Located in northwest London, on the edge of the Green Belt and Colne Valley Regional Park, Uxbridge Business Park is an existing development set into a landscape that bridges both urban and rural environments. Macgregor Smith were tasked to reimagine and transform the Park’s communal spaces as part of a wider investment into health and wellbeing.
Our brief was to design an engaging social space for the business park community around a new amenity clubhouse building. The landscape vision for this echoes the riparian character and fluvial forms of the nearby Sands River and Colne Valley Regional Park. Knitting this theme together with the existing, more managed landscape in the business park brings a distinct character to the space that is respectful of its context, yet exciting and dynamic for its occupants.
Links over the Sands River connect to a new sports field for the park, with all-weather pitches, an informal rounders field and a running track all set within a new species rich meadow.
New opportunities have been created to take time out of a busy working day to go for a run, have a game of football or just simply enjoy being in the fresh air, relaxing in a deck chair with colleagues.
For the planting scheme – sometimes, less is more – using a simple palette of Miscanthus and two varieties of Verbena swathed over lawned mounds, bringing a flowing, riparian texture to the landscape.
White birch trees stems and vertical timber cladding on the Clubhouse work together to blend the building into its environment whilst the bright red stems of Salix alba ‘Britzensis’ make a vibrant statement during winter in the sports field.
The sedum biodiversity roof on the Clubhouse helps soften views to the building from within the business park whilst also benefitting local ecology and wildlife.
Our designs have created an uplifting environment that enhances a positive work-life balance and significantly improves the day-to-day environment for those working at the park.
