"It hits our subconscious to be more active. We don't know why, but we love it !"
LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY NEW STUDENT VILLAGE ACTIVE CAMPUS
student feedback
"Lines make you want to run !"
LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY NEW STUDENT VILLAGE ACTIVE CAMPUS
student feedback
“I can confirm that the Chamber and its members are fully supportive of the proposals and feel the development will be a step change for the Centre of Middlesbrough bringing a vibrant office culture back to the town. This in turn will assist the retailers and hospitality by bringing higher spending office workers in to the town.”
Centre Square East, Middlesbrough
Rachel Anderson, Chamber of Commerce, Exchange Square
“Those that have seen the area have said how engaging it is to inspire them to run or get active…”
LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY NEW STUDENT VILLAGE ACTIVE CAMPUS
Mark Davies, Sports Capital Strategy and Maintenance Manager
‘To begin with I tried anti-depressants. But nothing seemed to keep the memories away. Everything was darkness – and I hated the city, where I felt confined and unable to speak or do anything. Then I came here and everything seemed familiar. I am always at one with the earth. If the garden looks good, I feel good. When the soil sleeps, I sleep. Apart from these things you have, these snails and slugs which were new to me, there is no evil in the garden’.
Suleyman (client)
Freedom from Torture’s Natural Growth Project, London
“An essential element of these proposals is the provision of attractive public realm and green space.”
Centre Square East, Middlesbrough
Mark Ashall, Director of Ashall Projects
"We are impressed that this scheme will clearly deliver many public benefits to the local population and has great potential to act as an exemplar to other healthcare schemes."
2016 Landscape Institute Awards
Best Large Scale Development
"We worked with Colour as part of our team re-developing two neighbouring single sex schools in Camden. Their collaborative hands-on approach and design flair contributed to the indoor and outdoor environments being developed in tandem. Their team developed fantastic ideas that encouraged outdoor activities, activated the site as a learning resource and complemented the Dartmouth Park Conservation Area. Throughout the project stages they always faced each challenge with a fresh approach, creating simple effective solutions to ensure the essence of good design was maintained, supported by a clear master plan.
The team at Colour are great to work with."
Parliament Hill Schools
Aart Koning, director, Astudio
"The City Council having supported the radical proposals, are delighted with the finished product to the extent of according it an Urban Landscape Award in the Lord Mayor's Design Awards for 2003.
The award celebrates the skill in tackling head on all the negative qualities of the previously isolated roundabout and creates an exciting new public space."
55 DEGREES NORTH
Tony Wyatt, Manager for Urban Design & Conservation, Planning & Transportation, Newcastle City Council
"The transformation of the original office block on its hostile inaccessible roundabout into an aspirational residential, office and leisure development has been very successful.
When the scheme was proposed, everyone thought it was mad to expect people to live there, and one of the major challenges was integrating it into the city fabric. Working with Colour we looked for solutions to make the environment attractive so people would want to go there and spend time there, and to direct people around the south side to complete the route to and from the Quayside.
The curved pink wall and glazed arcade grab everyone's attention as a bold, exciting addition to the city centre. Pulsing lights, sculptural benches and giant tree pots subtly send out the wayfinding messages needed. The drab concrete wasteland has become a desirable urban space where people enjoy cocktails under the sunshades.
55 Degrees is a landmark in the city for all the right reasons people enjoy living, playing and working there."
55 DEGREES NORTH
Peter Buchan, senior partner, Ryder Architecture
- Dynamic, thoughtful, innovative and creative - Client-focused, responsive, committed and enthusiastic - Collaborative, approachable, accessible and open - Professional, competent and honest - Experienced, integrated and with a good grasp of detail
Market research
Clients in 2016
"We have a great solution which is truly uplifting and sympathetic to its use. It is also a very strong concept, which responds well to the building.
I really believe that the counter-curves are complementary."
CARE CENTRE FOR SURVIVORS OF TORTURE, FINSBURY PARK
Peter Buchan, senior partner, Ryder Architecture
"The genius is the tilted lawn."
CARE CENTRE FOR SURVIVORS OF TORTURE, FINSBURY PARK
Gordon Wills, director, Medical Foundation
"The Colour team brought enthusiasm for creating a place around the new development. Through innovative thinking and responding to the architectural concepts they helped to tie the building into both the site and the wider area."
"Colour also made a valuable input into the buildings' design. The team's enthusiasm for creating places, not just landscapes, helped a great deal in the planning and development process. They are able to think conceptually and have an extensive understanding of ecological issues. We have total confidence in their capability to deliver effectively."
GATESHEAD EIS
Mike Hall, Partner, FaulknerBrowns
"We're delighted and excited by the plans for the school. It has developed our thinking to looking at the whole school environment not only as a social space but also as an interactive learning environment. We've been very happy with the service provided."
MORTIMER COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL
Claire Mullane, Headteacher Mortimer Community School
"We have designed a playground that does not dictate to children how they should or should not play - it engages their imaginations."
NEWBURN MANOR NURSERY SCHOOL
Celia Skillbeck, headteacher
"This attractive multi-functional space was intended to be "at the heart" of the campus. More than this however, it has actually created a heart to the campus and now helps to strongly define the University's identity as progressive, creative and inclusive. "
The pedestrianising of the heart of the campus and the creation of key circulation routes through an inviting social space has created the much sought after campus feel with the journey between buildings becoming a pleasure not a chore.
Even early in its existence dwell time on campus has visibly increased with staff and students taking advantage of any bright days and the facilities within the quad. Feedback from students, staff and the local community has been excellent highlighted by a recent article in the local press.
SUNDERLAND QUAD
Iain Garfield, former Head of Estates, University of Sunderland
"The Colour team have produced the most stunning effective designs with clever use of materials, products and species. They do not just provide a traditional approach but also think widely in their research and design inspiration. Being actively involved in initiatives such as exploratory play assists this greatly."
DURHAMGATE
Ian Beaumont, Project Director CAST
"Your work was clear and informative and has given livin direction with regard to investing into its open spaces.
The identification of the strengths and weaknesses of livins open spaces was key to understanding the proposals set out in your strategy.
The various phases and options proposed by yourself will enable livin to invest in its open spaces in a planned and targeted way . It is clear that improvements can be made that will have a measurable impact with little or no capital investment."
LIVIN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Paul Proud, Livin
"Compliments were sent at the Prudhoe Business Network meeting from the traders with regard to the work being carried out on the Front Street Scheme just thought you would like to know well done !!!"
PRUDHOE TOWN CENTRE
Yvonne Probert,Project Officer, Prudhoe Community Partnership
"As we hoped, the new development has created a wide variety of external spaces that our staff and patients can enjoy.
The imaginative approach taken by Colour not only presents the hospital in a welcoming, green setting but also provides a series of unit-specific opportunities to engage patients in outdoor therapeutic activity ."
ROSEBERRY PARK
John Ord, Associate Project Director - PFI Projects, Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
"Just wanted to say thank you for all the work you've done which has left Sunderland with some fantastic play provision. I've enjoyed working with Colour and I remember from the presentations and interview stage of the tender process you talked about working in partnership with clients and that's has certainly been the case, on occasions I think we've faced a number of challenges!! In partnership, your support has been fantastic."
SUNDERLAND PLAY
Carol Lewis, Play Pathfinder Programme Manager, City Services Sunderland City Council
"The masterplan was been described as : "illustrating beautifully how architecture has been developed closely with landscape architecture - it is landscape architecture integrated with infrastructure development."
NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Susan Francis, chair, AEDET Review Panel
"Colour has formed an intrinsic part of the design team from the outset. Their continual involvement has meant that the landscape proposals formed a natural element to the campus redevelopment."
"The entire site masterplan, including the basic building footprints, has been the result of the team taking a holistic view of the campus. The external landscape design provides clear passive wayfinding with important public spaces as well as private areas for contemplation or views. This is reflected in the orientation and design of the associated interior spaces."
NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
John Haworth, architectural director, RyderHKS
"I meant to contact you as soon as the Park opened a few weeks ago to say thank you for all your input (and patience!). It looks great and I really do think we achieved maximum effect for the money. The basket swing is so popular and the spinning cone climber is equally popular - the best thing about both pieces is that they can take more than one child at a time (lots!). The feedback from the children and families who use it is excellent.
Those last minute decisions were very well worth it, really make a big difference and are popular (with the most surprising children)."
SWANSFIELD PARK, ALNWICK
Carys Thomas of Alnwick Community Development Trust
"I am writing to thank you and your team, not only for your creative design concepts but also for your patience and understanding. We have been particularly impressed with the thoughts and ideas of Sharon McKay and the way in which she has introduced new amenity concepts into the project. I am also impressed by her attention to detail and innovatory ideas on bespoke seating arrangements, an area of product design that, although appearing simple, is extraordinarily difficult to successfully realise."
HERSCHEL QUAD
Len Wilson, Head of Capital Development, Newcastle University
"The landscaping has proved to be a successful design, it has matured well over the last few seasons."
BADDILEY-CLARKE BUILDING
Len Wilson, Head of Capital Development, Newcastle University
"We recognise and encourage the imaginative, integrated landscape proposals. We welcome the strong indoor/outdoor relationships, the variety of external spaces provided, such as theatres, quiet study areas and wildlife gardens, and the plans to use the grounds for a range of educational purposes. The class gardens, designed to aid children in learning maths, environmental science and art, are a particularly attractive feature of the primary school designs."
SOUTH AYRSHIRE SCHOOLS PPP
Architecture & Design Scotland
"The variety of external environments and seating areas provided, and the careful way in which they have been assembled to link the two entrances and provide an attractive focal point and amenity for the school, are to be commended."
KYLE ACADEMY
Architecture & Design Scotland
"Detailed designs for the class gardens indicate such innovative features as allotment strips, bird
tables, fences with activities attached, fruit trees and bug habitats. We trust that these designs
are indicative of the project team's plans for other schools, and that they will continue to work
with the Council and the staff of the respective schools to ensure that this exciting approach to
external space and its educational potential is a success."
MONKTON PRIMARY SCHOOL
Architecture & Design Scoltland
"We commend the way in which both architects and landscape architects have responded to the extreme environmental conditions in an innovative manner, and designed a unique school which turns those challenging conditions into positive attributes."
BARASSIE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Architecture & Design Scotland
"The approach taken by the Consortium was always child centred and took account of both the challenges & opportunities afforded by the unique topography. The outcome has been a design which is both innovative and pleasing to the eye. The external areas are therefore as educationally beneficial as the internal spaces."
BARASSIE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Roddy MacDonald, Head of PPP South Ayrshire Council
"The children thought the grass mound wind breaks were Teletubbie mounds I think they are very in keeping with the schools setting". With the wind breaks protecting the play areas and gardens "the children are outdoors as much as possible".
"The classes now have the doors open as much as possible using the gardens for painting and other art based activities as well as gardening."
"The stage is in constant use by class groups or at break-time with mini 'X-Factor' performances. The nursery also used it for their candlelit Christmas carol service with parents filling the benches."
"The pupils have voted to spend this year's entire £1,000 school council budget on the allotments and gardens"
BARASSIE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Mrs Shendl Harvey, Head Teacher, Barrassie Primary
"I love the outdoor classrooms!"
"Its great outside now plenty space for us all"
"Fantastic, amazing, enormous"
"I love the grass hills"
"Our school is the best!"
BARASSIE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Feedback from the Barassie Primary pupils
