CLAD has been given an exclusive first look at the inaugural Floating Seahorse; a luxury private villa submerged partly beneath the waves.

The development of the Seahorse – which is technically classified as a non-propulsive boat – has been shrouded in secrecy since the concept was first unveiled at the Dubai International Boat Show in early 2015.

Dubai developer Kleindienst Group and its subsidiary, the Seahorse Boats Trading Company, are designing and building 131 Floating Seahorses in the United Arab Emirates for The Heart of Europe – a luxury resort, inspired by European design and heritage, spread across six islands off the coast of Dubai.

The first of these, St Petersburg Island, will open in Q4 2016 with the rest to follow over the next three years.

Each Seahorse will feature three levels, including one that is completely underwater with floor-to-ceiling glass windows allowing a clear view of the sea life.

An open-plan living area, kitchen, dining area and sun deck will feature, and a jacuzzi and mini-bar will be found on board. An artificial coral reef will be created below each villa to create spectacular views and protect real-life seahorses in the Arabian Gulf.

A Kleindienst spokesperson told CLAD: “The heart of Europe is a first of its kind luxury island holiday resort – nothing like it currently exists. Due to immense demand for the Floating Seahorses, we re-shaped St Petersburg Island into the shape of a heart to accommodate more of them.

“Now we have launched a signature edition, a larger version of the original which is designed for families and groups of adults with children.”

A Seahorse can currently be purchased for a cool AED10m (US$2.7m,€2.4m, £1.8m).

The Heart of Europe is one of the resorts which will form part of The World, a man-made archipelago located 4km of the coast of Dubai. When finished, more than 300 small reclaimed islands will be constructed into the shape of a world map. Dubai development company Nakheel are overseeing the project.