DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 1 /PRNewswire/ — Cubellis, an international architecture, interior design and engineering firm, and its Dubai-based office, Cubellis Costa International (CCI), are pleased to report that the partnership with Nakheel Shopping Malls (NSM), a division of Nakheel based in Dubai, UAE, continues to produce ambitious mixed-use development plans that will remake the image of retail in the Emirate. Cubellis, having designed retail and mixed-use complexes around the globe, is combining its skills and expertise with a local office to create the next generation of retail in Dubai, merging the latest international development trends with sustainability and a sensibility that is distinctly Emirati.

A Brand Vision

In April of 2008, Nakheel Shopping Malls announced plans to build 13 million square feet of new retail space in five projects, comprising $80 billion under construction over just four years; Phase 2 of Ibn Battuta Mall, which will double the center’s size with new themed courts and an expanded retail mix; Dragon Mart, known as the largest trading center for Chinese merchandise outside of mainland China, is slated to undergo a major make-over to accommodate the growing number of visitors annually; and Great Mall of Dubai, a ‘three-in-one’ mall concept combining traditional retail, an entertainment zone and a home furnishings project at International City.

“The knowledge and experience of working on large-scale projects around the world gives us the ability to understand what makes a great mixed-use project, lifestyle center, or mall,” said John Larsen, AIA, NCARB, Managing Principal, Retail & Mixed-Use. “We have that cultural sensitivity, and the result for NSM is a group of projects that push the creative edges of mixed-use planning and design, and reflect the traditional ethos of their target markets, even as they serve different markets and audiences.”

Dubai’s “Green Decree”: The Marriage of Innovation and Necessity

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s leader and Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, issued a mandate that all new construction in the Dubai World Developments must comply with 32 points within the LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification building standards — the most stringent requirements. The commitment to sustainable growth demonstrated the Sheikh’s commitment to a healthy, environmentally friendly city.

The “Green Decree” shows the world that Dubai is more than just a pretty facade. With help from Cubellis, providing preliminary sustainable analysis on all projects and using LEED as the foundation for development, the region is living up to this globally desirable standard.

“Cubellis is deeply committed to making sure that sustainability is not being overshadowed by innovation,” said Larsen. “But that the two concepts are working well together. At Cubellis, we are using our framework to guide the positive growth in Dubai.”

About Nakheel

Nakheel is one of the world’s largest privately held real estate developers, and a key player in realizing the vision of Dubai for the 21st century: creating a world class destination for living, business and tourism. Nakheel is developing an iconic portfolio of innovative landmark projects in Dubai, and now in key markets around the globe, across a range of sectors — residential, commercial, hotels, retail, and leisure. Nakheel’s projects are conservatively estimated to be worth US$80 billion. Upon completion Nakheel’s waterfront projects will have added more than 1,000km of shoreline to Dubai’s coastline. Nakheel’s Dubai portfolio currently includes Nakheel Harbour & Tower, Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Deira, The World, Waterfront, The Universe, Jumeirah Islands, Jumeirah Village, Jumeirah Park, Jumeirah Heights, The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Ibn Battuta Mall, Al Furjan, International City, and Dragon Mart. Nakheel is a key entity within Dubai World. Dubai World is one of the world’s largest holding companies and supervises a portfolio of businesses and projects for the Dubai government across five continents and more than 100 countries. Further information can be found at www.nakheelmediacentre.com.

About Cubellis

Cubellis is an integrated, multidisciplinary design firm offering architectural, interior design, and engineering services to a diverse base of national and international clients. The firm’s practice area expertise includes retail & mixed-use, workplace solutions, residential, academic, hospitality, and government/municipal. Cubellis is a team of over 400 professionals, with offices in Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Boston, MA; Rocky Hill, CT; Englewood Cliffs and Freehold, NJ; Philadelphia and Wayne, PA; Tysons Corner, VA; Chicago, IL; Orange County, CA; Baltimore, MD; Dallas, TX; Atlanta, GA; New York, NY; Bangalore, India; and Dubai, UAE. For more information, please visit: www.cubellis.com.

(Published on Mar. 1, 2009 on http://ca.sys-con.com)