The Sustainable City Development Plan for Aqaba, Jordan

Abstract

Sustainability is a relatively new theme in Jordanian architecture and planning, but the city of Aqaba's new development plan has been elaborated on the basis of sustaining the city's social and economic development as well as its physical environment. No other city in Jordan has been planned on the basis of sustainability. Between 2000 and 2004, a special planning unit produced the current plan for achieving a sustainable city in Aqaba. The plan envisages investments of over US$6 billion and the creation of some 70,000 jobs by the year 2020. This article examines the work undertaken by the planners of sustainable Aqaba and appraises the outcome. A number of conclusions are presented about the need to encourage sustainability in the future planning of other areas as well as in the solution of many of Aqaba's problems.