The Return

Liwa Village 2025 was conceived as a spatial interpretation of Al Wārid — “the return.”

For generations, the Bani Yas tribe followed a cyclical rhythm of departure and homecoming, returning each winter to Liwa Oasis. The return was both physical and emotional — a reconnection with land, identity, and community.

This year’s 63,000 sqm masterplan translates that cyclical movement into a contemporary experiential landscape structured as a journey.

Spatial Sequence

The experience begins at Shams Liwa, conceived as a landmark of arrival. Positioned as threshold and orientation device, it establishes the narrative of elevation and return before visitors move into the village fabric.

From there, the journey unfolds through a calibrated progression of zones:

• Adrenaline — expressing movement, height, and the outward energy of departure.

• Meydan — a communal ground of challenge and shared interaction.

• Souk — the social center of the village, reinterpreting the oasis marketplace through layered circulation and shaded gathering spaces.

• Auto Zone — reflecting Liwa’s contemporary desert identity through automotive culture and dune performance.

• Wanasa — the culminating zone of joy and family celebration, where the narrative resolves in return.

Adjacent to the village, yet spatially independent, the Grand Arena hosted large-scale events including Monster Jam, MudFest, and the New Year’s Concert. Its positioning preserves the integrity of the village journey while allowing moments of high-capacity spectacle to operate externally.

Layout & Design Language

The masterplan geometry is inspired by the logic of the mashrabiya: a system of repetition, filtration, and measured openness.

The layout is structured through simple geometric grids and intersecting axes, creating controlled porosity between zones. Like the mashrabiya screen, the village mediates between exposure and shelter, density and openness, spectacle and intimacy.

Shaded vertical elements reference palm groves and regional architectural typologies, while sand-toned materials and woven textures anchor the project within the desert context.

Circulation paths act as contemporary “Wārid” routes — guiding visitors through a continuous loop of departure and return.

Liwa Village 2025 operates as a temporary urban construct embedded within landscape — a geometric framework that transforms seasonal gathering into spatial narrative.

Liwa 2026, Creative Lead Role with Linkviva, Dubai, UAE 2026

Photo: Linkviva Agency