Dubai: A Dubai developer is intent on recreating the Venice experience by just taking a ride in a car and a boat. And a helicopter if need be.
At Cityscape Global, the Kleindienst Group has brought to surface its most ambitious project yet – “The Floating Venice”, which will feature super-premium hotel rooms built on top of a “vessel”.
And here’s the most interesting fact in a project that has quite a few of them – one entire floor will be fully under water. This project will be moored as part of The World – a cluster of islands off the Dubai shores.
The hotel “landscape” will stretch over 37,000 square metres. That particular stretch of water – four kilometres from the shore - and the building rights on them were acquired recently, the Chairman said.
“It’s not a typical builder who will put it together but a boat builder,” said Josef Kleindienst. “We are working on the tenders right now.”
On whether the hotel being on a vessel, it can be shipped to other locations, Kleindienst said: “Technically, it can be… but that’s not the intention. We intend to deliver it by the last quarter of 2020, and this hope to derive gains from the Expo 2020, which would have commenced by then.”
Josef Kleindienst is not known for taking on projects that could be deemed conventional. It is building a six-island cluster called “Heart of Europe”, also on The World. And three of the islands are to be ready in 2018 and the rest by early 2018. Then there are the “Floating Seahorses”, essentially yachts with underwater living rooms. No less.
“You would be surprised how many people want to live inside the ocean,” the Chairman added. “We received feedback from 21,600 people and that was the reason why we decided to go in for an underwater luxury hotel.”
Featuring 414 rooms, the resort has a capacity of up to 3,000 guests daily, with the accommodation, restaurants and recreation split over four decks, one being underwater. Guests will arrive by boat, seaplane or helicopter to the main Piazza San Marco where they can check-in at the underwater lobby.
And here’s a nice touch - gondolas imported from Venice will transport guests to their cabins through the winding canals. Or if they are so inclined, take a stroll through canal side walkways and bridges to the cabins.
If all goes according to plan, The Floating Venice is designed to have a lifespan of at least 100 years. Construction is scheduled for early 2018 and completion by Q4-2020.
