Velvet Green to invest nearly two million in the Mediterranean forestVelvetGreentoinvestnearlytwomillionintheMediterraneanforest
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Preserving and celebrating the cork oak, one of the most emblematic species of the Mediterranean forest and of the Campo de Gibraltar landscape, is a core aim of Velvet Green, which will dedicate 1.8 million euros to landscaping built around the site's existing vegetation.Preservingandcelebratingthecorkoak,oneofthemostemblematicspeciesoftheMediterraneanforestandoftheCampodeGibraltarlandscape,isacoreaimofVelvetGreen,whichwilldedicate1.8millioneurostolandscapingbuiltaroundthesite'sexistingvegetation.
The project plans more than 10,000 m2 of green areas on a plot shared by Mediterranean species of great environmental and scenic value: cork oaks, wild olives, mastic trees, rockroses and dwarf palms. Designed by the TOBAL studio, Velvet Green adapts both the placement of the buildings and the future gardens to the existing vegetation.Theprojectplansmorethan10,000m2ofgreenareasonaplotsharedbyMediterraneanspeciesofgreatenvironmentalandscenicvalue:corkoaks,wildolives,mastictrees,rockrosesanddwarfpalms.DesignedbytheTOBALstudio,VelvetGreenadaptsboththeplacementofthebuildingsandthefuturegardenstotheexistingvegetation.
Every tree on the plot will be treated with the utmost care, and the landscaping has been designed precisely to integrate it and give it pride of place.Everytreeontheplotwillbetreatedwiththeutmostcare,andthelandscapinghasbeendesignedpreciselytointegrateitandgiveitprideofplace.
José Andrés Mena, CEO of Jamena ConstruccionesJoséAndrésMena,CEOofJamenaConstrucciones
Mediterranean, sustainable, adapted landscaping
The design prioritises native species or species adapted to the Mediterranean climate.
The green areas favour species resistant to drought, wind and high summer temperatures: cork oaks, wild olives, mastic trees, dwarf palms, lavenders, rosemaries, rockroses and Mediterranean grasses such as esparto. Traditional lawn is minimised and, where needed, Zoysia turf will be used for its low water demand.Thegreenareasfavourspeciesresistanttodrought,windandhighsummertemperatures:corkoaks,wildolives,mastictrees,dwarfpalms,lavenders,rosemaries,rockrosesandMediterraneangrassessuchasesparto.Traditionallawnisminimisedand,whereneeded,Zoysiaturfwillbeusedforitslowwaterdemand.
The irrigation system will be sectorised by water needs, with climate sensors and consumption-optimisation criteria, and the planting selection will favour local biodiversity and pollinators. Much of the plant supply will come from local and regional nurseries specialised in Mediterranean species.Theirrigationsystemwillbesectorisedbywaterneeds,withclimatesensorsandconsumption-optimisationcriteria,andtheplantingselectionwillfavourlocalbiodiversityandpollinators.MuchoftheplantsupplywillcomefromlocalandregionalnurseriesspecialisedinMediterraneanspecies.
The goal is not simply to create visually attractive gardens, but spaces coherent with their surroundings and environmentally viable in the long term.Thegoalisnotsimplytocreatevisuallyattractivegardens,butspacescoherentwiththeirsurroundingsandenvironmentallyviableinthelongterm.
Alejandro Guerrero, head of Environmental and Landscape Integration at Velvet GreenAlejandroGuerrero,headofEnvironmentalandLandscapeIntegrationatVelvetGreen
The gardens are conceived as a natural extension of the landscape surrounding the development.
