[01] ABOUT THE STUDIO
The Year 4 studio continued to engage with the Dubai 2040 Masterplan, which prioritises expanded green spaces, new institutional and cultural centres, and people‑centred urbanism. Key to this vision are the RTA’s 20‑Minute City initiative and the Dubai Walk Masterplan, promoting walkability and soft mobility through interconnected plazas, boulevards, and car‑free superblocks. Together, these strategies signal a shift from car‑centric development toward healthier, more sustainable, and self‑sufficient neighbourhoods shaped around everyday accessibility and well‑being.
Responding to this evolving context, the studio explores the design of a neighbourhood micro‑block within a Dubai Walk superblock. Using participatory models such as the Baugemeinschaft approach, the studio adopts a bottom‑up method to create community‑led, mixed‑use environments. Termed Soft Assembly, the micro‑block is shaped by local social, cultural, and programmatic conditions and structured around systems of symbiosis, adaptability, and metamorphosis, enabling it to evolve organically with its users and surroundings.
