Naseej, a Bahrain based real estate and infrastructure Development Company has awarded RMJM the contract for design of its massive housing project in the Kingdom.
Naseej said that it had conducted a competition seeking innovative designs from all registered architectural firms in Bahrain. The contest attracted a large number of entries finally leading to 4 firms being shortlisted. The housing project aims to provide affordable high quality and environmentally friendly homes that meet the aspirations and budgets of middle income Bahraini nationals.
RMJM, an award winning international architectural practice with a major presence in Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Qatar was named the winner at a special ceremony held at the newly opened head office of Naseej at Bahrain Financial Harbour. A judging panel comprising Mr Christopher Sims CEO of Naseej; Mr Paul Bonner director of Davis Langdon, an AECOM company and Mr Jawad Al Jabal VP of the Bahrain Society of Engineers picked the winner.
The judging panel said that it is a simple yet elegant community based design which reflects a modern take on traditional Bahraini architecture. The design is suitable for construction using a number of flexible methodologies is sensitive to the demands of the Bahraini market and specifically designed to accommodate the growth of the resident Bahraini family.
Mr Graeme McKinnell associate at RMJM Bahrain said that "We are delighted to have won this hugely important competition which coincides with the opening of our new studio in Bahrain. It is a real opportunity to deliver affordable housing of the highest quality to the people of Bahrain. Our design combines traditional values with a contemporary use of space and the latest in building technology. We have designed each ‘Evolution’ home to be able to grow with a family, and to provide a solid foundation for future generations.”
Mr Sims said that key elements of the winning entry will be incorporated into the final design for the first affordable homes to be built by Naseej in Bahrain later this year. The success of this competition reinforces the demand led and research-oriented approach adapted by Naseej to developing value based real estate projects. This differentiation is underlined by our core values of innovation and excellence and our commitment to community growth and sustainable development.
He pointed out that in recent years, regional real estate developers and investors have concentrated on high end, mixed use developments aimed at the global transient market. As a result, the housing needs of middle income nationals have been overlooked and remain largely underserved. He added that it was to address this very need that Naseej was established by prominent private and public sector institutions to act as a pioneering catalyst for meeting the affordable housing development requirements of Bahrain and the Mena region.
(Sourced from Trade Arabia)
