Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC), the agency responsible for the future of Abu Dhabi’s urban environment, has won the award for the best residential project for its trend setting Baniyas/South Wathba Revitalisation Project at the Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2010 awards.
The Baniyas/South Wathba Revitalisation Project envisions the revitalisation of existing Emirati housing communities to improve both quality and liveability. The Baniyas area currently houses around 65,000 inhabitants in housing communities that vary in range from 20 to 40 years.
At the award ceremony, Falah Al Ahbabi, General Manager Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council said “Baniyas/South Wathba Revitalisation Project is a highly significant urban development initiative which is in line with the Plan Capital 2030 guidelines. The overarching concept of the Baniyas Revitalisation Plan is to focus on creating a sense of place”.
“The UPC has, over the past two years, responded to the need for developing comprehensive urban structure framework plans for the entire Abu Dhabi Emirate to position it as the next generation Arab Capital of the world. An award win for this project reaffirms our commitment to formulate and implement world class urban development initiatives for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,” added Al Ahbabi.
The revitalisation of existing communities in Baniyas is required to meet the demands and qualities of the contemporary Emirati suburb with the variation and richness associated with traditional Middle Eastern urban life. The plan proposes to redefine the hierarchy of public space in the area, from highways and boulevards down to the residential streets and sikkak.
The typical typologies, consisting of large plots with single houses have been re-interpreted, respecting the local customs and way of life. Children and women friendly pedestrian networks of sikkak and barahaat (intimate open areas strategically placed to bring the community together) will link all houses to the centres. The strategy developed for Baniyas will provide the possibilities for communities to gently transform into richer, denser and vibrant living areas with a high quality of life and a strong sense of belonging and coherence.
“Abu Dhabi today is well poised to achieve its objective of becoming the truly sustainable Arab Capital and it is events such as Cityscape, which help project the rapidly changing shape of the next generation capital to the rest of the world,” concluded Al Ahbabi.
The UPC is participating at the ongoing Cityscape Abu Dhabi event in a major manner wherein the first ever life size model of Abu Dhabi’s urban landscape as envisioned through Capital 2030 has been unveiled. Measuring 23*17 metres the model marks a milestone moment for the economic, cultural, environmental and social aspirations of Abu Dhabi as it brings together in a single format all the various masterplans and components for one of the world’s most ambitious urban development projects.
