Solaya

In a city where height has historically been the primary measure of architectural ambition, Foster + Partners chose nine buildings across 46 acres of La Mer beachfront. The tallest is ten storeys. The decision is deliberate and, in Dubai terms, genuinely unusual: a horizontal development on 500 metres of private Arabian Gulf shoreline in central Jumeirah, not on a reclaimed palm or a marina, but on the original Jumeirah beach minutes from downtown. The buildings have curved stone and bronze facades, the bronze shifts in tone as the desert light changes through the day, set back from the shore with deep terraces and full-height glazing. With four to five residences per floor at most, and penthouses taking entire levels with private lifts, the privacy ratios are exceptional for this part of the city. Interiors by 1508 London, who typically work on superyachts and ultra-luxury hotels, bring a muted coastal palette: natural stone, warm timber, linen. The 18 ground-floor Garden Houses each have private walled gardens and infinity pools, effectively private villas within an apartment community, with gardens exceeding 3,000 square feet. Meraas developed this alongside Brookfield Properties. Foster + Partners' head of studio described the project simply as "a dream, connected to nature." In Dubai, choosing not to build upward is the boldest move available.