BRAND
Wadi Qadid Experiment Station
ABOUT
The design of a schematic architectural master plan, grant proposal graphics, and renderings for the establishment of a research station in Wadi Qadid, Saudi Arabia. The research station focus is on sustainable solutions for the region's food, energy, and water systems.
WORK
Rod Wing, Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture
“Before working with Emma we were struggling to effectively communicate our vision... The visuals Emma created have been integral to each proposal, pitch, and report — helping us secure over $1.6 million for the facility, with additional funding on the horizon.”
YEAR
2024
From Vision to 1M
Experiment stations make science useful by providing the infrastructure and resources to support collaborative, cross-sector research in areas of significance to locals. The Center for Desert Agriculture (CDA) is creating a research station in Wadi Qadid; a desertified, water-scarce region just north of Mekkah, Saudi Arabia.
I collaborated with the CDA to create a grant proposal that explains why research stations matter, analyzes the proposed site, and visualizes a complex program that will deliver sustainable innovations in the food, energy, and water systems of the region.
Following the proposal, the project received 1 million USD in funding (as of March 2023). This initial investment has allowed phase 1 to be well underway as of February 2024. The concept map has been presented and shared to local stakeholders with great success in communicating the project vision and needs. There are currently temporary structures on site and people working to create the infrastructure necessary to start field research. Native species plantings have begun as a part of the Saudi 10 billion tree planting initiative. There are plans to have phase 3, the final phase of the project, underway by 2029.
