Mace Group marks yet another successful project for Majid Al Futtaim Properties in a partnership that has extended more than a decade. The multi-disciplinary global consultancy and construction business has been serving the Mirdif City Centre project as project manager since its appointment in January 2007.

The practice has been responsible for the successful delivery of the design, procurement and construction of the mall including value engineering, Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) programme supervision and tenant interface, a 132 kV substation and the road network, according to Mark Kennedy, Mirdif City Centre project director for Mace Group.

Elaborating on the project, he says: “The scheme design was approved in July 2007. An innovative procurement route – not dissimilar to construction management – was devised by Mace and Majid Al Futtaim Properties, which allowed a rapid start on site with only part of the detailed design established. The project broke ground in September 2007.

“Overall design and construction took 35 months from concept masterplan approval. The construction period was 28 months, including mobilisation.”

Kennedy.

In addition to the project management of the mall and car-parks, the project requires the provision of a significant motorway interchange to service the development, the construction of a new 132 kV substation and its own 54 MW district cooling plant, which Mace is also managing.

Mace Group has worked with Majid Al Futtaim Properties for more than 11 years and has provided project management for over 30 projects developed by the group across the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Egypt. Notable projects include Mall of the Emirates, Bahrain City Centre, Deira City Centre and Ski Dubai.

“Majid Al Futtaim Properties has changed the face of shopping, entertainment and leisure in the Middle East. Driven by the vision of its chairman Majid Al Futtaim, the company has successfully brought the concepts of the mega mall and hypermarket to the region and combined them with high-quality leisure facilities, creating the unique concept of a shopping resort,” Kennedy comments.

He points out that Mace’s consultancy and construction services span the entire property life cycle to “ensure that clients can enjoy the Mace approach throughout their project or programme”.

 “Our service portfolio comprises development, programme, project, cost and facilities management, in addition to a full construction delivery service. It is through the integration of our services that the group adds value for clients, providing clear and transparent support and direction throughout the construction lifecycle,” he says.

“From vital city schools to exotic hotels, from water works to airport terminals, Mace Group has delivered some inspiring projects in its first two decades. We have been responsible for some of the most iconic buildings in recent times including the Venetian Macau, BA London Eye, Heathrow’s Terminal 5, Marina Bay Sands Singapore, Jumeirah Beach Residences and Dubai Marina,” says Kennedy.

Founded in the UK in 1990, Mace Group is now operational in 49 countries, 10 of which are within the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region where the group has been a key player for over a decade, delivering developments of awe-inspiring scale and technical complexity.

Its current ongoing portfolio boasts projects such as Abu Dhabi’s feature Capital Gate Hotel, the New Doha International Airport, Shard London Bridge (the tallest building in Europe), the Fairmont Hotel on the Palm, Port Baku residences project in Azerbaijan and the Yasmeen Hotel, the largest development in Syria, to name a few.

Mace is also providing consultancy and strategic planning to the Sochi 2014 winter Olympics in Russia as well as carrying out a programme management role for the London 2012 and Paralympic Games as part of the CLM (the consortium comprising CH2M HILL, Laing O’Rourke and Mace) delivery team.

“What is distinctive about the company is it
s commitment to the quality of its relationships with its clients, its people and its suppliers. The proof that this commitment works lies in our repeat order book, with over 80 per cent of our work from returning clients. The passion and commitment of our people to every project results in a remarkable level of customer loyalty in an industry that, in general, still has much to learn about relationships and service. We add yet more value to our clients through the integration of these services – providing customers with clear and transparent support and direction throughout extended periods of the construction lifecycle – and all with the Mace commitment to collaborative working, knowledge sharing and service excellence,” he says.