We are honoured to have won the Landscape Institute Awards 2020. The category was Excellence in Flood and Water Management for the Eastcote Town Centre Regeneration project!
We were appointed to use their multi-disciplinary expertise. So, we created a place that would respond to the placemaking aspirations of the council whilst resolving operational issues. This presented a great opportunity to substantially improve the public realm with a green and blue infrastructure solution. It creating a Sustainable Urban Drainage system (SuDS) that reduces the flood risk and improves the overall sense of place.
The landscape proposals included 15 rain gardens to improve the groundwater collection system and provide flood reduction and storage. It was important that the rain garden suited the available soil depths. In addition, we ensured that the rain garden is tolerant to both dry periods and temporarily wet periods of weather. The plants chosen include various shrubs, herbaceous perennials, ornamental grasses and bulbs which are resilient and provide seasonal interest, leading to a much needed public landscape amenity, and responding to the climate change crisis positively.
The scheme delivered a measurable community benefit by creating an attractive public space with increased biodiversity whilst enhancing flood risk resilience. The design process has unlocked various layers of improvements for this area. This is testament to the transformational capacity of a truly holistic design. Moreover, the Landscape Institute Awards 2020 refelect the rain garden’s success. Although it may start with high level principles, the success comes from quality detailing, expert planting design and SuDS, proficient spatial analysis and technical capability.
We are thrilled to have this fantastic scheme recognised this way. We also to congratulate all the other winners for their wonderful projects.