The inaugural ‘Hewi’ community space is set to be launched in Dubai on January 1, 2026. This announcement was made by officials during the Urban Future Week on Tuesday. Designed in partnership with children and the communities who will use them, these neighborhood parks will provide UAE residents with new ways to connect.
Bader Anwahi, CEO of the Public Facility Agency at Dubai Municipality, shared that the project aims to echo Emirati values. “For instance, the Hewi will be near a mosque, allowing senior citizens to watch over children as they play,” he stated. “We didn’t need security guards when our grandfathers were watching. These are the values we grew up with.”
This collaborative project by Dubai Municipality and Dubai Future Foundation is currently in the production and fabrication phase and will expand to other areas of the emirate in the coming years.
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Abdulaziz Aljaziri, Deputy CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, noted that the park’s design is rooted in Emirati culture. “We didn’t rely on data,” he said. “We observed family interactions and park usage.”
He described how authorities distributed paper and crayons, inviting children to draw their ideal park. “They suggested ideas we hadn’t considered,” he noted. “We discovered that over-manicuring a park restricts children’s freedom.”
In contrast, Bader mentioned a typical community park’s play area. “It’s usually separate from the family area,” he explained. “Here, we’ve added a coffee shop with glass walls next to the play area, enabling families to watch their children while relaxing.”
First announced in May, this initiative aims to create community spaces that embody traditional Emirati neighborhood values. Spearheaded by Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.
