excavation of the numerous on-site water features. The total earth movement quantities have been in excess of 750,000 cubic metres.
We negotiated the required space for the golf course (about 75 hectares including a central lake of about 5 hectares) (45% of the total site area) with RRA to create a “core” golf course, with hotels and residential areas located on the periphery. It was an interesting period of the design process. We produced three or four alternative golf course route plans which were discussed, modified and, finally, we came up with a solution that worked for RRA in design terms, and for MEDZ in relation to the potential sales value of the residential areas.
We took into account the design of the residential areas (more than 1000 properties) and hotels aiming, as far as possible, to maximise their viewing potential (therefore maximising potential revenues), and also to design a course that would not create a safety problem for non-golfers.
In addition, we took into consideration the use of the peripheral areas for circulation - maintaining the main pedestrian access alongside the river and allowing for strong connections between the five on-site hotels via buggy tracks.
We were not asked to compromise the design of the golf course at all by RRA (who had never been involved in the design of a golf resort before, but had masterplanned a number of Moroccan and French cities and towns), or by MEDZ. The golf course was recognised as being the “heart” of the development from the outset and they respected our opinions as golf course architects. Admittedly, it has been a learning process for all members of the design team.
The masterplan was agreed by the authorities (Esquisse) in Autumn 2006 and detailed design work was undertaken over the winter of 2006/7. Permits were granted for the development in Summer/Autumn 2007 and construction work began in November 2007. MEDZ own one other golf course, Royal Golf de Fes, which was designed by American Golf Course Architect, Cabell Robinson, and built in the 1990s. However, they hadn’t built a golf course before, so they asked our advice and we recommended that they employ a specialist project management team, using local, Moroccan companies for all the main works: clearance, earthworks, drainage, irrigation and finishing works.
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Czech Republic. We knew how they worked and that we could trust them to do another good job for us and our client. The project management team comprises just two people (headed by Chris Johnson with full-time, on-site management by Tom Sedlmeier). Tom learnt French within a few weeks of starting work and quickly integrated into the Arabic lifestyle. Chris and I have been making site visits at regular stages through the construction period to ensure that work gets inspected and approved, however, Tom remains our “eyes and ears” on site.
CJ Management were also responsible for providing a specialist shaper - Chris had a host of good shapers who could do the work in Morocco. However, none were available at the time (Chris was also working on other projects in Egypt and Eastern Europe). We both knew of a shaper from Texas, USA - Lawrence White - who had been working on a project in Bulgaria and his work there had come to an end, so it fitted in nicely. Lawrence started work at Royal Oued Fes in November 2008.
It seems like a long time from commencement of construction work in
concrete pipe) by the engineers, which is not scheduled to be completed until August 2009. Plus, we still have high voltage power cables crossing the site (there is a pylon in the middle of the proposed clubhouse location), which will be removed by July/August 2009 and replaced with a new line of high-power cables on the southern site boundary, running parallel with the railway line. As soon as these are removed the earthworks and shaping work can begin
Our project management team (CJ Management, based in Munich, Germany) had worked with us previously in 2005 at Kaskada Golf Resort in Brno,
November 2007 to starting shaping works in November 2008, however, we had a number of “teething problems” to overcome. These were mainly associated with working on a golf project with local contractors who had never worked on such a project before. There were other issues: heavy rains over winter 2007 and again in winter 2008 caused several month’s delay. In fact, the lakes had only just been excavated to final depth (about 5-7 metres deep) when the rains started in Autumn/Winter 2007/2008: recorded as the wettest winter in Morocco in 50 years!
The lakes remain full with water (May 2009), which is a big problem in that we cannot line them with butyl lining material until they are pumped dry. However, they will provide an excellent water source for the irrigation system when it comes to the seeding works (which are planned for July-November 2009).
Likely seed mixes are:
• Greens: Tee-one (T-1) Bentgrass • Tees/fairways: Riviera Bermudagrass • Roughs: Sheeps/Hard Fescue
Added to the water problem, there remains 350 metres of drainage outlet (sewer) pipe (which will be used for all facilities on site) to be installed (7 metres deep tunnel 1.5 metres diameter
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