nick vince graduate portfolio

Nick VincePortfolio 2010

Nicholas Vince Portfolio 2010

This whole area is born from a necessity to house

the exploding population of Victorian Leeds fuelled by the industrial revolution. The artisans, tradesmen and their families who lived here all scrabbled to satisfy the crush of want of the industrialists whose visions where the foundations of the world in which we find ourselves today.

The dense back to back terraces of the Harolds and

the surrounding areas are little more than boxes for their occupants to exist in. However, Victorian pride shines through in the architectural detail of the buildings. These people where not solely slaves to their masters. They were proud men and women who lived, worked and thrived in conditions which most would find unacceptable in the modern world.

The densely packed streets offer little variety or texture

for the mind to absorb. The tunnelled effect this gives throws every view into sharp perspective lines, every vista recedes at an accelerated rate to nowhere. This monotony is only broken by

the vertical lines of building and bin yard boundaries. Redbrick work is everywhere, the only break in this repetition is the patch work of Yorkstone paving and asphalt road. There is little in terms of natural processes visibly evident here. Hydrology is limited to storm water running off into drains. There are patches of vegetation. However, this is all of a low quality no better than car park planting. This is reflected in the lack of fauna, there is no birdsong on these streets just the distant sound of traffic.

This dense grain would have, at one point, formed

the character of this area of suburban Leeds. However, due to the effects of bombing during WWII and the demolition and development of areas in the 1960s onwards, a patch work of different character areas has developed around the Harolds. These can be generalised into social housing schemes. Although possessing small gardens and less dense building patterns they are nearly all of a poor quality and reflect the same lack of maintenance found in the Harolds. These really are boxes for their occupants exist

in and lack the vernacular character of the Harolds.

These streets really are a sad reflection of their

proud Victorian past. Their poor state of repair is a manifestation of the social make up of their occupants, the disenfranchised, culturally isolated and transient. The circumstances these groups find themselves in, is in part the consequence of our failure to engage with communities in a meaningful way through social policy, investment and understanding.

INTUITI

ON

SITE NAME: The HaroldsLOCATION: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. DESCRIPTION: These text and images reflect an initial response to the Harolds site. They were recorded whilst carrying out a foot survey of the site and also include later desk research on the historical make up of the area.


CONCEPT &

STRATEGY

SITE NAME: The HaroldsLOCATION: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. DESCRIPTION: Findings from a survey and analysis exercise where developed into a concept and strategy, for development and implementation.


SITE NAME: The HaroldsLOCATION: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. DESCRIPTION: This is a pattern based masterplan, for use across extensive suburban areas of Leeds. The plan reflects a series of assets that can be implemented to help increase biodiversity on the streets and help develop a sense of community.

MASTERPLAN


SITE NAME: Leighton GardensLOCATION: Beckett Park Campus, Leeds Metropolitan University, West Yorkshire, UK. DESCRIPTION: This masterplan and detail are an explicit design for the layout of a garden within the university campus. It makes extensive use of tree, herbaceous perenial, grass and bulb planting.

MASTERPLAN


SITE

DESI

GN

SITE NAME: The HaroldsLOCATION: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. DESCRIPTION: This plan is a site level resolution at 1:100. It gives indicative details of soft and hard materials. It also directly addresses those issues that were identified in the concept and strategy phase of the project.


DETAILED

DESI

GN

SITE NAME: The HaroldsLOCATION: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. DESCRIPTION: This board details significant areas of the design. It resolves the major issues of water management through infiltration swales, an indicative scenario for planting and hard landscaping details which link those features together.


3D

VISUALISATI

ON

SITE NAME: EurekaLOCATION: Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK. DESCRIPTION: These visuals were created as part of the design process for a park at Eureka, the children’s museum. Model created using Google Sketchup and rendered via Vray.


3D

VISUALISATI

ON

SITE NAME: Landscape Resource CentreLOCATION: Beckett Park Campus, Leeds Metropolitan University, West Yorkshire, UK.DESCRIPTION: These visuals were using Autodesk 3DS Max and rendered using MentalRay.


PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography is one of the skills I have used to enhance my understanding of landscape and record natural events occurring within it. I have developed specific techniques such as long exposure and macro photography as well as a more general understanding of composition, exposure, white balance and cropping.


PHOTOGRAPHY


I can use the Microsoft O� ce suite and have extensive experience of Programming Languages and Database Manage-ment Systems. I have attended courses on Autodesk Autocad and Viz, Manual Handling, Working at Height, Chain-saw maintenance, Cross-cutting and Basic Tree Felling. I hold a full, clean driving license.

Skills

EmploymentJune 2007 – Present Lepton CE (VC) J, I & N School Premises Manager

As Premises Manager, I am responsible for the day to day running of the school premises and site. My duties include responsibility for security and cleaning, including supervising a team of cleaners. A large part of the role involves maintenance of the premises, performing minor repairs and improvements to site. I am also responsible for the super-vision of all external contractors, such as electricians and plumbers, performing work on site. Health and safety is also signi� cant responsibility, ensuring the site is free from hazards and making sure the cleaning sta� and contractors are complying with safety regulations. � e role entails constant contact and communication with sta� , governors, pupils and parents striking a balance between all their needs whilst on the school site. Whilst at the school I have designed and created a garden at the main entrance to the building.

February 2007 - June 2007 Part-time Gardener and Volunteer Classroom AssistantDuring this period I was self employed as a maintenance gardener for private customers in the Hudders� eld area. I was responsible for routine maintenance work such as lawn mowing, pruning and weeding. I also carried out adhoc landscape work felling trees, laying patios and fencing. I also volunteered at Lepton CE School in this period as a classroom assistant helping pupils and sta� with IT issues as well as general help in the classroom.

December 2005 - February 2007 NPower- Newcastle Upon Tyne Contract Support AnalystProviding � rst line support to customers using the Billing application. Responsible for analysis, correction and testing of live program faults. � is includes production of test plans and documentation that may include, for larger prob-lems, the production of functional speci� cations.

March 2005 - December 2005 Landscape/Maintenence GardenerDuring this period I was self employed as a maintenance gardener for private customers in the Hudders� eld area. I was responsible for routine maintenance work such as lawn mowing, pruning and weeding. I also carried out adhoc landscape work felling trees, laying patios and fencing.

Contract Analyst Programmer RolesDuring this period I worked as a freelance Analyst Programmer, working on a contract basis for clients involved in a variety businesses. My main responsibilities in these roles where the design, development and support of software systems, using several programming languages and database management systems.

September 2004 - March 2005 NPower Newcastle Upon TyneMarch 2004 – September 2004 Atos Origin WilmslowOctober 2000 – February 2004 XANSA LeedsFebruary 1999 – September 2000 IBM (UK) LeedsJuly 1998 - January 1999 Armature Ltd LeedsApril 1998 – July 1998 Easams Ltd FrimleyJune 1996 – March 1998 Hambros Bank LondonFebruary 1996 – June 1996 ICL Slough

Employment details to 1989 and references available on request.

Nicholas Vince Email [email protected] Online Portfolio http://issuu.com/nickvince/docs/nickvince

Personal Statement� rough my recent academic career I have developed a deep understanding of the necessity of well designed, green spaces and their intrinsic values. � e value of landscape and its contribution as a social, environmental and economic catalyst has brought depth and meaning to my understanding of the role of Landscape Architect. Our well being, both mentally and physically, is holistically bound to the role of sensitively designed landscapes in a sustainable future. To be able to in� uence the creation of such environments is a moral duty that has driven my interest and compelled me to pursue a career in this � eld.

In my working life, both as a Premises Manager for a medium sized primary school and as an Analysts/Programmer, I have worked in roles that have required close work with clients and other team members. � is has meant actively developing skills which have allowed me to respond, in a meaningful way, to the needs and concerns of the client whilst responding to my obligations as a member of a team. As my referees will con� rm, I am an enthusiastic person and work well as part of a team o� ering valuable contributions as well as being able to work independently. I am professional, hard-working, patient and can o� er � exibility within a role.

C U R R I C U L U M V I T A E

EducationLeeds Metropolitan University (2004-2010)

Hudders� eld Polytechnic (1986-1988) Grimsby College of Technology (1985-1986)

Humberston Comprehensive School (1979 - 1984)

Batchelor of Arts with Honours in Landscape Architecture

Higher National Diploma in Information Technology

B/TEC Certi� cate in Data Processing

GCE ‘O’ Levels in Mathematics, Physics, Computer Studies and Control Technology. CSE’s in English, French and Geography.

� e course has given me a solid understanding of the theories underlying the assessment, design and speci� cation of landscape in the public realm. It has allowed me to develop skills of design and creative expression via hand drawn sketches and graphical software to realise design concepts and visualisations. However, these designs have to be � rmly grounded in reality, to this end the course has enabled my critical understanding of highly resolved speci� cation in both hard and soft materials.

Achievements and Key skillsAs part of the Design and Community module I, along with a small team of students, resolved a design for a new play scheme surrounding the Eureka children’s museum in Halifax, West Yorkshire. � is involved meeting, recording and analysing the requirements of the management team and, more importantly, it involved carrying out a day long con-sultation process with the children who use the site. � is entailed extensive research and planning of the consultation process which was a great success. Meaningful insights into the children’s needs for the site were realised, allowing us to move forward and resolve a design well matched to their requirements.

To develop my presentation skills I have worked methodically to develop technical skills in the following: Digital photography, AutoCad, SketchUp, 3DS Max, ArcGIS, Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop and LightRoom.

nick vince graduate portfolio

Documents

harolds site

nicholas vince portfolio

area of suburban leeds

development of areas

west yorkshire

packed streets

proud victorian past

surrounding areas