landscape is Woodason

About my Blog...

2007-05-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my Blog!!

This blog is a personal record of my experiences over the past year. The entries are labelled accordingly with the following categories to ease navigation around my site:

Carlyon Bay
When I visited Cornwall in September 2006 I took an interest in a £200 million project, on the south coast, to build a holiday resort on a brownfield site. Planning permission was originally granted for this scheme in the 1990s, however, due to the need for improved sea-defences the project is now on hold pending the outcome of a planning inquiry. I found the debate over rising sea-levels, environmental concerns and the sustainability of sea-defences surrounding this project really exciting and have followed the progress of the inquiry throughout the year.

Events and Exhibitions
In this chapter of the blog I have recorded events and exhibitions I have attended throughout the year and given a personal account of my experience.

Interests and Inspiration
Throughout the year I have added posts recording websites, plays and research that I have found inspirational or of interest to me. Some of these are not directly related to landscape but they have all influenced my design work and broadened my imagination and creativity.

LASE (Landscape Architecture South East)
This year I became a member of LASE as part of the working group ‘Creative Places’. This group is responsible for hosting an exhibition and workshop, bringing together landscape architects, artists, engineers, architects and environmental scientists under the premise of design. I have enjoyed being part of this group and having the chance to get involved with practitioners of a variety of disciplines.

Lectures
I have been lucky enough to attend a variety of lectures this year, including Think 07, Cityscape and Shifting Sands. In my blog I have reflected upon the lectures and given an account of what I have learnt from them.

LSEA (London Schools Environment Award)
This year I took part in the LSEA scheme. This entailed volunteering at a local primary school to teach the children about the importance of looking after our environment. This was one of the highlights of my year as I was able to get involved with teaching a future generation about the significance of the welfare of our planet.

Projects
I have included some of my project work from this year, in order to evaluate my work which will help with its development. I also welcome any criticism from anyone who views my blog.

Public Space
In this category I have reviewed parks, squares, gardens and other public spaces I have visited over the year. I have explored how these spaces work, their effectiveness as a public space and how people use them. I have found that investigating each of these places has given me a much broader understanding of how a good public space works and I have used this to help with my design work.

Sculptures and their Landscapes
In this section I look at how art can be enhanced by its environment and how the siting of a sculpture can be as important as the design of the piece itself. I have especially enjoyed exploring how some sculptures are improved by an overt contrast with their surroundings while others will be bettered by corresponding setting.

Sheffield Regeneration
On a visit to Sheffield in February I learnt a great deal about the regeneration that the city has undergone. The transformation of the Sheffield’s public space and master planning of the city as a whole were of great interest.

SLIC (Student Landscape Institute Council)
This year I became a representative of Kingston University for SLIC. This role has enabled me to gain a much greater insight into how the Landscape Institute works and I have really enjoyed the opportunity to meet with students from different courses and visit their universities. Through this role I have been responsible for facilitating communication between practicing members and student members of the Landscape Institute, as well as students from different universities. I have also been involved in administrating the SLIC website and helping to assemble the centrepiece ‘Streetscene’ at Cityscape. My blog records the endeavours of the SLIC meetings and the accomplishments of the council throughout the year.

Think!

2007-05-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

Think is a conference and exhibition that brings together some of the world’s leading opinion formers and thinkers to debate:

How the built environment meet today’s changing environmental, economic and social needs
What needs to happen to make the built environment truly ‘fit for purpose’ in a carbon-constrained world
What sustainability means for the private sector and government bodies involved in regeneration?
The wider responsibilities of the property and construction industries as we deal with the issues of climate change, urban renewal and redevelopment

At the event I was able to hear Al Gore give a keynote speech on climate change and John Prescott discuss how the government are working towards reducing the country’s carbon footprint. I was also able to talk to someone from LDA Design about some of their current projects and see some examples of their work. I thought the event was definitely worth attending and I was able to take away some interesting information.

Sacred Monsters

2007-04-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

“Sacred Monsters unites two ravishingly beautiful movers from opposing classical disciplines - ballet and kathak - and takes them to amazing places neither has gone before. An extraordinary meeting of minds and bodies ” -The Times

Sacred Monsters was powerful and exhilarating performance and I found that it was enhanced by the design of the Sadler's Wells Theatre, by Nicholas Hare Architects. The auditorium is lined with metal gauze panels upon which images and lights can be projected to radically transform the theatre and unite audience and performers.

Sadler's Wells Theatre

Equus -Gielgud Theatre

2007-04-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed this production of Equus. I particularly like the innovative design of the costumes for the horses. For this costume the actors wore a horse's head and hooves shaped out of wire. The hooves gave the actors much more height and the masks were made the costume very intimidating helping to create a sense of apprehension. The low lighting of the set, smoke and sinister music also added to the feel of unease, making the play more convincing.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

2007-04-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

Designed over 200 years ago as a private pleasure ground, much thought and attention has been given to the planting of exotic trees, modelling of the hills and valleys and the use of water and architectural features in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP). The park was split up in the 1940’s but was brought back together 30 years ago by the YSP along with a integrated landscape management plan.

Now the 500 acres of rolling rural north accommodate a wide range of exhibitions, instillations and commissions. The spirit of the historic landscape’s design is preserved through a team of working farmers, foresters and artists.

The new Underground Gallery, designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley is sensitively sited within the landscape. It is set into the hillside of the historic Bothy Gardens and is designed to have minimum impact on the surrounding landscape. A glazed concourse links the four galleries and allows them to be naturally lit throughout the day.

The fields, lakes and open countryside complement the sculptures beautifully, evoking different sensory experiences throughout the changing seasons.

Andy Goldsworthy

Currently the YSP is home to a specially commissioned series of outdoor works and interventions by Andy Goldsworthy. The principal themes are: holes; walking and journeying; consideration of nature and time; historical agricultural structuring and layering of the landscape; performance and the body.

Upon entering the Underground Gallery I was instantly confronted with a large, interwoven egg-shaped form of interlocking oak branches. At first this intervention felt intimidating as I shuffled around the work, with my back pressed to the wall, along with the other visitors. It seemed amazing that the whole structure could be self-supporting.

Moving through the gallery I found myself inside what felt like a giant upside down nest. The smell of wood was intense and the intervention gave a feeling of security and calm.

One of my favourite pieces was an intricate floor to ceiling web of sycamore stems held together by black thorns. The piece seemed to have a lyrical beauty to it, indicative of the delicacy and fragile complexity of nature.

Outside Goldsworthy had placed a series of stone enclosures, containing the twisted skeletons of fallen trees. I watched as visitors eagerly approaches these ‘tombs’ and reacted with excitement and awe as they peered inside.

I was less impressed with the impenetrable, circular sculpture, ‘Enclosure’, intended to evoke memories of the Enclosure Act which prevented so many people from wandering through the countryside freely. After satisfying a mild curiosity to see what was inside the wall, by climbing onto my brother’s shoulders, I was disappointed to find nothing and felt let down by Goldsworthy for not rewarding my curiosity, as he had with the stone ‘tombs’ mentioned earlier.

More disappointing still were Goldsworthy’s attempts at profundity in sheep shit and blood of road-kill. Unlike Goldsworthy’s other work at the YSP these particular pieces were not able to evoke my sense of excitement or curiosity.

Dare to Bare

2007-04-01T16:19:00.000-07:00

Dare to Bare is a project based at the Uni-Bank Headquarters, Copenhagen. It uses hydrotherapy to relieve stress and improve productivity within the workplace. A series of water treatment areas are designed around the offices, using hot and cold water to invigorate, inspire and refresh the uni-bank employees.

Upon first submission of this project my work lacked detailed drawings and plans of each treatment area. Since then I have added these to the project and some of them can be seen in the slide reel above.

Shifting Sands

2007-03-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Shifting Sands was a particularly interesting lecture due to it's relevance to Kingston's current North Sea Faring projects. The lecture included a variety of speakers talking about seaside regeneration.

I particularly enjoyed hearing from Thomas Heatherwick about the East Beach Cafe he has designed in Littlehampton. The cafe is designed to shelter visitors making them feel secure and protected from the elements while presenting them with panoramic views out to sea. The ridged design of the building was a result of finding a design solution to disguise the shutter boxes above the windows. I found it really interesting to hear how Heatherwick problem solving led to the final design. After the lecture we were able to visit the cafe, which is still under construction. This made the whole project come to life and I hope to visit the cafe when it is completed to see the final result.

Alien Nation - Manchester Art Gallery

2007-03-25T06:12:00.000-07:00

‘Alien Nation’ explores the complex relationship between science fiction, race and contemporary art. In the 1950s and 60s science fiction was often used to illustrate the people’s fear of invasion and communism at the time of the Cold War. Today many artists use this medium to investigate racial difference.

This exhibition presents the work of twelve contemporary artists exploring the themes of ‘otherness’ and ‘difference’ through the iconography of science fiction. The art portrays the terror of invasion from asylum seekers and immigrants and their threat towards families and national security.

I thought ‘Alien Nation’ was a thought provoking and unique exhibition exploring both our fears and fantasies about the ‘outsider’. The use of mixed media engaged the viewer and helped transport them into the enigmatic world of sci-fi.

Liam Spencer

2007-03-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

Liam Spencer is one of the north-west’s most popular artists and having attended university in Manchester he is able to encapsulate the unique ambience of the city through his work. He captures the subtle effects of the city’s light and colour resulting in atmospheric panoramas of Manchester’s urban environment.

‘The Mancunian Way’
This painting depicts a scene of Manchester at night in the rain. The car headlights reflect off the wet road giving the surreal impression of a giant Scalextric set.

‘Deansgate and Whitworth Street’
This painting portrays a dynamic intersection of the city, with a whole series of bridges, roads and transport links. All forms of transport are represented in this one space: trains, cars, trams, bicycles, boats and even planes passing across the sky.

‘Piccadilly Fog’
As fog sets in across the city of Manchester the glow of the street lamps is diffused creating a sinister atmosphere, also reflected in the emptiness of the space.

Viewing the city though the eyes of a local artist allowed me to see Manchester from a more personal perspective and to experience the city at its most alluring and most treasured.

Exchange Square - Martha Schwartz

2007-03-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

This vibrant square in the heart of Manchester draws visitors from the retail and entertainment district. The plaza stretches out to the building edges surrounding it allowing the square to ‘borrow’ the activity of surrounding buildings and streets.

The existing topography of the site sculpts the square into a number of levels. These levels allow the plaza to be divided into different areas for a variety of uses as well as helping to provide access for all, attributing to the square’s success. The ramps and stairs allow movement and stasis around the square as well as acting as informal seating.

On the upper level of the plaza rail tracks, inserted with coloured glass panels are reminiscent of Manchester’s railroads and industrial development. Movable benches run along the tracks, allowing seating to be flexible.

On the lower level the historic ‘Hanging Ditch’ is remembered through an abstract river of stepping stones and water nozzles.

I think this square is a brilliant example of public space. It allows people to interact with each other and with their space by moving the furniture and exploring the different levels and themes. It offers people the opportunity to sit and enjoy the space or to pass through without hindrance.

Martha Schwartz

Cathedral Gardens – Building Design Partnership (BDP)

2007-03-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

This space is composed of themed lawns and paved spaces interspersed with ornamental trees and a continuous water feature running throughout. The four lawns each have different characteristics, allowing for mixed use. Featuring soft rolling mounds, terraces, flowing plateaus and stepped walls.

I think this space was very effective as the different themed areas did allow for different activities, such as skateboarding, relaxing and public events. The different characteristics of each area made the space exciting and stimulating.

Piccadilly Gardens – Tadao Ando

2007-03-25T05:46:00.000-07:00

Piccadilly Gardens is one of Manchester’s largest open inner city green spaces. The square is currently the central hub of Manchester’s public transport system.

During the winter an ice skating rink is placed in the square and during the summer a series of fountains fill the space. Unfortunately, during my visit the gardens were undergoing the transitional period between the winter and summer, with the grass areas only just being planted up and neither fountains or ice rink to be seen.

Manchester SLIC Meeting

2007-03-24T06:47:00.000-07:00

The main aim of this meeting was to introduce new members of the council, who will be taking over from current representatives next year. This was important as the new reps need to understand SLIC’s current involvements and objectives so that they will be able to continue these next year.

In the meeting we also assessed the centrepiece and SLIC stand at Cityscape and discussed how this could be improved for next year. We also made further plans for this year’s summer trip and discussed the possible events and places that could be visited within London, including the Olympic site.

Grand Avenue Primary School

2007-03-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

As part of the London Schools Environment Awards I visited Grand Avenue Primary School to take part in their ‘science week’. I spent the day making recycled paper with children from key stage 1 and teaching them about the climate change and the environment. I also gave an assembly on the importance of recycling and how they can help to recycle at home and at school.

I really enjoyed helping out at the school and teaching the children about how they can help protect our environment today and encouraging them to do so in the future.

Creative Places -Whitelaw Turkington

2007-03-07T20:16:00.000-08:00

This meeting was held at Whitelaw Turkington’s office. It was a great opportunity to visit a practice and see some examples of their work as well as talk to some landscape architects about their experience and what to look forward to. However, I was disappointed with the outcome of the meeting yet again as no progress was made. It was decided that a smaller working group should be set up, allowing decisions to be made faster. This group is to meet fortnightly and report back to the main group on their progress. I think this was a good resolution as organisation of the event will be much more efficient.

The Tolstoy Tales

2007-03-03T17:03:00.000-08:00

I thought this performance brought the classic Tolstoy Tales to life for a modern audience. The play was engaging, fun and intense. I particularly liked the staging and the good use of the limited space on set by suspending unused props from the ceiling.

Tolstoy Tales -Camden People's Theatre

Climate Change – Why is there a Crisis?

2007-03-02T04:49:00.000-08:00

In order to help prevent a climate change crisis, the causes of the problem must first be identified.

There is currently a greater variety of life on our planet than ever before but the damage being caused by humanity is having a global effect on this life. The destruction of other species can be seen since the human life first started, in Africa. By the time humans were able to travel out of Africa, to other continents they were already experienced hunters. However, unlike African mega-fauna the animals in other continents were not used to humans and did not view them as a threat. Therefore, large herds of animals were wiped out, for example camel and lion in North America. That is why Africa is the only continent we can see these herds of mega-fauna today.

Most of today’s problems can be attributed to five human activities:

1. Over Harvesting
With the advances in our technology over harvesting becomes easier. Rainforests can be felled quicker and the fish can be caught on a greater scale. Currently 70% of fish are overfished or exploited.

2. Introduction of Alien Species
The introduction of alien species can have huge consequences of the native biodiversity. For example the native Hawaiian snail is facing extinction. This began at the introduction of rats to Hawaii, which ate the snails. As the rats had no natural predators on the islands their population grew, at great detriment to the Hawaiian snail. The introduction of pigs and goats also added to the snails decline as they ate the same plants that the snails fed on. Later the Giant African Snail was introduced to Hawaii, as it was considered a delicacy to humans. However, this snail also fed off the same food as the Hawaiian snail. By this point the decline in Hawaiian snails was finally noticed.

It was decided that a breed of killer snail would be introduced, to eat the African snails. However, the killer snails chose to eat the Hawaiian snails instead and are currently moving across Hawaii at a rate of 1km per year, devastating the native snail population.

3. Destruction of Habitats
Destruction of other species habitats for human agriculture and living is the human activity that is affecting species numbers the most.

An example of this destruction can be seen in Cape Town. Locally known as ‘Fynbos’ the Cape Floral Kingdom has the highest concentration of plants than anywhere else in the world, at 1,300 per 10,000 sq.km. There are 5,500 plants that grow nowhere else but 40% of this area has already been destroyed by agriculture.

4. Islandisation
Islandisation is where natural areas have been cut off or surrounded by areas that have been modified by humans. This leads to member of the same species becoming isolated from each other, making them more at risk to extinction. The smaller the ‘island’ the greater the risk is towards the species living there. It has also been discovered that the closer to the margins of the islands the lower the species diversity.

An example of islandisation can be seen in the chalk downlands of Surrey. Here, the Silver Spotted Skipper Butterfly lives in areas of grazed grass where wild flowers are able to grow. The grazing also causes patches of bare earth which the butterfly uses to bathe in and keep warm. Due to agriculture, these habitats have been Islandised. As the butterfly does not travel long distances over unsuitable habitat, members of the species have been alienated, making them more at risk of extinction.

5. Pollution
Carbon Dioxide pollution is the worst, as it is a greenhouse gas helping to cause global warming. Global warming has occurred naturally on the earth before. This can be seen due to examples such as the discovery of mammoth bones in the English Channel meaning that it was once dry land.

The earth has recovered from dramatic changes before, for example the extinction of dinosaurs. However, these five factors, causes by humans are occurring at unprecedented speeds. The situation is also unique as it is the first time that one single species, humans, are sequestering for their own use a quarter to half all the plant material that grows on the earth in any one year. If the conservation is not implemented now the earth could be facing biotic impoverishment, effects of which are yet to be seen.

Research:

State of thePlanet

Climate Change

Streetscene

2007-02-28T16:20:00.000-08:00

During the day, Streetscene illustrated the potential of open, public space. People gathered on the benches, granite blocks, around the fountain and even sat on the floor to eat their lunch and take a break from the exhibition. In the evening Streetscene was used to host Cityscape’s cocktail party. People gathered round to watch a jazz band, demonstrating how streetscapes can be transformed and well used for temporary events.

Making Places from Spaces -Cityscape

2007-02-28T05:23:00.000-08:00

“There is no ‘there’ there.” –Gertrude Stein

The Relationship Between People and the Built Environment – Lorna Walker, CABE

Impact of high density living and anti social behaviour- the real impact of mixed use development?
Creating mixed use schemes that attract a mixed demographic
Designing places to allow access for all
Identity of a place and its social legacy

The built environment acts as an interface between people and the world. Currently the following factors are affecting this interface:

global change - population growth
urbanisation - people moving to cities for cultural and economic benefits
climate change – impact on food production and increasing numbers of refugees

“The urban environment is buildings, roads, fixtures, parks and all of the other improvements that form the basis of a city.”

Human rights state that people should have the right to participate freely in cultural life and have the right to be a member of the community. For these rights to be upheld it is crucial to pay attention to education, health , security, recreation, culture and access.

Legacy Masterplanning - the Lea Valley - Jason Prior, Regional Vice President - Europe, EDAW

Opportunities presented by the delivery framework for the region
Infrastructure and services
Planning for the development of community
Understanding place

The Lea Valley Project will create a new transect across London, through the river, urban areas and out into the hinterland.

Creating Places Where People Want To Be - Patricia Brown, Chief Executive, Central London Partnership

Local identity
Identifying key elements of a sustainable urban form: transport, walk-ability, connections, social planning, mixed use

In creating a city that people enjoy the following factors must be considered: transport, walkability, connections, social planning, mixed use and local identity. The job of CLP is to bring together the public and private sectors to create a space that adheres to these needs.

Jan Gehl, a Danish Urban Designer, visited the city of London in order to assess how to achieve these objectives. He concluded that London was a unique and vibrant city, however, footways are an obstacle course, there were no seats on the busiest streets and pedestrian signage was limited. He recommended that London needed more oases, more seats, more squares and more open spaces.

One of the ways to overcome this problem is by introducing ‘Pocket Parks’ along busy streets, or anywhere there is space available. This would enable more green space in the city, a place for people to enjoy and it would have positive environmental implications.

Keynote Address: Sprawl - A Compact History by an Anti-Sprawl Sceptic - Professor Robert Bruegmann, Professor of Architecture, Art History and Urban Planning, University of Illinois at Chicago

History of sprawl: when and why did sprawl happen?
Complaints about sprawl: Why do people hate it so much?
Remedies for sprawl: If we agree it's bad, could we stop it?

Sprawl is movement of people from higher to lower density areas, with no master planning. There is currently much debate about sprawl as to whether it is beneficial or should be stopped.

In 1994 Patrick Abercrombie launched the Great British Anti-Sprawl Crusade. This involved creating a ring of green belt land around London, to prevent sprawling from the city. Although London is now surrounded by a ‘green’ ring, sprawl was not stopped as it continued outside the green belt ring, resulting in some of the greatest commutes in Europe.

In soviet St Petersburg sprawl was successfully stopped by planning guidelines, preventing houses being built outside the city. However, this inhibited personal freedom as people were forced to live and work as directed by the city planners.

In Nantucket Island, Massachusetts sprawl was also prevented resulting in a beautiful place but this also came at a cost. In the 1980s house prices went over $1 million meaning that people could no longer afford to live in the place that they worked.

Currently sprawl is a bad diagnostic tool, it distracts us from real urban problems and obscures our urban vision. Over the years sprawl has had many positive and negative effects. In order change sprawl the benefits and problems must first be properly recognised.

Cardinal Place

2007-02-26T21:46:00.000-08:00

Cardinal Place, designed by Arup, includes three main public spaces: the grand galleria which opens up views of Westminster Cathedral, the shop lined pedestrian walks and the landscaped rood garden with stepped lawn.

The roof garden is a perfect location for exhibitions and evening concerts. The lighting at night makes the place feel safe and allows visitors to use it into the evening. The space provides a retreat from the demanding streets of London and offers office workers and residents a space to relax and enjoy.

Streetscene

2007-02-26T21:04:00.000-08:00

Streetscene, designed by Laura Bradley (SLIC), “will be the focal point of the Cityscape exhibition, and will demonstrate the key elements of a successful and well maintained/managed, functioning urban place which is accessible, inclusive, safe, secure and stimulating. Incorporating hard & soft landscaping, street furniture, signage, lighting and public art, the feature will epitomise ‘Urban Chic’, while supporting sustainable products and innovations.” –Cityscape

Today I was involved in helping to set up Streetscene in preparation for the exhibition. I spent the day painting a polystyrene wall, pointing and planting. Helping to set up the exhibition allowed me to learn about landscape construction and see how contractors use the design details to create the proposed space.

Presentation Inspiration

2007-02-22T15:59:00.000-08:00

This website is a great source of inspiration for presenting a project:
www.squintopera.com
particularly the 'picture a city' film.

Gateway to the City

2007-02-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

A key component of Sheffield's regeneration is the £50 million Masterplan that will transform the station and its surroundings into a modern, world-class gateway to Sheffield. The proposed improvements, some of which are complete, include:

refurbishment of the station and upgrading of passenger facilities such as lifts to all platforms, CCTV, a new travel centre, check-in facilities for Manchester airport, and better retail units

a spectacular new square in front of the station

integration of Supertram and a new multi-storey car park

a realigned Sheaf Street and better bus interchange facilities

the redevelopment of Sheaf House and Dyson House with quality commercial buildings.

A World-class Square

Part of the masterplan was the creation of a new civic space outside the station. The square would include public art, dramatic lighting, tow ‘super-crossings’ for pedestrians to gain access to the city and an improved taxi drop off/pick up point. Dramatic feature lighting and floodlighting help to create an atmosphere of welcome and safety within the square.

The 'Cutting Edge' Sculpture
Cutiting Edge was designed in Sheffield and draws on the city’s traditions and aspirations of metal design. “Forming the centrepiece of the station square, Cutting Edge is a simple, elegant blade of stainless steel which will sweep through the landscape changing its shape in a series of curves… The end sections will be set with glorious coloured glass designed by Keiko Mukaide, whose glass sculpture also features in the Millennium Galleries. Cool blue tones will be used at the top and hot vibrant reds/oranges in the ellipse, lit from inside to radiate a jewel-like quality.

First impressions are crucial in order to attract people to a city. By developing the area outside the station and improving the routes to the town centre, Sheffield is able to give a good first impression to visitors arriving by rail. The lighting scheme helps to guide people into the town centre with ease and the Cutting Edge sculpture promotes the city’s values.

Graves Art Gallery

2007-02-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

Graves is currently showcasing an exhibition of Angus McBean’s surrealist portraits including Audrey Hepburn, Vivien Leigh, and Noel Coward. McBean’s began his career in the theatre as a mask-maker and scenery designer. In the 1930s this style was imitated in his theatrical and inventive photography.

Millennium galleries

2007-02-10T09:52:00.001-08:00

The Millennium Galleries can be accessed through the Winter Gardens. There are four individual galleries, hosting a permanent metalwork exhibition and a variety of temporary exhibitions of contemporary and traditional work.

‘Field of Centres’ - Michael Brennand-Wood

Brennan-Wood is a textile artist with a reputation for innovative and imaginative combinations of ideas and media. The gallery showcases a series of machine embroidered wall panels which question material living and attempt to negotiate a complex and contradictory world. The work challenges the tradition of using flowers as a source of inspiration by using them as a medium.

I found that, from a distance, these pieces are very effective as they are bold and vibrant. As you approach a panel more detail becomes obvious, captivating the viewer.

Abstraction: Extracting from the World
This exhibition comprises works from numerous contemporary artists who are developing new form of abstraction in a variety of media. The work challenges the idea that abstract art is confusing and demonstrates how space, line and interval have formed the most basic elements of art and are present in our everyday lives.

I enjoyed this exhibition, as it plays on all of the viewer’s senses, making their experience interactive and stimulating.

Peace Gardens

2007-02-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

The Peace Gardens, situated next to the town hall, were rebuilt in 1998 as part of Sheffield’s regeneration project. The gardens conform to a theme of stone, water and metal-working, reflecting Sheffield’s history in steel manufacture. Contemporary artists collaborated with the City Council’s design team to combine traditional and modern features. Natural stone, bronze, granite and grit-stone have been used to conform to the resources that are typical of the city.

The garden’s planting scheme is inspired by the members of the Arts and Crafts movement, like Jekyll and Lutyens and the contemporary work of gardeners such as Beth Chatto. The planting beds have a structure of shrubs with a rich underplanting of herbaceous plants. Over 150 species of plants have been used to create a space that is constantly changing throughout the year.

Natural stone paths lead to the focal point of the garden –Goodwin Fountain. The fountain is computer controlled, allowing jets to be reduced in windy conditions. The jests provide a mixture of spray patterns, reaching different heights.

The Holberry Cascades are bronze water vessels, which help to draw people from the street down into the garden. They represent the pouring of molten metal and the water rills illustrate the importance of Sheffield’s seven rivers as they supplied power for the early manufacture of steel.

The lighting of the space allows the garden and surrounding buildings to be enjoyed into the evenings and makes it a safer place. The gardens are sunk 2m from street level and water channels and fountains help to reduce noise from the road, allowing people to enjoy the space more. The garden is surrounded by Victorian buildings, giving a sense of security and enclosure to the space. There is a large south facing aspect allowing light into the garden for most of the day. The garden is also sure to reflect local character as the Holberry Cascades are part of a Sheffield street furniture set, designed by Brian Asquith, which included the seats bollards and litter bins.

Winter Gardens

2007-02-10T09:14:00.000-08:00

The concept of the Winter Garden is to “provide a landscaped, covered public garden, incorporating seating, shops and a performance area, to provide a central atrium to the heart of the city.” It is one of the largest indoor temperate glass houses in Europe and has been designed as a pedestrian route, connecting various streets, squares and attractions in the city.

"It’s both inspiring and friendly… Sheffielders are not easily impressed and they need their favourite place to fit in with their everyday lives, to be somewhere they’re comfortable with.” –Michael Palin
Reaching 21m in height and 22m wide the Winter Garden has a majestic feel to it, similar to that of a cathedral. The structure comprises 2,500 sq. m glass held in place by laminated wooden arches of larch, which in time will turn a silvery grey. The architect, Ian Sharratt, chose this wood after reviewing steel and concrete. He decided on the wood as it had the best strength-to-weight ratio and had the minimum energy cost to manufacture.

The garden houses mainly Australasian, African and South American plants. The internal temperature is can be adjusted due to louvers and vents and under floor heating powered from a nearby refuse incinerator.
There are five planting beds in the garden, each with a different theme: desert survivors, bamboo, the founding stone bed, cycads and banana relatives and tree ferns and dinosaur food.

Sheffield Regeneration

2007-02-10T05:31:00.000-08:00

Sheffield is famous for its steel industry that helped to shape many nations in the 19th and 20th centuries and still produced vast quantities of steel products today. The ‘Heart of the City Public Realm Project’ has been developed since the 1950s and is key to the overall master plan of regenerating Sheffield. The plan intends to bring high quality public spaces to all parts of the city. Two recent additions to this scheme are the transformation of the Peace Gardens and the addition of the Winter Gardens and Millennium Galleries in the heart of the city.

Green Roofs Talk -by Nigel Dunnet

2007-02-09T20:54:00.000-08:00

“Everything under the heavens that is horizontal, belongs to nature.” –Friedensreich Hundertwasser

Sheffield, once renowned for its steel industry, is now labelled as the UK's greenest city, with over 55% of the city being green space. Current regeneration and development across the city offers Sheffield a new opportunity to keep up Sheffield’s green image –roof gardens.

Green roofs are essentially roofs with a layer of vegetation added to them. They are energy efficient, keeping buildings cool in summer and warm in winter. They filter pollution, reduce rainwater run-off and provide wildlife habitats. 35% of Sheffield’s roofs are impermeable, by increasing the number of green roofs pollution due to water run-off can be decreased.

Three main reasons for having a green roof:

water holding properties
increased biodiversity
thermal qualities –heat loss decreased

Sheffield’s Green Roof Forum includes members of Groundwork Sheffield, Sheffield City Council, the University of Sheffield and other organisations. It was formed in 2004 to raise awareness about green roofs and to undertake new strategies to increase green roofs. The forum recently published a book: ‘The Green Roof Pocket Guide’ giving information on why and how people should build a green roof.

GRID (Green Roof Infrastructure Development)
The forum were able to get £800,000 funding for a regional green roof strategy known as GRID. The budget was able to support policy framework development, market development, research, demonstration facilities, education, green roof projects and other facilities.

DIY Green Roofs
A garden shed, complete with a green roof, was erected on Sheffield’s busy shopping high street to show people that even the smallest buildings can be adapted for environmentally-friendly design.

Sheffield's Bus Shelters Go Green
To raise awareness about green roofs, two bus shelters in Sheffield were temporarily ‘greened’. Low growing, sedum vegetation mats were put on the bus shelters providing shade for waiting passengers and helping to filter dust and pollution from the air and rainfall.

Sheffield SLIC Meeting

2007-02-09T07:42:00.000-08:00

Cityscape

This meeting was the final chance to discuss the arrangements for Cityscape and decide who would be able to man the SLIC stand each day and who would be able to help with the construction of the Streetscene centrepiece. I agreed to help set up Streetscene and get involved with painting and planting in preparation for the event.

Website

In the meeting I volunteered to become the administrator of the SLIC website for events in the South of England. This will be a good opportunity for me to learn more about designing a website.

Summer Event
We also talked about the SLIC summer event and decided that it should be London based. Following the meeting we will be investigating the possibilities of touring the Olympic site and arranging for someone from EDAW to speak to us about the plans for the site.

Membership Review

We had feedback from the Landscape Institute’s membership review meeting, after sending them a letter requesting for student membership costs to be reduced. The LI were able to reduce student membership to £24 rather than the original £30. A new grade of student membership, student e-network, is to be introduced. This membership is free and entitles students to receive E-Vista only.

London Schools Environment Award Meeting

2007-02-07T06:30:00.000-08:00

I was introduced to the London Schools Environment Award (LSEA) through SLIC and took an interest in volunteering. In order to find out more, I decided to contact the LSEA and arrange for myself and six others to attend a volunteer briefing at City Hall.

The LSEA scheme is a challenge to all London primary schools, developed to foster children’s sense of responsibility for their environment. Two schools from each of the 33 London boroughs will win prizes: a distinction award and £2,000 and a highly commended award and £1,000. 738 schools have been registered for this year’s award.

The themes for the project are:

litter and local environment (compulsory)
waste and recycling
water
energy and climate
transport to school
biodiversity

The schools are marked on pupil and community involvement, effectiveness, sustainability, communication, innovation and presentation.

The LSEA is holding a volunteer month for the scheme in March. This involves volunteers spending a day at one of the schools to help and inspire them with their application.

Oostende

2007-01-20T16:44:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple of images that represent the my experience in Oostende. I particularly like the photos that show the calm and beauty of the sea in contrast with those that show its raw power and energy -my main inspiration for the project.

Innsbruck

2006-12-30T09:02:00.000-08:00

Over the Christmas period the city of Innsbruck is transformed with lights, markets and a variety of events. Despite the snow and the cold, the streets are packed with people, gathering under heaters, drinking gluehwein. Activities for children are also a major part of the celebrations with activities and games throughout the ‘old town’.

This is a great example of using space in the town centre to get residents and visitors to engage with the city and celebrate the old town.

Creative Places Meeting -Landscape Institute

2006-12-12T20:07:00.000-08:00

Venue
It was decided that RIBA would be the best venue for the event as access and opportunities for an exhibition were better than at the Old Cinema.

Date
The event will be held in Autumn 2007, allowing time for preparation and as more students will be able to attend during term time.

Conference programme
Potential speakers were discussed and suggestions of people from each profession were put forward.

Funding and Publicity
The possibility of sponsorship and methods of marketing the event were also talked about.

Outcome of the Meeting
I was disappointed with the result of this meeting as, although many important topics were discussed, no decisions were made and no action was taken.

The Beach - Public Inquiry Outcome

2006-12-08T15:20:00.000-08:00

Today, after four weeks the public inquiry was to come to a close.

In his final speech Bill Hicks (Ampersand) said “The extant wall will be built if the proposal is not permitted. This is not a case where the possibility is theoretical. It is real and almost certain. In this case, the ‘real possibility’ criteria is clearly met and the likelihood of the fall-back being implemented is such that it is difficult to contemplate there being a sound reason for refusing the proposal if it is overall preferable in planning terms to the extant wall.”

Harry Spurr (Restormel Borough Council) said “Restormel’s concern throughout this episode has been to ensure the highest standards of flood defence for the occupants of the leisure development at Carlyon Bay. Restormel sees this application as an irresistible opportunity to secure a substantial reduction in the risk to both life and property at the site.”

However, there were still objections towards the proposal for a new sea wall. The objectors believed that Ampersand was ‘bluffing’ and that should the proposal be refused, they would not go ahead with the beach development. Therefore, the coastline would remain as it is now, without the new holiday dwellings.

The decision for the development now lies in the hands of the Secretary of State. The Inspector overseeing the inquiry will submit his recommendations to the Secretary of State in early March 2007. It is anticipated that the Secretary of State will make her decision by July 2007.

Images: The Beach, Carlyon Bay

LASE ‘Creative Places’

2006-11-28T23:49:00.000-08:00

The objective of the Creative Places Working Group is to organise an event for landscape architects, artists, engineers and environmental scientists to unite under the theme ‘design’. The event will give people from a variety of backgrounds to share experience and knowledge. At the event the morning session would have one representative from each profession giving a brief talk. During lunch there would be an opportunity for people to look at work exhibited at the venue. For the afternoon session everyone would be spilt into mixed groups, each led by a member of a different profession and given a space to design.

We met at the Old Cinema on Regents Street in order to asses whether the cinema would be a suitable venue for the event to take place. It was decided that there could be problems using the cinema for the event due to heavy security of the building and the separation of the different rooms that would be used. Following this, the RIBA was to be considered as a possible venue.

Other matters discussed at the meeting included the possibility of Antony Gormley speaking on behalf of the artists, the possibility of SLIC exhibiting at the event and reducing ticket prices for students.

Wildlife Garden

2006-11-28T23:30:00.000-08:00

The Wildlife Garden is situated in central London and borders Cromwell Road, one of the capitol’s busiest and most polluted thoroughfares. Levels of sulphur dioxide and, nitrous oxides and particulates frequently exceed European standards.

In the late 1980s the Natural History Museum’s garden consisted of a closely mown lawn, planted with plane and hawthorn trees and ornamental shrubs. The garden was of little relevance to the museum and uninspiring to visitors.

A group of scientists from the museum began developing the idea of a ‘Living Gallery’ that demonstrated some of the major habitats found in Southern England. The new garden would “act as an educational resource to illustrate several of the United Kingdom’s principal wildlife habitats” and “provide a restful and interesting new garden as an added attraction to the museum.” The different habitats represented in the garden are: fen, reedbed, ponds, hedgerow, heathland, woodland, meadow and chalk downland.

The garden’s estimated cost would be £60,000. Money for the project came from 55 major sponsors including English Nature. Many other donors gave trees, wildflower seeds and shrubs.

The Garden's Aims:

To illustrate the potential for habitat creation and wildlife conservation in the inner city
To provide an educational resource for visitors to the museum
To promote the understanding of lowland Britain’s flora and fauna
To provide a resource for the life-sciences department of the museum and other naturalists
To undertake species recording and ecological monitoring work
To provide an area for peace and contemplation

Overall Aim: To improve and sustain the plant communities in each habitat.

The Unilever Series

2006-11-17T14:00:00.000-08:00

The Unilever Series began in 2000 as part of a five-year, £1.25 million sponsorship by Unilever of an annual art commission for the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall.

Test Site - Carsten Holler

Test Site is the seventh commission for the Turbine Hall. It is an experimental project, using the characteristics of the hall –height, space and a vast audience, gathered by the museum. A hypothesis Holler has been working on for some time is the effect of sliding; could sliding become part of our everyday lives?

Holler’s work often involves human behaviour and he invites the audience to relinquish their dependence and comfort on the familiar.

“Slides deliver people quickly, safely and elegantly to their destinations… they’re also a device for experiencing an emotional state that is a unique condition somewhere between delight and madness.” –Holler

Embankment – Rachel Whiteread

Embankment was the seventh commission for the Unilever Series. Whiteread’s intervention comprises thousands of white, plaster casts of cardboard boxes pilled high throughout the hall.

Whiteread’s aim was to make the Turbine Hall feel like a warehouse, an intriguing response for a place that was once an industrial building but now a museum. Artists like Judd have explored the idea of mass production and its impersonal nature. At first glance Whiteread’s work may have a similar feel but on closer inspection each cast box still has the imprints of human use in the forms of dents and markings from the original boxes.

The title of the piece refers to the proximity to the Thames embankment and the way the boxes are stacked, forming a series of barriers. “An embankment is something which is built to hold back water or to support a road or railway over low ground. I thought of it as something that is built up, and built up out of other materials.”

As you walk into the Turbine Hall the scale of the instillation is immediately apparent, making the people appear insignificant in the colossal hall.

The Weather Project – Olafur Eilasson

Eliasson views the weather – wind, sun and rain as one of the few fundamental encounters with nature that can still be experienced within the city. “Every city mediates its own weather. As inhabitants, we have grown accustomed to the weather as mediated by the city. This takes place in numerous ways… experiences, such as the television weather forecast, to more direct and tangible experiences, like simply getting wet while walking down the street.” –Eliasson

In the Weather Project Eliasson brings a part of London into the building and, through their experience and memory of the work, viewers take a part of it back out into the city.

This instillation encourages the viewer to explore their own experience with the weather. Eliasson allows the viewer to see the way in which the work is constructed. This encourages them to ask themselves why they might appreciate the instillation but not the natural weather they experience every day.

Leonardo da Vinci

2006-11-15T06:38:00.000-08:00

Experience, Experiment and Design is an exhibition about how Leonardo da Vinci thought on paper. It contains some of his most complex and challenging designs. “The intensity, variety and unpredictability of what happens on a single sheet are unparalleled.”

Leonardo saw connections where others would only see differences. He realised that nature is reflected in the human body and in human actions as a whole. Drawing serves as the primary tool of analysis and, to Leonardo was the most effective way of showing the unity in all things designed by nature.

The presentation of Leonardo’s drawings at the Victoria and Albert Museum was disappointing as space was limited and it was a fight to see the glass cabinets in which the drawings were displayed. However, the projected images on the walls were effective in bringing Leonardo’s sketches to life and there was space to sit back and enjoy them.

Cranfield SLIC meeting

2006-11-07T17:15:00.000-08:00

Today’s meeting was held at Cranfield University. The following topics were discussed:

Local Branch involvement
It was brought to our attention that there is currently little participation in Local Branch activates by student representatives. Students would benefit from getting involved in such events as it would increase interaction with practicing landscape architects and learning about the field. Therefore, it was decided that we needed to promote the benefits of being involved with local branches on the SLIC website and verbally within our universities. Following this meeting I became a member of LASE (Landscape Architecture South East) and agreed to attend their next meeting.

Student Articles in LI publications
One of the students proposed that students should be able to get involved in LI publications by writing articles in Vista. A student section in this magazine would encourage more students to become a member of the LI, as the publications would relate more to them. This proposal will be considered in February of the coming year.

Events
In order to bridge the gap between management, design and science it was decided that lectures and workshops or maybe even a ‘mini’ conference focussing the theme of Landscape Management would be arranged. These events would be marketed at all landscape architecture students. Following this, steps will be taken to inquire about visiting speakers and arranging locations for the events.

London Schools Environment Awards (LSEA)
It was suggested that students should get involved with the LSEA in order to go to schools, give talks on landscape architecture and raise awareness of the profession. This information was to be conveyed to all universities and names of all those who wished to be involved would be submitted.

The Beach - Public Inquiry Commences

2006-11-07T15:01:00.000-08:00

Today the public inquiry into the proposed plans for improved sea defences at Carlyon Bay began with opening submissions from lawyers on behalf of Ampersand and from Restormel Borough Council. An audience of around 50 supporters and objectors gathered to hear the evidence.

Bill Hicks, QC for Ampersand protested that they should be allowed to improve the sea wall as it would be in the public interest to provide a higher level of security to the 511 holiday dwellings that would be built, with or without the new sea wall. He claimed that “the proposal will provide and retain a better beach…. It would secure public access, management and maintenance, an ecological management plan and a construction plan. It would be more sustainable.”

Harry Spurr, barrister for Restormel Borough Council, said: “Carlyon Bay, far from being the blank canvas that some of the evidence to this inquiry apparently assumes that it is, in fact boasts a complicated planning history and, of course, currently accommodates an unattractive range of unused and in most cases derelict buildings.”

Spurr claimed that Ampersand could not have a full and complete planning history when they are currently updating their proposal for the sea wall. However, he also stated that Natural England had agreed there would be no serious adverse impact regarding biodiversity should the proposal be accepted. He then went on to acknowledged that the scheme would be much more effective than the previous sea wall design. The new sea wall will have the most technically advanced sea warning system to date and Ampersand will be obliged to carry out maintenance and repair of the defences into the future.

Spurr concluded; “Overall the scheme comprises a massive improvement over the extant scheme. It is for this reason that Restormel have resolved to support this scheme. In fact, it would have been irresponsible to do otherwise.”

Images: The Beach, Carlyon Bay Development

Sotheby's at Chatsworth

2006-10-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

Set in the heart of Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park amidst thousands of acres of landscape designed by Capability Brown, Chatsworth is the first place to hold home to Sotheby’s first private sale and exhibition of modern and contemporary sculpture. Chatsworth is renowned for its relationship with the arts and landscape, creating innovative ways to unite the two. This exhibition, containing work from sculptors such as Hirst, Miro and Dali reinforces Chatsworth’s connections with art and the landscape.

Chatsworth has always been a showcase for sculpture providing an exhilarating and demanding setting for artists to exhibit their work. The rare trees, vistas, formal hedges, temples and fountains give a wide range of opportunities to display works and find the perfect situation to complement the work

“Robert Indiana’s ‘Love’ sculpture was the first to be installed… it did receive a few surprised comments in the first few days, but the overwhelming reaction has been that the sculpture is fun, beautiful, moving and exciting.” -Duke of Devonshire CBE

“They each afford a direct dialogue with the natural world in a way denied to painting, and illustrate the unrivalled capacity of modern sculpture to encompass a variety of forms, media and experiences that is as colourful and varied as life itself.” ‘Beyond Limits’ – Sotheby’s catalogue 2006

Travelling Story Telling Exhibition

2006-10-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

Wandering the streets of Malmo I came across a mobile exhibition lorry, containing a story telling show that had been travelling around Sweden. For forty years the government agency 'Travelling Exhibitions' has been arranging thought-proviking and challenging exhibitions. They have been held on boats, trains, busses and trailers. Now the exhibition is being held in a travelling creation with wings that can fold out to give a display space of 90 square metres designed by Andreas Martin-Lof.

I thought the layout of the exhibition was brilliant. Inside the lorry there was only a small space but it had been separated into different areas, each with a different theme. Upon entering the exhibition you were asked to remove your shoes so as you walked through the space you were able to experience a different material under your feet for each section. The exhibition had loads of interactive games and things to do, which was great fun for kids ...and adults!!

The theme of the exhibition was also really clever as it challenged children to experiment and play with different things and then come up with a story based on their experience. Each section of the exhibition helps the children to come up with a setting, characters, happening and conclusion for the story in sequence.

Harbour Bath, Copenhagen

2006-10-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

Harbour Bath is a space designed by Plot, allowing people to swim, sunbathe and play in the centre of Copenhagen.

It's a shame I visited this site in winter as it is only only open during the summer. However, having seen photos of the space when it is alive with people I can see that this design is really successful and well used. The site's success is a testament to Copenhagen's clean rivers -I can't imagine people voluntarily taking a dip in the Thames!

Dania Park

2006-10-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

Inspired by the grandeur of the site -the infinite ocean stretching out towards the horizon and the sunset, the exposure to the wind and the elements, Dania Park is designed to emphasise this beauty.

Thorbiorn Andersson and PeGe Hillinge were responsible for the 200,000 square metres of space with its viewing platform stretching out over the sea, field of grass at the centre and swimming pontoons on the water.

Having visited the site in winter it’s hard to imagine the space packed full of visitors, swimming and soaking up the sun. Although the viewing platform and bathing area looked dramatic against the dark sky, on my visit the park felt austere and desolate. I feel that this emptiness during the winter is the park’s only letdown and it is a shame that more visitors cannot enjoy the space all year round.

Ankar Park

2006-10-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

Ankar Park is situated in the centre of the Bo01 housing development. The theme of the park is inspired by the diversity of Swedish nature –different ecosystems have been established within the park, such as alder marshes, oak woods and salt-water habitats. The spaces are designed to merge into one another, inviting play and contemplation.

I think the idea behind the design of this park is good; however, I was disappointed with the maintenance and care of the park. The finish was also displeasing as it was not completed to the same standard as the rest of the Vastrahamnen development.

Bo01 City of Tomorrow -Vastra Hamnen, Malmo

2006-10-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

Bo01 is a newly developed district of Malmo situated in a former industrial site by the ocean. It encompasses commercial and social services together with about 500 housing units and is entirely sustainable. The project offers 100% locally renewable energy, minimised future transport needs and car dependency, ecological buildings, increased biodiversity, local investment and improved waste recycling facilities.

The project was most certainly impressive and I really liked the way each building was different and every corner you turned there was a new surprise. However, when I spoke to a local person in Malmo they told me that the Bo01 development had become a Danish colonisation as people from Malmo could not afford the housing prices. I was to disappointed to hear this as it seemed that the development was very detached from Malmo centre and had little to offer locals other than a place to swim in the summer.

Battersea Power Station

2006-10-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

Imagine… a new London destination. One of the largest regeneration initiatives in central London. A rooftop walkway rising 150 feet above the Thames. A one table restaurant at the top of a chimney. A classic icon turned into a contemporary one.

Inspire… the power station is a catalyst, a place to expect the unexpected, to create possibility.

Involve… a place to meet, to greet, to eat. A place to live, laugh, love. At the heart of the power station will be an ever changing calendar of events –from instillations to spectacular shows.

This is the vision of development company Parkview, who are working on the £500 million redevelopment scheme of Battersea. The plan includes hotels, a theatre, cinema, flats, rooftop restaurants and a rail link from Victoria, due to open in 2009.

Currently the Serpentine has taken up residence in Battersea Power Station with a presentation of Chinese culture. China Power Station Part 1 is a showcase of contemporary arts from the East. The exhibition helps to illuminate the potential of the building. “Battersea Power Station echoes the post-industrial art venues in China and the works on show have been chosen to activate the enormous scale of its space.” –spokesman for Serpentine

The first chapter comprises mostly video instillations. Walking through the dimly lit interior of the power station the glowing screens capture the viewer’s attention, drawing them into the culture of China.

On the top floor there is a multi-sensory instillation by Gu Dexin, featuring a wall of thousands of apples. Throughout the time of the exhibition the aroma apples grows stronger and penetrates more of the power station.

Pink Doors, New Floors

2006-10-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

This was a group project based on Knights Park campus at Kingston University.

'Pink Doors, New Floors' is a vision that integrates the learning resources and the recreational activities of Knights Park campus’.

Our design for the project included developing the area, by the river Hogsmill to create outdoor exhibition and teaching space, better access to the library for the public and a space for students to meet and socialise.

A space on a flat roof was to become a space for exhibiting work, and to give a view over the Hogsmill River. It would also provide new access to the library, allowing people to access the roof space from the riverside and then enter the library through a new door on the roof.

The river Hogsmill was to be turned into a 'floating gallery' giving students of Knights Park a space to display their work. Floating reed beds would also be introduced to the river, helping the clean the water as it filters through the beds. The beds and art work would be lit at night, making the pathway alongside the river much safer at night.

Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Garden

2006-09-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

Barbara Hepworth lived at Trewyn Studio from 1949 until her death in 1975. In her will she asked the executors to consider the possibility of turning the studio into a permanent exhibition of her works. She said that she envisaged “small sculptures, carvings and drawings…on the first floor… my working studio being shown as closely as possible as it has been in my lifetime… and a few large works… in the garden.”

The garden contains three large stone carvings and a representative group of eighteen bronzes. Hepworth’s sculptures were among the first completely non-representational works. However, they never lack human inspiration and significance, demonstrating the relationships between man and woman, mother and child and people to nature.

During my visit to the museum, a harpist was playing in the garden, amongst the sculptures. The music and tranquillity of the garden enticed people away from the hectic streets of St Ives and allowed them a space to relax.

Super Sunday

2006-09-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

Be Art! Super Sunday, hosted by the Tate (St Ives) is Porthmeor Beach’s first living painting. Children and adults were all encouraged to get involved creating an interactive piece of modern art on the beach. These events help to introduce children to the concept of art and encourage them to be more creative.

Minack Theatre

2006-09-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Minack –meaning ‘rocky place’ in Cornish. The theatre was planned and built by Rowena Cade, between 1931 and 1938. In the 1920s Rowena purchased the Minack headland for £100 and built a house for herself and her mother using granite from St. Levan quarry. Rowena soon decided the headland would be the perfect setting for outdoor theatre and hired two Cornish craftsmen to help her create a simple stage and some rough seating in the cliffs. In 1932 the Minack put on its first performance – ‘The Tempest’. Over the next seven years the theatre was developed and extended. Unable to afford granite for the seating, Rowena developed her own technique using cement (using sand from Porthcurno beach) and etching Celtic designs with a screwdriver.

Today the trustees of the Minack have a clear set of objectives:

to preserve the magic of what Rowena Cade has created while developing a fully equipped modern theatre
to attract large audiences while putting on programmes that have real variety
to book new and inexperienced companies while keeping the performance standards high
to keep ticket prices low and cover the costs of repair

'The Three Musketeers'

Trebah Gardens

2006-09-08T03:50:00.000-07:00

Trebah is a 26 acre Cornish ravine garden. This sub-tropical paradise is home to a unique collection of rare Helford River.

Wandering around this garden was a really exciting experience. From the top the view over the whole garden down to the sea enticed me to explore further. As I descended down the ravine via the winding footpaths, new surprises were around every corner including sheltered pools, a place to rest and admire a fabulous vista, beautiful exotic plants and finally, at the end the garden opened onto breathtaking rocky beach exposed to the sea and the elements.

Lemon Quay

2006-09-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

Lemon Quay, Truro originally a tidal estuary but was built over in 1930’s and until recently was used as a car park. The regeneration of this space and its use by the public is a very important development for the city of Truro.

Two key sculptural features are planned for this recently developed area in order to become a symbol of the newly invigorated town. An artist will be selected to represent the history and the future of Truro in two sculptures. Each artist was asked to take the following into account:

the sculptures must be sensitive to the current architecture as Lemon Quay is a conservation area
the effect upon visitors to Truro needs to be considered
the design and use of materials should take an original approach
one of the works can include the use of water
the works should acknowledge in some way that Truro is partly tidal
the works should relate thematically, visually or aesthetically to each other
the works must be structurally sound to comply with British Health and Safety standards
maintenance required on the works should be considered
the works must be robust enough to withstand vandalism
weight must be considered due to the close proximity to an underground culvert

Four artists have been chosen to put forward proposals:

Tim Shaw – ‘In Remembrance of Tidal Waters that Lie Beneath’
“The design has evolved through acknowledgement of a space that used to be water and quayside. The sculptural forms also relate to the design language of the site furniture – a reflection of boats along the water’s edge or the tidal flow against the quayside walks.” -Shaw

William Pye
Pye proposes a piece based on the form of a breaking wave and a monolith with water descending down every surface, picking up the spiral forms of the current seating and paving. The link between the two pieces would be the water –one real and one metaphoric.

Peter Randall-Page
Here the artist proposes a vertical, spiral shell made of Cornish granite. The shell would be cut in two halves, acting as a gateway to Lemon Quay. The piece would be hollowed out so it is not too heavy and lit from inside at night. The second piece would be an inverted spiral which would slowly fill and empty with water according to tide times.

Doug Cocker
Cocker’s aim is to “establish a design which is dynamic, integrated and invites interaction from people using the space; to make reference to maritime history of the site through form, shape, materials and water movement; to contribute to the design dynamics of Lemon Quay and to provide a landmark icon and a water feature which promotes delight and invites participation.”
The first sculpture is inspired by the shapes and lines found in ship’s rudders. The second represents the backrush of water over rock formations between breaking waves.

After submitting their proposals the sculptor chosen was Doug Cocker.

Images: www.truro.gov.uk

The Beach

2006-09-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

The Beach is a £200 million private sector, regeneration project to build a holiday and leisure resort.
In 1990 planning permission was granted for the redevelopment of the site to include 511 holiday dwellings, together with leisure and rental facilities and a sea wall. Since then two new planning applications have been submitted requesting that the leisure facilities could be open all year, as opposed to closing out of season and to knock down the Coliseum building currently on the site. In January 2006 the government decided to call a public inquiry, which is likely to be held in early 2007.
The developers, Ampersand, intend to build and manage the resort once it is open. In developing the site road access will need to be improved as traffic flow will be greatly increased. Provisions for busses, cyclists and pedestrians will be necessary on the site.
Access for all is part of the new development plan. A new cycle path will be built and the cliff steps will be upgraded. Disabled access to the beach will also be included by the addition of ramps. Public parking will also be provided.

An economic impact study (KPMG) calculated that The Beach will be worth £21 million per year to the local economy, including spending in the surrounding areas by the people staying at the resort. During construction 500 jobs will be available and once built The Beach will create job opportunities for over 400 people. The development will also take pressure off local housing stock, as it will decrease the number of second housed being built in the area.
The Beach will have one of the most advanced coastal defence systems in the UK. Over £5000,000 has been spent to date on design and £20 million will be invested to build the defences. The coastal defences will include just under 1km of public promenade.

There is currently great conflict over the plans for Carlyon Bay, with the development facing strong opposition. Carlyon Bay Watch is a group that is raising awareness of issues surrounding the development at Carlyon Bay. They are currently concerned that the development will have an environmental impact on the land, sea, air pollution, light pollution, the wildlife and character of the area. Carlyon Bay Watch also have reservations about the sea wall and long term implications to the coastline, geological instability of the site, and the impact on the infrastructure of the area.

The Beach

Carlyon Bay Watch

Kingston SLIC Meeting

2006-09-02T17:31:00.000-07:00

This meeting was my first meeting as a member of SLIC (Student Landscape Institute Council). I was keen to become a member as it would give me the opportunity to represent the student members of the Landscape Institute and put forward new ideas to help students gain more from their time at university. It would also give me the chance to take on new responsibilities and be involved with many other events.

The topics discussed at this meeting:

Current Coverage for University Representatives
Currently not all the universities credited by the LI have members in SLIC. It is important that each university has a representative as it enables news of events and the LI to reach the students. Therefore, SLIC publicity needs to be raised in order to find more representatives.

Promotion
A new logo for SLIC was agreed upon. The logo was to be used on a banner, to be used for SLIC exhibition stands and 1000 promotional postcards to be used at exhibitions and events attended by SLIC.

Cityscape
The outline of Cityscape 2007 was explained. Cityscape were keen to promote the exhibition to students and in exchange for promoting the event on the SLIC website they granted SLIC exhibition floor space at the event as well as free conference tickets. SLIC were also approached to design a 333sq. m streetscape for the exhibition’s centrepiece. An outline of the design had already been drawn up and it was discussed how to further this.

Fruitstock

2006-08-06T22:20:00.000-07:00

Fruitstock is a festival held every year in Gloucester Green, Regent's Park to raise money for charity.

One of the festival's main priorities is to encourage people to be environmentally aware. They do this through:

providing recycling points across the site
running the generators on biodiesel, which is less toxic and polluting than regular diesel
planting trees to offset any CO2 emissions
printing all the programmes on recycled paper and using vegetable oil based ink
all the cutlery and plates are made of recycled materials
providing bike racks to encourage people to cycle to the festival

An event like Fruitstock gives people the encouragement to spend time outdoors and enjoy a space like Gloucester Green, which ordinarily they might not visit. Fruitstock provides visitors with a wide range of entertainment and ways to relax, including music, a farmer's market, yoga lessons, a reading area, a kids zone, flower arranging workshops and a knitting corner.

Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden

2006-07-29T16:43:00.000-07:00

The sculpture garden is situated in a secluded valley at the foot of the Surrey hills. It was founded by Hannah Peschar twenty years ago and has been developed by her and her husband, landscape designer Anthony Paul. The ten acre site holds an ever changing display of work from over 100 artists mainly from Europe and the UK. “The fusion of Hannah Peschar’s artistic sensibilities and curatorial skills together with Anthony Paul’s landscape designs makes for a stunning collaboration with both art and nature.” -hannah peschar sculpture

Originally from New Zealand, Anthony Paul has brought many exotic and broad leaved species of plants to the landscape. The sculptures can be admired from many different angles across the garden due to the architectural levels throughout the landscape. Open spaces contrast with densely planted and more intimate wooded areas, creating a more stimulating environment for the viewer. Meandering pathways weave between calm pools and lively streams, leading the visitor through areas of tranquillity followed by those of energy.

The garden uses a bold planting designs, streams and ponds to offset the sculptures. The tall grasses and broad leaved plants prove to be a dramatic backdrop for a variety of sculptures in wood, metal, glass and stone.

Royal Academy of Arts - Summer Exhibition

2006-06-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

'From Life' was the theme of this year's exhibition, which includes entries of painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture and architecture.

Damien Hirst's 35ft tall, 13.5ton statue 'Virgin Mother' is the centrepiece of the Annenburg courtyard. "This is the first piece people encounter on the way into the exhibition, and it says everything about the theme," -Devaney.

The statue would have been vulnerable to buckling at narrow points like the ankles due to the weigh of the bronze, so a stainless steel structure is hidden inside to support it.

The pose of the ‘Virgin Mother’ is reminiscent of Edgar Degas's 'Little Dancer'. However, Hirst’s sculpture has layers removed on one side of the body to reveal the foetus and the woman's skull, muscles and tissue. Standing in the courtyard, it was interesting to watch people’s reactions to the sculpture. Many people were disgusted and offended by the piece, whereas others were just impressed by the sheer magnitude of the dominating figure.
"Doesn't it look great in this courtyard? It sort of gives it scale." –Mr Kingdon
“Gruesome and demoralising to all women.” –Claire Warton

“Garden Journeys” at Polesden Lacey

2006-06-02T16:28:00.000-07:00

This exhibition is coordinated by Surrey County Arts, in partnership with Spelthorne Borough Council and they have commissioned eleven artists to create artworks at Polesden Lacey. The artists will be working with community groups across Surrey as inspiration for their projects.

The exhibition is designed to challenge the public’s perceptions of the garden space. The pieces of art dotted around the grounds encourage the visitors to interact more with the grounds and appreciate the landscape from a new perspective.

Chelsea Flower Show

2006-05-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

Having spent the last three months working at Squires garden centre I have learnt about a wide range of shrubs, trees and herbaceous plants, including the type of conditions the plants thrive in, how fast they grow and how to maintain them.

Squires is a keen exhibitor at the Chelsea Flower Show. This year I was able to work on the Squires garden, giving visitors information about the plants and discussing the design and ambition of the garden

The 1936 Garden celebrates Squires 70th Anniversary. The garden is Art Deco inspired and plays host to a variety of plants and styles of that period. The central element of the design is an elegant, brickwork moongate with climbing roses. Lavender borders the paths and ornamental underplanting is arranged in colour blocks.
After winning a silver medal, Squires plan to recreate the 1936 garden at one of their centres in order to inspire customers.

The 4head Garden

This garden has been designed as a "natural haven of peace, inviting visitors to journey from the stressful, conscious world to an all together more alluring destination idealised in dreams."

Wildlife is as welcome as people in the garden. Birdsong and the sound of running water help to relax visitors. The scented lawn is planted with flowers of calming blue, mauve, white and pale yellow which are commonly used by herbalists in order to relieve headaches and insomnia.

A choice of paths lead you along a sensory journey. Woodland and bracken encourage people to feel safe and secure, allowing them to sleep and dream.

Sue and Peter Hill's living sculpture 'Dreaming Girl' is the centerpiece of the garden.

100% Pure New Zealand - Xantho White

The inspiration for this garden: "essentially the beach and the bush and the point at which the two meet... the wild open beaches of the west coast of the upper North Island where the sand is black, the bush is lush and the waves roll on forever."

The garden features 3,000 indigenous New Zealand plants. Artists and sculptors have made instillations in the garden that explore the symbiotic relationship between the natural landscape and contemporary design.
Angular walls represent cliffs and water travels down, through the hardy grasses to the black sand beach.

The Rockwall Garden Room - Barry Mayled

The Romans are believed to have been the first people to build conservatories to protect plants from the weather, using sheets of mica instead of glass. In the 18th and 19th centuries the popularity of conservatories (or orangeries) grew, as more exotic plants were brought to England. Soon conservatories became an indicator of social status as they took on a new role as entertainment areas, not just for displaying plants. To allow easier access, conservatories were moved closer to the house, eventually becoming an extension of the house itself. Conservatories now allowed people extra living space and the ability to enjoy the garden, whatever the weather.

Today, more than 150,000 conservatories are added to houses in the UK every year. However, economically they come at a cost, resulting in more expensive heating bills and greater heat loss to the environment. Currently, if a conservatory is less than 30m it does not have to comply with building regulations, therefore insulation is not necessary.

Rockwall uses mineral wool insulation to create an aesthetic and highly energy efficient garden room, which is a great model for future conservatories and building extensions. The room is fully insulated and double glazed. Above it has a roof space to provide additional garden and leisure space and below there is a sheltered area for outdoor cooking.

The Barnsley House Spa Garden - Stephen Woodhams

"Inspired by the classic Rosemary Verey Barnsley House Garden, this is a contemporary Cotswold Garden separated from the rural Gloucestershire countryside by a Ha-Ha, proivding a tranquil and calm sanctuary for relaxation." The planting beds incorporate many of the plants used in spa and beauty products.