Dubai, H&H is introducing Water Gardens, a new mixed-use destination at the heart of Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), the leading global financial centre in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region. Water Gardens is the destination where offices, residences, hospitality and retail come together around a shared landscape of garden and water.
As DIFC has matured, so has the way people experience it. What began primarily as a place for work has become a place to live, dine, stay and spend time. Water Gardens adds a new dimension to this, bringing internationally respected names in architecture, design and hospitality to the district, at a scale that reflects its ambition.
Four buildings around a central garden
Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Sir David Chipperfield, Water Gardens comprises four buildings arranged around a central garden and pedestrian public realm shaped by landscape and water. Restrained and enduring in its architecture, the design is intended to sit naturally within DIFC while raising the standard of the district around it, creating a place that will remain relevant for generations.
Shahab Lutfi, Chairman of H&H, said: “DIFC has always been defined by professional ambition, but increasingly, people are choosing to build their lives here too. With Water Gardens, we wanted to create a destination that reflects the full rhythm of contemporary life, where work, dining, family, social connection, wellness and time for oneself can co-exist naturally within one environment. The architecture, interiors and landscape are conceived as one cohesive experience, creating a sense of balance across a destination, that is lively, engaging and distinctive in character, while offering moments that feel more personal and considered. What matters is that everyone can experience Water Gardens differently, finding their own way of spending time there. This reflects a broader philosophy at H&H: creating places with a clear sense of purpose, designed around how people live, work and connect, allowing those experiences to evolve over time.”
DIFC has always been defined by professional ambition, but increasingly, people are choosing to build their lives here too. Shahab Lutfi, Chairman, H&H
At the heart of DIFC
Water Gardens sits at the heart of a district that has become increasingly layered. Global businesses and financial institutions now sit alongside restaurants, hotels, residences, galleries and cultural destinations, giving DIFC an identity that extends well beyond the working day. Water Gardens complements that evolution, adding a new dimension to the way people experience the district. Its position connects residents, businesses and visitors directly to the wider DIFC, while offering a distinct experience within it.
The destination is elevated above the surrounding streets, with arrival stairs from Al Sukook Street and Al Mustaqbal Street leading up to the public realm. Beneath it, the development connects directly into Gate Avenue, extending DIFC’s existing retail and pedestrian experience through a curated mix of dining, fashion, beauty and lifestyle offering. Pedestrian routes through the site connect Water Gardens to the surrounding district, and it is located 300m from Financial Centre Metro station. Rather than standing apart from DIFC, the masterplan extends the district’s existing network of streets, public spaces and connections.
Saleh Al Akrabi, Chief Real Estate Officer at DIFC Investments Ltd., said: “Water Gardens is a superb addition to DIFC, connecting the district in a distinctive way while reflecting the breadth of experiences it offers today. As one of the final components of the original Gate District masterplan, it is fitting that this development strengthens the physical and experiential connections across the district in such a distinctive way. By seamlessly linking workplaces, hospitality, retail, public spaces and residences, Water Gardens reflects how DIFC has evolved into a destination where business, culture and lifestyle come together. It enhances the experience of the district for our community while providing businesses, residents and visitors with access to the very best of Dubai in one of the city’s most iconic destinations.”
Curated by design
The name Water Gardens comes from the idea that organises the masterplan: landscape and water are fundamental to how the destination has been conceived. Rather than treating landscape as the space left between buildings, the masterplan places the gardens at its core. Designed by Bureau Bas Smets, the landscape flows through the development as a layered environment of planting, water and open space, with a central water feature as its focal point.
The garden is not an amenity belonging to one building; it is the common ground of Water Gardens, the space that gives the destination its identity. The same approach extends to the design team, drawn from the foremost names in architecture, interiors and design, each shaping a distinct part of the development:
- Masterplan architect: David Chipperfield Architects
- Landscape: Bureau Bas Smets
- Interiors: Patricia Urquiola, Tihany Design and Tristan Auer
- Retail and dining experience: Studio KKD
Each part has its own character, but coherence comes from the relationship between them, united by the masterplan, landscape and public realm.
The Offices at Water Gardens
The Offices at Water Gardens takes the wider thinking behind the development into the Grade A workplace, recognising that for today’s leading businesses, an office is as much an expression of ambition, culture and values as it is a place to work. It shapes how a business is experienced by clients, how it attracts and retains talent, and the environment in which its people perform.
Designed for discerning businesses seeking a distinctive address within DIFC, The Offices combines the prestige of its location with greater privacy, discretion and a workplace experience considered at a more human scale. Architecture by Sir David Chipperfield and interiors by Patricia Urquiola bring a refined design language to the building.
The building will provide 21,965 square metres of Grade A net leasable area, including three floors of micro-suites alongside larger office formats, and is targeting LEED Platinum certification. JLL has been appointed exclusive leasing partner.
Completion in 2028
Water Gardens is H&H’s contribution to the district’s next chapter, shaped around the people who live and work within it. Water Gardens is currently under development, with construction well underway and completion scheduled for 2028.
For more information, visit watergardensdifc.ae.
AT A GLANCE: WATER GARDENS, DIFC
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