ADh8 billion ($2.17 billion) signature beachfront residential development that will be located on the picturesque Dana Island in Ras Al Khaimah has been launched by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

The Indian movie icon has joined forces with TSA Group, a major player in the UAE real estate market, to launch the signature beachfront residential development in Ras Al Khaimah.
Named after the superstar and with design inspirations provided by the actor, Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard will be located on the Dh60 billion ($16.3 billion) Dana Island.
Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard marks the first time that the Indian actor, regarded as the face of modern Indian cinema, has become associated with a property development. Khan will work closely with the celebrity Los Angeles-based architect Tony Ashai in the design concept of a world-class beachfront community comprising 10 premium residential towers and featuring a diverse range of lifestyle amenities.
Announcing the project last month, Khan said: “I believe that residential properties must be a true reflection of the aspiration of the Arab world, and my vision for the project is to make life a celebration. I have lent my name to the project and I intend to share and transfer my passion for design and living spaces into this world class community that residents will be proud of.”
He added: “TSA Group has a strong reputation in modern community developments, and when they approached me with the project, I was impressed with two aspects: their commitment to develop a truly world-class project, and the exotic location of Dana Island in Ras Al Khaimah, which gives us the freedom of space and creativity to think afresh and come up with an innovative and invigorating living concept. Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard is all about bringing people together to live in harmony – amongst each other and with nature.”
Scheduled for completion in 2012, Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard will have modern residences including specially-designed studios, and one- and two-bedroom apartments and townhouses. Masterplanning by an international team of designers and architects will start shortly.
Offering spectacular views of the Arabian Sea, Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard gives residents a range of lifestyle amenities including health and fitness facilities and a children’s arcade. The beachfront features piers and boardwalks, and will also be a haven for marine sports and leisure.
A glass gateway opens onto the boulevard lined on the left with two-and-a-half-storey houses, dotted with stores, and on the right with 12-storey buildings. This leads to a piazza and boardwalk on the beach. The plan includes high-rises, apartments, townhouses, two SRK signature towers (with one apartment per floor, each with its own lift), shopping arcades, fitness and sports facilities, beachside cafes and marine activities.
In the evenings, the piazza will be transformed into a sit-in movie theatre with a large screen and Bluetooth-enabled headphones for hire.
Piers leading to an underwater disco and lounge, connected by an underwater tunnel, are among the ‘wild and fantastic plans’ for the boulevard, which is still in the design stage.
The project will become part of the larger, high-quality living environment of Dana Island, which will eventually house several world-class hotels, a shopping centre and commercial complexes over an area of 6.3 million sq m.
Development of Dana Island is being spearheaded by Rakeen, its master developer, which is the master planner and development arm of the Ras Al Khaimah government in the UAE.
Last month, Rakeen unveiled the new design of its Dana Island project during its participation at Cityscape Dubai 2008. With the improved design and new masterplan of Dana Island, every unit has either sea access or view, and new plots have also been created.
“From the state-of-the-art, habitat-preserving dredging technique being employed to its visionary design concept, Dana Island is truly in a class of its own. It is a concrete representation of the vision of Ras Al Khaimah, and realises Rakeen’s core values of sustainability, responsibility and prosperity,” said Marc-Henri Veyrassat, chief operating officer of Rakeen.
Dana Island is being developed to accommodate a range of commercial and residential complexes along with hotels and other forms of leisure and recreational facilities. The project extends 7 km into the sea and creates a total of more than 50 km of new coastline featuring white sand beaches that are maintained according to world-class standards.
Dana Island’s design consists of a main stem in three parts and 10 leaf-shaped islands. The project will be phased in two parts: intermediate and final phase, and upon completion, Dana Island will create an estimated 6.8 million sq m of land. The sand required for the construction will be sourced offshore, while rock materials will be sourced from various quarries in Ras Al Khaimah.
To build the island, Rakeen is using state-of-the-art construction techniques to ensure the preservation of the natural habitat. Rakeen has also appointed the international consultant Cowi to carry out an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the project, while an environmental management and monitoring plan is being implemented during the construction phase.
Rakeen has rejected “hostile dredging” techniques to create the man-made island and has employed a more environment-friendly approach for the construction of the mega project.
Consequently, Dana Island has been optimised to provide better water circulation, preserve marine life and ultimately enhance the living standard of the community development.
Rakeen is also developing a number of other projects in the emirate including the Al Marjan Island, Bab Al Bahr, RAK Financial City, Gateway City, RAK Convention Centre and Banyan Tree Resort.