Selected projects. BA (Hons) Landscape Architecture

Portfolio ANNA BLUKE

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Contents Yo r k C a s t l e Pa r k Wo o d b r i d g e E s t a t e R e g e n e r a t i o n Campus Gardens

CASTLE PARK

Castle Park is a proposal for a new southern gateway to York city centre. It celebrates York’s cultural heritage and draws attention to human qualities in an urban environment.

York

CONTEXT The site North

YORK

York Castle and Clifford’s Tower, an 11th Century historical monument, enclosed by car parks and segregated from the rest of the urban fabric by dual carriage-ways.

Yo r k C i t y C e n t r e RIVER FOSS RIVER OUSE

MUSEUM GARDENS

YORK MINSTER THE SHAMBLES

YORK STATION THE SITE

ROWNTREE PARK

CITY WALL

South A historically important meeting point of rivers Foss and Ouse. St George’s Fields now holds little of its past cultural value. Behind the Georgian Elm Walk there is another car park. The site frequently floods.

C onceptual d evelop m ent

Spatial character The design concept emerged from studying the historical influences that make up York’s urban fabric. The project aim is to add to and enhance these layers by focusing on the use today. It celebrates York’s cultural heritage whilst creating a truly enjoyable public space.

S t a i n e d g l a s s o f Yo r k Taking inspiration fom the stained glass windows in York Minster and reflecting York’s spatial character has been the foundation of a design which provides great diversity of habitats for wildlife and spaces for peoples’ enjoyment in Castle Park South.

S T R AT E G I C M A S T E R P L A N

Improved pedestrian connection to footdtreets

REDEVELOPED PICADILLY Shared street with swales

CASTLEGATE

CYCLE HUB +HIRE

THE FOSS WATERFRONT

CASTLE PARK

NORTH

TOWER STREET THE EYE OF YORK

EXTENDED TOWER GARDENS

for people

for wildlife CHAPEL PLAZA with open remains of St George‘s Chapel

THE ARC

Pedestrianised streets Shared streets

Adding to city’s legibility with planting

FORMAL POOLS

Cycling facilities More permeable surafcing

Flexible public green space

PONDS SUPPORTING AQUATIC LIFE

Event space Improved river green corridors

Pedestrianised streets

Connections to Rampart Park

A wide range of areas for recreation

ORCHARD CASTLE PARK

Richer aquatic life

Diversity of habitats

Sustainable flood management

SOUTH THE NEW AVENUE

WETLAND + RESEARCH ROOM

Improved cycle route connections

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CASTLE PARK

SOUTH

The key characteristic of the park is they way in which the character areas and habitats merge and overlap one another creating a diverse yet unified environment.

FOCUS DESIGN

THE FOSS

WATERFRONT The Foss Waterfront creates an opportunity for people to reconnect with the riverfront and enjoy the public spaces that are carved out by the rich layers of architectural heritage.

THE ROBINIA GROVE The tree-covered plaza extends over the re-sculpted mound to create an inviting space that people can take ownership of.

CASTLEGATE

CASTLE PARK

CASTLEGATE HUB Bike hire + storage

NORTH

CAFE TERRACES

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THE FOSS WATERFRONT

PROPOSED PICADILLY BRIDGE

ROBINIA GROVE

SYMBOLIC PLANTING DESIGN - TWO RIVERS COME TOGETHER TO A GREAT PUBLIC SPACE PROPOSED BUILDING EXTENSION

THE EYE OF YORK DRAINABLE POOL MIRRORS CLIFFORD‘S TOWER OR LEAVES ROOM FOR EVENTS

Visual arts composition in landscape architecture B A ( H O N S ) L A N D S C A P E A R C H I T E C T U R E D I S S E R TAT I O N Application to YORK CASTLE PARK

DISCOVERING WAYS TO EMPHASISE THE IDENTITY AND SYMBOLIC MEANING OF A DESIGN (EXCERPT FROM WRITTEN WORK)

The Clifford’s Tower mound has been sculpted to allow easy access from various gateways of the site and create a pleasant journey as one approaches the tower. Visual arts composition principles have been applied to the designed space by considering the journey of the eye during environmental observation in order to emphasise the historic architecture and the usable green space.

Another way of communicating of the metaphysical characteristics of a design, thus stimulating the mind, is to use abstraction (Figure 31). This would cause the viewer’s attention to be brought away from the functional aspect of the attributes of the physical world and invited to concentrate on the composition as a whole, which communicates the symbolic meaning of the design (Motloch, 2000). Another level of complexity in a design is added when there is a rich overlay of different meanings and the ambiguity of interpretation is retained (Tyler,2007).

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Painters have often cleverly used composition to add more weight and emphasis to a particular symbol in their paintings, thereby hinting at the meaning of the image (Figure 14) (Poore, 1967). As John L. Motloch has suggested, an advanced landscape designer should not only be concerned with communicating physical characteristics, but also go beyond that and link those characteristics to stored cognitive images and establish associations with the metaphysical (Motloch, 2000). Therefore, the ways, in which a designer can bring attention to the symbolism in a landscape design, could be borrowed from the effective applications of composition, in which artists have accentuated the symbolism of a painting.

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DETAILS

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PLANTING

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BED 01/02 detailed plan excerpt

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15x Ilex crenata ‘Dark Green’ planted in a two alternate rows (40cm spacing)

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Briza media planted in rows from the edge of the path (30cm spacing), continuing the following rows in an alternate layout.

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Laburnum watereri ‘Vossii’

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3 alternate rows

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Ilex crenata ‘Dark Green’ planted in a row as indicated (40cm spacing)

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Carex elata ‘Aurea’planted from the edge of the path (45cm spacing), continuing the following rows in an alternate layout.

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Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' planted in two alternate rows along the seat (30cm spacing).

Tulipa ‘Purissima’ bulbs planted randomly amongst the grasses throughout the planting segment.

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DETAILS

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CONSTRUCTION Excerpt from the layout plan 1:250

Reclaimed Yorkstone setts 250x 150x150 mm laid in stretcher bond on a radius. Max joint width 12mm

DETAIL 01

Cromwell diamond sawn Yorkstone (supplied by Marshalls) 600mm wide, 75mm deep at random lengths, max 900mm. No units to be cut shorter than 400m.

GRAVEL PATH

DETAIL 04 STEPS

DETAIL 02

SANDSTONE FLAGS / COBBLES

DETAIL 03 TREE PIT

DETAIL 05

WATERFRONT / GABIONS

CEDEC self binding gravel

STEPS

Section 1:20

Cromwell Yorkstone diamon sawn setts (200x100x50) on mortar bed in stack bond. All joints 10 filled with lime mortar brushed in dry and well watered.

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Cromwell Yorkstone diamon sawn bespoke units, see dimensions Detail 04.2

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50 10

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350

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350 50

In-situ concrete

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MOT Type 1 hardcore CEDEC® Gold Footpath Gravel, compacted as per manufacturer’s specification. See NOTES (Detail 01) Cromwell Yorkstone diamon sawn 50 thick units cut to 350 width.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

Cromwell Yorkstone Tactile paving unit (by Marshalls) 400x400x50mm on mortar bed. All joints to be close butted.

DETAIL 04.1

1100

450 150

Reclaimed Yorkstone flaggs approx. thickness 50 stacked in stretcher bond, mortar joints min 10. Mortar carefully raked out not to be visible on the face of the wall

350 700

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BY A PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT

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WOODBRIDGE ESTATE ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY

Leeds T h e c l i e n t (Housing Leeds) needed this project to be developed in a way to help attract funding and open people‘s minds to how the estate could be changed in a positive way.

BECKETT PARK

requested, one that could be implemented in short and long term scales, to help improve the image estate positively for all the residents.

WOODBRIDGE ESTATE

MORRIS WOOD

A v i s i o n for a new Woodbridge was

COURTYARD SPACES

A s t r a t e g y and a masterplan

LOCAL AMENIETIES

showing how to make Woodbridge Estate work better highlighting...

OPEN GREEN SPACE CHURCHLANE ALLOTMENTS

The Woodbridge Estate is situated in Leeds, North West of the City Centre, sitting within the areas of Kirkstall and Headingley. It was built in 1965 as permanent housing.

QUEENSWOOD SOCIAL CLUB

Connectivity Identity Defensible space Boundaries Children’s play Ownership issues

C O MM U N I T Y C O N S U LTAT I O N

To understand more about the community of the Woodbridge Estate, and gain some local opinions of the area, we held an engagement session to find out more. Two events were held on the 8th October 2013 at the Queenswood Social Club and at an open green space just outside the estate. Prior to the day flyers were designed and given to the residents as an invitation to participate.

WHAT WOULD BE MOST NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE ESTATE?

COMMUNAL FOOD GROWING

IMPROVED FRONT GARDEN SPACES

IMPROVED GATEWAYS

WILD PLANTING

People were bored with the concrete, broken tarmac, mismatched pavng and bulky bollards.

COLOURFUL PLANTING

Image

MORE TREES

Many said they did not know people living on the other end of the estate - suggesting bad connectivity.

MORE PLACES TO SIT

Community

HIGH QUALITY PATHS

Lack of play inspiration on the estate.

FUNCTIONAL COMMUNAL AREAS

Play

OUTDOOR PLAY AREAS

EXCERPT FROM THE FINDINGS

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We need designated areas for the children - there is no space for local play.

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Using a variety of methods - interactive maps and questionaires it was concluded that the main issues were:

INDIVIDUAL DESIGN PROPOSAL

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BRINGING THE GENERATIONS TOGETHER

The few well-designed square feet next to a dwelling will most often be more useful and more used than the large areas farther away. /Jan Gehl/

ADDRESSING THE OWNERSHIP AND IDENTITY ISSUES The example illustrates a way of creating an attractive boundary between public and private space.

The co-operation of neighbours can increase the spirit of community.

The curvilinear theme throughout the front gardens would contrast the dull aesthetic of the estate.

NEW COMMUNITY GARDENS The residents are given the freedom to take ownership of the semi-public courtyards. The community gardens allow space where adults can relax and socialise while children are playing in the natural environment. Play features include teepees, dens mounds, as well as simple structures from wood.Raised beds allow the opportunity for food growing.

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This layout creates a more formal charater and allows freedom of design within the hedges.

WOODBRIDGE PARK The improvements to local green space take into account the disused green by the corner of Woodbridge Garth and Queenswood Drive. The design includes an event space, mounds and interactive, informal play features.

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PLAY

GROUP PROPOSAL

Having received the client‘s feedback on individual design proposals, the team collaborated to develop a masterplan that could be presented to the community and used to apply for funding.

RELAXATION

SOCIALISING Courtyard designs SEATING RAISED GARDEN SPACE

The phased m a s t e r p l a n provides a

solution for turning the courtyards into usable community spaces, improving the estate’s identity by redesigned gateways, maximising green space by re-arranging the parking bays.

were developed under this theme to suit the needs of the residents.

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The Line Garden

The exisiting courtyard is re-developed to provide a variety of places to sit and enjoy the surrounding planting, whilst socialising with neighbours. The linear pattern in the paving is unique to Woodbridge green.

GROUP EXHIBITION The 40th Design & Community exhibition was opened in January 2014 in Leeds, during which the project work was handed over to the client.

The group display included a film, an illuminated model and the project portfolio.

CAMPUS GARDENS

Leeds Metropolitan University

This First Year design project aims to transform a university car park, situated right in the heart of Leeds City, into an enjoyable campus outdoor space, which the university is lacking. The design was revisited a year later and was used as the basis for a course which aimed to improve visual communication skills. This gave me the opportunity to develop a digital drawing style, using SketchUp Pro, Photoshop and free-hand drawing techniques.

Thank you!

Contact

ANNA BLUKE

+44 78797 32850 (UK) +371 2633 1120 (International) annabluke@gmail.com