Learning the Language of Regreening

I’ve started the research phase of the Arts Council National Lottery grant funded project by going right back to basics, getting to grips with the science and language behind “regreening” and nature-based solutions in urban environments.

I've started by doing an online course by Reclaim CPD, focused on Green, Blue and Grey Infrastructure (GBGI), and it’s turned out to be a really useful starting point. There are seven modules in total, and I’ve already completed four.

At its core, GBGI looks at how natural and man-made systems interact in cities:

• Green infrastructure : trees, parks, planting, living walls

• Blue infrastructure : water systems like rivers, ponds and wetlands

• Grey infrastructure : the built environment

What’s interesting is the space between these categories, hybrid interventions like green walls, green roofs, and planted structures. These feel especially relevant to my work, sitting somewhere between sculpture, infrastructure and ecology.

Alongside the more structured learning, I’ve also been getting lost down the Pinterest wormhole; gathering visual references and ideas around green walls, planting systems and integrated structures. I’ve included a few images from the moodboard I’ve started building below, which is already starting to shape how this might translate into physical work.

If you’re curious, you can have a look at the evolving board here: https://pin.it/rz5tePfUE

🌿 Air Quality + Plant Design

One of the first areas I looked at was how planting can actively improve air quality, particularly in high-pollution environments like roadside schools.

Something I hadn’t fully appreciated before is how specific this becomes, it’s not just “more plants = better air.”

• Leaf texture matters (rough, waxy, hairy surfaces capture more particulate matter)

• Evergreen species are often more effective year-round

• Some plants can actually worsen air quality by emitting BVOCs or triggering allergies

There’s a real balance between ecological benefit, human health, and practical constraints like maintenance, safety, and long-term growth.

It reinforced the idea that designing with living systems is as much about selection and placement as it is about form.

🌡️ Urban Cooling + Heat

Another module focused on urban heat, something that feels increasingly urgent.

Cities trap heat through materials like concrete and asphalt, creating the Urban Heat Island effect. What stood out is how much impact relatively simple interventions can have:

• Shade from trees reduces surface temperatures

• Plants cool the air through evapotranspiration

• Water bodies help regulate temperature and improve air movement

It’s not just about comfort, overheating affects health, infrastructure, and energy use.

This links directly back to what I’m exploring: how structures could do more than one thing at once, not just exist visually, but actively contribute to cooling, airflow, and environmental resilience.

💧 Water + Urban Systems

The hydrology module shifted perspective again, thinking about how water moves through cities.

Urban environments interrupt natural cycles: water runs off hard surfaces, drainage systems accelerate flow, and infiltration is reduced.

Nature-based solutions aim to slow things down:

• Increasing retention (holding water)

• Encouraging infiltration into the ground

• Mimicking natural systems

This feels particularly relevant when thinking about integrating water into sculptural work, not just aesthetically, but functionally.

🔊 Noise + the Hidden Layer of Cities

The most surprising module so far has been around noise pollution.

It’s something we all experience, but rarely think about in terms of design.

Planting can reduce and reshape sound in different ways:

• Dense vegetation absorbs and scatters higher-frequency noise

• Tree belts and hedges can create measurable reductions

• Water features and planting can also mask sound, changing how a space feels

There’s also a psychological layer, natural soundscapes can reduce stress even if decibel levels don’t dramatically change.

More Urban greening moodboard inspirations below. I particularly love the brutalist style in contrast with the plants and greenery.

🔧 Reflections So Far

What’s becoming clear is that none of this is simple or one-dimensional.

Every intervention has trade-offs. Done well, green infrastructure can improve air quality, cooling, biodiversity and wellbeing. Done badly, it can trap pollution, introduce allergens, or create maintenance issues.

A lot of it comes down to context, collaboration, and careful design decisions.

That idea of co-design, working with communities, understanding specific sites, and creating tailored solutions, keeps coming up again and again.

🌱 Where This Fits Into My Practice

This stage of the project is about building a foundation.

I’m starting to see more clearly how the kind of work I want to make could sit within this space — somewhere between sculpture, infrastructure, and ecological function.

Not just objects in space, but structures that:

• support planting and habitats

• interact with air, water and temperature

• contribute to the environment they’re placed in

There’s still a lot to learn, but this feels like a strong starting point.

My certificates so far...