Landscape and Urban Design Issue 45 2020 | Page 33

GREEN & BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE
Landscaping to reconnect the
local community
The landscaping forms a procession
of public spaces that celebrates
the historic power station and
the scheme’s unique location
beside Chelsea Creek, whilst
reconnecting the local community
to the previously inaccessible
section of the River Thames. From
the entrance on Chelsea Harbour
Drive a tree lined promenade leads
through to a central park that
overlooks the power station façade.
Several routes from the park lead
to the water gardens that include
serene water features, discrete
seating areas and an elevated open
lawn that provides panoramic
views of the river. Generous stone
steps lead from the water gardens
down to the riverside pathway and
provide informal places for sitting
and watching the river in the sun.
Planting influenced by water
The palette of the planting was
influenced by the scheme’s proximity
to water, with intertidal terraces
planted with reeds and black alder
forming an avenue along the Creekside
promenade. As an ode to the site’s
industrial heritage, the tree species
gleam with autumnal rust and sit
alongside tulip trees planted adjacent
to the central park and China trees
planted within the water gardens.
Structure is created in the planting
beds with native shrubs as well as
clipped hedges, which are synonymous
with the public spaces of Chelsea.
Between these structural forms,
herbaceous species are interspersed
with grasses and hardy groundcovers,
creating a naturalistic character
that provides year round colour and
encourages wildlife. Herbaceous
species include several varieties
of sage, coneflower, scabious and
ornamental grasses such as feather
reed grass and tufted hair grass.
The Lord Kenilworth, Chairman of
Randle Siddeley, said:
“At Randle Siddeley we are
immensely proud of how the
landscape is maturing at Chelsea
Waterfront. When we originally
designed the gardens we wanted
to create spaces that were not only
visually beautiful and inviting for
residents, but also responded to the
context of the site.
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