Tom Wright
Field of Profession: Architect
Famous for: Burj Al Arab in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Born: 1957
Country of origin: Britain
2) Born in Croydon, Greater London in 1957, Wright studied at the Royal Russell School and then later at the Kingston University School of Architecture. He qualified as an architect in 1983. Wright went on to become a director of the architectural practice Lister Drew Haines Barrow, which was taken over in 1991 by Atkins. Wright became head of Atkins' architecture arm.
3) Tom wright is an entrepreneur as he designs distinctive buildings which are completely different compared to many other buildings around the world. His designs and thoughts are very individual as he creates masterpieces as well as functional buildings for the world to experience. He approaches the architectural industry and also the commercial side of architecture with ambition and an imaginative mind. The use of his imaginative mind helps him have an extensive lead on many other architects as an entrepreneur, this is because he creates buildings which are unlike any others in the world, they are seen as one of a kind because of their uniqueness and quality. The nature of his work is somewhat competitive but still has many opportunities to create something extraordinary. Tom wright has taken this opportunity with both hands on several occasions and created some of the worlds most renowned buildings such as the Burj Al Arab. With the building looking like a giant sail, it already presents itself with a unique feel. Not to mention that the building is place amongst a man made island out at sea. This creating the imagination work which then makes the building look as though its a sailboat. This makes Tom Wright and entrepreneur.
4) Tom wright studied at Royal Russell school and then started his university career at Kingston Polytechnic University of Architecture. He then became a member of the Royal institute of British Architects in 1983. 10 years later he had built one of the most amazing and also most iconic buildings in the world, the Burj Al Arab. This building started its long and stressful development in the year 1993 and finally opened in the year 1999 after a successful build.
- Burj Al Arab
- Jumeirah beach hotel
5)
a) The manufacturing technique used in the design of the Burj Al Arab building in Dubai is . He met with the client who set him a brief of wanting the building to be a symbol of Dubai, one that people would associate with the country as the opera house is associated with Sydney. From that, Tom Wright had come up with the idea of the building to look like a giant sail with inspiration from a modern yacht sail to reflect Dubai′s seafaring heritage combined with a modern aspect moving forwards into the future. This adding a unique feel to the building with it being one of a kind.
b) The designer demonstrates quality production skills in the development of the design projects in many ways. This is done through keeping a log of production that is happening so the architect knows what stage the building process is at. The architect has got to set meetings with the builder and other people who play a key part in the build a few times a week. The meetings involve parts of the build which have yet to be done, they asses problems which may have arrived and then talk about alterations which have to be made to the design of the building so that they can resolve the problem. They talk about the process of the build which has to be completed by certain deadlines so that the entire build is completed by the scheduled date. The architect also keeps a log book to write notes to himself so he knows what has to be done within the set time frame. The architect also has onsite meetings and discussion to help the building process and onsite work speed up and work faster. Architects must also overlook the build onsite to make sure that the building continues according to plan. The architect must also make sure that the work is being completed according to the job/design portfolio so that the build runs smoothly.
c)
Burj Al Arab:
Aesthetic
- The lighting on the exterior of the Burj Al Arab building is very aesthetically pleasing with its wonderful colours depicted through a light show. This represents the lighting and nightlife in Dubai as a cultural aspect.
- Sail design of the building demonstrates how the Tom wright had been inspired by the modern yacht and then converted this into his design of the most iconic building in Dubai.
- The building being set out at sea gives it the representation of it being a sail boat out at sea. This adds an imaginative aspect to the building.
Functional
- The multi purpose use of the helicopter pad as it can be converted into a tennis court at any time to accommodate for the visitors wants.
- Use of 1 mm thick glass fibre fabric with a teflon coat to prevent the sticking of dirt so that the glass stays clean as the area is prone to dust storms.
- The use of the building being placed on an island was recommended as if the building was placed on the shore, during the day it would block out the sun and shade half the beach.
Jumeirah beach hotel:
Aesthetic
- The lighting on the exterior of the Burj Al Arab building is very aesthetically pleasing with its wonderful colours depicted through a light show. This represents the lighting and nignightlife Dubai as a cultural aspect.
- The curved design of the building adding an elegant and classy feel to its design which also creates a more relaxed feel for the people finding accommodation there.
- Beach designed layout of the outdoor area which looks pleasing and like a place where people would go to for relaxation.
Functional
- The building being placed next door to a water park makes accommodating her a bonus as if within walking distance and comes as a great convenience to families with kids.
- A marina built in walking distance from the hotel is useful for those who own a yacht so they can get to their boat in a matter of minutes making the day more about fun and not travelling in-between.
- Tennis courts to provide a form of fitness to the people accommodating at the hotel if they wish to get active and participate in physical activity.
d) Burj Al Arab: A safety aspects that would have had to be addressed is the helicopter pad being on the roof, and also how it can be converted into a tennis court at times. A safety aspect for the is to prevent people falling off the edge, so the designer placed a 1-2m surrounding net which surrounds the perimeter of the circle. Another safety aspect which would have been addressed would have been the structural integrity of the building and it is placed on an artificial island in the water onto of sand, so they placed 250, 1.5m diameter columns that go 45 meters under the sea as it must go into sand with the buildings structural integrity relying on friction.
Jumeirah beach hotel: A safety aspects that would have had to be addressed is the man made marina, as people can go swimming from the sand, they could swim out into the path of a boat and be injured, he placed a net along a section of the marina to prevent people from swimming out within the vicinity of the boats. Another safety aspect that would have been addressed is where kids might swim as they could drown in an ordinary pool because of its depth and their inability to swim, so he designed a kids pool so that it is shallow enough for kids to stand or sit in it without their heads going below the surface of the water.
6) Tom wright markets himself and his designs in many ways through many forms of media. He has been depicted on television shows as people talk about the buildings he has designed and how these buildings are so iconic and magnificent. He also has a website called WKK architects as he left Atkins and started another business with to other partners. on his website, its displays many of his designs around the world and then you can also read briefly about the design of each building. He also advertises himself by starring in magazines which talk about him and his profession, also how far he has come with his designs.
7) Through the use of a life-cycle analysis of the Burj Al Arab's short term and long term implications in relation to society and the environment displays many a sections in which the designer had thought of for the success of the building.
Cultural belief is a large impact on the building as it has a large recognition around the world. The building has played as a great inspiration to many around the globe, this being a goal set for architects to achieve and strive to become or a glimmer of hope for young and aspiring architects who wish to join the field. It is also known around the world as a great holiday destination and also an iconic holiday destination. The building has impacted many people now and for many generations to come as it is so well known.
Personal values plays a crucial role in the implications of the building. The building being a hotel, many people are expected to stay there in its divine luxury. It brings attention from all around the world because of it being known as a great holiday destination. Personal values are also shown in the design of the building as it signifies Tom Wright's architectural style such as him leaving his signature design approach.
Sustainability has played a big part in the building of the Burj Al Arab. Materials used in the building are materials such as aluminium cladding, concrete, fabric, glass, steel and gold. The materials used aren't so much harmful to the environment but one aspect of the building has harmed the environment. This aspect of the building being the man made island. The island would have taken up a vast amount of the ocean which may have been the habitats to a large amount of sea life. This may have affected the sea life in the area with the destroying of this area for the rise of architectural monument.
Safety and health is a highly important part of the building. The buildings safety can be questioned with several parts being the helicopter pad/tennis court with the boundaries only being a 1m horizontal net around the perimeter of the circle with no vertical nets or boundaries. Yet the building is also fairly safe, this is presented through its structural design. The building consists of 250, 1.5m diameter columns that go 45 meters under the sea as it must go into sand with the buildings structural integrity relying on friction.
The Burj Al Arab has many requirements towards the communities needs. The building caters with a restaurant for people to have meals, tennis court for people to play on, rooms for visitors to stay in and also meetings rooms to facilitate for business meetings. The building caters for needs such as these with its highly multi-purposed designs. The Burj Al Arab can be used for many different people around the world for many different purposes.
Equity is evident throughout the building so that all people can use it. The includes the use of ramps for people in wheelchairs and elevators so that they can get to the level on which their room is located. The building also caters for many other people whether it be religious beliefs or any other purposes.
Therefore, through the use of a lifecycle analysis, the Burj Al Arab (Tower of the Arabs) shows many short term and long term implications in relations to society and the environment as it portrays how the designer had thought of many different aspects whether they be major or minor aspects in relation to the building.
Bibliography:
1) Slide share, unknown, unknown, 6/5/15, http://www.slideshare.net/persiankingdom/burj-al-arab-278856
2) Google images, unknown, unknown, unknown, 6/5/15, http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Jumaira_Beach_Hotel.jpg
3) Google images, unknown, unknown, unknown, 6/5/15, http://mediastream.jumeirah.com/webimage/heroactual//global/homepage-carousel/homepage-newimages-carousel-new/burj-al-arab-homepage-carousel.jpg
4) Wikipedia, unknown, unknown, unknown, 6/5/15, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Wright_(British_architect)
5) WKK architects, unknown, unknown, unknown, 6/5/15, http://wkkarchitects.com/#/burj-al-arab/
By Jeremy Cosic
