International construction consultant, Drees & Sommer, said it has completed the work on the concept and flagship store for South Tyrolean confectionery Loacker located at Dubai Mall. The 300-sq-m facility is the group's first outlet outside of Europe.

Built at a cost of over Dh3.6 million ($979,966), Loacker's concept and flagship store has an extensive sales area within the prestigious shopping centre.

Drees & Sommer’s role in the project was as project manager and cost consultant, with the team working alongside design firm, RBS Group, part of Drees & Sommer, and contractor, Blue Camel Design, said a statement from the company.

Work commenced on site on June 19, and was completed to schedule on September 6, with the doors now open to the public.

Stephan Degenhart, the managing director of Drees & Sommer, said: "We are delighted to be involved in assisting Loacker to achieve its vision of creating a more playful shop design by using a combination different lively colours and dynamic shapes to give it its unique look. The project team also ensured that only high-end materials were used throughout the entire construction phase project."

A key consideration throughout the project was ensuring minimal disruption to the surrounding area so as not to disturb shoppers in the mall, he stated.

This was achieved by carefully planned and executed workflows in line with the approved schedule of works. The main challenge was meeting very tight deadlines, especially during the fit-out stage of the project. As a team, remaining flexible in incorporating design changes was of the utmost importance, he added.

The construction followed international best practices and Drees & Sommer ensured all site work complied with the HSE requirements of Emaar and Dubai Civil Defence.

"This project is a testament to the value of taking international expertise and applying it to local projects to achieve results exceeding client expectations. The client’s concept was kept at the forefront, while also ensuring the aesthetic of the surrounding shops and public areas were complemented," noted Degenhart.

Drees & Sommer’s scope of work included a complete review of all design plans and completed works, engineering value throughout the project and procurement management, he added.

Drees & Sommer also acted as the client’s representative on-site, taking the lead on client reporting and managing all project participants.

Other areas of the project Drees & Sommer managed included cost, time and quality, from the layout development phase through the completion and handover. The Drees & Sommer team also oversaw the approvals process, estimation of Capex, cost monitoring, tendering, awarding and settlement, it stated.-TradeArabia News Service