Madinat Al Irfan Convention District

Madinat Al Irfan’s Convention District is taking shape as part of Muscat’s wider transformation, with Kettle Collective serving as Lead Design Consultant across the majority of the district.

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Bringing together masterplanning, architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, lighting design and visualisation, our multidisciplinary team is working across the development to create a connected and distinctive destination.

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Now under construction, the masterplan is centred around Wadi Park, conceived as both the heart of the development and part of an integrated approach to living, connecting residential neighbourhoods, workplaces, hospitality, culture and education. Rather than treating landscape as a separate layer, the wadi is integrated into the way people move through and experience the district, with trails, shaded walks and public spaces linking different parts of the community.

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Anchored by the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, the Convention District brings together workplaces, hospitality, residences, retail, education and civic uses within a walkable urban setting. Within it, the Urban Quarters are planned around a more urban core with a softer, landscaped edge, creating a transition between the intensity of the district centre and the surrounding residential neighbourhoods.

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At the centre of the Urban Quarters, the souk provides a social and commercial focus. Rather than a conventional enclosed retail destination, indoor and outdoor spaces are arranged around an urban wadi, connecting shops, workplaces and public spaces and encouraging activity throughout the day. The wider retail offer is similarly conceived as an indoor-outdoor experience.

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The Design Hub introduces another layer to the district, providing a setting for creative start-ups and entrepreneurs alongside spaces for art and expression. Together with the school, convention centre, residences and Wadi Park, these elements create a district designed for different communities and patterns of use, from residents and office workers to students and visitors.