March 30th, 2017: Students in the School of Architecture & Design at Canadian University Dubai (CUD) have heard from Mr. Omar Delawar, Chief Project Officer at Dubai-based developers, Meraas, about integrating lifestyle considerations into contemporary urban design.
Delivering a workshop on the subject, ‘Changing the Urban Architecture of a City’, Mr. Delawar talked about a number of projects in the Meraas portfolio, revealing how their designs evolved to take account of the lifestyle needs of users.
Speaking about the recently unveiled City Walk development in Al Safa, Mr. Delawar discussed the Meraas vision to introduce the ‘essence of streets’ to the city fabric of Dubai; to create a sense of space for pedestrians, similar to popular boulevards in Europe and the US.
Going on to talk about one of Meraas’ most renowned projects, The Beach, Mr. Delawar spoke about the need to impact positivity upon people’s lives, while respecting public space and the natural environment. He also discussed some of the complexities that present themselves in creating such iconic developments, including the adjacent Bluewaters, where traffic management and effective shading have presented challenges that require innovative design solutions.
Revealing some of the forthcoming projects in the Meraas portfolio, Mr. Delawar presented the vision for the Marsa Al Seef development, which is currently under construction on the banks of Dubai Creek. The new waterfront destination will bring together the story of Dubai, with traditional architecture and heritage fusing with modern amenities that cater to contemporary lifestyle needs.
Concluding the workshop, Mr. Delawar encouraged student to always consider the human element in their design. He said, “By considering and respecting people’s needs you can bring an emotional dimension that enriches people’s lives through design.”
The workshop closed with a lively Q&A session, with students and faculty continuing the debate surrounding future challenges for design in Dubai.
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