Saudi Arabia has dominated the spotlight with megaprojects such as The Line. UAE is just another Arab Gulf country working on grandiose megaprojects. Projects like Dubai’s Burj Binghatti, Abu Dhabi’s museums, and Sharjah’s floating theater are all helping to make the UAE stand for Incredible Arab Excellence, a brand that will fundamentally redefine the destination in the next 10 years. Let’s take a deeper look at some of these fascinating ventures.
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, Opening later in 2023
Following San Diego, Orlando, and San Antonio, a virtually completed marine-life theme park is slated to open its doors this year. The first SeaWorld site outside of North America will have habitats, rides, interactive displays, and immersive visitor experiences spread across 183,000 square meters.
What about sea life? The world’s biggest multi-species aquarium will host 150 species, including sharks, manta rays, sea turtles, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates, over five interior floors and 58 million gallons of water. SeaWorld Abu Dhabi will also house a variety of bird species, ranging from penguins to puffins.
Dubai Wasl Tower, Opening in 2024
By constructing a skyscraper with the highest ceramic exterior in the world, UNStudio will enhance the beauty of the city’s already impressive skyline. The 990-foot Dubai Wasl Tower, which was built in partnership with the German engineering firm Werner Sobek, is a prominent landmark on Sheikh Zayed Road. Almost 250 five-star rooms will be found in the twisting, asymmetrical skyscraper, which will be managed by the hotel chain Mandarin Oriental.
Also, it will have public areas, individual residences, and workplaces. Other notable features include a rooftop, a spa, a sky deck, four major lobbies, and 17 lifts. A supplementary low-rise structure with the parking lot, a ballroom without columns on the first floor, and an open-air pool on the roof deck will be built off to the side.
Saadiyat Grove, Abu Dhabi, Scheduled to open in 2027
By 2027, the $1.5 billion Saadiyat Grove is expected to be finished. Three museums on the island will be visible from every angle thanks to the mixed-use development. 60,000 square meters of retail, entertainment, and recreational space will also be delivered.
Expect the enormous complex to include two hotels, approximately 3,000 houses, and coworking spaces. Saadiyat Grove will put famous museums close by and make it simple to go to Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Boulevard, Al Falah Road, and the bridge that connects the island to the rest of the UAE.
The Zayed National Museum, Abu Dhabi, Scheduled to open in 2025
The Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi was designed by the UK-based architectural company Foster + Partners. The museum will honor the Saadiyat Island cultural area as a monument and tribute to the late sheik Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first president of the UAE. The museum’s five thin, steel towers with the galleries at their bottoms are its most recognizable feature.
The areas below are devoted to the history and culture of the nation, and the towers function as thermal chimneys sucking cold air into them. Moreover, a falconry gallery is included. Interior rooms open out to an outdoor arena for live demonstrations with hunting birds keeping in mind the fondness for falconry. The opening is expected to take place in 2025.
Dubai Vertical City, Scheduled to open in 2030
The 2019 Knowledge Conference in Dubai witnessed the design of a zero-energy building also known as the Vertical City. The architecture company Luca Curci architects will construct a 25,000-person vertical metropolis in the water. The structure will have 180 levels with green spaces and vertical gardens. Vertical City will have businesses, retail, and other community amenities in addition to houses and services.
Apartments, duplexes, and villas are examples of residences. Residents may anticipate underwater parking, spas, a meditation center, a gym, and spectacular hotel rooms with underwater views because this tower is built on the seafloor. The floating ‘Vertical City’ of Dubai has been envisioned for 2030.
Sharjah Floating Theater, Opening date undisclosed
Sharjah’s new open floating theater concept is reminiscent of a massive oyster shell displaying a stunning pearl. In this case, the pearl is Sharjah’s enthralling east coast exclave of Kalba. The cultural venue, renamed ‘Al Mahara Theatre,’ will seat 1,000 people, give unparalleled vistas of the city’s monuments, and stage world-class concerts and plays on the beautiful waters of Kalba Corniche.
The design of the theater was inspired by the emirate’s ruler, Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi. The project’s completion date has not been disclosed.
Abu Dhabi’s Jubail Island, Scheduled to open in 2025
Jubail Island, located between Yas and Saadiyat Islands in Abu Dhabi, will be a stunning home for between 5,000 and 6,000 inhabitants. The 400-hectare low-density neighborhood will contain six residential village estates with 400 single-family and 400 multi-family dwellings. The Marina on Jubail Island is a vast waterfront marvel that welcomes yachts, boats, and superyachts and is well-connected to adjacent waterfront sites.
Other notable attractions in the area are Jubail Mangrove Park, kayaking, and the Pura Eco Resort, which is popular among nature lovers. The property plots were turned over in June 2022, and the villas are scheduled to be handed over in October 2023.
Dubai’s Kempinski Floating Palace, Scheduled to open later in 2023
For Dubai, the glittering country that is home to everything spectacular, not many things are firsts. Yet for the City of Gold, the Kempinski Floating Palace is a first. Twelve more floating mansions that can sail on their own at jogging pace circle the main structure. These are, as Swiss hotelier Kempinski accurately calls them, “luxury houseboats,” linked by pontoons to the main, 156-room hotel.
The luxurious glass pyramid-shaped hotel is well situated close to Jumeirah Beach and has upscale gourmet restaurants, bars, spas, pools, boutiques, and function spaces. Helicopters, speedboats, and yachts are used to access the great event. Coming in 2023 is the breath-taking Kempinski Floating Palace.
