Christopher Hyde Belknap – Design Earth Synergy
International Design Consulting 2001- 2015
Middle East Urban & Resort Master Planning/
Destination Resort & Mixed Use Commercial
Christopher Belknap- Design Earth Synergy – International Design Consulting – Record Projects – focuses on major Master Planning and Resort / Commercial Projects primarily in the Middle East and most often as a consultant to WATG Architects, Irvine office.
The Urban Master Plan projects ranging from City Plans in such as Dubai Marina, Dubai – UAE to Mahd Al Nile – Cairo, Eygpt, Cairo, Eygypt and KAEC, Saudi Arabia are a representation of a few of the most complex and expansive projects undertaken in the World during the first decade of the 21st Century. These were completely new Cities and they were Master Planned and Designed by some of the best Architectural and Planning Design Firms, from the United States, Canada and Europe in most cases.
These massive projects involved a high degree of collaborative effort to envision and design all the various complex layers of infrastructure, zoning, business development requirements, and then to the envision and design the creative development of the heart and purpose of the City Center in each project, and to all the uses that make for a dynamic living experience in our most Modern Cities. In each case this was accomplished while learning and applying lesson from all the Great Cities and periods of design from History.
As a senior or lead designer engaged in the key initial Conceptual Master Planning, there was a tremendous creative opportunity and challenge to balance all objectives and requirements of these Projects and create a dynamic sense of Urban and Community Space and Living. The next step in each of these Master Planning efforts is to add the full requirements of Sustainable Planning – for Clean and Renewable Energy, Infrastructure and Transportation systems to truly transform projects conceived at this level of collaborative design and development undertaking to the 21 st Century Sustainable Clean Energy Level.
1999-2000 Dubai Marina – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Senior Designer with WATG Architects -Newport Beach, CA:Senior Designer with WATG Architects during initial Concept Design Competition. This project was a joint venture between WATG Architects and HOK Architects for EMAAR Properties. The initial Concept Overall Competition Master Plan envisioned a self-contained “City with in a City” of 150,000 residents on 1,140 acres with approx. 20% of the site a man made canal. The concept incorporated a resort area with 10 Hotel sites, Residential and Retail Office core with a major performing arts center. In 2012, Dubai Marina was well on the way to being built out. View photos taken of Dubai Marina in 2012.
Click on all Illustrations and Images to Expand:
Expand photos of Dubai Marina Waterfront Promenade – December 2012.
Twelve years after initial Concept Master Plan for Dubai Marina was submitted to EMAAR:
2005 – 2006 King Abdullah Economic City – Saudi Arabia
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Irvine, CA
As a Senior Design Consultant with WATG Architects, was responsible for a number of the central components of the conceptual development of the 50 square mile new King Abdullah Economic City on the Red Sea for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Assignment within the WATG Planning Group was to develop, within the overall Master Plan, the detailed conceptual plans and computer mass models of the Center and Heart of the City.
Phase I – Initial Concept Master Plan:
2005 – 2006 King Abdullah Economic City – Saudi Arabia
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Irvine, CA
In the subsequent Phase II Master Plan, performed the same conceptual design service for a number of key district centers within WATG plan. The design effort included developing the detailed plans and computer mass models that were translated into the final presentation renderings and models depicted. The work was under the commission of EMAAR Development out of Dubai.
Phase II – Concept Master Plan:
Expand photos of the King Abdallah Economic City Development Model – EMAAR
2005 – Mahd Al Nile – Cairo, Eygpt
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Irvine, CA
As a Consultant and Senior Designer for WATG Architects, developed a series of conceptual plans along with the WATG Design Team in an initial design charrette. Responsible for numerous components of the final Cairo City Center in a supporting collaboration role with the team of designers in the initial concept development. EMAAR Properties – UAE.
2006 – High Rise Tower Studies – Bawadi Master Plan – Dubai – UAE
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Irvine, CA
Design Consultation for WATG Architects: Senior Designer responsible for collaboration with design team developing various individual parcel Concept Studies within the overall Master Plan. These included high rise mix-used Tower Studies, Hotel Parcel – Concept Studies & various mixed use site studies.
2002 Media City Competition – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Irvine, CA
Design Consultation for WATG Architects: Senior Designer responsible for collaboration with design team Concept – Mixed Use Residential, Office and Retail Center.
2005 – Desert Wind Golf Club House, Dubai Festival City- UAE
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Irvine, CA
As a Senior Designer and Consultant for WATG architects, was responsible for developing various conceptual design studies for the Desert Wind Golf Club House in collaboration with WATG Design Team. The Desert Wind Concept was selected. At this point the design role was in support of the team in developing elevations and details illustrated.
2008 – City Center Hotel, Panama City
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Irvine, CA
Design Consultant – Christopher Belknap with WATG Architects, assisted the design team in the development of the initial concept of The City Center Hotel / Casino Project. This involved analyzing a previously existing hotel master plan, and then developing a series of innovative ideas to bring the Hotel up to a landmark standard of design, including the addition of an exciting Penthouse Night Club. The design included the option of accepting a solar roof array – either photovoltaic or Concentrating Solar Thermal Collectors to reduce the buildings Carbon Footprint.
2008 – Four Seasons Master Plan – Jumeirah Garden City – Dubai – UAE
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Orlando, FL
Senior Designer for WATG Architects responsible for Concept Master Plan and Conceptual Architectural Design 800 Room Resort Hotel, Conference Facilities, Garden Villas – with Traditional Classical Cultural Detailing.
2006 – Taghazout Resort, Morocco
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Irvine, CA
Senior Designer for WATG Architects responsible for Concept Master Plan and Conceptual Architectural Design 500 Room Resort Hotel, Conference Facilities, Retail Village Center – Garden Villas – with Moroccan Cultural Detailing.
2006 – 2007 The Princess Papagayo Resort, Costa Rica
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Irvine, CA
As Senior Designer and Consultant to WATG Architects, was responsible for conceptual development and lead design of the 5 Star Princess Papagayo Resort with 160 Luxury Suite Villas on an 8 Hectare Property on a dramatic ocean fronting point in Northern Costa Rica. The Swiss Developer’s challenge was to design to the highest standard of luxury and Sustainable Design Practice.
2006 – Mohegan Sun Resort – East Tower Expansion, Uncasville Village in Montville, CT
Design Consultation for WATG Architects – Orlando, Fl
As a Consultant to WATG Architects & Senior Designer – responsible for Concept Development of Mohegan Sun – Phase 50 Story High Rise Hotel Tower.
2007 – Initial Conceptual Design -5 & 6 Star Resort Hotel and Souk, Maldives
Design Earth Synergy – Initial Concept Master Plan – for WATG Architects
2014 – Initial Conceptual Design -Ski Resort – Concept Design Elevations
Design Earth Synergy – Initial Concept Design Elevations – for WATG Architects
2005 – One Piazza Tower, Honolulu, HI.
Design Earth Synergy – Concept Prepared for: Mr. Joe Nicolai & Mr. Don Eovino
Architect – Design Earth Synergy – responsible for concept development of a 400’ – 30 Story High Rise Residential Tower – 50 Luxury Residential Units and Mix-use podium complex. This project incorporated 50 – Vertical Axis Wind Turbines, 8,000 SF of Parabolic Hot Water collectors and 18,000 SF of Solar Photo Voltaics.
2004 – Dana Point Gateway Development Plan – Dana Point, CA
Design Earth Synergy – initiated Concept Development Plan for the City of Dana Point, CA
Initiated by Design Earth Synergy to promote a sustainable / new town center plan for the City of Dana Point that included a transit rail station that had regional plan implications for the greater LA Basin region, as well as numerous other sustainable planning innovations.
2002 – Chateau Pinnacle Residential Towers, Shanghai, China
Concept Design of the Xing Fu Residential Tower – Chateau Pinnacle –
Shanghai for AM Partners, Honolulu, HI
Responsible for the the initial Concept Design of the Xing Fu Residential Tower for AM Partners, consisting of 4 Residential Towers from 25 to 28 stories, with 3 and 4 Bedroom Apartment Units ranging in size from 162sm to 234sm. The project incorporated an extensive use of water features and landscape elements around the lobbies, health club which totally concealed the parking structure. Responsibilities included overall site planning and the development of a series of unit plans as well as the conceptual development of the tower elevations. Chateau Pinnacle was completed 2005.
2014 – Yong Mountain Development – China
Prepared for Ken Kashimoto – SMAK Design
Prepared Design Concept Master Plan – for Mountain Top Resort Mixed Use Complex
