Watch our webinar, in partnership Medite Smartply, exploring best practice in designing multifunctional outdoor space.

As more and more of us choose to live in cities, the sustainability and quality of urban lifestyles are increasingly defined by the landscapes that link communities and neighbourhoods. The speakers at this Architecture Today webinar, supported by Medite Smartply, presented different solutions for maximising the environmental, practical and social value of the public realm.

Speakers (from left to right) David Murray, Ewan Oliver, Harriet Bourne, Sarah Eberle, and Steve Jackson-Matthews

Harriet Bourne, director at BBUK, presented her work on the public realm of three high-profile projects: Abode, a development of 306 homes at Great Kneighton, on the edge of Cambridge by Proctor and Matthews; the White Collar Factory, just off London’s Old Street by AHMM; and Goldsmith Street, the Stirling Prize-winning Passivhaus residential project by Mikhail Riches.

Working with Mikhail Riches, BBUK designed the public realm, communal amenity spaces and private rear and front gardens for Goldsmith Street in Norwich. Shared spaces at the rear of the terraced housing provide safe spaces for younger children to play (ph: Tim Crocker)

The key message was that the ability to create spaces that can accommodate cars but are sociable, accessible, safe and prioritise pedestrians is heavily dependent on the involvement of an enlightened highways engineer.

LUC, in collaboration with Scottish Canals and LDN Architects, has transformed a previously contaminated 17 hectare site into The Claypits, Glasgow’s only inner city nature reserve in (ph: LUC).

Steve Jackson-Matthews, board director for ecology at LUC, outlined the current biodiversity crisis, sharing the shocking statistics that the UK has lost more than 50 per cent of its natural biodiversity in recent centuries and that globally – more than any other G7 country ­– the UK is in the bottom 10 per cent of nations in terms of biodiversity intactness.

LUC is designing the landscape masterplan for the award-winning grounds of Bristol Zoo Gardens. The gardens will be open to the public after the site is sold (site plan courtesy of LUC).

On a more upbeat note, he ran through the many tools available to help designers and clients reverse this trend, and offered an optimistic view that ‘we have the potential to revolutionise our urban landscapes in the near future’, so long as we use the tools at our disposal ‘with integrity’, stamp out ‘well-intentioned greenwash’ and ‘make sure we’re all travelling at the same pace and in the same direction.’

One of a number of ‘Insect Hotels’ made with MEDITE TRICOYA EXTREME, as part of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan (ph: courtesy of Medite Smartply)

David Murray, head of technical affairs and Ireland sales at Medite Smartply presented the technical and environmental advantages of its new product, MTX (MEDITE TRICOYA EXTREME). This ground-breaking construction material exhibits outstanding durability and dimensional stability, allowing it to be used in outdoor applications once limited to products such as concrete, plastics or metals.

Talking chair at Chester Zoo, designed by artist Jane Revitt and built by furniture maker Wood & Wire (ph: courtesy of Medite Smartply)

Murray ran through a series of sculptures, seating, signage and structures that demonstrate the way MTX has opened up new opportunities for the design of landscapes and the public realm.

Designed by Sarah Eberle, the Medite Smartply Building the Future Garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show celebrated sustainability, longevity and wellness (ph: Sarah Eberle)

However, the most extraordinary example of the use of MTX was presented by Sarah Eberle, garden designer and RHS Chelsea Flower Show multiple Gold Medal winner, who presented her designs for the stunning MEDITE SMARTPLY Building the Future Garden, which was part of this year’s show.

Lendlease managed the design and construction of Elephant Springs, a natural play area  at Elephant Park in south London. Designed by artist Mel Chantrey with Fountain Workshop and Gillespies Landscape Architects, the scheme utilises 400 tonnes of porphyry stone and includes sand pits and water features (ph: courtesy of Lendlease)

Finally, Ewan Oliver, Public realm development manager at Lendlease, explained how the landscape masterplan for Elephant Park in London’s Southwark has evolved over time as the company’s ambitions ‘increased and increased, with our growing understanding of the issues of climate change and the need to make cities resilient’. An ongoing process of consultation and redesign has resulted in a development that places people and nature at its heart.