[Pulteney Street with ‘rain gardens’ sounds interesting?]
It’s getting on for ten years now since the historic Saw Close was remodelled in a multi-million- pound scheme which saw the construction of new restaurants, a hotel and a casino.
I have not disguised my feelings for what l think has been a missed opportunity to design a new square for today. Where are the fountains, plants and trees?
I am obviously not alone, if a new exhibition – which has just opened at the Museum of Bath Architecture – is anything to go by. ‘Biophilic Bath – The Green City You See’ presents ‘various creative visions for engaging with nature in urban areas.’
They are being presented by innovative architects, engineers and designers who are local to Bath and have used the cityscape to illustrate ‘a variety of radical ideas that intrigue, delight and energize, and inspire the future sustainability and climate resilience of the city.’
This is where the Saw Close comes in. Stride Treglowen have come up with a much better scenario to make this a space where people can congregate and commune with nature.
Like me they think it is a square that lacks nature, shade and a focal point. They have taken inspiration from other public spaces in the city – like Kingsmead Square, the Circus and Abbey Green – ‘ to create a temporary, biophilic, community-funded tree sculpture that will transform this space and help people visualise how much better it could be.’
Until such times as a real tree could be sourced, and a location agreed upon, they propose a ‘Tree of Dreams’ art installation. A vandal-proof structure with ‘weeping willow’ inspired fronds they stor energy during the day and glow at night. A real ‘people magnet’ if you ask me.
Do go and look at this and other ideas which are equally as original and stimulating. The museum is part of Bath Preservation Trust’s heritage holdings and l had a chance to talk to the CEO, Alex Sherman, about what was on display.
Re the ‘Tree of Dreams’, it’s an interesting idea providing it is a prelude to planting the real thing. Real trees bring health benefits in terms of: absorption of carbon dioxide and release of oxygen; reflection of infra-red wavelengths (increasingly important given that we now spend so much of our time indoors and this, increasingly under blue-rich lighting) and benefits to mental well-being. I would also be cautious about anything that increases levels of artificial light at night. The scheme could work if existing lighting was dimmed (or switched off) and did not use high CCT (ie over 2700K) LEDs.
Real trees are also home to wildlife bringing birds into the city , such a joy to see and hear and improving the environment. Cool spaces in hot weather too. The sooner planted the sooner they will grow