CONSTRUCTION work on the striking Al Jawharah Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is progressing as per schedule, according to its Dubai-based developer Damac Properties.

Superstructure works have started for the retaining wall and are under way for the 48-storey tower print, according to Niall Mc Loughlin, senior vice-president of Damac Properties.

Located on the Jeddah Corniche on the coast of the Red Sea, Al Jawharah Tower is an architectural masterpiece comprising a basement and a ground level, a three-level podium, a health club floor, 42 residential floors and a rooftop.
“The sleek, modern tower will be an iconic landmark, with its clean lines and shifting, interlocking façade defining the unique design. The complexity of Al Jawharah’s external façade creates reflective panels which disperse and refract light, creating an illusionary effect,” says Mc Loughlin. “The dramatic exterior creates the framework for the spectacular interior design. The tower features a grand reception area with a double-height lobby, a designer guest lounge and concierge.”

The residential tower will offer luxurious five-bedroom penthouses and four-, three-, two- and one-bedroom apartments. It will also offer residents separate men’s and women’s health clubs, which include gymnasiums, swimming pools and spa and sauna rooms.

According to Mc Loughlin, Al Jawharah will set a new benchmark for luxury in Saudi Arabia. “Being Damac Properties’ debut project in the kingdom, it is important that we make a statement with this development,” he adds.

The tower is being constructed in four major stages, with stage one comprising basement to the ground floor; stage two extending from the ground floor to the health club level, stage three from the health club level to level 20, and stage four from level 20 to the top floor.

The superstructure comprises a mix of elements, ranging from deep and drop beams, flat slabs with inverted beams, circular and rectangular columns and ramps. There is a variety of formwork being planned, ranging from plain to smooth finished table forms, slipform and sliding shuttering for cores as well as prefabricated decking systems.

A total of 33,000 cu m of concrete will go into shaping the superstructure of the entire tower with a cycle of seven days completion for each typical floor slab is under study, according to Damac.

The tower sits on a raft foundation, which is 2.6 m in depth. Elaborating on the work carried out on the foundation, Mc Loughlin says: “Executing the tower raft was a challenge in itself in terms of the need for precision and the use of large quantities of concrete. The foundation involved laying 420 tonnes of steel and 7,000 cu m of concrete. It was poured in two stages of 30 hours each. Traffic management for pumps, concrete trucks and street vehicles was arranged in an accurate manner to ensure smooth and good quality pouring as well as minimum disruption to public.”

The basement and podium floors will be used for MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) services as well as provide for parking spaces. The ground floor will be of double-height. The health club floor will include all health and recreational facilities, with an outdoor swimming pool and additional facilities on the deck.

There will be six lifts serving the building.

Damac Properties, which expects to complete the project in 2013, is currently reviewing the MEP contract, and will make an announcement shortly  about the award.

To ensure that the project work runs as per schedule, a plan is being prepared for full and effective coordination between all subcontractors involved with the development. “The project is progressing from the substructure stage, and coordination will become increasingly important from here onwards,” says Mc Loughlin.

Commenting on the specifications set for the project in terms of concrete strength, he says: “Damac Properties adheres to all international standards and codes for development. Concrete will range from plain concrete to high strength, with the reinforced concrete strength ranging from 20 to 60 MPA.”

The main contractor for the project is Drake and Scull International’s Saudi subsidiary. Enabling works were carried out by Kasktas Arabia Construction. Saudi-based Zuhair Fayez Partnership Consultants is the consultant on the project.
The development will have hard and soft landscaping, which will frame the high-profile entrance. Interior finishing as well as the external façade will be to high standards of quality to reflect the luxury aspect of the tower.

Commenting on the Saudi real estate market, Mc Loughlin says: “There are three main factors that are working to stimulate demand at the moment, most notably, the surge in oil prices, government spending on infrastructure and an easing of restrictions on foreign ownership.”

The regulatory framework of the real estate market has been a key focus for authorities in the kingdom, with the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Commerce and Industry introducing new world-class laws to advance the off-plan real estate market, by making it more transparent and accessible, as well as offering additional protection and services to investors and customers, he says.

Saudi Arabia has also relaxed real estate and investment laws to allow expatriates residing and working in the kingdom to purchase and own properties there. In addition to the establishment of free zone economic cities, authorities in the kingdom are now allowing foreigners to purchase property after obtaining permission from the Saudi Interior Ministry, he adds.

“The regulatory reforms, aimed at progressing Saudi Arabia’s property sector, will boost confidence and spur investment in the real estate market. This is a real turning point for construction and development in the kingdom,” Mc Loughlin states.