Discovering busy marina cities around the world

The luxury real estate model that includes a marina with high-class facilities has become a symbol of the life of the upper class for years. Many developed countries over the world have made their mark with this special model such as the Marina City in the US, Dubai Marina in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

In mid-1963, a commercial and residential complex, named Marina City, opened on the north bank of the Chicago River. The project includes two 65-storey apartment towers and a 10-storey office building, now a hotel and a saddle-shaped auditorium originally used as a cinema. On the ground there are a square, an ice rink and a marina on the Chicago River. Among the various facilities available in the complex there are also a gym area, a swimming pool, a bowling alley, shops and restaurants.

Marina City was designed by architect Bertrand Goldberg from 1959 and its construction started in 1961 at a cost of 36 million USD. The complex of residential housing, office space and waterfront amenities has become a primary model for urban development in the United States and been replicated in many cities around the world.

In 2003, the birth of Dubai Marina continued to confirm the success of this model. Dubai Marina is a prominent urban area with a marina and a man-made 3km-long canal built along the coast of the Persian Gulf. The marina here is currently the largest man-made marina in the world.


For a long time, Dubai Marina has become a symbol of the prosperity of the UAE. It is also a magnet for investment, settlement and tourism for the capital city and the Middle East region. After a fall caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Dubai's real estate sales reached more than 3 billion USD last month - the highest in the past four years, according to Property Finder. Dubai Marina is one of the leading attractions in the apartment segment.

In Southeast Asia, by 2010, a similar complex model - the Marina Bay Sands came into being, attracting great attention. This is a 15.5-hectare business, resort and casino complex, located on the shore of Marina Bay in Singapore, and near Marina Bay Cruise Center Singapore.


Marina Bay Sands’ iconic design has changed Singapore's skyline and landscape. The complex has become a magnet for real estate investment and tourism for the island nation. It is also a venue for many important conferences in the region and around the world.

This waterfront real estate model continues to be replicated and developed all over the world. Some successful examples include Serenity (China), South Marina (Qatar), Batumi Riviera (Georgia), Büyükyalı (Turkey), Marina Cala del Forte (Italy), and Ayia Napa (Cyprus).

In Vietnam, multi-purpose real estate projects have been carried out to attract more residents and investors. According to the Vietnam Association of Real Estate Brokers, the absorption rate of multi-utility projects developed by reputable investors can reach 70-80 percent.

Inspired by successful projects in the world, Novaland has applied the waterfront complex model to its Aqua City project to optimize the project’s adjacency to the Dong Nai River. It includes boat docks, parks with ancient trees, riverside walking paths and riverside yoga areas.


The natural terrain has been respected during the development of Aqua City, with attention paid to suitable planning of sections, facilities and greenery. The centres of housing areas are connected with each other and with greeneries and the river.

Recently, Aqua City drew interest of investors when information was revealed about the “huge” scale of Aqua Marina, a complex of a square and a marine about to debut soon. This will be a high-class entertainment and shopping complex with an international-standard marina, an European-style square, a theater, and shopping and entertainment areas.

The project developer expects that Aqua Marina will help Aqua City gradually become one of the most worth-living urban cities in the East of Ho Chi Minh City./.