Projects: 2005 to 2009

Keywords:  Spatial Strategy, Economic Strategy, Urban Design, Conservation, Local Development, Community Development, Place Design

Old Amman City Development Strategy

Specialists from OHK studied options for redeveloping the Old Amman downtown core. Despite ample urban character, the last twenty years have brought a decline in the urban fabric, with unplanned uses, overdevelopment, and urban decay reaching endemic levels. Our experts were asked to come up with a strategy to “rediscover” and reposition Old Amman.

Critical to the character of Amman was underscoring and enhancing a pedestrian-oriented strategy to preserve the distinct architectural heritage of the city, retaining facades, rooftop landscapes, consistent building heights, and the material canvas of stone houses. An novel plan for a pedestrian rooftop promenade spanning several kilometers will connect the houses of Old Amman through their rooftops. Animating the network of promenades will be a number of hotels and restaurants, combined with rooftop-styled eateries. The advisory team conceived an innovative corporate model that will either acquire the houses or subscribe its owners to a company structure as part of a master plan to market and lease rooftop spaces and street lots to retailers, restaurants, galleries, and specialty shops.

Keywords:  Economic Strategy, Place Design, Conservation

Desert Castle Tourism Management Plan

Consultants from OHK were retained in Jordan to develop a conservation and tourism promotion strategy for a string of Roman and Umayyad pavilions, caravanserais, hunting lodges, forts, and ruins known collectively as the Desert Castles. Although they provide rare examples of early Islamic art and architecture and offer oases in the harsh yet beautiful desert landscape of Jordan, they receive only a modest number of tourists and are poorly serviced. A comprehensive strategy to restore their glory as travel stops on routes to the Levant and Arabia was developed through several work streams and outputs based on a comprehensive set of narrative-driven descriptions of the castles – one of which is a World Heritage Site.

A desert-based tourism circuit plan with various paths and trails provided a variety of travel experiences including off-road trips, safaris, camping, lodging, exploration, photography, camel rides, and other products. As a result, several companies now cater to a growing tourism market along the circuit. In addition, the advisory team developed several organizational options for the government to manage the circuit under a variety of partnerships options.

Keywords:  Spatial Strategy, Conservation, Place Design, Community Development 

Wadi Rum Luxury Ecotourism Development Plan

Advisors from OHK worked with Najwa Tourism & Investment Company, a sister of the Astra Group and partner of Aqaba’s economic zone, to develop a unique eco-resort and spa in the Wadi Rum desert of southern Jordan. Known to the world through the writings of Lawrence of Arabia, the desert of Wadi Rum represents one of the most rich and pristine natural sites in Jordan. The consultant team advised Najwa and its founders on a vision for a sensitive ecotourism development as an ecological sanctuary for natural systems as well as an enterprise benefiting neighboring communities. The team implemented a development strategy including site diagnostics and analysis of Wadi Rum’s extensive desert region.

The team directly informed architectural design with market analysis and economic feasibility, including both a local ecotourism industry profile for Jordan as well as a positioning and pricing study of the lodge industry worldwide. A lodge space program and design guidelines for architecture and engineering were devised, to be used by the client’s architect. The project includes a wellness spa, twenty guest abodes, and several dwellings in a village-style clustered system. Desert sanctuaries and recreational spaces are scattered around the site and the wider region of Wadi Rum providing adventure and ecotourism experiences. To ensure community involvement, the team formulated a community action plan for village rehabilitation and capacity building under an overarching strategy for the development of local desert communities.

Keywords:  Economic Strategy, Spatial Planning, Urban Design, Place Design, Conservation, Place Design

Magna Economic City Master Plan

In the mid-2000s, the Government of Saudi Arabia announced a new program to develop six “economic cities” to meet the Kingdom’s growing aspirations for industrial diversification and improved quality of life. Consultants from OHK advised a private investor on the sixth city, Magna. At Magna’s heart are several macroeconomic pillars, including education, health, professional services, energy and environment, tourism, media and communications, and advanced technology. Supporting these sectors are technologically advanced transport; smart, efficient, and renewable energy; extensive digital infrastructure; housing for all income groups; and the full range of public and neighborhood services that are essential for sustainable communities. The city is master planned to integrate the economic pillars into its landscape, with each pillar occupying its own location, but never far from the city’s urban core and transportation spine linking expansive waterfronts to the south and north.

The city delivery model introduced a new paradigm for education and healthcare service provisions for city residents and a research and development center aligned with industry and technology. One of the key proponents of the project was Saudi Aramco, since Magna is poised to become the energy gateway for one of the world's largest energy producers. Infrastructure planning was conducted across various components like energy, water, and transportation systems to incorporate carbon neutrality, sustainable living, and urban and integrated economic value chains. A city investment and partnership strategy was designed to attract some $100B over 30 years to finance 1,700 businesses, infrastructure, and housing for up to 1 million people, adding more than 4% to the Kingdom’s GDP.

Keywords:  Economic Strategy, Spatial Planning, Urban Design, Place Design, Conservation

The Summit Town Master Plan

Consultants from OHK prepared a spatial masterplan, an investment strategy, and a management plan for an ecologically sensitive, brownfield 2,200-dunum (2.2 million square meter) site in Northern Jordan. The site - one of the largest pieces of contiguous, government-owned land in the North - will serve as an economic engine for a region of 300,000 inhabitants and spur economic activity based on FDI into sectors of tourism, real estate and infrastructure.

With an estimated capital investment of $1.5B, the site will host a resort town that encompasses an innovative mix of residential, hospitality, retail, and civic land uses while preserving valuable forest that covers a quarter of the site area. The consultant team positioned and qualified the plan to receive special economic zone status as the Jabal Ajloun Development Zone and negotiated the transfer of the land from the military - one of few examples in the Middle East and Africa of a successful conversion of military land to private development. It was thus possible to fast-track the project and navigate administrative communication channels while keeping all parties involved throughout the design process.

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Community Development

Advisory Services to the Carpe Vitam Foundation

Experts from OHK provided advisory services to Peder Wallenberg, a global philanthropist and the founder of the Carpe Vitam Foundation, on ways to support research and international projects the fields of education, culture, and social work. The advisory services focused on the development of Mr. Wallenberg's Open Minds Academy initiative, a non-profit foundation made up of a partnership of schools and universities supported by governments, non-profit organizations, and development agencies. The advisory team worked closely with Mr. Wallenberg to develop a focus strategy for the Middle East to create, stimulate, and attract innovative approaches to education.The team advised on founding the first global Open Minds Academy branch in the Middle East and refined its mission to reflect local labor market demand characteristics and social entrepreneurship trends.

Keywords: Economic Strategy, Capital Strategy

Review of Jordan's Development Zone Legislation

Experts from OHK were retained as advisors to the Jordanian government on the drafting of the Development Zones Law, a land development and investment promotion regulation aimed at creating a competitive business environment. Of these zones situated in Mafraq, Ma’an, Irbid, the Dead Sea, Jabal Ajloun, and Dabouq, each has its own geographical nexus of challenges and advantages as well sectoral foci, whether energy, health, tourism, industry, or R&D. The advisory team advised on the particulars of Master Developer agreements, the technical requirements of planning studies, and the creation of land development clusters and infrastructure investment programs. Additionally, the team defined the financing options available under the law, assessing the different risk profiles of debt and land for equity deals. The law is currently being implemented by the Jordan Development Zones Company, an entity responsible for ownership, management, and development of lands under the mandate, carrying out provision of infrastructure and superstructure, creating and managing necessary facilities, and promotion and marketing of the development areas.

Keywords: Experience Design, Conservation

Arabian Oryx Reserve Rehabilitation and Visitor Experience

The Arabian Oryx, extinct in Jordan since the 1930s, was reintroduced into the 22 km2 Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, a breeding center for endangered and locally extinct wildlife.Consultants from OHK developed a visitor experience incorporating guest circulation, services, viewsheds, interpretation, and communication. A safari-style excursion emerged as the central product of the experience, complete with expert rangers, trackers, and luxury off-road vehicles.

The exclusivity of the experience was guaranteed through a concession through which visitors can enjoy an intimate viewing of the Arabian Oryx unparalleled elsewhere. This was married with service and cuisine strategically positioned in enclaves in the reserve. The Oryx experience entails a variety of products, processes, services, events, and environments, with a focus placed on a consistent reserve identity and on the quality of the visitor experience and culturally relevant touch points.

Keywords: Economic Strategy, Spatial Strategy, Design

Master Plan Proposal for the North Maldives

Consultants from OHK advised and conducted negotiations on behalf of a GCC-based investment fund with the Maldives Government to acquire three islands for private development in the northern atolls. The expert team conducted spatial and market diagnostic studies including a concept master plan, which was a key part of negotiations for this $200M resort and marina development.

Keywords: Economic Strategy, Community Development

Dubai Healthcare Strategy Blueprint

Dubai’s National Strategic Plan required the establishment of the Dubai Health Authority to manage the integration of health planning and policy-making with a mandate to enhance health, safety, and quality of life for residents of Dubai. OHK consultants were task leaders in creating a blueprint for the new Dubai Health Authority, designing the policy, strategy, and regulatory environment. During an intensive, five week consultation with key stakeholders and international experts, as well as a benchmarking exercise with relevant health systems in other parts of the world, the team set out a detailed transition program describing the initiatives needed to realize the vision for health in Dubai over the next 25 years.

Keywords:  Economic Strategy, Capital Strategy, Place Design, Experience Design, Enterprise Development

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e-Tourism Investment Map and Investor Toolkit

Consultants from OHK were contracted by the Jordan Investment Board to provide potential investors with a "e-Tourism Investment Map" promoting Jordan to the international investment community and providing investors with viable ideas and analysis of the country’s sustainable tourism enterprise opportunities. The team conducted a situation analysis of each destination’s conditions, such as visitation forecasts and inventories of tourism resources. Key to directing investment was developing project concepts and presenting them to the investors through a visual tool by which they could examine and evaluate the competitiveness of a project idea as well as its economic impacts.

The consulting team built a database of 75 investment opportunities each with a value of $100,000 or more, and with a total aggregate investment value of $300M. A web-based, map-driven portal was built to provide convenient and comprehensive access to a range of data on each project, from pre-feasibility studies to large-scale projects. A search function allows investors to browse opportunities by specific queries and key project attributes, thus maximizing the map’s matchmaking potential.

Keywords: Spatial Strategy, Economic Strategy

Egypt's Mediterranean Development Master Plan

Consultants from OHK led a $5B vision plan for coastal land development along Egypt’s Mediterranean coastline, working with the Ministry of Tourism to lead and navigate a challenging bureaucracy of multiple jurisdictions and authorities. The team conducted consultation and participatory visioning followed by action planning with governmental agencies and representatives of the private sector that might fund or manage the investments, particularly hotel investors, hospitality managers, and tour operators.

The team delivered a tourism and land investment-driven master plan that would enable high-value FDI and asset transactions between the state and private master developers. The project emphasized mixed-uses, comprising a comprehensive infrastructure and real-estate investment program, 10,000 hotel rooms, a mega yacht marina, two golf courses, and 5,000 real-estate units, as well as a variety of retail and commercial projects. OHK's consultants led a diverse team to develop the land utilization plan and investment framework, operationalize it, and support negotiations to award development rights through an international bid among reputed global developers.

Keywords: Rehabilitation, Economic Strategy

Madain Salih Tourism Strategy and Site Management Plan

Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madain Salih), the largest conserved Nabataean site outside of Petra, was the first World Heritage site in Saudi Arabia. Consultants from OHK were brought in for their expertise in tourism planning to develop a tourism cluster in the Saudi northern region around the site. The team formulated a long-term tourism development framework with an emphasis on site planning, product development, marketing and promotion, infrastructure, and local development. The resulting plan provided a comprehensive planning framework, identified priority products, and fast-tracked projects for development, including tourism facilities and supporting infrastructure.

Keywords: Capital Strategy, Conservation, Spatial Strategy

Failakah Island Sustainable Development Requirements

The historically significant Failakah Island was slated for large-scale development under the Kuwait’s ‘Vision 2035 Plan’ with little consideration for the country’s main archaeological site on the island, the UNESCO-endorsed Sa'ad and Sae'ed area. Consultants from OHK were tasked with reviewing the proposed development master plan and making recommendations for a comprehensive framework for conservation and planning approaches to sustaining the island’s heritage areas. This introduced mitigation actions to control development including buffering and declaration of protected areas and conservation zones, and passing of planning guidelines for heritage conservation and low-impact development. 

Keywords: Conservation, Rehabilitation, Experience Design

Shrine Conservation and Religious Tourism Promotion Strategy

Sufist sites in Egypt are key visitation attractions for more than 15 million locals and visitors from around the world, and while more than 1,000 of these sites have unmatched religious and historic significance, they remain largely unmapped and unmanaged.  Specialists from OHK were tasked with mapping these sites for cultural heritage and tourism promotion, which extended from sites in the Mediterranean town of Alexandria all the way to the Humaithara, a remote Red Sea town that hosts the Holy Shrine of Sheikh Shazily.

The specialist team also developed a conservation plan and a tourism promotion strategy based on visitation circuits, shrines, Mawlids (festivals), and pilgrim routes. A national plan of circuits linking various sites in Egypt not only assessed the attractiveness, conservation value, and tourism readiness of each site, but also made proposals for basic and tourism-related infrastructural improvements to enhance the tourist experience along with appropriate marketing strategies.