A new integrated environment – designed to promote the growth of the insurance sector – will be created as part of the $1.3 billion Bahrain Financial Harbour, which is taking shape on reclaimed land in the heart of Manama.

To be known as the Bahrain International Insurance Centre (BIIC), the 14-storey building will provide high-tech facilities aimed at attracting regional and international insurance companies to set up base at a centralised location within the global financial and business park.
The construction contract for the building will form part of the first major buildings package on the BFH, which is expected to be awarded by March. Three international contractors have been short-listed for the contract that entails building the Financial Centre – the first phase of the BFH development – from a total of eight contractors who had bid for the estimated $250 million project.
The Financial Centre is the most advanced of the BFH projects and involves the construction of the Financial Mall (eight storeys), the Harbour House (nine storeys) and the Dual Towers (each 50 storeys) over a site area of 55,000 sq m.
The lead consultant and architect for the BIIC building is Ahmed Janahi Architects (AJA), which is also involved in a similar capacity with the BFH development.
The building, which is expected to take 18 months to complete, will have a typical floor plate of 750 sq m, offering a total built-up area of 10,500 sq m. The ground and first floor of the BIIC will be developed as an atrium space, lined with small outlets for insurance services, together with a coffee shop for informal meetings and relaxation.
On the second floor, there will be a conference and meeting room facility, which could be used by all tenants of this futuristic development.