Executive Towers at Business Bay

Landscape design to the residential podium with eleven towers, and the promenade on the ground floor, open to the public.

On the podium, space between apartment terraces and communal areas was limited. A key design objective was to ensure privacy to the apartments and terraces.

Generous planting around the terraces provided a green buffer zone. Plant species were selected according to the degree of shading cast by the towers. Raised planters enhance the sense of privacy and also provide depth for tree planting. Trees filter views from the terraces and provide a sense of privacy to residents in the apartments.
Pergolas transition the scale of the towers to a more human scale. Extra large concrete columns up to 8m high relate to the scale of the towers. Smaller and finer elements at the level of the ground floor apartments lend human scale to these spaces. Timber batten roofs provide a sense of enclosure from above and filter sunlight through to the terraces. Batten screens on movable frames allow residents to adjust the degree of enclosure to adapt to varying degrees of light and need for privacy.  
Lawn areas provide open spaces for people to play, excercise or sit and relax.  The lawns are raised 100mm above the pavement with a 450mm wide, 80mm thick granite edging. This edging defines the lawns visually and lends a clean and contemporary character to the landscape. The raised edge also discourages people walking or cycling (yes, kids on bikes) across the lawns. This reduces reduce wear and tear and keeps the lawns in good condition. 
Several types of wall profiles ensure enough variety to avoid visual monotony. One profile includes a lowered seat with a large rounded front edge in a warm earth colour. These seating elements appear soft and welcoming to sit on. Seating edges are located where the planter is wide enough to provide separation between the seat and the nearest apartment terrace.
On the ground level, the promenade is popular for play and outdoor dining in the evenings. The wide promenade accommodates outdoor dining, space for walking, roller blading, and electric powered vehicles. Areas are used for roller blading lessons. Adjacent lawn spaces are popular meeting places for parents with young children.
Location
Dubai, UAE
25.1903162, 55.2648354
Plot Size
12 ha (30 acre)
Lead Consultant
WS Atkins

Studio Team
Julian Bolleter, Peter Braun, Vijayalakshmi Palniappan, Laith Wark, Prithi Yadav
Project Owner
Dubai Properties

Role
Concept Design
Design Development
Construction Documentation
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