‘Yowalah’ wins the Urban Commissions 2021: PLAY! competition, supported by A.R.M. Holding
Dubai: A.R.M. Holding today announces that Beirut-based architectural firm, Bits to Atoms, has won Dubai Design Week’s annual design competition; Urban Commissions, which was themed around playfulness for 2021. Titled ‘Yowalah’, the winning proposal is an inclusive and inter-generational public space, designed to undo social disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A.R.M. Holding’s involvement in the initiative is part of the company’s ongoing mission to give back to the community and is in line with supporting and driving the objectives laid out in the UAE’s 2040 vision.
Mohammad Saeed Al Shehhi, CEO of A.R.M. Holding, said: “A.R.M. Holding is driven by our commitment to give back to the community. We see the world as a collaborative place which is made more inviting and beautiful through the creativity of its people. Public spaces and installations such as ‘Yowalah’ invite people to come together as a society, whilst enriching the community as a whole. Bits to Atoms has presented an outstanding response to this year’s Urban commissions brief and we are excited to see it be brought to life.”
Offering play areas for kids, as well as a space for sports and gardening, Yowalah uses 3D-printed beams assembled into frame beams to ‘weave’ the fabric of a healthy society. Regaining public spaces and stitching communities back together again, the recycled materials are fabricated on-demand, without moulds or stocks, reducing further the overall impact on the environment of the initiative.
“The modularity of the design is key in its flexibility to adapt any program or site, but also for easy maintenance and replacement,” explained Bits to Atoms CEO and founder, Guillaume Crédoz. “The colourful polycarbonate elements are used to form a continuous curved spatial beam, standing on thin steel pillars, to which many accessories can be hung.”
Elements include ladder steps, swings seats and exploration tubes for kids, as well as planting pots and pergolas for gardening projects – all 3D-printed with local recycled materials from the automotive industry and unique in their design.
The Beirut-based architecture and research firm has been awarded AED60,000 plus AED40,000 production fees, including all project development technical plans, renders and production management and supervision.
The proposal was received and reviewed by a jury of experts composed of directors from A.R.M. Holding and Art Dubai Group.
About A.R.M. Holding:
A.R.M. Holding is a private investment firm and multi-focused economic enabler that creates synergies and opportunities through local, regional, and global investments. At the core of the company’s business strategy is its commitment to impactful investments, actively employing its resources to advance society and empower its players to pursue innovative solutions and inspire a better future. It collaborates with like-minded organizations and leverages its network and partnerships to create meaningful relationships and growth opportunities.
A.R.M. Holding’s investments are focused on tech-enabled industries and sophisticated technologies around the world that demonstrate strong potential for long-term positive social impact. It also holds equity stakes in some of Dubai’s foremost companies in a variety of sectors including Banking, Telecom, FMCG, Real Estate, and Hospitality.
