Page 11 - Landscape-Issue127

PROJECT

ENGEN BAY WEST

The Engen One Stop petrol station at Bay West Qgeberha (previously Port
Elizabeth) was landscaped by Picket Lane, who received a gold award in the
2023 SALI Awards of Excellence. It was entered in the category of Landscape
Construction with Design by Others.

Project Team
Client: Engen Petroleum Limited
Architect: Thembela Architects
Landscape Architect: Viridian
Landscaping Consultants
Landscape Contractor: Picket Lane
Landscaping

Grey-leaved Senecio varieties contrast with the golden yellow of Portulacaria aurea

he brief from the client was to Challenges
design a landscape typical of “As with most commercial projects, the
Tthe Engen 1 Stop typology. This site-related challenges included severe
generally includes a children’s play area, time constraints in terms of completion
lawn areas for holiday travellers to stretch dates and co-ordinating this completion
their legs, and low maintenance planting with other contractors who were behind
appropriate to the surroundings. The schedule,” she explains.
client also requested a pergola structure In addition, gale force winds typical
covered with creepers as shade ports of the Eastern Cape between July and
in the parking area, as the layout of the February, dry weather, severe drought
parking lot could not accommodate and a lack of on site water made planting
sufficient trees and they wanted the conditions very difficult and necessitated
parking area to be softened and sheltered the importation of truck loads of water
from the strong Eastern Cape winds. from external sources to get the plants
Julia Mukheibir of Picket Lane explains established while the tanks, irrigation
that in addition to the installation of the system and rainwater harvesting system
landscaping and irrigation, the company were being installed. Another issue was
was also responsible for a pergola over the the incessant germination of invasive
parking and a children’s play area. Their Port Jackson seedlings all over the site. A
scope of work also included final shaping large portion of the maintenance period
of the areas to be planted, bringing in was dedicated to the removal of these
topsoil, an automatic irrigation system saplings.
and tank farm, planting of shrubs, trees
and groundcovers as per the plans, Soft and hard landscaping
mulching the completed beds and liaising aspects
with the sub-contractors for the artificial Being a petrol station positioned on
turf and jungle gym installation. They also a large property, the project has vast
Pink flowering Podranea is a fast growing undertook one year’s maintenance after expanses of paving and parking which
indigenous creeper completion. have been softened by narrow planters

Landscape SA • Issue 127 2023 9