Keturah founder urges industry collaboration to match market momentum.
Dubai’s luxury real estate sector is being urged to treat wellness as the new baseline for residential design, as global demand grows for healthier living environments.
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) says the next phase of wellness real estate will see health-supportive design become a standard expectation rather than a luxury feature. It believes greater collaboration between planners, architects, public health leaders and wellness professionals will be critical to creating homes and communities that proactively support long-term health.
Dubai luxury developer Keturah has backed the findings, saying the shift toward health-focused design presents an opportunity for the industry to raise standards and reinforce Dubai’s position as a global wellness real estate leader.
“The next phase for the industry is collaboration rather than competition,” said Talal M. Al Gaddah, CEO and Founder of Keturah. “We need planners, architects, public health leaders and wellness professionals working together, not developers acting alone. Dubai has the government vision and the market momentum to lead this globally, and now the wider industry needs to catch up.”
Global wellness real estate could exceed $1 trillion by 2029
According to the GWI’s latest Initiative Trends report, the global wellness real estate sector is projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2029, reflecting a shift from wellness as a luxury aspiration toward evidence-based infrastructure.
Wellness accounts for more than 12% of UAE construction
The UAE has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing wellness real estate markets. GWI data shows wellness real estate now accounts for more than 12% of construction in the UAE, with the market expanding from $3.3 billion in 2017 to $14.6 billion in 2025.
More than 555,000 wellness homes are in the pipeline
More than 555,000 wellness-focused residential units are also in the pipeline across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. In Dubai, developments include Keturah Reserve, the AED 5.7 billion bio-living community in Mohammed Bin Rashid City’s District 7, and the Ritz-Carlton Residences at Keturah Resort beside Dubai Creek.
The GWI identifies four key trends shaping wellness real estate: primal architecture, which uses natural materials, softer lighting and intuitive wayfinding; neuroarchitecture, which considers how light, acoustics and spatial design affect wellbeing; reducing microplastics through more natural materials; and walkable communities that support mobility, independence and healthy aging.
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