Contract award

Dubai Holding awards 5 billion dirham contract to CSCEC ME

By Staff Writer  |  09-09-2026

Dubai Holding has awarded a 5 billion dirham construction contract to China State Construction Engineering Corporation Middle East (CSCEC ME) for its new group headquarters and for Jumeirah Residences Emirates Towers, both on Sheikh Zayed Road. The group's announcement of 9 September 2026 describes it as the single largest building contract Dubai Holding has awarded to date. The headquarters is scheduled to open in 2029 and handover of the 754 residences is scheduled for 2030.

What the contract covers

The contract is one award covering two buildings on the same site. The first is Dubai Holding's new headquarters, which the group says will bring its businesses together in one workplace. The building has been designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill around a circular form, with a central open-air atrium, a landscaped courtyard and terraces. The group says the design is intended to support resource efficiency and that it aims to meet international sustainability and wellbeing standards. The opening date given is 2029.

The second is Jumeirah Residences Emirates Towers, a residential development by Meraas, which is part of Dubai Holding. It comprises 754 branded residences across two towers, designed by SCDA Architects, with hospitality and service provision by Jumeirah. Handover is scheduled for 2030. The announcement does not split the 5 billion dirham figure between the office building and the two residential towers, and it gives no floor area, height or storey count for any of the three structures.

The parties and the signing

The contractor is CSCEC ME, which the announcement records as having operated in the UAE since 2003 and as having delivered more than 110 large-scale projects across the Gulf in the residential, commercial, hospitality and infrastructure sectors. It is a subsidiary of China State Construction Engineering Corporation. The signing took place on 9 September 2026 and was attended by Amit Kaushal, Group Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Holding, and Tian Sanchuan, Chairman of CSCEC ME, with senior representatives of both organisations.

Mr Kaushal said: "This commitment reflects the scale at which Dubai Holding continues to invest for the future. We have a clear strategy for growth and a disciplined approach to capital deployment, focused on strengthening our portfolio, advancing high-quality assets and creating sustainable long-term value for the Group and the city."

On the two buildings he added: "Our new headquarters marks the next phase in our evolution." He described the residences as carrying "the same ambition in another form", adding to the group's real estate portfolio in one of Dubai's most prominent districts.

Mr Tian said the award reflected "the mutual trust and confidence between our two organisations". He added: "We remain committed to Dubai and are proud to contribute to the development of this remarkable city and its ambitious future."

The award sits on the group's own media pages beside its other recent construction announcements: the Meraas main contract of more than 590 million dirhams for City Walk Crestlane, reported on this desk on 7 September; Meraas awards of 2.4 billion dirhams for new phases of The Acres; Nakheel awards of more than 3.5 billion dirhams for 544 villas on Palm Jebel Ali and 527 million dirhams for infrastructure on Island B at Dubai Islands; and Dubai Properties awards of 1.1 billion dirhams for 850 homes at Villanova. The group's description of today's 5 billion dirham contract as its largest single building contract is its own statement and is consistent with the figures on that page.

What the record does not say

The announcement gives no form of contract, no construction start date and no programme beyond the two completion years. It does not state whether the 5 billion dirhams is a lump sum or a target figure, whether it includes fit-out, or whether the two buildings will be delivered in sequence or in parallel. It does not name a project manager, cost consultant or engineer beyond the two design practices. The residences' sales status and pricing are not addressed. Nothing beyond the group's published wording should be inferred about the scope or the commercial terms.