DARGROUP

Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners) (Arabic: دار الهندسة‎) is an international leading project design, management and supervision consultancy and founding member of the Dar Group. It is a multidisciplinary consulting organization for engineering, architecture, planning, environment, project management, and economics. Dar Al Handasah has served over 950 different clients in 63 countries with a staff of 6300 operating from 45 offices in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe with five design centres in Beirut, Cairo, London, Pune and Amman. The firm has consistently ranked among the top ten consultancies by Engineering News-Record .[1][2] for over 20 years.

1950s Beginning

Dar Al-Handasah was established in 1956, and initially given an Arabic name دار الهندسة Dar Al-Handasah which means in Arabic "the house of engineering", and an English name "Associated Consulting Engineers" by four professors in Engineering working at the American University of Beirut (AUB) Engineering School: Jordanian pioneer Dr. Kamal A Shair, Dr. Samir Thabet, Dr. Khalil Maalouf and Dr. Nazih Taleb, The firm was funded on $3,500 and by the end of 1957, with industrial, and power projects in Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen & Egypt the assets exceeded $30,000.

1960s Functional expansion

By the end of the decade, Dar Al-Handasah has completed 161 projects in various countries. While majority of Dar's portfolio remains in industrial and power sector, it expands its expertise with transportation, built environment, planning, agriculture & irrigation, water & sewerage, and power/telephone projects. Offices open throughout the Arab Peninsula in Amman ('60), Jeddah ('65), and Aden ('67).

1970s Growth with The Oil Boom

The 1970s oil boom ignited an incredible transformation and modernization of infrastructure in many OPEC nations. In this decade, Dar worked with the governments of Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Algeria in developing their industrial infrastructure, roads, airports, seaports, hospitals, schools, water and sewerage systems, housing, and telecom facilities.

1980s Global expansion

The 1980s proved to be Dar's greatest decade to date for global growth. With the acquisition of Perkins and Will and T.Y. Lin International, the firm expanded into North America and the Far East. Meanwhile, Dar entered the Turkish and CIS markets, opened offices in Istanbul and Adana, and continued to expand its existing client-base throughout Africa and the Middle East.

1990s Reshaping cityscapes

A meaningful project for the 1990s was the rebuilding of Beirut's Central Business District (1993–1996) destroyed during the Lebanese Civil War - stemming from a deep-rooted commitment to the development of the society from which the firm's beginnings grew.

2000s (decade)

In 2006, Dar celebrated 50 successful years in business. Since 2006 the firms scope widened and some of the projects undertaken include the Princess Nora Bint AbdulRahman University (link pnuproject.com)) in Al Riyadh KSA, the Jamarat Pedestrian Bridge (link)in Mena(Link), the Makka Royal Clock Tower (Jabal Omar ) in Makkah, and Qatar's Pearl Island.

The Dar Group

Founded by Dar Al Handasah in 1986 with the acquisition of the architectural firm Perkins and Will, Dar Group was established as a global network of specialized consulting firms working together to provide a full range of services for diverse types of projects. The Dar Group Affiliates:
Perkins and Will - Chicago
T.Y. Lin International - San Francisco
Penspen Group - London
Pierre-Yves Rochon S.A. - Paris
R&H Railway Consultants(PTY) Ltd. - South Africa
IPA Energy + Water Economics - Edinburgh, UK
Landrum & Brown - Cincinnati
D2 Consultants International GmbH - Linz, Austria
Ross & Baruzzini - Saint Louis

Corporate affairs

Dar Al-Handasah has its headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon with clients all over the world. Also, its principal design head offices and technical support facilities are located in Cairo (Egypt), Pune (India) and London(United Kingdom) with a network of permanent local offices throughout the Middle East, Africa, Central-Eastern Europe, CIS and parts of Asia.The company has a history of acquisitions and corporate expansion. It continuously strengthened its business lines and extended its geographic reach.
Dar Al-Handasah works in the Middle East, Africa, United Kingdom and India. The company operates in a number of business lines like Architecture, Building Engineering,Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Construction Services, Design & Planning, Economics, Energy, Resource & Environment, Mining, Oil & Gas, Project Management, Cost, Consultancy, Transportation and Water.

Sectors of operation

Dar Al Handasah (Shair and Partners ) provide full expert, management and consulting services in the following sectors of operation:

Master Planning

Dar follows a holistic and interconnected style of thinking applicable to all developments from inception to completion through an interdisciplinary approach. Representative projects include the Pearl Island in Qatar, Knowledge Economic City in Madinah, KSA, and Kaduna Millennium City in Nigeria.

Built Environment

Dar Al Handasah provides full in-house architectural and engineering services for all areas of the built environment - from health-care, aviation, corporate, and commercial to residential, hospitality, and cultural structures. Representative projects include the Makkah Royal Clock Tower.
Airports, Highways, Railways and Transit Systems

Dar is involved in most major on-going airport projects in the Middle East including; Dubai International Airport expansion and Dubai World Central’s Al Maktoum International Airport; King Abdul Aziz International Airport redevelopment and upgrade; Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport new expansion; Kuwait International’s rehabilitation and expansion; Bahrain International Airport’s expansion; Cairo International Terminal 3, Hurghada and Sharm Al Sheik International Airports; Expansion of Doha International Airport; Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport; and the new master plan for Erbil International Airport, Luanda’s Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport. <links>Dar has provided expert services for the Haramain High Speed railway, the Middle East first HHR project that will link the two holy cities of Makkah and Medina via Jeddah. Representative bridge design include the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, winner of Indian Institution of Bridge Engineers (IIBE) 2009 “Most outstanding bridge – National award”, the Wadi Abdoun Bridge, Jordan winner of the 2010 fib Civil Engineering Structures award, the Jamarat Pedestrian Bridge, KSA, and the Sungai Prai Bridge, Malaysia - IStructE 2006: Supreme Award for Engineering Excellence and Transportation Structures.

Infrastructure & Natural Resources

Dar specializes in water resources planning and management, surface and groundwater modelling, dam and hydraulic structures, water treatment facilities and supply systems, stormwater drainage and flood protection, wastewater collection, treatment and reuse, irrigation systems and agricultural development, and integrated municipal services. Representative projects include Koudiat Rosfa Dam an d Oued Athmenia Dams in Algeria, Luanda Integrated Water Supply, Angola, Sana’a Water Supply and Wastewater, Disi-Mudawarra to Amman Water Conveyance System, Jordan, Ostaganem-Arzew-Oran Water Transfer, Algeria, Benguela & Lobito Water Supply Systems, Angola, Umm Al Hayman Water treatment plant, Kuwait.

Higher Education Projects

On May 15, 2011 HRH King Abdullah Bin AbdulAziz Al Saud inaugurated the Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University, in Al Riyadh. Dar Al Handasah is designer and project manager for the award-winning largest women- only academic campus completed in 25 month including design and construction. Other higher education projects include the King Saud University campus in Al Riyadh and the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology- Research Park, the Agostinho Neto university, in Luanda and the American University of Iraq in Sulaimani.