The Hansel Foundation
This initial work, redefined the outdoor spaces, creating strong indoor-outdoor connections. The spaces are designed to reflect the varying needs and interests of Hansel’s clients and accommodate a wide range of uses including: quiet sitting, wandering, fitness classes and horticultural therapy.
Following on from this, erz were commissioned to develop ideas for the adjacent underused walled garden, to bring this lost space back to life.
The sloping walled garden was terraced to create a core flexible grass area and orchard. A new network of paths was created, stitching the walled garden into the wider estate.
The upper edge of the walled garden is defined by a south facing seating edge and series of shelters. The upper part of the garden is focused on plant production and below the core space a more intimate series of terraced gardens and seating areas are created.
The walled garden incorporates raised beds and in-ground growing areas and a bespoke ‘potting shed’ building (also designed by erz). All parts of the walled garden are fully accessible.
The finely detailed brick enclosing walls were stabilised and repaired and a new feature gate (the ‘golden gate’) introduced forming a connection to the south. An axial route through the garden aligns with the ‘golden gate’ and is further marked with a rill channel, with stored surface water flowing through the garden.
These works were completed in Spring 2014 and erz are currently developing further proposals with the client exploring water management, paths and access across the Broadmeadows Estat
