Al Barsha Pond Park, home of Dubai’s first Work From Park. Photo: CoolP1x4rt, Wikimedia Commons, “The Barsha Pond”, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized).
Some of the best views in Dubai have never belonged to an office. Since Monday, 2 November, one of them can. Dubai Municipality has opened the city’s first Work From Park destination at Al Barsha Pond Park, where a laptop, a coffee and a view of the water now count as a perfectly respectable working day.
The timing is kind. The first cool evenings of the season have arrived, and the city is drifting back outdoors. Here is what the new space offers, what is free, what costs money, and how to make a good day of it, whether you live nearby or are visiting with work to finish.
What Is Work From Park?
Work From Park is a Dubai Municipality initiative that places flexible workspaces inside public parks. The first flagship site opened at Al Barsha Pond Park, developed with Group AMANA and the co-working platform Letswork, which runs it day to day. Gulf News reported that the municipality first announced the concept in April and plans further locations across its parks during the year.
According to Khaleej Times, the facility can host around 100 people at a time. For example, that includes students, freelancers and small teams. Arabian Business framed the launch as Dubai adapting to changing lifestyles, and Khaleej Times followed up today with a video tour of the site.
What Is Free and What You Pay For
The headline is simple: the outdoor areas cost nothing. Gulf News said visitors can sit around the buildings, under a pergola or up on the rooftops without booking. Indoors, three paid zones cater for different needs.
- Outdoor seating and rooftops: free, with no booking required
- Co-working day pass: Dh50 for the whole day, including a complimentary coffee
- Meeting rooms: two rooms for up to nine people each, from Dh200 an hour or Dh1,200 for a full day
- Workspace Suites: fixed desks and private offices rented for one month to a year
The Dh50 Co-Working Day Pass
The indoor co-working area seats up to 30 people and opens from 8am to 8pm. In practice, walk-ins are welcome, and live availability is shown online, so you can check before setting off. USB-C charging points are installed throughout. If a colleague wants to join, you can add their name and number and pay for them in advance.
Existing Letswork members can pay with credits instead. A day in the co-working area costs 10 credits, and memberships range from Dh120 to Dh1,000. In addition, those credits work across about 200 other Letswork venues in Dubai, from cafés to hotel lounges.
Meeting Rooms and Workspace Suites
Both meeting rooms come with audiovisual equipment, and whiteboards or flip charts can be arranged in advance. For bigger events, larger groups can ask to take over the whole block. The Workspace Suites suit people who want a regular base. Members receive entry cards and lockers, and Letswork told Khaleej Times there is already a substantial waiting list.
How to Book Your Spot
Outdoor seating needs no planning at all. For the indoor spaces, the process is quick.
- Check live availability on the Letswork website or app
- Book through the app, the website or WhatsApp on 04 581 3652
- Check in on arrival to receive your indoor pass
- Collect the Wi-Fi password through the app, along with your free coffee
Pre-booking is open for the next six months, which helps if you want to plan a team day or a regular weekly slot.
Wi-Fi, Power and the Weather Question
Letswork runs its own Wi-Fi network across the site, separate from the park’s. A limited guest network is free, while the high-speed connection is reserved for indoor pass holders. The builders told Gulf News that power sockets and internet will extend to the outdoor areas, so the terraces should become more practical over time.
However, heat is the obvious limitation. Dubai Municipality and Group AMANA are studying cooling systems and weatherproof furniture for the rooftops. For now, the outdoor desks are at their best on mild mornings and in the late afternoon. On a hot or rainy day, the air-conditioned co-working room is the sensible choice.
Making a Day of It at Al Barsha Pond Park
What makes this site appealing is the park around it. Al Barsha Pond Park has a large pond, a jogging track and a children’s play area. A mall next door offers restaurants and coffee shops for lunch. Ahmed Mohammed Al Marzooqi, Manager of Dubai Public Parks, told Gulf News that the natural setting and below-market prices are the main draw.
Parents, in particular, are an obvious audience. Letswork described a mother who liked working within sight of her child playing outdoors. Its community includes fitness trainers and yoga instructors, and screens on site will announce sessions such as a 6pm running club. Ideas for the Dubai Fitness Challenge, including a run club, football and tennis, are being finalised with the municipality.
If you are new to the neighbourhood, our guide to Al Barsha 1 covers the wider area. For more outdoor weekends, see our Ripe Market at Academy Park guide.
Who Built It, and Where It Could Go Next
The five buildings were made with modular methods. Group AMANA built the three workspace units using its DuBox concrete technology. The café and toilet block use its DuPod light-gauge steel system. Most of the floors, walls and tiles were finished in a factory, then assembled in the park. The whole project took under three months, with about half of that time on site.
Group AMANA describes Al Barsha as a pilot that could be repeated in other parks. Meanwhile, the municipality is gathering visitor feedback before choosing the next location. Letswork has also mentioned other parks, beaches and even community majlis as possible future sites. The initiative supports the Dubai 2040 Parks and Greenery Strategy, the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan and the D33 economic agenda.
For now, no second park has been named. Still, it is easy to imagine the idea in larger green spaces such as Zabeel Park, Mushrif Park or Creek Park. If you enjoy Zabeel Park, our Dubai Garden Glow guide covers one of its evening attractions.
Practical Tips Before You Go
- Arrive early on weekdays if you want a shaded outdoor seat
- Bring a fully charged laptop until outdoor sockets are installed
- Book a meeting room ahead, as there are only two
- Pack water and sun protection for the rooftops
- Check the weather, as rain was forecast in Dubai this week
- Follow the posted rules, which will be shown on site through QR codes
Conclusion
Work From Park is a small project with a refreshingly simple idea. It treats a neighbourhood park as somewhere to live a full day, not just to pass through. The free terraces make it worth a try for anyone with a laptop, while the Dh50 pass offers a cool, connected room when the sun wins. If the pilot succeeds, Dubai’s parks could soon double as some of its most pleasant offices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Work From Park in Dubai?
The first Work From Park destination is at Al Barsha Pond Park in Al Barsha. It opened on Monday, 2 November 2026.
Is Work From Park free?
The outdoor seating, pergola and rooftop areas are free and need no booking. The indoor co-working area costs Dh50 a day, including a coffee.
What are the opening hours?
The indoor workspace is open from 8am to 8pm. The outdoor areas are part of the park itself, so check the park’s own hours with Dubai Municipality.
How do I book a desk or meeting room?
Use the Letswork app, its website or WhatsApp on 04 581 3652. Meeting rooms cost from Dh200 an hour or Dh1,200 a day.
Can I bring my children?
Yes. Parents can work while children use the park, which has a play area, a jogging track and plenty of open space.
Will there be more Work From Park sites?
Dubai Municipality says more parks will follow this year, after it reviews feedback from the Al Barsha pilot.
Key Takeaways
- Dubai’s first Work From Park opened at Al Barsha Pond Park on 2 November 2026
- Outdoor seating and rooftops are free, with no booking needed
- Indoor co-working costs Dh50 a day, from 8am to 8pm, including coffee
- Meeting rooms start at Dh200 an hour, and fixed desks are available monthly
- Book through Letswork’s app, website or WhatsApp on 04 581 3652
- More parks are expected to follow once the pilot has been reviewed
