CBNME visited the site on which upon completion will host 580 retail stores including 30 anchor stores and 80 flagship luxury stores, 190 dining outlets and a 13,200-square meter hypermarket.
Meydan One, which is currently under development as part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City in Dubai, has announced that the project is on track for its launch in early 2020 with 60 percent of structural work already completed.
The Meydan One project is Dubai’s latest centerpiece development aimed at enhancing the emirate’s mall landscape through a wholly reimagined approach that combines retail, hospitality, and entertainment and leisure experiences.
Strategically located at a 20-minute drive from the Dubai International Airport, Meydan One is a sprawling, next-generation destination that offers immersive lifestyle experiences, world-class design, entrepreneurship, and technologies, reaffirming Dubai’s vision to become the preferred global hub for tourism and shopping.
Meydan One will integrate indoor and outdoor spaces featuring key attractions such a 1-kilometer ski slope, a heritage village, white sandy beach and water park, hotels, and hotel apartments, as well as the largest dancing water fountain in the world.
Speaking on the progress of the project, Fahad Kazim, Vice President – Meydan Malls, Meydan Group, said: “We are changing the way the Middle East thinks of mall concepts today. Meydan One has been envisioned as a ‘place for everyone’, which means it seeks to accommodate varied needs and expectations. We are doing this by collaborating with the community to create a highly-integrated multifunctional hub for all nationalities and segments of the population. In addition, we are aiming to ensure that space has a significant layer of digitization to allow us to connect with consumer needs in a wholly unique way.”
Upon completion, Meydan One will host 580 retail stores including 30 anchor stores and 80 flagship luxury stores, 190 dining outlets and a 13,200-square meter hypermarket. These will be located across indoor and outdoor spaces oriented by an iconic retractable sky lit atrium space named the “Canyon” measuring 160 meters by 100 meters, featuring flexible areas for events and entertainment as well as unique al fresco dining experiences.
Azmi Abuhantash, Project Director, Turner International Middle East, commented on the efficiency at which the construction is progressing, “By establishing a Concrete batching plant facility early on site and the use of locally based Pre-fabrication facilities, the logistics for the structural works have been simplified to optimise the time, energy and expenses involved in the construction, while also ensuring that the work is carried out in seamless shifts round-the-clock. The development incorporates some unique elements, such as the Canyon Roof structure which is supported by structural steel columns which are built to be completely non-intrusive to the open space of the atrium. There is a phenomenal amount of planning and attention to detail with regards to construction logistics, sequencing of activities, access, and safety of this special construction being invested in the construction to meet the timelines of the this challenging Project.”
Erik Hokanson, Design Director, AE7, the full-service architectural firm behind the development of Meydan One, said: “Meydan One is being purpose-built to offer an exceptional community and retail experience. As the destination materializes, we are seeing its unique elements coming together to deliver an all-encompassing lifestyle hub. Right from the planning to its construction, Meydan One incorporates progressive and sustainable design to align with Dubai’s iconic infrastructure and vision to be at the center of the global tourism and business landscape. This is certainly slated to become an integral part of Dubai’s entertainment and retail experience.”
With the aim of encouraging community interaction and providing a platform for local and international talent, Meydan One will house a multipurpose civic plaza with a capacity to host 30,000 people at any given point of time to facilitate a diverse range of cultural and entertainment activities for visitors of all ages.
A key attraction within the development, the dancing water fountain will span a phenomenal 380 meters in length enhanced by a choreographed three-dimensional water field and digital color array.
In addition, an 8.2-kilometer Crystal Lagoon within Meydan One will feature over 500-meters of white sandy beaches, an exclusive beach club with a lounge area, as well as activities such as sea kayaking, paddle boats and water park facilities for adults and kids.
Adding to this is the development’s ‘Experience Zone’, which spans 28,000 square meters, and features carefully programmed innovative entertainment, traditional and extreme sports, edutainment and e-gaming experiences. The Experience Zone will also feature a multi-purpose sports arena with regulation size courts and designated versatile multi-sports areas.
Erik Hokanson remarked, “Meydan One is strategically designed to be surrounded by water elements on all sides, including the Dubai Water Canal, the natural water canal system called the Crystal Lagoon, and the incredible dancing fountains, making this a highly unique and exceptional entertainment and lifestyle destination. The retractable sky-lit atrium called the Canyon – a unique architectural undertaking – will function as an aesthetic versatile feature to facilitate the year-round enjoyment of the entertainment, dining, community and retail spaces of the destination.”
Another unique element of the Meydan One is the way in which the infrastructure has been laid out to be easily accessible, with ample parking, from any of the multiple entry points of the destination. This is an extremely well-planned project which we are very happy to be associated with.
Meydan One aims to integrate a new approach to leasing contracts by moving away from a traditional approach to tenant-landlord relationships. “The dynamics of the tenant-landlord relationship used to be quite different and is changing for the better. Critical insights need to be exchanged between the tenant as well as the landlord, while educating each other, building a robust, successful and trustworthy relationship,” says Fahad Kazim.
Meydan One also seeks to disrupt the traditional retail experience through reinventing convenience and ease of movement with advanced wayfinding solutions. This disruption will also be embodied in Meydan One’s virtual platform to ensure seamless accessibility and customer service.
Seeking to drive startup innovation in the region, Meydan One will also feature an incubation district as a fully-enabled plug-and-play facility for up-and-coming entrepreneurs in fashion, beauty, and F&B, among others. These dedicated startup spaces will offer tenants competitive leasing incentives and positioning through careful curation, mentorship, and support to take new businesses from emerging brands to global ones – born in Dubai and proudly nurtured in Meydan One.
The destination differentiates itself through its progressive leasing mix that will allocate nearly 50 percent of its leasable area to F&B and entertainment including a 21-screen cinema with a deconstructed food court hosting an additional 20 outlets. The development will be serviced by car parking facilities with more than 12,000 spaces.