Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, Dubai Municipality launched the first global challenge to design parks based on artificial intelligence, in a pioneering initiative calling on participants to reimagine the “Al Safa 2” park using artificial intelligence techniques.
The challenge comes as part of Dubai Municipality’s efforts to harness advanced technologies, urban design, and community participation in shaping the future of parks and public spaces. The challenge explores how an integrated system of artificial intelligence tools can support the various stages of the design journey, starting with site analysis and understanding user needs, through generating ideas, testing scenarios, improving designs, and preparing visual perceptions, while emphasizing that the final decisions related to design remain human-led.
The challenge aims to develop innovative and implementable designs for Al Safa 2 Park, in a way that enhances sustainability, ease of access, luxury, social interaction and quality of life. It is expected that the entries will include an integrated master plan supported by data analysis, visual visualizations, detailed plans and drawings, in addition to a clear explanation of how to employ artificial intelligence tools in the design process.
Director General of Dubai Municipality, Engineer Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, said: “The launch of the first global challenge to design parks based on artificial intelligence reflects Dubai’s ambition to lead the future of urban innovation by combining advanced technologies and human-centered design. Based on the vision of our wise leadership, Dubai Municipality continues to develop qualitative initiatives that contribute to enhancing the quality of life, consolidating community participation, and reimagining public spaces as integrated destinations designed to meet human needs and the requirements of their daily lives.”
Bin Ghalaita added: “Artificial intelligence in this challenge does not aim to replace human creativity, but rather is used as a tool to expand the horizons of capabilities, deepen understanding, and support better design decisions. Through this initiative, we seek to attract bold and creative ideas from designers, researchers, students, startups, and technology innovators, in a way that strengthens Dubai’s position as a global model in designing smart, sustainable, and livable cities in the future.” The challenge opens the door to participation for designers and specialists in the built and urban environment. In addition to bachelor’s students, master’s and doctoral students, researchers, innovative start-up companies in the field of design, and innovators in the field of artificial intelligence and technology.
Participants must demonstrate how to integrate artificial intelligence tools into the design process to support analysis, development and decision-making, including exploring design concepts, spatial planning and environmental response, improving shade and local climate, understanding user experience, improving performance, making data-based design decisions, and producing visualizations powered by artificial intelligence.
Badr Anwahi, Executive Director of the Public Utilities Corporation in Dubai Municipality, said: “Parks play a direct role in enhancing the well-being of society, consolidating social ties, and improving the quality of daily life. Through this challenge, Dubai Municipality is exploring a new model for designing public spaces, where artificial intelligence contributes to generating deeper insights about people, place, climate, and usage patterns, while ensuring that the final outputs are practical, comprehensive, and centered around the human experience. Society and Dubai’s identity as a city of innovation.” Entries will be evaluated according to a set of main criteria, including the strength of the design approach based on integrating artificial intelligence, spatial intelligence and implementability, human-centered user experience, comprehensiveness, sustainability, clarity of the design narrative, and the ability to transform data analyzes into practical spatial outcomes. The total challenge prizes amount to 200 thousand dirhams, with the first place winner receiving 100 thousand dirhams, while the second place winner receives 65 thousand dirhams. One thousand dirhams, and the third place winner received 35 thousand dirhams, in recognition of exceptional ideas with realistic application potential.
By launching the first global challenge to design parks based on artificial intelligence, Dubai Municipality continues to establish a new model for designing public spaces that combines artificial intelligence, creativity, sustainability, local identity, human experience, and participatory design, thus strengthening Dubai’s position as a global platform for urban innovation and designing future cities. Dubai Municipality also invited creatives and specialists to participate, as applications will continue to be received until next August 15, through the following link: https://aipark.dm.gov.ae/ai-competition
Jury
The jury for the first global garden design challenge based on artificial intelligence includes an elite group of Dubai government executives, along with prominent local and international experts in the fields of design, architecture, artificial intelligence, and future city planning. The committee will evaluate the entries and select a group of nominated designs, with the community then participating in selecting the winning designs. This approach reflects Dubai Municipality’s keenness to directly involve the community in designing parks, ensuring the development of public spaces that meet the needs of residents, keep pace with their aspirations, and enhance the quality of gardens. Life.
Marwan bin Ghalita:
• The launch of the challenge reflects Dubai’s ambition to lead the future of urban innovation, by combining advanced technologies and human-centered design.
Badr Anwahi:
• We seek to develop an accessible park that provides a valuable interactive experience for all age groups and people of determination, reflecting Dubai’s identity as a city of innovation.
• The total “Challenge” prizes are 200 thousand dirhams, with 100 thousand dirhams for first place, 65 thousand dirhams for second place, and 35 thousand dirhams for third place.
