Construction work has started on the second phase of the multi-billion-dollar Bahrain Financial Harbour.

The project, which will feature what has been designed to be Bahrain’s most advanced and exclusive world-class residential complex, aims to set a new benchmark for urban living in the region.
Al Hamad Group has begun construction on the $620 million Villamar @ the Harbour, which looks set to be the first integrated exclusive waterfront residential complex in the kingdom when it is completed in the first quarter of 2010.
Being developed on a 35,900 sq m man-made island, Villamar’s residential and commercial complexes will introduce a new lifestyle to the region that befits the highly prestigious financial hub it is juxtaposed with. The complex comprises five main elements – The Twisting Towers, Lifestyle Apartments, Terraced Villas, Terraced Podium and Sky Villas – and will offer more than 900 one to five-bedroom residential units in total.
Featuring splendid engineering and architectural designs, Villamar comprises twisting architectural forms, sculptural massing and a terraced landscape that aim to take advantage of the sea, the breeze and natural elements. The glass sculptural forms of the buildings, twisting and floating above landscaped terraces, create a dramatic juxtaposition between natural and man-made forms, with public and private gardens overlooking a spectacular bay.
The main component of the project are the three gently twisting towers, clad in blue-green tinted glass, reflecting the natural colours of the bay. These iconic glass towers, ranging in height from 171 m to 220 m, provide residents a dramatic view of the ocean, the Financial Harbour District and the city. These towers will house large luxurious apartments, futuristic and stylish in every detail and customised according to the needs of its target residents. The towers A, B, and C will have a range of unit types comprising one, two, three and four bedroom units. Tower A will rise 220 m high and twist 360 degrees from bottom to the top, making it a stunning architectural masterpiece in the area. This tower will have a number of luxurious penthouses. Tower B, as the middle tower, will twists 240 degrees from bottom to the top and will have a number of creatively and elegantly-designed apartments and residential units. Tower C will twist 180 degrees and comprise of residential units that are open plan.
Villamar @ the Harbour also includes the following residential components:
• Lifestyle apartments: This unique development features a three-storey horizontal building that defines the southern perimeter of the project and contains compact but luxurious residential units conceived as ‘lifestyle apartments’. These units are accessed directly through the podium parking or via elevator cores connected to the boardwalk level. Impressive views of the southern boardwalk and waterways, the Bahrain Financial Centre and downtown Manama can be enjoyed from the living areas. To ensure greater exclusivity and privacy, each villa will have its own car parking facility beside it.
• Terraced Villas: These elegantly designed three-storey villas, located on the southern and western “ridge” of the podium will offer diversity in residency options catering to a spectrum of tastes and needs. These villas can be accessed via a private driveway that allows residents to park their cars directly under the units. These villas overlook the podium and the towers to the north, and the southern boardwalk and waterways, the Bahrain Financial Centre and downtown Manama to the southwest. Each villa will have a private landscaped roof terrace.
• Sky villas: These luxurious villas – designed to create a sense of floating in the sky – feature double-height living spaces with views of the sea on the north and the lush terraced podium on the south. Offering exquisite designer living, these sky villas offer three, four or five-bedroom options, all with landscaped roof gardens, balconies, and conveniently-placed parking facilities within the podium, which facilitate private entry.
The project also features a terraced podium, conceived as a series of landscaped terraces, where water cascades from the upper to the lower terraces, flowing between the towers and boardwalk and ultimately into the sea.
The podium contains various features including lookouts with panoramic views, a play area, a large landscaped terrace pool, secluded quiet shaded planted areas for quiet meditation and various paths to access the seafront boardwalk. The walking area will be automatically shuttered and cooled during hot and humid days – a feature which is described as the first of its kind in the Middle East.
Villamar @ the Harbour will also have a host of other facilities that will include a rooftop chairman’s club, health club and spa, swimming pools and other recreational amenities. The boardwalk will be a major public attraction, with indoor and outdoor cafes, restaurants and boutique retail spaces with shaded and air cooled walkways, water features and landscaped plazas. A large on site parking area will be provided to accommodate at least 1,553 cars belonging to residents, retail tenants and visitors.
The project is part of Gulf Holding Company’s (GHC) Signature Series, which also includes Downtown Al Areen at the Al Areen development project. Launched in November 2005 in Kuwait, GHC was set up to initially offer cutting-edge real estate investment products and services. In the long term, the company aims at diversifying into a trusted holding company with intelligent and value driven investment products and services.