TAIBA University IN MADINAH was initially a branch of king Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. In 2004 and by a royal order it was converted to a self sustained and independent entity. The new form of the university and the new colleges make the thought of a new and updated master plan of the university as a great need and desire. The purpose of this article is to spot the light on the landscape design of TAIBA University.
 

There are several ways of perceiving and developing the campus as a landscaped environment amenable to design. Campus landscape can be defined as a system of encountered experiences. Therefore, the goal will be to develop a landscape design that is an extension of the landscape sprit of Madinah.

Therefore, the objectives in the development of the landscape design include the following:

• Provide a landscape design  that helps to structure the layout of the landscape
• Develop a plan that limits the requirement of site maintenance
• Provide a graphic program that begins to instruct the visitor on how to move around the site.
• Provide separation between vehicular and pedestrian movement.
• Conserve water resources.

The Theme:

The theme for the landscape design of the campus has to be synonymous with the landscape character of the city or the area surrounding the city of Madinah. The landscape of Madinah is symbolized by the date palms, date palm groves, and farm lands, a green oasis in the middle of a vast desert. Madinah also has an abundant growth of nana and other herbs.

Therefore, to translate the board brush theme into a sustainable approach, the landscape concept proposes that the large areas of the site be zoned into intensive and extensive landscape areas, Intensive landscape areas located close to the buildings, and extensive landscape area away from the campus buildings, blending into the desert landscape.

Landscape Features:

Individual landscape components that one will experience from the environment from the point when one enters the Campus till he reaches his destinations include; landscaped surrounds, arrival at the perimeter, enters the campus gateways, travel on the campus boulevard and then move on the loop road. Enter the parking, and then start the walk to the different academic buildings through landscaped walkways in the pursuit of knowledge and education.
Therefore, the components that define the landscape include

Campus Perimeter

For the purpose of definition the site entrance and the wall around and the entrance gates to the site are all part of the markers that define the perimeter of the site. The purpose of the wall is to ensure that no one enters the campus that is not supposed to be there.  Here it will be important to define the height of the wall, especially for the wall that defines the female campus. The design of the wall represents the area within which learning and understanding takes place and by definition when you have walls we have to have gates, through which one enters to attain knowledge. The design of the gates is just as important at the architecture of the Campus.  

Ceremonial Entrance Route

The purpose of a ceremonial entrance or a boulevard for the Campus is to provide an entrance route to all the visitors both vehicular and pedestrian. This is the road that connects the campus gate to the main entrance plaza of the campus. The entrances plaza is a circular round about with a central monolithic column about 30m tall and 4.8x1.8m at the base. The connecting road will be three lanes with palm trees lining either sides of the route .

It is envisioned that this section of the road will provide a pedestrian scale to this important link, especially from the entrance to the administrative building, greater emphasis has been placed on the providing a pedestrian path. The pedestrian path will be lined with the shade of palm trees on one side and the shade of trees on the other. The pedestrian path will be provided with shrub and ground cover planting to make the walk pleasurable and interesting. The path will also be provided with other street furniture i.e. seating, dustbins, etc.


Recreational Route

There are always two parts to an academic qualification, the preparation of the body and the mind. The recreational route is the link that will connect the spaces that develop the body and the mind. i.e. it’s the link between the educational activities and the extra curricular of sport activities. This route will provide a recreational link for the students and will also be used as a ceremonial route for the Royal visitor. An underpass has been added when the route conflicts with the loop road so as to avoid any conflict between the vehicular and pedestrian movement. This recreational link will be served by some elements and activities like commercial kiosks at sitting areas, amphitheatre for student’s social activities and scout area.

The route will be lined with shade trees and will have palms at the nodes. The paving material at this link will be divided into two parts, first part starts from the sport hall and ends under path and it will be cast in place conc. paving (small pattern) and the second part starts from the under path till the stadium area and the paving material shall be cast in place conc. Paving (large pattern) as shown in the attachment figure. The whole link should be designed to accommodate vehicular access for ceremonial purposes, and other pedestrian access will be paved with interlocking conc. paving. The link will be designed with street furniture and lush green areas of shrub and ground cover planting.

Faculty Route
Purpose:
The purpose of the faculty route is two fold it carries all the pedestrians from the car park to the academic centers and also includes pedestrian plazas that will serve as congregational and recreational spaces for both the students and the staff. The purpose of these features will be to provide spaces for meeting and intellectual discourse. Therefore, the two major elements are as follows:

•  Faculty links
•  Faculty Nodes (sunken garden)

Faculty links
Purpose:

The faculty link is the space between the pedestrian corridors that provides the necessary pedestrian connection link the between one academy and the other and between the parking areas and the academic areas. The faculty link a linear space has been designed to as a passive recreational space where students will be able to sit and meet each other between classes. It will have two elements, raised planters with integrated seating areas with a space frame cover to provide shade.

Elements:

The area includes a raised planters, integrated sitting areas and pedestrian space that can also be used to provide service access for the maintenance of the planting areas along the link. The link will be shaded with a curved space frame as shown in the sketch Figures. This space frame will provide partial shade to the area and allow space for the hanging of banners to create a festive atmosphere. The space will be partially shaded with PVC covering the space frame so the space can be effectively be used during the cold winter  months when its reasonably cold in  Medina to actually be outside in the sun.

Faculty Nodes (sunken garden)

Purpose:

The faculty nodes major elements; the basic function of the space is to provide a congregational space where students can meet each other. It will also be a space for the together of the student’s body and the academic staff, for the purpose of exchanging thoughts and ideas to enhance education.

Elements:
The elements included in this area consist of water feature, seating areas, bookshops, large tent structure for recreation activities and cafeteria.

Faculty Nodes (Female Central Plaza)
Purpose:
The major elements of the faculty nodes are basically providing a congregational space where students can meet each other. It will also be a space for the together of the student’s body and the academic staff, for the purpose of exchanging thoughts and ideas to enhance education.

Shade Structures
Because of the intensity of the sun and extremely high temperatures, extensive shading of pedestrian use areas is necessary. Extensive use of shaded arcades will be made. Sitting areas will feature gazebos, tensile structures, or some type of shading device to protect residents from the harsh sun.
Shade structures will be designed to prevent solar gain in pavements, water features and seating beneath, but will allow air movement under and through the overhead element.  Lighting will ‘in most cases’ be incorporated within the structure.
Trees  and  vines  will  in  many  cases,  be  used  in conjunction with shade structures to provide additional shading,  add  fragrance  and  humidity  to  the  air  and soften the architectural  lines  of  arcades,  pergolas  and gazebos.

Planting design criteria

Design standards:

Typically the settlement and development of all hot, arid regions of the world has occurred at oases. In addition to the presence of water, the most salient feature of an oasis is the relatively lush vegetation.

The quality and extent of landscape development significantly influences the desirability of the environment.  In this context, .landscape treatment of the approach to a building, main entrance, and the surrounding areas,  is extremely important for a positive initial impact upon the users.

The landscape development at the different sites will be as practical and as extensive/intensive as possible, within reasonable limits imposed by, cost, water availability, and maintenance requirements.

The landscape design will be approached with the intention of achieving the following:

- Creation of a visually attractive site, both from within and from public roads.
- Enhancement of architectural features.
- Creation of an improved outdoor space.
- Compatibility with existing landscaping where possible.
- Amelioration of harsh environmental conditions.


It is of extreme importance for landscape and irrigation design that the conditions of the physical environment be thoroughly understood. Of primary importance is consideration of climatic and soil conditions.
The amount of annual rainfall is negligible in most areas of the kingdom and therefore irrigation water will be required.

Temperatures are generally high throughout the year. Although in some areas there is a pronounced cool season and possible frost damage. Plant materials will be selected to tolerate the range of temperatures that occur throughout the kingdom. Plant installation should occur in cooler months.
Cloud cover is almost non-existent and solar radiation is extremely high. Plants will be selected to withstand this radiation. High radiation, combined with high temperatures, suggest that shading of walkways and exterior public spaces is desirable. Shading by plant materials, in addition to that provided by architectural features, around the sites will be proposed.

Soft landscape

Plant material selection and their location will be of prime importance to the achievement of intended design standards.

Plant materials will be a variety of Mediterranean and subtropical types. To the greatest extent possible, plant materials will be selected and used as follows:

• Each plant will be used for both functional (wind control, noise control, shading, etc.), and aesthetic purposes.
• Plants will be selected to minimize the requirements for irrigation water.
• Plants will be selected to minimize the requirement for ongoing maintenance.
• Only those plants that are fully adapted to the physical environment will be used.

The location of planting would be such so as to create a pleasant environment and complement the architectural forms of the buildings.