Chetwoods

Designer: Laurie Chetwood and Patrick Collins

The gold 'Urban Oasis' is an imaginary concept for an open space in an urban setting. It has been designed to showcase the latest environmental technologies and their use to sustain and enhance a garden.

The main focus is the 'Urban Oasis' installation; a 12 metre high unique and exciting sculpture that uses the latest technologies to harness energy and recycle water. The kinetic feature mimics the design of a flower and its photovoltaic 'petals' open and close in response to the sun and moon. It utilises daylight to generate power.

The 'Urban Oasis' structure is both interactive and educational; it has been

designed as a serious civic installation to promote an understanding of sustainability, conservation and use of natural energies and resources.

The garden is elevated to create a 'stage', from where the 'Oasis' performs and interacts with its surroundings. The planting within the garden becomes increasingly intense towards the sculpture, building to a crescendo of colour and texture at its base. This is to emphasise the 'life bringing qualities' of the 'Urban Oasis' and the 'greening' of the city that it promotes.

As the petals of the structure open daylight is turned into electricity. This electricity pumps water from the ground to five water channels, which are at the base of the installation and permeate throughout the garden.

The planting has been selected to survive in contrasting, yet sheltered urban environment. It is designed to give the impression of natural planting, but more ornamental varieties create an attractive, yet slightly unconventional garden setting.