Bouygues in front for Barwa Financial District contract

01 October 2009

French construction giant to build new financial centre in Doha

Local developer Barwa Real Estate Company has selected France’s Bouygues for the estimated QR5bn ($1.4bn) main construction contract on the Barwa Financial District in Qatar.

Under the terms of the contract the company will build nine high-rise office towers between 22 and 52 storeys in height, a five-star hotel, a retail shopping centre, a conference centre, and 5,000 parking spaces in the West Bay area of Doha. The total built up area is about 695,000 square metres.

Swissboring, part of Italy’s Trevi Group, was awarded the estimated $60m foundation works contract for the development in September 2008.

Hill International and Louis Berger is the project manager on the scheme. Doha-based Qatar Project Management Company (QPM) appointed the US-based team in December last year on behalf of the project’s client Barwa Real Estate Company (MEED 29:4:09).

Barwa Real Estate Company set up QPM to manage its projects and those of another local developer Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company.

Bouygues’ contract award is the first of six multi-billion riyal contracts expected to be awarded in Qatar over the coming six months as both private and public sector clients move ahead building and infrastructure schemes.

Qatar National Bank will receive bids from contractors on 25 October for the contract to build its 510-metre-tall headquarters on the Doha corniche. The building will be the tallest in the country and one of the largest skyscrapers in the world.

Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) invited prequalified contractors to bid for the estimated QR4bn hospital fit-out contract at Hamad Medical City in Doha.

The New Doha International Airport Steering Committee is preparing to receive bids on 14 October for the contract to build an extension to the passenger terminal, known as the north node or phase 3a at the new airport.

And the New Doha Port Steering Committee has invited contracting groups to submit bids by 28 December for the marine works package at the new port which will be built at Mesaieed.

Contractors have also been approached for two major projects that will be tendered by the end of this year. State-run oil company Qatar Petroleum has invited companies to express interest in building a headquarters complex at Lusail to the north of Doha.

And local developer Dohaland has invited contractors to prequalify for work on its Heart of Doha development. The mixed-use development will be built behind the Emiri Diwan administrative centre on Doha corniche, and it is one of the largest real estate projects in Doha.

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