Construction Week Viewpoint

Construction Week editor, Ashley Williams, sits down with the client director of WSP, Gurminder Sagoo.

Business providing management and consultancy services WSP has launched a campaign around the future of placemaking and society.

Sagoo, who is a qualified town planner with a Masters’ degree in Urban Regeneration talks about how cities work and how they are evolving.

The future of placemaking and society campaign covers six topics – urban spaces, loneliness, multi-use spaces and the well-being of those spaces, how population change impacts that and relevant fundamental smart solutions, Sagoo explains.

Construction Week editor, Ashley Williams, sits down with the client director of WSP, Gurminder Sagoo.

Business providing management and consultancy services WSP has launched a campaign around the future of placemaking and society.

Sagoo, who is a qualified town planner with a Masters’ degree in Urban Regeneration talks about how cities work and how they are evolving.

The future of placemaking and society campaign covers six topics – urban spaces, loneliness, multi-use spaces and the well-being of those spaces, how population change impacts that and relevant fundamental smart solutions, Sagoo explains.

Construction Week editor, Ashley Williams, sits down with the founder and chief executive officer of Contractors Direct, David Cook.

Launched in January 2020, Contractors Direct is a digital startup company that facilitates stakeholders’ access to pre-qualified contractors in the commercial fit-out sector.

Cook talks about the driving idea behind the company, which started as a boutique project management consultancy firm. He stated that Contractors Direct’s aim was to link stakeholders with contractors through a free-of-charge platform, representative of the best value, backed by diligence tests to ensure credibility and enhanced contractor choices.

Contractors Direct aims to “clean up the contractors market” by distinguishing favourable contractors from the unfavourable and “educate the clients on the same by offering a route of new leads."

Construction Week editor, Ashley Williams, sits down with the founder and chief executive officer of Contractors Direct, David Cook.

Launched in January 2020, Contractors Direct is a digital startup company that facilitates stakeholders’ access to pre-qualified contractors in the commercial fit-out sector.

Cook talks about the driving idea behind the company, which started as a boutique project management consultancy firm. He stated that Contractors Direct’s aim was to link stakeholders with contractors through a free-of-charge platform, representative of the best value, backed by diligence tests to ensure credibility and enhanced contractor choices.

Contractors Direct aims to “clean up the contractors market” by distinguishing favourable contractors from the unfavourable and “educate the clients on the same by offering a route of new leads."

Construction Week editor, Ashley Williams, sits down with the owner of V8 Architects Michiel Raaphorst, who is responsible for the design of the Netherlands' Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai site.

Michiel Raaphorst talks about the concept of sustainability built into the design of the Netherlands pavilion, stating that it is "a driver of change in the society that affects all of us."

Raaphorst adds that the key word going forward is "harvesting", as the Expo 2020 is "all about finding answers and inspiration to overcome global challenges." He says that we, as humans, are using a large part of our planet, and we need to restore the balance by producing more and consuming less. This also needs to be backed up by harvesting locally.

He also spoke about recycling the building material that is being used to construct the Netherlands Pavilion.

"This all relates to our Dutch way of civil engineering. We thought that if we are able to rent the locally available building material for the time being, during the six months of the Expo, and after the event, if we give back to the local building industry, then 80% of our construction material is already covered by that," Raaphorst adds.

Construction Week editor, Ashley Williams, sits down with the owner of V8 Architects Michiel Raaphorst, who is responsible for the design of the Netherlands' Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai site.

Michiel Raaphorst talks about the concept of sustainability built into the design of the Netherlands pavilion, stating that it is "a driver of change in the society that affects all of us."

Raaphorst adds that the key word going forward is "harvesting", as the Expo 2020 is "all about finding answers and inspiration to overcome global challenges." He says that we, as humans, are using a large part of our planet, and we need to restore the balance by producing more and consuming less. This also needs to be backed up by harvesting locally.

He also spoke about recycling the building material that is being used to construct the Netherlands Pavilion.

"This all relates to our Dutch way of civil engineering. We thought that if we are able to rent the locally available building material for the time being, during the six months of the Expo, and after the event, if we give back to the local building industry, then 80% of our construction material is already covered by that," Raaphorst adds.

Construction Week editor, Ashley Williams, sits down with Design Infinity's managing partner Geetha Nayak and co-founder of Design Infinity Pratap Mendonca, to talk about its involvement in the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus project in Dubai Silicon Oasis, otherwise known as the DTEC project, and the firm’s plans for 2020.

Nayak began the podcast by talking about how the design aspect of the DTEC project was focused on health and wellbeing, with slides included in the fit-out works for the development.

Mendonca outlined the firm's plans for 2020, which included expanding its operations in Abu Dhabi and exploring opportunities for the Northern Emirates of the UAE.

Construction Week editor, Ashley Williams, sits down with Design Infinity's managing partner Geetha Nayak and co-founder of Design Infinity Pratap Mendonca, to talk about its involvement in the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus project in Dubai Silicon Oasis, otherwise known as the DTEC project, and the firm’s plans for 2020.

Nayak began the podcast by talking about how the design aspect of the DTEC project was focused on health and wellbeing, with slides included in the fit-out works for the development.

Mendonca outlined the firm's plans for 2020, which included expanding its operations in Abu Dhabi and exploring opportunities for the Northern Emirates of the UAE.

Construction Week editor Ashley Williams sits down with deputy editor Anup Oommen to discuss the surge of renewable energy projects coming up across the Middle East.

Some of the projects highlighted were Saudi Arabia-based developer ACWA Power implementing an agreement with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Energy to develop, build, and operate a 240MW wind power project, as well as its major expansion plans across the MENA region.

Other companies focusing on renewable energy developments include Enoc after they opened two service stations in the UAE at Dubai Hills and Lehbab First in the end of 2019, with the facilities being equipped with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof.

Construction Week editor Ashley Williams sits down with deputy editor Anup Oommen to discuss the surge of renewable energy projects coming up across the Middle East.

Some of the projects highlighted were Saudi Arabia-based developer ACWA Power implementing an agreement with Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Energy to develop, build, and operate a 240MW wind power project, as well as its major expansion plans across the MENA region.

Other companies focusing on renewable energy developments include Enoc after they opened two service stations in the UAE at Dubai Hills and Lehbab First in the end of 2019, with the facilities being equipped with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof.