Emirates Investment Authority HQ
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Emirates Investment Authority HQ
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Emirates Investment Authority HQ
Abu Dhabi, UAE
The new Emirates Investment Authority Headquarters demands an unusual mixture of speculative office space, headquarters and retail tied into a single building. How to respond to these needs with a singular building which moves past previous assertions of identity onto Abu Dhabi skyline?
Our starting point is a square-plan, centre-core building, the most efficient and rational layout.
We extrude the plan to generate sufficient area to accommodate the brief, forming an extra wide tower with flexible contemporary floorplates. The brief calls for three elements, so the volume is neatly divided into a base, shaft and capital.
Our aim is to give each element its own distinguishable architectural identity. The podium extends out in one direction to accommodate the various elements of the ground floor brief, and retracts in the other to provide a wide, inviting, shaded, porte-cochère and entrance into the building.
Drawing upon the powerful Emirati tradition of the garden, all the public functions at the base of the building gather around a lush central landscape retreat. The lobby has generous proportions and is designed to maximise views to the podium garden
Client
Emirates Investment Authority
Facility
Headquarters, Commercial Offices, Retail, Amenities and Parking
Size
20,300sqm
Status
Competition
The Category A office plan is a simple square with a central core. A 10.5m lease span from core to the outer façade is the optimal dimension for flexible layouts and good daylight. There is no need for an additional perimeter corridor when subdividing the office floorplate for multiple tenants.
Similarly the prestigious EIA headquarters also gathers around its own private garden at the top of the building. The upper floors are connected via an elegantly sweeping stair. The atrium and stair encourage collaboration and chance encounters. On all levels, the garden provides orientation, creating an intimate internal atmosphere and a sense of community for all.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, we shift the headquarters volume to one side, creating a kind of hanging garden. This places the two gardens in dialogue with each other. The public garden below and the private garden above are thus linked together: a symbol of EIA’s connection to the city and its people.
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