Station walk on a crisp autumn morning

WALK 2 - CHELTENHAM SPA STATION
This weeks' walk took me above street level; an old railway turned greenway where pedestrians, cyclists and scooters share a wide path that intersects the town all the way to the train station. I left Pittville at 8am - an early start! Despite my weariness, the morning sunlight arose my spirit and the surprise of a football kicked astray by school children. I admired the beautiful long shadows created by the tree trunks, their leaves looking even more golden in the light, the shades of Autumn shining bright. I felt refreshed from a commute un-spoiled by busy main roads minus the quiet hum of the power station at the start of the walk. I quite liked the contrast of the industrial pylons alongside the manicured playground sitting just outside a new housing estate, the avenues lined with yellow-tinted birch trees. I wrote a poem to describe my journey to try and capture the mix of urban and natural.



14th October 8am


Golden swathes of crisp sunlight

Schoolchildren catching up on park benches

a football goes astray

Subtle hum of the power station


Railway-cum-Greenway offers rooftop views

a rush of a lorry underneath

Expression through paint

graffiti spreads throughout


Columns of bark cast zebra crossings

a sphere of spotlight surround by leaves

Diagonal line overbears townscape

over underneath between







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Analysis of the Cheltenham Local Plan

Image
Analysis of the Cheltenham Local Plan Legislation and planning are key components in Landscape Architecture as they can underpin creative decisions. This blog post is a quick summary of Cheltenham’s Local Plan in relation to the North Place design project. (I’ve previously studied this document for a different module to do with Cheltenham’s housing demands) I have highlighted the key areas to consider on the contents page, see below. It is important to note that this plan, adopted from July 2020 till 2031, was written in compliance with the Joint Core Strategy (JCS), published in December 2017, as part of Cheltenham, Gloucester, and Tewkesbury, in order to deliver a cohesive future vision for the county. In addition, the policies have been informed by the National Planning Policy Framework as set out by the UK Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government in July 2021.  Along with the separate specialized sections, as highlighted above, there are three main objectives, A,...
Read more

James Corner: Intimacy VS Immensity

Image
Exploration of the contrast of intimacy and immensity: James Corner was infamous for his design of the High Line in New York.  defines landscape architecture as being ‘about the planning and design of space under the sky’ and uses the High Line as an example of how a perceived non-space can become a highly valued component of an urban landscape design: " As a young person in school, I was really interested in an exercise called intimate immensity which still shapes the way I think today. Intimate immensity is what it’s like to be in a forest where things are immediate and intimate and tactile and intimate, but at the same time you are in the forest and the forest seems immense." - James Corner This theme is a contrast I want to explore for the North Place design project because there is scope to create a series of spaces with different levels of seclusion.  Why do we enjoy spaces that occupy the balance between intimacy and immensity? It goes...
Read more

History Of Pittville Park

Image
  Over the past few weeks I have been researching the history of Pittville Park to put together this informative poster. I wanted to find out how the park has evolved over the years to be what it is now.  Distinctly, how the East estate came to join the West side to create an over-arching green space alongside Cheltenham of which members of the public utilise to travel through. It is clear through my research that the Pump Room is the central focal point and has been since the Park's creating. Joseph Pitt envisioned a 'new town' to rival Cheltenham with a spa and pump room to attract tourists. What surprised me after my research, was finding out that originally, the park was not open to members of the public and visitors had to pay an entrance fee to gain access through the gates. However, after Pitt's death the council purchased the estate making it open to everyone, a sentiment that can be felt today. Next, I hope to analyse the park's circulation. With my newfoun...
Read more