A balcony view at Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences by Aldar. Photo: Aldar
A balcony view at Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences by Aldar. Photo: Aldar
A balcony view at Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences by Aldar. Photo: Aldar
A balcony view at Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences by Aldar. Photo: Aldar

Abu Dhabi megaprojects: four new developments announced so far in 2022


Ian Oxborrow
  • English
  • Arabic

Abu Dhabi's skyline continues to evolve, and it certainly isn't finished yet.

A number of major new developments have already been announced in the capital this year, which will bring new communities in a variety of areas.

Here's a look at what's been announced so far in 2022:

Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences

  • Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences by Aldar is expected to have a handover in 2025. All renderings: Aldar
    Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences by Aldar is expected to have a handover in 2025. All renderings: Aldar
  • The view from a balcony that overlooks Louvre Abu Dhabi.
    The view from a balcony that overlooks Louvre Abu Dhabi.
  • Another rendering shows a view of the museum from the development.
    Another rendering shows a view of the museum from the development.
  • An illustration of a typical bedroom at Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences by Aldar.
    An illustration of a typical bedroom at Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences by Aldar.
  • The lobby will contain artwork selected in close consultation with Louvre Abu Dhabi.
    The lobby will contain artwork selected in close consultation with Louvre Abu Dhabi.
  • The cafe will also offer a view of the museum.
    The cafe will also offer a view of the museum.
  • A rendering of the living room with floor-to-ceiling windows.
    A rendering of the living room with floor-to-ceiling windows.
  • Another rendering of the lobby shows water features and sculpture.
    Another rendering of the lobby shows water features and sculpture.
  • The pool will have views of Louvre Abu Dhabi.
    The pool will have views of Louvre Abu Dhabi.
  • Residents will have their own private 12-seat cinema.
    Residents will have their own private 12-seat cinema.
  • They can also ask the concierge service to provide a private chef.
    They can also ask the concierge service to provide a private chef.
  • There are special concierge services on offer for residents, such as pet sitting and dog walking.
    There are special concierge services on offer for residents, such as pet sitting and dog walking.
  • A rendering of the Creativite Room, which includes a play area.
    A rendering of the Creativite Room, which includes a play area.

The name gives it away, doesn't it? The Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences by Aldar will be located next to the world famous museum and will also have great views of the sea.

Set within Saadiyat Grove, the project has an expected handover date of 2025. It will comprise 400 apartments including studios, one, two- and three-bedroom apartments and five penthouses. All the units will be fitted with fixtures and built-in home appliances.

Residents will be able to make use of a lounge, called La Salon Detente, which will have a 12-seat private theatre, a wellness centre, a gym with saunas, space for yoga and meditation and an indoor children’s playroom.

Inside the building will be art and sculptures resembling works exhibited at the museum, while penthouses will have a private panoramic elevator.

Prices start at Dh1.3 million ($353,982).

Reem Hills on Reem Island

Reem Hills on Reem Island. Courtesy Q Properties
Reem Hills on Reem Island. Courtesy Q Properties

Until now, Reem Island has largely featured high tower blocks.

The landscape is set to change however, after Q Properties unveiled Reem Hills — a $2.1 billion gated villa community with a man-made hill.

Although the size of the hill has not been disclosed, the developer said it will create a "serene lifestyle" offering beach access, parkland, schools, mosques, a community centre and retail outlets.

Nalaya Villas in the Najmat area of Reem is the only villa scheme currently available on the island.

Bloom Living

  • The town centre at Bloom Living. Courtesy Bloom Holding
    The town centre at Bloom Living. Courtesy Bloom Holding
  • The Bloom Living master plan. Courtesy Bloom Holding
    The Bloom Living master plan. Courtesy Bloom Holding
  • Bloom Living Toledo townhouses. Courtesy Bloom Holding
    Bloom Living Toledo townhouses. Courtesy Bloom Holding
  • A rendering of a three-bedroom villa in phase one at Bloom Living. All images courtesy Bloom Holding
    A rendering of a three-bedroom villa in phase one at Bloom Living. All images courtesy Bloom Holding
  • A rendering of a six-bedroom villa in phase one at Bloom Living.
    A rendering of a six-bedroom villa in phase one at Bloom Living.
  • A rendering of a three-bedroom villa in phase one at Bloom Living.
    A rendering of a three-bedroom villa in phase one at Bloom Living.
  • A rendering of a two-bedroom villa in phase one at Bloom Living.
    A rendering of a two-bedroom villa in phase one at Bloom Living.

Bloom Holding is also tapping into the success of the gated community model with its Dh9bn Bloom Living project.

It will feature more than 4,000 Spanish-style villas, townhouses and apartments surrounding a large lake.

The first phase of the development, located close to Abu Dhabi International Airport is named Cordoba after the Andalusian city. It is scheduled for completion by Q4 2024, the company said.

The project will span an area of 2.2 million square metres and will include a clinic, two international schools and a plaza containing shops, cafes and restaurants.

Prices start at Dh1.5m.

Al Nawras Island

A property from LXR Hotels & Resorts will open in Abu Dhabi next year. Photo: Hilton
A property from LXR Hotels & Resorts will open in Abu Dhabi next year. Photo: Hilton

While this one may not have the scale of Reem Hills and Bloom Living, it is just as eye-catching given the development is on a private island.

It consists of a luxury resort from LXR Hotels & Resorts, a hospitality brand under Hilton, and is set to open in 2023.

The development will have 80 beach and water villas, as well as a 450-square-metre, two-bedroom Royal Villa. It will also be home to a golf course.

There will be the usual resort amenities such as gym, fitness studio, swimming pools, tennis and padel.

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War and the virus
Abu Dhabi GP schedule

Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm

Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm

Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm

PSA DUBAI WORLD SERIES FINALS LINE-UP

Men’s: 
Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY)
Ali Farag (EGY)
Simon Rosner (GER)
Tarek Momen (EGY)
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Nick Matthew (ENG)

Women's: 
Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
Raneem El Welily (EGY)
Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Laura Massaro (ENG)
Joelle King (NZE)
Camille Serme (FRA)
Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)

What%20is%20Dungeons%20%26%20Dragons%3F%20
%3Cp%3EDungeons%20%26amp%3B%20Dragons%20began%20as%20an%20interactive%20game%20which%20would%20be%20set%20up%20on%20a%20table%20in%201974.%20One%20player%20takes%20on%20the%20role%20of%20dungeon%20master%2C%20who%20directs%20the%20game%2C%20while%20the%20other%20players%20each%20portray%20a%20character%2C%20determining%20its%20species%2C%20occupation%20and%20moral%20and%20ethical%20outlook.%20They%20can%20choose%20the%20character%E2%80%99s%20abilities%2C%20such%20as%20strength%2C%20constitution%2C%20dexterity%2C%20intelligence%2C%20wisdom%20and%20charisma.%20In%20layman%E2%80%99s%20terms%2C%20the%20winner%20is%20the%20one%20who%20amasses%20the%20highest%20score.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

Result

Arsenal 4
Monreal (51'), Ramsey (82'), Lacazette 85', 89')

West Ham United 1
Arnautovic (64')

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km

Price: Dh133,900

On sale: now 

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scores:

Southampton 2

Armstrong 13', Soares 20'

Manchester United 2

Lukaku 33', Herrera 39'

One in nine do not have enough to eat

Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.

One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.

The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.

Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.

It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.

On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.

Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.

 

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECVT%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E119bhp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E145Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh%2C89%2C900%20(%2424%2C230)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
3%20Body%20Problem
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreators%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Benioff%2C%20D%20B%20Weiss%2C%20Alexander%20Woo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBenedict%20Wong%2C%20Jess%20Hong%2C%20Jovan%20Adepo%2C%20Eiza%20Gonzalez%2C%20John%20Bradley%2C%20Alex%20Sharp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Maserati Levante S

Price, base / as tested: Dh409,000 / Dh467,000

Engine: 3.0-litre V6

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 430hp @ 5,750rpm

Torque: 580Nm @ 4,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 10.9L / 100km

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

Disability on screen

Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues

24: Legacy — PTSD;

Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound

Taken and This Is Us — cancer

Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)

Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg

Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety

Switched at Birth — deafness

One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy

Dragons — double amputee

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Updated: May 12, 2023, 1:53 PM