Back in February, the second phase of the waterfront project opened up. The second phase starts at the Swimming Pool Complex near SVN resort and ends at Green Island, while the first phase of the project starts at Green Island and ends just past the Kuwait Towers.
Since the full waterfront opened, I hadn’t ridden it from end to end. But this morning, I did go out for a ride and noticed a bunch of issues.
First, the good stuff. The bike path is amazing. It’s a massive difference from the path I used to ride. Back in 2020, I sold my mountain bike and got a road bike. I loved the bike but was kinda regretting not getting a mountain bike, since without any suspension and with skinny tires, it was a pretty rough ride in some areas. The new bike path, on the other hand, is super smooth, and my bike is perfect for it.
I think that’s the only good thing I have to say about it. But I do have a lot of negative opinions I want to vent about.
There is no shade. ANYWHERE. Like, nowhere at all. I used to park my car outside the Swimming Pool Complex parking. It was a shaded lot, but it’s not anymore. They removed all the shaded parking, so I now have to park further down at SVN where it’s shaded. Not that big of a deal, but I don’t understand the thinking process here. It’s as if the people who worked on the project have never been to Kuwait before.
Car shade aside, there isn’t any shade for humans either. They removed all the large trees, so no tree to stand under and catch your breath. Weirdly, they also removed all the shaded cubicles which people used to chill and BBQ under (at least in the second phase of the project). Why?
I rode my bike this morning from SVN to Green Island, and the only shade I found was the shaded pathway that takes you into Green Island. What do they have against shade? I don’t get it.
I wish they had cool-down areas along the way. Like a bit of shade and maybe a water fountain. I love that they’ve fixed up the waterfront, but I feel like the people who worked on it had never engaged with the waterfront before or have never been to Kuwait.
I remember when I first posted about the first phase completion, a lot of people complained about how the benches don’t have any back support. And I remembered that when I used to ride my bike, I used to see a lot of people chilling on the benches, talking to each other, maybe reading a book, or just staring into the horizon. You can’t do that anymore. It’s like they don’t want people to spend time at the waterfront, and there’s a term for this:
Hostile Architecture.
The architects of the new waterfront designed it in a way that purposefully changes the behavior of the previous “customers” (not sure thats the right word but you get what I mean). So for example, instead of providing comfortable seating for the people who used to spend hours sitting and reading, those people now have to find another place to sit due to the lack of comfortable benches. Instead of creating an area for summer runners and riders to cool down and take refuge from the sun, they designed it in a way that makes the waterfront hostile to summer daytime users.
I love the bike path and will continue to use it, but all I’m asking for is for a bit of shade (something like the photo above) and water fountains.
13 replies on “The Hostile Architecture of the Waterfront Project”
This is Kuwait! Even bus stop we have the smallest waiting shade in the world with the highest temperature in the world!
Considering how hot it’s been these past few days, would shade even help? (it’s better than no shade, I know, but still).
Yeah it’s just to cool down a bit, drink water and then carry on, like a pit stop. Or say someone just can’t handle the sun anymore and needs to get shade to avoid a heatstroke, they’re pretty screwed now
I kinda have this issue with Shaheed Park. It’s a beautifully designed space, but the majority of the track has no shade even over benches. That’s the only reason I prefer the old parks around Kuwait with mature trees and ample shade, almost like a canopy. A cool misting system would be nice to incorporate.
How many individuals did you count on your bike ride?
This hostile behavior with plantation and old trees can be seen anywhere in Kuwait. Go to Ahmadi, most old trees been cut down by workers for no obvious reasons. You won’t see any bee hives anymore which we could see until few years ago. The date trees orchards beside Warehouse mall and near Ahmadi Road 211 are gone. Same thing with so many public parks. Thank you for highlighting this very environmental issue. Hope some responsible folks take action.
Why blame the workers?? The workers are just following orders. They know the importance of trees and shade a lot more than us sitting in ac rooms and cars. They feel the need for shade, as they are constantly out in the heat.
No point blaming them. It’s the so called “responsible folks” taking these senseless decisions who are to blame.
Totally brutal.
Can the abject lack of shaded areas including, in Al Shaheed Park be interpreted in a somewhat playful lighter tone ? Perhaps local customs and traditions regulate that wherever there is scope for mingling between the genders it is best this take place in public view for all to see and so, shade is actually ‘mamnoo’. A bit far fetched but a theory, nonetheless.
Well you forgot, they don’t want expats here, they will not use it, tourists will not come here, being factual mark
No clue what your comment has to do with the lack of a water fountain on the pathway
Hostile architecture is the inhumane practice of major cities trying to prevent homeless people from using public places/tourist attractions as beds. I don’t see the bike path as such; it is poorly designed but it is still functional: come here, exercise, bring your own water, go home. The marina side is the family area with lots of shade, trees and plants. You don’t look at a gym and go: this place needs more Art Deco chairs. Well, maybe YOU do…
Preventing homeless people from using public spaces is one form of hostile architecture, but it’s not the only one. A bench designed to prevent people from sitting to long also falls under hostile architecture (also called defensive or exclusionary design). Secondly “Marina Side” is not part of the area being discussed here, nor is it included in the waterfront project revamp. That’s like saying “if you want shade, go to Avenues”, it’s irrelevant to this post. Lastly, if you walked into a gym and there were no cardio machines, you’d say, “this place needs treadmills.” Similarly, shade, water fountains, and rest areas are basic features that are expected and necessary in any outdoor space, especially in a hot country like ours.
I see young trees. Assuming they are the right kind and they don’t die, they will provide shade in roughly 10 years.