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Home-seekers and investors have been given a first glimpse of the showcase villas which are the latest edition of the imaginative $1 billion Al Areen resort and residential development located in central Bahrain.
Khaleeji Commercial Bank, one of Bahrain's leading Islamic banks, officially opened its Oryx Hills properties and launched phase two of the development plans.
The project is an exclusive residential community and designed to utilise the beauty of its natural location. Offering stunning views of the desert and looking out across a grand wadi, Oryx Hills comprises approximately 70 villas in three different types and almost half have already been snapped up simply through "word of mouth".
Dr Faud Al Omar, chairman of Khaleeji Commercial Bank, said, "We have fostered a vision in this project that is built upon our belief in the dynamism of Bahrain.
"The rapid sales of Oryx Hills have confirmed our belief. As the economy of Bahrain develops, families increasingly want to live in a community environment that offers a tranquil setting for family life, with a modern design that reflects our heritage.
"We will seek to build upon the success of Oryx Hills and we are already in discussion with potential partners about how we can bring our vision to new pan-regional projects that will further contribute to the economic and social development of Bahrain and the broader region."
Khaleeji Commercial Bank is managing the overall project on behalf of a number of its prominent private investors.
Oryx Hills is situated between two valleys, the contours of the hills provide a stunning landscape setting.
The development has been planned to offer a "tranquil setting" for family living in an environment which fuses nature, Oryx Hills' surrounding wildlife, the community and modern architecture into a contemporary yet simple lifestyle setting.
As a community within a community, Oryx Hill residents will also be able to take full advantage of all that Al Areen has to offer including the nearby Banyan Tree Desert Spa and Resort, Bahrain's new water park "The Lost Paradise of Dilmun", the Al Areen Wildlife Park, Bahrain's F1 circuit, as well as a planned retail mall in Al Areen Downtown and other leisure and recreational facilities.
Ebrahim H Ebrahim, CEO of Khaleeji Commercial Bank, added: "Oryx Hills will offer a wonderful place for families to live.When we first set out on this venture with our investors; we knew we had to create a place that was a community and that was also authentic.
"Our designers and architects have delivered our vision incredibly well. A whole community has been created within the overall community of Al Areen. Contemporary villas based around Arabic architecture have been set in an organic way within the verdant landscaped features of Orxy Hills' valleys, offering residents a place they can truly call home.
"Oryx Hills is an exceptional lifestyle development and we look forward to welcoming our first residents to their new homes within 18 to 20 months."
Initial sales interest in the project has been strong with pre-sales proceeding better then expected to date.
The bank's assistant general manager Dimitry Blasi said: "This is our first marketing event, so all the selling has been through word of mouth. Now that the showcase villas are open, people can get a better idea of what to expect."
Floor areas range from 400 to 650 square metres within a unique modern environment that combines contemporary designs with strong elements of traditional Arabian architecture.
Natural materials have been extensively used in the construction of the villas, which sit within a lush and verdant landscaped environment offering pedestrian walkways and public areas for the community.
A distinctive feature of Oryx Hills' layout is its natural looking appearance. Designers and architects have followed the natural contours of the land and have produced organic street patterns reminiscent of traditional Arabic cities.
Mr Blasi told GulfWeekly that the four-bedroom villas would start at around BD300,000 rising to approximately BD400,000 for the five-bedroomed version. All villas come with pools, an outside kitchen area, a driver's room, a maid's quarters and more.
