HQ is a groundbreaking building, presenting a sculptural form that has been designed by world-renowned architectural firm MZ Architects to symbolise unity, stability, rationality and modernity.

The project occupies a 17,373 sq m plot within Abu Dhabi’s Al Raha Beach Development, the ultimate waterfront city, located at the west end of Al Dana precinct – a central location within the development as a whole. Strategically placed beside adjacent precincts, the plot overlooks the marina and canal towards the north-east.
“The unique, circular-shaped and functional building with well-coordinated services is dressed in a high-performance double-layer glass to achieve the quality of space and to provide a pleasant ambiance and ventilation,” says Tony Abi Gebrayel, area manager of MZ Architects.
“The distance between the external glass surface and the core is such that it allows natural light to penetrate the entire building. The structure, which has a towering height of 110.5 m and an elevation radius of 61.9 m, is registered with the US Green Building Council for certification under the Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) system,” he says.
Every level of the building, which is composed of three basements, ground, mezzanine and 23 floors, has been specified to high standards in order to achieve the Class A status, Abi Gebrayel says. The open-space concept for the floor with only eight columns gives tenants the flexibility to maximise space usage.
HQ is based on three visions – functionality, flexibility and energy efficiency – and yet is architecturally outstanding, combining the abstraction of traditional elements with modern strategies of structure and construction.
Commenting on the striking external envelope of the building, Abi Gebrayel says: “The façade is an important element in the design, procurement, construction and cost of any building as it is the primary environmental filter and the visual manifestation of the entire structure. On HQ, it took an even greater role in the formation of the rest of the building systems – be they structural or mechanical – due to the unique geometry and environmental performance.”
The building has garnered prestigious honours such as the Best Futuristic Design at the BEX – Building Exchange Conference 2008 in Valencia, Spain and the architectural award at the 2009 Arabian Commercial Property Awards with CNBC Arabia.