In an effort to re-envision the Brunswick- College Parkette, we propose a scheme that accommodates active and passive engagement and promotes experience. Conventionally, park spaces are composed of soft landscaping which includes vegetation and topography, and hard landscaping which includes infrastructure such as drainage, lighting, seating, retaining structures,architectural features and walking surfaces. In the tradition of park spaces which offer city dwellers respite from urban life, the proposed scheme is structured around three essential landscape features - forest, fi eld and hill. These elements are distributed within a framework of steel ribs which divide the site at regular intervals from east to west. These strips are irregularly in-fi lled from north to south with hard and soft landscaping which respond to pre-existing movements around and through the site. An abstract hill is created by the contouring of the ribs which otherwise defi ne the predominately fl at surface of the park.
(Competitor's text)
Rather than trying to eliminate the problems caused by the KHC bunker wall, by enlarging it, opening it and lowering it, as other designs do, the dangerous and insanitary trench between the bunker wall is eliminated her by removing the wall altogether and filling in the trench to the level of the existing large window sills. (Which means that opening up the west end of KHC to make it accessible - not attempted in this design - may not be possible. Elaborate plantings of mostly drought‐resistant plants are a spectacular feature of this design. Problematic, though, is its planting of a number of red fox katsura trees in weathering steel cylinders. Unless they are watered automatically from below these trees will require regular maintenance and - apart from that - the crowded mass of cylinders shown will provide a substantial and hard to clean garbage trap. Short, backless benches will be uncomfortable for sitting as well as sleeping on and they are made of wood - as is some of the flooring around them - which might not be resistant for long enough to weathering.
Nice planting ideas, but impractical. Creates a serious visual barrier.
(Excerpt from the jury's comments)
