أرشيف الوسم: sprawl

Kuwait was struck by the fire that broke out at the Al Mubarakiya Market (the main souq of Kuwait). The fire damaged a significant portion of the market and caused irreparable damage. This fire left another wound in Kuwait City, and we hope it can be repaired soon and in the best manner.

Currently, specialists and architects are concerned about how the government will approach repairing the fire damage. They are worried that the process will fall victim to state bureaucracy, neglect, and even worse, alternative schemes for the site, which will destroy what remains of the identity of this wounded city.

Kuwait City is the capital of a modern state with massive resources that have the potential to provide an outstanding urban model. This city’s many vital constituents could be the basis for a rich civil center. However, inadequate planning and ignorance led to its current deterioration.

The rich coastline and traditional ports are where many Kuwaitis previously built their livelihood around. They were not adequately preserved and or developed. Additionally, Kuwait City was initially divided into three distinct areas that could have been utilized to preserve the unique character of Kuwait. However, the modernization efforts have erased or covered over many of its landmarks.

The early master plans advocated preserving Kuwait City’s remaining historic buildings. These plans protected the densities from commercial uses. They also proposed the reduction of building heights. More importantly, the plans recommended the increase of housing within the city to create the desired land use balance.

However, with time and a lack of vision, Kuwait city saw a series of decisions that negatively impacted its character and left the city with chronic wounds. Such as:

• • • • • An early compulsive takeover led to the demolishment of the vast majority of traditional mud houses within the city boundary, destroying the city’s urban fabric.
        • The first ring road project, which gave priority to private vehicles, led to a highway that disconnected the city and lowered its accessibility.
        • During the last few years, we saw a series of decisions that prompted the demolishing of various modern architectural landmarks with a unique architectural and historical value, such as (the Al Hambra Cinema, Al Sawaber complex skating ring, lately the Justice Palace, and others.
        • In addition, the negligence of large areas of open unutilized governmental lands within the city boundaries that are random parking yards contributed to the mutilation of the city.

The failure of national-level planning led to the deteriorating condition of Kuwait City and the random transformation of its land uses and densities. While the local market expanded and consumption multiplied, the market did not provide venues to absorb the expansion. The market also imposed a reorganization of the city. We saw the building of various highrise towers and multiple shopping malls, leading to wider roads and bigger multi-story car parking buildings. All this damaged the urban fabric and defected the city.

To develop the city, we need a comprehensive vision for the state, allocating the necessary resources and overcoming all obstacles. And the deployment of teams of specialized and competent members. Further, because it’s Kuwait city, the wounded capital, it has to be treated.

The Municipal Council’s latest decision to allow for the construction of a fourth floor on the residential plots that are less than 400 square meters drew the ire of many people in Kuwait. Most people expressed dissatisfaction with the likely adverse effects of The Council’s approval and application. This decision highlights the failings of our planning system and calls for a serious review of the path we are taking.

This decision will increase densities, encourage renting, and eventually lead to increased real estate prices, making owning a home unaffordable. In turn, we will see more pressure placed on utilities, services, and roads as well as parking congestions.

We need to take note of the distortion occurring in Kuwait’s built environment. According to the 1985 regulation, the allowable built-up floor ratio was 120%, with wide setbacks to allow private vehicles to park within home boundaries. However, in 1996, setbacks decreased, and FAR increased to 170%. Also, in 2006 FAR increased to 210% and 240%. Today, we are about to experience another FAR increase.

The issue is more than the addition of a fourth floor: we have reached the point of no return. We destroyed an urban model that was once the best among the Arabian Gulf countries. Frustrations grow as decision-makers are taking such decrees lightly. Even worse, the decisions made lack insight from formal studies or consultancies or awareness of long-term effects—some of which would be unfixable.

We respect people’s choices and understand the absurdity of applying a standard building regulation countrywide. Various households carry different preferences, needs, lifestyles, social, and economic situations. And so, the built environment must reflect the diversity of its residents. We need to develop our master planning mechanisms and building regulations to achieve integrated solutions in a diverse ecosystem of neighborhoods. Now, the standard model is no longer suitable, as the state is more complex than ever, requiring dynamic building regulations that meet people’s aspirations.

The Municipal Council’s decree embodies its inability to address the problems facing Kuwait. It is no longer tenable for one board represented by 16 members to decide on all municipal and urban issues that cover a wide geographic space, which has multiplied many types since the establishment of the modern state. We are obliged to amend Kuwait’s municipality law and establish various local municipalities and councils with authorities and clear boundaries.

We hope to see a withdrawal of this decree and a major review of Kuwait’s urban strategy, master planning, and building regulations. This strategy must align with our national goals and rise to the level of our social and economic challenges and aspirations.

لقد كان تفاعل الناس قوياً مع قرار المجلس البلدي؛ للسماح بإضافة دور رابع لقسائم السكن الخاص التي تقل مساحتها عن 400 متر مربع. وقد عبر الغالبية عن استيائهم من هذا القرار، وإدراكهم للآثار السلبية التي ستترتب على إقراره وتطبيقه.

إن قراراً كهذا سيرفع من الكثافة السكانية داخل المناطق السكنية، ويشجع على زيادة تأجير الوحدات في مناطق السكن الخاص؛ وبذلك يعمل على ارتفاع أسعار العقار ومن ثم جعل امتلاك المسكن أكثر صعوبة. عوضاً عن زيادة الضغط على الخدمات العامة والمرافق، وتزايد الازدحام على الطرق الداخلية ومواقف السيارات.

ويجب علينا أن ندرك حجم التشويه الحاصل للبيئة العمرانية في الكويت، فوفق قانون 1985 كانت نسبة البناء للسكن الخاص 120% وبارتدادات كبيرة داخل حدود الأراضي لإتاحة المجال لوقوف السيارات، ثم في عام 1996 تم تقليص الارتدادات وزيادة نسبة البناء إلى 170%، ثم تم اتخاذ قرارا آخر في سنة 2006 لرفع النسبة إلى 210% و 240%، واليوم نحن بصدد زيادة أخرى وبشكل جديد.

ولكن القضية لا تقتصر على إضافة الدور الرابع، فأخشى أننا بلغنا نقطة -اللا-عودة- وأفسدنا نموذجاً عمرانياً كان الأكثر تقدماً بين مدن الخليج العربي. فمن المؤلم مشاهدة متخذي القرار يصدرون قرارات كهذه باستخفاف، وبدون دراسة أو استشارة أو إدراك للآثار السلبية طويلة الأمد، والتي سيكون بعضها غير قابل للإصلاح.

إننا نحترم خيارات الناس ونعي أنه من غير المنطقي وضع نظام بناء واحد يطبق على الجميع، وندرك أن الأسر المختلفة لها تفضيلات مختلفة تتلاءم مع احتياجاتها وثقافتها وأسلوب حياتها، ومستواها الاجتماعي والمادي، وهذا ما يجب أن تعكسه البيئة العمرانية. ولذ علينا أن نطور آليات التخطيط الهيكلي وأنظمة البناء المنبثقة عنها، وأن تتوفر لدينا مناطق سكنية ذات أنظمة بناء متنوعة وكثافات متفاوتة، تتيح للناس اختيار أين يودون العيش. فلم يعد النموذج الموحد ملائم والبلد أصبح أكثر تعقيداً؛ مما يتطلب أنظمة بناء ديناميكية وفاعلة تخدم تطلعات الناس.

إن هذا القرار أظهر بوضوح الخلل في مؤسسة المجلس البلدي، فلم يعد من المعقول أن يكون للكويت مجلس بلدي ممثل- بستة عشر- عضواً للبت في كافة القرارات البلدية والعمرانية والتي تغطي رقعة جغرافية تضاعفت عدة مرات منذ قيام الدولة الحديثة. وأصبح لزاماً علينا تعديل قانون البلدية وإنشاء بلديات ومجالس محلية تتمتع بصلاحيات كبيرة، ولكنها محدودة ضمن نطاق عمارني واضح.

نأمل أن يسحب القرار وإجراء مراجعة عامة لاستراتيجيات التخطيط الحضري والهيكلي وقوانين البناء في دولة الكويت. وعلى أن تتوافق هذه الاستراتيجية مع أهدافنا الوطنية وأن ترقى لحجم الطموحات والتحديات الاقتصادية والاجتماعية التي نواجها.

In 2005, Kuwait Municipality amended building legislation and raised the FAR and allowed the construction of various residential units within one house, which complicated the housing condition and resulted in unaffordability of housing in Kuwait. As houses prices rocketed in parallel with the scarcity of land and housing alternatives.

Coupled with neglecting professional opinions, the exclusion of the Municipality’s planning role and following the populist voices that calls for the expansion of the housing units, increasing the FAR and the number of units. Citizens may think that the are benefiting from these decisions, however in fact there are harming themselves and the rest of society in the short and log terms.

Thus, we call to revise the current building regulation and if necessary, to start to apply a new revised version on new residential areas to conserve the single-family land use, to improve the built environment, contribute to the availability of affordable housing for all. Lowering the FAR would reap the following advantages:

Compact cities that limit random urban sprawl:

Compact cities are more sustainable, as they limit random urban sprawl that consumes natural land. We should seek a new efficient model that better utilize urban land to lower waste and reduce harmful gas emissions. Reducing house size has a direct impact on the reduction of urban sprawl and achieve higher efficiencies.

Reduce the cost of Infrastructure:

Decision makers in Kuwait drifted toward allowing expanding houses sizes and facilities according to the current unsustainable model.   Coupled with the determination of beneficiaries of public housing of larger homes and wider roads, which lead to waste of land and increase the cost of infrastructure. And accordingly impede the government’s effort to construct new projects and more homes. And achieve a viable solution to the housing crisis. In Kuwait Housing projects seek to achieve housing densities that reach 8 to 10 units per Hectare. Reducing housing sizes through the reduction of FAR will allow planners to accommodate higher number of units and contribute directly to solving the housing crisis.

Reduce the cost of house construction:

Through firsthand experience in the design and construction of houses in Kuwait, one can see that individual households to use the maximum allowed FAR. Consequently, build homes that reach 1000 square meters of built-up area. Currently this cost each household more than 150 thousand Kuwaiti Dinars. Which makes double the granted governmental housing loan. Usually, this difference is covered through individual loans from local banks, which burdens households and makes an indebted society, which leads to negative social and economic problems.

Empower the Real Estate Developer:

While the government is foreseeing the involvement of the private sector in the development of Housing projects and to contribute to the provision of housing units to ease the demand. Obviously, the current form of houses in Kuwait are financially unfeasible. For the Real Estate Developer to succeed, our regulation must allow for the production of various types of hosing unis that cater for alternative tenants. These alternatives must include smaller homes and higher density for them to be feasible.

Ease the pressure on utilities and services:

When designing residential projects, planners and engineers build their assumptions on total foreseen population. Which is based on the average size of Kuwaiti household and the number of units. Taking into consideration that each house would house one household. However, the actual situation differs; due to the overcrowding that result from rented units, which increase the planned population of every neighborhood. This increase traffic congestion, random parking, and increase demand on electricity, water and sewage networks. In addition to pressures on other amenities like schools, parks, and other social and commercial services.

Decrease the attractivity of housing as an investment:

There is a direct correlation between increasing the FAR and the increasing housing prices. After the permission of establishing multiple units within the single-family house, residential areas began to attract investments and it became a speculation tool, and a preferred investment option.  This process raised prices and owning a home became beyond the reach of middle-income families. Renting became so common in residential areas as the current FAR allows the creation of more than eight rental units per home. And consequently, led to huge economic defect.

Accordingly, we call upon Kuwait Municipality planners, members of the Municipal Council and other decision makers to study the degrading condition of Residential neighborhood, revise the existing building regulation and appreciate the necessity to reduce the FAR in all Single-Family areas or at least in newly established residential neighborhoods to achieve sustainability and welfare.