Al Ghurair, one of the Middle East’s most established business groups, has announced the launch of Al Ghurair Collection, the super-prime residential portfolio of Al Ghurair Development, the freehold real estate division of the company. 

Created to represent the pinnacle of Al Ghurair’s six-decade legacy, the Collection makes its debut with Wedyan, a landmark waterfront residence along Dubai Canal. 

Designed by world-renowned architect Kengo Kuma, in his first project in the UAE, Wedyan delivers on Al Ghurair Collection’s commitment to originality and craftsmanship to create something never seen before in Dubai.

Soaring 46-storeys high, Wedyan boasts a total of 149 residences with a mix of three-, four-, and five-bedroom layouts, two full-floor penthouses and a three-storey sky villa. 

Some of the key features include generous outdoor living spaces purposefully designed to be multifunctional, for maximum comfort and liveability; additional back-of-house kitchen with separate access alongside the main kitchen, perfect for hosting catered dinner parties; and specialised glazing that protects owners' artworks from UV rays, said the developer. 

A selection of residences also come with standalone Japanese teahouse-inspired pavilions; easily adapted to suit residents' needs, they could make the perfect setting for morning meditations or serve as a one-of-a-kind recording studio, it stated.

Al Ghurair Collection is positioned as the most exclusive expression of Al Ghurair Development, reserved for residences of rare character in sought-after locations. Anchored in Al Ghurair's track record in contributing to the evolution of Dubai, the company has active interests in banking, development, foods and mobility, it added. 

The Al Ghurair family established the region's first shopping mall and mixed-use concept in 1981, the first private insurance company in 1975 and the first private bank in 1967, said the statement. 

The company has also been involved in major infrastructure projects such as Dubai Metro and the façade glazing of Burj Khalifa. To date, Al Ghurair has built and managed more than 20,000 residential and commercial units in Dubai, alongside nearly 1,000 hotel rooms and serviced units, it stated.

Sultan Al Ghurair, CEO of Al Ghurair Development, said: "Al Ghurair Collection marks a new chapter for us. It is a natural evolution of our commitment to the progress of the city."

"As Dubai has grown into one of the world's most dynamic and successful destinations, and is increasingly drawing sophisticated residents from all over the world, the time felt right to introduce what we feel is the ultimate expression of exceptional living to be found here," he stated.

"We created Al Ghurair Collection to develop buildings that don't exist elsewhere. Our search for an architect that shares our commitment to originality and obsession with detail led us to Kengo Kuma, a visionary with a truly unique design perspective," he added.

John Iossifidis, Group CEO of Al Ghurair, said the new collection represents a defining milestone for Dubai’s real estate sector and reflects Al Ghurair’s future-focused strategic vision. 

"We enter this space with the strength of a legacy built over six decades, anchored in trust, innovation, and an uncompromising commitment to quality and excellence," he stated.

"Al Ghurair Collection will bring a fresh perspective to the market, powered by the integrated capabilities of our diversified business. Our mission is clear: to create visionary projects, build with purpose, and deliver spaces that provide enduring value, financially, socially, and culturally, for generations to come," he added.

Designed by Kengo Kuma and with its name meaning ‘valleys’, Wedyan is envisioned as a future landmark, marking his first project in the UAE. 

Kuma San, celebrated for cultural works such as the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo and the China Academy of Art's Folk Art Museum, is recognised globally for an approach that harmonises architecture with nature. 

At Wedyan, he has applied this approach by shaping a façade inspired by the movement of water and sand. Its layered profile and textured exterior, echoes the rhythm of the desert and valleys, creating a building without precedent in the city.

Kengo Kuma said: "Wedyan is a dialogue between Japanese aesthetics and the context of Dubai. Our design philosophy is to connect and create a conversation between architecture, nature and people. In this project, our purpose is to bring softness to the design and to create quietness through shadows that cascade and reflect across the façade, terraces and amenity spaces."-TradeArabia News Service