MEC MAY UPDATED 2025

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Anastasia Prosina has the commercial answers

FOA

Meet the evening’s winners in this year’s Awards

JLL

A deep analysis of KSA’s legacy issues MAY 2025

123

Licensed by Dubai Development Authority

FOR THE CONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST

The Hallmark of Success

Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of TBH

Contents | 01

May 2025 Issue 123 Close-up

Providing Solutions for a Better Tomorrow

08

At a time when it has never been more crucial to offer a range of sophisticated, one-stop services, TBH celebrates six decades of continual success and market strength. At its 60th anniversary, what are the touchstone values, the dynamics and the corporate mindsets that have enabled this international growth?

16 Close-up

Seamlessly Providing a Tailored Service

CSQ prides itself on being a dynamic, solution-oriented firm of chartered construction professionals. RICS-regulated, the business is dedicated to reducing the inherent risk connected with real estate, construction, development and investment.

ME Consutlant speaks to Robert Cooper, CEng, MICE, Partner, and Ryan Bray, MRICS, Partner… meconstructionnews.com

May 2025

02 | Contents

20

Expert Opinion

The C-Suite Report: Part One

In this, the first of three serialised reviews of the C-Suite Report, we discover how leading captains of industry see the role of high-level data in informing decisions - and to what extent data can leverage change across the sector’s major legacy issues…

In Practice

Navigating the Challenges Facing KSA’s Construction Sector

JLL identify five major issues for reform…

26 Awards

View from the Top

30

A glittering evening fully befitting the kudos and gravity of the occasion, the Future of Architecture Awards celebrated the hallmark names impacting the sector and embodying its fastmoving dynamics.

36

Summit

Architecture in a New Place

The Future of Architecture Summit brought together a cluster of groundbreaking international specialists to address a number of the critical ‘next moves’ in the sector, including the practicality of bio-materials, the need for a fresh start when it comes to key skillsets - and most radically of all, the quest to build beyond our earth, on Mars and the Moon…

May 2025

meconstructionnews.com

04 | Welcome

Group MANAGING DIRECTOR RAZ ISLAM raz.islam@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5471 DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & BUSINESS OPERATIONS SHIYAS KAREEM shiyas.kareem@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5474 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR ANDY PITOIS andy.pitois@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5473

Editorial HEAD OF CONTENT PAUL GODFREY paul.godfrey@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5470 ASSOCIATE EDITOR PRIYANKA RAINA priyanka.raina@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5478

Studio

From ‘someday’ to right now The recent edition of the Future of Architecture Summit, taking place on 23rd April, set out to give the audience the clearest possible idea of the steps towards the future, and how best to monetise them. So, it was no accident that the day’s keynote speaker - Anastasia Prosina, Founder and Space Architect of Stellar Amenities - spoke about the terrific spectrum of opportunities for businesses to join the international initiatives now being set up to create built environments on the Moon and Mars (no less!).

For too long, there were of course many questions around the practical realities of whether practices can join the race to create architecture on other worlds. For example, do SMEs have the resources and qualifications necessary? Aren’t these beyond the reach of all but the global titans?

Then there’s the whole issue of finding out what competitive tenders are available - and how best to go about applying for May 2025

them? These were precisely the topics that Anastasia addressed so succinctly - and the overall message was that ‘now is the time’.

Anastasia emphasised that there are many facets when it comes to space architecture; it’s not simply about creating liveable environments on new worlds, but includes factors such as the delivery of effective supply chains and the mediumterm creation of infrastructure hubs - all against the backdrop of the most extreme conditions known to humanity.

The reality is that there’s a wealth of commercial openings now available, and the skillsets required - whether niche or allencompassing - potentially offer something for everyone. Given that, I’m delighted to say that this year’s edition of the Summit really did identify and ‘pin down’ the biggest market of all - the quest to build on other worlds. Perhaps you will soon be joining that quest…

ART DIRECTOR SIMON COBON GRAPHIC DESIGNER PERCIVAL MANALAYSAY PHOTOGRAPHER MAKSYM PORIECHKIN

Marketing DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & MEDIA OPERATIONS PHINSON MATHEW GEORGE phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com +971 4 375 5476 MARKETING & EVENTS EXECUTIVE LAKSHMY MANOJ lakshmy.manoj@cpitrademedia.com SOCIAL MEDIA EXECUTIVE FRANZIL DIAS franzil.dias@cpitrademedia.com

Production PRODUCTION & IT SPECIALIST JARRIS PEDROSO

Digital SENIOR DIGITAL MANAGER ABDUL BAEIS abdul.baeis@cpitrademedia.com WEB DEVELOPER UMAIR KHAN umair.khan@cpitrademedia.com FOUNDER DOMINIC DE SOUSA (1959-2015) Published by

The publisher of this magazine has made every effort to ensure the content is accurate on the date of publication.

The opinions and views expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect the publisher and editor. The published material, adverts, editorials and all other content are published in good faith. No part of this publication or any part of the contents thereof may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the permission of the publisher in writing. Publication licensed by Dubai Development Authority to CPI Trade Publishing FZ LLC. Printed by Well Pack Printing Press.

Paul Godfrey Head of Content, ME Consultant

CPI Trade Media. PO Box 13700, Dubai, UAE. +971 4 375 5470 cpitrademedia.com © Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.

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Close-up | 09

PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR A BETTER TOMORROW At a time when it has never been more crucial to offer a range of sophisticated, one-stop services, TBH celebrates six decades of continual success and market strength. At its 60th anniversary, what are the touchstone values, the dynamics and the corporate mindsets that have enabled this international growth?

ME Consultant interviewed six team members about the company’s powerful legacy and competitive advantage…

meconstructionnews.com

May 2025

10 | Close-up

CHRISTOPHER NICOLAS, DIRECTOR You’ve been part of TBH’s journey for a number of years; as the firm celebrates its 60th anniversary, how would you best describe the TBH ‘brand’?

“I’d say that we strive for excellence; we really strive to be project delivery experts - and indeed, that's our tagline for the company. We try to position ourselves as experts in fields as diverse as time management, claims and dispute resolution and so on.

“We're not a company with thousands and thousands of employees. We're 60 years old, and, in our mind, having 350 people is large for us. Bigger businesses may have thousands of staff, but you simply can’t have thousands of subject matter experts, and for us, quality is everything.

“We believe in our ability to answer certain, quite difficult questions. How do we actually help clients deliver projects on time and within budget? How do we help them avoid contractual disputes? How do we mitigate our clients’ risks? These are all questions that our 60 years of experience means we are well-placed to answer.”

enabling works, we're able to look at all facets of the project. We will really scrutinise, then come back to our client and give the best advice we possibly can.”

How would you describe TBH’s Middle East focus areas for 2025?

With the ever-growing scale of projects, how does TBH adapt to the challenges?

“I think that in reality, what's unique to the region - what’s the driving factor here - is that, for a lot of the big programmes, clients want to move quickly. They want to evolve their cities, and they can only do that with a rapid, fast-paced evolution of infrastructure. Time is, clearly, always of the essence. Twinned with this, costs are also of paramount importance - and it’s in these two areas that we really have exceptional subject matter expertise.

“When you have challenging timelines on complex projects, you need a very strong, independent voice that is able to provide sound advice to clients without influence from other parties or any other agendas. Whether from pre-construction activities, commencement works or May 2025

“While we love many areas of diverse and complex project work, for 2025, we will be focusing on: • Energy • Transportation and Infrastructure • Building and Construction • Special Projects

“As an example of our special projects focus, we’ve been doing a huge amount of work relating to data centers in Asia and Australia - and one our initiatives this year is that we're looking to make sure that we expand those services to the market here. We're already discussing this important transition with one of our leading Australian clients, in fact.”

How is TBH dealing with the ‘racefor-skills’, and ensuring that the company has the right people with the right raft of experience and knowledge?

For us, it’s about ensuring that the company always has the right people, with the right experience, nurturing them from the ground up”

“For us, it’s about ensuring that the company always has the right people, with the right experience, nurturing them from the ground up. We are long-term players and want to create an environment that encourages excellence and real skills growth.

“Personally, I’m a good example of this. I started here at TBH as a junior consultant in my second year of university, and I trained during my university years, building the key skillsets. It's exactly the same here now, as we are hiring fresh graduates and then methodically upskilling them. We meconstructionnews.com

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ensure that we can keep up with the clients’ demands for great resources, and along with focusing on graduate level, we are also very agile as a business, and we encourage highly qualified people to move across from our Australian and Asian offices. There's a keen international interest in a lot of our projects here in the GCC, and that benefits us, because we can bring across someone who’s been fully trained in the same systems and procedures.

“As a next step, they can go back to their home office in Australia or Asia with a much broader raft of experience, or they can stay and advance their career here. This is a very strong way of ensuring not only the business’ development and growth but the career paths of talented individuals as well.”

ROSINE NABAA, SENIOR CONSULTANT

TBH’s philosophy as a business is that we are better-placed to thrive when there is a diverse level playing-field” more vital when you’re dealing with large scale projects that have inherent complexity in their designs.”

Do you see particular trends in the way that TBH has evolved over its 60 years in the market; what do you feel really makes it stand out?

“I’ve been here six years now and I can already say that I feel very much part of the growth that we see happening in the

region, as well as the rapid growth of TBH as a business. From contributing to the growth of the UAE office, to being part of the team launching the KSA office, I’ve personally seen so many landmarks on that journey. TBH’s fast growth makes us all feel very proud - but I think what separates TBH from other firms in the market, and what makes it stand out as a company, is not only the technical capabilities and the strength of projects we deliver, but also the people and culture within the team.

“TBH has successfully built a culture where everybody feels valued and where everyone’s work is appreciated. We all work as a team, and we’re all concerned about each other's career growth. Here, you’re in an environment where the culture is based on a ‘family’ mentality. You can speak up about any concerns that you may have and can easily express yourself to the management.”

What are some of the key changes that you have seen in the style of client projects in recent years?

“The first aspect to mention is the sheer scale of the projects. I would say that the projects I'm working on at the moment specifically in KSA - are on a much larger scale, and considerably more complex, than anything we’ve seen previously. They’re also very much ‘out of the ordinary’, with numerous exceptional features and innovations.

“Another factor is that today, clients are looking for increasing capability to use and deploy digitalised tools. Given current trends in the workplace, people can work from all over the world, and the client is looking for a transparent platform that combines the raft of stakeholder contributions. The client wants easier, more accessible tools that enable them to accurately monitor the project, checking progress, delays and so on.

“I think we're shifting towards a more technology-driven style of project, and there’s no doubt that this technology is even meconstructionnews.com

May 2025

12 | Close-up

Do you perceive there to be any unique challenges when dealing with the KSA market, and how does it differ from other territories?

“This is a really good question, because being part of the KSA business and working on giga projects, my feeling overall is that the market is very much into innovation.

All the projects there are very much technology-driven, in order to meet their extremely challenging timeframes and deal effectively with many different levels of complexity. Yet again, TBH’s ability to work as a team is extremely helpful and enables us to bring the right skillsets and solutions, consistently. I feel this is the real USP for our business and often places us ahead of the competition.”

What about TBH’s ongoing commitment to key areas of ED&I? How do these help create a genuinely ‘level playing field’?

“The first thing I should say here is that we don’t only work at a scale within the region; we’re constantly in touch with ED&I representatives in our other offices overseas, for example, in Sydney, Australia. So, effectively, we’re working as a much bigger team, and we can bring broader learning and initiatives to the region.

“We make sure that we set a range of specific initiatives, and everyone - from those in leadership roles to new graduates - is involved in meeting those goals.

So, when we actually create the initiatives, at the same time we can pass them on to the management and positive action is immediately underway. The view is that everyone’s opinion really matters, and TBH’s philosophy as a business is that we are better-placed to thrive when there is a diverse level playing-field - one where everyone’s feedback is seen as hugely valuable.”

AYTUG OZKAN, DIRECTOR How do you feel when you hear that TBH is celebrating 60 years in the market? What is the ‘X Factor’ that has added to its brand success?

“If I had to pinpoint the ‘X Factor’ behind TBH’s success, I’d say it all comes down to service delivery experience. We don’t just complete projects - we build strategic partnerships with our clients. Our approach goes beyond transactional relationships; we work closely with clients to truly understand their needs, challenges and long-term goals.

This level of engagement and reliability has led to an incredibly high client retention rate, with 80% of our work coming from repeat clients.”

What do you see as the main points of differentiation between TBH and its competitors?

“Firstly, it’s our ability to service the full project life cycle, from initiation to postcompletion. Unlike firms that specialise in just one phase of a project, we provide endto-end support.

“At the initiation stage, we focus on strategic planning and advisory, helping clients define their project vision, assess feasibility and set a strong foundation for success. As the project progresses, we bring in our expertise in project controls, risk management, and delivery oversight.

Then, after completion, we continue to add value through dispute resolution.”

Are there significant plans ahead for further international expansion?

“We have recently opened our Malaysia office, an important step in our international growth. In the short term, our focus is to grow in a steady and sustainable manner within the markets we currently operate in.”

How do you go about structuring the firm’s client-facing teams - eg, do you prefer a more flat, non-hierarchical structure, where communication and teamwork are key?

May 2025

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DINA DWEIK, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR Tell us something about your own journey at TBH - what distinctive features does the company have in terms of its recruitment and empowerment?

Mentoring culture is a true strength of TBH and a key driver of the continued success of its teams” “When it comes to structuring our client-facing teams, communication and teamwork is absolutely essential. However, what truly sets our approach apart is that our clients don’t just work with an individual or a single team - they gain access to the collective expertise of our entire company.

“Rather than operating in silos, we ensure that our client-facing teams are fully supported by the knowledge and experience of our global experts. This means that no matter where a project is based or what challenges arise, our clients benefit from the collective knowledge, proven best practices, and technical expertise drawn from our entire company.” meconstructionnews.com

What about the role of mentoring

“When I first joined TBH, I quickly progressed within the business, taking on greater responsibilities within my first year.

I really feel this reflects the empowerment that we are given here by TBH; everyone in the company is thoroughly empowered to learn, to develop and – ultimately – to expand their network within the industry.

“For example, I was given the opportunity to learn more about critical areas of business development, and additionally, I was then supported by TBH through sponsored training, attending technical and non-technical training courses - and that helped me a lot, really expanding my knowledge and skills.”

here at TBH?

“We take a structured approach to mentoring, ensuring that our people receive continuous guidance and support throughout their careers. There are four key stages in our mentoring journey – 1) Knowledge – The first stage is all about building a solid foundation. New team members focus on gaining the technical knowledge required to deliver our services effectively.

2) Skills – Once they have the knowledge, the next step is developing the skills to apply it in real-world scenarios, refining their ability to problem-solve and add value to projects.

3) Network – As they progress in their careers, we encourage them to build strong professional relationships - both within TBH and across the industry helping them expand their influence.

4) Reputation – Finally, we support our people in establishing a reputation in the market, ensuring that they are recognised as trusted experts in their field.

“This roadmap forms the backbone of our mentoring approach.”

What do you feel about the firm celebrating 60 years? What lessons do you believe it has learned - and applied - most successfully?

“Personally, I feel that I’ve really benefitted from the experience that the business has gained over the years - and I also feel proud to be part of an organisation that has grown and evolved over such a long timeframe. It gives you a strong sense of security, too, because a company that has sustained its market presence for 60 years is clearly built for long-term success.

“What’s more, if we're talking about lessons learned, one of the key factors is the importance of succession planning.

TBH pays a lot of attention to this aspect, consistently preparing more junior staff to develop their careers within the business and having the clearest possible path to becoming more senior.”

How do you see the role of strong mentoring at TBH, and how does this improve the quality and effectiveness of client engagement?

May 2025

14 | Close-up

“Mentoring is fundamental to staff development at TBH; it’s very much part of both the overall value-set and the day-to-day. For example, everyone has a mentor and then is encouraged to become a mentor in turn.

“Mentorship provides guidance and empowers individuals to engage more effectively with clients. Team members are consistently given opportunities to work directly with clients, and strong mentoring helps them do so with confidence – ensuring the highest standards of quality in their work.

“This gives junior team members the chance to build meaningful client relationships early on. From day one, it’s clear that the role isn’t just about sitting behind a computer, it’s about confidently presenting your work and clearly communicating its value to the client. That culture of mentorship is a true strength of TBH and a key driver of the continued success of its teams.”

TALAL NASSER ALRASHDI, CONSULTANT With the firm now celebrating its 60th anniversary, what do you feel has been distinctive about the business and enabled its consistent growth?

“The first thing I would say is that TBH consistently produces high quality work and aims to set a very high standard across its portfolio of activities here in the GCC. I would also say that TBH has very strong credibility with its clients, servicing a very broad range of major developers and main contractors.”

We hear a good deal about the evergrowing market in KSA; how has TBH responded to this shift in emphasis?

“TBH has responded strongly to the needs of the ever-growing market in the KSA, where it can provide real value in meeting the challenges of Saudi Vision 2030. As a company, it has shown excellence, as well as the ability to work smart.

May 2025

TBH takes a proactive and structured approach to risk management”

sophisticated factors, such as the overall quest for sustainability, both in terms of delivery and subsequent operation.”

What are some of the risk management protocols that TBH puts in place to maximise project

“Mega-projects across the region have been highly innovative, often leading in areas such as technology while also setting extremely challenging timeframes, and TBH has consistently demonstrated its ability to meet these diverse and demanding requirements.”

Do you see any particular trends in

efficiency and delivery?

“TBH takes a proactive and structured approach to risk management - identifying potential issues early, applying targeted mitigation strategies, and maintaining regular reviews. This ensures risks are managed effectively to support efficient delivery, informed decision-making and alignment with project goals.”

terms of these project timeframes over the last several years?

What about the flexible working

“Certainly, yes. The trend now is that clients want to move really fast; they want to speed up the project to reach the deadlines set by Saudi Vision 2030. It is only the companies that can effectively work at that speed that will stay in the game.

“Also, KSA is now setting perhaps the highest standards in the world in terms of expectations about 360-degree project management. This is not a simple remit, because it involves a host of complex and

protocols at TBH; have these helped empower your own role here?

“Flexible working is very important here at TBH, and there’s no doubt that it enhances employee engagement and motivation.

Personally, I appreciate the trust and respect that comes with flexible working; it not only helps ensure that individuals and teams can work in a comfortable way, but it also enables the correct route to meeting and exceeding the client’s brief.” meconstructionnews.com

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STEPHEN TOPP, DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST With 60 years in the market, what special landmarks do you see as

development life-cycle master schedules, tracking and reporting on progress, early warning procedures and proactive claims management, and advising on possible mitigation measures to get projects back on track.”

defining TBH’s journey?

“After building a successful business in Australia over multiple decades, the decision to pursue international expansion over the last twenty years was a significant landmark which has helped shape not only the business today, but also my own career.

“An international footprint reduces geographic risk, in an industry where markets, even the most mature, are cyclical. This allows TBH to focus our growth on markets with the strongest demand at any given time – and a great example of this currently is the KSA market.”

and current clients with whom we’ve built strong, long-term relationships. We’re proud of the significant proportion of engagements which constitute ‘returnbusiness’.”

Can you describe the strategies that

Tell us more about the key Middle

TBH uses to interact with its clients

East focus areas for 2025; how will

in the most effective way?

you go about developing these?

“From my perspective, the key to all client interactions is actively listening, and understanding the fundamental challenges, and root causes, that your clients are dealing with. Once you genuinely understand the key issues, you can work collaboratively to define appropriate solutions. Something that I believe really helps in this regard is spending time with clients, face-to-face, talking through the big picture in terms of what they’re trying to achieve and what success looks like for them.”

“As an industry, we’re fortunate with the quantum of significant projects and programmes of work being undertaken, and we see that momentum continuing through 2025 and beyond. We’re always drawn to large-scale, complex projects where we feel we can add the greatest value to our clients and will continue to focus on these across the construction and infrastructure sectors in the Middle East.

“Our focus is on partnering with past

We hear a good deal about the ever-growing project appetite in KSA; how has TBH responded to this shift in emphasis?

“Whilst TBH has supported clients in KSA for more than a decade, we made a significant commitment to the market in setting up our office in Riyadh in 2021.

This has allowed us to grow a significant KSA-based team, develop local talent, and better service our clients’ requirements.

We look forward to continuing to grow our presence in both KSA and the greater Middle East markets for years to come.”

In a challenging sector, what are the key skills that you believe give TBH its competitive advantage?

“TBH is focused on supporting our clients with their greatest ‘pain-points’. This problem-solving mentality is central to everything we undertake, ensuring that there is a clear focus on the outcomes that will be most beneficial to our clients.

“TBH is very well positioned to support timely delivery of projects, with one of our foundational service lines being Time Management. This support includes full meconstructionnews.com

May 2025

16 | Close-up

Seamlessly providing a tailored service CSQ prides itself on being a dynamic, solution-oriented firm of chartered construction professionals. RICSregulated, the business is dedicated to reducing the inherent risk connected with real estate, construction, development and investment. ME Consutlant speaks to Robert Cooper, CEng, MICE, Partner, and Ryan Bray, MRICS, Partner…

Robert and Ryan, can you tell us more about the ‘holistic’ proposition that CSQ offers; for example, how do you integrate factors such as Project Management and Fit-Out Management?

“We offer several professional services across the various life cycle stages and sectors of the real estate market. This allows us to provide value added services to our clients through the deployment of subject matter experts, including project managers, quantity surveyors, development managers, building surveyors, asset managers, fit-out coordinators, architects and engineers. In turn, we provide a higher level of service and assist the client in mitigating their risk associated with investment, development and occupation of real estate.

May 2025

“We have a highly integrated team of professionals who work closely together to develop a client offering resembling a ‘holistic’/‘turnkey’ service.

“A recent example of this is where we led the upgrade and fit-out of a vacant 10-year-old tower utilising the knowledge and experience of our team - with all services delivered seamlessly in house.”

How does the ability to provide ‘through-the-line’ services impact your client offer, especially in terms of overall efficiency?

“Providing ‘through-the-line’ services allows our clients to select a service offering that is customised to suit their needs and objectives. Our clients benefit from a high level of communication and close co-ordination between our meconstructionnews.com

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meconstructionnews.com

May 2025

18 | Close-up

well established, and it’s one we have consistently championed throughout our practice. As our clients’ needs and the market have evolved, we have continued to grow with them by offering tailored services to include the addition of building surveying, management contracting and development management.

“The addition of new service lines has contributed to the growth of our business as our teams have been able to successfully cross-sell or provide additional services.

The seamless provision of these services within CSQ has fostered a strong level of client loyalty, reflected in a high percentage of repeat business - something we continually strive to achieve.”

We hear a good deal about the quest for Sustainability; how are sustainable elements incorporated into many of your projects - can you give us some strong examples of sustainable materials and design and operational solutions?

multi-disciplinary teams, creating a very efficient service delivery model.

“This gives value to our clients within a competitive market where service differentiation, cost competitiveness and ease of doing business are key factors in our client offer.”

You cover a number of key sectors Management Contracting, Quantity Surveying, Project Management, etc. How has this scope helped fuel the continued growth of the company and develop a high percentage of repeat business?

“The close relationship between project management and quantity surveying is May 2025

Robert Cooper, CEng, MICE, Partner, CSQ.

Providing ‘through-the-line’ services allows our clients to select a service offering that is customised to suit their needs and objectives”

“All our large-scale projects and many of the smaller ones have sustainability at the core of their design and construction.

Driven by several factors such as client requirements (sustainability targets), local regulations and marketability, we see the integration of sustainable elements and environmental certifications on a wide range of projects. These initiatives are championed by our in-house LEED accredited professionals, who provide expert guidance and ensure sustainability remains a key focus throughout the project lifecycle.

“Examples include, use of efficient motors, solar shading, thermal efficient facades, water conservation fittings, photovoltaics, recycled materials, LED lighting and/or dynamic controls.”

How do these sustainable protocols then help with delivering operational cost-savings?

“Operational cost savings are achieved through the reduction of water, chilled water and energy consumption. meconstructionnews.com

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Manpower savings can also be expected in the services delivered by the Facilities Management and Property Management teams via the implementation of smart systems including Building Management Systems, dynamic controls, tenant engagement platforms and smart access control.”

BIM has already become a ‘given’ among leading practices. To what extent have you been a pioneer and Champion of BIM-tech, and how are you deploying the new range of AI-led tools across your portfolio?

“As part of our Development Management mandates, we are responsible for ensuring that a Building Information Modeling (BIM) strategy is established for the project and for overseeing its implementation - first by the Lead Design Consultant (LDC), then by the

meconstructionnews.com

Ryan Bray, MRICS, Partner, CSQ.

We have a highly integrated team of professionals who work closely together to develop a client offering resembling a ‘holistic’/‘turnkey’ service”

Main Contractor - until it is ultimately handed over to the Asset Manager and Facilities Management Provider. We have given key staff BIM training to equip them for successful implementation of BIM, ensuring we are a driving force in its execution opposed to being passive in our role of its development.

“AI tools are something we are using within our business to enhance efficiency within progress monitoring, reporting, cost analysis and risk analysis. Key to the successful deployment of AI tools is their seamless integration into our existing software, training of our staff and client data protection.”

If you had to describe the core USP of CSQ in one sentence, what would it be?

“Tailored service delivery by senior chartered professionals.”

May 2025

20 | In Practice

May 2025

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In Practice | 21

NAVIGATING THE CHALLENGES FACING KSA'S CONSTRUCTION SECTOR KSA’s enterprise and construction boom is already legendary, but it brings with it a host of critical legacy challenges. Here, Maroun Deeb, Head of Project & Development Services KSA, JLL & Salah Sahyoun, Deputy Head of Strategic Consulting MEA, JLL, identify five major issues for reform…

ver the past decade, Saudi Arabia has emerged as the dominant construction market in the Middle East. JLL's “Middle East & Africa Market Dynamics - Q4 2024’, confirms that Saudi Arabia is leading the construction growth across the region, driven by numerous giga projects and preparations for meconstructionnews.com

EXPO 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup. According to Mordor Intelligence, KSA’s construction market size in 2024 is reported to be SAR270bn. This figure is anticipated to reach approximately SAR360bn by 2030, in contrast to the projected supply valued at circa SAR1trn.

While the Kingdom is experiencing remarkable growth, the ambitious target set in the 2030 Vision for construction completions presents ongoing challenges.

This situation reflects the rapid pace of development, which has outstripped the capacity of supporting infrastructure to expand at an equal rate. The extraordinary success of the Saudi market has created a unique set of circumstances that require innovative solutions to address the gap May 2025

22 | In Practice

between aspirations and current realities.

To ensure the long-term health of the market, a shift in focus is necessary. Rather than concentrating solely on building individual mega projects, attention should be directed towards expanding the underlying infrastructure required to support the ever-increasing level of construction.

Five major areas continue to significantly constrain the capacity of the Saudi construction sector: labour shortages, escalating costs, ongoing supply chain uncertainties, challenges in implementing automation, and complexities in the legal and regulatory environment. While progress has been made in addressing them, further action is needed to realise the full potential of the Kingdom's real estate sector.

May 2025

LABOUR SHORTAGES: PPPs can help lock in the spectrum of key deliverables and ensure greater transparency across the obligations of key stakeholders.

While the Kingdom is experiencing remarkable growth, the ambitious target set in the 2030 Vision for construction completions presents ongoing challenges”

Labour shortages remain the most significant constraint on the Saudi construction sector. Before the global pandemic, the labour market in Saudi Arabia was already competitive, and it has become even more strained in the wake of the recovery, with a higher dependence on expatriate workers.

The long-term solution to these constraints requires a major expansion of the local education and training infrastructure. The government has already committed to expanding the education and training sector and promoting local talent.

However, these solutions require 10 to 20 years to produce the necessary level of locally trained operatives.

In the short term, a viable solution would be to liberalise the current visa and

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In Practice | 23

Project delivery is of course crucial, and the existing legacy issues can all to easily divert resources and the all-important development roadmap.

work permit requirements to increase access to expatriate labour (both blue and white-collar) across the entire real estate spectrum.

RISING CONSTRUCTION COSTS:

While inflationary pressures are not unique to Saudi Arabia, they present a real constraint to the operation of the construction sector in the Kingdom. JLL's ‘KSA Construction Market Intelligence Report’ notes that costs increased by 6-8% in 2024 alone. The rising cost of energy, construction materials, wages, and debt have all contributed to higher construction costs across the Kingdom, leading some developers to postpone or even cancel projects as they struggle to achieve acceptable financial returns.

Although some global material costs have begun to ease, the intense competition for materials remains a meconstructionnews.com

concern in the Saudi market. Developers are being forced to pre-order critical materials many months (and sometimes years) in advance to ensure sufficient future supply.

While Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are not new to Saudi Arabia, they remain underutilised as a potential solution to mitigate the impact of rising construction costs. By more extensively leveraging private sector expertise and resources through PPPs, the Kingdom could introduce greater efficiencies and innovative approaches to project delivery.

The risk-sharing structure inherent in PPPs could help absorb some of the financial pressures caused by increasing costs, allowing projects to move forward despite challenging market conditions.

Furthermore, the long-term nature of PPP contracts could provide a buffer against short-term cost fluctuations, enabling more stable project planning and execution.

SUPPLY CHAIN UNCERTAINTIES:

Ongoing regional conflicts, sanctions, and the increased threat of global trade barriers have combined to continually disrupt supply chains and add to the

level of uncertainty facing developers in Saudi Arabia. Costs and lead times have increased, impacting their ability to plan, price, and deliver work efficiently.

The long-term solution to rising material costs and supply chain uncertainties lies in increasing the local production of key construction materials and promoting vertical integration. This approach would allow developers access to a greater range of locally sourced materials. Progress has already been made in this area, with Saudi Arabia securing investment agreements worth over $9bn to enhance the local production of essential materials like copper, zinc, and lithium.

As with labour shortages, these initiatives to expand local manufacturing will take time to fully implement. In the meantime, short-term measures are necessary to address the current challenges. For example, one developer has recently closed a $17m Series A funding round to scale its technology platform and streamline how they source and purchase building materials, thereby enhancing efficiency in their supply chain. Another residential developer has sought vertical integration of its supply chain through the May 2025

24 | In Practice

purchase of existing concrete, glass, and ceramic businesses within Saudi Arabia.

Construction practices and automation developments in construction technology offer the potential to address many of the current constraints facing the Saudi market. The ability to manufacture more components of buildings in factories elsewhere in the Kingdom before assembling them on-site could revolutionise operations, enhance precision, scalability, and overall productivity while reshaping traditional workforce dynamics.

PPPs could also play a crucial role in addressing supply chain uncertainties in the Saudi construction sector. Private sector partners often have better access to global supply chains and bulk purchasing power, potentially easing the material supply issues faced by developers. By tapping into these private sector capabilities more frequently, the Kingdom could enhance its ability to secure critical materials in advance and at more competitive prices.

Furthermore, increased involvement of private sector efficiency and project management expertise through PPPs could lead to more cost-effective construction practices and timelines, helping to offset some of the rising expenses and supply chain disruptions. While PPPs are not a panacea for all cost-related and supply chain challenges, their increased utilisation represents a promising avenue for the Saudi government to explore in its efforts to maintain momentum on crucial development projects.

PPPs and earlier contractor involvement (ECI) with projects could also play a crucial role here. PPPs are particularly attractive due to their ability to leverage the skills, resources, and finances available in the private sector, thereby reducing dependency on the public sector to deliver major projects. ECI provides the potential to freeze designs sooner in the construction process, minimise subsequent changes, and allow for risk management strategies to address potential disruptions.

May 2025

Maroun Deeb, Head of Project & Development Services KSA, JLL (left) & Salah Sahyoun, Deputy Head of Strategic Consulting MEA, JLL.

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK:

The legal and regulatory framework governing construction in Saudi Arabia presents opportunities for enhancement.

Recognising this, the Kingdom is actively working to streamline processes, with a key focus on improved communication and collaboration between regulatory bodies and the private sector. These ongoing efforts aim to create a more conducive environment for construction projects.

IN SUMMARY

While there is certainly a need to improve the physical infrastructure to support the real estate sector in Saudi Arabia (e.g., new roads, power stations, and housing for construction workers), these initiatives alone will not be sufficient to generate enough activity to

meet the targets set in the 2030 Vision.

More attention needs to be focused on the softer, social, and regulatory infrastructure (e.g., education and training, labour laws, promoting PPPs, relaxing import restrictions and costs). It is this softer infrastructure that offers the greatest potential to overcome the current constraints facing the construction sector.

Saudi Arabia has achieved a remarkable level of physical development over the past decade, with Riyadh continuing to emerge as a strategic global city. To reach the next level and get closer to delivering the construction targets outlined in the 2030 Vision, a shift in focus is required. Rather than merely delivering more and larger giga projects, the emphasis should be on developing the right framework for the creation of these and other projects.

By addressing these constraints and focusing on both physical and soft infrastructure, Saudi Arabia can continue its impressive growth trajectory and realise the full potential of its ambitious construction and development goals.

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26 | Expert Opinion

THE C-SUITE REPORT:

PART ONE

In this, the first of three serialised reviews of the C-Suite Report, we discover how leading captains of industry see the role of high-level data in informing decisions and to what extent data can leverage change across the sector’s major legacy issues…

Spoiler Alert! This article will not be good reading if you think the Construction ‘status quo’ can change anytime soon…

hat happens when you bring together eight C-Suite executives from across the fields of project management, construction, architecture, design, utilities and dispute resolution? What will their answers be to a series of provocative questions reaching to the heart of ongoing and unresolved development issues in the GCC? On 14th April, in the glamorous setting of the Sky Boardroom, HKA head offices, Rolex Tower, the C-Suite Report found out.

May 2025

To summarise: the C-Suite Report is a prestigious round table event, featuring a moderated panel of CEOs, COOs and Managing Directors: people at the forefront of decision-making and the GCC’s response to the evolving economic factors of 2025. The agenda focuses on the construction sector and related economic and geopolitical issues, tackling these verticals in the most innovative, informative and authentic ways.

The event is run according to the Chatham House Rule, whereby comments cannot be attributed to the individuals who said them - although, as here, the conclusions, flow of discussion and debating points can be covered in detail.

With the discussion Chaired and moderated by Paul Godfrey, Head of Content, ME Consultant, and Deputy Chair, Amanda Clack, Partner, CEO Regional, HKA, the personalities around the table were: • Jad Chouman, Partner, Head of Middle East, HKA • Adam Smith, Managing Director, Polypipe Middle East

• Faysal Ali, Senior VP, Head of Studio, Parsons • Nicholas Maclean, President-elect, RICS • Amanda Clack, Partner, CEO - Regional, HKA • Greg Karpinski, COO, KEO International Consultants • Kevin Offin, Principal, Graphite • Richard Cushnan, Managing Director UAE, Compass Project Consulting With the day’s discussions starting at 9:30am, the themes ready to be addressed were – • CRUX Insight Seventh Annual Report: Why Engineering and Construction projects continually lose time and money • Is this the end of the Specialist business?

• Smart Cities - reality or myth?

To be sure, the raft of comments across each topic more than lived up to the day’s initial promise of provocative - and often controversial! - dialogue.

Here, in Part One of the event’s coverage, we focus on the discussion around the CRUX Insight Report. As we will see, this discussion rapidly transitioned into an intense debate not just about CRUX, but around the value of data itself - can it be used to leverage industry change, or is this just wishful thinking?

But first, by way of introduction, we should explain what CRUX actually does.

CRUX draws on intelligence from experts providing claims consulting and dispute resolution services on major capital projects around the world. As HKA’s own integrated research programme, CRUX analyses the root causes of claims and disputes. Its objective is not simply to compile data, but to share lessons with the industry at large, helping the sector effectively manage project risks more effectively. It gives readers the opportunity to learn from the expert analysis of over 2,000 projects worldwide - and then spells out actionable steps to pre-empt problems.

In fact, the following figures and meconstructionnews.com

Expert Opinion | 27

statistics were revealed by the Seventh Annual CRUX Insight Report, having reviewed projects with a total value of $2.254tn • Disputed costs averaged $83.1m just under a third (33.2%) of capital expenditure • Time overruns would add almost 16 months or two-thirds (66.5%) to a typical schedule • The total value of sums in dispute on the projects analysed was $84.44bn • The cumulative length of time extensions was close to a millennium (994 years)

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Bringing together eight extremely senior executives is on the one hand the chosen remit of the C-Suite Report, while on the other, an ideal recipe for the most provocative dialogue.

In 2023-2024, projects in the Middle East were prone to the worst delays of anywhere in the developed world”

• Five “mega-disrupters” each affected 40-50% of the projects worldwide Added to the above, perhaps the most devastating conclusion of the latest edition of CRUX Insight is that, in 2023-2024, projects in the Middle East were prone to the worst delays of anywhere in the developed world - running as much as 81.3% over schedule duration.

So, it would certainly appear to be the case that findings of this kind should be acted on as a matter of urgency. Yet, less than 10 minutes into the C-Suite discussion, the point was made that data like this can be seen as being ‘after the

May 2025

28 | Expert Opinion

event’. It reports on what’s happened, but isn’t necessarily going to be a catalyst for change. Why not? Because the reality is that the bulk of projects running late were actually commissioned by a variety of GCC governments and government-owned agencies. Would these powerful entities ever be open to change?

What’s more, even if developers have the right information to avoid ‘red flags’, would they ever be able to take a stand and change these engrained behaviours?

Do they have the means - or even the will - to instigate change?

The comeback here was that there remains a very significant raft of ‘magic circle’ developers who do indeed have an open door to government. Surely, it’s high time they banded together and lobbied for wholesale change - rather than simply accept an increasingly risky ‘status quo’?

Perhaps if they did, a new Best Practice benchmark could evolve relatively quickly, May 2025

Chaired by Paul Godfrey, the discussion steered across key elements of the CRUX Insight Report and its implications for timely and cost-effective project delivery.

The endemic problems of project overrun and excessive cost don’t generally spring from the actions and beliefs of GCC governments themselves, but rather, from the second-tier agencies representing them”

which would then be trickled down effectively to the wider pool of mediumsized developers. If the magic circle firms stood firm together, one of the most powerful tools at their disposal would be the Crux Insight Report - showing up the severe price to be paid for letting things continue as they are.

GIVING UP TOO EASILY?

While the C-Suite panelists took the view that all too many firms currently take these problems as a ‘given’ (and simply try to reduce the impact, rather than proactively remove it), there are a number of cogent examples where government/developer cooperation did indeed result in better, more timely - and less costly - solutions. They also agreed here that one cogent solution (albeit not the whole answer) would be the much wider use of a PPP model, whereby timelines, delivery frameworks and responsibilities are agreed at a very meconstructionnews.com

Expert Opinion | 29

high level, and contractually bound-in, from Day One. Another observation was that, realistically, the endemic problems of project overrun and excessive cost don’t generally spring from the actions and beliefs of GCC governments themselves, but rather, from the second-tier agencies representing them. These will often be over-zealous to put low costs ahead of all other priorities - a tendency that can all too easily have four knock-on effects, namely: • Encouraging late payments down-theline, thereby delaying key aspects of project build and delivery • Low-pitching, where the revenue accrued can’t possibly provide the ongoing quality, resources or effective site management that a project will necessitate • Ongoing battles over costs - which as we know from the C-Suite Report, run at a horrific average of $83.1m • Over-simplified contracts whereby too many obligations and responsibilities are left dangerously open-ended

Deputy Chair Amanda Clack expertly presented the findings and data from the latest edition of the CRUX Insight Report.

The total value of sums in dispute on current projects totals a staggering $84.44bn”

keeping both sides informed and up to date, since it can rapidly raise the most relevant warning signs at the first glimpse of potential problems on the horizon.

Indeed, how would we know about the scale of the problems confronting us if it weren’t for the CRUX Insight Report in the first place? Pristine and purposeresearched data may not in itself be a panacea for the breakdown of Best Practice at the commissioning end of the chain; but it certainly shows the urgency for reform - and the immense losses we can incur if we’re naïve enough to ‘hope for the best’ and resist long-overdue change.

BIG PROJECTS CAN MEAN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEMS

As the CRUX Insight Report spells out, the total value of sums in dispute on current projects totals a staggering $84.44bn.

This shows the extent to which any assumptions that the ‘new generation’ of projects - including the Saudi giga-projects - would do things better or differently are wildly wrong. The truth is that things are getting worse, not better. Since the proportion of resources and skills now being absorbed by more and more massive projects is increasing, it's also a truism that the tendency to build big is exacerbating the problems.

There was nonetheless a feeling around the table that, with a number of Saudi’s PIF-commissioned projects, we are seeing more and more insistence on transparent, AI-led management tools, leading to better shared transparency between client and developer. This can not only help liaison, but (potentially) be a way of proactively meconstructionnews.com

May 2025

30 | Summit

May 2025

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Summit | 31

ARCHITECTURE IN A NEW PLACE On 23rd April, the Future of Architecture Summit brought together a cluster of ground-breaking international specialists to address a number of the critical ‘next moves’ in the sector, including the practicality of bio-materials, the need for a fresh start when it comes to key skillsets - and most radically of all, the quest to build beyond our earth, on Mars and the Moon…

How practical is it for architectural practices to entertain ideas of creating a built environment on other worlds?

Are the resources and qualifications necessary beyond the reach of all but the global titans? Moreover, what competitive tenders are available and how best to go about applying for them?

These were precisely the topics addressed by Anastasia Prosina, Founder and Space Architect, Stellar Amenities,

in her presentation titled: “Will today’s advancements in space architecture create competitive advantage for Earthbased firms?”

Anastasia reviewed the terrific spectrum of opportunities for corporations to join the key international initiatives now being set up to create extraterrestrial built environments. The presentation outlined the practical steps businesses can take, in terms of understanding the detailed

remits of competitive tenders, required skillsets, the delivery timeframes and perhaps most critical of all - understanding the preferred ‘do’s and ‘don’ts’ and aspirations of pioneering organisations such as NASA itself.

Anastasia also emphasised that there are many avatars when it comes to the scope of built environment initiatives in space architecture; it’s not simply about creating liveable environments on

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32 | Summit

new worlds, but includes factors such as understanding how to develop wellnesscentered conditions, the painstaking delivery of effective supply chains and the medium-term creation of infrastructure hubs - all against the backdrop of the most extreme conditions known to humanity.

Notwithstanding, when it comes to space architecture, timeframes for the ‘bigger picture’ are far from settled: in some visions of the future, the quest will be to build directly on Mars, using the Moon as a key staging-post; for others, the priority is to build a range of space stations - following the decommissioning of the International Space Station in 2030 and the arrival of the Artemis project, with its huge raft of commercial tenders.

Anastasia closed her presentation with a QR code for the audience to scan, with its rich detail about current tendering opportunities, along with her own tips for how best to kick off your own application.

Then, in order to zone in on some of the practical issues and take a deeper dive into the realities of space architecture, Paul Godfrey, Head of Content, ME Consultant, invited Anastasia Prosina to join him onstage in a head-to-head Fireside Chat.

The 30-minute conversation touched on May 2025

issues such as how businesses can gain real competitive advantage from participating in the quest to build on other worlds, and how these newly-acquired skillsets could accelerate their capabilities with subsequent earth-bound projects, too.

Another key issue was whether practices of smaller scale could participate successfully in competitive tenders - with the answer being that their niche skillsets and expertise are very highly valued by key decision-makers such as NASA. THE OVERRIDING IMPACT OF AI

Next on stage was a powerful ‘twinned’ presentation by Maxwell Connop, Design Director, AtkinsRéalis and Ed McIntosh, Design Director, AtkinsRéalis. This focused on how AI is transitioning the industry and empowering the quest for new and more ergonomically-focused environments, including those where features such as biophilia and the wider use of sustainable materials are highly prized. The presentation also revealed how AI-driven approaches can redeem cost savings, make for enhanced creativity and engage the client in a more meaningful, more transparent - and ultimately more profitable - dialogue.

WHAT SKILLS ARE RELEVANT TODAY?

All this change of course provokes questions around the relevance of existing skillsets - and especially for those coming into the profession, should employers be looking for far greater proficiency in AI-led disciplines and packages? This was the core topic of the first panel session of the day, titled: “Skillsets - what are the key skills that today’s newcomers to the profession must have?”

Very effectively Moderated by Jerry Ryan, Founder and Executive Chairman, HKR, the panel featured – • Maria Dautant, Senior Associate, HLB Lighting • Dr. Bhakti More, Chairperson & Professor, School of Design & Architecture, Manipal Academy • Drew Gilbert, Lead Design Architect, OBMI • Nicola Trevitt, General Manager, Summertown Interiors • Dr. Rana El-Dabaa, Assistant Professor, School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University The discussion was packed with surprises: in fact, the overwhelming conclusion was that while incomers to meconstructionnews.com

Summit | 33

the profession often had great AI and tech skills, what they can severely lack is the set of ‘soft’ skills - covering aspects such as the ability to handle client dialogues effectively, hold strong face-to-face meetings and how to drive the client relationship forward to a profitable outcome. Excessive amounts of time are having to be spent on nurturing and coaching these vital skills - and the situation is getting worse, not better.

The evidence of these good tech skills also means that more senior employees can face challenges from relative youngsters coming into the business, who can be far more ‘AI-savvy’ and can achieve creative outcomes in far shorter timeframes (and of course more costeffectively). Architectural firms need to be aware that their traditional staff structures may soon be crumbling, with the roles and responsibilities of middle management increasingly under question.

Jerry Ryan then stayed on stage, and gave his own solo presentation, taking a deep dive into the changing market trends and industry dynamics that are pressuring architectural firms into new areas of specialisation and skills acquisition. Jerry explained that this is manifesting in terms of three noteworthy changes – meconstructionnews.com

• Architectural firms are increasingly becoming multi-disciplinary, bringing on board aspects such as project delivery, cost control and quality management; these are powerful tools not only for better client outreach, but can make a strong impact on client retention. They also help businesses overcome the cyclical rise and fall of individual markets.

• The increasingly important role of AI is itself driving these changes, making otherwise challenging transitions feasible and cost-effective.

• AI skills are seeing the demise of traditional project teams and company hierarchies. Talented AI practitioners can embrace and deliver a far broader range of project work than ever before, seeing the growth of ‘island’ operators within businesses. Meanwhile, those without good AI skills (typically, more mature middle management) will be in a harsh position of ‘learn or leave’.

THE NEW GENERATION OF ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS

Part of the current quest for better Sustainability involves a prospective move away from traditional, high-pollutant

materials such as concrete. Hence, attention is turning to the so-called biomaterials, which as well as the ‘exotics’ such as mycelium (grown from DNAre-engineered plant root), include more traditional options, such as bamboo, cork, etc. There are, additionally, the so-called ‘green concretes’ - using less pollutant additives such as hemp.

Moderated by Paul Godfrey, the panelists here were – • Anastasia Prosina, Founder and Space Architect, Stellar Amenities • Dipali Shirsat, Founder, The Visual Poetry • Delvene Lee, Head of Interior Design, KEO International Consultants • Ed McIntosh, Design Director, AtkinsRéalis • Mustafa M. Sherif, Design Manager, Thin Line Architects & Interiors The first discussion thread was whether or not we can we say at present that procurement chains can successfully factor in bio-materials as a practical project option. The overwhelming conclusion was that, right now, the answer is ‘no’. This situation may foreseeably change, but certainly not for several years.

Then, the panel addressed how long May 2025

34 | Summit

it will be before bio-materials offer comparable strength and performance value to traditional materials? Again, the answer was generally negative: while the new concrete variants can of course offer structural integrity, the true bio-organics still have a long way to go: lacking support and torsional strength, we instead see them being used for decorative purposes, whether as textured, decorative fascias or as wall coverings.

Two further points in particular intrigued the panelists. Firstly, the proposition that in the future, bio-organics will offer living, breathing architecture, which may well be able to respond to human touch - opening up whole new vistas of experience, especially for People of Determination. This living environment could potentially also grow and contract according to needs, creating bespoke environments which needn’t be physically rebuilt or renovated.

Another facet here is that we’re already starting to develop a potential lighting role for these bio-organics: certain types of organic decomposition can generate light, and while this factor is only being used in limited applications for signage, it could

May 2025

potentially offer a range of useful domestic and commercial applications.

GETTING GROUNDED: A MASTERCLASS IN AI TOOLS

Given that much of the day’s discussion centred around the powerful role of AI, it was only fitting that the Summit showcase a ‘masterclass’ in the use of contemporary AI-led tools. This was provided - to great effect - by Sam Kumar, Principal, Studio Operations, U+A, part of Egis Group. He explained how these new technologies are now transforming creativity, time management and project scope, often taking the advantages of BIM-tech to a completely new level. He then talked the audience, step by step, through a series of case studies on how best to use these tools across a variety of practical applications.

Sam closed his session with an intriguing glimpse into the near-future: the present advances in Quantum computing are set to open the door to significantly more rapid generational powers - and sooner rather than later, could well leverage massive expansion in terms of firms’ capabilities, creative vision and speed of delivery.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTEXT

The Summit then featured a Fireside Chat conversation between Kevin Offin, Founding Principal, Graphite, and Paul Godfrey. Throughout the conversation, Kevin strongly emphasised the role of Context - whether that’s in relation to the scale of design used in a school, or following the landscape or legacy context of a public sector building. He believes that successfully creating and deploying Context is key to enhancing the users’ experience - and this is perhaps particularly true in the Educational sector.

Kevin also explored how the use of AIled tech in the architectural space is now empowering this idea of Context and increasingly - helping create projects that are truly fit-for-purpose.

He then mentioned how his own practice, Graphite, had responded to today’s rapidly-transitioning market, and its new set of industry dynamics, by implementing a process of progressive transformation. Graphite has steadily introduced a holistic set of added-value services - including key verticals such as cost consultancy and 360-degree project management.

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Summit | 35

LIGHT: THE FOURTH DIMENSION

GLIMPSES OF THE FUTURE…

The Summit then saw a professionallypresented solo talk by Maria Dautant, Senior Associate, HLB Lighting, titled: “Light - the fourth dimension of architectural form”.

Maria elaborated four key themes – • The ways in which the optimum use of light sources can radically transform the user’s experience of a built environment, from the accenting and illumination of interior space, to the nuancing of outdoor, landscaped settings.

• How a carefully-crafted building design can effectively maximise daylight, and how this - the strongest of all light sources - can bring openness and clarity throughout the building’s functions.

• How effective light modulation can play a key role in soothing the mood of the building’s users - hugely valuable in a hospital or medi-clinic setting, for example. This modulation and variety can also help recreate ‘Circadian’ rhythms, synching with the human body’s own internal clock.

• The way that light plays a fundamental role in the quest for today’s ‘biophilic’ features, since these are highly dependent on light sources.

The day’s closing panel session - called “Innovations: steps towards the future’ highlighted the sectors where we can see the most profound changes taking place in the architectural and design spheres, and the technologies and creative innovations driving this transition forwards - effectively building real, substantive bridges to the environments of tomorrow.

The panelists here were – • Tiago Sampaio, Design Principal, U+A, part of Egis Group • Ayah Ramoun, Graduate Engineer, Arup Gulf Limited • Nima Shoja, Senior Director Technical Design, Studioi • Anil Ipekci, Principal, TBH • Dr. Dalia Hafiz, Assistant Professor, Ajman University A highly engaging discussion covered aspects such as • How today’s architecture features a set of trends that could well be seen as polar opposites, creating a new ‘stress dynamic’. For example, while there are shifts toward a new community focus - and the idea of a ’15-minute city’ -

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how will this combine with a growing tendency to build super-tall?

• The quest for Sustainable futures: is it now becoming the ‘new normal’?

Here, the consensus was that while indeed more and more developers see Sustainability as a given in their project briefs, the key element here is in the actual delivery and project management. All too often, the elements that are vital in providing a sustainable outcome are omitted, because the teams on-site lack either the knowledge or the time to fully fit them. Hence, through-the-line training and effective monitoring is absolutely critical.

ASPIRATIONS AND RESULTS

An overwhelming theme throughout the day’s agenda was the role of Aspirations: what are the key creative visions of today’s architects, designers and urban planners?

In fact, this thread itself resulted in an event contrasting strongly with its previous editions - relentlessly ‘pushing the bar’ throughout, with discussions that were inventive, provocative - and above all, totally engaging.

May 2025

36 | Awards

May 2025

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Awards | 37

VIEW FROM THE TOP A glittering evening fully befitting the kudos and gravity of the occasion, the Future of Architecture Awards celebrated the hallmark names impacting the sector and embodying its fast-moving dynamics.

Associate Editor Priyanka Raina was on the scene interviewing the winners - and here, she gives her detailed report on the event, with keynote quotes from the Champions…

The third edition of the Future of Architecture Summit & Awards 2025, organised by ME Consultant magazine, took place on 23rd April at the Habtoor Grand Resort, JBR. The event was a full-day celebration of architectural excellence, featuring a thought-provoking Summit during the day and a glamorous awards gala in the evening.

Curated by Paul Godfrey, the awards honoured outstanding achievements across 12 carefully selected categories, each reflecting a vital aspect of the architectural and design landscape. The recognition extended not only to high-profile innovators and trendsetters but also to boutique firms and professionals whose precision and creativity drive the industry forward.

Drawing both international and regional attendees, the event spotlighted critical industry trends from sustainability and meconstructionnews.com

heritage conservation to urban planning and beyond. Nominations were accepted across the 12 categories, followed by two rounds of internal review conducted by the Middle East Consultant editorial team. The judging process was designed to be fair and objective, ensuring a level playing field for both established names and emerging talent.

The summit attracted architects, designers, and industry leaders from around the world, offering a platform for thought leadership and cross-border collaboration. It underscored the pivotal role of architecture in shaping cultural identity and global progress.

The awards night was further enlivened by interviews conducted by Priyanka Raina, who captured the excitement and heartfelt reactions of the winners. Below is our roll-call of the champions who took home honours on this remarkable evening.

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38 | Awards

Young Architect of the Year

Civic & Public Sector Project of the Year

NOMINEE Ayah Ramoun – Arup Gulf Limited

NOMINEE Omrania, part of Egis Group – Sheikh Abdullatif Al Fozan Grand Mosque

NOMINEE Hana Elazab – U+A, part of Egis Group NOMINEE Meera Sivadasan – PNC Architects NOMINEE Mohammed Alshurafa – MEA MIMAR ENGINEERING NOMINEE Simon Amine - KEO International Consultants WINNER Abdallah Ibrahim - Graphite

Five nominations were submitted for this category, which required candidates to be below the age of 30, and in many cases, have already collaborated with key clients on some of the region’s most significant projects. Abdallah currently works as a technical designer at Graphite. “I have”, he said, “a background in both residential and commercial design, but I’m now focusing on educational design. I began my career in the UAE in 2019, moving through various positions and interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, and it also taught me a great deal.”

May 2025

NOMINEE RSP – The BAPS Hindu Mandir WINNER Graphite – Cheltenham College Muscat Phase 2

Cheltenham College Muscat Phase 2, an expansion project of an existing school in Muscat, Oman, exemplifies high sustainability standards within a pupil-centric environment. Throughout its design and functionality, the school prioritises the user experience. The judges praised the project’s ergonomic data, which played a crucial role in its conception and layout, empowering the learning process. Fatma Al Feki, Head of Interior Design at Graphite, expressed her delight in winning the award. “The project has been recognised as a successful public space, and the school is proud to design remarkable education spaces in the region”. Al Feki emphasised the importance of “Continuous improvement, staying updated with the latest technologies, and aligning with regional trends to enhance capabilities and achieve excellence.” meconstructionnews.com

Awards | 39

Cultural & Heritage Project of the Year

Residential Project of the Year

NOMINEE Omrania, part of Egis Group – King Salman Park

NOMINEE RSP – Karl Lagerfeld Villas

WINNER AtkinsRealis – The DGCL Royal Polo and Equestrian Club

NOMINEE U+A, part of Egis Group – Creek Edge

Rich in heritage, the GCC region has spawned many projects which aim to capture a legacy spirit, and which often use traditional features at the core of both active and passive design. This category distills the essence of this approach, looking at projects which, while meeting today’s demanding requirement for a top-quality user experience, nonetheless retain a number of regionally-relevant elements, which both create a pleasing aesthetic and provide functional value.

The DGCL Royal Polo and Equestrian Club successfully captured the essence of the region’s equestrian legacy and transformed it into a modern leisure and sporting setting. Ed Mcintosh, the Regional Design Director, expressed “ I am very happy to be present at this Awards ceremony and also for taking part in the Summit session during the day. Winning this award - especially for a project that holds a special place in my heart - is very dear to me.” meconstructionnews.com

NOMINEE Vikranth Interior Design LLC – The Sanctuary of Belonging WINNER PNC Architects – Skyscape Towers

This project offers a comprehensive opportunity to build and develop a multifaceted and diverse family lifestyle. It conveniently provides a wide range of amenities right at the doorstep, all while prioritising community well-being. James Chin, Associate Director, expressed pride in the project, stating, “I’m thrilled with it. I had high hopes for it, and I couldn’t be happier. Our goal is to maintain and exceed the standards that have led us to these awards repeatedly. Our firm has built a consistent reputation for developments that very much raise the bar in terms of their ambition, and also have a close attention to detail - and I believe that this is very much manifest here.”

May 2025

40 | Awards

Landscape Project of the Year NOMINEE Omrania, part of Egis Group – Prince Sultan University Car Parking NOMINEE PNC Architects – Sobha Solis WINNER PNC Architects – Sobha One

Urban Planning Infrastructure Project of the Year NOMINEE EDGE Architects – The Link, Masdar NOMINEE PNC Architects – Sobha Hartland II WINNER Omrania, part of Egis Group – King Salman Park

If ever there was a project that has become a benchmark in residential planning and delivery, it’s Sobha One – which sets out to deliver a full and complete community, within a richly landscaped setting. In fact, here, landscaping is used to tremendous effect, with rich greenery and the presence of literally thousands of trees.

Alexander Carlisle, HOD, Landscape Architecture, PNC Architects, said: “We worked really hard here on both the project conception and delivery. Throughout, we fully intended to raise the bar in terms of the added-value that a fully landscaped setting can offer to community life. As for the future, I’m absolutely committed to keep on producing high quality architectural projects that benefit the end-user - and which ultimately make for a greener Dubai.”

May 2025

Perhaps more than any other sector, urban planning is currently at the epicentre of many conflicting trends, and is set to play an extremely important role in tomorrow’s styles of urban living.

Ahmed Tawakol, Design Director, Head of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, said, “This is a project through which we aspire to reshape the face of Riyadh - and it can even be an example for the region as a whole when it comes to integration between infrastructure and urban planning. It is a real honour being here among a great many colleagues, and there’s no doubt been quite a lot of competition, with excellent project nominees. We were nominated for two or three other categories but we’re so happy that we snatched this one.” meconstructionnews.com

28 May 2025 © 2025 CPI Trade Media. All rights reserved.

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42 | Awards

Sustainable Design Champion of the Year

Outstanding Achievement of the Year

NOMINEE EDGE Architects – The Link, Masdar

NOMINEE Shiva Vikranth – Vikranth Interior Design LLC

NOMINEE Graphite – Cheltenham College Muscat Phase 2

WINNER James Marvin Skaines Jr. – PNC Architects

NOMINEE MASK Architects – “Hydrogen-Powered Resort” WINNER Omrania, part of Egis Group –

Water Treatment Complex, King Salman Park

Omrania combined extraordinary use of technology with traditional pre-planning techniques that together created an orientation, community integration and powerful sustainability quotient. Ahmed Tawakol, Design Director, Head of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, on winning the firm’s second award, said: “It is a great honour; it’s one of those projects where we worked very hard - with long nights and days - to combine a lot of efforts not just from urban planning or designers but also from the engineering team, of course.

There was lots of support from colleagues, not to mention the client as well.”

May 2025

PNC Architects has an extraordinary project portfolio, and in many ways sets the high watermark for complex multi-use developments.

At the helm of this practice is James Marvin Skaines Jr. James showed strikingly contemporary knowledge across a spectrum of design approaches and exemplifies much of the stand-out work seen across the last 12 months. James Marvin Skaines Jr., CEO, PNC Architects, said, “It’s a fantastic honour and privilege to work at Sobha, with the best group of people I could imagine; it’s a tremendous place to work. We have a portfolio of upcoming projects that is unmatched globally, and what’s more, we are now expanding into two or three other continents, too. The projects we are coming forward with in Australia and the USA are truly phenomenal, and more locally, we’re now moving into Abu Dhabi and other Emirates.

It’s a great opportunity.” meconstructionnews.com

Awards | 43

Super-Tall Structure of the Year

Interiors Champion of the Year

NOMINEE KEO International Consultants – U-View Tower Complex

WINNER KEO International Consultant

NOMINEE Omrania, part of Egis Group – Public Investment Fund Tower

The world of interiors is currently undergoing dramatic change, and is in many ways the pivotal fulcrum for many of tomorrow’s design innovations in the built environment. For example, it has critical importance in the development of Space architecture, and is very much home to the new world of bio-organics.

KEO is revolutionising Interior Design and materials for a liveable, stylish, and functional space. They’re committed to newera ‘bio-materials,’ as evidenced by their Head of Interior Design’s state-of-the-art articles on their use. In fact, this business is likely to lead the way in making bio-materials the norm.

Delvene Lee, Head of Interior Design , shared her joy: “I’m deeply honoured to receive this. Honestly, there’s so much work for me to do and I feel like this is too soon to be receiving such an award, especially at the future of Architecture Summit. But thank you so much to the Summit and to the CPI team. I’m so happy to be a part of this.”

NOMINEE PNC Architects – Creek Vistas Heights NOMINEE PNC Architects – Skyscape Towers WINNER AtkinsRealis – Corinthia Dubai

Corinthia combines aesthetic form with extreme functionality, and a wealth of amenities - and the height of the building is one of the first examples of a true ‘vertical city’, epitomising a ground-breaking and ambitious vision. Graham Tucker, Project Manager, Tower, added, “It’s an incredible project to be working on and we’re thrilled to collaborate with some of the finest architects in the region and beyond. We’re excited to witness this project redefine the skyline of Sheikh Zayed Road. It’s an amazing project for us.” meconstructionnews.com

May 2025

44 | Awards

Innovation Champion of the Year WINNER Desert Board

Architect of the Year NOMINEE Edward McIntosh – AtkinsRealis NOMINEE Fernando Rial Ponce - KEO International Consultants NOMINEE James Chin – Omrania, part of Egis Group

Innovation tends to be a much over-used term, but occasionally there are stand-out examples of initiatives that truly break new ground, while at the same time answering many of the challenges in today’s quest for a more sustainable bulit environment.

The winner here has seized upon an idea that was ‘hiding in plain sight’, using a readily available organic material to strikingly good effect.

Kamal Farah, Director, explained: “I feel it’s a real honour to receive such an award from an event of this calibre, in front of all of these wonderful architects and a fantastic community of people who are trying to reshape the built environment. We are working hard do this in a bio-economical way, using a resource that has been readily available in this region for decades. The people from this region have been living by using this resource and now we are bringing it back - front and centre - into the way that we build. It’s a great example of fully sustainable innovation.”

May 2025

NOMINEE Kevin Offin – Graphite NOMINEE Shiva Vikranth – Vikranth Interior Design LLC WINNER Muhammad Habsah – U+A, part of Egis Group

Intense competition in this category resulted in a win for one of the region’s most consistently acclaimed architects, whose very rich portfolio of work has typically embodied great regard for aesthetic creativity.

He has also been a strong mentor for incoming talent in the sector.

“I just won the most prestigious award of the night”, said Muhammad Habsah, “and I wouldn’t have done this without the support of my team and my passion for architecture. I always love to give back to the community, so I’m very grateful for this one - and thank you for the recognition! I want to continue to keep on doing the same, with the all the same passion and commitment.” meconstructionnews.com

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