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
Cox Architecture creates dramatic, flowing theatre for Sydney
by Stu Robarts | 02 Apr 2020
Cox Architecture 's Sydney Coliseum Theatre combines a flowing form with a restrained palette of materials to create a beautiful and dramatic new cultural hub. Located in the Rooty Hill area of Western Sydney, the design for the facility was based on the concept of transcendence, with the aim of creating a journey from the outside world into the "the magic of performance". The 8000sq m (86,000sq ft) multi-mode venue
Rick Cook on the need for sustainability, wellness and resiliency in design
by Stu Robarts | 01 Apr 2020
Since being established in 2003, COOKFOX Architects have gained a reputation for being proponents of architecture at the intersection of sustainability and wellness, which co-founder Rick Cook says is more pressing now than ever. "Our current studio is LEED Platinum, but it's also the first WELL Gold certified project in New York," he explained to CLAD in an interview by way of example. "Which has much more of a focus
Promotion
‘Best Leisure Architecture UK’ award winner, 2019
GT3 Architects: Placing people at the heart of our projects
View full article
HNNA unveil "bold and playful" design for new Design District
by Stu Robarts | 01 Apr 2020
HNNA have unveiled designs for the London Design District, which was conceived by developer Knight Dragon to be a purpose-built neighbourhood for the creative industries. The vision for the Design District is to provide "a permanent hub for makers and thinkers driving forward the fields of design, art, tech, food, fashion, craft and music." Covering a 1ha (2.5ac) plot on Greenwich Peninsula, the masterplan comprises a cluster of 16 new
Merlin postpones opening of Legoland New York to 2021
by Tom Anstey | 01 Apr 2020
Merlin Entertainments has announced that its upcoming Legoland resort in New York, US, will now open in 2021. The delayed opening of the theme park and hotel, which was originally set for a 4 July opening, is a response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "Nothing is more important to us than the health, safety and security of our team, the partners we work with, and the communities we serve," said
Expo 2020 Dubai likely to be postponed until 2021
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 31 Mar 2020
Expo 2020 Dubai has announced that it will likely be postponed by a year as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Representatives of the event have been working in consultation with key UAE and international stakeholders, as well as the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the governing body for World Expos, to ascertain the impact of the coronavirus and determine whether or not to go ahead as planned. A proposal
WGNB's South Korean gallery-inspired store displays clothes like artworks
by Stu Robarts | 31 Mar 2020
WGNB recently completed a clothes store interior in South Korea that was modelled on an art gallery, displaying products as artworks in themselves. The renovation of Boon the Shop in Centum City's Shinsegae department store was based on the recognition that fashion is, in itself, an artform of sorts and so asked the question: "Can a clothing store be a gallery?" Baek Jonghwan, chief designer of WGNB, explained: "For some
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
Fyra create huge but homely hotel in Finland
by Stu Robarts | 30 Mar 2020
Fyra, in collaboration with Werklig, have created a new hotel in Finland that is designed to feel homely and cosy despite covering an area of 24,000sq m (258,000sq ft) in the largest shopping mall in the Nordics. The Original Sokos Hotel Tripla is located in Helsinki’s Mall of Tripla, which houses a shopping centre, an entertainment centre and a train station, homes and workplaces. Fyra's aim for the project, which
Tracy Lee unveils Spa Alkemia at Zadún for Ritz Carlton Los Cabos
by Megan Whitby | 30 Mar 2020
Spa consultancy TLee Spas, in collaboration with EDG Design, have unveiled a new 30,000sq ft (2,800sq m) spa at the Ritz-Carlton Reserve 's Zadún property in Los Cabos, Mexico. Spa Alkemia is inspired by Mexican traditions and culture with a natural aesthetic, with 'Alkemia' – meaning alchemy in Spanish referencing a focus on positive transformation and a heightened state of wellbeing through therapeutic modalities. “Spa Alkemia is the ultimate playground
MOD's all-white house provides a canvas for the future and glimpses of the past
by Stu Robarts | 30 Mar 2020
Ministry of Design (MOD) have completed an all-white co-living house aimed at making the residents its "prominent features" and giving them a blank canvas for the future. Canvas House is set in a heritage shophouse in Singapore and is intended to inspire dreams about what could be while retaining historical elements. Project developer Figment provided a fixed budget and a tight four-month timeline for the reimagining of the building's interiors,
OMA-designed department store looks like a rock with a gemstone seam
by Stu Robarts | 27 Mar 2020
A newly opened department store in South Korea, designed by OMA, has the appearance of a rock with a gemstone seam running through it. Created for luxury retailer Galleria, the store has a gross floor area of 137,000sq m (1,475,000sq ft) and is located in the town of Gwanggyo, just south of Seoul. Textured mosaic of varying grey shades gives the impression of the volume having been shaped organically, while
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
International WELL Building Institute creates respiratory health task force
by Stu Robarts | 27 Mar 2020
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) has created a task force that will define the role buildings, organisations and communities can play in tackling COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. The Task Force on Coronavirus will focus on how the places in which we spend our lives can support respiratory wellbeing and be prepared for related health events like the current coronavirus spread. It will draw on insights from experts across
Cognitive Design's body-positive gym design draws on clinical psychology
by Stu Robarts | 26 Mar 2020
Cognitive Design have designed a gym in Georgia, US, with an emphasis on shared experiences, body image, dignity, motivation and community engagement. Clarity Fitness describes itself as "the place for people anywhere in their fitness journey who want to become active participants in a healthy life. It is a place where people can gain insight into themselves through their fitness journey." Located in the city of Decatur, the 7,000 sq
Waterfrom Design create clinical, technological Chinese medicine spa
by Stu Robarts | 26 Mar 2020
Waterfrom Design 's Exhibition of Frozen Time spa in Beijing, China, was conceived to eschew the traditional impression of Chinese medicine in favour of a more clinical and technological approach. Created for Aqua Health Clinic, the facility was conceived to use "medical principles of pulse diagnosis, medication and food therapies as the approach to design specific treatments for visitors to relieve physical and psychological fatigue." Covering 280sq m (3,000sq ft),
Jean-Philippe Nuel: historic buildings make for creative projects
by Stu Robarts | 26 Mar 2020
Hotel and hospitality designer Jean-Philippe Nuel has explained that working on older buildings often makes for more interesting results. Speaking to CLAD in an interview, Nuel said: "Paradoxically, historic buildings often result in more creative projects than new builds because the constraints mean certain situations are unavoidable and this allows us to break the usual standards." "I find historic buildings inspiring," he continued. "The project becomes a story that we
Feilden Fowles to create National Railway Museum's Central Hall
by Stu Robarts | 26 Mar 2020
A team led by Feilden Fowles has won the National Railway Museum 's competition to design its new Central Hall with an elegant timber-frame rotunda. Run in partnership with Malcolm Reading Consultants, the competition was launched in September 2019, with a shortlist of five teams announced in February 2020. Proposals were sought for a £16.5m ($22m, €20m), 4,500sq m (48,400sq ft) centrepiece building to provide a new entrance space and
Royal Senses Resort & Spa Crete will reflect the island's heritage
by Stu Robarts | 25 Mar 2020
Peppas N Architects, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) and Constantina Tsoutsikou are working together to create Royal Senses Resort & Spa Crete for Troulis Royal Collection, with a design inspired by the Cretan heritage. The aim has been to go above and beyond a typical luxury family resort while combining Crete’s rugged landscape and the character of its people with a cosmopolitan style. "The landscape’s rough beauty creates a wonderful juxtaposition
Google Arts & Culture offers virtual tours of museums and galleries during closures
by Lauren Heath-Jones | 25 Mar 2020
Google Arts & Culture has partnered with more than 500 cultural institutions to offer 'virtual museum exploration', following the temporary closure of thousands of art galleries and museums during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online platform designed to provide public access to gallery and museum collections across the globe, Google Arts & Culture uses the same technology developed for Google Maps Street View to enable users to 'walk' through world-famous galleries
David Chipperfield to create new neighbourhood on old Berlin industrial site
by Stu Robarts | 25 Mar 2020
The former Georg-Knorr-Park industrial and production site in Berlin’s Marzahn district is set to be transformed into a new residential and commercial neighbourhood by David Chipperfield Architects. The 9ha (22ac) site currently features a variety of heritage buildings surrounded by urban infrastructure and commercial industry. The new plans will see it converted to accommodate 1,400 affordable rental apartments, 90,000sq m (970,000sq ft) of office and commercial space, green areas, recreational
Studio DB design contemporary and tranquil condos for Brooklyn Heights
by Stu Robarts | 25 Mar 2020
Studio DB have designed a boutique condo development currently under construction in the historic Brooklyn Heights area of New York that offers a contemporary and tranquil base for prospective residents. Covering half a city block, The Symon contains 59 residences, including three penthouses, across 13 storeys. The architects sought to deliver a modern and comfortable design while giving the building its own "bespoke identity". From the outside, that is defined
Wutopia's 52nd-floor bookstore gets the bright white treatment
by Stu Robarts | 24 Mar 2020
Wutopia Lab have created a bookstore on the 52nd floor of Shanghai's tallest building, Shanghai Tower, that incorporates a lecture room, an exhibition space, a coffee shop, a dessert café and a snack outlet. Covering 2,200sq m (23,700sq ft), the store has been designed to accommodate 60,000 books and 2,000 products. It is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling windows that draw the sky and the cityscape into the space, making the views
Kengo Kuma and K2LD to create Singapore Founders Memorial
by Stu Robarts | 24 Mar 2020
Kengo Kuma & Associates, working with K2LD Architects, have won a competition to create the Singapore Founders’ Memorial with a design that "draws from monuments of the past and the context of the present to create a space for the future." The Founders' Memorial International Architectural Design Competition was launched in January 2019. It sought an integrated building and garden experience, with exhibition galleries, landscaped spaces and art installations, as
Buildings must be more than just functional, says Manuelle Gautrand
by Stu Robarts | 24 Mar 2020
Manuelle Gautrand believes architecture should go beyond simply serving a purpose to provoke unexpected emotion. "I always think about the emotions of the people who will use my buildings," she told CLAD in an interview. "The programme of a building is about functionality, but there’s also something which is not written in the programme. It’s about the emotion that you need to have when you’re living or using a building."
WOHA's Dhaka uni campus will be a lush park oasis
by Stu Robarts | 24 Mar 2020
WOHA Architects are creating a new campus for BRAC University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, that will be set in a park and offer a variety of spaces for culture, recreation and social interaction. The vision is for an inner-city campus that is sustainable and sensitively integrated with nature, employs tropical design strategies to accommodate the climate and provides students with an innovative environment for learning and leisure. When it's completed in
Urban Prairie Architectural Collaborative convert brick warehouse into vast bouldering gym
by Stu Robarts | 23 Mar 2020
Urban Prairie Architectural Collaborative (UPAC) have converted a large brick-built warehouse in Kansas City, Missouri, into a bouldering gym with a variety of other fitness facilities. Sequence Climb was the result of a two-year search across the US for the right building by founders Graham and Dara Hess. The 20,000sq ft (1,900sq m) warehouse that they settled on not only provides ample room, but also features a barrel roof under
Baerbel Mueller and Juergen Strohmayer create raised concrete gallery in Accra
by Stu Robarts | 23 Mar 2020
Baerbel Mueller and Juergen Strohmayer have created a new gallery for the Nubuke Foundation art centre in Accra, Ghana, that hovers over the existing garden. The centre, which was founded in 2007 and has a sister site in the Ghanaian town of Wa, hosts programmes supporting the arts, culture, and heritage of the country. The Nubuke Extended project was aimed at expanding the site to create a cultural and civic
Funding boost for Diller Scofidio + Renfro's London Centre for Music
by Stu Robarts | 23 Mar 2020
The London Centre for Music, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, has received a funding boost of nearly £2m ($2.3m, €2.2m) for the next stage of its development. Announced in 2017, the vision for the centre is "to develop a world-class venue for performance and education across all musical genres". It will transform part of and be run by the Barbican performing arts centre and will be a new home
Tridel's high-tech Innovation Suite explores the future of apartment living
by Stu Robarts | 20 Mar 2020
As part of its Ten York condo development in Toronto, developer Tridel has created an Innovation Suite that explores and showcases how technology can be used for the future of apartment living. The suite came about through the desire to gain an understanding of how smart home technologies could meet or exceed the needs of residents. The intention was to integrate technology and design seamlessly to provide connectivity, comfort and
Promotion
‘Best Leisure Architecture UK’ award winner, 2019
GT3 Architects: Placing people at the heart of our projects
View full article
company profile
Try cladmag for free!
Sign up with CLAD to receive our regular ezine, instant news alerts, free digital subscriptions to CLADweek, CLADmag and CLADbook and to request a free sample of the next issue of CLADmag.
sign up
Catalogue Gallery
Click on a catalogue to view it online
To advertise in our catalogue gallery: call +44(0)1462 431385
features
"Funding woes and murky timelines are common problems. It can be easier to make a difference one small project at a time"
From parks designed to mitigate the effects of flooding to warming huts for one of the world’s coldest cities, these projects have been designed for increasingly extreme climates
From parks designed to mitigate the effects of flooding to warming huts for one of the world’s coldest cities, these projects have been designed for increasingly extreme climates
cladkit product news
Rainbow Design worked closely with KSS Architects to ensure the furniture matched the design vision
KSS Architects has partnered with Rainbow Design, a London-based furniture supplier, to create the 1885 Lounge at St Mary's Stadium,
...
Gate of Bright Lights was designed to show visitors how screens and digital interfaces have replaced physical objects the gateway between us and the rest of the world.
Multidisciplinary design firm Space Popular has created a video installation for the Gwangmyeongmun Gate at the Deoksugung Palace in Seoul,
...
cladkit product news
The Eclipse Pendant light was inspired by the lunar eclipse
John Pomp Studios, a design practice based in Philadelphia in the US, has expanded its Tidal collection to include five
...
The Canteen collection was inspired by post-war British design techniques
Very Good & Proper (VG&P), a British furniture brand, has curated a new dining collection that combines traditional woodworking techniques
...
cladkit product news
The aluminium fins will form the façade of the upcoming Minories Hotel in Aldgate, London
Metalline, an architectural metalwork specialist based in the UK, has created a range of bespoke 3D twisted metal fins for
...
The Goodies But Oldies collection features three pieces made from repurposed MDF table tops
Daniel Svahn, a Stockholm-based furniture designer, has created a new range of sustainable furnishings, made from recycled MDF tabletops. Svahn,
...
