Abu Dhabi:De Sousa Holdings LLC has unveiled a masterplan for "a city of the future" in the UAE at the International Real Estate and Investment Show (IREIS 2026), currently taking place at the ADNEC Centre in Abu Dhabi. The plan, in development for 25 years, merges urban infrastructure with facilities inspired by Emirati heritage.
According to Wam, Edgar Gerson, Architect, Founder, and President of De Sousa Holdings LLC, emphasized that the project is based on the concept of "profit from happiness." It aims to balance economic returns with quality of life, sustainability, and future generations' needs.
The masterplan features a clock-shaped design allowing navigation without GPS, using clock positions and building numbers. Roads are designed to connect various parts of the city to its center. The central design is inspired by the UAE dirham and includes an observation tower resembling the number "1" and a traditional Arabic coffee pot, known as a dallah.
The observation tower is planned for an island with views over the Abu Dhabi Corniche, offering panoramic city views. The dallah is intended to house a five-star hotel celebrating Emirati hospitality, with its design featuring seven coffee cups representing the UAE's seven emirates and symbolizing national unity.
The city is projected to extend approximately 20 kilometers east to west and 18 kilometers north to south. Its central complex will have two sugar bowls and a date bowl for conference centers and wedding halls, with a surrounding tray forming a shopping mall.
Gerson also highlighted that the masterplan incorporates essential services such as electricity, water, internet connectivity, sewerage, waste management, and recycling. The road network and facility distribution are designed to minimize congestion and travel times, enhance productivity, reduce energy consumption, and allow families more time together, while accommodating future population growth.