Reef Island, Bahrain

Reef Island is a mixed development on a 579,000 m2 reclaimed island located on Manama’s northern shore near the Bahrain Financial Harbour. Through a competition, Pentago in collaboration with Spowers Architect Australia won the bid for the masterplanning, architectural and landscape design.
The massive scale, six-year project was a dream come true for the team who had been pushing hard for overseas contracts at the time. However, it was not without its challenges. In creating and shaping the island from scratch many factors come into play such as the ocean currents, keeping the aqua environment healthy and stabilizing the ocean. The masterplan had to include facilities, amenities and various regulations and procedures. Essentially, they were building a mini-city.
Alfresco dining was re-introduced as well with the open wall concept to facilitate the heat during certain periods of the year. Design strategies such as double-glazing and roof overhangs served to not only protect from the heat but also access the amazing view lines on the coast.
Landscape on the island was planned from scratch to be inviting and comfortable, addressing the outdoors with parks and gardens designed for families. This project won the prestigious Honour Award from the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia at MLAA 12.