emirates7 - Dr. Santiago Calatrava, Founder and Principal, Santiago Calatrava LLC, said architecture has the capacity to harmonious interactions with nature on a large scale, and that the people are the one constant and key consideration when designing cities of the future.
Comparing Dubai to other cities around the world, Santiago highlighted the city’s extraordinary skyline, describing it as one of the most artistic creations of our time.
Santiago was speaking at a panel discussion titled ‘How Do Cities Preserve the Human Soul?’ at the World Governments Summit 2026, which was held in Dubai under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments’ and concluded on Thursday.
The panel also featured Marwan Bin Ghalita, Director-General, Dubai Municipality, and was moderated by Andrew Tuck, Editor-in-Chief at Monocle.
Dr. Santiago recalled his experience in Dubai, when he observed the sunrise through the city’s skyline, noting that architecture has the capacity to such a moving and emotional interaction with nature.
He stressed that good architecture is not limited by functionality but focuses as well on elevating the built environment to a deep emotional connection.
Bin Ghalita said Dubai has a magnetic charm that attracts people to be part of the city and its social fabric, adding that the municipality’s role is to complete experiences for the people of Dubai, whether they are citizens, visitors, or transit passengers.
Bin Ghalita talked about Dubai’s night beach as an example of this vision, stressing Dubai’s ability to cater to the needs and aspirations of its citizens and visitors. To grant beach lovers the ability to visit the beach at night, Dubai Municipality has updated regulations and bolstered precautions to deliver this experience, Bin Ghalita explained, noting that achieving such experiences requires a lot of hard work and collaboration among Dubai entities.
Bin Ghalita said, “We measure our success by how people use our facilities, and how memories are being created,” adding that repeated visits to Dubai’s various spaces reflects the success of a city committed to fulfilling the aspirations of its people.
Comparing Dubai to other cities around the world, Santiago highlighted the city’s extraordinary skyline, describing it as one of the most artistic creations of our time.
Santiago was speaking at a panel discussion titled ‘How Do Cities Preserve the Human Soul?’ at the World Governments Summit 2026, which was held in Dubai under the theme ‘Shaping Future Governments’ and concluded on Thursday.
The panel also featured Marwan Bin Ghalita, Director-General, Dubai Municipality, and was moderated by Andrew Tuck, Editor-in-Chief at Monocle.
Dr. Santiago recalled his experience in Dubai, when he observed the sunrise through the city’s skyline, noting that architecture has the capacity to such a moving and emotional interaction with nature.
He stressed that good architecture is not limited by functionality but focuses as well on elevating the built environment to a deep emotional connection.
Bin Ghalita said Dubai has a magnetic charm that attracts people to be part of the city and its social fabric, adding that the municipality’s role is to complete experiences for the people of Dubai, whether they are citizens, visitors, or transit passengers.
Bin Ghalita talked about Dubai’s night beach as an example of this vision, stressing Dubai’s ability to cater to the needs and aspirations of its citizens and visitors. To grant beach lovers the ability to visit the beach at night, Dubai Municipality has updated regulations and bolstered precautions to deliver this experience, Bin Ghalita explained, noting that achieving such experiences requires a lot of hard work and collaboration among Dubai entities.
Bin Ghalita said, “We measure our success by how people use our facilities, and how memories are being created,” adding that repeated visits to Dubai’s various spaces reflects the success of a city committed to fulfilling the aspirations of its people.
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