You Can Now Live Underwater in Dubai's Amazing Floating Villas

Designed as part of the Heart of Europe resort – a group of six islands that join hundreds of others to make up ‘The World’ in Dubai – around 130 Flying Seahorse villas are expected to be built by the end of this year, with the original Floating Seahorse and the Tzar Edition already sold out.

The latest Signature Edition interior design is totally customisable and can be personalised to suit the owners’ tastes. It was created by the biggest European property development company in Dubai – Kleindienst.

Designed and constructed by real estate and property development company Kleindienst, the villas are part of the Heart of Europe resort, which comprises six man-made islands, more than a dozen hotels, and the world’s first climate-controlled streets.

While the villas are anchored like a traditional boat around 1.5m (5 ft.) off the seabed, the three-storey dwellings have been cleverly designed so that it doesn’t feel like they’re moving, even in stormy weather. Project architect Gianfranco Rasile worked with his team for months and did many test runs to get the neutral buoyancy spot-on.

Kleindienst’s CEO Josef Kleindienst said at The Floating Seahorse’s first launch: ‘Many months of research, design and planning have gone into The Floating Seahorse – we are confident that it will set a new benchmark in the luxury lifestyle market worldwide for outstanding innovation, contemporary design and underwater living at its best.’

The jewel in the crown of each villa is the lower-ground floor, where the bedrooms and master bathroom are located, which is submerged beneath sea level. Here, enormous windows measuring 25m² (269 ft.²), yet only 9.5cm (3.7 in.) thick, offer spectacular front-row views of the richly diverse marine life that surround the resort.

‘This is an original idea, to have a boat villa with a submerged floor where you can experience the feeling of stepping down into the master bedroom, be in contact directly with the walls, and see the reef, the marine life all around you – you’re surrounded by it,’ says Rasile.

Upstairs at sea level, floor-to-ceiling windows can be opened up to connect the generous open-plan living space (complete with fully fitted kitchen and dining area) to the sun deck, which offers amazing sea views to the Arabian Gulf beyond.

For ultimate al-fresco dining and entertainment, the upper deck is the party pad of the villa, which features an informal daybed, mini bar for evening cocktails and a glass-bottomed jacuzzi. In addition, the deck can be transformed into a unique winter bedroom, which can be hidden away by retractable curtains.

While the Heart of Europe project is a luxury venture, sustainability and innovation are at the centre of its design, incorporating green features, solar power and cutting-edge technology. To discover more about the resort, click here.