Introduction Madinat Al Soor is both a popular destination and a unique place to live in. Designed with the lessons of traditional Arabic architecture in mind, the master-plan attempts to revitalize the valuable qualities of historical settlements without forgetting the immediate presence of one of Dubai’s most prestigious urban centres. The character of a vibrant community is as sought after as the provision for all contemporary standards of comfort and luxury. In its intricate composition of built form, deriving directly from the Arabic vernacular, privacy is embraced while public interaction is encouraged. The name ‘Al Soor’ - “The Wall”, originates from the development’s most prominent structure: a large inhabited wall element on the western tip of the site. The rich urban fabric of building clusters and irregular street patterns integrates the wall with the other significant moments in this small town. It is only a short walk away from the beachfront resorts, the intrinsic town “souks”, the serene canal sides, and the spectacular waterfront walks with the most privileged views of the two nearby iconic buildings - The Spiral & The Sphere. It is the concentration of all these particular places so close to each other that distinguishes Madinat Al Soor as one of the most attractive places to visit in this region of Dubai.
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concept • context • character • scope 2
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The Site and Footprint Located at the harbour entrance of the City the site greatly benefits from its immediacy to the City and its periphery, as well as to the sea itself. The three sides on which it is bordered by water have been treated with three different Water/Side conditions: a beach to the North, a wall or cliff to the West and a quay to the South. This exceptionally advantageous location that can afford such diversity is only further enhanced by the integration of a simple canal system within the development. The site’s position is also most accommodating in relation to neighbouring developments having no obstacles upwind in the path of the local North-Westerly prevailing wind - “The Shamal”. The master plan rests on the site with a rich footprint texture composed of predominantly courtyard building typologies. Although the pattern is traditional Arabic in its essence it nevertheless comprises of rational modules of generic spans and varying yet standard heights that repeat throughout. In this manner the valuable intricacies of the historical Arabic town development are united with the economic and practical demands of contemporary building methods. Lying mostly on flat ground, it is only on the South, by the waterfront, where the footprint follows the artificial angulations of the site to create a stepped hill that maximises the views towards both the City and the sea.
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Page1.03Introduction
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The Resorts
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The Market The Beach Al Soor
Al Soor Bridge The Museum
The Town The Hill & Waterfront Villas
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Massing and Program A great part of the character of traditional Arabic settlements lies in the compactness of the building form, the clustering of volumes and the consequent formation of narrow and intimate streets. Much of this relies on the climatic conditions of the site and in the case of Dubai such a massing approach becomes significantly relevant. The master plan achieves thus a passive solar shading system as the buildings shade each other, which if combined with the application of light ventilated roof systems, could result in 30-40% reduction of the overall expected energy consumption. In addition to the considerable sustainability benefits, the dense lowrise design with few exceptions of height provides for a dynamic articulation of social life within a built environment that takes the human scale deeply into consideration. In order to fulfil the desired effect further, both in terms of the quality of the urban grain and the feasibility of the architectural design task for the entire development, a choice of 11 international and local architects has been proposed. Each architect has been assigned with a particular set of buildings to design wherever these occur in the master plan. The distribution of program follows closely the intention of creating neighbourhoods of particular character and attraction closely knitted together and connected through a strategic positioning of retail and public routes along the canal. Right at the entrance of the site on the North-East, is a large concentration of retail forms, with the Market and the Beach Resorts immediately to the North. From the Market, one can follow the canal towards the West to find the Public Beach and the Museum, or head South past the Mosque to the Waterfront Plaza and the Souk. Both directions finally lead to the town’s primary destination, Al Soor.
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3.4 Landscape Design Landscape Design Narrative
Building on traditional vernacular Islamic town structure and on the patterns and elements of traditional Islamic garden design, the Major Public Spaces incorporate human-scaled, highly patterned, textured surfaces, intricately detailed geometries, and regionally-appropriate plantings. The climate of Dubai is a strong influence on the landscape design of the Al Soor District. The intense summer heat and sun at 25 degrees north latitude is reflected in the placement of shade elements. Trees, shade structures and trellises, some of which recall the intricate latticework of traditional mashrabiya screens, create sheltering pools of shade. Careful shadow analysis has informed the placement of shade elements, paving and ground cover choices to minimize heat gain over the course of the day, giving maximum comfort for eveningtime occupancy, the time of day that is most inviting to outdoor living in the Dubai climate.
ocal area identities, Madinat Al Soor is divided into several The Landscape Strategy for the Madinat Al Soor is comneighborhoods. Neighborhood Character Plantings include prised ofspecies three intertwined and overlaid landscape networks: several of trees, shrubs, ground covers and/or vines the Interstitial Spaces, Semi-Private Spaces, and the which contribute to thethe specific character of each area. Major Public Spaces. Serving asare focal points within The Semi-Private Open Spaces assigned one ofthe five Madinat Al Soor, the Majorwhite, Publicyellow, Spaces arered crafted color garden typologies: pink, and to purple. provide neighborhoods of the District a set of unique Smallerthe trees, shrubs, ground covers andwith vines provide the open spaces whose design character rangesThe from largepalette for these dense courtyard gardens. Major Public scale civic to medium-sized urban squares lined Muwith Spaces forspace, plantings include Al Soor Plaza, the Beach, upscale cafes, to more family friendly waterfront seum, Waterfront Walk,intimate, Waterfront Plaza and Entries. These plazas. design of distinctive these spaces builds plantings on and reinforces definedThe spaces have signature which the characteristics the particular further define eachofpublic space. population and programs of their surrounding neighborhoods, while also allowing the Through the the Madinat Al Soor landscape spaces to these comestrategies, together with Interstitial Spaces and will create a Spaces richly textured that is experienced Semi-Private to formenvironment a coherent overall landscape through wandering, and that rewards the pedestrian with design. the discovery of an unfolding series of unique open spaces Building on traditional vernacular town structure and tucked within the winding streetsIslamic and passages of the dense on the fabric. patterns and elementsopen of traditional gardenwill town The landscape spaces Islamic of the District design, the Major Public Spaces incorporate human-scaled, pulse with the life of the town, and work in harmony with the highly patterned, texturedMadinat surfaces, detailed gearchitecture to reinforce Alintricately Soor’s unique character, ometries, and regionally-appropriate plantings. The climate that of a new town that is nonetheless a recognizable part of ofregional Dubai isurban a strong influence design of traditions, andon is the alsolandscape unmistakably cosmothe Al Soor intense politan andDistrict. forwardThe looking in itssummer outlook.heat and sun at 25 degrees north latitude is reflected in the placement of shade elements. Trees, shade structures and trellises, some of which recall the intricate latticework of traditional mashrabiya screens, create sheltering pools of shade. Careful shadow BLANKET PLANTINGS analysis has informed the placement of shade elements, paving and ground cover choices to minimize heat gain over the course of the day, giving maximum comfort for eveningtime occupancy, the time of day that is most inviting to outdoor living in the Dubai climate.
Traditional Islamic gardens have long incorporated water features to provide visual brilliance and a psychological sense of cooling to these spaces. Influenced by these gardens, and by water features in exceptional contemporary public spaces, the Major Public Spaces are sprinkled with playful, evocative fountains, runnels, pools, and cascades.
Traditional Islamic gardens have long incorporated water features to provide visual brilliance and a psychological sense of cooling to these spaces. Influenced by these gardens, and by water features in exceptional contemporary public spaces, the Major Public Spaces are sprinkled with playful, evocative fountains, runnels, pools, and cascades.
The form of the Major Public Spaces is carefully configured to facilitate the cultural programming of the Madinat Al Soor. The Al Soor Plaza, Museum Plaza, Canal Plaza and Public Beach are designed to provide the infrastructure and open space to support outdoor performances, public screenings, open-air dance festivals, family festivals, musical performances, and other outdoor gatherings. These uses are important to the role the Al Soor District will play as a cultural engine and destination within the new Waterfront City, and within Dubai itself.
The form of the Major Public Spaces is carefully configured to facilitate the cultural programming of the Madinat Al Soor. NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER PLANTINGS The Al Soor Plaza, Museum Plaza, Canal Plaza and Public Beach are designed to provide the infrastructure and open space to support outdoor performances, public screenings, open-air dance festivals, family festivals, musical performances, and other outdoor gatherings. These uses are important to the role the Al Soor District will play as a cultural engine and destination within the new Waterfront City, and within Dubai itself.
The Al Soor District will be planted with regionally-appropriate species using a layered planting strategy which simultaneously integrates the District and defines specific neighborhoods, roads and spaces within it. In order to define l
The Al Soor District will be planted with regionally-appropriate species using a layered planting strategy which simultaneously integrates the District and defines specific neighborhoods, roads and spaces within it. In order to define l
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The Landscape Strategy for the Madinat Al Soor is comprised of three intertwined and overlaid landscape networks: the Interstitial Spaces, the Semi-Private Spaces, and the Major Public Spaces. Serving as focal points within the Madinat Al Soor, the Major Public Spaces are crafted to provide the neighborhoods of the District with a set of unique open spaces whose design character ranges from largescale civic space, to medium-sized urban squares lined with upscale cafes, to more intimate, family friendly waterfront plazas. The design of these spaces builds on and reinforces the characteristics of the particular population and programs of their surrounding neighborhoods, while also allowing the spaces to come together with the Interstitial Spaces and Semi-Private Spaces to form a coherent overall landscape design.
3.0 Design Concepts
3.0 Design Concepts
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3.4 Landscape Design
Landscape Design Narrative
3.4.1 Madinat Al Soor Planting Strategy
a. Layered PlantingMadinat Strategy theisAl Soor District: The Al ocal area identities, Al for Soor divided into several Soor District will Neighborhood be lushly planted using a Plantings layered planting neighborhoods. Character include strategy which simultaneously the District and several species of trees, shrubs,integrates ground covers and/or vines defines specific to neighborhoods, roads and spaces within it. which contribute the specific character of each area. Layers include Blanket plantings, The Semi-Private Open Spaces areNeighborhood assigned one Character of five plantings, Major Public Space plantings andred Semi-Private color garden typologies: white, yellow, pink, and purple. Open Space Smaller trees, gardens. shrubs, ground covers and vines provide the palette for these dense courtyard gardens. The Major Public b. Blanket Plantings: Spaces for plantings include Al Soor Plaza, the Beach, MuBlanket Plantings, including one palm species, one tree and seum, Waterfront Walk, Waterfront Plaza and Entries. These one ground cover, appear throughout the Al Soor District. defined spaces have distinctive signature plantings which c. Neighborhood Plantings: further define each Character public space. In order to define local area identities, Al Soor is divided into Through these strategies, the Madinat Al Soor landscape several neighborhoods, including the Canal District and the will create a richly textured environment that is experienced Ring Road street network. Neighborhood Character Plantthrough wandering, and that rewards the pedestrian with ings include several species of trees, shrubs, ground covers the discovery of an unfolding series of unique open spaces and/or vines which contribute to the specific character of tucked within the winding streets and passages of the dense each area. town fabric. The landscape open spaces of the District will pulse with the life of the town, and work in harmony with the architecture to reinforce Madinat Al Soor’s unique character, that of a new town that is nonetheless a recognizable part of regional urban traditions, and is also unmistakably cosmopolitan and forward looking in its outlook.
3.4.1 Madinat Al Soor Planting Strategy d. Major Public Space Plantings:
a. Layered Planting Strategy for the Al Soor District: The Al The Major Public Spaces for plantings include Al Soor Plaza, Soor District will be lushly planted using a layered planting the Beach, Museum, Waterfront Walk, Waterfront Plaza and strategy which simultaneously integrates the District and Entries. These defined spaces have distinctive signature defines specific neighborhoods, roads and spaces within it. plantings which further define each public space. Layers include Blanket plantings, Neighborhood Character e. Semi-Private Open Space Space plantings Gardens:and Semi-Private plantings, Major Public The Semi-Private Open Spaces are randomly assigned one Open Space gardens. of five color garden typologies: white, yellow, pink, red and b.purple. Blanket Plantings: Smaller trees, shrubs, ground covers and vines Blanket palm species,gardens. one tree and providePlantings, the paletteincluding for theseone dense courtyard one ground cover, appear throughout the Al Soor District.
d. Major Public Sp The Major Public S the Beach, Museum Entries. These def plantings which fur
e. Semi-Private Op The Semi-Private O of five color garden purple. Smaller tre provide the palette
c. Neighborhood Character Plantings: In order to define local area identities, Al Soor is divided into several neighborhoods, including the Canal District and the Ring Road street network. Neighborhood Character Plantings include several species of trees, shrubs, ground covers and/or vines which contribute to the specific character of each area.
BLANKET RING ROADS PLANTINGS
RING SEMI-PRIVATE ROADS OPEN SPACE GARDENS
SEMI-PRIVATE OPEN SPACE
MAJOR PUBLIC SPACE PLANTINGS NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER PLANTINGS
MAJOR PLANTING PUBLIC STRATEGY SPACE SUMMARY PLANTINGS
PLANTING STRATEGY SUMM
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