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Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Mall Of Qatar

Dubai based McARTHUR + COMPANY, an international shopping center development and leasing firm, is proud to announce that its latest project Mall of Qatar is setting new customer service standards for Qatar’s malls as the nation’s first super regional shopping center.

The mall, which is owned and developed by Mall of Qatar W.L.L in collaboration with turnkey contractors UrbaCon Trading & Contracting (UCC), is estimating, based on research conducted by T&L Associates, to attract in excess of 20 million visitors in 2016 with a steady 5% annual increase, and a 10% increase in 2022 with FIFA being hosted in Qatar.

Residents of Qatar will be the front-runners of this new age of mega-mall shopping with the highly anticipated opening of Mall of Qatar. Scheduled for the Q1 2016, providing 5-star service in the management mandate, Phil McArthur, Managing Director and Founder of McARTHUR + COMPANY said “There’s a significant demand for quality integrated shopping, dining and entertainment facilities in the retail sector in Qatar. Spend and dwell time increases dramatically in malls that provide excellent guest services including spotless public restrooms, convenience, entertainment and a wide array of dining options, all of which is among Mall of Qatar’s many advantages.”

With the increasing attraction of ecommerce, developers around the world are forced to reevaluate and revisit their strategy for malls. McArthur says, “It’s no longer simply about shopping; it’s about what a mall can offer aside from shopping. People like to see people, and you can only get that desired social experience at the mall, not online. This being said, a mall needs to be conducive for shoppers to return.”

Mall of Qatar is steering this trend of mall development by listening to their customers’ demands. The mall has been carefully designed to cater to a wide demographic and all age groups. Not only will Mall of Qatar possess one of the best live and dedicated entertainment venues in the world with different performances each evening, but will also boast an unrivaled and endless food offering. It is a truly wonderful evolution that is representative of market aspirations.

On top of this, the mall will house some of the most sought-after international brands that have not yet been glimpsed in the city before. Mall of Qatar’s bravado and aspiration to create the finest customer experience in the country has not gone amiss. The mall has already signed commitments for over 75 percent of its retail space and has a large number of eager retailers on a waiting list.

Having worked with some of the leading developers worldwide, McArthur comments “Mall of Qatar is by far the most passionate; they are true believers in excellence, quality and setting new standards. The customer comes first and this is reflected in their pace of construction, the entire flow and layout of the mall which is both functional yet beautiful, and ultimately the caliber of architects and consultants Mall of Qatar works alongside. It is a truly wonderful evolution that is representative of market aspirations.”

The rigorous team at Mall of Qatar endlessly strives to be the best in every category. Their meticulous attention to detail is unique not just in the GCC region, but also in international markets. Mall of Qatar boasts one of the world’s best infrastructures and road networks. The mall will provide the most user-friendly access and the best parking experience in Qatar, as well as being directly linked to the Doha Metro and adjacent to Al Rayyan international station.

The mall will be an entertainment district that compliments the national greater vision to attract entertainment and cultural initiatives, as well as health efforts. This is not just a mall for 2016; this is the centerpiece of a master planned community that will soon welcome neighboring residential developments, schools and the FIFA World Cup Stadium. Mall of Qatar will be humming with excitement and success.

Qatar presently may have one of the lowest penetrations of mall space per capita in the GCC at .30 meters per capita, however the nation’s major initiatives including the development of shopping malls such as the prestigious Mall of Qatar, Doha Metro, the new Hamad International Airport as well as numerous international sporting events such as FIFA, will herald in a new era for the country.

Monday, June 1, 2015

MEED Names GCC’s Projects Of The Year

Ten of the GCC’s flagship projects have been named the region’s projects of the year by the Middle East's leading supplier of business intelligence services, MEED.

Qatar Foundation’s Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies Building Project (entered by ASTAD Project Management) has been named as the region’s project of the year at the MEED Quality Awards for Projects 2015, in association with Mashreq. The project was also named the GCC’s UCC UrbaCon Trading & Contracting Social Infrastructure Project of the Year.

Qatar’s other regional winner was The New Doha International Airport Passenger Terminal Complex - CP 18 Project by the New Doha International Airport Steering Committee (entered by Sky Oryx Joint Venture: Taisei – TAV JV) which won the GCC’s Transport Project of the Year, sponsored by Hyder, an Arcadis Company.

John Iossifidis, Executive Vice President, Group Head – Corporate & Investment Banking, Mashreq Bank, psc., headline sponsor of the awards, praised the winners for their unwavering commitment to the highest standards of quality. “Adherence to quality standards ensures optimum delivery of a project’s intended benefits, and for this we congratulate the winners for their resolute commitment to project excellence that continues to set the benchmark not just for the region, but also for the rest of the world.”

Saudi Arabia-based projects scooped a trio of awards: the Siemens Energy Hub Project by Siemens Energy (nominated by Hyder, an Arcadis Company) was named the GCC’s Daman Industrial Project of the Year; the Jabal Omar Project Phase 1 by Jabal Omar Development Company (nominated by Schneider Electric) was named the GCC’s Building Project of the Year; and the Qurayyah Independent Power Plant Project by Hajr Electricity Production Co. was named the GCC’s Power & Water Project of the Year.

Bahrain scooped two regional awards – the GCC Oil & Gas Project of the Year for the Awali Oil Field - Tatweer Petroleum Project (nominated by New Water Corporation); and the GCC’s Ramboll Sustainable Project of the Year for the Ministry of Works’ Muharraq STP and Sewer Conveyance Project (nominated by Muharraq STP Company).

The UAE’s Emirates AquaTechnologies Caviar Factory LLC Project by Bin Salem Holding (nominated by Emirates Aqua Tech) was named winner of the GCC CH2M Award for Innovation; while Oman’s Alila Jabal Akhdar Resort Project by the Oman Tourism Development Co (OMRAN) - which was covered in my previous post - won the GCC’s Drake & Scull Leisure & Tourism Project of the Year award.

Kuwait’s Structural Renovation of the Grand Mosque Project by the Ministry of Awqaf & Islamic Affairs (nominated by PACE) was named the GCC’s Small Project of the Year.

Two special awards were also handed out during the ceremony – The MEED Editor’s Award for Leadership, given to His Excellency Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA); and The MEED Editor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Project Delivery, which was presented to the Al Maryah Island Project Team, Mubadala Real Estate & Infrastructure.

The MEED Quality Awards for Projects 2015, in association with Mashreq, is now in its 5th year and this year was the biggest year to date. “We received a record number of entries, marking yet another successful year for the awards,’’ said Richard Thompson, Editorial Director, MEED. “The growing number of entrants is a reflection of the continuing strength of the projects sector in the region, with more projects being completed year-on-year. At the same time, the interest in the awards continues to reinforce their position as the benchmark for project excellence in this part of the world.’’

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