MEDIA

Fact Sheet: Saadiyat Island

Saadiyat Island, offshore of Abu Dhabi City, is a mixed-use development, which will be a signature leisure, cultural, and residential destination in the UAE.  Saadiyat Island exemplifies the vision for Abu Dhabi, outlined in its comprehensive urban plan, Plan Abu Dhabi 2030, of a contemporary expression of an Arab city, characterized by sustainability and culture, and supporting a thriving, diverse community.

Located on a natural island lying 500 meters offshore of Abu Dhabi City, the island covers 27 square kilometers (2,700 hectares).  It will be developed in phases from 2006 to 2018, and has a total projected value of US $27 billion.

Global Architectural Landmarks

Saadiyat Island will host a number of global architectural landmarks.  The Cultural District houses the world’s largest single cluster of global cultural assets, including the Sheikh Zayed National Museum exhibiting local and regional culture; the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a contemporary arts museum designed by Frank Gehry; the Louvre Abu Dhabi , a universal museum conceptualized by Jean Nouvel; a Performing Arts Centre designed by Zaha Hadid; and a Maritime Museum designed by Tadao Ando.  Saadiyat Island will also be home to the recently announced NYU Abu Dhabi campus – the first the first comprehensive liberal arts campus established abroad by major US research university, expected to have a population of upwards of 2,000 students.

Eco-Codes

Strict environmental codes will protect the Saadiyat environment.  The  Island is a natural breeding ground for the Hawksbill turtle and a monitoring program is in place to ensure conservation of this important wildlife asset. 

The Development

Saadiyat Island has seven districts: Cultural District, Saadiyat Marina, Saadiyat Beach, South Beach, Island Lagoons, The Wetlands and Eco-point.   It will be linked to Abu Dhabi City via two 10 lane bridges.

The development will have over 12kms of public beach, as well as two championship golf courses—the UAE’s first Gary Player signature course (also the first in the Arabian Gulf with beach-front holes) and a unique wetlands course.  In addition, the development will offer family homes, hotels, over three million square meters of commercial office space and a world-class marina, able to berth 1,000 vessels.

For more information visit: www.saadiyat.ae and www.tdic.ae.