CONTENTS About
Landschaftspark Gatow
Landscape reclamation, Landscape engineering,
Bellahouston Park
park design and management
Karaka Peninsula
urban expansion, regional planning, Low Impact Urban Design
Harlaw Reservoir
detailed design: materials and contsruction
AB O UT
I am a fourth year Landscape Architect student at Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA). My passion with landscape architecture began as I combined my creative flare with my adoration for the environment. Through experiencing the diverse landscapes of Europe, America and Asia I’ve seen how the landscape and space we inhabit shape culture and our lives. My approach to landscape Architecture is based on simplicity and functionality. Truly understanding the unique complex layers of a place. Seeing what it needs to become rich, productive and diverse. Drawing upon history, fashion, culture and ecology to achieve this at a range of scales.
FO L I O
My studies have given me the opportunity to be involved and learn about a diverse range of aspects in Landscape Architecture and related fields. From this I have gained a valuable skills set and knowledge base. During my studies I have become skilled in a number of CAD programmes including Photoshop, Autocad and Indesign. All of which are demonstrated in the following projects. The projects chosen have been to best demonstrate my creativity, design skills, knowledge base, graphic communication and technical ability.
LANDSCHAFTPARK GATOW RAF Gatow, Berlin, Germany
RAF Gatow is an disused military airport in South Western Berlin. Previously playing a major role in the Berlin Airlift during it’s time as an RAF airport: it was returned to the Luftwaffe in 1994. Today half the runway has been destroyed for housing and its hangers act as museum for the relics of the Luftwaffe fleet. Disconnected elements and their effects from it’s post military past are everywhere including high levels of heavy metal ground contamination. The project brief involved turning Gatow into an urban park. My approach to Gatow was to create a park characterized by it’s acceptance of it’s post-military heritage and dramatically altered natural conditions. The park offers rich original experiences that celebrate the story of it’s post-military facilities for succeeding generations. The design introduces a new programme of public activities in old settings which will allow Gatow to develop new relevance in peoples lives. The aim was to reveal the unique qualities of the place. Historic layers of use had left their physical marks through post military imprints, altered conditions and environmental contamination. However those qualities and different experience the site offers because of those unique qualities is the attraction of Gatow. My approach considers these disturbed and complex conditions for their creative potential rather than an obstacle that should be erased or camouflaged. If you wipe clean the site you remove the qualities for a second time. The first time being when it was stripped of it’s natural qualities to become an airport. With this in mind I re-used as much of the existing structure as I could by integrating the old elements such as the firing range, runway and museum into a new design. By reprogramming their functions whilst keeping the qualities they had gained made them key elements within the park.
Master Plan
Reprogramming
When re-programming these old elements I use the technique of designing in layers. The idea you are in one layer that has vertical compaction into another layer so that when you are in that layer you become aware of also being in another layer. For example users could be watching a film in the open air cinema inside the firing range so their in recreational layer but are aware their in an old firing range also making them aware their in a historic layer.
The firing range with it’s already outdoor amphitheatre shape becomes an open The remnants of the runway have been retained and act as key spaces in the park. The runway adjacent air cinema and performance space. This space will also become a unique venue to the airport hangers becomes an open air promenade displaying the Luftwaffe aircraft. A wildflower filled in Berlin’s international film festival bringing the park into current Berlin culture. SUD run the length of this runway making the museum only accessible by bridges, still connecting it to the park but also allowing it to close. Between the two central runways run community allotments. Located here to highlight the unique off scale feeling of being in a space originally designed for large aircraft. The large runway spaces will also host large scale festival events.
The airport hangers containing the museum have been modernised and the museum condensed to 6 hangers. The two largest hangers have become rentable events spaces for a multitude of large scale events such as concerts and exhibitions. The condensing of the museum and allowing it to act as a separate let it utilise it’s space. Using the hangers as events spaces creates revenue of the museum allowing its other exhibtions to stay free of charge.
The north-east end of the firing range has adopted a use inspired by the ranges former Due to the lack of campsite in the local area the wasteland beside the firing range is now a usage. It is an apocalyptic themed paint ball range that truly embraces Gatow’s ex-military woodland yurt village offering a novelty experience. It allows people to get out of the city and enjoy Landschaftpark Gatow and the surrounding area. state with empty tanks and wrecked cars providing cover for it’s players.
Agriculture Corridor
The agriculture corridor forms one of the new elements in the park. This urban agriculture corridor runs through the park made up from different scales of farming. Going from large commercial fields to picking your own fruit in strawberry fields or orchards to allotments. The point of this is so users can learn about the different ways food is produced and where they fit into that scale. Wether they relate more to commercial farming as they only purchase their food from a market or they enjoy growing and cultivating their own. The corridor includes a farming education centre that to allow users to learn about different farming processes in particular the ones that take place at Gatow. However due to the heavy metal contamination on site the land requires landscape engineering techniques of Phyto-remediation and soil washing before it is suitable for urban agriculture. The process of this clean up and transition into agriculture will be part of the parks programming as the clean up process will take place over a 56 year period. The farming centre will begin as a field centre to document and educate people about the parks transition.
Agriculture Corridor: Phasing Secondary pathway routes constructed including field grid for commercial farming. Field centre opens to give information on stage of decontamination process. It will initially chart the analysis process of finding out where exactly the heavy metals are and in what quantity.
The in-depth analysis of the heavy metal pollution begins. We are already aware that lead, cadmium and copper are present, but we are unsure of their exact distribution around the site.
Heavy Areas
metal analysis complete. identified for remediation.
Bioremediation technique of phytoextraction will be used to remove heavy metals from commercial farming and allotment areas. Hyperaccumaltor plants used to extract heavy metals from soil.
Orchard soil is now clean and returned for planting. There has now been 3 harvests of hyperaccumulating plants in the commercial/allotment areas.
Soil washing machines begin decontaminating soil in the orchard area. 1270000 cubic metres of soil need cleaned for this area. This will take approx 2 and a half years with 2 machines washing 17 cubic metres a day.
YEAR3
YEAR4
YEAR6
YEAR9
Orchard area is now producing food. At this stage some of the fields in the commercial farming area have been sufficiently decontaminated to become suitable for crops.
The allotment area is now clean and can begin to allow nearby residents to cultivate their own produce. Majority of corridor decontaminated. More areas clean and producing than are polluted.
Entire agricultural corridor is now active and producing. The once field centre has made full transition into farming education centre but still provides history of the site clean up.
The field centre becomes it’s evolution into the farming centre.
YEAR16
YEAR36
YEAR56
View looking towards agriculture and ecological corridors
Ecological Corridors
A huge goal for Gatow was to restore it’s ecological value after it was so badly degraded. This was achieved through the introduction of ecological corridors. As the corridors mature so does Gatows ecological value and it’s connection to the greater ecological network that surrounds it. The corridors made up of different interlinking zones that will be a rich resource for flora, fauna and park users to enjoy. Multiple environments make up the corridors including. • • • • • •
Mixed deciduous & evergreen woodlands Scots Pine woodlands Herbaceous and perennial grass meadow Wildflower meadow Clearings Intensified meadow planted with shrubs and trees • Reed pools They will also add a diverse range of spatial experiences as users move through he park. As the corridor evolves and changes so will these experiences. Landschaft park Gatow is in a constant state of evolution.
Ecological Corridors: Phasing YEAR3
YEAR4
YEAR9
YEAR11
Corridors of woodland becoming thicker and denser as saplings become young trees. Second phase of tree belt saplings planted. Orchard in agricultural corridor has also been planted and will double as an element in ecological corridor as it produces fruit attracting birds, insects and small mammals. The understory is left unmanaged to allow a key passage for animals into Gatows wider ecological framework.
Reed pools becoming lush and attracting birds and insects. First phase of scots pine planted.
Existing areas species rich in perennial and herbaceous grasses are managed to maintain current state. Existing meadow planted with shrubs and trees. Saplings planted along existing tree belts and museum. Wildflower seeds sown in SUD around museum.
First phase of Scots pine are now 8m tall young trees. Second phase of Scots pine can now be planted.
YEAR14
The meadow areas planted with shrubs and trees are now fully established creating noticeably different environments from the perennial grass/herbaceous meadows. First phase of tree belt maturing and merging with existing woodland belts. Second phase of saplings now young tees adding a different layer to the tree belts. Final phase of saplings planted in large northerly clearing.
YEAR15
YEAR19
First phase of Scots Pine are almost reaching maturity and are playing a key role in the ecological corridor as well as shaping the parks spaces. Second phase are now young trees. The third and final phase of Scots Pine saplings are now planted. Clearings begin to become more obvious as trees mature. The vegetation starts to contrast that of the understory of the woodlands.
YEAR25
The clearings are now fully formed elements within the woodlands and ecological corridor. They provide valuable habitat for wildlife. A diverse range of sun-loving plants and insects will benefit from these open areas. The transition zones of the clearings will give habitat to many species of fauna. The different clearings around the park containing different environments will vary in their ecological value.
BELLAHOUSTON PARK Glasgow, Scotland
Bellahouston Park is a public park in the South Side of Glasgow, Scotland, Between the areas of Craigton, Dumbreck, Ibrox and Mosspark covering an area of 71 hectares. In 1938 the famous Empire exhibition was held at the park. But since then it has been neglected with what little programming it has pushed to the edges. Due to this the park was run down, had attracted crime and avoided by local residents. The park lacked programming and management and from in-depth research into the current management plan and user surveys it was obvious it required a major change. The majority of users wished to see more recreational activities and the council wished to enhance the park bringing more visitors. My aim was to bring one or more elements to fulfil these needs. Since Glasgow is hosting the commonwealth games in 2014 there is a high emphasis on sport in Scotland currently. I decided the intervention in the park should take advantage of this and be part of the games but also fulfil the needs of the current users afterwards as well as attracting new ones. The intervention I proposed was a 800m regatta lake and accompanying watersports centre replacing the waterlogged void on the southern side of the park: allowing the arts and leisure uses to remain on the North side.
View from open vista overlooking meadow and lake.
Master Plan
During the games the park will host the start and finish of the triathlon events, with the 1500m swim happening in the new lake. Previously this event venue was outwith the city. The design lets this event take place in the heart of the city creating easier access for thousands of spectators and the route to weave through Glasgow city allowing athletes to experience it as they compete.
During the games the lake and sport facilities will be occupied. After the games several watersports club within the city are interested in relocating to the proposed facilities at Bellahouston. The water sports centre beside the lake offers the clubs a state of the art gym, boat/equipment storage, changing rooms and catering facilities. Not only this but the relocation of these clubs to one site would boost the watersports community in Glasgow.
View from sports centre looking over mixed use plaza to pontoons and lake.
New Programming
After the games Bellahouston takes on it’s new role as a park with a diverse programme offering rich experiences. The Bellahouston watersports centre opens after being the tourist information hub during the games. It will house and provide facilities for several sports clubs as well as a place for beginners to learn numerous watersports. The inlcusion of a deli cafe and boat rental provide forms of more light hearted recreation for a day out. The large shared surface plaza in this area will act as a multi- purpose events space from hosting sports fairs to farmers markets. Large pontoons leading off this plaza give easy access to the water or a place for passive recreation such as reading or feeding the ducks. Hosting events on this plaza will encourage new users to come and explore the rest of the park and what it has to offer. With all the facilities open this end of the lake should become a hub of activity. The wide pathways down the sides of the lake give access to large open vistas for active recreation and relaxation. The inclusion of bee meadows and multiple specimen trees around the lake will increase biodiversity creating opportunities for wildlife watching. These different spaces around the lake add to overall experience of the park as well providing a range of spacial experiences. The enhancement of the side of the park with active recreation activities should benefit the art and leisure programming on the north side including The Palace of Art and the House for an Art Lover Gallery.
section through lake looking towards watersports centre and plaza
Views to pontoons and watersport centre
Watersports centre & plaza
The new programme and spacial experience is far more diverse after the re-design of the south side of the park.
Section through full length of lake looking north to hill
KARAKA PENINSULA Karaka, Auckland, New Zealand
Whilst In New Zealnd I undertook an Urban Expansion Project in Auckland. The Auckland council has estimated that the population of the city will increase by one million residents before 2040. They accept expansion of the city into current greenfield sites will have to occur in order to house, employ and feed this increasing population. The initial stage of the group project involved designing the first steps of a development on the greenfiled site of Karaka, located on the Southern outskirts of the city. We proceeded to analyse the main landscape factors, elements, processes and patterns with recognition of the landscapes character and current agricultural use. From this analysis we were able to identify optimum areas for settlement growth. The main aim was to investigate the possibilities of an alternative model of urban growth with the focus being on ecological performance and ‘livability’ of the proposed development. From our analysis we proposed the area be developed under the concept of a Biosphere Reserve. This would help retain the rural feel of Karaka, develop high ecological performance and create housing and services for a large amount of people within a small part of the Auckland region.
The new bridge and rail link from Karaka Biosphere Reserve to Auckland CBD
Karaka Biosphere Reserve
The Biosphere reserve is an approach to conservation that aims to balance human resource use with healthy and protected ecosystems. The 3 main goals of the Karaka Reserve are conservation of biodiversity, research and monitoring of ecosystem health and promotion of sustainable development. To achieve these goals we divided the reserve into 3 zones: The Core Areas that are protected from resource harvesting or development. These are monitored by research scientists to measure overall health an biodiversity of the ecosystems. The Buffer Zones that surround the core used for environmental research, education and ecological tourism with aim of encouraging people to value the habitat conservation at the core and their immediate environment. The Transition Zones beyond the buffer zones are where sustainable development and human settlements are located. In this zone residents may harvest resources using sustainable practices.
Core Area Buffer Zone Transition Area Existing Main Roads Core Area
By establishing these sequence of zones the Biosphere reserve protects the core area and edges from unsustainable resource harvesting and environmental damage. At the same time humans can meet their resource needs, and the local populations get educated in sustainable practices to extend habitat and resource conservation into the future.
Buffer Zone
Transition Area
Buffer Zone
Karaka Development Density Plan
The built environment of the development itself occupies the transition zone. We proposed 3 levels of intensity within this zone; high density, medium density and agriculture. In total the development should hold 40,000 residents. We recognised that restoring the ecological health of Karaka can contribute to the quality and resilience of the proposed community. The biosphere approach saw us retire over 50% of the land for conservation, but this also meant greater integration of natural systems into the built environment and more efficient use of land and ecosystem services. The high density zone is mostly apartment living in the form of 3-6 story lifestyle blocks. Each with it’s own stormwater and ecological treatment systems at a range of scales. The high density areas have been located next to the largest areas of retired land on the coast to offset the intense built environment and give the large population immediate green space amenities. The decision to have a large area of high density aims to reduce the negative effects of a typical Auckland suburb by reducing horizontal concentration and replacing it with an increase in vertical concentration. This has meant over 50% of the land will not be built on, creating a wealth of space for recreation, education and ecological performance that will raise the quality of living. Each resident will have an ecological footprint that exceeds the sustainability of the development. However we argue that by having a higher density of people than has been of previous Auckland subdivisions we are retaining more land elsewhere in the development and wider region for other land uses, such as agriculture or native forest, which could help offset this footprint. As apposed to low density housing large areas have been allocated to agricultural production to provide direct resource support to the high and medium density developments. This could be in the form of farmers markets or local stores. The locating of the sole main commercial and transport hub in the high density area should allow most people to access services through walking and cycling. The proposed rail and bridge link leads from this hub connecting the development with Auckland city. Locating the rail link in the high density should encourage commute to the CBD by rail thus reducing traffic congestion within the development and surrounding area.
High density Medium density Agricultural land Main roads
Ecological Connections
Rangitoto Island
Auckland Domain
Waiheke Island Parks
Motuihe Island Browns Island
Mission Bay Park Kepa Bush Reserve Western Springs Park Oakley Creek Reserve
Ponui Island
Awaroa Park
Waikowhai Park
Waitakere Ranges
Ambury Farm Park
Murphy’s Scenic Bush Reserve
Clevedon’s Scenic Reserve
Totora Park Puhinui Park The biosphere reserve will serve as a connection between the east and west coasts of the Auckland region that are currently separated by the cities urban sprawl, not only ecologically but socially as well due to the proposed new rail link and arterial roads. The Biosphere would also be a large stepping stone for native birds and good seed source In Auckland region increasing the quality of the landscape mosaic
Hunua Ranges Margan’s Bush
Phase 2: Low Impact Urban Design The second phase of the project required individually developing an area of the high density further. I chose one of the sub-lobes that make up the larger Karaka peninsula. The 55 hectare site was flat with no vegetation and surrounded by the estuary. I used Low Impact Urban Design Development (LIUDD) to drive the design. LIUDD is a concept for sustainable living that looks at how to better integrate human urban development into natural ecosystems without having detrimental effects on them. It is the idea of minimising the negative effects of human activity on natural processes so the resources we gain from these processes are available into the future. The main principle of LIUDD is to work with nature’s cycles on a catchment basis to maintain the life-force and integrity of ecosystems. This means human activity within the catchment should help reinforce and not damage that catchments unique ecosystem and the interactions happening within it. The limits of that catchments ecosystem to regenerate resources and provide ecosystem services for human demands should be respected and not abused.
Catchment Driven Design
In keeping with the main LIUDD principle of working with natures cycles the form of the developments built environment was a directly influenced by the catchment and subcatchments within the development. The aim was to work with the catchments natural hydrological cycle and minimise the developments effect on it through strategic design moves. Sub-catchments that received the highest volumes of rainfall were not built on but instead revegetated. The majority of the developments built environment has been located in a medium volume catchment. Each sub-catchment the built area of the development occupies has it’s own treatment train of proposed larger storm water mitigation devices. The higher area of building footprint or impermeable surface within the catchment the more storm water devices I have proposed within it to deal with the higher levels of run-off these areas produce. As well as the volume aspect of the sub-catchments I looked closely at the natural flow accumulation of the development site. Making sure the majority of the built environment avoided high flow accumulation areas and kept to the ridges of the sub-catchments. This will help minimise contaminants from the development getting into the natural cycles. It also allows for a greater over land flow to treat the stormwater run-off before it reaches the estuary. The proposed location of the larger storm water mitigation devices in the treatment trains was in direct response to the terrain and patterns of flow accumulation in the area. The orientation of apartment building was strategic in beginning to connect residents with the landscape and bringing the surrounding landscape into the development. With this in mind building were orientated so each apartment has a visual connection to at least one or more green spaces including; coastal parkland, communal allotment gardens, linear parks containing rain gardens/wetlands and significant areas of revegated bush. The apartment blocks are surrounded by coastal parkland to help preserve the open coastal character and give immediate green space amenities. Linear parks penetrate the largest clusters of apartment blocks to provide a more even distribution of public space as well as balancing out the built environment. Such large areas have been dedicated to open parkland as parks, gardens and green spaces can significantly improve the wellbeing of urban residents. To encourage sustainability each apartment unit has access to communally run and maintained allotment gardens and orchards, located within close proximity to apartment buildings. These will help the residents become more sustainable by growing their own produce. These spaces for growing locally produced food for family and neighbours adds a layer of communal selfsufficiency and strengthens the community. It also integrates people with natural processes through agriculture.
Subcatchment Influence Legend Built Environment Stormwater treatment trains Sub-catchment volume High Low
Master Plan
In terms of Circulation and connection the development has been designed for the pedestrian. The large network pedestrian circulation routes provide quick access around the development and interconnecting green recreation spaces. There is also an extensive cycle path system interlinking the multiple block clusters and parklands. This cycle path system forms part of a larger coastal cycle path network that links this development to the wider karaka development including the commercial and transport hub proposed in stage 1 of the project. The road system of the development is minimal to encourage residents to use the healthier more environmentally methods of transport.
Large areas of the costal edge have been revegatated to provide new complex habitat corridors around the coast for flora and fauna and prevent erosion. The inclusion of wetland and riparian planting will also add to the range of ecosystems and increase biodiversity within the development. These revegatated areas will form part of a wider patch and corridor network along the coasts and rivers of the wider Karaka development as well as enriching the residents green space amenities.
Phase 3: Stormwater Management The final phase of the project required developing the proposed storm water treatment trains to be implemented in the development. This allowed me to go into greater depths on how the development could employ LIUDD principles of sustainability, working with natures cycles and efficient use of ecosystem services. The storm water system within the development will aim to ensure it has as low an impact as possible on the immediate and surrounding environment as well as helping the development to be more sustainable and add ecological value. An important goal for the design was to really integrate the way storm water was dealt within the developments built environment rather than delegating it to the edges.
Green roofs
The first step in the treatment train will be the green roof system covering every apartment building roof. Their main purpose will be to retain and reduce the run-off volume and peak discharge rate by holding back and slowing down the water. Benefits from the green roofs besides storm water mitigation and habitat creation include how it contributes to urban amenity and the overall goal of sustainability. The green roofs will help reduce energy requirements and costs for the development. They do this by insulating the building in winter and helping it stay cool in summer.
Rain Water Harvesting system
The second stage in the stormwater treatment train is the rain water harvesting system. The proposed rain water harvesting system will to supply water for toilet flushing and washing machines inside the apartment buildings as well as irrigation of the communal allotment areas in the building courtyards. It will decrease the developments water requirements, playing an important part in times of drought (common in Auckland summers). Integrating this kind of mitigation into the buildings will help residents see storm water as a resource rather than a problem to be dealt with. It helps people better integrate themselves with the natural cycle and again practice how to efficiently use ecosystem services.
Large Scale Rain Gardens
Overflow from this system and the small street rain gardens will enter larger rain gardens incorporated into the larger scale rain gardens that have been integrated into the public parkland spaces that surround and intersect the built environment. The main aim of this device is to aid infiltration of the stormwater whilst further filtering out contaminants that the street rain gardens failed to. These devices will also have green space amenity value as they are well integrated into the public space. There will be boardwalks through and around the rain gardens to allow for passive recreation such a reading or wildlife spotting as well as gathering spaces. They will help reduce the urban heat island effect as this large sea of planting will create cooler micro climates within the development making them practical destinations in summer months. Integrating the devices into accessible public spaces and allowing them to see the journey of the storm water from their street rain gardens or green roofs will help them gain a better understanding of hydrological processes and see storm water as a resource to be respected.
Typical Treatment Train
Large scale rain gardens integrated into public space
View over rain garden integrated into public space bringing ecological and amenity value.
Rain Garden Detail
HARLAW RESERVOIR Pentland Hills, Edinburgh, Scotland
Harlaw Reservoir is on the North Western side of the Regional Park, close to the villages of Currie and Balerno. It is a popular outdoor recreation destination and has uninterrupted views to the pentland hills. The brief was to create an intervention on the overgrown corner of land between the lake and visitor centre to improve the area. My approach aims to connect people with the lake and provide an area to take in and appreciate the surrounding landscape. The design sees the introduction of a large viewing deck and pavilion. Both geometric in shape to contrast their organic surroundings. Although the outer form of both is simple so as not to detract from the surrounding landscape but become vantage points to view it from. Materiality choices where key in the design with the deck being a steel construction clad in wood with rope railings to fit in with the rural setting. All hard construction elements are hidden to give the appearance the whole structure is timber.
The design has 3 spatial transitions. It begins as they approach the pavilion moving through the semi enclosed Scots Pine woodland, grass paths under foot. Moving into the pavilion they are more enclosed with timber planks suspending from the ceiling as if floating. These symbolise the Scots pine woodland and sky that are reflected on the lakes surface, blurring the boundaries between the different planes. From here the view out the pavilion dramatically frames the lake and pentland hills beyond. The user can then move out into the open deck raised above lake where they have 360 degree uninterrupted views of the landscape. This project gave me the opportunity to see how important materiality was to a design and how design continues even into the engineering detail.
Harlaw:Detail
Oak balustrade
Thick nylon braid rope 60 O
Rope will come through drill hole in balustrade and be secured by a knot
Cells filled with a 75-25 sand-soil planting mixture
mown path reinforced with a polyurethane cellular matrix
Viewing deck constructed from oak planks Coach bolts
Top soil
Seperation membrane
Pea gravel
1:20 Slope Bitumen layer to waterproof concrete Steel I-Beam Caithness setts pressed into concrete
64% Slope Cast in-situ concrete deck and slope support
Sub-grade (natural earth)
TH AN K
YO U
FOR
Y OUR
CONS I DE RA T I ON
Phone: 07807606945 Email: hainin14@aol.com