Landscape Architecture Portfolio by luke whitaker

Luke Whitaker Writtle School of Design

luke. Landscape architecture

www.allaboutluke.co.uk

Portfolio of Works

2010-2013

luke. Landscape architecture

www.allaboutluke.co.uk

Luke Whitaker Writtle School of Design Landscape Architecture BSc Portfolio of Works

2010-2013

luke. Landscape architecture

www.allaboutluke.co.uk

Luke Whitaker Writtle School of Design Landscape Architecture BSc Portfolio of Works

2010-2013

 Soho Square, London 2013 Promenade Park Maldon 2012

 Alexandra Hospital Maldon 2012 Imitation of Love Chelmford 2011 Construction Details 2011

 Garden of the Psyche Chelmsford 2011

luke. Landscape architecture

www.allaboutluke.co.uk

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I believe that landscape design can only exist after the essence of the place has been consulted and the requirements of the place been understood. A contextually informed conceptual approach ensures a landscape rich in metaphor and meaning whilst sensitivity to the existing landscape, local architecture, site ecology and client brief secures a design that doesn't simply ďŹ t but belongs. Functionally and sustainability serve as the most fundamental elements within a design led process which strives to make inspirational places for people. With a fervent belief that public place making should promote social engagement and ignite communities, my landscapes are designed as platforms upon which society can perform.

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luke. Landscape architecture

www.allaboutluke.co.uk

Year 3

Soho Square Westminster, London 2013



A Perpetual Pride

Soho Square 

This project presented the opportunity to design on a highly complex site set within a heavily urban context. It also provided the challenge of understanding, and designing for a diverse user group.

‘A Perpetual Pride’ is designed for and inspired by Soho’s vibrant Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. Through metaphor, symbology and programme this project produces a public landscape that champions the contemporary needs of the people who use it. Prompted by LGBT requirements outlined with the Soho Action Plan (Westminster City Council, 2006), ‘A Perpetual Pride’ presents London‘s alternative public space, celebrating not only the LGBT community, but the richness of cultural difference. Soho is recognized as one of London’s most culturally and socially diverse districts (Westminster City Council, 2006). Coupled with the ongoing Crossrail developments at the neighboring Tottenham Court Road Station this proposal provides Soho Square with a much needed contemporary landscape redesign. Conceived through the belief that the original design philosophies and principles of many historic squares no longer resonate with the idiosyncrasies of modern popular culture (Ward Thompson,1998; Edensor, 2002), this proposal also provides practical strategies that successfully marry the old with the new.







Soho Square

Tottenham Court Road

This 10,000 m2 site is located to the north of Soho Village, just south of Oxford



Street. Encompassed by the ﬁne grained

urban texture of Soho, it has a distinctive

historical and liberal character. With a traditional formal layout and a central garden encompassed by vehicle parking, Soho Square doesn’t mirror the more

vibrant and theatrical characteristics of its

cultural context. 1. The Edge 2. Candy Bar 3. The Gay Hussar 4. Centrepoint Greek Street 5. The Pillars of Hercules 6. G-A-Y 7. Ku Bar

8. The Admiral Duncan 9. Comptons of Soho 10. Freedom Bar Soho 11. The Village 12. Escape Bar 13. The Yard 14. The Enclave

12 14

100m

200m

LGBT Entertainment Venues

Multi-culturalism

1660

Oxford Street

International Cuisine

Soho Square

Live Entertainment

Greek Street

LGBT community

Old Compton Street

2013

London London Squares Squares Preservation Preservation ActAct requires requires retention retention of Lawn of Lawn andand Iron Iron Railings. Railings.

12 12 large mature large mature Platanus x hispanica Platanus x hispanica exist within thethe exist within central garden andand central garden must be be retained. must retained.

Maintain Maintain thethe plaza plaza function function butbut consider consider relocating relocating andand re-forming. re-forming.

Listed Listed mock mock Tudor Tudor huthut is aisdefining a defining feature feature of Soho of Soho Square. Square.

56 56 benches provide benches provide large scale seating large scale seating which must be be which must retained. retained.

A complex A complex oneone way way traffic traffic system system encompasses encompasses thethe Square. Square. Considered Considered reconfiguring reconfiguring vehicular vehicular circulation. circulation.

1 1 2 2

3 3

N N

TheThe majority majority of of surrounding surrounding buildings buildings areare Offices Offices suggesting suggesting evening evening andand weekend weekend noise noise levels levels won’t won’t be be problematic. problematic.

There There areare three three listed listed buildings buildings adding adding historical historical merit merit to Soho to Soho Square Square which which must must be be celebrated. celebrated.

TheThe Tottenham Tottenham Court Court Road Road Cross Cross RailRail development development is is estimated estimated to to increase increase daily daily passengers passengers from150’000 from150’000 to to 350’000. 350’000.



TheThe sculptural sculptural presence presence should should be be celebrated celebrated within within thethe new new design. design.

Sh af t es bu r

yA ve nu e

reet

Nationally Political Space

Corporate Entertainment

LGBT Socio-politically Private Space



t Oxford S

Soho Square Tottenham Court Road

Soho Gay District

Leicester Square

Trafalgar Square

0 100m 200m LGBT Socio-politically Public Space

  ‘Pride Parades’

Assumed Heterosexual Space

Temporary LGBT Public Space

365 days of the year. Located within Soho’s gay village

‘Gay Village’

LGBT and Heterosexual

the project assumes Soho Square as a politically private

Politically Private LGBT Space

Convergence

the design and balances the practical needs of the site with artistic expression. The concept is largely informed by theoretical discourses on the nature the LGBT community and public space during Pride Parades. Making a distinction between geographically public space and politically public space, ‘A Perpetual Pride’ provides a public space capable of reproducing the positive social and political impacts of Pride Parades

Permanent LGBT Public Space

LGBT Socio-politically Public Space

Leicester Square

Nationally Political Space

Soho Gay District Soho Square

Corporate Entertainment

Cultural Diversity

LGBT Socio-politically Private Space Corporate Space

LGBT Socio-politically Public Space

space (Johnston, 2005; Enguix, 2009).

Trafalgar Square



Geographically Public Space

Strong conceptual and functional foundations underpin



Spatially celebrate buildings with historic merit

Merge the boundaries between ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the square

Make entrances to central garden wider and more inviting

Visiblise LGBT imagery and symbollogy ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the square

Respect and maintain historic central garden footprint

Activate the edges and central garden area

Retain historic design principles including four lawns divided by central pathways

Introduce contemporary uses for historic structures

 The strategic framework was inspired by the requirement to pleasantly challenge the heterosexual assumption of public space. Designing a public space that provides a permanent challenge to the heterosexual assumption of public space requires occupants of the space to read and experience the symbology and metaphor imprinted upon it. It has also

with the unknown and the removal of barriers between homo- and heterosexual identities serve as the most successful methods for achieving this challenge.

Public Public

Private Private

Enlarge the central garden. Enlarge the central garden.

Spatially celebrate historic buildings and celebrate create ‘Public Spatially historic Plaza’buildings . and create ‘Public Plaza’.

Apply the public / private distinction. Apply the public / private distinction.

Insert continuous seating. Insert continuous seating.

Apply the ‘Spectrum’ of sexuality. Apply the ‘Spectrum’ of sexuality.

Insert the desired pedestrian Insert circulation. the desired pedestrian circulation.

Blur the boundaries between Apply LGBT symbology ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the central and outside the Blur the boundaries between insideApply LGBT symbology garden. garden. ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the central central inside and outside the garden. central garden.



been established that conviviality, humour, symbology, encounters

  

St hdoStreet So r xfo

ow R n rt Road

to ou SouttetnhamalkC

The Central Plaza

T in W 1M

Public Plaza

The Tudor Cafe Th

The Queer Plinth ain bo w

S e l is

Gre

S ton mp Co alk Old in W 2M

Sttreet

Frit t Stree

ton mp Co lk Old in Wa 2M

Primary Circulation Secondary Circulation

 Through programme and functionality the design provides a convivial space that invites in and pleasantly challenges the heterosexual omnipresence of public space. With visible LGBT symbology imprinted upon the landscape at its least ‘A

Primary Circulation Loading Bay Taxi Rank Moped Parking

Perpetual Pride’ is an important celebration of the LGBT community and at its most, provides a permanent challenge to the heterosexual assumption of public space. Symbolling imprinted within Soho Square ensures that the LGBT community, a key ingredient to the richness of Soho’s cultural fabric, are represented and celebrated. The Rainbow provides a piece of easy to interpret symbology whilst providing a protective spatial barrier over London’s most diverse square. The ‘Queer Plinth’, named to draw a whimsical parallel with Trafalgar Square’s Fourth Plinth, provides a platform for members of the LGBT community, and members Soho’s minority

Lounger Seating

groups, to project imagery and emerging identities to the public.

Back to Back Seating Single Bench Seating



Central Circulation

LGBT Socio-politically Private Space



Making the Private, Public

The Tudor Cafe



LGBT Socio-politically Public Space

Convergence of Identities

The Queer Plinth The ‘Rainbow’ Arch

9.850 10.0



Detailed Area

9.750

800mm x 200mm light granite paving provides a directional, hard wearing surface.

9.720 10.280 9.800 10.690

100mm x 200mm granite pavers connect the landscape with the architecture through scale and colour. The ‘Queer Plinth’

600 x 600 york stone flags contrast the direction paving and define nodal gathering points.

Tellima grandiflora Polystichum setiferum

Luzula sylvatica 'Marginata'

Lamprocapnos spectabilis

Buxus sempervirons

Fagus sylvatica



The Planting Strategy

The planting strategy is both conceptually and functionally informed. Whilst micro climates,

site location and site

conditions dictate the planting palette, the concept has informed the choice of plant sizes, textures and growing habits.

Conceptually, the design proposal celebrates cultural and social diversity, setting the site up as the threshold between cultural conformity and cultural expression. This concept has led to the inclusion of more wild plants set against a backdrop of vegetative formality.

London Plane (Platinus x hispanica) to be removed

With an anticipated increase in pedestrian traffic, the central plaza provides an unprecedented level of pedestrian circulation and a space that can accomodate Freestanding seating which serves the ‘Tudor Cafe’.

The Village Green



The Tudor Cafe

A Multifunctional Space

With the recognition of Soho as an ‘Urban Village’ (Westminster City Council, 2006) the central space provides an ‘Urban Village Green’ which will centre the community and allow for a range of cultural expressions.

A Place for Entertainment An Evening Programme

The Rainbow Arch provides a functional elegant structure which houses lighting equipment facilitating an even programme. The central; plaza can bring Soho’s famous entertainment industry into the public realm.



The central plaza accomodates temporary structures and seating which provides for a programme of events 356 days of the year. With the potential for a temporary bar around the Tudor Hut the square can host a range of festivities.



Celebrating

Diversity Cultural

Gay Pride



The Home of



A Perpetual Pride

London’s Alternative Square



luke. Landscape architecture

www.allaboutluke.co.uk

Year 3

Promenade Park Maldon 2012



Water Front Requiring Treatment

Area for Visitor Centre

M 45

0 36

Maldon Promenade Park

Promenade

Park 

This 23 hectare site presented the opportunity to develop master-planning skills across a large scale site. Problematic issues were addressed including ﬂood threat, vehicle and pedestrian circulation, site programming for a range of user groups and sustainability. The project also allowed for the design of a landscape led, architectural solution for the visitor centre.

Promenade Park is situated on the Blackwater Estuary, just south of the medieval town of Maldon. The park has enjoyed various landscape modiﬁcations which have satisﬁed the evolving programmatic demands of the space however, fragmented interventions have shaped a park devoid of a ‘sense of self’, lacking in spatial cohesion and which doesn’t happily converse with its coastal context.







14 1

13 7

12 4

3 6

11 9

5 64 M

10 8

Pedestrian Circulation

 The client conveyed a brief focusing on the design of a central area with a new visitor

such as the Splash Park, ornamental lake and promenade walk. Other issues included

Strategic Views

a defective ﬂood defence, a requirement to promote exercise and a need to offer the local youth a programme of activities.

1. Watersports Lake 2.Central Plaza 3. Visitor Centre 4. Childrens Splash Park 5. Skate Park 6. Salt Wetlands 7. Promenade Board Walk 8. Energy Field 9. Delphs Ditch 10. Car Park 11. Drop Off Point 12. Sports Field 13. Amphitheatre 14. Band Stand

Vehicular Circulation



centre, whilst retaining successful elements



B B B

 The Visitor Centre was designed to serve as the ‘central hub’ of the park and to provide visitors with an obvious start point for the journey and a point of reference as they explore the park. The Visitor Centre design was led on two fronts; to have a low visual impact, integrating into the existing

providing a contemporary take on a pitched roof.

Physical Activety

Entertainment

Promenade View

A Rest Zone

Central Plaza 5m viewing platform 4m overhead plain



site topography, and to respond to the built vernacular of the context,

Little Egret Egretta garzetta A small white Heron that first appeared in the UK in 1989. It is on the Amber list of rare breeding species (RSPCA, 2012).

Black Tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Large wading birds which migrate to the UK from Iceland in the winter. Usually found in estuaries and coastal inlets (RSPCA, 2012).

 The design drew on the site’s rich historical context to manipulate form whilst the contextual social needs informed function and programme. Parallels were drawn between the Saxon shield wall in the battle of Maldon and the continuing contest between the sea wall and the seasonal ﬂood threat. A proportion of the sea wall was removed and replaced by a raised Pier, retaining the promenade walk whilst facilitating a graceful retreat from the estuary, replacing ﬂood threatened land with ecologically rich wetlands. The ornamental lake was enlarged and transformed into a swimming and ‘beginners’ kayaking lake, redirecting the parks programme towards its coastal context. The splash park was redesigned and located near a new, low impact visitor centre whilst the skate park was relocated to a more prominent area. Three wind turbines were introduced to ‘close the loop’ and connect the far reaches of the park with the central visitor centre whilst making the park carbon neutral.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo Silvery-grey and white birds which arrive in April and leave in August. Can be seen hovering and diving for fish (RSPCA, 2012).

Canadian Goose Branta canadensis A large goose succesfully introduced from america found near gravel pits, rivers and town parks (RSPCA, 2012).

Detention Basin Basin Detention



luke. Landscape architecture

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Level 2

Princess Alexandra Hospital Harlow 2012

Landscape



Ayurvedic



Design Strategy Contect Two section of the site

Provide nodes for interaction and rest

 This 500 bed Hospital landscape presented the opportunity to produce a research led design approach. The presence of ecology and water, seasonal change, simplistic sculpture and points of social interaction, all proven to promote healing, were included within the design. As the development of a previous group master-plan, this project it helped me gain skills in team collaboration.

Princess Alexandra Hospital is an NHS hospital situated in the Town of Harlow, Essex. Harlow is a post World War II ‘New Town’ development, master-planned by Sir Frederick Gibberd featuring programmatic zoning and large ‘Green Wedges’ punctuating built areas. The Hospital was built in the 1960’s and since has experienced various developments and additions leaving the grounds with a piecemeal and incoherent feel. Problems exist with both vehicle and pedestrian circulation, an inefﬁcient parking program and a distinct lack of ‘calm’, an emotion intrinsic to healing and wellbeing.



Linear transitory space



Detailed Ar

BODY MIND

SOUL

1 3 7

rea

Training Academy

14 13

Main Hospital

1. Drop off point

6. Waterfall (Body. Mind.)

11. Body of Earth

2. Sensory Garden

7. Body of Earth

12. Copse (Body).

3. Body of Earth

8. Aurvedic Arch (Body and Mind) 13. Contemplative Garden

4. Min Plaza Entrance

9. Shallow Rill (Soul.)

14. Vehicle Access

5. Sculpture (Body. Mind.)

10. Reflection (Soul.)

15. Drop off Point





 The design was research driven and responded to the current scientiﬁc thinking on

patients, staff and visitors. The design focused on the central spine of the site, providing and area that could pull together the east and west areas of the hospital. A pedestrian priority, linear park is formed that is both transitory and nodal in its nature. The form of the park is conceptually inspired, reinterpreting principles of the Ayurvedic healing method. Ayurveda originated thousands of years ago in India and believes that a closeness with nature will provide the necessary platform to promote well being. Differing from the pragmatic nature of the conventional medical model, it argues that in order to heal a patient must be healthy in mind body and sole. The form of the design was inspired by this, using mass and void to represent the body and mind respectively, whilst using sculpture and rhythm to represent the soul.

The Planting strategy provided seasonal interest whilst using lush and wholesome plants, giving a sense of live and vitality



healing landscapes. Social areas were included which could increase links between

The Drop-off Point





The Sensory Garden

The Waterfall





The Arch

luke. Landscape architecture

www.allaboutluke.co.uk

Level 2

Imitation of Love Chelmsford 2011



The

‘Love Nest’ 

 The Lovers Garden is a highly conceptual project that developed skills in 3D design and creative exploration. The brief required the development of a ‘lovers nest’ for a ﬁctional couple that had a connection to the existing space. Exploratory models and drawings were used to develop the garden space whilst perspective drawings were used to communicate the ﬁnal design



Design Development



 The design took a very sculptural approach, blending two identical forms to produce a structure that provides shelter and privacy, and invokes the image of a loving embrace. The structure also gestures towards a love of the site, wrapping an arm around a mature, existing tree on the site. The planting palette was minimal, using clipped yew trees to provide structure and ornamental grasses and reeds for massing.



View From Across the River

The Retreat



The Approach

luke. Landscape architecture

www.allaboutluke.co.uk

Level 2

Construction Details 2012



 This project took the topography of a real site and required a purely functional design that would meet a clear a concise set of objectives. The project required



a hard landscape plan, setting out plan, cut and ﬁll calculations and site speciﬁc construction details. All level changes and topographic treatments had to comply with British Standards.



luke. Landscape architecture

www.allaboutluke.co.uk

Level 1

Garden of the Psyche Chelmsford 2011

TheGarden of the 



 My ﬁrst project with a live client ‘Garden of the Psyche’ developed my skills in interpreting a speciﬁc client brief. A conceptually informed project, the design responds to Sigmund Freud’s personality model, delivering the needs of the Id, Ego and Super ego commencing my design philosophy that a landscape should not only provide prospect refuge, but include social prompts and references to contextual issues.

6 4

9 10

1 3 5

7 11

2 8

1. Seat Swing for two 2.Relocated, exisiting wendy house 3.Wild, more private area

5. Red brick garden shed

6. Water collection and storage 7. Plant propagation area under glass seating area

8. Water collection and feature 9. Bench for two

10. Wooden structure framing the view 11. Formal box hedging bounding wild herbacious planting 12. Pergola merginf transition between house and garden 13. Intimate seating for two

14. Bench 15. Lean-too storage for fire wood

19 20

16. Lean-too storage for two bikes 17. Formal entrance patio 18. Driveway 19. Foraml front lawn 20. Seating with framed view of countryside



4. Shared vegetable garden wall



 The design was informed by two elements of the design brief, the first was the clients desire to have a more formal front garden and the second was the clients belief that a garden should provide a good environment for children to grow and develop. This inspired research into Sigmund Freud’s personality model, investigating the need to formally present ourselves to outsiders and the different stages of personality development. The design strives to satisfy the requirements of Freud’s personality model satisfying the needs of the Id, Ego and Super Ego. The Id, the most primitive section of our personalities, is satisfied with areas to eat, the presence of water and points of shelter, the Ego with areas for social interaction and the Super Ego with references to external issue greater that ourselves. The final design included a vegetable wall which was to be shared with the neighbours, a glass covered raised area for dining which allowed for plant propagation underneath it and a form and planting scheme which grew wilder as the user travelled deeper into the garden.

1. Glass water collection and Storage

2. Resting bench

elongate garden 4. Formal box hedge containing wild

2 4

herbacious border

1. Formal box hedge containing wild herbacious border 2. Glass viewing panel into soil layers 3. pull out draw to access plant propagation

5 2

4 3

4. Wooden structure to generate sence of protection 5. Seating area for 6 6. Garden storage.



3. Wooden structure to frame and

Keeping up Appearances

The Formal Front Garden



Share and Share Alike The Shared Vegetable Wall

luke. Landscape architecture

www.allaboutluke.co.uk

Thank you for Reading Luke Whitaker Writtle School of Design Landscape Architecture BSc Portfolio of Works

2010-2013 l_j_whitaker@hotmail.com 07890553570 Honeysuckle Cottage Middle Duntisbourne Cirencester Gloucestershire GL7 7AR United Kingdom

luke. Landscape architecture