DSA Digest Issue 18 | 2022 Summer Edition

September 2022

Issue 18 | Summer Edition

DSA DIGEST The official newsletter of DSA Architects International

Launch of our New Office in

Hyderabad

DSA International India is continuing its expansion with the launch of a new office this month in the developing metropolitan city of Hyderabad. A strong and talented team have now been put in place to jumpstart the operations in our latest branch.

The capital of Telangana has been working towards building one of the strongest foundations for a dynamic startup hub in India. With this, talent has greatly grown to an exponential level in the city. We are very much excited to work with our new team and deliver more exciting projects with our trusted clients and partners.

IN THIS ISSUE Recognition | p. 2-4 Arabian Property Awards 2022 BUILD Architecture Awards 2022

Under Construction| p. 7

DSA Cares| p. 10

Novotel Victoria Island, Lagos Four Seasons Hotel Jeddah

Ergonomics Session Making a Difference

Project Progress | p. 5-6

Onwards & Upwards | p. 8-9

In the Press| p. 11-13

Jumeirah Muscat Bay The Crescent Development Mosi-oa Tunya Livingstone Resort

Milestones & Promotion Star of the Month New Team Members

Autodesk Customer Success

Recognition Arabian Property Awards 2022 Winner for MAF Al Zahia Development, Al Lilac

DSA are thrilled to announce that we have won two titles at the Arabian Property Awards 2022-2023, in the categories of Architecture Multiple Residence and Residential Development 20+ Units for Sharjah with Al Zahia Development, Al Lilac by Majid Al Futtaim Properties.

The level of the awards will be revealed in a prestigious gala dinner, arranged around the IPAX networking event and exhibition which will be held on the 6th of October at Grand Habtoor Resort, Dubai.

We are extremely proud to have delivered another award-winning residential development in the region. Huge thanks to our client, partners and everyone involved in the success of this project!

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Most Innovative Architectural Design Practice - UAE

by BUILD Architecture Awards 2022

We would like to thank BUILD Magazine for recognising DSA as the Most Innovative Design Practice - UAE at the Architecture Awards 2022.

BUILD Magazine’s Architecture Awards programme continues to stand out as a core component of the platform’s extensive awards programme portfolio with the ambition to spotlight the incredible projects and works conducted by the world’s most innovative designers and architects.

Read our full feature below from the 2022 Q3 edition of BUILD Magazine Over their 35-year history, DSA Architects International have evolved into an internationally recognised and renowned business! They excel across multiple sectors as a boutique-style firm that can offer a personal and bespoke service, all tailored to the individual needs of their clients.

DSA’s team approaches each project with extraordinary passion and a ‘can do’ attitude, resulting in creating unique, exciting, and timeless architectural experiences. All of their projects align with their ethos of ‘International Expertise with Local Knowledge.’

Since their establishment in 1985, DSA Architects International have blossomed in scale, scope, and diversity, becoming a multi-award-winning practice. Today, the company is an industry leader in architectural design and lead consultant services, delivering landmarks, sustainable buildings and environments across the globe.

In line with this mantra, their designers start each project by gathering information on local history and culture and gaining a sense of the location and its people. Their design principles are invariably guided by an equal consideration for the brief (and achieving the clients’ objectives) as well as responsibility and desire to respect the heritage, tradition, and progression of the existing built environment.

As a business, they are fully committed to maintaining and further enhancing their reputation as a professional, flexible, trusted, and delivery-focused ‘partner of choice’ for clients and operators. They have already delivered projects in over 30 countries from strategic locations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia, and have worked for many clients of varying scales.

DSA’s clientele ranges from large corporations and government entities to individual investors, all of whom they enjoy many close and repeat working relationships.

In all the developments they deliver, they consistently look to provide the highest levels of creativity, innovation, and technical excellence, constantly pushing the boundaries of new technology and innovation—all whilst maintaining an appropriate reverence and respect for everyone involved.

DSA have managed to secure a very healthy business pipeline and are well placed to deliver in terms of their planning and resource availability; as such, they are looking to take full advantage of a growing market across the region, seeing many opportunities for new products in the near future.

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They have a phenomenal staff retention rate; most of their team have been with DSA for ten years or more. Their staff are the most critical aspect of its success, the projects they are proud to have delivered, and the positive reputation they enjoy. The company is always looking for opportunities to develop everyone according to individual aspirations and ambitions to maximise the value they provide the company.

As such, during this coming year, they have some inspiring plans to introduce a new specialist in-house department to complement the existing architectural and lead consultancy disciplines, utilising individuals with a proven track record of delivering exemplary work.

The team's dedication, experience, culture, and approach enable them to tackle complexities and challenges that would otherwise not be possible. The firm’s 360-degree approach provides mutual dividends and allows strong bonds to be formed across the company.

DSA look forward to making an official announcement very soon and completing the year with even more success.

Aquaventure Waterpark within the Atlantis The Palm has become the largest in the world with its expansion which was launched in 2021.

The 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 Waterpark by over a third in size.

The design and theming are meant to reflect the environs, with the structures crafted to look as if they had risen from the seafloor and onto the palm-shaped, man-made island. Corals and aquas combine the aquatic with desert.

On the stone work in Immortal Falls Cliff Jump and Trident Tower, visitors see what appear to be etchings from a lost, ancient civilization. Splasher’s Cove includes aquatic flooring that looks like ocean waves approaching the children’s slides. Medusa’s Lair, with its racing tube slides, features imagery of the mythological figure to add to the overall theme.

Splasher’s Cove and Lagoon appeals to smaller children with gentler slides and sprays.

For more adventurous youngsters, the new expansion also includes the world’s first kid’s rally racer and tornado slide. Other features include Vortex with its two drop slides; Black Out speed slides; and a fourlane mat racer called Hydra Racer.

Article Source: Aquatics International Website Page 4

Project Progress

Launch of Jumeirah Muscat Bay

Jumeirah Muscat Bay unveils its beauty as it officially opens to the public in June of this year.

Set in the secluded cove of Bandar Jissah with stunning views of the Al Hajar Mountains and the Gulf of Oman, the resort offers 206 spacious rooms and suites, and five secluded summerhouses, perched atop the limestone cliffs.

DSA are proud to be the Lead Supervision Consultant for this prestigious resort development.

Façade Works Completed for The Crescent Development in Baku Significant progress is seen from our team's recent visit to the site of the Crescent Development.

Located on Baku’s waterfront, this anticipated project designed by DSA comprises of two major components, an offshore 5-Star luxury hotel and onshore Residential Towers, Offices & Shopping Mall.

Once completed, it will be considered as an architectural landmark located on the Caspian Sea coast of Azerbaijan.

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Mosi-oa-Tunya Livingstone Resort in Zambia to Open Later This Year

Situated on the Zambezi River in Livingstone, Zambia. The Mosi-oa-Tunya Livingstone Resort is nearing completion and scheduled to open later this year.

The Radisson Blu operated resort will include 200 hotel rooms, accommodated in the main hotel with suites in 7 free standing villas overlooking the Zambezi River. In addition, the resort will boast a world class conference centre as well as a sports and kids club facility.

The Resort is located in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park with active wildlife and has been designed with careful consideration for the existing elephant and hippo corridors.

The façade and external works are complete, and our site team is working tirelessly to put the final touches to this landmark African resort.

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Under Construction

Novotel Victoria Island, Lagos Construction Work Has Commenced

Dori Construction were appointed as the main contractor for Novotel, Victoria Island at the beginning of 2022, with site establishment and works commencing in February, and completion scheduled for July 2024. DSA are proud to be working with Profica, who are the project managers and principal consultants of this 168-key Accor operated hotel.

Procurement of the various finishes and fittings are also well under way, as logistics with getting materials into Lagos can be challenging!

In terms of design packages, DSA are currently coordinating with landscape, swimming pool and signage specialists to fine tune these components and integrate them into the scheme.

The project has been delivered on the Autodesk BIM360 portal which includes the issuing of drawings and models, tracking of Requests for Information, Approval of Materials, Shop Drawings, QA/QC etc.

Construction Underway for Four Seasons Hotel, Jeddah A snap from the construction site of the Four Seasons Hotel in Jeddah, KSA. Once completed, this 5-star establishment which comprises of 350 keys will boast several high-end amenities, making it an ideal stay option for leisure and business travelers.

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Onwards & Upwards CELEBRATING

10 YEARS

WITH DSA

Petrü Visagie

Pappu Keshari

Vidya Desai

Design Manager

Document Controller

Senior Associate

Star of the Month June

July

August

Pappu Keshari Document Controller

Suji Sugathan Senior Arch. Technician

Danny Villarama IT Assistant

Star for the month of June for his invaluable commitment. Thank you for always working with a smile, even when chips are down.

Star for the month of July for his dedication, going above and beyond in supporting the whole office on projects, BIM process, trainings and coming up with helpful solutions for the team.

Star for the month of August for readily taking up any challenge and offering support for the whole team.

Thank you for bringing your best to work every single day.

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Congratulations ON YOUR PROMOTION Boris Husanovic Promoted from Senior Architect to Project Architect / Team Leader

New Team Members

BELGRADE OFFICE Mitar Kovac Architect Joined on 1 Mar 2022 Vasilija Jovic Architect Joined on 1 May 2022

MIDDLE EAST OFFICE INDIA OFFICE Nalini Saravanan Senior Arch Technician Joined on 6 June 2022

Dejan Jokic Promoted from Senior Architect to Project Architect / Team Leader

Saravanan Eswaran Senior Arch Technician Joined on 27 June 2022 Mohammed Ahmed Asst. Resident Engineer Joined on 7 July 2022 Moin Abbasi Senior Site Architect Joined on 7 July 2022 Mike Warren Project Director | Associate Joined on 2 Aug 2022

Marko Zeljkovic Promoted from Senior Architect to Project Architect / Team Leader

Ibrahim Khalil Document Controller Joined on 5 Aug 2022 Rajnish Rohatgi Design Manager Joined on 15 Aug 2022 Nahla Taha Design Manager Joined on 23 Aug 2022 Wael Hamed Aly Project Director Joined on 25 Aug 2022

Milivoje Andric Promoted from Senior Architect to Project Architect / Team Leader

Ali Ahmad Design Manager Joined on 29 Aug 2022

Kirankumar Gopalakrishnan Architectural Technician Joined on 1 June 2022 Chetana Malikayil Junior Architect Joined on 6 June 2022 Syeda Naqvi Architect Joined on 1 Aug 2022 Rajesh Pandian Architect | BIM Coordinator Joined on 16 Aug 2022 Neeraja K S Architect Joined on 16 Aug 2022 Sejush Sethunath Associate | Senior Project Architect Joined on 1 Sept 2022 Syeda Afshan Naqvi Architect Joined on 1 Sept 2022 Rajesh Pandian Architect | BIM Coordinator Joined on 1 Sept 2022 Jatoth Vinod Kumar Architect Joined on 5 Sept 2022 Harshvardhan Reddy Architect Joined on 5 Sept 2022

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DSA Cares

Our team's wellbeing is always a priority!

Safe Hands UAE and Dr. Dianne Jokene, Doctor of Osteopathy, have visited our Middle East office to conduct an in-house Ergonomics session with desk assessment. She shared helpful tips and exercises to maintain good posture and reduce joint/muscle pains at work.

ERGONOMICS TIPS FOR WORKING AT HOME Here are some simple steps you can take to help optimise your posture and improve your comfort when working at home.

1. Work at a desk or table with adequate knee/foot clearance so that you can sit/stand close to your laptop.

2. Use a separate keyboard and mouse with your laptop.

3. Position the keyboard and mouse directly in front of you within easy reach.

4. Position your laptop so that the top of the screen is level with your eye height. If you don’t have a laptop riser, use a box file or some books to raise your laptop. Or plug in a separate monitor if you have one.

5. If sitting, use an adjustable chair. Use a rolled-up hand towel for extra lower back support, if needed. If your chair is too low, sit on a cushion to raise your seat height.

6. Maintain a good posture; if sitting, try to ensure that the small of your back is supported, your shoulders are relaxed (not slumped, not elevated), and that there is no unwelcome pressure on the back of your knees. If standing (e.g. at your kitchen worktop), keep your legs, torso, neck and head approximately in line and vertical – don’t slouch, lean or twist to the side.

7. Change your posture every few minutes and take regular micro-breaks away from your laptop.

Making a Difference Three years ago, we had the unforgettable DSA Open 2019, a part of the DHL Swing Against Cancer Golf Series where we helped raise funds for the treatment of a 13 year old boy who was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Fast forward to today, we are so happy to hear that he is now a charming 17 year old who recently completed his fourth grade with honours.

DSA are proud to have contributed to his recovery and to make a difference in the lives of those in need.

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In The Press

DSA Celebrates Continued Success with Autodesk’s Design & Collaboration Solutions

DSA Architects International are a globally renowned architecture firm who have been delivering exquisite architecture projects for over 35 years in more than 30 countries. Today, DSA Architects International remain a formidable force in this space and are renowned for its award-winning multi-disciplinary design consultancy and management services across the globe.

In this article, we will look at how DSA have digitally transformed 3 of its projects with the use of Autodesk’s BIMequipped solutions. The first of these is the Swiss International School in Dubai (SISD). The school is a leading international boarding school, catering to pupils in kindergarten to the 6th level, located in the United Arab Emirates.

Design Challenge: Designing a building for people to live, work, study, and, ultimately, enjoy is an exciting opportunity for any architect. Yet designing a complex environment where students will learn, grow and shape the future, and their path as individuals is an even bigger opportunity.

DSA were the design architect and lead consultant for the project, which meant that they were ultimately responsible for all stages of the project and all disciplines, including engineering, landscaping, interior design (from concept design through to fully detailed documentation), site supervision, and, ultimately, handover to their esteemed client (SISD).

The construction of the school and sports facilities utilised the highest building specifications, materials, and green energy solutions, including unique and innovative Swiss Energy conservation principles. It utilised cutting-edge technology to meet the Swiss Minergie Model, thereby limiting energy consumption by adhering to daylighting and thermal insulation requirements. The building has proudly achieved Minergie Certification and is the first to do so within the Middle East or, in fact, any cooled environment worldwide. This is according to the category of institutional buildings.

Design Solutions:

“The design and construction were carried out in phases under a design & build procurement model, where Phases 1 and 2 were just 10 months each with efficiencies in design and coordination. The ability to commence site works came with using the design team’s full collaboration of BIM software combined with the materials and construction methodology used.” Peter Davison, Managing Director (Middle East).

The innovative use of BIM between all the major contributors in the project and the contractor as a base for the workshop drawings meant that documentation could be developed in 3D from very early on in the process. This factor meant that all project stakeholders were working simultaneously on a single model in a structured and planned manner. This was done through an established and agreed on BIM Execution Plan, devised at the start of the project.

What this did was enable the team to present the design in 3D from a very early stage of the project. This was advantageous to the client and other stakeholders who were not necessarily versed in deciphering plans and sections.

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Thus allowing the project team to get input significantly quicker. Potential issues were identified at an early stage, allowing the design team to assess their options and various solutions available to overcome them. A lack of clashes between architecture, structural design, and the MEP proposals allowed the contractor to accelerate the construction program.

As a result, this was especially true for an average project of this type. All of which were facilitated by the use of a combination of Autodesk solutions; Revit, BIM Collaborate Pro, Navisworks, and 3DS Max. One of the unique items was that DSA oversaw the design and construction of the first Minergie standard building in the MENA region. In other words, the project boasted novel developments in both the design and build delivery of a low energy consumption-built environment. While the use of cutting-edge collaborative BIM software packages helped achieve a quicker design schedule and a much more efficient process overall.

“Combined with the skill, knowledge, and experience of the team, we were able to achieve a massively successful endproduct, which is not only fit for purpose, well ordered, highly functional but sets a new benchmark for educational institutions across the region.” – Peter Davison Another stellar example of BIM implementation from DSA was showcased in Anse La Mouche Resort in Seychelles, where the team at DSA tackled complex topography & Wetland management.

The project was initiated on Autodesk’s popular AutoCAD package at the concept stage to facilitate the integration of the Initial Pre-concept, Interior and Landscape Designs.

Autodesk Revit was the applied package, with all documentation issued and facilitated through Autodesk Docs. The seamless evolution from AutoCAD to Revit allowed the team to integrate building services, structures, and civils with the architectural design at an early stage.

Autodesk Docs became the common platform for documentation transfer and sharing for coordination purposes amongst the professionals and client team.

Furthermore, as an international project, bringing together international consultants from different regions, and implementing a common data platform was crucial to hosting and sharing project models.

Design Solutions: All presentation material and 3DMAX CGI images were extracted from the Revit models. The planning and façade were developed in 3 Dimensions and all changes and amendments were fully understood by the cost management and client teams. The detail design stage, now with the entire project Revit based, brought in the use of Navisworks for client integration and clash detection for MEP and Structural coordination. All of which were conducted remotely. Now in the construction phase, we can furnish the contractor and all sub-consultants with 3D reference models that are available on portable devices that integrate all consultant’s information for quick verification and on-site reference. Although cloud collaboration was not used on this project, the Autodesk Docs platform became a crucial tool when the COVID19 pandemic struck the world, and coordination had to be done from remote locations, sometimes for extended periods.

The third and final project we draw focus on is located in Mozambique, named The Torres Rani Towers. Inspired by the rolling hills and undulating coastline of Mozambique, this project’s complexity and unique demands put Revit, AutoCAD, and Autodesk Docs to the test, from concept design to shop drawing resolution and implementation.

Design Challenge: A significant challenge in this project was having to optimise civil earthworks on protected wetlands. The conservation of these wetlands was critical. We used the modelling software to simulate the various flood scenarios to guide us in the design of the earthworks.

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The Torres Rani Towers are a mixed-use development with two towers comprising; serviced residential apartments and an office tower, supported by retail and conference facilities on the ground floor. It’s a building of unusual form and shape that required the use of a flexible drawing package offering a full bouquet of 3D representation from concept to inception, for which they predominantly used Autodesk Revit. AutoCAD was also used for certain 2D detailing packages which the DSA design team found integrated seamlessly.

The process allowed the team at DSA to realize and deliver a unique & award-winning building that captured the essence of the clients’ vision and design.

Design Challenge: Throughout the project, various client changes and requirements demanded specific graphic and production outcomes that reflected the building shape and articulation. The biggest challenge in the design was manipulating the unique oval floor plates to create efficient use of space.

“We found Revit’s massing tool able to quickly calculate these areas while maintaining the overall form we wanted to achieve. While in the implementation, we modelled the tapering façade of the office building fenestration to optimize the cost by maintaining an orthogonal module for the unitized glazing.” – Zinon Marinakos, Managing Director (Africa).

This enabled the team to interrogate the fixing and jointing systems to ensure that they avoided any negative slopes in the junctions of the tapered vertical profile. Marinakos shares that: “Our design and construction models done in Johannesburg, were handed over to the façade contractor, Martifer, in Maputo, Mozambique who had their Design office in Lisbon interact with SAPA Aluminium systems, in Germany. The brief was to design, manufacture and fabricate a thermally efficient, reliable, and innovative curtain wall system that captures the essence of the design.”

Business Benefits: The real estate market continues to be a highly competitive industry pushing architecture professionals to meet the high demands of the industry. Creating visually stunning, environmentally conscious, and practical spaces is a hard juggle to maintain, especially when your client is sitting in a different time zone, and your design team too. DSA’s adoption and use of Autodesk design solutions enabled the team to foster a strong level of collaboration, mitigating any issues that might arise from working in remote locations.

It allowed project stakeholders to bring their level of innovation to the project which was facilitated by the use of Autodesk’s collaboration tools.

As a result, this positively impacted the overall bottom line of the business. Time saved on the project meant that the team had more time to focus on other factors of the project, including admin. Time saved translated into accelerated workflows, which meant a cost-saving for the client as the projects were delivered on time and within budget, increasing client satisfaction and ensuring a positive return on investment for clients.

Taking all of the projects into consideration, the design challenges, solutions, and an incredible amount of collaboration showcased in each of them. The necessity & benefits of using Autodesk’s BIM and collaborative tools such as Revit, and Autodesk Docs far outweigh the risk of investing in design software. DSA have been able to enjoy these benefits due to not just their trust in technology, but the trust they have in their regional Autodesk Gold Partner, Baker Baynes (Pty) Ltd.

Conclusion: As a proud technology & digital transformation consultancy, the team at Baker Baynes enjoys sharing these types of customer success stories as it helps them in their advocacy for using technology for infrastructure and human development. Baker Baynes looks forward to continued success, project efficiencies, tangible bottomline impacts, growth & learning with and from DSA Architects International.

Article Source: Autodesk Customer Success Hub Page 13

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