SLA has completed one of the largest urban greening projects ever in the UAE: 104 new neighbourhood parks across Abu Dhabi, designed to improve health, biodiversity, and the everyday quality of life for all residents.
Designed using local nature, deep anthropological insights, and a comprehensive computational modelling process, the parks enhance everyday life by creating biodiverse, resilient, and inclusive public spaces tailored to local communities.
In total, the parks add 740,000 m2 of new public space, 22,571 trees, an overall 500% biodiversity increase, and 946 new social activities for the neighbourhood’s more than 400,000 residents.
Transforming Abu Dhabi’s urban landscape
Abu Dhabi’s arid climate presents unique challenges for social interactions and outdoor activities – resulting in only a third of all UAE adults meeting the WHO’s recommendations for physical activity.
To address these challenges, SLA has transformed 104 formerly barren sand sites in the neighbourhoods Khalifa City, Al Ain, Shakhbout, and MBZ into thriving natural spaces that promote active lifestyle and social community.
“With the 104 new neighbourhood parks in Abu Dhabi, we introduce a new way of designing liveable and social communities in Abu Dhabi. The parks celebrate Abu Dhabi’s nature and culture and offer easy and convenient access to healthy and social gathering spaces. The goal is to maximize climate action, improve biodiversity, and enhance the everyday Abu Dhabi quality of life – for children, adults, and wildlife alike,” says Rasmus Astrup, Design Principal and Partner at SLA.
Advanced computational modelling
Each of the 104 new parks is designed to provide a unique feeling, usage, and functionality, tailored to its specific social and physical context, using SLA’s comprehensive computational modelling, SLIM.
SLIM (SLA Landscaping Information Modelling) is an advanced computational design system devised by SLA. By integrating 3D modelling, feedback, and data-driven insights, the SLIM tool allows for the rapid scaling of design concepts while maintaining high environmental standards.
SLIM seamlessly integrates early-stage, real-time evaluations on ecological, climatic, technical, financial, and aesthetic considerations, as well as adaptability to Abu Dhabi’s unique climatic and cultural conditions.
See, hear and feel nature
Each park is designed to be a complete sensory experience, where visitors can see, hear, and feel the benefits of nature and enhanced biodiversity.
Native and resilient plant ecosystems were carefully designed to thrive in Abu Dhabi’s environment, creating a lasting ecological impact that extends beyond park boundaries. This enables a wide variety of social programs tailored to each park’s context, allowing designers to create unique identities and experiences for the 104 locations.
Excellence in the everyday
By combining computational innovations with hands-on design expertise, SLA has delivered a groundbreaking urban park system that not only meets present needs and challenges but also sets a new standard for future developments in the Middle East.
“With the 104 neighbourhood parks in Abu Dhabi, we focus on how the public realm feels and how it functions for the local community. These parks are not about creating ‘an icon’ for an international starchitect, but to improve the everyday life of the local residents. With this project, we aim to redefine the design and planning of urban green space in the UAE and show how nature-based urban design can maximize climate action, increase life quality, and radically improve biodiversity – even on barren sand in the middle of the city,” says SLA Design Principal Rasmus Astrup.
Video: https://vimeo.com/1092453929
Data
Landscape architecture: SLA
Photo credits: Jon Wallis and Philip Handforth
Architecture: Parsons
