BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi is increasingly repositioning infrastructure towards a broader model centred on health, wellbeing and quality of life, as policymakers, developers and urban planners push to make cities more human-centric and resilient.
Speaking during a panel discussion titled “Humanising Cities: Infrastructure for Health and Wellbeing” at the Abu Dhabi Infrastructure Summit (ADIS) 2026, speakers highlighted how Abu Dhabi is integrating wellness, technology, sustainability and urban planning into the future design of communities.
Wellness Becomes Real Estate Essential
Dr Mohamed Al Breiki, Executive Director at Masdar City, said wellness has evolved from a luxury offering into a core expectation within modern real estate development.
“Wellness is no longer an exclusive privilege. Nowadays, this has become a fundamental expectation in real estate and what differentiates one development from another,” Al Breiki said.
He indicated that Masdar City supports health and wellness through human-centric design that prioritises clean air, walkability and sustainability alongside smart technologies. All buildings in Masdar City have achieved LEED Platinum certifications, demonstrating performance in energy management, water consumption and indoor air quality.
“Sustainable urban development is definitely the answer to many of the current challenges cities are facing today,” he said, adding that such developments are designed to create environmentally resilient, socially inclusive and economically productive cities that improve residents’ quality of life.
Urban Planning
Abdulla Alblooshi, Director General of the Urban Planning and Permits Centre at the Department of Municipalities and Transport, said Abu Dhabi’s climate has become a central design challenge shaping urban planning standards across the emirate.
According to Alblooshi, Abu Dhabi has embedded health, livability and sustainability requirements directly into planning and permitting systems, ensuring all developments meet minimum standards before approval.
He pointed to Estidama and other planning frameworks aimed at reducing climate impact while improving urban wellbeing.
Alblooshi also highlighted the growing role of AI, integrated data systems and digital platforms in shaping future city management.
“We do not want to be part of smart cities only, we need to make sure our urban infrastructure is already equipped with all the technology,” Alblooshi said.
He stressed that integrated city management and real-time data are becoming essential components of next-generation infrastructure planning.
Wellness Infrastructure in Post-pandemic Era
Mahmoud Dandashly, Chief Business Officer at LEAD Development, said the concept of wellness infrastructure has changed significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Pre-COVID, the investments were mainly in amenities such as gyms, spas, clinics and wellness resorts, however, post-COVID, buyers are no longer ready to accept wellness as an additional feature, it needs to be embedded and integrated into their everyday life,” Dandashly explained.
He said developers are increasingly looking at wellness as a long-term value proposition that improves community resilience, resident retention and social stability.
He highlighted the company’s projects on Ramhan Island as an example of integrating wellness into daily living through walkability, open spaces, nature access, children’s play areas and low-density design.
He added that Abu Dhabi’s natural assets, including coastlines, islands and open landscapes, provide a strong foundation for integrating nature directly into urban environments.
“Instead of filtering out nature, you need to integrate it into the urban fabric, whereby nature becomes infrastructure by itself,” Dandashly explained.
Emotionally Engaging Public Spaces
Javier Gonzalez, Partner and CEO of 100 Architects, said urban design increasingly focuses on changing human behaviour through emotionally engaging public spaces.
Gonzalez said playability should not only apply to children’s playgrounds, but also to adults through joyful and engaging urban environments, stressing that social connectivity is among the most important aspects of urban design because cities should function as platforms for social interaction.
Preventive Wellness Models
Allan Boston, COO of the Institute of Healthier Living Abu Dhabi, said the healthcare sector is increasingly shifting from reactive treatment towards preventive wellness models integrated into everyday life.
He noted that lifestyle and environment often play a larger role in long-term health outcomes than genetics alone.
According to Boston, elements such as nutrition, exercise, social interaction and purpose have a greater impact on wellness than clinical treatment alone.
Boston added that cities must integrate health-supporting infrastructure directly into homes, workplaces and communities to remove barriers to healthier living.
