The Kingdom of Bahrain is an island nation in the Persian Gulf with a rich and colourful history and has even been proffered as the site of the Garden of Eden. Connected to Saudia Arabia in the west by the King Fahd Causeway, Bahrain will soon be linked to Qatar to the south by the 45 kilometre long Qatar–Bahrain Friendship Bridge which when completed will be the longest fixed link in the world. As a natural extension of the King Fahd Causeway it will eventually link the entire region.

With so much attention to the Middle East being focused on the UAE, Dubai in particular, it should be noted that in 2006 Bahrain was reported to be the fastest growing economy within the Arab world. Perhaps not surprisingly then the kingdom also boasts the title of Banking Capital of the Middle East and is ranked as the most open economy in the region. Undoubtedly what has really placed Bahrain on the international map in the last few years is that this cosmopolitan country is the home of Formula One racing in the Middle East

Bahrain hosted the Gulf Air Grand Prix in 2004, the first for an Arab country, the race being won by Michael Schumacher. This was followed by the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2005 with Bahrain successfully hosting the opening Grand Prix of the 2006 season in March; both races were won by Fernando Alonso of Renault F1. In 2007 the Bahrain Grand Prix will be held from April 15th so stay tuned to PRL where the results will be reported in a subsequent issue.

Whereas Dubai and Abu Dhabi have taken much of the limelight in recent years for the sheer scale of construction currently in progress, Bahrain is not to be outdone with high quality and brilliantly imaginative developments in the property market. One of the classiest examples of this is the suave Bahrain Bay which makes a unique and stunning statement about the broad range of developments taking shape in the Middle East as a whole.

Bahrain Bay has gone for the sleek, modern and luxurious approach. Its focus is to create a luxury world-class residential and commercial environment which aims to serve as a new benchmark in the capital Manama. Designed by New York based architects Skidmore, Owings and Merril (SOM), the master plan is centred on a unique concept: an island connected by two bridges that form an inner harbour with radiating circles that carve the island, promenade and road system.

This haven was the result of a vision of Arcapita, a leading Bahrain-based International Investment Bank, joined by Four Seasons and CapitaLand, one of the largest real estate companies in Asia. The Manama Waterfront will set the stage for the developing city, which offers two marinas with Bahrain Bay’s own exclusive Yacht Club, surrounded on three sides by water and striking buildings which infuse contemporary architecture with classical nautical designs. The marina offers the perfect view of the bay and nearby waterfront.

Those wishing to live on the waterfront will find exclusive low-rise residences extending into the bay and serviced by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. From their unique vantage point residents will be able to enjoy the view of passing boats set against the Manama skyline. Residential towers, which feature unobstructed views of the city, line a vibrant commercial boulevard of restaurants, shops and street artists. Each tower offers flexible floor plans to accommodate a variety of layouts, styles and features. A self-sufficient community organized for total convenience Bahrain Bay features centrally located schools of international standards, three beautifully designed mosques and pedestrian walkways offering easy access to neighbourhood retail and myriad areas of parkland.

Two iconic buildings frame the heart of Bahrain Bay. The centrepiece of this sophisticated development will be the Kingdom of Bahrain’s first Four Seasons Hotel, a tall cubist tower which will be visible from all parts of the bay. Arcapita chose to juxtapose the tower with a horizontal glass structure which will become the bank’s breathtaking new headquarters. These two buildings set the benchmark for quality of design as well as materials used in construction.

The project will be executed in three distinct phases. Phase One involves a 430,000 m2 land reclamation and infrastructure development, which commenced in January 2006. Phase Two will involve the construction of the anchor developments, the Four Seasons Hotel and the new global headquarters building for Arcapita and is scheduled for completion in early 2008. Phase Three will involve other development partners, such as CapitaLand, for the development of residential, retail and commercial sub-projects around the anchor developments. CapitaLand’s District Centre is due for phased completion by 2009. At final completion, expected in December 2010, the total built area will be over 1.45 million m2.