Designing with Flood: A challenge and Opportunity for Well-being

MA Landscape Architecture and Garden Design students are exploring design solutions for the post-industrial site of Chelmsford Gasworks alongside the confluence of River Chelmer and Can. This year the focus topic in the module  “Urban Territory Studio” is  water in the landscape, more specifically, some of the problems and challenges faced with increasing river and coastal flooding as a result of climate change. But students are also considering design opportunities for building resilience and sustainability into future landscapes. . The project will consider a wide range of factors across several scales relating to river systems and will involve  in-depth analyses  of the physical attributes of the ecosystem as well as the socio-economic and cultural interests. By applying principles of landscape ecology, design theory and different modes of design process and techniques, students will develop innovative designs for the designated site.  They will also critically assess and analyse the conditions to develop contextual and conceptual solutions to address some of the socio-environmental problems relating to historical use of the area and on-going environmental changes.

Chelmsford City has been undergoing a radical change in recent years through the housing developments in and around the city. . According to The Chelmsford Town Centre Area Action Plan (AAP) in order to promote development and new investment in Chelmsford city centre a number of residential and commercial developments have been taking shape this year. Despite all these activities towards reinforcing the city image, the unique landscape qualities of Chelmsford, namely rivers have been ignored, and in some cases  rechannelled underground through drains and canals.  Along the water front in Chelmsford outdoor car parks and disused brownfield sites   have served as floodwater storage in times when the rivers have been in spate.  More recently, these sites have been earmarked for development and converted to  residential and retail centres. The consequences of these developments in terms of future flooding and resilience in times of climate change are likely to be negative and far-reaching.  The confluence between the river Cann and Chelmer, known to some as the ‘old gasworks site’,  is one of the last remaining landscapes that has retained some of its historical character in the form of the navigation canal, and remains connected to the countryside on the outskirts of the city.

The masters students will be involved in carrying out a landscape character assessment for the site, which will include considerations of  biophysical and socio-political conditions as part of the initial stage to producing design plans. The emphasis will be designing resilient and sustainable ‘future-scapes’ for Chelmsford’s waterfront.