Center, a round building with large courtyard of plants illuminated from within, surrounded by treelined buildings near water

Jubail Island

A Nature-Inspired Island for the UAE Capital

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Client

LEAD Development

Project Location

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Sectors

Hospitality, residential, retail

Services

Architecture, interiors, lead consultancy

Jubail Island, poised to become Abu Dhabi’s most desirable residential sanctuary, is a key nature reserve, making its development a high-profile milestone for the United Arab Emirates capital. Part of a greater master plan that includes culture and entertainment islands, the development is designed to appeal to a lifestyle focused on wellness and carefully balanced to be in harmony with the natural environment.

The overall objective for Jubail Island is to preserve, promote, and harmonize the natural context with the built elements, encouraging a sense of community through nature, unique waterfront living, and wellness. It promotes a nature-oriented village lifestyle with unique and compelling pedestrian experiences in harmony with the site and the local context.

As lead consultant, the scope includes amplifying amenities and placemaking to create a lifestyle destination within the greater master plan. This includes the design of a wide array of apartments; offices and office villas; a four-star hotel within the town center, dubbed the “heart of Jubail Island;” and all support facilities needed to sustain the community in this nature-focused lifestyle. The support facilities include a community center, a family entertainment center, a mosque, a clinic, a supermarket, and all necessary surface and structure parking to accommodate functions accordingly.

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The Vision

Our design creates a mixed-use district with a range of offerings including hospitality, residential, and retail. The hotel’s design provides its own unique amenities in addition to being connected to a retail village with shopping and entertainment options. The residential component, inspired by regional design, blends the new development with the existing residences, creating a unified community. The design is centered around human connection both within the neighborhoods and to the town center. This connectivity is supported through well-balanced parking situated beneath a park, capitalizing on surface space and ensuring visibility throughout the site. The framework prepares for long term, sustainable preservation of Jubail Island, adding a nature preserve for the public and the placement of a low-rise, low-impact village development within this unique location.

The Vision

Navigation

A Visual Language Experience

Our design approach to wayfinding reflects the core values of the development: preservation of nature and sustainability. This means sensitivity in the use of materials and considerations for sign placement to avoid visual pollution. We challenged the norms of traditional signage design and emphasized contextual design across the project, inspiring the development of a kit of parts that adapts from one asset to another across the island, respecting both the natural and built environments while retaining a common visual language. For residents and visitors, the navigation and orientation experience is streamlined by a wayfinding program that follows the natural path of its surroundings by integrating the signage and adding accents to the architecture, the interior design, and the landscape.

White four story building labeled Jubail Residences. Gold triangular wrap facade over upper levels, living wall under

Four story apartment building lines curved street with cars and trees. Lightly colored wood accents on balconies

Sustainability

Working within the Natural Environment

Careful considerations were made to ensure a sustainable development in compliance with Estidama and green standards. The local microclimate was evaluated to identify synergies and make use of the natural benefits of the site. Abu Dhabi’s characteristic sun angles, temperature swings, and relative humidity are fundamental to the project design. The building orientation maximizes shading controls, while nocturnal winds facilitate natural ventilation and cooling.
Native or adaptive plant species enhance the ecological value of the site. Trees and shrubs are equipped for Jubail Island’s environment and the climate of the UAE.

Aerial view of master plan, tall buildings curve along center line of mixed-use development with views of the Persian Gulf water

Four story residential white building with light wood accents. Patio balconies with glass railing barrier

Community

The Heart of the Development

In the heart of this environmentally conscience and sustainable community of ‘Souk Al Jubail’ is an intimately cosmopolitan hub featuring apartments, villas, townhouses, office villas, an office park, and a four-star hotel. The Village Center connects the wider community, creating a new urban retail and dining experience to compliment the lifestyle of Jubail. Facilities will include food and beverage options, a beach club, a business center, a sports center, schools, supermarkets, nurseries, a community center, specialized clinics and other commercial establishments. Elements are proportioned to achieve balance and create an aesthetic of order and natural beauty.

Multistory light color buildings with brown accents line curved road. Right, sunscreens drape from building with string light

Introspection

Bringing the Outside In

Inspired by the local landscape, interiors reflect the importance of biophilic environments to improve community wellbeing. These spaces are imbued with nature, an extension of the site’s natural beauty, focusing on the comprehensive experience of those visiting Jubail. Light and modern interior spaces weave a luxurious, decadent design through hospitality, residential, community, and entertainment spaces.

Interior with mixed seating and built in illuminated bookshelves. Floor to ceiling window left wall to balcony. Abstract hanging sculpture

Connectivity

A Common Thread

The Jubail Island master plan is divided into six separate villages. Each of these villages have their own individual identities, brought together by common threads of architectural details, materiality, tailored landscape design, and signage. These common threads weave the different districts together, building up to an uninterrupted experience that subtly strengthens the spirit of community.

It was really a pleasant experience working with DLR Group on one of the most exciting projects happening in Abu Dhabi, Al Jubail Island, that naturally blessed site. We find them tackling all project challenges in a collaborative approach where we had great results on all aspects."

Khaled Gendy EHAF Projects Director

A Nature-Inspired Mixed-Use Development in Abu Dhabi

identity magazine profiles the Jubail Island project, designed to exist in harmony with nature.

2022 Best Future Project

Design Middle East

Best Mixed Use Architecture Abu Dhabi

Arabian Property Awards

By Sector