Overview

A high profile Commercial development located in a prime city centre location. Dep delivered from concept to completion on this scheme, creating a bold landscape with high ecological value, helping the scheme achieve a BREEAM rating of 'Very Good.'

Brief

The scheme brief was to create a scheme which complimented the bold architectural elements of the development, providing the scheme with a sense of place, and contribute positively to the street scene along the main arterial route of the adjacent Sheaf Street.

Approach

Located within the Sheaf Valley, the low level of the site meant a requirement had to be met to raise the ground floor of the development to be over 3m higher than the existing site level, due to potential flood levels. Access was a key factor in the layout design of the external works, designing within regulations and meeting client requirements.

Solution

Once the access riddle was solved, a bold design statement was applied to the hard and soft landscape .A digital theme was applied through surface detailing on the podium level, linking buildings, entrances and landscape elements within the built form context. The open frontage onto Sheaf Street was formed into a series of valleys, echoing Sheffield's location within the pennies, created the foreground for the main access route across the scheme. A key element of the landscape was giving a high ecological value to the scheme, using native species, and providing varied habitats within this highly urban context.

Results

The Digital Campus development provides a major feature within Sheffield's Centre - and the landscape scheme is key to its success. Integrated into its location, the scheme gives a strong ecological base whist providing brash visual and physical links to it users and passersby.