Search Results for “dome”

Bahrain's Al Fateh Grand Mosque is one of the largest in the world, encompassing 6,500 square metres with capacity for over 7,000 worshippers. BFG designed and fabricated the mosque's signature 26 metre diameter composite dome, weighing approximately 30 tonnes -- a fraction of the 150 tonne concrete alternative -- eliminating the need for heavy foundations. The dome was fabricated in 24 external segments with insulation, fixed to a lightweight aluminium space frame. BFG achieved a simulated cement texture on the dome segments, perfectly matching the matt, sandy exterior of the main building. Three decades later, it remains in pristine condition despite its coastal location.

Taking its inspiration from the legendary Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Singapore's Al-Istighfar Mosque has been in daily use since the turn of the millennium. With room for a congregation of 3,300 worshippers, BFG fabricated and installed the mosque's centrepiece -- a 12 metre diameter onion-shaped composite dome, with window panels and composite skirting below. Conventionally tooled and contact moulded in 12 segmented FRP panels using fire retardant resin and sealed with leak-proof joints, the dome was covered with a special UV coating to guarantee its colour finish would last for over a decade.

​Designed to work together in a series of intricate layers, BFG built each of the three different FRP domes from 12 separate panels. The fabrication team at BFG in Bahrain used a traditional contact moulding process and rubber moulds to shape the domes’ impressive 3D geometry. Installed in sequence on site by BFG, the inner dome was designed with a smooth gelcoat, the centre dome boasts a high gloss external finish, and the third dome, seen on the exterior, has a stunning see-through design with an inlaid Islamic pattern. Built to last for decades, the domes can withstand winds of up to 120km/h.

BFG engineered and fabricated composite dome and architectural elements for the Ghazi Al Gosaibi Mosque in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The project continues BFG's distinguished heritage of delivering composite domes for mosques across the Middle East.

The 35,000m2 Katara Plaza development promises its visitors a distinctly cultural experience as it fuses ultra-modern facilities with classical architectural influences and traditional Middle Eastern heritage. To reflect the coming together of ancient and modern, BFG was commissioned to engineer, build and supervise the installation of a pair of structural composite domes, each 14.5 metres in diameter. Fabricated in 16 panels each using traditional tooling and a hand lamination process, the FRP domes were both finished in a translucent gelcoat ready for cladding in distinctive copper sheeting. The Katara domes have a Class 1 fire rating and, to offer additional protection from coastal gales, are designed to withstand a wind load of up to 160km/h.

Pre-finished with a brilliant white gelcoat on the exterior-facing side, the dome’s cladding panels needed no further painting or external treatment once installed, and achieve a Class 1 fire rating in accordance with BS476 Parts 1 and 2. To transport the dome safely on the long trans-Arabian road journey from Bahrain to Mecca, it was decided to fabricate the internal and external skins in 32 segments each. Assembling on site under BFG’s supervision, the FRP sandwich panels were fixed to the existing steel-framed structure using steel brackets and an ingenious hanger system. The result is a landmark dome that is the very centrepiece of the university’s fast-growing campus. It will require little or no maintenance over the decades to come, and is a fraction of the weight of the concrete alternative, yet every bit as robust – able to withstand a sand-laden wind load of up to 120 km/h.

Rising out of the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf, Porto Arabia at The Pearl Qatar was conceived as the region’s latest luxury real estate destination. BFG was tasked with delivering the architect’s vision of an Arabian Riviera by developing a huge variety of traditional domes. In all, BFG designed, engineered and installed 37 FRP composite domes across the Porto Arabia site, each of a different design and in a dazzling variety of surface finishes. The entrance dome alone is 19 metres in diameter and topped with a distinctive copper cladding. Fabricated by hand in single skin structural FRP segments, the domes are textured and finished to maintain their pristine appearance for decades.

Supply and installation of GRC & GRP cladding and dome for Prince Mohamed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport, Saudi Arabia.

BFG designed and fabricated a 12-metre GRP dome with a magnificent bronze finish for a private convention centre in Bahrain. Working with Gulf House Engineering as consultants and NASS Contracting as main contractor, BFG delivered a structurally sophisticated composite dome that combines aesthetic elegance with long-term durability in the demanding Gulf climate. Completed in 2012.

Bahrain's imposing Rashid Al Zayani Mosque takes a traditional form and applies it on a grand scale. Sitting on a 2,810 square metre site, the mosque has capacity for up to 1,230 worshippers. BFG was selected to design, manufacture and install a series of structural domes -- from the landmark 16 metre diameter dome, beautifully finished in bronze, to a secondary eight metre dome and a suite of five eight metre diameter half domes arranged in sequence around the base of the main structure. Fabricated using a hand lamination process, the domes are gelcoated FRP with a double-sided finish and can withstand wind loads of up to 120 km/h.

BFG engineered and fabricated a GRP dome for the Sakhir Convention Centre in Bahrain. Working with Gulf House Engineering as consultants and G P Zachariades as main contractor, BFG delivered a sophisticated structural composite dome that serves as the centrepiece of this important government facility. The lightweight yet structurally robust dome was designed to withstand the harsh Gulf climate while maintaining its pristine appearance for decades. Completed in 2016.

BFG was commissioned to design, manufacture and install a striking GRP structural dome for the Sakhir Palace in Bahrain. The dome features an exquisite finish of 18-karat gold-plated tiles, complemented by intricate GRP calligraphy -- a remarkable fusion of advanced composite engineering and traditional craftsmanship. Delivered in 2011 for the Royal Court, the project showcases BFG's ability to combine cutting-edge composite technology with the highest levels of decorative artistry.

The Bahrain Bayan School is the kingdom's first bilingual national school. Established in 1982 on a dedicated educational campus in Isa Town, it now boasts world class facilities. Over 30 years ago, BFG was tasked with transforming the school's ordinary concrete facade to reflect traditional Islamic architecture and to top the building with a landmark dome. BFG fabricated and installed a sequence of lightweight composite FRP sandwich panels in a Middle Eastern design. Robust, fire retardant and impact resistant, the composite cladding has required no refurbishment since installation, delivering maintenance-free performance for over 50 years.

BFG composites for architecture, facades, domes, ceilings and infrastructure.

Composite domes and cupolas by BFG International.