Capitalising on the ever-exciting market that is Dubai, Sobha Realty is leading the charge with its avant-garde architecture.
COMPELLING, CAPTIVATING CONSTRUCTION
A city renowned for striking superlatives, Dubai’s architectural industry has become transcendent in recent decades.
From the world’s tallest building in the form of the Burj Khalifa, standing at 830 metres (2.76 times taller than the Eiffel Tower), to the weird and wonderful of the Dubai Frame, Museum of the Future, Cayan Tower and Burj Al Arab, it’s a city that has become renowned for creativity, innovation and imagination.
It is worth noting that the region is not all show, however.
According to Knight Frank’s data, $1 million can purchase 143 square metres of space in Dubai, compared to 16 square metres in Monaco, 22 square metres in Hong Kong, and 31 square metres in New York and London. Further, it continues to rank the highest for living quality across the Middle East according to the Mercer Quality of Living Index.
For this reason, Muscat, Oman-based multinational real estate and construction company, Sobha Group, identified an opportunity back in 2003.
Seeking to capitalise on the region’s rapidly growing demand for world-class infrastructure, combined with economic prospects in the form of sustainable growth and a blossoming pool of international talent, the company which started out as an interior decoration firm in 1976 has excelled in the region in the 16 years since expanding.
Highly regarded as a leading international luxury developer, Sobha Realty, the Dubai-based spearhead of Sobha Group, has continued to redefine the real estate value chain through a multitude of flagship developments.
A NEW HEARTLAND
The most notable of these is Sobha Hartland.
An eight million square foot waterfront community consisting of luxury apartments and housing, the development situated in Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City close to the Burj Khalifa will showcase some of Sobha Realty’s most iconic work, evidenced by the One Park Avenue apartment block.
Defined by breath-taking views and stunning living spaces, the facility will feature fully automated lighting, air conditioning and curtains; state-of-the-art biometric security systems; smart and sustainable water faucets; noise cancelling façade systems; a smart gym; electric vehicle parking and charging stations; and six sky gardens, each with a unique theme.
Meanwhile, the company is also developing Hartland Greens as part of the expansive project – a collection of six mid-rise buildings set amidst 2.4 million square feet of green space – and 282 villas that will be up to 17,000 square feet in size.
Each of these three diversified components will be located within five minutes’ drive from the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, the Meydan Racecourse, the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, the metro line and the Dubai canal walkway.
Accommodation draped in grandeur and splendour aside, however, the neighbourhood is also set to include a number of high-end amenities such as two international schools – Hartland International School and North London Collegiate School.
“Designed with world-class facilities aimed at stimulating a passion for knowledge, these are the finest schools to pave the way for your child’s bright future,” Sobha Realty states on its website.
In addition, the Hartland Mall will take centre stage, housing elite brands from all over the world, while numerous cafes and restaurants will be strewn throughout the gated community, coupled by parks and gardens, to create a sociable, inclusive atmosphere.
AN UNRIVALLED SOCIAL AGENDA
Architecture is not the only front on which Sobha Realty excels, however.
With the organisation headed up by its Founder and Chairman Puthan Neduvakkatt Chenthamaraksha (PNC) Menon, an Omani billionaire businessman, corporate social responsibility is another area in which the company shines, both in Dubai and across the globe.
The Sobha Rural Women Empowerment Program, for example, sees the expenses of 50 widowed mothers including clothing and medical bills being covered, while educational funding is also provided to their children with the goal of offering them life-changing opportunities.
Empowering youth is similarly a key agenda in the Sobha Icon initiative which provides a platform for less fortunate students to flourish. What’s more, the Sobha Academy, based in India, offers quality education to 900 students at no cost, again helping to break the vicious cycle of poverty for numerous families.
Aside from education, the Sobha brand also facilitates a social weddings scheme that has helped to fund over 500 weddings to date, runs a green initiative to reduce the group’s carbon footprint and impact the environment in a positive manner, and operates a healthcare centre in Panchayat, India, providing free consultations, check-ups and treatments.
“Mr Menon’s philanthropy has positively changed the lives of thousands, with half of his wealth committed to charitable organisations,” Sobha Realty states. “His devotion to humanitarian causes has not only earned him admirable accolades but the hearts of people around the world.”
It is this passion, reflected in both its architectural excellence and its community upliftment strives, that stands Sobha Group and in turn Sobha Realty apart.
Be it the 70 professionals employed in its design studio who champion creativity, or its commitment to sourcing the best materials from the best manufacturers across the world, the company continues to reach lofty heights due to an adherence to industry best practices.
Combine this with the firm’s relevant, high-end, ideally located developments in Dubai, and the next half decade looks bright for the company as it strives to complete the Hartland development by 2024.
