District One: contemporary villas around the lagoon
Large contemporary villas, lagoon frontage and the Downtown skyline. Many owners here are customising, extending or completing houses to a far higher standard than delivered.
- City
- Dubai
- Master developer
- Meydan Sobha
- Typical work
- Lagoon-front plots and contemporary mansions
Typical projects
District One in Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City combines developer-built villas, mansions and plots for private builds. There are three kinds of project here: private builds on plots, the upgrade of developer villas to a bespoke specification, and fit-out of shell-and-core mansions. Each has a different relationship with the master developer and a different set of risks.
Things to plan for
- Developer guidelines. Design and alteration work is reviewed against the community's guidelines before the authority permit. Your consultant prepares the submissions.
- Upgrading developer villas. Changing finishes is straightforward. Moving services, enlarging openings or adding floor area is not, and should be priced with that in mind.
- Glass and heat. Large glazed façades facing the lagoon look spectacular and bring real solar gain. Glazing specification and cooling capacity need to be designed together.
How we help
Whether you are building on a plot or reworking a completed villa, we set the budget, help you choose the team, review cost and quality on your behalf and manage handover. Our background is contemporary, heavily glazed houses, which is exactly where detailing and coordination matter most.
Questions about District One, MBR City
Can I modify a developer-built villa in District One?
Do you handle fit-out of shell-and-core villas?
Services most relevant here
Renovations and extensions
Renovation is where budgets break. Old waterproofing, tired services and approvals that take longer than promised. We plan for all three before the first wall comes down.
New villa builds
A bespoke villa is a two-year project and, for most owners, a once-in-a-lifetime one. We make sure it lands on budget, on time and as you imagined it.
Cost and programme control
Every month you should know three numbers: what you've paid, what you've committed, and what it will cost to finish. Most owners only know the first.
Building or renovating in District One, MBR City?
A personal reply from Philip within one working day. The first conversation is free, and nothing you send us is shared.