Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have been seeking ways to diversify their economies and reduce their respective reliance on oil and gas for the better part of the decade. Seventy percent of the UAE’s GDP was derived from non-oil sectors in 2015, the same year the Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute named UAE the best country in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region for entrepreneurs.
Large-scale tourism and mega residential projects have fueled much of these diversification efforts. Luxury residential communities, including The Residences at Dubai Marina, Aljada Residential City, The Villages, and Mina Al Arab, have either already been completed or are under construction as part of the country’s commitment to securing qualified workers and boosting its economy. Masaar, a 1.76-million-square-meter mega community project launched in January 2021, will further support these efforts.
“A Residential Sanctuary”
Described on its website as a “residential sanctuary,” Masaar will include 4,000 villas and townhouses in eight gated communities once completed in 2028. Construction commenced during the second quarter of 2021 and the first 445 homes, located in the Sendian community, will be completed and handed over to buyers by the first quarter of 2023. Homes in Sendian, which translates to “oak tree” in Arabic, range from two-bedroom townhouses to five-bedroom villas. Every Masaar unit will feature climate and lighting control, among other smart features, and have direct access to outdoor spaces with an abundance of trees.
Designed to promote the principles of healthy living, Masaar will feature more than 50,000 trees and a walkable “green spine” that will include a variety of sporting facilities. Green spaces will be irrigated via recycled water from an on-site treatment facility and plant species will be carefully selected to create a microclimate that helps reduce overall temperatures and cooling costs. Residents will also be able to stay active via its 5-kilometer, two-lane cycling track. Moreover, the community will feature a full-service fitness center, children’s playground, skatepark, and food truck district.
Masaar’s community center, meanwhile, will include modern urban amenities, including an anchor supermarket as well as a variety of restaurants, shops, and cafes. There will also be a large international school and nursery constructed just north of Masaar.
Located in the Al Juwaiza District of Sharjah
Constructed in Sharjah’s Al Juwaiza district, Masaar is a 15-minute drive from the Sharjah International Airport and 20-minute drive from the Dubai International Airport. Sharjah, the third-largest emirate in the UAE, is rich in history and heritage. Deemed the country’s arts capital, Sharjah was named UNESCO’s World Book Capital in 2019. The emirate includes museums and galleries such as the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization; Sharjah Art Museum; Sharjah Archaeology Museum; and the Heritage Area, which encompasses restored buildings highlighting Emirati history.
Sharjah’s other key attractions include the Mleiha Archaeological Site, Sharjah Fort, Sharjah Desert Park, Al Noor Island, and the beaches at Khor Fakkan. Al Noor Island includes a famed butterfly house with more than 500 species and ornate gardens decorated with modern art sculptures and installations produced by some of the most acclaimed artists in the world. The center of Khor Fakkan, meanwhile, also includes a beautiful manmade waterfall and a Roman-style theater that overlooks the sea.
Developed by Arada
Arada, a developer headquartered in Sharjah, is leading the development of the $2.2 billion mega community. It awarded an infrastructure design and supervision contract to engineering consultancy Parsons Overseas, which will develop roads as well as water and power systems in accordance with the master plan. Arada has already developed two similar projects, including Nasma Residences, which is adjacent to Masaar. It has a project portfolio of nearly $9 billion.
“Masaar offers a path to the ultimate lifestyle transformation, and a major addition to Sharjah’s residential landscape,” commented Arada chairman HE Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi. “It is a serene, exclusive, and forested environment that also offers all the comforts of a modern urban district, offering you the best of both worlds.
“Our own results tell us that interest in high-quality, well-designed master-planned communities in Sharjah remains strong, and we are confident that the Masaar lifestyle and the amenities will resonate with end-users and investors. Our ability to enhance both social and economic development is allowing Arada to take an ever more prominent role in the growth of Sharjah’s economy, as well as the regional real estate industry as a whole.”
The Masaar Experience Center
The Masaar Experience Center will be the first building constructed in the master-planned community. Arada awarded the contract to build the facility to ASGC Construction. The UAE developer was expected to begin construction in January 2021 and complete the project within six months.
Once built, the Masaar Experience Center is expected to showcase what life in the community will be like with a focus on minimal design language and a transparent façade to showcase cohesiveness between its interior spaces and the outdoor lush green landscape. Alongside the Masaar Experience Center, ASGC Construction is also expected to develop a model five-bedroom villa in Masaar’s Sendian district.