Designs for Dubai’s The Loop, a 93-kilometre cycling and health route, unveiled
The world’s smartest cycling and running platform would be created as per the plans for a 93 km sustainable urban roadway in Dubai.
According to the developer URB, The Loop Dubai is a year-round climate-controlled building intended to encourage cycling and walking as Dubai residents’ main modes of transportation.
The Loop, which houses a zero-emissions transportation system, would be run entirely on renewable energy, thanks to kinetic flooring. It would be a multipurpose building with recreational activities for both locals and guests.
Its snaking structure, which is intended to serve as a centre for wellness tourism, might also include a number of wellness hotels placed along it. With a range of hotels at different price points, developers are hoping to accommodate all kinds of travellers. Added to that, there would be athletic fields and exercise centres.
URB chief executive Baharash Bagherian said, “Dubai is the best place for entrepreneurship in urban mobility. The Loop project is an embodiment of that entrepreneurial spirit, which aims to make Dubai the most connected city on earth by foot or bike”.
“In Europe, most people ride bicycles or walk to get to work. In Dubai, our aim is to get more than 80 per cent of people to use a bike on a daily basis.”
The Loop, which would be housed in a curved glass building, will be covered in vegetation and feature a number of small parks, playgrounds, and allotments. Produce may be grown inside the building using vertical farms, increasing the amount of locally produced food available in the thriving city.
The proposal is still at the research and development stage, but if it is authorised, it may well play a significant role in the city’s goals to minimise vehicle dependence by allowing urban inhabitants to walk or cycle to necessary amenities just a short distance from their houses. The plans align with Dubai’s goal of becoming one of the world’s most livable cities that offers a platter of choices to its residents.
There are several proposed routes for The Loop, including one that passes through the neighbourhoods of Expo City, JLT, Al Quoz, Downtown Dubai, Meydan, and Academic City.
The media was informed by the developers that a precise path has not yet been determined and that they are still finalising “the best possibilities for the project, including the ultimate route, phasing, and timelines.”
By the end of the year, the project’s initial phase is anticipated to be finished.
If built, residents who use The Loop Dubai will be compensated for their daily cycling or step efforts. The more someone uses The Loop, the more rewards they will receive. Metrics would be tracked on an app.
The URB offers master planning and development management services with an emphasis on net zero sustainable cities. It launched plans for Agri Hub, a new agritourism project in Dubai’s desert that is expected to grow to be the largest of its kind in the entire globe, in December.
Other projects it is working on include Alnama Smart Metropolis in Riyadh, which will accommodate 44,000 people, and XZero City in Kuwait, a sustainable net zero city for 100,000 residents.
The Loop Dubai complements Dubai’s ambition to develop into a 20-minute city.
According to the goal, 55% of the population will reside within 800 metres of a mass transit station, making it possible for them to meet their daily requirements within a 20-minute walk or bike ride.
According to research, most people are only willing to walk a total of 20 minutes to fulfill their daily needs locally. This 20-minute trip is equivalent to walking 800 metres from your house to your destination and back again, or walking 10 minutes to your destination and another 10 back to your house.