What do the 360º Kuwait Mall, the Al Hamra and Firdous mixed-use complex, and the Arraya Office Tower have in common?  Apart from being prestigious landmark projects that will make a bold statement on Kuwait City’s horizon, all these projects are being built by the front running Kuwait-based contractor, Ahmadiah Contracting and Trading Company.

Over the past 52 years, Ahmadiah has developed into a contractor that tackles just about anything – from power stations to roads to skyscrapers – and has given shape to many of Kuwait’s most striking landmarks as well. Among its latest projects is the 360º Kuwait Mall, a state-of-the-art retail, cinema and leisure complex located at South Surra at the intersection of the Airport Highway and Sixth Ring Road, making it one of the most strategic locations in the city.
Ahmadiah started work on the project in February this year under a KD36 million ($122 million) contract.  The project is being developed by Tamdeen Shopping Centre Development Company and employs the services of RTK International as the architect, OHA Engineering Consultants as the engineer and Buro Happold as the structural engineer.
The project, which has a total built-up area of 92,134 sq m, consists of a two-storey shopping mall including 138 retail units, cinema and entertainment complex – including an I-Max theatre and bowling centre – attached to a multi-storey car-park. External works include circulation areas with all services including car parking slots and extensive landscaping works. The building is provided with extensive water features, both internal and external.
According to a spokesman for Ahmadiah, the 360º Kuwait Mall is a challenging job as the contractor has taken up the fast-track project on a design-and-build basis.
The mall is expected to be a modern interpretation of traditional designs and echo many of the architectural features of the region. According to the developer, the design and architecture of the mall were inspired by the tradition of navigation using stars and was named 360° Kuwait to reflect the unique curvilinear shape of the building and the interior circular concourses. The materials, colours and environmental graphics have all been carefully chosen to deliver the experience of travel through time and space, the spokesman explains.
Externally, the mall will feature stone and aluminium cladding with spider system glazing, interspersed with external render. While finishes in the interior areas will include natural stone and ceramic flooring, stone, ceramic, glass and wood cladding.
Work is currently under way on the ground floor slab level of the project, which is due for completion in June 2008.
Ahmadiah, meanwhile, is working on the Al Hamra and Firdous mixed-use complex, which is expected to feature Kuwait’s tallest building at 412.5 m when it is completed in January 2010.
Offering a massive built-up area of 180,000 sq m, the development is being built at a cost of KD110 million ($372 million) in the Sharq area. The client is Ajial Real Estate and Entertainment Company.  Kuwait's tallest building will have 75 storeys dedicated for offices. In addition, the mixed-use development will feature a mall with three basements, three shopping floors and a cinema floor containing nine cinema theatres.
The mall itself will have a built-up area of 40,000 sq m. The facility will be served by a 60,000 sq m multi-storey parking structure, which will connect to the shopping mall via a bridge.
Work on the project started in January last year, and so far the mall has been completed up to the second floor level, the car-park building has been concreted up to the sixth-floor level. Piling work for the tower has been completed and foundation work is under way with verticals under construction for the third basement level.
Besides Ahmadiah, other key players in the development include Al Jazeera Consultant as the local consultant, Turner Construction International as the project manager, and US-based Skidmore, Owings  & Merrill as the internal consultant.
Another interesting development that Ahmadiah is engaged with is the 300-m Arraya II Office Tower under a contract valued at KD16 million. Work on the project started in September last year and is scheduled for completion in November 2008. The project for Salhia Real Estate Company will offer a built-up area of 65,000 sq m in Kuwait City.
Pan Arab Consultant Engineers is the consultant and US-based Fentress Bradburn is the architect. Architecturally designed as a 59-storey office building with three basement levels, the tower will offer splendid views of downtown Kuwait. It will share the same compound with Arraya Centre car park, convention hall and the Courtyard Marriott.
Work is progressing with the core walls having reach the 13th floor level with slabwork following at the 10th floor level.
Commenting on the construction of the project, the spokesman says: “The construction of a piled raft foundation system of 3 m depth has involved excavation to a depth of -18 m below ground level. The latest construction techniques and products are being used to fast-track the construction of the project. The automatic climbing system – which is being used for the first time in Kuwait – has enabled rapid construction of core walls to up to four floors ahead of the slabs at an average cycle rate of eight days per floor, while the Skydeck aluminium panel formwork system has allowed the rapid construction of slabs.  A climbing placing boom, connected to a stationary pump, is being used for casting concrete. In addition, the use of self-climbing luffing jib tower crane will assist in the installation of the 55-m-high mast - an architectural feature of the tower.”