Dubai is proceeding with its ambitious target of manufacturing “20-minute cities”: the neighborhood where residents can reach within 80%of their daily needs, such as work, schools, shops and parks, 20 minutes of walking, 20 minutes walk, bike ride or public transport journey. This urban planning concept is a foundation stone of Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and is already being felt through projects such as Model District in Al Barsa 2. Currently under construction. The target is to reduce dependence on private vehicles by creating compact, mixed-utilized communities that encourage local life. This means that people will be able to live, work, study and relax within 20 minutes of their homes. A major metric in the scheme is making sure that 55 percent of Dubai residents live within 800 meters of a mass transit station, which they are easily able to reach 80 percent of their essential destinations. The broader objective is to create clever urban layouts that promote welfare, cut traffic congestion, and make everyday life more convenient for everyone, whether they are in new developed areas or eventually in the old neighborhood.However, despite the deliberate design, a major challenge is on the way: Dubai’s extreme heat.
How expo city is dealing with heat
In Expo City Dubai, planners are leading the experiment with adaptive solutions for year -round mobility, especially during the summer months. “In winter, people are encouraged to walk,” said Ivan Keselov, senior manager of the city operating in Expo City Dubai, “ He said, “This is an experience and we activate it by activating the spaces around the walking routes. If you paint something on the route, the children will simply play and walk in these 15 minutes. Adults are similar. So we add an interactive element of architecture and urban development as a pit,” he said. To increase access and comfort, Expo City Dubai is adopting a flexible, seasonal approach:
- In winter: encouraging running through interactive, attractive places
- Summer: Introduction to Climate-Unsefted Solutions:
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Climate-posting urban design Such as attached cold places - Shared route
- Smart mobility hub for bicycle and e-scooter
- Electric vehicle to support inclusive and multi-modal dynamics
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Kyselov mentioned that these innovations are necessary to maintain polynomial, inclusion and access throughout the year, especially in the rigid climate of Dubai.
Don’t forget the old neighborhood
While new development like Expo City is important, experts emphasized the importance of upgrading old districts to align old districts with a 20 -minute city model. Transport Mobility Planning Expert Martin Tilman told Mobility Live attendees that reviving urban areas should be the top priority. “We have to help revive the old city,” he said. “Going to a new area or site and it’s easy to say how we are going forward. This is some more difficult that already exists and works on it because it does not have parking provisions or rail networks. , Tilman believes that the effort is worth it: “The reward is important,” he said. “Usually already employed cities were planned for pedestrians and on better access to people. They took better shapes and were better coded for day-to-day realities of living here in the Middle East. I think this is important and the idea of leaving it is completely wrong. ,
Maintaining Vision: 20 minutes of cities working in the real world
Dubai 2040 Master Plan is already running, and projects such as Al -Barsha 2 model district and expo city setting examples, Emirates is clearly committed to developing their urban clothes. Provides the idea of 20 minutes of cities:
- Reduction in traffic congestion
- Better quality of life
- Low carbon emissions
- Greater
Walkability and Liveness
But the success depends greatly on addressing climate realities, especially by incorporating climate-controlled areas and adaptive infrastructure for the comfortable and mobile year-long stay. If Dubai is successful, it will not re -define the city living in the Gulf, it can also set a new benchmark for permanent urban planning in warm climate globally.