Landscape Architecture
MASTERPLAN AND DETAILED LANDSCAPE PLANS
Client: Wilmore Iles Architects (on behalf of RNC)
Background:The Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) is the country's leading specialist residential college of further education and training for people with sight loss. As part of a major upgrading programme RNC wanted to extend their campus and school facilities within the existing grounds. Wilmore Iles (architects) and The Landmark Practice (landscape architects) were commissioned to carry out the detailed design as part of a design build contract with the contractor, Morgan Ashurst.
Description: The project comprises development on 2.3 ha of the College’s estate, including associated open spaces, landscape, infrastructure, access roads and footpaths. The main buildings include a hall of residence, a sports and complementary therapy building, and a new floodlit outdoor sports pitch.
One of the key challenges was the topography. The site was steeply sloping and to accommodate the high density of development a series of retaining walls were incorporated within landscaped areas. Access had to be both consistent with DDA requirements and safe for students with varying visual abilities, requiring a complex series of ramps.
The landscape design incorporates a central plaza with comfortable seating. The planting has been specially chosen to incorporate species with varying perfumes, textures and colour schemes that extend throughout the seasons, for maximum enjoyment by students with sight disabilities. A pathway system with strong colour contrasts, tactile surfacing and guide kerbs enables partially sighted students to negotiate between the residential accommodation and the school facilities. Large trees were used extensively to add contrast and to soften the effect of hard surfaces associated with the car park and internal roadways.
Client Benefits: Creation of a safe, legible landscape for people with sight loss, whilst accommodating a high density of development on a steeply sloping site which meets all access requirements.