Formwork from Germany-based Meva Formworks systems is currently being used to meet the fast-track construction and the varied room layouts of the BD95 million ($250 million) Abraj Al Lulu, a prestigious three-tower residential project under construction near the Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain.

The 180-m-high towers, which are rising on a joint basement, comprise a total of 860 one to three-bedroom luxury apartments that promise a high level of residential comfort. Each of the towers houses exclusive penthouses on the top.
Two of the three towers – the Gold Pearl and the Silver Pearl – have the same structure with a footprint of 28.75 m by 47.55 m expanding up to 48 by 32 m and rising up to 49 storeys each, while the third tower known as the Black Pearl measures 24.10 by 41.84 m (expanding to 42 by 29 m) and extends up to 40 levels. Al Hamad Construction and Development Company is the main contractor on the project, which is targeted for completion by mid-2008.
Already, more than 80 per cent of the project is sold out and approximately another five per cent inquiries are under advanced stages of processing, pending negotiation with banks to finance individual buyers, according to the developer Pearl Development and Real Estate Company (PDREC).
“The many different room layouts of the different floor levels require a formwork system which is easily adaptable to the varied requirements. This is where our MevaDec system came into its own, having already proved our superior technical qualities on many jobsites around the world,” says Jens Luetzow, marketing manager of Meva.
“The jobsite management is highly satisfied with MevaDec, with the result that the formwork material has been purchased for the next building project. At present, construction is ahead of schedule, which, to some extent, may be credited to the right slab formwork system,” Luetzow adds.
Elaborating on the flexibility offered by the formwork system, Luetzow says: “Despite the given panel dimensions of a frame formwork system, MevaDec offers highest flexibility, as panels and beams can be placed in any required position and in any direction with no fixed grid. Because the assembly direction can be changed with ease, MevaDec is easily adaptable to different building layouts. Thus, job-built fillers can be reduced to a minimum. Thanks to the low learning curve and easy handling, MevaDec can be applied efficiently after only a short training period.”
A total of 3,350 sq m of MevaDec are being used. The stair towers with the lift shafts are being built first, after which the slabs and walls are being formed.
“The tight construction schedule requires for an exact work flow and handling of material. The drop-head of the MevaDec system allows for early stripping of the panels and beams after only three days – the fastest cycle available on the market. They can be re-used for the next cycle – this reduces the necessary inventory by up to 40 per cent. The drop-head drops by 19 cm and, thus, gives enough room to disassemble the panels and beams with ease, which can be re-used without delay. Thanks to the Alkus full-plastic facing, downtimes that would be caused by replacing plywood facing are a thing of the past,” adds Luetzow.
Considerable progress has been made on the towers, with the Gold and Silver Pearl towers now at the 20th floor level (plus ground and three mezzanine levels) and the Black Pearl touching the 14th floor level. The towers are expected to be structurally complete by July. The developers has finalised a number of finishing and mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems that will be used on the project including the kitchen units, floor/wall tiles, wooden flooring, aviation warning lights and the lightning protection. The aluminium and glazing works as well as the M&E services will be undertaken by Al Hamad’s own divisions. The curtain-walling will comprise the VistaWall System incorporating Guarding Royal Blue glass while four high-speed Otis lifts will be installed in each of the three towers.
The PDREC recently showcased mock-up apartments for the landmark towers, enabling existing and potential investors to get a first-hand look and feel of the apartments.
Commenting on this occasion, Mohammed Dadabhai, chairman, PDREC said: “We are very excited to unveil the mock-up apartments which have been concluded within our targeted timeframe. With our core focus being on quality, we have strived to offer our investors the best. Conceived with the active support of the government, the Abraj Al Lulu project is Bahrain’s largest private sector freehold residential development. Through this project, we aim to bridge the large demand-supply gap in Bahrain for world-class residential infrastructure.”
According to Pranay Thakkar, director, Dadabhai Construction, “The show apartments are designed by renowned interior decorators of international repute with modern as well as Arabic themes. We have used best-of-the-breed material for the property which includes parquet (wooden) flooring from Germany, wall coverings from Europe and the US, and porcelain tiles from Europe for the foyers and kitchens. Furthermore, we have also deployed state-of-the-art technologies for electrical, air conditioning, plumbing and drainage, security and fire protection services among several others. The towers will feature high-speed internet connectivity, electronic proxy card entry system and video door intercoms.”
Conceptualised by a team of international architects, Abraj Al Lulu occupies a plot area of 184,700 sq ft and has a total built-up area of 2.25 million sq ft. The project boasts of a variety of amenities offered at various levels namely, swimming pool with changing rooms and steam units, landscaping at multi-levels, indoor reception, squash court, cinema lounge, billiard, table tennis, darts, virtual reality sports and tennis, basketball courts. Other facilities include barbeque, snack bar/restaurant, internet café, conference room, business centre and shopping arcade. All areas would be served by central music/public address system.
Headquartered in Haiterbach in Germany, Meva Formwork Systems is represented by an engineering team in the Gulf with full support from the Meva engineering department at its head office. Meva, renowned for its formwork systems and on-site concrete engineering services, offers a complete range of formwork equipment including panellised systems for slab and wall formwork, single-sided formwork, column formwork and safety gear among others.
Among the most striking projects in which Meva is involved is the Burj Dubai, which is designed to be the tallest building in the world.
“Thanks to our innovative formwork systems, and exceptional solutions provided on the Burj Dubai project, we have experienced a two digit growth in the Gulf for the third consecutive year. It is anticipated that this growth will be sustained for the next three years – especially with own production facilities in Dubai to support growth,” says Tarc Fohlich, international operations manager of the company.
Other ongoing projects include:
• Jordan Gate office tower project in Amman, Jordan entailing 1,200 sq m MevaDec with Al Hamad Contracting as the chief contractor;
• Univerisity of Damascus, in Damascus in Syria;
• A four-tower office complex in Sharjah, UAE, involving 8,000 sq m of MevaDec, with Al Zamalik as the chief contractor;
• A project at Sheikh Zayed Road, using STB450 and Mammut 350 single-sided application, which is unique in Dubai (with Kele as the contractor);
• Al Yaqoub Tower (a replica of the Big Ben Tower in London) on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, using 1,000 sq m of MevaDec construction of which will begin in December next year (ACC as contractor); and
• A project at Dubai Marina comprising Mammut 350 wall formwork.