WSP Middle East is one of the region's fastest growing, multi-disciplinary engineering consultancies. Our 400 plus, strong team has a reputation for excellence, innovative designs and attention to detail. We provide creative, sustainable and cost-effective engineering and architectural solutions through innovative thinking.

Our multicultural and diverse employee base, representing 34 nations, encourages us to live by our values of Trust; Sharing and Supporting; Pride and Passion; Sustainability; and Innovation. "We truly do represent the Global nature of WSP's business" says Steve Taylor, Director of Engineering. To maintain our position at the forefront of the regions competitive and fast-moving market, we have developed a flexible approach and an ability to adapt quickly.

The company employs highly qualified, motivated and experienced staff, many of who are Chartered members of their professional organisations. As a member of FIDIC and a corporate member of Transparency International, WSP Middle East subscribes to the highest code of professional ethics. The company is involved in many major projects throughout the region calling upon its capabilities in all disciplines from structural and building services, civils and environmental, to the more specialised areas of high rise, intelligent building design and fire engineering.

Our building design team has a portfolio of projects from offices to schools and hospitals to shopping malls. These include the Dubai World Trade Centre development, a $1.5 billion project where we are providing all engineering, transportation and environmental services and the $350 million Mirdif Shopping Mall, where we are providing MEP and Technology services. Our clients on both these projects, namely DWTC and MAF, see sustainability as important economic and business drivers and we are providing full sustainability advisory services to these projects.

Our transportation and infrastructure group has secured a 35km road network development through the mountainous region of Sharjah that will include design of rock tunnels.

Our clients include The Ruler of Sharjah, The Ruler of Ajman, The Engineers Office Dubai, I&M Galadari, Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Group, Dubai Properties, Nakheel and IFA. Our global coverage has facilitated us working with many architects from across the world including FxFowle, Hilliers and Birt Hill from USA; Batley Associates and DSA from South Africa; P+T and Terry Farrell and Partners from Hong Kong; Woods Bagot and Cox Architecture from Australia; and Foster and Hopkins from UK. The international nature of Dubai and the Middle East has led to many parts of WSP Group working in the region which is of enormous value to our clients as they can truly obtain global expertise and local delivery

Working with the P&T Group on the City of Arabia development WSP Middle East is involved with a number of the high profile towers currently in construction. On a prominent site facing Emirates Road, only 100 meters away from the nearest COA monorail station, the Metro Tower is a key landmark in the prestigious City of Arabia development and one of Dubai's most impressive new tower developments, due for completion 4Q ‘08.
A skilful distillation of the latest advanced concepts in international high-rise design, Metro Tower will be truly aspirational; exuding the gravitas of a timeless architectural classic. The tower’s dynamic tapering shape is evocative of a rocket soaring into the clear blue sky above and its interlocking curves are specially designed to provide interesting variations in form from every angle and set up a subtle dynamic as one travels around the building.

The distinctive base of the tower features four giant legs. These generate a prominent presence at street level whilst cleverly framing the building's grand entrance. Major feature openings at the mid point subtlety signify the transition between office accommodation below and residential accommodation above. At dusk an amazing and dramatic transformation starts to take place; custom designed lighting effects create the magical impression of a floating lantern in the night sky. With this delightful feature, the tower’s iconic status is assured.

The Metro Tower will be more than just a design icon however. The punch windows, tinted glass and solar shading devices together with an advanced building services system provide the optimum environmental performance. Its sleek white metal cladding is not only aesthetically pleasing but also helps reflect heat and ensures that the building will always look new and exciting throughout its long lifespan. With a wide variety of office and residential accommodations, the building caters for all possible requirements ranging from simple elegant studios to the most desirable penthouses in Dubai. Whilst the luxurious club house provides all the recreational facilities residents could ever need including gymnasium, indoor swimming pool, sauna, aerobics rooms, a billiards room and children’s play area, all located on the 17th floor.

The Metro Tower is a true monument for the 21st century and will be a lasting landmark on the Dubai skyline. With its harmonious blend of solidity and transparency, the rational yet inspired design succeeds in being both progressive and timeless. It is a shining example of the ability of architecture to inspire wonder, awe and indeed envy towards those who are proud to call this building their home or office.

The I&M Tower also stands at the prominent frontage towards the Emirates Road and contributes to the continuous row of elite towers along this major urban spine that connects to the city centre. The 45-storey office tower provides a wide range of unit sizes ranging from 750 ft2 to 2300 ft2 Being one of the major symbolic icons in the City of Arabia, the tower can be easily identified by the distinctive geometrical form of the split level roof. The quarter cut away from the top and the sloping secondary roof are the defining features of the tower. Upper floors will be used solely for board rooms and conference rooms and feature a glamorous sky garden. Running the length of the building on either side two white triangular-shaped forms contrast to the sky-blue curtain wall and provide the structure for amply sized balconies offering all tenants unrestricted views to the magical new city below.

The Fish Tower is one of the ten 30-storey residential towers situated in the centre of City of Arabia, located between Mall of Arabia and waterside residential regions. With its height of 140m, it stands out from the surrounding 2-storey mall and 4 to 6-storey Wadi houses, thus enjoying splendid views. The tower is uniquely shaped by waves of curves on four orientations. The horizontal windows and balconies give the tower architectural order out of the wavy silhouette. The tower culminates at the roof feature which will become a lantern during night time. The floor plate size varies every floor, from 13,000 ft2 at the bottom to 5,000 ft2 for the top floor penthouse

The Wadi Apartment Tower is another of the 30-storey residential towers. The tower has a curvy envelope of light blue colour curtain wall against a white colour facade as background. The wavy shape and the colours simulate the reflections on the flowing canal, thus blending the building harmoniously within the surrounding environment. The tower features 200 studio apartments of 1, 2 and 3-bedrooms, ranging from 940 ft2 to 2700 ft2, in additional to a rather luxurious 3,500 ft2 duplex at the top. All apartments come with their own balconies to maximise enjoyment of the stunning scenery within City of Arabia, whilst the prestigious penthouse comes with a covered sky garden for one lucky owner’s exclusive use.

Away from city of Arabia, WSP Middle East is also involved in a number of other high profile developments currently reshaping this corner of the Gulf. The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) is currently in the midst of a huge redevelopment, Phase 1 comprising 750 number luxury apartments, 750 serviced apartments, an Inner city resort club which includes pools, gym, squash, tennis and spa facilities, 20,000 m2 of offices, 32,000 m2 of retail space plus a 350 room 5 star hotel and a 450 room 4 star hotel. This development is part of an overall master planned redevelopment of the existing World Trade Centre. WSP were appointed for the engineering services for the Phase 1 development and have now also been appointed for the revision of the existing Masterplan for the whole site.

The Phase 1 engineering services include: Structural and Civils, Facades, BMU, Traffic, Infrastructure services and roads, Electrical and Mechanical, Vertical Transportation, Acoustics, Environmental Services and Intelligent Building services. DWTC also required that the development is based on sustainable design principles and that the Offices achieve a LEED platinum rating. Apart from implementing sustainable design solutions within the overall scheme, to achieve the Office LEED rating, the MEP and Environmental engineers in collaboration with the Architects team have been investigating innovative design solutions to achieve the high level of energy and water savings that will ensure that the design meets the LEED standards required. Construction has commenced on site with the Earthworks and Shoring contracts and it is anticipated that Phase 1 will be complete by early 2010.
Across town on the now world renowned Palm Jumeirah, WSP provided structural and civil design services for the Fairmont Palm Hotel, a 372 room 5-star hotel on the “Trunk” of the Palm as well as the adjacent Fairmont Palm Residences which features two 290 key L-shaped luxury apartment blocks. The initial difficulty faced with these projects was to overcome the unique challenge presented by founding the buildings on reclaimed land. Ground improvement by means of vibro-compaction was performed prior to the commencement of piling to mitigate the risk of liquefaction during a seismic event. The structural system used for these projects was conventional cast in-situ flat slab construction. Elsewhere in Dubai, in Ajman, WSP Middle East are providing full Structural and MEP engineering services from concept through to construction documentation and post contract supervision at the Ajman Corniche Residence, another P&T Group project. This spectacular residential development overlooking the Persian Gulf comprises a basement, ground floor retail level and 7 car parking levels over. Above the parking levels are a health club and external podium, above which rise 7 contiguous towers varying in height from 33 storeys to 46 storeys with an overall length of 208m. The building will provide 1139 apartments, 1161 car parking spaces with an overall built-up area in excess of 2.5 million ft2.

"For construction professionals who wish to see ideas turn into reality there is no better place to be today than in the Gulf" says John Oliver our Middle East Managing Director.