Having a voice is one thing. Making sure it is heard is an altogether trickier business, even if you are a world-renowned architect responsible for some of the most iconic buildings across the globe. This is because none of that makes a difference, says Lord Norman Foster, when developers don’t listen to what you say.
For years the architect behind the Gherkin and Wembley Stadium has been lobbying for a more cohesive approach to project delivery. But now he says the catalyst for change could come down to the emergence of a new, informed breed of occupier: the entrepreneurs. These are the people he credits with driving progress. Not just through their business innovations, but through their take on design and construction.
“Enlightened individuals” – including the late Apple chief executive Steve Jobs, with whom Foster worked closely on the early stages of the design of the new $5bn Apple Park HQ in California – have shaken up the traditional role of the client and are giving developers a run for their money.
The result, says Foster, could be a reshuffle of the pecking order of the players involved in the life cycle of a project, with global organisations setting the agenda for modern design.
Speaking of agenda-setting, the Middle Eastern market prides itself on making a splash and the Gulf’s best-known buildings are nothing if not ground-breaking. But as an investment opportunity, questions remain over the stability of the market. EG travelled to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain to find out what strides are being made to address issues around transparency.
Click here to download your copy of the Global Investor Guide
