and is on target for completion this month.

The $14.08 million contract for the construction of a new main office building, comprising three levels and a single level basement.

"The use of yellow brick gives a striking appearance to the building as do the interior finishes of marble, granite and exotic hardwoods," says Preece. "Currently, the final stages of the finishes are being applied and work is presently progressing on the hard and soft landscaping.

Sheraton Roundabout

Meanwhile, Burhan also rose to the challenge when requested to complete a public sector project in a particularly congested area.

The Ministry of Public Works contract (RA-56), worth $9.5 million, calls for the maintenance and resurfacing of roads in Kuwait and was awarded to Burhan at the end of last year.

Part of this ongoing contract was the complete reconstruction of the Sheraton Roundabout and the road systems feeding into it, which Burhan has now completed.

Preece elaborates: "The Sheraton Roundabout, situated at the entrance to the downtown area, carries huge volumes of traffic on a daily basis - on average 70,000 vehicles.

"Due to the bottleneck the dismantling and reconstruction of the thoroughfare would cause, the Ministry of Public Works requested that Burhan limit the works to the summer months, when a large majority of the population has left the country for vacations abroad.

"Burhan was able to complete the major works on August 26 and the roundabout was officially opened on September 1, shortly before parents returned to work and their children to school. Three shifts were operated to ensure that this vital interchange was completed ahead of time."

The entire maintenance contract is due for completion in December 2002.