Top European architects to target Mid East leisure projects

The company, which has forged a strategic alliance with Borges Architects and has plans to open offices in London, Miami, Zagreb and Hong Kong, will spearhead its move into the Middle East market by showcasing its design and consultancy services at Cityscape 2003 - the region's only international commercial architecture, property design and development exhibition and conference - to be held in Dubai, in October.

It has already entered a number of regional design competitions including the, as yet unannounced, 'Centre of the Planet' theme park in Dubai. Other projects include designs for an aquarium in Abu Dhabi, a leisure complex in Oman and a theme park in Bahrain.

Global Estudios are currently developing designs for other international ventures including the 'Olympic Aquatic Park' for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games; the 'Space Cousteau' visitor attraction, Costa Brava, Spain; the 'Lorosur' themed water and zoological park, Canary Islands and two hotel and golf resorts in Tarragona, Spain.

'We believe the Middle East is rapidly becoming a hotbed for innovative and world class real estate development projects,' said Alejandor Torrado, Director of International Business Development, Global Estudios . 'We are very enthusiastic about participating in this emerging market.'

Torrado said that although Middle East developers are more conscious about building ecologically sensitive projects and using environmentally friendly technology and design, there is a need for both the public and private sectors to collaborate to enforce technical guidelines on developers of projects in sensitive areas.

'Educational seminars and courses could be held for various professionals involved in the decision making process to raise the level of consciousness about this issue,' he said.

'Future regional planners should be very well educated on all cultural and social factors of the community before embarking on designing urban solutions.

'I also hope that developers will focus on rehabilitation of existing buildings and infrastructure more than developing new ones, as a measure to regenerate urban areas and revive the social and economic life of these communities,' added Torrado.

Supported by the Dubai Development and Investment Authority (DDIA), Cityscape 2003 will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Dubai from October 18-21. It will focus on critical issues facing architects, developers and planners including present and future trends in real estate markets; urban planning; project financing solutions; sustainable architecture and design and Middle East property development practices.

During the event a major new series of awards honouring top architects in the Middle East, Subcontinent, Asia and Africa will be presented. The winners, in five categories, will be selected by a distinguished international jury of judges.