**OFFICE SUPPLY: SUPPLY RECOVERY AMID STRUCTURAL SHORTAGE**
Dubai’s office market has experienced a prolonged period of muted new
supply, with annual completions remaining under 1.0 million sqft per
annum over the last four years, reflecting delayed handovers and limited
speculative single-owned institutional-grade stock. Looking ahead,
completions are expected to trend higher from 2026 onwards,
increasing modestly in the near term before rising more materially
towards the latter part of the decade. Notable completions in 2026
include DIFC Square in DIFC and Sweid One in JLT, both of which have
seen strong precommitments, underscoring demand for high-quality
space. Forecast deliveries are estimated at 2.27 million sqft in 2026 and
1.47 million sqft in 2027, followed by a more pronounced increase from
2028 onwards. The uplift in supply is expected to address the prolonged
supply crunch, particularly against the backdrop of around 17 million
sqft absorbed over the past five years. Approximately two-thirds of the
upcoming pipeline is single-owned, supporting occupier preference for
professional asset management, ESG standards, and long-term lease
certainty.
**DEMAND: FLEX SPACE IS NOW MAINSTREAM**
Flexible workspace has evolved from a supplementary offering into a
core component of the office market, increasingly embedded within
new developments and occupier leasing strategies. Demand has
accelerated in recent years, driven by both expanding operator
networks and rising occupier adoption, with leading global, regional,
and local flex operators scaling rapidly across the UAE. Many flex
workspace operators in central locations are launching with strong preleasing and reaching near-full occupancy at record pace.
**PRICING: RENTS CONTINUE UPWARD WITH LIMITED STOCK**
Average office rents in Dubai have climbed to AED 211 per sqft, a 21%
YoY increase. DIFC continues to command the highest rents in the
market, followed by One Central and Downtown Dubai. Overall, the
market continues to exhibit a clear flight-to-quality dynamic, with rental
performance increasingly differentiated by asset quality, ownership
structure, and operational efficiency rather than location alone.

