The Concourse

The Concourse is a 1970s public open space at the heart of the University of Sheffield campus. An underused and largely forgotten thoroughfare that for decades simply served as a route between buildings, offering little reason for people to dwell.  

Guided by our collaborative, community‑centred approach, and our client’s long‑term placemaking ambitions, we carried out early engagement with local stakeholders to shape an inclusive and accessible public realm that supports wellbeing, social interaction and active travel – enhancing the social infrastructure of the campus well beyond the project brief. 

During the project, we worked with the University to create meaningful opportunities for local skills development through supply‑chain involvement and apprenticeships. And in the long term, the Concourse strengthens community cohesion, offering flexible space for events and everyday activity. 

Every landscape scheme we design is underpinned by sustainability principles, as exemplified by this project for the University of Sheffield’s Concourse. 

Our planting design was aligned with the whole campus approach to greening and biodiversity goals. With resilient planting, and climate-responsive design elements, the Concourse helps to mitigate the effects of climate change, and plays a crucial role in cooling the local environment – reducing heat island effects, and improving air quality. 

​By using bespoke seating and raised planters, our design introduces external waste recycling into the public realm.  

Our landscape architecture team developed a thoughtful, site‑responsive planting strategy to transform the Concourse into a vibrant, seasonal and ecologically-supportive public realm.  

Our planting design was developed to suit the microclimate and environmental conditions of the space, introducing seasonal interest, and supporting a wide variety of people throughout the academic year. 

We used sustainable materials and resilient planting that complements the hard‑landscape palette, contributing to a healthier and more welcoming environment. Raised planters crafted from corten steel create a strong visual contrast and create diverse planting opportunities.  

Our planting specialism has re‑established the Concourse as a welcoming, flexible civic space. Enhancing biodiversity, improving environmental quality, and reinforcing wellbeing for students, staff, and visitors.