BDP opening Abu Dhabi practice following merger

BDP is opening an office next month in Abu Dhabi after agreeing to merge with local based multidisciplinary design practice SYNA.

The architect practice, which has studios in Manchester and Liverpool, has been growing its presence in the Middle East. It designed the ABC Shopping Mall in Beirut and was commissioned in 2007 by Office for Development of Administrative Centres to design ten university complexes across Libya.

However, BDP said it chose to merge with SYNA because of its ability to deliver complex projects, through understanding the region's culture and practices.

David Cash, who is based at the Manchester studio and is BDP's international director and now the new chairman of the BDP Abu Dhabi studio, said: "We celebrate our 50th anniversary next year and during that time have established ourselves as the largest and one of the leading architect-led interdisciplinary practices in Europe, but now is the right time for BDP to become a true global player.

"We consider the Middle East and North Africa region to be one of the most exciting places in the world to display our range of skills and experience and we view Abu Dhabi as fast becoming the major commercial centre within this region."

The BDP Abu Dhabi practice will be run by Nadine Nackasha, who managed the original SYNA practice in Abu Dhabi and Gary Dicken, who has relocated to the Emirate from the BDP Manchester Office. Dicken has been working with BDP for the last 23 years.

SYNA has more than 30 years of experience of designing projects across the Gulf particularly in the hospitality sector, and has had offices in Abu Dhabi since 1993. SYNA's project experience includes the Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort in Dubai and Danat Resort Jebel Dhanna, Abu Dhabi.

The BDP Abu Dhabi practice will open on 1 April this year.