Dubai is developing a vision of a city where getting around on foot or by bike is set to become a viable alternative to the car. To this end, the concept of The Loop has been devised: a 93-kilometre, air-conditioned corridor for pedestrians and cyclists. The project was designed by the Urb studio.
A city enclosed in a glass tube
The Loop project resembles a futuristic ring winding its way between Dubai’s districts. The entire structure would be enclosed within a glass canopy, ensuring comfortable conditions all year round, regardless of the extreme temperatures of the desert climate. The interiors would be filled with plants, water features, rest areas and recreational spaces. The creators of the concept aim to encourage residents to give up their daily use of cars. In a city designed primarily for car traffic, this represents a massive shift in urban planning thinking. According to the plans, by 2040 over 80 per cent of Dubai’s residents would choose to cycle or walk for their daily commutes.
The Loop – premium active mobility
Urb’s vision goes far beyond a simple cycle route. Along the corridor, there would be gyms, sports fields, hotels, pocket parks and urban gardens. The designers also mention vertical farms that could support local food production. An interesting feature is to be a kinetic floor that generates energy from users’ footsteps. The Loop would function as a multi-layered urban infrastructure: transport, recreational and environmental all at once. The whole project is part of the ‘20-minute city’ concept, whereby residents can reach key locations within about 20 minutes on foot or by bike.
The Dubai Loop will run underground
Work is also underway in the city on the Dubai Loop. This is a tunnel transport system being developed by The Boring Company, a firm owned by Elon Musk. In February 2026, the company signed an official agreement with Dubai’s transport authority during the World Governments Summit 2026. The first phase of the project is set to be approximately 6.4 kilometres long and feature four stations. The route will run between the DIFC financial district and the Dubai Mall complex. In the longer term, the network will extend to over 22 kilometres in length and 19 stations, connecting, among other places, to Business Bay and the Dubai World Trade Centre complex.
The Loop as a new transport model
Dubai has been investing heavily in projects related to the mobility of the future for several years. The Loop and Dubai Loop offer an alternative to the dominance of cars. On the one hand, there is a vision of an air-conditioned city for pedestrians and cyclists; on the other, rapid underground transport. Both projects paint a picture of a metropolis operating according to principles entirely different from those of modern cities based on multi-lane thoroughfares and car parks.
Source: Urb
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