Shuwaikh Beach Development and Beautification Project

The Shuwaikh Beach Development and Beautification Project in Kuwait City is a waterfront recreational space, featuring running tracks, recreational zones, and green spaces.¹

The project aligns with Kuwait’s vision of promoting sustainable urban development and incorporating eco-friendly practices,² as well as Kuwait Municipality’s strategy to partner with development stakeholders in a way that serves the New Kuwait Vision 2035.^{3 4} The project’s vision is to “elevate the quality of life and strengthen the country’s position as a leading regional hub for tourism and commerce.”⁵
The Shuwaikh Beach Development and Beautification Project seeks to improve the leisure and recreation facilities in Kuwait’s landscape.⁶ Due to its vital location, it tends to create a unique environment for tourism, entertainment, and sports activities.⁷

The project will enhance Kuwait’s cultural and commercial status by attracting tourists and stimulating economic growth.⁸ Environmentally, the project is designed to minimize environmental impact and reduce carbon emissions, associated with Kuwait’s climate action goals, including the pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.⁹

The Shuwaikh Beach project attracts visitors from locals and tourists alike.¹⁰ It has four main objectives that will influence Kuwait’s tourism: establishing an attractive location, enhancing recreational opportunities, providing a space for well-planned outdoor activities, and elevating Kuwait into a regional hub for commerce, tourism, and culture.¹¹ Hence, providing a valuable communal space that encourages social interaction and outdoor activities.¹²

Spanning an area of 1.7 kilometers,¹³ Shuwaikh Beach is situated opposite to the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Centre.¹⁴

The Shuwaikh Beach Development and Beautification Project consists of four areas with diverse components:¹⁵
Area 1: includes the project’s recreation areas, commercial kiosks, and mosque restoration in addition to vast green spaces for outdoor activities and playgrounds. Additionally, it will include ATM, ITM, and kiosk sites.
Area 2: includes an extended sandy beach with wooden benches.
Area 3: includes a walled garden with a green landscape with lots of trees offering spacious shaded spaces for meditation and rest in tranquil settings.
Area 4: includes wide green multipurpose spaces, the project’s starting point, and an interactive huge interactive checkers’ game.

The Shuwaikh Beach Development Project is a public-private collaboration that demonstrates a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and community well-being, highlighting the successful partnership between Kuwait’s public and private sectors.¹⁶
The Kuwait Municipality (the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of State for Municipal Affairs)¹⁷ commissioned ‘Pace,’ a Kuwaiti multidisciplinary architecture firm.¹⁸ Post design approval,¹⁹ with a donation of 3 million KWD (10 million dollars),²⁰ featuring the dedication to sustainable economic development.²¹ NBK’s contribution intends to improve the country’s seafronts for national and international.²²
The project is scheduled to be completed within 17 months²³ and is implemented in two phases.²⁴ The first is the design phase (completed in 5 months); it started in early 2024 and ended in mid-2024. The second is the implementation phase (which will take 12 months to be completed).²⁵

The tendering phase started in mid-2024 and is still going on.²⁶ With its renovated design, Shuwaikh Beach will be open to visitors by the end of March 2025.²⁷