About · Madinat Al Irfan
The city of knowledge
Oman's largest urban development, rising beside Muscat International Airport: planned over thirty years, developed by OMRAN Group and shaped by Oman Vision 2040.
- Masterplan
- 7.4M m²
- Master developer
- OMRAN Group
- Appointed
- 2014
- Completion targeted
- Around 2044
(01)Overview
Madinat Al Irfan, the city of knowledge, is Oman's largest urban development: a 7.4 million m² masterplan beside Muscat International Airport, developed by OMRAN Group since 2014 and planned to grow, phase by phase, into a complete city for the generations who will call it home.
مدينة العرفان
Madinat Al Irfan · The city of knowledge
A complete city, planned as one: homes, offices, hotels, schools, healthcare, culture and a central wadi park, delivered together so every neighbourhood works from the day it opens.
The first chapter is already open. MAI East, about 1.6 million m², is home to the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, two international hotels and the Business Park. Around it, the masterplan by Allies and Morrison sets out five to six phases over about thirty years, with completion targeted around 2044.
- Masterplan area
- 7.4M m²
- Homes planned
- 11,000+
- Offices plannedApproximate, across all phases
- 700,000 m²
- Retail plannedApproximate, across all phases
- 100,000 m²
Land use · Share of the masterplan
Nearly half the land is for homes
The plan balances homes with the jobs, services and places that make a city complete. Select a land use to see its share.
(02)Vision & values
Why the city exists
A shared purpose for everyone who builds, runs and lives in Madinat Al Irfan, and the values that guide every decision along the way.
Our vision
A city of knowledge where Oman's next generation chooses to live, learn, work and gather.
Our mission
To plan and deliver Madinat Al Irfan phase by phase, so every neighbourhood arrives complete with its streets, schools, mosques and parks, and every resident, visitor and partner can rely on what we promise.
Six values
What we stand for
The values that guide how we plan, build and look after the city, each with the Arabic word we use for it.
- 01
Knowledge
The city carries the name of knowledge, so we plan with evidence, share what we learn and make room for learning on every street.
المعرفة
- 02
Belonging
Neighbourhoods are sized so people know their neighbours, their mosque and their park by name.
الانتماء
- 03
Stewardship
Land, water and the wadi are a trust we hold for the generations who will live here after us.
الأمانة
- 04
Openness
Clear plans and straight answers, for residents, visitors, partners and investors alike.
الانفتاح
- 05
Excellence
Every building, street and service is held to the standard of a capital city.
الإتقان
- 06
Generosity
Omani hospitality sets the tone: shade, water, seating and a welcome in every public space.
الكرم
Oman Vision 2040
Four priorities, one city
How each national priority becomes streets, buildings and services in Madinat Al Irfan.
- Priority 01
People & Society
Homes for every stage of life, with schools, healthcare, mosques and parks a short, shaded walk from every door.
Community life - Priority 02
Economy & Development
Offices, OCEC, hotels and serviced land that bring jobs, events and investment to one connected address.
Invest in MAI - Priority 03
Governance & Institutional Performance
One masterplan, a clear chain of accountability and transparent processes for every partner.
How we are governed - Priority 04
Sustainable Environment
A 108 ha wadi park, district cooling, shaded streets and low-carbon mobility at the core of the plan.
Sustainability
(03)Leadership & governance
Clear lines of accountability
From the shareholder to the teams that deliver each district, every decision has an owner. Follow the structure to see who is responsible for what.
Governance structure · Simplified
OMRAN Group has been part of the Oman Investment Authority portfolio since 2020. The shareholder sets expectations for long-term value, risk and national impact.
Appointed by the Government in 2014 to develop the urban centre. Owns the masterplan, the long-term strategy and the phasing of the city.
Approves strategy, budgets and major commitments, oversees risk and holds the executive team to account, supported by four committees.
Reviews land sales, joint ventures and major investments before they reach the board.
Oversees financial reporting, internal controls, independent audit and the risk register.
Reviews buildings and public spaces against the masterplan and its design code.
Sets environmental targets and tracks progress on energy, water, waste and mobility.
Runs the development day to day and reports to the board on delivery, budgets, risk and community.
Design, infrastructure and construction of every phase, from masterplan to handover.
Land sales, joint ventures, office and retail leasing, and investor relations.
Estate management, public spaces, events and services for residents and visitors.
Environmental performance, smart infrastructure, data and the Evolve platform.
Financial planning and reporting, procurement and enterprise risk management.
Governance principles
How decisions are made
Four commitments that apply to every plan, contract and partnership in the city.
- 01
Transparency
Plans, phasing and progress are published and kept up to date, so residents and partners can see what is coming and when.
- 02
Procurement standards
Contracts are awarded through open, competitive and documented processes, with conflicts of interest declared and managed.
- 03
ESG reporting
Environmental, social and governance performance is measured against clear targets and reported regularly.
- 04
Investor protection
Clear development controls, defined approval steps and fair, consistent contracts protect every party to an investment.
(04)History & timeline
From first plans to a complete city
More than a decade of milestones so far, and the targets that carry the masterplan to completion around 2044. Future dates are targets and may change as phases are confirmed.
Year in view
- 2014Milestone
A developer for the urban centre
- The Government appoints OMRAN as developer of the urban centre beside Muscat International Airport.
- June 2016Milestone
The convention centre opens its halls
- The exhibition halls of the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre open, the first public chapter of Madinat Al Irfan.
- 2018Milestone
An events quarter takes shape
- The convention centre and the hotel quarter complete their opening phase.
- A strategic partnership for the western area of the city is announced.
- 2020Milestone
Part of a national portfolio
- OMRAN becomes part of the Oman Investment Authority portfolio.
- October 2023Milestone
A landmark hotel, renewed
- JW Marriott Hotel Muscat reopens after a programme of upgrades.
- 2025Milestone
New anchors, new recognition
- The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry announces its new headquarters of about 10,000 m² in Madinat Al Irfan.
- JW Marriott Hotel Muscat is named Leading Culinary Hotel in the Middle East.
- 2026Under way
Building the next chapter
- Business Park Phase 3 is under construction in MAI East: 104,825 m² of built-up area on a 32,810 m² plot.
- The land catalogue opens to investors.
- Rawdh releases new homes.
- 2027 to 2030Targeted
New neighbourhoods and a centre
- Targeted: the launch of Sidr, the second residential community.
- Targeted: the Central District and Madar, the city's retail and leisure destination.
- 2040Horizon
The Oman Vision 2040 horizon
- The horizon year of Oman Vision 2040, whose four priorities shape how the city is planned.
- Around 2044Targeted
A complete city
- Targeted completion of the masterplan, after five to six phases over about thirty years.
(05)Partnerships
Built in good company
The operators, designers, engineers and institutions who have shaped Madinat Al Irfan, or are making it their home.
- 01
Marriott International
Hotel operator
Operates JW Marriott Hotel Muscat, connected directly to the convention centre.
JW Marriott Hotel Muscat - 02
IHG Hotels & Resorts
Hotel operator
Operates Crowne Plaza Muscat OCEC, a short walk from the convention centre.
Crowne Plaza Muscat OCEC - 03
Allies and Morrison
Masterplan design
The London architecture and urban design practice behind the masterplan.
Explore the plan - 04
Arup
Landscape & engineering
Landscape and engineering expertise for the public realm of the city.
- 05
AECOM
OCEC design & engineering
Design and engineering of the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre.
OCEC - 06
Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre
Anchor venue
The anchor venue of the city, with a 3,200-seat auditorium and five column-free exhibition halls.
Halls and venues - 07
Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Future headquarters
Announced in December 2025 a new headquarters of about 10,000 m² in Madinat Al Irfan.
Bring a project to the city. We work with developers, operators and investors through land sales and joint ventures.
Explore joint ventures(06)Sustainability & innovation
Designed with the climate
Three themes run through every phase of the plan: buildings designed to stay cool, a city connected from the ground up, and streets made for walking.
- Wadi nature parkAt the heart of the masterplan
- 108 ha
- District coolingOman's largest plant, at OCEC
- 32,500 RT
- Walk to daily needsPlanned in every neighbourhood
- 10 min
- Green Key Marriott in OmanJW Marriott Hotel Muscat
- First
(06.1)Green building
Cooler by design
The OCEC site is served by Oman's largest district cooling plant, with a capacity of 32,500 refrigeration tons: one central plant instead of separate chillers in every building.
Across the masterplan, buildings are oriented and shaded against the high sun, with deep reveals, colonnades and trees along the streets.
- District cooling at OCEC, 32,500 refrigeration tons
- Orientation and shading guidelines for every plot
- JW Marriott Hotel Muscat, the first Marriott hotel in Oman with Green Key certification
(06.2)Smart city
Connected from the ground up
Fibre connectivity is planned to every plot, and a digital twin of the city is planned to help design, run and maintain it.
Evolve, the digital layer of Madinat Al Irfan, brings city services, rewards and live information together in one place.
- Fibre to every plot (planned)
- A digital twin of the city (planned)
- Evolve, one platform for city services
(06.3)Mobility
Ten minutes, on foot
Neighbourhoods are planned so that daily needs, from the mosque to the nursery and the café, sit within a ten-minute walk along shaded streets.
A planned cycling network follows the wadi, and a planned autonomous shuttle loop will link the districts with MAI East.
- Walkable ten-minute neighbourhoods
- Cycling network along the wadi (planned)
- Autonomous shuttle loop (planned)
(07)Awards & recognition
On the record
Awards, certifications and engineering records held by the hotels and venues of Madinat Al Irfan.
- 01Award · 2025Leading Culinary Hotel in the Middle EastJW Marriott Hotel Muscat · Haute Grandeur Global Awards
- 02CertificationFirst Marriott hotel in Oman with Green Key certificationJW Marriott Hotel Muscat
- 03GCC recordLargest fixed-seating auditorium in the GCCOman Convention & Exhibition Centre3,200seats
- 04Oman recordOman's largest steel truss spanOman Convention & Exhibition Centre80m
- 05Oman recordOman's largest domeOman Convention & Exhibition Centre120m
- 06Oman recordOman's largest car park structureOman Convention & Exhibition Centre4,200spaces
- 07Oman recordOman's largest district cooling plantOman Convention & Exhibition Centre32,500RT
- 08Award-winningCharm Thai, an award-winning Thai restaurantCrowne Plaza Muscat OCEC
Contact
Be part of the story
Whether you are planning a home, an event, an office or a partnership, our team will connect you with the right people.
