ALEXANDER SAUNDERS Undergraduate Portfolio
Design Competition Entry
1. COMPETITION
1. Revitalising The River Don | Sheffield
Undergraduate Year 3 2. Castlegate Integrated Project
Winner of the Landscape Insitutes ‘Creating Healthy Places’ Ideas Competition 2014
3. Castlegate Planting Design
The aim of this proposed idea is to make a move away from thinking about landscapes 5, 10 or 15 years from after implementation but instead considering what can be achieved within the first year after a site is abandoned, demolished or neglected.
4. Castlegate Construction 5. Rivelin Valley Retreat 6. Sustainable Housing
Undergraduate Year 2 7. Cultural Industries Quarter
CONTENTS
The proposal looks at a planning scale for a section of the Don in the heart of Sheffield. The neglected spaces can form the foundation for an extensive corridor in which potentially sacrificial, quick to install, mixed-use landscapes are used to reintegrate the city with its rivers. An example of this is small pocket river parks with a combination of urban woodlands and wetlands to attract people to the river whilst offering new ecological habitats, filtering run off water and aiming to combat recent flooding concerns. Use of native riparian woodland in new densely vegetated areas can also enhance the character of this corridor of spaces while also helping to combat green house gas emissions and improving air quality.
Vision
The Sheffield Footprints is the utilisation and manipulation of previous footprints, forms, scales, and textures in order to subtly celebrate the heritage of Castlegate’s previous communities, cultures and characters, while providing a green gateway to the city centre.
An appreciation of long open views and vistas between the park’s surroundings.
The park will be a hub for Sheffield’s future supporting green infrastructure, founded at the confluence of the River Don and River Sheaf. It will explore and incorporate green technologies such as infiltration swales and floating gardens, as well as riparian woodland, to create a highly biodiverse river park, while the outer reaches are potentially sacrificial and adaptable to the ever changing city centre. The Castlegate Park is split into three core character areas reflecting upon key historical eras of the local surroundings, the industrial revolution, the medieval castle and the natural river with the latter partially enclosed in a woodland corridor.
C1
Flexible space for seasonal activities
The Industrial Revolution Emphasis on large ‘mass produced’ entities, playing on the notion of metal pressing, large industrial warehouses and the gateway to the modern city.
Gateway to various city sectors
Riparian Woodland Divide Encourage future links to HS2 Victoria Station
C2 The Medieval Castle - A more intimate hand crafted feel. Still formal but starting to lose its precision. Reflecting on the castle and supporting moat.
Spatial arrangement is dictated by selectively converting 1800’s industrial building footprints outlines into green space.
Provision of a variety of places to pause and reflect as well as a variety of journeys through and around the park.
Wet swales and rain gardens planted into crushed brick substrate - Coventry
C3 The variety of existing hardscape finishes on site are used to reflect different character areas.
The Natural River - A wilder area with more random intervention and wilder textures. Both large and small scale, formal and informal features promoting access to the water.
Lightweight steel structures accommodate Clematis climbers - Wisley
CASTLEGATE INTEGRATED PROJECT
Victoria Station HS2
V3 C3
C1 V2
V1
C2
City Centre Proposed Bus Routes River Bed Cut
Castlegate Park Masterplan
Bus and Taxi Stops
Park Hill
Street Trees - Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’
City Edge Trees - Liquidambar styraciflua
CASTLEGATE INTEGRATED PROJECT
Mixed Woodland - Betula ermanii
Mixed Woodland -Quercus rubra
Detailed Area
Recycled Structures
Steel
Climbing
Brushed Concrete Path
Exposed Aggregate Path Aggregate recycled from building rubble Creosote Decking
Treated
Timber
Reinforced Concrete Blocks & Stairs - Aggregate recycled from building rubble
Lamp
Masterplan
The confluence platform offers multiple experiences with intimate seating enclaves that offer the chance to reflect back along the rivers or back into the park, and stepped blocks with greater access to the rivers themselves. Supporting wetlands allow the opportunity to manage rainwater before it reaches the river as well as acting as a flood management system. Brushed Concrete Path
Swale
Sectional Axo
Mown Lawn Exposed Aggregate Path
Deep Wetland Swale
Raised Platform Overlooking The Park And River
Floating gardens look to add more ecological and visual value to the river experience while deeper cuts in the river bed and have the water’s journey. Stepped Access To River
2 Clematis cirrhosa bellerica
4 Mix A
1 Amelanchier canadensis 8 Mix B 6 Mix A
2 Mix A
2 Mix C 4 Mix B
8 Mix A
6 Rheum palmatum var.tanguticum 4 Mix E
2 Mix F
2 Mix F
The chosen area looks to create a statement of arrival to the park through a large planted bed with an array of hebacious and grass like perenials flowering through different seasons providing different colours and forms throughout the year, celebrating the revealing of the castle remnants. Mixes are arranged to subtley represent the previous presence of Sheffield’s castle structure and surrounding moat. The moat itself is represented through drift of mixes and individual species with a greater water tolerance. These plants are lush in appearance with emegants that flow accross the moat line. Clump forming plants reflect intididual blocks used to create the castle while the informal nature of mixes reflects the limited precision with the the blocks were put together.
2 Mix E 4 Mix F
6Eupatorium maculatum ‘Atropurpureum
4 Mix E 6 Rheum palmatum var.tanguticum
6 Mix E
6 Eupatorium maculatum ‘Atropurpureum 4 Mix F
6 Mix F
2 Clematis cirrhosa bellerica
6 Mix D
6 Mix D 2 Mix A
4 Mix c
2 Mix C
2 Clematis cirrhosa bellerica
8 Mix D 4 Mix C 2 Mix B
4 Mix B
2 Clematis integrifolia ‘ Rooguchi’
6 Mix A 2 Clematis integrifolia ‘ Rooguchi’ 6 Mix A 8 Mix B
Clematis Climber
3. CASTLEGATE PLANTING DESIGN Dryer Mixes
MIX
spread cm height cm pot size litres soil moisture price
sunlight
plant type
plant name
seller
plants per m2 of mix
Underplanted with
30 45 90 80
40 40 120 35
2 2 2 2
dry dry dry dry
2.6 2.4 2.4 2.6
patial shade tolerance patial shade tolerance patial shade tolerance sun to partial shade
herbaceous perenial grass grass groundcover
Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea' Carex testacea Calamagrostis brachytricha Osteosperum 'Lady Leitrim'
manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries
2 2 2 2
Underplanted with
45 30 100 100 80
60 40 90 180 35
2 2 2 2 2
dry dry dry dry dry
2.4 2.6 2.4 2.4 2.6
sun sun sun sun sun to partial shade
herbaceous perenial herbaceous perenial grass grass groundcover
Helleborous orientallis x hybridus Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea' Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam' Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foester' Osteosperum 'Lady Leitrim'
manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries
2 2 2 2 2
Underplanted with
12 60 30 100 60 45 45
20 120 90 180 50 60 100
2 2 2 2 2 2 2
moist moist moist moist moist moist moist
2.4 2.9 2.4 2.4 2.35 2.4 7.99
sun sun sun sun sun sun sun of partial shade
herbaceous perenial herbaceous perenial grass grass herbaceous perenial herbaceous perenial groundcover
Viola odorata 'Rosea Group' Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum Chasmanthium latifolium Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foester' Bergenia cordifolia 'Rotblum Helleborous orientallis x hybridus Galium odoratum
manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries Crocus
1 1 2 2 2 1 1
Underplanted with
30 45 45
90 40 100
2 2 2
moist moist moist
2.4 2.4 7.99
partial shade tolerence partial shade tolerence sun of partial shade
grass grass groundcover
Chasmanthium latifolium Carex testacea Galium odoratum
manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries Crocus
2 2 2
MIX
spread cm height cm pot size litres soil moisture price
sunlight
plant type
plant name
seller
plants per m2 of mix
50 50 30 45
75 100 50 100
2 2 2 2
moist moist moist moist
2.4 2.4 2.4 7.99
sun sun sun sun of partial shade
perenial grass perenial grass perenial grass groundcover
Iris siberica 'Perry's Blue' Crcocosmia 'Lucifer' Hemerocallis 'Stella in red' Galium odoratum
manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries Crocus
3 3 3
50 30 45
100 30 100
2 2 2
wet wet moist
2.4 2.4 7.99
sun perenial grass sun perenial grass sun of partial shade groundcover
Iris sibirica 'Sparkling Rose' Hemerocallis 'Stella De Oro' Galium odoratum
manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries Crocus
4 4
200 100
200 100
2 2
wet wet
8.99 9.99
sun or partial shade herbacious perenial sun hardy perenial
Eupatorium maculatum 'Atropurpureum Gcrocus roup' Rheum palmatum var.tanguticum crocus
2 2
250 150
250 300
2 2
moist moist
4.3 4.3
sun sun
Clematis integrifolia 'Rooguchi' Clematis cirrhosa bellerica
manor farm nurseries manor farm nurseries
1 around steel structure 1 around steel structure
45 80
100 35
2 2
moist dry
7.99 2.6
sun or partial shade groundcover sun or partial shade groundcover
Galium odoratum Osteosperum 'Lady Leitrim'
Crocus manor farm nurseries
Price 70
Grown In superroot feeder
Seller Coles
Spacing
Ultimate height cm ultimate spread cm 1200 800
Mix E
MIX A
MIX B
Underplanted with
Mix F Underplanted with
MIX C
MIX D
Idividual Climbers
Groundcover for spaces
Trees Buying Size Amelanchier canadensis 200
MIX MIX A
climber climber
PLANT NAME
PRICE
NUMBER REQURED
TOTAL COST (£)
Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea'
2.6
Carex testacea Calamagrostis brachytricha
2.4 2.4
34 34
88.4 81.6
34
81.6
Osteosperum 'Lady Leitrim'
2.6
34
88.4
Helleborous orientallis x hybridus Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Purpurea'
2.4 2.6
26 26
62.4 67.6
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam' Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foester'
2.4 2.4
26 26
62.4 62.4
Osteosperum 'Lady Leitrim'
2.6
26
67.6
Viola odorata 'Rosea Group' Cirsium rivulare 'Atropurpureum
2.4 2.9
12 12
28.8 34.8
Chasmanthium latifolium Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foester'
2.4 2.4
Bergenia cordifolia 'Rotblum Helleborous orientallis x hybridus
2.35 2.4
12 12 12
28.8 28.8 28.2
12
28.8
Galium odoratum
7.99
12
95.88
Chasmanthium latifolium Carex testacea
2.4 2.4
24 24
57.6 57.6
Galium odoratum
7.99
24
191.76
Iris siberica 'Perry's Blue' Crcocosmia 'Lucifer' Hemerocallis 'Stella in red'
2.4 2.4 2.4
16 16 16
38.4 38.4 38.4
Underplanted with MIX F
Galium odoratum Iris sibirica 'Sparkling Rose' Hemerocallis 'Stella De Oro'
7.99 2.4 2.4
16 18 18
127.84 43.2 43.2
Underplanted with Individuals
Galium odoratum 7.99 Eupatorium maculatum 'Atropurpureum Group'8.99 Rheum palmatum var.tanguticum 9.99
18 12 12
143.82 107.88 119.88
Climbers
Clematis integrifolia 'Rooguchi' Clematis cirrhosa bellerica
4.3 4.3
4 6
17.2 25.8
Galium odoratum Osteosperum 'Lady Leitrim'
7.99 2.6
120 120
958.8 312
Amelanchier canadensis
70
1
70
Underplanted with MIX B
Underplanted with MIX C
Gateway Tree - Amelanchier canadensis Clematis Climber
Underplanted with MIX D
Underplanted with MIX E
Groundcover for spaces
Trees
Lush Moat Corridor (Wet)
Dryer Mixes
TOTAL
£3,328.26
4. CASTLEGATE CONSTRUCTION
The retaining wall’s finish seeks to reflect the informality associated with the waters edge and the planting behind while also showing appreciated for previous built form. To achieve this, crushed building rubble from the castle market building will be incorporated into the reinforced concrete itself. This can be done by either pressing the rubble into the surface of the concretre or by using the rubble as the aggregate in the concrete mixture itself.
2 4
PLAN DETAIL
1
LEGEND
3
Vegetated Infiltration Bed
EXPANSION JOINT DETAIL Raised Mown Lawn
LEGEND
Section Detail
1. Water Bar
100mmx100mm Granite Sets
Timber Decking and Edging
LEGEND
2. Backer Rod
2
3. Joint Filler
1. Perforated Drainpipe
4. Reinforced Concrete Retaining Wall
2. Crushed Stone
SCALE
1:2 reduction
RETAINING WALL DETAIL Reinforced Concrete
3
3. Reinforced Concrete Retaining Wall 4. Sub Base
1 5
5. Sub Grade
SCALE
1:5 reduction
RETAINING WALL DETAIL Timber Seating Surface
SCALE
1:100 reduction
DETAILED DESIGN AREA CONTEXT PLAN
4
The stairs leading to water will retain the crisp lines associated with a new park, through corten steel trays that define each stair as well as a galvanised steel strip inlay and lighting. Howeverthe finish within the sets will have a much rougher, more weathers aesthetic. The concrete mix will comprise of the same rubble that goes into the path and retaining walls however it will contain a greater proportion of aggregate giving a more gravelly appearance similar to that to the gravel river bed.
SECTION DETAIL LEGEND 1. Sea Level 2. Reinforced concrete foundation 3. Concrete anchor foundation 4 Concrete stair
6
5. Coduroy Paving
5
10 9
6. Main Resin Bound Gravel Path 7. Corten Steel Trey
4
8. Resin Bound Slabs with Exposed Crushed Castle Market Aggregate 2 8 3
7
9. 30mm deepGalvanised Steel Strip Inlay 1
10. 50mmx50mm Light Block
SCALE
4. CASTLEGATE CONSTRUCTION
1:20 reduction
WATERS EDGE STAIR DETAIL
Ancient Woodland
Enhanced Formal Entrances
Plantation Woodland
Maintained Informal Entrances
Meadow Planting
6
N
S c a l e 1:2500
Visualisation Numbers
Allotments with maintained hedges
Expanded Wetland
Key Historic Features
Coppicing Site
2
The Rivelin Valley is a corridor in which Sheffield’s Peak District edge transitions into the urban realm. This proposal works at a planning scale to define interventions that will transform the relatively neglected corridor into a linear park that exploits existing heritage features, integrating them into a varied landscape including open parkland, woodland, allotments, wetlands and reservoirs.
7 8
5. RIVELIN VALLEY RETREAT
4
5
6
3
1
1
3
More Prominent Entrances
Transition To The Wild
2 Enhanced Cafe Retreat
4 Woodland Retreat
5. RIVELIN VALLEY RETREAT
7 5
Opening Up The River
Experience The History
6 Expand and Increase Wetland
8 Places To Pause
This scheme builds on the green finger city concept to provide this area of Crookesmoor with the foundations for a socially engaging and environmentally sustainable community in the form of privately owned family appartments combined with highly pedestrianised, ecologically rich surroundings.
6. SUSTAINABLE HOUSING
Pedestrian & Cycle Shared Surface
Communal Recycling and Waste Bin Point
Densely Vegetated Bio-Swale/ Ecological Corridor
3 Storey Maisonette With Ground Floor Private Gardens
Deciduous Woodland Corridor
Communal Composters
Formal Rain Garden/ Bio-swale
Communal Bike Sheds
Car Parking
This proposal for the Cultural Industries Quarter (CIQ) of Sheffield aims to create a coherant series of designed park spaces to link small pockets of space through an area with high potential to become an historical and artistic hub for the city. The gallery concept is underpinned by the idea of a large building with a common structure (CIQ) comprised of smaller themed exibitions or rooms (designed spaces). This is represented by a common material and vegetation pallette throughout the route however each individual designed space represents different qualities of the local area, such as a performance promoting space for local musicians, and spaces that uses structural form to represent Sheffields industrial heritage.
7. CULTURAL INDUSTRIES QUARTER
Winner of the University Of Sheffield’s Rosie Reynolds Prize For Group Design
Gallery Concept Continued This space uses sound/ music as the key theme of the space. It is important to focus more on other sensory qualities than purely the visual of this space compared to others along the route. The site chosen exploits the natural sound of the river while looking to create a platform for Sheffield’s performing arts scene where music is a major contributor.
Key Flowering Meadow/ Tall grass Mix Mown Grass Concrete Paving Sets Wetland Planting and Reeds Concrete Stair Sets Lights Steel/Wood Structure Liquidambar styraciflua Betula pendula or Betula jacquemontii Spot Heights Slope Direction (downhill) Section Line
The Temporal Landscape Daily Change The space has the potential to become a popular outdoor venue during the evening as well as the day. The lighting change will give a new atmoshpere to the space that could be much more intimate. The possibility of involving BBC Radio Sheffield which is situated just a short walk away could make way for a couple of more publisised events to bring the community together in the park. Seasonal Change During autumn and winter some of the flowering meadow planting will become a lot less predominant with the evergreen grasses, and hardscape detail becoming the new focus. The Liquidambar styraciflua and Betula jacquemontii will change dramatically throughout the year whilst also growing over the longer period.
7. CULTURAL INDUSTRIES QUARTER
Key Flowering Meadow/ Tall grass Mix Mown Grass Concrete Paving Sets Wetland Planting and Reeds Concrete Stair Sets Lights Steel/Wood Structure Liquidambar styraciflua Betula pendula jacquemontii
or
Betula
Spot Heights Slope Direction (downhill) Section Line
Contact Details email.......................alexmcsaunders@hotmail.co.uk mobile.....................07595350138