Mall of the World – world’s first temperature-controlled city

Dubai Holding has unveiled plans to build the world’s first temperature-controlled city, Mall of the World, located along Sheikh Zayed Road. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE vice-president and prime minister and ruler of Dubai, launched the development, which will occupy a total area of 48 million sqft and will house the largest shopping mall in the world covering an area of 8 million sqft.

The mall will be an extended retail street network, which will be different from the typical current shopping malls in Dubai. The project will comprise the largest indoor theme park in the world, which will be covered by a glass dome that will be open during the winter months.

Additional districts within the project will include a wellness dedicated zone catering to medical tourists, a cultural celebration district as well as a wide range of hospitality options comprising 20,000 hotel rooms catering to all types of tourists.

Once completed, the city is projected to become a year-round destination, welcoming around 180 million visitors annually. Tourists will be able to enjoy a week-long stay without the need to leave the city or use a car. The 7-km-long promenades connecting all facilities will be covered during the summer and open during the winter, ensuring pleasant temperatures throughout the year.

The project will see the addition of 100 hotels and serviced apartments building, as well as designated parking areas with a capacity to host up to 50,000 cars on the ground level.

“The growth in family and retail tourism underpins the need to enhance Dubai’s tourism infrastructure as soon as possible,” says Sheikh Mohammed. “This project complements our plans to transform Dubai into a cultural, tourist and economic hub for the two billion people living in the region around us, and we are determined to achieve our vision.”

Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, chairman of Dubai Holding, says the project is the result of extensive research and studies of international regional tourists’ requirements and preferences.

The new project will incorporate Dubai Cultural District, which will be the hub for national and multinational cultural festivities and events in UAE. The Celebration Walk, similar to the Ramblas Street in Barcelona, will connect the cultural district to the rest of the mall. Another component of Mall of the World is the Wellness District, which will cover a total area of 3 million sqft, dedicated to providing wellness and rejuvenation services.