November 3, 2008 - Thornton Tomasetti, one of the world's leading structural engineering and design firms, this month opened two new offices in the United Arab Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi to accommodate the firm's expanding business development and extensive involvement in more than a dozen current, high-profile projects in the Middle East.

The firm has significant experience in the region, with projects dating back to the late 1970s, including a series of hotel projects. Thornton Tomasetti is currently working on projects in six countries in the region, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the U.A.E., Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey.

The company's projects in Abu Dhabi include structural engineering of the zero-energy Masdar Headquarters building; Tameer Towers, a 1.7 million square-foot, 76-story commercial tower with a unique external shell and one of the world's largest atriums; and a resort at Al Raha Beach. Thornton Tomasetti is also conducting a peer review of portions of the Abu Dhabi Financial Center.

In Dubai, Thornton Tomasetti is assisting Turner International with roof construction at the Dubai Mall; developing schematic design for the Meraas Tower, a prism-like 123-story tower; and assisting with structural design of the Jumeira Road and Al Wasl Road bridges for Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill and Meraas Development. In Qatar, the company is also providing structural engineering of the aircraft maintenance hangar and cargo handling facility at the New Doha International Airport, and performance design of the Diamond of Istanbul in Turkey.

"Opening these offices shows our continued commitment in the region and will allow us to continue growing in accordance with our plans for the Middle East," said Manny Velivasakis, managing principal of Thornton Tomasetti. "Many of our clients, including Turner Construction Company, FX Fowle and KPF, are operating in the Middle East, and I think all three of our practice areas-Building Structure, Building Skin and Building Performance-will expand in the region."

Kyle Krall, a principal of Thornton Tomasetti, will relocate to the region in January to operate the Abu Dhabi and Dubai offices.

"We are excited to have Kyle take on this new role," said Tom Scarangello, chairman. "Kyle has proved highly skilled at managing some of our more challenging projects, including the innovative New York Times building. In Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Kyle is already heavily involved with business development and construction administration. He is ideally suited to coordinate the efforts of our worldwide offices as we expand our business in the Middle East."

About Thornton Tomasetti (www.ThorntonTomasetti.com)
Thornton Tomasetti provides building engineering services to clients worldwide on projects of all sizes and complexity. From the tallest buildings and the longest spans, to innovative building systems and materials, the firm is committed to creating the best solutions through its technical ingenuity, pursuit of excellence, and responsiveness to client needs.

Founded in 1956 as Lev Zetlin & Associates, today Thornton Tomasetti is a 600-person organization of engineers and architects, collaborating from offices across the United States and in Hong Kong, London, Moscow, and Shanghai. Services cover structural design, building evaluation, and remediation to optimize building efficiency and performance. Thornton Tomasetti mobilizes rapidly to provide disaster response investigations, and deliver expert consulting services and testimony for legal and insurance purposes.

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Thornton Tomasetti - 917-661-7800
James M. Kent, JKent@ThorntonTomasetti.com