Ebbsfleet Neighbourhood Green Community Hub is part of the dynamic and visionary Ebbsfleet Garden City. A colossal, visionary and benchmark placemaking project on the banks of the River Thames in Kent. EDLA was commissioned to prepare the landscape and public realm strategy for the Green Community Hub. An important public space and the central communal space for the increasing number of residents in the area.
Some of the key aspects of our strategy included integrating the Ebbsfleet Healthy New Town concepts, which we encapsulated amongst other things in semi-sheltered spaces with dense tree canopies for parents to wait while they collect their children, green play areas, a topiary maze, green open space and performance spaces for informal and formal events. We were also influenced by the Edible Ebbsfleet concept, which we embraced by conceptualising fruiting trees and shrubs for children to forage on their way to and from school.
A key objective of the proposal was to establish a clear identity for the neighbourhood house development, promoting a community environment where the quality of life and the quality of the natural environment are integral. We feel this will be achieved by strengthening the local connections to neighbouring areas and open spaces, through the creation of legible pedestrian routes and new public spaces. All of these are considered sustainable design approaches in order for the development to target a Breamm excellent rating.
As environmental purposes change throughout the day, we are creating a space that will adapt to the needs of the community from morning to night. This development is an opportunity to put in place a green landscape that will enable this urban community to flourish and feel the benefits of the natural environment around them.
Read more on our blog on Public Realm and the Climate Emergency.
