Gulf Construction Online - New mall opens on the waterfront

Kuwait Review

The mall ... designed in a neo-classical architectural style.

New mall opens on the waterfront

01 December 2002

A NEW mall, one of the largest of its kind in Kuwait, opened its doors late last month. The Marina Mall as it is known forms a key part of the Phase V of the Kuwait's prestigious waterfront project.

The KD48 million ($161 million) Phase V project is being developed by United Real Estate Company and comprises two elements: an inland development and a marine area, both of which will be linked via a 100 m air-conditioned bridge across the Gulf Street which separates them.

Phase V of the waterfront project offers synergy between the shopping, dining, entertainment and leisure experiences by incorporating a shopping mall, marina, aqua park, a hotel and restaurants.

Work is nearing completion on the first phase which comprises the inland component of the project and includes the mall, a new mosque and car-parking facilities. This phase covers a total site area of 63,000 sq m.

The Marina Mall is designed in a neo-classical architectural style with its desert brown facade and tiled roofing elements. A highlight of the facility is its openable skylights and a large glass dome surmounting a rotunda which accommodates the Palm Court.

The 100,000 sq m mall has car-parking facilities on the ground level with additional parking slots available around the shopping centre. The first level has around 120 retail outlets as well as three cinemas.

The second phase of the project is being built on a 3 km coastal stretch reclaimed from the sea at Salmiya. To accommodate the marine component, the shoreline has been pushed back almost half a kilometre with one million tonnes of rock and 1.5 million cu m of sandfill. Most of the reclamation work on this phase is now nearing completion.

Phase two comprises a marina and the associated building, an aqua park, a corniche, a 92-room hotel, recreational facilities and restaurants.

The bridge, which is 12 m wide and positioned 6 m above the Gulf Street as per traffic regulations , is fitted with a travelator for the convenience of pedestrians.

The project, launched in July 2000, is being implemented on a fast-track basis by the main contractor Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading Company. It is due for completion by April 2004.

Commenting on challenges on the project, Elie Hani, projects manager with Ahmadiah say the major problem encountered during the construction of the inland area was the poor ground conditions with percolating pits everywhere.

However, there was excellent co-ordination between the various trades employed during the construction phase which ensured that the work ran smoothly, Hani adds.