Gensler is proud to present its completed architectural design for a mixed-use development in Kuwait City consisting of three distinct components, an office tower, the new five-star Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya and a connecting podium.

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Photography: Hufton+Crow
Taking inspiration from the culture of the region, the design concept was developed around a regional architectural tradition ? the ?mashrabiya?, an element of traditional Arabic architecture that sees windows enclosed with latticework ? a technique that has been used since the Middle Ages to provide shade and privacy while maintaining views. A key design driver was to develop a building envelope that was both efficient and iconic, related to Arabic architecture whilst embodying a novel approach to reducing the effects of the high ambient temperatures and intense solar radiation that characterize the local environment. Photography: Hufton+Crow
The resulting design reinterprets this tradition, presenting a contemporary take on traditional patterns and forms, via a three-dimensional lattice in various scales and locations across the development. The diamond pattern of the lattice provides solar control for the building...