Arada begins work on the second phase of family entertainment hotspot Madar at Aljada

Two million visitors to Madar since launching in February 2020

Arada has awarded the first contract for the next phase of its popular family entertainment district Madar, located at the Aljada megaproject in Sharjah. Opened in February 2020, Madar at Aljada has already welcomed 2 million visitors who have been drawn to its mixture of attractions and food offerings, set within a lush green landscape.

The second phase of Madar will contain a fully stocked health and fitness club, a trampoline park, an extension to the existing skatepark, more parking and a further 460,000 square feet of parkland. The extension to the green landscaping means that residents living in the first phase of Aljada will enjoy direct access to Madar by the end of this year.

At over 110,000 square feet in size, the health and fitness club will be one of the largest in Sharjah, with separate sections catering to men and women and world-class facilities, in line with Arada’s mission to provide active, healthy lifestyles to residents and visitors to its communities.

The first construction contract for this phase was awarded to Dubai-based landscape architect Proscape, which will carry out landscaping and other works over a four-month period. The second phase of Madar will be fully completed by September 2022.

Zad food truck park and Aljada Discovery Centre

Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, CEO of Arada, said: “With over 100,000 visitors a month, Madar at Aljada has cemented its position as the fastest-growing family entertainment destination in the UAE. We believe that the new attractions on offer in the second phase will help to grow visitor numbers to Madar even more strongly, while also presenting residents of Aljada with an outstanding portfolio of facilities right on their doorstep.”

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the Madar at Aljada leisure complex is the largest of its kind in the Northern Emirates, at 1.9 million square feet in size. Existing attractions at Madar include the Aljada Discovery Centre; the Zad food village and drive-thru; a children’s adventure playground; a skatepark; a free-to-enter drive-in cinema; an indoor events space; a waterplay area and an outdoor amphitheatre.

Madar at Aljada is the centrepiece of Sharjah’s largest ever megaproject, which is valued at AED24 billion. Spread over a 24 million square foot area, Aljada is ideally located on the last large plot of land in the heart of New Sharjah. Aljada contains numerous residential districts, as well as extensive retail, hospitality, entertainment, sporting, educational and healthcare components, all set within a green urban master plan.

Construction work on Aljada began in 2018 and the first homes were handed over at the beginning of 2021. So far, almost 900 homes in the first residential phase of the project have been completed this year, while Aljada’s first school opened its doors to pupils for the first time in August.