Landscape and Public Realm

IntroductionFrom a country estate to an urban wasteland

Effective landscape and public realm design require not only artistic creativity, but also the ability to blend the technical demands of a brief with the natural constraints of location.

At Atkins the expertise, experience and imaginative design of our landscape architects allows them to make the best use of any public or private open space from a country estate to an urban wasteland.

We have offices throughout the UK and work through the complete cycle of services:

• Environmental assessment

• Landscape assessment

• Landscape and public realm design

• Landscape management and forestry

• Project and construction management

Finding the essence of place, to breathe life into the landscape

• Evaluating, creating, enhancing, restoring and managing our external environment

• Identifying the quality and characteristics of any location - what needs to be put right, what should be preserved, the constraints

and opportunities

• Creating innovative, imaginative schemes that blend function, aesthetics and integrity of design, to achieve a practical balance

between the long-term health of our environment and the demands of modern day living

• Attending to all aspects of every project, from the overall philosophical concept to ground shaping, planting, hard landscape

design and habitat creation

• Concentrating on sustainability and looking to the future so our designs will continue to work in terms of place, purpose and

people in the years to come

• Working on projects of all sizes, for clients from the national to the individual, the corporate to the community, across the world

The Olympic Park, London, UKAtkins is one of the companies chosen to design the Olympic Park and its associated infrastructure and is playing a key role in turning London’s Olympic vision into reality, and setting the framework for the regeneration of the Lower Lea Valley in East London.

We are working with the Olympic Delivery Authority and a number of partner companies, including EDAW and Arup, to further develop the Olympic Park masterplan and design and implement all the infrastructure elements that will make up the Park including utilities, waterways, drainage, landscape, roads, bridges and public art. We also produced the Environmental Impact Assessment accompanying the planning application for the 2012 developments.

Greenwich, London, UKGreenwich Peninsula, formerly Europe’s largest town gasworks, is the single largest brownfield development site in London and of major strategic importance.

Over the past ten years we have provided the complete spectrum of specialist consultancy beginning with assessment and remediation of ground contamination. We have also been prime consultants with responsibility for procurement and project management, including design and implementation of new infrastructure, landscaping and riverside reconstruction across the whole 120 hectare site.

Parks have been designed to create a natural forested area where buildings and urban space appear to be carved out of their setting. Two central elements of the Southern Park are an ecology park, created around two lakes and the village green at the heart of the proposed Millennium Village.

Many of the concepts and methods we developed have been promoted as best practice by the Environment Agency in their document ‘Partnership in Planning - Riverbank Design Guidance for the Tidal Thames’.

Trafalgar Square, London, UKWorld Square’s for All is an innovative scheme, transforming key heritage sites into world class spaces to be enjoyed by everyone.

In July 2003, we completed the environmental improvement of Trafalgar Square in London - the first phase of the Mayor of London’s ambitious World Squares for All project. We are now working on Parliament Square.

Atkins was project manager for the design consultants team and provided all detailed landscape design, transport planning, traffic and civil engineering services.

The project aimed to improve enjoyment for visitors, pedestrian access and bus travel, using a mixture of traffic management and urban design. Of particular significance the new central steps, linking the lower and upper levels of the square, provide a direct route to the entrance of the National Gallery. Footways, carriageways and kerbs have been refurbished using high quality materials, and the project team has designed special new street furniture. Traffic management plays a major role in the project and is used to redress the balance of priority between motorists and pedestrians, cyclists and public transport, without making access difficult for essential vehicles or displacing traffic onto unsuitable routes.

Streatham, South London, UK“From Drive Thru to Destination” is a challenging project that will transform Streatham Town Centre into a landmark destination with attractive public spaces, enhanced by a distinctive local character.

As part of our commission for the London Borough of Lambeth and the Streatham Town Centre Management’s Office, we refurbished Streatham Green in close consultation with the client and community.

We re-created the shape of the Green’s natural sloping contours, improving sight lines and opening the area out to encourage an increased sense of security. The removal of the derelict air

raid shelters and design of new paving, seating and lighting also contribute to the secure feeling of the space.

We took particular care to insure that the historical William Dyce Fountain, which dates back to the early nineteenth century, was kept in harmony and remained central to the new layout and furniture.

Opened in summer 2004, Streatham Green is now a community focal point offering residents and visitors a vibrant meeting place and an area of relaxation within a busy urban environment. It is also a central venue for the community led ‘Streatham festival’.

A1 Corridor to Community, London, UKThe aim of the A1 Corridor to Community project is to turn Islington’s main traffic dominated street into an area nucleus bringing together communities rather then separating them.

The A1 is one of London’s most congested and polluted traffic arteries, with up to 30,000 vehicles a day passing through from Archway, past Highbury Corner, along Upper Street to Goswell Road on the city fringes.

Islington is the second most densely populated place in Britain and in the next 15 years the population is predicted to rise by 20%. The necessary new home and employment opportunities will need to be serviced by good transport networks with enjoyable and attractive pedestrian areas.

We have proposed eight new or improved public spaces around the A1 at Archway, Whittington Park, Nags Head, Holloway Road, Highbury & Islington, Angel, Goswell Road and Old Street. These will allow people to cross the road and come together to enjoy the street without reducing the capacity of the A1 to carry people in and out of central London, or to push traffic into neighbouring streets.

Our proposals will improve the pedestrian environment in terms of hard-landscaping, and we also aim to create a green corridor by planting more trees and opening up green and public spaces along the route.

New Burlington Place,Regent Street, London, UKAtkins designed the setting of the Crown Estate’s new head office off Regent Street, transforming a dark, narrow alley, off prestigious Regent Street, with part pedestrianisation, repaving and incorporation of public art.

The project is a pilot for Atkins’ strategy for improved treatments along the whole length of Regent Street. The aim is to create a series of attractive oases for the local and visiting community, providing high quality links to the adjoining areas, supported by a mix of uses, including refreshments, new facilities for cyclists and in some locations appropriate new art or planting.

Vauxhall Cross Interchange, London, UKTransport for London commissioned Atkins to develop design concepts for improvements to the Vauxhall gyratory road system in 2001 with the aim of integrating a wide range new Bus station, better connections to the underground and over ground railway stations, improved cycle, pedestrian and subway connections, facilities and security and lighting design changes. The multidisciplinary team produced detailed designs which are being implemented on site in phases. The GLA’s Architecture and Urbanism Unit as well as a wide range of stakeholders have been involved with the project and client teams in developing good quality, low maintenance street furnishing designs and specifications aimed at widespread community regeneration benefits. Atkins coordinated the streetscape design and soft landscape improvements together with briefing and developing a public art component in the improvements to pedestrian and cycle footways in the railway arches. Freeform Artworks Trust carried out the community consultation on the artistic treatment of the subways and have produced detailed graphic designs incorporating a text theme with local contributions and a contemporary colour scheme and brighter lighting.

Thames Barrier Learning Centre Ecological Garden, Thames Gateway, UKThe Environment Agency owned Thames Barrier Learning Centre Ecological Garden provides an education and conferencing resource for the public, schools in particular.

Atkins was commissioned to design and create the garden as outdoor teaching space, promoting sustainability and ecological diversity. Woodland, wildflower meadow, wetland and herbaceous areas were created with a central path made from recycled rubber with brick edging reclaimed from the site. All plants were of British native provenance. Benches were made from Thames driftwood by a local mental health charity; a dragonfly sculpture was constructed by a local artist from a redundant shopping trolley; and rainwater is stored for the summer in butts. There are also bird boxes, a wormery, compost bins and log piles.

Hornsea Promenade, Yorkshire, UKHornsea Promenade has won a number of prestigious awards, these include a special category Civic Trust hard landscape award, East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s “Chairman’s award”, Landscape Institute North West’s “best scheme by a north west practice award” and the highly commended Local Government News award. Hornsea Promenade has also been recognised by CABE in its library of Britain’s best buildings and public spaces.

Following our preparation of a seafront masterplan, we were subsequently retained to provide detailed design of the Central Promenade. Our scheme promotes Hornsea as a 21st Century English seaside destination that will boost tourism, benefit business and provide a lasting economic and environmental asset.

The main features are a series of wave lawns enclosed by solid granite walls which provide shelter and enclosure, contemporary sunken gardens, a children’s splash pool with interactive water jets, a new cafe, refurbished toilets and a parade of distinctive beach huts. The scheme also includes a comprehensive lighting scheme and a new balustrade with crows nest look out points. The whole promenade has been resurfaced in resin bound gravel.

Temple Quay, Bristol, UKTemple Quay, in the centre of Bristol next to Brunel’s Temple Meads Station, is a key element of the city’s regeneration strategy, and comprises over one million square feet of high quality offices and a five star hotel. Since the development opened, both the bridge and the urban infrastructure have won Civic Trust awards.

Atkins was commissioned by English Partnerships and The South West of England Regional Development Agency to design the infrastructure for this prestigious development. Our work involved the production of a co-ordinated masterplan for the site, linked to Bristol’s own city-wide strategy - ‘Legible City’.

In addition to roads, lighting and drainage, we also provided development plot co-ordination services, urban design for the extensive public open spaces, landscaping, archaeology, soils investigation and contamination. We also designed a 200-metre length harbour wall along the northern boundary of the development.

Chepstow High Street, UKMonmouthshire County Council appointed Atkins to produce a scheme to refurbish the High Street area of Chepstow. The aim was to raise the profile of the town centre as a shopping and tourism destination.

Our completed scheme has won four prestigious awards since it opened. Our design was presented with the Worshipful Company of Paviours Award for Paving, winner of the Local Government News Design Awards and was the runner-up in the Institute of Civil Engineering (Wales) Awards. It was also credited as the Gold Standard Winner of the British Council for Shopping Centres’ Town Centre Environment Awards.

We created a scheme that complements the existing historic townscape and cultural influences, while generating opportunities for future activities. Key to our approach was the enhancement of public space without preventing free-flowing traffic and also the positive inclusion of a wide range of artistic elements. A unique feature of the project was our collaboration with an Art coordinator and artists to fully integrate their work with the urban design.

Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, UKFor this major new extension of 25 acres within the existing 71-acre site, Atkins provided full planning, detailed design, production information packages and implementation review.

The landscape design aimed to combine the complex functional demands of a large hospital with the equally important task of providing a welcoming and approachable place in an environment where visitors are often confused, apprehensive or intimidated.

The scheme included a series of relaxing public open spaces and also a number of more intimate patient focused courtyards which contain water features, play equipment and various idiosyncratic elements. The structural elements frame views and create interesting shadows, while the blue of the walls draws on the ground floor colour scheme helping to link these external rooms to the internal spaces of the hospital.

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Harborough District Landscape Assessment, UKPressure to meet housing demand is bearing down on Harborough. So, the District Council and the Countryside Agency jointly commissioned Atkins to make a comprehensive Landscape Character Assessment of the whole Harborough District - an area of 230 square miles.

Our approach was forward thinking. Rather than determine development and retrospectively mitigate its impact, we identified five character areas and evaluated them for landscape sensitivity and capacity to accept more construction.

The next stage of our project was to develop a new methodology for assessing urban fringe and settlement edge landscapes. We defined in detail, on a field by field basis across seven locations, exactly where development could not be located in landscape terms. The ‘traffic light’ method developed by Atkins was used in plans illustrating our findings.

Egerton Park, Bexhill, UKWe developed an outline design proposal, together with a conservation management plan, an audience development plan and an access plan as part of Rother District Council’s HLF (Parks for People) funded project, planning for the regeneration of Egerton Park.

The conservation management, audience development and access plans set out a vision, principles and policies to ensure the successful conservation and management of the Park and the provision of an accessible, enjoyable, learning environment for both its existing audiences and new target audiences. They helped to inform our sustainable outline design proposals for the Park, which combine conservation of historic features with contemporary innovation to meet the Council’s aspiration to transform Egerton Park into a vibrant and inspiring park at the heart of the community in Bexhill-on-Sea. The project involved extensive consultation with the local community and schools.

Colchester Garrison, UKColchester Garrison, the largest and oldest garrison in Britain is being completely redeveloped to provide accommodation, training and recreational facilities for 3,500 military personnel and 2,500 civilians.

As well as parade grounds, muster areas and courtyards for formal functions, the total site, of around 170Ha, located south of Colchester town centre, required high quality landscape with more grass and all-weather pitches (to be completed in time for the following season) and tennis courts.

Features include:

• a strong formal element, particularly around the headquarters and parade ground

• sculptural mounds to help use about 100,000m3 of excess topsoil which had to be kept on site

• semi-wet swales and a retention pond for drainage, flood prevention and storm water storage

• 62,000m2 of woodland planting

• 26,000m2 of bulb and wildflower seeding

• more than 1,300 standard-to-semi-mature trees

• 9.5km of internal footpaths (not including roads) and 4.2km each of public bridleway, cycleway and footpaths

• 2,000m2 of ornamental planting

• an estimated 60Ha of grass seeding

M1, UKAtkins has a long-standing commitment to ensuring that we conserve and enhance the natural and built heritage. This is an integral part of our work and our approach is not only to innovate but also to challenge, pushing at the boundaries of what we and our clients can do. For instance an ongoing environmental improvement programme is running alongside our infrastructure project widening the M1 motorway in the UK. This covers the full range of relevant environmental disciplines, but from a landscape point of view we have ensured that there is extensive new tree and shrub planting (over 100,000 new plants), mostly matching those species present in ancient woodlands and hedgerows in the area. In addition, planting has been chosen to reflect the surrounding heritage features. The landscape proposals will retain important views from the motorway and screen views of traffic from local houses. There will be feature planting of distinctive species to create a sense of place and visual and seasonal variety.

Photos Courtesy of Matthew Walter

Breathing Spaces, Northampton, UK‘Breathing Spaces’ is a project aimed at revitalising parks in support of regeneration in and around Spring Borough, Northampton, a deeply deprived area suffering a range of social problems, from anti-social behaviour to drug abuse and prostitution.

Phase 1 infrastructure improvements addressing basic ‘housekeeping’ in three parks started on site at the beginning of January 2007 with a guaranteed spend of £1m. We upgraded entrances and paths, installed new furniture, cleared vegetation, undertook arboricultural works and redesigned and replaced play areas.

Future proposals cover signage, public art, new planting design, bridges and lighting.

Our aim is to create good quality, decent, attractive spaces and public realm to invite positive use by local residents and visitors. Work has already sparked significant community interest.

Public Realm Improvements, Northampton Town Centre, UKAtkins was appointed as lead consultant to guide and manage the preparation of design work for major public realm improvements in Northampton town centre. The overall objective was to radically improve the public realm as a catalyst for growth, regeneration and private sector investment. In particular, the project was intended to provide a foundation for the development of a ‘brand’ for the town centre as a means to establish a strongly recognisable sense of place and identity.

A key part of Atkins’ initial role has been the successful application of £6m GAF2 funding for Phase 1 of the project. This phase of work is now underway with design work complete, public consultation undertaken and site works underway.

Consultation was key to the design process and a number of events and consultation sessions were undertaken. These included exhibitions, drop-in sessions, open meetings and the development of a project website.

In order to guide the future public realm quality of the town a highly detailed strategy was prepared by Atkins’ sub-consultant BDP. This design guidance called the Public Realm Infrastructure Framework (PRIF), sets out a hierarchy of design treatments across the town to provide a consistent quality for the phasing of future projects.

Upton Heath Estate and Woodland, Dorset, UKAtkins was commissioned by Purbeck Housing Trust to prepare designs for the regeneration of the housing estate, adjacent woodlands and (cycle and footpath) links to neighbouring areas. Work focused on play space, soft landscape and garaging. Proposals for the woodland aimed to create a balance between conservation and sustainable recreational use within a green corridor.

A community consultation exercise sought the views of residents, local and county authorities, Plan for Upton and Lychett Minster Steering Group, Purbeck Community Partnership and Dorset Wildlife Trust.

Features are to include woodland glades with bluebells, snowdrops and primroses; nature trails; sculptures and wooden bench seating. Roads and footpaths will be resurfaced. Most parking will be moved to courtyards between housing. Themed playgrounds will be introduced. And CCTV will be installed across the estate.

York University Campus, York, UKYork University knew exactly the look they wanted for their new campus - a truly immense project on agricultural land south-east of the city.

Our approach was to build on this concept and create a humanistic environment, conducive to study and social interaction. We wanted the campus to capture the character of the regional landscape, with vales, wetlands and the rising landform of the Wolds and also to complement and reflect the tradition of the local great landed estates where grounds are laid out on intellectual principles.

Three distinct areas were envisaged to reflect regional types - wooded slopes, domesticated vales and watery levels. A water body was profiled to sit harmoniously within the existing landscape. Proposed woodland was drawn into the site to create a sensitive edge to the scheme.

Buildings were set within and defined by a ‘running’ wall constructed from materials reflecting the areas’ distinctive landscapes. They set the tone and draw attention to dynamic views while also creating an enclosure and shelter.

Chalkwell Cinder Path, Leigh-on-Sea, Southend, UKChalkwell Cinder Path, is a 1.5km trail for pedestrians and cyclists connecting Chalkwell with Leigh-on-Sea, Southend. It is in bad condition. The shoreline, with coastal defences and boat storage facilities in various states of disrepair and bounded by high fences, occupies one side, a rail track the other. Access to the foreshore is extremely limited.

The objective is to make the route a leisurely experience by widening it, adding built-out stopping points to admire views or watch wildlife, and providing sheltered seating and trim-trail facilities. Boat storage is accommodated by cantilever-supported platforms. Coastal defences, integral to the design, will be at key stages and incorporate steps to improve access to the foreshore.

Meadow Lane Waterfront Regeneration, Nottingham, UKAtkins was commissioned by British Waterways in partnership with Nottingham City Council to deliver a scheme that encouraged access to the water frontage by the general public and upgraded the existing canal amenities.

Meadow Lane Lock forms the junction between Nottingham Canal and the River Trent. The area played a significant part in the industrial development of Nottingham and the surrounding area in the 18th and 19th century. The local authority recognised that the lock was a key element of a wider strategy to rejuvenate adjacent regeneration zones.

A new identity was required in order to reflect its importance as part of a major green corridor and recreational network. Poor pedestrian access through the lock area was seen as the missing link to open up the water frontage and improve pedestrian and cycle links along the river and canal to the city centre.

The Atkins design approach was holistic, to create a defined route through the site whilst taking into account the narrow linear site, important heritage features, changes in level and the need to maintain the existing flood capacity levels. Boat users needed to be able to operate the locks without hindrance and the safety of the general public’s health was also crucial.

Two new bridges, a crow’s nest, and elevated walkways were designed and existing barge moorings relocated. High quality paving materials have been carefully specified including yorkstone and blue clay paviors to complement the Victorian features. A new open space has also been created from part of the lock cottage garden with ornamental planting and trees that define the edge of canal working areas.

Irthlingborough Town Centre, Northamptonshire, UKAtkins was appointed by North Northamptonshire Development Company to produce public realm improvement proposals for the town centre that would raise the profile of the small town and encourage local people to shop locally. The key approach was to radically change perceptions of the traffic dominated high street into a pedestrian friendly high quality town square. Other features included outdoor café space, a place for events and a location for a local market.

The town which overlooks the River Nene had suffered economically from the decline of the shoe and boot industry. This project provided an opportunity to make an incremental change in its town centre and present a more confident face to the visitors and locals alike.

Other project features included enhancing the listed town cross as part of entrance improvements to the town. A 500m length of the high street was repaved with new trees and a comprehensive lighting scheme was also included. Carefully designed highway improvements played an important role in redressing the balance of priority between pedestrians and motorists.

The memorial gardens were redesigned to provide a quiet off-street oasis with a new central space defined by pleached hornbeams. A colour coordinated plant scheme was selected that provides all year round interest, colour, touch and smell.

Corby Public Realm, George Street and Corby Walk, Corby, Northamptonshire, UKAtkins was commissioned by Corby Borough Council to prepare Strategy and Vision reports and imagery for the regeneration of George Street in Corby town centre and the creation of a new east west route, called Corby Walk, to link the town centre with the newly reopened railway station. The projects are aimed at transforming the town centre and reinforcing its context as a thriving sub-regional centre. Corby was until recently in decline and characterised by poor quality 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s development. There is now extensive regeneration activity in the town associated with its inclusion in the Milton Keynes and South Midlands growth area. For both projects the Strategy and Vision documents were supplemented by separate transport appraisal reports and highway engineering investigations, all undertaken by Atkins specialists. For George Street the vision was to create “a people friendly civic boulevard, town square and a public transport hub.” Proposed features included an attractive tree-lined boulevard, reinforcing the concept of a town square, providing high quality public transport facilities and most importantly providing more space for pedestrians. For Corby Walk the vision was based upon “an axial route forming a green thread linking Hazel Wood, the civic hub, retail core and railway station.”

Warley Woods Park, Smethwick, UKThe restoration and refurbishment of the Warley Woods landscape took place during 2006 and 2007. A Grade II English Heritage registered Park and Garden of Special Historic Interest, Warley Woods is a late-C18th landscape park laid out according to the designs of Humphry Repton, who produced a Red Book for the site in 1795. The site is a largely wooded public park incorporating a golf course, and extends to approximately 40 hectares in area. It had become increasingly dilapidated during the latter part of the twentieth century.

Atkins undertook the detailed design and was responsible for contractor procurement and contract management of the landscape infrastructure works as part of the implementation stage of a successful £1,000,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant. The works included the restoration and reinstatement of the path network and Main Drive, new park railings including formal gates, park furniture, car parking and drainage work. Atkins also prepared a Conservation Plan and provided drainage, geotechnical and contamination advice.

Atkins worked closely with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and Warley Woods Community Trust (WWCT) on this project. WWCT is almost unique in the UK as a community based organisation operating a public park and golf course.

North Smethwick Planning Framework, UKWorking for English Partnerships, Regenco, Advantage West Midlands, Sandwell MBC, British Waterways and Urban Living, Atkins has provided key design guidance to regenerate North Smethwick and its canalside. The principle design objective was to create a mixed use development with contemporary architecture which balanced and enhanced the distinctive industrial heritage, by celebrating the Grade I listed Galton Bridge and the Engine Arm of the Birmingham Canal.

Central to the scheme was a desire to improve public access, through opening up canal views and linking the area by walking and cycle paths. Overall, the vision aimed to emphasise and enhance the local contributions of James Brindley, Thomas Telford and James Watt, while developing new, high quality environments for living and working in fit for the 21st century.

The site was divided into five different character areas based on their physical character and land uses. Detailed design and development principles were produced for each character area to enable developers in creating coherent and vibrant places.

Brindley II Masterplan, North Smethwick, UKThis prominent six hectare canalside site lies five miles to the northwest of Birmingham and offers a significant opportunity for a high quality residential lead development that can contribute to the wider regeneration of the Smethwick area. The project follows on from the earlier North Smethwick Planning Framework also prepared by Atkins.

The masterplan proposals include development of up to 300 residential units with supporting commercial and community uses. A key part of the layout design has been to achieve a development that positively addresses the canal and provides a sequence of streets and spaces that have a distinctive character and high levels of permeability to adjoining uses and importantly into and across the canal corridor.

Sustainable design principles were key to this development and as a result the client, PXP (a partnership between Langtree and Advantage West Midlands), ensured that the BREEAM Codes were integral to the design process.

Castle Farm Campus, Telford, West Midlands, UKAtkins was commissioned by BBLB Architects and the site developer to take the design process from concept design through to implementation for the landscape and public realm elements of the development. The development will deliver approximately 30 hectares of high quality mixed use as a sustainable urban extension to the north east of Telford. Proposals include commercial/office uses, a landmark hotel and residential properties.

The commercial zone consists of three five storey blocks fronting onto the adjoining Priorslee Lake to the south and one of the key access boulevards to the north. Public realm space includes deck level spaces between each block and an upper level linear space overlooking the lakeside. These have been simply designed to provide sociable spaces and relaxation areas finished in high quality materials.

Beyond the commercial area of the development the existing landscape features form the basis of the proposed open space network and links with existing off-site open space networks. Priorslee Lake is a locally important bird sanctuary and so lake edge design has been a particularly important consideration in the design process. Additional native planting will be established to enhance the existing on-site habitats including the ditch features and hedgerows.

Flood Alleviation Scheme, Bewdley, UKThe Georgian town on the banks of the River Severn, Worcestershire is well known for its riverside vistas and architectural merit. Unfortunately it has also suffered increasingly serious flooding which reached its peak in summer 2000. The then Prime Minister Tony Blair announced that “flooding would be history.”

Atkins was commissioned by the Environment Agency to design a complex yet sensitive scheme that carefully balanced the requirements of heavy civil engineering, safe guarding underground aquifer flows, and preserving the Grade 1 listed river bridge and quay wall. Furthermore there was a need to preserve the townscape character of this important river frontage.

The design of the scheme includes a demountable flood defence that is integrated within the public realm design. Natural stone and brick has been chosen for the hard surface finishes that reflects the history of the town, complements the buildings and is durable in times of flood along the lower quay walkway. Public art is also integrated into the scheme celebrating the goods transported to the quay in times gone by.

The project was completed in summer 2006, and is now a focal point within the town that combines critical functionality with the creation of an attractive new public realm.

Flood Alleviation Scheme Victoria Park, Stafford, UKAtkins was engaged by the Environment Agency to undertake a flood alleviation scheme along a 1.8km length of the River Sow in Victoria Park within Stafford town centre. The river had historically been subject to flooding problems with serious flooding occurring in November 2001. There was therefore a need to undertake engineering works but there was also an opportunity to renovate and improve the park which at the time was poorly maintained and in significant need of upgrade.

The project involved riverbank re-profiling, the opening up of new vistas along the river and to the rest of the park to improve visibility and sense of security for park users. The opportunity was also taken to improve pedestrian routes to the nearby railway station and town centre.

Other landscape measures included specialist habitat planting along the river edge, the re-establishment of lime and horse chestnut tree avenues, and the re-design and dredging of the adjacent mill pond to improve water quality and wildlife habitat.

The project has successfully resolved flooding issues along the river but also brought about significant improvement to a valuable park asset within Stafford town centre.

Clyde Riverside, Glasgow, UKWe have been working on the design and implementation of a significant new urban waterfront space, now nearing completion, on the banks of the River Clyde at Broomielaw in Glasgow.

Glasgow has long recognised the multi-faceted value of its waterfront and this £14 million project continues the City Council’s ongoing investment in public realm renewal, with the aim of reconnecting the City with its waterfront and contributing to wider regeneration plans.

The completed works will release the potential of the City’s waterfront providing opportunities for people to regain access to enjoy the waterfront environs and also stimulate further regeneration to the south of the River Clyde.

Belfast City Centre, Northern IrelandThe Belfast Streets Ahead project will revitalise and renew 10 city centre streets and spaces, delivering social, environmental, heritage and economic improvements to the City. With an estimated value of £12 million this project is the most significant investment in public realm in Belfast’s history.

Atkins is working in partnership with Farrans Construction Ltd to develop proposals which address the needs and requirements of the broad and varied stakeholder groups. Improvements include the wholesale renewal of the paving fabric with high quality sustainable natural stone together with new lighting and other associated street furniture elements. Furthermore, artwork and interpretation are proposed to reinforce and highlight the City’s cultural and historical assets. Belfast Streets Ahead will deliver an improved city environment for all, placing Belfast firmly on the map as a European destination of distinction and quality.

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Tip Restorations, South WalesThe Coal Authority appointed Atkins to design schemes to improve the environmental, ecological and visual impacts of tips in South Wales including Aberfan, Ty Mawr, Pwll Du, Cwm, Blaengwynfi and Ogmore.

Restored about 20 years ago, in batter and berm form for maximum stability, their layered appearance stood out from the natural landform of the valleys as did the look of trees planted in blocks.

Our design concept was to ameliorate the artificial landform, improve biodiversity and use recycled materials. A wildflower meadow was created at Aberfan and thousands of trees planted at other sites after residents and local authorities were consulted about species selection.

Compacted spoil was cultivated and treated with lime, recycled compost and thermally dried sewage sludge to create a growing medium for the young trees. The spoil was seeded with a mix of local grasses.

Public Realm Design Guides, UKDesign guides can be a first stage in improving town and city centres with restored streetscapes adding to the appreciation of historic and contemporary townscapes and landscapes. Changing the quality, quantity and style of equipment and facilities in public spaces can dramatically enrich the commercial, residential and visiting communities, and aid regeneration and tourism.

Design guides inform the design and management of the streetscape, and are used by council officers, designers, developers and other agencies responsible for the implementation of new street and maintenance works. Key principles of the guides include the reduction of street clutter, the coordination of all street furniture, clarity of information, and the reduced fear of crime.

Atkins has researched and written a number of public realm design guides in areas including:

• Hackney

• Lowestoft

• Covent Garden

• South Bank and Waterloo

• Tower Hamlets

• The Parliamentary Estate

• Ryde, Isle of Wight

Asian Beach Games, OmanWe were commissioned to develop a masterplan for the 2010 Asian Beach Games in Muscat, Oman. The Asian Beach Games are organised by the Asian Olympic Committee and are the biannual event for beach sports such as volleyball, handball and kabbadi as well as a range of watersports. Our commision was to prepare a conceptual masterplan for the site for the games to the north of the city of Muscat. The masterplan illustrates the layout of the sports facilities, competitors village, hotels, games support facilities and associated infrastructure. The centrepiece of the masterplan is a new harbour created to accommodate the water sports crafts around which are located the new hotels, cafes, restaurants and a public boulevard which will host the opening and closing ceremonies and medal presentations. The masterplan accommodates environmental protection measures to safeguard the sensitive dune system and a seasonal ‘khwar’ feature which is prone to occasional flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. The scheme also includes an area of date palms which will be transplanted from adjacent areas subject to rising salt water levels. The masterplan has been prepared with the legacy after use of the site in mind so that the infrastructure installed as part of the games can be reused after the beach games are complete.

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Jakarta, IndonesiaThe Pantai Mutiara development scheme in Jakarta is a privately funded project comprising ten 30-storey residential towers, a 40-storey landmark hotel, two 5-storey serviced apartment blocks and an 11ha central water park. The development area is located on a reclaimed island off the Jakarta coastline.

Our role was to create a landscape masterplan for the entire development area. The concept for the development is simple but dynamic with the proposed towers creating a cluster of sails. This nautical theme is continued in the landscape with the towers being orientated around a compass feature, designed to be visible from land, sea and air. The compass points alternately comprised hard and soft landscape, with the rich colours of the granite paving contrasting with the lush green of the planting. Each point provides residential space including swimming pools, paved forums and colourful gardens. The central water park is a Paradise Island with wave machine, water slides and lazy river winding its way through temple ruins, grottoes, giant lizards and a fisherman’s cove, in a rich planted setting.

Tanjung Priok, the main port in Jakarta, is expanding rapidly. Land on the western side of the port closest to the city centre was identified as having the potential for the development of a new passenger ferry terminal and transport interchange with associated commercial development. We were commissioned to carry out a feasibility study and then to prepare conceptual design proposals. We then went on to produce the detailed designs. The new centre will include a hotel, office and retail complex facing the waterfront, a new bus/rail terminal and an exhibition/convention centre. The entire development will be linked by pedestrian routes on elevated decking to improve the environmental quality of the area. A light rapid transit facility linking the development to the city centre is proposed.

Zhongshan Park, ShanghaiAn Atkins team from Shanghai and London was commissioned by Changning District Council to create a masterplan for Zhongshan Park.

Zhongshan Park lies to the east of the inner city of Shanghai and was originally designed in the 1950s. The 21ha area is formed of lakes, planted woodlands and open green spaces, linked through a system of footpaths, with water frontage onto the Suzhou River.

The Park is surrounded by encroaching residential, educational and commercial areas. The roads which encircle it effectively cut it off from a green corridor. This results in an isolated green island that forms its own closed ecological system. Our aim was to restore the park and develop more leisure and retail facilities to enhance its mix of uses. We used a combination of international resources and local knowledge to do this.

Our design creates and establishes micro-communities and habitats for urban wildlife, including a proposed native forest. The expanses of water will mostly serve as an aesthetic contribution to the park. However, certain pockets can be designed and treated to encourage habitat establishment for fringe species of flora and fauna. Planting for visual purposes will create an opportunity to improve on the environmental quality.

Kazan Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Kazan, TartarstanWe developed a landscape masterplan for the relocation of an integrated zoo and botanical gardens at Kazan, capital of the Russian Federation, Tartarstan (about 800 miles east of Moscow).

A public/private venture, the zoo and gardens are part of a major retail development on the banks of a lake.

The design takes the form of a dragonfly and has hot and cold zones to feature everything from monkeys, lions and giraffes to polar bears and penguins. The botanical element is based on a series of themed gardens linked by avenues of specimen trees and shrubs forming paths among the enclosures.

Atkins worked closely with London Zoological Society to create a new collection comprising existing and additional animals. We also provided schematic designs for the lion and giraffe enclosures and the squirrel-monkey island where emphasis was placed on enabling visitors to wander inside the enclosure - a new concept.

Botanic Reserve, OmanWe were commissioned to develop a masterplan for a Botanic Reserve on a 400ha site in the north of Oman, which would showcase the ecologically rich Middle East’s 1,200 species of native plant, 76 of which are found only in Oman. The region also has a diverse range of environments; desert sand, of course, but also fog, monsoons and land heights from sea level to 3,000m, as well as temperatures that soar from one to 48 degrees centigrade. So the reserve will have to simulate a number of different climates.

The project is to operate as a principal habitat-based botanic garden telling the story of Oman’s diverse flora and its significance for people and wildlife. As such it will establish and maintain a documented living collection of Omani plants reflecting the different regions and natural habitats and providing a resource for conservation and education. Projects by the Sultunate to protect species such as the Arabian Oryx, marine turtles and Arabian Leopards have already established an international reputation for conservation, and a botanic reserve following the best practices of sustainability would add significantly to that record.

Riyadh Tower, Saudi ArabiaOur landscape masterplan to provide a setting for Riyadh Landmark Tower creates a signature landscape across a series of urban spaces with the tower as the jewel in the crown.

A 350m tall, mixed use (commercial and retail) shared with a separate mall development and VIP offices, the tower is complemented at ground level by a range of distinct areas including a Landmark Plaza, café squares, water cascades and grand lawns.

Technical issues included an 8m fall in levels across the site - a potentially major problem as the construction had a 120m long footprint and required level access on all sides. The answer was to raise the entire building over basement car parks having natural ventilation and enhanced by a series of sunken gardens.

Two large inner courtyards open to the sky were key features designed as part of the overall landscape masterplan, which included materials, planting schedules and a design report, to ensure a flow of materials and design throughout.

ALISON BRAHAMWoodcote Grove

Ashley RoadEpsomSurrey

KT18 5BWEngland

Tel: 01372 726140 Fax: 01372 740055

Email: alison.braham@atkinsglobal.com

www.atkinsglobal.com

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