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8/21/25, 11:24 AM From icons to infrastructure: Union Properties CEO on GCC’s real estate evolution
From icons to infrastructure: Union Properties CEO on

GCC’s real estate evolution

Alongside physical infrastructure, digital transformation is another defining force in the real estate

landscape, says Khansaheb

BY AMER KHANSAHEB FOLLOW US
AUGUST 20, 2025

Image: Supplied

For decades, the real estate in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region has been synonymous with iconic
skylines, ultra-luxury offerings, and landmark locations.

These hallmarks have defined an era of bold ambition and aesthetic excellence. But today, they are no longer
enough. We are witnessing a fundamental shift in the forces shaping the region’s real estate sector.

A new value matrix is emerging – one built on integrated urban design, infrastructure-driven growth, digital
transformation, and environmental resilience. This is a structural evolution, rather than a stylistic one, and it
demands strategic reorientation across the industry.

Rise of master-planned, mixed-use communities
One of the most visible and powerful indicators of this shift is the growing dominance of master-planned, mixed-use
communities. The market is increasingly gravitating toward walkable, self-contained urban ecosystems that combine
residential, commercial, retail, and leisure components in a single, coherent design. These developments are not just
aesthetically appealing but economically resilient.

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