MEED names Gulf region’s highest quality construction projects
Saudi scheme wins project of the year, while UAE leads region with eight awards.
The Gulf region’s highest quality projects have been revealed at this year’s edition of the MEED Quality Awards for projects.
The UAE topped the region with eight GCC award winners, followed by Qatar with five and Kuwait with three. Bahrain and Oman each had one regional winner.
Saudi Arabia took home three awards including the MEED Quality Project of the Year, which went to the Sadara Project, the massive petrochemical project that is a joint venture of oil giant Saudi Aramco and the Dow Chemical Company. For Sadara, it was a triumphant evening as the project was also recognised as the region’s best in the GCC Oil & Gas Project of the Year category.
The other regional winner from Saudi Arabia was the General Authority of Civil Aviation’s Design and Build of Terminal 5 and Related Facilities at the King Khaled International Airport Project (nominated by a TAV-Al-Arrab Contracting joint venture) which won the GCC Transport Project of the Year award.
“With this event, we invite our own database of customers, and this is the third time we have done it now. At every one of those events we have more people coming in; the last event we did in September saw more than 400 customers come through the door, which is great for us.”
Pyle said the event allows for interaction from a supply partner perspective, giving them the opportunity to show what they can do with product development.
He said: “We can let people taste what it is they are talking about. I think it is a much more customer-centric way of talking to our customers and prospects about what we do and what our suppliers do.
“Our commitment to the market is to reach into kitchens and build relationships with people, understanding what they need and meet that need. That’s been the DNA of the business since its inception.”
The UAE’s eight-trophy haul includes Dubai Airport’s T1-CD Automated People Mover Project (entered by Bombardier Transportation), which was awarded the Besix GCC Innovation Project of the Year trophy; while the Roads & Transport Authority’s (RTA) Dubai Water Canal Project (entered by Parsons) won the GCC Leisure & Tourism Project of the Year award.
Another RTA scheme, the Etihad Museum Project (nominated by ASGC) received the GCC Building Project of the Year trophy, while Dubai World Trade Centre’s One Central Phase 1, The Offices 1 Project (entered by Al-Futtaim Carillion) won GCC Commercial Project of the Year.
Meraas Holding’s City Walk Phase 2 Retail Development Project, submitted by Al-Futtaim Carillion, was recognised as GCC Retail Project of the Year; while its The City Walk Project, a joint award nomination by Parsons, Arcadis, WSP, Parsons Brinckerhoff in conjunction with Meraas Development, was awarded the GCC Mixed-use Project of the Year trophy.
Other UAE winners were Chef Middle East’s HQ and Food Cold Storage, Production & Distribution Facility Project (entered by McLaren Construction) which received the GCC Small Project of the Year award; and the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) Phase 3 Project (nominated by Dewan Architects & Engineers) which was voted the GCC Education Project of the Year.
The regional winners from Qatar were Qatar Primary Materials Company’s Qatar Gabbro Terminal (Bulk Material Handling System) Project (entered by Six Construct) which won the GCC Logistics Project of the Year; as well as four projects by The Public Works Authority (Ashghal), including the Doha North Sewage Treatment Works Project (GCC Award for Sustainability and GCC Water Project of the Year), the Salwa Road Project (GCC Road Project of the Year), and the Medical City Fit Out Project (GCC Healthcare Project of the Year).
Meanwhile, Shamal Az Zour Al-Oula’s Az-Zour North One Power and Water Plant Project in Kuwait was named the GCC Power Project of the Year, as well as GCC Mega Project of the Year.
Kuwait’s other regional winner was AGi architects’ Three Gardens Project, which received the GCC Residential Project of the Year award.
The GCC Hotel Project of the Year was awarded to Al-Baleed Resort Salalah, by Anantara in Oman, while Bahrain’s Ministry of Youth & Sports Affairs’ Muharraq Model Youth Centre Project won the GCC Social, Culture & Heritage Project of the Year.
The 2017 MEED Quality Awards for Projects recognised a total of 21 outstanding projects throughout the region, in addition to the Supplier of the Year award given to Almajdouie Logistics Company.
The GCC winners were announced at a ceremony held at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina in the UAE. The MEED Quality Awards for Projects 2017 was made possible by the support of Besix, Parsons, Al-Bawani, MVP Tech and ASCG.
