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Madinat al-Hareer

Coordinates: 29°37′01″N 48°04′01″E / 29.617°N 48.067°E / 29.617; 48.067
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Burj Mubarak al-Kabir
برج مبارك الكبير Silk City
File:Mubarakal-Kabir computer rendition.jpg
Artist's Rendition
Map
General information
StatusProposed
TypeMixed-use
LocationSubiya, Kuwait
Coordinates29°37′01″N 48°04′01″E / 29.617°N 48.067°E / 29.617; 48.067
Construction startedFebruary 2023
Estimated completion2035-36
Opening2035 (est.)
OwnerTamdeen Real Estate
Height
Antenna spire1,001 m (3,284 ft)
Technical details
Floor count234
Floor area390,200 m2 (4,200,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Eric Kuhne, Civicart, London

Madinat al-Hareer (Silk City) (Template:Lang-ar, meaning "Silk City"), is an upcoming 250 km2 (62,000-acre) planned urban area in Subiya, Kuwait. Upon construction, it would include a nature reservation of 2 square kilometres, a duty-free area which will be beside a new airport, in addition to a large business center, conference areas, environmental areas, athletic areas, and areas that concentrate on media, health, education, and industry. The city will also include hotels, spas, and public gardens. The city will be built in individual phases with total completion within twenty-five years. The development will cost over 150-632 billion USD.

Madinat al-Hareer (Silk City) is part of China's Belt and Road Initiative. The city will incorporate Chinese as one of the city's economic languages, along with Arabic and English. Since 2016, Kuwait has commenced a national development plan, Kuwait Vision 2035, to diversify the economy and become less dependent on oil.[1] The Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway (bridge that links Kuwait City to Silk City) was completed and inaugurated Thursday 1st May 2019.[2] As of April 2021, the Mubarak Al Kabeer Port in northern Kuwait is currently under construction.[3][4]

Design

When Silk City is completed, it will include a nature reservation of 2 square kilometres, a duty-free area, in addition to a large business center, conference areas, residences, hotels, retail facilities, athletic areas, and areas that concentrate on media, health, education, and culture. Up to 700,000 people could be housed in the city complex and 500,000 new jobs are planned.[5] Madinat al-Hareer is linked to Kuwait City by a 36-kilometer-long (22 mi) bridge named Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway (Arabic: جسر جابر). The bridge officially opened in 2019 and decreases the driving time from Kuwait City to Madinat al-Hareer to 15 minutes rather than the usual one-and-a-half-hour drive around Kuwait Bay.

In June 2014, the Kuwaiti government approved a decree creating a body in charge of developing Silk City and Boubyan Island.[6] Kuwait also signed a cooperation agreement with China for developing Silk City and its economic belt.[7] Silk City will incorporate Chinese as one of the city's economic languages, along with Arabic and English. On June 3 2014, Silk City's final masterplan was approved, the new Silk City masterplan replaces previous proposals.[8]

Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway

Main article: Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway

In May 2019, the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway was inaugurated. The causeway connects Madinat al-Hareer to Kuwait City. It is one of the largest and most challenging infrastructure projects in the entire world. The project forms part of the Kuwait Vision 2035,[9] and is named after the 13th Emir of Kuwait to commemorate his contribution to the economic development of Kuwait. The causeway had an estimated construction value of approximately US$3 billion.[10] It crosses two artificial islands (Bay Island North and Bay Island South) which were constructed for entertainment and tourism purposes.[11]

Mubarak Al Kabeer Port

Main article: Mubarak Al Kabeer Port

Madinat al-Hareer is built on the dream of building a huge port in the biggest island in Kuwait, Bubiyan Island. Mubarak Al Kabeer Port, as it will be called, will serve the economic interests of Kuwait, China, Iraq, and Iran. In addition, the port will be one of the closest seaports to Central Asia. In September 2020, it was reported that the port is 53% complete.[12] In March 2021, it was announced that Kuwait and Pakistan will develop linkages between Gwadar Port and Mubarak Al Kabeer Port.[13] As of April 2021, the Mubarak Al Kabeer Port is currently under construction.[4][3] As part of Mubarak Al Kabeer Port's development, Bubiyan Island will contain power plants and substations.[3][14] A 5,000-megawatt power plant has already been built in Subiya.[15]

Proposed skyscraper

Main article: Burj Mubarak al-Kabir

One of the main proposed attractions of Madinat al-Hareer is the Burj Mubarak al-Kabir which would stand at 1,001 m (3,284 ft) tall in order to reflect the Arabian folk tale collection One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. Skyscrapers do not normally exceed 80 floors due to the amount of space that would be taken up by elevators. However, the Mubarak al-Kabir Tower's proposed design consists of a far greater number of floors. This would necessitate double or triple-decker elevators. Another challenge would be posed by the immense height of the building, which makes it vulnerable to high winds. In order to cope with these winds, the tower's proposed design includes three interlocking towers, each twisting 45 degrees to help stabilize it. In addition, vertical ailerons would run the full length of the building on each edge. Adjustments to the positions of these ailerons would redirect the winds in order to minimize structural vibrations. The building is proposed to include seven vertically stacked 30-story 'neighborhoods", including apartments, offices, and hotels. Linking the neighborhoods will be several four-story "town squares."[16] The planned height of the building is taller than the current tallest building in the world, the 828 m Burj Khalifa, but shorter than the planned heights of the Tokyo Sky Mile Tower (in planning, 1,700 m) and Jeddah Tower (under construction, 1,008 m). Initially, the tower was estimated to be completed after the Jeddah Tower but before the Tokyo Sky Mile Tower (2045).

See also

References

  1. ^ "Kuwait Vision 2035". New Kuwait. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  2. ^ Arab Times - Amir inaugurates hi-tech mega-bridge
  3. ^ a b c Ranju Warrier (19 February 2021). "Elsewedy Electric unit bags $53.2m contract for Kuwait's Boubyan substation". Construction Week.
  4. ^ a b "الأشغال تنتظر مقاول ميناء مبارك لتسلم المرحلة الأولى ابتدائياً". Al Rai (in Arabic). 30 March 2021.
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ Cabinet OKs bills, informed about honoring late Amir's bodyguards
  7. ^ Kuwait, China ink cooperative deals, MoUs
  8. ^ Kuwait approves Silk City masterplan
  9. ^ "Sheikh Jaber Bridge to give impetus to Kuwait's 2035 vision in northern region". KUNA.
  10. ^ https://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/sheikh-jaber-al-ahmed-al-sabah-causeway/
  11. ^ "The Long Bridge to "Silk City"". NASA Earth Observatory. September 8, 2019.
  12. ^ "Kuwait SCPD provides updates on $10.4bn worth of projects". Middle East Construction News. 20 September 2020. On the other projects, the top Kuwaiti official said the work on Mubarak Al Kabeer Port project had reached 52.7% completion
  13. ^ "Pakistan, Kuwait agree to develop linkages b/w Gwadar & Mubarak Al Kabeer Port". radio.gov.pk. 18 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Kuwait's MEW to float tender for transmission stations". Zawya. 23 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Kuwait inaugurates massive causeway to free trade zone". France24. 1 May 2019.
  16. ^ Pacella, Rena. (March 2009). "Extreme Engineering". Popular Science.
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