LDA Design on master-planning our 'science cities'
We are delighted that the very experienced master-planner, Bernie Foulkes, Director of LDA Design, will be joining our 'science cities' forum in Cambridge.
He will be speaking on a panel discussion about creating the best possible spaces and places for innovation and collaboration - with Dr Bruno Holthof, CEO of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Dr David Hardman - Chief Executive of the Innovation Birmingham Campus (Bruntwood SciTech) and Dr Mike Snowden who is Head of Discovery Sciences at AstraZeneca.
Bernie has both master-planned and written about the future for university estates, including University College London's new campus in Stratford, East London. He said:
'With city centres undergoing so much change it is important for universities and cities to work together. Universities need to recognise that they are not distinct and separate from the fortunes of the places that host them. Their futures are inextricably linked.
'When UCL commissioned a new campus in East London it wanted it firmly rooted in its Stratford setting, providing a new place of genuine value for residents, workers, students and staff. The resulting master-plan is for a highly permeable campus which blurs the boundaries between internal and external spaces, with a barrier-free ground level. Generous spaces for curation and programming and inviting sunny river banks are designed to maximise chance encounters and collaboration.'
At the University of Cambridge's award-winning North West Cambridge development, LDA Design is working with Skanska on the Phase 1 public realm design. LDA Design thinks it is this public realm that is core to giving the new district its sense of place, by integrating hedgerows and heritage trees with an urban grain inspired by the historic centre of the city. There is a new Ridgeway Route to encourage cycling and over 50 hectares of green space.
LDA Design has also worked with RLW Estates (Royal London Group, Turnstone Estates, and St John's College Cambridge) on the outline planning application for the creation of 4,500 new homes in a designed landscape at Waterbeach New Town East (pictured below), six miles to the north east of Cambridge. The practice says that this project will reimagine how residential streets work, with priority given to pedestrians and cyclists over the car. The town will be divided into 'steads' of 400 homes with each neighbourhood having its own character, landmarks and facilities.
Cycling through Waterbeach (LDA Design)