Meraas announces Dubai Design District masterplan
5 January 2026
Dubai-based real estate developer Meraas, part of Dubai Holding Group, has announced the residential masterplan for its Dubai Design District development.
The masterplan spans 18 million square feet and encompasses residential, cultural, retail and hospitality assets.
The masterplan comprises five areas. The first includes residential and hospitality assets alongside a waterfront promenade.
The second area will feature residential buildings along with retail and dining assets.
The third area will include performance venues and mid-rise residences overlooking the D3 Bowl.
The fourth area will comprise a wellness-focused residential cluster.
The final area will include creative assets such as galleries, studios and other spaces.
Meraas said in a statement that the defining feature of the masterplan is the Design Line, a fully shaded, pedestrian-first spine connecting the entire district.
The spine will feature art, creative installations, community spaces and landscaped corridors.
The announcement follows Meraas awarding a AED340m ($92m) contract for the construction of residential buildings in the Riwa phase of the Madinat Jumeirah Living development in Dubai.
The contract was awarded to the local construction firm Al-Sahel Contracting.
The project comprises three 10-storey residential buildings housing 244 one- to three-bedroom units.
Construction has begun, and the project is slated for completion in 2027.
In November last year, Meraas awarded a AED1.9bn ($517m) contract to build 642 three-, four- and five-bedroom villas as part of the first phase of its residential community, The Acres, located in Dubailand.
The contract was awarded to the local firm United Engineering Construction Company.
The masterplan includes 1,200 villas with three to seven bedrooms.
Meraas’ latest project contract awards in Dubai reflect heightened real estate activity in the UAE’s construction market. Schemes worth more than $323bn are in execution or planning stages, according to UK-based analytics firm GlobalData.
The company forecasts that output from the UAE’s residential construction sector will grow by 3% in real terms between 2026 and 2029, supported by developments in infrastructure, energy and utilities, as well as residential construction projects.
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The request for qualifications (RFQs) was issued by the municipality’s Sewerage and Recycled Water Projects Department (SRPD).
The bid submission deadline is 26 February.
The first scheme under the package is TF-16-C1, which involves upgrading and rehabilitating the stormwater system east of the Dubai Canal.
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Modon tenders Ras El-Hekma construction contracts
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Abu Dhabi-based developer Modon Holding has tendered several contracts as part of the first phase of development at Ras El-Hekma, a planned new city on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast.
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