TPS announces Muscat airport's ATC tower to open in April

UK-based architects TPS has announced that the construction of the air traffic control (ATC) tower is expected to be completed by April, Muscat Daily has reported.
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TPS has said the new development at Muscat International Airport will include an iconic air traffic control tower, an air transport management complex, a contingency and training centre, plus fire and sea rescue facilities. The project -  11 new buildings in total with associated external works, is procured under a design & build contract and is part of a wider redevelopment scheduled for completion in 2014, which will allow the airport to handle 12 million visitors per year.

It is expected that the new air traffic control tower will become an international symbol for Oman. Standing at just less than 100 metres in height, it will be the tallest occupied building in the country’s capital, Muscat, when it opens. It is located to the south of the new passenger terminal west pier and linked to the terminal building by a glazed bridge link.

Regional director of TPS, Hanif Macci, said: “The key challenges for us are to develop designs in parallel, whilst meeting the different project objectives to a tight timescale. We also have to manage design interfaces for the timely flow of information with designers of other contracts for the airport development."

Macci added: “This is a high profile project in Oman with considerable interest from local and national media. The facilities designed by TPS will be amongst the first to be completed and therefore provide a visual demonstration of progress for the new airport development to an external observer. Winning this project is testament to the multi-disciplinary skills and expertise of TPS within the aviation sector. The key factors contributing to this win were the better-value design solutions proposed by TPS, which the client is keen to explore.”