Nature Park and Learning Garden

Name: One Darnley Road
Price range: $

University of Reading, UK

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AHR University Nature Park and Learning Garden Architecture Building Consultancy Reading 14

project overview

Supporting sustainability with a new outdoor learning space

Demonstrating the University of Reading’s commitment to improving climate and nature education for young people, and as part of their centenary celebrations, the ‘Nature Park’ programme was launched along with the opening of their new outdoor teaching space.

Providing a new, interactive educational environment that allows visitors to explore environmental themes and engage with the natural world, we led this restoration and remodelling scheme, providing architectural and landscape design and managing wider team of subconsultants.

The space now provides multiple educational zones, exploring themes such as climate change, biodiversity, sustainable farming practices and water cycles.

It offers opportunities for university students to participant in research linked to biological sciences, geography and environmental sciences, a bookable space for local communities, youth and charity groups to enjoy free of charge, and a place for local schools to partake in outdoor education activities linked to the national curriculum. Sessions also support early years pre-school learning, further education for students aged 16 and above and special educational needs.

An external portrait image of the walled entrance to the new nature and learning garden at the University of Reading.

A brick wall inside the nature park and learning garden at the University of Reading, with plants and shrubs in the foreground.

A detailed shot of an outdoor bench with an engravement marking the University of Reading's centenary.

An information leaflet sat atop a wooden podium overlooking the vast nature park and garden at the University of Reading with a group of visitors exploring the space in the background.

A quiet seating area with a curved bench surrounded by plants and greenery at the University of Reading.

A detailed shot of the retained historic wall at the University of Reading's nature park surrounded by growing plants.

A group of visitors sitting and relaxing on the curved bences surrounded by potted plants and greenery in the University of Reading's nature park and learning garden.

The large wooden canopy overlooking the nature pond in the foreground at the University of Reading's nature park and learning garden.

Gravel footpaths that guide visitors around the nature park and learning garden at the University of Reading with a spacious canopy in the background.

A large planter providing a variety of species inside the University of Reading's nature park and learning garden.

The canopy and large planters scattered across the University of Reading's nature park and garden.

Views out across the nature park and learning garden at the University of Reading from underneath the wooden canopy surrounded by plants.

A welcoming entrance

The Victorian wall has undergone sensitive repairs

The Nature Park celebrates the university's centenary

The garden provides five educational zones

Seating areas provide space to enjoy the new gardens

Plants grow by the historic walls

Plenty of space for observation

New ponds inspire biodiversity

Maps and footpaths guide visitors

Large planters provide a variety of species

Canopies and large planters form the garden

Zones are marked with information

A welcoming entrance

The Victorian wall has undergone sensitive repairs

The Nature Park celebrates the university's centenary

The garden provides five educational zones

Seating areas provide space to enjoy the new gardens

Plants grow by the historic walls

Plenty of space for observation

New ponds inspire biodiversity

Maps and footpaths guide visitors

Large planters provide a variety of species

Canopies and large planters form the garden

Zones are marked with information

conservation

Enhancing the historical walled garden

The Harris Garden was once the home paddock of ‘The Wilderness,’ a Victorian house which was built on the remains of a famous landscape garden.

Our initial surveys revealed that it was necessary to carry out sensitive repairs to the historic garden walls and install a new buttress, before providing the new pathways, habitats, ponds and bedding areas with plants, animals and fungi.

Due to the historic nature of the site, which is considered a non-designated heritage asset, planning applications were required prior to undertaking the works, along with an accompanying heritage statement which we compiled.

AHR University Nature Park and Learning Garden Architecture Building Consultancy Reading 15

collaboration

Capturing the project brief to achieve positive outcomes

To ensure we fully understood our client’s goals and objectives for the scheme, we developed the brief collaboratively, holding regular meetings with the university and their key stakeholders.

This also highlighted potential risks, such as the garden’s location within a local historic park and garden, potential surface water flooding, the potential for bat roosts and the likelihood of the necessity to gain planning permission for access and parking works.

Team