A concept of Dubai Hills Mall.

Work on the Dubai Hills Mall, the new retail and lifestyle destination being developed by Emaar Development in Dubai, is progressing at a steady pace.

With a workforce of about 5,000 on site, and more than 8.8 million manhours achieved already, about 60 per cent of the mall’s structure has been completed.

Emaar Development has also commenced the structural steel work of an 18-screen cineplex as well as the first glass skylight. Mock-up work for the facades, skylights, shopfronts, washrooms and the finishes has also commenced, said Emaar.

Dubai Hills Mall is centrally located in Dubai Hills Estate, one of the largest developments being jointly set up by Emaar and Meraas. It is being built over a 11-million-sq-m area (the size of 1,550 football fields) and also features an 18-hole championship golf course, the Dubai Hills Park, and open green spaces.

The development is in easy proximity to Downtown Dubai and the Al Maktoum International Airport, and strategically located at the intersection of Umm Suqeim Street and Al Khail Road.

A unique attribute of the Dubai Hills Mall is its solar harvesting shading systems that are currently being put in place.

Set to establish the mall as one of the most sustainable retail destinations, Emaar Development is fitting out car-parking shades and the rooftop shades with a dual function – of assuring sun-cover as well as capturing solar energy through photovoltaic cells with the power generated to be linked to the grid of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority. The solar shading feature is estimated to generate 6.5 MW annually.

Offering about 2 million sq ft  of gross leasable area, Dubai Hills Mall will have about 650 retail and food and beverage (F&B) attractions including ‘fast fashion’ outlets and trendy cafes.

Other highlights of the new mall destination are four family entertainment and leisure centres including an 18-screen cineplex, a 63,500-sq-ft hypermarket, numerous anchor retail experience stores, and parking spaces for 7,000 vehicles.