Sidara, formerly Dar Group and Shair and Partners (Arabic: دار الهندسة), is a privately owned international consulting company active in engineering, architecture, planning, environmental consulting, project and construction management, facilities management, and economics, founded in 1956.
 | |
 European headquarters of the company at 150 Holborn, London | |
| Type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Engineering Consulting Project management |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Founder | Kamal A. Al-Shair |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Talal K. Shair (Chairman & CEO) |
| Services | Multi-disciplinary architecture and engineering consultancy |
| Website | sidaracollaborative |
History
editThe company was established in November 1956, and given the Arabic name دار الهندسة Dar Al-Handasah meaning "the house of engineering". It was founded by Kamal Al-Shair (1930–2008) and Dr. Nazih Taleb (1928–2020) and three fellow professors in Engineering from the American University of Beirut (AUB) Engineering School.[1]
In 1986, the company acquired the United States-based design firm of Perkins&Will[2] and, in 1989, it bought the United States-based consultancy firm of T. Y. Lin International.[3]
The company won the IStructE Award for Transportation Structures and the Supreme Award in 2006 for designing the Prai River Bridge in Penang, Malaysia.[4]
It acquired the UK-based engineering consultancy, Currie & Brown, in 2012.[5]
The company changed its name to Sidara in December 2023[6] and acquired the Aberdeen-based engineering firm, John Wood Group, in November 2025.[7]
Subsidiaries and affiliations
editSidara Group companies include Currie & Brown, Dar Al-Handasah, Introba, Perkins&Will, Penspen and T. Y. Lin International.[6]
Selected projects
edit- Prai River Bridge – Penang, Malaysia, completed in 2005[8]
- Jamaraat Bridge – Saudi Arabia, completed in 2007[9]
- Abraj Al-Bait Towers – Mecca, Saudi Arabia, completed in 2012[10]
- Lusail Sports Arena – Lusail, Qatar, completed in 2014[11]
- Haramain High Speed Railway – Saudi Arabia, completed in 2018[12]
- Katara Towers – Lusail, Qatar, completed in 2020[13]
- Al Bayt Stadium – Al Khor, Qatar, completed in 2021[14]
- Iconic Tower – New Administrative Capital, Egypt, completed in 2024[15]
References
edit- ↑ "Dar Al-Handasah". Arab Center for Architecture. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ "Beirut-based engineering firm has designs on Perkins & Will". Chicago Tribune. 5 June 1985. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ↑ "TYLin Launches New Brand to Unify Global Operations Under One Name". Business Wire. 16 March 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
- ↑ "IStructE - Structural Awards 2008". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
- ↑ "Middle East firm buys UK's historic Currie & Brown". Building. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
- 1 2 "Dar Group becomes Sidara". The Construction Index. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ Fraser, Douglas (17 November 2025). "Oil and gas giant Wood plc sold to Dubai engineering firm". BBC News. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
- ↑ "Sungai Prai Bridge Penang Malaysia Expert witness". bridgelab. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ "Hajj 2021 explained: Jamarat Bridge". Arab News. 19 July 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ "The Abraj Al-Bait Towers in Mecca, Saudi Arabia". architectism. Archived from the original on 4 September 2014.
- ↑ "Lusail Sports Arena". Maffeis Engineering (in Italian). Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ "Saudis kick up storm over Spanish group's high-speed desert rail project". El País. 6 February 2015. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ "Doha thrusts into the sky with the sword shaped hotel". Architect and Interiors India. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ "Qatar 2022 stadiums continue to take shape despite pandemic". thepeninsulaqatar.com. 4 January 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ↑ "Iconic Tower: Tallest skyscraper in Africa rises from the desert in Egypt's New Administrative Capital". The National. 2021-06-29. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
