GCC’s award-winning projects revealed

The Gulf region’s highest quality projects were announced at the 2018 MEED Projects Awards, in association with Mashreq.
The UAE won eight trophies, dominating the only annual awards programme recognising the region’s completed projects. Oman had five winning projects, followed by Kuwait with four and Saudi Arabia with two.
The winning projects are part of the $125bn worth of projects completed in the Gulf in 2017, according to the latest data from MEED Projects.
“This year’s GCC Project Award Winners are an inspiration to project stakeholders globally. The main themes which have shone through in the winning projects have included success in sustainability and health and safety. MEED congratulates all the GCC winners and their projects teams,” said Becky Crayman, Programme Director, MEED.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi, owned by the Department of Culture and Tourism and nominated by Buro Happold Consulting Engineers, received the highest honour by winning the MEED Quality Project of the Year, in association with Mashreq. It was a double celebration for the team behind the project as it also won the GCC Leisure & Tourism Project of the Year award.
The MEED Editor’s Award for Innovation was given to the Dubai Opera (owned by Emaar and entered by Consolidated Contractors Company).
“Recognising quality projects is not just about winning an award, but a means by which we ensure project excellence is kept at very high standards across all projects, either completed or even those in the pipeline, because of their invariable socio-economic and environmental impact on the region. This year’s winners must be congratulated for their commitment to quality and their projects’ contributions to society,” said Mohammad Khader Al Shouli, Senior Vice President, Mashreq Bank, headline sponsor of the awards.
Other winners from the UAE include Bait Al Batterjee Medical Company’s Saudi German Hospital, which won GCC Healthcare Project of the Year, entered by IHCC; Steel Wood Industries, which received the GCC Industrial Project of the Year trophy; Al Aryam Phase One’s Reem/Mira Community, by Emaar Properties (nominated by Parsons) which was picked as GCC Residential Project of the Year; and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company’s Neighbourhood One Residences Phase 1 (entered by Multiplex) which won GCC Sustainable Project of the Year, in association with Al Sahel Contracting.
Shuaa Energy-1, jointly owned by DEWA, ACWA Power and TSK, entered by ACWA Power and ILF Consultancy Engineers, was recognised as GCC Power Project of the Year.
Among the projects recognised from Saudi Arabia were Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco) Shaybah-NGL Natural Gas Liquid Project, entered by Samsung Engineering, which won GCC Mega Project of the Year; it also got the jury’s nod as a Highly Commended project in the GCC Oil & Gas Project of the Year.
Meanwhile, Jabal Omar Company’s Development was picked as the winner in the GCC Mixed Use Project of the Year category.
Oman-based projects that won regional honours include Omran Tourism Development Company’s Construction of Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, Package-7, Hotel#2, entered by Larsen & Toubro-Oman, which won GCC Commercial Project of the Year; the Al Batina International School Project, nominated by Design Group Engineering Consultants, which received the GCC Education Project of the Year trophy; and the Ministry of Defence Pension Fund’s Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, jointly entered by Atelier Pod and Engineering Innovation Design & Consulting, which was picked as GCC Hotel Project of the Year.
BP’s Khazzan Project was the winner in the GCC Oil & Gas Project of the Year category, while the Public Authority for Electricity & Water’s Construction of Extensions to the Water Supply Network at Nizwa was the jury’s choice as the GCC Water Project of the Year.
From Kuwait, Amiri Diwan’s Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Cultural Centre, entered by SSH, won GCC Culture & Heritage Project of the Year; and Al-Rai Real Estate Co’s Avenues Phase 3, nominated by Gensler & Associates International Limited-Dubai Branch, received the GCC Retail Project of the Year trophy.
Other Kuwaiti projects which won honours include the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research-owned Supply & Installation of 132/11 kV GIS Substation SGRE-A at Shagaya Area And Two Bay Extension at SHAG-A Substation, entered by Larsen & Toubro Limited-Power Transmission & Distribution, which won GCC Small Project of the Year; and the Ministry of Public Works’ Jahra Road; and Jamal Abdul Nasser Street Development which received the GCC Transport Project of the Year trophy.
Finally, Bahrain’s Ministry of Youth and Sports Hamad Town Model Youth Centre was given a Special Commendation in the GCC Small Project of the Year category.
The winners of the 2018 MEED Projects Awards, in association with Mashreq, were honoured at a ceremony, with the reception hosted by ASGC, held at the Westin Mina Seyahi Resort and Marina in Dubai which was attended by the project industry’s top stakeholders.