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Cityscape Global 2016 kicks off amid bullish market forecasts

dubai - There has been a spate of project unveilings and announcements by major developers

Cityscape Global, showcasing some of the most spectacular real estate developments from across the region, kicked off on Tuesday with a spate of project unveilings and announcements by major developers amid brightening prospects forecast for the property industry in the Middle East.
The 15th edition of the exhibition, running till September 8 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, was inaugurated by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Shaikh Mohammed, accompanied by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, toured the show where leading UAE developers have put on display their latest mega projects.

These include some of the landmark projects being developed by Dubai Holdings, Nakheel, Emaar Properties, Dubai Properties, Deyaar and Damac.

Stealing the limelight at the three-day event are the mega projects, including the $20 billion Jumeirah Central by Dubai Holdings; Nakheel's Palm 360, a twin-tower hotel and residential project with penthouses and apartments for sale located on the Palm's western crescent; Emaar's The Tower, set to be Dubai's tallest building at Dubai Creek Harbour; and The Villages and The Pulse, billed as the first city in the world centred around the happiness of its residents by master developer Dubai South.

Emaar is also showcasing its other developments, including Dubai Hills Estate, a joint venture with Meraas Holding.

Deyaar has on display The Atria, a twin-tower project located in Business Bay; the Montrose tower development in Dubai Science Park; and the Midtown project, a community in Dubai Production City.

Al Mazaya Holding from Kuwait is showcasing projects in Dubai, including Q-Point and Q-Line projects, and its other developments in Muscat and Turkey.

Eagle Hills, an Abu Dhabi-based private real estate investment company, and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced at the show the sale launch of the Fairmont Residences La Marina Rabat-Salé.

Dubai-based property developer Omniyat announced the opening of 505 five-star hotel rooms and 495 deluxe serviced apartments in Dubai by 2020. Mark Phoenix, managing director of Omniyat, revealed the developer's plans to make its debut on Dubai's hospitality scene with the highly-anticipated The Opus along with a number of other high-profile developments across the city.

Cityscape Global has a line-up of international exhibitors from across Europe, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Maldives and Pakistan. Turkish exhibitors, who are committed to the exhibition following recent developments in the country, are in full force, led by Agaoglu Group.

As the first rush of visitors entered the exhibition halls at the Dubai World Trade Centre to examine the mind-boggling range of developments from across the region and overseas, experts had already provided fascinating insights into what the immediate future holds for the property market.

While the shape of things to come in real estate is based on new and emerging technology, architects and designers assembling at Cityscape Global have already been told that in order to ensure a sustainable future for the property market, they must revive ancient knowledge and make use of timeless traditional methods.

This was one of the powerful messages delivered at the Cityscape Conference, themed 'Discovering the Future of Real Estate,' which preceded the exhibition on Monday and attracted 1,200 delegates to the Conrad Hotel Dubai.
In presenting a view of the UAE's skyline 20 years from now, Jane Duncan, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, stressed the importance of incorporating traditional techniques into design of modern property.

Duncan said today's architects should embrace and revive design and construction methods which helped Dubai's development from a fishing port to a commercial hub by keeping buildings cool using shade, wind and thermally-driven ventilation, as well as naturally insulating, reflective materials.

The Cityscape Conference featured three dedicated sessions: market overview, architecture and real estate brokers, with prominent speakers including Ahmed Al Ansari, acting CEO, Dubai South; Lara Al Barazi, research director at YouGov, UAE; Ahmed Al Khatib, vice-president of real estate at Expo 2020; and senior representatives from the Dubai Land Department.

- issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com