Gulf Construction Online - Jubail homes rise amidst mangroves

Abu Dhabi

Ain Al Maha village, the latest waterfront residential neighbourhood to be unveiled at the Jubail Island project.

Jubail homes rise amidst mangroves

01 August 2022

Construction work is ongoing on multiple fronts on the AED10-billion ($2.72 billion) Jubail Island, a scenic residential community development that sprawls over an area of 5 million sq m amidst mangrove forests and coastal estuaries and boasts more than 30 km of waterfront in Abu Dhabi.

Eng Abdulla Saeed Al Shamsi, Operations Corporate Director of Jubail Island Investment Company (JIIC), the owner of the project, tells Gulf Construction that 95 per cent of infrastructure has been completed while 40 per cent of the villas are under construction.

Late last month, JIIC flagged off the construction of new townhouses within its premium residential community at Souk Al Jubail within the development.

In tandem with these developments on site, JIIC last month unveiled details of Ain Al Maha village, the latest waterfront residential neighbourhood to be added to the Jubail Island project.

The 66-berth marina is targeted for completion in mid-2023.

Being developed and managed by LEAD Development, Jubail Island will be home to an idyllic collection of six residential village estates located between Yas Island and Saadiyat Island. Nestled among the mangroves' breath-taking natural beauty and rich biodiversity, the landmark community will offer residents comprehensive amenities, seamlessly blending sustainable living, luxury, and wellness in a striking new addition to Abu Dhabi’s real estate landscape.

The development will offer bespoke picturesque residential areas and community facilities involving a gross floor area (GFA) of 1 million sq m.

Currently taking shape on site are 400 villas as part of the first phase of the residential construction while work is also in progress on the extensive infrastructure that will support a series of vibrant communities. In addition, work has newly been launched on the Jubail Marina and the Souk Al Jubail townhouses.

JIIC now expects to award the contract for the construction of Souk Al Jubail apartments in November 2022 as well as push ahead with the construction of 220 additional villas, Al Shamsi reveals.

The overall development manager of Jubail Island is LEAD Development. A number of reputed consultants have been enlisted to ensure a world-class project including US-based Parsons as the infrastructure consultant; EHAF, EDSA, AE7 and Arquitectonica as design consultants; and Broadway Maylan and Woods Bagot as master-planning consultant.

Construction work is in progress on multiple fronts at the Jubail Island project site.

Latest launch

With some 90 per cent of the current inventory sold out, the new Ain Al Maha residential district will offer a total of 240 waterfront villas alongside an Estuary Park and water channel. The project is scheduled to be completed in Q1 2025 and will also include a world-class school, a mosque and shopping and dining facilities within two community centres.

Spanning 153 hectares on the southern edge of Jubail Island, the village will comprise a series of premium sea view residences, offering spectacular views of the mangroves on the island.

The project will also include enhancing the coasts and natural water channels for Ain Al Maha, developing the area into an ‘island within an island’ so that half the villas will face the waterfront.

A vital feature of the village is the parks and children’s play areas. Spanning over 92,000 sq m, the parks allow residents and visitors to live a healthy lifestyle by enjoying a stroll and participating in sports activities in the specialised areas that include a purpose-built running track and athletic courts, Al Shamsi says.

As well as homes, the village will include two landmark community centres offering a combination of shopping, dining, education, and medical facilities. A 2,500-sq-m retail complex and a world-class school will be among the facilities at one centre, while the second will sit within the heart of the village and include a mosque and a community centre.

Show villas at Jubail Island.

Construction

Work on the infrastructure of this massive development began with the award of an AED800-million-plus contract to Gulf Contractors Company (GCC) in January 2019. The scope of works includes the construction of infrastructure for all villages including roads, utilities, ground improvement, electrical substation; infrastructure for the Souk Al Jubail townhouses; and Jubail Island bridge and offsite utilities. GCC is expected to complete its contract in April 2023.

Meanwhile, Arabian Construction Company (ACC) is building the first phase of 400 modern and Mediterranean-inspired villas under a contract awarded in in March 2021, which is due for completion in the fourth quarter of 2023. The project will offer three- to six-bedroom villas on vast land plots ranging from 1,300 sq m to 6,000 sq m. The villas are distinguished by their large spaces, elegant architectural designs and modern interiors to reflect a sophisticated and sustainable lifestyle. In addition, the villas feature external facilities including a kitchen, driver’s room and majlis.

In addition, work has just been launched on 150 townhouses which will be part of the premium community at Souk Al Jubail, under an AED 220-million contract awarded to China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East (CSCEC) in June. Souk Al Jubail will comprise a series of walkable residential neighbourhoods, amphitheatre, plazas and green spaces with playgrounds.

Scheduled for completion by March 2024, the project will involve the contruction of townhouses offering two, three or four bedrooms built to the highest quality and standards.

The contractor’s scope of work also includes a range of infrastructure works including sub-structure, superstructure, MEP works, finishing, facade and landscaping.

Also in June, Al Dhafra Pipeline & Contracting Company (APCC) was awarded an AED40 million deal to build the project’s 66-berth marina, which is targeted for completion in mid-2023.

Jubaill Island will comprise a low-density masterplanned project.

One of Abu Dhabi’s leading ground engineering contractors, APCC will be responsible for the construction of the quay wall and associated infrastructure along the marina’s edges and platforms.

The marina is being built as part of the grand Marina District within Marfa Al Jubail. The waterfront district’s concept and schematic design are in progress with AE7. Set for launch October 2022, the Marina District will consist of 41 elegantly designed townhouses and 18 spacious apartments located in one block, amid some of the UAE’s most beautiful landscapes and surrounded by mangroves and wildlife.

The townhouses will feature two typologies including one and two-storey units, with both, the townhouses and apartments, available with up to three bedrooms, offering up to 290 sq m of space.

As well as luxury residential space, Marfa Al Jubail will offer comprehensive amenities, anchored by a luxury yacht club complex and a boardwalk containing restaurants, alfresco cafés, and eateries.

Expected to be handed over by mid-2024, this new destination will provide residents and visitors with a luxury waterfront destination built along a stretch of shoreline overlooking the Abu Dhabi skyline.

Among the first distinctive features to be completed on the project was the “Jubail 360” deck, which stands 9 m tall on the hill of Marfa Al Jubail. The deck, completed in January this year, will provide visitors with a 360-degree view of the island.

Located beside the JIIC sales office, Jubail 360 will provide the customers with the opportunity to have a closer look at the construction progress as it develops into a community in the capital.

Another strategic landmark completed in May this year was the main bridge linking Jubail Island to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan highway (E12).

The bridge stands 140 m long and serves as the main entrance to the island, helping facilitate movement in and out of the island. The construction of the bridge commenced in August 2021.

The bridge will provide easy, direct access to Jubail Island as well as proximity to public parks, open spaces and cycling tracks. It will also link the different villages within the island with each other as well as facilitating movement between the two sides of the island, including the Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Pura Eco Retreat and the marine activities and the rest of the existing developments on the island.

As part of the bridge development, intelligent traffic signal systems have been introduced as well as streetlighting, pedestrian signals and speed control systems.

Highlights

“Jubail Island is one of the most spacious and low-density masterplanned developments in the UAE and located within a protected natural environment of stunning beauty. Its surrounding ecosystem supports a diversity of wildlife and its unique intertidal marine setting provides a welcome habitat for a diversity of wildlife,” says Al Shamsi.

The island development, which is expected to be home to more than 10,000 residents, will offer a choice of luxurious, elegantly designed villas, apartments and townhouses, all meticulously positioned ample distances apart to allow for optimum privacy and comfort, he says.

The luxurious homes are inspired by their natural surroundings with spacious rooms and open spaces.

Jubail Island will feature a range of retail, coffee shops, restaurants, entertainment, and recreation facilities including a business centre, a sports centre, parks, schools, supermarkets, nurseries, a community club, specialised clinics, and other commercial establishments.