Author(s)

R. Rojas-Caldelas, G. Bojórquez-Morales, A. Luna-León, E. Corona-Zambrano & J. Ochoa-Corrales

Abstract

The designing of outdoor residential landscapes in a natural conservation area becomes crucial due to the restrictive use of natural resources, disturbance of habitat, and visual impact of man-made buildings. Therefore to integrate architecture and landscape design and to promote a better environment becomes a challenge. This is the reason why this paper focuses on the contributions of landscape design of outdoors in order to achieve sustainable architecture. This project is set in a small coastal rural village known as Bahia de Los Ángeles, municipality of Ensenada in the Mexican state of Baja California, which is located in the Flora and Fauna Natural Conservation Area of Valle de los Cirios, in the Sonoran Desert. Project development deals with four areas of environmental design of the outdoors in arid places: Firstly, the modification of micro climatic conditions. Secondly, the protection of ecological landscape features. Thirdly, the assessment of aesthetic and cultural values of arid landscapes and indigenous flora. Fourthly, the utilization of natural materials for landscaping. Lastly, some conclusions are set confronting the aesthetic and ecological values of deserts against preference of other ecosystems, as well as cultural and economic obstacles faced by sustainable development of rural housing projects. Keywords: sustainable landscape design, landscape architecture, desert garden design, participative landscape design, arid landscape values.

Keywords

sustainable landscape design, landscape architecture, desert gardendesign, participative landscape design, arid landscape values.