Urban Nature Reserves

Visited 2 urban nature reserves to get inspiration for our current projects. Went to Middlesex Filter Beds  and Camley Street Nature Reserve. They are both similar in size to the main part of the site at Tannery Basin that we work on along the Wey and Arun Canal. Both quite different - the filter beds have a strong industrial heritage and the management is not very obvious on site and Camley street feels very cosy and the management of the site is what makes the site successful.

In these comparing diagrams you get a good understanding of the land use of the 3 sites and especially the relationship between the water and the open space. The filter beds are especially relevant to look at in comparison to Tannery Basin - the both have a natural river and a canal adjacent. The filter beds are made up of semi natural habitats where the filter beds previously used to provide the surrounding areas with purified water. The beds were active for 100 years before they were shut in 1969. Since then nature and wildlife has colonised the space. It is part of a network of spaces in the Lee Valley. Walking down from Lee Bridge Road you can spot the north end of the site. Nature is contained in the former beds and along the edges of the space. You are very much a spectator in this space, taking in the nature, history and sounds from the reed beds. The space is managed to stay wild and management is not obvious, even a regular management and volunteer programme exists. 
Nature was very beautiful when I visited in early April. Even though it wasn't very green, the reeds created a very special feeling in the space. The image on the right show the difference to the space in the summer. The seasonal changes not only changes the site, but also the relationship with the surroundings. This is also the case at Tannery Basin. 
Camley Street is a community project which involves nature conservation (this is how reserve is described in the management report). The space has a range of habitats including secondary woodland, wetland, marsh and grassland.  It is run mainly by volunteers. There is also a strong events programme, which includes education sessions. The challenge at Camley Street is to encourage a greater diversity if volunteers and visitors. 

The space encourages learning and this is evident in the details across the site - with lots of habitat creations. All cut wood on site is re used on site. In edging, on paths or left to create habitats. It shows a range of easy measurements to habitat creation and doesn't undermine the beauty of the space. I really like the tree trunk edging and to see how different natural materials is used across the space.

In conclusion both these sites show the importance of management - but in different ways. There is a strong relationship with the adjacent water which is reflected in the habitats and use of space.  Seasonal changes alters the legibility and relationship with the surroundings.  One site encourages you take part and the other one to be a spectator - both very successful and well used spaces. 

Keep learning!

I think it is important to keep pushing yourself  in your year out. When you are studying it can be hard to find time to develop further knowledge in areas that interest you. Therefore I am planning to take a course in either horticulture or an ecology based course. This is something I am interested in and that I would like to increase my knowledge in.

I have looked at courses at Chapel Manor College (which has got course at Crystal Palace, which would be perfect for me as I live here). I would prefer to do an evening course, but might consider a day time course once a week, if my work are ok with it. I will also take advantage of the experience at my work and ask for their advice in helping me to choose a course. What I want out the course is a large knowledge of plants and to understand them in relation to the bigger picture. 

I also plan to make a video for the LI video competition which asks you to: outline how landscape architects, managers or scientists can fight climate change. My idea for this is to go simple and take photos of my vegetable garden every day and then put that together into a video using a technique where you use still images to create moving image. 

I think the result could be very cool and it would symbolise the importance of little things can help to fight climate change. It would illustrate directly the cycle of growing your own food and it would show the result of something that you can plan into your designs and how this affects people on a small scale. I like to think that to help fight climate change it is as important to think on a small scale as on a large. 

Both of these are things that will help you to become better and enjoy your profession more. I think it is just as important to consider this kind of promotion - as how you format your work and send it out to future employers. At the stage where we are at the moment at the beginning of our careers  a lot of employers will look for potential in people and I think it is important that you show this through commitment to the profession.

I also intend to keep this blog going to sum up lectures, exhibitions and other things related to landscape architecture that I experience. I think that the blog can be a great way to promote yourselves and for employers to learn some more about you and your interests. 

How to present my work

Presenting my work in the degree show and the on my website will follow a similar digital format. It will have built in navigation and flash animation built into the presentations. 

I will also produce additional elements both for my website and for the degree show. They will include business cards (in a less traditional format), animated logo on my website and I will also prepare books in A3 format with A2 foldouts to show extra details of my projects and that can be added to my portfolio. 

I will also prepare a creative CV which will have thumbnails and short descriptions of my work included.  (watch this space).

Logo mock up

Business card mock up - the ides coming from a magic tree. It being a tree and that is growing and that is 'fresh'.