Al Bahar Towers: The Abu Dhabi Investment Council Headquarters

This publication is entirely centred on the design of Al Bahr Towers. With 300 colour images, it will be highly visual with specially commissioned photography of the completed building, captions and leader lines, effectively speaking to several audiences at once, such as the local business community in Abu Dhabi; consultants and contractors directly involved in the project; and architects and architectural students. The book is to include:

• A preface by a local dignitary in Abu Dhabi or important figure in the cultural community that will effectivley highlight the significance of the new building.
• An illustrated introduction by the architectural correspondent of The Financial Times, Edwin Heathcote. This will provide an engaging and accessible narrative for all the book's audiences, highlighting the background behind the building: the client, the circumstances behind the commission and a summary of the way that it recognises traditional Middle Eastern vernacular solutions through its highly innovative and sustainable form. How this effectively represents a significant departure for thinking about architectural solutions, fusing a deep local traditional knowledge and the most up-to-date design technologies.
• A chapter on traditional architecture in the Middle East and how it developed low-energy, climatically responsive solutions through screens, layering and orientation etc by a specialist in Islamic architecture.
• A chapter outlining in detail the innovative solutions behind the Al Bahr Towers. This will illustrate the sources of inspiration, such as the screens that were used in the research for the design, and drawings and details of the final building. This chapter will largely be aimed at the design community. It should be of particular interest to architects, structural and environmental engineers and students.
• A further chapter on the procurement process behind the towers with input from the architects and contractors.

Al Bahr Towers are the most distinctive and innovative new landmark in the Middle East. Built for the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, the two 25-storey towers provide Abu Dhabi with a unique gateway to the city. Though built out of glass and steel, they represent a complete departure from other contemporary high-rise buildings. Modern and pioneering in their use of the most up-to-date technologies, they have been conceived to be entirely rooted in the local culture and environment. The towers are designed using geometric principles derived from traditional Islamic architecture. Their distinguishing feature is a contemporary interpretation of the traditional mashrabiya, a wooden lattice screen that is commonly used by vernacular Islamic architecture to provide shade and privacy. With over 2000 components, the towers’ monumental mashrabiya have been specially developed by the architects Aedas not only for their cultural associations but also their sustainable benefits. They create a unique dynamic shading system that opens and closes during the course of each day in response to the movement of the sun, substantially reducing solar gain. 

This publication is entirely centered on the design and delivery of Al Bahr Towers. With 300 colour images, it is highly visual with specially commissioned photography by Christian Richters.  An illustrated introduction by the architectural correspondent of The Financial Times, Edwin Heathcote provides an engaging account of the background behind the building: the client, the circumstances behind the commission and its most significant architectural precedents. Expert insight is provided into the history and philosophy of Islamic architecture by Professor Eric Ormsby of The Institute of Ismaili Studies.  A unique description of the design and procurement of these ground-breaking structures is provided by architectural author Edward Denison.

Peter Oborn is Deputy Chairman of Aedas Architects Ltd, part of the Aedas Group, which is ranked as one of the world’s largest international architectural practices. Peter has considerable experience of working internationally, particularly in the Gulf, and has completed projects in Oman, Qatar and the UAE. He was responsible for inception of the practice’s Research & Development group, based in London, which has developed specialisms in sustainability, advanced modelling and computational design. Underpinning the work of the group is a commitment to an increasingly rigorous and thoughtful design process, combining empirical analysis with creativity. Peter is a national member of the RIBA Council and was elected the RIBA's Vice President for International Relations in October 2011.

Foreword - HE Khalifa Mohammed Al Kindi

Preface – Peter Oborn

Al Bahr Towers – Edwin Heathcote

Abu Dhabi

Form, Geometry, Technology, Symbolism

Technology and Meaning

Kinetic Architecture: Connected Culture

The Influence of Traditional Islamic Architecture – Eric Ormsby

Muslim Architects

The Influence of Natural Forms

The Quranic Basis

Some Principles of Traditional Islamic Architecture

The Role of Light

The Mashrabiya

The Tower

Divine Geometry 

The Design of the Al Bahr Towers – Edward Denison

Design Concept

Design Development 

Procurement and Construction – Edward Denison

The Programme Principles

Advance Orders

Enabling Work and Main Contact

Completion 

Acknowledgements

Picture Credits