The high life is coming to Bahrain, judging by the some of the luxurious high-rise residential buildings taking shape on the drawing boards of some of the kingdom’s leading design consulting firms.

In or close to the tendering stage are two 22-storey residential tower projects – one in Hoora and the other in Manama. Both of these towers, which promise to offer the heights of luxury, are some of the tallest residential buildings in Bahrain, according to Bahrain Engineering Bureau, the consultant for the projects.
The tower in Hoora faces the King Faisal Corniche opposite the Dolphin Park.  Bids for the project are due to be submitted by January 28 with construction set to start on site immediately afterwards. The contract period is 24 months.
“The residential tower in Hoora includes some innovative design features,” says Dr Bruno Leon, managing director. “The tower will have only eight columns, which provides enhanced flexibility in planning the space within the apartment. Another unusual feature of the construction is that the 6 m by 9 m-wide living room is cantilevered by as much as 3 m.”
In common with all designs created by Bahrain Engineering Bureau, the living room faces the best view from the building.  In this case, all the flats have been designed so that they overlook the sea, he adds.
The building – for Kuwaiti real estate developer Mubarak Abdul Aziz Al Hassawi – will offer 34 three-bedroom apartments and one four-bedroom penthouse.  Each of the rooms includes individual air-conditioning controls and fire sprinklers.
The ground floor is dedicated for car-parking – with one slot allotted for every tenant.  Above the car-parking facility is a swimming pool for the residents, a gymnasium, coffee shop, a meeting room and lounge as well as servants’ and drivers’ accommodation facilities. The penthouse has its own maid’s room, a private swimming pool and a terrace garden.
The tower, which is serviced by two passenger elevators and one service elevator, accommodates two apartments per level.
Tenders for the second 22-storey residential tower will be issued this month and a contract will be awarded by the end of February. The luxury building located on King Faisal Highway near the Marina Mall, will also feature three-bedroom apartments per floor.
The facades of the building are inclined at 45 degrees to each other ensuring that all flats are sea-facing.
Among the most architecturally challenging projects within Bahrain Engineering Bureau’s portfolio is a butterfly-shaped residential building in Juffair.  Tenders for the 17-storey structure have been floated with a closing date of January 30.
The building – set in a 1,800 sq m garden –boasts a comprehensive range of amenities including a swimming pool as well as separate covered ladies swimming pool, a huge gymnasium and steam room, a squash court, a playground, a terrace garden and a large TV room and will also include what Dr Bruno promises to be “a unique surprise amenity”.
A challenging aspect of the structure is the elliptical facades clad with double-glazed high-performance curved glass panels set in aluminium composite panels. “These glazing panels ensure a smooth elliptical facade,” he says. “The shape of the building gives a different cross-sectional floor plan throughout the building and hence the configuration of apartments.
A focal feature of the interior is a five-level atrium featuring two panoramic lifts and one service elevator.
The building has 91 split-level apartments offered in a choice of sizes, including nine one-bedroom, 32 two-bedroom and 48 three-bedroom apartments – as well as two four-bedroom penthouses on the last level, each offering a maid’s room and a private terrace garden. An innovative feature of the penthouse is a specially-designed fireplace.
The building is expected to see completion by early 2007.
Bahrain Engineering Bureau has also designed a 15-storey residential tower on the Amwaj Islands.  The project – which is awaiting a building permit – comprises four three-bedroom apartments per floor with eight duplex apartments on the top level.
Another residential building that Dr Bruno is highly enthusiastic about is a six-storey block in Juffair, offering three flats per floor with a penthouse on the top level. A highlight of the building is that all the apartments are of different size and design. The building is set for completion in March.
While residential buildings are currently its forte, Bahrain Engineering Bureau is building the first office building on a newly-designated commercial strip from the Seef Mall to the Ritz Carlton, which is expected to be built on the lines of the Beirut Central District (BCD) being developed by Solidere in Lebanon, explains Khaleed Jamshir, proprietor of BEB.
Bahrain Engineering Bureau – which offers architectural, structural and mechanical designing expertise – is specialised in high-quality buildings.
“Our policy is to attain topmost quality of construction while ensuring that our buildings enhance their environment.  We urge our clients to go for high-quality buildings,” Dr Bruno points out.
The practice expects to have a total of 10 buildings under construction over the next six months, while nine others and one hotel tower are expected to be ready for tender over the period.
“Of course, we expect to clinch a number of other projects over the year,” says Dr Bruno. “The recent decision taken by the government – to replace the old building permit system with one that is based on the type of investment - has given a much-needed boost to real estate development. It allows for a higher percentage of built-up area on a plot of land, ensuring investors better return on their investments.”
“An attraction of the Bahrain real estate market, compared to places such as Europe for example, is that architects can enjoy a high level of freedom in design,” he concludes.