Designed by Goettsch Partners, This 24-story office tower serves as the flagship commercial development for Al Hilal Bank, a progressive Islamic bank in Abu Dhabi. Located on Al Maryah Island, the emirate’s designated new CBD, the building is designed to attract leading national and global companies with Class A office space of an international quality. The building features efficient, column-free floor plates; floor-to-ceiling glass; and the latest technology and amenities—features that are not widely available in the UAE market.
Challenged to define a distinctive image that would reflect the bank’s progressive brand while also setting an international aesthetic, the design defines a bold, contemporary tower that shifts in massing as it rises. The podium contains retail space and a dramatic three-story transparent lobby to the north, with pedestrian arcades on the east and west.
Three cubical masses sit atop the podium, stacked like shifted blocks. These forms derive their interest from recessed corners that are offset from each other and distinguish the tower from others on the island. In addition, the building’s façade changes at the created voids to accentuate the shifted aesthetic. Orange accents highlight the voids while reinforcing the bank’s branding both day and night.
photography by © Tom Rossiter
Intended to convey a timeless, elegant image, the façade is composed of an aluminum-and-glass curtain wall system with glass and notched metal-spandrel elements and vertical glass fins that enhance the building’s verticality while also providing subtle shading. Achieving an Estidama 1 Pearl sustainability rating, the tower offers maximum transparency, with floor-to-ceiling, high-performance glass providing spectacular views for occupants while significantly increasing interior daylight.
photography by © Tom Rossiter
A landscaped park and reflecting pool along the building’s western façade draw pedestrian traffic by creating an inviting, shaded urban space. Seating for tenants and visitors helps further complement the outdoor setting.
photography by © Lester Ali
Project Info:
Architects: Goettsch Partners
Project Year: 2015
Project Area: 942.6 ft2
Owner/ Developer: Al Hilal Bank
Lighting Design: One Lux Studio
Cost Consultant: MLC International
Project Manager: Serex International
Photographs: Lester Ali, Tom Rossiter
Acoustical Consultant: Shiner + Associates
MEP Engineer: Environmental Systems Design
Owner’s Representative: John Buck International
Landscape Architect: Wolff Landscape Architecture
Structural Engineer: DeSimone Consulting Engineers
Project Location: Abu Dhabi – United Arab Emirates
General Contractor: Al Fara`a General Contracting Co. LLC
Manufacturers: Dorma, Zumtobel, Schindler, Emirates Glass, GEZE, Warema, Folcra Beach, Cox Gomyl
