Synergy - Nature Right Next Door
Discovering the Saudi Arabian Landscape
Stefano Roman walking in Saudi Arabia.
Walking through the Saudi Arabian landscape is an extraordinary and astonishing experience. It’s essentially a place of sandstorms, drought, and extreme heat – not a friendly environment for humans. But a careful observation, however, reveals the unique features that are guiding our work in Riyadh.
Heading towards the desert and leaving Riyadh’s urban center behind me, I see how people use the open space, the third landscape, how they occupy it to take a break, a pause, find some relief from the hustle and bustle of the city. People drive out to these remote areas to relax and talk, either in tents or seated on the ground.
When the wadis flood, the desert blooms. They fill with water and Nature jumps right in. An immediate reaction to every action.
As I move closer to the desert, I can see green clusters in the distance, an ensemble of different trees and shrubs. It’s a surprising contrast with the rest of the barren desert landscape. Seeing this native flora up close is very curious. Most of the trees have thorns to protect themselves from animals, while others are crowded with birds taking advantage of the shade that their extended canopy provides. It’s a perfect example of a symbiotic relationship.
There must be a powerful reason for people to do this: to use areas that are not meant to be recreational instead of those planned and built for this purpose in the city parks.
I gaze out onto the Wadi Hanifa Valley that blesses the City. It’s a great natural resource, with immense potential, and has become an attractive open space for networking and recreation. An escape from the chaos of urban centers that offers more direct contact with Nature.
When the wadis flood, the desert blooms. They fill with water and Nature jumps right in. An immediate reaction to every action. Even the traces left by humans, such as furrows, holes and pits dug in the desert, are occupied by Nature, which creates this new ecosystem with the aid of the moisture it traps, a symbol of resilience.
Nature leaves a mark, and we work on that mark, taking into account the socio-cultural aspects of the Saudi population.
The resilience of a landscape that can face extreme conditions while generating natural communities of plants, trees, and animals that use them as a shelter. A place that embodies the synergy of people and Nature. Nature leaves a mark, and we work on that mark, taking into account the socio-cultural aspects of the Saudi population. The objective of our work is to maximize the time that residents can spend in Nature by re-naturalizing vast areas of the city and increasing the usability of green spaces, which is now limited to the evening hours after the sun sets and temperatures are cooler. We actively intervene in the microclimate regulation to maximize shaded areas and cool down these spaces. The 15-minute city approach has been revolutionized; our ultimate goal is to provide green spaces within walking distance for the majority of the population in Riyadh city.
The decision to change perspective has also been a success. As we play with topography and shift the appearance of the city landscape from flat to naturally undulating, we change how citizens live and how they experience the city of Riyadh. This change in appearance also supports the need for intimacy, which is fundamental for the Saudi population. We provide public space that feels private and protected so families can enjoy their time together. Natural urban areas become a second home where people can feel as secure as they are in their own houses, while enjoying Nature all around them.
Reconnecting people with Nature using the 15-minute approach allows Riyadh citizens to enjoy the beauty of their native landscape without having to leave the city. These recurring themes are what we are developing to involve communities in understanding, engaging with, and influencing the use of the local natural environment. A natural environment that meets citizens’ needs, becoming an important and desired part of people’s lives. An open and free space, born from the purest meaning of the word resilience.
Text: Stefano Roman
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