DG1

No shops at ground level, every window facing Burj Khalifa

DG1 doesn't lease a single square metre to retail. In Business Bay, where most towers fund part of their balance sheet with a podium of cafes and convenience stores, that choice stands out. DarGlobal has placed a nineteen-storey residential tower on a three-level podium, with a ground floor and a basement, right on the edge of the Dubai Canal. American firm Gensler is behind the design. The scheme mixes studios, one, two and three-bedroom units, with handover slated for December 2027 and sales already down to the last available units, according to the developer.

Gensler and a tower set on columns

The volume sits on a wide platform carried by columns, which frees up the ground level and gives the tower a sort of floating silhouette. Gensler worked with asymmetric shapes, broken lines and a light colour palette. The curved balconies shift position from one floor to the next, and that's not just a facade effect. The offset opens up sightlines to the canal and Downtown that a conventional vertical stack would have blocked. For a firm best known for office towers and corporate headquarters, DG1 is a modestly sized residential commission, which probably explains the attention paid to each floor.

Betting on quiet over ground-floor retail

The brochure states it plainly: no retail space in the building. In practical terms, the lobby only sees residents and their guests, with no delivery traffic or walk-in customers. The neighbourhood more than makes up for it, since Souk Al Bahar, the Dubai Mall and the waterfront restaurants are just minutes away. For an owner occupier, the pitch centres on quiet and controlled access (concierge, CCTV, security). For a landlord, it's worth checking whether the lack of on-site amenities hurts short-term rental appeal, since short-stay travellers often value a convenience store right at the base of the building.

Two alternating floor plans, north-facing views

The floor plans point to a precise layout. Level 01 houses garden suites. Levels 02 to 04 and 09 to 12 follow layout 01A, while levels 05 to 08 and 13 to 15 use layout 01B. Each typical floor includes several studios, around half a dozen one-bedroom units across four variants, two-bedroom units in three types, and three-bedroom units. Units face north, east or west, and all look toward Downtown and Burj Khalifa. Some units, however, only get a partial view, so buyers should ask for the exact unit position on the floor plan before signing.

A canal-facing pool, a garden on level 16

The infinity pool looks directly onto the Dubai Canal, with a children's play area right next to it. Higher up, the Sky Garden sits on level 16, described as a planted rooftop terrace. There's a discrepancy between sources here: the technical sheet lists nineteen residential floors, while the brochure places the garden on the sixteenth. The scheme also includes a yoga studio, a meditation area, a gym opening onto green space, a barbecue area and a children's pool. Inside, units are finished to what's described as European standards, with marble, high-end fitted kitchens and floor-to-ceiling windows.

DarGlobal plays on home turf, a few streets from Missoni and Pagani

DarGlobal is the international arm of Saudi developer Dar Al Arkan, listed on the London Stock Exchange. The developer made its name in Dubai with branded residences, and two of them appear on the brochure's map: Urban Oasis by Missoni and DaVinci Tower by Pagani. DG1 goes the other way. It's the first building in a series named after the developer itself, with no outside licensing deal, and the architect as the main selling point. On access, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Khail Road and Meydan Road are all close by, two metro stations (Business Bay and Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall) sit on either side of the site, and the map lists travel times of 4 to 12 minutes, with the international airport being the furthest point. The project is freehold, open to foreign buyers.