Our Emirates Lounge project, delivered in JV with Dowds, consisted of the design and full fit-out of all finishes to walls, floors and ceilings, bespoke joinery and all mechanical & electrical services, following on from a preceding shell and core works refurbishment. This high-end scheme was completed in a ‘live’ airport environment and accessed via a complex first floor scaffolding arrangement. Delivered in 21 weeks, our fit-out of the Emirates Lounge required careful coordination of multiple trades working onsite simultaneously.
The interiors works included the entrance, reception area, catering facility, luxurious bathrooms and bar/lounge areas. All custom-made furniture was managed from design to install by our In-house Interiors and Space Planning Team. We worked in close collaboration throughout with the Emirates team to ensure that all finishes align with this prestigious client’s branding. During the Pre-Construction period, we developed a schedule of items where samples were required and integrated the manufacture and approvals timeframes within our Design Procurement Tracker managed by our project Design Manager.
Delivering the Emirates Lounge involved working within a highly regulated environment with stringent design and construction quality procedures (MAG Standards) offering excellent transferable experience. Key to our success was our use of specialist supply chain and consultants, as well as management of the design by our design manager with similar project experience.
The project was all undertaken “airside” (beyond the limit of passport control) requiring comprehensive, pre-planned engagement and ongoing communication in advance of work activities with numerous MAG stakeholders.
Client
Emirates
Our MEP design involved connecting to the existing air handling unit (AHU), which we validated to confirm satisfactory performance. All other building services have been new installations designed by our JV team and our specialist MEP designer. Recognising the stringent design standards operated by MAG, it was critical that we appointed an MEP designer with extensive experience of working with MAG to enable the design to be developed efficiently, without delay caused by numerous client revisions prior to approval.
Demonstrating our commitment to health & safety, we have effectively worked within MAG’s rigorous H&S requirements. We procured general Limitation of Access (LOA) and service clearance for drilling (covering walls, partitions and floors) and all works activities were raised on the MAG P2W (Permit to Work) System. This process required that a Description of Works is uploaded, including the works duration, onto the P2W system. For each work activity uploaded, a Construction Phase Plan (CPP) was appended outlining H&S concerns associated with the specific construction activity, covering site rules and procedures to minimise or eliminate risk.
Throughout the project duration we responded rapidly to several client changes, including layout changes to incorporate a new storage area, request for additional kitchen and catering equipment, as well as specification changes including to the floor finish within the Prayer Rooms. These were successfully integrated within our project programme, whilst maintaining our client’s critical completion date project driver.
On the Emirates Lounge project we used Aconex as our Common Data Environment, allowing real time collaboration between the client team, our team and our Supply Chain. Our use of Aconex delivered positive outcomes for all parties on this project, with a fully auditable document trail resulting in fewer disputes and faster resolution. Aconex creates a single source of truth and builds trust across the whole project team. This was particularly important on this project due to the amount and pace of client change.
Aconex was also central to our commitment to zero defect delivery and our ISO 9001 quality management system. Aconex’s version controls ensured that everyone was working off the latest documents, whilst its workflow tracking and reporting allowed us to identify and action bottlenecks before they caused delays, driving efficiencies for the project and client.
