Keystone were delighted to be appointed as principle contractor and stone contractor on this prestigious project, working alongside The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) to create two separate garden spaces inspired by different regions of the Islamic world. Through contemporary landscape design, the two spaces in this building seek to capture the spirit of the gardens of southern Spain (Level 1) and Morocco and the Maghreb (Level 8).
On Level 1, inspired by the gardens of Andalucia, this space involves the careful orchestration of composition, geometry, pattern, colour, light quality, textures, and sound – using water as a central element. The flooring is formed with Thor sandstone from Spain, laid in 600x50mm modules. The drainage channels, large format flooring, and water feature surround is all fabricated from French white Bretigny limestone, and the upstand surrounding the water feature is carved with an Islamic pattern. Finally the large format slabs within the water feature itself are 50mm thick Zimbabwe Black granite, and have removable central sections for access.
Both garden spaces presented challenges in terms of logistics, interface details, and intricate setting out requirements. However, the project ran smoothly and the client team as well as all of us at Keystone are thrilled with the results.