Aerial visual of the villas, shared streets and planted communal spaces, with a sports court and palms in the foreground

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

DubaiFestival City,Zone 6

A residential development of over 100 villas extending Al-Badia, proposed with private gardens, streetscapes and communal amenities. A dry wadi running through the site becomes a neighbourhood park, providing walking routes, play and gathering spaces for residents.

Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Type: Residential landscape
Role: Project lead
Contribution: Led design development and delivery, managed the landscape team and coordinated consultants, the client and municipal authorities. Delivered the detailed design package in Revit, following the BIM Execution Plan and ISO 19650 requirements.

Landscape masterplan: villas along curved shared streets, with family gardens, play totems, the clubhouse pool, splash pad, adventure play, fitness garden, community plaza, community lawn, dry wadi and sand play numbered in the key

Wadi park plan within the 30 m utility corridor, with spot levels and the primary and secondary pedestrian routes

Section 1 through the wadi park: boardwalk, shallow dry wadi, amphitheatre and viewing deck, the secret route; trees planted in the ground beside the 30 m service corridor with trees in pots, and the 132 kV line

Section 2 through the wadi park: trees planted in the ground beside the 30 m service corridor with trees in pots

Visual of the dry wadi: a path along a stony stream bed, shaded by trees and edged with planting

Typical four-bedroom villa garden plan: family lawn, outdoor living and dining, barbecue table, kitchen garden and kids' play area in the backyard; trellis over the car park, pathway to the porch, services and storage in the front yard

Visual of a four-bedroom villa's rear garden: timber deck, lounge seating and dining under palms

Typical five-bedroom villa garden plan: family lawn, barbecue table, outdoor living and dining, kitchen garden and kids' play area in the backyard; trellis over the car park, pathway to the porch, services and storage in the front yard

Visual of a five-bedroom villa's rear garden with palms and planting

Design development

Masterplan

The development comprises different types of villas with private gardens, connected by shared streets. A wadi park runs through the site, providing pedestrian routes and recreation spaces alongside the clubhouse and communal amenities.

Wadi park

The dry wadi is developed as a park with walking routes, a community lawn, sand play, an amphitheatre and a viewing deck. These spaces offer places to walk, gather and play within the residential development.

Through the corridor

The 30-metre-wide electricity corridor limits the depth available for landscape construction. Shallow footings and shallow-rooted planting accommodate these restrictions, with trees planted in planters.

Within the wadi

Primary and secondary paths connect the park’s recreation spaces, providing a choice of routes through the wadi and access to the lawn, play area and viewing deck.

Four-bedroom villa

The rear garden combines lawn and planting to provide a private setting and garden views from the villa.

Five-bedroom villa

A larger rear garden incorporates lawn, planting and a deck, extending the garden alongside the villa.

Shared street section: sidewalk, tree corridor, shrub bed, shared street and parallel parking above the services, with a 1.5 m deep soil cell detail for street trees

Hardscape materials plan in full: the paved spine road, park paths, gravel areas and decking across the wadi park, each surface tagged with its material code, with the materials legend

Palm and tree planting plan in full, same area: trees and palms tagged by species around the villas and through the park, with the planting legend

Shrub and groundcover planting plan in full, same area: planting mixes in layers of colour, with the planting legend

Hardscape materials planPalm and tree planting planShrubs and groundcovers plan · full sheet

Details

Soil cells

Soil cells were required due to the site’s soil conditions, providing suitable rooting space for trees beneath paved areas.

Materials

The hardscape materials drawing identifies paving finishes and their extent across streets, paths and communal spaces.

Trees and palms

The planting drawing sets out tree and palm locations. Within the wadi park, trees are accommodated in planters to provide the required rooting space.

Planting layers

The planting palette was refined to suit the corridor restrictions, species availability and irrigation demand. Shrubs, grasses and groundcovers were selected for the shallower planting areas.