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.

Welcome to the March issue of Landscape Middle East magazine!

On our cover this month, we feature a residential landscaping design project in Dubai Hills. This article showcases a home that maximizes the potential of a small garden, demonstrating how thoughtful design can transform even the most compact spaces into beautiful outdoor retreats.

In addition to our cover story, we also take a closer look at The Nokha Village Community Centre in Rajasthan, India, an example of architecture seamlessly blending with its desert surroundings while also serving the needs of the local community. The article explores the design principles behind this sustainable building and its impact on the surrounding environment.

Our next feature takes us to Japan, where we explore MIYASHITA PARK in Shibuya. This project raises important questions about the ideal state of "public space" in today's world, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of creating a dynamic and inclusive urban environment through a public-private partnership.

Finally, we are thrilled to introduce the newest green park in KSA - Al Urubah. As the first digitally driven park within the Green Riyhad program, this innovative green-blue infrastructure represents a ground breaking step forward in urban planning under extreme conditions. Designed to foster well-being and climate resilience in Saudi’s capital, Al Urubah is another sterling example of cutting-edge sustainable design in the region.

We hope you enjoy this month's issue and find inspiration in the projects featured within its pages.

Our cover story this month reveals how outdoor landscapes have been adapted for high-rise living. Whether it’s a skyscraper or a two storey apartment building, people need a connection with nature beyond the standard vertical garden. One of last year’s top trends in Landscape architecture was the use of smart technologies to elevate the design of urban spaces, which is at a premium, to make it more convenient, comfortable and accessible for residents. Sky Hills Residence in Dubai Science Park has done just that — currently under construction, off-plan development stands out for its commitment to fostering an outdoor lifestyle rarely seen in high-rise residences. Due for completion in 2026, NGS architects has ingeniously crafted a beach resort theme, that may be the first of its kind for high-rise buildings. The outdoor recreational area also features a 375m running track that loops around both towers and an elevated lazy river on the east side of Tower 2.
Another impressive project worth mentioning for its commitment to sustainable design is the newly opened Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort. With a near perfect natural setting amidst the lush mangroves and serene lagoons of RAK’s biodiverse landscape, I don’t think that LMS were too stretched when drawing up the landscaping plans. They capitalised on panoramic views of glittering waterways and thick-rooted mangrove ecosystems, home to beautiful pink flamingos.
The resort was designed to minimize its environmental footprint, with furniture and fittings within the resort crafted from sustainable wood and recycled fabrics and plastics utilized wherever possible. It also has its own greywater waste recycling, harnesses thermodynamic solar panels for water heating, and operates its own water bottling plant to provide local drinking water. 
We also have an article from UAE based Arborist, Mark Laurence, setting out why it’s so important to have healthy soil for tree planting.

As we step into a promising new year, we’re delighted to share some key expert insights into the anticipated trends for the region’s landscaping industry in 2024.
We’ve called upon our team of seasoned professionals and industry leaders to analyse the evolving landscaping and urban design industry and offer their valuable perspectives on what lies ahead. From sustainable practices becoming the norm to more cutting-edge technologies, we aim to equip you with the knowledge needed to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities that the coming year presents.

One of the highlights of this issue is an article on the concept of pixelation in home design. We delve into how this innovative approach is reshaping the aesthetics of residential landscapes, creating visually stunning and dynamic spaces that blur the lines between nature and technology. Discover the intersection of precision and creativity as we showcase a residential project in Kuwait that embraces pixelation as a guiding principle in redefining the modern home environment.

In addition to this, we feature a captivating article on the Kempegowda Airport in India, where landscaping takes center stage in the overall design of the new terminal two. This visionary project goes beyond the conventional expectations of airport architecture, demonstrating how thoughtful landscaping can transform a utilitarian space into a harmonious blend of functionality and natural beauty. Join us on a journey through the innovative features that make Kempegowda Airport a testament to the limitless possibilities of integrating landscaping into urban design.

In the spirit of collaboration, we encourage you to share your thoughts, projects, and success stories with us throughout the year. Let's continue to build a community that fosters growth, creativity and excellence in the regional landscaping industry.


I couldn’t think of a more fitting way for us to end the year than the recent Landscape Middle East Sustainability Awards 2023 that we held on the 15th of November in the opulent Atlantis the Royal, the Palm Dubai.  After a year of planning, we brought together over 500 industry professionals to recognise and honour outstanding achievements in landscape architecture and sustainability across the Middle East region.
With more than 30 awards presented, spanning various categories, including Lifetime Achievement, Prominent Professionals, Rising Stars, Distinguished Organizations, and Project Awards in Urban Landscape, Parks and Recreation, Tourism and Retail, as well as Landscape Art and Landscape Landmarks. The evening was summed up best by Ziad Amine, the Managing Partner of Landscape Middle East, when he expressed his gratitude to the event’s partners, the International Federation of Landscape Architects and the Saudi Society of Landscape Architects, who he said “share our dedication to advancing the landscape industry internationally and within the Middle East.” Before reminding the audience that “our anticipation for future collaborations knows no bounds."
One of the highlights of the evening was the announcement of a groundbreaking partnership between Landscape Middle East Magazine and Michael Haddad, the regional goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Arab States. This partnership heralds the launch of the "Landscape For All" initiative, which aims to raise awareness about the paramount importance of inclusive landscape design, catering to the diverse needs of individuals, including those with disabilities and their families.


In this issue, Dubai-based NGS architects share their experience of remodeling a beautiful family home in Golf Grove villa, located in the exclusive Dubai Hills Estate enclave. 
Arborist, Mark Laurence explains how landscapers can generate healthy soils and promote regrowth by adopting the practice of Coppicing — a form of landscape management that simply put, utilises woody trees (wood chips) and shrubs to form a mulch that covers the soil.
We review a residential project in one of the busiest and most densely populated urban cities in the world; Life Ladprao: The Valley is located in Bangkok’s CBD district and its designers have used Biophilic design principles to create the project's main landscape concept—a natural valley that promises an adventurous experience. 
From one bustling metropolis to another, we feature The Spiral building in Manhattan, New York. Self-named as the world’s best tall building, in part due to the fact a landscape of The Spiral’s size has never been installed at or above 300 feet elevation in New York City before. With approximately 13,000 square feet of outdoor space, the building has cascading landscaped terraces and hanging gardens that climb the tower in a spiraling motion to create a unique, continuous green ribbon that wraps around its façade, suppling each office floor with readily accessible terrace space. 
Be sure to keep reading to hear more about some of the best projects coming out of India, China and Thailand. 

Enjoy the issue!


Welcome to the much-anticipated Landscape Middle East Sustainability
Awards 2023 special edition of Landscape Middle East magazine.
Celebrating our 16th year of publication, we extend our sincere gratitude
to our readers and sponsors who have been instrumental in propelling us
forward, year after year.
Within these pages, you’ll discover the remarkable journeys of the 2023
award recipients in categories such as Lifetime Achievement, Prominent
Professionals, Rising Stars, and Distinguished Organizations. These
exceptional individuals and entities have played pivotal roles in shaping the
landscape industry across the Middle East.
The response to this year’s awards has been spectacular, with entries
surpassing our wildest expectations. We commend each participant and
extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners, whose submissions
testify to the industry’s excellence.
We are honoured to collaborate with our partners for this year’s event, the
International Federation of Landscape Architects and the Saudi Society of
Landscape Architects, who share our dedication to advancing the landscape
industry internationally and within the Middle East. Our anticipation for
future collaborations knows no bounds.

This event would not have been possible without the support of our amazing
sponsors, we appreciate your commitment to this industry and your support
to ensure this awards event will continue as an annual spectacular.

As we embark on the journey ahead, we eagerly look forward to engaging
with all of you in the coming years.

Our October issue features residential projects that go way beyond traditional buildings and infrastructure, these projects have been designed with the future in mind. Learn about the landscape architects, urban planners and developers who are rising to the climate challenge by creating smarter, more resilient cities, that also promote community wellbeing.

Sierra Sathorn is a new residential complex in Bangkok that hopes to set new standards in high-rise design through sustainable landscape architecture practices and innovative terrarium solutions. The project targets biodiversity, efficient water management, and ecological well-being, maximising green spaces for a more sustainable urban future.

Our cover story features the Russian architectural bureau RYMAR Studio, who give us a sneak peek into their large-scale renovation project of a luxury family home in the prestigious Al Mamoura District of Doha, Qatar. We also feature the renovation of an opulent family villa located in an affluent neighbourhood of Jaipur, India.

As the curtain closes on the 2023 Landscape Festival held during September in Bergamo, this year’s cultural capital of Italy, we look at architects Topotek 1's proposal that it submitted during the festival, it’s a physical and figurative framework designed with collective social efforts in mind. Under the theme, “Grow Together Grow Green” they built a modular structure of scaffolding covered with seedlings of species that are typical to the region. The use of scaffolding – a lightweight and reusable system – constitutes a strategy for the installation’s primary structure which has an almost indefinite life cycle that can be repurposed in different locations.

Our September issue focuses on Consulting arborist, horticulturalist and landscape designer, Mark Laurence who has over forty years’ experience in the industry breaks down why planting trees cannot fix our climate change. His key message: “we must shift our design principles and practices to make a difference.” He also notes that it’s time we understood trees as phytobiome generators, rather than just as shade/beauty structures spaced along a pavement.  
Meanwhile, Hasib Ahmad, landscape manager at Neom in KSA, also weighs in on the topic with his article on the impact that innovative green infrastructure is having on sustainable urban development. 
We also feature an article on the new era in sustainable engineering, focusing on the convergence of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles within landscape design. According to experts, these ESG considerations go beyond traditional project metrics, transcending the boundaries of environmental conservation to encompass social equity and responsible governance.
There are also a number of local and international landscape projects in this issue, including 
Lycabettus hill, an emblematic spatial landmark in Athens, its subtle landscape approach reveals the values of the empty space, while housing an Attic sculptural rock at its epicenter. The project took first prize at the Architectural design competition for the “Redesign of the surrounding space. 


As it’s summer and projects tend to slow down for a few weeks, we took the opportunity to look back on how the industry has evolved over the years in the Middle East region. Yodezzen, takes us on a historical journey of landscape design, most notably throughout the Islamic era, highlighting gardens in Spain and Pakistan that exemplify the traditional Islamic design philosophy. 
Fast forward to today and Monica Valle from Supernature Labs, explores her journey to achieving truly sustainable architecture with an approach known as “Bioplanning”, a process she describes as when constructive technologies are developed to enhance the efficiency and ecological benefits of urban design. 
Experienced landscaper John Davies also looks back for a moment when he revisits his first ever landscape job at Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester in the UK. Looking to the future, he shares his design perspective and plans to improve the state of the gardens currently. 
We also feature climate-conscious projects from MK Architects, namely Aqaba Town Park in Jordan and Bania Central Park. Read how the architects are reducing the ecological impact of construction while showcasing the distinctiveness of each location by using locally accessible materials.


This month's cover story spotlights an extravagant five-level farmhouse in New Delhi that reflects the distinctive style of its owner, Rishabh Kapoor, Director of the architectural and interiors firm Design Deconstruct. This amazing house boasts unconventional design elements that leave a lasting impression.
We feature six nature-based community parks in Abu Dhabi that have been honoured with international awards, recognised just a few months after their opening. Designed by world-renowned Danish landscape architects SLA, the parks have turned barren city blocks of sand into sustainable, active, and biodiverse community parks.
We hear how Studio Arth redesigned a mini urban oasis, The Plaza on Bricknal, to create a connection between people and the environment, a space that invites city dwellers to align with nature and themselves. Studio Arth explains how their initial design concepts played with lush, layered planting and minimalistic greenery to contrast how light and shadows intertwine among the plants to create captivating patterns and deepen a connection with nature.

Our cover story this month features Tangram architects showcase their latest nature inspired therapeutic landscape in North Africa — the new Women and Children’s Cancer Care facility located on the outskirts of the forest of Zeralda at the foot of the Atlas Mountains in Algeria is designed to promote a healing environment. Nature is integrated within the building and provides calming and relaxing spaces for patients and staff to rest. 
Mark Laurence, a consulting arborist and landscape designer with over four decades of experience explains why the region must adopt their own good practices for tree works. He also urges his industry peers to place more inportance on the profession of Aboriculture in order to protect and preserve trees properly.
In our projects section, Campus Eemsdelta is a new school campus located in Appingedam with three secondary education levels, a practical study programme and a sports cluster, all merged into a single facility consisting of several buildings totaling 16.600m2. Together with the surrounding outdoor space of 3.5ha, the buildings form an integral learning landscape that enables students to have a natural interaction with the environment. 
We also feature another inspiring project designed for children called the Jungle Tribe: A Children’s Space created from the natural earth in Chengdu, China. Described as a park that creates a sheltered and natural space for children to grow and belong amidst nature’s terrain, while adults can also enjoy a sense of relaxation and simplicity here making it the ideal place to escape the stresses of modern life. See page 36 And read on for much more!


Our cover story this month highlights the urban plaza in front of the tallest twin-towers in Bangladesh’s capital city Dhaka. The designers ambition for the Forum is for it to become a place where people can congregate with friends or family for social gatherings. Along with the twin towers, the plaza aims to redefine Dhaka’s open space and create a new benchmark for urban design in the country.
We also have an article by Will Bennett on the growing impact of tech on the day-day operations of landscape companies in the region — from customisable software to easily accessible payment processes that take the hassle of financial admin off your hands. 
Our projects section features the latest landscape developments in the UAE, Kuwait, Jordan and China. In Abu Dhabi we focus on the recently completed Central Plaza, which is the latest addition to Masdar City. Home to the UAE Space Agency, the adjoining Central Plaza has been a strategic move for Masdar City. See Page 10 for more details on the Plaza’s design. With green and ecology as the core theme, the Suzhou Huanyuandang Ecological Restoration and Shoreline Linkage project is the first cross-provincial ecological restoration project in China.
And in Kuwait, we visited South Sabah Al-Ahmad City set to be the urban
core for the country’s southern sub-region. It’s located 80 kilometres south of Kuwait City and will be home to an estimated 280,000 people, while creating another 145,000 jobs in a diverse range of industries including construction, medicine, manufacturing and culture, along with extensive green open spaces and multi-layered public transport systems that promote wellbeing and sustainability.


Welcome to the April Issue! Read about the Urban Conga, an award-winning multidisciplinary design studio made up of a diverse group of creatives based in Brooklyn, New York, in our feature about how to create ‘Playable Cities’. They investigate how play can begin to exist in everyday spaces and encourage people to think about these spaces that could become PLAYces: like walkways, bus stops, street lights, park benches, or just the everyday spaces in-between.

Jordanian landscape architect, Yazan K. Mahadin of MK Associates, delves into the importance of landscape architecture in the fight against climate change in her article: The Intersection of Art and Survival on page26  

The new Confex Park in the Northern Greek city of Thessaloniki has been described as an emblem of the city’s present and future ambitions. The new landscape design of the park respects its rich heritage in a contemporary form, making it a destination for all who live in and visit the city. Read more about the design and plant selection on page 32

Since it’s considered a luxury to have a garden in Taiwan, when residents design it, they don’t hold back! Star House integrates greenery into the exterior façades so every window has a view of it, and the ground floor courtyard ‘Zen’ garden — inspired by Japanese gardens, is a nod to the clients’ youthful years in Japan. Read page 22

Located in Saadiyat Island’s cultural district, Abrahamic Family House is a collection of three religious spaces: a mosque, a church, and a synagogue— all of which will sit upon a fourth secular space consisting of a Forum and raised garden. Designed by Adjaye Associates, the unique space will serve as a community for interfaith dialogue and exchange, nurturing the values of peaceful co-existence and acceptance among different beliefs, nationalities, and cultures.

In our March issue, we’ve focused on both new build and renovated residential projects with stand-out landscape design. Our cover story is by NGS Architects, the team behind a garden villa project in Dubai Hills Estate. Their brief was to create more space within a modern minimalistic style. See page 14 to see the surprising results.
Another residential project worth mentioning is the property known as ‘the Ray White Residence’  located between the Jordanian capital Amman and the hillside town of Salt. Landscape architectural firm, MK Associates worked on the sustainable landscape design and construction and said the name of the property is a reflection of the project's design philosophy and its emphasis on natural light and white materials.  See page 28 for more details.
It's also been a busy month for announcements of mega-projects in the region, including Saudi Arabia’s Murabba project, expected to be the world’s largest modern downtown area when it’s completed in Riyadh in 2030. At its center will be a new landmark tower the “Mukaab”,  standing 400m high and taking inspiration from modern Najdi architectural style. The new downtown area is expected to have sustainability as its core theme, and hence feature a number of  green areas, including walking and cycling paths.
In Dubai, Expo City bosses announced their vision for the legacy expo site with two major residential developments, Expo Valley and Expo Central Mangroves, both projects are said to promote a cleaner, greener, nature inspired way of life for residents when it opens in 2026. Expo Valley will feature villas and town houses and have a ‘Green Spine’ running throughout the development, which includes dedicated car-free zones and native animals such as Gazelles running free. Read more on page 6
We also have projects from Miami, Uruguay and Istanbul featured in our March issue.

Enjoy!

Thailand’s capital Bangkok was last year named as the most liveable city for expats in Asia and the second best city worldwide based on its affordability and connectivity among other things. In our February issue, we feature two of the city’s most recent transformative urban development and landscape projects that seal its reputation for future urban living in Asia.

Read our cover story on page 18 to learn about The Forestias, a residential masterplan with a large forest at its heart. Situated on the outskirts of Bangkok, it provides a template for future urban living in Thailand. The pioneering development focusses on three primary themes of serving the community, promoting intergenerational co-living and connecting with nature. 

We also feature the iconic Chao Phraya Sky Park, a new landmark in the city that came to life against the backdrop of the pandemic in 2020. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration opened this remarkable public space, which had previously been left abandoned for almost 40 years. 

Now the halted infrastructure project has been given a second lease of life as the newest Bangkok landmark and the nation's first pedestrian bridge park spanning a river situated in Bangkok's most significant historical area. The 360-degree view connects the city‘s historic town and modern skyline with a single glance.

Other Landscape features include, Ziva, a luxury retirement community in Chennai designed to offer its residents resort-style living, as well as a stunning renovation project of a family villa located in the Meadows community in Dubai. We also look at Sharjah’s latest efforts to become sustainable, with its ‘Your Urban Farm’ initiative that is designed to introduce Sharjah Sustainable City’s residents to urban farming with access to Agri Pods on which they can grow their own plants or vegetables. 


In typical Dubai fashion, 2023 kicked off in high gear with one of the world’s most iconic ultra-luxury hotels opening in the emirate to much fan-fare. We spoke to the Landscape architecture firms behind the famed Atlantis The Royal ahead of the big reveal to hear about the challenges and design processes involved in landscaping this mega project, which had its opening date delayed by two years due to the pandemic (to the benefit of the landscape). See page 14

Also in this issue, we gain insight into what it takes to build a career in this industry with an interview with George El Khoury, senior project manager for landscaping at U&A, an architecture and urban planning firm in the UAE.

Beyond our regional and local coverage, we transverse to the ends of the earth to learn more about landscapes from around the world.  Peatlands in Península Mitre is located at the southernmost city in the world in southern Argentina. It is an invaluable natural carbon sink now designated as a Natural Protected Area. 20,000 years ago, during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), these lands were covered by ice and while the landscape is still harsh to this day, it’s also exceptionally beautiful. 

We’ve included project proposals from architecture firm Luca Curci Architects, in collaboration with Tim Fu Design, who have designed Floating City, a project proposal for a sustainable floating city for 50,000 people. The project has been conceived by an international team of architects and designers with the support of Artificial Intelligence and aims to provide a solution to coastal cities in the face of climate change. See page 30

SYSTRA Dubai also share their proposal with us for an Indian Garden of Peace, part of the Art et jardins I Hauts-de-France in Amiens, France. The creation would be a Remembrance Trail around the Gardens of Peace in the Hauts-de-France region for the soldiers who fought for France in World War I. 

We’ve spoken before about how the pandemic has changed people’s perception of Landscaping and made them much more open-minded when it comes to budgeting for landscape design whilst planning their homes and businesses. In our December issue, we feature several residential and commercial projects around the world that showcase how easily nature can be incorporated into everyday living spaces when landscape architects work side by side with architects and developers at the onset of a project’s planning phase. Gone are the days when landscape design is an afterthought!

In Singapore, Dubai based architects Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) have revealed design plans for a new Lakeside home of the Singapore Science Centre. Designs for the new Singapore Science Centre are inspired by the natural landscape of Singapore’s Jurong Lake Gardens. 
Located next to Chinese Garden MRT station, the aim is for the new Science Centre to open its doors in 2027, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the institution. 

Back in the UAE, we feature residential villa projects in Dubai and Ajman, including a farm house in the desert that is made up of large glass windows, aptly named The Sand Box. It’s the latest project from Anterra Studios providing residents with uninterrupted views of the garden, all framed by the tall palm trees dotted all around the property. 

Don’t miss Dubai based sustainable developer URB’s latest project, which plans to develop the world’s largest agritourism destination in Dubai. It’s expected to create more than 10,000 jobs and give a significant boost to Dubai’s green economy in line with the emirate’s ambition of opening up its rural and wilderness areas to tourists. Agri Hub by URB aims to become a key tourist destination in Dubai’s countryside. 

As we approach the end of 2022, we’d like to thank all of our readers and partners for your support throughout the year and wish you all a happy festive season and best wishes for the New Year!

As World Cup fever sweeps over the Middle East, we take a look at the design of the 40,000-seat Al Janoub Stadium— the first new football stadium commissioned for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. The design process for the stadium which was built by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) and Aecom started along with Qatar’s new precinct, back in March 2013. As one of the eight venues for the Qatar World Cup, Al Janoub Stadium will host group and quarter-final matches of the tournament and is located in Al Wakrah, a coastal city 23km south of Doha connected to the capital via the Red Line of the new Doha Metro system. Although it’s currently being used as a 40,000-seat football stadium for the 2022 World Cup, it will be reduced to a 20,000-seat capacity following the tournament. 

We move from Qatar to Italy for another one of its kind projects by Italian architect Fabio Mazzeo who designed The sculptural villa at Cala Volpe in Sardinia. The architect says the project interweaves art, design and craftsmanship in this idyllic coastal villa and is unique due to the links between the building and its natural setting. 

Rising from the Hudson River in New York, Little Island is a new public park designed by London based, Heatherwick Studio that shelters three new performance venues. The $260 million, 2.4-acre project was designed as an escape haven for people and wildlife in the middle of the rather large island of Manhattan. It’s a green oasis, held above the water by sculptural planters, and located just a short walk across a gangplank from Manhattan’s Lower West Side. 

We also feature projects in Egypt, Brazil and the UAE in this issue.

Enjoy!

For those of you planning a trip to Qatar for the World Cup, make sure to check out Khalifa Avenue, which has the largest living wall project, not only in the Middle East but the biggest in the world standing at over 7,000 square metres. See page 28 for stunning images of the project which was created by Nakheel and ANS Global.

Also featured in our October issue is a new eco-friendly resort in the Hatta mountains, designed by local landscape architecture practice – plenerr who are assisting LAMI Architects in developing a sustainable design that focuses on creating various natural outdoor experiences throughout the project. See page 20.

I can imagine as a landscape architect there is no better feeling than watching children play and have fun in the spaces you have designed for them. GAJ have designed Ladybird Nursery Al Barsha  their second nursery school to design and landscape. See the outdoor play areas and interconnected spaces come to life on page 26.

We also showcase two private villa renovation projects in Dubai that maximise their outdoor living spaces for the families who own them through clever, innovative and sustainable design. 

Enjoy the issue!



In this issue, we speak to the Founder’s of Anterra Studio, about what it takes to cut it as a brilliant Landscape architects nowadays, and we get his perspective on what it’s like to work in the Middle East compared to Asia; from the difference in attitudes towards design to plant selection and to how seriously he takes climate change. 

In our projects section this month, we feature a newly built urban school in Shenzhen, China, created by New York based Studio Link-Arc. The low-rise composition of the building allows the school to create an open oasis within a densely packed residential community that allows students to move freely between indoors and outdoors. 
We also feature the the first female architect to design a Mosque in the UAE. British educated, Saudi Sumaya Dabbagh built the mosque in Dubai in the name of the Late Abdulkhaliq Gargash. A wealthy UAE businessman who passed away in 2016. Dabbagh takes us inside the mosque and explains her design and vision for this contemporary place of worship. 

In case anyone is having the summer blues after their vacation, we feature a dreamy coastal villa befitting royalty. Designed for a wealthy family, Estate Villa in Abu Dhabi, UAE was designed by Yodezeen architects and features artistic milling on the roof and light and airy spaces throughout to make the most of the seaviews.

Enjoy the issue


In the August issue of Landscape ME, we meet the women who are on a mission to save Beirut’s Pine Forest, one of the last remaining public green forests in the city. Moukarzel Sarkissian and Dima Rachid are the founders of studiolibani, a landscape architect and urban strategist studio with operations in Dubai, Beirut, and London. They believe that “a resilient urban Beirut” is the answer to the myriad of challenges that the city is currently facing. Tackling issues of urban resilience, climatic resilience, social equality, economic growth, and emergency response are also on their agenda. Read more on page 18.

We also feature veteran Landscape architect and author, Edward Flaherty in this issue. Ed reflects on his international career spanning 50 years across Europe, the US and Middle East. See page 8

Staying with the theme of connecting our youth to nature while studying, we showcase a nature inspired vision for the new Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in the US. New York Landscape architects OSD and lead architects Polk Stanley Wilcox are building a first-of-its-kind medical school in Arkansas in the US. The campus is designed to seamlessly connect with the surrounding woodlands and the Ozarks at-large. Page 28

Back in the region, Dubai-based Architect and Urbanist, Junior Andrade shares his latest project, ‘Abo Omar Palace’ in Jeddah.  The complex comprises a grand palace and four luxury villas, one for each of the client's children. Page14


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!


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.


March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

December 2023

November 2023

Landscape Middle East Sustainability Awards 2023

October 2023

September 2023

August 2023

July 2023

June 2023

May 2023

April 2023

March 2023

February 2023

January 2023

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Landscape Middle East Magazine - May 2022

Landscape Middle East Magazine - May 2022

In this issue

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