Chaal receives Honorable Mention at the 2026 Architecture MasterPrize

We are delighted to share that Chaal, designed by City Science researchers Leticia Izquierdo and Thomas Sanchez, has received an Honorable Mention in the 2026 Architecture MasterPrize.

Chaal is a sustainable, self-contained sunken public plaza, encircled by endemic ghat trees and a hanging waterfall. The project lies in the outskirts of Dubai's desert, in a development aiming to become the first ecological, car-free forest community. Below ground, stable temperatures, deep shade, and evaporating water keep the plaza cool, generating a microclimate space. This design is inspired by the natural formations of "cenotes" in Yucatan Peninsula, sinkholes where the Maya gathered for centuries in shaded, water-cooled air, honouring water and nature as sources of life.