The days of obtrusive concrete bollards are long gone. Instead, modern protective street furniture is now available in a wide range of materials and designs, which can complement any aesthetic vision. Here, Jaz Vilkhu, Managing Director from Marshalls Landscape Protection, discusses how to ensure that beauty and security go hand-in-hand.
The need to protect public spaces is not new, but the solutions on offer to those overseeing the process have dramatically changed. Now, with a mounting emphasis placed on public safety, specifiers are increasingly being asked by clients to incorporate Hostile Vehicle Mitigation (HVM) solutions into their designs. Fortunately, modern HVM products are making it easier than ever to create secure spaces that retain a strong aesthetic style.
From traditional bollard systems, to protective street furniture solutions, the scope of products available to specification teams has never been greater. With so many possibilities on offer, there’s a new onus on those overseeing such projects to stay up-to date with the latest trends within the sector. In doing so, those in the trade can best ensure they’re routinely delivering projects that combine both beauty and security.
Form and function
Vehicle collisions, whether accidental or by pre-meditated attack, are a growing cause for concern, particularly within heavily developed urban areas. Unfortunately, a number of recent tragedies have highlighted the threat posed by the issue and underlined the immediacy with which urban planners and project specifiers must implement countermeasures to prevent them. Without these important considerations, public spaces are significantly more vulnerable to attack.
However, it’s important to strike the right balance between protecting spaces, while also creating a welcoming impression. Installing lots of heavy-duty bollards or concrete barriers might do the trick in terms of physical protection but from a psychological perspective it can actually have the opposite effect, increasing visitors’ sense of unease by making the space feel oppressively fortified.
The good news is that there are now a number of ways to protect public spaces against these risks – indeed, the age of bulky and conspicuous HVM solutions is over. Instead, specification teams can now take advantage of security-focused products that blend seamlessly into existing environments. What’s more, the introduction of aesthetic HVM solutions into the market mean this type of protection is no longer limited to simply bollards and barriers. Leading manufacturers can offer a wide range of aesthetic HVM solutions to complement any urban design – including fully crash tested street furniture, such as seating, planters and litter bins. Allowing security measures to be hidden in plain sight, these products can help to make spaces safe without having a negative effect on the aesthetic qualities of the existing landscape.
This type of solution is ideal when designing modern urban environments. To get the most from your specification, look to use solutions manufactured from materials that offer high levels of protection and low maintenance requirements, such as precast concrete. To this end, solutions like the RhinoGuard® Igneo Protective Seat offer an ideal option. Durable and low maintenance, the modular system has been tested to successfully withstand impact from a 7.5 tonne vehicle travelling at 40mph. What’s more, the solution retains all the functionality of a standard bench. As such, the system improves protection against hostile vehicles whilst allowing specification teams to fulfil other project goals.
Modern HVM solutions remove the need for conspicuous security whilst enabling those who design city spaces to think more creatively about how they can include HVM solutions within landscape design features. Whereas previously, specifiers and landscape architects may have been forced to sacrifice form in favour of function, the latest Marshalls Landscape Protection products are available in a huge variety of materials, colours and finishes – allowing for complete flexibility and design creativity. What’s more, some manufacturers are able to offer a fully bespoke service to allow urban planners to bring any aesthetic vision to life – advising on the process from concept design, through to installation.
Getting the most from your design
When specifying HVM solutions, it’s essential for project teams to understand the importance of function and style. However, to ensure that these considerations can be made and implemented with greatest effect, those involved in the process should prioritise the planning of HVM solutions within the early design stages of a development. In turn, this will help to ensure that the end design is proportionate and delivers value for money.
In this process, it’s crucial to undertake an initial Vehicle Dynamic Assessment (VDA) and topographical studies, to determine the nature of threat facing a particular location. By profiling all possible access routes, the VDA will determine maximum speeds and angles of attack achievable by a hostile vehicle. The assessment also takes into account any existing traffic management measures, such as chicanes or speed bumps, as this will affect the maximum speed potential.
Using this information, it’s possible to calculate the worst-case scenario – i.e. the largest vehicle in terms of both size and weight that can gain access and the maximum speed it could achieve at impact. This then enables specifiers to determine the required levels of protection for each location and select products that have been crash-tested to achieve this. Solutions are available at all levels, including some that can protect against a 7.5 tonne vehicle travelling at 50 miles per hour.
Equally important, is conducting a thorough utilities survey, as this will tell you what depth is available to install the HVM solutions underground. Relying on drawings is risky as these can be out of date, so we recommend an exploration with test holes to ensure the chosen products will fit. Available solutions vary in depth of installation, protective performance and aesthetics. Only when you know the required performance and the available depth for installation, is it possible to shortlist products according to the desired aesthetic.
Partner with an expert
Whilst the specification of HVM solutions is an increasingly important factor in development planning and design, some involved with the process still feel unsure on how to get the most from their plans. Fortunately, by partnering with a genuine HVM expert, such as Marshalls Landscape Protection, specifiers are able to approach the process with more confidence and access to far greater insights.
Our in-house design and engineering teams are able to ensure that only the most appropriate solution for each individual application is specified. What’s more, our technical experts can be on hand to help specifiers form multi-layered perimeter protection schemes, which provide protection against present and future threats. Therefore, if you’re overseeing this process, then it’s worth reaching out to see if our comprehensive range of protective products can be of assistance.