Public Space In Abu Dhabi

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In downtown Abu Dhabi there are several strips of grass which someone (?) didn't bother to, say, resolve. Graciously there are no cars parked on this strip which then offers to the workers a place to rest, sit in the shade of the buildings, enjoy company, to watch and be watched. I cannot help but wonder about how in so many instances it is the small spaces in a city where we can remain slow for a period which are the spaces in which memories and identity are grown. Even within a relatively large space, it is the articulation and realisation of the human sized/scaled spaces which will be used and successful from a social sustainability point of view.


Often on weekends, Friday & Saturday here, the 'workers' (as they are collectively called to avoid saying too much about specific regions or countries where they originate or to overly specify what exactly they do, an example of ex-pat 'petite politesse') find spaces such as these to play in a friendly match of Cricket. What is required is a ball, a bat, something to comprise wickets and enough room to bowl and to field. Not much of a space really, but it does provide hours of entertainment and socializing.




What better use could an Urban Designer hope for than to have all spaces used impartially and be filled with activity? Though this space is only temporary/improvised/residual, it says a great deal about the over-programming of space in search of place.

Meanwhile, another public space is the space, spaces, in front of this series of shops in the new suburb of Khalifa City 'A'. While not wide and tree lined or even supplied with benches it is still a 'third place' which offers amenities services and a place to see other people, maybe even from the home village in Pakistan or Kerala, for many of the workers constructing the villas of this new suburb. These workers seem to be much more independent compared with most who are bussed from project to camp and back and are able to live, a somewhat, more regular life. In the evenings the only thing to do is walk over here and sit on the ground and talk. But at least it is a 'somewhere' (believe it or not).

Khalifa City's Pink Shops