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It beat 34 other contractors in a competitive procurement process for the AED2.2bn (£488m) contract, which is the first of AED11bn-worth of construction work packages that Expo 2020 Dubai plans to award this year.
The three Theme Districts will be home to up to 136 pavilions at Expo 2020 Dubai. Legacy is at the heart of the Theme Districts’ designs, with the pavilions due to be converted for mixed use after April 2021.
Expo’s three Theme Districts will be named Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability after the event’s three sub-themes and the design will reflect traditional Dubai architecture.
When Expo 2020 Dubai opens on 20 October 2020, the Theme Districts will be home to pavilions for many of the participating countries, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and commercial partners at Expo. In total, the Theme Districts and the buildings within them will have a floor area of 222,000 square metres.
Ahmed Al Khatib, vice president – real estate at Expo 2020 Dubai said that the award marked an exciting step in the growth of Dubai, both for the six months of the event itself and beyond as the Districts and full Expo site become an integral part of Dubai South’s new development.
“We commenced the construction of the infrastructure last year and are right on track with our plans,” he said. “With the Theme Districts construction award, we are starting the main phase of buildings and construction. All excavation works for the Theme Districts basements have been completed and are ready for the appointed contractor to begin construction.”
He added: “Al Futtaim Carillion has a proven record of successful delivery of buildings and infrastructure projects for the commercial and public sectors in the UAE. Their experience, knowledge and capabilities on major projects qualifies them to undertake the Theme District construction work for Expo 2020 Dubai.
“Contractors were assessed and shortlisted based on their capabilities, their approach towards construction and safety, their proven commitment to quality and timely delivery, their strong supply chain, and equally their ability to deliver sustainable solutions. This matches our intention to obtain the Gold category Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED® Gold certification, which is one of the most popular green building certification programmes used worldwide.”
Al Futtaim Carillion managing director Edmund Mahabir welcomed the announcement. “Expo 2020 Dubai is a landmark project for the UAE as the first World Expo to be held in the Arab world and Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region,” he said. “Al Futtaim Carillion has been operating as a Dubai-based joint venture since 1972. We are very proud to be able to play a role in the construction of the site for Expo 2020 Dubai, a venue that will play an important role in the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the UAE. We’re now mobilising and are excited to be starting work before the end of March.”
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