Zaha Hadid’s BEEAH Headquarters in UAE Earns Architecture Hunter Award

BEEAH Group's new headquarters in Sharjah, UAE, was honoured with the inaugural Architecture Hunter Awards (AHA) 2024 in the office typology category. Designed by the renowned Zaha Hadid Architects, this award recognizes the building’s creative and illusive design, alongside its achievement of net-zero emissions and minimal energy consumption. 

The building’s flowing curves and undulating profile reflect Zaha Hadid Architects’ signature parametric design style. Embedded within Sharjah’s Al Sajaa desert, the headquarters echoes the surrounding wind-sculpted landscape. Emerging from the shifting sands, a series of interconnecting ‘dunes’ are meticulously oriented and shaped to optimize the local climate, seamlessly blending innovation with nature. 

To ensure well-lit interiors while minimizing glazing and maintaining visual comfort, a courtyard is nestled between the two primary dunes, allowing morning sunlight to stream in. Additionally, parametrically designed perforations, covered with translucent materials, enhance natural light infiltration throughout the spaces. 

The 9,000 square metre office building has a sustainable philosophy at its core. The design integrates glass-reinforced fiber panels to minimize solar gain, while slab and glass cooling systems regulate interior temperatures for maximum comfort. An on-site water treatment system filters wastewater to reduce consumption, and a solar farm charges Tesla battery packs, ensuring the building meets its energy demands year-round. 

Photography Credit: Hufton + Crow and Luke-Hayes