‘New professional associations complex to be ready in three years’

AMMAN — The Jordan Engineers Association (JEA) has laid the cornerstone for its new headquarters in the capital’s Tabarbour area, which will also house other professional associations.

Engineers have always dreamt of such a building, which will be equipped with all the necessary facilities, Shadi Abdulsalam, the Consolidated Consultants’ designer of the new building, said at the ceremony late last week to announce the project, located opposite Queen Alia Hospital on Al Urdun Street.

“The new eight-storey building meets a main need of the JEA to organise its administrations, funds and councils, in addition to housing the different professional associations in one location, so as to become a real association estate,” Abdulsalam said.

Another reason for the 31,000-square-metre headquarters is to provide a new developed building with modern facilities that professionals can benefit from, the designer added.

“The agricultural engineers, pharmacists, contractors, press, geologists, accountants and veterinarians associations have already booked their offices in the new location,” he said, expressing hope that other associations will follow suit in the near future.

Abdulsalam said the project will be implemented in two phases, with the first to be established on a five-dunum plot of land, while the second stage is planned to be a future expansion on approximately another five dunums.

“The design standards of the new headquarters, the JEA Cube, are meant to create a landmark in the area that will be a unique building in Amman, with a flexibility that allows rearranging offices easily,” he added.

The section allocated for the JEA, which has around 100,000 members, is cube-shaped... with the design of the building allowing sunlight to enter each office, according to Abdulsalam.

“We are currently studying the use of geothermal energy to cool and heat the building, which will make the JEA Cube the first project with such a system in Jordan and the region,” he said.

The design also took into consideration the increasing number of engineers, the separation of administration offices from those receiving visitors and training centres. In addition, a planned hall will have the capacity to accommodate 800 people where new members can take the oath, the architect added.

The building also has public spaces, squares and three levels of parking lots, he said.

JEA President Abdullah Obeidat said the project is expected to be ready within three years, stressing the need to move from the Professional Associations Complex’s current location in Shmeisani because it can no longer house the activities of the syndicates.

“JEA members, in particular, are increasing and need more space,” Obeidat said, noting that the association had to organise its activities outside the Shmeisani complex on several occasions.