Rotterdam architect known for Dubai Airport dead at age 79

Architect and urban planner Ashok Bhalotra died at age 79 on April 5. This is reported by KuiperCompagnons, the Rotterdam design agency with which he has been associated since 1970, in an obituary in NRC. The agency has placed an In Memoriam on the website.

In the Netherlands, Indian-born Bhalotra was responsible for projects such as the Kattenbroek urban expansion in Amersfoort, the energy-neutral Stad van de Zon district in Heerhugowaard and the green new housing estate Skoatterwâld in Heerenveen. Abroad, he designed, among other things, the national airport in Dubai, the King Saud University in Saudi Arabia and a city hall in New Delhi.

According to KuiperCompagnons, Bhalotra "brought colour, imagination and seduction to our cities and our landscape, thereby combating dullness and indifference." His social involvement also "came back in his designs by, among other things, really mixing income groups in residential areas." Bhalotra was director of the design agency from 1989 to 2010, then acted as ambassador for the agency until his death.

Mayor Peter Rehwinkel van Dijk and Waard expressed his condolences on Twitter. Bhalotra was known in Heerhugowaard for the design of the City of the Sun and a bridge and cycle path was named after him. Mayor Tjeerd van der Zwan of Heerenveen also commented on the death of Bhalotra on Twitter, who designed the Skoatterwâld district in his municipality.