Oppidum launches luxury fortified underground residences in the UAE
Ultra-luxury, fortified, underground residences will provide military-grade protection and security for high-end clients
Fortified underground residences developer Oppidum has unveiled its portfolio of luxury and secure residences to the UAE, and has said that the ultra-luxury additions to a client’s existing residence will be available to commission exclusively in the UAE, Western Europe and the United States.
In a statement, the company said that the launch of its latest concept provides the world with the first-of-its-kind underground residence, optimised for a super-luxury everyday lifestyle, whilst continuously prepared for all surface threats.
The designs are said to be suitable for short and long-term contingency, private business, or even for leisure uses. Unlike a purely functional bunker, which is an exclusively practical contingency against rare and unlikely scenarios, an Oppidum property adds value to the owner’s primary residence by offering facilities such as a private art gallery, secure meeting lounge, comfortable bedroom suites, bespoke spa, and other leisure amenities for everyday peacetime use, the statement added.
Jakub Zamrazil, the Chief Executive Officer of Oppidum, commented: “Our vision at Oppidum is to build the world’s most beautiful and secure contemporary fortified residences. They are places of serenity and absolute safety for owners and their families. It is human nature to desire security and protection: we are privileged to offer our clients the highest levels of service imaginable, creating beautiful places that will protect them now, and their legacy, for generations to come.
“We take an optimistic view of the world and believe strongly in humanity’s potential to develop a great future for itself. At the same time, not all events are foreseeable or preventable, and it is wise to be prepared to weather the storm when necessary. In an uncertain world, Oppidum provides a level of certainty. It is a place of strength that enables you to preserve and protect what matters most when required. You can then venture out into the world with the peace of mind that comes from knowing your family is protected, whatever may arise,” he stated.
The concept was developed by Zamrazil, a serial entrepreneur who’s said to have a track record in luxury real estate development and technological start-ups. An Oppidum consists of a residence designed and built for defence, and like a bunker, it derives its impregnability from being set deep underground, protected by significant structural reinforcement and rigorously controlled access, the firm said.
However, an Oppidum takes military-grade protection equipment and environmental systems and integrates them invisibly into a luxurious family home. It provides accommodation, leisure facilities and gallery space for each client’s collections, together with secure storage and self-contained power and water supplies – yet leaves almost no visible trace of its presence on the surface. It is constructed within each client’s existing estate, enabling immediate access when required. It is also entirely personal and individual, with every detail designed and delivered to the client’s precise specification, the company added.
Marc Prigent, Principal Architect and Designer of Oppidum remarked, “Oppidum is an extraordinary technical and professional challenge, entirely beyond any brief we have previously received for a secure space. Every project is conceived, designed, and realised without compromise, to be worthy of our clients – the most powerful individuals in the world.”
He concluded, “Concealed underground within its own domain, it is a place of absolute purpose, engineering integrity and state-of-the-art technology that also offers a beautiful, elegant, and entirely personalised living environment.”
In June 2022, Ithra Dubai began sales of One&Only Private Homes and The Residences at its One Za’abeel tower project, while later in the month, Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty said it would manage sales of the 1 Residences, which is located in close proximity to One Za’abeel. In July, Dar Al Arkan said it had begun work on its first European luxury residential project.
