Podium Landscapes: the new ground level of the built environment

Podium Landscapes are becoming more and more popular as developers aim to add value with green spaces. Planning authorities increasingly expect green infrastructure in a development proposal.

What are Podium Landscapes?

A Podium Landscape is a communal outdoor space serving adjacent buildings. They often appear to be at ground level, but built on a concrete slab with further floors beneath. These are usually above car parks.

The cross section below shows the Stone Studios development by Telford Homes and architects Pollard Thomas Edwards. Valley Provincial are creating the Podium Landscape above a two storey car park (image credit: Pollard Thomas Edwards).

What are the advantages of a Podium Landscape?

Podium landscapes are the focal point of modern developments. Striking and impressive, they take the visual hard edge off brick and concrete by providing a soft oasis of green that apartments can look down on. This is of great value in the urban setting. The amenity space they provide attracts buyers and helps push up property values.

A landscaping proposal is also key in securing planning permission for a development. Podium Landscapes give schemes a better living space to green space ratio without sacrificing part of the valuable property footprint. It’s a win-win situation for property developers, and it’s no surprise they are so popular.

The positive impact of Podium Landscapes in London

However, they offer many other benefits beyond development. Podium landscapes provide increased biodiversity and encourage wildlife in urban areas. Also, nesting boxes, ‘bug hotels’ and beehives are often included, as are many other ecology features. Residents will benefit from the many biophilic advantages of connecting with nature. Otherwise city dwellers may have limited access to green spaces. Podium landscapes often involve play features, therefore helping promote healthy activity for children. As a result, these valuable benefits all contribute to a development’s BREEAM rating.

Podium landscapes also help fight the persisting issue of London’s air pollution as they’re usually densely planted. They may include trees, shrubs, various plants, lawns and wild-flower meadows.

In fact, the Barbican in London is one of the world’s first podium gardens, where it was first used in the 1970’s.