Atkins is tipped to be the structural consultant for Kuwait’s recently announced KD25 billion ($86.63 billion) Madinat Al Hareer, the centrepiece of which will be the 1,001-m-tall Mubarak Al Kabir Tower.

When completed, the tower will dwarf all man-made structures built to date, or under various stages of development across the globe.
Towering over 200 storeys, this twisting, tapering tower will create a vertical community made up of seven neighbourhoods stacked atop one another. Three blades will terminate at different heights and atop each one will be cultural, civic, and religious amenities for the residents, workers, and guests.
The new Madinat Al Hareer city, on the Arabian Gulf, which will become one of the centrepieces of the Arab world was recently given the go-ahead by the Kuwaiti Cabinet and Higher Council of Planning and Development for further investigation of the city concept. As consultant, Atkins is expected to play an important role in the development consortium.
Robert Whitcombe, principal environmental consultant at Atkins, said: “This project has the potential to transform an area just north of Kuwait City into a leading centre for the region and one of the world’s great examples of sustainable urban development. Atkins is proud to be drawing on its international and local expertise to provide the government and citizens of Kuwait with solutions which will enable the project to realise its spectacular vision.”
The proposals, being led by UK-based Eric Kuhne & Associates as architect and masterplanner, will see a 250 sq km site in Subiya, Northern Kuwait, transformed into a new urban centre for 700,000 people over a 25-year development timeframe. The project seeks to create a major new city in a strategic location at the gateway to the famous Silk Route across central Asia.
According to Atkins, the plans involve significant new infrastructure, including a new seaport and international airport, to support an integrated urban masterplan combining commercial, leisure, retail and residential development in the form of a series of centres dedicated to, business, sports, culture, environment, media, industry, education and health. Adherence to high environmental standards and the principles of sustainability are themes that will drive the design and the result will be a spectacular new multi-purpose city, linked to Kuwait City by a new bridge – the Jabir Al Kabir Bridge, across Kuwait Bay.
Atkins has been providing specialist engineering and environmental services to the consortium with Whitcombe, Mike Otlet and Tom McKay (UK) and Terry Bradbury (Bahrain) leading the team’s work and participating in high-level presentations to Kuwaiti government authorities.
At this early stage, the vision for the City is being developed in close collaboration with Eric Kuhne and Associates and the Kuwaiti authorities.

Components
Cultural City Centre: A new centre for diplomacy, culture and academia will be created to become the centre of international excellence.
Resort and hospitality: Extensive leisure and pleasure facilities will be developed in all city centres.
Leisure City Centre: Will be a centre for resorts, hospitality, leisure and entertainment.
Environmental City Centre: As a centre of science, research, ecology and the natural environment, this fourth city centre will become the heart of the new National Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park.
Media City: It will build on Kuwait’s creative centre for Television production, with the Media/Internet/ Communi-cation Centre expanding the reach of all forms of media, content origination, academies of talent and support services.
Film City: Specifically targeted to create a new movie production industry for the Arab world, it will become one of the finest centres for film production in the world.
Industrial City: A new light-industrial centre will be developed adjacent to the advanced enterprise zone and business city centre.
Education City: Partnerships with international educational institutions will expand the reach of Kuwait’s tertiary education system to include Asian, European and North American places of higher learning.
Health City: It will include advanced treatment centres, research facilities, specialised medicine and pharmacology, prevention strategy, rehabilitation and nutrition centres.
Parks: Ribbon parks and gardens interlaced with lakes, ponds and canals will provide the most extensive Garden City plans of any new community in the Arabian Gulf.
Lifestyle Zones: Each of the 28 communities of the Madinat Al Hareer (City of Silk) will be branded with a distinctive lifestyle offer that will make it a unique destination.
Housing: Will include expanded housing plots, diverse housing types, family amenities, easy access to health care and education, self-sustaining neighbourhoods and an extensive park system.

KEY FACTS
Name of the project:  Madinat Al Hareer (City of Silk)
Location:  Subiya (Northern Kuwait)
Project size:  250 sq km
Total investment:  Approx. $86.63 billion
Time period (full project):  Approx. 25 years
Time period (Phase I):  Approx. 5 to 7 years