Latest news with #CityDubai
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Time of India
Will Dubai's 20-minute city vision melt under extreme summer heat? Is there a plan?
Dubai is testing climate-controlled zones and shaded walkways to make its 20-minute city vision viable even during extreme summer heat (Representative Image) Dubai is pushing forward with its ambitious goal of building '20-minute cities': neighborhoods where residents can access 80% of their daily needs, such as work, school, shops, and parks, within a 20-minute walk, bike ride, or public transport trip. This urban planning concept is a cornerstone of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and is already being realized through projects like the Model District in Al Barsha 2. Currently under construction. The goal is to reduce reliance on private vehicles by building compact, mixed-use communities that encourage local living. This means people will be able to live, work, study, and relax all within a 20-minute radius of their homes. A key metric in the plan is ensuring that 55 percent of Dubai's residents live within 800 meters of a mass transit station, enabling them to reach 80 percent of their essential destinations with ease. The broader objective is to create smarter urban layouts that promote well-being, cut down on traffic congestion, and make everyday life more convenient for everyone, whether in newly developed areas or eventually in older neighborhoods as well. However, despite the well-thought-out design, one major challenge stands in the way: Dubai's extreme summer heat. How Expo City is Tackling the Heat At Expo City Dubai, planners are leading the experimentation with adaptive solutions for year-round mobility, especially during the sweltering summer months. 'In the winter, people are encouraged to walk,' explained Ivan Kyselov, Senior Manager of City Operations at Expo City Dubai, during his presentation at Mobility Live, a global event hosted at the venue that brings together experts in smart transport and mobility solutions. 'It's an experience and we promote it by activating the spaces around the walking routes. If you paint something on the pathway, kids will just simply play and walk these 15 minutes. Adults are the same. So we add an interactive element of architecture and urban development as a pit stop,' he added. To enhance accessibility and comfort, Expo City Dubai is adopting a flexible, seasonal approach: In winter: Encouraging walking through interactive, engaging spaces In summer: Introducing climate-adapted solutions such as: Climate-responsive urban design such as enclosed cool spaces Shaded walking routes Smart mobility hubs for bicycles and e-scooters Electric vehicles to support inclusive and multi-modal mobility Kyselov noted these innovations are essential to maintaining multimodality, inclusivity, and accessibility throughout the year, especially in Dubai's harsh climate. Don't Forget the Old Neighborhoods While new developments like Expo City are important, experts emphasized the importance of upgrading older districts to align with the 20-minute city model. Martin Tillman, a transport mobility planning expert, told Mobility Live attendees that regenerating aging urban areas should be a top priority. 'We have to help regenerate the old city,' he said. 'It's somewhat easier to go to a new field or site and to say this is how we're going to move forward. It's a little more difficult to go into something that's already existing and work on it because it doesn't have the parking provision or a rail network.' Tillman believes the effort is worth it: 'The reward is significant,' he said. 'Typically the previously planned cities were planned on the basis of better access for pedestrians and for people cycling. They tended to have better shape and were better coded for the day-to-day realities of living here in the Middle East. I think that's crucial and the idea of leaving that to decay is completely wrong.' Sustaining the Vision: Making 20-Minute Cities Work in the Real World With the Dubai 2040 Master Plan already underway, and projects like the Al Barsha 2 Model District and Expo City setting examples, the emirate is clearly committed to evolving its urban fabric. The idea of 20-minute cities offers: Reduced traffic congestion Improved quality of life Lower carbon emissions Greater walkability and livability But success depends heavily on addressing climate realities, particularly by incorporating climate-controlled zones and adaptive infrastructure to keep residents comfortable and mobile year-round. If Dubai succeeds, it won't just have redefined city living in the Gulf, it may also set a new benchmark for sustainable urban planning in hot climates globally.
Zawya
12-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Cheval Collection gears up to open Cheval Maison
Dubai: Cheval Collection's latest property in the Middle East, Cheval Maison – Expo City Dubai, is set to open in March 2025 with 151 luxurious, serviced apartments – which can be booked for any length of stay – and a host of top-flight business and leisure amenities. One of the award-winning, UK-based hospitality brand's largest properties, Cheval Maison – Expo City Dubai is a reimagining of the showpiece Leadership Pavilion that hosted world leaders during EXPO 2020 and COP28. The prestigious building, which has been extensively refurbished, is located alongside the iconic Al Wasl Plaza, five minutes' walk from the Expo City Metro station. Its opening marks a key milestone in Cheval Collection's Middle East expansion, which includes more properties in the UAE and a move into KSA. The company's first Dubai property, Cheval Maison – The Palm Dubai, opened in April 2023, and won the 'Best Debut Hotel Apartments' accolade at the 2024 Arabian Travel Awards. Cheval Maison – Expo City Dubai offers a range of stunning accommodation, all with high-end finishes, beautiful furnishings and a fully-equipped private kitchen. Available for short-term and long stays, the apartments include Metro Rooms, studios, one to three-bedroom units and Royal Suites. Most have at least one balcony, with some directly overlooking Al Wasl Plaza. The pet friendly property also boasts a range of dining outlets, including TEN-11 all day restaurant, 7seven7 coffee shop and bakery, and PDL café. There is also a rooftop pool with stunning views across Expo City and nearby areas of Dubai, a state-of-the-art gym with yoga studio, and extensive, landscaped grounds. The stunning property also offers three Majlis, including the 450 square metre Royal Majlis as well as private meeting rooms. All are available for private hire. Mohammed Alawadhi, managing director at Cheval Collection, said: 'Cheval Maison – Expo City Dubai underscores our commitment to Dubai and the wider region – and brings a new dimension to accommodation and amenities at Expo City. We are delighted to be part of the EXPO 2020 legacy by opening our flagship property at the heart of this thriving new residential, business and tourism hub.' Christian Potvin, general manager at Cheval Maison – Expo City Dubai, added: 'Cheval Maison – Expo City Dubai bears all the hallmarks of the Cheval Collection brand: a strategic, vibrant location, prestigious accommodation, high-end fitness facilities, great dining options and convenient transport links. We look forward to welcoming our loyal guests who are familiar with our brand, and new customers looking for the best in luxury, home-from-home living.' Sholto Douglas-Home, Chief Sales & Marcomms Officer, Expo City, commented: 'As Expo City continues its transformation into a fully-integrated community where people can live, work and play, we are delighted to see the opening of Cheval Maison – Expo City Dubai as a further enhancement to our hospitality and residential offering. 'With its central location, this new property will ideally serve visitors to the major events hosted here, the number of which is set to rapidly increase with the expansion of the neighbouring Dubai Exhibition Centre and Al Maktoum International Airport.' Bookings can be made via the Cheval Collection website, through online travel agencies or by calling +971 4 817 5555. Cheval Collection operates nearly 1,000 luxury apartments across 14 properties in London, Edinburgh and Dubai, and is set to open its first property in Saudi Arabia - Cheval Ladun Living – in 2027. -Ends- Media contact: Rebecca Rees on rebecca@ About Cheval Maison Cheval Collection is an award-winning luxury hospitality company specialising in high quality serviced apartments worldwide. The collection includes the Cheval Residences, Cheval Maison and MY Locanda brands. Cheval Collection has extensive expertise and resources available to take on new projects, from inception to opening alongside support functions across the business, from technical services, operations and facilities management to revenue and reservations, human resources and sales and marketing.
The National
06-02-2025
- Science
- The National
Middle East tipped to play critical role in how cities adapt to rising temperatures
Cities around the world are having to deal with rising temperatures and January 2025 was the hottest on record, according to Europe's climate monitoring programme, Copernicus, which showed temperatures at 1.75°C above pre-industrial levels. The announcement comes hot on the heels of a report by the World Meteorological Organisation that confirmed 2024 as the hottest year on record. This is a sign that the planet is on track for further warming of 2°C and cities need to adapt, Winston Chow, a chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, told The National. Sandwiched between Asia and Africa, the Middle East and its strategic location is expected to play a critical role in supporting the development of resilient cities in the two continents, Mr Chow said. "Most of the newest cities in the world that will house future populations in Africa and Asia are yet to be built," he said. Mr Chow highlighted that over the next two to three decades there will be a significant focus on urbanisation in these regions. "Sectors, agencies, stakeholders, practitioners, academics in this part of the world have a big role to play, not just in the age of AI but also in the age of climate disruption. So look out for those opportunities and take advantage of this strategic location." Speaking to The National on the sidelines of the Cities in Action Forum held at Expo City Dubai on Thursday, Dr Anas Almughairy, director general of the Arab Urban Development Institute, said a concern for the region is desertification. Desertification linked to climate change is on the rise and land degradation affects about 40 per cent of the planet and the lives of more than 3.2 billion people. With more than two thirds of the world's population expected to live in cities by 2050, transforming urban areas into greener spaces could help prevent desertification. "Some cities are trying to deal with this by adopting collaborative efforts – engaging their communities with the private sector, with governments and NGOs to get innovative solutions to the problem," Dr Almughairy said. Another concern is water, said Ahmed Al Khatib, chief development and delivery officer at Expo City Dubai. "We are blessed with all types of natural resources of energy, whether from fossil fuels or solar energy," said Mr Al Khatib. "However, water is always scarce and always a global problem, specifically in our region." To combat this, a number of water-saving and water-generating projects have been introduced at Expo City. For example, the Terra Pavilion can produce more than 20,000 litres of water a day by extracting it from surrounding humidity. Appliances and infrastructure have also been factored in to reduce water usage, a model which could be replicated out of the compound. "In our design of the buildings, we always monitor the water," said Mr Al Khatib. "Our consumption of water is about 30 per cent less than water consumption outside Expo City." Expo City Dubai recently announced that the pavilions that housed exhibitions of dozens of countries during Expo 2020 Dubai are being developed into high-end apartments. This plan has attained two pre-certifications of globally recognised social and environmental sustainability systems. The LEED recognition, attained from the US Green Building Council, is in recognition of the team's efforts at early design stage of the project.
