Extending over 400 hectares of land (4 million square meters) of reclaimed land and 32 kilometers of coastline, The Pearl Qatar is a 12 billion-dollar mega development by United Development Company (UDC), naturally, the company’s flagship project, and one that has reshaped the state’s urban structure. Located in a prime area 350 meters offshore of Doha’s West Bay, The Pearl Qatar is a man-made island that hosts a luxurious mix of residential, office and entertainment outlets.
It is, indeed, Qatar’s leading and biggest community project, which continues to grow and expand to encompass all facets of quality living, fine dining, green spaces, community centers, top-notch education and health centers, and the best of entertainment.
UDC’s subsidiary company, Hospitality Development Company (HDC), lists a series of remarkable numbers as to the sheer size of The Pearl Qatar – dubbed “Riviera Arabia” – and impact on Qatar’s urban landscape; upon completion, HDC says, The Pearl Qatar will host near 50,000 residents – in 2011, The Pearl had welcomed over 3,000 residents and in 2012, over 5000 residents – and more than 15,000 residential units by 2015, as well as three marinas that will accommodate more than 1,000 boats and six luxury hotels. Additionally, The Pearl Qatar covers 600 high end and retail outlets, and its Porto Arabia, dubbed the “Island within an Island”, boasts 31 Mediterranean-style towers with a total of 4,700 units, 450 townhouses and low-rise apartments, 1,000,000 square feet of retail and commercial spaces, and a 2.5-kilometer corniche, “La Croisette Boulevard”.
The Pearl, originally a seabed, initially served as a pearl-diving site, hence the name – Qatar having been the largest exporter of pearls in Asia – only to transform gradually and remarkably into one of the largest lifestyle projects in the region within the short span of five years. The project, the result of a collaborative effort between UDC and design firm Callision, was the first development in Qatar to showcase governmental initiatives in welcoming international and foreign investors to pour their investments into Qatari real estate; indeed, The Pearl Qatar was the first to offer residential and freehold rights to international clients – who started flocking to and taking up their investments into the mega development in 2009. When it was first launched in 2004, the project was valuated at 2.5 billlion dollars, an estimate that has since reached 15 billion dollars by end of 2015.
In 2011, The Pearl’s Porto Arabia saw a slew of openings of international fashion and cuisine brand outlets. In 2012, The Pearl Qatar saw the launch of Nikki Beach Resort and Spa, and in 2013, that of The Urban Resort. Meanwhile, The Marina Resort is slated to open in 2014. The Pearl Qatar is designed to literally form the shape of a string of pearls once completed. Although most have been completed in 2013, a remaining few towers are scheduled for completion by end of 2016.
Qatar Coral, a leading developer of real-estate projects in Qatar, developed the VB22 and VB23 towers in the pearl. The two towers provide spacious interiors fitted with high-grade materials and innovative floor plans designed to maximize functionality without having to compromise aesthetics.