Dubai Sustainable City was the subject of a recent interview between Baharash Bagherian, Designer & Founder of Baharash Architecture, and SETRA group.

Below is the transcript of the interview.

What is Dubai sustainable city and what is your plan for this?

Dubai sustainable city is a project that will cover 46 hectares with 550 residential villas, organic farms, educational facilities, and 600,000 square feet of solar panels. Each house within the city will be equipped with solar panels, which will provide residents with 60 percent of their energy needs. The project will also feature a smart water system that will reduce the water demand of buildings by 30 percent. Grey and waste water will be used to irrigate plants across the city, and there will also be a waste recycling system and 20 organic farms.

In 2013, Baharash Architecture beat an international field of contenders to win phase 2 of Dubai Sustainable City. We saw off a shortlist of prominent international practices, from USA, Lebanon, Jordan, UK, and UAE to land the second phase of the 46 hectare Dubai Sustainable City project.

Phase 2 consists of a Mixed Use Zone, A Juma Mosque, an Institute for Ecological Engineering, a museum & planetarium, a “Green” School for K-6, an Eco-Resort, Country Club and Equestrian Centre.

 

Why is sustainable thinking important when it comes to architecture?

It’s very important to study our behaviour and actions as human beings in order to truly understand the importance of sustainable thinking. In the 1950’s there was only 37 cities with a population of over 1 million people. In 2005 it was estimated that 414 cities around the world had passed the 1 million population mark and this is still increasing today. For the remainder of this century the rise in population in our cities is going to be increasing at a dramatic rate, which coupled with climate change, is going to have a great impact on our cities resources. Therefore, designing for a sustainable future is no longer a choice, it has become a necessity. Sustainable thinking in architecture is important if we are going to provide people with a higher quality of life and to protect the environment.

 

Dubai might not be “top of mind” when it comes to building with focus on sustainability – what have the challenges been?

Dubai is changing. The city is setting targets for itself to become one of the most sustainable cities by 2020, and there are currently 2 sustainable cities planned for Dubai. We have already been approached for other sustainable projects in the region, and the trend for sustainable projects is expected to rise sharply in the coming years. One of the key challenges when working on a sustainable project is at the early stages of the project. Basic design decisions such as orientation, density and form provide the biggest environmental gains, yet these require the least financial investment. So at the early stages we are able to reduce a large amount of energy demand with little cost.

Another key challenge is working with the client and consultant team from the beginning of each project to develop a series of sustainable initiatives and targets. These targets will help guide the design in the pursuit of the sustainability goals. We can divide some of these targets into categories such as: Water, Health & Well-being, Energy, Materials, Pollution, Ecology, and Waste.

 

How do you see the future for sustainable architecture in Arab countries?

First of all, the future of sustainable architecture across the globe will be about doing as little as possible to achieve as much as possible. So it will still be about passive design, but not just about buildings. It will happen at all scales from products to cities. In Arab countries, I believe the future for sustainable architecture will be driven by the demands of the new generation of residents & workers who are largely made up of young people. There is currently a significant demand for affordable housing & jobs and I believe sustainable cities are the solution to this problem, as they encompass the three main pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic and social sustainability.

 

What role does the choice of material play in the future of architecture and what are the materials of the future?

As a Designer, I believe it’s very important to experiment with materials at the early stages of any project. Materials provide more than just structure, protection, comfort or identity – they provide an opportunity to enhance the sensory experience, and can help reduce the environmental footprint of the building. I believe the architecture of the future will be made of smart “low embodied energy materials” with high recycled contents.