When it comes to innovative ideas for malls in Dubai, the tap never runs dry, as evidence again showed in the latest announcement of a new one-of-a-kind project: the Cityland mall.
In a country where six in 10 residents visit the mall weekly; perhaps building a new mall might not seem like seem like a bad idea in the slightest.
Cityland is not like any other mall though, developed by the same group that created the Dubai Miracle Garden, the Cityland Mall will be the world’s first ever nature-inspired shopping centre.
“Gardens and food really are the new anchors for malls of this decade,” says Fahim Sharfuddin, CEO of Cityland Group. The massive project, which will cover an area of 200,000sq ft, split into six different cultural pavilions, will cost them a staggering AED 1.2 billion.
The mall is expected to be completed by 2018, will have an open-air garden in its core; as well as, a Japanese garden, a rooftop garden and a cluster of restaurants and cafés.
Located near Global Village, it will have a 300-year-old tree garden serving as one of its main attractions, in addition to a water park and a 500m running track.
At the moment, 30 per cent of the shopping complex’s leasing have been attained including an area for a hypermarket (which will be operated by Carrefour), a family entertainment centre (Fabyland) and a cinema (VOX).
Dubai never disappoints, neither are they ever content; not the first time we hear about a new massive shopping mall, neither is it going to be the last.
