AS THE finishing touches are being put to the Era Tower, its developer Era Projects is eagerly preparing to unveil the Seef District’s newest distinctive skyscraper that is now staking claim to being Bahrain’s tallest residential tower.

The 50-storey luxury residential apartment building is set to become a landmark in the kingdom and will see Era Projects as the first developer to take on such a project, says Abdul Hussain Khuder, the company’s CEO.

An exemplary fusion of classic and sophisticated living, the tower is located over a 4,752 sq m plot and offers panoramic views of the city. Its modernistic design echoes the movements of the wind and the sea, harking back to Bahrain’s history as a sea-faring nation. It encompasses a total built-up area of 77,792 sq m.

The consultant on the BD45-million ($119.36 million) project, which is partly financed by the National Bank of Abu Dhabi, is Syrconsult International and the structural consultant is Cowi Almoayyed Gulf.

All apartments enjoy centralised cooling.

To carry out the main construction contract, Era Projects chose one of the world’s largest and reputable construction corporations, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), which is listed 17th in Fortune Global 500, an annual ranking of the world’s largest companies. CSCEC has been engaged in numerous celebrated building projects worldwide including a terminal at Hong Kong Airport, Beijing World Trade Centre and Palm Jumeirah Villa Dubai.

CSCEC started construction work on Era Tower in June 2008 and is scheduled to complete it next month (February).

“The construction of the building is in the final stages of completion with about 98 per cent of the work complete. Power connection to the primary feeder is under way,” says Khuder.

“Era Tower remains one of the few projects in Bahrain where work has continued throughout the past three years, without stopping in times of financial uncertainty, to ensure completion on schedule,” he adds.

Era Towers ... extensively landscaped with greenery and aesthetic water features.

The building features four car-parking levels and two storeys of communal facilities above which are the residential floors.

To ensure the safety and integrity of the structure, wind tunnel testing was conducted during structural designing. The structural work of the main tower was completed prior to the podium extension so as to allow for differential settlements, Khuder points out.

The building incorporates flat slabs, and uses mechanical splicers for lapping of reinforcements to eliminate overlapping of steel, thus resulting in less wastage of steel. All the building materials used went through a stringent quality control process, he adds.

Finishes & amenities

The glass and aluminium-clad building uses a Reynaers aluminium system with tempered reflective double glazing. Era appointed Ashbee to carry out the aluminium and façade works.

The apartments, which spread over levels six to 50, have been configured so as to allow residents the flexibility in terms of layout to meet their taste and requirements. Some of the highlights of the internal finishes include light wood flooring, floor-to-ceiling windows, fitted kitchens featuring Bosch appliances supplied by Khalaifat and bathrooms finished to a high standard with Hansgrohe sanitary fittings.

One of three swimming pools at the tower.

All the apartments are centrally air-conditioned with a direct expansion system by York air-conditioners installed by Almoayyed Air-Conditioning Company. The condensing units of individual apartments are located within the designated areas on each floor. Ventilation for toilets and kitchens is also centralised with individual fans located in each toilet to ensure proper maintenance.

Residents can also indulge in a healthy lifestyle by using the project’s two-storey communal facilities which include gymnasiums, spa, one of three swimming pools (main, children and a covered women-only pool), jogging track, tennis court, tranquil walkways, children’s play area and family picnic corners set amidst greenery and aesthetic water features. A fully-equipped business centre is available for those who choose to take their work home. Moreover, four parking floors provide ample space to accommodate more than 480 cars.

M&E services

Individual energy and water meters are provided for each apartment and these are directly controlled by the electricity and water authorities, according to Khuder.

Sigma elevators ... high-speed vertical access.

All kitchens and halls are provided with smoke and heat detectors, while common areas such as the lift lobby and corridors have been fitted with sprinkler systems, which activate automatically upon detection of a fire. In addition, exit signage is provided on each floor indicating the fire escape route in the corridors and lift lobbies during emergency evacuation.

The building will be monitored through CCTV (close circuit television) for security and all parking floors will be secured with access cards. All common areas such as the lift lobby, corridors, fire escape and parking floors are provided with emergency back-up and with standby generator power supply. A lightning arrestor is provided on the rooftop.

Six high-speed Sigma elevators provide vertical access within the tower, with one of them controlled and operated by the Civil Defence Department (CDD) in the event of a fire. This is also connected to a standby generator power supply.

Furthermore, the building has a central drainage system with each individual apartment having its own riser shaft, which makes future maintenance easy. The water supply to the building is served through individual water meters located in the staircase area on each floor. Municipal water will be stored in a water tank on the ground floor and will be pumped to tanks on the roof, from where it will be distributed to individual flats via PPR (polypropylene random) pipes.

To ensure that the external façade is kept clean and shining, a building maintenance unit (BMU) with a 2.5-m cradle has been installed on the roof.

Era Projects

Era Tower is the fourth successful local project of Era Projects, a leading Bahrain-based development company. Established in 2001, the firm has developed a number of impressive projects with each having been sold in a record time, according to Khuder.

“Era Tower has enjoyed record sales of apartments during the pre-launch and launch stages, and has continued to sell apartments through the downturn period, albeit at a slower rate,” he says. “Era Real Estate, one of the largest real estate companies worldwide with over 3,000 offices throughout 52 countries, has been appointed as exclusive sales and marketing agent for the tower.”

Another striking project by Era Projects is the BD4-million ($10.6 million) Era Business Centre, a new 29-storey building that aims to offer a unique range of offices in the heart of the Diplomatic Area. Meanwhile, design work is currently in progress on another stunning Era project – the 40-storey AYA Tower, which is earmarked for Hoora.