Urban Futures (Personal) - University of Sheffield

"Urban Vortex"

Wardsend Cemetery In Tranquil Woods

The parts of the site I have chosen include the Forest, Wildflower Meadow, Shirecliffe Allotment and Wardsend Cemetery.

I chose this site for design because I believe it has the potential for a rich ecosystem and human emotion, and they will be the main points of my design for this site.

Shirecliffe Allotments is a private piece of land currently known as a garden. My expectation for it was that the surrounding vegetation would act as an articulation of the edges.

Wardsend Cemetery is a place with a long history and a great reputation. My expectation for it is that it will be shaped into a pollinator's garden that will have some educational value while affecting people's senses.

The forest and wildflower meadow is a place with a rich ecosystem, my expectation for the wildflower meadow is a resting space wrapped in a sea of flowers and the forest is in need of a transition of vegetation and ecological protection.

Wardsend Cemetry

Shirecliffe Allotments Wild Flowers Meadow

Forest

Parkwood Springs

Strategic

Design Method

I was inspired by the form of the vortex and I think it can produce 3 forms of viewing. The first type of view has the core in the centre, with an attraction from all around towards the middle. The second is an attraction where the core of perspective is at the edge, all directed to one side. The third is where the core of the viewpoint is around the perimeter and the attraction will remain around.

Original vortex of site New vortex of site

Venue of my choice

Venue of my choice

Wardsend Cemetry

Wildflowers Meadow Forest

More vortex

Stronger attraction

Wallsend Cemetery

Animal habitat + vegetation species + activities + emotions

1. Enrich the original animal habitat.

2. Increase node setting.

3. Enrichment of vegetation types.

4. Enhance the emotional connection between people and the landscape (colours, flavours, stories, education ......) .

Forests

Animal habitat + vegetation species

1. Limits the range of activity and protects animals from disturbance.

2. Visual variation in height and density of vegetation.

3. Rich plant diversity.

4. Edge transition

Wildflowers Meadow

Animals Habitat + vegetation Species+ activities

1. Maintain a diverse planting system that balances and integrates wild and native plants.

2. A rich visual experience.

3. A space for rest.

Center attracts Unilateral attraction Edge attraction

Design Thinking

Part1：Wardsend Cemetry

Vortex Of Animals Habitat+Vegetation Species+Activity+Emotion

With regard to the historical context of the cemetery, I have divided the site into roughly 5 nodes. A circular road leading to the forest is connected to the original main road and ties together the 5 nodes. I wanted to give the site a story-like touring dynamic.

Wardsend Cemetery is a place with a long history and a great reputation. My expectation for it is that it will be shaped into a pollinator's garden that will have some educational value while affecting people's senses.

The area originally had a certain appeal (Vortex). With regard to people, this includes the historical social events and the emotional connection of the cemetery, which attracts people to this place.

Regarding ecology, the cemetery is located in a forest with a long history and has become home to many creatures, of which insects (moths) are a major family member. The rich ecological resources will continue to maintain its attraction.

Application: Use the properties of the plants in combination with the cemetery to attract people, both in terms of the colour and the smell of the plants. The use of panels to tell the story of history, which is for people's emotional and educational purposes.

Node

Main Route

Gloomy Trail

Rriginal Mark Tree

By observing the site, I have arranged five main nodes in this area. Guided by the main road, the secondary road connections form a complete viewing route. Regarding the interpretation of the colours on the sketch: I wanted the colours of the plants to change around the main nodes. The areas where people can reach are surrounded by a mix of cool and warm shades of plants. Where people can see but cannot reach, I will use only cool-toned plants.

Historic Graves Unknown Graves

The old chaple site Grave Robbing and Roit

The great sheffield flood Obelisk Monument

Atmosphere pictures

Application of the method

Device? History? Plants?

Center attracts

Display board Arrangement: according to height、color...

Based on the approach to the design of the central attraction and the characteristics of the site, I believe that there could be a number of display boards within the site that would provide visitors with a historical narrative of the park and the cemetery. The panels could attract people from all directions. The plants can act as sight guides, pulling people's eyes from all directions to the centre.

Detail Design

Wardsend Cemetry : Site Plan

Historical Corner: Site Plan

Historical Display walls

Memorial Square

Memory Garden

Historical Corner

I wanted the site to be educational, with the history of the park and cemetery written on the display walls. Through the window on the wall, people can enjoy the garden of different colors.

I have chosen plants that are as visually and tastefully appealing as possible. At the same time these plants also have the ability to attract insects.

Flower，Fafrant Plants

Visual (Colour/form): Insect (Attraction): Smell (Scent): Vinca minor 'GertrudeJekyll' Agastache 'Blue Boa' Geranium 'Lilac Ice' Coreopsis 'Ladybird' Primula vulgaris primrose

Hyacinthoides non-scripta Erigeron karvinskianus

Geranium ×johnsonii 'Johnson's Blue'

This garden is very close to the cemetery forest. The colors of the garden are warm and colorful. The colors of the cemetery forest are cool and mysterious. I hope to use the color of plants to connect and differentiate the two areas, giving people different visual experiences.

Memorial Square

Additional seating has been added around the small square while defining its boundaries. The original event space is retained while the plants are used to add a sense of ritual.

Cemetery Forest

I will minimise intervention in the cemetery forest for the following reasons.

1. the number of headstones will increase in the future due to the close arrangement of graves in the forest, within the limits set.

2. it is close to the river and already has a rich ecosystem.

3. the study of moths, as part of an initiative called the DECIDE project, should reduce disturbance to the site.

The areas I wanted to plant were determined by the 4 steps mentioned above. Firstly, I need to identify the dense gravestone area and the ecological area, then leave an accessible pathway for the dense gravestone area and finally plant the vegetation outside of the pathway.

Memory Garden: Section B-B'

B'

Memory Garden: Site Plan

Quiet, mysterious place.

View

Train track

Tombstone Dense Areas

Walking Path Planting area

Renderings：Memory Garden

The walls of the garden record the well-worn history of the park and the cemetery, accompanied by a sea of flowers and interesting insects, which must make this an unforgettable place to visit. The blue and purple flowers also lend a mystical touch to the peaceful cemetery forest.

'It's like seeing a blue forest from a sea of warm flowers'.

Design Thinking

Part2: Wildflowers Meadow & Forest

1. Based on the edge-attraction design approach and the characteristics of the site, I wanted to design a wildflower meadow on this pristine moorland. In the centre of the wildflower meadow is a social space for people to rest and enjoy nature. Several insect huts are arranged in the surrounding flowers, the first reason being to attract insects and the second reason being that people can observe them in action.

2. Based on the design approach and site characteristics of a single-sided landscape. Where the wildflower meadow is connected to the forest, I used plants for the edge. The growth lines in the picture above show that in my plan the two areas of the forest will gradually merge into one in the future.

Vortex of Animals Habitat+Vegetation Species+Activites

The forest and wildflower meadow is a place with a rich ecosystem, my expectation for the wildflower meadow is a resting space wrapped in a sea of flowers and the forest is in need of a transition of vegetation and ecological protection.

The forest and grassland already have a strong biological attraction in their own right, which is a kind of 'Vortex'. As Parkwood springs is itself a growing green park, I would like to plan the future of the forest and grassland to have a stronger and broader attraction at every stage in the future.

Application: I want to use a number of plants (shrubs, clumps) as edges of the forest to isolate the natural ecosystem from human activity and to protect the local biodiversity.

At the same time, both in terms of perspective and diversity of biological habitats, the grassland will be transformed into a wildflower meadow as a transition from human and biological to the forest edge.

From a summary of the forest problems in the area, here are the areas that I think could be improved now or in the future

1. Integration of scattered forest areas. It reflects the integrity of the region's forests from an urban perspective.

2. The gradual reduction of distances between woodlands within integrated large green areas.

3. Consider the trajectory of organisms while reducing the distance between woodlands.

4. Add or increase transition zones.

5. In an urban vision, the forest should be a linear connection, rather than expanding outwards on its own.

Natural dispersal

Envisioned sketch of the edge of the forest

Large beautiful meadow with herbs and flowers

Vertical complexity of woody plants

Insects' favorite habitat

Detail Design

Wildflowers Meadow

I want to complete Wildflowers Meadow with the planting style of 'Prairie Planting'

Flower Collocation

Wildflowers Meadow SectionC-C'

Hylotelephium 'Matrona' Echinopsbannaticus 'TaplowBlue'

I would like to place some insect huts among the flowers which will provide a good shelter for the insects in this wildflower meadow and also attract more beneficial insects such as bees.

Insect hut

succisapratensis Sanguisorba'Tanna'

Beneficial insects

Anemone×hybrida 'Loreley'

Praying Mantis Ground Beetle

Partial planting plan: 9㎡

Wildflowers Meadow：Site Plan

Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty' Stipatenuissima

Thalictrum rochebruneanum

Honey Bee Butterfly ladybug

Wildflowers Meadow SectionD-D'

Forets

Transition edge

Wild flowers meadow

Renderings: Wildflowers Meadow

'Immerse yourself in a sea of flowers with the insects! '

Wildflowers Meadow contains a short resting space with colourful plants where one can enjoy nature and observe insects.

1.Wildlowers Meadow

2.Historical Corner

4.Memory Garden

5.Memorial Square

6.Historical Corner 3

3.Historical Corner 2

Urban perspective: future expectations for green space and social space 2022

Green vortex

Expected future changes within the design area

Social space

Vegetation Green vortex

Social vortex

Social space

Vegetation Green vortex

Social vortex

Social space

Vegetation Green vortex

Social vortex

Future changes to the node

In the future, the garden of memories will gradually be covered with trees and integrated with the new graves, its social function gradually weakening and its ecological function increasing.

Over time, the wild garden has gradually become a haven for animals and insects. At the same time, human management of it has gradually diminished, gradually coming into line with the nature of the forest.

Reference

Social vortex

Green vortex

Existing green space

Future green space opportunities

Existing social space

Future social space opportunities

1.The great sheffield flood: (No date) The great sheffield flood [Photograph]. Available at: https://wardsendcemetery.wordpress.com/ (Accessed: 20 October 2022).

2.The old chaple site: (No date) The old chaple site [Photograph]. Available at: https://wardsendcemetery.wordpress.com/ (Accessed: 20 October 2022).

3.Obelisk Monument: (No date) The old chaple site [Photograph]. Available at: https://wardsendcemetery.wordpress.com/ (Accessed: 22 October 2022).

4.Grave Robbing and Roit: (No date) The old chaple site [Photograph]. Available at: https://wardsendcemetery.wordpress.com/ (Accessed: 24 October 2022).

5.New protion: (No date) The old chaple site [Photograph]. Available at: https://wardsendcemetery.wordpress.com/ (Accessed: 26 October 2022).

6.Design draft basemap: (No date) The old chaple site [Photograph]. Available at: https://wardsendcemetery.wordpress.com/ (Accessed: 24 October 2022).

7.Flower，Fafrant Plants: (No date) Flower，Fafrant Plants [Photograph]. Available at: https://www.crocus.co.uk/ (Accessed: 27 October 2022).

8.Flower Collocation: (No date) Flower Collocation [Photograph]. Available at: https://www.crocus.co.uk/ (Accessed: 27 October 2022).

9.Beneficial insects: (No date) Beneficial insects [Photograph].Available at: https://www.google.com/search?q=beneficial+insects&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved

=2ahUKEwjZ-6TYxpD7AhXxRkEAHVmxDMgQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1745&bih=852&dpr=1.1 (Accessed: 29 October 2022).

10.Insect hut: (2022) XLARGE WOODEN INSECT BEE HOUSE NATURAL WOOD BUG HOTEL METAL ROOF GARDEN 57CM [Painting]. Available at: https://www. indiabazaar.co.uk/xlarge-wooden-insect-bee-house-natural-wood-bug-hotel-metal-roof-garden-57cm (Accessed: 2 November 2022).