A YEAR TO REMEMBER

Few will remember the past year fondly, but the executives at Arada might. In January, the Sharjah-based developer launched its third project, Masaar, a community of some 4,000 villas and townhouses in the Al Juwaiza’a district of New Sharjah. 

Masaar, or “path” in Arabic, has been designed to encourage healthy living and to reduce the stresses of urban life. Eight gated districts will spread across some 19 million square feet, bound together by a “green spine” of 50,000 trees and a network of footpaths. Green space will allow for forest walks, picnics, running, cycling and meditation. Social features include the Zad food truck zone. Construction of the first district, Sendian, will begin in June, with the first homes due for handover early in 2023. 

A month before, Arada unveiled Naseej District (shown above), a mixed-use quarter within its Aljada megaproject whose cultural bent aims to bring together and showcase creatives of all stripes. Naseej means fabric, reflecting Arada’s drive to weave together diverse skills, talents and backgrounds to turn this cultural quarter, with its 16 apartment buildings, into a coherent social space for Sharjah’s creative community.

“Naseej District continues Sharjah’s journey to embrace art and culture as a way of living,” says Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Arada.

It also launched Manbat, a Friday farmers market at Aljada, starting with 30 stalls. The community initiative, a partnership with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, aims to connect local producers with consumers. 

Arada recorded a 35% rise in sales in 2020, to reach AED1.75bn. The addition of Masaar brings the value of its project portfolio to over AED33bn.