LANDSCAPE

OPEN SPACE AND LANDSCAPE

DESIGN
PUBLIC ACCESS TO OPEN
SPACE
OPEN SPACE NETWORKS
WILDLIFE AND ECOLOGY
TOPOGRAPHY
MICROCLIMATE
MANAGEMENT
URBAN FORESTRY
WATERWORKS
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By landscape, we mean many things; it is the open spaces, water, movement corridors and way-
leaves; it is parks, squares, and streets; it is the street furniture; it is hard and it is soft.

In design terms, there are distinct task areas, for example:

• the intrinsic landscape characteristics, for good or ill, of the site and its setting;
• open space planning, the typology hierarchy, function and frequency of existing and desirable
facilities
• creating a landscape structure for the site as a whole; and then
• the detailed treatment of individual schemes and elements.
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Landscaping and landscape go together

A basic tenet is to work with and value what is already there. Opportunities occur to use the
intrinsic landscape positively in the design of new places.

A scheme of a significant scale will involve the incorporation of open space facilities, for which
there are likely to be planning standards in terms of type of facility, its extent and their catchment
areas.

The urban design challenge is to design the scheme so that there is a cohesive landscape
structure, within which these standards can be met while making a positive contribution to the
sense of place, in both overall and local terms.
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Provide a variety of open space

types

It is necessary to assess the quality of

existing provision in the wider context
(particularly for a large site or area),
and use this as the basis for deciding
on the elements of a proposed open
space hierarchy.
The result is a landscape
structure that stitches
together all these elements
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Typology of open spaces

Principle open space

Character and Function
types

A network of spaces encompassing cycle and footpath routes, but also acting as ‘wildlife corridors’ – enabling wildlife to travel through urban areas.
Greenway Typically these follow streams or disused railways, for example, with green fingers penetrating from the countryside, through the town/city edge and into
the urban core.

Water way Includes lakes, ponds, rivers, canals and streams, which provide rich wildlife habitats, offer recreational value and can be used as movement corridors.

Meadow A public space for informal recreation, located on the edge of a neighbourhood. Often part of a flood plain comprising natural grasses and wildflowers

A wood or coppice of trees left in the natural state, interlaced with internal footpaths, sometimes designated as a nature reserve, with restricted access
Woodland/Nature Reserves
to areas rich in wildlife

Open spaces formally laid out for active recreation, such as football or rugby- including golf courses. Management / ownership can be shared between
Playing field
schools, clubs and the wider community to ensure facilities are well used.
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Typology of open spaces

Principle open space

Character and Function
types

Churchyard, cemetery Located adjacent to a church and often providing a green oasis at the heart of a community

Allotments A semi-public agglomeration of gardening plots rented to individuals by the local authority

Park See Table 3.5 for park types

Green An informal grassed public space associated with the focal point of village life, that sometimes incorporates a football or cricket pitch.

A formal public space, no larger than a block and located at focal points of civic importance fronted by key buildings, usually hard paved and providing
Square
passive recreation.
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Typology of open spaces

Plaza A public space associated with the extended forecourt of commercial (office / retail) buildings, with formal landscaping.

A semi-private space not accessible to the general public, usually located within the interior of a perimeter block, providing a centrally managed green
Communal garden
space for residents.

Private garden A private space located within the plot of an adjacent building.

Playground A small area dedicated for child’s play, that is fenced and located within close walking distance to nearby houses, overlooked by residents.

Courtyard A private open space often for vehicular servicing/parking

Atrium A glass covered semi-public or private space serving as a thoroughfare, seating area and sun trap for building occupants or visitors.
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Create a park life

A variety of parkland distributed within

the urban area ensures a range of
recreational needs within close
proximity to homes and workplaces.
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Types of parks

Approx. size and distance

Type and main function Characteristics
from home

Regional parks and open spaces

(linked Metropolitan Open Land and
Green Belt Corridors) Weekend and
occasional visits by car or public
transport
Large areas and corridors of natural heathland, downland, commons, woodlands and parkland also
including areas not publicly accessible but which contribute to the overall environmental amenity.
400 hectares
Primarily providing for informal recreation with some non-intensive active recreation uses. Car parking
3.2-8 km
at key locations.
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Types of parks

Approx. size and distance

Type and main function Characteristics
from home

Metropolitan parks Either (i) natural heathland, downland, commons, woodland etc. larger or (ii) formal parks providing for
60 hectares
both active and passive recreation. May contain playing fields, but at least 40 hectares for other
3.2 km or more where the park is
Weekend and occasional visits by car or pursuits. Adequate car parking.
appreciably larger
public transport
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Types of parks

Approx. size and distance

Type and main function Characteristics
from home

District parks
Weekend and occasional visits by foot,
cycle, car and short bus trips
Landscape setting with a variety of natural features providing for a wide range of activities, including
20 hectares
outdoor sports facilities and playing fields, children’s play for different age groups, and informal
1.2 km
recreation pursuits. Should provide some car parking
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Types of parks

Approx. size and distance

Type and main function Characteristics
from home

Local parks
2 hectares Providing for court games, children’s play, sitting-out areas, nature conservation, landscaped
0.4 km environment; and playing fields if the parks are large enough.
For pedestrian visitors
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Types of parks

Approx. size and distance

Type and main function Characteristics
from home

Small local parks and open spaces

up to 2 hectares Gardens, sitting-out areas, children’s playgrounds, or other areas of a specialist nature, including
Pedestrian visits, especially by old
up to 0.4 km nature conservation areas.
people and children, particularly
valuable in high-density areas.
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OPEN SPACE AND
LANDSCAPE DESIGN

Types of parks

Approx. size and distance

Type and main function Characteristics
from home

Linear open space Canal towpaths, paths, disused railways and other routes which provide opportunities for informal
Variable wherever feasible recreation, and areas that are not fully accessible to the public but contribute to the enjoyment of the
Pedestrian visits space.
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PUBLIC ACCESS TO OPEN
SPACE
PARKS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE
OPEN SPACES ARE IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN PLAYS, NATURE CONSERVATION
AND SPORTS ARE PROVIDED WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE
LOCAL PARKS SHOULD BE PLACED WITHIN 3-5 MINUTES WALK WITH A
DISTANCE OF 250-400 METERS NEAR MAJORITY HOME.
IN ORDER TO ASSESS THE WALKING ACTUAL DISTANCE, THE KEY ELEMENT IS
POSITION OF PLAY FACILITIES WITHIN PARKS RELATION TO HOUSES.
POSITIONING OF ENTRANCES, LINES OF SEVERANCE (SUCH AS RAILWAYS OR
BUSY ROAD) A GOOD ANALYSIS OPEN SPACES CREATE MORE ENTRANCES
POINTS OR PEDESTRIAN CROSSING
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PUBLIC ACCESS TO OPEN
SPACE
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OPEN SPACE TO NETWORKS
CONNECT SPACES
THE USE OF VISUAL AMENITY, RECREATIONAL USE, AND WILDLIFE CORRIDORS
THAT ISOLATED AND UNRELATED LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS ARE OFTEN MORE
USEFUL FOR OPEN SPACE NETWORKS.
IT CREATES LINKAGES BETWEEN EXISTING URBAN AREAS AND OTHER SITES AND
ALSO A WIDER LANDSCAPE
NETWORKS MAY JOIN UP LINEAR PARKS, ROAD RESERVES, PLAYING FIELDS,
PARKS, ALLOTMENTS, PRIVATE GARDENS, BUFFER PLANTING AND SURFACE
DRAINAGE CORRIDORS
GREENWAYS CAN BE CREATED TO RUN THROUGH OR ALONGSIDE LINEAR
ELEMENTS SUCH AS NATURAL STREAMS, WOODED BELTS OR CANALS AND
CONNECT WITH PARKS AND FOOTPATHS IN NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS
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PUBLIC ACCESS TO OPEN
SPACE
CONNECT SPACES
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WILDLIFE AND ECOLOGY

BALANCE HUMAN ACCESS AND WILDLIFE SHELTER.

In creating open spaces for humans there is a lot to be

considered such as the flora and fauna of the surrounding
areas we should always think that there is a high possibility
that we are destroying the wildlife’s natural habitat and this is
an ongoing conflict in every project an architect encounters. It
is said that we are supposed to find a way to exist together
without harming each other. Some of the examples that best
define the balance within humans and wildlife are railway
embankments and bridges made for animals to cross man
made highways. Additionally, in a public parkland, private
garden should be placed to create a balance between public
access and biodiversity wherein there are areas that the
public masses cannot access into.
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WILDLIFE AND
ECOLOGY
Railway Embankment
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WILDLIFE AND
ECOLOGY
Wildlife Crossing Structures
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WILDLIFE AND ECOLOGY

ALL SITES ARE HABITATS.

Every site that there is is considered as an eco-system that is linked other ecosystems that makes
it unique in a way that every tree, plant, water form, and landform are different but it speaks so
much about the place regarding its eco system. Man made structures and buildings are also
considered part of an ecosystem because it gives meaning to a place and they make a great
ecological importance. That’s why identifying areas within a site that are of the highest ecological
importance to be preserved, such as mature trees, hedgerows or streams, to be used as the basis
for creating a landscape structure should be a priority.
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WILDLIFE AND ECOLOGY

TRADE-OFF BLOCK SIZE AND BIODIVERSITY

Trade-off block size and biodiversity Block size can affect biodiversity,
as shown in the illustration opposite. Smaller blocks can limit the
amount of green space available to support wildlife. Blocks of about
90m x 90m which include private or communal gardens provide a good
trade-off between biodiversity and other considerations such as variety
of uses that can be accommodated and ease of movement.

This only means that the bigger the block is, the more green space
can be allotted to it resulting in much better support for the wildlife.
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WILDLIFE AND ECOLOGY
DESIGNING FOR BIODIVERSITY
CAN CUT MAINTENANCE COSTS

We are not the only species who use out-

door space. Plants and animals can be
encouraged to thrive and the use of plants
of many sorts, from grasses and flowers to
shrubs and trees, provides opportunities for
attracting a range of insects, birds and animals. Hedgerows encourage nesting and hunting
opportunities for birds and small mammals alike and. Large grassed areas that provide visual
amenity can be given a much richer functional and ecological value, at lower cost, simply by
changing the maintenance regime. Georgen Park in Hanover, for instance, is mown only at certain
times of the year and for the rest of the time is left as meadow. This not only provides a valuable
habitat, but also reduces maintenance to one or two mowings a year, while creating a more varied
and interesting place.
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TOPOGRAPHY

Studying the surface of the Earth in detail is

referred to as topography, which is a broad
phrase. This applies to both natural features
like rivers and highways as well as landforms
like mountains and valleys.
Working with the topography and climatic
grain of the environment
economic as well as ecological gains from
hydrological and
enhancing the localization.
Building footprints, streets, sewers, and other
features should, to the extent, waterways that
follow the contours of a hill. As a result,
building profiles might develop. minimizes
cut-and-fill and permits natural gravity flow
out of the ground and a drainage system must
be used.
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TOPOGRAPHY
WATER WORKS
Ponds, Streams, and Waterfalls

Streams provide many benefits to humans.

Some landscapes are fortunate enough to Besides providing drinking water and
have natural ponds, streams, and waterfalls irrigation for crops, streams wash away waste
on their property, and others are man-made. and can provide electricity through
hydropower. People often use streams
A pond is smaller than a lake and there are no recreationally for activities such as
official criteria distinguishing the two, swimming, fishing, and boating. Streams also
although defining a pond to be less than 5 provide important habitat for wildlife.
hectares (12 acres) in area, less than 5 meters
(16 ft) in-depth, and with less than 30% with A waterfall is a river or other body of water's
emergent vegetation helps in distinguishing steep fall over a rocky ledge into a plunge
the ecology of ponds from those of lakes and pool below. Waterfalls are also called
wetlands. cascades. The process of erosion, the wearing
away of earth, plays an important part in the
formation of waterfalls. Waterfalls themselves
also contribute to erosion.
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MICROCLIMATE

Design influences the microclimate by modifying the temperature,

amount of sunlight, and wind flow. A carefully planned landscape can
greatly improve comfort on buildings with passive solar designs benefit
from exposed settings. Landscape features have the ability to alter not
only the wind and radiation but also the air temperature and humidity at
the neighborhood or community level. Therefore, it is important to
research how various landscape components affect various microclimate
characteristics and the accompanying human thermal comfort.
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MICROCLIMATE

Landscape Approaches:
CONSIDER THE FULL GROWN HEIGHT OF TREES AND PLANTS
AVOID OVERSHADOWING OF BUILDINGS
SELECT TREES THAT GIVE SHADE ON SUMMER BUT DOES NOT
REMOVE THE PROVISION OF NATURAL LIGHTING
OPT TO PROVIDE MORE GRASS AND VEGETATION SURFACES
FOR DECREASED HUMIDITY AS WELL AS LOWER WIND SPEED
USE LIGHTER COLOR FOR LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS
WOOD MATERIALS RATHER THAN STONE
CONSIDER THE SUNPATH WHEN PLANTING TREES
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MANAGEMENT

Future Management

Many times, local governments are no longer able to handle the the
difficulty of managing and maintaining public realm landscaping. It is
maintaining high quality levels is essential, and this has an impact on
both the chosen plants and materials. Designing in a manner that
minimizes the burden of upkeep and provision for ongoing expenses.
In addition, it assumes ensure management structures are prepared to
handle future upkeep obligations, which may be in the form of a
Development Trust or a Management firm.
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MANAGEMENT

Changes in Time
A good landscape design must take into account how time will affect the area
since it is uniquely able to plan for how the years will unroll, how the seasons
will change, and how the hours will pass. This is true not only of soft landscapes
but even to how materials are holding up to weathering. Fluctuating climate
patterns can also influence behavior patterns.

The secret is to create landscapes that age gently, so that locations more
aesthetically pleasing, captivating, and comfy as trees, shrubs, and various
plants develop. It also means ensuring that places remain sheltered and sunny
for most of the day, and ideally most of the year, so that they are well used.
LANDSCAPE ASSESS THE POTENTIAL FOR URBAN FORESTRY

URBAN FORESTRY
Urban forestry is the overall maintenance of trees and
plants and its population in an urban setting. In the
present times, fully grown trees are very rare within
the city and it gets harder to protect them as well
because of the man-made structures humans are
building. Looking in an international setting one of the
things that can be beneficial to people is planting and
utilizing forestry belts. Forestry belts are a lineage of
trees that can be used to make an area aesthetically
pleasing and can serve as temporary use indication of
a plot that will be developed in the near future, they
can also be a source of materials for buildings like
timber and pulps. Lastly, this can be used by wildlife
as shelter.
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URBAN FORESTRY

Shamakhi Forest Belt, Azerbaijan.

WATER WORKS
Ponds, Streams, and Waterfalls

Streams provide many benefits to humans.

Some landscapes are fortunate enough to Besides providing drinking water and
have natural ponds, streams, and waterfalls irrigation for crops, streams wash away waste
on their property, and others are man-made. and can provide electricity through
hydropower. People often use streams
A pond is smaller than a lake and there are no recreationally for activities such as
official criteria distinguishing the two, swimming, fishing, and boating. Streams also
although defining a pond to be less than 5 provide important habitat for wildlife.
hectares (12 acres) in area, less than 5 meters
(16 ft) in-depth, and with less than 30% with A waterfall is a river or other body of water's
emergent vegetation helps in distinguishing steep fall over a rocky ledge into a plunge
the ecology of ponds from those of lakes and pool below. Waterfalls are also called
wetlands. cascades. The process of erosion, the wearing
away of earth, plays an important part in the
formation of waterfalls. Waterfalls themselves
also contribute to erosion.
WATER WORKS
Reflecting pools and runnels
Runnels, sometimes referred to as rills, are
man-made, straight, narrow waterways that
frequently start at a fountain and spill into a
pond, however they can also snake like a river
through your property. For a garden in
Larkspur, California, Warren Simmonds
created a runnel that begins at a small,
spouting fountain on an upper terrace, falls
down some steps, and empties into a pool of
stacked stone in the garden below.
Reflecting pools are still and reflect whatever
is around them on a still, sunny day. A natural
pond without running water will reflect just as
much as a rectangular pool edged in slate.
Architectural features can be striking
reflected in water, and so can trees and
shrubs showing off their spring flowers or fall
foliage. Avoid complete shade around a
reflecting pool, as it’s the sun that brings out
the strongest reflections. And the darker the
pool, the better the reflection, so consider
painting it black on the inside.
WATER WORKS
Fountains, Big and Small

Formal fountains were prevalent in traditional

European gardens and found their way to big
estate gardens in America. In fact, they were
frequently the center of attention, serving as the
foundation for a complex boxwood parterre, knot
garden, or area of lawn. However, the majority of
American homes now favor considerably basic
fountains. Old millstones, spheres, and
pedestals are frequently transformed into
bubbling fountains, such as the one in Sydney
Eddison's garden in Newtown, Connecticut,
which amuses both people drinking tea on the
terrace and the birds. When there is water
trickling over the surface of a collection of
polished river stones in landscape architect
David Ellis' Atlanta garden.
WATER WORKS
Fountains, Big and Small

A walled courtyard, an entry garden, or a tiny

space would all benefit greatly from wall
fountains. These might be standalone units or
fountains that pour water into basins or pools.
They might also be as straightforward as a tile
spout which directs water into a cistern.

Even the smallest gardens frequently have

bubbling urns. In their own backyard garden
in Atlanta, Dan Cleveland and Jeffrey
Rogerson have just such a water feature. Two
sculptured herons and a bubbling urn are also
present, and there are numerous luxuriant
plants all around them.
WATER WORKS
Sound, Texture, and Color
With its sound, texture, and color, water
enhances the atmosphere. One of the most
alluring aspects of water is sound, whether it
be the sound of falling rain on a tin roof, a
stream gurgling softly, or a waterfall roaring.
Water's sounds include drips, splashes,
sloshes, bubbles, laps, and trickles. But on
occasion, we are drawn to the tranquility of
water, particularly the chilly morning mist
over a mountain lake.
Water has a texture as well. Imagine one drop
of water dropping into a protected pool with a
smooth, glassy surface, making a circle on
the surface, and spreading outward. Imagine a
strong breeze causing the pool's surface to
ripple, or picture a constant trickle of water
falling from the ceiling, churning at the
entrance.
WATER WORKS
Sound, Texture, and Color
Water can have different colors. It transports
color, much as how a severe downpour could
wash red clay into a pond. It reflects the hues
of the nearby sky, structures, and vegetation.
It takes on the hue of its environment, such as
blue swimming pools and blackwater swamps.
Sound, texture, and color all help water
generate mood. You can feel invigorated or
relaxed after taking it. Think about how the
sparkling reflections of flowers in a pond on a
beautiful fall day and the mist rising from a
stream on a chilly morning affect the
atmosphere.