THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY UDG UPDATE Diary of events ROGER EVANS ASSOCIATES LIMITED Unless otherwise indicated, all LONDON events are held at The Gallery, 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ at 6.30 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the COVER East Beach Café, Littlehampton, The UDG’s Chairman Duncan Ecob reflects on urban designers’ forthcoming tasks door from 6.00pm: £5.00 non-members, £2.00 members, £1.00 students Photograph by Andy Stagg c on t en s Between writing and publication, the broader opportunity to reinvigorate Hans Monderman, advocated this WEDNESDAY 21 OCTOBER 2009 LEADER 2 Urban Design Group’s conference in cities. Thought must be given to how approach, which has now been employed Urban Design – behind the façade Cambridge ‘Is Big Still Beautiful?’ will investment in rail links can be a catalyst in over 400 locations in Germany and Is our approach to urban design too superficial? This event tries to get closer NEWS AND EVENTS have taken place. I am sure that it will for city regeneration, with an approach Holland. Each new development should to the life-force that drives towns and cities: the systems that inhabit the Essex Design Initiative 3 have raised as many questions as it has to including all landowners to enable a advocate HomeZones and respond to urban environment, the essence of the human animal, and the emotions and Birmingham – Big City Plan 3 attempted to answer, and introduced broader success. the excellent ‘Manual for the Streets’ memories that shape our perception of place. Led by Dan Durant, UDG Eastern UDG AGM 5 delegates to new ways of thinking and Some innovative smaller projects principles, but it is the existing urban Region Convenor, and Inspire East. UDG Study Trip: Moscow and the Golden Ring 6 exploring opportunities that may be have also been announced, but may have fabric that we should be addressing (as CABE Page: Ordinary Places 8 peripheral to their everyday experience. drifted off the radar. The strategy for we should for sustainability and green WEDNESDAY 18 NOVEMBER 2009 The Urban Design Interview: Ken Baker 9 With the government announcing car speed restrictors with their HAPPY, architecture in the Code for Sustainable kevin Lynch Memorial Lecture: John Thorp MBE, Leeds Civic the introduction of a superfast rail link GLUM, SAD faces that will flash up on Homes). At the moment our streets Architect VIEWPOINTS between Glasgow and London, exploring your dashboard, to control your right and roads appear to be in a perilous John Thorp has worked at Leeds City Council for over 35 years. He became Civic Regenerating Croydon, Peter Fletcher 10 the opportunities for large scale foot, could lead on to more immediate state – pot holes, inadequate drainage, Architect when this was a common role in local authorities. However, unlike The Rise of the Urban Designer, Eline Hansen 12 infrastructure projects seems apposite. and tangible benefits for communities. tree roots pushing up paving, etc. A in other cities where the position no longer exists, he has retained the role The business benefits appear to be Slowing traffic in neighbourhoods concerted effort to address this would despite changes in system and structure reflecting his exceptionally hands-on INTERNATIONAL obvious and may easily be quantified, could be a catalyst for people to feel introduce the opportunity for making approach to planning, architecture and placemaking. Regeneration in Psiri, Athens, Georgia Giannopoulou 14 yet the regeneration opportunities safe and secure in their streets, but community streets, and adopt the Over the years, John has taken a leading role in much significant work Ten Lessons from Riga, Jonathan Kendall 16 should be explored more thoroughly. rather than controlling speed, why shared space concept. This could make including the Henry Moore projects at Leeds City Art gallery and the creation Many of our main transport terminals not make our streets SLOW through a significant difference to the quality of of Millennium Square. He has been instrumental in taking forward the TOPIC: COASTAL TOWNS have had little investment over the design? The shared space or ‘naked people’s lives - introducing more open programme of City Centre Squares, Buildings and Spaces and has worked on Topic Leader 18 past years, are poor city arrival points, street’ approach advocates place-making space, helping to enhance physical the development of major civic buildings like Leeds Town Hall, the City Library Littlehampton Waterfront Strategy, Honoré van Rijswijk 19 lacking modern facilities, connectivity where pedestrians and communities opportunities and mental well being. and Art Gallery and Victoria Gardens, as well as the renewal of green spaces The Tower Festival Headland, Blackpool, Rob Allen 20 and with little quality (the few good have priority. Drivers in their vehicles Whether strategic or local, the challenge including Park Square and Merrion Gardens. The Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne, Jefferson Collard 22 examples point to this this paucity). can move through these areas but need for urban designers is to consider For this year’s prestigious Kevin Lynch Lecture, John will reflect upon his A New Approach to Public Space Design, Miranda Pearce 24 The hinterland of many of these areas to respect the vulnerability of street how projects can benefit the broadest unique role as Civic Architect and how this has affected his approach to urban Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth, Philip Watkins 26 often has complex land ownerships, users, and generally do so. Every urban community, and promote a sustainable design. During the evening we will be encouraged to consider the influence a Scarborough’s Renaissance, Nick Taylor 28 but this is what holds the key for a designer’s favourite traffic engineer, approach to our cities and towns. Civic Architect can bring to bear upon the character and identity of a city. Weston-super-Mare, Marian Barber 30 Coastal Towns: Issues, Solutions and Lessons, Chris Hall 32 WEDNESDAY 9 DECEMBER 2009 The UDG’s Director Robert Huxford offers a chilling reminder of a principal UDG Christmas Celebration at the Canal Museum AREAS REVISITED influence on urban design for the 2009 Christmas Party Join us for the UDG’s festive celebration at the London Canal Museum. Housed Ashford Revisited, Sebastian Loew 34 in a former ice warehouse near King’s Cross built in the early 1860s for famous The Isle of Dogs Revisited, Matthew Carmona 36 Is it the motor car? Telecommunications, Now, with servants long gone and floors with on-board computing will unite ice-cream maker Carlo Gatti and overlooking both the Regent’s Canal and the or even the welfare state? No, it’s divided into flats local markets have with the white van and a radio- new King’s Place development, the museum gives a fascinating insight into BOOK REVIEWS refrigeration! This year’s Urban Design been turned into fashionable areas frequency identity tag to bring a the history of London’s canals. Learn more about the importance of inland The Public Chance, A Fernández Per and J Arpa 38 Group Christmas party on Wednesday 9th for eating and dining, or meals are new model of development, based on waterways and their role in Britain’s urban development and share some Cities People Planet, H Girardet 38 December is in a former ice store at the microwaved from packets, prepared by internet shopping, home deliveries and festive cheer in this unique and atmospheric venue. Turning a town around, T Hall 39 London Canal Museum, built to cater for workers on a minimum wage probably distribution depots. Be warned and be Special rates apply (to be announced). Contact [email protected] for The Human City, ed. N Rappaport et al 39 the import of ice blocks from Norwegian in an area of economic deprivation. prepared. The intelligent refrigerator is further details. Empowering Metropolitan Regions, J W Scott 40 glaciers to the burgeoning Italian ice None of this would be possible without coming to take over our lives and wipe Decoding New Regionalism, A Otgaar et al 40 cream industry, and growth of ice boxes refrigeration. the retail park and the superstore off the WEDNESDAY 20 JANUARY 2010 Palladio’s Children, N J Habraken ed J Teicher 41 in Victorian London. Ice stores meant In the post war period we have face of the earth! And will we lament international comparisons: Housing and urban form. The Future of Community, ed D Clements et al 41 that the city dweller, having been freed seen the domestic freezer and the car this change? The late J G Ballard once This evening’s event will look at different patterns of housing and urban form from loathsome and threatening micro- boot unite to provide us with a new posed the question as to where people across the globe, featuring the newly published Urban Housing Handbook PRACTICE INDEX 42 organisms by the plunging temperatures and dominant pattern of residential would congregate if they were told the which explores historic and modern models of housing from around world, EDUCATION INDEX 49 of refrigeration, was enable to enjoy a development: the executive home in a world was to end in ten minutes. In the looking at their relationship with urban grain and the influence on the form of ENDPIECE Joe Holyoak 49 wide range of food from great distances, cul-de-sac, with ersatz pub, community car park of the local superstore? In the public space. Led by Paris-based architect and urban designer Eric Firley. irrespective of season. The changes centre and superstore, yet linked to local town square? Whether you think CURRENT SUBSCRIPTIONS Urban design is free to URBAN DESIGN GROUP members who also receive newsletters and The Directory at the time of that this brought to urban design are a global chain of refrigerated lorries the world is due to end or not, there is printing many: the Georgian town house appears and cold stores run by international only one place to be on the evening of ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP RATES UK INDIVIDUALS £40 UK STUDENTS £20 a symbol of style and socio-economic corporations. 9th December, and that is the London INTERNATIONAL INDIVIDUALS £50 status, but underneath, it was nothing This is nothing compared with Canal Museum for the UDG’s Christmas Urban Design Group RECOGNISED PRACTITIONER IN URBAN DESIGN £80 more than a machine for the preparation what will happen in the century to party. Chairman Duncan Ecob PRACTICES £250 (including a listing in the UD Practice Index and on the UDG website) and serving of food, and entertaining. come, when the refrigerator fitted Patrons Alan Baxter, Tom Bloxham, Sir Terry Farrell, Colin Fudge, Nicky Gavron, EDUCATION £100 (including a listing in the UD Practice Index and on the Dickon Robinson, Les Sparks, John Worthington UDG website) LOCAL AUTHORITIES £100 (including two copies of Urban Design) Director Robert Huxford UK LIBRARIES £40 Office 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ, Tel 020 7250 0872/0892 INTERNATIONAL LIBRARIES £50 INDIVIDUAL ISSUES of Urban Design cost £5 Email [email protected] Neither the Urban Design Group nor the editors are responsible for views Website www.udg.org.uk expressed or statements made by individuals writing in Urban Design

Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 1 Essex Design Initiative Sacred Cows The Gallery, London June 17 2009

Barry Shaw’s presentation on the Essex grounded in solid analysis and realised E ven t s lea d er Design Guide reflected on the future with a great clarity and confidence. In addition to the central topic of Coastal Towns exploring the challenges and creativity to be found in seaside places, there purpose and direction of regional design These qualities allowed it to set a is another common theme to many of the articles in this issue of Urban Design. This other theme is about urban designers guidance at a time when, in Shaw’s clear vision that carried all along with recognising the reality of their role in the development process rather than community building, notably Eline Hansen’s view, planning is a system in crisis, it. Now, Shaw is concerned that the challenging ideas that urban design is about the common good, when it is really about benefitting only certain groups of overburdened by its own complexity. guide has limited impact as a brief desirable people; Peter Fletcher’s role in Croydon’s new Local Asset Backed Vehicle; and, Jonathan Kendall describing a process of He explained that the context within for development, but is instead used integration rather than distant interventions. A recent and highly recommended book which also follows this theme is Isolarion which the EDG emerged in the early as ‘back fill’ in preparing planning by James Attlee (2007). Written about day-to-day urbanism by a non-professional, it is about making sense of how a place has 1970s presented strong parallels with the applications. N e w s an d evolved and is being managed by others, including the experience of being a consultee on Oxford’s Cowley Road Mixed Priority present need to address the challenge The 2005 Update brought with Route scheme. The Future of Community (2008), reviewed on p41, explores ideas of control and heavy-handed government much of setting a clear vision for housing it a shift back in emphasis to street further, deconstructing many of urban design’s sacred cows and the backdrop to today’s industry, to great effect. development. At that time, the private planning and sustainable development Council to relax parking standards in new sector was gradually replacing the public and addressed the need for guidance on development. This has been explained A third thought-provoking book is Habraken’s Palladio’s Children (2005) (see Ivor Samuels’ review on p41), which concludes with sector as the primary housing provider density. There remains a need for fresh as a radical break from the failures of the following poem. This has been suggested as an ‘anthem’ for urban designers and the Urban Design Group, perhaps to the tune and Shaw acknowledged that, now as thinking on the delivery of sustainable attempts to reduce car ownership by of La Marseillaise…? then, the guide needs good developers development and the closer integration limiting off street parking and garage in order to achieve quality that matches of planning and highways. As key size, recognising that such policies are Towards an architecture of the field* the best of the county’s traditional enablers of this, the skills of local unworkable in the absence of alternative (* the field is Habraken’s term for urban fabric) settlements. He cited Newhall, Harlow authorities must be supported. For Shaw modes of transport. Time will tell if as an example of a largely successful however, although the guide must work this bold move against the established Study the field: contemporary application of the EDG within local decision-making structures, orthodoxy encourages new thinking on It will be there without you; you can contribute to it. which had shown how to ‘lose the its future rests on being able to maintain how to better accommodate the car. The Study the field as a living organism. skin of history’ – traditionalism and neutrality and clarity by freeing itself majority of the audience did not appear It has no form, but it has structure. Find its structure and form will come. moderateness has been a common from the planning system so as to to think so but then, as Shaw, noted, in criticism of the guide, but can also be avoid being used simply as a means of the beginning the Essex Design Guide The field has continuity: seen to underpin its successes. explaining policy and regulation. was not greeted with universal acclaim Merge with it and others will join you. In its original form, the EDG was It was odd therefore that the either. Because the field has continuity: recognised for its bold thinking and discussion which followed focused No job is large or small: all that you do adds to the field. was a beautifully illustrated document on recent proposals by Essex County Frances Madders

No one builds alone: When you do something large, leave the small to others. When you do something small, enhance the large. Birmingham – Big City Plan Respond to those before you: The Gallery, London 8 July 2009 When you find structure, inhabit it; When you find type, play with it; ‘To big plan or not to big plan’, that was another ‘big’ object. The latest proposal When you find patterns, seek to continue them. the question concerning Birmingham is the ‘Big City Plan’ for the town centre: discussed by the two speakers at this in view of the variety of neighbourhoods Be hospitable to those after you: UDG event. Joe Holyoak, head of the and the fine grain, complicated and Give structure as well as form. Masters in Urban Design at Birmingham messy character of some of these, Joe The more you seek to continue what was done by others, the more you will be recognized for it: City University (and Urban Design wondered whether it would not be better The more others will continue what you did. Endpiece auteur) started the evening to have many ‘small’ city plans, each (Habraken, 2005, p181) by wondering why the city fathers have addressing a specific area. always been so keen on size; he ventured This led easily to the next speaker, Louise Thomas that being the second largest city in the Jonathan Bore of Urban Initiatives (see country gave it an inferiority complex also his article in Urban Design 111) scheme under way is the redevelopment that had to be compensated by the ‘big’. who explained what the Big City Plan of New Street Station which will open up Unfortunately, though for a city to have was trying to achieve. The city has a the southern side of the city. Urban Design ambitions is admirable, size is not always large percentage of young people and A lively discussion followed, aimed the same as quality, and Birmingham its population is growing; it needs to mostly at clarifying some of the points Editorial Board Book Review Editor Material for publication has had its share of large disasters. expand its city centre activities and the made and understanding better the John Billingham, Matthew Carmona, Richard Cole please send text by email to the Joe gave an account of these, from the boundaries of the city centre. The “Big” motivation for the current plans. Both Tim Catchpole, Richard Cole, Alastair editors, images to be supplied at a inner city ring road of the 1960s (sketch is first of all a brand used to encompass speakers gave the impression that Donald, Neil Double, Tim Hagyard, Liezel design high-resolution (180mm width gives an impression of the design of a whole series of ideas: the liveable they were confident in the strength Kruger, Sebastian Loew, Malcolm Moor, trockenbrot @300dpi) preferably as jpeg the time), through the Bull Ring Centre city, the connected city, the family of Birmingham’s economy – even in Judith Ryser, Louise Thomas (Claudia Schenk and Anja Sicka) and the Convention Centre. In recent city, etc. And for each of these there the recession – resulting from a long Printing Nuffield Press years, and since the Highbury Initiative are suggestions for action: getting rid tradition of small businesses and Editors Advertising enquiries of 1988, matters have improved: the of the remaining parts of the ring road, crafts. At the end the Big City Plan was Louise Thomas (this issue) and Urban Design Group © Urban Design Group ISSN 1750 712X concrete collar of the ring road is creating new pedestrian links, improving compared to a large umbrella under Sebastian Loew 70 Cowcross Street being dismantled, Brindley Place is a the canals, attracting small independent which several projects would develop. [email protected] London EC1M 6EJ big success and the Bull Ring has been shops. Each of these needs to be funded [email protected] Email [email protected] redeveloped – though the replacement is and implemented and it will take time. A Sebastian Loew

2 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 3 Letter to the Editor Obituary Urban Design Group’s Annual General Meeting The Gallery, London 17 June 2009 In his report on my talk to the UDG on environments by means of engaging Robert R. Meadows, who has recently died aged Residential Design Assessment in March outside architects or layout design firms. 95, was a member of the initiating meeting (UD 111 p3), Malcolm Moor ignored Far from continuing with their tried and of Architects in the RIBA Jarvis Hall at the Chairman’s Report we will soon increase activity in other the conclusions of my study, instead trusted house types, they have devised beginnings of the Urban Design Group. During This year has been overshadowed by regions and in partnership with others. new and more flexible ones that combine Statement of Financial Activities seizing on my aside that house builders a long academic and professional career - the financial turmoil which hit private For the year ended 28 February 2009 prefer a more traditional look for less better into groups and successfully being both ARIBA and MTPI - he and others sector house-building hard. Sadly, Duncan Ecob high-density schemes. He inferred from enclose spaces. I also found that the originated the Postgraduate Diploma in Urban some of us who were stretched at work INCOME Subscriptions £89,655 this that they tend to continue with the best schemes had the greatest urban Design at the Polytechnic of Central London just months ago now find ourselves Director’s Report Publications and Awards £48,196 standard house types evolved by their design input in terms of masterplans, (now the University of Westminster). He was struggling to find employment. Things The UDG email newsletter service has Training £0 NE W S an d even t s NE W S an d even t s Donation from Urban Design Services Ltd £4,044 in-house designers. design briefs or specialist negotiation by deeply aware, living for most of his life in will eventually turn round; with the increased its circulation to over 1,200 UDSL Contribution to Office Costs £5,000 My findings were quite the contrary, planning authorities. This is a success Notting Hill, of the multicultural religious and population expanding and demanding individuals, along with improvements Interest Received £3,939 Inland Revenue: Gift Aid £5,267 that mainstream house builders, at least story that does not deserve to be social levels that make up urban society. These better towns and cities, the need for to the UDG’s websites www.udg.org. Miscellaneous Income £497 in Essex, have sharpened up their act sidetracked into a sterile style debate. elements were reflected in the first courses of professionals skilled in urban design is uk and www.urban-design-group.org. TOTAL INCOME £156,598 considerably, in many cases achieving the Diploma in which he was so influential. assured. While the objectives of urban uk. The 2008 Annual Conference in EXPENDITURE attractive and functional living Alan Stones design relate to the wellbeing of society; Liverpool on Urban Connectivity was Publications and Awards £37,888 Arnold Linden, UDG Trustee the commoditization of housing - where a success, thanks to assistance from Management and Administration £70,118 Governance Costs £920 it is a speculative investment rather than Annie Atkins and her team at Places TOTAL EXPENDITURE £108,926 a long-term investment in society - is Matter! We now have regional convenors

something about which to think long throughout the UK and hope to roll out NET INCOME £47,672 and hard. more events, with the Annual Conference BALANCES BROUGHT FORWARD £78,301 However, a number of key urban in Cambridge on 18 September 2009. FUND BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD £125,973 The David Fryer Memorial Lecture: design projects have been successfully The UDG regional representatives are concluded, for example Liverpool One, each listed in the journal (see p42). TOTAL ASSETS £127,893 Dr Richard Simmons, CABE TOTAL LIABILITIES £1,920 5 November 2009, 6.30pm Oxford Brookes University, Oxford visited by delegates at our 2008 Annual Executive Committee member Alan NET ASSETS £125,973 Conference. The Ashford’s shared space Stones led another excellent events Is design just bollards? and 1970s and the abandonment of has now joined Brighton’s New Road as a programme and a successful study trip CABE often encounters decision makers aesthetic control and freeing up of the significant public realm development, an to Moscow in May. Steve Lorimer and at all levels in the planning system who market in the 1980s, did planning lose inspiration to other local authorities to Louise Duggan have also continued to UDSL contributed £4,044 from last think that design means the decoration its confidence in design? If so, can we Sick as a Parrot? improve the quality of their roads. run UDG STREET gatherings. The UDG year’s conference, with thanks to Savills you add to a building or place once you regain it? In particular, can we regain At the UDG, we face two challenges: continues to support UDAL through and Elevate East Lancashire for their have done the serious work of planning the confidence to design at scales larger Are you incandescent? Are you gutted that firstly, to advance urban design ideas, in the efforts of Barry Sellers, and Urban sponsorship, and URBED, RUDI, and RTPI it. The archetypal expression of this was than the neighbourhood? The talk will a project you have been involved with has which the Urban Design journal and our Design Week 2008 was staged with Urban Design Network for their support. by a planning committee member in a explore the latest thinking on urban gone wrong? Has expediency ruled, have the events programmes are key, and secondly support from RUDI and the IHBC. Urban Initiatives and Roger Evans Midlands town who said: ‘The biggest design at these scales, the role which marketing or highways people got their way and to raise awareness of quality urban Finally the UDG greatly values the Associates continue to sponsor the UDG’s problem we have here is all this design. LDFs might play in shaping places and your project ended up a mediocrity? Was your design among professionals, politicians contributions of our administrator Louise on-line lecture series by UrbanNous. We’d be much better off without it’. how we might use design to bring about hard work all for nothing? As urban designers and the public. We have great hopes for Ingledow, whose support, co-ordination So is design just about which bollards better placemaking. we can learn as much from the experience the Urban Design Awards currently being and encouragement continue to be On Expenditure: to choose or is there more to it? The of project failures as from good practice. If extended to raise the profile of the UDG invaluable. General costs have risen by 7.9%, with pioneers of British town planning didn’t To book, please email Carol Dawson at this is your experience, the UDG would like to and broaden urban design interest. Urban increased activity and the full-time see it that way. Somewhere between the [email protected] or phone hear from you, as we are planning an evening Design journal goes from strength-to- Robert Huxford office post. Publication costs have great planning disasters of the 1960s 01304 823494. session on urban design failures next year. strength and the Urban Design Directory risen by 50%, reflecting the biennial 2009/10 is a document of which we can UDG Treasurer’s Report 2009 publishing costs of the Directory. Please e-mail Robert Huxford at robert. be proud. The launch of our Recognised The Independent Auditors Report for [email protected] or write to Robert at the Practitioner in Urban Design initiative is the year ending 28 February 2009 was Forecast opportunities and requirements UDG, 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ. an important milestone for the status of provided for the UDG and Urban Design for 2009-10 are: with a baseline budget urban design skills, and we elected our Services Ltd (UDSL). approved by Trustees, up to 10% of the first candidates in May, and look forward UDG’s net assets will be allocated by to receiving more applications. On Income: the Executive Committee to initiatives Call for entries from sustainable energy pioneers across the UK There have been major steps in the UDG For the UDG and UDSL, the net surplus which further the work of the UDG; plus regions and I would like to thank Alona is £47,672, compared with £16,165 digitisation and indexing articles in The Ashden Awards for Sustainable of £70,000 and the Awards will be further, a documentary film on the Martinez-Perez and Laurie Mentiplay last year. Subscriptions income is up past issues of Urban Design; developing Energy are seeking entries from presented in London in July 2010. All award-winning work, and opportunities for their leadership in Scotland; the 19.6% due to consistent management the Urban Design Awards; supporting inspirational sustainable energy schemes award-winning schemes must have been to present your solutions to experts and number of events organised there now by Louise Ingledow. Publications regional activity; and developing in the UK that use renewable energy, consistently successful for at least one policy makers. exceeds the London programme. In the income is up eight-fold, due to the the Group’s operations. The Trustees, or reduce energy demand at a local year in saving carbon and delivering East Midlands Region, Laura Alvarez has Urban Design Directory and Design and Executive and members wish the Group’s level. Entry is free to businesses, local social benefits, and must have plans Deadline for expressions of interest made excellent progress developing a Access Statements Explained, thanks assets to be put to profitable and authorities, charities and schools that for future growth. Successful schemes from UK businesses, charities, local programme of activity, and I hope that to John Billingham and Rob Cowan. promotional use, and welcome proposals. have made significant CO2 savings will be highly replicable to ensure authorities: 27 October 2009, and for UK through the use of renewable energy or maximum impact in the battle against schools: 26 November 2009. Application energy efficiency measures, and that climate change. Cash prizes will be forms are online now at http://www. demonstrate real social and economic used to assist further expansion, and ashdenawards.org/uk_awards or contact benefits to the local community. There additional benefits include a prize of up Jane Howarth tel. 020 7410 7023. Email: are six Awards with a combined value to £20,000, support to take the scheme [email protected]

4 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 5 Moscow And The Golden Ring centres. Nevertheless their prosperity UDG STUDY TOUR 16-24 MAY 2009 resulted in impressive building projects in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, coinciding with Peter the Great’s town- building project at St. Petersburg, hundreds of miles to the west. Kremlins, or fortified enclosures, are the most characteristic Russian urban form. Their outline usually dates back to the twelfth century, though today’s built structures are usually of sixteenth or NE W S an d even t s NE W S an d even t s seventeenth century origin. They contain a collection of sumptuous churches, cathedrals or monasteries, with a ruler’s palace and houses within the kremlin, but in most cases these have not survived. Most of these towns were also trading centres, with trade taking place outside the kremlin, and there are arcades still used as shops. However, until the nineteenth century there were no streets with continuous built frontages, the domestic built form being rural-type wooden buildings with yards, often with ornately carved window and contrast, has a small and relatively architecture containing two fantastical Top left and right door details. The only stone was used in unimportant kremlin, but many fine 18th century wooden churches from Trading arcades in Rostov and Suzdal churches and fortifications. seventeenth century town churches built nearby villages. Bottom left Kremlin, The first town we visited, Sergiev- by merchants, as befits a major trading Our last port of call, Vladimir, Rostov Bottom right Posad (formerly Zagorsk), is dominated centre on the Volga. With a population despite being a large, modern town, Fortified convent, by the fortified monastery of St. Sergius, of 680,000, it is a substantial place offers an insight into a much earlier Suzdal one of the holiest places in Russia, whose main attraction is a pleasant tree- period, with two twelfth century and still a busy monastery and centre lined promenade fronted by villas. cathedrals. They, and the exquisite of pilgrimage with two cathedrals A journey along pot-holed roads Church of the Intercession on the Nerl, and numerous onion-domed churches through birch forests brought us to have miraculously escaped destruction, Above Monastic Twenty seven UDG members, spouses on leases, and Goltsblat’s own offices, subways. There is little control of, or and bell towers. The rest of the town Suzdal which still preserves its medieval and display a Byzantine-inspired use panorama, Sergiev- and friends travelled to Moscow to look part of a smaller equivalent of Canary provision for, car parking. Policies to consists of nineteenth century shopping layout and aspect. A contender for the of stone-carved detail. It is fascinating Posad Below Wooden at current development pressures in the Wharf on the Moscow River, was a good break down the barriers to pedestrian frontages and dilapidated, though capital of Russia in the twelfth century, that, when large-scale building resumed, churches, Suzdal capital, and learn about some of Russia’s example of this. The development of movement is overdue, though the attractive, wooden houses. Our second its aspect is surprisingly rural, the the same building forms were employed oldest towns nearby – the so-called the area was only partly complete, but superb, chandeliered metro system makes stop, Rostov, is even more low-key townscape consisting mainly of detached without the detail. Overall the tour Golden Ring. was at a standstill due to the economic it easy to travel around the city. apart from its dramatic kremlin, which, wooden houses. However, it has six was an eye-opener into a little-known After a day in Moscow, we met at situation. Nevertheless it had new Moving on to the quieter Golden in a lake-shore location, bristles with fortified complexes, the kremlin itself type of urban landscape, whose most the offices of development consultants municipally-funded infrastructure Ring towns, this region, of which the onion domes of its cathedral and being the least impressive, containing characteristic feature is its spiky, onion- Goltsblat BLP for a talk by Maksim including a specially built metro line and Moscow is part, was the cradle of six churches and belfries, surrounded the small cathedral and bishop’s palace domed skyline. Popov, their head of planning. He a footbridge over the river. medieval Russian civilisation. The by battlemented walls with fourteen surrounded by earth ramparts. There is explained that since the end of the As Russia’s planning system is new, Russian population was originally towers. Yaroslavl, our next town, by also a small open-air museum of wooden Alan Stones Soviet period, the City of Moscow had the obligation for universal coverage centred on Kiev, but from 1050 shifted encouraged development, despite the of plans only started in 2005 and to north to the fertile area between Rostov lack of an effective planning system. be completed by 2010, although this and Suzdal. In 1169 the Russian court Control was exerted by retaining land is unlikely to be achieved, due to a moved to Vladimir in this region, and Call for case studies in Conservation Areas in seaside towns ownership and allowing development shortage of professional staff at regional, the Orthodox Church headquarters city and district levels. Hardly any moved there in 1300. The thirteenth The built heritage of towns and cities • To examine whether there are seaside towns regional plans are currently in place, century saw a building frenzy in which is intrinsic to the designation of any major differences or similarities • To assess whether the designations and the cities and districts are reliant imposing towers, palaces, fortified Conservation Areas, and yet this process between seaside towns that might would be of value to how areas were for professional help on the centralised monasteries and elegant churches were has often appeared to completely affect the designation of Conservation regenerated, land use designations, Planning Institutes, which used to built with each town playing its part disregard the built heritage of England’s Areas (location, scale, main period the local economy, maintenance and produce plans during the Soviet period. in making the area the spiritual centre seaside towns. In this context, I am of growth, etc) ownership etc. Despite its many attractive buildings of Russian Orthodoxy. This ascendancy undertaking a research study to explore • To evaluate whether there is and spaces, Moscow was remarkably was short-lived, however, as the whole whether the built heritage of seaside generally sufficient value in the built I am interested to learn about examples un-pedestrian-friendly away from the region was overrun by the Mongols in towns, with particular reference to heritage of seaside towns for a case or case studies where this has been Kremlin and Red Square. Rising car 1236, bringing wide-spread destruction. Skegness in Lincolnshire, is worthy of to be made for the designation of explored before, successfully or not, and ownership has filled the wide nineteenth It was Moscow that finally drove away Conservation Area designation, and Conservation Area(s) so please contact Paul Thompson, Senior century ring and radial streets with a the Mongols in 1380, and since then whether such designations hold any • To investigate whether the Planning Officer, East Lindsey District ceaseless tide of fast-moving traffic, Vladimir and Suzdal have played a value? designation of Conservation Areas would Council, with infrequent and poorly signposted subordinate role as monastic and trading The key research objectives are: assist in protecting the identity of Email [email protected]

6 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 7 Ordinary Places The Urban Design interview g e Ken Baker a hold the key to defeating climate Inspiring demand p change; they are where the social capital At the other end of the scale, we Development Corporation I joined a which underpins our economic future can believe that the importance of the small team assembled to design the be generated; and in times of austerity, built environment needs to be firmly City Centre. I remember being asked C ABE we must make best use of our existing embedded in our culture, if we are to design the roads and parking, so IN T ERVIE W assets. Ordinary places are untapped to change the way in which ordinary we designed the city centre without assets, with the potential to underpin a places are seen. Through extensive work designing the buildings, a difficult sustainable future. with schools, on programmes such as task but it helped being an architect. Engaging Places and Green Day, CABE We drove the engineers to adopt It can be done knows that not enough is done to teach our suggestions as we were making According to the Government’s recent young people about understanding the it up, and we invented a system of World Class Places report, people still buildings and places around them and covered road crossings - the porte feel alienated from the places around to take ownership of this legacy. Design cocheres, perimeter parking, 10m wide them. In CABE’s experience, inspirational is a problem-solving tool, and just as underpasses you could see through, U RBAN D ESI G N design is still the exception in most important to understanding how the and an urban scene that was laid out neighbourhoods. There is no reason for world works as economics or sciences. over three and a half square kilometres everyday architecture to be uninspired, Design literacy therefore deserves to rank of Buckinghamshire countryside. I feel and CABE sees many buildings and alongside the three ‘Rs’. gratified that in recent years Thomas spaces that are of the highest quality. Learning through the built What is your current job and how long Heatherwick paid it the ultimate any scheme. I am not sure that we CABE’s Building for Life awards recognise environment also helps young people have you been there? compliment by describing it as a ‘Total should have such a surplus of awards. the best in new housing, while our to develop cultural and creative skills; I am a Director at David Lock work of Art’ (Thanks Tom). It would appear to do little to improve experience of providing advice and to become active citizens within their Associates, town planners and urban What do you find exciting about your the vast majority of developments. But I support has shown us how good the best community; and to understand their designers, located in Central Milton work? think anyone who can produce a simple neighbourhood buildings and spaces culture and identity. Learning about the Keynes. The company was founded by Just being allowed to do it, it is piece of infrastructure that has not been can be. Over the last two years, the built environment gives young people David Lock twenty one years ago, I have privilege and a responsibility, and dictated to by engineers and safety Stirling Prize shortlists have featured insight into our cultural history and been here for over twelve years. I have should not be taken lightly. My son officers should get a medal for services the Westminster Academy in Paddington, status as the most cosmopolitan country seen the company grow to some sixty tells me of a conversation with a friend to urbanism. How did engineers get to Accordia in Cambridge, the Kentish in the world. Why not embed this as an five staff members in UK and a spin- at university, when he said his father be in such a powerful position in the Town Health Centre in Camden and the integral part of our education system at off company in Melbourne, Australia. designed cities, there was a sharp intake urban environment? Maggie’s Centre in Hammersmith, all both primary and secondary stages, with To celebrate twenty years of successful of breath and disbelieve, ‘no one does Where is your favourite town or city neighbourhood-scale buildings of the parents directly involved in the process? growth, we took the whole office to that’ was the retort, which tells us a lot and why? highest quality. Buildings this good There should be a requirement for Gargonza in Italy, for a long weekend of about the culture we live in. Without a doubt Lewes in East Sussex should be the norm. young people to learn about the most training in a renovated hill village not What do you think are the most (as above). It has everything you important places in Britain by the time far from Siena. important skills of an urban designer? could desire. My children grew up there Top Liverpool One, High profile, city centre revival projects What government needs to do they leave school, and this would begin Can you describe the path that you The skill is to be able to draw, you can and one of them thanked me for the Photograph by have characterised the last ten years, Quality of place lies at the heart of the to inject architecture and design into followed to become an urban designer never write a plan without a drawing privilege of being able to grow up in David Millington Photography Ltd but our lives are not defined by iconic culture change needed. This requires local the bloodstream of the nation, creating and what motivated you? but you could draw a plan without such a great town - it’s a home town, Above Adelaide buildings and tourist attractions. leaders to understand how investment a common understanding about our I am not sure that I ever chose to writing about it. not a clone town. Wharf, London Photograph by Olli The architecture of the everyday is in ordinary places improves quality of culture. It will also help to ensure that become an urban designer, it chose me. What would you like to be doing in 10 Where is your most hated place and Hellman even more important in reflecting our life and contributes to public value. young people become confident, informed I am an architect by training, and after years’ time? why? collective identity. CABE believes that public bodies should adults in a dynamic and changing society. graduating from the Leicester School Who knows? It is surprising what I’m not sure that I hate anywhere. I CABE has always championed promote high quality places as a matter CABE will launch a national debate about of Architecture in 1964, the first job I turns up. Some would say I should be have not acquired a taste for some ordinary places, leading the way on the of course, but it is much easier to value which places should be included in this, had was working for Alison and Peter thinking of retiring but I like work too northern cities but being a southerner quality of homes, schools, health centres, things that can be ‘measured’. So amongst and we will offer suggestions based on Smithson, who were just finishing the much. New challenges are always thrown you could expect that - I think it’s hospitals, parks and streets. Yet despite a range of new ideas, CABE is proposing the advice of young people, teachers, Economist Building in London. I was to test you and call on your experience, people raving about them that does for investment in public building, it is the that government at all levels agrees on architects, and then the public will be to work on the British Embassy to be and you owe it to the next generation me. Sorry... everyday neighbourhoods that have how to measure place quality, and how to invited to give their views. built in Brazilia, but not along after I to somehow hand it on. What advice would you give to UD missed out on many of the improvements understand the potential of places that Ten years ago, the Urban Task started, the government cancelled the As an urban designer, do you have a readers? of the last decade, with investment build sustainable jobs and growth. Force report laid the foundations for an project on cost grounds. However we role model? Why are you reading this? You should drawn into town and city centres. Every authority investing in place urban design revival, and this summer were soon engaged in the design of None, except back in my early get out more. Ordinary places can be found everywhere, improvements, from street upgrades World Class Places set out a revived 214 flats at Robin Hood Lane, where architectural career when I learnt the What should the Urban Design Group in the inner rings around city centres, to major redevelopment, could share agenda. CABE’s proposals offer two the buildings explored the ideas of importance of scale and the human be doing now or in the future? in post-industrial cities, suburbs and an indicator that would help them directions in which World Class Places deck access or ‘streets in the air’; dimensions at which our world works. I Educating highway and traffic engineers residential neighbourhoods, satellite to determine their own ambitions can be progressed, mapping the route founded on the work that sociologists learnt more in the years with Smithsons by whatever means possible. Not until towns and market towns, and parts of and measure their success. A Public to buildings and spaces of the quality had done in understanding how street than all that full time studies had the designer wrestles back leadership rural Britain. Service Agreement for quality of place that everyone deserves; places with relationships worked in the terraced offered. It was about how to approach and takes over the controls, so that Most people live in ordinary places, would send a message from national sustainable economic futures; design streets in the early 1950s, which were design, organise your thoughts, keep engineers become are our servants with more than eighty per cent generally government that people deserve to that enhances lives and improves life to be demolished to make way for tower the alternatives open till the client has again, do I believe that we can repair classified as living in suburbs. These are live in well-designed and maintained chances. In anxious times, we should blocks. chosen the one he/ she wants. the infrastructure of our cities. the buildings that everyone takes for places. Quality of place should feature focus our efforts on the ordinary places But in the early 1970s we heard If you were to recommend an urban Finally, who would you like to see granted - the places closest to home. in the national indicator set for local to unlock extraordinary benefits. about something exciting that was design scheme or study (past or present) interviewed by UD? Ordinary places need care and attention authorities and in Comprehensive Area starting 50 miles north of London, for an award, what would you chose? A good highway and traffic engineer, if for three very important reasons: they Assessments. Tom Bolton, Head of Research, CABE a new city. At the Milton Keynes I honestly would not want to nominate they exist!

8 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 9 viewpoints Regeneration This complex tailor-made model of investment is called an Urban mechanism Financial used and regeneration, the Council considered a model of regeneration authorities to consider their assets as a tool to drive investment In 2006, responding to a Government White Paper urging local B (one become attractive, bringing smiles to local faces. North End in Croydon you’ll feel that way too. On a sunny day, even less beautiful places can the people there are at ease with themselves, there’s a good chance that Image and feel are inherent to a city’s success. If you visit a place and Introduction metropolitancentretheaspirationsfor his ofsome out RegenerationPeterFletcherCouncil’sUrban theVehicledescribes sets and CroydonRegenerating and perhaps more importantly for Croydon, it is a long-term deal with a deal have been finely tuned to compensate for bumps in the market, country to sign up to such a deal. The financial instruments behind the Backed of there has been underinvestment in the town centre for a long period quickly coming to terms with this mix, and much to its benefit, as of the Borough’s conservative south. This is a town and a Borough mass of the Borough’s cosmopolitan north and the low pressure mass a result of its stormy social position caught between the high pressure often criticised for being edgy, somewhat ill-at-ease with itself, perhaps life on a summer’s day. Unfortunately the town centre in Croydon is development in the centre of Croydon. some way off, this approach is likely to set the pace for large-scale the theory, and with certain town centre projects stalling and others chance of delivery, and investor confidence eventually grows. That is (PSP), buildings) with the equity and expertise of a private sector partner issues. partnership with private sector businesses, is determined to address the 10 | a time. ck of Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 by ground regeneration Vehicles. the the Whatever UK’s regional Vehicle best Combining the gets development but (URV) underlying a also kick-start, and the least assets Croydon causes, agencies well-known complex of is the London’s the known Council projects first High as Croydon council Streets) (i.e. Local have its Asset Council, in a land comes greater the and to in choice; better connections into and around the site, in particular the to create an attractive residential environment offering quality and should be viewed favourably. The overarching vision for the site is underused space in the heart of the town centre. Development here multi-storey and one underground. teaching block owned by Croydon College, and two large car parks – one developed. It is a complex site, comprising public open space, an arts Council-owned site to the east, known locally as College Green will be Trust and Police. To pay for the Council’s new building, the largely facilities for the council and its partners such as the Primary Care URV development pot for later phases. This new civic hub will provide hub’ to replace the 1960s Taberner House, with the site added to the In the first phase, the URV will yield a new public sector ‘delivery Resul Late Cabinet approval was given and the preferred bidder was selected. which were called for and submitted in February 2008. In June 2008, period of competitive dialogue, prior to submitting the final tenders, keen to see the importance of design integrated at an early stage. allocated to the quality of the physical proposals. Project leaders were assessed against pre-determined criteria, thirty per cent of which were of August, outline proposals were submitted and the responses were opportunity to meet Council representatives and its advisers. At the end stage of the competitive dialogue process where they were given the In July 2007 eight companies were invited to enter into the first Assessment contract new development to the market when the time is right. a century, phasing will be the name of the game, releasing appropriate will also require a long-term urban design plan. Spanning a quarter of longer term thinking and decision-making. These financial mechanisms twenty-five year lifespan, committing the Council and the PSP to some As it stands, College Green is perceived by many as an unattractive, The three strongest bidders were invited to participate in a further 2008 t with saw John the closure Laing plc of the as their deal private with Croydon sector Council partner. signing a articulating the aspirations and requirements for the site, with the College Green site. A continual balance has been required between strengthen the strategic objectives of the URV, particularly on the From the outset there has been a need to establish a vision to Essential The • pre-requisites: College Green site can be described as having some of these essential successful cultural quarters and without listing these factors here, the In issue UD108, John Montgomery set out his necessary conditions for Cul and Learning benefits. university quarter, bringing with it significant cultural and economic City masterplan envisaged the College Green site developing into a for the College are already widely known; Will Alsop, in his Third significantly alter the southern half of the town centre. Aspirations for the College. The URV is a large-scale development plan and will institutions which use the site, offering integration and flexibility public realm; and perhaps most importantly, sensitivity to the existing main station; a renewed arts centre; an improved, legible and coherent The • Halls complex and the College’s Parfitt Gallery) Links • (Fairfield A • and follow-on producers. workspaces for office and studio users, artists or low-cost cultural small-scale business activity including creative industries; and managed such as a strong evening economy with a café/ restaurant culture; Where there are gaps, the potential exists for nurturing new conditions, parts of the town well presence presence with Halls) opportunities connected design education of of cultural workspaces site princiles tural for providers within start-up activity Qu for a arter few - artists via arts businesses hundred existing and and media community metres (Croydon venues training of (the Art other groups and Fairfield College), active in College Green must be the starting point. history, its culture, the physical characteristics and the people involved continuous development and evaluation. An understanding of the site’s of the site’s complexities and intricacies, and through a process of the nature of the site. This can only come from a deep understanding appearance. What will be required is an architecture that responds to nurture a more active street life. microclimates. Along with good levels of natural surveillance, this will form of tall buildings with the aim of creating favourable pedestrian design studies have started to look at the intelligent placement and another big issue for the future design of the town centre. Urban Microclimate, specifically the wind effects from large buildings, is self-contained development which turns its back on its surroundings. considered and integrated as a major part of the town centre, and not a problems – poor perceptions of pedestrian safety. Development must be over the public realm. This is to overcome one of the town’s biggest must overcome more specific issues for it to be successful: within a green and pleasant urban environment. The College Green site centre as a compact, walkable place with quality new housing set A quite general aspiration for the town is the enhancement of the Conclusions building massing, etc. assessments; assumptions as to the likely microclimatic effects of criteria, for example compatibility with Space Syntax; transport important stages, continually testing designs against important design throughout and it is a long-term commitment. We review work at process. Our aim has been to ensure design quality remains a priority benefits. along with levels of finance and infrastructure required to deliver wider necessary requirements for flexibility and inevitable future change, Centre group Areas today within the URV’s sites F ar left and Indicative Boundaries Peter Finally, new development must achieve an acceptable character and New development will require high levels of natural surveillance The work of the Council’s urban design team is to guide this Fletcher, Urban Designer, Croydon Council supplying design advice to the URV Above College Green and Taberner House Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 11

viewpoints viewpoints schetsontwerp bestaande situatie Eline Hansen challenges the forces behind its increasingchallengesitsHansenforcesbehindroleElinethe Designer Urban the of Rise The environments than those listed in were greater forces determining sustainable and equitable urban While working as an urban designer I always suspected that there the boosting a progressively important role in the provision of local state services, have gradually been deregulated allowing the private sector to play structural unemployment following de-industrialisation, markets contribution in creating sustainable urban developments for the future. fundamental questions about the role of the urban designer and its undertook an MSc in Urban Studies; there the literature made me ask of urbanisation are, I left the profession to return to university and would really be capable of generating new cohesive communities? benefit from our design interventions and whether mixed housing types of disenfranchised urban communities, I wondered who would really Compendium. When working on master plans for the regeneration inter-urban This has led to what academics define as the ‘institutionalising of adopting ever-more entrepreneurial strategies to attract funding. that members of the UDG may have completed, and for which I am as the reasons for the rise in its profile, I compiled a questionnaire urban designer. However, interested to find out what others saw entrepreneurial forms of urban governance has seen the rise of the local ‘culture’. in attractive waterfront locations, good transport links or distinctive projects, and focusing on particular opportunities by investing efforts towards targeting specific areas or sites through urban regeneration they have moved away from comprehensive managerial urban planning, for capitalist development and central government funding. To do this governments to compete nationally, and sometimes internationally, 12 | R e m b r a n d t p a r k n o o r d e l i j k d e e l Since many British cities started to suffer the social fall-out of In order to find out what these greater forces that shape patterns It is my view that the move away from managerial towards UK Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 have competition competition’ become increasingly and (Ward innovation. and involved By Design or the boerderij Kinder- Jones BOERDERIJ KINDER- Ligweide Local Schooltuinen SCHOOLTUINEN LIGWEIDE 2002) in urban economic - the governments Urban Design Horeca need development, SPEELTUIN tuin Speel- for urban in creative classes are apparently populated by thinkers, innovators, the housing of mixed tenure and type. housing close to city centres is to be cleared to make way for new property markets and boost city centre economies. Victorian terraced and economic mix of the population should in theory reinvigorate local economic strategies for failing old industrial cities. Changing the social across the North of England and the Midlands, promising to deliver new strategies to secure resources, jobs and capital for the city. managerial provision of resources for its citizens, to entrepreneurial authority. The role of the town planner too has moved away from the departments, which had worked alongside town planners within an to the private sector, including architects’ and landscape architects’ 1980s meant that key roles in many departments had to be outsourced role? The drastic cuts in funding for local authorities in the 1970s and how did we manage before, and why hasn’t the town planner filled this design and management of urban areas. This begs the questions: why, cent pointed to the absence of a profession responsible for the overall urban designer was over the last twenty to thirty years, seventy per environments their role was and how it contributed to delivering sustainable urban governance grateful. Questioning the ‘sustainability’ of the current form of urban environments, explains that this way it is possible to generate more equitable urban second only to the financial industry in terms of fiscal growth. Florida can attract the creative classes, which until very recently have been regeneration of architectural heritage. It is envisaged that cities investment in culture, arts, public realm improvements and the ‘creative strategies’ - creating the right urban environment through encouraged local authorities from Baltimore to Singapore to adopt Meanwhile Richard Florida’s work on the creative class Examples of these strategies are the Pathfinder Projects, rolled out When asked what the key reason for the rise in importance of the en nodigen tot eenbezoek van het parkuit.Deschoolwerktuinen worden verplaatst richting Hoofdweg. ingangen de verbijzonderen meubilair kunstwerken en beplanting, Bijzondereverstoord . wordt omgeving de vanuit toezicht de datzonder privacy park het krijgtverdicht. Hierdooronderbegroeing lage plaatselijk en bomen met park het wordtranden de Aan spelevaren. en schaatsen zwemmen, voor worden gebruikt eventueelkan water Het park. zijn. Een ligweide, eventueel met horeca aan een nieuw aangelegde grote plas geeft een grote kwaliteitsimpuls aan het landen verplaatst. Het water rond de eilanden vormt een natuurlijke begrenzing waardoor hekwerken niet meer nodig eilanden. De bestaande publieksfuncties zoals de speeltuin, de schooltuin en de kinderboerderij worden naar deze ei reekswaterstructuurbestaandeuitgegraven.ontstaat versterkt.wordenwaterlopeneen wordt HierdoorDe Nieuwe KWALITEITSIMPULSEN IN HET PARK staande ontsluitingsweg van debestaande woontorens moet opnieuwhergeprofileerdbe worden. De worden. heringericht moeten onderdoorgangen huidige De verminderd. park het en tuinstadwestelijke de stelde woontorens aan de oostkant worden vanaf de Jan Evertsenstraat ontsloten. Hierdoor wordt de barrière tussen Met een nieuwegroepMeteen gebruikers wonenwordtdirectpark het die aan toezichthet vergroot.park het op voorgeDe Door deontwikkeling van Masterdam krijgt het parkeenduidelijke noordelijke begrenzing. HET PARK EN ZIJN STEDELIJKE OMGEVING in (I the that apologise UK, are I “open, was here interested diverse for my and deceit!). to explore cool”(Peck what 2005) others has as felt the that het park in de omgeving. omgeving. de in park het verankeren Doorgaande fietsverbindingen worden. teerd gerespec - moeten kwaliteiten bomenbestand aanwezig. Deze tuur eneenvolwassen waterstruc- KWALITEITENfraaie een is park BESTAANDE begrensd. worden duidelijker park het moet verbeteren te park het Om de ruimtelijke kwaliteit van uitnodigend worden en ingericht. herkenbaar duidelijk ten zijn niet uitnodigend. Ze moe Ze uitnodigend. niet zijn park het tot toegangen Veel TOEGANGEN verdient dusveel aandacht. veiligheid sociale aspect Het in het park als sociaal onveilig. met ‘ogen’ voelen veel begeleiding locaties onvoldoende en routes ongelijkvloerse nen), (schooltui functies gankelijke ontoe- zichtbarrières, Door SOCIALE VEILIGHEID dient verbeterd dient te worden. park het en functies deze sen tus relatie functionele en ke ruimtelij De werklocaties. en woon- unieke Amsterdam in enkele zich bevinden park het Langs de oost- en westkant van RANDEN prettig. on en rommelig vaak randen de ogen inrichting gekeerde het de naarbinnen park.Door van randen de aan liggen ties ties. De meeste van deze func publiekfunc aantal een zich bevinden park het rond en In FUNCTIES schetsontwerp bestaande situatie R e m b r a n d t p a r k n o o r d e l i j k d e e l schetsontwerp bestaande situatie tourists. competition for investment from developers, big business and moneyed has become an instrument to reshape the image of the city, in its services. The large-scale urban development or regeneration project jobs, and expand the tax base that can be for re-invested into public This growth is seen as a common good for all citizens as it will create influence on the value of place in order to stimulate economic growth. down effect’. Deregulation has encouraged the markets to have a greater growing gap between a new underclass and the rest of society. loss of identification, the loss of social networks and community, and a not have disconnected neighbourhoods that display stigmatisation, a suburbanised within poorly connected estates. Very few British cities do has returned to Britain’s city centres while the poor have become transport hubs, urban waterfronts or green spaces. The middle class we have seen the development of central locations with proximity to With cities needing to compete for public and private investment, true. Place-targeted strategies have led to uneven urban development. the affluent fled to the suburbs; now it could be said that the reverse is 1970s Britain’s inner cities suffered from urban decay and poverty, while restructuring really delivers cohesive equitable communities. In the we must question whether the place-targeting approach to urban community was why urban designers have gained importance. However, and for whom? So, which parts of the city benefit from targeted regeneration strategies through clearance and new-build or indirectly through gentrification. aim to replace existing communities with new ones, either directly place rather than existing social problems. In doing so, both strategies both target places rather than people - that is, the investment is in somewhere in between. However, while the strategies are different, they young and the gay. creativity strategies leave only supporting roles for the two-thirds of social inequality through the Creative Strategy; “...elite-focused benefits from Richard Florida’s rather vague attempt at addressing will benefit from city restructuring. Jamie Peck questions who really it is only creative types migrating from one city to the next who concepts and the Creative Strategies that have already been adopted, the where they hold similar jobs, and very few jobs will be generated for urban restructuring will be filled by people migrating from other areas, of unemployment, they state that many new jobs created through studies on the relationship between the growth of places and rates question the ideological prop that local growth creates jobs. In their ------

R e m b r a n d t p a r k n o o r d e l i j k d e e l However, in their book The counter-argument to adopting these strategies is the ‘trickle Fifty percent of the earlier respondents also felt that the loss of These examples represent two extremes and many others lie indigenous boerderij Kinder- BOERDERIJ KINDER- Ligweide Schooltuinen SCHOOLTUINEN LIGWEIDE working boerderij Kinder- BOERDERIJ KINDER- Ligweide Schooltuinen SCHOOLTUINEN LIGWEIDE Horeca class SPEELTUIN tuin Speel- Horeca Urban Fortunes SPEELTUIN tuin Speel- (Molotch and en nodigen tot eenbezoek van het parkuit.Deschoolwerktuinen worden verplaatst richting Hoofdweg. ingangen de verbijzonderen meubilair kunstwerken en beplanting, Bijzondereverstoord . wordt omgeving de vanuit toezicht de datzonder privacy park het krijgtverdicht. Hierdooronderbegroeing lage plaatselijk en bomen met park het wordtranden de Aan spelevaren. en schaatsen zwemmen, voor worden gebruikt eventueelkan water Het park. zijn. Een ligweide, eventueel met horeca aan een nieuw aangelegde grote plas geeft een grote kwaliteitsimpuls aan het landen verplaatst. Het water rond de eilanden vormt een natuurlijke begrenzing waardoor hekwerken niet meer nodig eilanden. De bestaande publieksfuncties zoals de speeltuin, de schooltuin en de kinderboerderij worden naar deze ei reekswaterstructuurbestaandeuitgegraven.ontstaat versterkt.wordenwaterlopeneen wordt HierdoorDe Nieuwe KWALITEITSIMPULSEN IN HET PARK staande ontsluitingsweg van debestaande woontorens moet opnieuwhergeprofileerdbe worden. De worden. heringericht moeten onderdoorgangen huidige De verminderd. park het en tuinstadwestelijke de stelde woontorens aan de oostkant worden vanaf de Jan Evertsenstraat ontsloten. Hierdoor wordt de barrière tussen nieuwegroepMeteen gebruikers wonenwordtdirectpark het die aan toezichthet vergroot.park het op voorgeDe Door deontwikkeling van Masterdam krijgt het parkeenduidelijke noordelijke begrenzing. PARK HET STEDELIJKEOMGEVING ZIJN EN en nodigen tot eenbezoek van het parkuit.Deschoolwerktuinen worden verplaatst richting Hoofdweg. ingangen de verbijzonderen meubilair kunstwerken en beplanting, Bijzondereverstoord . wordt omgeving de vanuit toezicht de datzonder privacy park het krijgtverdicht. Hierdooronderbegroeing lage plaatselijk en bomen met park het wordtranden de Aan spelevaren. en schaatsen zwemmen, voor worden gebruikt eventueelkan water Het park. zijn. Een ligweide, eventueel met horeca aan een nieuw aangelegde grote plas geeft een grote kwaliteitsimpuls aan het landen verplaatst. Het water rond de eilanden vormt een natuurlijke begrenzing waardoor hekwerken niet meer nodig eilanden. De bestaande publieksfuncties zoals de speeltuin, de schooltuin en de kinderboerderij worden naar deze ei reekswaterstructuurbestaandeuitgegraven.ontstaat versterkt.wordenwaterlopeneen wordt HierdoorDe Nieuwe KWALITEITSIMPULSEN IN HET PARK staande ontsluitingsweg van debestaande woontorens moet opnieuwhergeprofileerdbe worden. De worden. heringericht moeten onderdoorgangen huidige De verminderd. park het en tuinstadwestelijke de stelde woontorens aan de oostkant worden vanaf de Jan Evertsenstraat ontsloten. Hierdoor wordt de barrière tussen nieuwegroepMeteen gebruikers wonenwordtdirectpark het die aan toezichthet vergroot.park het op voorgeDe Door deontwikkeling van Masterdam krijgt het parkeenduidelijke noordelijke begrenzing. HET PARK ENZIJNSTEDELIJKE OMGEVING Molotch Logan 1987). and Logan In Florida’s het park in de omgeving. omgeving. de in park het verankeren Doorgaande fietsverbindingen worden. teerd gerespec- moeten kwaliteiten bomenbestand aanwezig. Deze tuur eneenvolwassen waterstruc KWALITEITEN- fraaie een is park BESTAANDE begrensd. worden duidelijker park het moet verbeteren te park het Om de ruimtelijke kwaliteit van wordenuitnodigend ingericht. en herkenbaar duidelijk ten moe Ze uitnodigend. niet zijn park het tot toegangen Veel TOEGANGEN verdient dusveel aandacht. veiligheid sociale aspect Het in het park als sociaal onveilig. met ‘ogen’ voelen veel begeleiding locaties onvoldoende en routes ongelijkvloerse nen), (schooltui functies gankelijke ontoe- zichtbarrières, Door SOCIALE VEILIGHEID verbeterd dient teworden. park het en functies deze sen tus relatie functionele en ke ruimtelij De werklocaties. en woon- unieke Amsterdam in enkele zich bevinden park het Langs de oost- en westkant van RANDEN prettig. prettig. on en rommelig vaak randen de ogen inrichting gekeerde het de naarbinnen park.Door van randen de aan liggen ties ties. De meeste van deze func publiekfunc aantal een zich bevinden park het rond en In FUNCTIES Restructuring in North America and Western Europe as the ‘Crisis of Crisis Management’ Ward K and Jones M, Research, Vol 29.4 Dec 2005 Peck J, California Press, 1987 Logan R and Molotch H, nothing the population languishing in the working and service classes who get together urban regeneration projects create coalitions of interest bringing as actually reducing empowerment and equality. They argue that the design of the built environment is questioned by social scientists urban communities. However, our role as overseer and manager to citizen were two of four most cited objectives needed for sustainable cohesive, equitable communities remains more illusive. has moved from the professional to public domains. Delivering socially are comparatively easier to deliver, as the discourse over climate change urban communities, we focus on environmental issues, and yet these capital, jobs and resources? When we discuss the delivery of sustainable while local authorities are locked into inter-urban competition for possible for us to achieve sustainable, equitable urban environments and economic forces that we find ourselves working with. How is it urban designer but rather to encourage debate on the greater political therefore questionable. individuals or subgroups and - income re-distribution of this growth is stimulate economic growth. These projects, therefore, benefit specific regeneration projects are aimed at attracting particular social groups to motive is to extract value through urban restructuring, and urban new institutional frameworks with specific interests. Their underlying are not necessarily democratically elected, but are actors creating are instrumental in developing economic growth and its distribution of the most powerful segments among the participants. Those who and shaping an urban future is carried out in line with the aspirations that investment benefits all citizens. or excluded from outside capital investment. This questions the theory access to services, and access to land, and determining who is included institutions - re-shaping urban environments and rights to housing, co-operations, administrative structures and new political forums and governance are created - public-private partnerships, development makers, investors, architects and urban designers). New forms of urban Eline In the questionnaire, social equality and the empowerment of the The aim of this article is not to launch a tirade on the role of the Often re-visioning the city reflects a particular set of aspirations, Struggling with the Creative Class, Hansen, apart economic, ------from MSc Urban het park in de omgeving. omgeving. de in park het verankeren Doorgaande fietsverbindingen worden. teerd gerespec- moeten kwaliteiten bomenbestand aanwezig. Deze tuur eneenvolwassen waterstruc- fraaie een is park verbeterd dient te worden. park het en functies deze sen tus- relatie functionele en ke ruimtelij- De werklocaties. en woon- unieke Amsterdam in enkele zich bevinden park het Langs de oost- en westkant van RANDEN ETAD KWALITEITEN BESTAANDE begrensd. worden duidelijker park het moet verbeteren te park het Om de ruimtelijke kwaliteit van uitnodigend worden en ingericht. herkenbaar duidelijk ten moe Ze uitnodigend. niet zijn park het tot toegangen Veel TOEGANGEN verdient dusveel aandacht. veiligheid sociale aspect Het in het park als sociaal onveilig. met ‘ogen’ voelen veel begeleiding locaties onvoldoende en routes ongelijkvloerse nen), (schooltui functies gankelijke ontoe- zichtbarrières, Door SOCIALE VEILIGHEID prettig. on en rommelig vaak randen de ogen inrichting gekeerde het de naarbinnen park.Door van randen de aan liggen ties ties. De meeste van deze func publiekfunc aantal een zich bevinden park het rond en In FUNCTIES Excavating the Logic of British Urban Policy: Neoliberalism occasional political Urban Fortunes: The Political Economy of Place, Studies University of and 2002. Source: Spaces of Neoliberalism: Urban Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 tickets cultural ------International Journal of Urban and Regional

infrastructure. and so contributing to the wider urban in a relatively deprived part of the city one of Amsterdam’s largest urban parks conjunction with the refurbishment of in development use mixed for a proposal urban development. The example shows to social housing helps reduce uneven Netherlands as well as universal access the planning of neighbourhoods in the Greater involvement of the state in to the elites Amsterdam circus.”(Peck (planners, 2005). policy University of | 13

viewpoints t ional t ional in t erna I n t erna

Opposite Urban Structure of Psiri Top far left Heroes Square, an awkward cluttered space Top middle Lighting masks deprivation as a bohemian neighbourhood Top right Graffiti is typical Bottom left The conflict in scale between historic and modern Bottom middle The congested night time economy

Conflict of Land Use Today Regeneration or Gentrification? The land use pattern in the area today presents fragmentation and a There are a number of proposals and half-hearted attempts by the Post Industrial Regeneration in Psiri, number of conflicts. Some manufacturing and retailing businesses still government to sanitise the area and give it back to the people: using remain pepper-potted on the ground floors of mainly post-war buildings. policy designations to gradually remove uses that could deter potential Athens – Gentrification and Conflict The majority of upper floors remain unoccupied. Many ground floors residents, removing the homeless and drug addicts from streets; and in neoclassical and interwar buildings have been colonised by leisure containing the illegal occupation of the footpaths and squares by Georgia Giannopoulou writes about a quarter in transition establishments: bespoke trendy bars, cafes and tavernas creating its tables, chairs and parking in the evenings to facilitate movement; but atmosphere at night. It is believed that many of these establishments rumours suggest that there are certain tolerances and verbal agreements Introduction Historical background operate illegally and others violate the laws on operating hours set by between policing and illegally operating businesses... The inner city centre of Athens is a place of conflict: a number of major Psiri was once an affluent neighbourhood inhabited by Athenians, the council. This concentration of entertainment venues discourages To ease congestion in the area, the city is currently implementing a regeneration initiatives have been and are still taking place under the and during the Turkish rule it was a place of resistance and residential use in the area and conflicts with the apparent aspirations to new initiative to pedestrianise the core of the area after 9pm on Fridays umbrella of the ‘impending’ Olympic Games, such as the unification revolutionaries: their hub was Heroes Square. The local vernacular make this a mixed use neighbourhood. and Saturdays on a trial basis; this is in conjunction with the extension of the archaeological sites across Athens and a number of large scale architecture consisted of low single-storey structures with small A number of buildings remain totally vacant and in many cases in of Metro operating hours to 2am at weekends, to promote public entertainment complexes and international shopping centres. Policies communal courtyards often incorporating communal kitchens and a state of disrepair. These are mainly interwar neoclassical buildings transport use instead of the car. to bring back residential uses into the city centre (Regulatory Plan bathrooms in every perimeter block. The blocks themselves were, and where the ownership is ambivalent and the cost of restoration high. Given that Psiri is now one of the projects under the umbrella of the 1985) seem to remain rather disjointed and a lack of commitment can still remain, small, compact and almost entirely built up. The existing uses do not coexist happily. In the daytime, the image of Unification of the Archaeological Sites in Athens (EAXXA), the vision is be implied. The city centre is becoming a ghetto for immigrant residents The wars that have followed since the 1821 Revolution Psiri is as a working class neighbourhood with some low grade retail. said to be the preservation and improvement of the historic character living in poverty, featuring extremes between upmarket commercial have repeatedly destroyed the building stock and displaced the Graffiti is spreading which suggests a lack of social cohesion and care of the area. However, disjointed cosmetic operations such as new paving thoroughfares and trendy nightlife quarters and abandoned or deprived communities. The area of Psiri is a palimpsest of communities in the place. There are a number of clearance plots used as commercial and lighting schemes are most likely to result in an increase in land residential neighbourhoods. Regeneration in Athens has been led either and buildings, all inscribed on the same pattern of streets and surface car parks, and the city council wishes to eliminate these spaces values, no doubt ostracising traditional low grade uses such as light by the unfettered private sector or by a public sector focus on the spaces. Today’s building stock reflects the remnants of many eras: as they fragment the urban fabric and can become spaces for antisocial industry and manufacturing and the low rent residents such as artists’ cosmetic and physical, rather than its social context. Refurbishment, from vernacular to neoclassical and modern, with several layers of behaviour, graffiti, drug usage etc. Urban Void, a group of city activists live work studios that have recently moved into the area. pedestrianisation and public realm schemes have only raised land immigration from the provinces and abroad over the years. Various consisting of architects and artists, have already organised two events There is concern that these uses will soon be pressurised into values, driving out existing industries and residents and in many cases communities have played a part in creating and sustaining the in these spaces in an attempt to draw the public’s attention to them and giving way to bigger players such as new and bigger trendy bars and leading to gentrification and further conflict. The antithesis between genius loci of the place, which is one of a lively working class area reclaim them for the community. chains, and potentially in the future pseudo-bohemian nouveau-rich the abandoned centre and the booming and ever expanding suburbs is with a strong sense of identity and civic pride. This well-established Loading and servicing for existing businesses happens off the young professionals wanting to experience the hustle and bustle of increasingly obvious. sense of place is now changing, it is ambiguous in what it is street, which given the tightness of the urban fabric, causes conflict living in the trendy city centre. This trend has already been observed in becoming and even more questionable whether Psiri is even going to in the public realm, as vans perch on footpaths and constrain space for Metaxourgeio. Setting the scene feel comfortable in its new skin. pedestrians and vehicles. There is talk in the local media by artists and architects about Psiri along with its neighbours Gazi and Metaxourgeio are known today During the twentieth century, Psiri was an area of bars and At night, the area presents an entirely different image: there is a disjointed thinking and the concern as to who this regeneration is as the Athens Soho: bohemian up-and-coming night-time quarters with tavernas where you would hear the vernacular music ‘rembetica’. high concentration of night-time businesses on particular streets which beneficial for. It certainly benefits tourism, night-time users, the a cultural flavour. Psiri itself is a distinct neighbourhood in the historic Psiri never had the glamour of Plaka, as a poorer neighbourhood of are tastefully lit and draw attention away from the dark derelict ones. marketability of the city as a whole, which will have a trendy popular core of Athens, readily recognisable by its dense urban pattern, which Athens, but still had a sympathetic and characterful appearance. In The streets and squares heave with pedestrians lingering or trying to mainstream, generic European capital city night-time quarter, but not remains unchanged since historic times. The area is made up of a web the post war era, the need for rapid reconstruction and changes in navigate from bar to bar, having to battle with cars trying to squeeze the existing communities and a sense of place. Certainly it is unlikely of narrow winding streets that converge onto Heroes Square, now the planning laws allowing for higher densities, resulted in mediocre into the narrow streets to find convenient free parking spaces. that it will attract new communities to live, work and play there given meeting place of the night time economy. The neighbourhood edges are architecture and cheap construction in concrete and aluminium. The footpaths are predominantly the realm of chairs and tables the lack of infrastructure and control over the use of land and operating formed by a number of clearly identified boulevards and key movement New concentrations of manufacturing and light industrial uses illegally spilling out from the restaurants and bars. The battle for the times, as well as poor policing and implementation of existing policies. corridors as well as Keramikos, an archaeological site, to the southwest (mainly leather and glass) drove residents out of the area in search public domain is pertinent at this time. Psiri becomes congested with corner. These physical boundaries distinguish Psiri as a village in the of better living conditions, contributing to its subsequent and nightlife that cannot be supported by the current infrastructure in terms Georgia Giannopoulou, Lecturer in Urban Design at Newcastle University heart of the city. continuing decline. of parking and movement to and from the area. So where is this heading?

14 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 15 Far left Connections to medieval core and UNESCO World Heritage site Far right and Bottom The vision for the area Top View from the site to the historic city centre

t ional 7. Exploit (and overcome) infrastructure t ional Major infrastructure systems, both road and rail, define the site and represent its greatest challenge. The classic conundrum of infrastructure as connector and potential division was present from the outset. We have sought to overcome strategic highways in t erna alignments that threatened to bisect the site and inhibit connections I n t erna to its surroundings. Through our design process we have held heated discussions with local highways engineers who have sought to prioritise vehicle mobility over the social values of streets. We have succeeded in realigning roads to create simpler, stronger connections that will also transform the surrounding areas. Though the pressures for vehicle priorities remain, we are supported by the progressive forces in the city who regard our project as anchored and enabled by new public transport systems as central to its sustainability ambitions.

8. Respond to heritage A UNESCO World Heritage Site, bordering our site, protects the historic Old City in recognition of its medieval core and Art Nouveau districts. Critical to this are views of the skyline along the river and concern about the emergence of tall buildings. Our design creates contemporary streets and squares, defined by continuous built form, taking lessons from the Old City and connecting to its public realm. These principles are central to our proposal. Our attitude that medium-rise development was more appropriate than freestanding tall buildings has resonated particularly in the current economic uncertainties. 4. Establish a presence in the city Ten Lessons from Riga We had no formal requirement to open an office in Riga, but we wanted 9. Build momentum to demonstrate our commitment to the city, establishing a presence We have sought to build momentum, both in relation to our main Having won an international design competition in Latvia, Jonathan and building local relationships. We had no desire to parachute in and project and for further work in the region. Since establishing a Kendall describes working in a young and rapidly changing country exit quickly. In credibility terms, the value of adding ‘+Riga’ to our presence in Riga, we have undertaken further projects in the city and logo was substantial. Our clients proudly point this out to third parties elsewhere in Latvia, with future projects in the pipeline in Tallinn. This In the summer of 2007, Fletcher Priest entered an open international 2. Understand the city’s strategic advantage when we are introduced for the first time. It is a carefully flexible summer we were placed second in a prestigious competition for Riga’s design competition for the masterplan of a new urban centre in Riga, Our lessons of work in Riga started at this point. We had to quickly strategy, not a huge expense, and we are working with local planners Castle Square. Inside the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, it organised by the City Council, hosting various government functions, understand the local process of planning, design development and project managers who give us ‘eyes and ears’ on the ground. forms the main space for ceremonial and other social activities outside with a jury of city architects and planners from the Baltic States and procurement. We soon recognised the strategic geographical the presidential residence. and Scandinavia. Taking part in the competition was a ‘bottom-up’ advantages of the city and established a strategy for working there 5. Immediately start building long-term relationships initiative from our urban design team, rather than a decision from beyond the implementation of the project. Riga’s urban splendour Building long-term relationships is central to our work in the UK, and 10. Stay for the long term above. In the midst of our ongoing involvement on big UK projects, it is closely related to its strategic role as a Hanseatic trading post. we were determined to apply the same approach in Riga. Within a When we started the competition, Latvia’s economy was booming at an was an opportunity to investigate issues of strategic design in one of Its current geopolitical advantage reflects its new status as a young fortnight of our competition win, we were fortunate to have the newly alarming rate. Double digit GDP growth was combined with a similar Europe’s most historic cities, and starting from first principles, without country, independent from the USSR since 1992, now inside the EU appointed British Ambassador to Latvia visit our London offices. His inflation level. It wasn’t hard to foresee imminent economic trauma. our normal day-to-day constraints. None of us had prior knowledge of and NATO, on the borders of Scandinavia and the newly resurgent team has been helpful, organising presentations and events on our We wanted to create a proposal that could cope with change, avoiding Latvia’s capital, and so it was a chance to learn, speculate and transfer Russia. We were intrigued by the combination of an economy that had behalf through the Embassy and UKTI. We have had a strong sense that unaffordable infrastructure – lessons learned from hardened UK experiences. been growing by more than ten per cent a year, depopulating as its the diplomatic team are ‘on our side’ and are seeking to promote British developers. The collapse in the last few months has been dramatic: only As with any open competition, we entered the process on the basis skilled young sought better paid work elsewhere and seeking strategic best practice internationally. Commercial relationships with other Iceland’s economy has fared worse. IMF support has been achieved at of exploration, and potentially publication of the proposals, rather advantage as the emerging capital of the Baltic States, alongside organisations trading between the two countries have been developed severe cost to public spending. This brings a greater need to define our than with any expectation of winning. It is never certain whether an neighbouring Tallinn and Vilnius. through the Chambers of Commerce in London and Riga. We quickly scheme as a long-term investment in the city’s infrastructure. We have apparently open competition actually masks local political decisions found that the network in a relatively tight-knit city is small. Making made it clear that we are staying for the long term. in which the winning designer or strategy is pre-determined. But our 3. Understand and engage with local legal processes friends makes sense. experience in Riga, both at the competition stage and afterwards, has Our main lessons related to contracts with the City Council and the Way forward been refreshingly transparent. nature of masterplanning within the local legal framework. Signing a 6. Offer the client more than just a planning process The election of a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor in mid-2009 could contract was somewhat bureaucratic, made easier by the City Council In our early meetings with the City Council, we were keen to explain have proven a difficult stage in the life of the project, particularly in There are ten key lessons that we learned from this process: who helped us through each step of their internal systems. We our work in the UK, discussing our experiences with some of the UK’s the current climate. In fact we are told that they are overt supporters simplified the procedure by including the two local practices placed largest developers, contractors and funders, as well as multinational of the scheme, recognising its strategic importance for the city. Such 1. Win the competition second and third as our sub-consultants alongside the international organisations such as Sony, Vodafone and IBM. For a young and political champions are invaluable. It is a real pleasure to travel to Pleased with our submission and intrigued to see our competitors’ expertise of Arup and Davis Langdon with whom we often work at the ambitious city, seeking to implement best practice as they grow, we Riga and work there. We have a strong sense that what we are doing is work, for the cost of a budget flight, one member of the team flew out urban scale. Critically for the project, our urban design process defines were able to demonstrate that a project as strategic as ours should be important and useful and very much informing our work elsewhere. It for the day of the jury announcement to see what the outcome had red lines, creating legal boundaries between state and future private undertaken as more than a planning process. The Council separately is a young country. It is still early days in what will be a long process. been. To his surprise – and that of the competition organisers, who development plots. Unlike major UK projects, where private developers commissioned economic modelling by Ernst and Young in parallel with We are enjoying the journey. we later discovered had thought our anonymous entry to be the work may retain and maintain a larger estate, such concepts (like public- our design work, in which flexibility, robustness and the potential of some cool Danes – we were awarded first prize. We won because our private partnerships) do not yet exist in law in Latvia. demands for a new centre of the city were evaluated over a twenty- Jonathan Kendall, Partner and Director of Urban Design at Fletcher Priest Architects proposal was seen as aware of its context, robust and flexible. year period. (An abridged version of this article will appear in the RIBA JournaL)

16 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 17 Coastal Towns Littlehampton Waterfront Strategy

From unusual origins, Honoré van Rijswijk sets out this Topic This topic, which arose from the UDG event at The town’s approach Gallery in July 2008, is both timely and increasingly

Topic Topic le a de r relevant to many places in the UK. After a summer when ‘staycations’ have been widely promoted in the current recession, many UK holiday spots may well have experienced more demand than they have seen for some time. As an island nation with many coastal settlements, it is impossible to address all of the challenges being faced by these cities, towns and villages in one issue of Urban Design; however the articles that follow represent a sample of these unique places’ historic trends, decline and renaissance.

The scale of the initiatives, partnerships and community-supported Regeneration sometimes starts with a single great building, In order to rationalize the town centre’s distinctive elements, the even sometimes with great food, but not often both. design strategy is based on the following future ambitions: proposals varies considerably, from the bid for the Longest Bench in the Littlehampton, a seaside town between Brighton and • Improving direct pedestrian connections to the waterfront World in Littlehampton, to the European Commission’s Enterprise Awards Chichester on the South coast of England, kick-started its • Reducing car traffic within the town centre recent regeneration with Thomas Heatherwick’s East Beach • Completing the retail centre as a place won by Scarborough. Café serving good food. This impetus is now been continued • Creating more space for pedestrians with a formal waterfront strategy for the complete town, • Putting trees back into the streets encompassing new thoughts for the town and even including • Building on the spirit of the existing fine urban grain Already benefiting from Thomas Heatherwick’s iconic East Beach Café proposals for the World’s Longest Bench. The strategy is jointly funded by Arun District Council and The Green (seafront) is one of the most important public spaces design, Littlehampton has started to examine its waterfront with a new CABE through the ‘Sea Change’ government funded programme, within Littlehampton located between the harbour, the beach strategy for linking key public realm areas. Well advanced in developing which places culture at the heart of regenerating England’s and the town centre, but over the years, the Green has lost its seaside resorts by funding inspiring, creative and innovative identity and spatial definition. The key focus within the strategy its vision, Blackpool is creating new destinations within a strong public projects. The architects for this scheme and shapers of today’s is to repair the Green and define it as a prestigious central public realm and partnership framework. Eastbourne, the home of artist Eric space-making agenda elsewhere have undertaken several space for the community and visitors by: significant water-based strategies, ranging in size from the • Removing the clutter (i.e. parking) on the Green Ravilious’ work, is repositioning itself for a new younger quality and Thames Gateway through to the Isle of Dogs and Margate, and • Creating strong links from the town centre to the seafront culture-seeking market with its Towner Gallery. Brighton, Portsmouth and have now turned their attention to Littlehampton. • Celebrating the Promenade, this includes the World’s Longest Through our work, we can discern an interesting recent Bench, designed by Studio Weave and local school children Southampton have all witnessed a series of temporary installations this pattern of regeneration in seafront resorts in the UK, resulting • Connecting the East and West Beaches summer looking at underused spaces in different ways, to encourage fresh directly from climate change and holiday-makers thinking • Re-planning Harbour Park sustainably about the need for international travel, as well • Re-activating the Oyster Pond approaches to them in collaborative projects by the local councils and as the impact of the current economic downturn. People are universities. responding to the resurgent culture of our coastal towns and In the last few decade, parts of the East Bank have been once again recognising the value of our own coastline as a transformed into a residential public waterfront. However, there place to live, work and play. Terry Farrell, who has been closely still remains a great regeneration opportunity for the harbour involved with the development of the strategy has commented (West Bank) and these are explored in design principles to Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth, twinned by economy and geography, have that ‘there is a real opportunity in Littlehampton as it already transform this area into a vibrant waterfront, namely to build on been reconnecting their waterfronts to their towns, with major investment has a strong identity. Real regeneration and change begins by the unique existing natural landscapes, complete the pedestrian evolving a commonly-held and inclusive vision, but the energy connections towards the river, and with continuous public projects and winning young people’s attention in the process. Scarborough and commitment to make this a reality must come from and walkways and spaces along the river, make flood defences an has taken its mandate from local community interests, with a sustained involve everyone there’. Making these sentiments real has integral part of future development, and activate the riverfront involved a series of workshops and public exhibitions, where with further maritime activities. Each principle is conceived as a dialogue creating projects and initiatives on various strategic themes participants were actively encouraged to give their ideas, views project in its own right, to be implemented in incremental stages throughout the town. Leading with its public realm, Weston-super-Mare and concerns on any aspect of the design. and as a ‘stand alone’ initiative. This incremental, step by step Combined the design exploration and public participation approach will provide the flexibility that is necessary in an area has been improving and linking its destinations to set quality standards showed the potential for Littlehampton to become one of of this size and complexity. for further developments. Lastly Chris Hall provides a valuable review of the finest seaside towns along the South Coast. The town This waterfront strategy presents a unique opportunity for centre is positioned close to the harbour and seafront, and is Littlehampton to bring the town centre, the Green and the the main challenges facing coastal towns, and the solutions being tested characterised by a fine urban grain and characteristic historical harbour together to create a robust identity, which reaffirms buildings. It is a town already imbued with a rich history and Littlehampton’s history and gives it a sense of place for the future. around the country to overcome these, and to give coastal towns greater unique landscape but, the town is composed of three distinct, vitality and viability for current and future generations to enjoy. yet disconnected, elements - the town centre, the Green Honoré van Rijswijk, Associate, Terry Farrell and Partners (seafront) and the harbour.

18 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 19 The Tower Festival Headland, Topic Blackpool Topic Rob Allen describes Blackpool’s bold seafront plans

other towns both in the North West and around the UK for major events. The multi-use space is set to host live music, theatre, sporting events and open-air cinema screenings. As the Irish Sea delivers westerly winds that blow across Blackpool at average speeds of 11mph, any area designed for popular outdoor use requires robust, protective elements. In the case of Tower Festival Headland, a windbreak system has been incorporated into the design of new public artworks. A system of permanent and temporary masts made of durable Duplex alloy will allow event organisers to give protection from these winds by stretching high tensile, Teflon-coated fabric between them, creating an effective, temporary barrier. When not in use, the Opposite and above The fabric will be removed and the temporary masts relocated within vision for the Headland space the headland to feature as an attraction in their own right and Left The Spanish Steps as used as outdoor advertising space. sea defence measures

BUILT TO LAST and the area becomes packed with The maritime context also means that Duplex, a stainless steel attractions. The project is also linked to that can resist the corrosive effects of salt-laden winds and a wider regeneration strategy, which is The face of Britain’s favourite seaside This commitment to holiday-makers and day trippers sand blasting, is being used for all outdoor metal work such as to further improve the cultural offering resort is changing as ReBlackpool has set enjoying Fylde’s unique coastline can clearly be seen in the railings to prevent rust or tarnishing. With protective as well as in Blackpool for the benefit of both about delivering a masterplan aimed at seafront projects developing in the shadow of the town’s world decorative responsibilities, the Spanish Steps to the beach have residents and businesses. Large-scale, ensuring long term economic and social famous attractions. Tower Festival Headland is a £14.3 million been manufactured to provide an effective barrier to coastal outdoor events should increase footfall in prosperity for the town. ReBlackpool, development taking shape at the foot of the iconic 158 metre erosion in the same way as their unforgiving predecessors. the area, directly benefiting surrounding Blackpool’s urban regeneration company, Blackpool Tower, and is a prime example of the projects which The careful selection of materials and management of their businesses, and the public realm artworks is tasked with delivering the vision of are part of the overhaul of Blackpool’s sea defences. Along with remarkable design and construction means that ReBlackpool will become attractions in their own Blackpool Resort Masterplan, which aims other radical changes along the ageing promenade, this project estimate that the new defences will have a design life of at least right. to transform the resort into a twenty- was kick-started by funding from the Sea Change Programme, 100 years. first century visitor destination giving and the wider seafront project will deliver five new headlands Attention to the durability of materials and construction is a sustainable year-round economy. created from land reclaimed from the sea and replacing also evident in the creation of the Comedy Carpet, another work ReBlackpool is working to create Launched in March 2003, the Masterplan inaccessible, sheer drop, sea walls with gently descending of public art to be incorporated into the Tower Festival Headland development opportunities, is a fifteen year regeneration plan that ‘Spanish Steps’. The first modernised section of the seafront at site, designed by Gordon Young. The pavement design will focuses on the resort’s core – an area the town’s Southern Gateway, close to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, feature famous catchphrases delivered by the comedy performers enhancing year-round trade and 5km long and 1km wide encompassing was completed in 2004 and received a positive reaction from that have helped to make Blackpool famous. Each catchphrase the famous Golden Mile and Blackpool residents, visitors and neighbouring businesses. will be cut from granite and set into concrete, produced in such a employment Tower, the town centre, major public way that a thin top layer can be removed by grinding once every transport arrival points, and the A NEW DESTINATION ten years and leave the surface looking as new. The Carpet, along Regeneration companies must also surrounding dense neighbourhoods of In partnership with CABE, the North West Regional with a new building featuring public services and a restaurant, look at the long term management of holiday accommodation. Development Agency (NWDA), European Regional Development has been aligned to the architecture of Blackpool Tower to projects and in the case of the Tower Fund (ERDF) and Blackpool Council began work early in 2008 complement the most famous of the town’s existing attractions. Festival Headland, Blackpool Council will YEAR ROUND TRADE on the Tower Festival Headland, developing the design concept take ownership of the management of the ReBlackpool is also working hard to produced for the People’s Playground submission to the national PARTNERSHIPS space and secure revenue income from create commercial and civic development Big Lottery Fund’s Living Landmarks Programme a year earlier. It is the attention to Blackpool’s requirements in a wider kiosks and the restaurant to maintain the opportunities, enhancing year-round The 18,600 metre site incorporates the headland itself and context, the cultural events offer, and close working between new arena. The Tower Festival Headland trade and employment opportunities, stretches north along the promenade to neighbour both the partners which project manager Dean Blackhurst sees as the is due for completion in time to host whilst recognising that the visitor Tower entertainments complex and the historic North Pier. The key principles when working on a public realm project of this the first open air events during the 2010 experience remains as important to Tower Festival Headland is designed to provide Blackpool with nature. Leisure Parcs, the owners of the neighbouring North Pier season (see www.reblackpool.com). Blackpool today as it was during its its only purpose-built, outdoor entertainment venue with a and Blackpool Tower complex, have been consulted throughout tourism heyday over several generations. capacity of 20,000 people, allowing the resort to compete with to make sure that their visitors get benefit from the new offer Rob Allen, Amaze Public Relations

20 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 21 The Building The Towner Art Gallery – Eastbourne Light is the enemy of art, and yet viewers want an inviting space in which to enjoy their visit. Rick Mather Architects have Topic Jefferson Collard describes how an icon is changing places solved this with a clever layout of the rooms in this three-story Topic and perceptions building. This is a building of two halves separated by a glazed circulation space, giving views over Devonshire Park to the north and glimpses of the seafront to the south. The eastern half The new site was to be Devonshire contains two principal art spaces on top of each other on the first Park, a pebble’s throw from the town and second floors, behind a stark zinc clad façade. Adjoining the centre and the seafront. The now rare Congress Theatre, the new art gallery has connections at each prospect of building a new civic centre level to knit the buildings together. was seen by Eastbourne Borough Council The western half houses the supporting rooms that required as an opportunity to solve other issues at windows - work spaces, lecture rooms and café. The café has the same time. This led to a proposed site a west-facing sun terrace looking out over the roof tops to the squeezed between the Congress Theatre South Downs - the next National Park. The western side of the and Winter Garden, which already building responds to its site with a curvilinear wave of sheer contained a single-storey restaurant vertical chalk white render, reminiscent of its bigger brother and kitchen. The new building could the cliff face at Beachy Head, and which appears so frequently potentially enable the existing theatre in much of the art that it accommodates. The Council planners kitchen to be upgraded and link the two were careful to insist on a respectful relationship with its grade large spaces in the adjoining buildings to II* listed neighbour, so that the façade of the Congress Theatre become a multi-purpose volume. But too could still be read in the streetscape with its defining piloti. much was expected of this constrained Key sight lines were continued to the new art gallery, uniting position and of one building. two very different buildings; one an older neighbour, the other Rick Mather Architects, who won overtly contemporary and of our time. As The Council has the design competition beating eighty always been keen to bring art to all, its innovative Towner on entries, selected an existing car park on The Town project bringing the visual arts to the less advantaged the west side of The Congress Theatre won the Authority Beacon Status in Culture and Sport for Hard to as their site; a deceptively tiny area Reach Groups in 2006. Eastbourne has a new art gallery: The Towner is a white and of 770m2. It was courageous of the black curvaceous cube, set in the delightful Devonshire Park, Council to accept an alternative site, but The Image a block back from the seafront, and it was designed by award- the strength of Rick Mather’s concept Some who have heard of Eastbourne, yet never visited, have an winning Rick Mather Architects. made it an overwhelming favourite. image of a place with a significant older population, stuck in the The Victorians made the best of the location when they laid This significant decision allowed the past and awash with facilities for the elderly. However successive out the town of Eastbourne. Set at the end of the South Downs, outstanding design that we can see today. surveys of visitors have shown that they are impressed with the which act as natural protection against the south-westerly winds, With planning consent given in 2004 and quality of the seafront and the town’s open spaces and broad the wide boulevards of the town splay out across a natural plain funding secured, the project began on site streets. This is a legacy of the 7th Duke of Devonshire’s vision including the Eastbourne Society, were Opposite Front elevation that leads into the famous Pevensey Levels, which the Romans in 2006 and opened in April 2009. for a planned town that still continues today. The Duke did not involved in developing the brief for of the Towner Gallery, Photograph by Daniel thought it essential to protect with a magnificent castle. It was allow the over-commercialisation of the seafront, so it retains its the site. The result was that when the Clements inevitable with such an enviable setting that the coastal town The Funding promenading elegance but with refined refreshment stops. planning application was submitted, Top The Towner in would become a destination for over four million visitors each There can be little dispute about the The large number of late nineteenth century villas have the proposals received overwhelming Devonshire Park Above Eric Ravilious’ The year spending a massive £270 million to boost the local economy. quality of Eastbourne’s existing art been attracting professional families who see bargain properties support. Westbury Horse Devonshire Park was originally laid out by the 7th Duke collection, containing the world’s most compared to expensive and neighbouring Brighton & Hove. The 3 A building of quality takes time to of Devonshire in the early 1870s as the town’s new cricket exceptional collection of Eric Ravilious’ major increases in the town’s population since 2001 have been design and build, and sufficient time must pitch. It quickly became established as the town’s cultural and work, who was a local teacher and lived the 16 to 29 year olds and the 45 to 64 year old age groups. Both be allowed for the design of a building entertainment playground with Victorian delights designed by in the town. The new art gallery, which groups showing increases more than twice the average for the the Duke’s architect, Henry Currey, namely The Winter Garden would retain and extend its regional/ town, and over six times the equivalent percentage increase of (1875-6) and The Devonshire Park Theatre (1884). These have national status, attracted the attention those of pensionable age, showing that the town’s population is The town is repositioning been added to with Bryan and Norman Westwood & Partners’ of major funders. With a total build cost changing. Congress Theatre, in 1963, and the Lawn Tennis Associations of £8.5 million, it was funded by grants As the traditional coach tour market wanes, so the town is itself to capture the rise Stand of 1995. Across the road is the Eastbourne Heritage Centre from the Arts Council England’s Capital repositioning itself to capture the rise of the year-round higher (1886), in which Currey may also have had a hand. Four of the Programme 2, the Heritage Lottery Fund, quality short break holiday. Becoming immersed in local culture of the year-round higher buildings are such good examples of their periods that they are South East England Development Agency is popular with these short break visitors and The Towner is quality short break holiday.... protected with listed status. The Towner is the latest addition in and Eastbourne Borough Council in equal easily able to capitalise upon that trend, revealing a new and the continuing tradition of adding cultural icons to the setting of proportions. different story about where Eastbourne is heading. With 7,500 immersed in local culture Devonshire Park. The Towner also became one of five bed spaces - the second largest number in the southeast outside recipients across the UK of £1m from Art London - the town can accommodate a significant influx of to gestate and find good solutions. The Site Fund International to purchase major people. Time allows the call for understandable When the decision was taken that The Towner’s superb art examples of international contemporary changes to be assimilated into the collection needed an modern state-of-the-art building, the art for its collection, thereby cementing The Lessons building while preserving the design obvious choice was to locate it in the town’s cultural quarter. The its status as the best contemporary art 1 An architectural competition is more likely to turn a good concept. When considered properly, original building was a wonderful eighteenth century former museum for the region. It also receives building into a great building. There is no doubt that having such changes do not dilute the original Manor House, set in extensive grounds in the Old Town next to funding towards its running costs a quality team like Rick Mather Architects has produced concept, but help to embrace those who the Parish Church. But the building was not suitable for such from Arts Council England South East a magnificent and long term iconic addition to the town’s have suggested the improvements. a prized and valuable collection, or the Towner’s ambitious as one of the region’s major visual art outstanding buildings - a listed building of the future. temporary visual art exhibitions and award-winning learning organisations. 2 Early consultation with the key players and opinion formers is Jefferson Collard, Development Planning Manager, and outreach programmes, so it was sold by the Council for essential. Here English Heritage, the Twentieth Century Society, Eastbourne Borough Council residential development. Theatres Trust as well as over forty local community groups

22 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 23 set up ‘sound zones’ in different areas of the park to reproduce A NEW APPROACH TO PUBLIC SPACE the sounds of activities which could be based there - for example football games, a water feature, a café, street theatre, birdsong Topic DESIGN and children’s playground, to help to inform the best design for Topic the future Queens Park. Miranda Pearce describes innovative ways of bringing Valley Gardens, in the centre of Brighton, is an underused design to life for three coastal communities public space in the middle of a busy traffic gyratory system. The City Council wanted ideas for the next incarnation of the 200 year old park, setting a brief for a student competition, which style café culture, rather than drawn from an understanding of included making a memorable space at the heart of the city, what already makes the place distinctive. Public space should welcoming visitors and encouraging the community itself to use be the part of a cityscape which adds to a city’s vibrancy as well it all year round. The winning temporary scheme was the ‘Forest as contributing to community pride, which both become the of Valley Gardens’ (which ran for a week in June) where seven catalyst for visitor engagement and can become an attractor hundred trees, varying in height and density, set out in nature of inward investment. The Places from Spaces project was to trails and environments, brought a green landscape to a usually stimulate a possible new approach to design thinking among intensive urban environment. After the week, the trees were those responsible for our public spaces. planted in another Brighton park to give the city a sustainable The project’s aim was to support the client’s commissioning legacy from Places from Spaces, through their carbon locking and role, working with the councils in Brighton and Hove, re-use. Project Leader, Ian McKay, was pleased with the outcome, Portsmouth and Southampton, giving them the critical skills, explaining that, with over eight hundred responses they confidence and the language to commission and manage design certainly succeeded in engaging with the community, and with projects. At the same time, it helped them to access knowledge four other student designs for possible permanent transitions, in their local universities. The beauty of the scheme was that also on display, there was some very useful feedback for the City it also developed the concept of temporary transformations to Council. take participants beyond just drawings and words in visualising places: it physically tested out ideas. This process of using temporary Developing a programme transformations will allow The Solent Centre for Architecture + Design and the Kent Architecture Centre were appointed to manage the process, councils to test imaginative non- approaching the City Councils and Universities of Brighton, Portsmouth and Southampton to take part in the project. All traditional uses for urban space agreed and the first stage included a series of seminars and workshops to discuss what urban design could contribute to At the end of July, University of Portsmouth students the public realm. For councillors in particular the knowledge temporarily transformed ‘The Hard’, a major transport that they gained through this was invaluable; Councillor interchange in the city, erecting beach huts and marking out Lynne Stagge, Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation three routes from Portsmouth Harbour Station to the city centre’s at Portsmouth City Council reported that, although she only Guildhall Square, through the centre of the Portsea, to the attended one event, it helped her to suggest changes to new Historic Dockyard and to St Georges Square opposite Gunwharf projects now being proposed locally. The seminars included Quays. They created dramas to animate the routes and places, as presentations on solutions from the US, as well as study trips well as using lighting, texture and a ‘memory bank’ for collecting to Europe – in each case both academics and local councillors local reminiscences and future aspirations, which can be used During the ‘Places from Spaces’ (PfS) participated to share their experiences in delivering design-led to inform contexts for future regeneration. A student-designed Opposite The Hard, Portsmouth project which reached its climax this outcomes. From the initial workshops, the three Universities beach hut became the focal point amongst twenty smaller Top Forest of Valley Gardens. Brighton summer, Councillor Liz Mizon, Mayor collaborated to develop a single training programme for the huts placed along the routes and this provided a community Above Queens Park, Southampton of Southampton, was quite open when councillors. engagement space. The ideas, and the reaction to them, will feed she explained that many councillors and into the City Council’s master plan for regenerating the area. members of the public do not know much Place-based experiments only temporary, helps to engage a wider about design and do not understand how it The next stage was to develop practical student design Next steps section of the community than the usual can unlock the imagination, when it comes experiments in each of the cities. Sites were chosen by SEEDA will be carrying out a full assessment of the project but vocal minorities who oppose change. to creating interesting public places. the councils which were currently underused, but where the verdicts so far are encouraging. Firstly, we have delivered the For the future, it seems as though regeneration was planned in the future. Briefs were then ‘design matters’ message. Nick Murphy, Executive Director for this process of using temporary Local spaces matter developed by the councils for each using the knowledge gained Neighbourhoods at Southampton City Council explained that transformations will allow councils to The South East England Development at the workshops, and the students – mostly from fourth and many of his staff involved with the project had no prior design test imaginative non-traditional uses for Agency’s (SEEDA) Places from Spaces fifth year architecture or civil engineering degree courses and experience, so PfS encouraged them to lift their ambitions (and urban space. My view of this is supported programme tried to find the key to counter mentored by practitioners from local architectural practices - their eyes) off the ground, to see what urban spaces could be used by Brighton’s Green Party Councillor, this reservation about design and the were invited to propose solutions. for and look like in the future. Ian Davey, who felt that the project gave places it could create. We were particularly In Southampton, Queens Park was once a magnet for people Secondly, we have built a bridge between universities and students the freedom to express their interested in the spaces that people forget passing through the town to join a ship in the docks and for their local councils, and the outcomes look promising with vision, but that if a local authority had about and overlook, such as strategic routes businesses serving the local economy. But now it is primarily a two universities already engaged in further projects. Councillor made such a transformation, it would and streets, as well as formal parks or civic through-route for commuters, more of a ‘green roundabout’ than Lynne Stagge was convinced that their links with Portsmouth have been pilloried in the local media – squares. a park to be enjoyed. The City Council would like to see the park University has huge potential for the community, as it gives making this kind of partnership so vital. Despite reams of guidance, for many reasons, regenerated and become a better link between different parts of not only the expertise of academics, but fresh vision from the Temporary transformations should have the regeneration of public spaces can be the city. The PfS experiment in June tested how the community students. their place in developing permanent low on the local government agenda and might use the space if there were to be some permanent Thirdly, we have demonstrated the potential for temporary solutions. all too often, plans tend to be presented features there. A unique sound experiment, conducted as a joint transformations to encourage community ownership of public in the form of a generic aspiration vividly venture between the University’s School of Engineering and the spaces and to test new ideas going beyond the conventional. The Miranda Pearce, Urban Renaissance Manager, South illustrated with stock pictures of a Barcelona- Environment and the Institute for Sound and Vibration Research, ‘what if’ nature of these experiments, and the fact that they are East Excellence, SEEDA.

24 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 25 was possible in a formerly run-down industrial area. Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth are The project culminated in an event at Great Yarmouth Town Hall where the groups presented their research and ideas to an Topic fighting back expert panel, comprising 1st East directors, councillors, and Topic members of 1st East’s own Design Panel. The school and college Philip Watkins explains how two towns are dealing with students came up with a wide variety of innovative ideas, and shifting opportunities the groups that focused specifically on Great Yarmouth also had the opportunity to present their ideas to Urban Initiatives, the urban design consultants commissioned to develop the concept masterplans for the priority intervention areas. Approximately six hundred students from the two towns were engaged in the project, and so not only did it succeed in engaging young people to contribute to the regeneration plans, but it also challenged them to think about their own futures, higher education and the opportunities that the towns should look at to create jobs for their future lives.

INVESTMENTS Both towns have successfully bid for public sector investment in recent years; following £18 million investment by the public sector (from the EU, EEDA, Norfolk County and the Borough Council) to create a new outer harbour for Great Yarmouth, the private sector invested a further £75 million in EastPort UK - enabling vessels six times the tonnage that the river port can If someone mentions Lowestoft or Great Initially, the challenge was how the problems of economic currently handle to be accommodated. This investment will Yarmouth, what springs to mind? Run- and social deprivation resulting from the decline in traditional act as a catalyst for the regeneration of key 1st East areas. The down faded towns, seaside holidays, industries could be addressed. What was realistic in terms town’s seafront has also seen considerable investment with £17 fishing perhaps, or even – where are of attracting developers and investors to an area which had million spent on creating a high quality public realm, as well as they? Located in East Anglia, Lowestoft suffered from a lack of private sector investment for many the £3 million renovation of St George’s Park in the town centre, and Great Yarmouth are the two most years? It was evident that a clear plan was needed that would making a first class environment that people now enjoy rather easterly towns in the UK. They also send a confident message to developers and investors. As most than wanting to dash through. Most recently Great Yarmouth share a rich history, initially based on of the land identified for development was brownfield but had Borough Council has successfully bid for the Government’s the herring industry, then tourism in inappropriate land use designations, a new statutory plan was Sea Change funding to regenerate the Grade 1 listed St George’s Opposite The Edge, a proposed large casino the Victorian and Edwardian eras, and needed. The regeneration areas were therefore designated as Church and the surrounding King Street area of the town. development at Great latterly by the opportunities brought locations for Area Action Plans and 1st East undertook extensive In Lowestoft, public sector partners had the vision to Yarmouth Top Waveney Campus in by the discovery of gas reserves in consultations. As a result, key themes emerged and one was recognise the opportunities that the renewable energy industry Lowestoft including the Southern North Sea. This is a to re-connect the towns to their historic waterfronts, creating presents, and a new £9 million state-of-the-art incubator for Cefas (international common theme in the development vibrant new areas where people could choose to live, work, study renewable energy businesses – OrbisEnergy – opened last year. fisheries research centre) laboratories of the two towns – making the most and visit. Designed to attract start-up companies as well as established and office of opportunities and geography to In Great Yarmouth, these were Bure Harbour Quay, North operators, OrbisEnergy already has become the base for Greater Middle Proposed Bure generate economic prosperity. History Quay and Ice House Quay (areas adjacent to the confluence of the Gabbard Wind Farms Limited, the company building a 140 wind Harbour Quay area, Great Yarmouth, has shown, however, that industries Rivers Yare and Bure), and in Lowestoft, the areas were around turbine farm (generating 504 MW) off the Suffolk coast. This Photograph by come and go, and the towns that prosper Lake Lothing (the large man-made lake that separates north and involves using the outer harbour in Lowestoft as its operational www.zippix.co.uk Bottom OrbisEnergy, are those that are able to grasp new south), around the outer harbour and Britain’s most easterly base for helicopters and vessels to service the wind farm for the a renewable energy opportunities. That is exactly what has landmass, Ness Point. next twenty five years. The company stated that it was attracted incubator built been happening in Lowestoft and Great However the future of the two towns lies not only in bringing by the positive attitudes from the port operators ABP, Waveney at Britain’s most easterly point, Yarmouth. forward appropriate development, but also in the aspirations District Council and 1st East in obtaining planning permissions. Photograph by and attitudes of its young people. A key question during Now 1st East is leading a public/private sector partnership to www.chpv.co.uk The URC consultations was: what do young people in the two towns promote the concept of a PowerPark centred on OrbisEnergy, Recognising that the regeneration of think about the regeneration plans, and what would they like creating a physical cluster of energy-related businesses in one partners, 1st East is bringing forward Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth was to see happen in the future? 1st East, along with EnterpriseGY location, capitalising on the skills developed in servicing the off- plans for a third crossing in each. As not going to be easy, key political and and Enterprise Lowestoft, ran a three-month project to engage shore oil and gas industry over the last forty years. major projects such as bridges are business organisations approached the high schools and sixth form colleges to look at exactly those But for the regeneration of the two towns, it is not all just expensive and the Government has central Government about setting up an questions. about new jobs – it is also about protecting existing jobs, and competing priorities, 1st East will need to Urban Regeneration Company (URC) to 1st East has also been promoting a major public sector project make a comprehensive business case for drive change and attract development COLLABORATION – the Waveney Campus. Cefas (the Centre for Environment, funding such projects. and investment. The URC is a public/ Since the formation of the URC, 1st East had also been working Fisheries & Aquaculture Science), which employs around six Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth are private sector company with a majority with Duncan Berntsen from the University of Greenwich’s hundred people, will be located in the new Waveney Campus used to hard times and at the moment of private sector directors, but public School of Architecture and Construction, where his post- building, together with staff from the District and County are proving resilient - lagging behind sector backing from Norfolk County graduate students had been using Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Councils. Situated on Kirkley Waterfront (on the south side for once rather than leading the Council, Suffolk County Council, Great as part of their case study course work and assignments on of Lake Lothing), this £50 million development will not only current recession. With a large casino Yarmouth Borough Council, the East urban design. It was therefore agreed that students would act as protect jobs, but will also stimulate further regeneration in the licence granted for Great Yarmouth of England Development Agency and mentors for the school and college groups, meaning that students surrounding area. and Lowestoft’s recent win as the ‘Most the national Homes and Communities at all tiers of education were involved, from Year 9 high school Enterprising Place’ in the East of England, Agency. As a result, 1st East was formed students to post-graduates. INFRASTRUCTURE the two towns, although on the edge, are in 2005 with the remit to bring the run- During the project, the local students also visited the Naturally, with new development there is also the need for fighting back. down waterfront brownfield sites within University of Greenwich and the O2, looking at the regeneration better infrastructure, and transport in particular. Both towns, the two towns back into economic use. of Greenwich Peninsula, providing valuable ideas about what coincidentally, have only two river crossings, and so with its Philip Watkins, Chief Executive, 1st East

26 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 27 making and constituted Executive which is part of the funding Scarborough’s Renaissance process and the agreement of this group is needed before any investment can take place. Topic Nick Taylor shows how renaissance is transforming a We have seen several projects delivered already such as Topic community’s culture the Harbour and Sandside area, with designs by LDA and Rob Aspland as the principal designer. This particular project demonstrated community involvement in the design, whereby to be involved in the decision-making process through public over a period of several months, three sessions were held participation. Also with the insistence of Yorkshire Forward, with the stakeholders who informed the design process. the Regional Development Agency, the funding would only be Consequently new seating in the area was designed to look like available if the public was fully involved. The document that a cross between a piece of public art and a practical bench. The initiated all of this activity and attitude was Richard Rogers’ lighting was designed to be able to illuminate the carriageway White Paper in 2000, ‘Our Towns and Cities, Delivering an Urban in white light and the pavement in a blue wash of light. Hard Renaissance’. surfaces are in diamond-cut York stone and the curbs are Yorkshire Forward has a team of architects and urbanists Whinstone, giving a high quality finish and encouraging the who work with all the projects in the region that it is investing private sector investment into the area to be of a similarly high in, helping to achieve the best quality architecture and urban standard. To slow traffic without impeding flows, pavements design. This is done through involvement at various stages: have been widened and the carriageway narrowed, eliminating brief preparation, competition management and judging, bid the nuisance of ‘boy racers’ in the evening, and encouraging preparation, precedent studies, design review and enabling, more foot fall. The unique Rotunda Geological Museum, best practice studies, advice on design implications at value with its significant history has been refurbished and is now a engineering stage, etc. The aim is to be involved at an early national treasure offering educational opportunities, outreach stage and run with the project to provide co-ordination with work and is an excellent way to spend an hour. other projects in the same towns and cities. This approach is unique for an RDA - having a team and by putting great places Added benefits and attractions at the heart of the regional economic strategy; the objective is As a result of the Renaissance programme, other activities have to improve the economy of the region via the establishment of also sprung up, such as the Annual Tourism Awards intended quality architecture and design and sustainable communities. to encourage better quality visitor services throughout the town by celebrating good practice. The introduction of free The public mandate wi-fi around the Harbour is another example, along with As a result of the Council’s decision, there was a Planning Digital Scarborough - an event celebrating and exploring Weekend in April 2002, where over a thousand people attended digital culture and innovative approaches to music, visuals, an event at the Scarborough Spa Complex to give their thoughts website design and development. Other events include over and aspirations for the future of the town. From this there was a thirty dinners where the business community has come clear and compelling public mandate - to deliver a renaissance of together with educationalists and senior public sector people the town. With their help and the support of Yorkshire Forward to work towards bringing inward investment to the town. The Winning the Grand Jury Prize at the and Scarborough Borough Council, many changes have taken business group called the Scarborough Business Association European Commission’s European place. held ‘Question Time’ events at Hull University, Scarborough Enterprise Awards for the most Two particular documents have come from the process - the Campus and also at the Stephen Joseph Theatre for local enterprising place in Europe will go Strategic Development Framework called Kissing Sleeping Beauty, students to quiz senior business leaders from the area on down in Scarborough’s history; especially of which Adriaan Geuze of West 8 in Rotterdam said “some the subject of enterprise and entrepreneurialism. They also as the North Yorkshire town beat the people expect Disney-like investments, new motorways and organised an International Business Forum in 2008 and this cities of Helsinki, Valencia and Liège to a miraculous change in international tourism patterns as the September. The Forum for Tourism has been involved in the title, having been named as the most necessary first step for the Renaissance. But many towns have shaping the tourism strategy for the area and with high-profile enterprising place in Britain. It might not proven that Urban Renaissance is the result of a well defined speakers talking to local people from the industry to improve seem of immediate relevance with the local and collective ambition and a mental change”. The second the quality of the offer in the town, as well as help on a wide credit crunch upon us, but for the rest of document is the Town Charter with a commitment to quality, variety of subjects. Groups such as Creative Coast, who are part this year and, more importantly, further public involvement and sustainability. This was formed from of the Renaissance Town Team, were instrumental in making Opposite Key Projects from the Scarborough Strategic into the future, this will have a very the thoughts and aspirations of those present at the Planning the Woodend Creative Workspace a success in its first year, Development Framework, West 8 positive impact on the town. Weekend, and is still the backbone of the Town Team’s work. with the outstanding designs for this historically sensitive Top The Harbour, Photograph by Simon Miles It was the mental change described above that has had building by Allen Tod architects. Middle Public Realm Strategy, LDA Design Bottom The town centre public realm, Photograph by Yorkshire Forward’s Renaissance the most remarkable effect in Scarborough. Through public The fortunes of the residents of Scarborough’s Trafalgar Simon Miles Scarborough was appointed as one of participation and open involvement in the design and quality of Square have also changed, where they have taken place-making the first wave of ‘renaissance towns’ the projects, the community have responded accordingly. The to their hearts; in dramatically improving the appearance of the There has therefore been a dramatic under Yorkshire Forward’s Renaissance Town Team was established under the leadership of a local and Square, their intention is that if the area looks good, the anti- effect on Scarborough’s fortunes and Towns and Cities Programme launched international businessman Tom Pindar. His guidance in the early social behaviour of some of the transient tenants of the houses appearance. The drive for quality in in 2001, because it was struggling. With years enabled Scarborough Renaissance Partnership to work well of multiple occupancy might improve. This has all been done design has brought a response that has three wards in the top ten percent on the and comprehensively. Latterly the chairmanship has been passed by the residents, with help and support from the Renaissance overflowed into the life of the community, National Index of Multiple Deprivation, to Tony Peers, a national figure in theatrical productions, who project, and they are making good progress. encouraging groups who now look after there were significant problems with has continued the process with new vigour. the parks, residents who care for those the town’s image, and business yields An enlightened place less well off, and businesses that help and were far behind other towns and cities in The delivery team John Thompson of JTP Ltd who was commissioned encourage enterprise. Urbanism and the Yorkshire and the rest of the country. Underpinning the Town Team are eight Action Groups; via Yorkshire Forward’s Panel to lead the community art of place-making have genuinely driven Scarborough Borough Council’s sometimes referred to as the engine room of the activity, they masterplanning work with West 8, and establishing the town this culture of enterprise and the striving Leader at the time, Eileen Bosomworth cover subject areas such as Urban Space, Tourism, Business, Arts team, described Scarborough as a true example of renaissance. for a better place to live and work. and the Chief Executive, John Trebble & Culture, the Creative Industries, Transport and the Harbour As in the original Italian Renaissance, it is about people and took a bold step in allowing a new type of area. All of these groups meet monthly and are open to any how they have been at the heart of the plans from the very Nick Taylor, Renaissance Manager, Scarborough’s democracy to begin with the community member of the general public to attend. There is also a decision- beginning with a vision, harnessed with good leadership. Renaissance

28 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 29 powered craft, ballgames, joggers, walkers, picnickers and Weston-super-Mare – sunbathers. The huge tidal range of the Severn Estuary means that the sea disappears from sight at low tide (although you can Topic prosperous and welcoming still hear it roaring around Brean Down rocks) and races in to Topic the top of the old sea wall at spring high tides. In the past, it has Marian Barber describes the town’s places also raced over that sea wall and flooded parts of the town, but a brand new sea defence is being constructed to protect the town against the climate change predictions for storms and rises in sea Weston’s fortunes have broadly followed the same pattern as levels. many other British seaside towns growing up in the Victorian Weston Seafront Enhancements is a £30 million scheme that demand for healthy sea air, thriving in the 1940s and 1950s post- provides more than just a sea defence. A simple defence would war years, and declining following the rise of cheap package be rock armour – the huge pieces of concrete shaped like jacks holidays. Weston had its High Street ‘makeover’ in the late from the children’s game – but that would not be an attractive 1980s, but struggled when nearby RAF Locking camp and the option for Weston’s fabulous beach. As DEFRA are contributing aircraft industry closed down, resulting in the loss of skilled the majority of the funding, it recognised the importance of and high-value jobs. These circumstances have inevitably the amenity value of the promenade and the beach, and agreed impacted upon the quality of the built environment with low to considerably upgrade the design and finishes. Weston’s sea levels of investment, maintenance and refurbishment of historic defence will be a robust engineering solution to be built by Birse buildings, leading to an erosion of Weston’s townscape. The Coastal, but public art has been incorporated into every aspect of deteriorating condition of many buildings further perpetuated engineers Royal Haskoning’s design, most notably by the artist the downward spiral of decay by discouraging inward John Maine RA. investment, whilst also adversely impacting on the living conditions of occupiers and users. STIMULATING DEVELOPMENT As the regeneration strategy for Weston-super-Mare is to PHASED GROWTH stimulate development in the town centre and its urban The ongoing regeneration strategy for Weston-super-Mare is to extension, the aim is to create a vital and vibrant town that is stimulate retail, leisure and residential development in the town thriving, interesting and attractive. Private sector involvement centre with 3,000 homes, and to ensure that the town’s urban and investment is therefore crucial to Weston’s success. Urban extension of 9,000 homes in the Weston Regeneration Area Splash now own Birnbeck Pier and Island; Levitate were the (focused on the former Weston Airfield and RAF Locking sites) is architects chosen to work up plans for a hotel and leisure high-quality, sustainable and employment-led. North Somerset experience, although the timetable for this project is uncertain. Council is committed to driving the phased growth in Weston, The owners of the closed Royal Pier Hotel close to Birnbeck ensuring that it progresses and provides social, environmental are currently working through the challenge of designing a and economic infrastructure and benefits at every stage. new hotel/apartment scheme in a Conservation Area and on In 2004 the Council matched its capital budget to Heritage a restricted site in front of an important viewpoint. The most Lottery Funding in order to delivery a three-year Townscape visible scheme at present is the rebirth of the Grand Pier, whose Heritage Initiative (THI). The THI delivered a £2 million scheme 1930s listed superstructure burned to twisted metal in 2008. to restore and renovate historic buildings of architectural Within weeks of the fire, the owners had held a competition and interest in parts of Weston-super-Mare. Over fifty properties were chosen the design outlined by Angus Meek Architects. In essence improved, with owners receiving up to seventy per cent of the the outline echoes the old pavilion, with towers to the front, but cost of approved works. the structure is larger and will encompass a wider range of pier- What should a twenty-first century related activities, as well as conference and restaurant facilities. seaside town offer? Sea is essential, PUBLIC REALM Exciting rides are planned to stimulate the sense of seaside but what else? The donkeys, sand, The South West of England Regional Development Agency adventure. deck chairs, theatre, funfair, casino, (SWERDA) granted £5 million to the Weston Civic Pride Pier Square, the last of the Weston Civic Pride Initiative marina, market, shopping mall – are Initiative (WCPI). This was a five-year programme of projects schemes, is currently two traffic islands and a fountain. any of these essential? Brighton has with a total value of around £11 million, whose purpose was to Originally the project was to realign the traffic in order to create The Lanes, a specialist shopping stimulate economic regeneration by upgrading the public realm. a pedestrian space as a blank canvas for future inspirational experience, Lynmouth has a funicular The WCPI was based on ‘connecting spaces, places and people’ design. However, the closure of the Grand Pier in July 2008 and a distinctive Victorian flavour, and - in other words, the urban design framework for Weston-super- caused a rethink and the project is now much more focused upon Scarborough may not be well-known Mare. ensuring enhanced activity in the space. The project area is huge yet for its entrepreneurs, but it won The first project to be completed was Big Lamp Corner. The and the £4 million budget will be thinly stretched. the Grand Jury prize in the European first phase created a high-quality, distinct public space at a key In its regeneration activities, North Somerset Council makes Enterprise Awards this year. pedestrian and public transport interchange, linking the town good use of the South West Urban Design Panel taking its own The look and the feel of a place are centre and seafront. For the second phase, a stakeholder panel schemes through this scrutiny process, and encourages other as important as the activities there. The ran a competition to secure public art for the space. The brief major developers to do the same. The Panel’s comments and architecture, built environment and was for an artwork that would be iconic, draw people from the advice have been very useful to all parties and have helped us to public spaces each conspire to give a promenade into the town centre, add to the legibility of the town articulate the vision for Weston-super-Mare more distinctly. town its character, ambience and identity. by day and night, and symbolise the reinvigoration of the town. Many buildings in Weston-super-Mare ‘Silica’ was chosen, the brainchild of the landscape architects Marian Barber, Head of Economy and Regeneration, North Somerset Council were designed by the celebrated Victorian and designers Wolfgang and Heron, and is a unique and iconic architect Hans Price and remain highly multi-purpose artwork, and as with all great works of art, it is recognisable, including the toll house controversial. Its surface material recalls the texture and form Opposite Silica, at Big Lamp Corner by artists Wolfgang & Heron and pier-head buildings at Birnbeck Pier. of the sandy beach that is a short distance away; its many glass Top Wave curve seats designed by John Maine RA , as This Grade II* listed pier is unique, and bulbs glint in the sun or reflect the grey of the clouds, mimicking part of Weston’s seafront enhancements, Photograph designed by Eugenius Birch, it is the the shimmer of the sea and the pools left by the retreating tide. by Luck Associates Middle Weston Seafront Enhancements, grille designed only pier in the country that links the Weston has a stunning sandy beach that is long and wide by John Maine, Photograph by Birse Coastal mainland to an island. enough for separate areas for donkey rides, dog walking, wind- Bottom Concept Plan for Pier Square, by Halcrow

30 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 31 Complex Land Ownership and Assembly life and place attracts residents and investors, Coastal Towns: Issues, Solutions Many coastal towns have evolved over a long period of time, with seeking a more benign environment to raise complex and fragmented land ownerships, making assembling children or a place to step off the treadmill. Topic and Lessons significant packages of land for redevelopment a challenge. The appeal of place can attract a more Topic Whether re-establishing infrastructure, taking sites to the market diverse residential population, and become Chris Hall reviews the challenges facing many places and or dealing with environmental issues, this fragmentation is an the basis for inward investment or organic communities obstacle to progress. growth. Many traditional seaside towns originally invested in the public realm with promenades, gardens, squares and shopping potentially global links, these immediate service areas are more Common Solutions and entertainment streets; many have now constrained. A worst case scenario can be the loss of businesses invested in refurbishments of the traditional moving closer to national markets elsewhere, a declining Diversifying Economies stock or boldly invested in new elements, shopping offer, a weakened ability to attract skilled workers and a For our part, we advocate a diversification of economies; and Ryde on the Isle of Wight, Clacton Town narrowing housing market. re-establishing or strengthening manufacturing lost in recent Centre, and Blackpool are leading with this years, and finding hidden clusters - Eastbourne as the capital of approach. Distance from City Regions the pumping industry is one such example. This is a high-tech Many coastal communities face significant travel times to city- advanced manufacturing cluster of multiple firms, built on a regions - the drivers of the UK economy - placing communities history of manufacturing specialisation with an international Taking the long view means outside mainstream regional economic trends. The high-speed export market. Although focused on cities, the growth of rail link from Ashford in Kent to London St. Pancras has only business and financial service sectors can also stabilise town an emphasis on quality... recently made rail times from Dover and Folkestone to London centres and populate business and office parks. Many coastal faster than those from York. This can limit residential investment communities look to the creative industries sector, mirroring whether in the public realm, in communities beyond the commuter halo of their nearest big Richard Florida’s concepts of a creative community being the buildings, employment cities. driver of economic growth. This work draws on case studies of cities with a strong university sector, cultural institutions, or housing development Decline of UK Seaside Tourism a local high-tech cluster and financial services as a foundation Despite the recession fashion for UK ‘staycations’, the long-term for the creative sector, and Brighton’s success in this area has trends for the UK seaside holiday have been downwards since been inspiring. The coastal town as a retreat for metropolitans, Promoting Higher Education the 1970s, and many of our seaside resorts have struggled since, bohemians and now increasingly for remote-working Investment in higher education is an particularly those that were already the budget option before professionals has also boosted this concept, leading to many important theme. Raising local skills, adding then. The result is a smaller local employment base, lower wages, seeking a creative quarter in their master plans. to employment, supporting high tech and declining hotel stock and ailing visitor facilities. creative sectors, this is often an opportunity Regional Destinations and Mainstream Town Centres to create a new landmark building, as Maritime, Defence and Manufacturing Decline There is a strong emphasis on retail and leisure as a component Southend-on-Sea has done over recent years. Many coastal communities have also often relied on maritime and of coastal town regeneration. This overlaps with a general desire Investment in high quality public buildings related defence industries and their skilled employment. Over the to upgrade town centres, revamp retail and add higher density can also act as a catalyst for transformation, last generation these industries have shrunk, been consolidated housing. A number of communities are looking at repositioning particularly where there are market failures and reorganised. This has left vacant facilities, under-used land their town centres to be more mainstream, acting as destinations and the private sector is unwilling to take and a weakened local economic base. and competing with other regional centres. Clacton’s recent the first step. The public sector can use its Many coastal communities have also had a strong manufacturing revamp of its public realm and new retail shop-fronts is an commissioning of a significant new civic role, which declined along with the overall decline of example of this. building to establish a base for design quality, manufacturing in the UK, effecting communities in the South to be extended elsewhere. East as much as the North East and North West regions, and Tourism Offer lowering the skill base among long-term residents. Tourism will continue to have a role for many communities as Looking to the Future Top and Above Scenes from Eastbourne’s seafront and town centre part of a more diverse offer. People are growing tired of the flying Whatever specific approach is adopted, the A Dependent Population abroad for the weekend - just because they can – and there is a most important lessons that coastal towns The United Kingdom’s coastal towns Coastal communities are popular retirement destinations, with marked resurgence in staycations, particularly for families with must address are to take a long view on are as varied as its coastline, and their populations of higher average ages and lower economic activity children. While this may be recession-driven, a package trip to change, as well as seeking short-term wins. origins lie in ancient fishing villages, rates. Combined with lower skills among younger residents, this Malaga is often cheaper than a week at a British seaside resort, In today’s economic environment, there medieval harbours, ports of the Industrial can lead to high levels of dependency, and the use of hotel stock and so their choices are about convenience and quality. is tremendous uncertainty and insecurity, Revolution and the almost unique desire as temporary housing for vulnerable people can pose additional and a perception that both private and of among generations of the modern era to symbolic, perceptual and real problems. Concentrations of New Residential Role public investment will be constrained for sit by the sea on sand or pebbles, sunshine deprivation are a common feature in coastal communities across Residential development can play a key role in meeting housing three to five years. In that time, places must optional. Among the challenges that these all regions. targets set by Regional Spatial Strategies – particularly where keep planning, designing, consulting and communities now face, there are some there are brownfield land or employment growth centres locally assembling land. Establishing a direction common themes and lessons to share. Integrating the Historic and the Contemporary or regionally. Some towns see this as an opportunity to move and assembling the political will to deliver Heritage assets are great advantages, with grand hotels, ballrooms, beyond Victoriana and the New Town era overspill estate to offer it means that communities will be ready townhouses, piers, promenades or gardens signifying a by-gone a new generation of housing and a contemporary architecture, when the economy strengthens. Taking Common issues age or exemplifying a style. However, these may be concentrated of which Hastings Millennium Community is a good example. the long view also means an emphasis on along the seafront, while one block back is where the towns are Forward-looking architecture can be married to a need for more quality, so that whatever investment is made, 180 Degrees often most challenged. Incorporating contemporary architecture balanced family and mid-market housing (rather than weekend whether in the public realm, buildings, new Coastal towns have a 180 degree and urban design into historic environments is a challenge. flats and the retirement bungalow market). This can raise their developments, employment or housing catchment area, and this is challenging as Local indecision, a cautious approach, and a lack of funding appeal for aspirational younger households who already look to development, a focus on quality is the best these towns have half the area to draw a can be barriers to changing buildings and facilities that do not coastal communities for a higher quality of life and place. long-term investment. business customer, retail consumer base meet contemporary needs. A combination of older populations, and labour market from, when compared newly retired migrants, who chose the town for how it is today, a Valuing the Quality of Place Chris Hall, Director, GVA Grimley to their in-land cousins. While port commitment to preservation, and political leadership reflecting Many of our coastal communities sit on stunning coastlines with communities have the unique benefits of these concerns can stymie progress and forward movement. beautiful countryside hinterlands. A strong interest in quality of

32 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 33 A reas revisi t ie d A reas revisi t ie d

Opposite Ashford’s Elwick Square Top row The new ring road, Elwick Road, Elwick Square Ashford revisited Bottom row West Street, Forge Street, Elwick Road Sebastian Loew visits the town centre’s new shared spaces

It used to be said about Brazil that it was a country that always had not what it could have been, particularly in view of the charm that to see the space on a Saturday or during the rush hour. The lack Finally at the end of Forge Street, a much better junction has replaced a great future. Revisiting Ashford, a town which has been much in can still be found in the town centre. Now the one-way system has of pedestrians in the space can be easily explained - the lack of what used to be a terrible spot; the pedestrianised High Street can be the news recently, brings a similar thought to mind. But whilst in gone, if not the physical road, but this has been tamed at least. It no frontages on the western side, and Elwick Square’s relationship to the joined at this point. the case of Brazil, the future seems to have arrived, Ashford may longer seems impossible to cross it; psychologically the experience is entrance of the new County Square with Debenhams on the front. So back to the future: in spite of certain misgivings, Ashford have to wait a bit longer. different. This is a traditional shopping mall, which at the other end joins Borough Council and Kent County Council should be congratulated First impressions count: the sight facing the visitor emerging As you walk along Elwick Road from the station, the changes the High Street. The people are inside walking along the mall, and for having had the foresight and the courage (against some vicious from the station is not the most welcoming, although some work is are gradual: you first notice a 20 mile per hour speed limit, wide while they do have to get there somehow, it also has underground opposition) to implement this scheme. Their approach is similar to taking place at the moment and there may be improvements when footpaths, changes in road surfaces and the lighting system. New parking, so they may not have walked there at all. Therefore even that of public authorities on the Continent where the public space these are finished. Designers note: it is not the station building that lamp posts and trees emphasise the vertical aspect of the space, and though Elwick Square is at the junction of the former ring road and and infrastructure are provided first, without waiting for the adjacent you see when you arrive but the space in front of it! One positive the elimination of double yellow lines reduce its linearity (although a pedestrian bridge that links over the railway lines to the south developments but knowing that it will attract them. What needs to aspect is the large number of bicycles parked in the forecourt of the grey granite bands still follow the line of the kerb). The atmosphere western districts of Ashford, it needs far more active frontages to happen now is that developers see the advantages of building along station, a huge increase since the last visit and a possible indication is that of a good road in a leafy suburb. Sadly, to the left, the feeling become a real place. It is to be regretted that the County Square the road and around Elwick Square. With the projected growth of the of locals moving away from total car dependency. While the location changes and the heart sinks! The whole of the western side of the development is not a real square and that the shops are not around town – the population of 55,000 is supposed to double in the next 25 of the station is not something that the Borough Council can road is a series of vacant lots, beyond which are the railway tracks, and facing the square, instead of being inside the mall. No doubt the years with 31,000 new jobs created by 2031, this should be feasible. easily change, it is possible to improve its public realm and give an there is nothing there. Elwick Road only has frontages on its eastern developers would not have considered it, even if Ashford’s planners The councils should then be able to recover their investment, but indication of where the town centre is from it. side and unfortunately many of these are set back, and the space had requested it. unfortunately this is unlikely to happen during the recession, and About 100m up a steep road, the visitor arrives at the edge of between buildings and the road is occupied by car parks. A little further along Elwick Road, a slight drop in standards give therefore it will be sometime in the future. the town centre where the ring road used to be. And that is the first A bit further north, we reach Elwick Square, the main shared space the false impression that the scheme ends here. There is obviously The high speed link to St. Pancras which is to start a regular service surprise: Station Road was an example of what not to do. For years, I of the scheme. A new change in the road surface and the white bands a design problem at this point (as revealed by temporary diversion this summer could provide another stimulus to Ashford’s success in have shown a slide to students of a forlorn pedestrian there, trapped of a zebra crossing (which in theory should not be needed) announce blocks) that needs to be resolved. Fortunately the tamed Elwick Road attracting investment. But this should not be taken for granted and between a brick wall and railings, next to fast moving traffic - but the status of the space. The quality of the design and detailing are then continues as a somewhat complicated divided road to end up at the abundance of parking in the town should be a cause of concern: no longer. The railings have gone and the one-way ring road is now obviously high and the area can compete well with similar places on the intersection with West Street, in a roundabout with an intriguing will people from the surrounding areas just drive into Ashford, leave a two-way road, far from perfect but a definite improvement. The the Continent. The bike stands, bins, lamp posts, road surfaces are all sculpture at its fulcrum. Whether this is a shared space is not entirely their car and take the train to London, or will they stop and spend junction where Elwick Road meets Station Road is better, but is still remarkable, and accessibility-for-all has obviously been taken into clear to either pedestrians or drivers, but this may become clearer money in the town? Will the train bring people to Ashford or draw not pedestrian-friendly; there is an alternative way of getting to the account in the design of surfaces. The engineers have even had the with time. A new housing development is being built here and should them away? town centre via an underpass, but more needs to be done to make foresight to provide trenches under the road for the future provision make it more meaningful. Of course Ashford’s plans are not just about the town centre. A the arrival experience a pleasant one. of high speed broadband cabling; no need therefore to break up The next section of the former ring road along West and Forge number of schemes in the surroundings are under way: the notorious Ashford hit the news so much recently because of its new shared the surface every time a new service is needed. Some fairly subtle Streets has been transformed into a kind of boulevard with one-way 1960s Stanhope Estate is being transformed; developments along space scheme designed by Whitelaw Turkington, leading to and artwork, including sound, refers to the cattle market that used to be carriageways on either side of a central landscaped reservation. Once Victoria Road; a number of new housing schemes; a new park and ride around Elwick Square, so that is the main place to check out. Elwick on the vacant lots. again the detailing and landscape are of a very high standard, but I scheme and new schools are all on the cards and quite a few have Road was part of the one-way ring road, the equivalent at a smaller So far, so very good. But mid-morning in mid-July, with decent wonder whether, in spite of its attractive street furniture, the public planning permission, but they are not here yet. The aptly named local scale, to Birmingham’s concrete collar. It totally isolated Ashford weather, where were the people? Unfortunately there were very few will use this island ‘pocket park’ with traffic passing on both sides. development vehicle Ashford’s Future, now presided over by Judith town centre from its surroundings, made it difficult for locals to visit sharing the space; to capture a view with pedestrians I had to wait a Might it not have been better to widen the footway on one side of the Armitt, still has a lot of work to do before it becomes Ashford’s Present. it on foot, but very easy for motorists to bypass it without bothering while; but then there were few cars too although the speed limit was road and leave a two-way carriageway on the other side? Furthermore, to stop there. As a result the shopping experience in Ashford was being respected by most, if not all drivers. It would be interesting as on Elwick Street more active uses are needed to animate the space. Sebastian Loew

34 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 35 A reas revisi t ie d A reas revisi t ie d

Above The different waves of development related to market-led, The Isle of Dogs Revisited state-led, plan-based and opportunity-based models of planning Matthew Carmona catches up with the regeneration story

Not the whole story devoid of vision. The only attempt to impose order came through the alongside a second phase on Heron Quays. During this period both for London alongside the Local Development Framework Core Strategy The tale of London’s Docklands from the 1970s to the property crash commissioning of the townscape-inspired Isle of Dogs Development the urban design and the architecture matured, becoming less for lacking any meaningful spatial vision. of the early 1990s is a tale told and retold many times. Despite this, and Design Guide from (amongst others) Gordon Cullen. The result was introverted and formal, and more international and corporate. A Yet this has been a period of huge development on the Island, surprisingly little has been written about the area since, and how it has quickly dismissed as ‘preposterously aesthetic’, whilst the exercise was real place began to emerge, albeit still largely disconnected from its during which a better mix of uses has been achieved as high-rise faired in the New Labour era. This article brings the story of the Isle of undermined by an absence of belief in the plan, which, as a result, was immediate hinterland. But although the LDDC began to apply the residential mega-schemes appear in the Millennium Quarter. Permissions Dogs up-to-date, and derives from a detailed review of the twelve key sidelined. Nevertheless the state (in the guise of the LDDC) was active, design-led lessons from Canary Wharf to other parts of the Docklands, for these and equally massive commercial developments in and around plans that sought to guide change over the thirty five years and four using marketing guides, hype, direct public realm investment, and fiscal they continued to pursue a hands-off marketing-led strategy in the Canary Wharf are being delivered with major planning gain packages development waves of the area’s regeneration. To help to interpret the incentives to drive the development agenda. This period can therefore be remainder of the Isle of Dogs, with sites marketed as isolated enclave attached. Through the auspices of the IDCF, these are supplementing diversity of planning models used in this small part of London, each characterised as state-led but opportunity-based, but the results were development opportunities. further direct public sector funding (e.g. £3.1 million SRB funding) to development wave is viewed through a framework constituting two fragmentedly suburban and roundly criticised as ‘an architectural zoo’. By 1998 when the LDDC was wound up, the regeneration had deliver a range of social regeneration benefits. separate but related continua - from Market-led to State-led, and Plan- delivered 849 hectares of developable land, 75,485 jobs, 24,300 With a huge pipeline of projects on the horizon, the potential to based to Opportunity-based modes of planning. Wave Two – 1985-1991 new homes, including 6,000 for social housing with a further 8,000 overcome the still obvious physical fragmentation of the Island is With the arrival of Canary Wharf (10 million sq ft of commercial offices council units refurbished. £8.7 billion of private investment had been also finally here, although with the danger of perpetuating a network Prelude 1973-1981 and ancillary uses) everything changed. Design was seen for the first levered in by £2 billion from the LDDC and £2 billion in transport of private or pseudo-private landscapes. The period nevertheless Serious attempts at regenerating Docklands began in 1971 when the time not as a barrier to innovation and a cost, but as a means to infrastructure. But research commissioned by the Isle of Dogs demonstrates a pragmatic planning that is balancing state and market Conservative government commissioned private consultants to develop establish a marketable sense of place. The urban yet starkly private Community Foundation (IDCF) concluded that the Island remained agendas, informed by plan and opportunity combined. options for the then largely redundant post-industrial landscape. vision that resulted was fixed within a detailed masterplan and series an island of two halves, with advantage, wealth and great liveability Reacting strongly to what was seen as an attempt to impose national of design codes designed to contrast dramatically with the surroundings sitting side-by-side with exclusion, alienation and squalor. Despite Too soon to judge and private sector solutions on local and public problems (a foretaste – economically, physically and socially. Yet the area remained this, when the London Borough of Town Hamlets (LBTH) took over In essence this has been a regeneration story born of private of what was to come), the subsequent Labour administration placed marginal, not least because of its almost non-existent public transport from the LDDC, they initially continued the same incrementalist initiative and public subsidy, that once established has only control in the hands of a public / community partnership – the infrastructure. History shows how Olympia & York over-stretched approach to development. This third wave can be categorised as a gradually incorporated a more proactive, if still hesitant, public sector Docklands Joint Committee (DJC). Despite the successful completion of themselves and when faced with a major economic downturn, were market-led process guided by opportunity rather than plan-making. contribution to planning its future. Thus the public sector plans that the London Docklands Strategic Plan in 1976 (the only pan-Docklands unable to let enough space to service their spiralling debts, going under Thus the Canary Wharf masterplan was rapidly re-caste in the light of have been produced have largely been ineffective as the means to plan ever formally adopted), the period was marked by inaction and in 1992. If the scheme marked a continuation of the lack of interest the new market context, whilst LBTH’s 1998 adopted plan represented establish a clear vision, and have only become effective when the failure, with the general economic climate restricting both public sector shown by the LDDC for social and community concerns, it demonstrated little more than a borough-wide development control manual. lessons of the private sector have been learnt. These lessons are that funds and private sector interest. The latter was also limited by the the importance of the certainly that goes with a robust plan. Without in England today for planning to succeed, it requires: a clear physical plan’s innate opposition to private investment, and support (almost such a plan in place, the market sought to create one, and so the period Wave Four – 2002 onwards vision to guide economic and social objectives; sustained commitment exclusively) for new public housing and industrial regeneration. The can be characterised as plan-based, market-led; a new and important The fourth wave saw urban renaissance ideas beginning to influence to its delivery; and, private sector buy-in and resources. failure of the DJC was in part a failure to understand that times were departure for the UK development industry. the area through the new London Plan where intensification and We may yet have a well-shaped and cohesive part of the city with changing, and that local government would no longer have the same the pursuit of better design were significant themes. The permissive a part to play beyond the obvious economic role that it currently powerful role (or resources) that it had in the past. Using the analytical Wave Three – 1991-2002 approach to commercial and residential development that this performs. The high cost of office space in London, the massive framework, the period can be classified as plan-based and state-led. At this time the public sector stepped in with increasing amounts of cash ushered in, alongside sustained economic growth from the mid- planned expansions still on site or on the drawing board (despite the to belatedly put in place the infrastructure required to give the area a 1990s onwards, marked a period of major development proposals recession), and the new determination of the public sector to shape this Wave One – 1981-1985 viable long-term future. This had been envisaged since the various 1970s spreading beyond the Canary Wharf estate, to areas in the centre development more positively, all bode well. From 1981-1985, a dogmatic preference for public sector solutions plans, but was still largely absent. The extension of the Docklands Light of the Island (the Millennium Quarter). In time these developments But planning of this type needs one more thing to succeed - a gave way to private solutions, spearheaded by the designation of Railway to Bank and later the building of the Jubilee Line extension look set to gradually sweep away the Wave One suburban business buoyant economy. In a more uncertain global economic climate, one in the Enterprise Zone on the Isle of Dogs and the establishment of the (opened in 1999) were catalytic and this, as much as the recovering park developments there. A sequence of plans from LBTH latterly which commentators such as George Soros have argued that the super- London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) to take control fortunes of the markets, led to the gradual re-emergence from the mid- attempted to give some structure to this area and the Island as a boom of the last sixty years is at an end, all future plans are in doubt. of the wider Docklands regeneration. This first wave of development 1990s onwards of Canary Wharf under new owners, Canary Wharf Group. whole. These included the Millennium Quarter Masterplan that has In regeneration of this scale, thirty five years is just too soon to judge. was characterised by a design and development free-for-all, with Critics who had rashly written off the Isle of Dogs were proven been partially successful. However, the Isle of Dogs Area Action Plan the LDDC largely unaware of the area’s potential and almost entirely incorrect as the original masterplan (with some revisions) was completed looks likely to fail, having been thrown out by the Government Office For a detailed review, see http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.progress.2008.10.001.

36 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 37 The Public Chance Turning a town around, a proactive approach to urban design Aurora Fernández Per and Javier Arpa, A+t ediciones, 2008 £69 Tony Hall, 2007, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Oxford, £47.50

The book is lavishly illustrated geographical coverage of the book its Beacon Status for the Quality of the need for strategic political support is and the amount of text is limited, but is wide though not universal, with Built Environment. The book is a useful explained, along with worked examples it is there for a specific purpose and schemes from Australia to Turkey, many exemplar for those in local government, for urban designers, whether to guide cleverly utilised. So for instance on from Spain and the US, but none from practice and education, setting out how a lone inexperienced resource, or to a spread of two pages there are ten the UK. Some are of a very large scale to deliver better quality places, based on influence others. These examples ‘opportunities’ for the sites and ten and a reminder, in these suddenly direct and shared experiences. As Hall show existing sites, urban design book revie w s book revie w s for the public; this is presented in austere times, of what grand vision states, Chelmsford is not, or at least, was analyses, frameworks, master plans a simple and attractive manner and and public investment can do to a city. not an unusual place, and the lessons and photographs of schemes. While the makes the points effectively. Equally These public spaces will outlive most learned could be applied anywhere. aesthetic of some of the housing may the twenty strategies that the authors of the current decision-makers and the The excellent introduction, capturing not be cutting-edge, it is evident that have distilled from the schemes are financial crisis, and will be a legacy for the problems of standardised housing, these places will be successful for many summarised in few words and many future generations. should be on reading lists for all in the generations of residents. illustrations. This is not a cheap book but it development industry. Hall follows this Perhaps Chelmsford’s fundamental All of the necessary information could be a very useful reference for with a clear structure outlining a two distinguishing feature that Hall for each of the schemes is given. In potential clients and practitioners ISBN 978 1 4051 7023 9 strand approach: a physically based undersells is its professional planner who ISBN 078 84 612 4488 1 addition a page of ‘layers’ introduces looking for inspiration and reassurance spatial strategy, and then detailed became an enlightened councillor and each project and these are: activities, of what is possible. The title seems In writing this practical book, Tony prescriptive guidance for sites, to set out champion, backing a team of five urban rooms, routes, buildings, vegetation carefully chosen: these new urban Hall has put many professionals to expectations and transform proposals design officers, when many authorities This super-size and bi-lingual (Spanish- and where appropriate, water. These landscapes give the public a chance. shame. Unlike many who see critical through proactive negotiation. He also had none. However this book should English) book is a collection of 36 are accompanied by diagrams at the Finally the book allows us to evaluate changes in how the quality of the tackles the organisational changes provide great encouragement for anyone public spaces realised in the past few same scale to show how these layers what good urban design has achieved built environment is secured, he has needed to make this process work in local government to effect change, as years, almost entirely on brown field interrelate. There are always layout in the recent past and as such gives conscientiously charted and explained between departments and within a it is easy to judge its authenticity and sites. They are grouped thematically plans, frequently an aerial photograph a seal of approval to the professions both the context and processes for how hierarchy, and gives eleven proactive adopt a similar strategy for the pursuit depending on their location: Peripheral and several images that give a good involved. Chelmsford has been ‘turned around’ in attitudes and tools that need to be of quality. voids, Waterfronts, Industrial areas and idea of what the scheme is about and the period from 1996 to 2003, leading to adopted (p12). This is a primer in local Infrastructures. how it relates to its surroundings. The Sebastian Loew Chelmsford Borough Council’s achieving authority best practice, whereby the Louise Thomas

Cities People Planet Herbert Girardet, Wiley 2008, £19.99 The Human City, Kings Cross Central 03 Ed N Rappaport, G Knight, A Taylor, Yale School of Architecture 2008, $30 includes London, has pledged an energy are of particular importance in fast efficiency building retrofit programme urbanising and industrialising countries. Porphyrios’ vision of human cities – to no common language or structure (can as cities can mobilise construction Girardet mentions Dongtan in Shanghai encourage conviviality, a sense of scale every site really be a gateway?). As one companies and building specialists to for which he was a consultant. However, and proportion and are marked by a project reviewer asked of a student, were invest in retrofitting their own stock, Dongtan has raised much criticism, with sense of place - contrasts with inhuman you designing a building or were you with incentives for local initiatives, and perceptions of it as a privileged suburb cities which are ‘calculated on efficiency designing a street? The second phase sharing successful results. The European on an ecological island crossed by a and profit’ and with no interest in the of the studio included students working Climate Alliance includes 1,400 cities motorway to link settlements on the other common good. in small teams on neighbourhood areas which have pledged to cut CO2 emissions side of the Yangtze Delta. Nevertheless, However the book does not reveal much to bring greater coherence. The results by 10% every five years, and twenty Arup’s masterplan incorporates all known about the Kings Cross masterplan, its are mixed, revealing a transatlantic European countries participate in the ecological technologies to create a zero- content, evolution, the uses of the divergence on the merits of a larger ‘Energie-Cities’ network promoting local emission ecocity, including urban farming retained historic buildings and how proportion of quieter buildings and a action and policies using environmental which is widely practised in China. it proposes to meet the challenge of discussion of how design codes can be budgeting. Girardet makes a pertinent argument integrating such a huge project with the used within masterplanning. ISBN 978 0 470 77270 6 In Germany, local energy generation that designing for reducing energy, waste wider city. The book is also not impartial The book is not written to be accessible such as CHP, solar and photovoltaic and water consumption will make cities ISBN 978 0 393 73247 4 and celebrates Kings Cross Central for to a wide audience e.g. the Kings In this second and expanded edition of panels is widespread. Heidelberg, for and villages more liveable, the latter the anticipated pedestrian priority, Cross masterplan strategy ‘fostered a his earlier 2004 book, Herbert Girardet example, has reduced its CO2 emissions possibly benefiting from ecotourism. This book outlines Yale University’s public realm, meaning, life and activity; paradigmatic approach to collaborative writes about the interdependence by 30% since 1993, and other greenhouse He shows the unsustainable ecological architectural students design studio certainly the quality of the public spaces design based on specific theoretical between globalisation, ecological issues gases, waste and use of drinking water. footprint of London - 293 times its own as they interpret the possibilities of along Regent’s Canal, new squares, green aspirations’, and this is not a book to and urban development, with a new Woking reduced its energy consumption footprint - and cites historic examples of the masterplan for Kings Cross Central park, and the leisure destination of the explain the whole Kings Cross Central chapter on cities in the age of climate by 49% in 2002-4, and its CO2 emissions cities which were prosperous, convivial - the 67 acre development adjacent Coal Drop Yards promise a remarkable development. Nonetheless, I found it change. Other chapters are: creating by 18%. Girardet shows how these and environmentally sustainable to St Pancras Station and the Channel new quarter for London. However it does an enjoyable read and a beautifully liveable cities, cities as eco-technical measures impact on architecture and confirming the benefits of limiting Tunnel Rail Link - reputedly the largest leave one wondering if the international illustrated book, which revealed an systems and solar cities. His reflections urban design, including contradictions urban growth. He is convinced that development in London for 150 years. city scale of parts of Kings Cross Central encouraging awareness of urban design on zero-waste and transport are useful between broad strategies like compact converging economic and environmental The book begins conversationally as will actually feel quite so human. principles in such an important project and he advocates better ‘future-proofing’ cities, their possible adverse effect of sustainability with increased public Roger Madelin of the developer Argent, The majority of the book outlines and emphasised the need for team- for existing cities by mimicking natural creating heat islands, and the need for participation will improve urban life and the architect Demetri Porphyrios the students’ design studio, firstly as working and masterplans to provide clear zero-waste ecosystems. more daylight and sunlight for ecological overall. discuss their aspirations for urban design they worked individually – a process design direction. The Clinton Foundation’s Large buildings. and architecture, and highlight the which almost inevitably leads to an Cities Climate Leadership Group, which Measures to reduce CO2 emissions Judith Ryser value of a good working partnership. architectural zoo with many ideas and Tim Hagyard

38 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 39 Empowering Metropolitan Regions Through New Forms of Palladio’s Children Cooperation NJ Habraken, edited by J Teicher, Taylor and Francis 2005 £23.99 Alexander Otgaar, Leo van den Berg, Jan van der Meer, Carolien Speller Euricur Series, Ashgate 2008, £60 in Palladio’s work a familiar attitude to experience the context of a building, making architecture that we share. We where readers do not. Furthermore, the Decoding New Regionalism still view ourselves much in the way he ordinary buildings and urban fabric ‘has Shifting Socio-Political Contexts in Central Europe and Latin may have seen himself’ (p6). remained obscure or self evident and America Palladio was the first architect to this has led to the emancipation and James W. Scott (Ed), Urban and Regional Planning and Development Series, Ashgate 2009, £60 publish his own works in his own the isolation of an entire professional book revie w s book revie w s lifetime although, of course, from culture from the integrated field of Vitruvius via Alberti to Serlio there had form and people’( p28). Habraken (seeking to improve cooperation been publications showing examples of emphasises that a place is inhabited and between national and regional railway architecture. But he was publishing as subject to a continuous reshaping by agencies); at district level in the poor a practising architect showing his own the interventions of the people and the east of Barcelona (cooperation between work as well as ancient buildings he institutions who occupy it. Amsterdam, neighbourhoods); and at local scale had measured himself, and the Palladio Venice , Mexico City, Cairo, Chicago in Porto (use of an arts foundation as Exhibition showed how the author and Austin are used to demonstrate the development trigger). ‘sexed up’ his work for publication - enduring nature of this issue over time. ‘Decoding New Regionalism’ ISBN 978 0 415 35791 3 the illustrations in The four books of The built environment was ‘to become compares the situation in Eastern Europe architecture do not always match the a matter of a brilliant all encompassing (Poland, Hungary, Romania and East This tardy review of a book published realised buildings. Habraken points vision rather than patient cultivation‘ - Germany) with Latin America (Mexico, several years ago is important for two out how this tradition of defining the issue of control is central. Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia) where states reasons: firstly, it has only received architecture has endured, and ‘reinforced Habraken ends on the hopeful note that are undergoing complex and systemic two reviews, and secondly the Palladio a popular view of architecture as the thematic design is resurfacing in new institutional change from a centralised quincentenary exhibition held earlier story of gifted and successful individuals ways. While readers of Urban Design will protectionist situation to liberal market this year in London, added new evidence and having ones work published probably agree, (and architects will point principles, against the backcloth of to the main argument of this book. ...became the defining mark of arrival; out that autonomy is a myth and their ISBN 978 0 7546 7241 8 ISBN 978 0 7546 7098 8 supra-national market integration. Habraken, Emeritus Professor at the of admission to the inner circle of those activity is circumscribed by regulation The research assumed that these Department of Architecture at MIT, has who define architecture ‘ (p7). and economics), the ideal still exists and Regionalism seems to be gaining in processes, thus complicating the structural changes leave opportunities been preoccupied with the themes of Both Palladio and Le Corbusier made a glance at the architectural press shows importance, not only among spatial problem of interactive governance. for innovative decentralised regional this book for four decades and these wonderful buildings, but the experience just how far we still have to go, to show planners and designers, but also Improving decision-making and governance, albeit with very inconclusive essays are an easily accessible summary of buildings through books is very buildings and places inhabited. among political scientists who explore participation processes is of interest to and contradictory findings. of this work. The intriguing title comes different from visiting them. For urban better forms of governance in the light urban designers whose projects often fall The case studies in both books are from his observation that ‘we recognise design this is important, as visitors Ivor Samuels of public disillusionment with the at these administrative hurdles. used to test their hypotheses: Euricur democratic process. These two pieces of Work by the European Institute uses a common analytical framework to research are a good example of current for Comparative Urban Research assess case studies in terms of output The Future of Community (Reports of a death greatly exaggerated) preoccupation with managing spatial (Euricur) on ‘Empowering Metropolitan and outcome, while Scott reviews current Ed D Clements, A Donald, A Earnshaw and A Williams, 2008, Pluto Press London £12.99 development and the politics of scale. Regions’ is driven by the EU ambition political institutional theory, against Both reflect how economic boom and to increase greater spatial, economic which he assesses the evolution of agenda - is this a credible outcome? 1-5) tackling issues closest to the bust cycles impede long-term spatial and socio-cultural integration through territorialities of states and in particular However many outrageous statements built environment perhaps, and others strategies. Their assumption is that cross-border cooperation. Its case new regionalism, in terms of their remain unchallenged as the silent reader span broader subjects, preoccupied better forms of cooperation between studies include different scales: governance capacity dealing with large- is unable to engage in the debate that with toppling today’s elite and policy public administrations and other key Centrope, a central European cross- scale, long-term development tasks. it calls for. Within fifteen chapters by makers, and the manipulation of the stakeholders would improve spatial border region encompassing parts of The books are written by a local twelve authors, the nature of community working classes in history. Chapters development chances, while reducing the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia research team and a single editor and the messages that have been 10 and 11 on Little Italy and Rio on unproductive competition, conflicts, and Austria with Vienna as its epicentre respectively, avoiding the fragmentation developed to try to engender it are Galway are interesting stories about stalemates, and duplication of efforts (to contribute to EU integration); of several articles. Nevertheless, the intensively scrutinised and critiqued. interculturalism, not multiculturalism. and expenses. the Wonderful Copenhagen networks clear analytical framework of Euricur Many of the articles are directed at Yet it is frustrating that while several How does this impact on (to enhance tourism) which include manages to reach more concrete New Labour’s interventions on crime, sacred concepts are systematically urban design? Many examples of Southern Sweden; regions within conclusions than the ambitious social order, and enabling others. The deconstructed – the environmental masterplanning for large sites, nation states, around Helsinki (to comparisons between Latin America and rebellious tone of the articles however lobby, Transition Towns, the provision especially across boundaries, suffer from improve competitiveness in advanced new EU member states. Both books show makes for a great read, bringing a smile of public spaces, suburbs, Jane Jacobs, fragmented decision-making and a lack technology), Munich (revisiting the that much spatial decision-making will at descriptions of ‘policy wonks’, those New Urbanism, etc – the book does not of public participation. By their nature, powers of the two regional planning continue to occur at local levels where who are politically powerful and yet offer many alternative ideas, other than many large-scale projects, both on brown bodies), Rotterdam (studying the urban designers have a clear role to play. ignorant about how most people live. the importance of freedom in how people and green field sites, are planned for structural constraints of cooperation ISBN 978 0 7453 2817 1 Hb The book’s emergent message urges form relevant relationships. Rejecting ISBN 978 0 7453 2816 4 Pb new users not involved in participation between local authorities), and Budapest Judith Ryser us to realise that communities need to the current culture of formalising be based on genuine relationships, rather relationships, and media messages of Launched with a series of debates in than traditional notions of proximity, Britain on the verge of a breakdown, cities around Britain, this book is a homogeneity or multiculturalism, seem to be the recommended ways teasing read; it will provoke readers to shared fears or judgements e.g. on of creating genuine sociability and check their beliefs, and is a wake-up crime or environmental issues. The most cooperation. call for urban designers engaged in interesting and enjoyable chapters are delivering the sustainable communities towards the start of the book (chapters Louise Thomas

40 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 41 Contributors Regional contacts Directory of practices, corporate Assael Architecture Ltd Bidwells Burrell Foley Fischer CITY ID Dalton Crawley Partnership organisations and urban design courses Studio 13, 50 Carnwath Road, 16 Upper King Street, Norwich NR3 1HA York Central, 70-78 York Way, 23 Trenchard Street 29 Carlton Crescent, Matthew Carmona is Professor of If you are interested in getting subscribing to this index. The following London SW6 3FG Tel 01603 763 939 London N1 9AG Bristol BS1 5AN Southampton SO15 2EW Planning and Urban Design and Head of involved with any regional activities pages provide a service to potential clients Tel 020 7736 7744 [email protected] Tel 020 7713 5333 Tel 0117 917 7000 Tel 02380 719400

index the Bartlett School of Planning, UCL please get in touch with the following when they are looking for specialist urban Email [email protected] Website www.bidwells.co.uk Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Email [email protected] index design advice, and to those considering Website www.assael.co.uk Contact luke Broom-Lynne Website www.bff-architects.co.uk Website cityid.co.uk Website www.daltoncrawley.com Tim Hagyard is Planning Team Manager, London and South East taking an urban design course. Contact Russell Pedley Planning, Landscape and Urban Contact John Burrell Contact mike Rawlinson Contact steve Dalton East Herts Council Robert Huxford and Louise Ingledow Architects and urban designers Design consultancy, specialising in Urban regeneration and arts and cultural Place branding and marketing vision Urban design and masterplanning of Tel 020 7250 0892 Those wishing to be included in future covering mixed use, hotel, leisure, and Masterplanning, Townscape Assessment, buildings. New settlements. New masterplanning, urban design, public commercial developments, medium to Joe Holyoak, architect and urban Email [email protected] issues should contact the UDG, residential, including urban frameworks Landscape & Visual Impact Assessment. design in historic contexts. Waterfront realm strategies, way finding and large scale residential and mixed-use designer, Principal Lecturer in Urban 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ and masterplanning projects. buildings and strategies. legibility strategies, information design schemes. Design at Birmingham City University South Tel 020 7250 0872 Blampied & Partners Ltd and graphics. Maya Shcherbakova Email [email protected] Atkins plc Areen House 282 King Street, Capita Lovejoy David Huskisson Associates Sebastian Loew, architect and planner, Mob 07884 246190 Euston Tower, 286 Euston Road, London W6 0SJ Level Seven, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London Clarke Klein & Chaudhuri 17 Upper Grosvenor Road, Tunbridge Wells, writer and consultant, teaching at the Email [email protected] London NW1 3AT Tel 020 8563 9175 SW1W 0AU Architects Kent TN1 2DU University of Westminster Practice Index Tel 020 7121 2000 Email [email protected] Tel 020 7901 9911 63-71 Collier Street, London N1 9BE Tel 01892 527828 South West Email [email protected] Website www.blampied.co.uk Email [email protected] Tel 020 7278 0722 Email [email protected] Frances Madders, Senior Urban Design Judy Preston Alan Baxter & Associates Contact paul Reynolds Contact Clive Naylor Website www.lovejoy.uk.com Email [email protected] Contact nicola Brown Officer, Medway Mob 07908219834 Consulting Engineers, Interdisciplinary practice that offers a Architectural masterplanning, urban Contacts david Blackwood Murray/ Contact wendy Clarke Landscape consultancy offering Email [email protected] 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ range of built environment specialists design, tourism, education, commercial martin Kelly Small design-led practice focusing on masterplanning, streetscape and Malcolm Moor, architect and Tel 020 7250 1555 working together to deliver quality expertise in the United Kingdom and Also at Birmingham 0121 329 7976 custom solutions for architectural, urban park design, estate restoration, independent consultant in urban design; EAST MIDLANDS Email [email protected] places for everybody to enjoy. overseas. Land planners specialising in planning or urban design projects. environmental impact assessments. co-editor of Urban Design Futures Laura Alvarez Website www.alanbaxter.co.uk environmental planning, urban design Exploring the potential for innovative Tel 0115 962 9000 Contact Alan Baxter Austin-Smith:Lord LLP Bree Day Partnership and landscape architecture in the UK urban design. David Lock Associates Ltd Judith Ryser, researcher, journalist, Email [email protected] An engineering and urban design Port of Liverpool Building, The Old Chapel and overseas. 50 North Thirteenth Street, Central Milton writer and urban affairs consultant to practice. Particularly concerned with Pier Head, Liverpool L3 1BY 1 Holly Road, Twickenham TW1 4EA Colin Buchanan & Partners Keynes, Milton Keynes MK9 3BP Fundacion Metropoli, Madrid West Midlands the thoughtful integration of buildings, Tel 0151 227 1083 Tel 020 8744 4440 Chapman Taylor LLP 10 Eastbourne Terrace Tel 01908 666276 Patricia Gomez infrastructure and movement, and the Email [email protected] Email [email protected] 10 Eastbourne Terrace, London W2 6LG London W2 6LG Email [email protected] Ivor Samuels, independent urban Email [email protected] creation of places. Contact Andy Smith Website www.architech.co.uk Tel 020 7371 3000 Tel 020 7053 1300 Website www.davidlock.com designer Also at London, Cardiff and Glasgow Contact Tim Day Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Contact will Cousins East Anglia Allen Pyke Associates Multi-disciplinary national practice with Eco-urbanism guides the partnership’s Website www.chapmantaylor.com Website www.colinbuchanan.com Strategic planning studies, Alan Stones, architect-planner, urban Daniel Durrant The Factory 2 Acre Road, a specialist urban design unit backed core disciplines of architecture, urban Contacts Adrian Griffiths/ Paul Truman Contact martina Juvara area development frameworks, design consultant and former Head of Tel 01223 372 638 Kingston-upon-Thames KT2 6EF by the landscape and core architectural design and community planning. MANCHESTER Planning, regeneration, urban design, development briefs, design guidelines, Design at Essex County Council Email [email protected] Tel 020 8549 3434 units. Wide range and scale of projects. Bass Warehouse, 4 Castle Street transport and traffic management masterplanning, implementation Email [email protected] Brock Carmichael Architects Castlefield, Manchester M3 4LZ and market research. Area based strategies, environmental statements. Louise Thomas, independent urban NORTH WEST Website www.allenpyke.co.uk BAKER ASSOCIATES 19 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9JQ Tel 0161 828 6500 regeneration, town centres and public designer and Director of the Urban Annie Atkins of Places Matter! Contact John Brodie, Rob Chiat The Crescent Centre, Temple Back, Tel 0151 242 6222 Email [email protected] realm design. DEGW plc Architects Renaissance Institute Email [email protected] Innovative, responsive, committed, Bristol BS1 6EZ Email [email protected] Chapman Taylor is an international & Consultants competitive, process. Priorities: people, Tel 0117 933 8950 Contact michael Cosser firm of architects and urban designers Colour Urban Design Limited The Merchant Centre, 1 New Street Centre, North East spaces, movement, culture. Places: Email [email protected] Masterplans and development briefs. specialising in mixed-use city centre Milburn House, Dean Street, London EC4A 3BF Georgia Giannopoulou regenerate, infill, extend create. Contact Claire Mitcham Mixed-use and brownfield regeneration regeneration projects throughout Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1LE Tel 020 7239 7777 Tel 0191 222 6006 Site context appraisals, urban design projects. Design in historic and sensitive Europe. Tel 0191 242 4224 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Andrew Martin Associates and regeneration frameworks, area settings. Integrated landscape design. Email [email protected] Website www.degw.co.uk Croxton’s Mill, Little Waltham, Chelmsford, action plans, masterplanning, Charter Consultants Architects Website www.colour-udl.com Contact steve Smith Scotland Essex CM3 3PJ site promotion, design guides and BROWNE SMITH & BAKER Architecture and Urban Design Contact peter Owens Development planning and briefing. Alona Martinez-Perez Tel 01245 361611 statements. ARCHITECTS 2 St Stephen’s Court, 15-17 St Stephen Design oriented projects with Masterplanning and urban design. Emails Email [email protected] Morton House Morton Road, Darlington Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 6LA full client participation. Public Strategic briefing and space planning. [email protected] Website www.amaplanning.com Barr Gazetas Ltd DL1 4PT Tel 01202 554625 spaces, regeneration, development, Architecture and interiors. [email protected] Contacts Andrew Martin/ Eastgate House, 16-19 Eastcastle Street, Tel 01325 462345 [email protected] masterplanning, residential, education sophie O’Hara Smith London W1W 8DA Email [email protected] Contact martin Dobbs and healthcare. DEVEREUX ARCHITECTS LTD Northern Ireland Masterplans, urban design, urban Tel 0207 636 5581 Website www.brownesmithbaker.com Leisure, mixed use, residential, 200 Upper Richmond Road, James Hennessey regeneration, historic buildings, project Email [email protected] Contact d D Brown commercial, retail, education, health Conroy Crowe Kelly Architects London SW15 2SH Tel 028 9073 6690 management, planning, EIA, landscape Website www.barrgazetas.com Urban design, masterplanning and and government facilities. Based in & Urban Designers Tel 020 8780 1800 Email [email protected] planning and design. Contact Alistair Barr digital visualisation services. Clients Bedford, Bournemouth, London and 65 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 Email [email protected] Our masterplans have created diverse include One Northeast, Taylor Woodrow, Ipswich. Tel 00 353 1 661 3990 Website www.devereux.co.uk The North of England region and Wales Anthony Reddy Associates strategic frameworks for development Lovell, and District of Easington. Email [email protected] Contact duncan Ecob require contacts Dartry Mills, Dartry Road, Dublin 6 opportunities. Our vibrant, varied spaces Chris Blandford Associates Website www.cck.ie Adding value through innovative, Tel 00 353 1 498 7000 encourage all forms of interaction. Building Design Partnership 1 Swan Court, 9 Tanner Street, Contacts Clare Burke and David Wright ambitious solutions in complex urban Email [email protected] 16 Brewhouse Yard, Clerkenwell, London London SE1 3LE Architecture, urban design, environments. Website www.anthonyreddy.com Barton Willmore Partnership EC1V 4LJ Tel 020 7089 6480 masterplanning, village studies. Mixed Contacts Tony Reddy, Brian O’Neill, Ronan Beansheaf Farmhouse, Bourne Close, Calcot, Tel 020 7812 8000 Email [email protected] use residential developments with a DHA Planning & Urban Design Smith, Robert Keane Reading, Berks RG31 7BW Email [email protected] Website www.cba.uk.net strong identity and sense of place. Eclipse House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Architecture, planning, urban design, Tel 0118 943 0000 Website www.bdp.co.uk Contacts Chris Blandford/Mike Martin Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN project management. Masterplanning, [email protected] Contact Andrew Tindsley Also at Uckfield Conservation Architecture & Tel 01622 776226 development frameworks, urban Contact Clive Rand BDP offers town planning, Landscape architecture, environmental Planning Email [email protected] regeneration, mixed-use development. Concept through to implementation on masterplanning, urban design, assessment, ecology, urban renewal, Wey House, Standford Lane, Headley, Website dhaplanning.co.uk complex sites, comprehensive design landscape, regeneration and development economics, town planning, Hants GU35 8RH Contact matthew Woodhead Arnold Linden guides, urban regeneration, brownfield sustainability studies, and has teams historic landscapes and conservation. Tel 01420 472830 Planning and Urban Design Consultancy Chartered Architect, sites, and major urban expansions. based in London, Manchester and Email [email protected] offering a full range of Urban Design 54 Upper Montagu Street, London W1H 1FP Belfast. City Design Co-op Ltd Website www.capstudios.co.uk services including masterplanning, Tel 020 7723 7772 The Bell Cornwell Partnership 4 North Court, Glasgow, G1 2DP Contact Jack Warshaw development briefs & design statements. Contact Arnold Linden Oakview House, Station Road, Hook, Burns + Nice Tel 0141 204 3466Fax Historic cities,towns, sites, buildings, Integrated regeneration through the Hampshire RG27 9TP 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ 0141 221 7746 conservation areas, regeneration, DNS Planning & Design participation in the creative process of Tel 01256 766673 Tel 020 7253 0808 Email [email protected] studies, new buildings, guidance, Gloucester House, 29 Brunswick Square the community and the public at large, Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Website www.citydesign.coop masterplanning, expert witness services. Gloucester GL1 1UN of streets, buildings and places. Website www.bell-cornwell.co.uk Website www.burnsnice.com Contact Beatriz Bauer Tel 01452 413726 Contact simon Avery Contacts marie Burns/ Stephen Nice City Design has developed a reputation Cunnane Stratton Reynolds Email [email protected] Specialists in masterplanning and the Urban design, landscape architecture, for thoughtful and creative site 3 Molesworth Place, Dublin 2 Website www.dns-planning.co.uk coordination of major development environmental and transport planning. responsive projects across a range of Tel 00 353 1 661 0419 Contact mark Newey proposals. Advisors on development plan Masterplanning, design and public scales. Email [email protected] Urban design practice providing a representations, planning applications consultation for community-led work. Website www.csrlandplan.ie responsive and professional service and appeals. Contact declan O’Leary by experienced urban designers from Landscape design and town planning, both landscape and architectural from project appraisal to strategy in a backgrounds. range from masterplans to framework plans and detailed design.

42 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 43 DPDS Consulting Group Faulks Perry Culley GMW Architects Holmes Partnership Jenny Exley Associates Jones Lang LaSalle LDA Design Loci Old Bank House, 5 Devizes Road, Old Town, and Rech LLP PO Box 1613, 239 Kensington High Street, 89 Minerva Street, Glasgow G3 8LE Butler’s Quarters, The Mews, Lewes Road 22 Hanover Square, London W1A 2BN 14-17 Wells Mews, London W1T 3HF 4 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 Swindon, Wilts SN1 4BJ Lockington Hall, Lockington, London W8 6SL Tel 0141 204 2080 Danehill, East Sussex RH17 7HD Tel 020 7493 6040 Tel 020 7467 1470 Tel 00 353 1887 4448 Tel 01793 610222 Derby DE74 2RH Tel 020 7937 8020 Email [email protected] Tel 0845 347 9351 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Email [email protected]

index Email [email protected] Tel 01509 672772 Email [email protected] Contact Harry Phillips Email [email protected] Contact guy Bransby Contact John Phillipps Website www.loci.ie index Website www.dpds.co.uk Email [email protected] Website www.gmw-architects.com Urban design, planning, renewal, Website www.jennyexley.com Website www.joneslanglasalle.co.uk Multidisciplinary firm covering all Contact Conor Norton Contact les Durrant Website www.fpcr.co.uk Contact Terry Brown development and feasibility studies. Contact Jonathan Sayers Other offices: Manchester, Leeds, aspects of masterplanning, urban Urban design, architecture and planning Town planning, architecture, landscape Contact Tim Jackson Urban planning and regeneration Sustainability and energy efficiency. Landscape architecture. Urban design. Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh regeneration, public realm design, consultancy dedicated to working for architecture and urban design: Integrated design and environmental strategies. Formulation of development Commercial,residential,leisure. Catalysts for transforming sensitive Providing commercially driven planning environmental impact and community better places: places with a real sense of innovative solutions in masterplanning, practice. Specialists in masterplanning, and design briefs including packaging to urban realm and education projects. advice to a range of public and private involvement. identity, a better quality of life. design guidance and development urban and mixed use regeneration, suit appropriate funding strategies. HOMES & COMMUNITIES AGENCY Inspirational vision underpinned sector clients through our national frameworks. development frameworks, EIAs and (HCA)- MILTON KEYNES by public workshops, consultation, offices. Specialising in all areas of Levitt Bernstein Associates Ltd LSI Architects LLP public inquiries. Goldcrest Homes Plc Urban Design Team, National Consultancy contextual analysis, character planning. 1 Kingsland Passage, London E8 2BB The Old Drill Hall, 23 A Cattle Market Street, DPP (Development Planning 3 Hurlingham Business Park, Sullivan Road Unit, Central Business Exchange, assessment, contracts. Tel 020 7275 7676 Norwich NR1 3DY Partnership) LLP Fletcher Priest Architects London SW6 3DU 414-428 Midsummer Boulevard, Kay Elliott Email [email protected] Tel 01603 660711 Audrey House, 16-20 Ely Place, Middlesex House, 34/42 Cleveland Street, Tel 020 77317111 Milton Keynes MK9 EA JMP Consulting 5-7 Meadfoot Road, Torquay, Devon TQ1 2JP Website www.levittbernstein.co.uk [email protected] London EC1N 6SN London W1T 4JE Email [email protected] Tel 01908 692692 Audrey House, 16-20 Ely Place, London Tel 01803 213553 Contact patrick Hammill Contact david Thompson Tel 020 7092 3600 Tel 020 7034 2200 Contact Alan Roake [email protected] EC1N 6SN Email [email protected] Urban design, masterplanning, full Large scale masterplanning and Fax 020 7404 7917 Fax 020 7637 5347 Contact louise Wyman Tel 020 7618 4149 Website www.kayelliott.co.uk architectural service, lottery grant bid visualisation in sectors such as health, Email [email protected] Email [email protected] GVA GRIMLEY Ltd Email [email protected] Contact mark Jones advice, interior design, urban renewal education and business, and new Website www.dppllp.com Website www.fletcherpreist.com 10 Stratton Street, London W1J 8JR HTA Architects Ltd Contact paul Smith International studio with 30 year history consultancy and landscape design. sustainable settlements. Contact Roger Mascall Contact Jonathan Kendall Tel 020 7911 2234 106-110 Kentish Town Road, Integrating transport, planning and of imaginative architects and urban Work ranges from city-scale masterplans Email [email protected] London NW1 9PX engineering, development planning, designers, creating buildings and places LHC Urban Design MacCormac Jamieson Prichard Dualchas Building Design (Stratford City, Riga) to architectural Contact Christopher Hall Tel 020 7485 8555 urban design, environmental that enhance their surroundings and add Design Studio, Emperor Way, Exeter 9 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ Duisdale Beag, Sleat, Isle of Skye IV43 8QU commissions for high-profile Also at Birmingham and Manchester Email [email protected] assessment, water & drainage financial value. Business Park, Exeter, Devon EX1 3QS Tel 020 7377 9262 Tel 01471 833300 professional clients. Planning, development and urban Contact James Lord/Sally Lewis throughout the U.K. Tel 01392 444334 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] regeneration providing deliverable Website www.hta-arch.co.uk KSA Email [email protected] Website www.mjparchitects.co.uk Website www.dualchas.com Framework Architecture and quality Design-led housing and regeneration John McAslan & Partners Unit 5C & 5D, Fingal Bay Business Park, Contact John Baulch Contact liz Pride Contact lara Hinde Urban Design design solutions from the strategic consultancy offering inter-disciplinary 7-9 William Road, London Swords, Co Dublin Urban designers, architects and Major masterplans to small, bespoke 3 Marine Studios, Burton Lane, Burton regional scale to site specific. services including architecture, NW1 3ER Tel 00 353 1 890 4085 landscape architects, providing an buildings. Acclaimed contemporary EDAW Plc Waters, Lincoln LN1 2WN masterplanning, urban design, graphic Tel 020 7727 2663 Email [email protected] integrated approach to strategic buildings designed for historic centres The Johnson Building, 77 Hatton Garden Tel 01522 535383 Halcrow Group Ltd design, landscape design, sustainability Email [email protected] Website www.ksa.ie visioning, regeneration, urban renewal, of London, Cambridge, Oxford, Bristol London EC1N 8JS Email [email protected] 44 Brook Green, Hammersmith and planning. Website www.mcaslan.co.uk Contact donna Gorman masterplanning and public realm and Durham. Tel 020 3009 2100 Contact gregg Wilson London W6 7BY Architectural practice with experience in Multi-disciplinary practice specialising projects. Creative, knowledgeable, Email [email protected] Architecture and urban design. A Tel 020 7602 7282 Hyland Edgar Driver delivering outstanding design for urban in planning, masterplanning, urban practical, passionate. Macgregor Smith Ltd Contacts Bill Hanway and Jason Prior commitment to the broader built Email [email protected] One Wessex Way, Colden Common, infrastructure, residential, commercial design, architecture, landscape design, Christopher Hse, 11-12 High St, Manchester environment and the particular dynamic Website www.halcrow.com Winchester, Hants SO21 1WG and mixed-use, historic, education, arts conservation and project management. Lichfield Planning LLP Bath BA1 5AQ Express Networks Phase 2, 3 George Leigh of a place and the design opportunities Contact Robert Schmidt Tel 01962 711 600 and interiors. 26 Westgate, Lincoln LN1 3BD Tel 01225 464690 Street, Manchester M4 5DL presented. Award winning consultancy, integrating Email [email protected] The Landscape Partnership Tel 01522 546483 Email [email protected] Tel 0161 200 1860 planning, transport and environment. Website www.heduk.com John Rose Associates Tunnel Wharf, 121 Rotherhithe Street LONDON Website www.macgregorsmith.co.uk Edinburgh Garsdale Design Limited Full development cycle covering Contact John Hyland Berkeley Court, Borough Road London, SE16 4NF 51 Charlton Street, London NW1 1HY Contact michael Smith 5 Coates Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 7AL High Branthwaites, Frostrow, Sedbergh feasibility, concept, design and Innovative problem solving, driven Newcastle-under-Lyme, ST5 1TT Tel 020 7252 0002 Tel 020 7388 3312 A broad based landscape/urban design Tel 0131 226 3939 Cumbria, LA10 5JR implementation. by cost efficiency and sustainability, Tel 01782 382275 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] practice with particular emphasis Urban design, planning, landscape Tel 015396 20875 combined with imagination and Email [email protected] Website www.thelandscapepartnership.com Contact steve Kemp on high quality prestige landscape architecture and economic development Email [email protected] Hankinson Duckett Associates coherent aesthetic of the highest Website www.johnroseassociates.co.uk Contact Joanna Ede Website www.lichfieldplanning.co.uk schemes. services. Particular expertise in market- Website www.garsdaledesign.co.uk The Stables, Howberry Park, Benson Lane, quality. Contact John Rose Four offices undertaking urban design, Consultancy delivering integrated driven development frameworks. Contact derrick Hartley Wallingford OX10 8BA Analyses problems, prepares briefs and landscape design and environmental and dynamic planning services with Matrix Partnership GDL provides masterplanning and Tel 01491 838 175 Indigo Planning Ltd creates bespoke design solutions, which planning with creative approach to expertise in sustainable regeneration, 17 Bowling Green Lane, London EC1R 0QB Entec UK Ltd urban design, architecture and heritage Email [email protected] Swan Court, 11 Worple Road, maximise development opportunities, projects and emphasis on place-making. masterplanning and development Tel 0845 313 7668 Gables House Kenilworth Road, Leamington services developed through 25 years Contacts Brian Duckett London SW19 4JS and formulates sustainable strategies. frameworks. Extensive experience in the Email [email protected] Spa, Warwicks CV32 6JX wide ranging experience in the UK and An approach which adds value through Tel 020 8605 9400 Landscape Projects UK and overseas. Contact matt Lally Tel 01926 439 000 Middle East. innovative solutions. Development Email [email protected] John Thompson & Partners 31 Blackfriars Road, Salford, Website www.matrixpartnership.co.uk Email [email protected] planning, new settlements, Website www.indigoplanning.com 23-25 Great Sutton Street, Manchester M3 7AQ Livingston Eyre Associates Masterplans, regeneration strategies, Website www.entecuk.co.uk Gillespies environmental assessment, re-use of Contact peter Deakin London ECIV 0DN Tel 0161 839 8336 35-42 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3PG development briefs, site appraisals, Contact nick Brant Environment by Design redundant buildings. Tel 020 7017 1780 Email [email protected] Tel 020 7739 1445 urban capacity studies, design Masterplanning, urban design, GLASGOW Intelligent Space Email [email protected] Contact neil Swanson Fax 020 7729 2986 guides, building codes and concept development planning and landscape 21 Carlton Court, Glasgow G5 9JP Hawkins\Brown Atkins, Euston Tower, 286 Euston Road Website www.jtp.co.uk We work at the boundary between Email [email protected] visualisations. within broad based multidisciplinary Tel 0141 420 8200 60 Bastwick Street, London EC1V 3TN London NW1 3AT Contact Marcus Adams architecture, urban and landscape Contact laura Stone environmental and engineering Email [email protected] Tel 020 7336 8030 Tel 020 7121 2558 Edinburgh Office address design seeking innovative, sensitive Landscape architecture, urban design, Melville Dunbar Associates consultancy. Contact Brian M Evans Email [email protected] [email protected] 2nd Floor Venue studios, 15-21 design and creative thinking. public housing, health, education, The Mill House, Kings Acre, Coggeshall, MANCHESTER Website www.hawkinsbrown.co.uk Website www.intelligentspace.com Calton Road, Edinburgh EH8 8DL heritage, sports. Essex CO6 1NN FABRIK Tel 0161 928 7715 Contact david Bickle Contact elspeth Duxbury Tel 0131 272 2762 Land Use Consultants Tel 01376 562828 38 A High Street, Alton, Email [email protected] Multi-disciplinary architecture and Planning analysis and support, Email [email protected] 43 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD Liz Lake Associates Email [email protected] Hampshire GU34 1BD Contact Jim Gibson urban design practice specialising in pedestrian modelling, GIS and Contact Alan Stewart Tel 020 7383 5784 Western House, Chapel Hill Contact melville Dunbar Tel 01420 593250 OXFORD mixed-use regeneration, educational specialists in retail and urban Addressing the problems of physical, Email [email protected] Stansted Mountfitchet Architecture, urban design, planning, Contact Johnny Rath Tel 01865 326789 masterplanning, sustainable rural masterplanning. social and economic regeneration Website www.landuse.co.uk Essex CM24 8AG masterplanning, new towns, urban Email [email protected] development frameworks, transport through collaborative interdisciplinary Contact John Grantham Tel 01279 647044 regeneration, conservation studies, FaulknerBrowns Contact paul F Taylor infrastructure and public urban realm Jacobs community based planning. Urban regeneration, landscape Email [email protected] design guides, townscape studies, Dobson House, Northumbrian Way, Urban design, landscape architecture, design. Tower Bridge Court, 224-226 Tower Bridge design, masterplanning, sustainable Website www.lizlake.com design briefs. Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 0QW architecture, planning, environmental Road, London SE1 2UP Jon Rowland Urban Design development, land use planning, Contact matt Lee Tel 0191 268 3007 assessment, planning supervisors and HOK international Ltd Tel 020 7939 1375 65 Hurst Rise Road, Oxford OX2 9HE EIA, SEA in UK and overseas. London, Urban fringe/brownfield sites where METROPOLITAN WORKSHOP Email [email protected] project management. Qube, 90 Whitfield Street Email [email protected] Tel 01865 863642 Glasgow and Bristol. an holistic approach to urban design, 14-16 Cowcross Street, Farringdon, Contact neil Taylor London W1T 4EZ Website www.jacobs.com Email [email protected] landscape, and ecological issues can London EC1M 6DG Architectural design services G.M.K Associates Tel 020 7636 2006 Contacts dan Bone Website www.jrud.co.uk Lathams provide robust design solutions. Te 020 7566 0450 from inception to completion. 1st Floor Cleary Court, 169 Church Street Email [email protected] Multidisciplinary urban design, Contact Jon Rowland St Michael’s, Queen Street, Derby DE1 3SU Email [email protected] Expertise in transport, urban design, East, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HJ Contact Tim Gale masterplanning and architecture as part Urban design, urban regeneration, Tel 01332 365777 Llewelyn Davies Yeang Website www.metwork.co.uk masterplanning, commercial and leisure Tel 01483 729378 HOK delivers design of the highest of the integrated services of a national development frameworks, site Email [email protected] Brook House, 2 Torrington Place, Contacts david Prichard/ Neil Deely projects. Email [email protected] quality. It is one of Europe’s leading consultancy. appraisals, town centre studies, design Contact derek Latham/ Jon Phipps London WC1E 7HN Metropolitan Workshop has experience Contact george McKinnia architectural practices, offering guidance, public participation and Urban regeneration. The creative Tel 020 7637 8740 in urban design, land use planning, experienced people in a diverse range of masterplanning. reuse of land and buildings. Planning, Email [email protected] regeneration and architecture in the UK, building types, skills and markets. landscape and architectural expertise Contact Robert Powell Eire and Norway. combining the new with the old. Signature deep green architecture, urban design, eco-masterplanning, urban regeneration and conservation studies.

44 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 45 Metropolis Planning and Design NJBA Architects & Urban Philip Cave Associates PRP Architects Richard Reid & Associates Saunders Partnership Sheppard Robson Taylor Young Urban Design 30 Underwood Street, London N1 7JQ Designers 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ 10 Lindsey Street Whitely Farm, Ide Hill, Sevenoaks, Studio Four, 37 Broadwater Road, Welwyn 77 Parkway, Camden Town, London NW1 7PU Chadsworth House, Wilmslow Road, Tel 020 7324 2662 4 Molesworth Place, Dublin 2 Tel 020 7250 0077 London EC1A 9HP Kent TN14 6BS Garden City, Herts AL7 3AX Tel 020 7504 1700 Handforth, Cheshire SK9 3HP Email [email protected] Tel 00 353 1 678 8068 Email [email protected] Tel 020 7653 1200 Tel 01732 741417 Tel 01707 385 300 Email [email protected] Tel 01625 542200 index index Website www.metropolispd.com Email [email protected] Website www.philipcave.com Email [email protected] Email [email protected] [email protected] Website www.sheppardrobson.com Email [email protected] Contact greg Cooper Website homepage.eircom.net/~njbrady1 Contact philip Cave Contact Andy von Bradsky Contact Richard Reid Contact martin Williams Contact Charles Scott Contact stephen Gleave Metropolitan urban design solutions Contact noel J Brady Design-led practice with innovative yet Architects, planners, urban designers Manchester Liverpool drawn from a multi-disciplinary studio Integrated landscapes, urban design, practical solutions to environmental and landscape architects, specialising Robert Adam Architects Scott Brownrigg Ltd 27th Floor, City Tower, Piccadilly Plaza Tel 0151 702 6500 of urban designers, architects, planners, town centres and squares, strategic opportunities in urban regeneration. in housing, urban regeneration, health, 9 Upper High Street, Winchester St Catherines Court, 46-48 Portsmouth Manchester M1 4BD Urban design, planning and and heritage architects. design and planning. Specialist expertise in landscape education and leisure projects. Hampshire SO23 8UT Road, Guildford GU2 4DU Tel 0161 233 8900 development. Town studies, housing, architecture. Tel 01962 843843 Tel 01483 568 686 Planners, urban designers and commercial, distribution, health and Mouchel Novell Tullett Quartet Design [email protected] Email [email protected] architects. Strategic planning, urban transportation. Specialist in urban 1 Waterhouse Square, 138-142 Holborn 7 Unity Street, Bristol BS1 5HH Planit EDC Ltd The Exchange, Lillingstone Dayrell, Contact peter Critoph Website www.scottbrownrigg.com regeneration, development planning, design training. London EC1N 2HG Tel 0117 922 7887 David House, Cecil Road, Hale WA15 9PA Bucks MK18 5AP Website www.robertadamarchitects.com Contact luan Deda town centre renewal, new settlement Tel 020 7822 2560 Contact maddy Hine Tel 0161 928 9281 Tel 01280 860500 World-renowned for progressive, Integrated service of architecture, urban planning. Terence O’Rourke LTD Email [email protected] Urban design, landscape architecture Email [email protected] Email [email protected] classical design covering town and design, planning, masterplanning, Everdene House, Deansleigh Road, Website www.mouchel.com and environmental planning. Contact peter Swift Contact david Newman country houses, housing development, involved in several mixed-use schemes Smeeden Foreman Partnership Bournemouth BH7 7DU Contact ludovic Pittie Landscape architects, architects and urban masterplans, commercial regenerating inner city and brownfield 8 East Parade, Harrogate HG1 JLT Tel 01202 421142 Integrated urban design, transport and Paul Davis & Partners Pod urban designers. Masterplanning, development and public buildings. sites. Tel 01423 520 222 Email [email protected] engineering consultancy, changing the Mozart Terrace, 178 Ebury Street 99 Galgate,Barnard Castle, hard landscape projects in urban areas Email [email protected] Website www.torltd.co.uk urban landscape in a positive manner, London, SW1W 8UP Co Durham DL12 8ES achieving environmental sustainability. Roger Evans Associates Scott Tallon Walker Architects Contact Trevor Foreman Town planning, masterplanning, creating places for sustainable living. Tel 020 7730 1178 Tel 0845 003 7755 59-63 High Street, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 19 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 Ecology, landscape architecture urban design, architecture, landscape Email [email protected] Email [email protected] QuBE 2DN Tel 00 353 1 669 3000 and urban design. Environmental architecture, environmental Murray O’Laoire Architects Website www.pauldavisandpartners.com Website www.pod.gb.com Building 7, Michael Young Centre, Purbeck Tel 01865 377 030 Email [email protected] assessment, detailed design, contract consultancy, complex urban design Fumbally Court, Fumbally Lane, Dublin 8 Contact pedro Roos Contact Andy Dolby Road, Cambridge CB2 2QL Email [email protected] Website www.stw.com packages and site supervision. problems. Tel 00 353 1 453 7300 New Urbanist approach establishing a Newcastle Tel 01223 271 850 Website www.rogerevans.com Contact philip Jackson Email [email protected] capital framework with a subsequent 10 Summerhill Terrace, Email [email protected] Contact Roger Evans Award winning international practice Soltys: Brewster Consulting Terra Firma Consultancy Website www.murrayolaoire.com incremental approach. Bridging the Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6EB Contacts Sheena MacCallum/Jon Burgess Urban regeneration, quarter frameworks covering all aspects of architecture, 87 Glebe Street, Penarth, Cedar Court, 5 College Road Contact sean O’Laoire divide between urban design and Contact Craig van Bedaf Site specific design solutions related and design briefs, town centre strategies, urban design and planning. Vale of Glamorgan CF64 1EF Petersfield GU31 4AE TRANSFORM is Murray O’Laoire architecture. Masterplanning, site appraisal, layout to urban design and masterplanning; movement in towns, masterplanning and Tel 029 2040 8476 Tel 01730 262040 Architects’ urban design and planning and architectural design. Development site development briefs; public realm development economics. SCOTT WILSON Email [email protected] [email protected] unit synthesising planning, urban Paul Drew Design Ltd frameworks, urban regeneration, design design; historic buildings; community 3-4 Foxcombe Court, Wyndyke Furlong, Website www.soltysbrewster.co.uk Contact lionel Fanshawe design, architecture to produce 23-25 Great Sutton Street codes, briefs and design and access consultation. Roger Griffiths Associates Abingdon, Oxon OX14 1DZ Contact simon Brewster Independent landscape architectural innovative solutions. London EC1V 0DN statements. 4 Regent Place, Rugby Tel 01235 468700 Urban design, masterplans, design practice with considerable urban design Tel 020 7017 1785 Randall Thorp Warwickshire CV21 2PN Email [email protected] strategies, visual impact, environmental experience at all scales from EIA to MWA PARTNERSHIP LTD Email [email protected] Pollard Thomas Edwards Canada House, 3 Chepstow Street, Tel 01788 540040 Website www.scottwilson.com assessment, regeneration of urban project delivery throughout UK and Parkway Studios, Belmont Business Park, Website www.pauldrewdesign.co.uk Architects Manchester M1 5FW Email [email protected] Contacts paj Valley/ Ken Jores space, landscape design and project overseas. 232-240 Belmont Road, Belfast BT4 2AW Contact paul Drew Diespeker Wharf 38, Graham Street, Tel 0161 228 7721 Website www.rgalandscape.com Also at Birmingham, Leeds, London, management. Tel 028 9076 8827 Masterplanning, urban design, London N1 8JX Email [email protected] Contact Roger Griffiths Manchester, Plymouth Terry Farrell and Partners Email [email protected] residential and mixed use design. Tel 020 7336 7777 Contact pauline Randall A quality assured landscape consultancy Urban design, planning, landscape, Space Syntax Limited 7 Hatton Street, London NW8 8PL Contact John Eggleston Creative use of design codes and other [email protected] Masterplanning for new developments offering landscape architecture, land economic and architectural design 4 Huguenot Place, Heneage Street, Tel 020 7258 3433 The planning and design of briefing material. Website www.ptea.co.uk and settlements, infrastructure design use planning, urban design, project expertise supported by comprehensive London E1 5LN Email [email protected] the external environment from Contact Robin Saha-Choudhury and urban renewal, design guides and implementation, EIA and expert witness multidisciplinary skills. Tel 020 7422 7600 Website www.terryfarrell.com feasibility stage through to detail The Paul Hogarth Company Liverpool design briefing, public participation. services. Email [email protected] Contact drew Nelles design, implementation and future Avalon House, 278-280 Newtownards Road Unit S204, Second Floor, Merchants Court, Shaffrey Associates Contact Tim Stonor Architectural, urban design, planning management. Belfast BT4 1HE Derby Square, Liverpool L2 1TS Random Greenway Architects RPS 29 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 Spatial masterplanning and research- and masterplanning services. New Tel 028 9073 6690 Tel 0151 703 2220 Soper Hall, Harestone Valley Road at London, Birmingham, Bristol, Swindon, Tel 00 353 1872 5602 based design; movement, connectivity, buildings, refurbishment, conference/ Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Ltd Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Caterham Surrey CR3 6HY Oxford, Durham Email [email protected] integration, regeneration, safety and exhibition centres and visitor 14 Regent’s Wharf, All Saints Street, Website www.paulhogarth.com Contact Roo Humpherson Tel 01883 346 441 Tel 0800 587 9939 Contact gráinne Shaffrey interaction. attractions. London N1 9RL Contact James Hennessey Masterplanners, urban designers, [email protected] Email [email protected] Urban conservation and design, with a Tel 020 7837 4477 EDINBURGH developers, architects, listed building Contact R Greenway Website www.rpsgroup.com particular commitment to the Spawforths Tibbalds Planning & Urban Email [email protected] Bankhead Steading, Bankhead Road and conservation area designers; Architecture, planning and urban Part of the RPS Group providing a wide regeneration of historic urban centres, Junction 41 Business Court, East Ardsley, Design Website www.nlpplanning.com Edinburgh EH30 9TF specialising in inner city mixed-use high design. New build, regeneration, range of urban design services including small towns and villages, including new Leeds WF3 2AB 19 Maltings Place, 169 Tower Bridge Road, Also at Newcastle upon Tyne and Cardiff Tel 0131 331 4811 density regeneration. refurbishment and restoration. masterplanning and development development. Tel 01924 873873 London SE1 3JB Contact nick Thompson Email [email protected] frameworks, design guides and Email [email protected] Tel 020 7089 2121 Urban design, masterplanning, Integrated urban design and landscape Powell Dobson Urbanists Redrow Urban Design Centre statements. Sheils Flynn Ltd Website www.spawforth.co.uk Email [email protected] heritage/conservation, visual appraisal, architecture practice, providing Charterhouse, Links Business Park Redrow House, 6 Waterside Way, Bank House High Street, Docking, Contact Adrian Spawforth Website www.tibbalds.co.uk regeneration, daylight/sunlight masterplanning, regeneration and public St Mellons, Cardiff CF3 0LT The Lakes, Northampton NN4 7XD Rummey Design Associates Kings Lynn PE31 8NH Urbanism with planners and architects Contact Andrew Karski assessments, public realm strategies. realm consultancy to the public and Tel 029 2079 9699 Tel 01604 601115 South Park Studios, South Park, Sevenoaks Tel 01485 518304 specialising in masterplanning, Expertise in masterplanning and urban private sectors. Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Kent TN13 1AN Email [email protected] community engagement, visioning and design, sustainable regeneration, National Building Agency Website www.powelldobsonurbanists.com Contact irina Merryweather Tel 01732 743753 Contact eoghan Sheils development frameworks. development frameworks and design Hatherton, Richard Avenue South, PD Lane Associates Contact James Brown Contact Robert Rummey Award winning town centre regeneration guidance, design advice. Milltown Dublin 6 1 Church Road, Greystones, Masterplanning, design frameworks, Richard Coleman Citydesigner Masterplanning, urban design, schemes, urban strategies and design Stuart Turner Associates Tel 00 353 1497 9654 County Wicklow, Ireland design codes, town centre strategies, 14 Lower Grosvenor Place, landscape architecture, architecture, guidance. Specialists in community 12 Ledbury, Great Linford, Townscape Solutions Email [email protected] Tel 00 353 1287 6697 housing renewal. A commitment to London SW1W 0EX environmental consultancy. Responsible consultation and team facilitation. Milton Keynes MK14 5DS 128 Park Road, Smethwick, West Midlands, Website www.nba.ie Email [email protected] people, places, sustainability, design Tel 020 7630 4880 place-making that considers social, Tel 01908 678672 B67 5HT Contact eoghan Ryan Contact malcolm Lane and delivery. Email [email protected] environmental and economic issues. Shepheard Epstein Hunter Email [email protected] Tel 0121 429 6111 Strategic planning, town centre Urban design, architecture and Contact dorthe Bendtsen Phoenix Yard, 65 King’s Cross Road, Website www.studiost.co.uk [email protected] regeneration, urban design frameworks, planning consultancy, specialising Pringle Brandon Advice on architectural quality, urban SAVILLS (L&P) LIMITED London WC1X 9LW Contact stuart Turner Website www.townscapesolutions.co.uk masterplanning urban extensions, in masterplanning, development 10 Bonhill Street, London EC2A 4QJ design, and conservation, historic Lansdowne House, 57 Berkeley Square Tel 020 7841 7500 Architecture, urban design and Contact Kenny Brown village planning, design guidance and frameworks, site layouts, applications, Tel 020 7466 1000 buildings and townscape. Environmental London W1J 6ER Email [email protected] environmental planning, the design of Specialist urban design practice offering design briefs. appeals, project co-ordination. Email [email protected] statements, listed buildings/area Tel 020 7353 0202 Contact steven Pidwill new settlements, urban regeneration a wide range of services including Contact Alison Anslow consent applications. Email [email protected] SEH is a user-friendly, award-winning and site development studies. masterplans, site layouts, design briefs, New Masterplanning Limited PEGASUS Offices, hotels, workplace design. Website www.savills.com architects firm, known for its work design and access statements, expert 2nd Floor, 107 Bournemouth Road, Pegasus House, Querns Business Centre, Richards Partington Contact Ben van Bruggen in regeneration, education, housing, SURFACE INCLUSIVE DESIGN witness and 3D illustrations. Poole, Dorset BH14 9HR Whitworth Road, Cirencester GL7 1RT Project Centre Ltd First Floor, Fergusson House SOUTHAMPTON masterplanning, mixed-use and RESEARCH CENTRE Tel 01202 742228 Tel 0128 564 1717 Saffron Court, 14b St Cross Street, 124 – 128 City Road, London EC1V 2NJ Brunswick House,Brunswick Place, healthcare projects. School of Construction & Property TP bennett LLP Email [email protected] Email [email protected] London EC1N 8XA Tel 020 7490 5494 Southampton SO15 2AP Management, University of Salford M5 4WT One America Street, London SE1 0NE Website www.newmasterplanning.com Website www.ppg-llp.co.uk Tel 020 7421 8222 Email [email protected] Tel 02380 713900 Tel 0161 295 5279 Tel 020 7208 2029 Contact Andy Ward Contact mike Carr Email [email protected] Contact simon Bradbury Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Our skills combine strategic planning Masterplanning, design codes, Website www.projectcentre.co.uk Website www.rparchitects.co.uk Contact peter Frankum Website www.inclusive-design.it Contact mike Ibbott with detailed implementation, design sustainable design, development Contact david Moores Urban design, housing, retail, Offices throughout the World Contact Rita Newton Development planning, urban design, flair with economic rigour, independent briefs, development frameworks, expert Landscape architecture, public realm education, sustainability and Savills Urban Design creates value conservation and masterplanning – thinking with a partnership approach. witness, community involvement, design, urban regeneration, street commercial projects that take from places and places of value. making places and adding value through sustainability appraisal. lighting design, planning supervision, a responsible approach to the Masterplanning, urban design, design creative, progressive, dynamic and joyful traffic and transportation, parking and environment and resources. coding, urban design advice, planning, exploration. highway design. commercial guidance.

46 | Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 Urban Design | Autumn 2009 | Issue 112 | 47 Tribal Urban Studio Team URBED (Urban and Economic WHITE YOUNG GREEN PLANNING Education index University College London 87 - 91 Newman Street, London W1T 3EY Development Group) 21 Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3DQ Development & Planning Unit, The Bartlett Offices in the UK and Overseas Manchester Tel 029 2072 9000 Birmingham city University 34 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ URBAN DESIGN IN THE Tel 020 7079 9120 10 Little Lever Street, Manchester M1 1HR Email [email protected] Birmingham Institute of Art & Design Tel 020 7679 1111 index [email protected] Tel 0161 200 5500 Contact gordon Lewis Corporation St , Birmingham B4 7 DX Email [email protected] DOCK www.tribalgroup.co.uk/urbanstudioteam Email [email protected] Also at London, Newcastle, Manchester, Tel 0121 331 5110 Contact sara Feys Contacts simon Gray/ Simon Green Website www.urbed.co.uk Leeds, Bristol and Southampton Email [email protected] MSc in Building and Urban Design in

Tribal's Urban Studio team (formerly Contact david Rudlin Regeneration and development Website www.bcu.ac.uk Development. Innovative, participatory With this issue’s topic I am reminded that in 2007, CABE and English endpie c e the planning practice of Llewelyn London strategies, public realm studies, Contact Joe Holyoak and responsible design in development Heritage addressed Seaside Towns in their 2008 Urban Panel visits. Davies Yeang) have expertise in Urban 26 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8HR economic development planning, and upgrading of urban areas through MA Urban Design. This course enhances CABE asked each of its Regional Representatives to nominate one Design, Master Planning, Landscape Tel 020 7436 8050 masterplanning for urban, rural and the creative and practical skills needed socially and culturally acceptable, Architecture, Planning, Policy, Strategy Urban design and guidance, brownfield land redevelopment. to deal with the diverse activities of economically viable and environmentally seaside town in their region that the Panel should visit. Having looked and Sustainability. masterplanning, sustainability, urban design. Modes of attendance sustainable interventions. One year full at a map of the West Midlands, I was unable to find any seaside towns, consultation and capacity building, Willie Miller Urban Design & time or two years part time. are flexible: full-time, part-time or and in fact there seemed to be an absence of seaside itself. Tweed Nuttall Warburton housing, town centres and regeneration. Planning individual modules as CPD short courses. Chapel House, City Road, Chester CH1 3AE 20 Victoria Crescent Road, Glasgow G12 9DD The course attracts students from a wide University of Greenwich Tel 01244 310388 Vincent and Gorbing Ltd Tel 0141 339 5228 range of backgrounds. School of Architecture & Construction, To find the nearest sea to Birmingham, you have to head southwest Email [email protected] Sterling Court, Norton Road, Stevenage, Email [email protected] Avery Hill Campus, Mansion Site, Bexley Website www.tnw-architecture.co.uk Hertfordshire SG1 2JY Contact willie Miller Cardiff University Road, Eltham, London SE9 2PQ towards the River Severn, and that is what we did this year when we Contact John Tweed Tel 01438 316331 Conceptual, strategic and development Welsh School of Architecture and School Tel 020 8331 9100/ 9135 ran the CABE Urban Design Summer School in Bristol. Bristol is not Architecture and urban design, [email protected] work in urban design, masterplanning, of City & Regional Planning, Glamorgan Website www.gre.ac.uk/schools/arc exactly a coastal town, but looking across the Floating Harbour from masterplanning. Urban waterside Website www.vincent-gorbing.co.uk urban regeneration, environmental Building, King Edward V11 Avenue, Cardiff Contact Richard Hayward environments. Community teamwork Contact Richard Lewis strategies, design and development CF10 3WA MA in Urban Design for postgraduate Canon’s Marsh you certainly are aware that you are in a maritime city, enablers. Visual impact assessments. Masterplanning, design statements, briefs. Tel 029 2087 5972/029 2087 5961 architecture and landscape students, with a strong sense that the sea is just around a bend in the river. character assessments, development Email [email protected] full time and part time with credit This was the third and last of the Summer Schools that my university, Urban Design Futures briefs, residential layouts and urban Yellow Book Ltd [email protected] accumulation transfer system. 97c West Bow, Edinburgh EH1 2JP capacity exercises. 3 Hill Street, Edinburgh EH3 8DG www.cardiff.ac.uk/cplan/ma_urbandesign together with other colleagues, have run for CABE. It is an intense and Tel 0131 226 4505 Tel 0131 225 5757 Contact Allison Dutoit/Marga Munar Bauza University of Newcastle upon exhausting four-day experience, but highly satisfying. Email [email protected] W A Fairhurst & Partners Email [email protected] One year full-time and two year part- Tyne Website www.urbandesignfutures.co.uk 1 Arngrove Court, Barrack Road Website www.yellowbookltd.com time MA in Urban Design. Department of Architecture, Claremont Contact selby Richardson Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6DB Contact John Lord Tower, University of Newcastle, Newcastle One of my jobs at the Summer School was helping to facilitate one Innovative urban design, planning Tel 0191 221 0505 Place-making, urban regeneration Edinburgh College of Art upon Tyne NE1 7RU of the three divisions tackling the ‘Big Project’. We had chosen a and landscape practice specialising in and economic development involving Email [email protected] School of Architecture Tel 0191 222 6004 wonderful and historic regeneration site at the back of Temple Meads masterplanning, new settlements, urban Contact miles Walker creative and cultural industries, tourism Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9DF Contact georgia Giannopoulou regeneration, town and village studies. and labour market research. Tel 0131 221 6175/6072 MA/Diploma in Urban Design. Joint Station known as Totterdown Basin, cut off by the railway viaduct, West & Partners Contact leslie Forsyth programme in Dept of Architecture and and divided by a minor arm of the Floating Harbour. We must like the URBAN GRAPHICS Isambard House, 60 Weston Street, Dept of Town and Country Planning. Full www.eca.ac.uk/index.php?id=523 back-of-the-railway-station context, because for last year’s Summer Regent House 5-7 Melbourne Street, London SE1 3QJ Diploma in Architecture and Urban time or part time, integrating knowledge Bedford MK42 9AX Tel 020 7403 1726 Design, nine months full-time. Diploma and skills from town planning, School we chose a similar site in Newcastle. Right on the edge of the Tel 01234 353870 Email [email protected] in Urban Design, nine months full time architecture, landscape. city centre, ripe for redevelopment, yet cut off and inaccessible - a Email [email protected] Contact michael West or 21 months part-time. MSc in Urban Website www.urban-graphics.co.uk Masterplanning within the creative Design, 12 months full-time or 36 University of Strathclyde classic urban design challenge. The problem at Totterdown Basin was Contact Bally Meeda interpretation of socio-economic, months parttime. MPhil and PhD, by Department of Architecture, exacerbated by the presence of several high, impermeable masonry Graphic design and illustration for urban physical and political urban parameters: research full and part-time. Urban Design Studies Unit, perimeter walls which used to enclose warehouses and the gas works, design, planning and transport. A range retail, leisure, commercial, residential. 131 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 ONG of projects from desktop publishing Leeds Metropolitan University Tel 0141 548 4219 some of them statutorily listed. What can you do – retain them, reports to exhibition and web design. WestWaddy: ADP The Leeds School of Architecture, Landscape Email [email protected] remove them, or transform them by knocking lots of holes in them? I The Malthouse, 60 East St.Helen Street, and Design, Hepworth House, Claypit Lane, Contact Ombretta Romice liked the solution of one of our groups who put car parking within the Urban Initiatives Abingdon, Oxon OX14 5EB Leeds LS2 8AE The Postgraduate Course in Urban 1 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 5HE Tel 01235 523139 Tel 0113 283 2600 ext. 29092 Design is offered in CPD,Diploma and walls, and a public garden on top of the cars, with users looking out at Tel 020 7380 4545 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] MSc modes. The course is design centred the town over the tops of the walls; a bit like being on the ramparts in [email protected] Website westwaddy-adp.co.uk Website www.leedsmet.ac.uk/courses/la and includes input from a variety of York or Berwick-on-Tweed. Website www.urbaninitiatives.co.uk Contact philip Waddy Contact edwin Knighton related disciplines. Contact Kelvin Campbell Experienced and multi-disciplinary team Master of Arts in Urban Design consists Urban design, transportation, of urban designers, architects and town of one year full time or two years University of the West of I admit to feeling sentimental about the intense camaraderie regeneration, development planning. planners offering a full range of urban part time or individual programme of England, Bristol generated by being part of the Summer School team for three years, design services. study. Shorter programmes lead to Post Faculty of the Built Environment, Frenchay Urban Innovations Graduate Diploma/Certificate. Project Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY in Birmingham, Gateshead/Newcastle and Bristol, and sorry in a way 1st Floor, Wellington Buildings, 2 White Consultants based course focussing on the creation Tel 0117 328 3508 that it is over and we shan’t be getting together to do it again. It is Wellington Street, Belfast BT16HT 18-19 Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3DQ Contact prof Martin Boddy of sustainable environments through very pleasing to know that over 350 people have gone through the mill Tel 028 9043 5060 Tel 029 2064 0971 interdisciplinary design. MA/Postgraduate Diploma course in Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Urban Design. Part time two days per and come out with some new urban design knowledge and skills (and Contacts Tony Stevens/ Agnes Brown Contact simon White London South Bank University fortnight for two years, or individual maybe a little passion) to take back home. The partnership provides not only A holistic approach to urban Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, programme of study. Project-based feasibility studies and assists in site regeneration, design guidance, public 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA course addressing urban design issues, assembly for complex projects but also realm and open space strategies and Tel 020 7815 7353 abilities and environments. … full architectural services for major town centre studies for the public, Contact dr Bob Jarvis projects. private and community sectors. MA Urban Design (one year full time/ University of Westminster two years part time) or PG Cert Planning 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS The Ondonym Mystery (UD111) is solved, thanks to UD-reader and Urban Practitioners Whitelaw Turkington Landscape based course including units on place Tel 020 7911 5000 x3341 amateur etymologist Sam Appleby. Disappointing - it was merely a 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ Architects and performance, sustainable cities Email [email protected] misprint for odonym, from the Greek odos, street. However, it is a fairly Tel 020 7253 2223 33 Stannary Street, London SE11 4AA as well as project based work and EU Contact Bill Erickson [email protected] Tel 020 7820 0388 study visit. Part of RTPI accredited MA or Diploma Course in Urban Design rare French word, and seems not to exist in English. So let’s import it Contact Antony Rifkin Email [email protected] programme. for postgraduate architects, town anyway, and make it an English word that you can casually drop into Specialist competition winning urban Contact lindsey Whitelaw planners, landscape architects and the conversation with other urban designers in the pub. regeneration practice combining LEEDS Oxford Brookes University related disciplines. One year full time or economic and urban design skills. 16 Globe Road, Leeds LS11 5QG Joint Centre for Urban Design, Headington, two years part time. Projects include West Ealing and Tel 0113 237 7200 Oxford OX3 0BP Joe Holyoak Plymouth East End. Email [email protected] Tel 01865 483403 Contact guy Denton Contact georgia Butina-Watson/ Urban regeneration, streetscape design, Alan Reeve public space, high quality residential Diploma in Urban Design, six months and corporate landscapes. Facilitators in full time or 18 months part time. MA one public participation. year full-time or two years part-time.

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