Urban wellbeing is emerging as a defining priority in contemporary city planning, and this shift will be a key focus at HOPE 2026 in Muscat. Renowned architect and urbanist Winy Maas, Founding Partner of MVRDV, will deliver a keynote exploring how thoughtful urban design and planning can actively improve the physical, social, and mental wellbeing of city residents.
Rethinking the Role of Urban Design
As cities grow denser and more complex, urban planning is increasingly moving beyond aesthetics and infrastructure efficiency toward human-centred outcomes. Health, accessibility, social interaction, and environmental quality are now critical metrics of successful urban environments. HOPE 2026 provides a platform to examine how design can respond to these evolving expectations.
Keynote Focus: Healthier, Human-Centred Cities
Representing MVRDV, Winy Maas will draw on the firm’s global portfolio, spanning mixed-use developments and large-scale masterplanning projects, to demonstrate how urban strategies can enhance everyday vitality for communities. His keynote will explore how design decisions—at both neighbourhood and city scale—can foster healthier lifestyles and stronger social connections.
Strategy, Scale, and Long-Term Vision
The session will examine wellbeing across low- and high-density urban contexts, highlighting how factors such as spatial planning, density management, public space design, and land-use integration influence daily life. Maas will emphasize the importance of long-term vision and strategic thinking in shaping environments that support sustainable and inclusive urban living.
Strategic Significance for Urban Planning
The keynote underscores a broader transformation in urban planning, shifting from form-driven design toward people-first planning outcomes. By focusing on wellbeing as a core design objective, architects and planners can create cities that not only function efficiently but also actively support quality of life for their residents.
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