The Loddon School

Ubu design were appointed by Peter Marsh Consulting to develop landscape proposals for a series of projects at The Loddon School; which provides residential and schooling facilities for children with severe and complex learning difficulties.

The project involved developing a scheme for a planning submission for a new residential building, called Forest Oaks, designed by Architecture PLB.  The proposals for the landscape were developed to provide external spaces and a setting to the new building that responds to the needs of residents and relates to the context of the wider school campus.

The external spaces perform two key functions in relation to the building; these are to create a sense of arrival and generous circulation space to the front of the building; together with private courtyard areas to the rear of the building.  These courtyards will provide spaces where residents of the Forest Oaks can feel a sense of ownership with the design providing a simple and robust layout with a strongly defined, planted boundary.  The requirements and design of the landscape were informed by a series of workshops with school staff and respond to the specific requirements and the needs of the pupils.

The palette of hard materials has been developed to provide a robust series of finishes with the ability to provide colour and interest in the ground plain.  The use of a coloured tarmac is to be complemented through small unit concrete paving used to define the shared entrance area with paved finishes to be sub-divided by flush kerbs.

The planting proposals will provide an attractive setting to the Forest Oaks building and will comprise a mix of ornamental shrub and herbaceous varieties to create a strong structure, combined with plants providing seasonal interest.  This is intended to create a welcoming arrival experience to the entrance space and a calming and relaxing setting to the resident’s courtyard to the rear of the building.  Planting beds proposed in the courtyard area adjacent to the kitchens are intended to provide an opportunity for residents to grow their own herbs and other edible plants for use in the preparation of meals.

Planting mixes are to include a range of pollinator species to enhance biodiversity on site, with detailed planting plans to be developed as part of the discharge of landscape related conditions for the scheme.

Ubu also developed a landscape masterplan for the wider campus which will cater for a range of different uses and create a high quality and attractive setting for pupils to experience and enjoy.

This is to be focused around a new ‘Village Green’ which will provide a focal point to the campus and act as a unifying space between the various school and accommodation buildings.  This layout of this space has been developed to incorporate a number of existing trees of high quality which will provide a sense of scale and act as focal points creating seasonal interest and providing shade.  The design provides a space that can be readily accessed by each of the surrounding buildings creating a sense of shared ownership.

The space includes a range of elements including generous grass areas, areas of hardstanding, seating walls, planting and informal natural play features; such as timber balance elements, boulders and timber posts.  Hedge planting is to be used to define the extents of the space and provide enclosure allowing pupils to have a degree of freedom when using this area.

Colour is to be used to be used in the floor plane to break up areas, with the potential for graphics and line markings to be used to create opportunities for informal games and play.  The form of the space will create an exciting and dramatic focal point to the school grounds and provide opportunities for a range of activities and uses from larger events and gatherings through to quiet spaces for pupils to relax in a generous green space.