Saadiyat Beach Golf Club unveils Frank Gehry designed clubhouse
TOURISM Development & Investment Company (TDIC), the Abu Dhabi-based master developer of Saadiyat Island and its Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, has unveiled plans for a Frank Gehry-designed clubhouse – the world-renowned architect’s first golf-related project.
As the centrepiece for the stunning Gary Player-designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Course - the Arabian Gulf’s first and only beachfront course - the 18,000 sq m clubhouse will boast unique design statements, which incorporate Saadiyat Island’s stunning natural beauty, to create an instantly recognisable international landmark.
The clubhouse - designed to meet Estidama regulations, the Abu Dhabi-specific building sustainability methodology - is scheduled to be completed in 2013. TDIC will put the project out to tender later this year.
“We wanted someone who could push design boundaries to create visual architecture that makes bold statements. Frank Gehry ticks that box emphatically,” said Ahmed Hussein, COO of TDIC and deputy director general, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.
“A truly world-class course, designed by the world’s most successful golfer of all time, in the heart of one of Arabia’s most breathtaking natural settings, deserves an outstanding clubhouse that sets the benchmark globally.
“Gehry’s unique design philosophy will form the centrepiece of this spectacular project and will serve to reinforce Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a sought-after destination on the international golfing map.”
The Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, with its first-of-its-kind clubhouse, gives a significant boost to the United Arab Emirates capital’s credentials as a top-tier sports and cultural destination of distinction and builds on the emirate’s growing portfolio of iconic architectural designs, which includes Zayed National Museum, designed by Lord Norman Foster, Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by Jean Nouvel and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, designed by Frank Gehry.
The utilisation of space was a key facet in the clubhouse’s design and careful consideration has been given to blend indoor and outdoor settings. Harnessing Saadiyat Island’s striking landscapes, Gehry has opted to emphasise large terraces with sweeping glass canopies to maximise visitor viewing opportunities of the surrounding landscape.
The clubhouse, which overlooks the scenic Arabian coastline, will include a boutique hotel with 26 deluxe rooms, two restaurants, a spa and a pro-shop.
“We are just at the beginning of the detailed design of the clubhouse and are very pleased with the progress thus far. The design is intended to be an ephemeral mirage floating above the greens,” said Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning Gehry.
The Saadiyat Beach Golf Club got its global public debut with the staging of the Saadiyat Beach Classic hosted by Gary Player – a top-tier international charity tournament which attracted leading international golfing names and celebrities from the world of sport.
Leading the star-studded player field was golfing prodigy and world number 11, Rory McIlroy – who finished third in the recent 5th annual Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. He was joined by a wealth of other respected golf names including Sam Torrance OBE, Darren Clarke, Peter Mitchell, Costantino Rocca, Catriona Matthe, Melissa Reid, Maria Verchenova and Henrietta Zuel.
The Classic also boasted rugby’s Gavin Hastings and Victor Matfield, cricket’s Allan Lamb and BBC Sports News presenter, Sarah Stirk.
Gary Player, arguably the most successful golfer of all time and designer of more than 300 courses worldwide, believes the addition of a Gehry-inspired clubhouse to Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, in addition to the staging of the classic, will be critical factors in the project’s and the emirate’s realisation of establishing themselves as highly-sought after golf and leisure destinations.
“Frank Gehry is one of the living, iconic architects of our time and to have an instantly recognisable structure, in the Guggenheim-style, as a clubhouse will be a world first. There is no doubt Abu Dhabi has arrived as a major force on the international golfing scene and will continue to be a future magnet for the sport’s leading players and avid fan base globally,” said Player, who has 18 Majors to his name.
“The Saadiyat Beach Classic marked the development’s final evolution of becoming a highly-sought after golfing destination. It should serve as an inspiration to others around the world and, more importantly, will provide another important platform for younger generations to connect with the sport, a key facet in golf’s continuing development in the region.”
At the centre of the classic was an 18-hole tournament, where teams of four – including a top international golfer or celebrity – battled it out on Saadiyat Beach Golf Club’s lush fairways and greens.
Five charities, local and international, have been identified as beneficiaries for the Saadiyat Beach Classic, which are the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs; Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation; Red Crescent UAE; Future Centre for Special Needs and the Gary Player Foundation. A proportion of the proceeds will also go to aiding victims of the recent Haiti earthquake and to assist with the growing relief efforts.
Results:
First place: Team Rory Mcllroy
Team score of - 27
Pavan Nihalani
Kory Thompson
Ashok Galagotia
Second place: Team Darren Clarke
Team score - 17 based on back nine count back
Hans Olbertz
Deano Hopewell
Mohamed Toki
Third place: Team Peter Mitchell
Team score of - 17 lost out on back nine count back with Darren Clarke's Team
Faisal Al Sheikh
James Bowring
Tariq Al Sowaidi
Longest drive ladies: Sarah Stirk
Longest drive men: Barry Richards
Nearest the pin: Darren King