I PARKS

Facts

The Khalifa City Community Parks are designed by the Danish nature-based design studio SLA in collaboration with Parsons. The client is the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport. The six parks are a combined 51,600 sqm, containing more than 6,700 native trees and bushes and numerous sports, play, and social gatherings activities. All six parks are designed to have their own distinct identities and characteristics devised from the local community and context. The parks’ names are Ranim Garden, Mashtal Plaza, Afnan Garden, Himma Park, Sadim Park, and Tilal Park.

In April 2023, Khalifa City Community Parks was awarded the prestigious Monocle Design Award in the Best Urban Park category.

Key data

Project names: Ranim Garden, Mashtal Plaza, Afnan Garden, Himma Park, Sadim Park, and Tilal Park

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE

Landscape Architect: SLA

Client: Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport

Total Size: 51.600 sqm

Completion: January 2023

Collaborators: Parsons (architect of record), Nulty+ (lighting), and Endpoint (signage and wayfinding)

Please tag SLA on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn using @slaarchitects

Please give us a brief description of you & your educational background.

I completed my Civil Engineering master’s degree at the Kharkov Academy in Ukraine, and since then I had the opportunity to remain associated with the landscape industry for more than 23 years.

Please highlight your experience in the GCC region in the past years.

I commenced my career as a site engineer, which allowed me to develop my project management skills and gain the necessary experience to advance in my chosen profession. I quickly progressed to a Project Engineering role overseeing multiple project sites. In 2014 I accepted a position as Operations Manager for a prestigious landscaping firm, a position I held until deciding to establish my own company.

When did your company first set up business in the Region?

My business partner and I established Shayea Landscape in 2022, an Abu Dubai-based company with a branch office in Dubai. We self-funded the start-up business to provide specialised landscaping services, aiming for steady growth. We provided services to ensure the company developed a sound reputation in the landscape industry.

What are your company’s main activities & services? (Please elaborate extensively). Shayea Landscape is a full-service landscape supply and installation business that offers additional specialist services for aqua parks, swimming pools, complex irrigation systems, professional tree planting, water features, and maintenance.

Landscape service suppliers must provide a broad range of hard and soft landscape services to support each project requirement. Our extensive experience in the industry has provided us with the industry knowledge to ensure our clients are satisfied with our ability to meet their needs.

How has your business expanded since its inception? Our objective was to start small with steady growth, but this is a difficult objective to maintain in the UAE construction market, especially when you have a personal reputation for managing major work sites. Our company very quickly secured several major projects that we have successfully managed these past two years. I am pleased to announce that our first major project will be completed very soon, and I look forward to sharing more details of this specialist aqua park project very soon.

There are many stages to the completion of each project, with multiple deadlines during the installation process, and I’m pleased that we have been able to meet every deadline to date. We are committed to ensuring every project is completed according to the work schedule with the highest quality standards – demonstrating this to our clients has already provided repeat business for us.

What are your main challenges for business operations in the current Middle East market?

There are always new players in the landscape industry; our company is only two years old, so I guess we are a new player as well, but unfortunately, there is much competition today that offers very low prices but without the same level of quality that we expect. The price must be reasonable, but we will maintain our high-quality standards.

Because landscaping is a finishing trade, we are often one of the last trades on site, and if the project is running behind schedule, there is always added pressure for us. It’s a challenge for us always to remain flexible to the client’s needs – we do everything possible and have even demonstrated our success in achieving the impossible. It’s a challenge that we meet with a “can do” attitude, and I think this is what our clients like the most about working with us.

Growing a business today is not just about winning the work; there is much opportunity in the market today, so learning to say ‘no thanks’ is challenging. We have declined several major projects already this year simply because these projects did not meet our schedule. Project planning and execution is the key to success; our clients recognise this as one of our strengths.

What changes need to be adopted in the GCC landscaping industry to become on par with the rest of the world?

The GCC region is vast, making it inappropriate for me to provide a sweeping commentary on its entirety. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that promoting sustainability within the region is crucial. To achieve this, we must focus on developing and implementing sustainable landscapes by reducing waste, cultivating native plants, and creating gardens that can withstand the extreme heat prevalent in most of the GCC.

By embracing ecological and sustainable initiatives, we can fulfil the desire for more parks and aesthetically pleasing spaces. These initiatives not only enhance the region’s natural beauty but also contribute to a greener, healthier environment.

What major projects have you, or your company, been involved with in the past years?

We are currently working on several significant projects in the UAE, but over the years, it has been an honour to have worked on several UAE landmark projects, including the Sheik Sayed Mosque; Cleveland Clinic; the Dubai Hills Mall; the Burj Al Arab; and the Old Town Burj Khalifa. I look at these projects today with a sense of pride that I had the opportunity to contribute to developing these projects over the years.

Please outline any future plans for your company, including new project development.

At Shayea Landscape, we prefer steady and measured growth over hasty expansion. While we acknowledge the significance of growth, our primary focus is on nurturing a reputation built on unparalleled quality and exceptional service. We want our clients to have firsthand experiences that align with their expectations.

Our core principle revolves around making commitments and consistently delivering remarkable results. By upholding this ethos, the size of our company will naturally expand as a reflection of our strength and dedication to excellence. For now and in the future, we are committed to being a company that our clients trust and rely on, establishing lasting relationships founded on trust and satisfaction.

What special memories and incidents would you like to share with Landscape Middle East Magazine readers?

Reflecting on my career journey, I attribute my success to the invaluable guidance of numerous managers and mentors who steadfastly supported my effort. While my formal education in engineering laid a foundation, I truly grasped the art of landscaping through the wisdom imparted by these guiding figures. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have played a part in my growth through these words.

I offer advice for aspiring dream builders venturing to forge their paths: always continue to evolve your skill set. Education is a vital cornerstone, but the key to personal success lies in continually acquiring new skills that align with our professional pursuits and enrich our lives.

Pursuing knowledge should be a lifelong commitment – an unwavering dedication to honing our abilities and staying attuned to the evolving landscape of our chosen fields. Embrace the belief that patience is a virtue, for mastery and success seldom materialise overnight.

What is your forecast for future opportunities related to the landscape & irrigation business in the coming years, globally and in the Middle East region?

Looking ahead to the future of the landscaping industry, I anticipate a surge in transformative technologies with innovations to streamline workflow, optimise planning, and elevate documentation management to new heights. Automation from marketing to project execution should enhance our efficiency with tools to revolutionise landscape design, client communication, visualisation, and more. The following ten years will be an exciting time

Creative landscapes that allow you to a dreamy world!