By IANS,
Dubai : Japanese architectural firm Nikken Sekkei has bagged the contract to design a new 350-billion dirham ($95.3-billion) city to come up within the emirate of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Meraas Development, the Dubai-based developer owned by the Dubai government, awarded the contract to design the proposed Jumeira Gardens to the Japanese firm at the ongoing Cityscape 2008 real estate exhibition here.
“Our spirit complements the latest international market trends in sustainability, especially here in the Middle East, where efficiency, design and sustainability are combined with a long term vision,” said Nakamura Mitsuo, Nikken Sekkei chairman in a statement after the award of the contract.
Meraas Development had announced the launch of Jumeira Gardens, its first master-planned community, Monday at Cityscape 2008.
The mixed-use, freehold and leasehold development will be an integrated city within a city, with distinct neighbourhoods linked by a diverse network of transportation options, and comprising low-, medium- and high-density areas with business, residential, retail, leisure and recreational components, Meraas said in a statement.
The new city will be built over 12 years north of Dubai’s arterial Sheikh Zayed Road.
There will be several major parks and a number of smaller community parks to ensure extensive green areas. A large canal will run through the heart of the development and will flow out to the sea.
According to Meraas, it will use all its collective resources for the Jumeira Gardens project.
“We will leverage our subsidiaries’ expertise in healthcare, education, retail and leisure to complement the competencies of Meraas Development in building a district of unrivalled comfort, convenience and community,” said Abdulla Ahmad Al Habbai, chairman of Meraas Holding, of which Meraas Development is a subsidiary.