Archinect - News

XZero City is Kuwait's contribution to the smart city movement

2022-09-02T12:46:00-04:00

A Dubai-based developer named URB has entered the fray of futuristic community planning in the region after publishing plans for XZero City, a pedestrian-friendly, net-zero carbon community it says will eventually grow to accommodate up to 100,000 people.

Billed as a “new paradigm in green urban living,” the car-free city will spread out over a 16-square-kilometer (6-square-mile) swath in the southern Kuwaiti desert connected by a resilient landscape which serves as the “social glue” to self-sustaining homesteaders occupying one of its initial 30,000 modular residences.

Image courtesy URB

By separating the development into different Commercial, Medical, and Educational hubs, URB says it hopes to provide a high quality of life powered by advanced renewable energy technologies, fed by biosaline agricultural produce and vertical farms, and enhanced by an equestrian track, a nature conservation center, and other attractions marketed vaguely as “edutainment.”

Image courtesy URB

An ecotour...

Foster + Partners complete Kuwait skyscraper with curving concrete fins

2022-07-07T11:28:00-04:00

Work has been completed on the Foster + Partners-designed headquarters for the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK). The 300 meter (984 foot) tall skyscraper is defined by a curved façade of concrete fins, creating what the architects call a “distinctive landmark that stands out on the Kuwaiti skyline.”

Image © Foster + Partners

The tower is located in Sharq, the city’s emerging financial district, and seeks to bring NBK’s corporate employees together under one roof. Given Kuwait’s extreme climate, the team notes that attention was given to providing an “energy efficient passive form,” creating what studio head Stefan Behling calls an “iconic design that signifies NBK’s unique presence and identity in the city.”

Image © Foster + Partners

When viewed from the north, a series of structural concrete fins orientated along the sun path rise the full height of the building, creating a curved form. Inside, floorplates are tapered inwards towards the base to maximise floor...

New photos by João Morgado capture modern Kuwaiti housing project

2018-03-12T18:07:00-04:00

The Areia Houses designed by Associated Architects Partnership (AAP), are located in Kihran, Kuwait. These modernist houses were built in Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City, a community created around canals off of the Persian Gulf.

Areia Houses by Associated Architects Partnership (AAP), located in Kihran, KW. Image: Joao Morgado.

Developed around docks and marinas, the Areia Houses are situated along the shoreline of an inner canal overlooking the sea.

Areia Houses by Associated Architects Partnership (AAP), located in Kihran, KW. Image: Joao Morgado.

These five structures follow the same basic organization concept, yet each house has its own variation making it unique among the group.

Areia Houses by Associated Architects Partnership (AAP), located in Kihran, KW. Image: Joao Morgado.

Each house features a rooftop lounge with 360º panoramic views over the water and surrounding area.

Areia Houses by Associated Architects Partnership (AAP), located in Kihran, KW. Image: Joao Morgado.

When see...

Kuwait's New Opera House Catches Fire

2017-02-06T17:01:00-05:00

The Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad Cultural Centre in Kuwait—a gleaming $770 million cultural complex designed by SSH—caught fire on Monday, a mere three months after it opened to the public. The fire started on the building’s titanium, geometric-patterned roof during maintenance work. According to a report, nobody was injured and the fire has since been extinguished. But the incident will probably push back the opening of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats, which was planned for Thursday.

Check out images of the project—pre-fire—here.

AGi architects wins in two categories for 2013 Middle East Architect Awards

2013-11-14T19:02:00-05:00

AGi architects enjoyed yet another lucky year in the 2013 Middle East Architect Awards recently held in Dubai. In addition to being shortlisted in five categories, the Spanish-Kuwaiti firm won two awards for The Star House and the BBS Pre-School, both in Kuwait. The Star House received Residential Project of the Year — making it the second year in a row that AGi won in the category — while the BBS Pre-School was named Institutional & Cultural Project of the Year.

Foster + Partners Unveil Plans for Solar-Powered LEED Gold Kuwait International Airport

2011-10-04T16:27:26-04:00

Foster + Partners just announced they will be designing the new Kuwait International Airport - and they're aiming to make it the world's first LEED gold certified passenger terminal! The stunning design is sure to be an eye-catcher from both the ground and the sky, and it will raise the environmental bar for airports everywhere with a smart set of green features that will reduce the building's energy use and keep it cool in one of the hottest places on earth.