The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), the Number One Bank in the UAE, has appointed Gensler, the leading global architecture and design firm, to design the new NBAD Global Head Office in the heart of the new Abu Dhabi Central Business District on Al Maryah Island. Gensler is providing full design and supervision consultancy services including architecture, interior design, landscape design, engineering and site supervision services.

The new 67,300 square meter, 31-floor, landmark building will be located on a key site within the Al Maryah Master Plan facing both, the waterfront and a main access road. The building primarily accommodates commercial office space while incorporating multiple functions, including hub bank, tower lobbies, trading floors, auditorium, conferencing center and cafeteria.

Al Maryah Island will be the core of Abu Dhabi’s new Central Business District as designated by the Urban Planning Council in its visionary Plan Abu Dhabi 2030. NBAD’s new head office will be a distinctive building with a strong presence, sculpted around the island’s master plan.

“NBAD is an integral part of Abu Dhabi’s fabric; this move confirms our commitment to serving and building Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE nation by supporting milestone projects to achieve Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 and we are proud to take a leading role in the evolution of Al Maryah Island, which will further strengthen Abu Dhabi’s role as a financial hub,” says Abdulla Mohammed Saleh AbdulRaheem, the Deputy Group Chief Executive of NBAD.

Mr. AbdulRaheem continues: “Building a new global Head Office will also meet the requirements of our ambitious expansion plan and NBAD’s status as the key player in the development of the financial industry. We selected Gensler because their eminent design addressed our ambition to have a state-of-the-art building, maximizing the surroundings of this superb location and projecting the core values of our institution. The combination of premium business, retail and leisure facilities on Al Maryah Island, coupled with clear focus on infrastructure, logistics and transport means that we are confident our customers will welcome this move.”

Gensler’s design team created a timeless modern structure with a unique form and sleek silhouette that will enhance Al Maryah’s skyline. The building is designed around a symmetrical central core that displays a clear axial relationship between the waterfront and main vehicular road. The overall massing is spilt into two thin towers emphasizing verticality and slenderness.

“In understanding the client’s aspirations for the National Bank of Abu Dhabi’s Global Head Office, we have presented a bold design which exemplifies their strong commercial and corporate identity,” states Mr. Tareq Abu Sukheila, Principal/Managing Director of Gensler, Abu Dhabi.

He continues: “While designing the National Bank of Abu Dhabi’s new home, we gave special consideration to presenting an outstanding building that carries an unmistakable presence and dignity, while ensuring a highly functional and efficient interior. Through Gensler’s design expertise, our client’s new corporate headquarters not only captures baseline requirements, it reinforces a vibrant identity manifested in architectural form, which will stand out along Al Maryah Island.”

A key driver of the design concept was to compose a facade to reflect the presence of a well-established bank, within the context of contemporary society. To accomplish this, Gensler designers “veiled” the building with an arrangement of vertical fins that are used to extenuate the towers, while simultaneously creating a dynamic exterior that responds to the environment due to the varied fin rotations. During the day the fins modulate light and provide solar protection, in the evening they provide the illusion of a streaming glow, which creates the aesthetic perception of authority in a simple straightforward manner.

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