ISLAND OF PERMA-CULTURES
Nowadays, people tend to visit rural areas for tourism or vacations rather than as a form of living. Barrow in Furness is surrounded by an attractive and interesting coastal landscape which is often ignored, including a number of small and scattered islands on its periphery, such as Roa Island, Piel Island, Sheep Island and Foulney Island. The low attractiveness of the islands remain little known due to their inaccessibility and lack of obvious attractions. For these reasons, they always have long empty periods throughout the year and the flow of people has fluctuated by season or occasion, which leads to an unstable economy.
To cope with the unstable flow of people as well as the rural economy and development, a sustainable landscape approach, which caters for living and tourism on Piel Island, could support long-term growth. Concerning the site history and uniqueness of the environment, “interact with the past and explore a sustainable future” is set as the design concept. It aims to highlight the history and create a self-sustaining island.
A windbreak system, combined with a shelterbelt is introduced to reduce the wind flow which depresses the growth of vegetation, before design development is launched. The main design elements include the Castle Area, Permaculture Farmland, Camping Woodland with Leisure Zone, the Lake and Market Street. Within the Lake area, not only does zipline adventure brings fun to people, but is also treated as a connection to Walney Island. The public plaza is a focal point link up with the Leisure Zone, Market Street, pilot houses and the beach. It can be utilized for performance and a dry fountain is provided when there is no performance in summer.
