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A F R E S H A P P R O A C H T O W AT E R M A N A G E M E N T

CLIEN T Egyptian Resorts Company (ERC)

ARCHI T EC T WATG

SERV ICES PROV IDED BY BURO HAPPO LD Water, infrastructure and utilities engineering

This ambitious 40km2 new, sustainable development of desirable waterfront properties is located close to the Red Sea shoreline in Hurghada, Egypt.

A masterplan was developed for the entire site including Phase 3 in 2008 by WATG. This masterplan included a number of water bodies located throughout the site connected by canals and rivers which were intended to cascade down to the coast from an inland escarpment. BuroHappold Engineering was appointed in 2010 to establish the operating parameters for the water network and to work with the Masterplanning team to develop an integrated and functional concept design of the lakes and waterways network, acknowledging physical constraints of the site and the construction phasing of the development.

The client’s aspirations for the lakes and waterways included provisions for public amenity and recreation integrated into the project landscape. This was to be achieved with particular emphasis on sustainability, practicality and economic viability.

BuroHappold carried out a feasibility analysis of the 2008 masterplan and closely collaborated with other members of the consultant team to guide the development of lakes and waterways within the evolving masterplan.

BuroHappold balanced competing constraints of freshwater availability and energy demand to deliver a lakes strategy that caters for the human and environmental needs of the development without committing to an unsustainable demand on either resource.

The lake system has been terraced into the landscape to respect the existing site topography, providing a positive contribution to the aesthetic and economic value of the site landscape. Separation of the lake systems into amenity and recreation spaces provided the opportunity to match water quality to intended uses, reducing water treatment and energy requirements. This also allowed the proposed development phasing to be reflected in the layout and design of the lake system.

SAHL HASHEESHHURGHADA, EGYPT

Images © ERC