National Bali Awards 2024

Two of Gillespies’ projects have won awards at this year’s Bali National Landscape Awards.

Stockport Interchange Viaduct Park, winner of a BALI Award in the Roof Garden or Podium Landscaping - over £500K category, introduces a vibrant new green space atop Stockport’s bus interchange. The park features play areas, rain gardens, and cycling links to the town’s rail network, enhancing accessibility while reducing runoff, supporting local biodiversity, and fostering a resilient urban ecosystem. Viaduct Park is part of a mixed-use development that also includes a residential complex with 196 new homes.

The landscape construction was undertaken by Wright Landscapes.

Rochdale Town Hall, a celebrated example of Victorian Gothic architecture, has been awarded a BALI Award in the Hard Landscaping Construction (non-domestic) - Over £500K category. Restored by Donald Insall Associates, with the surrounding public realm reimagined by Gillespies, the historic site now features a welcoming civic square that replaces former roads and parking with vibrant public space. This transformation celebrates Rochdale’s rich heritage through intricate paving artwork, formal lawns, mature trees, and seasonal plantings.

The new design includes bespoke benches in glazed terracotta, crafted by Darwen Terracotta and designed by Broadbent Studios, which pay playful homage to Rochdale’s textile legacy. Enhanced with restored heritage lighting, the revived Town Hall and its surroundings once again serve as the town’s centrepiece, showcasing Gothic Revival grandeur with a renewed purpose for future generations.

The hard landscape construction was undertaken by Wright Landscapes.