Grant Associates is key contributor to revised industry SuDS guidelines

23 NOVEMBER 2015, BATH, LONDON, UK
Summary
Grant Associates has made a significant contribution to CIRIA's revised SuDS guidance manual, which focuses on the cost-effective planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of SuDS.

CIRIA’s newly released SuDS guidance manual, the most comprehensive SuDS guidance available in the UK, features key contributions by landscape architect Grant Associates.

The Bath based practice has been designing and implementing Sustainable Drainage Solutions (SuDS) since its formation in 1997, and has been working with the CIRIA team for the past two years on the revised SuDS Manual.

The new 968-page manual was launched on 12th November 2015, and focuses on the cost-effective planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of SuDS.

CIRIA has created the new SuDS Manual (C753) to highlight the value of rainwater and the benefits of its capture and management, rather than treating the element as a nuisance or problem. The manual aims to demonstrate how high quality drainage solutions can, as in the case of Grant Associates’ award-winning projects, improve the overall quality of all development schemes.

Alongside developing the graphic design and navigation of the manual, Grant Associates has devised all the illustrations in the publication and authored Chapter 10, ‘Designing for the Urban Environment’.

During the process, Grant Associates’ team has drawn on its extensive national and international experience of creating projects that are inspired by SuDS. Projects that deliver functional and beautiful landscapes with multiple benefits, such as increased biodiversity and amenity value whilst managing local flood risks.

Grant Associates’ project experience of providing SuDS is diverse. Schemes include the award-winning Wessex Water Operations Centre near Bath, and range from large scale urban projects, such as the recently completed Bristol Harbourside waterfront regeneration scheme, to public realm projects such as the The Hive - a learning centre for the city of Worcester and its university.

Grant Associates is extending this experience into its international projects, including Singapore’s iconic Bay South at Gardens by the Bay.

Tamasine Scott, Senior Associate at Grant Associates, comments: "SuDS is more than a practical consideration for our projects, it inspires our work. We believe in a fully integrated approach to water management, finding the balance for green infrastructure, amenity provision and investment. Through that process we have been able to innovate and deliver sustainable projects that form beautiful and dynamic landscapes.

Working with the CIRIA team over the last two years to create this new guidance manual has been a wonderfully collaborative effort, involving a wide spectrum of dedicated professionals. It has been a pleasure to share our experience of designing SuDS, for schemes both at home and overseas, and help create guidance that we hope will be a source of inspiration and valuable practical advice."

The new manual is available free to download from CIRIA’s website.

ENDS

Quotes
"SuDS is more than a practical consideration for our projects, it inspires our work. We believe in a fully integrated approach to water management, finding the balance for green infrastructure, amenity provision and investment. Through that process we have been able to innovate and deliver sustainable projects that form beautiful and dynamic landscapes. Working with the CIRIA team over the last two years to create this new guidance manual has been a wonderfully collaborative effort, involving a wide spectrum of dedicated professionals. It has been a pleasure to share our experience of designing SuDS, for schemes both at home and overseas, and help create guidance that we hope will be a source of inspiration and valuable practical advice." Tamasine Scott, Senior Associate at Grant Associates
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About Grant Associates

Grant Associates is a pioneering international landscape architecture practice. Our work reconnects people with nature in insightful, delightful and distinctive ways whilst addressing the global challenges of urbanisation, the climate crisis and biodiversity extinction.

Our design process is underpinned by a knowledge of human behaviour, nature and ecological science combined with innovative design technology. We bring original thinking, creative collaboration and are exploring what regenerative design and the circular economy means to landscape architecture.

Our varied portfolio includes ambitious large-scale, landmark projects through to small, local ventures.

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