Al Badia Hillside is a district of Dubai, 2.2 km from Creek Metro Station.
Al Badia Hillside is a purpose-made terraced residential enclave within the Dubai Festival City area. Conceived as a hillside village, the masterplan sits atop a 25-metre man-made terrace and was designed to combine Mediterranean hillside typology with Arabic architectural traditions. The development delivers distinctive views across Dubai Creek towards Downtown and the Burj Khalifa and was intended as a mixed community of apartments and townhouses with a defined public square and leisure amenities.
Al Badia Hillside is part of the Dubai Festival City precinct. The project’s masterplan provides for a village-style neighbourhood laid out on a raised, terraced hill 25 metres above the creek. The design was produced by architect and town planner Xavier Bohl and draws on traditional Arabian details alongside references to Mediterranean hillside settlements. The masterplan envisaged a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom designer apartments, plus three- and four-bedroom townhomes, arranged around courtyards, terraces and a central public square called The Maidan.
Public and road links place the community within easy driving distance of central Dubai locations. According to original information associated with the development:
The nearest Dubai Metro stop on the Green Line is identified with code G30 and lies about 2,237 metres from the site; this distance is noted as not walkable in practical terms. The masterplan also emphasised a road network designed to be efficient without intruding on the village atmosphere, and it incorporated a high parking ratio in residences and communal areas to reduce on-street congestion.
The Hillside Village masterplan originally comprised over 900 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and around 400 three- and four-bedroom townhomes. Apartment accommodation was organised into 37 condominium-style buildings ranging from seven to ten storeys, with more than 145 individually designed apartment layouts across the scheme. The first delivery phase included seven condominium buildings containing studios and one- to three-bedroom apartments, many with courtyards and open terraces.
Construction of the hillside itself was a significant logistical operation. The hill was created using material relocated from nearby airport excavations; more than 2.5 million cubic metres of fill were moved onto the site over a period of around 24 months to form the raised terraces.
Original masterplan elements described at launch included a public square (The Maidan) at the highest point of the site, an art gallery, a 44,000 square foot community centre, shops, cafes, galleries, parks, communal swimming pools, sports and recreational areas, cascading water features and landscaped walkways. Parking and a non-intrusive street network were specifically considered in the planning to preserve the village character.
Only the initial phase — seven condominium buildings — has been completed and handed over. Further phases, which were intended to deliver the remaining properties between 2006 and 2009 under the original programme, were not progressed beyond the first phase.
The masterplan sets out a mix of public and communal amenities centred on The Maidan and the adjacent parkland, including leisure and social spaces, water features and pedestrian routes. The community was designed to offer a high ratio of on-site parking and communal facilities like pools and sports areas.
Nearby educational options referenced in associated material include the Universal American School (approximately 0.4 km) and Deira International School (approximately 1.2 km). The wider Dubai Festival City area provides retail and leisure destinations in short driving distance, including Festival City Mall and waterfront promenades.
Al Badia Hillside is suitable for those seeking a neighbourhood with distinctive architecture and elevated views over Dubai Creek toward Downtown. The mix of apartment sizes and townhouse proposals in the masterplan target a range of household types: singles and couples in studios and one-bedroom apartments, families in two- and three-bedroom apartments and the townhomes envisaged in later phases. The village-style layout, emphasis on terraces, courtyards and communal spaces, and proximity to schools make the location relevant for residents prioritising community amenities and creek-side panoramas.
How many homes were planned for Al Badia Hillside?
The original masterplan set out over 900 apartments together with roughly 400 townhomes, arranged across condominium blocks and townhouse clusters.
Is the whole scheme complete?
Only the first phase — seven condominium buildings of studios and one- to three-bedroom apartments — has been built and handed over. Subsequent phases shown in the original programme were not delivered as planned.
What are the principal views and orientation?
Properties on the terraces benefit from views across the banks of Dubai Creek toward Downtown and the Burj Khalifa, with panoramic outlooks emphasised as a key feature of the hillside setting.
How close is the metro and is it walkable?
The nearest Green Line station (code G30) is approximately 2,237 metres from the site and is described in project material as not walkable in practical terms; road travel and short drives are the common access modes.
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