UN-HABITAT, the United Nation’s agency for human settlement, has created a development competition in association with the Iraq government to help rebuild the country.

Winners of the international competition are London-based architectural firm Assemblage, with their design concept that focuses on the creation of a community for 3,000 people, include residential buildings, infrastructure, schools, markets, healthcare centres and playing fields.

The designers have been very sensitive in the creation of their concept, and have included lush and aesthetically pleasing green spaces into the community setting in order to encourage environmental consciousness and harmony.

The planning and layout aspects of the project have also been implemented after serious consideration. Safety has been a key focus, so clever vehicle parking and pedestrian areas have been included. The surrounding landscaped areas will be shaded and pedestrian friendly to promote a sense of community and encourage outdoor interaction.

All of the materials and labour used for the construction will come directly from the local industry.

What is important to note is the care in which the development plan has been designed. Unlike many countries that treat low income housing as a throw away construction project, the architects have used advanced design systems and features in order to create a world-class development.

In addition to the use of the local labour force and materials as social and economical sustainable features, these low cost buildings will also include the use of environmentally sustainable design aspects that have been described by the architects as “rivalling western standards”.

While the full extent of these aspects are as yet to be released, there can be no doubting the commitment that this design and its designers are showing towards helping create a durable and worthwhile living space for Iraqis.

The project is set to begin construction later this year.

(Source: Design Build Source, Assemblage)

Construction has started on a $34 million (40 billion Iraqi dinar) residential project in the province of Nineveh, reports AKnews.

The 560 homes will be built on an 82-acre site close to the famed waterfall cascades in northern Mosul, in a joint-effort by Iraqiya and Andalusia Construction Companies.

Nineveh’s Governor, Athil Nujaifi, said the project will be completed by the beginning of 2013.

The companies recently completed the construction of a compound in Hadba, which includes 65 buildings, each containing three flats.

(Source: AKnews)

The Duhok Investment Commission has licensed two housing projects comprising over 8,000 residential units in the distrit of Zakho (pictured), on the Turkish border, according to AKnews.

The agency reports that Kurdistan has a shortage of 100,000 housing units, but this project is expected to meet all the requirements of Zakho. The two projects will be worth about $525 million in total.

One of the projects will have 7,496 apartments with areas of 120, 145 and 150 square meters each, while the second project involves 708 villas with areas of 312, 450, 603 and 1,000 square meters.

Both projects also include schools, kindergartens, health centers, and shopping complexes.

(Source: AKnews)

(Photo credit: Zaxo)

The Iraqi housing and rehabilitation minister, Mr Mohammad Darraji, has urged Jordanian construction firms and contractors to enter Iraq, reports Steel Guru.

Jordanians have a real opportunity to contribute to Iraq’s huge rebuilding projects, for which the government has allocated $40 billion in 2012, he said.

Mr Darraji made the remarks during a meeting with Jordanian minister of public works and housing, Mr Yahia Al Kasbi, and leading businessmen in the construction sector.

Describing it as a “reconstruction blueprint unprecedented in the Arab area”, he added that “given their expertise and reputation, Jordanian and other Arab contracting firms can have a tangible role in the Iraqi reconstruction process.”

He went on to assure them that investments in the reconstruction activity would be guaranteed by the Iraqi government.

(Source: Steel Guru)

A delegation from the Iranian Farast Group visited the Basra Investment Commission (BIC) and met its chairman, Khalaf Al-Badran.

They discussed the possibility of obtaining investment opportunities in various sectors, including housing and electricity.

The representative of the group, Ridha Mudhahari, said that his group includes 78 foreign and local specialized companies and that they have executed projects in a variety of countries.

Al-Badran explained to the delegation the duties of BIC and the facilities it provides to the investor, and said that there were many investment opportunities in the housing sector ready for investment.

(Source: Basra Investment Commission)

Two local governments started construction on more than 500 housing units to the west of the city of Diwaniya.

Total investment in the scheme is said to be $84 million, according to Aswat al-Iraq.

Ahmed Hashim, acting head of the Investment Commission, told the agency that the sites of the projects were handed over to the two companies; the first will build 304 housing units in Shamiya area, 30 km from Diwaniya city, and the other will build 260 housing units in Shafi’iya area, 7 km west of the city.

(Source: Aswat al-Iraq)

The Ministry of Construction and Housing announced on Thursday that it has begun an affordable housing project which has an allocation of $2 billion (2,300 billion IQD) from the 2012 budget.

Istabrak al-Shawq  [Istabraq Al-Shouk] (pictured), the Under Secretary of the Ministry, told AKnews that the project will be completed within four years and three construction models for the project were chosen.

“The main problems that hinder the implementation of residential projects is the lack of suitable land.” He continued: “The financial allocations for this year are less than what we have planned for.”

Reports and studies prepared by non-governmental organizations and international companies say it will take Iraq 20 years to end the housing crisis.

(Source: AKnews)

The National Investment Commission (NIC) has announced the investment opportunity to construct a complete residential complex for the employees of the Shiite Endowments Directorate in Baghdad – Karrada district within a total area of (60) acres in accordance with the Investment law No. 13 of 2006 as amended and according to the requirements set out below:

1. The project includes the establishment of a residential complex of vertical eight-storey buildings each
2. Number of units to be implemented is (2400) housing units with areas of (125 m ², 175 m ², 225 m ²)
3. Constructing schools for the three phases with nurseries – medical centre – a shopping and marketing center – a cultural center – services (water, sewage, power stations and generators).
4. a playground, passengers roads, parking spaces and green areas in accordance with the in forced relevant standards of the Municipality of Baghdad and the Ministry of Housing and Construction.
5. The system of funding for this project will be supported through a bank that should be accredited by the Central Bank of Iraq to be a mediator between the beneficiary and the investor while the cost of each apartment and the payment mechanism is to be negotiated with the investing company and the mediator bank.

Investors who wish to apply for this investment opportunity can provide their technical, economic and financing plans and fill in the investment application form available on the website of the National Investment Commission and attach requirements described on page (7) of the same form.

Note: You can apply for this investment opportunity within one month from the date of publication of this announcement.

oss@investpromo.gov.iq