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What inspired you to become a landscape architect and was your educational background directly related to this? |
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Fareena Khaliq |
In your opinion, what are the essentially attributes that any landscape architect should possess?
Landscape Architecture is a field that incorporates the Arts and Sciences; it is both a very technical and a very creative field. Sensitivity to the environment is crucial as is having a vision. Landscape Architecture is based on sound principles of ecology, horticulture, design, planning and management; as such a Landscape Architect has a huge responsibility to communicate their contribution well as a part of the team that works with the built environment. You have to be a designer, planner, conservationist, and perhaps manager of sustainable, aesthetic, functional, ecological spaces. Site planning is not a prerogative of any particular profession or discipline and in essence a multi-disciplinary activity involving the expertise of many people for it to be successful.
The Middle East has seen major developments in the landscaping industry over the past few years with major projects in the UAE, Qatar, and now Saudi Arabia. Now the attention must be turned to sustaining these ‘Green’ landscapes for years to come. How can this be done baring in mind our environmental responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint and the limited skills of the maintenance workers who are left to preserve the landscapes, once the architects have handed over the job?
Landscapes do not have to be green to be attractive it’s about changing the perception of the Client, the public etc. It’s all about education education education!! Certain developers think that creating lush green artificial oasis in the middle of the desert is acceptable; the future lies in designing with the natural environment not against it.
Current innovations in technology offer a range of sustainable solutions and materials. The awareness of our impact on surrounding environment should permeate through all stages of design development and implementation and beyond. Environmental and maintenance consideration should paramount to design detailing, selection of materials that are robust, suitable for the region and are sustainable are key to future of durable landscapes. Design should be ecologically sound and energy efficient, and materials chosen accordingly. Where possible plant species used should be indigenous or from similar habitats. Local and indigenous plant communities provide the most suitable food and habitat for local native wildlife and in the case of the Emirates, especially the migratory species. Plants selection should include plants that not only tolerate drought conditions but also require less water for growth. Soil amendments to conserve water should be used. Designers need to use non-toxic materials; surfaces and structures that have robust assemblies and are also easily reparable and cleanable and are not costly to maintain. Maintenance should be such that wasting resources is minimal. Initial design with these factors in mind would ensure that later stages of operations and management need minimal resources. The management phase comes later but is by all means quintessential; if the design integrates these factors then management is minimal. Again education is the key, management staff needs to be properly trained the completion of a design should not be seen by the Client as a final stage, budgets need to be allocated for on-going maintenance to ensure that systems are maintained at peak efficiency, especially irrigation systems need to be checked and maintained so that irrigation resources are not wasted.
Water will become the most precious resource in the coming years and it’s likely to become a source of conflict. How can you as a landscape professional plan ahead in your work to ensure that water is treated with the respect it deserves and not wasted?
Design should be ecological and not just aesthetic. Landscape architects can contribute to sustainability through landscape analysis, land-use planning and management, green roofs and vertical structures, stormwater management and by designing low-maintenance landscapes that will be time-less and enduring. In my opinion, great challenges need to be met at both the design and management levels to incorporate better sustainable systems. Currently at the legislative level, Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council is moving in the right direction with their guidelines and Estidama. Again it’s about education of the Client and the public. A landscape architect with a holistic view of the design should lead the charge with a cry of “Sustainability and beyond.” Landscape Architects need to be forthright and LEAD the process with this core issue. Good design follows function; it is not just to have a vision of massive green lawns. At the designing stage you incorporate with the right materials such as xeriscaping, the use of native plants increase the natural biodiversity of a site. At the management level, constantly collaborating with other related field to insure that water is not wasted such as more efficient irrigation systems, soil ameliorants to not waste water etc. Water budget is a commonly known term now and perhaps where softscapes are concerned a more horticultural and scientific approach is perhaps required to develop plants specifically for the arid regions that are just not only drought tolerant but also require minimal water for growth and thriving. Again, it is also a multi-disciplinary issue, maybe more can be done from the horticultural side. Where crops are genetically created for specific drought and saline conditions for human food needs, so should cultivated, ornamental species be for our design needs, though care should be taken to select the most suitable qualities
Do you believe that the landscape industry in this region will undergo a major change in their design practices and be forced to adapt in the years ahead to overcome this problem of water scarcity and how can you avoid having only arid landscapes?
A lush, heavily planted landscape is not always the best one and obviously education is crucial, on a national and regional level. A lot is already being done by designers to combat this urgent problem. Spaces are designed and materials chosen with this in mind. take it as an opportunity and though it can be quite challenging for Landscape Architects. Again starting from inception through to design development, we need to ensure that we are looking at long term, robust and sustainable solutions that also befit the client’s requirements. When designing, it’s not hard against soft but more about the best possible solutions. Every site has its opportunities and problems, and in a way in every project we are dealing with limited resources, as there are hardly any projects with unlimited resources! Design as it is, is intricately about planning, designing and constructing social, ecological, hydrological and sometimes very sensitive environments.
Which project have you been most proud of throughout your career and why?
It is hard to pick or name just one. Mostly it’s ones that the client or users have enjoyed. If I really had to name, it would be a villa garden that I did that was featured nationally on television in that country and a Beach Park in UAE, another would be a Zen themed garden as part of a Civic Centre for a competition design to name a few.
If you could create your dream project, what would it entail?
For me it would be one that would be challenging in every possible way, and be used and enjoyed long after I am gone. A brownfield site preferably; or a reclamation site to be designed, to restore an ecosystem or a habitat and one that uses the natural species and local resources completely which ultimately helps both humankind and Nature.
As a woman in a male dominated profession, what has been your experience working in this field in the Middle East?
Is it a male dominated profession or just a popular misconception? Think of Martha Schwartz, Kathryn Gustafson, President of the Landscape Institute Sue Ilman, IFLA President Sinikka Sipilä, past President IFLA President Ellen Tise, and Dame Sylvia Crowe, even Gertrude Jekyll.
Great! I think this is one of the professions where women and their contributions are really respected. There are so many successful women Landscape Architects. I for one have always been blessed with very supportive male colleagues who respected my work and have been very encouraging.
With the exception of water, what are the main challenges your industry will encounter in the coming years and how can these be overcome in your opinion?
With the exception of water, what are the main challenges your industry will encounter in the coming years and how can these be overcome in your opinion?
Landscape architects should have a leadership role at the earliest stages of development to ensure that a holistic approach is taken for the creation of environmentally sustainable places for people to live and work. As we confront growing social, political and economic concern over the use of natural resources and the development of sustainable communities, there has never been a more important time to highlight the role of landscape architecture this interdisciplinary team-working between design, planning and construction professions. Their contribution is both immense and pivotal as they address both the built and the cultivated environment. As serious as is the need for more green spaces worldwide so is a need for a more holistic approach to deal with it. Land is used for urban-scapes and natural resources are depleted. Rivers and streams are vanishing. Carbon omissions need to be reduced, the increase of population has put a demand on oil and usage of vehicles both for people and transportation of goods has put increased pressure on the Earth all these can be reduced with sound design. Sustainability has become of crucial importance.
A lot is being done and with innovative and sustainable solutions. Estidama and Abu Dhabi Environmental agency, the protected Ramsar sites, LEED, are all supporting solutions for these challenges. A lot more can be done on Federal level to further have comprehensive standards which should be complied with by all. Internationally similar trends and innovative advances are seen. Global education for the better use of resources is increasing manifold. Educating the general public about the value of Landscape and the fact that lush and green is not necessarily better. The creation of a strong profession and better recognition, as there is no strict commercial registration category in most GCC countries for the profession of Landscape Architecture. There is a shortage of locally trained Landscape Architects. Landscape architects need on-going training to continuously meet the demands of a changing climate.
We all have aspirations for ourselves but given the present conditions with reduced amount of work for Landscape Architects-though slowly improving- it is an opportunity for LA’s to further educate themselves and enhance their skills, doing whatever they can to get the right experience- this could mean small projects or maybe volunteering. Perhaps there can be a virtual way to share and sell our skills.
What advice would you give other women wanting to enter this profession, both here and overseas?
If you have a passion for it and are sensitive to the environment, it is a great field that incorporates the sciences as well as the arts. I think we need more women. Everyone brings in their own capabilities, vision and contributions. Women have a very elegant touch!!
