Roundfield were appointed by Exeter City Living with a brief to produce an ambitious scheme for a landscape led development of 96 Passivhaus homes in Exeter that incorporates innovation throughout.

“In line with the aims of the council the brief is to create a rich, engaging, playful and resilient landscape with intrinsic ecological value that is inclusive for residents of all ages. In a traditional sense it is a garden as an urban sanctuary but also an exemplar of a contemporary approach to sustainability, climate adaptation and wellness.”

The central courtyard features a pioneering sustainable drainage system. Spatially, it is designed to evoke a feeling of natural enclosure. Taking inspiration from the character of a young pioneer woodland with distinct layers of planting and intimate glade spaces located away from the main pedestrian route. Functionally it is designed as a fully integrated system. This incorporates the planting of fruit, herbs and a biodiverse mix of native species as well as features that invite use in a number of ways. The sustainable drainage system is entirely integral to the central space. Rainwater activates the landscape by first being collected from rainwater pipes into surface channels that lead to central rain gardens which in turn feed into bio retention zones and an underground reservoir beneath the orchard, increasing the climate resilience of the landscape and courtyard as a whole.

We are working closely with the project contractor and the team to realise what we hope will be an exemplar project.