Along with the detailed design of the external layout of the scheme, Roundfield were tasked with designing a robust, adaptable and multi functional village square capable of acting as both meeting place and market place. The resulting design integrates blue green design principles to support SuDS requirements and legacy tree planting within the framework of a generous square surfaced with local natural stone. The design has been described as an ‘exemplar of rural development in Wales’ by the Design Commission for Wales.

“Our project sets out to challenge the current emphasis on generic ‘one-size fits all’ eco-homes and to offer a new model that responds to local conditions. Our proposal uses local materials, learns from local forms and marries the technology of the zero carbon home with the inherited wisdom of the welsh rural house.

The project is conceived as a series of walled gardens that work with the local limestone and make reference to he remains of the historic walled gardens of Lawrenny Castle. At the heart of the scheme is a new village square that provides a traffic free focus for village life. The project explores ways of reducing carbon emissions and car use in this remote Pembrokeshire village. Generous private gardens, shared gardens and community allotments would allow opportunities for local food production. New workshops and business spaces are designed to support the already thriving local small business community and flexible housing types provide space for home working to reduce commuting.”

Emmett Russell architects

Work is on going.

Visualisation credit: Emmett Russell architects

The Subscription Rooms is a busy vibrant multi-purpose community arts Centre in the heart of Stroud with first-class facilities hosting year-round arts and entertainment, live music, concerts, dances, comedy, exhibitions, workshops, classes, and markets. Its forecourt is the closest thing Stroud has to a Town Square. It is a central open space flanked by shops on three sides and the Sub Rooms itself on the other. It is a public space that plays a vital role in defining the character of the Town. It is a key area for outdoor events for the town and surrounding area as well as an area for recreation and public activism.

Alongside the town council and Child Sulzmann architects we’ve engaged with the town community and stakeholders to develop a concept design. Work continues….

In 2020 the team were commissioned by the Bournemouth Parks Foundation to support the delivery of the Stour Valley Park. The vision is to create a regional park that utilises around 25km of the lower river Stour from the National Trust property at Kingston Lacy right down to the coast. The initial project aims are to improve access for recreation, to enhance the river for wildlife and to tie this into the health and well-being agenda.

Work began with a community engagement strategy to ensure that this project is driven and shaped by the people who live and work in the Stour Valley. Strategic development work is ongoing, in close collaboration with local residents and stakeholders.

For more information see https://www.stourvalleypark.uk/

Drawing on Ebenezer Howard’s original vision for Letchworth, our proposal for Letchworth’s new garden city is for a vibrant, economically and environmentally sustainable development which supports and involves a growing community. Our landscape-led masterplan embeds the principles of urban agriculture, landscape maintenance and land management training into the core of the place, celebrating connections to the rural landscape and providing new facilities for the whole town.

A Landscape Led Development

Quote above and building typology images copyright:  Sarah Wigglesworth Architects

http://ribacompetitions.com/letchworthgardencity/shortlist.html

Roundfield have produced feasibility design study with a brief to focus on the most strategically difficult part of the missing link in the cycle route, the safe crossing of the A362 . Extensive reconnaissance of the local area was carried out in order to explore the options available. Once criteria had been established the area of investigation became more focused (e.g. due to topography). Five crossing options were identified with three associated routes. Crossing types were evaluated along with the potential routes to connect each crossing option with the Phase 1 and 2 cycle routes. A scoring matrix was formulated and each crossing and route then scored accordingly to establish an overall score. Roundfield presented this work along with a recommended route and crossing option to the trustees of the charity who are now working on funding.

The design and planning brief sets out a future vision for approximately 269 1-4 bed residential units. We developed 3 main street typologies that stitch into the existing street pattern, and allow for a central ‘linear green’ that extends into the heart of the site from the adjacent listed Stoke Park. The proposed hub creates a high quality shared space that acts as the interface with the linear green, providing an arrival space as well as a focal point. The multifunctional and layered approach to the landscape seeks to incorporate Stockholm tree pits to attenuate storm water, swales, natural play features, wildflower and legacy tree planting.

We have recently been appointed to develop the scheme to outline planning. As part of the brief we will exploring what a child friendly development in Lockleaze might look like, with the aim of this project providing a working case study for the upcoming Festival of the Future City event entitled “How Do We Create Child-Friendly Cities?”

Image 1 and 3 copyright of Emmett Russell Architects

As an area identified as a problem zone by the council and residents in the surrounding area due to the original awkward design we embarked on an extensive programme of community engagement during which we developed a design that aims to celebrate the industrial past of Frome as well as creating an open welcoming pocket park. Construction of the first phase is underway.

Stage two of this project was completed in June 2015, which involved the redesign of the entrance sequence from the road junction to the front doors of the hotel. As well as providing a strong element of planting throughout, this phase included a yorkstone cobbled drop off area and widened stair case with reconfigured disabled access.

Roundfield worked with art and design consultancy Ginkgo projects on this scheme from concept design through to site implementation.