October 2020

The First Specialised Landscape Magazine in the Middle East

MIDDLE EAST

OCTOBER 2020

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EDITOR’S NOTE In this issue, I’ve been hearing a lot about resilient design and building for the future lately. Since most of you are in the landscape or urban planning industry you’ve probably been familiar with the term long before the global pandemic took hold, but for me it was a fairly new concept so I started to have conversations with architects and landscape designers to learn more about what buildings will look like in the future. One of the most interesting chats I had was with Gosia Baron, Senior Associate Director, Planning & Urban Design at CallisonRTKL (CRTKL). See page 20 for some of the highlights of our talk.

One of the positives for most people during the pandemic and subsequent lockdown was the gift of time, everything and everyone slowed down, we had time to think and reevaluate. As a result, the landscape industry is teaming with new ideas to transform urban spaces.

“It is that spirit that fueled WATG, the multidisciplinary global design firm, to roll out a new vision for New York City’s streets. The concept, titled Green Block, focuses on the intersection of Manhattan’s Flatiron Building, the idea is to claw back space from the roads and reclaim it for the people and environment. See pg30 for how the team plan to take back the city.

While it’s tempting to get caught up in future designs and projects, we also focus on what’s trending here in the region and beyond in this issue. We feature a simplistic but well-conceived project known as the Vietnamese garden house on pg 12 it was designed by three young architects who collaborated to create the perfect hideaway residence for its owner, despite working for different design studios.

We also feature a mixed-use landmark project in the Egyptian city of Alexandria, called the Skyline compound. See Pg 8 .

We hope you enjoy the issue!

Managing Partner: Ziad Maarouf Amine Copy Editor: John Hampton Sales Manager: Boushra Dinnawi Administrative Assistance: Sarry Gan Art Director: Ramon Andaya Contributors: Tom Morr, Anna Tutty, Andrew Parker, Ana Mateus, Than, Maha Salah Eldin, Gosia Baron, Catherine Chan, Jimena Martignoni Printed by: Al Nisr Publishing LLC Webmaster: www.pdinventive.com

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CONTENTS 4 October 2020 - Issue 160

4 8 12 16

Interview with Andrew Parker

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Why resilience is the new buzz word for the landscape industry

24 28 30

A green educational institution

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10 Design to redevelop China’s Nanjing Dajiaochang Airport

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A New Skyline in Alexandria Vietnamese Garden House Atelier Luxury apartments in downtown LA

Khorfakkan Square A new vision for a greener New York City

16 20

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357 43

I INTERVIEW

By: Andrew Parker A GHD Principal Manager – Design and Planning Please give us a brief about your educational background and your experience in the GCC area.

I completed my undergraduate training in landscape architecture in Queensland, Australia in the early 1990s. Since that time, I have worked across landscape architecture, urban planning and urban design, picking up additional qualifications in environmental planning and urban design along the way. I have been working in the GCC now for 10 years, having held positions with both GHD and the Abu Dhabi government.

Tell us about GHD in the region?

GHD was founded in Australia over 90 years ago with the aim of improving the design and delivery of municipal infrastructure. Since that time, we have grown to a global company of over 10,000 employees and we have helped shape some of the world’s most livable cities. We have been present in the GCC for the last two decades with projects and offices across the region.

What would you say is the company’s greatest achievement to date?

We have been involved in many of the region’s most iconic projects, however the team’s recent

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contributions to the redevelopment of Qasr Al Hosn and the Jubail Mangrove Walk highlight our ability to work at different scales, with high levels of environmental and cultural sensitivity to create projects with a lasting community benefit.

What makes your company stand out as landscape architect firm?

Our team in the UAE provides an integrated design team including landscape architects, urban designers and sustainability professionals.

We are also closely linked to GHDs engineering, environmental, energy and advisory teams allowing us to provide our clients with end to end design services. We are also able to draw on our deep ties to other regions within the GHD network, and combined we are the ninth largest landscape practice globally. This allows us to bring a depth of global experience to our local projects that is supported by our local teams’ knowledge of regional requirements. Our team often live in, or close to, the locations which we are designing and have a passionate interest in creating lasting community benefits for these communities.

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I INTERVIEW

What kind of projects excite you? Can you share any you are working on?

For me, the most exciting projects are those were a client entrusts you as a designer to take them on a design journey to meet their goals and needs. We recently had an exciting commission to identify a number of unique environmental experiences and our client entrusted the GHD team with the development of a landscape and environment based methodology for the identification of suitable sites and natural experiences, testing design opportunities for each of the sites and ultimately developing design responses that ranged from information shelters and picnic facilities through to luxury desert retreats. This was a great project that was led by our landscape architects, but drew in skills from across GHD in the GCC and from our global design teams.

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What is the most rewarding aspect of your work?

The most rewarding part of my work is seeing projects completed; seeing how the team work with our clients and contractors to bring our designs to life. Seeing the great success of the Jubail Mangrove Walk during its opening few weeks showed that there is a real appetite within the region for new and genuine landscape experiences.

How has the global pandemic affected Landscape Architecture in the GCC? Throughout the pandemic, we have been looking at the impacts of COVID-19 and how it will shape our future public realm. One of the key themes that has emerged is that of resilience and ensuring that our public spaces have sufficient flexibility to be readily adapted to changing uses and needs.

Plazas, amphitheaters and lawn areas have

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communication and remote working tools, with the key being effective and frequent communication between all team members. We have also worked closely with our people to ensure that programs are in place to support our staff and ensure their mental and physical health is maintained while working remotely. Post COVID we will continue to utilize tools such as remote working to facilitate more flexible working arrangements to improve our teams’ wellbeing.

traditionally been identified as flexible spaces, however post COVID these areas may take on additional functions such as local markets, football spaces, outdoor cinemas or emergency assembly areas. Similarly, an emphasis on locally self-contained spaces will see a shift in the emphasis of landscape design within the GCC from large scale “destination” based projects, to design focused on meeting the needs of local communities first and foremost.

How has your firm adapted its working practice/design in the post covid climate?

As a global company, we are used to working with dispersed teams and all of our teams have adapted well to remote working. The strong ties within the team have transferred well to online

Do you foresee projects down the line being impacted as a direct result of the current situation or do you think this is a shortterm issue for the landscaping industry as most works can still carry on despite the pandemic?

I believe the current slowdown is temporary in nature as governments and clients work out what the new normal will look like post COVID. Moving forward, for the landscape industry we will need to look carefully at the types of spaces we are designing to understand how these spaces may need to adapt to future upheavals, be they another pandemic, environmental catastrophe or future technological changes.

What is your personal philosophy?

Good design is about showing our clients what is possible, and then helping them make it real.

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I URBAN DEVELOPMENT

A New Skyline in Alexandria By: Dina Abou Alia, Maha Salah Eldin

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Mixed-use complexes are in high demand in most Egyptian cities. The design philosophy of such developments is to improve the living experience of the inhabitants through a sustainable approach were the architecture and landscape elements serve in creating a relaxing and healthy environment for all. Dorsch Egypt as the lead design consultant was tasked with developing an integrated design to enhance the wellbeing of the residents whilst taking into consideration within each and every landscape design treatment the fact that the outdoor plazas are located over a concrete mega structure.

Skyline compound is a residential mixed-use complex developed by Orouba Misr developments over a prominently located 10 feddans land plot sitting in the heart of Egypt’s coastal Jewel, Alexandria.

The project is a city landmark that offers a progressive lifestyle where all life’s luxuries and facilities are available in the same place. In addition to the residential building the site has a commercial mall and administrative, clinical and hotel buildings all connected by landscape plazas creating an exceptional urban experience.

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I URBAN DEVELOPMENT

The green area covers around 40% of the land with a total area of 16,000 m2 divided into two main plazas, the first is exclusive to residents and the second is for the public. The project’s main theme is inspired by Alexandria‘s coastal nature were waves are reflected all over the project to create a feeling of tranquility that reduces daily life stresses.

Wavy statements are present and connecting the project elements from hardscape design and materials to softscape curvy steps reaching to the steeped shallow water features, all are designed in a way to create a smooth relaxing sensation.

In order to create a distinguished residential experience, the inner park plaza was designed exclusively for the compound residents; it encompasses different areas that present a variety of experiences.

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The inner plaza is mainly divided into central areas were the main lively activities occur around the club-house and restaurant, furthermore a recreational garden is designed as a calm relaxing seating area and a walkway for residents alongside a sunken seating area where residents can experience a calming time in a river like environment.

The water features are designed to be shallow, each are around 25 cm depth with curved steps to create wavy smooth lines, as for the softscape planters they are designed over smooth steps to follow the project theme. The hardscape design, materials and lines are integrated with the site furniture to complete the final relaxing coastal experience.

At the external building edge; a public linear plaza consisting of a walkway events area and a public tea zone complement the visitors’ experience.

Skyline Compound portrays a newly elevated outdoor atmosphere to Alexandria’s residents and visitors, through a contemporary environmental outdoor experience.

Project name: Orouba Skyline Location: Alexandria, Egypt Consultant: Dorsch Consult Egypt Developer: Orouba Misr Landscape designer: Maha Salaheldin

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I RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE

Vietnamese Garden House By: AmDesign Architects, Time Architects, CTA | Creative Architects The garden house project is a collaboration between three young Vietnamese architects (now with three different design studios). The garden house is built on a 3,500-sq. m of land in Can Giuoc, Long An province – a 45 minute drive from Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam. The owner of the property is a marketing director for a large corporation and wanted to create a serene home where he could escape from the stress and pressure of his job. Therefore, the design brief was to create a peaceful and harmonious home and garden for recharging and energizing.

From left to right: Arch. Bui The Long, Nguyen Huu Duy, Nguyen Duy (CTA | Creative Architects , AmDesign Architects, Time Architects )

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The building is designed with five separate blocks arranged randomly under a large thatched roof, next to a lake. Splitting blocks were used to create diverse views from both inside and outside the building, as well as provide natural ventilation and natural light to every space in the home.

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I RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE

The sheet steel roofing system covered by a thatched roofing system is a staple of Southwest Vietnamese architecture.

It creates an eco-friendly and intimate feature that helps the building integrate into nature. Under the sheet steel roofing system, there is a ceiling system with wooden finishing material. Due to the layout of the roofing system, the building can naturally reduce heat and keep indoor temperatures a lot cooler than outdoors.

The wooden ceiling system is painted the same color as the wood-lined concrete wall. While the floors are a similar color

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The large lake that borders both sides of the house helps to bring a sense of nature into the property and this ecofriendly element of landscape design also contributes to heat reduction for the entire house during hot summer days. Other heat saving measures were also put in place such as nature ventilation, the contrast and unity of color, natural materials to cool and allow nature to come into the owner’s daily life.

to the wood-lined concrete wall (the handmade woodgrain concrete boards).

The absence of tile flooring reduced costs and instead the team used concrete floors to make people feel more comfortable while walking. The similarity of colors and surface textures in all elements of the house along with the natural light that shines throughout the day from a slot in the roof, creates a calming and peaceful space that harmonizes with its surrounding landscape.

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I INTERNATIONAL DESIGN

Atelier Luxury apartments in downtown LA

By: Surfacedesign 16

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San Francisco-based Surfacedesign is an award-winning landscape architecture and urban design firm that creates dynamic parks, plazas, waterfronts, civic landscapes, and private gardens. Surfacedesign created outdoor living spaces for Atelier, a luxury apartment development in downtown Los Angeles. The urban project’s two focal outdoor areas are the building’s pool deck and rooftop terrace lounge.

Design: Real estate developer Carmel Partners awarded Surfacedesign creative control of the outside living spaces at its luxury apartment project Atelier, designed by architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB). Taking inspiration from the building’s proximity to the former Los Angeles Garment District, Surfacedesign’s overall approach was influenced by the Bauhaus textile patterns of Anni Albers.

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Geometrical lines and shapes are repeated throughout the 33-story project’s two outdoor living spaces: pool/amenity deck and rooftop lounge. Surfacedesign injected the textile inspiration into the composition, stitching together the hardscape with a rich landscape of native and Mediterranean plantings.

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Atelier’s 5th-floor pool area serves as its primary communal space. For the landscape, Surfacedesign’s palette uses a combination of silver ground covers, agaves, and acacias with pops of color: reds, oranges, and yellows. The silver ground covers reference the glassy/steel materiality of the urban Los Angeles skyline. The

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red, orange, and yellow bougainvillea, aloes, and succulents are familiar Southern California favorites and warmly ground the project in its downtown Los Angeles context. The plantings also provide some shade and a sense of privacy for the deck’s many amenities: outdoor grilling areas, a dog run, a bocce ball court and game terrace, a 25-meter lap pool and spa, an outdoor firepit and fireplace, cabaùas, and a hammock garden. The Atelier outdoor-living project was capped by a rooftop lounge with sweeping views of downtown Los Angeles.

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I RESILIENT DESIGN

Why resilience is the new buzz word for the landscape industry Gosia Baron

Senior Associate Director, Planning & Urban Design at CallisonRTKL (CRTKL)

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The pandemic has raised questions about how resilient cities are, both in terms of their business districts and high-density living. Accelerating changes and attitudes already in motion, Covid-19 has brought about a global re-evaluation of how and where we live, work, shop, dine and travel.

As a result, we are seeing the repriorisation of open and green space, with these habitats now favoured over dense urban environments. The disadvantage here is how mass public transport has not seen a recovery of ridership and in fact the private car, cycling and walking have emerged as the prefer mode of transport. Hopefully, with the practice of remote working, remote schooling, a rise in e-commerce and the use of telemedicine to consult your doctor, we should see a reduction in commuter traffic in cities.

People also no longer need traditional land use separation and are now looking towards more adaptive, smart, flexible, mixed-use and walkable environments and spaces to operate in. With this change we can already see that the urban built environment will go through a process of adaption and repurposing to reflect the changing needs of the community.

It is time to move our focus away from ‘social distancing’ and more towards ‘safe socialising’.

The importance to create public spaces within walking distance from homes that can be used by citizens to support their physical and mental wellbeing has come to the fore in recent months. Landscape architects and urban designers will be required to re-consider current urban environment and come up with new innovative design solutions with the safety and wellbeing of users in mind. New urban typologies must allow and encourage safe social interactions, as a truly resilient solution that offers a quality experience while staying safe.

Resilience describes the ability to survive, adapt and thrive in difficult situations. As a company, we are very focused on resilience and keeping our people safe while ensuring business continuity and an undisrupted provision of service to our clients.

To this end, we even stationed a member of our team in Saudi Arabia for the duration of lockdown, ensuring we were on the ground to guide our clients and projects through the tumultuous period and make possible their ambitious delivery schedules.

As a global practice, we also had in place much of the technological infrastructure and methodologies required for remote work. Accustomed to collaborating on projects across countries and timezones, we were more readily able to shift to working from home.

With these tools in place and a culture that supported this new way of working, we were set up to accommodate changing needs and circumstances.

Technology, which has always been there, plays a more important role now and the most challenging aspect in the beginning was to take time to adjust to new ways of communicating, both within our business and externally with clients and consultants. Many positives have come from new ways of working with many becoming much more efficient while working from home, with less distractions.

As most came to learn through this experience though, for all the practices that technology makes easier and more efficient, it has its limitations when it comes to

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I RESILIENT DESIGN

relationship building and creative thinking, with these harder to replicate online. With our Dubai office now reopen and operating as per the new health and safety guidance, we are glad to have brought back the face-to-face working sessions that we have all missed and introduced a new flexible working arrangement that balances being in the office and working from home, depending on client and project needs.

Many of us look for refuge and comfort in the outdoors, but would have concerns about the air quality or the safety of enclosed spaces.

The pandemic has increased the demand for more pedestrian spaces and micro-mobility infrastructure. Further to this and with a change in people’s behaviour, outdoor spaces are no longer just a transition space to go from one building to another, they have become destinations. Therefore, the expectation of an outdoor offering will be much higher than that of an enclosed environment.

An outdoor destination needs to culturally and socially relevant, with convenience, accessibility and weather resistance also key to the success of our outdoor spaces. A seasonal programme of activities and attractions will also need rethinking if they are to satisfy both our desire to gather and new social distancing measures.

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As much as these spaces are about bringing people together, they are also about bringing them closer to nature.

Creating greener and heavily planted spaces can provide numerous health benefits to the users and simultaneously improve the quality of air in cities, reduce noise pollution and to help combat the urban heat island effect.

For our designs to be resilient they must respond both to the challenges put forward by the pandemic and the climate. A more holistic response that considers citizen wellbeing and offers ways to counter the impact of climate-related issues such as flooding and over-heating is needed.

It is also important to place community resilience at the centre of urban resilience as by understanding the needs for not just an individual but a community, we can create a safe place for citizens to live, work and play.

Change is constant, and as designers it is our role to provide solutions to address the changing needs. As our communities are being tested, we need to act quickly and adapt flexible solutions to reimagine the urban realm. The struggle is for clients deciding whether they are willing to invest in these difficult times and are prepared to turn the challenge into an opportunity.

Successful designs will stimulate human interactions and make habitable environments that might otherwise be seen as empty or soulless. With greater emphasis being placed on health and safety, the onus is on us to ensure spaces don’t become to clinical and instead remain focused on connection and connectivity. Linked to this is the digitalisation of physical infrastructure, with smart, interconnected, micromobility, no-touch technology, selfsanitising surfaces and other digital solutions key to striking this balance.

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I CAMPUS DESIGN

A green educational institution

A new campus in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, has changed the urban dynamics of the residential area where it was integrated, with a fresh architectural image and an inviting composition of open spaces.

By: Jimena Martignoni

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One of the main conditions for the new project was that of preserving the open views from the school and to get the most out of the building land, according to the permitted floor area ratio and heights. The result is the location of an eight-story educational building in one corner of the site and receded from the street, and a quite compact project extending along the rest of the site. Comprising commercial spaces, walking areas and terraces, an access esplanade and a semi-buried courtyard, the amalgamation of spaces achieves an aura of openness and balance.

Retail stores and small cafes face a walking semi-public space which is half-covered by a 7 meter-high pergola; adjacently, a large wooden terrace overlooks a large and luxuriant private garden. The tree crowns appear now as part of the new terraces, providing the perfect natural environment for the many students and visitors that gather and sit around in the sunlight, making use of the custom-designed outdoor furniture.

In the main façade, avoiding a retail-related image, the project incorporated a screening green wall which extends along 80 meters and 11 meter high, exhibiting a two-colored composition of native plants (Cuphea gracilis and Tradescantia). Behind, another semi-roofed linear area offers more spaces for sitting and relaxing.

This urban campus was commissioned by the Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos, a traditional Brazilian university run by the Jesuits and known to locals as “Unisinos”; the plan includes an educational building, a theatre, commercial and parking spaces but is the large semi-public terraces, walking areas and courtyards what has meant a novel and appealing addition to the area.

Originally, the project was the result of a close competition which invited five architectural offices in Porto Alegre and which anticipated the vacant space adjacent to a Jesuit school as the proposed site. After AT Arquitetura was selected as the winning team, the university’s authorities changed the site location to another vacant larger site, right in front of the school and a kindergarten which would be eventually renovated.

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I CAMPUS DESIGN

The entire project adapts to the change elevation of the street, creating different planes and stepped terraces. At street level, a large access esplanade draws people to any of the spaces which make up the educational-cultural compound. At one side, a semi-buried courtyard provides sunlight to the underground spaces, the library and a student lounge. However, the most interesting use of this sunken open space is that of an outdoor theater;

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connected to the auditorium’s stage by a removable 14 meter-wide door, it offers an ideal setting for open-air performances. The access esplanade then becomes a balcony-like public space.

The formal auditorium has a total indoor capacity of 470 seats. Appearing in the architectural composition as a separate volume, the theater has an independent access and a green roof which can be appreciated from the upper floors, mingling with

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the newly designed landscape of the street. This roof is completely planted with boldo (Peumus boldus), an aromatic indigenous plant which grows profusely in Porto Alegre.

The project was required to include 1,000 parking spaces which were built in two underground levels and two above the street, using the resulting diversity of planes in favor of the creation of the semi-public terraces. In order to provide a pedestrian connection for those arriving by bus and to connect the university’s underground parking with the existing school, across the street, a footbridge of stylized architectonic lines spans the existing avenue.

Now an urban landmark in one of the greenest residential neighborhoods of Porto Alegre, the Unisinos educational compound has also become a great place for recreation, leisure and cultural activities and connections.

Location: Porto Alegre, Brazil Date of Completion: 2018 Project Size: 56,000 m2 Designers: AT Arquitetura Project Managers: Andre Detanico, Tarso Carneiro, Mauricio Ceolin Landscape Plan: Landscape Sul Lighting Plan: Cristina Maluf Client: Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos / Associação Padre Antonio Vieira Photography: Marcelo Donadussi

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I SUSTAINABILITY

Khorfakkan Square By: Fayiz Sh. Abnayin / Architect / ART & DESIGN

Khorfakkan, also known as the ‘bride of the east coast’ is one of the most beautiful cities in the Emirate of Sharjah. Located in the Gulf of Oman, it is a mountainous and quiet area, yet very rich in terms of history and environmental diversity. Statistically, this city hosts the largest number of United Arab Emirates internal travelers during weekends and holidays.

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The Government of Sharjah acknowledges its importance and planned several educational, tourism, and entertainment projects. One of these projects is Khorfakkan Square, designed and supervised by a well-reputed architectural office ART & DESIGN, known for its prestigious designs in the Emirate. At the city entrance, the square welcomes its visitors with

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impressive water features and large landscaped areas with footpaths slope up and down respecting the area’s topography and equipped with sitting areas overlooking the beautiful scenery. The view from any of the four intersections leading to the roundabout was carefully studied to give the best visual effect.

With the facility of car parking accessible in the four areas, the place became a popular first stop while visiting the city. At the same time, it is a highly sought-after destination for those who like to walk and enjoy the view, not only into the square but also outwards - the planting areas exceeded the limits of the project and expanded to the surrounding mountains with the beautiful local tree Al Sidr.

The water features distributed in the four lagoons (21,446 square meters in total), were artistically designed by ART & DESIGN, and technically designed, manufactured, and installed by GHESA Water & Art. The impressive water effects create a dramatic scene in contrast with the mountains in the backdrop.

At the center of each lagoon, one air shooter actuated by an ultrafast valve (less than 0.1 seconds reaction time), generates a water blast up to 25 meters height. Each air shooter is flanked by 2 geysers with variable heights up to a maximum of 18 meters.

Surrounding the previous elements, a pulverized cloud with 2 meters height and 40 meters length is installed in each lagoon. To achieve the desired density each cloud is formed by a total of 280 special GHESA® nozzles. Two lines of vertical jets are also installed in each water feature, in a total of 264 jets in the four lagoons. The jets present variable heights from 3 to 8 meters.

A major aesthetic asset in these water features is the perimetral overflow, summing an impressive total length of 1,175 meters. These water features incorporate state-of-the-art materials and technology.

All the hydraulic and electrical infrastructure is modular, and all the exposed hydraulic installation is in 304-L stainless-steel to increase its lifetime.

The installation works in a closed circuit and only requires an additional water supply to suppress water loss from evaporation or splashes. A wind speed controller system automatically adjusts the water features operating mode according to the wind’s speed and direction, to minimize splashes. The water treatment system further reduces consumption and guarantees the quality of the water, complying with physical, chemical, and microbiological safety requirements.

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I SUSTAINABILITY

A NEW VISION FOR A GREENER NEW YORK CITY One that underscores the unforeseen positives revealed during the pandemic

As the coronavirus lockdown took force of major metropolises, an unusual thing happened across the world’s best cities: the sounds of taxi horns hushed, the skies cleared and the gloomy haze of pollution lifted. There were reports of city dwellers waking up to the song of birds, rain pouncing on windows, and the rustling of leaves. As New York City begins to peek its head out from its hibernation – unlocking bodega doors, flipping open blinds, and turning around its “Open for Business” signs – there are obvious unintended positives that almost instantaneously took hold of the city that never sleeps. New Yorkers should not forget what a cleaner city looks like, and fight to find a way to adopt new ways of living that contribute to a healthier, safer, more breathable way of life.

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It is that spirit that fueled WATG, the multidisciplinary global design firm, to “roll out” a new vision for New York City’s streets. The concept, titled Green Block, led by John Goldwyn, WATG’s London-based Director of Planning and Landscape, was an internal innovation competition focused on how its team of leading urban planners, landscape architects and designers could use their skills, and lessons learned from the pandemic, to transform urban spaces in a post-pandemic world for the better.

The concept at once allows for a green, carless, alfrescohopping, streetscape vision for New York’s streets.

“Our cities have long been overdue for transformation and, as some people flee for greener landscapes in the wake of COVID-19, Green Block proves that you don’t need to sacrifice one for the other – we actually can, in fact, have both the urban and the green lifestyle,” said Goldwyn.

Focusing on the intersection of Manhattan’s Flatiron Building, an iconic symbol for the city itself, Green Block claws back space from the roads and reclaims it for the people and environment.

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Flatiron in 2020 (left); Flatiron utilizing the Green Block system (right)

Green Block is built using a modular program that transforms city streets into green spaces using a kit-ofparts system that is maintenance-free and created from 100% recyclable materials. Green Block not only adds greenery to existing cafes and shop fronts but it creates untapped revenue opportunities for retail, commerce, and restaurants, and helps clean and filter city air while beautifying streetscapes.

Green Block brings limitless value to cities and destinations – serving as a living, breathing solution to air filtration; reducing car noise, impact and pollution; providing homes for the world’s decreasing bee population; and increasing the amount of space for people to exercise and leisure. The solution provides greater opportunity for cyclists and walkers, replacing paved footpaths with lush plants; and increasing street appeal for restaurants and retail – providing untapped opportunities for outdoor dining and shopping. Restaurant operators can also use the new outdoor space to grow vegetables, herbs or fruits to serve on their menus.

“People who are all too often disconnected from nature should be allowed respite on their streets. The pandemic tapped into an underrepresented desire in urban dwellers to connect with nature. That desire is a human right, and the city needs to address it. Green Block is in the best interest of New Yorkers and New York City’s standing in the world,” finished Goldwyn.

“As planners and designers, we have to help communities become more self-reliant. We have to make sure we’re creating systems that help ourselves and future generations thrive,” continues Goldwyn. “Communities that are resilient with strong, built-in systems of support become even stronger during times of crisis.”

WATG is currently working with confidential landowners in the United Kingdom to deploy Green Block on select streets of London, and the concept has been recognized

by Urban Design Forum, based in New York, as a solution for their “City Life After Coronavirus” call for entries, which focuses on organizations advancing a just and equitable recovery for communities most impacted by the crisis.

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10 DESIGN TO REDEVELOP CHINA’S NANJING DAJIAOCHANG AIRPORT By: 10 Design International architecture practice, 10 Design, unveils winning scheme for China Fortune’s 243,768sqm contemporary mixed use destination as part of the wider redevelopment of an old military airport in Nanjing, China.

The initial scheme envisions three interconnecting buildings linked by a sunken street, incorporating office, retail, and cultural spaces. Adjacent to a Chinese history museum on one side and a shopping mall on the other, this mixed use project will run parallel to the remaining runway, which has been kept in its original form as a historic feature.

Jointly led by two Design Partners, Chin Yong Ng and Lukasz Wawrzenczyk, the redevelopment has been designed with the central theme of echoing the

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past whilst reflecting the future for the city of Nanjing.

This important commercial asset will provide the city with a new cosmopolitan landmark; and in parallel, it responds to the cultural richness of its landscape.

With two underground railway stations embedded into the site, connectivity is one of the key design drivers. The design includes a central corridor positioned directly on top of one of the railway tracks, providing a feature passageway for commuters to navigate through the three buildings.

The competition scheme also includes dual facades, with one facing the historic runway on a pedestrian scale and the other facing the city, with each side responding to its surroundings.

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Central skylights with hallmark trees are placed across the buildings to bring natural light into the deeper levels. Atop of each building, a fully accessible rooftop garden will connect the lower floors with the outdoor space, blurring the distinction between interior and exterior throughout the mixed use destination.

The initial scheme also promotes sustainable initiatives, featuring a water plaza which collects water, a solar energy production area on the roof which generates energy to cool the building during the summer and a green environment so that plants can introduce purified air.

Nanjing was an ancient capital through six dynasties and the project reflects both this history and the future aspirations of the city. The feature runway will be enlivened throughout the year with cultural activities and will provide an attractive public space, of which China Fortune’s redevelopment will be the backdrop.

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I BOOK REVIEW

BOOKS OF INTEREST OUDOLF HUMMELO ISBN-9781580934183 PRISE-215.00Dhs.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: “Piet Oudolf is best known for his now-iconic designs for the High Line in New York City and Millennium Park in Chicago.

Hummelo, his own garden in The Netherlands, is visited by thousands of gardeners each year. It serves as his personal design and plant propagation laboratory, and is where he has honed his aesthetic and created new varieties of plants for over three decades. This title charts how the garden of one of the world’s best-known and most-loved plantsmen has evolved, and gives frank assessments of his experiments that have gone both well and awry. Hummelo, timed to coincide with Oudolf’s 70th birthday and his acceptance of Holland’s most prestigious cultural award, provides his throngs of followers with a chronology of how his naturalistic style and career has developed. Lush photography documents how the garden has changed and inspired him over the years, and text by prolific garden writer Noel Kingsbury will ensure a lively read for all home garden enthusiast”

ROOTED IN SESIGN ISBN-9781607746973 PRISE-107.00Dhs.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: A stylish and full-color guide to creatively integrating indoor plants with home decor from the owners of the popular Sprout Home garden design boutiques.

Indoor plants play a large role in the design and feel of a space. Focusing on indoor gardening--from small containers and vertical installations with air plants to unique tabletop creations--Rooted in Design provides readers with the means to create beautiful and long-lasting indoor landscapes. Tara Heibel and Tassy De Give, owners of the successful Sprout Home gardening stores, offer expert advice for choosing plant varieties and pairing them with unique design ideas. Sharing practical tips honed through hundreds of plant design classes, Heibel and DeGive tell readers everything they need to know to care for their one-of-a-kind green creations

URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL LANDSCAPE ISBN: 9781864706307 Author: Dieter Grau Hardcover: 256 pages Publication Date: (10 Jun. 2015)

Book Descriptions: The book provides the latest trends in urban environmental landscaping, with informative chapters on basic principles, dimensions, reference standards and considerations across a range of themes, such as public parks, public plazas, waterfront public open spaces, and urban street environments It Showcases a broad range of informative high-quality projects spanning the United States, Mexico, Australia, China, and Europe and provides comprehensive reference material for architects, urban planners, preservationists ,and landscape designers, and all who are directly involved in town planning in the urban environment. For each part, we selected the most striking cases with the newest design standards to showcase spectacular landscape design 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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The First Specialised Landscape Magazine in the Middle East

35

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

Agriculture Tools & Equipment

Supplying the Needs of the Agriculture Division in Terms of Tools and Equipment.

Hashemite University (Jordan)

Jordan

Seedlings & Shrubs

Supply of Seedlings and Shrubs for the Municipality of Al Wajh Governorate.

Tabuk Municipality (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

Natural Grass

Supply of Natural Grass C2000 to the Municipality of Al-Wajh Governorate.

Tabuk Municipality (Saudi Arabia)

Fruitful Palm Trees

Supplying Fruitful Palm Trees with Agriculture.

Annual Maintenance Works

Tender Cost (USD)

Post Date

Closing Date

10/7/2020

10/20/2020

400

10/5/2020

10/12/2020

Saudi Arabia

400

10/5/2020

10/13/2020

Tabuk Municipality (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

213

10/5/2020

10/15/2020

Annual Maintenance of Landscaping, Irrigation and Associated Works.

Ministry of Regional Municipalities, Environment & Water Resources (Oman)

Oman

65

10/5/2020

10/21/2020

Artificial Grass & Accessories

Supply of Artificial Grass and Accessories.

Tabuk Municipality (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

400

10/5/2020

10/14/2020

Landscaping Maintenance

Provision of Landscaping Maintenance Services for Three Years.

Bahrain International Circuit

Bahrain

132

10/5/2020

10/28/2020

Planting Materials

Supply of Planting Materials

Hafr Al Batin Health Affairs (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

53

10/5/2020

10/14/2020

Irrigation Networks

Supply and Installation of Irrigation Networks and Their Accessories in Parks and Main Axes.

Holy Makkah Municipality (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

667

10/5/2020

10/25/2020

Artificial Grass

Add Artificial Grass Playground Umbrellas to Al Aqer Primary and Middle School for Boys.

Ministry of Education (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

267

10/3/2020

10/11/2020

Irrigation Canal Rehabilitation Works

Rehabilitation of Open Irrigation Canal.

Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) (Lebanon)

Lebanon

9/30/2020

10/13/2020

Irrigation Canal Rehabilitation Works

Rehabilitation of Open Irrigation Canal.

Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) (Lebanon)

Lebanon

9/30/2020

10/13/2020

Irrigation Canal Construction

Construction of Open Irrigation Canal.

Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) (Lebanon)

Lebanon

9/30/2020

10/13/2020

Irrigation Canals & Networks

Construction of Irrigation Canals and Networks Using Labour-Intensive Approach.

United Nations Development Programme UNDP (Lebanon)

Lebanon

9/25/2020

10/13/2020

Construction Works

Construction of Goat Pens.

Ministry of Agricultural, Fisheries & Water Resources (Oman)

Oman

9/24/2020

11/1/2020

Gardens Maintenance Works

Maintenance of Gardens, Green Spaces, Trees, Flowers and Irrigation Networks.

Eastern Region Municipality (Saudi Arabia)

Saudi Arabia

9/24/2020

10/27/2020

Maintenance Services

Provide Maintenance Services for Agricultural Lands.

Ministry of Health & Prevention (Dubai)

Dubai

9/23/2020

10/13/2020

Maintenance Works

Maintenance of Afforestation of Saabah Al Ahmad City.

Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs & Fish Resources - PAAFR (Kuwait)

Kuwait

9/23/2020

12/22/2020

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The First Specialised Landscape Magazine in the Middle East

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