Harry Dobbs, a member of the Alatau New City Development Council, discusses business cases for major urban centres, connections with neighbouring areas, and the importance of a flexible master plan.
A new city cannot exist in isolation from the territory in which it is being developed. Its attractiveness to residents and investors depends not only on infrastructure and architecture, but also on the quality of the urban environment, cultural connections, and the ability to adapt to change. This was stated by British architect and urbanist Harry Dobbs, a member of the Alatau New City Development Council, in an interview with Kapital.kz, the business information centre, on the sidelines of the ARCHICA 2026 Central Asian Cities Forum in Astana.
He discussed the key factors determining the success of new cities, explained why a master plan should not be a rigid document, and highlighted the risks posed by a lack of coordination between urban authorities.
Connections with Neighbouring Areas and Business Cases
Alatau is not being developed in a vacuum. It is surrounded by existing infrastructure, settlements, and established economic links.
“A new city does not arrive from outer space. Every city has infrastructure, economic, and cultural connections with its surrounding areas,” Harry Dobbs emphasised.
According to him, the key task is to “optimise its connections with what is already there.”
The economic dimension is equally important.
“Every city needs a core set of business cases,” the architect noted.
He cited London, New York, Singapore, and Dubai as examples. These cities compete with one another to attract businesses and people, while also complementing each other as part of a global economic system.
Speaking about Kazakhstan, Harry Dobbs highlighted the country's advantages that have accumulated over time.
“Kazakhstan has phenomenal advantages that have built up over time, and a place like Alatau can leverage them. This provides a very strong foundation for attracting people and encouraging investment,” he said.
Read more: https://kapital.kz/gosudarstvo/153917/kak-novym-gorodam-privlekat-zhitelej-i-investorov.html