Bea Landscape Design was appointed by the project architect to develop a landscape scheme to compliment the development of a new skills academy on the outskirts ofBristolproviding 16-19 year olds and adults with vocational courses such as beauty therapy, catering, construction, engineering, motor vehicle maintenance and horticulture.Bea formulated a design concept that began with a psychological exploration of the term ‘skills’ which evolved into a series of functional, visual, ordered and exploratory spaces, as defined by these perceptions.The brief was to develop a hard and soft landscape scheme that is responsive to the end user as well as providing an attractive setting that both enhances the proposed building’s access and egress, and allows visual permeability to the active shop frontages.  This was ultimately achieved through subtle contrasts in paving pattern and colour along with grassed ‘green wedges’ allowing for sitting in isolation, communal gathering of students as well as ‘rest stops’ from shop frontages.The terraced landscape to the rear of the building compliments the existing topography whilst providing the functional outdoor workspaces required by Bristol College’s horticultural curriculum.