Testing waterless gardens in the Middle East

Architecture studio Cooking Sections, along with engineer AKT II, have created a landscape installation in United Arab Emirates which is designed to test the concept of ornamental, waterless gardens in urban areas.

Built alongside Al-Qasimiyah School as part of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial, the prototype garden is named Becoming Xerophile in reference to organisms that can grow and reproduce in conditions with limited water.

The “Becoming Xenophile” plants will be left to grow until the next triennial in 2022I. Image credit - Becoming Xerophile 2019, Cooking Sections, Sharjah Architecture Biennale.

It aims to change the type of urban vegetation desert cities use. By reducing the irrigation needed for water-dependent plants, underground water aquifers can be kept more balanced.

The experimental landscape has nine separate microclimates in order to test which one performs best in terms of size, proportion and orientation. This can then be replicated elsewhere to show how to incorporate desert plants into an urban environment.

Sensors monitor relative humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, air temperature, rainfall, leaf wetness and soil moisture in 15-minute intervals, and display these results live on an on-site screen. Image credit - Becoming Xerophile 2019, Cooking Sections, Sharjah Architecture Biennale.

These nine sand bowls of different shapes and sizes have been constructed from the soil and rubble produced when the school was converted into the Triennial’s permanent headquarters. Each is shaped to need no watering, and to optimise air humidity and moisture drawn from the water table through its depth, positioning, shading and materials.

The microclimates are based on techniques developed over time in dry places with scarce water. Earth mounds and drystone constructions control wind, humidity and heat variations, while also reducing water stress on the trees planted inside and naturally condensing water.

The nine sand bowls were made from soil and rubble produced when the school was converted into the Triennial’s permanent headquarters. Image credit - Becoming Xerophile 2019, Cooking Sections, Sharjah Architecture Biennale.

Desert plants native to the region have been chosen for their ability to tolerate high temperatures and levels of brackish underground water, for example, moringa and desert squash.

Becoming Xerophile is also testing the possibility of introducing edible desert plants into the diets of locals as a strategy to reduce food imports and irrigation. A climavore menu was recently created to be served to visitors in Sharjah.

Sensors monitor relative humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, air temperature, rainfall, leaf wetness and soil moisture in 15-minute intervals, and display these results live on an on-site screen. This data will be gathered for the next three years.

Regions such as Sharjah are facing climate challenges from high temperatures and low rainfall. Image credit - Becoming Xerophile 2019, Cooking Sections, Sharjah Architecture Biennale.

Cooking Sections’ project is both relevant and urgent in providing environmental solutions for desert areas. Regions such as Sharjah are facing climate challenges from high temperatures and infrequent precipitation causing water scarcity.

Plants will be left to grow until the next triennial in 2022, at which time it will be determined which microclimate has performed best.