urban developer profile
“One of the benefits of responsible planning
is greater trust and increased transparency to investors. Our experience in engaging with investors so far has been extremely positive. Investors are already talking about their decisions to choose Abu Dhabi as a hub for their industries,” he comments, citing Rupert Murdoch’s plans to make Abu Dhabi the regional home for Fox Inter- national Channels, a subsidiary of News Corp, as proof positive of the emirate’s appeal. “The efforts of the UPC have been inten-
sified by the need to prove that the emirate is even more determined in its path to sustainable development as a result of the global crisis. The approach to tackle urban planning challenges needs to be holistic, integrated, long-term and based on the participation of citizens and the private sector,” he adds.
COMMUNICATING CHANGE
The involvement of the local community as well as a raft of international experts in urban planning continues to be a pivotal factor for delivery of Plan Abu Dhabi 2030’s various components, as Al Ahbabi explains: “One of the key strengths of the UPC is its commitment to engage citizens in their physical environment. This is part of our heritage: the leaders of Abu Dhabi have traditionally con- sulted with both townspeople and tribes. The UPC is preserving this consultation process as an established tradition with a contemporary shape and form. “The UPC regulations create room for social
3
One of the key strengths of the UPC is its commitment to engage citizens in their physical environment. This is part of our heritage: the leaders of Abu Dhabi have traditionally consulted with both townspeople and tribes
interactions. The importance of the overall quality of Abu Dhabi’s urban environment is based on many factors addressing communities’ concerns. Community feedback is part of the process from inception. It is defined in our Integrated Design Process. “In that sense, Plan Capital 2030 is only the start of a continuous process of planning policies, each
of which incorporate the essential element of community participation,” he adds. For Al Ahbabi and the team at the UPC, there is also a concerted focus on involving the younger generation. “We focus a lot of our communication resources in engaging with the younger generation, especially with university students who are involved in the fields of architecture, urban design and engineering. The winners of the Fareej Design University Competition of 2009 are included in our villa guidelines brochure,” he remarks. A new quarterly magazine, ‘Vision’, was also launched recently, which provides regular updates on
the various urban development projects under development across the emirate. Additionally, a communications campaign entitled ‘Style Your Life’ is running throughout 2010,
with seven key themes highlighting the wide spread of projects and infrastructure development underway or in the planned pipeline. Mixed-use and community developments will include a network of parks and plazas across Abu
Dhabi, and a planned Heritage Trail will re-establish the traditional Bedouin route from the shore to the desert linking the historic fort of Qasr Al Hosn and Qasr Al Manhal palace with the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, ending at the new Capital District Grand Boulevard. Preservation of the natural environment also
3 Abu Dhabi master plan
takes precedence with key areas including the Eastern Mangroves to be enhanced as habitats for marine and bird life. UPC has joined forces with the global Local Action for Biodiversity (LAB) initiative which aims to assist governments to conserve and sustainably manage biodiversity and also launched its Coastal Development Guidelines in collaboration with the Environment Agency.
SUSTAINABLE CAPITAL
The emirate’s underlying commitment to developing a well- planned environment for the future has also led to partici- pation in the World Sustainable Capitals initiative (WSC). A global and regional alliance with the pooled resources
of leading experts, economists and industry represent- atives in the fields of urban planning and sustainability at its core, membership of WSC is a results-oriented pro- gramme focused on concrete recommendations and measurable results. According to the UPC, by collaborating with sustainable
cities that share the same vision, the Abu Dhabi Centre for Economic Development and the World Economic Forum are hoping to galvanise global capital cities in the adoption of successful urban planning decisions that favour sus- tainable economic growth. Al Ahbabi believes that this not only echoes Plan Abu
Dhabi 2030’s basic mandate, but will help to showcase the emirate’s ability to raise the bar for regional devel- opment, as he explains: “Successful examples like Abu Dhabi can be catalysts for increased awareness of the importance of the strategic role of the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council in the region. “Abu Dhabi’s resilience [to the global crisis] demon-
strated that institutionalised urban plans that balance economic, social, cultural and environmental requirements contribute to our capacity for response in tough times. Cities that plan better do better.”
36 /
/jun-sep 2010
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