Dental College Landscape Design (2022, Muskat-Oman)

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Landscape Design of Dental College (2022, Muscat - Oman)

O projeto de Arranjos Exteriores para a faculdade de Medicina Dentária, Oman Dental College, foi elaborado tirando partido dos diversos patamares ajardinados, grande parte dos quais em cobertura ajardinada, sobre as lajes de cobertura do edificado.

As coberturas de solo propostas, tanto através da plantação de herbáceas como de maciços arbustivos, foram pensados na melhor forma de tirar partido das características específicas de cada espécie de planta, quanto à variação de colorações ao longo do ano e forma, assim como de proporcionar espaços de estadia e deleite destes socalcos ajardinados, ao estilo dos “Jardins Suspensos da Babilónia”.

Os espaços exteriores apresentam coberturas de solo em Sedum spp., espécie rasteira muito utilizado nas coberturas ajardinadas, sobretudo pela sua resistência, grau de cobertura de solo e facilidade de manutenção. que apresenta diversas tonalidades que permite criar uma espécie de “tapete colorido” de vegetação.

Esta cobertura de solo associada a maciços de outras espécies herbáceas de flor rosa ou amarela, como a Wedelia trilobata (Yellow Creeping Daisy) ou a Sesuvium portucalastrum (Sea Purslane), criando assim diversidade faunística e aumentando o interesse paisagístico.

As manchas arbustivas de aromáticas com as espécies Lavandula stoechas (Lavender) e o Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus (Creeping Rosemary), com tonalidades violáceas e azuladas de floração associadas a estas coberturas rasteiras, permitem melhorar a biodiversidade local e ainda criar um efeito paisagístico inspirado nas formas orgânicas presentes no meio natural, neste caso específico sobre as coberturas terraceadas deste novo edifício. As manchas arbustivas que ondulam junto às bordaduras dos diferentes níveis, permitem criar um efeito pendente da vegetação, e também melhorar o valor cénico das composições que por vezes poderão interligar os diferentes patamares, dando enfase à ligação entre a natureza introduzida e o edifício.

Quanto às espécies arbustivas de maiores dimensões, foi escolhido O Clerodendron inerme (Wild Jasmin), estas estão dispostas pontualmente, de modo criar algum relevo no estrato arbustivo, e assim inserir alguns volumes de floração branca, capazes de perfumar os espaços de lazer e estadia e estimular os sentidos tanto dos utilizadores da faculdade como os visitantes.

Relativamente à vegetação arbórea, esta apresenta-se variada, desde vários tipos de palmeiras como a Phoenix dactilyfera (Date palm), a Dipsys lutescens (Bambu palm) e a Chamareops excelsa (Chusan palm) até às espécies caducifólias Cassia fistula (Golden shower), Cordia sebestena (Geiger tree) ou a Azadirachta indica (Neem tree), criando assim um efeito cénico de elevado interesse paisagístico, com elevados padrões de sustentabilidade e ecologia, pela diversidade florística, criando aqui não só um centro educacional mas também um polo de

A rega prevista será gota-a-gota, não só pela vegetação escolhida de baixas necessidades hídricas e de manutenção, adaptadas ao clima específico de Omã, Quente e Árido, de modo a tornar este edifício associado às coberturas ajardinadas, de elevados padrões de sustentabilidade, não só pela poupança água possibilitada pelo uso de plantas xerófitas entre outras, adaptadas a condições de baixas necessidades hídricas como plantas aromáticas mediterrânicas, aliada a uma diversidade florística capaz de criar novos habitats.

O presente projeto foi elaborado enquanto parte da equipa projetista da VHM- Coordenação e Fiscalização de Obras S.A., em que desempenhei a função de Arquiteto Paisagista, sendo o projeto propriedade intelectual da empresa, tal como as vistas 3D do projeto que foram executadas pela sua equipa de Modelação 3D.

The Landscape Design project for the Faculty of Dental Medicine, Oman Dental College, was designed taking advantage of the different landscaped levels, most of which are covered with landscape roofs, on the roof slabs of the building.

The proposed groundcovers, both through the planting of herbs and shrubs, were designed in the best way to take advantage of the specific characteristics of each plant species, in terms of color variation throughout the year and shape, as well as to provide spaces to stay and enjoy these landscaped terraces, in the style of the “Hanging Gardens of Babylon”.

The exterior spaces have groundcovers made of Sedum spp., a low-growing species widely used in landscaped roofs, mainly due to its resistance, degree of ground cover, and ease of maintenance. It has different shades that allow for the creation of a kind of “colorful carpet” of vegetation.

This ground cover is associated with groups of other herbaceous species with pink or yellow flowers, such as Wedelia trilobata (Yellow Creeping Daisy) or Sesuvium portucalastrum (Sea Purslane), thus creating faunal diversity and increasing landscape interest.

The shrubby patches of aromatic plants, with the species Lavandula stoechas (Lavender) and Rosmarinus officinalis Prostratus (Creeping Rosemary), with violet and bluish hues of flowering associated with this undergrowth, improve local biodiversity and also create a landscape effect inspired by the organic forms present in the natural environment, in this specific case on the terraced roofs of this new building. The shrubby patches that undulate along the borders of the different levels, allow creating a hanging effect from the vegetation, and also improve the scenic value of the compositions, which can sometimes interconnect the different levels, emphasizing the connection between the introduced nature and the building.

As for the larger shrub species, Clerodendron inerme (Wild Jasmin) was chosen, these are arranged punctually, in order to create some relief in the shrub stratum, and thus insert some volumes of white flowering, capable of perfuming the leisure and stay spaces and stimulate the senses of both faculty users and visitors.

Regarding the variety of arboreal vegetation, from different types of palm trees such as Phoenix dactylyfera (Date palm), Dipsys lutescens (Bamboo palm), and Chamareops excelsa (Chusan palm) to the deciduous species Cassia fistula (Golden shower), Cordia sebestena (Geiger tree) or Azadirachta indica (Neem tree), thus creating a high scenic interest, with high standards of sustainability and ecology, due to its floristic diversity, creating here not only an educational center but also a center for biodiversity.

The proposed irrigation will be by dripline irrigation, not only because the vegetation chosen has low water and maintenance needs, adapted to the specific climate of Oman, hot and arid, but to make this building associated with its landscaped roofs, with high standards of sustainability. This achievement is due not only because of the water savings, made possible by the use of xerophytic plants, among others, adapted to conditions of low water requirements such as Mediterranean aromatic plants combined with a floristic diversity capable of creating new habitats.

The minimum soil depths recommended for the proposed vegetation type, were indicated in the plan (Plan 104 – Landscape Design Minimum Soil). In areas where palm trees are planned for the green roofs, medium-sized trees, it is possible to create a small elevation of the land in these specific planting areas, so as not to overload the building slabs with a very high thickness of soil, thus allowing the good development of its root system. In this way, it is also possible to create some undulation, even if minimal, on the landscaped roofs, adding a more interesting effect to these gardens, bringing nature to the city and this college.

Regarding the planting procedure, these must be carried out carefully, with the addition of an organic compound with macronutrients and micronutrients in the planting hole and in the soil surrounding the clod of each installed plant, to favor their growth and adaptation to the inhospitable hot and arid climate of Muscat city, in Oman. For the trees planting area, after the planting hole, an amount of 5l of a good organic compost should be mixed in the soil that surrounds and that will serve as a support for the expansion of the root part of the plant, while for the bushes 0.5 l of organic compost, factor of high importance for the success of the plantations alongside the planting pits that retain the rain water and improve the infiltration into the soil and roots.

On the surface of the planted soil, in order to minimize water loss through evaporation and to preserve part of the moisture available, when and after the drip irrigation system is in operation, it is essential to apply a mulching in all garden areas, with pine bark or garden ornamental wood chips. This type of mulch must be validated by the Owner and the Project Designer, to be applied in a layer of 5 cm, after an anti-weed blanket, in all areas of shrub plants will be planted, serving to protect the soil from the intense sun present in the intervention area, improving the humidity conditions of the environment, crucial for the survival of the vegetation installed.

For the green areas of the landscaped roofs, proper technical substrates must be used, not only because they are lighter and prepared for this type of garden with very specific characteristics, but also for controlling weeds on the roofs. As for the remaining garden areas, a good soil is needed, from an agricultural or forestry origin, clean soil, free from foreign materials, garbage and weeds and with a good content of organic matter, with a minimum of 5% organic matter per dry soil volume.

This project was designed as part of the design team at VHM-Coordenação e Fiscalização de Obras S.A., where I worked as Landscape Architect, with the project being the company's intellectual property, as well as the 3D views of the project that were executed by its team of 3D Modeling.