GREC Architects announced the November 1st 2011 opening of the Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort and Spa in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The luxury golf resort, owned by TDIC, (Tourism Development Investment Company), and operated by Starwood Hotels and Resorts, is an oasis for wellness and rejuvenation and is ideally situated next to the renowned Abu Dhabi Golf Course, home to the PGA European Tour Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
The hotel was designed by GREC and an international team of consultants to enhance the offerings of the Abu Dhabi Golf Club without imposing upon the dramatic landscapes of the elite golf course. Chiseled stone exteriors and minimalist, contemporary interiors forged from rusticated gold limestone, petrified and reclaimed wood and warm hued accents give a simple yet rich feeling that integrates the club into the desert surroundings. To contend with the extreme desert climate, outdoor spaces are veiled in crafted architectural screens, accompanied by modern fountains, swimming pools, and a lush, vegetated leisure area. Hotel common areas have soaring ceilings that lead the eye up to the uniquely designed, winged rooftops that are the signature of the resort.
Greg Randall, the managing partner for the project explained “we wanted the hotel to serve as a sophisticated backdrop for the breathtaking landscape. The European PGA Championship Tournament is played here every year, so it was important that the design represents Abu Dhabi’s forward thinking as a modern city and its expanding presence on the world stage.” BD+C
Related Stories
| Sep 17, 2014
New developments in data center design
From the dozen or so facilities housing Google’s 900,000 servers to the sprawling server farms of Facebook to Amazon’s seven sites scattered around the world, today’s data centers must accommodate massive power demand, high heat loads, strict maintenance protocols, and super-tight security. This AIA Discovery course is worth 1.0 AIA CES HSW learning units.
| Sep 17, 2014
New hub on campus: Where learning is headed and what it means for the college campus
It seems that the most recent buildings to pop up on college campuses are trying to do more than just support academics. They are acting as hubs for all sorts of on-campus activities, writes Gensler's David Broz.
Sponsored | | Sep 17, 2014
The balance between innovation and standardization – How DPR Construction achieves both
How does DPR strike a balance between standardization and innovation? In today’s Digital COM video Blog, Sasha Reed interviews Nathan Wood, Innovator with DPR Construction, to learn more about their successful approach to fueling innovation. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Sep 16, 2014
Ranked: Top hotel sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Tutor Perini, Gensler, and AECOM top BD+C's rankings of design and construction firms with the most revenue from hospitality sector projects, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
| Sep 16, 2014
Studies reveal growing demand for LEED-credentialed professionals across building sector
The study showed that demand for the LEED Accredited Professional and LEED Green Associate credentials grew 46 percent over a 12-month period.
| Sep 16, 2014
Shigeru Ban’s design wins Tainan Museum of Fine Arts competition
Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban has won an international competition organized by The Tainan Museum of Art in Taiwan. Ban's design features cascading volumes with an auditorium, classrooms, and exhibition galleries.
| Sep 16, 2014
Competition asks architects, designers to reimagine the future of national parks
National Parks Now asks entrants to propose all types of interventions for parks, including interactive installations, site-specific education and leisure opportunities, outreach and engagement campaigns, and self-led tours.
| Sep 15, 2014
Sustainability rating systems: Are they doomed?
None of the hundreds of existing green building rating systems is perfect. Some of them are too documentation-heavy. Some increase short-term project cost. Some aren’t rigorous enough or include contentious issues, writes HDR's Michaella Wittmann.
| Sep 15, 2014
Ranked: Top international AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Parsons Brinckerhoff, Gensler, and Jacobs top BD+C's rankings of U.S.-based design and construction firms with the most revenue from international projects, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
| Sep 15, 2014
Argentina reveals plans for Latin America’s tallest structure
Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announces the winning design by MRA+A Álvarez | Bernabó | Sabatini for the capital's new miexed use tower.
