Bristol Skills Academy
Bea Landscape Design was appointed by the project architect to develop a landscape scheme to compliment the development of a new skills academy on the outskirts ofBristolproviding 16-19 year olds and adults with vocational courses such as beauty therapy, catering, construction, engineering, motor vehicle maintenance and horticulture.
Bea formulated a design concept that began with a psychological exploration of the term ‘skills’ which evolved into a series of functional, visual, ordered and exploratory spaces, as defined by these perceptions.
The brief was to develop a hard and soft landscape scheme that is responsive to the end user as well as providing an attractive setting that both enhances the proposed building’s access and egress, and allows visual permeability to the active shop frontages. This was ultimately achieved through subtle contrasts in paving pattern and colour along with grassed ‘green wedges’ allowing for sitting in isolation, communal gathering of students as well as ‘rest stops’ from shop frontages.
The terraced landscape to the rear of the building compliments the existing topography whilst providing the functional outdoor workspaces required by Bristol College’s horticultural curriculum.
| Location | Bristol |
| Type of scheme | College Campus |
| Lead landscape architect | Bea Landscape Design Limited |
| Outline brief | To create both an interactive landscape and a dynamic street space, complimenting the iconic building and forming a gateway to the redevelopment of Hengrove Park in South Bristol. |
| Client | City of Bristol College |
| Contract value | £28 million |
| Completion date | June 2010 |
| Project team | Architect: Archial Project manager: Capita Symonds M & E Engineer: Parsons Brinkerhoff Quantity Surveyor: Gleeds |
| Planning authority | Bristol City Council |
| Contact details | david@bealandscape.co.uk |
| Website | http://www.bealandscape.co.uk |
Technical summary |
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| Materials | Bespoke monolithic preformed concrete ‘wedges’ enhance the primary entrance route and provide a casual seating area to the fore of the building. The combination of a striking paving palette and granite seats adds delineation and interest to the frontage streetscape. |
| Planting | A sweeping row of pleached Lime trees follow the radial curve of the building, providing screening and shading benefits to the disabled car parking. Wildflower meadow turf and seeding bring a sense of rurality to the access driveways while more structured shrub and hedge planting adds form and seasonal interest to key focal areas surrounding the building. |
| Other technical details | Led lighting to the base of the granite wedges Hard paving details for tree planting |
| Contractors | Cowlin Construction Ltd |
| Suppliers | Marshalls / Greenleaf |
| Category | Individual buildings |
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Lead landscape architect
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Bea Landscape Design Limited 132A 'The Westlands'
Telephone: 01902 424 950 BIM Level: Undeclared |
