Abu Dhabi Enlists the Help of Former Vancouver City Planner

Larry Beasley, Vancouver's former chief city planner, was hired to help develop Abu Dhabi's very ambitious Plan 2030.

1 minute read

March 14, 2011, 1:00 PM PDT

By Victor Negrete


The goal of Abu Dhabi Plan 2030 is to establish the city as a world leader in sustainable urban planning.

According to Jessica Hume of Regarding Place Magazine , "the plan, like most, looks perfect on paper." "Where it gets slightly more difficult to understand is when you compare Plan 2030 to the reality of life on the streets here," she writes.

To make the point that Abu Dhabi is a city built for cars and not pedestrians, Jessica Hume explains the difficulties of walking in the city as such:

"Abu Dhabi is an island, shaped like a uterus. I began my walk at the offices of the newspaper where I work; and, like a sperm, I attempted to make my way to the egg, which, also not unlike that of a sperm, is not an easy trip."

Thursday, March 10, 2011 in Regarding Place Magazine

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