August 2021
Issue 15 | Summer Edition
DSA DIGEST The official newsletter of DSA Architects International
Inside this Issue
Wh
? ew
N at's
New Offices
Onwards & Upwards
DSA in India DSA in KSA
Milestones New Team Members
Working from home The New Normal
Awards
New Projects Prive Club, Nikki Beach 6ixty Iconic Tower Luxury Beach Resort Club 32 Beach Resort Lison Valley Dana Beach Walk
Luxury Lifestyle Awards Recognition from MAF
Project Launch Aquaventure Waterpark Saffron Restaurant
New Offices
DSA in India DSA International - India commenced operations in September 2020. The office currently has 28 staff and is located in Kochi, Kerala on the southwestern Malabar Coast of India. Kerala is quickly turning into a major hub for multi-national companies and foreign direct investment and we are very pleased to have established a presence there, with a strong, internationally-experienced team.
DSA in KSA DSA International - KSA’s recent company formation is an exciting achievement for the Group as we aim to build on our already significant accomplishments in the Kingdom, having delivered over 25 projects to date, with a further 8 currently in progress. Our registration for direct provision of AOR and Engineering services from our Riyadh office is currently under progress and we look forward to cementing our commitment to existing and future clients across the country.
Working from home The NEW Normal It has now been 17 months since our lives have completely changed. For many of us, the concept of working from home used to be unusual, but with the current global situation, wearing masks and working from home have now become the new normal. DSA have successfully demonstrated our ability to deliver efficiently and productively despite 80% of our staff working remotely since March 2020. Thanks to the help of modern day technology such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, we have continued to meet submissions, requirements, and standards of our valued clients. As much as we love the flexibility of being able to work from home, we definitely miss all the social interaction, gatherings, and warm smiles from friends and colleagues. Undoubtedly, work will never be the same again, but DSA will remain to be adaptable to change.
WORK FROM HOME TIPS STAY SAFE
What do you miss about working in the office?
01
04
Setup a dedicated workspace
Start early, keep a routine & take breaks when needed
02 Computer & good internet connection
03 Video conferencing apps like Microsoft Teams & Zoom
05 Keep an open communication with your team
New Projects
Prive Club, Nikki Beach Dubai, UAE
6ixty Iconic Tower New Capital City, Egypt
Multi-Disciplinary Lead Consultancy Services and Site Supervision for a Beach Club to be converted into a VIP party suite with 3 Bedrooms and a new pool.
Architectural concept design for a premium 40-storey commercial office tower situated in the heart of the New Administrative Capital in Egypt.
Luxury Beach Resort Jeddah, KSA
Club 32 Beach Resort Jeddah, KSA
Concept design for a luxury beach resort on the Red Sea in Jeddah for Modern Building Leaders.
Concept design for a members-only, exclusive luxury beach resort, also on the coast in Jeddah.
Lison Valley Riyadh, KSA
Dana Beach Walk Al Khobar, KSA
Architectural concept design for an integrated residential / commercial destination, which will provide the optimum balance between the commercial requirements for businesses and a distinctive, modern lifestyle for residents, including the luxury of serviced hotel suites.
Concept design for a commercial and recreational waterfront project forming part of the new Dana Bay Resort and overlooking the lagoon in the eastern city of Al Khobar.
Onwards & Upwards
Joanne Maravillas Document Controller 15 years at DSA It was 2006 when Joanne moved to the UAE. Since then, DSA have been her family outside of her home country. In line with this, she has shared one of her memorable moments in her 15 years with DSA. "I have many memorable moments with DSA, but the latest one that struck me most was when I saw how much they deeply cared for their staff who are experiencing the emotional toll brought about by the current global crisis. They have shown all the compassion, love and support especially when we really needed it the most. Kudos to all Directors and staff of DSA! It makes me proud to be part of the company."
Wellington Karambami Associate 15 years at DSA Wellington marked his 15th year with DSA and was recently promoted as an Associate. We asked what his greatest achievement was with his years with DSA. "In the 15 years I have been with DSA, one of my main accomplishments is leading Al Zahia site team in supervising and successfully deliver the first phase. Throughout the project duration, I led the team in dealing and resolving technical submittals on timely basis. This helped the Contractor to plan and start construction activities as programed. The project, (Lilac A) was completed and handed over to Client within the original contract completion date. This is a rare achievement in horizontal construction projects.”
Senthil Kumar Senior Team Leader 10 years at DSA Senthil was busy with the delivery of prestigious hospitality and residential projects in our Dubai office, when we caught up with him. The past 10 years went by so quick and we are grateful for his hard work since day one. We asked what his most memorable moment was with his decade in DSA and here's what he shared. "It's not easy to pick one memorable moment from a 10 long years working at DSA and describe it in 1-3 sentences. If I must, then I would say my first day at DSA. I was all nervous, but everyone made it very easy for me.”
New Team Members
Muhammad Naveed Accountant Joined DSA in May 2021
Apple Bael Brand Manager Joined DSA in May 2021
Martin Pirnie Project / Lead Architect Joined DSA in Feb 2021
Dilip Nampi IT Manager Joined DSA in Aug 2020
Awards DSA Architects International Win Best Luxury Hotel Architecture, for the DoubleTree by Hilton, Jeddah We were delighted to be recognised for our efforts with this award, which was presented to us earlier in the year in May. Along with the prized trophy, the following commendation was given out by the judges: "The Middle East is one of the world’s centres for luxury development projects and DSA Architects International stand out in this region for their range of unique, innovative and elegant projects that consistently achieve – and often surpass – the requirements of their discerning clientele. DSA Architects International have completed an incredible array of prestigious projects in this part of the world, from luxury resorts and residences to urban and boutique hotels, as well as commercial, retail and education projects. With a capacity to undertake huge mixed-use developments in the international arena, as well as smaller scale commissions for private clients, DSA’s passion for producing timeless designs with a strong attention to detail and sustainable principles remains steadfast. DSA have a long and successful history within the luxury hospitality sector and are proud to have longstanding associations with some of the world’s top hospitality brands, including Jumeirah, Four Seasons, Marriott, One&Only, Accor Hotels, Anantara and Hyatt, to name a few. Along with this impressive list is the international hotel giant, Hilton, with whom DSA share a fantastic understanding and working relationship, spanning the last decade and longer. Through the esteemed client, Taiba Developments, DSA were selected to continue this successful partnership as lead consultant and architect for the new DoubleTree by Hilton Jeddah Hotel and Residences project. The brief was to design and deliver an iconic hotel that is set to be a brand new landmark for the city of Jeddah. The site is located on a prime location near the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Square overlooking the Red Sea and just a 20-minute drive from Jeddah International Airport. The unique architecture of the building will rise like a city sculpture, offering stunning views of the urban and ocean landscape and all major landmarks.
Jeddah is a year-round international tourist destination and is the main gateway to Mecca and Medina, making this an extremely high-profile project. When completed, the hotel building will consist of 245 hotel keys and 219 serviced apartments, as well as food and beverage outlets, retail, recreational areas and meeting rooms, ensuring that top level facilities are available for both business and leisure travellers. The outstanding level of design flair, innovation and execution of this project, which sets a new standard in meeting client objectives, whilst delivering the highest standards of professional excellence, make DSA Architects International worthy winners of the “Best Luxury Hotel Architecture” award for DoubleTree by Hilton, Jeddah, KSA by the prestigious Luxury Lifestyle Awards. When this project is finally realised, it will be another feather in the cap for this world-leading architectural practice. The name DSA Architects International is known across the world for style, knowledge, skill and expertise. With offices in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia, DSA Architects’ international design teams have a wealth of experience in local, regional and international projects, and are renowned for their ability to deliver ground-breaking projects from creation to final handover of the finished project. The DoubleTree by Hilton project in Jeddah is the latest in a long line of success and landmark projects."
We were extremely proud when our longstanding and valued client, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, recently awarded DSA a certificate of recognition for our outstanding efforts in maintaining high standards of Health and Safety across all areas of the Al Lilac residential project, which is a part of the new Al Zahia community currently under construction in Sharjah, UAE.
‘We are delighted and thrilled to be recognised by the experts at Luxury Lifestyle Awards for the Best Luxury Hotel Architecture in respect of the DoubleTree by Hilton Jeddah project. This award is a significant and well-deserved acknowledgment of the hard-working, talented and hugely dedicated project team who have, once again, ensured another successful project for DSA’s fast-growing portfolio. It is a pleasure for our practice to be recognised in this way and we feel very privileged to receive this recognition. We would also like to pay special tribute to Taiba Investments and Hilton for their invaluable contribution and support throughout.' Peter Davison Director DSA Architects, Middle East
Project Launch The biggest waterpark expansion in history! The highly anticipated expansion of the renowned Aquaventure Waterpark within the Atlantis The Palm complex, opened its doors in March of this year. This highly complex, state of the art attraction features brand-new, record-breaking features, including the Trident Tower which stands at 48m tall with 12 impressive slides and a further 16 across Splashers’ Lagoon and Splashers’ Cove. This 44,000m2 expansion has increased Aquaventure by over a third in size.
All new Saffron Restaurant Full renovation and refurbishment of Saffron, the major and longstanding F&B destination at Atlantis the Palm, was completed in late 2020. The new concept, designed in conjunction with Jeffrey Beers International, has created a much lighter and brighter space; completely refreshing the interiors in-line with the more contemporary vision planned for the Atlantis resort as a whole.
Designed to Deliver.
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