A Nature-Inspired Mixed-Use Development in Abu Dhabi
identity magazine profiles the Jubail Island project, designed to exist in harmony with nature.
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Client
LEAD Development
Project Location
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Sectors
Hospitality, residential, retail
Services
Architecture, interiors, lead consultancy
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.
01
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.
02
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.
03
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.
04
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.
05
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.
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