The UK studio – known as Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will until earlier this year – will draw up a strategic vision for the oil-rich 17,820km2 country at the tip of the Persian Gulf.

Perkins+Will is working with local consultancy Dar Group on the National Masterplan 2040 project which aims to transform the country into a commercial and financial hub for the region.

The masterplan, covering development up to 2040, will be the fourth structural plan adopted by the country since 1952. The appointment comes 25 years after the country started to rebuild itself following the retreat of Iraqi forces in a scorched earth policy which saw many of the country’s oil wells set on fire.


The first masterplan, launched in 1952, focused on the creation of Kuwait City, while the second masterplan considered the entire Kuwait municipality and the third added sub-regional planning for various areas of the country.

The fourth masterplan will feature a comprehensive strategy for the entire country, integrating physical and strategic planning, and aligning the physical growth of the country with the Kuwait National Development Plan. Other critical strategic areas of focus will also be determined and refined through the project duration.

Commenting on the appointment, Perkins+Will’s London-based principal David Green said: ‘This plan has the potential to be transformational for Kuwait, moving the entire country into new directions for economic and physical growth based on innovative approaches and programs.

‘The national development plan set by the Kuwaiti Government reflects the state’s clear vision for the future, which is set to carry the country into the next phase of its development, and we are honoured to be a direct contributor to this effort.’