Urban Landscapes: Neighbourhood Analysis

We chose not to represent the buildings, keeping the model simple will allow us to adapt it at a later stage when thinking about the 'vision' for the site

Armley Mills represented on the model

Working on the model

On Tuesday we had our interim submission and progress meeting for the above module. Its a group based module, and, luckily, I have a pretty good group. I've been working with James, Jamie, Simon and Alex. Who have a backgrounds in Architecture, Town and Country Planning, Maths and Management/Gardening and English Literature, respectively. The five of us put together an analysis of the study area (which the above model is based on) – situated around Armley Mills, Armley, West Leeds. Overall the presentation went really well and below I have included some of my (yet to be refined) slides from the presentation.

Base plan on autoCAD of the study area with access mapped on in Indesign

Base plan on autoCAD of the study area with access and blockages mapped on in Indesign

Distances of local amenities from housing estate within study area to Armley Town Centre (just south west of study area) compared to those suggested by the Urban Design Compendium

The aim of this module is to help us understand, as a Landscape Designer, an existing place. This is the main theme of the first part of the module – the second will be to create a ‘vision’ for the site in accordance with what we have analysed about the area – i.e how it can maximise on its positive assets, overcome its problems and how offer an idea of its potential for the future.

We concluded the presentation by commenting that we felt there were 4 key areas with opportunities for development; connections, creating an identity, blue and green infrastructure and improving crime and safety.

The vision – essentially a more flexible pre-cursor to the masterplan – is the exciting part of the module. Here we really get to explore potentialities and also, be designers. So watch this space!

An artistic interpretation of the study site and some thoughts...

As I walked in to the picnic area beside the mill I was confronted with wonderful overgrown willow trees and vegetation - to me this area summed up the Genius Loci of the area around Armley Mills

Willow Trees

As part of the end to part 1, we were asked to write a short reflection on our individual work - I've included mine as I think it may convey some important messages to those on, or thinking of starting, a conversion course (and may also answer any questions for friends I haven't spoken to in a while!)

"My responsibility for the analysis and survey presentation was to show local connections and access; and to compare local destinations in Armley with a theoretical model. Initially, I was excited about finally getting to grips with some computer programs…a real design student! This (obviously) quickly gave way to tears of frustration.

 I persevered however and in the end was very pleased with work I created. Research and theory is my background, so I felt quite comfortable with that – but transcribing the information into a visual dimension has been an eye opener.

This part of the project has made me realise that:

1)    I can’t expect to learn everything all at once and not to put too much pressure on myself

2)    Though I’m very efficient with my time overall, I need to readjust how much time I dedicate to reading versus how much I spend with other methods that can be equally informative, i.e.; sketching, site visits, looking at maps etc.  

I like to be very organised and am quite keen - the group knows this but it’s been more of a jokey subject than one that has annoyed them (I hope!).

I felt we did really well in the presentation – we were all very clear and concise and shared the work equally. I’m very excited for the next stage."

Things I Learnt Today...

• That there is such a thing as a young leaf and an adult leaf…

As the holly leaf becomes mature it rounds

• Rubus fructicosus Pie = Blackberry Bramble Pie

• Whitebeam – Sorbus Aria, is so called because of the white veins on the underside of the leaf. It is a beautiful tree that has it’s leaves in clusters. When they turn in autumn they create a wonderful array of colours within one cluster….

• You may walk past the green version of the Cotinus coggygria (also known as smokebush or smoketree) but the purple ones are hard to miss…there is a soft thin leather-like quality to the leaves.

• Rhododendrons really do grow like this!

• Corylus avellana i.e ‘Corckscrew Hazel’ is a Contorta. It is certainly contorted – the twisted and bent branches and withered looking leaves make a good choice to keep your garden looking interesting in the winter. It grows rather large however it should be planted somewhere it has lots of room to grow. 

Nature Obscura - An Intervention in Adel Woods

As I mentioned in my last blog post we have been visiting Adel Woods for our Art, Plants and Environment module - yesterday we went up to the woods and staged individual interventions. 

In terms of research and artist inspiration I have been looking at Land Art and Environmental Artists such as Michael Heizer. I love the mighty sense of awesome raw power in his works that comes from his use of the earth as a medium. I also took a trip to Yorkshire Sculpture Park and saw the Spiegelei by Jem Finer - the inverted camera obscura really made an impression on me. I enjoyed the way it forced me to look at my surroundings differently and allowed me to see an almost complete panorama of the area without really having to move. 

Our tutors were very specific that we had to draw on our experience of the wood. I was fascinated by everything in the wood - from the micro of the lichen and moss to the macro of the canopy of trees. Although I enjoyed the whole of the wood, for me the beech clearing was the most poignant - it was the place where I rested, organised my thoughts and really truly felt a connection with the wood - perhaps because I also felt a connection within myself. This is where I would do my intervention - but what would it be and how would I process all I had seen?

Clearing with beech trees

Processing all I had seen. Thus, I developed the idea for my intervention - Nature Obscura. I would strategically place small mirrors near each other, in a space in the clearing, so that whilst looking at the micro of moss on the rocks I could also see the macro of the leaves on the branches of trees. I would have my own type of camera obscura allowing for a type of panoramic view - seeing all I had enjoyed about the woods from one view point. The mirrors that projected a more close up image would force me to really look into the mirror - thus reflecting my face (symbolising my experience of the woods) and yet also display the wood behind me. 

Nature Obscura

Nature Obscura detail

Canopy of the Trees reflected in one of the mirrors

Base of a tree trunk reflected in one of the mirrors

Then we received an email stating that only natural or materials already present in the woods were allowed to be used. (I did the version with the mirrors anyway, as I had bought them with me and wanted to do it, for myself more than anything else.) Right....so using Heizer's technique of digging into the earth as a way of creating art, I dug a hole. This was to be the case of my natural camera obscura. I then chose typical elements that represented the beech clearing and placed them in the hole. I had the 'view' for my Nature Obscura II. My second all-natural intervention was to then place the earth back on top of the Nature Obscura II (after the presentation of my intervention to the group) in order to symbolise that the experience I had of the woods was an internal one - sitting in the clearing, alone, thinking, processing, observing.

Nature Obscura II

Nature Obscura III - with the earth pilled back on top

Art, Plants and Environment - Adel Woods

The observation of nature is part of an artist's life, it enlarges his form and knowledge, keeps him fresh and from working only by formula, and feeds inspiration 

                                                                                                                                          - Henry Moore

Our eyes do not divide us from the world, but unite us with it. Let this be known to be true. Let us then abandon the simplicity of separation and give unity its due. Let us abandon the self mutilation which has been our way and give expression to the potential harmony of man-nature. The world is abundant, we require only a deference born of understanding to fulfill man's promise. Man is that uniquely conscious creature who can perceive and express. He must become the steward of the biosphere. To do this he must design with nature. 

                                                                                                                                                                                              - Ian McHarg

Adel Crags

Vertical Ecosystems

Horizontal Ecosystems/Lichen

Birch Trees

Nature's stained glass window

These pictures were taken in Adel Woods, Leeds, on a site visit as part of the module Art, Plants and Environment. The module aims to allow us to explore nature, processes, our own development and the artistic side of being a Landscape Architect. Importantly, it will also teach us how to appreciate nature as inspiration for the design process - and also to work with nature.The project objective for this module is to visually recreate the experience of a woodland setting within the city of Leeds. We will use the mediums of plants, nature and living materials to do this.