Ruler of Sharjah opens the first phase of Aljada project on Thursday. WAM

Arada officially opened on Thursday the first completed part of Aljada, a master-planned destination covering over 2.2 square kilometres that is set to transform the future of Sharjah.

A new entertainment complex for the UAE, Madar at Aljada was launched by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

The Ruler of Sharjah toured the main attractions and various zones and facilities across Madar’s 600,000 square-foot park.

In front of a model of Aljada project, he listened to a full explanation of the various attractions that are spread over an area of 2.2 square kilometres, and include many facilities, services and entertainment avenues.

The Ruler of Sharjah also watched a documentary on this occasion about the Aljada project, one of the most ambitious real estate projects in the Emirate and UAE, which includes a wide range of apartments, commercial buildings, retail, hospitality, and entertainment and leisure options.

Inviting visitors of all ages and interests to explore a variety of activities and attractions, Madar includes 18 F&B outlets, an Amphitheatre for outdoor events with a maximum capacity of 500 people; Playscape, an immersive and exciting children’s adventure zone; and a Skatepark, a new home for adventure sports enthusiasts.

Another attraction at Madar is the AUS Pavilion, designed by the students from the American University of Sharjah, based in the nearby University City.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, Madar contains a cluster of zones and attractions all set in a carefully landscaped area that includes more than 5,000 trees and 800 car spaces.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Arada, said, “It has been our aim from the start to create communities that inspire and engage their residents and visitors. We are excited to see that vision come to life with the launch of Madar, a new home for entertainment and culture in Sharjah, a place that is already known the world over for its outstanding contribution to heritage and the arts.”

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi had said, “Our plan has always been to build extraordinary, engaging and life-changing communities. That is reflected in the bold final design of the Central Hub, which will soon be a new focal point not just for Aljada, but for the whole of Sharjah and the rest of the UAE as well. We are working on putting together some incredible new partnerships for the Central Hub, and we will be announcing these in the coming months.”

Planned over three phases, Madar will span over 25 football fields in size (1.9 million square feet) when fully completed, and will serve as Ajada’s focal point.