A global reach

Broadway Malyan announced itself in the region with a new Abu Dhabi office in 2007. Lauren Hills speaks to Director Pal Patel about its plans for the future.

In the beginning, what inspired you to become an architect?

My dad's an engineer and he used to bring work home in the evening, so from when I was young I was very interested in buildings. I think that building is in my blood!

But, I didn't want to become an engineer as that was too much maths, and I was far more interested in the design side. I found myself wanting to create things from a young age.

I moved to England from India in 1966 when I was three years old because my dad got an engineering job there.

I went to Cardiff University, which is a great university, and the architectural degree there is a mix of art and engineering, so it was a really good grounding ensuring that you are not just designing pretty images, but something that is really going to function. That has put me in good stead ever since.

Is it important for an architect to design with engineering challenges in mind?

We're not engineers, and I couldn't turn around and say that we appreciate all the technicalities of a building, but you do need to feel that you have that kind of grounding, because it gives you a sense of control of a situation, which is very important to the clients.

In a lot of projects we do, we are the lead consultants, so you have to communicate with engineers, and if you don't have an appreciation for the subject matter, it is often difficult to try and get your ideas across, and people may lead you into things that you don't necessarily want to do.

Although you aren't trained as an [engineer], it is good to have a common language to work from.

What is the driving force behind Broadway Malyan's success?

I've been with Broadway Malyan for over 12 years now and sustainability is at the heart of our designs. It is in our company ethos and it is absolutely paramount to everything that we do. We don't wait for the clients to tell us that they want to have a LEED Gold Standard building; we design with sustainability in mind from day one.

We have been dealing with sustainability issues for many years, and it's been a moral imperative in the business. As designers, we want to see our sustainability practices come to life.

It seems that ‘green' and ‘sustainable' are terms that are used very loosely in this region. How can you go about ensuring that your building effectively adheres to principles of sustainability?

It is not just gimmicky stuff, it is more than wind turbines; it is about addressing sustainability from the root of the design.

As a design practice of architects, urban designers, master planners, landscape artists, we are thinking about integrating sustainability into the design right from the start, from a strategic level.

From the transport, connectivity and infrastructure down to the individual buildings; it is about how you orientate the building and create shading to reduce your energy output, and how the buildings relate to the public areas, as well as the individual cladding systems and the façades.

Do you feel that clients in the region are pushing sustainability?

Our clients are very astute people who know that sustainability is important. The door is already open, as many of our clients morally understand that we have a duty to push sustainability, and it can be achieved.

The more that people focus on sustainability, the less it will be seen as a tackle; we need to see sustainability become an industry standard.

What are some of the biggest challenges working in this field in this region?

We are challenged to produce great designs that are actually achievable in a market where it is ‘build it quick and build it now'. You have to make sure that your designs are more reformed.

They want to build a nation here, very quickly and it is their aspiration to see it done in their lifetime and that is a massive challenge, because of the resources and the amount of people that you have to put into it. It is also a challenge for us is to push the sustainability agenda to its best.

Do you do anything particularly different when designing for a Middle East context?

The climate is the major difference, which is obviously very different, to say, the UK or Europe. Climate impacts what you are doing very much. Also, when we are doing our masterplans, we test the place by having workshops with local Emiratis.

We need to understand the requirements in a particular country, within a particular community, in order for us to inform our designs.

When you are designing, you are designing for a particular community. The climate, the temperature variations, and the general environment have to be considered.

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