Abu Dhabi: By 2020, Abu Dhabi will boast another traditional souq that will offer visitors a peek into Emirati culture, senior municipal officials announced in the capital on Tuesday.
Construction on the Dh750 million facility, which will be located at the gateway to the capital city, will begin in the first quarter of this year, Jasem Al Daheri, acting director for investment at the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, told Gulf News during a tour of the site.
“We are currently finalising designs and plans. When completed, the souq will complement our Al Qanah [luxury tourism and residential destination] project, which is located alongside it,” he added.
A number of temporary traditional souqs are organised throughout the year in the capital, and there are also a number of Arabic-style souqs in the city. However, most are housed in contemporary buildings.
In contrast, the upcoming traditional souq will be housed in a building inspired by embroidery patterns typically found on abayas.
It will span 245,000 square metres, and will be developed by Al Qudra holding, a private joint stock company, under a Build-Operate-Transfer agreement.
The souq, which will be situated between Al Maqta’a bridge and Khaleej Al Arabi Street, will also include an underground connection to the Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It will overlook the Maqta Channel and be in walking distance of the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
Officials said that 30 per cent of gross floor area at the souq will be dedicated to Emirati culture and heritage. In addition, the destination will feature edutainment hubs, retail avenues, villas overlooking the canal, a four-star hotel, and access to modern transport facilities, including water taxis, cable cars and a metro.
There will also be a covered market, with organic fruit and vegetable outlets, florists and room for art and craft exhibitions.
Officials said that the souq, once operational, will also employ porters with wagons (hamali), who were a common feature of traditional Arabian markets.
Asma Samir is a freelance journalist in Abu Dhabi.
