Property | General
Being neighbourly
Community living is probably something everyone would like to see more of in Dubai. We visit the Al Furjan development to get a glimpse of Nakheel's latest offering in the property sector.
- By Erin McCafferty, Freelance Writer
- Published: 17:30 May 5, 2009
- Image Credit:
- This ambitious project, set in the middle of the desert, offers more than 4,000 three-, five- and six-bedroom villas, with schools, mosques and amenities nearby, plus easy access to the nearby roads.
One unfortunate aspect of modern city life is a dwindling
lack of community. A tendency towards long working hours
and living alone in apartment blocks has led to a state of isolation.
Dubai, like many modern cities around the world, is no exception. Once upon a time it would have been unheard of not to know your neighbours but, now it's almost become the
norm.
That's one of the reasons why the latest development from property giant Nakheel is a breath of fresh air. Designed specifically to encourage a sense of community, the Al Furjan development was designed according to the concept that people need each other and that, especially in a family environment, community is all important.
This ambitious project, set in the middle of the desert, offers more than 4,000 three-, five- and six-bedroom villas, with schools, mosques and amenities nearby, plus easy access to the nearby roads.
What's more, the beauty of Al Furjan (meaning a collection of small houses or a village) is that rather than being miles and miles from the city, it is centrally located behind the Discovery Gardens within close proximity of Jebel Ali, Emirates Road and Shaikh Zayed Road.
Mohammad Rashid, general manager, Al Furjan, is proud that half the villas have been completed, and that all villas have been sold despite the pricetags, which range from Dhs2.5 million to Dhs10 million. It is now hoped that the remainder will be completed by 2010.
“The response from the public has been really great,'' he enthuses. “People liked what they saw and we got very positive feedback. It's rewarding because we spent a lot of time and effort researching the target market.
We focused on families of different nationalities and listened to their needs. We wanted to do something different and create a development with a real sense of community.'' It is unusual to find a project like this, one that has been planned with community in mind, but designed so that people can walk around it.
One obvious aspect of the complex is the abundance of
space. Rather than being crammed together, the villas have been built with plenty of outdoor space, including walkways, paths and trees.
Each villa has a small garden area which allows for greenery, and also comes with parking spaces (two for the three- and fivebedroom villas and three for the six).
Externally, the homes come in two different elegant styles: Dubai and Cortege style: the latter takes elements of traditional North African architecture, such as arches and tiling, and features Mediterranean-style white walls to reflect the heat. The interiors are equally pleasing with spacious rooms.
Buyers can choose between contemporary and traditional
Arabian style interiors, with all fittings included and finished to a high standard.
The contemporary style is typically minimalist, with clean lines, marble tiling in the bathrooms and dark oak finishes on the kitchen surfaces.
The Arabian style, which reflects a refreshing trend towards reverting to traditional design, is more ornate with wrought−iron balustrades on the stairs, marble staircases and an emphasis on luxury fittings.
Both styles of interiors have been designed using a colour palette of neutral creams, beiges, greys and browns to allow the owner to put his own individual stamp on each room.
The most striking part of this development is the planning of the villas, has been well thought out with subtle touches. The very large secret pantry in the kitchen, for example, is a perfect place for storage.
It's almost a room in itself and is completely hidden from
the outside. The maid's room located next to the kitchen is generous in size, as are the bathrooms.
All five- and six-bedroom villas offer en-suite bathrooms. The three-bedroom villa has an en-suite master bedroom and
another ample bathroom for the two smaller rooms.
The balconies are also expansive and even the secondary balconies are large by comparison with other modern developments.
After visiting the Al Furjan show village, which is currently open to the public, it is easy to imagine families and couples of different nationalities living contentedly there.
With children playing in the surrounding areas, neighbours coming and going, and friends being invited over for dinner parties on hot summer evenings, is it any wonder that the public has responded so positively?
It looks likely that Al Furjan will set a new benchmark in terms of community living−one that future developments will no doubt emulate.
Watch this space…
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