We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the winners of the Honorable mention of our “Abu Dhabi Flamingo Observation Tower ” competition - Pierre Sfeir, Sayed Al Meshqab, Zainab Khalil and Darwin Cavaneyro from France!
Pierre Sfeir, Sayed Al Meshqab, Zainab Khalil and Darwin Cavaneyro from France
Unanime is French architecture and engineering company operating internationally across Europe and the Gulf area. We have offices in Paris, Lyon, Aix-les-Bains and Manama (Kingdom of Bahrain). Each project of ours is different in relation to its surrounding environment; as we do not focus only on the design itself, but we take into consideration the architectural identity correspondent to each geographical location. In the GCC, our activities are led by UNANIME ARCHITECTES GULF, our local subsidiary expert team based in Bahrain and operating in neighboring countries like United Arab Emirates, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The proposal intends to involve users in the surrounding of Al Wathba Wetland Reserve through a continuous, horizontal and vertical journey that blurs the limits between users, the built space and the environment with all of its inhabitants.
The journey is just as important as the tower itself, users can pause and observe anytime on the way to the peak. The circular form offers a 360 degree view to users while reflecting the motion of the natural cycles, wildlife and users movement. Our deep attention to ecological and social fabric led us to propose a traditional palm leaf tapestry rolled and used as cladding: the “Arish”. This has always been a shelter for local population’s ancestors, an important element in Arab desert architectural heritage, and a place that embraced people with all their stories. From this perspective, we seek to bring back the value of old Arish from the past to the present in a modern, ecological way.
What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?
For more than 25 years, we have been mobilizing the skills and knowledge of each of our collaborators to cultivate our everyday work. Architecture for us is first a journey through humanity.
Our Intrepidness: Creativity, originality, relevance. We encourage taking initiative to propose the most suitable and bold projects.
Our Proximity: We strive to develop long-term relationships of trust with our collaborators through listening, exchange and dialogue to understand and translate their requests.
Our Adaptability: We remain attentive to the normative advances, the evolution of technologies, the realities on the ground, and new trends to modify our working methods and tools to anticipate the needs and enrich our performance.
Our Partnerships: Depending on the specific needs of the projects, we collaborate with our partners to strengthen our skills and ensure the merit of our achievements.
Our Environment: Sensitive to sustainable development, we are attentive to solid and viable economic management of our designs to preserve natural resources and limit environmental impacts for the future.
Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?
The challenge, the exposure and the experience. The challenge is to get together and create something that is engaging and appreciated by our peers and architectural enthusiasts alike.
What advice would you give to individuals who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture vision competitions?
We advise all designers to participate in such competitions. It is an opportunity to broaden their horizons and be exposed while challenging themselves into better concepts.
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