Output details
16 - Architecture, Built Environment and Planning
University of East London
Technical research and construction of fabric formed concrete garden at the 2009 Chelsea Flower Show in collaboration with garden designer Paul Hensey and Edinburgh University
Constructed at UEL using formwork designed and tested in collaboration with Edinburgh University, Alan Chandler and Dr Remo Pedreschi were commissioned by garden designer Paul Hensey to devise formwork, cast and supply curved pre-cast concrete elements for the Fenchurch sponsored exhibition garden at the 2009 Chelsea Flower Show.
The commission arose directly through Hensey's awareness of the author's joint publication 'Fabric Formwork', with Pedreschi (published December 2007, 'High commendation' at the RIBA Presidents Medal for University based Research, March 2008).
The formwork utilised laser cut elements derived from two dimensional drawings by Hensey to frame highly elastic fabric to allow the self weight of liquid concrete to determine fluid surfaces between ordered points of connection. Each element was cast in sequence, to be transportable and demountable, and to save weight utilises manufactured lightweight aggregate developed as part of SRI Director Darryl Newport's MARC research programme. The researchers supervised delivery and installation at Chelsea. The form-finding properties of the fabric were used to create elements that fluidly connected the horizontal and vertical forms together.
The installation was awarded 'Most Creative Award (Urban Garden)' at the largest Garden exhibition in the world. The project was published in the leading 'Garden Design Journal' (July 2009 - front cover + p28-29) and featured on BBC television coverage of the show. Following the show closure, the concrete elements were relocated by Chandler to UEL Stratford Campus 2010-12 as a temporary public space installation before the construction of the Campus Library in 2012/13.
The project is the subject of K. Lloyd-Thomas's paper at the ISFF 'Fabric Formwork' Conference, Bath 2012, published in proceedings ISBN: 978-0-86197-185-5.
This work is joint with Dr. Remo Pedreschi of Edinburgh University.
