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Modern design and 'placemaking' elements create a first-of-its-kind, mixed-use neighbourhood in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi - Gulf Related, in partnership with leading international architectural firm, Elkus Manfredi Architects, has begun implementation of the key design concepts for Al Maryah Central - embracing novel architectural ideas and promising to redefine the UAE's retail and leisure landscape.
Scheduled for completion in 2018, Al Maryah Central is part of an unparalleled 3.1 million square foot retail and entertainment offer with over 100,000 square foot of green, open spaces. Al Maryah Central will showcase the first international Macy's department store, and first Bloomingdale's department store in Abu Dhabi, and will also feature more than 300 brands, in addition to 65 dining options.
Departing from the classic big-box mall designs, Gulf Related and Elkus Manfredi have master planned and designed a vibrant community defined by a variety of unique elements, including walkways and retail thoroughfares, and large open spaces to create an engaging, organic destination.
The design blends the outdoors and indoors and puts emphasis on the urban fabric of the surrounding city. Both exterior and interior sections face an urban retail setting, with an emphasis on walkability and pedestrian access. Visitors will be able to enjoy outdoor promenades or conveniently access the indoors through a network of air-conditioned walkways connecting Al Maryah Central with The Galleria and other surrounding buildings.
Al Maryah Central embraces the urban planning principle of 'placemaking', which seeks to build public spaces that encourage well-being and strengthen the community.
"Instead of a singular town square, we conceived multiple meaningful public spaces each of an appropriate scale, each with a personality - from a playful rooftop children's lawn to a sports-themed action park to a meandering dining promenade," said Anthony Fioravanti, Vice President Design and Planning at Related Companies, who led design efforts. "This 'linked' public space environment supports interest and discovery - like walking through a great neighbourhood"
Kenneth A. Himmel, President and CEO of Related Urban, and Co-Managing Partner of Gulf Related, said, "We have a long track-record in placemaking and deep commitment to great design and at Al Maryah Central we went to great lengths to focus on the details and the customer experience. People in the UAE are looking for more than just great shopping - they want a 360 degree experience that provides entertainment, dining and family time."
In addition to the comprehensive mix of contemporary brands, Al Maryah Central will showcase extensive leisure, dining and entertainment options, including a 20-screen cinema, a health club, food market and children's entertainment, an urban community center and a public library. Al Maryah Central will include extensive day care facilities, as well as a medical clinic, and will offer direct connectivity to adjacent waterfront promenades.
"Thoughtful design and key placemaking elements play a crucial role in this development - bringing to life the social heart of Al Maryah Central. We are creating more than a mall. We are creating an extraordinary new place in the heart of Abu Dhabi - one that will be the centre of urban life, bringing the people of Abu Dhabi the kind of retail and entertainment destination that they are looking for," Himmel added.
Howard Elkus, Founding Principal of Elkus Manfredi Architects and chief architect of Al Maryah Central said, "Our goal from the start has been to design a destination that will weave seamlessly into the rich tapestry of Abu Dhabi life. Retail forms the social space of any mixed-use development. In this region, it is more important than ever. Connectivity is the driving concept behind the successful design of this development. It is crucial to not only connect the rest of the island to Al Maryah Central, but also to create streets of shops and pedestrianized walkways inside the development that allow visitors to move easily around the entire destination - from the entry points at street level, up to the rooftop terraces, and across the length of the complex."
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About Al Maryah Central's design:
The core vision for Al Maryah Central recognizes the civic role of the market as a central community meeting point and melds it with a contemporary shopping and lifestyle experience befitting one of the world's great cities. Every detail has been considered - ranging from how people walk in, where they can sit, where they can dine and where they can play. Visitors can dine outdoors on promenades and avenues throughout the year and families can enjoy over 100,000 square-foot of specialty curated urban parks.
The richness and texture incorporated in the master plan of this mixed-use development reflects the cultural vibrancy of the UAE - of its citizens and visitors alike. This is manifest in the program elements, the architectural composition, and materials used. As Mr. Elkus explains, "We have consistently worked toward designing an authentic urban environment which will integrate with its surroundings. It is the human experience that is forefront at all times."
The interior of the development will act as an extension of the outdoor environment, transitioning seamlessly from outdoor pavements to indoor walkways. Spaces are enveloped in natural sunlight to reinforce the experience of being on a high street. As Mr. Elkus explains, "A key design feature is the use of filtered light, which is of great cultural significance in the UAE. It plays an important architectural role at The Galleria and Al Maryah Central. It is strategically used at project entries, transitional spaces and areas of congregation in order to reinforce a sense of cultural identity."
The global design influences will be visibly noticeable in the richness of particular materials used for the exterior façades of the building. The main facade of the mall will show Oryx Antique marble, Aramis Marble, and Dhofar Mist Brown Marble, all sourced from Oman. The plinth will show Scorza Trevartine sourced from Italy. The exterior facades for the department stores will show Absolute Black Granite sourced from India, Saudi Bianco Granite sourced from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Leo Dark Marble and Noveldo Cream White Limestone sourced from Spain. Moving inside, the interior flooring marble is sourced from Carrara, Italy - yet another significant visual cue signifying the global influences within this development.
Plentiful vegetation reinforces the connection between outdoors and indoors, allowing for a seamless outside-to-inside experience. In every avenue and walkway, from the parking lot to the rooftop garden, there is a sense of life all around and a welcoming community - that is the hallmark of placemaking.
Vertical construction on Al Maryah Central commenced in August 2015, following the appointment of Brookfield Multiplex as the main contractor for the project.
Al Maryah Central is adjacent to the Abu Dhabi Global Market Square luxury retail and dining destination - The Galleria on Al Maryah Island - which was developed by Gulf Related with
Mubadala Real Estate and Infrastructure and worked with Elkus Manfredi as design architect and Benoy of London as executive architect.
Al Maryah Central and The Galleria will be physically interconnected to create an unrivalled 2 million-square-foot shopping, dining and lifestyle destination for Abu Dhabi.
About Al Maryah Central
Al Maryah Central is a 3.1-million-square-foot, retail-led mixed-use development owned and managed by Gulf Related, the joint venture partnership between Gulf Capital and Related Companies. Al Maryah Central will include a 2.3-million-square-foot super-regional shopping centre anchored by Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores - opening in Q1 2018, plus two 400,000-square-foot integrated towers set for completion by 2019. One tower will house a hotel and serviced apartments, and the other will offer luxury residences. The development will be fully connected across Al Maryah Island with air-conditioned access to The Galleria, the capital's luxury shopping and dining destination; Abu Dhabi Global Market Square, the international financial centre in the capital city; two luxury hotels - The Rosewood and Four Seasons Hotel, scheduled for completion in 2016; Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, a world-class, 364-bed multispecialty hospital; and the new headquarters of Al Hilal Bank's.
About Gulf Related
Gulf Related is a regional real estate development company focused on retail, residential, and high-end mixed-use real estate developments in the GCC. Gulf Related represents a joint venture between Gulf Capital, one of the GCC's leading alternative asset management firms, and Related Companies, one of the largest private real estate development and investment firms in the United States.
About Elkus Manfredi Architects
Since its founding in 1988, Elkus Manfredi Architects has been internationally recognized for innovative leadership in mixed-use design. The firm has pushed the frontiers of place-making, transforming the quality of life in the everyday spaces and places where we work, where we live, where we relax. At every scale, in every context, ElkusManfredi's consistent focus has been on creating dynamic, connected, sustainable environments that create community in urban neighborhoods around the world. Elkus Manfredi is responsible for creating some of the world's most iconic mixed-use destinations, including The Grove in Los Angeles, The Shops at Columbus Circle in Manhattan, The Galleria at Al Maryah Island in Abu Dhabi, and the soon-to-be-unveiled million-square-foot retail podium at Hudson Yards in New York City. The award-winning firm was recently a nominee for the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Award.
For further information, please contact:
Amy Johnstone
Gulf Related
+971 56 222 7405
ajohnstone@gulfrelated.com
Hassan Fattah
Brunswick Group
+971 2 234 4600
almaryahcentral@brunswickgroup.com
Saverio Mancina
Elkus Manfredi Architects
+1 646 684 3955
sm@saveriomancina.com
© Press Release 2016
