Another piece from the Executive Thought Leadership, developed for Sultan Al Ghurair, Chief Executive Officer, Al Ghurair Properties
"COVID-19 exposed many vulnerabilities within the structures of cities around the world."
Lockdowns, curfews, and movement restrictions upended people’s personal and professional lives to an extent that necessitated governments to re-think their approach to future urban planning with a focus on proximity of basic amenities. Most cities need to be restructured to ensure accessibility to basic services. This brings to the fore the concept of the ‘15-minute city’, which has gained significant traction over the last 18-months.
The concept aims to give people access to all their daily needs within a travel distance of 15 minutes by walking or cycling. This encompasses homes, offices, restaurants, grocery stores, parks, hospitals, schools, and entertainment and sports venues. The 15-minute city not only fulfils its inhabitants’ main social functions, but it also offers more sustainable practices on a larger scale for all metropolitan regions.
It has long been acknowledged that the practice of car-dependent urban planning is unsustainable, but the solution has often been overlooked. The 15-minute city addresses this sustainability deficit as it creates a more connected urban fabric with a focus on community and sustainable ecosystems. It creates a closely knitted social fabric with people interacting more with their neighbours and families, strengthening their social bonds. It also lessens the reliance on automobiles for daily trips, promoting a healthier lifestyle and reducing environmental pollution.
The pandemic pushed us to move and live in far different ways than we have been accustomed to for decades. The 15-minute city concept provides the blueprint for the future of urban planning in a world recovering from the shockwaves of COVID-19. People’s need for outdoor space and a sense of community became more pronounced during the pandemic.
If there is one thing, we can take away from living through a pandemic, it is the importance of community. Building locales where residents can fulfil their needs without having to travel has become essential for health, wellbeing, and an enhanced living experience. This necessitates easy access to schools, healthcare and entertainment facilities, and the opportunity to reside in a location with ample green space to walk and exercise.
This is starkly evident in the fact that average villa rentals grew at four times the rate of apartment rentals in Dubai during the first quarter of 2021, according to property consultancy Asteco. The consultancy also noted that demand for villa developments surged due to changing working and living habits. Villa developments tend to have more public spaces such as parks, pools, gyms, and entertainment amenities. Those services, often overlooked in the past, have become a vital necessity of everyday life under strict social distancing protocols. Now that people have changed their lifestyles to integrate the use of such facilities into their daily schedules, and reaped the physical and mental health benefits, it’s most likely those changes are here to stay for the long-term. As such, developers have a role in building rich communities not just homes. And Dubai has the foundations to become a global successful model for integrating the 15-minute city concept into its urban planning.
Dubai, a city of proximity
Dubai is globally known for its prime properties and its real estate sector is ripe with a multitude of residential and mixed used developments, whether apartments or villas, that offer its inhabitants access to a wide range of amenities. Al Ghurair Investment, for example, built its Al Ghurair Properties portfolio around the concepts of convenience, connectivity, and community living with the key purpose of ‘enhancing life’. Similarly, the other major players in Dubai’s vibrant sector compete in offering not just luxurious properties but ones that would ensure the best lifestyle possible.
The city also has an impressive network of public transportation that the government continues to develop, constantly improving its interconnectivity. Dubai continuously expands its Dubai Metro and Tram tracks, grows its public bus fleet, and increases its cycling track network.
Furthermore, the global hub announced in March 2021 its ‘Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan’ that maps out the future of sustainable urban development to enhance people’s quality of life. The people-centric plan prioritises developing healthy and inclusive communities, doubling green and leisure areas, improve mobility, and enhance environmental sustainability. All goals are aligned with the outcomes of a 15-minute city concept integration.
Taking it a step further, the plan itself calls for the adoption of the ‘20-minute city’ concept, a modification of the 15-minute city, Dubai plans to provide more than 80 percent of its residents’ needs within 20 minutes of walking or cycling. It already has hundreds of real estate developments built as mini-15-minute cities, an integrated network of public transportation, and a government that has proven very reactive when it comes to improving the quality of life of its people.
After all, the UAE is a country that appointed a Minister of Happiness and Wellbeing. Over the next few years, Dubai will undoubtedly prove a prime example of the employment of sustainable urban development practices and the resulting benefits for its society.
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