The new helicopter terminal of the Expo Dubai 2020 – designed by Italian architects Archea Associati – combines a helipad, a showroom and several lounge areas in a single city-based heliport supporting the development of a network of point-to-point connections for both urban transfers to Expo Dubai 2020 and between cities.

We faced a very tight schedule for engineering procurement and construction works. The glass façade, composed of 6m x 3 m panels fabricated in China, required 5 months to engineer, manufacture and ship to the construction site. Considering the total project duration was only 11 months and that we had to juggle COVID-related restrictions, this part of the project was a big challenge and a high-risk activity. Furthermore, the external and internal metal cladding and fixed furniture were all customized and had to be fabricated after taking the as-built measurements of the installed structure. Lastly, some of the items selected by the designers were from Italian suppliers (i.e., HVAC machines and sanitary fixtures) and required a long time to procure, compared to material that could have been sourced locally.

With efficient communication and procurement plans, a tight collaboration between engineering, procurement and construction teams, and constant communication with architects, manufacturers and installers, we have been able to avoid critical mistakes in managing long-lead components. Consequently we have been able to procure them in accordance with the project program schedule without any delay. Thanks to offsite fabrication, we reduced the time for on site installation, delivering at site items preassembled in factory or in a close laydown area.