Twenty-two award winners representing nine countries were announced during ICSC’s annual Spring Convention in May. The awards recognize owners, developers, architects, designers, contractors and managers for their ability to create world-class shopping destinations.
The Kingdom Centre mall, named Al Mamlaka, won in the “Innovative Design and Construction of a New Project” category. Winners demonstrated how new standards in design or construction were established or how a specific design or construction problem was solved.
“The design process was a genuinely international effort, with extraordinary collaboration between Ellerbe Becket and our partners in Saudi Arabia,” said Richard Varda, Ellerbe Becket’s lead designer. “With the help of the Internet, the nine-hour time difference between Minneapolis and Riyadh meant work proceeded virtually around the clock.”
The 450,000 sf Al Mamlaka is an urban infill regional shopping complex in the Saudi capital city of Riyadh. With an almond-shaped tower – the tallest structure in the Middle East – Kingdom Centre marries upscale retail with offices, residences and a hotel. The almond geometric motif was applied to create a detail texture similar to traditional Islamic architectural detailing. The mall opened in 2002 while the official opening for the remainder of the complex is scheduled for this Fall.
The complex is a city within itself. It includes the three-level retail mall, a convention center, sports club, Four Seasons Hotel, condominiums and corporate offices. Dramatic glass entrances face all sides of the site and connect the complex with the surrounding retail district.
The 1,000-foot tower is becoming a world icon and was designed, at the client’s request, to be the Eiffel Tower of the Middle East. The graceful, sculptured top that crowns the tower has received coverage in media around the world.
Trade Centre Company Limited is Kingdom Centre’s owner. Ellerbe Becket is the project design architect, and Saudi-based Omrania Associates is the project executive architect. Altoon + Porter Architects, LLP is the retail interior architect.
Others design winners in the new project category include Botany Town Centre in Auckland, New Zealand; The Grove in Los Angeles, Calif.; the Streets of Southpoint in Durham, N.C.; and Centre Commercial International Val d’Europe in Serris, France. Design awards for renovation projects went to Central Commercial Lyon La Part Dieu, Lyon, France; and Park Place, Tucson, Ariz.
Founded in 1957, the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) is the global trade association of the shopping center industry and services over 40,000 members in over 77 countries by assisting in the development of their businesses through professional education, conferences and conventions, publications, research and legislative action.
An innovator since its founding in 1909, Ellerbe Becket is a leader in architecture, engineering and the construction industry with office locations worldwide.
Contact: news@ellerbebecket.com Patrice Duker, International Council of Shopping Centers, 1-646-728-3496
