As project manager of the Riffa Views development, Mace International has been ensuring that the project progresses as per plan from concept right through to completion,
Since it was awarded the contract in July 2005 by the client Riffa Views Signature Estates, the firm has offered full project management services for the development of the initial concept design and the other design phases, tendering and construction of all aspects of the infrastructure, golf course, villas, Riffa Views International School (RVIS), golf and country club and mosques.

Apart from this, the company has played an integral role in the initial planning and site development by interfacing between Bapco and Riffa Views, especially since the project sits on a functioning oilfield and required the relocation of existing Bapco assets on the development.
“Mace’s scope of services initially involved the development of the overall project plan and masterplanning and to provide design management for the concept development of some nine different types of standard villa design configurations proposed for Riffa Views that complied with the themed approach proposed by the approved masterplan,” says David Fullarton, project director. “In addition, Mace also initiated the design and construction of the enabling works contract, which involved the relocation of Bapco facilities that were within the site to make way for the infrastructure, villa and golf course works.”
“Although infrastructure works commenced only in December 2006, villa tendering had to be brought forward to address concerns of rising prices at the time and also to enable the fixing of the project’s cost as early as possible, with commencement targeted from April 2007. Handover of the first of the 1,053 villas, which are coming up on The Oasis, Park and Lagoons Estates, has already begun,” he says.
Commenting on the other major component of the project – the golf course – he continues: “Work on the golf course started early last year with a targeted date of completion of October. Most of the fairways and golf course works are almost ready, allowing for a reasonable period of grow-in for the freshly laid out grass. However, work on some of the auxiliary facilities is yet to be completed.
“Work on another component of the project – Riffa Views International School – which was awarded in July 2007 is well under way and the junior school is expected to open on the planned date of September 1.”
In addition to these main works, Mace is also managing the construction and commissioning of a new 66 kV substation and a sewage treatment plant dedicated especially to the Riffa Views development.
Commenting on the various challenges associated with the project, he says: “The project, which is the first of its kind in Bahrain, is unique for the fact that it is built on and around a functioning oilfield. A rigorous assessment of risk was undertaken by Riffa Views consultants DNV to provide acceptable and viable solutions.
“This resulted in a total review of the existing pipe work on the development site and measures were taken to ensure that the design layout accommodated the need for the specified safety distances of villas around existing and proposed new oil wells.
“One of the other challenges early in the project was to keep the existing golf course open for as long as possible and minimise the downtime for Riffa Views golf members while the new course was being constructed. This was achieved by staggering the commencement of the front and back nine holes in order to allow play to be maintained for as long as possible while infrastructure, villa and new golf course works were able to progress until it became necessary to close the entire course in September last year.
“In addition, the project being well spread out and occupying 270 hectares, it was realised that it could be impossible for a single contractor to execute the contract within the timeframes stipulated by the client. To achieve these targets, the villas were split into four separate contract packages and contracts were formed with different contractors for each package. This has required each contract to have its own management and supervision team and a comprehensive coordination effort to ensure that quality of construction and progress is consistent across the development site,” he says.
Also, owing to the compressed nature of the overall project programme, Mace was required to closely coordinate the infrastructure works contract with the villa contracts to avoid, where possible, disruption to contractors where they are working closely in the same area.
“This has meant continual logistical reviews with the various contractors and all parties including the client, encouraging an open-minded approach to the obvious difficulties this brings to all parties and micro-managing the processes where required,” says Fullarton.
“For Mace, the Riffa Views project is a signature development in Bahrain and one in which we are very proud to be involved,” says Fullarton.
The firm started on the project with an initial team of five personnel. The project management team has now grown to include 16 members, including administration staff. “Due to the size of the development, the villa management team structure includes a dedicated project manager to each sector – The Park Estate, Lagoons Estate and Oasis Estate – with an overall senior project manager.
“We have also nominated dedicated project managers or project management teams for the other facets of the development such as the infrastructure, golf course, and public landscaping. In addition, there are a number of uniquely-designed villas that are in their own right a significant project and a dedicated team has been allocated to the delivery of these as well,” he explains.
Fullarton continues: “Mace has been working on a similar development for the same client, Arcapita, in Dubai at Victory Heights and we have tried to use whatever lessons we have learnt on the Dubai project at Riffa Views to ensure that this development is one which all who have participated in its planning and implementation can be justifiably proud of.”
Apart from the Riffa Views project, Mace is also providing its services to a host of other projects in Bahrain that include:
• Bahrain City Centre – a mixed-use development for Majid Al Futtaim, comprising a 170,000 sq m shopping mall, two five-star hotels, water-park and car parking;
• Tabreed’s Manama district cooling installation;
• Seef Vistas – a mixed-use residential, commercial and hotel development for First Bahrain;
• Bahrain Bay infrastructure – including utilities, roads and landscaping; and
• Arcapita headquarters – new-build bank facilities for Arcapita Bank.
Assessing the potential of Bahrain’s construction sector, Fullarton says: “Bahrain’s construction market has a large potential with many mammoth developments under design or close to tender. However, there are a number of major challenges for the construction industry in the region which, unless overcome, could lead to unacceptable levels of inflation in construction cost and delays in the delivery of these developments. We believe that the construction industry will continue to expand in the coming year allowing us to increase our presence in Bahrain.”
Mace has seen its business set-up grow over the last year to accommodate the delivery of existing commissions and to undertake a number of new projects. It currently has approximately $2.5 billion of construction projects under its management.
Mace, which currently has a workforce of 70 staff, working out of its Seef office also has major plans for the kingdom. “Our immediate plan is to consolidate our position in Bahrain as one of the leading project management companies in the region, deliver our current projects to the satisfaction of our clients and obtain further commissions.”
Mace Group was founded in 1990 by a group of industry professionals who were seeking innovative ways of implementing projects. “The group identified a gap in the market for an organisation that would be genuinely committed to delivering first-class projects on time and budget, and whose approach and style would remove the needless conflict and dispute then typical across so much of the industry.
“As for our success, there is no magic formula – just a passion for doing the right things in the right way. From the start, Mace has stood out through its commitment not just to adopting best practice but to defining it, striving to be the model of tomorrow’s company, today,” Fullarton comments.
He adds: “What makes the company unique is its commitment to the quality of its relationships with its clients, its people and its suppliers. The proof that this commitment works, lies in our repeat order book, with more than 70 per cent of our work coming from returning clients. The passion and commitment that our people put to every project results in a remarkable level of customer loyalty in an industry that, in general, still has much to learn about relationships and service. “
Simply put, Mace Group aims to be a beacon of best practice and a champion for progressive change across the construction industry.
The company is now established as one of the most accomplished consultancy and construction firms, with a reputation for finding the best solutions to complex property and real estate challenges. The Mace Group comprises 11 companies, employs more than 2,700 people and operates in 21 countries.
In the Middle East, with a current staff level in excess of 500, Mace provides project management services from concept to completion operating in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, the Northern Emirates, Bahrain and Oman.