Schindler, thyssenkrupp and KONE are among newsmakers from around the region.

Schindler to Provide 74 Escalators for Riyadh Airport

Schindler has won a contract to supply 74 escalators for a modernization project at Terminals 1, 2 and the Royal Terminal of King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Trade Arabia reported in October 2020. Schindler signed the deal with the Riyadh Airports Co. (RAC) to provide a heavy-usage system that could handle the airport’s 28 million-plus passengers per year. The OEM will install 74 of its 9300 models in a project scheduled for completion in 2022. RAC, part of the country’s aviation sector privatization program, manages KKIA and is in the process of developing and operating other airports in the region. Within the past 10 years, Schindler has expanded its footprint in the country by acquiring Saudi Elevator and partnering with the Olayan Group, a large, diversified conglomerate heavily involved in the construction sector.

thyssenkrupp Elevator’s TWIN Used for First Time in Kuwait

thyssenkrupp Elevator has installed 25 vertical-transportation (VT) units in the new headquarters of the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK), including 10 of its TWIN elevator systems, the company announced in October 2020. The 300-m-tall, 63-story NBK building, with a design reminiscent of a pearl and shell, stands in the heart of Kuwait City. It is the second-tallest in the country and the country’s first skyscraper to use thyssenkrupp Elevator’s TWIN system, which uses two cabins that move independently within a single shaft. TWIN allowed the building’s designers to make the most efficient use of available space while using less energy.

NBK is certified to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold rating, among the first in Kuwait to achieve that standard. In addition to the TWIN systems, thyssenkrupp supplied 12 conventional elevators — some traveling up to 6 m/s — one panoramic elevator and two escalators. The VT system uses the company’s AGILE destination-control system. thyssenkrupp Elevator has a five-year maintenance contract that gives the building owners access to a standby technician.

Dubai

KONE Elevators for Luxury Tower

KONE has won an order to supply 17 elevators to B4 Grande, a new high-end residential tower, the company announced in September 2020. The 287-m, 72-story skyscraper under construction in the Opera Downtown District will offer 882 luxury apartments, many with panoramic views of the Persian Gulf and surrounding areas, plus amenities and retail outlets. The apartment floorplans range from one to four bedrooms, with large penthouses on the highest floors. KONE will deliver 13 MiniSpace™, three MonoSpace® and one KONE Motala™ elevators. The company will also supply its Infotainment screen and E-Link™ system, a facility-management tool. B4 Grande is being developed by Emaar Properties and is scheduled for completion in 2022. The main contractor is China State Construction, and architectural services are being provided by WSP.

DAMAC Properties Marks Milestone

DAMAC Properties marked a milestone in November when it announced the structural completion of the 53-story, 1,218-unit Tower B of the AYKON City project on Sheikh Zayed Road
(ELEVATOR WORLD, May 2018 and May 2016), Albawaba reported. The feat involved 90,000 m3 of concrete and 11,000 mT of steel, equivalent to about half the weight of the Statue of Liberty. The developer observed progress is being made in a real estate industry battered by COVID-19. News of the structural completion came on the heels of DAMAC awarding a contract for the construction of the Zada tower in nearby Business Bay (EW, December 2020). The Dubai Land Department also reported that property sales in August 2020 saw a 13.4% increase over August 2019.

Sales in Third Tower of Residential Development Launched

Sales in the 43-story, 255-unit Tower A of Bloom Towers next to Jumeriah Village Circle have been launched by Abu Dhabi-based developer Bloom Properties, Albawaba reported in October 2020. With completion of Tower A anticipated in December, the three-tower, 944-unit Bloom Towers will be fully delivered, with homes being handed over to buyers. The developer said response to units in towers B and C was “extremely positive,” and expects a similar outcome for Tower A, which offers one- to three-bedroom apartments complemented by amenities like gyms, private outdoor dining areas, an amphitheater and co-working space. Tower A, according to Bloom Properties, offers opportunities for both investors and homeowners.

Tower Proposed in Karachi, but Concerns Raised at Meeting

A 33-story office building is seeking approval for a site in the Clifton neighborhood of Karachi, Pakistan, but several concerns were raised during a recent public hearing, Samma reported in October 2020. The building, to be named Citi Financial Tower, will have offices on floors 13-31, an executive office on 32 and building services on 33. It will also have showrooms on the first and second floors, parking in the basement level and on floors two-10, and a recreational area on 11. During the hearing in September 2020, residents raised concerns about the building’s possible impact on traffic and infrastructure, and noted that other projects that have won approval went on to violate construction and environmental laws. Some residents near the proposed site have raised objections to having a commercial building so close to their homes. If the tower wins approval to proceed, construction would take about five years.