New KOM-6 building to boost Oman’s tech hub

MUSCAT, JUNE 30 - Shumookh Investment and Services Company, the investment arm of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn), has floated a tender for the construction of a sixth building in the Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM), the Sultanate’s Information and Communications Technology hub. Announcing plans for the addition of KOM-6 to the technology park in Al Khoudh, Eng Musallam al Hudaifi, Chief Executive Officer of Shumookh Investment and Services, urged local factories and companies, entrepreneurs and SMEs to take part in the initiative by offering their specialist services to the project. KOM-6 building, said Al Hudaifi, will offer distinctive spaces and new services to complement the current services offered by the other five buildings. The new building will have a unique exterior design with a modernist touch and contemporary architectural styles that takes into account the architectural culture connecting the interior with the exterior spaces. The KOM 6 courtyard will be based on traditional Omani architecture. The building has been designed to shield it from the glare of the sun. [caption id='attachment_555742' width='300'] Eng Musallam al Hudaifi[/caption] KOM 6 will be built on an area covering 51,000 square metres to cater to the growing demand for high quality office space. It will serve as a hub for local and international technology and communications companies. It is also ideal for providers of banking services, commercial stores, and other services. More than 460 car parking spaces are located in the basement. The food court will comprise nine restaurants with indoor, outdoor and semi-outdoor dining areas. All these services will add value to KOM, making it an integrated service city. KOM-6 is expected to be completed in 2021. The results of a competition announced by Shumookh in May for the design of the head office building of Madayn in KOM be revealed in September. Inaugurated in 2003 as the Sultanate’s flagship technology park under Madayn, KOM symbolises a successful public-private partnership in nurturing knowledge-based businesses. Presenting the ideal location for businesses starting or expanding in the Middle East, KOM is committed to creating an environment in which budding entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises and established multi-nationals can coexist, innovate and flourish within a Middle East setting. KOM aims to enhance the Sultanate’s status as a leading business hub that offers promising opportunities for business and innovation.