Criteria

The Chapter’s highly respected Award of Excellence is given to a deserving project that has been completed in the preceding two years. This year’s award covered the period 2021-2022. The Award recognizes various aspects of substantially completed projects;

• Outstanding work in concrete construction and practices.
• Innovative architectural and structural design.
• Interpretation of culture and traditions.
• Quality and standards of construction.
• Approach to sustainable design.
• Creative use of concrete
• Renewal and reservation works.
• Public appreciation of a project.

The award is presented to the developer of the project, but it also acknowledges the design and supervision consultants, general contractor and the main concrete supplier.

Awardee

The Award of Excellence for year 2022 was presented to Salhia Real Estate Company’s multi-function commercial development, located in Kuwait city centere the Assima. The project was honoured as ‘an innovatively and sustainability designed mixed-use urban centre landmark development that companies sophisticated structural and concrete engineering with aesthetic grace’.

The grand award ceremony was conducted on at the Palms Hotel.

Vision and History

It was back in 1999 that Mr. Ghazi AlNafisi, Chairman of Salhia Real Estate Company, had the vision to develop a world class high-end retail, leisure, hospitality and office complex located right in the heart of Kuwait City.

He wanted it to become a popular commercial, civic and cultural destination of choice. To manifest this vision, he invited three internationally known consultants to present conceptual ideas and although one design was selected, the project went into a hiatus due to land related issues.

These were eventually resolved and the grand vision was revived in 2013.

Design Brief

The project’s prominently located urban centre site measured 40,000 m2 in area, and the development brief was clear and ambitious. The intent was to maximise utilisation of the premises, and create an iconic landmark which reflects Kuwait City’s continuous growth. The objective was to develop a vibrant, culturally appropriate and sustainably designed mixed-use urban centre landmark. It should be efficiently engineered and enhanced with spacious public areas, extensive landscaping and convenient connectivity between its components.

The result was Assima Development, an architectural icon that comprises a large podium with seven floors of retail space; serviced hotel apartments atop the podium; a 55 storey office tower; and structured parking for over 1700 cars. As an integrated multi-function development, it certainly capitalises on its prominent location. Its grand scale, design and articulation of its components together create a visually exciting architectural complex that projects a strong presence in the heart of the City. The designers say that every component has been conceived to harmoniously contribute to the overall composition.

Site and Development Features

The context of the Project’s 40,152 m2 site in the middle of the City’s business district is formed by a number of major recent buildings of contemporary design. Assima, however, has its own distinct identity in terms of scale and design features.

With a gross area of over 184,000 m2, the retail and leisure mall is spread over the ground floor and six upper levels. The commercial component comprise retail and F&B outlets, major anchor stores, cinemas and family entertainment, a food court, and a weather tempered roof garden. The 12 storey hotel sits atop the 7 storey mall, and its gross area of over 35,000 m2 accommodates 164 executive hotel apartments, with over 9000 m2 allocated to various associated and support services.

The office tower is 294 m tall, and its gross area of 99,000 m2 is distributed over 55 storeys. About 45,000 m of this area is lettable office space. The total parking provision of over 1700 cars is distributed over multilevel basements beneath the mall, and two parking structures.

Design Highlights

The scale of each of its main components is impressive. The 294 tall office tower is a visually striking and offers exceptional views of the downtown, and Kuwait Bay. Its form gives a sense of coherence with other major structures in the development’s urban vicinity.

The powerful definition of entrances become inviting attractions in the public realm, and the complex’s dynamic and organic massing with large white coloured elevation panels, enhances the overall visual impact. The huge 300m long atrium, cavernous 7 storey open space, is a powerful design attribute as it weaves its way through the entire site like a river, with the linear patterning of floor reinforcing this effect. The sprawling skylight that caps this enormous space also strengthens the visual connectivity between the seven levels of retail accommodation.

Engineering Systems

A sophisticated combination of structural and sustainably designed services engineering systems complement the design of the complex. In terms of structural design, the tall office tower has an overall slenderness ratio of 9:1, and 17:6 for its core. The required lateral stability was archived with composite steel and concrete columns, with hefty double height steel outriggers at levels 23 and 43.

A biaxial voided slab system substantially reduced the building’s mass and in turn its carbon footprint. Advanced soil analysis helped rationalise the sizes and number of piles. The irregular podium geometry was achieved with slanted columns, with steel bridges spanning the large interior voids.

The complex geometry of the hotel necessitated the introduction of a transfer structural system. The complex incorporates an extensive array of sustainably designed advanced electro-mechanical systems, all comprehensively monitored by integrated environmental control mechanisms.

The demand of 11,700 tonnes of refrigeration is supported by 11 cooling towers and thermal energy system, and the entire development is served by all statutorily and functionally mandated public health and life and safety previsions, comprehensive and conveniently located vertical transportation installations, as well as building automation and management systems. The total power demand of the development is 43 MW, and as would be expected the electrical systems comprise main and emergency power supply; low voltage systems; state of the art ICT infrastructure and technologies; internal and external lighting control systems; advanced security, surveillance and access control systems; as well as various other special systems.

Assima is indeed an impressive mixed-use development and it has already become a popular commercial destination.

Awardees
Developer Salhia Real Estate Company. Design and Supervision Consultants PLP Architecture, England.
PACE Architecture, Engineering & Planning, Kuwait. General Contractor and Main Concrete Supplier Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading Company.