Success story of a Zigurat Student Week in a unique environment in Abu Dhabi

Participants of the Zigurat's Global BIM Management for Infrastructure Projects Master’s Program had in September 2019 the unique opportunity for an on-site visit to the Abu Dhabi International Airport Midfield Terminal Building (MTB-ADIA). This site visit gave participants the chance to apply the material learned within the course in a practical way, by relating it directly to this mega project based on what has been estimated to be the largest and most comprehensive BIM model ever created.

Thanks to Mr Issam ElAbsi, director of the master's and director of the CCC BIM Centre, the students could learn directly from key site-engineers of the project in one of the most advance classrooms for BIM Collaboration in the world.

 The Midfield Terminal Building of the Abu Dhabi Airport (MTB-ADIA) is a $3 billion, 700,000 square-meter development, providing a terminal building with passenger and cargo facilities, duty-free shops and restaurants for a total capacity of 27-40 million people per year. The unique X-shaped building will be located between the two existing runways, hence the name ‘Midfield’.

Designed to render an open and spacious environment, the Abu Dhabi International Airport Midfield Terminal Building features large column-free zones with inclined steel arches supporting the soaring roof. A large hall leads passengers to the center of the building, which contains a hotel, lounges, cultural outlets, stores and a park-like garden.

Guided by environmental objectives, the Abu Dhabi International Airport Midfield Terminal Building is designed to meet the UAE’s Two Pearl Rating for Sustainable Design. Towards this goal, the terminal limits the use of potable water by incorporating dry climate landscaping and uses low energy lighting supplemented by daylight, filtered through the transparent walls.

The project is challenging in terms of engineering, construction and procurement due to the unique nature of the design and the inherent complexities of its operation. Anticipating the challenges that such complexities posed the owner, Abu Dhabi Airport Companies (ADAC), sought to promote technologies that would facilitate the delivery of the project and enhance its operation throughout its lifecycle. One such initiative was the requirement for BIM-integrated processes. This was enforced by a set of demanding, ambitious and quite unique specifications.

On the following video you can watch a summary of the Zigurat Student Week 2019 in partnersihp with Consolidated Contractor Company.