The Park

Within the Space

1:500 plan

Please click on the image to enlarge, due to A1 and Blogspot reducing the file size it is not as crisp an image as original, though can still be read....just.

Note: Covered car parks by the BBC studio, to bring extra height for the connecting bridge to the Station.

A Park with something for everyone visiting the Town. A venue for concerts, exploration, walking the dog, a run, to look in wonder at the water falls. To be seduced by the southern facing hillside with beautiful perennial planting designed by the head Gardener in conjunction with the local 'Friends of the Park Society'. 

Local businesses to be involved as they will benefit from extra footfall traffic.

The upper area in particular to sponsored by the business that benefit, not just financially, but with input, thus adoption of the space.

Upper area cross section

Lunch time concerts, plenty of places to sit, angled benches for easy conversation, Rocks to climb and move through. In context with the town and surrounding area. Open lawn for summer lounging.

Area backing onto the high street (i.e. parallel ).With water to paddle, dangle feet in during the summer. Seating steps to the water side.

Lower Area

Cross section of the southern facing perennial planting, going down to the waterside.

The valleys of rock to explore, providing framed and surprising views across the park

A Closer Look

Plenty of options

1:200

A closer look at the Valley, Waterfall, Island, and Perennial area.

Through the valleys and tunnel to an enclosed beach. High top viewing through the mixed planting. Looking up the waterfall, large area for summer entertainment/BBQ's. 

Looking across the Perennial Beds with a density of trees to feel the sense of enclosure within the space.

Night

Night Garden

At night the atmosphere can be manipulated with lighting to create another space to be used and explored.

Uplighter's in the valleys create a new space of reflected light and shadow.

Various times throughout the year can have addition hired lighting for concerts, Christmas and other celebrations. Lighting has been used to great effect at Bedgebury for Christmas.

A tunnel of wonder for the young at heart. Maybe a bit of chintz, but this is about the many not the few. Thus what may seem a 'bit tacky' to some will also produce wonder to the young imaginative mind and create a memory of place that will live forever from those formative years. After all its not about the designer, but the end user. 

Walkabout

Sequential sketches

A central meeting point for a coffee, note, the famous moveable chairs from Holly Whyte philosophy of place. 

A walk through the perennial beds to the central Pergola. Note: Zig-zag for shallow gradients, stairs for desire lines. Both providing answers for the steep gradient and using it as a benefit rather than a problem.

Looking down from height to the lower section of the main waterfall.

Looking to the East from the Island.

Looking up the huge waterfall.

Above the valley looking to the distant bridge.

In the Valley, enclosed journeying towards the revelation of a framed view. Note, elevated walkway through the dense shrubs/woodland. 

Closer Still

A River of plants

1:50

Sways of planting in an informal manner. Benches at junctions for meeting and conversation. Direct and indirect routes, you choose.

Obama on a short visit for some thinking time.

On the ridge looking to the North Bank.

A time to sit and ponder, or grab a snack, enclosed within beautiful planting.

Looking to the West back to the high street.

Being There.

A lovely day in the park