Palm Jebel Ali - Dubai, United Arab Emirates LOCATION: CLIENT: Dubai Tony Perrin Senior Development Manager Dubai Waterfront Co LLC PROJECT SIZE: 1000 acres SCOPE OF WORK: Urban Design and Landscape Architecture OTHER CONSULTANT TEAM MEMBERS: Roberts Day, Fender Katsalidis Mirams, Royal Haskoning, Mid Atlantic Enterprises, Studio LFA, UrbisJHD, Africans, Cardno, GHD and WL/Delft Emirates. DATE BEGUN: January 2007 SWA PROJECT TEAM: Kevin Shanley Geoff Turnbull James Vick Crescent D The Crown The Floating Proverb Crescent B The Spine and Fronds Crescent E The Trunk Crescent A Gateway Bridge S u m m e r 2 0 0 7
PROJECT DESCRIPTION The Palm is one of the world s most iconic development projects. A trilogy of man-made, palm shaped islands, Palm Jumeirah, Jebel Ali and Deira are three landmarks located off the coast of Dubai, and are destined to elevate the city s position as a premier global tourist destination. When completed the Palm will increase Dubai s shoreline by a total of 520 kms and will include over 100 luxury hotels, 10,000 exclusive residential beachside villas, 5,000 shoreline apartments, marinas, water theme parks, restaurants, shopping malls, sports facilities, health spas, cinemas and extensive dive sites. The second island in the Palm trilogy, Palm Jebel Ali is located in Dubai Waterfront. It was created with a vision of becoming an unparalleled getaway for residents and visitors alike, with an array of luxury hotels, water homes, a poem written by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, beachside villas, shoreline apartments, dive sites and a variety of entertainment and leisure activities. The Palm Jebel Ali is being built in the shape of a date palm and consist of a trunk and fronds, framed by a crown and four crescent islands which serve as a breakwater, creating an internal lagoon suitable for swimming and passive water-based recreation. Palm Jebel Ali is a mixed-use development with commercial, retail, residential and hospitality. Spanning 7.5 kilometers end to end with 1000 acres of reclaimed land and accommodating 250,000 residents, workers and visitors. The fronds and each of the outer islands (Crescents) are conceived as an exclusive, primarily residential community, with the trunk serving as the major commercial, retail and leisure destination for the Palm. In December 2006, Nakheel met with SWA in Dubai to invite us to the project. Following a critical review of the master planning work done to date, Nakheel sort a comprehensive approach to the planning and design of Palm Jebel Ali that draws on the endorsed principals of the Madinat Al Arab master plan. As a part of a large, multidisciplinary team, SWA attended visioning workshops in early 2007 with the express purpose of creating and assisting in the development of a Detailed Planning and Design document that will serve as the primary means of developing the over 1000 acres of reclaimed land. Rendering of the smaller Palm Jumierah. Palm Jebel Ali is three times its size. Like Palm Jebel Ali, the most complex entity of Palm Jumierah was the Trunk. Palm Jebel Ali, Madinat Al Arab & Dubai Waterfront Area. The Welcome Island or Gateway with Royal Haskoning s Welcome Island. The ultimate build-out of the Palms is depicted above. Palm Jebel Ali is to the right. Aerial View of the Welcome Island with Royal Haskoning Bridge.
Aerial photograph of the reclaimed Palm Jebel Ali, with the Palm Jebel Ali Resort Golf and Spa in the foreground. Illustrating all the elements that contribute to the Palm Jebel Ali whole, this computer generated massing model shows the proposed structure of Crescents B, D and E. The built form of the Crescents surrounds and protects the interior. Akin to Islamic tradition, the design replicates the structure of the ancient cities of Persia, where the walled exterior protects the soft heart. Rendered in green and yellow is the Trunk and Spine, and rendered in yellow are the Fronds and Crown to the top. Palaces are proposed for the Crown to be owned solely by Emirates and Royalty.
Computer generated massing model of Crescent D - looking toward the Crown (in light yellow), with the top of the fronds and Crescent B on the horizon. Note the diminishing massing of the built form as Crescent D meets the Crown. External Marinas and breakwaters will serve Crescent D s ferry terminal, providing pick-up and drop off for the variety of marine based transport systems. Cruise ships will also be able to berth, serving the five star resorts rendered in green. Outer marinas will also serve the Crown with superyacht berths and exclusive Yachtclubs. Computer generated massing model of Crescent B - looking toward the coastline, Fronds, Spine, Trunk and Crescent A. Integral to the urban design is the visible connection to the sea, where boulevards and streets all lead to the sea or focal points therein. The various colors represent landuse types, with blue representing the dominance of residential.
Maximizing seaviews the massing of Crescent E is designed to ascend to the center (on the lagoon side) and conversely on the seaward side. Landuse plan for Crescent E. Note the floating proverb in the lagoon or beach side and an option to locate floating homes on the seaward side.
The built form of Crescent E continues into Crescent D but drops dramatically with the location of the five star resorts rendered in red below. Landuse plan for Crescent D. Elements of the floating proverb will serve as exclusive bungalows and water homes related to the resorts.
Below: Crescent D and E s transport and roading network. Central to Crescent E s design is the main boulevard, moving commuters to and from the Palm. With a central light rail system, this grade separated boulevard is bridged by land bridges serving both sides of the Crescent community. Notice also the finer grain urban form of Crescent D as it breaks down toward the Crown (to the left). Above: Section of the central boulevard in Crescent E. Below: Beach promenade esplanade.
Below: Crescent D and E s open space framework. On the seaward side of the Crescents is the Corniche (in blue) and on the lagoon side are the beach promenades (in yellow). Neighborhood parks, town squares and plaza s will all combine with pedestrian oriented community to give character and quality of place. SWA is currently negotiating to perform a detailed framework document for all open spaces within the Palm Jebel Ali, followed by full services. Below: Prototypical sections through the Corniche (left) and Beach Promenades (right) of the Crescents.
Above: The Trunk is by far the most complex entity of the Palm Jebel Ali. It will be composed of a variety of character precincts including the Welcome Island or Gateway from the mainland to the Trunk, with Royal Haskoning s bridge design (below), harbor front residential, commercial and civic areas, town and neighborhood centers, transit nodes, low to mid to high rise peninsula residential, promenades and esplanades.
Trunk Block Structure and Neighborhood Centers Trunk Landuse Plan Trunk Open Space Framework