The idea
behind the Nexus Building was one of collaboration - setting up a “community of
innovators”, as well as becoming home for the University of Leeds new Design
and Innovation Centre.
With an
impressive new entrance on Woodhouse Lane, Nexus forms a striking gateway
between the city and the southern corner of the campus.
The
University of Leeds wanted their landscape strategy to create an exciting
vision for the development of the campus – with inspiring, memorable and unique
spaces – which complements the built landscape. A key aim of the University is
for it to be a sustainable University of which the campus landscape is a core
part.
They specified that the landscape
development is to be an exemplar of urban biodiversity, creating a biodiverse
environment and providing ecological corridors within the city. It was
important for the campus landscape to be an inspiring place which encourages
innovation, live research, learning and discovery. Invigorated, high-quality
public spaces should form a network of hubs across the campus which encourage a
diversity of activity.
The campus landscape is
underpinned by and promotes the university’s values of sustainability to become
a living lab for sustainable solutions.
The external landscaping provides a relaxed,
aesthetically pleasing setting, featuring breakout areas, a sustainable garden,
and a biodiverse rain garden, all which helped towards the project’s “BREEAM:
Excellent” rating.
Architectural and
building consultancy practice AHR specified a rain garden as part of the
development. This acts as a visually appealing, low maintenance and biodiverse
friendly, sustainable drainage system.
Green-tree is a part
of leading landscape supplier Green-tech. They advised and supplied
specially formulated Green-tree Rain Garden Filter Medium, manufactured from
PAS100 green organic matter, screened silica sand, and blown clay particles.
This growing medium provides the nutrition required for healthy growth, while
at the same time, slowing down the flow, and acting as a filter for both
rainfall and runoff from hard landscaping.
Working for the
landscape management company, Gavin Jones Ltd, Green-tree produced a specialist
mix of Green-tree Rain Garden Filter Medium to satisfy the particular demands
of a rain garden, and deliver to site within a critical delivery window.
Jordan Webster
Green-tech’s Key Account Manager commented; “We have worked with Gavin Jones
Ltd on several high-profile projects now and it is always good to see the
finished result and to know that we all did our part in greening up our urban
landscape.”
Ricky Whiteman, Head
of Estimating North for Gavin Jones Ltd added, “We know from past experience
that Green-tree soils are of a consistent, high quality, which is so important
when working on niche projects such as this. Yet again, the service and support
from them was first class.”
