Simply Abu Dhabi IV

46 SIMPLY ABU DHABI AL FALAH Every project that Aldar embark upon is well thought out in terms of what it will mean to the community it creates and the society beyond. Situated to the east of Abu Dhabi International Airport and the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway, Al Falah is testament to this philanthropic philosophy in that it has been developed in partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Urban Planning Council, as part of a wider government initiative aimed at providing suitable communities and more social housing for the local population. The delivery of these housing communities forms a key part of the Government’s commitment to Abu Dhabi’s long term development which ensures that Nationals have access to quality housing built by reliable, local developers to the highest standards of quality and with respect to the values of sustainability. Al Falah community is a master planned development area which occupies a 12.5 million square metre area and the new development will provide around 5,000 homes for middle-income UAE families. Aldar are committed to bringing communities together in order to create a real sense of belonging and this is apparent with Al Falah’s ground- breaking design which encourages community get-togethers with the creation of several open parks that connect the residential, commercial and leisure elements. Moving away from the traditional “grid” approach to community developments, Al Falah has been intentionally designed as a practical and sustainable neighbourhood that will provide extensive community facilities and opportunities for UAE citizens. Al Falah will consist of five villages set within beautifully landscaped grounds, each with its own community amenities comprising a village centre, schools, and mosques and it is hoped that each one will develop its own unique character. For the ultimate in convenience all shopping facilities have been purposefully positioned within just a 10 minute walk from all the villas. Each of the five villages will provide residents with a high quality of life designed its own landscaped “Village and Neighbourhood Centres’ with parklands and stunning landscape and the 5,000 villas have been specifically designed for middle income Emirati families to live an extremely comfortable lifestyle. Designed around these parks open and spaces, the communities feature all-encompassing roads and cul-de-sacs, connecting the residential, commercial and leisure buildings. A short drive away through the picturesque parkland and we found ourselves at the town centre. At the heart of the entire development, the town centre has been created to offer all the amenities required for modern living. Delivered in phases, upon completion it will be home to further schools and kindergartens, a 110-bed healthcare centre, 50,000sqm of office space, a 200-room hotel and a 65,000sqm shopping mall, offering the convenience of everything the family needs in one easily accessible location. It will also contain civic buildings, a hospital, and a sports and leisure complex. Fifteen schools throughout the community will provide a high quality system of education to children through from the early learning stage to high school. With three, four and five bedroom homes available, there is a great choice to suit different circumstances and the contemporary designs also uphold local and Islamic traditions. It is anticipated that by the beginning of the New Year, 1,000 villas will have been completed and the project is making great progress. With more than 26,000 working on site every day it was fantastic to be able to visit and witness first-hand the spirit of cooperation and coordination between all the companies involved. It was yet more evidence of Aldar’s commitment to working in harmony with local communities by putting people before bricks and mortar. The power system for Al Falah called for a widespread review process from the utility companies in order to modernise it and, with such cooperation, that process is now completed. We were delighted to see that Al Falah is well on track for completion by early 2012, so before long we will be able to return and explore the region as part of our A&J adventures.