Combining concepts

Operating as part of a multi-disciplinary team has huge advantages in delivering total design output, says Ken Wallace, senior associate, Woods Bagot.

Making an integrated approach is what it's all about for landscape architects and urban design professionals at the Middle East offices of design firm Woods Bagot.

As part of a multi-disciplinary company, landscape and urban design employees work closely with other divisions on projects, an approach that helps ensure that the outdoor space is kept at the centre of the project right from the start.

"Working under the one roof, we can work closely with the project masterplanners and architects to help establish the form and scale of the landscape spaces before we may otherwise have an opportunity to get involved in the project," says Ken Wallace, senior associate, Woods Bagot, who heads up the company's Middle East Urban Design Services division.

The Middle East branch has the global firm's largest group for urban design services, having expanded rapidly in size over the past few years. Further expansion can also be expected as the firm broadens its scope of work in the region, reveals Wallace.

Commercial Outdoor Design talks with Wallace about the company's work in the region, his thoughts on sustainability, and the value of landscape in the Middle East.

Can you tell me about the landscape division?

As a multi-disciplinary design company, Woods Bagot has historically offered landscape architecture as one of its services, but this has been inconsistent across our geographic locations.

The company has taken a much more professional approach to landscape architecture and urban design in the last two years with the appointment of a new Urban Design Director and the establishment of a group called Urban Design Services within the organisation, which includes master planning, urban design and landscape architecture.

The Middle East is currently our largest group for urban design services, having grown extensively in the past two years, from around two people [at start] to approximately 35 now, including 15 landscape architects. The group works out of both our Dubai and Abu Dhabi office.

What projects is Woods Bagot currently working on in the region?

One of our main projects is the Badrah Community, part of Nakheel's Waterfront in Dubai. Woods Bagot has been responsible for the masterplan as well as the design of most of the early development stages, including the landscape architecture.

The project is a great example of how we address the landscape from scratch as we've been able to integrate and expand on many of the landscape concepts that were initially identified for the project in the masterplanning stage.

Other projects include the landscape for the Bahrain City Centre, and the masterplan for the redevelopment of the National Racecourse in Bahrain.

Internationally, we're working on a project in central Spain, the Andalusia Hills Golf Resort and Community.

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