Nakheel signs $653m deals to build 1,500 Nad al Sheba homes

Dubai developer Nakheel on Monday signed a trio of contracts worth AED2.4 billion ($653.4 million) for construction work at its new mixed-use community of more than 1,500 villas and serviced residences at Nad al Sheba.

The project will be built in three packages by UAE-based Trojan General Contracting, United Engineering Construction LLC and Metac General Contracting Company.

Nakheel said in a statement that package 1 is a AED830 million contract awarded to Trojan for main community infrastructure work and the construction of 489 villas.

Package 2 is a AED789 million deal to UNEC for 482 villas and infrastructure work while package 3, worth AED781 million, to Metac is for 468 villas and infrastructure.

Spanning 2.5 million square feet, with extensive landscaping and parks, Nakheel said its Nad Al Sheba community includes 1,439 three to five bedroom homes for lease and a separate, resort-style complex of around 100 high-end serviced villas, all with private pools.

The community, expected to be completed in early 2018, will also feature a club house, community swimming pool, sports courts and retail centre with around 30 shops and cafes.

Residents and guests at the separate, serviced villa complex will enjoy exclusive access to an additional range of high-end facilities and services, including an onsite health club with spa, wellness centre and lap pool, a restaurant, in-villa private dining and housekeeping and laundry services.

Nad Al Sheba is one of the latest projects in Nakheel's growing list of leasing, hospitality and retail offerings. The company has more than 15,000 new residential units for lease in the pipeline, including the 1,400-plus at Nad Al Sheba and 10,000 at Jebel Ali Gardens, launched at Cityscape last week, adding to its current residential leasing stock of 17,000 units.

Dubai’s Exclusive Kids Room (Girls)

Toying with this idea and dreamt of a-not-so-typical pink princess room for a little girl-Bam An exclusive kid’s room at your ease! 

One is a bit biased towards Dora, but seeing the various wall papers in pink and wall stickers, one could create own theme for the room. 

The little ones are the toughest to convince, though!

A little girl could want it to be with flowers, butterflies, the characters-hello kitty, Dora, Tom and Jerry and all her toys. 

Best place in Dubai to find kids room furniture at a bargain is definitely Dragon Mart.

Keeping the furniture white, with a study table and desk for with Mickey Mouse mirror at a bargain! all from Dragon mart, what more one could expect. 

 A chandelier border and Mr Z put flower and butterfly stickers over them and the whole forest/Dora/tom-jerry/hello kitty theme happening below it with wall stickers said it all!!

Design Trends: Bring on the Bungalow!

Bungalows are making a comeback across U.A.E. and especially in Doha.  Many of us have noticed the new construction bungalows popping up across town.  It’s no wonder this classic architectural style is popular once again, with loads of character and practicality all in one. Bungalows are stylish and have quintessential curb-appeal that beckons home buyers in any market.  Originally, architectural methods attributed to what we know as the bungalow were originally developed in India.  These homes were traditionally small, one-story and had a wide veranda in the front portion of the house.

In the early 1900s well through the 1920s, the bungalow style caught on across the U.S. and was made popular by mail-order advertisements like the Sears-Roebuck & Company’s Home Builder’s Catalog.  Ready-to-build homes were affordable and with just a few alterations for local codes and conditions, the plans could be built using all local (regionally-specific) materials. This was the perfect solution for families who did not have access to large construction companies or builders in their immediate area!

 As for today, there are many reasons why the bungalow is still a preferred style.  For one they have a convenient floor plan featuring a sensible layout with all of the living areas (kitchen, dining, and living rooms) located on the main floor.  With qualities like lots of windows for lovely natural light, earthy hardwoods, practical, space-saving built-in shelving and bookcases, 3D Power believes that bungalows are accommodating and classically stylish!

Qatar Arising

Doha is today world-class metropolis, where innovative building shapes have changed the skyline of the once small pearl and fishing village. An eclectic mix of architectural designs are constantly changing Doha’s skyline as the city firmly positions itself on the map of international architecture and urbanism. Countless construction sites of new roads, schools, hospitals, malls, hotels, sports facilities, business and residential buildings – modern structures are sprouting in every direction with Doha growing at an immense rate.

3D Power thinks that Doha has not grown over time like old cities around the world; Doha is speeding up on its history and an army of architects is currently shaping Qatar’s capital present and future urban structure. Skyscrapers in the West Bay, luxury hotels and buildings at the Pearl, the New Msheireb project, Education City, the Museum of Islamic Art, the reconstructed Souq Waqif, New Hamad International Airport, new metro, and of course stadiums for the FIFA World Cup 2022 – all of them are products of world renowned architects working in Qatar and the Gulf region. Qatar’s contemporary architecture is in many ways similar to the other developed parts of the world, but at the same time it is trying to bridge the gap between the historic heritage and modern world, with more and more architects basing their ideas on historic Qatari building designs.

Splashes of Colour with Peppermill at Al wahda, Abudhabi.

Dreams are life. I’m a dreamer, no really I am! I have vivid dreams, and sometimes spend days recollecting them. I realised I’m a total dreamer when Zaara asked me why I spent time staring at her and Aaira, I was taken aback by her question, but I realised it was true. I told her I was trying to capture every moment of their lives in my mind as beautiful memories, because they were just growing up so fast! And wanted to be dreaming of them all the time!  She seemed content with my answer and went on about with her drawing.

Then again, I also dream through the day about my projects. In my mind I’m never happy with whatever I do, I always want that extra minute to do more, detail more, think more, more and more.So when we have a project complete, and everyone says they love it, I bicker in my mind about the small things I would’ve done differently and sometimes its conflicting as the client would’ve loved it nevertheless! But then, I still love it like my baby, defending and protecting what I have achieved in my mind. Its like a 3d coming out of your head, You imagine it and the various colours, finishes,fabrics and flooring makes it what you dreamt! Imagine touching your dream! That’s what i felt when I walked into peppermill days before its opening. Running my hand through each groove, each table and upholstery, I felt proud.

 

A few days after it opened its doors to some rave reviews( their food is awesome) and a mention here and there on its decor,I got an email from someone who visited the restaurant. Peppermill is a colonial Indian restaurant. It has the colonial richness of the time where the Raja’s were giving up their powers to the British and the cuisine revolves around that period.We have no shortage of Indian restaurants in Dubai or Abudhabi(where the new Peppermill is located) But I would be proud to say that this is the ONLY colonial Indianrestaurant.Hence we waiver from tradition with colours and prints- as you may see in the images.

Doha's Gorgeous Bungalows

A Perfectly driven 3D View of Astonishing bungalow speaks for all. What could be asked for more if a constructive firm can use them to show clients exactly how a bungalow or design project will look like without going in to the trouble of constructing on an actual site? A bungalow builder or developer can use these digital animations to showcase their homes to the respective buyers.

3D Power helps you to imagine your bungalows, where you don’t have to wait for finishing point of the project to get the real feel of the place. It has the most proficient device for showing a property's layout, dimensions, size and structural relationships. 3D views usually start with the scenic depiction of the external features of your bungalow that comprises of roads, landscaping and exterior surroundings in general.

The exterior 3D View of the bungalow shows the facade where architecture, structure, design and materials can be understood. Whereas, its interiors demonstrate the colours, textures, light illumination, light intensity from different fixtures and reflection of light from different objects in the room.

SOFITEL DUBAI- “THE PALM LUXURY APARTMENTS”

The most populated city of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai is an impressive destination.

Skyscrapers (the Burj Khalifa is the highest tower in the world at 818m), gigantic luxury shopping centers and daring urban and architectural developments characterize the town. The flourishing oil industry has seen the development of the city from a small fishing port surrounded by arid desert to one of the most prestigious locations in the world. Luxury apartments boasting the latest amenities and spectacular views of the Marina or Downtown constitute a large part of the high-end property market in the city center.

Discover why SOFITEL DUBAI THE PALM LUXURY APARTMENTS is such a superb destination for family vacations in Dubai. Adults and children alike will be thrilled by the relaxed Polynesian island theme of this luxury 5-star resort on Palm Jumeirah island.

Families can vacation in a beach-side suite or villa with Gulf views. Serviced apartments suit longer stays, with kitchens, lounges and up to 3 bedrooms. Babysitting can be arranged if you fancy a night in downtown Dubai, a monorail or taxi.Amura Kids Club guarantees hours of fun for children of all ages, keeping them happy, active and safe while you indulge in well-deserved relaxation. Two of the swimming pools are exclusively for kids, who will love the slides and waterfalls.

Seven restaurants and bars offer refined cuisine from around the world so there's something for every taste.Don't miss the popular Friday brunch at family-friendly Manava, which offers heaped buffets for breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the week.

Weak Oil Prices Mire Abu Dhabi Office Demand

But some respite could come from companies in engineering and construction
Dubai: The continued softness in oil prices seems to have mired Abu Dhabi’s commercial realty market, with the number of enquiries taking a hit in the first six months of the year. And where they can, prospective tenants are making do with offices of between 200-500 square metres, according to a report by Knight Frank.

Businesses in the oil and gas sector have naturally been keeping a low profile under the circumstances, and so have entities that rely heavily on government led spending to go in for a higher profile.

But there could be some sectors which can fill this breach. In Knight Frank’s projections, there were instances of more enquiries from the engineering and construction sector. Their belief is to be there when Abu Dhabi ramps up on its infrastructure construction activity.

“The average size requirement for this sector remained steady at around 600 square metres,” the consultancy reports. “This is larger than most other sectors and is being driven by international companies’ requirements for office space. Combined, the leisure/hospitality and professional sectors accounted for 30 per cent of total demand in the first six months of this year.”

And what of the rents? “Over the next twelve months, rents are likely to see upward pressure as little prime or grade A new office supply is due to be delivered to market,” according to the consultancy. “Prime office rents edged up in Abu Dhabi in the first six months of this year to Dh1,900 per square metre.

“Meanwhile, rental values for Grade A shell-and-core office space remained steady at Dh1,400 per square metre.

“With the exception of one or two developments, there is a shortage of prime/grade A office space available which meets occupiers’ needs in Abu Dhabi.”

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi is a well-ordered, industrious city with a pretty waterside location. First inhabited by the nomadic Bani Yas tribe in 1760, the settlement remained a small fishing village until oil was discovered. The revenues transformed Abu Dhabi into the modern city of today - a bustling centre of government and business.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the major sightseeing attraction and wows all who visit. But the city also makes a good base for excursions to the desert landscapes of Liwa Oasis and the oasis city of Al Ain

Clad in Macedonian marble, the beautiful and absolutely mammoth Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is Abu Dhabi's landmark building. The mosque fuses Mameluke, Ottoman and Fatamid design elements to create a harmonious and thoroughly modern mosque that celebrates Islamic architecture. Artisans utilised glass-work, mosaic tiling and intricate carvings to spectacular effect on both the interior and exterior. It was opened in 2007 after nearly 20 years of construction.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque was initiated by the late president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who wanted to establish a structure which unites the cultural diversity of Islamic world, the historical and modern values of architecture and art His final resting place is located on the grounds beside the same mosque. The mosque was constructed from 1996 to 2007.It is the largest mosque in the United Arab Emirates. The building complex measures approximately 290 m (960 ft) by 420 m (1,380 ft), covering an area of more than 12 hectares (30 acres), exclusive of exterior landscaping and vehicle parking

As the country's grand mosque, it is the key place of worship for Friday gathering and Eid prayers. During Eid it can be visited by more than 40,000 people.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (SZGMC) offices are located in the east minarets. SZGMC manages the day-to-day operations, as a place of worship and Friday gathering, and also a center of learning and discovery through its educational cultural activities and visitor programs.
The library, located in the north/east minaret, serves the community with classic books and publications addressing a range of Islamic subjects: sciences, civilization, calligraphy, the arts, coins and includes some rare publications dating back more than 200 years. In reflection of the diversity of the Islamic world and the United Arab Emirates, the collection comprises material in a broad range of languages, including Arabic, English, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Korean.

Able to hold 40,000 worshippers, it is the biggest mosque in the United Arab Emirates and, like the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Fujairah, is dedicated to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan. Non-Muslims are allowed into all areas of the mosque (including the vast library), and there are also guided tours available.