EXCLUSIVE: Emaar to retender the world's largest shopping mall

08 May 2018
Contract to build retail centre at Dubai Creek Harbour will be tendered in October

Local developer Emaar plans to retender the contract to build the world’s largest shopping mall at Dubai Creek Harbour in October this year.

Contractors had been invited late last year to submit bids in April. Emaar has chosen to retender the contract to allow for a significant redesign of the scheme that make the project easier to build.

The redesign process has meant that some foundations work on the project was stalled.

At least three groups had been invited to tender for the estimated AED15bn-AED18bn ($4bn-$5bn) construction deal. They were:

  • Alec (local)/Arabian Construction Company (ACC; Lebanon)/ Dutco Balfour Beatty (local)
  • China State Construction Engineering Corporation (China)
  • Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC; Lebanon)/Shapoorji Pallonji (India)/Ssangyong (South Korea)

The total built-up area of the mall is expected to be about 3 million square metres, with 1.7 million sq m of retail, 550,000 sq m of residential, 180,000 sq m of commercial, a 175,000-sq-m basement, and a 40,000-sq-m hotel. Emaar’s Dubai Mall, which is the world’s largest shopping centre by total area, has a total area of 1.124 million sq m.

The consultants working on the mall are Netherlands-based Arcadis and the UK’s Benoy.

Another key component of the Dubai Creek Harbour development is the world’s tallest structure, known as The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour.

Emaar Development said in early May that 90 per cent of the pile cap work has been completed for the tower.

The local/Belgian Belhasa Six Construct is working on the raft foundations for the tower. France’s Soletanche Bachy completed the piling.

Spanish/Swiss architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava Valls is the main consultant on the project, with the local office of Aurecon, supported by UK’s RMJM and Dubai-based DEC, acting as local engineer and architect of record.

The project manager for the tower is US-based Parsons.

The tower is the centrepiece of the 6-square-kilometre Dubai Creek Harbour development. Located in the Ras al-Khor area on the banks of Dubai Creek, it is being developed by a joint venture of Emaar and Dubai Holding.

An award has yet to be made for the estimated AED5.5bn ($1.5bn) superstructure contract. Beijing-based China State Construction Engineering Corporation emerged as the frontrunner after submitting the lowest-price bid earlier this year.

Emaar received bids from two groups for the contract in mid-January. The other bidder is a joint venture of the local/Belgium Belhasa Six Construct and US company Tishman.

The superstructure comprises three key elements: a concrete core, a steel frame structure on top of the concrete core, and cables descending down from the tower to the ground.

The 6-square-kilometre Dubai Creek Harbour development is located in the Ras al-Khor area on the banks of Dubai Creek. The programme manager for the development is US-based Hill International. The scheme is being developed by a joint venture of Emaar and Dubai Holding.

 

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