#PROJECT: THE HEART OF EUROPE (The World)

[jonny.rotten13]

1.Yes why the fence. Maybe to hide, why else. 2.Very suspicious of super-glossy brochures like for this project. 3.Sell at original price, then say selling again at new higher original price. 1+2+3= same game all over again.

[Parisian Girl]

Josef Kleindienst, chief executive of the Kleindienst Group, on German island on Dubai's The World project. Workers take a break from construction.
The first villas on the island are now being built.


Construction Week, sister magazine of Arabian Business, talks to the men behind the project.
The first villa is due to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year and the twenty villas are due to be handed over to buyers next year.


Kleindienst talks about the project. The German construction company is the first to officially start work on the project.
The Heart of Europe development consists of six islands on The World, an archipelago of 300 manmade islands built in the shape of a map of the world and located 4km off the Dubai coast. (ITP Images)

>> Arabian Business

[Julito-dubai]

OMG, this is so mega staged. I really hope they work there....

[italiano_pellicano]

wow is amazing

[jonny.rotten13]

Originally Posted by italiano_pellicano

wow is amazing

Wowee it amaze me

[Parisian Girl]

Josef Kleindienst surveys the ongoing work on Germany island (background) and Monte-Carlo island (foreground).

The Heart of Europe beats green on The World

by Carlin Gerbich on Jul 18, 2010

The developer behind the first villas to be built on The World archipelago says they will strive to achieve LEED platinum status, even though LEED ratings cannot be awarded to artificial island developments.

Work has started on Germany Island in The Heart of Europe, a six island development and first part of the 300 island archipelago to undergo building work. After four months of stabilisation works, final core testing of the island was completed last week and developers Kleindienst were awaiting the final go ahead to start the first construction.

Josef Kleindienst, CEO of The Kleindienst Group and its subsidiary Kleindienst Properties, the company behind the development, says that the natural environment the island development offers coupled with the need to create a self-contained infrastructure means that energy efficient systems aren’t just desirable, they’re necessary.

“For us, the quality of this place is the quality nature has to offer: the clean water, a fresh air, nice beaches, and you have to follow this quality – and you can’t build a non-green building in this kind of environment. It’s very important to follow green building ideas. Reduce energy consumption, produce energy out of solar power systems and other ideas,” he says.

Kleindienst says the company will achieve its goals through solar power and other natural sources of renewable energy, such as a new generation of small and powerful wind generators. The six island development, which includes party island Monte-Carlo, Switzerland’s family oriented hotel, Austria – an island dedicated to weddings; St Petersburg with its hotel villas and Sweden, with a large shopping centre, will be linked with its own power grid. Wind and solar power will feed in to the multi-island grid and any shortcomings would be picked up by efficient diesel generators.

While the islands may not be able to be covered with a LEED rating or certificate, Kleindienst said that wouldn’t stop them following the system’s principles in its approach to building on the islands.

“I think LEED is a starting point for a country like the Emirates. You need regulations in place, and LEED is a well known one, and it only needs to be adjusted to this market and you have a good starting point for the emirates.

“For example, in LEED, you can earn one point with having an area where you can park bicycles. This is important in Europe, and it’s important in America but definitely not in Dubai because people do not use bicycles here.”

“If you look at LEED, it is an American system and these guys understand marketing. In Europe and Germany, you would not even get building permission if you were only following LEED standards. European standards are already higher than American standards. But the Americans know how to market their standards. Europeans don’t even have a common standard.”

The first of the 20 villas in Germany Island is due to be finished by the end of the year, while work on neighbouring party island Monte Carlo is expected to be ready in time for celebrations on New Year's Eve this year. >> Source

[Parisian Girl]

Monte Carlo island to open as members-only club, party venue

Only The World residents, or those who pay membership, can go

# By Arno Maierbrugger, Deputy Business Editor | Published: 00:00 July 25, 2010


How the Monte Carlo island on The World will look. Monte Carlo is scheduled for an official opening on New Year's Eve, with a party and performances, and attended by owners and A-list celebrities.

Image Credit: Supplied picture

Dubai: Monte Carlo island on The World development off Dubai's coast is to be a members-only party and event venue, the CEO of project developer Kleindienst Group, Josef Kleindienst, told Gulf News Saturday.

The island, part of "The Heart of Europe" project on The World, will be accessible only to those who own properties on the islands, or VIP members who would have to pay Dh30,000 in annual membership fees and own a boat, Kleindienst said.

The island will be built in two phases.

The developer said by the end of the year, a club house, the infrastructure, a pool and barbecue area and a dance club would be finished.

Plans were being made for the venue to be officially opened on New Year's Eve with a VIP party including fireworks and performances, Kleindienst said.

He said only A-list celebrities and "big names" would be invited to the party.

That meant only those celebrities who "got popular through their achievements" rather than with their presence in tabloids, he said.

"We are organising a reputable event," Kleindienst said. "There have been some negative reports on the project, so we are keen to show that it is well on track."

News of the Monte Carlo island's official opening followed an announcement by Kleindienst this month that the construction of the first villas on the Germany island had started, the majority of which has already been sold.

When finished, "The Heart of Europe" will be a "unique complex made up of luxury hotels, designer villas, holiday apartments and shops," he said.

Destinations at The World development — after some islands have been renamed — would include Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Monte Carlo, Geneva, Luxembourg, St Petersburg and Sochi.

Part of the Netherlands Island had been planned as a leisure area with its own beach and be named Amsterdam, the developer said.

A luxury shopping arcade as well as two five-star hotels had been planned "to entice residents and visitors to St Petersburg".

One of the chief attractions at Austria Island would be The Sissi Hotel, dedicated to Austria's former empress. It would be decorated in keeping with the Sissi design, Kleindienst says.

The hotel was still in the planning stage.

There would also be a dolphin pool on one of the islands, he said.

The Heart of Europe was conceived to capture "the authentic charm of each European town," he said.

For example, Austria would be elevated at its centre so that the city was built onto a hill and Germany would have a tree-lined promenade.

In co-operation with the Kleindienst Group, the European research centre Fraunhofer Institute said it was developing environmentally friendly transportation, energy-efficient cooling systems and an irrigation system for the development.

The Heart of Europe development would cost a total of Dh3.1 billion. >> Gulf News

[PaulDubai]

Originally Posted by jonny.rotten13

Wowee it amaze me

Wowzer, what a load of bollocks;

As if this is really going to be like the renders suggest.....

More glossy pictures and bullshit....should move this to the never built section now.

[kekkoz]

News?!?!?!?

[The-King]

On the last satellite pictures I saw you can clearly see that at least 5 islands in the europe part have been linked and that there are ships and material on site.

Still looking for some new aerial pictures to have a more detailed look, but can't find anything on flickr or elsewhere.

[Betelgeuze]

Can you post/link that satellite picture you saw pls?

[The-King]

here is the link: http://browse.digitalglobe.com/image...geWidth=natres

[Dubaiiscool:)]

Carlin Gerbich

Oct 3, 2010


The World devlopement and its 300 islands.
More Images

Dubai’s reputation for ambitious projects is legendary. The emirate is not only home to the tallest skyscraper, largest shopping mall, biggest dancing fountain and largest manmade island in the world, but it also has a 300-island archipelago, visible from outer space, sitting four-kilometres off the coast, ripe for development.

The first of the developers on The World is Dubai-based Kleindienst Group, a real estate company established in the emirate in 2003, with its six island Heart of Europe project which combines luxury holiday villas, exclusive hotels, climate-controlled streets surrounding its shopping centres – and world leading green technologies.

It’s a bold start to a development that will eventually see the 300 islands as one of the most desirable places to live, spend vacations and shop in the Middle East.

“The average stay of any tourist in Dubai is less than three days. We want to attract them to stay two weeks, but for that you need to have a lot to offer,” said group CEO and mastermind behind the project Josef Kleindienst.

“There is a lot for people to do in Dubai, yes, but there needs to be more. People come here, they see the Burj, the see the Fountain, the see the Dubai Mall, they go to the Ski slope [in Mall of the Emirates], maybe, and they see the Atlantis and everything there. We want to add something to that, another ‘must see’ that means they have to stay a bit longer,” he added.

Looking at Kleindienst’s plans, it’s not hard to feel a pang of excitement about what the company envisages.

Starting with its 20-villa Germany island, due for completion at the end of 2011, the company will also develop Monte Carlo as a yacht club and party island before moving on to Switzerland island’s family hotel; Austria’s wedding hotel and destination; St Petersberg’s hotel villa development and, finally, Sweden’s shopping centre.

However, there’s a lot of work, planning and red tape to negotiate before the six lumps of sand in the Arabian Gulf become the first islands of The World to realise Kleindienst’s ambitions.

The first steps were taken earlier this year when Kleindienst commissioned Foundation Construction Group for the soil improvement operation – or ‘vibro-compaction’ – on Germany island.

The work took four months before the equipment was transferred to neighbouring Monte Carlo island across a temporary land bridge, while Dubai-based City Diamond Contracting moved in to begin other preparation work on Germany island.

The first phase is to build the first villa on Germany island, and to also have Monte Carlo island’s clubhouse, pool and landscaping in time for the venue’s first official party on 31st December to welcome in the new year. The remaining 19 villas will be built over a 15-month period, which means they’re on schedule for a December 2011 completion.

The first issue was to sort out logistics. At the moment, all machinery, construction materials and other bulk products are shipped to the island by 120-tonne landing craft from Dubai’s Port Rashid. Each trip out costs AED 8,000 which, according to Kleindienst, makes it exceptionally expensive if each trip is not fully utilised.

“If you don’t watch this properly, then the price will run away. We’re looking at our options. Port Rashid is not perfect because it’s not close enough to the islands, and the procedure is complicated. Port Rashid is an international port and not one that is really designed for what we have in mind.

“When Nakheel decided to build these islands, the plan was to build two smaller marinas in Umm Suqiem and Jumeira to serve these islands. Then they changed to one bigger service marina near Maritime City. Until there is an alternative, then we will have to continue to use Port Rashid.”

For City Diamond Contracting, the issues were a little more rudimentary, as company managing director Deepak Arora explained.

“Setting up has meant getting staff to understand what is required to work out here. Some of them had never been on a boat before, so getting them to come out was a real challenge: they were so scared, they weren’t willing to go back again. Workers coming in to the port were really scared. The first couple of days, the seas were a little rough too,” he said.

“Scheduling and logistics is key. We are working to set up the labour camp on the site because it will help us with transportation, we can use extra hours to work to complete the project on time. It’s to be built in a very short time. Coming and going takes a lot of time, and it’s time we’d prefer was spent working on the project,” Arora said.

City Diamond will have a permanent staff of between 15-20 onsite throughout the duration of the project, and use specialists from its wider group of companies when required. Steel fitters, MEP staff and other specialist skilled workers will spend time on the island when their talents are required.

The steel-framed villas will be built on solid concrete floor slabs and offer buyers the flexibility of three, four or five-bedroom floorplans – with a choice of open or closed plan kitchens, and a raft of other choices over final fit and finish.

So far, 12 of the luxury holiday homes have been sold, with the first show home set aside for Kleindienst himself. “I will live out here permanently. These are holiday villas, yes, but I am responsible for the project, so it is important that I be here to work through any issues. You can’t be based on the mainland when you have such an important project to deal with,” he said.

The islands will also be completely self sufficient. All power and water will need to be produced, all sewage processed and all rubbish on the islands collected, compacted and sold for recycling.

Kleindienst says each of the six islands will be connected to an “international” power grid as they are completed, and that a vacuum sewage system will also connect the six islands and centrally separate grey and black water, portioning off the treated grey water for irrigation.

Germany island’s villas will be fitted with enough solar panels to produce an oversupply of energy to help fill in any deficits in demand from energy heavy islands like Monte Carlo – while clean burning diesel generators will be used should the solar photovoltaic systems not be sufficient, once all six islands are connected.

Kleindienst is also in discussion with German firms over advanced wind turbine generators and other renewable energy systems.

A sustainable World

Kleindienst says that while island developments are excluded from LEED ratings, that won’t stop him following green building ideals.

“For us, the quality of this place is the quality nature has to offer: the clean water, a fresh air, nice beaches, fish and sealife. You have to follow this quality in whatever you do – and you can’t build a non-green building in this kind of environment.

“It’s very important for us to follow green building ideas. Reduce energy consumption, produce energy out of solar power systems: the sun is available here.

For solar power, it’s around four times more expensive than DEWA power, but we have to compare it with power out of diesel generators, and of course, you have another level of return when you compare it with this. With our business plan, it would make no sense for DEWA to connect these islands with the mainland right now.


“There is one principle we are following on the island of Sweden. One of the fathers of city planning is an Austrian architect called Camillo Sitte, and one of his principles was that everything that you need for daily life must be within walking distance. Only the cemetery can be far away.

“We will also have, in our climate controlled roads, a rain system. We know people here love the rain. Rain is something typically European, so that means there will be times out there when it will start raining. People will enjoy the rain, they will go to the bars, restaurants, shops and buy something, or sit out and enjoy the rain.

“The rain will cool down the roads. The wind moves against the water, and the water only needs to be cold. We use the water from the dehumidification of the building, and this water will be used for the rain system.

So how often will it rain on the island? "When the shops are empty and its too hot."

http://www.constructionweekonline.co...e-new-world/1/

[Parisian Girl]

By Shane McGinley | Thursday, 30 December 2010 4:56 PM



A star-studded New Year’s Eve bash scheduled to take place on a self-styled ‘party island’ on Dubai’s offshore World development has been scrapped, its organisers have said.

The Monte Carlo island was to be unveiled with a celebrity-filled party on December 31, but its launch has now been moved back a year to 2011.

“I can confirm that the New Year’s Eve party originally planned on Monte Carlo Island… has been re-scheduled to 2011,” Josef Kleindienst, CEO of Austria's Kleindienst Group, which owns the island, told Arabian Business on Thursday.

“While I am disappointed that, due to circumstances beyond our control, we will not celebrate this year’s New Year on one of our islands, I am also pragmatic about the situation.”

Construction on the offshore World development has ground to a virtual standstill in the wake of the economic downturn. Many buyers on the Nakheel-backed chain of islands have failed to begin work, after Dubai’s real estate market saw prices fall 60 percent from their peak.

Monte Carlo is one of six islands owned by Kleindienst, which together form the $840m Heart of Europe project. The project is to include housing, hotels and a replica of a European city center.

The 415,000 sq ft Monte Carlo island had been billed as an adults-only party island, featuring a beach and pool club, nightclub and bars.

Around 800 people were expected to attend the launch party, Kleindienst told Arabian Business earlier this year, including “very famous people”.

“We remain committed to our development,” he said in the statement. “We know we will be celebrating many more New Years on our islands, and the best things are always worth waiting for.”

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/-the-...ed-370471.html

[Parisian Girl]

A construction worker crosses the temporary sand bridge joining the islands of Germany and Monte Carlo at Kleindienst Group's "The Heart of Europe" project, which
forms part of The World development in Dubai. Construction workers continue work on Kleindienst Group's "The Heart of Europe" project, which forms part of The World
development in Dubai. Gabriela Maj/Bloomberg

Bradley Hope | Last Updated: Feb 1, 2011

In the middle of The World, Lebanon is showing signs of life.

When you arrive by boat you are met by the sound of bulldozers moving sand around what will become a small beach resort with palm trees.

It is just one of a string of desert islands off the coast of Dubai arranged in the shape of the continents.

Near Lebanon, in Europe, you can pick out a large blue fence where holiday homes are planned.

At times, it has been slow going at The World project, which was launched in a blaze of publicity by Nakheel back in 2003 during the five-year property boom. Since then, the global financial crisis has pushed back plans for construction, but two more developers are expected to start construction this year.

Taiwan and Kazakhstan, made of up five islands, are quietly mobilising, according to a source familiar with the developments.

Within a year, there could be some form of development on The World for visitors to experience.

http://www.thenational.ae/thenationa...built-in-a-day

[Julito-dubai]

http://www.kleindienst.ae/residential/index.xhtml

the new website of this guy is a joke!

[kekkoz]

news!?!?!?

[bizzybonita]

The Heart of Europe is a cluster of six islands owned by Kleindienst Group on The World project in Dubai and offers an unrivalled resort and leisure experience.

The first class vacation destination is spread over the islands of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, St Petersburg and Sweden, on which will be another six European destinations – Belgium, Geneva, Luxembourg, Monte Carlo, Poland and Sochi.

The Heart of Europe is a celebration of the continent’s artistic and cultural treasures with each country capturing a different facet of Europe’s unique character – music in Holland, innovation in Germany, style in Austria, wonder in Russia, tranquillity in Sweden and romance in Switzerland.

Kleindienst Group has partnered with some of Europe’s foremost architects and technology providers to give Heart of Europe its signature style of modern design infused with characteristics of the host countries.

Created by leading Spanish architectural practice, A-cero, all of the islands at Heart of Europe are linked by unifying architectural principles and characterised by sleek designs inspired by their namesake countries.

The Heart of Europe is also a beacon of sustainability and innovative design, with green features that distinguish it as one of the world’s most environmentally and forward-looking destinations.

When complete the first class vacation destination will house 75 private holiday homes, six apartment buildings, six hotels, six lighthouses and six floating palaces. Other resort features include:

• A 1.6 kilometre climate controlled boulevard offering a diverse retail and food and beverage environment
• State of the art leisure and entertainment venues
• An Amsterdam-inspired nightlife district, which will be home to high-end bars, clubs and lounges
• A world-class aquarium offering unique, interactive marine experiences
• Underwater aquarium villas
• Private and public marinas to accommodate luxury yachts
• An arts program supporting young, aspiring artists
• Fine arts and museums from each country showcasing artworks from around Europe

[building1]

Austria’s Kleindienst Group, the developer behind the six-island Heart of Europe Project, has stalled construction work amid a $199m legal battle with Nakheel for breach of contract.

Austria’s Kleindienst Group, the developer behind the six-island Heart of Europe Project, has stalled construction work amid a $199m legal battle with Nakheel for breach of contract.

Austria’s Kleindienst Group, the developer behind the six-island Heart of Europe Project, has stalled construction work amid a $199m legal battle with Nakheel for breach of contract.

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/nakhe...le-410421.html

[cilindr0]

I don't like how the project is turning on, I guess it should be much better if they make every island in a more thematic way, so a little boat trip around the islands could be like a little trip around the real world