Pratice Update - Winter 2008
05th December 2008
Although very aware of the downturn being experienced with the ‘credit crunch’ we are seeing the year out in robust form and are grateful to find ourselves as active as ever with some exciting projects both underway and imminent.
In Chichester we have been appointed on the first phase of a project to transform the city’s canalside area, just a stone’s throw from the city centre. This follows on from the Urban Design Framework we produced earlier in the year. We are currently developing detailed proposals for the scheme, including terrace steps, seating, street furniture and lighting. Working with a local arts consultant, we are also currently seeking to integrate some meaningful public art into the scheme.
The Hayling Island Seafront Masterplan was well received and there too a first phase of work has been commissioned looking at a West Beach Activity hub utilising the same team, this time with HGP at the fore since it is an architecture led project.
Also with HGP architects, we are working with Portsmouth Football Club and developers on plans for Fratton Park related to the proposed relocation of the stadium.
One of our other high-profile projects, Butterfly World, is well on the way to having a first phase built, in time for the Future Gardens festival next summer. The site, in St Albans, is in the midst of being shaped with earth mounds and a huge hole where the dome is to go – the dome will represent the butterfly’s eye when the site is seen from the air.
On the Isle of Wight, working with the architects Marks Barfield, we are responsible for the landscape element of the project to create a state-of-the-art terminal building at Ryde. This new interchange will facilitate transfers between the various modes of transport which carry people to, from and around the Island.
This year saw the completion of the 12 Hectare site for Britain’s second biggest Air Traffic Control Centre at Prestwick, a commission that was won in competition some 8 years ago alongside Crispin Wride Architectural Studio. The landscape has been hewn from old colliery spoil, and utilising good soil science, sustainable drainage strategies and native planting a new setting has emerged providing a naturalistic and secure boundary, becoming progressively formal towards the building curtilage.
We are playing our part in the Learning and Skills Council’s capital expenditure programme which aims to enhance, renew or refurbish over 400 further education premises by 2014. Our team headed up by Chichester architects HNW has been particularly successful within the framework and we will be working on some 7 of these projects in the new year. We are already underway with Colleges in Brighton, Portsmouth, Southampton and Eastleigh.
Overeas, we continue work on, among others: in the Gulf, [alongside our Dubai office] the masterplanning and detailed design of the landscape infrastructure for an entire new town just outside Abu Dhabi, now set to house over 100,000 people; In the Baltic with Grupa 93, plans for a new mixed use urban area in central Riga and an ecclesiastical grounds in Lithuania. In the Med a luxury villa development near Lymassol with Papa architects and the new Cyprus Cultural Centre at Nicosia with Michael Hopkins and plans afoot for a waterfront and marina development in Croatia.
Between both Terra Firma UK and Alshamsi Terra Firma in Dubai we can currently number 80 projects in 12 different countries with tenders out to operate in 3 more [Egypt, Iran and India].
Behind the scenes, we are close to achieving ISO 14001, which recognises our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint in all our activities, both in the way that we design our projects and in the way that we that we run our offices. Further to the previous paragraph it would come as no surprise that our biggest internal dilemma to wrestle with is the amount of flights undertaken.
We have increased our marketing activity this year both in the UK and overseas, resulting in some good new contacts and some favourable press coverage. Our ever-popular Terra Firma desk calendars are being distributed to our many clients and friends as we write.
Lionel’s many years of experience in creating roof gardens led to him being invited to write on the topic for Landscape. Other projects to attract media attention have been our Masterplan for Hayling Island seafront (one review from a leading regeneration magazine said that it contained “brilliant development proposals”!), Butterfly World, our proposals for Chichester’s canalside and our very peaceful rose garden at Le Court in East Hampshire, designed as a memorial to Leonard Cheshire. Ramune is currently researching a series of articles to feature in Lithuania’s highly respected architectural magazine ARCHIFORMA
We have been involved in a fair bit of extra curricular activity whether with the community or wider profession with Lionel, Alison and Martin all contributing to Landscape Institute central or branch committees, and although Lionel has now stood down from local parish affairs he has been invited to now sit on the EHDC architects panel. Our community project for this year involved the Admiral Lord Nelson School in Portsmouth.
Tom Jenner joined us early in the year as a Landscape Manager/Assistant Landscape Architect. Also Jane Brown as one of our freelancers [many of whom have provided a significant amount of essential input this year].Staff activities and CPD continues to thrive and both Tom and Ramune are underway n the LI Pathway to Chartership. Jenni has started on the MA at Greenwich and Mohammad Kabiri has joined after graduating from Sheffield and will be with us for 3 months before joining the Dubai office. We enjoyed great summer parties at Goodwood and [less lavishly] in the office garden where our resident arboriculturist Bernie Harverson assisted the less faint hearted experience the additional thrill of being able to climb the enormous cedar tree which sits adjacent to our offices. Perhaps not one to try after a few glasses of Pimms…
And finally, despite all these current global interests, we should point out that we still feel very at home in our Hampshire hinterland and are throwing ourselves into the local Christmas spirit by being one of the sponsors of the Petersfield Festival December 5th-8th.
May we wish you all a very Happy Christmas and best wishes for 2009.
Ramune, Vincent, Tom and Mohammad at commencement of Petersfield Festival
NATS Prestwick. Final completetion was succesfully achieved for the landscape this summer.
Lionel at Grupa 93 offices, Riga
Concept sketch for central park system, new town in Abu Dhabi
TF office garden summer drinks. Note Bernie still insisting on getting everyone up trees.
Le Court Memorial Garden has continued to attract good press coverage.
A birds eye view of our very peaceful rose garden at Le Court in East Hampshire
Butterflyworld Plan
Our Calendar for a successful 2009!
If you would like one click here
