Looking beyond sustainable design, nicholas always strives to create urban environments which contribute positively to the biosphere. This means not simply “keeping things as they are” – which “sustainability” implies – but making a real difference.
We advocate for garden cities, where landscaping is prevalent and pocket parks within the public realm enhance the quality of life.
Pocket parks are small landscaped urban oases which are dispersed throughout our cities and easily reached on foot. They are “green lungs,” places to pause and rest, offering respite from the heat of the day.
Central to this in the Middle East context is the provision of shade trees.
Pocket parks provide excellent vistas from buildings.
Additionally, they are heat sinks – helping to reduce temperatures across the city.
Let’s activate the public domain in our Middle East cities and increase opportunities for social encounter. Let’s also use greenery to cool things down.
We strongly believe that development should be regenerative – improving outcomes for both the environment and for people.
