A key contract is expected to be announced this month for a major component of a new mixed-use development that is set to come up in Al Khobar’s new downtown area offering striking views over the Arabian Gulf and other upcoming entertainment and residential towers within the corniche area.

Infiniti by Ajdan, spanning an area of 45,510 sq m in Al Bahar District, promises to be a major “360-degree lifestyle destination” comprising three residential towers offering 486 homes and an open-air commercial mall featuring a retail village.

The project is being developed by Ajdan Real Estate Development Company, a leading lifestyle destination developer in Saudi Arabia, which has already developed successful projects such as the Ajdan Walk in Al Khobar.

Under Phase One of the development, the commercial mall and one of the residential towers (Infiniti Residence-I) will be built.

Al Otaibi ... at the forefront of innovation in the region’s real estate sector.

“The main contractor for the F&B component (the open-air commercial mall) will be awarded by the second week of January,” Mohammed Al Otaibi, CEO of Ajdan Real Estate Development Company, tells Gulf Construction.

Tenders for the food and beverage (F&B) component of the Infiniti by Ajdan are under evaluation, while the request for proposals (RFPs) for the tower have been issued.  Tenders for the site enabling works package are also under evaluation, Al Otaibi states.

Leading architectural practice Benoy – which also holds credit for the design of Ajdan Walk – is the architect/design consultant on the project.  The brief to the architect was to create a world-class mixed-use lifestyle development in Al Khobar, overlooking the Arabian Gulf.

The project lies in the corniche area, a well-established leisure and entertainment destination featuring a broad spectrum of residential and hospitality developments, food and beverage outlets, public facilities, and green areas.

“The façades of Infiniti by Ajdan have a pleasing scale and appearance, and the massing, rhythm and materiality provides definition and beauty to the development,” he comments.

Spread over an area of 27,413 sq m, the commercial open-air mall will comprise a total of 24 units categorised into three zones that have a total built-up area of 11,945 sq m.  The units range from 101 sq m to 1,000 sq m.  The mall is served by 127 dedicated parking slots.

Benoy-designed Infiniti by Ajdan comprising three residential towers and an open-air commercial mall.

The retail village will include a luxury shopping boulevard as well as fine dining and upper casual dining concepts set within an airy, lively environment with beautiful landscaping and water features. The commercial mall will also host entertainment spaces.

Infiniti Residence-I, which has a footprint of 6,038 sq m, will feature 35 residential floors with 142 units as well as five parking levels. The apartments will comprise one-, two- and three-bedroom units each with an area of 101 sq m, 160 sq m and 210 sq m respectively.  Among the amenities of the tower are a lounge, swimming pool and gymnasium.

“The commercial mall is expected to be handed over by Q2 2024, while the first residential tower will be delivered by Q4 2025,” says Al Otaibi.

The plot areas designated for the second and third residential towers will be used for retail parking until work commences on future phases of the development.

 “Ajdan is at the forefront of innovation in the region’s real estate sector and has a sharp eye for state-of-the-art design and an unwavering commitment to creating spaces that bring the outdoors inward,” he says.

Infiniti by Ajdan is Ajdan Real Estate Development Company’s latest launch in Al Khobar and follows the recent announcement of the SR250-million ($66.5 million) Bayfront also in the Eastern Province city.

Demolition of the existing buildings and hoarding work on the project site have been completed, while RFPs have been issued for the site enabling and infrastructure works, Al Otaibi indicates.

The project has been designed by global architecture, design and planning firm Gensler.

The SR250-million Bayfront ... designed by Gensler.

“The brief for the design was to have 60 per cent of the open space dedicated to the softscape features, and the remaining for hardscape elements. Hence, the buildings have ‘flowing’ roofs and terraces with the landscaping advancing towards the water in a back-and-forth play with the hardscape,” he explains.

Offering a mix of retail and leisure amenities, Bayfront will also include the kingdom's first Blue Flag-certified international standard beach. The Blue Flag standards set stringent international technical and environmental requirements and conditions compatible with the kingdom's principles in supporting the environment's safety and promoting its recreational and tourism credentials.

Ajdan has signed up Al Muhaidib Group for the development, marketing and operation of the Bayfront, which will be located on the northern part of Al Khobar's beach, spanning over a 100,000-sq-m area from the shore and a 1,600-sq-m island.

Al Otaibi says: “Bayfront offers an exceptional quality of life that will transform Al Khobar into one of the top 100 global cities which is one of the Saudi Vision 2030’s plans.”

The developer’s earlier projects in Al Khobar include Ajdan Waterfront, which features the popular retail village Ajdan Walk, the Ajdan Rise residentila towers and the soon-to-open Fairmont Hotel. 

Ajdan Walk, the first completed component of the Ajdan Waterfront development, opened in 2019 and has since proven a huge success. It enjoys a unique location in the heart of Al Khobar and features the first food village in the Eastern Province with many leading international food brands located in and around Boulevard Street.

Ajdan’s project portfolio is currently focused on three main cities – Al Khobar, Riyadh and Jeddah – with plans on the horizon for rapid expansion into other cities and regions of Saudi Arabia.

Last month, the developer announced its collaboration with Roshn, a PIF-backed giga-project developer, to sub-develop over 270 villas within its mixed-used community Sedra in north-east Riyadh.