Apartment developments in Dubai and around the world are changing their approach to design as they adapt to a changing market demographic. Sprawling family homes were targeted at the baby boomers, followed by sky-piercing residential towers that appealed to the extreme sensibilities of the Gen Xers. Today, millennials are the most significant consumer base and, with the advent of social media and greater worldwide interconnectivity, it is more important than ever for a property or neighborhood to hit just the right notes to avoid becoming a ghost town.
Dubai has built a reputation for its glittering skyscrapers, from the gargantuan Burj Khalifa to the so-called ‘Tallest Block in the World’ in Dubai Marina, a constellation of residential towers that are no shorter than 350 meters in height. While the city has always aimed for the skies, newer developments are setting their sights a lot lower. The majority of luxury and ultra-luxury apartment projects that have been launched over the past year or so are low to mid-rise.
Drawing inspiration from New York’s brownstones and the low-built residential squares and plazas found across Europe, Dubai is creating communities that are close to the ground and connected through a common space. These neighbourhoods are positioned such that residents can still enjoy views of the city’s mesmerizing skyline, and are never more than a few minutes away from key lifestyle amenities and leisure destinations.
One of the key areas to see this low-rise expansion is the Jumeirah district, which is mostly famous for its private villa communities and stunning beaches. City Walk, an open square comprising retail boutiques, gourmet restaurants and apartment complexes, is one such example. It is known for its paved streets, wide open spaces and attractions such as the Hub Zero arcade and Green Planet bio-dome. A similar idea can be seen in the adjacent community of Box Park, an intriguing concept destination where old shipping containers have been repurposed into buildings.
Jumeirah Bay Island, a man-made peninsula off the Jumeirah coastline, is home to the Bulgari Residences & Resort, only the fifth Bulgari property in the world. This magnificent beachfront property is split between villas and low-rise apartments encircling a private yacht marina.
Al Barari, a residential community known for its eco-friendly initiatives and green surroundings, has added two apartments developments to its lineup – Ashjar and Seventh Heaven – which top out at a maximum of seven storeys.
Even Palm Jumeirah, which is home to iconic architectural icon the Atlantis, has recently unveiled a premium low-rise offering in the highly exclusive Palme Couture. Comprising just fourteen residential units, this nine-storey building contains some of the very best homes in Dubai, with an extensive use of lavish Italian marble in its interior surfaces.
In a city that is always scaling literal and metaphorical heights, the skyscraper is unlikely to die out in popularity any time soon. But as new waves of buyers swoop into the city, especially ahead of the highly anticipated Expo 2020, more grounded tastes will be the norm for apartment-dwellers.You should delete all of this text and replace it with text of your own. You can modify any text on your page with the Text formatting tools at the top of the page. To add other content, use the Media and Add-ons tabs. If you'd like to change your style template click on Styles. To add or remove pages use the Pages tab.
