The Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation will unveil plans for a 125,000 sq m park in the heart of the UAE capital to thousands of visitors at Cityscape Abu Dhabi, a premier real estate investment exhibition opening tomorrow (April 22).

Al Fayah Park will be located on Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street opposite the Dome@Rawdhat. The new park, inspired by the beauty of the desert landscape, is being designed by London-based Thomas Heatherwick.

Construction of the park will commence immediately after the design phase is completed at the end of 2014, with its gates opening for the public by the early 2017.

Al Fayah Park will feature play areas, exercise paths, an organic fruit and vegetable garden which will supply the cafes and restaurants in the park, along with an oasis of flowers and plants native to the GCC.

The park will also have a dedicated public library, picnic area, mosque, outdoor cinema, and indoor/outdoor arenas to host live performances, local festivals and community activities.

Iman Khouri, communications manager at Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, said: “The Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation is committed to creating sustainable and lasting contributions that enhance the UAE community’s wellbeing.”

“Al Fayah Park is one such contribution, offering a beautiful and iconic space for the community to come together and create special memories with friends and family. The park will incorporate a plethora of activities and unique features that support the Foundation’s key pillars of education, arts, culture, heritage, and health.

“It will be reminiscent of traditional design inspired by the UAE desert, but thoroughly modern in its presentation that will attract both local residents and international visitors alike. As such, it puts Abu Dhabi among the world's leading global cities for innovative outdoor public spaces,” he added.

Thomas Heatherwick, founder of Heatherwick Studio, said: “Al Fayah Park incorporates a series of very special column structures, like the cracked pieces of a desert surface, which gently raise to form a three-dimensional landscape across the site.”

“These elevated pieces create a perforated canopy of partial shade under which a lush garden can grow, protected from the hot desert sun.

“This sunken oasis becomes a landscape of plants, mature trees and a cluster of public recreational spaces.  The twenty meter high shaded garden is conceived as a place for families to gather and picnic, as well as a place for learning and festivals.

“By creating partial shade for plants, the canopy reduces the amount of water lost to evaporation, improving the park’s energy efficiency and sustainability. Whilst providing shade in the daytime, the elevated plates also become a network of unique meeting places in the cooler evening hours,” he added.

Organised by Informa Exhibitions, the eighth edition of Cityscape Abu Dhabi is held under the patronage of General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces and will run from April 22 to 24 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Cityscape Abu Dhabi will also introduce Sandscape, an exciting showcase where visitors will watch artists re-create, out of sand, Abu Dhabi’s heritage and iconic buildings. Located in Hall 4, Sandscape is hosted in association with the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council and sponsored by Pasco.

Cityscape Abu Dhabi is co-located with Piscine Middle East, a dedicated event for the swimming pool and spa industry. – TradeArabia News Service