Designed in collaboration with FaulknerBrowns on behalf of Balfour Beatty Investments, ONE Environments prepared concept landscape proposals for the development of two new ‘Hill Colleges’ and an events hall on the Mount Oswald site close to the historic Manor House and Durham Botanical Gardens.

Our concept began by establishing a cohesive landscape vision across the site and connectivity out to the wider area – opening up new avenues for movement whilst identifying the best developable building plots for new high-quality accommodation on this sloping site with key tie points around the edges.

At the heart of this concept was the ‘Greenway’ a linear park running through the site connecting the colleges, student accommodation and the countryside beyond. Providing a connection to nature, fundamental to wellbeing, the ‘Greenway’ incorporated colourful planting providing successive waves of colour through the seasons and a bio-diverse, species rich environment supporting and attracting local wildlife.

Alongside we established an active and walkable landscape circuit, including jogging loops and fitness trails, promoting active lifestyles and travel.

Woven into this landscape was a network of smaller, intimate gathering spaces for each college, each with a unique feel designed to create a sense of place and belonging; these outdoor spaces would encourage planned and incidental socialising, helping to build communities and support wellbeing for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

CLIENT: Balfour Beatty Investments
LOCATION: City of Durham
PARTNERS:  FaulknerBrowns, Cundall, Balfour Beatty Construction
SERVICES: Landscape Architecture S1-S3, LVIA
PROGRAMME: 2017