Burgess Park - a 21st century park

The design for Burgess Park places at its core the need to transform the existing park into a place of beauty that feels both safe and welcoming.

The new Burgess Park will offer a wide range of activity - from sunbathing to organised sport; it will be a place of culture and art; it will offer learning opportunities; it will explain history and support a healthy lifestyle both through physical activity and the cultivation of local food.

Wildlife

At the same time, the park will provide a support structure for a wide range of plants and animals.  All of this will be in the context of a park managed sustainably by a careful use of natural resources.  

New design

The layout of the 21st century Burgess Park will have a strong, clear structure that gives excellent connection to the surrounding local communities. Landform will be re-worked and dense planting vegetation removed to open up views into and out of the park, dramatically increasing the feeling of safety. 

The character of built elements will be bold, simple forms that have rich detail. The post industrial nature of the park will be reflected in the use of robust materials: masonry, steel, concrete, timber and the re-use of on-site materials where possible.  

This will contrast with the beauty and softness of a diverse, low energy, landscape of trees, plants, flowers, perennials, meadows, lakes and wetlands. Plant material will be selected for its ecological value but will include non native along with native species to heighten the visual drama.