2013 Winners & Shortlists

Brief Explanation

The inspiration came from the indigenous weavings of Arabia called Al Sadu, as this was the inspiration for Al Falah's public realm. We interpreted the patterns to create a publication that visually bridged the gap between the heritage of Al Sadu and the public realm. Destined for royalty, special attention was given to the quality of print production. A large format added presence and weight to the content and allow the renderings to be printed large enough to show all their rich detail. A comprehensive graphic key was designed to bring the location and types of amenities to life.

The Brief

Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council and ALDAR commissioned a document to showcase the public realm in the Al Falah development. Al Falah is one of the largest community developments in Abu Dhabi Emirate and forms a key component of Plan Capital 2030, the strategic urban structure framework plan for Abu Dhabi’s Metropolitan Area. A VIP version of the document was to be presented to the Royal Family of Abu Dhabi to commemorate the launch of Al Falah, with the technical pattern books distributed to architects and planners.

How the final design was conceived

Working with senior planners, landscape architects and project leaders we developed a narrative that would be present in Al Falah's public realm in print. By having a strong inspirational anchor, that is represented by the indigenous weavings of Al Sadu, we were able create a design that not only works for parks and public spaces but as a graphical representation of the patterns found in a typical Arabian weaving, so connecting the Al Falah public realm to Abu Dhabi’s rich culture and heritage. These patterns created the basis of the identity and the secondary pattern element found throughout the publication.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

The VIP version was presented to members of the Royal Family and senior Abu Dhabi Government officials, with the Executive Summary and Technical Pattern Book and slipcase being given to planners and architects. While there is no hard data, however anecdotal feedback indicates that the publications were received very warmly and positively by members of the Royal Family. The planning and architecture community found the publications excellent and easy to use. It's widely agreed that this work has set the standard for future publications of this type, this has been born out by a number of subsequent commissions.