Motorists driving along King Faisal Corniche in the heart of Manama today may be oblivious of the fact that a newly reclaimed site, where work is under way quite unobtrusively, will in fact host an ultra-modern district, boasting a prestigious waterfront district anchored by one of the tallest towers in Bahrain.

The $2.5 billion Bahrain Bay, launched a little over a year ago, has already enticed key developers such as CapitaLand Commercial and Integrated Development – a subsidiary of the Singapore-based CapitaLand – which has just unveiled plans to build a Raffles City in Bahrain at the development.
Bahrain Bay, which will have a built-up an area of 1.1 million sq m, is set to take shape close to the Bahrain World Trade Centre and off the north-east shore of Manama in Bahrain. Targeted for completion by December 2010, the project aims to offer the essence of urban living, dining and shopping in the heart of the capital city.
The Kingdom’s first Four Seasons hotel, which will rise to a height of 275 m, will be strategically placed on the centrally-positioned island, and forms a focal feature towards which all the other components are oriented. The project will also be anchored by Raffles City, Bahrain and by the new global headquarters building for Arcapita.
The stunning waterfront district – a visionary development of Arcapita, a Bahrain-based international investment bank and a Bahrain-based investment group – will comprise an optimum combination of commercial, residential and retail spaces. The masterplan of the development created by New York-based Skidmore, Ownings and Merrill (SOM) is centred on a unique concept of an island connected by two bridges, forming an inner harbour.
Two organising principles define the project – radiating circles that carve the central island, promenade and road systems as well as two intersecting axes, which define vistas, the canal and seven key districts.
“Our brief was to achieve the highest aspirations of the project. We tried to design a masterplan focused on the centre (the island with the Four Seasons) with a series of concentric circles. Another dominant feature is the series of scales we have adopted right from the 275 m hotel tower all the way down to the sky villas in the CapitaLand development,” said Michael Kirchmann, project architect at SOM, in an exclusive interview with GCM.
“This a truly mixed-use development and we have created a lot of focus on water, both on the inner bay and the back bay, which will feature a second promenade with areas to dock boats and relax. The first promenade in the inner bay will be an area of activity with shopping and dining facilities. The inner bay will also include a series of three mosques and various sporting facilities including a yacht club. In addition, we aimed to bring in visual relief for viewers through a number of vantage points, such as the four bridges that link the islands.”
Raffles City Bahrain, an $800 million residential and retail zone located adjacent to the Four Seasons Hotel and Arcapita’s headquarters, forms 20 per cent of the total developable area of Bahrain Bay. It will comprise 288,000 sq m of built-up area for residential (60 per cent), retail and leisure (30 per cent) and serviced residences (10 per cent) components. Construction of the signature development is scheduled to commence by June this year and to be completed by 2010.
Its design – accredited to internationally-acclaimed architect, Rafael Vinoly – has been conceived as a series of concentric ‘waves’, inspired by the intrinsic geometry and spectacular views of the bay and the sea.
The integrated waterfront development, which overlooks the stunning skyline of Manama, will have exclusive sky villas, over 400 high-rise luxurious apartments in three blocks (28, 31 and 34 storeys), serviced residences in two blocks (four and six storeys) managed by Ascott chain, a member of CapitaLand, as well as a modern interpretation of the suq. Extending onto the waterfront is a promenade featuring a floating pavilion and Central Plaza dotted with gourmet outlets and signature restaurants. The promenade will also be an ideal venue for waterfront events with music and light shows. Complementing the spectacular waterfront views will be lush greenery, fountains and water features.”
The corporate headquarters of the Arcapita is a horizontal glass structure, which contrasts the tall vertical iconic tower of the Four Seasons hotel.
Atkins of the UK has been entrusted the detailed design work of the Arcapita Headquarters and the Four Seasons Hotel.
In addition, the project will include seven zones offering a mix of residential, office and retail developments. As a self-sufficient community, the project will also include centrally-located schools of international standards, three aesthetically-designed mosques and pedestrian walkways which link the key amenities, parks and neighbourhoods. Other features of Bahrain Bay include two world-class marinas and an exclusive yacht club. Overall, the project is modernistic in design with unitised curtain-walling, glass and aluminium being key elements of the overall architecture of the development.
The mega project, which is expected to house around 25,000 people on completion, will be executed in three distinct phases with Phase One involving reclamation of an area of a 430,000 sq m and infrastructure development, which commenced early last year.
Phase Two will involve the construction of the anchor developments, the Four Seasons hotel and the Arcapita headquarters. Phase Three will involve other development partners, such as CapitaLand’s maiden venture in the GCC.
Around 75 per cent of the reclamation work has been completed to date, with the three main islands that make up the site expected to take shape by March. The first block for the 3.5-km-long quay wall around the islands was dropped late last month.
Boskalis Westminster, which is undertaking the dredging and reclamation work, as well as constructing the quay wall in joint venture with Ahmed Mansoor Al Aali, expects to complete the quay wall by September.
With reclamation and piling work completed for the Four Seasons Hotel and the Arcapita headquarters, work is expected to be launched soon on the Arcapita headquarters. Tenders for the Arcapita headquarters are currently being evaluated and a contract award is expected by the end of this month, according Bob Vincent, the CEO of Bahrain Bay. The building is expected to be completed in 2008.
Energy services provider Daklia Credentials, part of the Veolio Group, will invest $150 million in building services facilities such as a district cooling, power, water and sewage treatment systems.
Apart from the Arcapita and the Four Season hotel, the seven zones outlined in the masterplan include:
• Zone 1 – 23,163 sq m: Comprising the South Marina Water Residences and Yacht Club with serviced luxury apartments operated by Four Seasons, this zone is bound by South Green Drive and Marina Bay. With an estimated 70,204 sq m residential built-up area and a retail area of 6,000 sq m, this zone will feature Marina Apartments and Waterside Residences.
• Zone 2 – 35,147 sq m: This integral building/landscape project site will consist of three structures: a six-storey boutique hotel, two high-end residential towers with unobstructed views, and the South Green Park featuring parks, entertainment, leisure and retail offerings;
• Zone 3 – 37,337 sq m: Designated as Ocean Front West Coast Community, this zone’s sweeping avenue creates a distinctive spine for this residential neighbourhood. It comprises a dense fabric of recreational spaces and activities, linked by a series of pedestrian bridges and plazas, green spaces, terraces and promenade;
• Zone 4 - 18,683 sq m: This site features canal townhouses and multiple residential structures, bound by High Street, South Green Street and Marina Bay, offering 83,600 sq m of residential space in buildings up to six storeys high as well as retail and commercial space.
• Zone 5 – 17,231 sq m: The Gate Tower, which is bound by North Manama Causeway, South Canal Avenue, Fourth Avenue and High Street, will be the only district to border the canal, boasting sweeping views of bridges and pedestrian walkways. The project features multiple structures, two mixed-use office towers and an education building with basement parking. The zone is retail/commercial and can contain office towers of up to 45 storeys high and four-storey retail facilities;
• Zone 6 – 24,639 sq m: This Ocean Front North Coast Community is a signature mixed-use structure that acts as a sentry to the project. It will feature a neighbourhood school and open spaces, set within a development of six-storey residential structures acting as the bases to the towers with views of the Marina;
• Zone 7 – 16,916 sq m: This Outer Edge North Residential and Commercial neighbourhood, contains the North Tower, an office tower with panoramic views, park access, easy access to public facilities and retail outlets.
With a drive to create a world-class contemporary addition to the region, Bahrain Bay is envisaged to raise the standards of residential, commercial and retail offerings to become an exciting new community on the water.