Insight
World Landscape Architecture Month: Creating a new green link in Leicester’s Cultural Quarter
17 Apr 2023
This month, we’re celebrating World Landscape Architecture Month (WLAM). The event was established by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and created to recognise the people and communities that have long-standing personal connections to the spaces landscape architects can create. To highlight our appreciation of the many talented landscape architects at Pick Everard, we will be looking at some upcoming projects as well as raising the spotlight on some of the projects we have been involved in through recent years.
Working collaboratively with our range of in-house disciplines – from architects and civil engineers to quantity surveyors and building services engineers – our landscape architects offer an integral service for projects across the nation.
To kick off #WLAM2023, senior landscape architect Joe Boyce discusses our involvement in Leicester City Council’s transformation of St George Street and the profound effect that could be felt by pedestrians in Leicester for years to come as a result of the development.
Joe said: “Our client, Leicester City Council, set out an ambitious design brief for the pedestrianisation of St George Street, reimagining a key city centre route to create a greener and more sustainable environment for people to enjoy. We’re excited to be contributing to a project a mere five-minute walk from our Leicester office and offering a design that is people centric.
“The design includes a series of rain gardens which we have developed with our civil engineering team, that feature along the edges of the footpath, along with an array of new trees, which will provide the area with an improved comprehensive drainage solution that will be an integral part of the city’s sustainable urban drainage system.
“We are aware that since the pandemic the area has had a significant reduction in footfall, as many businesses in the area began to change their office working arrangement in favour of a work from home approach. We hope that in the process of creating a more attractive street, we can encourage people to get back into the city; especially as it has incredible potential to be a link to the city’s historic Cultural Quarter from Leicester’s train station.”
Our main aim for the project is to help create a much more attractive environment for people to walk through as we continue to search for ways to encourage more walking, running, and cycling.
In order to ensure this development progresses smoothly, we have continued to work closely with the client and relevant stakeholders to achieve a design that suits all relevant parties upon completion later this year.
Joe said: “As a result of this continued stakeholder engagement, electric bike docking stations will be integrated into the scheme to promote healthy living and eco-friendly modes of transportation. Meanwhile, the existing St George Play Park has also been taken into consideration, with a view to create a new linear park that is sustainable, green, inclusive, and safe for all.
“As with all landscaping projects, we intend for the redevelopment of this street to lead to benefits for the local community. By making these improvements, we are helping to create an attractive gateway into the city centre that will, in turn, help to boost local jobs and growth by accelerating commercial investment around the station hub area.
“For those living in city centres, decisions made regarding landscape architecture are incredibly important. In built up cities, carefully planned green areas can be someone’s only natural retreat in their day-to-day lives. It is always exciting to plan green spaces in cities as often we can preserve cleaner air and boost the wellbeing of inhabitants.
“With landscape architecture, you get a chance to contribute to the wellbeing of people through nature, meaning it is an incredibly rewarding pursuit. On St George Street and beyond, we’re proud to be delivering green sustainable areas for all stakeholders to enjoy.”