Ayman shape
The Director of the Department of Studies and Urban Policies at the Urban Planning and Development Authority, Maryam Al -Amer, revealed the experience of planning the Buri region to become a model for smart cities in the Kingdom, where the region will be linked to the National Public Transport Network, through King Hamad International Station and two stations for the Bahrain metro and re -planning it to become a smart city dependent on the revival of a historical village, but with a modern look.
Maryam Al -Amer, in a presentation presented by the Bahrain Smart Cities Summit entitled “Smart Urban Planning Strategies in the Kingdom of Bahrain”, indicated that the most important features of the plan that it contains King Hamad station that connects the Buri region to the largest public transport in the Kingdom, and the region turns into a new gate.
She said: “Buri’s scheme is based on a group of basic elements that constitute the general structure of the project, and its vision translates into an integrated urban reality, and the most prominent of these elements:
1- The axis of transportation and transportation, where planning revolves around linking the region to the National Public Transport Network, through King Hamad International Station and two stations of the Bahrain Metro, in a way that enhances the ease of transportation, and reduces dependence on private cars.
2- Massar Buri, which is the backbone of the scheme, is an urban and cultural corridor that links new neighborhoods, historical sites, farms and eyes, and is used as a role for societal and tourism activity.
3- Agricultural and natural identity so that the existing farms are preserved and developed within the activities of community agriculture and environmental tourism, while respecting the historical fabric of the place as part of the national heritage.
4- The diversity of uses, in which the scheme is designed to include multi-functional neighborhoods (residential, cultural, medical, logistical, educational) that are managed in an integral manner that meets the needs of the population and provides new economic opportunities.
Development directed towards public transportation
Maryam Al -Amer indicated the concept of development directed towards public transport as one of the methods of smart urban planning that is keen to provide the maximum possible area of installations at a distance that can be traveled on foot from public transport stations, and raising the percentage of people residing around the transportation center with the aim of reducing dependence on cars and enhancing sustainability.
She said in this type of smart planning, the lands are organized radially around the transportation station, and the high -density commercial and mixed activities are published directly around the station, while the residential density decreases gradually as we move away from the station, and this type of planning encourages the use of public transport and walking, and reduces dependence on cars.
Urban challenges
Maryam Al -Amer highlighted the urban challenges facing the Kingdom, and smart planning strategies that can be adopted to achieve the 2030 vision, which focuses on sustainable development, social justice and economic growth, and said that among the most prominent of these challenges is the accelerated population increase, as continuous population growth leads to great pressure on public services, as well as traffic congestion with the increase in the number of cars, and pressure on infrastructure; Because urban growth exceeds the ability of the current infrastructure, in addition to the negative effects of climate changes, the forefront of which is the high level of the sea and the increase in temperatures, which affect the local environment.
Vision 2030, the foundations of smart planning
She explained that Vision 2030 is the status of man in the development center, while achieving a balance between economic growth, social justice and environmental sustainability. To achieve this vision, to achieve this, four basic pillars of smart urban planning must be adopted:
1. Smart Infrastructure by developing an infrastructure based on modern technology.
2. Flexible urban design by designing neighborhoods capable of adapting to future changes.
3. Integrated sustainability by integrating environmental sustainability in all aspects of urban planning.
4. Digital transformation using digital tools such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to improve city management.
To implement smart urban planning, a set of practical strategies has been identified:
1. Data -based planning, use of geographic information systems and data analysis to make reality based.
2. TOD development development: focusing on developing areas around public transport stations to reduce car dependence.
3. Flexible and adaptive planning and the design of multi -functional neighborhoods that reduce the need for daily movement.
4. Sustainable environmental planning by combining green spaces and encouraging green -based green buildings.
5. Involving society in decision -making and using various means to explore the opinions of society and enhance their acceptance of planning.
6. Integrated digital infrastructure by using digital tools to improve operation efficiency and emergency response speed.
Focus on man
The Director of the Department of Studies and Urban Policies stressed the importance of smart urban planning to be directed towards meeting the actual needs of the population, and said: It is important to provide safe housing and facilities that serve the daily needs of individuals, and the development of integrated neighborhoods that provide privacy and ease of movement. The environment should also be comfortable and easy to access to the elderly, while providing green spaces and nearby health facilities.
She pointed out that the shift towards smart cities faces three main challenges:
1. Sustainable financing that requires long -term investment and deliberate financial planning.
2. Integration between the authorities, where digital transformation needs effective coordination between the different sectors.
3. Cultural and administrative change, as technology is required to change the style of work and the method of decision -making.
Maryam Al -Amer concluded by emphasizing that urban transformations are not an option, but rather a necessity to achieve the model of smart cities, and the efforts of everyone from government and private agencies must be combined in achieving this because smart planning puts the person in the center, and responds to his needs through solutions based on data and integration between the authorities, while preserving the Bahraini identity, innovation and sustainability.
