The University of Abu Dhabi appoints design consultants for new Dhs.200m campus project

Construction work is due to begin in late June on the campus which is scheduled to welcome its first intake of some 5,000 students at the commencement of the academic year in September 2006.

ADU announced the appointment of Arkonsult together with Ian Benham Associates, who will provide the mechanical and electrical services design. The design team is to be provided with expert educational design input from RealTime Solutions from Melbourne, Australia. The ADU programme has been fast-tracked by its visionary founder and patron, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and President of the University Board of Trustees & Governors. The master plan was completed on schedule earlier this year.

H.E. Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the ADU Executive Board of Governors, commented that Arkonsult, a relatively new firm of architects, engineers and interior designers, had already made on impressive beginning on the ADU campus, by designing world class educational buildings for the project. The designs of 70 classrooms and laboratories, administration headquarters, state-of-the-art library, auditoria of 1,000 seats and 350 seats, student union, restaurants, gymnasium, multi-purpose hall and a student clinic were already well underway. He added that the design of the accommodations buildings was about to start, and plans for a school and a teaching hospital were well advanced.

Sherko Pasha, Managing Director, Arkonsult, expressed his company's appreciation for being involved in the high profile and exciting project. "We have put a strong and committed team onto the design of the new campus for The University of Abu Dhabi, and are focused on making this new university the best in the region," he added. The buildings will be classical in appearance, with strong distinctive lines and quality landscaping.

Andy Blackburn, Project Director, Mace International, is responsible for project management of the new campus on behalf of ADU. "We have already achieved incredible progress and quality over the few months since the project began last August due to the cooperative management style and teamwork displayed by all concerned. We expect to continue in this way right through to successful building openings as planned," he said.