ads capability statement 2015.3 - email

Aperture Goggles - Designer: Mike Brown

Our team has spent the last decade living and working in the United Arab Emirate (UAE). In this time we have built a strong affinity with ‘Place’. Experience gained during this period combined with our desire to continue to have an impact on the development of the Urban Environment within which we live, has inspired us to collaborate and create, Aperture Design Studio.

The company name and indeed our approach to our work, is inspired by the operation of and function of an aperture;

‘An aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines which rays are admitted, which is of greatest importance for the appearance at the image.’

Similar to the aperture mechanism in a camera, our companies vision is to assist our Clients, capture their ideas, filter and embellish them and provide a clear design solution, in response to the project vision.

As designers, we focus our Client’s ideas to bring project vision to reality..........

Vision

........we are a collaborative group of designers, passionate about improving the environment in which we live.

Aperture Design Studio was established in 2014 by a group of likeminded designers. Looking to create and environment to truly focus their energies, on delivering high quality design outcomes for their Clients.

services

Our Services

Landscape Architecture Urban Design Masterplanning

Architecture Design

projects

Sea Palace - Abu Dhabi

Our team are currently working on a Private Palace development in Abu Dhabi. The large project site includes a diverse range of functions and activity zones. The gardens support this by creating a series of outdoor rooms and activity zones within the development. We are currently working on the overall site master plan development, external landscaping and building facade design.

Spa Island - The Retreat

Our project team has recently been involved in the development of a small, high end Island Spa Retreat off the coast of Abu Dhabi. Our scope of services includes the conceptual design and development for the site master plan, based on themes of rest and relaxation. The themes developed include Rose, Stone & Henna and the design references these themes in form, function, arrangement, texture and color.

RAK Small Island

RAK Small Island is a large mixed use island, including residential villas, townhouses and apartments. The development also include 2 signature hotels and an active high end waterfront promenade. The design focuses on the creation of an active and engaging destination, they key to this is a connected and interactive public realm environement.

Ajdan Waterfront

This projects, located in KSA focus on the creation of a mixed used waterfront retail and F&B destination. The project includes a retail village, interactive facades, alfresco dinning areas and ephemeral and flexible events spaces.

Waterfront Royal Villa

This project includes the design of a 4000m2 Royal Villa. The villa is located directly adjacent to the waterfront and is split across 3 levels. The site includes a private beach, boardwalk, indoor Pool & Gym. The contemporary style features a series of ribbons which wrap the buildings, integrating the connections between internal and external spaces.

Armed Forces Offices Club

The AFOC is an extremely important site within the history of Abu Dhabi. The current plans to restore and further develop the existing facilities, to create a vibrant and activated destination for Abu Dhabi. Our team have been involved in establishing the design and character for the Public Realm areas of the development.

RAK Retail Master Plan

This project focuses on the creation of a large mixed use developmental along the coast line of RAK.

The project includes 3 residential towers, an office tower, retail mall, FEC, Juma Mosque and 5 star Hotel.

Entertainment Pavilion

This Pavilion is designed to accommodate functions and events of up to 250 people. The brief was to create a functional and flexible multi-use space that would integrate within the existing architectural design of the adjacent palace, while still being recognised as an iconic structure.

Royal Villa

The building is a low sprawling structure that integrates with existing project site and waterfront interface. The design features a single loaded arrangement, allowing all rooms to faces northward towards to water, this interface is the focus of the architectural and landscape interventions. The contemporary style is based on a concept or stacked boxes, reminiscent of ancient sprawling fort townships.

Garden Design Handbook

We have created a number of garden design templates, based on the local lifestyle, environment, climate and housing development typologies with the UAE. Our team have developed these templates based on distinct design and aesthetic. Each design has an individual character and function which can be customized to best meet the specific needs of property owners.

Private Villa & Spa

Our Landscape Architectural Design vision for the project works to integrate with the proposed site masterplan and architectural design aesthetic. The landscape design visions, focuses on design continuity between the built and landscape environments. Clean lines, pastel tones and structured planting will accentuate the development aesthetic. The design also uses water as a visual and physical reference to ‘move’ people throughout the site. Careful consideration of level change has also been integrated to create a number of private, human scale micro climates within the development.

The UAE Botanical Park

The UAE Botanical Park is a concept developed by our team, as a means of expression of our deep interest in the history, culture and environment of the UAE. The park is a microcosm of the UAE natural environment, referencing the Al Sahara, Al Wadi, Al Jabal, Al Shaati & Al Waha environments. The park aims to stimulate and educate children and allows the active engagement and learning in a family friendly environment.

Park in @ Box

Park in @ Box is a Design Ideas Competition, developed by our team to address requirements of additional public realm assets with Abu Dhabi City. The project developed a number of mobile Parks in Boxes, and delivers a dynamic, flexible and completely customizable public realm management tool.

The project vision works to create a dynamic, flexible and portable urban activation and regeneration tool. Allowing both strategic revitalization and activation of area within the city based on an interactive consultation process with the end user, the public.

The project has been developed as a tool to study and test strategies for urban regeneration across the city. These temporary installation allow park typologies, facilities and amenities to be tested prior to final park design and implementation.

UAE Garden Center

This project, focuses on the creation of an in integrated horticultural, leisure and retail experience.

The approach looks to create a ‘destination’ for visitors, integrating a variety of recreational and social activities, retail opportunities along with areas for events and educational uses.

UPC Urban Retro Fit

Our submission, titled Seasonal Street Occupation, looks to create a dynamic set of open space and streetscape activation tools to improve, for all users and modes of transport.

Our Design focuses on the delivery of a dynamic, flexible and portable urban activation and re generation tool. Allowing both strategic revitalization and activation of areas within the city, based on an interactive consultation process with the end user, the public.

pastproject

experience

Saadiyat Lagoons

Saadiyat Island is being developed by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC) as a world class cultural, residential and leisure hub to support the ongoing growth and cultural development of Abu Dhabi. A key component of the Island development is the Saadiyat Lagoons District, an approximately 1,000 ha residential community development featuring an extensive network of landscaped family parks, nature reserves, mangroves, a vibrant village centre, touristic opportunities, a hospital, schools, community facilities and major utilities infrastructure.

* Projects Designed & Delivered by our team, while employed in GHD Global Pty Ltd.

Al Fayah Park

Al Fayah Park is the first park of its kind in Abu Dhabi. The creation of a new park typology, the project includes a number of unique and challenging parameters that have been intergrated into the final design outcome. The park which includes a roof which references the form of a cracked sabkha, provides a shaded environment for users below and ultimately aims to increase the seasonaly useability of the park.

This project is being developed collaboratively with Heatherwicks Studio.


Al Jabal Al Akhdar Hotel

A truly unique project in and inspiring location. Perched a top a mountain range at over 2200m above sea level, the project site enjoys a temperate climate, different to that anywhere on the Arabian Peninsual. A focus on low impact sustainable design has secured the project LEED Silver design & opperational ratings.


Bawabat Al Tabia

Bawabat Al Tabia Park is a pre concept visioning exercise and market feasibility study developed for the Abu Dhabi Municipality (ADM). This project looks to re developed and existing parcel of waterfront land along Khaleej Al Arabi Street. The project provides a balanced approach to development aspiration and environmental protection, landscape regeneration and increasing localised bio diversity.

The project includes a variety of park uses, along with a visitor’s education centre, mangrove, marine and terrestrial reserve and family beach. Two (2) development options where developed as part of the study to allow the client to balance environmental, cultural, social and commercial requirement of the stakeholder group.


Kizad Free Zone OfficesThe Kizad Free Zone Offices projects include the Concept & Detailed Master Plan for the first Office Precinct with the Kizad Free Zone. The project includes the development of a 35,000m2 plot and accommodate 40,000m2 of Office / Mixed Use GFA.

Al Dhafrah ParksAl Dhafrah Park consists of four neighbourhood parks, based on a Fareej urban framework. The parks are connected by and integrated network of pedestrian Sikkas, ensuring a highly permeable and activated urban environment.

Yas Links Golf ClubThe Yas Island Golf Club House is the centrepiece of the world class Yas Island Links Golf Course development. The design solutions are inspired by Andalusian and Spanish influences, combined with strong Arabic and Moroccan flavours and styles.

Saadiyat VillasThe Saadiyat Villa development forms part of a larger neighbourhood situated adjacent to the Arabian Sea, which comprises first class hotels, the Gary Player Golf course, beaches and high-end residential villas.

Al Raha BeachAl Raha Beach is a major mixed use waterfront development on the coast of Abu Dhabi mainland. Al Raha Beach will become an exciting mixed use environment creating a collection of villages of individual character and identity.

Electra ParkThis project for the Urban Planning Council (UPC) is a central node within the Sector E15- and a catalyst for the revitalization of Abu Dhabi Island’s public open spaces in line with the Abu Dhabi 2030 Strategy Plan.


people

Dindo Bangalan - Senior Designer

Designer, Artist & Architect, Dindo has vast experience in design, graphics production, public art and landscape and architectural documentation projects. With 8 years in the Middle East Dindo has an in depth understanding of locally responsive design.

Marc Cortez - Senior Designer

Urban Designer, Planner and Landscape Architect, Marc has experience on projects across vast development scales. From small scale boutique developments to large residential and mixed use master plans. After spending 9 years in the Middle East, Marc’s understanding of the local development regulations helps ensure project compliance and approvals.

Luke Maiden - Design Director

Designer, Landscape Architect & Urban Designer, Luke has spent the last 9 years working across a broad spectrum of projects across the Middle East. Luke is passionate about the creative process and strives to create a collaborative engaging environment for the project team and client groups.

Urban Designer l Landscape Architect l Urban Planner

Landscape Architect

Our People Are Our Greatest Assets

Urban Designer l Landscape Architect l Urban Planner

Architect l Artist l Graphic Designer

Landscape Architect l Urban Designer Architect l Urban Designer ArchitectHerbert Jose - Landscape Architect

Herbert is a licensed Landscape Architect and Urban Designer and has more than 16 years of experience in the field of landscape architecture, urban planning and architecture, with focus on design management, parks and open space design, urban design and contracts management.

Ronald Manalang - Urban Designer

Ronald is a licensed Architect and a practicing Urban Designer with over 14 years of professional experience delivering local and international projects. He has been involved in architecture, master planning and transport planning. His expertise includes site analysis, generation of creative concepts and space planning.

Diamond Rubio - Architect

Diamond is a licensed Architect and has over 14 years of professional experience. He has worked with a number of design offices, consultancy firms and government agencies, delivering projects in the Philippines, Australia and the Middle East. His expertise spans concept design to tender documentation & construction.

Karen Mendoza - Designer

Designer & Landscape Architect, Karen is a registered professional Landscape Architect with over 12 years experience in designing and documenting project across Asia and the Middle East.

Based in Abu Dhabi and established in 2014, our team has extensive experiences within the United Arab Emirates, across the region and internationally.

Our core focus is on the development of the public realm environment, we specialize in Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Master Planning, Architecture, Public Art, Lighting Design, Irrigation Design, Signage & Way finding, Graphic Design, Sustainability and Estidama.

Being based locally, we have a detailed understanding of the local envi-ronmental conditions. We are also experienced in delivering projects in line with all local government regulations, this includes Estidama Pearl Buildings, Pearl Communities and the soon to be released Pearl Public Realm rating system. We have also lead and secured approvals for a variety of Master Plan developments, securing UPC approval for both Concept and Detailed Master Planning phases.

Whilst we are focusing on local projects across our areas of interest/ex-pertise, we are also always looking to partner with other consultants to ensure a best for project approach.

Out Story

Luke MaidenManaging Director

P: 971507288735

E: [email protected]

W: www.ApertureDesignStudio.com

Our Contact Details

Design | Landscape | Urban Design | Masterplanning | Architecture

ads capability statement 2015.3 - email

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