The National Gallery of Fine Arts Park: Sculpture Garden and Water-Conserving Model Park  -- continued --

Site plan showing initial design of park. 

Click here to view enlarged site plan

* The Royal Society of Fine Arts is a cultural, non-governmental, non-profit organization, founded in Amman in 1979.  It is governed by a board of trustees and has an independent administrative, financial, and legal status.  Its goal is to encourage cultural diversity, disseminate artistic knowledge, and promote contemporary art from the Islamic and developing worlds.  In 1980, the Royal Society of Fine Arts founded the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts.  Over the years, the collection of the National Gallery has grown to include over 2000 works consisting of paintings, prints, sculptures, photographs, installations, weavings, and ceramics by more than 800 artists from 59 countries, mainly in Asia and Africa.  The museum consequently has the largest collection of artworks by contemporary artists from the developing world anywhere.  For additional information on the Royal Society of Fine Arts / the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts and the National Gallery's collection, see Wijdan Ali, Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts (Amman:  Royal Society of Fine Arts, 2005).

Project data

The Jordan National Gallery Park

Head Designer:  Lara Zureikat, Center for the Study of the Built Environment (CSBE).

Research, Design, and Coordination:  Deema Aburizik and Dalia al-Husseini, CSBE.

Designer of Japanese Garden: Masamichi Ozaki. 

Designer of Spanish Garden:  Local Government of Granada (Spain). 

Structural engineer: Ramzi Salfiti. 

Mechanical engineer / Irrigation Designer: Majed Sabarini. 

Electrical engineer: Fajer Qarrian.

Supervision: Greater Amman Municipality (Sawsan Haddad (Supervising Engineer); Yahia Salameh (Surveyor); and Nabeel al-'Awadi (Foreman)), Mohammad Hisban (Supervising Electrical Engineer), and CSBE (Lara Zureikat and Dalia al-Husseini). 

Contractors:  Hussein 'Atiyyah (stonework); Mohammad Abu 'Awad (Electrical); Ur Garden (Planting); Qashu' Irrigation & Landscape Contracting (Irrigation); Bilal Shawer (Signage); Artikid (Playground Equipment); and Zalatah Contracting Company (Metalwork). 

Photography:  Osman Akuz, Basma Abdallah, Dalia al-Husseini, and Lara Zureikat. 

Pre-design drawings:  Sarah Abdul Majid.

Date of completion:  May 2005. 

Location:  Jabal al-Luwaybdah (Luweibdeh), Amman, Jordan. 

Area of park:  7,500 square meters. 

Construction costs: Over 250, 000 JD (about 350,000 $US).  Amount is an estimate and excludes costs of renovating café/restaurant building and its surrounding garden. 

Special thanks are due to the following for the invaluable help they provided in realizing this project:  Her Royal Highness Princess Wijdan Ali, President, Royal Society of Fine Arts; His Excellency Nidal al-Hadid, Mayor, Greater Amman Municipality; Dr. Khalid Khreis, General Director, Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts; Mr. Khalil al-Majali, Director of Public Relations, Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts; Engineer Ammar Gharaibeh, Director, Works Department, Greater Amman Municipality; Engineer Nibal Qattan, Director, Agriculture Department, Greater Amman Municipality; Engineer Mash'al Halasah, former Director, Follow-up Section, Greater Amman Municipality; Engineer Abdus Salam Kamal, Senior Technical Specialist, Water Efficiency and Public Information for Action (WEPIA) program; and Mr. Susumu Yamashita, Cultural Attaché, Embassy of Japan, Amman. 

CSBE implemented the Jordan National Gallery Park project as part of its Water Conserving Landscapes project (Project Director:  Mohammad al-Asad; Project Technical Manager:  Lara Zureikat). 

LIST OF WATER-CONSERVING PLANTS FEATURED IN THE PARK

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: View of lower park area before renovation showing areas in need of planting.

Figure 2: Central area of park before renovation showing mature cypress trees and flagstone paving.

Figure 3: Existing mature trees provide welcome shade during Amman's hot and dry summers.

Figure 4: Central area of park in need of a physical pedestrian connection to lower area.

Figure 5: Bird's-eye view of the park looking towards the northeast.

Figure 6: View of National Gallery extension building before renovation.

Figure 7: View towards the National Gallery extension building after renovation showing the sculpture platform / performance space and outdoor seating.

Figure 8: Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) with glass prism in background indicating low water consumption.

Figure 9: Trailing Verbina (Verbina peruviana), a water conserving solution for a colorful ground cover.

Figure 10: Water conserving plant displays and inorganic local mulch known as "tuf" stone.

Figure 11: Bermuda grass turf was chosen for its ability to survive on less water than locally used grass mixes.

Figure 12: Informational sign showing name and type of plant, sun / shade exposure, water needs, as well as Arabic Water Conserving Landscapes logo developed by CSBE.

Figure 13: Glass prisms used as an indicator of water consumption: high, moderate, or low.

Figure 14: Detailed view of glass prism used as an indicator of water consumption: high, moderate, or low.

Figure 15: Water conserving landscapes display showing high water consumption for lawn grass and low water consumption for an attractive green ground cover (Prostrate Thyme).

Figure 16: The Japanese garden in the park, mostly composed of stone and gravel, is faithful to the principles of water conserving landscaping.

Figure 17: Aerial photograph showing the National Gallery Park within its urban context.

Figure 18: Site plan showing existing conditions and surrounding building types.

Figure 19: Site plan identifying large existing trees.

Figure 20: Site plan showing levels and topography of the park.

Figure 21: Site plan showing formal and informal circulation patterns.

Figure 22: Site plan showing sun / shade patterns at the park at different times of the day.

Figure 23: Site plan showing an evaluation of existing physical conditions.

Figure 24: Observational mapping plan recording density, location, and age groups of users.

Figure 25: Observational mapping synthesis plan summarizing density and location of users at different times of the day.

Figure 26: Observational mapping synthesis plan summarizing density and location of users at different times of the day.

Figure 27: Observational mapping plan summarizing density and location of users according to age group.

Figure 28: Summary of interviews conducted with stakeholders.

Figure 29: View of sculpture platform and outdoor performance space looking east.

Figure 30: Detail of stair and sculpture platform.

Figure 31: View of sculpture platform and outdoor performance space.

Figure 32: Stone grill covers are placed above two collection points connected to an underground reservoir.

Figure 33: View of pathway showing restored original flagstone paving.

Figure 34: Water conserving plant displays integrated with previously planted trees.  Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and Lion's Ear (Leonotis leonurus) trees are visible in the foreground.

Figure 35: Existing mature Cypress tree (Cupressus sempervirens) bordered by inorganic local mulch known as "tuf" stone.

Figure 36: Mature Plane Tree (Platanus orientalis) was integrated into a planter between two entry gates.

Figure 37: Southern gate of the park leads to the National Gallery extension building.