LUC is the masterplanner and landscape architect responsible for this new hospital outside Enniskillen. Working for the Construction Joint Venture of Irish Contractor P Elliott and Co and Spanish Contractor FCC Construction, this is an immensely complex project, integrating very extensive development into a sensitive context with environmental impacts minimised. LUC worked closely with team members & the client brief to produce the site masterplan & detailed landscape proposals. This process involves incorporating the numerous and complex needs of a hospital; ensuring site legibility for patients, visitors and staff; addressing therapeutic & environmental considerations; and achieving the ‘best landscape’ fit within this area of natural beauty and a tight planning framework.
The quantity of design information required by the Hospital Trust was unprecedented, including design to RIBA Stage E, full detailed planning application and EIA. LUC‘s can-do approach was invaluable as the enormously complex functional and spatial interdependencies of a hospital extend to the site plan (circulation, parking, security, drainage, landscape, approach road and ecology were all part of LUC’s remit). Ground conditions on site are also very poor, requiring complex remediation and full integration between civil and landscape design.
Closer to the building, LUC is responsible for the design of the 400m long Linear Gardens — a birch woodland which forms the spine of the hospital. The project also involves the ‘re-wetting’ of wetlands using all surface water run-off from roofs and hard surfaces filtered through a series of pools before discharge into an adjacent lake. Other sustainable solutions include the extensive use of locally grown local flora, the use of local natural hard materials, the creation of extensive species rich meadows in close contact with hospital buildings, integrated arts such as land art and living willow sculpture and the intended involvement of the local community using the grounds as part of an educational outreach programme.
The resultant site plan was a masterpiece in binding these potentially disparate elements into a cogent, workable and attractive environment.
This project is a real credit to LUC’s joined-up and site-sensitive design. Work has started on site and is due for completion in spring 2012.
