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Grand designs: Shadi Ramzi is optimistic about the prospects of Saraya Aqaba.

While many developments in the region seem to be based around ever bigger and better retail areas, Saraya Aqaba, an ambitious mixed-use development in Jordan, is taking a different approach. Shadi Ramzi, general manager, Saraya Holdings, tells Retail News Middle East about his aim to ensure the retail aspects of the 617,000 sq m Saraya Aqaba development in Aqaba, Jordan will be more in keeping with traditional Arabic designs.

RNME: How are you calculating how big to make the retail aspect of the development?

Ramzi: The way we're sizing the retail area for Saraya Aqaba is not in the business sense but rather in the human sense of taking into consideration how large you can go without infringing on the residency area, to take care of the noise pollution and so on. We brought it down to a size where it is comfortable to have the residency around it, but in such a way as it is a beautiful, nice, synchronised balance between the retail and the residency.

Our intent is to give a lifestyle environment where you go to the retail outlet and feel at home. There will be old Arab souk type retail areas and walkways, nice areas to sit. It will be one-floor developments with a small tilt down towards the sea. The cafes and restaurants are towards the sea - this is the atmosphere that we are trying to give the people.

Coupled with the residency it will give a live, work and play environment.

RNME: What will the retail aspect of the development consist of?

Ramzi: We don't need big retailers, rather we need high quality brands. We are not looking for the size as much as we're looking for the quality of the brand itself. The intent is for the retailers to service the project, the residents and the hotels. We're trying to keep a nice balance.

We will have a supermarket but not a bunch of supermarkets. We will have a nice retail mix, with a gold souk, an electronic area, a ladies area, leather goods, a supermarket, some entertainment, and food and beverage.

We do not want to have a mall here, gular shops and so on. We want to have a neighbourhood-type retailing feel to it.

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