Summer 2016 Urban Design Group Journal 13Ur 9 ban Issn 1750 712x Design tall buildings

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more than this, with people being seen col- Nottingham and Bristol respectively. View from the lectively because of their ‘social values and Noha Nasser and the awards panel Chair responsibilities’. As urban designers we are •for continuing to grow the Urban Design members of a community. We share similar Awards. values and take on the duty of improving the Ben van Bruggen and Amanda Reynolds quality of life for people who live and work •for their ongoing stewardship of the Recog- in cities, towns and villages. nised Practitioner scheme. This is the last View from the Chair that I will I would like to use this last article to Barry Sellers for providing oral evidence write for Urban Design and it gives me an thank people within the Urban Design Group •on the Urban Design Group's behalf at the opportunity to reflect on the last two years community for continuing to strive to raise House of Lords' Built Environment Select of my tenure. The time has flown by! the standards in urban design practice. Lack Committee. At last March’s National Urban Design of space precludes me from mentioning The various regional conveners of events, Awards I pondered with Graham Smith, a everyone but the list includes the following •particularly Paul Reynolds and Philip Cave former lecturer at Oxford Brookes Universi- members of the community: in ; Peter Frankum in Southampton; ty, the use of the word ‘community’ for new Robert Huxford and Kathleen Lucey for Mark Foster and Hannah Harkis in Manches- developments. This term is thrown around •the running and coordination of the Urban ter; Laura Alvarez in the East Midlands; and, on a number of planning application docu- Design Group and Colin Pullan for continu- Andrew Dakin in the South West. ments and marketing material. We were ing to be Treasurer. Not forgetting Alan Stone and Sebastian debating whether it could be said that these Sebastian Loew and Louise Thomas for •Loew’s ever popular study tours. developments are creating new communi- •editing Urban Design, with the support of And Graham Smith for continuing to ties. In literal sense yes, these new develop- the Editorial Board. •question things! ments do contain ‘a group of people living in Laura Alvarez and Andrew Dakin for coor- • the same place’. The term, however, means •dinating the last two national conferences in Katy Neaves

nucleated villages each attached to two or many market towns formed around burgage New villageism three large open fields farmed collectively, plots. There is nothing new about plot- a pattern found in much of central England. based urbanism. How, why and when did these nucleated Medieval villages were settlements for villages develop? Dr. Susan Oosthuizen from people who worked the surrounding fields. In the 1950s there was a great deal of inter- the argued that They had a system of governance that est in recreating the village environment the governance for collective farming was included collective decision-making, and in new social housing, in the belief that it in place by the time of the Roman invasion, oversight from Church and manorial Lord. might help create a sense of community. as shown by archaeological evidence. She Surplus produce was taxed or traded. The Today the ‘village brand’ is used as a major suggested that the expansion tended to villages were highly organised, and some selling point by developers and politicians happen where there had been a tradition of were formally designed. The vast majority alike. Most recently a council has described arable farming going back to the Roman era were sustainable in all senses of the word. a proposed 12,000 home settlement as a or before, and posed a theory that medi- We impoverish our thinking when we regard village. But what actually is a village? Hop- eval expansion occurred when people were villages only in physical terms. ing to find out more I attended the 2016 invited in by their manorial Lord in order to When we develop greenfield sites, we annual spring conference of the Medieval increase production. should remember that they are things with a Settlement Research Group at Lincoln The conference included a trip to the deep history. Some may still have bounda- University. Hosted by ’s Profes- deserted village of Riseholme, created ries that go back to the Iron age, and be sor Carenza Lewis, the conference ranged in the 12th century as a planned village, served by roads and routes that are older from latest theories through to community designed using the perch as the unit of still. If we intend to emulate a village, we archaeology. measure (5.0m). There is a single straight should think about governance, econom- Greenfield development, by definition, street running east-west, and a row of ics, and social structure as well as physical takes place in fields. In England there are rectangular house plots (or tofts) on either design. two broad patterns of underlying rural set- side, each 20m wide and 40m deep (or 4 by • tlements: one, of dispersed homesteads, 8 perches). The regular design of Riseholme Robert Huxford hamlets and small fields, and the other, of coincides with the deliberate planning of

WEDNESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER the city since the last conference was held in Diary of events Tall Buildings London some twenty years ago, how profes- Overcrowded, unhealthy, lacking in greens- sionals of the built environment, develop- pace, and light? Or compact, energy saving, ers and politicians have reacted to these vibrant, and the answer to the challenge of changes and what we can learn for the future. Unless otherwise indicated, all LONDON housing a growing population? This event events are held at The Gallery, 70 Cowcross will debate the issues raised in this edition WEDNESDAY 16 NOVEMBER Street, London EC1M 6EJ at 6.30 pm. of the journal. Food and Urban Design A focus for regeneration? A catalyst for Note that there are many other events 6–7 October stronger communities? A contribution to run by UDG volunteers throughout the UK. The National Urban Design Conference reduced food miles and environmental For the latest details and pricing, please Learning from London impact? A means to improve the health check on the UDG website www.udg.org.uk/ This year’s conference will take place at the and wellbeing of the population and events/udg Victory Services Club in London. It will con- reduce obesity? Featuring the theme in sider the changes that have taken place in Urban Design 140.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 1

Summer 2016 NATIONAL INFLUENCE Urban Design Group Journal LOCAL KNOWLEDGE 13Ur 9 BaN ISSN 1750 712x

ENVIRONMENTAL MASTERPLANNING GRAPHIC DESIGN PLANNING & URBAN DESIGN DesigN taLL BUiLDiNgs Contents TOWN PLANNING

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PLANNING & DESIGN This issue has been generously sponsored The National Urban Design by Barton Willmore Awards 2016 36 — Urban Design Awards RESEARCH COVER 38 — Urban Design Awards Student Award London Skyline, Photograph by Sebastian Winner 2016, A New Laurieston by

Barton Willmore is the UK’s leading independent planning and design consultancy. From large scale inner city regeneration to urban extensions and the creation of Loew Sama Jabr new communities, we provide everything from conceptual proposals, to Urban Design strategies and Development Frameworks, all based upon analysis, evaluation and engagement. URBAN DESIGN To find out more, please visit www.bartonwillmore.co.uk GROUP FUTURE ISSUES BOOK REVIEWS URBAN DESIGN UD 140 Food and the City 40 — Towns and Cities: Function in Form GROUP UD 141 Africa – Urban Structures, Economics and Urban Design Group Society, Julian Hart Chair Katy Neaves UPDATE 40 — 101 Rules of Thumb, For Sustainable Patrons Irena Bauman, Alan Baxter, 3 — Building Better Places Buildings and Cities, Huw Heywood Dickon Robinson, Helle Søholt, Lindsey 3 — Latin America 41 — How to Save our Town Centres: Whitelaw and John Worthington 4 — Delivering Housing for London A Radical Agenda for the Future of 5 — The Place Alliance Big Midlands Meet the High Streets, Julian Dobson Office 5 — The Big Meet 5 41 — Smart About Cities: Visualising the Urban Design Group 6 — Milan and Turin UDG Study Tour Challenge for 21st Century Urbanism, 70 Cowcross Street 8 — My Favourite Plan Maarten Hajer and Ton Dassen London EC1M 6EJ 9 — The Urban Design Library #18 Tel 020 7250 0892 42 — PRACTICE INDEX Email [email protected] VIEWPOINTS 47 — EDUCATION INDEX Website www.udg.org.uk 10 — A House Builder’s Perspective, Nick 49 — ENDPIECE Rogers street view, Joe Holyoak Editorial Board Matthew Carmona, Richard Cole, TOPIC: Tall Buildings Tim Hagyard, Joe Holyoak, 14 — From Guidance to Action, Ziona Strelitz Sebastian Loew, Daniela Lucchese, 18 — London’s Latest Tall Stories, Tim Jane Manning, Chris Martin, Catchpole Malcolm Moor, Judith Ryser, 20 — Whither London’s Skyline?, David Louie Sieh, Louise Thomas Mathewson 23 — Seeing Capitalism in the View, Günter Editors Gassner Sebastian Loew (this issue) 26 — The Impact of Transport Oriented [email protected] Development, Chris Williamson and Louise Thomas 28 — Dublin’s New Tall Buildings, Michael [email protected] Short Book Review Editor 30 — An Imagined Urban Environment, Jane Manning Charlotte Nyholm 33 — From Void-Deck to Skygarden, Philip Design Oldfield trockenbrot (Claudia Schenk and Anja Sicka) www.trockenbrot.com

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London has a new Mayor, only the third elected to Several events, also reported in this issue, have that post since the creation of the taken place recently where these subjects have Authority, and we can only hope that he will be been discussed, together with the Government’s a more effective manager of the capital than his approach to planning and urban design. Even two predecessors. Both of these were flamboyant representatives of the developing industry admit characters keen to enhance their own images, and that the system is broken and needs fundamental one of the ways they thought to do this was by change, but not in the direction pursued by the encouraging tall buildings, the subject covered in present administration: Nick Rogers on p.10 this issue. There have been many rationalisations gives a very lucid exposé of the situation. The for allowing the dramatic change to the city’s recently published report of the House of Lords skyline that is taking place, some of which are Select Committee on National Policy for the Built discussed in the following pages, but the large Environment (see p.3) would be an excellent start egos of the mayors undoubtedly played a part. of the debate. It will have to be considered by Unfortunately, the negative impact of these tall the House of Commons and all professionals structures on the environment, on the public realm, concerned should lobby their representatives to on the infrastructure and services, has had very support its proposals. little coverage. And nobody seems to remember the vicious criticisms voiced against 1960s tall The Urban Design Group is the ideal forum to buildings (then called blocks) often by discuss the current problems and expose them to a exactly the same people promoting them today. wider audience. It needs more young professionals willing to get involved in its activities and spread The articles on the topic of tall buildings collected the word.• by Michael Short cover a range of aspects with an

emphasis on London approached from different Sebastian Loew, architect and planner, writer and consultant angles by various contributors. Other cities are used as comparisons, showing that within certain parameters, tall buildings can make a positive contribution and also that the problem does not only affect large capital cities but also medium size towns. How to join The housing crisis is undoubtedly the main issue To join the Urban Design Group, visit that the new Mayor has to tackle. His means to www.udg.org.uk and see the benefits of taking out an annual membership. do this are limited and he will therefore have to work hard and negotiate with the many other Individual (UK and international) £50 UK student / concession £30 stakeholders, the boroughs, central government, Recognised Practitioner in Urban Design £80 the private sector, and avoid being carried away Small practice (<5 professional staff) £250 by flashy schemes that do not benefit Londoners. Large practice (>5 professional staff) £450 Education £250 A similar situation applies to other parts of the Local Authority £100 country where, in addition, there are problems with UK Library £80 the transport system, and a lack of investment in International Library £100

infrastructure.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 update 3

national ambition Local government should be empowered •to deliver with partners.

The report recommends inter alia the ap- pointment of a Chief Built Environment Advisor supported by a Unit; the production of a national architecture and place policy; reinforcing design review; establishing a zero carbon trajectory; reviewing the borrowing restrictions of local government; facilitating SME builders; making planning proactive. The question posed at the end of Matthew’s housing crisis, sustainability, skills availabili- presentation was ‘How can we ensure that Building Better ty, community involvement, finance, etc. The the committee’s recommendations are Places Committee’s work was based on evidence turned into practical realities?’ The Govern- and comments received, and went beyond ment has to respond to the report and there NLA, The Building Centre, London, 24 short-term issues. will be a debate in Parliament; therefore all February 2016 The current approach to the built en- built environment professionals should read vironment is crisis-led and lacks ambition; it and press for its recommendations to be currently the crisis is housing but at other followed. times it may be infrastructure, flooding or The ensuing debate chaired by NLA di- Matthew Carmona is the Specialist Advi- high streets. We fiddle with regulations in- rector Peter Murray involved Peter Bishop, sor to the House of Lords Select Committee stead of adopting a pro-active approach. The Esther Kurland and Max Farrell, all of whom on National Policy for the Built Environ- government cannot control everything but endorsed the report, emphasising different ment, whose report was published a few the private sector cannot do everything ei- aspects that they thought were of particular days before this meeting and at which he ther. Among the report’s conclusions were: relevance. The current rather anarchic de- presented its scope and main findings. The We need to do better and aim higher velopment of design review was mentioned report (http://www.publications.parliament. • Quality of place should be at the heart of as were the achievements of CABE, though uk/pa/ld201516/ldselect/ldbuilt/100/100. •all policies: speed should not be achieved the establishment of a ‘son of CABE’ was fa- pdf) addresses a wide range of questions: at the expense of quality, sustainability or voured by only part of the audience. policy making, integration and coordination, resilience • the role of government in dealing with the • National government should set the Sebastian Loew

of socio-spatial innovation such as rapid bus transit, cable cars, favelas or disas- ter recovery protocols. Specific challenges would require urban design to reclaim po- litical relevance in what she considered the most unequal, multicultural, fragmented, macro-cephalic urban system in the world. She illustrated her selection of urban design challenges in Latin America to show that they were beyond traditional urban design capac- ity. Alternative urban design may have to become a negotiated co-production of space based on fresh knowledge of the citizens, the environment and the role of location, as well Latin America redevelopment with environmental concerns. as on more multidisciplinary socio-spatial Besides the favela study, all but one were action research. mega-projects on paper without much link to The Gallery, London, 15 March 2016 Laura Alvarez who had written the very implementation. useful explanatory article on the Laws of the Put into the context of Planetary Gentri- Indies chose to talk about La Plata, a Latin- fication, these projects illustrate a process American garden city, 80 km south of Buenos Latin America was a recent Urban Design of gentrification and displacement driven Aires, Argentina which satisfied all the original topic for the first time, after other geo- by the state and the development industry, garden city criteria except transportation. The regions like North America, India, China and which goes well beyond the role of design in discussion confirmed that the internalised Europe. Sebastian Loew, who edited the the process of urban change. In her critique, idea that the west has still lessons to teach topic gave an overview of the 12 articles, all Catalina Ortiz (above) from the Develop- and could provide professional help to the from Spanish Latin America apart from one ment Planning Unit at UCL, advocated the south still prevails. Perhaps unpacking these on sustainable regeneration of a favela in Sao need of expanding the notion of urban de- ideas would warrant a UDG debate to over- Paolo, Brazil. He summarised various design sign as coined in the western world to suit come both the western-centric superiority concerns: centrality, (im-)material heritage Latin American urbanism. This, in her view, and go-it-alone isolation of the south. preservation, community involvement, public consisted of mestizo urbanism rooted in pre- • space as social asset, governance subjected Hispanic times and its superposition of the Judith Ryser, researcher, journalist, writer and urban affairs consultant to Fundacion to political sways preventing continuity, rigid grid structure as a tool of control on Metropoli, Madrid holistic vs. acupuncture approaches, urban hand, and on the other hand, sites

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 4 update

Delivering Housing London’s businesses in all sectors through planning legislation. Housing could be built higher wages compared to competitor cities, on large gardens of suburban semi-detached for London prompting wide-ranging support for meas- houses or bungalows located at a maxi- ures to resolve the crisis. mum distance of 800m to a public transport George Weeks, Urban Designer with TfL, stop. Riette illustrated this with sketches then took the audience on a fascinating tour of various possible arrangements. To allay Part 1, BDP offices, London, of two developments in Ijburg, Amsterdam residents’ resistance to densification, the 16 March 2016 and Hammarby-Sjöstad, Stockholm. These strategy shows that home-owners would Addressing London’s housing needs was a are both major mixed-use developments benefit financially, and that collaboration be- key topic in the recent Mayoral election, on brownfield or reclaimed land, and have tween neighbours would make it even more with all of the major candidates promising to many similarities to the large sites London beneficial. The next step of Supurbia is the build 50,000 homes a year. London contains is seeking to unlock in its outlying Oppor- intensification of existing shopping centres. a number of large Opportunity Areas, and tunity Areas. Two common factors at both Tim Pharaoh was the next speaker. His there is an expectation that these areas will sites included the up-front delivery of high- theme was ‘development beyond London’s be unlocked through transport improve- quality public transport through the spine of sphere of economic influences’. The case ments to accommodate significant volumes the sites, providing connectivity to the city study he presented was that of Colchester of medium-density housing. The Urban and an environment suited to less car-de- Metro Town on which he worked to pre- Design Group and the Transport Planning So- pendent lifestyles. The second factor was the sent an alternative to the standard model ciety therefore jointly organised two events role of place-making, for example, through of development regularly applied in Essex, to explore this topic. partially plot-based development creating commissioned by the Campaign Against Ur- The first evening, hosted by BDP, was varied neighbourhoods and the inclusion of ban Sprawl in Essex (CAUSE). The projected kicked off by Martin Tedder from Transport leisure facilities (in Stockholm in the form growth for Colchester/Tendering requires for London who set the scene with the cur- of a ski slope!). These factors are linked to a 20,000 new homes in 15 years and it must rent population projections for London, delivery model with clear city leadership, a be based on high quality transit network recent housing delivery rates and the pro- spatial development framework, the exercise which is not been provided or planned for at jected cumulative effects of the housing gap of ownership powers, advance infrastruc- the moment. On the other hand the existing reaching over half a million units by 2035. ture provision, securing design quality and a electrified Clacton to Colchester railway line Public transport is key to delivering hous- framework for ongoing stewardship. is a high quality but totally underused invest- ing with 85 per cent of units built since 2000 Many thanks are due to BDP and Urban ment that could be the basis of the area’s within 1km of a station. Martin presented Flow for their sponsorship of this event. sustainable development: between 6,000- a multi-pronged approach to TfL’s role in • 9,000 new homes could be built around unlocking housing, including working to de- Martin Wedderburn, independent transport each of the five existing stops. This would in- velop public sector landholdings, working consultant crease the use of the Metro line, not just for to improve access to support growth in the commuting but also for shopping, education designated Opportunity Areas and Housing Part 2, The Gallery, London, and leisure. Additional actions are needed to Zones, enabling densification along existing 14 April 2016 improve accessibility to the east and to ad- infrastructure through the ‘metro-isation’ of The second evening was held at the Gallery dress the mediocre quality of Colchester city existing rail services, and delivering major and chaired by Colin Pullan who illustrated centre. new infrastructure such as 2. the central issue by mentioning a few figures: The last speaker was Ben Rogers of the There is a clear link between public the projected growth of London’s population Centre for London who described the possi- transport connectivity and density in major to 2030 would require building over an area ble political obstacles to resolve the housing cities, and Paul Buchanan of Volterra made a as big as and Coventry together. problems. These are partly due to the way compelling case for reform of the transport Martin Weddeburn started the evening by that development is tackled in Britain and scheme appraisal process. Citing the exam- summarising the first meeting for those that who benefits from it. At present the cuts in ple of the Jubilee Line extension to Canary hadn’t been there. local authority funding have greatly affected Wharf, which had a poor business case un- Dr Riette Oosthuizen, planning part- the Boroughs’ planning departments and the der conventional Department for Transport ner at HTA Design, then presented her work Mayor has limited powers or finance to re- appraisal rules, he argued that transport on Supurbia (described also in UD 138), a solve the housing crisis. However more could investment decisions could be very differ- strategy aimed at utilising existing available be done with land owned by TfL and the rail- ent if land use impacts were appropriately land more efficiently. Three requirements way network. considered. Economists would describe for success are: area based initiatives, A lively discussions followed. housing delivery in London as an imperfect involving the residents, and using Local • market with little incentive for landowners Development Orders in combination with Sebastian Loew to develop sites more quickly. The eco- Plot Passports (a kind of permitted devel- nomic impacts of the housing gap do affect opment) none of which would require new

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 update 5

on the population as a whole. This is par- ticularly important in a world where societal changes driven by globalisation and com- munication advances are having a negative impact on the physical and mental health of the population. Noha Nasser said: ‘As place makers we are responsible for ensur- ing our public realm works to bring people together. Think about uses and activities that spark conversations and can be enjoyed by everyone.’ Recurrent themes across all presenta- tions were the need to create places with a sense of identity, and the importance of con- sidering, respecting and embracing public should pursue a growth agenda if it isn’t to perceptions, both regarding existing places The Place Alliance be overtaken by the other provincial cities.’ and new developments. The event discus- Big Midlands Meet The imminent introduction of the HS2 as sions will result in a ten point action plan a high impact catalyst to structural transfor- for the region, covering all scales of design Birmingham, 15 March 2016 mation was discussed at some length. Issues and planning. A team will be established to of design and quality of place and landscape create a place-based action plan rooted in were portrayed as being of great concern in ethical practice. central England. Kathryn Moore said ‘land- A huge thanks is due to Emily Walsh, The Place Alliance Big Midlands Meet, hosted scape is still undervalued and underrated’ Chair of the RTPI West Midlands urban de- by JMP Consultants Ltd in Birmingham, was explaining that innovation and creativity are sign forum and Associate Director at JMP for an excellent platform to discuss the future needed to combine traditional grounded making this event possible, who said: of regional planning and urban design. knowledge with emerging ways to explore ‘Our Big Midlands Meet was a great suc- Conversations began with the pressing issue places through phenomenology. Phil Jones cess, with over 100 people attending from of housing demand and where homes could pointed out that most comments emerging a wide range of organisations. The pres- be best located to promote growth. David from regional review panels relate to poor entations and discussions on the day have Rudlin stated, ‘…growth should be accom- road design and that if we do not get basic pointed to a number key things we need to modated in a way that reinforces all regional principles right we will not increase quality do to deliver great places in the Midlands.’ cities by making much better use of urban of place. • capacity, only building in locations that can The presentations continued by zooming Laura Alvarez, alkiki Co-founding Director be connected efficiently to town and city into the small scale, looking at how develop- UDG East Midlands Convenor centres by public transport. Birmingham ment can impact on personal wellbeing and

suggested that the best approach was to re- view existing places in advance of planned proposals coming to a panel for review. He also emphasised the importance of timing, as schemes are often reviewed too late in the process and therefore the applicants are reluctant to change their designs. Andrew Forth from the RIBA showing some examples of successful design review, added that it works best when people understand what its purpose is. After a detour through North- ern Ireland presented by Mary Laheen, Nigel Longstaff, Group Urban design Director at and ending today with a free market and a Barratt Development, the sponsor of the The Big Meet 5 variety of models. Former director of CABE, event, gave a heartfelt defense of his com- Richard Simmons then described these, how pany’s work. This is perceived very negatively UCL, London, 29 April 2016 they evolved after the demise of CABE, what (the cul de sac, the endless nowhere houses, they have in common and what the differ- etc) but with examples, he showed that the ences are. Victor Callister, Deputy Director at reality was much better and affirmed that Place Alliance which describes itself as a the Design Council argued that as invest- the company is committed to improve design ‘movement’, was borne out of the Farrell ment in the property market is so huge, it quality and place making. He also listed the Review’s recommendation that place quality has a major influence on planning. Therefore obstacles to achieve this such as antiquated should concern us rather than urban design, design review, to be accepted, needs to be design standards, highway authorities, and arguably a semantic rather than a fundamen- cost effective and show what impact it really bins! For him design review worked in some tal difference. The Big Meet 5 hosted by UCL’s has on quality, which can only be done with cases and not in others. Bartlett School of Planning aimed to reflect evidence based research – not available at The morning ended with a debate that on design review and assembled a number present. focussed mainly on how panels engaged with of professionals involved in this growing Turning to practical matters, David Tittle, communities and how design review could industry. Matthew Carmona started the formerly of MADE and now design manager be evaluated. proceedings with a fascinating account of at Design South East pointed out that place • the history of design review, starting in 1802 review is what is being done by panels and Sebastian Loew

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 6 update

1 Milan: the Portello park by C Jencks and A Kipar, Photograph by Victor Morais 2 Milan: the Darsena at night, Photograph by Victor Morais 3 Milan: CityLife residential building by Zaha Hadid 4 Milan: UniCredit building by C Pelli 5 Turin: Piazza San Carlo 6 MIlan: Bosco Verticale by S Boeri 1 made, has now been re-purposed as a giant Milan and Turin modernity, fashion and design. The skyline sculpture gallery, displaying Anselm Keifer’s is dotted with Italy’s earliest vertiginous Seven Celestial Places (2004). UDG Study Tour including the graceful Giò Ponti’s Gratta- The Porta Nuova district is close to the cielo Pirelli, built in 1958 and a counterfoil to city centre and until recently the industrial 21 – 25 April 2016 the imperial hubris of Mussolini’s Stazione yards stood abandoned, with ownerships Centrale, fragmented between the public and private The three-yearly Milano Triennale de- sectors. It has now been cleared away and In April Sebastian Loew led the latest of the sign forum is an important cultural event for rebuilt as an up-market shopping and hous- Urban Design Group’s legendary study tours residents and visitors alike. The city centre ing area, masterplanned by Cesar Pelli, with of European cities. Twenty-five Group mem- is still a popular place to live, if increasingly a fine new elevated piazza and Pelli’s shiny bers and friends spent four days exploring costly; an efficient and public trans- curved building for UniCredit, complete with Milan and Turin. port system keeps it going. pinnacle as its principal landmark. Milan, capital of Lombardy, is Italy’s On our first day we were welcomed at The nearby Bosco Verticale, a pair of res- second city with a population of 1.3 mil- the prestigious Politécnico di Milano – one of idential towers by Stefano Boeri with more lion within a wider metropolitan area of 3.5 Italy’s main school of architecture and plan- than 900 trees on their balconies, provided million. The city sits in the midst of a fertile ning – by Professor Corinna Morandi, who an eye-catching alternative to their glass and agricultural plain at the foot of the Alps and summarised Milan’s urban history and recent steel neighbours. has had a long and often turbulent history, development initiatives. It was a good time Friday evening provided an opportunity having being invaded many times and com- to visit Milan, Morandi said, with the spirit of for the party to explore the southern side ing under Roman, Spanish, Austrian and last year’s international Exposition still in the of the city with a stroll around the Darsena French occupation, not to mention numer- air, even if the displays had been disman- district where the old canals known as the ous Republican regimes. The city’s cultural tled and there was deplorably little evidence Navigli, have been regenerated and are now significance is enormous, from its time as an of any legacy planning. As the theme of the a leisure area teeming with life. early Christian centre (Constantine’s Edict of Expo had been Feeding the planet, energy Suitably fortified, our Saturday’s explora- Milan in 313 gave the first formal Roman rec- for life, some were questioning its sustain- tions began with a visit to QT8 (named after ognition to Christianity), much later as the ability credentials. the Ottava Triennale di Milano, held in 1947) adopted home of Leonardo da Vinci, and in The northern side of the city formerly a model housing estate of slab blocks led by the 20th century as a major operatic capital housed the industrial districts, dominated by architect Piero Bottoni, started in 1948 and in the form of La Scala theatre. legendary names from the automotive indus- completed in the late 1950s. Railings and Milan’s history can be read in its streets. try, Pirelli and Alfa Romeo. The southern side gates now separate the apartments from The medieval core is contained within the of the city was more strongly associated with the street, but the landscape is mature and traces of the former Spanish walls, with arte- waterways and the agricultural hinterland, the development seems to be wearing well. rial roads (several of Roman origin) leading but were still important economically. Comparisons were made with the LCC’s Roe- from the outskirts, and grids of 18th and The industrial sites are now being recast hampton Estate, its close contemporary. 19th century streets in between. There is a with fashion, retail and leisure uses to the A short walk took us to Portello – former- striking contrast where these grids meet the fore, as well as housing. The grandi projetti ly the Alfa Romeo car plant, which vacated more organic heart of the city, with its great were alive and well in Milan: many master- the site in 1974, and has now been redevel- Duomo (the largest Gothic building in Italy) plans were nearing completion and we would oped to a plan by Valle Studio. The most and the huge Gallerie – glazed arcades – of visit several of these, mainly to the north and impressive urban move was Parco Portello, the 1860s. The city streets are mostly spa- west of the city centre. where designers Charles Jencks and Andreas cious, reflecting 19th century improvements Bicocca with a masterplan by Vittorio Kipar have used the DNA double helix motif as well as post-war reconstruction. Milan Gregotti, was once the centre of Pirelli and is to create a curvaceous, dreamlike landscape was bombed 15 times in the Second World now a large campus for the Universita’ degli on the theme of time. From there, the main War and half of the city centre had to be Studi di Milan, one of Milan’s seven univer- link to the rest of the scheme, the Passarella rebuilt. sities; its grid follows the former industrial or footbridge (Arup) across the CIrconvalazi- The image of contemporary Milan is plan design pattern. The former Ansaldo one ring road, was bafflingly hard to reach, forward-looking, indelibly associated with plant where electric train engines were forcing our group to make a big detour.

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5 6 Much less appealing was Piazza Gino completed in 2013 by Paris-based Silvio wide range of uses: shops, conference cen- Valle, now the largest square in Milan and D’Ascial Architecture. tres, hotels and offices co-exist, but happily named in honour of its late masterplanner. Turin, smaller and more compact than the spiral ramp also survives. The piazza was deserted and soulless on our Milan, allegedly receives fewer tourists than Cantilevered above the main building visit; Fabio Novembre’s Palazzo Casa Milan any other comparable Italian city. Unjustly is Piano’s metal box that contains the Ag- with its glassy facade and dancing rooftop so, we thought, as we strolled though its de- nelli art collection, small but exquisite with figures failed to lift the spirits. lightful arcaded streets. The passegiata was paintings from Canaletto to Picasso and Ma- Adjacent and planned in parallel is alive and well in the city and our visit coin- tisse. A temporary exhibition of Gae Aulenti CityLife, the new business and residential cided with a long weekend and the Turin Jazz showed the range of this most individualistic district on the site of the old Fiera di Milano Festival, with performers and their attendant architect. The test track survives, allowing exhibition area, developed initially by the crowds enlivening the streets and squares. exhibition visitors to stroll across the tarmac Generali insurance giant. It is now in the The city was extensively rebuilt in the and enjoy an Alpine panorama beyond the hands of Allianz, whose MicoMilan Conven- 17th and 18th centuries on the Roman grid, city rooftops. tion Centre Park forms the centrepiece. although most of the buildings in the centre A lively addition to Lingotto’s retail mix Flamboyant residential blocks by Daniel date from the mid to late 19th century. The is Eataly, an upmarket foodie emporium on Libeskind, Zaha Hadid and Arata Isozaki are Via Roma and Via Garibaldi are elegant and a huge scale; a cross between Food newly completed and look out onto the park formal colonnaded streets contained within Hall and , stuffed to the raft- designed by Gustafson Porter, Melk, One the loop of the river Po and with glimpses of ers with bars, restaurants and delicatessen Works and Ove Arup. Three mixed use tow- the snow-capped mountains to the north of dispensing all things edible and drinkable. It ers (named Straight, Twisted and Curved, by the city. is a winning formula. Arata Isosaki, Hadid and Libeskind respeci- Since 1899 Turin has indelibly been as- An unplanned Monday morning allowed ively) are in varying stages of construction. sociated with Fiat and the Agnelli family: members of the group to explore Milano’s Some of these were undoubtedly exciting, in 1923 the old LIngotto plant located in city centre monuments and to visit the ex- but it was hard to escape the feeling that the the southern part of the city, was once the quisite Prada Foundation designed by Rem developments were designed in wilful isola- largest car factory in the world. The main Koolhas, located in another former industrial tion, with more emphasis on architectural building is 500m long with a volume of one building. shape-making than on creating a vibrant million cubic metres. It was built over five • urban quarter. A metro station on a new line floors with a ramp leading to the rooftop test Geoff Noble, urban design and heritage serves the new district. track, pioneering modular use of reinforced consultant concrete. Fiat vacated the factory in 1983 TURIN and shortly afterwards Renzo Piano was ap- Sunday took us by train westwards from pointed for what was to become a 20-year Milan to Turin, passing between small towns, project for the re-use, and re-imagining, of pasture and rice fields. We arrived at Torino the whole extraordinary complex. Interiors Porta Susa, the sleek and sunlit new station were mostly scooped out to accommodate a

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 8 update

My Favourite Plan – I have always been fascinated by grid as he was far too much the orthodox urban- layouts and have tinkered with the con- ist for her liking. Mike Galloway cept throughout my career, either in a purist sense as in City Centre, or in a more What to learn from it Philadelphia Plan, 1683 by William responsive approach at Crown Street in the Grid layouts are powerful urban forms which Penn and Thomas Holme Gorbals. are pretty resilient and quite democratic in Penn’s two main thoroughfares of Broad the way they can structure city life. Grids are Street and High Street intersect at Centre fairly ubiquitous throughout many societies Square, thus dividing the city into four quad- and can take various forms and scales, but rants; each of these has its own square and they can also, if not managed carefully, be Why it is important it is the subsequent fate of each of these easily dominated and ruined by dense traffic. This masterplan for the layout of Phila- squares that underpins the second reason The key lesson, however, is that a grid is delphia, the first planned city in the SAU , why this masterplan is so important. just a framework upon which a deliberate- marked the rebirth of the gridiron street pat- In her life-changing book (for me any- ly more messy approach to human activity tern in modern times. It led directly to all of way) Death and Life of Great American needs to be draped. A hugger-mugger mix the subsequent rectangular street layouts of Cities, Jane Jacobs describes the process- of uses within a diverse range of buildings at the western world. New York, Barcelona and es by which four identically designed and a reasonable density is the real secret to a Edinburgh New Town are all descendants of positioned squares could end up being so successful plan. this rediscovery of the power of the grid. different after 300 years of urbanisation. • Some are intact and successful while oth- ers lie ruined and shunned as a result of Current position modernist planning, comprehensive redevel- Executive Director of City Development, opment and the worship of the motor car. Dundee City Council. This story impacted heavily on me in my student days and led me to being totally Education convinced by Jacobs’ four key principles of BSc in Town Planning (Dundee) 1979. MA in mixed use, permeability, diversity and den- Urban Design (Oxford Polytechnic) 1982. sity. While these are now widely accepted, they were ground-breaking at the time when Specialisms she fought against the demolition of inner Regeneration, urban design, master planning city neighbourhoods in the USA and Canada. and project implementation. I got to meet Jane Jacobs in Toronto a few years before she died; a diminutive Ambition lady (who would have been 100 years this To complete our own new rectilinear grid year) with bright eyes and a fierce passion. I masterplan for Dundee Waterfront; the new wonder how she would have gotten on with streets and spaces are built and the first William Penn; probably not very well, I think, buildings are under construction.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 update 9

highway encouraged undifferentiated sub- a smaller place called Schuylerville. Later urban sprawl and isolated people from each Kunstler contrasts the fate of Detroit follow- other. Town centres disappeared and were ing the decline of the motor industry, with replaced by malls, streets were no longer the success of Portland, Oregon, where the fronted by buildings, housing developments administration forcefully protected the city’s became dormitories to which people had no environment and its economy. Los Angeles particular allegiance. A recurrent theme is is a third example, where the car is as indis- that the neglect of the public realm reflects a pensable as oxygen, and the public realm particularly American attitude that considers non-existent. Capitals of unreality shows land as a commodity and not a community how within an environment that has become good, and has negative consequences for uniform and banal, society needs fantasy society. worlds and these are provided by Disney- Kunstler makes connections between world, Atlantic City or Woodstock, catering the zoning laws and the impossibility of for different income groups and different creating a lively town: in most places, resi- kinds of dreams. dential above shops is not allowed, or large Finally, there is a glimmer of hope. New set backs are compulsory, thus destroying Urbanism was still in its infancy but Duany any connection between street and build- and Plater-Zyberk had designed Seaside, ing. In most commercial areas this means car Florida, and Peter Calthorpe had started parking on the street front instead of front building Laguna West in California. Kunstler The Urban Design doors. Furthermore restrictive zoning laws is a great fan. Christopher Alexander’s Pat- have led to segregation and the destruc- tern Language is also praised as are a couple Library #18 tion of communities. He also points at the of less known initiatives. Kunstler is rightly contrast between the poor quality of archi- convinced that the age of the petrol fuelled The Geography of Nowhere, The Rise tecture and the nostalgic image that people automobile is nearing its end and that Amer- and Decline of America’s Man-made have of buildings; or between the enjoyment icans will be forced to rethink fundamentally Landscape, James Howard Kunstler, of places like Disneyworld, with its car free the way they live and interact with their envi- Touchstone, 1994 environment, and the noplace where peo- ronment. The situation there is undoubtedly ple live,: ‘the place where the dream house more dramatic than it is here, but the issues stood – a subdivision of many other identical are the same and we are moving in the wrong dream houses – was neither the country nor direction. Deregulation of the planning The main story James Howard Kunstler the city …it combined the worst social ele- system, allowing the market to take most wants to tell in this book is how the beautiful ments of the city and country and none of decisions regardless of the consequences and wild landscape of the North American the best elements’. will be self-destructive. ‘Sooner or later, continent was gradually but relentlessly Kunstler reserves much of his anger for absolute necessity will compel us to give up ruined by its inhabitants; today, ‘most of it the relentless building of highways, and the our present habits, but by then the cost of is depressing, brutal, ugly, unhealthy and simultaneous destruction of public trans- rebuilding may be more than we can bear’. spiritually degrading’, he laments and the port, which encouraged sprawl and led to Not everything in the book is relevant or main reason for this destruction is American the rise of the shopping mall. These in turn even good. There are chapters on the evo- individualism which leads to the neglect of destroyed the urban high street and the lo- lution of architectural design in America, the public realm. Developers and the private cal economy, as profits were ‘funnelled to which are entertaining but somewhat super- car are the instruments that helped the corporate headquarters far away’ instead of ficial, and his condemnation of modernism is process. staying in the community. ‘The chains gave arguably overstated. Post-modernism which In the early 90s, Americans were still back nothing to the locality except a handful was at its peak when Kunstler was writing, enamoured of suburbia (most of them still of low-wage service jobs’. Sounds familiar? fares no better. Some parts of the book are are), global warming was just starting to be The UK is not the USA but in re-reading more like rants. But the greatest failure is debated, the world economy was changing this book, first discovered whilst travelling the lack of images, which is incomprehensi- and not to the benefit of the West. Kunstler’s in America in 2000, the similarities are strik- ble even though Jacobs’ masterpiece has the book was a wake up call to his compatriots. ing. The patterns are the same: the decline same problem. If ever this book was reprint- There are parallels with the much earlier of town centres, the car-dominated environ- ed, I hope the publishers will illustrate it. Jane Jacobs’ Death and Life and the sub- ment, the spread of chains, the erosion of I haven’t covered all the book’s aspects title of this book is obviously a nod to its the countryside and the ubiquitous hous- and I would probably advise readers to skip predecessor. Neither of the authors were ing developments which are not places. For parts of it and find the juicy bits. But these architects or planners, but they were good too long we have let engineers design towns are very well worth reading and reflecting observers critical of what was happening in around the needs of the automobile and upon and could be as mind expanding and their environment. Jacobs focussed mostly, neglected the public realm. As in the US, influential as Jane Jacobs’ classic. though not only, on the neighbourhood. we have let the business lobbies influence • Kunstler takes a much wider view but covers government and deregulate planning. As a Sebastian Loew some of the same ground (though surprising- result the profession that used to be vision- ly never quotes her) and both had a common ary, has been deskilled and reduced to a Read-on enemy in Robert Moses, the so-called ‘mas- bureaucratic role: ‘planners are now chiefly Duany, Andrés, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, and ter builder’ of New York whose ‘only ideology preoccupied with administrative procedure: Jeff Speck (2000). Suburban Nation: was to get highways, bridges and tunnels issuing permits, filling out forms, and shuf- The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the built’ and who ‘showed a strange enmity for fling papers’. American Dream. New York: North Point railroad trains and mass transit’. Some of the liveliest parts of the book Press. These comments are at the core of Kun- deal with specific places and how they have Calthorpe, Peter: Urbanism in the Age of Cli- stler’s arguments: whilst rail connected evolved; chapter eight, How to mess up mate Change, Island Press, 2010 neighbourhoods, towns and cities across a town, describes the decline of Saratoga Hayden, Dolores, Redesigning the American the country, allowing for dense hubs to de- Springs in upstate New York, whilst chap- Dream: Gender, Housing, and Family velop around the stations, the car and the ter ten, the Loss of community, deals with Life, WW Norton, 2002

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 10 viewpoint

A House Builder’s Perspective Nick Rogers’ keynote speech for the National Urban Design Awards ceremony

the newly merged company had completed in 2007, and reduced the number of regional offices from 36 to 24. Design consultants didn’t escape the downturn either and now at current output, most design- ers are stretched. Can either easily increase capacity by 25 or 50 per cent? Planning departments throughout the country are struggling with •local authority cuts and consequent resource and skill shortages, whilst trying to cope with continual government tinkering with the planning system.

All of this points to an industry that is a long way from being able to deliver the step change in housing output required, and without greater changes we will not come anywhere near the production levels required. I believe that the UK’s current model of housing de- velopment will not be able to scale up.

1 Unfit for purpose Many design problems disturb my sleep: how do we meet increas- The model for housing supply was not purposely developed, it ing energy performance cost-effectively and safely? Or how can we evolved in response to our forms of land ownership, our planning modify our home designs to meet the national space standards? Or policies, evolving government policy on how housing should be pro- perhaps, how can we consistently design and deliver good ordinary vided and our patterns of and attitudes to home ownership. I would competent places for our customers to live in? argue that it is not fit for purpose; it cannot deliver. But what do I Of the varied design areas I have to deal with and improve, place- mean by the current model? making is the hardest to pin down. The actions we are working on to Most development land identified by local plans is in response to improve current practice include: writing design guidance, running •promotion by developers and landowners. internal design reviews and training workshops, and developing a Most larger developments are made up of land assembled by design academy. But these, though important, are short-term tacti- •developers. cal responses. There are longer-term issues, tied to a potentially Infrastructure is funded through developers; funding through s106 changing context of the whole industry, and the foremost of these •and CIL is an inefficient way of ploughing the uplift in land value from is our response to housing undersupply: how is that supply shortfall development back into infrastructure. addressed while improving quality and in the context of a cyclical Both the risk and profit stay with the developers who need a com- economy? •mercial incentive to develop. Housing undersupply has to be the biggest problem that our industry has faced, and if we respond to it in the wrong way, either Is this a model where a private sector-led response to undersupply through our own efforts, or through a response to policy and context could emerge? Developers are businesses owned by shareholders changes, we risk repeating mistakes of the past, or worse. and however well-intentioned, they still have to return a profit, and a competitive one to attract investment and finance. Managing their Size of the problem risk, their behaviour becomes process-driven and conservative. The Britain built just under 200,000 homes in 2015, which is less than current structural reliance on the private sector to promote, as- the expected rate of new household formation. To deal with under- semble and develop land restricts the scope for upscaling delivery; supply we need to provide, depending on whose figures are used, houses will only be built where land is available, development viable, between 250, 000 and 300,000 homes per year. Each year we fail and homes marketable, and so not necessarily all of the homes that to meet the number, we fall further behind. The last time the UK are needed, or where they are needed. exceeded 250,000 new homes was 1979, when the tenure split was So why doesn’t the solution come from the house builders and 144,120 by private developers, 21,390 by housing associations and their land bank? Contrary to the beliefs of some, house builders are 86,320 by local authorities. The last time output exceeded 300,000 not sitting on land that could be developed but isn’t. The econom- was 1973 with a breakdown by tenure of 191,080, 12,130 and 101,430 ics of that don’t stack up; developers are working furiously to feed respectively. enough land into their programmes to keep current volumes going. This is not a problem that is going to be solved easily; there are Implementable consents are valuable and as soon as we can get significant barriers to such a drastic increase in delivery: them we start on site. Prices are set by the local market (new build is The construction subcontract base shrank hugely in the recession. only 1 per cent of the housing stock and 10 per cent of annual house •Many skilled tradesmen will not come back to the industry and those sales), and sales rates are set by local demand. While I’m not exoner- who may replace them need to be trained. ating house builders from collective responsibility, it is obvious that The wider construction supply chain adjusted to a lower output they cannot be the only answer. Going back to the figures, the private •and will take time to grow output again. We have already seen that sector has only once exceeded 200,000 homes since 1968, and that the reopening of brickworks has lagged behind demand by a year to was in 1988 just before a housing crisis; the next peak at 198,000 was eighteen months. in 2007; is private housing approaching 200,000 homes something The development industry also reduced in size during the down- we should fear? Is there a structural limit to the capacity of the pri- •turn: in 2009 Taylor Wimpey produced 68 per cent of the homes that vate house building sector?

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 viewpoint 11

1 Nick Rogers 2,3,4 Dartford, The housing development. Photographs by Taylor Wimpey.

Unintended consequences Housing supply has always been a political hot potato. In the current state of housing we can see the effects, good and bad, of previous policies throughout the post war period. PPG3 gives us a little lesson in unintended consequences: the intentions were to improve design 2 quality, sustainability and increase delivery through density and the use of brownfield land. What happened was somewhat different: densities increased through the use of 3-storey houses and small apartments whose values plummeted post-crash. Place quality decreased as the result of inappropriate design responses to density and parking. Land values soared due to unmet demand, cheap fi- nance and increased density. In the ten years following the introduc- tion of PPG3, housing output fell. More recent government initiatives have similarly failed to create the needed increase in supply: localism and neighbourhood plan- ning have unblocked the planning process in a positive way, but are unlikely to generate significant additionality. The Help to Buy scheme eased the market post-recession, but the industry needs weaning off this stimulant. Private Rented Sector Housing Guarantee Scheme (PRS) is a positive proposal for additionality, but not much activity 3 has been seen so far, and we’re still trying to work out what Starter Homes are. On the horizon are vague threats of incentives or sanc- tions if home builders don’t accelerate supply.

A new approach These initiatives may deliver increased numbers, if nowhere near the requirements. At best government intervention is only a tweak to this model, at worst there is a danger of market distortion and unintend- ed consequences. More radical thought and more than tweaking the current model are needed, such as to: Bring much more land into play: who identifies and promotes •land? How is infrastructure planned and funded? What is the role of local authorities or development corporations? Is this a shift away from the major role played by private developers for identifying and promoting land? 4 Look at innovative ways of developing that land quicker with- The one thing we can be sure of is that sooner or later we will •out distorting the wider market, delivering many more homes at a have to face a changed context. Hopefully that will be a positive greater rate without destroying value in people’s homes. change, perhaps one where development land is identified, assem- Devise design solutions to meet a new model where there is a bled and promoted by local authorities or development corporations; •more diverse mix of development type and the potential for en- where there are powers to forward-fund infrastructure in a coherent hanced richness. and co-ordinated way; and where there is still risk and profit to de- velopers on their development parcels, but perhaps a more diverse Design role range of developers. While few of us can influence many elements The design response to a new model is at once the most exciting of the contextual model, we can be alive to the design implications and most concerning. Proactive planning and greater diversity are of change. As an optimist I look forward to meeting this challenge; exciting concepts. How thrilling to be designing with infrastructure in things can only get more interesting (and better?). In the meantime I place and being able to include not only market housing and various will throw down three challenges: tenures of affordable, but also PRS, self and custom build, and even Understand! Never stop trying to increase your understanding. co-housing! But how do we ensure that in jumping to meet a new •Whether it is the economic context, the political strategy of the gov- context we won’t fall into a similar trap that has awaited previous ernment of the day, or just the business drivers of your clients. And changes? How do we ensure we don’t create the next 1960s estate of course what makes great places. or the next PPG3 development of three storey houses, two-bed flats Think! Think deeply and re-invigorate your research, your analysis and dark parking courts? The idealism of designers, together with a •and your thought leadership. blind faith in their abilities, has led us into some of these traps. We Influence!I nfluence everyone you can think of, local and national need more regard for the lessons of the past as well as an ability to •policy makers, land owners, developers … We need to be evangelical imagine a new future. Just as a new economic and political model is about what makes things better, but in way that engages rather than needed to resolve our housing problems, so a new urban form may raising barriers. be needed, but the essentials of what people need from where they • live have not changed for the last 100,000 years or so. Nick Rogers, Design Director, Taylor Wimpey UK

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 12 Topic London, New Market: three proposed towers in the cluster, image courtesy Skidmore, Owings and Merrill Inc

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 13 London, New Covent Garden Market: three proposed towers in the Vauxhall cluster, image courtesy Skidmore, Owings and Merrill Inc Tall Buildings

We are currently witnessing another tall building Ziona Strelitz reflects upon lessons learned boom, as the economies of the world’s great from the last tall building boom in the 2000s and cities improve, as land becomes scarcer in whether we have seen any good examples of their central locations and as capital seeks tall buildings from this period. Tim Catchpole safer locations for investment. This issue seeks augments that reflection with his own review to reflect on the variety of approaches to tall of tall buildings in the pipeline in the city. David buildings that cities have taken in recent years, Mathewson reflects on the tall building boom from urban design and planning perspectives. currently taking place and strategic attempts at We can see that the current phase of building managing the consequent change. This is followed tall has a number of characteristics: firstly, the by Günter Gassner’s article which explores the form of tall buildings reflects the particular drivers city’s visual appearance and how aesthetic for development of a specific time and place; arguments are used in political negotiations about secondly, the examples that follow show how the particular tall building proposals. Chris Williamson uniqueness of place (country-city-neighbourhood- examines the intersection of tall buildings and site) and the dynamics of local planning transport infrastructure, drawing from a range of regimes affect the form of the city through examples including Crossrail’s Woolwich Arsenal the decisions taken on tall building proposals; station. thirdly, the particularity of place combined with the characteristics of the local regulatory regime The second part of the selection starts with my result in complex decision-making processes that own article looking at Dublin and the impact of require the benefits of tall building proposals to its gradually improving economy on the form of be weighed against impacts and the desire to the city. Using Boland’s Mills, a hugely significant regenerate and re-image; and finally, the examples site of cultural value to the Easter Rising 1916, outlined show, however, that there is potential to the article reflects upon issues of character in actively manage tall building proposals in a way debates about new tall buildings in the city. that positively contributes to a sense of place and Charlotte Nyholm explores the pressure to densify evolution of the city. Finland’s second largest city, Espoo. She reflects upon the city’s densification strategy, the political The selection of examples starts with a series will required for its implementation and the need of articles looking at London. London is at the to create high quality built environments. Philip centre of current debates about tall buildings and Oldfield then examines Singapore’s engagement their impact, positive or negative. Tall building with the tall building typology and how it might champions are promoting specific proposals provide socially sustainable, and even aspirational, across the metropolitan area, in a weak regulatory housing for a wide socio-demographic. environment. Facing a competitive threat from other financial centres, the Mayor’s desire for Together the articles seek to explore the multi- London to retain and strengthen its pre-eminent dimensional nature of tall building proposals economic position has meant the prioritisation and the challenges that they present to urban of financial and business concerns in spatial designers. Their reflections are invaluable as we development planning strategies. This approach wrestle with the complexities of their design, is being challenged by some of London’s impact and place in our cities.• constituent municipalities concerned that the Dr Michael Short, Senior Teaching Fellow in Planning, Programme Director consequence of poorly regulated tall buildings will MRes Inter-disciplinary Urban Design, The Bartlett School of Planning, University College London be over-development and the destruction of the character of their areas.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 14 Topic

1 From Guidance to Action Ziona Strelitz wonders whether design guidance on tall buildings has delivered what was expected

n 2005 the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) pub- departments benefitting from second- lished the British Council for Offices report Tall buildings: a hand tall space that is ‘good for what it Istrategic design guide, covering considerations of urban and costs’. It contended that ‘big space’ which policy context, architecture, engineering and occupants’ experi- can accommodate large organisations, ence. Reprinted in 2007, the guide had considerable reach. As its like the then new tall buildings at Canary editor, I was asked at the conference on ‘London’s Growing Up’ Wharf, was likely to remain important, to comment on the realisation of London’s tall buildings in the especially in view of trends in business decade since. consolidation and corporate mergers. The tall buildings guide followed research on various facets of the topic. As a swansong in 1999, prior to being rolled into the Favouring big Greater London Authority, the London Planning Advisory Com- These prior studies contributed to the mittee published Strategic Planning Advice on High Buildings Strategic Design Guide’s positive stance, and Strategic Views in London, for which I had led the consulta- which then waved a flag for the numerous tive research with Londoners. Focusing on three different urban benefits that tall buildings can confer. conditions where tall buildings had notable presence – Hyde Symbolic value headed the list, with Park, the base of Archway Tower, and a refurbished housing tall buildings perceived as signifying block in Bow, we interviewed people for their opinions on tall economic prosperity and a progressive buildings, both in the study localities and elsewhere in London. business environment. At the same time The findings showed little public disaffection, and considerable the guide recognised the value that people interest and positive sentiment. place on London’s heritage and the desire In 2002, I undertook research on commercial occupiers’ to balance old and new, which the then positions on tall office buildings in London. With the destruction recent proposition for clusters of high of the Twin Towers the previous year, it was in the context of quality tall buildings situated at transport whether New York’s 9/11 calamity would deter occupiers like nodes was seen to provide. Critically, Barclays and Clifford Chance from pending moves to tall build- high quality became embedded in this ings. In the event, any perceived anxiety dampened over the proposition. Indeed, much of the content course of our research, with no notable exodus of staff reported. the guide addresses building and urban Whereas the background to the study was the argument quality. that tall buildings were imperative to London’s sustained status As if it were a marketing manifesto, as a competitive global city, the report concluded that with the guide profiles numerous other London’s many strengths, organisations come to and operate in benefits that organisations occupying tall London for many reasons other than its building stock. Rather office buildings can attain. These include than trying to name which businesses had left or not come to identity and address, external aspect London because a tall building was not available, it posed the and daylight, the amenities and lifestyle relevant question as what London’s tall office stock was provid- facilities that the size of tall buildings can ing across a segmented tenant market. The report identified support, and even security, with the more tall buildings as accommodating ‘major global players aiming to compact footprints and concentrated stamp their brand’, ‘small firms who need high profile and can 1 Panorama of vertical circulation cores requiring fewer afford high premiums’, and smaller organisations or government the points for access control and surveillance.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 15

2

3 Leaping further to argue that an occupier wanting all the forego- advent of digital design technology was ing would not wish to compromise on user comfort, the guide key, enabling architects and engineers proceeds to address multiple aspects of building performance, to optimise floor area whilst shaping with positive strategies for the distinct challenges that tall build- building form to comply with the plan- ings pose. ning constraints of London’s strategic Independently of any requirements for the then prominent views and view corridors. Capturing driver for trading floors, the guide makes a strong pitch for big, what was built versus proposed amongst describing large buildings’ scope to facilitate co-location and this new generation of tall buildings, the communication, exchanging ideas, sharing market knowledge guide shows photographs of the Gherkin and referrals, cross-selling services and reinforcing organi- completed the previous year, whereas sational culture. However, the advantages it ascribes to tall other buildings are shown with illustra- buildings go wider than direct benefits to occupiers. It further tions, mostly computer generated images. argues that tall buildings promote productivity when they form These include: 122 (aka part of local economic clusters (though low dense development The Cheesegrater) consented in 2004, can also achieve this), and, assuming they are well-designed, the Tower (aka ) guide proposes tall buildings as good for urban design, through consented in 2003, (since their provision of extensive space with smaller floor plates than called The ) consented in ground scrapers, and therefore allowing more physical and in 2004, Minerva Tower and New London visual permeability than large low buildings permit. Bridge House south of the Shard, both consented in 2004. Neither of the latter London’s skyline: comparative snapshots was built; the 15-floor Looking back to the data of the earlier studies, the current completed in 2010 now sits on the site for proliferation of tall buildings is salutary. In addition to those Minerva. already built, the most recent report by the NLA and GL Hearn identifies 436 tall buildings in the pipeline across London: 89 Innovation under construction, 233 approved schemes but not yet on site, Whilst the Gherkin became an instant and 114 proposed, including 39 in pre-application. At the time poster for post-millennium London, of the 1998 LPAC report, apart from the early phase of Canary the new generation of proposals also Wharf around 1 Canada Square, the field mainly comprised the generated considerable interest. The NatWest, BT, Euston and Millbank Towers, Centrepoint, British design technologies used to conceive Gas on Road and , the Hilton Hotel and develop them challenged familiar in , and pepper-potted residential blocks, mostly 2 Leadenhall Building expectations of orthogonal form, pro- accommodating social housing and most in east London. By the and . moting excitement in their projection British Land and 2002 report on Tall Office Buildings in London, Canary Wharf Oxford Properties of new possibilities. And more than was developing apace, to the extent that the City of London Architect: Rogers form was involved: the Strategic Design was shifting away from its disfavour of tall buildings to positive Stirk Harbour. Photo: Guide speaks of ‘conceptual quality’, a Richard Bryant facilitation. 3 CGI of the once framework that ‘informs the organisa- By 2005, when the Strategic Design Guide was published, proposed but not built tion, external expression, integration of London was emerging as a crucible of tall building activity. The Minerva Tower structure, envelope and services, and the

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 16 Topic follows searches under The Cheesegrater, The Shard, The Walkie-Talkie and . Notably, Wikipedia only refer- ences The Helter Skelter in connection to 22 ’s original proposals; with its transformative redesign, the name is no longer relevant. Names evidently follow form. Given the current intensity of tall building development, the issue is whether we wish to engage with such varied and insistent mix. In China, architectural variation of tall buildings has typically involved decorative topping and external detail on vertically extruded plans. With the advent of buildings that are more fundamentally varied, the Chi- nese government has just declared against virtuoso (gratuitous?) form, with ‘bizarre’, ‘odd-shaped buildings’ to be forbidden on grounds of economy, functionality and aesthetics, and environmental policy that favours less-resource-intensive, less wasteful construction.

Mixed use and public access My optimism in the Strategic Design 4 Guide arose in part from the new genera- character of spaces within the building’. At the time, London’s tion of tall buildings’ promise of public government was providing strong leadership on sustainable access. Mixed use does not necessarily design, and the tall building proposals harnessed a range of mean public access, but in office build- strategies from the evolving repertoire of progressive environ- ings, it provides a means to achieve it. mental practice. A seminal image, though shown at small scale in Until the Millennium, public access in tall the guide, is a hand-drawn sketch of Heron Tower’s orientation buildings had been patchy. The high-level and configuration, relative to the sun path. However, as too often public viewing galleries and rotating across all building types, less attention is given to disseminating restaurant at BT Tower, which had been realised environmental effects than predictions at the design opened in 1966, were closed in 1980 after stage. With the contemporary policy currents, government’s bomb damage in 1971 and the subsequent waning carbon agenda and emerging interest in ‘healthy towns’, expiry of the operator’s lease. Following the comparative efficiencies of centrally located tall buildings the 1990 refurbishment of the versus distributed, low-density development requires urgent building incorporating a restaurant on modelling and testing. The importance relates to optimal ways the top floor, the developer, Coin Street to address the on-going shortage of residential accommodation. Community Builders, established a lease provision ensuring public access to the Variety and uniqueness terraces. A different precedent, for a The plasticity of form arising from London’s planning con- through route at the base of the original straints and digital design tools has generated great variety. Citigroup Centre at Canary Wharf, was The guide’s comparison of floor plate and core configurations stymied by security concerns, frustrat- across nine tall buildings in London shows dramatic differences ing public experience of the wonderful between their plans. One would expect such difference between Bridget Riley installation that rises up one London’s mediaeval footprints and the large rational plots of elevation of the building’s eighteen storey Canary Wharf, but their elevations suggest that there is also a atrium. cultural preference for variation. I made the point in an earlier The tall buildings described in the publication on construction economics, adding the subtitle Strategic Design Guide heralded new Helping the UK Afford the Buildings it Likes to the author’s opportunities for the public to participate (Gray C.) title of Value for Money. The Strategic Design Guide in them. The plaza around The Gherkin develops this view, referencing variety in the external expression delivers on this: sculpture is exhibited of commercial buildings in the UK as relating to preference and in the front facing St Mary Axe, there is intention, as well as site context. extensive open air seating behind, and Notwithstanding Canary Wharf’s more uniform North Amer- 4 Leadenhall Building: food can be bought from or eaten in rela- open access to ican model, and the added cost of more articulated design and 6-storey high public tively inexpensive establishments on the construction, the guide’s proposition that variety can add land- galleria. The screens ground floor. Tower has res- mark value is supported by the cult of personality now associated behind the grassed taurants at both its base and on the three with London’s tall buildings. Society’s preoccupation with ‘celeb’ area will be removed, highest floors, with the informal venue opening full access people is mirrored in our attitude to these tall buildings – those between galleria and on the top floor affording a panoramic we love, and those we love to hate. This is underscored and rein- square. escalator ride and views from the fortieth forced by their widely adopted nicknames. Typing The Gherkin British Land and floor to patrons who may just buy a drink Oxford Properties into Google redirects to Wikipedia and the entry’s opening asser- Architect: Rogers Stirk or cup of coffee. tion: ‘30 St Mary Axe (widely known informally as The Gherkin Harbour Exceptionally, The Cheesegrater has and previously as the Swiss Re Building)’. A similar sequence Photo: Richard Bryant full, free public access to the six-storey

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 17 high volume that covers its entire footprint. People can walk through this vast space from Leadenhall Street to Undershaft, sit in it, attend an event, and enjoy the view through its open frontage to the Lloyds of London building, directly opposite. The galleria’s other open side addresses St Helen’s Square, offering a sheltered experience of outdoors whilst under cover from sun or rain. In all of these uses, being in the space is to share in expe- riencing the building’s concept and quality. At a high level, The Walkie-Talkie provides ‘revenue-free access’ to its sky-garden, if booked in advance and following a security check in a discrete area provided for this purpose at ground level, and The View from The Shard can be purchased for about £25. Doubtless these provisions extend spatial scope within the city, but whether they all represent an appropriate quid pro quo for their height is a matter of individual judgement. My own appraisal is mixed: I have worked on the strategy for uses at the base of the Cheesegrater and consider the scope impressive. However, given the public’s lack of choice about seeing tall buildings in distant, middle and local views, their opportunity for involvement in tall buildings is not always so integral. This applies to the Walkie-Talkie and the Shard, both with significant mass, the former at high level, the latter as it hits the ground, though the experience of the building from feels disconnected from its now ubiquitous poster image, and access to its non-office uses is privileged. Looking back, my expectation for more fluid scope to participate in tall buildings’ use relates in part to seeing what I hoped for in images contained in the Strategic Design Guide. The sections showing 5 the Heron Tower’s innovative internal volumes up the height of the building, and the Shard’s vertical stack of accommodation for Given their omnipresence, tall public / retail, offices, and hotel / apartments were exciting and buildings should not take more alluring. And where design provides for functional variety, my career-long interest in mixed use and shared facilities disposes from the urban context than they me to expect access by the varied user constituencies and cross- give participation in use. The trend of tall buildings that incorporate functional and spatial variety is a welcome evolution. In residential buildings Oversold especially, it offers more to its users, whether they are owners or Looking back to 2004-5, I have mixed affluent students. And externally visible provision for varied use reactions. There are realised tall buildings can lend interest to the urban setting. Nevertheless, conspicu- that I admire and lift my spirits. There is ous, elevated features – like a ‘skypool’ that bridges two residen- at least one, Minerva Tower, that I wish tial buildings – whilst doubtless imbuing wonder, extend the had been built. But there are others that increasingly privatised public realm into the vertical dimension. strike a sense of disappointment; I feel Such privileged synergy falls short of tall buildings’ potential to this when I view the City from the South offer the public more specific additional urban experiences that Bank, and when I look up City Road. their scale can afford. Recent recognition of the bevy of new tall buildings and those in the wings, has What about big? rightly prompted a widespread cri de How does the Strategic Design Guide’s promotion of ‘big’ space coeur for quality. Though a mechanism to stand up with hindsight? Buildings outlast economic cycles, ensure this eludes me, appointing a sig- and tall office buildings are now extensively multi-let, including nature architect is surely not an adequate buildings that were developed for a single occupier organisation. answer in itself. Having presented a paper It is also assumed that those tall office buildings currently under on Tall Building Ecology at a Chinese development will be similarly occupied. Ministry of Construction conference on Tall buildings are more costly to construct than lower struc- Intelligent and Green buildings in 2006, I tures, though with height it is more cost-efficient to construct find it gratifying and humbling that with buildings with larger floor plates than smaller ones. Whilst this Xi Jinping’s call for buildings that are ‘eco- will have driven the design of some tall buildings, buildings that nomic, green and beautiful’, leadership on are necessarily slender because their footprint and planning this is now coming from China. I would constraints necessitate this, can attain premium landmark add the criterion that, especially given values, even though they are costlier to construct. Their value to their omnipresence, tall buildings should an occupier will derive from their location, quality and prestige, not take more from the urban context rather than from big space. Meanwhile, the influence of technol- 5 Leadenhall Building: than they give. And this is surely more ogy on work modes is increasing the extent to which people now sheltered rest space than just a marker for wayfinding and an at the base for use by work in spatially distributed ways. This has implications for less the public and people impression of economic thrust. corporate workspace and more third places, lessening require- based in the building. • ments for big space. In addition, ZZA’s research on workplace British Land and Ziona Strelitz, Design Researcher, Strategist, transformation identifies a worker preference for smaller Oxford Properties and Founder Director of ZZA Responsive Architect: Rogers Stirk Environments. workplaces. Harbour Photo: Richard Bryant

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 18 Topic London’s Latest Tall Stories Tim Catchpole laments damage to London’s skyline in the rush to build higher and higher

with planning approval or awaiting planning approval, and had prompted the Skyline Campaign to launch itself because ‘a fundamental transformation was taking place with a shocking lack of public awareness, consultation or debate’. The second annual update, however, announced that there were now a total of 436 tall buildings of 20+ storeys in the pipeline. This included 25 buildings of 50+ storeys. At present there are only two existing buildings of such height in London, namely the main Canary Wharf tower and the Shard. Storey heights can be misleading as they differ significantly between commer- cial and residential, for which reason the metric measurement is often preferred. The common view is that anything above 100m is super-tall (the cross of St Paul’s Cathedral is 111m). There are currently 104 buildings of 100m+ in the pipeline compared with 54 already in existence. That says a lot.

1 Locations hen I edited the previous issue on Tall Buildings (UD So where are these pipeline buildings 90, Spring 2004), the Shard had just been approved located? The annual update report was W and there was much speculation as to what and where not site-specific and the GLA database would be the next iconic building in its wake. No one could have not too helpful. I have therefore accessed predicted a 72-storey Paddington Pole, the main Canary Wharf borough databases and plotted the pipe- tower being 50 storeys. The planning application last year took line buildings onto an old map prepared London by storm. for an LPAC Study in 1987-89 showing The applicant was determined to ride roughshod over all existing and committed tall buildings ’s restrictive policy on tall buildings together with heritage areas and impor- and was hoping that the Pole would have a wide appeal: after all, tant view corridors, and duly updated it. it was not within a heritage area (actually it was next to a Grade I The plotting has revealed a number of listed railway station), nor within a corridor. The clusters, some already established, others application was accompanied by a voluminous Environmental emerging. Statement which included many photomontages with captions asserting that the visual impact almost everywhere was ‘positive’ The City whilst I would have described it as ‘negative’. The architect is In Central London, the City continues to once again Renzo Piano, creator of the Shard. be the main focus for tall buildings. Seven The Skyline Campaign, which had been founded the previous pipeline buildings of 100m+ will be added year (2014) went into full swing by organising a petition against to the existing total of 13 of such height. the Pole. With support from the London Forum the petition Alas, the one building of distinction, attracted over 2,000 signatures and the effect was dramatic. namely the Gherkin, will gradually disap- The application was withdrawn at the beginning of this year and pear from view as some of the pipeline there were sighs of relief all round, but then… 1 City of London: new buildings begin to emerge. The pipeline and pipeline buildings (in white) will hide includes two buildings awaiting approval The London Pipeline the Gherkin, the only which are almost as tall as the Shard, In March this year came the second annual update of the London building of distinction. namely No. (formerly David Meggitt, New Tall Buildings Survey produced by New London Architecture and London Model, NLA known as ) and a replacement GL Hearn. The original Survey in 2014 had identified a pipeline Galleries at The for the former P&O Building (currently of over 200 tall buildings of 20+ storeys under construction, Building Centre. known as No. ). One key issue

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 19 here is whether the has sufficient capacity to cope with the overall cumulative increase in floorspace.

The South Bank and Vauxhall/ Among the emerging clusters in Central London those on the South Bank are causing controversy by being so close to the river. In the early 1980s the GLC refused planning permission for the Green Giant at Vauxhall because of its impact on the river scene but more recently the 49-storey tower on St George’s Wharf in almost the same location was approved and is now built (albeit not without being hit by a helicopter before final comple- tion). This building is currently the only existing 100m+ tower in the area but there are 13 towers of 100m+ in the pipeline, some taller than St George’s, and this does not include the new US Embassy which is rising to a modest 97m. Again, a key issue here is whether Vauxhall Station has sufficient capacity to cope with the overall cumulative increase in floorspace. The emerging clusters at Vauxhall and elsewhere along the 2 South Bank, including alongside the , at the Black- buildings included ‘they shall not mar the friars Bridgefoot and at London Bridge Station, have caused con- skyline’ and ‘they shall be of outstanding sternation at who are determined to designate architectural quality’. The Mayor’s Plan the whole river, including its frontages from Bridge to for London recycles the former in tall , as one large Conservation Area in order to prevent buildings ‘not having an unacceptably further proliferation of tall buildings. Alas, the horse has bolted. harmful impact’ (policy 7.7) but does not reiterate or recycle the second statement. Isle of Dogs The London Forum is pushing for tall There are now 14 tall buildings of 100m+ on the Isle of Dogs buildings to ‘make a positive contribution with the three Canary Wharf towers providing a crowning to the London skyline’. focus (as conceived by Sir Roy Strong who was inspired by the I will hereby express my own opinion towers of Lincoln Cathedral). However, there are another 40 in as I have done for 30 years. We in London, the pipeline including a number on the fringe, which would be are very privileged to have a tall, iconic roughly the same height as the Canary Wharf towers. But whilst building in the centre of our city – we the Canary Wharf towers rise above the main transportation hub have had it since 1710. Taller buildings in the area (Canary Wharf) located at the epicentre of the Isle of emerging in the centre of our city must Dogs, towers on the fringe and at some distance from this trans- show respect. So-called ‘iconic’ buildings portation hub, should in theory be lower. So what has happened? such as walkie-talkies and cheese-graters The horse has bolted here too. Again, a key issue is whether are not respectful and would be more Canary Wharf Station has sufficient capacity to cope with the appropriately located further downriver, overall cumulative increase in floorspace. if not in Dubai. But it’s too late now.

Other Areas Threads A new cluster is emerging on the next to There are a few threads emerging from the Millennium Dome. Elsewhere the pipeline includes tall build- this brief review of the pipeline. Outside ings which will consolidate existing clusters, notably at Croydon, the heritage areas and protected view or help to demarcate emerging clusters such as at Stratford. It is corridors, are there height limitations or noticeable that many of the approved buildings are significantly is the sky the limit? What exactly is meant taller than those that already exist. by positive and negative impacts, and who has the final word on this matter? How The Residential Element much attention is being given to the over- Many of the tall buildings in the pipeline are residential. In the all cumulative impact of floorspace on the 1970s residential high-rise went out of vogue but the tables capacity of the London transport infra- appear to have turned once again. Some claim that tall apart- structure? Should there be control over ment blocks are seen as desirable and sustainable: they can help overseas investors buying apartments? to meet London’s urgent housing targets and within the current How can a larger number of affordable building envelope of the capital, i.e. without encroachment onto apartments be encouraged? What actually open land or the Green Belt. Apartments on upper floors with is the target population of London and good views of London, particularly up and down river, can com- how is this being arrived at? mand top prices while those on the lower floors without views • are generally the much-needed affordable element. However, Tim Catchpole, author of London’s Skylines there has been widespread criticism that these tall apartment and High Buildings for LPAC, the DoE and (1989), and other articles and blocks are neither providing homes for Londoners nor are they papers on tall buildings encouraging the creation of cohesive communities. Indeed, 2 Isle of Dogs: pipeline many such apartments are being bought by foreign investors buildings (in white) who leave them empty. will rise to the same height as the original three Canary Wharf The Architectural Quality towers, which will lose The design of the tall buildings in the pipeline has also been their Lincoln Cathedral effect. David Meggitt, widely criticised. According to the Skyline Campaign ‘too New London Model, many of these towers are of mediocre architectural quality NLA Galleries at The and badly sited’. In GLC days the criteria for assessing tall Building Centre.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 20 Topic Whither London’s Skyline? David Mathewson wonders whether it is heading towards disaster or urban renaissance

newest area for significant development alongside upgraded tube and rail facilities including a new station for both and Crossrail. Height clusters are a relatively recent phenomenon in London, traditionally a low-rise city. Intermittent post-war development of tall buildings in central London initially occurred during the 1960s and 70s, including the capital’s first iconic tall buildings: the in 1963, in 1965, the towers in the 1970s and the National Westminster tower in 1980. However, major height clusters only began to develop after the 1990s at Canary Wharf and the City. At first these towers were sporadic, due in part to the negative association of tall buildings with unsuccessful social housing tower blocks of the 1960s and 70s, many of which were later demolished. More tall buildings were built following deregulation of the financial markets in the 1980s which 1 led to a demand for new office space, in ver several years, there has been a great deal of public particular large stock trading floor plates, discussion around the current state of London’s skyline then new to the UK. This partly drove the O and the number of new tall buildings under construc- development of Canary Wharf, where a tion and planned across the city. A recent survey by New London number of North American style office Architecture and GL Hearn found that 436 tall buildings were towers sprang up on cheap land. The in some stage of the planning process, with 223 having been trend took off in the City in the 2000s granted planning permission, an increase of 119 over the last with the construction of 30 St. Mary Axe year. The inevitable change to the cityscape that this will bring in 2003, quickly followed by a succession about is disconcerting. It is therefore important that planning of other tall buildings, including the authorities have a strategy to deal with these rapid transforma- Heron Tower, the Shard at London Bridge, tions to the city. and 20 in 2014. A lack of GLA-wide strategy A number of other tall building While it is true that some boroughs have their own policies in proposals are now under construction, place, there is no city-wide or GLA policy to manage the overall including the Bishopsgate Tower, recently appearance and composition of the city’s skyline, apart from the redesigned by PLP to a revised height London View Management Framework (LVMF) and the London of 278m, and a new 295m-tall design Plan. The LVMF governs protected views and vistas, indirectly by Eric Parry for 1 Undershaft nearby. influencing the development of tall buildings, while the London Other proposals include 1 Blackfriars, Plan sets out priority areas for new development, though not Manhattan Loft Gardens in Stratford, One specifically towers or maximum heights. London is developing Nine Elms in Vauxhall and three towers a polycentric model of tall building clusters across the 32 bor- at New Covent Garden Market. While this oughs and the City, largely based on Transit-Orientated-Devel- ad-hoc principle of clustering towers in or opment models (TOD), where tall building clusters are located around public transit nodes, may be logi- on or in the vicinity of public transport nodes. This situation cal for the market, it does not engender a is leading to a number of such clusters scattered across inner cohesive and aesthetic urban cityscape or London from Vauxhall-Nine Elms in the southwest to Stratford an impressive skyline emblematic of other in the east. New clusters are emerging at , world cities such as New York or Hong , and Waterloo, with more high Kong, both of which are known for their

density tall development planned for areas in the northwest of 1 Model of the distinct, unified silhouettes. London is in London at Paddington Basin and Old Oak Common, both major proposed Vauxhall danger of becoming more like Shanghai transport interchanges. Old Oak Common is set to be London’s cluster or São Paulo, where hundreds of towers

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 21 have been dispersed across the cityscape, resulting in a virtual jungle of verticality, lacking order or hierarchy. If continued, London could end up losing any sense of coordinated tall build- ing development and resemble a forest of towers.

A raison d’être for tall building clusters? Virtually all new tower clusters have been justified on the basis of TOD. At London Bridge, the Shard rises 310m over a major public transport hub. At Stratford, the Olympic Park became the chosen location for significant new housing and associated commercial development around a major transport hub. In developing tall buildings along London’s South Bank, public transport adjacencies have also been cited at Waterloo and Blackfriars stations. At Vauxhall Nine Elms, the strategy utilised public transport as the ultimate raison d’être: it was not only the underpinning for perhaps the largest new tall building cluster in London, but also necessary to the success of the nearby redevelopment. In this case the will be extended through a development levy raised on high density residential schemes under construc- tion in the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea Opportunity Area. A number of new towers at heights up to 206m have already been granted planning permission. 2 South Bank, Vauxhall and Stratford are not the only areas Therefore, while the GLA identifies slated for significant change. Paddington Basin was recently priority areas for height and density, the subject of a new proposal by Renzo Piano for a tower intensification and large scale develop- 254m high, and already at least one other scheme by Squire ment, protecting some views and vistas & Partners for a development with a tower of 38 storeys, has across Central London, it does so with only come forward citing the Piano scheme as a precedent. Old Oak a modicum of constraint. Any developer Common has also been the subject of much development specu- in theory could plan and develop a tall lation, including high density developments on the former building outside protected areas, provid- Cargiant site. ing that it falls into a priority development Closer to Central London, schemes at Bishopsgate Goods zone. In addition, regulatory bodies such Yard and properties adjacent to the Estate are as Historic England, the Civil Aviation transforming the area currently predominantly low-rise into Authority or CABE, as well as the wishes one characterised by towers. The former Goods Yard will be of local boroughs and the GLA itself, have redeveloped into a number of tall buildings, forever altering the been ignored in the past when a case historic character of the area while , a project was made for a particular tall building designed by Foster & Partners on Broadgate will rise to 161m, development to be approved. An example and an adjacent development by Perkins & Will to around 130 was the 143m-tall Doon Street Tower m. The pressure on Shoreditch continues to grow while a num- proposal where all four bodies refused or ber of high density schemes have already impacted on the area, recommended planning refusal but were a process that began with the redevelopment of Old Spitalfields overruled by the then Secretary of State, Market completed in 2005. despite concerns about the building’s impact on heritage buildings and the blocal Regulation in London townscape. Overall development in London is governed by the London Plan, which designates zones for the development of tall build- Vauxhall Nine Elms ings by designating Opportunity Areas, Areas of Intensifica- Potentially the largest new cluster of tion, the Central Activity Zone, major public transport nodes tall buildings is emerging at the eastern and town centres. These priority areas represent potential end of the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea for urban intensification and increasing density, utilising Opportunity Area (VNEB), a regeneration infill development on vacant and redundant brownfield sites. area designated by the GLA in 2012, to link According to New London Architecture (NLA), these sites have the redevelopment at Battersea Power Sta- the potential to deliver nearly 250,000 homes and 300,000 tion with Vauxhall transport interchange. jobs, and tall buildings feature prominently in relevant The 13 towers planned will fundamentally proposals. change the existing urban environment of The London Plan does not determine building height; and Lambeth, both of which however, the location of tall buildings is influenced by the are predominantly low-rise in character. LVMF which protects views and vistas from specific points Already evolving into an area of higher across London. Examples include views of the dome of St Paul’s buildings in the late 1990s and early Cathedral, the silhouette of the along 2000s, a number of large developments the Thames and views from key locations such as Primrose Hill were built between Vauxhall Station and or . The LVMF delineates three dimensional the riverbank. These include Terry Farrell’s view corridors and associated consultation areas for large scale gargantuan MI6 Headquarters (1994), and developments in and around such protected views, requiring 2 Diagram showing the St. George Wharf, a large-scale residential, any application to document how the proposal will not impinge Vauxhall cluster and office and leisure complex along the Millbank Tower datum or significantly impact on them. This includes potential impact formed by the LVMF waterfront completed in the early 2000s, on World Heritage Sites such as the and view with building containing over 1,100 apartments and the . heights. 186m tall St George Wharf Tower.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 22 Topic this context is Tokyo, the world’s largest urban conurbation. Tokyo shares many characteristics with London, including proximity to water, a number of large open parks in the inner city and most importantly, a polycentric form of tall building development. There could be much for London to learn from Tokyo, especially in terms of densifying its inner core and utilising tall buildings in general. However, Tokyo does not have a distinctive skyline and is so large that tall buildings can become lost in a sea of building heights over a huge area of urban landscape.

What can and should London do? London is undergoing rapid spatial change: its skyline is experiencing an 3 accelerated growth of tall buildings, forever altering the urban landscape. After the latter was completed, a number of tall building The economic and financial pressures schemes began to emerge in the vicinity. Lambeth Council driving the development of tall buildings became concerned about the number of tall buildings, and it was are unlikely to change in the near future. only after the approval of the master plan for New Covent Garden Therefore, adopting a comprehensive Market that the cluster’s volumetric composition was finally framework for the location and composi- agreed. SOM’s plan, while challenging the heights of the previ- tion of towers across Greater London ous Foster & Partners plan, helped to reinforce the developing will be paramount, since historically and cluster and unify it into a cohesive assemblage of towers. At this culturally the city has not regulated its time, KPF was finalising its plans for , at 206m the built environment prescriptively, operat- tallest of the tower grouping which helped to define the cluster, ing under a discretionary planning system acting as the apex of the collection of tall buildings. where at least in theory, anything is Key to the agreement between Wandsworth, SOM, KPF, negotiable. This must change to allow the the developers and other design teams, was the notion that city to continue to grow and thrive as an the tower cluster could only be sited to the east of a key LVMF economic powerhouse while developing a protected corridor from looking towards mature, cohesive and unified urban sky- the Palace of Westminster. English Heritage, Westminster City line. How can London achieve this? Given Council and the GLA were concerned that planned towers at its historical market context, it should Vauxhall Nine Elms would impinge on the silhouette of the Pal- look to other cities that have managed tall ace. A compromise was agreed using the 118m Millbank Tower building development well, while forging as a precedent: buildings to the west of the Millbank Tower could a unique path encompassing change. rise to a maximum of 70m, thus remaining invisible behind the In the manner that New York has Palace, while buildings to the east of the Millbank Tower could its rivers, Hong Kong its harbour and rise to heights of 150m (later increased to 206m). The Millbank Lake Michigan, London has thus acted as a kind of marker for a datum line generated of the most spectacular rivers in Europe by an LVMF view corridor. with stunning vistas along its length from east to west. London already has Other cities with tall buildings a comprehensive view framework to A number of cities have tackled tall building development protect these vistas. Perhaps the city well. These include larger world cities like New York and Hong should be thinking of using this not solely Kong, where the scarcity of land pushed development upwards. for the protection of heritage monuments New York and Chicago acted as urban laboratories where the and historic views, but as a mechanism typology was developed and where planning depart- to order the urban skyline and locate tall ments experimented with height regulations, such as New York’s building clusters aesthetically, since they famous setback rules to allow daylight to reach lower storeys. are already well founded on the logic The result, developed over time, is an elegant and unified of TOD proximity and priority areas. skyline. This way London can capitalise on its Smaller cities with dense urban cores also manage their unique juxtaposition of built heritage and height well: Vancouver and Frankfurt use prescriptive three- contemporary, experimental architecture, dimensional height frameworks to locate tall buildings and limit propelling its urban laboratory to new cluster expansion outside inner city areas, while utilising TOD heights while ensuring that tall building proximities as an essential rationale for clustering. Vancouver development does not run amok. even has its own view protection framework, similar to London’s • LVMF, capitalising on views to the surrounding mountains and David Mathewson, Lecturer in International sea. These models have resulted in stunning urban skylines while Planning and Urban Design, University of protecting existing assets, be that the natural environment or 3 Massing diagram of Westminster, and undertaking a PhD in spatial the Vauxhall cluster. development patterns in emerging cities medieval quarters. All images courtesy of Yet none of these exemplars has developed a polycentric Skidmore, Owings and model of tall building development. The city that stands out in Merrill Inc

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 23 Seeing Capitalism in the View Günter Gassner shows how aesthetic arguments are used to justify tall buildings in the City of London

construction of skyscrapers utilising a conceptual framework that was originally developed to limit this building type in the city. Visual arguments, then, are transformative in a peculiar way. The argument that developers put forward is not that the visual dominance of historic landmark buildings should be challenged, that they have lost their civic significance and their aesthetic and cultural relevance in the contemporary city. The argument is rather that their visual dominance can be strengthened, that commercial skyscrap- ers can visually enhance a building like St Paul’s Cathedral. Architectural theorists who dismiss visual assessments according 1 to which a tower ‘defers to the cathedral’ as nothing more than an easy way to get planning permission, are aware that the two roles of aesthetics are not mutu- ally exclusive in political negotiations ith the aim of attracting global investment, the city’s involving London’s skylines. However, visual appearance has become a major concern in how exactly can a visually transformative W urban politics. Evaluations about what the city looked argument support a conservative read- like in the past, what it looks like now and what it might look ing of the city? And in what ways is it a like in the future have also an important role in the professional neoliberal logic that is inseparable from production of London’s built environment. That, however, is economic globalisation and a global city also a result of the city’s planning system. London does not image that aims to attract global investors have a legally binding citywide land use plan in which floor-area and revenue-generating tourists? ratios and building heights are prescribed. These character- Consider two commercial skyscrapers istics of a development are subject to negotiations between in the City of London: the Heron Tower, a applicants – increasingly private developers – and local plan- 230m tall office building that was opened ning authorities and their advisors such as Historic England. in 2012 and is located on Bishopsgate, and Aesthetic arguments are used to set bounds to those quantifiable the Pinnacle, an office building that was characteristics. At the same time, they are used to support planned to be the tallest and most iconic developments that arguably overstep the scale and height of tower in the City and whose construction the existing built environment. In other words, aesthetics has a stopped after the developers failed to double-role in political negotiations: on the one hand, it is the sign a major pre-let agreement. Visual space for a conservative reading of the city that wishes to hold assessments of these two towers revolved onto the existing visual order; on the other hand, it is the space around the relationship between the for a transformative reading of the city that is structured around Eastern high-rise cluster in the City that capitalist imperatives of capital accumulation, continuously on both buildings are part of, and St Paul’s the lookout for new investment opportunities. Cathedral. As seen from , 1 Distant view from the Heron Tower has a stepped profile. Doublespeak Waterloo Bridge It steps up and away from St Paul’s, London’s current tall building boom must be understood in towards the City and ‘respecting’ the cathedral. An architect prediction for 2025 relation to this double-role of aesthetics. With regard to com- including proposed tall emphasised that this profile allowed mercial skyscrapers, historians put forward conservative visual buildings: the designers ‘to define a line that was arguments when they are concerned with the continuing visual 2) 20 Blackfriars; sensitive to views from Waterloo Bridge’, dominance of historic buildings such as St Paul’s Cathedral 3) Kings Reach; a line that ‘rose from the edge near the 4) ; in selected panoramas, river prospects and townscape views. 5) Ludgate & Sampson cathedral up towards the centre of the While London does not have a citywide land use plan, the city House; cluster’. Urban historians welcomed is cut through with viewing corridors towards these landmark 6) 40 Leadenhall; this aesthetic strategy. A representative 7) 52 ; buildings, which apparently have civic significance and make 8) Pinnacle; of Historic England suggested that the aesthetic and cultural contributions to views. At the same time, 9) ; stepped profile ‘was a positive aspect of developers’ design teams have found ways to argue for the 10) One Crown Place the design in terms of its relation to St

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 24 Topic

It is the commodification of St Paul’s, its monumentalisation that evokes the interpretation of commercial skyscrapers as structures that do not compete with historic landmark buildings

strengthened high-rise cluster is visually less obtrusive than the existing towers in 2 the City; more, that a coherent cluster can visually enhance the reading of St Paul’s. In other words, a quantitative increase in commercial skyscrapers results in an improved readability of a historic land- mark building. An architect suspected that ‘the idea of a cluster is one that the Corporation of London has supported because they can say, well, there is a benefit to certain tall buildings in certain locations; it’s actually enhancement rather than it being talked about impact in a negative way’.

MArket-political logic These arguments can be interpreted as part of a professional framework that has little to do with how the city is visually experienced on the ground. They might be regarded as nothing more than strate- 3 gies that exemplify how market forces shape the built environment under the pretext of monument conservation. There is no doubt that the visibility of historic landmark buildings is a crucial part of Paul’s. You know, without that it would have been a non-starter’. London’s global city image. St Paul’s must It was offered as a visual quality that allows not merely be understood as a religious to improve the readability of St Paul’s by creating a sensitive, building of civic significance but equally smooth edge of the high-rise cluster. In that respect, the Heron as a commodity due to its instrumental Tower is to be preferred to a lower building, which is not capable role as an easily marketable image of the of contributing positively to the cluster. city. It is the commodification of St Paul’s, The Pinnacle was also assessed in terms of its contribution its monumentalisation that evokes the to the high-rise cluster and the resulting positive impact on the interpretation of commercial skyscrapers reading of the cathedral. The building, so the argument went, as structures that do not compete with filled an existing sky gap within the cluster as seen from Water- historic landmark buildings. A market- loo Bridge. An architect suggested that the City Planning Officer political logic is deeply ingrained in the felt that it was important that ‘he could argue publicly that the visual protection framework. Historians cluster would be formed as one group’; when there is ‘too much’ are, and always have been, concerned distance between buildings then ‘what you want to do is fill in with ‘Seeing the History in the View’ as the missing tooth, because isolated buildings compete with St a recent publication by Historic England Paul’s’. The skyscraper, the argument continued, also gives the with the same name indicates. However, cluster a strong, iconic centre point. According to a townscape this concern was always intertwined with consultant, the skyscraper ‘will taper upwards, and with the seeing capitalism, previously industrial curving spiral a form will be created that will work effectively capitalism and now financial capitalism. with the stepped top of and the sensual curves of 30 St This is why it is so important to under- Mary Axe. The spiral will also reinforce the idea of a visual centre 2 Existing cityscape stand the aesthetic conceptualisations of the cluster, which can hold visually, as an inward force – cen- of the City seen from that design-related professionals and tripetally – the array of different shaped tall buildings around Waterloo Bridge before historians developed over the years. the construction of the it’. The striking visual appearance of the Pinnacle was offered as Heron Tower and the Yes, aesthetic arguments according to a characteristic that helps turning the cluster into an ‘effective tower’s stepped profile which skyscrapers defer to St Paul’s are backdrop’ for St Paul’s. As a result, attention will not be drawn 3 The same before an easier way to get planning permission. the construction of away from but to the cathedral. the Pinnacle and the They are also the result of a long process In short, the key arguments that were put forward for the tower’s iconic visual in which architects and historians tried Heron Tower and the Pinnacle were based on the idea that a appearance to make sense of commercial structures

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 25 in the City. The rich history of the Royal Fine Art Commission (RFAC), which was a group of mostly architects and historians who advised the government on architecture, urban design and public space in England from 1924 to 1999, is useful for unpack- ing this process. The distinction between monuments on the one hand and tall commercial structures on the other was established in the inter- war period. In 1934, the RFAC distinguished between ‘buildings of national and historic interest, amongst which are monuments of the greatest importance and fame’ and ‘high buildings’. The latter included all kinds of industrial structures such as tall office buildings, factory chimneys and power stations, because they were regarded as having the same problem: their ‘colossal size suggest a monumentality traditionally reserved for build- ings of religious and other civic purposes’. The RFAC was quite clear: these high buildings should not be monumentalised, precisely because of their lack of civic significance. In addition, the current conceptualisation of an urban view as a bounded composition in which the visual relationship between these dif- ferent building types are inscribed, is equally old. An urban view was defined as a ‘whole or unified composition of architectural beauty’. Hence, a proposed high building has always been seen as a threat because it has the power to destroy an existing urban view that is balanced and harmonious. 4 Evaluating the skyline In that respect, little has changed since the 1930s. However, the current argument that commercial structures can visually enhance monuments is the result of discontinuities in an other- wise continuous history. Without assigning civic significance to a commercial structure, a truly positive interpretation of it is only possible when form and content are divorced. In 1957, the RFAC introduced the idea that a high building may have positive aes- thetic advantages, given that it is well designed. Crucially, design quality, here, did not refer to a building’s accommodation of uses or to the allowance of multiple, unpredictable uses for that matter. It referred almost entirely to its outline as seen against the sky. A building’s ‘general silhouette’, we read, ‘must be care- fully considered’; the ‘treatment of the tops of the buildings is of great importance’ and, indeed, the ’architectural success or failure of a scheme will be judged largely by the final silhouette’. Once a building’s form was divorced from its use, structures to which different values were attached to could be easily assessed in relation to each other. Concerns with the ‘relation between the building in silhouette and the skyline as a whole’ gave way to the idea that clustering high buildings can have aesthetic advan- tages. In the early 1960s, the RFAC lamented that towers were ‘dotted about all over London’ and suggested that a ‘better result would be achieved if high buildings were to be kept in groups or 5 clusters’. This then was the beginning of the currently practised result of a long process of professionals’ idea that a commercial structure’s impact on a monument is attempts to both control and justify the measured in terms of its contribution to a high-rise cluster ways in which capitalist imperatives shape first, and that clustering high buildings, in turn, can contribute the built environment. That St Paul’s is positively to the visual dominance of a monument. Of course, hardly ever described as a religious build- this is only the case when the cluster is shaped accordingly. The ing but almost exclusively as a historic idea that a cluster should be defined by a centre point that is landmark building in current political the tallest building in the group from which buildings gradually negotiations around London’s skylines, fall away in height was first stated in the 1970s: in negotiations illustrates the way in which a highly exclu- about the Nat-, which is now known as Tower 42. sive historical narrative is being co-opted by the market. The city’s past is reduced 4 The tapered Final thoughts profile of the to the enshrinement of a few monuments. The result, I suggest, is a naturalisation of tall buildings: they Leadenhall building Perhaps the key characteristic of this appear like an integral and naturally grown part of the historic, (Cheesegrater) historical narrative is a conceptualisation mid-height built environment. Sharp lines of demarcation are supposedly defers to of history and capitalism as mutually St Paul’s. avoided, in order to create a non-conflictual image in which 5 The post-industrial exclusive categories as if capitalism would historic landmark buildings and commercial skyscrapers are skyline of London have no history in the city. harmonised. as compared to the • 19th century industrial Dr Günter Gassner, architect and lecturer at Visual arguments according to which commercial skyscrap- skyline the LSE, and interested in the relationship ers defer to historic landmark buildings are not the latest All images by G. between aesthetics and politics stroke of urban developers and their design teams. They are the Gassner

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 26 Topic The Impact of Transport Oriented Development Chris Williamson suggests that transport can be the catalyst for taller buildings

to Crossrail stations in east and west London. Originally, no Crossrail station was planned to serve Woolwich, but the local authority and Berkeley Homes as owners of the large Woolwich Arsenal development site, successfully petitioned for a station and contributed towards the cost. Now that the box is built and the fit-out underway, around 400 extra homes, some in tall buildings, are viable because of the improved public transport infrastructure.

The Singapore example The regenerational effects of public transport are by no means limited to London. Similar growth can be seen in Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. Major international cities are exploring the virtues of good public transport har- nessing the power of urban growth and regeneration. Singapore was the first city to introduce congestion charging in 1975, and has been pioneering the concept of urban growth through public transport. It is now planning a high speed link between the small entrepreneurial island and access to labour in Malaysia. Westonwilliamson’s proposal for an 80-storey tower above the high speed station in Singapore contains a hotel and retail at the base and offices and residential at the top. A research project with Thyssen Lifts developing innovative lift technology, is to allow personal trans- portation from platform level to various 1 designated locations in surrounding tow- ince 1991 there have been major changes in the way that ers. This technology will transform the urban transport works are considered, planned and way people move around tall buildings S funded. These changes have affected the relationship with the same impact as driverless cars between transport provision and the urban environment and will have on the physical environment of with tall buildings, as part of densification. cities. This collaboration with Thyssen is When the Jubilee Line was built in the 1990s it was funded especially interesting in relation to exist- through central government. Although the Canary Wharf devel- ing cities. There are exacting constraints opers were due to contribute to the capital cost, little of this in dense cities which lifts cannot nor- materialised. When the line was completed, development sites mally avoid. Piling, services, waste and which had laid empty for decades became attractive because of water, basements and other underground greater accessibility, and schemes like More London were built routes are numerous, and trying to find in . The Jubilee Line had a transformational effect on that vertical sweet spot from an office the way public transport was perceived and since the success of or residential tower to the platform is this line, government’s attitude to public transport as a regen- often impossible. This new technology erational spur has been encouraging. will change all that, and the passengers One third of Crossrail for example, is funded from private will be able to call a lift in the same way finance, and the impact of this project on urban regenera- as calling a driverless car or automated tion can already be seen as housing and residential sites are vehicle, and programme it to go exactly developed. Pick up any newspaper in Malaysia, Singapore and 1 Singapore High to the right floor in the right tower travel- Hong Kong and you will find adverts for apartments adjacent Speed interchange ling both vertically and horizontally.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 27

New technologies will transform the way people move around cities and at the same time change their look

2 Green City proposals In addition to the research work with Thyssen, we are conduct- ing a research project to design and promote a new Green City based around high speed rail. New technologies will transform the way people move around cities and at the same time change their look. No longer will the vision of the future be that of Rid- ley Scott’s Blade Runner, but a high rise version of a true garden city. Previous new towns such as Milton Keynes, Chandigarh and new settlements in China, were based around the motorcar. New high-speed rail connections are now proposed around the world. We have taken this opportunity to reimagine how a new settlement of 350,000 people could be designed around a new high-speed transport hub. It could be Crewe, southern Malaysia or northern California. The design would be site specific whilst adopting the design principles suggested here. The designs for the Green City show how the buildings are 3 an essential component of a walkable, viable, dense city to allow A website for transport orientated greater expanses of open space and promote civic pride. The development (tod.org) is populated Green City was investigated primarily because of the limited with designs for proposals both large ambition surrounding the development of Ebbsfleet where and small. It is important to stress both 15,000 homes are proposed around the high-speed station. We ends of the scale and both are equally believe this should be 250,000, on the scale of Milton Keynes valued. Infrastructure projects such as though developed around public, not private transport and the Northern Line extension to Battersea with tall buildings instead of sprawl. At the time, Milton Keynes show what is possible to help to bring new typified state of the art thinking but 30 years later it is difficult life to brownfield sites, often generating to adapt it to a changing society. The Green City is based around tall buildings because of the demands of public transport and will continue to evolve. The model would city living. also be suitable for a station south of Birmingham, allowing The relationship between public people to live in a well-designed space and work in London, transport and commercial development or Birmingham, within an hour’s travel. A further has come a long way since the Jubilee Line version of the model being developed is located in the proposed project in the 1990s. This was conceived Mumbai to Delhi high-speed line. HS2 in the UK and high-speed purely as a transport scheme to ensure in general can transform how people live in cities and allow tall fast, safe and efficient movement of buildings to be more evenly distributed. It could also help spread people around the city. There was little the wealth, equalise house prices and contribute to remedy thought given to how the traveling public climate change. moved through the urban realm once they had passed through the ticket gate line. Further possibilities Only when the local authorities became In addition to rail transportation activity as a catalyst for tall involved throughout the planning process buildings, proposals have been drawn up for a series of residen- were pavement widths and desire lines tial towers adjacent to proposed road and pedestrian bridges in considered. East London. The advantage of developing along the river is that Now that Crossrail 2 is at the plan- 2 Living Bridges East overshadowing is not an issue. The economic model suggests London ning stage, this attitude has changed that the development of homes adjacent to a bridge can contrib- 3 Green City Concept completely. The Crossrail 2 design team ute 30 per cent of the cost of the bridge. model is working alongside the GLA’s urbanism

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 28 Topic built the stairs and the lift-well for a commercial development at the Borough High Street ticket hall, but the oversite offices planned were not found to be commercially viable and remained unde- veloped until 2013. Similar experiences at Southwark and Bermondsey Stations are now part of TfL’s plans to activate their portfolio. Deloittes have been instructed to identify TfL sites and properties which might be developed, some involving tall buildings. There is a clear economic case for developing tall buildings adjacent to high 4 quality public transport links. This is unit to assess where stations and their entrances should be best apparent at home and abroad. The scale positioned to fit into the city and promote urban growth. Cross- of ambition for HS2 and Crossrail 2 has rail 2 will be much more a city-shaping project than a transport to rise. There is little point in building project and tall buildings will inevitably form part of that city world-class infrastructure to serve subur- shape. Transport for London (TfL) have been tasked with dispos- ban developments. ing of sites and air rights opportunities adjacent and above their • 4 Woolwich Chris Williamson, architect, planner and stations. Crossrail station, urban designer, founding partner of Weston However, these sites are often more difficult than other all images Williamson and Partners. non-transport related sites. In 1998 the Jubilee Line project WestonWilliamson

Dublin’s New Tall Buildings Michael Short considers the impact of new developments on the city’s character

1 reland’s capital is starting, once again, to see a strengthening on the built heritage of the mills, and of its economy and its re-emergence as a European gateway what that may say about the approach to Ito the global economy. Just like the economic boom during development in the city. the ‘Celtic Tiger’ years Dublin is experiencing huge pressure It has been argued that Dublin is a city to build, particularly in the re-use of brownfield land, the of quite exceptional character and beauty promotion of particular tall building proposals in key locations, that can be characterised mainly by its and debates about the protection of specific built heritage ele- 18th and 19th century attributes, at least ments which are at risk from demolition and redevelopment. in the central area; these include tightly- Schemes which had spluttered to a halt during the recession woven streets, using consistent materials, have recommenced on site. In this article, I will reflect on the scale and form, mostly from the Georgian redevelopment of the Boland’s Mills site in Dublin’s Grand Canal period, but with elements from the Dock, a place of huge significance to the Easter Rising 1916 and Victorian period. The predominant part its celebration this centenary year. A redevelopment currently of the fabric of the city from this period underway will see the removal of mid-20th century fabric 1 Dublin’s Docklands: has survived mainly as a result of neglect planned medium-rise deemed of little value, the restoration of the original mills and townscape. Copyright: and lack of economic activity during most the erection of three towers of 13, 14 and 15 storeys respectively. Markus Gann of the 20th century. The city can be char- There has been concern about the impact of the tall buildings (dreamstime.com) acterised as medium-rise, with buildings

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 29 that mainly range between four and eight storeys: compared to other cities in Ireland and Britain, this is relatively tall. The city is built along the River Liffey which forms the main backbone of the modern city, fanning out to the north, west and east. The city gently rises from the central area to the west, providing wide panoramas from the west. The skyline, particularly from the west, can be characterised by its generally medium-rise nature, although a number of key historic and more recent buildings punctuate it at regular intervals. To the east of the central area lies the Docklands area which is experiencing a large amount of development, mainly office and residential, spurred on by a framework, implemented by Dublin Docklands Development Authority and Dublin City Council.

Docklands development The planning of the Docklands area was the city’s first attempt at comprehensive planning on a significant scale for economic growth and as such, had the political backing for implementa- 2 tion from the state, businesses and local population. Whilst the framework suggested development at between four and eight storeys (reflecting the character of the wider city centre), a number of taller buildings are again coming forward in this area as economic confidence improves. The North Lotts and Grand Canal Dock Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) in the Docklands contains the historically significant and protected Boland’s Mill. Linked to Éamon De Valera’s 3rd Battalion of Irish Volunteers’ use of the Mill complex during the 1916 Rising (strategically located on the main rail and road connections from Dún Laoghaire), the buildings have huge significance to the quest for Irish independence from Britain. In recent years, the SDZ has required a conservation-led scheme for its redevelopment. The approved development provides for 42 new apartments, 29,000m2 of office space, 1,400m2 retail and restaurant space, and 550m2 cultural space. It will provide for ‘significant economic activity in the area, facilitate the redevelopment of a disused brownfield site, provide a community/cultural space and associated public space which will provide a valuable asset for 3 both established and new communities; it will deliver a highly report suggests that the three towers are permeable, attractive and animated public realm and open up landmark buildings is also of concern. the adjoining water body to a wider public and secure the resto- The examination of this approved ration and hence the future of a number of heritage structures’ . development proposal indicates that a The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) is funding the correct decision was made, in the sense redevelopment of the site to the tune of €170 million in demoli- of utilising key sites for high-density tion and enabling works. Established in 2009 as an initiative development and investing in schemes taken by the Irish state to address the serious crisis in banking, which might recoup some moneys for in this instance NAMA reflects strong central government inter- the state. However, the built heritage est in the redevelopment of this important site. debates in the assessment of the scheme were unsophisticated, and did not reflect Concerns the importance of the designations in The scheme approved in July 2015 has sought to address the architectural or cultural terms in the protection of this important heritage asset through the demoli- Docklands area. There are undoubted tion of the concrete mill from the mid-20th century and the benefits to this redevelopment, yet it articulation of a conservation narrative with a series of very would also appear that this should be the modern towers which are, in many senses, out of keeping with starting point for a more robust inclusive the rhythm of this part of the Docklands. Whilst the assessment debate about the need for Dublin to utilise of the application by the City Council viewed the removal of creative solutions about the type and form existing fabric as beneficial to the protected structures, the of development that should take place, planner’s report recommending approval of the scheme makes particularly in relation to its unique char- little comment on the relationship between the new and the old acter. In a time when there is still no new beyond the importance of new ‘landmark buildings’ being built central government since elections earlier in this location. This is the last of the redevelopment sites on this year, strong direction from the plan- the inner waterfront of the Grand Canal Dock and the quality ning department of the City Council about of new architecture is obviously very important. Having said the scope and form of new development that, it also appears odd that the protected Boland’s Mill, a set 2 The protected across the city is even more important structures of Boland’s of landmark buildings both physically and culturally given the Mills with demolition of than usual. link to the Rising, might be drowned out by towers which have the concrete building • little relationship to the existing either in terms of materials, underway, April 2016 Dr Michael Short,Senior Teaching Fellow in massing or height. There are undoubted public realm benefits 3 Alto Vetro tower, new Planning, Programme Director MRes Inter- development emerging disciplinary Urban Design, The Bartlett School to the scheme but it remains surprising that the assessment of in Grand Canal Dock, of Planning, University College London the proposed relationship is under-articulated at best. That the Dublin

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 30 Topic An Imagined Urban Environment Charlotte Nyholm wonders whether the city of Espoo, Finland will manage to protect its character

1 ressure to densify urban areas and global competition for Some of the growth in Helsinki spilled investment have long since altered the built environments over into the adjacent, previously rural, Pof megacities such as London and Shanghai. Finland and communities of Espoo and Vantaa, which its second largest city, Espoo, provide an interesting context to were made into cities. Today, the three study the effects of the same phenomenon on small and medium cities make up the Capital Region with a sized cities that have only recently entered into the balancing population of a about 1.4 million. act between preserving their identity and building iconic land- The city of Espoo is fairly young, and marks. Much like their Nordic counterparts, Finnish cities have lacks a strong urban tradition. Since the historically been characterised by a low cityscape, accented only construction of its first suburbs, Espoo by the occasional church spire. As rising land values make tall has grown rapidly, with its population buildings a more attractive prospect for developers, the need for multiplying tenfold from 25,000 in 1950 a planning framework to guide this growth becomes apparent. to 265,000 in 2014. The population In Espoo, such a framework was drawn up in 2012, focusing density is still remarkably low, however, on finding suitable locations for tall buildings, and presenting at only 850 inhabitants/km2, which is guidelines for designing buildings that enhance the skyline while less than one third of Helsinki’s. The also enriching the street level experience. The implementation of urban structure is multi-nodal, with five the principles for tall buildings has, however, not been consist- so-called centres representing the most ent in Espoo due to a lack of political will and the city’s desire to urban environments. Vast stretches position itself as investor-friendly. Establishing this image has of detached housing and scattered been an important part of the city’s attempt to distinguish itself residential high-rise neighbourhoods are in the competition with its neighbour and the country’s capital, interspersed with forests and a large road Helsinki. Because similar pressures are faced by local politicians network. Public transportation is based in many small and medium-sized European cities, it is important on commuter trains and a bus network, to note the detrimental effect that a lack of consistency can have though private cars still account for 70 on liveability, attractiveness and the built environment. per cent of all trips made by motorised vehicle (compared to 46 per cent in Rapid but fragmented urbanisation Helsinki). In the 1950s and 60s, cities in southern and western Finland While attitudes towards tall build- 1 Espoo cityscape grew rapidly, partly due to the need to rehouse 423,000 refugees as seen from the ings have always varied between the from Karelia after ceding territories to the Soviet Union. Limited Haukilahti water tower three main cities of the Capital Region, land use governing legislation, coupled with plenty of available with two office towers until recently proposals for tall building in Keilaniemi visible on land and a small population, led to a dispersed urban fabric the horizon. have rarely been approved. In 1931 the sometimes referred to as ‘suburbs in the forest’, or apartment Photograph by Ilkka construction of the 70m tall Hotel Torni blocks interspersed with nature far outside the city centres. Törmä in the centre of Helsinki was debated in

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 31

Without a widely approved and coherent framework in place, tall buildings, due to their visibility, pose a greater risk to the cityscape than lower ones

2 court, and once erected it remained the tallest secular building tall buildings are identified. Secondly, in the city for over 50 years. Only a few more tall buildings have guidelines for the design of individual emerged in the region since then, and they are located some buildings are proposed. Lastly, a score- 10-15km away from the city centre. The skyline will, however, card is presented, which sets minimum change drastically in the near future, as Helsinki plans for standards for quality and allows develop- several clusters of tall buildings to be constructed as part of ers of tall buildings to score points by the development of brownfield sites located a stone’s throw outperforming the minimum standards. away from the centre. The plans have been hotly debated, and Traffic was a major consideration in a citizen’s complaint, possible within the legal framework for determining where in Espoo tall build- city planning, has led to a two-year delay in the construction of ings could be located without significant one of these clusters. Meanwhile, the city of Espoo had until a adverse effects. A high concentration few years ago taken a more developer-driven approach to tall of inhabitants or employees on a single buildings, which has meant that each case was reviewed inde- plot, without sufficient transportation pendently by the city council, and planning officials had very few infrastructure, would lead to congestion. tools to rely on in the process. This approach was in keeping with For this reason, the decision was made to the city’s strategy to profile itself as a flexible partner and attract concentrate tall buildings within a 300m investment, but meant that there was no strategic vision for the radius of a commuter train or subway role of tall buildings on a citywide scale. station. Similar restrictions had also In 2008, the Espoo and Helsinki city councils voted in favour been applied earlier in Vienna. The areas of extending the Helsinki subway line west to Espoo. In order to around the stations were then assessed make the subway more profitable and to help pay for the city’s based on existing buildings, landscape, share of the expected €714 million construction costs, signifi- views, and historical context to determine cant infill development was planned around the 13 new subway which cityscapes could support tall stations. Already before the subway plans were being discussed, buildings without losing their distinctive developers had expressed interest in constructing more tall character. The suitable areas were then buildings in Espoo, and the required densification was well divided into two categories: those suited suited to serve these interests. Tall buildings were subsequently for tall buildings (40-80m tall) and those presented as the solution for achieving the desired amount of identified as target zones for very tall floor area around several of the new stations including the tech- building development (over 80m tall). hub of Keilaniemi and the residential suburb of Niittykumpu. High quality architectural design is particularly important in the case of tall Principles for Tall Buildings in Espoo buildings, due to their visibility in the In order to mitigate the negative impacts of haphazard develop- landscape. Since good design is to some ment and lack of a large-scale vision for all of Espoo, the city extent context specific, the second part planning office, at the request of the city council, commissioned of the Principles for Tall Buildings in in 2012 Harris-Kjisik Architects and Planners to establish prin- 2 Commuter train and Espoo – The Guidelines for the Design subway lines with 300 ciples for the construction of tall buildings in the city. The task metre radia from the of Individual Buildings – focuses on included facilitating a workshop for city officials and local politi- stations and zones highlighting important concerns and cians, as well as arranging a seminar with invited Finnish and for tall buildings. considerations, and presenting best and (Espoo City Planning international speakers. At the end of the process, the Principles Department and Harris- worst case examples to illustrate the for Tall Buildings in Espoo were published in early 2013. Kjisik Architects and ideas. The silhouette of a tall building, The principles consist of three parts. Firstly, areas suited for Planners, 2012) and particularly the articulation of the

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 32 Topic and approval, in order to give the docu- ment more weight in the decision-making process. However, due to lack of support from other parties, this did not happen. While most of the currently planned tall buildings in the city do conform to the principles in terms of location, some exceptions have also been approved of, for example in Westend, which is 800m away from one of the future subway stations. The technology hub of Keila- niemi, which formerly housed the Nokia headquarters, is one of the designated zones for very tall buildings. Though the proposed four new residential 32-36 storey highrises are located within this zone, rendered images presented at this stage of the design process raise grave 3 concerns regarding the adherence to the design guidelines and attention paid to the pedestrian experience.

Conclusion Strong political will is required to strike a balance between attracting investment and producing a high quality built envi- ronment. Tall buildings require careful planning in order to add to, rather than detract from, a city’s identity and live- ability. Without a widely approved and coherent framework in place, tall build- ings, due to their visibility, pose a greater risk to the cityscape than lower ones. In the Capital Region, each city has taken a different approach to tall buildings and no study of the cumulative impact of these policies has thus far 4 been made. In Espoo, a sparsely built crown, significantly impact the skyline and should primarily low-density city, the explicit reasons for be designed for this large scale context. When successful, these building tall, such as the need to densify landmarks can contribute to the identity of the city and facilitate and increase housing and office volume, orientation. However, attention must also be paid to the street could often also be achieved using lower level experience in order to establish a relationship between buildings. The persistent pursuit of tall the building and its immediate surroundings. The guidelines buildings suggests a more implicit driver: highlight the importance of establishing an active street level branding the city as progressive and façade, minimising the visual impact of parking facilities, and globalised. For a city like Espoo, which maintaining a scale at street level that relates to pedestrians. largely lacks the fundamental building Certain assessment tools for city officials are also introduced, blocks of urbanity, such as a distinguish- such as wind and daylight studies required in connection with able centre, lively squares, and walkable building permit applications. streets, building tall landmarks to project The final section of the Principles combines aspects of street a sleek urban image can perhaps be seen level design, architectural quality and environmental sustain- as the city’s attempt to differentiate itself ability into a scorecard. Points are given for outperforming from Helsinki and its more traditional minimum standards and a set score is required in order to obtain European cityscape. However, without a building permit. Buildings exceeding 80m in height need careful planning and political determina- to score higher than lower ones, as increased height means a tion, the branding exercise may only go as more prominent role in the landscape, and a bigger impact on far as a skyline on a postcard, missing out the environment due to a larger volume of building materials, on the bustling street-life that character- greater energy consumption, and more end users. ises truly urban cities and serves as their 3 Proposed primary draw. densification around • Implementation Niittykumpu subway Despite an interactive drafting process involving not only the station including 24 Charlotte Nyholm, architect and urban planner consulting architecture office, but also city officials from several and 12 floor towers. at Harris-Kjisik Architects, and tutor at the departments, political desire to be perceived as an investor- (SARC Architects) Aalto University Department of Architecture 4 Four planned friendly city seems to have hindered the full implementation of residential towers the Principles for Tall Buildings in Espoo. After their comple- in Keilaniemi and tion, the principles were only made into recommendations by traffic rearrangement proposal including a the city planning and the building councils, instead of being vast deck covering made legally binding. Representatives of the Green Party wanted Ring Road I. (SARC the principles to also be taken to the city council for processing Architects)

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 33 From Void-Deck to Skygarden Philip Oldfield describes how community fostering is achieved in Singapore’s high-rise housing

was on creating the maximum number of units in the minimum time, with little consideration given to public and social spaces. This aggressive policy saw the creation of 54,000 new homes in the first five years, rising to 180,000 every five years by the mid-1980s. However, soon the HDB’s focus shifted from mere numbers to improving residents’ quality of life and creating successful high-rise communities. This was achieved primar- ily in two ways: firstly through the active integration of residents within new high- rise developments, and secondly through innovative design strategies and the crea- tion of community spaces at ground, mid and upper-levels within towers.

SOCIAL INTEGRATION Singapore is a multi-cultural country, with residents from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. Following race riots in the 1960s, the HDB recognised the need to integrate Singapore’s diverse population across the new high-rise hous- ing developments, to create mixed com- munities and avoid ethnic or economic 1 polarisation. Beginning in the 1970s, the ith urban populations in cities growing faster than HDB allocated new flats in a manner that ever before, the debate around the most appropriate would give a ‘good distribution of races’ W urban design paradigm for affordable housing rages across new towns. This was strengthened like never before. For some, an obvious solution is to build up, through the 1989 Ethnic Integration creating dense high-rise subsidised housing. Yet the idea of Policy, designed to ensure that there vertical social housing conjures up images of urban dystopia in would be a balanced and distributed mix many people’s minds: repetitive concrete blocks, interspaced of communities in all HDB developments, with vacant unplanned green spaces, the epitome of an unap- based on the country’s ethnic make-up. pealing lifestyle, especially for families with children. Recent Beyond this, multi-storey housing is years have seen an almost unanimous rejection of the typology, planned with a variety of different unit with David Cameron for example, pledging to demolish the sizes and tenures throughout, with worst examples in the UK, suggesting that brutal high-rise smaller rental units and larger for-sale towers ‘are a gift to criminals and drug dealers’. Against this family flats interspersed. The result is a backdrop, Singapore bucks the trend. Here is a nation state social and cultural diversity across any of 5.5 million people where 80 per cent live in high-rise social floor, in any tower. The HDB also supports housing, most of which is owner-occupied. Moreover the vast grassroots organisations such as local majority of occupants, over 90 per cent, are satisfied with doing community centres with programmes so. In an age where housing is at the forefront of the political ranging from organising block parties for agenda, Singapore provides a case study for how the tall building local residents to security issues. can provide socially sustainable and even aspirational housing for a wide socio-demographic. COMMUNITY SPACES: FROM VOID DECK TO SKYGARDEN THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT BOARD High-rise communities have not only In the decades following the Second World War, Singapore suf- been fostered through social integration, fered from a severe shortage of sanitary housing. Many families but also through progressive architecture lived in crowded and dilapidated conditions, lacking basic facili- 1 Skyville@Dawson – and urban design. HDB high-rise design interlinked towers with ties such as access to potable water. In response, the government skygardens at height. has evolved from the 1960s to provide set up the Housing Development Board (HDB) in 1960 with the Photographs by Philip more and better designed community aim of providing affordable housing for all. At first the emphasis Oldfield spaces throughout developments. In early

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 34 Topic

2 3 Singaporean high-rise housing, internal double-loaded corridors playground and residents’ community were phased out, and replaced with single-loaded external cor- centre – all at height above the city. ridors, as it was thought that these would be more conducive to Of particular note is how these offer social spaces for residents to meet and mingle. Corridors new urban spaces are managed. The were then widened, the floor level of flats raised to maintain pri- skygardens are owned and maintained by vacy while creating greater space for social interaction at height. the local Tanjong Pagar Municipal Area From the 1970s ‘void decks’ were included in most HDB high- who charge residents a small monthly rise projects as the primary community space for the residents. fee for this service. Security is extremely Void decks are the space beneath tower blocks: open, unplanned high: multiple security cameras cover the areas, typically defined by the structural columns and cores from spaces, while access is limited to card- the towers above. They represented the HDB’s aspiration for holding-residents via metal turntables. a locally scaled accessible space that could be used by all resi- A series of strict rules are posted in all dents, while providing a sense of community identity. Typically lobbies and include ‘no food or beverages’, loosely planned, void decks are home to a variety of community ‘no social events’ and ‘no games’. Access activities: Malay weddings, Chinese funerals, games and even to the public space on the 50th floor is acting as polling stations. Over time, the spaces have been filled restricted by opening times, numbers and in with more permanent community facilities: kindergartens, an entrance fee, questioning the logic of playgrounds and even kidney dialysis centres. its public status. It is here that skygardens However, as during the 1990s high-rise HDB housing has differ significantly to the void-deck; while grown taller and taller, upper floor residents found themselves the latter accommodates funerals, wed- increasingly isolated from the activities of the ground. The HDB dings and other activities, the skygardens responded by starting to incorporate some of the space and facil- are much more sterile. Post occupancy ities of the void deck at height in tower blocks. This first took the evaluation of the Pinnacle@Duxton by form of green roofs and playgrounds situated on top of carpark the author in conjunction with colleagues podiums. However, as social housing 50-storeys and above from the University of Nottingham found started being proposed in the early 2000s, it became necessary that while residents enjoyed the skygar- to transfer the concept of the void deck – scalable, accessible dens and used them for social interaction, social space – up the building where it was closer to residents. they were frustrated by this bureaucracy. This took the form of skygardens. These can be considered as A 34-year-old resident noted; ‘I feel very social/communal spaces at height within a development, often secure socialising up here, but I am not covered in lush green landscaping, open to the elements, covered allowed to bring visitors in. I have a lot of or occasionally glazed in. Such is the popularity of the skygarden friends who want to spend their evenings that it has now taken over from the void deck as the characteris- here on the skydeck’. These strict rules tic social space in Singaporean high-rise housing. and regulations clearly create a barrier to community life and the sense of social THE PINNACLE@DUXTON identity at height. The Pinnacle@Duxton represents the first large-scale integra- Despite these challenges, the Pinnacle tion of skygardens into a HDB high-rise project. It consists of is not a one-off; instead, it has spawned seven 50-storey high-rise blocks, linked by snaking skygardens a new urban morphology across Singa- at the 26th and 50th storey. The former accommodates social pore, the ‘interlinked high-rise housing spaces for residents only, while the uppermost floor is publically 2 The Pinnacle@ cluster’. This is exemplified by the recent accessible. Radically, rather than just green spaces the skygar- Duxton Skygardens at construction of many similar examples upper level dens include a number of functions that historically have been 3 Rooftop playground including the Skyville@Dawson and found at ground, in the void deck. These include an 800m run- in HDB high-rise SkyTerrace@Dawson (both HDB projects) ning track linking the towers, a gym for the elderly, a children’s housing and the privately-owned Sky Habitat and

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Topic 35

4 5 Reflections at Keppel Bay. Skyville in particular, shows an evo- lution of the skygarden concept. The towers are broken down into 12 ‘vertical villages’, each with their own skygarden shared by 80 units. This way, smaller communities are fostered within the bigger whole, providing a degree of social identity within a larger development.

GOVERNANCE AND POLICY The appearance of inter-linked skyscrapers and lush planted skygardens across Singapore did not just happen by chance. Instead, it is the result of a series of progressive planning poli- cies and incentives set out by the Singaporean government. Singapore’s planning system is governed by the Urban Redevel- opment Authority (URA) and defined by their 2014 Masterplan. This specifies plot ratios, building heights and permissible land-uses for every site across the entire city-state, with the aim of guiding development over the next 10 to 15 years. This highly prescriptive top-down approach is supplemented by planning circulars: documents which provide more detailed guidance including initiatives designed to improve the quality 6 and lifestyle of developments. For example, while the HDB have Such ideas are permeating interna- pushed the concept of skygadens in social high-rise housing, tional high-rise design, with proposals for private projects have been encouraged to include similar spaces residential skygardens in many cities, through the Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-rises from London to Los Angeles. These devel- (LUSH) circular. Fuelled by Singapore’s strategic aim to create opments are clearly positive, moving away ‘a city in a garden’, LUSH requires developers to replace any from the endless repetition of high-rise greenery lost from a site within new developments, either social housing of the past. However, the at ground level or through skygardens and vertical planting. inclusion of skygardens doesn’t guarantee Developers who include skygardens also benefit from floor successful high-rise communities, as typi- area tax exemptions and bonus plot ratios, allowing them to fied by the failure of the streets-in-the-sky construct more area than local zoning laws allow. This provides model from mid-20th century Europe and a strong financial incentive for the inclusion of such spaces, America. It is important to acknowledge and has been widely taken up throughout the city. that the relative success of the Singapo- rean model is down to a multitude of fac- LESSONS tors: the proactive integration of different Singapore, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world (even 4–5 Skyville@Dawson cultural and economic groups within Hong Kong) has embraced the concept of vertical urbanisation – interlinked towers developments; limited land and a general first initiated by Le Corbusier, taking the social spaces and split into vertical acceptance of high-rise living; innovative activities typically found at ground, and lifting them up into villages, each with architectural design; high levels of main- its own skygarden. high-rise developments. While questions remain about the Source: Woha / Patrick tenance and progressive incentives and over-bureaucratisation of these spaces, skygardens are widely Bingham-Hall regulations. used across both HDB and private high-rise housing develop- 6 Singapore’s LUSH • Programme showing Philip Oldfield, Senior Lecturer in Architecture ments. It is now uncommon for any new Singaporean tower requirements for at University of New South Wales, Faculty of to not make provision for skygardens and social-communal replacement greenery Built Environment spaces at height. and bonus incentives

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 36 The National Urban Design Awards 2016

National Urban Design Awards 2016 Victory Services Club, London, 9 March 2016

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1 3 With over 250 attendees, it was a very full these are read and reviewed by a panel of house for the Urban Design Awards evening experts coordinated by Louie Sieh; the re- at the Victory Services Club; there was a real views are also published in the journal but buzz and deservedly so. In its ninth year, the panel chooses the winner. The Student the UDG awards have grown and developed, award is also selected by the awards judg- culminating in a stimulating event and an ing panel. excellent networking occasion. The Public Sector award was the first to This year’s awards evening was gener- be presented. Following short but informa- ously sponsored by Marshalls and thanks are tive videos prepared by the shortlisted due to the sponsor as well as all those that candidates, the winner was announced as helped in making it a successful evening. being Stockton Borough Council for bringing Against many odds, the UDG’s Director Rob- back life to Stockton High Street through a 4 ert Huxford managed to get all the bits to fit well-thought through regeneration scheme. together and on time. Next came the Student award for which Following last year’s model, the first there had been ten candidates. The winner hour allowed participants to mingle and net- from the University of Strathclyde had pre- work with a drink in their hands, whilst the pared a video which unfortunately suffered Deco ensemble provided agreeable tango from technical problems. However, the video music in the background. At the start of the is available on Youtube and readers can see formal part of the evening, with participants the scheme for A New Laurieston overleaf. having helped themselves to food and sitting The winner received the prize of £600, cour- comfortably, UDG chair Katie Neaves wel- tesy of the Francis Tibbalds Trust, from one comed the crowd and invited Nick Rogers, of Francis Tibbalds’ sons. Design Director at Taylor Wimpey to give the Louie Sieh then gave a reflective com- keynote speech. This challenging talk is re- mentary on the eight shortlisted books that produced on p.10. covered a wide spectrum of urban design The awards celebrate some of the best concerns, from theoretical to practical. ‘In 5 urban design work produced over the past the process of searching for a worthy win- disproportionately large number of books year. From a long list of entries, the panel ner, we look not just at the quality of books, that were the showcase of work of urban de- of judges select a short list of candidates but what reflects the urban design conversa- sign schools.’ for the Practice, Public Sector and Student tion today. So here are a few notable trends The winner was Young – Old: Urban Uto- awards. The first two categories are pub- this year... there have been lots of books pias of an Aging Society by Deane Simpson. lished in the Autumn and Winter issues of on citizen-led, low-cost, quick impact ur- A pause in the proceedings allowed the this journal and the UDG membership is in- ban interventions, described variously as: attendees to finish dinner with a buffet of vited to vote for their favourites. In the case performative urbanism, urban commoning, very enticing desserts. Networking car- of the books submitted by the publishers, tactical urbanism. Another trend was the ried on, a ‘guess the city map’ quiz provided

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 The National Urban Design Awards 2016 37

1 The Deco ensemble entertaining the audience 2 The IBI Team, practice joint winner receiving the award from Ben Tibbalds 3 Sama Jabr student winner receiving the award from Ben Tibbalds 4 Stockton Borough Council, Public Sector winner receiving the award from Adam Tibbalds 5 Prof. Ben Hilllier receiving the Life Achievement award from Marcus Wilshere some light entertainment, and behind the hubbub the Deco ensemble continued their tango. After the interval, David Rudlin of URBED, winners of last year’s Practice award 6 Johanna gave the second keynote speech of the even- Rosvall ing. As usual David managed to be humorous and Agnes Sandstedt’s and provocative at the same time. The Prac- masterplan tice award was perhaps the most eagerly proposes a awaited by the audience, following short but human scale informative videos prepared by the shortlist- development on the south bank of ed candidates that can be seen on Youtube. the river Clyde in The quality of the entries was very high this Glasgow year and as a result there were two joint 6 winners: IBI Group for their Barnsley town centre scheme and Baca Architects for the Eiland Veur Lent scheme in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. These were very different pro- jects, one having to rethink the regeneration 7 Wayne Worsdale’s of a town centre where the main develop- masterplan er has pulled out, the other designing an for Waterside area threatened by flooding. Both offered sought innovative solutions and showed what les- to resolve many of the issues that sons could be learned from the process. The exist, providing winners shared the £1,000 Francis Tibbalds a sustainable Prize. mixed-use The final award, for Lifetime Achieve- scheme to reconnect this ment, is decided by the Trustees of the derelict area to Urban Design Group and this year they the city chose Professor Bill Hillier. Presenting the 7 award, Marcus Wilshere said: ‘Urban design Practice award Book Award practice worldwide would be different, and Joint Winners Winner diminished, were it not for Bill’s fundamental Baca: Eiland Veur Lent, Nijmegen, The Young – Old: Urban Utopias of an Aging contribution, from his early pioneering work •Netherlands •Society by Deane Simpson in the 1970s to his continuing refinement of IBI Group: Barnsley Town Centre Runner up Space Syntax today. In this regard, Bill Hillier •Shortlisted Tactical Urbanism: Short-term Action is one of the central figures of urban design Assael: Lowestoft: Brooke Peninsula and •for Long-term Change, by Mike Lydon and globally’. •Jeld Wen Anthony Garcia With this the formal part of the evening HTA: Aylesbury Estate Regeneration Shortlisted ended. Participants continued to mingle for • Levitt Bernstein: Winstanley & York Road Heritage Planning: Principles and Pro- a while. One of them, attending for the first •Estates Regeneration •cess, by Harold Kalman time said that he found the evening ‘inspira- Touching the City: Thoughts on Urban tional’. We trust that this reflects the view of Public Sector Award •Scale, by Timothy Makower many and we hope that more people will be Winner encouraged to submit entries for next year’s Stockton Borough Council: Stockton High Student Award award and show the wider world how urban •Street Regeneration Winner design contributes to the quality of life. The Shortlisted Sama Jabr, University of Strathclyde, A Urban Design Group also needs volunteers City of London Corporation: People, •New Laurieston to help in the whole process from inviting •Places, Projects Shortlisted submissions, through judging, to organizing Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council: Johanna Rosvall and Agnes Sandst- the awards event. Please contact the UDG •Brierley Hill Town Centre, SPD •edt, University of Strathclyde, Revitalising office if you would like to get involved. Glasgow’s Waterfront • Wayne Worsdale, Beckett Univer- •sity, Waterside Leicester

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 38 Student Award Winner 2016

A New Laurieston Waterfront Regeneration by Sama Jabr

BACKGROUND area to study people’s movement patterns. Laurieston that has the potential to grow Over the course of Glasgow’s history, the The strong relationship between ar- and serve as a district node for Lauries- role of the River Clyde changed several chitectural typologies, perceived safety, ton, Gorbals, and Tradeston. Within this times from agriculture, to trading, and cleanliness, and the time people were willing node I aimed to create a pedestrian linear finally industry; locals have widened and to spend by the river became clear. Gener- access that is well linked, and encourages deepened the river with each change to ally, people will spend time in high-density small-scaled communities: an old-fashioned match the demands of different uses. These neighbourhoods with activities on ground town centre, with its shops, transit hubs, changes affected the surrounding areas as floor level, walkways that are continuously and reasonable walking distances between well, the block typologies, land uses, and overlooked, and most importantly, activities shopping, schools, transportation, business most importantly the relationship between to attract people and places to sit. Those centres and public realm, unifying social and the river and both banks: the Clyde became are qualities that the river Clyde lacked on recreational spaces with the functional ones. a barrier that had to be crossed, and the its southern front and some parts on the The masterplan aims to establish com- number of bridges increased accordingly. northern front. The next stage was develop- munity character through the creation of In 20th century, after the World Wars ing existing and proposed concept plans to urban spaces that provide its users with and the Great Depression, ship-building show wider strategic objectives. The existing ease of access to living, leisure, culture and factories were closed, and efforts were concept plan revealed areas with discrep- work. Due to its location, the site will play made to bring people back to the river. Yet ancies between population density and the two important roles: interconnecting Gor- the river Clyde and its banks remain the nodes which served them, as well as gaps in bals, Laurieston, and Tradeston and inviting same as they were in the industrial period. public transportation. The proposed concept people back to the river. The design also in- Nowadays, efforts are being made to con- plan aimed to provide ideas to fix existing cludes consideration to retaining historical nect the river back to the city. situations. This stage informed the devel- and cultural aspects of the site by imple- For the 2014/2015 academic year, a opment of a foundation masterplan for an menting a historical grid system that blends partnership was formed between the Uni- area of choice, which for me was Lauries- versity of Strathclyde and Glasgow City ton. Laurieston is blighted by the legacy of Council. The main objective for students in- modernist urban planning, with an incoher- volved was to utilise urban design principles ent spatial structure, huge areas of vacant as a means of revitalising river fronts. land, and a poorly constructed built form. Furthermore, the area suffers from lack of PROCESS public amenities, low economic activity and Initial analysis was conducted within differ- an insufficient functional mix. However it ent groups covering historical background, also has key assets including its riverside policy context, street fronts,blocks, uses, location and close proximity to the city cen- networks and connectivity, and how people tre, which can be exploited to assist in its experienced and perceived the area. We regeneration. engaged in interviews and spent time in the The main goal was to create a node at 2

1 Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Student Award Winner 2016 39

4 Block analysis: current situation 5 Block analysis: proposed 1 Proposed masterplan within 25 years 2 Conceptual waterfront 6 Waterfront detail solutions 7 Pedestrian mixed use street 3 Proposed concept plan section

a network of interconnected open spaces to improve users’ experience and percep- tion of Glasgow’s south and the river fronts. The last stage was determining massing and buildings heights. Heights of developments on main roads and the main pedestrian axis form strong lines to rebuild the important role of these roads. Also heights must be sufficient to reduce the visual and physical noise impact of the railway on all east, west and south sides of Laurieston, acting as a buffer and forming an enclosure to the area. The result was a masterplan that delivers more than 100 residential units per hectare, 3 a range of housing types and tenures, at with the current orthogonal urban fabric. least a quarter of land dedicated to public Furthermore, the site’s current communi- open space, improved access to services, ty supporting facilities such as the elderly a range of new retail, leisure and commer- 4 hospice, the homeless support centre, two cial properties, a safe, walkable, liveable theatres, and the library are all preserved district to reduce private car use and more and form an integral part of the area. Lastly importantly, spaces that invite people back the introduction of new cultural elements to the river. The passion for pedestrian- such as the new public square with a new centric cities is gradually seeping into the museum dedicated to the Clyde will enrich consciousness of urban planners. We must the urban atmosphere and reconnect the riv- understand that our designs can promote er to the city and people. The design process or discourage social life, a very important included six stages: the first was reinstat- factor to making more resilient cities. There ing the historic grid to clearly define blocks could be a huge improvement in urban living and maximise permeability. The second was if we focused our efforts on claiming back deciding a route’s hierarchy taking into ac- the streets and creating spaces for people to count existing infrastructure. The third was enjoy their cities. determining densities to create connected • functional nodes. Then functional zoning was decided according to market needs and street hierarchy. The fifth stage was creating 5

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7 Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 40 book reviews

Towns and Cities: Function will be useful to students and practitioners. natural resources in the building process, However it is unlikely to lead to a new theory and work in harmony with the natural world, in Form – Urban Structures, of urban design as the author claims. In spite instead of against it. It recognises that build- Economics and Society of the clear effort to link spatial design to ings are also there to serve human wellbeing economic analysis, there is no indication and comfort and to create healthy envi- Julian Hart, Ashgate, 2015, £60.00, of how this can lead to a more solid theory. ronments for human activities. Most rules ISBN 9781472458551 The criticism of existing theories is valid to a relate to new build and implicitly green field point but ignores how practitioners work, as situations. opposed to political and economic influence The last chapter, called ‘strategies for Not many authors have attempted to link from interests that diverge totally from the sustainable buildings and cities’ which col- economics and urban design; Julian Hart objectives outlined here. The 1960s saw the lapses more complex issues into a small set should be commended for doing so. He is development of what was called a systems of rather overloaded drawings, is less suc- neither an academic, nor an urban designer: approach to planning which this book has af- cessful. It is reduced to three double pages, his observations are based on practice and finities with; unfortunately that approach led listing the rules on one side and showing experience and the text is not laden with to a dead end. how they may interact in the drawings. They innumerable references. Finally it is a pity that editors didn’t em- deal with ‘sustainable retrofit’, ‘sustainable His approach starts from the premise ploy a better proof-reader: ‘verses’ are part architecture’, and ‘sustainable cities’ respec- that accessibility to and from markets, com- of a poem, not a Latin word for ‘against’, tively. It is arguable whether these pages are bined with the aim of energy saving were the maybe a small but infuriating detail. Still a making a useful contribution or may have basis for the ‘natural town’. The expansion of book well worth reading. been better omitted. towns combined with widespread availabil- • A lot is known and has been written ity of the private car resulted in conflicting Sebastian Loew about ecological urban design. As soon as aims, that of accessibility with that of pri- buildings are put together they create issues vacy. One of the ways that Hart expresses of microclimates not just inside the build- this conflict is by comparing streets that are ings but also between them, notwithstanding places, with roads that are linear corridors 101 Rules of Thumb, For the wider repercussions on other parts of with no connection with their surroundings. Sustainable Buildings and the city, at different times of the year and of A system of vectors used to explain this di- the day, and in different climatic conditions. chotomy makes it seem scientific but is not Cities Sustainable design to improve microclimates necessarily very helpful. is confronted with a very complex set of Huw Heywood, RIBA Publishing, 2015, From the street-road comparison, Hart issues it may be possible to optimise indi- moves to levels of density and land uses. £19.95, ISBN 978-1859465745 vidually, but which in combination can have His analysis is perceptive and presented in contradictory effects on each other. This a simple and clear form. For instance he This small pocket book, its simple structure implies many trade-offs studied by scholars shows how in a liberal planning environment and its clear drawings are a good reminder of eco-cities, as well as building regulators and at low density, there is an unavoidable for sustainable design. It aims to bring the whose aims are to foster more sustainable cycle of renewal and decline that make land bigger picture to the foreground on ‘how to design. The ‘notes, observations and refer- values unstable, whilst the opposite is true design low energy use buildings’. It could be ences – a narrative bibliography’ at the end at high densities; this way he explains the argued that many of these ‘rules’ sum up the of the book are very useful, For each chapter, decline of market towns. Or he shows the principles of nature and behaviour of materi- they complement the rules and drawings connection between densities and public als, but most relate to design itself. Nothing with evidence and empirical studies. A list and private space. The text is peppered with in this book is new knowledge but a conveni- of references of printed and web resources, anecdotal or explanatory boxes that clarify ent way of putting knowledge and know-how together with an index complete this part of particular points and are some of the gems together into a compendium of use when the book, unfortunately in very small print of the book: the ‘Barnet chalets’ struck this engaging in sustainable design. A main but of definite worth. reader as particularly illuminating in its objective is to reduce waste and contribute • criticism of the habit of designing blocks of to respecting the limits of the planet and its Judith Ryser flats as if they were houses: ‘semi-detached renewable capacity. on steroids’. After a set of sustainability principles There is much more of value and a lot to relevant to designers, the text provides prac- be learned from this book and the analysis tical advice on how to respect and preserve

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 book reviews 41

How to Save our Town enables groups and individuals to order ‘default mode’: a managerial view of the city disposal of public land, but a more radical focusing on applying ICT tools based on big Centres: A Radical Agenda extension needs to apply to private prop- data, efficiency, systems approach, etc.; the for the Future of the High erty too on the principle that neglected land use of discourse in the cross-over between should be made available to the community. business, government and knowledge insti- Streets Other major ideas proposed are to overhaul tutes dominated by ICT business but resisted current property taxation in favour of a Land in academic debate; organisational struc- Julian Dobson, Policy Press, 2015, Value Tax and a Community Investment Act ture based on public-private partnerships £23.99, ISBN 978-1447323938 to channel a proportion of banks’ profits into with business in charge of public service community development. delivery; a primarily technological approach At first glance the absence of plans, graphics Planning needs to be agile, frameworks to innovation moving quickly from problem or visualisations does not suggest this as a must blend the visionary and spontaneous. to solution while omitting local conditions; book for urban designers. However, director Town teams of conservators, guided by a and lack of historical awareness including of think tank Urban Pollinators, Julian Dob- principle of stewardship, should consider the effects of protests and deliberation between son covers a lot of ground and is completely benefits for a place over the long term. The citizens and decision makers. He discusses focused on the value of town centres as book provides a promising agenda for town key historic eras relevant to urban change: places, and what works or does not. centres which works at a number of levels. industrialisation and the sanitary reform The first part of the book examines where Can anyone make it happen? movements; mass produced cars and cen- town centres are today, their cultural and • tralised fossil fuel based energy systems social importance, the workings of the mar- Tim Hagyard, Planning Team Manager, East extending the functionalist city into ever ket, and independent retailing; the second Herts Council growing suburbs; and the current era having focuses on what town centres could be like to cope with the unintended environmental and the final chapters deal with key issues consequences of man-made disruption be- such as land ownership, finance and the idea tween nature and society. of town centres as ‘commons’. Smart About Cities: Hajer proposes an agenda to cope The background is familiar: the malaise Visualising the Challenge with climate change. He illustrates seven of property economics, out-of-town centres for 21st Century Urbanism pre-conditions with concrete examples to the impacts of online shopping, etc., all un- consider when contributing to globally net- dermine town centres. The damage brought Maarten Hajer and Ton Dassen, 2014, worked urbanism: decoupling as strategic by Merry Hill for instance, borne out of an orientation; coming up with a persuasive nai010 publishers/PHL publishers, early 1980s Enterprise Zone; shopping malls story line about the urban future; the use of £21.95, ISBN 978-9462081482 and the unhealthy dominance of the grocery urban metabolisms as framework for strate- sector; the online giants such as Amazon gic decision making; focusing on the default siphoning off income to tax havens, avoid- This is a manual with graphic representations in infrastructure; designing the smart city ing property taxes, competing unfairly and of ten data sets relevant to ‘smart urbanism’: outside the box; and engaging in new open making no investment in physical (town) demography, air, water, food, biota, mobility, collaborative politics. Only by decoupling infrastructure. City centre retail-led regenera- cargo, building materials, waste and energy. wealth from resource use would it be pos- tion is critiqued as well for concentrating and Published in the Netherlands, also in English sible to stay in a ‘safe operating space’ within polarising: One for instance is ‘a One the book rests on Dutch data but put into a planetary boundaries which would have to Billion Pound Wealth Distribution Scheme’. global context. An essay by Maarten Hajer be socially just. He distinguishes between Churches, libraries, health providers, ed- discussing seven considerations for a new ‘need to have’ and ‘nice to have’ as the story ucation classes, law firms have been leaving urban planning and design to be smart about line to achieve a liveable urban future em- town centres. They and council services, and cities completes the book. bedded in ecological sustainability and the use of assets can be vital to the health of Hajer refutes the customary dichoto- regional bio-economics. He attributes weight town centres. The book promotes the widest my between a priori values, such as ‘big to understanding the urban metabolism as possible choice of uses, ‘meanwhile’ uses, problems require integrated solutions’ and a means for urban designers to become nor- residential, walking and lingering and initia- bottom up criticisms along the line of ‘small mative in envisioning futures that reflect the tives to revitalise public space. is beautiful’. He proposes to look at ‘smart need for a sustainable, productive and inclu- More fundamentally, a system of prop- cities as a form of discourse’ instead. Five sive urban world. erty law based on a ‘duty of stewardship’ is hurdles of ‘smart city discourse’ have to • advocated. The 2011 Right to Reclaim Land be overcome to avoid building cities in the Judith Ryser

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 42 Index

ADAM Urbanism Andrew Martin Planning Baca Architects Old Hyde House Town Mill, Mill Lane, Stebbing, Unit 1, 199 Long Lane Practice 75 Hyde Street Dunmow, Essex CM6 35N London SE1 4PN Winchester SO23 7DW T 01971 855855 T 020 7397 5620 T 01962 843843 C andrew Martin C r ichard Coutts Index C hugh Petter, Robert Adam E [email protected] e [email protected] e [email protected] W www.am-plan.com W www.baca.uk.com [email protected] Independent planning, urban design Award-winning architects with 100 per The following practices and urban W www.adamurbanism.com and development consultancy. Advises cent planning success. Baca Architects design courses are members World-renowned for progressive, public and private sector clients on have established a core specialism in of the Urban Design Group. classical design covering town and strategic site promotion, development waterfront and water architecture. Please see the UDG’s website country houses, housing development, planning and management, planning www.urbandesigndirectory.com for urban masterplans, commercial appeals, masterplanning and Barton Willmore more details. development and public buildings. community engagement. Partnership READING Those wishing to be included in Alan Baxter & Associates Applied Wayfinding The Blade, Abbey Square future issues should contact the 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ 3rd floor, 22 Stukeley Street Reading RG1 3BE UDG T 020 7250 1555 London WC2B 5LR T 0118 943 0000 70 Cowcross Street C a lan Baxter T 020 7017 8488 C james de Havilland, Nick Sweet London EC1M 6EJ e [email protected] C richard Simon and Dominic Scott T 020 7250 0892 W www.alanbaxter.co.uk E [email protected] MANCHESTER C robert Huxford An engineering and urban design W www.appliedwayfinding.com Tower 12, 18/22 Bridge Street e [email protected] practice. Particularly concerned with Applied Wayfinding is an international Spinningfields W www.udg.org.uk the thoughtful integration of buildings, design consultancy with expertise in Manchester M3 3BZ infrastructure and movement, and the designing legible systems for complex T 0161 817 4900 creation of places. environments. Applied’s approach C Dan Mitchell and methods have evolved from many e masterplanning@bartonwillmore. Albonico Sack Metacity years of experience in developing co.uk Architects & Urban world-class wayfinding schemes for W www.bartonwillmore.co.uk Designers cities, campuses, parks, mixed-use Concept through to implementation on PO Box 95387 developments and internal spaces. complex sites, comprehensive design Grant Park, Johannesburg guides, urban regeneration, brownfield 02051 South Africa AREA sites, and major urban expansions. T +27 11 492 0633 Grange, Linlithgow C m onica Albonico West Lothian EH49 7RH be1 Architects e [email protected] T 01506 843247 5 Abbey Court, Fraser Road W www.asmarch.com C Karen Cadell/ Julia Neil Priory Business Park A multi-disciplinary practice e [email protected] Bedford MK44 3WH specialising in large scale, green field, W www.area.uk.com T 01234 261266 urban regeneration and upgrading Making places imaginatively to deliver C n y Moughal strategies, as well as residential, the successful, sustainable and E [email protected] special and educational projects. humane environments of the future. W www.be1architects.co.uk be1 is a practice of creative and Allen Pyke Associates Arnold Linden experienced architects, designers, The Factory 2 Acre Road, Chartered Architect masterplanners, visualisers and Kingston-upon-Thames KT2 6EF 31 Waterlow Court, Heath Close technicians. We are skilled in the T 020 8549 3434 Hampstead Way design and delivery of masterplanning, C David Allen/ Vanessa Ross London NW11 7DT architectural and urban design projects e [email protected] T 020 8455 9286 and are committed to designing the W www.allenpyke.co.uk C a rnold Linden appropriate solution for all of our Innovative, responsive, committed, Integrated regeneration through the projects. competitive, process. Priorities: people, participation in the creative process of spaces, movement, culture. Places: the community and the public at large, The Bell Cornwell regenerate, infill, extend create. of streets, buildings and places. Partnership Oakview House, Station Road, Hook, Allies & Morrison: Assael Architecture Hampshire RG27 9TP Urban Practitioners Studio 13, 50 Carnwath Road T 01256 766673 85 Southwark Street, London SE1 0HX London SW6 3FG C s imon Avery T 020 7921 0100 T 020 7736 7744 e [email protected] C a nthony Rifkin C r ussell Pedley W www.bell-cornwell.co.uk E [email protected] e [email protected] Specialists in Masterplanning and the W www.urbanpractitioners.co.uk W www.assael.co.uk coordination of major development Specialist competition winning urban Architects and urban designers proposals. Advisors on development regeneration practice combining covering mixed use, hotel, leisure and plan representations, planning economic and urban design skills. residential, including urban frameworks applications and appeals. Projects include West Ealing and and masterplanning projects. Plymouth East End. Bidwells Atkins plc Bidwell House, Trumpington Road Amec Foster Wheeler Euston Tower, 286 Euston Road, Cambridge CB2 9LD Environment & London NW1 3AT T 01223 559800 Infrastructure UK Ltd T 020 7121 2000 M 07500 782001 Gables House Kenilworth Road, C Paul Reynolds C johnny Clayton Leamington Spa, Warwicks CV32 6JX e [email protected] E [email protected] T 01926 439 000 W www.atkinsglobal.co.uk W www.bidwells.co.uk C David Thompson, Technical Interdisciplinary practice that offers a Planning, Landscape and Urban Director range of built environment specialists Design consultancy, specialising e [email protected] working together to deliver quality in Masterplanning, Townscape W www.amecfw.com. places for everybody to enjoy. Assessment, Landscape and Visual Masterplanning, urban design, Impact Assessment. development planning and landscape within broad-based multidisciplinary environmental and engineering consultancy.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Index 43

Boyer Planning Burns + Nice David Huskisson Associates FaulknerBrowns Crowthorne House, Nine Mile Ride 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ 17 Upper Grosvenor Road, Dobson House, Northumbrian Way, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 3GZ T 020 7253 0808 Tunbridge Wells, TN1 2DU Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 6QW T 01344 753220 C marie Burns/ Stephen Nice T 01892 527828 T 0191 268 3007 C s teve Punter e [email protected] C n icola Brown C b en Sykes e [email protected]. W www.burnsnice.com e [email protected] e [email protected] W www.boyerplanning.co.uk Urban design, landscape architecture, W www.dha-landscape.co.uk W www.faulknerbrowns.co.uk Offices in Wokingham, Colchester, environmental and transport planning. Landscape consultancy offering FaulknerBrowns is a regionally-based , Twickenham and London. Masterplanning, design and public Masterplanning, streetscape and architectural design practice with a Planning and urban design consultants consultation for community-led work. urban park design, estate restoration, national and international reputation. offering a wide range of services environmental impact assessments. From a workload based initially on to support sites throughout the Carter Jonas education, library, sports and leisure development process: from appraisals Berger House, 36-38 Berkeley Square David Lock Associates Ltd buildings, the practice’s current to planning applications and appeals. London W1J 5AE 50 North Thirteenth Street, workload includes masterplanning, T 020 7016 0720 Central Milton Keynes, offices, healthcare, commercial mixed BOYLE + SUMMERS C rebecca Sanders Milton Keynes MK9 3BP use, industrial and residential, for both Canute Chambers E [email protected] T 01908 666276 private and public sector clients Canute Road W www.carterjonas.co.uk/our- C Will Cousins Southampton S014 3AB services/planning-development.aspx e [email protected] Feria Urbanism T 02380 63 1432/ 07824 698033 Multidisciplinary practice working W www.davidlock.com Second Floor Studio, 11 Fernside Road C richard Summers throughout the UK, specialising in Strategic planning studies, Bournemouth, Dorset BH9 2LA E [email protected] urban design and masterplanning, area development frameworks, T 01202 548676 W www.boyleandsummers.co.uk place-making, new settlements and development briefs, design guidelines, C r ichard Eastham Space-shapers, place-makers, street urban extensions, urban regeneration, Masterplanning, implementation e [email protected] designers and development promoters. sustainability and community strategies, environmental statements. W www.feria-urbanism.eu Value generators, team workers and consultation. Complemented by Expertise in urban planning, site finders. Strategists, pragmatists, in-house architecture, planning, Define masterplanning and public specialists and generalists. development, investment, property and Unit 6, 133-137 Newhall Street participation. Specialisms include Visioneers, urbanists, architects and minerals teams. Birmingham B3 1SF design for the night time economy, masterplanners. T 0121 237 1901 urban design skills training and local Chapman Taylor LLP C a ndy Williams community engagement. Building Design Partnership 10 Eastbourne Terrace, e [email protected] 16 Brewhouse Yard, Clerkenwell, London W2 6LG W www.wearedefine.com Fletcher Priest Architects London EC1V 4LJ T 020 7371 3000 Define specialises in the promotion, Middlesex House T 020 7812 8000 e [email protected] shaping and assessment of 34/42 Cleveland Street C andrew Tindsley W www.chapmantaylor.com development. Our work focuses on London W1T 4JE E [email protected] MANCHESTER strategic planning, masterplanning, T 020 7034 2200 W www.bdp.co.uk Bass Warehouse, 4 Castle Street urban design codes, EIA, TVIA, estate F 020 7637 5347 BDP offers town planning, Castlefield, Manchester M3 4LZ strategies, public realm design, C j onathan Kendall Masterplanning, urban design, T 0161 828 6500 consultation strategies, urban design e [email protected] landscape, regeneration and e [email protected] audits and expert witness. W www.fletcherpreist.com sustainability studies, and has teams Chapman Taylor is an international Work ranges from city-scale based in London, Manchester and firm of architects and urban designers DHA Planning & Urban masterplans (Stratford City, Riga) to . specialising in mixed use city centre Design architectural commissions for high- regeneration and transport projects Eclipse House, Eclipse Park, profile professional clients. BPUD Ltd throughout the world. Offices in Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, 155 Hurdsfield Road, Macclesfield Bangkok, Brussels, Bucharest, Kent ME14 3EN FPCR Environment Cheshire SK10 2QX Düsseldorf, Kiev, Madrid, Milan, T 01622 776226 & Design Ltd T 01625 262924 Moscow, New Delhi, Paris, Prague, Sao C m atthew Woodhead Lockington Hall, Lockington C bob Phillips Paulo, Shanghai and Warsaw. e [email protected] Derby DE74 2RH E [email protected] W dhaplanning.co.uk T 01509 672772 W www.bpud.co.uk CITY ID Planning and Urban Design C Tim Jackson A multi-disciplinary town planning and 23 Trenchard Street Consultancy offering a full range e [email protected] urban design consultancy dedicated to Bristol BS1 5AN of Urban Design services including W www.fpcr.co.uk the delivery of high quality development T 0117 917 7000 Masterplanning, development briefs Integrated design and environmental solutions working with public, private C m ike Rawlinson and design statements. practice. Specialists in Masterplanning, and community organisations. e [email protected] urban and mixed use regeneration, W cityid.co.uk Environmental Dimension development frameworks, EIAs and Broadway Malyan Place branding and marketing vision Partnership public inquiries. 3 Weybridge Business Park Masterplanning, urban design, public Tithe Barn, Barnsley Park Estate Addlestone Road, Weybridge, realm strategies, way finding and Barnsley, Cirencester GL7 5EG Framework Architecture Surrey KT15 2BW legibility strategies, information design T 01285 740427 and Urban Design T 01932 845599 and graphics. C Tom Joyce 3 Marine Studios, Burton Lane, C jeff Nottage e [email protected] Burton Waters, Lincoln LN1 2WN E [email protected] CSA Environmental W www.edp-uk.co.uk/ T 01522 535383 W www.broadwaymalyan.com Dixies Barns, High Street The Environmental Dimension C g regg Wilson We are an international interdisciplinary Ashwell SG7 5NT Partnership Ltd provides independent e [email protected] practice which believes in the value of T 01462 743647 environmental planning and design W www.frameworklincoln.co.uk place-making-led masterplans that are C Clive Self advice to landowners, and property Architecture and urban design. A rooted in local context. E [email protected] and energy sector clients throughout commitment to the broader built W www.csaenvironmental.co.uk the UK from offices in the Cotswolds, environment and the particular dynamic Brock Carmichael Delivering masterplanning, design Shrewsbury and Cardiff. of a place and the design opportunities Architects coding and implementations. presented. 19 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9JQ Specialist knowledge across FarrellS T 0151 242 6222 landscape, ecology, archaeology and 7 Hatton Street, London NW8 8PL Garsdale Design Limited C m ichael Cosser urbanism leading to well-presented, T 020 7258 3433 High Branthwaites, Frostrow, e [email protected] high quality, commercially aware C max Farrell Sedbergh, Cumbria, LA10 5JR Masterplans and development briefs. schemes. E [email protected] T 015396 20875 Mixed use and brownfield regeneration W www.terryfarrell.com C Derrick Hartley projects. Design in historic and Architectural, urban design, planning e i [email protected] sensitive settings. Integrated and Masterplanning services. New W www.garsdaledesign.co.uk landscape design. buildings, refurbishment, conference/ GDL provides Masterplanning and exhibition centres and visitor urban design, architecture and heritage attractions. services developed through 25 years wide ranging experience in the UK and Middle East.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 44 Index

Gillespies HTA Design LLP JB Planning Lanpro Services LONDON • GLASGOW • MANCHESTER • 106-110 Kentish Town Road Chells Manor, Chells Lane 4 St Mary’s House LEEDS • OXFORD • ABU DHABI London NW1 9PX Stevenage, Herts SG2 7AA Duke Street, Norwich NR3 1QA 1 St John’s Square T 020 7485 8555 T 01438 312130 T 01603 631 319 London EC1M 4DH C simon Bayliss C Kim Boyd C Chris Leeming T 020 7253 2929 E [email protected] E [email protected] E [email protected] London W www.hta.co.uk W www.jbplanning.com W www.lanproservices.co.uk E [email protected] HTA Design LLP is a multi-disciplinary JB Planning Associates is an Multi-disciplinary consultancy Oxford/Abu Dhabi practice of architecture, landscape independent firm of chartered town providing specialist advice in the fields E [email protected] design, planning, urban design, planning consultants, providing expert of town planning, masterplanning, Glasgow sustainability, graphic design and advice to individuals and businesses urban design, project management and E [email protected] communications based in London and on matters connected with planning, monitoring, landscape architecture and Manchester Edinburgh, specialising in regeneration. property, land and development. interior design. E [email protected] Offices in London & Edinburgh. Leeds JTP Lavigne Lonsdale Ltd E [email protected] Hyland Edgar Driver 23-25 Great Sutton Street 38 Belgrave Crescent, Camden W www.gillespies.co.uk One Wessex Way, Colden Common, London ECIV 0DN Bath BA1 5JU Urban design, landscape architecture, Winchester, Hants SO21 1WG T 020 7017 1780 T 01225 421539 architecture, planning, environmental T 01962 711 600 C m arcus Adams TRURO assessment, planning supervisors and C j ohn Hyland e [email protected] 55 Lemon Street, Truro project management. e [email protected] Edinburgh Cornwall TR1 2PE W www.heduk.com 2nd Floor Venue studios, 15-21 T 01872 273118 Globe Consultants Ltd Innovative problem solving, driven Calton Road, Edinburgh EH8 8DL C m artyn Lonsdale 26 Westgate, Lincoln LN1 3BD by cost efficiency and sustainability, T 0131 272 2762 e [email protected] T 01522 546483 combined with imagination and C a lan Stewart W www.lavigne.co.uk C l ynette Swinburne coherent aesthetic of the highest e [email protected] We are an integrated practice of e lynette.swinburne@globelimited. quality. W www.jtp.co.uk masterplanners, Urban Designers, co.uk Addressing the problems of physical, Landscape Architects and Product W www.globelimited.co.uk IBI Group social and economic regeneration Designers. Experienced in large Provides urban design, planning, Chadsworth House through collaborative interdisciplinary scale, mixed use and residential economic and cultural development Wilmslow Road, Handforth community based planning. Masterplanning, health, education, services across the UK and Cheshire, SK9 3HP regeneration, housing, parks, public internationally, specialising in T 01625 542200 Kay Elliott realm and streetscape design. sustainable development solutions, C neil Lewin 5-7 Meadfoot Road, Torquay masterplanning and regeneration. E [email protected] Devon TQ1 2JP LDA Design W www.ibigroup.com T 01803 213553 14-17 Wells Mews, London W1T 3HF GM Design Associates Ltd We are a globally integrated urban C m ark Jones T 020 7467 1470 22 Lodge Road, Coleraine design, planning, architecture, town e [email protected] C Vaughan Anderson Co. Londonderry BT52 1NB planning, master planning, landscape W www.kayelliott.co.uk [email protected] Northern Ireland architecture, engineering and International studio with 30 year history W www.lda-design.co.uk T 028 703 56138 technology practice. of imaginative architects and urban GLASGOW C b ill Gamble designers, creating buildings and places Sovereign House, e [email protected] Iceni Projects that enhance their surroundings and add 158 West W www.g-m-design.com Flitcroft House financial value. Glasgow G2 4RL Architecture, town and country 114-116 T 0141 2229780 planning, urban design, landscape London WC2H 0JR Land Use Consultants C Kirstin Taylor architecture, development T 020 3640 8508 43 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD E [email protected] frameworks and briefs, feasibility C nivedita D’Lima T 020 7383 5784 Offices also in Oxford, Peterborough studies, sustainability appraisals, E [email protected] C adrian Wikeley & Exeter public participation and community W www.iceniprojects.com E [email protected] Multidisciplinary firm covering all engagement. Iceni Projects is a planning and devel- GLASGOW aspects of Masterplanning, urban opment consultancy with an innovative 37 Otago Street, Glasgow G12 8JJ regeneration, public realm design, Hankinson Duckett and commercially-minded approach T 0141 334 9595 environmental impact and community Associates aimed at delivering success. C martin Tabor involvement. The Stables, Howberry Park, Benson E [email protected] Lane, Wallingford OX10 8BA IDP Group W www.landuse.co.uk Levitt Bernstein T 01491 838 175 27 Spon Street Urban regeneration, landscape Associates Ltd C b rian Duckett Coventry CV1 3BA design, masterplanning, sustainable 1 Kingsland Passage, London E8 2BB e [email protected] T 024 7652 7600 development, environmental planning, T 020 7275 7676 W www.hda-enviro.co.uk C luke Hillson environmental assessment, landscape C g lyn Tully An approach which adds value through E [email protected] planning and management. Offices e [email protected] innovative solutions. Development W www.weareidp.com also in Bristol and Edinburgh. W www.levittbernstein.co.uk planning, new settlements, We are IDP. We enhance daily life Urban design, Masterplanning, full environmental assessment, re-use of through architecture. We use design Landscape Projects architectural service, lottery grant bid redundant buildings. creativity, logic, collaboration and 31 Blackfriars Road, Salford advice, interior design, urban renewal pragmatism to realise places and Manchester M3 7AQ consultancy and landscape design. HOK international Ltd space. Ideas, delivered. T 0161 839 8336 Qube, 90 Whitfield Street C neil Swanson LHC Urban Design London W1T 4EZ Jacobs E [email protected] Design Studio, Emperor Way, Exeter T 020 7636 2006 226 Tower Bridge Road, W www.landscapeprojects.co.uk Business Park, Exeter, Devon EX1 3QS C Tim Gale London SE1 2UP We work at the boundary between T 01392 444334 e [email protected] T 020 7939 1382 architecture, urban and landscape C j ohn Baulch W www.hok.com C nivedita Vijayan design, seeking innovative, sensitive e [email protected] HOK delivers design of the highest E [email protected] design and creative thinking. Offices in W www.lhc.net quality. It is one of Europe’s leading W www.jacobs.com Manchester & London. Urban designers, architects and architectural practices, offering A multi-disciplinary design and landscape architects, providing an experienced people in a diverse range technical services practice specialising integrated approach to strategic of building types, skills and markets. in urban design and place making visioning, regeneration, urban renewal, projects from concept design, Masterplanning and public realm masterplanning up to detailed design projects. Creative, knowledgeable, and implementation stages. practical, passionate.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Index 45

Liz Lake Associates Nathaniel Lichfield & Paul Drew Design Ltd Planning Design Practice Western House, Chapel Hill Partners Ltd 23-25 Great Sutton Street 4 Woburn House, Vernon Gate Stansted Mountfitchet 14 Regent’s Wharf, All Saints Street, London EC1V 0DN Derby DE1 1UL Essex CM24 8AG London N1 9RL T 020 7017 1785 T 01332 347 371 T 01279 647044 T 020 7837 4477 C Paul Drew C scott O’Dell C m att Lee C n ick Thompson e [email protected] E [email protected] e [email protected] e [email protected] W www.pauldrewdesign.co.uk W www.planningdesign.co.uk W www.lizlake.com W www.nlpplanning.com Masterplanning, urban design, We are a multi-disciplinary practice Urban fringe/brownfield sites where Also at Newcastle upon Tyne and residential and mixed use design. offering services in planning, an holistic approach to urban design, Cardiff Creative use of design codes and other architecture and urban design who landscape, and ecological issues can Urban design, Masterplanning, briefing material. seek to create better places. provide robust design solutions. heritage/conservation, visual appraisal, regeneration, daylight/sunlight Ove Arup & Partners +Plus Urban Design Ltd Malcolm Moor Urban Design assessments, public realm strategies. Consulting West Team Spaceworks, Benton Park Road 27 Ock Mill Close, Abingdon 63 St Thomas Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7LX Oxon OX14 1SP New Masterplanning Limited Bristol BS1 6JZ T 0844 800 6660 T 01235 550122 2nd Floor, 107 Bournemouth Road, T 0117 9765432 C richard Charge, Tony Wyatt C m alcolm Moor Poole, Dorset BH14 9HR C j Shore E [email protected] e [email protected] T 01202 742228 E [email protected] W www.plusud.co.uk W www.moorud.com C a ndy Ward W arup.com Specialist practice providing Master planning of new communities, e office@new Masterplanning.com strategic masterplanning, urban urban design, residential, urban W www.new Masterplanning.com Pegasus Group design guidance, analysis, character capacity and ecofitting studies, design Our skills combine strategic planning Pegasus House, assessment and independent design involvement with major international with detailed implementation, design Querns Business Centre advisory expertise. projects. flair with economic rigour, independent Whitworth Road, Cirencester GL7 1RT thinking with a partnership approach. T 01285 641717 PM DEVEREUX Metropolis Planning and C michael Carr 200 Upper Richmond Road, Design Nicholas Pearson E [email protected] London SW15 2SH 4 Underwood Row, London N1 7LQ Associates W www.pegasuspg.co.uk T 020 8780 1800 T 020 7324 2662 30 Brock Street, Bath BA1 2LN Masterplanning, detailed layout and C julian Seward C greg Cooper T 01225 445548 architectural design, design and e [email protected] E [email protected] C simon Kale access statements, design codes, W www.pmdevereux.com W ww.metropolispd.com E [email protected] sustainable design, development Adding value through innovative, Metropolitan urban design solutions W www.npaconsult.co.uk briefs, development frameworks, ambitious solutions in complex urban drawn from a multi-disciplinary studio Masterplanning, public realm design, expert witness, community involvement environments. of urban designers, architects, planners streetscape analysis, concept and and sustainability appraisal. Part of the and heritage architects. detail designs. Also full landscape multidisciplinary Pegasus Group. Pod architecture service, EIA, green 99 Galgate,Barnard Castle Metropolitan Workshop infrastructure, ecology and biodiversity, Philip Cave Associates Co Durham DL12 8ES 14-16 Cowcross Street environmental planning and 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ T 0845 872 7288 London EC1M 6DG management. T 020 7250 0077 C a ndy Dolby T 020 7566 0450 C Philip Cave E [email protected] C David Prichard/Neil Deeley NJBA A + U e [email protected] Masterplanning, site appraisal, layout e [email protected] 34 Upper Baggot Street W www.philipcave.com and architectural design. Development W www.metwork.co.uk/ Dublin 4, IRE – D4, Ireland Design-led practice with innovative yet frameworks, urban regeneration, Metropolitan Workshop has experience T 00 353 1 678 8068 practical solutions to environmental design codes, briefs and design and in urban design, land use planning, C noel J Brady opportunities in urban regeneration. access statements. Second office in regeneration and architecture in the e [email protected] Specialist expertise in landscape Newcastle upon Tyne. UK, Eire and Norway. Recent projects: W www.12publishers.com/njba.htm architecture. Ballymun Dublin, Durham Millennium Integrated landscapes, urban design, Pollard Thomas Edwards Quarter, Adamstown District Centre town centres and squares, strategic Phil Jones Associates Architects Dublin, Bjorvika Waterfront design and planning. Seven House, High Street Diespeker Wharf, 38 Graham Street, Longbridge, Birmingham B31 2UQ London N1 8JX Node Urban Design T 0121 475 0234 T 020 7336 7777 209-215 Blackfriars Road 33 Holmfield Road C nigel Millington C r obin Saha-Choudhury London SE1 8NL Leicester LE2 1SE E [email protected] andrew Beharrell T 020 7803 2600 T 0116 2708742 W www.philjonesassociates.co.uk/ E [email protected] C l udovic Pittie C nigel Wakefield One of the UK’s leading independent W www.ptea.co.uk e l [email protected] E [email protected] transport specialists offering the Masterplanners, urban designers, W www.mouchel.com W www.nodeurbandesign.com expertise to deliver high quality, viable developers, architects, listed building Integrated urban design, transport and An innovative team of urban design, developments which are design-led and conservation area designers; engineering consultancy, changing the landscape and heritage consultants and compliant with urban design best specialising in inner city mixed use high urban landscape in a positive manner, who believe that good design adds practice. density regeneration. creating places for sustainable living. value. Providing sustainable urban design and masterplan solutions at all Place By Design Project Centre Ltd Nash Partnership scales of development with a focus on Unit C, Baptist Mills Court Level 4, Westgate House 23a Sydney Buildings the creation of a sense of place. Bristol BS5 0FJ Westgate, London W5 1YY Bath, Somerset BA2 6BZ T 01179 517 053 T 020 7421 8222 T 01225 442424 Novell Tullett C Charley Burrough C David Moores C Donna Fooks-Bale The Old Mess Room, Home Farm E [email protected] e [email protected] E [email protected] Barrow Gurney BS48 3RW W placebydesign.co.uk W www.projectcentre.co.uk W www.nashpartnership.com T 01275 462476 Landscape architecture, public realm Nash Partnership is an architecture, C s imon Lindsley Planit-IE LLP design, urban regeneration, street planning, urban design, conservation E [email protected] 2 Back Grafton Street lighting design, planning supervision, and economic regeneration W www.novelltullett.co.uk Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 1DY traffic and transportation, parking and consultancy based in Bath and Bristol. Urban design, landscape architecture T 0161 928 9281 highway design. and environmental planning. C Peter Swift E [email protected] Pro Vision Planning & Origin3 W www.planit-ie.com Design Tyndall House Design practice specialising in the Grosvenor Ct, Winchester Rd 17 Whiteladies Road creation of places and shaping of Ampfield, Winchester SO51 9BD Clifton, Bristol BS8 1PB communities. Our Urban Designers T 01794 368698 T 0117 927 3281 work at all scales from regeneration C james Cleary C e mily Esfahani strategies and conceptual masterplans E [email protected] E [email protected] through to Design Codes – making W pvprojects.com W www.origin3.co.uk environments, neighbourhoods and Planning and urban design consultancy spaces for people to enjoy.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 46 Index

PRP Architects Scott Tallon Walker Smeeden Foreman ltd studio | REAL 10 Lindsey Street, Architects , Low Moor Lane Oxford Centre for Innovation London EC1A 9HP 19 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 Scotton, Knaresborough HG5 9JB New Road, Oxford OX1 1BY T 020 7653 1200 T 00 353 1 669 3000 T 01423 863369 T 01865 261461 C andy von Bradsky C Philip Jackson C m ark Smeeden C r oger Evans E [email protected] E [email protected] e [email protected] e [email protected] Architects, planners, urban designers W www.stwarchitects.com W www.smeedenforeman.co.uk W www.studioreal.co.uk and landscape architects, specialising Award winning international practice Ecology, landscape architecture Urban regeneration, quarter in housing, urban regeneration, health, covering all aspects of architecture, and urban design. Environmental frameworks and design briefs, town education and leisure projects. urban design and planning. assessment, detailed design, contract centre strategies, movement in towns, packages and site supervision. Masterplanning and development Randall Thorp Scott Worsfold Associates economics. Canada House, 3 Chepstow Street, The Studio, 22 Ringwood Road Soltys: Brewster Consulting Manchester M1 5FW Longham, Dorset BH22 9AN 4 Stangate House, Stanwell Road Terence O'Rourke T 0161 228 7721 T 01202 580902 Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan CF64 2AA Linen Hall, 162-168 Regent Street C Pauline Randall C gary Worsfold / Alister Scott T 029 2040 8476 London W1B 5TE e [email protected] e [email protected] / alister@ C s imon Brewster T 020 3664 6755 W www.randallthorp.co.uk sw-arch.com e [email protected] C Kim Hamilton Masterplanning for new developments W www.garyworsfoldarchitecture. W www.soltysbrewster.co.uk e [email protected] and settlements, infrastructure design co.uk Urban design, masterplans, design W www.torltd.co.uk/ and urban renewal, design guides and An award winning practice of chartered strategies, visual impact, environmental Award-winning planning, design and design briefing, public participation. architects, urban designers and experts assessment, regeneration of urban environmental practice. in conservation, all with exceptional space, landscape design and project Random Greenway graphic skills and an enviable record in management. Terra Firma Consultancy Architects planning consents. Cedar Court, 5 College Street Soper Hall, Harestone Valley Road spacehub Petersfield GU31 4AE Caterham Surrey CR3 6HY Sheils Flynn Ltd Grimsby Street Studio, T 01730 262040 T 01883 346 441 Bank House High Street, Docking, 20a Grimsby Street C l ionel Fanshawe C r Greenway Kings Lynn PE31 8NH London E2 6ES [email protected] e rg@randomgreenwayarchitects. T 01485 518304 T 020 7739 6699 W www.terrafirmaconsultancy.com co.uk C e oghan Sheils C giles Charlton Independent landscape architectural Architecture, planning and urban e [email protected] E [email protected] practice with considerable urban design. New build, regeneration, W www.sheilsflynn.com W www.spacehubdesign.com design experience at all scales from EIA refurbishment and restoration. Award winning town centre spacehub is a young design studio, to project delivery throughout UK and regeneration schemes, urban strategies specialising in public realm, landscape, overseas. Richard Coleman and design guidance. Specialists in ecology and urban design. We are Citydesigner community consultation and team passionate and committed to creative THrive 14 Lower Grosvenor Place, facilitation. thinking and collaborative working. Building 300, The Grange London SW1W 0EX Romsey Road, Michelmersh T 020 7630 4880 Shepheard Epstein Hunter Spawforths Romsey SO51 0AE C lakshmi Varma Phoenix Yard, 65 King’s Cross Road, Junction 41 Business Court, East T 01794 367703 e [email protected] London WC1X 9LW Ardsley, Leeds WF3 2AB C g ary Rider Advice on architectural quality, T 020 7841 7500 T 01924 873873 e g [email protected] urban design, and conservation, C s teven Pidwill C a drian Spawforth W www.thrivearchitects.co.uk historic buildings and townscape. e [email protected] e [email protected] Award winning multi-disciplinary Environmental statements, listed W www.seh.co.uk W www.spawforths.co.uk practice encompassing architecture, buildings/area consent applications. SEH is a user-friendly, award-winning Urbanism with planners and architects urban design, masterplanning, design architects firm, known for its work in specialising in Masterplanning, coding, regeneration, development Richard Reid & Associates regeneration, education, housing, community engagement, visioning and frameworks, sustainable design/ Whitely Farm, Ide Hill, Masterplanning, mixed use and development frameworks. planning and construction. Residential Sevenoaks TN14 6BS healthcare projects. and retirement care specialists. T 01732 741417 Stride Treglown C r ichard Reid Sheppard Robson Promenade House, The Promenade Tibbalds Planning & Urban E [email protected] 77 Parkway, Camden Town, Clifton Down, Bristol BS8 3NE Design W www.richardreid.co.uk London NW1 7PU T 0117 974 3271 19 Maltings Place, 169 Tower Bridge T 020 7504 1700 C graham Stephens Road, London SE1 3JB SAVILLS (L&P) LIMITED C Charles Scott [email protected] T 020 7089 2121 33 Margaret Street e [email protected] W www.stridetreglown.com/ C Katja Stille London W1G 0JD W www.sheppardrobson.com e [email protected] T 020 3320 8242 Manchester Stuart Turner Associates W www.tibbalds.co.uk W www.savills.com 27th Floor, City Tower, Plaza 12 Ledbury, Great Linford, Multi-disciplinary practice of urban SOUTHAMPTON Manchester M1 4BD Milton Keynes MK14 5DS designers, architects and planners. 2 Charlotte Place, T 0161 233 8900 T 01908 678672 Provides expertise from concept Southampton SO14 0TB Planners, urban designers and C s tuart Turner to implementation in regeneration, T 02380 713900 architects. Strategic planning, urban e [email protected] masterplanning, urban design and C Peter Frankum regeneration, development planning, W www.studiost.co.uk design management to public and e [email protected] town centre renewal, new settlement Architecture, urban design and private sector clients. Offices throughout the World planning. environmental planning, the design of Savills Urban Design creates value new settlements, urban regeneration Townscape Solutions from places and places of value. Signet Urban Design and site development studies. 208 Lightwoods Hill, Smethwick Masterplanning, urban design, design Rowe House, 10 East Parade West Midlands B67 5EH coding, urban design advice, planning, Harrogate HG1 5LT Studio Partington T 0121 429 6111 commercial guidance. T 01423 857510 Unit G, Reliance Wharf, C Kenny Brown C andrew Clarke Hertford Road, London N1 5EW [email protected] Scott Brownrigg Ltd [email protected] T 020 7241 7770 W www.townscapesolutions.co.uk St Catherines Court, 46-48 W www.signetplanning.com C r ichard Partington Specialist urban design practice Road, Guildford GU2 4DU A team of talented urban e [email protected] offering a wide range of services T 01483 568 686 design professionals providing W www.studiopartington.co.uk including masterplans, site layouts, C alex Baker masterplanning, detailed layout and Urban design, housing, retail, design briefs, design and access e [email protected] architectural design, design and education, sustainability and statements, expert witness and 3D W www.scottbrownrigg.com access statements, design codes and commercial projects that take illustrations. Integrated service of architecture, development frameworks throughout a responsible approach to the urban design, planning, the UK. environment and resources. Masterplanning, involved in several mixed use schemes regenerating inner city and brownfield sites.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 Index 47

Turley URBED (Urbanism West Waddy ADP LLP 10th Floor, 1 New York Street Environment & Design) The Malthouse Manchester M1 4HD Manchester 60 East St. Helen Street Education T 0161 233 7676 10 Little Lever Street, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 5EB C jaimie Ferguson Manchester M1 1HR T 01235 523139 E [email protected] T 0161 200 5500 C Philip Waddy Index W www.turley.co.uk C j ohn Sampson e [email protected] Offices also in Belfast, Birmingham, e [email protected] W westwaddy-adp.co.uk Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, W www.urbed.coop Experienced and multi-disciplinary team Leeds, London and Southampton. LONDON of urban designers, architects and town ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY Integrated urban design, The Building Centre planners offering a full range of urban Department of Engineering & Built masterplanning, sustainability and 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT design services. Environment, Marconi Building heritage services provided at all project C nicholas Falk Rivermead Campus, Bishop Hall Lane stages and scales of development. T 07811 266538 White Consultants Chelmsford CM1 1SQ Services include visioning, townscape Sustainable Urbanism, Masterplanning, Enterprise House T 01245 683 3952 analysis, design guides and public Urban Design, Retrofitting, 127-129 Bute Street C Dr Dellé Odeleye realm resolution. Consultation, Capacity Building, Cardiff CF10 5LE e [email protected] Research, Town Centres and T 029 2043 7841 W Full time: Tweed Nuttall Warburton Regeneration. C s imon White www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/ Chapel House, City Road E [email protected] prospectus/pg/Urban_Design.html Chester CH1 3AE URBEN W www.whiteconsultants.co.uk Part time: T 01244 310388 33a Wadeson Street A holistic approach to urban www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/ C j ohn Tweed London E2 9DR regeneration, design guidance, public prospectus/pg/_urban_design.html e [email protected] T 0203 005 4859 realm and open space strategies and MSc in Urban Design, Post Grad W www.tnw-architecture.co.uk T 0845 054 2992 town centre studies for the public, Diploma or Certificate in Urban Design. Architecture and urban design, C e lizabeth Reynolds private and community sectors. The emphasis is on sustainable urban Masterplanning. Urban waterside e [email protected] design and cultural approaches environments. Community teamwork e [email protected] WYG Planning & to place-shaping. The course is enablers. Visual impact assessments. Environment based upon key requirements in the URS Infrastructure & 100 St. John Street ’Recognised Practitioner in Urban UBU Design Ltd Environment London EC1M 4EH Design’ designation. It can be taken full 7a Wintex House 6-8 Greencoat Place T 020 7250 7500 time (1 year) or part time (2 years). Easton Lane Business Park London SW1P 1PL C Colin James Easton Lane T 020 7798 5137 E [email protected] Cardiff University Winchester SO23 7RQ C ben Castell W www.wyg.com Welsh School of Architecture and T 01962 856008 E [email protected] Offices throughout the UK School of City & Regional Planning C rachel Williams W www.ursglobal.com Creative urban design and Glamorgan Building E [email protected] Also at Birmingham, Leeds, masterplanning with a contextual King Edward VII Avenue www.ubu-design.co.uk Manchester and Plymouth approach to place-making and a Cardiff CF10 3WA Ubu Design is an innovative urban Urban design, planning, landscape, concern for environmental, social and T 029 2087 5972/029 2087 5961 design and landscape architecture economic and architectural design economic sustainability. C allison Dutoit, Marga Munar Bauza practice. We combine creativity with expertise supported by comprehensive e [email protected] understanding to shape development multidisciplinary skills. [email protected] and produce designs that are W www.cardiff.ac.uk/cplan/study/ considered, viable and inspiring, from Vincent and Gorbing Ltd postgraduate/urban-design-ma strategies and frameworks, through Sterling Court, Norton Road, One year full-time and two year part- masterplanning to detailed design. Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2JY time MA in Urban Design. T 01438 316331 Urban Design Futures C r ichard Lewis Edinburgh School of 34/1 Henderson Row e urban.designers@vincent-gorbing. Architecture and Edinburgh EH3 5DN co.uk Landscape Architecture T 0131 557 8944 W www.vincent-gorbing.co.uk ECA University of Edinburgh C s elby Richardson Masterplanning, design statements, Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9DF e [email protected] character assessments, development T 0131 651 5786 W www.urbandesignfutures.co.uk briefs, residential layouts and urban C Dr Ola Uduku Innovative urban design, planning capacity exercises. E [email protected] and landscape practice specialising W www.ed.ac.uk/studying/ in Masterplanning, new settlements, Wei Yang & Partners postgraduate/degrees urban regeneration, town and village 4 Devonshire Street Jointly run with Heriot Watt University, studies. London W1W 5DT this M.Sc in Urban Strategies and T 020 3102 8565 Design focuses on urban design Urban Initiatives Studio C Dr Wei Yang practice and theory from a cultural, Exmouth House, 3-11 Pine Street E [email protected] and socio-economic, case-study London EC1R 0JH W www.weiyangandpartners.co.uk perspective. Engaging students T 0203 567 0716 Independent multi-disciplinary in ’live’ urban projects, as part of C hugo Nowell company driven by a commitment to the programme’s ’action research’ E [email protected] shape more sustainable and liveable pedagogy, it also offers research W www.uistudio.co.uk cities. Specialising in low-carbon city expertise in African and Latin American Urban design, transportation, development strategies, sustainable urban design and planning processes. regeneration, development planning. large-scale new settlement master plans, urban regeneration, urban Urban Innovations and public realm design, mixed use 1st Floor, Wellington Buildings, urban complex design and community 2 Wellington Street, Belfast BT16HT building strategies. T 028 9043 5060 C Tony Stevens/ Agnes Brown Weston Williamson + e [email protected] Partners W www.urbaninnovations.co.uk 12 Valentine Place The partnership provides not only London SE1 8QH feasibility studies and assists in site T 0207 403 2665 assembly for complex projects but C Chris Williamson also full architectural services for major E chris.williamson@ projects. westonwilliamson.com W westonwilliamson.com

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 48 Index

THE GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART Nottingham Trent University College London University of Nottingham Mackintosh School of Architecture University Bartlett School of Planning Department of Architecture and Built 167 Renfrew Street, Glasgow G3 6RQ Burton Street, Nottingham NG1 4BU 14 Upper Woburn Place Environment, University Park T 0141 353 4500 T 0115 848 6033 London WC1H 0NN Nottingham NG7 2RD C joanna Crotch C stefan Kruczkowski T 020 7679 4797 T 0115 9513110 E [email protected] E [email protected] C matthew Carmona C Dr Amy Tang W www.gsa.ac.uk/study/graduate- W www.ntu.ac.uk/apps/pss/ E [email protected] E [email protected] degrees/architectural-studies/ course_finder/108169-1/6/pgcert_ W www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/planning/ W www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy/ Master of Architecture in: Urban Design planning_urban_design_and_ programmes/postgraduate/ courses/architecture-and-built- and Creative Urban Practices; Urban sustainable_development.aspx mresInter-disciplinary-urban-design environment/sustainable-urban- Building; Computer Aided Architectural NTU offers postgraduate opportunities The MRes Inter-disciplinary Urban design-march.aspx Design; and, Energy & Environmental in urban design with a particular Design cuts across urban design Master of Architecture (MArch) in Studies. The MArch programme is focus on residential led development. programmes at The Bartlett, allowing Sustainable Urban Design is a research research and project driven with a multi- Modules are available as either stand- students to construct their study in and project-based programme which disciplinary input that begins begins alone CPD learning or as part of a flexible manner and explore urban aims to assist the enhancement of with a series of core lectures and postgraduate awards. Modules include design as a critical arena for advanced the quality of our cities by bringing seminars that is balanced by literature Built for Life(TM) and Garden Cities and research and practice. The course innovative design with research in enquiry to enable students to develop Suburbs. Our courses are designed for operates as a stand-alone high level sustainability. a multi-disciplinary perspective as a those working full-time with a one-day a masters or as preparation for a PhD. grounding for shared discourse. month teaching format. University of Portsmouth University of Dundee School of Architecture Leeds Beckett University Oxford Brookes University Town and Regional Planning Eldon Building, Winston Churchill School of Art, Architecture and Joint Centre for Urban Design Tower Building, Perth Road Avenue, Portsmouth PO1 2DJ Design, Broadcasting Place, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP Dundee DD1 4HN T 02392 842 090 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9EN C georgia Butina-Watson, Alan Reeve T 01382 385246 / 01382 385048 C Dr Fabiano Lemes T 0113 812 3216 T 01865 483403 C Dr Mohammad Radfar / Dr Deepak E [email protected] C e dwin Knighton Diploma in Urban Design, six months Gopinath W www.port.ac.uk/courses/ e [email protected] full time or 18 months part time. MA one e [email protected] / architecture-property-and-surveying/ W www.courses.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/ year full-time or two years part-time. [email protected] ma-urban-design/ urbandesign_ma W www.dundee.ac.uk/postgraduate/ The MA Urban Design course provides Master of Arts in Urban Design consists UCLan – University of courses/advanced_sustainable_ the opportunity to debate the potential of 1 year full time or 2 years part time or Central Lancashire urban_design_msc.htm role of design professionals in the individual programme of study. Shorter The Grenfell-Baines School of The MSc Advanced Sustainable generation of sustainable cities. One programmes lead to Post Graduate Architecture, Construction and Urban Design (RTPI accredited) is a year full time and two years part time. Diploma/Certificate. Project based Environment, Preston, PR1 2HE unique multidisciplinary practice-led course focusing on the creation of T 01772 892400 programme set in an international University of sustainable environments through E [email protected] context (EU study visit) and engaging School of Architecture, The Arts interdisciplinary design. W www.uclan.ac.uk/courses/msc_ with such themes as landscape Tower, urban_design.php urbanism, placemaking across cultures Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN London South Bank The MSc in Urban Design enables and sustainability evaluation as T 0114 222 0341 University students to work with real cities integrated knowledge spheres in the C Florian Kossak Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences and live projects, politicians, policy creation of sustainable places. E [email protected] 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA makers, architects and designers in a W www.shef.ac.uk/architecture/ C b ob Jarvis critical studio environment. This along University of Huddersfield study/pgschool/taught_masters/ T 020 7815 7353 residential study tours to European School of Art, Design & Architecture maud MA Urban Design (one year full time/ cities help to prepare students for Queen Street Studios One year full time MA in Urban Design two years part time) or PG Cert practice addressing the demands of Huddersfield HD1 3DH for postgraduate architects, landscape Planning based course including units our urban future. T 01484 472208 architects and town planners. The on place and performance, sustainable C Dr Ioanni Delsante programme has a strong design focus, cities as well as project based work and University College London E [email protected] integrates participation and related EU study visit. Part of RTPI accredited Development Planning Unit W www.hud.ac.uk/courses/full-time/ design processes, and includes programme. 34 Tavistock Square postgraduate/urban-design-ma/ international and regional applications. London WC1H 9EZ MA; PgDip; PgCert in Urban Design (Full Newcastle University T 020 7679 1111 Time or Part Time). University of Strathclyde Department of Architecture, Planning C giulia Carabelli The MA in Urban Design aims to provide Department of Architecture and Landscape, Claremont Tower E [email protected] students with the essential knowledge Urban Design Studies Unit University of Newcastle, Newcastle The MSc Building and Urban Design in and skills required to effectively Level 3, James Weir Building upon Tyne NE1 7RU Development programme combines intervene in the urban design process; 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow G1 1XJ T 0191 222 6006 cultural, social, economic, political and develop academic research skills, T 0141 548 4219 C g eorgia Giannopoulou spatial analysis in the effort to present including critical problem-solving and C Ombretta Romice e [email protected] a critical response to the growing reflective practice; facilitate design e [email protected] W www.ncl.ac.uk/apl/study/ complexities within the design and responses to the range of cultural, W www.udsu-strath.com postgraduate/taught/urbandesign/ production of urban realms. political, socio-economic, historical, The Postgraduate Course in Urban index.htm environmental and spatial factors. It Design is offered in CPD,Diploma The MA in Urban Design brings University College London also aims to promote responsibility and MSc modes. The course is design together cross-disciplinary expertise Bartlett School of Planning within urban design to consider the centred and includes input from a striking a balance between methods 22 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0QB wider impact of urban development and variety of related disciplines. and approaches in environmental T 020 7679 4797 regeneration. design and the social sciences in C Filipa Wunderlich University of Westminster the creation of the built environment. E [email protected] University of Northampton 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS To view the course blog: W www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/planning/ The University of Northampton T 020 7911 5000 ext 66553 www.nclurbandesign.org programmes Park Campus, Boughton Green Road C b ill Erickson The MSc/Dipl Urban Design & City Northampton NN2 7AL e [email protected] Planning has a unique focus on the T 01604 735500 MA or Diploma Course in Urban Design interface between urban design & city E sabine.coadyschaebitz@ for postgraduate architects, town planning. Students learn to think in northampton.ac.uk planners, landscape architects and critical, creative and analytical ways C sabine Coady Schaebitz related disciplines. One year full time or across the different scales of the city W www.northampton.ac.uk/study/ two years part time. – from strategic to local -and across courses/courses-by-subject/social- urban design, planning, real estate and sciences/integrated-urbanism-msc sustainability. MSc Integrated Urbanism: Eight Urban Design and Urbanism Modules plus Master Thesis to explore the complexities of creating and managing people-friendly sustainable urban environments.

Urban Design ― Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 EndpieceNews Street view

In UD 137 I mentioned the photographs that Janet Mendelsohn took in the streets of Balsall Heath in the late 1960s, when she was studying under Stuart Hall at the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies (CCCS) at Birmingham University. Her photographs were forgotten about until recently, when a researcher documenting the history of the CCCS discovered some of them, and they 1 Varna Road featured in a rather ad hoc exhibition in Bal- 1964. Reproduced by permission sall Heath last summer called Ghost Streets. of the Library of In January a more professional exhibition of Birmingham her photographs opened at the Ikon Gallery 1 in Brindleyplace, called Janet Mendelsohn – Varna Road. Varna Road was one of those streets scheduled to be demolished and rede- veloped that Mendelsohn documented. It no longer exists, but it was famous in Birmingham and beyond in the 1960s as a signifier for prostitution, just as meant newspapers and meant government. (Its name commemorated the Crimean War, the Bulgarian city Varna 2 Varna Rd from on the Black Sea being a landing point Balsall Heath Rd for British troops). One of Mendelsohn’s 1964 documentary themes was prostitution, and Reproduced by permission of in particular she photographed a prostitute the Library of we know only as Kathleen, who worked from Birmingham Varna Road. 2 In the 1970s the 19th century grid of streets next to the river Rea which included Varna Road was cleared of all its buildings, and redeveloped with new houses. Having a convenient geometry, the street pattern was retained. The street names were retained as well, with the single exception of Varna Road, which was renamed Belgravia Close. (Close, because it was made a no-through- road to deter nostalgic kerb-crawlers). The associations of the name were clearly too strong to allow it to survive. It is quite common for inanimate places to be treated as though they have moral characters, can absorb guilt for events which have hap- 3 Belgravia Close pened there, and deserve punishment. from Balsall Heath Houses in which murders have taken place Road are often demolished, as in the case of Fred 3 and Rose West’s house in Gloucester, which about CCTV, which I suppose is a form of a move by police to track the movements of was demolished in 1996 and replaced with street photography. He cited two instances terrorist suspects among the Muslim com- public open space. Demolition is seen as a of CCTV in Balsall Heath, which produced munity. The installation was done covertly, form of cleansing. I am reminded of Richard different responses from residents. In the and generated a huge reaction against Sennett’s 1970 book The Uses of Disorder, 1990s there was a successful organised Big Brother-type surveillance. The police in which he uses the word ‘purification’ to campaign by residents to deter kerb-crawl- backed down, and agreed not to switch the typify orthodox modern urban redevelop- ers (in a later, post-Varna Road manifesta- cameras on. Edgar contrasted these two ment, in contrast to what he saw as a more tion of prostitution, by then migrated to instances of surveillance of public space, mature attitude which could embrace and a different part of the neighbourhood). with and without the knowledge and sup- make use of diversity and disorder. The residents’ Street Watch organisation port of the community. He also suggested A symposium was held in connection was assisted by police-installed cameras, that CCTV, now so omnipresent in Britain, with the Ikon exhibition, presenting and although many probably didn’t have any film may be replaced by drones. But who would discussing issues around 1960s culture, in. The cameras were recognised as being monitor the drones?. community photography, and prostitution on the side of the community. • and other forms of street life. In discussion In 2010, a large number of automatic Joe Holyoak, architect and urban designer the playwright David Edgar, a resident of number plate reading cameras were in- Balsall Heath, raised an interesting issue stalled in Balsall Heath and Sparkbrook, in

Urban Design ―Summer 2016 ― Issue 139 NATIONAL INFLUENCE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

ENVIRONMENTAL MASTERPLANNING GRAPHIC DESIGN PLANNING & URBAN DESIGN

TOWN PLANNING

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE PLANNING & DESIGN

RESEARCH

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