Sectional Studies: Negotiating the River Wall

In landscape architecture, the "edge" is rarely a thin line; it is a complex zone of transition. These three images focus on the vertical and horizontal surfaces where the Thames meets the city. I am interested in how these surfaces act as a canvas for ecological succession and a repository for river-washed materials.

The Intertidal Accumulation

Looking down at the base of the river wall. The receding tide leaves behind a "tideline" of sorted materials—rubble, silt, and organic debris. This image captures the raw material palette of the Thames. I’m analyzing the size and distribution of these fragments to understand the energy of the water at this specific point of the reach.

Colonizing the Infrastructure

A study of moisture and life on verticality. This close-up shows moss and algae establishing themselves on the concrete and brickwork. In my studio work, I am exploring how we can "texture" our flood defenses to encourage this type of spontaneous growth, turning a static wall into a living skin.

The Saturated Surface

Texture and Tone. This shot captures the saturated quality of the shoreline stones. Each piece has been smoothed by centuries of tidal movement. By documenting these colors—greys, deep ochres, and silty greens—I am developing a material and color palette for my design intervention that feels inherently of the river.

These studies are helping me move from a 2D map view to a 3D sectional understanding of the site. By looking closely at the 'micro-ecology' of the wall, I am finding ways to integrate habitat creation into hard engineering solutions.