Constructing Burj Al Arab - Coursework Example

Professionalism, Values and Ethics Constructing Burj Al Arab Burj al Arab Humans have always loved to puttheir mark on earth. Any act that gives them the sense of immortality works perfectly. People write books to inspire others and to share their knowledge. Also, because, the ones reading their work after they have perished remember and talk about them. Their legacy lives on. People also leave behind great feats of architecture. These artworks live on after generations and speak of the builder’s taste. The great structure known as the Burj al Arab is exactly the example that speaks volumes about the builders taste. It is much more than just a tall beautiful structure, it is the Dubai icon. Burj al Arab is a luxury hotel constructed on a man-made island. Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s Amir, was the mastermind behind this megaproject. The construction started in 1994 and completed in 1999. In a period less than six years the builders, the architects and designers finished this beautiful structure that has turned into a symbol of prosperity for the UAE. The building has been designed in the shape of the billowing sail. A writer or journalist can write volumes about it as to why it enjoys the luxury in the world or why is it so much more than just a hotel. Special blocks placed around the man-made island absorb the pressure of the coming ways1 To understand the ethical and professional matters in the construction one needs to understand the context in which it was built. Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum knew that his country cannot sell oil forever. Experts predict that the oil boom will end by 2016. Dubai has grown to one of the most visited cities in the world and it has achieved this status in a matter of few decades only. Discovery of oil was the reason behind it. To keep Dubai alive they needed something more consistent than oil reserves. Dubais Shaikh Rashid had a vision. It was not a question of if it was a question of when; when the UAE will run out of its oil reserves. The Shaikh had two choices either to keep selling oil and wait till it runs out and then go ask for help, or invest on their people, institutions and build business. The Amir chose the latter. This project was needed because the Shaikh wanted to dramatically put Dubai on the map of the earth. It was one of the many projects that the government has taken to sustain the life for the people of Dubai. They needed something more consistent to fuel the economy than the depleting oil reserves. The British architecture firm, W.S. Atkins, was awarded the task of building Burj al Arab. The construction officially began in 1994 with the cooperation of over 3000 companies and contractors (Media Fact File, 2013). The site was so busy in the five years that one could find a way 3500 men at any time working (Media Fact File, 2013). Thomas Wills Wright was the team leader of this project. Wright fully understood the vision of the Shaikh. He wanted to put Dubai on the map of earth as an icon of progress. Hence, the construction site was built in the sea; on a man-made island 200 m from the Jumeirah beach. The three things ideal for a holiday; the sun, the sand and the sea, were already present at Dubais coastline so there was no way a fairytale atmosphere of the Arabian Nights wouldve failed to influence this structure (Riewoldt, 2006, p. 141). Burj al Arab, The Billowing Sail2 Just like any other business project, the issues of ethics and professionalism arose in constructing Burj al Arab. There is an inherent urge to develop special ethical branch for architecture. Maurice Laguex, PhD in philosophy from Universite de Paris terms this “archit-ethics” (Laguex, 2004, p. 117). The matter of ethics is always present. A study by Charles Vee and CMartin Skitmore (2003) surveyed a group of project managers, architects, building contractors and engineers. Each one revealed that they have either observed or experienced direct or indirect form of unethical conduct. “…all the respondents had witnessed or experienced some degree of unethical conduct, in the form of unfair conduct, negligence, conflict of interest, collusive tendering, fraud, confidentiality and propriety breach, bribery and violation of environmental ethics” (Vee & Skitmore, 2003) Tom Wright from WS Atkins had task at hand of not only building a luxurious hotel but building an icon for the world’s most rapidly progressing city, Dubai. It had to be modern, a state-of-the-art design as well as a representation of the Arabic heritage. Wright could have built what he wanted but the client had a vision. You have to do all of this without violating environmental ethics. Confirming to professionalism and ethics doesn’t mean that everything needs to be built absolutely according to instructions. That is virtually impossible. Confirming to ethics has some fluidity to it. There is no definite knowledge and ethics is especially controversial as the boundaries vary considerably from country to country to company to company. Hence ethics is a form of indecisive aesthetics (Delancey, 2004, p. 147). Wright’s design of the billowing sail would not have been Sheik’s vision but it certainly delivered the iconic image that the client was originally looking for. A school of thought that relates architecture to art form in an apples-to-apples comparison. They hold that architecture should be stripped of “social concerns”, however, the architecture cannot be autonomous to the extent that it only pursues visual appeal (Taylor & Levine, 2012, p. 45). Wrights design fits perfectly on that coastline where other sails and yachts are floating in the ocean. Burj al Arab stands majestically in the Persian Gulf and has access by land air and sea. The location of the structure is 25 km from Dubai airport, 15 km south of the city (Media Fact File, 2013). It is literally visible from all corners of the city. Tom Wright, the architect wanted to make it look like a billowing sail and for this reason the structure was constructed in the form of a triangle (Kerns, 2010, p. 60). Burj al Arab enjoys an iconic status for many reasons. It stands taller than the Eiffel Tower, Paris, and it is only 60 m shorter than the Empire State building. It is only structure that stands on a man-made island on its own rising 321 m above the sea level (Media Fact File, 2013). The hotel covers an area of 111,480 m² or 1.2 million square feet (Images Publishing, 2001). For many people the Burj Al Arab is the defining image of Dubai (Atkins Architects, 2011, page 36), an excellent demonstration of architects’ adherence to professionalism. Choosing the building design can go wayward. If the idea is to include the structure among the list of Egyptian Pyramids, Sydney Opera House then the pressure can cause Aitkin’s team to venture into any creative or catchy direction, however, they understood that it is not a demonstration of their creativity, they were building Dubai’s icon. Architecture and design are forms of ethical investigations (Levine et al., 2004, p. 103). Considering design possibilities from an ethical perspective they realized that Dubai has a seafaring heritage and the billowing sail design of the hotel can be classic representation of it. The Jumeirah Beach Hotel in the Wild Wadi Water Park is similar to it in design as it also wears the nautical theme (Media Fact File, 2013). The real challenge was not its design but its engineering and the actual construction process, hence, a bigger challenge to demonstrate professionalism. It is one thing to dream and draw its blueprint but quite another to turn it into reality. The completed structure of the hotel used Teflon glass wrapping around the rib belly of the hotel. This technique was unique, it was the first time anyone in the world used glass Teflon to wrap a building. One reason for using Teflon glass was during the day in the bright sunshine it gives you the perfect sure white colour, at night, mystical spectrum of colours, vibrant and singing that the city is alive. Teflon glass Around the Hotel3 Burj Al Arab used 70,000 m³ of concrete and over 9000 tons of steel (Media Fact File, 2013). State-of-the-art engineering came into play when the building was being constructed; 250 columns supported the mega structure that went 45 m deep in the sea. The columns get the strength from sand friction, a natural way of making the building stronger. Other options could have been used but this was professionalism that made them use innovative and environment friendly ways to construct the structure. The company Wet Design took the job of creating water works displayed at the entrance of the hotel. A spectacular 20,000 L of water and fire propellers are used to create orchestra of water and fire to welcome the guests. The Arab architectural designs have always been fascinated by fire and water with the most fundamental and humans on earth. The giant fire propellers spit non-toxic propane gas into the air that creates mystical illusion reflected in the glass walls. Khuan Chew, of KCA International designed its interior. She faced an extreme challenge when the Shaikh asked her to decorate the atrium. Originally she had left it white, projecting the simplicity. Change is always good, however, a constructive change needs to consider the existing contexts (Nicol & Pilling, 2005, p. 40). Her idea was to let the architectural design speaks for itself however the Shaikh wasnt impressed. To achieve expertise is to embrace the challenge and not just differentiate from others, it is a full-time commitment to rise uniquely in the market (American Institute of Architects, 2011). For this reason Chew took the challenge and impressed the Shaikh with the atrium; Atrium at Burj Al Arab4 Creating luxurious interior is probably easier than creating an environment that truly reflects the Arab culture. The concept of the hotel is not to isolate it from the rest of the city it needs to incorporate the essence of Dubai. For this reason every floor and wall in the hotel speaks volumes of the Dubai’s hospitality. The hotel interior design was supposed to decide unanimously that no one in the world can come near to the Arab hospitality. The interiors of the hotel are vibrant alive and captivating. The four elements earth fire air and water have been used as the theme of the hotel. How could Chew forget about the Arabs fascination with water considering the desert land that they live in. For this reason the famous cascade waterfall pleases the eyes of the guests as they rise in the escalators. The use of fibre optics, atomized water and bright lights create a kaleidoscopic effect. There is not a single dull moment in Burj al Arab. As the elevator takes action the visitors see the water and fog flow-through the glass and the choreographed water moves along the stone filled steps. The fascination with water is not only limited to fountains and-water-light displays. There are three large aquariums in the hotel. Two of them are situated on each side of the main lobby. The circular tank in the Al Mahara restaurant keeps over 50 species of sea life. The hotel also holds the worlds highest atrium built at 180 m above sea level. The atmosphere is perfectly warm. It is flanked by golden columns and a central fountain shoots water up to 42 m high into the air creating a magical atrium. To make sure that the Burj Al Arab is lit as a beacon of the countrys progress, over 28,000 light fixtures are installed in the hotel. The finest materials from all over the world are used in decorating the interior. Marble from Brazil, custom-made carpets from India, doors made of fine wood from Dubai, and chandeliers from the UK. It was professional engineering met with ethical vision and design to build the hotel. Statutario marble is the rarest in the world. It has been extensively used in the floors and walls of the hotel. Michelangelo used this same marble when he was creating his sculpture masterpieces. The interior designers used over 30 different kinds of marbles throughout the hotel that covers over 24,000 m², of which 10,000 m² is used to adorn the smooth floor of suites while over 13,000 m² is used for public areas. Goldleaf has also been extensively used in the decoration of the hotel. In fact 1790 m squares goldleaf has been used to adorn the interior (Media Fact File, 2013).. The goldleaf is pure 24 carat. And 43,446 m² of glass has been used in constructing the structure (Media Fact File, 2013). The hotel has 28 double stories that hold 202 luxury duplexes of awe-inspiring standard. The duplex suites have dimensions ranging from 170 m² to an amazing 780 m² (Media Fact File, 2013). All of these suites have been packed into the hotel so that it holds 142 single bedroom suites, 28 two-bedroom suites, 18 suites with panoramic view, four suites specific for clubs, six suites for diplomatic use, and two suites each for presidential and Royal guests (Media Fact File, 2013). And architects professionalism demands that they interact with their immediate peers and supervisors in person (Demkin, 2008, p. 149). The face-to-face meeting saves time, it rules out any misinterpretation of the message. At each step of development the architects and engineers work with it interior designers and electrical engineers make sure the luxurious concept of the hotel is never compromised. The interiors of Burj al Arab have been designed to make sure that the guests enjoy prime luxury moments. The entire 25th floor holds only two Royal suites. There is a grand entrance that leads to them. The marble and gold staircase leads the guests up to the magnificent hall. There are two levels specified for the suites. There is an accompanying private cinema, a four poster rotating canopy and area for entertainment. The study area is equipped with the latest business technology. The interiors of all the rooms are equipped with the latest technology. Each guest can customize the surroundings the environment of the room with just a click of the button. Each guest can enjoy the view of the Arabian Gulf, why the curtains are electronically controlled. Each guest can enjoy videos movies and TV channels on a 42 inch screen. They also enjoy a laptop equipped with the latest software it gives them to use on demand and a wireless Internet. Theres a swimming pool, a library, a private beach, and amphitheatre, a spa and a health club, a Wild Wadi Water Park and many more. It is often said that the dream of faith designer is the nightmare of an engineer. Probably the construction of this building offers the best example of this quote. Steele has been used extensively for its durability as well as its flexibility. Over 10,000 m² of Teflon glass has been used with 80,000 m² of cladding (Nathan, 2006). The team had to deliver what was expected of them, supreme engineering. Observing moral standards in architectural design is essential and architectural engineering must confirm to professional ethics (Naziddizagi et al., 2011). After seeing the Burj al Arab the visitors can imagine what the rest of Dubai holds for them in terms of business opportunities, entertainment, luxury and tourism in general. Hence the professionalism speaks for itself what the Shaikh envisioned the architects delivered. Anyone interested in Dubai’s culture and wants to experience Arab hospitality will definitely consider visiting the Burj Al Arab. The matter of professionalism arises when the task at hand is examined from the perspective whether it has confirmed to the instructions. Whether it has live up lived up to its expectations or not. Has Burj al Arab been successful in becoming the icon of the UAE? The designing and construction teams have poured their hard work their ingenious methodology into the project. The speed with which they constructed this marvel shows their dedication and professionalism. Professional practice in Burj Arab construction required details incorporating the atmosphere surrounding and other factors that designers and engineers needed to take in consideration before construction. These factors include (Wakita & Linde, 1999, p. 21); seismic activity Sun Wind Fire drastic temperature changes All these factors were taken into consideration. The architects, the engineers, the designers and the contractors, all work in coherence. The architect’s code prohibits the professionals from creating differences between related fields like engineering, planning or painting, this should be resisted (Piotrowski & Robinson, 2001, p. 84). For this reason when this job of pulling heavy pieces of building materials from closest steel factory to the construction site arose the contractor embraced this challenge (Dubai Videos, 2013). . The question of professionalism also arises when the promote the hotel there is always a concern as to what kind of attractions should they offer been there attracting visitors to their city the extra luxurious items girls booze entertainment which will strongly compromise the image of the Arab world or to give the true picture which represents modesty taking pride in their culture, family values and the adherence to religion. But theres a strong belief that people would love to visit the hotel and respect the Arab culture more after visiting the place. Despite offering the luxury the visitors and tourists understand that they are welcome in the city and the luxuries have been customized to make them feel at home this is the true Arab hospitality they do not mould visitors into their culture they welcomed them in their own aura and understand their freedom. The helipad in the hotel is constructed at 212 m above sea level (Media Fact File, 2013). A lavish restaurant, known as the Sky Restaurant (Muntaha in Arabic), extends out from the other side, opposite to the helipad, where the restaurant oversees the ocean. It is supported by cantilever structure (Nathan, 2006). Burj al Arab Helipad5 Buildings and other structural designs can contribute to the green architecture, this system depends on its longevity among many factors. The buildings that are adaptive to its users achieve long-life (Fox, 2012, p. 83). Burj Al Arab has been designed for a very long period of time. The structure rests on strong rods, dug deep into sand. The harsh coastal winds are countered by hanging a weight at different vulnerable spots (Dubai Videos, 2013). When the building vibrates, the hanging weights balance them due to their counter motion. Hence longevity has been achieved. The ethics and rationalism test engineers and designers. When they are put to the test where they have to build something iconic, considering the culture and vision of the mastermind, ethics give their design a direction and perspective. Dubai already had a booming business, Burj Al Arab was a test of rebuilding the city and the nation, which the designers have achieved comfortably. In modern architecture practices the integrated practice is more successful in the modern settings as compared to the treatment traditional practice (American Institute of Architects, 2011). During the construction phase of the hotel there was an incident when the electricity supply to the site was immensely increased due to the increase in power supply to the rooms. The electrical engineer faced a new threat because due to overload the wires could have faced harmonic disruption (Dubai Video, 2013), causing hotel fire. This effect was countered by sending an inverse current which is an actual mirror opposite of the one creating the disturbance, and hence it nullifies the effect. This technology was used at this massive scale for the first time in history. Nothing exists in isolation, there is always some relevance, at least a connection to an idea. Which is why, architecture is called the social art (Wasserman et al., 2000, p. 41). The architects could not have accomplished the hotel without confirming to social relevance. But, no matter how brilliant the idea, it has to serve a purpose. Burj Al Arab serves its purpose successfully due to the professionalism and adherence to architectural ethics of engineers, architects, contractors and even the less talked about labourers. References 1) American Institute of Architects. 2011. The Architecture Student’s Handbook of Professional Practice. John Wiley & Sons. 2) American Institute of Architects. 2011. The Architects Handbook of Professional Practice. John Wiley & Sons. 3) Atkins Architects. 2011. Atkins: Architecture and Urban Design: Selected and Current Works 2011. Mulgrave: Image Publishing. 4) Delancey, C. 2004. Architecture can Save the World: Building and Environmental Ethics. The Philosophical Forum. 35(2). p. 147-159. 5) Demkin, J. A. 2008. The Architects Handbook of Professional Practice. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons. 6) Fox, W. 2012. Ethics and the Built Environment. London: Routledge. 7) Images Publishing. 2001. International Architecture Yearbook 7. Mulgrave: Images Australia Private Limited. 8) Kerns, A. 2010. Seven Wonders of Architecture. Minneapolis: Twenty First Century Books. 9) Laguex, M. 2004. Ethics versus Aesthetics in Architecture. The Philosophical Forum. Volume 35 (2). p. 117-133. 10) Levine, M. P., Miller, K. & Taylor, W. 2004. Introduction: Ethics and Architecture. The Philosophical Forum. 35(2). p. 103-115. 11) Media Fact File. 2013. Burj al Arab - The Worlds Most Luxurious Hotel. Burj al Arab Jumeirah. Accessed February 26, 2014 Retrieved from www.jumeirah.com 12) Naziddizagi, S. Vafamehr, M. & Keshtkar, A. 2011. Ethics in Architecture. Ethics in Science & Technology. 5(3). p. 105-114. 13) Nicol, D. & Pilling, S. 2005. Changing Architectural Education: Towards a New Professionalism. Taylor & Francis. 14) Piotrowski, A. & Robinson, J. W. 2001. The Discipline of Architecture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. 15) Riewoldt, O. 2006. New Hotel Design. London: Lawrence King Publishing. 16) Taylor, W. M. & Levine, M. P. 2012. Prospects for an Ethics of Architecture. Abingdon: Routledge. 17) Vee, C. & Skitmore, C. 2003. Professional ethics in the construction industry. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, Vol. 10 Iss: 2, pp.117 – 127 18) Wakita, O. A. & Linde, R. M. 1999. The Professional Practice of Architectural Detailing. John Wiley & Sons. 19) Wasserman, B., Sullivan, P. & Palermo, G. 2000. Ethics and Practice of Architecture. NY Avenue: John Wiley & Sons. 20) Dubai Video. 2013. Burj Al Arab-Dubai’s Dream Place-Mega Structures. YouTube. Accessed February 26, 2014 Available online [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGzSNZudEHw#!] Read More