The Journal

Four Seasons Private Residences on Saadiyat Beach stands as a compelling example of branded luxury living, and a clear signal of Abu Dhabi's growing ambition in the high-end residential market. That ambition was recently brought into sharp focus by a record-setting deal completed by Abu Dhabi Sotheby's International Realty. The sale of a five-bedroom penthouse for AED 200 million carries weight for both the Four Seasons and Sotheby's International Realty names, and speaks directly to the rising demand for super prime homes in the capital.

Andalusian references have appeared in Abu Dhabi residential design for more than a decade. At Ansam on Yas Island, Aldar used an explicitly Andalusian style across the original apartment development overlooking Yas Links and the waterfront. More recently, the same influence has appeared on a considerably larger scale at Hudayriyat Golf Estates, where Andalusian-inspired homes are being planned alongside fairways, water channels and sheltered outdoor spaces.

A golf address in Abu Dhabi can mean quite different things depending on how closely the course is woven into residential life. At Yas Acres, homes were planned around a nine-hole course; on Saadiyat Island, established villas sit near the Gary Player-designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; Hudayriyat Golf Estates, meanwhile, is being developed around a new 95-hectare championship course.

Abu Dhabi’s newest waterfront developments are taking markedly different forms. On Saadiyat Island, new residences are being added beside cultural institutions and established beach communities; elsewhere, island projects are taking shape around marinas, private docks and large standalone homes. Al Maryah offers an altogether different interpretation, bringing branded residences to the water’s edge within the capital’s financial district.

The final phase of the Saadiyat Island masterplan will begin, rather fittingly, at the water’s edge. Abu Dhabi has announced Marsa Al Saadiyat, a new urban district spanning 6.4 million square metres and representing an investment of AED100 billion. The project forms part of the capital’s continuing effort to improve quality of life while strengthening its international standing as a place to live, visit and invest.