SRTI Park - Sharjah
When plans were first drawn up for the atrium at Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park, planting was always intended to play a prominent role. Spanning six levels, with a vast amount of open space above, the atrium called for something with enough scale and presence to sit comfortably within the architecture.
Natural trees were considered during the early stages, but bringing live trees of this size indoors would have introduced several practical difficulties. Light, drainage and ongoing water requirements all had to be taken into account, while the amount of planting planned throughout a busy commercial building made fire safety an equally important part of the specification. Artificial planting offered a far more practical solution, provided the foliage could meet the required fire standards.
Design Infinity, the interior design and fit out company responsible for the project, had worked with us previously and approached our team for help. Their initial plans centred around two large olive trees in the main atrium, with further planting extending across the stairways and balconies throughout the building.
At the heart of the scheme were two bespoke olive trees, standing at 5.5 metres and 7 metres tall. At this scale, the trees needed to look convincing from every floor, not only from the atrium below. The shape, spread, and density of each canopy were developed with this in mind, allowing the trees to fill the open space without competing with the surrounding architecture.
Both trees were manufactured using FireSilx, inherently fire retardant foliage. While most artificial foliage is sprayed or dipped in a fire retardant treatment after manufacture, FireSilx has its own fire retardant properties incorporated into the raw materials. The protection sits within the foliage itself rather than as a coating on the surface, removing the need for annual retreatment and making it particularly well suited to permanent commercial installations such as SRTI Park.
From the atrium floor, the planting continued upwards through all six levels of the building. Capensia, bay, Artemisia and Ficus foliage were used along the stairs and balconies, introducing a mixture of leaf shapes, textures and shades of green. This variation was especially important across an installation of this size. Each area needed its own character, while still feeling connected to the rest of the scheme.
As the first areas began to take shape, the scale of the project grew. The original architectural plans had allowed for a smaller amount of foliage, but after seeing the initial installation in place, SRTI Park decided to extend the planting considerably.
Installing foliage throughout such a large atrium brought its own challenges. Accessing the highest areas required scaffolding more than 10 metres tall, with our team working across several levels to position and finish the planting on site. Despite the height, access requirements and volume of foliage involved, the full installation was completed in just 13 days.
Today, the two olive trees remain at the centre of the atrium, surrounded by planting that travels through every level of the building. What began as a way to introduce greenery into a challenging indoor environment became one of our largest FireSilx installations in the UAE. It is a project that shows just how much can be achieved with artificial planting when scale, longevity and fire performance are all fundamental to the design.
