Sold-out project signals premium office demand

MUSCAT, SEPT 23
The rapid sell-out of a new 39,000-square-metre business park in Muscat signals demand for premium office space that combines workplace facilities with hospitality, leisure and employee wellbeing, according to its developer.
All eight buildings at Al Mouj Business Park have been sold, with the first company expected to move in during October and the remaining buildings due for handover before the end of 2026.
The project enters Muscat’s office market as employers reassess the role of physical workplaces amid changing employee expectations. Rather than competing solely on office capacity, the development is positioning its location, outdoor areas and surrounding amenities as tools for attracting businesses and employees.
“I would say that it is not just additional office capacity, but additional office capacity with clear wellbeing in mind,” Salma al Hashmi, Vice-President of Marketing at Al Mouj Muscat, told the Observer.
“We spend literally half of our lives in the office, so how can that time also be lived in a way where the health aspect is taken into consideration?”
The business park comprises eight mid-rise buildings divided between western and eastern sections. Four buildings are being handed over to their owners, while the other four are approaching completion.
Each building provides between approximately 4,000 and 5,300 square metres of gross floor area. The development also includes rooftop gardens, landscaped pedestrian areas and between 115 and 148 basement parking spaces per building.
Al Hashmi said the speed at which the buildings were sold provided evidence of demand for a commercial development offering more than conventional office space.
“We developed eight buildings, and they are all sold,” she said. “They were sold in a very short period, and we believe that is due to the uniqueness of the Business Park’s location.”
The park forms part of Al Mouj Muscat, an integrated community with more than 10,000 residents representing over 90 nationalities. The wider development includes a 400-berth marina, hotels, a golf course and a retail and dining district recording around four million visits annually.
Its proximity to Muscat International Airport, the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre and major hotels is expected to support companies receiving international executives and organising meetings and events.
Companies acquiring space represent a mixture of domestic and international organisations operating across several industries. An international financial centre is among the entities that have secured a building, according to Al Hashmi.
New facilities planned near the business park include a padel court, a Toptracer golf range, a clubhouse and the five-star Okura Resort Muscat. These will supplement nearby hotels, restaurants, retail outlets and leisure facilities.
Al Mouj has linked the project’s design to international research examining the effects of working conditions, inactivity and long working hours on health and productivity. Natural light, outdoor spaces, pedestrian connections and proximity to leisure facilities were therefore incorporated into the development.
The arrival of office workers is also expected to increase employment and spending across the wider destination. Al Mouj currently supports more than 5,000 indirect jobs, although it has yet to determine how many positions will be created specifically by the business park.