(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

The very first 'Hewi' community space will be unveiled in Dubai on January 1, 2026. This was announced by officials at the Urban Future Week on Tuesday. Designed in collaboration with children and the communities that will use them, the neighbourhood parks will offer UAE residents a new opportunity to bond.

According to Bader Anwahi, CEO of Public Facility Agency at Dubai Municipality, the project will attempt to recreate Emirati values.“For example, the Hewi will be located close to a mosque where our senior citizens can keep an eye on children as they play,” he said.“We didn't need security guards when we have our grandfathers watching. Those were the values we grow up with.”

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The joint project by Dubai Municipality and Dubai Future Foundation is currently in the production and fabrication stage. It will be rolled out to other areas of the emirate in the coming years.

The word 'Hewi' is used in the Emirati dialect to refer to the 'outdoor courtyard of the house', a space for entertainment, relaxation, and family gatherings.

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Children designing

The design of the park also comes from Emirati roots, said Abdulaziz Aljaziri, Deputy CEO of Dubai Future Foundation.“We didn't look at data,” he said.“We observed how families interact with each other and how they use the parks.”

He explained how authorities handed out paper and colours and asked children to draw what they wanted in a park. "They came up with things that we never thought about," he said. "We also found that over manicuring a park or facility doesn't allow children to be free."

Meanwhile, Bader gave the example of a children's play area in the usual community parks.“It is located a little away from the family area,” he said.“But here, we have put a coffee shop with glass walls next to the play area so families can still watch their children while relaxing,” he said.

First announced in May this year, the initiative will create community spaces that reflect the essence of traditional Emirati neighbourhoods. The initiative is spearheaded by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as UAE's Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

Bader explained that one of the designs that children came up with was having a fountain in a park.“That is when we realised that we don't have a water feature in any of our parks,” he said.“When I took it back to the team, they said it could be a safety issue, but I asked them to work around it. If that is what children want, we have to find a way around it to make it safe and enjoyable for them.”

Observations

Abdulaziz said that there were many interesting observations in how people wanted their parks to be.“People really wanted safety,” he said.“Even though we are in one of the safest cities in the world, people still wanted walls. They didn't want an open design without walls. Also, Hewi had to be a part of their daily routine.”

Meanwhile, Bader gave the example of a children's play area in the usual community parks.“It is located a little away from the family area,” he said.“But here, we have put a coffee shop with glass walls next to the play area so families can still watch their children while relaxing,” he said.

He added that every Hewi will serve its people differently, based on the location and the needs of the people in that area. Each one will also have different types trees, instead of the usual flowering trees found in parks in Dubai.“We want to plant orange or apple trees because that is the kind of experience we had in our childhood,” he said.

Slow rollout

According to Bader, people in several localities are eager to have a Hewi in their area but the team at Dubai Municipality is going to roll out the programme slowly.“We have many people who have approached us, willing to invest their own money into it,” he said.“However, we want to take it slow and study the Hewi in each area carefully before rolling it out to other parts of the emirate.”

He added that his team has been working tirelessly to ensure that the community space is ready for January 1, 2026.“The project started about two months ago and we are working almost 24/7 to make sure the first Hewi is ready,” he said.“We are also partnering with many other entities like Community Development Authority and Ferjan to make this a possibility.”

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