GPI, Fishponds, Bristol
Transforming a former industrial site into an integrated, highly permeable residential community that balances complex ecological, spatial, and technical requirements.
Project information
Client
Bristol City Council
Location
Fishponds, Bristol
The Challenge
The primary challenge was transforming a former industrial site into an integrated, highly permeable residential community while balancing complex ecological, spatial, and technical requirements. The project needed to establish strong, active urban frontages along perimeter streets like Goodneston Road and Enfield Road, ensuring the new development seamlessly stitched into the existing urban fabric rather than existing as an isolated enclave.
The design had to address significant environmental and movement constraints. This included managing existing tree stock by retaining suitable specimens while mitigating removals through extensive replacement planting, selecting resilient species for constrained or shaded aspects, and integrating sustainable water management into functional public spaces. Balancing active travel and shared "Living Streets" to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists under inclusive accessibility standards while preserving resident privacy and safety presented a key spatial task.
The Role
As part of the multi-disciplinary design team, we developed the comprehensive landscape design and green infrastructure strategy for the redevelopment of the Graphic Packaging International (GPI) site in Bristol. Working in collaboration with Dandara and the wider project team, our role encompassed establishing a resilient, community-focused public realm across the entire development.
This involved designing key spatial framework interventions, including the central "Green Heart" park, an active travel "Greenspine" corridor, a multi-functional Linear Park, and enhanced urban frontages. Additionally, we formulated the site-wide strategies for planting, tree retention and mitigation, sustainable drainage (SuDS), hardworks materiality, and landscape lighting to create a cohesive residential environment.
The Outcome
The resulting landscape masterplan delivers a vibrant, ecological neighbourhood anchored by robust green and blue infrastructure. At its core, the central "Greenspine" active travel corridor links Goodneston Road to Enfield Road with segregated pedestrian paths, cycleways, and traffic-calmed resting nodes, while the "Green Heart" park provides an intergenerational social anchor complete with a Local Equipped Area for Play (LEAP), community food production zones, public art, and integrated rain gardens.
Ecology and sustainability are embedded throughout the scheme through the addition of over 140 new trees and a multi-layered, pollinator-friendly planting palette tailored to diverse microclimates. Supported by a high-quality hardworks strategy utilising permeable block paving for surface water management and dark-sky-compliant lighting, the scheme achieves a safe, welcoming, and distinctively place-based public realm.
