Eighth Gate is a 30 hectare mixed use urban development in Damascus, Syria. This urban design project was informed by the role of pedestrians on the site. The design provides directional guidance as well as comfort for pedestrians with features such as coloured banding in the paving, seating opportunities and trees to provide shade. The design also includes traffic calming tecniques and elements to encourage people to leave their cars parked and travel the site by foot. Materials were chosen to both embrace the new developtment and also acknowledge the vast history of the site.