UAE-based Al Ghurair Development has announced that it has signed up internationally-acclaimed practice Pelli Clarke & Partners as the lead masterplan design architect for its large-scale transit-connected, mixed-use masterplan community in Al Jaddaf, Dubai.

 Spanning 1 million sq ft of land across Dubai Creek Harbour, the development will bring together residential, commercial, cultural, and hospitality spaces within a walkable, mixed-use district neighbouring the planned HSR Etihad Station and the Creek Metro, said a statemen. 

The masterplan represents Al Ghurair Development’s largest and most ambitious project to date, and a significant step into district-scale development.

Founded in 1977, Pelli Clarke & Partners has shaped some of the most recognised urban landmarks of the past five decades, including the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, the World Financial Centre in New York, and Sales force Tower in San Francisco. 

The practice has also led the master planning of transformative mixed-use districts, most notably Porta Nuova in Milan and Azabudai Hills in Tokyo, both of which integrate transit connectivity, public space, and diverse programming into cohesive urban environments. 

The Al Jaddaf commission marks the practice's first masterplan in Dubai, bringing their internationally proven approach to the city for the first time.

The firm’s accolades include the AIA Gold Medal awarded to founder Cesar Pelli in 1995 and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the Petronas Towers in 2004.Pelli Clarke & Partners will design a comprehensive masterplan for a high-density district, including parks and community areas. The development will be designed to support a five-minute-city lifestyle, with daily needs, green spaces, and transit connections all accessible on foot.

On the contract award, CEO Sultan Al Ghurair said: "Al Jaddaf sits at the intersection of Dubai Creek and some of the most significant transit infrastructure planned for the city. That combination of waterfront and connectivity is rare, and it demands a development that thinks at the scale of a neighbourhood."

"Our vision is to deliver a master community that prioritises walkability, public life, and a genuine mix of uses, and in doing so, establish a new expression for how communities are planned in the UAE. Pelli Clarke & Partners brings decades of experience in complex, district-scale work internationally. We are proud to collaborate with them on a project of this ambition and scale,” stated Al Ghurair.

"True to its approach, Pelli Clarke & Partners will shape the Al Jaddaf masterplan around a strong public realm, designing streets and open spaces that give the community its identity and sense of place. The practice is known for creating environments that feel cohesive and lived-in, where the relationship between buildings, public spaces, and the surrounding context is considered from the outset. At Al Jaddaf, this means responding to the Creek, the area’s evolving connectivity and Al Ghurair Development’s vision for a neighbourhood that is vibrant, considered, and built to endure," he added.

The Al Jaddaf masterplan marks a key milestone for Al Ghurair Development, expanding the company’s portfolio from individual residential projects into large-scale district planning, said the company in a statement. 

It joins a growing body of work that includes The Weave in Jumeirah Village Circle, designed in collaboration with Australian architect Joe Adsett and now under construction, Wedyan on Dubai Canal, designed by Kengo Kuma under the Al Ghurair Collection super-prime brand, and upcoming residences in Dubai South by Portugal’s Aires Mateus, and in Wadi Al Safa 3 designed by Neri&Hu Design and Research Office, it stated.

Gregg Jones, AIA, Partner at Pelli Clarke & Partners, said: "Al Ghurair Development’s vision for Al Jaddaf is innovative and ambitious. The site's position on the Creek and its relationship to future transit infrastructure give this masterplan a strong foundation."

"Our role will be to translate that vision into a clear urban framework, one built around generous public spaces, a network of pedestrian connections, and a mix of uses that keep the district active and vibrant throughout the day. We are privileged to be working alongside Al Ghurair Development on a project of this scale and significance," he added.-TradeArabia News Service