The ancient art of feng shui, which aims to create harmony and balance within a space, may be an essential key to a happier and more prosperous life.
XPRESS set out to determine if some of Dubai's major real estate projects – past and present – would receive the feng shui seal of approval.
We asked two of the emirate's respected Feng Shui consultants – Priya Khanna and Samita Khanna (no relation) – to give us their expert opinion.
Shaikh Zayed Road
Priya: It was constructed when the energy was in the centre of the city but now that the energy has shifted what was once the most important address in the UAE has lost its importance. The buildings on Shaikh Zayed Road are not so conducive to feng shui.
Samita: Overall, the feng shui is not very good. There is a lot of energy that comes from the road but because it's a straight road and not a meandering one, the movement of energy is so fast that it doesn't enter the premises. Residents facing Emirates Towers should be aware that they're facing two pointed arrows that are hitting them.
Festival City
Priya: In the next five years, Festival City will become a booming area because of its location in the south-east and where it sits beside the Creek. The open areas of Festival City allow the energy to meander and flow, which means residents and businesses will encounter a lot of energy.
Samita: It appears to be a very nice development. They have the entire site around the creek and are also doing some stunning landscaping. There is a very attractive waterfront mall and an opera house coming up on an island in the creek. The whole place seems to have a very good energy flow and has a good balance of buildings and open spaces.
Dubai Marina
Priya: The water energy has brought to it prosperity. However, the construction of the Jumeirah Beach Residence has caused a block between the Marina and the sea. The colour of the JBR buildings is a very strong beige, the colour of the earth, which means the prosperity energy will be exhausted by the earth elements.
Samita: JBR buildings facing the water will get a lot of energy but those facing the back will not do as well. Those buildings blocked by JBR are getting very little energy and may face personal and business concerns.
The Palm
Priya: When you arrive over the flyover of The Palm, you can't glimpse the sea. If I can't see the sea, the energy can't see the sea. This means that opportunities will take a long time to come and it will not be smooth flow.
Samita: The Palm isn't very feng shui-friendly. It's an island and too much of any element can be damaging as it amounts to drowning. However, the apartments or villas facing the sea will be fabulous. But when houses and buildings face each other, there's a clash of energy and confusion in its flow.
Business Bay
Priya: From a feng shui point of view, it's brilliant planning and fabulously done. All the buildings are beautifully angled so that the right angle corners are not directed towards the next building. In addition, the buildings are spread out which gives a huge sense of openness between the buildings.
Samita: People should invest in landscaping around the building. Some of the smaller plots are a bit too close for comfort. By and large, the design has been done in a very friendly fashion as they have roads flowering around, landscaping throughout and they've brought the Creek in.
Meet the experts
Priya Khanna:
Priya is the owner of Elements Feng Shui, the first licensed firm established in the UAE. She offers online consultations throughout the Gulf, Europe and India and specialises in Traditional Feng Shui, Esoteric Feng Shui, Chinese Destiny Analysis and the I-Ching Divination.
Samita Khanna:
Samita is a certified Master Practitioner of the art and the founder of Feng Shui Arabia and counts Emaar among her clients.
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