Typical sands in the Middle East have very small particles, low moisture retention, poor infiltration, high pH and high levels of salt. The most important missing component is air porosity..........

In this summer edition, we feature a number of sustainable projects; from a local family home in the UAE to an upcoming Saudi net zero city. A landscape architecture start-up called studioCREATE is also trending with their refreshing approach to work; the threesome believe that remote working is the way forward for designers and architects. In their own words, they intend to “inject some fresh energy into the Middle East design scene and shake things up a little.” See page 16

On page 12 read all about a multi-sensory art experience that is shaped by the environment. Set to be completed in 2024, it is the latest offering to Saadiyat Cultural District in Abu Dhabi. 

See page 6 to learn about Saudi’s latest futuristic project called ALNAMA Smart City, which is set to become a zero-carbon destination. Derived from the Arabic word “thrive”, Riyadh’s smart city is planned to provide 11,000 residential units for a population of 44,000 people. The 1,000-hectare development will create 10,000 jobs in various sectors including green-tech industries to create a green circular economy for the city.


In this issue we look at a range of projects spanning from the UAE and Bahrain to Vietnam and China. We are always looking to champion projects that leave their mark on the environment in positive ways, one such example in this issue is the new Four Seasons Hotel in Bahrain Bay. As the showpiece hotel of the new Bahrain Bay development it’s wonderful to see the scope of greenery and native planting that is incorporated into its design. 
NEOM, billed as Saudi Arabia’s future city in the kingdom’s northwest with its own set of rules and regulations, has launched its own greening initiative with the promise of rehabilitating at least 1.5 million hectares of land. NEOM’s initiative will see the return of 100 million native trees, shrubs and grasses by 2030 to aid the restoration of degraded land and repair of wildlife habitats. 
Projects in The Sustainable City in Dubai and in Beijing are also featured for their contribution to biodiversity in urban communities.  

Enjoy the issue!


We talk a lot as a professional community here in the Middle East about ‘Urban landscaping,’ which effectively means creating ‘green belts’ in densely populated urban areas. Indeed, our May issue highlights a handful of such projects located in China. 
Back in the UAE, Baharash Bagherian, landscape architect and founder of Dubai based URB details how Green Infrastructure is helping cities become resilient and future-proof. Read about the positive shift in the planning of infrastructure to accommodate a rising population and the ever-changing needs of urban dwellers. 
It was wonderful to hear from the Indian spiritual leader Sadhguru this month demonstrating how to fertilise deserts on his visit to the UAE, as part of his 100-day motorbike journey from Britain to India to highlight the Save the Soil movement. The 65-year-old climate change activist praised the UAE’s leadership efforts in soil preservation, saying they could become an “ecological hub”.
“While the rest of the world is busy turning fertile land to desert, it’s wonderful to see here [in the UAE] how deserts are being converted to fertile land,” he said. His mission will take him to 26 countries where he will meet with world leaders and policy makers to get soil regeneration on their national agenda’s. 
We wish him every success in his campaign, which is a collaboration with Conscious Planet to safeguard soil for future generations and will no doubt feature heavily when the Emirates host next year’s COP28 climate summit.

Landscaping the Future’ is a bold statement and I’m sure it’s not the first time it’s been used as a tagline for a project somewhere in the world but in the case of this month’s cover story, there couldn’t be a more fitting description. Dubai based landscape architects, Cracknell has utilised cutting edge technology and their technical prowess to push the boundaries of conventional landscape design in their landscaping of the newly opened Museum of the Future in Dubai. On page 8 read how they navigated the more than 60 degree slopes enveloping the museum to create innovative design solutions to suspend a soil ‘carpet’ and how they exceeded industry standards for sustainability requirements with their strategic planting and water reduction efforts. They’ve managed to align their vision of Landscaping with the sheer audacity of the building’s architecture.
From one industry trailblazer to another, desert INK's landscape design of a residential property in Dubai is featured on page 14. The company say it marks a radical departure from regional trends, created to reflect its occupant’s lifestyle; “the landscape incorporates dining, play, entertaining and cozy family spaces, while subtly addressing the need to screen the formal sections of the house and garden to ensure privacy from visiting guests.” 
We also feature a laid-back resort two hours’ drive east from Beijing, known as the ‘Golden Coast’. Aranya Resort is popular with young families and millennials who flock to the resort to enjoy its infinity swimming pools and interactive water features, which were designed with smart water-saving technology.


Our cover story this month features the Jordanian city of Irbid, which has been hit hard with changing weather patterns in recent years resulting in overheating and high pollution levels. Written by students studying Landscape, urban design and planning at Jordan’s University of Science and Technology, the article focuses on one of the city’s “dying” neighbourhoods just north of Al-Hashimi Street. Read the student’s assessment of the area and how it can be regenerated to its former glory; becoming a place for people to congregate and enjoy leisurely strolls and family meals.
We also meet BAU Brearley Architects and Urbanists to hear about their creative thought process behind their latest Chinese project, The Yuandang Pedestrian Bridge, a 586m bridge that is a hybrid structure incorporating landscape, infrastructure, and architecture.
Staying with the theme of urban regeneration of neglected neighbourhoods. Another group of students from Abu Dhabi University, present their work entitled, ‘Reviving Abu Dhabi’s Al Nahyan District’. The urban redesign project is set to increase the connectivity of the somewhat isolated area, and improve circulation while creating a space for people from the neighborhood and outside of it to gather and socialize. 
As we bid farewell at the end of the month to one of Dubai’s greatest success stories, Expo 2020, we have a special tribute feature from the CEO of Tanseeq Group of companies, Mr Naser Ahmed, about his company’s key contributions to landscaping of the world fair.

Last week, The National newspaper revealed that, to date, Dubai was the most-booked holiday destination from the UK in 2022. With the pandemic, hopefully in the rear-view mirror, the UAE’s hotel operators are looking forward, like every other industry to getting back to normal. Our February issue, focuses on two of the biggest hotel groups in the UAE; the Double Tree Hilton who have a new waterfront property opening in Sharjah and Jumeirah Hotels on the famed Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai. We speak to the head of the Landscape design in charge of the team responsible for beautifying and maintaining these iconic properties on a daily basis and find out how they create those Instagramable moments for their guests with their innovative landscape designs. See our cover story on Page 14 to read more. 
Continuing with the behind the scenes theme, we hear about the inner workings of the Landscape design at Damac Hills, a luxury residential community located in Dubailand, just off Hessa street. Page 8
Over in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we feature what has been described as a “pioneering cognitive city,” Oxagon will be located in the north-west of KSA, strategically near the Suez Canal on the Red Sea coast.  Read all about this new industrial and logistics hub on page 24
We also share architect DB studios post make-over of a minimalist home, known as ‘JD House’, in the Islamabad suburbs on page 30

Enjoy the issue!


Welcome to the first issue of the year! Here’s to a prosperous year ahead for us all, filled with good health!
Our January issue kick starts the year with a nostalgic project in Abu Dhabi— the Qasr al Hosn Fort. It’s the capital’s oldest and most cherished building, which is why it’s being revitalised so it can retain its title as Abu Dhabi’s cultural heart.
In addition to preserving the existing site, the project will see a new 140.000 sqm cultural park-scape, signifying “a new type of locally rooted urban landscape”. For more details read our cover story on page 14.
Meanwhile, we can’t totally blank out the year that’s just gone…the dreaded C word is still prevalent, and lots of people around the world and indeed within our own industry, are struggling but we prefer to focus on the positive! And that’s exactly what Kamel O. Mahadin, founder of the Jordanian based MK Associates, an architecture and landscape architecture firm. Read page 22 for a peek at his new family retreat complete with an olive grove. 
We also have projects in Russia and Egypt, as well as an interview with Spanish Landscape architect, Carlos Garcia Puente.


We would like to take this opportunity to thank our loyal readers and advertisers for supporting us throughout this challenging year. It hasn’t been the easiest of years as we still recover from the pandemic but we’ve adapted and persevered and we’re now brimming with hope and positivity for 2022! 

We have some exciting new plans for the year ahead that will improve and strengthen the publication and hopefully bring the professional Landscape and urban design community in the Middle East more connected than ever. We started this magazine 14 years ago for industry professionals to showcase their work and share knowledge and expertise with their peers. We also strived to provide inspiration to younger generations who are at the beginning of their Landscape design careers and create a platform for them to access mentors while they study. This continues to be our aim today, and we ask our contributors and readers to continue to be generous with your time and expertise as we can continue to learn and grow from each other. 

Our December issue includes award winning projects from China, a discussion on the importance of culture as a pillar of design with Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Grove project in the spotlight. We also review the Belgian Green Arch pavillion from Dubai’s Expo 2020, plus an interview with architect come entrepreneur Baharash Bagherian. Read on for much more.

Best wishes for the year ahead!


In this issue we meet one of the biggest champions of the Landscape Industry in the Middle East, Dr Jala Makhzoumi who is this year’s recipient of the industry’s highest award, the Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award given by the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA). Read page 18 for our exclusive interview.

We also speak to the Landscape architects behind the landscaping of the Sustainability pavilion at Dubai’s EXPO 2020. Desert Ink are hoping that their project will be a blueprint, as well as an inspiration to fellow architects and clients when carrying out projects in the future. 

Also featured is Saudi Arabia’s pavilion which has become part of the Guinness World Records for its huge scale features including an interactive water feature designed by Ghesa.


In our October issue, regular contributor John A. Davies pays tribute to Landscape veteran and now author of Landscape Plants of Arabia, Julian Lee. The book has been some twenty years in the making for the Dubai based Landscape designer. It’s been described as “a remarkable work of reference that will prove invaluable for horticulturalists and amateur gardeners across the Middle East and beyond.” I look forward to ploughing through it and indeed would ask all of our readers to support this local author and talent for his commendable work.
Meanwhile, we showcase projects from OMRAN architects in New Cairo, Egypt.  As well as a new build landscape project in Dubai Hills that oozes luxury by Dubai based Gin Wingfield designs.  And of course, we have articles from the greatest show in the world, Expo 2020 Dubai, with a focus on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s pavilion design, as well as the green lung of the Expo site, Expo Park designed by Cracknell and will form an important part of the show’s legacy long after the Expo is finished.

In our October issue, regular contributor John A. Davies pays tribute to Landscape veteran and now author of Landscape Plants of Arabia, Julian Lee. The book has been some twenty years in the making for the Dubai based Landscape designer. It’s been described as “a remarkable work of reference that will prove invaluable for horticulturalists and amateur gardeners across the Middle East and beyond.” 
I look forward to ploughing through it and indeed would ask all of our readers to support this local author and talent for his commendable work.
Meanwhile, we showcase projects from OMRAN architects in New Cairo, Egypt.  As well as a new build landscape project in Dubai Hills that oozes luxury by Dubai based Gin Wingfield designs.  And of course, we have articles from the greatest show in the world, Expo 2020 Dubai, with a focus on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s pavilion design, as well as the green lung of the Expo site, Expo Park designed by Cracknell and will form an important part of the show’s legacy long after the Expo is finished. 


Our September issue focuses on the crucial role that parks play in our everyday lives. Whether it be in the Middle East, China or Europe these open green spaces provide a mental break for the member, there so much more than places to exercise. Parks have become the lifeblood of modern urban societies. 
Cairo is one of the most culturally rich metropolis’ in the world, albeit with a complicated past. Yet, despite having its shine tarnished on more than one occasion, Cairo residents remain steadfast in their devotion to the city. It’s this genuine love for their hometown that has inspired neighbourhood activists, non-profits and crowdfunding partners to collaborate to help restore and breathe new life into neighbour parks.
Elsewhere in Cairo, the government is picking up the tab for the revitalisation of Al Fustat Park adjacent to the country’s first ever mosque, the historic Amr bin Al Aas mosque. This project will play a vital role in Cairo’s tourism sector, educating visitors both regionally and locally about the park’s colourful past and the role it played in shaping Egypt throughout the Centuries. 
A similar government backed ‘greening’ public space project is underway in Riyadh as part of the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision to encourage residents to adopt a healthier lifestyle. While in China’s Hangzhou, the rising population has pushed urban boundaries outward which has resulted in new public park developments. Just East of Hangzhou's famous West Lake, Pengbu Central Commons realizes a new vision for urban life, one that is rooted in history and environment. 

Since it’s hot out and there’s no appetite for outdoor projects, our August issue takes a deep dive into Biophilic design. (see page 38) First coined by American Biologist Edward O Wilson in the 1980’s, as he witnessed how increasing rates of urbanisation was creating a disconnect with the natural world. Meaning love of nature, “Biophilia focuses on human’s innate attraction to nature and natural processes.”
Post pandemic, Biophilia is more important than ever to our health and well-being as we navigate our lives in increasingly urban settings. Landscape architects and urban planners have used biophilic design for many years to bring the outdoors inside, but it’s about so much more than curating a section of greenery in your apartment or office space. One of our featured projects that has successfully implemented the principles of Biophilic design is the Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai at Tilal Al Ghaf in Dubai. (see page 10) When the school opens in September, pupils and staff will be surrounded by living moss and green walls. Studies show that education spaces massively benefit from this improved connection to nature “with increased rates of learning by 20-25%, improved test results, concentration levels and attendance and reduced impacts of ADHD.” 
We also feature rejuvenation projects with a focus on using reclaimed land and infrastructure in the suburbs of Shanghai, Moscow, as well as an urban beach project in the emirate of Sharjah. 

Enjoy the issue! 


Our industry, like many others was dealt a huge blow as the global pandemic took hold of our cities and lives. However as Desert INK have outlined on page 10 in this month’ issue, things are on the up! “We’ve started to witness a paradigm shift…A trend towards increased appreciation of landscape and outdoor environments… catalyzed by the confinement experienced during lock down.”
Hopefully the days of Landscape being an after-thought are behind us, developers are now starting to place landscaping at the top of their budgets and projects that were placed on hold have gotten the green light again! 
Also in this issue, we showcase innovative park designs in China and the West of England. 
While in the region, we showcase a special art piece for the area of the Al Ouroba Square, placed in King Khalid Road, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The water and light sculpture located in the center of a water reservoir completes a traditional landscape design of an interchange loop. 


We are fortunate to have an abundance of well-designed public parks in the UAE. The importance of community parks cannot be underestimated, they encourage not just children but people of all ages to get outside and be active. Beyond the health and social benefits, parks and playgrounds also impact economic development in surroundings areas with cafes and shops setting up business to avail of the passing foot traffic. In short, parks are big business!
Back in the region, we also feature a new public park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Like most parks, Al Dar AlBaida Public Park is intended to bring communities together, a place to hold family gatherings, concerts and special events. It’s central location beside the train station in Riyadh makes it an easily accessible and convenient meeting place. Nut most importantly, the park design as you can learn more about on page 16 delivers that delicate balance of providing an entertainment spot within a natural environment filled with native species. 

The UAE’s a trendsetter in the region for many industry’s but most noticeable has been its bold vision for the transformation of its architecture; transitioning buildings of the past into modern works of art and sustainable landscapes of the future! 
UAE cities are in a unique position, they’re not bound by centuries old buildings or streetscapes meaning they can create purposeful and functional buildings and urban spaces that meet and anticipate the needs of its citizens and residents. Abu Dhabi has paved the way in this respect by placing nature at the heart of its city plans, opening its first urban forest, Al Fay Park, earlier this year. 

According to research group the Tree Urbanistas, “it is only through re-establishing contact with the natural world, particularly trees, that cities will be able to function, be viable and able to support their populations,” in the future.

Writing about Urban Forests in The Conversation, Alan Simson, professor of Landscape Architecture and Urban Forestry at Leeds Beckett University in the UK, explains: “the urban forest needs to be designed as a first principle, part of the critical infrastructure of the whole city, not just as a cosmetic afterthought.” And Al Fay Park architects SLA would agree. In our cover story interview, we speak to SLA design principal, partner and co-owner, Rasmus Astrup about the Middle East’s first urban forest and why he thinks Al Fay Park and others like it will be the solution to the biodiversity crisis. 

With a focus on local sustainable projects in this issue, we feature the unintentional street gardens of the UAE that are sustaining communities and ecosystems alike, as well as more contemporary master planned garden projects.

Enjoy the issue!


We’re thrilled to have our print edition back in circulation after a year’s hiatus due to Covid-19 restrictions on publishing. While our digital edition has flourished, ensuring that our readers didn’t miss an opportunity to showcase their work or voice their opinions, there is nothing quite like holding a magazine in your hands and seeing your project in all of its glory spread over a few pages! The print is dead argument still rages on, but for us it has never been about print versus digital, the fact is that print plus digital is the way to go! Big brands still prefer to see their logo in a tangible way, instead of having it pop up on a screen only to disappear a few seconds later. There has never been a better time to support local, independent businesses and media companies because like so many of you told us over the past year, you miss us when we’re gone!

Dubai recently announced plans to be 60% nature reserves as part of their 2040 urban plan, our April issue looks at smaller scale residential projects in the UAE and Singapore that are turning the tide on ‘traditional’ urban design in favour of developing health and wellness communities for residents with lush greenery and wide open spaces.
Learn about Kuwait’s Plan 2035, the country is focusing on the design and construction of educational facilities throughout the country. 
While in the US, a new Manufacturing, Technology and Engineering Center (MTEC) at Chicago’s Daley College is an example of how urban and landscape design can inspire whole communities. 


In this month’s issue we have projects from around the world, starting out in Vietnam with a reimagined traditional family home centred around the veranda and surrounding landscape. If only the walls could talk! (pg 20) Then it’s across to Northern Italy, where we feature Teca house, an all glass facade tucked in the Biella Hills and embedded into its natural surroundings. (page 14)
The new Convention and Exhibition Center in Buenos Aires is a city landmark that will last for generations to come, thanks to its innovative design features and sustainable properties including, solar panels, the use of natural light to save energy, and the collection of rainwater for watering plants. See it on pg 24.
A timely resilient and flexible social space at the University of Michigan in the US is on display on page 10 — we can all learn from this one. 


Welcome to the February issue of Landscape ME.  While this year hasn’t brought the immediate relief that we all hoped for as of yet, we are still full of optimism here at Landscape HQ that budgets will soon be approved and paused projects will once again get the green light. In the meantime, we will continue to showcase the best of the Landscape industry’s local talent and most recently completed projects.
In this issue, Olympic Swimming pools provide a detailed account of their latest projects, including Dubai’s newest sports hub located in Mirdif, aptly named Sports Society, and Sharjah’s largest ever mixed-use mega development, Aljada.
Dubai based company, Landmasters Landscaping and Construction L.L.C also set out their most recent work, including the area surrounding Galleria Mall in Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi.
Will Bennett, founder of WILDEN Design, tells us why saving the planet starts with your client’s garden. He reiterates why it is incumbent upon us all in the industry to shift people’s perceptions of Landscape design in order to create cultural change and promote sustainability with a back to basics approach of nature.
We also feature projects in Mexico and Russia that are pushing the boundaries of design and setting new standards for urban living.

Welcome to the first issue of the year! We have kick started 2020 by featuring some of the world’s most exciting new urban landscape projects and of course, not forgetting, some very special local projects too!
On page 30 read about Hong Kong’s new Rooftop Biodiversity Museum and Sustainability Learning Center. It encourages locals to get involved in growing and planting their own food, as well as providing a habitat for the cities’ famous butterflies. 
We turn to Istanbul where the city’s children are playing in the clouds thanks to a new rooftop park at Marmara Forum, a shopping centre in the Bakirköy district. Children of all ages are catered for and can experience the sensation of touching the clouds with the 8-metre-tall structures, which change colour throughout the day to mimic the subtle changes in natural light. 
We question whether food trucks are part of our modernised urban landscape as they continue to pop up in public spaces, after a rise in popularity during the Covid 19 pandemic, as people opted more and more to dine in outdoor spaces and traditional restaurants shut their doors. 
We also feature urban residential projects in Dubai and Qatar by local architects who are pushing the boundaries of landscape design for city dwellers.


Phew! It’s the last issue of the year and 2020 is nearly over. What should have been a jubilant year for the UAE with Expo 2020, turned somewhat sour after the outbreak of Coronavirus in Feb/March this year and like millions around the world, we went into lockdown, meaning businesses had to close or operate in a limited capacity! I don’t think many of us will be nostalgic looking back on this year but as we’ve mentioned in previous issues, we all deserve a pat on the back for overcoming the various challenges that the year threw up to us and for reinventing ourselves and the way we do business!
For us at Landscape ME, that meant producing an online issue rather than our usual print edition. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our readers, supporters and advertisers who have stuck with us throughout the year, and we very much look forward to the year ahead, where hopefully we can relaunch the magazine print edition and continue to be the voice of the Landscape industry in the GCC.
Our December issue brings the year to a close for us with some of the most interesting landscape architecture projects from around the world, including, House 00 in Ras Al-Khaimah, the obscurely named property is designed for the times that we live in, providing a retreat to isolate in! Over in Argentina, Memo House is another project that offers a private retreat surrounded by nature without physically being too distant from the city. 
That’s just a snapshot so read on for much more and please get in touch with us via email if you would like to contribute to the magazine’s editorial in 2021.

Stay safe this festive season and Happy New Year from the Landscape ME team!


Innovation is a popular buzzword these days. Regardless of the industry, it’s safe to say that everyone is aspiring to be ahead of their competitors! If there’s one positive that’s transpired from our experience of the Coronavirus, it’s that companies and creative industries have become even more innovative. The Landscape industry is no different, a great example is the international landscape architecture studio LAND’s new project to combine innovation with nature. Using IKON technology, LAND have launched, Isonzo XR, to bring to life the province of Gorizia in Italy and in particular, Gorizia’s Viatori garden with a multimedia narrated launch experience this month. Read more about the project on page 32
Another spark of innovation comes from Asia’s largest urban rooftop farm based at a Bangkok university. Integrating landscape architecture with the ingenuity of traditional rice terraces, TURF incorporates sustainable food production, renewable energy, organic waste, water management and public space. Read more about it on pg 14
Back in the region, we feature projects by X Architects and Verdaus, Rub’ Al Khali Desert Resort deep in the empty quarter desert. See page 10
We also feature public parks in Bahrain and Sydney’s business district gets an expansive new waterfront cove and boardwalk that will significantly add to the city’s public realm. For this and much more read on…


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). 
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. 

As many children go back to school around the world against the backdrop of a global pandemic, and parents embrace the relative peace and tranquillity that comes with that, landscape professionals are seeing a rise in demand for their services, particularly among property owners who want to create their own outdoor sanctuary now that we are entering into the cooler months. 
UAE based architect/designer Leiyah Magay shares his advice on why social distancing and good hygiene practices can easily be achieved in the Landscape industry without affecting productivity levels. 
Don’t miss our regular contributor John. A. Davies who writes about the beautification process that is underway on the streets of Bahrain and provides a detailed look at the various plants and fauna that will be included in the project. 
Staying with urban regeneration, we feature a project by the renowned Brazilian urban planner Jaime Lerner who has injected new life into a riverfront project in Porto Alegre, the largest metropolis in Southern Brazil for the transformation.
Another waterfront project closer to home and set to transform Abu Dhabi into the world’s most livable city is the Al Qana waterfront destination, find out more about one of the first post covid proposed projects on page 20. 

In this month’s issue of Landscape ME, we explore a series of local projects in Dubai, UAE that aim to connect with the local desert landscape. On page 4, we discover how CallisonRTKL, a global consultancy specialised in architecture, design and technology, collaborated with Meraas for the smart, human-centric and ambitious concept Central Park. It is a destination reminiscent of New York’s famous Central Park, and is located in City Walk, an urban living hub in downtown Dubai. The project will establish itself as one of Dubai’s most unique living communities. The architecture follows a contemporary and sleek design that acts as a backdrop to the vibrant city, using light colours and materials that emphasise a connection with the natural environment. 
Meanwhile on page 20, we see how Dubai Municipality have developed The Dunes Platform as part of its portfolio of eco-tourism projects. Located at Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve – the largest reserve in Dubai known for its unmarred and undisturbed wildlands that have been left untouched by human civilization - the Dunes platform blends into its desert environment, the structure is inspired by the surrounding sand dunes and the shrub formations that form over the sand. 


The Summer issue of Landscape ME includes highlights from urban planning and landscape projects in Russia, Germany, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. We start with Rotterdam-based firm DROM in collaboration with Strelka KB who undertook a recent renovation project of the main Azatlyk Square in the Russian city of Naberezhnye Chelny (Republic of Tatarstan, Russia), transforming the square into a dynamic and vibrant multi-use public space. 
Then we skip over to the German city of Wedemark to get an inside look at the futuristic design of Kirsch Pharma HealthCare’s new factory and headquarters designed by South African‐based architectural firm SAOTA, who constructed a building that stood as a sculptural object in the landscape, making a strong architectural statement that imparted a sense of presence and identity in its own right, according to the designers. 
An equally forward-thinking project is the New Alamein City project on Egypt’s North Coast. It’s been designed as a fourth-generation city with a new public waterfront at its core  a rarity in Egypt. Staying in the region, we visit a new project in Riyadh, called LANDFORM House, its namesake can be attributed to its landscape strategy, which is to employ a formal vocabulary culled from the study of the region’s past indigenous civilization, the Nabateans. The residence recreates a complete ecosystem in order to protect, improve and help the proliferation of local wildlife by enhancing biodiversity in a dense desert city. 

Welcome to our special online edition of the June issue. We’re all dealing with the situation — “our new normal,” differently, some have embraced working from home and seeing a lot more of their family while others are keen to get back on the road travelling for business. In our diaries of a master planner during lockdown series, we get a unique perspective of what it’s like to maintain a career and more importantly plan for business post Covid. It will require all of us to think outside of the box and for Landscape professionals and architects, it’s going to require a fundamental shift in strategy and thinking when considering how we design open spaces and how urbanization and transport systems move forward.
One of the most popular building trends of the past decade has been vertical buildings, with communal open spaces moving towards the sky as opposed to ground level where space is scarce. Will this trend continue? Or will consumers demand a new way of living post Covid? For now, we look at one of Asia’s most successful vertical living projects called Narra residences in Ho Chi Minh City.
As the GCC begins to slowly open up again, we start to think about prospective recreational and leisure projects. See the proposal for a new waterpark in Salalah Oman. 


Over the past few months, our gratitude and the media’s attention and rightly so, has been on focused on the frontline medical workers who are saving lives while putting their own lives at risk during this global pandemic. However, a somewhat unforgotten group or unsung heroes if you like, has been our children. These little human’s have adapted to a whole new way of life without fully understanding why, their once daily ritual of playing in the park, seeing friends and going to school has been taken away from them without any warning. Our veteran Landscape contributor Geoff Sanderson pens a reflective piece in this issue touching on the reasons why we, as landscape architects and urban planners, got into the business in the first place and when you consider it through the eyes of a child, it’s pretty simple! 
Laila Alawneh of pandemic article, gives a European perspective on designing during a pandemic and how smart urban planning and ‘smart cities’ such as Abu Dhabi in the UAE can become role models for other cities around the world to take a quality of life first approach to city planning and ensure they are better equipped to deal with future global pandemics.
We also feature some of the world’s most interesting design projects including Shenzhen Terraces in China and in Baotou City, the Baotou Vanke Central Park, which was transformed from a former wasteland into a lush landscape with a freshwater lake, picturesque hills, meadows and gardens. 
A public square that has reinvented parts of the Kremlin wall in Kolomna, a small Russian town three hours away from Moscow is featured on page 26. For much more, scroll through our online edition free of charge!

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

Working in an industry traditionally dominated by men can be intimidating, especially if you’re ambitious and want to move up the ranks.  In honour of International Women’s day this year on March 8th,  we’ve launched a new regular feature to highlight some of the most talented women who are thriving in their careers as landscape architects, planners and designers. Not only are these women at the top of their game but they are paving the way for future generations of young women to enter the industry. We start by profiling Annie Baillie, Associate Director of Landscape Architecture at Place Dynamix in Dubai. 
At a time when there is a fundamental shift in consumer values towards experiences rather than things to bring happiness, we feature two of the UAE’s newly opened desert retreats; Al Faya Lodge in the emirate of Sharjah and Jebel Hafit desert park in Al Ain, both offer visitors the opportunity to switch off and immerse themselves in an authentic desert experience surrounded by dramatic mountainous views. Our cover story is brought to you by DesertINK, the landscape architecture firm who designed the external interface of Al Faya lodge which sits under the spectacular Hajar mountains in Sharjah. 
And British Landscape architect, Charles Lamb, provides a first-hand account of his research in the Philippine Cordilleras to research 2000-year-old water management techniques used by the indigenous tribes. 

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Landscape Magazine is the first specialized monthly publication targeting the landscaping industry in the Middle East.It is distributed to 5,500 professionals in the UAE, KSA, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and others.The list includes government agencies, developers, contractors, traders, consultants, landscape architects, and others in this field.

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Landscape Middle East - June 2016

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