Urban Design Framework
Design principles · Character areas · Public realm standards · Climate-responsive urbanism for Berbera
Design Principles
Climate-responsive design
Every street and building is oriented for natural ventilation, shade from trees or cantilevers, and passive cooling. Deep verandahs, arcades, and interior courtyards are encouraged in the Old Town overlay.
Walkable neighbourhoods
No residential plot is more than 500m from a public green space. Primary schools within 400m. Markets within 600m. The walking city is both culturally appropriate and climate-efficient.
Heritage-sensitive density
The Old Town overlay limits development to 2 floors with traditional facade proportions. Outside the Old Town, mixed-use centres permit FAR 2.5 and heights to 7 floors along transit corridors.
Flood and coastal resilience
All ground-floor finished levels in the 1-in-100-year flood zone are set +1.0m above modelled surge level (IPCC AR6 medium-confidence pathway). Mangrove restoration is mandated on shorefront parcels.
Mixed-income zoning
20% of all residential units in new development zones must be affordable (defined as <30% of median household income). This applies to all phases, not just social housing projects.
7 Character Areas
| Zone | Code | Area | Max height | Max FAR | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterfront & Tourism | Z1 | 240 ha | 3 floors | 1.2 | Hospitality, heritage, leisure |
| Old Town Conservation | Z2 | 28 ha | 2 floors | 0.8 | Heritage overlay, traditional fabric |
| Mixed-Use Centre | Z3 | 380 ha | 7 floors | 2.5 | Commercial, retail, civic |
| Residential Low | Z4 | 1,450 ha | 2 floors | 0.5 | Compound family housing |
| Residential Medium | Z5 | 520 ha | 5 floors | 1.8 | Apartments, green courts |
| BEZ Industrial Buffer | Z6 | 1,207 ha | 15 m eave | 0.4 | Logistics, light industry |
| Urban Growth Reserve | Z7 | 4,200 ha | TBD Ph2 | TBD | Phases 2–3 expansion |
Public Realm Standards
Primary streets
- ·Min 20m ROW
- ·3m shaded arcade
- ·2m tree belt
- ·1.5m cycle lane
- ·On-street parking (angled)
Secondary streets
- ·Min 12m ROW
- ·2m footpath each side
- ·1 tree per 8m
- ·Surface drainage
- ·Paving: interlocking block
Public squares
- ·1.2–3.5 ha
- ·Hard + soft 60:40
- ·Solar lighting
- ·Water feature
- ·30% shade cover
Waterfront buffer
- ·25m no-build zone
- ·Tidal inundation set-back
- ·Mangrove edge planting
- ·Public access requirement
- ·No hard edge below HWM
Connection to Beautification Programme
The Urban Design Framework provides the normative basis for the Beautification Programme. The promenade design follows Z1 Waterfront standards. Old Town restoration follows Z2 conservation overlays. Street tree spacing and species selection follow the Primary Streets public realm standards defined here.
View Beautification Programme →