design leaders architecture
STARS IN THEIR EYES
In an era of tightened purse strings, are UAE developers continuing to commission big-name architects or looking for local alternatives? Oliver Ephgrave speaks to two UAE- based architecture firms to find out
Although many of the UAE’s iconic buildings – such as Dubai’s Emirates Towers and Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace – were created by relatively low profile architects, a number of recent icons have been designed by world- famous ‘starchitects’. Completed examples include SOM’s Burj Khalifa and Foster + Partner’s Index skyscraper in Dubai. But this trend is perhaps most evident in the upcoming Cultural District on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, developed by the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC). The site contains a cluster of museums and cultural institutions designed by Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel, and Norman Foster – all former laureates of the coveted Pritzker Prize. At the opposite end of the spectrum is CR2 Architects, a firm that originated in Ireland and formed a partnership with James Toomey Architects for work in the Gulf region. Arthur Hickey, director, says: “Most developers here go for the star architects. Clients think their projects are the most prestigious, so they need big exposure, and it’s hard for a small practice to break into that. If we’re shortlisted
42 /
/jun-sep 2010
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