Walkability in the Modern Arab Cities: An Assessment of Public Space Along Al-Qasba Canal and Lake Khaled in Sharjah

Abstract

The new waterfront developments in Sharjah in the form of public gardens along lake Khaled and Al-Qasba water canal redefine public space in Sharjah with an identity that is more inclusive than privately developed more exclusive spaces and mega malls in Dubai. Such emerging landscapes and public spaces in Arab cities are necessary and when mitigated they represent an intermediate intervention of government and the private sector to improve the walkability of the city. This paper studies the strategies and effects of this assemblage of neo-Islamic buildings in Sharjah along its newly created landscapes and waterfronts. In addition, we used a 2D-hydrodynamic water surface model to simulate the flow pattern in the Sharjah canal and the lagoons.