- Location:
- Leicester
- Services:
- Budget:
- £0.4m
- Client:
- Southgate Halls Limited
- Sector:
- Landscape Architecture
It comprises four buildings (567 bedrooms) surrounding a focal courtyard, designed to enhance the students living experience.
Working in collaborations with our architecture and interiors teams and in close partnership with Viridis Real Estate and CRM Students Management, the landscape design was developed to offer functional and flexible external spaces that would accommodate numerous activities for the large number of students. The design approach for the central courtyard was modern and organic, creating adaptable spaces that can be used for quiet study, relaxing, socialising or performance. Each zone of the courtyard is given purpose with circulation between each student building free flowing.
Features have been introduced to facilitate and encourage interaction between students. An amphitheatre is positioned conveniently adjacent to the internal social lounge, making a connection between inside and out. An area for quiet retreat in the courtyard has attractive, sculptural seating.
Planting has been used to soften hard surfaces and delineate the various spaces. Columnar trees line circulation routes and raised planters offer additional edge seating, whilst providing a buffer between public areas and bedrooms fronting the courtyard.
Quality hard surface materials have been selected to accentuate spaces while external lighting not only enhance design features but also contribute to the security of the external environment. Other external facilities include: secure enclosed cycle storage, car parking, secure motorcycle parking, refuse compounds.
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