Arcapita Headquarters

Bahrain Bay, Bahrain

Photo © Andreas Keller

Photo © Andreas Keller, Altdorf

Engineers: Werner Sobek – Engineering, Design & Sustainability

Location: Bahrain Bay, Bahrain
Year: 2009
Architecture: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, New York/USA
Services by Werner Sobek: Structural engineering (schematic design, design development and review of construction documents)
Client: Bahrain Bay Development B.S.C., Bahrain

The Arcapita headquarters is one of the centerpiece designs in the Bahrain Bay development in Manama, Bahrain. The main building is a cuboid floating 15 m above the ground level and main entrance area. The cuboid stands on two cores; its measurements are 135 m (in longitudinal) by 40 m (in cross direction). The total height of the building is approx. 25 m. Between the ground level and the cuboid exists a concrete wave, which forms the column-free foyer of the building on ground floor level. There is one level of basement parking underneath the building, penetrated by the cores and wave structure.