Spatial Planning Urban ISM (Integrated Spatial Model) – land use & transport together (at last!) Land use patterns will always influ- ence movement, yet conventional Autumn 2011 transport consultancy overlooks Urban Design Group Journal this, focusing on the symptoms 120 Issn 1750 712x — £5.00 not causes. Our approach to spa- tial planning - SMART URBANISM Urban - handles complexity and delivers compactness and connectedness. We offer a truly joined-up approach to land use and transport planning, transport using cutting edge tools like Ur- Interchanges ban ISM (Integrated Spatial Model) which is a quicker, cheaper, yet Design highly robust alternative to the big models and appraisals of the past.

Movement Strategy Most trips involve more than one mode, so our strategies encompass all networks Traditional approaches to hierarchy, network layout and modal priority have led to polarised, disconnected and inflexible transport networks. We bring NEW THINKING and use new tools like the ‘Urban Movement Grid’ and ‘Link and Place’. From whole-city, multi-modal studies to corridor strategies and network de- sign, our movement strategy work recognises that transport is almost always a means to an end. It is also grounded by the expertise gained from 21 years of masterplanning and place-making commissions.

Urban Realm Design Streets and spaces should look as good as they can while working as hard as they need From Strategic Urban Realm Plans, through the design of whole streets and spaces, to detailed ‘de-clut- tering’ exercises and landscape design, we’re recognised as leaders in the design of the public urban realm. Place by place, we know how to strike the best balance between technicalities and aesthetics. With several award-winning and noted exemplar schemes under our belt, we’re not only passionate about streets but skilled, knowledgeable, experienced and able both to get the message across and to DELIVER.

Urban Design groUp 1 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 5HE [email protected] T: +44 (0)20 7380 4545 F: +44 (0)20 7380 4546 www.urbanmovement.co.uk Urban Design groUp NewsUDG Update

improving public space, particularly around opposite. This street was happily closed to view from the new buildings. vehicles for over a year while construction A new tall building in the City has been took place, a perfect opportunity to re-open chair recently unveiled – Heron Tower by well- it as a shared-surface or pedestrian-only known civic architects Kohn Pederson Fox, space with good quality paving, street furni- on the corner of Bishopsgate and Camomile ture and trees. But no, the kerb, channel and Street. A high profile location and designers black-top have re-appeared, the carriage- The rioting season started with a roar this with a track record of major urban projects – way hard up against a narrow footpath by year and plenty of pundits are claiming that so what has happened there? the (now-closed) south-facing shops, with we can redesign our cities to protect our- This new tower has four sides exposed a single line of trees struggling to establish selves against rioters and looters – by design to the public realm, and what occupies the character. they probably mean more CCTV cameras, ground floor of this block? Escape stairs on Is this recession-standard high quality more shutters, bars and security systems, the most visually prominent corner, plant design? Or did the planning authorities just which is not how most urban designers would rooms, service areas (these things could go look the other way? We need to make the like to see the city evolving. underground)…. Oh, and entrances to the public realm better not worse in straightened Realistically, while city riots cannot be offices above and to upper level restaurants. times and surely London’s bailed-out City stopped by improving public realm, other Apart from the entrances, there is not a sin- should be leading here. aspects of urban life can be transformed gle metre of active frontage, no engagement Amanda Reynolds through this process. The daily walk to work with the raw space of urban footpaths – a • or going out at lunchtime can be made into depressingly dead building. Even the Gherkin a pleasure by the quality and character of – another pavilion concept tower surrounded the spaces one passes through or occupies. by public realm – does much better than this The City of London has a very high daytime with a good chunk of its ground level given population density, a very small number over to retail and café uses. of intensely used public open spaces and Worse still, bounding the north side of potentially healthy budgets to throw at the Heron Tower is a small street with shops

Urban Design Group Membership subscrip- the basis of further work running into 2012. Director’s tions can now be paid by direct debit. We Louise Ingledow, the UDG Development would like to encourage all UDG members Manager married in July, and this is a pho- report to pay in this way in preference to PayPal or tograph of her walking through the streets cheque: it is easier for us to administer and of Carlisle with her new husband Mark. It is will help to reduce the running costs of the nice to celebrate her wedding in the journal, UDG in these difficult times. as she contributes so much through her hard One of the tasks we all face is to convince work and determination. But more than this, people outside the urban design community it is a wonderful reminder of what streets can that it is possible to improve the design of be used for. This year we have seen streets towns and cities, and that the skilled prac- providing the stage for the worst aspects titioner in urban design is the sort of person of human nature and the best. And though needed to achieve the task. I was therefore urban design can get bogged down in a dehu- very encouraged to hear Lindsay Smales (who manised discussion of plot-ratios, permeabil- hosted last year’s National Urban Design ity, density and so on, we should remember Conference at Leeds Met) making an appeal that people and life are its ultimate purpose. for a more intelligent approach to managing Robert Huxford traffic in urban areas on the BBC Radio 4 pro- • gramme “You and Yours”. If we can all follow Lindsay’s example, little by little, the public profile of urban design will rise. The Urban Design Education initiative has been making very considerable progress. Katy Neaves, with the help of a number of the Universities in the UK, has produced a 34 page analysis of course content which is be- ing circulated among the group. It will form

Current subscriptions Annual membership rates UD practice index and on the udg website) Urban Design is free to Urban Design Group Uk individuals £40 uk students £20 Local authorities £100 (including two members who also receive newsletters and International individuals £50 copies of Urban Design) the directory at the time of printing Recognised practitioner in urban Uk libraries £40 design £80 International libraries £50 UDG Office Practices £250 (including a listing in the UD Individual issues of Urban Design cost £5 Tel 020 7250 0872/0892 practice index and on the UDG website) Email [email protected] Education £100 (including a listing in the ii — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Contents Contents

This issue has been generously sponsored by News And Events FRANCIS TIBBALDS AWARDS URBAN INITIATIVES London’s Public Spaces 3 PRACTICE AWARD SHORTLIST India 3 John Thompson & Partners, Cover The Changing Face of Modern Britain 4 Suzhou EcoTown 36 King’s Cross Station, (Image by John McAslan Remembering Steve Tiesdell 1964-2011 4 NEW Masterplanning, Greyfriars, Gloucester 38 + Partners) UDG Annual General Meeting 5 NJBA A+U, Rush 2020 Strategic Vision 40 Changing Chelmsford - Collaborative Richards Partington Architects, Howden Future Issues Urbanism 6 Urban Extension Master Plan 42 Issue 121 – The Developer and Urban Design Sustainable Development and Wellbeing 7 Studio REAL, Moat Lane, Towcester 44 Issue 122 – Temporary Urbanism The Urban Design Library #2 8 URBED, Brentford Lock West 46 The Urban Design Interview: Riccardo Bobisse 9 Publisher Award Shortlist Spatial Planning Urban ISM (Integrated Spatial Model) – land use & transport together (at last!) Land use patterns will always influ- ence movement, yet conventional Autumn 2011 Celebrating the Work of John Seed 10 RIBA Publishing: NewcastleGateshead, transport consultancy overlooks Urban Design Group Journal this, focusing on the symptoms 120 IssN 1750 712x — £5.00 not causes. Our approach to spa- Shaping the City, Peter Hetherington 48 tial planning - SMART URBANISM Urban - handles complexity and delivers compactness and connectedness. Viewpoints Routledge: Urban design, The Composition of We offer a truly joined-up approach to land use and transport planning, transport using cutting edge tools like Ur- interchanGes Higher residential densities in the outer complexity, Ron Kasprisin 48 ban ISM (Integrated Spatial Model) which is a quicker, cheaper, yet DesiGn highly robust alternative to the big models and appraisals of the past. London Suburbs, Richard MacCormac 12 Wiley: Urban Design Since 1945, A Global Economic restructuring and the role of urban Perspective, David Grahame Shane 49 Movement Strategy Most trips involve more than one mode, so our strategies encompass all networks Traditional approaches to hierarchy, network layout and modal priority design: Durham City, Lee Pugalis 15 Ashgate: Learning from Delhi, Dispersed have led to polarised, disconnected and inflexible transport networks. We bring NEW THINKING and use Initiatives in Changing Urban Landscapes, new tools like the ‘Urban Movement Grid’ and ‘Link and Place’. From whole-city, multi-modal studies to Topic: Transport Interchanges Maurice Mitchell, Shamoon Patwari and Bo corridor strategies and network de- sign, our movement strategy work recognises that transport is almost always a means to an end. It is also Introduction, Peter Hall and Christopher Tang 49 grounded by the expertise gained from 21 years of masterplanning and place-making commissions. Martin 18 Transport Interchanges: a challenge for urban Practice Index 50 Urban Realm Design Streets and spaces should look as good as they can while working as hard as they need From Strategic Urban Realm Plans, through the design of whole streets design, Brian Edwards 19 Education Index 56 and spaces, to detailed ‘de-clut- tering’ exercises and landscape design, we’re recognised as leaders Urban realm around the station, John Dales 23 in the design of the public urban realm. Place by place, we know how to strike the best balance between Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA: Model Dutch Endpiece technicalities and aesthetics. With several award-winning and noted exemplar schemes under our belt, Interchange, Anton Valk 26 Failing the Endurance Test, Joe Holyoak 57 we’re not only passionate about streets but skilled, knowledgeable, experienced and able both to get the message across and to DELIVER. New Railway Stations as Catalysts for Regeneration and Urban Hubs, June Taylor 29 Erratum

Urban Regeneration through better interchange, In Issue 119 the cover photograph and lower Design groUp 1 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 5HE [email protected] Kate Pasquale and John McNulty 32 image on page 21 are not by Ripin Kalra as T: +44 (0)20 7380 4545 F: +44 (0)20 7380 4546 www.urbanmovement.co.uk Urban Design Achieving better interchange, Peter Hall and stated, but by photographer Swati Singhal. groUp Christopher Martin 35

viable, lively and sustainable cities for the WEDNESDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2011 DIARY OF future, with – on the eve of the Olympics – a East Midlands Airport, 6–7.30pm, particular focus on how such major events UK’s Greenest Hotel Welcomes UDG EVENTS can bring about real and durable change. UDG East Midlands with North West Leices- With first rate speakers, original research tershire District Council, East Midlands findings, tours and exciting venues, the UDG Airport and Radisson Blu is offering members Unless otherwise indicated, all LONDON conference brings together the whole urban a tour of this new hotel to explore its sustain- events are held at The Gallery, 70 Cowcross design community - not to be missed! ability credentials. Street, London EC1M 6EJ at 6.30 pm. Tickets Opened in October 2011, Radisson Blu’s on the door from 6.00pm. £3.00 for full price TUESDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2011 £22m hotel at East Midlands Airport has 216 UDG members and £7.00 for non-members; Urban Design Communication bedrooms and a BREEAM Excellent rating, £1.00 for UDG member students and £3.00 Exploring the latest strategies, techniques complementing the airport’s aspiration for for non-member students. For further details and technologies for the most effective ground operations to be carbon neutral by see www.udg.org.uk/events/udg communication in urban design with Bally 2012. Designed by Leach Rhodes Walker, the Meeda of Urban Graphics (author of Graphics hotel is powered and heated by a tri-gener- THURSDAY 13 OCTOBER for Urban Design) and Janine Tijou, Director ation combined heat and power plant with Transport Interchanges of architectural visualisation experts Design surplus power exported to the grid; the hotel Based on the current issue of Urban De- Hive. is expected to achieve an 88% reduction in sign, this event will look at recent new build CO2 compared to a traditional build. It also and refurbishment transport interchange WEDNESDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2011 has rainwater harvesting, motion sensitive projects, considering examples of current Kevin Lynch Memorial Lecture 2011: lighting and a 62,500 litre capacity under- best practice. Christopher Alexander ground storage surface water tank. See www. Christopher Alexander, architect, theorist radissonblu.co.uk/hotel-eastmidlandsairport 20-22 OCTOBER 2011 and winner of the UDG lifetime achievement Places are free but booking essential. The National Conference on Urban Design award for 2011, in conversation with the Email Laura Alvarez by 16 November 2011: 2011: Cities 2030 - Live, Work, Play UDG’s patron John Worthington. Christopher [email protected]. Taking place at venues around Greenwich and will discuss his career, his tremendously sig- Deptford, including the Stirling Prize winning nificant and influential ‘pattern language’ and DECEMBER 2011 Laban Dance Centre, the 2011 conference his forthcoming new book. Advance registra- UDG CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION will address how we work towards creating tion required - additional fee applies. Date and venue TBC.

Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 1 Leader News London’s Public privatisation of public space, which she sees Inspiration and Localism: as fundamentally linked to a form of regener- Spaces ation that has turned the city from a publicly and democratic space to a private consumer getting the message The Gallery, London, 15 June 2011 oriented realm. She indicated the economic and policy origins of the change, used ex- amples to illustrate her points and argued that misconceptions about people’s feelings Three contrasting yet complementary speak- about security and comfort, were used to ers shared the platform in front of a packed justify the policies. Her view of the future was audience to present their views on London’s gloomy even though she had some hope that This issue looks at Transport Interchanges, clear that a boulevard design was needed public spaces. First was Lindsey Whitelaw the Mayor of London would encourage local who has had substantial practical experi- authorities to adopt all new public realm. where stepping from the street into a bus or to urbanise and slow the road, join the new ence of designing shared spaces and shared Matthew Carmona, topic editor for issue public, but their appeal to the public did not train is usually a hard-won design challenge. and existing neighbourhoods together, give surfaces. After indicating that these already 118, gave a much more upbeat view of Lon- reflect this; some of the most valued spaces had a fairly long history in London (the Seven don’s public spaces and started by respond- were private and some public ones were Like good design itself, interchanges should a highly visible space for supporting retail Dials scheme is about 30 years old), she ing to the previous view by asking ‘But is it highly controlled. His views were subtly bal- be so simple that we barely notice how units, and ensure that this new community gave eight lessons drawn from her experi- really that bad?’ His evidence based research anced and his conclusion was that the situ- ence. These include the need to have political which looked at a large sample of spaces, ation could be better, and corresponded to convenient they are; yet the rarity of good had an urban to suburban to rural cross- support at high level (Cllr Daniel Moylan for indicates that it is not. He went through a the complexities of a global city. An animated instance), an integrated multi-disciplinary series of questions: Is London’s public space debate between the three speakers and the design interchange means that it is always a section, rather than just be developed as team from the start, engagement with neglected, invaded, exclusionary, insular, pri- audience followed, concluding a most stimu- novelty and pleasant surprise when places, a housing estate. However, this logic was stakeholders and a parking strategy, to avoid vatised, invented, scary, homogenised? And lating evening. mixed messages, to think about servicing every time the answer was ‘not really, though Sebastian Loew people and transport work well together. subsequently lost on commentators in the the space and services below ground, and to there may be problems’. In many cases when • With more locally-driven decision-making local press declaring the boulevard a terrible have an ongoing commitment to maintenance dealing with neglect, Matthew indicated that and management. the way London had always been managed taking place, would it be optimistic to hope compromise – the worst of all worlds – why Anna Minton, the second speaker, author meant that sometimes spaces were cared for that this people-first approach will become not create a buffer for the new development of Ground Control and contributor to Issue and others were not. Similarly he observed 118 of UD (p.24), gave a polemic talk on the that some spaces were private and some the predominant demand amongst new with greenery instead? local voices? A recent example presents a It has been disappointing to see how dilemma in how urban design can inspire but short-sighted these local views are; instead India also confuse local thinking. Earlier this year, of choosing good urban design, there is a The Gallery, London,13 July 2011 Graham Paul Smith, frustrated by Oxford City danger that the safe no-design option will Council’s plans for a substantial new housing prevail. Is this what localism will produce? area outside the city’s ‘ring road’, organised How can we engender trust in urban It has been a couple of years since the UK’s now defunct Sustainable Development Com- a local conference to examine the issues designers’ visions and put good design back mission published Prosperity without Growth – effectively a Green-led cheer for austerity. around how it would be joined into the city’s into the planning process? In the meantime, many of us have struggled urban fabric. As part of the discussion the Happily, this issue also features this with the lack of growth, and increasingly designers have looked east. Compared with audience heard how travel patterns no longer year’s shortlisted Practice case study and flatlining western cities, the likes of China respect traditional urban structures, how Publishers’ Awards, illustrating the breadth and India offer not only the practical pros- pect of work, but also the chance to engage this ring road had isolated other peripheral and scale of ideas that are being explored at with an urban context that has a genuine communities, but was also not the fast moving this time elsewhere! sense of vibrancy and dynamism. Gathering some of the contributors to Greenwich University noted that Indian cities modern housing. Alas, no one questioned the urban motorway it was designed as. It was Louise Thomas the timely recent India issue of Urban Design, such as Chandigarh emerged when European accompanying sustainability frameworks, • topic editor Malcolm Moor introduced the modernists such as Le Corbusier started to betraying that opposition to western exports evening with some statistics; a birth rate work globally, and then posed an interest- is somewhat selective. (more than 50 per cent higher than China) ing question: what lessons might Europeans In the end, I was not convinced that the Urban Design Group Editorial Board Design which underpins the country’s youthful ef- learn from India today? Next, aided by some criticisms of generic housing and modernist- Chairman Amanda Reynolds John Billingham, Matthew Carmona, trockenbrot (Claudia Schenk and Anja Sicka) fervescence; a rate of urbanisation that will beautifully presented graphics, Darshana inspired campus development were rooted in Patrons Irena Bauman, Alan Baxter, Tim Catchpole, Richard Cole, Alastair Donald, www.trockenbrot.com result in 51 cities of 1+ million people and 10 Gothi looked at historical examples of the quality of specific developments. Rather Sir Richard MacCormac, Dickon Robinson, Tim Hagyard, Joe Holyoak, Liezel Kruger, megacities of 10 million people or more; and campus planning, seeking lessons for future they seemed more a defence of the assumed Helle Søholt, Lindsey Whitelaw and John Sebastian Loew, Jane Manning, Malcolm Printing Henry Ling Ltd the emergence of a new scale of planning, greenfield development. benefits of tradition and indigenous values Worthington Moor, Judith Ryser, Louise Thomas © Urban Design Group ISSN 1750 712X evident in the 1500km Delhi – Mumbai growth Underlying each talk was a question as – which, ironically, represent the types of corridor. You would need a heart of stone to the merits of universalising approaches cultural restrictions that modernising coun- Office Editors Advertising enquiries not to be enthused by this historic moment to design and this provided a focus for the tries are often keen to escape from. It is an Urban Design Group Louise Thomas (this issue) and Please contact UDG office which will see millions move off the land, discussion that followed. Having criticised interesting debate that was heating up nicely 70 Cowcross Street Sebastian Loew Material for publication out of poverty, and hopefully up to western the masterplanning of Chandigarh for failing when the plug was pulled on the evening, so London EC1M 6EJ [email protected] Please send text by email to the standards of living. to respond to specific Indian climatic and cul- I look forward to the second UDG India event Tel 020 7250 0872/0892 [email protected] editors, images to be supplied at a Of course there is history too, and it was tural mores, Dr Nasser found herself under in early 2012. Email [email protected] Book Review Editor high-resolution (180mm width @300dpi) the interaction of past and present that moti- fire for a ‘knowledge transfer programme’ Alastair Donald, co-editor of The Lure of the Website www.udg.org.uk Richard Cole preferably as jpeg vated the two main speakers. Noha Nasser of that exported to India some rather generic •City: From Slums to Suburbs (Pluto 2011)

2 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 3 News News

For those of us who have came to urban UK as a former world power; comparisons Events Group Website The Changing Face design via geography, this expansive talk was with the Dutch who were once the global Urban Design Group’s The events group, led by Paul Reynolds A new website for the Urban Design Group particularly engaging and although the audi- power before us, show that they are doing Annual General and Colin Munsie, maintained the varied has been created by UDG Member and enthu- of Modern Britain, ence was small, the range and depth of ques- well now. programme of events offered by the Urban siast Edward Povey, with support from JMP. Professor Danny tions exceeded that of many other evenings. A long discussion followed Professor Meeting Design Group throughout the year featuring It will provide a better service to members, Danny Dorling is Professor of Geogra- Dorling’s talk with questions ranging from the a range of speakers from around the UK and making information and resources more Dorling phy at University of Sheffield and a social intelligence of the general public; selfishness; The Gallery, London, 15 June 2011 beyond. Highlights included the 2010 Annual accessible and enabling new features to be commentator with a media profile. He was climate change; urban design work; collabo- Conference at Leeds Metropolitan University added, such as a blog, the incorporation of The Gallery, London, 1 July 2011 authoritatively provocative railing against rative consumption; to the Big Society. A re- – Urban Design on the Edge. It was extremely news items covered in the email newsletter conventional wisdoms, such as that the poor sponse was that Britain is uniquely troubled Trustees Report well attended and the collaboration of Lind- and the complete archive of back issues of pass on their poorness, or that money won’t by inequality due to a more settled history, This has been another good year for the UDG, say Smales, Edwin Knighton and others from the journal. solve poverty. whereas strife and war-torn neighbours with membership numbers remaining steady, the university was invaluable for the success He saw that from the 1920s to 1970s there gained more common feeling and so valued albeit with a net loss of practice and local of the event. The UDG Christmas Party was Street Young Urban Designers had been a reduction in UK inequality ena- greater equality. Consumption is not the authority members, and many initiatives held at the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe Network bled by the exploitation of poorer countries; answer, but we must help people to feel good developing the UDG’s profile: and included a visit to the main shaft of the Led by Katy Neaves, STREET London has gone but from the early 1970s we hit the limits of about themselves in order to consume less. Thames Tunnel, and the 2010 Kevin Lynch from strength to strength over the past year, growth, and UK inequality increased as the Change is always possible when realisation Digitisation of Urban Design Memorial Lecture was given by Sir Richard with popular walking tours around London dominant South East sought to maintain its dawns, such as when wealthy landowners The digitisation of back issues of Urban MacCormac, one of the UDG’s new patrons. and a cycle trip along the Thames Path. wealth. But now the party is over, and there invested in sewers in the nineteenth century Design is underway. The scanning stage has A new STREET network in the North West, is no recovery happening, just like the 1930s. for the public good, as they understood their been completed and the next step is to take The UDG is greatly indebted to all volunteers co-ordinated by Emma Zukowski, has already Inequality is increasing particularly at the own increased vulnerability to disease with- these scans and turn them into pdf docu- around the UK who run events in their area held a number of events and walking tours bottom as benefits and state pensions are out sanitation. Will environmental limits now ments – the first ten issues are already avail- including: too. cut, leaders cling to a naïve hope of growth lead to another similar shift? able on the UDG website. • Scotland – Francis Newton, Jo White and and trickle-down benefits to the poorest. Challenged to agree that some places Laurie Mentiplay running several events in So what are we to do? One action would have lost their economic rational, Dorling Urban Design Directory both Edinburgh and Glasgow Financial Review for the year be to consolidate what we have, such as the argued that London itself may already have John Billingham coordinated the 2011 Direc- • East Midlands – Laura Alvarez’s highly suc- ended 28 February 2011 valuable infrastructure investment in urban done so. Burnley was mentioned frequently tory in which 44 practices and 14 urban cessful Shared Space event in Nottingham 2011 areas e.g. sewer systems. Demolishing exist- and the message seemed clear – we don’t design courses were listed, and copies in October 2010 Totals ing housing is a neglect of this great resource. need to give up on places yet. went to 3,000 addresses in the UK and • North East – Georgia Giannopoulou hold- INCOMING RESOURCES People should be encouraged to only have The evening may have left some with- internationally. ing two events on Transition Towns and Subscriptions £78,784 one home – we don’t recognise how much out a sense of exactly how urban designers university based issues Publications and Awards £31,648 housing is lost as second or third homes. can tackle such inequalities, but as Robert The Urban Design Awards – • Yorkshire – Robert Thompson will be de- Donation from Urban Design There should be greater incentives to use the Huxford concluded, in understanding class, Francis Tibbalds Prize veloping a new regional network over the Services Ltd £5,049 nearest school and also to limit the number wealth and inequality there is little else of The Awards Group, led by John Billingham, coming months. UDSL Contribution to Office Costs £5,000 of different jobs people do. Finally we must less relevance to place-making. augmented the Urban Design Group’s Awards Activities to Generate Funds stop looking backwards – a problem for the Tim Hagyard in 2010 with new awards for Public Sector UDG Patrons Interest Received £549 • work, Publishers for urban design books, The UDG has appointed four new patrons Inland Revenue: Gift Aid £4,314 Journalists and an individual’s Lifetime over the course on the past year. Irena Bau- Miscellaneous Income £581 Achievement, in addition to the established man, Sir Richard MacCormac, Helle Sohølt TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES £125,925 two disciplines; and a number of others and Practice and Student Awards. The first large and Lindsey Whitelaw have now joined exist- Remembering Steve I followed in his wake. Steve worked in prac- scale Awards Ceremony was on 2 February ing patrons Alan Baxter, Dickon Robinson and RESOURCES EXPENDED Tiesdell, 1964-2011 tice as an architect, before returning to Not- 2011 at the Royal United Services Institute John Worthington. The group looks forward Publications & Awards £51,789 tingham as a lecturer and to do his PhD. After on Whitehall, sponsored by publishers to their future involvement over the coming General £77,351 Nottingham he taught at Sheffield, Aberdeen Routledge and Pollard Thomas Edwards Ar- months and years. Development Expenditure £2,500 and latterly Glasgow in, respectively, depart- chitects, winner of the preceding year’s Prac- Governance costs (accountancy) £1,560 ments of architecture & planning, planning, tice Award. These awards continue to receive Urban Design Study Tour Steve Tiesdell died on the 30th June after real estate and urban studies, demonstrating the generous support of the Francis Tibbalds This year’s excellent study tour visited a TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED £133,200 an illness that he had bravely fought for 12 that Steve was always ready to both cross Trust which provides financial prizes in the number of towns in Tuscany and Umbria, NET INCOMING RESOURCES months. As well as a personal tragedy for and challenge the divides that so dominate Practice, Student and Journalist categories, exploring the impact of the Cittaslow move- AND NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS (£7,275) his family and many friends, Steve’s passing our discipline. and February 2012 will see the next group of ment in Italy, led by Executive Committee represents a huge loss for our field of urban In almost 20 years of teaching, Steve winners selected and celebrated. member Alan Stones, for over 40 practition- FUND BALANCES design. will have touched and profoundly influenced ers and enthusiasts. BROUGHT FORWARD £128,801 Steve was a person with an untapped the lives of thousands of students from The Education Group enthusiasm for all things urban. His curiosity, these disciplines, and to each he argued the An Education Group was established in July Research initiative FUND BALANCES huge knowledge of the field, incisive analysis case for the importance of a place-based 2010, led by Katy Neaves and Duncan Ecob Mike Biddulph, recipient of the UDG’s first CARRIED FORWARD £121,526 and great humour made him a fantastic view of the world, one in which design can and with the participation of John Billing- research funding, is reaching the end of his companion with whom to explore cities, have both a positive or negative impact, but ham, Sophie Burtt and Barry Sellers as well study which looked at the impact of ‘Manual CURRENT ASSETS £143,367 both literally and intellectually. These were should never be ignored. His impact will be as Bob Jarvis and Noha Nasser representing for Streets’. An initial event summarising the CURRENT LIABILITIES £21,842 qualities that he brought to his teaching and even greater through his books and other universities. The first event was convened at research findings was held in January and a TOTAL NET ASSETS £121,526 writing as anyone who has ever attended a writings, including important contributions Steve had many more contributions to the National Conference 2010 and an Educa- presentation will also be made at the 2011 talk by Steve, or had an office anywhere in his to the literature on safer cities, revitalising make and his passing at just 47 is tragically tion Symposium was held in Birmingham in conference. vicinity, will know – Steve lectured more en- historic quarters, design and real estate, young for one with so much more to offer. May 2011 attended by representatives of 11 thusiastically and typed louder than anyone public space, urban design process, place- Steve will be sorely missed by all who knew different courses from England, Wales and Email Newsletter I know. Both were a consequence of his great making… the list goes on. Each contribu- him, but his work will remain, continuing Scotland. The conclusions and full report of The email newsletter service is now received passion for the subject. Keyboards didn’t last tion was carefully researched and crafted, to enlighten us all for many, many years to this gathering are to be circulated; this will by 1,500 individuals. It provides a monitoring long when Steve was around! from the robustness of the argument, to the come. form the basis of the UDG’s education policy. service of government websites across the After a childhood in Suffolk, Steve went positioning of the last comma (about which Matthew Carmona UK, as well as research in areas that add to to the University of Nottingham to study first Steve was an authority, as many students • urban design including psychology, sociology, architecture and then urban planning. In this and academic collaborators will know to 1 See Steve’s article on the Urban public health, technology and economics. he was a pioneer in a joint route through the their cost !!!). Renaissance, Issue 108, p16

4 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 5 News News The Group had three aims: Sustainable • to strengthen the forum • engage the local community Development and • involve leading thinkers – people with experience in comparative towns Wellbeing

The first conference took place in Septem- ber 2009, at which Charles Landry gave a talk on the ‘art of city-making’. The event was successful in stimulating people’s This year’s Planning Summer School in imagination. Barry Shaw indicated that September at Swansea University cleverly the process was no longer about blueprint brought together elected members with planning but about developing a structure planning responsibilities and officers for the to give direction and vision. The RSA Group Planning Summit. It proved good timing as was helpful in stimulating new ideas and planning was on very many people’s lips, reinvigorating the local Civic Society. They thanks to George Osborne’s article in the were interested in getting ideas that were Financial Times, decrying objections to the fresh and distinctive, a creative initiative draft National Planning Policy Framework that stood alongside politics and bureauc- (NPPF). racy. The group learned from other towns, The summit was opened by Adrian involved the university, gave briefings to Penfold of British Land, who set the NPPF in leaders of Chelmsford and Essex County context and summarised the subtle but sig- Council, established an events programme nificant shift in government planning policy. and the branding ‘Reimagining Chelmsford’ From the Open Source Planning document of was born. March 2010 to today’s draft NPPF, we have wThe events programme involved moved from localism and communities being not up-to-date (and an earlier audience poll by the Sarkozy Commission, and demands a We need a process that achieves a better eleven events over five weeks, includ- at the heart of planning, to economic growth suggested that these may be the majority), careful rethink of policies presenting tough Changing Chelmsford balance between participatory and regulatory ing eight workshops, 120 participants, a and development instead. This has revealed there would be a presumption in favour of political choices. Applying the concept of – Collaborative democracy. Collaborative Urbanism is an iter- shared identity and a collaborative web site, a dichotomy: local people are being encour- ‘sustainable development’. She argued that sustainable development properly impacts, ative process from community consultation to www.changingchelmsford.wordpress.com. aged to take control, yet with fewer frame- sustainable development, like many key for example, upon whether we put complying Urbanism co-production. There needed to be continuous Over one hundred ideas were generated and works in place to support them. There is a policy ideas before, can be defined by gov- with air quality regulations over preserving community engagement whereby an agreed this seeded self-organising initiatives based clear division between those who are able to ernment now, and enacted upon by industry. a major employer, or deal with crime or ill- set of values emerged which informed design around the arts, education and learning, get involved in localism, and those for whom Given the concerns voiced by Simon Jenkins, health once it is a problem, or actively man- thinking. All members of the community (ac- environment and empowering communities. it is beyond their horizons. How localism the National Trust and CPRE about concreting age and educate society to avoid them. Bates countants, shopkeepers, residents, etc) need These included: Transition Town Chelms- might be embraced touched upon financial over England and the relaxation of policies to showed however that managing political am- This summer event was the inaugural UDG to be able to fulfil their role in design thinking ford; Young Urban Explorers – mapping incentives (TIFFs, CILs, etc), but with the prevent this, this definition is the nub of the bitions and agendas in this way is a long term event held jointly with the Academy of as part of a co-production to achieve results. underutilised or vacant space in the town; development industry struggling to borrow issue… plan, as the environment soon loses support Urbanism and the Royal Society of Arts. The The process has formed the thinking be- Creative adaptive reuse of key buildings and make sufficient profits, this is unlikely A passionate Angus McIntosh of Jones once the economy falters. The Welsh Govern- speakers were Roger Estop, Stephanie Mills, hind the Changing Chelmsford initiative, a col- including the Shire Hall, Marconi factory to guarantee appealing ‘payouts’ to local Lang Lasalle showed how our strategy for ment is to be applauded for taking this bold Malcolm Webb, Barry Shaw and Professor laboration between four partners: Chelmsford (site of the first radio broadcast on 15 June communities. If planning is society-led, what growth has led us astray with statistics link- action throughout all areas of its work. John Worthington. Borough Council, The Academy of Urbanism, 1920) and Anne Knight buildings; Establish- does today’s society or communities want, ing home ownership and debt to economic The debate concluded that the NPPF is The context was the concept of Collabo- The Essex Design Initiative and the Royal ing a UniverCities project, to link Chelms- and how will they communicate this? performance. He demonstrated that England, not disastrous, but with the kind of defini- rative Urbanism, which was a term applied to Society of Arts. ford’s learning providers with practitioners, Workshop sessions followed, one of the US, Spain and Ireland had unstable tion that Wales has adopted, it offers the the process of public participation, under- Stephanie Mills was the curator and researchers, businesses, public and private which was led by Bruno Moore of Sainsburys economies, while Germany, the Netherlands opportunity for society or local communities taken in conjunction with the development project manager. She described the origins organisations; a Fringe Festival and various plc, discussing very interesting case studies and Switzerland where long term renting is to develop a shared vision, which with strong plan process at Chelmsford, Essex. It was of the process in 2008 following a decision arts initiatives including finding temporary from the large audience. A very common more prevalent, have remained less trou- leadership could be implemented over the called Changing Chelmsford and was an by the eastern region of the Royal Society of studio space. theme was that while peripheral super- bled. Concerned that the weight of sustain- long term. exercise in discovering how to make Chelms- Arts (RSA) to set up a network of residents, markets are often seen as draining life from ability standards required of developments Louise Thomas ford a sustainable place through developing as part of the process of preparing an Area John Worthington concluded that the proc- local high streets, central stores can save continues to render them unviable, he raised • a strategic vision. Action Plan. It was agreed to work with the ess undertaken had implications for wider smaller towns from dwindling footfall. Moore whole-life energy costing as a better way to The traditional planning process require- various organisations within Chelmsford, and practice, as a way to: conceded that the in-house design team were reappraise how sustainable our development ments were considered to fall short of what Derek Stebbing from the council was invited • engage civic society and harness respon- briefed to design stores around the car, which industry is. Moreover, the rapid turnover was required. Planning needed to support to discuss the plan. Seven specific issues were sible participation suggests that better urban design rests with of planning minsters was a key indicator of and enhance economic success, then ensure identified to get involved in, and there was • break down barriers and integrate public, the local authority, which may or may not short-termism in policy-making, rendering a more equitable distribution of resources. an overall view that Chelmsford was not a private and civic sectors feel empowered to ask for appropriate design sustainability unachievable; he called for a 25 It needed to be part of process of managing deprived town, but that there was a perceived • increase awareness and understanding, modifications. It is pertinent that there is year sustainable governance timeline and the and moderating change. Time was criti- uncertainty about its identity. clarifying choices and easing decision much to do to civilise peripheral retail parks adoption of transition town principles. cal: the objective was to create meaningful Barry Shaw (Essex Design Initiative) was making too, as we will be stuck with them for some However the most engaging argument spaces with local people. engaged in helping the delivery of the Action • move from regulation to change time yet. came from Clive Bates of the Welsh Govern- Area Plan. For him it was about working to management However the most interesting session ment Sustainable Futures Group, who has John Worthington outlined three barriers to defining the character and cultural life of the • generate leadership and participation was the Big Debate on the definition of sus- had the mean task of defining sustainable collaborative urbanism: town as well as its physical form, and Derek through the small scale and incremental tainable development – in the context of the development as a central organising principle • centralised decision-making - financial Stebbing described a democratic deficit in • show how localism can work with the NPPF – at first glance a rather dry topic, but for decision-making in Wales. His work had controls over budgets from Treasury the town centre. For those living in the sur- planning process, with community led which in fact explored three distinct visions. led him to a simple definition and overall • an adversarial culture - planning appeals, rounding areas, there are parish councils, but plans and strategies, and Liz Peace of the British Property Federation objective: the well-being of today’s people lawyers involved in legal challenges there was no such mechanism in the centre of • secure cultural inclusion as part of the (BPF), who has been quoted widely over the as well as in the future. Nature and ecology • Dependency culture - the notion that there the town. The initiative’s role was therefore development process summer, set out the BPF’s desire for a simpli- were clearly part of the wellbeing concept – is someone to do it for us to bring the various sectors together, and a Barry Sellers fied planning system to enable the develop- strategically as well as on a day-to-day level. Steering Group was set up to promote com- • ers of brownfield regeneration schemes to Wellbeing, or ‘the absence of misery’ as it munity engagement in the town centre. deliver better places. Where a local plan is had first been termed, has also been studied

6 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 7 News News

provide shockingly accurate predictions, What do you find exciting about your work? Where is your favourite town or city and hammering home the central premise that we The Urban Design The best thing is the wide range of people why? seem to end up with the same thing with or Interview: you meet and the variety of contexts, situa- Pienza, (shown below) the organic yet without the fuss of planning. tions and problems you face. Every scheme rational utopian city of the Renaissance. Then Re-reading Non-Plan you can hear chimes Riccardo Bobisse is different, and it’s exciting to identify the I’d say Alingsas. It’s a little town near Gothen- of recognition: campaigns for design guides right balance of ingredients to allow a place burg. Nothing really exciting, except during to preserve local distinctiveness, promotion to work. their festival of lights. The space changes of public participation in planning, and the completely and shows the potential of light- hope that information technology (cybernet- What do you think are the most important ing in shaping space. ics) will help solve our problems. Non-Plan skills of an urban designer? also seems to chime with the underlying Listening, listening, and more listening. Isn’t Where is your most hated place and why? ideas of the Localism Bill. One is tempted that the difference between urban design and Old Street Roundabout; a stubborn monu- to think the authors of Non-Plan were naïve architecture!? A strong ability to synthesise ment to traffic in one of the most prominent about who would be in a position to exer- information, clear communication and nego- locations in Central London. The surviving cise the freedom in their experiment. By the tiation skills are also essential. private squares of the capital do annoy me evidence of virtually all development since as well. It’s amazing that the public only have 1969, you would have to be cripplingly jejune What would you like to be doing in ten one or two chances a year to enjoy these to think it was Parish Councils or individuals, years’ time? spaces. except in the most affluent areas. And you get Be a Mayor. Running a city would be the ulti- the sense that while Barker et al might have mate fetish for anyone involved with design- What advice would you give to UD readers? underestimated the extent to which Pop Cul- ing public spaces and new neighbourhoods. Go back to see how people use the place ture would become the self-combusting fuel you’ve helped to shape, ideally after some of corporate interests, they knew who would As an urban designer, do you have a role time. That is best learning exercise you can be in control and didn’t care. In fact, it was model? ever have; comparing your expectations to the care and fuss of planning they wanted That’s a difficult one. I prefer to think about reality. to eliminate. They didn’t feel the need to books and ideas, otherwise I end up men- The Urban Design Pop Culture, a preoccupation wonderfully worry because they saw unplanned, ordinary tioning Che Guevara or Peppino Impastato! What should the Urban Design Group be codified in Learning from Las Vegas (Venturi, environments of whatever period as a posi- Sticking to urban design, I suppose I really doing now or in the future? Library # 2 Scott-Brown and Izenour). tive alternative, fascinating and pleasurable like the Richard Sennett, author of The Uses Increase its visibility. Many in the business Non-Plan paid tribute to Las Vegas for because they just work – spontaneous, local of Disorder. The text exudes a deep love for still ask me what the Group is. Also, while it’s Non-Plan: An Experiment in its unabashed vitality but was more radical and imperfect, a particularly English/ British the democratic value of public spaces, which important to differentiate the UDG from the Freedom (New Society 338, in its interpretation of what the city repre- version of the Japanese idea of wabi-sabi. should be central to any scheme. other organisations, I do believe it is also im- March 20, 1969) by Paul Barker, sented. The central proposition of the article There remains much to chew over from portant to seek opportunities for collabora- Cedric Price, Peter Hall & Reyner is clearly stated in the title: do away with the Non-Plan, as the maniacal vibrancy of the Las If you were to recommend an urban design tion with other bodies promoting good urban Banham planning system and let people build what Vegas strip is compressed into the non-place scheme or study (past or present) for an design, including RIBA, RTPI, and Design for they want, where they want. The underly- realm of the interwebs, and where the cor- What is your current job and how long have award, what would you chose? London. ing questions are, would things really be any porate culture of the LARGE leans in mutual you been there? It would definitely have to be a street mar- If we set to one side the current glut of house worse than they are if we didn’t have a plan- support against institutions addicted to end- I am a Principal Urban Designer at JMP where kets. They are incredibly difficult spaces to Finally, who would you like to see inter- make-over programmes on television, it is ning system? Why do we need to impose ide- less reports, consultations and strategies. I lead the urban design team. I have been deal with without prejudicing their character. viewed by UD? fair to say that planning and architecture do als, particularly aesthetic ideals on people? We might reflect, too, that the demographic working for them since the early 2007. At the Their energy, opportunity for discovery and Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs would be not often make it into the popular media. But These are questions worth asking any bulge in ‘69 wanted to see progress but they time I was the first non-engineer or planner micro-scale socio-economic significance great. It would be great to hear their take on about every decade or so, something breaks time but it was particularly pointed in Britain – and many others – now prefer the peace of there! We started from add-on streetscape is amazing. If it was possible to identify its real-life communities, as opposed to the dig- through, for example The Death and Life of in 1969. To understand why, it is useful to their quiet garden undisturbed by develop- jobs for our engineers and have gradually designer I’d say Borough Market (despite it is ital communities they work so hard to create. Great American Cities (1961), From Bauhaus recall the deep and rich seam of discontent ment. That is the radical sequel to Non-Plan. grown, now winning work for our engineers now deteriorating as too many love it and big If I have to stay local, I would say the lighting to Our House (1981), or Edge City (1991), all, with contemporary development going back It is not planning, but NO DEVELOPMENT AT and expanding into wider urban design stud- chains have started moving in). If that doesn’t designer Mark Major, his book (co-authored notably, written by journalists. to the fifties, in particular embodied in the ALL. ies and masterplanning. count, well then I’d say Whitecross Street with Speirs and Tischhauser) Made of Light is This issue’s classic text is from the 1970s: ‘Townscape’ movement. John Betjeman, Tho- In the end, if I were to come up with a Market, near Old Street, for its beautifully an eye-opener on the relationship between Published in 1969 in the magazine New mas Sharp, Gordon Cullen and most excoriat- new experiment in freedom, it would be to Can you describe the path that you fol- effective simplicity. light and space. Society, ‘Non-Plan: an Experiment in Free- ingly, Ian Nairn voiced a collective despair at give real control to Parish, Town and City lowed to become an urban designer and dom’ was a collaborative article written by the creeping banality of modern development Councils – not merely planning powers but what motivated you? journalist Paul Barker (also deputy editor of – overseen by the 1947 Town and Country fiscal and financial freedoms. Like Non-Plan, Well, it was quite a winding path… despite the magazine) architect Cedric Price, urban Planning Act. the focus should be on the economy to give a long interest in cities and architecture, I geographer Peter Hall and architectural his- In caricature, ‘Townscape’ and ‘Non-Plan’ the incentive for local action and co-oper- graduated from university in Venice with a torian and critic Reyner Banham. were two opposite responses to the problem: ation to build regional infrastructure and a degree in Business Administration, with a dis- Admittedly, the instalment came a little more control on the one hand, less on the broad-based mix of activities from forestry sertation on airport logistics. I then worked in early, but by 1969, as many said, the sixties other. But that caricature sweeps away the and energy production to manufacturing, IT for a large multinational firm. After 5 years had already ended. Nixon was in the White important question that ‘Non Plan’ posed: services and tourism. Let people get on I decided I wanted to do something more House, Labour was on its way out and the is planning really doing what we want it to with making a living. Trying to instil vitality useful and creative, so I looked back at my Summer of Love and solidarity of the student do? Clearly the answer for Barker et al was in a place by design alone, as is the current old vocation and applied for a MSc in Urban protests was breaking up into the shards a resounding NO and their response was orthodoxy, is window dressing in a shop that Regeneration at the Bartlett. I loved the ur- of the Weathermen, the Angry Brigade and to ditch it altogether. Well, perhaps not has nothing to sell. ban design module on the course, so, after a Baader-Meinhof gang. Within architecture altogether: they acknowledge the need for Karl Kropf relatively short work experience for Haringey and planning, the reaction against CIAM or- economic planning and opted for limited • Council, I started a second Masters, this time thodoxy by Team Ten and others had become ‘zones’ in which planning regulations would Read on in Urban Design at Westminster. There I met mainstream. In 1966 Robert Venturi and Aldo be removed – an experiment that clearly Nairn, I. (1968) Nairn’s London (Penguin, London) Paul Smith, who at the time was an Associate Koolhaas, R. (1994) ‘What ever happened Rossi had completed the key texts of what foreshadowed Michael Heseltine’s 1982 Enter- to urbanism’ in Koolhaas and Mau, S,M,L,XL Director at JMP and was thinking of setting would later be dubbed Post-Modernism prise Zones, which applied the idea, only on a (Monacelli Press, New York) up an urban design team. We both agreed (Complexity and Contradiction in Architec- much smaller scale. Barker, P. (2009) The Freedoms of Suburbia that integrating the different disciplines was ture, and The Architecture of the City), and In describing how development might (Frances Lincoln, London) a powerful idea, so we did it! by 1969 the UK and US were immersed in pan out in the Non-Plan zones, the authors

8 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 9 News News Celebrating the work of John Seed (1939-2011) Andy Hiorns describes the work of master planning architect John Seed who died earlier this year

John was part of that unique cohort of plans for many areas of Milton Keynes, Joining Conran Roche in 1979, John highly talented architects attracted to for example Pennylands (also designing continued to work on projects in Milton Manchester, a new town in Taiwan building the new city of Milton Keynes in experimental passive solar housing), large Keynes including plans for Emerson Valley and many diverse regeneration and the 1970s under the leadership of chief parts of the north-eastern flank of the city and Tattenhoe grid squares, and large development projects. architect-planner Derek Walker. John’s at Bolbeck Park, Giffard Park, and Willen, scale plans for several Urban Development John’s talent for illustration allowed early work included plans to conserve developing his characteristic rational Corporations, including his spectacular him to show how his buildings and spaces and develop the 13 ancient villages geometries, with curvilinear tree-lined plan for the Royal Docks. would be activated – his perspectives are captured by the new town, and each avenues, circuses, crescents and squares Turning freelance in 1990 gave John legendary, great masterpieces of the art, plan accompanied by illustrations of – in the English garden city tradition of the opportunity to work with his (now but also very human, populated by scenes quintessential English life. Louis de Soissons – creating a soft, legible far flung) former colleagues preparing from everyday life; people walking, cycling John prepared grid square master and forgiving (of the house builders) form. schemes for the National Stadium in and running; barking dogs, cows, sheep and ducks; chaps in flares and girls in short skirts. ↖ John’s illustrations of Brierley Hill, Dudley – a new town centre To watch him work was a marvel; a ↑ Emerson Valley, Milton Keynes blend of pure talent allied to a master- ↓ Woolstones, Milton Keynes craftsman’s skill, methodically and surely developing his ideas across the page. John’s modesty meant he never received the recognition he deserved, but those who knew him had the utmost respect for his abilities. A rare and special talent indeed. • Andy Hiorns, David Lock Associates

↑Royal Victoria Docks, London ← Harton Staithes, South Shields, Tyneside

10 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 11 Viewpoint: UDG Patron Viewpoint: UDG Patron HIGHER RESIDENTIAL DENSITIES IN THE OUTER LONDON SUBURBS

Richard MacCormac explains a design and planning approach ↙ Site in Milton Keynes with poor ←← Housing at 35 dph or 14 dph use of land ← Housing at 50 dph or 20 dw/ac ↙↙ Study infill site with a variety ↙↙ L Shaped houses at 50 dph or of typologies nearby 20 dw/ac ↓ Proposal 1 development mix ↙ 75 dph or 30 dw/ac mews houses ↘ Proposal 2 development mix

over space which constitute nearly 40 per ranging from Victorian terraces with long Houses and apartments cent of land use. back gardens and front gardens facing Two hypothetical proposals for suburban each other across wide streets, to detached development were tested with different New suburban planning or semi-detached inter-war developments, residential mixes and allocations of public The reformulation of suburban planning and more recent three storey town houses open space. In Proposal 1 over 50 per cent must involve a cultural shift from the and flats giving an approximate overall of the dwellings are small apartments at picturesque, towards more formal density of 30 dph (approx 12 dw/ac). a high density of 400 dph (roughly 160 planning which may be perceived as more Our study used L-shaped two storey dw/ac), which might require buildings of urban. It actually draws on a suburban terraced houses with 6 metre frontages at up to eight or nine storeys, which would Introduction power to influence planning decisions of benchmarks against which planning tradition of the US; think of the setting 50 dph (20 dw/ac) and 4 metre frontage appear to contradict the suburban vision. We urgently need to look at new kinds and participate in the creation of local authorities, their elected members of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie houses in three storey mews houses at 75 dph However, there is a very advantageous of suburbia. The most pressing and development frameworks. and local communities can evaluate the generous grids of the Chicago suburbs (approx 30 dw/ac). The proximity of the trade-off; the density of the apartments immediate reason for this is that densities Underlying this issue is the fact that developers’ proposals. such as Oak Park. local park and the inclusion of two shared could limit their footprint to just 3 per of development in the outer London housing density is little understood, and These studies have demonstrated Fundamental to this more formal open spaces, ensured that all the private cent of total land use, leaving nearly 80 suburbs have risen dramatically, largely there are preconceptions that higher that suburban development can be approach is the recognition that land gardens also had access to recreational per cent of the development area to be reflecting the boom in the provision of densities equate with overcrowding, loss achieved at significantly higher densities is a resource, the use of which must be areas. The overall density at 50dph is two storey mainly terraced housing, and small apartments rather than family of privacy, problems of public health than hitherto, without losing the values accountable and given the same value substantially higher than that of the nearly 20 per cent to recreational open accommodation. A consequence has been and social breakdown. These concerns associated with the house and garden set given to the floor space of buildings. In surrounding area. space, while achieving an overall density a substantial increase in land values, which probably reflect the failures of public in leafy surroundings. Detached housing the 50dph layout, the house plots and What was significant, in terms of the of 50 dph. then require higher residential densities to housing in the 1960s and 1970s, and can be achieved at 35 dwellings per hectare car courts fit together like the pieces of outer Boroughs’ density dilemmas, was In Proposal 2, the same quantum of achieve financial viability. These densities specifically the experience of families with (or approx 14 dwellings per acre), but a jigsaw puzzle, and this in turn depends that the proposal would not have stood high density apartments achieves another are also broadly supported by the Density young children in middle and high rise probably the most useful benchmark is the upon the overall dimensions of the plot out visibly as denser than the surrounding kind of trade-off which is that over 90 per Matrix of the London Plan. flats. However, there is a real risk that we evidence that the typical two storey house which frames the housing group. context. The small clusters of houses cent of the development area could consist This situation represents a challenge are repeating these failures. with a 6 metre wide frontage in short This is not to suggest that such which characterised the layout would of detached houses while still sustaining to the very idea of suburbia and the vision terraces or semi-detached forms can meet relationships should be prescriptive, but probably be perceived as less urban than the density of 50 dph. So, in each case, of family housing in open, green and Density and character the density of 50dph (or approx 20 dw/ac); a reminder that achieving such layout the long Victorian terraces. the inclusion of high density apartments leafy surroundings - quiet, private and a What we need is a renewed understanding this dwelling type is familiar to the volume efficiency must optimise the relationship Initially our density studies for the HCA enhances the suburban potential of the good place for families and bringing up of the relationship between density and house builder. between site dimensions and housing addressed family housing, but given the development as a whole. children. residential typology or, density and the New kinds of suburbia must supersede typologies. demography of the UK, and the increasing This approach to investigating the This is a political dilemma for the character of development. In our recent car-dependent layouts and highway requirement for accommodation for character of different development representatives of communities who study for the Homes and Communities engineering which gave precedence to Family Housing Studies the elderly, the studies needed to options is particularly applicable to see the values of their constituents Agency (HCA), we looked at a range of vehicular movement. The map extract We studied a one hectare site in the include apartments. This led to a rather suburban locations where the rise in land threatened by high density development. suburban densities and the house types shows a 1970s development in Milton London Borough of Merton, where the unexpected outcome. values requires high densities to achieve This dilemma will be more sharply and layouts which match them. What Keynes in which the misfit between road existing context was characterised by commercial viability. A further study focused as local communities gain the these studies begin to offer are a series and housing layout results in areas of left a wide variety of suburban typologies was undertaken for a site in the London

12 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 13 Viewpoint: UDG Patron Viewpoint Economic restructuring and the role of ↙ Option Master plan showing 233 houses and 192 apartments, urban design: Durham City at 64dph (26 dw/ ac), and 15 per cent open space Lee Pugalis examines a partnership approach to change ↙↙ Development mix for master plan option ↓ The potential within 10 minute walkable area ↓↓ A new vision of suburbia?

enable local amenity groups as well as the local authority and its elected members to formulate development briefs. Such studies, which can be undertaken remarkably quickly, are a way of providing the localism agenda with a practical planning toolkit. The studies described here were largely a response to the pressure of rising densities in the outer London suburbs, but they also reflect the finding of our original report for the HCA entitled Sustainable Suburbia. In the research project, we concluded that higher densities which sustain the private benefits of a family house and garden, can also offer the additional shared benefits of walkable access to local facilities, schools and public transport. At 50 dph, 5,000 family homes could be within ten minutes walk of a local centre. The inclusion of a proportion of higher density apartments with a reduced footprint could release up to a fifth of the development area as open space for recreation, children’s play, biodiversity, rainwater management, mitigation of climate change and even local agriculture. Higher densities offer new kinds of suburbia, with less car dependence and varied pedestrian environments connected to schools, transport and local facilities in lively and sociable communities. Sir Richard MacCormac, Founder and Inspired by the collection of articles economy, Durham has been more curtailed and the historic character •Consultant, MJP Architects edited by Tim Hagyard on the subject fortunate. Until this Great Recession, retained, modern city requirements (such of Urban Design and Local Authorities the city benefited from consumption- as larger building floorplates) and growing (UD 113), this article charts the role of a fuelled economic growth, propped up by visitor expectations (e.g. ample car public sector partnership responding to accelerated public sector employment. parking) have not been widely provided. the significant spatial challenges posed Perceived as a spatial asset, historic Consequently, its cultural offer has by global economic restructuring in an Durham has untapped potential as a world stagnated in comparison to other historic historic city. Through the lens of Durham class visitor destination and international places such as Lincoln, York or Chester. City – a university city situated in the centre of education. Boasting the cathedral During the 1990s, local and regional north of England with a relatively small and castle UNESCO World Heritage Site, actors debated the concept of a networked population of around 42,000 inhabitants Durham could play a much stronger role partnership entity to deliver the vision for – urban design can be seen as part of a in the urban revitalisation of the North of Durham. layered spatial design strategy to support England. Its spatial quality and historic city sustainability and wider economic atmosphere are valued by visitors and DURHAM CITY PARTNERSHIP Borough of Barnet where land values at the north edge of the development site objectives. The potential for urban inhabitants, and much of its building stock Durham City Partnership was established require development densities of at least is associated with existing apartment design to be sensitively deployed binding dates from the medieval period with many in 2003, taking forward the partially 70 dph (28 dw/ac). The graph and pie chart buildings beside a major road and different practices and city fabrics is listed buildings. Yet there is a perception implemented Development Framework illustrate the stages in the evolution of public transport route. Family housing evident. that the city’s offer – its housing, leisure, the option for a development brief which constitutes 63 per cent of the development retail and cultural facilities, and the quality includes 55 per cent of family housing at area and has access to landscaped open BACKGROUND AND SPATIAL of its public spaces – is not competitive. ↖ City quarters – Sites of 50-80 dph (20-32 dw/ac) and 45 per cent space which constitutes 15 per cent of the DEVELOPMENT The compact city centre surrounded ‘opportunities’ dispersed of apartments at 400 dph (or roughly 160 site. Durham City is the economic and cultural by a Green Belt and major roads built in across the seven city quarters dw/ac), which could be limited to four or heart of a rural county, positioned the early 1970s, along with a distinctive ↑ Milburngate – Design five storeys. In this case the density of the A Practical Planning toolkit between the Tyneside and Tees Valley morphological structure epitomised by and layout plans for an opportunity site apartments is relatively modest but their This is just one of a range of possible conurbations. Whilst the rest of the county the River Wear peninsula, has had both ↑↑ Central quarter – footprint can still be limited to 22 per cent options which could illustrate the has struggled to manage the transition positive and negative design impacts. consumption-led spatial of the development area and their location potential character of development and from an industrial to a post-industrial Whilst outward expansion has been design ‘opportunities’

14 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 15 Viewpoint Viewpoint

↘ Top left Durham Castle and Strategic projects Description Status Cathedral UNESCO World The heart of the city: Physical streetscape improvements including 2011 completion anticipated Heritage Site from market place and lighting and signage, events and business the banks of the River Wear vennels development initiatives including upgrading Top right Durham peninsula, the indoor market. Changes are intended photograph by J.D. Whittaker to reconfigure and reprioritise space for Middle left Durham Castle and pedestrians. A ‘Time Line’ installation depicts Cathedral Durham’s history Middle right River Wear Bottom left Millennium Place Capitalising on existing Utilising, promoting and broadening the appeal Elements complete, with Bottom right World Heritage assets of existing spatial assets, including the castle, others ongoing Visitor Centre, Owengate cathedral, bridges, university, Gala Theatre/ Millennium Place, and the integrity of the historic Whilst the masterplan can be critiqued disbanded and staff brought in-house city core for copy-pasting pre-packaged design by Durham County Council. There are Redevelopment of Mixed-use development urban infill opportunity. Site acquired by public solutions from other places (particularly worrying signs that the county council’s the former ice rink site Latest aspirations are for a green office for sector in 2009 and in terms of its use of generic visual aids), powerful partnership position has played Freemans Reach around 2000 employees design brief completed. it can be applauded for drawing on a fine- a considerable role in realigning the vision Completion/user grain analysis of the everyday cultural and its strategic priorities in favour of occupation planned for 2013, but delays anticipated dimensions of the city and its intricate bigger property ventures. spatial flows. It recognises that the spatial World Heritage Visitor Conversion of a 19th century almshouse building. Opened May 2011 reordering of Durham does not hinge AN INCREMENTAL AND LAYERED Centre Owengate Providing a focus for the World Heritage site, on the production of iconic big projects, STRATEGY with the aim of attracting more visitors and local spend warning that although such projects are The masterplan 2020 Vision ‘reflects politically seductive, a failure to deliver a premise that Durham has not yet Necklace Park An innovative 12 mile proposal intended to draw Stalled; completion unlikely could paralyse revitalisation ambitions. reached its true potential and the Vision together existing places along River Wear, from within medium-term Instead, the masterplan is grounded in is therefore a guide for the future’. In Finchale Priory to Sunderland Bridge four design principles: terms of preservation and restoration, Durham Riverbanks Linked to the World Heritage site and Necklace Ongoing 1. Realisable development ambitions there is an uneasy relationship between Gardens Park, a restoration project to provide a – anchored in market realism with economic and cultural values. Whilst often garden attraction and enhancement of overall a commitment to world class design overlaying one another, these values can visitor experience quality befitting the historic setting sometimes be in conflict to the extent 2. Jewel development opportunities that promoting economic values can Light and dark and Ambitious strategies intended to put the city Completed signage strategies centre at the forefront of urban lighting and – smaller scale interventions that rebuff cultural values and vice versa. In signage in the UK and Europe establish a reputation for well-crafted, setting broad strategic directions, space is small scale new buildings allowed in the flexible masterplan for new 3. Reinforce the cultural role of the Market political imperatives, shifting community for the Heart of Durham by David Lock the masterplan considers how people use Place – re-establish it as the heart of aspirations and different economic Associates in 1998. The unincorporated spaces and what people value, putting Durham’s everyday user’s city and social climates. The latter has been particularly partnership, convened when a two-tier forward a combination of capital and life important, as post-credit crunch the local government structure existed, revenue strategies for different themes 4. Improve the management and development climate is markedly different consisted of Durham City and County and functions. marketing of assets – engage local to when the masterplan was published in Councils, One North East Regional In order to cement Durham’s role people and businesses; opening up March 2007. Indeed, the deficit reduction Development Agency, Durham University, as a regional jewel in the crown, the fresh opportunities for collaboration, plans of the Coalition Government are the Dean and Chapter of Durham masterplan also sets out a vision that creativity and enterprise having significant impacts on public Cathedral, and the business community respects and enhances spatial assets such investments: most notably big capital- represented by the North East Chamber as its Norman cathedral and castle, and Guided by these principles, place quality intensive regeneration projects. In keeping of Commerce, with the Homes and distinctive built morphology such as its improvements (to date) have been space open, the network of actors involved Communities Agency (HCA) a more market square, bridges and vennels. Its sensitively designed with a contemporary in Durham’s incremental and layered recent member. This partnership governs objectives are to: urban aesthetic (see table). The key spatial design strategy have recognised the implementation of the Durham City • Reconnect the city and river, public strategies have helped to capitalise the clash of values between historic as Claypath, there is a risk that historic big projects is a development philosophy Vision masterplan and provides strategic spaces and outlying communities by on existing spatial assets, and where built environment preservation and the elements are being selectively recycled, that other cities may want to consider, leadership to a small executive team of developing a necklace park along the possible, delivering the masterplan has capitalist production of space. which could amount to the production especially as planning is now taking place professional officers. In summary its aims banks of the River Wear been aligned with other projects including Durham’s charm and spatial uniqueness of an internationally standardised in a climate of austerity. While the ongoing are to: • Create a thriving retail scene and wider accessibility and transport improvements. owes much to its built heritage, urban space, devoid of local spatial character. incremental spatial-historical reordering • Put Durham ‘back on the map’ mix of leisure activities, based on niche Nevertheless, some schemes have morphology and medieval street network; Conversely, there are also hazards from an of Durham is not a resounding success • Drive forward regeneration aspirations speciality providers, distinctiveness and encountered significant implementation ‘1000 years of evolution have created the overemphasis on nostalgic preservation, story, it does offer an interesting case • Ensure that the city cements its place markets selling locally produced goods problems, local resistance, or been Durham we see today; always changing where a preoccupation with the past of how to approach the spatial design of as ‘the jewel in the crown’ of North East • Refurbish buildings and promote new sidelined due to local politics or financial but always the same. It is a City firmly ignores the potential of the present. No a historic place through a more layered England, and developments to a high standard of considerations. Such adaptations to anchored in both time and place, and it is right decision can be made about what approach. The revitalisation of collective • Fulfills its potential as a key regional contemporary design, and a long-term masterplan vision would eternal’ (Durham City Partnership). It is is preserved and why – which supports spatio-historic assets is an incremental centre of employment • Proactively promote and manage city support the view that ‘big projects’ are not therefore imperative that a clash of values the need for democracy. Following such process, and so a multilayered spatial facilities, services and events necessarily the most appropriate response – through public debate and community a philosophy may prevent the political- design strategy may prove more fruitful DURHAM CITY VISION: 2020 • The masterplan comprises a series – especially those with questionable participation – is actively encouraged. economic imperatives of a few decision – politically, culturally, economically The city centre masterplan (also prepared of strategies which are spatialised in viability and significant implementation Such democracy can put safety-valves makers, subverting the rights of the many and environmentally – than big projects by David Lock Associates), Durham City seven city quarters (Central, Claypath, barriers. in place to prevent the pursuit of short citizens. It is possible for a space to testify predisposed to deliver ‘quick wins’. Vision, was launched in March 2007, with the Peninsula, Elvet, Framwellgate, Since local government reorganisation, term profit over longer term socio- to the past and simultaneously project Dr Lee Pugalis, School of the Built and the aim of reinvigorating the county’s Crossgate and the Viaduct). The the new county council has taken a environmental value. Indeed, if Durham’s images of the future, when guided by an •Natural Environment, Northumbria University and economy through the creation of over masterplan has been developed so more prominent role in Durham City spatial assets provide its competitive incremental and layered spatial design a Visiting Fellow of Newcastle University’s Global Urban Research Unit. The author would like to 4,000 additional jobs, as a result of spatial ‘that local decisions can be made in a Partnership. With the retraction of advantage, then insensitive development strategy. acknowledge the receipt of ESRC award PTA-030- design enhancements recasting the city strategic way’ external funding in early 2011, the would be akin to killing the golden goose. The early recognition that Durham 2005-00902 and the support of Durham County centre. Analysing the city’s spatial assets, Partnership’s executive team has been In some of Durham’s city quarters, such City does not require a proliferation of Council.

16 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 17 Topic Topic New Railway Stations, and Transport Interchanges: their Roles as Catalyst a challenge for Urban Regeneration for urban design Brian Edwards sets out how interchanges must perform

In this issue we focus on the very effort and other resources assigned topical and much talked about issue to the environment around stations. of transport interchange. We look Anton Valk investigates the at their role in the revitalisation model Dutch interchange, through of specific areas and of cities as the case study of Amsterdam a whole, as well as their more Bijlmer ArenA, exploring how they immediate effects upon the urban support the regeneration of whole realm on which they sit. areas. He raises the interesting Fundamental to any discussion argument that interchange is a about transport interchanges today, great inconvenience however this especially when considering them transfer barrier is an integral part in the context of a High Speed Rail of most, if not all train journeys. network, is what do we want them to Moreover, he says, interchange does achieve? Are we looking for urban not contribute to the passenger revitalisation, easy access for local requirements in a positive way businesses to other cities, or urban and is generally an unwanted realm advances for the surrounding interruption in the journey. area? It is important to see that June Taylor looks at case study the arguments are not necessarily interchanges throughout Europe environmental, but for a driver of and their benefits have been economic and social growth. filtered down to a regional and local We start with Brian Edwards level, to create efficient transport examining ways in which to design with effective and balanced Transport Interchanges today, and regeneration. From an urban design perspective the transport high speed rail investment raises opportunities how to focus their regenerative Lastly John McNulty and Kate interchange offers many opportunities to enrich for urban designers. However, it is necessary to properties on social improvements, Pasquale look at the very topical the public realm, to support social sustainability, address urban design from four perspectives: social, and to create conditions for the economic recovery economic, transport and the spatial. Designers using transport investment to case study of Stratford, and the of inner city areas. As such any local plan action in the past have seen interchanges as primarily achieve better conditions for all needs to address a wide range of issues beyond that exercises in space manipulation: it is much more importance that interchange has in of infrastructure planning. Unfortunately, too often than that. - not just for those who travel or underpinning development, at that the agenda for transport interchanges is established by engineering considerations rather than the Social factors manage the transport network. scale. They go on to describe the creation of sustainable communities. Social sustainability is an essential starting point John Dales raises the importance decisions and processes that were The transport interchange is a social, economic in any discussion of transport interchanges. The and spatial point of exchange, not merely a transport hub is a social hub where many people of the urban realm around taken, which eventually helped to transport hub. It is important that policy makers gather for different purposes. There are those interchanges for those arriving and catalyse regeneration and aided and urban designers use transport investment to embarking or returning from a journey and those achieve better conditions for all, not just those who are not; there are interchange passengers leaving stations on foot. A mode substantial benefit to the area. who travel or manage the transport network. and single journey ones; there are those who are This means considering the needs of people and familiar with the routes and those who not; those often overlooked in terms of the Sir Peter Hall and Christopher Martin • businesses affected by interchanges, both directly who arrive on foot, bike and bus; those who are and indirectly. Urban design is the key arena for able bodied and those disabled; and those who ↑ Fiona Scott’s model of bringing together the wide range of disciplines are wealthy and those poor. Hence transport the connections needed involved in transport planning. The current growth interchanges are complex places socially. With an at Interchanges (Image by in investment in public transport and talk of new ageing population another characteristic is the Fiona Scott)

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transport interchange should become an economic are too rarely employed at the outset since the interchange where services and knowledge are transport geometries are seen as primary drivers. created, exchanged and flow to enrich the cultural There should be rebalancing of professional and social realms. inputs with urban designers choosing the paths of At the interchange the flow of economic forces rails, roads and pedestrian links simultaneously. is reflected in the flows of people in and around key Crossrail in London will be judged on its buildings. The use of air rights and planning policies contribution to civic life as well as that of transport should encourage growth upwards as well as logistics. outwards. The location of the interchange will then Increasingly we are seeing the design of be reflected in the urban scene by the height, mass transport interchanges as against single railway and architectural diversity of supporting structures. station, bus, ferry or airport provision. Early Liverpool Street Station in London is a good modernist functional singularity is giving way to example. However, in achieving this intensification pluralism. Sadly, Britain is behind much of Europe of uses and commercial functions, it is vital that in its appreciation of the interchange as a smoothly the interchange remains visible and is imageable. running machine for inter-connecting people with a Protecting its rights to daylight is important since variety of mass transit systems. Although the Kings natural light is one of the most cherished qualities Cross-St Pancras Interchange has brought many of interchanges. benefits, it still lacks the elegance and efficiency number of elderly people who now travel aided by One common problem encountered is that of many European counterparts. Discussion of the pensioner passes. Their needs are often overlooked of placing retail functions above or below the high speed rail link to Birmingham has also focused in the milieu of social interaction. interchange. Such a location undermines the ability insufficiently upon questions of interchange both in Socially the interchange is a new form of of shops to define key routes between transport central Birmingham and London Euston. community hub. Here many buy their groceries, use facilities and urban areas. It also creates cul de sacs The hierarchy of transport systems at typical internet cafes, take shelter and gather information. which tend to reduce spatial permeability. Another urban interchanges extends from foot to bike, taxi, The generous concourses of transport interchanges problem is the loss of daylight which is frequently bus, tram and rail. Similar patterns exist at bus, provide magnets to draw in both rich and poor, old encountered in such locations – either in shopping ferry and airport hubs. Too often feet are ignored and young, local and immigrant. They are the new areas or within travel concourses. in favour of wheels and heavy wheels dominate urban magnets, distinct in character from high light ones. ‘Feet before wheels’ may make a catchy streets and shopping malls. However, to perform Transport factors slogan, but it is hard to implement given current their social potential, the interchange needs to The interchange is defined as a multi-modal organisational structures. connect smoothly with existing street and squares, transport facility. Its primary role is that of and to provide some of the services associated with accessing varying forms of transport (both public urban centres such as police stations, libraries and and private) whilst providing a gateway to cities. Urban design is an indispensible welfare offices. These could be branch facilities, A key quality is that of connectivity in space and tool in the reconciliation of the acting as stepping stones to wider provision. time (with coordinated timetabling). Connection Social connectivity is crucial. Ideally, there will is made through the medium of space – both many conflicting forces surrounding be ribbons of development extending outwards urban and transport. Hence, space is the most transport design from interchanges into the communities served important element in transport connection, (Scott, 2005). These will help to reinforce wider reinforced by light and directional guides and is social networks, making the routes part of the usually a mixture of interior and exterior space. civic realm thereby countering the divisive nature However, different types of interchange have their Different patterns have emerged in Europe with better facilities for the growing number of inter- of much transport provision (pedestrian tunnels, own physical characteristics and associated urban regard to the impact high speed rail investment has connecting passengers. The bus–train interface bridges, railway cuttings). Since transport planning design patterns. In most interchanges space exists had upon city design. In France the pattern initially is often the most critical and ignored (often in entails long time frames, urban designers should three-dimensionally. This is why plans alone are was one of locating new interchanges outside city favour of taxis). The metro bike interface is also think more in terms of cultivating physical and not enough to describe the weaving and flowing of centres (eg Lille and Avignon) thereby reducing the overlooked even in bike friendly Copenhagen social change over generations rather than movement. capacity for effective inter modal exchange. Such where the author is based. Too often major roads imposing arbitrary short term urban patterns Generally speaking there are four types of a policy also reduced the scale of benefits to inner form pedestrian barriers around interchanges with (Allies, 2010). transport interchange – train, bus, ferry and city regeneration and hence social sustainability. passengers taken into tunnels or left on isolated airport. Since the interchange is a place where In Germany, on the other hand, high speed rail traffic islands. Road space for cars and taxis should Economic factors two or more types or modes of public transport has been taken into the centres of regional cities, be much reduced and converted to paved areas for The transport interchange has big economic interconnect, there is also much hybridisation. As providing a chance to upgrade 19th century feet and narrow wheels (bikes). This is the pattern impacts which can run counter to social gain. Just interchanges mature they tend to add new transport terminals and their hinterland (eg Dresden and in Sweden and Holland where public transport and as the railways brought wealth and expansion to the connections which add stress to existing facilities Leipzig). Here the interchange is a vibrant mix of cycling provide the bulk of journeys to work in the Victorian cities of the UK, the modern interchange and the city round about. Hence, loose development old and new with high speed rail investment used larger cities. As a statement of democracy road is a powerful commercial driver. Its power extends frameworks are better than fixed geometries. to rebuild or re-structure worn out parts of the city. space for cars is unduly distributed in favour of beyond the boundaries of the interchange and can Frequently the demands of transport infrastructure This is particularly true of the former East German motorists around interchanges. be diverted by good planning and urban design to take priority over human movements which in turn cities. Hence, one could argue that Germany Urban design should move beyond land-use areas where regeneration is required. In terms of compromise social flows. One answer is to provide provides a better model than France for Britain to and spatial (figure ground) planning into flow sustainable development, the transport interchange enough space at the outset for people as well as emulate as it shifts investment from road to rail analysis and cross sectional design. The geometric provides opportunities to develop new business transport systems and to ensure that this is not over coming decades. rigidity of many plans fails to recognize the districts and to establish cultural, administrative sacrificed to commercial pressure. Maintaining flows and spatial syntax of movement. Sectional ↑ North Hamburg Bus Rail and educational hubs within walking distance. the visual and physical links between transport Spatial design diagrams help as does the use of CAD or parametric interchange to designs by Blunck and Morgen in These can be grouped around the transport concourses, streets, malls, squares and landmarks Urban design is an indispensible tool in the modeling. Too rarely are sections employed in the association with Martin network to provide a rich and vibrant civic realm. is vital. reconciliation of the many conflicting forces three dimensional world of interchange design. Tamke (Image by Martin As scale and complexity grows, the cross section Transport space is about gathering people, surrounding transport design. Existing large urban However, the section unlocks understanding of Tamke) becomes more important than the plan in shaping moving them in organized flows and delivering stations such as London Waterloo, Edinburgh the potential of daylight, sunlight and views to ↑↑ Kings Cross and St ↑ Remodeling of the character of places. Mixed use neighbourhoods them to platforms or gates. Engineers are largely Waverley and Liverpool Lime Street require drastic orientate passengers as they navigate between the Pancras Interchange with its Aberystwyth Station to wider urban improvements, improve interchange (within 500 metres) and multi-functional buildings responsible for carving out the volumes needed for remodeling to serve the transport needs of the interchange and the city. to designs by John McAslan facilities to designs by BDP (within 100 metres) served by integrated transport transport infrastructure working with architects twenty-first century. Even without high speed The spatial needs of people and transport are + Partners (Image by John (Image by BDP) is the ideal pattern around interchanges. In time the who design the people interfaces. Urban designers rail investment much needs to be done to provide quite distinct. Public transport is normally linear McAslan + Partners)

20 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 21 Topic Topic

in configuration and with predictable flows. People Interchange design level on the other hand move unpredictably and have • Create passenger flow space three-dimensionally varying degrees of personal mobility. Different • Connect interior routes with exterior ones Urban ReAlm around the types of transport have different space and • Maximize daylight especially in underground engineering needs. Hence at the interchange the areas station space demands of different providers are in a state • Provide views to interior and exterior landmarks of flux and often competition. People navigate this • Create memorable concourse spaces John Dales describes how to add value to places for world impeded often by invading commerce and poor travel information. This is true of both the Interchange management policy people interior volumes of the interchange and the exterior • Single ticketing concourses, routes and public spaces. • Multi-modal information boards At interchanges it is important that space is • Complementary, not competing services understood typologically and physically. There is • Limit advertising so that travel information is transport space (platforms, gates), movement space dominant (escalators, concourses), waiting space (seating • Provide clocks with faces areas, booking halls), economic space (shops, • Establish clear zones to limit commercial malls), social space (greeting areas, entrances) encroachment and information space (ticketing and timetabling). These spatial zones flow into one another and Conclusion extend outwards to impact upon the life of the city. Transport interchanges are one of the urban design One challenge for urban design is to understand the challenges of our age. Just as the nineteenth century spatial patterns and to forge them into a machine grappled with bringing railways and canals into for movement between urban areas and the cities, today we face the challenge of high speed rail transport web. and integrated transport. Rather than see transport Over time space is stressed by new demands. planning primarily as infrastructure provision, it This may occur as a result of the insinuation of is necessary today to view this within the wider a new transport mode into existing provision, a embrace of sustainable development. Then social, change in culture (such as London’s adoption of the economic and environmental considerations can bike), commercial pressure or new environmental help direct transport investment towards the most imperatives. Hence flexibility is required. Generally beneficial ends. Social regeneration can act as a space stress occurs as result of growth rather than partner to economic renewal if the right plans and decline with passenger space eroded by commercial policies are put in place. Government has a key role pressures. People are crammed into ever smaller to play in directing investment and in ensuring its areas with seating removed to aid passenger flows. own space needs (government office etc) are met The result for elderly travelers is often distressing. near to interchanges. Since space is the medium of connection it needs Urban design as a discipline between to be addressed at four distinct scales. Below is a architecture and urban planning has a key role to list of rules which should be followed to ensure that play. It acts as a bridge between different interests; transport interchanges function effectively, whilst engineering, real estate, public policy, landscape also acting as gateways to cities and to sustainable and sustainability. However, plans are not enough, development: especially the traditional land-use and figure Two feet Good commonplace, it is taken for granted despite its ground drawings employed by many urbanists. New All too often the consideration of ‘interchange’ importance – a bit like breathing perhaps? Whereas City level tools are needed and this may entail greater use of at railway stations is confined to providing links the infrastructure related to transport is typically • Link transport interchanges to urban areas using three-dimensional CAD-based graphic analysis. The between trains and one or more specific feeder the focus of interchange design – from where the a network of streets, pedestrian malls and cycle urban cross section in particular may need to be modes. These latter typically include other public different vehicles go relative to one another, to the ways revived in order to understand the complexities of transport modes (i.e. other trains, bus, tram, taxi) signs and other paraphernalia to help people switch • Ensure these are lined by shops and public movement, function, aesthetic and environmental and possibly also ‘kiss-and-ride’ cars and even between them – the best that the world beyond facilities requirements at interchanges. bicycles. The Cinderella mode of interchange usually gets is one or two signs saying ‘Way Out’. • Place civic, commercial and educational Plans which steer change are preferable to those is walking. Despite the huge number and large buildings within 500m of transport hubs which dictate formal patterns. Interchanges are proportion of trips to and from railway stations that The Powers to Improve • Open up views from interchanges to city lessons in incremental inter-generational change. are made on foot, these are often almost taken for Those local authorities with direct responsibility Professor Brian landmarks The aim should be to cultivate social, economic and granted, in terms of the effort, and other resources for the public realm can often struggle to get •Edwards, author of environmental improvement over time, employing assigned to dealing with the walking environment properly involved with interchange design. Sustainability and the Urban design level different agencies and many sources of funding. at and around stations. Although, as planning authority, they have a Design of Transport • Form squares and gathering spaces at Stresses will occur such as the expansion of high There are several reasons for this: but none that necessary measure of engagement with and Interchanges (2011), and interchange entrances speed rail or simply growth in public transport is very convincing from the traveller’s point of view: control over any major projects. As highway lecturer at the Royal Danish Remove barriers to movement around usage. Here the UK could learn more from Germany one is that interchange between mechanical modes authority, they may be unable to get a real seat at Academy of Architecture and • Design in Copenhagen interchanges such as busy roads, pedestrian and Holland than France and Spain. often takes place in a realm that, while effectively the decision-making table, powerless to get more fences. • public, is actually private. When it is their asset that than a few specific pieces of infrastructure (e.g. References • Ensure visual connections to all forms of is involved, station operators recognise their duties, a new signalised crossing) by way of Section 106 Allies, Bob (2010), Cultivating transport are keen to enhance value, and are comfortable agreements, and short of resources to implement the City Sun Publishers, Delft Provide level traffic free flows around with managing any risks arising. However, once the change to the public realm that complements the p18-19 • Richards, Brian (2001) Future interchange realm is truly public, beyond the notional red line new private realm. When no substantial change to Transport in Cities, Spon • Reduce taxi areas to minimum and maximize of what constitutes the station interchange, these the station itself is planned, local authority officers Press, p20 bike storage areas agencies tend to lose interest. It is not their land, have a very hard time trying to convince council Scott, Fiona (2003) and hence not their job. members and budget-holders that improving the InterchangeABLE, PhD thesis Another reason is simply that transport planning public realm around a station is a high priority for RCA, London. See also www. hhc.rca.ac.uk/resources/ professionals, from all backgrounds, seem to be constrained public funding. publications/casestudies/ rather mode blind when it comes to walking (and One other issue worthy of note is the ↑ Liverpool Street Crossrail id4218.pdf often also to cycling). As it is an activity that is so old-fashioned problem that those with the Station proposals

22 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 23 Topic Topic

access to three quite distinct West Hampstead complex, partly in view of the number of movement stations serving three different rail lines. The demands placed upon it (heavy commuter stations are listed from south to north: the pedestrian flows; busy bus services feeding the Underground Station (Jubilee Line); the overground Liverpool Street Bus Station; taxis; and access to station (North London Line); and the mainline the many local offices and business premises). The station (serving what used to be called Thameslink). complexity was also partly the result of the fact that There are no sub-surface links between these the realm we were designing in was not all truly stations, and so connections are made at street public. Broadgate Estates (British Land), Network level. While the walking distances involved are Rail and Transport for London all have land probably no greater than those encountered interests, in addition to the City of London as local at several of London’s larger interchanges, the highway authority. subterranean passages are not local high streets Amongst the many issues that we encountered, and traffic distributors, carrying significant flows of and perhaps the most difficult one to resolve, general traffic, buses, cyclists and pedestrians going was that of improving conditions for pedestrian about everyday business. movement while also improving the urban realm to The array of transport demands placed on West make it a more attractive place to linger, and not just End Lane caused Traffic in Towns to conclude pass through. We undertook a range of observation that, ‘West End Lane is used for two incompatible surveys at different times and found that during purposes – the passage of traffic and shopping… large parts of most days, almost every conceivable Either it must be adapted as a distributor road and space that could be sat or perched on (walls, steps, the shopping centre removed, or the through traffic bollards and any other street furniture) was used must be taken right out’. This either/or solution by people having a break, a snack, chatting with (and personal preferences) about the importance was thankfully never pursued; although its cheaper others, waiting for onward transit, or waiting to of keeping the street space empty of clutter that proxy – the attempted segregation of pedestrian meet someone. Adding to the challenge was the would impede pedestrian movement or visual and vehicle flows using street furniture – was. As design objective of turning a hard-working urban simplicity. Confident of our rationale, we resisted in myriad other similar streets, however, it did not realm in a fittingly impressive gateway to the City of inappropriate pressures and proceeded to develop work. London. flexible designs for the urban realm around and At peak times, West End Lane becomes flooded between both station entrances (see image on page with people interchanging between the stations, 23). These are best able to handle the wide range and they simply do not fit onto the existing Numerous signs proclaim ‘No of both functional and aesthetic demands that will footways. The guard-railing that had been deployed Pedestrians on Bridge’, as though it come once Crossrail is open, and for many years to keep pedestrians on the footways simply took afterwards. up valuable walking space and meant that those was a matter of pride who inevitably still walked in the gutters were Case Study 3 – Abbey Wood Crossrail responsibility to make decisions still grapple with prevented from squeezing back up onto the footway Station the issue of how to factor public realm quality if traffic conditions suddenly got too hairy. It being So, we were tasked with delivering an urban This interchange case study is entirely different and even pedestrian benefits into conventional the truly public realm, the reworking of the street realm that would be great for walking to and from from both the previous two; Abbey Wood station cost-benefit analyses. As people, they know that was commissioned and implemented by Camden the various public transport access points, great to is to see significant change as it becomes not just they themselves prefer a convivial, legible and Council. They recognised that the challenge was one stay in and look at, and also of course fit for purpose a station on the North Kent Line but the eastern convenient external walking environment. Yet, of ‘fitting a quart into a pint pot’ but also that this in terms of handling bus, cycle and other essential terminus for Crossrail services south of the as professionals, they find themselves trying to street section was a true station interchange. This vehicle movements. Thames. The current two tracks will be expanded weigh these more qualitative apples against the meant that its design needed actively to encourage Bearing in mind the general complexity of to four, and the new station design is predicated quantitative pears in established transport cost- and enable passengers to move from station to such a task, and the challenges of dealing with on providing excellent cross-platform interchange benefit appraisal; they cannot find a way to make station, not merely spit them out into a hostile stakeholders whose interest in the public realm is between Crossrail and North Kent line services the case. Numbers masquerade as facts, and environment and hope for the best. marginal, it is worth reporting that an additional in the same direction (eastbound or westbound). decisions get made in the same old way, while the Our design response to the challenge was obstacle we encountered was, paradoxically, that of However, the scale of the opportunity and urban realm around the station loses out again. essentially to recognise that it would be both other stakeholders having a genuine but too narrow associated complexity goes well beyond the internal Whatever the reasons, the pedestrian impossible and undesirable to constrain interest in public realm quality. Namely, that how it workings of the railway station. environment and broader issues of urban realm pedestrians to the footways at peak times. With looks must trump how it works. Up until 1976, the east-west railway corridor was quality around stations are usually, in practice if ongoing major development at the Thameslink This view stems from applying to the public traversed by the north-south local high street by not in policy terms, too far down decision-makers’ station, the challenge will indeed only get greater. realm ground plane the same principles that are means of a level crossing. This crossing was closed agendas; but it should not and does not have to be So the scheme that is now being implemented is typically applied to vertical elements, like buildings. and replaced by a dual carriageway flyover on the this way. The following three case studies, each set very simple: footways have been widened where Buildings that are attractive to look at are great: north-south alignment (Harrow Manor Way). The in completely different contexts, demonstrate why possible; they have been thoroughly de-cluttered; but no one will be trying to walk or drive on them. flyover was built without footways and numerous we must and how we can do much better: new pedestrian crossings have been introduced in Streets and spaces are quite different; if their signs proclaim ‘No Pedestrians on Bridge’, as though specific locations; better wayfinding information design is successful, the vast majority of people it was a matter of pride. North-south pedestrian Case Study 1 – West Hampstead Street is planned; and the street has been made into will not care and often won’t be able to see the finer movement is facilitated by a large complex of Interchange one where its different users can more clearly details, such as the specific materials used and the steps and ramps to overcome a 6m change in level. Let us begin with West Hampstead because it is understand that they are sharing it with many pattern in which they are deployed. While aesthetics Although providing 24 hour public access across representative of a type of interchange that is all- others and need to be more circumspect. No user are important, especially in such a high profile the tracks, the structure is currently also used by too-easily overlooked, and improvements have group gets favoured: but that’s street life for you! location as this principal gateway to London’s passengers entering and leaving the station. The recently been implemented. The interchange here financial centre, such considerations must work sheer number of steps is bad enough, but those takes place entirely within the public realm and Case Study 2 – Liverpool Street with the provision of an urban realm that facilitates who cannot use them must negotiate a dispiriting therefore is of a kind that does not usually register Crossrail Station movement and other static activities. and very long set of switchback ramps. The as an interchange at all: the interchange is the Liverpool Street will be the busiest Crossrail At Liverpool Street, we obtained and presented environment beneath the structure is as attractive street. To be more precise, it is a section of a street station, and the scale of the urban realm design strong evidence showing both that there would as you would imagine... ↑ West End Lane, West – West End Lane – that was featured in Traffic in challenge we were set was compounded by the fact be plenty of room for pedestrian movement Bus-rail interchange is focused at the high level, Hampstead Street Interchange (Base photo by Towns (‘The Buchanan Report’ 1963). that one of its two entrances will be within what is even under ‘worst case’ forecasting for 2054 and with passengers walking between the bus stops at Google) The reason that this 200m section of this street currently a completely different station: Moorgate. that there is huge demand for things to rest on. the summit of the Harrow Manor Way bridge and ↑ Abbey Wood Crossrail ↑↑ West End Lane proposals qualifies as an interchange is that it provides direct The urban realm about the station is particularly Nevertheless, we were faced with strong opinions the platform level using the steps and ramps just Station

24 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 25 Topic Topic described, except that the dual carriageway bridge Manor Way into a more balanced street that A journey can be broken down into specific design means that people walking to and from the accommodates walking and cycling; one that can components to deliver a seamless travel experience eastern (southbound) bus stops are not permitted be crossed safely by pedestrians; and has a vibrant to a customer. These are: to cross the highway and must use an extension of high-level interchange as its focal point. If these are • deciding the mode of transport for the journey the steps/ramps complex to pass under the bridge achieved, the steps/ramp complex will be removed. • preparation for the journey at ‘mezzanine’ level. There is no step free access Focusing on the wider urban realm, rather than on • travel to the departure point to these southbound bus stops. This is both a truly specific technical challenges and modal priorities, • station facilities, including ticketing Amsterdam Bijlmer dismal interchange and an urban realm that is has meant that there is now a probability that • finding the train, boarding and departing ArenA area hostile in every sense imaginable. the Crossrail project will not only deliver a better • the journey itself (A to B) Putting aside the obvious refrain that ‘they station but underpin the badly-needed regeneration • arrival at the destination station Residential area should never have built it like that in the first place’, of Abbey Wood as a place. • station facilities what constrains the opportunity now to is the • onward journey to destination, and Business challenge of enabling a range of different partners Summary customer care and after sales • Retail and leisure to focus on the whole rather than just their section Addressing the improvement of the urban realm of it. Each partner – Network Rail, Crossrail, around stations is almost always key to maximising It is recognised that the actual train journey Transport for London, and the London Boroughs of the benefits of any improvement works focused from A to B is only part of the journey made by Railways Bexley and Greenwich (their boundary line runs due on the stations or main-mode interchanges passengers. It is necessary to think holistically Amserdam Bijlmer north-south along the old high street) – are subject themselves. Failure to pay attention to the about the passenger’s journey and look beyond the ArenA station to their own constraints in terms of engineering attractiveness of the walking environment around parametres of the train ride and work with other Duivendrecht feasibility, land ownership, legal powers, funding, stations and of the setting of station buildings, public transport operators and local authorities in station leadership and internal communications. There invariably leads to a failure to make the most of the order to ensure the entire journey is as easy and is, however, a willingness to work together for opportunities available: to add value. This usually satisfying as possible. Stations play a crucial part in the greater good, despite these constraints, and a involves greater complexity, both in terms of the this. Passengers’ main requirements during their recognition that the whole must be greater than the technical aspects and the number of partners who journey are: sum of the parts. need to be involved and agree what is to be done. Safety and reliability – feeling safe and secure John Dales, Director, • Testimony to this is the fact that we are now For people travelling; and therefore for everyone •The Urban Movement Team throughout the journey; find what you expect at pursuing a design option that transforms Harrow else involved, this is very worthwhile. • at Urban Initiatives Ltd any time and place in the journey • Speed/ travel time – fast end to end journey; smooth and seamless interchange, and • Ease – a hassle free, seamless journey From detailed studies conducted by NS, there is clear evidence to show that the most important Amsterdam Bijlmer difference between a train and a car journey is the fact that car drivers do not have the inconvenience ArenA station of an interchange. This transfer barrier is an Anton Valk describes a model Dutch interchange integral part of most if not all train journeys. The interchange or transfer barrier is generally an unwanted interruption in the passenger’s journey which does not contribute to the passenger requirements in a positive way. In studies for accessible destination for business, commuting or NS, Van Hagen and Peek found that one of the leisure purposes. In addition, during major events most efficient ways of mitigating the impact was at the ArenA, the station comes under increased to add value to the time that passengers spend pressure with in excess of 10,000 passengers at, or passing through, a station. In order to per hour travelling through it. Accommodating make interchange time more valuable, station train, Metro, urban and regional bus transport, development in the Netherlands is built around Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA is a station hub and an three principles – accelerate, condense and interchange between national, (inter) regional and enhance: urban public transport. • Accelerate: reduce the journey time for The original station on the Biljmer site opened passengers in 1971. It was a small station on the rail line • Condense: locate urban facilities such as housing, connecting Amsterdam and Utrecht. In 1976 it working places and leisure centres, closer to a was redeveloped into a station with rail and metro station tracks. In the late 1980s the retail and business area • Enhance: provide an attractive environment Amsterdamse Poort was opened on the eastern side with services and facilities that enhance the least of the station. Following the 1992 Bijlmer air crash valued element of any journey – the waiting and urban redevelopment works have been undertaken transfer time which have significantly changed the area. In this period too, the Amsterdam ArenA, home to football These principles are being successfully applied club Ajax, was opened (1996), accommodating The Netherlands has one of the best performing With nearly 17 million people living in the by NS and ProRail in close cooperation with local 50,000 people and the surrounding business park railways in Europe operating on a densely used Netherlands in an area equivalent to the London authorities and communities for the major Dutch Amstel III was developed. In 2007 the Utrechtboog network. With services operated by NS and and South East of England, the Dutch rail system stations. They were also used when redeveloping was opened, which is a flyover railway line in the infrastructure operated by ProRail, more than a faces operational challenges to maintain peak flow Amsterdam Biljmer ArenA station. south-east of Amsterdam that directly connects ← Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA million passengers per day use the train services, through stations and onto other modes of transport Around 18,000 rail passengers travel in or out of Utrecht and Schiphol, doubling the track between Station and NS prides itself on understanding customer to complete journeys. With no truly large cities, but Amsterdam Biljmer ArenA station on any single day, Utrecht and Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA. ↑ Master plan and station locations at Amsterdam requirements be it in transit, at stations or when over 50 major conurbations to transport passengers a further 1,500 use the station as a rail interchange. These developments resulted in a shift in the Bijlmer ArenA purchasing tickets. to and from, the Dutch rail system consists of a Over 8 million people can travel to this station station’s status, from a small station with footfall of ↑↑ The Utrechtboog flyover network of interlinked services operating regularly. within an hour by rail or road making it a highly approximately 4,500 passengers per day and little railway line

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improvement of the surrounding area. Creating the new, large and transparent station to accommodate the six railway tracks and two Metro tracks New Railway Stations transformed the station environment and provided a more open connection between the two parts of as Catalysts for Amsterdam Bijlmer/South East. The new station is built on top of the 70m wide, 700m long pedestrian passage (ArenA Boulevard), connecting the eastern Regeneration and Urban and western side of the area. Transparency was one of the key criteria in Hubs developing the station building. The result is a 200 metre long glass rooftop, rising from 20 to 30 June Taylor asks whether bigger is always better metres high. Glass was used for the roof to achieve maximum passenger comfort and an increased when it comes to station design sense of safety and security. This has proved successful with passenger satisfaction increasing significantly. Customer surveys show that 85 per cent of passengers find the station a pleasant place to be in 2011 compared to just 28 per cent in 2007. They also saw a remarkable improvement in station Introduction cleanliness from 32 per cent in 2007 to 90 per cent In 2010 I had an opportunity to visit transport in 2011. interchanges throughout Europe, funded by the ↑ Platform level with the interconnectivity, into a larger station connecting Sintropher project, to study and report on good long glass rooftop major cities such as Utrecht and Amsterdam with The station consists of 8 tracks: practice in interchange design. I set off armed with anticipated passenger growth of 250 per cent. It • Two are dedicated to the Metro, and both have a copy of Transport for London’s Guidelines, and is expected that by 2020 passenger numbers will separate dedicated platforms a basic knowledge of transport planning, urban increase to 20,000 per day and with increased • Two are connected to the Utrechtboog, that design and the many other fields of knowledge residential investment in the local area. directly connects Utrecht and Schiphol to that help explain how urban places function. This Considering this investment in leisure, Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA article is based on those visits, and represents the residential and commercial infrastructure, and • Underneath the platforms is the bus station, subjective and partial view of an amateur enthusiast the potential demand the station could expect, accommodating regional and urban bus services visiting a random selection of interchanges – not Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA became a prime site for from several operators always the biggest, newest or best. The examples redevelopment. When designing the station, it had • Underneath the station, on the south eastern illustrate interesting points about the design and to meet two key criteria: side, an automated guarded bicycle storage function of transport interchanges and their place • Optimal passenger comfort, including enhanced facility is provided for residents and customers within the wider urban environment. sense of safety • Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA also has one of the Although most interchanges are simply railway • Connecting the two urban areas surrounding the largest park and ride facilities in Amsterdam. stations with provision for other transport modes station on the East and West side It has a capacity of 500 spaces, where cars can tacked on as an afterthought, other modes may be parked for €6 per day and customers receive become more significant in the future, particularly two Metro tickets to travel into the city centre of in the urban context, and encouraging their use This superior station, with its Amsterdam may depend upon providing high-quality seamless • The station and surrounding parking facilities interchange facilities. For these reasons, this article unprecedented flair and self- are opened up to the surrounding motorways A1; sometimes uses the term transport interchanges explanatory location, is unique in A2; A9 and A10 where railway stations would do as well. Transport interchanges are both nodes within the Netherlands Some key features that improved the station include a transport network and places within the city. a modernised station hall situated on the ground Passengers arrive and leave, changing trains or floor with retail facilities to enhance the quality transferring between modes, perhaps having no Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA was a joint project of time spent at the station, and to contribute to interaction with the area beyond the interchange. between Grimshaw Architects and Arcadis passenger comfort. Escalators and elevators take However, interchanges and the surrounding public Architects. The design of the Amsterdam Bijlmer passengers up to the platforms. realm also offer opportunities for people to wait, ArenA station won both firms the BNA Building of Architecture, the use of high quality materials, meet, shop, eat and drink. They often form part the Year 2008 architecture award. This award is an the provision of facilities for passengers and of an historic town or city centre, appearing on initiative of the Royal Institute of Dutch Architects approaches to interchange have proven in the case tourist itineraries and co-existing with a multitude (Bond Nederlandse Architecten, BNA). The jury of Bijlmer Arena to be a successful contributor to of urban functions in neighbouring buildings. was extremely impressed with the building, stating passenger growth and satisfaction at a medium The combination of node and place qualities has ‘this superior station, with its unprecedented size station and supporting the regeneration of a the potential to attract people in great numbers, flair and self-explanatory location, is unique in whole area. Similar approaches are now also being explaining the renewed interest in commercial the Netherlands. This heroic building is, in all its incorporated at other stations under redevelopment property development in and around major facets, the very image of good craftsmanship. It is, in the Netherlands. The approach taken at Bijlmer stations, particularly those with connections interchange between transport services, a link above all, a paragon of openness that transcends its Arena could also serve as a best practice example to high-speed rail networks and airports. The within the urban fabric, and a destination in its function of public transportation hub’. The jury also for similar sized stations in regeneration projects increasing numbers of office workers reinforces own right. commended the building for its roof, which creates across Great Britain. the demand for shopping, eating and drinking, and an enchanting and pleasant feeling of spaciousness • so the status of the area as a destination. Finally, Destinations Anton Valk, Chief and a phenomenal play of light. interchanges also impact upon the permeability of When the French city of Lille became the central •Executive, Abellio Group, a The Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA station opened the surrounding urban fabric, either reinforcing or node in the high speed rail network linking subsidiary of Netherlands in 2007 and plays an important part in the reducing the physical barrier of railway tracks. London, Paris and Brussels, it also became, almost Railways, and which also provides bus and train redevelopment and regeneration of Amsterdam The art of designing a transport interchange inevitably, an attractive location for commercial ↑ Liège-Guillemins station services in Great Britain and Bijlmer/ South East. The contemporary glass could be described as one of integrating and office, retail and leisure development. Linking ↑↑ Euralille under Avenue le Germany building fits perfectly with the on-going balancing these three functions – an efficient the new Lille Europe station to the tram network Corbursier

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face up to the competition. The range and quality of and toilets) for both trains and buses. The new shopping and eating experiences currently available station in the equally small German town of at St Pancras suggests passengers are expected to Eschwege, opened in 2009, provides an exemplar spend a substantial amount of time in the station of this approach and indicates that effective itself – a realistic aspiration in the case of those with interchange design might involve thinking beyond long-distance and international connections, but the traditional station building: a single covered perhaps less so for everyday commuters. platform serves both trains and buses, remaining The 19th century railway station building in the comfortable even in heavy rain, and leading directly French town of Valenciennes forms a visual node into a ticket office-café-shop with additional and landmark, sitting behind a public space at covered outside seating. Although a railway station the semi-circular meeting point of five streets in in name, Eschwege makes no distinction between a small commercial quarter between a major road train and bus passengers. and the railway tracks. A tram service, introduced Yet, although providing an equal standard in 2006 to link the town with the widely dispersed of facilities for train and bus passengers seems surrounding areas, runs across the front of the a simple concept, it rarely occurs in practice. building – somewhat ironically, the building’s Institutional fragmentation could be cited as a historic status imposes statutory restrictions on the reason for this failure, with poor co-operation use of the adjoining space which prevent the trams between national rail operators and local public from stopping directly in front of it. Nonetheless, transport authorities. At both Nelson and the intimate street layout, the concentration of Eschwege, the new interchange projects were led by hotel, office and restaurant uses in the surrounding local authorities as part of an explicit economic and streets and new trams sweeping elegantly past social regeneration agenda, involving replacement the station have echoes of successful urban of an old, inaccessible and unpopular underground viaducts carrying the rail tracks. With its size, ↑ Liège-Guillemins station – regeneration schemes elsewhere and suggest this bus station, and of an old railway station on the elevation and striking design, the station provides the structure itself provides could become an economically vibrant area again. edge of town with one in the centre of town, an effective focal point for the large high density informal seating respectively. developments characteristic of both areas. At street level, the ticket hall, access to platforms and bus An interchange can attract Permeability bays are offset to one side, leaving a light and open new economic activity to the Railway tracks (and urban motorways) create central pedestrian space that merges seamlessly a physical divide and lead to community with the surrounding areas. surrounding area severance and the design or redesign of transport interchanges should be seen as an opportunity The perfect interchange? to bridge this divide. At Sint-Niklaas, a city in Liège-Guillemins station in the Belgian city of If it can increase the catchment area for potential the Flemish region of Belgium, the highway runs Liège was designed to accommodate the arrival employees, clients and business partners (providing parallel with the railway tracks but is diverted of high speed rail, replacing the existing station a wider range of transport services and better into a tunnel under the railway station, which in 2009. Celebrated by architectural critics, it connections between them), an interchange can also links to car parking facilities (the tracks run has become a tourist attraction in its own right attract new economic activity to the surrounding above ground level). Controlling and segregating and visiting it is an unforgettable experience. area. However, the example of Valenciennes fast through traffic leaves the space in front of the Interchanging between trains is smooth and suggests smaller towns and cities may struggle to station almost traffic-free, providing bus bays, efficient, with the consistent treatment of lifts, replicate this effect, even where historic buildings cycle parking and safe routes for pedestrians and escalators and stairs to the concourse below and and street patterns create a sense of place. cyclists. This is a transport interchange that seems footbridge above. Retail units, passenger facilities, to meet the needs of all modes, even the private car. lifts and service information are integrated within Transport interchanges An open concourse through the station building at the design of the concourse area, easy to access and to regional train, metro and bus services at The major railway stations are now expected to street level, and the commercial development also without obstructing passenger flow. Variable the old Lille Flandres station concentrated public impress as destinations, but it is less apparent forming part of the building, provide links across ground levels in the surrounding area are used transport accessibility within a confined space. that they are designed to encourage interchange both highway and the railway. to good effect, separating car parking facilities With 500 metres separating the two stations, with the bus, tram or metro. The Hauptbahnhof A similar approach is adopted at Amsterdam at the higher level to the rear of the station from Lille is more successful as a destination than as an in Kassel, Germany provides a more seamless Zuid in the Netherlands. The railway and metro access for pedestrians and public transport interchange – although facilities within the stations integration of regional rail and Regiotram tracks sit between two halves of a ring road, users at street level. The curved structure also are limited, the Euralille development, built in the services, sending both below street level to stop at running through the Zuidas financial district. The provides some shelter from the sun and an array space straddling the two stations to accompany the adjacent platforms, linked by stairs and lifts to a ground level dips slightly, allowing the pedestrian of informal seating. Despite its many excellent opening of the high speed line, is now one of the common concourse running across the length of walkway to blend into a street-level concourse features, however, Liège-Guillemins remains just a main business districts in France. The open space the building. Although bus services are less well connecting the two sides, beneath the road and train station, missing the opportunity to improve between the stations provides the main pedestrian integrated, the interchange between rail and tram rail tracks. Although the concourse has ticketing facilities for bus passengers and so to become a link but also succeeds as public realm; sheltered by could hardly be more convenient. Rail services and other passenger facilities, it is used equally as transport interchange in the true sense. the surrounding buildings and Avenue le Corbusier terminate here, but the Regiotram continues, a pedestrian link – ticket barriers are located at the running above, it seems a good place to sit or throw emerging onto the street several blocks away foot of the escalators to the platforms, allowing Conclusion a frisbee on a sunny afternoon. on its way through the town centre and into the unrestricted access for non-travellers. This could Whether transport interchanges can become or June Taylor, Research The recent refurbishment of St Pancras station in surrounding villages and rural areas. be a useful strategy in the UK context, where can help to create destinations depends at least •associate, UCL London also illustrates the synergies between a new Interchange design should be a simpler matter controlling access to fare-paid areas is often an in part upon the ability of the surrounding area This article draws on site visits undertaken by the high-speed rail terminal and property development at small stations but encouraging train passengers important issue. to generate a variety of economic activities and author as part of, and opportunities (in this case, the widely celebrated to continue by bus may depend on whether buses Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA station sits in a critical mass of people. Where this commercial funded by, the Sintropher transformation of part of the Grade 1 listed station can be made to seem sufficiently attractive – few the middle of two large, mainly pedestrianised, potential exists it can, in turn, help attract funding project. The Sintropher building into a hotel). The ongoing redevelopment will relish a long walk in the rain to an unwelcoming developments (leisure facilities including a football to improve interchange and permeability functions. project is a five-year of 67 acres of unused railway lands behind the bus stop. At Nelson, a small town in the north of stadium and cinema to the west, and a shopping The major cities forming the hubs of the high speed research project with the aim of enhancing local and ↑ Tram approaching adjacent King s Cross station and a second England, passengers alight from the train into a centre and residential neighbourhood to the east). rail network have all benefited from this synergy, Valenciennes station regional transport provision ↑↑ Eschwege interchange station refurbishment suggest the wider area will warm and secure interchange facility , opened in It was rebuilt in 2007, incorporating Metro services but perhaps the biggest challenge is to find a way of to, from and within five ↑↑↑ Amsterdam Bijlmer become an important hub of activity, and it will be 2008, which serves as ticket hall, information point alongside trains, with the embankment structure extending the virtuous circle to small interchanges peripheral regions in North- ArenA interesting to see how the stations retail offerings and waiting area (complete with refreshments that separated the two areas replaced by raised in more peripheral areas. • West Europe 30 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 31 Topic Topic

Stratford is the result of the strong programme and stakeholder management, as well as TfL Regeneration through Interchange’s commitment to ensure that the multi- modal transport hub would be delivered in harmony Better Interchange – with the major development and regeneration in the area. It is this type of leadership, planning and coordination that ultimately allows the organisation Stratford Case Study to provide efficient, accessible and usable Kate Pasquale and John McNulty describe a complex interchanges and spaces, giving customers and local communities a better experience, and in due course collaboration success contributing to a better quality of life. A benefit to the economy The benefits of TfL’s intervention and planning have Stratford City is now recognised as one of the helped to catalyse regeneration and contributed most ambitious developments within London’s M25 substantial benefit to the area; as Volterra motorway, as well as one of the largest mixed-use Consulting stated in their July 2011 report1 on developments in the UK. The site covers 73 hectares Westfield Stratford City: of principally derelict land, which is now seeing the ‘The public sector investment in infrastructure creation of a new £4bn metropolitan centre in East underpinning the Olympic Games enabled Westfield London. Over the coming fifteen years, Stratford to bring forward their development of Stratford City will become home to more than one hundred City around 5-7 years earlier than would otherwise shops, two department stores, cafés, schools, have occurred... bringing forward the benefits of hotels, parks and health centres. Whilst, landmark this significant scheme by 5-7 years is worth £1.1- towers and new leisure facilities with integrated £2.2 billion to the London economy’. water features will provide a heart to the new commercial district, the surrounding new urban districts will provide the quarters’ extra 11,000 The success of the newly enhanced residents and 30,000 workers. As part of this, integrated transport interchange Westfield’s Stratford Shopping Centre is estimated to provide some 13,000 jobs and is due to open in at Stratford is the result of the September 2011, whilst the residential element is strong programme and stakeholder now complete and ready to perform as the Olympic Athlete’s Village for the London 2012 Olympics next management year.

Olympics role The TfL Interchange team brought together The importance of Stratford as the gateway to the and coordinated various stakeholders, promptly Olympics cannot be understated, as Hugh Sumner, commissioning a feasibility study, given that a Director of Transport for the Olympic Delivery development planning decision was forthcoming. Authority said, ‘Fundamentally the Games are about These stakeholders included Stratford City changing society: not just about hosting a summer Development Partnership (a partnership between of stupendous sport. The new Stratford station is major developers Stanhope and Chelsfield), London therefore the gateway not just to the Games but Borough of Newham, Greater London Authority, in the longer term 10,000 jobs, maybe 30,000 Network Rail, Transport for London (including housing units, the biggest mall in Europe and the London Underground, London Buses, London largest park built in Europe in the last 150 years.’ Rail, Docklands Light Railway, Streets, Public With so much visionary development, the Carriage Office and Land Use Planning) and central challenge was ensuring that it was supported by, government (including Department for Transport, and integrated with, Stratford Regional Station, one Government Office for London, and Office of of London’s busiest transport interchanges. What the Deputy Prime Minister). TfL Interchange has been achieved at Stratford City is significant established a Strategic Forum with the full support and can in part be attributed to the Transport for and commitment of the many key stakeholders. London (TfL) Interchange team - responsible for This was an approach employed previously to the planning, initial design and business case for great effect at Wembley National Stadium, Kings Background the integrated multi-modal interchange at Stratford Cross-St Pancras station, and other key interchange Visit Stratford today and it is unrecognisable Regional Station. developments, whereby the team also successfully from the industrial ramshackle and council estate facilitated the forum and relationships with many dominance of the 1980s. This once unfrequented Team work stakeholders and associated issues. The forum part of the east end of London is seeing rapid and As early as 2003, TfL Interchange recognised was chaired for TfL by advisers to the Mayor of enthusiastic change, brought on by the excitement the potential viability issues of this strategically London. Additionally, the establishment of the of the London 2012 Olympics, as well as a host of important regeneration scheme and the respective Stratford Station Programme Board enabled the regeneration initiatives and transport investment. major transport requirements. The complexity and provision of joint governance of the transport As would be expected, this transformation was substantial size of the scheme meant that neither scheme and overall programme management of the not an overnight inspiration, but a series of the Borough nor the developer had the in-house developments at Stratford. ↑ Olympic Delivery Authority well planned, project managed and negotiated capabilities or resources to adequately address Transport Plan for the initiatives, with tremendous collaboration, support the challenges and opportunities being presented Designing for growth London 2012 ↑ Stratford City and Olympic and Paralympic and commitment from key stakeholders, both there. TfL Interchange’s role was to capture the various Stratford's interchange Games, Second edition, public and private sector. Ultimately, much of the success of the newly stakeholders’ requirements, and following ↖ Stratford’s 17 platforms, June 2011 enhanced integrated transport interchange at tendering, commissioned a feasibility study. It creating a major interchange

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→ Stratford Station upper transpired that the preferred option would satisfy level and subway plans peak Olympics and Paralympics demand, including showing enhancements to the provision of full step-free access throughout Achieving better Stratford Regional Station the interchange. In addition special operational management measures were envisaged to ensure interchange that the interchange would properly accommodate the large number of visitors, including many non- Peter Hall and Christopher Martin sum up English speakers. interchange design issues Conversions and Connections The scheme works also involved modification of the existing North London Line (NLL) platforms The major lesson that emerges from these and tracks to accommodate the conversion of the contributions is that an interchange needs to be much existing NLL to Docklands Light Railway (DLR) more than an interchange. True, it must perform its use; this permitted the conversion of the existing basic function of transferring passengers speedily, NLL lines and platforms for the new DLR railway efficiently and comfortably from one transport extension - connecting the DLR at Canning Town mode to another – and it must do so with the basic to high speed international and Kent Fastlink consideration that many of these passengers – services at Stratford International Station, via parents with small children, travellers encumbered by Stratford Regional Station. It was established that heavy baggage, the older travellers who form a fast- the DLR extension from Stratford Regional to increasing proportion of travellers in Europe, Japan Stratford International would satisfy the planning and some other advanced economies – have special obligation on High Speed 1 to provide a ‘mechanised mobility problems and needs. It can be done, and link’ to connect these two stations. This has been even done brilliantly, as some best-practice examples complemented by two pedestrian routes between in the preceding pages illustrate. It can and has been the station – one through the shopping centre, a done exceedingly badly, as demonstrated by some of distance of some 400m, for those who may want the negative examples in these contributions, happily to shop en route, and a shorter route from the now being remedied. But, as shown by the report Stratford International domestic services eastern that Chris Green and I wrote in 2009 for the then soon became clear that pre-feasibility assumptions ticket hall, for people who want the fastest walking Secretary of State for Transport in England, there are were correct, in that a major investment would be route. very many interchanges where much still remains to required to develop the Stratford interchange and The construction of new terminating platforms be put right. its many connections, in order to accommodate for the NLL to the north-east side of Stratford That said, the best of these interchanges show a growth in demand of approximately 100%. Regional station has permitted the conversion of that they can do much more than merely move Approximately half of the predicted 100% growth the existing NLL to DLR services between Royal passengers. Located in the right urban locations, was directly attributable to the Stratford City Docks and Stratford. planned intelligently in close coordination with city development, with the other half attributable to A new ticket hall to the north of Stratford planning offices and regeneration agencies, they background growth. It was initially considered Regional Station has been integrated into the can serve as major agents of revival for urban areas that this doubling of demand would require the new Westfield Shopping Centre, adding value to that are in need of economic transformation. Two prohibitively expensive rebuilding of the entire the development with direct and easy access, and spectacular examples demonstrate this brilliantly: station, presenting both affordability and value- enhanced footfall, whilst reducing the overall the new Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA station, located for-money challenges. However, creative planning transport construction costs. In addition, a new on the east side of Amsterdam adjacent to a large and design led to the identification of a cost- public footbridge over the railway now connects housing estate with social problems, now being effective, incremental interchange development Stratford City to Stratford town centre, fully transformed by the new arena and by large-scale that has since proved to be very efficient in terms of accessible from Stratford Station. Furthermore, back office development, and London’s new Stratford delivering the required benefits whilst minimising a large number of complementary and smaller interchange, embodying the existing domestic construction impacts and costs. This incremental measures have helped to bring Stratford Station up station served by rail, underground, light rail and development was then supported by incremental to a higher specification, including the DLR service local buses, and the new international station which funding from both the developer and other public towards Canary Wharf, with new lifts making the carries commuters from the Kent coast and will private sector funding as it became available. station fully accessible, a new integrated bus station eventually also be served by international trains to and cycle facility and other improvements including mainland Europe. Here the new complex, connected integrated signage and wayfinding, stairway through one of Europe’s largest shopping centres A large number of complementary improvements and platform decluttering. which opened in September 2011, will similarly serve and smaller measures have helped This landmark scheme has now been completely as the centre of a multi-use regeneration scheme delivered, with the final component being the for one of London’s most deprived areas, including to bring Stratford Station up to a Westfield Shopping Centre with its integrated several sports arenas built for the 2012 Olympics higher specification northern ticket hall, bus station, cycle facilities and which will then be converted to permanent use, as pedestrian footbridge, opening in September 2011. well as five large new housing developments (the first This is an excellent example of what can be achieved based on the Olympic village) and major back office In interests of ensuring value for money, the through proper collaboration and leadership. • development. • Kate Pasquale, programme underwent robust value management Not every city can aspire to regeneration on such Programme Manager reviews whilst working in conjunction with the a mega scale as these two examples. But, in many and John McNulty, Head of Transport for London Borough and the Olympic Delivery Authority to cities around the world, an existing interchange can Interchange secure funding via the section 106 agreement from be spectacularly enhanced by injecting new transport 1 Section 3 (Operational the Stratford City Development. links, whether a new metro line or a new stopping Employment Impacts of It was during the course of the feasibility study point on inter-city and international services. This Phase 1) from Westfield that London announced its 2012 Olympic bid, is a model illustrated long ago by examples like Shin Sir Peter Hall, Professor of Planning and Stratford City Report: The •Regeneration, The Bartlett School of Architecture Inheritance before the centred on Stratford. This introduced significant Osaka on the original Japanese Shinkansen line, or and Planning, University College London ↑ Stratford Station Games, Volterra Consulting, complications in terms of additional stakeholders Flemingsberg in Stockholm. It can and should be Christopher Martin, Urban Designer at Urban ↑↑ Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA July 2011 and requirements. However, it ultimately followed by cities across the world. • Initiatives and PhD Researcher at UCL station platforms 34 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 35 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects

Embedding Sustainability at City-scale ↙ Masterplan informed by traditional Suzhou water towns and bio-climatic Suzhou Eco-Town principles → Relationship between urban form, John Thompson & Partners (JTP) led a team that won an international competition landscape and water strategies ↘ Well defined wind corridors harness to design a new eco-town next to China's third largest lake spring and summer breezes, Wind corridor principles, Computer-aided wind corridor analysis (CFD) ↘↘ Aerial perspective of town centre

between the Eco-Town and Tai Lake. transport and discourages the use of Water forms a key component of the open private cars. Integrated transportation space framework and a network of canals – light rail / trams and buses – combine will be used for flood control, irrigation, to serve the Eco-Town and connect it to cleansing of eutrophication, and also Suzhou. water transport, enabling farmers to bring The overall masterplan is divided their produce to strategically located into areas of contrasting character and floating markets in the urban centres. density in order to create a legible series of distinct neighbourhoods each with its own 2 Climate + Urbanism strong identity and connected through the Agro-Urbanism contributes to the integrated transport system. concept of Bio-climatic design, in which agricultural land, recreational 4 Urban structure + integrated green spaces, and tree-lined streets are recycling + building community interwoven within the urban environment. The urban framework is based around a These green spaces and water bodies, main town centre surrounded by a series being cooler than built-up areas, capture of eight walkable neighbourhoods, each and cool breezes that reduce the ‘Urban with its own local centre. The centres have Heat-Island’ effect. This in turn reduces been designed to promote a strong sense energy consumption and emissions. of community, with shops and services, The masterplan embraces the schools and recycling facilities for local traditional Chinese principles of south residents. facing, west-east orientated streets, yet Each recycling centre is part of an combines this with bio-climatic strategies ‘Eco-station’ in which the processing to ensure the creation of comfortable of domestic and agricultural waste is micro-climates throughout the year. These combined in a ‘Terra Preta’ grey and black strategies have been applied at a wide water treatment system that produces rich variety of scales, from city to urban block, soil for use in agriculture. This soil can be and are based on a rigorous understanding sold as an income generator and also used of the environmental conditions of the on site to grow vegetables, also for sale. For this project, JTP collaborated with develop a framework for sustainable urban local climate. Gillespies’ Glasgow office (Landscape and development. JTP and JEA were key team In summer, the more fractured urban 5 Ecology + Economy + Local Urban Design); Colin Buchanan’s London members in the project. The central theme form to the south will allow the southerly Culture and Shanghai offices (Transportation emerging from Eco-City is the need for breeze to flow along the wind corridors Generating income does not have to be at Engineers); Joachim Eble Architektur integration of all aspects of the design and and cool the streets and buildings. the expense of ecology and bio-diversity. (Eco-architects) based in Tübingen, use of our living environment. Waterways woven throughout the scheme Eco-Tourism makes a virtue of the Lessons Learned and issues by offering development land in Germany, Professor Yen-Yi Li (bioclimatic In our proposal for Suzhou this is promote passive, downdraught cooling, preservation of the environment, with the Conclusions 5-10 hectare parcels, to be governed by an design and wind modelling) from Taiwan reflected in a series of strategies that show and tree-lined streets shade southern offer of nature reserves, visitor centres, At present, China’s overall environmental environmentally-based Design Code. To Shute University, and Professor Shuh-Ren how human needs can be met in ways that facades from the summer sun. boat trips, eco-trails and outdoor pursuits. footprint is relatively low, but assist potential development companies Jing (hydrological management and waste are in harmony with natural and ecological In winter, the more solid urban form to This is reinforced by Agro-Tourism, peaks highlight growing patterns of with the more complex technical aspects, water management) from Taiwan Chia- systems. the north shields the colder winter wind through which visitors enjoy organic unsustainable development in urban the masterplan includes an Eco-Design Nan University of Pharmacy and Science. from entering the Eco-town. The southern produce and can join tours to learn about areas, such as The Yangtze Delta region Information and Advice Centre, which can The Process facades of buildings receive passive solar the techniques used to make it. In this way where Suzhou is located. also be a point of contact for other cities Aims Six integrated strategies: gain from the low winter sun. the local community’s traditional farming As the world’s fastest growing economy, wishing to learn from Suzhou’s ground- The aim of the masterplan was to create By incorporating these bio-climatic methods, including silk production, can there is an urgent need for China to breaking experience. a balanced eco-system to enable long 1 Agriculture + Urban living + principles, the Suzhou Eco-town be transformed to mesh with modern introduce new exemplar sustainable The team’s proposal also extends to a term, sustainable human habitation – Water drastically reduces the amount of energy lifestyles. concepts to prevent unsustainable Branding Concept, to assist the marketing environmental, social and economic. The existing land use of the area used for heating in the winter and cooling approaches being rolled out for the world’s of the project and establish its innovative, The key to achieving this was to develop designated for the Eco-Town is in the summer. 6 China + Europe most populous nation. integrated identity. a bioclimatically designed masterplan predominantly agricultural. The Eco-Town Tying these concepts together is an Integrated planning at a city scale • that established significant and effective proposals encourage ‘Agro-Urbanism’ 3 Movement + Environment + approach to urban design based on combined with bioclimatic design can synergies between the different – the establishment of a coherent, Lifestyle combining local context, tradition, an create a low carbon and energy efficient components of landscape, movement, functional inter-relationship between the A Slow-Movement strategy, combined understanding of local conditions and infrastructure before fabric technologies urban design, energy and water systems. production, distribution and consumption with Slow-Life principles is the basis climate with principles of European are even considered for buildings. of food. This concept is enshrined in for the approach to movement in and Urbanism. The integration of water and To date, China’s new Eco-Towns have Concept Masterplan Ebenezer Howard’s visionary diagrams around the site. The strategy, founded buildings in the layout itself combines required state subsidies for construction The concept was informed by knowledge of the Garden City, and the Suzhou plan on the town’s compact and functional western and local concepts; Suzhou is and maintenance, which compromises gained from the Eco-City project – an EU incorporates these ideas by connecting layout, encourages the use of healthy, described as ‘The Venice of the East’ a city their economic viability. The Suzhou funded research project that set out to the urban areas to the agricultural land environmentally-friendly modes of based around a network of waterways. Eco-town strategy addresses viability

36 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 37 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects Greyfriars, Gloucester NEW Masterplanning describe the proposed transformation of the former ‘GlosCAT’ ↙ Greyfriars masterplan college site in the historic core of the city ↓ Top left: Gloucester city centre ↓ A new public space enhances the figure ground with proposal in red setting of Greyfriars Friary (Feilden ↓↓ The impact of existing ‘monolithic’ Clegg Bradley Studios Studios college buildings and car parking on illustration) the ‘via Sacra’ ↓↓ 3 storey town houses with decked ↓↓↓ The masterplan is underpinned gardens and undercroft parking by the Roman and medieval heritage provide city centre family living

providing a ‘contemplative’ space for Design lessons visitors and residents to relax. Securing public acceptance for essential The masterplan delivers a transition demolition can be difficult, particularly if in land use and scale from city centre the only justification provided is financial to residential. It integrates ‘traditional’ viability. Although the 1930s college Gloucester ‘Heritage’ URC (Urban regeneration objectives of the URC Support the main shopping housing with a new form of family living building on Brunswick Road attracted Regeneration Company) has 500 listed Framework. The masterplan: streets in the city centre, developed with Feilden some local support, our design appraisals buildings, with Victorian Docks, the most • Reinforces the Roman street pattern The scheme is residential-led but focuses Clegg Bradley Studios. demonstrated that its retention would complete Dominican Friary in England • Supports the main shopping streets commercial uses in key locations to 4 storey apartment buildings front the undermine the improvements to the via and an ancient Cathedral (site of Henry • Enhances Greyfriars Lane (‘via Sacra’) encourage activity and pedestrian flow. busy commercial streets. ‘Winter gardens’ Sacra and the delivery of family housing. III’s coronation and Harry Potter’s • Creates a housing typology to bring Primary Care Trust and office uses front (enclosed balconies within the building As more ‘institutional’ sites and large education). Even in a city of such historic families back to the city centre Brunswick Road. Restaurants and cafés line) provide amenity space without scale buildings are released, design based importance, Greyfriars has a pivotal role. announce arrival in the historic core of the visual clutter. The apartment typology is a option appraisal can be an increasingly The site marks the edge of the Roman Delivering these objectives means city, at the prominent corner of Brunswick modern response to the grand residential valuable tool in securing local support for city, contains Grade I listed buildings, changing perceptions of city centre living. Road and Greyfriars Lane. This helps restore an appropriate sense of enclosure. ‘villas’ which still characterise the area. redevelopment. scheduled ancient monuments, a medieval In particular it means removing the increase footfall between the important This is recognised as a significant heritage A quieter residential area is created The second message has been the role friary and monastic cemetery. It marks ‘monolithic’ college buildings which the retail areas of Southgate Street, Brunswick benefit for the city. within the site. 2 storey town houses with of design review. Prior to our involvement the transition between the commercial characterisation study stated dominate Road and the Eastgate shopping centre. New public spaces, of very different rear gardens back onto existing houses in 2010 there was extensive public core and the surrounding residential areas and isolate the site, and creating a finer character, mark either end of the ‘via on Parliament Street. In the heart of the consultation. Whilst valuable, the exercise and is an integral part of the visitor and grain of development in keeping with the Enhance the ‘via Sacra’ Sacra’. Library Square is a hard space site are 3 and 4 storey town houses with also led to numerous iterations of the shopper circuit. historic character of Greyfriars. The improvement of Greyfriars Lane fronting Brunswick Road and the Grade decked gardens. Undercroft parking masterplan and during this process the HCA bought the Greyfriars site to (the ‘via Sacra’) is a cornerstone of the I listed public library. It is a lively space, ensures streets are not dominated by essential design principles became lost. facilitate GlosCAT’s move to a new building Reinforce the Roman street masterplan. Currently it is a wide and allowing the proposed café to spill out and parked cars or garages. The URC Design Review Panel helped in the docks. They chose Linden Homes to pattern unattractive street, flanked by large blank encouraging visitors to explore the via The street orientation ensures sunlight highlight this. Their recommendations deliver an exemplar, modern, city centre, The first design principle puts the walls and parking areas. It has therefore Sacra in more detail. penetrates all streets, spaces and gardens, were supported by HCA and Linden mixed-use scheme. emphasis firmly on Greyfriars Lane, the lost much of its historic character. creating usable amenity areas for family Homes and a fresh design approach was Roman wall and the historic Roman street HCA has committed considerable A new housing typology living. The permeable street network taken. This is a timely reminder of the Heritage-led regeneration pattern. Offices and apartments will front investment to relocate services which run In contrast, Greyfriars Square is a quieter means this area is no longer isolated but valuable, and often unseen, role that peer Our masterplan is informed by the these streets, shops and cafes can spill out under the parking areas. This enables the green space enclosed by 4 storey town connected to Greyfriars Square, Brunswick review can play on complex sites. heritage objectives of the Historic into these areas and pedestrian movement masterplan to remove the traffic, move houses, apartments and a restaurant. It Road and the wider city. • Characterisation Study and the will be concentrated along these routes. the building line, narrow the street and reflects the historic ‘cloister’ of the friary,

38 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 39 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects RUSH 2020 – STRATEGIC VISION ← Aerial View of town and proposals NJBA A+U crafts a new image for a small coastal community ↙ Character Area Strategy ↓ Civic Character Area and opportunity for new library ↓↓ Avenues as key east west links Green spaces in the new and existing areas ↓↓↓ Figure ground of existing town ↓↓↓↓ Figure ground showing proposed changes

Keeping the horticultural theme a landscape strategy was developed which centred each site in a new character area which in turn support specific functional activities. New land uses were identified in correlation to the specifics of each character area. This synthetic process led to the development of an identity for the town (including a logo based on the town’s horticultural history) and a strategy for improvements in the aesthetic and functional qualities of the town.

Town, Landscape, Character Areas and Urban Spaces The benefits of the plan can be measured under four headings, town, landscape, character areas and urban spaces to which relationship to the immediate and the areas drew together complementary the urban dweller may relate. The final larger landscape. The central landscape themes and existing facilities the urban document ran close to 135 pages from strategy was a seeding analogy whereby spaces that were identified in the centre a short history of Rush to an analysis each character space would have a green of these took on a unifying role, best seen of the current form of the town and space at the heart of the character area in the Civic Character Area where the extended to provide strategies (in order based on a site specific horticultural unifying space provided opportunities for of appearance) for the Urban Core, the theme by type, season, colour or perfume. the existing functions of church, theatre, Environment, Parking, Character Areas, Another argument was to retain active old mill building and new library. and the utilisation of the opportunity sites agricultural landscapes within the town, (including land use proposals). providing access along and through these Lessons learned activities. To compensate for the loss of The holistic vision that underpins the The Town other existing horticultural activities it document is an attempt at writing a code The plan offers an integrated physical was proposed to locate a university led to which each necessary layer of urban structure which resolves new connections horticultural research and development development can be accommodated. A for development areas while protecting laboratory in the town. key element of this plan was the analysis the specific landscape topography of that tested the viability of the density the town. The inward densification and character areas strategy including the extrapolation expansion of the town is managed to With considerable disparity between of key development data to provide provide a clear image legible to the citizen the parts of Rush, establishing character necessary empirical data to assess future and visitor alike. areas was a very important aspect of planning proposals. More importantly A new hierarchical matrix was proposed the plan. These were developed from the plan provides a methodology for an to give legibility and permeability to urban core principles about the types entrepreneurial engagement with the the maze of laneways and cul de sacs of of appropriate development as much as urban environment including commercial Rush. This allows for the preservation aesthetic considerations. It was decided and cultural proposals and new branding background history of seafaring. Though mixed it was of the specific ‘seaside’ character of the that character could be driven by activities initiatives. Fingal County Council’s commissioners, important that a multi stranded character backlands. Embracing the historical figure which would find expression in the A greater amount of time than expected Senior Planners Patricia Conlon and Peter development strategy centred on a single of the town the plan builds on its strength, architecture and associated urban spaces was required to tease out the breath Byrne initiated a dialogue with the town of theme would be an appropriate framework while opening up new vistas. Before and that it supported. The landscape strategy of response in the plan. Though seen Rush through an issues paper identifying for the new plan. after figure ground maps were used to would also help unify the disparate as an important foundation for future the potential that underutilised or soon to illustrate the evolving character of the elements into one seamless entity. The development it should not be seen as be displaced horticultural sites offered for The Horticultural Theme framework. Traffic routing diagrams were creation of the character areas became a flexible framework. Within the time the future. NJBA A+U was commissioned Rush and much of its hinterland has used to test and confirm the strategy as a useful identifier and signifier to the frame of creating and approving the plan, to undertake a vision document to identify long been home to market gardens to well as making the argument. citizens and businesses in Rush. demographic and economic conditions how the town could develop inwards greater Dublin and beyond. This activity shifted substantially. These could have had while holding onto its specific grain and is moving out of the confines of the The Landscape Urban Spaces a measurable effect on the detail. However character. This evolved into an Urban town and potentially is leaving behind This was identified as a primary concern, The Urban Spaces developed for the priority was given to robust, flexible and Centre and Development Strategy. a residue of industrial greenhouses and in part due to the existing horticultural plan were varied both in terms of their generous elements in the plan so that processing facilities. In their absence the character of the town and local region. horticultural content as well as their it will remain viable. The temptation Town Characteristics local authority identified 19 opportunity The subtle topography of the town is to be orientation and connectivity. Each to visualise too specific a future is a It became clear from site surveys that sites around which a new strategy was maintained over the requirements of any character area had at its core a key urban straitjacket best avoided. Rush had numerous characteristics developed. new urban infrastructure. This will allow space that had a landmark element to • which seemed to parallel a colourful each intervention to take up an organic enable identification. While the character

40 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 41 Vehicle access points encouraging preferential routing

Vehicle access points encouraging Preferential pedestrian routes preferential routing Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects Howden Urban Extension Masterplan Richards Partington Architects integrate new housing with an ↙ Aerial view showing the marsh, strays and Minster views historic town ↓ Access and movement strategy based on ‘preferential routing’ and strategic cones of vision ↘ Finger drain along Deer Park with strategic view of Howden Minster ↘↘ Barnes Wallis square (new public realm) with local play area

Vehicle access points encouraging Preferential pedestrian routes Strategic views of minster preferential routing Existing minster view from town approach preserved

conservation expert Roger Wools and also including lead consultant George E Wright and planning consultant Jennifer Hubbard. For a period of over three years the community, Howden Town Council, the Preferential pedestrian routes Strategic views of minster parish and various local societies and Existing minster view from town approach groups have been actively involved. In preserved the later stages of the process a three day public exhibition was attended by over Ambition Challenges and marshlands that served to make this 300 people. The masterplan aims to integrate a The main issue for the project was that it area, which is only a few metres above One outcome of this process was that substantial housing development with proposed a significant expansion to the sea level, habitable. The position of open the public realm (8ha in area) for the the existing town of Howden by creating size and population of the town, exceeding space and building land within the plan is whole scheme has been designed in detail a natural and sympathetic extension of the rapid expansion witnessed after the determined by the contours of the existing and provides an assurance of the quality of the town’s historic structure. The spatial arrival of the railway in the nineteenth flood plain and drainage structures. A new the masterplan implementation. A detailed plan proposed by Richards Partington century. The increase in the number of marshland habitat has been created to Design Principles document, which the Architects (RPA) complements and households will be 33 per cent. improve flood storage and create outdoor LPA is invited to condition has been enhances the existing town – sustaining The town’s Minster is a magnificent space with character and an ecological prepared for the whole scheme to address it as a civic focus and centre of economic thirteenth century construction that once purpose. the hierarchy of streets and development wellbeing. In this social context, exceeded York in ambition if not historical The SUD system incorporates patterns and forms, materials and detailed ‘sustainability’ is not just a response to significance. The Minster is visible from all permeable hard surfaces and improved building design. climate change. approaches and establishes the character capacity in the existing drainage ditches. The focus of the stakeholder Strategic views of minster The aim is to produce a balanced and scale of the town. The impact of Off site proposals include the upgrading discussions has been the display of a Existing minster view from town approach community that will support rather than development on this iconic landmark was of drainage and flood mitigation measures large physical model of the whole town preserved compete with existing services. The close another significant challenge for the team. all the way from the site to the River Ouse, and its environs. Within this model the proximity to the town centre will allow some 1.5 km away. various iterations of the masterplan were good pedestrian and cycle connections. Process The predominantly east-west structure installed, viewed, debated and amended. The whole development of 630 houses RPA’s initial analysis mapped the critical of the main artery through the masterplan, will be within eight minutes walk of the views of the minster from strategic Horsefair, maximises the opportunities Lessons Learned town centre and improved pedestrian points. Cones of ‘vision’ were established for solar access. The height and massing The progress, aims, ambitions and connections are proposed as part of a to preserve or enhance these views and strategy carefully balances useful shading priorities of the project are communicated package of benefits for the town. An determine the shape of open spaces and with good solar opportunity and potential through a website and information innovative access and movement strategy the alignment of streets. The layout of for renewables. leaflets. The consultations discussed the has been developed in conjunction with the plan evokes the most memorable form of the development and also its transport consultant Tim Pharoah, based experiences of the historic core – Design Evolution long term management and stewardship on a strategy of ‘preferential routing’ meandering thoroughfares and glimpsed RPA produced much of the early material, leading to an arrangement where the town which encourages a high number of views of the Minster tower. This approach, including analysis and development council volunteered to maintain the marsh journeys to be made on foot. For most which envisages a natural and organic drawings by hand, which was readily and landscape spaces and contributed people the walk into town will be more extension of the town, also served to accessible and understandable and to its design and specification. The land convenient than taking the car. overcome another key problem – initial importantly allowed a rapid evolution of owners are also prominent members RPA also proposes a comprehensive public opposition to the development. the ideas without the finality of a CAD of the town community and there is a landscape structure for the whole town. plan. strongly held sense of responsibility to A series of radial marshes, meadows and Landscape The proposal developed through the townspeople – a desire to ensure their parks is connected by public footpaths and The site and its surroundings are a series of ‘masterplan options’, each legacy is memorable and appropriate. landscape routes. characterised by ancient drainage ditches evaluated by a design review panel led by •

42 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 43 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects MOAT LANE, TOWCESTER Studio REAL design to secure the future of a market town ↙ A model of the regeneration area assisted greatly in consultation ↙↙ Roofscape showing new (grey) ↓ Top to bottom: and refurbished (buff) buildings Site location map woven into the existing urban form Birds-eye view ↓ Bury Mount at its opening in View towards Bury Mount April 2010: new green space in the New civic square town centre Watling street, a busy centre

FOLLOWING A LONG HISTORy Moat Lane is an area of backland lying between Watling Street, which is the town’s high street, and the river Tove. Its main feature is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, Bury Mount, an 11th century Norman motte. The area is in the Towcester conservation area, overlying the Roman settlement of Lactodorum and characterised by a pattern of lanes and yards which follow the mediaeval ‘burgage plots’ of buildings on Watling Street. Many of these are listed, and the project area is adjacent to the grade II* registered garden of Easton Neston Park and the grade I church of St. Lawrence. a range of commercial space for retailers adjacent to but outside the most historic A PLAN TO RETAIN AND REFURBISH and small businesses, and a community area of the scheme: essential since The fundamental principle of the building at the centre of the scheme. Towcester is the centre for a wide rural masterplan is to preserve and extend the SNC have given the greatest possible hinterland from which most people have existing urban form and pattern of uses endorsement to this objective, taking the to travel by car. Northampton Road will into the project area. A network of small offices and civic building for their own use also be improved by reducing carriageway lanes is completed by linking Moat Lane, and a new front-line facility for district, widths and planting avenue trees, creating currently a dead end servicing the back of county and other local public services. further car parking on-street. Only Watling Street premises, to Northampton occasional essential vehicles will therefore Road. Two narrow pedestrian lanes, A VIBRANT PUBLIC REALM need to drive into the main area of the Whittons Lane and Bakers Lane, connect In tandem with an enhanced network of project. Watling Street to Moat Lane with further access through the site, there is a very links to the Easton Neston landscape. clear vision for the public realm. The LESSONS LEARNED: MAKING IT The resulting network of routes provides centrepiece is Bury Mount, which has been HAPPEN opportunities for clusters of activity at the restored as the first phase of the project. The regional design review panel, nodal points on Moat Lane. Completed in April 2010, it both preserves Opun, observed that the scheme ‘has Some inappropriate recent buildings, a gem of Towcester’s history and creates the potential to become an exemplar of such as a car showroom and garage, are to an exciting piece of landscape for public market town development for the East be demolished, but otherwise all existing use. The council also acquired the adjacent Midlands’. Moat Lane demonstrates the structures are proposed for re-use. Easton Neston watermeadows so that the capacity of masterplans to deliver projects Buildings flanking the pedestrian lanes town centre, once very poorly provided on the ground and in particular the ability will be refurbished with shop fronts to with public green space, now has it as a of councils to drive the process. Here, SNC draw retail activity through from Watling major attraction. set out a clear brief at the beginning to Street. Existing yards behind Watling Bury Mount provides the setting for meet local aspirations and the masterplan Street are kept so that existing businesses some of the most important buildings has kept faithfully to it. The powers of the are maintained, and a number of smaller in the scheme: the new civic building, public sector partners have enabled them yards are merged to create more efficient Towcester Mill restored for hotel and to assemble the site, introduce assets to servicing, with fewer access points so that restaurant use, and smaller mixed-use the project, mobilise public support and Moat Lane can be consolidated as an active buildings in Moat Lane itself. A second bring in public funding. The Council’s street frontage with refurbished buildings main public space is also planned at the advance public realm projects at Bury and new small scale infill. junction of Whittons Lane and Moat Lane, Mount and the Watermeadows have been The future of our market towns is a rather than react later in an ad hoc designed to strengthen the draw into Moat vital in raising public confi dence and headline subject in national debate. fashion. This is the basis for the Moat RESTORING THE RANGE OF TOWN Lane from Watling Street. Its character is awareness of the project. As part of the South Midlands / Milton Lane project, and it provides Towcester CENTRE USES busier and more commercial, overlooked Finally, the partners have been able Keynes growth area, Towcester will with a wonderful opportunity to secure Town centres are not just for shopping. by the civic building and by shops and to remove many of the uncertainties that expand from 9,000 to 16,000 residents. and enhance its traditional role as the Traditionally they provide premises for cafés which will extend in open air into the might deter private promoters bringing The partners to the project, South focus of life for people in the town and the business and services, places for people space. forward complex proposals, undertaking Northamptonshire Council (SNC), surrounding rural area. The partners have to meet socially and enjoy refreshment, Throughout the project area public a great deal of detailed work to ‘de-risk’ West Northamptonshire Development been assisted in preparing a masterplan varied kinds of housing, community space is designed to be clearly pedestrian the project. By autumn 2011 SNC expects Corporation and Northamptonshire by studio | REAL (masterplanners), Urban facilities and, most significantly, a focus priority, using high quality materials and to have a development agreement with a County Council recognised that towns Delivery (viability and delivery) and MVA for the civic identity of the town. The street furniture. The key to this intention preferred partner in place. like Towcester need to be made ready for Consultancy (transportation). masterplan therefore proposes a rich mix is the provision of public car parking in • the new population before they arrive, of uses, including extensive office space, a new structure on Northampton Road,

44 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 45 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects BRENTFORD LOCK WEST URBED, Tovatt Architects & Klas Tham collaborate on new urban neighbourhood ↙ Opposite Aerial view of Illustrative Masterplan (Illustration by Ash Sakula, who provided additional illustrations for the scheme) → Illustrative Masterplan ↘ View down a residential street (Illustration by Ash Sakula) ↘↘ Design for change workshop with local residents

praised ISIS on their meaningful involvement of the local community in the development process, something that is a model for developer-led engagement under the localism agenda.

A new neighbourhood The aim of the masterplan is to create an urban neighbourhood that grows over time by creating a framework that, on the one hand ensures the vision is delivered, while on the other hand retains the flexibility for each block to develop a separate identity and respond to market conditions. The neighbourhood is based around four main blocks. These blocks enclose a series of narrow streets running down to the waterfront, picking up on the historic waterside form of Brentford. The blocks themselves are based on a Swedish housing model that accommodates family housing in a medium to high-density environment. In this courtyard-housing model, larger dual aspect apartments, which are suitable for families, are positioned around generous semi-public courtyard spaces. Private open space is provided through gardens within the courtyard, generous balconies and roof The Brentford Lock West (BLW) site is Regeneration Ltd a joint venture between the process in a local café. Residents gardens at different levels of the blocks. located in a largely vacant waterside area British Waterways, Muse Developments and stakeholders from the area used Parking is in semi-basements located scheme into the existing residential area has resulted in a scheme that interprets a in the heart of Brentford, West London. and Igloo Regeneration organised a the first occasion to develop a shared below the courtyards. Alongside the and reducing the walking distance to the Swedish courtyard-housing model into a It is situated on the edge of Brentford selective design competition to appoint understanding of the area today. The larger apartments a number of town station to less than 10 minutes. UK context. A design review panel is now town centre, which has struggled in a new design team. Their brief set out second evening focused on generating a houses are also included in the layout. being established by ISIS to help to select recent years, but is now in a state of an aspiration to develop an exemplar number of different options for the site The predominant height of the Lessons Learned designs for the first phase of the scheme. transition spearheaded by the local sustainable neighbourhood that through collages and plasticine models. development was reduced from the 14 Before commencing the public This panel will help ensure that quality, community. This community had opposed successfully integrated family housing These models were then drawn-up by storeys of the previous scheme to 4 – 6 engagement we were aware that it was design and place making are integral to a previous scheme on the BLW site. Over into a viable scheme, which celebrated the design team and presented back to storeys. The scheme steps up in height essential that the expectations of both the neighbourhood as it is built out. the last 18 months an intensive process the qualities of Brentford. The project was the community at a public consultation as you move away from the waterside the community and the developer were • of involvement by ISIS and URBED has developed in line with the ISIS Footprint event. Following feedback from this event, with a single taller building at the north clearly established at each stage of the transformed the scheme into one which Policy, which is an internal socially an emerging development framework was west end of the site to provide a terminus process. In running design workshops, has broad community support and responsible investment policy covering drawn up. This was tested and developed to the vista along Commerce Road. it was important that ISIS took on board supports the regeneration of the town. sustainability, design, regeneration and further by the design team, and shared To ensure the streets feel vibrant and the comments of the local residents, Originally developed in the 1940s health, happiness and well being. with the community through regular capture the urban character of Brentford’s whilst the community acknowledged the as a canal side industrial estate, the Following a design competition, two update events and exhibitions. In total waterside streets, a strong enclosure ratio need of ISIS as a developer to design a six hectare site has been largely vacant of the entrants were asked to collaborate seven engagement events were held, in has also been set for the masterplan with commercially viable project. With these for a number of years. It has now been and so a design team was formed addition to which ISIS regularly attended most of the streets taller than they are criteria clearly set out, the engagement cleared and a programme of interim uses, consisting of URBED, Tovatt Architects + and presented progress to local boards wide. process has resulted in a scheme over including urban food growing, has been Planners and masterplanner Klas Tham and panels throughout the 18 months it The brief was to develop a mixed- which the local community feel a sense of initiated whilst the site is developed. (who planned the Western Harbour in took to develop the scheme. use neighbourhood and the scheme ownership. With localism becoming more The dominant feature of the site, two Malmo). This process was essential in includes a commercial hub with managed embedded within the planning system, warehouses overhanging the water have re-engaging a previously mistrustful local workspace and facilities for the local this project demonstrates that community been partially retained along with three A collaborative Approach community, and many of the people who canoe club. These are accommodated engagement can be beneficial for both the art deco frontages along Commerce Road, The design process was one of participated in the design workshops had in the retained overhanging shed and client and the local community. the main access into the site. collaboration with the local community been actively involved in the campaign front onto a new public square. A new Another success in the project was Following the refusal of the previous based on URBED’s ‘design for change’ against the previous application. The pedestrian bridge over the canal allows the collaboration within the design high-density residential development technique. This started with workshops scheme was granted outline planning in access to an underused park on the other team. The unusual decision to appoint a on the site in 2004, ISIS Waterside run over two evenings at the start of March 2011. The planning committee side of the canal, as well as integrating the Swedish and a UK urban design practice

46 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 47 Publishers Award Publishers Award

NewcastleGateshead: Urban Design, The Learning from Delhi – Urban Design Since 1945 – Shortlisted Shaping the City Composition of Complexity Dispersed initiatives in A Global Perspective Publishers Peter Hetherington, RIBA Books, Ron Kasprisin, Routledge, 2011, changing urban landscapes David Grahame Shane, Wiley, £29.99, ISBN 978 0 415 59146 Award Books 2010, £19.95, Mitchell, Maurice, eds Shamoon 2011, £85.00, ISBN 978 1 85946 356 7 Patwari and Bo Tang, ISBN 978 0 470 51526 6 This book is a useful design primer for Ashgate, 2010, £35.00, The latest instalment of the RIBA’s Shaping students or others coming to urban design ISBN 978 1 4094 0102 5 (pbk) The title of Grahame Shane’s latest book – a the City series looks at NewcastleGateshead, without any former design training. Ron successor to his 2005 Recombinant Urban- rebranded as a twin-city and reborn as a Kasprisin’s dual aim is to provide ‘instruction Terms such as slum dwelling, favela and ism – is self-explanatory. As he is the first For the second year, the UDG Awards vibrant cultural and tourism destination. It is of the elements and principles of design and shanty town are evocative notions of which to acknowledge it is almost impossible to Programme will include a Publishers Award. written by Peter Hetherington, who writes for composition’, and their application in the many of us have scant understanding. comprehensively address the post-war global Publishers in the urban design field were The Guardian and used to be a local govern- context of the ‘often messy and complicated Learning from Delhi offers an enlightened development of cities in a succinct volume invited to nominate one of their books ment reporter in 1960s Newcastle. For this array of forces’ encountered in design prac- awareness enticing us to revisit our normal accessible to the wider audience at which published in the last 18 months. The four book, he returns to the North East on what he tice. The visual references are mainly taken perspectives. this book is aimed. The book does succeed in finalists are reviewed on the next two pages calls a voyage of rediscovery. from Kasprisin (and Partners) own drawings A worthy continuation of the pioneering establishing an overview of the explosion in by the review panel which comprises Juliet Structured in four chapters, Hetherington and projects. work of Professor Balkrishna V Doshi, it inves- urbanisation, setting this in a deep historical, Bidgood, Marc Furnival, Jonathan Kendall begins with a history of the two places. From The book is framed by the social geog- tigates human activity in diverse living envi- political and cultural context, supported by a and Laurie Mentiplay and chaired by Alastair its origins as a Roman fort, we learn about rapher Edward Soja’s concept of trialectic ronments, asserting quality of life and sense dizzying international selection of references. Donald. The panel will choose the winner, the area’s growth into an energy giant, world space that defines physical space in correla- of place as genuine objectives and accepting The structure of the book is thematic, which will be announced at the Awards event leader in railways and a centre of excellence tion with its social and political production. change as a constant. Graphically well bal- with each of four conceptual city types in February 2012. in neoclassical architecture and planning: a This aspect is tantalisingly omitted in the anced with photos, sketches, maps, diagrams introduced in dedicated chapters and place that ‘decades before Haussmann set composition exercises through the book and and montage-style proposals, there is a clear supported by a chapter of illustration and the urban design pace for much of Europe’. In in the appendix. These deal mainly with phys- structure of: research and methodology; specific examples. The initial sections of the Turning the Tide, we learn about the different ical space and build up from simple exercises case studies with context and introductory book establish the four types – metropolis, government approaches to regeneration and with platonic forms, to the implications of synopses; and, concluding chapters drawing megalopolis, fragmented metropolis and the key people involved; the ‘adventurous different typologies in urban composition and out key themes. megacity/ metacity and also introduce the municipalism’ of charismatic council leader onto to three-dimensional compositions of The topics range from new tenure initia- reader to Shane’s organisational framework T Dan Smith, who ‘tried to graft a modernist city blocks. The emphasis on composition as tives, to construction materials recycling, to of armatures, enclaves and heterotopias – city into a neoclassical core’ but ended up in an important exploratory, evolutionary and courtyard spaces – a traditional form that the building blocks of his reading of the city. prison for six years. creative tool for urban designers is a laudable had disappeared from 'pukka' settlements Shane’s ideas explicitly reference the work of Chapter 3 consists of around thirty case one. As is the advocation of hand drawing as (permanent, finished, legal) being re-intro- theorists including Rowe, Krier and Foucault, studies from the last twenty years. The likes a core skill ‘the most effective means of visual duced in 'kuchha' settlements (temporary, to name but three. Prior understanding is of Angel of the North, Sage Gateshead and thinking’. short life, illegal). Despite the large number not assumed; rather, this book may act as an South Staithes are grouped under head- But the ambition of exploring design of case studies, each is used to highlight a key introduction to a wide range of sources that ings of Connectivity, Culture and Public Art, theory at the same time as design processes aspect within the themes. The occasionally will help the reader discover ways of reading Education, Housing, Offices and Hotels. Each feels unresolved. Despite the assertion, that too short conclusions are mitigated by links urbanism. For those with a more developed project gets four pages under the headings urban designers need to attain a fluency in to to strategic implications, demonstrating their knowledge, the book enables ideas to be of project description, client’s brief, design enable them to remain open to the dynam- wider relevance, and making the case for a linked and layered – recombined, to use his process and evaluation. The sheer scale and ics of public dialogue, it is not clear whether broadened definition of who is qualified to term. quality of public and private investment is urban form is settled from a series of trade design. The book is extensively illustrated, impressive, although it would have been offs with programme and site. Or instead how If the difference between the emerging including a wide range of historic images, interesting to understand more about how this might evolve from and alongside a more generation of designers and those before is photographs by the author and many new case studies helped regenerate areas of the complex interaction with people and places. an acceptance of a given situation as a start- drawings and diagrams created specifically twin-city. In the final chapter, Hetherington In a book that orbits around drawing ing point (and not an imposition of a more for this publication. The target audience is reflects on the challenges ahead for New- practice one would like to see more criti- idealistic approach), then this is an example predominantly students and academics, castleGateshead, and the need for closer cal observation of the relationship between of how this difference can be explored. rather than a practitioner or non-specialist collaboration and innovative funding streams design and drawing. While Kasprisin cites Geddes’ ‘think globally and act locally’ readership, though the work would be of in an era of austerity. the examples of Gordon Cullen, Christopher is here evident through 'broadened sensitivi- interest to anyone seeking to place the evolu- Shaping the City is an entertaining book, Alexander and Kevin Lynch, he does not ties' by engaging people in positively affecting tion of the discipline into an historic, cultural either for flicking through or reading in detail. discuss how their drawings allowed them to their living environment, towards 'sustainable and conceptual framework. Sally Ann Norman’s photographs bring a fresh explore or communicate particular ideas or habitat and spatial justice' through 'informal The book is something of a heterotopia perspective to familiar scenes. Even the much specific kinds of intention. Surely in order and latent resources'. This advances the itself, with a wealth of references and links maligned central motorway looked stylish. to make links between theory and practice definition of sustainability through focus on to wider sources that allow each train of Hetherington’s knowledge and interest goes it is necessary to interrogate the methods available skills, habits and technologies. thought to be followed through the writ- beyond architecture and planning. He has of description and communication and Useful and beneficial for student, prac- ings of others. The footnotes and suggested a keen eye for the social, economic and po- extend the range of observation and analysis titioner and academic alike, Learning from further reading listed at the end of the book litical context underpinning the history and accordingly? Delhi not only brings together notions of the make this an invaluable launch pad for development of one of our greatest places. The book has a generous intent and is spatio-physical and socio-economic, but also deeper immersion into the subject. Accessible, instructive and educational, this undoubtedly full of wise observations but, spatio-temporal and socio-environmental. An The book is not a spoon-fed chronologi- book should prove a valuable addition to given its aims, would benefit from a more engaging book, joyful to go through; evoking cal narrative. It is challenging and thought- RIBA’s expanding series of city studies. rigorous, navigable organisation and a fiercer the innocence of being a student, yet carried provoking, establishing a window into a wider Laurie Mentiplay edit. It could be read as two books: one a out with thoroughness and professional dedi- world. It concludes by asking key questions • useful manual of formal exercises in urban cation, as well as the seriousness that such of the future, as all good histories should do. design, another a series of essays about an exploding urban situation demands, par- Jonathan Kendall space as a dynamic social medium – as yet to ticularly with the accumulating implications • be explored. of not addressing these issues, and highlight- • Juliet Bidgood ing that doing nothing is not an option. • Marc Furnival 48 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 49 Practice Index Practice Index other Contributors Regional contacts Practice Index Allies & Morrison: Urban Barton Willmore Brock Carmichael Clarke Klein & Chaudhuri DHA Planning & Urban Practitioners Partnership Architects Architects Design John Billingham, architect and If you are interested in getting Directory of practices, corporate 85 Southwark Street, London SE1 0HX Beansheaf Farmhouse, Bourne Close, 19 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9JQ 63-71 Collier Street, London N1 9BE Eclipse House, Eclipse Park, •planner, formerly Director of Design involved with any regional activities organisations and urban design T 020 7921 0100 Calcot, Reading, Berks RG31 7BW T 0151 242 6222 T 020 7278 0722 Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, and Development at Milton Keynes please get in touch with the following courses subscribing to this index. E [email protected] T 0118 943 0000 E [email protected] E [email protected] Kent ME14 3EN C Anthony Rifkin E Masterplanning@bartonwillmore. C Michael Cosser C Wendy Clarke T 01622 776226 Development Corporation The following pages provide a service LONDON AND SOUTH EAST to potential clients when they are W www.urbanpractitioners.co.uk co.uk Master plans and development Small design-led practice focusing E [email protected] Robert Huxford and Louise Ingledow looking for specialist urban design Specialist competition winning urban C Clive Rand briefs. Mixed-use and brownfield on custom solutions for architectural, W dhaplanning.co.uk Matthew Carmona, Professor regeneration practice combining Concept through to implementation regeneration projects. Design in planning or urban design projects. C Matthew Woodhead •of Planning and Urban Design T 020 7250 0892 advice, and to those considering E [email protected] taking an urban design course. economic and urban design skills. on complex sites, comprehensive historic and sensitive settings. Exploring the potential for innovative Planning and Urban Design and Head of the Bartlett School of Projects include West Ealing and design guides, urban regeneration, Integrated landscape design. urban design. Consultancy offering a full range Planning, UCL STREET LONDON Those wishing to be included in future Plymouth East End. brownfield sites, and major urban of Urban Design services including Katy Neaves issues should contact the UDG, expansions. Building Design Partnership Colour Urban Design Limited Masterplanning, development briefs Alastair Donald, urbanist and E streetlondon@urban-design-group. 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ AMEC Environment & 16 Brewhouse Yard, Clerkenwell, Milburn House, Dean Street, and design statements. •co-editor of The Lure of the org.uk T 020 7250 0872 Infrastructure UK Ltd The Bell Cornwell London EC1V 4LJ Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1LE City: From Slums to Suburbs (Pluto, E [email protected] Gables House Kenilworth Road, Partnership T 020 7812 8000 T 0191 242 4224 DPDS Consulting Group 2011) SOUTH WEST W www.udg.org.uk Leamington Spa, Warwicks CV32 6JX Oakview House, Station Road, Hook, E [email protected] E [email protected] Old Bank House, 5 Devizes Road, Old Judy Preston C Louise Ingledow T 01926 439 000 Hampshire RG27 9TP W www.bdp.co.uk W www.colour-udl.com Town, Swindon, Wilts SN1 4BJ Karl Kropf, Director, Built Form T 07908219834 E [email protected] T 01256 766673 C Andrew Tindsley C Peter Owens T 01793 610222 •Resource and module leader, Oxford E [email protected] W www.amec.com E [email protected] BDP offers town planning, Design oriented projects with full E [email protected] Brookes University ADAM Architecture C Nick Brant W www.bell-cornwell.co.uk Masterplanning, urban design, client participation. Public spaces, W www.dpds.co.uk EAST MIDLANDS 9 Upper High Street, Winchester Masterplanning, urban design, C Simon Avery landscape, regeneration and regeneration, development, C Les Durrant Sebastian Loew, architect and Laura Alvarez Hampshire SO23 8UT development planning and Specialists in Masterplanning and the sustainability studies, and has teams Masterplanning, residential, Town planning, architecture, landscape within broad based coordination of major development based in London, Manchester and education and healthcare. landscape architecture and urban •planner, writer and consultant, T 0115 962 9000 T 01962 843843 multidisciplinary environmental and proposals. Advisors on development Belfast. design: innovative solutions in teaching at the University of E [email protected] E peter.critoph engineering consultancy. plan representations, planning Conroy Crowe Kelly Masterplanning, design guidance Westminster @adamarchitecture.com EAST ANGLIA C Peter Critoph applications and appeals. Burns + Nice Architects & Urban and development frameworks. Dan Durrant W www.adamarchitecture.com Andrew Martin Associates 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ Designers Tim Hagyard, Planning Team T 01223 372638 World-renowned for progressive, Croxton’s Mill, Little Waltham, Bidwells T 020 7253 0808 65 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 FaulknerBrowns •Manager, East Herts Council M 07738 697552 classical design covering town Chelmsford, Bidwell House, Trumpington Road E [email protected] T 00 353 1 661 3990 Dobson House, Northumbrian Way, E [email protected] and country houses, housing Essex CM3 3PJ Cambridge CB2 9LD W www.burnsnice.com E [email protected] Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 0QW Joe Holyoak, architect and development, urban master plans, T 01245 361611 T 01223 559404 C Marie Burns/ Stephen Nice W www.cck.ie T 0191 268 3007 •urban designer NORTH WEST commercial development and public E [email protected] E [email protected] Urban design, landscape C Clare Burke and David Wright E [email protected] Annie Atkins buildings. W www.amaplanning.com W www.bidwells.co.uk architecture, environmental and Architecture, urban design, C Neil Taylor Barry Sellers, Principal Planner, E [email protected] C Andrew Martin/ C Helen Thompson transport planning. Masterplanning, Masterplanning, village studies. Architectural design services from •Wandsworth Council AECOM Plc Sophie O’Hara Smith Planning, Landscape and Urban design and public consultation for Mixed use residential developments inception to completion. Expertise STREET NORTH WEST The Johnson Building, 77 Hatton Master plans, urban design, urban Design consultancy, specialising community-led work. with a strong identity and sense of in transport, urban design, Louise Thomas, independent Emma Zukowski Garden regeneration, historic buildings, in Masterplanning, Townscape place. Masterplanning, commercial and •urban designer E street-north-west@urban-design- London EC1N 8JS project management, planning, EIA, Assessment, Landscape and Visual Chapman Taylor LLP leisure projects. group.org.uk T 0203 009 2100 landscape planning and design. Impact Assessment. 32 Queensway, London W2 3RX David Huskisson Associates Neither the Urban Design Group nor E [email protected] T 020 7371 3000 17 Upper Grosvenor Road, Feria Urbanism E [email protected] Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2DU Second Floor Studio, 11 Fernside Road the editors are responsible for views NORTH EAST W www.aecom.com Arnold Linden Boyer Planning Chartered Architect Crowthorne House, Nine Mile Ride W www.chapmantaylor.com T 01892 527828 Bournemouth, Dorset BH9 2LA expressed or statements made by Georgia Giannopoulou C Emma Corless 54 Upper Montagu Street, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 3GZ C Adrian Griffiths/ Paul Truman E [email protected] T 01202 548676 individuals writing in Urban Design T 0191 222 6006 MANCHESTER E [email protected] 1 New York Street, Manchester, M1 4HD London W1H 1FP T 01344 753220 MANCHESTER C Nicola Brown E [email protected] T 0161 601 1700 T 020 7723 7772 E [email protected] Bass Warehouse, 4 Castle Street Landscape consultancy offering W www.feria-urbanism.eu YORKSHIRE CARDIFF C Arnold Linden W www.boyerplanning.co.uk Castlefield, Manchester M3 4LZ Masterplanning, streetscape C Richard Eastham Robert Thompson 4th Floor, Churchill House, Churchill Integrated regeneration through the C Craige Burden T 0161 828 6500 and urban park design, estate Expertise in urban planning, T 0114 2736077 Way, Cardiff, CF10 2HH participation in the creative process Planning and urban design E [email protected] restoration, environmental impact masterplanning and public M 07944 252955 T 029 2035 3400 of the community and the public consultants offering a wide range of Chapman Taylor is an international assessments. participation. Specialisms include E [email protected] BELFAST at large, of streets, buildings and services to support sites throughout firm of architects and urban design for the night time economy, 24 Linenhall Street, Belfast, BT2 8BG places. the development process: from designers specialising in mixed-use David Lock Associates Ltd urban design skills training and local SCOTLAND T 028 9060 7200 appraisals to planning applications city centre regeneration projects 50 North Thirteenth Street, community engagement. Francis Newton, Jo White & Laurie From regenerating cities and Assael Architecture and appeals. throughout Europe. Central Milton Keynes, Mentiplay creating new communities to Studio 13, 50 Carnwath Road Milton Keynes MK9 3BP Fletcher Priest Architects Edinburgh designing inspiring open spaces, London SW6 3FG Bree Day LLP Chris Blandford Associates T 01908 666276 Middlesex House, 34/42 Cleveland E [email protected] we are a leader in urban design, T 020 7736 7744 The Old Chapel 1 Swan Court, 9 Tanner Street, E [email protected] Street, town planning, masterplanning, E [email protected] 1 Holly Road, Twickenham TW1 4EA London SE1 3LE W www.davidlock.com London W1T 4JE NORTHERN IRELAND landscape architecture and W www.assael.co.uk T 020 8744 4440 T 020 7089 6480 C Will Cousins T 020 7034 2200 James Hennessey economic development. C Russell Pedley E [email protected] E [email protected] Strategic planning studies, F 020 7637 5347 T 028 9073 6690 Architects and urban designers W www.architech.co.uk W www.cba.uk.net area development frameworks, E [email protected] E [email protected] Alan Baxter & Associates covering mixed use, hotel, leisure C Tim Day C Chris Blandford/Mike Martin development briefs, design W www.fletcherpreist.com Consulting Engineers and residential, including urban Eco-urbanism guides the Also at Uckfield guidelines, Masterplanning, C Jonathan Kendall 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ frameworks and masterplanning partnership’s core disciplines of Landscape architecture, implementation strategies, Work ranges from city-scale master T 020 7250 1555 projects. architecture, urban design and environmental assessment, ecology, environmental statements. plans (Stratford City, Riga) to E [email protected] community planning. urban renewal, development architectural commissions for high- W www.alanbaxter.co.uk Atkins plc economics, town planning, historic DEVEREUX ARCHITECTS LTD profile professional clients. C Alan Baxter Euston Tower, 286 Euston Road, Broadway Malyan landscapes and conservation. 200 Upper Richmond Road, An engineering and urban design London NW1 3AT 3 Weybridge Business Park London SW15 2SH FPCR Environment practice. Particularly concerned with T 020 7121 2000 Addlestone Road, Weybridge, CITY ID T 020 8780 1800 & Design Ltd the thoughtful integration of buildings, E [email protected] Surrey KT15 2BW 23 Trenchard Street E [email protected] Lockington Hall, Lockington, infrastructure and movement, and the C Paul Reynolds T 01932 845599 Bristol BS1 5AN W www.devereux.co.uk Derby DE74 2RH creation of places. Interdisciplinary practice that offers a E [email protected] T 0117 917 7000 C Duncan Ecob T 01509 672772 range of built environment specialists W www.broadwaymalyan.com E [email protected] Adding value through innovative, E [email protected] Allen Pyke Associates working together to deliver quality C Erik Watson W cityid.co.uk ambitious solutions in complex urban W www.fpcr.co.uk The Factory 2 Acre Road, places for everybody to enjoy. We are an international C Mike Rawlinson environments. C Tim Jackson Kingston-upon-Thames KT2 6EF interdisciplinary practice which Place branding and marketing vision Integrated design and T 020 8549 3434 Austin-Smith:Lord LLP believes in the value of placemaking- Masterplanning, urban design, environmental practice. Specialists E [email protected] Port of Liverpool Building, led masterplans that are rooted in public realm strategies, way finding in Masterplanning, urban and mixed W www.allenpyke.co.uk Pier Head, Liverpool L3 1BY local context. and legibility strategies, information use regeneration, development C David Allen/ Vanessa Ross T 0151 227 1083 design and graphics. frameworks, EIAs and public Innovative, responsive, committed, E [email protected] inquiries. competitive, process. Priorities: C Andy Smith people, spaces, movement, culture. Also at London, Cardiff and Glasgow Places: regenerate, infill, extend Multi-disciplinary national practice create. with a specialist urban design unit backed by the landscape and core architectural units. Wide range and scale of projects.

50 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 51 Practice Index Practice Index

Framework Architecture Grontmij HOMES & COMMUNITIES AGENCY Jon Rowland Urban Design LDA Design MacCormac Jamieson Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Novell Tullett and Urban Design 33 Stannary Street, London SE11 4AA (HCA)-MILTON KEYNES 65 Hurst Rise Road, Oxford OX2 9HE 14-17 Wells Mews, London W1T 3HF Prichard Ltd 18 Great George Street, Bristol, BS1 5RH 3 Marine Studios, Burton Lane, T 020 7820 0388 Urban Design Team, National T 01865 863642 T 020 7467 1470 9 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ 14 Regent’s Wharf, All Saints Street, T 0117 922 7887 Burton Waters, Lincoln LN1 2WN E landscape.architecture@grontmij. Consultancy Unit, Central Business E [email protected] E [email protected] T 020 7377 9262 London N1 9RL E [email protected] T 01522 535383 co.uk Exchange, W www.jrud.co.uk C Colin James E [email protected] T 020 7837 4477 W www.novelltullett.co.uk E [email protected] C Lindsey Whitelaw 414-428 Midsummer Boulevard, C Jon Rowland Multidisciplinary firm covering all W www.mjparchitects.co.uk E [email protected] C Maddy Hine C Gregg Wilson LEEDS Milton Keynes MK9 EA Urban design, urban regeneration, aspects of Masterplanning, urban C Liz Pride W www.nlpplanning.com Urban design, landscape Architecture and urban design. A 16 Globe Road, Leeds LS11 5QG T 01908 692692 development frameworks, site regeneration, public realm design, Major master plans to small, bespoke C Nick Thompson architecture and environmental commitment to the broader built T 0113 237 7200 E louisewyman@englishpartnerships. appraisals, town centre studies, environmental impact and community buildings. Acclaimed contemporary Also at Newcastle upon Tyne and planning. environment and the particular C Guy Denton co.uk design guidance, public participation involvement. buildings designed for historic Cardiff dynamic of a place and the design Urban regeneration, streetscape C Louise Wyman and Masterplanning. centres of London, Cambridge, Urban design, Masterplanning, Paul Davis & Partners opportunities presented. design, public space, high Levitt Bernstein Associates Oxford, Bristol and Durham. heritage/conservation, visual Mozart Terrace, 178 Ebury Street quality residential and corporate HTA Architects Ltd Kay Elliott Ltd appraisal, regeneration, daylight/ London, SW1W 8UP Garsdale Design Limited landscapes. Facilitators in public 106-110 Kentish Town Road, 5-7 Meadfoot Road, Torquay, Devon 1 Kingsland Passage, London E8 2BB Macgregor Smith Ltd sunlight assessments, public realm T 020 7730 1178 High Branthwaites, Frostrow, participation. London NW1 9PX TQ1 2JP T 020 7275 7676 Christopher Hse, 11-12 High St, strategies. E [email protected] Sedbergh, Cumbria, LA10 5JR T 020 7485 8555 T 01803 213553 E [email protected] Bath BA1 5AQ W www.pauldavisandpartners.com T 015396 20875 Halcrow Group Ltd E [email protected] E [email protected] W www.levittbernstein.co.uk T 01225 464690 National Building Agency C Pedro Roos E [email protected] Elms House, 43 Brook Green C James Lord/Sally Lewis W www.kayelliott.co.uk C Glyn Tully E [email protected] Hatherton, Richard Avenue South, New Urbanist approach establishing W www.garsdaledesign.co.uk Hammersmith, London W6 7EF W www.hta-arch.co.uk C Mark Jones Urban design, Masterplanning, full W www.macgregorsmith.co.uk Milltown, Dublin 6 a capital framework with a C Derrick Hartley T 020 3479 8000 Design-led housing and International studio with 30 year architectural service, lottery grant C Michael Smith T 00 353 1497 9654 subsequent incremental approach. GDL provides Masterplanning and F 020 3479 8001 regeneration consultancy offering history of imaginative architects bid advice, interior design, urban A broad based landscape/urban E [email protected] Bridging the divide between urban urban design, architecture and E [email protected] inter-disciplinary services including and urban designers, creating renewal consultancy and landscape design practice with particular W www.nba.ie design and architecture. heritage services developed through W www.halcrow.com architecture, Masterplanning, urban buildings and places that enhance design. emphasis on high quality prestige C Eoghan Ryan 25 years wide ranging experience in C Robert Schmidt design, graphic design, landscape their surroundings and add financial landscape schemes. Strategic planning, town centre Paul Drew Design Ltd the UK and Middle East. Asad Shaheed design, sustainability and planning. value. LHC Urban Design regeneration, urban design 23-25 Great Sutton Street Award winning consultancy, Design Studio, Emperor Way, Exeter Malcolm Moor Urban Design frameworks, Masterplanning urban London EC1V 0DN Globe Consultants Ltd integrating planning, transport and Hyland Edgar Driver Landscape Projects Business Park, Exeter, Devon EX1 3QS 27 Ock Mill Close, Abingdon extensions, village planning, design T 020 7017 1785 26 Westgate, Lincoln LN1 3BD environment. Full development cycle One Wessex Way, Colden Common, 31 Blackfriars Road, Salford, T 01392 444334 Oxon OX14 1SP guidance and design briefs. E [email protected] T 01522 546483 covering feasibility, concept, design Winchester, Hants SO21 1WG Manchester M3 7AQ E [email protected] T 01235 550122 W www.pauldrewdesign.co.uk E [email protected] and implementation. T 01962 711 600 T 0161 839 8336 C John Baulch E [email protected] New Masterplanning Limited C Paul Drew C Steve Kemp E [email protected] E [email protected] Urban designers, architects and W www.moorud.com 2nd Floor, 107 Bournemouth Road, Masterplanning, urban design, W www.globelimited.co.uk Hankinson Duckett W www.heduk.com C Neil Swanson landscape architects, providing an C Malcolm Moor Poole, Dorset BH14 9HR residential and mixed use design. Provides urban design, planning, Associates C John Hyland We work at the boundary between integrated approach to strategic Master planning of new communities, T 01202 742228 Creative use of design codes and economic and cultural development The Stables, Howberry Park, Benson Innovative problem solving, driven architecture, urban and landscape visioning, regeneration, urban urban design, residential, urban E [email protected] other briefing material. services across the UK and Lane, Wallingford OX10 8BA by cost efficiency and sustainability, design seeking innovative, sensitive renewal, Masterplanning and capacity and ecofitting studies, W www.newMasterplanning.com internationally, specialising in T 01491 838 175 combined with imagination and design and creative thinking. public realm projects. Creative, design involvement with major C Andy Ward The Paul Hogarth Company sustainable development solutions, E [email protected] coherent aesthetic of the highest knowledgeable, practical, international projects. Our skills combine strategic planning Unit 3 Potters Quay, 5 Ravenhill Road masterplanning and regeneration. C Brian Duckett quality. Land Use Consultants passionate. with detailed implementation, Belfast BT6 8DN An approach which adds value 43 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD Matrix Partnership design flair with economic rigour, T 028 9073 6690 Gillespies through innovative solutions. Jacobs T 020 7383 5784 Livingston Eyre Associates 17 Bowling Green Lane, independent thinking with a E [email protected] Environment by Design Development planning, new Tower Bridge Court, 224-226 Tower E [email protected] 35-42 Charlotte Road, London EC1R 0QB partnership approach. W www.paulhogarth.com GLASGOW settlements, environmental Bridge Road, London SE1 2UP C Luke Greysmith London EC2A 3PG T 0845 313 7668 C James Hennessey 21 Carlton Court, Glasgow G5 9JP assessment, re-use of redundant T 020 7939 1375 GLASGOW T 020 7739 1445 E [email protected] Nicholas Pearson EDINBURGH T 0141 420 8200 buildings. E [email protected] 37 Otago Street, Glasgow G12 8JJ F 020 7729 2986 C Matt Lally Associates Bankhead Steading, Bankhead Road, E [email protected] W www.jacobs.com T 0141 334 9595 E [email protected] W www.matrixpartnership.co.uk 30 Brock Street, Bath BA1 2LN Edinburgh EH30 9TF C Brian M Evans Hawkins\Brown C Dan Bone E [email protected] C Laura Stone Master plans, regeneration T 01225 445548 T 0131 331 4811 MANCHESTER 60 Bastwick Street, London EC1V 3TN Multidisciplinary urban design, C Martin Tabor Landscape architecture, urban strategies, development briefs, site E [email protected] E [email protected] T 0161 928 7715 T 020 7336 8030 Masterplanning and architecture as Urban regeneration, landscape design, public housing, health, appraisals, urban capacity studies, W www.npaconsult.co.uk Integrated urban design and E [email protected] E [email protected] part of the integrated services of a design, masterplanning, sustainable education, heritage, sports. design guides, building codes and C Simon Kale landscape architecture practice, C Jim Gibson W www.hawkinsbrown.co.uk national consultancy. development, environmental concept visualisations. Masterplanning, public realm providing Masterplanning, OXFORD C David Bickle planning, environmental assessment, Liz Lake Associates design, streetscape analysis, regeneration and public realm T 01865 326789 Multi-disciplinary architecture and JMP Consultants landscape planning and Western House, Chapel Hill Melville Dunbar Associates concept and detail designs. Also full consultancy to the public and private E [email protected] urban design practice specialising in 8th Floor, 3 Harbour Exchange Square management. Offices also in Bristol Stansted Mountfitchet Studio 2, Griggs Business Centre landscape architecture service, EIA, sectors. C Paul F Taylor mixed-use regeneration, educational London E14 9GE and Edinburgh. Essex CM24 8AG West Street, Coggeshall, Essex CO6 1NT green infrastructure, ecology and Urban design, landscape Masterplanning, sustainable rural T 020 7536 8040 T 01279 647044 T 01376 562828 biodiversity, environmental planning PD Lane Associates architecture, architecture, planning, development frameworks, transport E [email protected] Lathams E [email protected] E [email protected] and management. 1 Church Road, Greystones, environmental assessment, infrastructure and public urban realm W www.jmp.co.uk St Michael’s, Queen Street, Derby DE1 W www.lizlake.com C Melville Dunbar County Wicklow, Ireland planning supervisors and project design. C Riccardo Bobisse 3SU C Matt Lee Architecture, urban design, planning, Nicoll Russell Studios T 00 353 1287 6697 management. Integrating transport, planning and T 01332 365777 Urban fringe/brownfield sites where Masterplanning, new towns, urban 111 King Street, Broughty Ferry E [email protected] HOK international Ltd engineering, development planning, E [email protected] an holistic approach to urban design, regeneration, conservation studies, Dundee DD5 1EL C Malcolm Lane GM Design Associates Ltd Qube, 90 Whitfield Street urban design, environmental C Derek Latham/ Jon Phipps landscape, and ecological issues design guides, townscape studies, T 01382 778966 Urban design, architecture and 22 Lodge Road, Coleraine London W1T 4EZ assessment, water and drainage Urban regeneration. The creative can provide robust design solutions. design briefs. E [email protected] planning consultancy, specialising Co. Londonderry BT52 1NB T 020 7636 2006 throughout the U.K. reuse of land and buildings. W www.nrsarchitects.com in Masterplanning, development Northern Ireland E [email protected] Planning, landscape and Loci Metropolis Planning and C Willie Watt frameworks, site layouts, T 028 703 56138 C Tim Gale John Thompson & Partners architectural expertise combining the 1 Butlers Court, Sir John Rogerson's Design Design led masterplanning and applications, appeals, project co- E [email protected] HOK delivers design of the highest 23-25 Great Sutton Street, new with the old. Quay, Dublin 2 30 Underwood Street, London N1 7JQ town centre studies which seek to ordination. W www.g-m-design.com quality. It is one of Europe’s leading London ECIV 0DN T 00353 1 881 4062 T 020 7324 2662 provide holistic solutions to complex C Bill Gamble architectural practices, offering T 020 7017 1780 Lavigne Lonsdale Ltd E [email protected] E [email protected] challenges, creating sustainable PEGASUS Architecture, town and country experienced people in a diverse E [email protected] 38 Belgrave Crescent, Camden W www.loci.ie W www.metropolispd.com ‘joined up’ and enjoyable Pegasus House, Querns Business planning, urban design, landscape range of building types, skills and W www.jtp.co.uk Bath BA1 5JU C Conor Norton C Greg Cooper communities. Centre, Whitworth Road, Cirencester architecture, development markets. C Marcus Adams T 01225 421539 Urban design, architecture and Metropolitan urban design solutions GL7 1RT frameworks and briefs, feasibility Edinburgh TRURO planning consultancy dedicated to drawn from a multi-disciplinary NJBA A + U T 0128 564 1717 studies, sustainability appraisals, Holmes Partnership 2nd Floor Venue studios, 15-21 55 Lemon Street, Truro working for better places: places studio of urban designers, architects, 4 Molesworth Place, Dublin 2 E [email protected] public participation and community 89 Minerva Street, Glasgow G3 8LE Calton Road, Edinburgh EH8 8DL Cornwall TR1 2PE with a real sense of identity, a better planners, and heritage architects. T 00 353 1 678 8068 W www.pegasuspg.co.uk engagement. T 0141 204 2080 T 0131 272 2762 T 01872 273118 quality of life. E [email protected] C Mike Carr E [email protected] E [email protected] E [email protected] Mouchel W www.12publishers.com/njba.htm Masterplanning, design and G.M.K Associates C Harry Phillips C Alan Stewart W www.lavigne.co.uk LSI Architects LLP 209-215 Blackfriars Road C Noel J Brady access statements, design codes, 1st Floor Cleary Court, Urban design, planning, renewal, Addressing the problems of physical, C Martyn Lonsdale The Old Drill Hall, 23 A Cattle Market London SE1 8NL Integrated landscapes, urban sustainable design, development 169 Church Street East, development and feasibility studies. social and economic regeneration We are an integrated practice of Street, Norwich NR1 3DY T 020 7803 2600 design, town centres and squares, briefs, development frameworks, Woking, Surrey GU21 6HJ Sustainability and energy efficiency. through collaborative interdisciplinary masterplanners, Urban Designers, T 01603 660711 E [email protected] strategic design and planning. expert witness, community T 01483 729378 Commercial,residential,leisure. community based planning. Landscape Architects and Product [email protected] W www.mouchel.com involvement, sustainability appraisal. E [email protected] Designers. Experienced in large C David Thompson C Ludovic Pittie Offices at Cirencester, Birmingham, C George McKinnia scale, mixed-use and residential Large scale Masterplanning and Integrated urban design, transport Bristol, Nottingham, Leeds, Bracknell Masterplanning, health, education, visualisation in sectors such as and engineering consultancy, and Cambridge. regeneration, housing, parks, public health, education and business, and changing the urban landscape in a realm and streetscape design. new sustainable settlements. positive manner, creating places for sustainable living.

52 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 53 Practice Index Practice Index

Philip Cave Associates Pringle Brandon Drew Richard Reid & Associates Scott Tallon Walker Spawforths Terry Farrell and Partners Turley Associates URS/SCOTT WILSON ltd 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ 10 Bonhill Street, London EC2A 4QJ Whitely Farm, Ide Hill, Sevenoaks, Architects Junction 41 Business Court, East 7 Hatton Street, London NW8 8PL 25 Savile Row, London W1S 2ES 6-8 Greencoat Place T 020 7250 0077 T 020 7466 1000 Kent TN14 6BS 19 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 Ardsley, Leeds WF3 2AB T 020 7258 3433 T 020 7851 4010 London SW1P 1PL E [email protected] E pbmarketing@pringle-brandon. T 01732 741417 T 00 353 1 669 3000 T 01924 873873 E [email protected] E [email protected] T 020 7798 5137 W www.philipcave.com co.uk E [email protected] E [email protected] E [email protected] W www.terryfarrell.com W www.turleyassocaiates.co.uk E [email protected] C Philip Cave C John Drew C Richard Reid W www.stwarchitects.com W www.spawforth.co.uk C Max Farrell C Matt Quayle (Head of Urban Design) W www.urs-scottwilson.com Design-led practice with innovative Offices, hotels, workplace design. C Philip Jackson C Adrian Spawforth Architectural, urban design, planning Offices also in Belfast, Birmingham, C Ben Castell yet practical solutions to Roger Griffiths Associates Award winning international practice Urbanism with planners and and Masterplanning services. Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Also at Birmingham, Leeds, environmental opportunities in urban Project Centre Ltd 4 Regent Place, Rugby covering all aspects of architecture, architects specialising in New buildings, refurbishment, Leeds, Manchester and Southampton. Manchester, Plymouth regeneration. Specialist expertise in Saffron Court, 14b St Cross Street, Warwickshire CV21 2PN urban design and planning. Masterplanning, community conference/exhibition centres and UK integrated urban design, Urban design, planning, landscape, landscape architecture. London EC1N 8XA T 01788 540040 engagement, visioning and visitor attractions. masterplanning, sustainability economic and architectural T 020 7421 8222 E [email protected] Shaffrey Associates development frameworks. and heritage services provided design expertise supported by PLANIT i.e. LTD E [email protected] W www.rgalandscape.com 29 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 Tetlow King at all project stages and scales comprehensive multidisciplinary The Planit Group, 2 Back Grafton Street W www.projectcentre.co.uk C Roger Griffiths T 00 353 1872 5602 Stuart Turner Associates Lone Barn Studios, Stanbridge Lane of development. Services include skills. Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 1DY C David Moores A quality assured landscape E [email protected] 12 Ledbury, Great Linford, Romsey SO51 0HE visioning, townscape analysis, T 0161 928 9281 Landscape architecture, public realm consultancy offering landscape C Gráinne Shaffrey Milton Keynes MK14 5DS T 01794 517333 design guides and public realm Vincent and Gorbing Ltd E [email protected] design, urban regeneration, street architecture, land use Urban conservation and design, with T 01908 678672 E [email protected] resolution Sterling Court, Norton Road, W www.planit-ie.com lighting design, planning supervision, planning, urban design, project a particular commitment to the E [email protected] W www.tetlowking.co.uk Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2JY C Peter Swift traffic and transportation, parking implementation, EIA and expert regeneration of historic urban W www.studiost.co.uk C Gary Rider Tweed Nuttall Warburton T 01438 316331 Public realm solutions informed by and highway design. witness services. centres, small towns and villages, C Stuart Turner Award winning multi-disciplinary Chapel House, City Road, E urban.designers@vincent-gorbing. robust urban design. We create including new development. Architecture, urban design and practice encompassing architecture, Chester CH1 3AE co.uk quality spaces for people to live, Quartet Design RPS environmental planning, the urban design, masterplanning, T 01244 310388 W www.vincent-gorbing.co.uk work, play and enjoy. The Exchange, Lillingstone Dayrell, Bristol, Cambridge, London, Newark, Sheils Flynn Ltd design of new settlements, urban design coding, regeneration, E [email protected] C Richard Lewis Bucks MK18 5AP Southampton & Swindon Bank House High Street, Docking, regeneration and site development development frameworks, W www.tnw-architecture.co.uk Masterplanning, design statements, +Plus Urban Design Ltd T 01280 860500 T 0800 587 9939 Kings Lynn PE31 8NH studies. sustainable design/planning and C John Tweed character assessments, development Spaceworks, Benton Park Road E [email protected] E [email protected] T 01485 518304 construction. Residential and Architecture and urban design, briefs, residential layouts and urban Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7LX C David Newman W www.rpsgroup.com E [email protected] studio | REAL retirement care specialists. Masterplanning. Urban waterside capacity exercises. T 0844 800 6660 Landscape architects, architects and Part of the RPS Group providing a C Eoghan Sheils 59-63 High Street, Kidlington, Oxford environments. Community teamwork E [email protected] urban designers. Masterplanning, wide range of urban design services Award winning town centre OX5 2DN Tibbalds Planning & Urban enablers. Visual impact assessments. West & Partners W www.plusud.co.uk hard landscape projects in urban including Masterplanning and regeneration schemes, urban T 01865 377 030 Design Isambard House, 60 Weston Street, C Richard Charge / Tony Wyatt areas achieving environmental development frameworks, design strategies and design guidance. E [email protected] 19 Maltings Place, 169 Tower Bridge Urban Design Futures London SE1 3QJ Specialist practice providing strate- sustainability. guides and statements. Specialists in community consultation W www.studioreal.co.uk Road, London SE1 3JB 97c West Bow, Edinburgh EH1 2JP T 020 7403 1726 gic masterplanning, urban design and team facilitation. C Roger Evans T 020 7089 2121 T 0131 226 4505 E [email protected] guidance, analysis, character Randall Thorp Rummey Design Associates Urban regeneration, quarter E [email protected] E [email protected] C Michael West assessment and independent design Canada House, 3 Chepstow Street, South Park Studios, South Park, Shepheard Epstein Hunter frameworks and design briefs, town W www.tibbalds.co.uk W www.urbandesignfutures.co.uk Masterplanning within the advisory expertise. Manchester M1 5FW Sevenoaks Kent TN13 1AN Phoenix Yard, 65 King’s Cross Road, centre strategies, movement in towns, C Andrew Karski C Selby Richardson creative interpretation of socio- T 0161 228 7721 T 01732 743753 London WC1X 9LW Masterplanning and development Expertise in Masterplanning Innovative urban design, planning economic, physical and political Pod E [email protected] C Robert Rummey T 020 7841 7500 economics. and urban design, sustainable and landscape practice specialising urban parametres: retail, leisure, 99 Galgate,Barnard Castle, C Pauline Randall Masterplanning, urban design, E [email protected] regeneration, development in Masterplanning, new settlements, commercial, residential. Co Durham DL12 8ES Masterplanning for new landscape architecture, architecture, C Steven Pidwill Taylor Young Urban Design frameworks and design guidance, urban regeneration, town and village T 0845 872 7288 developments and settlements, environmental consultancy. SEH is a user-friendly, award- Chadsworth House, Wilmslow Road, design advice. studies. WestWaddy: ADP E [email protected] infrastructure design and urban Responsible place-making that winning architects firm, known for Handforth, Cheshire SK9 3HP The Malthouse, 60 East St. Helen W www.designbypod.co.uk renewal, design guides and design considers social, environmental and its work in regeneration, education, T 01625 542200 Townscape Solutions Urban Initiatives Street, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 5EB C Andy Dolby briefing, public participation. economic issues. housing, Masterplanning, mixed-use E [email protected] 128 Park Road, Smethwick, West 1 Fitzroy Square, London W1T 5HE T 01235 523139 Newcastle and healthcare projects. C Stephen Gleave Midlands, B67 5HT T 020 7380 4545 E [email protected] 10 Summerhill Terrace, Random Greenway SAVILLS (L&P) LIMITED Liverpool T 0121 429 6111 E [email protected] W westwaddy-adp.co.uk Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 6EB Architects Lansdowne House, 57 Berkeley Square Sheppard Robson T 0151 702 6500 E [email protected] W www.urbaninitiatives.co.uk C Philip Waddy C Craig van Bedaf Soper Hall, Harestone Valley Road London W1J 6ER 77 Parkway, Camden Town, Urban design, planning and W www.townscapesolutions.co.uk C Kelvin Campbell Experienced and multi-disciplinary Masterplanning, site appraisal, Caterham Surrey CR3 6HY T 020 7353 0202 London NW1 7PU development. Town studies, housing, C Kenny Brown Urban design, transportation, team of urban designers, architects layout and architectural design. T 01883 346 441 E [email protected] T 020 7504 1700 commercial, distribution, health and Specialist urban design practice regeneration, development planning. and town planners offering a full Development frameworks, urban E rg@randomgreenwayarchitects. W www.savills.com E charles.scott@sheppardrobson. transportation. Specialist in urban offering a wide range of services range of urban design services. regeneration, design codes, briefs co.uk C Ben van Bruggen com design training. including master plans, site layouts, Urban Innovations and design and access statements. C R Greenway SOUTHAMPTON W www.sheppardrobson.com design briefs, design and access 1st Floor, Wellington Buildings, White Consultants Architecture, planning and urban Brunswick House,Brunswick Place, C Charles Scott Terence O’Rourke LTD statements, expert witness and 3D 2 Wellington Street, Belfast BT16HT Enterprise House, 127-129 Bute Street Pollard Thomas Edwards design. New build, regeneration, Southampton SO15 2AP Manchester Everdene House, Deansleigh Road, illustrations. T 028 9043 5060 Cardiff CF10 5LE Architects refurbishment and restoration. T 02380 713900 27th Floor, City Tower, Piccadilly Plaza Bournemouth BH7 7DU E [email protected] T 029 2043 7841 Diespeker Wharf 38, Graham Street, E [email protected] Manchester M1 4BD T 01202 421142 TP bennett LLP C Tony Stevens/ Agnes Brown E [email protected] London N1 8JX Richard Coleman C Peter Frankum T 0161 233 8900 E [email protected] One America Street, London SE1 0NE The partnership provides not only W www.whiteconsultants.co.uk T 020 7336 7777 Citydesigner Offices throughout the World Planners, urban designers and W www.torltd.co.uk T 020 7208 2029 feasibility studies and assists in site C Simon White [email protected] 14 Lower Grosvenor Place, Savills Urban Design creates value architects. Strategic planning, urban Town planning, Masterplanning, E [email protected] assembly for complex projects but A holistic approach to urban W www.ptea.co.uk London SW1W 0EX from places and places of value. regeneration, development planning, urban design, architecture, C Mike Ibbott also full architectural services for regeneration, design guidance, C Robin Saha-Choudhury T 020 7630 4880 Masterplanning, urban design, town centre renewal, new settlement landscape architecture, Development planning, urban major projects. public realm and open space Liverpool E [email protected] design coding, urban design advice, planning. environmental consultancy, complex design, conservation and strategies and town centre studies Unit S204, Second Floor, Merchants C Lisa Gainsborough planning, commercial guidance. urban design problems. Masterplanning – making places URBED (Urban and Economic for the public, private and community Court, Derby Square, Liverpool L2 1TS Advice on architectural quality, Smeeden Foreman and adding value through creative, Development Group) sectors. T 0151 703 2220 urban design, and conservation, Saunders Partnership Partnership Terra Firma Consultancy progressive, dynamic and joyful Manchester E [email protected] historic buildings and townscape. Studio Four, 37 Broadwater Road, 8 East Parade, Harrogate HG1 JLT Cedar Court, 5 College Road exploration. 10 Little Lever Street, Willie Miller Urban Design & C Roo Humpherson Environmental statements, listed Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 3AX T 01423 520 222 Petersfield GU31 4AE Manchester M1 1HR Planning Masterplanners, urban designers, buildings/area consent applications. T 01707 385 300 E [email protected] T 01730 262040 T 0161 200 5500 20 Victoria Crescent Road, Glasgow developers, architects, listed building E martin.williams@sandersarchitects. C Trevor Foreman E contact@terrafirmaconsultancy. E [email protected] G12 9DD and conservation area designers; Richards Partington com Ecology, landscape architecture com W www.urbed.co.uk T 0141 339 5228 specialising in inner city mixed-use Unit 1, 12 Orsman Road C Martin Williams and urban design. Environmental C Lionel Fanshawe C David Rudlin E [email protected] high density regeneration. London N1 5QJ assessment, detailed design, Independent landscape architectural London C Willie Miller T 020 7033 4422 Scott Brownrigg Ltd contract packages and site practice with considerable urban 26 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8HR Conceptual, strategic and Powell Dobson Urbanists E [email protected] St Catherines Court, 46-48 Portsmouth supervision. design experience at all scales from T 020 7436 8050 development work in urban design, Charterhouse, Links Business Park C Simon Bradbury Road, Guildford GU2 4DU EIA to project delivery throughout UK Urban design and guidance, Masterplanning, urban regeneration, St Mellons, Cardiff CF3 0LT W www.rparchitects.co.uk T 01483 568 686 Soltys: Brewster Consulting and overseas. Masterplanning, sustainability, environmental strategies, design and T 029 2079 9699 Urban design, housing, retail, E [email protected] 87 Glebe Street, Penarth, consultation and capacity building, development briefs. E [email protected] education, sustainability and W www.scottbrownrigg.com Vale of Glamorgan CF64 1EF housing, town centres and W www.powelldobsonurbanists.com commercial projects that take C Luan Deda T 029 2040 8476 regeneration. C James Brown a responsible approach to the Integrated service of architecture, E [email protected] Masterplanning, design frameworks, environment and resources. urban design, planning, W www.soltysbrewster.co.uk design codes, town centre strategies, Masterplanning, involved in several C Simon Brewster housing renewal. A commitment to mixed-use schemes regenerating Urban design, master plans, people, places, sustainability, design inner city and brownfield sites. design strategies, visual impact, and delivery. environmental assessment, regeneration of urban space, landscape design and project management.

54 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 55 Practice Index / Education Index

Willmore Iles Architects Ltd Education Index Oxford Brookes University University of Strathclyde 267 Hotwell Road, Bristol BS8 4SF Joint Centre for Urban Design, Department of Architecture, T 0117 945 0962 ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP Urban Design Studies Unit, E [email protected] Department of the Built Environment T 01865 483403 131 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 ONG W www.willmoreiles.com Faculty of Science & Technology C Georgia Butina-Watson/ T 0141 548 4219 C Andrew Iles Faculty Building, Rivermead Campus Alan Reeve E [email protected] Architecture, town planning, urban Bishop Hall Lane, Chelmsford CM1 1SQ Diploma in Urban Design, six months W www.udsu-strath.com design, campus development T 0845 196 3952/3962 full time or 18 months part time. MA C Ombretta Romice frameworks. Architects and urban E [email protected] / one year full-time or two years part- The Postgraduate Course in Urban designers with specialisms in [email protected] time. Design is offered in CPD,Diploma and education and student residential W www.anglia.ac.uk/urbandesign MSc modes. The course is design design. C Gil Lewis / Dellé Odeleye University College London centred and includes input from a Graduate Diploma in Urban Design & Development Planning Unit, variety of related disciplines. WYG Planning & Design Place Shaping. Innovative, one year, 34 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ Floor 5, Longcross Court, 47 Newport workplace-based course. Developed T 020 7679 1111 University of the West of Road, Cardiff, CF24 0AD to enable built environment E [email protected] England, Bristol T 029 2082 9200 professionals to better understand, C Camillo Boano Faculty of the Built Environment, E [email protected] design and deliver great places. MSc in Building and Urban Design Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, W www.wyg.com in Development. Innovative, Bristol BS16 1QY C Jonathan Vining Cardiff University participatory and responsible design T 0117 328 3508 Creative urban design and master Welsh School of Architecture and in development and upgrading of C Janet Askew planning with a contextual approach School of City & Regional Planning, urban areas through socially and MA/Postgraduate Diploma course in to place-making and a concern for Glamorgan Building, King Edward V11 culturally acceptable, economically Urban Design. Part time two days per environmental, social and economic Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3WA viable and environmentally fortnight for two years, or individual sustainability. T 029 2087 5972/029 2087 5961 sustainable interventions. One year programme of study. Project-based E [email protected] full time or two years part time. course addressing urban design Yellow Book Ltd [email protected] issues, abilities and environments. 39/2 Gardner’s Crescent W www.cardiff.ac.uk/cplan/ma_ University of Greenwich Edinburgh EH3 8DG urbandesign School of Architecture & Construction, University of Westminster T 0131 229 0179 C Allison Dutoit/Marga Munar Bauza Avery Hill Campus, Mansion Site, 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS E [email protected] One year full-time and two year part- Bexley Road, Eltham, London SE9 2PQ T 020 7911 5000 x3341 W www.yellowbookltd.com time MA in Urban Design. T 020 8331 9100/ 9135 E [email protected] C John Lord W www.gre.ac.uk/schools/arc C Bill Erickson Place-making, urban regeneration Edinburgh College of Art C Duncan Berntsen MA or Diploma Course in Urban and economic development involving School of Architecture MA in Urban Design for postgraduate Design for postgraduate architects, creative and cultural industries, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9DF architecture and landscape town planners, landscape architects tourism and labour market research. T 0131 221 6175/6072 students, full time and part time with and related disciplines. One year full W www.eca.ac.uk/index.php?id=523 credit accumulation transfer system. time or two years part time. C Leslie Forsyth Diploma in Architecture and Urban University of Newcastle Design, nine months full-time. upon Tyne Diploma in Urban Design, nine Department of Architecture, Claremont months full time or 21 months part- Tower, University of Newcastle, time. MSc in Urban Design, 12 months Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU full-time or 36 months parttime. MPhil T 0191 222 6004 and PhD, by research full and part- C Georgia Giannopoulou time. MA/Diploma in Urban Design. Joint programme in Dept of Architecture Leeds Metropolitan and Dept of Town and Country University Planning. Full time or part time, School of Architecture Landscape integrating knowledge and skills & Design, Broadcasting Place, Arts from town planning, architecture, Building, Woodhouse Lane, landscape. Leeds LS2 9EN T 0113 812 1717 University of Salford E [email protected] The School of the Built Environment, W www.leedsmet.ac.uk/courses/la 4th Floor Maxwell Building, C Edwin Knighton Salford M5 4WT Master of Arts in Urban Design T 0161 295 4600 consists of one year full time or E [email protected] two years part time or individual W www.sobe.salford.ac.uk programme of study. Shorter C Julia Cannon programmes lead to Post Graduate MSc Urban Design develops Diploma/Certificate. Project based physical digital design expertise course focusing on the creation of in sustainable design and policy. sustainable environments through Suitable for architecture and interdisciplinary design. urban planning graduates and practitioners. London South Bank University University of Sheffield Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, School of Architecture 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA Crookesmoor Building, Conduit Rd, T 020 7815 7353 Sheffield, S10 1FL C Bob Jarvis T 0114 222 0341 MA Urban Design (one year full E [email protected] time/two years part time) or PG Cert C Florian Kossak Planning based course including One year full time MA in Urban units on place and performance, Design for postgraduate architects, sustainable cities as well as project landscape architects and town based work and EU study visit. Part of planners. The programme has a RTPI accredited programme. strong design focus, integrates participation and related design processes, and includes international and regional applications.

56 — Urban Design – Autumn 2011 – Issue 120 Endpiece Failing the endurance test

Between 1987 and 1996, a lot of my time was absorbed by the arguments over the future of the Bull Ring in Birmingham. Everyone agreed that the 1964 Bull Ring Shopping Centre, a pioneering but misguided devel- opment, was a disaster both economically and environmentally. I was a member of a citizens’ group called Birmingham for People, founded in 1988, which was concerned that the shopping centre’s replacement, initially proposed in 1987, was threatening to make the same urban design mistakes again, on an even bigger scale. Using the strategy of an alternative development proposal – which we called the People’s Plan for the Bull Ring – we were able to bring about significant changes and improvements, resulting in the Bullring development that eventually opened in 2003. One area where we failed to bring about change was in land use. The developers insisted that their scheme should be 100 per cent retail, and that was what was built. We criticised this decision, using all the now-fa- miliar arguments for mixed uses. In particu- lar we criticised the inflexibility of deep retail footprints, the great majority with internal mall frontages, with underground servicing. Because of this inflexibility, in an account of the design process1 published the year after the Bullring’s opening, I ascribed to it a projected lifespan similar to that of its 1964 predecessor – less than 40 years – leading to its demolition and replacement in about 2040. Little did I imagine that the demolition would in fact start in 2011. The shopping centre owners have de- cided that their development needs restau- rants. There are already a few on the wide external street leading downhill to the mar- kets; the central axis which was introduced into the scheme as a result of the People’s Plan. Then last year Jamie Oliver opened his 15th Jamie’s Italian restaurant in the empty There could not be a clearer demonstra- special by a sheltering glass roof. Borders’ bookshop, conveniently placed with tion of the inflexibility and unsustainability I hope that the new restaurants will be an entrance at the bottom of that street. It of the plan-form that was built in 2003. One successful. They will add a welcome element is significant that all the existing restaurants of the major determinants of sustainability in of diversity to the retail monoculture. But if are on the outdoor street, because that is urban design terms is that quality which Re- an allegedly state-of-the-art shopping centre where the development most resembles a sponsive Environments calls robustness; the cannot survive eight years without having conventional urban block. In a city centre ability to endure, to sustain a variety of uses to be partially demolished to accommodate made out of conventional urban blocks, and activities across a long lifetime, without minor change, I fear it may not be too many containing shops, offices and apartments, requiring major reconstruction. Modern in- years before the hoardings go up again, and the insertion of a few new restaurants would door malls are notoriously poor at this; they that we may not have to wait as long as 2040 proceed straightforwardly by a process of cannot persist, to use the odd but appropri- to see the whole lot disappear. adaption and conversion, without disturb- ate term that Aldo Rossi uses in The Architec- Joe Holyoak ing the basic block structure. But currently, ture of the City to describe robust buildings • pedestrians in the Bullring have to navigate like Palladio’s Basilica in Vicenza, which has 1 Street Subway and Mall: spatial politics in the their way around a large building site, as in- endured centuries of change and stayed the Bull Ring, in Liam Kennedy (editor), Remaking Birmingham, Routledge: Abingdon, 2004. frastructure and fabric (including, ironically, same. Modern malls are very different from the only good piece of architecture – the café nineteenth century arcades like the Galleria by Marks Barfield, architects of the London Emanuele II in Milan, which the architects of Eye) is demolished to make way for three new the 1987 Bull Ring proposal had the nerve to restaurants. cite as a precedent. Those arcades are simply regular urban blocks with the street made

Issue 120 – Autumn 2011 – Urban Design — 57 Spatial Planning Urban ISM (Integrated Spatial Model) – land use & transport together (at last!) Land use patterns will always influ- ence movement, yet conventional transport consultancy overlooks this, focusing on the symptoms not causes. Our approach to spa- tial planning - SMART URBANISM - handles complexity and delivers compactness and connectedness. We offer a truly joined-up approach to land use and transport planning, using cutting edge tools like Ur- ban ISM (Integrated Spatial Model) which is a quicker, cheaper, yet highly robust alternative to the big models and appraisals of the past.

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