Portfolio

Annie Watson

For the past 18 years I’ve been a self-employed gardener, managing large estates and gardens in Surrey and around Bath, where I have lived for the last 12 years. I have helped clients re-design, restore and manage their gardens.

I have continued to study throughout my working life whilst being a fulltime mum to 2 children. Studying with the Royal Horticultural Society and Open University.

Before children, I worked for British Airways, initially as Cabin Crew, then in Relationship Marketing and finally as a Product Development Manager. I have worked in the UK, India, Australia and New Zealand, in a variety of long and short-term roles. After schoo l, I studied as a Nurse, so you could say my career has either involved cari ng for people or for plants!

My fascination with Art and Design, up until this point, has been a hobby. Studying Landscape Architecture has allowed me to combine this passion with my other interests. Everything about the discipline resonates with me; caring for people, caring for plants and caring about the environment. It is my aim and very important t o me to now utilise my skills and background to help bring positive change to the planet and people’s lives.

Education

• BA (Hons) Landscape Architecture - First

• BTEC Horticulture with Design - Distinction

• RHS Certificate - Merit

Introduction

This portfolio is a culmination of work produced whilst studying for BA(Hons) Landscape Architecture and also, a few examples of independant work.

Alney Island, Gloucester

Alney Island sits on the lower course of the River Severn in the city of Gloucester. A natural floodplain, the island floods on average 1-2 times a year.

When I first saw the shape of Alney Island, it immediately reminded me of a Human Heart.

I decided to make Alney Island a metaphorical heart for the city of Gloucester. My main focus for Alney Island was that it would help to oxygenate, rejuvenate and energise the city. I wanted Alney Island to become a popular destination within Gloucester.

I introduced an extensive Urban Forest, to help oxygenate; filtrating water channels that fed into natural swimming pools, helping to rejuventate and an Arts & Technology Park to create a cultural energy and therefore, energise.

Filter channels leading to natural swimming pools

Initial zoning sketch

Collage to consider topography of the site and initial response

Survey & Analysis

As part of a team Feasability Study for Alney Island, one of the topics I researched was Sense of Place. I asked as many people I could find who lived or worked in Gloucester to describe the city and from that created a word map. The photos were taken during the initial site survey of the island.

Key:

High Risk

Medium Risk

Built Form

Vehicle Access

Pedestrian Access

Gloucestershire Way

Major Road

Electricity substation

Electricity Pylons

View of Cathedral

Concept development

The heart does more physical work than any other muscle over a lifetime.

Located between the lungs in the middle of the chest, the heart pumps blood through the network of arteries and veins known as the cardiovascular system. It pushes blood to the body’s organs, tissues and cells. Blood delivers oxygen and nutrients to every cell and removes the carbon dioxide and other waste products made by those cells.

I looked explored how people, water & energy could flow through Alney to help form the basis for my design. Creating a metaphorical heart on Alney Island would help to oxygenate, energise and rejuvenate the

Oxygenation

By introducing a larger urban forest to the existing, it will increase carbon capture & reduce air pollution

Using cultural stimulation in the form of a sculpture park will bring eneryg to the island

Rejuvenation

Wild swimming has become a really valuable past time, known to reduce heart rates and improve health. By creating natural pools, this will allow visitors the chance to swim ‘in the river’, safely

Masterplan

AD6605

The masterplan for Alney Island shows how the island will have a network of pathways which allow connection for pedestrians and cyclists throughout the island. It also displays the large, extended urban forest which will act as a main oxygenator for Gloucester. The technology park and sculpture trail shows the level of energy that will permeate through the island. Finally. the plan shows how the island will be predominantly green space which will provide refuge and relaxation for the city.

Footbridge over A420 linking both parts of Alney Island

Raised, playful landform that creates a barrier to hide the busy main road

Concentric circular mounds creating a more interesting ground plain.

Section A-A

Section B-B

A Sculpture Trail would run throughout the island

Footbridge linking 2 sides of Alney Island

Castlemeads, Gloucester

Castlemeads is a large area of Alney Island, isolated by the main road. It is close to Gloucester city centre with the River Severn seperating the two. My concept for Castlemeads is focused on hope and focusing on positives above negatives to help navigate the trials and tribulations of life. I have looked to the River Severn for inspiration. Described as “a dangerous, muddy- looking river”, that is often dismissed as “ugly” and which occasionally floods. I wanted to wade through the murkiness and identify ‘lifelines’: the positive elements associated with the River to help form my design. The river as a sculptor, creating nutrient-rich sediment landforms and beautiful alluvium fans; a river, so powerful, it is capable of moving white lias rock along its bed and large obstacles along its surface, such as driftwood. Finally, I focused on the fact it is the longest river in the UK, meandering from its source in Wales through 4 counties, into the Severn Estuary. A river of opportunity and a River of Hope.

Concept Layers

Alluvium Fan

Beautiful patterns of sediment often created as flood water recedes

Tumbling Rocks

A raised walkway faced with white lias stonework and tumbling glass/stone buildings along its pathway

Driftwood

Obstacles carried by the river, randomly shaped pathways and furnitecture.

River Meander

The constantly changing whimsical form caused by the power of the water

centre

A Message in a Bottle Sculpture elevated on a hill, a corten steel sculpture with a message inscribed in the pathway running away down the hill

The lower levels will be naturalistic planting of sedges & meadow grasses

Masterplan & Furnitecture

Designing furnitecture helped to shape the overall concept masterplan

I was inspired by driftwood, objects discarded that travel great distances and can be repurposed into items of use and a metaphor for the obstacles we frequently face in life. I envisaged irregular and randomly placed timber installations that would be dramatic, but also have multiple uses such as seating, climbing frames & sculptures. Each piece would be inscribed with “Hope is Everything” and also, the telephone number of suicide prevention helplines in the hope that this small gesture, may help anyone in crisis.

Boardwalks linking pocket gardens

Oversized Timber

Seating within sunken pocket gardens

Quiet, reflective spaces

The Exchange, Cheltenham

Masterplan

North Road is a large municipal car-park in the centre of Cheltenham.

North Place was surrounded by several interesting buildings from different periods in history. The infamous Regency style architecture and also later additions of Victorian. I was drawn to the striking roofscape of a former Victorian orphanage next to the site. I focused on the strong triangular gable ends and dormer windows.

The Exchange Cheltenham

The design was focused on community, a shared space promoting a circular economy. The Exchange would include repurposed/reuse retail, leisure space and accommodation, as well as pocket parks and tree-lined green-space. In the centre a triangular glass prism sculpture representing a triangulation point for ‘the Exchange’.

Annie Watson S4012379

3D Model, Colour Palette & Visualisations

Open Air ampitheatre Skatepark

University Hub with rooftop bar

Community Green house & Vegetable Garden

Glass Sculpture Triangulation Point & Plaza seating

Clothers & Furnitecture exchange

Amenity Lawn with Crataegus monogyna creating shade in Spring/Summer

Terraced seating with views interplanted with multi-stemmed trees and perennials

Affordable Apartments and Lowcost rental with Green Roof Technology

Pocket Park, to allow light through between buildings

Cycle Hub and Artisan workshops

Screening from road by Vertical Green Wall & Trees

Underground carpark. Top Floor for EV’s only

I wanted the colours to be vibrant and bold to create a feeling of positivity. The planting would consist of exhuberent perennials such as Echinacea purpurea ‘Lakota Orange’ and wistful, Scabious columbria ‘Butterfly Blue’. The planting would also be permeated with purple foliage shrubs, such as Phormium ‘Black Velvet’ and Pittosporum ‘Tom Thumb’.

Glass Triangulation Point

Walking into the Exchange

Planted Terracing Multiple planting of trees to create shade

RHS Tatton Park

This collaboration was for the RHS Tatton Park Long Border Competition

Asanum europaeum

Canna ‘Durban’

Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff’

Dryopteris lepidopoda

Epimedium x rubrum

Festuca glauca ‘Sunrise’

Heuchera ‘Lime Marmalade’

Imperata cylindrica ‘Rubra’

Lupinus ‘Gallery Red’

Polystichum vulgare

Salvia ‘Royal Bumble’

Saxifraga x urbrum

Tiarella ‘Spring Symphony’

Verbascum creticum

The theme for the competition was ‘Sensory’ and the competition was to design a long raised border. We chose to follow an intense chromatic approach, by using vibrant reds, oranges and yellows in the planting. We wanted the garden to be inclusive and appeal to a wide audience of all ages. The colour scheme was also chosen because these colours stand out if visually impaired. To create a dramatic backdrop to the planting, we have run a meandering, vertical ribbon along the centre of the border. The Rhus typhina tree also adds a structural element to the border. Our garden has been selected by the RHS for the flower show. Codesigners: Una Nolan & Cait Lewis

Alchemilla mollis

Ilex crenata ‘Green Lustre’ Phormium ‘Black Adder’ Rhus typhina

Rhus typhina to create structural interest in the border Canna ‘Durban’ for an arresting shout of colour

Weathered vertical ribbon creating a backdrop for the planting Planting for semishade with bold texture and form

Planting for full sun consisting of vibrant coloured flowers & foliage

Park Campus, Cheltenham

Habitat Survey & Environmental Poster

A Pilot project which explored a range of infrastructure planting inventions to increase biodiversity and subsequently calculations of the biomass and carbon sequestration properties of the proposed vegetation.

within and on the edge of the new woodland will be predominantly native to the UK with a wide range of different species to improve biodiversity. This will encourage wildlife and also increase the chances of long-term survival of the woodland.

a heavy storm

based on rainwater falling at a rate of 50mm/hour storm values, the upper pond will fill up in 8hrs 30mins lower pond will fill in 12hrs 55mins

The figures and tables below outline the calculated environmental benefits from the woodland to the campus, its’ visitors and also, the surrounding area.

Carbon Storage

Using the Growing Green Activity Pack, published for families by Westonbirt Arboretum.

The tree girths were estimated by using an average of 2.5cm per annum. The dry weight was then calculated and then divided by 2 to estimate the carbon content. This was then multiplied by the number of species.

If left to fill up from average rainfall, it will take 2 years + 3 days!

2

Rainwater Harvesting

The calculations are approximate due to having to estimate the tree girth and dry-weight

Approximately 45% of Carbon Dioxide stays in the atmsophere which plays a huge part in global warming. The leaves of trees that capture or sequest carbon through photosynthesis. By planting this woodland this will play a part in reducing that figure

If all the trees reach maturity in approximately 50 years they will sequest 16,905 tonnes of CO

Biomass Calculations

Using the National Resource Canada Biomass Calculator tool and an average tree growth rate of 2.5cm per annum to find the tree girths. The girths were used to calculate the biomass values after 10 years and 50 years for all the deciduous and coniferous trees.

After 10 years = 88,727kg

After 50 years = 3,464,891kg

This planting plan produced for my final Sustainable Technology Project consists of predominatly native species chosen to cope with full sunlight and warm/dry conditions. The species chosen would also be attractive and beneficial to pollinators. The prairie style planting would ensure minimal maintenance once established, only needing to be cut back once a year and contained by a formal hedge which would need clipping once or twice a year. The colour palette was chosen to compliment the red brick of the building.

Construction Drawings

Dissertation

For my BA Landscape Architecture Dissertation, I wanted to take the opportunity of a learn more about urban trees and forestry, it was a subject I had strong opinions about and not much background knowledge. The dissertation was awarded a First.

Abstract: Being close to nature and spending time in urban green space has become today’s zeitgeist, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Health Organisation recommends that all people reside within 300m of Green Space.Trees are an integral part of this within the urban environment and 4.2 billion people living in cities benefit from the eco-systems services that urban forests provide (Esperon-Rodriguez et all, 2022). Trees are often treated as just an object, a vertical structure used to add vertical interest to a design. The full benefits trees can offer are overlooked and their disservices ignored completely. This dissertation seeks to explore what an urban forest is by starting with a definition. It will then, within a literary review look at the history behind them, predominantly because of the broad subject matter, within the context of the United Kingdom.

An Exploration of Urban

Forests

and considerations for their future design

Anne Watson S4012379

AD6600 Dissertation

BA (Hons) Landscape Architecture December 2022

Presented as part of the requirement for an award within the academic regulations for taught provision at University of Gloucestershire

8355 words

Illustrations created for Dissertation (Left: top & bottom/ Right: Dissertation Cover)

Urban Futures

The brief for this module was to produce an individual practise/professional report considering contemporary issues specific to Greyfriars, Gloucester. The report presented and analysed the context, including planning policy, local issues and provided a response proposition.

Design & Access Statement

Annie Watson Urban Futures

Design Module

This ongoing module involves developing design proposals for a medium-scale site at masterplanning and detailed design scales and follows the stages of a professional landscape project. Below, is a strategy poster for the overall proposal

Templemeads

City Forest

The following project was for the Gardener’s Cottage of a small country house in Somerset, which is used as a wedding venue. The client wanted a peaceful, romantic setting for families of the bride to stay before the wedding. I suggested a muted, colour palette with mainly shade tolerant planting because of the aspect of the garden. The grounds of the house are a mixture of formal and natural, so my design tried to offer a controlled natural, woodland garden.

Existing Path

Moodboard & Planting Pallette