Getting around Al Quoz Creative Zone just became easier, safer, and far more walkable.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced the completion of a major package of infrastructure and mobility projects designed to boost connectivity and support the area’s transformation into a global creative hub.

The upgrades are part of a wider master plan aimed at attracting creatives, entrepreneurs, and investors from around the world, while making Al Quoz a lively, year-round destination for culture, learning, and leisure.

What’s been completed?

One of the standout additions is a new pedestrian and cycling bridge on Al Manara Street, designed to improve safety and ensure smooth movement across the area. The bridge spans 45 metres, is 5.5 metres wide, rises 6 metres high, and features two access ramps stretching 210 metres each.

RTA has also delivered:

• Three mobility hubs
• 4km of pedestrian, cycling, and individual mobility routes
• Better connections to the Metro Station and Al Quoz Bus Station

Together, these upgrades support easy, car-free movement through the district.

Streets that turn into cultural spaces

Preparations are also complete for the Super Blocks project, which allows selected streets to be temporarily closed and transformed into pedestrian-only spaces during major events.

One of the first to benefit? The Al Quoz Arts Festival, taking place on January 24 and 25, organised by Alserkal Avenue in partnership with Dubai Culture.

These flexible urban spaces are designed to host art events, festivals, and community activities, helping bring the streets to life while encouraging walking and social interaction.

Designed for people, not just cars

RTA says the projects support Dubai’s 20-Minute City concept, encouraging residents and visitors to reach work, services, and leisure within a compact, well-connected area using sustainable transport.

They also align with:

• Dubai Urban Plan 2040
• Dubai Social Agenda 33
• Year of the Family

The goal? Healthier lifestyles, stronger social connections, and a more pedestrian-friendly city.

A creative district on a whole new scale

Once fully developed, Al Quoz Creative Zone is expected to grow dramatically:

• Creatives: from 900 to 20,000
• Residents: up to 8,000
• Daily visitors: around 33,000
• Studio and workshop spaces: 10x increase
• Leisure and support facilities: 3x expansion

The zone will also deliver 2,900 affordable housing units for creatives, integrated live-work spaces, public plazas, shaded alleys, art routes, murals, and sculptures, all while preserving Al Quoz’s industrial character by repurposing existing warehouses.

With these latest mobility upgrades, Al Quoz Creative Zone is quickly shaping up to be one of the world’s largest and most people-focused creative districts, where art, culture, business, and everyday life intersect.

Dubai has just unveiled District IO, a bold new development in Dubai Silicon Oasis aimed at becoming a global cutting-edge hub for AI, smart mobility, quantum computing, and transformative technologies. Launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the project is expected to boost the UAE’s GDP by Dh103 billion and generate over 70,000 jobs across the next 10 years.

Sheikh Mohammed shared on social media that the project is expected to contribute more than AED103 billion to the UAE’s GDP over the next 10 years, creating over 70,000 direct and indirect jobs and attracting up to Dh30 billion in foreign investment by 2036.

“We will not stop, and we will not look back because the one who looks back does not reach,” Sheikh Mohammed said, emphasising Dubai’s mission to remain an open platform for talent, creativity, and future technologies.

What to Expect from District IO

• Businesses & Talent: Space for 6,500 companies and 75,000 specialised talents
• Investments: AED11 billion in two phases (2026–2027)
• Buildings & Facilities: 25 LEED-compliant buildings (18 commercial, 4 residential), plus hospitality amenities
• Location: Near the Dubai Metro Blue Line in Dubai Silicon Oasis

District IO is part of the broader Dubai Silicon Oasis expansion, which includes the Block 14 residential and lifestyle district (Dh1.8 billion investment), aligned with the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and the city’s Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) model. Block 14 is expected to be completed in 2029.

Sheikh Mohammed’s Tour Highlights

On the sidelines of the launch, Sheikh Mohammed also visited key projects in Dubai Silicon Oasis:

• Fakeeh University Hospital: Reviewed advanced medical services and patient-centric systems
• Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai: Briefed on the Middle East’s first drone delivery network, integrating robotics and autonomous systems

With District IO and these associated projects, Dubai continues to cement its position as one of the world’s most future-ready cities, blending innovation, investment, and lifestyle like never before.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has rolled out a new digital service called the Emirati Work Bundle in the Private Sector, designed to simplify everything from job hunting to pension registration, all in one streamlined journey.

Launched in collaboration with several local and federal government entities, the initiative is part of the UAE’s Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme and aims to make life easier for Emirati citizens entering the private sector, as well as for employers hiring them.

The new bundle connects multiple government platforms behind the scenes, allowing data to be shared automatically between MoHRE and key authorities, including ICP, GPSSA, Nafis, health entities, pension funds, and Digital Dubai. The result? Fewer forms, fewer steps, and faster approvals.

From the moment an Emirati registers on the Nafis platform and starts looking for a job, the system follows them through their hiring process, employment registration, and enrolment in pension and social security schemes, without the usual paperwork overload.

Officials say the goal is to save time, cut red tape, and improve the overall experience for both jobseekers and private-sector companies, while strengthening Emiratisation and ensuring Emiratis are properly registered for long-term social protection.

By standardising information requirements and integrating digital systems across government entities, the Emirati Work Bundle aims to deliver faster, smarter services and set a new benchmark for how government services work together in the UAE.