The Garden at Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall

Together with DesignInc, Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall management have created this concept to serve as a place to relax, unwind and have a meal before or after indulging in shopping.

Australian based company, DesignInc, have been involved in creating the concept of the China Court Garden, which includes three garden cafes as well as adjacent seating pavilion areas. The garden forms a link to the retail mall leading into the China Court.

Nakheel Executive Chairman, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, adds, 'At Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall, we are committed to raising the level of quality of the mall environment for customers to enjoy and appreciate. The central idea is that the garden will be an area of tranquillity within the extensive retail space of the mall. By incorporating the Chinese Garden into the mall, we are creating a space for visitors unlike any other. Our goal is to reinvent the shopping experience, and the Chinese Garden enables us to offer this unique concept to mall visitors by transporting them to another world. As soon as the visitor enters the mall the visitor will experience various entertainment options within the Chinese court.'

'The entertainment elements are reflected in the landscaped garden, architecture and water features, these lifelike features will be unique to the Mall and will be a definite attraction for visitors,' added Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.

Carolyn Varney, Principal at DesignInc, comments that one of the main areas of research for the garden is the plant life. 'The DesignInc team travelled to China to study and research first hand what components make up an authentic, traditional Chinese Garden; these ideas were then exported to Dubai. We also brought in a landscape designer to advise on the possible plants we could use that are native to China but would withstand the Dubai climate,' she explained. 'Some of the plants include Chinese Fan Palm, Papyrus, Bamboo, Umbrella plants along with feature Flame trees and Pistache trees.'

Carolyn believes that water plays an integral role in the Chinese Garden theme. 'The vast majority of Chinese gardens are anchored around pools or lakes; these water features create a calming effect for visitors as they walk through the garden. Local sculptors will be employed to create complementary pieces that will be set within these pools.'

Three cafés located in the garden area will host their very own seating pavilions. The pavilions can be adapted for use in both the cooler winter months as well as in the sweltering months of summer. Glass panels and air-conditioning will permit visitors to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the China Garden without having to endure the summer heat. The overhanging roof structure and shading from the trees will make them pleasant indoor areas with 360-degree views to the gardens around.

This unique concept has not been attempted before in the Middle East, and Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall has considered every minute detail in the design and construction of the China Garden. 'With the mall itself themed throughout, we wanted, as a contrast, to create a modern simplified version of a Chinese garden where lighting and the natural materials were the dominant feature,' says Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.

Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall and DesignInc have a shared vision of how the Chinese Garden will look and have made every attempt to create an area of serenity. The objective is to offer visitors the peace of mind they deserve. Moreover, Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall would like to give visitors the opportunity to experience an authentic Chinese Garden, right here, in the middle of the desert.