Tall & Urban News

OMA has unveiled plans for a waterfront residential tower in Kuwait City. The design, led by OMA partners Iyad Alsaka and Reinier de Graaf, consists of five blocks forming a stepped sequence, which modulates from an L-shaped volume to the slab. This structure maximizes occupancy on the lower floors, while optimizing views along the building’s vertical axis. The apartment blocks offer views of both the seafront and the city, and are connected by an exposed, monolithic core.

The scheme, which was revealed by OMA in collaboration with Kuwait-based consultant Pace, was selected ahead of two other competitors in a design contest organized by the Wafra Real Estate Company. The project, named “Wafra Tower,” will be built in the Hessa al Mubarak district along the Kuwait City waterfront. The tower would hold a wide array of apartment typologies, including 1, 2, and 3-bedroom apartments and penthouses, all offering views of the Persian Gulf.

At street level, a plinth accommodates a raised lobby with lounge areas and co-working spaces. Above, the tower’s stepped blocks result in terraces that provide space for sports amenities, a swimming pool, and diwaniyas, which would serve as reception areas for guests. The project was led by project architect Jad Semaan and director-in-charge Adrianne Fisher. Construction is expected to start at the end of 2020, and upon completion, the tower will be OMA’s first built project in Kuwait.

For more on this story, go to Designboom.