FUTUREARCH for the UK’s landscape architects
OCTOBER 2017
Building communities
Urban transformation
Sunderland
H e at h e r R i n g , W ay w a r d
Scandinavian STYLE
People-centred design:
Atelier DYJG in China Cover_October 2.indd 25
Think vertical Living walls 10/10/2017 16:28
DESIGN TANK PHOTO JÚLIA MARTINS MIRANDA
Times Square New York City
Enjoying the outdoors since 1947 vestre.co.uk
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Vestre Stoop Design: Julien De Smedt Vestre April Go Design: Espen Voll, Tore Borgersen & Michael Olofsson
10/10/2017 15:05
WELCOME
FUTUREARCH for the UK’s landscape architects
WELCOME It is amazing to think that it is October already; the year has flown by since FutureArch was launched back in May. We have gone global this issue, with Heather Ringer of Wayward our focus interview (p13). Heather was born and raised in Chicago but made the move to London in 2006, where she founded the company. Wayward is a landscape and urban design company with a focus on creating projects that provide sustainable living. We also speak to Thorbjorn Andersson, one of Sweden’s leading landscape architects (p30); Sweden is well known for its excellent design, and Thorbjorn gave us a fascinating insight into the Swedish industry, explaining how nature informs its designs. It was great to showcase the magazine at this year’s Flood Expo (p10), with the event providing interesting points on how the risk of flooding can be reduced through design. On 14 November we will be out and about again, hosting a FutureArch seminar as part of FutureScape at Sandown Park Racecourse – so make a note in your diary! The main event will be a panel debate on the future of landscape architecture, and the day will be a chance for you to network with other industry professionals and listen to some engaging debates and seminars. It would be great to meet you there – find all the details from p21. Have a great month, Joe Betts joe.betts@eljays44.com
www.futurearch.co.uk
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WELCOME
WELCOME 06 NEWS 10 OUT & ABOUT: FLOOD EXPO 11 the landscape institute
FUTUREARCH for the UK’s landscape architects
FEATURES
CONTENTS
13 the big interview: heather ring 18 EGGHOMES 21 FUTURESCAPE 24 sUNDERLAND COUNCIL 28 CASE STUDY: sunderland 30 scandinavian style 34 PALMSTEAD nurseries 36 PROTECTING OUR URBAN AREAS 39 design for healing 43 LIVING WALLS 46 case study: chicago
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PORTFOLIO 49 qinglongshan plaza 53 alder hey children’s hospital 56 new ludgate 61 maritime gardens
suppliers
30 EDITORIAL Features Editor – Joe Betts joe.betts@eljays44.com Managing Editor – Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com
64 ECODEK 66 BOURNE AMENITY
PRODUCTION Production Editor – Charlie Cook charlotte.cook@eljays44.com
Eljays44 Ltd
Subeditor – Kate Bennett kate.bennett@eljays44.com
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 2017 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.
www.futurearch.co.uk
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Design: Kara Thomas Mandy Armstrong
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SALES Group Sales Manager – Luke Chaplin luke.chaplin@eljays44.com MANAGEMENT Managing Director – Jim Wilkinson jim.wilkinson@eljays44.com Editorial Director – Lisa Wilkinson lisa.wilkinson@eljays44.com Cover image © Steve Mayes
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NEWS
NEWS
Gillespies scoops first prize at the European Garden Awards for Crossrail Place Roof Garden Crossrail Place Roof Garden was awarded first prize in the ‘Innovative Design of a Contemporary Garden’ category at the European Garden Awards of the Schloss Dyck Foundation and of the European Garden Heritage Network, held at the International Garden Exhibition 2017 in Berlin. The garden was selected as a positive example of how landscape architects can “rethink roof gardens and connect them with concepts for urban parks and architecture”. The garden was praised for its “innovative concept and extraordinary plant skills”. Now in its eighth year, the European Garden Awards honours exceptional achievements in garden culture, and in making use of parks and gardens in urban and regional development policies. For further information, please visit the European Garden Heritage Network’s website. www.wp.eghn.org
GreenBlue Urban launches the ArborSystem Configurator
Danish firm Schulze+Grassov chosen for London’s first design district
GreenBlue Urban is delighted to announce the launch of its free online tool that enables users to design a tree pit to their exact requirements. It has been a long-term ambition of GreenBlue’s to make it easier for clients to specify products and design a tree pit with ease. The new tool hosts a wide selection of tree species to complement designs within a range of infrastructure scenarios. Incorporating ArborFlow ensures SUDS tree pits are also an option for planners and designers. Full specifications and drawings are distributed for ease of quotation and project estimation. The main purpose of the configurator tool is to enable the right size tree pit, using proven products for optimal tree growth – thus underlying the GreenBlue Urban mission of enabling sustainable cities through green and blue infrastructure. www.greenblue.com
Eight architecture studios have been selected to create the buildings for a purpose-built design district at the heart of the new Greenwich Peninsula development in London. The new one-hectare design district will provide a permanent base for more than 1,800 of London’s creatives, across a range of affordable architect-designed workspaces at the centre of the riverside site. Overseen by developer Knight Dragon, the district will be anchored by 16 buildings. 6a Architects, Mole, Architecture 00, Barrozi Veiga, SelgasCano, Assemblage, Adam Khan Architects and David Kohn Architects will design the buildings, while landscape architects Schulze+Grassov will create the public realm. The creation of the design district is the latest phase in Knight Dragon’s 20-year development of Greenwich Peninsula – one of the largest regeneration projects in London. It will be delivered in a single phase and will open to its first tenants by early 2020. www.schulzeplusgrassov.com
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www.futurearch.co.uk
10/10/2017 09:11
NEWS
Masterplan creates a digital future for Thailand
Proposals for a new 100-hectare digital park have been launched, heralding a major step forward in Thailand’s digital aspirations. Digital Park Thailand, located in the Sri Racha district of the Chonburi Province, was unveiled at The Digital Thailand Big Bang Conference 2017. The site will be aimed predominately at digital and technology industries and it is anticipated that more than 58,000 people will live and work there. The new district will be developed over the next 10-15 years and is within the EEC SEZ, a special economic zone. As well as promoting digital industries, there will be a range of science and education facilities, and the creation of a new residential community. The masterplan has been designed by an international consortium that includes Broadway Malyan, Savills and the TEAM Group, and will see the creation of various specialist clusters focused around a central park, plus a retail and lifestyle hub. This will include a hotel and MICE facilities to support the business community within the Digital Park. “While the project has been benchmarked against international best practice for planning technology parks and workplaces, we are aiming to create an urban campus which is truly unique to Thailand,” said Ed Baker, director at Broadway Malyan. “The design includes lots of greenery and community spaces, to provide an attractive environment for people and an interesting juxtaposition with the various technology and science-based activities that will take place here. A connected network of shared, open spaces will promote a culture of collaboration across the campus and become a setting for events.” www.broadwaymalyan.com
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New plans for Picardy Place in Edinburgh’s New Town to go on public display New plans for works at Picardy Place in Edinburgh’s New Town are to go on public display from Saturday 23 September. Picardy Place is the main road junction to the north east of Edinburgh city centre; it lies within the Edinburgh World Heritage Site and the New Town Conservation Area, and adjacent to the ongoing St James redevelopment. TH Real Estate, which is leading the St ames development, and Laing O’Rourke, have been contracted by City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Government to deliver the Picardy Place programme. The proposed plans, which comprise three streets, aim to “fundamentally alter the layout of Picardy Place”, improving the gateway in and out of Edinburgh, defining the Leith Street Leith alk urban corridor and also providing “a major public transport interchange”. The design proposals
£50 million flood defence scheme opens in Leeds A 0m ood alleviation scheme in Leeds that uses moveable weir technology – the first time this has been used for ood risk reduction in the UK – has opened this month. Arup has worked with Leeds City Council and the Environment Agency as lead engineer on the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme since 2011. It is one of the largest river
are also billed as “futureproofing” the site for any potential development. A final decision on extending the tram network to Newhaven will be made in the autumn of next year; councillors are currently assessing the case for the three-mile route extension, which at present is forecast to cost £165.2m. If approved, the new line work is expected to take three years to complete, with trams taking their first passengers to Leith in the first half of 2022. www.insider.co.uk
ood alleviation schemes in the country and will provide more than 3,000 homes, 500 businesses and 300 acres of development land with increased protection. It is the first time that moveable weirs have been used in the UK for ood alleviation purposes. Arup engineers proposed the solution to replace old fixed height weirs at points along the riverbed with moveable weirs, which can be lowered when high river ows are expected. David ilkes, global ood resilience leader and project director for Arup, said “For too long engineers have relied on just building physical barriers to protect our cities and towns from ooding. Our goal is to use new techniques and technologies to protect our communities and preserve the important connection between people and waterways.” www.arup.com
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10/10/2017 09:13
NEWS
Green space to be revamped as part of vision for Leeds to be the best city
New design proposals to be submitted to Leeds City Council’s executive board next week show the planned redevelopment for one of the key gateway areas of the city. The artistic images show the £1.9m planned redevelopment of the existing green space in Quarry Hill, which forms part of a large programme of works for the revival of public spaces in the city centre. The gateway plans also complement the major redevelopment proposals in this area of the city, which will take place over the next two years.
Public inquiry to be held into controversial Whitesands flood scheme A public inquiry will be held into the controversial hitesands ood protection scheme. Dumfries and Galloway Council has announced that the fate of the £25m scheme lies in the hands of the Scottish Government; ministers will decide whether to take the scheme forward, modify it or reject it completely. Councillors approved the scheme after an hour-long debate on the plans in June. Conservative group leader Ian Carruthers tabled a bid to scrap the scheme, but it was defeated by 25 votes to 16. “This administration is absolutely committed to a ood protection for the Whitesands that incorporates much needed improvements in the public realm,” said council leader Elaine Murray. “It is totally unacceptable that Dumfries is the largest town in Scotland that still oods. e firmly believe this project to be the correct one for Dumfries, to protect properties from ooding and also to encourage the regeneration of the Whitesands area and Dumfries town centre.” “I am pleased that the Scottish Ministers have confirmed they are calling in the scheme for consideration,” said deputy council leader Rob Davidson. “We believe the hitesands should have a ood protection scheme, but it has to be the right scheme, and a Public Local Inquiry will ensure that happens.” www.dailyrecord.co.uk
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The public realm has been designed by re-form landscape architects. “One of our greatest cultural assets in the city is the areas of public space we have,” said leader of Leeds City Council Judith Blake. “We have a real opportunity to shape a fantastic city centre over the next few years, with our ambition to be the best city by 2023. We want a city centre that is inclusive, friendly and cutting edge, where our residents and visitors want to spend time socialising and working in vibrant and open spaces.” www.democracy.leeds.gov.uk
New Parks Action Group is ‘welcome’ and ‘urgently needed’, says the Association of Play Industries The Association of Play Industries (API) has welcomed the announcement of the newly established Parks Action Group to help safeguard the future of parks and green spaces amid ongoing funding pressures. The government-created advisory group will be chaired by Parks and Green Spaces Minister Marcus Jones MP. “We are at an important time in the ongoing campaign to protect the future of parks and green spaces,” said API chair Mark Hardy. “The wealth of research showing the crucial role that parks play in all our lives continues to grow. We hope that the Parks Action Group will have a positive impact on our parks and green spaces. We need to act now, to reverse the decline in parks and green spaces due to budget cuts. The recent Heritage Lottery Fund report highlighted cuts to budgets for the running of parks, and our own Nowhere2Play campaign has revealed that between 2014/15 and 2015/16, local authorities across England closed 214 children’s playgrounds, with plans to close a further 234. “It’s welcome news that the Parks Action Group has the full backing of the Local Government Association, which, despite facing funding pressures, says it is determined to protect parks for current and future generations. “This joined-up approach to safeguarding parks and green spaces is urgently needed. These spaces have a major impact both at an individual and community level, improving health, wellbeing and integration. They are also an important factor in fighting the obesity epidemic, increasingly sedentary lifestyles and mental health issues.” www.api-play.org
www.futurearch.co.uk
10/10/2017 09:14
NEWS
Supertrees features in global expo about urban nature
Grant Associates’ designs for the Supertree Grove, part of Singapore’s internationally acclaimed Gardens by the Bay, recently featured at the Expo for Design, Innovation & Technology (EDIT) in Toronto, Canada. The Supertrees appeared in ‘The Green and the Gray’, an interactive exhibition curated by international design studio Carlo Ratti Associati, which ran from 28 September to 8 October 2017. As part of the wider EDIT Expo, the exhibition investigated the evolving relationship between nature and cities. Grant Associates founder and director Andrew Grant also presented a talk about the Supertree Grove at the event on 2 October 2017, to tie in with World Architecture Day. Organised by Canada’s national design museum Design Exchange (DX), the overarching theme of the main exhibition was ‘Prosperity for all’. EDIT coincided with celebrations of Canada’s 150th anniversary, and marked the 50th anniversary of Expo 67 – Montreal’s lauded 1967 International and Universal Exhibition. “EDIT is an ambitious exhibition that deals with some of the most pressing challenges facing our world, including global urbanisation,” said Andrew. “EDIT and ‘The Green and the Gray’ provided vehicles through which the international design community can explore how to respond to these urgent issues, and help create a sustainable future. “It’s a privilege for Grant Associates to be involved with the event and to take part in these important discussions.” www.grant-associates.uk.com
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New bursaries to encourage engagement with LI archives Thanks to funding from the LI and an anonymous donor, bursaries of up to £150 are available to enable students to access the LI archive at the University of Reading. The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) is pleased to offer bursaries to encourage use of and engagement with its Landscape Institute (LI) archives. Based at the University of Reading, MERL is home to the LI’s collection of books and archives that are related to landscape practice – books and journals on landscape architecture, garden history, and landscape and urban planning, as well as press cuttings, minutes, membership lists, financial papers, publications, a slide library, and an album containing the LI’s royal seal, logo and name
badge. The archive collections include the business records of significant landscape professionals, including founding LI member Geoffrey ellicoe. Access to the collections is open to LI members, researchers, and the wider public. MERL’s student travel bursary aims to help access the archives by assisting with travel costs. Two bursaries of £150 are available. (One bursary of £150 is also available to students who wish to access MERL’s Land Settlement Association (LSA) collections.) Interested applicants should submit a CV and a short statement outlining their interest in the Landscape Institute, stating how the bursary would be beneficial to their studies. www.blogs.reading.ac.uk/merl
Views sought on Westminster’s Church Street transformation Peter Brett Associates and LDA Design’s Church Street masterplan has been opened up for public feedback by Westminster City Council. The council wants to make this diverse and complex area the most liveable neighbourhood in London, overcoming issues of social and economic exclusion. The masterplan will help guide economic growth and physical development for the next 15-20 years, delivering real change for the community by creating great places to live and opportunities for a healthy and prosperous
lifestyle. The scheme includes the creation of around 1,750 new homes, including more affordable homes for local people. “We are eager to make Church Street an inclusive place to live, where people can thrive and businesses can prosper,” explains LDA design associate Graciela Moreno. “We’ve reached out to local people throughout this process, so it’s very exciting to get to the stage where residents can see the overall vision.” The consultation period runs until 29 October. www.lda-design.co.uk
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NEWS
Out & About
FLOOD EXPO 2017 futurearch recently attended fLOOD EXPO 2017, where we were treated to a programme of fascinating talks on flood alleviation
Features editor Joe and group sales manager Luke proudly display FutureArch at our stand
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utureArch attended the Flood Expo 2017, held at the London Excel on 27 and 28 September. A number of exhibitors displayed products and solutions to help prevent ooding, including permeable paving and a number of water resistant gates and fences that can be incorporated into designs in order to alleviate the risks of water reaching properties. There were several interesting seminars on at the show particularly of note was a talk by Ed Barsley, founder and director of The Environmental Design Studio, who spoke about designing for ood resilience and introduced the audience to a methodology for assessing ood resilience in existing communities. Also speaking was Dr Nick Paling, who told us how nature-based solutions can be used in design to address surface water ooding. The Flood Expo returns in 2018, and will be held on 10-11 October. www.theoodexpo.co.uk
Welcoming visitors to the Expo, held at ExCeL London
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Visitors were keen to pick up a copy and have a read
Luke visits the All Weather Industries team
A crowd gathers for for the Environment Agency's seminar on flood protection
The FutureArch team made plenty of great contacts
www.futurearch.co.uk
10/10/2017 09:38
NEWS EXTRA
LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE update
Daniel Cook, chief executive of the landscape institute, reports back on new working groups and a productive recent meeting with michael gove
Soil Health On Monday 18 September, LI president Merrick Denton-Thompson and LI chief executive Daniel Cook joined senior o cials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Defra to discuss Defra’s 2 -year environment plan. On Wednesday 20 September, the president was then invited to attend a round-table discussion with Secretary of State Michael Gove. Other academic experts present included representatives from Cranfield University, the Soil Association, and many other food, farming and environmental organisations. The group shared insight and discussed policy proposals, with a particular focus on soil health. Merrick was pleased that the secretary of state was ‘very receptive’ to the LI’s proposals for the future of the UK’s countryside, which include: • Harnessing natural systems in farming and landscape management, and a possible return to mixed farming methods; • Considering a wide range of factors in the environment plan, including resilience, quality of water, air, food and soil, biodiversity, and public health and wellbeing; Better utilising the experience of senior National Park and AONB figures in the post-Brexit delivery of policy Developing skills in sustainable land management and researching, and piloting new approaches. “I was impressed that Michael Gove is showing bold leadership in his approach to developing a new environmental plan,” Merrick said. “Restoring the health of our nation’s soils is vital. The environment secretary gave us well over an hour of his time, and was very receptive to new ideas that could potentially transform agriculture in the UK, placing us in a world-leading position in terms of sustainable farming and landscape management practices.”
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New working groups Two new policy working groups have been created by the LI in an effort to take the LI’s strategic agenda forward over the next 12 months and beyond. Members of these groups will, on behalf of the PCC, make an important contribution to the work of the LI by formulating discussion and position papers that will form the basis of the policy and in uence work the LI carries out in certain priority areas. The two new groups are: Value of Landscape This group will be looking at natural capital accounting and green infrastructure, with an initial focus on public health. The UK Government is promoting natural capital accounting as a framework to begin the task of valuing aspects of the natural environment and landscapes. Subjects such as clean air, drinkable water, soil quality and the biological health of town and country will be central to the development of clear standards and guidance for the LI and other natural environment bodies. Together with the Technical Committee, the Value of Landscape orking Group will look at ways to in uence the natural capital debate and establish the LI as a leading voice on these issues. As one of the first topics, the working group will look at ways of identifying and quantifying the mental and physical health and wellbeing benefits that are provided by landscape-led solutions. Rural Landscapes The LI has previously established themes that have largely focused on urban landscapes. Considering the same themes in a rural context will help to re ect the breadth of the profession’s expertise, and the desire to broaden the membership. The work of the group will also ow into the LI’s work on Brexit, particularly the current attention on future support mechanisms for the farming community, and contribute to the institute’s consultation response to the Defra’s long-awaited 2 -year environment plan. www.landscapeinstitute.org
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9 FEBRUARY 2018 EAST WINTERGARDEN, CANARY WHARF LONDON E14 5NX
Supported by
Architecture Categories n
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Landscape Company <£1m turnover >£1m turnover Design and Build Commercial Landscape Company Landscape Architect Practice <less than 5 employees >more than 5 employees Industry Partnership Apprenticeship Scheme Supplier – Adding greatest value to the landscape sector
“New cross-industry awards, rewarding consistent excellence”
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Headline Sponsor – CED Commercial Landscape Company – sponsored by Green-tech Grounds Maintenance Company – National – sponsored by Bourne Amenity Garden Designer – sponsored by Global Stone Apprenticeship Scheme – sponsored by Andersplus Supplier – sponsored by Adtrak
How to enter... To find out more about the Pro Landscaper Business Awards contact laura.harris@eljays44.com or call 01903 777 570
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10/10/2017 13:33
INTERVIEW
Interview
HEATHER RING WAYWARD HEATHER RING, founder of wayward, tells us about the practice’s commitment to nourishing and engaging communities with sustainable, creative design projects
“WAYWARD TAKES A UNIQUE APPROACH TO LANDSCAPE THROUGH THE CREATION OF NARRATIVE ENVIRONMENTS” www.futurearch.co.uk
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Could you tell us a little bit about Wayward? The company started in 2006 as a small practice, holding events and finding fun ways to connect with people. We started out by creating spaces that were mainly to be used for markets and festivals, and then helping to organise and host the events in these spaces. The idea was always to use spaces to help people who were in need. Since then, we have steadily grown to take on bigger projects, but the basis of our work has always stayed the same. Our aim is to utilise unused plants and put them in unused spaces – it’s a great mix, and makes for a nice landscape. We have a team of landscape architects, designers, artists, and urban growers who work together to transform often derelict sites into large scale, design-driven spaces that the wider community can enjoy and appreciate. Something we do a lot is bring together volunteers, artists and anyone else in the community, creating something that is both functional and attractive for them. With every project we work on, we know that we want to do more than just design, and we achieve this through project delivery, strategic partnership building, community engagement and the curation of live events.
So, are most of your projects completed with the local community in mind? Absolutely – most of the work we do is very much focused on the grassroots. It is all about getting the local community together and providing it with something that it can celebrate and enjoy. That is the direction we had when Wayward started, and it is what we are still doing now. We still have a lot of traditional-style clients, and do work on the larger projects, but even then we still try to carry them out in the same way, encouraging everyone to come together and have some input into the design. It is something that we feel strongly about, because it helps to create something that is wanted. For the larger projects, as well as the local community, we will try and bring together the clients and any stakeholders who will have an interest in the design. We feel that this is quite a unique approach to the landscape. What is the size of your team? In terms of people, we are a small practice. There are three full time members of staff here, but what we do is use several collaborators in rotation. This is done on a project-by-project basis – it all depends on how many people we need and what sort of roles we are
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INTERVIEW
looking for in a particular project. This allows us to be very exible, which is useful. It’s great to have a good team of people that we can use on projects – the different skill sets come in very handy as we work on a range of different projects, from smaller temporary street projects to large scale urban work, or even rural landscaping projects. On one project we had 15 people collaborating with us, which I believe is the most that we have had.
“I HAVE SEEN THE WAY WE CAN CREATE SOCIAL CHANGE THROUGH OUR DESIGN”
What are the main values at the company? Something we are very highly focused on is the idea of using the landscape to create something. We have a strong emphasis on the idea of growing food, whether it is trees providing fruits or work on farm sites in rural areas. These areas are often not considered in landscape architecture – you always think of the big cities and urban areas. This can lead
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to more rural areas being left behind and not being given the design ideas and innovation that they deserve. It’s true that a lot of our work takes place in urban areas because this is where the demand is, but we do also take on the non-traditional projects, such as farms. What is interesting is when you combine the two ideas. In 2016 we were part of a concept called Farmopolis; the first of iteration of this was created as a temporary venue on a jetty in Greenwich Peninsula, in South East London. The project was part of an ambitious plan to create a new urban farming destination, allowing the production of food on a larger scale within an urban setting. The project rehomed tens of thousands of plants that had been salvaged from that year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, as an example of how we always look to reuse and make the most of every design opportunity. What makes you stand out? Wayward takes a unique approach to landscape through the creation of narrative environments. Our projects express stories that connect people through nature, creating vibrant places that are productive, meaningful and imaginative. They are platforms for collaboration, experimentation and creative innovation. Are there any projects you are particularly proud of? There is a huge need for more green spaces in urban settings. A lot of our current projects revolve around urban city parks, and creating new spaces where communities can socialise, relax and play. In 2010 we created a project called Union Street Urban Orchard, where we transformed a derelict site in London and created a thriving community orchard. The site was constructed using reclaimed materials and 8 fruit trees. This was only a temporary project, but it really brought the community together, hosting a series of events through the summer and providing locals with the fruit from the trees. The Union Street Urban Orchard won a special commendation from the Conservation Foundation and has become an international model for Meanwhile Space design. Since we started the company we have been building up relationships with different partners and community groups, which we collaborate with on our projects. I have also started a non-profit organisation in the US called Urban Physic Garden, which is all about promoting the healing power of plants and using food as medicine. It also looks at using design-driven green spaces to improve people’s health, and the benefits that this can bring. This idea of using design as a basis for helping
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10/10/2017 13:51
INTERVIEW
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people is a really pressing issue, and I feel we have a responsibility to do what we can in our role. Another project we completed in London was the Queen’s Walk Windows Gardens, which we worked on with Civic Engineers and Trees For Cities. This was a micro-city of large-scale allotments created from reclaimed windows, spanning one of the busiest public spaces in the world. Visited by an estimated 8m people, the design addressed the challenges of urban growing in highly-populated areas. Large architectural structures, erected along 80m of the Thames riverfront, functioned as an engaging public landscape of open allotments during the day, and transformed into illuminated sheds at night. The structures demonstrated urban growing at multiple scales – from the hundreds of window boxes, built and planted by local schools, to large-scale urban agricultural plots. The allotments were watered using an innovative, sustainable treadle pump system, enabling volunteers to pump and filter water from the Thames at high tide. As a project legacy, the allotments of the Queen’s Walk Window Gardens were dismantled and reinstalled in schools throughout London
been there since the start of the journey; it has been great to be a part of all the amazing projects and to see how we have grown. In my role, I drive the creative and commercial side of the business. Since I started, I have seen the way we can create social change through our design. We have tested a few different ideas and we are always experimental in finding new ways to engage communities and create beneficial spaces.
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“CLIENTS TEND TO BE EXCITED BY THE IDEA OF CREATING SOMETHING SUSTAINABLE”
1 Union Street Urban Orchard ©Mike Massaro 2 Helsinki Plant Tram ©Mike Massaro 3 Borough Market Hall ©Ash Bosemia 4 Kew Gardens ©Mike Massaro 5 Queens Walk Window Gardens ©Mike Massaro 6 Farmopolis ©Mike Massaro
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What is your personal role at Wayward? I am the founder and creative director, so I have
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How did you get involved with the industry? I was born in the US and gained a Masters in Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania School of Design. I ventured over to London in 2006, where we set up Wayward. There are a lot of cultural differences between the UK and the US, so it took some getting used to. Before Wayward, I worked internationally as a landscape architect, designing public realm projects for Kathryn Gustafson and Martha Schwartz. Earlier in my career I was an artist assistant to the environmental artist Mary Miss and the architect Michael Sorkin. How have you found that culture change since moving from the US? It has been helpful and something that has furthered my career and understanding. When you come from somewhere else there is always a lot of new vocabulary and certain methods and ways of doing things that you must learn. At the same time, it has presented an opportunity for me to bring over the positive things about the culture in the US and put that into practice in the UK – and vice versa. There are always new things to learn. I do quite a lot of travelling for the job and it is always interesting to explore new ideas and research new projects. I have had so many ideas that I would never have had without the move – the cultural differences are huge. Are there any trends you have noticed in terms of what clients are looking for? I have noticed that we are receiving great responses to the idea of incorporating food growing into our designs. There are food problems across the world, and looking at this problem from a design perspective is a great place to start.
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Due to this response, we can approach this problem from all angles, whether we are working on a high-end project or something smaller. Clients tend to be excited by the idea of creating something sustainable – whether it is food that employees can pick and eat, or producing food on a larger scale for more people, it is something that engages people and makes them notice a design. It is always nice for your designs to be appreciated. Are there any problems or issues in the industry that you would like to see addressed? Something that I think should be on the agenda now is the fact that it can be really di cult for small practices to get actually started. There needs to be some sort of support system in place to help smaller practices get established, because design is such an important thing and they need help to become sustainable businesses. It is still possible to set up a small practice, and I am sure that there are efforts being made to make things easier, but it is something that, for me, needs to be looked at further. www.wayward.co.uk
“THERE IS A HUGE NEED FOR MORE GREEN SPACES IN URBAN SETTINGS”
WAYWARD Wayward is an award-winning London-based landscape, art and architecture practice. Since 2006, Wayward has pioneered new methodologies in the creative use of underutilised land, transforming derelict sites into large-scale, design-driven spaces. W: www.wayward.co.uk
www.futurearch.co.uk
10/10/2017 13:52
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INTERVIEW
WHERE GREEN MEETS ETHICAL Rachel Atkinson, landscape architect at boutique developers eggHomes, explains how the company uses green space to support the environment and involve the local community
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achel Atkinson is a green space evangelist. The chartered landscape architect at eggHomes’ Viver Green development near Kendal, in Cumbria, Rachel is so passionate about the benefits of gardens, orchards and meadows that she could convert the staunchest of concrete and tarmac fans to her views. “I think having extra green space gives new homeowners a sense of ownership over something wider than just their property,” she says. “This is going to encourage a sense of wellbeing when they go out and take advantage of their extended space.” It’s not just greenery that improves the wellbeing of eggHomes property buyers, though – it’s also the knowledge that they are supporting the environment, with the Viver Green landscaping conceived to nurture wildlife. “We are using a low limestone retaining wall to create raised
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INTERVIEW
beds for the front gardens,” explains Rachel. “The wall itself is great for invertebrates, while the raised beds are full of shrubs and trees that are high nectar value – so that’s good for the birds and the bees. All that together creates a rich garden that benefits wildlife.” Moreover, the entire Viver Green site will be managed to support habitats and biodiversity, with initiatives that include installing bird and bat boxes, creating deadwood piles and keeping verges long. “ e have grass verges where we are only going mow the first 700mm, and the remaining part we’ll leave long. Some people may think it’s scruffy, but we are actually helping the environment in a number of different ways. ou are also using your mower less in the long-term, so you are not using as much diesel.” Growing a community Part of the development is taken up by mature woodland once tidied, it will provide amenity space for residents and a haven for wildlife. “ hat we’ll do will be sympathetic we are conscious about not wiping out all the nettles, as they create habitats.” Another stretch of the site has been set aside for a community meadow, to help preserve wild owers. “Change in agricultural practices means that most grasslands and meadows are cut quite intensively, so they are losing their wild ower species content,” says Rachel. “Our community meadow will get one cut a year, and it will be later on in the season, allowing ground-nesting birds to nest and giving wild ower species a chance to succeed.” The advantage for eggHomes is that all this green space ultimately adds value to the development and helps it to stand out. “Planting a significant amount of trees and shrubs seems to anchor the houses in the landscape more,” says Rachel. However, the greatest boon for her is that green space has provided a way for both eggHomes and the Viver Green homeowners to engage with the wider community. For example, the company has created a community orchard in association with a local charity called Growing ell. “Growing ell is based locally and helps people with mental health issues to grow fresh fruit and veg,” Rachel explains. “ e wanted to work with it and had an area that would be suitable to put an orchard on. e called it the Growing ell orchard and have put up plaques to let people know what it’s there for. It’s helping to raise awareness of the charity and get rid of the stigma around mental health issues. This is something all our homeowners know, and they think it’s a great idea.”
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2 eggHomes has also involved nearby schools in some of its wildlife conservation efforts – children put together deadwood piles and placed them across the Viver Green woodland area, for example – and is now working to extend a local trail. “The Hincaster Trailway is an off-road route used by cyclists and walkers, which terminated at the bottom of our site and had to go on-road,” Rachel tells us. “ e are working with local landowners to try and extend this route to keep it off-road. Doing things like this keeps the community interested. They see that we are a responsible developer. If people feel they have ownership of a place, they will look after it.” Sympathetic design Although environmental and community values are
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1 Hedgerows 2 eggHomes exterior at dusk
“GREEN SPACE ULTIMATELY ADDS VALUE TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND HELPS IT TO STAND OUT” FutureArch October 2017
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INTERVIEW
priorities for eggHomes, its landscaping strategy also meets other criteria – it is sympathetic to the local context, complements the development’s architectural style and ensures gardens are private and easy to maintain. “The first thing that dictates choices is the context: what is in the area, what is appropriate to that site,” explains Rachel. “For example, the limestone walls that we are putting up to create the raised planters at the front of each garden are typical of the area, so they make Viver Green feel like it belongs.” Similarly, her preference is to use native species wherever possible, although planting choices also need to underpin the development’s look. “Our species selection is geared towards native species and producing fruit for the wildlife,” Rachel says. “However, in some of the front gardens, where we are getting a little bit more domestic, I have used, for example, a Himalayan birch, because it has better architectural qualities. It’s that balance between being true to the site and realising that the properties still need to have a landscape that suits them.” For a luxury developer such as eggHomes, protecting privacy is also high on the priority list, and the green space is designed to help with that. “The landscape is really valuable in creating that sense of privacy,” says Rachel. “Choosing the locations of the beds and the trees was quite strategic, because we are trying to eliminate overlooking. If we ever have a road where we have houses on either side, that space in the middle becomes incredibly important.” Despite the extensive planting, the Viver Green gardens are easy to maintain. “A lot of people think grass is the low maintenance option, but you have to go out there during the growing season and, if you want a really nice lawn, you cut it every week or every other week,” Rachel says. “If you get a good cover in shrubs and trees, once they are established and if you mulch well, the weeds don’t come through and the shrubs don’t need as much care.” From preserving woodland to turning fallen trees into chippings, eggHomes also has an eco-friendly approach to the landscape resources that were
“OUR SPECIES SELECTION IS GEARED TOWARDS NATIVE SPECIES AND PRODUCING FRUIT FOR THE WILDLIFE”
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4 already on site. “We had a copse of conifer planting, and most developers would have come in and just got rid of it – it had little landscape value, conifers are not native, they don’t contribute much and don’t add to the character of the site,” says Rachel. “But I persuaded eggHomes to investigate this copse and there were three or four really nice birch trees that were blocked out by the conifers. We felled everything around them and retained the birch. This works wonders in creating an atmosphere and a sense of privacy.” eggHomes looks for contractors that shares its vision. “We choose to employ contractors locally where possible,” Rachel tells us. “If we can keep it local, we do, and it has had a good effect so far.” If you are local to one of eggHomes’ projects, she recommends that you go and see what the company does as a first step in approaching them. “ e value recognition of what we are trying to do, and if prospective contractors show a similar ethos, a similar care and passion, we’ll talk to them and see what projects they have done in the past and whether we think they’ll fit on a site.”
5 3 Front garden with vegetable patch 4 Exterior landscaping 5 eggHomes bedroom view
EGGhOMES eggHomes is a luxury ecohomebuilding company that aims to exceed current standards for sustainability, set a precedent for how developers should work in harmony with the natural landscape and support local communities. W: egghomes.co.uk
www.futurearch.co.uk
10/10/2017 10:21
INFORM
SANDOWN PARK RACECOURSE, ESHER, SURREY
TUESDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2017
Welcome!
FutureScape returns this year with even more seminars, more exhibitors and more products, meaning you can get the most out of the event and your time out of the office. We’re not the UK’s leading landscaping event for nothing!
To register for your free ticket please visit www.futurescapeevent.com or call 01903 777 570
www.futurescapeevent.com
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Seminar Programme
INFORM
SANDOWN PARK RACECOURSE, ESHER, SURREY
TUESDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2017 Pro Landscaper Theatre
Room 1
F
utureScape is renowned for its carefully compiled programme of seminars and debates. This year’s programme will cover a huge range of useful topics, from business information, to technical knowledge and product demonstrations. They are an ideal way to educate yourself with current technical knowledge and upcoming industry trends.
Room 2
Room 3
10.00-10.45
The Beauty is in the Build
The Future of Arboriculture
Meadowology – New Ways of Designing with Meadows
The Hidden Benefits of Houzz
11.00-11.45
The Passion is in the Plants
The Future of Grounds Maintenance
The Love is in the Lighting
The Revolution of Decking
14.00-14.45
Craft The Craft is in Commercial Craft
It’s Better When We’re Together: Hard Landscaping Meets Horticulture
Building a Better Business
Balconies to Roof Terraces
Soil Compaction – the biggest problem for landscape soils
Growing Your Business, is it Easy?
Right Staff, Right Roles
The
The
15.00-15.45
The Detail is in the Design
16.00-16.45
The Future of Landscape Architecture
The Gold Cup Suite
Solario Suite
17.00-17.45 – 30 Under 30 18.00 onwards – View from the Top
12.00-13.45 – APL AGM 14.00-16.00 – The Future of Interior Landscaping
Visit the website for further details...
To register for your free ticket please visit www.futurescapeevent.com or call 01903 777 570
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www.prolandscapermagazine.com prolandscapermagazine
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Exhibitor List APL (Association of Professional Landscapers) A Cowley & Sons Adtrak All Green Group Anglo Aquatic Plants Animal and Plant Health Agency Arborforest Products Arbor Avant Tecno BALI (British Association of Landscape Industries) Barcham Trees Beaver Plants Boot & Dart Nurseries Boughton Loam Bourne Amenity Brickworker British Sugar Topsoil Castle Composites CED Ceramiche Caesar Champion Timber Chapin The Children’s Playground Classifora Clearstone Paving Coles Nurseries Composite Wood Company Copely Coppard Plant Hire Core Landscape Products Crowders Dalefoot Compost Danubia Wood David Austin Roses Decking Dekor De Hilver Derbyshire Specialist Aggregates Designs Illustrated Dry Treat Earth Cycle Easigrass English Woodlands Everedge Exterior Decking Solutions Garden Trellis Company Geosynthetics Glendale Horticulture Global Stone Gordon Low Products Green Garden Paving Greenmech Green-tech ee x hou e u e e Gristwood & Toms Grono Groundscare Products (ZipLevel) Growtivation Haecksler Harrod Horticultural Harrowden Turf HedgedIn Hillier Trees Houzz Hook-Up Solutions Hy-Tex UK ICL UK & Ireland IGrass InTurf
B 170 Adtrak Zone 20-21 88 74 22 151 104, 109 89 15 142 150 37 116 38 139 85-86 Sponsor 1 40 65 130 17 157 41 79 23 163 171 95, 96 27 26 178 60 11 C 25 42 137 112 152 153 32 12 9 81 94 146 14 162 107-108 47-50
138 28-29 18 113 127 125 129 169 83 164 A 80 52-53 36 122
INFORM Johnsons of Whixley Joseph Rochford Gardens Jub Holland KAR UK Kebur Garden Materials KingFeeders Kinley Kitchen in the Garden Landscapeplus Lateral Design Studio Laurica Plants Lewis Quarries Lighting for Gardens Lindum Turf Livingreeen Design London Stone Longrake Spar Lumena Lights LWS Irrigation Majestic Trees Makita MCM Melcourt Millboard Mobilane Mulberry Plants Multi One Namgrass Natratex Natural Paving Products (A member of the Talasey Group) NCC Streetscape ede ho t Outdoor Places Palmstead Nurseries Perfectly Green Pictorial Meadows Platipus Anchors The Pot Company Premium Plants Provender Nurseries Quan Garden Art Quick Hedge Quickgrass Readyhedge Renson + Garden House Design Rigby Taylor Riverside Nurseries Rootlok Vegetated Wall System ou dwood o ed Saige Decking Scape Select Imports Shallowmead Nurseries Shoot Solus Décor Stone Market Stone World Suregreen SUS Light TA Drilling Tarmac Tendercare Nurseries Trulawn Tudor Environmental Turf Group Urban Street Design Vande Moortel Vectorworks Viridis Plants Wallbarn dflowe u Woodhort Sharpham
51 59 55 143-144 105 68 123 120 Sponsor 2 7-8 115 177 4-6 30 16 44-46 75 87 1 73, 131 132-133 161 90 24, 97-98 43 154 155-156 63 76-77 66-67 110 64 147 13 106 62 2-3 145 84 175-176 61 128 117-118 Reception 54 140-141 19 33-34 56 167-168 124 121 78, 126 101-103 119 149 10 35 57 165 135 82 58 166 39 134 92-93 91 31
www.futurescapeevent.com
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FEATURE
Sunderland CITY COUNCIL
futurearch visits sunderland to find out about the landscape architecture projects that are transforming the city
S “MAINTENANCE HAS MORE AND MORE INFLUENCE ON DESIGN”
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underland has had plenty of interesting projects taking place in recent years, keeping its in-house council landscape architecture team busy. The city is currently being considered for UK City of Culture in 2021, having submitted a £107m bid to compete for the title alongside Coventry, Paisley, Swansea and Stoke. Over the last few years, Sunderland City Council has been undertaking major regeneration works. “The current focus of our work is on regenerating the city centre, particularly in shopping areas,” says Kevin Johnson, principal landscape architect at the council. “We have recently created a new city square called Keel Square, which falls on the old high street. That area of the town had declined quite significantly, and the new square has been redeveloped as a central business district.” The square, which was named by the public, was designed to celebrate Sunderland’s shipbuilding heritage. Part of the design includes a ‘keel line’, which will contain the names of up to 9,000 ships that were built in the area. Another major area in the city that has seen improvements is the seafront, where the council’s landscape architecture team has won awards for its work. How does the team find the funding for these large projects? “Some has been funded by our own capital, but we also look for outside funding,” explains Kevin. “For our seafront work we managed to secure funding from places such as the Coastal Community Fund. We secured this through bids over the last five years. It is a long process, but we have seen so many benefits there have been loads of new businesses moving to the coast, and existing businesses there have improved their premises.”
Award-winning Sunderland’s landscape architecture team has been largely successful with its work, and this has not gone unnoticed it has won the Northern Design Awards landscaping category for the past four years, for its work on Keel Square, the seafront projects, St Peter’s Church, and a discovery garden at Columbia Grange school. “St Peter’s Church is Anglo-Saxon and a historic venue that, at the time, was being considered as a candidate to become a UNESCO orld Heritage Site,” Kevin explains. “That hasn’t quite happened yet, but we have worked on improvements around the ground in order to better interpret the archelogy below. “Columbia Grange is an SEN Special Educational Needs school. e had a good budget to create a discovery garden. That was the first year that we won the Northern Design Awards, so that was a special time for the team. We have a good range of projects, and I think it shows that we have won the award for such a variety of different things.” Why does Kevin think the team has been able to achieve what it has? “We have a very settled team here, which consists of three landscape architects
www.futurearch.co.uk
10/10/2017 14:07
FEATURE
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and two technicians,” he tells us. “Nine years ago, we honed our skills when we completed nearly 70 nursery settings over a two-year period. We were using money from the last Labour government, so we had an average of around £15,000-£40,000 to spend on each project if they needed it. It was a lot of projects, but it was like The Beatles’ years in Hamburg – we churned it out and really developed and fine-tuned our detail and skill. e also had numerous client-consultant meetings, allowing us to build up our contacts and reputation.” The next step The council is currently setting its sights on the next big project, working with Siglion, a development partnership aiming to shape Sunderland’s regeneration for the next 20 years. The success of the partnership working can already be seen on the ground, with the team providing support for the Music, Arts and Cultural Trust, which is restoring an Edwardian Fire station and converting it into a music, dance and leisure facility. “The Firestation is due to open in November and will be followed by a new auditorium, and the team
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Roker Beach at sunrise ‘Propellers of the City’ in Keel Square Keel Square fountains Seaburn Promenade Sculptural railings on Seaburn Promenade
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FEATURE
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has been working on the surrounding public spaces, in an area that boasts Sunderland Minster and Empire Theatre among its impressive streetscape,” says Kevin. The team has also picked up work from nearby local authorities, currently working with South Tyneside Council. “ e have done some collaboration with other councils, and it is an area that we are going to have to look to increase, because we are mostly dependent on fee income from capital contracts,” he says. “We also have some input in development control and policy, when requested, but it is not something we are funded for.” Kevin worked in the private sector before joining Sunderland City Council, so he is well placed to explain the difference between the private sector and in-house council teams. “At the council, I feel that we have a better understanding of what is needed within a local authority, as well as the pressures that are faced – particularly on maintenance. “In the private sector, it was easier to walk away from a project. Here, there is more pressure to think about consequences down the line, even 20 years
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in the future. You really have to live with your mistakes, so it is important to learn from your experiences.” Does a lot of the work focus on maintenance? “Definitely, that has more and more in uence on the design, with cuts across local authorities. There are just fewer people to look after things. For instance, we are putting larger bins on streets rather than smaller ones, because you have to empty them less frequently. We work with the responsive local services who will have an opinion on things like that, and we will talk to them and see how we can help. e go to them for comment on our designs before we implement them.” Funding will certainly be one of the biggest challenges facing Sunderland, along with most other local authorities in the country – but with an awardwinning landscape architecture team and plenty of regeneration work taking place, it will be hopeful that the decision on UK City of Culture 2021 will go its way, come December.
“THE CURRENT FOCUS OF OUR WORK IS ON REGENERATING THE CITY CENTRE, PARTICULARLY IN SHOPPING AREAS”
6 St Peter’s Church 7 A play area on Roker Beach 8 Children play in the fountains on Keel Square 9 The sun rises on Roker Beach
www.futurearch.co.uk
10/10/2017 14:08
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09/10/2017 17:27 10/10/2017 15:19
FEATURE
CASE STUDY
Sunderland CED worked closely with Sunderland City Council to install a selection of bespoke stone benches and seating areas, designed to pull shoppers into the high street again
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www.futurearch.co.uk
10/10/2017 16:46
FEATURE
T
he UK is a nation of shoppers, with high street brands and independent retail businesses occupying a large and vital part of the UK economy. In Sunderland, High Street West is a pedestrianised street lined with small shops and cafés, which recently benefited from a renovation with some new natural stone benches by CE Stone roup. Sunderland City Council wanted to include seating that would not only have a positive visual impact, but also generate a sense of identity that the local community could connect and engage with. The resulting free-formed benches are now a key feature in the street, all made from di erent igneous and metamorphic rocks most are granites from China, with others, such as a Scottish rampian granite, originating in Europe. The intended variations in colour and shape are what makes the collection of two-metre curved benches so interesting and distinctive. People
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can choose their favourite bench to rest on after a morning of running errands, children can sit on ‘their special seat’ when out shopping with parents, and friends can arrange to ‘meet at the green one’ before heading o for afternoon tea. As each bench is uni ue, it subtly generates a personal connection to the space. Coloured lighting installed under the benches transforms the space as the evenings close in, making the street a fun and enjoyable route to walk down. Expertly managing the delivery and logistics for the council, CE Stone roup arranged for all the benches to be created in the same UK factory to ensure uniformity in the uality and finish of the di erent natural stone materials. Sunderland City Council was delighted with the finished outcome and the changes in High Street West have been very popular with the public, giving the street a new presence and reconnecting it to the wider Sunderland area.
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FEATURE
SCANDINAVIAN
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in the uk, scandinavia is synonymous with good design. we speak to swedish landscape architect Thorbjörn Andersson of Sweco Architects, to explore landscape architecture in sweden How did you get into landscape architecture? I graduated in 1981. In those years, the level and ambition of landscape architecture in Sweden was quite low, and I think it was because public space wasn’t seen as important for society. Parks were inhabited by homeless people and drug addicts, and plazas and squares were parking lots. I was depressed about the fact that I had got through those five years of studying and then found there wasn’t much need for landscape architects. I wanted to find a place where the level and ambition of landscape architecture was higher, so I went to the San Francisco Bay Area in California – they had a few expos over there, and a great heritage, with Robert Royston and many other high profile landscape architects. I worked there for a year. Over the years that I’ve worked in landscape architecture, Sweden has turned everything upside down, and now it’s like riding a wagon of triumph when you come to design public space. Sweden is well known for its focus on design. Do you think this is being transferred into landscape architecture or are you coming across the same problems as you did 30 years ago? Sweden has an austere attitude to design, believing that it shouldn’t override everything else; it should derive from functionality, and utility is better than decoration. Since the end of the Second World War, maybe even earlier, Sweden has had a tradition
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FEATURE
of doing things in a tasteful way. That is our undercurrent, I would say – but then still we are in uenced by globalisation and the trends that travel all over the world, so we have our share of bad taste, too! The resistance of Sweden’s landscape and climate makes amboyant design unnecessary, somehow. It doesn’t take place that easily. When you look at the Netherlands, for instance, which is very at, they are very used to manufacturing design, whereas in Sweden we are used to adapting to existing situations. Dutch landscape architecture, especially in the Eighties, was very extravagant; our design tradition is lower key. I’m really inspired by the British musician and producer Brian Eno: he often says that he wants “to get the most out of the least”, and that attitude is something that sits very well with the Swedish design tradition.
“SWEDEN HAS A TRADITION OF DOING THINGS IN A TASTEFUL WAY”
Is it fair to say that much of Sweden’s design inspiration comes from nature? Yes – that is the myth that we try to foster, anyway, but it does come with some truth in it. Swedes have a close relationship to nature; we are a sparsely inhabited country and we have lots of space around us. We have a tradition of being friends with nature.
2 What products and materials are popular in your designs now – what do you tend to see your clients asking for? We try to use materials that can age well, given the rain, ice and cold weather we are exposed to. There was a time that we tried to use painted surfaces or brass or plastic or other kinds of materials that are more commonly used indoors, but we’re turning back towards natural stone such as granite. There is nothing sensational about that, but when I came out of school, tarmac was the natural material that you would commonly see; 10 years later it was concrete pavers, and natural stone was only used when you had a big budget to work with. Now, granite is the first choice in almost any situation. Where we do let our hair down a bit is with the vegetation. For a time, 70% of all trees planted in Sweden were lime trees, and now we try to use a much wider variety of trees and shrubs that are alien to our culture and climate – although, actually, almost all Swedish trees have come in from elsewhere, except for spruce and fir.
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Panorama terrace at Rinkeby Thorbjörn Andersson Askim Memorial grove Textile & Fashion Centre, Borås Physic Garden at Novartis Basel
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FEATURE
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“WE HAVE AN URBAN CULTURE THAT WASN’T THAT APPARENT 30 YEARS AGO”
How would you define the planting style in Sweden? I would say our style is about trying to find the beauty in nature. It’s not a coincidence that Piet Oudolf’s first big project outside the Netherlands was in Sweden. ou will see less perennial borders here, or anything that looks overly arty or artificial – there is a greater use of grasses and more of a relationship with nature, making the planting look almost as if it wasn’t deliberately planted there. e had a Swedish landscape architect here who said “If somebody asks for the landscape architect behind the work, then you know that you have failed”. That’s a little bit exaggerated, but there is something to it. Green walls never really caught on here because they demand so much maintenance and they aren’t very natural – plants are supposed to grow on the ground. Nature often offers the most beautiful views and phenomena if we can recreate that, that’s good enough. Where do you think Swedish landscape architecture will go in the future? Swedes are getting used to being city dwellers. 0 years ago, if you wanted to have a cup of coffee outdoors, you would have to go to Italy. e’re now becoming urbanised, and we have an urban culture
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8 that wasn’t that apparent before. That means we will have to develop the public realm we’re already doing it, but it will be a bigger focus in the future. Many people want to live in urban areas, so it could be getting too dense here – there is no public space left, and that’s something we must cope with. e need to make sure we retain the parks and plazas we have. Our issues are almost political – who is going to live in our cities e have, as with all European countries, an intense ow of people moving here from war zones, and they need somewhere to live. Companies are building apartments, but they want to make a profit, so they build apartments that immigrants can’t afford there are lots of these types of contradictions.
6 Campus park at LTH, Lund 7 Dania park, Malmö 8 Hyllie plaza, Malmö
www.futurearch.co.uk
10/10/2017 09:53
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10/10/2017 15:11
FEATURE
PALMSTEAD NURSERIES:
Soft Landscape Workshop Dan Pearson and Laura Gatti will be the headline speakers at this year’s event
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almstead’s Soft Landscape Workshop 2018, taking place on Wednesday 24 January, intends to throw a light on eco-urban architecture and the rise of vertical forests and roof gardens. With the urban jungle growing year on year, and city populations swelling around the world, the question of how to mitigate pollution and climate change has been taken up by an innovative group of landscape architects and garden designers. Palmstead Nurseries hopes to provide answers to this question and more. “The pressure is on to find a solution to the biggest question faced by those of us working in planning, design and construction, namely: how do we mitigate pollution, encourage biodiversity and create solutions for future generations of city dwellers?” said Palmstead marketing manager Nick Coslett. “Planting on podium decks over structures, with their greater soil depths, allows structural multilevel planting, providing greater
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benefits, niches and ecosystem services. At Palmstead we hope that 2018’s Soft Landscape Workshop will not only address these issues, but also inspire more designers and architects to embrace the idea of greening every surface.” Greening every surface Dan Pearson and Laura Gatti have been engaged as keynote speakers at the forthcoming workshop, and will be speaking about vertical forests and gardens over structures. Dan Pearson, the RHS multi-award-winning landscape designer, and Laura Gatti, agronomist and co-designer of the ‘Bosco Verticale’ (Vertical Forest) in Milan, will be speaking about increasing biodiversity in design, selecting the right plants and trees for vertical, balcony and roof schemes, and why the industry needs to look in greater depth at greening every surface.
“HOW DO WE MITIGATE POLLUTION, ENCOURAGE BIODIVERSITY AND CREATE SOLUTIONS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF CITY DWELLERS?”
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FEATURE
Wedn 24 Janu esday ary 2 Ashfor 018, Interna d ti Hotel, onal Kent
4 The important trend of greening roof spaces has
This year, the company will be celebrating its 10th
taken hold in London: according to livingroofs.org, 1.3m square feet of roofs in the capital city now has green coverage. The plants we choose and the soil we use are paramount to the success of these green spaces in the sky. Leading independent soil scientist and landscape engineering consultant Tim O’Hare has been invited to speak at the workshop, and hopes to share the secrets of the success that he has enjoyed in his portfolio of projects, which include the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Battersea Power Station, Jubilee Gardens, Terminal 5 Heathrow and Ascot Racecourse.
annual workshop and also mark the start of its 50th year of trading. “It is a special year for us at Palmstead and we feel it’s incumbent upon us to tackle the biggest topics head on,” said Nick. “If we are to produce good urban and public realm spaces for future generations then we need to urgently address the greening of our cities. Dan Pearson, Tim O’Hare and Laura Gatti are leading the field and we are sure they will inspire our delegates to grasp the nettle and think outside the box.” The Soft Landscape Workshop regularly attracts an audience of up to 300 professionals, ranging from garden designers and landscape architects to landscape contractors and green space managers. To book a place, please visit www.palmstead.co.uk/ events, where you will also find further information on additional speakers and the range of hand-picked suppliers featuring at Palmstead’s regular exhibition.
Setting the tone Palmstead’s Soft Landscape Workshop will be held on Wednesday 24 January 2018 at the Ashford International Hotel in Kent.
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1 Dan Pearson 2 Laura Gatti 3 & 4 The Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest), Milan
palmstead nurseries Palmstead Nurseries has been producing quality nursery stock to meet the needs of the landscape and amenity industry for over 45 years. W: www.palmstead.co.uk
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FEATURE
Protecting
URBAN AREAS marshalls’ use of street furniture at st david’s shopping centre in cardiff demonstrates that it’s possible to make public spaces safer without turning them into fortresses
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t is an unfortunate fact that terrorist attacks in urban areas are on the increase. Over the past few years there have been numerous incidents in major cities such as London and Paris, particularly involved the use of a vehicle as a weapon. This has made it essential for designs in urban areas to incorporate elements that will help to keep pedestrians safe – whether it’s planting more trees, installing bollards, or fitting large concrete slabs to prevent vehicles from gaining access to pedestrian areas. “Nowadays, more so than ever, it is of paramount importance to secure our public spaces – but the balance between security and public wellbeing must be right,” says Abigail Kellett, landscape protection expert at Marshalls. “Fortifying urban areas with intrusive concrete barriers has a hugely detrimental effect on wellbeing, and significantly affects pedestrian feelings towards a space – often with users actively avoiding spaces where security obviously surrounds them, acting as a constant reminder of the many vehicular terror attacks of late. “ e believe public areas can be made safe without being turned into fortresses. Marshalls has the technology to create products such as seating, bins and finger posts that all have the capability to stop a moving vehicle in its tracks, due to a specialist integrated core. This means that areas can still be welcoming and have an attractive, thought through design aesthetic, while also being able to protect people in the space.”
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Case study St David’s, Cardiff City Centre by Marshalls Background In 200 , Cardiff City Council commissioned a major development scheme to help boost shopping facilities and tourism in the city. The project was focused around the redevelopment and extension of the St David’s shopping centre in the heart of the city centre – one of the main retail areas in the elsh capital. The vision was to create a unique shopping, leisure, cultural and tourist destination, in order to establish Cardiff as the gateway to ales and a leading European destination. The development of St David’s built upon regions that were already popular in Cardiff, including the original St David’s Shopping Centre and The Hayes commercial area. The aim was to revitalise the southern side of the city centre, encouraging people to visit the underused area and helping to confirm Cardiff as the home of fashion in ales. The project involved the construction of a 67 m extension to the original St David’s Shopping Centre, in two key development phases. The initial phase was the new St David’s Centre, adjoining
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FEATURE
“THE BALANCE BETWEEN SECURITY AND PUBLIC WELLBEING MUST BE RIGHT”
1 St. David’s Hall. The second phase involved the construction of three major buildings; a new main shopping area, the Cardiff Central Library building and ales’ first ohn Lewis store. A key element of the council’s overall development masterplan for the centre was to improve the function, character and quality of the public spaces around the St David’s Centre. This was to be achieved with significant investment in the surrounding public realm, bringing a cosmopolitan look and feel to the city centre. Security Marshalls was later approached again by Cardiff Council to discuss the physical security requirements for another site within the city centre. Following consultation with the Centre for Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI), the council was advised to introduce appropriate security measures throughout the city, to provide adequate protection against potential vehicle-borne terrorist attacks. ith the threat of international terrorism currently at unprecedented levels, the UK government has identified the need to introduce effective hostile vehicle mitigation
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measures to sites at most risk. These are deemed to include any areas that make up the Critical National Infrastructure (including transport, emergency services and key utilities) and also any ‘Crowded Places’ with large gatherings of people. In order to provide assured levels of protection to these areas, the CPNI has devised the BSI PAS 68 standard for vehicle security barriers. This involves the physical crash testing of security products Woodhouse Geo Seats using vehicles of varying size, travelling at differing speeds. To meet the requirements of Cardiff city centre, products specified would need to be capable of resisting an impact from a 7.5 tonne two-axle lorry travelling at 50mph. Working closely with the council, Marshalls Street Furniture was able to provide a truly innovative solution to the Cardiff’s counterterrorism requirements. Utilising the capabilities and expertise of Marshalls’ highly specialised RhinoGuard PAS 68 design team, a high strength steel frame was developed that could be incorporated into Giove Large polished concrete planters to protect a critical site in the city centre. The RhinoGuard 75/50 planter frame was initially crash tested in accordance with BSI PAS 68 by itself, using a fully laden 7.5 tonne N2 lorry traveling at 40mph. The vehicle was stopped with ease, with zero penetration beyond the frame. Following this, the frame was then tested at 50mph using a larger 7.5 tonne N3 vehicle, again completely immobilising the vehicle. The RhinoGuard 75/50 Planter Frame can be supplied inside almost any cosmetic planter design, but before the frame could be used in the Giove planter, an additional test was required. Due to its large size and significant wall thickness, the Giove was deemed to be structural, meaning that it was likely to provide a different crash test result to that of the frame alone. The Giove was fitted with the RhinoGuard 75/50 frame and crash tested using a 7.5 tonne N3 vehicle traveling at 50mph, again bringing the vehicle to a complete stop. Results Following completion of the project, St David’s shopping centre is now the 11th largest in the UK, with an expected average footfall of 33m visitors each year. The street furniture gives the surrounding public space an attractive, cosmopolitan look that remains sympathetic to the historic architecture surrounding
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“AREAS CAN STILL BE WELCOMING AND HAVE AN ATTRACTIVE, THOUGHT THROUGH DESIGN AESTHETIC, BUT CAN PROTECT A SPACE AS WELL”
3 the modern St David’s centre. The Giove Large planter also provides an ideal solution for street tree planting, something that has been proven to provide many benefits. Many studies have shown natural landscaping to have a positive impact on wellbeing, with benefits to both physical and mental health being attributed to spending time in green spaces. The enhancements to the shopping centre and the surrounding area have gained international recognition for Cardiff. St David’s was crowned international shopping centre of the year in 2010 by Global Retail Leisure International, beating competition in Portugal and Singapore. By incorporating the RhinoGuard 75/50 Planter Frame into the Giove Large planter, the City Council is able to integrate assured counterterrorism security into the Cardiff street scene, safeguarding against vehicle-borne attacks without sacrificing design quality.
1 Marshalls’ RhinoGuard Protective Bollards 2 Marshalls’ Giove Protective Planter 3 Marshalls’ Monoscape Igneo Protective Seat
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FEATURE
DESIGN FOR
healing hultons landscapes creates a wooded healing garden beneath the maggie’s centre at the royal oldham hospital
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n 9 June this year, the Maggie’s Centre was opened at The Royal Oldham Hospital. Designed by London-based firm dRMM, the simple yet sophisticated timber building hovers over a landscaped garden, offering serene views of the horizon and the nearby Pennines mountain range. Maggie’s cancer charity was founded by the late Maggie Keswick Jencks and her husband, architecture theorist Charles encks, to offer support to people living with cancer and their family and friends. So far, 19 Maggie’s centres have been built across the UK, all of which offer a non-clinical environment where anyone living with cancer can stop by for advice or support.
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Design Supported by six slender columns, the building oats above a garden filled with trees, and is accessed via a bridge and by a timber and steel staircase from the garden. A tree grows up through the building from a central oasis to bring nature inside, and a balcony stretches across the south side of the centre, providing an outdoor seating area. To the north, where the building projects over a stone wall, a long
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“THE SIMPLE YET SOPHISTICATED TIMBER BUILDING HOVERS OVER A LANDSCAPED GARDEN”
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horizontal window wraps around the façade. The building’s elevated position takes in surprising views that reach over the rooftops of Oldham, towards the Pennines beyond. From here, visitors can stand and watch the weather move across the wider landscape, observing how the city turns to farmland, then to mixed forest, rising up the anks of the great ridge. The garden is framed by enclosing walls, and the building oating above acts like a drop curtain to the scene, creating a ‘picture window’ effect. Structural trees have been carefully placed to frame the timber building, forming a wood that provides privacy and creates a strong connection to the seasons, with leaves turning from green to gold and then revealing a filigree of twigs and white trunks in winter. They soar upwards, filling the volume of the space and accompanied by woodland plants that weave between numerous white birch trees and the crispy bark of pine trunks. The woodland at Maggie’s Oldham has been created with the future in mind, so it has longevity and
a purpose. The birch trees have been planted at various maturities, and this successional approach will mean that they evolve over many years and always have a presence at the centre. A striking quality of light is created by the building raised above the garden. Indirect light filters down the outline of the building’s edges, and swathes of shuttlecock ferns capture the glow with their up-reaching fronds – which are in turn highlighted against a backdrop of evergreen Nandina, Sarcococca and creeping Hydrangea seemannii. A shaft of light falls through the central aperture of the building, illuminating a single multistemmed birch, Betula pendula szechuanica. Sourcing materials Extra heavy-duty trees were handpicked at Hilliers Nursery by the architect, Alex de Rijke of dRMM. All small rootball trees, container shrubs and specimen plants were specially chosen during a nursery visit to Johnsons of Whixley by landscape construction manager on arvis of Hultons Landscapes, garden designer Rupert Muldoon, and project architect asmin Sohi from dRMM. Challenges One of the biggest challenges with building the garden was space: working underneath the canopy of the building, with only seven metres from the subbase to the underside of the polished ceiling, and using only small plant and equipment. Once all
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1 Light filters through the building’s central aperture ©Alex de Rijke 2 Maggie’s is named in honour of the late Maggie Keswick Jencks 3 A Betula pendula szechuanica grows up through the central aperture ©Alex de Rijke 4 Raked gravel indicates different paths beneath the building ©Jasmin Sohi 5 Supported by six columns, the building is accessed via stairs ©Alex de Rijke 6 The project had to be carried out with extreme care, as there were only seven metres from the ground to the underside of the building ©Jasmin Sohi
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the scaffolding was taken away from the structure, the team was left with a finished timber building, made from tulipwood imported from the USA. This meant that any mistake that damaged the outer cladding of the building would have a devastating impact in terms of completing the project on time. The Betula pendula wisters Glory that line the outside of the building soar 12m tall, while the multistemmed Betula szechuanica expands through the space in the middle of the building, reaching 1 m. ith a span of five metres, the latter was the biggest challenge of all, and had to be positioned fully open as, once in place, there was no access to the ties. The installation, which utilised eight operatives and took three hours to complete, was a massive achievement for the team.
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Suppliers
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Garden landscape construction Jon Jarvis, Hultons Landscapes www.hultonslandscapes.com Landscape design dRMM & Rupert Muldoon www.pottedandplanted.com Main contractor F Parkinson Ltd www.fparkinson.co.uk Architecture Alex de Rijke, dRMM www.drmm.co.uk Plants Large trees Hilliers Nursey www.hillier.co.uk Small rootball trees, container shrubs and specimen plants Johnsons of Whixley www.nurserymen.co.uk
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Tulip tree Specimen Trees www.specimentrees.net
Hultons Landscapes Established in 1968, Hultons is a leading provider of fully integrated landscaping solutions â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from design concepts, to landscape construction and grounds maintenance projects. Its purpose-built premises in Cheshire allows it to serve a large area of the North West, Midlands and South Yorkshire, and puts its multiskilled direct workforce in easy reach of a number of major cities. Complementing Hultonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in-house teams is its strong network of national subcontractors, who share its vision to deliver high quality workmanship.. W: www.hultonslandscapes.com
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FEATURE
Living WALLS adam shepherd of the landscape architect talks to futurearch about the benefits of green walls, as well as the things that must be considered when installing one
W
e all know that planting is important. A whole host of studies has demonstrated the improvements that plants can make to air quality, as well as the positive contribution they can make towards people’s mental health. This issue is particularly prominent in urban areas, where greenery is frequently hard to come by. One of the most common excuses you hear for planting not being possible is that it isn’t viable due to the lack of available space. Green and living walls solve this particular problem, utilising unused vertical space, and have been around for a few years now – is it time to start taking them seriously as a solution for unattractive and barren urban areas Adam Shepherd founded his company, The Landscape Architect, nearly 10 years ago. He oversees the creative side of the business, from the initial design of the living walls right through to the final installation alongside his team of horticulturists. “I read a book by French botanist Patrick Blanc around nine years ago,” Adam tells us. “Patrick is the father of green walls, and I was lucky enough to meet him recently at a lecture he gave. “His book inspired me I found the whole idea of green walls completely fascinating and exciting, so
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1 much so that I decided to try and do one myself. My first job was in Hackney, on a gable end of a roof garden. I loved the experience of it, I just think it is a brilliant planting method and and a great opportunity to create some drama. “In our cities there is a lot of pressure to give everyone as much useable oor space as possible. Green walls provide architects and landscape architects with an increased empty footprint for planting. They give you all the benefits of gardens and planting, but it’s all up off the oor and out of the way. It is very exciting idea, and something I would love to see more of.” Cleaner air According to the orld Health Organisation, air pollution is responsible for more than seven million
“IT IS A BRILLIANT PLANTING METHOD AND A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SOME DRAMA”
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deaths globally every year. This makes pollution one of the largest health risks in the world – but despite this, Adam doesn’t think green walls should be seen as the only answer: “Green walls are absolutely something that we should be looking at in the UK to help combat pollution problems, but I think you have to be careful. You can’t throw that argument for them around too much, because when you compare the benefits to those of planting trees, the effects are much less localised.
2 “It’s a great feeling, to know that you are helping to reduce the problem of air pollution, but green walls shouldn’t be seen as a magic problem solver – it is not a complete solution. If we could do every single building, then we might be on to something, but realistically there is much more that can be done away from living walls. Having said that, I do think it is definitely worth doing.” Previous research has shown that living walls provide many benefits, such as noise reduction, dust suppression, improving people’s health and wellbeing, and building protection. Adam argues, though, that we shouldn’t underestimate the simpler benefits that living walls bring: “Primarily I think that living walls are just aesthetically really nice. They’re very simple, but that’s what they are there for – to make our walls look better. For me, that is the main benefit. “There is absolute truth in the research showing that greenery and planting is good for the soul. In an o ce environment or in a city environment, it is a good thing to have some planting – it cheers people up and generally makes for a happier environment.” Choosing the right species Adam has an extensive list of plant species that he regularly uses on living wall projects, including Bergenia cordifolia, Iberis Sempervivens, and Rodgersia aesculifolia. “There are particular species that I like using regularly,” he explains. “However, you have to adapt
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the walls and the planting to their own unique situations. If the green wall is up on a roof garden then it could be exposed to the sun, and it will certainly be exposed to wind. I am currently doing a large wall at basement level in Old Street. There is a lot of shade on that particular project, so the planting will be a lot more shade-tolerant and woodland-like. “The actual location and orientation of the wall does affect some of the planting decisions. Other than that, it is just my personal preference. I always like to try and mix in something new, and experiment with two or three things for every new wall. I have a wall at home that I am always testing out new plants on.” Are there any areas where conditions just aren’t suitable for a green wall? “The only time I have put people off installing a green wall is indoors when the space is not big enough. The walls are almost permanently moist, and you need to have a certain volume of space to cope with this, otherwise it can make a room feel damp and cold. Other than that, the world is your oyster.” The Landscape Architect’s website states that living walls should ‘be a thing of verdant beauty, not a study in engineering’. The team believes that plants should be the start and finishing point of a project, and the company has created a system that allows for maximum planting exibility and delivers optimum plant health, giving the walls the chance to develop and change over time. The team has recently begun planting off-site, in its own small nursery. “We used to plant on-site for each job,” explains Adam. “It works much better this way, because it’s a nicer working environment and it has massively reduced our installation time. Where previously we were on-site for three or four weeks, we now only have to be there for three or four days. “It is not just the time that it saves, though – when you work in advance, it gives the planting time to develop together. It makes the wall look far more established and more impressive as a result.” It is di cult to find a reason to overlook green walls, especially if you are looking to add additional greenery and planting to an area where space is limited. Adam tells us that there green walls present no problems in terms of the weight of the walls, and that he has never come across an outside area where he felt it wouldn’t be possible to install one. Although they may not be th sole answer to our air quality problem, the benefits that green walls can provide to improve our mental health and wellbeing cannot be doubted.
“THERE IS ABSOLUTE TRUTH IN THE RESEARCH SHOWING THAT GREENERY AND PLANTING IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL”
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CASE STUDY
Chicago Riverwalk
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GREENBLUE URBAN products were used to support tree establishment in the regeneration of the chicago riverwalk
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FEATURE
T
he Chicago Riverwalk is a pedestrian-only waterfront located below street level, stretching along the south edge of the Chicago River. The regeneration initiative to reclaim the Chicago River for its ecological, recreational, and economic benefit was finally completed towards the end of 2016, after many years of design planning. Known as the ‘second lakefront’ of Chicago, the Riverwalk runs through downtown Chicago and now provides a setting for walking, jogging, or simply sitting and enjoying the magnificent views of the surrounding buildings. The plan to recreate the riverside promenade was a challenging one, with the design team consisting of Sasaki, Ross Barney Architects, Alfred Benesch Engineers, Jacobs/Ryan Associates, and a wider consulting team that included GreenBlue Urban. One element of the Riverwalk redevelopment is what the designers refer to as the River Theatre. This block-wide sculptural staircase features an
amphitheatre style stairway linking the river to the adjacent street. It was conceived as a space where the streetscape folds down to the river. It offers pedestrians connectivity to the water’s edge, while trees provide greenery and shade. The area has the capacity to seat more than 750 people for riverside events. Three continuous linear ArborSystem planters were built into the stairs to support the 17 Honey locust trees that punctuate the staircase. A waterharvesting system collects the stormwater drained from the River Theatre in an underneath structure, where it is stored in order to supply irrigation to the trees. GreenBlue Urban’s quality products, UK manufacturing, same-day distribution and 25 years of expertise allow it to endorse green and blue infrastructure and enable sustainable cities on a global scale. www.greenblue.com
1 The River Theatre – A sculptural staircase 2 17 planted trees provide shade 3 Riverboats connect city to water 4 A technically challenging development 5 View from the Marina Plaza 6 The linear park is taking shape
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10/10/2017 15:09
PORTFOLIO
QINGLONGSHAN SHANDONG PROVINCE, CHINA Atelier DYJG
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he north of Yantai city in Shandong Province faces the sea and a range of hills, while there are major roads to the city’s east and west. It was inevitable, therefore, that the city would sprawl southwards, and in 2007 the government made the decision to invest in the area and build a museum and plaza at a site along its southern edge. The museum was to be located at the foot of Qinglongshan Hill, covering an area of about 2ha, and adjacent to it would be Qinglongshan Cultural Plaza, 11ha in size. Atelier DYJG was commissioned to build the plaza in 200 . At that time the site had been attened and a 33m-high sculpture, designed by a local artist and based on the ancient Chinese written character
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meaning ‘dragon’, had been erected in the centre of the site as a visual focus. The design of the museum was finished and was ready for construction. The brief The client gave the following requirements firstly, that the site should be a venue for festival events and performances, and serve as a daily recreational and attractive place for the public. Secondly, through the construction of the plaza, the area should have a good link with the surrounding mountains, rivers and bridges, as well as promoting the construction of new urban areas located in the southern part of the city. Lastly, the client specified that the site should provide some service facilities.
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Client Yantai Fushan Planning Bureau Landscape architect Atelier DYJG Project value ¥57.5m (£615k)\ Size of project 11ha Build time 2009-2014
1 Aerial view of upper and lower plaza
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PORTFOLIO
Design and build A series of green islands were used to separate the enormous site into several reduced-scale spaces with different functions, landscapes and elevation changes. These green islands also connected Qinglongshan Hill and its plants, and created a visual interchange between the hill and the plaza. Parking was consigned to the edges of the site to keep the central area as open as possible, while an event space was included in front of the museum. Four different types of local stone were used for the paving to produce vivid effects in the large-scale hardscape.
Sunken buildings Following investigation, it was discovered that the seemingly at site was in fact located on a gentle slope. This meant that the museum would be slightly higher than the surrounding roads, while the edge of the site was a full 1. m lower. To solve this height difference, two sunken buildings were created along the edge of the site. The site also had two main roads in close proximity to it, meaning that it was very noisy the boundaries of the underground buildings were used to block this tra c noise, successfully creating a quieter environment within the plaza.
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The underground buildings were hidden under an undulating grass slope. Another sunken area was designed close to the commercial buildings, creating an independent business area and subdividing the space, reducing the sense of scale. Pavement, benches and plants further divided the sunken space for future outdoor commercial use.
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Outstanding features A fountain was designed to surround the character sculpture and imply a dragon bursting from water. This also helped to integrate the sculpture – which was originally somewhat 2 isolated – into the plaza. To create a symmetrical space, a second fountain was designed on the far side of the museum entrance. The fountains were designed so that the upper and lower pools formed waterfalls. A series of green islands with wooden platforms and benches created spaces of ‘human scale’ on the upper plaza. Irregularly arranged tree beds and long stone benches provide a relaxing environment. In addition, several small open-air amphitheatres were built to the south west of the museum. Sculptural steel colour-changing lights run around the amphitheatres to unite them. Lastly, the designer used the Chinese dragon character throughout most of the landscape elements, including buildings, green islands, benches, lighting, and even in patterns on the plaza pavement this helps to form a sense of cohesion. inglongshan Cultural Plaza is a lesson in how to successfully integrate several very different elements – the museum buildings, existing sculpture, city roads, river and other surrounding environments – to become a vital and cultural urban public space.
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PORTFOLIO
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2 Master plan 3 The elevation change reduces the sense of scale effectively 4 The innovative lighting system creates the feeling of a stage in the evening 5 The sculpture â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;burstingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; from the water 6 Continuous nonlinear lights run throughout the amphitheatres and unite them 7 The fountain provides an active and changing landscape for the plaza 8 A pool surrounding the ancient character sculpture implies a Chinese dragon emerging from the water
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Atelier DYJG Atelier DYJG was founded by Wang Xiangrong and Lin Qing in 2000. The office is engaged in landscape architecture practice and theoretical research, and has delivered over 80 successful landscape projects. The company has an international reputation, and has won an ASLA award twice and BALI National Landscape Award four times. W: www.dylandscape.com
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ALDER HEY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL LIVERPOOL
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he challenge was to create “a hospital without precedent”. The team from BDP, led by project landscape architect Jenny Ferguson, drew inspiration from Alder Hey’s two most distinctive attributes its people and its place. Community engagement was vital throughout the design process, ensuring that there was support, ownership and participation in the evolution of the design for the new ‘Children’s Health Park’. Through this process, BDP developed a unique concept for the new Alder Hey one that is designed by children, for children, and positions the new hospital in the heart of the local community Parkland, creating a whole-site integrated landscape. Iconic and welcoming hen approaching the new Alder Hey, one’s first impression is the meadow-topped ‘hills’ of the hospitals
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rising out of the park, creating a soft and welcoming form. The meadow landscape of Springfield Park rolls seamlessly up onto the ‘fingers’ of the building, taking the parkland right to the wards of the hospital. Gardens, terraces and edible landscapes encourage patients to use the external landscape as a healing resource. The landscape concepts for the two primary gardens were developed around the themes ‘dry canyon’ and ‘wet ravine’ they are exciting places of art, colour and storytelling, where children can explore between the sandstone rock faces of the building’s fingers while planting adds a further sensory experience, creating a setting that is an inspiring, therapeutic and energising green oasis. The new building and landscape setting is instantly recognizable, even from a distance a striking and iconic gateway to Liverpool.
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Client Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust Architect BDP Main contractor Laing O’Rourke Project value £237m Construction cost £167m Build time March 201 October 201 Size of project 60,000m²
BDP Established in 1961, BDP is an award-winning international practice of architects, designers, engineers and urbanists, producing integrated, holistic and sustainable solutions. W: www.bdp.com
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Integration with the park Central to the design was the idea to give the hospital rooms parkland views and access to gardens and terraces, so that one can easily step outside from all parts of the hospital, within a secure environment. The three distinctive ‘fingers’ of the building plan were designed to intertwine building and landscape, like two hands embracing – bringing the parkland character right into the hub of the hospital. BDP wanted to create a seamless transition between public park and private hospital. In order to do that, it opted for a ha-ha wall – a traditional method of protection. This provides an ‘invisible’ boundary treatment and uninterrupted views into Springfield Park, while giving the Trust the security it requires. A key aspiration was to preserve the mature park infrastructure and historical legacy. To achieve this, the existing Springfield monument was relocated to a more prominent and accessible position within the park, and the building was orientated to maximise views from the wards, offering soft green horizons of open parkland. Wider health benefits BDP’s passive design approach, together with the planted roofs, extensive green infrastructure and active engineering systems, underpin its sustainability strategy,
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helping to contain the hospital’s energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The Children’s Health Park not only includes the new hospital, but also the phased reintroduction of the New Springfield Park and Trust Estate Gardens. New pedestrian and cycle links will create connectivity between the park, hospital and wider community, including established leisure links, cycle networks and wildlife corridors. The new development will respond and contribute to the regional green initiative as a key green space, incorporating sports and outdoor gym facilities, new woodland, and meadow walks including picnic areas. This will benefit the mental, physical and social health of the entire community. Planting In the ‘dry canyon’ garden, species were chosen for their colourful and sensory qualities, in order to promote calm and relaxation as part of a healing environment. This includes herbs traditionally grown for medicinal use. The ‘wet ravine’ garden, on the other hand, includes species selected for their dramatic visual and tactile effect, as part of a dynamic and active garden to promote physical rehabilitation and play. This includes edible fruiting trees, as part of a community orchard.
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9 Around the entrance areas and in the public realm, naturalistic planting was chosen to respond to the open parkland setting. Native species were coupled with ornamental grasses and perennials, to create a dramatic and welcoming entrance. ild ower planting was used a connective device to bring the parkland landscape right up to the hospital, enveloping the building in the form of green roofs. Native species improve biodiversity and encourage children to interact with nature at their fingertips, from gardens and decked terraces at the end of the ward ‘fingers’.
1 View of hospital ‘fingers’ 2 Informal play oasis in ‘Wet Ravine’ garden 3 Bronze fox sculpture by artist Lucy Casson 4 Integrated seating 5 ‘Ha-ha’ gabion wall and estate railings 6 Water sculpture within Bereavement Garden 7 Landscaped terraces 8 Glazed atrium 9 Sensory planting in ‘Dry Canyon’ garden
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ew Ludgate sits in the heart of the City of London, surrounded by three main roads and pedestrian tra c from nearby transport links at City Thameslink and London Blackfriars. An opportunity to redevelop the site allowed Gustafson Porter + Bowman to create a space for the public to enjoy. Recognising the context softens the edge between public realm and private development. Brief Architects Fletcher Priest and Sauerbruch Hutton were seeking a landscape solution to respond to the demands of both the public and o ce workers. The form of each building informed the landscape, as did the protected sightlines to St Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cathedral. Through the development of the masterplan, it was possible to pull back the existing building line to enlarge the public realm footprint and open up a public space. Gustafson Porter + Bowman was appointed to design landscapes. The team,
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NEW LUDGATE CITY OF LONDON
Gustafson Porter + bowman Client Land Securities Architect Fletcher Priest and Sauerbruch Hutton Contractor Gormley Project value £2m Size of project 7,000m2 Build time March 2015 to June 2016
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1 led by Sibylla Hartel, was responsible for developing the concept up to tender stage and overseeing the installation of works at the construction stage. In the second half of the 20th century the medieval layout of the City was disintegrating as large developments cut across ancient thoroughfares and reduced the number of alleyways. The New Ludgate site was once occupied by the Bell Savage Inn, a coaching inn, and Lud Gate, which provided access to a prison. Both were accessed by passageways. The New Ludgate development responds to the City Corporation’s ambitions to reintroduce these lost routes, which allow breakout spaces from o ces. The design unites two o ce buildings by reintroducing a historic alleyway through the urban block and incorporating a public ground-level piazzetta, while also developing a south-facing roof terrace on the development’s fifth oor for o ce workers on the eastern commercial building.
1 Final renderings of roof terrace 2 3D modelling showing massing of flower bed and wrapping form 3 Finished scheme photographed with mosaic paving pattern and extruded benches 4 Concept rendering for final design
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The landscape scheme for New Ludgate references a range of landscape design roles, incorporating art, streetscape design, seating and an intense planting strategy. Both spaces seek to normalise the hectic energy of central London, and embody a belief that a small-scale space with high-quality materials and refined detailing can enhance the public realm. Piazzetta The piazzetta marks the entrance to a new passage that links Old Bailey to Limeburner Lane, as well as making a transition from the Yorkstone pavement to dark granite. It seeks to tie the development into the surrounding urban fabric using fine landscape details and finishes. From the outset, Gustafson Porter + Bowman wanted to create a crafted and unique character for the paving. Design development led to a bold geometric pattern that takes inspiration from the fashion designer Alexander McQueen and the 20th century artist M. C. Escher. Through numerous handdrawn design iterations and 3D modelling, it was possible to develop a set of nine repeatable pavers that appear as a random pattern. The modularization and 3D development allowed the contractor, Gormley, to cut the stone with great precision, reducing wastage on-site and improving quality control of the installation. The seemingly random paving leads pedestrians to a focal point at the centre of the piazza, marked by a Liriodendron tulipifera and surrounded by integrated solid granite seating – a subtle extension of the paving.
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The positioning of street furniture and trees in the piazza increases the sense of space and creates a vibrant new meeting and gathering place. Roof terrace The colourful planting of the south-facing roof terrace creates a vibrant place to sit or entertain. Green roofs were installed on the top oors of each building, integrated with the buildings’ photovoltaic strategy. The design of the terrace’s bench and planting bed was dictated by the location of window cleaning equipment, which Gustafson Porter + Bowman sought to disguise. The white Corian bench is a unifying element for the space, wrapping around the terrace’s edges it has a uid and organic quality, developed through 3D modelling. The bed’s rise and fall responds to varying soil depths, rising in the centre to screen the building’s maintenance unit; it also opens up to accommodate views to St Paul’s and the City. The aim of the planting was to create a permeable boundary between the roof terrace and its urban context, without creating the feeling that one was ‘in a fishbowl’ and overlooked by adjacent buildings. Comprised of dense, colourful bands of perennial plants and ornamental grasses, this screen grounds the user to their own context. Bands of yellow owering evergreen Euphorbias contrast with the tall blue owering spikes of Erynginum, Echinopsis and Aster, while low hummocks of owering Thyme are seen against the towering purple balls of Alliums, all framed by the plumes of tall grasses. The owering plants and the green roofs provide habitats for bees and insects, supporting biodiversity. Through Gustafson Porter + Bowman’s landscape design, the client, Land Securities, was able to develop an unloved and unremarkable City block into a new site that benefits public and commercial interests.
5 Final rendering showing Tulip tree within piazzetta 6 Photograph showing planting alongside entrance to terrace from the fifth floor
Suppliers Plants Beth Chatto www.bethchatto.co.uk Britta Herold Bruns www.bruns.de Coblands www.coblands.co.uk Deepdale www.deepdale-trees.co.uk Lappen www.lappen.de Lindum www.lindumgreenroofs.co.uk Van den Berk www.vdberk.co.uk Stone Hanson www.hanson.co.uk/en Marshalls www.marshalls.co.uk/ commercial/natural-stone
Gustafson Porter + bowman Gustafson Porter + Bowman is an award-winning landscape architecture practice which has received acclaim for creating authentically engaging spaces. W: www.gp-b.com
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PB 90x240mm Pro_Landscaper 2017.qxp_Layout 1 31/05/2017 14:40 Page 1
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MARITIME GARDENS BARROW-IN-FURNESS Farrer Huxley Associates
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hen it comes to places that have had both their economy and their skyline dominated by industry, Barrow-in-Furness is hard to beat. Barrow has a long history in steel and shipbuilding – it was once the largest iron and steel centre in the world, and a hive of shipbuilding activity. The town began producing underwater vessels as early as the 1880s, and still has an outstanding reputation for innovation in submarine design today, being home to much of the UK’s defence industry – including the Trident nuclear programme. However, due to industrial, economic and social shifts over the decades, Barrow has not gone without serious hardship; the 2011 census showed that it had the greatest population decline in the country.
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1 When Farrer Huxley Associates, in partnership with James Smith, a specialist in community engagement and growing, won the landscape competition run by Barrow Borough Council and the Landscape Institute, it quickly became clear that the scope of the project would be far reaching.
Client Barrow Borough Council Architect Farrer Huxley Associates Project value Approx. £1.3m Size of project 12,000m2 Build time January 2017 – October 2017
The site Farrer Huxley’s first impression of the site had a lasting impact, and became the most in uential factor in all of the design thinking. The centre of Barrow’s
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industry is the defence company BAE Systems, which is positioned across a bridge from the town centre, on Barrow Island. The surrounding housing on the island, including the Maritime Streets that form the site, is characterised by tall sandstone tenement blocks. The buildings have a quality and intrigue, although their urbanity is unforgiving en masse. There was no planting to soften the blocks, and the landscape was run down and degraded – unoccupied buildings, boarded-up shops and pubs and empty streets all told their own stories. The incremental effect of years of neglect was reaching a point of irretrievability. The people As Farrer Huxley began to spend time on site and got to know some of the local residents, a different picture emerged. While the qualities of community were under threat due to longstanding neglect, the people were friendly, strong and positive: they were the starting point. With many vulnerable adults housed in the blocks, Farrer Huxley became determined to work with them, not for them. They were the experts on their own experiences, and their voices had to remain central to any change that was considered. People-centred design is at its most important when addressing issues of justice, democracy and empowerment. All of these were considered as a function of design in this project, and in this sense the stakes felt very high. Design approach The persistence of city-centred industry in Barrow suited the contemporary vision of sustainability, with housing and industry existing alongside one another. This proximity was enviable by contemporary urban design standards, although the reality of this composition was, in all truth, bracing. Its location, coupled with the architectural heritage in the neighbourhood, provided many of the ingredients for successful placemaking. As with any project, financial resources were limited, and decisions had to be made on how to make the most of what there was. Farrer Huxley wanted to deliver a project that made a tangible difference to people’s lives, which meant making deliberate and careful choices. As they began to understand the challenges and qualities of the site, they focused on creating a ‘tipping point’, from which the neighbourhood could move from undesirable to attractive. When the work was started in 2013, about 80 of the 600 ats were unoccupied. Funding
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2 1 View of Central Garden space from the communal residents entrance 2 Planting in the Central Garden space 3 Bespoke concrete signage and fencing picking up footpath pattern 4 Site before construction, used as car park and bin storage 5 FHA conducting on site consultation with local residents 6 Historic photograph of washing lines on Ship Street
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for the scheme was aimed at increasing the occupancy levels in the ats. Farrer Huxley realised that landscape works would not address the ats themselves, but would improve the surrounding public realm, and was excited about testing its belief that the public realm can make a significant difference to both occupancy and investment in neighbouring properties. It began with an uncompromising drive to address first impressions in a way that only landscape can, and to engender a feeling of quality, beauty and safety in the neighbourhood. It recognised that investing in the most visible and most used areas would provide improvements to the greatest number of people. The design’s power lay in its mediation of daily life, setting out to inform cultural, economic and social norms. Farrer Huxley first proposed a series of sculptures and art pieces to act as signposts, guiding people from the town centre to the neighbourhood. The site included a large central square and two adjacent garden spaces. The design for the central square focused on every resident’s first step out of their block and into the public realm. Farrer Huxley wanted to positively in uence people’s movement through, and enjoyment of, the landscape, striking lines between where people emerged from their homes in order to link them all together. Community begins with interaction and familiarity, and the paths invite residents into the central square, crossing other paths. This provides choices and opportunities for play, socialising, walking to work or simply enjoying the wildlife and biodiversity of the planting. The network of crossing and interlocking social paths provides the language for the entire scheme. It harks back to nets and the masts of the ships named in the streets, making a striking pattern that is viewable from the ats and stairways. The two garden spaces were softened with lots of planting, and a growing and maintenance initiative was formed for the community. The planting itself was an important way to bring life back to the site; studies show that investing in planting and landscape increases perceived home value and ‘kerb appeal’, attracting potential buyers. It also enriches residents’ lives, with growing opportunities, seasonal change, scented owers and wildlife. During consultations, Farrer Huxley promoted the importance of resident involvement and engagement as a key component in ensuring the ongoing quality of the area. To this end, a gardening club has been established, with the possibility of it taking on responsibility for some of the maintenance – including managing the associated budget – at some point in the future.
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Conclusion When Farrer Huxley began this project, it believed that the landscape scheme could alone act as a catalyst for the wider regeneration and housing renewal in Barrow. It therefore proposed a scheme that required no outside factors to deliver it and a programme that had the momentum to create change as soon as possible. Significant change to occupancy has already been made. The Devonshire Estates have shown the way with quality refurbishment of their blocks, and increases in occupancy and investment are being seen in the property across the board. As such, it is now clear that this landscape work is at the heart of the success of this project. The strong and distinct sense of place rooted in the people and streets of Barrow Island has enabled this project to succeed. This is just the beginning for those who live in Barrow, and there is still much work to be done, but Farrer Huxley is confident that this landscape scheme is the tipping point needed to bring meaningful regeneration to people’s lives on Barrow Island.
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Farrer Huxley Associates Farrer Huxley Associates (FHA) is a practice of landscape architects established in 1995. Its work is founded upon the belief that landscape makes an essential contribution to sociable and sustainable communities. W: www.fha.co.uk
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PROFILE
ECODEK about
PRODUCTS
Established in 2002, Ecodek is the market leader in wood polymer composite decking materials, and has been manufacturing composite decking and fencing since 2004. Ecodek’s USPs include bespoke lengths, a quick response to customer demand and solid technical advice. Its R&D team excels at creating sustainable answers for the lifestyle challenges of today and the future. Ecodek has achieved ‘carbon negative’ status for the production of its composite decking system. The BioComposites Centre of Bangor University considered production of the decking on a cradle-to-factory gate basis; results showed that production of ecodek® had a net effect of actually removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere rather than adding to it – a huge achievement in modern manufacturing.
Ecodek manufactures a range of products from a specifically developed, innovative and high quality wood polymer composite that is made from 95% recycled materials. Boards can be supplied in bespoke lengths to minimise waste, will not warp, splinter or rot, and are an extremely low maintenance material that is 100% recyclable.
projects Thanks to its vast range of products and client focused approach, Ecodek is the market choice for high end residential developments in London, where the majority of apartments feature a balcony. ecodek® material can be found across many of the redevelopment zones in London, such as Greenwich Peninsula, Elephant and Castle, Nine Elms and Fulham Wharf. Recently, ecodek® was specified for the roof terrace at the luxurious redevelopment of Southbank Tower. Situated in the heart of London’s South Bank, it epitomises high-end residential and office space in the city. It comprises 173 luxury apartments and 11 additional storeys, and was developed by CIT and designed in collaboration with Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, with landscaping by Frosts Landscape Construction Ltd. As testimony to the firm’s excellent reputation, ecodek® was specified on this project because the client required a low maintenance, hard wearing product that was tough enough to withstand the massive point loads of a BMU (Building Maintenance Unit) being regularly driven over it while also maintaining good slip resistance properties. Due to the extreme loading from the BMU, the Ecodek Technical Team carried out load and indentation tests to ensure the decking would not mark or deform in use. This testing was carried out in the extensive in-house laboratory facilities at the Ecodek site in North Wales.
Images courtesy of South Bank Tower
contact
people Jonathan Cooper Managing director Katie Kiff Specifications sales manager
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Felicity Hodgkinson Marketing manager
Unit 13 Abenbury Way Wrexham Industrial Estate Wrexham LL13 9UZ T: 01978 667 840 E: enquiries@ecodek.co.uk W: www.ecodek.co.uk
Twitter: @ecodek
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/ company/ecodek Facebook: @ecodek Instagram: @ecodekuk
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High quality, British made Wood Plastic Composite ecodekÂŽ contains 55% recycled hardwood and 40% HDPE recycled polymer and is 100% recyclable Bespoke lengths minimise waste Solid boards that will not splinter or rot Carbon negative production Low potential for slip wet or dry Low maintenance 25 year warranty
Sustainable outdoor living. The durable and sustainable alternative to hardwood and hollow decking For your opportunity to use ecodekÂŽ on your next project, contact enquiries@ecodek.co.uk or call 01978 667 840
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PROFILE
BOURNE AMENITY PRODUCTS
about Bourne Amenity blends, supplies and manufactures a multitude of topsoils, top dressings, site specific and bespoke growing media. From basic BS 3882 soils to roof garden substrates, Bourne Amenity specialises in matching and blending soils for projects throughout the UK. It has four blending and bagging units across the south east, along with a eet of FORS Gold rigid tipper and grab vehicles, giving it full control of deliveries. Bourne Amenity works closely with organisations such as BALI and the Landscape Institute to ensure its materials and service are in line with the high demands of its customers.
Nicky Snoad Business development
Drew Wetherell Senior sales manager
Emma Juden Logistics manager
Cara Thorpe Senior account manager
Jo Relf Logistics assistant
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A large part of Bourne Amenity’s business is now in central London. The introduction of tight transport regulations FORS, CLOCS etc , as well as stringent site instructions, has made London the most challenging part of the country to deliver into. The majority of sites now have strict delivery slots, and with the possibility of multiple companies working on a single site there are other challenges, such as crane operations or tight security restrictions in high profile public spaces such as Kings Cross Station . This means that inventive means of supplying the materials to site are often required. Having its own eet of FORS Gold vehicles helps Bourne Amenity to deliver its aim of becoming an intrinsic part of Kings Cross Station planted with Sophora the capital’s greening. Japonica completed by Willerby Landscapes 4
Jonathan Bourne Sales director
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Lindsey Naylor Junior account manager
BS 882 topsoils and BS8601 subsoils – site specific soils, from bio-retentive soils for rain gardens to low fertility soils and lightweight growing media.
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contact
1 BS3882 topsoils stockpile
Bourne Amenity Ltd Newenden, Kent TN18 G T: 01797 252299 E: sales@bourneamenity.co.uk W: www.bourneamenity.co.uk T: @Bourne_Amenity
2 Bulk bags of our Structural
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3 Intensive Lightweight Substrate 4 Kings Cross Station –
Willerby Landscapes
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Bourne Amenity supply a range of materials for urban tree planting systems. Alongside our own range of tree sands and soils we are one of two UK manufactures of Heicom tree sand. We also have a range of washed medium/coarse silica sands for your drainage layers. All of our materials are tested twice annually for the full range of parameters, including the CBR.
For further information on these materials, please visit our website
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@Bourne_Amenity Kings Cross Station completed by Willerby Landscapes ID 001502
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Landscape solutions for architects and specifiers gtSpecifier is the leading solutions provider for the landscape industry. wing areas: Providing technical information and experience in the following
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