Water to be part of the social fabric of Mohammed Bin Rashid Gardens

Tag : Fabric
The logistics of physically building such an immense developmentare matched by the monumental scale of the water management neededto transform the desert into a lush oasis.

Tackling the challenge in a holistic fashion, the guidingmasterplan weaves water into the social fabric of a 21st centurycity, where the interests of transportation, recreation andenvironment will go hand in hand.

The master plan for the new city, designed byinternationally-renowned architect, Eric Kuhne of London-basedCivicArts and unveiled by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum,Ruler of Dubai and Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UnitedArab Emirates, incorporates provision for new homes, educational,financial and commercial facilities, iconic civic buildings,tourist landscapes and more parkland than can be found in Londonand New York combined.

'Water will be the lifeblood of this new city, pumped through anetwork of canals, pools and waterways creating a waterfront thatwill be unrivalled in the Middle East,' says Eric Kuhne.

The canal system, which will be navigable, will support life onmany levels, providing wildlife habitats and providing numerousopportunities for leisure and recreation as well as a uniquebackdrop for the stunning urban development proposals.

With over 150 km of waterfront and wetlands, the Central UnionCanal will give the city's ecosystem the capacity to support arange of living creatures on a scale unprecedented in the MiddleEast.

Canals, lakes and waterways, retention and detention ponds will allprovide perfect habitats for the procreation and protection ofaquatic and terrestrial wildlife.

The master plan allows for a variety of waterway edge types,including keystone walls with integrated planters, stepped terracesthat will provide upper level dining, mid-level cycle paths andlower level walkways and gabion walls that can be planted withmarginal and aquatic plants and set with stone boulders to create anatural, informal character.

There will also be beach and detention ponds; shallow ponds thatallow easy access to the canal and will facilitate the provision ofpublic beaches and informal lawn areas.

Planted 'shelves,' featuring shallow pools with aquatic andmarginal planting will create attractive 'green' strips along thewater's edge.

Throughout the Union Canal, reeded biotope edges will combineengineered (chemical) and planted (biological) filtration systemsto clean and recycle the water.

The extensive use of water in Islamic architectural schemes is nota new concept.

Historically, Middle Eastern architects were inspired by theancient cosmological model of the universe in four quarters dividedby two great rivers and canals and pools were integral to thedesign of courtyards, palaces, terraces and squares.

Fountains were common features; evoking images of oases and wellsprings.

Similarly, at Mohammed Bin Rashid Gardens, the water channels,fountains and pools have become the organising elements of theextensive gardens and the uniquely Arabian pattern of parkways andcanals has been inspired by the astrolabes which once charted theheavens but have now become symbols of geometry for this new city.

The core element in the design is the Grand Canal that will windits way from Dubai Creek and Business Bay through the 'astrolabepattern' to the heart of Mohammed Bin Rashid Gardens before thewaters return to the Gulf.

The design means that residents, workers and visitors to the newcity will never be far from gardens or water and the circlingcanals, culminating in a dramatic Grand Central Fountain, will be aunifying element.

From the outset, the main options for supplying water to the cityhave been either using the canal as a conduit or pumping the waterunder the sands.

Using the canal as a conduit means transferring seawater to thesummit pound of the main canal, which lies 15 metres above sealevel and also supplies the Grand Canal on the Mecca Axis. Usingthis method, the canal itself would be used to transfer water,employing bypass pipelines at key locks to obtain the hydraulichead needed to feed lower parts of the system. Further pumps wouldprovide water to the higher level.

The benefits of this water transfer system are easy access atground level for maintenance and the fact that the hydraulic systemwill accommodate the phased development of the active navigation.

This option does require multiple pumping locations with suitableenergy dissipation devices and these pumping stations would occupyvaluable development land whilst the large expanses of water willlead to higher losses through evaporation.

The other option of delivering seawater by means of pipelines tothe highest on-site elevation of about 25 metres above sea levelwould mean water transfer throughout the network being achievedsolely by gravity.

This option allows for flexible positioning of water intakes,allowing the canal's route to bypass highly developed areas.Intermediate pumping stations, other than booster stations, wouldnot be required and having only one outlet position would make foreasier turbulence control. The pipeline technology required torealise this scheme is well established and highly feasible.Underground supply systems do pose maintenance problems, however,particularly in terms of pipeline corrosion.

The water and power strategies at Mohammed Bin Rashid Gardens willbe supported by low water usage and energy efficient buildings.Building control systems, combined with water and energy efficientfittings, will minimise demand. Intelligently designed facades willmaximise the use of natural light and buildings will integratesolar thermal technologies will supply hot water needs as well aslocal cooling for those buildings not connected to city-widedistrict cooling networks.

The city design will also incorporate an unprecedented level ofwater recycling: sophisticated water treatments will generate anon-potable water supply for the city which will drive down potablewater demand and a dedicated treated effluent stream will meetirrigation needs.

'Greening' the city with parks, canals and ponds will createhabitats and attract migratory birds, enhancing local and globalbiodiversity. Green spaces will release oxygen and capture carbondioxide, improving local air quality and offsetting the city'scarbon footprint whilst vertical greening of buildings andretention of desert areas will create linking corridors, promotingbiodiversity and habitat retention. The judicious use of landformand planting will create 'cool corridors' for walking and riding,weather permitting.

Eric Kuhne comments on 'Xeriscaping comes to Dubai' 'Reversing thetrend for pouring sand into the Arabian Gulf, the 36 kilometres ofUnion Canal will bring water to the deserts of Dubai. Supporting anew city of over a quarter of a million people, its system ofwaterways, parks and gardens will represent the largest formalurban masterplan in the Southern Arabian Gulf.'