YBA Architects designed and managed about 25-30 projects, with an average cost of EGP 30bn, during 2020, with the projects located in various new cities across Egypt.
These include fourth generation cities and national projects, such as New Alamein and the New Administrative Capital (NAC), as well as in new cities such as New Cairo and 6th of October.
Yasser Al Beltagy, Chairperson of YBA Architects, said that the office has designed about 230 diversified projects since its inception in 2011. These include 12 projects for Al-Ahly Sabbour, the most prominent of which are Green Square, L’Avenir, Aria, Platinum Club, Keeva, and The City of Odyssia.
In addition, the company designed 50 administrative buildings, 60 residential compounds, and 120 commercial projects in almost all fields except the health sector.
Al Beltagy told Daily News Egypt that YBA Architects is currently designing and managing 12 projects in the New Capital for Edge, Cornerstone, Sky Abu Dhabi, Living Yards, and other companies.
He noted that the implementation cost of these projects at the NAC has reached about EGP 14bn.
He pointed out that the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) assigned his office the project of designing eight towers at the New Alamein Towers, of which five towers have been completed. The total cost of construction works at these projects amounted to about EGP 12bn.
In addition, the company is implementing a 160,000-sqm commercial project in New Alamein City, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Outside Greater Cairo, YBA Architects is currently implementing a project on an area of 104 feddans in New Assiut city for Madinet Nasr Housing and Development.
YBA Architects is also designing a new project in New Mansoura City for the Maadi Company for Development and Reconstruction, affiliated to the public business sector.
Regarding the conditions of engineering design market during the COVID-19 crisis, Al Beltagy revealed that he didn’t close the company due to the COVID-19 outbreak, while others accelerated their design work for new projects to be ready after the end of the pandemic.
Accordingly, real estate companies tended, during the COVID-19 outbreak, to increase construction rates at their projects.
“We have implemented about 200 projects outside Egypt, and in more than one country,” Al Beltagy said, “But we are not currently seeking to open an office outside Egypt, as the country has enormous urban development opportunities.”
He added that consultancy offices receive very weak fees compared to the volume of works and designs executed, while foreign design offices gain double of these fees.
Al Beltagy also said that some real estate developers resort to foreign consulting offices in search for modern ideas. On the other hand, others seek to benefit from famous design brands in marketing their real estate products.
Most real estate companies have tended to reduce the space at units, while optimising the available spaces. Some developers have requested increasing out-door spaces in some administrative, medical, and commercial projects, he added.
