Vision Magazine Online Issue 1

20 Settlements of the Al Ain Region 7 Settlements of the Western Region
20 تجمع سكني في منطقة العين
7 تجمعات سكنية في المنطقة الغربية
We start by looking at the natural colours of the
location, as the environment is a key element for
the UPC. We look at whether the town or settlement
is going to be a mainly residential area, a central
business district or perhaps a city centre and
incorporate this into a visual design.
The common thread throughout the design comes
from the number seven. Abu Dhabi is the capital of
the UAE and so many of the logos incorporate seven
stars, circles or points to reflect the seven Emirates
that comprise the United Arab Emirates.
How does the branding
hierarchy work?
There is a clear hierarchy within the frameworks
and masterplans that the branding supports. Sitting
at the top is ‘Vision 2030’. Below is the Capital 2030
Urban Structure Framework Plan (formerly called
Plan Abu Dhabi 2030). This document was released
at the same time as the UPC was formed and covers
the Abu Dhabi Metropolitan Area. We rebranded it
as ‘Capital 2030’ to reflect its geographic range and
to allow it to sit alongside the two other regional
visions of Al Ain 2030, which covers the city of
Al Ain and the wider Al Ain Region, and Al Gharbia
2030, which covers the western region.
Once the three framework plans have been released,
they will be merged into a new Plan Abu Dhabi 2030
Vision document that will provide the vision for the
entire Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
What do the three regional
framework plans cover?
Al Ain 2030 covers the whole of the region of Al
Ain and was released in April 2009. Under this plan
will sit Al Ain City, Wasat Madinat (Downtown) Al
Ain and a number of suburbs that surround the city.
The green colour of the logo reflects Al Ain’s status
as the ‘Garden City’. There will also be an Al Ain
Regional Structure Framework Plan, which will cover
the 20 settlements within the Al Ain Region.
Al Gharbia 2030 covers the western region and is
due for release later this year. It will be the final
regional framework plan joining Al Ain 2030 and
Capital 2030.
Capital 2030 will have a number of masterplans,
such as the Capital District. Capital 2030 is branded
in a regal red colour representing Abu Dhabi as the
capital of the UAE. The Capital District Masterplan
follows this theme and has a burgundy colour,
reflecting its position as the future seat of federal
government.
The downtown area of Abu Dhabi Island will be
covered by the Wasat Madinat Abu Dhabi Masterplan.
It will have a blue logo to reflect the proximity
to the seafront. Shahama & Bahia, Khalifa City A
and Khalifa City B all have desert coloured logos,
which mirror the mainland’s desert environment.
As with Al Ain and Al Gharbia, further cities, such
as Mohammed bin Zayed City will follow with their
own masterplans and corresponding logos.
Why does the UPC have a
Communications team?
The planners, policy makers, urban designers and
managers are all working hard to create the plans
within Vision 2030. The Corporate Communications
team, headed by Jean-Philippe Coulaud,
communicates these plans to all the stakeholders
who are interested in the work of the UPC. For
instance, we promote the UPC’s initiatives through
public 'charrette' sessions and use questionnaires
and feedback to understand the views of the public,
which are then incorporated into the plans that will
eventually become the towns and neighbourhoods
in which they live, work and play.
Planning for the future
Both on a professional and a personal level, I feel
honoured to be part of the team that has initiated
this process. We are crafting a brand identity that
embodies the drive, determination and passion of Abu
Dhabi and creates a distinct but collective sentiment
that will draw together the individual communities
throughout the Emirate to create authentic modern
Arab settlements for generations to come.
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