Bee’ah Headquarters

BEEAH Group's new headquarters in Sharjah, UAE, was opened on Wednesday, March 30 by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah.

Powered by its solar array and equipped with next-generation technologies for operations at LEED Platinum standards, the new headquarters has been designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) to achieve net-zero emissions and will be the group’s management and administrative centre that sets a new benchmark for future workplaces.

With their twin-pillared strategy of sustainability and digitalisation, BEEAH Group works across six key industries that include waste management and recycling, clean energy, environmental consulting, education and green mobility.

The headquarters is the latest milestone for BEEAH Group as it continues to pioneer innovations for Sharjah and across the globe, establishing a base of operations for the group to diversify into new, future-critical industries. With their new headquarters, BEEAH demonstrates how technology can scale sustainable impact and ultimately serve as a blueprint for tomorrow’s smart, sustainable cities.

Embodying these principles, the headquarters’ design responds to its environment as a series of interconnecting ‘dunes’ orientated and shaped to optimize local climatic conditions. Embedded within its context of Sharjah’s Al Sajaa desert, the design echoes the surrounding landscape shaped by prevailing winds into concave sand dunes and ridges that become convex when they intersect.

Ensuring all internal spaces are provided with ample daylight and views while limiting the quantity of glazing exposed to the harsh sun, the headquarters’ two primary ‘dunes’ house the public and management departments together with the administrative zone that interconnect via a central courtyard, defining an oasis within the building which is integral to its natural ventilation strategy.

Visitors enter beneath the 15-metre high dome which further enhances natural ventilation and allows passive daylight to enter the building. In addition to the central courtyard and open-plan office, the headquarters incorporates smart meeting rooms, an immersive visitors centre and an auditorium.

The 9,000 sq. m BEEAH Headquarters has sustainability at its core with a high percentage of locally procured materials and is equipped with future-ready technologies to enable operations at LEED Platinum standards with net-zero emissions and minimal energy consumption.

Glass reinforced fibre panels reduce solar gain while slab and glass cooling regulate interior temperatures for optimum comfort. On-site water treatment filtrates waste water to minimise consumption and its solar farm charges Tesla battery packs to meet the building’s energy demand throughout each day and night.

The employee experience includes contactless pathways, a virtual concierge, smart meeting rooms and a companion app that automates day-to-day tasks. The building’s smart management system automatically adjusts lighting and temperature depending on occupancy and time of day. The rooms are also equipped for remote and hybrid work scenarios with powerful collaboration tools.

Manifesting BEEAH’s twin pillars of sustainability and digitalisation, the new headquarters by ZHA is an important achievement for BEEAH Group, signalling its growth from a company founded to proactively tackle environmental issues in Sharjah, UAE, to an international group with businesses in industries that are critical to realising a sustainable future.

Following the 2013 international design competition, Zaha Hadid and her team at Zaha Hadid Architects were commissioned by BEEAH to design their new headquarters that would realise net-zero emissions and be integrated with next generation technologies to achieve a new standard for employee convenience and collaboration.

ZHA delivered the BEEAH Headquarters in collaboration with sustainability engineers and consultants Atelier Ten and Buro Happold, project managers Matthews Southwest, construction contractor Al Futtaim Construction, and MEP engineers Al Futtaim Engineering. Smart building technologies by Microsoft, Johnson Controls and EVOTEQ, a BEEAH Digital venture.

The landscape composition of the Bee’ah headquarters is one that is based on the futuristic dune-like building forms which can also be defined and described as an extension of the building outer layer, a series of dunes are imprinted, wrapped and spread throughout the landscape.

Major landscape activity takes place adjacent to the architecture and is defined by numerous aesthetically functional outdoor spaces. The concept initially stems from the curves and organic forms generated by the wind-water relationship as well as the sand dune formations that make up the desert fabric which result in dynamic above ground prints and patterns.

The visitor is greeted by grand reflective water features that reflect the façade and seem to connect the earth and sky. The tailored landscape consists of an organic grid of pathways that transport the visitor from the main gathering area onto an educational journey from the headquarters, and allows them to walk the landforms created through the reuse of demolition waste collected by the Bee’ah waste management facility.

The function and make-up of these dunes is numerous including the solar dunes carrying photovoltaic canopies that store solar energy and illuminate the project during the evening hours in turn producing vibrant and educational spaces. These engineered dunes which are distinguished by the presence of solar panels on them will be displayed and spread over the unique landscape. This process will help in creating a sustainable system or cycle that will reduce the environmental damage and energy consumption. Moreover, these dunes are a symbol of modern ecological methods and a reflection of sustainable living.

The visitor will also be transported to an amphitheatre area, described as a carved concrete dune which can be used for gatherings, events, and awareness campaigns held by the headquarters. The concrete dunes function as outdoor rooms/functional spaces, shells where educational activities can take place and explanatory projections can be displayed. Other dunes found on site will demonstrate the use of different waste material and landfill mediums including metals, stone, rubber, demolition waste and other mediums collected by Bee’ah are utilized as building material.

During the journey the user is transported along the pedestrian path in both above and below ground shaded spaces and discovers oasis niches distributed across the trail; mini microclimates reminiscent of a desert mirage. The green dunes distributed on the outskirts of the main activity area act as a means of stabilizing the sand dunes; native grass species are planted in order to hinder the dunes from moving against the wind. These green dunes add colour and life to the desert landscape.

Through intervention we aim to activate the site by greening, collecting energy, reusing recycled materials, connecting spaces, and creating vibrant spaces aiming to generate awareness on the importance of sustainability.

The landscape language and treatment reflects practices and principles that are sought after by Bee’ah headquarters aiming to transform thoughts, attitudes and behaviours resulting in positive sustainable growth. This unique landscape will be considered as a landmark for the community of Sharjah and will be used as a precedent and case study for similar future developments.

Note:- These images are just conceptual.