Valuing qualities of place as a tool for design

My name is Hollie Clare, and I am a third-year student studying BA (Hons) Landscape Architecture and Design. This course has allowed me to become a well-rounded designer finding my artistic style. 
 
Landscape Architecture is a growing industry that creates plans, designs and drawings using computer-aided design programs. The role of a Landscape Architect involves the following:

• Surveying sites
• Advising on environmental conservation concerns
• Discussing client requirements
• Writing reports and presenting proposals
• Regularly liaising with other professionals such as architects, surveyors, town planners and civil engineers

 
As part of my final year as a BA (Hons) Landscape Architecture and Design student, I recently completed a live community project with my fellow students at the Landscape Resource Centre at Leeds Beckett's Headingley campus, also known as Headingley campus's Secret Garden. 
 
The Landscape Resource Centre is situated in the heart of Queens Wood in Headingley campus and has been a valuable educational resource for the university for over 45 years. Landscape Architecture and environmental education have been at the heart of this centre through live design projects, horticulture and environmental education. 
 
The BA (Hons) Landscape Architecture final year project entailed a design of a masterplan to regenerate the centre's educational commitment while prioritising biodiversity and the health and well-being of campus staff, students and potential community use.
 
The grounds are made up of woodland, a semi-managed garden and spaces left to grow wild with great potential for new users and managed habitat. 
 
The importance of designing any site is to understand the qualities of a place. Our class conducted a site analysis of existing habitat, wildlife and use. The masterplan was developed through conversation and presentations with Estates, our main client, departmental users in the university and surrounding community groups who could benefit from this garden. 
 
I also designed a video to fit alongside the class masterplan labelled with what we believed characterised a new character area. This helped the community and the client better understand what we were referring to. It opened the opportunity for the community and client to provide additional input through a questionnaire more confidently. The video was an excellent tool to analyse the garden's existing context, including close-ups, a walk around the site and drone footage to keep the audience engaged.

If you are interested in design, love the outdoors and want to create spaces that will stand the test of time, this is the course for you!

You can find out more about my life as a Landscape Architecture student by following my written blog or watching my vlog. 
 
Thank you!