Arab Gulf Fund Headquarters – Kuwait 1998
Shuwaikh, Kuwait
The Arab Organizations Headquarters Building,situated outside Kuwait City in Shuwaik, blends modern architectural techniques with traditional Arabic artisan crafts. Completed in 1994, it is home to four major Arab organizations: the Arab Fund for Social and Economic Development, OAPEC (Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries), the Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation and the Arab Maritime Petroleum Transport Company.
Designed to reflect the artistry and craft skills across the Arab nations Pace carefully wove an architectural narrative that enables each member country to show itself at its distinctive best. Practically the building design aimed to exclude the heat while retaining as much natural light as possible, a considerable challenge in Kuwait. The Arab Organizations Headquarters Building stands as one of the most exciting examples of innovative architecture to emerge in Kuwait and careful heat and light studies were made in order to calculate the shape and depth of the windows in each direction. The artificial lighting has been specially designed to give the effect of daylight, adding to the overall brightness of the space.
A functional office building the Arab Organizations Headquarters meets all the modern day requirements and codes without sacrificing its unique artistry.
The realities of the building are rooted in practicality and convenience. Raised floors provide easy access to the life support cabling system running from the central building management room. Beneath the floors, computer cables share space with fire-fighting equipment, communication lines, air conditioning and water pipes. Air handling units, normally above the ceiling, here are housed under the floor as well. Every pipe, light or duct is easily accessible. All of these details are continuously monitored from the control room.
Client: The Arab Organisations
Area: 50,000 m² on 12,500 m² site
Completion: 1994
Cost: US$ 150 million
Components: Institutional, Offices, Car Park
Contractor: Ahmadiah Contracting & Trading Co.
Kuwait University – School of business
Shuwaikh, Kuwait
