Work is in progress on the El Mercado Village, a residential complex consisting of 42 homes that boast Spanish-inspired architecture that will complement the adjacent new El Mercado retail centre in the Janabiya area of Bahrain.

First Bahrain Real Estate Development has appointed Decorators as the contractor under a BD3.5-million ($9.25 million) contract to construct the villas, while Sanad Engineering is the consultant and HAJ, the quantity surveyor. 

Located just north of the Shaikh Isa bin Salman Highway, residents will have an easy ride home from Manama and direct access to Saudi Arabia.

Commenting on the project, Amin Al Arrayed, First Bahrain CEO, tells Gulf Construction: “We are very excited to be working with Decorators, who are set to emerge as one of the leading contractors in the country. The El Mercado Village will be a major milestone for both companies.”

The villas have a Mediterranean/Spanish-inspired design with the finishing to be done using local as well as international materials.

The project is currently in the foundations stage, where a raft type of foundation has been installed.  Work on El Mercado Village started in October and is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.  

El Mercado Village will have 42 houses, eight of which will be stand-alone (Type One) units while the remaining 34 will be semi-detached (Type Two). Type One units will be Casa del Mercado themed and will have plot areas ranging from 207 sq m to 225 sq m. Type Two houses are themed as Castillo del Mercado with  areas ranging from 338 sq m to 349 sq m.

The residential developments each feature premium master suites, with flexible configurations offering three to seven bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms, open-plan kitchen with an additional outside kitchen, laundry area, two car-parks, and provisions for large garden landscapes, smart home technology, rooftop gardens and gazebos. They will come fitted with central air-conditioning, insulation,and high-tech security.

Residents of the El Mercado Village community will benefit from the neighbourhood market which will be anchored by Bahrain’s largest Alosra Supermarket and will feature a range of cafés, restaurants and retail shops. 

Impact Interiors will be undertaking the interiors of the villas at the development.

Dr Rima Abutteen, founder and general manager of Impact Interiors, says the focus will be on light tones with intricate levels of detail and the resulting design will deliver a calm and relaxing environment.

“The materials chosen will be timeless and elegant. Our approach will deliver a superior design inspired by an urban lifestyle philosophy with a feeling of continuity and context.”

The end result, she adds, will be a project that stands out from the rest with respect to style and functionality.