Hotels and Resorts

Burj Al Arab, Dubai, UAE

Supreme Education Council, Qatar

Who we are > Atkins is a multinational design and engineering consultancy, providing expertise to help resolve complex challenges presented by the built and natural environment.

Whether its the concept for a new skyscraper, the upgrade of a rail network, the modelling of a ood defence system or the improvement of a management process, we plan, design and enable solutions. Founded in 1938 by Sir William Atkins, Atkins employs over 16,000 staff based in more than 200 permanent offices worldwide. Projects have been undertaken in more than 150 countries. As of June 2009, Atkins generated an annual turnover in excess of 1.5 billion. Atkins is the UKs largest engineering and design consultancy and the worlds 11th largest design firm and the largest UK engineering consultancy in the Middle East. We have the breadth and depth of expertise to respond to the most technically challenging and time-critical infrastructure projects and the urgent transition to a low carbon economy. Our size brings significant value to our clients, allowing us to harness an unrivalled pool of creative, professional people to produce outstanding solutions to challenging problems.

Quality delivery
Atkins implements a comprehensive range of fully certied and integrated quality, safety and environmental management systems that distinguish us from our competitors. This means we can guarantee unrivalled performance standards. All of our Middle East & India operations are externally certied to all three internationally recognised QSE management systems:

BS EN ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System BS EN ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System OHSAS 18001:2007 Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series
We have a regional Business Quality Director to oversee the administration of the business management systems, including the implementation of a Quality Management System (QMS). Each ofce also has a Quality Manager. We are able to integrate quality procedures into all the projects that we deliver on behalf of government ministries, local governments, hotel and leisure project operators, major real estate developers, national oil companies, contractors in the oil and gas sector and private clients.

What we deliver > Atkins offers an unparalleled, single source of

joined up multidisciplinary services.

The design of hotels is one of the most diverse and sophisticated of the creative disciplines. Atkins has established a reputation as one of the most accomplished hotel designers in the world with an international portfolio of instantly recognisable signature projects. In this demanding, fast changing sector, our strength lies in our proven ability to deliver the right mix of combined technical expertise and creative design. This is particularly relevant in our specialist area of ve-star and luxury hotels, hotel apartments and resorts with fully inclusive operational solutions.

We use our own in-house, multidisciplinary teams of architects, structural and building services engineers, sustainability consultants and other specialists. We work with and provide the highest quality advice and support to clients as we plan, design and enable their capital programmes to achieve greater predictability, efciency and quality - and deliver a greater return on investment.

Turning ideas into reality is made possible through our extensive experience in managing single or multidisciplinary project teams effectively. We understand the importance of engaging with stakeholders throughout the lifetime of a project and coordinate teams in partnering frameworks. We listen to our clients and offer tailored services throughout the entire spectrum of design, architecture, sustainability, planning and approvals.

We offer a comprehensive range of in-house multidisciplinary services which, combined with integrated cross-disciplinary working practices, enable us to take a holistic approach to projects. Our clients, who include local government authorities, developers, private business establishments and other international organisations, can attest that no other design consultancy can offer this breadth of expertise.

Hotel design services in the region > We have an unparalleled knowledge of current
design thinking and best practice.

Atkins brings together the experience, ingenuity, management skills and nancial acumen to optimise capital projects and deliver complex hotel and resort developments. Our regional teams are able to provide multidisciplinary services for the hotel and leisure sectors using local knowledge and relevant international expertise, thereby catering for the specic requirements of our Middle East clients. Each of our projects in the sector is driven by exacting design processes that respond uniquely to the specic demands of client, context and place. This approach often results in a unique building or structure, which becomes a familiar and symbolic landmark emblematic of its location and respecting the unique characteristics of the locale. Such projects often incorporate a degree of innovation sometimes social, sometimes technological - and they are particularly successful when both attributes occur together. With over two decades of experience in hospitality design, we have a thorough working knowledge of design guidance and specic legislation relating to hotel developments.

Based on our internally published book Atkins Hotel Guidelines, we have developed a software tool that incorporates standards and regulations for hotel planning and design and generates a schedule of hotel space requirements which serves as a reference during pre-concept and concept design stages.

We have a comprehensive understanding of the hierarchy and relationships between different operational functions and have scrutinised many international hotel operators requirements and guidelines. This has given us unparalleled knowledge of current design thinking and best practice.

To complement this, we also have a detailed and practical knowledge of how to translate guidance and legislation into the built form to create facilities that are t for purpose. Value for money and inherent exibility are the other major considerations we incorporate into our advice. Through our tried and tested experiences, we consider a number of fundamental factors and concerns in reaching our recommendations on materials and nishes. These include durability, ease of maintenance and the comparison of short term costs versus long term or whole life costs. To further add value, we do not overlook the importance of back-of-house facilities. We imaginatively treat this area which is the heart of the hotel - to enhance living standards in this underground community. Our goal is to provide an ambience that is more conducive to work, thus raising morale, increasing staff efciency and delivering higher levels of productivity and services.

Our team approach We are passionate about what we do and relish >
the challenge to provide innovative and stimulating hotel design.

As designers, we are driven by the belief that our surroundings directly inuence the quality of our lives, whether in the work place, at home or in the public spaces in between. This emphasis on the social dimension is fundamental to our design philosophy, which takes as its starting point the acknowledgement that architecture is generated by the needs of people. Our work is diverse and the demands of our clients are unique. This allows us to approach every new project with the intention of creating bespoke and vibrant design solutions. We are dedicated to creating hotels on a practical level to create or reinforce a sense of place that will be part of the legacy for future generations. We aim to capture the clients vision in our designs and to energise the wider team including construction teams and suppliers.

Our dedicated in-house team of e hotel specialists have extensive xtensive sign, knowledge of hotel design, d particularly ve-star and luxury ts hotels, hotel apartments and on resorts with the inclusion of ns. full operational solutions. nce We can provide guidance and sign direction during the design ering process without interfering with, ortant or minimising the important role erator. played by the hotel operator.

Relationship map

Client

Project Manager

Hotel Operator

Specialist Hotel Team

SubConsultants

Design Team

Specialist Team

Concept design process

Our input at the key stages of concept and design development are outlined as follows: Concept design

Specialist Hotel Team

During early stages of concept design phase, in the absence of a designated hotel operator, our specialist hotel team: Denes and generates signicant up-to-date space programming

Preliminary Space Planning

Front of House Conference Facilities Typical Guest Room Floor Back of House Food and Beverage Services

Preliminary Schedule of Materials and Finishes

Back of House Floor Skirting Wall Ceiling

Recommendation for Specialist Consultants

Interior Design Spa Food and Beverage Kitchen and Laundry Waste Management

Provides recommendations for schematic space planning Provides recommendations and assistance in identifying and selecting particular subconsultants for hotel developments Design development During design development phase, our specialist hotel team: Liaises and works closely with the client and his appointed hotel operator Reviews planning arrangements, guidelines and requirements from the hotel operator Takes part in workshops and meetings with the client, the hotel operator and the design team to discuss the quality and standards Sits alongside the design teams, to disseminate information, coordinate and guide their understanding of operational and spatial relationships Oversees, advises and monitors the implementation of the hotel operators standards and security requirements Provides recommendations for selection of materials and nishes for back-of-house facilities Provides assistance on the comparison of authority and hotel operator requirements and ensures that the higher and stricter standard takes precedence at all times Provides guidance and recommendations in the preparation of the master key schedule

Design development process

Client/ Hotel Operator
Internal Logistic Strategic Planning

BOH Finishes

Specialist Hotel Team

Recommendations Selection of Materials

Hotel Operator
Standards Guidelines and Requirements

Workshops
Client Hotel Operator Design Team

Design Team Local Authority Requirements

Coordination Operational Planning Spatial Planning Hotel Operators Requirements Security Requirements

Master Key Schedule

Sustainability > Our teams weave sustainability into an

inclusive design process.

Atkins is more than an environmentally responsible consultancy - sustainability is at the heart of all that we do. We lead the way on carbon reduction and sustainable environmental design, incorporating best practice in the technical aspects of hotel design. We are not content with driving the sustainability agenda by internal commitment and advising clients. We believe we also have a responsibility to contribute at wider strategic level, and we have joined several initiatives to help instigate change in the macro environment. This includes founder membership of the Emirates Green Building Council which advises on Constructing Excellence within the UAE. We have invested in numerous areas to ensure that our sustainable practices make a positive difference in the economic, social and environmental systems affecting future generations. We make a leading contribution to research in the eld of sustainability in the built environment through a partnership with British University in Dubai (BUiD) where Atkins funds the Institute of the Built Environment.

We are also committed to our clients and to society in reaping the long term benets in energy savings, reduction in operating costs and better work/ life environments. Our in-house sustainability experts work with architects and engineers to design and construct lowenergy, resource-efcient buildings, including hotels. We advise clients on a range of targets and sustainability metrics including LEED, BREEAM, Estidama, CO2 emissions, energy, water, waste and recycled content targets, embodied energy, environmental impacts of construction materials and social targets. The wide range of services and disciplines within Atkins are all uent in the language of sustainability and this means we can respond effectively as a team to the design challenges. This teamwork ensures sustainability never becomes a bolt-on, or an afterthought and results in Atkins projects setting benchmarks in sustainability, which includes some of the most inspirational, ground breaking initiatives in building design.

We believe Atkins is achieving excellent results by encouraging our architects and engineers to innovate in ways that deliver genuine sustainable benets. We are also proving that sustainable thinking can be harnessed within a large company and converted into ground breaking buildings that are both functional and exciting.

Sports Hotel, Abu Dhabi, UAE The design philosophy of this 400-key 63,000 sq m hotel development was derived from the clients requirement for a prestigious luxury vestar hotel development with a high gold LEED rating and the abstract vision of complimenting the spirit of the existing shooting club where it is located. This led to visualizing the building as a dynamic form rising from a eld of green fabric. Its nal dynamic S-shaped footprint evolved from several stages of studies on site orientation, solar path analysis, sun shading, wind analysis and energy modelling in addition to a number of design exercises on maximizing on the advantages of these studies. The building faade is a symphony of different layers reecting the multiple layers of an athletes skin, protecting and shading the end users as well as the internal components by providing the right ambiance. It is also a composition of horizontal and vertical elements, expressed through projected balconies, canopies and offset screen, providing shade and protection from the hot summer sun as well as reducing energy consumption.

Burj Al Arab, Dubai, UAE

Atkins was the driving force behind the exclusive design of the 321metre high super luxury Burj AI Arab hotel thereby realising the clients desire to create a symbol of modern Dubai. Most icons have in common an economy and uniqueness of form and since the city has historically been a hub for maritime trade with Africa, India and China, it seemed appropriate to borrow from this seafaring heritage - hence the designers theme of the billowing spinnaker sail of a hi-tech J class yacht. Acknowledged as the tallest single structure hotel in the world, it also houses the worlds tallest atrium which at 182 metres in height addresses the space that is the core of the Burj AI Arab and provides a constant reminder of where you are. Access to and from the 202 luxurious duplex bedroom suites is via the wide open balconies that ank two sides of the atrium.

Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, UAE

Rated the worlds best hotel, the Jumeirah Beach Hotel has become a benchmark for ve-star hotels worldwide. The eye-catching exterior of this unique hotel which has served as a backdrop for many key events held in Dubai, hides beneath it a wealth of innovative designs. Atkins scope of services on the project included both architecture and engineering design. We were also responsible for full supervision and construction management and consultancy for procurement of the whole project. To take advantage of the breath-taking surroundings, Atkins conceptualised the hotel with an unusually long and high design that is curved both in plan and elevation. This resulted in a breaking ocean wave shape with 600 rooms and suites all of which offer uninterrupted sea views in a dynamic 26-storey structure, 93m high and 275m long.

Hilton Hotel and Resort, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

Situated in a beautiful private bay on the northern peninsula of the sun-soaked Arabian Gulf, this hotel and resort development is envisioned to be a holiday destination. It includes a 205-key ve star hotel, beach and health club, sports facilities, variety of recreational spaces and chalets. Its design emphasises its beach front location with an architectural theme that is a fusion of Islamic, Moorish and vernacular architecture. Within a rich landscape, this Arabian fortress has an overall massing of low rise structures which step back as the height increases thus maximising views of the beach. The extensive landscaping throughout the entire resort adds to the comfort and natural beauty of the site as well as enhances the overall value of the development.

Awards and accolades include:

Hotel Business Lounge of the Year Commercial Interior Design Awards 2008 Neos, Best Leisure and Entertainment venue Commercial Interior Design Awards 2008 Best New Hotel World Hotel Awards 2008 Best New Hotel Arabian Hotel Investment Conference Awards 2009 Middle Easts Leading New Hotel World Travel Awards 2009 The Address, Downtown Dubai Cond Nast Traveller Hot List 2009

The Address, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, UAE

Located in the prestigious Downtown Dubai, The Address is a 63 storey tower comprising a 198 key ve star hotel and 626 deluxe serviced apartments. Its imposing 306m height and striking design produce a landmark worthy to stand at the opposite end of the lake to the worlds tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. The oor plate of its podium is based on an organic evolution of a series of linked arcs which present imposing interconnected double and triple volume public spaces with full views of the lake and Burj Khalifa. This concept is extended to the guest room levels. Rising above the hotel is an aerofoil-shaped tower that accommodates 45 levels of serviced apartments. Our Carbon Critical DesignTM ethos ensured features such as an air conditioning condensation recovery process that captures enough water to service the irrigation needs of the whole building.

Beit Al Bahar, Dubai, UAE

Inspired by vernacular architecture, 19 Arabian-styled villas are seamlessly integrated into the landscape of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Deriving their form from the traditional dwellings in the region, the private and inward looking villas each with their own pool are surrounded by high walls and organised around shaded courtyards with gateways and fortress-like towers. Lofty narrow streets link the villas, converging at a central oasis with a sparkling pool. The interior and exterior design of the villas incorporates materials associated with the region. Local craftsmen were employed to recreate the details and motifs of indigenous architecture although the technology and construction techniques are decidedly modern.

Icon Hotel, Dubai Promenade, Dubai, UAE

Atkins scope for the Icon Hotel on the Dubai Promenade include full consultancy services, along with re and life safety, landscape architecture, vertical transportation, and building physics. The hotel is to be the worlds rst wheel form. The design features a unique travel experience with a sky lift which rises up through the central void, with 360 degree views. The 160m tall hotel houses 204 guest rooms, situated in the west side of the wheel. 261 serviced apartments are located in the east and top portion of the wheel. The hotel along with two supporting wings rests on a four storey podium which includes both the back and front-of-house hotel facilities.

Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Oman

The Barr Al Jissah Resort is situated in an isolated cove 12 kilometres off Muscat on the Quriyat coast, encircled by spectacular terrain rising to a high plateau. Previously inaccessible by road, a four kilometre access designed by Atkins now snakes through the wadi beds and cuts over the jebel before descending to the resort, which consists of three hotels, a spa and a heritage centre set in a natural coastal landscape. The design of the three hotels was developed from an initial concept produced by Wimberly Allison Tong and Goo and Derek Lovejoy Partnership, and draws heavily upon the vernacular architecture of Oman as expressed in traditional dwellings, fortresses and souks. The interior design incorporates indigenous details, colours and artefacts while simultaneously providing all the amenities demanded of ve star accommodation.

Trump International Hotel and Tower, The Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
The Trump International Hotel and Tower is a 62-storey sheer glass sculpture rising dramatically from the centre of the Palm Jumeirah trunk. It embraces environmentally sustainable design initiatives including efcient faade design, high performance glazing and enhanced levels of insulation to reduce cooling loads. It also includes low energy building services, displacement ventilation, ground heat rejection and intelligent lighting controls. Extensive re-use of on site water and sustainable building materials will reduce resource consumption and improve indoor environmental quality.

Ibis and Suite Hotels, Dubai, UAE

This project located near the Mall of the Emirates, comprises two brands of three star business hotels, Ibis and Suite. A total of 384 guest rooms are accommodated over six oors above the ground oor. Leisure and recreational facilities include restaurants, bars, swimming pool and health club. Predominantly clad in glass and aluminium panels, the scheme is a modern design utilising simple, folded-plate forms and a combination of horizontal shading elements and vertical ns on its southern facades. The clean and contemporary image of the development is intended to raise the existing urban environment and provide a focal point for business travellers to Dubai and its suburbs.

Shanghai Harbour City Crowne Plaza Hotel, China

The concept for the low rise, 350-bed Shanghai Harbour City Crowne Plaza Hotel emanates from Atkins success in an international competition for the masterplan for Lingang New Town, near Shanghai. Resting on an island in a 500-hectare circular lake at the centre of the new town, the hotel is aptly named, as locals liken it to a oating lotus ower. The hotel is laid out with a central dome containing the reception and lobby, which in turn connects to ve petal-shaped wings having either hotel rooms or restaurants and meeting rooms. This simple geometry allows all rooms to have unobstructed views of the lake. Atriums, designed as themed gardens, illuminate and ventilate the split central corridors leading to the rooms. Separate from the hotel are a small marina and clubhouse, childrens playgrounds, gardens and other amenities to complete the island resort.

Island Resort and Hotel, Abu Dhabi, UAE

This 250-key seaside ve star hotel development places luxury of nature at your feet by expanding the unique natural habitat of beachside sand dune habitat into the resort site area. Its design concept was inspired by imagination of cool seaside breeze accompanied by the sound of crashing waves as well as visions of lazy days by the pool, warm nights dancing on the terrace while enjoying sunset views of the Arabian Gulf. One of its design goals was to create a sophisticated destination attracting both local and international clientele, at the same time adhering to environmental guidelines and sustainable strategies set forth by the client, the Urban Planning Council and the principles of Estidama.

Ibis and Novotel Hotels, Dubai, UAE

This project consists of two independent nine-storey hotel towers with a total of 554 rooms and is situated in the heart of Deira business district. The proportions and massing of this project are based on solid forms with punctured linear voids invoking traditional modern architecture. The lighting design is based on a control philosophy with a choice of efcient light sources that will not only minimise the cost of the installations but the cost of operating them too. The L-shaped Ibis Hotel is situated to the north, accommodating 365 rooms while the straight winged Novotel Hotel faces the south, accommodating 189 rooms. Both hotels are independent facilities designed in a U-shape around a courtyard above the roof of a twostorey podium. The terraced deck houses a swimming pool, health facilities and landscape gardens. The ground and mezzanine podium encloses an open-air courtyard.

Beachfront Hotel, Dubai, UAE

Our brief for this Beachfront Hotel was for a strikingly designed hotel and serviced apartment tower which could be served by a multitude of leisure and hospitality facilities. The 60-storey cylindrical glass tower sits on an impressive six-storey podium in the shape of an ellipse which houses food and beverage outlets, banqueting and health club and spa facilities. Penetrating through its roof, the tower ascends to a total height of 295m and provides uninterrupted views over the sea, towards Dubai Marina and the desert. The Beachfront Hotel was visualised as a modern landmark that reects resort lifestyle. Its bold composition utilises an interesting play of spaces and volumes, making it stand out as a dynamic and expressive signature building that is quite exclusive from its surrounding buildings.

Shimao Wonderland Intercontinental Hotel, Songjiang, China

This competition winning design for a 388 key ve star resort and business hotel is set within a water-lled quarry in Songjiang district close to Shanghai. The quarry and hotel combine to form an integrated whole where, governed by restrictions on building height, the hotels 17 storeys only occupy two levels above ground and barely intrudes upon the natural beauty for which the area is famous. The quarry provides guests and visitors with views, activities and experiences and protects the hotel from weather extremes. The thermal mass of the rock stabilises the hotel environment and reduces energy input into the building. In return, the hotel rejuvenates the quarry and for the rst time brings man and environment together in a sustainable relationship.

Web: www.atkins-me.com/contactus Email: hotels.mei@atkinsglobal.com

JT/CP/DH/30/05/2010 Atkins Ltd except where stated otherwise. The Atkins logo and the strapline Plan Design Enable are trademarks of Atkins Ltd.