Emmaus

Emmaus Hampshire is the newest of 14 communities in the Uk, offering ‘homeless people a home, work and the chance to rebuild their lives in a supportive environment…giving homeless people a bed and a reason to get out of it’. In the quest to find a design that would suit the needs of the new Emmaus Hampshire community, we visited an already established community in Coventry and spent some time there talking to the ‘companions’ about what they would like, given the opportunity to design a garden that would give them pleasure and help them along the path to a new independence. Additionally, the Winchester site was of particular interest and sensitivity as it is adjacent to a SSSI and Hampshire County Council had some very rigorous environmental requirements. Coupled with the fact that there is an existing ‘balancing lagoon’ to contend with we had to come up with a design that addressed both the needs of the site and the needs of the companions… thus ‘Equilibrium’ was born.

The design provides a perfectly balanced sustainable, biodiverse landscape for people and wildlife to enjoy in equal measures. The success of anything is in striking the right balance – ‘Equilibrium’ aims to create an environment where people and wildlife can coexist in harmony. The wildlife lagoon is perfectly balanced by a mown chalky swathe which by day the companions can enjoy and by nightfall the wildlife will enjoy.

The essence of this garden is one of a harmonious interaction between practicality and biodiversity. A home for the Companions and a home for indigenous wildlife. The Companions have an area for dining and BBQs, a space for growing vegetables and fruiting trees which can either be used in their kitchens or sold in their retail space. They have an area for kicking a ball around and letting off steam and an area for quiet contemplation. The lagoon provides a balance of areas of wetland and reed swamp habitat with chalky grassland and wildflowers encouraging insects and birds. Amphibian and reptile hibernica, bat boxes and nesting boxes all encourage a rich diversity of wildlife. A swathe of plants to attract butterflies and bees creates a natural transition between people and wildlife and a recycled viewing platform creates a perfect base from which the two can quietly contemplate each others presence.