Category: General News

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10 years of Fruit Routes – Loughborough University

 

“There’s something so simple and so powerfully celebratory about this project. I have no doubt that it will continue to prosper and grow for many years to come”

 – Jonathan Porritt CBE

BCA Landscape are proud to be associated with the Loughborough University ‘Fruit Routes’ – project a unique art installation made up of over 150 trees and other edible plants providing an enriched habitat for people, plants, insects and animals, as well as a location for cultural activities and outdoor learning.

The concept, developed through a collaboration between artist Anne-Marie Culhane, the University Sustainability Manager and BCA Landscape, was to plant fruit, nut trees and edible plants along footpaths and cycle paths across the university campus creating a spring snowfall of blossom and an autumnal abundance of fresh fruits and berries for harvesting, eating and distributing. 

Over the last 10 years the project has become a great example of a Living Lab project with partnerships in the Design School, School of the Arts and Architecture Schools and also brings in members of the local community to participate in University life.

The project was funded by the University Estates & Facilities Management Service in line with the Biodiversity Action Plan and is managed by the Sustainability Manager at Loughborough University. It began life as a proposal for RADAR’s Building Green season in 2010.

The first trees were planted in 2012 following plans, details and specifications prepared by BCA landscape.  From there it has gone from strength to strength thanks to exemplary maintenance and governance by the University.

Fruit Routes has been recognised as an award-winning project by the Guardian Higher Education Sustainability Award in 2014, was a finalist in the 2013 and 2019 Green Gowns awards for Social Responsibility and Benefitting Society categories. and a facilitated workshop at the 2013 EAUC Conference.  It was also awarded a highly commended in the Association of University Directors AUDE Reaching Higher category in 2019.

The University hosts an annual harvest event and campus apple ‘Bake-Off’ as part of this, providing recipes ideas, a fruit foraging map

The project has now been passed into the care of a Steering Group made up of staff, students and local people, which should ensure it’s continued contribution for future cohorts of staff and students at the University.

 

Find out more about The Fruit Routes Project

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Overhead Railway

A new stone and bronze interpretative celebration of Liverpool’s world famous Dockers Umbrella – designed by BCA Landscape – has just been craned in to place in the position of the original Overhead Railway Pier Head Station.

By 1880, Liverpool’s dock network was virtually complete. So too was the congestion along the Dock Road, as carriages, omnibuses, lorries, carts and drays all plied the route.

An elevated railway had been proposed as early as 1852 but came to nothing. In 1888 the Liverpool Overhead Railway Company was formed and the world’s first electric elevated railway opened along the waterfront in 1893. The new segregated waterfront cycleway will follow the old railway route.

Find out more about the project here

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Webinar series

BCAL on-site filming with Hardscape and Gilbertius Productions for the Landscape Institute’s Webinar series on ‘Green Infrastructure’ (Tuesday 13th April – 11am)

Celebrating how we as landscape architects can strive to mitigate climate change through nature based systems by re-naturizing urbanisation, green infrastructure, water interventions and non-technical interventions.

Two of our ground-breaking public realm projects have been selected ( The Strand on the Liverpool Waterfront and Tower Road on the Wirral) to showcase how significant climate challenges can be tackled through sustainable urban drainage systems, intelligent traffic management, segregated cycleways and the planting of over 250 trees.

Click here to have more info and join the event this April…

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The Return of…

www.forestbathingpod.com

Pop over to see the PopUP Forest

A PopUP Forest will appear between 10.30 – 4pm on Saturday 21 September 2019 as part of the International Weekend of Wellbeing in Liverpool’s Royal Court Theatre offering the chance to experience the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku or Forest Bathing.

“We are trying to recreate the tranquillity of a forest for the busy urban environment” explains Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest, “Each day it seems that there are more reports and studies to show how being close to nature and being in trees and woodlands in particular is good for own wellbeing. This is a chance to immerse in a forest, take a breath and gather thoughts for the day ahead.”

The PopUP Forest has been designed by Liverpool based BCA Landscape and is funded by the EU Horizon 2020 Urban GreenUP project. BCA Landscape Director Andy Thomson commented, “We have taken our inspiration from the Japanese Forest Bathing ideas. The PopUP Forest reminds us that being in nature is good for us on many levels.” The specially selected trees are supplied by local nursey JA Jones & Sons of Southport, and the bathing pod built by the Royal Court Theatre set-building team.

Urban GreenUP is a five-year programme that aims to plant more trees, create green walls and habitats for pollinators. The programme is part of an international collaboration led by Cartif in Spain, with the City Council leading the local partnership with The Mersey Forest and the University of Liverpool. Planning has just been granted for a green wall at St. John’s Centre adjacent to Royal Court Theatre.

Liverpool City Council comment “The Urban GreenUP project is showing the value and benefit of greening our city centre. The PopUP Forest is an opportunity to explore some of the health benefits and also start the conversations about how we green our cities to improve health and make us resilient to climate change too.”

Pop down to see the forest bathing pod

 

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Welcome to Madagascar

“We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing”.

– George Bernard Shaw

There’s so much to discover in our brand new PLAY! space at Chester Zoo. Climb like a lemur and uncover the tree-top hideaways in the Lost Forest, crawl across the scramble nets like an aye-aye and play in the sandy beach like a ploughshare tortoise! (Animal impressions encouraged.) Make a BIG splash in the dry river bed or play hide and seek in the Madagascan grasses. There’s even chance to explore the Madagascar field station and find challenge boxes with a few wildlife surprises to discover.

Having fun is no trivial pursuit. Most of us think of adult play as respite or indulgence, but having fun is no trivial pursuit. In fact, it’s crucial to our mental health and happiness. The project expands the variety and type of play offer that was previously in the zoo and encourages higher forms of imaginary and creative social play within a series of exciting and flexible spaces.

Through creative innovation and careful design consideration it combines and balances all the latest thinking and research in the realms of the psychology of play and communication friendly spaces, with the needs of the zoo and its staff and a fascinating and playful exploration of the wonderful island of Madagascar.

Find out more about the project here

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LI Awards Winner

We are delighted to announce The Rotunda Community Campus in Kirkdale, Liverpool has won the Design Category [for a small scale development] in the 2016 National Landscape Institute Awards.

A big well done and thankyou to everyone who has been part of making this wonderful project a reality, including all the volunteers, funders and project team.

The Judges said:

“This is a garden with a heart and soul and is not just an outdoor room but an outdoor house with a kitchen, living room, larder and playroom.”

Landscape Institute – Design Award Winner 2016 – Case Study

Find out more about the project here

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D&Ad 2018

BCAL have scooped a coveted award in the global design industry ‘oscars’.

A collaborative design work with our friends at Liverpool design agency, Smiling Wolf, ‘The Voyage’ has been recognised as a winner in the 2018 D&AD Awards.

The D&AD (Design and Art Directors) is a professional organisation which represents the global advertising, design and digital industries. Its annual awards are the ultimate creative accolade, with winners presented with an iconic pencil trophy, considered by many, to be the pinnacle of their professional achievement.

Within the awards category of Spatial Design / Design for Public Spaces, D&AD judges selected ‘The Voyage’ to receive a wood pencil award; which represents ‘creative excellence’ in advertising and design for the year.

Commissioned by Liverpool City Council to commemorate the centenary of the city’s Grade-II listed Cunard Building, The Voyage is the centrepiece of an urban landscape scheme that celebrates the golden age of transatlantic travel, which helped shape the city’s culture.

Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool, said: 

“I’m delighted that Smiling Wolf and BCA Landscape have been recognised internationally for the brilliant design work they delivered to mark the centenary of one of Liverpool’s greatest buildings.

I receive visitors from cities all over the world and the impression they have of Liverpool is formed by the experience of arriving at the Cunard Building – and they are always stunned by its beauty. 

The design has certainly added to that impression and it’s always a thrill to know a Liverpool company has enhanced the appeal of our World Heritage site in this way.”

Find out more about the project here