Garden/Landscaping Projects
Emma and her specialist teams take designs from the initial stage of discussion of the main concept and ideas with the client, through detailed design work and execution of project to the final stage of completion. Her main expertise is in Islamic gardens but she also loves – and has been involved in – gardens of other faith traditions (e.g. she has recently been discussing the restoration of a cloister garden in Spain, the design of a Zen Buddhist garden in southern England, and an ‘Abrahamic’ garden in London, See Project gallery).
Having been involved with the Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts Programme (VITA) since 1988 (at The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts since 2000) – first as a student, and as a tutor and lecturer since 1993, she has the good fortune of first-hand knowledge of the craftwork of the alumni. Every design project requires specialist art and craftwork: for example, geometric patterns employed in different media such as tile-work, woodwork and stained-glass, as well as simple carved stone fountains – a favourite for Islamic gardens. (Project gallery) Many VITA alumni excel at these crafts: they demand dedication and painstaking work by the skilled practitioners in order to achieve the high standard set by the great artists of the past as well as by Emma’s design practice.
Recently (Since 2011), with projects in the U.K., Emma has been working with the established and highly thought-of Landscape Architects, Petherick, Urquhart and Hunt. (www.petherickurquhartandhunt.com/ ) They are specialists in sustainable landscaping projects and natural planting and have made a tremendous contribution to three exciting new projects: The new mosque in Cambridge; the large garden surrounding the British Muslim Heritage Centre in Manchester; a garden for a Muslim children’s Nursery at the Greensville Trust in Liverpool; and the Islamic Gardens at the new Royal Botanic Garden in Jordan. (Project gallery)