His Majesty's gift to music, theatre enthusiasts. Cultural monument to be ready by 2010. One-of-its-kind multi-purpose theatre project in the world. New dual carriageway to access HOMA. Cultural Souk major attraction. TPC, WATG, Carillion Alawi to execute project
MUSCAT -- A landmark cultural monument dedicated to the celebration of theatre and music is coming up at Shatti al Qurum area on the directive of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. The House of Musical Arts (HOMA) project launched by the Royal Court Affairs -- the Royal Estates is a gift to the nation, reflecting His Majesty Sultan Qaboos's strong passion for arts and music, Hamid bin Abdulla al Ghazali, Project Director, told the Observer. His Majesty the Sultan is the driving force behind this one-of-its-kind project in the world, which was conceived and now being executed under his guidance and instruction, Al Ghazali said.
"There is nothing similar to this project anywhere in the Middle East and perhaps in the world. This is a first as well as one-of-its-kind project stemming from His Majesty Sultan Qaboos's visionary leadership and passion for theatrical arts and music." Coming up on a plot admeasuring 80,000 square metres at Al Sarooj, HOMA forms the centrepiece of grand cultural facilities set amidst a brilliantly landscaped garden. The project is envisaged as a major tourist attraction with a Cultural Souk adjoining HOMA offering a hive of activity with art galleries, restaurants, coffee shops and shopping outlets.
The lush landscaped area comprises 60 per cent of the land, providing a magnificent setting, Al Ghazali said. HOMA with a seating capacity of 1,100 will have parking space for 450 vehicles and the project is scheduled for completion by the summer of 2010, he added. A new dual carriageway incorporating the Sultanate's first tunnel road running beneath the dual carriageway to enable access to the Sultan Qaboos Highway is another notable feature of the project. The detailed design work of the road project is in its final stages and the construction is expected to begin by the end of this year.
The new dual carriageway running between the Foreign Affairs Ministry roundabout and the Inter-Continental Hotel intersection is aimed at offering easy access to and from the theatre to Sultan Qaboos Highway, Al Ghazali noted. By order of His Majesty, a steering committee comprising very senior members of the government was formed to take the project forward. Leading global theatre consulting firm Theatre Projects Consultants (TPC) provided the concept requirements of HOMA following which a global design competition
Featuring the highest standards, the design covers all theatre aspects, including architecture, facade, grand foyer, lobbies, stage, auditorium, interior design, lighting and acoustics to name a few, besides extensive landscaping blending modern, Islamic and Arabic themes. The state-of-the-art theatre is a tribute to the culture and history of Oman, he added. The main construction contract of the prestigious project has been won by M/S Carillion Alawi.
There are several packages of specialist works that will be tendered separately to be executed as part of the project, such as theatre equipment, sound and light, mechanical and electrical works, internal finishes and furniture to name a few, all of which will be executed under nomination to the main contractor, Eng Al Ghazali said. WATG will be responsible for the design and supervision of the project wherein other sub-consultants are on board to provide speciality services in theatre equipment, acoustics, lighting, civil, structural and mechanical engineering. Without compromising on the high standards set for the project, local registered consultants have been associated wherever expertise is available locally, Eng Al Ghazali noted.
One of the most striking aspects of the project will be the harmonious blend of all the facilities. WATG has sourced the expertise of Cowi and Partners Oman for structural design, civil, fire and safety works, Majan Engineering Consultancy for mechanical and electrical works. World renowned DHA will provide all lighting design requirements while Acoustic Dimensions is responsible for acoustic design. HOMA is a one-of-its-kind project in the world, Eng Ghazali said. The international theatre design community was very much aware of the project and evinced keen interest from allover the world, he added.
In terms of architecture, lighting, acoustics and stage manoeuvrability, HOMA will be unique, featuring the highest standards and state-of-the-art technology. The seating arrangement of HOMA will be flexible and unique depending on the requirements for operatic, theatrical and musical concert performances, Eng Al Ghazali noted. The stage can be moved to make way for smaller or bigger performances. During musical concerts, the theatre will have the maximum seating capacity of 1,100. Operatic and theatrical performances require an expanded stage, hence the seating capacity can be reduced to 800, he added. The stage can be suitably adjusted for the two modes of concert or theatre performances.
One of the unique features of the theatre stage will be a 32-metre-high fly tower, facilitating theatrical wizardry during performances. Depending on the type of concert or opera production, the stage can be extended, orchestra pit enlarged, or stalls extended by utilising orchestra lifts, stage lift, or seat wagons in several combination modes. In addition, a range of adjustable acoustics (retractable curtains, panels) have been introduced in order to be able to provide sound absorption as required depending on the type of performances to be held. "This is a very complex mechanical movement and it is a challenge to build a theatre incorporating such hi-tech features," Eng Al Ghazali said.
Other prominent fixtures of HOMA include the Royal box, VIP seating and three balcony levels on both sides. Prior to the awarding of the project, extensive land enabling works at the site was done by M/s OSCO while extensive piling works, totalling 1,100 piles, were done by M/S Swiss Boring. A chief executive theatre officer will soon assume charge to work parallel with the project management, as it is intended to eventually hand over the management of the HOMA to an independent body to run the facility to its optimum commercial potential. A plan will also be in place to train Omanis to be a part in managing the theatre facilities, Eng Al Ghazali said.
By Ebby Chacko George
© Oman Daily Observer 2007
