Orla by Omniyat: The Architecture and Idea Behind Palm Jumeirah's Dorchester Collection Homes

Image credits: Orla by Dorchester

---

Orla is Omniyat's residential building at the apex of Palm Jumeirah's West Crescent, designed by Foster + Partners and managed by Dorchester Collection. 

Everything about it starts from one idea: a home that opens fully to the sea, with as little as possible between you and the water. Three linked towers of 14 storeys hold 91 homes, from two-bedroom apartments to three Sky Palaces of up to 52,488 sq ft. 

They sit on a 29,000 sq m plot with 150 metres of private beach and 270-degree views, from the sun rising over the city to the sun setting over the Gulf. The structure is complete, the first show residence opened in May 2026, and Bayut lists completion for the fourth quarter of 2026.

Key takeaways

• Orla sits at the apex of Palm Jumeirah's West Crescent, on a 29,000 sq m beachfront plot.

• Foster + Partners designed the architecture, Yodezeen the interiors and ZED Collective the landscape.

• Dorchester Collection manages the building and its services, with a 24-hour concierge.

• There are 91 homes: 86 apartments, three six-bedroom Sky Palaces and two mansions.

• Terraces cantilever up to 10 metres with no supporting posts.

• Living rooms reach up to 6.5 metres in the double-height homes.

• Recorded sales range from AED 18.16 million to AED 79.89 million, at around AED 6,430 to AED 7,580 per sq ft.

• Omniyat reached full structural completion by May 2026. Completion is expected in Q4 2026.

Where exactly is Orla by Dorchester?

Orla sits on the outer ring of Palm Jumeirah, at the point where the West Crescent reaches furthest into the Gulf. Omniyat's founder and executive chairman, Mahdi Amjad, put it this way: "Located at the top of the Palm Jumeirah crescent, Orla occupies a unique position, fostering a deep connection between space and the environment."

The location shapes most of the design. From the top of the crescent, the sun rises over the city and sets over the open sea, so a home here can face both. Omniyat's Orla website describes the result as "uninterrupted 270-degree sunrise to sunset views", and as a resident you share 150 metres of beach.

If you're new to the island, our Palm Jumeirah area guide covers daily life there, how it connects to the rest of Dubai and what homes cost across the fronds and the crescent.

Who designed Orla?

Four firms shaped Orla, each with a clear role. Foster + Partners, the London practice led by Norman Foster, designed the architecture. Yodezeen designed the interiors. ZED Collective designed the gardens and water features. Dorchester Collection, the group behind The Dorchester in London and Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris, runs the building day to day.

Omniyat launched Orla on 23 November 2022. It was the developer's fourth home project in Dubai to be managed by Dorchester Collection, so the two companies brought years of shared experience to it.

The idea: three towers shaped by sea and wind

Orla is made up of three towers, staggered and linked together, set at the tip of the crescent so the homes look out across the water.

The shape serves a practical purpose too. Journal des Palaces, writing about the design in July 2023, reported that the towers were positioned to let the sea breeze pass through and help cool the building naturally, and that Foster + Partners built energy-saving technology in from the start.

Then there are the terraces. They curve around the towers and extend up to 10 metres without a single supporting post, which the same report called "unrivalled in any other residential project in Dubai." Many of them hold a pool set flush with the terrace floor, according to Identity's review of the design, so from your sofa the water in the pool and the water of the Gulf read as one surface.

What are the homes like inside?

Inside, the homes are tall, light and open to the outside. In the double-height homes, ceilings reach up to 6.5 metres, with glass running the full height of the walls. Omniyat says no two homes in the building are the same.

The materials are calm and natural: cream travertine, marble and white stone, with bronze-coloured aluminium outside and a palette of soft brown wood and rose gold inside. 

When Omniyat opened the first show residence on 15 May 2026, it described travertine, natural wood, floor-to-ceiling glass, a private pool and a large terrace, adding that "every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a home that feels both refined and deeply connected to its surroundings."

The gardens and the water

ZED Collective's landscape carries the same idea down to ground level. Water runs through the gardens, the planting is dense, and the spa areas sit lower than the pools around them, so you are surrounded by water at eye level. 

Journal des Palaces reported that Foster + Partners designed the grounds to celebrate "both the modern and traditional elements of the Islamic landscape."

The homes at Orla, by size

Bayut's building guide lists 91 homes in total. It gives sizes for the two and three-bedroom apartments, the Sky Palaces and the mansions. 

Four-bedroom homes are larger still, and one sold at 11,565 sq ft in August 2025.

The three Sky Palaces sit at the top of the towers. Each has a rooftop infinity pool of 35 metres and an entrance foyer 12 metres high.

What is it like to live there?

Living at Orla is close to living in a Dorchester Collection hotel, without the hotel guests. The amenities are reserved for residents: a beach club, infinity pools, a spa, a gym, a private cinema, a cigar lounge, a library and a bowling alley, with a children's play area and pet grooming as well. Dorchester Collection staff run the concierge around the clock.

If you're comparing a managed building like this with other options, our guide to branded residences in Dubai compares the main names, and our look at hotel residences explains how service charges and services work once you own.

What do homes at Orla cost?

Orla sits at the top of the Dubai market. Recorded sales collected by Propsearch range from AED 18.16 million to AED 79.89 million. Three-bedroom homes have traded at AED 6,430 to AED 7,230 per sq ft, and four-bedroom homes at AED 7,020 to AED 7,580. The highest so far was a four-bedroom home of 11,565 sq ft, sold for AED 79.89 million in August 2025.

For scale, Bayut's per-square-foot analysis puts the average Downtown Dubai apartment at AED 3,342.72 per sq ft. Orla trades at roughly twice that. 

The premium pays for a beachfront at the tip of the crescent, a Foster + Partners building and a limited number of homes. Our Downtown Dubai area guide gives you the full picture on the city's other prime address.

Is Orla still off-plan in 2026?

Orla is close to finished. Omniyat reported full structural completion in May 2026, with the facade, interior fit-out and finishes under way, and opened its first show residence on Palm Jumeirah the same month. Bayut lists completion and handover for the fourth quarter of 2026.

Until handover, buying at Orla means buying off-plan, with your payments tied to construction milestones. Our guide to buying off-plan property in Dubai explains how these payment plans work and what to check before you sign.

Who is Orla for?

Orla suits you if you’re looking for a serviced property on the water and value the architecture as much as the address. It works well if you live in Dubai for part of the year and want a building that runs itself while you're away. And if you collect architecture, it's worth knowing that Foster + Partners homes on the Palm are rare.

If you'd like to live on the beach at a lower entry price, our Emaar Beachfront guide covers the mainland alternative a few minutes away. If you're buying from overseas, our guide for international investors covers ownership rules and costs, and our UAE Golden Visa guide sets out how a purchase at this level can support residency.

Frequently asked questions

What is Orla by Omniyat?

A beachfront residential building on Palm Jumeirah's West Crescent, developed by Omniyat, designed by Foster + Partners and managed by Dorchester Collection. It has 91 homes, including three Sky Palaces and two mansions.

Who designed Orla Dubai?

Foster + Partners designed the architecture, Yodezeen the interiors and ZED Collective the landscape.

Where is Orla on Palm Jumeirah?

At the apex of the West Crescent, the furthest point of the crescent, on a 29,000 sq m beachfront plot with 150 metres of private beach.

How many homes are there at Orla?

91, according to Bayut: 86 apartments with two to four bedrooms, three six-bedroom Sky Palaces and two four-bedroom mansions.

How much does Orla by Dorchester cost?

Recorded sales range from AED 18.16 million to AED 79.89 million, at around AED 6,430 to AED 7,580 per sq ft depending on size.

When will Orla be completed?

Omniyat reached full structural completion in May 2026, and Bayut lists completion for the fourth quarter of 2026.

What is a Sky Palace at Orla?

One of three six-bedroom triplex homes at the top of the towers, from 39,538 to 52,488 sq ft, each with a 35-metre rooftop infinity pool.

What amenities does Orla have?

A residents-only beach club, infinity pools, a spa, a gym, a private cinema, a cigar lounge, a library and a bowling alley, with a 24-hour Dorchester Collection concierge.

Disclaimer

This article draws on Omniyat's Orla site and its May 2026 show residence announcement, Omniyat's launch announcement of November 2022, design reporting by Journal des Palaces and Identity, Bayut's building guide, and recorded sales collected by Propsearch. 

Figures are as those sources published them on the dates shown. 

Prices and completion dates can move, so check current figures before you commit.

Sources

• Omniyat, Orla official site; Omniyat, Orla show residence now completed on Palm Jumeirah, 15 May 2026; 

• Design Middle East, Omniyat unveils the Orla Dorchester Collection, 25 November 2022; 

• Journal des Palaces, Orla Dorchester Collection, 21 July 2023; 

• Identity, Omniyat's Orla Dorchester Collection, 12 December 2022; 

• Bayut, Orla building guide; 

• Propsearch, Orla by Omniyat Dorchester Collection; 

• Bayut, average prices per square foot in Dubai