Gardens
reduce property selling time by 15%, as global landscapers race to enter their
masterpieces before DIGC deadline
In a sign
of the overwhelming level of interest in the first annual Dubai International
Garden Competition (DIGC), a higher-than-expected number of garden designs has
been received before the submission deadline of February 16th. The
competition is held under the patronage of Dubai Municipality, with strategic
sponsorship from Dubai Tourism & Commerce, Dubai Calendar and support from
the venue sponsorship partner Emaar Properties. The first edition of the
region’s most anticipated garden showcase will take place from April 3rd to 6th
at ‘The Venue, Downtown Dubai’ at the foot of Burj Khalifa -- the world’s
tallest building, developed by Emaar Properties.
Dubai’s
rising property prices are riding a wave of optimism in anticipation of World
Expo 2020 bid, but property owners could boost their investments even further
through landscaping improvements. According to a study by landscape economist
John Harris, exceptional landscaping can increase a property’s value by a
remarkable 28%. Even a simple upgrade from a ‘good’ to an ‘excellent’ garden
can help a property’s value to appreciate by 7% and reduce the selling time by
15%, according to research by Clemson University in the US.
This
lucrative opportunity has put Dubai’s property owners and real estate players
on high alert, as they eagerly wait to discover awe-inspiring design concepts
in the first-ever DIGC. The garden extravaganza is the brainchild of Purelife
Events, Conferences & Exhibitions, which has pioneered a revolutionary
concept to totally revamp the world’s perception of Dubai from a dry, arid desert
hub, to a green haven blooming with creativity and innovation.
Nasser
Khan, CEO of the competition organizers Purelife, gave a fascinating
behind-the-scenes look at the preparations so far: “We have brought three
judges all the way from the UK, who are celebrities within the landscaping
world. We’re helping Dubai learn from the best, to become the best. We have
masterminded this competition because gardens are so much more than just
flowers and grass; they encourage Dubai’s population to spend more time
outdoors, which greatly enhances family bonding, fitness and emotional serenity.”
Nadeem
Abass of Purelife added: “We are thrilled to be ‘painting the city green’, and
unleashing a shower of ‘flower power’ through these masterpieces. Dubai
relentlessly pursues perfection and it’s now part of the city’s DNA to accept
nothing but the very best. Hence Purelife has attracted the “best of the best”
from pretty much every continent except Antarctica, and the entries have
surpassed our wildest expectations.”
Worldwide,
garden competitions have proved enormously successful in helping host cities to
blossom – a perfect example being Liverpool, which was in rapid decline in the
mid-1980s and had become a concrete jungle of abandoned industries. It then held
a garden festival that attracted over 3 million visitors -- putting the dying
city on ‘life support’, and it was eventually selected as the European Capital
of Culture.
In
the same way Dubai is the Middle East’s nerve center of architecture, art,
lifestyle trends, real estate and scientific innovation – hence Purelife
selected it as the inaugural host of this first-of-a-kind event.
Among
the globally popular landscaping trends that will possibly be showcased is recycled
garden art and low maintenance gardens that use minimal
water.
DEWA,
AlBaddad International (<albaddadintl.com>) and Danube Buildmart are
lending their support as partners of this event. Interested landscaping
organizations, businesses, community groups, architects and other participants
can register or find more information on www.digc.ae
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