Scheduled for completion by 2010, the mixed-use residential, tourism and commercial development will cover a 237-hectare area and will be divided into seven construction zones. The UK office of HOK drew up the masterplan. Germany's Rhode Kellermann Wawrowsky has been appointed to revise original concept designs.

The first phase comprises construction of the Falling Waters golf club, which will include an 18-hole championship golf course, nine-hole academy and villas.

The local HAMPA Engineering Corporation has started preliminary works, while negotiations are under way with a French firm for the excavation and course modelling contract. Swiss-based Harradine Golf is the design consultant. The UK's John Seifert Architects is the design consultant for a 50-bed five-star hotel and 180 villas surrounding the golf course. Construction on various elements of the development is expected to kick-off soon with the utilities, road and general infrastructure contracts set to be the first awards. Germany's Fichtner is the infrastructure consultant, while DS-Plan, also of Germany, has been awarded the facilities management contract. Stuttgart-based Drees & Sommer is the overall project manager.

Design consultants have also submitted proposals for non-infrastructure packages. The local Baft-e-Shar and Germany's Bertram Bünemann Partner are competing for the design contract on the Park Residences community district.

Four German architects have submitted proposals for Harbour City, which includes about 890 apartments. They are Heinle Wischer Gesellschaft für Generalplanung, Kieferle & Partner, Thalen Consult, and Planungsgesellschaft foe (Kaplan).

Eight proposals are being evaluated for the design of an ultra-luxurious hotel with about 900 rooms and a built-up area of 103,000 square metres. The firms are: BRT Bothe Richter Teherani, JSK International Architekten & Ingenieure, KSP Engel und Zimmermann, Schneider & Schumacher, Novotny Mähner Assoziierte and ASP Schweger Assoziierte, all of Germany, a UK team of RHWL Architects, WSP and Mace International and the local Asar Consult.

Eight German firms are competing for the main promenade design contract, which covers 53,000 square metres of retail space and 83,000 square metres of office area. The bidders include Agiplan Integrale Bauplanung, Albert Speer & Partner, BaurConsult, Heinle Wischer Gesellschaft für Generalplanung, HWP Planungsgesellschaft, KSP Engel & Zimmermann, Leonhardt, Andrä & Partner and RKW.

Two firms have submitted proposals for the residential marina district. They are Lebanon's Dar al-Handasah (Shair & Partners) and Heinle Wischer Gesellschaft für Generalplanung.

Oncecomplete, the project will include five hotels ranging from four to five stars, a convention centre and related entertainment facilities. According to officials at FEDC, the development is targeted at nationals and expatriate Iranians with a view to enhancing real estate opportunities in the republic.