The master developer behind one of the world’s most ambitious tourism initiatives, The Red Sea Development Company, has commenced development of the Coastal Village, a residential and commercial area that will house the workers, staff and management of The Red Sea Project.
The concept is one of several giga-projects under development by Saudi Arabia as part of its drive to achieve a more sustainable economy, less dependent on its dwindling oil resources.
Scheduled for completion by Q2 2020, construction of the corporate offices is already underway on the Coastal Village site and they will become the centre of operations for the development. They will accommodate 500 people and provide supporting amenities, including a 160-seat restaurant and 100-seat auditorium.
TRSDC has also signed a contract for construction of the first 10 residential apartment buildings within the Coastal Village, which will ultimately become home to around 14,000 people who will be employed in roles at the destination when the first phase opens in 2022. It will also provide temporary housing for 25,000 workers who will be building the infrastructure and assets.
“Delivering and operating a destination as ambitious as The Red Sea Project requires a happy, healthy and fulfilled community of people enjoying a high standard of living and the amenities necessary to support a modern lifestyle,” said John Pagano, CEO of The Red Sea Development Company. “The Coastal Village will be a vibrant and engaging community combining the highest quality accommodation, environmentally sensitive corporate offices and a wide range of leisure and recreational facilities, all delivered in a way that is fully aligned with our commitment to sustainability.”
The construction partner for the design and build of the management offices is Saudi group Al Majal Al Arabi, which recently signed a separate contract with TRSDC to build 5,000 residential units for construction workers at the destination.
The offices will have a total floor space of approximately 7,000sq.m and have been designed in three independent campus elements to take advantage of the unique microclimate at The Red Sea Project, maximising passive shading and ventilation and promoting interaction between indoor and outdoor spaces.
The construction partner for the development of the residential apartments will be Saudi Amana Contracting, a subsidiary of UAE-based Amana Contracting Group, which recently won the contract to design and build a management hotel to serve the Coastal Village.
The first five apartment buildings are expected to be completed by Q3 2020 and the remaining five by Q4 in the same year, delivering a total of 300 apartments. Some of the properties will initially provide accommodation for the construction workers who will be hired to develop the destination. The apartments will later be repurposed to meet the needs of employees working at the various hotels, commercial and retail assets, entertainment facilities and corporate offices that will make up The Red Sea Project.
The entire build is on track for completion by the end of 2022, including 14 luxury hotels offering 3,000 rooms across five islands and two inland resorts. It will also include a marina, entertainment facilities, an airport, and the necessary supporting logistics and utilities infrastructure.
Image: John Pagano, CEO, The Red Sea Development Company (left) and general manager of Saudi Amana Contracting, Hattan Nazer (right)
