First glimpse of Expo City Dubai's new residences on sale this week

Residential communities aim to celebrate nature and promote sustainable living

A first glimpse of Expo City Dubai's Expo Valley. Photo: Expo City Dubai

Expo City Dubai has offered a first glimpse of two new housing developments promoting sustainable living due to launch this week.

Striking renderings of Expo Central's Mangroves Residences and Expo Valley have been unveiled before the opening of a sales centre in the Sustainability District, on Wednesday.

The major residential projects are central to the transformation of the sprawling world's fair site into a vibrant neighbourhood of apartments, townhouses and villas, as well as 10km of cycling tracks, a 5km running track, children’s playgrounds and 45,000 square metres of parks and gardens.

Expo City Dubai districts are free of cars and single-use plastics. The design has retained 80 per cent of the original infrastructure, including 123 buildings.

Approximately one third of the 4.38 square kilometre site has so far been built on.

More details of the development are due to be announced this week.

Inside Expo Valley and Mangrove Residences

Expo chiefs said homes at Expo Valley will overlook a nature reserve, lake and wadi.

The area will boast smart, sustainable villas and townhouses and feature car-free lanes, cycling trails, clubhouses and landscaped courtyards.

Expo Central's Mangrove Residences will focus on sustainable, urban living and will feature views of the Expo City skyline.

It will be home to retail and food and beverage outlets and aims to promote an "eco-friendly lifestyle".

Ahmed Al Khatib, chief development and delivery officer, said the city “will serve as a blueprint for the way we live in the future — a best-in-class example of sustainable, regenerative, connected community living”.

The current residential offering in the area is Expo Village which has 2,273 flats in 15 towers and accommodates about 3,500 residents.

The development is owned and managed by Dubai World Trade Centre.

Legacy plans

Before the world's fair closed last year, Expo 2020 announced plans to transform the legacy site into the country's first “15-minute city”, meaning it will be possible to walk or cycle from end to end without the need of a car.

In June, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, set out his vision for the legacy site, saying it would become a “hub of economic activity” and home to major companies and their headquarters.

With a focus on technology and the environment, he said it will serve as a destination in its own right, served by the nearby Dubai World Central airport and the metro link to the city centre.

The city started to open up in phases in October, with its key attractions remaining in place, including the Al Wasl Dome, the Garden in the Sky observation tower and the Expo waterfall.

It also reopened Alif, the Mobility Pavilion, Terra, the Sustainability Pavilion, as well as the Vision and Women’s pavilions, which visitors can access with a Dh120 day pass.

Businesses have also started to relocate to Expo City. Siemens, DP World and China’s Terminus Technologies have taken offices in the Dubai South neighbourhood, alongside start-ups and other technology companies.

Dubai Exhibition Centre, adjacent to the metro station, is a venue for major events such as international trade fairs.

It recently hosted PopCon Middle East and GameExpo in Dubai and later this year will be part of the emirate's hosting of the Cop28 Climate Change conference.

Chinese New Year Grand Parade at Expo city in Dubai — in pictures

Celebrations to mark the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit at Expo City in Dubai. All images: Ruel Pableo for The National

Lunar New Year begins on Sunday January 22, but celebrations at Expo City begin the day before with the dragon dancers traditionally a part of Chinese celebrations.

The colourful celebrations for Chinese New Year ran along a 2km parade route at Expo City.

Officials estimate that about 10,000 people gathered for the festivities at Chinese New Year, involving participants from all cultures coming together to mark the Year of the Rabbit.

Musicians and dancers in traditional lion and dragon costumes entertain the crowds at Expo City.

Chinese people of all ages were in Dubai for a celebration of their culture in a blaze of colour.

The colour red was everywhere at the Lunar New Year’s parade at Expo City in Dubai, symbolising luck, joy and hope for a new beginning.

The rabbit motif could be seen everywhere at the Lunar New Year parade in Expo City.

Some revellers at the Lunar New Year’s parade at Expo City celebrated their Chinese provincial heritage and their ties to the UAE.

Celebrations this year welcome the Year of the Rabbit, the Water Rabbit, a symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity.

For many Chinese people, this Lunar New Year is one that can be marked without the shadow of Covid restrictions in their homeland, an added cause for celebration.

The rabbit at Expo City's Lunar New Year parade shared the limelight with a panda, the national animal of China and a symbol of friendliness.

The Lunar New Year celebrations at Expo City offered many opportunities for selfies.