The extensive landscape strategy prepared by Strata Design for the Project Azure nature campus, visitor centre, bird hide, café / restaurant, exhibition, and community space at the World of Water site near Romsey, Hampshire.
The site lies within the 170 acre Fishlake Meadows nature reserve, a spectacular wetland, home to hunting ospreys, elusive bitterns, migratory cuckoos, and murmuring starlings. It also supports other species like otters, water voles, 24 species of dragonfly, and damselfly and an impressive variety of plants. It really is the ultimate destination for nature lovers. The unique habitats of Fishlake Meadows established themselves after farming of the land ceased over the last two decades. Unusually, the reserve now boasts a mix of floodplain habitats rarely seen in our chalk river valleys.
All video content shown, and landscape design and strategy have been provided by Strata Design, project Landscape Architects in close collaboration with ep projects.
Landscape elements for the 4.2-acre site include swales, rain gardens, wildflower meadows, vegetated parking surfaces, native species shrub and tree planting, green roofs, and façade greening. Ecology and biodiversity improvements include micro-habitats, an artificial otter holt, bat and bird nesting boxes, and a sand martin bank.
The project has been shortlisted for a prestigious LI Award in the Building with Nature category.
A 2022 Landscape Institute Award represents the pinnacle of achievement in the industry, “celebrating people, place, and nature, and the myriad of ways that landscape projects can connect them.”
Strata Design director, Richard Willmott said: “I’m delighted to have our scheme recognised as one of the best in the industry. A lot of thought went into designing this nature-based project. Achieving a full Building with Nature award shows our commitment to delivering the highest quality green infrastructure.”
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