Kuwait Investment Authority Headquarters

The KIA Headquarters is 230 meters in height and is featured in the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat list of globally ranked tall towers. The 48-story tower has a unique stacking of four office courtyard atria with eight floors each, and one 6-story executive office courtyard that with a director’s meeting room with its own lounge. Each of these 8-story atria has a 2-story atrium facing east, north, and facing the west.

The façade of the tower is based on the tradition of the mashrabiyas as a screening mechanism for reducing and increasing the window apertures, to reduce or increase natural light into the building. This dynamic façade changes depending on the directional orientation and levels of the tower.

The podium structure that has sophisticated conferencing facilities draws its inspiration from the traditional form of the dhow (traditional sailing vessel) symbolizing Kuwait’s past heritage while the tower symbolizes its soaring global presence into the future.

The project was won through an international anonymous design competition conducted by KIA. It has since garnered many awards for its design and notably in 2020 it was selected by identiy as Commercial Project of the Year.

KEO provided complete consultancy services from concept design through to managing and supervising its construction until final handing over and commissioning of KIA headquarters. KEO also were the interior designers of the KIA Headquarters.