Major milestones for Saadiyat Island

Created around an eco-sensitive philosophy, Saadiyat Island has the potential to transform Abu Dhabi into the cultural capital of the Middle East. But, that’s not all. In an exclusive interview, Rebecca Goozee sits down with Andrew Seymour, TDIC’s Director of Infrastructure, to find out how the project is progressing.

In 2004, the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority commissioned the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) to transform Saadiyat Island into a world-class leisure, residential, business and tourist centre of global proportions, while maintaining an environmentally sensitive philosophy. The 27-square kilometre sandflat, 500 metres off the north coast of Abu Dhabi, will be developed around seven distinctive districts and feature 29 hotels, three marinas with mooring for 1000 yachts, a culture and arts hub, two golf courses and 19 kilometres of beach front.

Seen as one of the most important development opportunities in Abu Dhabi’s history, Saadiyat Island has the potential to change the UAE capital into more than simply one of the world’s largest producers of oil, ushering in a new era of economic transition for the emirate. “Saadiyat Island is a captivating natural island in the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf, revealing a world of leisure experiences within unspoiled beaches, signature sports facilities and unrivalled cultural attractions,” says Andrew Seymour, TDIC’s Director of Infrastructure, responsible for the delivery and development co-ordination of the core infrastructure elements of the company’s projects.

Infrastructure development
With a project as big as Saadiyat Island, covering 27 square kilometres, Seymour explains that the most challenging aspects of construction have been the logistics and the co-ordination of the various contractors on site. “During the last two years, we have been hydraulically filling the island with 52 million cubic metres of sand in order to form some topography and allow us to make the highway more aesthetically attractive, by hiding it within a valley. Co-ordinating this filling while constructing bridges and tunnels has been extremely challenging,” he admits.

Named as one of the world’s top 10 emerging destinations by the Wall Street Journal, the TDIC insist the outstanding status of the project is all down to well-planned infrastructure. In fact, 2009 is set to see significant progress on the island, which is due for final completion in 2018. Extensive infrastructure development, including storm water drainage, sewerage systems, an electrical grid station and a water supply and a reservoir system are all progressing on schedule with rolling completion dates from now through September. “In 2009, Saadiyat Island will go on to achieve several key milestones,” confirms Seymour. “Towards year end, the 10-lane Saadiyat Bridge and Saadiyat Link will open to the public, and we will also be well underway with the early works for the museums and major infrastructure installation in several of our other districts on Saadiyat Island.”

In 2008, much progress was made on road infrastructure with the 1.4 kilometre 10-lane Saadiyat Bridge, one of Abu Dhabi’s largest infrastructure projects in itself, currently on track with 80 percent of works completed. In fact, one lane of the bridge is currently open, connecting Abu Dhabi and Saadiyat Island for the very first time. However, only onsite construction vehicles are able to access the new bridge and use it at present, until September when the bridge opens fully.

A central reserve platform for light rail is also being constructed and is set for completion in the last quarter of 2009. Also, the Mind Road, which connects with the Corniche and leads to Saadiyat Bridge from Abu Dhabi itself is being converted from a one lane by one lane to a three by three lane roadway. Widening of this road will be complete in September and is due to coincide with the opening of the bridge.

The arterial roadway on the island itself will comprise of the Saadiyat Bridge as well as the Saadiyat Link, a 6.5 kilometre 10-lane highway stretching across the island and connecting the western part of the island with the north-eastern part, serving as the main thoroughfare on the island and creating a direct road between downtown Abu Dhabi, Yas Island and Abu Dhabi International Airport. The main interchange of the link will comprise of multiple flyovers and tunnels to allow efficient traffic flow for both visitors and residents. The link is currently 65 percent complete and is scheduled to open in September.

Work is also well underway on the three tunnels and seven bridges on the island, including a 180 metre wide land bridge that is being designed to blend into the landscape. The twin 1200mm diameter water pipes that cross the Abu Dhabi Channel and connect Saadiyat to the main water network, were completed in February, while a 1600mm island wide crossing that will transport water across the island to the reservoir are under construction and set for completion in May.

With so much work underway on the island it is clear that Seymour has a lot on his plate, but he certainly isn’t letting it faze him. In fact, he presses the fact that quality is of uppermost important over speed. “It’s a balance between both,” says Seymour. “We do have tight deadlines, but as an owner, quality is the most important element. We make sure that our stakeholders are involved in the design stage and not simply on site.”

As well as working with the stakeholders the Saadiyat Island project has required TDIC to work with a number of sub-contractors, so how does the TDIC ensure that these sub-contractors have the same standards for quality? “We have very stringent design guidelines to ensure all sub-developers understand the responsibilities of developing on Saadiyat,” replies Seymour. “There are measures in place for TDIC to monitor their performance and ensure that they abide by the requirements. To date, everyone has been supportive of these and the general feeling is that they all want to be part of this process because they know and understand that we are creating something special for Abu Dhabi and the UAE. 

“My firm belief is that good common sense needs to prevail when dealing with project management. The most important and innovative approach is making sure that the construction and engineering teams work together to a common goal. Everyone working on Saadiyat Island has the latest tools and software, but there is no substitute for teamwork and common sense.”

Cultural developments
And teamwork is indeed important when considering that Saadiyat Island consists of seven alternative districts, all catering to different audiences. The island districts are Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Beach, Saadiyat Marina, Saadiyat Reserve, Saadiyat Promenade, Saadiyat Lagoons and Saadiyat Retreat. At the heart of the island will be the cultural district, the single largest art development project in the world: a three square kilometre cultural district, made up of five art institutions – the Guggenheim Modern Art Museum, designed by Frank Gahry, the Maritime Museum by Tadao Ando, the Sheikh Zayed National Museum by London-based Foster+Partners, Jean Nouvel’s Lourve Abu Dhabi and Zaha Hadid’s Performing Arts Centre.

With US$1 billion budgeted for each square kilometre it becomes clear that Abu Dhabi is looking to put itself on the cultural map. The iconic new buildings will be huge, the Guggenheim alone covers 323,000 square feet with the design echoing the original Spanish museum with a shimmering metallic exterior of cubes, cones and blocks, concealing four stories of central galleries, set around a courtyard. And Nouvel’s Louvre, which cost the emirate UK£320 million for the use of the name alone, will be a micro-city covered by an enormous floodlit dome.

But the cultural and arts hub is not all that Saadiyat Island has to offer, the development is multi-faceted and will also include a buzzing business hub for international commerce, a relaxed waterfront home and a beachfront destination. The Saadiyat Beach district will host nine five-star highly landscaped resorts along with some of the most prestigious and well respected hotel brands such as St Regis, Park Hyatt and Rotana, all located on a stunning stretch of beachfront. The district will also be home to the championship gold course designed by Gary Player, the first in the Arabian Gulf with several beach-front holes. 

“The iconic landmarks that make up the Cultural District such as Zayed National Museum, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and Louvre Abu Dhabi make Saadiyat Island an iconic development not only in Abu Dhabi but the UAE. The region’s first ocean golf course, Saadiyat Beach Golf Course, designed by the world’s renowned Golf legend Gary Player will also be one of the major attractions on the island, in addition to 5 star hotels and coastal community living,” says Seymour.

Sustainable development
It was emphasised from the outset that TDIC were required to be environmentally sensitive to the Saadiyat Island project. Seymour believes that TDIC’s vision, created by His Highness Sheikh Zayed over the last 40 years and continued by His Highness President Sheikh Khalifa, has been remarkable in driving sustainable development. “It has been done with both the environment and the sustainability as major drivers for the development. At TDIC we are committed to continue with this vision as part of our core values.”

Seymour goes on to explain that the impact that sustainable developments have on the infrastructure itself is little to not at all if the project is planned carefully and if the considerations are not planned for they can easily be overlooked or destroyed. “We are carefully addressing all of our utility needs and loads on Saadiyat Island,” he says. “Where possible we are challenging the parameters that have been set in the past to see if we can improve on them. Water and electricity usage in particular are our primary focuses to ensure that we act responsibly.

“We will completely re-use all sewage for plant growth in the public realm, we have the largest mangrove nursery in the world, in which we have planted over 400,000 mangroves. These will be used to plant in our wetlands area and will re-vitalise this natural habitat that has been affected by development in Abu Dhabi in the past.”

Looking forward
There is no doubt that Saadiyat Island will be a spectacular development, incorporating residential, commercial and leisure aspects to become a truly desirable area. And although the island is not due for completion until 2018, the infrastructure that will be in place by the end of this year will be a fantastic showcase for what the island has to offer.

The seven districts of Saadiyat Island
Cultural District
The artistic soul of Saadiyat, home to architectural icons like Sheikh Zayed Museum, the Louvre and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi

Saadiyat Marina
Saadiyat Marina will be the island’s commercial heart, featuring upscale hotels, apartments, restaurants, boutiques and clubs. All positioned on an ultramodern business bay

Saadiyat Beach
This pristine nine-kilometre stretch of natural beach is a luxury leisure and resort space. Home to the Gary Player-designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, fronting the stunning Arabian Gulf.

Saadiyat Promenade
A colourful, downtown waterfront for families and young couples. A vibrant mix of homes, hotels, shops, cafes and restaurants, all linked by boardwalks and a stunning beachfront

Saadiyat Lagoons
The laidback home of modern home living, where the splendour of Saadiyat’s tidal lagoon system invites a leisurely boating lifestyle

Saadiyat Reserve
A rich environment of lush mangrove sanctuaries and free-flowing waterways dotted with luxury homes, boutique hotels and a tidal golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones II

Saadiyat Retreat
Nestled on the most secluded point of the island, Saadiyat Retreat will be a tranquil haven of luxury homes, boutique waterfront resorts and specialist spa retreats

Saadiyat Island in numbers
52 million cubic square metres of sand have been used to form topography
400,000 mangroves have been re-planted
Moorings for 1000 yachts
The expected completion date is 2018
29 hotels
19 kilometres of beachfront
Named as one of the top 10 emerging destinations in the world
3 marinas
2 golf courses

The Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is expected to open up the Arabian Gulf’s first ‘ocean’ course later this year. Operated by Troon Golf, the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club has been designed to incorporate a distinguished practice range, as well as a Golf Academy and an iconic clubhouse. As one of Gary Player’s signature gold courses he has been to identify the natural assets of Saadiyat Island as being integral to helping him design, mould and shape a course that weaves in and out of surrounding developments, exposing open tees to the waterfront.