JOUD Residence

Drone taxis and a hyperbaric chamber: One Development's tech bet on Reem Island

JOUD Residence rises 48 residential floors above a ground level, adding up to 289 units in total. One Development isn't selling this project on views or floor space. It's selling it on technology: AI-driven building management, advertised access to a drone taxi service, and an automated drone delivery system. The brochure also lists a hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) centre, a facility rarely found in a residential building even in Abu Dhabi. Handover is set for June 2029. There's no official launch date yet, and the project currently sits at the expression-of-interest stage.

Twenty floors taller than most of its neighbours

On Al Reem Island, recent developments typically cap out between 25 and 32 storeys. Muheira B has 29 floors, Sunstone 28, Rivage 27 and Oceanscape 32. At 49 floors total, JOUD Residence stands well above that range, meaning the upper floors should clear the island's rooftop line entirely. The developer describes a sleek, heavily glazed facade but hasn't named an architect at this stage. That's a detail worth pressing for before signing anything, since a recognised firm's name can carry real weight on resale value for a tower this tall.

Three-bedroom units twice the size of the two-bedrooms

The unit mix runs from one to four bedrooms. Starting sizes come in around 79 sqm for a one-bedroom and 116 sqm for a two-bedroom. Then the curve jumps sharply: the three-bedroom starts near 250 sqm, more than double the two-bedroom, and the four-bedroom reaches about 317 sqm. In effect, there are two distinct products inside one tower. On one side, compact units suited to renting out to young professionals working on Al Maryah Island or downtown. On the other, very large units aimed at families looking for the equivalent of a villa in the sky. Dividing 289 units across 48 floors works out to roughly six units per floor on average, a reasonable figure for keeping shared corridors manageable.

Drones: a promise that still needs specifics

Access to drone taxis and automated drone delivery is the most unusual claim in the whole package. Abu Dhabi has indeed launched aerial mobility programmes with several operators, but neither the brochure nor the listing specifies a landing pad location, the operator involved, or how the service would actually be priced. A cautious buyer should treat this as a future possibility rather than a feature already baked into the price. The same caution applies to the "AI integration" mentioned for the units: it's worth checking the technical specs to see whether this means advanced home automation or an actual building management platform. These details should surface once the official launch happens.

A wellness offering built around HBOT

The hyperbaric oxygen therapy centre is what sets JOUD Residence apart from other towers on the island. The technique, which involves breathing pressurised oxygen inside a chamber, has become common in sports recovery clinics across the Gulf. Here it sits alongside a spa with sauna, a treatment room and two gyms, one indoor and one outdoor. Outside, residents get a jogging track, multi-sport courts, a barbecue area, a children's play area and an open-air cinema with a sunken lounge. The rooftop holds the infinity pool, framed by a sun deck and cabanas.

352 sqm of retail at the base of the tower

The retail component totals 3,789.65 square feet, or roughly 352 sqm. That's modest. Think a handful of convenience shops, a café or a small grocery store, not a retail podium on the scale of Tara Park or Oceanscape. For residents, most shopping will still mean a trip to Reem Mall or the retail strips at Shams Abu Dhabi. The upside is elsewhere: a tower without a large podium keeps the ground floor quieter and shields service charges from the ups and downs of retail tenancy.

June 2029, with no launch date confirmed

Expected handover in Q2 2029 puts JOUD Residence in the same window as Rixos Al Reem Residences and Radiant Terrace. New supply on the island will be substantial by that point, which could put pressure on early rental returns. The project is currently open only to expressions of interest against a deposit, and current pricing remains indicative. No payment plan has been published yet. Before reserving, buyers should check the project's registration with Abu Dhabi authorities and confirm the associated escrow account.