The UAE to build the world’s first office development fully planned with AI

Architecture firm HWKN is designing what it calls the world’s first ground-up office community fully researched, visioned, and planned with AI.

Developed by Al Marwan Real Estate Development Group and located in Sharjah, the third largest city in the United Arab Emirates, District 11 will comprise 11 buildings totaling 3 million sf. NEB serves as the design architect and architect of record, as well as the MEP and structural engineer.

HWKN conducted research on Sharjah’s history, culture, and environment to develop the AI prompts for the project’s buildings. The process considered factors such as the area’s extreme heat.

HWKN is translating the AI-driven concepts into buildable designs through a reverse-engineering process. The AI-informed design process consists of three phases: exploration, articulation, and visualization.

The result will be a 15-minute walkable live, work, and play neighborhood. District 11’s buildings will produce shading for the public spaces, smart offices, and amenities.

Along with 200 commercial units, the development will offer family-oriented amenities such as nurseries, healthcare centers, and a mosque. District 11’s diverse attractions will include retail, food and beverage, cultural, and flora offerings.

Completed in three phases from 2026 to 2028, the development will feature an efficient grid and a public promenade that will stretch from the mosque in the west to the neighboring residential communities in the east.

Each building will have a distinct identity and interior layout, ranging from American-style open plans to more compact European dimensions. The project also will include structures adaptable for use as hotels or coworking hubs.

The development will be located five minutes from Sharjah International Airport and Sharjah University City. District 11 also will be in walking distance of Al Zahia City Centre.

“Designed with a modern, future-focused approach and integrated smart services, the project offers a dynamic business environment developed in collaboration with global design firms,” Marwan Al Zaiem, Chairman of Al Marwan Group, said in a statement.