In January 2005, after a short stint and orientation working with Planners and Landscape Architects in the Atkins Head Office in Epsom, I headed off with my wife to Manama, the capital city of the Kingdom of Bahrain.  The purpose being to assist the development of the then relatively new project:  The Durrat Al Bahrain resort.  Durrat being a major land development in the remote desert region in the South-West of Bahrain.  

 

Never had I known that the project would undergo considerable changes in such a multi-faceted way, from iterative design changes, to the appoinment of many specialists, and covering a huge range of expertise, including marine engineers and modellers, architects, landscape architects, bridge engineers, PM’s, and many others.  My role was to work as the first full-time on the ground urban planner, initially starting out to consider the potential future development of the mainland, but later to assist the design managers, on a range of  urban planning related issues.

 

My role at Durrat was very much multi-faceted, and I was required to address a range of major tasked  both as urban planner, but also as an urban designer too. 

 

In January, 2005, just shortly after arriving in the office, I was asked to prepare a  PRELIMINARY CONCEPT SKETCHES FOR MASTERPLAN: SEEF FORESHORE, MANAMA, BAHRAIN (CLIENT CONFIDENTIAL).  This comprised an initial 3D design feasibility for the commercial district in north-western Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain comprising: 5-star hotel, Aquapark, 4-star hotel, retail, commercial facilities, & conference centre. Prepared as an initial design concept for a Gulf based client.

 

At the same time I was required to  undertake the major role and task on arrival to Manama: the designed of a land approximately 850 hectares - extra land - on the mainland, and consequently  presented this to the client, demonstrating new land and road configurations, for a mainland sited central mosque between the two bridges facing the Crescent, and pedestrian access and public spaces, including the introduction of a business park and light industry included aimed at taking the development from being a resort, to a Madinat (city).  

 

This was presented to the client as Powerpoint presentation entitled: “DURRAT AL BAHRAIN: URBAN PLANNING CONCEPTS AND MODIFICATION OF MASTERPLAN TO INCLUDE MAINLAND LAND”, From February to March,  2005, I undertook the DURRAT AL BAHRAIN: “SUSTAINABLE CITY” DESIGN CONCEPT: LEISURE RESORT AND ASSOCIATED SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY PARKS”, and the PREPARATION OF A REPORT ON POPULATION AND DENSITY ESTIMATES for appropriate community facilities at Durrat Al Bahrain, and in March 2005, I worked on the further development of a concept plan working closely with the Akins UK developed the Masterplan design options for a potential 880 hectares of extra land at Durrat Al Bahrain. 

 

I also worked on a presentation considering this new land based on the client’s PM’s concept design which entailed significant modification to the existing Masterplan.

 

The major changes considered included: Infill of the canal, creation of a Marina on the north-eastern area of the Golf course, Addition of new land to the north & west of the Golf course area.  This included a series of slides were developed to show various alternative road configurations and subsequent divisions of parcels of land. The new land included west of the Creek area bounded by the new two bridge roundabouts; new land and relocation of the service/utilities area; and relocation of the Central hotel 300 metres to the Crescent shoreline.

 

By April into May, 2005, I prepared and attended mostly alone, meetings with relevant Bahraini Ministries and recording as Minute Memorandums. Meetings with Ministry of Health, Post Office Directorate, Education Ministry Representatives, Islamic Affairs, to establish local community facility requirements. Prepared Minutes as part of information gathering for Atkins, and client.  In June, I prepared an internal discussion Paper on guidelines for the DEVELOPMENT DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR MOSQUES .  The purpose of this was to enable future guidance on the development of Mosques & Prayer-rooms for the resort development.

   

In June, I prepared another powerpoint presentation on entitled: “DURRAT AL BAHRAIN: AN OVERVIEW OF DESIGN EXAMPLES ADDING FURTHER QUALITY TO THE DEVELOPMENT”.  This paper was a study of major Architectural and Planned City Designs that can be used as a learning tool to use as a model for design aspects of the resort development.

 

From July to August, I undertook an ANALYSIS AND SUMMARIES OF THE THREE MARKET STUDIES FORECASTING FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF DURRAT AL BAHRAIN aimed at revising understanding the economic forecast of the demand and supply side of the resort development and to report and advise the client.  At approximately the same time I also undertook a STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF VILLA SALES OF PHASES 1 AND 2 OF ATOLLS for the Durrat Al Bahrain Resort.   In July, I also  worked on the development of density (FAR) and residential type mix modeling based on Clients economic model for Durrat Al Bahrain. Joint work with Atkins UK.  Also in August, I undertook the preparation of  DRAFT DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES FOR THE CRESCENT.  This comprised the development of standards, guidance, procedures and information to the third party investor for the development type, to ensure their compliance with the overall Project Master planning constraints and development guidelines which have been established by Atkins.

 

In September I worked on another MASTER PLAN BID, KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN (CLIENT CONFIDENTIAL).  The development of urban design concept, travelling back to the UK and working with key concept designers in Atkins Epsom UK office. I provided the initial concept design of one of two designs.  By October, I worked on DURRAT SOUTH - MASTER PLAN CONCEPT SKETCHES KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN.  A series of design concept plan for Master Plan Durrat South land development. Development of urban design sketches, and Master Plan layout concept design. Land use to be Complementary to Durrat Al Bahrain; 80% Land Utilisation; High Density; Maximise Views (Cascading of Development; Incorporate Medium Cost Housing (Affordability); and to incorporate retail and, leisure.   At around the same time I worked on a smart city to be based in  KERALA, INDIA (CLIENT CONFIDENTIAL). Preliminary Masterplan concept sketches for a Business Technology Park. Commercial/Retail, Residential, Sports & Recreational Centre, Education/ Hospital to be developed in 2 Phases.

 

By November I worked  a paper and presentation  of BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT: STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTER-REGIONAL ATKINS PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDSCAPE (PEL) BASED IN BAHRAIN. This was an internal report aims to address a gap in strategic or forward planning opportunities within the Middle Eastern context by identifying a means for the development the Establishment of an Inter-regional Atkins Planning, Environment and Landscape (PEL) based in Bahrain.   To finish the 2005 year I worked on:
KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN MAJOR PROJECTS - LOCATION OF DEVELOPMENT STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS STUDY.  This was a Powerpoint outlining the locations of major development projects in the Kingdom. The study considered the strengths and weaknesses of coastal and inland development areas considering the quality of regions, but intended to provide a broad understanding of opportunities and constraints of development in the Kingdom.

 

In the new year 2006 I reviewed and assessed FIVE ARCHITECTURAL / URBAN DESIGN SUBMISSIONS FOR THE DESIGN OF THE CRESCENT on behalf of the Client Manager, and further review of population estimates for the Petals, Atolls and Crescent.

 

My other role while working in Manama, 2005, was as a on-the-ground liaison planner APRIL-AUGUST, 2005.  This project was the BAHRAIN NATIONAL PLANNING DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY PROJECT. LIAISON ROLE.  The role of Atkins on-the-ground [Bahrain] liaison officer providing a co-ordination role between Atkins Epsom staff and Bahrain government authorities, to assist in the collection of environmental and infrastructure data as part of a joint venture with the principal client: USA (& UK) based Skidmore, Owen & Merrill (SOM).

 

After the overturning Dhow accident ion the night of which cost the lives of many of my co-workers, I left Bahrain to take on the role of Civil's Design Coordinator, on Qatar Foundation's Education City.

 

"The al-Dana, sailing off Manama, Bahrain, capsized in the Persian Gulf on March 30, 2006.  As of 0100 UTC on March 31, 67 out of the 150 people on board had been rescued, and 48 have been confirmed dead. Around 40 more are missing. The confirmed dead include 17 Indians and 12 Britons".  [Al-Dana - Wikipedia].