Dubai: A new shopping destination that is set to break another world record for Dubai is almost complete, and its developers have shared images to fill UAE residents in on what to expect when doors open anytime between October and December this year.
Cityland Mall, the future world’s first nature-inspired retail complex being built in Dubailand, will feature hundreds of thousands of blooms from plants that will cover up to 5.7 acres of space in winter or 4.5 acres during summer.
And that’s just the “Central Park” of the mall, the giant open-air arena that will serve as the centerpiece of the Dh1.2-billion project.
All throughout the interior of the mall, there will be patches of green, including palm trees and other species of plants, so that shoppers can enjoy nature as they wander about the halls or do some shopping.
“The ‘nature-inspired’ concept will not be restricted to the central park, but throughout the mall including indoors and outdoors, mall entrances, food and beverage and other key areas,” Abdel Naser Rahhal, vice chairman of Cityland Group, told Gulf News.
The group is the company behind the Dubai Miracle Garden, a floral park featuring 250 million blooms from 50 million plants. This is precisely why Cityland’s main arena will somewhat resemble the look and feel of the existing park, featuring colourful blooms of nearly every shade.
“The space designated to the landscaped garden [in the central park] will vary from hotter to cooler months in the region, with a minimum of 200,000 square feet during summer, and to 250,000 square feet in winter,” added Rahhal.
The commercial spaces around the central park will have restaurants with outdoor terraces, allowing diners to enjoy garden views.
The pathway leading into the grand entrance will be lined with trees.
And as shoppers walk into the entrance hall, they will be welcomed by a fountain surrounded with trees.
The shopping halls will be segregated into different sections to feature themes like European, Arabic or African, and each is distinct on its own.
A number of the restaurants in the mall will also have roof top terraces, offering diners more Instagram-worthy views of the central park.
According to Rahhal, the mall is generating a high level of interest from businesses who are looking to set up new shops, and so far, about 50 per cent of the space has been taken.
“We have been delighted with the level of interest from the retail community. Many retailers, restaurateurs and service providers are convinced that the mall will provide the most convenient shopping destination for residents,” said Rahhal.
The mall will have a Carrefour hypermarket, Vox Cinemas and Fabyland, a family entertainment centre.
Work on the 100,000-square-foot grocery section of the mall is almost complete and the space will be ready for handover before the end of this month, while the two major entertainment anchors, the cinemas and indoor amusement park, will be turned over either this month or in April.
By the end of June, most of the tenants of the mall can come in and start their fit-out works.
