January 2000
Table of Contents
Completed Projects
Construction was completed on the Nablus branch of the Palestine International Bank in Palestine. The 300 square meter structure, which was designed by GDAR Group, cost 225,000 JD (320,000 $US). The structure is the first in the West Bank to incorporate a glass curtain wall with a structural glazing system.
Palestine International Bank - Nablus Branch
Initiation of Projects
Construction began on El-Gushi Spa in Missrate, Libya. The 56,000 square meter resort complex was designed by Shubeilat Badran Associates (SBA) Architects and Consulting Engineers for the Libyan al-Manaba Company for Touristic Services. The project is expected to cost 30 million JD (42 million $US).
El-Gushi Spa
Construction was begun on the Madaba Mosque in the city of Madaba. The 2,500 square meter mosque for the Ministry of Awqaf was designed by GDAR Group, which had won a competition for the design of the mosque in 1998. The project is expected to cost 1 million JD (1.4 million $US).
The Madaba Mosque
Completed Designs
Jafar Tukan and Partners completed designs for two hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The first is the 40,000 square meter, 180-bed al-Ahsa Hospital in al-Hfouf that is expected to cost 15 million JD (21 million $US). The hospital was designed in association with Abalkhail Consulting Engineers of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The second hospital is the 27,000 square meter, 100-bed Qasseem Hospital in Qasseem that is expected to cost 7.5 million JD (10.5 million $US). This second hospital was designed in association with Al Dughaither Architects of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
al-Ahsa Hospital in Saudi Arabia
Arabtech-Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects completed designs for the Palestinian Cultural Center in Ramallah – al-Bireh, Palestine for the Municipality of Ramallah and the Ministry of Culture of the Palestinian National Authority. The 4,000 square meter structure includes a 600-seat auditorium, lounges, meeting rooms, and administrative offices. The project is expected to cost 3.5 million JD (5 million $US), and is being funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
News from Academia
9 students received their bachelor's degrees in architecture from the Applied Sciences University in Amman; 4 from al-Isra' University in Amman; 11 from the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid; and 5 students from the University of Jordan in Amman.
Diana Omet successfully defended her master's thesis at the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan. The thesis is entitled Designing Play Environments for Children: An Analytical Study of the Design of Children's Parks in Amman.
February 2000
Table of Contents
Completed Projects
Construction was completed on the Amman Trade Center. The 42,000 square meter complex, which is connected to the adjacent Amman Hyatt Hotel, includes restaurants, conference facilities, and apartments. The American architectural office of Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM) and Sigma Consulting Engineers carried out designs for the project, which is owned by Zara Investments.
The Amman Trade Center
Construction was completed on al-Nawafleh Touristic Village in Wadi Musa, near Petra in southern Jordan. Design services for the 4.5 million JD (6.35 million $US) Jordan Tourism Investment Company project were provided by the Consolidated Consultants for Engineering and Environment and architect Ruby Fakhoury. The five star resort occupies a 128,000 square meter site, with a total built up area of 13,000 square meters that includes over a hundred motel units.
Al-Nawafleh Touristic Village
Al-Nawafleh Touristic Village
Construction was completed on a passenger service station in Aqaba for al-Jisr al-Arabi (The Arab Bridge) Company, a joint Jordanian, Egyptian, and Iraqi venture. The complex, which was designed by Sobeh Engineering Office, occupies a site of 30,000 square meters, with 10,000 square meters of built up areas. The project cost 1.2 million JD (1.7 million $US).
The Municipality of Greater Amman inaugurated Poetry House, one of Amman’s older houses belonging to the 1930s. The newly renovated house, which overlooks the city’s Roman Theatre, will serve as a literary meeting place. During the 1930s and 1940s, the house served as the residence of Prince Nayif bin ‘Abdullah, the brother of the late King Talal, and the great uncle of the King Abdullah II.
The Poetry House
Initiation of Projects
The Municipality of Greater Amman began executing the master plan for the 700,000 square meter al-Hussein Park, located at the outskirts of Amman. The master plan design is the work of Jafar Tukan and Partners in association with the Paris office of the San Francisco (USA)-based international landscaping and planning firm EDAW. The park will include a number of components such as the King Hussein Memorial, museums, sports areas, and a cultural village. A number of local offices are being invited to participate in architectural competitions for the design of these components. Work on the 12 million JD (16.8 million US$) project is expected to take about two years.
Al-Hussein Park
Construction began on the second phase of al-Mazar Mosque and the Mu’ta Battle Martyrs’ Monuments in al-Mazar in southern Jordan. The site marks an important battle that took place in early Islamic history between Muslim and Byzantine forces. The project was designed jointly by GDAR Group, Shubeilat Badran Associates (SBA) Architects and Consulting Engineers, and Tibah Consultants. The design of the project was completed in 1995, and construction of its first phase was completed in 1999. The project includes a mosque for 1500 worshipers, a commercial center, lodging facilities, and shrines for the leaders of the Muslim army who died in the battle of Mu’ta.
Al-Mazar Mosque and the Mu'tah Battle Martyrs Monuments
Construction began on the sports hall at Zaytunah University, near Amman. The 3,000 square meter hall, which was designed by Sobeh Engineering Office, has seating that can accommodate up to 600 spectators. The hall is expected to cost 500,000 JD (700,000 $US).
The Sports Hall at Zaytounah University
Completed Designs
Jafar Tukan and Partners, in association with Universal Group of Nablus, completed designs for an expansion of al-Najah University in Nablus, Palestine. The 90,000 square meter project includes buildings that will house the university’s administration, the schools of fine arts, engineering, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, and sciences, as well as the university library, sports center, dormitories, and a mosque. The cost of the project is expected to amount to 38 million JD (53.5 million $US).
The Expansion of al-Najah University
Shubeilat Badran Associates (SBA) Architects and Consulting Engineers completed designs for the first phase of upgrading al-Bashir Hospital in Amman. The hospital, which is run by the Ministry of Health, is Jordan’s main public hospital. The 15 million JD (21 million $US) renovation project includes designing a new master plan for the hospital complex and designing new medical facilities that include maternity and pediatric wings that have a capacity of 350 beds. The built up area of the project occupies 43,800 square meters.
Al-Bashir Hospital
Tibah Consultants completed designs for the Prime Minister’s residence to be located across the Prime Ministry building in Amman. Interior architecture designs were carried out by Tibah in association with al-Darat. The 2000-square meter project will include a formal, public segment containing reception and dining areas, and a private living area for the Prime Minister and his family.
The Consolidated Consultants for Engineering and Environment completed designs for the Millenium Commercial Center and Bus Station in Bethlehem, Palestine. The 27,000 square meter project, which was designed for the Palestine Real Estate Investment Company, includes facilities for a bus station, and a commercial center that includes shops, a bank, a multipurpose hall, a restaurant, and a cinema complex.
New Commissions
Bilal Hammad Associates were chosen to design a master plan for the Jordan Cement Factory in Fuhais. The master plan covers an area of about 600,000 square meters. In 1998, the international French-based cement company Lafarge acquired a controlling share in the Jordan Cement Company.
The Jordan Cement Factory
GDAR Group, in association with the Otaishan Engineering Office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was chosen to design the al-Bassam Tower in Dammam, Saudi Arabia through a closed competition. The 12 story, 8,800 square meter office building is expected to cost about 3 million JD (4.25 million $US).
Al-Bassam Tower
Arabtech-Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects were chosen to design the BMW Service Center in Amman for BMW’s dealer in Jordan, Ole Automotive Trading Company. The center will include administrative offices, workshops, and specialized service areas. The 7,500 square meter project is expected to cost 2 million JD (2.8 million $US).
News from Academia
Three new faculty members joined the Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid. They are assistant professor Hikmat Hammad, whose area of specialization is construction sciences, assistant professor Jamal Qawasmi, whose area of specialization is regional architecture, and lecturer Xavier Guillot, whose area of concentration is urban planning and design.
Lectures
William J. Mitchell, Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), delivered a public lecture in Amman entitled E-topia: The Future of Cities in the Digital Age. The lecture, which was attended by over 400 people, was organized by the Center for the Study of the Built Environment (CSBE) and Darat al-Funun / the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation in association with the Municipality of Greater Amman.
William J. Mitchell
March 2000
Table of Contents
Completed Projects
Implementation of the Emergency Project for the town center of Beit Sahur in the Bethlehem Province in Palestine was completed. The project, which covers about 3,000 square meters of public open spaces and cost 700,000 JD (1 million $US), was designed for the Bethlehem 2000 Project Authority by Dr. Yaghmour and Associates Consulting Architects, and ACE Company carried out additional infrastructure design. The Cairo-based Arab Contractor implemented the project, which included restoration of structures in the area and upgrading its infrastructure as part of a community development plan aimed at improving the quality of life for the residents of the Beit Sahur town center.
Beit Sahur
Construction was completed on the first automated branch of the Arab Bank, Jordan’s largest bank. The 150 square meter branch, which was designed Diran Masri Sarrar, Consultant Architects and Engineers, cost 120,000 JD (170,000 $US).
The Arab Bank's First Automated Branch
Initiation of Projects
Construction began on the Prime Minister’s residence in Amman. For additional information on this project, which was designed by Tibah Consultants, see the Completed designs section in the February 2000 news items.
Completed Designs
Arabtech-Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects, in association with the Arab Engineering Bureau of Doha, Qatar, completed designs for the Qatari embassy and ambassador’s residence in San’a, Yemen. The 6,000 square meter project is expected to cost 3.2 million JD (4.5 million $US)
The Qatari Embassy and Ambassador's Residence in Yemen
The following projects have been funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through the Jordanian Ministry of Tourism, and are expected to be tendered in the year 2001.
Jafar Tukan and Partners and Pacific Consultants International (PCI) of Tokyo, Japan completed designs for the Jordanian National Museum in Amman. The 10,000 square meter project will be located in the Ras al-‘Ain area, in the same complex that includes the headquarters of the Municipality of Greater Amman. The project is expected to cost 9 million JD (13 million $US).
Tibah Consultants and Pacific Consultants International (PCI) of Tokyo, Japan, in association with TURATH (Heritage Conservation Management and Environmental Design Consultants), completed designs for the conservation of the historical Abu Jabir House in Salt. The 2,700 square meter structure, which was built during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, will be adapted into a visitor’s center and heritage museum. The project is expected to cost about 700,000 JD (1 million $US).
Abu Jaber House
Tibah Consultants and Pacific Consultants International (PCI) of Tokyo, Japan completed designs for a series of trails, plazas, and panoramic lookouts for historic parts of the city of Salt. The project trails will extend about 3 kilometers. Landscape designs for the project, which is expected to cost about 1.28 million JD (1.8 million $US), were carried out by Sanabel for Agriculture and Consultancy.
Tibah Consultants and Pacific Consultants International (PCI) of Tokyo, Japan completed designs for the Raghdan Bus Terminal in central Amman. The site of the project covers about 34,000 square meters, and the built up areas occupy about 12,500 square meters. Landscape designs for the project, which is expected to cost 5.6 million JD (7.85 million $US), were carried out by Sanabel for Agriculture and Consultancy.
The Raghdan Bus Terminal
Tibah Consultants and Pacific Consultants International (PCI) of Tokyo, Japan completed designs for the development of tourist streets, trails, and lookouts in central Amman. The project will include the design of street furniture, pavements, landscaping, as well as streets and trails that will extend about 4 kilometers. Landscape designs for the project, which is expected to cost about 1.25 million JD (1.75 million $US), were carried out by Sanabel for Agriculture and Consultancy.
The Consolidated Consultants for Engineering and Environment and Pacific Consultants International (PCI) of Tokyo, Japan completed designs for the development of tourist streets, trails, observation areas, and a visitor’s center in the city of Karak in southern Jordan. These elements are intended to allow visitor’s to better experience the city’s famous twelfth-century Crusader period castle.
A Series of Trails, Plazas and Panoramic Lookouts in Salt
A Series of Tourist Streets, Trails and Lookouts in Amman
The Consolidated Consultants for Engineering and Environment and Pacific Consultants International (PCI) of Tokyo, Japan completed designs for the Dead Sea Panoramic Complex that includes a museum and a panoramic lookout terrace overlooking the Dead Sea.
The Dead Sea Panoramic Complex
Competitions
Bilal Hammad Associates received first prize in the competition organized by the Municipality of Ramallah and Riwaq Center for Architectural Conservation (www.riwaq.org) for the development of a new commercial district for the historic section of the West Bank city. Jafar Tukan and Partners received second prize, and Shubeilat Badran Associates (SBA) Architects and Consulting Engineers received third prize. The 110,000 square meter project is to include multifunctional buildings occupying about 4,000 square meters, as well as open spaces that can accommodate commercial and cultural activities such as festivals and exhibitions.
Completed Projects
The Aqaba Movenpick Hotel opened its doors to business. The design of the beachside hotel, which includes 250 rooms and 66 apartments, was carried out by Arabtech-Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects and Wimberly Allison Tong and Goo. The American firm Hirsch Bedner Associates carried out interior design work and the British firm Derek Lovejoy Partnership carried out landscape work. The British firm of Ove Arup and Partners, Consulting Engineers carried out schematic structural designs, and the Saudi Arabian Ben Laden construction company was the project’s main contractor. The 42,000 square meter complex, which cost about 25 million JD (35.25 million $US), is one of a series of hotels in Jordan owned by Zara Investments.
Initiation of Projects
Construction began on the American Medical Clinics in Amman. The four story, 3,150 square meter structure will include facilities such as medical clinics, laboratories, and a pharmacy. The design of the structure was carried out by Dar al-Handasa.
Construction began on the dormitories of the Arab American University in Jenin, Palestine. The university’s master plan and buildings were designed by GDAR Group. Four of the buildings of the twelve-building project were completed in 1999. The total built up area of the project amounts to 25,000 square meters, and it is expected to cost about 3.5 million JD (5 million $US). For additional information on the project, see the university’s web site at http://www.aauj.edu
New Commissions
Bitar Consultants were commissioned to design the new headquarters for the National Electricity Generating Company in Amman. The 5,500 square meter building is expected to cost about 2 million JD (2.8 million $US).
The Headquarters for the National Electricity Generating Company
Egyptian architect Rami al-Dahhan was commissioned to design the al-Himmeh Spa Resort Hotel in the al-Himmeh hot springs area. Al-Dahhan will be working on the 100 bed, 10,000 square meter project in collaboration with Arabtech-Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects and Tibah Consultants. Interior design work will be carried out with architect Ammar Khammash. The project is expected to cost 7 million JD (10 million $US).
Competitions
Bilal Hammad Associates and Bitar Associates shared the second prize in a competition for the development of the area surrounding the historical fort of Jordan’s port city of Aqaba. The office of Faris and Faris Architects received an honorable mention for their entry, and no first or third prizes were awarded. The competition, which was organized by the Aqaba Regional Planning Authority and in which seven architectural offices participated, included preparing architectural designs for buildings in the city’s historical palm orchard, which is known as al-Hafayer. Much of al-Hafayer had been destroyed as a result of the considerable construction activity that has taken place in Aqaba.
Submission by Bilal Hammad Associates for the competition for the Development of the Area Surrounding the Historical Fort of Aqaba
Submission by Faris and Faris Architects for the competition for the Development of the Area Surrounding the Historical Fort of Aqaba
Exhibitions
Each of the Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, and the University of Jordan in Amman hosted the exhibition entitled Save Our Sites. UNESCO and the Italian Embassy in Amman organized the conservation-related exhibition.
The Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid organized an exhibition on the work of the Jordanian architect Rasem Badran of Shubeilat Badran Associates (SBA) Architects and Consulting Engineers.
Seminars and Workshops
A two-day seminar entitled Critical Theory Seminar was organized at the Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) in Irbid. The seven papers presented at the interdisciplinary seminar represented fields including architecture, conservation, environmental engineering, and anthropology. For additional information concerning this event, contact the organizer of the seminar, Rami Daher, assistant professor, Department of Architecture, JUST, at radaher5@just.edu.jo or turath@joinnet.com.jo
The Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan, in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Amman, hosted a one-day workshop entitled Cultural Aspects and Issues. The event included presentations by a group of Jordanian and Italian scholars.
Completed Projects
Construction was completed on an extension for the headquarters of the Industrial Development Bank in Amman. Shaer Bureau designed the eight-story, 2,500 square meter structure, which cost 850,000 JD (1.2 million $US).
The extension of the Industrial Development Bank
Construction was completed on the Bethlehem Intercontinental Hotel in Bethlehem, Palestine for the Palestine Tourism Investment Company. The project includes the renovation of the existing 850 square meter Jasir Palace and a 28,000 square meter extension that includes 200 rooms along with facilities such as banquet halls, restaurants, a health club, and a retail arcade. The project was designed by Arabtech-Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects in association with the Spanish architectural firm, Arcadia. The American firm Hirsch Bedner Associates carried out interior design work, and landscape architecture designs were carried out by the American firm Site Concept. The British firm Buro Happold carried out schematic structural design work for the project, which cost about 27 million JD (38 million $US).
The Bethlehem Intercontinental Hotel
Construction was completed on the first automated branch of the Housing Bank for Trade and Finance, Jordan’s second largest bank. The 50 square meter facility, which was designed by S.M. Dudin Architects and Engineers, cost 50,000 JD (70,000 $US).
Initiation of Projects
Citibank commissioned the office of Rukn al-Handasa to renovate an existing building it has acquired to serve as its new headquarters in Amman. The 1,900 square meter structure, which is located in Amman's banking district of Shmeisani, was originally designed by Shubeilat Bardan Associates (SBA) Architects and Consulting Engineers. The renovation work has caused some controversy since it significantly modifies the original SBA structure, which was completed in 1998.
The Headquarters of Citibank
Work began on the renovation of the Kuwaiti Embassy in Amman. The project includes complete renovation of the eight diplomats’ apartments in the building and also re-cladding the building’s façades. DARB is responsible for the design and supervision work for the project, and the Ali Krayyim Construction Establishment is carrying out the contracting work. The project is estimated to cost 700,000 JD (one million $US) and is expected to be completed by the end of 2000.
The Kuwaiti Embassy
Completed Designs
Jafar Tukan and Partners completed designs for a building for the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Finance and Industry in Abu Dhabi. The sixteen-story building, which occupies an area of over 23,000 square meters, will be located next to the original headquarters of the Ministry.
Tahhan and Bushnaq Consultants completed designs for the development of a master plan and the design of residential units for the traditional village of Qatar in Wadi ‘Araba in southern Jordan. The project, which was designed for the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, covers an area of 120,000 square meters and is expected to cost one million JD (1.4 million $US).
Dar al-Handasa completed designs for an extension to the Amman Le Meridien Hotel. The extension covers an area of over 30,000 square meters, and will include facilities such as a new entrance lobby, lounges, a ball room, meeting rooms, a health club, administration offices, and guest rooms. The project is expected to be completed by December 2001.
The extension of Le Meridian Hotel
News from Academia
The Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan held a Graduate’s Day to mark the 25th anniversary of establishing the department. The event included a series of presentations on modern architecture in which undergraduate students from the department delivered papers that were followed by responses from scholars from other Jordanian academic institutions. The department also published in connection with this event a booklet containing the names of its alumni.
Esra A. al-Qudah Successfully defended her master’s thesis at the Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid. The thesis is entitled The Social Production of Form: An Analytical Study of the Impact of the "Social Worlds" in Contemporary House Architecture in Irbid.
Mervat Ma’moun successfully defended her master’s thesis at the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan. The thesis is entitled Upgrading Heritage Conservation Frameworks and Strategies for Jordan.
Natheer Abu-Obeid, Chairman of the Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid was promoted to the rank of associate professor.
Natheer Abu-Obeid
Other News
Omrania and Associates, the Saudi-based consulting firm, appointed Hassan Safarini as the regional manager for its Amman office. Safarini, who is a civil engineer and an associate professor at the University of Jordan's Department of Civil Engineering, was a chairman of the board and partner at the Consolidated Consultants for Engineering and Environment before moving to Omrania.
June 2000
Table of Contents
Completed Projects
Construction on the skeleton of structures was completed for the Solomon Pools Resort in Bethlehem, Palestine. The 42.5 million JD (60 million $US) project, which was designed by Dr. Yaghmour and Associates Consulting Architects , covers a site of 260,000 square meters and includes built up areas amounting to 27,000 square meters. The site includes several historical structures including three 2000-year old pools dating back to the Herodian period and a seventeenth-century Ottoman fort. The project consists of restoring the historical components of the site, and the addition of new elements including a hotel, convention center, crafts center, museum, restaurants, an amphitheater, and a public park. The Athens-based international Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) and the Palestinian al-Mizan Company are carrying out construction work for the project. Parts of the project, including the convention center, are expected to be completed by November 2000.
The Solomon Pools Resort
Construction was completed on Darat Samir Shamma, a complex devoted to the care of the elderly. The complex, which was designed by Sobeh Engineering Office, includes 66 living units, a health club, and a medical clinic. The 20,000 square meter complex cost 2 million JD (2.8 million $US), which were donated by the philanthropist Samir Shamma.
Darat Samir Shamma
Construction was completed on the 10,000 square meter headquarters for the Jordanian mobile telephone company Fastlink in Amman. The building, which was designed by Sigma Consulting Engineers, cost 3 million JD (4.25 million $US).
The Fastlink Headquarters
Construction was completed on the Blue Fig Restaurant in Amman. The 2,500 square meter structure, which was designed by Symbiosis Designs, is part of a newly established restaurant chain.
The Blue Fig Restaurant
Construction was completed on the 10,000 square meter, 5 million JD (7 million $US) guesthouse in Bethlehem for the Palestinian National Authority. The guesthouse, which was designed by Jafar Tukan and Partners, consists of a guesthouse with 60 suites for visiting dignitaries, meeting rooms and offices, and a residence for Yasir Arafat, the president of the Palestinian National Authority.
Construction was completed on the Pilgrim’s Center in Bethlehem for the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission. The project, which was designed by Jafar Tukan and Partners in association with Petra-Mimar of Beit Jala, Palestine, occupies an area of over 5,000 square meters and includes 65 guestrooms for pilgrims. The cost of the project was 3 million JD (4.25 million $US).
Renovation work was completed for the 134 room hotel at the Ma’in hot springs in the north of Jordan, which reopened its doors as the Mercure Ma’in Spa Hotel. This project is the first in a series of collaborations in the tourism sector in Jordan between local investors in the and Accor Group in France, which owns or operates over 3000 hotels worldwide under names that include Sofitel, Novotel, and Mercure. DARB and architect Ruby Fakhoury carried out the renovation consultancy work for this 2 million JD (2.8 million $US) project, which was executed in a period of six months.
Expo 2000 in Hanover opened its doors to visitors, and the Jordanian Pavilion is one of more than 180 pavilions featured in this event. The pavilion has been well received, and the French Institute for Architecture has chosen it along with 21 others to be showcased in Paris next year as an example of imaginative architectural installations. Following the end of Expo 2000 in October, the pavilion will be dismantled and moved to Amman, where it is expected to be installed in the al-Hussein Park (for information on al-Hussein Park, see the Initiation of projects section in the February 2000 news items). Architect Akram Abu Hamdan has served as chairman and commissioner of the Jordan National Committee for Expo 2000. For additional information on the Jordanian pavilion, visit the following site: www.expo2000.com.jo
Construction was completed on parts of the Hashemite University, a public university located between Mafraq and Zarqa. SIGMA Consulting Engineers designed the project, for which the built up areas will eventually cover over 170,000 square meters, and which will cost 43 million JD (60 million $US). The university is expected to eventually accommodate over 40,000 students.
Initiation of Projects
Construction was initiated on the extension for the Arab Bank headquarters in Amman. The Arab Bank, which has about 380 branches in over 25 countries, is Jordan’s largest company, and is also the largest privately owned bank in the Arab world. The 20,000 square meter extension project, which was designed by Diran Masri Sarrar Consultant Architects and Engineers, is expected to cost 8 million JD (11 million $US).
The Arab Bank Headquarters
Completed Designs
Diran Masri Sarrar, Consultant Architects and Engineers completed designs for the new headquarters of the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, the cultural foundation named after the founder of the Arab Bank. The 38,000 square meter project will include a cultural center, a scientific center, a library, and a 1000-person auditorium, and is expected to cost 15 million JD (21.2 million $US).
The Headquarters of the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation
GDAR Group, in association with Otaishan Engineering Group of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, completed designs for the al-Bassam Tower in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. For additional information on this project see the New commissions section in Feburay 2000.
Al-Bassam Tower
Shubeilat Badran Associates (SBA) Architects and Consulting Engineers completed the third phase of design for Sahab Hospital, in Sahab. The 120-bed Ministry of Health hospital, which serves the eastern parts of greater Amman, occupies over 21,000 square meters, and is expected to cost 6.75 million JD (9.5 million $US).
The Sahab Hospital
Jafar Tukan and Partners, in association with the Vienna-based architect Adil Lari, completed designs for a 330-room hotel in Aqaba for the Jordanian Social Security Corporation. The seafront hotel occupies a site of over 33,000 square meters and is expected to cost about 15 million JD (21 million $US).
A Seafront Hotel in Aqaba
Diran Masri Sarrar, Consultant Architects and Engineers completed designs for the renovation of the headquarters of the Amman Chamber of Commerce. The project covers an area of 3,400 square meters and is expected to cost about 0.5 million JD (0.7 Million $US).
The Amman Chamber of Commerce
Arabtech-Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects, in association with Heery International, completed designs for the extension of the Queen Alia Heart Center in Amman for the Royal Medical Services of the Jordanian Armed Forces. The 14,000 square meter extension is expected to cost 12.75 million JD (18 million $US)
S. M. Dudin Architects and Engineers completed the landscape design for the three square kilometer al-Maghtas or Baptism site. The site, which borders the Jordan River, is identified as the location where John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ. The Consolidated Consultants for Engineering and Environment are carrying out the designs for the architectural components of the complex, which include a visitor’s center, a memorial for John the Baptist, a chapel, and a presbytery. The project, which is being designed for the Jordan Valley Authority of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, is expected to cost 5 million JD (7.1 million $US).
Competitions
Diran Masri Sarrar, Consultant Architects and Engineers and Bitar Associates shared the second prize in the competition for the design of a cultural village in al-Hussein Park. No first or third prizes were awarded for the competition that was organized by the Municipality of Greater Amman. The project covers an area of 3,600 square meters and is expected to cost about 2 million JD (2.8 million $US). For additional information on al-Hussein Park, see the Initiation of projects section in the February 2000 news items.
Darb received first prize in an open competition for the design of the Central Bank Building in Gaza for the Palestinian Monetary Authority. The 12,000 square meter building is expected to cost 7 million JD (10 million $US).
News from Academia
32 students received their bachelor’s degree in architecture from the Applied Sciences University in Amman; 13 from al-Isra’ University in Amman; 34 from the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid; 8 students from Petra University in Amman; and 42 from the University of Jordan in Amman.
Yasir Sakr, assistant professor at the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan in Amman, will be spending the summer of 2000 as a Binladen Fellow at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. The fellowship provides its recipients with the opportunity to carry out research at Harvard in areas relating to the built environment in the Islamic world.
Completed Projects
Construction work was completed on the project for the expansion of the headquarters of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in Amman. The 10,000 square meter structure, which was designed by the Amman Office for Consulting and City Planning, cost 3 million JD (4,2 million $US).
Construction work was completed on the Milbes Commercial Building in Amman. Al-Mustashar al-Urduni (The Jordanian Consultant) carried out the designs for the 8,000 square meter project, which cost 1.5 million JD (2,100,000 $US).
Work on the remodeling of the exhibition area at the Jerash Visitors Center was completed. Architect and archeologist Jean-Pierre Braun of the Institut francais d'Archeologie du Proche - Orient (IFAPO) in Amman designed the 20,000 JD (28,000 $US) project for the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The Jordanian firm SYNTAX Designs designed the furnishings for the project.
The Exhibition Area at the Jerash Visitor Center
Initiation of Projects
Construction work began on the Jordanian Journalists Association Building in Amman. The 9,500 square meter structure, which was designed by the Amman Office for Consulting and City Planning, will include offices, a library, a journalist club, an auditorium, and conference halls. The project is expected to cost 2.5 million JD (3,500,000 $US).
Completed Designs
Darb completed designs for the United Creations Garment Factory in the Wadi Dulayl QIZ (Qualified Industrial Zone, i.e. an area whose industrial products can be exported to the USA on advantageous terms). The 15,000 square meter factory is owned by the United Creations Company (an Indian - Egyptian joint venture), and is expected to cost 2 million JD (2,800,000 $US).
SIGMA Consulting Engineers, in association with the British firm Wimberly Allison Tong and Goo, completed designs for the expansion of the Dead Sea Movenpick Hotel. The British firm Derek Lovejoy Partnership carried out the landscape designs for the project, which is owned by the Jordanian companies Zara Investments and the National Hotels and Tourism Company. The project occupies a site of 25,000 square meters, of which 10,000 square meters are built up areas, and is expected to cost 10 million JD (14 million $US).
Tahhan and Bushnaq Architects completed designs for the shrine and mosque of al-Sahabi (Prophet Muhammad's Companion) Mu'adh bin Jabal in Northern Shunah in the Jordan Valley. The 600 square meter project, which was designed for the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is expected to cost 350,000 JD (0.5 million $US).
The Shrine and Mosque of al-Sahabi Mu'adh bin Jabal
Karim Bawab and Co. Consultants completed designs for the de la Salle Center for the Education of Students with Special Needs in Amman. The construction and furnishing of the 4,600 square meter project, which is owned by the Collège de la Salle (Frères), is expected to cost 2,100,000 JD (3 million $US).
New Commissions
S. M. Dudin Architects and Engineers were chosen to design the Sele Visitors Center in Tafila for the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The 200 square meter project is located in a 6,000 square meter plot, and is expected to cost 60,000 JD (85,000 $US).
Tibah Consultants were commissioned to design the reconstruction of al-Salahiyyah School in Nablus, Palestine for the Municipality of Nablus. The 2,600 square meter project is being funded by a donation from Marwan al-Sayeh.
Iwan was commissioned to design the auditorium of the Applied Sciences University in Amman. The 4,200 square meter project is expected to cost 3 million JD (4.25 million $US).
Jafar Tukan and Partners were commissioned to design the Car Museum at al-Hussein National Park in Amman. (For additional information concerning al-Hussein National Park, see the Initiation of projects section in the February 2000 news items.) The Municipality of Greater Amman project is intended to house the late King Hussein's car collection. It occupies an area of 4,200 square meters and is expected to cost 3 million JD (4.25 million $US).
Jafar Tukan and Partners were commissioned to design the theater at al-Hussein National Park in Amman. The 1,000 square meter Municipality of Greater Amman project is intended to serve about 1,500 users and is expected to cost 750,000 JD (1 million $US).
Jafar Tukan and Partners were commissioned to design the Cultural Village at al-Hussein National Park in Amman. The 1,500 square meter Municipality of Greater Amman project is also expected to house the Jordanian Pavilion of the Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany. (For additional information concerning the Jordanian Pavilion, see the Completed projects section in the June 2000 news items.) The project is expected to cost 750,000 JD (1 million $ US).
Al-Hussein National Park
Arabtech - Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects, in association with the Spanish architectural engineering firm Rafeal Medina and Associates, were commissioned to design the Jabal al-Ka'ba Hotel in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The 90,000 square meter, 1,750-room hotel is owned by the Abdul - Latif Jamil Company, and is expected to cost 26.5 million JD (37.3 million $US).
Jabal al-Ka'ba Hotel
Diran Masri Sarrar, Consultant Architects and Engineers were commissioned to design the Dead Sea Resort for the Jordanian Social Security Corporation (SSC) on the Dead Sea coast. The 10,000 square meter project includes 20 hotel rooms, 60 chalets, employee residences, cafes, a restaurant, and a health club. The project is expected to cost 2.5 million JD (3.5 million $US).
Seminars and Workshops
The Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) organized a seminar on high-rise buildings in Amman. The seminar, which included papers by local scholars and practicing architects and engineers, tackled issues including the design, legislative, structural, and public safety requirements of high-rise buildings.
Completed Projects
Construction work was completed on the King Abdul Aziz Historic Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dar al-Omran (previously Shubeilat Badran Associates - SBA) carried out the designs for the Riyadh Development Authority project. The 13,000 square meter project includes an administration building and a museum. The project also incorporates conservation works for the historic al-Murabba Palace and the Treasury, in addition to the reconstruction of the King Abdul Aziz Mosque. The project cost 18 million JD (25 million $US).
Construction work was completed on al-Ta'meer Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dar al-Omran (previously Shubeilat Badran Associates - SBA) carried out the designs jointly with the Egyptian firm Community Designs for the Riyadh Development Authority. The 230,000 square meter project, which includes shops, offices, and residential units, cost 85 million JD (120 million $US).
Al-Ta'meer Center
Initiation of Projects
Construction work began on the Prince Hamzeh Hospital in Amman for the Jordanian Ministry of Health. The Amman Office for Consulting and City Planning designed the 60,000 square meter, 450-bed hospital in association with the Lebanese medical planning firm Mebex. The project is expected to cost 25 million JD (35,2 million $US).
Prince Hamzeh Hospital
Completed Designs
Darb completed designs for the Maliban Garment Factory in Wadi Dulayl QIZ (Qualified Industrial Zone, i.e. an area whose industrial products can be exported to the USA on advantageous terms) for the Sri Lankan EAM Maliban Company. The 12,000 square meter project is expected to cost 1.5 million JD (2,100,000 $US).
S. M. Dudin Architects and Engineers Completed designs for the 650 square meter al-'Atiyyat Mosque in Salt for the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.
Arabtech - Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects completed designs for the BMW Service Center in Amman for the BMW dealer in Jordan, Ole Automotive Trading Company. (For additional information on this design, see the New commissions section of the February 2000 news items.)
The BMW Service Center
Dr. Yaghmour and Associates Consulting Architects completed designs for a residential and commercial tower in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The 35,000 square meter project, which is owned by Abdul- Rahman al-Hajree, is expected to cost 7.8 million JD (11 million $US).
A Residential and Commercial Tower in Sharjah
Fu'ad Sayegh, in association with the Associated Engineers and Architects, completed designs for the Amman offices of the Consolidated Contractors International Company (CCIC). The project includes the adaptation of a 1959 two-storey residential building that was originally designed by Sayegh into a four-story office building. The 1,300 square meter project is expected to cost 250,000 JD (350,000 $US).
The Consolidated Contractor International Company
New Commissions
Arabtech - Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects were commissioned to design the main substation and office building for the Jordan Electric Power Company in Amman. The 6,000 square meter project is expected to cost 1.5 million JD (2.1 million $US)
The Main Substation and Office Building for the Jordan Electric Power Company
Turath (Heritage Conservation Management and Environmental Design Consultants) were commissioned to design the Environment and Bio- Diversity Museum for Children at the Haya Cultural Center in Amman. The commission involves the adaptation of an existing building in the center, and includes interior designs for furniture, showcases, interpretive models, and other required illustrative materials.
The Environment and Bio - Diversity Museum for Children
Fu'ad Sayegh was chosen to design the 7,000 square meter China Center in Amman. The Associated Engineers and Architects and the Chinese Beijing Institute of Residential Architecture are also taking part in the design of the project, which is expected to cost 5 million JD (7 million $US).
The China Center
News from Academia
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan in Amman, the department held an exhibition that featured works by students of architecture at the university.
12 students received their bachelor's degrees in architecture from the Applied Sciences University in Amman; 14 from al-Isra' University in Amman; 6 from the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid; 7 from Petra University in Amman; and 5 from the University of Jordan in Amman.
Joanna Feidi successfully defended her master's thesis at the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan. The thesis is entitled Public Participation and Heritage Conservation: A Critical Approach.
Reem Hassan successfully defended her master's thesis at the Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology. The thesis is entitled A Perceptual Analysis of Structures Aesthetics.
Majd Musa successfully defended her master's thesis at the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan. The thesis is entitled An Analytical Study of the Evolution of the Methods of Learning the Architectural Design Process and the Impact of the Computer and of Information Technologies on its Development.
Nashwa Sobeh successfully defended her master's thesis at the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan. The thesis is entitled A Study in the Design of Low - Income Housing Projects in Jordan.
Khalid Zakarneh successfully defended his master's thesis at the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan. The thesis is entitled Local Traditional Architecture in the Palestinian Village: An Analytical Study - A Case Study of the Village of Qabatiyyah.
Other News
The owners of Shubeilat Badran Associates (SBA), Laith Shubeilat and Rasem Badran, have taken on the new name of Dar al-Omran (house of building) for the firm.
The Aqaba Regional Authority invited tenders for the development and management of the Royal Diving Center in Aqaba. Tenderers were required to include in their bids financial, managerial, and architectural studies for their proposed solutions for developing and managing the center. The project, which is located in a 20,000 square meter site, includes among its facilities hotel rooms, pools, and a restaurant. Tender opening will take place in October 2000.
Completed Projects
Construction work was completed on the United Creations Garment Factory in the Wadi Dulayl QIZ (Qualified Industrial Zone, i.e. an area whose industrial products can be exported to the USA on advantageous terms). The 15,000 square meter factory, which was designed by Darb, is owned by the United Creations Company Limited (an Indian - Egyptian joint venture). The 2 million JD (2,800,000 $US) structure includes a pre-cast, pre-stressed structural skeleton and pre-cast façade panels. (See the Completed designs section in the July 2000 news items).
Construction work was completed on the South Asia Garment Factory in al-Hassan Industrial City in Irbid. The 9,000 square meter factory, which was designed by Darb, is owned by the Chinese Boscan International Group. The 1 million JD (1,400,000 $US) project includes a pre-cast, pre-stressed skeleton and pre-cast façade panels.
Construction work was completed on Farah Land (land of joy) in Rusaifeh. S. M. Dudin Architects and Engineers carried out the designs for the 50,000 square meter project
Construction work was completed on the headquarters for the National Poultry Company in Amman. S. M. Dudin Architects and Engineers carried out the designs for the 1,600 square meter structure.
Construction work was completed on the Conservation and Restoration Center in Petra (CARCIP) in Wadi Musa near the historical site of Petra. Conservation architects Zaki Aslan and May Shaer of CARCIP designed the project. Al- Bashir International Engineering Company served as the design consultant, and Sobeh Engineering Office was responsible for construction supervision tasks. The 900 square meter project for the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities cost about 300,000 JD (420,000 $US). Funding for the project was provided by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the German Technical Cooperation Agency.
The Conservation and Restoration Center in Petra
Construction work was completed on the seventh circle branch of the Jordanian mobile telephone company Fastlink in Amman. SIGMA Consulting Engineers carried out the designs for the project.
The Seventh Circle Branch of Fastlink
Construction work was completed on the Prisma Advertising Center in Amman. Tha'er Quba'ah carried out the designs for the 340 square meter project, which is expected to cost 20,000 JD (28,000 $US).
Initiation of Projects
Construction work began on the Aramex Logistics Center at the Queen Alia International Airport near Amman. Malhas and Associates designed the 1,500 square meter steel structure for the courier service Aramex International. The project is expected to cost 300,000 JD (420,000 $US).
The Aramex Logistics Center
Completed Designs
Tibah Consultants completed designs for the Musa al-Saket Memorial in Salt. The memorial for the late judge, who played an important role in the development of Jordan's judicial system, is being funded by the Municipality of Salt and al-Saket family.
Musa al-Saket Memorial
SIGMA Consulting Engineers completed designs for the College of Information Technology at the Hashemite University, a public university located between Mafraq and Zarqa. The 11,000 square meter project is expected to cost 2.5 million JD (3.5 million $US).
SIGMA Consulting Engineers completed designs for the Students Dormitories at the Hashemite University, a public university located between Mafraq and Zarqa. The 10,000 square meter project is expected to cost 2.5 million JD (3.5 million $US).
Shaer Bureau - Architect Zuhair Shaer completed designs for al-Wasefiyah Vocational Center in Amman. The 3,200 square meter project, which is designed for the Latin Vicariate, is expected to cost 1 million JD (1.4 million $US).
Arabtech - Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects completed designs for the Pharmaceutical Plant in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 27,000 square meter project, which is owned by the International Pharmaceutical Industries Company, is expected to cost 14.2 million JD (20 million $US).
Med Design completed designs for the offices of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Planning in Amman. The 35,000 square meter complex is expected to cost 12 million JD (17 million $US).
Sobeh Engineering Office completed designs for the Central Library at al- Balqa' Applied University in Salt. The 8,000 square meter project is expected to cost 2 million JD (2.8 million $US).
The Central Library at al-Balqa' University
Karim Bawab and Co. Consultants completed designs for the new Mercedes - Benz workshop in Beit Sahur in the Bethlehem province for the Mercedes - Benz dealer in Palestine, Gargour Trading Company. The 1,000 square meter project is expected to cost 500,000 JD (700,000 $US).
S. M. Dudin Architects and Engineers completed designs for the modification of twelve branches for the Housing Bank for Trade and Finance in Jordan. The firm had won a competition for the renovation of the headquarters of the bank in Amman and the design of a model branch. The model branch design is to be used for new branches and for the modification of existing ones.
New Commissions
Bilal Hammad Associates were chosen to design the 700 square meter expansion for the headquarters of the Jordan- Kuwait Bank in Amman.
The Jordan-Kuwait Bank
GDAR Group was chosen to design al-Salam Tourist Village in Na'ur near Amman. The project, which is owned by al-Salam Studios Corporation, occupies an overall area of 85,000 square meters.
Al-Salam Tourist Village
Diran Masri Sarrar, Consultant Architects and Engineers were commissioned to design the Jordan Insurance Federation Building. The 4,000 square meter project is expected to cost 1.2 million JD (1.7 million $US).
Arabtech - Jardaneh Consulting Engineers and Architects were chosen to design al-Fujairah Maternity & Gynecology Hospital in al-Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates. The 75 bed, 7500 square meter hospital is owned by the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Health and is expected to cost about 8 million JD (11.25 million $US). Bdour and Shawa for Architecture and Interior Design will carry out interior design work for the project.
Al-Fujairah Maternity and Gynecology Hospital
Competitons
GDAR Group received first prize in the competition organized by the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction (PECDAR) for the design of the expansion of the Palestinian Academy for Gifted Students building in Nablus, Palestine. The 4,000 square meter project is expected to cost 1 million JD (1.4 million $US).
The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) organized an architectural competition for the design of the Amman Nature Center. Akram Abu Hamdan, Ammar Khammash, Bilal Hammad Associates, Symbiosis Designs, and Turath (Heritage Management and Environmental Design Consultants) were invited to particpate in the competition.
News form Academia
The Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid established a new joint master's degree program in cultural resources management with the Institute of Archeology and Anthropology at Yarmouk University in Irbid. The program will be housed at Yarmouk University.
Zahir Bushnaq resigned as lecturer in the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan in order to devote his time to the architectural firm Tahhan and Bushnaq Architects in which he is a partner.
Exhibitions
In connection with the Second Jordanian Architectural Conference (for more details on the conference see the Seminars and workshops section below), the International Exhibition for Architectural Engineering and Industrial and Constructional Equipment 2000 was held at the Royal Cultural Center in Amman. More than 25 countries participated in the exhibition, which was organized by the Jordan Engineers Association (JEA).
An exhibition of works of Islamic crafts was held at the Royal Cultural Center in Amman. The exhibition was organized by the Institute of Islamic Arts at al-Balqa' Applied University in Salt in cooperation with the Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts (VITA) program at the Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture of the Prince's Foundation for Architecture and Urban Planning in London. The exhibition included examples of calligraphy, ceramics, textiles, and woodwork carried out by students and academicians at the Institute of Islamic Arts and the VITA program. (For additional information on the VITA program, see their web site at http://www.princes-foundation.org/foundation/ed-vita.html)
Seminars and workshops
A two-day seminar on traditional Islamic arts was held at the Royal Cultural Center in Amman. The seminar was organized by the Institute of Islamic Arts at al-Balqa' Applied University in Salt in cooperation with the Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts (VITA) Program at the the Prince of Wales' Institute of Architecture in London. The seminar, in which Jordanian and British scholars and experts participated, discussed subjects including Islamic ornament, principles of Islamic art and architecture, art of the Islamic city, and the evolution of Arabic calligraphy. The seminar also included a presentation on the project for the reconstruction of the twelfth century Minbar of Saladin in al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, which the Jordanian government is sponsoring.
The Second Jordanian Architectural Conference entitled Architecture and Environment: Towards Sustainable Environmental Architecture was held at the Royal Cultural Center in Amman. The Jordan Architects Society and the Architectural Engineering Division in the Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) organized the conference. The conference included 36 papers presented by participants from more than 20 countries. Topics discussed in the conference included Islamic architecture and the environment, architecture and the balance between environmental and economic issues, globalization and heritage, technology and the environment, as well as sustainable and green architecture. For additional information, see the JEA web site at http://www.jea.org.jo.
In connection with the Second Jordanian Architectural Conference (for information on the conference see details above), the Jordan Architects Society in coordination with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) organized a three-day specialized course entitled Strategies of Environmental Management.
A six-day intensive course entitled The Use and Conservation of Stone in Buildings was offered in Amman. The course was organized by the Center for the Study of the Built Environment (CSBE), the Conservation and Restoration Center in Petra (CARCIP), and the Institut francais d'Archeologie du Proche - Orient (IFAPO), in association with the Bavarian State Conservation Office (BLfD). The course, which included lectures by specialists from France, Lebanon, Germany and Jordan, discussed issues including the physical properties, construction technologies, deterioration, and conservation of stone. The course consisted of lectures and also of visits to historical sites and to stone cutting establishments. For additional information on the course, see the activities section of this web site. Also, full documentation of this course will be placed on this web site in the near future.
The Engineers Training Center (ETC) of the Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) offered a 27-hour course on the architectural details of buildings in Jordan.
Other News
The Municipality of Greater Amman published a book in Arabic entitled Amman: History and Civilization. The five-chapter book discusses the historical evolution of the city, its demographic characteristics, its cultural facilities, the special characteristics of its buildings, and its organizational structure.
The General Secretariat of the Organization of Arab Architects held a meeting in Amman. Among the issues discussed at the meeting were a conference entitled "Jerusalem Now," which will be held in Morocco in November 2000, and the Second Scientific Conference of the organization, which will be held in Libya in April 2001. The meeting also discussed the possibility of posting its bulletin on the Internet. For additional information on the Organization of Arab Architects, see their web site at www.arabarchitects.org
The number of architects registered in the Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) reached 4153, of whom 194 registered during the year 2000. JEA membership is compulsory for architects who wish to practice in Jordan.
The Ministry of Culture is accepting nominations (until the end of October) for the Government's Honorary and Encouragement Awards for the Year 2000. The field of architecture is among the fields included in the awards. Each of the winners of the award will receive a certificate of distinction, in addition to a cash prize of 10,000 JD (14,000 $US). The award is primarily reserved for Jordanians, although candidates of other nationalities will be considered if their work is of special value for Jordan.
October 2000
Table of Contents
Completed Projects
The al-Hussein Cultural Center in Amman was inaugurated. Bilal Hammad Associates, in association with GDAR Group, designed the 12,500 square meter structure, which includes an auditorium, a theater, a center for the development of children skills, and multi-purpose halls. The center, which was constructed over a period of more than two years, cost 3,750,000 JD (5,280,000 $US). The structure is one of the constituents of the Comprehensive Development Plan that is being carried out by the Municipality of Greater Amman for the Ras al-'Ayn area in the center of the city. The comprehensive plan, which covers an area of 140,000 square meters and comprises various buildings and open plazas, aims at rehabilitating this part of central Amman. In addition to the cultural center, the main buildings of the Ras al-'Ayn complex include the Amman City Hall, the municipality's central administrative building, and a mosque. The Jordan National Museum will also be located in this complex
Al-Hussein Cultural Center
Construction work was completed on the office interiors of the law firm Rabah Associates in Amman. Faris and Faris Architects carried out the designs for the 300 square meter project. (For additional information on Faris and Faris Architects, see their web site at http://farisandfaris.com)
The Rabah Associates Law Firm Interiors
Work on the interior of the Amnesia Nightclub at the Amman West Hotel was completed. Faris and Faris Architects carried out the designs for the 350 square meter project. (For additional information on Faris and Faris Architects, see their web site at http://farisandfaris.com)
The Amnesia Nightclub
Completed Designs
Darb (Design Associates and Research Bureau) completed designs for the Mediterranean Resources Apparel Factory in Wadi Dulayl QIZ (Qualified Industrial Zone, i.e. an area whose industrial products can be exported to the USA on advantageous terms). The 7,500 square meter factory, which is owned by the United Arab Emirates company Mediterranean Resources Apparel, is expected to cost 1,4 million JD (2 million $US).
Tha'er Quba'ah completed interior designs for the 340 square meter Umm Udhayna branch of the Jordanian mobile telephone company Fastlink in Amman.
New Commissions
Dar al-Omran was commissioned to design the al-Manshar Complex in Fahaheel, Kuwait. The project includes the remodeling of existing shops and the design of new retail shops, recreational plazas, covered walkways, as well as parking lots and garages. The 30,000 square meter project, which is owned by the Tamdeen Real Estates Company, is expected to cost 7,1 million JD (10 million $US).
Al-Manshar Complex
Diran Masri Sarrar, Consultant Architects and Engineers were commissioned to design the Sundays Resort on the Dead Sea coast for Sundays International for Tourist Investment. M.K. Mahadin Consultants will carry out the landscape designs for the project. The 7,700 square meter project is expected to cost 1,42 million JD (2 million $US).
The Sunday Resort
Competitions
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a closed competition for the design of the 8,000 square meter Saudi Arabian embassy in Decca, Bangladesh. The project is expected to cost 3,8 million JD (5,35 million $US). The Saudi Arabia - based architectural and engineering firm Omrania and Associates was among those invited to submit a competition entry, which the firm's Amman regional office designed.
A submission for the Design of the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Bangladesh competition by and Associates
News from Academia
Mohammad Ar'ar, assistant professor at the Applied Sciences University in Amman, was appointed chairman of the university's Department of Architecture.
Mohammad Matrouk, assistant professor at al-Isra' University in Amman, was appointed chairman of the university's Department of Architecture.
The Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) approved the establishment of a master's degree program in urban planning and studies at the university's Department of Architecture. The program will be administered in collaboration with the French Paris X - Nanterre University and will begin admitting students in the 2001 - 2002 academic year.
Other News
Bitar Consultants received the Honorary Award of the Minister of Public Works and Housing for the Year 1999. The newly established annual award is given to a Jordanian engineering and consulting office whose work is deemed to be of distinguished quality. A committee including representatives from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, the Jordan Engineers Association, the University of Jordan, and the Government Tenders Directorate evaluates candidates and chooses the recipient of the award.
The Government Tenders Directorate at the Jordanian Ministry of Public Works and Housing awarded a 625,000 JD (880,000 $US) contract for the construction of the Karak Governorate's headquarters and the Karak governor's residence. The Department of Building Studies at the Jordanian Ministry of Public Works and Housing carried out the designs for the Ministry of Interior project.
The Government Tenders Directorate at the Jordanian Ministry of Public Works and Housing awarded a 150,000 JD (211,000 $US) contract for the construction of the Directorate of the Rural Affairs building for the Jordanian Ministry of Municipal, Rural and Environmental Affairs. Architects from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Environment carried out the designs for the project.
Completed Projects
Construction work was completed on the Safeway Stores in both Aqaba and Zarqa. Mimar Consulting Engineers and Architects carried out the designs for the Jordanian Limited Company for Investment and Financing. The 3,000 square meter Aqaba Safeway cost about 600,000 JD (850,000 $US), and the 6,000 square meter Zarqa Safeway cost about one million JD (1,4 million $US).
The Safeway Store in Zarqa
The Safeway Store in Aqaba
Initiation of Projects
The Jordan Industrial Estates Corporation started the third phase of construction work in al-Hassan Industrial City in Irbid. The first and second phases of the project were completed in 1999. The expected overall costs of the four-phase project are 37 million JD (52,1 million $US).
Completed Designs
Med Design completed designs for the Universal Equipment automobile showroom at the Industrial City in Amman. The 6,000 square meter project is expected to cost 1,2 million JD (1,7 million $US).
The Universal Equipment Automobile Showroom
New Commissions
S.M. Dudin Architects and Engineers were commissioned to design the 28,000 square meter Beit al-Karak Commercial Center in Karak for the Karak Development Corporation.
Tahhan and Bushnaq Architects were commissioned to design a 1,000 square meter expansion project for the Kaluti Mosque in Amman. The same office had designed the original 1,500 square meter structure, which was completed in late 1998.
The expansion of the Kaluti Mosque
News from Academia
Each of the Departments of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) in Irbid and the University of Jordan in Amman participated in the Second Arabic Architectural Exhibition for Graduation Projects in Beirut, Lebanon, which the Lebanese University organized. The Department of Architecture at JUST initiated the idea of the exhibition and organized the first one in October 1999.
Natheer Abu Obeid, associate professor at the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid and chairman of the university's Department of Architecture, was appointed adjunct professor at the Union Institute in San Francisco, California in order to co-supervise a Ph.D. dissertation being written there on form, meaning, and semiotics in Islamic geometric patterns.
Tawfiq Abu Ghaza, faculty member at the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan, was promoted to the rank of full professor.
Lectures
Rasem Badran, co-principal of the architectural firm Dar al-Omran, delivered a public lecture at the Applied Sciences University in Amman entitled From the Memory of Place to the Phenomenology of the Uncovered: The Relationship between the Signifier and the Signified in the Architectural Image.
Seminars & Workshops
The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority held a workshop in which governmental and non-governmental organizations discussed the environmental dimensions of the development of the Aqaba Comprehensive Organizational Plan. The workshop discussed issues relating to the expansion of construction, land use, and infrastructure development for the Aqaba Special Economic Zone over for the upcoming 20 years. The city of Aqaba will be designated as a special economic zone as of January 1, 2001.
The Scientific Committee of the Architectural Section at the Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) held a seminar entitled The Architecture of Palestine.
Other News
The Jordan Industrial Estates Corporation approved a feasibility study for the Aqaba Industrial City project. The corporation also completed studies and designs for the construction of industrial cities in Ma'an, al-Mafraq, and the Queen Alia International Airport area, near Amman.
The Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) organized its first engineering competition for graduation projects at Jordanian Universities. A committee of university academicians, practicing architects and engineers, and representatives from JEA evaluated the projects, which the participating universities nominated. Prizes were awarded in the different fields of engineering, which include architecture.
CDG (the Community Development Group Engineering and Management Associates), in association with the Cambridge, Massachusetts based policy research firm Abt Associates, completed a Primary Health Care Facility Survey for the Jordanian Ministry of Health. The survey is part of the Primary Health Care Initiatives (PHCI) program that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is funding in order to improve health care resources in Jordan. The survey investigated the condition of 377 primary and comprehensive health care buildings and examined the services provided by them. The outcome of this survey provides comprehensive information that would help the Ministry of Health and the PHCI project to select the health centers targeted for renovation and upgrading.
Completed Projects
Construction work was completed on the sports hall at Zaytunah University, near Amman. Sobeh Engineering Office carried out the designs for the 4,000 square meter hall. The building, which has a seating capacity for 600 spectators, incorporates basketball, volleyball, and squash courts, as well as a game room. The steel-structured, stone-clad building cost 500,000 JD (700,000 $US). (See the Initiation of projects section in the February 2000 news items.)
Initiation of Projects
Construction work began on the Mediterranean Resources Apparel Factory in Wadi Dulayl QIZ (Qualified Industrial Zone, i.e. an area whose industrial products can be exported to the USA on advantageous terms). Darb (Design Associates and Research Bureau) carried out the designs for the two-story steel structure for the United Arab Emirates company Mediterranean Resources Apparel. (See the Completed designs section in the October 2000 news items)
Completed Designs
The Amman Office for Consulting and City Planning completed designs for the Happy Family Food Store in Zarqa. Abdeen Engineering Firm carried out the interior designs for the 5,000 square meter store, which is expected to cost 1,5 million JD (2,1 million $US)
The Happy Family Food Store
Bilal Hammad Associates completed designs for the 700 square meter expansion of the headquarters of the Jordan - Kuwait Bank in Amman. For additional information on Bilal Hammad Associates, see their web site at http://bilalhammad.com . (See the New commissions section in the September 2000 news items.)
The Headquarters of the Jordan-Kuwait Bank
Bilal Hammad Associates completed preliminary interior designs for the 2,000 square meter theatre at al-Hussein Cultural Center in Ras al-'Ayn in Amman. The Municipality of Greater Amman project is expected to cost 1,25 million JD (1,76 million $US). For additional information on Bilal Hammad Associates, see their web site at http://bilalhammad.com . (See the Completed projects section in the October 2000 news items)
The Theatre at al-Hussein Cultural Center
Bilal Hammad Associates, in association with Tibah Consultants and Farouk Tadros Designs, completed designs for the Theme Gardens at al-Hussein National Park in Amman. The Municipality of Greater Amman project occupies 70,000 square meters. (See the Initiation of projects section in the February 2000 news items, and the New commissions section in the July 2000 news items)
Dar al-Omran completed designs for the Nessco High-Rise Office Building in Tripoli, Libya. The 32,000 square meter complex, which is owned by the National Company for Engineering Services and Equipment, is expected to cost 10,8 million JD (15,2 million $US.)
The NESCO High-Rise Office Building
Dar al-Omran completed designs for the deanship and student activities building for the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) in Irbid. The location of the building follows the university's original master plan. The Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, in association with Jafar Tukan and Partners, had designed the master plan and a number of the university's buildings in the 1980s. The 2,500 square meter new building is one of four structures that Dar al-Omran was commissioned to design for JUST. The other three structures include the central library and lecture hall complex, the student admissions and registration building, and the administration building. The four structures will occupy a combined area of 23,000 square meters and are expected to cost 14,3 million JD (20,14 million $US).
New Commissions
Bilal Hammad Associates were commissioned to design a trade center in Aqaba for the Jordan Duty Free Shops Company. The 3,500 square meter center is expected to cost 360,000 JD (500,000 $US). The project is in line with the Jordanian government's plan to transform Aqaba into a special economic zone.
A Trade Center in Aqaba
The Consolidated Consultants for Engineering and Environment were commissioned to carry out the designs for the Aqaba Industrial City. The Jordan Industrial Estates Corporation project, which stretches over a 275 hectare site, includes designs for infrastructure networks, road networks, buildings, and factories. The American firm Wilbur Smith and Associates will carry out the service designs for the 8,5 million JD (12 million $US) project. (For additional information on the Consolidated Consultants for Engineering and Environment, see their web site at http://ccjo.com)
Darb (Design Associates and Research Bureau), in association with the Egyptian firm Alfredo Freda Studios, were commissioned to design the first phase of Marina Town along the southern shore of Aqaba. The 30,000 square meter project, which is owned by the Jordan Projects for Tourism Development Company, is expected to cost 8,5 million JD (12 million $US).
Competitions
Ammar Khammash and Symbiosis Designs were chosen as finalists for the Amman Nature Center design competition that the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) organized in September. The competition jury decided to award the design job to Ammar Khammash. (See the Architectural competitions section in the September 2000 news items.)
Entry by Symbiosis Designs for the Amman Nature Center
Faris and Faris Architects provided architectural studies for a winning tender on managing and developing the Royal Diving Center in Aqaba. The architectural studies were part of the tender that Jordan Projects for Tourism Development Company and Pacific Consultants International (PCI) of Tokyo submitted to the Aqaba Regional Authority. (See also the Other news section the August 2000 news items.)
The Jordan Projects for Tourism Development Company invited twelve Jordanian architectural firms to submit entries for a competition for the design of model chalet units for the Tala Bay Tourist Complex in Aqaba. The competition entries were submitted by Ammar Khammash, Bilal Hammad Associates, Darb (Design Associates and Research Bureau), Faris and Faris Architects, Farouk Tadros Designs, GDAR Group, Kayyali and Fasheh, Mohammad Abu Afifa, Osama al-Naji, Tahhan and Bushnaq Architects, Tibah Consultants, and S.M. Dudin Architects and Engineers.
The Saudi Arabian Water and Sewage Authority organized a closed competition for the design of the authority's 15,000 square meter office building in Qasseem, Saudi Arabia. The project is expected to cost 8,5 million JD (12 million million $US). The Saudi Arabia-based architectural and engineering firm Omrania and Associates was among those invited to submit a competition entry, which the firm's Amman regional office designed.
News from Academia
Fada'el al-Rahman al-Tammouni successfully defended her master's thesis at the Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology. The thesis is entitled The Evaluation of HUDE's Projects in Terms of Preferences.
Mohammad al-Qazzaz successfully defended his master's thesis at the Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology. The thesis is entitled Developing a Locale - Driven Methodology for Cultural Site Management in Jordan.
Ola Jarrar successfully defended her master's thesis at the Department of Architecture at the Jordan University of Science and Technology. The thesis is entitled the Applicability of Sustainable City Paradigm to Arabic-Islamic Cities: A Case Study of Jerusalem, Palestine.
Sireen Feidi successfully defended her master's thesis at the Department of Architecture at the University of Jordan. The thesis is entitled Historical and Morphological Transformation of Urban Spaces in Old Nablus, Palestine.
Lectures
The Lebanese architect and academician, George Arbid, who teaches architecture at the Académie Lebanaise des Beaux-Arts, delivered a public lecture at Darat al-Funun in Amman entitled Modern Architecture in Lebanon, a Critical Survey. (Information on George Arbid can be found here). The public lecture was the third to be organized during the year 2000 by the Center for the Study of the Built Environment (CSBE) and Darat al-Funun / The Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, in association with the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The other two lectures are Deconstructing Beirut's Reconstruction: 1990 - 2000, which was delivered in April by the Lebanese academician and urban planner, Robert Saliba, who is affiliated with Oxford Brookes University, and The Rehabilitation of the Old City of Aleppo, which was delivered in May by the Syrian architect Omar Hallaj, chairman of the Technical Committee for the Rehabilitation of the Old city of Aleppo Project. Also, CSBE and Darat al-Funun, in association with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, had organized in February a lecture by William J. Mitchell, Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, entitled E-topia: The Future of Cities in the Digital Age. (See the Lectures section in the February 2000 news items)
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