April 2020

The First Specialised Landscape Magazine in the Middle East

MIDDLE EAST

APRIL 2020

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The First Specialised Landscape Magazine in the Middle East

EDITOR’S NOTE In this issue, Like everyone around the world, we are adapting to the new norm of staying at home in order to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

However, that hasn’t stopped us from bringing you an online edition of the magazine to keep you informed about all that’s happening in the landscape industry in the GCC and beyond.

“Without trees, life could not exist on earth. There would be no rain, our soils would be unprotected, and the air would be unsuitable for breathing.” We need trees now more than ever! That’s why it’s essential for landscape professionals to use the best quality trees in their designs. Laith Wark from Verdaus Landscape shares his tips to select good quality tree stock at the nursery. (Page 26) The collective effort over the past few years amongst landscape architects in the region to utilise native plants and trees in their designs is reaping the rewards as we see several large-scale projects with a large percentage of home-grown plants and species. Charles Lamb takes us to the emirate of Ras al Khaimah to showcase its wide variety of Arabian plants, as well as a new hotel project which has utilised the local wildflowers in its design. (Page 14) On page 20 we get a sneak peek behind the landscaping machine that is supplying the hundreds of native species that will line the streets of EXPO 2020 Dubai. We also get an insight into the public realm design for one of the region’s biggest ever events.

Finally, we are so grateful to get the opportunity to pay tribute in this issue to our dear friend and landscape architect Richard Bodeker. His work has been of particular importance to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

See page 10 to learn more about his legacy projects that will no doubt inspire a younger generation for years to come.

Enjoy the issue and please get in touch with us at editor@landscapeme.com if you would like to be featured in the magazine.

Managing Partner: Ziad Maarouf Amine Copy Editor: John Hampton Sales Manager: Boushra Dinnawi Administrative Assistance: Sarry Gan Art Director: Ramon Andaya Contributors: Dorella Urus, Jimena Martignoni, Tina Heers, Ahmed Elemery, Wael Muhammad, Anne Smith, Eman El Messery Printed by: Al Nisr Publishing LLC Webmaster: www.pdinventive.com

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24 CONTENTS 10 April 2020 - Issue 154

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Women in Landscape

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Designing a year-round entertainment venue

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Richard Bodeker - tribute article

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Futuristic pavilion lands in Jordan’s Wadi Rum

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The Big ‘V’

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Sneek peek at Expo 2020’s landscape design

Experimental techniques Call to Action

Urban Forests

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Secret Valley Golf Resort fight Water Reduction with PBS150 Secret Valley Golf Resort, Cyprus, managed by Troon Golf, has used PBS 150 from Aqua Aid Europe to combat a lack of water caused by climate change.

Cyprus is one of the hottest countries in Europe and has average temperatures nearing 30 C from June to September. During this time the average rainfall is 0mm with a small reprieve in September when it rises to 3mm. Recently, rain during the winter months has reduced, leading to reductions in water around the island. This has caused Golf Course Superintendent, Derek Smith, to focus on methods of reducing hydrophobic conditions on the course.

Derek’s employment history has seen him work in warm climates before, but a lack of water to manage heat, similar to what was experienced in the United Kingdom in the summer of 2018, was a challenge he had to address quickly. Derek explained: “Due to climate changes the winters have changed in Cyprus with less and less rainfall falling. The dams are running at under 30% and they are our only source of water, so reductions from the water authorities have left us struggling for water.

“I have always been very water efficient as I truly understand how this is affecting the turf industry. Because we could not spend the value of water in our budget due to the cuts, we decided to use some of that money to help the plant in other ways. One by using a highquality wetting agent and another by using growth retardants.

“We had already started using OARS HS and from my experience using them, I trust Aqua Aid products and their longevity. After meeting a representative from Aqua Aid Europe and explaining our issues it was decided that we’d try PBS150. We applied it once in the middle of May and during the summer months we saw a water reduction of around 30% and I’ve seen a much better sward density and far, far less isolated hydrophobic areas. For us, saving water is beneficial enough, but by not having to spot water we have reduced labour costs. I also hope that by using PBS 150 we can work on our very poor river silt soil and turn it into a healthier environment.”

PBS 150, or polyfunctional branched surfactant to use its full name, utilises multi-branched molecular technology to address the source of erformance loss biodegradation of the surfactant molecule by soil microbes. It is designed to reduce hydrophobic conditions on a sustainable basis for five months or more, encouraging a pattern of hydration and re-hydration that improves the amount of available water in the soil profile to meet the metabolic demands of the plant. The 3D Multibranched technology helps to even-out moisture difference in multiple directions, providing a great tool to give more control over moisture conditions.

By doing this the uniform movement of water into and through the soil matrix is restored and the stress tolerance is improved along with the turf quality and colour.

www.aquaaid.eu

Aqua Aid Europe B.V. Distributor in GCC:

DESERT TURFCARE P.O. Box 37579, Dubai, 3 UAE Tel: +971 4 323 6300 Email: sales.desertenergy@desertgroup.ae

I INTERVIEW

WOMEN in Landscape

Landscape ME meets the female powerhouse at InSite.

The urban designers and landscape architects share their stories of working in the region.

Tina Heers

Kerri Chuaquico

Ann Ibrahim

Landscape Architect

Senior Landscape Architect

Graduate Urban Planner

How long have you been in UAE and what brought you the here?

Milica Blazincic, Landscape Architect of the Women I guess a sense of adventure and a desire to explore something new and unknown. Here I am 8 years later, still on the same path.

Kerri Chuaquico, Landscape Architect of the Women I’ve been living in the UAE for over 6 years, I was discovered

by CH2Mhill/ Jacobs with the help of Landscape ME and they offered me a permanent Job in Dubai.

Ann Ibrahim, Landscape Architect of the Women I’m Middle Eastern and have been living in the UAE since 2017.

I initially started working in the master planning industry in Cairo, Egypt in 2015 before moving to the UAE at the beginning of 2018.

Shipra Narang, Landscape Architect of the Women I got a job offer to work at KEO and have been here now for 3 years; what excites me about the GCC is its limitless possibilities and continual focus on creating a better future.

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Noor Khalek, Landscape Architect of the Women I have been in the Middle East since 2007 and moved to the UAE a year later, which was the starting point of building my career and challenging my creativity.

Tina Heers, Landscape Architect of the Women I was approached through LinkedIn with a job opportunity from a recruiter and decided to follow through with the interview. It has been four years since I arrived here and I’m still enjoying it thoroughly.

What made you get into this industry?

Milica: I kind of always knew that I wanted to be in creative circles.

At one-point I found it difficult to choose between architecture and landscape, but in the end nature prevailed. I believe that we can offer so much more to the humanity then just a “pretty building” (this is where I get crucified by the architects). Jokes aside, I really love my calling and find it challenging and fulfilling. And never boring.

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I INTERVIEW

Shipra Narang

Noor Khalek

Project Designer

Associate Landscape Architect

Kerri: I was working in the Philippines for 4 years as a landscape architect before I moved to Dubai. I wanted to expand my knowledge on how to contribute towards “Improving Quality of Life” through people’s experience and their environment, and to understand the relationship between “Life and Form” in which I try to bring though in all my designs.

Ann: I am an Architectural Engineering Graduate, however I studied urban planning while doing my Masters. I chose this career because it is much more interesting than Architecture on its own, I love the scale, it’s like doing a 10,000-piece puzzle! It never gets boring with super exciting projects and scopes every day!

Shipra: We create things that have a permanence. Having explored various scales within my career, what attracted me towards urban design is the complexity, layering and interaction of various urban fabrics. I feel the urban scale expands my canvas of influence and allows the creation of spaces that blur the edges and adds intangible value to the community.

Noor: I love being outdoors and the beauty of Landscape Architecture is more than the design of spaces, but the designing of experiences. My knowledge allows me to integrate and connect the overall project development with sustainable design solutions, critical research, data analysis, planning, and comprehensive landscape management!

Tina: I had originally set out to be an architect but diverted into a landscape career as I found my passion for designing large open spaces. This allowed me to push the boundaries through creativity, whilst implementing new eco-systems within nature as well as providing sustainable designs through landscapes to protect the environment.

What are your goals within the industry?

Milica: Keep learning and challenge yourself until you reach the top, and then learn some more. Also, have fun doing it.

Kerri: Create beneficial relationships between people’s quality of life and their built environment in the region.

Ann: I want to learn and get out of it as much as I can! I cherish my experiences here and I’m learning new things every day.

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Milica Blazincic Senior Landscape Architect

My goal is to always stay interested and attached to the Master planning industry.

Shipra: Bring the focus onto creating better and more responsible built environments that are ready for the future. I want to channel the power of design in creating a resilient and sustainable future for all.

Noor: I would like to emphasize the importance of sustainable landscape design and the beauty of utilizing natural resources in order to create healthier environments and to fight climate change.

Tina: My goal is to redesign and rebuild war torn countries, to bring back the beauty of lost cities and their cultures. It is important to me to pass on my knowledge and skills to women in those countries in the hope that they can play an active part in rebuilding their city to what it was.

Have you encountered any challenges being a woman in the industry?

Milica: Sure, I do, especially in the Middle East. Any women in any business in any part of the world that says “no” to this question is lying. Of course, there are challenges, but we are standing firm and fighting for our seat at the table.

Kerri: As a woman, I’ve experienced discrimination and being ignored in most instances where I found myself to be the only woman in a meeting room. But being in this industry for a decade now, I have gained strength out of this discrimination and sexism. It’s a challenge for me to grow and become stronger.

Ann: So far, I haven’t seemed to find any challenges.

Noor: I found that being a woman in the industry creates more opportunities than challenges, as all the obstacles have strengthened and elevated my career in diverse spaces. I’m great at multi-tasking and so I’m able to create a good work-life balance as well having amazing opportunities to collaborate and build strong support networks.

Shipra: In my thirteen years of experience, it is always about how you break the gender stereotypes. As a woman, you need to put in that extra effort just to get the recognition you deserve for

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your work and prove your quality. But as they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?

Tina, Being a woman in the industry can be a challenge and when sitting in a male dominated meeting room you must prove to others that there really is no difference between the genders.

This allows us women to bring a unique approach to the table and positively impact the conversation.

What advice would you give other women that want to get into a landscape or urban design career?

Milica: I will steal a quote from Michelle Obama and I believe this applies to all industries: “You have to start by getting those demons out of your head. I have been at probably every powerful table that you can think of… they are not that smart.”

Kerri: Always have 3Cs in your purse, “curiosity, creativity and a sprinkle of craziness”, every time you design, always do it for humanity!

Ann: Be very cooperative, it takes a lot of effort and team work to

produce a brilliant master plan and associated reports. Learning and growing in the industry is not easy but very rewarding, so be patient! Lastly, if you are still considering it, then GO FOR IT BLINDLY! Noor: Just do what you love with passion and create your own career journey and be realistic in your design expectations, but don’t let that hinder your creativity. Learn to trust your instincts, embrace opportunities that come along that may be different to your ideal path.

Shipra: Design engulfs you and surrounds you like no other profession; so be passionate. Second, be yourself and don’t shy away from expressing your opinions. Supporting diversity in all its forms is what truly makes design more powerful.

Tina, That this is a challenging industry and to excel in it you need to push yourself, think outside the box and challenge the status quo. The opportunities for us women have never been so great and we need to utilize them to advance ourselves and advance the industry itself.

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I ADVERTORIAL

Designing a year-round entertainment venue A highly adaptable design makes Dubai’s new Coco-Cola arena an all-weather destination In the heart of Dubai’s City Walk neighbourhood, facing the Burj Khalifa, the Coca-Cola arena is the first indoor multipurpose arena in the Middle East with the capacity for 17,000 spectators, thanks to its highly adaptable design and impressive public realm works.

The arena’s urban landscape design is centered around a unique plaza designed to serve the public all year round and in all weather conditions.

Vibrant and contemporary paving patterns derived from the façade lines was developed and aligned to its other major elements that place mark the plaza and help to organize the spectator’s circulation during the event days. This was also a major contributor in forming the plaza’s identity.

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The design breakdown Three major shade structures placed in the queuing area for spectators and designed with a purpose of providing shade and comfort during Dubai’s summer heat.

Two water features that welcome spectators to the building’s entrance and provide amazing reflection of the building facade.

Three elevated precast concrete planters that forms part of the building’s secure perimeter and accentuates the gathering areas of spectators prior to entering the building.

Neutral colors were used for various landscape elements which have helped in blending the plaza with Citywalk’s established urban design without challenging the building.

Since its inauguration last year and by collecting user’s experiences from their captured photos continuously published on social media, it became more evident that the major purpose of the design has been met.

The Coco-Cola arena project is developed by Meraas, building designed by Populous, external plaza designed

by Dar who undertook also the detailed design and supervision of the whole project, Main Contractor is ASGC and Landscape works subcontracted by Proscape.

Coca Cola Arena, Dubai

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I TRIBUTE

In memory of Richard Bodeker A Changemaker for the landscape industry in the Middle East

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Richard Bodeker shaped Saudi Arabia’s landscape design

From the moment, Richard Bödeker stepped in the arid desert landscape of the Middle East, he was enchanted by its beauty. Richard particularly fell in love with Saudi Arabia and had a special bond, built out of a mutual respect with his Saudi clients.

It’s no surprise therefore that his legacy lives on in Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter where a memorial garden was recently opened to honour his work, which shaped the capital’s landscape for almost five decades.

He loved the challenge of ‘greening the desert’ and trekking through the kingdom’s various terrains to unearth native plants that would thrive in his landscape designs. As a plant lover, he was impressed by the survival strategies of desert plants. He’d take pride in sharing facts about indigenous plants and trees with his clients in

order to encourage them to use them more often — a favourite of his was the Acacia tree, which he’d point out, can develop 50-meter-deep roots to get water. He was convinced that we should water the trees with treated grey water which is readily produced in every home.

His idea was for each citizen was to irrigate a tree by using cheap grey water from their own garden, which means ca. 6 million. trees for each resident of Riyadh. Another ambition was to make use of the materials which can be found in nature with his strategy of cut and fill, he encouraged his peers to cut Riyadh Limestone and build a garden out of it. It’s true to say that Richard was practising sustainability by using local resources for construction material before it was even popular.

His pioneering approach included creating garden

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Richard Bodeker park, KSA

King Abdulaziz Historical Center, KSA

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oases with local materials with respect for the site and respect of the local culture at the forefront of his designs. He took on various official roles within the Kingdom including, advisor for the Arriyadh Development Authority and Initiative Green, developing a greening strategy for the city.

Richard’s colleagues and clients agree that his strength of character and his ability to persuade and assert himself when he had an idea was his greatest attribute, making him a devoted landscape architect and an ambassador for creating green in the kingdom.

He took on various official roles within the Kingdom including, advisor for the Arriyadh Development Authority and Initiative Green, developing a greening strategy for the city.

It was this lifelong passion for designing gardens that cemented his many lifelong friendships in the kingdom. He wasn’t interested in politics, this ensured he created a legacy that was built on friendships and was sustained by his talent.

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I ARCHITECTURAL REALM

Experimental techniques Are landscape architects in the region playing it too safe with planting palettes?

By Charles Lamb The extreme climatic conditions experienced in the UAE presents a challenge for those creating plantings in the public realm: how to manage the competing elements of commercial clients for a ‘green’ landscape, whilst also considering the environmental implications of continual irrigation requirements. Yet the native flora of the UAE can provide a solution to this dichotomy, enabling a climate appropriate planting palette which, if coupled with sensitive design and a certain degree of re-education, has the ability to create public realm plantings that provide moments of seasonal delight, a more environmentally sustainable maintenance regime, and planting that intrinsically speaks of the place it is from and situated in.

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That doesn’t mean that landscape architects and designers are limited to UAE natives, rather they can draw on a planting palette from areas of similar climatic conditions worldwide to create highly ornamental, yet more sustainable, public plantings.

To fully understand the structure and ecological function of varied plant communities, there is no better way than exploring their natural habitat. Since the UAE is home for us and we have an abundance of native flora and fauna, we will start here.

The recent heavy winter rains provided ideal conditions for exploring plant communities in the wild and we saw an explosion of wildflowers as a result.

The wadis around Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah have been carpeted by soft pink flowers. These expanses of Erucaria hispanica, erupting from a dormant seed bank, provided not only a seasonal spectacle but also inspiration for temporal elements of the landscape that could, with imagination, be re-created in the

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public realm. Often growing in the mixture of coarse rubble on a wadi bed, such growing conditions could be replicated in designed landscapes with a similar, manufactured planting medium to create a low nutrient base to encourage shorter, but more climatically resilient, vegetation. The effect would be visually stunning, creating seasonal changes in colour, texture and form by manipulating seed sowing, planting medium and levels of irrigation.

Yet experimentation with unconventional planting medium is not new, and has been trialled for many years by James Hitchmough and Nigel Dunnett at the University of Sheffield in the UK. Research projects have included: planting through thick gravel mulches to reduce weed infiltration whilst retaining moisture in the soil; combining crushed building material with varying proportions of expanded clay granules and organic matter to create a nutrient-poor planting medium for ‘steppe’ planting designs (done to great

effect by Nigel Dunnett at Beech Gardens at the Barbican in London); and sowing onto a thick layer of sand, irrigating whilst the seed germinated and then limiting maintenance to an annual cut, managing species that may become particularly dominant and weeding as required. Sowing on such a scale, often for planting schemes within the public realm, is the subject of Hitchmough’s book ‘Sowing Beauty’, with schemes ranging from China to the UK. However, establishing large scale public plantings by seed sowing remains largely in the experimental stages in the Middle East.

Sowing a pre-determined seed mixture over a wide area has the ability to create a sizeable massing effect and the ‘wow’ factor that comes with closely planted vegetation, whilst reducing the level of irrigation that would otherwise be required to establish and maintain more conventional planting. Having pre-determined the proportion of certain species within the mixture,

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I ARCHITECTURAL REALM the randomised repetition of species across the sown area creates visual continuity across the whole, as can be found in natural explosions of colour such as those which included swathes of Erucaria hispanica at Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah. The London 2012 Olympic Park, employing such massed seed sowing

by Hitchmough and Dunnett, created a platform for this visual spectacle on the world stage. Research undertaken by the University of Sheffield has also shown a positive correlation between flowers planted en masse in a public landscape and the mood of people who view them. In the UAE, where ‘happiness’ is a key indicator used by the Government, perhaps plants should also be included in this equation?

However, whilst seasonal wildflowers may create moments of interest at certain points in the year, they do not provide the structure for the year-round continuity of a planting scheme. Shrubs and trees can provide such structure, whilst also adding varying degrees of shadow and texture to interplay with the planting below. Again, the native flora of the UAE offers a variety of forms and shapes that can be employed by landscape designers, from multi-stemmed Acacias with filigree leaves that would not be out of place in a contemporary towngarden, to the more rounded Euphorbia larica, both equally happy growing amongst the rocks and rubble of the nutrient and moisture-poor hills around Shawka, Ras Al Khaimah.

These environments provide inspiration for how to incorporate such plants into designed landscapes, and an example of the successful integration of native UAE planting into such schemes can be seen to great effect at Al Faya Lodge, Sharjah.

Al Faya Lodge, Sharjah

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With the landscape designed by local studio desertINK, native trees and shrubs planted in a predominantly sand planting medium punctuate swathes of hydroseeded, regional planting mixes, with the textures and forms of these plants blending seamlessly into the surrounding desertscape. Whilst irrigation has been required to establish planting of such density, and

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subject to constant scrutiny from passers-by, the level needed in the long-run is likely to be significantly less than that for planting schemes more heavily focused on ‘green’ planting, often including tropical plants in their design as can more customarily be found in the UAE. The planting at Al Faya Lodge works so well primarily because it encapsulates its location: surrounded by the Hajar mountains and the desert, it would arguably seem incongruous to have a highly irrigated, lush landscape within such a setting. The planting of the desert, within the desert, speaks of the place it is in with a seamless transition between the two.

However, the translation of such native planting into a highly-urbanised environment may prove to be more difficult – whilst the desert and mountains surrounding Al Faya Lodge works in favour of the native plant palette, the highly urbanised, cosmopolitan cities of the region arguably require planting that reflects the gradation of rural to urban, and the expectations that this brings. Hitchmough, in his work researching plant suitability for the urban environment, includes plants

from varied regions of the world but which originate in similar climatic, nutrient and moisture stress conditions. Taking this to an environment such as the UAE, the gradation of planting from the desert to the urban could be managed by including those within the plant palette from other desert regions around the world. The more unusual, ornamental aesthetic of such plants, transitioning into the more urbanised areas, would provide a clear distinction between the desert and the city whilst also having similar irrigation requirements to those native to the region. The result could be a more highly ornamental plant palette than that limited to UAE natives, but one which also corresponds appropriately to its environment.

Whether such bold moves are adopted to any great degree remains to be seen, but in an age of sustainability, depletion of groundwater supplies and the power required to desalinate water, it is arguably time to bid farewell to petunias stretching for miles along the highway and embrace more environmentally appropriate and sustainable planting.

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I LANDSCAPE INSIGHT

Call to Action

British Landscape architects respond to climate change adaptation and mitigation By: Thea Gordon-Rawlings and Dr Alessio Russo

Recent extreme weather events, including floods in the UK, raging bushfires in Australia brought on by heatwaves and droughts has firmly cemented the imminent need to find solutions to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

The 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report: Global Warming of 1.5°C warns that the “impacts on natural and human systems from global warming have already been observed” and we urgently need to limit warming to 1.5°C. Landscape architects have a major role to play in this attempt to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

UK Landscape Architects have declared a climate and biodiversity emergency with an online petition http:// uk.landscapearchitectsdeclare.com/. Founding signatories of the petition include Churchman Thornhill Finch, Dan Pearson Studio, Gillespies, Grant Associates, Gustafson Porter + Bowman, J & L Gibbons, Kim Wilkie, Kinnear Landscape Architects, Landscape Projects, LUC, LDA Design, Nigel Dunnett, Studio Engleback, Townshend Landscape Architects.

“The petition aims to raise awareness of the climate and biodiversity emergencies and the urgent need for practical action amongst our clients and supply chains,” explained one of the landscape architects.

It also advocates for faster change in the landscape profession towards ‘resilient and regenerative design practices’, as well a higher governmental funding priority to support their action.

Other key aims include: Establishing climate and biodiversity mitigation, adaptation and resilience principles as the key measure of our industry’s success: demonstrated through awards, prizes and listings. Sharing knowledge and research to that end on an open source basis.

Evaluate all new projects against the aspiration to contribute positively to mitigating climate breakdown, and encourage our clients to adopt this approach.

Preserve and protect existing irreplaceable landscapes and habitats whilst protecting and optimising areas of functional and biodiverse landscape in all developments.

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Floods in York, UK credits: Andy Falconer, Unsplash

Adopt a whole systems approach to landscape design recognising that soils, bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi are key factors for ecosystem survival and carbon sequestration.

Work to provide assessment tools for life cycle costing, carbon usage, biodiversity gains. Develop and promote post occupancy tools and measures to assist in the management of landscapes.

In addition to working with mitigation, adaptation and resilience as primary tools, look to using regenerative design principles in the design of landscapes.

Collaborate with architects, engineers, contractors and clients to further reduce construction waste.

Promote low embodied carbon, and look to maximise carbon sequestering, responsible and sustainable use of water and biodiversity net gains in all projects.

Minimise wasteful use of resources in landscape architecture and urban planning, both in quantum and in detail.

Several tools and models (e.g. i-Tree ECO, Climate Positive

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Australian bushfires

Zaryadye Park in Moscow, (the design is based on the principle of “Wild Urbanism”), by Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Sergey Kuznetsov, & Hargreaves Associates & Citymakers. Credit: Alessio Russo, 2018.

Design) can be used to assess the carbon footprints for landscape architecture projects. In addition, we also need a holistic approach that should consider 4 principles: Materiality and Circularity, Adaptability, Net-gain and Nature connection.

Materiality and Circularity We will need to focus more upon selecting species of plants which are going to tolerate the future climatic changes which are forecast.

We will need to use more reconstituted materials, the construction industry being one of the most polluting on the planet.

Adaptability Following on from the previous point, we can up the amount of soft landscape in our designs to reduce the demand for polluting mineral products and the effects of transporting them and make our productive landscapes work harder for both people and the environment.

We can focus on plugging in feedback loops and creating designs which create virtuous cycles, utilising locally available waste streams to inform, form and feed our designs.

We need to be thinking generations ahead in terms of stabilising soil and locking in carbon e.g. in trees, but also designing landscapes which can be deconstructed and reconstructed easily so that we can adapt them to changing conditions and reuse their constituent parts as they come to the end of their intended lifecycle.

Net-gain This principle for development will have a large impact upon the work of landscape designers. We tend to propose designs which are ecologically sound and which seek to enhance the natural environment and biodiversity anyway, but new policy will necessitate this, which may mean working more closely with ecologists - other countries may well follow suit.

Nature connection Creating wilder looking landscapes in cities and elsewhere so as to enhance biodiversity and slow climate change will require that landscape architects pay attention to how providing more space for wildlife to thrive can truly benefit people and be introduced sensitively, ensuring that people’s health, safety, mobility and enjoyment of human-centric settlements is not compromised. Landscape architects can also facilitate the connection between people and landscape designs which benefit nature and combat climate change by creating installations, public art and designing human-nature interactions.

Thea Gordon-Rawlings is a landscape architecture student at the University of Gloucestershire, UK, and Dr Alessio Russo is a Senior Lecturer and Academic Course Leader in MA Landscape Architecture, School of Arts, University of Gloucestershire, UK

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I HERITAGE

Futuristic pavilion lands in Jordan’s Wadi Rum A desert pavilion that celebrates the heritage of hospitality in the spirit of tomorrow

A 3D printed wavy polymer mesh dome is causing a stir in the middle of the Jordanian desert. Not least because of its futuristic design, but the topography of its location – Wadi Rum in South Jordan, closely resembles that of Mars.

The unusual shell-like structure was created by MEAN* (Middle East Architecture Network) as a desert pavilion to serve as an oasis of rest and communal gathering for visitors from all over the world. It wasn’t lost on the architects that the serene desert landscape had been a stage for many space-age movies such as ‘The Martian (2015)’, ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)’ and ‘The Last Days on Mars’.

Taking reference from the lightweight geodesic dome system of ‘Mars Camp’ which is located on a plot near the site, the design team envisioned a novel system of 3D printed panels that can be deployed onto a CNC bent, steel pipe system.

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Designed with a unique overlap of Bedouin Heritage and Space-Age Technology “Our team utilized generative design methods to simulate a holistic structure: a hybrid of a 3D printed polymer shell on 3D printed concrete topography,” explained the architects behind the project.

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Taking inspiration from a traditional Bedouin tent, the structure would serve as a resting spot and communal space for tourists and visitors

“Inspired by the ingenuity of the mobile architecture of the local Bedouins, we were inclined to simulate a tent-form using the ‘Mesh Relaxation’ parametric strategy, which generates a digital Catenary mesh geometry, in equilibrium.”

The pavilion is generated from a field of forces.

Adding, “By grounding the tent form as a ‘diagram of forces’ emitting various ‘charges’ that correspond to

seating areas, we looked at the phenomena of magnetic fields to unify those charges.

“We used the patterns emerging from the interaction of one space to another, to develop the floor plan of the pavilion.”

The physical phenomena of the magnetic force patterns between a number of nodes represents an opportunity for an interesting planning strategy. To quantify this phenomenon into a digital algorithm simulating those

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I HERITAGE

patterns, the team wrote a script that adopts the ‘RK4 Method’, developed by the German mathematicians C. Runge and M.W. Kutta. Around 1900. The ‘flow-lines’ from the magnetic field simulation are projected onto a digitally simulated optimized mesh which is generated via a script that approximates centenary curves.

The script generates vector fields resembling magnetic forces which are then manipulated to subdivide the outer shell of the structure into panels that are within the printing range of a 6-axis industrial robot.

A stepping topography of 3D printed concrete platform creates a transition from the sandy site to the interior. The mesh is anchored towards the periphery of the stepped platform, creating welcoming archways for entries.

An Oasis of shade and a micro-ecology within the desert.

The points of which all the field lines emerge from the center where the supporting pipes are grounded, forming funicular touch-points, around which seating

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areas are allocated. At the center, desert trees and shrubs are planted to regulate the atmosphere of the interior. These funnels also act as ‘light-wells’ capturing natural daylight and channeling it into the space. The panels making up the outer shell are tessellated for maximum efficiency for 3D printing. These tessellated panels filter light into the space while ensuring a well ventilated interior. At night, linear lighting fixtures that are aligned along the force field patterns, create a gentle ambient lighting within the interior.

A cross-temporal meeting point The Desert Pavilion is the outcome of combining ideas from the site with current building technologies. The structure is designed to form a space of shade from the heat of the desert during the day, and a place of celebration, storytelling and rest, at night. It serves as a welcoming hospitable shelter for today and a case study for inhabiting the arid landscapes of Mars in the future.

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23 43 57

I WATERFRONT

The Big ‘V’ An architects vision for Melbourne’s iconic waterfront

George Zhuo, founder and design director of CX Landscape, shares his masterplan for a waterfront make-over at St. Kilda beach in Melbourne.

“Our design intention is to create an iconic waterfront landmark at St Kilda beach, integrating a jetty, water park and marine habitats.

The proposed Big ‘V footprint echoes the plot shape of the nearby Luna Park and the future

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Triangle Park. It starts from the existing Brookes Jetty stump and circuits back to the beachfront on the north, creating a path looping the promenade and over the sea.

This ‘Wild Urbanism’ has three components: a living pier, a floating boardwalk, and the enclosed Sea World Water Park.

Inspired by Victoria’s scenic coastal shoreline,

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the living pier is a chain of modular pod-like pillars. Each unit has an undulating topography, and a textured skin of aboriginal artwork, made from a pile encapsulation material ECOncrete® to help marine life to establish and grow. The activity pods are covered by endemic grasses so people can sit along the edge or recline on native lawn to enjoy the sunset; and the habitat pods are covered by ground-hugging indigenous plants, that forms a slice of pristine wildness, celebrating the natural geography before colonial period.

The floating boardwalk is a modern retrofit of the previous jetty. Acrylic Panels with hues of orange to reflect the sunset are attached to the living pier by cantilever structure frames, its floating form represents the graceful Antarctica Aurora. The ‘Sunset Summit’ at the far end offers a spectacular vista that frames the stunning sunset in Port Phillip Bay. The Sea World Water Park can be set as a state initial project, leased to raise funds for pier construction and long-term maintenance.

Seasonal facilities and events could emerge within this encapsulation of the ocean with the permeable living pier curtaining around the edge. People could enjoy the safe open natural pool in summer, or the floating ice rink in winter.”

Design Team: George Zhuo, CX Landscape Founder and Design Director Jing Peng, CX Landscape Design Director Simon Zhao, Denton Corker Marshall Architect/3D Visualiser

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I URBAN FOREST

Urban Forests Improve Quality of Life How to select quality tree stock: the seed for a healthy urban forest

By Laith Wark

I’m sure most of us in the Landscape profession have been asked by clients or colleagues starting out, when is the best time to plant a tree? The answer is 20 years ago! Failing that, the next best time to plant a tree is NOW. An immigrant gives this advice to his daughters born in the new country. One of them grows up to become a determined environmental activist and fights to protect old-growth forests from clear-cut logging. This is one of the branching tales in The Overstory, Richard Powers’ Pulitzer prize-winning book with an arboreal theme. Although it is fiction, The Overstory contains sage insights into the importance of trees, along with a good dose of inspiration for anyone concerned about the environment.

The Overstory’s theme of human–tree interdependence strikes an intensely resonant chord for cities of the Gulf region. Our harsh climate and inhospitable landscape expose us to challenging environmental conditions. High summer temperatures coupled with intense humidity push us way beyond our thermal comfort zone. In the absence of natural vegetation, high winds fill the air with fine dust, exacerbating existing respiratory illnesses and causing new ones. Studies have shown other links between trees and our physical health: people with access to trees and green spaces are more likely to be physically fit and less prone to heart disease. Beyond that, trees have been shown to increase happiness, contentment, and children’s ability to learn. In turn, by making communities and urban precincts more liveable, studies have shown trees increase the value of real estate and attract investment and skills.

Environmental and cultural influences on tree growth Trees benefit us in so many ways – and that’s why we plant them in our cities. But any city is a tough environment for trees to grow in. Cities in the Gulf region are even tougher.

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Two types of factors that affect tree growth help to explain why it’s so tough. The first are environmental factors such as rainfall, soil structure, nutrients, microbes, air quality, sunlight hours, pests, pollutants, reflected heat, and humidity.

Cultural factors are the second type – they are what we humans bring to the table. Knowledge, planting practices, maintenance methods, and management practices are all cultural factors that influence tree health and survival rates. Getting the cultural factors right becomes especially important when trees rely on people to overcome the negative impacts of the environment, as in Gulf cities.

Good trees need skilful action at five key stages of their growth We go to great lengths, and expense, to plant and maintain trees.

As trees grow, so do the benefits they bring us. The value of trees increases as they mature. Growing large trees successfully involves the following critical stages: Select good nursery stock •Choose the right tree for the right place.

•Plant trees in an adequate site with appropriate soil volume, nutrients, mulch, and irrigation.

•Develop and follow a proper tree management system with periodic inspections to record problems and identify remedial actions.

•Deliver the proper tree care, with qualified workers knowledgeable in best practice.

•Each of the above stages needs appropriate attention and skill. Here we focus on the important first step: selecting good-quality tree stock in the nursery. In particular, we consider objective criteria to use in assessing tree stock quality, which help both nursery owners, who need a standard to work towards in supplying good-quality stock, and those seeking guidance in their choice of tree stock at the procurement stage.

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Good quality tree stock that meets the standard AS2303:2018: (Source: Trees Impact Nursery) Many tree stock specifications are currently available for consultants to use in preparing tender documents. Yet this diversity of specifications makes it challenging for nurseries to decide what standard should they aim for. Complicating matters further, different specifications refer to a variety of international standards that differ in their assessment criteria.

In this context, the Gulf region needs a common specification for tree stock specifically prepared for this market. According to our research, the Australian Standard AS2303:2018 Tree Stock for Landscape Use provides the most comprehensive and appropriate assessment criteria for tree stock that can be applied to the Gulf region.

Tree stock assessment criteria AS2303:2018 covers assessment of both the above-ground (stem, branches, leaves) and below-ground (roots) parts of tree

stock. Starting with the above-ground parts, the standard provides the following criteria for assessing tree stock for procurement: Overall health: Check the tree has a good crown density, cover and form. Check that the leaf colour and size are normal for the species given the time of year.

Ensure no epicormic shoots are sprouting from the root collar, stem, or branches. Epicormic shoots are a sign the tree could be in shock or in a terminally poor state of health. Dieback, another indication of poor health, is evident when dying or dead leaves are present at the tips of branches.

Crown symmetry: For most species, the crown (tree canopy) should be symmetrical. One side of the crown should be no more than 20% greater or smaller than the other.

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I URBAN FOREST Significant injury: The bark should have no significant injuries caused by mechanical damage, insects, or sunburn.

Stem taper: The diameter of the stem should gradually increase from the bottom up. Stem taper indicates a more robust tree that should better withstand strong wind when planted.

Self-supporting: Trees in containers larger than 45 litres should be self-supporting. Trees with good stem taper and rootball occupancy should not require staking when outplanted.

Stem and branch structure: Branch diameter should be less than half the diameter of the stem diameter at the union where the branch joins the stem. For trees with a central leader, the apical bud (tip of the central stem) should be intact, and the stem should be straight and vertical. The vertical stem criterion does not apply to sculptural form trees.

Formative pruning: The tree should be pruned to encourage a strong branch structure. Pruning cuts should be at the place where the branch joins the stem. The diameter of the branch at the cut should be less than 50% of the diameter of the stem immediately above the cut.

Included bark: Avoid trees with included bark at the branch unions. The bark that becomes embedded in the crotch (union) between a branch and the stem, or between two codominant stems, cause a weak structure. The branches are then vulnerable to breakage during windy conditions.

Trunk position: The base of the trunk should be within 10% of the rootball centre.

Pests and diseases: The tree should show no signs of pests and diseases. Remember that some but not all organisms are harmful to a tree’s health. If unsure, seek advice.

To assess the below-ground parts fully, you need to remove soil so you can see the roots of containerised trees. The project specifications should show the number of samples for investigative assessment. Methods of investigative assessment that do not damage the tree roots are available.

Rootball diameter and depth: The diameter and depth of the rootball should meet the dimensions specified in AS2303:2018.

Root stock suckers: The roots should have no suckers.

Pests, diseases and weeds: Rootballs should be free from signs of pests, diseases, or weeds.

Rootball occupancy: Higher rootball occupancy means a higher density of roots. Measure it based on the amount of growing medium that remains with the rootball when the tree is removed from the container. At least 90% of the growing medium should remain with the rootball.

Root direction: Root direction is critical to the tree’s longterm health and growth. The types of unfavourable root direction are: a) J-root, b) circling root, c) kinked root, d) girdled root. See image below.

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Four defective root direction types: J-Root, circling, kinked, and girdled. Figure adapted from ASA2030:2018.

Root division: Root division is where a single root branches into several roots. Tree stock in containers should have at least one primary root division. Larger stock should have two or more primary divisions. Nursery practices can encourage root division, which affects the rootball occupancy.

Tree stock balance* is the proportion of above-ground to below-ground parts of the tree. Calculate it by measuring the tree height, stem diameter, and container size. *To determine reasonable tree stock balance values, information was captured on 159 species and nearly 14,000 trees from nurseries throughout Australia. The results of the research are provided in AS2303:2018. This research project was funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited with co-investment from the Nursery R&D Levy, The University of Western Sydney and funds from the Australian Government.

Conclusion The assessment criteria above summarise those in the Australian Standard AS2303:2018 Tree Stock for Landscape Use. The standard includes more detailed information about the criteria, methods of assessment, suggested sampling strategies, and example inspection forms. If you are interested in supplying or procuring good-quality tree stock, you should find the standard a useful tool.

The local and regional industry and stakeholders only stand to gain by adopting a standard for tree stock quality. Although it will take time for nurseries to grow and consistently supply tree stock that meets the standard, the benefits are well-worth that investment.

The need to start is urgent. The best time, twenty years ago, is a missed opportunity. Fortunately, we can take advantage of the next-best time. Now. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Laith Wark is a partner at Verdaus Landscape Architects in Dubai

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YOUR GAME OUR BUSINESS 29

I INTERVIEW

A Walk in the Park

Expo 2020’s landscape design will showcase the best of the UAE’s native species Ahmed Al Khatib Chief Development and Delivery Officer for Expo 2020 Dubai

With innovation at its core, Expo 2020 Dubai’s ‘smart site’ will offer a glimpse of the future. However, a futuristic environment does not have to be sterile, which is why Expo is using hundreds of thousands of shrubs and trees to create a landscape that celebrates the richness of the UAE’s ecosystem.

To maximise efficiency and sustainability, Expo 2020 has established an on-site nursery to grow and nurture its greenery. The facility will provide about 500,000 shrubs/ground cover and 13,000 mature trees.

All of the shrubs and trees are being supplied by Dubai Municipality, and approximately 90 per cent are being sourced from farms and nurseries in the UAE. All of the species selected are either native or adaptable to

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the Middle East, meaning they will be able to thrive in Dubai’s climate and soil conditions.

Many of the species selected for Expo 2020’s landscape can grow in proximity, allowing them to be combined to create rich and appealing textures and colours. Since Expo 2020 will take place during the UAE’s cooler months, visitors will see the landscape in full flourish.

“When shrubs and trees arrive at the nursery, they are usually re-potted to ensure they have appropriate soil and room to grow. The nursery also features an industrial-scale greenhouse, which is used to cultivate new plants – a process known as propagation.” Ahmed Al Khatib, Chief Development and Delivery Officer for Expo 2020 Dubai, told Landscape.

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Is there a theme for the landscaping of the Expo 2020 site?

We are proud of our UAE natural environment and we wanted to make our Expo ‘UAE unique’ through the landscaping and the Public Realm. As the first World Expo to happen in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, we wanted it to look and feel like a UAE Expo – that was our starting point.

We collaborated with many national organisations related to landscaping, including Dubai Municipality and universities such as the American University of Sharjah, and obtained seeds which we planted here in our nursery, built here about three years ago.

While the focus is on UAE landscaping, we also wanted to add some international touches, so you will be able to see some international trees that don’t organically grow here in the UAE but have been adapted to the UAE environment – such as olive trees or fruit trees.

You’ve drawn on expertise from all over the world for the project, what did you learn personally from working with various landscape architects from different countries?

From the very beginning we worked with universities and experts from the US, China, UAE and around the region – enforcing Expo 2020’s theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ – to work out how the landscapes should look and feel. During the event, visitors will see how the landscape responds to the location and theme of the Expo zones. For example, in the Sustainability District, we learnt about the different mechanisms of transporting trees. The ghaf tree is a very, very delicate tree that has a very special root that grows vertically down, it doesn’t spread. So you need to know how to cut it and how to box it – you box it for six months, and you keep watering it. We went through different trials with different contractors until we found the right mechanism.

Where did the inspiration for the design come from?

The entire site should feel like a walk in the park, because it wraps the visitor journey and the visitor experience and focuses on the pedestrian. We wanted to eliminate manmade shading as much as possible, and instead use shade from the landscape and the trees to compensate.

We originally had a lot of manmade shade on the loop road [around the site], but we cut that to almost zero by planting ghaf trees, our national tree, which has always offered people in the desert a place to escape the sun. It provides a lovely, dense shade and attracts a lot of birds, so now you can walk onsite and hear the birds singing. It’s really nice.

We started to think about our shade design, using the trees as inspiration, so on the loop road, the minimal shade structures that we do have are designed in the shape of birds.

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I INTERVIEW

Did the site itself present any challenges to the landscape team?

There are normal challenges that any landscaping project faces due to the methods of moving trees around and watering, but I think the most challenging part was moving the ghaf trees because it took about six months to find the right mechanism. We moved about 480 ghaf trees from Mushrif Park in Dubai to the Expo site and the mortality rate was minimal, almost nothing. We worked with a really excellent contractor, Al Barari, that has extensive experience in ghaf tree forests in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Did the landscaping teams work in sync with the construction workers or was landscaping completed after the main buildings were finished?

Our main priority was to make sure the trees are mature, big and happy during event time. With many events, when they first open, the trees are there but they are weak, you see a lot of sweet soil with scattered flowers – you can tell it’s a new project. We started early on site. We’ve prepared very well for that, and our nursery is the biggest in the country. We started collecting plants and trees at an early stage, and we have built the right environment to ensure they grow in proximity to the site.

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The site is huge. We are building a city, and that is a big logistical challenge in terms of gaining access to areas that need to be landscaped, installing irrigation lines and making sure the spaces will not be damaged again by construction. We work closely with the different projects across the master plan. We have 33 projects within the main project, so you can imagine how many access points there are. Another challenge is the relatively short planting season – the window for successful plantation is from September to April.

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What is the ratio of greenery versus hardscape materials?

We have a target to shade 70 per cent of our outdoor areas, through shading structures and plantations. We have two parks with a total area of around 45,000 sqm of landscaping, in addition to the other trees across the master plan. So together with the design elements – the passive design elements, the shades, the water features across the site, and the landscaping – we believe the environment will be very pleasant and cool for our visitors and participants.

Landscape architects talk a lot about sustainability, in reality how sustainable is the landscaping design and materials used from the nursery?

Drawing on the region’s rich biodiversity and the striking ways in which nature has adapted to harsh climates and challenging conditions, the Sustainability Pavilion’s demonstration gardens exhibit new crops being developed for arid climates that could contribute to future food security in the region. The pavilion grounds are being designed to be a bee-friendly environment – bees originally moved away from the Expo 2020 site during construction will be rehoused in a hive on the site after the completion of Expo.

A minimalist approach was adopted for the design of the nursery, with gatch roads used throughout to avoid the need for asphalt or gravel. From an operational perspective, the nursery team is working exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides, as well as coco peat – a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional peat moss, made from coconut husks. All of the facility’s green waste is pruned, processed and recycled as compost.

Treated sewage effluent (TSE) supplied by Dubai Municipality is being used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs, with the exception of propagation. As well as being cost effective, TSE contains additional nutrients that encourage growth in more mature specimens. Potable water is only used for propagation, because seeds are more susceptible to salts and nutrients during the early stages of growth.

Marjan Faraidooni, Chief Pavilions and Exhibitions Officer for Expo 2020 Dubai, shares her thoughts on the site’s future.

Marjan Faraidooni Chief Pavilions and Exhibitions Officer for Expo 2020 Dubai What will expo 2020’s legacy be?

In terms of Expo 2020’s physical legacy, more than 80 per cent of the Expo-built structures will be retained and repurposed for District 2020 after the show’s sixmonth run comes to an end on 10 April 2021. District 2020 will retain more than 260,000 sqm of GFA of LEED Gold structures from Expo 2020 Dubai. It will be a holistic community with several neighbourhoods made up of multi-use residential, commercial, and green open spaces, world-class social and cultural platforms, education facilities along with a varied hospitality, retail, and F&B offerings.

This urbanisation of the Expo 2020 site into a smart and sustainable micro city-within-a-city provides an innovation-driven business ecosystem, while being a diverse and thriving urban community – supporting the UAE’s drive towards an innovation-driven knowledge economy.

In a testament to its promising future, three of Expo’s Official Premier Partners – Accenture, DP World and Siemens – have already committed to establishing a permanent presence in District 2020. Siemens has signed a 10-year lease agreement at District 2020, to establish the operations for its global headquarters for airports, cargo and ports logistics and soon to be spun-off Siemens Energy; while DP World is planning a logistics training centre, and Accenture will launch a digital hub, in addition to other industryleading companies such as Atlas Capital Holding and Merck KGaA.

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I INSIDE LOOK

A Breath of Fresh Air in Cairo THE VIE park breathes new life into the local urban community with its expansive green areas and pops of colour

THE VIE Park is a mixed- use urban development project, located 17km west of Egypt`s capital Cairo, it covers approximately 20 acres of engaging landscape designed gardens.

Commissioned by Dream Land Company, architect Eman El Messery was responsible for the master plan and urban landscape design of the recreational area, which will play host to concerts and events in its open amphitheater, overlooking a picturesque lake and the Mall of Egypt.

“It’s one of the most exceptional and exciting urban developments in Cairo,” explained El Messery, owner of PlantosZone, a landscape architecture firm in Cairo.

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“It has a wide range of functions and acts as a green lung for October City.”

“The main goal of the design was to maintain all of the existing trees and palms from the site. It was not easy for us to design around the old existing trees without removing any of them but we managed it,” she said.

Walking along the entrance pathway with its compelling topography and maniured green areas, visitors get to discover the full scale of the park, flanked by native flower beds and fox tail palms. They wind up at the lake, which is used as the basin water tank with a promenade along the outer circumference of the lake.

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The main spine of the pedestrian entrance of the project was established to maintain the vertical and horizontal connections of the whole area, ending at the lake with its graded levels. The two-main public spaces have been merged in soil compacted paths to provide black basalt, ramps and easy access for disabled people, parents with buggies and cyclists.

Overall, the landscape design incorporates a functional entrance with a huge green area on the right and left side of the project, leading to a marble plaza area that can fit 3,000 people. Infront of the master piece French styled Palace designed by architect Gerard Jardonnet.

Green steps lead visitors to the main boulevard which surrounds the lake.

serve the open amphitheater using hard and soft surfaces in harmony. Large canopies surround the lake to accommodate families while they soak up the atmosphere.

The most important point was to strengthen the relationship between all the zones of the project with the multi-recreational plaza area for events and festivals and the sports area. The main plaza events area has been transformed into a meeting place for everyone via entertainment activities and exhibitions. The Palace Plaza at the end of the entrance passage is designed with a large-scale hardscape marble area to promote the high spirit of the park.

The Palace fits into the greater landscape by incorporating a wide variety of shrubs, grasses, and large flowerbeds. Flowering trees, foliage trees, and shrubs as well as aquatic plants surround the lake, while the Palace is screened off with Cactus and Succulents Planting.

Many strong visual connections to the lake are created by planting flowering trees and the pennisetum purpureum shrubs in specific arrangements and wave patterns. The land grading surrounding the lagoon area and softscape elements surrounding the lake provide a green seating area in the form of steps, which also

The project consists of: • The main pedestrian entrance and huge parking area serve 3,000 visitors per day.

• The multipurpose recreational plaza for events and festivals • Exhibition area • French garden attached to the French Palace.

• The lagoon area with the Green steps and family canopies scattered throughout • Boulevard surrounded by the open Amphitheatre overlooking the sports activities area and the lake.

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I BOOK REVIEW

BOOKS OF INTEREST WORLD LANDSCAPING

Publisher: Artpower International; Bilingual edition ISBN: 9789881249173 Hardcover: 416 pages Price: 747 AED The book presents a selection of award-winning and acclaimed projects from top international landscape architecture firms. The design process is shown through numerous drawings and detailed descriptions of each project. The projects are split into ten categories: residence and garden, commercial and office space, waterfront and ecology, campus planning, planning design, parks and green places, leisure and entertainment, Plazas and Open Spaces, tourism and resorts, traffic and transportation.

CONNECTED: THE SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES OF PHILLIP JOHNSON ISBN: 9781743363409 Author: Phillip Johnson Publication Date: Murdoch Books Language: English

Australian landscape designer Phillip Johnson became an international household name after winning Best in Show at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower and Garden Show in 2013 - the equivalent of winning a gold medal at the Olympics. This book explores Phillip’s philosophy of connecting with nature in a sustainable way with a focus on his key passions including: integrated sustainable water management and the creation of natural, chemical-free pools; recreation of thriving habitats for indigenous plants and animals; and the thoughtful connection of the landscape to the home. Illustrated with lavish photography and beautiful water colour plans, connected tells the stories behind the commissioning, design and execution of 19 gardens designed by Phillip (with insights from their owners), ranging from small suburban to large rural spaces, and includes his own home garden ‘laboratory’. His account of the design and construction of his award-winning garden at Chelsea is also featured.

LANDSCAPING IDEAS THAT WORK (TAUNTON’S IDEAS THAT WORK) ISBN-13: 9781600857805 Paperback: 224 pages Publisher: Taunton Press Language: English Product Dimensions: 9 x 0.6 x 10.5 inches Price: 111.00 AED

Landscaping Ideas That Work is the most comprehensive resource of inspired design ideas and practical solutions for creating landscaping and outdoor living spaces that are comfortable, attractive, and usable.

With professional design advice as well as over 350 innovative ideas and photographs, this is the only sourcebook you’ll ever need for smart design, buying, and installation decisions for your outdoor digs.

The book covers every aspect of the home garden and provides strategies for combining elements and creating spaces that work with any home; innovative ideas for transforming all areas of the yard into inviting With its headquarter in Tokyo, Japan and world class stores spread over countries like America, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Taiwan and now in DUBAI – UAE, Kinokuniya is a globally known book seller of repute.

The store in Dubai Mall is a massive 68,000 square feet wide paragon book gallery which stocks more than half a million books and thousand magazines in English, Arabic, Japanese, French, German and Chinese at any given time.

The Store is also a distinct cross cultural hub wide range of time to time multicultural events such a comic art demonstrations, language learning workshops, book launches etc.

The pleasant ambiance, stenographic design and add to it the impressive view of modern skyline – world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa, Kinokuniya at The Dubai Mall is just the place to evoke emotions and add pleasure to your book shopping. You may like to visit our website for more information. www.kinokuniya.com

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Water Conservation - UAE Highest Priority Water is a precious and finite resource that must be carefully used ensuring adequacy for generations to come.

AustraBlend®Mutli Mineral Root Zone Conditioner innovates cucumber production at greatly reduced water application.

Consistent with the National Food Security Strategy (NFSS), AustraBlend® Pty Ltd, along with Polyclean LLC Dubai, is working with major food production entities of key vegetable crops including capsicum, cucumber and tomato as well as alfalfa and grain crops grown at reduced water rates by as much as 50%, complying with water saving initiatives and crop intensifications in support of the NFSS. AustraBlend®MMMRZC has the capacity to increase the nutrient and water use efficiencies of local soils resulting in significant increases in crop yields, supporting the UAE Food Basket Initiative aimed at increasing domestic production and water conservation.

Better growth and earlier maturity of fruit resulted in a 57% increase of fruit productivity over that of the control!

AustraBlend®MMRZC Guarantees More Crop per Drop !!

• • •

Plant Height – 29% greater than control!

Leaf Size – 24% greater than control!

At 40% water reduction, 8% production gain over control!

AustraBlend® Multi Mineral Root Zone Conditioner innovates urban landscapes through water saving and greater biomass (lawn grass) production.

Results of an ICBA (Dubai) trial at a Sharjah Palace where ABMMRZC was used in the establishment of Paspalum vaginatum lawns.

At 40% less water than normal application, fresh grass biomass was 175% greater than that of the control.

AustraBlend® UAE Distributor Polyclean LLC, Dubai Tel: 971 050 635 9026

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METAL FABRICATOR m-tec T: +466 125 4773718 info@m-tec.uk.com www.m-tec.uk.com

LANDSCAPE CONSULTANTS JC Melone Landscape Design FZ LLE T: +971 50 6410715 jcmelone@gmail.com

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The First Specialised Landscape Magazine in the Middle East

THE NEW X2™ IS A POWERFUL DIAL CONTROLLER

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X2 CONTROLLER: • Up to 14 stations • 2" backlit display • 5' cord and plug • Simple programming like X-Core®

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I NEW ONGOING PROJECTS

middleeasttenders.com

STATUS : NEW TENDER TRADE CATEGORY : AGRICULTURAL, LANDSCAPING AND IRRIGATION

+971 2 634 8495

NEW & CURRENT PROJECTS Tender Name

Description

Client

Region

Tender Cost (USD)

Post Date

Closing Date

Organic Agriculture Development

Development of Organic Agriculture.

Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

267

8/14/2019

6/23/2020

Pilot-Scale Sea Cage Aquaculture Project Implementation

Establish and operate a Pilot-Scale Sea Cage Aquaculture Project.

Environment Agency (Abu Dhabi)

Abu Dhabi

3/4/2020

4/30/2020

Installation Irrigation Network

Supply and Installation of Irrigation Network.

Ministry of Agriculture (Lebanon)

Lebanon

3/4/2020

4/15/2020

Installation Irrigation Network

Supply and Installation of irrigation network for Menjez hill lake.

Ministry of Agriculture (Lebanon)

Lebanon

3/4/2020

4/15/2020

Irrigation Network

Supply and Installation of Irrigation Network.

Ministry of Agriculture (Lebanon)

Lebanon

2/25/2020

4/6/2020

Gardens & Green Spaces Maintenance

Maintenance of Gardens and Green Spaces in Bish (Stage 2).

Municipality of Bish Province (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

2800

3/4/2020

4/1/2020

Crops Maintaining

Project for Operating and Maintaining Crops.

Qassim Municipality (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

1467

3/4/2020

3/31/2020

Concrete Irrigation Canals Construction

Construction of Concrete Irrigation Canals and Networks.

United Nations Development Programme UNDP (Lebanon)

Lebanon

2/28/2020

3/25/2020

Concrete Irrigation Canals Construction

Construction of Concrete Irrigation Canals and Networks in Hasbaya.

United Nations Development Programme UNDP (Lebanon)

Lebanon

2/28/2020

3/23/2020

Plantings Care

Supply of Care for Plantings.

Ministry of Higher Education (Oman)

Oman

2/13/2020

3/22/2020

Agriculture & Rural Empowerment

Provision of works for Lebanon Agriculture and Rural Empowerment (ARE) Activity.

US Agency for International Development USAID (Lebanon)

Lebanon

2/25/2020

3/19/2020

Flowers

Supply of Annual Flowers.

King Abdul Aziz Military University (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

3/3/2020

3/17/2020

Landscape & Irrigation Services

Provision of Landscape and Irrigation Services.

Higher Colleges of Technology (Abu Dhabi)

Abu Dhabi

2/28/2020

3/17/2020

Supplying Work Tools

Securing and Supplying Work Tools for Agriculture and Environmental Health.

King Abdul Aziz Military University (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

3/4/2020

3/16/2020

Irrigation & Beautification Works

Provision of works for Irrigation and Beautification Project, Sheikh Zayed Road.

Municipality & Planning Department - Ajman

Northern Emirates

2/27/2020

3/16/2020

Beautification Work

Provision of Beautification Work of Commercial Area.

Muscat Municipality (Oman)

Oman

2/5/2020

3/16/2020

Providing Workers

provision of works for Providing Workers for the Project to Control the Red Palm Weevil in Al Buraimi Governorates.

Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries (Oman)

Oman

12/12/2019

1/8/2020

40

65

267

267

130

The First Specialised Landscape Magazine in the Middle East

INNOVATORS, MANUFACTURERS AND INSTALLERS OF AWARD-WINNING PERIMETER SECURITY PRODUCTS

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