FutureArc May 2018

MAY 2018

Scenic success Green space with WYG Consulting

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Think bike Urban design with cyclists in mind

The interview Paulina Blasiak, Urban Edge

Material focus The benefits of sandstone

01/05/2018 15:41

EW L N O R O U T O N R IG VE ES O D C E IS N D LI N O

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WELCOME

WELCOME Welcome to the May issue of FutureArc. Notice anything different? This issue marks one year since we launched, and to coincide with this milestone, we have made some minor changes to the brand, design and content – which we will continue to supply via all our media channels.

As children, we were always taught to ‘speak properly’ and never drop our aitches. On this occasion, we’ve decided to disregard that, and going forward we will be known as FutureArc. We are excited by the changes, and feel that it will be easier for you to find what you are looking for as you read. As always, we would love to know what you think, so do get in touch and share your thoughts using the details below.

Onto this month’s issue. Our exploration of technology continues this month with a look at CGI walkthroughs. Thanks to the film and gaming industries, CGI has improved dramatically in quality and accessibility over the last few years; we examine how the commercial landscaping market can tap into that and use it to promote projects.

Now is the time of year when people begin to think about cycling to work – but what urban design principles can be utilised to make this safer, particular in highly populated places such as London? We speak to Transport for London to find out about the work it is doing in this area.

Have a great month, Joe Betts joe.betts@eljays44.com

www.futurearch.co.uk

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WELCOME

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CONTENTS

30 NEWS

FEATURES

PORTFOLIOs

MATERIALS

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30

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NEWS A roundup of the latest industry news both local and international

Paulina Blasiak, Urban Edge

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10 NEW school, 12

trailblazing success Landscape apprenticeships receive approval

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the true value of landscaping

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think bike Cyclist-friendly design

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greenwich square Cultural designs for social space by Outerspace

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queens quay Street reconstruction in Toronto by West 8

CGI The benefits of computergenerated imagery

sadler’s yard Planit-IE regenerates public space in Manchester

WYG Consulting

new rules

Radical news schools being built in Albania

INTERVIEW

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focus: sandstone CED Stone Group on the benefits of sandstone

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case study The Piece Hall in Halifax

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HEDGING Top UK nurseries give their hedging picks for commercial projects

bund finance center Mixed-use development on the Shanghai waterfront

www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 15:10

WELCOME

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36 EDITORIAL Features Editor – Joe Betts joe.betts@eljays44.com Managing Editor – Joe Wilkinson joe.wilkinson@eljays44.com PRODUCTION Production Editor – Charlie Cook charlotte.cook@eljays44.com Subeditor – Kate Bennett kate.bennett@eljays44.com Design: Kara Thomas

www.futurearch.co.uk

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22 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

Eljays44 Ltd

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 FutureArch is £125.

Subscription records are maintained at Eljays44 Ltd, 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex BN16 3DA, UK. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Eljays44 Ltd and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss of, or damage to, uncommissioned photographs or manuscripts.

Whilst every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints, or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ responses to advertisements in the magazine. We also wish to emphasise that views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. Reproduction of any part of this magazine is strictly forbidden.

Cover image ©Adrian Lambert

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NEWS P6 News P8 International News P10 New School, New Rules P12 A Trailblazing Success

NEWS

Gillespies’ partner Mike Sharp to retire after 30 years at the practice

OPEN moves into new Manchester Northern Quarter office Landscape architecture and urban design studio OPEN has completed its move to Workshop Properties’ Swan Square development, on the edge of Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The business has moved from serviced space to accommodate Its growth in the city, and has taken a five-year lease on a 1,200-square foot unit at the Swan Street scheme.

Known in full as Optimised Environments, OPEN is a multidisciplinary design company with masterplanning, design, landscape architecture and environmental planning at its core. More than 45 professional and technical staff work from its studios in Manchester, Edinburgh and London.

“We are really pleased to be taking this new space between Ancoats and the Northern

Quarter as a strong sign of our commitment to the city and the talented team that we’ve assembled,” said OPEN director Jaimie Ferguson.

“The work we have been involved with over the past year has seen us continue to grow, and increased our influence in the development scene in the North West.”

OPEN is working on a range of new commissions, from large-scale residential masterplans and regeneration strategies through to public realm design and implementation. Recently, it has been working on landscape design and visual impact assessment for the redevelopment of River Street, working with SimpsonHaugh & Partners on behalf of Downing.” www.optimised environments.com

Gillespies has announced the retirement of Mike Sharp after 30 years of dedicated service – 20 of which he spent as a partner.

Mike joined Gillespies in 1988 and was made a partner 10 years later. He went on to set up Gillespies’ Bradford office, and subsequently the Leeds office, with fellow partner Tom Walker; from here, he has led a portfolio of urban design projects across the north of England, including Gainsborough Town Centre Masterplan, Hartlepool Town Centre Masterplan, a design guide for Middlesbrough Town Centre, and landscape strategies for Leeds and Newcastle universities.

Mike’s retirement is a welldeserved rest for him, and he will be greatly missed by all his colleagues at Gillespies – as well as those in the industry who had the opportunity to work alongside him. Alongside his architectural commitments, Mike is also the chair of Headway Leeds, the Brain Injury Association charity, which provides help and support to people affected by a brain injury.

“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with such a talented, kind, intelligent and vivacious man,” said Tom Walker, partner at Gillespies’ Leeds office. “We wish Mike well as he starts an exciting new chapter in his life. He won’t become a total stranger, as he will continue to assist the team occasionally on existing projects.” www.gillespies.co.uk

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NEWS

The importance of green space to be discussed at Glasgow Caledonian University The importance of green space for youngsters growing up in Scotland will be discussed at an event at Glasgow Caledonian University this summer. The annual Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) Forum will explore how the needs and rights of children should be at the heart of decision-making, both locally and globally.

Experts attending this year’s event will include architect Hanna Johansson, who has been instrumental in transforming Billund into Denmark’s Capital of Children.

The city has a 30-year plan to create a biodiverse space for both children and grown-ups.

Also attending is Adam White, president elect of the Landscape Institute and part of the team that designed the regenerated Cuningar Loop Woodland Park, a £5.7m legacy project from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. “A well-designed play space should create a sense of place that is unique to anywhere else, as well as offering reasonable risk, allowing children to explore their own imagination while reconnecting them with nature,” he said.

The plan from CSGN is to transform Scotland’s Central Belt into a place where the environment adds value to the economy and enriches people’s lives. www.centralscotlandgreen network.org/forum

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Taunton Surgical Centre given THE green light Planning consent has been granted for a major new £79.5m surgical centre, which has also just had funding approval from the Department of Health.

Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust appointed BDP to design a new Surgical and Critical Care Unit and Endoscopy Suite at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton. The new centre will include six endoscopy rooms, patient recovery and clinical support areas, eight operating theatres including two interventional radiology theatres, recovery areas, and clinical support, together with

22 critical care beds. “We are designing a hospital complex of buildings that can expand and respond to future needs,” says healthcare architect director Nick Fairham. “Musgrove Park was originally built in the Forties, with corridors so wide you could drive a Jeep down them. Now we design hospitals where wards and care units are well connected, so there is no need for automated transport to get from the operating theatre to the wards.

Glazed link corridors will connect the new building to the Jubilee Building, which opened in 2014 and was also designed and landscaped by BDP. www.bdp.com

Green Park Station set to open in summer 2019 A train station at Green Park Village development in Reading will arrive a year ahead of schedule, with the opening planned for summer 2019.

The news was revealed on 23 March at the Green Park Village Marketing Suite, where the Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Transport, and Councillor Tony Page met to discuss plans for the Green Park Station. Tony, who is Deputy Leader of the Council and lead member for transport, stressed that projects such as the Green Park Station were key in encouraging communities to expand.

“Reading has the best bus company in the UK, strong rail links, and an ideal location in terms of Heathrow, Gatwick and wider rail connections – but that all serves existing communities,” he said. “If you want to grow communities, you’ve got to put in more supporting infrastructure, and that was the key message to Chris Grayling today.”

Construction of the station is due to start in August 2018. www.berkeleygroup.co.uk

New online resource for innovative landscape architectural solutions Kinley has launched a website that aims to give designers, architects and specifiers the product information that is required to create outstanding places for people to enjoy. The company listened to concerns about poorly designed manufacturers’ websites and responded with a sharp, responsive platform that gives designers the support they need.

“The website contains a plethora of valuable resources, including datasheets, technical CAD drawings, case studies, a

gallery, product calculators and installation guides,” said Jon Bowie, Kinley marketing manager.

“The detailed information is the result of feedback from architects, so will be valuable when designing a stunning urban landscape”.

Videos, photos and case studies provide inspiration to break away from the ordinary and create amazing designs. Kinley’s inventive but simple systems are designed to make lives easier for designers and installers as they bring urban spaces to life. Recent case

studies include Essential Living’s contemporary roof terrace on the Vantage Point tower in Islington, where BCA Landscape Architects specified the Terrafina composite decking in a chevron pattern using the Raaft support system. www.kinley.co.uk

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NEWS

INTERNATIONAL

NEWS

Shortlist announced for Future Campus International Design Competition

University College Dublin and Malcolm Reading Consultants (MRC) have revealed the six shortlisted teams in the Future Campus – University College Dublin International Design Competition.The teams were the unanimous choice of a selection panel chaired by the competition jury chair Professor Andrew J. Deeks, President of University College Dublin.

The shortlist was expanded from five to six in recognition of the outstanding response from the international design community.

The finalists won their places on the basis of submissions scored on relevant experience and team composition. The six teams are: • Diller Scofidio + Renfro (US) • John Ronan Architects (US) • O’Donnell + Tuomey (Ireland)

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• Steven Holl Architects (US) • Studio Libeskind (US) • UNStudio (Netherlands).

The first stage of the competition attracted 98 teams from 28 countries.The finalists now have around 10 weeks before the competition’s second stage handin, during which they must draw up an urban design vision that foregrounds a highly visible and welcoming entrance precinct. The Future Campus project is intended to create a stronger physical presence and identity for the University within Dublin. The jury will assess the final submissions and interview the teams in the summer. The competition winner announcement is anticipated to be in August 2018 www.competitions.malcolm reading.com

SMAR Architecture Studio appointed to design Science Island

Kaunas City Municipality has announced the appointment of SMAR Architecture Studio, based in Australia and Spain, to design Lithuania’s new National Science and Innovation Centre – known colloquially as Science Island.

SMAR was the highest ranked of three winners in the Science Island International Design Contest, which attracted 144 teams from 44 countries and was the most popular design competition ever held in Lithuania.

The appointment completes the

Negotiated Procedure without Publication of a Contract Notice – the second stage of the process following the original Design Contest. Both processes were run to Lithuanian procurement regulations.

The design contest for this exceptional site in Kaunas, a UNESCO-designated university city, encompassed the design of the Centre and an urban integration plan for Nemunas Island. www.smar-architects.com

International funding secured for No1 Old Trafford

is being developed by Cole Waterhouse, headed up by chief executive Damian Flood and chairman Brendan Flood. It will include 139 one-bed, 211 twobed, and four three-bed homes over two towers, as well as retail space and a communal podium garden and roof terrace.

International investment fund IP Global has acquired 34 car parking spaces, 52 one-bed apartments and 121-two bed apartments in the development’s Block A, which has 108,000 square feet of space, for £32m.

Cole Waterhouse is working with the funder to market the scheme abroad, and has launched No1 Old Trafford in both Dubai and Hong Kong to drum up further interest. IP Global also markets its schemes in Abu Dhabi, Cape Town, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. www.ipglobal-ltd.com

Cole Waterhouse has secured £32m of sales with investor IP Global for No1 Old Trafford, its £68m mixed-use development near Manchester United’s stadium.

CBRE was enlisted by Cole Waterhouse last year to find a funder, and launched the scheme overseas in March. Craigleith Property Group is also supporting the hunt for investors.

The 354-home scheme, designed by architect 5plus,

www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 09:41

A masterpiece in the making.

V&A Dundee Museum of Design.

Work on the building's exterior is complete and the museum fitting-out began in February with the official opening scheduled for September 2018.

Client: Victoria and Albert Museum Architects: Kengo Kuma & Associates, Japan Landscape Architects: Optimised Environments (OPEN), Edinburgh Contractor: BAM Sub-contractor: Careys Hardscape supplied: Kobra granite paving, benches, tactiles and kerbs and Tezal Grey, Pheno Grey and Jinan Blue granite setts. Hardscape are also supplying Carlow Blue Fossil Dark Honed limestone paving internally.

For further information on our paving products please visit: www.hardscape.co.uk or telephone: 01204 565 500.

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NEWS EXTRA

NEW SCHOOL, NEW RULES

© Stefano Boeri Architetti

“THEY MUST BE ACTIVE PLACES AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY, EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR, FOR EVERYONE”

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tefano Boeri Architetti, the firm behind the increasingly popular ‘Vertical Forest’ concept, is to design three ‘open school’ structures in Albania’s capital city Tirana.

The three innovative buildings are to explore the concept of pre-university education as an open social venture, hosting five schools which will be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – and people of any age will be able to use them.

The project will be based, according to the Tirana Master Plan, in the north-west quarter of the capital city, in the areas of Don Bosco, Kodër-Kamëz and Shqiponja Square.

“The schools must be open to a new rhythm of life,” explains Stefano Boeri. “They must be active places at all hours of the day, every day of the year, for everyone: grandparents, young people, local associations, creative enterprises, institutions. They will host meetings, discussions and dialogues for

© Stefano Boeri Architetti

Stefano Boeri Architetti is to design a radical trio of school structures in tirana, albania

associations without head offices. They will provide space for those starting social and cultural ventures.

They will welcome everything from book clubs to organised courses exploring the most intriguing depths of knowledge.”

The firm’s project manager Francesca Cesa Bianchi expresses the plan for the scheme: “The three new schools of Tirana will have façades in red brick and white cement bases (a combination of materials that harks back to the tradition of Italian architecture in Tirana), and will function as local epicentres and new reference points for the public life of the area. They will be the true urban squares of the neighbourhoods, used by students during school hours and by the community on weekends and holidays”.

The project will extend over a total surface of 29,609m² and will be composed of: the Don Bosco School Complex, with a nursery, preschool education, a middle school and a high school (9,812m²); the Kodër-Kamëz School Complex, with a nursery, preschool education, a middle school and a high school (11,898m²); and the Shqiponja School Complex, with a nursery, preschool education and a middle school (7,898m²). www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net

www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 11:35

Let’s recognise the UK’s leading young landscape architects Head to www.prolandscapermagazine.com/30u30 to find out more

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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NEWS EXTRA

A TRAILBLAZING SUCCESS The Landscape Apprenticeships Trailblazer group of employers has received government approval to develop new landscape apprenticeship schemes in England

“THE SCHEMES WILL BE OPEN TO ALL EMPLOYERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN TAKING ON LANDSCAPE APPRENTICES IN ENGLAND”

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he Trailblazer Group of 20 employers came together last year, with the support of the Landscape Institute, to develop proposals for employer-led landscape apprenticeships.

The proposals were also supported by the Institute of Place Management. The two approved schemes are the landscape assistant scheme, which is a Level 4 qualification, and the landscape professional scheme – a Level 7 qualification leading to Chartered Membership of the Landscape Institute.

The group will now begin designing the apprenticeship standards to define the competencies required for each apprenticeship. The group plans to consult on the draft standards in May this year, aiming to have the schemes ready for delivery in early 2019.

Once ready for delivery, the schemes will be open to all employers who are interested in taking on landscape apprentices in England. Larger employers paying the Apprenticeship Levy will be able to use their Levy contributions to fund training costs, while smaller employers will have access to government funding. Due to the fact that apprenticeships are a devolved policy area, the apprenticeships will intially only be available in England. The Landscape Institute is wishing to explore apprenticeship opportunities in other devolved nations in the future.

“APPRENTICESHIPS ARE A FANTASTIC WAY TO COMBINE WORK EXPERIENCE WITH OFF-THE-JOB TRAINING AND GIVE EMPLOYERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING NEW TALENT INTO THEIR BUSINESS” Poppy Smith, head of external affairs at the Landscape Institute, welcomed the government’s approval of the proposals.

“We have had great support in developing this initiative from our board of trustees, advisory council and members, all of whom agree that apprenticeships can help us to develop new skills and talent for the profession and increase the diversity of new entrants,” she said. “This is really exciting opportunity and we look forward to supporting the Trailblazer Group in their ongoing work to prepare these apprenticeships for delivery”.

Colin Pill of lead employer Tyler Grange LLP chairs the Trailblazer Group. “Apprenticeships are a fantastic way to combine work experience with off-the-job training, and give employers the opportunity to bring new talent into their business,” he said. “We now have a lot of work to do now in making sure the apprenticeship standards reflect the requirements of employers across the landscape profession. We look forward to the challenge and the opportunity ahead.” www.landscapeinstitute.org

www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 09:29

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Olympic Park Shade Tolerant Wildflower Turf® installation, London

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PAULINA BLASIAK

URBAN EDGE

© Rachel Barnes

FEATURES

INTERVIEW

1 P14 Interview Paulina Blasiak

P18 WYG Consulting Colin James

P22 Think bike Design for cyclists

P27 CGI Simon Jones

associate director Paulina Blasiak tells FutureArc about her work as a landscape architect within architecture practice Urban Edge – and how the arrangement benefits landscape design Could you tell me a little about the background of the company and your role here?

Historically Urban Edge Architecture has offered purely architectural services. In the last year or so, such was the demand for landscape architecture, the decision was made to establish an in-house department rather than rely on external consultants.

And here I am!

My relationship with Urban Edge began while I was with LDA Design. Urban Edge and LDA worked

together on Manchester Piccadilly Gardens, a landmark project, right in the heart of Manchester.

I decided it would be an interesting challenge to join a practice of architects. When you work as an architect you are aware of other consultants, but you’re not necessarily thinking with their ‘cap’ on.

This is the same for landscape architects – we think we understand architects and engineers, but unless you get into it, you cannot be completely confident about it.

The response from clients has been incredibly positive, not least of which because they no longer have to manage multiple consultants.

Is that understanding between the disciplines something that the industry could improve on?

Everyone could work much more closely together.

www.futurearch.co.uk

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FEATURES

Typically, as a landscape architect, you are brought in at the end of the process – after the architects, masterplanners and engineers. You are provided with a layout and tasked with filling the gaps with green stuff.

I was lucky at LDA because I was given the chance to work on some huge projects, where the clients had the interest and the funds to ensure that the coordination between consultants was right from the outset. That doesn’t happen on every project, though – particularly at the smaller practices.

If you don’t communicate from the outset, things can go totally wrong, and the whole process can be slowed down. That is what I love about my role here at Urban Edge Architecture – I am involved right at the start of projects.

I am kept busy with people coming to me, asking me to look at projects before they draw a layout. It is fantastic because I can pick up on all the things that they may not have realised. It is very easy for an architect to draw a circle to designate a tree, for example, without considering the consequences of planting a tree and its impact on what’s above and below ground.

So, you have been able to teach the architects about what landscape architects offer?

Yes, but it works both ways. I am raising awareness in the architects’ minds that the design is not just

2 about a great building. You need to think about its context, the levels and the landscape around it.

Sometimes, as far as the technicians are concerned, it doesn’t matter if you move a door from one place to another – but in reality, I would have to redraw all the paths and possibly review the implications on levels and accessibility.

There has been plenty that I’ve learned from them, too. It’s about learning their thought process. I have had to learn to ask the right questions at the right time. I don’t always get it right, but when I do it cuts out a lot of the unnecessary back and forth that comes with changing layouts.

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What inspired you to get into landscape architecture?

My father was an interior designer, and there were architects in my wider family. I never wanted to be an architect, but I always loved drawing and I guess I have a knack for and interest in arranging spaces, so landscape architecture was a natural fit.

I studied in Poland, where landscape was a very rare field for someone to be studying at the time.

There were only two universities in the country that ran the course, and then there were only 70 of us in each year.

˿

“CLIENTS ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE LANDSCAPE SHOULDN’T BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT. IT IS THE FIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN YOU GO TO A DEVELOPMENT”

1 Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester 2 Bishopstoke Park, Hampshire 3 Paulina with FutureArc’s Joe Betts

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FEATURES

4

“WE CAN ALL DRAW A PRETTY PICTURE, BUT IT IS MORE THAN THAT – IT IS ABOUT HOW YOU BUILD IT, HOW THE LANDSCAPE WORKS”

The course covered a huge amount of information.

You study for five years, including completing a three-year engineering course, so you get a vast amount of technical knowledge. I remember, as a student, thinking “why do I need to know all of this?”

– but now it’s so useful!

Is there a particular type of project that you specialise in?

I worked in the residential sector for six years and when I moved to LDA, my first commission was the Olympic Park transformation, which gave me the chance to work with some brilliant landscape architects. That was a real eye opener to the level of detail that is required – it is a very technical profession, and I love that side of it.

It was that love of the technical aspects that made it easy for me to join the architects at Urban Edge.

I love the technicality of a landscape. We can all draw a pretty concept, but it is more than that – it is about how you build it, how the landscape works.

That is what I find fascinating, the challenge of creating something that looks good, works, and doesn’t break the bank.

Are there any other projects you have worked

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on that especially stand out to you?

There are so many projects that have been amazing in their own unique ways. The Olympic Park was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I remember one project in Doha, Qatar, where the word ‘budget’ just didn’t seem to exist. It was a brilliant experience and something I never imagined I’d do. I feel very lucky to have been involved in a variety of different projects where I’ve learned something new.

What are the key industry challenges at present?

Your viewpoint on this will depend on which sector you are involved in and the sort of clients you tend to deal with. For me, at the moment, we are not renowned for landscape architecture here at Urban Edge, so my personal challenge is to build on that and make people aware of what we are doing.

Clients are beginning to understand that the landscape shouldn’t be an afterthought. It is the first thing you see when you go to a development.

It used to be the case that there was a budget for everything and the landscape architect just got whatever was left at the end. Projects such as the Olympic Park have gone a long way towards

www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 13:59

FEATURES

changing people’s minds, but there is still more that could be done.

How important has sustainability become in landscape architecture?

It is a principle that we all want to follow. It is very important, and it is good that everyone is talking about it and noticing it now. It has always been on the agenda, so it’s not a new thing, but the level of sustainability that can be achieved is determined by timescales and budgets.

Sustainability is something the architects here are very passionate about. Urban Edge recently worked on a great sustainability project at a Nando’s – there were green walls surrounding the building, and heating from the ovens was recycled and used to heat up the shop floor.

Could you tell us about one of the projects that you are currently working on?

I am currently working on Meadowhall, which is a retail park. These kinds of projects are an interesting challenge – what do you do with a retail park to make it unique?

I would like to do something different and try to promote multifunctional street furniture, for instance.

The idea is to create a landscape that encourages you to linger in certain places and to move on in others. It’s all about increasing dwell time and improving the leisure offer through landscape.

5 Finally, what is the next step for you at Urban Edge?

To start with, it is about growing what we have got.

We have recently hired someone to help me out and extend our team because there is so much work to be doing, which is fantastic, and that’s even without me doing any marketing.

For the next step, I want to attend more meetings and make myself known. I also want to spend more time on the website, and on promoting our landscape services.

4 N ando’s, Cambridge 5 Landscape masterplan 6 W oolgate Centre, Witney

Urban Edge

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Urban Edge is an architecture practice based in Stamford, Lincolnshire, with a portfolio covering a broad range of sectors, and a commercial attitude that produces viable, sustainable and deliverable schemes.

W: www.urbanedgearchitecture.co.uk

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FEATURES

THE TRUE VALUE OF LANDSCAPING Successful schemes deliver far more than scenic beauty, according to Colin James of professional services company WYG Consulting

F

ew people have experienced the transformative power of green space on a wider scale than Colin James of WYG Consulting.

In his role as director of urban design at this global professional services company, he has worked on an enormous range of schemes, from garden city planning and housing masterplans to mixed-use waterfronts and disposal projects. “Green spaces can play a vital role in creating attractive, human-scale environments that improve people’s lives,” he tells us.

To be truly successful, however, landscaping needs to be more than just decorative. “In our work, what particularly interests us is the latent value that resides in landscape, and how well-considered design can realise this potential,” Colin explains. His favourite schemes are “well-designed places that will stand the test of time, paired with landscape design that delivers beyond the aesthetic”.

When well executed, he says, green space “gives contact with nature for mental wellbeing; it can educate us and it can bring communities together. For us, the design process is crucial to fully realising landscape’s environmental and social potential. It makes a vital contribution in the creation of social infrastructure within new developments, providing opportunities for people to engage and interact with one another – from communal parkland through to sports and play areas.

“Landscaping has a vital role to play in protecting and enhancing natural environments, through the creation and retention

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1 of important ecological habitats and the design and provision of sustainable urban drainage systems to manage surface water,” he adds. “It’s the management and balancing of these needs and aims that helps to create a rich diversity, and establishes a landscape network that is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Working as he does on a huge variety of locations and projects, Colin is firmly convinced that “context is king” when it comes to shaping a sound landscaping strategy. He cautions that, although it can be tempting to limit design efforts to within a site’s boundaries, this approach often results in what he calls “a lowestcommon-denominator, constraint-led design, with

minimal value creation”. Instead, he champions an approach that focuses on “looking beyond the site – not just between its edges”. This means turning to a development’s wider surroundings for features, patterns and design cues that help tie the landscape together. “By working in this way, we find that we are able to create, realise and extend real value.”

This vision emerges clearly in the latest project WYG is involved with. The company is working with Hertfordshire County Council on plans for two new neighbourhoods in Baldock, a medieval market town in the north of the county. The development, which has a target completion date of 2031, encompasses

“IN OUR WORK, WHAT PARTICULARLY INTERESTS US IS THE LATENT VALUE THAT RESIDES IN LANDSCAPE, AND HOW WELLCONSIDERED DESIGN CAN REALISE THIS POTENTIAL”

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3 not only thousands of new homes, but also community facilities, including three schools, a health centre, employment areas, two new link roads, a cycle route and new bridges over the existing railway line – all joined together by large tracts of public open space.

“Our vision for Baldock typifies our philosophy, whereby carefully considered green infrastructure forms a central component to the creation of ‘place’ within new developments,” says Colin.

The local chalk uplands are the key inspiration behind the green space choices at Baldock. “Linear woodland belts are set to follow and, in places, straddle the ridgeline, aligning with landscape features such as boundaries and footpaths,” Colin explains.

“Copses and hangers of trees, arranged carefully to provide landscape features within views, follow the ridgeline and punctuate the open spaces surrounding the development. Open grasslands define the spaces between development and countryside.”

These landscape elements, he continues, will form an important woodland enclosure to the development, and a backdrop to views within the site, from the town centre and from the higher ground to the south. “They shape a series of connecting open spaces, creating a transition between town and countryside and providing opportunities for recreational activities.”

The development’s core green space will be a park stretching northwards from the southern boundary of the site towards the town centre. “Parkland extends and maintains the large open space associated with a Scheduled Ancient Monument to form a new town park, which connects the centre of Baldock to the countryside,” Colin tells us. Other open spaces will include allotments and sports pitches.

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An interesting feature of the plan is the creation of green links to knit together areas within the development, and provide ‘movement corridors’ between schools, employment areas, the local centre, public transport and the new housing. They will also join the new neighbourhoods to Baldock’s historic town centre and the countryside beyond, forming links between new and existing activities.

These connections double up as recreation spaces and wildlife corridors, allowing local species to move through the site and become an integral part of it. They will also help to preserve important views to the town centre from the site’s northern ridgeline, and incorporate blue infrastructure networks in the form of sustainable drainage systems, including swales, infiltration ponds and attenuation ponds.

The Baldock project is spearheaded by Hertfordshire County Council, which has set up a development company in partnership with private developers. “Given the role of the council in bringing large-scale land forward for development, it is understood that a well-designed place not only reflects positively on the council but also adds value in terms of creating a successful place,” says Mike Evans, the council’s head of estates and asset management. He sees landscaping consultants as vital in delivering this result. “The pressures on all public bodies mean the landscape architect will have a major role in assisting with the creation of the long-term maintenance and stewardship of the open space. The council has term frameworks contracts, one of which is multidisciplinary masterplanner, so the role of the landscape architect is key within that scope of work.”

“CAREFULLY CONSIDERED GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE FORMS A CENTRAL COMPONENT TO THE CREATION OF ‘PLACE’ WITHIN NEW DEVELOPMENTS”

1-3 Baldock Streetview

WYG WYG is an award-winning professional services firm operating from more than 50 locations across the UK, Europe, Africa and Asia. It is driven by client service and underpinned by technical excellence, and aims to help clients create value, protect value, and manage risk.

W: www.wyg.com

www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 09:23

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27/04/2018 09:50

FEATURES

THINK BIKE FutureArc finds out about the work TFL is doing to improve safety for cyclists, and the design principles that can be put in place to aid this

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f you head to the TFL website, you’ll find a whole section on cycling in London, providing details on routes and bike parking, and advice for keeping safe and protecting your bike. It is clear that there is an emphasis on encouraging this behaviour in the capital.

Paul Lavelle is the principal urban design advisor at TFL, but having been a part of the cycling policy and strategy team as recently as January, he is well placed to discuss the design principles that TFL has in place to improve cycling safety.

“As a transport authority, we have a big focus on cycling,” Paul explains. “We are currently looking at street design in terms of how we can encourage more cycling and walking. TFL works under a policy environment, so how big that focus is depends on what the current mayor’s stance is. Sadiq Khan is very committed to active travel; his transport strategy has set ambitious targets in getting more people to walk or cycle.”

London’s population is always increasing, with more people choosing to work and live in the capital.

Statistics from the London Assembly show that this trend is only going to continue, with more than ten million people predicted to be living in the capital by 2036. With this comes more congestion, putting strain on the capital’s road infrastructure and public transport.

Encouraging people to walk and cycle not only reduces this strain, but promotes healthy living.

Public health would be significantly improved if Londoners were to walk or cycle for just 20 minutes per day, and Paul believes this is achievable: “It should be pretty easy for most people – the savings this would bring to the health service are huge, so it makes sense to encourage cycling.”

“IN THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES, WHEN CARS BECAME VERY COMMON, DESIGN WAS ALL ABOUT BUILDING ROADS. IT’S TIME TO BRING THE FOCUS BACK TO PEOPLE”

Design principles From the point of view of an urban designer, how does all of this fit in with the team’s strategy for the city? “When we think about all the advantages of a compact city, you think of accessibility, legibility, and also permeability, which is what makes a city easy for walking and cycling.

“In terms of our strategy, we need to get the priority back onto people. In the Sixties and Seventies, when cars became very common, design was all about building roads. It’s now time to bring the focus back to people.

“Good urban design principles and healthy streets go hand in hand. The Mayor’s Strategy outlines what a healthy street is; giving people the freedom to cycle is part of it, but it’s also

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about creating streets that are easier to cross – cleaner air, less noise pollution, and inclusive places that are welcoming to people from all walks of life.”

When it comes to designing a street that is bike friendly, there are several principles that can be adopted. “One idea is to completely separate cyclists from other road users,” Paul tells us. “We have done this on Victoria Embankment and Blackfriars Road.

These are big interventions that create a network of strategic cycle routes to give cyclists space.”

Ani Mokashi is a director at D4P, based in London. Trained in architecture, he is also a chartered landscape architect, and believes that cyclists should be given more rights and space on the road. “Cyclists are legitimate road users. They shouldn’t be stuck right on the kerb, where, if there is an accident, they will be over onto the pavement straight away.

“Landscape architects should be able to influence policy so that the regulations are changed. I would give more space to cyclists, so they can ride in the middle of the road. Cars can overtake them as though they were overtaking any other vehicle. Squeezing cyclists to the side just tempts road users to go past them when it is not safe to do so.”

Traffic management From an urban design perspective, part of the task is to reduce the amount of traffic within the area.

“It sounds unusual for an urban designer to be talking about traffic management,” Paul says. “We have to look at the big picture, though. To encourage more cycling, we need to find ways to dissuade people from using their cars. Some of the most successful cycling schemes we have done have come from simply putting strategically placed bollards at the end of a street.”

One scheme that is well known for its success is in De Beauvoir town, where the boroughs of Islington and Hackney meet.

“A lot of traffic management controls have been put there,” Paul tells us. “Again, the initial reason for this wasn’t actually to improve cycling, but to curb antisocial behaviour. However, it has actually created

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amazing conditions for cyclists, as there is no longer any through traffic.

“We also need to improve our road systems,” says Paul. “Previously at Archway there was a complex gyratory system. It was a really trafficdominated area, but we have removed that now and made the area much more pleasant for those who choose to cycle.”

Making things difficult for motorists is not always a popular measure, as Paul acknowledges: “It can be controversial. It won’t please everyone, but given what we’re trying to achieve in London, and given the growth that we’re expecting, I think this is exactly the sort of thing we have to look at. Traffic calming measures are much more cost effective than completely rebuilding the road.”

“SADIQ KHAN IS VERY COMMITTED TO ACTIVE TRAVEL; HIS TRANSPORT STRATEGY HAS SET AMBITIOUS TARGETS IN GETTING MORE PEOPLE TO WALK OR CYCLE”

Vision Zero As part of TFL and the Mayor of London’s push to make cycling safer, the Vision Zero programme has been launched. This is a multinational road traffic safety project that aims to achieve a highway system with no fatalities or serious injuries involving road traffic. The goal is to ensure that no one is killed or seriously injured in road collisions by 2041.

“That is an ambitious target, but with our scheme in place it will become more achievable,” Paul says. “At the moment, what stops people from cycling is this fear that they will be involved in an accident. If we design roads that make cycling safer, we will go a long way towards reducing this perception.” www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling

www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 09:18

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01/05/2018 11:29

FEATURES

COMPUTER- W GENERATED IMAGERY As part of FutureArc’s exploration of technology in landscape architecture, we speak to Simon Jones of Simon Jones and Associates about using CGI

atching one of Simon Jones’ CGI project walkthroughs, you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching a trailer for the latest PlayStation game, or a new graphic-based film. Whether they depict housing schemes, urban design projects, or even gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the level of detail in these virtual worlds is remarkable. With an impressive client list that includes Arup Associates and Crest Nicholson, Simon has more than 30 years of experience in producing high profile architectural visualisations for architects, developers and interior designers, among others.

Simon studied architecture at the Architectural Association, and set up his business after graduating. “I have always been into the visual representation side of architecture,” he tells us.

“After graduating, I was offered a lot of work in that area; I had the chance to either work for an architectural firm as an architect and start at the bottom, or become freelance and accept architectural visualisation work. I set up my company and it was a breath of fresh air compared with the five years of academia I had just been through. I began as a watercolour architectural visualiser and moved into CGI as computer technology came along.”

Interestingly, Simon does not only create the walkthroughs for clients after the design is complete: the process allows for more than that, and designers have brought Simon in at all kinds of stages of the process. “It really does vary, depending on who the client is and what they wish to use the walkthrough for,” Simon explains. “We do a lot of work with Dermot Gavin, who has been our client for the last 15 years. He designs by conversation, models and sketches – we can take all this information and turn it into a 3D form that he can visualize, and in that sense it’s a collaborative process.

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“In other cases, we are sent a complete watertight design from an architect, with the remit to create that as it is in the drawings. Some designers have specific things that they want to highlight and show, whereas others leave it up to us. I prefer the latter as it allows us to get a more organic flow to the whole walkthrough.”

This is a far cry from simply creating a CGI of a complete project, and Simon believes this is a result of the progress technology has made: “The software has become so advanced that we can take a sketch and use it to create one of the walkthroughs. When we started creating them 15 years ago, the software was very stilted and not easy to use. It is a lot freer nowadays, allowing us to create a better-flowing design – which is what has allowed us to become a part of projects at a much earlier stage.

“Currently, for every second of film, you have to render 30 images; one frame of render takes five seconds. When we began doing this a much lower resolution render, it would take 10 minutes per frame.”

The improvement of CGI technology in gaming software has advanced enormously over the last 10 years, and Simon believes that this is partly why the software he uses has improved so much. “There has been a meeting of architectural software and gaming software. Gaming has been highly developed in terms

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of graphics for years, and architectural software has now learned a few things from that and is improving alongside it.”

How long the process takes depends on how much detail is needed. Simon talks us through the process: “A lot of our work is with property developers, where we may be looking at creating a project of 10-15 houses. It would take us three weeks to build the virtual computer model; in that time, we’re building houses, connecting roads, gardens, steps and level changes, to make sure the housing is shown in context.

“After this it would take another week to set up the camera paths, lighting, render a sketch film.

We would then upload the film and send a link to the designer to make sure we have captured all the parts that they want, before finally rendering a highresolution version for the final edit.”

Simon is quick to point out that the process can be shorter. “We have done designs in a matter of days, when people have come to us asking us to build something in the middle of the city. Often, they have been given short notice and have to show their clients in a few days’ time. That is doable with the software and the hardware in its current state.”

To view video walkthroughs of Simon’s work, head to the FutureArc website: www.futurearch.co.uk

“SOME DESIGNERS HAVE SPECIFIC THINGS THEY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND SHOW, WHEREAS OTHERS LEAVE IT UP TO US”

1 Tyne Garden 2 Buchanan’s Place 3 Tyne Garden 4 Buchanan’s Place 5 Tyne Garden

Simon Jones and Associates Simon Jones and Associates is a graphic visualisation business with 30 years of experience producing high profile architectural visualisations for architects, developers, interior designers and more.

W: www.simonjonesandassociates.co.uk

www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 09:51

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27/04/2018 10:12

PORTFOLIOS

PORTFOLIO

SADLER’S YARD, NOMA MANCHESTER Planit-IE

P30 Sadler’s Yard, NOMA Planit-IE

P33 Greenwich Square Outerspace

P36 Queens Quay West 8

P38 Bund Finance Centre, Shanghai

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f Manchester was the world’s first modern city, NOMA is where it all began. It’s where entrepreneur Richard Arkwright built Shudehill Mill and cemented Manchester’s future as an industrial powerhouse, and where The Co-op grew on the founding principles of democracy, education and cooperation. NOMA’s transformational regeneration proposals are inspired by both past and future innovation, creating a new 8ha neighbourhood that embraces its rich heritage and keeps people and community at its heart.

The creation of vibrant urban spaces and a unique public realm are essential precursors for regeneration – vital in creating the conditions under which significant private sector investment can be attracted, and historically significant buildings across the estate can gain new use.

Design-focused The opening up of cramped back streets, and the demolition of a building in a previously hidden corner of Manchester city centre, enabled inviting streetscapes and a new public space to be created in the heart of the neighbourhood. This brought far greater prominence to listed and heritage buildings that now address the square, which are currently being restored.

These historic buildings are a vital part of The Coop’s legacy within Manchester and have informed the area’s past and future. Designs for the urban realm, street furniture and wayfinding strategy drew on the estate’s archaeology, social and architectural heritage, inventively borrowing from history to reflect the area’s new creative uses.

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Client The Co-op Build time 11 months Size of project 1.4ha Project value £5.5m

1-6 S adler’s Yard ©Adrian Lambert

Brief Planit-IE was commissioned to develop streetscape, urban realm and wayfinding proposals that reflect The Co-op’s ethical values, with regard to design, construction and the relationship with the people who make NOMA their home.

The aim of the scheme was to open up the estate, making it more permeable and interconnected. The public realm was to act as an economic and social catalyst by creating a strong identity and a new destination – a place people would be drawn to, and embrace as their own.

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4 The design of Sadler’s Yard invokes the civic confidence of the financial and trading organisations that were historically located in this area. Warm and contrasting tones of diamond-shaped inlaid stone paving emulate the opulence of the marble floors found in old banks, while the NOMA logo draws inspiration from a traditional lockup design of the Co-operative Wholesale Society. Motifs from the surrounding building façades have been reinterpreted within the signage, street furniture, gobo lighting and totems. Beautiful materials and dedicated attention to detail combine to create a unique and special character.

People-focused The NOMA regeneration proposals are underpinned by a forward-thinking, neighbourhood-led approach to placemaking, which champions the idea that places are better when local people are involved in making them. NOMA’s team developed a community consultation and engagement programme that involved the public and raised project awareness.

The square was named ‘Sadler’s Yard’ through a public competition that drew on site’s social history, and a series of food fairs and events regularly take place.

One of the most exciting aspects is The Pilcrow; a pub constructed for the community, by the community. The pub was created through a series of workshops led by craftsmen who shared their skills with the members of the public; locals then handmade everything from bar taps to dart boards and barrels to bar stools. The concept was devised

by OH OK Ltd, a design agency committed to building better neighbourhoods through collaborative design. OH OK went on to establish PLANT, an

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open studio offering space for neighbourhood and building projects that influence how NOMA continues to evolve, operating from one of the historic buildings surrounding Sadler’s Yard.

Sadler’s Yard was delivered by NOMA and Manchester City Council, supported by the European Regional Development Fund. It is managed by Workman LLP as part of the NOMA neighbourhood, which is being developed by Hermes Investment Management. Planit-IE was the lead consultant from inception to completion, and designed bespoke street furniture and lighting totems with architectural and sculptural metalworker Chris Brammall.

Hardscape supplied stonework and paving, while the Sadler’s Yard brand and wayfinding was created in collaboration with United Creatives. The works were constructed by The Casey Group.

Extension of NOMA projects Public realm and wayfinding strategies developed

by Planit-IE are being extended across NOMA. The practice is involved in numerous other projects across the estate, including Meadowside, a residentially-led development for the Far East Consortium International Limited; this integrates with and further enhances the practice’s previous work on the historic 1.55ha public park. Public realm, courtyard and streetscape designs associated with three related residential and commercial buildings are being developed: 2 and 3 Angel Square, by MEPC and Hermes Investment Management, and the adjacent 35-storey mixed-use commercial and PRS residential scheme by Moda Living and Apache, called Angel Gardens.

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Planit-IE Planit-IE is a design practice with studios in Manchester and London; for over two decades, it has had a passion for outside spaces and the role they play as building blocks for communities.

W: www.planit-ie.com

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PORTFOLIO

GREENWICH SQUARE GREENWICH Outerspace

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he Greenwich Square development is located along the Woolwich Road, between Greenwich and Woolwich. Outerspace was briefed to create a space that drew on the area’s rich history, provided a social area for locals that would also benefit local businesses, and included a public art sculpture at its centre, to create a sense of intrigue and excitement.

The development is based upon the creation of human-scale streets and spaces, with a town square at its heart. This place was to become a civic space for new and existing local communities with the Greenwich Centre, a community facility containing a swimming pool and doctors’ surgery. It would also be enlivened with bars and restaurants.

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Design The space is intended to be pivotal to the local area, and was thus designed to be flexible so that it could host a range of activities. Its layout was designed carefully to accommodate pedestrian desire lines through and across it, as well as the path of the sun throughout the day. Outdoor café seating and play spaces are situated around the edge, with space for potential events in the middle.

3 It also contains a series of raised planting beds to soften the space and provide a human scale element, which prevents the scale of the surrounding buildings from potentially being overwhelming.

Taking on board the various design principles, the layout and character of the space was very much driven by the ‘sense of place’ – namely, its historical context and indigenous landscape. The shape and arrangement of the planters were inspired by Britain’s

Client Hadley MACE Awards What Housing Mixed Use Winner 2015 Consultants Make Architects; Chris Brammall Build time Nine months (phase one) Project value £2m (phase one)

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historic voyages of discovery and enlightenment, which Greenwich was very much at the heart of; the scheme contains a mix of plants that resemble the natural woodland, before humans made their mark.

As well as designing the landscape for the Square, Outerspace was also given the chance to design a public art sculpture. While the feature will not necessarily be seen from outside the Square – from Woolwich Road, for example – it will offer an element of surprise and excitement once people reach the central part of the Square.

The sculpture celebrates the dichotomy of the area’s history: Greenwich and Woolwich are both places with immense maritime history, but they also had two extremely different impacts on British and global history. On the one hand, this area is the source of some of Britain’s bloodiest battles, such as Trafalgar, with Lord Nelson having been trained at the famous Royal Naval College in Greenwich. On the other hand, it was a starting point for multiple journeys of enlightenment and discovery. HMS Beagle, for example – the ship on which that Charles Darwin sailed to Patagonia – was first launched from Woolwich Dockyard. The public art sculpture aims to portray these two very different faces, looking down over the space and telling the community their story.

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1 Aerial image of the masterplan 2 Publicity event unveiling the sculpture 3 From concept to fabrication 4 Darwin and Nelson: contrasting outlooks 5 Residential entrance lobby 6 Landscape forms respond to architecture 7 Bespoke furniture encourages social interaction 8 Robust communal gardens for affordable housing

OuterSpace Outerspace is a landscape architecture and urban design practice creating schemes that are contemporary in style and technology, respond to their physical context, and engage the people who will use the space.

W: www.outerspaceuk.com

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01/05/2018 10:35

PORTFOLIO

QUEENS QUAY

TORONTO West 8

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he Queens Quay revitalisation is one of the most complex street reconstruction projects in Toronto’s history, having transformed the central waterfront into a destination boulevard and city landmark. Characterised by extensive public realm improvements and below-grade infrastructure upgrades, the project exemplifies thoughtful 21stcentury urbanism and public space design.

The Central Waterfront portion of Queens Quay stretches over 1.7km between Spadina Avenue and Yo-Yo Ma Lane, and represents a significant component of West 8 + DTAH’s winning entry for the 2006 Central Waterfront Innovation Design Competition. Previously dominated by four lanes of vehicular traffic, with narrow pavements and inadequate public transit facilities, the street arrangement acted as a barrier to the city’s waterfront, rather than a gateway. After an extensive environmental assessment and years of public consultation, Queens Quay has been transformed into a landscape that directly reflects the needs and desires of those who live, work and play here.

West 8 + DTAH reimagined Queens Quay as a linear park, connecting various precincts and public spaces along the waterfront. Extensive infrastructure upgrades include new sanitary and storm sewers, an upgraded electrical power grid, and a reconstructed tram corridor. The street was reconfigured, reducing vehicular traffic to two lanes north of the tramway and allowing space for a pedestrian promenade on the south side of the street. The promenade is defined by a double row of trees lining the Martin Goodman Trail, which is now connected along the full length of the waterfront for the first time.

The streetscape features generous pavements and a promenade constructed of more than 2.5m granite cobbles, hand laid with details inspired by the Canadian maple leaf. Consultation with adjacent property owners allowed the paving to extend from the kerb to building façades, crossing property lines and increasing the visual limits of the public realm.

Custom street furnishings unique to the waterfront include Ipe benches with vibrant red cast aluminum supports and slender Yellow

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5 Cedar lampposts with cast aluminum shrouds and armatures. Craftsmanship and sustainability were guiding principles in implementing the promenade, and products were selected for their durability and longevity, with preference given to Canadian suppliers.

The 232 new trees that line the street are a key element of the design. The north side is planted with a mix of maples, honey locusts, elms and lime, while on the south side of the street, London planes are planted in two alternating rows within wide continuous trenches, lining the promenade and Martin Goodman Trail. Silva Cells allow the soil volume to span beneath the Martin Goodman Trail, and were essential in achieving soil volumes exceeding 30m³ per tree.

The trees are supported by a passive irrigation system, which is integrated into the municipal storm system and designed to collect surface runoff via custom-designed catch basins; these capture and store the first flush of runoff, and then allow stormwater to enter the Silva Cells through a network of perforated pipes that irrigate the trees. This reduces the volume of water entering the system by 47%.

The revitalisation of Queens Quay establishes a lasting legacy for Toronto that is both beautiful and functional. It is a complete street offering a grand civic meeting place and animated urban environment.

1T he generous public promenade binds the city and water into a new relationship 2 The street profile is reconfigured to balance the relationship between pedestrians and cars 3 Queens Quay represents one of the most complex street reconstruction projects in Toronto’s history 4 The streetscape has been shaped with clear thinking about materials, traffic, climate, crowd psychology and the culture of the city 5 The new Queens Quay seamlessly integrates with the Wavedecks developed in 2009 Images ©West 8, Nicola Betts

west 8 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.

W: www.west8.com

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INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO

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BUND FINANCE CENTER SHANGHAI Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio

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und Finance Center is a prominent mixed-use development close to the Shanghai waterfront, jointly designed by Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio. Occupying a prominent site on the Bund, the buildings define the endpoint of Shanghai’s most famous street. The project is a prime example of how landscape design is just as essential as the building itself when creating a space for people to work, socialise, and relax in. The architects thought about both the design of the building and its context when creating the space.

The aim for the development was to create a highly permeable area that is well-suited to pedestrian usage and connects the old town to Shanghai’s new financial district, as well as bringing attractive green planting to the riverside.

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INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO

4 Client Shanghai Zendai Bind Int’l Financial Services Center Architects Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio Main contractor Shanghai Construction Group Landscape consultant Martha Schwartz Partners

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1T he pedestrianised area ©Laurian Ghinitoiu 2 The project runs along the riverfront ©Foster + Partners 3 The development will see a boost to local shops and restaurants ©Laurian Ghinitoiu 4 The area makes a great social area for locals and workers ©Laurian Ghinitoiu 5 Trees help to green up the space ©Laurian Ghinitoiu

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INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO

The landscape The masterplan is highly permeable for pedestrians, with the design conceived as a point of connection between the old town and the new financial district.

The landscape surrounding the financial centre has been designed as a public plaza. Plenty of trees add greenery to the urban environment, making the plaza a pleasant destination for workers in the nearby financial district to have lunch, socialise, and relax. The trees also cool the air and provide shade.

Crossings have been added to the roads to make it as easy as possible for locals and workers to get around on foot, while shrubs planted on the side of the pavements add colour and help to enliven the urban environment.

“The opportunity to make something new in this prominent location that had formerly been the river gateway to Shanghai’s Old Town was extraordinary,” says Thomas Heatherwick, Heatherwick Studio founder. “With a project that would create 420,000 square metres of space, we felt a great duty to look for fresh ways to connect with China’s amazing built heritage and make a meaningful public place for thousands of people to work and come together.

“Influenced by the materiality and scale of the existing historic buildings along the Bund, we have built a series of simple office, shopping and cultural buildings that combine high-performance glazing

systems with hand-carved stone building frames.

These structures, in turn, surround new public spaces, and speak to the heritage of the historical Bund buildings.”

The building Inspired by this urban context, two landmark towers are placed to the south of the site, while the buildings facing the waterfront are staggered in height, and relate in scale to the Bund’s 19th-century landmarks.

At the scheme’s heart is an arts and cultural centre that is home to the Fosun Foundation; it combines exhibition and events halls with a performance venue.

The building is encircled by a moving ‘veil’, which adapts to its changing use. Developed with Tongji University, the veil is organised along three independently moving tracks and made up of 675 magnesium alloy ‘tassels’ , which range from two to 16 metres long. As each track moves, the veil rotates, producing different visual effects and levels of opacity.

“The Bund Finance Center creates a pivotal connection between the old town and the new financial district,” said Gerard Evenden, head of studio and senior executive partner at Foster + Partners. “Developing the massing strategy for the buildings was an interesting challenge in terms of relating to the context of old and new architecture, reflecting the scale of the waterfront and the character of the historic quarters.”

“THE PROJECT IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF HOW LANDSCAPE DESIGN IS JUST AS ESSENTIAL AS THE BUILDING ITSELF WHEN CREATING A SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO WORK, SOCIALISE, AND RELAX IN”

6T he building sits within a hard landscape plaza ©Laurian Ghinitoiu

foster + Partners Foster and Partners are an awardwinning British architectural design and engineering firm who put forward an innovative, modern and sustainable approach.

W: www.fosterandpartners.com

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A multi-award winning British design and architecture studio that creates buildings, spaces, masterplans, objects and infrastructure.

W: www.heatherwick.com

www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 10:43

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01/05/2018 15:01

MATERIALS

MATERIAL FOCUS

SANDSTONE Each month we will be focusing on a different material, exploring the benefits that it can bring to commercial projects.

This month, sandstone

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imon Copsey, technical adviser for CED Stone Group, believes the popularity of sandstone is down to the product’s robustness: “As with most products there are both better and worse materials that can be used on large commercial projects. The thing that makes sandstone stand out is the fact that it is so highly durable.

“On these huge projects we are often working on areas where thousands and thousands of people will use it and walk all over it. Not only does sandstone last a long time, it is also stain resistant in the sense that it hides dirt and stains very well, keeping up the

MAIN BENEFITS

KEY FACTS P42 Focus Sandstone

P43 Case study The Piece Hall

P46 Hedging For commercial projects

aesthetics of the area. This is a major benefit in terms of maintenance.”

We ask Simon about the different aesthetic options that you have with sandstone: “Contrary to what many people believe, there are many different colour options available for sandstone,” Simon explains. “People assume it just comes in a sandy colour but there are options for blue, grey and even bright red.

“If you are after a modern contemporary style you can get it textured, or if you would prefer a more traditional look you can get the material in riven setts. This can make the material look as though it has been around for decades even if has just been put down.”

1. Because sandstone is porous it can serve as a filter in nature by filtering out pollutants from running water 2. The stone is often broken down and used as industrial sand 3. Sandstone is a type of sedimentary rock 4. The rock can take thousands of years to form 5. Sandstone can be categorized into three groups: arkosic, quartzose, and argillaceous

1. Very durable – can withstand many people walking over it 2. Versatile in terms of appearance 3. Economic benefits, lasting for a long time 4. Easy to maintain, especially due to stain resistant nature of the appearance

www.futurearch.co.uk

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01/05/2018 10:05

MATERIALS

CASE STUDY

THE PIECE HALL

FOCUS ON

SANDSTONE

Landscape material supplier Hardscape provided the sandstone for the impressive revamp of The Piece Hall in Halifax

L

ast summer, the magnificent Grade I-listed Piece Hall in Halifax reopened its gates to reveal its radical transformation. Hard landscape materials supplier Hardscape provided the materials for the £19m conservation scheme, which rejuvenated the cultural, commercial and civic centre. The opening day on 1 August 2017 saw 23,000 people pass through the gates.

The iconic site has been recognised with two national awards from the British Guild of Travel Writers and Historic England. Andrew Lloyd Webber, who presented the venue with the Historic England Angel Award in November 2017, described the project as a “stunning example of urban renewal” adding that it “should spur on the councils of every major city and town in Britain to do something similar.”

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Brief Hardscape was tasked with bringing Gillespies’ architectural vision to life, transforming the courtyard to create an attractive and accessible square for both residents and visitors. The landscaping needed to provide a contemporary and flexible space that could host a seasonal programme of events and festivals.

As the project was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, it was of paramount importance that materials were sourced from within Europe and that the style, colour, texture and finish were sympathetic with the original design of the main building.

“THE SANDSTONE IS SOURCED FROM THE FOREST OF DEAN AND FEATURES FINISHES THAT TIE IN WITH THE ORIGINAL 18THCENTURY DESIGN”

Delivery Hardscape managed the delivery from start to finish, not only providing recommendations for materials

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MATERIALS

“AS THE PROJECT WAS SUPPORTED

BY THE HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND, IT WAS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE THAT MATERIALS WERE SOURCED FROM WITHIN EUROPE”

that had provenance, but also driving through and taking responsibility for the workability, logistics and final appearance. The team selected and supplied a range of premium landscaping products to complement the site’s heritage and enhance the original 18th-century design. This included six bespoke water features and more than 40 granite and timber benches, enhanced by atmospheric lighting.

Hardscape shared recommendations for a variety of sandstones, but in the end, 5,500m2 of Forest Pennant Paving and Setts were selected and supplied for the central courtyard due to aesthetic and technical qualities, which satisfied the design and longevity requirements of the project. This high quality sandstone is sourced from the Forest of Dean and features a variety of finishes that tie in with the original 18th-century design.

The hard landscape specialists also provided recommendations for a variety of granite options that would help to to enhance the colour and finish. After reviewing the range, Portuguese Alpendurada Granite steps were selected and installed around the central square to provide an elegant frame for the sandstone paving leading up to the main building. There was a slight twist in the granite sett areas, as the client team

also selected blue Carlow limestone, which was blended with a mixed honey-coloured Portuguese granite – an unusual and rare feature that helped to create the standout finish.

The project also features 12 solid granite benches and 40 Iroko timber-topped granite benches with galvanised steel frameworks, which were left exposed beneath the timber to reveal The Piece Hall’s logo. The benches are illuminated at night by a set of unique light fittings, which provide atmospheric effects to the already dramatic setting.

Collaborating with lighting engineers, fountain designers and landscape architects, Hardscape designed and detailed six water fountains. Each fountain was constructed out of more than 50 bespoke-designed Alpendurada Granite units.

Leaving a legacy “The regeneration of The Piece Hall provides a new shared space to bring the local community together, and we hope the new courtyard will continue to inspire this spirit of collaboration for years to come,” says Mathew Haslam, Hardscape’s managing director. “The final result is breathtaking, and we are proud to have been involved in preserving such an iconic treasure of British heritage.”

In 2018, the venue will host the Tour de Yorkshire, national TV programmes including the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, outdoor music concerts, film screenings, and a Christmas festival.

hardscape With over 20 years’ experience, Hardscape provides ethicallysourced hard landscaping materials for landscape architects and design professionals for the urban landscape.

W: www.hardscape.co.uk

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www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 10:08

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27/04/2018 10:22

MATERIALS

HEDGING FOR COMMERCIAL PROJECTS 1 PORTUGUESE LAUREL INSTANT HEDGE Prunus lusitanica makes an attractive and compact evergreen hedge that will work well in any garden setting, with its ovate, dark green leaves. This Laurel Instant Hedge likes most soils, including clay, and unlike common laurel it is also at home on shallow chalk. Portuguese Laurel Instant Hedge can be planted in either sun or shade, but it dislikes wet ground. Prunus lusitanica has an average growth rate (20-30 cm/year) and requires trimming once a year, preferably in August.

PRACTICALITY BROWN 2

PRACTICAL NATIVE MIX INSTANT HEDGE

3 GRISELINIA INSTANT HEDGE

The Practical Native Mix Instant Hedge contains hawthorn, blackthorn, hornbeam, hazel, dogwood and field maple. It creates a natural look and contains a variety of colours and textures that provide a rich living collage for 1.8-2m high Native Mix excellent seasonal interest – from early spring blossoms to fruits and berries in the autumn. All kinds of wildlife will be attracted by the food and shelter opportunities. Native hedging will thrive on most soil types and can be planted in all but the deepest of shade. It will tend to grow quite quickly, at some 2040cm/year, and any pruning should preferably be carried out in July; if left unpruned, however, it will prove even more wildlife friendly.

Griselinia littoralis makes a wonderful evergreen instant hedge. It has leathery, apple-green leaves and yellow-green flowers in the spring, followed by purple fruits on female plants in the autumn – making it an attractive alternative to darker green hedges.

It is excellent for coastal locations as it is particularly tolerant of salt laden winds, and prefers acidic to alkaline soil, in either full sun or part shade. Sensitive to heavy frost, it should be planted in a sheltered place.

Griselinia is fast growing (30-40 cm/year) and should be trimmed in July or August.

Practical Native Mix Instant Hedge growing in Iver

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Griselinia Instant Hedge rows

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01/05/2018 11:09

MATERIALS

two of the uk’s top nurseries tell us all the key information on their most popular hedging products for commercial projects

1

INSTANT LAUREL HEDGE BLOCKS

Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus ‘Rotundifolia’) is a tough evergreen plant that makes an excellent solid screen, offering instant privacy and security. It grows in most situations, including semi-shade, but does not tolerate waterlogged ground or salt spray, including salt splash from roads. The blocks have been trimmed twice a year for many years, making them so dense that they cannot be pushed through, and, unlike a fence, they cannot be climbed or blow down. They are available in a range of sizes, from 150-175cm tall to more than 3m tall.

Instant Laurel Hedge Blocks

WYKEHAM MATURE PLANTS

Griselinia Instant Hedge rows Hornbeam

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2

PYRACANTHA (FIRETHORN)

Pyracantha is an excellent option where a thorny, evergreen hedge is required for maximum security; often used on commercial units with ongoing security issues, unwanted visitors have been known to cut fencing rather than try to tackle this hedge! It grows in most situations, including semi-shade, and even in coastal situations with moderate salt exposure – but does not tolerate waterlogged ground. Firethorn is so called because of the attractive yellow, orange or red berries it produces in autumn – a valuable food source for birds. These follow white flowers in summer, which attract bees and other Pyracantha pollinators, while the hedge itself provides nesting sites for smaller birds. Supplied in 36L containers and available throughout the year, the plants come untrimmed to give greater flexibility, and to encourage each plant to spread into its neighbour more rapidly. They are supplied at 175-200cm or more on canes but, since Pyracantha has a semi-scrambling habit, they would benefit from additional support for the first year or two.

3 HORNBEAM Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) can be used to provide cover in areas too damp for evergreen hedges. With annual trimming, it makes an excellent, fast-growing hedge, and it is tolerant of a wide range of soils, including heavy clay. Its soft, mid-green leaves turn golden yellow in autumn, then brown for winter. (A percentage of leaves are retained throughout winter – useful for screening.)

Hornbeam can be a useful addition to SuDS schemes in helping water penetration and absorption, as it will tolerate damp soils and even short periods of flooding. Despite the retention of dead leaves in winter, hornbeam is still classed as a deciduous hedge, and is largely exempt from High Hedge Legislation. Wykeham offers hornbeam hedging as 175-200cm+ hedge blocks.

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il So n ts tio en ac ev p Pr om C

ArborRaft System

Call today for a copy of the ArborRaft Brochure

Combines nutrient rich ArborRaft soil with strong geocellular units to create a healthy growing space for trees in areas subject to vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

• Spreads the load to prevent soil compaction within the tree pit.

• Essential oxygen, water and nutrient circulation are improved to create a natural environment.

• Protects the tree’s root structure in urban settings.

gtSpecifier Team T: 01423 332 114

20256_AborRaft Advert 210x265_Apr2018_vAW.indd 1 Green-tech advertorial.indd 2

• No requirement for deep tree pits as root growth and development is normally within the upper zone of the tree pit.

• Simple installation and raft structure avoids existing services and utilities.

• Quick to install.

E: info@gtspecifier.co.uk W: gtspecifier.co.uk

19/04/2018 10:24 15:09 27/04/2018

ADVERTORIAL

Case study The ArborRaft System is specified in Nottingham Trent University redevelopment

N

ottingham Trent University city site is located in the heart of Nottingham city centre with 30 buildings surrounded by 5.1 hectares of open space. The heart of the campus underwent a multi-million-pound refurbishment to keep up with current demands and needs.

The redevelopment consisted of two state-of-the-art buildings with beautiful landscaped outdoor spaces in the Clifton complex.

With over 8,000 students based at Clifton, the new facilities have been designed to provide a high-quality environment to inspire students for generations.

The courtyard outside of the restaurant is part of the University’s ‘Green Zone’ – an area in the centre of campus that will be

Green-tech advertorial.indd 3

free from smoking, unauthorised traffic and parked bicycles, which will contribute to the peaceful atmosphere of the campus.

The landscaping works for this area including the planting of 50 mature trees. Larger, more established trees were specified to maximise aesthetic and biodiversity value. The landscaping contract was awarded to Ulyett Landscapes Limited, a long established landscaping company based in the East Midlands who are well respected for their work with local authorities, architects, civil engineers, builders and private house owners.

Ulyett Landscapes turned to gt Specifer, the specification team of leading landscape supplier, Greentech, for advice on the most suitable products for planting, securing and encouraging the healthy growth of the trees. They also received onsite installation training.

Taking into account the size of the trees and the environment – the whole site was on an incline; the team recommended the ArborRaft Tree Planting system. This is a system that combines nutrient-rich ArborRaft soil with exceptionally strong geocellular units. The individual ArborRaft units lock together and form a raft system that

sits within the tree pit, providing load bearing support and reducing soil compaction. As the system retains the open structure of the soil, the roots are allowed to grow naturally and the essential oxygen, nutrients and water can flow freely through the growing media which all ensures the ideal growing environment for trees to successfully establish and flourish.

As well as the ArborRaft System the team provided advice and Green-tech supplied an anchoring system for each tree, the mona tree irrigation system, rootbarrier, subsoil, ArboRaft soil and bark for top dressing – everything needed for successful planting under one roof.

Barry Browne who heads up the gt Specifier team comments, “This was a great project to work on. Nottingham Trent University is one of the UK’s most environmentally friendly universities and we were thrilled to be able to

help them to create a sustainable, ecologically-sound Campus.

The provision of green grass and open spaces was pivotal to the University’s redevelopment plans – they wanted to provide places to unwind and reconnect with the outside world. We were delighted when then specified the ArboRaft System. It is a system that has been used in many high profile projects across the UK with great success.

We are always keen to follow up on any project that we have been so heavily involved with and see how the trees are doing. So, when we revisited, I was thrilled to see that all of the trees were thriving. The landscape looked lush and green and the campus looked very smart indeed. Several months after the initial project the ArboRaft System was specified once again when their adjoining car park was revamped. Here too, the trees are healthy and flourishing.”

27/04/2018 10:44

MONTHLY ROUNDUP

MONTHLY ROUNDUP Upcoming events, exciting projects, social media updates – it’s landscape architecture, digested

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

EXCITING NEW PROJECT

23 May London’s Public Realm, Urban Design Group An event celebrating the progress in improving London’s public realm. Peter Murray of New London Architecture will be speaking at the event amongst others. The event will run from 6.15pm-8pm at The Gallery in London, EC1M 6EJ. www.udg.org.uk

21 March – Landscape 50 University of Sheffield

Vision is a trade show that explores the future of the built environment. Held at the Business Design Centre in London, the event will showcase some of the most innovative new products that can be used to enhance our built environment. Whether it’s flood protection, lighting or the latest technology that you are after, Vision has the people on hand. www.visionlondon.com

12 July Beta Housing 2018 Hosted at the Bridgewater Hall, BETA Housing Manchester will bring together influential voices to provide an insightful and engaging discussion on residential development across the North West. The event will provide an informal atmosphere with learning and networking opportunities offering business information as to how you can work closely with the region’s stakeholders. The day includes talks on eco town design and creating garden cities. www.betaevents.co.uk

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© Broadway Malyan

21-22 June Vision 2018

GREEN PARK VILLAGE BACKED

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lanners at Reading Borough Council unanimously backed proposals for a series of seven lakeside residential buildings that will create 459 new apartments at Green Park Village, an associated gym and new retail units.

The latest application on behalf of developer St Edward Homes, part of the Berkeley Group, is the sixth phase of residential development at the scheme which will provide homes for all aspects of the community with a full range of housing typologies from one bedroom apartments to detached family homes.

Director of architecture James Cook, who is leading the project for Broadway Malyan, said the settlement’s transport links and its proximity to the Green Park Business Campus would help create a sustainable residential location with a mixed and vibrant community.

James said: “Green Park Village is a highly successful and ambitious project to create a completely new high quality community in Reading with a lakeside setting and open green spaces at the heart of the design.”

www.futurearch.co.uk

01/05/2018 10:56

MONTHLY ROUNDUP

SOCIAL MEDIA

QUOTE OF THE MONTH “RAISING THE BAR ON STANDARDS FOR NEW HOMES AND TACKLING ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO DELIVERING THE HIGHQUALITY, EFFICIENT, AND HEALTHY NEW HOMES WE NEED”

@andybcal Lovely article on @WirralWaters landscape vision in the latest @FutureArchUK magazine thanks folks. @Wirral_Chamber @WirralCouncil

Upon the launch of a new housing standards playbook, the UKGBC chief executive, Julie Hirigoyen spoke about the importance of raising the standards of new housing projects. The resource which requires developers to demonstrate they have acted to mitigate against overheating risk was launched at a UKGBC event in Bristol, which brought together local authorities, developers and other industry stakeholders to discuss how to deliver better outcomes.

Director David Anderson, who leads Broadway Malyan’s Reading studio, added: “This decision reflects the culmination of more than 10 years’ work taking a masterplan vision through concept and detailed architectural design to the realisation of the final phases.

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“Green Park Village is a modern and vibrant development that has evolved and responded to society’s changing needs and aspirations and the demographic shift brought about by Reading’s renaissance as the south-east’s most important satellite town.”

@andybcal

@davies_white What is it about nature that promotes health & wellbeing?

Here’s a great example of how a public @davies_white urban landscape can reconnect ‘People, Place & Nature’ in the City of London yesterday afternoon. #chooselandscape #peopleplacenature #cityoflondon @cityoflondon #nature #landscape

© Broadway Malyan

Julie Hirigoyen, chief executive of UK Green Building Council

ON TWITTER

@Markcollins74 Great to see #ChesterBus Interchange complete and looking great in the sunshine another fantastic @Markcollins74 delivery of public realm by #HLMLandscape #HLM #HLMarchitects

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London - Natural History Museum Contractors: Blakedown Landscapes Products: Porphyry Setts, Yorkstone Paving, Green Schist Paving

01708 867 237 enquiries @cedstone.co.uk www.cedstone.co.uk

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@CEDNaturalStone @CED.Ltd.Natural.Stone @ced_stone_group

03/04/2018 10:24:52 01/05/2018 11:40