Underwater villas are already a reality in Dubai, and a second developer has announced the launch of a new set of floating homes in the Emirate.
Dutch developer New Living on Water (NLW) will present the organic-shaped residences at Cityscape Global next month. The company expects regional sales worth $50 million (Dh183.6 million) over the first 12 months, and at least double that in 2017-18, it said in a statement.
While many new projects will be unveiled on the Cityscape exhibition floors at Dubai World Trade Centre from 6-8 September, NLW believes it has a star attraction thanks to a combined focus on luxury, privacy, environmental sustainability and renewable energy.
The homes will be anchored to a luxury beachfront hotel, but the developer did not offer any names. “Our newly-developed floating residences guarantee both the privacy and nature that people are looking for,” said NLW’s managing director and co-owner, Menno de Roos.
“A lot of people nowadays live in very densely populated areas, and for most of them this is no problem in everyday life. But the need for some privacy and the inner need of being connected to nature has always been with us, and that’s what we’re offering.”
He said the homes were developed for a very small niche market, and designed with sustainability in mind in order to create mutual respect between humans and environment. Renewable energy sources are used as much as possible in their construction, he added.
The floating homes have been developed by NLW in cooperation with CIG, an industrial conglomerate engaged in shipbuilding, constructional design and production for complex architectural projects and the renewable energy industry worldwide.
They will join a huge range of projects brought together by the 15th edition of Cityscape Global which will span across 41,000sqm of exhibition space.
The exhibition returns to Dubai as the brand continues to expand. Next March the inaugural Cityscape India will be launched in Mumbai to add to other events already in Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Doha, Istanbul, Jeddah, Kuwait City and Seoul.
Registration is now open at the website Cityscapeglobal.com.
