New Town Master Plan & Urban Design in Dubai

Client

Private

Year

2016

Program

Master Planning

Status

Completed

SHILPA was unanimously selected as the Urban Designers & Master Planners by the jury during a closed design competition for a themed urban development of 750 acres in Dubai. A total of 36 international and national design firms were invited to participate for the master planning, architectural, landscape and related engineering design of this smart city.

The design was successful from among a formidable list of participants, as it was rooted to “indo centric” values of city development and based on providing a “holistically sustainable” lifestyle to promote the health, culture and all round wellbeing of its residents.

The design team was headed by Sheila Sri Prakash, who is internationally renowned for her concepts of “spaciology” and “reciprocity”.

Spaciology

impact of life spaces,
space design and planning
on human behaviour

Recriprocity

balance of socio-economic inclusiveness
with environmental sustainability through
urban design and sensitive architecture

Master Plan

The Master planning exercise included SHILPA’s unique approach of Indo-Centric Sustainability that incorporates Indian Design Philosophies and Design to provide an environment that is not only energy efficient and sustainable but also aspires to be a model community from the aspect of Socio-Economic Sustainability.

“The plan illustrates the main message of “Creative Diversity”: its commitment to pluralism, respect of internationally recognizable principles of conduct, promotion of cultural diversity as a source of creativity, participation and empowerment of oppressed minorities or groups, and so forth. It highlights Indian crafts and ornamentation styles, is visible, ubiquitous and unobtrusive, and draws inspiration from all that is wholesome and beautiful. Above all, it speaks for the region, and in the same breath is embraced without inhibitions by all.”

— The Master Plan is colourful, cheerful and celebrates “Indianness” —

Aspects of the Master Plan

Urban Nodes

Successful neighborhoods have diverse urban fabrics that are tied together with discernible centers.

The two landmarks of the Master Plan, The Multi Faith Center and Multi Purpose Hall are located in different nodes, and are clubbed with other robust programming such as the malls, District Parks and Commercial areas. This strategy allows for the creation of two distinct Urban Nodes for each parcel. The North serves as the HARMONY node while the one on the South becomes the CELEBRATION node.

Harmony

05 Node - Harmony

Celebration

05 Node - Celebration

Multi Faith Center

The iconic design of the Multi Faith Centre is through a progression of geometric forms that is evolved from the circle, square and triangle. The intersects of their planes are like the coming together of various faiths. It is a very large congregational space on the first level, over which rises the tower of intersecting geometries, and covered at the top. Through an opening at its centre sun light streams down to light the congregational space.

The second level has alcoves formed by the intersecting geometries, which are the places for meditative contemplation overlooking placid water bodies on the periphery, or by focusing on the energy of the sun rays within the tower.

The Multi Faith Centre is the only towering structure in the entire development, and its faceted planes reflects the theme of the development – The Fabrics of India.

Multi Purpose Hall

Multi Purpose Hall is the event venue planned for the project. With a large adjoining waterfront park, this space can be combined with the outdoor spaces to have large indoor outdoor-type events. This building is the Landmark Historic Building on site and has been designed accordingly.

The space is designed as three separate halls with connecting landscape courts as semi-outdoor feeling features with clere storeys and planting, extremely flexible and amenable to any type of meeting, function, exhibition, conference, wedding or trade show.

The Master Plan showcases the fabrics of India through unique ornamentation and uses them to demarcate zones, place making and transitions. Each precinct of the master plan has been assigned an Indian woven fabric. The urban planning concept blends softly with the symbol for Indian culture.

The story of the Indian fabric weaves into the concepts for the project from one area to the other. The motifs, ornamentations, colours, textures and weaves are expressed in different forms (maps, signage, sun shade, boats, etc), to be seen, felt and experienced. The motifs and the prints are temporal and changed cyclically.

Architectural Character

Residences

Contemporary Indian Architecture with addition of wind towers to improve ventilation and shading.

Historic District

Indo Saracenic, the style of Architecture that resonates as the SINGULAR heritage typology across the entire country.

Pathways

Pedestrian and vehicular bridges will dot the entire master plan adding the character that comes with a strong waterway.