The masterplan for a new urban district located close to the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah has been unveiled by Chapman Taylor. Airport City is to be a mixed-use development boasting 1.91m sqm of GBA (gross building area) and, once complete, is expected to become a leading destination for visitors from across Saudi Arabia and the GCC.

According to a statement from Chapman Taylor, the masterplan is said to introduce an innovative, mixed-use community concept to the region, which will create diverse tourism and business opportunities, while also providing a dynamic lifestyle and family entertainment venue.

The masterplan includes leisure and entertainment functions, retail units, healthcare clinics, private residences, a financial district, an artisans’ district, a green food yard and a central artists’ district. A ‘Saudi Dreams’ centre will provide an ideal showcase for the Kingdom’s culture and ambitions, the statement noted.

The firm designed the transport-orientated, urban development on behalf of SARH Airport Development and Real Estate Investment, together with AE Prime as a lead consultant and project manager.

The firm said that Airport City will serve as a new hub gateway to Jeddah and beyond at the strategically important meeting point of the airport, high-speed railway station and the motorway junction between central Jeddah and the Northern Expansion Zone.

The scheme will deliver a dynamic and sustainable mix of provisions around a central avenue, which links the airport’s railway station to the airport’s dedicated mosque, the statement said.