THE GREAT ESCAPE

THE GREAT ESCAPE Yiling Deng Tutor: Gunther Galligioni, Vanessa Ness

My investigation aims to obtain the revival of a type of landscape currently lost in the urban setting: the Heathland. And what site in London could be more suitable than Hampstead Heath? The proposal strives to demonstrate the potential of sheep grazing as a form of traditional landscape maintenance, softening the boundaries between humans and non-humans and offering opportunities for an uncanny shared social space.

STATEMENT THE GREAT ESCAPE

The Concept was inspired by the several expansions of Hampstead Heath over the past centuries and seeks new connections with surrounding areas, in an effort to create a continuous network of green spaces and a Heath discovery hike.

A Case study is offered by the area of Clitterhouse Playing fields in Brent Cross, envisaged as the potential future extension of Hampstead Heath. As a starting point for my design, I have carried out a critical review of the Brent Cross Regeneration Programme, a proposal for the site currently developed by Argent Related in tandem with Barment Council. Argent’s proposal seems to mainly aim at increasing the shopping centre area, and intensifying the sport character of the Playing Fields, currently not very used. However, it chooses to ignore the agricultural character of the site, offered by the existing allotments and historical city farm located on the Southwest corner of the site. Furthermore, it proposes to build over the existing parking lots, discarding the opportunity of restoring a green and blue connection with the water basin to the Northwest of the site.

Stemming from these observations, I decided to make a radical proposal that takes inspiration from the farming character of the site, tying together pieces of the city otherwise physically and socially segregated by the existing infrastructures and land use. Furthermore, the new allotments will aim to satisfy the demand, dictated by the increased population moving into the new housing developments. Furthermore, it will aim to de-culvert and revamp the existing river, connecting it either physically or visually with the adjacent existing and proposed water basins.

I envisage this latest expansion of the Heath as an educational space where humans can learn by direct experience, interacting with sheep freely roaming through the Fields and connecting to the colours and the floral features of the heath landscape, echoing previous Garden cities experiences.