the golden section. I am particularly interested in nature and
how that can influence buildings.
We have been working with a major Dubai developer on
some of their residential projects. Prior to this, we worked
with them to create a “Community DNA Guideline” docu-
ment for all their communities, after which we were brought
on board to design various communities around the re-
gion. I was particularly interested in the design DNA of the
communities because it allowed us to influence the way
people will live in the future. Through our research we devel-
oped concepts to improve lifestyles through careful design
considerations.
We have recently completed the design of the new Port
Sultan Qaboos in Muscat. This started as a validation of the
masterplan and how we could introduce such a significant
mixed-use development to the city and developed into us de-
signing the buildings and urban realm.
Another interesting project in Oman which followed our
work at Al Mouj (this included The Piers and a masterplan)
was the activation of the coastline from Al Mouj to Port
Qaboos. It’s called the String of Pearls, and it consists of a
series of zones along the coast that vary in use, featuring a wa-
ter taxi system that links each zone up with the sea.
What types of projects are you hoping to work on in
the future?
We are always looking for projects that allow us to make a dif-
ference – be it a small townhouse or a large masterplan. We
are always looking for clients who have a vision and the same
desire to make a difference to our built environment as we do.How are you hoping to contribute to the built envi-
ronment of the GCC/MENA?
We enjoy the cross fertilisation of ideas from different parts
of the world and share them across different markets. Re-
cently a UK newspaper wrote an article about how we were
“bringing Dubai to Scotland”, and how we are using lessons22 / INTERVIEW