Photo Courtesy: CRTKL

The world is looking to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region today as the results of the Africa & Arabia Property Awards 2022-23 are announced and new benchmarks are set for design and development.

CRTKL, a global cultural agency specializing in architecture, planning and design, has won two major awards for mixed-use architecture and multi-residential architecture categories for Saadiyat Grove and Central Park at City Walk, respectively. The global firm is being celebrated for its pioneering design solutions that are changing the way we think about mixed-use and multi-residential developments.

Whether at a city or building scale, true to all CRTKL projects is the consideration given to experience, sustainability, and connectivity. These projects consider those that will inhabit them first and the design innovations that will enhance their quality of life and enrich their day-to-day. Where three renowned museums stood, a dynamic cultural district has been created with residential, commercial and entertainment quarters that blend the best of all offerings.

Obada Adra, Associate Principal at CRTKL said: “Saadiyat Grove and Central Park at City Walk exemplify our commitment to designing a more climate-positive, equitable, and inspiring future. We are so proud to see them recognized as best in category examples of architecture today.”

“These accolades are a testament to the courage and collaboration of our clients Aldar Properties and Meraas, which gave us the opportunity to show just how impactful a performance-driven design process can be on our cities, on the people that inhabit them, and on the planet, they have historically compromised.”

Saadiyat Grove, for example, is more than a 15-minute city. This is the prototype of the future mixed-use neighborhood where the tension between live, work, and play is removed, and the pedestrian experience is heightened with design solutions that combat the urban heat island effect.

Here, the design process for high-performance envelopes is being tested with low-carbon solutions and passive strategies. These strategies include shade, air movement, evaporative cooling, thermal mass with embedded pipes, and green surfaces are proposed to improve outdoor comfort. Together, they improve occupant experience and thermal comfort in the courtyards.

The emphasis on green space continues at Central Park at City Walk, where CRTKL sought to create homes that exceeded the design and sustainability standards. Every resident at Central Park at City Walk there is more open green space, for every family, more opportunities for outdoor play, for every hybrid worker more amenities to support new ways of working.

The Africa & Arabia Property Awards are judged by an independent panel of more than 90 industry experts. Judging focuses on design, quality, service, innovation, originality, and commitment to sustainability. The Awards are in their 29th year and cover more than 45 different residential and commercial categories. Regional heats are staged for Arabia, Europe, Africa, Canada, Central & South America, the Caribbean, USA, UK and Asia Pacific.