GREEN & BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE
THE DESIGN OF SPACE
AND PLACE
ALETHEA OTTEWELL, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR,
LANDSCAPE, HLM ARCHITECTS
The wellbeing and experience of a
user in the design of space and place
plays an integral role in creating
healthy environments that have a
positive impact on people’s lives and
promote connection with nature.
Sensitive landscape design can
improve mental health. The
introduction of a multilevel
landscaped approach, that connects
and engages with the emerging build
forms and uses, shapes our urban
environment.
Hollis Croft is an exciting new
residential development for
students to live and study in the
heart of Sheffield. It has been
designed to engender a new
community. Connections to
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the city have been introduced
with the creation of new streets
increasing the sites permeability
and legibility between the nearby
University of Sheffield, local
businesses, commerce and the wider
community. The project bridges the
gap, creating a green network across
the city. Set on a steeply sloping site,
whist providing challenges this
also created opportunities. Three
separate buildings steep down the
site, allowing the design team to
maximise on the visual and physical
connections of internal and external
natural spaces. This is essential for
the users’ wellbeing and experience.
An essential requirement of
the design was to include active
frontages, improved links and
outdoor spaces for a range of uses
from public, semi-public and private
while taking into consideration the
importance of creating a sense of
place and connection with nature.
This improves student wellbeing and
also connectivity between public
and private use. Taking into consideration the
specific impact that access to nature
has on the health and wellbeing of
students, the scheme capitalises on
this steep topography by designing a
multilevel landscape environment.
This approach enables access to
green views from ground floor right
up to podium roof terraces that are
overlooked from social amenity
spaces and apartments at all levels.
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