A semi-enclosed shelter for visitors to Scotland’s newest nature reserve, on the Inner Forth just SouthEast of Alloa. The 38-hectare site, known as Black Devon Wetlands, is a mosaic of untouched wet grassland and wetland habitats behind the sea wall. The reserve is an important refuge for large flocks of breeding and wintering wildfowl, special to the Firth of Forth SPA.

The brief was to deliver a viewing structure with a budget of just £24,500. The structure screens people from birds on the wetlands, while providing visitors with excellent views of the reserve and shelter from the elements. The screen sits on screw-pile foundations minimising contamination in the ground. Above foundation level, the screen was entirely constructed by civic’s Andrew Siddall with RSPB staff and local volunteers.

Seared and rough sawn Larch cladding from Perthshire lends a ‘feathery’ pattern to the screen’s wall while 12 laser cut steel panels depict an interpretive calendar of typical migrating and resident bird species set against local cultural landmarks. The screen frames extraordinarily beautiful views of the reserve, but it also punctuates this remarkable landscape, drawing people into focus with wildlife, pylons and medieval towers alike.

The project proposes to refurbish and extend in equal measure the existing buildings of the Depot at the edge of Myatts Fields in SE London. The thrifty and inventive approach taken in these proposals aims to conserve and enhance what is considered by many to be a charismatic set of facilities, and is an exercise in breathing new life into a valuable community asset on a budget.

The greenhouse was originally used to incubate shrubs for planting-out in the park, now the Depot buildings act more like an incubator for new community enterprises and activities. By tailoring the Depot facilities to better suit MFPP’s needs, MFPP aim to make these opportunities more visible as well as more accessible to local people.

civic were initially commissioned to run a series of detailed stakeholder engagement sessions to identify needs and potentials for the project, which formed the basis for a well considered brief and strategy for how the various users needs would be accommodated. The project received full planning permission early in 2016 and is awaiting final funding commitments to be put in place before construction can begin.

civic have been instrumental in working within a group of dedicated parents and staff to develop and improve the playground at Towerbank Primary School in East Edinburgh.

The ‘Circle’ was left to the school to develop following the completion of a 9 class extension in 2013. All funding has been (and continues to be) raised through the efforts of the wider school community and the Parent Staff Association of the school.

Semi-mature trees sit as cardinal/compass points; connecting the landscape with different seasons with a Scots Pine (pointing North from the centre), Norwegian Maple, Birch and Cherry trees all providing much needed visual feature and shading during the summer months. The trees also act as a seasonal calendar, changing colour and interest throughout the year. A set of large stones were donated from one of Edinburgh University’s building sites and act as play features for the children to invent games and jump between. The central bench can accommodate a class of 30 working ‘in the round’, with stepping bays located around the perimeter to provide open ended play and much needed seating space for children and parents throughout the school day.