All posts tagged landscape architecture

Smart phone screen showing AR and Lowry Centre

Working in a new reality

Posted: November 4, 2019 · Comments: 0

Monday 4th November, 2019

by Anna Beatham

Recently, I stepped out of the office and into the virtual world to create a 3D Lowry inspired painting that appears when using augmented reality and a specialised app.

I learnt how to use virtual reality and augmented reality in the design and programming of public spaces, a fascinating CPD ran by Mark Jackson of Place Jam and Dr Jessica Symons of Visioning Lab.

As technology advances, our connection to and interaction with public spaces changes.

Technology can now enhance our experience of a place and create new ways of interaction with the landscape – just look at Pokemon go!

Our view of reality will one day be a more prominent blend of technology and nature where individuals can connect to the city through virtual experiences. Elements such as history, heritage, art and navigation can be brought alive through a virtual plain.

Hopefully this will increase use of spaces, encourage people to be more active and engage and empower communities.

Church Wharf Unveiled

Posted: January 11, 2019 · Comments: 0

Friday 11th January, 2019

Currently at the pre-application stage, plans for Church Wharf, a new £150m neighbourhood in the heart of Bolton, have been unveiled. We have been working closely with Muse Developments, Bolton Council and AEW Architects to create a landscape masterplan to support this residential-led mixed use development including around 320 homes as well as the potential for a hotel, offices, and ground-floor retail and commercial space.

The landscape includes proposals to restore a modified channelled river and create a distinctive place incorporating a river walk, viewing platforms and a terrace with seating steps down to the water.

A public consultation will be held later this month followed by a planning submission in spring.

Meadows

Posted: July 7, 2017 · Comments: 0

Friday 7th July, 2017

Twelve months on and the planting at Moneypenny HQ is establishing well and the meadow is in flower. The staff are thoroughly enjoying their landscape and people were lunching on the deck overlooking the wetland and picnicking in the meadow which was fantastic.

We visited site with photographer Tom Biddle who took some wonderful photographs, including this photo of the view across the meadow towards the rear of the building.

“All of the flowers and grasses are flowering now and it makes the walk around the office look luscious. I can’t believe how pretty everything looks. There are so many plants I’ve never seen before which are really interesting to look at. It looks more like the outside of a hotel than an office. We love it!” – Amy Whyte, Moneypenny PA

CW Studio goes to Italy

Posted: October 26, 2016 · Comments: 0

Wednesday 26th October, 2016

Beautiful stone, gorgeous views, lovely food and delicious wine. A three day trip to Trento, Italy earlier this month with Hardscape to see a porphyry quarry was a fantastic opportunity to learn about this stunning stone.

Porphyry is an igneous rock formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. The word porphyry is from Ancient Greek and means ‘purple’; localized metal ore deposits give the stone some of its many vivid rich colours. As well as being vibrant and warm in colour, it is extremely robust and is often used as setts in fan patterns and sawn for something more contemporary.

We saw porphyry in the quarry, the plant, and in a number of inspiring landscape schemes as we travelled up into the Alps. This is the only place to get true porphyry (if you get offered it from China it’s not the real thing!)

Sometimes I really really love my job.

 

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