Amana Contracting delivering phase one of D3.

The first phase of Dubai's Design District, D3, is set to start on site next year with the creation of 11 office buildings, with the first occupiers likely to take space late in 2016, according to a new masterplan unveiled at recent Cityscape Global event.

Work at the site, which has been designed by architecture firm Woods Bagot, is being built by Dubai-based Amana Contracting.

This will be followed by a second phase containing a mixed-use 'creative community' area that will feature pop-up boutiques, event space and galleries. This is set to come online by 2017. Following this, the third phase will see the site's creekside waterfront area developed, where a major event space will be created and where a number of design-led hotels and cafes are planned. It is due to be brought into the market by 2018.

Badr Al Gargawi, Tecom Investments' CEO of development and planning, said: 'The masterplan is located in the heart of Dubai near Dubai downtown. It is 21mn ft2 of space, has around 4,000 hotel rooms, office space for 10,000 people, 1.8km of waterfront and creative communities for around 4,000 designers and creative people.

'The unique thing about this masterplan is that it is not all about land,' he added, stating that the site will operate on a 24-hour basis.


constructionweekonline.com