Al Ghurair, a leading business group in the Middle East, has announced the launch of Al Ghurair Collection, the super-prime residential portfolio of its freehold real estate unit Al Ghurair Development.

Created to represent the pinnacle of Al Ghurair’s six-decade legacy, the collection makes its debut with Wedyan, a landmark waterfront residence along Dubai Canal.

Designed by renowned architect Kengo Kuma, Wedyan delivers on Al Ghurair Collection’s commitment to originality and craftsmanship to create something never seen before in Dubai, it said in a statement.

Some of the key features include outdoor living spaces designed to be multifunctional, for maximum comfort and liveability; additional back-of-house kitchen with separate access, perfect for hosting catered dinner parties; and special glazing that protects owners’ artworks from UV rays.

CEO Sultan Al Ghurair said: “Al Ghurair Collection marks a new chapter for us. We created it to develop buildings that don’t exist elsewhere. Our search for an architect that shares our commitment to originality and obsession with detail led us to Kengo Kuma.”

A selection of residences also come with standalone Japanese teahouse-inspired pavilions, easily adapted to suit residents’ needs

For Wedyan, Kengo Kuma shaped a façade inspired by the movement of water and sand. Its layered profile and textured exterior, echoes the rhythm of the desert and valleys, creating a building without precedent in the city.

“Wedyan is a dialogue between Japanese aesthetics and the context of Dubai. Our design philosophy is to connect and create a conversation between architecture, nature and people. In this project, our purpose is to bring softness to the design and to create quietness through shadows that cascade and reflect across the façade, terraces and amenity spaces,” he added.