Kleindienst Group, developer of The Heart of Europe – the US$5 billion (Dh18.3 billion) master-planned leisure tourism island destination megaproject – is gearing up the construction activities by finalising its masterplan to incorporate the latest innovative ideas that will make The Heart of Europe the most sought after island leisure destination in the world.
More than 1,500 construction workers, technicians, engineers and environmental experts are working on site to deliver the innovative dream island destination that is set to rival the islands in the Maldives.
The Phase 1 of The Heart of Europe that consists of three islands – Sweden, Germany and Honeymoon Island, around 78 floating Seahorses (Three-level floating homes with underwater views) as well as the Portafino Hotel will be delivered by the World Expo 2020 and will add greater cultural and entertainment attractions to the emirate’s offering.
Once complete, The Heart of Europe which combines sustainability with innovation, will deliver 15 hotels with 4,000 holiday homes including the iconic Floating Seahorse Villas and over 3,500 hotel keys that will create 4,000 jobs and help boost the UAE’s sustainable tourism sector.
The Heart of Europe is a cluster of seven man-made islands reclaimed from the Arabian Gulf, part The World – a of a cluster of 300 islands that make up a miniature version of the world just 4 kilometres offshore Dubai’s coastline off the Jumeirah 1 beach.
The World is part of the vision of Dubai Government to create a number of island resorts that will reinforce Dubai’s global reputation as a major tourism destination as it seeks to attract 20 million tourists per annum by 2020.
Josef Kleindienst, Chairman of Kleindienst Group, said: “The Heart of Europe is an out-of-the-world luxury leisure and hospitality island destination that one could only dream about. However, the dream is about to come true as we have substantially scaled up construction activities on all the seven islands in order to deliver the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai – to be able to host more than 20 million guests in Dubai’s hotels a year by the end of 2020.
“Today we can confidently say that the Phase I of The Heart of Europe will be delivered as the emirate gets ready to receive 25 million visitors during the World Expo 2020. Some of our facilities including holiday homes and hotel facilities will be ready to receive the Dubai Expo 2020 guests and offer them unforgettable experiences and the sweetest memories that will inspire to keep coming back to Dubai again and again.”
The first 9 Floating Seahorse Villas (FSV) have already been ‘floated’ into position in the sea. The villas are being hoisted into place by construction cranes and anchored into position on the seabed. The final ballast will be set up, once the fit out has been completed. Cleaning and maintenance below the waterline will be carried out by a specialist diving team in the next few weeks.
Strategically anchored next to Germany, the heart-shaped, Maldivian-inspired Honeymoon Island and Portofino hotel, a total of 78 FSV villas are being built ready for handover in the fourth quarter of 2020 when the Phase I of the overall project is completed.
Phase I also includes ten prestigious beachfront palaces on Sweden Island; 15 contemporary style beachfront villas and 17 lagoon, on Germany Island, and the 489 Princess Suites at the Portofino Hotel on the main Europe Island.
“Our Floating Seahorse Villas are designed with creative imagination and engineered through innovation, ingenuity and precision. We were the first in the world to develop a luxury floating, above and underwater living experience,” Josef Kleindienst, adds.
“The Dh20 million Floating Seahorse Villa offers over 4,000 square feet space each, over three levels and can sleep up to eight people, include a spectacular underwater floor and marine life, and fourflexi living or sleeping areas, featuring state-of the-art technology and outdoor climate-control features.”
One of the most striking features is the 60 square metre coral gardens situated outside of every underwater window, with up to 11 species of coral and illuminated by a wealth of marine life from the Arabian Gulf.
“These underwater gardens protect and nurture marine life and are a classic example of our sustainable outlook and ambition,” added Kleindienst.
To date over 80 of the total 131 units have been sold, 78 will be delivered by Q4 2020 during phase one and the rest will be completed during phase three, along with the handover of Switzerland and its beautiful 60 sundrenched waterfront villas.
Kleindienst is also gearing up to deliver the Monaco and Nice boutique hotels at Côte D’Azur beach at the Main Europe island by the fourth quarter of 2020 and feature picturesque courtyards, lagoon shaped swimming pools, and hotel suites with ensuite viewing decks and sea views. With white sandy beaches and over 500,000 square metres of coral reefs, the pioneering project will also feature Spanish olive trees that are between 100 and 1,500 years that were sourced from Andalusia, a region in Spain’s southern coast, and the world’s first climate controlled rainy street and snow plaza.
The Heart of Europe was designed with a zero-discharge policy and zero micro-plastics policy to ensure the protection of the Arabian Gulf and species of marine life that reside around the seven islands.
Sustainability and the protection of marine life have been pivotal in the development of the Heart of Europe. The project is home to the Coral Institute which spearheads a pioneering coral reef programme that aims at developing marine life in the surrounding waters.
Euronews recently completed a documentary as an example of how creativity and sustainability could work wonders in a destination tourism project that not only preserves underwater coral reefs and marine life but also enhances the marine eco-system.