Dubai opens its first 'Work from Park' centre at Al Barsha Pond Park

Dubai has introduced a new way of working. Dubai Municipality has opened the city's first official 'Work from Park' centre at Al Barsha Pond Park. The space is meant for people tired of the confines of an office or the noise of a cafe. Salaried professionals, freelancers and start-up founders can now work in the shade of green trees, facing the pond.

The project has been set up by Dubai Municipality together with LetsWork, a flexible workspace platform, and Group AMANA, a sustainable construction company. It is not just a set of benches: a modern and comfortable working environment has been created.

The outdoor desks, in the open air of the park, under the trees and on the rooftop of the building, are completely free. Any resident or tourist can use the space and the high-speed internet without booking in advance.

An air-conditioned indoor workspace has also been built for those who want to avoid the sun or work in quiet. It has three main parts. The first is a co-working zone where 30 people can work at a time. A day pass costs AED 50 (about Rs 1,150) and includes seating for the whole day and a free coffee or tea.

The second part is meeting rooms. There are two modern rooms, each with a capacity of nine people, equipped with audio-visual screens for presentations and whiteboards. The third part is workspace suites, where freelancers, start-ups and companies can rent a fixed desk or a private office for a period from one month to one year.

Booking is described as easy. People can reserve a seat or a meeting room within minutes through the LetsWork app, the official website or directly on WhatsApp (04 581 3652).

No tree or natural feature of the park was harmed in building the workspace. The structure was prepared off-site using DuBox, an off-site modular construction technology, and then assembled in the park.

Parents will also benefit. While children play in the park or enjoy the swings, they can sit nearby and work on their laptops. The park's jogging track, cycling track, playgrounds and restaurants will continue to operate as before.

The initiative is an important part of the vision of the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. After this first trial at Al Barsha Pond Park proves successful, similar 'Work from Park' centres will be built in other large public parks in Dubai.