final project portfolio
Bethany Williams Bethany Williams Garden Design BA (Hons)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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East Greenwich Pleasaunce is a well-loved but somewhat neglected public park in the heart of residential Greenwich, south-east London.
driver. The resulting design aims to create connections in a number of ways:
It also serves an historic role as an overflow cemetery for the Royal Naval Hospital. Hundreds of Greenwich Pensioners (the naval equivalent of Chelsea Pensioners) are
• To the surrounding area – poor entrances and street connections are addressed; • An underlying orchard quincunx grid connects back to the park’s historic use,
buried there – some of them fought alongside Nelson in landmark battles, including
reflecting the geometry of surrounding terraces;
Trafalgar. Currently their story is poorly told. an orchard for a nearby stately home, thought to once have links to Anne Boleyn. In
• Between people and food production; • To the Naval heritage of the park and Greenwich, • To distant views.
recent years, a group of local residents has tried to establish a community orchard.
High-quality, traditional materials are used in a modern way and strong structural
This enthusiasm for local food production is reflected in a 20-year waiting list for
planting gives seasonal and year-round interest, helping convey key themes.
Before the Pleasaunce was converted to a cemetery (in the mid-19th Century), it was
neighbouring allotment plots and the recent formation of a Transition Westcombe Group interested in green issues. Views from the park towards Canary Wharf and the Thames are under-exploited. In approaching a new design for the park, community is placed firmly centre stage. It is hoped the park can be brought back to life as a vibrant meeting place for local people, to celebrate food-growing and to honour the rich heritage of the area, including the Pleasaunce’s Naval connections.
After exploring conceptual themes, connectivity was adopted as an initial design
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conservative
hallow offi cia te
celebratory
feudalism
ma rk
rty pa
solemnize
reactionary defensive
traditional
nostalgic
EAST GREENWICH PLEASAUNCE Scenarios exploration 3: Reactionaryยง Bethany Williams GD BA4 November 2014
relating
earthed
connective
spanning
serving
EAST GREENWICH PLEASAUNCE Scenarios exploration 1: Celebratory Bethany Williams GD BA4 November 2014
rural
joining systems
d ne ow ren
communicating
woven bridging
aristocratic
community
ho no ur
festivities
le e jubi
status quo ante
conjunctive
al ph um tri
bucolic
link
network
patriotism
rejoic sa e nc tif y
e fet
EXPLORING CONCEPTS
flags
the
out
b u nt in g
the
ou t
t pu
hang
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intimate
unifying
annex
EAST GREENWICH PLEASAUNCE Scenarios exploration 2: Connective Bethany Williams GD BA4 November 2014
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Three concept words were explored: celebratory, reactionary and
connective. The connective concept was chosen and used to refine some of the initial ideas for developing the park and in working towards a masterplan.
THE MASTERPLAN
6 A Masterplan was created, taking forward the connective concept and the ideas of
community, food production and celebration of heritage. A community centre with a green roof lies at the heart of the park, a natural swimming pool lido provides membership swimming for local people, new allotments are created and a formal avenue and canals mark the Pleasaunce’s historic links. A raised square at the top of the park is linked to existing allotments via a new entrance over the railway line, providing a venue for farmers markets and giving elevated views towards Canary Wharf. In the community orchard, fruit trees are interwoven with yew waves and sylised meadows.
KEY
Play area Portland stone New deciduous trees Meadow planting Fruit trees Allotment plots Taxus shapes Existing mature deciduous trees Earth mounds Shrubs and fruit bushes Terrace parterres Breedon gravel Taxus ‘waves’ Canal trees Rough-cut grass Closemown grass Green/turf roofed building Water Existing railway embankment trees Swimming pond
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MASTERPLAN SECTIONS
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Green railway bridge links existing allotments to market square
Through market square, formal gardens and community orchard
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Through the canal walks and community orchard
Natural swimming pool lido and green-roofed clubhouse
MASTERPLAN SKETCHES
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Taxus columns line a formal garden
Natural swimming pool lido, clubhouse and yoga studio with green roofs
Through the orchard to the community centre Places to sit along the main avenue
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A spiral mound gives views over the park
Looking up towards the market square from main avenue
Allotment bridge to the market square with its sailor statue and views towards the river A new entrance with vegetable planters connects to the nearby primary school
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
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The Western side of the park was chosen to take forward for the Design Development stage. This area encompasses the Market Square, allotments, Community
Centre, orchard and formal gardens. This part of the park contains the Naval cemetery and it is intended the design should honour the memory of those buried there, while creating vibrant community spaces. Refinements were made to the Masterplan design: • Path widths were interrogated and widened where necessary • Levels were refined • Some structural planting was changed and refined • Tree spacing was reviewed • Structural planting for the Market Square, parterres and orchards was defined • Oak planters at the front of the Community Centre were integrated into a new terrace and steps • Seating pockets along the Main Avenue were more clearly defined • A serpentine path was added to the allotments creating a more dynamic journey
13 KEY Mown grass Green roof meadow mix Tree Allotment plots Carpinus betulus hedge Water York stone paving Breedon gravel Angular grave path Blue granite paving Cast white concrete Green oak
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT SECTIONS
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Through market square, formal gardens and community orchard
Formal gardens, community orchard and canal walks
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT SKETCHES
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Beside the canal walks, looking up main avenue
From the allotments looking through oak pergolas to formal gardens
Looking up main avenue to market square
From the square looking down main avenue
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From orchard to small square, with its pleached copper beech
Looking along the tree-lined canal walks
Wide steps between canal walks and community centre
Glass bridge across the canals, towards the community centre
The Design Detail stage of the project zoomed in on two of the small formal gardens – the Pool Garden and the Grasses Garden – the Community Orchard and the Small Square. Again, refinements were made – a raised pool and seats were replaced with a sunken pool with sitting steps, the layout of beds in the Grasses Garden was defined and levels were further clarified. The structural planting palette was interrogated and a final plant list drawn up. Materials were finalised, along with lighting and drainage. Finally, construction details and planting plans were drawn.
DESIGN DETAIL
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KEY Mixes of grasses and perennials with good
Textural mixed planting in gravel garden
Block plantings of dark blue iris and grasses
Clipped Carpinus betulus hedge
Taxus baccata wave-form hedge
Box-pleached Fagus sylvatica
Pergola of 300mm x 300mm green oak
Stainless steel rill, set in blue Yorkstone
Breedon gravel path
Random-laid, path of sawn buff Yorkstone
Reinforced concrete retaining wall
Concretebase, still pool
DESIGN DETAIL SECTIONS
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MMain Avenue, Grasses Garden, Pool Garden and Small Square
Community Orchard and seating pockets on the Main Avenue
PLANT PALETTE DESIGN DETAIL SKETCHES
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CONTACT
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Bethany Williams Garden Design BA (Hons)
email: bethany_williams@me.com website: wildfiregardendesign.co.uk blog: bethanywilliams.co.uk