A LEADING design expert has highlighted the need for increased public and private sector commitment to multi-layered community development that will accommodate all tiers of society in the Gulf.

Architect and urban design expert Steven Miller, senior vice-president for business development at Shapoorji Pallonji, called for private developers and regional governments to look at the integration of masterplanning for sustainable communities as part of their long-term economic vision, as the Gulf in particular continues to develop a multi-layered society.

“Most private developers still only want to look at the five-star villa and luxury apartment market, and with Gulf countries like Qatar undergoing a dramatic transformation, the current social infrastructure is simply not acceptable. Ongoing government support is a vital catalyst in extending co-operation between public bodies and free enterprise to create communities that can accommodate broad social strata,” he said at the recent Qatar Projects conference held in Doha, Qatar.

Shapoorji Pallonji is currently working on a group of high-profile social infrastructure-focused projects within Qatar, and is using its international pedigree and experience through successful client projects from South Asia and West Africa to the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, as a benchmark for business development in the affordable housing and community arena.

“Because we have worked on similar projects on different continents, we have a thorough understanding of the specific needs and customs of different countries, so while the discipline is essentially the same, the individual components that come together to present socially acceptable and affordable housing, need to be tailored for each country in line with government direction,” said Miller.

“Qatar and the UAE, which both have a significant expatriate population, aren’t the only Mena region countries addressing social infrastructure development. Affordable housing is becoming an agenda-topping issue from Algeria and Iraq to Libya and Saudi Arabia,” he added.

Mohan Das Saini, CEO of Shapoorji Pallonji, said: “We’re not just talking labourers’ accommodation either. Well designed and well cared for accommodation is equally important for lower middle-class singles and families who make up a sizeable part of the Gulf expatriate population, as well as middle-class semi-professional and professional families who need cost-effective accommodation as the cost of living in the region continues to rise.”

Headquartered in Mumbai, India, Shapoorji Pallonji has an engineering and construction pedigree spanning almost 150 years.