Dubai promoted as the glass hub of the Middle East in London

United Arab Emirates: Leading internationally renowned architects have been honoured at the prestigious Emirates Glass LEAF Awards 2008, which took place in London on October 23, 2008. Emirates Glass LLC (EGL), the leading processors of premium architectural flat glass in the Middle East and a subsidiary of Glass LLC, which is wholly owned by Dubai Investments (DI), has today announced that the Awards have been an unprecedented success.

The LEAF (Leading European Architects Forum) Awards, is one of the world’s most influential international architectural and design events, and was established in 2003 to recognise and reward excellence across the profession. The awards are open to all companies, technologies and individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the world of architecture and who strive to set higher benchmarks for the design of buildings-of-tomorrow.

Emirates Glass involvement with the LEAF Awards reflects the company’s genuine interest in reaching international markets, and in promoting Dubai as the glass hub of the Middle East emphasizing on the vision of Mr. Khalid Bin Kalban, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Investments who had recently announced a 1 billion dollars investments by 2010 in the glass industry of the Gulf region.

Mr. Ziad Yazbeck, General Manager, Emirates Glass said: “Our involvement with the LEAF Awards reflects our consistent quest to be on the forefront of architectural excellence, through the Awards we are able to market ourselves as a leader in glass processing in the Middle East as well as being able to position our lead with major, designers, architects and consultants.”

Through the ‘Emirates Glass LEAF Awards 2008’ sponsorship, the company is keen to achieve substantial international presence and recognition that will further enhance its expansion process and global reach.

This year, the 10 categories of the Awards attracted entries from 26 countries worldwide. Winners were announced at a black-tie dinner at the Dorchester Hotel, in London on 23 October 2008 and the event was hosted by renowned interior designer and TV celebrity Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.

With more than 400 leading industry figures attending, the Awards was indeed the social and networking highlight of the global architectural and design world.

During the award ceremony Emirates Glass presented the winning trophy to architects Schmidt Hammer Lassen, of Denmark who won the award for the Mixed Use Building of the Year as well as the grand prize for best architects of the year.

Other winners in the 10 categories include; PCKO Architects, bgp arqitectura, John McAslan & Partners, Kengo Kuma & Associates, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Xavier Vilata Studio, LSI Architects LLP, WSP Architectural Design Consulting Co. Ltd and Foster + Partners.

Now in their fifth year, the Emirates Glass LEAF awards have rapidly become one of the most prestigious global architectural prize-objectives, recognising excellence in the international architectural, design and build fields. With architects from all over the world eligible to enter, former winners have included: ARB Bank, Saudi Arabia; America's Cup Foredeck Building, Valencia, Spain; The Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Canada; Qantas First Lounge, Sydney, Australia; Kensington Oval, Barbados; Young Vic Theatre, London; UK Watercube National Swimming Centre, Beijing, China; and The Green Building, Manchester, UK.