Global construction consultancy Davis Langdon is providing consultancy services for the Ithra Culture Centre - a landmark cultural and iconic project which will be the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia. Over the last 12 months the firm has been providing design project management, specification services and the Bahrain office has also been appointed to provide cost management services to Snohetta.
Stephen Gee, a Partner in Davis Langdon's Bahrain office, commented, "Our involvement with this project has enabled us to form a strong relationship with Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil exporter. It is hoped our involvement with this landmark project will assist Davis Langdon to grow our market share of the Saudi Arabian market."
The Centre was designed by Norwegian architects Snohetta to resemble five pebbles standing in the desert. Buro Happold is to act as structural and mechanical engineer.
The centre is being built on the site of the first well in the kingdom to produce oil in commercial quantities - well number 7 on the oil-rich Dammam Dome. Covering 65,000 m2, the stainless steel clad buildings will house exhibition halls, a museum, an auditorium, a mosque, a library and the country's first public cinema.
The project will be located on the site of Saudi Aramco's existing oil exhibit in Dhahran and will mark the 75th Anniversary of Saudi Aramco. Saudi Aramco's vision was to create the 8th wonder of the world in terms of modern architecture. Not only would this provide Saudi Arabia with a landmark project but the iconic status of the project is hoped to provide world recognition creating an effect similar to that of the Burg Al Arab in Dubai or the Opera House in Sydney.
The project is made up of five different 'pebble's creating a gross floor area of circa 70,000 m2, each main component of the project will feature inside a different 'pebble' all linked together by an internal plaza. Outside the building the external landscaping will form what will be known as a lush garden encouraging the general public to walk outside and experience the project from a different perspective in the cooler months.
Saudi Aramco aims to complete the US$400 million scheme by 2011 and open it to the public in 2012. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site, in the Dhahran area of the Eastern Province, in May 2008
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Editors Note:
Davis Langdon is a global construction consultancy, providing managed solutions for clients investing in infrastructure, property and construction, worldwide. The firm has worked on a number of high-profile projects including the Westfield London, Liverpool ONE, Tate Modern, the Royal Festival Hall and the Eden Project Cornwall. It is the recipient of a number of industry awards including being voted BD World Architecture magazine's Top International Construction Consultant for sixteen successive years and was named Building magazine's Construction Consultant/Surveyor of the Year 2008. For the fifth year, the firm has been ranked in the Sunday Times '100 Best Companies to Work For' league table. The firm has in excess of 5,000 staff in some 105 offices worldwide.
For further information, please contact
Melissa Currie
Tel:020 7061 7406
email melissa.currie@davislangdon.com
© Press Release 2009
