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The Executive Council of the Abu Dhabi Emirate is seeking to have Abu Dhabi as one of the top five cities in the world. To assist in achieving this vision the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City, through the Parks and Recreational Facilities Division has prepared these guidelines for development of the landscape in the region. The guidelines will be particularly useful for developers and landscape consultants in their design of landscape works. It sets out aspects that need to consider in the design. As well as developing a desirable place to live these guidelines fulfills the sustainability criteria, which is needed to provide for tomorrow’s world.

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Contents

1. Introduction

2. General Considerations on Design Concepts

2.1. Culture, Heritage and Local Environmental Factors

2.2. Sustainability

2.3. Safety

2.4. Quality and Budget

2.5. Function

2.6. Landscape Materials

3. Parks

3.1. Pocket Parks

3.2. Linear Parks

3.3. City Parks

3.4. Waterfront and Island Parks

3.5. Other Specific Parks and Gardens

4. Streetscape

4.1. Pedestrian Walkways

4.2. Medians

4.3. Roundabouts and Intersections

4.4. Interchanges

4.5. Highways

Appendices 1: Design Procedure for Approval

2: Common Plant Species in Abu Dhabi

2.1. Drought Tolerant Plants

2.2. Salinity Tolerant Plants

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1. Introduction

The purpose of PRFD landscape policies are to promote the identity of an attractive city, public comfort, safety, and welfare by establishing standards of practice for the preservations, the improvements and the new developments of landscape in Abu Dhabi city. All Landscape practices must be conducted in sustainable, environmental friendly ways and aimed for Abu Dhabi city being within top five best cities in the world. The Design Guidelines contain general performance criteria, standards, and design objectives that are to be considered by RFD when evaluating development proposals. The proposals will be reviewed according to the guidelines in addition to other development regulations as they may apply.

2. General Considerations on Design Concepts In order to create a unique and top quality landscape in Abu Dhabi city, landscape designers must consider the Emirate culture and heritage, local environmental factors, sustainability, safety, quality, budget, function, and appropriate landscape materials on design concepts and develop these into the final designs.

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2.1. Culture, Heritage and Local Environmental Factors

2.1.1. Consider Islamic, Arabic, local culture and heritage, and translating them into more modern forms where appropriate.

2.1.2. Adapt the local cultural patterns of space usage in design: family –oriented culture, religion.

2.1.3. Reflect cultural richness of Abu Dhabi in development of the parks as many residents come from all over the world

2.1.4. Provide shade with trees and structures such as covered walkways, pergolas wherever possible.

2.1.5. Provide protection from sand storms and from shifting sand by wind to proposed landscape areas by buffer planting, wherever possible especially in the mainland of Abu Dhabi city.

2.1.6. Create microclimate zones with trees, water features, etc. where appropriate.

2.1.7. Consider the characters of local landscape that are sand dune, wadi, oasis, and sea where appropriate

2.2. Sustainability

2.2.1. Preserve and rehabilitate the local wildlife ecological vegetation, water features, and sand dunes wherever possible.

2.2.2. Retain existing landscape elements: trees, palms, mangroves,

native vegetation, water features, and sand dunes wherever possible.

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2.2.3. Consider Xeriscape Landscape concepts that conserve and utilize resources, and

reinforce the desert character of the region. 2.2.4. Water should be conserved through low water required planting, soil condition,

mulching, and irrigation. 2.2.5. Consider efficient irrigation and drainage systems, and grouping plant materials

with similar water needs and environmental requirements. 2.2.6. Avoid creating large exposed water features in order to prevent evaporative

water loss 2.2.7. Consider energy efficiency, renewal and conservation: solar and wind energy.

2.2.8. Create pedestrian friendly environments and cycle ways. 2.2.9. Use environmental friendly materials and reuse hard materials where

appropriate. 2.3. Safety 2.3.1. Assess any hazardous situations and provide safe environments for users. 2.3.2. Avoid selecting dangerous or poisonous plant species in public areas. 2.3.3. Avoid hiding places for criminal elements, visual obstructions, and visually

isolated areas. 2.3.4. Specify play equipments, street furniture and other materials that meet high

standards and are certified internationally. 2.3.5. Provide safe access to parks without busy traffic. 2.4. Quality and Budget 2.4.1. Use high quality hard and soft landscape materials that meet the internationally

certified and recognized standards. 2.4.2. Design, implementation and maintenance costs must remain within set budgets

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2.5. Function 2.5.1. Provide a comfortable and safe walking environment with accessible ramps for

wheelchairs and disabled, and no obstacles on walkways, etc. 2.5.2. Provide separate paths for cycle and wheeled sports from pedestrian walkways,

or provide walkways that are wide enough to combine both pedestrians and riders at the same time.

2.5.3. Clearly indicate routes through attractive signage for wayfinding that provides

information to users. 2.5.4. Use different color, material and pattern schemes in hard and soft landscapes at

different locations in order to enhance legibility. 2.5.5. Ensure sufficient lighting for securing evening use of facilities, discouraging

vandalism, and providing visual attraction. 2.6. Landscape Materials 2.6.1. Soft Materials 2.6.1.1. Adapt the principles of Xeriscape

that are appropriate selection of native and adaptive species, efficient irrigation and drainage, soil analysis and improvements, mulching, and appropriate maintenance .

(Refer to Appendix 2) 2.6.1.2. A combination of max. 50% soft

materials and min. 50% hard materials have to be used in all proposed landscape projects. Exceptional areas such as public parks and focal areas could be allowed higher percentage of soft materials and adaptive ornamental species where appropriate.

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2.6.1.3. Specify standard sizes and spacing of all plant categories for proposed design. 2.6.1.4. Select plant materials that will not obstruct critical views in streetscape as

they mature. 2.6.1.5. Use groundcovers or low shrubs instead of grass for low water consumption

and low maintenance. 2.6.1.5. Choice & placement of soft materials should meet the following conditions:

1) Environmental conditions: soil, water, saline, climate, sun/wind exposure 2) Cultural conditions: impressions, images 3) Functional conditions : durable, maintenance, conservation 4) Aesthetic conditions : shape, colour, texture

5) Characters of soft materials in different settings

a) Urban Settings:

Formal appearance

Native and adaptive ornamental species,

Tolerant to pollutions, structures and utilities b) Suburban, Seafront and Parkland Settings:

Informal, natural appearance

Native and adaptive plant species, wildlife flora

2.6.2. Hard Materials 2.6.2.1. Use materials that are durable, environment friendly, tolerant with local

environmental condition, vandal-resistant and low maintenance. 2.6.2.2. Consider reducing impacts of ‘Heat Island’ by using materials which have

acceptable level of solar reflectance. 2.6.2.3. Use local materials and reuse them where appropriate

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Main Route (elevation-1)

Minor Route (elevation-2)

3. Parks Parks must be pleasant and promote a sense of place with safe, functional, and attractive facilities that meet user’s needs.

a) Provide shade structures or shade trees throughout park especially areas such as play area, sitting area, car park, BBQ area, and other activity areas.

b) Width of paths in a park varies

according to function, location, and size of park. Usually main routes are min. 2.4m wide, minor routes are min. 1.2m wide. (Refer to elevations 1 & 2)

c) Access for maintenance vehicles is 3m

wide (min. 2.4m).

d) Provide easy access for wheelchairs, pushchairs and disabled. And also avoid blocking access with busy traffic and tall barriers wherever possible.

e) Clearly indicate main and minor

routes through attractive signage in order to enhance wayfinding.

f) Place seats in planted areas facing

pleasing views and provide a sense of security with landscape elements.

g) Provide necessary amenities such as

toilets, car parks, vending machines, and prayer areas where appropriate.

h) Lighting at night shall provide for

safety, and anticipated recreational use while limiting glare impacts on nearby residential areas

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i) Views into and out of park should be opened or filtered rather than being solidly

enclosed.

j) Play Areas should be designed according to size, location, and user’s needs:

It must be protected, shaded with shade structures or trees, and provided with seats for adults to supervise

It should be located in a designated area to avoid disturbing other park users who prefer being in tranquil settings.

It should be designed for different age groups, i.e. 0-4yrs, 5-10yrs, teenagers, activity types, settings, and also be incorporated with safety surfaces and safety zones between play equipment.

Play equipment should be durable, low maintenance requirements, and be manufactured to meet internationally recognized standards.

Use natural materials such as sand, logs, boulders, rocks, and water that could be used as play equipment.

Thorny or poisonous plants are not permissible. Typical examples of parks are as follows: 3.1. Pocket Parks Place making should be considered for creating pocket parks and help to give identity to a community. They are usually located adjacent to the street so that people are attracted to use them. 3.1.1. Provide easy and safe access that connects to pedestrian walkways, amenities

and mosques. A park surrounded by lanes of fast-moving traffic will be cut off from pedestrians.

3.1.2. Provide effective circulations for passerby without blocking pedestrian

movements 3.1.3. Consider a water feature as a focal point as its sound creates a sense of quiet,

privacy and buffers the traffic noise.

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3.1.4. Provide buffer planting to reduce noise level and to screen the vehicles passing

by where appropriate. 3.1.5. Basic play equipments for small children. 3.2. Linear Parks Linear parks could be greenways through neighborhoods, providing valuable recreation resources. Linked greenways can connect people and places, i.e. museums, schools, and other greenways. 3.2.1. Propose wide landscaped verges to pedestrian and cycle routes, and link to parks

and open spaces. 3.2.2. Access from main roads that must be able to get inside easily with clear

entrances and visible to people passing by in vehicles or on foot. 3.2.3. Provide a hierarchy of pedestrian links away from busy roads and increase the

amount of usable public space

3.2.4. Clear signage for wayfinding that indicates main roads and amenities. 3.2.5. Provide a variety of activities and facilities: cycling, walking, jogging, skating,

picnic and range of play opportunities. 3.2.6. Active game areas should be fenced or placed away from roads. 3.2.7. Provide shaded picnic tables and benches along the circulation and throughout

the park. 3.3. City Parks City parks could be categorized according to size and location such as neighborhood, district parks, etc.

The advantages of having neighborhood parks include the increased security and surveillance, as well as providing open space or ‘urban lung’ within each neighborhood that is easily accessed by pedestrians. It should be family-oriented, within residential neighborhoods for getting together for picnics, games, sports, etc. 3.3.1. Provide seats, bins and other furniture for family as well as individual usage, and

screens or plantings for family privacy where appropriate

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3.3.2. Majority of park spaces should be visible from the perimeter to increase safety.

This can be achieved by using large trees rather than extensive shrubs. 3.3.3. Enhance pedestrian and bicycle access into and through the park. 3.3.4. Provide circulation routes for park users in relation to their functions to

encourage appropriate movement to facilities and activities. 3.3.5. Consider comfortable seats for either individuals or family and place seats away

from circulation paths so that pedestrians do not disturb sitters where appropriate.

3.3.6. Create a hierarchy of spaces with different activities and functions that provide

pleasant transitions: active-passive, formal-informal, natural-structured, and vehicle-pedestrian.

3.3.7. Provide for the community events, i.e. flea market, souqs and cafes where

appropriate. 3.4. Waterfront and Island Parks 3.4.1. Retain as much of natural settings: natural coastal landforms and vegetation,

along with the views of Gulf and Khor, while accommodating recreational opportunities through trails and open spaces.

3.4.2. Provide public amenities and recreational facilities that are related to water

sports, promenades, beaches and leisure. 3.4.3. Provide pedestrian paths and vehicle access for maintenance in order to protect

the natural environment from uncontrolled access. 3.4.4. Clear signage on a trail system should lead visitors to destinations whilst

experiencing nature. 3.4.5. Retain slope stability, coastal habitats, and hydrologic conditions. 3.5. Other Specific Parks and Gardens Introduce specific parks and gardens that meet local demands and conditions such as rock garden, environmental garden, historical garden, medicine & herb garden, botanical garden, and etc.

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4. Streetscape

a) Streets must be functional, safe, and attractive to enhance the legibility of city for pedestrians and vehicle users.

b) Preserve as many of existing healthy, mature trees as possible and incorporate

these into new designs.

c) Provide traffic calming elements in streets of residential area that reduce high traffic levels and enhance resident’s mobility.

d) Create a sense of place and a comfortable, inviting environment by using shade structures, outdoor seats, fountains, public arts and other landscape elements.

e) Provide pedestrian friendly environment and pedestrianisation should be

created where appropriate.

f) Undesirable views including car parks should be screened with plantings from walkways and roads wherever possible

g) Consider plants, paving, and other landscape elements that should be consistent

in each neighborhood or along each street.

h) Use vertical elements instead of details and patterns, which will have the most significant impact on the driver’s perception.

i) Tree species should be tolerant to survive in polluted environments in urban

areas. They should be maintained with a high canopy, and should not have safety and maintenance requirements in terms of fruits and seeds.

j) Consider accessibility for long term maintenance

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Walkway more than 5m wide (elevation 4)

Walkway adjacent to main road (elevation 3)

Dropped kerb & Road Crossing (perspective 1)

4.1. Pedestrian Walkways 4.1.1. The width of walkways must be min.

3m adjacent to main road and min. 2m adjacent to minor road excluding planting area, furniture, shop frontage opening, utilities and lighting poles, with using of standard kerb heights of 125mm. (Refer to elevation 3)

4.1.2. Shade tree planting should be at 5-8

m distances in the middle of pedestrian walkways where space is available. (Refer to elevation 4)

4.1.3. Walkways adjacent to roads should

be separated from road by a min. 300mm planting zone with trees, low-medium shrubs or groundcovers to create secure barriers where appropriate. (Refer to elevation 3 & 4)

4.1.4. Walkways with raised road crossing that should be provided for pedestrian/vehicle safety and visibility at intersections/crossings where appropriate.

4.1.5. Walkways should avoid obstacles

that will block pedestrian movements and sightlines.

4.1.6. Provide dropped kerb with tactile

surface on pedestrian road crossings. Dropped kerb should be min. 2m wide without any obstacles and no more than

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Raised Road Crossing (perspective 2)

gradients of 5% (1 in 20). (Refer to perspective 1)

4.1.7. Provide walkways either with dropped kerb or with raised road crossing at all controlled road crossings and any areas used by pedestrians. Raised crossing should be min. 2.4m wide and level with pedestrian walkway (Refer to perspective 2).

4.1.8. Raised road crossing should be used with removable bollards on the centerline

of walkway to inhibit vehicle access where appropriate.

4.1.9. Provide separate cycle path from pedestrian walkways wherever possible.

4.1.10. Provide sufficient shade with shade structures and/or with trees planted close spacing of 5m to 8m for maximum shade.

4.1.11. No car park spaces and car access should be placed between pedestrian walkway and building wherever possible.

4.1.12. Provide functional, durable and attractive street furniture: seats, bins, lightings, bollards, signage and bicycle parks correlating to paving materials and planting.

4.2. Medians

4.2.1. Medians in urban areas should have high canopy trees in order to maintain safe and unobstructed sightlines to major destination, views to intersections, pedestrian crossings, and signage.

4.2.2. Aesthetic Concepts of medians:

Drought tolerant plants with hard materials.

Lighting on primary corridors

Year round color and texture

Visual Interests

4.2.3. Create focal features for entrances to the community and neighborhood.

4.2.4. Provide low maintenance landscape and irrigation systems that are efficient and reduce runoff into traffic lanes.

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4.2.5. Plant low-medium shrubs up to a height of 900mm with trees as a separating barrier to reduce impact of traffic incidents.

4.2.6. Planting should be set back 500 mm from road edge to avoid overhanging of road.

4.3. Roundabouts and Intersections

4.3.1. Each intersection and roundabout should have a characteristic design so as to be recognized as a landmark which gives a recognizable and memorable image for vehicular users as well as pedestrians.

4.3.2. Provide full visibility of crossing, oncoming traffic and clear edges to avoid blocking sightlines.

4.3.3. Use elevated features that allow distant views to roundabouts.

4.4. Interchanges

4.4.1. Trees and other landscape elements should be used on interchanges to highlight and assist in wayfinding journey to towns, communities, and main destinations.

4.4.2. Create visible and aesthetic elements in the driver’s line of sight at the entrances of interchanges.

4.4.3. Consider planting on slopes or terraces that are difficult to be maintained.

4.4.4. Consider shade areas and inaccessible areas that should be either eliminated structurally using walls or surfaced with non-living materials.

4.5. Highways

4.5.1. Xeriscape principles should be used as viewers from speeding cars will be unable to distinguish specific plant materials.

4.5.2. Designs should be as simple, robust and clear as possible, and sequences of visual experience over time and not a single view.

4.5.3. Use materials and techniques that provide drivers with a clear picture of information.

4.5.4. In the median of the highway, screen planting should be used to defuse head light glare from cars in the opposite direction.

4.5.5. Provide strips of wide clear verges with groundcovers or hard materials.

4.5.6. Provide lay-by/rest areas as small parks and passive recreation areas for road users to stop and rest.

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Appendix 1: Design Procedure for Approval

All designs should comply with the landscape design guidelines issued by PRFD, Abu Dhabi Municipality and be submitted in the following stages.

Stage 1

1) Site Survey and Analysis

Existing vegetation, irrigations, soil conditions, climatic analysis, surroundings, user groups, utilities, constraints and etc.

2) Proposals and Suggestions

Concept Designs with images, sketches or photos, and other supporting documents

Presentation if required

3) Cost Estimates

4) Environmental Assessment

Stage 2

1) Preliminary Design (hand or CAD drawn):

2) Sections, elevations, sketches

3) Palettes of soft and hard materials

Stage 3

1) Final Design (CAD drawn)

Master plan with sketches, sections, elevations, perspectives and other supporting documents

Presentation if required

2) Tender documents

Soft and hard landscape detail plans

Specifications

Bills of Quantities and detailed cost analysis

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Appendix 2: Common Plant Species in Abu Dhabi Emirate 2.1. Drought Tolerant Plants

2.1.1. Low drought tolerant plants are the most common species. They can survive

with inadequate amounts of moisture which can be obtained in part of the root zone.

Codiaeum Crassula Cotelydon Dalbergia Sissoo

2.1.2. Medium drought tolerant plants are capable of enduring the climate which has

distinctive dry season. The plants may survive for several months with little watering.

Adenium Agave Albizia Lebbeck Azadirachta indica Bougainvillea glabra Caesalpinia Gilliesii Callistemon Citrinus Calotropis Carissa macrocarpa Cassia didymobotrya Chamaerops Coccoloba Cocos Cordia Cynodon dactylon Erythrina Ficus benghalensis Ficus carica Ficus elastica

Ficus religiosa Ficus Sycomorus Guaiacum Jatropha Lantana Camara Lantana Camara (cultivars) Lawsonia inermis Malvaviscus Murraya Myrtus communis Olea europaea Phoenix canariensis Plumeria acutifolia Poinciana regia Rosemarinus officinalis Schinus molle

Tecoma Thevetia peruviana Zamia pumila

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2.1.3. High drought tolerant plants are capable of storing great quantities of water in their stems or can withstand periods of many months of drought.

Acacia nilotica Jacaranda mimosifolia Acacia tortilis Lantana montevidensis Agave spp Leucophyllum Aloe Nerium oleander Atriplex spp Opuntia spp. Bougainvillea spectabilis Phoenix dactylifera Parkinsonia aculeate Pithecellobium

Caesalpinia pulcherrima Tamarix Calotropis procera Terminalia Casuarina equisetifolia Thespesia Creatonia siliqua Washingtonia Clerodendron inerme Yucca Conocarpus Ziziphus jujuba Dodonaea viscosa Ziziphus spina-christi Eucalyptus camaldulensis Euphorbia (succulents) Ficus palmeri

2.2. Salt Tolerant Plants

The desert and coastal regions have certain levels of salinity in the soil. Many

salt-tolerant plants could be categorized as a drought tolerant as they adapt in the conditions. The salt tolerant plants could be classified as follows:

2.2.1. Low salt tolerant plants can only survive in soil containing a minimum of salty

substances.

Acacia auriculiformis Hibiscus rosasinensis Agave attenuate Jacaranda mimosifolia Agave sisalana Phoenix canariensis Albizia lebbeck Plumbago capensis Bauhinia purpurea Punica granatum Caesalpinia gilliesi Ravenala madagascariensis Callistemon viminalis Roystonia regia Caryota mitis Schinus terebinthifolius Cassia fistula Spathodea campanulata Cassia nodosa Strelitzia nicolai Cestrum dirurum Tecoma Cycas revoluta Tecomaria capensis Delonix regia Yucca elephantipes

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Duranta repens Yucca whipplei Erythrina caffra

2.2.2. Medium salt tolerant plants that survive with the marine wind or inhabit in the

soil containing a moderate salinity which is far from saturated in it.

Acacia arabica Ficus benghalensis Acacia saligna Ficus benjamina Adenium obesum Ficus nitida Agave Americana Ficus religiosa Aloe spp. Jatropha integrima Bougainvillea spp. Opuntia(most) Caesalpinia pulcherrima Parkinsonia aculeate Cordia sebestena Peltophorum inerme Cryptostegia grandiflora Pennisetum setaceum Eucalyptus camaldulensis Phoenix dactylifera Erythrina herbacea Pithecellobium flexicaule Eugenia jambolana Plumeria spp. Euphorbia fulgens Prosopis spicigera Euphorbia grandicornis Rosmarinus officinalis Euphorbia polyacantha Yucca filamentosa Euphorbia punicea Yucca gloriosa Euphorbia tirucalli Yucca recurvifolia Euphorbia trigona Yucca rostrata

2.2.3. High salt tolerant plants can survive at the edge of the sea or in the salt pans

that have high ground water table.

Agave angustifolia Nerium oleander Agave neglecta Pandanus veitchii Atriplex spp. Phragmites spp. Carissa grandiflora Pittosporum tobira Carissa grandiflora (varieties) Prosopis juliflora Casuarina equisetifolia Scaevola plumieri Clerodendrum inerme Scaevola taccada Coccoloba unifera Tamarix spp. Cocos nucifera Terminalia Catappa Conocarpus erectus Thespesia populnea Dodonea spp. Thevetia peruviana Euphorbia lacteal Vitex angus Euphorbia milii Washingtonia filifera Guaiacum spp. Washingtonia robusta Hibiscus tiliaceus Yucca aloifolia Leucophyllum frutescens Yucca smalliana

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Livistona chinensis Yucca treculeana Lantana spp. Zamia furfuracea Manilkara zapota Zamia pumila

Ziziphus jujuba 2.2.4. Extreme salt tolerant plants are such as mangrove species that grow in the sea

water.

Avicennia Caesalpinia bonduc Ipomoea imperati Ipomoea macrantha Ipomoea Pes-caprae Rhizophora

Supersized by PRFD Manager:

Eng. Ahmed Al Murikhi Prepared by PRFD specialists in ADM:

1. Dr.AbdulSattar S. Al Mashhadani , Town Landscape Design Expert

2. Dany Baroud, Landscape Architect.

3. Jin Smith, Landscape Architect.

Evaluated by KEO International Consultants in Abu Dhabi:

1. Gorden Evans, Landscape Architect.

2. Elie Antoine Hajjar, Senior Project Manager.

This draft Issued and submitted to UPC in July 2009