Oasis Mall, Dubai
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Development & Retrofitting
Oasis Mall is one of the oldest, most popular shopping and entertainment centers in the sprawling metropolis of Dubai. Located in the heart of the city on Sheikh Zayed Road, its association with Consistent goes back to its very inception.
Shortly after Consistent was founded in Dubai, we designed the MEP systems for Oasis Mall in 2008.
In 2018, the operators decided to increase the number of outlets and upgrade all systems to meet the market demand. Therefore, they engaged Archgroup International and Consistent Engineering to design and co-ordinate the retrofitting required.
Original Mall Development:
The original project had two major attributes:
- G+2F area would be operated by retail leader, Landmark Group
- Developers would use the 3rd floor as their office spaces
All utilities were designed separately for the mall and the offices, except for FLS systems.
The 2300 sq. m. Dome over the Atrium and the challenges it brought in -
The mall atrium design included a large glass dome at its center having a diameter of 38.5 m. Being a major aesthetic feature, the location of the mechanical equipment needed to be indiscernible from the mall.
Thus, having a clear dome without exposure of the equipment from the mall wasn’t easily possible, so a combination of colored glasses was suggested. This added color and simultaneously concealed equipment without compromising the intent of getting natural light in the central area.
Also, the atrium being designed without any column/support, and the covering area of 2300 sq. m. without duct or air outlet in the vicinity, required to avoid a hot pocket in the central area. To address this, extract fans were designed with 15 air changes (ACH) instead of recommended 10 ACH to ensure the heat is not built up near the dome area.
Unusual planning of layout for the Food court and the complexities -
As a rule, in Mall projects, food courts are either at the lowest levels or at the topmost levels. However, due to the offices on the third floor, the food court needed to be designed at the second floor level. In this case, as the food court was also exposed to the central atrium, it was critical to ensure that its odor is not transmitted throughout the mall.
To remedy this, pressure zoning was established where the central area was kept under positive pressure, with the food court and outlets at negative pressure. This created a balance of a well-ventilated central area for the patrons’ comfort, while keeping the food court odor at bay.
Mall Refurbishment after a decade:
The retrofitting activity was carried out from 2018 to early 2020 with such success, that it became a nominee for Retrofit Project of the Year at the MEP Middle East Awards 2019.
Challenges
The principal challenge of the project was to implement retrofitting activities at an operational mall without affecting the customers and the existing tenants.
Also, the mall had gone through multiple modifications in the span of 10 years, so there was a huge difference between the as-built drawings, authority-approved drawings and the actual conditions on-site. Meticulous inspection and documentation was the key in regularizing all installation, and updating them to comply with the revised building codes.
Design Approach & Solutions
It was clear that the retrofitting of the mall needed to be executed without affecting the regular operations. Accordingly, the work was executed in phases by dividing its circumference into 4 sectors. While work was going on in a certain sector, the existing tenants were moved to unoccupied slots in other sectors to continue their operations without interruption.
For compliance with updated codes, we had to apply to the authorities to figure out which modifications could be made compliant with the codes and which needed to be waived off. The approvals obtained from authorities were crucial in updating all building systems.
Energy Efficient Retrofitting solutions -
Apart from the upgradation of existing systems, Consistent also focused on reducing energy consumption and the operational costs of the mall. Within budget constraints, we implemented a number of energy-efficient solutions such as changing the sanitary fixtures for low flow, VFD controlled kitchen exhaust and make up air system and LED lights for all common areas.
With these solutions, Consistent has targeted a 15% reduction in energy consumption. After reviewing the bills, month on month for selected outlets and comparing with previous year data, the energy saving to the level of 18% was realized.
Considering all this, Oasis Mall was selected as a finalist for the Retrofit Project of the Year at the prestigious MEP Middle East Awards 2019, as proof of all the thought and work that had gone into it.
Thus, over a journey of 12 years, we have helped shape the Oasis Mall into the efficient building it is today. The Oasis Mall project occupies a place of pride in the annals of projects designed by Consistent Engineering Consultants.
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