Jubail Island is shaped by convergence, where tidal flows, coastal desert ecosystems, and the pressure of urban growth come together within a sensitive and ever-changing landscape. Positioned between Abu Dhabi’s major growth corridors of Yas Island and Saadiyat Island, the site offered a rare opportunity to create a waterfront community that grows out of the land itself, rather than being imposed upon it.
At the heart of the project is its relationship with an extensive mangrove ecosystem. These intertidal landscapes provide both a physical and ecological foundation, supporting biodiversity, stabilising coastlines, and moderating environmental conditions. Instead of treating these systems as limitations, the masterplan embraces them as key drivers of form, structure, and identity. Development is carefully placed to protect and enhance the mangroves, ensuring the landscape remains the dominant presence across the island.
Led by Cracknell, the design approach follows a landscape-first philosophy that prioritises environmental performance and long-term resilience. Rather than relying on heavy engineering, the strategy works with existing topography, hydrology, and soil conditions to create a framework that is efficient, adaptable, and responsive. The result is a landscape that feels natural and grounded.
The master plan is arranged as a series of low-density residential villages, each closely tied to its surrounding landscape. Built form is deliberately restrained, allowing open space, vegetation, and water to shape the character of each neighbourhood.
Streets are conceived not merely as routes for movement, but as shaded, walkable places that encourage social interaction. From intimate courtyards to expansive waterfront edges, this hierarchy of spaces creates a public realm that is varied and easy to navigate.
Movement across the island is guided by an interconnected network of pedestrian and cycling routes designed to promote community connectivity. Trails, footpaths, and streets link homes to open spaces, supporting daily walking, jogging, and cycling.
A dedicated cycle connection leads residents to the nearby Jubail Mangrove Park, strengthening awareness and engagement with the protected landscape. Some of the open spaces also serve to buffer and preserve remains from the late Islamic period and Iron Age lime production found on the island.
Public space plays a central role in defining Jubail Island’s identity. More than 1.2 million square metres of open space is delivered as a connected system of parks, waterfront promenades, and community areas. These spaces are designed to support daily life while also offering moments of rest, shade, and reflection. Materials are kept simple and understated, using natural textures and tones that blend with the surroundings and minimise visual impact.
As part of the Abu Dhabi Mangrove Initiative, planting strategies reflect the island’s coastal desert environment through a xeriscape approach that prioritises native and drought-tolerant species. Vegetation plays an active role in shaping microclimates, providing shade, and defining spaces. Mounded landforms, created using material excavated on site, help frame views, guide movement, and subtly separate public and private areas without the need for hard boundaries.
Water management is a key element of the landscape strategy. Given the island’s proximity to tidal systems and its exposure to seasonal rainfall, a SUDS-inspired approach manages stormwater naturally. Bioswales, gravel basins, and detention areas are integrated into public spaces, allowing water to slow, filter, and soak into the ground. These systems reduce pressure on infrastructure while improving ecological performance: a resilience clearly demonstrated during major rainfall events such as the 2024 floods, when runoff was managed without disrupting daily life.
Irrigation design further supports the project’s sustainability goals. The landscape is irrigated using treated sewage effluent (TSE), eliminating the need for potable water and aligning with regional conservation objectives. This closed-loop system helps ensure the long-term health of planting in an arid climate and contributes towards achieving an Estidama Pearl rating.
Visually, Jubail Island is intentionally understated. Light, texture, and natural forms define the experience, while architecture sits comfortably within the landscape, responding in scale, material, and proportion. Built and natural elements are designed to feel part of a single, cohesive system. The lighting strategy follows dark sky principles, using low level, downward facing fixtures to reduce glare, limit light pollution, and protect wildlife. Restricted operating hours further preserve the island’s calm and natural character after dusk.
Beyond its physical design, Jubail Island is intended to support a lifestyle rooted in well-being, connection, and outdoor living. Active transport networks, access to water-based activities, and constant proximity to nature encourage residents to engage with their surroundings as part of everyday life.
Jubail Island represents a shift in the commitment to develop highly resilient communities in the region. It shows that high-quality residential environments can be created without compromising ecological integrity. By embedding sustainability at every scale — from master planning to detailed landscape design — the project offers a clear model for future coastal developments.
Ultimately, the success of Jubail Island lies in balance. It sits between nature and urban life, not favouring one over the other. Through a landscape-led approach, the island grows from its context rather than overriding it, resulting in a place that is resilient, distinctive, and deeply connected to its environment — a quiet but powerful example of climate-conscious urbanism.
Jubail Island
Location: Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, UAE
Landscape Architecture: Cracknell
Collaborators
Soil investigation: Baynunah Laboratories
Estidama Requirements: Platinum SDI
Geotechnical Investigation Report: EHAF
Client: Lead Development
End-client: Jubail Island Investment Company (JIIC)
Image Credits: Copyright Cracknell;
Photography: Alessandro Merati; Copyright Cracknell;