Abu Dhabi Eastern Region Growth Plan Charrette, Al Ain
With a population of approximately 374,000, Al Ain is the United Arab Emirate’s (UAE) second largest city, after the capital Abu Dhabi. In 2009, Larry Beasley, special advisor to the UAE Urban Planning Council, led a design charrette to develop plans and strategies for the growth of communities surrounding Al Ain. Kobus Mentz was invited to join the charrette to lead the design of a new town at Al Hayer. The design is a contemporary interpretation of the middle eastern social logic around ‘fareeqs, barahas and sillas’. It also responded to the extreme heat and water scarcity faced by the region and its aspirations for energy efficiency.