A sunken garden inspired by the old tale of the moon in the well. A sunken oasis with palms and water, reachable by descending broad lawn steps. Introduced by the scent of lemon trees and Lantana montevidensis shrubs, the moon in the well garden displays a crescent of grey-leaved shrubs (Leucophyllum frutescens, Santolina tomentosa, Senecio cineraria) embracing a black stone fountain. The opening in the light steel shading structure lets the water feature shine of light reflections. A further crescent of ultramarine blue painted wooden planks adds a vibrant touch to the space while screening from the windows overlooking the garden. The well consists of a precious round fountain made of Labradorite, iridescent dark blue stone. At night, the white marble cladding of the retaining walls reverberates the moonlight and the subdued sound of the shallow pond water.
Project: Al Ammariah family estate
Location: Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)
Garden area: 262 m²
Highlights: sunken garden, stair with lawn treads and Cor-ten® risers, Mediterranean plant species, Labradorite fountain
Partners: Faris & Faris Architects (Amman, Jordan), Comatec (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Art Contracting (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Services: Preliminary, executive and construction design, fountain design, shading structure design, paving design, assistance during construction
Al Ammariah family estate landscape project takes advantage of any situation to grow a garden: even a stair, here, gets a green carpet of lawn.
Valerio Cozzi
