Design firm axes 111 jobs amid real estate slowdown

Architectural design company Burt Hill has announced 111 redundancies at its Dubai office following a strategic review of the business.

The job cuts were carried out in response to the slowdown in Dubai’s property market, the US company, which designed the MotorCity project being developed by Union Properties, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“This staffing adjustment has come as a result of the slowdown that the property sector as a whole is experiencing,” said Burt Hill director Haydar Hassan.

“We firmly believe in the future growth of Dubai and will continue to move forward and contribute to the long term vision of Dubai’s construction and development sector.”

The company statement added the property downturn made it “necessary for the firm to adjust its staffing requirements in order to meet market demand”.

The news comes one day after Burt Hill, which also designed the Limitless plans for a 200,000 sq m mixed-use development as part of the Jebel Ali Downtown project, confirmed plans to develop “healthy, comfortable and luxurious” hospitals for patients in the UAE.

During the Arab Health Conference 2009 in Dubai, the company said on Monday that it is building new hospitals to capitalise on increasing demand for medical services in this region. According to the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, medical tourism in the UAE will grow 15 percent annually.

The US company has more than 500 employees in the UAE. It is developing a healthcare and wellness hospital in this region that will provide spa and holistic treatments.