Abu Dhabi's West Bani Yas housing project wins first place at GCC Housing Award
In short
The West Bani Yas Residential Project, developed by the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority, has won first place in the seventh GCC Housing Award, presented at a ceremony during the fourth GCC Housing Week in Bahrain. The authority said the project met the award's six criteria, including location, facilities, community participation and smart systems. Aletihad reported the project covers about 5.85 million square metres, includes 1,659 villas and represents a Dh7.3 billion investment, with completion expected in the second quarter of 2027.
Why it matters
The award recognises a national government housing programme against regional criteria covering sustainability, facilities and quality of life, and puts a large Abu Dhabi residential development before a Gulf-wide audience. The project's stated scale and 2027 completion target indicate additional housing supply is being built in the emirate, though the documents give no figures on handover dates or occupancy.
Key facts
- The West Bani Yas Residential Project won first place in the seventh GCC Housing Award, under the theme “An Integrated Housing Project with Comprehensive Services that Enhances Quality of Life”. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The award was presented at a ceremony held during the fourth GCC Housing Week in the Kingdom of Bahrain. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The project was assessed against six criteria: optimal location, integrated facilities, connected communities, places for living, cultural and community participation, and smart systems. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Hamad Harib Al Muhairi, director general of the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority, said the recognition reflected efforts to develop an integrated housing system that responds to citizens' aspirations. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Aletihad reported the project covers approximately 5.85 million square metres and comprises 1,659 residential villas. [ 2 ]
- Aletihad reported the project involves an investment of Dh7.3 billion and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2027. [ 2 ]
- Aletihad reported the project includes a government school, mosques and retail space. [ 2 ]
- The GCC Housing Award is organised every two years under the supervision of the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The West Bani Yas Residential Project, developed by the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority, won first place in the seventh GCC Housing Award. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The award was presented at a ceremony during the fourth GCC Housing Week in the Kingdom of Bahrain. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The award theme was “An Integrated Housing Project with Comprehensive Services that Enhances Quality of Life”. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The project was assessed against six criteria covering location, facilities, connected communities, places for living, cultural and community participation, and smart systems. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Hamad Harib Al Muhairi, director general of the Abu Dhabi Housing Authority, said the recognition was a testament to the authority's efforts to develop an integrated housing system that responds to citizens' aspirations and places quality of life at the heart of its priorities. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The GCC Housing Award is organised every two years under the supervision of the GCC General Secretariat to recognise integrated housing projects. [ 1 ]
Still unclear
- The project's scale, cost and timeline: about 5.85 million square metres, 1,659 villas, Dh7.3 billion of investment and completion expected in the second quarter of 2027. These figures appear only in Aletihad's report and are not carried in the Abu Dhabi Media Office announcement, so they rest on a single source.
- When the award ceremony took place. Both documents say only that it was held during the fourth GCC Housing Week in Bahrain and were published on 4 October 2026; no ceremony time or date is given.
- The full list of facilities at the project. Aletihad's article lists a government school, mosques and retail space and is truncated mid-sentence, so the list may be incomplete.