News releases
Atkins’ innovative water park design wins international award - 11 October 2012
Atkins’ innovative design on Yas Waterworld in Abu Dhabi has won a Leading Edge award at the recent World Waterpark Association (WWA) symposium. The inaugural Leading Edge award recognises those who have brought a project to fruition and demonstrated industry leadership and innovation. Yas Waterworld is the first water park of its kind, evolving from a purely water based park to an adventure attraction complete with rollercoasters.
Judges highlighted Atkins for its design work and were impressed with Atkins’ architectural ingenuity, theming and original storyline.
WWA chairman, Jim Basala, said: "Each year the World Waterpark Association polls its membership in search of projects that stand at the forefront of the water attractions industry. Yas Waterworld in Abu Dhabi has been recognised for demonstrating this leadership and innovation through its storyline, park and ride design, theming and attention to every detail.”
With the themes of Emirati heritage and history briefed by the client Aldar, Atkins’ architects pay tribute to the country’s pearl diving traditions. The park follows the adventures of Dana, a young Emirati in search of a legendary lost pearl which would return prosperity and fortune to the people of her fishing village. Along her journey, Dana is joined by a cast of characters inspired by Atkins’ architects, which manifest themselves in the zones and rides throughout the park, bringing the story to life and immersing the guests in the experience.
Kevin Johnson, Atkins’ design manager for the project picked up the award on behalf of the Atkins’ team in Las Vegas last week. Yas Waterworld on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island will open to the public later this year and will incorporate 43 rides and attractions for all ages.
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Atkins (www.atkinsglobal.com) is one of the world's leading engineering and design consultancies*, employing some 17,420 people across the UK, North America, Middle East, Asia Pacific and Europe. It has the breadth and depth of expertise to plan, design and enable some of the world's most technically challenging and time critical infrastructure projects.
*It is the largest engineering consultancy in the UK (New Civil Engineer Consultants File 2012) and the 13th largest global design firm (Engineering News-Record 2011).
Recent projects include:
- Providing architecture, civil and structural engineering and construction supervision services for the Arabic themed Wild Wadi Water Park in Dubai;
- Various engineering and architecture services for the Burj Al Arab hotel, which is widely considered a symbol of modern Dubai;
- Architecture design and masterplanning for the Oasis of the Seas Cruise Liner which offers guests a broad spectrum of entertainment and experience;
- High profile transport planning and urban design – our innovative scheme to deliver a diagonal crossing at Oxford Circus in London, UK, has helped tackle the problem of pedestrian crowding;
- Multi-year architecture-engineering construction management services for the US National Park Service, including projects such as rehabilitation of the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Administrative Complex at California’s Death Valley to meet the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification standards;
- Water and environmental projects – critical programme management of storm protection works in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Southern Louisiana in North America, providing expertise in coastal restoration, engineering, environmental and GIS support to rebuild defenses and protect habitats.
Atkins was named among The Sunday Times 25 Best Big Companies to Work For 2011, won Consultancy of the Year in the CIBSE Low Carbon Performance Awards 2010, received the first ever certification of the Carbon Trust Standard awarded to an engineering consultancy in the construction sector, and was included in The Times Top 50 Employers for Women 2011 and The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers 2010. Atkins was also construction and civil engineering sector winner for the fifth consecutive year in the Target National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2010 and was awarded a RoSPA Gold Award 2011 for excellence in control of health and safety in the workplace.
Atkins is the official engineering design services provider for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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