Facelift Streets | Abu Dhabi, UAE

Facelift Streets in Abu Dhabi is a regional initiative meant to articulate the transition of Abu Dhabi to a knowledge-based economy and strengthening its position as a center for innovation. As part of this initiative, the street "facelifts’ project seeks to physically redefine the public realm in environmental terms in order to deemphasize the carbon-based, automobile culture and toward a public realm that focusses on progressive notions of the pedestrian and cyclists experience as primary drivers of the urban public realm. As part of the ‘face-lift’ project, Landworks Studio has been selected as Executive Landscape Architect and charged with establishing comprehensive transformation of many of the city’s primary arterial corridors away from streets defined by vehicular circulation and related infrastructure to streets which redefine the human experience to privilege and enhance the pedestrian and cyclist experience as well as the ecological well-being of the city itself.

Client: Confidential
Associate: Parsons International Limited
Status: Currently in Schematic Design

Nine major boulevards and avenues have been identified for transformation. In keeping with our longstanding objective of ‘comprehensive synthesis,‘ our work has relied upon an intimate investigation and mining of numerous existing and proposed urban systems and infrastructures to achieve a more ecologically balanced and fresh set of urban experiences.

The context for each street was carefully researched in order to develop a concept for that particular street that would enhance the relationship between adjacent programs and proposed new street programs; bus stops, shade structures, plantings, other furnishings form the armature around which the public realm landscape is anchored. In this way, each street takes on a local character, reinforcing the sense of neighborhood while simultaneously adopting other various city-wide standards to achieve ‘walkability’ thresholds and environmentally sustainable strategies for human comfort.

As a firm, we are honored to have been selected to explore what it means, in urbanistic terms, to transition toward a more knowledge-based economy, and how this shift may transform the city’s physical and ecological experience for generations to come. We also recognize the opportunity for this work to inform how future urban growth takes shape throughout the region.

Serving as the pipeline for downtown, this street will be transformed into an iconic and visionary international city landmark, bustling with pedestrian activity. The pipeline is articulated by a series of rib-like shading screens that snake from one end of Hamdan street to the other, guiding pedestrian movement between two important city landmarks and providing gathering spaces along the route. iption text goes here

This active large scale, mixed-use street is largely focused on creating spaces of stillness amongst the bustles. The street will feature a strong integration between vegetation and hardscape along the pedestrian and cycling routes, while tall shading streets and plentiful seating offers respite for those visiting hospitals and nearby businesses.

Thanks to the established presence of the Art Gallery and Café, the area near the Mall is already a thriving tourist destination. Street G will therefore become the hub for a variety of touristic and community activities. The street will feature a multi-functional and distinguished plaza with plenty of seating and shaded areas where people will gather throughout the year for festivals and community events.

This street is envisioned to become a marketplace destination and a benchmark for the 21st century Arabic Street. The street will include iconic shade structures to allow for extended hours of comfortable use in every season and doubling as an overhead mapping system guiding visitors towards lush pocket parks. An option for temporary vehicular removal expands the marketplace footprint during peak market times.

The design focuses on elevating the comfort for local residents. The road surface will be treated to create a pedestrian focused carriageway. Interventions for traffic reduction and a series of pocket parks encourages social and recreational activities within the public realm.

Street H is a major boulevard connecting some of the most important sites in city. This prominent corridor will feature ceremonial formal plantings and clearly defined pedestrian paths, enhancing the accessibility between the city’s most celebrated landmarks.

Street C is the Pearl of downtown. This new public realm features a series of opulent pocket parks encouraging visitors from the Mall to spill out into the urban streets. The parks also provide additional open space amenities with ample shading for neighborhood residents to use for various afternoon activities.

Street F will reinforce is triad functionality, balancing between commercial activities, access to public transportation and serving as the gateway to the Island, becoming the confluence of surrounding neighborhoods. Inviting seating areas with softscape features and ample lighting will offer commuters and customers resting areas while allowing retailers to spill out onto the pedestrian way during the evening hours.

This boulevard will reinforce the ceremonial function of the street, in homage to a Mosque, a City Stadium, and the surrounding Government buildings. A linear park in the center of the boulevard will feature traditional plantings with descriptive plaques, creating an educational experience while visitors explore the gardens and take in the magnificent views of the Grand Mosque in the foreground.

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