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Gehry makes lavish design statment at Saadiyat clubhouse

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Artist’s impression of the clubhouse

Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), the Abu Dhabi-based master developer of 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.

“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, gives a significant boost to the 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.

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 Saadiyat Beach 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 recently concluded Saadiyat Beach Classic marks the development’s final evolution of becoming a highly-sought after golfing destination.

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