Office Building Garden and Courtyard, Stirling
The brief
To create a design proposal for the three key areas:
Frontage to Main Road: To improve the grass area to the south west corner of the building with sustainable landscaping, adding more year-round interest so as to create and maintain the professional image of the company that has sustainability as its core, and to utilise the main road's potential.
Front Car Park Entrance: We aim to create an attractive, plant-filled entrance which requires little fossil-fuel energy input (or chemicals), to make for a welcoming environment and also further reduce the carbon footprint of the company.
Quadrangle: To create an inviting green space for employees to relax and de-stress during their breaks, and also to look out onto from the office - thus helping to improve mental health and well-being while at work
The space
The site is compromised of grassed areas, car parking, and an open roofed quadrangle space. In total the site is around 950 square meters in size.
Problems to overcome
Ensuring that the design choices for all areas align with the company's sustainability goals and reduce the overall carbon footprint of the business. This involves selecting materials, plants, and design elements that are environmentally friendly and energy-efficient.
Balancing the need to enhance the professional image of the company with sustainability objectives. This requires thoughtful design decisions that reflect the company's values while creating visually appealing and functional spaces.
The design solutions
The company headquarters' frontage design integrates offices with the surrounding landscape, fostering an appealing and inviting approach.
Consideration has been given to visibility from the road and specific areas, like the director's and visitor's carpark, where permanent planting of trees, shrubs, and low-maintenance perennials will offer seasonal highlights.
Grass strips requiring frequent mowing will be replaced with attractive ground-covering planting. Wet grass areas will be replanted with herbaceous perennials, minimising the need for mowing. Additional trees, shrubs, and bulbs will be incorporated to enhance interest, with a designated 'meadow' area offering a natural setting for office staff to walk.
A wildlife pond and non-turf grass planting will further enrich the landscape, fostering biodiversity. These enhancements not only improve the area for wildlife but also contribute to a decreased carbon footprint and increased onsite carbon sequestration.
Overall, the welcoming and environmentally-conscious approach to this new design of the office Headquarters underscores the professionalism and sustainability ethos of the business.