UAE Mega-Projects Win Global Construction Awards in Build-Up to Cityscape Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal and Dubai Opera Praised at Tekla Global BIM Awards

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The Abu Dhabi Midfield Terminal and the Dubai Opera House have won global construction awards, the international construction technology company Trimble announced today in the build-up to Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2016.

The jury of international Building Information Modeling (BIM) experts at the recent Tekla Global BIM Awards praised the projects for their world-class modeling, collaboration, and construction using Tekla BIM software, which is a Trimble product.

Abu Dhabi International Airport’s Midfield Terminal Building received two nominations – the central processing building by China State Engineering Corporation won the Public Project category, and the piers by Eversendai Engineering LLC were also a finalist.

One of the Middle East’s most complex steel projects, the Midfield Terminal Building has 18 curved steel arches, the largest with a 180-meter span, 50 meters high, and weighing 800 tons. Once completed, Midfield Terminal will be able to accommodate 65 aircraft, check in 8,500 customers per hour, and handle 19,000 bags per hour.

Several Building Information Models were combined with models by the Abu Dhabi Airports Company and the joint venture of TAV, CCC, and Arabtec to reduce time, increase productivity and collaboration, and check for clashes across the design, fabrication, and construction phases.

The winner of the Public Vote is the beautiful Opera House at Downtown West Dubai. Eversendai Engineering LLC used BIM to design and execute the fabrication and installation of more than 3,600 metric tons of structural steel for the 2,000 seat theater, sky garden, and restaurant.

BIM were essential for overcoming the curving roof, inspired by an Arabian dhow, which minimizes the number of trusses and braces. Steel fabricators used BIM to make connections to lighting, ventilation, gutters, façade, and cladding, and the models will help the acoustic engineering company for venue maintenance.

Middle East finalists also included the UAE Pavilion for Milan Expo 2015, the Qassim Power Plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the ACICO Cement Company’s storage silos in Kuwait, and the Restaurant/Coffee Shop/Bookstore in Al Markhiya, Qatar.

All 51 entries to the Tekla Global BIM Awards are the winners of regional Tekla BIM competitions that Tekla area offices and software resellers organized during 2015.