Fitting out a space in Dubai Design District (d3) means working to the Dubai Development Authority (DDA) process — not Dubai Municipality. Knowing this before you design saves re-drawing work later.
Who governs d3?
Dubai Design District (d3) sits under the Dubai Development Authority (DDA). Fit-out permits, drawings and inspections run through the DDA fit-out portal and d3 building management.
The d3 fit-out sequence
- Concept and design approval to d3 and DDA guidelines.
- Detailed drawings — electrical, plumbing, mechanical and civil.
- Contractor registration and the fit-out permit.
- Civil Defence sign-off for fire and life-safety.
- DEWA for power and water.
What catches tenants out
Designing to a generic municipality standard and only later discovering d3’s portal and guidelines is the classic cause of delay. The fix is to confirm the authority on day one.
How SADEED works in d3
Based in Dubai Design District ourselves, SADEED prepares and submits the DDA packages and coordinates the inspections — so the approval time is built into the programme we quote.
Planning a fit-out in d3?