Jumeirah The Red Sea

Overview

Jumeirah The Red Sea is a luxury beachfront resort located on Shura Island, the centrepiece of Red Sea Global's flagship regenerative tourism destination on Saudi Arabia's west coast. Designed by Foster + Partners as part of the Coral Bloom masterplan, the resort is one of a collection of internationally branded hotels that together create a distinctive hospitality destination inspired by the island's coastal landscape and marine environment. The resort comprises 159 guestrooms, suites and villas, complemented by signature restaurants, wellness facilities and direct access to Shura Links, Saudi Arabia's first island golf course.

Dewan Architects + Engineers serves as Executive Architect and Lead Design Consultant, responsible for design development, multidisciplinary coordination, technical documentation and consultant integration. Working closely with Foster + Partners and Red Sea Global, Dewan transformed the architectural vision into a coordinated and buildable development while maintaining the project's design quality and technical integrity throughout delivery.

Project Vision

The vision for Jumeirah The Red Sea was to create an intimate island retreat where architecture, landscape, and the coastline combine to deliver a refined hospitality experience. The resort has been conceived to celebrate the tranquillity and natural beauty of Shura Island, offering guests a secluded destination that is deeply connected to its surroundings. Rather than competing with the landscape, the development embraces the beaches, lagoons, and coastal ecology, creating an environment where luxury is defined by simplicity, privacy, and a strong sense of place.

Design Response

Jumeirah The Red Sea draws inspiration from Shura Island's coastal ecology, with buildings carefully positioned to preserve views across the Red Sea while responding sensitively to the surrounding beaches, lagoons and marine environment. The resort forms part of the wider Coral Bloom masterplan, where architecture, landscape and hospitality are designed as a unified experience rather than as individual destinations.

As Executive Architect and Lead Design Consultant, Dewan coordinated the development of the design across architectural, engineering and specialist disciplines. Through close collaboration with Foster + Partners, Red Sea Global and the wider consultant team, the project evolved into a fully integrated and construction-ready development that balances operational requirements with the original design vision.

Key design strategies included:

• Executive architectural delivery for a flagship luxury resort within The Red Sea destination
• Design development and multidisciplinary coordination across all project disciplines
• Integration of hospitality facilities within Shura Island's coastal landscape
• Close collaboration with Foster + Partners and Red Sea Global throughout project delivery
• Coordination of architecture, engineering, and specialist consultants within a unified design process

Experience of Place

The guest experience begins long before arrival at the resort itself. Visitors travel through Shura Island via a low-speed, predominantly car-free transport network before entering a sequence of landscaped courtyards, pathways and open spaces that gradually reveal the coastline. Accommodation, restaurants, wellness facilities and leisure amenities are connected by shaded pedestrian routes that encourage guests to experience the island on foot. This carefully choreographed journey strengthens the relationship between architecture and landscape while providing seamless access to the wider Coral Bloom destination, including Shura Links, without compromising the privacy and exclusivity of the resort.

Performance and Impact

As part of The Red Sea destination, Jumeirah The Red Sea supports Saudi Vision 2030 by combining luxury hospitality with regenerative development principles. The design adopts a light-touch approach that prioritises environmental stewardship through low-impact construction, electric mobility, climate resilience and the protection of Shura Island's sensitive coastal ecosystems. For Dewan, the project demonstrates the firm's expertise in executive architecture and multidisciplinary coordination, translating an internationally recognised design into a technically resolved, buildable resort while preserving the architectural intent established by Foster + Partners.

The project's performance outcomes included:

• Creation of a luxury island retreat within The Red Sea destination
• Expansion of Shura Island's collection of world-class hospitality experiences
• Enhancement of Saudi Arabia's premium tourism offering
• Support for the Kingdom's Vision 2030 ambitions through regenerative tourism development

"The success of a luxury resort lies in how naturally guests move through it. Every arrival, pathway, courtyard and view has been carefully coordinated to create a seamless experience that feels effortless, while responding to the unique character of Shura Island."

Mohammed Hijleh

Senior Design Manager

Project Facts

The following information outlines the key details of the project.

• Location: Shura Island, The Red Sea, Saudi Arabia
• Sector: Hospitality
• Client: Red Sea Global
• Design Architect: Foster + Partners
• Lead Consultant: Dewan Architects + Engineers
• Scope: Executive Architecture, Lead Design Consultancy
• Size: 45,606 m²
• Status: Under Construction
• Operator: Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts