<\/p>\n
\n\tABU DHABI \u2014 Stand in the center of Abu Dhabi\u2019s newest luxury shopping district and turn your head three times: the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum. <\/p>\n
\n\tThat sightline and the unique positioning in the heart of one of the world\u2019s most concentrated cultural districts is what Aldar sold to more than 100 brands \u2014 among them Audemars Piguet, Brunello Cucinelli, Bulgari, Cartier, Chaumet, Dior, Fendi, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. and Van Cleef & Arpels \u2014 to fill Saadiyat Grove. <\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cFrom the central atrium, you just need to flip your head,\u201d said Saoud Khoory, chief retail officer at Aldar, in an interview with WWD. \u201cLook right and you see the Guggenheim, look straight and you see the Louvre, look left and you see the Zayed Museum, while you\u2019re surrounded by all this amazing retail space around you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe development, set to open in the fourth quarter of this year, is being positioned not as a mall but as a destination fusing museums, hospitality and next-generation retail into a single, tightly choreographed district. And it is the clearest signal yet that the emirate intends to compete for luxury shoppers, not just museumgoers.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWhat is going on in Abu Dhabi as a whole is a vision coming from the leadership about where Abu Dhabi is going \u2014 and it\u2019s coming to life as we speak. Retail is a component of that,\u201d Khoory said.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\tSaoud Khoory<\/p>\n
\t\tExperiential Luxury: From Fendi\u2019s First Cinema to Chaumet\u2019s Tiaras\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cBefore we put together the tenant mix, the vision was the most important thing we wanted to sell to the tenants,\u201d Khoory said. \u201cWe needed to compete with different markets. They will be thinking, \u2018Why Abu Dhabi?’\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAldar has secured 20 first-to-market concepts for the region, including 14 new restaurants and six entertainment and retail brands. Beams, the Tokyo culture shop, will open its first store outside of Asia. Fendi is introducing what Khoory described as \u201cthe world\u2019s first Fendi cinema within a retail store,\u201d a multiuse space for screenings, podcasts and brand storytelling. Audemars Piguet is unveiling a global boutique concept inspired by Le Brassus, while Chaumet will spotlight its tiara-making legacy through a world-first immersive display. Loewe opens its first personalization bar in the region and Louis Vuitton is planning facade finishes Khoory claimed the house has never attempted.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\tTiffany & Co.\u2019s concept at Saadiyat Grove is rooted in elements from its Fifth Avenue flagship.<\/p>\n
\n\tKhoory said they worked closely with tenants to bring concepts to market that would offer visitors a unique experience. \u201cWe went to them and said, \u2018Here is the list of things we think is different,’\u201d Khoory explained. \u201cFirst of all, education. You are surrounded by cultural sites and museums. What can you do in your store that is inspirational?\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tSome of that involved dedicating space to content rather than product \u2014 a departure from the footage calculations that have historically governed luxury flagships.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe convincing part became easy when they came to site,\u201d he added. \u201cOnce they saw the scale and understood the impact, they were open to doing something they\u2019ve never done before.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\tHospitality as a Design Principle\t<\/p>\n
\n\tIf culture provides the framework, hospitality is the connective tissue in the development \u2014 which Khoory ranks \u201ceven beyond everything else.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWherever you go in Abu Dhabi, infusing Emirati culture is a must,\u201d he said. \u201cThe way you\u2019re welcomed, the cup of coffee, the way someone shows you around and explains the history and makes you feel at home, we looked at all those details for this experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\tGlass ceilings flood the interior portions of Saadiyat Grove with natural light. <\/p>\n
\n\tKhoory described the project as an \u201cindoor high street\u201d with natural light and generous landscaping drawn from the local context.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt feels like an outdoor mall, but it\u2019s actually covered,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have natural light flowing everywhere, and even the trees we selected are local Emirati species.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tKhoory said Aldar encouraged brands to connect with local architects to work on facades to communicate the emphasis on art and place-making. Cartier will open with a design that focuses on regional stories and local artists. <\/p>\n
\t\tFood, Not Food Courts\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cFood and beverage is one of the most important things because it brings people back again and again,\u201d Khoory said. \u201cWe needed a wide variety, whether it\u2019s coffee shops, bakeries, casual dining, food hall, premium or fine dining, even Michelin.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tWhat the development will not have is a conventional food court: instead, an upmarket food hall and a curated mix of restaurants and caf\u00e9s. Alain Ducasse Caf\u00e9 will sit alongside Monsieur Paul, the Bocuse brasserie format; Kokoro Handroll Bar, and Momofuku, from David Chang\u2019s New York group. Abu Dhabi\u2019s first Time Out Market will gather 16 kitchens from the city\u2019s leading chefs and homegrown operators, and Gymkhana, Barrafina and Le Palais extend the offer next door at Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe asked the operators to create for us something special here,\u201d he said. \u201cVisitors will find several local homegrown concepts exclusive to us.\u201d Many, he said, are affordable fast casual. The uniting idea was it be \u201cunique.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\tWellness, Residences and Long-stay Tourism\t<\/p>\n
\n\tWellness is another strategic pillar of the development, which Khoory called the \u201cnext phase of luxury.\u201d BXR, the London gym backed by heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua, will take 21,500 square feet in its first Middle East flagship, alongside a wellness center and longevity clinic.<\/p>\n
\n\tAt the center of the development is Saadiyat Forum, a 75,000-square-foot transformable venue for cultural programming, alongside a 23,700-square-foot executive club and 269,000 square feet of office space. More than 1,000 homes across Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences, Baccarat Residences Saadiyat and The Arthouse are due for handover in the coming months \u2014 a resident base Khoory expects to balance evenly with tourists.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe opening will be staged rather than fully leased on Day One, and Khoory expects the mix to evolve.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re constantly looking globally at what\u2019s happening in the market and making sure we get the best to Abu Dhabi that our market likes,\u201d he said, citing inspirations from Bal Harbour in Miami to K11 in Hong Kong. \u201cThe balance is trying new things while making sure we are always catering to the customer.\u201d<\/p>\n
#Aldars #Luxury #Retail #District #Opens<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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