New Zoning Code for Kuwait

New Zoning Code for Kuwait Project Images

Dar, working with DPZ, led the preparation of a new National Zoning Code for the State of Kuwait, comprising regulatory guidance standards and supporting manuals containing urban planning and design guidelines.

The aim of the project was to identify how current Building Regulations could be improved to create a high quality urban environment.  The proposed new Code is Form-based, which is a significant departure from the current regulations that have become overly layered, unwieldy and inconsistent and that fail to produce the required quality of urban environment.

The new Form-based Code addresses this by establishing a regulatory planning framework that will deliver a more ordered and efficient urban environment to create a clear sense of place.  For the first time in Kuwait it also recognises mixed-use development as a key component of the urban area.  The zoning framework is a state-of the-art and highly technical tool that has been tailored to specifically address Kuwait’s current development challenges.  It will be applied across all spatial scales and land uses.

We are now helping build the local capacity necessary to implement and operate this Code through the training of planning professionals, implementing pilot projects to illustrate its application and stakeholder consultation to ensure that it is applied consistently and appropriately.