A new family entertainment destination has just opened up in Sharjah

The new hub promises plenty of food, entertainment and family-friendly activities… 

Located in the heart of the Aljada megaproject in the Muwaileh district of New Sharjah, Madar is a newly opened family entertainment destination spread across a 600,000-square-foot park.

And it has just opened up to the public.

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The word Madar is Arabic for ‘path’ or ‘orbit’, and this is reflected in its design, which includes a number of elliptical buildings surrounding a central point. In case you’re wondering, yes, the curvaceous architecture is by renowned Zaha Hadid Architects.

Currently, Madar is home to several food outlets, entertainment for both the little ones and adults, exhibition spaces that include an amphitheatre, and more.

And this is only phase one.

Here’s what you’ll find inside:

Food

Madar will be home to Zad, a dining hub that offers 15 different eateries selling a wide range of cuisines. Each outlet will be housed in a redesigned shipping container and you’ll find brands such as Saddle, Amorino and Sushi Station, and for vegans, there’s The Vurger Co. 

Zad will also offer a drive-through, picnic areas, and extensive seating so you won’t have to battle it out for a spot. If you’re here at night, you’ll be in for a treat as the brightly lit facade combines with different artworks to create an interactive space that is always changing.

Activities

At Playscape in Madar, children can enjoy a variety of activities such as tower frames, swings, embedded trampolines and slides. It will also include a climbing wall and activity nets the little ones can take on.

For the adults who love adrenaline-fuelled sports, there’s a Madar Skatepark located adjacent to Playscape.  

The centerpiece of Madar, however, is said to be the Aljada Discovery Centre. The elliptical building will showcase all the elements of the city’s master plan, giving homeowners the opportunity to find out what living in Aljada is all about. Using advanced technology, visitors can also visit an ‘experience room’ where they can experience different parts of Aljada from a 360-degree perspective.

Entertainment

Madar will play host to a number of engaging events over the weekends that will draw in not only Sharjah dwellers, but those from neighbouring cities, too. Expect live performances, musicians and appearances from sportspeople.

Each weekend will centre on a different theme, such as cultural fusion, comedy, music, food, gaming and film. It will include a range of activities for all ages. A list of events can be found here. 

That being said, Madar will remain open on all days of the week, so you can head here on weekdays from 10am to 10pm, and on weekends between 10am and midnight. 

Events and exhibitions 

Madar will also have a fully-fledged events hall called YourSpace, which you can hire to host corporate events. When not in use, the space will host studios, exhibitions, markets and conferences.

Madar even has an amphitheatre that can hold 500 people, making it perfect to host film screenings, markets, parties and musical performances.  

Madar is set to be completed over three phases, which when complete will span over 1.9 million square feet in size, that’s more than 25 football fields. Plans for the next two phases include the building of a large public square, an extreme sports centre, an ‘edutainment’ complex, two retail zones, an 11-screen cinema and a large community park.

We can’t wait to see what unfolds.

Madar, Muwaileh district, New Sharjah, Sharjah, 10am to 10pm Sun to Thur, 10am to 12am Fri and Sat, free, aljada.com

Images: Provided