AT HOME
AFC WIMBLEDON
AFC WIMBLEDON
PROJECT, TURKINGTON MARTIN
Turkington Martin were asked to create a comprehensive public realm masterplan for a residential scheme of 600
apartments and a new stadium for AFC Wimbledon Football Club together with detailed proposals for communal
courtyard gardens. LEWIS CATCHPOLE sat down with the lead landscape architect TIM SPAIN
to hear more about the design.
What was the brief for the project?
The brief was to design a setting for
the residential and retail buildings that
improved local connectivity and legibility
and to prepare a landscape design that
responded to the needs of residential
occupiers, members of the public passing
through the site, and those attending
football matches and congregating outside
of the stadium before matches.
There was real delight and excitement
about AFC Wimbledon coming back to
Plough Lane but there was also concern
what that might end up looking like.
Therefore quality was stressed as a key
consideration there was also public
consultations and we got a round of
feedback that we got from Councillors and
changes were implemented throughout the
process to accommodate those comments
as well. Although it was not driven by
public feedback.
How did you go about answering the
brief?
At the start of the design process we
devised a set of objectives in conjunction
with the client and design team to
guide the development of the landscape
proposals. These objectives included to
tie the development into the surrounding
public realm network, improving
connections and routes as well as creating
a sense of place for residents that is not
dominated by the requirements of the
football stadium.
It was also important to allow
uncluttered access for football fans
attending games with clear directions for
September 2018 | Landscape Insight
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