Brief:
The client required a striking building as a suitable and identifiable corporate headquarters for the company. The Partnership, in association with the Kuwait Consultants Salem Al Marzouk and Sabah Abi-Hanna, prepared a range of concept designs for a new headquarters for the Al-Ahleia Insurance Company S.A.K in Kuwait City.

Design Solution:
The selected design takes the form of a free standing building with an elliptical plan. The aerofoil shaped tower is unique in Kuwait. The sharp blade of the aerofoil rises twelve floors form ground to roof level and creates a dramatic statement marking the corner of Ahmed Al-Jaber Street and Jaber Al-Mubarak Street.

The distinctive sculptural building is clad in insulated metal panels and solar reflective ribbon glazing which follows and emphasises the curved façade. At ground level the façade is undercut in a sinuous counter-curve to create a distinctive main entrance. A similar feature is adopted for the executive penthouse and an intermediate feature floor.

Internally the building is designed to international standards. Clear floor plates are created at each level with a minimum of fixed walls and structural columns. The whole office is provided with a raised floor to allow the installation of wiring for electrical power, data and telecommunications to all work stations. Demountable and relocatable partitions are utilised to create cellular and open office arrangement which can be adapted to suit flexible departmental space planning and changing operational requirements in the future.

Client: Al-Ahleia Insurance Co. SAK, Kuwait
Site Area: 3,900 sq. m.
Associates: Salem Al Marzouk and Sabah Abi-Hanna