Developer's discretion

zoom

David Spencer of Leisurecorp.

As the building industry continues to boom, selecting the right developer or consultant is less about cash and more about compatibility. Jeff Roberts sits down with developers and architects to find out what they look for during the selection process.

Whether it's a single family villa or a million-resident masterplan, all of the building projects springing up around the Middle East require collaboration between land developers, design consultants and building contractors. But, as hundreds of new projects are announced and just as many new developers arrive on the scene, the intricate process of putting together developers and consultants - and getting them to buy into the same vision - is becoming increasingly difficult.

Match-making in the Middle East's building industry has become particularly difficult because, on a lot of projects, the personalities of the players are just as important as profitability. And, as those intangible human issues worm their way into the business of building, developers and consultants alike need to identify early just what they're looking for in a potential partner.

Things to consider

Obviously, different organisations and different projects call for cooperation between players with different sets of skills. Well-known developers and consultants often have the benefit of being selective in their choice of partner but, despite their high profiles, loyalty plays just as important a role.

"We're fortunate," says Gordon Affleck, design principal, RMJM. "We can be a bit selective in what we choose to do. As a company, we've made a decision to deal with just two or three developers."

"It depends on the volume of business you have, but it's best to build strategic alliances," adds Pratip Datta, head of procurement for Dheeraj & East Coast (DEC) which has allied exclusively with Robodh Contracting for main contracting and Sharaf Foundations LLC for shoring and piling on its regional projects.

Once a certain degree of loyalty is established, generally speaking, industry players are interested in parlaying positive experiences into repeat business. "Our collaborations with developers are more like on-going discussions rather than one-off commissions," explains Affleck.

Based in Dubai for more than 30 years, Dewan Architects & Engineers has worked with the Nakheels, Emaars and Dubai Properties as well as a smattering of smaller developers looking to establish a name or develop a brand. Despite its lengthy history in the city and myriad client relationships, the idea of exclusivity is nothing new.

"We like to focus on a select number of clients and establish a relationship that results in additional work," explains Ammar Al Assam, director of business development, Dewan. "We work with a variety of large and small scale developers and that's the way we like it. We've had some fantastic experiences and we've had some mediocre experiences."

While broad-scale developers create policy to dictate the level of loyalty or exclusivity they enjoy with their consultants, developers like Leisurecorp, narrow their scope by focusing wholly on mixed-use properties combining residences and golf courses.

"We aim to partner with contractors who have experience in golf course developments," explains David Spencer, CEO (Golf), Leisurecorp. "If planned, designed and managed in the right way, with the right contractors, golf developments provide opportunities for substantial social, economic and environmental growth."

While developers usually incorporate some type of pre-qualification into their selection process, according to Affleck, he is looking for more. In fact, from RMJM's perspective, gone are the days of the single-building project and quick commission.

"We're looking to work with developers that have a slightly bigger reach and have an interest in creating an urban input rather than just a building input," explains Affleck. "We really try to design buildings to be climatically responsive, which means controlling the interaction of the building within its surrounding context - particularly in this environment."

Print | Email | Discuss this article |

READERS' COMMENTS

View all comments (0)

Have your say

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Security Code *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM