FutureArc April/May 2019

APRIL/MAY 2019

Green Growth Creating inclusive landscapes

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Regeneration Morecambe's sea wall replacement

The Interview Johnny Rath of fabrik

Wildflower Turf Achieving biodiversity targets

26/03/2019 14:13

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WELCOME

WELCOME Welcome to the joint April/May issue of FutureArc. Firstly, we would like to congratulate the winners in the inaugural Pro Landscaper Podium Awards. The Supreme Winner was fabrik, a landscape architecture company founded by Johnny Rath, who features in our interview section.

In this issue we also focus on a sea wall replacement scheme in Morecambe and, further afield, we highlight a park in Bangkok that acts like a giant sponge to prevent flood damage.

This issue’s Property piece features a company which believes green infrastructure is a key tool to create inclusive developments that benefit the wider community. Also, our regular columnists tackle topics as diverse as gender equality and rewilding architecture.

In the Portfolio section, we showcase a striking university project in Glasgow, a new facility at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and an award-winning project in the US which features a range of landscape elements.

The spotlight is on decking in our Materials section along with our Wildflower focus, where we look at the implications of a new government initiative that puts the onus on developers to ensure projects maintain or enhance biodiversity. Lastly, special features on an award-winning living wall project in London’s Covent Garden and hedging trends round off this issue.

Here at FutureArc, we look forward to hearing all your news and if you have any interesting projects, please get in touch.

Hope you find this issue inspiring…

Gill Langham Features editor gill.langham@eljays44.com

www.futurearc.co.uk

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WELCOME

26 38 12

CONTENTS

48 NEWS

FEATURES

PORTFOLIOs

MATERIALS

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41

DECKING

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HEDGING

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TOPSOIL

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WILDFLOWER

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LIVING WALLS

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CPD

NEWS

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PODIUM AWARDS

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fabrik win big with their Fulham Riverside project

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS SPECIAL

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OPINION

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Romy Rawlings

FutureArc April/May 2019

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Green growth OPINION Maurizio Mucciola and Maria-Chiara Piccinelli of PiM.Studio Architects

REGENERATION A sea wall replacement project balances design and cost-efficiency

City and Riverside Campuses, City of Glasgow College rankinfraser’s college rejuvenation is rich with social and ecological benefits

St. Modwen make green infrastructure a priority

Design from Landprocess helps with Bangkok’s flooding issues

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INTERVIEW Johnny Rath, founder of fabrik

A roundup of the latest industry news

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Royal Edinburgh Hospital The link between nature and mental health was erz’s priority on this project

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Longwood gardens West 8 headed to Pennsylvania to revitalise a garden with 18th century roots

Alfresco Floors compare choices

Readyhedge highlight trends

British Sugar TOPSOIL share tips

Wildflower Turf prepare for BNG

Biotecture redefine Regal House

Millboard’s resin material board design and installation course

www.futurearc.co.uk

26/03/2019 13:49

WELCOME

46

18 30

34 EDITORIAL Features Editor – Gill Langham gill.langham@eljays44.com Managing Editor – Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com PRODUCTION Subeditor – Kia Wilson kia.wilson@eljays44.com Subeditor – Sam Seaton sam.seaton@eljays44.com Design: Kara Thomas

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SALES Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com

Eljays44 Ltd

Sales Manager – Jessica McCabe jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com

Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd – Connecting Horticulture

MANAGEMENT Managing Director – Jim Wilkinson jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com Editorial Director – Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com

3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 2DA Tel: 01903 777 570

Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK The 2019 subscription price for FutureArch is £125.

Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA, UK. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, uncommissioned photographs or manuscripts.

Whilst every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints, or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ responses to advertisements in the magazine.

We also wish to emphasise that views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.

Cover image ©Biotecture

FutureArc April/May 2019

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26/03/2019 13:50

NEWS

NEWS

P6 News P8 Back to Nature: Chelsea 2019 P10 Podium Awards P12 International News: Bangkok P16 Opinion: Romy Rawlings

NEWS Trinity College expansion gets green light LDA Design has helped Trinity College in Oxford secure planning for a multi-million-pound renovation, the college’s first major revamp of its historic Broad Street site in 50 years.

Oxford City Council unanimously approved the plans, developed by LDA Design and Adam Architecture. The site, which sits in Oxford’s Central Conservation Area, includes Grade I, II and II* listed buildings.

The college’s park is also Grade II listed.

The design, which followed extensive stakeholder consultation, has been described by the council as “high quality” and “appropriate to its context in terms of appearance, height and scale”.

Drawing on the site’s historic significance, the proposed building is designed to complement the college’s distinctive classical architecture.

Carefully proportioned elevations feature high-quality detailing, reflecting design features found throughout Trinity College.

A more transparent ground floor provides seamless connections between inside and out. The Library Quad will be transformed into an attractive courtyard that responds to both the new building uses and the existing library. Other new elements include a new terrace and water feature. Speaking about the development LDA

Design director and project lead, Dafydd Warburton, said: “We wanted to create a series of connected outdoor ‘rooms’, offering students a variety of environments to enjoy a range of activities.

“A woodland garden establishes informality; movable seating provides flexibility.”

The expansion will provide the college with a new lecture theatre, extended library facilities, teaching rooms, and 46 study bedrooms. www.lda-design.co.uk

Grant Associates get go-ahead for former HM Prison Kingston site A scheme to regenerate Portsmouth’s former HM Prison Kingston into 267 homes has been given planning approval and listed building consent.

Grant Associates is designing the landscape strategy for the Victorian gaol, which is being masterplanned by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios on behalf of

City & Country Group. The scheme is expected to be brought forward as a joint venture with Vivid Homes delivering the new build elements.

In an amendment to the 2016 consent, the total homes have been increased from 230 to 267 units, with 183 expected to be affordable housing.

Completed in 1877, the iconic structure is a prime example of radial prison design that was popular in the late 19th century.

The idea was that prisoners, housed in radiating cells, could be observed from a central rotunda.

Closed as a prison in 2013, the

building’s cell wings, chapel and infirmary will be re-modelled for residential use, with low-rise apartment blocks on the edges of the site. The former prison’s listed walls will be retained, and its gatehouse redeveloped.

Keith French, director at Grant Associates, says: “Our role is to transform people’s perceptions of the site, creating leafy and green communal spaces for residents and visitors, as well as provide important habitat for wildlife.”

Approval for the scheme is subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement. www.grant-associates.uk.com

www.futurearc.co.uk

News.indd 6

26/03/2019 11:25

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26/03/2019 11:44

NEWS EXTRA

BACK TO NATURE: CHELSEA 2019 the Landscape Institute has a strong presence at RHS Chelsea Flower Show across a range of exciting and creative gardens

S

ome of the UK’s leading landscape architects will be showcasing their work and promoting the landscape profession at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show to be held 21-25 May. Such a strong presence of Landscape Institute (LI) members and registered practices is fitting given that this year the LI celebrates its 90th anniversary.

The designers are tackling some interesting challenges from how we manage resources sustainably and the interconnectivity between our online and offline lives, to the health benefits of nature.

One of the most high-profile projects featured is the RHS Back to Nature Garden, co-designed by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge and landscape architects Andrée Davies and Adam White, president of the LI. Drawing inspiration from childhood memories triggered by the natural world, key elements of the design include a hollow log, a den building area, a stream and a tree house, all woven together by playful planting and trees.

The aim of the garden is to promote the physical and emotional well-being provided by access to green spaces and gardening. The RHS’s partnership with NHS England is at the heart of

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the project, and after RHS Chelsea, much of the planting will feature in an NHS Mental Health Trust garden also being designed by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge with Davies White Ltd. Helen Tranter, vice president of the LI, said: “This is an important year for the Landscape Institute as we celebrate 90 years of the organisation, which was actually formed at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show almost a century ago, so it is fitting that the work of our members, practices and our current president will be featured so prominently in such a high profile horticultural show.”

Other exciting gardens designed by landscape architects or garden designers who employ landscape architects include: • Facebook: Beyond The Screen (Joe Perkins) A dynamic garden of water and stone inspired by interconnectivity between our online and offline lives.

• Family Monsters Garden (Alistair Bayford) All families face pressures; this garden represents the journey of a family facing these everyday pressures and challenges in their lives.

• The Manchester Garden (Exterior Architecture) The garden aims to showcase a city reinvented and inspire conversations about the potential of green space within UK cities.

• The Morgan Stanley Garden (Chris Beardshaw) This garden, inspired by the UK’s love of beautiful gardens, explores how to continue the tradition of creating herbaceous-rich spaces while managing resources sensitively.

Back to Nature Garden ©Davies White

• The Resilience Garden (Sarah Eberle) This garden celebrates the Forestry Commission’s centenary year, marking 100 years of forestry, and looking ahead to the biggest challenges and pressures facing forests of the future.

• M&G Investments Garden (Andy Sturgeon) This garden draws inspiration from nature’s power to regenerate. The woodland landscape will feature young trees, ferns and jewel-like flowers, interspersed with stone platforms and huge burnt timber sculptures.

Andy employs 18 landscape architects and is a registered practice.

• Welcome to Yorkshire (Mark Gregory) Winner of the 2018 People’s Choice Award, Mark drew inspiration from the canals and waterways in the West Yorkshire landscape.

Mark employs three landscape architects.

Welcome to Yorkshire • The Dubai Garden ©Mark Gregory Majlis Garden (Thomas Hoblyn) This garden’s Middle-Eastern feel is inspired by the sculptural beauty found in arid landscapes. Thomas employs landscape architects, including Daisy Parson CMLI. For further details and a full list of RHS Chelsea Flower Show exhibitors visit: www.rhs.org.uk

www.futurearc.co.uk

26/03/2019 10:18

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25/03/2019 14:19

NEWS EXTRA

AWARDS For the UK’s domestic and commercial rooftop projects

PODIUM AWARD WINNERS UNVEILED AT FUTURESCAPE with a striking project, Landscape architect company Fabrik came home as supreme winners at the first pro landscaper podium awards

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T

he winners of the inaugural Pro Landscaper Podium Awards have been unveiled at a ceremony held at FutureScape Spring on 12 March at Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher, Surrey. Key industry figures attended the awards, which were sponsored by Bourne Amenity.

The Podium Awards, which are organised by FutureArc’s sister publication Pro Landscaper, are the only ones of their kind in the industry to recognise outstanding podium landscapes being created across the UK. Landscape architect company fabrik was announced as the Supreme Winner for the striking Fulham Riverside project, which also won the Commercial Design category.

Founded in 2003 by Johnny Rath, the multidisciplinary landscape and environmental design practice is a team of landscape architects, arborists, landscape planners and urban designers who bring innovative design to the external environments around them.

www.futurearc.co.uk

26/03/2019 13:30

NEWS EXTRA

WINNERS Supreme Winner

Sponsored by Bourne Amenity

fabrik Ltd

Commercial Build

Sponsored by Medite Smartply

Elite Landscapes Fulham Riverside

Commercial Design Sponsored by Everedge

fabrik Ltd Fulham Riverside

Pro Landscaper’s Jim Wilkinson said: “We are delighted with the quality of entries for our inaugural Podium Awards. The projects are excellent and really show the quality of the UK landscaping sector.

Podiums will continue to grow and play a more important role in the industry going forward.

“We look forward to the Podium Awards developing further and reflecting the outstanding technical ability in this sector. Well done to all entrants and many congratulations to the 2019 winners.”

The Fulham Riverside scheme involved the revamp of neglected warehouses that were once situated on the site. The project features a large pool in the centre of a lawn accompanied by a 3m-high waterfall, an education centre with a Sedum planted roof and a derelict jetty, which has been transformed into an ecological garden. Judges said it was “a technically complex project to design”.

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Speaking about the award, Johnny, managing director and owner of fabrik, said: “We are delighted that the scheme has been recognised with two awards at the Pro Landscaper Podium Awards 2019 winning both the Commercial Design category for Fulham Riverside as well as receiving the Supreme Award for the Project.

“It is a just reward for the efforts of many from the client Barratt London, the fantastic work of Elite Landscapes who built the project and the likes of Van den Berk Nurseries, Brickworks Vande Moortel, W. Crowder & Sons Ltd and Fountains & Features Ltd. “It was a real team effort and it is such an honour for the team to be recognised in this way and in particular for the judges to say they found it ‘difficult to see how a design for a project such as this can be improved upon’. Congratulations to the other winners and shortlisted companies.”

Jonathan Bourne, director of Bourne Amenity, the sponsor of the event, said: “Congratulations to the team at fabrik on its Fulham Riverside design. At a full two acres, the scale of the project is impressive and demonstrates how large-scale planting can be transitioned onto podium levels to create stunning landscapes.

“The ‘gardens within a garden’ concept has created a haven for residents in a densely populated part of London as well as satisfying certain SuDS criteria.”

Domestic Design Sponsored by Trovia

Aralia Garden Design Chelsea Creek Roof Terraces

Podium Planting Design Sponsored by Pro Landscaper

Nigel Dunnett The Barbican Beech Gardens and The High Walk

Outstanding Podium Product Sponsored by FutureScape

Livingreen Design Product Terraces Furniture

FutureArc April/May 2019

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26/03/2019 13:30

INTERNATIONAL NEWS EXTRA

WEATHERING THE STORM

a

new public park in Bangkok has been designed to help protect the city. Landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom’s landscape architecture and urban design firm Landprocess created the park, which acts like a sponge to prevent flood damage.

Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park is the first critical piece of green infrastructure for the city, designed to mitigate detrimental ecological issues and increase valuable outdoor public space. Bangkok is a climatevulnerable city with limited green space, and this park, which contains the largest green roof in Thailand, is designed to face future climate change uncertainties.

The park addresses major environmental issues facing Bangkok as a rapidly-developed, hard paved city: water management and the urban heat island effect.

But the environmental effects of the park reach beyond its boundaries: a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly road extends beyond the park in both directions, linking major roadways directly to the park’s walkways, and water is treated by the park’s filtration system. Located on a large university campus in central Bangkok, close to residential, entertainment and major retail facilities, the park is a showcase for the ecological and social impacts of landscape architecture in dense urban areas.

cHULALONGKORN uNIVERSITY CENTENARY PARK in Bangkok helps protect the city from flooding USING CREATIVE DESIGN FROM LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AND TED FELLOW KOTCHAKORN VORAAKHOM

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Bangkok: grey city to green city The city of Bangkok rapidly developed over the past half-century and now faces critical resilience issues due

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS EXTRA

to threats of climate change. Agricultural land once absorbed seasonal flooding and cycles of monsoon rain; today, these have been paved over by urban development.

As the ‘city of water’, Bangkok is no longer a porous landscape: there is minimal green space and excessive construction. In recent years, Bangkok has experienced increased flooding, rising temperatures and struggles with water management. The lack of permeable surface in the urban landscape only compounds these issues.

4 5 3 The Bangkok metropolitan region faces great climate resilience issues and is frequently affected by severe flooding during the rainy season. Bangkok is a city at sea level, threatened by rising seas, storm surge, heavy seasonal and monsoon rains.

Green infrastructure The 12 acre park with its 1.3km green avenue is designed with many ecological functions that sustainably collect and treat water, decrease flood risks, reduce the urban heat island, and promote pedestrian and bicycle transportation.

A ‘green corridor’ runs from the main academic campus to a commercial area on university-owned land, expanding and improving Bangkok’s green infrastructure.

Detention area Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park acts as a detention area, absorbing water in a water-stressed city. The park has been designed to sit at a slight angle, so that gravity pulls the water from the highest point – the roof – to the lowest point, the retention pond.

Storage tanks throughout the park mean that water can be collected and distributed to the water treatment system for zero water discharge.

Water treatment system Planted with native grasses and weeds for low maintenance, the green roof is the catch basin for

www.futurearc.co.uk

International News special Bangkok.indd 13

water. The plants can withstand Thailand’s extremely hot and wet seasons, need minimal irrigation and have strong roots to absorb water. Runoff water is stored in rain tanks under the green roof and overflow drains to the constructed wetlands.

The constructed wetlands run downwards along the slope of the park’s inclined plane. Water running through the wetlands comes from rain tank overflow from the green roof, and from runoff from the main park lawn. The wetlands steps down in elevation through a series of weirs and ponds.

The retention pond contains additional water plants for water treatment. The pond completes the park’s water circulation system. Water is also collected from the surrounding neighbourhood and integrated into the park’s filtration system for treatment.

Outdoor classroom Designed as an open area with activated edges, the park contains eight landscape ‘rooms’ along two sides, next to the wetlands lining the main lawn.

Each space is based on a different material and has a distinct use, including an amphitheatre, a meditation walk and a reading area. www.landprocess.co.th

Client Chulalongkorn University Property Management Landscape architectural design Landprocess Architectural design N7A architects Co, Ltd. Structural engineering (CASE) Civil and Structural Engineers Co, Ltd MEP engineering EEC Engineering Network Co, Ltd (EEC) Construction manager Consulting & Management 49 Co, Ltd. (CM49) Softscape contractor CORDIA Co, Ltd Graphic designer G49 Co, Ltd

1 P orous surfaces were used as rising sea levels and concrete infrastructure mean Bangkok sinks by 2cm yearly 2 T he main lawn is a vast, flexible open space 3T he park provides a place to explore and interact with nature 4 T he project utilises an 11 acre plot of land 5 A 3 degree incline collects rain, holding up to a million gallons

FutureArc April/May 2019

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26/03/2019 10:23

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26/03/2019 11:48

OPINION

A

s chair of the Landscape Institute’s Diversity and Inclusion group, it feels important to explore one area of our work that I feel especially passionate about – gender equality.

For many women in our sector, our projects offer a real opportunity to make a positive impact on people, place and nature. The collaborative style of working often appeals to women and there’s enormous scope within the profession with its many niche roles.

According to a recent membership survey by the Landscape Institute on future talent: •S tudent membership is split female to male at 57%:43% •T hroughout their careers, most women will be working in teams with an approximate 50:50 gender split •P ay for graduates and middle managers (earning up to £50K) is very nearly at parity.

Current membership at the LI stands at 45%:55% female to male.

So, where’s the problem?

During my lengthy career, much has changed.

And yet, in some ways, I’m amazed that some aspects have stalled, and one particularly disappointing area is gender equality. When visiting sites, it remains an unequal environment and this is one key issue that exists in our sector. Problems range from outright abuse (physical contact, verbal aggression) to simple, yet crucial, problems such as finding the correct size of PPE. Other common forms of sexism include ‘mansplaining’ (where technical terms

“ENCOURAGING MORE WOMEN INTO THE SECTOR ISN’T JUST ABOUT TICKING A DIVERSITY BOX” are delivered in dumbed-down language to infer an innate lack of knowledge), only accepting a woman’s suggestion when it’s verified by a male colleague, and outright bullying.

One of the most challenging aspects of site visits is simply being stared at! It’s estimated only 11% of women are site-based and just 1% physically work on sites. Similar difficulties can arise even working in offices within multidisciplinary teams where the makeup is

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OPINION ROMY RAWLINGS facing the ever-relevant topic of DIVERSITY IN LANDSCAPing, Romy Rawlings highlights the industry’s struggles and how we can move forward also likely to be overwhelmingly male. It takes a great deal of self-confidence when faced with a wall of perhaps 20-30 male faces to maintain your confidence as a lone woman.

From a broader perspective, I’ll give you a moment to think about this statement: There are more people called David and Steve leading FTSE 100 companies than women and ethnic minorities. So, what’s going on here? The reasons are myriad and well reported. Certainly, they are well understood by many women, no matter what industry they work in.

• Those in positions of power are predominantly male and people tend to appoint and promote people with similar interests and personalities.

• This unconscious bias extends into ‘watercooler moments’ where if you can’t or won’t engage in idle chat, you may well find yourself overlooked for opportunities.

• Having children can have a huge impact on working life: issues such as the availability and

cost of childcare in the UK can force women into part-time roles. It shouldn’t be forgotten that some women choose this, preferring to spend time at home with young children.

It’s important to highlight that I’m not simply making a point about equality and justice: encouraging more women into the sector isn’t just about ticking a diversity box. From an economic viewpoint, it’s evident now that the most successful companies tend to have a large proportion of women (and more diversity overall) in senior management roles.

A recent membership survey carried out by the LI highlighted significant inequalities in terms of career progression. There are more than twice as many men than women in the £50-100K band. It’s worse at £100,000+, where only one woman versus 14 men was identified. Our breakdown of Fellows – those at the peak of their profession – shows a split of 62 male to 28 female. So why do these disparities exist? Well, we don’t differ so much from many other sectors where similar inequalities are evident. Unfortunately, the construction sector has been highlighted as being possibly the worst offender of all in terms of the gender pay gap.

As an employee of a Scandinavian company, it’s been fascinating to see the cultural differences that exist between British and Scandinavian life – both in and out of the workplace. It’s well documented that Scandinavians have the highest proportions of female representation in upper management.

Norway leads the way, with a strong and effective approach to gender equality dating from the Seventies. It’s been regulated by law for more than 10 years that 40% of all board members in large companies must be women, and there are regulations securing equal pay for men and women. Interestingly, the main reason Norway is a wealthy country is because they have an engaged work force, including a high proportion of women. 85% of Norwegian GDP is down to human capital; only 12% comes from oil and gas.

There’s clearly much that we, as a society, could learn from our neighbours. We need to de-stigmatise the sight of a woman on-site, re-evaluate the way we consider colleagues for career opportunities and continue to make progress closing the pay gap.

www.futurearc.co.uk

26/03/2019 15:19

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26/03/2019 09:01

FEATURES Johnny Rath, managing director at fabrik

P22 Green Growth St. Modwen’s focus on green infrastructure at St. Andrew’s Park

P26 Regeneration Morecambe’s sea wall replacement project

x

P18 Interview

INTERVIEW

JOHNNY RATH FABRIK

founder, managing director and owner of fabrik, JOHNNY RATH details his forwardthinking approach to running a truly modern landscape architecture practice Could you tell us about the company? fabrik was set up in 2003 by myself with four staff members. Sixteen years later, that has grown to 52 split between Alton, London and a satellite office in Edinburgh. When I started fabrik I didn’t have any expectations other than to explore ideas.

I’m always looking ahead, always looking over the fence, I want to see what’s coming next. I’m interested in the way we live, the way we work, the way we relate to each other, how we connect with nature, how we teach our kids, how we use nature

without the people who work at fabrik. It’s not just the people who are here now, it’s the people who have come through the business and gone to all corners of the globe.

How would you describe the company ethos?

The company’s all about the people, it’s not about me.

I’m kind of the ringmaster in the background and I take the risk on a daily basis, but the company is nothing, absolutely nothing, without its staff. We value and respect them above everything else.

For that reason, we were never going to be called Rath Landscape. The name fabrik was my wife’s idea.

It’s Swedish for factory, so the idea is that of a factory floor and a flatter hierarchy where we work together.

“EVERYONE IS ENCOURAGED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DESIGN OF SCHEMES” to teach our kids, and, also, I wanted to be my own boss. I’m not great at working for other people.

My dad was an aerial fitter and my mum was a primary school helper with little interest in the creative arts. I do sometimes wonder how I got here but I can say that none of this would have happened

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FEATURES

Our ethos is simple. The key thing for us is our values, where we respect the people who work for us and we respect the people we work for and we expect the same. We don’t have a single design mantra in fabrik. Last year we asked our staff to ask “why?”, and they all came back with different responses.

My ‘why’ is simple. My passion is reconnecting or connecting people with nature. I grew up outdoors but I’m not from a farming family. I spend as much of my time outdoors as I can and it’s that physical and mental connection with nature that nourishes my soul.

We all have different approaches to design. We ask our teams to put their personal ‘why’ into their work.

At the pre-planning stage we are able to say, “are you putting what you believe in into that project?” and help them develop their voice.

How has the company developed since 2003?

We started in Farnham but quickly outgrew it, so we decided to move the office to Alton because I live locally and then we have grown from here. Around 10 years ago we went into London with a desire to have a presence there, but it’s grown into a major office run by Paul Barrett. Simon Greig runs the studio of 27 staff here in Alton. Simon is one of our great success stories, he joined us straight from college, and he’s gone through the ranks over 15 years and is now the studio director.

Would you consider yourselves to be specialists in a specific field?

No. We work across the board and it’s a conscious decision to do so. I always wanted the business to expand, always had a vision that it would be about 40 staff and I always wanted to work across most of the disciplines. Some of the things I didn’t want to do because I’d done them for other people were road and infrastructure schemes.

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“ONE OF THE THINGS I’M INTERESTED IN IS A MORE VISCERAL OR EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO LANDSCAPE”

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Has your role changed as the company has grown?

Yes, it has. The days of design seem remote to me.

My role is running the business rather than doing the business. So, as well as Simon and Paul, along with Vicky Hill who supports Paul, there is Andrew Smith who is director of operations looking at the workload and workflow.

We run a simple structure which we set up at the very beginning. We have small teams of five or six people and allocate work as it is won. We look at different types of projects for different teams to maintain variety. One of the great things about the way the team structures work at fabrik is that everyone is encouraged to take responsibility for the design of schemes.

We don’t really have any specialists. Having said that, we have developed landscape planning through Liz Simes as well as masterplanning and urban design through Becky Sanders and that’s a big workstream for us this year. We’ve just got on the Homes England

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Framework for masterplanning, which is a big win for a practice our size and already we’re seeing work come through.

“ARE WE DESIGNING LANDSCAPES NOW THAT WILL BE RESILIENT IN 15, 20, 25 YEARS’ TIME?”

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Is there a project that you are particularly proud of or that you would say stands out?

In my role, I’m not project-based. My thing is the people who work with me, how I develop them and how the business works.

If I had to choose, I would say Fulham Riverside.

It’s a scheme on the River Thames that’s won us a lot of awards in the last two years. The level of detailing is fantastic. You could go all the way down to a small project, like the Oaks Crematorium in Havant, which is all about wildflowers, native tree planting and meadows to create a sense of place with both its context and its use as it’s a natural burial ground. Different projects give people different things.

Equally important is seeing staff come through the business to take on senior leadership positions.

We have promoted three new technical directors in the last three years from internal positions. This is just as fulfilling for me as winning a big public realm project in New York or Malmö.

How did you get involved in landscape architecture?

Through an amazing man called Paul Young. When I was growing up, I wanted to be a footballer. I’m a Lancastrian and always fancied playing for Everton.

I played a lot and to a good standard, but it wasn’t going to work out for me, so I went off and did a bricklaying and plumbing course. One of the guys who taught me could see that I could draw and said “you’re wasted doing this”. I managed to get on to civil engineering at Oxford Polytechnic. From

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there, I had to have a year out so I decided to go back to Liverpool and worked in the Liver Building for Brian Clouston & Partners. This is where I met Paul Young, professor of architecture at Huddersfield Polytechnic.

Clouston’s did architecture and landscape, and I went to work for them for three months on a placement.

I went to do some structural calculations on a building in Chester and just got on with Paul and his team. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and Paul just said, “You can do this, stay with me for another nine months and work on this and we’ll give you work to do.”

I just fell in love with it. Paul was an incredible mentor and just believed in me. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be a landscape architect now, I would have become an engineer instead.

I then finished my civil engineering qualification and went up to Manchester to do landscape design at the Polytechnic and met Barry Wonnacott. I didn’t have a grant and I was struggling, but he gave me a job two days a week in my first year so that I could afford to live.

These people were important in my life as they could see I had the drive but not the means to get on.

How did your career progress?

After completing my degree, I went back to work and did my post-graduate degree at Cheltenham. I failed the final assessment for a non-conventional submission, but I was given a second chance to submit by another great guy, Professor Robert Tregay. After that, I got a job in Southampton and worked there for two and a half years doing road schemes and environmental improvement schemes for RPS. I then went to work for Plincke Landscape Architects and spent three years in Jersey working on schools, then I went to work for Hyland Edgar Driver (HED), a contractor and then came here.

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What are your design inspirations?

I don’t do much design in the business. I encourage others to take the lead as so often principals take all the glory and expect others to CAD the ideas up. Not so at fabrik.

My interest and my influences come from nature, poetry and art.

One of the things I’m interested in is a more visceral or emotional response to landscape. How does it make me feel? From a design 7 point of view, I look at artists like Richard Long who makes installations while he’s walking. I also look at abstract painters and sculptors like Kandinsky, Ian Hamilton Finlay and Paul Klee with his landscape paintings.

We’re looking much more at gaming technology and how we can illustrate our work in a more dynamic virtual reality environment, and that takes time and investment.

We’ve taken on a senior 3D visualiser, Dan Bray, who travels up from East Sussex.

I’m fascinated by it and when I see what Dan does for us, the results are remarkable. In a recent project in London we did a simple 3D animation and it was so quick it was unbelievable. It cut the time by two thirds to what we’d normally do.

I’d wonder in the future whether we’d employ as many landscape architects and we start to employ visualisers and gamers who can start to code and more soil scientists and ecologists.

Is the company involved in international work?

With fabrik it’s something that’s been building up slowly. It’s primarily through our educational work, pitching for limited competitions – we’ve managed to win four of them now. We’ve just won a project in Grand Cayman, where a new school is being built.

Also, we’re looking at a scheme for a luxury resort in Morocco, along with a hotel in Belgrade, Serbia.

What advice would you give to anyone starting out in the industry?

Find your own voice, practice your own voice and believe in your own voice and that voice comes from why you want to do landscape?

What do you think are the key challenges facing the industry?

The challenges are across different platforms really. Some of the huge ones are climate change and the impact that has on soils and simple things like insects.

Are we designing landscapes now that will be resilient in 15, 20 or 25 years’ time? As landscape architects we probably don’t think about it enough.

Between us we have this remarkable collective knowledge, but there could be a lot more knowledge transfer between individuals or those who run practices. Less so, but increasingly important, will be the future of landscape architecture and the provision of education. It is coming under threat.

Do you see the role of the landscape architect changing in the future?

It’s fascinating the way that the profession’s growing.

A lot of landscape architects would quietly draw and paint. I’m a carver. I like making things. Equally, I’ve got to be able to understand where technology’s taking us in the platforms that we work on.

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Could you talk us through any current projects underway?

We have currently over 100 live projects, all at different stages and of differing scales. For myself, I am currently involved in a Paragraph 79 house at the pre-planning stage, a pavilion building and associated public realm on the Olympic Park and a collaboration with a photographer on exploring the quiet beauty of landscape. There is always the running of the business as well!

Finally, what is the next step for fabrik?

Our business scales up and becomes more complex every year, but I think the next step is not to forget or lose sight of why we do it. The small things are incredibly important.

What will happen to fabrik in the future? I wanted to retire to do something more with my hands when I was 50 and I’m 55 now. I think there’s a lot more in the people who work here; to explore and to encourage to get the best out of them.

One of the things we’ve found in our London studio is that the open-plan studio makes the team structure much tighter, and we are encouraging that in Alton. It’s incredibly stimulating for us that we’re growing. These are exciting times at fabrik.

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“MY PASSION IS RECONNECTING OR CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE”

9 5 T he Sibson Building, Kent 6 Queen Marys Place, Roehampton 7 Kazakhstan 8 Dubai 9 London studio

fabrik fabrik is a team of landscape architects, landscape planners, urban designers and arboriculturists which is evolving rapidly and organically since its formation in 2003. The company brings an innovative, research-led approach to the design and use of the external environment. Its work covers a wide range of high-profile public and private projects, seeking to create resilient landscapes in the caring, learning, living and working sectors.

W: w ww.fabrikuk.com

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GREEN GROWTH

creating spaces with the intent to aid local communities is a priority for St. MODWEN, developers of a new scheme at St. andrew’s park

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“A KEY INGREDIENT OF THE COMPANY’S PLACE-MAKING RECIPE IS GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE”

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or developers St. Modwen, green infrastructure is a key tool to create inclusive developments that benefit the wider community. Ask Rob Draper of St. Modwen what makes a good development and he will tell you it is all about making a place for a community to enjoy.

“We don’t want to create a place just for people to live or work, but we want them to enjoy it as part of their lifestyle. We are very lucky that our developments aren’t just building houses but creating communities.”

A key ingredient of the company’s place-making recipe is green infrastructure. “Because our projects are quite large in scale and come from a community-building perspective, green space is absolutely essential to the general success of a scheme. All of our sites include elements of green infrastructure in various forms.”

In particular, he continues, St. Modwen sees green space as the glue that helps cement the bonds between a new development and the wider area beyond it. “We think that areas around the development are just as important to what you are creating.” The company shuns the “gated community”

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approach in favour of developing “a synergy, a link” with existing settlements. “It’s inclusive development, rather than exclusive,” Rob explains. “It’s not turning its back on the local built area and population. It’s something that stems from our purpose as a company; we are there to create communities and change a place for the benefit of the wider area.”

St. Modwen’s vision, explains Rob, is to develop “a destination that people can actively enjoy, an area that people want to visit and be a part of, not something that’s just for the benefit of those buying houses there.”

This not only makes for a more attractive development but also brings the benefit of community buy-in. “You don’t get any money for doing it, but it creates a better place as a whole. That adds to the value of what you are delivering.”

In practical terms, building a destination scheme means “actually opening up a site and creating improved permeability and safe access to green areas.”

St. Modwen usually starts off by looking at the green assets that are already in place and examining how they can be enhanced and made more easily accessible.

“Most of our projects will include an element of that: for example, we may have open space on site but it’s not usable or particularly green so we will create significant green space within the scheme.”

A case in point is St. Andrew’s Park, a former RAF station on the outskirts of Uxbridge’s town centre, in Hillingdon, Greater London. The 110-acre scheme

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“WE ARE THERE TO CREATE COMMUNITIES AND CHANGE A PLACE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE WIDER AREA” 4 has planning consent to create 1,340 homes, some 200,000 square feet of office and retail space, a new primary school, a GP surgery, a hotel, a care home and a theatre—as well as a new public park. Though mostly brownfield, the original site included about 32 acres of private open space.

“Those were playing fields and green space for use by the MoD accommodation facilities,” says Rob. “We committed to moving 32 acres from private into public ownership by transferring an enhanced open space to the local authority as part of the delivery of the scheme.

That’s for the benefit of people in the development itself but also the wider population surrounding the site.” Opened to the public in March 2018, the new park includes playing fields, sports pitches and children’s play areas, as well as extensive parkland and woodland.

Enhancing a site often takes the form of improving pedestrian and cycling routes.

For example, at Heathy Wood, a new scheme in Copthorne, mid-Sussex, St. Modwen is installing three miles of walkways and cycleways. The site, which spans more than 100 acres, already came with extensive green areas, including protected woodland and informal space.

“Quite a high proportion of the land at Heathy Wood, probably in excess of half, will be retained for informal green space, protected woodlands and retained woodlands. We are looking at optimising the existing green assets on site, the fantastic woodlands, the streams—all those things are there so they become a focal point.” The new pedestrian and cycle routes will

1 Kingsgrove: view across the central square 2 Old oak tree being retained due to historical significance to landowners at Kingsgrove, Wantage.

3 St Andrew’s Park playground 4 Heathy Wood, Copthorne, an ancient woodland running through the site

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then make it easier for the public to access and enjoy those spaces.

Sometimes, however, substantial landscaping is required to deliver green infrastructure that the community can truly appreciate. At Kingsgrove, a 227-acre site on the north eastern edge of Wantage, in Oxfordshire, St. Modwen is building an extension to the market town, which will ultimately encompass 1,500 homes and extensive community assets. About 100 of those acres will be laid out and delivered as green space. This once was arable land, so the company is planting about 60 areas of new woodland, which will be crisscrossed by walks and dotted with exercise areas, alongside providing sports pitches, playing fields, a community orchard and allotments. “We see these sorts of facilities as essential for people’s wellbeing,” Rob explains.

When landscaping, St. Modwen’s preference is for native species that combine durability with the right management regime. This, Rob is keen to point out, doesn’t necessarily mean plumping for a landscaping scheme just because it’s cheaper to maintain. Instead it means “choosing the right planting regime that allows for a suitable level of maintenance. What you’re planting, what you are delivering, you have got to make it sustainable, it has to be there for generations to come.”

To help deliver all this, St. Modwen turns to consultants and contractors “with the right mindset.”

“Our initial approach is: ‘How do we do it best? How do we get the best outcome?’” says Rob. “We are

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“GREEN SPACE IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO THE GENERAL SUCCESS OF A SCHEME” looking for people with the correct balance of innovation and deliverability but who at the same time push the boundaries with us. Contractors do need to be commercially aware and make sure that it all adds up. But it’s about scale of investment and we see the significant benefit in green spaces in our developments.”

5 4K ingsgrove Wantage, CGI view 5 St Andrews Park walkway 6 Kingsgrove: aerial view CGI

St. Modwen

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St. Modwen is a property investment and development company that specialises in the regeneration of brownfield sites and urban environments. Headquartered in Birmingham, it has seven regional offices across the UK. W: www.stmodwen.co.uk

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“THE IDEA OF REWILDING CITIES HAS BEEN GAINING POPULARITY AS A METHOD OF RE-INTRODUCING WILDLIFE IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS”

©Andy Donohoe for Eat Work Art

THE directors of London-based PiM.studio Architects, discuss the concept of rewilding architecture and ask – can buildings help rebalance city ecosystems?

©PiM.studio Architects

wildlife and wild spaces, engaging London’s diverse communities through access to our nature reserves, campaigning, volunteering and outdoor learning’.

In the last decade or so, the idea of rewilding cities has been gaining popularity as a method

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OPINION MAURIZIO MUCCIOLA & MARIA-CHIARA PICCINELLI

The rewild movement is heterogenous and includes different, and often unrelated organisations, around the world.

In the UK, ‘Rewilding Britain’ promotes the reintroduction of wildlife and wildlands in large landscaped areas across the country.

The London Wildlife Trust considers the idea of rewilding at a more urban scale and states it is ‘dedicated to protecting the capital’s

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he concept of rewilding is gaining in popularity, but is not a new idea and can have slightly different meanings depending on the context. In general, rewilding is about reintegrating wildlife and wildlands where species have disappeared while restoring natural ecosystems with a less human-centric approach.

David Foreman, an American environmentalist who created the Rewilding Institute in the US, argued for the reintroduction of large carnivore animals in North America along with the wildlands they require to move in and survive.

In their landmark 1998 Wild Earth article ‘Rewilding and Biodiversity’, Michael Soulé and Reed Noss stated that rewilding is ‘the scientific argument for restoring big wilderness based on the regulatory roles of large predators’.

of re-introducing wildlife in urban environments and balancing their ecosystems.

A notable example is the ‘Wild West End’ initiative in London, including some of the largest property owners in the city’s West End, saying they are actively ‘working together to encourage birds, bees and bats back into this iconic area of London, and create greater connections with nature for residents, visitors and workers to enjoy’.

They have developed several small and medium-scale projects, including a honeybee programme in Regent Street and 760sqm of green roofs at St James Market. At the latter, the wild flower and plant varieties have been chosen to provide seeds for birds and nectar for bees and butterflies to reintroduce wildlife into the heart of the city.

Encouraging the reintroduction of small birds and particularly insects and bees in urban environments is a welcome approach when the decline of bees and wild pollinators is a recognised and growing concern.

There are also other aspects of the rewilding concept that can be particularly useful for cities: Phil Denton of Arup Group, in his article ‘Rewilding cities for resilience’, suggests that cities can also become more resilient (including in regards to climate change) by introducing the concept of rewilding.

In the many interpretations of rewilding, one element they all share is that we should stop considering man-made civilisation and natural realm in opposition. They suggest a move from an anthropocentric vision of the built and non-built environment in favour of a deeper and more meaningful integration between both cities and nature.

We should design architecture that is suitable for all living beings, not only humans, in a way that will benefit not just us as humans but also the rest of the ecosystem which will finally result in better cities as well as better rural areas.

ABOUT Maurizio Mucciola and Maria-Chiara Piccinelli Architects Maurizio Mucciola and Maria-Chiara Piccinelli set up PiM.studio Architects in 2016.

Maurizio is fascinated by the relationship between city, architecture and public spaces, and is passionate about rethinking the way these interact. Maria-Chiara is interested in the technical aspects of architecture as much as in the way we use the spaces in which we live and work. MariaChiara is also a strong believer in the importance of public spaces for a city to thrive, and in the crucial role nature plays within architecture.

As a director of PiM.studio alongside Maurizio, Maria-Chiara has many years of experience leading complex and high-profile projects. Most recently, she worked as project architect on the Galeries Lafayette revamp in Paris for Amanda Levete Architects. Maria-Chiara and Maurizio co-lead ‘Emerging Tools – designing, building and making in the 21st century’, one of the London School of Architecture Think Tanks.

W: www.pim.studio

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REJUVENATING

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MORECAMBE balancing cost-efficiency and unique design, this sea wall replacement scheme in Morecambe has been a huge success

A 2 Client Lancaster City Council Funder Environment Agency Value circa £11.4m Contract period 48 months over 3 phases Designer/Contractor A joint venture between Volker Stevin, Boskalis Westminster and Atkins

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sea wall replacement project in Morecambe has not only regenerated the promenade frontage of the Lancashire resort but is also helping to protect thousands of homes from flooding.

Part of a £3bn investment by the government through the Environment Agency (EA) to protect more than 300,000 homes between 2015-2021, the scheme is one of more than 1,500 flood and defence developments active in the UK. Representing both a major challenge and opportunity for landscape architects, the pace of climate change suggests that this work will become increasingly necessary in the future.

Atkins is involved in several major projects not only to repair this damage but to help prevent future occurrences. Morecambe Promenade is one such project, where Atkins was appointed by Lancaster City Council in 2014 to develop a design to replace a crumbling 30-year-old sea wall.

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David Wilkinson, a senior landscape architect with Atkins who was involved in phase 1 and led the landscape input on phases 2 and 3, said: “We worked hard with our engineering team to create something that would be robust as well as beautiful and easy to construct.

“We always saw the wall as something more than a defence, it’s part of this popular resort’s streetscape and public realm, facing the Marine Road on one side and the spectacular bay on the other, each side having very different personalities and constraints.”

The Morecambe Wave Reflection Wall scheme was delivered in three phases along 3.6km of the bay front at a cost of around £11.4m. It protects around 13,000 properties in a coastal resort of 35,000 inhabitants.

Designed by a team of Atkins landscape architects and coastal engineers, the scheme combines both artistry and engineering. This is achieved through a new 1m high wall approximately 750mm thick, with nearly 30 access break-throughs and “up and over”

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6 permanent access points, embellished with motifs importance of the project: “The design is second to reflecting local personalities and features. none and the protection it provides the wall has really New planting, surfacing, lighting, seating and helped to enhance the promenade and reflect the street furniture has also enhanced the promenade beauty of its setting in Morecambe Bay.” for residents, visitors and all users of this high-profile History seafront commission.

Until the advent of the railway in the Speaking about the project, 1850’s, the coastal town of Morecambe, floods minister Thérèse Coffey in Lancashire, was a small fishing village. said: “Morecambe’s new Wave The town grew rapidly in the 19th Reflection Wall… is absolutely century, becoming a popular resort and fabulous. The wall has been holiday destination for the expanding designed to fit in with the local industrial towns of Lancashire. Its heyenvironment and includes a day was in the Edwardian period and nod to Eric Morecambe. It will it was popular right up to the Sixties.

David Wilkinson Senior landscape architect, Atkins reduce the risk of flooding to a Today, it is best known as the birthplace major highway and promenade of the comedian Eric Morecambe. infrastructure and help to safeguard the local economy.

After suffering many storms over the years a Janice Hanson, the councillor responsible for 1977 event finished off a decaying pier and, like regeneration for Lancaster City, expanded on the many seaside towns, the resort’s popularity has

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“THE SCHEME COMBINES BOTH ARTISTRY AND ENGINEERING” 1 2 3 4

Project visual for site hoarding Planting detail Prom looking towards townscape Aperture lettering using local road names 5 Eric Morecambe’s glasses 6 Access by Midland Hotel 7 Planted gardens

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8 Scheme phasing plan 3.6km 9 Raised access point 10 Up and over access 11 Art deco detailing 12 Seat step viewing point Photographs © Atkins, © David Millington

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declined in recent years due to competition from cheap foreign holidays.

The town’s regeneration was led by the restoration of the 1930’s Midland Hotel by Urban Splash in 2008 and the renovation of the Winter Garden. More recently, new craft shops, eateries and a smarter promenade with new artworks and play facilities have updated the town. The proposal for an Eden Project North is the latest potential attraction which could complete a reversal of fortune for the town of Morecambe.

The problem The existing sea wall was constructed in 1985 to help protect the town against storms but almost the entire length of the wall showed extensive cracking and was suffering from alkali silica reaction (ASR).

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MORECAMBE PROMENADE

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It was concluded that the wall had been irrevocably damaged, that freeze thaw processes would damage it further and large sections of the wall needed replacing or extensive repairs conducting.

The design solution Sections of the new flood wall have been sloped back on the seaward side to give the impression of a wider promenade space and all components were kept simple and elegant, referencing the stylish forms and outlines of the Thirties context and Art Deco design inspiration in some of Morecambe’s architecture.

“We were also keen to add a light warmth to counteract the normal grey colour that concrete tends to be associated with. The wall also has a very smooth face which encourages you to run your hands along it, which makes it become personal.

“When we saw the wall start to go in place, gently curving round the bay it reminded us of a giant whalebone that’s been washed up on the shore. This type of association is important as it personifies what is essentially a huge concrete structure”, explains David.

Improving access to the promenade formed a key part of the works. An access strategy rationalised around 30 access points for pedestrians and vehicles with flush and ramped access points providing inclusive access for all.

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9 These points were highlighted visually to help improve access. This was achieved by aligning slopes to mirror the distant hills but also through patterns and names to make them more memorable.

Road names corresponding to those opposite the promenade were used alongside images taken from the locality, including seminal British comedian Eric Morecambe, who took his name from the town.

The design was both affordable and unique, as David points out: “Some of the patterns were our own bespoke designs and others were selected from a concrete form liner catalogue to help make the wall more cost effective.

“For example, we selected strong horizontal lines reflecting the layers of the horizon visible across the bay and the bespoke patterns referred to more idiosyncratic elements of the resort,” explains David. Sustainability was also a key concern, and the wall utilises the existing foundations while also making use of reclaimed blast furnace slag.

Feedback Following the scheme’s completion, a 98% approval rating was taken from a seafront property survey.

“This project is the Environment Agency’s top value for money, in the current crop of north-west schemes, for capital expenditure against properties

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12 protected. The scheme crucially also delivered an upgraded promenade helping to attract visitors, acting as a catalyst for regeneration of the wider town as well as promoting healthy activities such as walking and cycling,” adds David.

Keith Ashcroft, Environment Agency area director for Cumbria and Lancashire, summed up the project and how successful the replacement has been: “The Morecambe Wave Reflection Wall is a great example of partnership: by working together the Environment Agency, Lancaster City Council and the designers and contractors have created an exceptionally value-formoney sea defence.”

“THE SCHEME IS ONE OF MORE THAN 1,500 FLOOD AND DEFENCE DEVELOPMENTS ACTIVE IN THE UK” ATKINS Founded in the 1930’s, Atkins is one one of the world’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies, employing more than 18,300 people across the UK, North America, Middle East and Africa. SNC-Lavalin acquired Atkins in 2017. Founded in 1911, SNC-Lavalin is a global fully integrated professional services and project management company and a major player in the ownership of infrastructure.

W: www.atkinsglobal.com

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CITY AND RIVERSIDE CAMPUSES CITY OF GLASGOW COLLEGE rankinfraser landscape architecture

C P30 City and Riverside Campuses City of Glasgow College

ity of Glasgow College’s twin site Super College is leading a major regeneration of the city centre. The City Campus is located on what used to be known as College Hill and the Riverside Campus dominates the banks of the River Clyde. Glasgow is defined by the landscape elements of hill and river and the design responds directly to these natural features.

From the outset the project was always about more than simply landscape design for a higher

P34 Royal Edinburgh Hospital erz Studio

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and further education college. It was about how this public investment could contribute to Glasgow; in terms of the social and ecological benefits while bringing college life to the city.

The twin buildings at City and Riverside share certain characteristics but are distinct. The landscape design equally had to create a unifying campus coherence, while responding to the topography, context and architecture of both locations. This unity is expressed through the repetition of elements such as precast concrete and woodland gardens, while also using site specific materials and plant species.

City Campus City Campus is located on a glacial drumlin overlooking the city. The landscape design embraces

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Location Glasgow, Scotland Design year 2012 Year of construction 2014–2018 Landscape Architects rankinfraser landscape architecture Architects Michael Laird Architects and Reiach and Hall Architects Engineers Arup Main Contractor Sir Robert McAlpine Site Area City Campus: 38,700m² Riverside Campus: 21,600m² Awards RIBA Stirling Prize, shortlisted 2016 and 2017; Scottish Design Award, Landscape and Public Realm, Winner 2018; Civic Trust Award 2017

1 a variety of landscape typologies including a public park, urban public realm, streetscape, enclosed woodland garden, ‘back of house’ spaces and intimate rooftop terraces and gardens. These spaces are woven together in a way that creates places with their own character within a coherent overall design. The building and landscape negotiate an 11m level change across the site that is celebrated by the creation of the ‘Grand Stair’ – a stepped public space offering access to the college and a sunny gathering area with views out across the city.

The sloping topography of the site is further elaborated through a carefully sculpted public park, constructed on the site of a former college building, using the demolition material to form the

2 1 A view across the new park 2 Snow scene in February 2018 3 Early conceptual sketch exploring landform and steps 4 The Grand Stair offers attractive communal space for students

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5 Roof terrace 6 View from Cathedral Street towards the Grand Stair 7 Raised growing beds on Level 4 roof terrace 8 Sunken woodland garden at City 9 Overall City masterplan

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basic levels. The concept of ‘learning landscape’ was adopted across the design team. This recognises that learning now happens in multiple ways and the entire landscape had to create opportunities for formal and informal socialising and learning. The concept was extended to the physical relationship between indoor and outdoor space with the stepped exterior landscape echoed internally.

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Riverside Campus Riverside Campus is held up as an exemplar of riverside regeneration in a city that had long neglected its relationship with the Clyde.

If at City the landscape design was partly about openness and views, at Riverside the landscape design is centred on an enclosed ‘cloister’ garden.

This form was deliberately chosen to echo university style quads and bring a gravitas to the college.

The need to elevate the buildings’ finished floor level to avoid potential flooding from the River Clyde allowed the company to create a sunken space at the heart of the campus. The use of brick paving deliberately relates to the adjacent railway arches and complements the colour of the buildings, while the white concrete and woodland planting speak to the same material palette at City Campus. To the south of the site a simple rectilinear arrangement of trees reinforces the city grid and frames space for potential future development.

10 Riverside cloister garden 11 Birch Grove hedge 12 Riverside masterplan 13 Cloister garden All photographs ©rankinfraser landscape architecture

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rankinfraser landscape architecture

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rankinfraser landscape architecture was founded in 2008 by Chris Rankin and Kenny Fraser. Both founding partners combine landscape practice with teaching and research in the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA) at the University of Edinburgh. Based in Edinburgh, the practice consists of an international team of 10 landscape architects. Most of the company’s work is concentrated in Scotland but it also covers projects across the UK. W: www.rankinfraser.com

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PORTFOLIO

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PORTFOLIO

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new £40m facility at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital has been recently completed.

The project was developed in response to growing evidence that access or even a visual connection to external environments can have a positive impact on mental health and recovery.

The hospital has a long-standing association with mental health services going back to the site’s development in 1813, and in recent years it has made strong associations with horticultural groups. But, like many hospitals that had developed incrementally over time, its campus lacked a coherent structure.

The outline business case was developed by NHS Lothian. It set out a strategy which would help provide immediately accessible external therapeutic spaces throughout the hospital campus for the delivery of mental health services. erz worked alongside Norr architects to prepare the site masterplan for the redevelopment of the hospital campus and subsequently to design and oversee delivery of the first phase of the project.

The design team worked with NHS staff to develop and refine the clinical brief. Completed in 2016, the first phase is a 5.4 ha acute mental health and brain injury facility in the Morningside area of the city.

Comprising of mainly single-storey buildings, all the bedrooms are located on the ground floor. The seven wards are organised around a total of 20 courtyards with the intention of creating a hospital environment where there is always a direct visual connection between the building users and the

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external landscape.

Each courtyard is contained within the building footprint (open to the sky), with the internal circulation routes wrapping round the courtyards. This improves the visibility and surveillance of the external spaces while also improving legibility and general orientation within the building for both patients and staff.

Day spaces within each ward typically open to one edge of each courtyard to enable an easy indoor/ outdoor transition and barrier-free access for patients to a secure external environment.

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Project value £40m Build time 2014–2016 Size of project: 5.4ha (Phase 1 project) Awards Landscape Institute Awards 2018 Commendation in the ‘Adding Value Through Landscape’ category

1 O lder people’s mental health courtyard 2 Brain Injury unit active courtyard 3 Orchard – retained and enhanced Photos ©Christopher Swan

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Landscape plan

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4 Each ward is focused on a specific patient group, including acute mental health, intensive psychiatric care units, older people’s mental health and brain injury. The courtyard spaces essentially create a new realm of clinical and therapeutic space that complements the internal ward areas.

The design and specification for the courtyards was developed through a series of workshops with the clinicians to ensure it met each user group’s specific needs, taking account of issues such as mobility, activity levels and a group’s relative risk of self-harm.

Older people’s mental health courtyards follow best practice for dementia friendly design and rehabilitation spaces in the brain injury unit facilitate ball games, table tennis and a range of ways to develop co-ordination between visual information and movement.

Surrounding the phase one buildings, key elements of the estate landscape have been protected and reinforced. Notably, the orchard (one of the few remaining large, long-standing orchards in urban Scotland) has been retained for use as a space for patients and visitors.

Pedestrian routes have all been carefully considered to provide direct, safe and legible access routes to and from the buildings and out into the wider campus. This includes public realm improvements at the site and building entrances,

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street tree planting and the implementation of a shared surface cycle path.

The project shows that a landscape architect’s involvement from the early stages of a project can influence and assist a client in achieving their ambitions. It is also possible to add significant value, for example; protecting and enhancing the character of the site, improving access for the local community and developing local habitats for wildlife.

4 Visitor/patient courtyard 5 Courtyard gathering space Photos ©Christopher Swan

erz erz is a multi-disciplinary design practice led by landscape architects. Formed in 2007, erz has grown over the past 12 years to become a well-established, multi award-winning practice with a strong and diverse portfolio of delivered project work.

W: www.erzstudio.co.uk

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High quality wildflower seed, prepared by hand and supplied to specification John Chambers is a leading supplier of British native wildflower seeds, mixes, bulbs and matting for every project and budget • Heritage Range: Renowned for quality and cleanliness of the seed.

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Wildflower Matting Pre-grown under controlled, specialist conditions, the matting provides instant impact and encourages biodiversity.

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INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO

LONGWOOD GARDENS PENNSYLVANIA, USA West 8

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he Main Fountain Garden at Longwood Gardens has been revitalised by landscape architect West 8. Situated in Pennsylvania’s Brandywine Valley, close to the city of Philadelphia, the gardens have a rich history dating back to the 18th century.

Originally designed by businessman Pierre S du Pont, the gardens started out as a single flower garden, but quickly gained in popularity. Encouraged by the number of visitors, the founder decided to expand and, ever since, the area and variety of gardens have increased annually. The construction of the original Main Fountain Garden concluded in 1927.

The main fountain plays a key role in the park as it is the first and most dramatic encounter of the vast gardens which span more than 1,000 acres.

Using the latest hydraulic technology, the 83-yearold fountain infrastructure has been upgraded and visitor access to the garden has been improved.

The new design of the Fountain Garden combines

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traditional garden sequencing with contemporary and sustainable design practices.

Project narrative The design team’s work on the Main Fountain Garden builds upon Longwood’s first-ever physical masterplan, which was completed by the urban design and landscape architecture company West 8 in 2011.

Longwood Gardens strives to inspire people through excellence in garden design, horticulture, education, and the arts. The master plan embodies this aspiration and reflects the vision of the gardens to become “a world apart, a place accessible to all”.

The aim of the re-design was to harmonise Longwood Garden’s public spaces with the original design, to enhance the Main Fountain Garden’s horticultural elements and to create new gardens.

Throughout the design plans the spirit of founder Pierre S du Pont has been distilled. Following in-depth research, the richness of tradition in combination with

1 Main Fountain Garden 2 View along the loggia 3 Visitors gather on the lawn at dawn

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INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO

an understanding of du Pont’s engineering framework informed the design direction towards infrastructural improvements.

These fundamental improvements were the drivers for the innovative landscape design. This initial understanding of the engineering process provides a basis for innovation and legacy to guide the next 40 years of design, operations and planning at Longwood.

In 1927 the Main Fountain Garden was state-of-theart construction and due to attention to detail during the revitalization project, the garden can enjoy this status once again.

The fountain infrastructure was replaced with updated technology without harming the integrity of the work. The modern systems pump 300,000 gallons of water around 380 fountains, allowing for more efficient performance and longer running time during the year. It also offers new choreographies that include water jets reaching a height of 175ft. Due to increased control over the jets, they are programmed to perform unique undulating, spinning, and flexing effects as well as a flame feature. Thanks to the replacement of the old lighting system, the water shows can be enhanced by a more colourful LED-system.

Improved accessibility The historic design of the main fountain garden also suffered from lack of accessibility. Few paths spun across the landscape and invited people to stroll,

2 exploring the gardens in its entirety. Like the rest of the park, the Main Fountain Garden now offers better access for guests. Other improvements include the restoration of 4,000 pieces of carved Italian limestone throughout the five-acre Main Fountain Garden. The elegant south wall with its 20 wall-mounted fountains, which had been closed to the public for 20 years, has also now been made fully accessible.

The master plan also led to the development of new features, such as The Grotto, which can be entered from passageways on either side of the loggia. It is composed of a vaulted central hall with a circular water curtain in its centre. The Grotto is lit by natural light that enters the space through a limestone lattice-like wall and an oculus – keeping the light dim and offering a sense of mystery.

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Project name Longwood Gardens Main Fountain Garden Client Longwood Gardens Inc Location Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA Size of project Five acres, located inside a 1,077a Longwood Gardens masterplan area Lead designers West 8, Beyer Blinder Belle, Fluidity Design Consultants, L’Observatoire International Landscape architect West 8 Consultants: Urban Engineers, Landis Inc, Irrigation Consulting Inc, Keast & Hood Co, Bancroft Construction. The project also involved numerous Longwood staff members and additional outside consultants Construction cost Estimated $90m (£68.35m) Design 2012–2014 Realisation 2014–2017 Awards ASLA General Design Professional Award Honor Award 2018; ENR Mid-Atlantic Best Landscape Hardscape Urban Development Award 2018; Historic Preservation Trumbauer Award 2018 by the ICAA Philadelphia Chapter; Philadelphia Preservation Alliance’s 2018 Preservation Grand Jury Award; 2017 DCA Construction Excellence Award; Architects Newspaper 2017 Best of Design Awards for Lighting – Outdoor; 17th Edition Palladio Award 2018; Excellence in Concrete Award in the Decorative Concrete category, Eastern Pennsylvania & Delaware, United States 2018; EPDACI 2018 Excellence in Concrete Award

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6 A new trellis bridge connects to the fountain terrace and allows guests to view the surrounding gardens.

The Main Fountain Garden also features a new seating wall along the fountain and an area with tables and chairs behind the trellis bridge. The lobby of the pump house was renovated and now houses original exhibits from the pump system that powered the garden from 1931 until 2014.

The overall landscape has been improved with enhanced horticultural displays and expanded fully accessible walking areas. The Main Fountain Garden was stitched into the greater context by creating new gravel path connectors to the neighbouring Topiary Garden and Idea Garden. The major pathways are lined with over 2,500 verdant ‘Green Beauty’ Buxus plants.

The invasive Norway maples were replaced with Tilia Cordata ‘Greenspire’, a linden variety as seen in the gardens of Paris and Versailles.

Longwood Gardens has limited access to water sources making an efficient water management system

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crucial. Up to 50% of the electricity for the gardens is produced by local solar panels, while the rest is purchased from hydro-electric power plants. Energy efficient thinking was key during the planning.

West 8 has worked as masterplanner and landscape architect at Longwood Gardens since 2009. During this time, the team has grown to comfortably understand the culture, staff, traditions and seasons at Longwood.

The Main Fountain Garden rehabilitation was performed in collaboration with a variety of companies including water design consultancy Fluidity Design, conservation architects Beyer Blinder Belle, lighting designer L’Observatoire International and masonry restoration experts.

Custom details brought a contemporary flair to the fountain garden and, at its heart, the improvements to Longwood’s Main Fountain Garden achieve a renaissance for the garden while retaining its identity as recognisably “Longwood.”

7 4 Fireworks and fountain show at dawn 5 The Fountain Garden with its improved access 6 Main Fountain Garden at dawn 7 The Grotto All photos ©Noah Devereaux courtesy West 8

West 8 West 8 is an award-winning international office for urban design and landscape architecture, founded in 1987 with offices in Rotterdam, New York and Belgium. With a multi-disciplinary approach to complex design issues, West 8 has extensive experience in large-scale urban masterplanning and design, landscape interventions, waterfront projects, parks, squares and gardens.

The company also develops concepts and visions for large-scale planning issues that address global warming, urbanisation and infrastructure.

W: www.west8.com

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MATERIALS P41 Decking Alfresco Floors

P43 Hedging Readyhedge Ltd

P44 Topsoil British Sugar TOPSOIL

P46 Biodiversity Wildflower Turf

P48 Living Walls Biotecture’s work at Regal House, Covent Garden

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MATERIALS

MATERIAL FOCUS

DECKING

Kebony installed at the Royal Opera House

Here, Chris Short of Alfresco Floors, discusses the decking choices available to landscape architects and the benefits and drawbacks of each material

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n the past, selecting the boards for decking or cladding projects came down to three options: tropical hardwoods, tanalised softwoods and wood/plastic composites. Advances in decking technology now mean that landscape architects have a wider choice of new materials.There are currently four major categories of deck board and cladding designed for this sector.

Firstly, and keenly priced, is thermo-timber.

Thermo-treated timber is ‘cooked’ softwood. Vast kilns are used to heat the raw timber - a process which burns out all the sugars (to ensure there is nothing for mould and algae to feed on) and evaporates most of the moisture (to reduce the possibility of the boards expanding or contracting in extreme temperatures). A steam injected cooling process re-introduces just the right amount of moisture to stop the boards becoming brittle and the entire process creates a stronger, harder and more resilient timber.

Thermo-treated timbers usually come out of the kiln in various shades of light brown or rich chocolate (‘Thermo-Ash’ is particularly attractive) so they are ideal for luxury decking. As most of its moisture has been removed, thermo-treated

timber is lightweight, so loading issues are reduced when cladding large areas. As all the sugars have been cooked out, these timbers are guaranteed rot free for at least 20 years.

Grad system Pressure treated timber is another option. This category includes brand names such as Kebony, Accoya and most recently, Lignia. Compared to thermo-timber these boards are more expensive to manufacture and buy, but can have lifespans of more than 50 years.

This category of timber is created by racking lengths of raw softwood inside air-tight chambers and then using a combination of negative and

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positive air pressure to force a complex concoction of preservatives into every cell of the wood, effectively replacing the original organic content with a dense and dimensionally stable new core. As with thermotreatment, the process effectively turns softwoods into something closer to tropical hardwoods in regards to strength and resistance to abrasion. With the right additives in the mix, these timbers can also be fire rated.

There is still a market for traditional hardwoods, though progress towards making these timbers sustainable over the last decade has reduced the choice and increased the price significantly.

As a result, the use of conventional hardwoods for decks has recently dropped by at least 50% and that market is likely to be put under further pressure as competing materials get better at replicating the performance of hardwoods at a fraction of the ecological and financial cost. Among the range of hardwoods available, Ipe is still a popular choice, likely due to how it weathers down to a robust and attractive silver-grey patina.

Finally, there is the rise of composite materials in this market. Composite decking in the UK is still only taking about 10% of the market from treated timbers.

However, that market share is doubling each year and is predicted to settle at around 50%.

The finest examples of modern composites are manufactured by what’s called a ‘co-extrusion’ technology. A conventional core of recycled wood and plastic materials is encased in a thin skin of more expensive pure plastic offering more opportunity for convincing colour and texture and higher resistance to damage or decay.

Grad System

Compared to second generation composite boards, these third generation ‘co-ex’ materials offer double the manufacturing warranties for around 30% extra on the cost. As with the latest technical timbers, second and third generation composite boards can be manufactured as fire rated products.

Hybrid floor

Alfresco Floors

Kebony used at Cannon Street

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Alfresco Floors is the UK’s leading specialist in the provision and installation of raised external floors for commercial and high-end domestic projects. From decking to paving, Alfresco Floors offers an end-toend service of technical design, materials supply and nationwide installation.

W: www.alfrescofloors.com

FIXINGS ll timber deck boards A will expand or contract in extremes of temperature or humidity. The latest technical timbers significantly reduce this tendency to ‘move’ and pure timber boards prefer to expand or contract only across their width, so it’s relatively easy to control with the right fixings. However, wood/plastic composites tend to expand along their length - normally by at least 1mm for every 1m of board so they need to be installed and fixed more carefully. As traditional surfaced fixed screws are not ideal for the longer length composite boards now available, side mounted clip systems have been designed which allow the material more freedom to swell and contract. Now ‘invisible fixing’ systems, like Grad, are available, where the clips are hidden under the board.

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MATERIALS

HEDGING

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TRENDS

Here, Matthew Kemble from Readyhedge, explains how the company has noticed emerging trends in hedging

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t has been a busy year for Readyhedge, which produced and sold between 35,000m and 40,000m of hedging during that period.

Matthew, one of the company’s sales team, says: “There is still a high demand for box hedging and we are still producing and selling more than 5,000m per year, but we have seen a big increase in requests for a box replacement plant. A direct replacement seems impossible with all the alternatives having different characteristics.

“The best that we have come across is Taxus baccata – this can be kept trimmed down at around 40–45cm tall, making an amazing low hedge. It also has the added benefit that there is an availability of yew in topiary shapes, specifically balls, cones and pyramids. This means that yew can be the complete package for topiary and knot gardens.”

Other options include Ilex crenata Dark Green – this Japanese holly is a small leaved evergreen that looks surprisingly like box. When it flushes with new growth it is not quite as uniform meaning that it requires more regular trimming to keep it looking its best. It also prefers a slightly acidic soil to perform at its peak.

Osmanthus x burkwoodii is also a possibility. This can also be kept trimmed down at around 40-45cm tall and 30cm wide. A small dark leaved evergreen

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with few highly scented white flowers (although this is reduced if kept welltrimmed), it makes a good-looking box replacement hedge and is becoming more popular for this purpose.

Readyhedge has also been trialling Ligustrum ovalifolium, a straight green privet, to see if it can be kept trimmed closely to make a low hedge. To date it is working at around the 50-60cm tall mark.

“We have high hopes that after another year of trialling it we will be able to say that this, while not an ultra-low hedge, will still make a very acceptable low hedge,” explains Matthew.

Lonicera nitida, a shrubby honeysuckle, also makes an attractive low hedge but requires a regular trim to keep it looking at its best.

“Looking to the future we have some trial crops for low hedging including Nandina Domestica ‘Obsessed’, Pittosporum ‘Golf Ball’, Phillyrea angustifolia and Photinia ‘Little Red Robin’.

While these trials are still at an early stage they have all shown that they have the potential to be grown as low hedges in the future,” adds Matthew. www.readyhedgeltd.com

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“WE HAVE SEEN A BIG INCREASE IN REQUESTS FOR A BOX REPLACEMENT PLANT” 1 Taxus baccata 35cm tall parterre style 2 Osmanthus x burkwoodii 1m trough

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USEFUL INFORMATION Sales team support Good sales team support is essential.

British Sugar TOPSOIL’s sales team receives ongoing technical training so that they can provide informed advice to landscape architects and contractors. In addition, the website at www.bstopsoil.co.uk contains everything you need to know about quality topsoil and includes technical guides and case studies to download. To see the manufacturing process in action, click on the online video on the home page, and calculate product quantities using the online calculator

TOP 10 TIPS

FOR SOURCING AND MANAGING

TOPSOIL T

he ‘Focus on Soil’ feature in the October 2018 issue of FutureArc looked at the provenance of British Sugar TOPSOIL’s products, the manufacturing process, and the comprehensive suite of tests carried out before leaving one of the company’s East Anglia production facilities. Here, Andy Spetch, national topsoil manager for British Sugar, offers landscape architects his top 10 tips for sourcing topsoil and for managing in-situ and imported topsoils on site.

Assess the quality and suitability of the project’s site soils, preferably before stripping the topsoil, by conducting a soil resource survey. This is separate from a normal ground investigation and should be carried out by experienced soil scientists.

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one tonne IBC bags are used), weight limits and delivery times. Make sure your suppliers use only experienced and approved hauliers who operate safely and whose vehicles present no risk of contamination to your topsoil from previous materials carried.

Create a dry, clean, segregated holding area for storing topsoil (imported and in situ) and protect the stock.

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Minimise the amount of human and mechanical traffic over the area to be landscaped to avoid compaction.

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If imported soils are required, use only BS 3882:2015 compliant topsoil and BS 8601:2013 compliant subsoil from reputable suppliers who must provide a valid declaration of analysis (including contamination analysis).

Refer to both the above standards for advice on correct soil sampling, handling, storage, soil preparation and planting depths as each aspect will impact on the success of the project.

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When arranging delivery of bulk loads, ensure the supplier asks the right questions about site access, for example entry width and height, overhead services (important when articulated vehicles or flatbed lorries with hi-abs for off-loading

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Set levels for topsoil application – minimum depth 150mm, maximum depth 300mm.

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Avoid handling topsoil in wet conditions.

Useful guidance documents • Defra Construction Code of Practice for the Sustainable Use of Soils on Construction Sites, 2009 – please note that this has not been updated since 2009 so should be used as a reference only and may not reflect current legislation or controls.

• BS 3882:2015 specification for topsoil • BS 8601:2013 specification for subsoil and requirements for use The essential guide to topsoil Produced by British Sugar TOPSOIL, in conjunction with Pro Landscaper Business Awards winner Tim O’Hare Associates (www.toha.co.uk), this guide contains useful information for landscape architects, landscapers, groundworks contractors and housing developers who need to have a better understanding of the important factors to consider when buying and using topsoil.

This comprehensive booklet covers areas such as: what makes a good topsoil; the British Standard (BS 3882:2015); development of green and brownfield sites; topsoil terminology, topsoil analysis, plus tips on buying topsoil.

Free download from www.bstopsoil.co.uk With thanks to Tim O’Hare for his onsite soil management input.

Slightly consolidate the new topsoil by lightly pressing with the back of an excavator bucket; avoid compacting newly laid topsoil.

BRITISH SUGAR TOPSOIL

Work off a board when planting or turfing to minimise compaction.

As part of AB Sugar, a whollyowned subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc, British Sugar TOPSOIL was set up 20 years ago to improve the sustainability of the sugar refining process. It is the UK’s largest supplier of quality topsoil products to the landscape and amenity industries.

W: www.bstopsoil.co.uk

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MATERIALS

DELIVERING THE ‘DIVERSITY’ IN BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN

James Hewetson-Brown, managing director at Wildflower Turf ltd, discusses the implications of a new government initiative – Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) – that puts the onus on developers to ensure projects maintain or enhance biodiversity

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here is currently a lot of coverage in the press dedicated to the loss of biodiversity in both this country and internationally.

This year, the government is set to introduce a new initiative – Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). Any new development that disturbs green space will need to have a plan to deliver BNG. Simply, the developer will have to ensure that a project/development maintains or enhances biodiversity.

Wildflowers are one great way of getting closer to achieving BNG. They are a speciesrich habitat and offer the ‘diversity’ chunk of the word ‘biodiversity’. A typical wildflower space will have between 20 to 60 species in a few square metres, and this will go a long way to answering the landscape professional’s problems of getting enough species into a given area to help achieve their BNG demands.

The point is that to meet targets for biodiversity you need a vast number of species.

A well established and maintained wildflower meadow is about as species-rich as you can get in the UK. While wildflowers are not the only

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answer, we know that flora diversity leads to fauna diversity. A monoculture is proven to limit fauna/wildlife. Research (page 47) suggests that a greater number of established plant species results in a greater number of animal species and wildlife in general.

Speed is of the essence, too. Wildflowers are quick to establish, and bugs, bees and butterflies migrate to these habitats within days. Trees will help, but take years to reach a growth stage that will actively contribute.

Biodiversity isn’t a new concept and maintaining biodiversity has been a planning objective for many years. The entire 2012 Olympic project went to great lengths to deliver green infrastructure. It set and fulfilled its own very exacting targets and was an exemplar development in this respect.

Although still in its early stages, BNG is going to be measured, audited and monitored over years. It will be compulsory, so there will be a financial incentive, either as a grant or as a fine. So far it looks like the latter! This is likely to mean that an ecologist or a suitably qualified person will assess the state of the site before work starts and report back on the current levels of biodiversity.

In order to get planning permission, a design to ensure BNG will have to be submitted and implemented (if impossible to achieve on site, then a donor site has to be found and paid for in mitigation). To reiterate, the big difference to previous initiatives is that this is going to be mandatory, so any plan will be monitored to ensure its success. There is talk of around 30

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MATERIALS

years’ worth of monitoring. There is still detail to decide and consultations continue, but the laudable aim is to see a significant improvement in the UK’s biodiversity.

In an ideal world, we will see new developments providing oases of biodiverse refuge for wildlife that link with others across the country, forming a network of species-rich habitats.

Most stakeholders, from ecologists to developers, agree that the principle behind BNG is a good one.

Getting the detail right will be hard. There is little

INVERTEBRATES FOUND IN THE MONOCULTURE OF A MOWN LAWN Dolichopids (Poecilobothrus noblitatus) - (10mm in total), 2

Dance Fly (Hilara maura), 1 Louse, 1

Red Tailed Bee (Bombus ruderarius) - worker 13mm, 4

Common black Fly, 63

INVERTEBRATES FOUND IN WILDFLOWER HABITAT MADE UP OF 34 PLANT SPECIES

Soldier Orsodacne Fly (Beris cerasi, 1 clavipes), 1

Common Pollen Beetle (Meligethes aenus), 1

Scorpion Fly (Panorpa communis), 1

Meadow Grasshopper case (Chorthippus parallelus), 1

Tortoiseshell Butterfly (Aglais urticae), 2 Small Mosquito, 2

chance of all stakeholders being happy with the scheme and compromise will be needed. However, there are real opportunities to improve biodiversity in urban and semi-urban locations using reliable and practical methods that guarantee results.

Get this right and there are many beneficiaries.

The ecologist can watch and monitor improvements to biodiversity. The developer can be safe in the knowledge that they have done their bit for nature and can comfortably claim positive PR while avoiding any penalties. The site owner will have reduced costs due to the lower maintenance required with the upkeep of the site. The general public will have a natural looking green site that improves general health and well-being.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, wildlife will have the building blocks needed to survive and thrive.

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Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum), 3

Soldier Fly (Chloromyia formosa), 5

Small Black Flies -assorted species, 22

Hover Fly (various), 6 Common Black Flies, 13

Wildflower Turf ltd James Hewetson-Brown is managing director of Wildflower Turf Ltd, one of the leading suppliers of wildflower turf in the UK. He set up the award-winning company as a subsidiary enterprise of his family’s business Coronet Turf in 2003 to meet the demand for ready-made wildflower turf meadows.

W: www.wildflowerturf.co.uk

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MATERIALS

LIVING WALLS

REGAL HOUSE, COVENT GARDEN how Biotecture utilised living walls to breathe new life into covent garden

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vertical park at the gateway to Covent Garden has provided a striking feature in keeping with the history of the area.

The award-winning Regal House project is formed of more than 8,000 plants from 21 different varieties. Living wall and green infrastructure specialist Biotecture was commissioned by Capital and Counties Properties, coinciding with the 500th anniversary of Covent Garden.

The company was commissioned to develop the whole of the façade to Regal House along both Long Acre and James Street.

This included a full structural assessment and strategy as well as looking at the potential planting palette and designs.

Additional features included retrofitting a rainwater harvesting system into the basement of the building to use to irrigate the living wall, and providing a lighting strategy for the building.

1 Biotecture also designed and specified bespoke LED lit balcony planters. The planting brief was to provide as much colour as possible in keeping with the façade and local conditions, while improving both biodiversity and air quality.

The aim was to provide for native birds and invertebrates, as well as flowering plants to provide some nectar. The project involved 200m² of living walls on two aspects and has been maintained by Biotecture since installation.

The Regal House project recently received

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MATERIALS

the Gold Leaf Award and top prize for Best Project in the maintenance category of the plants@work Awards 2019.

Speaking about the project, Richard Sabin, managing director of Biotecture, said: “Our Regal House living wall refurbishment project in Covent Garden is a fabulous example of refreshing and improving a building exterior. The species were chosen to both encourage biodiversity and assist in improving the air quality where Long Acre is typically slow and congested with vehicle traffic. The green wall panels are robust and resilient as well as being beautiful.

“THE REGAL HOUSE PROJECT IS FORMED OF MORE THAN 8,000 PLANTS FROM 21 DIFFERENT VARIETIES” “The recent trend in green infrastructure design is towards more design led, bespoke solutions with integrated projects that address specific sustainability issues, as well as being aesthetically pleasing.”

Design Approach As a turnkey package, Biotecture took a threepronged approach to the project. Firstly, the company looked at the structure of the existing building to see how best to support the living wall. Secondly, the potential to irrigate the living wall from rainwater was examined. Lastly, the company actively looked to develop the planting design to match the client’s expectations while responding to the environment.

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3 Evolve Structural Engineers worked with Biotecture to develop a bespoke steel frame solution that was then fixed back through the brick façade to the structure of the building. This was designed to fit around the existing features of the buildings including the windows.

In the basement of the building, the main rainwater downpipe was diverted from the roof into tanks. This was then threaded through the existing building to the living wall.

It was important that the living wall was zoned properly. For example, the company knew that the highest point on the western elevation would have a different requirement to the lower section of the north facing elevation.

To enable the planting design, Biotecture carried out desktop shade studies to mimic the environment throughout the year.

This informed the plant palette.

The client was then offered two design choices and selected an organic curvilinear planting design that would add the appearance of dynamic movement to the building. Plants of similar form and/or colour were selected for the two aspects to ensure 5 uniformity of design.

4 1 Regal House at Christmas 2-3 Regal House, Long Acre and James Street 4-5 Regal House, James Street

Biotecture Biotecture designs, installs and maintains sustainable green infrastructure and living walls.

Invented by the founders of the company, its patented living wall system is suitable for both indoor and outdoor projects.

W: www.biotecture.uk.com

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We don’t take design flexibility sitting down Millboard decking. Innovatively designed and developed to have the look of natural timber, whilst out-performing it in every way. Our new 150mm Bullnose Board is no different. Like our decking, it’s beautiful to look at, yet its curved edge gives you more design freedom than ever before.

Ideal for seating, planters or as a finishing touch for decks and steps; its wider profile providing the perfect space for lighting. Resistant to moisture, stains and algae, it won’t rot, warp or splinter. And, like our decking, it’s easy to fit, saving on installation time and cost.

Millboard: Live. Life. Outside.

Discover our collections at millboard.co.uk

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MATERIALS

CPD

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Live Life Outside: Resin Mineral Board Outdoor Flooring, Design and Installation

Led by Russell Porter – over 10 years experience at Millboard and a fully qualified City & Guilds joiner.

How long has the course been accredited?

2-3 years.

Major topics covered 1. U nderstanding the requirements and priorities for outside flooring.

2. Understanding the regulations, technical and structural requirements for outside flooring areas.

3. Understanding the differences between wood, wood plastic composites and resin mineral board.

4. Understanding the properties of resin mineral boards, identify potential applications, design considerations for specific areas and best practice.

COURSE DETAILS: Q&A • What is the length of the course? (full/half day) Half day – 1 morning or afternoon.

• What does the presentation involve?

The presentation includes considering what flooring materials are available for specifiers and designers, case studies and a question and answer session.

• What are the key benefits of attending the course?

Increased awareness of materials available, regulations, cost comparisons (initial and lifetime) and earning RIBA CPD points.

• How many points is the course worth?

2 points.

• Who is the course aimed at?

All landscape architectural staff, including senior designers and part 1 & part 2 technologists.

• What is the cost of the course? Free.

• Is pre-booking essential? Yes. • How many people can attend? No limit.

• Are sample packs distributed? Yes. • Is lunch included? Yes. • How often are the courses held?

Several every week, as required.

MILLBOARD

The Millboard Hub is a new facility at the company’s headquarters in Warwickshire. It will act as a training academy, a key location for undertaking the RIBA Assessed CPD course, as well as a showroom for installers. Architects, landscapers, designers and installers can also use the space as a meeting place.

www.futurearc.co.uk

Millboard is a market leader in moulded decking that replicates the look of natural timber. Their superior decking creates outdoor spaces that people love, encouraging them to live life outside. It is moulded from selected oak timbers, using a strong resin mineral material. It looks like real wood, but doesn’t rot, has high slip-resistance even when wet, and needs little maintenance other than a quick wipe clean.

T: 024 7643 9943 W: www.millboard.co.uk

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HMS Caroline at Titanic Pump House A must-see floating museum and visitor centre with an amazing story to tell.

HMS Caroline is the sole surviving vessel from the Battle of Jutland in 1916. After life as a C-class light cruiser in the Royal Navy and as an administration centre, she was decommissioned in 2011, at which time she was the 2nd oldest ship in service after HMS Victory. In July 2017 she opened as a museum ship to the public at Alexandra Dock beside the Titanic Pump House (now converted to a Visitor Centre), all within the Titanic Quarter of Belfast Harbour Estate. An incredible journey and Hardscape Ireland were privileged to be amongst the stakeholders involved in the creation of the exterior hard landscape to the Pump House Visitor Centre and the Museum adding value to the surrounding quay area where the Ship is now docked.

Client team: National Museum of the Royal Navy, Titanic Foundation, Belfast Harbour Commissionaires and the Department of Communities and Infrastructure.

Landscape Construction Phase: Landscape Architects: Park Hood Design Belfast and Contractors Tracey Bros.

Materials supplied: European Silva Vilar granite kerbs, bespoke treads, risers, cladding, blister tactiles and quoin pieces. Chinese Yellow Rock granite setts and paving. Reconstituted cobble stones.

For further information on our paving product range telephone: 028 9099 2500 or visit: www.hardscape.co.uk Come and visit us too at: Hardscape Ireland, Building C, 89 Holywood Road, Belfast BT4 3BD.

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