Union Terrace Gardens, Aberdeen
Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen , Scotland currently exists as the primary green space within the heart of the city. The sunken levels of the gardens drop some 12 metres below the adjacent streets and pedestrian sidewalks of the surrounding retail areas, cultural and entertainment precincts. The gardens are further disconnected from the city by a railway line and 4 lanes of traffic on the eastern edge of the site preventing any public connections. In an attempt to solve these problems and create a new vision for the city, Martha Schwartz Partners (MSP) and Aberdeen based architects Halliday Fraser Munro were appointed by Scottish Enterprise to explore a number of development scenarios and perform a feasibility study on each.
The brief asked for urban solutions which would create a world class civic destination for the city. Central to the proposal is the creation of an accessible open space that will integrate the Union Street retail and business thoroughfare with the cultural heart of His Majesty’s Theatre and Aberdeen Art Gallery, whilst providing a context for the new Contemporary Arts Centre.
Three development options were considered:
Full deck option, Partial Deck option and enhancement of the existing gardens without any street level decking.
The Full Deck Option shown on this page is based on the creation of a series of large winter gardens and sunken atriums expressed through the site to break up the expanse of the deck and allow light and vegetation to penetrate to all four levels of the commercial, retail and cultural program. A large civic plaza and park are created at street level with opportunities to view, experience and move between the various levels below. The Denburn ‘Valley’ on the eastern edge of the site is retained and celebrated with large winter gardens inhabiting the edge and inviting the public to explore the internal and external spaces of this bold insertion within the ‘Granite’ city.
The No Deck Option required a redesign of the existing gardens and integrating a proposal for a Performing Arts Centre (Brisac Gonzalez) within the park. A series of bands or ribbons with the ability to move laterally and vertically were used to inform the structure and identity of the park and served as landscape device to deal with complex levels and accessibility issues.
To the north, a large outdoor amphitheatre and performance/event space was created and orientated to make use of favourable solar conditions and provide an informal gathering area for citizens. A generous ramp invites the public into the parks gardens from street level and the adjacent - His Majesty’s Theatre. The ramp sits between two sculptural walls, the innermost forming the edge to the amphitheatre, the outer, a patterned green wall tying into the levels of the Performing Arts centre becoming three outdoor terraces associated with the buildings program. The southern part of the site comprises of terraced flower gardens and pockets of planting which incorporate existing trees. The flower gardens reference the historical traditions of Union Terrace Gardens and acknowledge the importance the award-winning floral displays have to the citizens of Aberdeen.
The eastern edge of the park adjacent to the railway lines and main roads is buffered from the noise and pollution through pockets of planting and sculptural landforms that orientate in towards the parks centre. An immersive, green environment creates a unique and rich outdoor experience within the heart of the ‘granite ‘ city.