Hale Chapel Cemetery Memorial Backyard – Farnham, Surrey
When Farnham City Council approached Graduate Landscapes to assist design a communal backyard of their city, we jumped on the probability. Not solely as a result of this was an area city in want of assist, but in addition as a result of the positioning itself had large cultural and historic heritage. The derelict buildings on the centre of the cemetery date again to 1871 and had been constructed from flint and brick by native builders ‘Goddards of East Road’. Quick ahead to 2014, they had been now changing into unused and deteriorating quick. Farnham City Council, after participating with how the local people, explored many choices for his or her use and over time the undertaking lacked momentum. They wanted inspiration from a inventive {and professional} design studio – us! Harriet Kingsford was assigned to design this undertaking and he or she stepped as much as the problem.
The temporary was to create a brand new backyard of remembrance within the area for native residents and the broader group to utilise. Because the buildings had been attracting anti-social behaviour, the backyard wanted to haven’t any locations to cover, be secure for all to make use of and re-use as lots of the supplies on website as doable. In the end although, it wanted to be a tranquil surroundings and provides recognition to its previous life as two Chapels.
‘Instantly and on seeing the area, I actually had a lightweight bulb second! To maintain some, if not the entire footprint of the buildings, re-using some if not the entire supplies onsite, and selecting out probably the most in-tact and exquisite options of the Chapels, and incorporating them into the scheme. In trying on the stories from the architect who’d undertaken an intensive evaluation of the buildings, I rapidly labored out that the peak of the partitions wanted to be lowered and repaired the place applicable. The important thing options such because the gable home windows and the stone mullions, I proposed eradicating and restoring at a safer peak with the thought of with the ability to see by way of them at eye stage. With the much less in tact options, I laid flat on the ground and created planting beds in them. ‘ – Harriet Kingsford, backyard designer at Graduate Landscapes.
Farnham City Council appointed Landform to construct the undertaking, for which we loved the collaboration with. We had been invited again to the grand opening of the group backyard and had been overjoyed with the end result. The backyard is inviting, peaceable, secure, calming and a nod to the attractive buildings that after stood proud right here. Effectively carried out Harriet and to all concerned!
