Teema 1 & Teema 2

About the project

Teema 1 & Teema 2 is an Emaar Properties project in Bawadi, Dubai. Bawadi was conceived as a large-scale hospitality and leisure destination, with an original masterplan extending along a desert corridor. That masterplan did not proceed to construction after the global financial crisis; Emaar Properties and Dubai Holding expressed interest in reviving it in July 2016.

Teema 1 & Teema 2 in Bawadi

Teema 1 & Teema 2 is located in Bawadi, at a Dubai location identified by the coordinates 24.99803, 55.330385. Bawadi was planned as a dedicated hospitality and leisure complex rather than a conventional residential neighbourhood. Its development concept followed a long strip across desert land, intended to bring together hotels, retail, entertainment and leisure facilities. The planned hospitality corridor extended for ten kilometres. The district was launched publicly in May 2006 as a large tourism-focused development concept, with a reported AED 100 billion budget. Its stated purpose was to expand Dubai’s hotel capacity and tourism offering through a cluster of hospitality, shopping and entertainment venues.

The wider Bawadi masterplan

The original Bawadi masterplan envisaged 31 hotels and nearly 30,000 guest rooms. It also allocated more than 40 million square feet to retail and leisure facilities. Hotels, theatres, shopping and entertainment venues formed the principal components of the planned destination. The proposed hotel mix included at least six three-star properties, 18 four-star hotels and luxury five-star hotels. Planned themed hotel concepts included Asia Asia Asia Hotel and Resort, Old Asia Hotel and Resort, Universal Fashion Hotel & Resort, Historia Hotel, Holly Bolly Resort & Hotel, La Musica Hotel & Tower, Nautica Hotel and Olympia Hotel & Tower. These elements formed part of the original area-wide plan for Bawadi.

Six planned districts

Bawadi’s original layout was organised into six specialised districts: the Golf District, Mall District, Urban District, Souk District, Theme Park District and Arts District. This structure placed golf, shopping, urban amenities, souks, theme parks and arts within separate parts of the broader hospitality and leisure destination. The plan combined retail and entertainment space with hotel development on a destination scale. Convention facilities were also included in the planned mix. The proposal was designed around hospitality-led activity, with hotels and leisure venues defining the intended character of the area. Teema 1 & Teema 2 is situated within this Bawadi setting in Dubai.

Dubai destinations from Bawadi

Bawadi is 22.9 km from Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai, while The Dubai Mall is 22.8 km away. Dubai Marina is 21.2 km from Bawadi, Palm Jumeirah is 23.1 km away and JBR Beach is 21.8 km away. Mall of the Emirates is 18.7 km from the area. Global Village is 8.3 km away. These distances place Bawadi between several of Dubai’s established leisure, retail and waterfront destinations. The location is also 28.6 km from Dubai International Airport and 20.4 km from Al Maktoum International Airport, giving two airport reference points for the district.

Transport reference points

The nearest Dubai Metro reference for Bawadi is Red Line station R73, at a distance of 16,982 metres. The planned Bawadi corridor was conceived across desert land, and the metro reference is not within walking distance. Dubai International Airport is 28.6 km from Bawadi, while Al Maktoum International Airport is 20.4 km away. Downtown Dubai and Burj Khalifa are 22.9 km from the area, and Dubai Marina is 21.2 km away. These figures provide location reference points for Teema 1 & Teema 2 within Bawadi rather than a statement of travel time.

Bawadi’s development history

Dubai’s ruler publicly launched Bawadi in May 2006. The project was presented as a joint-venture initiative in which developers were expected to contribute 40% of funding and outside investors 60%. Developers were expected to fund the initial 12 hotels, providing 12,450 rooms, while investors would fund the remaining properties. Following the global financial crisis, the original scheme did not proceed to construction. In July 2016, Emaar Properties and Dubai Holding expressed interest in reviving Bawadi ahead of Expo 2020. The original proposal therefore remains an important part of the location’s development history.

Emaar Properties

Emaar Properties is the developer of Teema 1 & Teema 2. Emaar Properties was also among the parties that expressed interest in reviving the wider Bawadi scheme in July 2016, together with Dubai Holding. The Bawadi concept was hospitality-led and intended to expand Dubai’s tourism capacity through hotels, retail, entertainment and leisure facilities. The original plan included 31 hotels, nearly 30,000 rooms and more than 40 million square feet of retail and leisure space. Teema 1 & Teema 2 carries the Emaar Properties name within this Dubai location.

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