Sohar International reveals plan for new headquarters
As part of its strategy set in place to fulfil its vision of becoming a world-leading Omani service company, Sohar International on Sunday announced and revealed plans for its landmark new headquarters.
Under the auspices of H E Eng Issam Saud Hareb al Zadjali, chairman of Muscat Municipality, Sohar International organised a press conference at W Muscat led by Mohammed Mahfoudh al Ardhi, chairman of the board of directors of Sohar International.
Speaking at the event, Ardhi said, “It’s a matter of great pride for us to reveal the design of our new headquarters in Oman along with the celebrations of the 49th National Day. A first-of-itskind in the world, and the only Calatrava design in the country, this building will bring an architectural revolution to Oman’s cityscape.”
The bank unveiled a 3D model of the new headquarters alongside a walk-through video of the exteriors and interiors of the premises. Shining more light on the design aspect, Santiago Calatrava, chairman of Calatrava International took the audience around the design and the conceptualisation of the state-ofthe-art building.
“Over the years, we have witnessed the transformation of Oman’s banking sector and its contribution to the national economy and development. As Sohar International continues its ambitious plan towards becoming a global and world leading Omani service company, this building will bring tangible and intangible benefits that differentiate us further and creates more value to our stakeholders,” Ardhi said.
The state-of-the-art facility is aimed at delivering a seamless and rewarding experience to the bank’s customers while providing its employees with a high-performance and agile workplace. Located at Airport Heights Road, Sohar International’s new headquarters will be an iconic building in Muscat city’s skyline. The futuristic design consists of an exterior façade that will feature a one-sided surface with a single boundary and will twist and fold unto itself, conveying the appearance of two interlocking ellipses, resembling Sohar International’s quintessential brand logo.
Ahmed al Musalmi, chief executive officer of Sohar International, said, “The new headquarters embellishes the brand’s new identity and encapsulates the brand’s strategy. A milestone in our journey, this building will establish the brand’s energy and potential of becoming leaders in Oman’s banking sector. This building will help us serve our customers even better as I believe our new head office will infuse more vigour and confidence to the brand thus developing a more attractive, efficient, and effective banking environment.”
Commenting on the design, Gabriel Calatrava, design partner at Calatrava International, said, “Our design vision for Sohar International is to create a functional building derived from a Mobius surface rooted in mathematics, while capturing Omani’s natural heritage and traditions. Our main goal, together with the client, is to build a sculptural beacon to the Sultanate of Oman’s capital.”