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Are you an urban planner, student, designer, or an artificial intelligence innovator? You now have a chance to reimagine Al Safa 2 Park using artificial intelligence and win a grand prize in Dubai's new AI-powered public park design challenge.

On June 25, Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum unveiled three projects for Dubai: Falcon Market, the Dubai Creek lighting project, and an AI-designed public park. The three projects will span upgrading services and creating new infrastructure.

Building on that vision, Dubai Municipality on Sunday (June 28) launched the AI-designed park challenge, inviting designers, urban planners, students, researchers, startups, and AI innovators to submit concepts for transforming Al Safa 2 Park using AI and emerging technologies. The challenge carries a total prize pool of Dh200,000.

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Dubai's first AI-powered park design challenge

The challenge is part of Dubai's push to bring artificial intelligence into urban planning and public infrastructure. The goal is to reimagine how parks and public spaces are designed and experienced.

Participants will be encouraged to use AI throughout the design process, from analysing the site and understanding how people use the space to developing concepts, testing scenarios, and refining their final ideas. Officials expect this approach to speed up innovation, improve design quality, and help create public spaces that better serve residents.

At its heart, the challenge combines human creativity with the power of AI. It promotes a co-design model that brings together designers, communities, and stakeholders to create parks that are innovative and shaped around people's needs.

Winning entries will be chosen through a collaborative evaluation process. A judging panel featuring internationally recognised designers and senior Dubai Government officials will review submissions, while local residents will also have a say in selecting the final winners.

Prizes for AI-powered park designs

Dubai Municipality will recognise exceptional ideas with rewards and the opportunity to transform forward-thinking park concepts into real-world outcomes.

The challenge carries a total prize pool of Dh200,000 and offers Dh100,000 for first place, Dh65,000 for second place, and Dh35,000 for third place.

Who can take part in AI-powered park design challenge

This challenge is designed to engage a diverse community of participants at the intersection of design, artificial intelligence, and innovation in urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture, and public space design, enhancing quality of life across Dubai.

The challenge is open to:

• Professionals in architecture, urban planning, and landscape design

• Undergraduate, master’s, and PhD students, as well as researchers

• Startups working in design and AI technologies

• AI and technology innovators are developing tools for urban environments

Submission and selection process of designs

Submissions through the Dubai Municipality website https://aipark.dm.gov.ae/ai-competition are open until August 15. Entries must include a fully integrated master plan supported by data analysis, visualisations, detailed drawings, and a human-centred design approach demonstrating practical and sustainable solutions.

All submissions will first be evaluated by a specialised jury panel. Shortlisted entries will then move to a community review stage, where residents will participate in selecting the final winning designs.

Participants must demonstrate how AI tools were integrated into the design process, supporting analysis, iteration, and decision-making throughout the project.

Concept Exploration – generating and testing multiple design ideas

Design Iteration – refining layouts and spatial arrangements through AI-assisted workflows

Environmental Response – optimising shade, microclimate, and sustainability strategies

User Experience Insights – informing design decisions based on predicted user behaviour

Design Optimisation – improving efficiency, performance, and functionality

Visualisation – producing AI-assisted visuals to communicate design intent

Site & user analysis using data (climate, context, behaviour patterns)

Environmental analysis (shade, heat, solar exposure, wind – at a basic level)

Demonstration of how AI informed human comfort, usability, and experience

Data-informed design decisions (linking analysis to spatial outcomes)

Parametric/generative logic (if applicable, briefly explained)

Please download the project files to view the competition scope, terms, and conditions.

Jury

The challenge will include an evaluation and selection process. Winning designs will be selected by a judging panel comprising internationally renowned designers and senior Dubai Government executives.

The jury are:

• Maryam Al Muhairi – CEO, Building Regulation & Permits Agency, Dubai Municipality

• Abdulaziz Al Jaziri – Deputy CEO & COO, Dubai Future Foundation

• Shaikha Al Jarman – CEO, Social Development Sector, Community Development Authority

• Bader Anwahi – CEO, Public Facilities, Dubai Municipality

• Ahmed Bin Shabib – Researcher and urban planner

• Rashid Bin Shabib – Researcher and urban planner

• Carlo Ratti – Director, MIT Design Lab

• Ahmed Bukhash – Founder, Archidentity

• Adam Scott – Co-founder, Experience Foundation