Bespoke Design
As part of his professional design services Doug has designed many pieces of sculpture, buildings, water features, gates and furniture etc.
Upright steel - intertwining plants
Project: Sculptural Town Garden
Site: Summertown Oxford
The sculptural form creates a focal point and a space where loose planting can juxtapose the hard metal uprights. Concrete curves coincide framing the metal. We wanted the space to feel like the metal is trying to break out of the space, like it can’t be contained by the concrete. The metal rods are set into a frame of pipes under the ground which allowed the space in and around the bars to be free draining so it could be filled with soil. Thalictrum devayii creating dots of floating colour
‘Floating’ Bench / ‘Wave’ sculpture
Project: Wild family garden
Site: North Oxford
In the design for the bench we wanted a sense of the horizontal seat floating and reaching out, balancing on a plinth that seems too delicate. The stone pieces and wood were cut by hand. Inside the stone base is a small metal reinforced concrete centre box that ties into a flat foundation below, this provides the stability and appearance of the bench as floating.
A wild pond sits opposite the bench and as a back drop we created a wooden hardwood sculpture, Iroko pieces reach up, fanning out. The pieces cur the angles adjusted slightly to give the impression of a rolling wave.
Upright Metal
Project: Contemporary garden – Historic property
Site: North Oxford
Rustic Brindley pavers laid in a linear contemporary pattern, no defined edge, gravel and planting. The sense of history and age reflected in the rusted base of the steel connecting it to the earth the new and contemporary represented by the change of the steel to a brushed polished finished. The bright metal reaching up fresh and new, accompanied by the loose full colours of verbena and common fennel.
Water Cairn
Project: A lush planted garden
Site: Iffley Village – Oxford
Water runs over the delicately poised cairn. The water appears like a still reflection, but is pumped to the bottom of the inside of the bell shaped vessel so it rises unnoticeably, running gently over the side of the cairn. A large sump was created below the ground with a reinforced frame at ground level to support the weight of the cairn making it appear seating in the ground. A delicate metal frame creates drainage but supports the cobbles surrounding the cairn.
Sculptural Forms in the Landscape
Project: Various
Site: Various
Many elements of landscape design can be sculptural…
