Team Eden were buzzing when we heard that the Scotland Towns Week conference would be taking place in Falkirk this year but also that a ‘Future Town’ design competition was being launched.
We’d only found out about both the conference and the competition on the last day for design entries to be submitted. But always up for a challenge, the creative team got to work and our ideas started to grow shoots (literally). We planted our concept just in time to be able to make the deadline.
Our submission to the design competition aims to bring new functionality to existing spaces, providing useful facilities focused around people and creating sustainable positive impact. Inspired by the idea of an active streetscape, we named our design The Falkirk Leaf following the shape of our concept design and range of integrated functions that we wanted it to deliver.
Our idea is to create a sustainable and self-funding facility which provides a meeting point, a small events and performance space, an information point for tourists / wayfinding / transport times. The concept incorporates EV charging points adjacent to the Leaf and envisages future integration with solar powered LED routes and a digitally illuminated urban realm. We were inspired by thinking about the extreme eastern and western portions of Falkirk’s historic High Street, about the amazing opportunities that exist and that are within touching distance for Falkirk if the same creative energy and self-belief that delivered the Wheel and The Kelpies can be directed towards the town centre.
We took some of our inspiration from the prototype solar powered illuminated cyclepath and roadways that have been successfully installed in Krommenie near Amsterdam using crystalline silicon solar cells and the innovative similar work that has been carried out in North America by engineers Julie and Scott Brusaw
Our concept design submission together with the other shortlisted entries can be viewed here where you can comment and vote. We are Future Design 1. Let us know what you think!