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The Waterway by Prestige One: Crystal Lagoon-Front Apartments in Meydan

The Waterway is a premium off-plan residential tower by Prestige One Developments, located in the Meydan Horizon district within Mohammed Bin Rashid (MBR) City — a high-growth residential and mixed-use zone positioned in central Dubai's eastern corridor, adjacent to the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary and the Meydan Racecourse. Launched in Q3 2024 and targeting Q2 2027 delivery, the development offers one and two-bedroom apartments and penthouses with direct canal and community views, priced from AED 1.83 million. The building's defining feature is its direct access to a crystal lagoon boardwalk — a constructed waterfront amenity that provides the resident experience of coastal living within a central Dubai address.

TL;DR Snapshot

| Detail | Specification | |---|---| | Project | The Waterway | | Developer | Prestige One Developments | | Location | Meydan Horizon, Mohammed Bin Rashid (MBR) City, Dubai | | Status | Under Construction — Delivery Q2 2027 | | Launch | Q3 2024 | | Unit Types | Studio, 1BR, 2BR Apartments; 4BR Penthouses | | Price Range | AED 1.83M – AED 3M (standard); penthouses higher | | Payment | 20% Down / 45% During Construction / 35% On Handover | | Title | Freehold | | Views | Canal / Community / Ras Al Khor Sanctuary | | Interior Design | Lacasa design house | | Appliances | Siemens (European kitchen specification) |

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Meydan Horizon — The Location Context

Meydan Horizon is the residential and mixed-use extension of the Meydan masterplan — the UAE's most ambitious horse racing and sports destination, anchored by the Meydan Racecourse, home of the Dubai World Cup (the world's richest horse race). The broader Meydan Zone in Mohammed Bin Rashid City is being developed as a premium mixed-use destination: residential towers, a hotel district, commercial space, retail, and a crystal lagoon waterfront that provides the defining lifestyle infrastructure for the zone.

Crystal Lagoon Infrastructure The Waterway's direct access to the crystal lagoon boardwalk is the development's primary amenity differentiator. The crystal lagoon concept — pioneered by Crystal Lagoons Inc. and deployed across multiple MBR City developments — creates a large, swim-navigable body of clear, treated water surrounded by sandy beach areas and waterfront promenades. For residents of The Waterway, the lagoon functions as a private beach within central Dubai — the ability to swim, kayak, paddleboard, or simply sit by open water without leaving the community boundary.

Crystal lagoon developments in comparable Dubai zones (the original Seven City MBR City projects, Sobha Hartland) have consistently demonstrated rental premium performance — the lagoon access generates measurable additional rent over non-lagoon units in proximity, supporting the investment case for lagoon-front positioning.

Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary Views The Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary is a RAMSAR-designated wetland reserve directly adjacent to the Meydan Zone, home to hundreds of flamingos and migratory birds that are visible from ground level and from elevated building floors. The sanctuary creates a permanently protected green and natural view orientation that cannot be built out or obstructed by future development — an unusually valuable permanent view attribute in a city where construction consistently transforms nearby visual fields.

From upper floors of The Waterway, residents see the sanctuary's mangrove and wetland landscape alongside the city skyline to the west — a view combination of extraordinary visual contrast that is specific to this corridor of Dubai and is not replicable from any other residential zone.

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Developer Background — Prestige One Developments

Prestige One Developments is a Dubai-based mid-market luxury developer focused on the MBR City / Meydan corridor. The company's projects consistently apply a higher design and specification standard than the generic mid-market Dubai developer, reflected in the Lacasa interior design commission and the Siemens appliance specification for The Waterway.

For buyers evaluating Prestige One's delivery credibility, the developer has operational completed projects in the Meydan area — verifiable by visiting completed buildings and speaking with existing residents or agents with community knowledge.

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Architecture and Design

The Waterway is an 18-storey tower above a three-level podium, designed to maximise the canal and sanctuary view orientations. The building's orientation positions the primary glazed facade toward the canal, with balconies designed for genuine outdoor use — sufficiently deep for outdoor furniture, shading elements, and the select-unit private plunge pools that represent the building's premium optional amenity.

Lacasa Interior Design Lacasa is a Dubai-based architectural and interior design firm with a portfolio spanning premium residential and hospitality projects. The commission of a recognised design firm rather than in-house specification distinguishes The Waterway from developer-specified buildings — Lacasa's involvement means the interior environment has been designed as a coherent aesthetic system rather than assembled from a catalogue.

Siemens Kitchen Specification The Siemens kitchen appliance package is a specific, verifiable quality commitment. Siemens' built-in appliance range — oven, hob, extractor, dishwasher, refrigerator — represents the upper tier of European kitchen specification below the Gaggenau/Miele premium tier. For buyers evaluating value-for-price in the AED 1.83–3M price range, this specification standard is materially above what many comparable Dubai apartments provide.

Private Balcony Plunge Pools Select premium units feature private plunge pools installed on the deep balconies — a feature uncommon in this price tier and typically associated with developments priced significantly higher. The balcony plunge pool is not merely a visual amenity: in Dubai's extended summer period, a private plunge pool accessible from the living room or bedroom provides a genuinely usable outdoor cooling option without requiring a shared pool visit.

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Unit Configuration Analysis

Studios (From AED 1.5M — DB entry, likely for smaller studio configurations) The studio entry product targets single professionals and yield-focused investors. Studios in the Meydan zone command rental demand from the young professional segment working in Downtown, DIFC, and the Meydan commercial district.

One-Bedroom Apartments (From AED 1.83M) The confirmed starting price for the one-bedroom tier. At 700–900 sq ft (estimated from the unit configuration data), one-bedrooms provide defined sleeping and living separation, Lacasa-designed interiors, Siemens kitchen, and canal view. Annual rentals for Meydan Horizon one-bedrooms: AED 80,000–100,000, implying yields of 5–6.5% at acquisition prices.

Two-Bedroom Apartments (Estimated AED 2.25M–3M) Two-bedroom units serve the couple and small-family demographic, providing two en-suite bedrooms, an open-plan living area, and a balcony with canal or community view. The two-bedroom tier in this zone rents for AED 115,000–140,000 annually, supporting yields of 5–6% at the mid-range acquisition price.

Four-Bedroom Penthouses The penthouse tier at The Waterway provides the building's premium product: expansive floor plans across the upper levels with 360-degree view access incorporating canal, sanctuary, and city skyline panoramas. Penthouses include the private plunge pool as a standard feature and the full Lacasa specification at maximum scale.

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Amenity Package

Crystal Lagoon Boardwalk Access The primary lifestyle amenity — direct access to the crystal lagoon's boardwalk, beach areas, and water activities. Swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, and beach lounging are all available within the community boundary.

Infinity Swimming Pool A building-level pool with canal views — the daily amenity for residents who want poolside access without the walk to the lagoon.

Children's Pool Safe, dedicated shallow pool for younger residents.

Gymnasium Fully equipped fitness centre with cardio and resistance training.

Outdoor Cinema An uncommon amenity in this price tier — a screen and seating setup for al-fresco film viewing in Dubai's extended outdoor-friendly season.

Basketball Court Sports court infrastructure for the active resident demographic of a young professional community.

BBQ Areas and Community Lounge Social infrastructure for resident gathering, events, and outdoor dining.

Concierge and Valet Hotel-standard concierge services and dedicated valet parking — appropriate for Prestige One's luxury positioning.

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Location and Connectivity

| Destination | Drive Time (Approx.) | |---|---| | Meydan Racecourse | 8 minutes | | Dubai Design District (d3) | 12 minutes | | Ras Al Khor Road (E44) | 5 minutes | | Al Ain Road (E66) | 10 minutes | | Downtown Dubai / Burj Khalifa | 15 minutes | | DIFC | 15 minutes | | Dubai International Airport (DXB) | 20 minutes | | Business Bay | 15 minutes | | Dubai Festival City | 15 minutes | | Dubai Mall | 18 minutes |

The Meydan Horizon location provides excellent connectivity via the Ras Al Khor Road (E44) and Al Ain Road (E66) network, giving residents direct access to central Dubai (Downtown, DIFC, Business Bay) in fifteen minutes and the airport in twenty minutes. This centrality is one of Meydan Horizon's most significant advantages over competing villa and apartment communities in the outer suburban ring.

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Investment Analysis

Crystal Lagoon Premium — Rental Uplift Crystal lagoon-adjacent properties in comparable MBR City developments have consistently demonstrated rental rate premiums over similar buildings without lagoon access. The premium varies by proximity but typically ranges from 10–20% above non-lagoon comparables — a structural, location-based yield advantage that persists over time.

Lacasa + Siemens — Secondary Market Premium When competing for tenants, a Lacasa-designed building with Siemens appliances commands measurable premium over a developer-specified building with budget appliances in the same zone. The specification commitment is visible to tenants who inspect the property, translates into higher offered rents, and therefore supports the investor's yield above zone average.

20/45/35 — Balanced Payment Structure The payment plan requires 20% down at booking, 45% across the construction period (July 2024 to June 2027 approximately), and 35% at handover. This relatively balanced structure spreads capital across the timeline without the extreme handover concentration of some Dubai off-plan products (60–70% at handover) or the extreme front-loading of others (70% during construction). For investors managing cash flow, the 35% handover balance is comfortably financed via mortgage at a standard LTV.

MBR City's Long-Term Growth Mohammed Bin Rashid City is one of Dubai's highest-priority masterplan zones — a government-backed development with multiple completed and under-construction phases (Sobha Hartland, Seven City Lagoons, Creek Horizon) that demonstrate sustained developer commitment and residential demand. The Waterway enters a zone with established precedent for successful delivery and rental performance.

The Waterway delivers crystal lagoon access, Ras Al Khor sanctuary views, and Lacasa-level specification in a central Dubai location at pricing that is competitive against comparable zone products — a balanced proposition for owner-occupiers and investors alike.