The main campus building of the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech), designed by Hoehler & Partner Architects, has been awarded internationally with the Design Award 2016 of the German Design Council in the category Excellent Communications Design – Architecture.
“We are proud to receive such a prestigious international award for the architecture of our building. In the last couple of years GUtech building was awarded several times – by the Construction Week Magazine as the Best Commercial Building in Oman and later it was awarded in the same category in the whole Middle East in 2013, and in 2014 the building was awarded as the best Social Building in Oman,” said Dr. Hussain Al Salmi, Deputy-Rector for Administration and Finance at GUtech.
In a statement its jury members Mårten Claesson, Dr. Michael Peters and Stefan von Terzi mentioned: “GUtech, with its characteristic grid structure, has become a sight to see in the area of Halban, Oman and is an important part of the location’s cultural and economic development. The project was finished under budget in just 18 months and meets the highest standards of quality. It combines the cultural heritage of Oman with the high standards of German engineering, and is a wonderful example of the current and future identity of Omani architecture.”
GUtech architects are awarded among other international architects who were awarded for their design such as the ‘timber structure’ of the sports hall of the Kogakuin University in Tokyo, the exhibition ‘ITAMI JUN: Architecture of the Wind’ of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in South Korea and ‘Luminary’, the interior of an exceptional cinema in Hong Kong as well as a Split View Mountain Lodge in Norway.
GUtech is the only German University of Technology in Oman, located on the Arabian Peninsula. GUtech is the partner-university of the Rheinland-Westfälisch-Technische Hochschule – RWTH Aachen University. In 2007 GUtech started with 60 students and 30 staff members in two villas in Muscat and in September 2012 the university moved to its own campus in Halban. The campus is spread over 500,000 m², including three accommodation buildings. Currently around 1300 students are studying at GUtech. The university is planning to expand its campus with further faculty buildings, construction will start this year.