Enhancing a partnership that has extended since 1992, Dar was honoured to sponsor and take part in the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats’ (CTBUH) 2023 International Conference, which took place this year in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Two living laboratories for urban experimentation, the cities have come to signify sustainable and innovative dense urbanism, emphasising walkability and open space, high-rise public housing, responsive urban design, strategic zoning, and other investments and interventions that focus on creating more integrated communities.   

Within this context and under the theme “Humanising High Density – people, nature, and urban realm” the conference sought to explore how high-rise buildings and high-density urbanisation can support healthy living and greater civic and social engagement. The event brought together global thought leaders in high-density living to discuss best practices in tall buildings and sustainable cities and to address the key challenges that urban areas are facing.

With over 200 speakers and 1,200 attendees, the conference incorporated panel discussions, workshops, and presentations in numerous tracks that covered the technological, urban, social, natural, and occupier realms.

During conference proceedings, Dar’s Head of Structural and Bridge Design Department George Marj chaired a session that covers buildings in the Oceania and Middle East that have won the CTBUH’s Awards of Excellence for 2023. Through the session, global industry stakeholders gave talks on these buildings which included Riyadh’s Tadawul Tower, Dubai’s ICD Brookfield Place, Sydney’s Poly Centre, Melbourne’s 405 Bourke Street, and more. All of these high-rise structures exhibited processes and innovations that enhanced their surrounding cityscapes and the lives of their inhabitants, by integrating everything from architectural form, structure and building systems with sustainable design and wellness strategies, innovative space configurations, and life safety for occupants.

Meanwhile, senior structural engineer Christelle El Chemaly also represented Dar as a jury member for the CTBUH Awards of Excellence, in the Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa category, which was ultimately won by Atlantis The Royal Resort in Dubai.

CTBUH is the world’s leading non-profit organisation dedicated to researching sustainable vertical urbanism and the future of cities, and Dar has been a member of the organisation since 1992.

In London and Paris, CTBUH 2024 is set to spotlight the built environment’s “New or Renew?” dilemma