Sowwah Square
Location Abu Dhabi, UAE | Client Mubadala Development | Architect Goettsch Partners and Gensler | Size 26,000 square meters | Environmental Rating LEED Gold CS | Status Completed 2012 | Tags Parks and Civic Spaces, Corporate and Commercial, Public Realm and Infrastructure
At Sowwah Square we designed a green retreat at the centre of the new commercial hub on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi.
We derived our inspiration for the square from the culture of the Arabian Peninsula: dunes, traditional irrigation systems (Falaj), oasis, Bedouin textiles and the popular use of formal clipped hedges in United Arab Emirates, reminiscent of French baroque château gardens. This merging of ideas is represented in a contemporary responsive design created a sustainable, cool and protected micro-climate for users; it offers a dynamic kaleidoscope of planting and patterned paving on the ground and viewed from the surrounding towers.
Large plant-covered mounds create outdoor rooms which shelter pedestrians from the Shamal, a strong north-westerly wind blowing over Persian Gulf; they provide intimate spaces among the towering buildings. They are placed in a decorative pattern like that of a traditional rug, which weaves through the square.
To ease the heat, water features are incorporated into long stone benches that wrap the mounds, providing a playful and tactile experience. The surface texture is finished with ornate grooves which create a dynamic rippling effect, and form narrow Falaj-like channels. These limit evaporation, as used in ancient irrigation systems found throughout the Middle East.
At night, the benches come to life with integrated lighting at the base that silhouettes the mounds and highlights the polished surfaces.
Our innovative sustainable design led to the award of LEED Gold certification.
