Zaha Hadid Architects win competition for Sharjah leisure hub inspired by falling water droplet

– Tariq Khayyat, Senior Associate and Head of Region-Middle East
Following an international competition, Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) have been appointed to design the Central Hub of the Aljada leisure masterplan in Sharjah, UAE.
Development company ARADA is overseeing the enormous mixed-use project – one of the largest of its kind in the region – and organised the competition to find an architect for the 1.9 million sq ft (176,500sq m) Hub, billed as “a major destination for tourists and residents, offering world-class amenities complemented by community facilities as well as retail and dining experiences.”
The first phase will create “a lively, family-friendly destination” with a series of attractions, including an adventure activity zone, a food market and outdoor events spaces. A central observation tower will be surrounded by public squares with water features irrigated by recovered and recycled water.
ZHA’s winning proposal is inspired conceptually by “the moment a water droplet strikes the earth’s surface, captured in an array of elliptical buildings designed to channel prevailing winds into civic spaces and courtyards to facilitate cooling during the summer months.” Tensile canopies sustain a microclimate at ground level for extensive gardens of species native to the region.
“We are proud to partner with ARADA on a project designed for Sharjah’s community and its visitors,” said Tariq Khayyat, head of the Middle East region for ZHA. “We look forward to applying all our knowledge and experience in creating some of the world’s most popular civic spaces to foster Sharjah’s public realm in delivering Aljada’s Central Hub.”
ARADA chair, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, added: “ZHA are globally renowned for forward-thinking and transformational urban design. While all of the companies in this design competition offered outstanding designs, it was their integrated design approach that best matched our vision for Aljada’s Central Hub as an interconnected destination.
“This approach is synonymous with our mission to develop rewarding and engaging communities, building the Sharjah of tomorrow.”
The Aljada project – a 24 million sq ft (2.3 million sq m) residential and leisure community – was launched by the ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, in 2017. It will be delivered in phases, beginning in 2019, with the entire project expected to be completed by 2025. Global engineering company CH2M has been awarded the infrastructure design contract for the project.
ZHA are working on a growing portfolio of high-profile mixed-use projects in the Middle East, including a cultural and research complex for a Unesco World Heritage site in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia; two leisure projects for Qatar’s Lusail City masterplan; and the Al Wakrah Stadium for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The firm recently opened an office within the Dubai Design District in response to “solid growth in demand from new and existing clients across the region.”
In a statement, they said: “We are working with the many diverse histories and cultures of the region to address important issues in a meaningful way – contributing to the development of more ecologically sustainable and integrated built environments."
Zaha Hadid Architects Sharjah leisure Central Hub UAE Aljada ARADA Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi Tariq KhayyatMajor beach developments planned for Sharjah as emirate's leaders prioritise leisure tourism
Zaha Hadid Architects unveil bold Sky Park masterplan to reinvent Bratislava's industrial zone
Zaha Hadid Architects expand into Middle East with office in Dubai Design District
Zaha Hadid Architects triumph in competition to design Saudi cultural centre
Qatar developer unveils Zaha Hadid leisure projects for Lusail City masterplan
Sharjah unveils first phase of AED250m eco-tourism project
Butterfly pavilion by German studio 3deluxe clad with 4,000 golden aluminium flowers


Juneteenth Museum by Bjarke Ingels Group has been designed to inspire spiritual uplift

BIG and HOK's timber concept wins Zurich Airport competition

Christoph Ingenhoven reveals Lanserhof Sylt, featuring the largest thatched roof in Europe

BIG's designs Prague concert hall to be vibrant centre of life

Mather & Co-designed Gretna Green Experience opens to the public

Project to save last major bellfoundry which cast bells for St Paul's and Washington National Cathedral

Perkins & Will reveals designs for net-zero sports and cultural centre in Toronto

World’s first living waterslides announced for Therme Manchester

Heatherwick reveals Volcano-inspired opera house designs for Hainan

Natural history museum planned for Abu Dhabi

Controversial London music venue, MSG Sphere, gets full planning permission

Clifford's Tower opens to the public after £5m redevelopment

Clifford's Tower opens to the public after £5m redevelopment

Glasgow's iconic Burrell Collection reopens after five-year, £68.5m revamp

SB Architects delivers Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Costa Rica with tree-house spa and private residences

Ole Scheeren designs vertical jungle resort complex in China

Designer Brian d’Souza launches Swell to create evocative soundscapes for physical environments

Basalt Architects create geothermal Forest Lagoon in the wilds of Iceland

Hot Pickle design £73m Guinness visitor attraction for Diageo in London

Amsterdam's new digital art centre Fabrique des Lumières will use tech to bring art alive

Pharrell Williams to launch tropical Bahamian beach resort

Banyan Tree curating solar-powered wellness retreat on private Mozambican island

Dubai Expo hits 10 million visits

Foster + Partners designs Dorchester Collection's first hotel in Middle East

Neil Jacobs reveals Six Senses Places concept for major cities

Orient Express returns to Italy after 46 years with six trains designed by Dimorestudio and new Rome hotel

400-year-old mineral spring will power Preidlhof’s €2m medicinal bath experience

Universal Beijing Resort reveals expansion plans for second phase

Pop-up stadium built with shipping containers opens ahead of 2022 World Cup

Playfulness will inspire Serenbe’s new wellness community, Spela
From parks designed to mitigate the effects of flooding to warming huts for one of the world’s coldest cities, these projects have been designed for increasingly extreme climates