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Grand design

Nick Burns, CEO of architectural firm P&T, explains why Dubai is setting the benchmark for the world's leading developments.

What design projects are you working on as a company and how do they stand out from other developments in this region?
We handle about 25 projects in five of the emirates. The spectrum ranges from commercial and educational to hospital projects. City of Arabia is our key development, with Kensington Krystal in Dubai Maritime City, towers in the City of Lights, Abu Dhabi, and Azizi Prestige Tower in Mina Rashid forming other high-profile projects. Our first goal is quality and our projects stand out as examples of good design and good value for clients or building users.

This doesn't mean they always stand out from the crowd by being the most unusual or extravagant. Sometimes there is beauty in elegant restraint and sometimes there is beauty in unique or special form. We always endeavour to ensure that the fundamental principles of function, comfort, efficiency and value are high priorities. Many P&T buildings stand out simply because their appearance, as well as their function, has stood the test of time.

How does architecture and design differ in the Middle East from the rest of the world?

The Middle East has given architects and engineers numerous opportunities to break new ground in all areas of architectural design. One of the most obvious trends is the development of complex and unconventional forms.

Buildings are starting to have twists, slanted or folded surfaces, free-flowing curves and large cantilever structures. Another trend is deconstructivism, which is an approach to view architecture in bits and pieces, and which challenges the conventional notion of architectural order.

We are also seeing sustainable architecture being taken very seriously in the UAE. This is more than just dealing with stylistic matters. It can involve energy-saving design, choice of materials, waste minimisation and construction methods such as prefabrication.

These considerations have led to the development of distinctive architectural forms that are ecologically responsive. The Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, which aims to achieve a zero-carbon and zero-waste community, demonstrates the commitment of the UAE government to the advancement of sustainable development. For a city to be self-sustainable is almost impossible, but it doesn't mean that we shouldn't try.

How do designs have to be adapted for the climate and landscape here?

An indigenous architect would never have to adapt his design to suit the climate he is designing in. It is never right for a designer to adapt something that he or she has done somewhere else in the world.

When we design a building in a specific region, we need to know all the criteria related to the climate in that country and design an environment that responds to that climate. Basic needs for stable temperature, lighting, shelter and a comfortable environment are the same the world over.

The bigger challenges we face are cultural and contextual. In Islamic countries, for example, there are certain things we need to recognise and respond to, just as there are certain dos and don'ts in other cultures. We have to try to understand our clients and what will make them comfortable, and that comes down to understanding environments.

What are the most impressive examples of architecture and design in this region?

The historic ones would be the Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House and the ancient air-conditioning device, the wind towers (barjeel). Sheikh Saeed House is typical late 19th-century Arabian architecture and represents a fine example of Islamic art and building design.

The almost finished Burj Dubai, with its final floors reaching an unconfirmed height of 800 to 900 metres, is impressive. On the drawing board, the most impressive example would be the creation of Saadiyat Island, which aims to be Abu Dhabi's cultural centre.

The cultural district has five institutions - the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Performing Arts Centre, the Maritime Museum and, finally, the Sheikh Zayed National Museum.

What impact is the global economic downturn having on the Middle East's architecture and design industry?

All areas in the world are likely to be affected by the economic downturn. Hopefully the Middle East, and particularly the UAE, will be less affected as their economies are underpinned by oil. In the property sector it is likely there will be fewer end users and buyers from Europe, but these could be replaced by others from India, Pakistan and GCC countries. It seems probable there will be some correction.

Obtaining financing from overseas banks will likely be more difficult and this may slow down some of the projects. The effect on financing by Arab banks is unknown and will hopefully be minimal.

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