Sir Percy Thomas & Sons - 1930's

The primary reason given for the grading of the Penglais Campus is the ‘exceptional historic interest as one of the most important modern landscaping schemes in
Wales’

The description goes on to state that ‘ The sophisticated layout, including the landscaping, is sensitive to the character of the site and the planting which is unusually choice and varied, both enhance the buildings and helps to integrate the sites.’

The first significant building and landscape development plan was produced by Percy Thomas in the 1930’s. This plan was further developed in 1957 by Sir William Holford and it proposed some of the first planting of tree belts and ornamental shrubs on the Campus.

Planting commenced from 1959 onwards and it is still evident around the Llandinam Building and the Physical Sciences Building , and the woodland areas.

The subsequent development plan of 1966 produced by Sir Percy Thomas and Son aimed to harmonise new buildings and layout with the old and to integrate the site as a whole. Landscape was a significant part of the development plan in helping to create an attractive university environment.Inspirations for the design of the buildings and landscape were drawn from Scandinavia.

The design was developed to be sensitive to the character of the site and this is particularly noticeable in the Percy Thomas development reports where reference is made to the ‘genus loci’. 

Percy Thomas were advised by landscape architect John Ingleby in the preparation of the 1966 plan. Planting was undertaken by the University Botany Department under the direction of Professor P. Wareing and Basil Fox. To assist in the plant production
at Penglais, the Botany Department drew up a list of plants ‘ likely to succeed in exposed conditions’ .

A revised list was produced in 1973 when 90 new plants were added. The planting of the campus represented a wide range of botanically
interesting plant material, mainly from the South Americas and Australasia.