By Gulam Ali Khan

Muscat – Espace Engineering Consultants, one of the sultanate’s leading multidisciplinary design and engineering firms, has formed a strategic partnership with UK-based Formation Architects, a renowned London practice with extensive experience in residential, commercial, hospitality, and masterplanning projects.

This collaboration marks Formation Architects’ first formal entry into the Omani market, and the London-based firm sees it as a strategic move aligned with its broader ambition to expand into the Middle East by partnering with a strong local player.

Espace – which has successfully delivered many institutional projects across Oman since its establishment in 2008 – has been at the forefront of engineering and architectural innovation. The company’s multidisciplinary team provides comprehensive design and engineering services across the sultanate and the wider region.

The partnership will leverage Espace’s local expertise and Formation Architects’ international design capabilities to target large-scale, mixed-use development projects and housing initiatives in the Omani market.

Commenting on their partnership with Formation Architects, Mohamed al Khonji, Managing Director of Espace Engineering Consultants, said, “At Espace, we believe that collaborating with an esteemed practice like Formation Architects brings real value to Oman’s ongoing urban development. Their international expertise, particularly in masterplanning, residential and commercial projects, will not only help shape our towns and cities but also offer meaningful opportunities for the younger Omani generation to learn and grow through exposure to global best practices.”

According to Khonji, the strategic alliance allows each company to retain its independence while working closely on project tenders and delivery. Under this partnership, Espace will continue acting as the main consultant or contractor, with Formation Architects serving as the design partner – particularly on mixed-use developments that require innovative design approaches and international standards of planning.

A team of senior officials from Formation Architects is visiting Oman this week. Alongside Espace’s leadership, they will meet with developers and other stakeholders to present their partnership as a forward-thinking solution to Oman’s evolving architectural and urban development needs.

Adding further significance to their entry into Omani market, Tim Quick, Director and Trustee of Formation Architects, will deliver a keynote presentation on May 20^th at the Oman Real Estate Conference & Exhibition and Oman Design & Build Week, taking place from May 19 to May 21 at the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre in Muscat.

Quick’s presentation, titled ‘Transformation and Continuity: Lessons from London’, will explore how global design practices can offer contextualised solutions for cities such as Muscat while remaining respectful of cultural and societal frameworks. The talk aligns with the conference’s theme, ‘New Frontiers for State-of-the-Art Mega Developments’.

Commenting on their partnership, Quick said, “Every time I visit Oman, I’m struck by the country’s incredible potential. We hope that by working with such a prestigious local partner, we can help unlock some of that potential.”

Espace and Formation Architects have already begun submitting joint tenders for mixed-use developments that include residential, commercial, hospitality, and cultural facilities. These large-scale proposals support Oman’s national vision to build new towns, revitalise existing urban areas, and develop infrastructure that promotes economic diversification and sustainable growth.

While Formation Architects brings decades of award-winning experience from working in the dynamic London market – often considered a testing ground for complex, mixed-use developments – Espace contributes invaluable local insight, grounded project execution, and regulatory acumen. Together, they embody a powerful blend of international design intelligence and regional relevance, tailored specifically for Oman’s built environment.

Both companies’ senior officials believe that the significance of the Espace–Formation Architects partnership goes beyond commercial synergy. It introduces a new model of international-local collaboration, distinct from traditional foreign-led joint ventures. In this partnership, Formation Architects integrates as a true international design partner, working hand-in-hand with an established Omani consultancy that understands how to navigate the local urban landscape and deliver projects at scale.

Both companies are confident that as Oman advances its development goals – particularly in the housing and mega-project sectors under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning – this partnership will become a significant contributor to shaping the sultanate’s future cities and urban development.