Project: Duqm Town Master Plan, Al Wusta Region, Oman

Client: Supreme Committee for Town Planning

Collaborators: Conser Engineering Consultants

Description:

We were commissioned with Conser to prepare a master plan for the new town of Duqm in Al Wusta Region.  This is to be built in response to the construction of a port and dry dock complex at Duqm in order to extend regional development to this presently small and remote part of the Sultanate.

Our work consisted of contextual studies for the new town and then the appropriate urban design framework. We undertook demographic studies and population forecasting, as well as appraisals of existing conditions, constraints and opportunities and visual and landscape analysis. These helped inform the study of planning alternatives and the selection of the preferred option. 

Our work was guided by a detailed ‘Vision’ statement which set out what the town would be like in 20 years’ time. The new town is expected to grow to around 65,000 persons and provide a new focus for the region.  We prepared detailed site plans for the first phase of priority development including land allocation documentation and set out the various plots on site.

We used GIS techniques to analyse the site and its surroundings and to provide a base for 3-D visualizations of our proposals.  The resulting GIS model will provide the foundation for guiding development of the town and for land allocations in the future.