Day 24 – Finalising, Testing

 

On Friday morning we took the revised proposal for the patio scheme to the client. We were pleased that the scheme received an equally good reception as the aspirational scheme had when we presented it earlier in the week. We were given an outline go-ahead to start the tyre wall part of the plan but we are still awaiting word to confirm plans for the race track.

Following the good news we decided to test a small part of the tyre wall on site. Making the components for the tyre wall essentially involves cramming as much earth as is physically possible into a tyre so that it becomes heavy and firm and can be used as a solid building component. Approximately 4 wheelbarrows full of earth needs to be squashed into each tyre and the process involves lots of earth compacting, stamping on it, jumping on it and generally hitting it with a sledge hammer until the tyre becomes firm and ‘voluptuous.’ We filled three tyres and were reassured that, whilst the process is physically demanding, it is possible and we could complete our plan before the end of the live project. Now we just need to locate a few more sledge hammers and finalise a few more details before before Monday.

Day 23 – 10 students vs 280 barrows of earth…

Today we had a pre-off -to-site-on-monday meeting in order to settle details and prepare tasks. The race track design, having been so well received, needed to be considered in greater detail. Quickly elevating the proposal into detailed design we started come up against a few obstacles. Firstly, we discovered that Chancet Wood have a plan to re-tarmac the whole patio in the near future, secondly we calculated the sheer weight of earth required to ram the tyres in the tyre wall… let’s just say we are not super heroes, (but these guys are). With this in mind we devised a peered down scheme requiring less building and taking in less of the patio and allowing for possible extension in the future. We now need to take this to the client and the other illusive, but important parties in order to make some kind of decision. Do we make a difference now, on a small scale, or save the time, money and energy for the dream scheme? And all when the boss is in Brasov…

Sketch of the Proposed Patio

New Tabs

At the top… please click…

Funding Update

We have received a donation of £100 from Self Architects, a signed flag from Sheffield United Football Club and an in store gift to the value of £5 from WM Morrison Supermarkets.

We offer our sincere thanks to all those who have pledged their support for the development of an accessible sensory garden at Chancet Wood.

Day 22 – Presenting Proposals

 

On Tuesday afternoon we joined the staff at Chancet Wood, wearing our new green t-shirts, at the end on their staff meeting to present our three proposals for the main garden and our scheme for a race track on the patio area. Once again we were provided with tea, coffee and cakes and around 15 staff stayed to see the proposals presented.

The presentation went very well and the staff seemed very enthusiastic about the work we had done. They largely preferred option two, the longest path, as it allowed access to most of the outdoor space. They asked if we could incorporate an emergency access path for staff to get up to the top of the site quickly. The group explained that the path schemes would require significant funding that was unlikely to be procured within the time scale of the ‘live project,’ but that we had already received significant pledges and believed a plan for the future could be put in place with staff support. This again was well received and the staff seemed keen to see the project through to completion.

The staff also showed enthusiasm for the race track scheme on the patio as it promoted fun in the space as well as acting as a learning tool for those practicing to use their wheelchairs. The staff gave the provisional go-ahead for this part of the plan so long as the patio remained flexible enough to allow for barbecues and other events in the space. We now need to seek permission from the council maintenance team (who have so far remained elusive) to confirm their acceptance of the scheme… fingers crossed.

Day 21 – Finalising initial proposals

 

Following the breakthroughs made on Friday with regards to proposals for the route of the path and strategy for garden zoning, the design team regrouped on Monday to further the ideas and complete drawings to take to the client on Tuesday. We decided to produce three options, each formed based on valid reasoning, and incorporating some successful features.

The first proposal is based around the shortest feasible path, but climbs the steepest part of the site. This is successful in that it shares the experience of the whole garden with someone sitting in the space outside the centre, as the garden is formed in terraces. This way the user will always feel a connection with their situation, where ever they are in the garden, and will be able to sense any activity taking place.

The second proposal is grounded on initial requests from staff at the centre. They expressed enthusiasm to be able to incorporate the whole of the land available in the route, and pointed out that the gradient up the western boundary was the shallowest and therefore might be easiest to locate the path. This route provides a longer journey with some choice of which way to turn, and terminates in the same activity area. The main concerns of the design team with regards to this route were that there may be interference from the After-school club, and also that the relationship between the centre and the garden is weakened.

The third proposal we were to take to the client is an extension of the first, to incorporate more of the land available. It retains the access from the main area outside the centre, and also the lines of sight across the terraces which would enhance the sensory experience for the user.

We also prepared ideas related to the race track theme to be implemented within the existing tarmac area, as this is the phase we believe we can realistically achieve within the project timescale, and make a difference in the garden for the young people at the centre immediately.

Day 18 – Design Team Epiphanies

The elected design team has spent the last two days putting their heads together in order to amalgamate and evolve concepts and ideas already proposed in group discussion.

The pool of information gathered from sources reported on so far is now extensive, ranging from ideas gathered during participation with the young people, consultation with the staff, visits to precedent sensory gardens around Sheffield and exploration of various other landscape schemes. The group has collated information on construction of paths, recommendations for wheelchair accessibility, advice on planting and resources which may be available.

The workshop was split into three parts. We began by identifying natural boundaries on the site, identified by physical features such as tree lines and contours. From this we could identify the start and end points of the journey.

This was expanded further to integrate other points of interest, all readily visible from the start point. With the gradient of the slope in mind we were able to plot a journey which meandered through these zones and allowed the user to explore the garden.

For the second stage we formed a framework which could provide the structure for the experience. We defined the senses, and triggers which might activate each one, so that we could ensure a thorough sensory experience was provided.

This framework was applied to the designed route, using the organisational concept of progression; the journey beginning in the most accessible, hard, structured, more man-made environment, where nature is brought to the user and the senses are activated by the users’ actions; and ending in the secret, soft, organic and natural environment where it becomes more about bringing the user to the nature which activates the senses itself. Visual links are retained throughout.

 

It was agreed that strategy for the tarmac space outside the centre must be something we can implement immediately. Here it is important to emphasise the link between inside and outside. We hope to provide a fun race track experience, inspired by the young peoples exploration of the tyres we experimented with last week.

Following the workshop the design team discussed proposals so far with the group, and everyone was enthusiastic. This scheme, along with one other investigating the longer route, will be presented to the client on Tuesday for feedback, and hopefully given the go ahead!

T-Shirts!

Our live project t-shirts have arrived thanks to a generous discount from Purple Monkey.

We will wear the t-shirts on site to help the young people identify who we are when we are at the centre.

Day 17 – We Are Sketching…

We have split into teams to tackle the various sections of the project. The design team have been drafting the plan for the garden. Watch this space, designs to follow…