AHMADIAH Contracting and Trading Company, a leading contracting company in Kuwait, is currently undertaking a number of major projects, including a state-of-the-art office skyscraper, the tallest building in Kuwait, a mixed-use complex and addition projects to the Kuwait Airport.
Making its stake to being the city’s tallest tower is the Al Hamra tower, which is under construction in the Sharq area. The company is also the main contractor on Arraya 2, one of the city’s tallest office buildings.
Al Hamra
Al Hamra tower is taking shape on the site previous occupied by the Al Hamra and Firdous Cinemas, which were built in the late 50s. The mixed-use complex, which has a total built-up area of 270,000 sq m, has already won two Mipin awards this year for the best tall building and mix-use complex design worldwide.
The project consists of a 75-storey office building – which at 412 m high is believed to be the tallest building in Kuwait – a shopping mall comprising nine cinemas and a car-park.
Construction work on the tower started in August 2006 on a design-and-build basis, and will be completed in November 2010.
The tower structure is sophisticated and poses many challenges in execution, says a spokesman for Ahmadiah.
“Its composite construction (structural steel and reinforced concrete) required special concrete strengths, which were successfully achieved using Ahmadiah’s own batching plants to record values of 100 N/sq mm. Structural steel plates up to 150 mm were also used, which is not often seen in building construction,” the spokesman points out.
The project will use 200,000 cu m of concrete, 43,000 tonnes of steel reinforcements and 6,000 tonnes of structural steel.
Highlighting some of the outstanding aspects of its design, he says: “Al Hamra has a special asymmetrical and sculptured design with twisting and flaring concrete walls, giving the tower a highly iconic look.
“The main features of this tower include its 660 sq m column-free main entrance and the angular twisting of its floor plates with height, giving the building its carved distinctive image.”
Arraya 2
The Arraya 2 is one of the tallest office buildings on the dynamic skyline of Kuwait City, which has been changing rapidly following the easing of municipality regulations that now permit the construction of towers up to 100 levels high.
Being the first such tower to be licensed and constructed, it comprises a total of 60 floors and three basements, touching a height of 300 m above ground level. It offers a total built-up area of 62,500 sq m over a 1,058 sq m site.
Construction on the tower began in February 2005, with occupation scheduled for early next year. The tower has been topped out and the superstructure is complete.
The project has scored a number of firsts in the country in terms of construction techniques. “For instance, it is the first time in Kuwait that the automatic climbing system is being deployed in the construction of the concrete core walls and the Skydeck aluminium panel formwork is being used for slabs,” he says, adding that, “a cycle of seven days was maintained throughout the construction period”.
A self-climbing luffing jib tower crane is yet another example of the advanced construction techniques that were utilised for the first time in Kuwait at the project, the spokesman adds.
Commenting on the challenges of the project, he says: “The pumping and placing of concrete at such heights was a major challenge and was undertaken using a special stationary pump and a placing boom for the purpose.”
The external elevations of the tower are clad with a combination of double-glazed curtain walls and Alucobond facades. Exterior cladding, consisting of white marble, green glass and steel rods, is mostly complete. Interior works are well under way and are expected to wrap up by early next year. The building has state-of-the-art information and communication systems to meet high standards of smart buildings. A total of16 high-tech smart elevators ensure easy access to all floors.
The Arraya 2, once complete, will be part of the Arraya Complex and will complement the existing 130-m-high Arraya Tower which hosts the Marriott Courtyard Hotel, Arraya Ballroom and Arraya Mall, all served by an eight-storey car-park.
Other projects
Among other major projects that Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading Company is currently engaged with the United Tower and Kuwait airport. The United Tower in Sharq area consists of a 60-storey mixed-use office and residential tower, a five-storey podium containing a retail mall, and two-and-half basement levels with services and car-parking.
The tower will be 265 m high with a total built-up area of 96,000 sq m, and is scheduled to be complete by January 2011 at a total estimated cost of KD45 million ($166 million).
Being developed by United Real Estate Company, the project has been designed and is being supervised by Dar SSH International, with KEO International Consultants as the project and construction manager. Ahmadiah is the main contractor on the project. The project is divided into separate bid packs: Bid Pack 1C – the design, construction and testing of piling works; BP4 – main contract civil works; BP5 – mechanical, electrical and plumbing works; BP6 – architectural and landscaping works; BP7 – conveying system; and BP8 – exterior cladding.
BPs 5, 6, 7 and 8 will be executed under BP4 by Ahmadiah as construction manager.
BP-1C has been successfully completed and handed over, currently work is progressing on BP4, where work has reached the basement level following completion of the raft foundation.
Kuwait airport deal
Meanwhile, Ahmadiah is working on the expansion of the Kuwait International Airport, under a two-year design-and-build contract signed with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Public Works.
Ahmadiah’s scope of works covers the the Amiri Terminal Building, a satellite building, aircraft hangars, a multi-storey car-park, road and bridge construction, landscaping and other facilities.
The Amiri Terminal Building, covering 7,040 sq m and rising 47.5 m high, will include a ceremonial plaza inside the structure. The building and connecting satellite will both reflect the state-of-the-art construction techniques and feature a very high standard of finishing, says the spokesman.
The aircraft hangar, which covers 15,840 sq m and is 39 m high, will be built to house two Airbus A-380s.
In addition, a road and bridge leading to the first level terminal will be constructed, while a landscape design, which includes water display fountains and water features is also part of the project.
