Capital District
The seat of power
Project Vision
Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 has created
an ambitious vision for the Capitals District aimed at increasing
Abu Dhabi's global reputation.
The Capital District will become the seat of power and government
for the whole of the UAE. It will accommodate federal ministries,
and foreign embassies reinforcing the cultural diversity of the
UAE.
The new capital will set a new benchmark for the design of a
sustainable capital city. The new Capital District will be planned
and designed around the 4 pillars of sustainability: the natural
environment, economic development, cultural heritage and social
cohesion. This will ensure that Abu Dhabi remains a sustainable and
viable capital for future generations. New transport options such
as trains and trams and shaded walkways to encourage pedestrians
will reduce the impact of cars. The Capital District will also
become an educational hub becoming the home of international think
tanks and leading universities and schools. The Capital District
will also provide employment opportunities surrounded by low
density residential neighbourhoods, mosques, schools, parks and
shops to ensure a high quality of life for all but in particular
for local Emiratis so placing them at the heart of the nation.
A livable and modern Arab
capital
The structure of the Capital District is based on creating a
culturally symbolic, vital, contemporary and distinct Arab urban
form for this new city. The plan proposes a high degree of land use
mix and diversity, with neighbourhoods linked by walkable streets
and a world-class public transport network.
A global
capital
At the heart of the Capital district will be a Federal Precinct,
which will serve as the national seat of government for the United
Arab Emirates and be designed to celebrate the identity, culture
and values of the Emirates. Government buildings, national
institutions and embassies along grand boulevards will provide a
symbolic and memorable approach to the Capital District.
Contemporary Arab architecture and a strong international
diplomatic presence will reinforce the cultural diversity of the
Emirates' population. Along primary boulevards and at gateways to
the city and the Central Business District, monuments and public
spaces will reinforce the city's ceremonial and symbolic
function.
Landmark and commemorative site
strategy
Seven central axis
corridors lead into the Central Business District, symbolically
representing the seven Emirates. A series of monuments and national
institutions reinforce the ceremonial character of these central
boulevards which either terminate or create view corridors into the
central elliptical park. Another strong visual connection in the
City Centre is from the Federal Precinct to the Federal Mosque and
beyond. This visual connection is reinforced by large rectilinear
ceremonial parks. As a result of their urban form, tall landmark
buildings create gateways at important intersections.
Development objectives
A Federal Precinct will be situated at the heart of the
Capital District, which will serve as the national seat of
government for the United Arab Emirates. The culture and identity
of all seven emirates will be celebrated.
An arrangement of government buildings, national institutions and
embassies along grand boulevards will provide a symbolic and
memorable approach to the Capital District. Contemporary Arab
architecture and a strong international diplomatic presence will
reinforce the cultural diversity of the Emirates' population.
Development program
A meticulously thought-out network of streets and pedestrian
pathways will connect each part of the district and give people
easy access to their daily needs. State-of the- art trams, metros
and buses will connect residents with the Capital District and
reduce dependence on cars. A central transit station will provide a
world-class interchange for all transportation modes and link
Emiratis living across the country to their capital.
The Capital District will, in essence, become the 'city's brain' -
a centre of learning and excellence. It will be home to new
universities, a medical campus and biomedical research facilities
offering great potential for synergies with the private sector and
giving the city an iconic district to showcase its
institutions.
The 65,000 seat Khalifa National Stadium will be surrounded by a
variety of sports, retail, hotel and entertainment uses - making it
a vital and integrated part of the City, and a multi-purpose
exhibition and conference space, concert hall and 1000 hotel rooms
will provide space for major conventions, events, and
performances.
A sustainable capital
Abu Dhabi's desert and coast climate pose some significant
challenges to maintaining human comfort in outside urban
environments.
The plan seeks to mitigate the negative impacts of thermal heat
gain through comprehensive systems of shade and ventilation
throughout the urban environment. The fundamental planning
principles guiding the geometry of the plan seek to naturally
ventilate the city by having roadways, block orientation, landscape
and building form being oriented towards the prevailing
winds.
Throughout the planning process, design scenarios were tested in
order to understand the implications from a wind and cooling
standpoint. Based on the results from this modeling and additional
scientific research, strategies were developed to guide
decision-making with regard to the orientation of streets and the
positioning and dimensioning of buildings in order to best take
advantage of the wind. Shading devices such as arcades, trellis and
landscaped canopies are thought of as a complex network of places
that allow pedestrian movement, solar protection and refuge from
the harsh climatic conditions of Abu Dhabi.
Sustainable practices towards conservation of energy and water are
a key stone of the Plan. The plan optimizes building energy use and
water consumption through the application of "green building"
practices as defined by the government's Estidama Program.
Recycling centers will be located within the ground floor of public
parking facilities and encourage individuals and households to
recycle.
Walking and cycling
One of the key aspirations of Plan Abu 2030 and of the Master
Plan for Capital District is to create vibrant urban places that
both welcome and encourage pedestrian activity. This is achieved
through the provision of high-quality streetscapes, a diverse mix
of uses and concentration of densities, and an emphasis on an
integrated public transport network, which supports the idea that
every transit passenger is also a pedestrian.
The Master Plan addressed three primary challenges in creating a
comprehensive pedestrian network: providing an attractive and
accessible pedestrian environment by keeping blocks small,
providing generous and shaded sidewalks and providing frequent
crossing points; controlling the climate through the creation of
arcade zones, street and building orientation; and carefully
distributing the mix and concentration of uses to support vibrant,
livable neighbourhoods.
The creation of a walkable Capital is also extended to the
definition of an integrated bike network, which provides routes
throughout the city.
Open spaces
In the Capital District, open space is a strategic component of
the plan and greatly contributes to overall quality of life.
Throughout the Capital City there is a hierarchy of public spaces
from large scale ceremonial spaces to civic plazas and neighborhood
parks, that are located within a 5 minute walk in order to be
accessible to all residents.
From a sustainable perspective, the landscape design of the open
space in the Capital District responds to the desert environment of
Abu Dhabi, respecting the local ecological conditions and scarcity
of fresh water. Conservation of water is a primary concern and is
reflected in the urban design in coordination with water management
zones. All open spaces are classified as low, med or high water use
areas with specific horticultural goals and guidelines.
Complete communities
Central to the plans for the new Capital District is the
commitment to create a sense of community. The plan seeks to
preserve the traditions, heritage and way of life of Emirati's and
is flexible enough to accommodate the needs of the Emirate's
diverse population, ensuring everyone can live and work in peace
and harmony.
The Capital District will provide a wide range of housing options
for all income levels. The residential neighborhoods are designed
to accommodate the various needs and desires of Abu Dhabi's diverse
population including Emirati extended families, various ex patriot
households and guest workers.
Central Business District
The Central Business District (CBD) is at the centre of the
Capital District with high density office and residential uses
combined with a diversity of cultural and social amenities. It will
be the largest concentration of high density office, residential
and commercial uses outside of the Abu Dhabi Island. Land uses
consist of Class A office space providing over 150,000 jobs and
residential neighbourhoods of 3 million square metres offering a
live work environment for over 68,000 people.
A key organizing principle of the CBD is the close integration of
land use and transportation networks supported by highquality
pedestrian-oriented urban design and vibrant open spaces to create
livable neighborhood centers.
Buildings, streets, and open spaces within the CBD are aligned to
maximize natural ventilation and the circulation of afternoon
breezes through the public realm. A series of linear open spaces
provides pedestrian connectivity through the district, with
building podiums and shade structures providing much needed shade
during the hottest parts of the day.
Cultural and community facilities
Mosques are distributed throughout the neighborhoods so
that each mosque is within a maximum 5 minute walk of all
residents. The mosques can accommodate approximately two hundred
worshippers, in keeping with the populations of their service
areas. They are located adjacent to the neighbourhood parks and
neighbourhood centers, reinforcing the role of these amenities as
community gathering spaces. There are also five significantly
larger mosques intended to serve the broader public for Friday
prayers, and will be designed to accommodate up to 3,000
worshipers.
They are located in several of the larger neighbourhood centers
where users can take advantage of existing parking facilities as
well as the surrounding retail and community developments. The
mosque distribution is designed to encourage pedestrian movement
through the neighborhood streets. In keeping with design principles
found within the Pearls Design System for New Communities, the
short walk to a mosque from any place within the neighbourhood will
be along pleasant, tree lined, pedestrian friendly streets,
reducing the necessity for car use.
Capital District
Capital District Masterplan