Site
The new 123,423 sq.m built up commercial development on 15,134 sq.m land sits at Street 26, a walking distance away from the Cornice Road. The development consists of one 21-storeys serviced apartment block (76 units of 3-bedroom apartment and 31 units of 2-bedroom apartment), one 21-storeys 4 star hotel block (387 keys), one 18-storeys office block with 10-storeys podium office and 3-levels of basement parking.
Concept
Philosophy – Well of Life
Water, as a life-sustaining element has been particularly crucial in a desert.
Abu Dhabi has successfully created a Garden City, an Oasis. The similar concept has been carried out in many new big scale master plans but none in individual inner city development. The concrete and glass blocks has form another kind of desert in the Garden City itself. In view of which, the pattern of bringing water into desert land has been picked up as the design intent.
A green building birth out of a well of living water in the desert land has been a vision resulted from the intent.
Facade
A transparent and reflective nature of water has inspired facade treatments. The hotel and apartment blocks have taken a clear water approach, which is translated into clear glass with silhouette from behind. It has complemented the simple but elegant form.
The office block was chosen to be treated with different treatment as a focal point of the development. Crisscrossed ripples inspired the facade treatment. The reflective face, the shadowed face and the overlapping water waves present a tonal difference for a water surface. These qualities are reflected by means of textured glazing on the office building.
Third Prize Winner of Design Competition.
