Aldar's new headquarters at Al Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi

Property developer Aldar's new headquarters building in Abu Dhabi sits at the heart of one of the Middle East's biggest single developments – the £13 billion Al Raha Beach project. The iconic, fully glazed structure is completely circular in elevation and curved in all other directions. It also features an external steel diagrid, recognised to be the first such structure in the United Arab Emirates. This paper describes the complex engineering design and construction of the building, which was completed in just 33 months.