Page 27 - Landscape-Issue154

PROJECT

SETTLERS WAY: GATEWAY PHASE 1

Settlers Way on the R72 is the gateway into East London, through which motorists
travel from Port Alfred and Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha). A study entitled Local Spatial
Development Framework (LSDF) looked at a needs assessment analysis of the area
to identify development projects, infrastructure requirements and appropriate

land use proposals.

‘meadow mix’ plant palette that reflects the project, using temporary employment of
Project Team wide biodiversity of grasses and flowering unskilled labour from the local Orange Grove
ward. They carried out all hard landscaping,
plants of the region.
Client: Buffalo City Metropolitan Grasses used included Aristida junciformis, building of the feature wall and the irrigation
Municipality (Parks) and Border Kei ehrharta calycina, eragrostis capensis, Melinis installation.
Chamber of Business nerviglumis, M.repens. Other grassland
Landscape Architects: Insite Landscape plants included Arctotis mix, Aristea eckloni, Challenges and constraints
Architects Chlorophytum saundersiae, Crocosmia aurea Nel explains the following constraints that
Civil Engineers: Gibb Engineering and Dimorphotheca jucunda. had to be overcome:
Consultants Flowering plants comprised Bulbine • Connection of the main irrigation line was
Landscape Contractor: Idube abyssinica, Gazania species, Leonotus leonorus, a major challenge for the duration of the
Landscaping Osteospermum muricatum, Tulbaghia violacea. installation. A water connection was finally
made available for use by Idube two weeks
Landscape installation before handover; this affected the planting
Having won the tender to undertake of instant lawn and meadow mix seeding;
ome of the key urban design issues improvements, Idube Landscaping com- • Due to no water being available during the
identified were: menced project installation in September installation period, it had to be transported
S• a lack of landmarks and public art; 2024, completing it in December 2024. They by means of small Jojo tanks for concrete
• inadequate street lighting; were tasked with establishing a welcome mixing;
• irregular paving width throughout Settlers signage wall, gateway landscaping, island • Continuous rain (14 days lost) and lack
Way; beautification and ensuring a good visual of water on site led to the project taking
• a lack of beautification features to signify impact and experience on the entrance road. 12 weeks to be completed;
Settlers Way as the gateway into East Anthony Nel says their scope of work • Health and safety on site were extremely
London. comprised extensive hard landscaping, challenging due to heavy traffic along both
Insite Landscape Architects participated including the construction of a feature wall sides of the centre median. However, the
in a design competition for the master for future signage. The wall was constructed project was completed successfully
plan landscape upgrade which included at an angle across the centre median, with without any injuries on site.
gateways for the corridor project. The blue and white face bricks to create the
masterplan design, adjudication and future look of waves on the sides of the wall, and a Information supplied by Insite
projects were initiated in association with concrete tapered coping. Provision was also Landscape Architects and Idube
the Buffalo City Parks Department and other made for future lighting with the installation Landscaping. Photos supplied
key stakeholders, and the coordination of of PVC sleeves for electrical cabling. by Anthony Nel of Idube
the Phase 1 implementation project was Four boomerang features were created Landscaping.
driven by the Border Kei Chamber of Business with packed brown rock on a concrete
(BKCOB). This is an implementation agency base, and Bredell decided to create the
which enabled funding to be obtained from boomerangs in a hump­back formation in
various companies to deliver this essential order to elevate the packed rock and make it
upgrade project. more visible from the road.
Onyx paver edging was installed to
Design concept separate the soft landscaping, meadow mix
Landscape architect Theo Bredell says that and instant lawn areas.
the design concept for Phase 1 was a gateway, A quick coupling (QC valve) irrigation line
signage and a ‘welcome’ element. This was installed for dragline irrigation of all soft SALI Award
comprised a series of sculpted mounds, linear landscaping areas, including lawn.
clay edging, natural stonework, indigenous Planting included waterwise plants Idube Landscaping
Cynodon lawn and beds. around the feature wall, with seeding
The key gateway node at the East London of meadow mix alongside the received a Silver Award at
airport entrance was chosen for this purpose boomerang­elevated packed the 2025 SALI Awards of
and key considerations were: rock areas.
• visual impact Idube Landscaping excellence for this project,
• safety and sight lines was involved with
• aesthetic appeal all aspects of the having entered it in the
• adherence to sustainable horticultural category of Landscape
practices.
Low maintenance and low water usage Installation with Design
species were used and part of Bredell’s design
philosophy was to introduce a species rich by Others. n

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