Dubai-based firm Viva City has launched work on its Sport Society, which is poised to become the largest sports mall in the world once it is completed in the first quarter of 2020.

The Sport Society project is being built at Mirdif Dubai by contracting firm Khansaheb Civil Engineering, which is utilising a fully-integrated building information modelling (BIM) model to manage and co-ordinate all elements of the design and ensure the construction works are fully coordinated.

The scale and scope of the construction work is significant and includes the pouring of almost 60,000 cu m of concrete besides reinforcement with over 9,000 tonnes of steel over six floors (including both basements and roof) which will be formed using over 160,000 sq m of formwork.

It also includes the erection of nine structural steel trusses, each weighing around 70 tonnes (each truss will be erected to a maximum height of approximately 30 m above the ground in one lift using a crawler crane).

Viva City’s head of design, Edgar Bove says: “The project’s construction work is progressing according to schedule and within the allocated budget, thanks to the efficient operations of Khansaheb Civil Engineering. The world-class building is well under way and on programme due to the depth of Khansaheb’s experience, innovation and expertise in building such key retail projects.”

Bove points out that the process of building the world’s largest sports mall faces many challenges, especially as the project is designed to be an architectural icon that will deliver a unique experience combining shopping, entertainment and sports activities.

Steve Flint, the group general manager of Khansaheb Civil Engineering, says: “We are dealing with the challenging delivery period which will be achieved by using cutting-edge, time-saving and modern construction techniques.

Co-ordination, installation and integration of a world-class arena entertainment system includes theatrical lighting to create a dramatic ambience during events; huge LED screens which will broadcast entertainment and sports news besides a full NHL-size ice rink cooled to -5 deg C at floor level during the Dubai summers.