THE ARK A Project of OPTIMA Group UK

Your Serene Haven in the Pine Forest Hills

An Eco-System

The ARK project is set within the beautiful forest uplands of the Margalla Hills, a protected nature reserve near Capital City Islamabad.

Just as the Ark saved prophet Nuh’s people and animal biodiversity, we want to build a new community - a symbiotic relationship with the natural environment.

The ARK is built with ecological preservation in mind, no trees will be cut, native plant species will be planted, building materials will be from sustainable sources and made using low carbon emission processes. We want to create an ethos of conservation and not disrupt wildlife by promoting the importance of ecosystems and by using designated nature trails to encourage birds and small mammals to flourish. The pine forest ecosystem itself provides clean, oxygenated air, food for humans and animals and absorbs carbon dioxide emissions, thus playing an essential role in regulating weather. In this way, we will be contributing towards the preservation of our natural habitats for future generations.

About Life in The Ark

The ARK is a sanctuary. It is a place where Muslims from all over the world can live together, as custodians of the natural world, to create a unique Islamic community of like-minded people. The fabric of this community will be built upon a new paradigm of ecological principles, a place where the sustainability of the environment is paramount. As civilisation cannot exist without culture, and culture cannot exist without knowledge, the Ark’s lifeblood will be formed from a diverse set of Muslims. From the newly converted to the practicing, the ARK will be a mosaic of intellectuals, from policymakers, entrepreneurs, scientists, doctors, academics and engineers, and everyone else in between.

ARK Properties

Our luxurious 1 & 2 Kanal Villas and 4 Kanal Farm Houses are inspired by their natural surroundings with spacious rooms and open spaces that allow life within their walls to flow organically, for a living that feels completely natural.

A Mind & Body Retreat

The ARK is in a pine forest landscape, powered by photosynthesis via microscopic green factories of chloroplasts in the leaves of trees. In fact, the human retina perceives the colour green better than any other colour, this is why walking in a forest leads to a calming sensation in the brain, a primordial reaction that benefits our physiological and psychological wellbeing.

When you walk through a pine forest or crush pine needles in your hands, you release volatile terpenes into the air, creating that distinctive fresh scent we associate with pine trees. The distinct fragrance of a pine forest triggers the parasympathetic nervous system, relaxing the body and reduces the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline. These airborne scents called ’phytocides’ are organic compounds that plants use to communicate with each other and act as the trees’ defence system against attacking organisms such as bacteria, insects, and fungi. Phytoncides are known to reduce blood pressure and heart rate; reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue; improve sleep; increase energy, concentration, and memory.

Thus, the ARK is the ideal environment as ‘forest therapy’ for the mind and body. It stimulates our senses and ‘resets’ our minds with a feeling of tranquillity, allowing us step away from our city life stresses and blue LED lights of our screens. Listening to songbirds, cascading waterfalls and the falling of pinecones pulls us into the natural world enabling us to find our place in it.

Amenities

Tennis & Basketball
Court

9 Hole PGA standard Golf Course

Walking, Jogging & Hiking Trails

Dedicated BBQ Area next to Waterfall

Gated Community with
24-hour Security

Next to Beautiful & Natural Waterfalls

Every Home with its own unique Scenic View

Chain Restaurant’s Outlet within Common Area

Introducing THE ARK

Location of THE ARK

It’s just 30 minutes away from Islamabad but up in the hills the power of fresh air, pine trees and natural beauty would reinstate your inner peace and refresh your mind and body. Hence, this would be the ideal place for residents to enjoy a daily healthy dose of nature and restore your inner peace & internal energy with a luxury lifestyle.

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