ARKAT

Dubai has established the Dubai Longevity Authority, with a mandate that goes far beyond healthcare delivery. The new authority is designed to regulate and grow the full longevity value chain, from research and development to clinical trials, manufacturing, delivery, and patient clinics.

Why does this matter?

Because longevity is no longer a niche topic. By 2030, 1 in 6 people globally will be aged 60 or over, and by 2050 the global 60+ population will reach 2.1 billion.

And this is not just a global story. In the UAE, the number of people aged 60+ is expected to increase more than six-fold between 2020 and 2050, from about 311,000 people in 2020.

What makes Dubai’s move interesting is that it is not being framed only as wellness, or only as healthcare. It is being framed as a regulated future sector, one built on science, oversight, and confidence across the full value chain.

But from an ARKAT perspective, longevity is not only about clinics and therapies.

It is also about the city.

Because living longer, and living better, depends not only on medical systems, but also on:

access
mobility
housing
walkability
public space
and everyday quality of life

Our View: The real test of a longevity strategy is not only how long people live. It is how well the city supports them while they do.

Transit works best when the city around it works too.

A station alone does not create a successful district.

The most effective transit-oriented developments integrate housing, jobs, services, education, and public space within walking distance of transit. The result is fewer car trips, shorter commutes, and more vibrant urban life.

The lesson from leading global examples is clear: mobility and urban development cannot be planned separately.

The future of cities depends on designing them as one system.

The best public spaces do more than connect places.

They connect people, movement, nature, and everyday life.

Parks, walking paths, bike lanes, green spaces, and recreational areas are not separate amenities, they are part of a connected urban ecosystem that supports wellbeing, accessibility, and community life.

Designing for people means creating places where everyday journeys become better experiences.

Should GCC cities start building schools vertically?

As cities grow denser and land becomes more valuable, schools may need to evolve too.

Vertical schools offer a serious urban planning opportunity.

They can use land more efficiently, fit into smaller plots, and place schools closer to where people live. This can support shorter daily trips, better neighborhood integration, and more walkable, complete communities.

Cities like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo are already exploring vertical school models in dense urban areas, showing that learning, play, and student life can still thrive on compact sites.

For the UAE and wider GCC, this idea is worth exploring seriously.

Not because every school should be vertical.
But because in the right context, it could be a smart response to denser growth, rising land values, and the need for more integrated, future-ready neighborhoods.

لا تتشكّل المدن من المباني وحدها.

بل تتشكّل من طبقات الناس، والثقافات، والاستخدامات، والمواد، والروتين اليومي، والذكريات التي تتداخل معًا مع مرور الوقت.

التنوّع يمنح المدن إيقاعها.
والتعقيد يمنحها عمقها.
ومعًا، يخلقان الشخصية العامة للمكان.

في أركات، نؤمن أن البيئات الحضرية القوية لا تقوم على التشابه، بل على تصميم مساحات تستطيع فيها القصص المختلفة أن تتعايش، وتتفاعل، وتصبح جزءًا من هوية المدينة.

Public transport shifts the burden of moving people from individual cars to the shared system.

When this system is efficient and maintained, it:

1) reduces negative externalities (congestion, accidents)
2) more space for housing & other productive land uses
3) more opportunities for pedestrianization and open public spaces.

But this is largely possible if the system is affordable and actually replaces cars, not just compliment it.

What would make public transport a more natural choice in your city?

Across the GCC, urban growth has been rapid, ambitious, and infrastructure-led.

But liveability is not determined by road capacity or building scale alone.

According to research from the London School of Economics ( )quality of life in cities is strongly influenced by proximity, walkability, public space, and human-scale urban design.

Urban form shapes daily routine. Daily routine shapes well-being.

In car-dependent environments, distance accumulates, in time, in energy, in social fragmentation.

The future of Gulf cities is not only about expanding infrastructure. It is about aligning growth with everyday life.

How should liveability be measured in rapidly developing cities?

A good public space does more than allow people to pass through. It gives them a reason to stay.

Jan Gehl’s words remind us that the success of a city is closely tied to the everyday experience of its public realm: the comfort of a shaded street, the rhythm of active edges, the presence of seating, the feeling of safety, and the small moments that invite people to linger.

In urban planning, dwell time is not accidental. It is shaped by design, climate response, accessibility, and human behavior.

For GCC cities, this question becomes even more important: how can public spaces be designed not only to look impressive, but to remain comfortable, active, and enjoyable enough for people to stay?

Because when people choose to stay, public space begins to work.

Public space is often discussed through what we see: plazas, streets, parks, waterfronts, and building edges.

But what makes the public realm work is not only its visual quality. It is how people move through it, how long they choose to stay, how safe and connected it feels, and whether the space can remain usable across different times of day and seasons.

In the GCC, this becomes even more critical. Shade, materials, wind, surface temperature, and comfort are not secondary design details. They directly shape whether a public space can support daily life.