Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. Photo: Dubai Media Office
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. Photo: Dubai Media Office
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. Photo: Dubai Media Office
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Sheikh Hamdan tells of ambitions for affordable housing in Dubai


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Dubai's Crown Prince has launched an international design competition to produce affordable housing for the city.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed invited architects and designers from around the world to submit their designs for smart homes that families could mortgage for Dh1 million ($272,000).

The "House of the Future" competition comes as the city sees a rise in population and a boom in demand for property.

Average sales prices have risen by more than 10 per cent in the past year, brokers CBRE said in February — with average rents up 27 per cent.

In a statement, Sheikh Hamdan said the project would "further raise Dubai’s status as a model for urban development".

The competition will focus on attracting designs for "highly affordable, expandable, innovative and aesthetically pleasing housing", Dubai Government Media Office said.

The best designs will be for homes that can "stand the test of time and meet the requirements of future generations".

Submissions can be made at https://houseofthefuture.ae from April 25, with a closing date set in September. The winning designs will be unveiled in November.

The winner will receive Dh500,000 while the runner-up will receive Dh200,000, and second runner-up Dh100,000.

"The competition will also award Dh200,000 to the best design for a ‘self-sustaining house’ that is able to go off the grid, without water or electricity, for two consecutive weeks," it said.

The judging panel includes Micael Calatrava, who runs the consultancy of his star architect father Santiago Calatrava, and Charles Walker, a board member at Zaha Hadid Architects.

The project will be run by the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation and the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment.

The winning designs will be considered for future house building projects.

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Dubai property prices: where to buy and how much to pay

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Gold'

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Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes

Rating:3/5

Name: Colm McLoughlin

Country: Galway, Ireland

Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free

Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah

 

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Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

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While you're here
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Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

The National in Davos

We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.

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Manchester United 0

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Chatham House Rule

A mark of Chatham House’s influence 100 years on since its founding,  was Moscow’s formal declaration last month that it was an “undesirable
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The depth of knowledge and academics that it drew on
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The institute is more used to accommodating world leaders,
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Chatham House was formally founded as the Royal Institute of
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That arena of debate and analysis was enhanced by the “Chatham
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This has enabled some candid exchanges on difficult subjects
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These meetings are highly valued, so much so that
ambassadors reported them in secret diplomatic cables that – when they were
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Its research and debate has offered fresh ideas to
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Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5

Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
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  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Seven tips from Emirates NBD

1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details

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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Updated: April 18, 2023, 6:41 PM`