Designs for the "world's first fully immersive experiential marine life centre", to be located in Saudi Arabia, have been unveiled by British architecture studio Foster + Partners.
The cluster of four buildings, which will be at the Triple Bay Marina in Amaala and have one floor underground and another underwater, is designed to resemble coral reefs.
It will be a Marine Life Institute and centre for The Red Sea Development Company, spanning 10,430 square metres.
It will also house one of the world's largest man-made reefs, measuring 40 metres long and 10 metres deep, as well as augmented reality experiences and underwater tours of the Red Sea in submersible vehicles.
"Integrated exhibition displays take visitors on a journey through the Red Sea, as they travel down through the building towards the immersive deep reef 'big reveal,'" said Foster + Partners head of studio Gerard Evenden.
"At the heart of the space, a large, suspended semi-spherical tank — a real first-of-its-kind — contains local marine wildlife within a stunning coral exhibit."
It will also feature "futuristic" lab spaces, as described by The Red Sea Development Company, which visitors will be able to tour and will be part of the "conservation-driven" scientific research centre.
More than 40 per cent of the site is to be covered in native plants and a system will also collect runoff water to prevent erosion and pollution. The lighting has also been sustainably designed to decrease light pollution.
John Pagano, chief executive of The Red Sea Development Company, said: "With 10 zones that provide everything from augmented reality experiences to night diving, and spaces for the scientific community to effectively progress their environmental projects, the Marine Life Institute is undeniably unique.
"Not only will it drive global green and blue innovations, it will also help put Saudi Arabia on the map for travellers seeking trips that enrich their lives."
“More than just a window into the marine world, we’re creating an integrated experience that offers unique activities for our guests, with a collection of opportunities to explore and learn suited to all,” said Warren Baverstock, senior marine life director at The Red Sea Development Company.
Amaala is a luxury development on Saudi Arabia’s north-western coast and one of the flagship Saudi Vision 2030 projects. Foster + Partners is also designing an airport for the area.
The development will add 2,500 hotel rooms and 700 private residential villas, along with a retail area featuring 200 outlets.
It will have a Triple Bay Yacht Club in the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Nature Reserve, designed after traditional Arabian houses, with a smooth white exterior and a palette of natural and locally sourced materials, such as stone, timber and leather.
Set across 4,155 square kilometres and scheduled to host its first guests in 2024, Triple Bay spans three natural bays. It consists of eight resorts offering more than 1,300 hotel rooms and will feature dining outlets and retail and leisure facilities.
Amaala is only one of several large-scale megaprojects under development in the kingdom, including Neom, Trojena and The Red Sea Project.
Scroll through the gallery below to see some of the megaprojects in Saudi Arabia
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
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End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
more from Janine di Giovanni
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
Directed: Smeep Kang
Produced: Soham Rockstar Entertainment; SKE Production
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Jimmy Sheirgill, Sunny Singh, Omkar Kapoor, Rajesh Sharma
Rating: Two out of five stars
