Sho-bah One
PNC Architects
Client: Sobha Realty
Sobha One is a bold reimagination of high-density mixed-use living—one that fuses commercial ambition, residential vitality, and environmental performance into a unified architectural form. Currently under development in Dubai, the project is designed to accommodate over 10,000 residents and introduce a dynamic retail, hospitality, and leisure offering, all within a single, iconic structure. At its heart, Sobha One responds to a core client challenge: How can we design for future density without compromising environmental, social, or user-centric values? The result is a globally pioneering development—the first outside Singapore to be awarded the Green Mark Platinum Super Low Energy (SLE) certification, alongside recognition for Whole Life Carbon performance. Key Design Strategies: • Integrated mixed-use programming: Retail, F&B, and community facilities interwoven across five interlinked towers to activate the ground and podium levels, while upper floors are reserved for residential living. • Flexible commercial zones: Modular commercial units, co-working areas, and wellness spaces are planned to evolve with future tenant needs. • High-density, low-impact design: Over 3,000 residential units and a near 6 million sqft built-up area are balanced with climate-responsive orientation, thermal massing, and digital building systems. Future-Focused Sustainability: Sobha One represents the client’s intent to lead by example—developing future cities through performance-based sustainability. Design decisions were guided by rigorous data and lifecycle modeling, not token gestures. • 60% energy savings over 2005 benchmarks through: o Optimized Energy Usage Intensity (EUI) o Passive and active shading strategies o Renewable energy integration • Resilient systems: o Smart BMS, digital twin integration, predictive maintenance tools o Climate-adaptive materials, systems, and envelope design • Green and blue infrastructure: o A 500,000+ sqft foreground of lagoon and golf course o Stormwater reuse, urban biodiversity and community-scale passive cooling Architecture That Serves Experience: Sobha One’s most dramatic expression is its architecture: a 350-meter silhouette shaped by five towers, rising 30–66 floors. This interlinked form is not just sculptural—it is functional: • Allows cross-ventilation, solar optimization, and reduced wind loads • Creates a 160m setback for thermal buffering and noise control • Hosts a 330m x 60m landscaped amenities deck, with courtyards, promenades, and pedestrian loops These moves create moments of human connection, outdoor interaction, and active lifestyles—all central to the future of mixed-use communities. A Proof of Concept for the Region: Sobha One is not just a design—it is a strategic framework for how climate, density, and livability can converge in the Middle East context. The client’s brief was clear: build not just a skyline icon, but a living, future-ready ecosystem. • First Middle East project to secure Green Mark Platinum SLE • Whole Life Carbon badge received • Designed for a new generation of residents, workers, and urban users Sobha One is a city-building strategy—not just a building.