Esplanade Shopping Mall is planned as an open-air retail district positioned adjacent to Mall of the Emirates in Al Barsha 1. Described in project materials as a collection of creatively styled spaces, the site is intended to host retail units and food & beverage outlets configured to complement the existing retail cluster around Mall of the Emirates. Public material for the scheme shows early concept images and sets out the location and access advantages within a central Al Barsha neighbourhood.
What this place is and where it sits
Esplanade Shopping Mall is a retail-focused development located in Al Barsha 1, directly beside Mall of the Emirates. The project’s public description identifies it as an open-air retail district rather than an enclosed mall: the layout and architecture in the available concept imagery emphasise individual retail fronts, pedestrian circulation and outdoor dining areas. The site is presented as part of the Al Barsha urban fabric and functions as a complementary retail destination to the larger Mall of the Emirates complex.
On a community map the site is shown within the sequence Dubai > Al Barsha > Al Barsha 1 > Esplanade Shopping Mall. That situates the development in a mixed residential and commercial neighbourhood with established retail and leisure infrastructure nearby.
Transport and key distances
Esplanade Shopping Mall is within walking distance of Dubai Metro’s Red Line station coded R32; the listed walking distance to the station is 649 metres, and the project description classifies that distance as walkable. Road travel times published with the project indicate practical access by car to several major Dubai destinations. The quoted approximate drive times are:
- To Dubai Mall – roughly 17 minutes
- To Palm Jumeirah – roughly 17 minutes
- To Burj Al Arab – roughly 14 minutes
- To The Walk, JBR – roughly 19 minutes
- To Dubai International Airport (DXB) – roughly 25 minutes
- To Al Maktoum International Airport – roughly 37 minutes
These travel times are provided as indicative figures by the project’s public information. The immediate proximity to a Red Line metro station and to Mall of the Emirates places the site within a well-connected part of central Dubai for both private car and public transport access.
Development, planning and public material
Project communication describes Esplanade as being under construction and showcases initial concept designs. The public images focus on the intended street-level character, retail frontages and food & beverage terraces. Project documentation accompanying those images also notes that developments commonly undergo design revisions during the course of delivery; published concept images should therefore be treated as illustrations of early intent rather than a fixed specification of the finished scheme.
Available public material highlights the following features about the scheme:
- An open-air retail configuration with multiple retail units;
- Designed spaces for food & beverage outlets and outdoor dining;
- Architectural and landscape treatments presented through initial concept imagery.
The site description situates the Esplanade as an adjunct retail district to Mall of the Emirates, reinforcing its role as part of a broader retail and leisure precinct.
Nearby amenities mentioned in public sources
Project notes specifically reference local schools in proximity to the site. Two schools named in the public material are Dubai International Academy Al Barsha, cited at approximately 0.7 km, and Al Mawakeb School Al Barsha, cited at approximately 1.0 km. These distances are provided in the project’s public text and indicate that established education facilities are within short travel distance of the location.
The project description also lists nearby leisure and destination travel times (see Transport and key distances). Aside from the schools and the adjacency to Mall of the Emirates, the public material does not map a longer set of named facilities or individual retail tenants in the Esplanade itself; the emphasis is on the intended mix of retail and F&B units and on its position within the existing Al Barsha retail cluster.
Who the development is suited to
Given its positioning as an open-air retail district next to an established shopping complex, the Esplanade is described in public material as being suited to:
- Retail operators seeking street-level shopfronts in a high-footfall retail cluster;
- Food & beverage operators looking for outdoor dining and terrace space complementary to a larger mall environment;
- Visitors and shoppers who use Mall of the Emirates and who would benefit from an adjacent retail and dining offer within walking distance of a Red Line metro station;
- Residents of Al Barsha 1 and nearby communities who require local retail, services and dining outside the indoor mall context.
The description emphasises retail and leisure use rather than residential or office occupancy as the core purpose of the site.
FAQ
Where is Esplanade Shopping Mall located?
Esplanade Shopping Mall is located in Al Barsha 1, adjacent to Mall of the Emirates, and is presented in project material as part of that local retail area.
How close is the metro?
The Red Line station coded R32 is listed at a walking distance of 649 metres from the site and is described as walkable in the project’s public information.
What will the development include?
Public descriptions present Esplanade as an open-air retail district comprising retail units and food & beverage outlets with creative architectural and landscape treatment shown in early concept imagery. The images are drawn from initial plans and may not represent the final details.
Are there schools nearby?
The project’s public material names Dubai International Academy Al Barsha at about 0.7 km and Al Mawakeb School Al Barsha at about 1.0 km as nearby education facilities.
Notes: Public materials for Esplanade Shopping Mall are presented with concept imagery and indicative travel times. Photographs and renderings in those materials illustrate early design intent; developers commonly review and revise plans as projects proceed.
