William Bennett discusses how the landscape architecture firm desert INK was able to turn constraints into opportunities for a sales center project in Dubai. Due to time and budget constraints, desert INK used a design-build approach, leveraging their in-house contracting company to begin construction while finalizing designs. By understanding the site's existing vegetation and landforms, desert INK was able to minimize new plantings and irrigation needs. They also utilized on-site materials to create cost-effective entry features like gabion walls. The collaborative design-build process allowed for innovative solutions within the project constraints.

1. On Site William Bennett On Site William Bennett
34 Middle East Consultant September 2015 September 2015 Middle East Consultant 35
Each set of conditions presents its own
challenges, and the best designers are adept at
turning those potential stumbling blocks into
valuable opportunities.
Here's how desert INK was able to turn a set of
challenging project constraints into a constructed
landscape which has heads turning.
Clear vision
The main aim for the sales centre project in
question was to create a development entry
experience in line with the client’s vision: that
green design is the future.
The colour green and ‘green’ in a sustainable
sense are not always good bedfellows in this
region, so our primary challenge was to create
a green impact without exceeding the irrigation
or financial budgets. The other critical constraint
was time. The client required fast-track delivery
in order to launch the project to coincide with a
marketing campaign.
Design & build
The client initially approached desert INK
with a traditional design & tender process in
mind. Upon reviewing the programme, it was
agreed that a design & build approach would be
better suited to the project, allowing certain site
processes to be undertaken while the detailed
landscape design package was being finalised.
After an intensive two-week concept design
phase, the landscape concept was handed to
desert INK’s sister contracting company, Desert
Landscape, appointed to construct the design.
This overlapping programme enabled Desert
Landscape to immediately commence work
on the irrigation mainline, bulk earthworks,
procurement and other such tasks.
While work was progressing at the site, desert
INK and Desert Landscape worked together in
creating detailed shop drawings which fit both
the design vision and the lump-sum budget. At
this point, the client now had a fixed timeframe,
an agreed design direction, progress at site and
a fixed cost. All of this was achieved within one
month of initiating the project, a feat which
would be unachievable outside of the design &
build model.
Understanding the site
Understanding the site’s resources, rather than
seeking to create a blank canvas, is the first
step towards innovation and sustainability. A
thorough technical survey is essential, but just
as critical is the landscape architect’s ability to
walk through the site, understand the views,
assets and features, and start to formulate ideas
there and then.
Thesiteinquestionwasapartially-constructed
golf course project and hence had a good deal
of pre-existing vegetation and landform, which
is a great asset. The site was rather linear and
somewhat elevated, with distant views over
adjoining land in some areas. This made site visits
quite spectacular, but made it much harder to
create the illusion of a green oasis.
Successful landscape design
& build contracting
An architect's ability to walk through a site
and immediately understand its assets is
crucial to a design & build project
One of the most useful
attributes of landscape
architects is the ability
to assess a project site
holistically, ensuring
that maximum value
is derived from the
opportunities presented.
Opinion
William Bennett has a Master's in Landscape
Architecture and works for desert INK, an innovative
landscape architecture studio based in Dubai.
In order to achieve this, we re-routed the
entrance approach so that it carved through the
low points in the terrain, using existing higher
ground and mature vegetation to screen views
of the surrounding desert. With the existing
landform and vegetation now screening the
distant views, site spoil was used to enclose
near-views within a narrow corridor of landscape
which would then be planted.
Costs were reduced since the visible areas of
landscape were minimised, which equated to
huge savings in plants, irrigation, maintenance
and manpower.
Reducing costs
A key part of designing and building sustainably
is reducing a project’s dependence on imported
resources and material. Being well aware of the
expected ‘wow’ factor, the challenge with this
project was to achieve a jaw-dropping impact
in an expansive desert, without over-spending.
Building large concrete walls or complex
gateway structures seemed illogical, since
it would not only drain the budget but also
defy the green initiatives that we aimed to
promote. Thinking laterally, the design team
decided that tall gabion walls would be a more
practical method of achieving an impressive
entry feature.
Site-excavated waste stone material was re-
purposed to fill gabions and used to retain
impressive earth mounding. This solution
allowed extremely quick construction and
was low-tech, low impact and low-cost. These
entry walls acted as the defining entry feature,
delivering the ‘wow’ factor required by the brief.
A collaborative approach
Perhaps the most exciting part of design & build
is its ever-changing nature. As a designer, this
is where your ability to think quickly and solve
site issues is tested to the limit; you need to
think on your feet. Successful design & build
projects rely on close collaboration between
the designer and contractor, pooling resources,
practical experience and design flair. This is a
collaboration where the client is the ultimate
beneficiary.
While time-saving is a key benefit of the
design & build approach, our experience tells
us that the hands-on collaborative process which
it promotes can bring unexpected benefits, from
cost savings to innovative solutions. Design
& build requires forward thinking and relies
on a clear vision and mutual respect between
designers, contractors and clients to know what
is possible within the constraints. The pressure
to deliver and be resourceful frequently gives
birth to alternative solutions which deliver better
results to the client.
Reducing the dependence
on imported resources and
materials adds to a landscape
project's sustainability factor.