Dubai: FIVE Holdings, a Dubai-based real estate group, and Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, celebrated big wins at The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) Awards 2021 with two prestigious accolades for the FIVE Jumeirah Village Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The award-winning hospitality and residential project was recognized as Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa, audience vote, and received CTBUH’s Best Tall Building 200-299 meters Award of Excellence. 

The CTBUH Awards program honors projects and individuals that have made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of tall buildings and the urban environment, and that achieve sustainability at the highest and broadest level. Awards are given in over 20 categories for Best Tall Building, Urban Habitat, Innovation, Renovation, Interior Design, Construction, and Engineering. The project was presented at the virtual awards ceremony by Nabil Akiki, CEO of FIVE Development, a subsidiary of FIVE Holdings, and Farida Farag, Senior Design Manager, Middle East, Atkins,

Nabil Akiki, CEO of FIVE Development, commented: “FIVE Development is extremely proud to have added a vanguard landmark to the Dubai landscape in inimitable FIVE styles. FIVE Jumeirah Village by FIVE Hotels and Resorts is not just a ‘Tall Building’ – it sublimely combines the very best of nature-inspired landscaping that leans directly into and throughout the structure, with the thrill of viewing 360 degrees sweeping Dubai vistas that can only be enjoyed from the vantage point of a high-rise structure. This unique amalgamation of the best of both worlds – low rise, nature-loving edifices and the aerial benefits of sky-high creations, is what powered FIVE’s vision for FIVE Jumeirah Village from the very beginning of its conception.”

“These awards are especially close to FIVE’s heart, as they are the very first to be received upon the completion of the mammoth and pioneering FIVE Jumeirah Village project – a breakthrough globally-patented concept design for hospitality,” added Akiki.

FIVE Jumeirah Village uniquely supports environmental sustainability by creating and utilizing 7X of the lush green spaces that would have been replaced by its construction – thus creating a unique natural haven for visitors to enjoy the vibe at FIVE. During the Covid-19 crisis, FIVE Jumeirah Village provided the ideally safe and sequestered space for guests to enjoy the organic soil and greenery surrounding the built-in waterbodies, such as the private pools and Jacuzzis.

“For over 50 years, Atkins has established a track record of delivering a multitude of iconic landmarks in the UAE. We are extremely proud to have supported Five Holdings with our world-class multi-disciplinary design expertise to bring this prestigious project to life by combining industry innovation with the highest quality and sustainability standards. Congratulations to everyone involved in this great achievement,” commented Johan Hesselsøe, Managing Director, UAE, Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group. 

What sets FIVE Jumeirah Village Dubai apart from other high-rise towers is its one-of-a-kind rotating design, conceptualized by Nabil Akiki, which features innovative architecture to maximize natural daylight and create welcoming spaces that conserve energy and incorporate both indoor and outdoor spaces. Atkins was appointed by FIVE Holdings in 2014 to provide multi-disciplinary design services for the project, including concept and schematic design, environmental impact assessment, design development, and construction documentation. 

“Challenging the constraints of vertical living resulting from conventional architectural design, we worked together with FIVE Holdings to explore innovative methods and push the boundaries to achieve delivery excellence. The successful end result is a people-centric high-rise tower which embraces indoor and outdoor space in a pioneering design that is a tribute to the city of firsts,” added Farida Farag, Senior Design Manager, Middle East, Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group.

The luxury tower offers a uniquely social living environment in its sky gardens, which are carved out of the building through a smart configuration of the tower floor plans. A parametric design methodology was innovated to develop and assess the performance of these sky gardens against environmental factors. The breathable architecture allows sunlight to shine through the core of the 60-story tower while a vertical micro-climate with over half a million sq. ft. of flora helps to maintain the temperature naturally. The building design has been patented and is registered as a trademark in 168 countries for FIVE Holdings.

Strategically located in close proximity to Dubai’s main arterial roads and a short drive from the emirate’s new Al Maktoum International Airport and Expo 2020 site, FIVE Jumeirah Village Dubai has a cylindrical design that allows for each apartment to incorporate a vast landscaped garden and private swimming pool – even at a staggering height of 800 ft. Each apartment incorporates an extensive outdoor terrace, including a pool, to bring the outdoors indoors. The integrated, lush terrace apartments allow the development to gain seven times more green living space, compared to the land lost for construction. The luxury five-star tower features 247 hotel rooms and suites, 221 one and two-bedroom hotel apartments, and 33 four-bedroom hotel apartments, all with private pools. 

FIVE Jumeirah Village Dubai opened in 2019 and already won a string of industry accolades. Awards include Leisure and Hospitality Project of the Year 2015 at the Middle East Architect Awards; the Tall Buildings category at the 2016 Architectural Review MIPIM; and Best International, New Hotel Construction & Design and Hotel Architecture, Dubai, at the 2016 International Property Awards.