Knowledge Economic City in Madinah, KSA


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The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin AbdulAziz launched the Knowledge Economic City (KEC) in Madinah, Saudi Arabia yesterday. The project is the first of its kind and the third economic city in Saudi Arabia to be initiated by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) in an aggressive bid to repatriate capital and attract value-added foreign investments. The move is part of efforts hoped to develop the Kingdom’s regions in a hi-tech manner while easing mounting pressure off the country’s three major cities’ infrastructures.

At the directives of King Abdullah, SAGIA liaised with a Consortium of Saudi investors lead by Savola Group to develop an economic city dedicated to knowledge-based industries (KBI). The Consortium—Savola Group Co., PMDC, Taibah Investment & Real Estate Development Co., and Quad International Real Estate Development Co.—along with the King Abdullah Foundation formed an investment vehicle to develop an economic city based on KBI. The new city, named “Knowledge Economic City” will be developed on a 4.8 million m2 land while the built up area will near 9 million m2 attracting some 25 billion Saudi riyals ($6.7 billion) worth of investments. The project will add 20,000 new jobs to the region.

The city will comprise various zones designed to compliment each other; a technology and KBI zone; an advanced IT studies institute; an interactive museum on the life of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH); a center for Islamic civilization studies; a campus for medical research and life sciences; an integrated medical services zone; a retail zone; a business district; residential zones including high rises, houses, and fully-serviced apartments; shopping malls; and a mosque with a 10,000 worshipper capacity.

Transportation within KEC will be facilitated via a ring road above which rises a monorail connecting the city to neighboring Grand Mosque of Madinah within minutes. This monorail will be tethered to the planned train station thus tapping into the railway access to Makkah, Yanbou, the King Abdullah Economic City as well as the port city of Jeddah.

SAGIA played a pivotal role in the conceptualization of the project. “The King’s vision to develop an economic city based on KBI is a forward looking step and the development will boost the region’s chances to attract investments hoped to overhaul services in Madinah,” commented Amr Dabbagh, governor of SAGIA.

“This vital project falls well within plans to upgrade the Kingdom’s regions in a sustainable fashion taking into consideration each region’s competitive advantages. Given Madinah’s historic stance as the launch pad of Islamic culture by Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) more than 14 centuries ago, the KEC project is a renaissance of sorts as Madinah will be used to launch the knowledge-based industries,” added Dabbagh.

Governor Amr Dabbagh pointed out that the three economic cities launched to date by SAGIA are in line with its strategy to promote investments into the country’s sectors that propose the best competitive advantages, namely, energy, transportation, and KBI. The first economic city launched December 2005 in Rabegh (the King Abdullah Economic City) focused on promoting energy- and transportation-related industries, while the second economic city launched last week in Hayel (the Prince AbdulAziz bin Mousaed Economic City) is designed around transportation and related logistical services. This latest city in Madinah captures the essence of SAGIA’s third focus, knowledge-based industries (KBI), concluded Dabbagh.

The Knowledge Economic City project is a culmination of efforts by a group of leading Saudi companies to develop an economic city to the east of Madinah that is planned to become an international KBI icon. The total built up area will reach 8.8 million m2 including 4,000 stores and 30,000 residential units that will house 200,000 inhabitants.


Official website,
http://www.knowledgecityksa.com


Click the link below to see the English presentation,
http://www.knowledgecityksa.com/home/document/kakceng.zip

Hi this know. city is only for men ( not women allow?)

Oh great project

very interesting

wow great project for the holyland

Hi this know. city is only for men ( not women allow?)

What the....why the hell would women not be allowed!? Ofcourse they're allowed!

Hi this know. city is only for men ( not women allow?)

LOL !! you are kidding ?!!

amazing project thanks Riyadhi . :)

Great Project!!!

Silly name, great vision.

I really like the mixture of old and modern architectural styles.

I dont understand why they put residential areas, i thought at first when i saw the project it would contain universities/museums exclusively. But what the heck :P.

BTW will it really turn out that green, after all its the deserts. Maybe someone from the region can answer on how it usually works with the greenery. When i was in egypt it was quite a lot of sand everywhere on the streets etc.

What the....why the hell would women not be allowed!? Ofcourse they're allowed!

I think this is possible that its just for men, remember this is Saudi-arabia, womens have no right, they are treatet like animals, theyre even not allowed to drive a car.

For example the Kingdom Center in ryadh has a large shopping complex just for women and another one just fr men, they even have different parking spaces.

I like the designs to this but the whole idea is shit.

All these great projects pop out of everywhere in the middle east. Now if they could just donate ONE to any other country that needs real estate development haha.

Nice project for KSA, but it looks like only male can access it.

KSA is just randomly proping up projects(cities) like these just to be in the game.i dont see what vision or direction they are headed.

cool

I think this is possible that its just for men, remember this is Saudi-arabia, womens have no right, they are treatet like animals, theyre even not allowed to drive a car.

For example the Kingdom Center in ryadh has a large shopping complex just for women and another one just fr men, they even have different parking spaces.
Very educated response :|

^^I agree, nice comment

Geez. Whats going on with Middle East. You people are getting addicted to complex billion dollar public projects and its getting better and better and better every time. Dubai started this megalonic, sophisticated idea and its their fault for opening this trend. Now everybody else is jumping in. Its a very good thing that Middle East is doing this to show the world the modern, diversed and peaceful side of Middle East. So, whats next? is Egypt planning one? maybe Oman / Yemen? Syria perhaps? However, I am very sure that Iraq will take awhile. :cheers:

"an interactive museum on the life of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)"

fantastic!!

are these scumbags still distroying our (Islamic) history and landmarks?

This is amazing. Like a Garden of Eden :D

If this is a man-only area, then why in the renderings there are women walking everywhere?

I think this is possible that its just for men, remember this is Saudi-arabia, womens have no right, they are treatet like animals, theyre even not allowed to drive a car.

For example the Kingdom Center in ryadh has a large shopping complex just for women and another one just fr men, they even have different parking spaces.

lol ..

please don't make up assumptions based on your way of living ..

women do have rights and respect in here like no other place on this planet..

and there is no such thing as men only shopping mall.. but we do have women only because thats the way our women prefer to shop.

so please get ur facts straight before you make up such a statement.... and stop filling your head with westerner media crap :lol:

i am sure that is it men + women because it makes no sense to be only men ...

GREAT PROJECT !!

why the topic says RIYADH??? BTW great project....

please, visit: guaros.sc.googlepages.com

:lol: Only female camels, donkeys, can be seen! :lol:

All these great projects pop out of everywhere in the middle east. Now if they could just donate ONE to any other country that needs real estate development haha.

Yes, they could donate more to starving countries for example, instead of these kind of megalonic projects or instead of financing mega-mosques in non-muslim countries.

We're not stupid and eat all what some one has called "western media crap", so we can read and we all know what those religious fanatics teach about women. No offense.

It is a very very nice project for the medina of the prophet (PBUH)

i think they started construction

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Owner : Knowledge Economic City Developers Company
Developer : Savola Group Company
Location : Medina, Western Province, Saudi Arabia
Facility Type : Economic city
Capacity :
Land: 4.8 million sq. m.
Built up area: 9 million sq. m.
150,000 residents
30,000 residential units
Main Usage : Free Zones/Economic Zones

Background
The Saudi Arabian General Investment AuthoritySaudi Arabian General Investment Authority plans to develop 6 economic cities in Saudi Arabia. Knowledge Economic City is one of the major economic cities developed by a consortium of Savola GroupSavola Group, Project Management & Development Company, Quad International Real Estate Development Company, and the King Abdullah Foundation. The development will be located in Madinah, 5 km east of Haram.

Knowledge Economic CityKnowledge Economic City will be developed on a 4.8 million sq. m. land area and will have a built-up area of 9 million sq. m. Once completed, the city will accommodate up to 150,000 residents.

The project will include an Islamic civilization studies center, residential units (30,000), a museum on the life of Prophet Mohammed, a mosque (for 10,000 worshipers), a theme park known as "Seera Land", and a monorail that will link the city to Medina's Grand Mosque.

The project will be carried out in three phases.
Phase 1 will consist of the infrastructure works and the construction of 200 villas and 600 apartments.

Phase 2 includes the construction of hospitality facilities, more than 220 villas out of 550 villas and there will also be 600 flats built.

The joint venture of HOK and IBI Group is the project consultant, Dar Al HandasahDar Al Handasah is the master plan consultant and Cansult Maunsel - AECOMAECOM is the PMC.

Current Status

In June 2010, 3 contractors were under evaluation for the construction contract and the infrastructure contract was under tendering.

In July 2010, the construction contract is expected to be awarded and construction expected to start.

In the end of September 2010, the Infrastructure contract is expected to be awarded and infrastructure work is expected to start, as well as for the construction of the villas expected to start.

In 2012, phase 1 is expected to be completed.

In 2016, phase 2 is expected to be completed.

In 2020, phase 3 is expected to be completed.


Previous Events

In September 2009, the master plan was reviewed.

In July 2009, the USD 14 million PMC contract was awarded to Cansult Maunsel - AECOMAECOM.

In June 2008, the master plan was finalized.

In January 2008, Knowledge Economic CityKnowledge Economic City developers agreed to set up a company to overlook the development of the project. They also finalized all required legal procedures and contracts.

In December 2006, Knowledge Economic CityKnowledge Economic City (KEC) signed a USD100 million MOU with Siraj CapitalSiraj Capital and Project Management and Development CompanyProject Management and Development Company (PMD) to develop the project’s hospitality sector (which includes hotels, residential apartments and an exhibition center). KEC also signed a USD133 million MOU with Savola GroupSavola Group to develop Phase I of the project’s retail complex (100,000 sq.m. gross area).

In June 2006, the project was launched.

Scope of Work Construction of a free zone including:
- A residential area (30,000 residential units that include villas and apartments)
- 1,200 retail outlets
- An Islamic civilization studies center
- A museum
- A mosque (for 10,000 worshipers)
- A monorail that will link to Medina's Grand Mosque

from cityscape gallery

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there's also this great interactive map showing the master plan :
http://www.madinahkec.com/index.php?q=en/ourproj/masterplan

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Hey guys we need more update on this project >>> I believe there are major transformation on the site >>> check the their web site and see.

In fact may family called last day from Al-Madianh, they are thinking of buying a house in dar-aljewar neigborhood which is part of this great project.

I asked them to take pics for me but I dont count on them.

Also, there are alot of activity on the site of the haramin train.

plz madinah guys we need more update.

again this is the link http://www.madinahkec.com