Pound's Park, Sheffield, for Sheffield City Council, with Get Building Fund, Planit, Henry Boot Construction, Whittam Cox Architects, Dudley Engineers, Riveline, Julian Stocks and Timberplay

Pound’s Park sits at the centre of Heart of the City, a new £500 million development funded by Sheffield City Council. The park features play spaces and a meadow steppe and woodland planting of 70 species and 39 new trees. The mix of native and non-native species provides habitats for wildlife and adaptability to accommodate a changing climate.

Who is on the project team? (designer, consultants, etc)

Sheffield City Council, SCC’s Capital Delivery Service management and design team, Get Building Fund, Planit Place Designers, Henry Boot Construction, Whittam-Cox Architects, Dudley Engineers, Riveline engagement, Julian Stocks, Timberplay

Describe the context of this project, its neighbourhood and people.

Sheffield has cultivated a distinctive city centre public realm. It’s been guided by key design principles that emphasise the surrounding Pennine landscape through topography, function, materiality and planting. The city’s streets, places, and spaces significantly contribute to its character, supporting diverse activities and establishing a clear network of routes and focal points. Like many UK cities, Sheffield city centre has seen rapid growth of its resident population – rising by more than 25,000 since 2001. Several developments are in progress in the city centre to accommodate this, bringing a diverse community into Sheffield. One of these is Heart of the City (HoC), a large mixed-use development currently under construction in the city centre. It seamlessly extends the existing city network while infusing each part of the scheme with individuality. Pound’s Park, located within the block G phase of HoC, presents an ambitious design that reimagines the concept of a city park. The space caters to experiences of play, quiet contemplation, and socialising, set within a lush green environment. It complements and knits together with neighbouring new buildings – including the major residential development Kangaroo Works and Sheffield’s first zero carbon-ready office Elshaw House -and network of retail, residential, and student living spaces. The park’s positioned in a highly accessible area, near key bus links and a short distance from the central retail core. It also enhances Sheffield’s offerings to the wider region working in harmony with Sheffield’s Peace Gardens and Charter Square to expand the outdoor offer. 

How does this public space bring people together, encourage inclusivity, and make a positive environmental impact to the wider place? How is the community engaged in the project?

Despite a challenging start during the first lockdown, the design team worked with RivelinCo to deliver the community engagement for the project. Special attention was directed towards involving minority communities within the city. RivelinCo collaborated with over 500 individuals over 1 year, leading workshops and clubs associated with the ‘Bright Sparks in Pound’s Park’ initiative. The workshops centred around Sheffield’s heritage, celebrating green spaces, and envisioning the future aspirations for the city. Interactive community sessions spanned physical crafting, drama, dance, and creative writing, with the output translated into the park by skilled metal worker, Julian Stocks. Sheffield City Council opted to keep the space open at night; leading to a deliberate emphasis on lighting design to ensure a warm and welcoming ambiance. This inclusivity caters to a broad demographic, from children and students to adults, who have been observed enjoying the space into the evening. The design principles not only establish a secure and inviting environment after dark but also benefit from ongoing management by the city centre ambassador team, ensuring cleanliness and safety. This concerted effort promotes a sense of security for all groups who use the space. Pound’s Park seamlessly weaves into the surrounding city streets and blocks through its green infrastructure, new trees, and sustainable drainage. It serves as a picturesque backdrop to the multiple mixed-use blocks surrounding the park and connects to a series of broader spaces in the Heart of the City - forming an integrated network for those exploring the urban landscape. 

Please share any data or figures that support your entry about how this public space or landscape intervention has made a positive social or environmental impact, for example biodiversity, increased dwell time, flood or drainage mitigation, wellness or safety or other ecosystem services

Central to the park’s landscape architecture design was infusing the space with a park-like ambiance - surrounded by greenery and featuring designated areas for relaxation and socializing. Water play, a sand pit, and musical chime blocks were incorporated to create an interactive and sensory-rich environment, fostering imaginative play for children. The central climbing feature, inspired by the escarpments of the Peak District, offer challenges for all ages and promotes inclusive and active play. To enhance users’ experience, the park provides public toilets, benches and grassy areas to encourage dwell time and extend the time families can spend there. Space for pop-up elements like coffee or ice cream vans have also been included. The park began life as a c3600m2 tarmac car park, the final landscaped design incorporates: - 39 new trees, a mix of native and non-native provides an additional habitat but also future shading and adaptability to accommodate the changing climate. - 830m2 meadow steppe and woodland planting mixes with a diverse array of over 70 species - 340 m2 rain gardens which provide infiltration for the adjacent surface water run-off. - New bird and bat boxes Following the opening of Pound’s Park, initial feedback from the public emphasized the positive response to the family-friendly atmosphere. The park now successfully draws thousands of new visitors to the city centre all year round.