Landscaping skills have been lost recently in the Middle East, says Frederic Francis
by Stu Robarts | 20 Mar 2020
Francis is principal of Francis Landscapes, which was established by his mother in 1987 /
We frequently build landscapes from scratch, where nothing exists other than barren, desert land.
– Frederic Francis
– Frederic Francis
Frederic Francis believes a drop-off in landscaping skills is one of the main challenges facing landscape architecture as a discipline in the Middle East.
Speaking to CLAD about the challenges of practising in the region, he said: "The first one is the harsh climate, which makes things harder to grow than in Europe. Also, we frequently build landscapes from scratch, where nothing exists other than barren, desert land.
"Although there’s an ancient culture of gardening in the Middle East, in more recent times those skills have been lost and people generally have no idea what landscape architecture is."
Francis is principal of Francis Landscapes, which is based in Lebanon and delivers projects across the Middle East, Africa and Europe, often working in harsh climates.
The firm was established in 1987 by his mother Irmtraut Schoeber Francis. She inspired a love of nature and, ultimately, the profession in her son, who joined the business after returning from his studies in Belgium in 1992.
"It was challenging in the early days, as I needed to persuade people that they needed a landscape architect to conceive their outdoor spaces," he said. It felt as though I was setting off on a pilgrimage.
"I came back to this part of the world so that I could express myself. I’m constantly having to break new ground and discover new techniques."
You can read the full interview with Francis in CLADmag 2020 issue 1.
Frederic Francis Francis Landscapes landscape architecture Middle EastMore news
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by Stu Robarts | 02 Apr 2020
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by Stu Robarts | 01 Apr 2020
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Merlin postpones opening of Legoland New York to 2021
by Tom Anstey | 01 Apr 2020
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Expo 2020 Dubai likely to be postponed until 2021
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 31 Mar 2020
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WGNB's South Korean gallery-inspired store displays clothes like artworks
by Stu Robarts | 31 Mar 2020
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Chelsea FC keeps stadium plans on hold as planning permission expires
by Tom Walker | 31 Mar 2020
Chelsea Football Club has allowed the planning permission for its new Herzog & de Meuron -designed stadium to lapse, keeping the project on hold until "economic conditions improve". The English Premier League received planning permission in 2017 to build a 60,000-seat venue at the site of its current Stamford Bridge stadium. But the club announced a year later that it had put the project on hold due to the "unfavourable
Cooper Robertson breathe fresh life into historic Farmington Country Club
by Stu Robarts | 31 Mar 2020
Cooper Robertson are transforming the historic Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Virginia, to make it more inclusive for women, children, families and younger generations. The buildings at Farmington date back to the 1760s, with the east wing of its clubhouse building having been designed by Thomas Jefferson and the club itself having been established in 1927. As Cooper Robertson has pointed out, though, "While private-membership clubs [in the US] remain
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by Stu Robarts | 30 Mar 2020
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Tracy Lee unveils Spa Alkemia at Zadún for Ritz Carlton Los Cabos
by Megan Whitby | 30 Mar 2020
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MOD's all-white house provides a canvas for the future and glimpses of the past
by Stu Robarts | 30 Mar 2020
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OMA-designed department store looks like a rock with a gemstone seam
by Stu Robarts | 27 Mar 2020
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Michael Sorkin dies after contracting COVID-19
by Stu Robarts | 27 Mar 2020
American architect, critic and educator Michael Sorkin has died as a result of complications associated with COVID-19, it has been announced. Sorkin founded his Michael Sorkin Studio design practice in 1980, growing the firm from its base in New York to open additional offices in the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Xi’an, with projects delivered around the world. The studio's specialities in cities and green architecture stem in part from
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