Planetary movements

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(Nemanja Seslija/ITP)

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Close co-ordination has been required with the structural and ceiling contractors to ensure that project programmes are met.

Who as a child didn't imagine shooting off into space? Looking out of a spaceship window at the other planets in the galaxy is a dream made in movies. And that vision is now being translated into reality in Dubai.

Over the past year, five giant, coloured domes have been taking shape in Zabeel Park. These form the heart of Stargate, a mixed-use entertainment complex based on the concept of a crashed spaceship, complete with its own resident aliens Ajeeb and Ghareeb. The domes represent the spaceship and four planets - earth, Mars, Saturn and the moon - and on completion will be filled with different activities. But this is only the tip of the project. The bulk of the 24,000m² complex has been constructed below ground, creating unique challenges for the construction team, with co-ordination and adaptability being essential to the project's completion.

Dubai-based Osus is undertaking the project on a build, operate, transfer (BOT) basis on behalf of, and in partnership with, Stargate owner Dubai Municipality. Sensaire Services won the contract for the shell and core MEP services in competitive tender in May 2006 and immediately began work onsite.

"This job is basically an underground entertainment park," explains Alan Hart, Sensaire Services' contracts manager. "It's broken up into five zones, each with a different theme." The area below ground is spread over two storeys and formed in a circle, with each of the above-ground domes sitting atop one of the zones and defining an area. Five tunnels divide the zones and lead from an outer ring to a central meeting area. Activities that are set to be installed include an ice rink, go-kart track, roller coaster and theatre, in addition to retail areas and electronic games arcades.

Space age services

The shape and layout of the project made installation of the MEP services complex. Tight plant spaces and the continuous development of the fit-out design has added to the challenges.

The first step Sensaire took to tackle the project was to break the work down by area, with different teams undertaking the installation in each. "We tried to treat [the project] like two different jobs, with the underground area and the domes as separate parts," explains Sensaire Services project manager Lionel Bean. The main installation in the domes was carried out first in order to maintain the overall project programme.

The domes comprise of a double-layer glass-reinforced plastics (grp) skin that are separated by an air gap of around 600mm. The MEP services have been installed within this gap. "The outside skin was put on [the structural frame] first; we then put in our services, and once they were complete [the main contractor] could install the second skin," explains Bean. "Until we'd finished our services installation they couldn't put the second skin on, so it was a top priority to get our services in the domes, then the contractor could start doing its fit-out," he added.

Installation in the underground building was again prioritised according to task and area. The main chilled water pipework was the first to be installed, followed by the main air conditioning ductwork. "This is one of the rare jobs now in Dubai that does not have district cooling," states Hart. "Because it's in Zabeel Park there isn't any facility available. Instead it's a self-contained unit with its own chillers and cooling towers," he explains. Two 975TR chillers provide chilled water to VTS Clima air handling units located in individual plantrooms on the development's mezzanine level that provide cooling across the project.

The main chiller plant and electrical rooms are sited externally adjacent to the development, with services distributed underground to the edge of the circular site. Two mains chilled water feeds serve the development; on entering the building these are routed at ceiling level around the outside diameter, with branches feeding from this into individual plantrooms for each zone.

The distribution of electrical services follows this pattern also, with mains brought in through a central corridor then distributed via a major traywork circuit. Within the domes, two main risers feed directly up from the plantrooms in the underground building, the ductwork and cable trays then feeding upwards between the dome skins.

A similar amount of power and air conditioning is supplied to each zone, varying proportionally according to the different volumes to be served within the domes, which range in size from 180-220m². The dome that will contain the ice rink is the exception, with an independent, dedicated chiller system installed to provide the additional cooling required.

A central building management system (bms) ensures the independent control of each of the zones. "If there was a fire, all of the services would be controlled to cope with the fire in [the zone it's in] rather than it affect the other areas also," explains Bean. The sprinkler system is zoned according to the five sections of the building, with further zoning within these areas, enabling the system to be activated in the area where it is immediately required without the entire building being affected. "All air conditioning ductwork is fire-rated because it's used for smoke extract as well," adds Hart. "If a fire did occur, the supply will spin into extract so we can exhaust all the fumes."

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Stargate Completion
Posted by Corrinne, Deira, UAE on Sunday 20 April 2008 at 19:44 UAE time

I have checked the site www.sg.ae..but last update was Jan 2008..do you have an idea when it is actually opening?

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