FutureArc December 2018/January 2019

DECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

HabitĹ?

A Roman-style landscaping scheme

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Regeneration Major developments in Bridlington

The Interview Simon Ward at Atkins

Trees Urban planting issues

06/12/2018 12:05

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06/12/2018 09:06

WELCOME

WELCOME Welcome to the December/January combined issue of FutureArc. In this issue we focus on major developments in the coastal town of Bridlington, where the seafront is being regenerated and work is underway to create a linear park along the river that runs through the Yorkshire resort.

We also review the prestigious Landscape Institute Awards held in London in November and visit the FutureScape show held at Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, Surrey, which attracted some of the leading figures in the landscaping sector.

A boutique residential development in London inspired by an archaeological find is the star of this issue’s Property section while this month’s Materials focus is on precast concrete.

A new column by Romy Rawlings, UK business development manager at Vestre and chair of the Diversity & Inclusion working group at the Landscape Institute, looks at the key landscape architecture trends from 2018. Our Portfolio section features the striking porcelain courtyard at the V&A and the former BBC Television Centre headquarters which has been transformed into a mixed-use development.

Overseas, we travel to Australia, where three London design practices have revitalised a town centre project in Melbourne.

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

Wishing you an inspiring Christmas and New Year!

Gill Langham Features editor gill.langham@eljays44.com

www.futurearc.co.uk

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WELCOME

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CONTENTS NEWS

FEATURES

PORTFOLIOs

MATERIALS

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PRECAST CONCRETE

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PLANTERS

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TREES

NEWS A roundup of the latest industry news

10 INTERNATIONAL NEWS A look at global issues

11 LANDSCAPE

INSTITUTE AWARDS We reveal the winners

14 FUTURESCAPE ROUNDUP

INTERVIEW Simon Ward at Atkins

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A Roman Oasis A landscaping scheme pays homage to ancient history

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The vibrant landscape redevelopment in West London by Gillespies

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A review of this year’s successful event

17 OPINION

Victoria & Albert MUSEUM The impressive porcelain courtyard in South Kensington

by AL_A

REGENERATION All change at Bridlington; the coastal town’s transformation

TELEVISION CENTRE

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Bespoke concrete and cast stone products from Amber Precast

Eye-catching examples transform three public spaces

A planting project in the urban environment

EASTLAND A striking shopping mall project in Melbourne, Australia by ACME

Romy Rawlings

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WELCOME

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20 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 Design: Kara Thomas

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SALES Business Development Manager – Jamie Wilkinson jamie.wilkinson@eljays44.com Sales Manager – Jessica McCabe jessica.mccabe@eljays44.com MANAGEMENT Managing Director – Jim Wilkinson jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com Editorial Director – Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com

Eljays44 Ltd

3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 2DA Tel: 01903 777 570 Published by ©Eljays44 Ltd – Connecting Horticulture Printed by Pensord Press Ltd, Gwent, UK The 2018 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 ©Michael Gazzola

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NEWS

NEWS

NEWS Scheme to restore Bath’s natural heritage receives £1.65m boost A scheme to restore and protect Bath’s local natural heritage has secured £1.65m from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The Bathscape Landscape Partnership officially launched the project delivery stage of Bathscape at an event held at the city’s Roman Baths following confirmation of the HLF funding award.

The scheme will bring to life 25 projects over the next five years that aim to restore and improve access to the UNESCO World Heritage City’s landscape.

A partnership of conservation organisations, community groups, businesses, universities and Bath & North East Somerset Council (BANES), Bathscape will provide a range of training and skill development opportunities for local people.

Chairman of Bathscape, Andrew Grant, founder and director of Bath-based landscape architect Grant Associates, says: “We want to conserve the heritage of the landscape but also to create ways for many more people to enjoy,

P6 News P10 International News P11 Landscape Institute Awards P14 FutureScape 2018 P17 Opinion: Romy Rawlings

understand, engage with and benefit from this amazing asset.”

The Bathscape area covers 101 sq km and stretches from Charmy Down to the north of the city to Combe Hay in the south, and from Kingsdown to the east to Corston in the west. Projects in the scheme include: • I mproving the condition and management of important woodlands, grasslands and historic landscape features •P roviding training, opportunities and resources for local people to get involved in the study and enhancement of the landscape • A five-year programme of walks and other events, such as the Bathscape Walking Festival and healthy walking groups linked to GP surgeries • A waymarked ‘round Bath’ promoted walking network • Working with schools and education providers to encourage outdoor learning and develop skills www.grant-associates.uk.com

Views sought on vision for Edinburgh’s George Street Edinburgh City Council has unveiled plans to enhance the civic grandeur of George Street, one of the Scottish capital’s main shopping thoroughfares.

The scheme, which feeds into a citywide vision for long-term growth, aims to help Edinburgh remain a vibrant place to live and visit. The proposals, developed by LDA Design

and WYG on behalf of the Council and sustainable notfor-profit Sustrans, will improve accessibility, prioritising active travel and creating a place to belong.

Over recent years, the car has come to dominate George Street. The new plans will create wider, clutter-free pavements, car-free areas and a dedicated

two-direction cycleway, making George Street safer and more enjoyable for all users.

New plazas and public realm with additional public seating aim to encourage shoppers and visitors to spend more time on the Street, helping to boost trade for the retailers, cafes and restaurants in the area. LDA Design director and

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06/12/2018 10:22

NEWS

New restrictions in England and Wales on EU olive tree imports

Gillespies promotions across the UK Gillespies has announced the promotion of 34 members of staff across its four UK offices.

Within the company’s London studio, Rob Copeland and Neil Matthew have been promoted to senior associates. Rob joined the company’s Australian office in 1997, where he worked on a range of leisure and sports projects. He rejoined the practice’s London studio in 2013 and has continued to develop his expertise in leisure and sports landscapes, with a focus on stadium precincts within the Middle East. Neil joined Gillespies in 2007 and has more than 11 years’ experience in public realm and town centre regeneration design. Recently, Neil led the regeneration of Bracknell Town Centre’s urban realm.

Senior landscape architect Matt Pepper has become an associate and will support the London management team. Originally from New Zealand, Matt joined Gillespies in 2016 and has specific expertise in international waterfront and coastal design with more than eight years’ experience working on largescale urban, commercial, residential and educational projects.

Laura Mackie, Ryan Coghlan and Chiara Lorenzi have become principal landscape architects,

project lead, Kirstin Taylor, says: “We want to create an all-yearround destination, an inclusive place where people choose to spend more time. We also want to celebrate George Street’s fine Georgian architecture and make it a more positive environmental experience for people of all ages and abilities.” wwww.lda-design.co.uk

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and landscape architects Sybille De Cussy, Rob Mayers, Ellie Godfrey, Tunde Jager, Giedre Puzinauskiene, Ana Peixoto and Jean-Francois Pflumio have all been promoted to senior landscape architects. Landscape architect Giacomo Guzzon also received a new title ‘planting design leader’ to recognise his expertise in horticulture and planting design.

In the Oxford studio, principal landscape planner Mayda Henderson has been promoted to associate. Mayda has more than 25 years’ experience in landscape planning with specific expertise in Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) for flood alleviation and defence measures, opencast and mineral workings, nuclear power stations and port facility sites in the UK, UAE and Qatar.

Andy Rose and Karolina Skonieczna have become

principal landscape architects.

Dimitrios Lantzas was made a senior landscape architect and Yulia Emelianova is now a landscape architect.

In the Leeds studio, Rebecca Greatrix was promoted to associate. Rebecca joined Gillespies in 2013 and has developed a strong interest and specialism in landscape planning.

Sam Hutchison, Oliver Clarke, Stuart Postlethwaite and Jonathan Mcloughlin are now principal landscape architects. Landscape architect Lindsay Robinson moves up to senior landscape architect and Ryan Bailey, Natalie Graham, Becca Huggins and Kamila Tobola became landscape architects.

In the Hale studio, Mark Hallett moved up to principal landscape architect and Katie Maude, Sarah Knowles, Heather Simeonov and Jessica Ginty have been made landscape architects. www.gillespies.co.uk

English and Welsh importers of olive trees must now notify the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

The statutory notification scheme for imports of certain plant and tree species from other EU member states was extended on 26 November to include Olea europaea (common olive) in order to provide additional protection against the introduction of Xylella fastidiosa, which was recently found in Belgium.

The new measures apply to England and Wales, but Scotland and Northern Ireland are considering similar legislation.

Alongside these tightened measures, tree and plant professionals and the public are urged to remain vigilant for signs of Xylella, practice good biosecurity measures, and to notify APHA without delay if Xylella is suspected.

All growers and traders should take the following actions: • Ensure imported plants both originate from and are sourced from disease free areas • Source from known suppliers or visit suppliers to view their processes, procedures, bio-security arrangements and the plants they grow • Isolate or quarantine new batches of plants and monitor them during the growing season for signs of the disease • Ensure that plant passports arriving with plants are correct and keep the plant passport to aid trace back if necessary www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/animal-andplant-health-agency

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06/12/2018 10:22

ADVERTORIAL

IT’S NOT JUST A TREE It’s not just a tree – it’s an incredible air cleaning, flood reducing, urban cooling, shade providing, health improving, pollution removing, aesthetically breath taking, urban miracle.

Oh, and it also happens to increase real estate values, enhance retail sales, improve school academic results, boost hospital convalescence rates, protect from ram raids and reduce urban crime levels.

A tree is the only thing we know of, that you can put in an urban environment and (if planted with appropriate uncompacted soil volume) it will increase in value every year it lives... greenblue.com

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06/12/2018 12:30

ADVERTORIAL

FROM DESIGN TO COMPLETION

SELFRIDGES

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elfridges also known as Selfridges & Co the high end retail department store based in the UK was founded

by Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1908. The flagship store in London’s Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK after Harrods and opened on 15 March 1909.

The 50’s saw the acquisition to the Lewis chain, the 60’s the Sears group and moving closer to present day in 2003 the chain was acquired by Canadian based Galen Weston for £598 million.

Weston and family; listed as the second wealthiest in Canada with a background in luxury food and goods with department stores in Ireland and the Netherlands.

Taking on the Selfridges brand, enhancements were made to the flagship store rather than expand, these included innovative dining experiences such as the “Big Rooftop tea and golf party” famous for its emerald green boating lake.

An elaborate recreation of innovation as empowered by the founder Harry Selfridge himself.

With on off talks of the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street and the launch of the new Elizabeth Line in 2019 which is set to bring an extra 60 million visitors to the area annually, Westminster Council have stated that a priority would be to enable more green space thus tackling safety issues and to help limit air pollution.

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Selfridges proceeded with a Public realm development to upgrade the eastern side of the store on Duke Street as the new focal point entrance to include; new paving and furniture; a new stone bench and stone drinking water fountain made of Italian marble along with planting of 4 established trees.

GreenBlue Urban are proud to have been chosen in the tree planting aspect from concept to design and installation of 4 Liquidambar trees at this high profile streetscape redevelopment.

Two years of design team meetings alongside Djao Rakitine, WSP and Sir Robert McAlpine enabled GreenBlue Urban to be fully immersed in the tree pit detail to ensure optimal tree growth for years to come along with minimal maintenance.

Our technical expertise proved invaluable with the selection of the trees at a specialist nursery based in the Netherlands along with the design and manufacture of 4 custom handmade brass tree grilles.

Assisting key contractors onsite including Nurture Landscapes who fully support the GBU tree pit concept with full training given from initial excavation, avoidance of services, install of soil cells, root management, guying, and soil for each tree pit ensured installation was a resounding success.

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Installation of RootSpace & StrataCell

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The fourth tree being planted

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Custom brass tree grilles

GreenBlue Urban Urban tree planting specialist with over 25 years experience in planting and helping to establish successful urban trees. enquiries@greenblueurban.com 01580 830 800 www.greenblue.com

06/12/2018 12:30

NEWS

NEWS

Sky garden features in Shenzhen masterplan Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has been confirmed as the winning practice to design a new masterplan within the Qianhai area of Shenzhen, China.

Formed in an area of reclaimed land, the design proposes a new raised level for a 1.2km sky garden – elevated above the roads to facilitate easy access above ground between adjacent plots.

The large city-scale of the sky garden will link directly to public transport hubs, allowing the public to flow through the city at various speeds, from the fast pace of the underground, to the medium pace of the street, through to the slow pace of the garden.

Enriched with cultural activities, the sky garden will form a natural focus for all-year-round activities, terminating in a major public space at the water’s edge that will be known as Performance Park.

This area will contain an Opera House and Conventions Centre

and will directly link the city back to Qianhai Bay. Senior partner Richard Rogers, says: “Qianhai is an exciting and dynamic emerging urban centre.

Having the opportunity to create this bold and confident intervention will focus the city’s attempt to create a rich and diverse, culturally led public realm.” www.rsh-p.com

Zaha Hadid architects designing smart city outside Moscow Moscow’s new RublyovoArkhangelskoye district, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and Pride Architects, will be a “people-centric” sustainable smart city.

Located to the west of Russia’s capital city, the 460ha site will be turned into a mixed residential, business and culture hub.

“We developed a peoplecentric design for a smart interconnected city that brings people together not only through innovative technology but also through organising the public realm,” said Christos Passas, project director at Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA).

ZHA alongside Pride Architects – a studio based in Russia – consulted studies about happiness while masterplanning the district, concluding that building communities, access to nature and environmentally friendly design were key factors.

A staged development process has been proposed so that residents can become adjusted to the new

technology and integrate properly. Over a third of the smart city will be given over to parkland and forest, with a large lake in the centre.

Moscow’s population currently stands at 12.4 million, an increase of 30% in the past 20 years. The new district is designed to ease the pressure without curtailing the city’s growth.

Rublyovo-Arkhangelskoye will be able to house 66,500 new residents when complete. It will also provide 800,000 sq m of office space for Moscow’s growing financial consulting, legal and auditing sectors.

It will be connected to Moscow via a 12-mile metro line. The railway will begin construction in 2020 and connect to Moscow’s Shelepikha interchange station. www.zaha-hadid.com

©Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)

INTERNATIONAL

Sustainability central to Facebook’s new Menlo Park HQ design A new office building at Facebook’s headquarters at Menlo Park, California, features striking outdoor social spaces.

Filled with green plants and scenic landscape design, the spaces include the ‘Town Square’, a sheltered green space with 12m high redwood trees, while ‘The Bowl’ is a courtyard designed like

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an amphitheatre.

Designed by Frank Gehry and named MK21, the building is an extension to MK20, a previous building completed by the company in 2015.

Nature and wildlife are central to the design that features fritted windows to protect birds as well as a 3.6acre rooftop garden

featuring more than 200 trees.

Aiming to have a minimal environmental impact, MK21 includes a reclaimed water system.

Facebook continues to add to the Menlo Park hub and plans include the completion of a twoacre park with public plaza and event space for 2019. www.foga.com

www.futurearc.co.uk

06/12/2018 10:00

NEWS EXTRA

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©PaulUpward

his year’s Landscape Institute (LI) Awards, held at The Brewery in London on 22 November, showcased the best in landscape architecture, design, planning and management both in the UK and internationally. Chosen from a record number of entries, the winners highlighted a range of projects which focus on landscape design, community, sustainability and innovative thinking.

New York Times best-selling author and journalist Florence Williams was the keynote speaker and the awards were compered by broadcast journalist and BBC London radio contributor, Ebs Akintade.

Speaking about the awards, Adam White, president of the LI, said: “From a quarry in Shanghai to a 21stcentury back garden in Elephant and Castle, landscape practitioners are leading the way in combating climate change, creating places where people want to live and connecting people, place and nature.”

And Dan Cook, chief executive officer of the LI, said: “One of the common themes this year across many entries is the importance placed on community

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LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE AWARDS 2018 Winner of the Fellow’s Award and Strategic Ecology, Horticulture and Planting design award for Beech Gardens and The High Walk, Barbican Estate: Nigel Dunnett and the Landscape Agency ©PaulUpward

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Winner - President’s Award - South Gardens, Elephant Park ©Simon Williams

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NEWS EXTRA

THE WINNERS

Adam White, President of the Landscape Institute ©Paul Upward

engagement and is symbolic of the values held by the next generation of the profession.”

In keeping with this theme, Churchman Landscape Architects’ project in South Gardens, Elephant Park, was the winner of this year’s prestigious President’s Award for the Best Landscape Scheme of the Year. Speaking about the award, Chris Churchman, founder and director of Churchman Landscape Architects, said: “To win the President’s Award has been a great honour. With cities becoming increasingly dense, it’s wonderful that residential landscapes are getting recognition.

‘Design on the doorstep’ can often be undervalued but hopefully this award emphasises their intrinsic value to communities.”

OPEN CATEGORY • Dame Sylvia Crowe Award for Outstanding International Contribution to People, Place and Nature Winner: Quarry Garden in Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning & Design Institute • Fellow’s Award Winner: Beech Gardens and The High Walk, Barbican Estate, Nigel Dunnett and the Landscape Agency • President’s Award Winner: South Gardens, Elephant Park, Churchman Landscape Architects Winner: Dame Sylvia Crowe Award Quarry Garden in Shanghai ©Paul Upward

Florence Williams, Keynote Speaker at the Landscape Institute Awards ©Paul Upward

PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIES • Adding Value Through Landscape / Environmental Improvement Award Winner: Maritime Streets, Farrer Huxley Associates • Design for a Small Scale Development Award Winner: South Gardens, Elephant Park, Churchman Landscape Architects • Design for a Medium Scale Development Award Winner: Aberfeldy phases 1 and 2, Levitt Bernstein • Design for a Large Scale Development Award Winner: Learning Forest, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Stephen Caffyn Landscape Design • Design for a Temporary Landscape Project Award Winner: Forest of Imagination, Grant Associates • Communications and Presentation Award Winner: Bluegreen Liverpool, reShaped • Heritage and Conservation Award Winner: Cassiobury Park, LUC • Science, Management and Stewardship Award Winner: Thamesmead, Land Management Services • Landscape Policy and Research Award Winner: Wandle Vistas, Untitled Practice Ltd and Fiona Fyfe Associates • Local Landscape Planning Award Winner: Connecting Burton and the Trent Washlands: A New Vision, Black and Veatch Ltd • Strategic Landscape Planning Award Winner: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Parks and Open Spaces Strategy and Corporate Natural Capital Accounts, Jon Sheaff and Associates • Urban Design and Masterplanning Award Winner: Residential Regeneration at Poole Park Road, Barne Barton, Plymouth, Clifton Emery Design • Strategic Ecology, Horticulture and Planting Design Winner: Beech Gardens and The High Walk, Barbican Estate, Nigel Dunnett and the Landscape Agency STUDENT CATEGORIES • Student Dissertation Award Winner: Displaced Ecosystems: Can implementing an ecosystem services approach improve the quality and sustainability of refugee settlements? Joelle Darby • Student Portfolio Award Winner: Indulge me, Michael Ekers

Winner - President’s Award - South Gardens, Elephant Park ©Nick Harrison

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SPECIAL AWARDS • Client of the Year Award Winner: HUB (in collaboration with B|D Landscape Architects) • New Landscape Professional of the Year Award Winner: Anneliese Walker • Volunteer of the Year Award Winner: Mike Browell

www.futurearc.co.uk

06/12/2018 10:04

HEADLINE SPONSOR

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06/12/2018 14:49

NEWS EXTRA

FUTURESCAPE 2018 This year’s FutureScape event, held on Tuesday 20 November at Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, Surrey, was attended by more than 2,500 visitors

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his year’s FutureScape event, held on Tuesday 20 November at Sandown Park Racecourse in Esher, Surrey, was attended by more than 2,500 visitors.

Industry leaders enjoyed a comprehensive and wide-ranging seminar programme delivered by speakers from major companies in landscaping, landscape architecture and related industries. The list of speakers featured a mix of up-and-coming and more established names in the industry.

“INDUSTRY LEADERS ENJOYED A COMPREHENSIVE AND WIDERANGING SEMINAR PROGRAMME” Topics covered issues ranging from the digital world and the value of social media to business consultants, how to close a sale, plant disease and the importance of soil.

One of this year’s highlights was the Landscape Legends seminar with John Melmoe, Ann-Marie Powell, David Dodd and Jo Thompson, arguably four of the most prominent designers and landscapers in the industry. In the seminar on digital marketing and how to understand the value of social media in the business environment, president of the Landscape Institute Adam White, explained to the audience how social media had helped establish his business.

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NEWS EXTRA

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NEWS EXTRA

“We win work through using social media and Twitter.

72% of small businesses are winning work because they’re on Twitter. It’s a very, very powerful tool.”

In another seminar, Sam Hassall, managing director of LandPro, discussed costing a project and the best way to manage client expectations. Other seminars included advice on how quickly to grow your business and tips on how to close a deal. Elsewhere, industry experts discussed lighting, decking soft landscaping and recruitment.

Topics under discussion in the Pro Landscaper Live Theatre included Plant Disease. Chairman of the debate, horticulturist Jamie Butterworth, said: “This is a subject that affects every single person in the industry. Whatever your role, this is something that we all need to be taking immensely seriously.”

Subjects discussed included which diseases are in the UK, how they affect the nursery world and the effect this has on designers and landscapers when choosing plants. Topics also included the importation and quarantining of plants.

Jamie urged the packed audience: “Go and visit your local nursery, get to know your growers and suppliers. If you’re using suppliers and traders who don’t have a nursery then alarm bells should be ringing.”

Other topics discussed in the live theatre, included the Next Generation, where four up-and-coming landscapers talked about how they’re working towards their goals of becoming the next generation of RHS Chelsea builders.

The live theatre concluded with a One to One: Live on-stage interview where Jamie took to the stage again to quiz award-winning garden designer Cleve West.

The two main awards events, Pro Landscaper’s small project, BIG IMPACT awards and Pro Landscaper’s 30 Under 30: The Next Generation celebrated the projects and people that are rising through the ranks of the industry. There was a number of landscape architects among the 30 Under 30 award winners including Zeyna Soboh from WSP, Romain Bardin from Thomas Hoblyn Garden Design, Peter Robinson from GRDN Landscape and Garden Design and Adam Newson, who started as a trainee landscape architect with Ground Control and now has a first-class degree in Landscape and Garden Design from Writtle University College.

The finale of this year’s event was the Summit featuring the View from the Top debate. Chaired by John Wyer, of Bowles & Wyer, topics discussed included digital technology, sources of new revenue streams and changes in international trade. “The panel tackled some difficult subjects and looked at future trends which might affect the industry,” said John.

Be sure not to miss the next FutureScape event which will be held at Sandown Park Racecourse on Tuesday 12 March 2019.

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06/12/2018 10:47

OPINION

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originally thought that perhaps the best way to address a subject as huge as this in so few words would be to condense the conversations that I’ve had with many customers over the last 12 months. Also, perhaps, by describing the diverse range of work that’s currently hot on the agenda at the Landscape Institute.

But, the one memory of this last year that everyone can relate to is that 2018 has been deeply worrying in terms of extremes of climate – the long, hot summer and long, freezing winter (with snow, even in London!) before that.

On both a local and global scale, horrendous storms, drought, flooding, forest/moor fires, extreme temperatures, and associated chaos have prevailed.

And, if that wasn’t enough to convince us that climate change is all too real, the recent dire forecast from the UN, that we have only 12 years remaining to keep global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees, must surely have hit home.

So, I’m starting here and, right now, it’s clear that we must personally and professionally turn our attention (and budgets) to an impending global disaster. We have to take action and stop what we started, and I believe that it’s the landscape profession that can (and must) take the lead.

The diversity and scope of our work is vast, and our unique mix of expertise offers real solutions to dealing with the pressing issues facing us. Those of us working in the landscape sector have almost all the answers on how to make our external environment – whether urban or rural – more resilient, liveable, and welcoming to all.

Everything we do, whether designing a tiny green roof, or a new city masterplan, must address the current concerns around water (both quantity and quality), air quality, food production, social inequality, security, waste, urbanisation, population growth, energy demands and changing modes of transport.

Fortunately, the last year has also highlighted the incredible insights that are available when we harness and interpret the digital information that’s now available in our industry. Over the last few years, numerous projects have gathered vast quantities of data on many aspects of our lives. For instance, measuring footfall and

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OPINION ROMY RAWLINGS new FutureArc columnist Romy Rawlings, UK business development manager at Vestre and chair of the Diversity & Inclusion working group at the Landscape Institute, looks at the key landscape architecture trends from 2018 cycling traffic, the impact of weather on our behaviour, air pollution levels and a myriad other aspects of everyday life.

As software advances, we will without doubt see a growing shift towards tools such as VR/ MR/AR that will enable us to better understand and interpret our external environment. As these technologies become ever more affordable, allowing the testing of design proposals, construction, and management outcomes, they will allow a much more integrated approach to our work, as long as we have people with the skills to do it!

One particular aspect of our work that I personally value very highly is horticulture, or simply, plants. For many years I’ve been disappointed by the decline in the perceived

importance of planting and associated knowledge among practitioners and yet it is the one element that differentiates landscape experts from other built environment professionals.

We have the expertise to embrace a uniquely holistic approach to ecosystems (whether natural or artificially constructed) and, beyond this, a broad understanding of the related areas of soils, hydrology, air quality, climatology and, of course, associated human, social and cultural contexts.

We know that vegetation – or even biophilic principles – helps to mitigate the impact of urban heat islands, reduces depression and anxiety, improves wellbeing, speeds the recovery of inpatients, supports public health, supports urban biodiversity and can be used to mitigate flood risk, to name a (vital) few.

At last, natural capital is being properly valued and respected for what it is. As we begin to understand the impact of nature deficit disorder, we need to reconnect everyone with nature, no matter where they live. We, the experts in this area, need to find our voices in order to advocate and campaign for a better outdoor environment on behalf of those people whose quality of life is, for the first time in generations, declining.

“THE DIVERSITY AND SCOPE OF OUR WORK IS VAST, AND OUR UNIQUE MIX OF EXPERTISE OFFERS REAL SOLUTIONS TO DEALING WITH THE PRESSING ISSUES FACING US” While we’re on the subject of improving quality of life, we shouldn’t forget that there is still much to do in the areas of diversity and inclusion in the landscape world. The construction sector in general is one of the worst in the UK in terms of attracting a diverse workforce. It’s about time we addressed this and the severe skills shortage we are currently facing is as good a reason as any to take this agenda more seriously than ever.

It’s been a turbulent year and the question right now is, what will 2019 bring?

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S E I N

R PE T N O

E OW N

Podium [ po.di.um ] noun

a podium landscape is a green space built on top of a structure

For more information please call 01903 777570 or email podiumawards@eljays44.com

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HEADLINE SPONSOR

THE ONLY INDUSTRY AWARDS THAT HIGHLIGHT AND RECOGNISE PODIUM LANDSCAPES IN THE UK

Categories Category Sponsors

Commercial Build

Commercial Design

The project should show excellent core skills, a lovely finish, an innovative use of logistics and an effective use of products. The project will demonstrate quality and technical ability and will match the customer brief.

The project should show excellent core design skills matching the client brief, an effective use of products and plants and there must be a good example of communication, both from a client and landscaper aspect.

Domestic Design

Domestic Build

The project should show excellent core design skills matching the client brief, an effective use of products and plants and there must be a good example of communication, both from a client and landscaper aspect.

The project should show excellent core skills, a lovely finish, an innovative use of logistics and an effective use of products. The project will demonstrate quality and technical ability and will match the customer brief.

Outstanding Podium Products

Planting Design

This is a category for a product or a service that has helped revolutionise the rooftop garden sector. It needs to have solved a problem, created an opportunity, have had a major impact on the look/design or have helped the landscaper with the installation.

The project will need to demonstrate an understanding of the setting of the podium, client’s requirement, plants working well together, structure of the planting design, year-round interest, suitable for the rooftop climate and ease of maintenance.

CHECK OUT PRO LANDSCAPER ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

To enter the awards and for full terms and conditions, please see our website www.prolandscapermagazine.com/podiumawards/ Podium.indd 3

22/11/2018 15:42

FEATURES P20 Interview Simon Ward, Atkins

P23 A Roman oasis Unique Property Group

P26 Regeneration Bridlington transformed

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INTERVIEW

SIMON WARD ATKINS SIMON WARD associate director at Atkins explains what makes the company stand out and why he became a landscape architect Could you explain the background of the company and your role there?

Atkins has been around for more than 75 years, and we’ve continued to grow and expand our markets over the years. We were acquired by SNC-Lavalin in July 2017.

I’m part of our building design practice which includes architects, masterplanners, graphic designers and of course, landscape architects. We are celebrating 40 year of practise in 2019, and while we were initially a small group based in London, we’re now over 70 people strong and spread across seven regional offices in the UK. I lead the northern England and Scotland team of 15 landscape architects, I’m part of the regional leadership team and also have a national business development role.

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

With such a big team covering such a wide range of sectors, we have the privilege of being specialists in many fields: public realm, flood defence, transportation and education to name a few. A good architect can adapt and design a good building whatever its use, and it’s no different for landscape architects.

What makes your company stand out?

First, our human-centred design approach. We are creating tools that help us put end-users and their wellbeing at the heart of design. Second, our full multi-disciplinary teams.

We talk a lot about a one-stop-shop, but with everything from planners and engineers to architects, Atkins really does provide this. And third, our increased digital offering. With every project we endeavour to combine imaginative approaches with technology to help us deliver better and more efficient solutions.

Underlying all of this is a real desire to make a difference in people’s lives through imaginative design.

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What projects are you particularly proud of?

I’m proud of every project I’ve worked on, but there’s a recent one that stands out for me – Morecambe Promenade in Lancashire where my team and I played a leading role and can proudly say we have helped protect 11,000 properties from flooding and storm events. This project not only played a vital role in protecting the town and its residents, it provided an enhanced seafront experience and improved access for a high elderly resident population, cyclists and visitors. This project delivered a lot in a small space and has been very well received by the client and, most importantly the local community and is a real blend of artistry and engineering.

Could you give brief details on three completed or ongoing projects?

At the Olympic Park we were one of a number of practices which made a significant contribution to the successful delivery of the masterplan, providing detailed design expertise to help bring the concept and masterplan to life.

Oxford Circus is a brilliant scheme which introduced the UK to its first city centre scramble crossing, based on the Japanese model, and now caters for millions of pedestrians per annum, stripping the site of the clutter which caused real issues for movement and creating a dynamic new space for all modes of transport. Finally, in Scotland we are working on the A9 dualling, a huge project that involves the upgrade of 80 miles of carriageway between Perth and Inverness. Weaving a huge piece of infrastructure into a spectacular landscape requires a great deal of skill and this project will deliver economic growth through improvements to road safety and journey times as well as better links to pedestrian, cycling and public transport.

2 York, Copacabana Promenade in Buenos Aires, the Champs Elysées in Paris, the spectacular Washington Mall which I had the pleasure of visiting last month, immensely manicured Japanese gardens, all these were designed by landscape architects, even if they weren’t known as that at the time. Landscape architecture has always been an expression of human culture from pre-history and has the ability to hold a special place in the human imagination.

What background did you have before joining the company?

I’ve worked in all sectors – I have been in private practice for the last 25 years. I started my career in a local authority for one year and spent six years in central government. I was trained at Manchester Metropolitan University over a five-year course during the 1980s.

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“AS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT YOU CAN MAKE A REAL AND POSITIVE DIFFERENCE TO THE SOCIETY YOU LIVE IN – WHAT COULD BE BETTER?”

1 Hampstead Heath 2 Oxford Circus 3 A9 dualling

What inspired you personally to become a landscape architect?

I was attracted to the profession as it combined the arts, design, history and the practical aspect of delivering a real product on the ground for the benefit of people. I’m inspired by places and landscapes.

Landscape has been described as the memory of mankind. It’s a fascinating subject and one which I feel everyone can relate to.

What are your design inspirations?

Some of the most recognisable and renowned places in the world. Just think of Central Park in New

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What are the key challenges facing the profession?

There are four in my opinion. Climate change, digital innovation, attracting students into the profession and urban growth, with over 75% of the population predicted to be living in cities by 2050.

Do you feel that architects have a good understanding of what landscape architects bring to a project?

The good ones do, and a limited number occasionally produce outstanding designs themselves, but this is a specialist area and they will never achieve the same results as a good landscape architect. The best projects are usually the outcome of a creative collaboration.

Do you find that being brought into a project at a late stage is a common problem?

Less so now as we are part of a combined landscape and architecture practice. More clients are also recognising the benefits landscape architects will bring to a scheme, and that the earlier they are engaged the better the results.

What is the role of landscape architects going forward – will they become more influential?

Landscape architecture always has been, and always will be, influential. We can make an enormous difference to projects when we’re involved. This can be witnessed by the reconfiguration of Manchester city centre following the IRA bomb in the 1990s which was led by a landscape architect.

The challenges faced by contemporary society are vast and the embracing skills of landscape architects are ready-made to meet them in relation to climate resilience, the housing shortage, our places of leisure and play, our transportation networks and our energy needs.

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What advice would you give to young people looking to become landscape architects?

Do it! It’s one of the most varied and rewarding careers in the world.

You can travel, meet amazing people from all backgrounds at all levels of a project and no two days will be the same. You have 4 the ability to change the physical world and shape the environment we all live in. As a landscape architect you can make a real and positive difference to the society you live in.

Does the company get a lot of repeat business?

Yes increasingly. Two good examples are The City of Edinburgh Council who commissioned us to deliver a multi-disciplinary streetscape design guide, embracing numerous high-profile streets in the city’s World Heritage area. The great work we delivered for Lancaster City Council on the Morecambe Promenade flood defence scheme secured exemplary client and user feedback and this has now led to phases 2 and 3 being awarded and delivered by Atkins.

What is the next step for the company?

To keep growing our reputation and our business.

We need to become ever more ambitious to work on the best and most varied projects, to attract the best students, inspire our teams and our clients and keep changing the world for the better.

“MORE CLIENTS ARE ALSO RECOGNISING THE BENEFITS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS WILL BRING TO A SCHEME, AND THAT THE EARLIER THEY ARE ENGAGED THE BETTER THE RESULTS”

4 Morecambe Promenade 5 Olympic Park

Atkins Founded in the 1930s, Atkins is 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, Asia Pacific and Europe. 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 W: www.snclavalin.com

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FEATURES

A ROMAN OASIS

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An archaeological find inspired the Unique Property Group to turn the gardens at their latest development into a Roman-style haven of peace and tranquillity

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n accidental discovery sparked the idea for the landscaping scheme at Habitō, a boutique development in the West London borough of Hounslow. The site sits by what once was an ancient Roman road and one of the requirements for planning consent was to conduct an archaeological examination. However, local archaeologists thought it unlikely that the investigation would bring anything to light, according to Sonny Gowans, founder and managing director of Habitō’s developers, the Unique Property Group. So everyone was taken by surprise when careful digging yielded part of an Iron Age building, part of an old Roman building and some

“GREEN SPACE IS CRUCIAL TO TURN A DEVELOPMENT FROM A COLLECTION OF HOMES INTO A COHESIVE, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY”

pottery. The findings weren’t so significant that they would necessitate scrapping the project but they were interesting enough for archaeologists to record them—and for the Unique Property Group to put them at the heart of their upcoming development.

“Having found this heritage, we wanted to bring it into the building,” says Sonny. “So we chose the name Habitō, which means ‘I live', or 'I inhabit’ in Latin—introduced interior elements that paid homage to the history of the site, such as herringbone patterns, and gave the outside space a Roman-inspired design to reflect ancient Roman gardens.” Obviously, continues Sonny, Habitō’s gardens

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Sonny Gowans www.futurearc.co.uk

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FEATURES

1 Terrace walkway at Habitō 2 Mood board for the Habitō gardens 3 The private gardens of The Printworks’ mews houses 4 Private outdoor space at Habitō, seen fron the living room 5 3D model of Habitō gardens

are a modern interpretation of ancient schemes but the underlying vision remains the same as it would have been 2,000 years ago. “The Roman garden is really about peace and tranquillity, the idea of a refuge, an escape from urban life.

So our starting point was to create a peaceful place.”

The Habitō scheme is split across three gardens—one at the front of the building, a smaller one that sits within a central courtyard and the largest one on the first floor 2 at the rear. “It’s a good communal space but it also creates an opportunity for people to find a bit of privacy.” In Sonny’s view, green space is crucial to turn a development from a collection of homes into a cohesive, sustainable community.

“If there’s no outdoor space, there are fewer opportunities to strike up a rapport,” he explains.

However, there is no doubt that, in these hectic days, people are also looking for a place to retreat, refocus and take a break from stress and noise—to enjoy both the physical and mental health benefits of being outdoors. And, as Darren Rufford of Aros Architects, the practice behind the landscaping scheme, points out, a recurrent issue in communal gardens is that “once one group enters the space, others can feel deterred due to the lack of separation.

Habitō addresses that directly by providing a number of areas that can

“THIS FINE BALANCE BETWEEN SOCIALISATION AND SOLITUDE IS ACHIEVED

BY BREAKING UP THE COMMUNAL AREAS INTO “A SERIES OF SMALLER, MORE INTIMATE SPACES THAT PROVIDE THE ILLUSION OF PRIVATE GARDENS”

be used simultaneously without residents encroaching on each other’s privacy.”

This fine balance between socialisation and solitude is achieved by breaking up the communal areas into “a series of smaller, more intimate spaces that provide the illusion of private gardens.” Building on the Roman theme, these “outdoor rooms” are separated by walkways and beds edged with box trees, which were common in Roman homes. Other plants that were popular in ancient times, such as roses, marigolds, hyacinths, narcissi, oleanders, violets, saffron, cassia, lily, gladioli, iris, poppy, amaranth and acanthus, complement the planting scheme. Mature trees provide shade while seats built into the raised beds allow residents to come up close and personal with the plants.

“Spaces,” continues Darren, “have been made available for residents to grow herbs such as thyme, mint, basil, bay, rosemary and hyssop—also a common theme for a Roman family garden.”

The added advantage of this planting choice is that it creates bursts of colour throughout the seasons. “The landscaping scheme is to act as a visual counterpoint to the monochrome nature of the architecture,” advises Darren. “The three garden spaces provide colour and movement to contrast with the white and dark grey façades.”

Habitō is not the only site where the Unique Property Group has used landscaping to anchor a

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FEATURES

3 development to its historic context. Indeed, this is very much a cornerstone of the Group’s greenspace vision, according to Sonny. “We try to tie the scheme as much as we can to the heritage of each site.” For example, he explains, “we have another development, The Printworks, in Crouch End, North London, which has an industrial heritage so we gave the garden an industrial-style design.”

However, he notes, rooting a scheme is not enough to ensure landscaping success—this also requires green space to be genuinely usable. “A lot of green areas in developments don’t have much use.

The challenge is to create space that can be used in a meaningful way because of where it is within the site, providing good access.”

Sonny thinks wistfully about what his company could do if only sites had a little more acreage to play with. Looking back at his career, “the scheme that springs to mind is one that we did at a resort project in Brazil.”

Built around top-class sporting facilities, the complex, which combines residential accommodation and a luxury hotel, was designed with outdoor living in mind. The site was very large, allowing the developers to devote generous expanses of it to communal areas, including a luxuriant, beachside garden where the sea met the forest. “It was extremely natural, practically untouched—a very special place,” Sonny recollects.

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4 Sadly, there’s no such luck in cramped British cities. In London, in particular, “getting meaningful space is often a challenge,” according to Sonny.

Although the London Plan now requires developers to provide a minimum quota of outdoor space, “this tends to be absorbed by balconies.” Thus, the Unique Property Group’s strategy is to “focus on sites where you can create communal areas.” Many developers, adds Sonny, throw in the towel and don’t put their time and effort on landscaping so the Group sees this as an opportunity to give value to prospective buyers by creating high-quality green lungs.

Clever design obviously plays a key role to make the most of these tight spaces and the Group is “constantly looking to improve” its approach. It generally relies upon a growing portfolio of trusted consultants that have been recommended to them but this, says Sonny, doesn’t mean their door is closed to new ideas. “We are always happy to brief and hear from qualified designers.”

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Unique Property Group Boutique developers the Unique Property Group specialise in building individually designed, residential-led, eco-friendly developments in London and the south of England that aim to enhance the communities in which the projects are situated.

W: www.u-p-g.co.uk

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FEATURES

TRANSFORMING

BRIDLINGTON 1

major transformations in yorkshire’s Bridlington are set to transform the coastal town’s profile, improve its transport infrastructure and boost tourism and economic prosperity

“TOGETHER, THESE PROJECTS ARE PROVIDING SPACES THAT CELEBRATE BRIDLINGTON’S HISTORY AND CREATE A PUBLIC REALM THAT RESIDENTS CAN BE PROUD OF”

1 Gypsey Race Park visualisation 2 Gypsey Race Park 3 Bridlington Seafront proposals

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he Yorkshire coastal town of Bridlington is undergoing a major transformation, from seafront developments to the creation of a linear park along the river.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is in the process of delivering a number of the projects set out in its Bridlington Town Centre Area Action Plan (AAP).

A multi-disciplinary team from Sweco is involved with some of the major schemes within the seaside resort, including developments at the seafront, Gypsey Race Park and the new entrance plaza to Bridlington’s Grade II listed Railway Station.

Elsewhere in the town, improvements are also being made to the town’s transport infrastructure and the Bridlington Quay Townscape Heritage Project will bring improvements to the public realm, including the redevelopment of Garrison Square. The seafront and Gypsey Race Park developments are expected to be completed in Spring 2020.

Speaking about Sweco’s involvement in the schemes, Simon Heald, associate landscape

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architect at the company, says: “The idea is that these infrastructure works improve the profile of Bridlington and make it more attractive to tourists but also to employers to encourage them to invest.”

Councillor Stephen Parnaby OBE, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, says: “Together, these projects are providing spaces that celebrate Bridlington’s history and create a public realm that residents can be proud of and that makes the right impression to visitors who are so important in supporting the town’s vital tourism industry.”

Nigel Atkinson, head of Bridlington Renaissance, says: “In these four projects alone, the council and its partners are investing over £25m to help transform Bridlington, improve its transport infrastructure and provide facilities to help it thrive in the years ahead.

“Bridlington is the East Riding’s most visited tourist destination, so these projects are important for the town’s future economic prosperity. The works are acting as a catalyst in securing private

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FEATURES

sector support, with a number of potential sites being developed for new commercial activity.”

Gypsey Race Park Sweco’s landscape architects and engineers were appointed by East Riding of Yorkshire Council as lead consultant and principal designer for a new urban park along the banks of the Gypsey Race through the centre of the town.

The £7.5m project, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, is part of a wider programme of strategic public realm improvements which are key elements of the delivery of the Bridlington Town Centre Area Action Plan (AAP).

Gypsey Race Park will be a green corridor along the stream providing pleasant walking and cycling routes, play areas and improved habitats for wildlife.

The project is an important part of Bridlington’s regeneration plans and will provide an attractive edge for the development sites.

“The whole theme is about promoting biodiversity and we are re-introducing native species.

“It’s a public linear park, starting off as woodland and as it gets closer to the centre of town it becomes more formal with more open spaces for people to congregate in.

“There will also be educational elements within the park and interpretation boards explaining the history of the Gypsey Race, the types of wildlife you can see and playful elements for children,” adds Simon.

The Gypsey Race is the most northerly chalk river in the UK. As a winterbourne watercourse the flow is very variable with potential for dry areas during drought periods.

The design has responded to this to vary the bed profiles where possible to maintain flows even

2 at the driest periods. With a focus on opening up the Gypsey Race, the aim of the regeneration strategy will be to provide users with a diverse range of experiences along the length of the river.

The river environs will be landscaped to bring significant green infrastructure into the town centre, acting as an enhanced wildlife corridor and attractive backdrop for high value development and leisure activity.

The project supports natural regeneration techniques within the proposed landscape to maximise ecological benefits. Where this is not achievable, sustainable green engineering solutions are to be implemented and supplemented with ecological planting.

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“THE COUNCIL AND ITS PARTNERS ARE INVESTING OVER £25M TO HELP TRANSFORM BRIDLINGTON, IMPROVE ITS TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROVIDE FACILITIES TO HELP IT THRIVE IN THE YEARS AHEAD”

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Simon Heald

Councillor Stephen Parnaby OBE

Nigel Atkinson

Seafront proposals Appointed by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Sweco is also delivering an urban design scheme along Bridlington town centre seafront.

The design and quality of the public realm is fundamental to maintaining and promoting a vibrant seafront. Plans in the £3.8m scheme include a series of flexible, destination spaces linked by a unifying pedestrian priority street.

Robust but distinctive street furniture and new pieces of public art will create a strong sense of place and links to the local fishing culture through colour, materials and form.

A wayfinding strategy using sculptural lighting elements visually draws users toward the seafront by activating the vistas of surrounding streets.

“The idea is to bring a wow factor to the seafront. We’re trying to entice people to the seafront, not just locally but nationally and even internationally, and have some sort of distinctive element to it that people recognise as being Bridlington seafront.

“One of the ways we’re doing that is to bring in new paving, new street furniture and new public art on a scale that has probably not been seen in and around the area before,” explains Simon.

A brightly coloured paving product is being considered for the scheme as colours are one of the main themes.

“We’re trying to tie it back to some of the colours that can be seen in and around the harbour, there’s lots of colours within the fishing boats and lobster pots.

“Those colours are going to bring vibrancy to the site and something different that people aren’t expecting when they walk around the corner,” adds Simon.

“THE DESIGN AND QUALITY OF THE PUBLIC REALM IS FUNDAMENTAL TO MAINTAINING AND PROMOTING A VIBRANT SEAFRONT”

Integrated Transport Plan 2 A major regeneration scheme is underway to improve vehicle and pedestrian access around Bridlington’s town centre. It follows on from the ITP1 scheme completed in 2010 which saw the introduction of a seasonal park and ride scheme as well as

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4 improvements to the road links from the South and West of the town.

Funded by East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Phase 2 of the Bridlington Integrated Transport Plan (BridITP2) represents a £13.3m investment, with £5.75m from the Humber LEP. Following the principles set out in the AAP’s Access and Movement Strategy as well as improving access to the town centre, the works will help support future development in the town, attracting new businesses, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.

The scheme designed by Amey with Sweco providing landscape design elements, consists of two parts. Phase 1 relates to the area in front of the Railway Station – the ‘Station Plaza’ which is due to start on site next year.

Phase 2 is the town centre section of the project which has been underway for the last two years and is due to complete in the next two months. This has delivered the widening of Hilderthorpe Road for the full length between Station Road and Bridge Street to provide right turning lanes at main junctions along the major route in to the town centre, revised and new one-way road circulation in the centre along Manor Street and Bridge Street which links with a major re-alignment of Beck Hill including a new road bridge over Gypsey Race.

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Station Plaza The main objective of the £2m scheme is to transform an important gateway into the town. This will be achieved by removing parking bays situated close to the station building and introducing a high-quality pedestrian square immediately outside the arrivals area to greet visitors and all unnecessary signage and street furniture will be removed to create a more coherent urban space. The sensitive selection of materials was central to the creation of a high-quality public realm to reflect the status of the building. This was achieved through the specification of natural stone and low-height kerbs.

Sweco worked in close consultation with Amey and East Riding of Yorkshire Council and other key stakeholders during the design process to achieve the most appropriate layout and materials for the project.

Hull based PBS Construction are the main contractors for the ITP2 works and Esh Group Construction from Leeds are the main contractor for the Gypsey Race Park Ph 1 scheme.

4 Gypsey Race Park 5 Bridlington Seafront Proposals 6 & 7 Beck Hill Bridge

Sweco Sweco is Europe’s leading engineering and architecture consultancy. It works to develop the most sustainable buildings, efficient infrastructure and access to electricity and clean water, designing the communities and cities of the future.

W: www.sweco.co.uk

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ADVERTORIAL

Off the bench to score six.

Accrington Public Realm Six unique benches with artwork telling the story of Accringtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich and proud history, including the Accrington Pals, Accrington Stanley and the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in the Industrial Revolution, have been installed in the new Town Square.

Client: Hyndburn Borough Council and LCC. Landscape Architects: IBI Group, Manchester.

Designers: Smiling Wolf, Liverpool.

Contractor: NMS Ltd., Ashton-in-Makerfield.

Hardscape supplied: Seating: Black granite artscape sandblasted/laser etched, waterjet-inlayed detail front and back with bespoke timber seats and galvanised steel frames. Inlays brass; armrests brass/bronze.

Paving: Whitworth sandstone paving and Kobra granite setts with a flamed cropped surface.

For further information on our paving products and artscape innovations please visit: www.hardscape.co.uk or telephone: 01204 565 500.

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ADVERTORIAL

ARTSCAPE TAKES ACCRINGTON’S RICH HISTORY OFF THE BENCH AND UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT

Six unique benches made with a number of Artscape processes have been installed outside Accrington town hall. The bespoke designs recount Accrington’s rich and proud history, paying a special tribute to the Accrington Pals, Accrington Stanley FC and the area’s role in the Industrial Revolution.

Client: Hyndburn Borough Council; Contractor: NMS Ltd; Landscape Architects: IBI Group; Designers: Smiling Wolf; Timber suppliers (benches): Logic; Paving, benches and Artscape materials supplier: Hardscape

No battles over the brief – just smart collaboration The project brief brought together several collaborators to fulfil the vision of Hyndburn Borough Council and Lancashire County Council. The councils set out with the aim to create a civic space for events that celebrated Accrington’s Town and Market Halls, as well as commemorate the Accrington Pals. Landscape Architects IBI Group were appointed to transform the horizontal space, with the help of stone specialists Hardscape, designers Smiling Wolf and paving contractors NMS Ltd. The aim was to create a space to further boost economic regeneration in the town centre, and the square will act as a social focal point, which has been deemed successful in neighbouring Lancastrian towns. The value of the project, as a whole, is close to £1.5million and was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Artscape advances Working closely with design specialists Smiling Wolf and landscape architects IBI Group, six different pieces of art were drawn for every bench – each alluding to a piece of Accrington history. These included a mixture of historic photographs, quotes and logos, which involved the use of several newly-developed Artscape processes.

The historic photographs were laser-etched onto the side of the vertical granite benches. Text for the quotes was stencilled and sandblasted to describe the laser etched images.

Additionally, waterjet cutting was used to allow for inlaying bronze, which can be seen in the Accrington Stanley FC logo, as well as the armrests.

The full nine yards Hardscape was tasked with supplying a broad selection of hard landscaping options, including artwork expertise and creation. To meet specification that stated any sandstone must be UK sourced, Hardscape supplied roughly 6000m2 of sawn Whitworth sandstone. The blocks were laid at random lengths to match existing streets close to the square. Granite setts were also installed to replicate the trench lines. These were laid in alternating lines, one with cropped setts, and one with flamed setts, for added effect. To complete the scheme and ultimately create an open, accessible space for public events, 6 Kobra granite benches with specialised artwork were created and installed.

Hardscape Advert.indd 2

World War One heroes The Accrington Pals was a battalion which was brought together as part of Kitchener’s Army, serving bravely in battles in Egypt and more famously in the Battle of The Somme,which took place in France in 1916.

Sadly, most of the battalion lost their lives fighting courageously on the first day of the Somme. Now, the local community can come together to remember the Pals in the newly designed landscape Town Square.

The updated site features six duckboard benches are made from horizontal pieces of timber, supplied by Logic Street Furniture, representing the duckboards on the bottom of a trench. The benches are placed in a band of granite setts running around the edge of the Town Square, representing a traditional kerb and an interpretation of the two connected trench lines relating to the battle of the Somme; a touching reference to the Pals and all those who fell in World War One. Full-time commentary The feedback from the client has been overwhelming, with the councils particularly impressed with the quality of laser etched photographs on the side of the benches. To mark such a successful and meaningful job, Hardscape’s marketing team has created a video showing the processes and journey from the factory to installation on site. This was shown at the official opening of the square on Saturday 10th November, which fell in line perfectly with the Remembrance Day weekend, making it a little bit more special for the Accrington Pals.

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PORTFOLIOS P32 Television Centre Gillespies

P36 Victoria & Albert Museum AL_A

P39 Eastland, Melbourne, Australia ACME

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PORTFOLIO

TELEVISION CENTRE WEST LONDON Gillespies

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he Television Centre in West London is a £400m project that has transformed the former BBC headquarters into a striking mixed-use development set within a vibrant landscape setting that has opened up the iconic landmark to the public for the first time in the BBC’s history.

The scheme, led by award-winning architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris on behalf of Stanhope PLC, has involved the sensitive remodelling of the existing Grade II-listed BBC Television Centre into an exemplary residential-led mixed use development that offers office and studio space for the BBC, entertainment and leisure facilities, 950 new homes with private residential gardens, a boutique hotel and an extensive high-quality public realm by Gillespies.

The principle idea behind the public realm was to create a neighbourhood that was completely open

and walkable, designed to contribute to the setting and uses of the proposed buildings, as well as to connect the new development to the wider White City area. The public realm has reinvented the Television Centre’s famous forecourt, restored its Helios Courtyard and introduced new open green spaces and private gardens, to create a vibrant and welcoming public plaza that has facilitated pedestrian movement and activity across the site.

Speaking about the project, Stephen Richards, partner at Gillespies comments: “There can be few places that are held in such warmth and affection by the nation, and, as a team, we were therefore mindful from the start of our responsibility to handle this site with care.

“Yet this is a project about new beginnings, and much of our work has been to create and shape

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Project Television Centre Project value £400m Client Stanhope Public realm and landscape design Gillespies Architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (lead), MaccreanorLavington Architects, Duggan Morris and drMM Contractor Mace Awards •2 015: World Architecture Festival Finalist: Masterplanning – Future Projects •2 018: Hammersmith Society Environmental Award •2 018: AJ Retrofit Award – Mixed Use Project of the Year

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PORTFOLIO

external spaces within the historic fabric that will engage with the people who will now call this place home. By unlocking the site to the public with easy connections with the surrounding area, Television Centre shows how powerful landscape architecture can be in transforming urban space; enhancing city living through access to beautiful spaces and nature.â&#x20AC;?

Key Landscape Areas The Forecourt The Forecourt is the primary public space and public entrance to the redevelopment. It is conceived as a well-used, welcoming and green open plaza offering possibilities for informal and formal performance, social gatherings and meetings. The plaza steps up from Wood Lane in a series of broad terraces, each with its own distinctive character and function. The lower terrace provides a canvas for managed events and activities, the middle terrace consists of a south facing, open lawn set off by vibrantly planted borders, and the upper terrace is a more intimate, garden space for quieter reflection and contemplation.

The central space is overlooked by a generous retail terrace which activates the edges of the space, optimising views into the forecourt and across to the BBC-listed façade.

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PORTFOLIO

7 The Helios Courtyard The Helios is a circular space which sits at the heart of the development, formed and enclosed by the retained listed buildings. The design of the space maintains the simplicity of the original architectural concept and introduces a softer, garden character.

The proposals extend the original central lawn space to create a planted area rich with shade tolerant shrubs and herbaceous planting. The gently mounded form of the garden sets off the refurbished fountain and sculpture.

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urved seating softens C the lush landscape 2 Nestled between the Helios and the Crescent is a brilliant oasis just for residents 3 The restored Helios Courtyard 4 A welcoming public plaza has opened up the iconic landmark 5, 6 & 7 Vibrant green planting creates relaxing garden spaces for public and private use hotographs P ŠJohn Sturrock/Gillespies

The Crescent Boulevard The Crescent Boulevard transforms the existing service roadway running around the site into a formal curving street. This new tree-lined streetscape creates an open and accessible public connection between Hammersmith Park and Wood Lane, as well as serving all the residential buildings along its length.

The Residential Courtyard Gardens Nestled between the Helios and the newly constructed Crescent Building, a private landscaped courtyard offers residents a secluded and tranquil oasis, where they can sit and relax within naturalistic swathes of vibrant planting that flow with the season.

The gentle curvature of the landscaping is inspired by the waves of information transmitted for half a century from Television Centre.

Subtle landform and groups of multi-stem trees punctuate the space, with lush and richly planted areas providing structure and offering subtle definition between private terraces and communal space.

Gillespies Gillespies is a leading UK and international masterplanning, landscape and urban design practice, with a reputation built on creative design and a track record for delivering high quality projects.

Implemented projects include designs for major new developments and high-profile public realm schemes worldwide.

W: www.gillespies.co.uk

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PORTFOLIO

VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM SOUTH KENSINGTON, LONDON 36

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PORTFOLIO

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he V&A’s bold porcelain tiled public courtyard, inspired by the museum’s rich tradition of ceramics, has transformed the entrance to the iconic London building.

Paved with 11,000 handmade porcelain tiles in 15 different patterns, the crisp lines of the Sackler Courtyard contrast with the ornate, 19th-century architecture of the original V&A building.

Each tile was made by hand by Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum, in the Netherlands, and bears the mark of the craftsman through subtle variations of shape that give each its own unique character.

The glaze was inspired by the Qingbai ware ceramics held in the V&A collection, with grooves below the surface of the tile holding the translucent glaze. The 6,400 square metre project adds 1,200 square metres of flexible gallery space to the museum to help accommodate the V&A’s headline exhibitions.

The V&A’s new Exhibition Road Quarter was designed by Amanda Levete and her practice AL_A after winning an international competition to design the extension. Speaking about the project, Amanda says: “This Quarter reimagines the museum as an urban project. The new courtyard creates an exceptional place for London – a destination for installations,

events and, above all, for appropriation by the public.

Our design was born from a deep engagement with the heritage, architecture and collections of the V&A.” The project took the science of ceramics to its limits, matching demanding technical criteria with a beautiful aesthetic.

“We set out to investigate the potential of porcelain and to re-contextualise it in the design of the courtyard tiles, exploring the subtlety of tones of colour through texture and depth of glaze.

“After two and a half years of research and testing, we were rewarded with an exquisite set of tiles that represents a huge step forward. It will be the first outdoor porcelain courtyard in the world,” explains Amanda.

The winning design by the practice proposed a scheme that met the V&A’s brief for a new courtyard and gallery and, uniquely amongst the entries, placed the entrance and the stairs down to the gallery within the Museum’s existing Western Range building.

Client Victoria & Albert Museum Architects AL_A Project Value £54.5m Build Time 2011-2017 Size of Project 6,400m2 Awards Cultural Project of the Year, AJ Awards 2017; Building of the Year, RIBA London Awards 2018; Judges’ Inspiration Award, ICE London Civil Engineering Awards 2018; RIBA National Award 2018; Spaces, Places & Cities Award, Fast Co. Innovation by Design Awards 2018

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PORTFOLIO

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This approach inextricably links the new spaces to the historic V&A and maximises the usable area of both the gallery and the courtyard, requiring excavation beneath and the underpinning of an entire wing of the V&A’s Grade I listed buildings.

There is a paradox in built to this project, that the big event, a vast new gallery space, is hidden below ground. To resolve this, AL_A came up with the concept of making visible the invisible. The pattern of the courtyard above the gallery is derived from the geometry of the gallery ceiling below.

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An oculus brings moments of dramatic daylight into the gallery and, conceiving it as a museum vitrine, it allows views through the structure to the void below to reveal the gallery ceiling. Another link is created by the fact that the 15 tile types combine to produce a colour field to express a pattern that reveals the hidden 256-tonne structure of the fourteen steel trusses forming the gallery ceiling and supporting the courtyard.

The Sackler Courtyard reveals, on all four sides, architecturally significant facades that had previously been hidden.

AL_A AL_A, formerly known as Amanda Levete Architects, is a Londonbased practice formed in 2009

by Stirling Prize-winning architect Amanda Levete CBE. W: www.ala.uk.com

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©Stephen Citrone

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1 T he Sackler Courtyard, the V&A Exhibition Road Quarter 2 V&A Exhibition Road Quarter 3 The Sackler Courtyard 4 The Aston Webb Screen with gates closed 5 The Aston Webb Screen 6 The project involved challenging structural works Photographs ©Hufton+Crow

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INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO

EASTLAND

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA ACME

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shopping mall on the fringe of Melbourne, Australia, has been revitalised by a partnership of three London design practices: ACME, Universal Design Studio and Softroom.

The suburban fringe of Melbourne has been growing fast in the past decade. One of the more affluent eastern suburbs, Ringwood, is dominated by Eastland, an indoor retail precinct dating originally from the 1960s.

Eastland town square is a new public space surrounded by a new civic centre including a library, a new train station, a department store, restaurants and a 120,000sqm shopping centre.

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A small architectural steel folly, the Shard, in the centre of the plaza connects the town square to the subterranean levels of the mall.

The surrounding plaza is designed for events such as weekend market stalls, outdoor concerts and other activities. The public space is defined by a strong pavement pattern consisting of three shades of local stone.

Grand shopfront portals frame the square, defined by solid stone pilasters which play with a repetitive minimal tectonic form to create an overall unifying identity for the square. Landscape is contained by solid blue-stone edging, curved to invite

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Project Eastland town centre Project value £12.4m (without hotel) Build time 2012–2016 Size of project 200,000 sqm Client QIC Architects ACME Executive Architect The Buchan Group Interior Design Universal Design Studio | Softroom Consultants Seventh Wave, AKT/ Hyder, Hoare Lea/ NDY, Thinc, WT Partnership.

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INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO

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INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO

8 use as casual seating. Trees and lights break the scale of the space.

Architects ACME designed the new hotel and created the town square (or piazza), a sculptural entrance to the mall (the Shard), a library and civic centre, the David Jones department store, and the multi-storey car parks.

Universal Design Studio was responsible for the interior design of the refurbished central mall, as well as the smaller link malls. Softroom designed a largely glazed rooflight that links the existing part of Eastland with the new town square, which inverts the original inward-facing 60s masterplan and offers the area a civic focus. Shoppers are lured outside of the interior mall into the daylight and a new sequence of spaces, forming a new public heart for Ringwood and Maroondah.

Eastland is the first in a series of major transformations of shopping centres by QIC, acting as a test case to demonstrate the ways in which commercial and civic spaces can coexist happily and form real public facilities for the local community.

Rising out of the centre of the square, the Shard provides access into and out of the mall, topped with an undulating roof, which soars over a transparent

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glass base. Next to this, a new library replaces the smaller facility demolished in 2015, forming a civic landmark for the entire development.

Governed by the City of Maroondah, the suburb of Ringwood has been growing fast for the last few decades and is one of the more affluent areas east of Melbourne. The Eastland Shopping centre has dominated the area since 1967 when it opened with a large Myers Department store.

By repositioning and extending the centre, QIC was able to reimagine the way people will access the mall and use public space and transport. The redevelopment of this centre is the first step in a larger regeneration programme of the area.

Melbourne is a car-dominated city, with a dense city centre surrounded by a sprawl of suburban houses. People travel by car to get to work, to go to school and to go shopping.

Eastland seeks to establish a regional centre in the suburbs of Melbourne that combines transport infrastructure with office work space, medium density housing, culture, leisure and retail uses. The long-term ambition is that Eastland becomes one of a series of local centres that contribute to a more walkable, less car-centric society.

1 A pproaching Shard night view 2 View from the library 3 Eastland Library 4 Town Square aerial view 5 Shard 6 Shard night view 7 Town Square aerial view 8 Shard and landscaping Photographs ŠMichael Gazzola

ACME ACME was established in 2007 in London. The practice operates in the fields of contemporary architecture, urban planning, interior design and product design â&#x20AC;&#x201C; working with private, corporate and public clients.

We are an international practice with offices in London, Berlin and Sydney.

W: www.acme.ac

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MATERIALS

MATERIAL FOCUS

PRECAST CONCRETE Bespoke, durable and cost effective, Amber Precast offers a versatile alternative to natural stone in a range of colours and finishes

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recast concrete is a material that can deliver beauty and function to the built environment.

Louise Walker, sales director for Amber Precast discusses how the material can define a space when incorporated into the landscape.

“The possibilities with current precast production techniques enable the architectural aspirations of size, shape, colour, texture and finish to be realised.

“Precast concrete is a bespoke yet cost effective alternative to natural stone, with the capacity to meet colour and finish demands. Precast can be prepared with an exposed finish to remain in keeping with weathered surroundings or highly polished for contemporary design,” explains Louise.

Amber Precast liaises closely with landscape architects to meet the delicate balance between aspiration, function and budget. The company manufactures benches, planters, features and signage.

In addition, for coastal schemes and waterways Amber Precast also offers first line flood defences producing reinforced precast wave walls, revetment units and components for flood alleviation.

MAIN BENEFITS • Bespoke and varied design capability • Durable and hard wearing for usable landscape features • Colour and finish to order • Cost effective alternative to natural stone

P42 Precast Concrete Amber Precast

P47 Planters Three transformations of public space

P49 Trees Urban planting projects

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FOCUS ON PRECAST CONCRETE

CASE STUDY

BOURNEMOUTH PIER

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mber Precast was appointed by Willmott Dixon to supply precast landscaping features for the Bournemouth Pier Approach.

Part of Bournemouth Council’s seafront development and regeneration programme, the approach is one of the first areas to benefit from the 20-year investment plan.

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Client Bournemouth Council Contractor Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd Architect CEC Ltd & Meiloci Sector Hard Landscaping Material Precast Concrete

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MATERIALS

Amber Precast supplied precast planters and island features designed in keeping with the history and geology of the pier approach. The white, acidetched stone was produced with Spanish dolomite aggregates, giving the surface a striking finish that sparkles in the sunlight.

The project involved casting 54 planters, 700mm high and 500mm wide weighing around one tonne each. The six feature islands were the heaviest at around seven tonnes and incorporated embossed marine patterns, created when the stone was cast by using formed components within the moulds.

Commenting on the project, Alex Manning, building director at Willmott Dixon, says: “On this high profile and challenging project the Amber Precast team provided a committed and proactive service in design, delivery and aftercare. The finished project is a significant addition to the seafront at Bournemouth.”

The hardscaping features can be seen beautifully lit at night to create an engaging and welcoming space.

“I’m delighted to see the quality and detail that has been incorporated into the plans for the area,” says Andrew Francis, the chairman of Bournemouth Tourism Board.

Amber Precast Amber Precast is one of the UK’s leading concrete manufacturers and suppliers offering an extensive range of bespoke precast concrete and cast stone product. They also supply dry cast, wet cast, GRC and structural precast.

W: www.amberprecast.co.uk

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06/12/2018 10:55

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MATERIALS

PLANTERS IOTA’S BBC WALES ROOF GARDEN

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bespoke metal and timber roof garden concept was commissioned from IOTA for the new BBC Wales headquarters building in Cardiff. The design incorporates two large and complex planters, defining a total footprint of around 140 square metres, with continuous lengths of sinuous Iroko FSC timber benching built in.

The roof garden is a striking feature of the Foster + Partners designed building. A curved opening in the metal roof plane allows natural light into the garden, which offers views across the city and provides a stunning location for outdoor filming.

Manufactured in modular sections from 3.0mm Zintec steel polyester powder coated with a specialist product Powdertech Anomatch BGB 717, the core structure of the garden was assembled on site. Given the high specification, a robust 4-stage paint system was applied suitable for C3/C4 environments.

The ramped walkway and wheelchair access were clad, on both sides, with 3.0mm Aluminium PPC, in repeats to match the perimeter glass balustrading. Additional design integration was

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three contrasting projects showcase the impressive transformation of public space using eye-catching planters

required to accommodate lighting and electrical distribution chambers within the garden structure.

The new BBC Wales headquarters building is a £120m development in a key location on Central Square, directly opposite Cardiff Central Railway Station.

Comprising 150,000 square feet, the building is set over four floors, and includes office, studio and production space, for 1,200 BBC Wales staff. The building has been developed

by Cardiff-based property development firm Rightacres Property, and designed by Foster + Partners. Rightacres is also the developer for the entire Central Square masterplan, which will ultimately comprise a million square feet of mixed-use development.

IOTA’s roof garden was commissioned, installed and planted by Afan Landscapes, on behalf of Principal Contractor ISG UK Construction West. The essential design concept was by Foster + Partners; and IOTA’s responsibilities covered value engineering, design detailing and development, manufacture and supply. www.iotagarden.com

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MATERIALS

RESIDENTIAL REVAMP

URBIS PLANTERS ADD COLOUR TO HISTORIC LONDON RESTAURANT

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andscaping features, including a 25m planter, have added interest to a luxury apartment complex in a village near Inverness.

The Marine House luxury apartments are located within a striking Victorian building in Rosemarkie that has been converted by a team from William Gray into 11 residences arranged over three levels.

Woodblocx was brought in to add the exterior landscaping features to match the restored building. The project began at the start of 2017, and the company’s inhouse CAD team worked closely with Colin Armstrong Associates Chartered Architects to finalise the external works.

The design included a large retaining wall, seating area and a set of steps leading down to the front garden.

The front garden consisted of staggered seating built into a 25m planter designed

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to break up the large bank, allowing for a selection of perennials to be planted. A large circular raised bed was also included in the garden area to add colour and help make the space more welcoming for residents.

Installation took less than three weeks, staggered to coincide with the rest of the construction activity on site. With no cutting required the BlocX went together quickly and, due to the patented modular system, are strong and secure with a 15-year guarantee on all builds.

The village of Rosemarkie is located approximately 14 miles north east of the city of Inverness on the Black Isle. The area is famed for its scenic beauty. The property fronts a picturesque bay with views of Fort George and the Moray coastline.

Rosemarkie boasts one of the finest beaches on the Moray Firth. www.woodblocx.co.uk

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range of Urbis planters have brought a touch of elegance to the exterior dining area of the award-winning German Gymnasium in London.

The company’s Atrium, Radius and Globe planters were all supplied in a brilliant white finish.

Urbis was commissioned by JoanMa Roig when he worked with Sara Jane Rothwell at London Garden Designer.

Located between King’s Cross and St Pancras railway stations, the Grade II-listed building was originally constructed in 1864 for the German Gymnastic Society.

The restaurant, designed by Conran & Partners, won the Best Overall Restaurant in the Restaurant and Bar Design Awards 2016. www.urbisdesign.co.uk

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MATERIALS

TREES RETROFITTING IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

Keith Sacre, arboricultral & urban forestry director at Barcham, presents a case study that illustrates some of the issues to consider when undertaking urban tree planting projects

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BARCHAM TREES

Barcham Trees is the largest containerised tree nursery in Europe offering over 350 species and cultivars from standard through to semimature specimens. All trees are home grown and for reasons of biosecurity have to have spent one full growing season on the nursery before despatch.

W: www.barchamtrees.co.uk

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hen considering tree planting in the urban environment it is easy to think first of major infrastructure development and get carried away with calculating the appropriate substrate volume. 30 cubic metres is often considered suitable for root development underground, although this remains an arbitrary figure which, as well as providing a minimum, also becomes by default the maximum.

It is easy when offering case study examples to immediately look for the large and grand schemes, but these form only a relatively small percentage of trees planted in the urban environment each year.

Often, where there is no development, the luxury of calculating appropriate substrate volumes is not a consideration. Trees have to be retrofitted into the existing environment with little or no landscape modifications.

Obviously, this is not ideal, but it is the reality many local authority tree managers face annually when planning their planting programmes.

The case study illustrated is one such case and the significance of the planting cannot be denied. The planting took place in Vauxhall Street, London, and was initiated by Dave Paul, the then tree officer of the London Borough of Lambeth. Charged with planting

trees throughout the Borough, the area of Vauxhall Street was considered a suitable case for treatment.

Vauxhall Street is a fairly ordinary London Street which has undergone cosmetic change of use over the past 40 years or so, yet the basic fabric of the urban landscape remains a mixture of pre and immediate post war housing developments. There is no major development and there is little room for major below ground provision of rooting space.

The trees, a variety of Birch, were planted as 12–14 containerised trees supplied by Barcham Trees in the autumn/winter 2015–16.

The tree pit surface area was little more than 600mm square with excavation being just enough to fit a 45L container.

All the trees showed good growth despite the harsh conditions and made a significant difference to the rather bleak landscape. While it is possible that the trees will not be as long lived, these trees, in 2018, are still there, still providing benefits in an environment where greenery of any sort is at a premium.

This project is a good example of the work carried out by local authority tree managers when ideal conditions are not available and how even retrofitted trees can make a huge difference. www.barchamtrees.co.uk

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MATERIALS

A Tree for All Seasons Jim Hillier, Sales Manager at Hillier Trees, showcases Ulmus ‘New Horizon’, an ideal tree for urban planting

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good all-rounder, Ulmus ‘New Horizon’ is suitable for a wide variety of design needs and has the added advantage of being 100% resistant to Dutch elm disease.

This hardy variety is ideal for urban locations, as it can withstand most environmental hazards including floods, sub-zero temperatures, inner city pollution, poor soils, central reservations even with heavy salt spreading and coastal roadsides.

Unlike other new cultivars that have succumbed to Dutch elm disease, New Horizon is not affected.

It is 100% resistant to Dutch elm disease.

Every Ulmus New Horizon supplied by Hillier Nurseries is issued with a special Ulmus label and a Certificate of Authenticity. This proves they are fully tested elms which are resistant to Dutch elm disease.

Each tree is also microchipped so Resista-elm can monitor and record every tree in Europe.

Dutch elm disease and the development of resistant varieties Since the first outbreak of Dutch elm disease in the 1920s, more than 70% of these glorious trees in Europe and North America have perished.

Since the 1950s, scientists, led initially by Professor Eugene B. Smalley of Wisconsin University, began a series of experiments to hasten the progress of those already working on the problem.

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2 This research led to a range of elm species known as ‘Resista’ elms. These are so far proving extremely effective at resisting this deadly disease and come with a 10-year guarantee from the growers. As well as their resistance to Dutch elm disease, all have been selected as normal for fast growth, well-shaped crown, erect stem, leaf form and colour, resistance to stress, salt, drought and frost.

Ulmus New Horizon is first of resistant elms There are now half a dozen varieties of Resista-elm available for planting in Europe, and Hillier Nurseries are the exclusive partner for the UK and Ireland for the Resista-elm programme.

The Ulmus New Horizon is the first in the company’s range of Resista-elms. This is a medium-sized tree with one straight central leader. A dense conical crown shows even branches and upright twigs.

The leaves are a dark silky glossy green.

It grows best in a sunny or part-shaded position in neutral or slightly acid soil, well aerated and with good water supply. It can tolerate compact soils and is resistant to stress from traffic, wind and frost. New Horizon is particularly suitable for avenue or street planting because of its compact habit. Only small seeds are produced and the leaves decompose quickly.

3 www.hillier.co.uk

1T he impact of retrofitting Birch trees in Vauxhall Street, Lambeth, London ©Barcham 2 An avenue of Ulmus ‘New Horizon’ in Cardiff Pontcanna Park ©Hillier 3 Ulmus ‘New Horizon’ thriving on the exposed coastal roads around Cardiff Bay ©Hillier

HILLIER TREES Hillier Trees is the UK’s leading supplier of British grown trees.

With more than 150 years of expertise, we can supply all year round from our field or container nurseries.

W: www.hillier.co.uk/trees

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06/12/2018 14:41

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