Design Concept:

The MOE Headquarters Building uses an Arabian Gulf sailing vessel, as its design metaphor. This imagery evokes the tradition of Kuwait, with its rich history of fishing, sea trading, and shipbuilding.

The Dhow concept is manifested as two curved, intersecting buildings coming to rest on the new, lush MOE site. The resulting interior is dramatic, and includes a striking light-filled Atrium with soaring ceilings and sinuous water features. The space is animated by flying bridges, moving elevators and electronic imagery which communicates the MOE mission.

Site Location & Arrival:

The new MOE Headquarters Building is located in the South Surra Government Zone. This area was originally designated by the government to relocate the major ministries away from Kuwait City, thereby easing congestion and creating a better work environment for employees.

The site is on the northwestern corner of Street 206 intersection with Street 400. It is linked with King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz Street, and the Sixth Ring Motorway via two major collector roads (Street 400 and Street 401) which bound the South Surra Government zone from the east and west.

A spacious arrival area at the southern end of the building accommodates visitors and employees who are dropped off at the entry. A VIP drop off area, lobby, and small garage are located at northeast end of the ground floor, overlooking an open space with trees and other foliage.

Architectural, Structure & MEP Design:

The MOE Headquarters Building is comprised of two curved, gracefully shaped glass and metal buildings which rest on a two-story base clad stone. The building materials – glass, metal, and stone were selected for their elegance, timelessness, and durability. The buildings (the metaphorical “Dhows”) are two different heights – one is 9 stories, the other 11 stories. Both lean gently outward from the stone base, giving the impression the structure is floating above the land.

This upper portion of the building is clad with a combination of silver/gray transparent and opaque glass windows that are screened from the sun with an external system of horizontal metal louvers. The density of this exo-skeleton of louvers varies depending upon the face orientation of the building and the impact of the intruding rays of the sun. The louvers follow the long curved facades of the building’s eastern and western sides. The north and south ends of each building wing are also sloped outward from bottom to top and contain internal ceramic fritting to provide for solar protection and shading.

The Main building is primarily concrete above ground with three basements for parking and housing an electro mechanical services area. The tower is oval in shape with two curved segments joined with architecturally exposed steel space frame structural bridges. The exterior of the building tapers out, thus the outer columns step out vertically on each floor by 500 mm. The mechanical systems in the building are controlled and monitored by a building management system consisting of a central processing unit and a number of local intelligent stand-alone stations linked by a communications network.

Project Data:

Project Team :

Client 

Ministry of Public Works [MPW]

Consultant 

Cambridge Seven Associates, Inc. [C7A]

in Association with Gulf Consult

Contractor 

Mohamed Abdulmohsin Al Kharafi and Sons.

Source : Gulf Consult

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