Ali, thank you for your comment. I agree that modern cities tend to look much better at night than during the day, and that they have many elegant buildings. But my concern is how to make cities which have good open spaces, as well as good buildings, and which are a pleasure to see and to use in daytime.

“As Kerr [The Gentleman’s House, 1864] pointed out, the effect of aspect on a room and on an adjoining landscape did not in reality always correspond. Views from a south-facing window, for instance could be thwarted by the glare of the sun in ‘the picture’.” (p164)

“Like Kerr’s terraces and parterres Loudon’s [The Suburban Gardener and Villa Companion 1838] verandas form an intermediary space between rooms and the outdoors, between the comforts of the former and the exposure to the elements of the latter.” (p170)

It would be intriguing to see how two people from different disciplines respond from their own discipline base to an identical problem of aspect,prospect and occupancy of architecture and landscape? And how this thinking might come together in a collaborative way!

Although I would say, I will give priority to aspect, I also consider all the parametres of the design problem. So, for example, if I have a favourable aspect and an unfavourable prospect I will try to design in a way that takes this into account. [ie. in Scotland, I might design defensively – choose forms, materials and arrangements that shelter the occupant and then focus on opportunities to ‘play’ with vista in various ways. Refer to Stefan’s comments under landscape policy because they apply here.] It may mean building into the landscape rather than onto it! I do also remember a rather interesting subject at university on designing for microclimate…and the capacity to create new microclimates by design with both buildings and landscape. [But I suppose it would be wise to consider the broader implications of climate change!]

Perhaps unusually for a designer, I rather like the tricker more constrained problems, (I once heard the opinion that architecture is not intellectual…) but it is in these very situations that you are most challenged intellectually and creatively! I imagine this holds true for landscape also..

Regarding the origin of the landscape architecture profession, one can hardly do better than the partnership between Hatshepsut and Senenmut as the first mistress-master-piece of landscape architecture. See http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/temple_of_hatshepsut

Regarding Riyadh, they could at least have followed the example of Kuwait and commissioned a landscape plan – and it could have been better judged with regard to urban morphology and climate. See http://www.gardenvisit.com/book/landscape_planning_and_environmental_impact_design:_from_eia_to_eid/chapter_11_urbanisation_and_growth_management/urban_morphology_and_climate

As to Saudi Arabia, have you looked at the planning of Abu Dhabi? Its the total antithesis of Saudi, areas of carefully zoned uses, swathes of landscape, high emphasis on reuse of water/energy etc all masterplanned, urban designed and agonised over. I wonder what sort of a place it will create. Will the zoning mean that the city is sterile, too controlled and no place for spontaneity and encounter? Or will the designers’ product turn out to be everything we have ever dreamed of, everything considered and in the right place, with layers of meaning at every corner, beautiful, inspired the whole connected and wrapped, nay absorbed, by landscape to die for???

Meanwhile I continue my search.

Class of ’87 or was it ’85?

In 2007 strategic planning for the city was underway. Although, there are maps available of gardens within the Sefarat district, I wasn’t able to find a specific landscape plan. However, also in 2007 Livcom awarded Riyadh a bronze award for Salam Park. The park provides not only a place to enjoy by visitation, but also visual amenity with “the provision of green sight scenes to break building density and jammed traffic in the region.”
[http://www.arriyadh.com/En/ADA/LeftBar/DevProj/Salam-Park.doc_cvt.asp]