Kuwait’s iconic Ministries Complex to undergo extensive renovation

• The new tender for the renovation of the Ministries Complex aims to address the urgent need for extensive maintenance due to aging and damaged insulation that has not been replaced since the building was constructed 43 years ago.

The Ministry of Finance is preparing to launch a new tender for the renovation of the Ministries Complex, the iconic government headquarters in the heart of Kuwait City.

According to sources cited by Al-Qabas, this new tender differs from the one completed a few years ago. It will include consulting services for conducting studies and designs, preparing tender documents, supervising major maintenance work on the complex’s roofs and associated services, and reinforcing some of the building columns within the complex.

Structural reinforcements and design

According to a document reviewed by Al-Qabasnewspaper, the Ministry of Finance intends to assign a local consulting firm to provide the necessary services. These include studying and preparing tender documents, architectural and structural design work to support columns and other elements, and supervising their implementation. Additionally, the firm will oversee the radical maintenance of the roofs and related services of the Ministries Complex.

The document stated that the tender aims to address the urgent need for extensive maintenance on the roofs and related services due to aging and damaged insulation, which has not been replaced since the building was constructed 43 years ago.

The inspection revealed significant damage to most of the building’s surfaces, requiring immediate maintenance to prevent water leakage and further damage to the public property within the complex.

Development works

The ministry stated that recent development work in the complex buildings required uncovering and breaking parts of the roofs to implement new facade and mechanical service rooms. It also revealed that repairing and connecting old insulation with new insulation was not feasible, as the old insulation is completely damaged.

The inspections highlighted an urgent need to address roof slopes, replace old tiles damaged by age, and repair some concrete ceiling tiles.

The document also noted that the upcoming tender by the Ministry of Finance will include reinforcement work for some columns in the Ministries Complex. This is necessary because the remaining columns, not covered by the previous tender, need reinforcement. Laboratory tests and examinations have shown that the old design load stress for these columns is significantly low. The reinforcement aims to ensure that all columns in the complex are in high design condition, capable of withstanding additional loads from development work, and to ensure the buildings will remain viable for over 25 years.

Main components of the Ministries Complex

• The complex covers an area of 150,000 square meters.
• It houses over 8,000 employees and workers from both the public and private sectors.
• The complex consists of 19 buildings, which include, twelve buildings designated for employees, two buildings for VIPs, including suites for ministers and undersecretaries, two service buildings for air conditioning and heating, as well as offices for operation and maintenance staff, VIP parking within the complex, parking lots covering 90,000 square meters for the complex’s buildings and additional service buildings.

Required work

The Ministry of Finance outlines the following works to be implemented in the Ministries Complex:

1. Engage an engineering consulting office: The office will be responsible for preparing tender documents, contractual documents, design work, and engineering reports. This is in accordance with Law No. 49 of 2016, which mandates clarity and precision in contractual designs. The office will handle:
   • Architectural and structural studies and designs for two tenders: one for insulation work on the roofs of the complex’s buildings, and another for reinforcing columns and other structural elements.
   • Designing any additional works required for the completion and implementation of these tenders.
2. Radical maintenance works: The office will study and design the architectural and structural aspects of radical maintenance for the roofs of the Ministries Complex buildings and supervise the implementation.
3. Support for columns and structural elements: The office will study and design the architectural and structural works needed to support columns and other related elements that were not included in the previous tender for rehabilitation and development of the Ministries Complex buildings, and supervise their implementation.

Government agencies, bank branches, and shops

The Ministries Complex houses several government agencies, including five ministries: the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Finance.

Additionally, the complex features branches of most local banks, as well as numerous retail stores and specialty coffee points of sale.