Dine In Southall (DISH)
London Borough of Ealing, England
DISH is a cooking academy in Southall, Ealing, an area characterised by its diverse community, including many Punjabi and Somalian families. The academy aims to foster community learning and betterment through collective growing, cooking and eating. At the centre of the project, Southall Manor House is a Grade II* Listed Tudor building, potentially one of the oldest surviving buildings in West London, which dates from 1578. We collaborated with Architecture00 to bring the community focused uses of cooking and ‘grandmother learning’ into the landscape around the house.
Our design celebrates the heritage of the building and garden, bringing a naturalistic approach that unifies and enhances a collection of previously disparate areas. We worked closely with Cultivate London on the management of the garden and the running of community workshops.
Status
Completed in Spring 2019
Client
Ealing Council & Greater London Authority
Architect
Landscape Contractor
Photographs
Ollie Hammick
Response to Site
Our response was sensitive to the rich history of the site, while focusing on the community served by this place. An initial feasibility study looked at creating a walled produce garden and this concept evolved into a scheme that explores the educational cycle of nurturing and growing, cooking and eating.
We explored the history of Tudor gardens and how ‘untying a knot’ concept garden could be used to unify the landscape design.
Materials in Use
All surfaces are permeable, including the clay bricks that echo the clay roof tiles and contrast with the black and white Tudor style building facade. Wide SuDS spacers are used for the granite sets to strike the right balance between contemporary and heritage.
Plants in Use
The Entrance Seed Garden focuses on creating a sense of arrival and establishing a suitable context for the Tudor Building. It also aims to educate, providing a garden that the local community can learn from and where they can gather seed to take away and grow themselves.
The Garden Courtyard is at the back of the building, defined by a sitting wall and espaliered fruit trees. Directly opposite the glazed dining room is a picnic lawn and along the south-facing side is a showcase growing area, gardened by the academy.
Finally, within the glazed dining room, there are two distinct Garden Rooms. One is ornamental and tropical in character and the other, opposite the kitchens, is a spice garden. A thyme roof tops the dining room.
