March 30, 2012 Posted by: Indy
When entrepreneur Malcom McLean developed the intermodal shipping container in 1956, he became more than just an inventor; he became an architect. Today, when these containers aren’t moving cargo on truck, ship, and rail, they are being used for various methods of habitation: a home, office, and—in at least one case—an environmental education center.
The Los Angeles design group APHIDoIDEA is working on plans for an Environmental Center of Regenerative Research & Education (eCORRE) Complex, a place where evidence for recycling’s potential is written on the corrugated steel walls. With close proximity to the second busiest port in the world, the firm has proposed a building made from 65 shipping containers. The eCORRE complex would boast a slew of sustainable innovations including a botanical garden “green roof” and the incorporation of reusable energy sources.
Shipping around the worldThe Boucher Grygier Shipping Container House in East Bay, California uses three 40-foot insulated containers forming a 1,350 square-foot, three-bedroom house. The container insulation helps moderate temperature, though all container buildings can be fitted for insulation. The building design, as well as being aesthetically pleasing, limits solar heat gain in summer and facilitates it in winter.
Billed as the largest container city in the world, Project Keetwonen in Amsterdam is a 1,000-room dormitory for college students. Each unit has a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, study area, and balcony. Each also has central heating, high-speed Internet access, and a central phone system.
The Container City System is a series of buildings made from shipping containers throughout the United Kingdom used as a nursery, sport and youth center, retail, office, and living space. The system began with Container City I, constructed in 2001 along the Trinity Buoy Wharf in London. Four stories tall, over 80 percent of the complex is made from recycled material. Due to high demand, Container City II was built next door in 2002. The system has 18 projects completed thus far, with two more in the works.
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March 26, 2012 Posted by: Indy
By Reuters Monday, 26 March 2012 4:24 PM
16 international companies are said to have expressed an interest in the airport tender.
Kuwait will launch in coming weeks an initial tender for construction of a second terminal at its international airport, a project worth around KWD700m to KWD800m (US$2.5bn-US$2.9bn), state-run news agency KUNA said on Monday.
The project should be finished by late 2016, KUNA quoted the undersecretary for the Ministry of Works, Hossam al-Tahous, as saying in an interview. He said 16 international companies had expressed interest in the project.
The first stages of the tender will include work on the design and consultancy services, Tahous said. Tenders for the second phase which will include construction should happen in the middle of next year, he said.
He said the ministry hopes that solar panels could provide some 10 percent of the terminal’s energy supply.
In recent years inefficient planning and tensions between the cabinet and parliament have plagued policymaking, blocking important infrastructure and economic development projects in the OPEC member state.
Any progress on the airport terminal project will come as a welcome sign that Kuwait is working to break down hurdles for foreign investment.
In the past decade, Kuwait has attracted just US$1.5bn in foreign investment, or a mere 0.5 percent of total Gulf inflows, while Yemen attracted US$3.5bn.
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March 23, 2012 Posted by: Indy
@Indyfrt Tweet : Global is making a major presence in the Campus at the Dubai Office Exhibition in May ! Welcome to the Mid East Global !
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March 23, 2012 Posted by: Indy
Extracted from www.sport360.com
Real Madrid president Florentino Peréz and the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah today announced a $1 billion ‘sportainment’ resort complex to be built on the artificial island of Al Marjan in the UAE.
Real Madrid Resort Island will be a 12-hectare development to include a five star, 450 room hotel and beach resort, marina laid out in the shape of the Madrid crest, theme and water park, Real Madrid museum, sports and health facilities, a shopping mall and a 10,000 seater stadium which opens out onto the sea. There will also be a residential area with 400 apartments and 48 villas with a private beach.
The complex, which has the support of the Emirate of Ras Al Kahimah and HRH Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qassimi, is scheduled to open in January 2015 and one million visitors are expected in its first year.
The development was launched this morning at Real Madrid’s Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, where Pérez was joined by Dr. Khater Massaad, advisor to Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qassimi and CEO of RAK Investment Authority, Dr. Hessa Abdullah Ahmed Al Otaiba UAE Ambassador to Spain and Louis Armand de Rougé CEO of RAK Investments and RAK Marjan Island Football.
Also in attendance were Madrid coach José Mourinho, first team director Zinedine Zidane, institutional relations director Emilio Butragueño and first team stars Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema.
Pérez said the development would bring Real Madrid closer to the club’s 160 million fans in the Middle East and Asia.
“When ‘Real Madrid Resort Island’ opens its doors, the visitor will form part of the legend of the best club in football history,” said Pérez. “We are uniting our name with a unique setting in the world, a strategic meeting point and a project without precedent. Real Madrid and the government of Ras Al Khaimah want to transmit the passion and meaning of Real Madrid to everyone.
“The world of sport and Real Madrid are showing once again that borders do not exist and football is a fantastic tool to bring people together.”
RAK Investments CEO Armand de Rougé said that the resort would attract large numbers of visitors to the UAE each year.
“The resort will be located just 45 minutes from Dubai airport, giving access to 2 billion people in the region,” he said. “Football is the most popular sport in the world, Asia is the world’s fastest growing sports market and Qatar is organising the 2020 World Cup. This development fits within this process of giving access to the region. We have a worldwide brand, a strategic location and of course a dedicated island.”
The development has also been designed for use by the local population, said Armand de Rougé. “The idea of the sports facilities is that children from the region will be able to trained by coaches educated to the Real Madrid standards,” he said. “The sports facilities will include an olympic-sized pool, a multi-sports centre with basketball courts and water sports. There is also the marina and yacht club.”
Budget: $1 billion
Opening date: Jan 1st 2015
Includes:
– 5 star luxury 450 room hotel overlooking sea or stadium
– Beach resort with 60 bungalows with private beach
– 12 hectare sports-themed water park, including rollercoaster, submarine, 10,000 seater stadium for football games and cultural events
– Real Madrid museum
– Sports facilities such as training pitches, swimming pools, gym and sports clinics
– Residential area of 400 apartments and 48 villas Marina and sailing club
http://www.sport360.com/article/real-madrid-announce-ras-al-khaimah-theme-park
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March 18, 2012 Posted by: Indy
Annual commercial interior design competition expands to the Middle East !
The Office Exhibition 2012, the Middle East’s premier trade event for office fit-out and design, is opening up its annual commercial interior design competition to the wider Middle East for the first time. In partnership with the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), ‘The Office Exhibition Interior Design Competition’ will recognise outstanding commercial interior design in corporate, education, healthcare, hospitality, government, restaurant, retail and fitness/spa projects located in the Middle East.
Interior designers, interior architects or design firms based anywhere around the world are eligible to enter ‘The Office Exhibition Interior Design Competition.’ The projects submitted should be based within the Middle East and completed within the last three years (between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2011). The competition will remain open for entries from 5 March to 26 April 2012 and companies interested in participating can lodge their application online at www.theofficeexhibition.com/designcomp
Organised by IIDA, the official knowledge partner for The Office Exhibition 2012, the interior design competition seeks to highlight excellence in commercial interior design across the Middle East. The winning design projects will be on display at The Office Exhibition 2012 from 15 – 17 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre and will be acknowledged at an official awards ceremony during the event.
Commenting on the competition, Cheryl Durst, Executive Vice President and CEO of IIDA said: “Design in the workplace matters because it facilitates human interaction and performance. Good design is not only aesthetic but should also benefit the end user. Through the Office Exhibition Interior Design Competition, we aim to recognise and celebrate those commercial spaces that are artistic, innovative and functional.”
David Wilson, Event Director of The Office Exhibition added: “As the only trade show for office interior design in the Middle East, broadening the reach of our design competition to include projects in the wider region was a logical extension of the programme in its second year. By recognising those companies that understand the impact of good design on business success, we hope the industry will be able to learn from their example.”
In collaboration with The Hotel Show, The Office Exhibition 2012 is also offering exhibitors at the show a chance to showcase their most innovative products through The Middle East Office & Hospitality Product Design Awards. Also organised by IIDA, the Awards will reward manufacturers and designers for excellence and innovation in product design across various categories in the commercial office and hotel industries.
“This awards programme is a valuable platform for exhibitors to highlight their best product innovations over the last year. The Office Exhibition is committed to bringing to the region the very best in design and highlighting game-changing products that help to create excellent workspaces.” says David Wilson.
For more information about the award programmes or The Office Exhibition 2012 visit http://www.theofficeexhibition.com/
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posted in: News
March 3, 2012 Posted by: Indy
The American Campus announced today that a number of ‘major new names’ will be using the 2012 Office Exhibition in Dubai as the springboard for their campaigns for a stake in the lucrative Commercial Interiors market in the Middle East.
Details will be announced this week !
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posted in: News
March 3, 2012 Posted by: Indy
From ArabianBusiness.com HERE
Twofour54, the Abu Dhabi state-backed media zone, is in talks with several social networking companies in a bid to lure them to set up in the Middle East and tap into the growing Arabic market, Arabian Business has learnt.
“We are in discussions with a number of those parties,” Wayne Borg, deputy CEO and chief operating officer, said when asked if the media zone was in any discussions with social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter or Google.
“In terms of working with them I think they recognise what we have to offer them here.
“Our focus is around Arabic content creation and more and more those sites, those brands [Facebook and Google+] are focused on content so there is a way they can connect with the Arab creative community and understand our ambition for that centre of excellence for Arabic content creation.
Full story HERE
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