NEW LIFE IN OLD RUINS
The National Trust has opened a new garden in the ruined Great Hall of Nymans, West Sussex, which was gutted in a catastrophic fire in 1947. The Garden in the Ruins, which was researched and designed by assistant head gardener Nick Delves, features plants introduced and propagated by the Messel family (famous for sponsoring plant-hunting expeditions) and their head gardeners James and Harold Comber. These include Camellia ‘Leonard Messel’, Eucryphia x nymansensis ‘Nymansay’ and Magnolia x loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’. The plants are presented in giant pots and planters and the space is divided by weathered steel screens, inspired by Oliver Messel’s theatre designs. nationaltrust.org.uk/nymans
THREE HOSPITALS, ONE VISION
A public–private partnership between the Hellenic Ministry of Health and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation has commissioned Renzo Piano and his team at Renzo Piano Building Workshop to design three state-of-the-art public hospitals in Greece, one each in Thessaloniki, Komotini and Sparta.The designs prioritise light, ventilation and proximity to nature to enhance patients’ recovery and wellbeing. Therapeutic gardens, new tree plantings and play areas will further enhance patients’ hospital experiences. Photovoltaic roof panels will provide most of the electricity, while geothermal systems support all the heating.The hospitals are due to be completed in 2025. rpbw.com, designboom.com
CATHEDRAL GARDENS, BELFAST
The masterplan for Cathedral Gardens in Belfast, an area of sustainable and biodiverse green spaces combined with cafés and restaurants situated between Ulster University and St Anne’s Cathedral, has been presented for public consultation. Drawn up by Hassell Studio, the site will tell the stories of the city through artworks, landscape features and a memorial to the Blitz bombings. The plan shows expansive lawns, an urban forest, a tree-lined events area and an interactive water feature.The forest, lawns and gardens will be fed with collected rainwater. hassellstudio.com
ESTATE OF THE ART
Proposals to restore Grade II-listed Impney Hall and its naturalistic parkland setting in Worcestershire have been submitted for planning by LDA Design. The hall will continue as a hotel and restaurant, but many recent add-ons will be demolished. The public right of way across the estate will be enhanced and new pedestrian and cycle routes will connect with nearby Droitwich and the rail station. A mixed-use village of 125 homes and business spaces, designed by Proctor & Matthews Architects, will replace the conference centre and will include allotments and community orchards. lda-design.co.uk
PARTERRE FOR PITMEDDEN
The National Trust for Scotland has reopened Pitmedden Garden after a redesign of the historic parterre by Chris Beardshaw. The new design focuses on the upper terraces, which had an overlay of some early designs added in the 1990s. It creates what Beardshaw describes as a contemporary, deconstructed parterre, comprising herbaceous plants, bulbs and grasses, which increases biodiversity and provides year-round floral interest. Four 19th-century sigmoid pathways leading from the house terrace have been reintroduced in mown grass. nts.org.uk
FACTORY IN THE FOREST
Urban furniture maker Vestre has built a new production factory in a forested area of Magnor, Norway.The building, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, consists of four ‘wings’ that tilt upwards at each corner, providing views out to the tree canopy, with an open-air courtyard in the centre. It is clad in charred larch, and the glass façades have been developed to ensure maximum transparency and low energy consumption. The roof is fitted with nearly 1,000 solar panels that are surrounded by vegetation. The surrounding forest area is open to the public for hiking and camping. theplus.no
TREEHOUSE TRIUMPHS
The three winning designs of the Treehouses at Kew design competition, a collaboration between the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the Museum of Architecture, have been announced. Applicants were asked to consider the relationship between natural and built environments, to work with innovative and sustainable materials and to celebrate Kew’s collection of trees. India Aspin and Amy Jenkins Smith’s Polypore/Play that Fungi Music is inspired by the wonder of mushrooms. The winning designs will form part of Kew’s treehouse exhibition, which will run from April to October 2023. See all shortlisted entries at museumofarchitecture.org
LIFTING THE LANDSCAPE AT RABY CASTLE
Designers Luciano Giubbilei and Alistair Baldwin have joined forces to create new landscapes for the garden at Raby Castle, County Durham. Giubbilei has designed a series of different elements for the Walled Garden, including a water garden at the centre with a rill that leads to the garden’s entrance, and a flower garden, intersected by narrow paths, with seating. Baldwin has designed a series of landscapes, including sculptural lawns that frame a historic view of the castle and parkland, and the Duchess Walk, a linear garden planted with multi-stemmed cherries and woodland species. raby.co.uk