GCC Heads of State Conference
Construction of a Lobby Extension for the Heads of States Annual Summit at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Project Overview
Fast-track construction of a new Ballroom Lobby Extension and other associated works in preparation for the 2000 Gulf Co-operation Council Heads of States Annual Summit at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel (formerly Le Royal Meridien Hotel). With a built-up area of 1,700m2, the scope included the complete renovation of existing ballrooms, facilities and royal/executive suites for the six Heads of States attending the summit, as well as an extension to incorporate a new shopping arcade (320m2) with all associated civil, mechanical, electrical and interior decoration works. The project was executed whilst the hotel remained fully operational in a record time of 8 months.
The extension to the existing hotel building for the new Ballroom Lobby required the demolition of the existing canopy, entrance lobby, joint corridor and external façade. Construction involved piling and vibro-stone compaction, a steel and concrete structure, glazed aluminium curtain walling, a hollow-core slab roof and waterproofing. The structure required the fabrication and erection of 200 tonnes of steelwork.
The extensive interior decoration and renovation works for the Ballroom Lobby, Al Noor Conference Ballroom, Al Ghazal Ballroom, Amiri Suite, joint corridor, rest rooms and wash areas, were to the highest specification standards for quality and workmanship. These included fabric wall coverings, gold leaf finishes, specialist sky-effect and marbleizing paint works, exclusive etched glass designs, ceiling mounted skylights, new custom-made ironmongery, marble wall and floor finishes, parquet floors, broadloom carpets with custom-made designs, bronze cornices and tiles, extensive gypsum ceilings and cornices, Moroccan ceiling and zelliges wall finishes, bespoke joinery installations and mahogany wood finishes in doors, sliding panels, fixed panels, musharabias and Moroccan style doors, re-polishing, re-varnishing and re-upholstery works to various elements.
The 6 Royal and 12 Executive Suites were completely renovated. Works involved the removal of all floor and wall finishes; the installation of new parquet floors, broadloom carpets, paper and fabric wall finishes; sliding lacquered-paint musharabiyas; re-upholstery of existing furniture, re-decoration of existing joinery, re-polishing of wall and floor marble; gold leaf works. Sourcing, importing and installation of furniture, fittings and equipment for the suites and ballroom lobby, such as electrically operated roman blinds, sofas, armchairs tables, light fittings, curtains, etc., were undertaken by GPZ.
The broad range of external works consisted of the construction of new covered car parking for 121 cars, a new granite floor to the hotel’s existing main entrance, column cladding and a new Alpolic suspended ceiling at the main entrance, a shade structure at the main gate, causeway improvement works, modification to the existing road in front of the ballroom lobby extension, a drivers’ pavilion attached to the main building, exterior repainting of the four existing staff accommodation blocks and landscaping preparation works.
GPZ’s MEP Division carried out the complete design and installation of mechanical services, in addition to the design, procurement of equipment, installation and commissioning of the air-conditioning system, which was carried out in only 5 months. Individual air handling units were provided for the main lobby, lounge, Majlis and meeting room, with temperature and humidity control for each area. Stand-alone DDC outstations, integrated into the existing BMS system, were provided to implement control and monitoring functions. Electrical installations included a conference system, dimming system, fibre optic lighting system, power and lighting, external lighting, fountain systems, as well as the extension of the fire alarm system, CCTV system, and public address/music systems.
