Benoy has released striking new visuals revealing the futuristic vision behind Abu Dhabi’s upcoming Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Park.
With UAE studios in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Benoy is best known in the MENA region for creating cutting-edge environments, through award-winning projects including Dubai’s The Beach and City Walk.
Courtesy of Benoy
The AED94 million renovation, due for completion in 2018, will allow Benoy to redefine the site of the former Khalidya Ladies Park and transform it into a world-class destination.
Commissioned by The Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport at Abu Dhabi City Municipality, the open air environment will host an eclectic variety of pioneering features, activities and events conceptualised to fuel discovery and support the core tenets of the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030.
Sustainability, economic diversification and growth, improved social and community facilities, the promotion of Arab and Emirati culture, and a focus on contemporary living are all firmly at the heart of Benoy’s latest open air project.
Courtesy of Benoy
Driven by the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 and Benoy’s ethos of creating ‘Places for People’, the project, which began design in 2016, will cover 46,000 m2 and feature:
• An urban forest sheltered by a vast canopy of tropical trees, juxtaposed against a historically rich backdrop reminiscent of old Abu Dhabi gives a subtle nod to the city’s heritage and culture.
• The ‘Women’s Centre’; a creative hub and co-working space to nurture original thinking and stimulate the next generation of female entrepreneurs in the region.
• Lush greenery united with raw urban and reclaimed materials to form a textured, visually appealing and inviting environment that motivates active lifestyles in extraordinary outdoor surrounds.
• An amphitheater to stage a regular programme of events and performances and a cultural arena to enhance community interaction.
• An array of features including a cycling track, natural play areas and fitness zones to galvanise more exercise and play.
Courtesy of Benoy
Benoy strives to design environments that are accessible, all-inclusive and serve to bring the community together. As an open-air, multi-dimensional destination, Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Park will represent a completely new typology for Abu Dhabi; one that will appeal to a broad spectrum of demographics to promote cohesion among communities.
Speaking ahead of Cityscape Global 2016 (6-8 September) where Benoy will be exhibiting Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Park and other projects, Paul Priest, Director and Head of Benoy’s MENA Studios said, “The ambition of Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Park was to create a new type of space that bridges a gap between a traditional park format and a more modern, engaging space that appeals to all visitors.
“Benoy is fiercely proud of its expertise in drawing different communities together with spaces that disrupt the norm, surprise and delight and allow people to enjoy them in their own way,” continued Priest.
With improving facilities essential to Abu Dhabi’s long term vision, Priest recognises an opportunity in prompting more active lifestyles through extraordinary environments.
“With Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Park, we’ve deliberately stepped out of our comfort zone to really push the boundaries and create something that will continue to evolve and stay relevant over time. I believe that this type of environment, which takes the visitor out of an enclosed space and promotes walkability and discovery, is a trend that we’ll see a lot of demand for in the GCC and greater MENA region in the near future,” emphasises Priest.