New Development Projects in Dubai

The United Arab Emirates has been one of the most aspiring countries in the world for many years. And it’s easy to see why. Mega projects by local development companies in Dubai attract foreign investors. Dubai buildings often rank among the world's tallest, most prominent, or most unusual buildings. The metropolis is constantly developing, with new skyscrapers and infrastructure facilities appearing here yearly. Developers break boundaries, creating artificial islands and expanding natural areas. 

And the wonders don’t look like they’re stopping anytime soon. So, let’s look at eight new development projects that have recently been completed or will appear in Dubai in the coming years.

• Etihad Rail
• Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co Residences
• Ciel Tower
• The Artificial Archipelago of Palm Jebel Ali
• Dubai Urban Tech District
• Atlantis the Royal
• Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park
• Agri Hub

Etihad Rail

Developer: Oman and Etihad Rail Company (OER)
Project stage: partly complete in 2023

Construction of the Etihad Rail railway network began back in 2009. This is the largest railway project in the history of the UAE. It aims to link regions of the country to ensure transport and economic integrity. A 900-kilometre-long rail track (from the border with Saudi Arabia to the border with Oman) connects Dubai with all other emirates.

The railway is constantly developing. In February 2023, Etihad Rail started freight transportation, but this is only one project stage. In the future, the company plans to launch passenger trains that will travel at a speed of 200 kilometres per hour. There are plans to expand the Etihad Rail project outside the country and merge the transport networks of the UAE and Oman and, later, the rest of the states on the Persian Gulf coast.

Oman and Etihad Rail Company highlight the environmental significance of the project: a convenient railway network will attract more and more passengers and cargo, which were previously mainly transported by roads. According to the developer, this will reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere by 21% by 2050.

Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co Residences

Developer: Binghatti Developers
Project stage: scheduled for completion in June 2026

Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co Residences is an ongoing development in Business Bay, which claims to be the tallest residential building in the world with a designed height of 472 metres. Now, this status is assigned to the 432-metre-high Central Park Tower in New York. The skyscraper was designed in collaboration with Jacob & Co jewellery; its influence is captured in the building's luminous crystal crown at the very top.

The tower will feature more than 100 floors with luxury apartments. The developer already promises to equip the skyscraper with amenities for future residents: gyms, a spa, and a swimming pool with panoramic views of the entire city and the Persian Gulf. Moreover, each apartment has its aquarium, an infinity pool, and a hot tub. According to the developer, at the very top of the Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co Residences, there will be an exclusive “billionaire’s penthouse”, the most luxurious flat in all of Dubai.

Construction of Burj Binghatti Jacob & Co Residences started in 2022 and is due for completion in the summer of 2026.

Ciel Tower

Developer: The First Group
Project stage: construction will be completed in 2023, and the hotel will open soon 

The 366-metre Ciel Tower will become another record-breaking building in the Dubai collection. Once opened, it will officially be the tallest hotel in the world, a title currently held by the Genova Hotel skyscraper, also located in Dubai. Curiously, the UAE tourist capital has been home to the tallest hotels since 1999: for the last 24 years, Dubai’s towers have only competed. Now, the list of the tallest hotels is topped with five Dubai skyscrapers. With the opening of the Ciel Tower, there will be six of them.

The 82 floors of the skyscraper will house 1,042 rooms, 150 of which are suites. The observation deck will be the tower's centrepiece: the building's upper segment is a frame with a green area under it, accessible to hotel residents. The rest of the infrastructure includes classic expensive amenities: a spa and a wellness centre, a bar, five restaurants, and a lounge with panoramic views of the Palm Jumeirah archipelago.

Ciel Tower in Dubai Marina was completed in 2023. Commissioning of the building and opening of the hotel are scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.

The Artificial Archipelago of Palm Jebel Ali

Developer: Nakheel
Project stage: construction resumed in 2022

We can hardly call the artificial Palm Jebel Ali a new development. The dredging started back in 2002 and was finished in 2008. The construction of buildings began in 2009 but was soon suspended. The project was frozen due to low demand for real estate, which, in turn, resulted from the global financial crisis of 2008. Now, the real estate market in Dubai is growing steadily; developers are looking for places for new villas and residential complexes. In 2022, Palm Jebel Ali started to attract investors. Now, construction is again underway on the islands, and the second palm might become the most ambitious project in Dubai.

Stretching 110 kilometres, the archipelago is twice the size of the renowned Palm Jumeirah. Nakheel plans to build 80 hotels and 1600 beachfront villas on the islands. The developer clearly pays attention to the project's sustainable development: the archipelago's infrastructure will feature innovative technologies, including environmental transport. Up to 30% of the archipelago’s electricity is supposed to be generated from renewable sources. The major tourist attraction of Palm Jebel Ali will be a giant 305-metre lunar sphere, almost three times taller than the newly opened MSG Sphere in Las Vegas.

In autumn 2023, news emerged that the first villas on the archipelago were sold out in a few hours, so the project is unlikely to be frozen again. Residential space in the Dubai mainland is gradually running out, and the new palm should boost the development of the real estate market in the Emirates.

Dubai Urban Tech District

Developer: URB
Project stage: construction is scheduled to start in 2024

A technological hub within a city, the Dubai Urban Tech District is planned for the Al Jaddaf area. The district is going to spread over an area of 140,000 square metres. As envisioned by URB, this will be the most innovative place in Dubai.

The development of the district aims to create more than 4,000 jobs in urban technology, education, and training. The Dubai Urban Tech District will create an environment for education and research. There will be business incubators, co-working spaces, lecture halls, and conference venues. Also, the district will feature the Institute of Urban Technologies, which will stimulate innovation, investments in applied research, and public-private partnerships.

The district's futuristic design will be the main attraction for tourists. Visions of cities in the distant future inspire the architecture of the Dubai Urban Tech District. The developer promises to create a perfect ecological zero-carbon environment with complete waste recycling.

Construction works in the area should start in 2024 and be spread over two large stages. The second one is scheduled for completion in 2030.

Atlantis the Royal

Developer: Kerzner International
Project stage: opened in February 2023

Atlantis the Royal is a hotel that opened in winter 2023 on the Palm Jumeirah archipelago, and it has instantly become one of Dubai’s most fancied hotels and attractions. Many world celebrities showed up at the grand opening ceremony, which has received extensive media coverage. 

The six adjoined towers of the hotel comprise 795 rooms, 44 of which are suites and penthouses with private infinity pools. Other hotel guests can enjoy a 90-metre-long pool on the rooftop. Another attraction of Atlantis the Royal is its 17 restaurants; some of them belong to star chefs Costas Spiliadis and Jose Andres. The hotel infrastructure features a spa, a gym, and other leisure facilities. There is also a giant outdoor waterpark on the hotel’s territory open to everyone, not only to hotel guests.

Beyond that, Atlantis the Royal already holds one record: the hotel has the world’s largest aquarium with jellyfish.

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park

Developer: ACWA Power and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)
Project stage: the 5th stage of the project was commissioned in 2023

This world’s largest solar park is one of Dubai’s most ambitious sustainability megaprojects. By 2050, the city plans to switch to clean energy sources completely. The emphasis has been placed on the giant solar panel complex to achieve this goal. The total area of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park has already reached 77 square kilometres, which makes up almost 16% of the emirate’s total energy capacity.

The project is developing in phases. The first phase was commissioned in 2013, and the fifth in summer 2023. The completion of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is scheduled for 2026, with the completion of the sixth phase. According to the developer, the solar park will make up about a quarter of the energy supply of the entire emirate by that time. Once finished, the complex of solar panels will generate a total of 5,000 megawatts.

Agri Hub

Developer: URB
Project stage: construction start is planned for 2025

One of the most ambitious projects of the URB development company is a monumental agritourism hub fully powered by renewable energy. According to the developer, the eco-centre will become the world’s major agritourism destination (of course, if the project is eventually implemented).

As the project's authors envisioned, the hub will feature training centres and tourist infrastructure set amongst gardens, vegetable plots, and parks. The developer claims that the project will create over 10,00 new jobs in various fields, promote a green economy, support local farmers, and improve their quality of life.

One of the main attractions of Agri Hub is a 93-kilometre “sustainable urban highway” and an indoor climate-controlled cycling and running infrastructure.

The start of the Agri Hub construction is scheduled for 2025. The opening date is set for 2030. 

In a Nutshell

Dubai developers keep working on new projects; every year, the tourist capital of the United Arab Emirates feels increasingly confident about confirming its status as one of the most ambitious cities on the planet. Some listed projects have already been completed and are preparing to surpass world records. However, these records may be broken within a year by new skyscrapers and areas of Dubai. It is still too early to conclude projects going through their design or construction stages. Afterall, the history of Dubai knows both triumphs and failed or frozen projects.

Cover photo: binghatti.com