Real Estate

AtkinsRéalis and Futurecity have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding at MIPIM 2026, marking the launch of a new partnership aimed at advancing culture-led urban development across international markets.

The collaboration will initially focus on the Middle East, where increasing investment in arts, culture, and destination development is reshaping urban landscapes. A key component of the agreement is the creation of the Futurecity Lab, a joint platform dedicated to research, cultural foresight, and market intelligence in global placemaking.

The Futurecity Lab will play a central role in informing AtkinsRéalis’ planning, engineering, and master-planning projects, helping developments build stronger identities and enhance their global competitiveness. By combining AtkinsRéalis’ expertise in design, engineering, and programme delivery with Futurecity’s leadership in cultural strategy, the partnership seeks to integrate cultural thinking into projects from the earliest stages.

This approach reflects a growing global trend where cultural identity and user experience are becoming essential to successful city-making. Cultural districts, creative hubs, and experience-driven destinations are increasingly influencing investment decisions, tourism growth, and long-term urban value.

The partnership will operate through integrated teams across bidding and project delivery phases, ensuring that cultural insights remain embedded throughout planning and execution. This is expected to enhance design cohesion, improve planning confidence, and support stronger long-term asset performance.

Matthew Tribe, Senior Vice President for Buildings and Places at AtkinsRéalis, said the collaboration brings cultural depth into major development programmes, enabling clients to create destinations with a clear identity and long-term value.

Mark Davy added that embedding culture-led placemaking into strategic planning from the outset represents a new model for city-making. He highlighted the Middle East as a key region where significant investment in the arts is driving national transformation agendas and shaping future urban environments.

As the partnership evolves, both organisations plan to expand their collaboration into additional global markets, while developing new tools and methodologies to support culturally distinctive, sustainable, and competitive urban developments.

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