Muscat 2.0: reimagining a smarter, greener cityscape

Oman’s capital city is on the cusp of a transformative evolution with the launch of the Greater Muscat Structure Plan (GMSP). The plan, a collaboration between the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning and a diverse team of international experts, aims to shape the future growth of Muscat through forward-thinking urban development strategies.

In an exclusive interview with Construction Week Middle East, Callum Smith, Principal Engineer, delves into Cundall's role in this landmark initiative, detailing the project’s focus on sustainability, flood risk management, and quality of life for Muscat’s residents.

Can you tell us more about the Greater Muscat Structure Plan? Where does Cundall fit in?

The Greater Muscat Structure Plan or GMSP is an exciting urban development initiative that will shape the future population density growth of Oman's vibrant capital city. It's a collaborative effort by a diverse team of international experts including specialists in urban planning, transportation, economics through to infrastructure and flood risk to name just a few. This team worked together alongside the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning to create a holistic vision for the city's growth.

Cundall played a significant role in this spatial planning consortium. Our international team contributed expertise in sustainability, smart city innovations, terrestrial and coastal flood risk assessments, and utility infrastructure planning. By focusing on these crucial areas, we helped to construct a resilient and sustainable framework for the city that addresses both current challenges and future opportunities.

How are you integrating sustainability principles into the design framework? Do you foresee any unique challenges along the way?

Oman is transitioning towards a smarter and more sustainable future, a commitment which is articulated in their national strategies such as Oman Vision 2040, regional spatial plans and the Net Zero 2050 initiative. Cundall’s efforts are enabling these ambitious goals by integrating sustainability and smart city principles into the urban design framework of the GMSP.

Converting national frameworks into city level approaches leads to the development of specific urban policy and strategies, as well as the creation of an urban sustainability and smart city framework that spans all disciplines. Cundall actively engaged with each of the consultants, and the framework offered over one hundred sustainable indicators and KPIs for the city’s growth, all grouped into nine distinct categories. This approach ensures the plan’s legacy has sustainability at the heart of decision making, creating enduring environmental outcomes for the future of Oman.

In addition to this framework, Cundall provided leadership with the generation of the Urban Risk and Climate Change Mitigation Strategy. This strategy employs a two-pronged approach: first, by creating a climatic vulnerability map, we identified sensitive areas in the city that require targeted adaptation interventions. Secondly, we developed policies focused on climate mitigation and carbon road mapping, helping Muscat to meet its sustainability goals while addressing long-term risks.

You mentioned that the team is focusing on creating an ‘efficient and resilient city-wide utility infrastructure with an emphasis on renewable technologies.’ Could you elaborate on this?

One of Muscat’s key challenges is its vast geospatial expanse, which raises the critical question: how can urban sprawl be managed while accommodating population growth? This question shaped several challenges and opportunities for the plan, especially regarding infrastructure and how to minimise its environmental impact.

Nationally, Oman is making significant progress towards decarbonisation, and to ensure this translates at the city level, we leveraged existing projects like the waste-to-energy facility. By providing land for solar initiatives and co-locating critical assets, we created a more efficient power generation subzone for the region. The plan also promotes dual-purpose land use, integrating agricultural initiatives like Agri-PV. While more granular level strategies were embedded for elements such as demand side response, effectively reducing peak loads.

As the population grows, pressures on energy and water systems increase, making it imperative to maximise the use of treated water and reduce the stress on the local water cycle. By directing a mass water balance for the city, we were able to integrate and target areas for environmental development, such as wadis and green streets, while safeguarding re-usable water for specific needs such as industrial purposes. This approach effectively creates a circular economy for water use, ensuring that both the energy used to treat water and the water itself is not wasted.

How will Cundall’s approach mitigate flood risk and adapt to coastal change while protecting Muscat's natural environment?

Recent events in the Gulf, combined with global climate trends, have made both terrestrial and coastal flood risks critical considerations in urban planning. The first challenge we faced was delineating flood risk across a catchment area of more than 4,430 km2 and over 100km of coastline, which laid the groundwork for both existing and future development. Understanding the high-risk zones and constraints of the city allowed us to integrate flood risk management into the core of our placemaking strategy.

Cundall’s approach combines strategic planning and physical infrastructure interventions. By implementing a mix of traditional flood defences and more balanced, nature-based solutions -such as sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and green corridors - we were able to set parameters that mitigate flood risk while building urban resilience. This not only protects vulnerable areas but also creates space for biodiversity and recreational use.

The coastal defences were backed by a detailed understanding of sea-level rise projections, ensuring that the strategies we implement are not only responsive to current challenges but also adaptable to future ones, which supports long term investment and environmental decisions.

How does Cundall collaborate with F&M Middle East and Broadway Malyan to ensure seamless integration of masterplanning, sustainability, and civil engineering?

Collaboration on projects like this requires a combination of hard work and teamwork. The environment we fostered – within our internal team and in our collaboration with the Ministry of Housing, all stakeholders and the consulting team - was one that pushed each other’s boundaries in a highly constructive way, ultimately leading to a successful outcome.

From the outset, and as part of Cundall’s project methodology, each consultant signed a MoU, committing to delivering a project that promotes social, environmental and economic sustainability; improvement of environmental performance wherever possible; and raises awareness and action on key social and environmental issues.

With these fundamental goals and a shared vision, we cultivated a collaborative environment where every discipline contributed meaningfully to a holistic outcome.

One of the goals of the project is to improve the quality of life for Muscat’s residents. How will the plan enhance liveability in the city, particularly in terms of green spaces, transportation, and access to essential services?

Enhancing the quality of life for residents is a central objective of the Greater Muscat Structure Plan. A key focus is making the city more pedestrian-friendly, creating safer, more enjoyable spaces for walking and cycling. The plan refines the urban design to include wider walkways, shaded pedestrian routes, and better connectivity between key areas, allowing residents to move more easily throughout the city without depending solely on cars.

Another exciting aspect is the introduction of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, which will serve as a major transport artery for Muscat, The LRT will seamlessly link residential districts, business hubs, and recreational areas, ensuring that essential services and key destinations are more accessible. By integrating the LRT with pedestrian and cycling routes, the plan promotes active transport options while helping to reduce traffic congestion and emissions.

Additionally, the plan prioritises increasing access to green spaces, with parks and recreational areas strategically placed across Muscat. These spaces will provide residents with more opportunities to relax and enjoy nature, contributing to a healthier and more vibrant urban environment.