Muscat – The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, in coordination with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, has floated two tenders for the construction of a government school cluster and a cultural and community centre in Sultan Haitham City.

The projects are part of ongoing efforts to develop the new urban destination with integrated educational, cultural and community infrastructure, aligned with long-term plans for sustainable urban growth.

The school complex, planned in Hay Al Wafa, will include separate schools for boys and girls for Grades 2 and 3, a co-educational school for Grade 1 students, and a multi-storey parking facility.

Designed as a shared community asset, the campus will include innovation laboratories, workshops, multi-purpose halls and spaces intended for public use outside school hours.

The development incorporates climate-responsive design elements, including a green pedestrian corridor connecting school buildings with surrounding facilities, landscaped open spaces and natural cooling systems.

Sustainability features such as green roofs, solar panels and outdoor learning gardens are also planned, aimed at improving energy efficiency and supporting renewable energy use.

For safety, the design separates vehicular movement from pedestrian pathways, with dedicated bus lanes and an internal transport network linking different parts of the campus.

A separate tender has been floated for a cultural and community centre in Neighbourhood 9, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth. The facility is intended to serve an urban population of around 100,000 residents.

The centre will comprise interconnected buildings arranged around a central public plaza and will have the capacity to host between 1,200 and 1,500 visitors at peak times.

It is designed to support cultural programmes, educational activities and community events throughout the year.

The project also integrates climate-responsive architecture, central cooling systems, smart energy and water management solutions, and the use of locally sourced low-carbon construction materials.

Authorities said the centre will operate under a flexible model allowing a mix of cultural, educational and community functions, with scope for private sector participation in its long-term operations.