Abu Dhabi wants to create a world class image for itself. A five-year plan unveiled by the Abu Dhabi Municipality includes a smoking ban, clean beaches and better “urban landscaping”. The Municipality also hopes to become more “customer orientated”, with the introduction of “one-stop shops” for municipal services.
Targets are good, as is the willingness to bring sense and structure to a city growing at such a pace. Great cities tend to have a check-list of major attributes – good public transport, low crime, leisure, culture, education, low density living, environment. Abu Dhabi, with the Masdar eco city, art galleries and a new tram system planned, is trying to tick as many boxes as possible.
But great cities also have a vibe, a feeling of tolerance, a sense of community. The Economist Intelligence Unit has once again judged Vancouver as the World’s Most Liveable City (Melbourne was second), and not one Middle East city made the top 10. The judging criteria are a reminder that it is people, not just infrastructure, which makes cities great.
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