Rockwell eyes venture with Burj al-Arab designer

Lopez-owned Rockwell Land Corp. announced Wednesday that they were in negotiations with the designer of the iconic Burj al-Arab hotel in Dubai for the expansion program of the high-end property developer.

In a briefing, Rockwell Land officials said that Uruguayan architect Carlos Ott—who is also famous for designing the Opera de la Bastille in Paris—is being wooed for him to be part of the so-called “Greater Rockwell” project that will see the size of the upscale enclave grow toward the direction of the Pasig River.

Officials declined to provide more details about the project expansion phase, but it has already been reported earlier that Rockwell Land wanted to grow its property northward with its acquisition of the two-hectare adjacent property where the former Colgate-Palmolive plant stood as well as to expand across the river into Mandaluyong City.

During the briefing, the property developer presented Ott to members of the local media, with the architect heaping praise on the country and its talent pool in the field of architecture and design.

“I have worked with many Filipinos in various projects,” Ott said. “I have a whole office in Dubai doing models staffed by Filipinos.”

Ott described Metro Manila’s urban sprawl as being similar to many South American cities he has lived and worked in, but expressed particular satisfaction as to how the Rockwell property was master-planned.

“We are still in talks, but if I get to work with Rockwell, I’m looking at incorporating local elements into my designs,” he said, without elaborating further.

The architect disclosed that officials of Rockwell Land have already made “fact-finding” trips to several of his projects around the world to personally inspect his work.

Ott said a potential partnership with Rockwell would mark the first time he would work in the Philippines. He does, however, have extensive experience working around Southeast Asia, having designed buildings and various structures in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as several opera houses in China and high-rise structures in Hong Kong.

In recent years, Ott has also been in demand in the Middle East, where he designed several palaces for various members of Arab royal families.

Apart from the Burj al-Arab hotel in Dubai, Ott was also responsible for the design for the buildings of the Dubai National Bank, the Abu Dhabi National Bank and the Etisalat Tower, among others.