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Ever noticed how Dubai’s architecture seems to reach for the sky but forgets about the ground? That’s about to change. Bjarke Ingels Group has just unveiled a masterplan that might finally give Dubai what it’s been missing—a neighborhood where you can actually walk outside comfortably. Their transformation of the Jebel Ali Racecourse isn’t just another mega-development; it’s potentially a radical shift in how the desert metropolis approaches urbanism.
I walked around Dubai last summer in 45°C heat, and let me tell you—creating genuinely usable outdoor space there is one of architecture’s toughest challenges. BIG isn’t just throwing shade (though there’s plenty of that in the design)—they’re completely rethinking urban comfort in extreme climates.
The Microclimate Strategy
The core of BIG’s approach is what they’re calling “microclimate modulation”—essentially, creating pockets of livable outdoor space in a place where stepping outside can feel like walking into an oven. The masterplan uses a combination of building massing, landscape elements, and water features to lower ambient temperatures by 8-12°C in public spaces.
Buildings are arranged to channel prevailing Gulf breezes through pedestrian corridors while blocking the harsh afternoon sun. It’s computational fluid dynamics applied to urban design. Kai-Uwe Bergmann, partner at BIG, explains: “We’ve moved beyond the point where architects can design facades in isolation from their climatic impact. Here, every building is positioned to create comfort in the spaces between, not just inside its air-conditioned envelope.”
Water plays a crucial role throughout. Rather than the typical Dubai fountains that seem designed primarily as spectacle, BIG has integrated a network of passive evaporative cooling features—channels, pools, and mist systems that create localalized cooling without excessive energy use. The water itself comes from treated graywater and condensate captured from the district’s air conditioning systems—a significant resource in Dubai’s humidity.
Programming Beyond the Typical Dubai Mix
The 2-million-square-meter development replaces the former Jebel Ali Racecourse, which operated from 1990 to 2020. While many Dubai developments seem interchangeable in their programming (luxury condos, high-end retail, office space), BIG has pushed for a more nuanced mix that reflects actual living patterns.
The masterplan includes 35,000 residential units across varied typologies—from compact studios to family-sized apartments and townhouses. About 20% of the housing is designated for middle-income residents, addressing Dubai’s growing need for housing that serves its professional workforce, not just investors and ultra-wealthy expatriates.
What’s particularly interesting is how the retail programming breaks from the typical luxury mall model. Instead of another Dubai Mall clone, the plan incorporates 200,000 square meters of street-level retail distributed throughout the district in smaller, more navigable clusters. “We’ve studied successful retail streets around the world—places where people actually spend time, not just money,” says Bjarke Ingels. “The goal is creating social spaces that happen to include commerce, rather than commercial spaces that grudgingly allow people to gather.”
Technical Innovations for Desert Urbanism
The building systems throughout the district are specifically engineered for desert conditions. The facade designs employ a contemporary interpretation of traditional Middle Eastern screening techniques—not in a superficial, pattern-based way, but as functional environmental control systems.
The masterplan specifies a district cooling system that reduces energy consumption by 30% compared to individual building systems. Photovoltaics cover approximately 40% of suitable roof area, generating around 15% of the district’s electricity needs.
But it’s the ground plane that contains some of the most innovative technical solutions. The paving system uses a composite material with high solar reflectivity and thermal mass properties that substantially reduce heat absorption. These specialized pavers incorporate phase-change materials that absorb heat during the day and release it slowly overnight, helping regulate daily temperature fluctuations.
Ahmad Al Khatib, Chief Development Officer at Emaar Properties, notes: “The technical solutions aren’t just about sustainability metrics. They directly translate to usability. When surface temperatures drop by 15°C, people actually use outdoor spaces instead of rushing from one air-conditioned environment to another.”
From Car-Centric to Pedestrian Priority
Dubai’s urban fabric has been defined by massive highways and car dependency since its rapid expansion began. The Jebel Ali masterplan represents a significant departure, with a circulation strategy that prioritizes pedestrians and alternative mobility.
The district’s interior is largely car-free, with limited vehicle access for deliveries and essential services. An autonomous electric shuttle system provides internal circulation, connecting to the Dubai Metro Red Line at the district’s eastern edge. All residences and major destinations are within a five-minute walk of shuttle stops.
Cycling infrastructure—a rarity in Dubai—features prominently throughout the development, with 12 kilome
ters of dedicated cycle tracks and comprehensive end-of-trip facilities including secure storage and shower amenities in commercial buildings.
“We’re not naive about Dubai’s car culture,” explains Ingels. “But we’re creating a genuine choice—making walking, cycling, and public transit legitimately appealing options for daily movement. That choice simply doesn’t exist in most of the city today.”
Implementation and Phasing
Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2026, with an initial focus on establishing the central park spine and first residential neighborhood. The full build-out is projected over a 10-year horizon, with phasing designed to ensure that each completed section functions as a self-contained neighborhood with necessary amenities.
The landscape strategy prioritizes early implementation of the major green spaces, allowing the extensive tree canopy time to establish before the majority of residents move in. This approach frontloads the microclimate benefits, making subsequent phases more comfortable as construction proceeds.
As cities across the Gulf region search for models of urban development better suited to extreme climate conditions, BIG’s Jebel Ali masterplan offers a compelling vision for reconciling environmental performance with social vitality. If successful, this could represent a pivotal moment in Dubai’s urban evolution—a shift from creating isolated architectural icons toward building genuinely livable neighborhoods where public life can flourish despite challenging natural conditions. For a city that has staked its identity on superlative individual buildings, focusing on the spaces between them might be the most innovative move yet.
