ISSUE N O.3
FEBRUARY 2022
ILI eZINE
THE
eZINE
IRISH LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE
INSTITIÚID TÍRDHREACHA NA hÉIREANN
THE ARTICLE
RURAL DESIGN
THE INTERVIEW
THE PLANT
THE CALENDAR
CATHAL O’ MEARA
SARCOCOCCA SP.
FEBRUARY
What needs considering when designing in a rural setting
A Senior Landscape Architect working in the profession
Winter flowering shrub perfect for use in landscape schemes
What’s on around the world in Landscape Architecture?
THE ARTICLE
RURAL DESIGN
When planning and designing a residential development, care must be given to the impact it might have on the surrounding landscape. This is of particular importance when working in a rural area as it is here that the landscape is at its most visually sensitive. Although the rural landscape of Ireland has been shaped by the need and desire of humankind over the past 9000 years, it is these countryside views that we long to protect as they are a reminder of what comes before total human intervention. The urban landscapes of towns and cities are a reflection of total human intervention; almost an image of an irreversible destination of what a rural landscape could become. When a residential development is planned in a rural area, particular care should be given to site selection, site layout, house design and external treatment. By taking these into careful consideration, the visual impact of the new residential development on the landscape can be greatly reduced.
utilise the sun’s path throughout the year, the most will be achieved by the siting. It is also incredibly important to consider the landscape features and vegetation particular to the area in order to design in a way that links and integrates the development into the surrounding rural landscape.
When considering a site for selection, all relevant planning policies must be considered and assessed. Most rural planning authorities will have to refer to design guidelines within their development plans. These will take into consideration things such as historical maps, amenity maps and landscape character maps. This is to ensure the protection and avoidance of NHAs, SPAs, SACs and/ or culturally significant landscapes. Websites such as GEOhive and ArchGIS are also useful at this stage as flood risk analysis and pedological studies can be carried out using them. If you are siting a development in or near a floodplain or on unstable soil, you need to know and react accordingly. Ideally, the development would be relocated elsewhere.
It is quite clear that during both the planning and design processes of a rural residential development, a lot of emphasis must be placed on ensuring the surrounding landscape is both respected and utilised to the best of its abilities. If the guidelines mentioned above are followed, it is much more likely that permission will be granted by the local authorities. Furthermore, a design that is nonintrusive on the landscape will serve both the user and the neighbourhood much better. Not only will the potential for visual disruption be avoided but a well designed house will serve a families changing needs much better. As proven above, by giving particular attention to site selection, site layout, house design and external treatment, the visual impact of new residential development in a rural area can be greatly reduced.
When choosing site layout, it is wise to take advantage of the natural light, heat and shelter provided by the landscape and topography. By ensuring a house is orientated to both reduce exposure to the elements and
Article by: John MCCord IRISH LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE INSTITIUID TIRDHREACHA NA HEIREANN
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ISSUE N O.3
FEBRUA
In what place are you happiest?
THE INTERVIEW
CATHAL O’MEARA
Who was or still is your mentor? I’ve thankfully had quite a few. Depends on the subject matter. Mostly authors though. I missed growing up in an age where mentorship existed in the guild sense of the word which I would have liked.
CATHAL O’ MEARA
(he/him)
Senior Landscape Architect Cathal O’Meara
Landscape Architects
Ambition or Talent: which matters more to success? Ambition! As Mark Twain said “All you need in life is ignorance and confidence – then success is guaranteed”.
How politically committed are you? I couldn’t bring myself to vote for any party. But yeah I actually started studying politics in University and retain a strong interest in politics and history. However, much of contemporary currents in politics are unappealing to say the least. I could go on, but its probably not the space...
Do you have any pearls of wisdom for current students and recent graduates of Landscape Architecture? Travel helps. So does time alone.
What do you find most irritating in other people? The inability to discuss different perspectives, or to hear different ideas.
“Plant knowledge is key to the success of a scheme and more and more this is a central requirement in any scheme.”
If you had to rate your satisfaction with your life so far, out of 10, what would you score? I’m mostly happy and thankful for that, that’s all I’ll say.
Looking ten years ahead, what do you see for Landscape Architecture? Can I answer that when I see how the next few months pan out? Given the ability and willingness of governments to pause the normal functions of society I’m slow to make projections 10 years out.
What do you feel is the biggest problem facing Landscape Architecture in Ireland today? I don’t have much contact with the universities but compared to architecture I am amazed that the universities do not have more Landscape graduates.
IRISH LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE INSTITIUID TIRDHREACHA NA HEIREANN
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It sounds like a cliché but it’s going to have to be in the garden.
What is the greatest achievement of your life so far? Having and rearing 3 children and learning that I am not so important.
If you could only grow one group of plants, what would it be? In terms of what I grow, probably perennials. I get a lot of satisfaction growing these in different combinations, and in particular with allowing these to change over time. Ive planted a few public schemes locally and allowed ‘wild’ weeds self seed into these beds. Its actually beautiful watching ephemeral annuals and perennials appear within carefully selected mixes and flow across them over time.
How important do you rate plant knowledge in Landscape Architecture? Recent decades were limited with the palettes Landscape Architects were using, however that era is coming to an end. Public schemes now are often concentrating on the functional aspects of plants, from street trees that can deal effectively with the constraints of urban environments to the function of planting within rain gardens or the value of planting for biodiversity. Plant knowledge is key to the success of a scheme and more and more this is a central requirement in any scheme. It would seem to me at least that the value of plant maintenance is also developing, with councils more concerned about longterm maintenance.
What would you like to own that you don’t currently possess? A superpower like x ray eyes or an invisibility cloak. Probably the invisibility cloak but it’s a hard call.
What is one project that you are most excited about in the future? We’ve been putting in natural swimming pools for private clients and finding the satisfaction level from the clients very rewarding. Currently we are in the preconstruction phase with 4 of these…
ARY 2022
ILI eZINE
THE PLANT
SARCOCOCCA SP.
J F M A M J J A S O N D
Botanical name:
Sarcococca hookeriana var. humilis Common name:
Dwarf Sweet Box Family:
Buxaceae
Plant Type:
Evergreen Shrub
Compact suckering shrub -
Key features:
grows to 60cm tall.
Attractive to wildlife Sweetly fragrant Suitable for small spaces Uses:
Ground cover Banks and slopes
Glossy, elliptical shaped,
More Information: Unlike most species this shrub offers deep green glossy leaves and vanilla like sweetly scented blooms in winter. Following winter, the shrub then produces red berries that turn black over summer which carry on until the following winter. It is a reliable and undemanding shrub. For the most part it is trouble free and pest free. It is suggested to lightly trim the shrub in the spring after its flowering stage in order to keep it dense and bushy. The shrub is native to the woodlands of southeast Asia and the Himalayas and was found by Ernest Wilson in 1908. It is a hardy plant, tolerant of most soils including well drained humus rich, slightly acidic, heavy clay and chalky.
Growing in coastal, city and courtyard locations. It has the qualities to even cope with urban pollution. The shrub thrives in partial shade and should be watered regularly once planted until it is established, appreciating a generous mulch during the springtime. Dwarf Sarcococca humulis usually grows to about 24 inches tall at full maturity and has a spread of 3 feet. It can be used as a ground cover as it has a low canopy, growing at a medium rate. Humulis means low growing in Latin. If the plant is cared for well it can last up to 30 years.
dark green leaves.
Creamy white flowers in winter.
The shrub can also be grown for shrub borders, low hedges, shady parts of cottage gardens, shady slopes and even pots. Red, purple or black berries in late summer and autumn.
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ISSUE N O.3
FEBRUA
ILI ACTIVITIES
JAN-FEB SUMMARY
Summary of issue covered by ILI council in January and February: •
IFLA Europe (International Federation of Landscape Architects) - ILI is working on: IFLA Climate Action Commitment.
•
Liaising with IFLA in 3 areas :Professional Practice, Education and Communication.
•
We are promoting the IFL Rural landscape photo competition.
•
DMURS (Design manual for Urban Roads and Streets) - We met with DHLGH to assist with reviewing DMURS.
•
National Landscape Strategy - Met with Heritage Council to discuss the National Landscape Strategy.
•
ALCI (Associate for Landscape Contractor of Ireland) - Liaising with ALCI re their 2022 design awards and going standard across horticulture and maintenance.
•
Professional Practice Exams – ILI scheduling date of exams for 2022.
•
UCD Engagement (University College Dublin) -ILI welcomed 4 student reps to the Council plus Karen Foley. We have facilitated a lecture on LVIA for fourth year students.
•
Lunchtime Webinars - we have held lunchtime webinar on: 27th January subject: LVIA (Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment) -TII Guidance documents (speakers David Bosonnet of BSM and Tony Williams of TII) , over 150 people logged in on.
•
Next webinar - 17th February subject: GeoDesign and Public Consultation.
•
Scheduling events for 2022 now that venues are taking bookings post covid : Hope to host Ian McHarg Exhibition - from the Scottish Chapter in March.
•
ILI Conference April- Half day virtual event followed by a tour of 2020 winning sites.
•
UCD End of Year Show 23-27th May – ILI members invited.
•
ILI Design awards for 2022- judges and design categories are being selected, new theme to be Sustainable Design. Dates for awards and exhibitions under way
Keep up to date with all the latest news via the ILI website. Click the image below
IRISH LANDSCAPE INSTITUTE INSTITIUID TIRDHREACHA NA HEIREANN
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ARY 2022
THE CALENDAR
FEBRUARY
31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 28
Jan
03 Feb
11
Rural Landscapes Photo Comp. ONLINE
Deadline: 15th of June 2022
CLICK HERE
Peter Cook - City Landscapes 21st January - 8th May 2022
Design Symposium Lectures
15
EMLAB:Sensed Landscapes
CLICK HERE
Feb
ONLINE 15th of February 2022
17
ILI:Geodesign Webinar
CLICK HERE
Don’t forget
to use our
Feb
ONLINE 17th of February 2022
18
Design Symposium Lectures
CLICK HERE
Feb
ONLINE 18th of February 2022
22
Aoife Munn: Spring Garden Talk
CLICK HERE
ONLINE 22nd of February 2022
CLICK HERE
Feb
27
RIBA: Concrete futures
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media!
SGD CPD Digital
London, UK. 2fth of February 2022
Information
on your social
ONLINE 22nd -23rd of February 2022 CLICK HERE
Feb
By Ian H. Thompson
CLICK HERE
ONLINE 18th of February 2022
23
Landscape Architecture: A Very Short Introduction
LOUISIANA MUSEUM OF MODERN ART, DENMARK
Feb
Feb
BOOK OF THE MONTH
ILI eZINE
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If there is anything you think we’ve missed or would like to see in an upcoming issue, please get in contact with us via our email. We would love to hear your feedback. Irishlandscapeinstitute.ezine@gmail.com landscape.architecture.ireland @ILI_Landscape
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