Shibuya Parco
Asia Pacific
View Project
City Walk
- Location
- Dubai, UAE
- Client
- Meraas Development
- Services
- Architecture, Interior Design
- Sector
- Mixed use, Retail
- Collaborators
- Project Management: AECOM, Landscape Architect: Cracknell, Façade Consultancy: Inhabit
Capturing the civic heart of Dubai
Developed in two phases and opened in 2016, City Walk is an 81,000 square metre open-air mixed-use destination for client Meraas, located in Dubai’s Al Wasl district midway between Burj Khalifa and the beachfront. The project forms part of Dubai’s wider Central Park Masterplan and builds on Benoy’s earlier work on The Beach, continuing the move away from air-conditioned retail models towards an outdoor environment designed to serve residents and visitors alike.
Dates2016
Size
81,000m2
Phase one established the retail and food and beverage offer, incorporating a broad range of concepts into a varied architectural palette. Phase two introduced a series of spaces for dining and leisure, alongside landscaped water and recreational areas. Across both phases, sightlines and pedestrian access were prioritised to ensure the development connects with its surrounding neighbourhood rather than turning away from it.
Tom Cartledge
Chief Executive, Benoy
“We took the risk to step away from the enclosed box model and create something completely new for the city, a community-focused, open-air model. For eight months of the year, the weather here is perfectly pleasant, we are bringing new life to the outdoors by realising the full value of these sites and improving community spaces.”
A common design language
Through detailed architecture and a shared visual language, City Walk reads as a coherent destination rather than a sequence of individual buildings. Culturally relevant design, integration with existing public spaces and a predominantly pedestrianised street network have established it as one of Dubai’s most active open-air destinations.
