Khalid Bin Sultan City

A mixed-use city designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, with BEEAH delivering the housing first

Of the 6.1 km of jogging track planned across the masterplan, 2.5 km will be built in the first phase alone. That figure gives a sense of scale: Khalid Bin Sultan City is not a gated compound but a full mixed-use city, with offices, a cultural centre, a mall and residential districts, which BEEAH is building in stages at Rodhat Al Sidir, in the Al Rowdat Suburb area of Sharjah. Sales for phase 1 have been handed to Sharjah-based developer Alef. The offering covers 2 to 4 bedroom townhouses and 4 and 5 bedroom villas, sold freehold, with handover set for 30 September 2029. The urban concept comes from Zaha Hadid Architects, while the homes themselves were designed by Tariq Khayyat Design Partners.

BEEAH, from waste management to real estate development

BEEAH is best known in Sharjah as a group specialising in environmental services, waste management and energy. Its headquarters, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and opened in 2022, has served as a showcase for this technical culture. Khalid Bin Sultan City carries the same message: a "climate-smart" city, sustainable materials, home automation throughout. For an investor, the real question isn't the intent but the execution, since the group has no residential delivery track record comparable to Arada or Alef. The partnership with Alef, which has already delivered several communities in the emirate, helps fill that gap.

Two firms, two scales of design

The division of roles is clear. Zaha Hadid Architects set the masterplan: layout of the districts, public spaces, green network. Tariq Khayyat Design Partners (TKDP), an award-winning architecture and urban planning firm, designed the homes themselves. The facades draw on the desert landscape, with curved lines, wide openings for natural light, and attention paid to ventilation and sound insulation. Inside, the brochure shows light tones, walk-in closets attached to the bedrooms, and kitchens open to the living area.

Orbit A and Orbit G: what phase 1 includes

The first release covers two zones named Orbit A and Orbit G. The plan includes a pool, a play area, a sports field, outdoor fitness stations, a community garden, a community centre and a mall. Pedestrian routes are laid out to connect two neighbourhood centres within a five-minute walk. Each district is meant to have its own park, reducing reliance on cars for everyday needs. The rest of the programme, offices, a retail avenue, a cultural centre, a contemporary mosque, will arrive in later phases, with no public timeline yet.

From 235 to 510 sqm of living space

The unit mix stays firmly family-oriented. Three-bedroom townhouses start around 236 sqm, four-bedroom units go past 300 sqm, and the corner and corner-twin versions add a few extra square metres along with side clearance. Four-bedroom villas reach about 360 sqm, five-bedroom villas nearly 510 sqm, all with private gardens. Private pools are listed among the amenities. No apartments are offered in this phase, which clearly targets settled families rather than buyers looking for small rental units.

Between Al Dhaid Road and Khorfakkan Road

The site sits between two major routes: Al Dhaid Road (E88), which connects Sharjah to the emirate's interior, and Khorfakkan Road, which runs toward the east coast. This position eases travel to Dubai and the other emirates, but puts the project some distance from Sharjah's historic centre. The Al Rowdat Suburb area already hosts Arada's Masaar, whose successive phases have drawn families seeking bigger homes than in Dubai for a lower budget. Khalid Bin Sultan City sets itself apart from that neighbour through a broader urban programme, with jobs and cultural facilities on site. Its success hinges on whether those non-residential components actually get built.