FutureArc July/August 2018

JULY/AUGUST 2018

Village Makers Creating quality of life communities

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Regeneration Littlehampton's waterfront scheme

The interview Ani Mokashi D4P

Focus on drainage The finer details Lateral Design

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Parklet 2.0

Design: SOLA, Johan Verde & Hong Ngo-Aandal

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WELCOME

WELCOME Welcome to the July/August issue of FutureArc. In this month’s issue we feature the £1billion waterfront development in Dundee which includes the striking V&A Dundee which opens on 15 September. We also take a look at a project that has transformed Littlehampton promenade and speak with a housing developer that specialises in creating sustainable communities.

Russia has been in the news all summer with the dramas of the World Cup and our international piece continues this theme with a focus on the stunning New Holland development in St Petersburg. Closer to home, our regular Portfolio section includes details of landscaping at Sky UK’s headquarters and at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

We also have special features on street furniture, soils for podiums, Corten steel and inspiring drainage solutions.

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

Enjoy the read…

Gill Langham Features editor gill.langham@eljays44.com

www.futurearc.co.uk

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WELCOME

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CONTENTS NEWS

FEATURES

PORTFOLIOs

MATERIALS

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corten steel

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street furniture

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Specifying Soils

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The evolution of drainage

NEWS A roundup of the latest industry news from around the UK

10 INTERNATIONAL NEWS What’s going on further afield in the world of landscape architecture

INTERVIEW Ani Mokashi D4P

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a sense of place Village Makers

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coastal rejuvenation Littlehampton waterfront

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The newly improved centre of remembrance by Fira

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sky uk headquarters Redevelopment scheme in West London by Alexandra Steed Urban

JEWEL ON THE RIVERfront Optimised environments

National memorial arboretum

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new holland Creating a city within a city in Saint Petersburg by West 8

Why this versatile material is gaining popularity

Considering the aesthetics of landscape protection

Choosing the right soil for podium features

An insight into quality systems by Lateral Design

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WELCOME

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12 EDITORIAL Features Editor – Gill Langham gill.langham@eljays44.com Managing Editor – Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com PRODUCTION Subeditor – Kia Wilson kia.wilson@eljays44.com Design: Kara Thomas, Kirsty Turek

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

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

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Cover image ©Andy Webster/Fira

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NEWS P6 News P10 International News

NEWS LIVERPOOL’S £200M PALL MALL EXCHANGE URBAN MASTERPLAN AWARDED TO RE-FORM CTP and Kier Property have appointed re-form Landscape Architecture to design a major new public realm scheme as part of the £200m Pall Mall Exchange urban masterplan project in Liverpool. re-form, whose portfolio includes the £25m transformation of Hull city centre’s public realm as part of its UK City of Culture status in 2017, will work alongside master planning architects Allies & Morrison to develop the landscape and public realm proposals which will include a series of streets and squares throughout the 4.2 hectare site.

A joint venture partnership between CTP, Kier Property and Liverpool City Council was announced in February 2017 to deliver the Pall Mall Exchange scheme. It will include 400,000 sq ft of Grade A office space to the rear of Exchange station,

along with leisure, retail and public realm, creating more than 1,000 jobs.

At the heart of re-form’s designs will be a new public space comprising a 3,000m2 ‘green square’ to promote health and wellbeing. It will create an inspiring setting for businesses and provide much-needed urban green space for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Guy Denton, director at re-form Landscape Architecture, said: “This is a significant appointment for the practice in the North West, recognising our capabilities in placemaking and creating attractive public realm in urban centres.

“The scheme is another great example of how public and private sector organisations are working together to harness the transformational effects of investing in high-quality public spaces. www.re-formlandscape.com

LT STUDIO AND INVISIBLE STUDIO WIN PLANNING FOR EAST QUAY DEVELOPMENT Planning for a new community seafront regeneration scheme in Watchet, West Somerset, has been awarded to LT Studio Landscape Architects and Piers Taylor of Invisible Studio.

The development aims to bring jobs, nurture creative enterprise and attract visitors to Watchet, in a flagship £6m cultural enterprise scheme working with architect Piers Taylor of Invisible Studio. The project will bring 40 jobs and five apprenticeships and is estimated to bring an increased tourism spend to the area of around £6.7m. The proposals for the 1,094m² scheme include art studios, a gallery, shared workspaces, maker spaces, a print workshop and a café. Overlooking Watchet’s marina, the project is part of a wider regeneration strategy being put into motion by local community interest company Onion Collective. www.ltstudio.co.uk

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NEWS

plans announced for UCLan student centre

Plincke has been announced as landscape architects for the 78,500 sq ft student centre at The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston. The centre features a 90,000 sq ft public square with completion due in summer 2020.

The project includes two public squares, Adelphi Square and St Peter’s Square. There will also be a roof terrace incorporating mainly green space. Adelphi Square will extend in front of the building and will be a community space designed for hosting events such as the Lancashire Science Festival, pop up cinemas and farmer’s markets. The projects will also see improvements made to the landscaping and public realm in Adelphi Quarter.

Michael Ahern, chief operating officer at UCLan, said: “This project will not only transform our campus but will positively contribute to the ongoing regeneration of Preston.” www.plincke.com

Shortlisted landscape designs announced for first Garden City of the 21st Century

LI WELCOMES NEW PRESIDENT

In March an international design competition was launched by the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation and the NHS to find the best creative and inspiring ideas for what will be the first new Garden City of the 21st Century, and the largest of 10 Healthy New Towns being developed in the UK. The first stage of the competition invited entries from landscape professionals, or teams including landscape professionals, with multidisciplinary teams particularly encouraged. Entries needed to address the shape of the whole city, with the judges looking beyond Ebbsfleet at the wider health of the nation.

The panel of ten judges selected five finalists to go forward to stage two of this innovative competition which are: • The Chalk Walk Additive

Outgoing Landscape Institute President Merrick Denton-Thompson OBE handed over to Adam White at the LI Presidents’ reception, held

Urbanism, a landscape design studio led by Matthew Halsall CMLI in collaboration with Ryan Szyani, Architectural installation designer • The Ebbsfleet Sublime – The disruptive use of the picturesque to create wellbeing and place LDA Design in collaboration with Architecture 00 and Vivid Economics • Everyday Adventure – Huskisson Brown Associates working with Claire Powell Chartered Physiotherapist • H.A.L.O – a model for growing a healthy infrastructure – Bradley Murphy Design in collaboration with JTP, Peter Brett Associates and Sebastien Boyesen • Swanscombe Gorge Park by Chris Blandford Associates in association with Buro Happold and Proctor & Matthews www.landscapeinstitute.org

on 4 July at the Garden Museum in Lambeth, the LI thanked the outgoing president for his leadership and support while welcoming its new president, Adam White.

On behalf of the Institute, the LI’s Head of External Affairs Poppy Smith thanked Merrick ‘for his time, energy, enthusiasm and wisdom, over a number of years’.

Adam worked for the charity Groundwork for 12 years as a principal landscape architect, and chaired its Federation of Landscape Architects Committee.

In 2008 Adam and Andrée Davies established Davies White Ltd Landscape Architects. Throughout his career, Adam’s mission has been to reconnect communities with nature. www.landscapeinstitute.org

NEW WEST MIDLANDS NATIONAL PARK PLANS UNVEILED A vision to create a national park in the West Midlands which would span more than seven cities and create hundreds of miles of green space, conservation areas and new cycle routes, has been unveiled.

The proposals have been drawn up by Kathryn Moore, professor of landscape architecture at Birmingham City University, and would make the region home to the UK’s 16th official national park.

The 15 existing parks are in

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areas including the Yorkshire Dales, Snowdonia, the New Forest and the Peak District.

The plans have already gained support from West Midlands mayor Andy Street, Meriden MP Dame Caroline Spelman and other key bodies around the region.

Planners have said the concept, which was unveiled at the Critical Artistic Thinking in Design Conference, would have the potential to support further regeneration, boost environmental

conservation, improve transport link and drive inward investment and tourism into the region.

They have also said that a West Midlands National Park could also help create new jobs across the region and boost the economy by transforming the image of the area.

The vision was formally unveiled during the conference which was held at Birmingham City University’s city centre campus.

The next steps will see case studies undertaken on the

Tame Valley, Curzon Street and Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games bid to decide possible revenue streams and how the vision may be realised. www.bcu.ac.uk

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NEWS

Southampton’s WestQuay Watermark drawing the development wins 2018 Prix-Versailles World towards the sea.

Architecture Award WestQuay Watermark’s landscape concept likewise responds to the significance of the site, acting as the connecting line between sea and land. It centres around a new public plaza, flanked by the city’s Town Walls and a set of tapering steps leading down from a lower promenade, creating a natural auditorium in which to host a range of events.

Open 24 hours a day and lined with restaurants and cafés, the new public realm ensures that the scheme is fully integrated into the fabric of the city.

The Prix-Versailles World

©Benedict Luxmoore

WestQuay Watermark, a mixeduse scheme in Southampton by architect ACME with landscape design by Grant Associates, has won a 2018 Prix-Versailles World Architecture Award.

The scheme for developer Hammerson won the Shopping Malls category, an award which attracted eight shortlisted projects from around the world.

Featuring a 10-screen multiplex cinema, bowling alley, 24 restaurants and cafés, a new public plaza and esplanade, Watermark is the first of a two-part redevelopment of a key area within Southampton’s town centre.

Underpinned by Southampton City Council’s aim to reconnect the city to the sea, the overall design vision for WestQuay Watermark is to embrace the city’s ancient maritime and industrial history.

Completed in April 2017, the new shopping mall sits adjacent to the city’s older WestQuay Shopping Centre, with the lines of its contemporary design

Architecture Awards were held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, in May 2018.

James Clarke, senior associate at Grant Associates said: “Working with the team, our aim was to re-establish the former Pirelli tyre factory as a dynamic quarter to reconnect the city centre with its historic maritime past.

“The public realm space reimagines the former line of the foreshore which is used to abstractly define a new destination space. This creates an exciting and vibrant link that celebrates and incorporates the contemporary with the ancient town walls as a major asset to the scheme.” www.grant-associates.uk.com

pedestrianised areas.

According to the council, traffic surveys have shown that fewer than 3,000 vehicles a day use the route. Taxi and bus stops would also be repositioned, subject to consultation.

A further advantage of the redesign of the square would be an improvement in safety, security and accessibility, removing the need for the current concrete barrier around it.

The square, with its grade one-listed memorial to Prince Albert, predates the Town Hall and work on its construction started in 1863.

MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL REVEALS ALBERT SQUARE POTENTIAL Proposals to pedestrianise and enlarge Manchester’s Albert Square as part of the £330m works at the Town Hall have been unveiled by the city council.

The outline plans would see the square enlarged by around 20% to significantly enhance its

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role as an events space.

Planit-IE is the landscape architect and the ideas for Albert Square were set out as part of a presentation given to July’s full Manchester City Council meeting.

The proposals for the square, which will be subject to full consultation at the design stage, would involve limiting traffic access to only the Princess Street side and extending the square’s

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Entrants should be under 30 (on 1 January 2018) and work within any aspect of the landscape architecture sector. Entries close on 1 September 2018. www.prolandscapermagazine. com/30u30/

Councillor Bernard Priest, lead member for the Our Town Hall project, said: “Albert Square is a much-loved public space where Mancunians and visitors come together for a huge range of cultural and civic events. It is, in many ways, the heart of Manchester. These proposals will see it take its place among the very finest international public squares.”

The Our Town Hall project will see the grade one listed Manchester Town Hall building repaired, refurbished and partially restored over the next seven years and is due to re-open in 2024. www.planit-ie.com

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NEWS

INTERNATIONAL

NEWS

RIVERFRONT PARK DESIGN FEATURES CONCRETE PETALS Landscape architects Rialto Studio, along with American companies Lake Flato and Matsys, have designed a riverfront park with concrete petals in southern Texas.

The sculptural pavilions provide shade on sunny days and help collect rainwater during storms.

Confluence Park is located on a bluff overlooking the point where the San Pedro Creek merges with the San Antonio River.

The centrepiece of the 1.2 ha park is the main pavilion, which consists of 22 concrete ‘petals’ that form giant archways. The sculptural panels were cast on site and lifted into place. At night, the dramatic structure is illuminated

by uplights that are discreetly embedded in the pavers.

The thickness of the curved walls decreases as they ascend to a pinnacle of eight metres. The concrete petals were also used to construct the smaller pavilions, which rise to five metres.

The pavilion forms go beyond aesthetics. The petals are designed to funnel rainwater to a catchment system. In addition to collecting water, the structures offer refuge from the summer heat.

Next to the main pavilion, the classroom building features a rooftop solar system that provides all-year round onsite energy. www.rialtostudio.com

ENVIRONMENTAL STREET FURNITURE OPENS FIRST US STORE

Northern Ireland based Environmental Street Furniture (ESF) has opened its first office in America. The opening of the Washington office coincided with the launch of the company’s Stellar Solar Smart Bench in New York City by Congresswoman

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Yvette D Clarke, as part of the Smart Cities campaign. The decision to open an American office follows numerous successful contracts in the themed entertainment industry in North America. www.worldofesf.com

TROPICAL RECREATION AREA IN SINGAPORE Students from the Institute of Landscape Architecture are planning some natural ways to cool the heat-afflicted metropolis of Singapore.

Their testing ground is a disused railway line reclaimed by nature and converted into a tropical recreation area.

The midday heat in Singapore is merciless so the city has air-conditioned underpasses that connect metro stations to shopping centres and office

buildings, giving its 5.6 million inhabitants at least some respite from the adverse climate.

It is hoped the experience will help the students gain a better understanding of the growing problem of urban heat islands (UHIs). The city is heated not just by its tropical climate, but also by heat from car exhausts, industry and fossil fuel power stations, as well as waste heat from airconditioning units. www.landscapeinstitute.org

SHORTLIST REVEALED FOR WORLD LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL AWARDS The shortlists for the Rural and Urban project categories in the World Landscape Architecture Festival Awards 2018 have been released.

Rural Projects • AECOM – Singapore-Nanjing Eco Island Waterfront Scenic Belt Phase 1, Nanjing, China • Batlle i Roig Arquitectura – Pedestrian Path along the Gypsum Mines, Barcelona, Spain • Haugen/Zohar Arkitekter with Landskapsfabrikken – Uredd rest area, Gildeskål Municipality, Norway • Shma Company – Lupin Research Park, Pune, India • TERROIR – Koondrook Wharf, Koondrook, Australia Urban Projects • ANTAO Group – Pride of Life, Kunming, China • Beijing Tsinghua Tongheng Urban Planning & Design Institute – Olympic Committee Headquarters, Beijing, China • Ecoland Planning and Design – Laoximen – Urban Transformation Phase I, Changde, China

• Gustafson Porter + Bowman – Marina One, Singapore, Singapore • HASSELL – Darling Harbour Public Realm, Sydney, Australia • HASSELL – Optus Stadium and Stadium Park, Perth, Australia • SCHØNHERR – Kokkedal Climate Adaptation, Kokkedal, Denmark • Sebastián Monsalve Arquitectura – Medellin River Parks, Medellin, Colombia • Sergey Kuznetsov, Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Heargreaves Associates & Citymakers – Zaryadye Park, Moscow, Russia • Shenzhen AUBE Architectural Engineering Design – Shenzhen Talent Park, Shenzhen, China • studioMilou – Place de la Breche, Noirt, France • Turenscape – Puyangjiang River Corridor: Building A Greenway, Jinhua, China • Yazgan Design Architecture – Hamamyolu Urban Deck, Eskisehir, Turkey

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FEATURES

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INTERVIEW

ANI MOKASHI DIRECTOR, D4P

Ani Mokashi talks about how his career has shaped his company philosphy to meet the challenges of the future P12 Interview Ani Mokashi, D4P

P16 Village Makers Bob Tomlinson

P21 Jewel on the Riverfront V&A Dundee Waterfront

P26 Coastal Rejuvenation Littlehampton promenade

Could you tell us about the background of D4P? I founded D4P with my business partner Mark Armstrong in 2013. As a practice, we do both architecture and landscape architecture.

Our name is inspired by our philosophy – designing for people, places, properties with passion – the four important Ps in our industry. All of our designs are for the end user, the people who are going to use it. Our aim is to add value to a place through the landscape.

Our projects are business ventures for the developer, or whoever is doing the project. We can’t forget our clients and their goals, whether it is a profit for the developers or an enhanced home. We look for innovative ways of saving costs that still allow us to deliver an innovative and usable design.

Do you separate your architectural work from your landscape architectural work?

We don’t separate landscape and architecture,

that is one of our core values. My first degree was in architecture and that’s where I have my core training. Throughout that I loved designing buildings, but one of my key passions was thinking about how that building is viewed from the public space. This includes the setting – is it in a comfortable environment? Is it easy to get to?

Does it work in the context of the local landscape and character?

As part of my training I took a year out to take

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FEATURES

up work placements at several different architectural companies. One of these was a landscape company – I loved the way that they worked, and it really fitted in with what I wanted to do.

Now I am a chartered landscape architect. I haven’t had any formal training as such, but through my individual studies and working experience I applied to the Landscape Institute and was accepted.

Within D4P, we do have architects and landscape architects. They need to understand each other’s professions and work very closely together. When we get a project, the whole team works on it together.

Whether it is an architectural project, or a landscape based one, everyone brings their own specialism.

Why is that mix of the two professions so important?

While I was working within a landscape practice I felt frustrated at being brought into a project at a late stage. On one particular project I used to go to the design team meetings and my peers and colleagues would tell me that I would get bored because landscape would be last on the agenda. However, I didn’t just switch off for the rest of the meeting, I would input with important information about the landscape. That understanding between architects and landscape architects is so important.

I tell clients that even if they don’t want to bring us into a project from the start, to at least loop us into the emails. That way if something isn’t going to work with the landscape, I can warn them early on.

It makes sense rather than leaving it until the very end and finding out that what they want doesn’t work; it is D4P’s way of avoiding abortive work and compromising on design quality. In this way we add value to the project and the clients.

from legal documents and one book each, we are completely paperless – everyone has a laptop and a tablet, so we do everything on screen, including the bulk of our designs. Not only does this save costs, but it is also sustainable for the environment and it makes filing easier. The whole industry is moving towards using the likes of BIM which will eventually make paper redundant and we want to be at the forefront of it.

“THAT UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN ARCHITECTS AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS IS SO IMPORTANT”

Looking back at your career to date would you change anything?

In terms of architecture and landscape architecture in my career, I wouldn’t change anything. I have followed my heart and done what I believe to be right. However, if I could go back to university now, I would ask my professor for a module in business. At university you are trained in so many areas but not in how to actually run your business. There are so many aspects to it – marketing, sales, operations, hiring staff, that you don’t learn as any part of the architecture course, well at least I didn’t.

Do you think the role of landscape architects has changed?

I do feel it has changed for two important reasons.

Firstly, now that land has become scarcer, people are using roof space very innovatively. This means that landscape architects have had to adapt and learn

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1 xxxxxxx xxxxxxx 2 xxxx xxxxxxxxxxx 3 xxx xxxxxxxx

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What size is your team?

There are three landscape architects and two architects as part of the core team, but we also use freelancers when needed. This flexibility is key as I don’t need someone to work from 9–5. If it’s more convenient for them to work evenings or on a weekend, I don’t mind – as long as the deadlines are met and stay the same.

Rather than having a large office, technology is advanced enough now that people can work remotely.

We have screen sharing facilities to have online meetings, and utilise this to bring our overheads down.

We then pass these savings down to our clients in our fees without jeopardising profitability. Another way we achieve this is by being a paperless office. Apart

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What advice do you give young people thinking about landscape architecture as a career?

The one question I get asked a lot is: “can I make a living?” Hollywood has glorified investment bankers.

There is nothing wrong with being one, but you can obtain, in my opinion, a much more fulfilling and satisfying life which also pays a decent wage.

When I tell people about the role, I speak about the joy you get when a project is opened, seeing the happiness on people’s faces; that is invaluable.

4

“WE NEED TO MAKE NOISE ABOUT THE VALUE THAT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS BRING AND WHAT WE CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETY”

new things – the implications of slab loading, the consequences of putting a tree at level 9, the effect of these issues from a structural point of view.

Secondly, I believe the Landscape Institute has done a really good job of promoting green infrastructure, and landscape architecture is now a profession that embodies that and champions it.

Green infrastructure enhances the quality of life.

We are now getting requests from big established transport engineers who are doing a major section of a motorway. They want us to come in and look at the surroundings and advise them on planting.

D4P

What challenges does the industry currently face?

The economic situation is the biggest challenge.

It is not industry specific, but it is something that everyone must think about. I would say the biggest challenge for landscape architects is that as an industry we need to make more noise, not in a detrimental way, but about the value that landscape architects bring and what we contribute to society.

We should make it clear why it is so vital to have these small parks within a dense urban environment, and why we need to utilise space innovatively.

D4P is a contemporary chartered landscape practice which is in sync with the primary function of the built-environment, the quality of the space. Being a director ledpractice with a holistic approach, they understand that no two organisations or contexts are the same. Their work focuses around 4 principles of creating designs for people, places, properties with passion.

W: www.d4p-uk.com

Is there a skills shortage in the industry?

Yes, this is one of the key reasons to make more of a noise so that people understand what we do.

I like to visit schools and tell pupils about the profession. Children instantly assume that I can draw really well. Actually, I can’t – it is not just about drawing, there is also the maths, physics, sciences.

It is by visiting schools and teaching young people what we do that we will solve the skills shortage.

1 S t. Helen’s Square, London ©Maylim www.maylim.co.uk 2 St. Helen’s Square, London ©Maylim www.maylim.co.uk 3 C harter Square, Staines ©London Square 4 St. Helen’s Square, London ©Maylim www.maylim.co.uk

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Are there any projects that stand out in your mind?

We are working on a large housing project in Staines with around 350 apartments being built. Interestingly, the site is in a flood zone 3a category. A few years ago, Staines was flooded. When our client bought the site they had discussions with the local authority and the Environment Agency became involved to talk about flood prevention and the water levels.

It was decided that the project should be designed to flood rather than to keep the water out. The key challenge is that the site is designed to flood in the extreme – but because these are high end luxury apartments, it still has to look beautiful in all conditions – whether there is little or no water at all.

Through intense research we have used strategic planting and designed levels of parts of the project to direct water towards particular areas. Waterman led on this and I feel the result is a very good one.

We were also involved in St Helen’s Square, designed by landscape architects Gillespies. They did an exceptional job of designing a space within a constrained urban area in the heart of the City of London. The square is a serene and calm place where people can socialise and relax.

We were involved at the construction phase, working for the principal contractor Maylim. In our initial discussions we quickly realised that the project could not be built in a traditional 2D drawing.

We brought information together from Maylim’s sub-contractors and suppliers; from the steelwork and stonework to the soft landscaping. This enabled us to build a complete 3D model whilst being able to spot and rectify potential problems and to move things around where required. When building models we always try to use Revit which is BIM compliant.

The project is an excellent example of using 3D technology with a collaborative approach. The process allowed for everything to run as smoothly as possible in what was ultimately a giant jigsaw puzzle of different materials coming together.

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A SENSE OF PLACE For Bob Tomlinson of the Village Makers, development is all about creating friendly, sustainable communities where people actually want to live

T

he Village Makers fell into development by accident. Back in the early 1990s, Bob Tomlinson and Carole Salmon looked in alarm at the growing number of “soulless housing estates” that threatened to destroy the very fabric of local communities across the UK. So they decided to do something about it.

“We campaigned for a while but then we thought the best thing to do was to build something as an example,” says Bob. After designing a five-house prototype of sustainable neighbourhood, they launched a larger scheme—The Wintles, in Bishops Castle, Shropshire— which a former housing minister, Nick Boles, called “one of the most exciting collections of new houses anywhere in England.” It marked the start of a new career for Bob and Carole—and ushered in a housebuilding revolution for the British countryside.

Today, some of the principles underpinning the Village Makers’ work— sustainability, energy efficiency, quality of life—have gained traction, but Bob and Carole continue to break new

ground in what they call “mindful place-making.”

Green space is a key pillar in their vision to develop vibrant neighbourhoods with a strong sense of place—but, says Bob, for it to work, it needs to be communal and people-centric.

“When developers get planning consent for hundreds of houses, they have to provide so many hectares of open space,” he explains. “But some of them are just saying: ‘Ok, we’ll put this piece of grass somewhere near the electricity substation, where you won’t get the best value for houses, and forget about it.’ What that does is—it creates a space that people don’t use. It doesn’t work.”

Even when open space is not relegated to the least appealing corner of a site, it is often cut off from the houses by roads, making it much harder to enjoy. “The typical arrangement is to have green space, with, around it, a tarmac road—so if you have young children or maybe old people, the open space doesn’t work because it’s not connected to the houses directly. This is a fundamental thing we try and do differently. Wherever possible, our houses connect directly to the open space for pedestrians. [You need to] make it a place that is people-friendly, not vehicle friendly.”

But, to be truly people-centric, green space should also be versatile and open-ended. “We don’t prescribe its use—we allow people to decide themselves what they want to do with it,” Bob explains. For example, in the 12 years that residents have been living at The Wintles, “they have had weddings in that space, they have had

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1 funerals, they have had Christmas trees, barbecues— they use it naturally, which I think is important.”

Crucially, though, green areas need to work as much for existing communities as for the new neighbourhoods that are slotted into them. “There are some recent statistics [showing] that communities don’t necessarily object to new builds. What they object to is development which undermines the community value—maybe [it has a] poor design, maybe it’s too large,” notes Bob. “Conversely, there are several projects where local people have encouraged good development—often under the umbrella of the Yes in My Backyard (YIMBY) movement.”

Taking this on board, the Village Makers “try to make sure several things happen,” he continues. “One is that local people are involved [from the early stages].

The second is that the development—the type of buildings, the pattern of the streets—is from the place.

It should feel like a new part of the village but also a part of the original fabric—something to be proud of.” And finally, the development’s open space and facilities, whether gardens, allotments or a new hall, are shared with the entire community.

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Plus, adds Bob, when you create a scheme that’s designed for people, a place that fosters a sense of belonging, it usually attracts a special kind of buyer, who actively seeks to participate in local life. This, in turn, helps ensure new and old residents mesh in. “Again, The Wintles is a good example: the new people have turned out to be the ones that started the choir and support the local activities because it’s the type of development that

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“TO BE TRULY PEOPLECENTRIC, GREEN SPACE SHOULD ALSO BE VERSATILE AND OPEN-ENDED”

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“IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU PRODUCE SOMETHING THAT HAS ITS OWN CHARACTER”

encourages that behaviour.”

Interestingly, Bob has found that one of the most successful tools for community building is a tiny portion of open space that is often overlooked in developments, possibly because it falls between the cracks of architecture and landscaping—the open porch. “It’s a space that’s a little bit private and a little bit public. It means that you can stand there, knock on the door, have a conversation with your

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neighbours—you don’t have to go inside the house but you don’t have to stand outside in the rain. It’s a very small space but it makes a very big difference.”

But while these cornerstones shape the Village Makers’ fundamental approach to landscaping and development, the details of each scheme vary to mirror its individual context. That’s because Bob believes developers should spend time examining the local area, identify its most cherished places and work some aspects of those into their site. “Go into the local village, the local town. Do people like to sit in the sun, is there a little place that really works, where you feel yourself it’s nice to spend some time?

What are the reasons the good places work? You analyse it very carefully and then introduce those elements into [your development]. But by introduce, I don’t mean copy. It’s important that you produce something that has its own character. You relate the elements that have worked across the wider community to your site.”

As an example, he quotes a new scheme the Village Makers are currently working on— Oakley Orchards, in Great Oakley, Essex. Although it builds on their experience at The Wintles, it also draws extensively from its surroundings. As the name implies, the development sits in an area where orchard farming is predominant, so Bob and Carole have arranged housing into small clusters and have

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planted several fruit trees into the shared spaces among them. “Each of the clusters is named after different productive trees and they are planted in the middle there,” notes Bob. Oakley Orchards also has many allotments and, running through the middle of the site, a herb garden, which incorporates a sustainable urban drainage system. The drainage system, which uses permeable surfaces and plants to get rid of excess water, is a prime example of the sustainable features that the Village Makers include to make their schemes ecofriendlier. Rather than employing a lot of ‘eco-bling’, though, Bob believes that the greatest support for the environment come from building neighbourhoods that, by their very nature, encourage sustainable living—whether it’s carpooling, growing your own food or working from home. For instance, at Oakley Orchard, the Village Makers created “an easy, safe and interesting route” to entice children to walk to the local primary school and introduced an array of convivial spaces—from a new village hall to Bob’s beloved open porches—that make it easier for people to get to know each other and share resources. “As soon as you share a car, the amount of carbon you save, the amount of energy you save, is vastly greater than the amount of energy saved by heat pumps and photovoltaic panels. One simple thing of being a neighbour, such as sharing the lawn mower, does that.”

To deliver their vision, Bob and Carole often resort to unusual solutions. At Oakley Orchard, they tapped into the joint expertise of a landscaping company and a local farmer. “At this particular scheme, the farmer still owns the land,” explains Bob. “He’s advising us on the types of trees and plants to grow there, based on his experience, his father’s experience and his grandfather’s experience. But we also have a landscape design company, called The Richards Partnership. So it was a combination of them doing the formal elements for planning and the farmer saying: ‘Oh, I know what works well there.’ The landscaping has been done with a very different philosophy, looking at what will grow there, what will look well, what will survive over the winter, what will propagate itself, rather than: ‘OK, these are the standard developer’s species—we know these are cheap, we know these won’t die, we know these won’t cost a lot to maintain.’”

This approach also means that Bob and Carole often make their life harder than it could be. Taking the urban drainage as an example, Bob acknowledges they could just have put a big drain in and concreted it over. “Simple, job done, engineered solution, tick the

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6 box. We said: ‘No, we want to put a swale in and put this plant into the swale.’ The problem is, it then gets to the county council engineer and they don’t have a box to tick, so we have to provide them with more and more proof that it works—it’s more work for us.”

But, says Bob, it’s well worth it in the end. “The surprising thing we discovered in our naivety is that, if you create a nice place to live, people want to live there. Now, this seems such a stupid statement, but when people want to live somewhere, they are prepared to pay a bit more per square foot and the houses sell quicker. We don’t make an easy life for ourselves by doing something different but if you do something different, there are a lot of benefits.”

1 The Wintles 2 Aerial view of Oakley Orchards 3 Houses open onto the green at Oakley Orchards 4G reen space at The Wintles 5V iew of The Wintles 6O pen Porch at The Wintles

VILLAGE MAKERS Village Makers has been designing and building houses since 1993. The company creates neighbourhoods that have a positive impact on their local communities. Joint founders Bob Tomlinson, Ian Hollocks and Carole Salmon have over two decades of experience between them.

W: www.village-makers.com

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30u30 FULLPG last call FA.pdf

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Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recognise the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading young landscape architects The rules are simple: You must have been aged 30 or under on 1 January 2018 and must currently work within the horticulture sector. You can nominate yourself or a colleague and the competition is free to enter. Head to our website www.prolandscapermagazine.com/30u30 to find details on how to apply. Applications will close 1 September 2018, before being passed on for judging. Shortlisters will be contacted if they have been successful and will feature in the November issues of all supporting magazines.

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23/07/2018 09:01

FEATURES

JEWEL ON THE RIVERFRONT DUNDEE’S DRAMATIC new ASSET, the V&A DESIGN MUSEUM, IS SET TO BECOME A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION, RECONNECTING THE CITY TO ITS LANDMARK RIVER

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undee Waterfront’s £1billion regeneration, which involves 240 hectares of development land stretching 8km alongside the River Tay, is a major 30-year vision to transform the city into a world leading destination for visitors and businesses.

The £80.11million V&A Dundee is the flagship of the redevelopment scheme. Due to open on 15 September,

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it will be the only design museum outside of London and is expected to attract 350,000 visitors annually.

Dundee City Council leader Councillor John Alexander says: “Our city is at the centre of unprecedented global attention as anticipation mounts ahead of the opening.

“This demonstrates the transformational impact that the museum of design is already having, as we strive to create new opportunities for people in the city. The building shows people how ambitious we are for Dundee and the future of the city.”

Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the striking three-storey building is a new landmark for the city. Inspired by the rugged cliffs on the east coast of Scotland, the external areas of the museum feature plazas, large scale water features, and more intimate spaces for people to gather within and enjoy.

The high quality hard and soft landscape palettes offer a simple, robust landscape.

A simple approach was also taken with the selection of landscaping materials with granite used predominantly to complement the museum’s interior.

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“THE MAIN AIM OF THE PROJECT AND OF OUR DESIGN WAS TO RE-CONNECT THE CITY CENTRE OF DUNDEE TO ITS BEAUTIFUL RIVERFRONT” 1T he V&A Museum of Design views across the entrance plaza and reflected in the large pools ©Ross Fraser McLean 2 A new edge to the River Tay ©Hufton & Crow 3 RSS Discovery within its new setting ©Hardscape 4 The building framing the view across The Tay ©Hufton & Crow 5 A simple public realm treatment as a setting for the V&A and as an edge to The Tay ©Hufton & Crow 6 Water and planting providing a different setting along the west of the building ©Ross Fraser McLean

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Explaining the concept behind the development, V&A Dundee project architect, Maurizio Mucciola, who worked for several years at Kengo Kuma & Associates and completed the project with his London-based practice PiM.studio Architects, says: “The main aim of the project and of our design was to re-connect the city centre of Dundee to its beautiful riverfront.

“During the initial design stages we examined the evolution of the site and found that at one time it had been a dock. Reflecting upon its past as a port city was a crucial part of rethinking its future.”

Located alongside RRS Discovery and surrounded

by water, the building only ‘touches’ the ground at the public, staff and delivery entrances. The lack of balustrades around the water features also helps to create continuity between the different parts of the landscape, paved areas and softscape.

Featuring curving concrete walls holding up to 2,500 pre-cast rough stone panels, there are 21 separate wall sections in the building itself and a pointed corner projects out over the River Tay like a boat’s prow.

“The idea of the concrete panels is to help the museum blend with the rugged landscape by giving it

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the familiar appearance of a Scottish cliff face,” explains Maurizio.

By day, the structure is reflected in the surface of the water while at night the building’s dramatic form is emphasized with integrated lighting.

Beyond its curved walls, the development features public spaces alongside water features. High-quality materials have been selected, including granite paving, benches, tactiles and kerbs.

“The materials we used are relatively simple, with granite for the paving and benches to complement the darker limestone of the main hall, because we didn’t want to over-design the public space.

“With the design of the open spaces around the building we wanted continuity between inside and outside spaces, and we were also keen to create a sequence of public spaces with different character around the building,” adds Maurizio.

The development of public realm proposals for the prestigious project was carried out by landscape architects Optimised Environments (OPEN).

Explaining the concept behind the landscaping design, Ben Palmer, a director at OPEN, says: “A simple approach was established, using a single tone of granite to create the series of spaces and walkways that can accommodate activity and performance, and allow people to explore the outside of the building and enjoy the waterfront location. Significant water features were included to set the building within a ‘dock’ environment.

“Every detail needed to be considered and resolved.

How materials were to be cut, terminated and edged was reviewed as was the approach to the soft landscape elements of the scheme.”

Other challenges, explains Ben, included access control, delivery of artwork, servicing, façade cleaning and refuse collection. Significant pieces of infrastructure such as a bore field for the ground source heating system needed to be accommodated, as did the plant for the water features. All these considerations added complexity into the scheme, he says, but at each stage the challenge was to keep within a restricted palette and simple layout.

“Even before the water features had been filled, the effect of a building surrounded by water could be seen. The dramatic reflections on a still day contrast with the dark rippled dock-like water when it is windy.

The simple treatment of the public realm has provided a contemporary setting for the architecture,” he adds.

Hardscape supplied a variety of materials to the V&A Museum including the company’s Kobra granite paving, benches, tactiles and kerbs and Tezal Grey, Pheno Grey and Jinan Blue granite setts.

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6 Aidan Baun, Hardscape’s Scotland sales manager, says: “The most complex part of the scheme was the detail required around the water features.”

This part of the scheme comprised of three units – a corduroy tactile, a cladding facing piece, and a coping. Hardscape were responsible for the detailing of these units, which involved 600 individual pieces.

Hardscape previously supplied materials for the Slessor Gardens phase of work at Dundee Waterfront, as well as the soon to be finished Railway Station. To connect the internal and external schemes together,

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“THE BUILDING SHOWS PEOPLE HOW AMBITIOUS WE ARE FOR DUNDEE AND THE FUTURE OF THE CITY”

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7 Carlow Blue Limestone planks were also supplied by Hardscape for the tiling inside the museum.

On a wider level, the V&A aims to connect the new waterfront development to the city centre and this has involved the demolition of bridge ramps, roads and buildings. In their place, green civic space and attractive boulevards reconnect the city and the waterfront.

The improvements have led to benefits for pedestrians and cyclists. The National Cycle Route and North Sea Cycle Route pass through the area and improvements such as a bridge over the railway at Seabraes offer additional access.

Dundee’s Railway Station lies within the Central Waterfront zone and offers direct access to most of Scotland’s cities and also beyond into England and London.

The V&A is part of a masterplan aimed at transforming the face of Dundee waterfront. The project will include cafes and restaurants while parkland, Slessor Gardens, will feature at the heart of the Central Waterfront.

There is a new civic space next to Caird Hall and further open space is to be established at the water’s edge – Waterfront Place. Collectively the new civic and recreational spaces within the central waterfront zone cover an area equivalent to more than four football pitches.

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8 The River Tay is an internationally important special protection area, visitors include dolphins and the common seal as well as over 80 bird species including the bar-tailed godwit, greylag goose, sanderling and many more.

Within the waterfront, dedicated space for wildlife includes an extensive wildlife corridor alongside the East Coast Railway and the Riverside Nature Park both within the Riverside Zone.

Other plans for the area include an urban beach featuring a café, boardwalk and pine trees and work is due to start later this year.

7 Matching the hard landscaping to the building ©Hufton & Crow 8 Consistent use of quality materials for seating, paving & cladding ©Hardscape 9 Reflections doubling the building on a still day ©Ross Fraser McLean

Optimised Environments Optimised Environments or ‘OPEN’ is a multidisciplinary design company with masterplanning, urban design, landscape architecture, architecture and environmental planning at its core.

W: www.optimisedenvironments.com

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COASTAL REJUVENATION

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Littlehampton’s award-winning waterfront promenade project is a striking example of how the UK’s need for new and improved infrastructure can lead to wider regeneration

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esigned to enhance flood defences along the east bank of the River Arun, the £2.5m scheme includes a 450m stretch of waterfront that features welcoming promenades at different levels, terraced seating and attractive coastal planting.

At inception two main partners were involved – Arun District Council (ADC) and the Environment Agency (EA) – and initial project development focussed on options which primarily addressed flood risk. As these options developed it became clear that there were also major opportunities to adapt the flood risk scheme for it to act as a catalyst for renewal of the area.

On seeing the opportunity for wider economic regeneration, ADC and the EA appointed LDA Design, through CH2M as lead engineer, to produce proposals for

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enhancing the planned flood defences to create a high quality public realm in an area previously characterised by run-down materials and spaces.

Prior to the project going ahead, community workshops were held to define what local people felt was important about the place.

“A lot of people felt that they wanted something that was derived from the local landscape character and quite pared-down and high quality,” says Sophie Thompson, a director at LDA Design.

Complementing the broader investment that had already taken place, the resulting scheme created an attractive link between the riverside and seafront.

“This is a relatively modest and yet effective scheme, one that not only better protects the people of Littlehampton but also better connects the town to a greatly improved waterfront,” adds Sophie.

And Councillor Paul Wotherspoon, Arun District Council cabinet member for Neighbourhood Services, says: “It is a delight to see the East Bank in its full glory.”

The Council provided £1.9m of funding towards the public realm enhancements to the riverside walkway, which included grant funding from West Sussex County Council’s Kick-Start Programme and the Coastal Communities Fund.

“The design was influenced by textures and materials seen around the town and coastal location and incorporated intelligent planting and new street lighting as well as replacing the street furniture and creating new steps and ramped access,” explains Cllr Wotherspoon.

The scheme demonstrates the importance of ‘beautiful infrastructure’. LDA Design worked closely with the flood defence engineers to turn what could have been an unattractive and high concrete wall into a carefully crafted public space.

“The whole ethos of the project was that it wasn’t about just the infrastructure, it was about using the flood defence development to create benefits in terms of people and the environment and obviously planting is part of that. It was a very collaborative process,” explains Sophie.

And Cllr Wotherspoon adds: “Working closely with LDA Design has proven to be an extremely successful partnership and seeing residents and visitors alike enjoying the area and the atmosphere it creates in that part of town is a joy.”

Within a relatively narrow space the defences have emerged as a striking seafront attraction with materials and details that relate strongly to the local context. All materials were chosen to be robust, long-lived and to withstand the harsh marine surroundings.

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Ferrocast was used for all balustrades and handrails to prevent rusting in the saline environment while insitu-concrete paving, steps and ramps provided a resilient base for the promenade.

Kebony®, a sustainable alternative to tropical hardwood, was used throughout in accordance with the EA’s timber policy and along with the timber lighting columns will begin to fade to silver as the scheme ages. In addition, some materials such as the corten steel panelling will have a continuously changing patina.

Planting considerations The planting design was carefully developed to achieve a number of objectives. Plant species were chosen because they were either typical of the West Sussex coastline – or were already growing on the beach – or evoked a seaside character. The aim was to achieve a ‘spontaneous’ coastal planting arrangement that was naturalistic rather than formal in design.

“The idea was not to achieve a continuous cover of plants, instead they were planted in a way to appear sporadic, as if they had colonised naturally,” explains Sophie. Plants were also chosen to create all-year round visual interest and to complement the hard materials used throughout the development.

Bold ornamental grasses create large swathes with accents of colour dotted throughout to give seasonal interest. In other areas, a muted palette with more emphasis on seaside grasses gives an authentic coastal experience.

Due to the coastal location the plants were selected to be well suited to withstand the harsh maritime environment. The species chosen are salt and wind tolerant, drought resistant and hardy, to ensure they naturally thrive.

As much of the chosen planting was self-seeding, colonising or spreading, it could be planted at a reasonably low density and would eventually fill the planting areas over time.

“We purposely put some annuals in there like California Poppy to naturally self-colonise. The design seeks to balance ecology, visual interest and maintenance and then also withstand the coastal environment as it’s quite an exposed site with the river and the sea,” adds Sophie.

Taller species such as Kniphofia ‘Alcazar’ and Deschampsia cespitosa were mixed with lower level planting, including Sedum acre, Silene maritima and Armeria maritima. The mix of species was selected to show subtle change as the planting moved inland

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7 with bright colours chosen to lead people along the promenade to the seafront. Efforts were also made to choose plants that introduced biodiversity and benefits for wildlife, including bees and butterflies.

Easy maintenance Another important consideration was that the scheme required minimal maintenance. “With this project the aim was to eliminate the need for watering and ongoing intensive maintenance,” adds Sophie.

The development has proved extremely popular with locals and visitors alike, as Sophie explains: “We have had some lovely feedback from people who have holidayed here for generations saying how much they really liked it and commenting on the planting and asking about the different species.” The flood defence scheme has also won national recognition from the Royal Town Planning Institute, picking up a national award for Excellence in the Innovative Delivery of Infrastructure.

“Within a very narrow plan area the scheme has delivered profound and lasting economic and environmental benefits to the town, taking 2,000 homes and businesses out of flood risk, while becoming a destination place that has significantly increased visitor numbers, dwell times and spend,” says Sophie. With the east bank regeneration proving so popular both locally and nationally, it is now hoped that funding is secured to help deliver further projects to rejuvenate Littlehampton town centre and seafront. Conceptual proposals have been developed by LDA Design which the Council aims to develop as and when funding is secured.

“IT WAS ABOUT USING THE FLOOD DEFENCE DEVELOPMENT TO CREATE BENEFITS IN TERMS OF PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT”

8 1 B right colours have been chosen to lead people along the promenade to the seafront 2 Sporadic planting achieved a naturalistic look 3 Taller species have been mixed with lower level planting 4 Planting chosen to withstand the saline environment 5 Bold grasses create a striking seafront ambience 6 Sea Holly against the feather grass 7 The promenade following the improvements 8 Plants were chosen to create all-year round visual interest All images ©Toby Smith

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23/07/2018 09:02

PORTFOLIOS

PORTFOLIO

P30 National Memorial Arboretum Fira

P34 Sky UK Headquarters Alexandra Steed Urban

P37 New Holland West 8

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NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM STAFFORDSHIRE Fira

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he National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) is the UK’s year-round centre of remembrance; a spiritually uplifting place which honours the fallen, recognises service and sacrifice and fosters national pride.

Located in Staffordshire, the 150-acre site forms part of the National Forest and contains 30,000 maturing trees and more than 330 memorials.

It is a living and lasting centre of remembrance and memorial which honours the personal sacrifices made by the armed forces and civil services.

Increasing visitor numbers prompted the

development of a master plan which included the building of a new remembrance centre and the refurbishment of the Armed Forces Memorial (AFM). These improvements have transformed the site into a place of global significance with the NMA now able to accommodate greater numbers while providing a space for reflection, memorial and celebration of life.

The brief The new remembrance centre is the culmination of years of collaboration between the NMA and Fira.

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PORTFOLIO

Client National Memorial Arboretum & The Royal British Legion Build time 10 months Size of project 2.58 hectares Project value £18.7million (£15.7million Remembrance Centre, £3million AFM) Landscape architects Fira Architects Remembrance Centre: Glenn Howells Architects Armed Forces Memorial (AFM): Purcell Main contractor (Remembrance Centre) Stepnell Main contractor (AFM) Szerelmey Conservation Landscape contractor Grace Landscapes Tree nursery Hillier Nurseries Shrubs Johnsons of Whixley Stone paving Marshalls Water feature Fountains Direct

2 Designed with great care and empathy, the project was highly complex with consultation required with two clients, military and civilian stakeholders and donors. Fira was commissioned in early 2009 to prepare a masterplan for the development on its existing site and to plan for its future expansion.

The site was expected to double in size to become an inspiring horticultural experience, reflecting its special memorial significance.

Jane Findlay, co-founder and director at Fira, said: “Our philosophy was to create a place which was befitting of a place of national remembrance, that was calm, dignified and uplifting.”

History of the NMA The NMA was established in 1997 on reclaimed quarry workings between the River Trent and the Tame, in Alrewas, Staffordshire.

The arboretum was originally conceived in 1994

by Commander David Childs CBE who wished to create a national site of remembrance.

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1 M ain entrance into Armed Forces Memorial (AFM) © Andy Webster/Fira 2 H eroes’ Square ©Andy Webster/Fira 3 W ater feature and meandering path ©Jane Findlay/Fira

Fira

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Fira is a nationally recognised, people-centric practice of landscape architects, urban designers, masterplanners and architects. Over the past four decades its pioneering approach to design – with emphasis on sustainability and wellbeing – has positioned it as one of the country’s leading landscape design practices.

W: www.fira-la.com

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PORTFOLIO

Following its opening in 2001, the NMA saw an unprecedented growth in visitor numbers from 12,000 to more than 300,000 by 2009. This was largely due to the opening of the Armed Forces Memorial (AFM) in 2008 which established the NMA as the UK’s principal site of remembrance.

This striking stone monument records the names of all service personnel who have been killed on duty or as a result of terrorism. Over this time the NMA’s visitor demographic also changed with more young people and families visiting the site.

Today the NMA is independently run with support from The Royal British Legion and attracts almost 400,000 visitors every year. Every November hundreds of people gather here for the Armistice Day service. This increase in visitor numbers and a change in demographic provided the impetus for the creation of the NMA’s ‘Long Term Plan’ and masterplan.

4 The masterplan The plan identified the need for a more engaging and informative visitor experience; to provide better circulation and to make better use of the existing buildings. Importance was placed on the need for the buildings to relate to the arboretum, making the synthesis of landscape and architecture pivotal to the success of the project.

The landscape together with the building, needed to act as an introduction to the arboretum and serve as an orientation for visitors. During the early design stages, it became evident that the car park was key to improving the visitor experience and a ‘light touch’ intervention was included in the project.

The entrance to the site was redesigned in collaboration with Glenn Howells Architects. As the site was due to undergo major disruption during the

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Awards for the Remembrance Centre at the National Memorial Arboretum RIBA National Award 2017 RICS UK Top Project of the Year 2017 RICS Overall Winner Leisure & Tourism 2017 RIBA West Midlands Award 2017 RIBA West Midlands Building of the Year Award 2017 RICS West Midlands – Community Benefit 2017 RICS West Midlands – Tourism & Leisure 2017

construction of the new remembrance centre, the opportunity was taken to refurbish the existing AFM at the same time.

Apart from essential maintenance to stonework, other improvements to the monument included a new stone-paved surface, drainage improvements, upgraded pathways and lighting.

As the remembrance centre was partially funded by donation it was important that the project was delivered within budget. The project also had to be delivered on time as the site hosts many annual events and royal visits. The development placed trees at the heart of the design and this was a key factor in connecting the built development with the landscape.

Drawing soft landscape closer to the building created stronger visual and physical connections with the arboretum where it can be used to frame views, define space and assist with wayfinding.

The centrepiece of the project is Heroes’ Square and the Boyes Garden which sweep gently to the level of Millennium Avenue physically connecting the building to the arboretum.

Materials used include Yorkstone paving, walling and setts, timber bench tops and castiron grilles. Heroes’ Square features commemorative paviours, engraved with cap badges or crests of the Royal Navy, the British Army, the Royal Air Force and City Livery Companies. The paving was placed according to battle honours grouped around the trees.

4 ‘ Blown Away’ Sculpture in The Boyes Garden ©Jane Findlay/Fira 5 Seasonal planting ©Jane Findlay/Fira 6 Heroes’ Square ©Rob Parrish 7 Heroes’ Square ©Jane Findlay/Fira 8 Engraved paving in Battle Honour Order ©Marshalls 9 Water feature and meandering path ©Andy Webster/Fira 10 Original bronze sculpture by Ian Rank-Broadley in its improved setting ©Andy Webster/Fira 11 AFM steps with tactile paving ©Andy Webster/Fira

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PORTFOLIO

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PORTFOLIO

SKY UK HEADQUARTERS ISLEWORTH, WEST LONDON ALEXANDRA STEED URBAN

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PORTFOLIO

Client Sky UK Headquarters Build time 2015-2017 Project value Confidential Size of project Five hectares

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ky UK has transformed its headquarters by undertaking extensive redevelopment works on their campus in Isleworth, west London.

The broadcaster undertook the project to consolidate the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations and host up to 12,000 personnel.

Adjacent to the M4 and close to Heathrow, the five-hectare site is also recognisable from the air due to the wind turbine at Sky Studios.

The mixed-use campus is a community in its own right and includes office space, studios and production facilities alongside research and development zones.

Designed to give Sky employees a calm, inspiring place to work, the grounds knit the site together and offer a pleasant and leafy campus environment.

Around 80,000 perennial plants are surrounded by 10,000m2 of formal lawns and 300 semi-mature trees. Notable trees onsite include the large oak on the bank opposite Sky Central which was craned in over the building during construction.

The meadow planting at the back of Sky Central and the areas heading out towards The Health and Fitness Centre are populated by wildflower which is controlled and monitored to strengthen biodiversity through the site, encouraging pollinating insects and, as a result, birds and wildlife to the area. The gardens

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4 are an eclectic mix of native and cultivated plants which require constant care and attention.

Alexandra Steed Urban developed the project closely with Sky and considered the landscape in many layers, including routes, zones, character and planting areas, trees, surface types, furniture and features.

The arrangement of landscape character areas complements the adjacent building uses and zones and they are defined by their composition and selection of plant species. For example, there is

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yorkstone cafe terrace seamlessly connects with the great lawn 2 The Sky Street approach is framed by Honey locust trees 3 Sky Street walk, bounded by an allee of Honey locust trees and furnished with bespoke timber benchs 4 The great lawn, terracing down from the perennial garden and framed by the woodland is an open, sunny lunchtime spot 5 The upper walk, at the south end of the site, towards the multi-storey car park

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PORTFOLIO

a perennial garden, meadow, great lawn with a single oak, woodland, and wetland. In each of these spaces, planting was selected to provide seasonal beauty and interest.

While the project was conceived with specific programmes in mind, it allows for flexibility and for the people using the landscape to create their own patterns.

The landscape design began in April 2015, moving through concept to detailed design, and soon after construction began. The campus opened in August 2016, but all final phases of landscape construction were completed in February 2017.

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great lawn in the background, seen through the perennial garden and allium seed heads.

7 The striking wind turbine at Sky Studios 8 View from within the perennial garden towards Sky Central Photographs 1-6,8 ŠEdward Denison

ALEXANDRA STEED URBAN

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Alexandra Steed founded URBAN in 2013. By synthesising her background in art, landscape and sustainability, she transforms urban spaces to places of art and beauty. Alexandra is a chartered landscape architect in the UK and has also worked for a number of years in Canada where she trained. In the last 15 years, Alexandraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work includes projects in the UK, Russia, Asia, The Americas and the Middle East.

W: www.alexandrasteedurban.com

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INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO

NEW HOLLAND

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SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA West 8

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ounded by Peter the Great in 1719, the island of New Holland is one of Saint Petersburg’s most important historical and architectural landmarks. The area used to be naval force territory and for decades was largely off limits to the general public, but following recent developments, the island’s role in the city has been reinvented and it is now a multi-functional space.

In November 2010, New Holland Development (NHD) won the bid to restore and redevelop the island. The primary objective was the restoration of monuments of industrial architecture and the establishment of a new mixed-use complex.

As part of the development, a master plan

by Dutch landscape and urban design company

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West 8 combined a new landscape with the island’s architectural monuments.

West 8’s plan was to showcase the island’s architectural and historical features while creating accessible open spaces. The aim was to transform the site into a multi-functional public district that welcomes the city’s citizens and acts as a catalyst to attract intellectual and creative forces from all over the world.

The aim is to make New Holland ‘a city within a city’. The island will encompass a number of new programmes and functions, combining office spaces, culture areas, exhibition spaces, restaurants and retail zones and an aparthotel.

The outdoor spaces offer a series of public and green areas necessary for creating an ambient public

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Client New Holland Development (NHD) Consultants Spectrum Group, Ooo Ni & Pi,´SPETSRESTAVRATSIYA´, Neskuchny Sad Project Value £3.9million (€4.14million) for phase one infrastructure and landscape engineering, excluding buildings renovation cost Build Time Phase one Park 2014 – 2016, Follow up phases still ongoing Size of Project 9 hectares

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realm. The Island also hosts a year-round event calendar, which now includes an open air programme of events and a variety of temporary installations.

Plans for the island include the opening of museums and exhibition halls, a research laboratory and educational facilities, in addition to commercial venues. Special attention was paid to the landscaping and greenery of the project, which covers an area of 2.2 hectares in total.

West 8 oversaw these plans, which included the planting of 200 mature trees, planted according to special technology that facilitates transportation. This is how the island got its alley of lindens, with inlaid pathways. In addition to the linden trees, the island features mature oaks, willows and a spruce tree.

The island also features streetlights and benches, designed to reflect the existing motifs in St Petersburg’s street furnishings. The central focus remains the green lawn which displays a selection of stools and chairs featuring the same design as seen at the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris.

During winter, this lawn will be replaced with a skating rink with a natural ice surface, music and lighting, and its own programme of special events.

For children, the main attraction is the island’s playground, modelled on the hull of the frigate ship ‘The Petr and Pavel’. The original ship was built by Peter the Great in Holland.

The island’s inner basin has also taken on a new look, with iron fences linking stone columns.

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INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO

Additionally, the island gained a walkway paved with stone, as well as a huge herb garden.

In the future, the park will feature large scale sculptures, art objects and installations by artists from around the world. While these larger projects were underway during 2014 and 2015, the island of New Holland offered a space for experimentation, through the programme ‘Summer on New Holland’.

Organised by the Iris Foundation, this programme transforms the parts of the island that lack historical buildings into an outdoor park with a series of events that bring together elements of art, culture, sports, urbanism, education and cuisine.

During this time, the island itself is used for public art, cafes and sports, where concerts, exhibitions, lectures, open air markets, children’s parties and general celebrations take place.

Phase one of the park was completed in 2016 and the restoration of historical buildings carries on to date. Last year the project’s phase two development, consisting of the pontoon on the water and the Bottle House, restoration and adaptation of the building of the former naval prison was launched which includes the round inner courtyard that now features the park’s ‘small stage’ by Ludi Architects, with its own programme of concerts, film screenings and other events.

Once closed to the public, New Holland Island is now turned into a centre of contemporary culture for Saint Petersburg.

5 Awards VII Russian National Award for Landscape Architecture Golden Certificate in Best Realised Object Design category and Golden Certificate in category ‘Best Realised Project of Public Space Design’ 2016

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1 Herb garden outside the Foundry 2 Landscaping at the embankment 3 The courtyard with stage 4 Temporary pavilions in the park 5 Site plan of the island 6 The new park’s lawn area 7 The children’s playground

West 8

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

We also develop concepts and visions for large-scale planning issues that address global warming, urbanization and infrastructure.

W: www.west8.com

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Corten steel

P42 Street furniture Considering aesthetics with landscape security

P46 Soil Freeland Horticulture

Martine Le Gassick, creative director at Stark & Greensmith on Corten steel “When first designing our metal screens I wanted to choose a material that would perform on many different levels.

It needed to be strong, recyclable, maintenance free, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing. For me Corten met the brief perfectly as the colour and patina sit beautifully in the natural environment, it is a reliable material structurally and is extremely long lasting, therefore reducing the need for us to replace fencing on a regular basis. Forward thinking creatives and designers were the first to use Corten,

MATERIAL FOCUS

CORTEN STEEL

THIS MONTH WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE VERSATILITY OF Corten steel AND ITS BENEFITS FOR USE IN COMMERCIAL PROJECTS

©Stark & Greensmith

MATERIALS P40 Focus

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eathering steel, often referred to as Corten steel, is a group of steel alloys which were developed to eliminate the need for painting, and form a stable rust-like appearance after several years’ exposure to weather. Its rich rust patina is a desirable finish chosen by designers and architects worldwide. It is popularly used in outdoor sculptures, such as in the large Chicago Picasso sculpture and the Angel of the North, Gateshead.

Garden designers, horticulturalists and landscapers have embraced this material as the surface sits well in our natural landscape as an enhanced backdrop to planting, enriching the colour palettes chosen in the design.

working with its versatility and strength to create beautiful backdrops, sculptural pieces and metal fretwork.

In the last year we have seen Corten move into the mainstream as designers have presented it to the public on the international stage of The RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) flower shows.”

Weathering Corten steel In its early stages Corten does have a coloured run off but this is easy to plan and only lasts while the material stabilises. Longterm it is maintenancefree – another reason why it is chosen by garden enthusiasts worldwide.

Our tip for acceleration is to avoid chemical options and choose to spray with a saturated salt solution. The surface will react almost immediately to protect itself and then begin its transition into rich red tones. The tones will gradually deepen and darken with age and begin to sit back over time.

CASE STUDY – URBAN FLOW GARDEN At this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, we worked alongside the talented and award-winning designer; Tony Wood. His beautiful garden ‘Urban Flow’ for Garden Club London was designed to respond to climate change and demonstrated the use of the planet’s precious resources responsibly.

Tony’s Urban Flow garden was awarded one of Chelsea’s highest accolades, a Gold medal and Best in Category for Space to Grow. Urban Flow Garden featured our new design ‘Flow’ in Corten steel. The pattern is reminiscent of cracked earth and references the garden’s focus on water conservation.

P49 Drainage Artistic innovation from Lateral Design Studio www.futurearc.co.uk

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JOHNSONS OF WHIXLEY

WHOLESALE COMMERCIAL

One of the largest Amenity Nurseries in the UK and Europe We grow an extensive range of plants to suit a range of requirements, and recognise that contractors are often working to impossible timescales, which is why we are able to deliver within five working days.

• Extensive range of plants & sundries • Quotes within 24 hours & deliveries within a few days • Accredited to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 • A founding member of HTA Plant Health Biosecurity System (PHMS)

“98% of deliveries arrive on the agreed date and 85% are made within five days of an order being made.”

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MATERIALS

DESIGN FOR SECURITY P Jaz Vilkhu, managing director for Marshalls Landscape Protection, argues that architects and landscape architects should give greater consideration to the aesthetic design of security measures, as opposed to the concrete blocks and barriers that have been installed across the UK and Europe

1 1 Marshalls’ RhinoGuard Giove planters offer a PAS-tested security solution that is both robust and aesthetically appealing

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rotecting against vehicle attacks, or Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM), has become a key concern for architects and according to last year’s Terrorism and Trends report, the number of concrete and steel barriers installed around landmarks, infrastructure, buildings and public spaces has risen sharply as a result. There are numerous examples across the UK, with installations in place at Windsor Castle and to protect parts of Manchester, Edinburgh and Westminster city centres.

But the problem with this type of fortification is that while it shows that authorities are taking the terrorist threat seriously, it serves as a constant reminder of the risk that exists.

The issue is that this type of measure could, for example, deter the general public from shopping on the high street, attending a music event or visiting a city centre. It’s a human psychology issue, which constitutes a vicious cycle where the greater perception of risk results in an individual feeling more threatened. This is no temporary reaction, it’s hardwired to the human brain – when we’re anxious our attention is drawn towards something threatening and away from everyday life.

A balanced approach Reducing the threat of a vehicle attack is the clear priority, but this doesn’t have to come at the expense of how individuals feel about using a particular space.

What is needed is a multi-layered, balanced approach that will enhance a landscape while providing the adequate level of security required.

In the UK, there has been significant progress on this front and we’re starting to see more architects consider this methodology. In a recent study of 698 landscape architects, designers, land security professionals, facilities managers and specifiers, which Marshalls published in partnership with IFSEC Global, 79% said they had seen the number of projects requiring aesthetically pleasing landscape protection increase over the last three years. Almost all were confident this trend would continue moving forward.

The security products used as part of this innovative approach integrate protective, crash-tested technology

into carefully designed landscape furniture, such as planters, seating, bollards, litter bins, cycle stands and lighting columns. They act as a far subtler line of protection than steel barricades or concrete blocks and are built to PAS 68/IWA 14.1 certifications - the latest Publicly Available Specification for barriers and bollards to assist in terrorism prevention. This sets a standard for the products and their foundations when subjected to impact and can be tailored depending on the risk architects are looking to protect against. For example, a correctly specified, single piece of furniture can stop a 7.5t articulated lorry travelling at 50mph.

In addition to the PAS 68 BSI test standard, the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) expects that all security designed to protect against vehicle attacks comply with the International Workshop Agreement (IWA) rating. This ensures that each model is standardised, no matter where they are built and installed in the world, to keep the specification process as simple as possible.

These products are used most effectively as the final line of defence, but the planning and designing of security products into a new or existing space should not come last on the list of priorities. It should be considered at the outset of a project with the goal of reducing risk. This can be done by integrating restricted width lanes, chicanes and water features into the road infrastructure to reduce vehicle speed and risk to areas with high footfall.

Delivering an aesthetic HVM project This approach was adopted for a new 5,000-capacity sports facility in Ravenscraig near Glasgow, which was developed to be used as a venue for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and training base during the London 2012 Olympics.

Its planned use for future sporting events, such as the Olympic affiliated ‘International Children’s Games’ in 2021, meant that security was a key issue when it came to designing the facility. As part of the risk assessment, the planners and architects decided that given the potential for large crowds outside the venue and local road infrastructure, measures were required that could withstand an impact of a 2.5t vehicle travelling at 40mph.

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MATERIALS

The architects specified 28 bollards for installation around the front of the site, protecting major pedestrian access points. Lifting bollards were also placed on the road network around the centre to restrict vehicle access on a temporary basis when an event is on.

The rising threat from hostile vehicle attacks means we can expect architects to place greater priority on security when it comes to designing and specifying new urban spaces, particularly those with high footfall. Rather than erecting concrete barriers or steel barricades to protect the public, this approach will play a key role in ensuring people are safe but not scared, providing the protection the public need while making sure security measures donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t impact the appearance and feel of a landscape.

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2 Adopting an aesthetic approach to security will play a key role in ensuring people are safe but not scared 3 The Igneo protective seat combines security and visual appeal 4 Concrete and steel barriers have been installed in towns and city centres across the UK 5 Each product is built with crash-tested technology accredited to PAS 68IWA 14.1 certifications

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Marshalls Landscape Protection is designed to promote the safety of shared urban spaces, forming part of the street furniture market.

The range consists of standard protection products as well as a wider range of aesthetic landscape protective furniture.

Marshalls has been supplying natural stone and concrete products since the 1890s.

W: www.marshalls.co.uk

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Advertising Feature

A GENUINELY INNOVATIVE ANSWER TO AN ESCALATING URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE

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or many older cities and towns, sustainable water management has been steadily rising up the agenda for years. Existing ageing infrastructure built for a different era and population, coupled with increased hardscape areas and roads for today’s living means that drainage infrastructure in some areas is at or above capacity. Heavy downpours result in the system being overwhelmed resulting in flooding and associated pollution and damage.

The harsh reality is that options to increase the capacity of existing drainage pipe networks are very expensive and unsustainable in the face of climate change.

What can be done, however, is develop sustainable and resilient SUDS systems that mimic natural drainage, allowing surface run off to be managed as close to the surface and as close to its source as practicable.

‘Greener Grangetown’ does just that, by re-landscaping the urban realm with soft landscape and SUDS interventions.

Greener Grangetown in Cardiff is an interesting example of a successful retro installation of SUDS features into an existing urban streetscape. The work was commissioned by City of Cardiff Council, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales and led by Arup.

Arup’s water engineers and placemaking team designed solutions that integrated SUDS with public realm improvements, with GreenBlue advising on the tree pit installations, and assisting the GG team from concept through to completion.

The Greener Grangetown project is located in one of Cardiff’s most densely populated wards. The project area runs alongside the infamous Rivers Taff, Wales’ busiest cycle network. Work was undertaken on 13 streets: Aber St, Abercynon St, Bargoed St, Blaenclydach St, Coedcae St, Clydach St, Cymmer St, Ferndale St, Llanbradach St, Taff Embankment, Taff Terrace and Ystrad St. Prior to the commencement of this scheme, the rainwater flowed into

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the sewer, mixed with wastewater from kitchens and bathrooms and was pumped around 8 miles to the Vale of Glamorgan, before being treated and released out to sea. By removing this rainwater from the sewer, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water has reduced the energy used for pumping and treating the wastewater. At the same time, by doing this, they have freed up some space in the sewer to help the region adapt to more extreme weather conditions which are caused by climate change.

© Arup

A Solution with Multiple Physical, Social and Economic Benefits As well as slowing the flow, cleaning water naturally and reducing the financial and carbon costs of pumping wastewater, a key goal was to ensure that Greener Grangetown delivered a wide range of other of economic, social and environmental benefits.

Martyn Evans, Project Lead from Natural Resources Wales, said “The new street designs included installing attractive rain gardens and kerbside planting areas. These not only enhance local biodiversity and wildlife, but deliver important improvements to water quality in the River Taff, and encourage water efficiency. By creating more green areas we’ve opened up new opportunities

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Advertising Feature

for people to enjoy walking, cycling and other recreation close to where they live and work. More greenery and tree planting also means noise and pollutants are better absorbed, and air will be cleaner too.”

As well as forming part of the rain garden strategy, the trees and shrubs bring a cohesive identity to the Greener Grangetown area.

The layout, species, shapes and colours of the planting gives each street an individual look. In total, 135 trees have been planted – and a total of 19 different species.

All the trees share certain characteristics. They are: • Generally deciduous so that natural light is maximised during the winter.

• ‘Street trees’ that can tolerate urban environments.

• Trees that provide interest all year round either due to leaf colour, bark or flowers.

• All trees are UK provenance.

• Trees with appropriate root volume provision, and designed for long term tree health.

• Trees with a 2.5 metre clear stem to ensure establishment and deter vandalism.

• Tree species with a high biodiversity value.

The Arup design team, working alongside tree officers at the City of Cardiff Council, urban tree and soil science specialists at Natural Resources Wales and GreenBlue Urban Ltd, put a design emphasis on long term sustainable tree planting for the raingardens and tree pits.

Where possible, tree pits were linked below ground, increasing available soil volume for the trees,

and simultaneously increasing water attenuation capacities, a true win-win.

Load bearing soil cells from GreenBlue, were used extensively to provide load bearing soil volume, and maintain uncompacted aerated soil conditions, perfect for root growth, water attenuation and transport, and air supply in the root zone.

Uncompacted soil media is vital in these situations – as tree health depends on the macro and micro pore structure within the soil. The structural components such as RootSpace and Stratacells look after the physical structure of the soil, enabling the soil to look after the tree.

This simple philosophy has served urban tree planting projects very well since first introduced globally by GreenBlue Urban back in 2001.

The Client Project Lead from Cardiff Council and instigator of the scheme Ian Titherington stated: “Green Blue’s input into the project has been a critical element, in delivering a truly green environment into streets previously largely devoid of such advantages. Working alongside our excellent design team from Arup, they have helped to already transform the street scene and peoples’ perceptions of the area; this being achieved before the trees have been located for more than two seasons.”

He concluded, “The success of this project must be judged on its ability to be a catalyst for many other similar schemes, and properly designed urban tree systems like Green Blue’s designs are to my mind essential, in delivering the multi-benefits that urban retrofit projects must deliver for their communities.”

GreenBlue Urban have enjoyed being part of the team making this scheme happen. From the earliest concept stage, experienced design consultants contributed to detailed drawings, and followed through, working with the contractor and providing active ‘on site’ support during construction. We continue to be involved as the project planting establishes and matures, for no other reason other than it inspires us! The GreenBlue mission is to ‘enable sustainable cities through Green and Blue Infrastructure’. Greener Grangetown is an exemplar of this vision and mission fulfilled.

For more information contact: GreenBlue Urban Ltd Greenblue.com E. enquiries@greenblue urban.com Tel: 01580 830 800 @GreenBlueUrban

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MATERIALS

SPECIFYING SOILS

FOR PODIUM LANDSCAPES Despite the popularity of podium landscapes, too many projects are failing to specify the right soil, says George Longmuir, managing director of Freeland Horticulture.

Here he explains why the right soil is so critical for success.

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he use of podium features in urban landscaping projects is not new, but it’s very fashionable.

It’s not hard to see why. They are a tidy way of incorporating people’s innate desire for nature into modern spaces that are becoming more urban and more densely populated.

Shopping centres, regeneration projects and office complexes all seek to create an appealing environment to attract visitors. At the same time, many also need to accommodate large crowds and easy throughput.

The runaway success of the High Line in New York, replicated on a smaller scale at the new King’s Cross development in London (and in many other cities), is a vivid illustration of how, in the midst of a concrete metropolis, people are attracted into a green living space.

Meanwhile, in Singapore the very term ‘concrete jungle’ is having a makeover. The greening of the urban environment there is seeing buildings apparently reclaimed by the tropical landscape with trees and plants overwhelming balconies and walls.

Greenery is acknowledged as important for improving the health of cities and their inhabitants.

Contemporary planting in public spaces, rooftop gardens and balconies doesn’t simply allow people to engage with nature, it creates places where people want to be.

The issue with soil Despite the popularity of podium features, there remains a lack of understanding about the soil required to ensure the plants thrive, according to George Longmuir, managing director of Freeland Horticulture.

George is a soil scientist and passionate about supplying the right soil to ensure the success of landscape projects. Freeland Horticulture designed the soils to meet the requirements of the Eden Project in Cornwall, preparing five different blends to meet the growing conditions of selected plants. Following greenhouse trials to mimic environmental conditions, Freeland set up a soil blending plant in Cornwall to create 100,000m3 of the required soils.

Similar care and analysis was involved in providing soil for the Olympic Park, now the Queen Elizabeth Park. Freeland was engaged to help prepare soil specifications to meet the demands of the vast range of plant species chosen. The project included designing and creating a low nutrient soil to establish wild flowers.

With more than 25 years specifying and supplying soils to support the success of landscape projects up and down the country, George has a simple message to landscape architects using podium landscapes: you need to request a specialist soil.

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Under pressure “Drainage is key to successful plant growth in podiums so the soil you use needs a much higher

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MATERIALS

2 sand content than normal topsoil,” he explains. “If the roots are flooded, the plants will die.

“The podium depth is important because more depth means more pressure, which forces the soil particles together,” he adds. “The higher the organic content, the weaker the soil becomes under pressure and, when water is added, the soil turns spongy retaining the water around the plant roots.

“That’s why podium soil needs to be specially designed for use. We use a medium coarse sand to maintain the integrity of the material under pressure, avoiding consolidation and compaction of the soil.

In topsoil, sand makes up 55–85% of the finished product, whereas in soil for planters, that figure can reach as high as 95%.”

The high sand content means the water may well drain faster than in a normal soil system, so it may be sensible to incorporate an irrigation system into the podium, although this will depend on the species planted.

What about weight?

The combined weight of the soil and planter can also be an issue. It is increasingly common for city offices to incorporate greenery into their roof space for workers to enjoy during the day. Even on ground level landscapes, underground structures like car parks or transport concourses may mean that weight is a consideration for the roof below.

In these situations, a maximum weight will have been specified by structural engineers. If necessary, a more lightweight soil can be created for the planting.

“In these cases, we add lightweight aggregate to the mixture,” George explains. “Normal topsoil weighs around 1.7t per m3, but the higher sand content of podium soil makes it heavier than this.

By adding a lightweight element that doesn’t impact

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3 the performance of the soil, we can bring maximum weight down to around 1.3t per m3.”

Most importantly…

George’s final message to landscape architects or companies involved in drawing up the soil specification for podium landscape projects is to highlight the fact that it is a podium project to your soil supplier.

“Tell us the size of the planter and ask us to guide you through the process of getting the right soil,” he says. “We’ve had instances where we’ve supplied topsoil for a scheme and been called to ask why all the plants have died.

“Topsoil just isn’t suitable for these applications and, if we don’t know that it’s soil for a planter, we can’t advise accordingly. It’s a question of playing to strengths. To get the right soil in these artificial settings, ask a soil scientist. It will save money in the long run.”

“HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT IT IS A PODIUM PROJECT TO YOUR SOIL SUPPLIER” 1 Freeland produced specialist soils for London’s Olympic Park 2 Freeland has multiple soil production sites across the UK 3 A futuristic illustration of a green city ©3000ad

FREELAND HORTICULTURE Freeland was founded in 1993 to put science into soil and they specialise in soils for specific applications. Today, with multiple production and delivery sites, they supply soils to landscaping contractors throughout the UK. W: www.freelandhorticulture.co.uk

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Full rolls, cut lengths and all ancillary products available for

Wide range of turfs available immediate for all applications including despatch Full rolls, cut lengths and all landscape, sport, play ancillary products Wide range of turfs available available for and commercial immediate Dedicated for all applications including despatch trade account managers and landscape, sport,Wide playrange of turfs available technical expertise available from for all applications including our installation and commercial managers Dedicated landscape, sport, play trade account managers and and commercial

technical expertise available from our installation managers Over rolls in stock at our UK warehouse

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Contact us for more information on our range and to request your free trade sample pack: www.hitechturf.co.uk Contact us for more information on our range and to request your free trade sample pack: Contact usinfo@hitechturf.co.uk for more information on our range 01244289182 and to request your free trade sample pack: www.hitechturf.co.uk

www.hitechturf.co.uk info@hitechturf.co.uk 01244289182 Advert template.indd 10

info@hitechturf.co.uk 01244289182

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Full rolls, cut lengths and all ancillary products available for

immediate despatch

Dedicated

trade account managers and technical expertise available from our installation managers

200

Over rolls in stock at our UK warehouse

Over rolls in stock at our UK warehouse

Competitive prices on all trade turfs with incentives for volume orders

Competitive prices on all trade turfs with incentives for volume orders

Competitive prices on all trade turfs with incentives for volume orders

23/07/2018 09:03

MATERIALS

1

FOCUS ON DRAINAGE

THE EVOLUTION OF DRAINAGE

Lateral Design studio provides insight into drainage products that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing

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any drains in recent years have not only lacked aesthetic appeal and quality but have also had to deal with severe and unpredictable weather conditions resulting in unwanted erosion, damage and other environmental deterioration.

Flooding is a growing problem worldwide and has been especially apparent in more recent years in the UK. The problem mainly exists in built up areas, brought on by increasing rain and snowfall. Over the years there has been a marked increase in hard paved areas to both commercial and residential projects where home owners have paved over their gardens to include parking. But, not only have they failed to design these alterations correctly, they have also failed to install an adequate drain system or even a channel drain to collect the water at the boundary of their property, even though this is a current planning requirement in the UK. There is a lot to consider where flooding occurs, including the reduction of green spaces, inadequacy of the existing drainage infrastructure, local installations that all fail to collect, hold, store and then safely direct the rain water in a controlled manner

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to avoid flash flooding. The subsequent environmental issues and the impact, resulting in damage to our homes and business properties, including the increase in sink holes, needs to be addressed. It has now become vital for all landscape designers, architects, urban planners, installers and home owners to consider how to help reduce this growing problem.

Design teams, planners, developers, builders, landscapers, designers and even home owners are now more design led and more aware of the importance of installing a quality drainage system.

Lateral Design Studio have spent the past few years developing drainage products that are functional but also aesthetically pleasing. The company’s aim is to bring art and quality back to the finer details of

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“THE COMPANY’S AIM IS TO BRING ART AND QUALITY BACK TO THE FINER DETAILS OF CONSTRUCTION AND ARCHITECTURE” 1 Interlaken - Elegant cast iron manhole cover 2 Aqualevel - a fully integrated level access drainage system

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MATERIALS

3 construction and architecture. Their main focus is to bring beauty to the mundane, without compromising on either its durability or functionality. They design and create award-winning quality architectural components for the construction, landscape, hospitality, leisure, residential and commercial projects, as well as for high profile urban schemes and other public realm projects for various historic buildings.

Lateral Design’s drainage gratings having been installed in a range of locations, including Blackburn Cathedral, Newcastle University and Hackney, as well as outside Canterbury Cathedral and throughout the Grosvenor Estate. In fact, the latter resulted in a commission to design and supply bespoke historic castings, including manhole covers, for the entire Grosvenor Estate for the next 20 years.

This also includes a revival of the classic Thomas Crapper manhole covers which they were specially commissioned to recreate for the Estate.

Lateral Design are about more than just aesthetics; providing everything from product sales to a full design and supply service.Offering all associated products including drainage channels, gullies and accessories to enable project completion using just one supplier.

Functional products are transformed into highquality products for residential, commercial and urban landscapes. Whether it’s a channel drain, bespoke manhole covers, architectural pieces of art, street furniture, sleeping policemen, or tree grates. They can design and create almost any item.

As well as offering a wide range of designs, they can also commission bespoke items. They provide a full design service and offer all associated products including class C250 and D400 drainage channels, gullies and a range of accessories to enable you to complete your project.

Many of their products are made from recycled materials, some of which are 100% recycled, including

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selections from their aluminium, cast iron and stainless steel ranges. The company have picked up a number of awards since their establishment in 2011, including the Best Residential Product of the Year at the SBID International Design Awards, Housebuilder’s Best External Product of the Year, Builds’ Best Innovative Targeted Construction Product and the UK and BUILD Pioneer Award for European Product of the Year for their Aqualevel product.

Aqualevel is the only level access drainage system that protects the fabric of the building; it is a fully adjustable drainage solution for all door systems – bi-fold, sliding, tilt and slide. The multi-function drain system collects and redirects both surface and roof rainwater away from your door track and condensation from glazed doors in a controlled fashion. It also allows for greater volumes of water to be collected and safely dispersed into your main drain system with water attenuation.

4 3 Morisco-Stylish and modern designs in stainless steel 4 Cast iron ‘Sun’ grate 5 A bespoke cast iron Hackney manhole cover

Lateral Design Studio Lateral Design Studio is a family run company with more than 30 years in the construction Industry. They transform functional construction products into works of art.

Combining unique designs with cutting edge 3D design technology, they use high-quality materials and only work with quality-assured British craftsmen and manufacturers.

W: www.lateraldesignstudio.co.uk

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www.futurearc.co.uk

24/07/2018 12:37

SUBSCRIBE NOW! £125

Sustainability Eco design with HPW

The interview Richard Broome Outerspace

Contact CHRIS ANDERSON: 01903 777588 chris.anderson@eljays44.com

M O N T H LY I N D E P E N D E N T MAGAZINE NEWS-BASED WEBSITE W E E K LY E M A I L U P D AT E

JUNE 2018

Village life Community space with Laragh Homes

PER YEAR

Light the way Urban schemes Lorraine Calcott 05/06/2018 15:21

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22 Inspiring, educating and informing the UK’s landscape architects and commercial landscapers Create a buzz with

Lindum's Biodiverse Range

Scotland

Wildflower and sedum mats for green roofs oof Green Innovation to enhance biodiversity and combat g climate change - pleasing to people and pollinators

INCORPORATING SCOTHORT

THURSDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 2018 ROYAL HIGHLAND CENTRE, EDINBURGH, EH28 8NB

www.futurescapescotland.com ADS.indd 209

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Tel: 01904 448675 Email: lindum@turf.co.uk @lindumturf www.turf.co.uk

20/04/2018 08:56

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www.green-tree.co.uk

Green Roof Essentials Intensive Roof Garden Substrate • Lightweight in texture • Good water-holding capacity • Ideal for green roof and containerised planting projects

Extensive Roof Garden Substrate • Lightweight in texture • Good aeration and water holding properties • Manufactured from award-winning Green-tree topsoil • Perfect for low maintenance wildflower and sedum installations • Manufactured from products compliant with BS3882:2007 • Award winning recycled product • Light, loamy sand classification • Excellent aeration and drainage properties • Good levels of fertility • Adheres to the UK GRO code • Moffat, Hi-Ab and Tail lift offload available

Also available for Green Roof installations: • gt Roofdrain • gt Deckdrain • Sedum Matting • gt Sedum Cassettes

For a copy of our brochure, call 01423 332 100 or email sales@green-tree.co.uk Green-tree is part of the Green-tech Ltd. family

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23/07/2018 09:04