Where Wildflowers Bloom

STOSS use landscape to ‘right the wrongs’, transforming neglected or abandoned spaces into climate resilient places that aim to protect and generate new, educational experiences. Their strategy for climate adaptation primarily focuses on water management by ways of storm water storage and infiltration, water conservation a coastal flooding prevention. Their other strategy is to increase tree canopies by creating urban forests. The project that I have chosen is one that is currently under construction.   Triangle Park is a ‘left over’ space that will be planted with almost 400 new trees. I am going to attempt to adopt this approach with my design for North Place. Infilling the gaps with flowering groves and increasing an almost non-existent canopy over the site. Trees are the vital design component of Triangle Park, paired with subtle paving choices and seating as not to emphasize the wonders of nature.

Mutabilis is a landscape design practise that focuses on the long-term output of their projects, following a "change what needs to be changed" approach.  They are imaginative and playful in their designs, which can be seen particularly in their Garden of Giants, Lille. Throughout their portfolio there are several projects that display abundant flora in urban areas. Despite the surrounding multi-storey buildings, there is a real wildness, one that favours green space and soft surfaces over hardscaping. Although most of my floor plane is resided by buildings, I will attempt to encourage this approach for my design at North Place. The “40 Journals” Project is a residential district in Bordeaux with striking pines, rooftop trees and productive land – the trees are a dominant feature throughout the project. They’re enchanting, appearing almost ‘in charge’, overseeing and all knowing. Another project that piques my interest is the Fluvial Eco-District. Much like North place, ...

Colours play a vital role when it comes to design, especially within the landscape. Not only do they visually alter the outlook, but they also have the power to evoke emotions and set the mood of a place.  Cool calm colours such as blue and purple are often used in meditation gardens for their tendency to kindle peace and harmony - in contrast, warmer colours such as reds, pinks and oranges, evoke higher arousal emotions such as excitement, passion, love and happiness.  Staying within these two colour groups provides unity, yet those that contrast also provide unity - according to the colour theory and complimentary colour pairs and trios. Ahead of deciding a planting palette and other material considerations for North Place, I have been exploring Complementary, Analogous and Triadic colour combinations that have appeared in my surroundings.  COMPLEMENTARY The contrasting leaves and berries of Aucuba japonica are a striking natural example of a complementary colour compo...

BAM Biblioteca degli Alberi - Studio Giorgetta  The first precedent explored this week is Studio Giorgetta’s ‘Biblioteca degli Alberi’ / Library of Trees. The design intention was to bring a new type of park to the City of Milan, a modern take to a Botanic Garden – each plot of the park focusing on different species and growth programmes. As the park is still relatively new (completed in 2018), the slender saplings in the circular forests have a while until they reach maturity, which will of course alter the spatial surroundings.  This review is via desktop, so without the real experience of being within the park – but it seems bare?  In the conceptual stages it appears that there are more circular forests than in the final construction and recent aerial photographs reveal areas of wide-open space. To me there is no mystery, or hidden treasure around the corner, it is all just there… straight and flat. I appreciate the intent to encourage users from all areas vi...

  The Cheltenham Plan reviewed yesterday is the local town plan that supports the Joint Core Strategy (JCS) of the three neighbouring Councils: Gloucester City, Cheltenham Borough and Tewkesbury Borough. Adopted in December 2017, the JCS sets out a detailed strategy for development needed up to 2031. As expected, a lot of the same themes from the Chelt Plan are repeated, along with the visions and objectives - a focus on delivering a sustainable quality of life, thriving business opportunities and protecting the cultural and natural heritage of the town.  Throughout the JCS, Cheltenham is referred to as "a town within a park" due to its tree lined streets, open green spaces and "formal garden townscape". I am to extend this vision with tree lined entrances and a park-like ground plane in my design for North Place - although there will be less formality, representing 'now' and the future of Cheltenham, whilst nodding to the past.  Other key topics and pressin...

  Adopted in 2020, the local Cheltenham Plan sets out the visions, objectives and policies for future development throughout the town. Whilst reviewing the plan I pulled out what I gather to be important details that will inform and influence my design and intention for North Place.  Not to blow my own trumpet, but I am pleased that my concept and objectives already align with the key principles within the plan. There is a real focus on "locally specific models", ones that support cultural and social life for existing communities and for the future. Below I have outlined the links between the aims of the Cheltenham Plan and my d esign : Integration of existing communities with new communities - I aimed to conserve the open spaces directly outside of the residential properties that face onto North Place, with the intention to encourage the surrounding community to engage with the new and proposed development - it should be there one stop, local. They are the users.. why bloc...