Muraba Dia

Fifty homes, twelve European suppliers and a building that has been lived in since 2017

Muraba Dia was handed over on 31 January 2017, barely a month before its Catalan architects picked up the Pritzker Prize. The building sits on a plot on Palm Jumeirah's East Crescent and holds just 50 homes: 46 apartments ranging from two to four bedrooms and 4 five bedroom penthouses. It rises over a ground floor and nine residential levels. On a Crescent where most recent schemes still sell off plan, this one trades on the secondary market and can be viewed in person. Its brochure, for that matter, reads less like a mood board and more like a supplier list, naming every brand chosen for the kitchens, windows, taps and door handles.

RCR Arquitectes, Pritzker winners after handover

The building was designed by RCR Arquitectes, the Olot based practice founded by Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem and Ramon Vilalta. The trio won the Pritzker Prize in March 2017, just weeks after handing over the keys in Dubai. The design plays on towers and walls linked to one another, giving the facade a closed, protective look rather than a street facing showcase. In the brochure, Rafael Aranda argues that innovation should come from the programme and the building techniques, not from drawing alone. Muraba has since brought the firm back for Muraba Veil, the 380 metre tower planned at Al Wasl. Dia therefore stands as the first full scale test of that partnership.

Sky-Frame, Vola, Gaggenau: the spec sheet, named

The developer chose to publish its suppliers instead of adjectives. The frameless sliding glass walls come from Switzerland's Sky-Frame, the taps from Denmark's Vola and the appliances from Gaggenau. The kitchens, vanity units and TV units are made by Valcucine, the wardrobes by Rimadesio. The baths and shower trays come from Spain's Lagares, a regular collaborator with RCR. There is also Italian lighting by Panzeri, wireless dimming and motorised blinds by Lutron, flush doors by L'Invisibile, AISI 316 stainless steel hardware by d line, sanitary ware by Kartell by Laufen and controls by Geberit. One photo even shows the selection of Italian travertine at the Carrara quarries, during the winter of 2014.

Four penthouses with a second, professional kitchen

The unit mix stays tight. The 46 apartments run from two to four bedrooms, and every one comes with a private balcony. Glazing runs floor to ceiling, and a specific glass system limits views from outside, a meaningful detail on an island where buildings face each other directly. The four five bedroom penthouses add a professional kitchen alongside the main entertaining kitchen, a detail clearly aimed at households that host often and employ staff. According to the project data, some units also come with a private pool.

Burj Al Arab views to the east, Atlantis to the west

Sitting on the eastern flank of the Crescent, the main facades face the Burj Al Arab and, further off, the Burj Khalifa skyline. On the western side, homes look out toward Atlantis at the tip of the island. The Crescent forms the outer breakwater of Palm Jumeirah, so it sits further from the trunk and its traffic than the fronds do. Reaching Dubai Marina, Al Sufouh or Downtown means going through the tunnel and then the trunk. The surroundings remain residential and hospitality led, with no street level retail.

Separate men's and women's spa, private beach

The amenities stay sized to a 50 unit building. The shared pool faces the Gulf, with a pool deck and an outdoor lounge. The spa is split into two separate zones for men and women, each with its own hammam, a setup that caters to part of the Gulf based clientele and remains rare among Crescent residences. Residents also get direct beach access, a shared gym, landscaped gardens and covered parking under video surveillance.

A building handed over while neighbouring sites were still under construction

On the same Crescent, Azizi Mina was handed over in 2021, Ellington's Ocean House is due in 2027, and several towers designed by Foster + Partners or Zaha Hadid are still being built. Muraba Dia, by contrast, has nearly a decade of actual use behind it. A buyer can judge the real condition of the finishes, terraces and common areas, something no off plan project allows. Freehold status permits full foreign ownership, as it does everywhere on the island. With only 50 units in total, however, resale stock stays thin and listings come up infrequently.