Our agency is particularly honored to have worked on our first project as a landscape designer in Iraq. An enriching country and culture with many surprises in store.
The recent history of Iraq, and more broadly that of the Middle East, has not been conducive to the economic, political and cultural development of a country that, once you get to know it, has all the qualities you need. Land of two rivers, this is not a wide desert, but two fertile valleys that intersect to form one, offering breathtaking scenery. From the mountains of Kurdistan to the Chatt-el-Arab, they follow one another, rising then levelling out, from harsh winters to dry summers.
During our journey to discover this country, made mysterious by the events that have marked it, we came face-to-face with its people. We were surprised to discover a region that is resolutely forward-looking, with a firm commitment to opening up to the world.
Its main cities - Baghdad, Mosul, Erbil, Basra - are serenely displaying this important commitment, with brand-new buildings, new residential and working districts, offering a wide range of services that are gradually opening up the country to tourism.
Ecological concerns are not forgotten. While we've talked about political, economic and tourist growth, public authorities are well aware of the importance of taking environmental issues into account, as demonstrated by Erbil's gigantic urban plan for 2030, which includes a broad green belt incorporating a policy of peri-urban agriculture combining local production, employment, reduced energy expenditure and ecosystem preservation. This echoes the first initiatives in this field, such as the Kerbala green belt, designed to limit the advance of the desert.
It's against this backdrop, full of promise and promise for the future, that Landscape Consulting has set up in Iraq, to take part in the renewal of the ancient kingdom of Babylon and, who knows, maybe even its gardens!
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