30 July 2019
Engaging in the Middle East Architect roundtable discussion about the masterplanning in UAE
A roundtable hosted by Middle East Architect at Cosentino Middle East’s showroom in Dubai Design District, our Managing Director – MENA Kerem Cengiz and three UAE-based architects from different practices gathered to discuss the status quo of masterplanning in the country, as well as identify paths towards improvement. Emphasis on connectivity between masterplans is necessary.
Connectivity between pods of development within Dubai is a critical obstacle to an integrated city layout. The city is designed by developers, and each works with a different agenda in a certain area, leading to this pattern in Dubai: having the DNA of a country rather than a city – in a city you have a centre and suburbs that ripple outward.
In addition to increasing the connection of the masterplan, industry professionals need to have more dialogues and participate in the future of urban planning.
“I think we all have to put our hands up. If we were in a different region, we would have a professional obligation to engage more with the broader development agenda. When we come to places like Dubai, we largely sit within our own offices and do our own thing, but this is a real opportunity to form a group and put ideas into practice.” explained Kerem.
