The Abu Dhabi team moved into their new office, taking up residence in the stunning Aldar HQ building, designed by MZ Architects.
Andrew Covill, Director at Henry Wiltshire Abu Dhabi, commented on the move:
“Henry Wiltshire buy and sell residential property in stunning buildings and great locations around the world. I feel that working from Aldar HQ in Abu Dhabi shows how much we value ground-breaking architecture and I’m sure it will inspire our clients as well!”
The building
Aldar HQ opened in 2010, providing office space, retail units and great facilities for those who work in this unique circular building. HQ is located on the city’s sea front, with fantastic views across the water and the dramatically changing landscape as it is located at the epicentre of the new master plan that is Al Raha Beach. Well-used space accommodates nearly 62,000 square metres of offices, while the glass facades make for a light and airy building. Henry Wiltshire’s office will occupy a retail unit on the lower ground floor with direct views over the waterways which wind around the complex.
Mr Covill add, “We are fitting out the unit to a very high standard in order to offer not just a functional office but a welcoming lounge. Clients will be able to visit us and inspect plans or models of the properties we offer for sale from around the world. We are delighted to be located at the foot of this iconic building which forms the centrepiece of Al Dana, the forthcoming business district of Al Raha Beach, which in turn is at the centre of the whole new 11 kilometre stretch of development which will house 120,000 people.”
Aldar HQ is not the first round building in the world, but all previous round buildings have had a circular footprint or a dome – Aldar HQ has neither. The architects literally reinvented the wheel, creating a new design of building, consisting of a circle on its side. Two convex facades of glass and steel form the front and back of the building, connected by a narrow band of indented glazing. No photograph can give you a sense of scale: Aldar HQ stands at a massive 110m, more than twice the height of London’s only round (and domed) building, City Hall on the South Bank. Abu Dhabi’s impressive circular building is a triumph of design, engineering, and use of space.
Architecturally, this is a very important building. Nominated for the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat award, and winner of the Best Futuristic Design award from the Building Exchange, it is also (currently) the tallest circular building in the world.
