Landscape Institute Conference 2008

Last month our Senior Designer and Business Development Manager attended the Landscape Institute Conference 2008 – Housing, Land Use and Community in Regents Park. We attended the conference to listen to the latest on public open space and urban design and further develop our understanding of Landscape Architect’s processes.

Play was high on the agenda with presentations from Sarah Gaventa, director of Cabe Space, Phil Heaton of Parklife and Helen Woolley Senior Lecturer on Landscape Design at Sheffield University. The agenda consisted of both site visits and presentations. Friday kicked off with Phil Heaton’s overview on the popular channel 4 series: Kevin McCleod’s Big Town Plan focusing on particular Parklife’s role in the development of the play area at Ferry Fryston.

The importance of play and providing quality play spaces which mix equipment, planting and landscaping were themes continued throughout the day. Sarah Gaventa spoke of best practice housing estate design. She used a Swedish model where play areas are built in the heart of the development. This ideal ensures better policing of the site and most importantly promotes a family friendly culture. It welcomes all ages as opposed to the youth fear culture we are developing in the UK with our ASBO generation. She also made reference to a key fact; housing surrounded by green-space is worth 30% more than a house that isn’t.

Helen Woolley further explored the topic of play and open spaces in her presentation. Using the village of Bournville, Birmingham as an example she examined the use of public open space within the community.
Bournville village was built with a specific vision in mind – to become a sustainable area. The presentation examined how pockets of public space were built into the original design of the community. Applying the ideals in Bournville, social housing can be designed today with ‘quality of life’ high on the agenda. Using a network of green spaces in a housing development, a truly sustainable community can develop. Public spaces promote healthy living and a positive sense of wellbeing.
Ms Woolley went on to promote the idea that it is possible to balance visual aesthetics with functionality, with particular reference to play equipment set in a ‘designed’ environment.

Our staff felt the day was highly beneficial, and came away with a range of ideas to further improve our designs and services. Senior Designer Jeremy Lord comments “It was good to see the bigger picture, and how we as play space designers can work with architects to achieve a better quality of public open space.”

For more information on the days events including copies of Helen Woolley’s slides please contact 0115 982 3980 email Proludic

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