Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design 19 Maltings Place 169 Tower Bridge Road Winter 2014 London SE1 3JB Urban Design Group Journal

Telephone 129 Issn 1750 712x 0207 089 2121 Urban [email protected] www.tibbalds.co.uk Design market towns

Bringing Planning and Design together to make good places happen URBAN DESIGN GROUP URBAN DESIGN GROUP NewsUDG Update

To-morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform to standards that are suburban at best, and view from the was first published, somewhat unremark- at worst positively rural in their aspiration, ably. However, by the time is was reprinted certainly not a sustainable model for devel- chair three years later, it had been re-titled Garden opment. At the same time, outside London Cities of To-Morrow and the term Garden City they are often the only show in town: public had been born. transport is too poor to support high density In the century since, two Garden Cities car-free development, and the roads can’t One of the things that I love most about the were built – first Letchworth, then Welwyn cope with the quantity of cars that would be UDG is the broad spectrum of ideas and opin- - and although they did not completely meas- needed to support anything approaching the ions amongst our members, and the resulting ure up to the ideal, they did provide a model densities that we expect in larger city centre debate that we have within the group. As the for controlling urban sprawl. However, by the sites. Therefore do we have to accept such success of design review demonstrates, de- time the New Towns came along, the philoso- schemes and make them the best they can bate and discussion is vital to the delivery of phy behind them had fallen out of favour, and be? high quality design. One topic that has reap- the world had moved on; the car was becom- The letter was made more interesting by peared in the past few months and stirs just ing king. In the past few years Garden Cities the announcement that the Wolfson Econom- this debate is the notion of the Garden City. I have seen something of a resurgence, with ics Prize for 2014 would go to an exemplar was reminded of this on the day I sat down to bodies such as the TCPA (which began life as idea for a visionary new Garden City, or more write this article, as I received a letter from Ebenezer Howard’s Garden Cities Associa- specifically the mechanism for delivering a member regarding one of the shortlisted tion) actively promoting them as the answer one. How should the UDG react? Should it schemes that was included in the last edition to the housing crisis. take a corporate line on the idea of Garden of the journal; at the same time, the subject However, the notion of a Garden City Cities, for or against? I would welcome your of the Wolfson Economics Prize for 2014 was is something that divides modern day thoughts … let the debate begin! announced. It is strange to think that an urbanists. Many would agree with my let- Paul Reynolds idea originally set out in a book 115 years ago ter’s author and say that the model is the • can still stir such debate. In 1898 the book antithesis of urban design, instead working

insight for anyone considering a career in urban life and urban design; we have learned Director’s urban design. that they are being used to plan bus routes, The participants were then led through to aid public consultation on new develop- Report the EC1 public realm and parks regeneration ment, and this is only the beginning. Urban schemes by UDG member Liz Kessler, before designers must be aware that these exciting heading on to King’s Cross for a spectacular new technologies will not only provide pow- tour of the new station redevelopment and erful new tools for design but will also have a Over 60 students from London and the South extension by McAslan & Partners. profound effect on the lifestyle of the people East gathered for the UDG’s student welcome Much activity has been taking place for whom they design. day in October. Presentations on working outside London in recent months. In South On a somewhat less optimistic note, a in urban design were given by Katy Neaves Wales, UDG Executive Committee member number of UDG members recently attended (Turley Associates), Katja Stille (Tibbalds), Andrew Dakin has been working to raise the an external conference on the future of cities, Peter Kelly (LB Camden) and Leo Hammond profile of urban design and arranged an inter- and were baffled by a barrage of expressions (Cabe @ Design Council); there was also an esting site visit to Coed Darcy near Swan- such as epistemological and ontological introduction to The Bartlett’s Urban Design sea which, it is hoped, will become a new flexibility, paradigmatic theorisation, and Skills Portal. Recordings of the presenta- exemplar for sustainable development. In constitutive binarism. Of course anyone with tions are available on Urbannous and a great Kent, Mark Chaplin has established KUDOS, a smartphone at hand can decipher these the Kent Urban Design Officers Society, and in terms (eventually) but this misses the es- the East Midlands, the Urban Design Evenings sential point. Urban problems are practical, series is underway at Nottingham Trent Uni- pressing and pernicious; they range from versity, leading up to the 2014 International poverty and death due to epidemic diseases Conference on Urban Design. These are the in developing countries, to fossil fuel de- latest developments in a vibrant growing pendency, mental stress and obesity in devel- network of local urban design groups such as oped countries. These problems warrant ap- those in Scotland and the Solent. plied research and urgent action, rather than And further reflections on the passing being reduced to an abstract word-game. We year of 2013? That it has been year in which are all responsible for the future of our cities, we have been increasingly struck by the towns and villages – and should never lose power of smartphones. Throughout the year sight of this. the UDG has worked to promote awareness Robert Huxford of the potential impact of smartphones on •

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Contents

This issue has been generously sponsored by UPDATE Francis Tibbalds Award Public Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design Events 3 Sector Shortlisted Projects Urban Design Interview: Eithne Moran 4 Short Blue Place, Barking Borough Council 38 COVER The Urban Design Library # 10 5 Know Your Place, Bristol City Council’s City Rochester High Street, photo by Robert Huxford The Pursuit of Growth: The Role of Urban Design Group (CDG) 40 Design, National Conference on A Joint Approach to Residential Design FUTURE ISSUES Urban Design 6 Guidelines, Four North Midlands Councils 42 Issue 130 Central and Eastern Europe Porth Eirias, Conwy County Borough Issue 131 Waterfronts Viewpoint Council 44 Better streets for walking are better for businesses, Tim Long 8 Book Reviews Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design 19 Maltings Place Changing places, changing spaces, Courtyard Housing and Cultural 169 Tower Bridge Road Winter 2014 London SE1 3JB Urban Design Group Journal Telephone 129 IssN 1750 712x Katja Stille 10 Sustainability, Donia Zhang 46 0207 089 2121 Urban [email protected] www.tibbalds.co.uk Walking around Britain, Tim Hagyard 12 Good Urbanism, Six Steps to Creating DesiGn marKet towns Prosperous Places, Nan Ellin 46 TOPIC: Market Towns Designing to Heal, Jenny Donovan 46 Introduction, Jane Manning 14 The Agile City – Building Well-Being and Market Towns Moving to the Future, Wealth in an Era of Climate Change, Jamie Veitch 15 James S Russell 47 Innovation and Inspiration, Jamie Veitch 18 Green Cities of Europe – Global Lessons The First Cittaslow in Wales, Niall Waller 21 on Green Urbanism, Timothy Beatley (ed) 48 Transforming Markets into Market Places, Cities are Good for you – The Genius of David K. O’Neil 25 the Metropolis, Leo Hollis 48 Casablanca – A New Sustainable Market Urban Ecological Design, Danilo Palazzo Square, Tom Van Odijk 28 and Frederick Steiner 49 Slow Towns and Smarter Growth, The Radicals’ City: Urban Environment, Nicholas Falk 31 Polarisation, Cohesion, Ralf Brand and Bringing Planning and New Market Towns, James Gross Sara Fregonese 49 Design together to make and Dominic Scott 34 good places happen URBAN PRACTICE INDEX 50 DESIGN GROUP EDUCATION INDEX 56 URBAN DESIGN ENDPIECE Velocity*, Joe Holyoak 57 GROUP

for the future of towns and cities, the way we seeking to bridge the gap between researcher DIARY OF fund and plan development, or wider issues and practitioner. about urban life? This is your opportunity EVENTS to win over others. Please contact robert. Monday 10 March [email protected] if you would like to take UDG & Urbanista: Rebooting the Unless otherwise indicated, all LONDON part. Masterplan events are held at The Gallery, 70 Cowcross UDG and Urbanista, partner for this event at Street, London EC1M 6EJ at 6.30 pm. Monday 3 February Lime Wharf (Regents Canal, Hackney). First UDG / CPRE London Liveable Cities Film of a two part event exploring the future of Note that there are many other events run by Series (Part 2): Voices of Cohousing masterplanning. UDG volunteers throughout the UK including An engaging insight into this pioneering hous- a free seven event lecture series in Not- ing alternative followed by discussion with Tuesday 18 March tingham. For the latest details and pricing, leading co-housing experts including Maria Industrious City please check on the UDG website www.udg. Brenton (UK Cohousing Network) Developing the ideas behind the UDG’s In- org.uk/events/udg dustrious City Initiative and how design can Wednesday 12 February contribute to creating a sustainable balanced Wednesday 15 January National Urban Design Awards 2014 economy. Led by Jérémy Hernalesteen. UDG / CPRE London Liveable Cities Film Our annual awards event – featuring the very Series (Part 1): Super Density finest in urban design – will be held at the Monday 24 March Short film from 2008 looking at the challeng- Victory Services Club, near Marble Arch in UDG / CPRE London Liveable Cities Film es and potential of building at density and Central London. Advance booking essential – Series (Part 3): The Human Scale offering recommendations for turning such please see the website for full details. Jan Gehl’s fascinating study of human behav- schemes into successful new places. Post- iour in cities and his vision of how to create film discussion with David Birkbeck (Design Tuesday 25 February places inspired by people and their need for for Homes) Psychology of Space (The Science of Urban inclusion and interaction. Design Series) Tuesday 28 January What can scientists tell us about the ways in Wednesday 2 April Urban Design Leaders of the Future which humans navigate and cope with space Market Towns We extend an open invitation to any member and movement? How can we design build- An evening of presentations reflecting the who would like to give a 5 minute presenta- ings, streets and cities that are better suited theme of Urban Design issue 129. tion at this event. Have you a practical vision to human abilities? First in a series of events

Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 1 Leader Update

The following talks, seminars and debates Events at the Gallery have been organised by the UDG and held at Walking to market The Gallery, Cowcross Street, London. Some, but not all of these events are recorded by Ur­banNous and available to watch again on the UDG website, thanks to the gener- ous support of Fergus Carnegie. Of the ones below, only Urban Design Policy is available on the website.

This issue’s topic, the state of market towns, is their strength has declined and they have The Walkable City – either as a health choice or as a way to bring 17 September 2013 more money to the street. He also looked at closely related to more general subjects that suffered from the competition of out of town Speakers: Tompion Platt (Living Streets), walking audits and their effectiveness. preoccupy a wider public: the state of health supermarkets, those that survive are highly Martin Wedderburn (Walk21), and Dale Finally Dale illustrated the process of Newton (Billings Jackson Design) creating New York City’s Wayfinding System. of the nation (and other nations as well) and appreciated: according to recent research, This exciting event bought together 3 speak- He discussed the broad and multi-discipli- the preservation of the planet. A couple of houses in market towns cost up to £14,000 ers: Tompion Platt (Living Streets); Martin nary design team and the benefits of having Wedderburn (Walk21); and Dale Newton these wide-reaching opinions, explaining the spontaneous and most welcome contributions more than elsewhere. The articles gathered by (Billings Jackson Design), each discussing different approaches and types of wayfind- their own take on, and experiences of the ing solution that have been used in different to the viewpoint section deal with walking, its Jane Manning indicate a revival of interest in Walkable City. parts of the city. importance to wellbeing, the pleasure that it markets all over the world, including the most Tompion highlighted why walking is so A very interesting debate touched on the important to London – using the fact that relationship between walking and cycling, gives, its economic benefits, the way it makes car-dominated country that is the USA. And 6.2m trips a day are made solely by walk- as well as the potential conflicts between you appreciate the world. Coincidentally, the European Slow Town movement rejoins ing. He went on to discuss the case of Oxford them, especially in light of increased spend- Street, which has one of the worst pedestrian ing for cycling in London. It was highlighted The Guardian recently published an excerpt food with life at a slower pace, and so back to conditions in London, and three people killed that space for cycling should always come at of a book by Charles Montgomery with the walking. or seriously injured on the streets every day. the expense of road space and not footway Martin explained that Walk21 ‘exists space, with a call for compassion between all beautiful title Happy City: Transforming our This issue also publishes four initiatives to champion the development of healthy road users. All in all it was suggested that the sustainable and efficient communities where issue is complicated and solutions need to be Lives through Urban Design, which emphasises shortlisted for the Francis Tibbalds Public people choose to walk’. His work involves reached as part of a multi-disciplinary design that a city designed for walking and cycling Sector award. In another year of cuts in comparing how cities see walking differently, process. increases everybody’s freedom. Some of the local authorities’ resources, all those that books reviewed in this issue deal with related have been able to innovate and put forward Urban Design Policy – 9 October 2013 concerns and so does the the wider media. examples of good urban design should be Speakers: Roger Evans, Jon Rowland, For example, over Christmas, the former head congratulated. The UDG membership will Nicholas Falk Roger introduced his urban design manifesto of MI5, Eliza Manningham Buller guest-edited have the chance to vote for their preferred for the future of towns, including ten priori- Radio 4’s Today programme and examined the ties for professionals and three initiatives scheme before the award ceremony which will for government. Nick Falk suggested that subject of urban design with designer Thomas take place in February 2014. We hope a large we should learn from the European model; Jon Rowland presented his ten ideas for 21st Heatherwick! number of you will vote and give their support century suburbs. Participants then broke into And so to market towns which combine to colleagues working in a very difficult small workshop groups to further discuss these ideas. See this event on www.udg.org economics, social interaction, food production context. and distribution, and walking, together with a Sebastian Loew • Art in the public realm – becoming those people as well as responding long history of urban development. Although 13 November 2013 to the environment. Speakers: Lindsey Whitelaw, Peter Fink, Michael Pinsky discussed the role of a Jacqui Poncelet, Michael Pinsky curator of art in an urban environment, and Lindsey explained that the topic was of par- the importance of temporary pieces that may Urban Design Group Editorial Board Design ticular relevance today where the role of art or may not last. Future heritage and the rela- Chairman Paul Reynolds Matthew Carmona, Tim Catchpole, Richard trockenbrot (Claudia Schenk and Anja Sicka) is a matter of general debate, and that she tionship between past and present was thus Patrons Irena Bauman, Alan Baxter, Cole, Alastair Donald, Tim Hagyard, www.trockenbrot.com made a careful choice of contributors to the one of his concerns. He referred to examples Sir Richard MacCormac, Dickon Robinson, Joe Holyoak, Sebastian Loew, Jane Manning, UD issue (128) she edited. Her first speaker described in UD issue 128. Helle Søholt, Lindsey Whitelaw and John Chris Martin, Malcolm Moor, Judith Ryser, Printing Henry Ling Ltd Peter Fink, originally an engineer, dealt All speakers emphasised the uniqueness Worthington Louise Thomas, Polly Turton © Urban Design Group ISSN 1750 712X with green urbanism and the links between of each situation and the danger of imposing landscape architecture and the culture and models; they also mostly dismissed briefs. Office Editors Advertising enquiries values of society. He showed examples that The ensuing debate covered aspects of fund- Urban Design Group Sebastian Loew (this issue) Please contact UDG office could unlock existing resources and bring life ing, including the ‘per cent for art’, and the 70 Cowcross Street and Louise Thomas Material for publication to forgotten spaces. role of the community. London EC1M 6EJ [email protected] Please send text by email to the Jacqui Poncelet highlighted the difficul- Tel 020 7250 0892 [email protected] editors, Images to be supplied at a ties for an artist working to a functional Email [email protected] Book Review Editor high-resolution (180mm width @300dpi) programme for people who are not necessar- Website www.udg.org.uk Jane Manning preferably as jpeg ily defined. As a result each project involved

2 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 3 Urban Design Interview Update

Past experience Urban Design Urban Initiatives, London The Urban Design Interview: What does John McAslan and Partners, London Library # 10 Richard Reid and Associates, Sevenoaks, Kent Urban Design mean Office of Public Works, Dublin Deyan Sudjic: The 100 Mile City to me? De Blacam and Meagher Architects, Dublin (Harcourt, San Diego, 1993) Eithne Moran Ambitions To fully live the city that I call home, to walk, to cycle, to swim, to work, to study, to sit and watch, to sketch, to meet, to engage, to not only the future of the city but its already anxious ‘90s. Phil Sayers’ noirish photographs Current position and work understand. predominant characteristics. 100 Mile City appropriately evoke the alienation of the Office of Public Works, Dublin captures that feeling in equal parts of awe paranoia films of the 1970s. Specialisms and repulsion, ‘the frisson of anxiety that Sudjic is not the only one to have char- Education Strategic design frameworks comes from looking into the abyss’. It is no tered this territory. Manuel Castells, Ed Soja, MA Urban Design, University of Westminster, Masterplanning wonder that JG Ballard would certify the Stefano Boeri and Joel Garreau are but a few London (2006), PG.Dip Physical Planning, Detailed design book as ‘a blueprint for the year 2000’. who were then building impressive bodies Dublin University (2003), MRIAI, RIBA (1998) Project management and contract 100 Mile City is a journalistic account of research primarily trying to describe the B Arch, MSc, Arch, Dublin Institute of Tech- administration that takes the reader through mind-numbing parameters in which urban change was taking nology (1995) factoids but whose real power is its sto- place. Koolhaas’s urban project at Harvard rytelling and the weaving of stories into a originally called The Centre for the Study of sometimes chilling narrative of an emergent (what used to be) the City is emblematic of urban condition that is beyond the control the search for something seemingly elusive. of architects, planners and even politicians. In true post-structuralist fashion, that some- Urban design is often described as a concern thing was portrayed as just beyond the reach for the space in between buildings. Here, of knowledge, at least in its entirety. the space in between the traditional centres This is a document of its time, and yet, as of global cities is the fascinating subject of I write this essay from a chain cafe at St Pan- Sudjic’s own account of urbanism, an urban- cras International, I have the overwhelming ism both attributable to irrefutable logics of sense that Sudjic was right when he identified personal mobility, logistics, computerisation, hermetically sealed places of transit as the I grew up in one of the most sprawling city- containerisation and transient communities, city’s new civic spaces... regions of the developed world. A driving but inscrutable as a coherent urban form. Five years ago Sudjic revisited the city licence was more important to me than This is a story about how this condition came (he never really left) in another landmark ↑ Early influences and inspiration.... Lewis Mumford, ↑ Early influences and inspiration – Rome, the ↑ Early influences and inspiration – the 1748 Nolli my neighbourhood. My social network was to be, as much about the failure to come to work, The Endless City. Co-edited by Ricky Peter Hall, Camillo Sitte, Jane Jacobs, Jahn Gehl, city as palimpsest, accumulating and reinforcing Map of Rome, reading the city as a series of public distributed across low-density Brisbane terms with it. Burdett and a document of the LSE-based Kevin Lynch, Gordon Cullen, Christopher Alexander layers of history, uses, and meanings (1993) rooms (library.berkeley.edu) suburbs in sprawling brick bungalows and Sudjic, with the wit and intelligence of a juggernaut Urban Age, Endless City provided low-cost retail sheds. Meanwhile, my formal broadsheet columnist, enjoys casting doubt a kind of update, in case you missed it, of the architectural education was an indoctrination on received wisdom and proceeds throughout city at the beginning of the 21st century. An of village conviviality and Scandanavian mid- the book to debunk some of the most popular inexorable demographic shift towards cities, century modern, in other words, incongruous urban wisdom as though taking shots at so the emancipatory promise of technology, with every other part of my life. many glass bottles lined up on a wall. Jane the emergence of informality as a dominant Who knows why Deyan Sudjic, the Jacobs’s ‘daily ballet of Hudson Street’ is the organisational paradigm, and a reawakened erstwhile design critique of The Guardian spiritual centre of Death and Life, and the sense of global solidarity seems to have her- and current director of the Design Museum, bit of real life experience that legitimates alded a broadly optimistic turn in the ensuing chose to write 100 Mile City. My secret her claim to community advocate and urban twenty years. However while Endless City contention was that he too was experienc- scholar. Sudjic contends that her description takes the urban agenda forwards as a plat- ing a disconnection between the world of of Hudson Street is a paranoid, protection- form for institutional political activism, the design, and the world; that on sponsored ist, even suburban vision of a place that was ground conditions had already been laid with visits to Tokyo, Paris, New York, LA and back actually more dark, diverse and affronting 100 Mile City, and it remains a more compel- to London, between starchitect studios than she would dare admit. Sudjic’s ‘Santa- ling, relentlessly high-speed account of that ↑ Cities for people – the city as festival and ↑ New York – a city of contrast- high rise, low rise, ↑ Reinterpreting the city,.. a new perspective on and gallery private views, he realised the Claus-is-not-real’ delivery is characteristic of spectacle, National Theatre, London’s South Bank global, local, big business, small business, new a public realm where people engage with each thing we persist in calling the city. • (2012) and old (2010) other and the city...Trafalgar Square (2008) existence of an inscrutable and ever more many episodes in this book: Hudson Street ubiquitous realm. Think of the blurred photos becomes an alternative tale of porn shops Read On: accompanying Rem Koolhaas’s essay Generic and ‘frail incontinent widows who would die H.G. Wells; Anticipations / Of the Reaction of City that would follow two years later, the alone on urine-soaked beds’. Jacobs herself Mechanical and Scientific Progress upon Human life and Thought (Chapman & Hall, London, 1902) thoughtless sideway glances from a speed- is portrayed as a middle-class mobiliser of ing taxi into the anonymous outlying fabric of gentrifying residents, who dug in her heels Donald Appleyard, Kevin Lynch & John R. Myer; The View From the Road (MIT Press, 1965) which-city-is-it-next-on-my-itinerary. not so much against the planners and city Sudjic half laments, half celebrates the authorities who wanted to drive highways Robert Bruegmann; Sprawl: A Compact History airport as the city’s new civic square, the mu- through her neighbourhood, but against the (University of Chicago Press, 2005) seum its new landmark, the centre evacuated economic forces that continually change an Darryl Chen leads the urban design studio and reconfigured, and an exurban condition urban district, an opposition that is as futile •at Hawkins/Brown, and pursues independent part-inheriting its functions. He describes a as it is naive. research as co-founder of Tomorrow’s Thoughts landscape shaped by invisible force lines that The last decade of the 20th century saw Today. are determined by fundamental shifts in how a kind of impasse, an anxiety at what the we work, live and travel. This is familiar fare city was looking like after the dismantling of ↑ Sketching... a key urban design tool - a method of ↑ Masterplanning – bid proposals for Sligo’s ↑ Detailed design – urban regeneration in for us of the 21st century, but Sudjic’s book the welfare state and a period of sustained investigating what differentiates the mediocre from eastern quadrant (Urban Initiatives, 2009) Peterborough (MAUD dissertation) published some twenty years ago, is a lucid neo-liberal economic policy. 100 Mile City the well loved place that grows greater with time. description of those conditions, comprising takes its place as a characteristic text of the

4 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 5 Update Update

shifting away from grand plans which had given it a bad name. Small-scale localised action, as highlighted by the imaginative work at Ouseburn in Newcastle overseen by a Community Land Trust, was more sig- nificant. The place has responded well to a programme led by residents: regeneration is seen as a process rather than an end out- come. The question is whether this is growth or rather organic evolution.

Design for Business Jeremy Hernalesteen of Terry Farrell and Partners presented the work he is conducting on the ’industrious city’ for the Urban Design Group, pointing out that new industries are far more environment and neighbour-friendly than in the past, and consequently that the possibilities for mixed uses and integration are much greater. And yet, too often the ap- proved mix of uses is unrealistically limited to retail, offices and residential. In a lively presentation on industrial ecology, Dr Oliver Heidrich of Newcastle University handed out samples of his inven- Prospects for the 21st Century tion Aquadyne, a drainage material entirely sector built more homes last year than any community. After much work to build the their differences, had passionately fought The Pursuit of Rachel Cooper, a lecturer at Lancaster Uni- generated from recycled plastic waste being single volume housebuilder. Future housing capacity of the team, the process remained for their city; and the same was true for the versity who understands the value and use used in Sustainable Urban Drainage Schemes, growth must offer choice, and its resilience fraught; however, it did bring together fisher- new independent mayor of Bristol, George Growth: The Role of of evidence, is doing work with the Cabinet including the London Olympic Park. Business, and co-creation with end users and designers men and residents who had been suspicious Ferguson, a former RIBA President. On the Urban Design Office on Liveable Futures. Studies demon- science and technology have to acknowledge should be much more to the fore, facilitating of each other, and increased cohesion. Brown other hand LEPs could not provide equivalent strate real long-term harm to mental health, they operate within a closed biosphere, as the necessary outcomes. considered that outcomes might have been leadership: Colin noted that the three LEPS National Conference on Urban sleep patterns and job satisfaction, as well exemplified by this product. Tim Townshend, Director of Planning and improved with more professional input and in the West Midlands could not respond col- Design as raised stress levels, due to noise, air pol- The Science City project, on a cleared 24- Urban Design at Newcastle University, ob- direction, but that was one consequence of lectively to the HS2 project. Newcastle 17 – 19 October 2013 lution or lack of green views. Taking 2,288 acre site adjacent to Northumbria University served that the connection of health to place devolution. measures, a city analysis with 50 indicators in Newcastle City Centre, is an example of a has been understood since studies correlat- Conclusion of wellbeing is being developed. Worryingly, masterplan that has fallen apart. Kath Law- ing cholera to streets enabled public health Civic Leadership The debate about what was understood by Cooper finds evidence that high-density liv- less, Head of Development Management at legislation in the 19th century. Shopping John Pendlebury of Newcastle University growth only finally emerged in later discus- This year, the Urban Design Group’s an- ing produces poor social interaction among the city council, explained that it would now areas in poorer districts are often ‘toxic high proposed that effective leadership required sion; a new consensus seemed to be reached, nual conference headed north, away from children. have to be developed in a more incremental streets’ full of take-aways, betting shops, both space and opportunity, and key indi- not a narrow economic view but one that London’s perspectives on the development Edward Twiddy, Director of the North manner, over the longer term. Temporary cheap alcohol and money lenders; his map viduals. Richard Grainger fulfilled this latter covered quality of life and liveability. A no- world, to a good place to understand the East Local Enterprise Partnership, explained uses and routes across the site should ensure relating obesity to take-aways in Haringey role in 18th century Newcastle, leading to the growth environmentalist agenda for cities challenges of achieving growth, in a region how key businesses liked to cluster, and may it remains neither unused nor a barrier within was an eye-opener. Poorer people have the creation of the neoclassical heart of Grainger produced concerns that cities which do not where issues of viability can frustrate many not invest elsewhere even when regions like the city. worse life expectancy, but if they move to a Town. John drew a parallel with the 1960s grow, must decline and contract. good design and development ideas. The the North East, have so much to offer. It was John Thomson of the Civil Engineers healthier and wealthier place, this improves. era of T Dan Smith and Wilfred Burns, who In concluding comments, the UDG Chair Pursuit of Growth was the theme of the con- profit which delivered cities like Newcastle, Municipal Panel spoke of the need for greater He challenged urban designers to provide the had envisioned a Brasilia of the North. Their challenged urban designers to stand up ference, and it took place in the monumental and the Local Economic Partnership (LEP) collaboration between designers and engi- green walkable environments that we know radical plans were not fully realised, but by for what they believe in, and for a planning 1878 Great North Museum: Hancock, in Terry is looking to retain the profit element of neers in dealing with infrastructure. He criti- are healthy for people, and he supports a creating a strong planning department and system that is design and not policy-led. Farrell and Partners’ 2009 extension. industry, beyond branch work or assembly cised utilities which undermined and dam- 1 per cent fund of NHS spending for urban an effective executive, significant progress Liveability and quality have never been more There were four sessions: morning line. Twiddy also argued that businesses are aged public realm schemes, but said designs greenery, as the Liverpool Primary Care Trust was made. The council built roads, seized important, because of the challenges of de- contributions considered Prospects for the essential to deliver the distinctive identity of had to allow for this to avoid for the unneces- does. land, and promoted shopping and education livering economic and sustainable growth. 21st Century and Design for Business. The places. Hitachi building trains and Nissan’s sary use of expensive materials. Engineers Leo Hammond, Design Adviser at CABE, at its centre. Fortunately not all the roads Tim Hagyard and Joe Holyoak afternoon focused on more traditional issues new Infiniti car model were recent successes. also understand that poor maintenance of was concerned that we were increasingly were built, but the provision of a large shop- • of Social Development, with a final ses- While the great majority of enterprises are infrastructure is bad for place-making, and socially divided, in particular by the cost ping presence and the university in the city 1 ‘…we will transmit this City not only, not less, sion offering insights about the role of Civic small and medium size, it is the role and if therefore people stay away, also bad for of housing. He set out a number of ways in proved of lasting benefit. but greater and more beautiful than it was Leadership. However it took the conference value of large businesses which are critical business. which this divide can be reduced, such as Colin Haylock, past president of the Royal transmitted to us’. until the end of the day to get into a more to a healthy economy, as many SMEs feed off greater integration of affordable housing, Town Planning Institute and former design detailed discussion of what was understood them. Social development allowing tenures and rents to be controlled, team manager at Newcastle City Council, by growth, and indeed whether it is neces- Husam Al Waer, Lecturer at the Univer- The conference reflected that housing was encouraging social interaction, networks extended the theme of civic leadership. He sary and something to be welcomed. sity of Dundee, suggested that masterplans at the top of development issues. Georgia of green spaces, and mixing unit types and wished that all leaders would take something One recurring conference theme was seemed a relic from the past, often too Giannopoulou, Director of the MA Urban sizes. similar to the Athenian Oath1. He considered wellbeing and health. In her opening address, prescriptive and focused on outcomes for a Design programme at Newcastle University, Neighbourhood planning was on the that the continuity and purpose of senior Claire Devine of CABE @ Design Council high- built environment that no longer exists. He identified the problems of too many unattrac- agenda, though some communities did not officers and civic leaders in cities such as lighted stark statistics of inactivity, such as claimed that 94 per cent of masterplans have tive housing areas that are energy inefficient, engage with it, once they realised that plans Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle had ← The Sage, Gateshead on that 70 per cent of the population are either failed: an intriguing statistic that nobody ill-suited to an ageing population and foster- had to be pro-growth. Nevertheless, some helped deliver a civic renaissance and longer the river Tyne sitting down or lying in bed for 20 hours a challenged. In an age of uncertainty, the ing poor mental health. She considered that plans were finally coming towards frui- term benefits of place making. By contrast, ↖ Quayside, Newcastle day, and 25 per cent walk for less than nine future is much more about flexibility and the type rather than the quantity of housing tion, three years after the process was first where partisan politics and discontinuity ↑ Conference education minutes a day. So, while urbanisation will be delivering frameworks for development. could be the problem: London, for instance, started. Jules Brown, of the North of England triumphed, such as in Liverpool in the 1980s, summit ↑↑ Ian Mccaffrey of North one of the defining phenomena of the 21st This more flexible approach was endorsed has more bedrooms than people. She out- Civic Trust, was independent adviser to Fish- progress had been much obstructed. Tyneside Council welcomes century, designing for an ageing population by Lee Pugalis, Reader at Northumbria lined alternative housing models such as quays at the mouth of Tyne, a conservation Colin argued that that London’s mayors the Placecheck Team to and for health is a key challenge. University, who sees long-term regeneration self-build and co-housing. The UK self-build area with character and an enthusiastic local Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson, for all Northumberland Square.

6 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 7 Viewpoint Viewpoint streets for walking are better for businesses Tim Long describes improvement schemes that encourage walking and ← Great Queen St improvement benefit businesses layout (before in inset) ↘ Sitting area in Museum St ↘↘ Great Queen St before ↘↘↘ Great Queen St after improvements ↘↘↘↘ An example of the Legible London signage

desire lines and to take shorter routes. street furniture. Routes were improved by Legible London system. These map-based A good example of raised parking and raising loading and motorcycle bays and signs replaced over 36 different types loading bays, and crossings over side the junction, which was also redesigned of fingerpost signs in central London roads is Bernard Street in Bloomsbury. to create space for pedestrians. Further with a single, coordinated wayfinding Both measures reduced congestion and space was created by removing traffic system that is much more effective at improved pedestrian flow between Russell signals, lamp posts, parked cars and encouraging walking because the signs Square tube station and square to the guard railings. This resulted in Great show many more routes and destinations, benefit of adjacent shops, kiosks and a Queen Street becoming the first scheme to and in several different formats. They also hotel. This resulted in the scheme being remove traffic signals in the UK. In order show walking circles that identify all the awarded an Urban Transport Design to improve pedestrian crossing facilities, destinations that can be reached in 5 and Award in 2009. a better balance between pedestrians and 15 minutes. The signs aim to encourage Raised bays and junctions are small vehicles was achieved by sharing the street people to walk rather than catch public measures, which can easily be thought space. In 1997, there was no definition of transport, to reduce congestion on of as providing little benefit. But, shared space, let alone a method to design the tube, and to discover more shops, cumulatively they add up to significant it. Shared spaces in the nearby Seven businesses and places. The success of improvements along a route and greatly Dials area were researched to identify the Legible London has spread with TfL now enhance pedestrian flow and comfort. It is measures that made them successful, and using these maps inside tube stations, on also worth noting that highway engineers these were included in Great Queen Street bus stops and cycle hire docking stations; use similar approaches, widening roads to maximise its success in a space where up they can also be printed. Legible London and improving junctions, to increase to 700 vehicles and 2,200 pedestrians an has now been copied by cities such as New traffic flow. Subsequently TfL found that hour pass through the junction. As a result, York, Vancouver and Sydney. constructing key walking routes is the Great Queen Street became the model for Seating is essential to encourage most successful way to increase walking the design of shared space. walking, especially for those who can only (by about 11 per cent over a range of Consultants JMP were employed to walk short distances because they are Despite the many people in town centres Garden, in central London. It employed schemes) compared to other approaches calculate the economic benefits from the young, elderly, impaired or encumbered across London, the contribution made consultants Intelligent Space to help such as improving single crossings, short scheme. Using the CABE’s methodology by shopping or luggage. Seating also by pedestrians in supporting local shops identify the walking routes that connected lengths of road or dispersed measures. Streets Paved with Gold and the Pedestrian helps to create successful spaces, but and businesses, is frequently overlooked the greatest concentrations of land uses Environment Review System, they is a surprisingly complex issue because and undervalued. Research undertaken by (shops, offices, cafes, pubs, cultural Creating spaces for conducted a before-and-after assessment many people are concerned that it will Transport for London (TfL), found that institutions and businesses). pedestrians of the scheme to measure the walking attract anti-social behaviour. This fear people arriving in town centres on foot, These walking corridors were created The second way to increase walking and improvements, and applying the local often results in benches being removed, spent more than those arriving by any by improving both routes and crossing thus support local shops and businesses, multiplier effect, calculated the increase thus reducing the time and distance that other mode of transport. Therefore, how points, widening footways where possible. is to create new public spaces that enable in land values. This found an economic many people can walk, as well as lowering can high streets and local centres be better In many cases this involved raising loading pedestrians to slow down, browse, uplift of about £4 million per annum for the quality of the space and creating less designed to encourage walking and thus bays to footway level, thus encouraging socialise and spend more time and money. residential properties within 50m of the relaxing and social environments. To help provide greater support to local shops and more people to walk across them and A good example of a small new public scheme and almost £26 million annually make Great Queen Street a successful businesses? reducing congestion on the pavements space is in Museum Street, Bloomsbury: within a distance of one block. A further space, a range of new benches and bins In recent years the Clear Zone beside them. This simple and effective about 20m in the middle of this road was increase of £2.2 million was calculated were designed with Factory Furniture that Partnership designed a range of best measure quickly spread to include many closed to motor traffic. This changed the for all shops within the postcode area resolved about 28 different problems. practice public realm schemes to other types of bays including taxi, coach, site from containing a few parked cars along Great Queen Street and Drury Lane. They set best practice in designing out encourage walking and benefit businesses. motorcycle and parking bays, and it has and passing vehicles to a space with tables The total uplift for retail and residential crime (Design Council), street cleaning The Partnership comprised Camden, been widely copied by other councils and and chairs that attracts and holds many properties was estimated between £6.2 (Keep Britain Tidy) and inclusive design Westminster and the City of London TfL. A good example of the effect of these people in a safer, quieter and less polluted million and £28.2 million annually. This (Centre for Accessible Environments). councils, and was funded by these, measures can be seen on Holborn (behind environment. The first week after Museum figure excludes a considerable amount of The benches are successful at encouraging TfL, and business contributions. These Holborn tube station), where a loading bay Street was closed, a café owner within the commercial floorspace in offices above walking because they are very inclusive: schemes were designed to encourage and a coach parking bay have been raised. pedestrian space reported that he already the shops, the Freemason’s Hall, and a they are designed to accommodate walking in three main ways: Junctions are often the most congested had more customers. couple of large hotels, which could not be different people by providing different • Improving walking routes to local places for pedestrians and require the The best example of the pedestrian and calculated without commercially sensitive heights and widths of seats. Because they improve streets and locate Legible London businesses greatest improvements. Raising junctions economic benefits resulting from creating data. Using the retail and residential land are double sided, they also accommodate signs and benches in central London. • Creating places where people want to or crossing points makes walking a small new public space, is in Great Queen values as a guide for the commercial land more people and seem to encourage These routes encourage pedestrians spend more time significantly easier in a number of ways Street on a key walking route between values within one block of the scheme, it sharing. Wide, narrow and single sided in all three ways: walking, staying and • Designing better street furniture to as it creates a safer balance between Covent Garden and Holborn, in central may have created a total uplift of up to £50 benches were designed to be used on wayfinding. These improvements have, support walking. pedestrians and traffic. By raising drop London. It was designed by the Clear million annually. different width pavements and they have in turn, helped to support local shops and kerbs, it creates flat ‘step-free’ crossings Zone Partnership as it spans the border been successfully used in the Holborn and businesses and to increase land values. Improving walking routes that are easier to use, especially for people of Camden and Westminster councils. Better street furniture Somers Town neighbourhoods. Tim Long is a Principal Transport Planner The Partnership improved walking routes with prams, wheelchairs, rolling luggage The scheme is highly innovative and has The third way to encourage walking is to •at the London Borough of Camden. This article that were up to 2 km long and ran along or that are physically impaired. Removing set best practice in several categories: it create better street furniture. Camden Conclusions represents his own views, and are not necessarily those of the London Borough of Camden or the the busiest streets between major train drop-kerb crossings also enables people improved routes and crossings, created started and helped to design map based The Clear Zone Partnership identified Clear Zone Partnership. stations on the edge of zone 2 and Covent to cross in any direction, to follow their a new public space and introduced new signs in London, which became TfL’s key walking routes to highlight where to

8 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 9 Viewpoint Viewpoint Changing places, changing spaces Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design reflects on ten years of placemaking

← Thame Neighbourhood Plan: site allocation ↙ Area covered by the Newcastle- under-Lyme and Stoke-on-Trent Urban Vision and design guide; an → Lightmoor phase 1 example of joint working between ↘ Tybalds and Bourne Estate local authorities regeneration, Camden, London

the National Planning Policy Framework have taken part in the planning process. longer placed so much on the relationship maintained the importance of positive In Thame, South Oxfordshire, local between buildings, such as overlooking planning, and introduced the presumption people voted yes in a referendum to back distances, but on the quality of the of sustainable development, which feeds their Neighbourhood Plan, the priority housing itself and the improved quality into the visions for Local Plans and area was that future housing growth should not of life that better design brings. Debate frameworks. negatively impact on the town; the plan centres on important questions about the With the loss of the regional tier process responded by letting local people way people live: how much space does a and regional spatial strategies, there decide where best to allocate sites. In the family need to live adequately? And is it is now a duty to cooperate across local Cheshire town of Winsford, by contrast, location specific: do people in Wokingham authority boundaries. Early examples of local concerns were more focused on need more space than people in London? this approach came out of some Housing regeneration issues, in particular the Market Renewal Pathfinders: our strategic town centre, and as a result the plan Car parking urban design guide for Stoke-on-Trent seeks to identify development in strategic Car parking is an issue where we appear commissioning infill development and and Newcastle-under-Lyme set a vision locations, that will deliver more than just to have come full circle in the last decade. building new homes on the Bourne and strategic principles for these two local houses. With the advent of new urbanism and and Tybalds Estates in Central London authorities to help their development urban villages such as Poundbury, the to provide new accommodation that management functions and promote high Character-driven design design philosophy was to hide the car and integrates with the surrounding area and quality regeneration. Ranging from the As a result of the placemaking agenda, provide fewer parking spaces to strongly releases funds for improvements to other strategic sub-regional level to the detail character has become an increasingly encourage people to use other means of council-owned housing. By keeping its of house extensions and materials, it important consideration. Today, most transport. focus on strong urban design and a sense is unique in its scope and results from new local plans emphasise the importance Within the last five years this theory of place to respond to residents’ needs, collaborative working to ensure that the of local character, moving away from the has proved impractical: making parking as well as maintaining the value of its guidance is locally distinctive and retains standardised development of the eighties difficult isn’t enough for people to give up holdings, the council is creating award- the special characters of these Potteries and ‘clone towns’. English Heritage and their car; therefore, parking standards winning schemes that should stand the In the last ten years our planning system industry, even though opinions about towns. CABE guidance on character have paved are going up again and housebuilders test of time. and the context in which urban designers some of its activities differ. Its think- the way here, while the 2007 Manual for are requiring greater capacity to satisfy work, have seen a major shift in the tanks, events and publications brought Localism Streets, although still not fully accepted in customer demand. Today, the challenge Conclusion political landscape and government together practitioners, policymakers and Localism, including neighbourhood every local authority, is helping to ensure lies in integrating car parking into the All this change makes for interesting priorities and in response to the academics, resulting in a step change in planning, is another example of positive that areas retain their individuality as they overall development while still creating a times, with new opportunities coming ramifications of the credit crunch. expectations of quality and a fundamental planning and a key tool and opportunity grow. positive environment. At Lightmoor, near up and many different challenges to keep With Tibbalds Planning and Urban change to development practice that still for good urban design practice. It Not only is local character a national Telford – driven partly by the context, us on our toes. Neighbourhood planning Design celebrating a tenth year in its holds true today. promotes working in partnership with requirement that needs to be addressed partly by changes in policy and market is set to become more widespread, current form – marking another decade of Looking beyond each individual local communities rather than for (or in any policy and design and access demand – the Bournville Village Trust’s promoting collaborative urban design specialist urban design, masterplanning, building’s form, function and commercial against) them and, at its strongest, enables statement, but developers and local initial development phases were designed with local communities, though somehow planning and architecture since the drivers, in order to deliver successful local people to make important decisions authorities alike strive for more locally as tight urban developments with cars adequate funding will have to be identified practice was first set up in 1978, we look places, is now widely accepted across the about the future shape of their towns and distinct development to create better hidden around the back, while the most in order to enable meaningful plans to back on a time of great change. industry. Against this backdrop, urban villages. Both the process and its outcome places and protect existing areas. Recently recent phase is less dense and less urban, influence the future shape of towns and design itself has taken a more central can be bespoke to each community, we have worked with a major housebuilder, with a broader approach to parking and villages as they grow. Placemaking position, with a wider and increasingly creating strategic plans for the towns to preparing guidance and tools to create spaces provided on plot, on the street and Looking into the future, our society The gradual acceptance of placemaking important remit. grow and locally specific policies that developments more in keeping with in communal parking areas. needs to deal with the challenges of an in the UK and its current vital role in reflect the views of the local residents, local character, in a way that would not ageing population and promote healthier regeneration, has brought urban design Positive planning businesses and other stakeholders that have been believed seven years ago when Focus on delivery lifestyles, opening up new roles for urban much closer to the top of the development Astonishingly we are on our second major we facilitated the first housebuilder Although the realities of delivering designers. Larger scale self-build schemes agenda. In recent years, we have seen the reform of the planning system to make it training workshop for CABE. This work successful places are essential to any for instance, will open new avenues for results take shape, from the completion simpler, easier to use and yet again, more mirrors the character assessments and urban designer’s work, it is refreshing urban design coordination. In an ideal of exceptional projects at St Pancras accessible. The 2004 planning reforms character-based design guidance that to see local authorities taking greater, world, urban design would even become a International, Kings Cross and the placed an emphasis on positive planning local authorities have required for some hands-on control of housing and essential mainstream skill, with in-house expertise outstanding Olympic Park, to smaller, and focusing plan-making on a vision for time. In South Norfolk, Tibbalds’ Place- infrastructure, echoing similar approaches across the development industry. But even incremental changes in the day-to-day the future, while the more recent changes making Guidance was closely linked to the in the 1970s. We seem to have gone if it doesn’t, we feel quietly confident that environment, such as the removal of in 2011 have seen the streamlining of council’s own character assessment, while full circle in this approach, but as local there will always be a niche for specialist pedestrian barriers along most London national policy and the introduction of in the Surrey district of Tandridge we authority resources get more and more consultants who can bring a wealth of roads and junctions. localism. What type of places do we want undertook an assessment in partnership squeezed, do we still have the skills? We experience in both design and delivery, to This widely-recognised need for high to create and what sort of environments with local residents, which formed the certainly feel that the capability of local make projects happen. And as the industry quality places and spaces stems largely do we want to live, work, and spend our basis for detailed, place-specific design authorities to borrow once again is an becomes even more aware of the benefits from CABE, undoubtedly an important free time in? guidance. exciting opportunity for creating better of placemaking, there will be more public champion for the quality of the built Core Strategy documents started to places, as public sector landowners and private sector clients willing to invest environment. Established in 1999, its recognise the influence that strategic Changing standards have a long term interest in the success in the benefits that this work can bring. tireless push for improvements meant its decisions about land have on the character At the same time, standards around of the places they develop. The London Katja Stille, Associate at Tibbalds Planning presence has been felt right across the and qualities of places. The introduction of housing have shifted. Emphasis is no Borough of Camden is a shining example, •and Urban Design Ltd

10 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 11 Viewpoint Viewpoint Walking around Britain ↓ Clockwise from top left: Tim Hagyard recounts the experience of a Buddhist urban designer walking around Dundas aqueduct, river Avon; Pontcysyllte canal; Britain river Dee, River Thames, Abingdon; Leicester cycle route 1; Hampstead Garden Suburb; bridge over the Atlantic, Isle of Seil; Grand ↙ Which way to the Lake Union Canal, Birmingham; District? Forth Road and Rail bridge

to pass, to let go. This is very calming and Highlands and Islands were unsurprisingly peaceful. The academic mind, which will the highlights in landscape terms. be more critical, discriminating between But it was shocking to find how hostile what it likes and doesn’t, tends to let the to walkers some environments were. By analysis proliferate. The balance was determining to walk everywhere, the lack to note how I felt about places without of safe alternative paths put me in some getting too caught up in those feelings. very dangerous road situations. I needed As said, Buddhists like urban designers to keep my wits about me, as it seemed seek to foster connections between people that regular consideration for a walker on and places, as well as between the past and the road could only be found in remoter present. This may explain why we all love places with a slower pace of life. bridges so much, and here are some of the As an urban designer, I enjoyed first bridging highlights from the walk. visits to Hampstead Garden Suburb, to Port Sunlight and also to the Ashford The best and the worst of Ring Road project, and in each case was Britain encouraged with what I found. But I was The quality of places is so much better also inspired by people I met, such as a understood on foot. As the walk man who had walked the length of the progressed, I appreciated the changing country at 68; an 80-year old man who character of the country’s landscape, wild, cycled 12 miles every day; an active couple managed, historic, industrial. It was lovely riding tandem for 43 years and another to come across a whole new town or city who had lovingly rebuilt an Old Tin and then just amble straight to its centre. Church. In March this year I began a walk around whose precepts include not touching However, some newly built estates seemed Britain, reconnecting with friends and money, not eating after midday and being so soulless, and some quintessential Lessons from a big walk family, as part of a personal pilgrimage dependent on food offerings or alms. This chocolate box villages so devoid of life So what lessons would I like to share with of 1500 miles, travelling old pathways added an extra dimension to it all. and local services, it once again made me urban designers?Here are three, all highly and visiting many holy places. My local Buddhism has several parallels ask questions about the direction of our unoriginal, but for me proven beyond all government employer had given me a with urban design. It teaches the society and our planning system. Where is doubt. short career break, three months off interconnectedness and interdependence life and where is community? Sometimes The first is that a long walk is a from the daily pressures of development of things, and a holistic approach to life. it seemed that the only sign of life was on great way to bring clearer thinking and management, and I felt very fortunate. The material is not real as it is neither self, the roads. Is this really what we all want? creativity. I suggest we integrate walks I love walking but this walk was permanent or satisfactory, and therefore Of course there is also much to cherish, within the designing process. Keep different, almost endless. It was an the focus is more on the space between most of it landscape and heritage, and walking back to those places that you are experiment and a retreat. How would it things and their interrelationship. largely well conserved. considering, walk around them and then feel to walk all day for weeks on end? I Similarly urban design focuses not so On the walk, I had a habit of visiting walk across and around the towns and walked an average of 16 miles a day for 97 much on buildings or architecture, but World Heritage Sites, such as the cities to see the landscapes that they lie days, with two periods of 30 and 31 days on the relationships of buildings and the birthplace of the industrial revolution at within. of continual walking. It proved to be as spaces between them. In meditation, Coalbrookdale; Bath, the country’s first Secondly, I observed how resilient a much of a physical trial as I might have one is invited to notice the space around World Heritage City and a delight to stroll walker can be in rough weather and just anticipated and I didn’t expect to pass out thoughts and feelings rather than get in; and the magnificent Albert Docks marvelled at the work of two legs. I loved watching Hamlet in Stratford on Avon! The caught up in them. This allows us to lessen in Liverpool, so central to those global to gaze across a landscape and to trace the distances I set myself did not allow time our attachments, be more at ease with life migrations, forced and voluntary, from route my feet had just trodden, feeling very to explore or linger in places, so it wasn’t and it fosters creativity. Africa and Europe to the Americas. connected with it. I walked through wind, a detailed Urban Design Study Tour but Urban design values walking as the vital I intended to walk and just accept rain, blizzards, hail, mist and ice; when the I gained much enjoyment and a wealth lifeblood of towns and cities, but also as whatever was on my route, however country and its transport systems came of experience. As only 12 per cent of the a direct method of learning about places. pleasant or unpleasant that may be. So to a halt, I just kept on going. It is evident country is built over, I passed through In the Thai Forest tradition of Buddhism, I didn’t just stick to the known trails that those urban areas with high levels of much more landscape than townscape. walking meditation and wandering and tourist sights. I didn’t avoid big walking, will have communities that are It was a real education in the physicality, the world is a much valued practice, cities, although I did select the more much more resilient when facing extreme the scale of places, the distances between emphasising contemplation of nature to attractive routes through them, often weather. them, and the form of the country. understand the way things are, so that following canals. I went through London, Finally, the health benefits: in insight and mindfulness can be sharpened. Birmingham and parts of Liverpool conversations to home and family as I hills without losing breath and lost a lot limits and to be even more careful with my Buddhism and Urban Design On the walk, I wrestled with the and Edinburgh, as well as larger towns walked, I often picked up on the illnesses of flab too. I did suffer some damaged footwear choice for the next long walk. I try to be a Buddhist and live by Buddhist tensions between a contemplative such as York, Bath and Cambridge. The that were being passed around in that nerves in my feet, extensive walking in For those interested, my weekly blog precepts. My walk started and finished at versus an academic view of the world. In landscapes of northern England were other, ‘building based’ world. With all that G width boots with H width feet is not of the walk can still be viewed at www. the Deathless Realm Amaravati Buddhist meditation the aim is to simply observe to me, surprisingly remote and out of outdoor fresh air, Vitamin D and regular recommended!The inflamed nerves, [email protected] Monastery and I spent one month walking non-judgmentally whatever arises, and reach of commuters and second-home activity, I suffered nothing in four months, Mortons Neuroma, took several months Tim Hagyard with a Hungarian monk from Amaravati, by dispassionate observation to allow it owners. The Lake District and the Scottish no colds, headaches, flu or bugs. I climbed to recover. So, I have learnt to respect my •

12 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 13 Topic Topic Market towns – on the up moving to the future Jamie Veitch describes the context of market towns and or on the way out? looks into their future

Market towns have a long and starting point, the historical context cherished place in the British of market towns is outlined; this is landscape. Characterised by followed by coverage of some of the a central trading space, good winners at Action for Market Towns’ connections and an historically Towns Alive Awards 2013, providing specific catchment, they exhibit many an insight into how local action is of the hallmarks of good planning fuelling the revival of market towns. and good urban character. As The remaining articles cover a wealth designers, we often find ourselves of design challenges experienced trying to replicate these features in small and medium sized towns. elsewhere in an effort to breathe Some focus on the importance of new life into towns. At the same markets themselves – whether in time though, a huge amount of work central market squares, purpose is taking place in market towns built market halls or out-of-town car themselves as they weather the parks – and how these public spaces economic storm and seek to maintain need to be just that, public, but their relevance. also more than a market space.The This issue’s topic explores the experiences outlined cover British challenges faced by practitioners and international examples, from

working in market towns. As the North Wales to North Africa. ‘High streets and town centres that are fit for within the grounds of churches. Gradually markets presence of the market itself has There are thought to be around the 21st century need to be multifunctional came to be held regularly in set places, at the same social centres, not simply competitors time each week. become the symbol of the town’s 350 traditional market towns in for stretched consumers. They must offer But markets could not take place without success or failure, articles which England. But as the most common irresistible opportunities and experiences permissions, formal or informal. Many regular that do not exist elsewhere, are rooted in the markets took place at emerging settlements, playing investigate how market squares and definition used today is a town interests and needs of local people, and will a major role in the growth of the settlement. They spaces are being reinvented across of between 2,000 and 20,000 meet the demands of a rapidly changing world’ became established as regular trading institutions Action for Market Towns, 2011 thanks to: the world, are included. A third of inhabitants, the messages in this • Royal Grants or Charters: the Monarch would Designation and charters grant a Royal Charter or Warrant, allowing the markets have disappeared over the issue are applicable to over 1,000 UK In an age when over half of the UK’s population right to hold a regular market or fair, mostly to last 15 years. As the market square is towns. use smartphones, when online shopping is the Lord of the Manor. Often the Royal Charters increasing, when many teenagers’ favourite activity were conditional upon the market not being so often a representation of a place’s Together the articles represent a is to play games, are not physical markets just an detrimental to an existing market, the new unique identity – this loss of purpose committed lobby for the continued anachronistic throwback to a past we view with market needing to be more than a day’s travel rose tinted spectacles? The answer is no: they are away from the existing one. Most grants of Royal and activity is of significant concern. success and relevance of market as essential to modern life as ever and they are Charter date from 1199. The following articles are towns and markets in general. evolving to meet the needs of society as it changes. • Prescriptive markets: Other markets were not Some of the earliest references to market towns originally set up by Royal Charter but became intended to give insight into what The lessons learned provide date from the reign of Edward the Elder who, in established simply by regularity. Informal or the 10th century, passed a law enforcing trading formal permission may have been granted by post-recession market towns are salient advice to underpin future to take place in market towns. Markets can simply other local institutions (such as a local Mint), facing, and how their forms, shown interventions in towns across the be defined as trading institutions held at regular and many prescriptive markets may have been intervals. In mediaeval England and Wales much of trading for several centuries before the 13th to be adaptable over hundreds of country, market town or not. the population made their living through livestock century, from when we can find better written years, can keep their relevance farming and agriculture. As most people lived and documentation of markets. An example is ↑ Maldon, Essex, market Jane Mannning worked in the same place, farmers tended to bring the market at Maldon, Essex, which is first town documented since the and attraction into the future. As a • their goods for sale to informal markets, often documented in 1287. 13th century

14 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 15 Topic Topic

England, in order to facilitate movement of goods. amenities and often having a broader economic The Municipal Corporations Act (or Reform base) and urban areas (through a web of economic, Act) of 1835, which reformed local government, social and environmental flows)’ (Sellick J. 2012, established a uniform system of municipal Market towns – fit for the future). boroughs, to be governed by town councils elected Another common physical feature of a by ratepayers. Part of this process of reform traditional market town was a market cross to resulted in some towns losing charters and others obtain or request a divine blessing upon the trading gaining a borough charter. taking place there. Market towns often feature Parish Councils were established in England in a market hall, a corn hall or a guildhall, many of 1894 to take over responsibilities for civic duties which are very ornate, sometimes with space for in rural towns and with the power to tax residents trading within a large ground floor space and to fund their duties. Since 1 April 1974, any parish administrative offices above. Buildings around council in England has the right to call itself a town markets were important: houses could be used to council. A parish council, where it exists, is now the buy and sell goods; temporary stalls projecting first or lowest tier of local government in England. from houses on market days often evolved over Market towns weathered significant social, time to become permanent shops. Banks, pubs political and economic changes. Many suffered and inns often sprang up within the houses or (like other towns) from the decline of agriculture, buildings neighbouring the market squares. mining, textiles or other industries. Other Sometimes, neighbouring houses were built above challenges included: thoroughfares to create arcades or enclosed public • The industrial revolution and its subsequent spaces: Ludlow, Totnes and the market place in decline Newark are examples of these. • The recession of the 1930s We can distinguish between market towns, such • The Second World War and the loss of as Skipton, that have continued to be economic agricultural workers to the war effort between hubs that draw people in, and others, such as 1939-1945 Bishop’s Stortford which evolved in the latter half • The migration of the rural population to urban of the 20th century to become commuter towns areas. serving nearby larger towns and cities. Yet the decline in high streets and the particularly tough Morris notes that ‘in the early 1990s people climate for retailers in the last ten years have living in small towns (especially business people, perhaps led to economic hubs and commuter local councillors, and those active in voluntary market towns to have more in common once again. organisations) began to comment that their towns, Research by AMT and others (such as Ball, which still, in their view, fulfilled important and 2007) has highlighted that market towns share a Successful markets became centres of local traditional service functions for the inhabitants number of common issues, including balancing activity and subsequently developed as settlements, of surrounding settlements, had been neglected the often competing pressures for growth and the thriving for a variety of reasons: proximity to by policy makers. To many of them this was about conservation of their heritage, accommodating castles or other fortifications; transport (perhaps a perceived lack of fairness, and a belief in their traffic, coping with the reality of being within being next to a crossroads or a river crossing); and town’s potential to contribute – sustainably – catchment areas for larger towns and cities, as the quality and variety of the produce available to to what, in 2011, would be called localism, or well as the danger of commuting supporting a drift buy and to sell. They also became useful sources of community-led development (The Impact of towards dormitory town status. Poor access to income for the holder of their charter: from rent Organisational, Policy and Programme Changes digital technologies is also a common problem, as and from fees paid for using the official weigh- on the Effectiveness of Market Town Partnerships. is worklessness and inequalities: unemployment beam. Some towns had specialist markets which University of Exeter, 2010). has risen much more sharply in market towns than not only dominated their economies, but had a far It is perhaps this perception that policymakers elsewhere, and wages are often lower. concerned by a lack of a strategic approach from ↑ Maldon, the harbour wider catchment area than other local markets. needed to address market towns, that led to the well Yet there is a premium attached to living in policymakers in tackling the specific challenges and ↑↑ Skipton, a town that Specialisms could be crops such as barley (Ware), resourced Beacon and Market Towns Initiatives of market towns. A 2012 survey by Lloyds TSB which issues facing market towns. continues to attract people corn (Ipswich), cloth or livestock. the late 1990s and early 21st century. tracked house price movements in 113 market towns Previously, the Beacon and Market Towns Often, markets were regulated by independent Market towns, like other towns, must also in England found that two thirds have higher house Initiatives covered market towns; and market towns Juries of the Manorial Court, permanent bodies address the recent decline affecting high streets: prices than neighbouring towns; and homebuyers used to fit within the former Regional Development with powers to collect rent and some other income, competition from out-of-town and internet typically spend £23,000 more to live in a market Agencies’ economic strategies. But today, the policy keep the market place orderly and clean, and even retailers, increasing rents and business rates, lack town. House prices in market towns across England approach is more piecemeal. Reading about the administer punishments for certain low-level of affordable housing and a change in how we view were found to be, on average, 11 per cent higher challenges it is easy to wonder what the future holds or petty misdemeanours. Becoming a municipal retail. than their county average, while the average house for market towns. corporation with a charter to hold a market and price itself (£235,719 at the time of the survey) Ball believes, based on wide ranging qualitative receive its profits, an independent judiciary, and Formats and features was found to be more than six times average gross and quantitative research, that market towns ‘have certain rights of self-governance, was the aspiration Market towns have traditionally been defined as annual earnings. always had and will continue to have the ability of successful towns. Some corporations developed having a population between 2000 and 30,000. Market towns’ high streets have been subject to adapt to an ever-changing environment’. And from Manorial Courts, others from mediaeval Action for Market Towns (AMT) itself commented to the particular challenges affecting high streets as AMT’s Chris Wade has frequently commented, Guilds; in towns with a Merchant Guild in particular that ‘despite the differing populations, the key across the country. Bill Grimsey’s 2013 report towns are not simply sitting back and waiting for the corporation’s privileges, including the right characteristics they have in common is a capacity to documents the scale of the challenges, particularly something to happen. Many are taking control of to trade, belonged to the Freemen, a select group act as a focal point for trade and services for a rural to retailers, in great depth; AMT summarised the their future, through using new powers under the within the town. hinterland’. report’s recommendations in September 2013. Localism Act such as the Community Rights and As far as physical features are concerned, While the Portas Pilot, town team partners, Neighbourhood Planning, and through developing Changes over the last century traditional market towns often, but not always, high street innovation fund, Future High Streets genuinely town-led projects. The industrial revolution, transportation, had a wide main street or a central open space. Forum and other initiatives aimed at supporting the Every year, AMT recognises and rewards many ↑ Congleton town hall recessions, wars and population movements led to Frequently located near to important crossroads revitalisation of the high street, can be welcomed of these projects in its Towns Alive Awards. A few (Cheshire), Photograph by Tom Bastin used under significant changes for market towns. Local railway or river crossings, they are often surrounded by for having a positive effect in many towns, these particularly outstanding and successful town-lead Jamie Veitch, head of Creative Commons 2.0 lines were built in the 19th century with priority farmland ‘inextricably connected to both rural initiatives are not (and cannot be) solely specific to initiatives are described in the following article. •external affairs, Action for License given to market towns, particularly in the north of places (supporting a number of services and market towns. However, some commentators are • Market Towns

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involvement, an initial, popular project – cheaper local car parking – has lead to a portfolio of Innovation and community owned assets generating footfall and inspiration income for this town. Homegrown Food Festival Action for Market Towns draws lessons from successful The Homegrown Food Festival is the first of its kind in Northallerton. It builds on and amplifies examples community interest in growing its own food, using local produce, supporting local producers and becoming a more sustainable town. First held in June 2012, and organised by a small group of dedicated volunteers reporting to the Northallerton and Villages Community Forum, this outdoor festival was established to showcase local food producers and raise the profile of quality produce within 40 miles of Northallerton. Designed to appeal to the widest audience and promote locally grown and produced food, the festival was free of charge to the public and hosted practical gardening workshops, cookery demonstrations from gourmet chefs, live music, and children’s activities during the day, making it a rewarding and relaxed event for all the family. This then is a festival by the community for the community, inclusive, dynamic, flexible, fun, and innovative through the breadth of its scope.

Beccles Lido Limited Beccles Lido Limited (BLL) is a community group that took over, renovated and now operates the heated open-air swimming pool in Beccles. The group has saved a near derelict site, galvanised the local community, ran a major fundraising programme, and with over 10,000 volunteer hours Market towns and high streets may be facing tough • reopened an old shop as an Eco-shop which sells and help from local businesses saved the much- challenges and conditions: but they are facing local produce and craft, repairs and recycles loved community facility. them straight on with inspirational ideas and tools, books, and clothing. Local people can Created in 2009, BLL raised £250,000 in projects that other towns and neighbourhoods bring items to the shop which can then be sold on grants and £50,000 from fundraising events and can replicate. Three case studies – all winners in their behalf donations, and acquired the pool from Waveney various categories in the 2013 Towns Alive Awards • renovated an old shed to provide the first home District Council which had closed it. This money – demonstrate the creativity, innovation and can-do for the Cardigan and District Agricultural and refurbished the pool and bought energy saving attitude in today’s market towns. Maritime Museum which opened at the site last measures. But this was just the start. April 2011 saw installation of solar PV panels to 4CG Cymru 2010 Ltd • renovated a derelict cottage to provide affordable generate electricity, and the discovery and repair 4CG (Cymdeithas Cynal a Chefnogi Cefn Gwlad) was accommodation for a local family of a major leak which had existed for years Different approaches ↑ 4CG addition in the town originally established for the purpose of securing • purchased the old court house, which will be but was never fixed. 2012 saw further repairs In 2011 the Westminster Government invited Mary centre of Cardigan a town centre site for the people of the locality. used as a much needed community venue, and and improvements, the installation of a slide Portas – self-styled Queen of the High Streets, to ↑↑ Home grown food festival, Northallerton Through a community share issue, the project police station which will be let as office space. for younger children, and the introduction of suggest ways of improving the high streets; the raised over £300,000 from the support of over 700 swimming lessons for young, old and schools. Portas Review on the Future of Our High Streets was people. Further achievements are that: The most significant part of the project was also published in December. At the time it was received The initial purpose was to offer cheap, short- • a local produce market is held at the site every realised in 2012. Until then, the pool had only had by commentators with a mixture of responses: stay town centre parking, since the council-run Thursday, promoting locally grown organic fruit a short 5-week trial season, and a first full season. ‘better than expected’ and ‘could do better’. car parks in Cardigan were the most expensive in and vegetables In both, the pool was well used but only barely The Government responded by publicly Ceredigion. The high street shops now benefit from • Awel Deg (the renewable energy branch of 4CG) profitable. Following a sustained programme of stating acceptance for all but its most radical the convenient cheap parking, and local people are ready to submit a planning application for a advertising and improvements to the catering, and recommendations, though genuine enthusiasm are more likely to drive into town to buy individual community wind turbine that will provide 10 to despite poor weather, 2012 saw unprecedented (and real backing) was reserved for only half of items rather than going to the out-of-town 11 per cent of Cardigan’s electricity need. Since numbers use the pool and the Lido was established Portas’s decrees. supermarkets. £10,000 a week leaves Cardigan in electricity as a truly sustainable facility. It generated AMT reported in April 2012 that the government The project has only ever received £2000 in charges, 4CG is pushing forward renewable significant profits that have been ploughed back appeared willing or able to deliver only seven of grant income. Yet, via a community share issue, energy schemes to provide a better way of living into making it an even better place to visit, and thus Portas recommendations in the short term. Since and later through reinvesting trading revenue from and to support local jobs generate the funds required to make it sustainable then, other actions have taken place, but Portas car parking and other asset development, it has • 4CG is installing wifi masts throughout Cardigan for the foreseeable future. herself has appeared frustrated that many of generated over half a million pounds for capital to facilitate affordable internet connections for The project is a fantastic example of voluntary her ideas were not being implemented, and has asset purchases, and ongoing revenue to develop local people and visitors. effort utilising thousands of hours of volunteers’ criticised the Government for failing to provide further projects to benefit the community. time, tremendous fundraising, methodical analysis enough support to her work. The income from the car parking has facilitated This amazing project shows how keeping local of what needed to be done and extensive research AMT’s round up of Portas Progress one-year on the renovation of the Jig So children’s centre which money circulating within a local economy has a into how to accomplish this, and the revitalisation reflected the progress that many Pilots and Town ↑ Appleby weekly market, supports vulnerable children and families. The multiplier effect, strengthening the foundations of of a loved-but-lost community facility into a high Teams made with real community-led actions, Cumbria project has also: towns. Using a community share issue to catalyse quality and profitable asset. despite frequent frustrations and some ownership

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joined-up regeneration and re-enforce the Welsh Government’s whole-town perspective. The first Cittaslow in Scotland The Scottish Government has demonstrated its Wales independent thinking with an injection of cash through a Town Centre Investment Fund long Niall Waller explains how Mold will manage to grow preceding its backing for a National Review of Town Centres published in July 2013. whilst maintaining its character Badged as ‘community and enterprise in Scotland’s town centres’ and prepared by an external advisory group, this review is committed to a civic, cultural and social role. An official government response is still awaited to determine whether the review was too independent to gain backing and resources, to deliver the boldest of its recommendations.

The latest reviews The Future High Streets Forum (FHSF) appeared to be a response to considerable feedback (or criticism) of the Westminster government’s response to the Portas review. Set up in summer 2013 it was originally due to report in October, but having lost both its co-chairs it is now due to report in early 2014. Veteran retailer Bill Grimsey does not mince his words; we must accept that ‘there is already too much retail space in the UK and that bricks and mortar retailing can no longer be the anchor to create thriving high streets and town centres’. And we should ‘repopulate high streets and town centres as community hubs encompassing: more housing, education, arts, entertainment, business/ office space, health and leisure – and some shops’. But his independent and alternative review of the future of the high street, launched in Autumn 2013, Despite the challenges faced by all small towns, position for future regeneration activity. The study aspired to ‘put the UK back on top by revitalising Mold has survived better than many and continues undertaken by Roger Tym and Partners, ended in and re-structuring the micro economies that are to offer a strong, vibrant and distinctive retail mix. 2008 and identified that Flintshire’s towns varied our towns and high streets’. Many of his ideas are to At present, the challenge is how to plan and design in their condition but that all were in need of be welcomed and resonate with work AMT’s Towns the future shape of the town using the planning some intervention to halt decline and encourage Alive and amt-I teams are already doing in towns, and regeneration processes, and in so doing, to regeneration. with towns’ experiences and other suggestions (see strengthen its local distinctiveness. www.towns.org.uk/2013/09/04/bold-ideas-time- Mold is a small Welsh market town, For Mold, Roger Tym and Partners concluded that: for-action-amt-welcomes-grimsey-review/) approximately ten miles from the border with ↑ Beccles lido, issues at local level. We called, though, for wider England and from Chester, the nearest higher-order ‘We consider that Mold is quite a healthy town Photograph by Shaun national and systemic change and focused, long- Conclusion settlement. Known in Welsh as Yr Wyddgrug, the centre, but that there is a need for intervention Crowley term leadership from central and local government. What does all of this tell communities, councils town is home to around 10,000 residents (2011 to stave off potential decline. This is all the ↑↑ Shop front in Margate, one of Portas pilots, and companies struggling to rejuvenate town Census). It is located within Flintshire unitary more important given the strengthening Photograph by Gareth Wales centres? Some stimulation is offered by the authority. competition from larger centres outside of, Williams used under Creative The Welsh government has busied itself writing, breadth of thinking at a national level, along with Mold retains the character and functions of a but close to, the County boundary, as well as Commons License consulting on, and re-writing a series of reviews policy permutations or opportunistic funds that traditional market town and draws customers from the planned expansion of Broughton Retail to direct town centre policy and funding across follow. Otherwise, the lesson is that nobody has a a wide rural hinterland and from across North East Park … we recommend that the council and its the country. The first of these was the Welsh monopoly on solutions and that the best place to Wales and North West England. Its character and partners should seriously consider the potential Assembly Report on Regeneration of Town Centres lead a local revival is from within the community popularity are helped by the thriving twice-weekly for delivering a centrally located development published in Spring 2012 with a distinct focus on that cares most about and understands its town. street market, the livestock market and the wide scheme to attract new, high-quality retail and whole-town thinking and a firm guiding hand for At AMT we strive to help towns on this long-term range of independent stores. Mold was the first leisure outlets of the type that are currently the planning system. Perhaps not surprisingly, the and troublesome route by tailoring local responses, member of Cittaslow in Wales, joining a European missing from Mold’s offer. In our assessment, Welsh Government responded positively to what and there are a breadth of practical people and network of towns celebrating their distinctiveness, Mold is the only one of the seven study centres essentially was its own report. experienced communities to draw inspiration from. quality of life and sustainability. Whilst it has not where there would be sufficient developer and Parallel to this and elsewhere in the Welsh We will help input ideas to national discussions and been immune to the decline of smaller town centres operator interest to make a significant retail-led Government, a Vibrant and Viable Places strive to make dialogue digestible but the delivery across the UK, it still attracts a high level of footfall, development scheme viable.’ Regeneration Framework was hatched in various of locally-led action plans will need to be resolute particularly on market days, and retail vacancy is iterations to guide how public funds could help and not become distracted by national policy low. In response to the Roger Tym study, Flintshire rejuvenate a handful of struggling town centres and ponderings. County Council launched its Town Action Plan coastal towns. • Baseline study programme, establishing partnerships to lead the In Wales, a small number of town centres will In 2007, Flintshire County Council commissioned process in each of the target towns. ↑ Mold town centre public share a substantial sum (£90m). The winners a healthcheck study of the seven main town During the early stages of the Town Action Plan realm strategy, Heritage have had to promise to add housing to their centres in the county to provide a snapshot of process, the town council, Cittaslow group and Initiatives/Harrison Design • Jamie Weitch list of tasks in order to give a semblance of their vitality and viability, and to form a baseline county council commissioned Heritage Initiatives to Development 20 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 21 Topic Topic

A delicate balance will need to be struck between securing investment to bring employment and new commercial activity into the centre and steering the form and finish of development

produce a feasibility study to identify ways in which not just the town centre, and to coordinate the including a transformation of the only open space for Mold will be whether and how to use urban the character and distinctiveness of the town could efforts of the many groups working in the town. in the town, Daniel Owen Square, into a multi- growth to help to strengthen the town centre. be strengthened and greater benefits realised. The The Town Action Plan for Mold, adopted in 2011, purpose events area are currently being planned Carefully planned housing growth may offer the Mold Sense of Place study has been an important is firmly rooted in the distinctive character of the ready for delivery in 2014. The Sense of Place study opportunity to increase the customer base of the document in capturing and communicating the town and in the strong sense of ambition from the has provided the basis for the development of these town, something that could work well in Mold due values of stakeholders in Mold. It set out clear partnership that due to its unique strengths, the projects. to its wide appeal, but that might not work as well aspirations for maintaining the distinctiveness of town can punch above its weight. The aims for Mold in less popular centres. The Colliers study will help the town including preserving its historic assets, are to become: Future development to identify options for sites that would maintain improving the public realm, improving accessibility • An attractive town with well designed public The partnership is now embarking upon the next rather than undermine the character of the town and legibility and increasing its visitor appeal. spaces and a strong sense of place stage of the process, to develop long-term plans for and that respect its clear natural boundaries and • A high quality commercial environment the town that enable development whilst meeting the character of the surrounding landscape and key The Sense of Place study recommends: supporting thriving businesses and a valued local the aspirations for the town and maintaining its vistas. • Improving the appearance and usability of Daniel workforce character and distinctiveness. Prevailing lower economic yields will also Owen Square as the sole space for events in the • An inclusive community with a strong sense of The timing for this process is fortuitous as pose a challenge in attracting new commercial town centre belonging and participation Flintshire County Council has recently adopted its development into Mold. Whilst there appears to • Investing in physical improvements to the car • A distinctive place where locals and visitors Unitary Development Plan and is now beginning the be a level of commercial interest in the town, a parks as main arrival points in the town, and connect with history, culture and countryside. development of the Local Development Plan. This delicate balance will need to be struck between improving the attractiveness and legibility of the • A model of environmental sustainability, provides an opportunity to review the evidence base securing investment to bring employment and new pedestrian routes from these car parks to the embracing change and innovation for Mold and to create a development framework commercial activity into the centre and steering the retail area • An active contributor in local partnerships with that encourages investment whilst also protecting form and finish of development, so that it reflects • Extending the attractive public realm treatment strong integrated networks across the region. the continued vitality of the town centre and the the character of the town and not that of identikit on the High Street to some of the secondary (Mold Action Plan 2011). distinctiveness of the town as a whole. commercial brands. Large areas of publicly owned streets to encourage greater footfall, combined Colliers International, Allies and Morrison land in the town centre may help to unlock some of with improved pedestrian access by increasing Early win projects, funded by Flintshire County Urban Practitioners and Mott MacDonald are this potential. pavement width, thus reducing pinch points and Council and delivered by the town council, currently working with the county council to vehicle dominance Cittaslow volunteers and the county council, have produce an assessment of potential development Public spaces • A vigorous approach to resisting inappropriate focussed on improving the appearance of the town. sites in and around Mold to guide this process, Public space is scarce in Mold and the growing change to buildings in the conservation area, In addition, the partnership helps to co-ordinate a identifying potential end-uses and modelling their events calendar and strong visitor market, make together with offering incentives to restore lost vibrant programme of annual events that celebrate impact on the highways infrastructure as well as open spaces for activity and relaxation vitally historic character and improve general property the distinctiveness of Mold: a festival on the Bailey their potential market appeal and deliverability. important. Future development will need to design appearance. Hill, a beer festival, a literary festival celebrating This work will help to inform the development of in good quality opportunities for green space, the author Daniel Owen, an annual Carnival and a the Local Development Plan and will be fed into the events and social activity, whilst maintaining the ↖ Concept sketch illustrating Character based improvements food and drink festival which now attracts 15,000 preparation of detailed masterplans for the more commercial value of the schemes. one possible option for future town centre The Town Partnership brings together public, visitors annually and has become a nationally important and deliverable sites in the town centre. The livestock market in the town centre is development, Allies and private and voluntary sector organisations to important event. The key question for the council and its partners a particularly emotive concern that divides Morrison Urban Practitioners ↑ Mold High Street consider the future needs of the town as a whole, Larger scale public realm improvement projects, as it works through the preparation of the strategy stakeholders. This market is very much part of ↑ Context plan

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wider regeneration areas well suited to civic, retail and hotel use. Conversely though, the loss of the trade brought in each week by the livestock market’s Transforming Markets customers, would need to be carefully assessed and planned for to avoid a detrimental impact, not least into Market Places to the character it can be said to impart to the town. The street market also represents a challenge David K. O’Neil advocates the revival of markets to help for the future. Unlike many of the smaller markets across the UK, Mold’s market has maintained much the wider economy of towns of its vitality, still has a waiting list of traders and has a regional draw for visitors. However, incomes have gradually declined over time in the face of The prolonged development of the industrial era competition, and the average age of traders is nearly wiped out the market culture in the United increasing with few new entrants to the sector. The States. But in spite of the rush to modernity, council will work with the traders to encourage the people seem to still crave the human scale and entry of new ones, to promote the market more sense of community that markets provide. And effectively and to continue to raise the quality while headlines indicate that high-tech dominates of the markets in the face of growing customer the national economy, low-tech markets are expectations. bringing life and dollars back to thousands of local communities. There has been an extraordinary revival in the The challenge will be to identify US market culture over the last few decades. From a solutions to redress the pedestrian/ few hundred in the 1960s, there are now over 8,000 farmers markets in small and large towns across the vehicle balance without creating country. After a near complete death spiral, markets further congestion and reducing the have regained a robust following, creating one of the fastest growing and most influential movements convenience of the town centre in the food world.

Value to local economy The town centre retains its historic street The power of markets goes well beyond the moment pattern, assisted by the A494 bypass which ensures of transaction. It may be an overstatement that through traffic is kept away from the central a local tomato can change the world, but it can commercial area. The main High Street enjoys a certainly add vigour to a town if it is sold in a good balance between vehicles and pedestrian market properly sited, tenanted and designed. By use but this is lacking elsewhere and the Sense of bringing people together, markets make a place Place study recommends improving the pedestrian safer and more interesting, and add value to the environment to encourage foot traffic in secondary surrounding real estate. retail areas. The challenge will therefore be to Increasingly, many towns are paying attention identify solutions to redress the pedestrian/vehicle to the importance of food and community health, balance without creating further congestion and incorporating them into new policy and planning reducing the convenience of the town centre. The agendas. Some pioneering towns such as Sedgwick, traffic modelling currently underway will provide a Maine, have approved local food ordinances to useful tool in testing the impact of proposals. preserve small-scale farming and food. Despite the national trends that blight the Overall, it is estimated that local food sales at vitality of smaller towns across the country, Mold markets are running over a billion dollars a year. remains one of the most successful market towns in This is certainly a lot of money, though not so much there is a desire to improve them and provide more the sub-region. The town though, has seen limited if compared to the six billion spent on the junk enjoyable market places. development in recent years and the council and food staple, potato chips. Nevertheless, markets Putting the ‘place’ back into a market can partners have the opportunity to build upon the are reaching a critical stage in their re-evolution, transform it into a more pleasurable social strengths of the town to create the conditions that gaining respect as viable civic projects that can experience and a stronger economic generator. will attract high quality development that meets its bring character and humanity back to once barren As the fledgling markets build clientele, they are aspirations, maintains its distinctiveness whilst also main streets and downtowns. also building political capital, making it easier bringing fresh economic impetus. A combination A key impetus for the early market movement to negotiate with the town supervisors for better of strategic spatial planning, site assembly, strong was helping farmers, but new players and interests locations and improvements to the infrastructure partnership and a commitment to the character are making the list of beneficiaries much longer. in order to achieve more comfort, safety and better ↑ Mold food festival the historic character of the town but occupies a and ambition of the town, will ensure its continued The push is now on rebuilding local food systems aesthetics. ↑↑ St Mary’s church crucial site adjoining the High Street that could success as a regional market town. and keeping money circulating in the local For the past 25 years, Project for Public Spaces dominates the streetscape provide linkages to the bus station and surrounding • economy. Jobs are being created, farms are being (PPS) based in New York City (www.pps.org) has of the town centre development land, offering a fantastic opportunity saved, and downtowns are getting new life. In been working with communities to start or revive for future town centre development. Deciding the some towns, markets are even one of the most historic markets. As our philosophy begins with future of this site will be a thorny topic for partners visited amenities, beating traditional draws such as the adage that local people are the experts, we and will pose complex design challenges to prevent sporting events and entertainment. facilitate market-planning workshops with vendors, the erosion of the character of the town, if a new customers and other stakeholders, to set their goals development is proposed. Importance of location and layout before getting into any physical improvements. • Niall Waller is Economic Relocating the livestock market to an out-of- In spite of their popularity, markets have largely to When we do start designing the market, we always ↑ Designed by FUNchitecture Development Manager for town site would create a huge opportunity for a make a go of it on unexpected public spaces, such as begin by determining the location of the best from Flint, MI, the retrofitted Flintshire County Council newspaper printing plant and was part of the client major town centre expansion, making available parking lots and closed streets that stalwart market public spaces – gathering areas, entrances, aisles, will take on a new life as the team for site assessment larger retail footprints that the town desperately organisers are able to wrangle. As these fledgling seating and restrooms -and then lay out the stalls home of the Flint Farmers work in Mold lacks, and providing legible pedestrian linkages to markets mature and demonstrate increased value, and commercial spaces. This first step is a simple Market.

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The single action that brought the market alive, and in turn allowed it to address broader issues, was moving the market from a mediocre sidewalk location to a place that was designed for and by the community. This process transformed the market experience from one that was transaction-based, to one that was place-based with a strong sense of community stewardship. The relocated Saturday market opened in the summer of 2006 and became an immediate success. Over 750 people came to the opening day and vendors sold out. Since then, the market has grown steadily in terms of vendors and customers, reaching 35 vendor-producers in 2009 and essentially outgrowing the train depot site. Fortune has continued to shine on the new market and in early 2013 it received a grant to expand with market sheds, an urban farm, café and community kitchen and a meeting space. The market is intentionally working to help revitalise a low-income neighbourhood near the train depot, including assisting to tend and plant community gardens, operating a mobile market, conducting farmer training and providing the public with nutrition education.

Flint, Michigan Flint Michigan, known as the birthplace of General Motors, has seen its population reduced by half to 100,000, while its economy has lost its engine. With the departure of most of the automotive industry, the town is undergoing a reinvention in which the market is playing a central role. Decades ago the city’s market was relocated to the outskirts of town, and recently it has seen sales and patronage increase, defying the logic of a city in decline. The Flint Farmers Market attracts thousands of customers each week, but most of them just drive in and out of the market’s parking lot, never setting foot in the historic downtown’s shops and restaurants. This disconnection of civic assets, led to the idea of bringing the market back into the heart of downtown. The big drivers to revive downtown are the non- exercise that helps make the market a better place Spartanburg, South Carolina profit Uptown Reinvestment Corporation and the for all. population 39,000 locally based Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Workshops include on-site evaluations and The City of Spartanburg, whose fate was once who see the relocated market as a natural way to an opportunity for participants to reveal what married to the textile industry, is experiencing a increase foot traffic, liveability and walkability, and they like best about the market, and to share revival with new businesses, a walkable downtown build synergies to keep more money in the regional recommendations on short-term improvements and a strong commitment to creating healthy economy. It is ironic that the market is relocating that would help the market, long-term citizens and neighbourhoods. With the support of into a building that was vacated by Flint’s long-time improvements that should be considered, the the Mary Black Foundation, the Hub City Farmers daily newspaper. types of products that should be sold, activities Market worked with PPS to prepare a plan to open Moving the beloved market is rife with emotion, that could take place in and around the market, a new farmers market, with the goal of creating an as it is considered one of the best things in town potential partners and ideas for the best layout. economically viable, vital community gathering and everyone has an opinion about why it should While the logistical aspects of running a market place as well as a venue to promote healthy or shouldn’t be moved. But moving it is. After and keeping it clean are important, a good layout eating and lifestyles. Since two previous farmers an intensive process of community and vendor and thoughtful public spaces are what make it markets had failed in Spartanburg, the council involvement, the new market will have permanent conducive to gathering and socialising, which wanted to make sure that the best possible site was indoor stalls, community kitchens, meeting spaces in turn lead to stronger sales and repeat visits. chosen and the right approach to the market was and temporary outdoor spaces for farmers to sell In all of our research, a market’s most effective undertaken. PPS set up a community-based process off the back of their trucks. PPS was hired by the advertising is word of mouth, so the customers and Uptown Reinvestment Corporation to help with Flint market: the downtown themselves become the market ambassadors. Conducted a training program about how to open public workshops and provide design assistance to ↑ • location will allow the This grassroots revival is taking place nearly and operate a successful market Funchitecture, the project architect. The project is market to become an active everywhere in the US and markets are bringing • Assessed multiple sites for the market, scheduled to open in 2014. David K. O’Neil has participant in city life new faces to Main Street; more towns are using recommending a historic train depot site • •worked on over 200 market ↑↑ Flint Sketch Plans: ↑↑↑ Healthy Food Hub, ↑ The Hub City Farmers their markets to spark adjacent activity and bring Hosted a Placemaking workshop at the site, for projects around the world market customers and Spartanburg with a shed, Market, Spartanburg – • and is the Senior Director supporters shared ideas gardens, greenhouse and initial design resulting from character back to the town centre. The following the community and future vendors of Markets at the Project for and suggestions for the café arranged around a community workshops and are a couple of relevant examples to show how this • Prepared a plan for the market, including Public Spaces in New York new space, leading to a central public gathering visioning exercises is working today. merchandising, budget, and operations City. www.davidkoneil.com conceptual plan place.

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heat in this region, the team were surprised to find that these simple but ingenious techniques were no CASABLANCA – A new longer used. The site proposed for the new market square is sustainable market strategically located a manageable distance from the Medina and the Hassan II Mosque, off Driss El Jay Avenue, and opposite a school. The brief for square the new market square encompassed the following Tom van Odijk considers the whole context in which a objectives: • To research, respond to and highlight the unique market square is conceived aspects of designing an original market • To create a new contemporary social space where locals can meet and shop • To generate discussion and ideas about the functionality of community and street commerce • To meet the requirements of green architecture • To experiment with innovative materials. The area is sandwiched between traditional street markets. It is a relatively poor area with many craft workshops. What particularly struck us was the proximity of a landfill site located in the adjacent residential area. Despite, or perhaps because of this, the streets were littered with garbage, giving the impression that no one really bothered to keep the place in good shape. It was as though most people were too occupied with their struggle to improve their own daily life to notice the declining quality of their surroundings. Both legal and illegal markets dominate the streetscape and are vital to the local economy. The downside of this density of commercial street business is the pollution and the decay of the public space. The design would have to serve as an example of how to improve the practical aspects of the market but leaving the existing social economic structures intact.

The proposed scheme Our winning design included an environmental is called ‘evaporated cooling’: it is like the sweating canopy over the space and this was praised for the of the skin. A thin layer of water on top of the In the UK, the focus has been on saving existing masterplan and the national rural strategy mean manner in which it optimised human comfort and roof evaporates by the heat of the sun. The heat is markets in the face of tough economic competition. that the role of street markets and souks needs to employed passive environmental strategies. extracted from the hot air under the roof and the In North Africa, the context is very different: evolve to meet the needs of a revitalised city with We approached the design process from a cool air drops down on the market. markets are still very much the centre of a town or big ambitions. programmatic scenario, given the real need The curved concrete forms of the design city’s daily life, and despite significant economic for practical solutions. It became a study with are both a tribute to 1950s modern Casablanca hardship, they are growing, demanding new and A new type of market space an equally divided focus on: firstly idealism, architecture and a reflection of the female form, better space, and questioning the historic format of In 2012, the Architectural Competition Concours concerning change in social responsibility, and creating an interesting relief to the dominant male the souk as they do. d’Architecture (AC-CA) was launched for a secondly, functional design concerning practical culture on the street. In addition, and perhaps new sustainable market square in the heart solutions for managing waste, temperature most interestingly, the design includes a refuse and A Moroccan context of Casablanca. This provided us – TomDavid and sustainability in general. Eventually the waste handling system: market waste is collected Amidst the turmoil throughout the rest of North Architecten – as the ultimate winners, with an proposal was a success because the overall design and filtered on site, below ground. This is a direct Africa, Morocco has been a symbol of relative opportunity to explore the cultural role of markets incorporated both issues. response to the litter and waste observed in the stability, and the authorities, guided by an in the city and investigate how these spaces might Our standpoint is that one cannot and should local area, and a conscious move to actively manage underlying need to maintain and enhance social evolve in the future to support strategic objectives not separate local culture, social economics and this issue. cohesion, are keen to plan positively for the for social cohesion. climate. Casablanca, and this site in particular, The market level itself is a large open area future. As the country’s economic hub, Casablanca We see the market square as a good metaphor for illustrated how interwoven these issues are and for trading edged by a cafe on one side and an has been the focus of a city-wide masterplan society, and we grasped the opportunity to manifest that the integral context needs to be dealt with as a information kiosk on the other. The market space to steer change over the next 20 years, the a culture change through the design of a new whole. A very different solution would probably be is divided into five specific zones: meat, fish and Schéma Directeur d’Aménagement Urbain du sustainable market square as a liveable public space. offered for Dubai, although the climate is similar. In seafood, fruit and vegetables, flowers and spices. Grand Casablanca (SDAU). This masterplan is From the outset it was clear that the culture of this case, we opted for something that was durable The clear departure from traditional market venues underpinned by a vision to establish Casablanca as Casablanca would be very challenging. An initial due to its simple technical structure. in Casablanca is that this space is designed as an a world city, une grande métropole mondiale. visit to the city highlighted the tremendous decline The scheme has three important levels: an open public space as well as a market. Alongside the masterplan is a national strategy in the quality of public space: it was as if no one upper roof level, a ground level market space and for rural development – the Plan Vert – which seeks felt responsible for public spaces. The government an underground service level. The shape of the The future of new market spaces to reconnect rural produce and urban markets. seemed only interested in prestige projects and the roof canopy refers to nature, providing shade and We hope that the brief for the project was motivated In line with this, opportunities are being actively ordinary citizen had no means to change things. In shelter like a tree. The overlapping of the canopy by the opportunity to enable a cultural change. ↑ Axonometric and diagrams pursued to establish better urban and peri-urban addition, the climate, or rather the North African leaves enables air circulation and allows rainwater In these emerging economies, there is scope of the proposed new market ↑ CGI and section of the new agriculture in Casablanca, as well as sizeable culture to deal with the climate was interesting. In to cascade towards an underground storage tank. and appetite to improve. In the case of sudden square showing the waste market square residential development. Together, the city-wide researching the traditional techniques to combat This ancient method for cooling used in the design growth there is often a tendency to focus only on handling system

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inform the process. There is still room for the social and political improvement of public space, especially in a world that is more and more focused SLOW TOWNS AND SMARTER on digital societies. GROWTH Conclusion In reflecting on the project and our wider Nicholas Falk suggests ways of reviving market and international work, it is important to maintain the accessibility and quality of public space in a world other small towns that is increasingly dominated by private rather than public entities. Governments can be expected to monitor the social balance in the public space, whereas private parties generally have an economic interest which can be at odds with the public interest. Anecdotally, there appears to be an inverted parallel between Europe and emerging countries. In the Netherlands and much of Europe, governments are withdrawing further and further from the development and management of public space, and leaving them to the market (citizens and enterprises). These private parties have to utilise an economic business model in order to make projects feasible to develop. But in order to keep on allowing everyone to participate in the public space, this economic model must work alongside some sort of social business model. This model is not only about profits but creates commitment and pride, and ensures that more people take responsibility by accepting both the benefits and the burdens, and thus are able to maintain the achievements. In contrast, the Casablanca experience suggests that in emerging countries, governments are becoming more and more involved with public space, but have less experience of how to balance economic and social interests. Whether in Casablanca, Rotterdam or Norfolk the quality of market and public space design is key. If the designers’ time is limited or cut out entirely, and the quality of materials and workmanship not prioritised, schemes will inevitably require more maintenance and thus cost more in the long-term, As market and other small towns in Britain look for be at least 6.5 miles or a day’s walk from each other. which is just not sustainable. In essence, we are new roles and attractions to bolster up declining They flourished when craftsmen and traders lived trying to make public space more extraordinary, trade, important lessons can be learned from above the shop, and most people walked in to shop, and extraordinary space more public. In many of similar places in both continental Europe and the or took deliveries. ↑ Site of the proposed new these cases there is a renewed role for the people USA. For some decades, despite efforts to promote But since the publication for the newly created market square Whilst practical solutions need to involved and their sense of responsibility. vital and viable town centres, the overwhelming Action for Market Towns of New Life for Smaller ↑↑ Existing street market, • retail trends have been first out of town, and then to Towns (1999), which set out practical steps, market Casablanca steer the design, an idealistic buying goods on the internet. Yet some towns have towns and their smaller counterparts in urban areas point of view should closely inform met the challenges by emphasising the qualities have had to deal with four further challenges: the process that make a place good to live in – their attractions, • Changing work and shopping patterns: accessibility and amenity – to repeat the three As working women and larger storage at home in the good practice guide Vital and Viable Town allowed people in the UK to go for the big Centres, produced by URBED in 1996. shop once a week. Strangely, whereas on the economical prospects, whilst the very real need for This article draws heavily on visits made with Continent, for example in Germany, those with sustainable public space is overlooked. UDG tours led by Alan Stones, and also on a money still support their local centres, in the So, what design approaches will make market recent return visit to the East Coast of the USA, UK the smart thing has been to go to one of the squares successful in the future, whether in North as well as direct experience of living in Stroud in palaces erected by the main grocery chains that Africa or elsewhere? A successful approach would Gloucestershire for over 20 years. soon started selling everything. be to focus on the local context as a coherent • Over-dependence on the car: the availability system, with specific social qualities and different The roots of decline of free out-of-town parking allowed those with local maintenance possibilities. The feasibility or Town centres in the UK are facing decades of money to spend, to use their car as a delivery scale of the market itself needs careful thought investment in superstores and out-of-town retail van, leaving smaller town centres to those with alongside a more comprehensive economic parks, which have created new attractions on the time but no money (including the unemployed analysis, considering both formal and informal edge. While we have not yet reached the situation of and the retired). trading and the wider benefits of high quality public the American doughnut with a hole in the middle, • Disinvestment and neglect: as planners spaces. Designs will always be more successful if most centres are a long way from being like the negotiated with developers to squeeze in Tom van Odijk is •a partner at TomDavid improvements can be incorporated on more than Danish pastry, with a rich centre. The English more retailing, little skill or funding went into Architecten, based in one level. Whilst practical solutions need to steer market town, the subject of many excellent books, looking after the open spaces or the streets ↑ Square in Cortona, Rotterdam. the design, an idealistic point of view should closely first grew strong from a law that required them to themselves. Occasional paving schemes and Tuscany (Alan Stones)

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It is quite common to find a town with only a few thousand inhabitants being run by a town council with a small staff that can keep the place looking good, and well promoted. Many US small towns are taking a similar approach, particularly those that are linked to the national Main Street Program and value what is left of their heritage. Originally promoted by the American equivalent to our National Trust, and with a distinct focus on finding viable new uses for historic buildings, this is now run through the International Downtown Association in Washington. From discussions as well as visits to some showpieces, a number of lessons stand out: • Marketing counts: branding and promotion are all the more important in a rural area with few chain stores but a lot of retail strips to contend with. The internet enables retailers to broaden their markets, for example by specialising in niche markets, and then developing mail order sales. So, instead of sitting waiting for customers to turn up, retailers reach out using their shops hanging baskets were not enough to counter the is probably the most outrageous. The process as showrooms and warehouses. loss of attractions. The charity shop became the of buying directly from the producer creates • Artists are key: cheap space and beautiful dominant multiple, and independent retailers the chance encounters that can make shopping surroundings draw in creative people, who can were hit by rising rates and falling sales. in town so much more pleasant than going to a play a large part in rebranding an area. Regular • Fragmented governance: local authorities supermarket, and may even cost less. festivals and events all add to the pleasures of made up of a number of former parish or town 2 Streets for strolling: a set of streets and spaces living in or visiting a market town, and artists councils, found it difficult to focus on any one that are a joy to wander through, reflected in can make good use of redundant space until the centre, except perhaps the largest. As parking more photographs than could ever be used. market picks up. In Beacon Falls, some two hours revenues became a major source of income for English landscape designers seem to prefer the by train from New York, the old Nabisco’s carton district councils, town centres were used as cash complex to the simple and highway engineers printing plant has been turned into the largest cows, rather than treated as part of the common seem to either prohibit cars, or allow them to contemporary art gallery in the world. Not every centre car parks would be better redeveloped as ↑ Slow Town signalling its wealth. Unsurprisingly when the recession hit, drive far too fast. The overuse of yellow lines town can do this, but many can lure artists out housing, while cars park in the streets, as they do attractions many retail chains cut back, closed down or mars most attempts to upgrade the surfaces of their homes, and ensure their works are on in most French small towns. switched to internet sales. Once again vacancy (quite unnecessarily as towns like Bury St display. 3 Encourage distinct zones: there was once a levels are scaring off private investment, and Edmunds or Petersfield have shown). Instead • Cafes are the new workplaces: every café now pub on every corner, but today it makes sense to despite appeals by avid retailers like Mary of signs saying what you cannot do, it would contains people hard at work on their laptops group bars and cafes, and to have different parts Portas, the prospects seem gloomier than ever. be better to create places that look and feel or tablets; they no longer need to live in a city to of the town appealing to different tastes and welcoming. work in one. Creative people need to meet and so ages. Even the smallest town can benefit from 3 Welcoming signs: successful small towns tell too do mothers with young children, and those a special place that stresses quality, and where Instead of signs saying what you you what is on offer where. Every small French who are unemployed or feeling despondent. The people can meet each other. town seems to boast of its features, and the Slow conversion of old buildings into artists’ studios 4 Use markets to go upmarket: markets are no cannot do, it would be better to Towns are quick to tell you what they have to sell. or enterprise centres also boosts activity. longer a thing of the past, and farmers markets create places that look and feel 4 Shops worth looking at: instead of shops • Invest in management: the concept of first promoted in the USA have successfully boarded up or covered in shutters that suggest Town Centre Management and of Business spread to many English towns. Stroud’s was welcoming the town is a no-go area after dark, successful Improvement Districts both came out of US one of the first, and it has won many awards. places use shop windows to promote what they towns and cities that were trying to breathe life From every fortnight it has become a weekly have to sell. In Stroud, good use has been made back into centres that had died. Turning a place attraction that has drawn back customers The Slow Town approach of vacant premises by artists, such as a weaver, around requires more than the occasional grand from the wealthier fringes, with as many as 50 Continental towns have also suffered from or for local history displays. There are now four project. Undoubtedly the American mantra stalls, including some local crafts. In addition competition: for instance, the German retailers Lidl bookshops (one is also a café), plus market stalls, of ‘clean, green and safe’ also applies to many the historic Shambles Market operates on a and Aldi have attracted consumers through low and the number of vintage clothes shops is also smaller towns in the UK. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with an indoor prices. But many smaller towns have fought back by growing. market as well. emphasising quality in a way still foreign to most 5 Living towns: finally, towns that are attractive Designing for smaller towns British towns. to look at, are also good to live in. As a result Applying these lessons to British towns as some Conclusion Cittaslow is a movement that aims to counter of higher densities, more people live in or near designers are trying to do, should involve four Market towns have a vital role to play provided they the obsession with fast food based on imported the centre and make it safer at all times. Instead principles: remember they are primarily social places, where ingredients. Using the sign of the snail as a common of the kind of Wild West atmosphere that often 1 Bring back residents with money to spend: people go to meet each other, and where the retail theme, the members have employed many different prevails on a Friday or Saturday night in British in most small towns retailing needs to be follows. They should be a major source of work for strategies, but five common ingredients stand towns thanks to vertical drinking, people sit at consolidated, and housing to expand. But any urban designer. By revitalising the hearts of our out, which some British towns are using to good tables and are served, which keeps the tumult the housing should not just be for those on towns, we can not only improve our sense of well- advantage. down and employment up. There is plenty of the housing register. The best buildings can being, but also help restart our economy and reduce ↑ Streets to wander in, 1 Local produce: providing good places to eat scope for a range of cafes, some 14 or more in be turned into homes for so called lifelong carbon emissions, a strategy for smarter growth. Cortona, Tuscany (Alan and drink, often out on the street, with a pride Stroud – excluding the many churches that also neighbourhoods, perhaps through some form of • Stones) in using local meat, fruit and vegetables. The offer places to meet and run leisure activities. co-housing. ↗ Cafe tables in the street, first town in England to take up the slogan was 2 Tame the car, don’t kill it: market towns need to Dr Nicholas Falk is the Castiglione del Lago, Umbria  •founder director of URBED, (Alan Stones) Ludlow, and in the growing number of towns Lessons from Main Street, USA draw on a wider catchment area, and therefore and did much of the early ↗↗ Market in Faenza that label themselves Transition Towns, local Continental towns benefit from their ancient roots, many will come by car. Full pedestrianisation work on Vibrant and Vital (Alan Stones) produce is a key attraction; Edible Todmorden local management, and local sources of funding. can only work at peak times. Many edge-of- Town Centres.

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depth. What is clear from the failings of the current New Market Towns, a government to publish guidance on garden cities, is that the true essence of what Unwin, Parker and model for the delivery of Louis de Soissons (the architect of Welwyn Garden City) were seeking to achieve was not merely an especially green form of new settlement (crudely the nation’s housing need distilled by politicians and some local government James Gross and Dominic Scott suggest returning to the planning officers into simple leafy avenues), but rather a return to the organically grown, true essence of the Garden City model harmoniously and artistically designed market towns of Europe. This is where our New Market Town model comes in. Garden cities were a solution to genuine health and social issues of Victorian overcrowding. Today’s political favouring has more to do with seeking a paper-thin fix to dealing with troublesome, self-congratulatory NIMBYs, rather than anything to do with the science of creating truly sustainable, beautiful places. Howard was quick to warn that the illustrations in his Garden Cities of To-morrow were nothing more than diagrammatic representations of a utopian form of place. Examining the reality of the UK garden cities and suburbs as realised, demonstrates how removed from this ideal the few completed examples have become. Whilst both of the New Market Town is limited to the Letchworth and Welwyn at their core remain true to determination of the settlement location, potential the original ideals of the creation of harmoniously capacity and infrastructure network. The individual designed places which apply a structured cells and the centre or nucleus of each village, and informality to achieve beauty in place, a trip to indeed the location of the individual villages that the periphery reveals a preponderance of estates, collectively will comprise the town are left to the disloyal to the original design criteria. settlement itself to determine over time. As a result, the British public is much less This non-deterministic masterplanning, familiar with garden cities than with historic potentially brought forward via an over-arching market towns, which are more immediately development framework, Neighbourhood Plan recognisable, trusted and seen as something or the much under-utilised mechanism of Local quintessentially British (despite their being a Development Orders (LDOs), will allow for the European, if not a global model of settlement strategic environmental assessment of settlement hierarchy). location, without constraining development Thus to respond to this trusted nature of historic from making future choices around identity. It is market towns, the New Market Town model seeks anticipated that within this wider framework, the to associate itself with something more widely notion of an organically developed place, governed In the general clamour that followed the For the design of garden cities, Howard turned regarded by the electorate (and NIMBY public) as by self-determination, will attract investors of a government’s rediscovery of the Garden City to the likes of Raymond Unwin and Barry Parker. having deep roots in the generation of the national pioneering mindset. Organic growth can be applied concept in 2010, few people, be they design Although well known for their support for the landscape. at a variety of scales, from the volume house builder commentators or politicians, have made substantial Arts and Crafts movement and its applications The New Market Towns model has been set up looking to respond to a surge in market interest, efforts to investigate either the roots or the in the garden cities, specifically Letchworth, less from the outset to respond to the peculiarities of to local and regional builders seeking a long-term principles of these exemplar places in any great frequently discussed is the influence of historic place and landscape that the garden cities model supply of housing land over generations, and to the detail. At a Design Council/CABE seminar on the market towns from both Britain and Europe. This has struggled to achieve in practice. Historic market self and cooperative builders who desire a hand in subject in early 2013, a senior practitioner from is specifically discussed in Camillo Sitte’s 1899 towns, as a result of their initial organic growth the creation of a new place. a leading design and planning practice put the publication, City Planning According to Artistic and geo-physical settlement, hug the landscape Although this can be coupled to the slow-pace following question to a panel made up of the Homes Principles. In his 1909 Town Planning in Practice: unlike other development forms. The New Market agenda, it is not a prerequisite to organic growth. and Community Agency /ATLAS and CABE/Design An Introduction to the Art of Designing Cities and Town model, through its adoption of a polycentric A strategy that seeks to ensure the relative self- Council representatives: ‘what are the design Suburbs, Unwin draws heavily on the pan-European approach to neighbourhoods, adapts and moulds sufficiency, or more accurately, self-reliance, of principles of Garden Cities that we are supposed viewpoint explored by Sitte, making significant itself to the availability of land according to physical places envisaged as cells of development, and to be following?’. The question was met with a references to the concept, evolution and structure constraints, with much greater flexibility than ensuring that these are released in a ‘streets first’ combination of deflection and awkward silence. of historic market towns. Returning to the notion of that of the garden city. Much in the way that sea sequence related to the historic evolution of market It would seem that although on the subject of the Greek agora and Roman forum, Sitte explores water collects in the shallows of a rocky shoreline towns, is a necessary element. In this way, new governance much has been investigated by the issues surrounding market trade and exchange, connected through rock fissures, the New Market development cells coming forward, based on the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA), the along with the notion of the street, as the primary Town model functions as a series of villages existing networks of lanes and streets, would be successor to the 1898 Garden Cities Association, building blocks of successful places dating back to relating to the collective mass and scale of a larger required to engage in an exercise in façadism akin when it comes to the design of garden cities, little antiquity. settlement which, instead of imposing connectivity to the growth of western US settlements of the has been researched or refreshed for presentation Modern British politicians and practicing along grand avenues and boulevards, uses the 1800s and as explored by the likes of Andres Duany back into the wider sphere of design and planning advocates of a return to garden cities would be existing network of lanes and roads, reserving land and Steve Mouzon at the Sky Community. (www. practice. It is clear from a review of Ebenezer well served to examine a design analysis of garden to absorb future capacity. originalgreen.org/blog/the-sky-method.html) Howard’s Garden Cities of To-morrow (1902) cities or suburbs presented in Urban Forms, the Something similar to this has been demonstrated that what was being offered was a socio-physical death and life of the urban block (Samuels et al, Organic growth with reasonable success in several US New Urbanist ↑ Irregular market squares ↑ New Market Town Spatial construct for the creation of new places, following Architectural Press 2004), where the historic town The concept of organic growth is one of the three developments. Aside from the somewhat long-in- from Camillo Sitte 1889 City Framework, Copyright Barton specific egalitarian principles of land ownership, and country references to the planning of places founding principles of the New Market Towns the-tooth example of Seaside, Florida, places such Planning According to Willmore cultivation and distribution of wealth. such as Hampstead Garden Suburb are discussed in model. In brief, the strategic level masterplanning as St Charles New Town in Missouri have achieved Artistic Principles

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the outset; but this simple step, high risk as it may be perceived by the market, presents the tipping point of achieving a place self-created by its own community. For this to succeed, certain location criteria need to be applied to the selection of potential candidate sites. The model will not be suited to all situations and should not be considered an off-the-shelf product. Instead, specific circumstances need to come into alignment to facilitate a successful outcome: • Land availability and scale: instead of complex joint ventures, New Market Towns favour identifying large areas, with either single or limited owners looking to engage with site promoters in the medium-to long-term, to achieve scale and quality • Low population density: conscious of the localism agenda and the lessons learned around involvement from the Eco-towns, identifying areas with limited existing populations makes for simpler engagement with the community • Existing infrastructure provision: from a viability perspective, the lack of strategic infrastructure can render many projects unworkable. Locating development in areas that ↑ Pop-up retail booths at success following this pop-up model of place where a polycentric approach to the creation of several are already connected to national networks is an New Town St. Charles, MO, local centres work towards establishing a market villages, seeks to reverse this failing of current (and obvious criterion. In the case of rail, an existing Copyright Tim Busse first, before triggering substantial investment. at 65 years old this year, arguably pensionable) mainline station is a pre-requisite. This often ↗ Historic market town of Wymondham, Norfolk In this way, temporary timber and tin structures Green Belt legislation. The creation of a capillary leads to candidate sites falling within the green ↓ New Market Town Organic establish the functionality of a place and the edge, with a series of smaller settlements working belt Growth Sequence, Copyright demand for retail space prior to the expensive as a collective whole, enables both the preservation • Lack of environmental constraints: there is a Barton Willmore construction of masonry structures, therefore of the best areas of agricultural land, and a distinction between environmental (qualitative) avoiding the classic empty village retail syndrome. sensitive, yet economically vibrant and successful constraints (AONB, SPA), and planning (green approach to regulating sprawl. In a development belt) constraints that can be addressed by policy Self-reliance form and scale more familiar to the British public, changes. Targeting areas with fewer of the A second principle, self-reliance, can be said to this is not tarred with the association with New former, and adopting a pragmatic approach to govern the rate at which a New Market Town Towns or other less successful forms of mono- the role of the latter is likely to release land at grows, as well as to regulate the requirements for centric, megalithic settlement. more favourable values education (potentially delivered through a flexible Of course none of this can begin to function • Proximity to economic drivers: finally, whilst Free School system but also adopting in-situ without a mechanism for land promotion, New Market Towns should be designed to be self- apprenticeships, training for all key skills from governance and delivery that can address the reliant, proximity to existing areas of economic construction to agricultural management and current challenges leading to the lack of large-scale activity is a necessary criterion, for reasons facilities management), employment, infrastructure housing delivery in the UK. The TCPA and others of both market buoyancy and initial stage provision and locally grown produce and supply have called for a return to centralised, primary employment. chains, all on an as-need basis, without pre- legislation for new settlements; others advocate determination aside from at a strategic level. the creation of new development corporations Thus in summary, the New Market Towns to their coming forward. We are reminded of the ↑ Typical non-garden In particular the New Market Town provides a with compulsory purchase powers; but both of model suggests a form of development that is entrepreneurial spirit applied by Ebenezer Howard suburbs which can be found hitherto under-explored model for the integration these suggestions risk alienating land owners and well suited to locating new settlements within, in the personal purchasing of land for Letchworth on a Garden City edge ↑↑ Extract from the Sky of a supporting agricultural network with the communities, the two parties necessary for the though not exclusively, some green belt and and Welwyn Garden Cities, backed up by associate Method 5 Copyright Steve creation of local neighbourhoods, sensitively successful creation of new places. green fields, delivering town scale facilities with funding, and suggest that a land owner/promoter Muzon embedded in the productive landscape. Whilst the village identities. The appeal of this model has risk-sharing partnership that seeks to attract garden cities envisaged a productive and positive Community Involvement already been welcomed by a number of significant pioneering families and developers to join the resource of an agricultural green belt on the Instead, New Market Towns proposes a third institutional landowners across the UK, and it has party, may provide a truly local solution in a range periphery of settlements, the New Market Town principle of working with land owners, current been recognised as one of a number of development of sites in close proximity to Britain’s metropolitan seeks a stronger, more centralised relationship and future inhabitants in unison, to allow self- models that in unison, could work to resolve the UK cities. The rallying call therefore goes out to the with the landscape. In the years since the green determination of settlement form and character, housing shortage. highways and hedgerows to join the movement for a belt first hit the statue books, its effect has largely and an on-going interest in the successful delivery To date, although several projects of scale generation of New Market Towns and to get Britain James Gross is Director been economic sterilisation and under-investment, of place. Reaching out to, and engaging with the (including sites of single land ownership of up town-building once again. • •of Masterplanning at rather than the desired preservation of a landscape future residents of a New Market Town, requires to 1400 hectares) have been identified, political Barton Willmore (see www. resource for all. New Market Towns by adopting shared involvement and decision making from will remains the single largest stumbling block newmarkettowns.co.uk)

36 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 37 Francis Tibbalds Award Public Sector Shortlisted Projects Francis Tibbalds Award Public Sector Shortlisted Projects Short Blue Place Barking Borough Council has created a public space to link new developments ↙ View down Short Blue Place to ↓ The Rick Mather Architects the Magistrates Court from the TSA designed TSA with Short Blue balcony. Place’s tree ↓ Top: Aerial photograph prior to ↘ The birch trees and pleached scheme implementation trees Bottom: Overlay of the implemented ↘↘ Pink benches in front of the Short Blue Place, TSA and the pleached trees being used by TSA supermarket under construction. students

Barking has become known for its high quality public realm, especially following the success of Barking Town Square and the arboretum, which won Best European Public Space in 2008. This requires strong leadership in ensuring design is central and our approach is dominated by the use of high quality materials and mature tree planting. To create the entrance to Short Blue Place, we acquired and demolished some unattractive 1960s retail units which lay between two of East Street’s most historic buildings. The supermarket currently under construction will include a café with seating extending out onto the public space. With the completion of the supermarket, Short Blue Place will be extended to provide access to North Street and further connect up the town centre. We recognised that a successful place is generated from a strong understanding of the surrounding context and the townscape elements all of which enhance the characteristics of but fuses it with modern architecture. identification of the existing assets of the The principal public realm elements the place. The primary landscape elements The overall effect is of a calm, relaxing site. The approach taken was: seek to articulate the legibility and combined to articulate Short Blue Place space in the heart of the town centre. The identity of the development through a were: space is being well used and has been a Understand context and cohesive selection of materials, design • A mature specimen tree (Scots Pine) in well received by the public, highlighting identify assets and detailing, to create well-connected, a red granite bench surround as a focal the importance of good urban design in + permeable streets and places. The design point creating successful places. b Ingredients and principles adopted the following elements: • A wall of pleached trees against the The project involved working with a for a successful public space • A unifying ground plane: utilising striking red background number of stakeholders for whom design + the grey granite from our public realm • A row/cluster of silver birch trees. considerations were low on their list of c Response to setting and the palette – the Barking Code – to link priorities. Careful negotiations and finesse community Short Blue Place into the wider town The design builds on features and were therefore required to address their = centre materials used in Barking Town Square, needs without jeopardising the design A Successful Place • Lining Strategies: addressing the poor including paving with blocks of different principles. blank façades onto the space by use of size, shape and shade of pink granite, As such, one of the key lessons learned colour (a striking red rendered wall), including a long strip of pink granite is about early engagement of stakeholders landscaping (pleached trees and a row running the length of the space. and the public in the design process. This of birches) and building a new brick On one side of the square, a new brick learning will be very helpful in taking wall using high quality bricks to match wall has been built to screen a rear service forward the next stage of public realm the existing historic Fawley House yard and an electricity sub-station. improvements around the Magistrates • Focal points: the existing Magistrates Attractive wooden doors have been Court. Court and a striking tree as a provided to gain access to the sub-station • counterpoint but giving the impression of something Like many town centres, Barking has A linking space Why Short Blue Place? • Good quality paving materials and more interesting behind, in the same way been suffering from reduced footfall. We recognised that positive changes to the The name reflects Barking’s heritage as co-ordinated furniture in line with the that the town square’s Secret Garden folly Barking and Dagenham Borough Council existing fabric of the town centre required Britain’s busiest fishing port which was Barking Code, plus attractive lighting suggests. made the decision to heavily invest in a a compelling public realm to link the largely due to the success of the Short which enhances the space and makes it The entrance to Short Blue Place new Technical Skills Academy (TSA) in spaces and new developments together Blue fleet. Fawley House at the entrance welcoming after dark. includes a striking model of a Short the heart of the town centre, with over and create a unified place. The council of Short Blue Place is one of the oldest Blue fishing smack (attached to Fawley 600 students and 125 staff, together was successful in securing some Outer buildings in the town centre and was The design development involved House) together with an interpretation with facilitating land assembly for a new London Fund monies and led the scheme, previously owned by Scrymgeour Hewett extensive stakeholder and public board designed in the style of a historic supermarket with 100 flats above. It was appointing urban designers Patel Taylor who established the fleet. The name and consultation. newspaper. critical that these footfall generating who worked with engineers Project Centre associated signage was a key part of The public realm design aimed to developments be linked to the main high and landscape artists Muf. The Project the design concept linking the modern support the development proposals by Conclusions street (East Street) by a high quality public steering group also involved the Greater public realm with the borough’s rich providing breathing spaces, changes of Short Blue Place builds on the history space, Short Blue Place. London Authority. heritage. texture and colour, softness and greenery, and heritage assets of the town centre

38 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 39 Francis Tibbalds Award Public Sector Shortlisted Projects Francis Tibbalds Award Public Sector Shortlisted Projects Know Your Place A participatory approach to placemaking

↓ Our Place common language ↙ Know Your Place spyglass tool ↓↓ Our Place documents for St enables the overlay of historic maps Pauls, Whitehall and Westbury- ↓ Our Place Greenbank with Year 5, on-Trym have linked to specific Whitehall Primary School outputs ↓↓↓ Our Place map notation

A common language Our Place has developed a common language that links community participation to planning policy and guidance about the value of local character. As a result the project has begun to create Our Place community practitioners who have initiated their own Our Place projects. In Henleaze the local amenity society’s Our Place process will inform a community design statement. This approach has the support of the local ward councillors who see it as a way for the local group to be proactive in shaping the future of their neighbourhood in For the last two years Bristol City partnership with the local authority. Council’s City Design Group (CDG) has been developing tools, training and Social media methodologies aimed at: The results of these Our Place activities • Promoting the creation of quality places can be quickly disseminated using the • Encouraging greater participation in CDG created Design Bristol social media placemaking site (www.designbristol.ning.com/) • Embedding heritage at the heart of that helps communities share draft Our sustainable urban design. Place documents and invite comments. CDG have also been using social media Fundamental to achieving these aims is to record and evaluate the process, Know Your Place (www.bristol.gov.uk/ particularly with the use of Storify (www. knowyourplace), a highly innovative web- storify.com/Locallearning/our-place- based tool to engage local communities oldbury-court ) These social media tools in shaping neighbourhoods. The project help the sharing of the community’s was created by the City Design Group and experience and is encouraging others to the council’s GIS team in partnership with participate. local communities, and part-funded by The results of an Our Place project English Heritage. The aim of the tool is can also be added to Know Your Place to enable communities to learn about the The toolkit is based on the urban design estates. In one instance the approach either as a description of the context historic development of Bristol and use notations developed by Gordon Cullen has enabled the community to create a or of specific features of local interest. this knowledge to inform decisions about and Kevin Lynch and is similar to other Conservation Area Character Appraisal This helps to widen the understanding planning at the neighbourhood scale. neighbourhood planning tools such as with limited resource implications for of the distinctiveness of individual The web resource provides access Placecheck. However, what sets Our Place the local authority. After one day of neighbourhoods and begins a collaborative to many of the city’s historic archives apart from these existing tools, is the mapping by the community, the results placemaking process based on a thorough through a mapping interface that allows direct and systematic link between the were added to an established Our understanding of place. users to overlay different historic maps participatory process and planning policy. Place character template that defines • and to upload locally sourced information. We have established a methodology the local character areas along with Contributions to Know Your Place directly that enables communities to participate specific challenges and opportunities enhance the Historic Environment Record in character mapping, to understand the (www.tinyurl.com/ourplaceWoT). Other (HER) and are an immediate material value of the process and define their local communities have used the approach to planning consideration. context in accordance with HER data inform neighbourhood planning or the structures. The approach reduces the information has been incorporated into Our Place resource implications of a participatory the context study for the Bristol Central In association with this online facility approach for the local authority, as Area Plan. the CDG have developed Our Place, a the data collected is returned in the Three of the Our Place projects began community character-mapping tool that appropriate format and can be directly with Year 5 (9-10 year olds) from the local enables members of the public to define related to Development Management primary school. In all three cases, the the character and distinctiveness of their policies on local character and children used the notation to define their neighbourhood. The toolkit has created distinctiveness. local area and identify specific issues that a visual language that links the character Our Place has been trialled in five could be passed on to the neighbourhood description to the local development varied areas of the city, from inner city partnership to guide future public realm management policy on local character and environments to open parkland, and from improvements. distinctiveness. conservation areas to post war housing

40 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 41 Francis Tibbalds Award Public Sector Shortlisted Projects Francis Tibbalds Award Public Sector Shortlisted Projects A Joint Approach to Residential Design Guidelines ↓ How to contribute to the Four North Midlands Councils join forces to promote better quality residential creation of a place hierarchy and add to the legibility of development and make successful places a development Below right: ↙↙ Blueprint for the 21st century Designing with townscape in House mind ↙ Design approaches for corner ↓↓ Design process – Evaluating plots site opportunities

their understanding of local context. This way, proposals should be informed by the characteristic surroundings specific to each site, helping to ground schemes in their locality.

PLACE MAKING The focus on design process is backed by detailed place making principles, setting out good urban design practice. Principles are arranged according to scale, from settlement/neighbourhood level down to the local street/home scale. The principles set out what a development should aim to deliver and are supported by practical pointers and examples of how this can be achieved. Each one also cross-references to Building for Life 12, and useful references, quotes, good practice tips and signposts to other guidance are found trhoughout. The guide is worded to allow for both traditional and contemporary approaches The CABE Housing Audit of the East Nottinghamshire also aspired to produce could be watered down in discussions to design, so as not to stifle innovation, Midlands (2006) provided the catalyst a design SPD and was later welcomed into with the highways authorities. These have with examples of both sitting side by side. for this initiative. It revealed that design the partnership. therefore been closely involved, attending It seeks to ensure that designs complement quality in the region was disappointingly This partnership demonstrated project meetings and helping to draft their setting, possess integrity, reflect low. Over half of the schemes assessed an innovative joint approach and relevant parts of the guide. their townscape role and are visually were rated so poor they should not have commitment to deliver a quality design harmonious. Contemporary designs are received planning permission. SPD, which we would not have been able to SUCCESSFUL PLACES encouraged to draw on locally distinctive achieve individually. The group shared an What has emerged from this process materials and reinterpret built forms/ Common failings included: urban design officer working for two of the is the Successful Places guide with the details in a way that provides a connection • Lack of sense of place / consideration of authorities, and a strong desire to improve aspirational 21st century house concept at with the place. This avoids ‘anywhere’ local context the quality of housing. Limited resources its heart. This outlines the key elements development and helps reinforce local • Poor layouts, streetscape and legibility however meant the project could not be that all new housing should aim to deliver distinctiveness. The focus however, is on • Road dominated layouts; poorly outsourced, so we set about preparing the in order to create well-designed places design quality regardless of style. integrated parking. guidance in-house. that will stand the test of time. The guide covers a lot of ground, but the emphasis is on getting right the basics, This picture of disappointing quality PULLING TOGETHER CONTEXT IS KEY which were often overlooked in the past. It presented a serious challenge. However, Working jointly enabled us to secure a Given the large geographical area covered is therefore designed to be accessible and we aspired to do better and saw sound small amount of external funding on the by the guidance, local characteristics appealing, including hand drawn images, design guidance as fundamental to basis that the project would bring wider differ considerably between the prepared by Richard Guise (Context 4D), improving our performance. This than local benefits. CABE enabler Graham authorities. Limited resources however, which are invaluable in conveying key signalled our intent to raise the design Marshall (Maxim Urban Design) was also meant detailed character appraisals design messages. bar, but we also wanted the guide to be appointed to support the project. of each district were not feasible. The user friendly as well as to provide practical Initial consultation with stakeholders guide addresses this by emphasising the THE SIGNS ARE PROMISING advice. It was important to reach major confirmed that the overall direction of role of the design process. Experience Collaboration between authorities during house builders and also to assist smaller travel was right. Developers and agents shows that many development teams a time of diminishing resources required local developers with fewer resources were subsequently invited to a peer review often jump straight into designing their us to find innovative ways of working available to dedicate to design. workshop. They clearly supported the site with little genuine thought given to together. For example, partners took rationale of guidance covering a number of local character, connections, views or responsibility for different tasks which number of proposals have undertaken Bolsover and Chesterfield have adopted JOINING FORCES local planning authorities (LPAs) and saw other contextual matters. Applicants are helped balance everyone’s contributions. site appraisals to inform the basis of Successful Places and the other partners Bolsover District Council, Chesterfield one of the main benefits as creating a level therefore encouraged to undertake a site We also worked efficiently, undertaking a their layouts. As a result, schemes have will soon follow suit. The true test of Borough Council and North East playing field across a wide area. and context appraisal to inform their single consultation instead of four. Keys to been to a higher standard at the point of success will be its implementation. It is Derbyshire District Council joined forces One clear message to emerge was proposal and consider how it fits into the success have been a shared commitment to submission than was previously the case. still early days but the signs for the future to prepare guidance that would respond to the importance placed on the partners place where development is proposed. raise standards and a lead officer to drive If negotiations are required, these can are promising. the weaknesses identified by CABE, with working closely with both county highway Rather than relying on a broader the project forward. commence from a better starting position, • the added dimension of sustainability. authorities. There was a strong perception character appraisal defined by the guide, We encouraged applicants to use the meaning less delay and fewer revisions Bassetlaw District Council in neighbouring that schemes negotiated with the LPAs the onus is on applicants to demonstrate draft guide prior to its adoption, and a during the application process.

42 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 43 Francis Tibbalds Award Public Sector Shortlisted Projects Francis Tibbalds Award Public Sector Shortlisted Projects Porth Eirias ← Porth Eirias’s new found Conwy County Borough Council outlines a scheme that combines regeneration and popularity ↙ Area Plan coastal defence ↙↙ Building facade → Over 500,000 tonnes of sand were imported onto the beach ↘ The next phase ↘↘ The completed first phase of the project

regeneration funds), an enlarged section scrutinise the entries, discuss the ideas of promenade could be constructed, with the teams, comment on their likes offering substantial development potential and dislikes and to vote for their favoured for the public realm area created on top. option. Following rigorous assessment, Construction of the phase 1A a final concept was selected from the engineering works commenced in six options to be taken forward for February 2011 and was completed in development. a little over twelve months, yielding a development footprint the size of two Porth Eirias football pitches. Following selection of the winning design, a further public engagement process was Engaging the public instigated to name the new development. From the outset, it was clear that engaging From 220 entries, the name Porth Eirias the public with this highly visible project (simply translated from Welsh to English would be key to its success. as Eirias Port) was selected, referencing Public displays had indicated clear the adjacent public park, housing a newly support for the ‘new beach’ approach constructed rugby stadium. to the coastal defence works; however The Porth Eirias development designing facilities for the new public comprises a high quality public building realm represented a challenging prospect providing a much needed amenity to the in terms of public engagement. waterfront, offering: The existing promenade had long been • Café / bistro with separate ‘wet’ café frequented by a multitude of different catering for watersport users users, from the sporty powerboat • Accommodation for a sailing school and sailing fraternity to the leisurely offering a full range of training strollers and those seeking refreshment. opportunities Understanding individual needs and • Educational / conference facilities developing proposals which satisfied • Accommodation for a retail offer as many demands as possible required • Changing rooms and public toilets a pro-active approach to stakeholder engagement. Externally, the building forms an integral A design competition was instigated part of the public realm, with the adjacent Storms have battered the coastal town beach. Colwyn Bay wanted to be a coastal inviting six national shortlisted architect promenade extended onto the roof of Colwyn Bay for many years, causing resort which turned its focus back on to teams to produce concept ideas for offering a viewing platform across the bay. disruption to the lives of the town’s the potential of its shoreline and use it to developing the blank canvas which had Construction commenced in March inhabitants and visitors as well as causing build a sustainable and thriving future. been constructed.450 members of the 2012 with completion achieved in April hundreds of thousands of pounds of local community attended an event to 2013 ahead of the start of the tourist damage to infrastructure. The coupling of Innovation season. the deteriorating defences with a decline An extensive modelling study looking in tourism numbers had left the town’s at different types of coastal defence Building a Beach economy in a bleak position. structures, which would offer the town the While constructing the new building and In 2008, Conwy County Borough protection it needs from the sea, identified public realm forming Porth Eirias, the next Council embarked on the Colwyn Bay an innovative approach with the potential phase of coastal defence works was also a clear indication of the strong footing this Over its first few months, this project Waterfront Project, a major scheme not only for protection but to yield implemented, involving the importation project gives the town. has been seen to transform the perception seeking to deliver a long term, sustainable, substantial benefits for amenity users in of over half a million tonnes of sand from of visitors to the town, and with the coastal defence solution and to provide the area. the bottom of the sea 20 miles north of Looking to the Future favourable weather conditions, created the town with the facilities needed to draw Rather than constructing traditional Colwyn Bay to form a new section of raised The project continues at a pace, with scenes reminiscent of those foreign coastal new visitors to the area. hard defences (rocks piled against the beach. further coastal defence and promenade resorts which have over the years done The scheme is aligned to the overall sea wall), which would exacerbate the This breathless phase started in March enhancements set to take place in early such damage to the fortunes of coastal vision of a programme of investments segregation of the town from the seafront, 2013 and saw all works delivered in the 2014. towns throughout the UK. With its coastal in the town, which seek to create ‘a a solution was explored whereby sand space of two months, with the majority of The new beach will be enlarged with a defence now firmly embedded at the thriving attractive and vibrant town, that nourishment could be imported to keep activity taking place 24 hours a day, seven further 350,000 tonnes of sand, and the heart of the town, protecting it from the is welcoming, safe and friendly; a place the sea at bay, with isolated rock structures days a week for the entire period. The area behind redeveloped to a standard elements and attracting in new businesses unique in character that people are proud built in key locations to keep the sand in opening of Porth Eirias was marked with befitting this now progressive coastal and visitors, the town’s future now looks to live in’. place. a beach party allowing the community to town. This work will also connect the set to flourish. The Waterfront Project’s vision was to This design offered further scope visit the new building and enjoy the new beach with the town centre, a much- • reignite this once thriving coastal town’s for innovation, as by modifying the amenity beach. This was followed by the needed linkage for the businesses to gain relationship with its main asset (and construction of the structure (and match announcement of the building’s anchor advantage from the increasing visitor historically, its reason for existing) —the funding the coastal defence budget with tenant – renowned chef Bryn Williams – numbers.

44 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 45 Book reviews Book reviews

Courtyard Housing and breeding ground for criminal activities, unlike of people and place assets before change is between them, unravelling the fabric of physically redesigned so as to attract both accounts of the well rehearsed European the courtyards of old. advocated; expressed by a new language of community. This book deals with one small communities with shared facilities and meet- examples, such as Hamburg Hafenstadt, Cultural Sustainability In recent years, however, new housing Good Urbanism, within which the concepts but critical aspect of the disaster response: ing rooms. Vauban, the Guggenheim effect in Bilbao, Donia Zhang, Ashgate, 2013, built in both Beijing and Suzhou has reflected and processes are articulated. All this begins ensuring that new spaces and buildings – The author concludes with chapters in Amsterdam’s Ij quarter, etc. are over-succinct £65.00, ISBN 978-1409405030 people’s nostalgia for the traditional court- with the Six Steps to Creating Prosperous built for and with survivors – provide those which she suggests ‘an approach to design and uncritical. For example, he quotes the yard housing, a new appreciation for Chinese Places that the book’s sub-title portends: survivors with the optimal conditions to that seeks to minimise disruption and nurture ‘wow’ architecture of IBA Berlin before the architectural heritage and a response to the Prospect, Polish, Propose, Prototype, Pro- overcome their loss and rebuild their lives’. In a sense of ownership and continuity’. She fall of the Wall, which has little to do with The author was born in China during the Cul- cultural crisis of modernity. The book is well mote and Present; and ends in Prosperity addition ‘urban designers play a role in creat- sets out an agenda of items that need to be saving the planet, while omitting Haemer’s tural Revolution in the 1960s and emigrated illustrated with examples of both remnant that is advanced as a successor to sustain- ing the settings for interaction to occur and considered on the road to recovery and a parallel efforts of sustainable urban regener- to Canada in the 1990s. She went back to and new courtyard housing including plans ability because it substitutes needs and endow those settings with qualities that can process of how to achieve that recovery. And ation of precarious buildings involving mainly China in 2007 and was sorry to find that for new housing developments by the author problems for assets and opportunities which encourage or deter these interactions’. she offers examples of places that have been low income residents. much of the traditional courtyard housing herself. an appropriate process should optimise. She illustrates her points by reference to appropriately designed to heal. This book Nevertheless, the book provides some that she knew in her youth had disappeared This book will appeal to all interested So, what is the difference between all examples of communities hit by earthquake should have a wide appeal. It is well written useful examples of realistic compromises and been replaced by high-rise apartment in heritage and conservation. The story in this and good urban design, one might ask, in Christchurch, New Zealand, and by civil and nicely presented with good colour pho- which contribute to a less wasteful urban blocks. She has made it her mission to write China has a strong parallel with our own, well … not a lot. Indeed, readers of this war in Kosovo. She devotes whole chapters tographs and lots of attractive hand drawn environment without attracting the wrath of a book about the traditional courtyard hous- with traditional terraced housing and back journal will be very familiar with the sorts of to Ground Zero in New York, the volcano sketches. the development industry. It also shows in- ing in China, its cultural significance and the gardens replaced by high-rise apartments outcomes and processes that lie at the heart victims in Montserrat, the troubles in Belfast, Tim Catchpole novative actions taken on the margin, which need to sustain it. and barren communal spaces. We never had of the book. Yet the passion and relentlessly the poverty in Addis Ababa, the tsunami • have the potential to change legislation. An Courtyard housing is, of course, not courtyard housing as such in the UK but the up-beat manner in which Ellin makes her victims in Sri Lanka and the bush fire victims example worth pursuing elsewhere is storm peculiar to China. It can be found in India, back garden has been an essential part of our case is refreshing, and reading Good Urban- in Australia. and water-runoff treated in an on-site sew- the Middle East and Mediterranean regions, national psyche. ism is undoubtedly a rewarding experience The story of the competition for Ground The Agile City – Building age plant situated in a natural stream, which North Africa, ancient Greece and Rome, Tim Catchpole (albeit sometimes frustrated by the extensive Zero was interesting: there were 406 submis- Well-Being and Wealth in an has become an amenity in Dockside Green, Spain and Latin-Hispanic America. It offers • new jargon that sometimes obscures clarity). sions and some 13,000 comments on these Victoria, British Columbia. Other examples the advantages of household privacy, protec- Overall, this is a valuable contribution to the from the general public; the winning scheme Era of Climate Change are storm-water absorbing rain-gardens tion from wind, noise, dust and other threats, literature on urban design rather than a case by Daniel Libeskind was chosen for inter James S Russell, Island Press, created in suburban streets such as in High and the provision of an activity space, namely Good Urbanism, Six Steps to for a different sort of ‘urbanism’. It certainly alia its memorial garden designed not to 2012, £11.99, ISBN 978-1597267250 Point, Seattle. Many other examples of traffic- the courtyard itself. The courtyard in China Creating Prosperous Places merits careful consideration from scholars be overshadowed on 9/11, not least by the calming in residential areas, increasing mixed has had a special significance not only as a and practitioners alike. scheme’s adjacent 1,776 ft tower; even then, use by converting existing areas in decline, focus for the family, but as a spiritual link Nan Ellin, Washington, Island Matthew Carmona the scheme had to go through many more This book presents a journalistic investigation pedestrianisation of public realm, densifica- between Earth and Heaven. Press,2013, £21.99, • iterations before eventual realisation. of possible solutions to curb environmental tion of existing urban fabric, rarely achieved The author records how courtyard hous- ISBN 978-1610913744 It was interesting to read about the plight pollution and live within the planet’s ecologi- in America, are commonplace in Europe. ing had graduated from its original single of communities in Montserrat who had been cal constraints, without altering lifestyles and His most inspiring examples of relevance family status to multi-family occupation In the US today there seems to be an increas- Designing to Heal hit first by Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and then levels of comfort much. It is a North Ameri- to urban designers are initiated by com- under communist rule, with inevitable den- ingly obsessive search for ‘urbanisms’. The Jenny Donovan, CSIRO by volcanic eruptions in 1996-97: the consult- can perspective of mitigation and adaptation munities at the level of neighbourhoods, sification and loss of the courtyard, and then best known and most widespread is of course Publishing, 2013, £77.75, ants brought in by DfID were ‘sometimes measures to climate change, strictly con- focusing mainly on environmental improve- to redevelopment as high-rise apartments New Urbanism, but to this we can now add: ISBN 978-0643106468 inadequately prepared and poorly equipped forming to a neo-liberal economic paradigm ments. The most ambitious examples with beginning in the Cultural Revolution and ecological urbanism, ethnic urbanism, eve- to appreciate the traditional knowledge of of freedom of mobility, economic growth, arguably overall sustainable effects stem increasing during the more recent period of ryday urbanism, landscape urbanism, post the local people’ (this is true – I was among property rights and material well-being. from wealthy local authorities. This includes rapid economic growth. urbanism, sustainable urbanism, tactical Subtitled Planning and Urban Design Re- the consultants), the replacement hous- Besides rehearsing the usual arguments in Dallas: its Trinity River project provides some Her book focuses on two contrasting urbanism, temporary urbanism, and many sponse to Disaster and Conflict, this book ing was ‘a little monotonous’ and the social favour and against measures to preserve an environmental restoration and a new park as locations, Beijing and Suzhou. Beijing in more. Each ‘urbanism’ comes replete with its addresses the problems of communities that infrastructure lagged behind the construction existing lifestyle while curbing pollution and a spin-off from added value of commercial Northern China had 1-2 storey housing with own more or less coherent sets of ideas (even have been hit by disasters, both natural and of the houses. depletion of non-renewable resources, it de- development, facilitated by the newly cre- wide courtyards that maximised sunlight dogmas), which when acted upon give rise to man-made, and what planners and urban And it was interesting to hear about the scribes many concrete examples of projects ated highway alongside the park. If nothing while Suzhou in Southern China had 2-3 certain types or styles of urbanisation. designers can do to help them on their road troubles in Belfast, how the orange and green realised or discarded. else, this books helps to reposition European storey housing with narrow courtyards that On first inspection Nan Ellin’s ‘Good to recovery. The author is the principal of the areas became polarised in the 1970s, how a An unkind reader could consider the book urban design and shows that it has been rela- minimised sunlight and enabled cooler Urbanism’ appears to be yet another of these. urban design practice, Inclusive Design, and shopping centre located at the interface be- as a travelogue. Statistics are deliberately tively successful in creating a more sustain- conditions. Her research showed that Beijing It offers a particular philosophy of the city: has a particular interest in designing to ad- tween an orange area and green area became omitted, under the pretext that rapid change able urban environment. residents preferred renovating traditional local, connected, networked, slow, walk- dress social exclusion and creating environ- the scene of violent clashes at that time, how would make such figures redundant. ‘Facts’ Judith Ryser courtyard housing to being re-housed in high- able, creative, inclusive, co-created, natural, ments within which people can thrive. the communities of the orange and green are derived from interviews with protagonists • rise apartments, and that the outdoor spaces etc.; wrapped up in a particular process of She writes: ‘Disasters destroy not areas have started to talk again in recent of these interventions, who also contributed associated with the latter are the potential place creation arguing for an understanding only things and people but also the bonds years and how the shopping centre has been some black and white pictures. The author’s

46 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 47 Book reviews Book reviews

Green Cities of Europe – has progressed as much as any city in shifting abundant material is difficult to digest. So Urban Ecological Design Overall the authors offer a clear view of pro- findings for planning policy as a means of towards sustainable transport, and it has set the book is a mixture of theory, anecdotes, fessional practice, which embraces environ- preventing the escalation of conflict. This Global Lessons on Green an ambitious target of reducing CO2 emis- statistics, urban history, personal reflections, Danilo Palazzo and Frederick mental concerns, but does not seem to differ section is slightly disappointing as it discuss- Urbanism sions by 60 per cent by 2025. travelogues and descriptions, often enjoyable Steiner, Shearwater Books, 2012, much from good established practice. es the need to stop polarisation in the early Beatley wonders what hope there is for but not very novel to an urban environment £22.00, ISBN 978-1597268295 Sebastian Loew stages, and how the built environment can Edited by Timothy Beatley, the US where a bike share programme can practitioner and not enlightening either. • be conducive or accelerate polarisation and Shearwater Books, 2012, £21.00, be described as ‘a gateway to communism’. After a Preface on the New York High conflict. This is about social alienation, grow- ISBN 978-1597269759 He argues that compact, mixed use, transit Line which delights the author as it has done We should know by now that ecological ing grievances, and perceptions of inequality, oriented urban areas with local amenities millions, the first chapter seems to attempt a issues are closely related to urban design. The Radicals’ City: Urban and the building and place typologies that This book gives a North American view of how and interesting walking environments, and definition of the successful city; the two mod- Quoting Vitruvius and Alberti, Patrick Ged- Environment, Polarisation, contribute to that, as well as places ‘where green the urbanism is on the other side of the investments in the public realm, provide els given are Barcelona and Houston, Texas des and Lewis Mumford among others, the extremists can act uncontested away from pond. Tim Beatley, Professor of Sustainable qualities of urban design which ‘propel us to without debating the difference in form, life authors remind us that this has always been Cohesion [the] mainstream’. The Charter for Spaces of Communities at the University of Virginia, and spend time walking ‘. style or sustainability. Success is measured so, even if professionals may have forgotten Design and the Built Positive Encounters (see www.urbanpolari- editor of Green Urbanism and Biophilic Cit- He makes an unfavourable comparison of here by the numbers migrating to the city. it for some time. Their introduction analy- Environment Series. Ralf Brand sation.org) sets out 21 findings, and there ies, explores several ‘green’ cities of Europe the US with Europe due to adversarial poli- But like all subsequent chapters, having ses definitions of urban design from various and Sara Fregonese, Ashgate, is discussion of the Metropolitan Police’s including likely candidates such as Freiburg, tics, a litigious society, an indoor sedentary started with personal reminiscences, Hollis sources and summarises its characteristics: 2013, £49.50, ISBN 978-1409451600 approaches to designing out crime in the Helsinki and Copenhagen and less likely culture, the flight from the city due to fears begins a flanerie through early urban history, ‘…it applies to different scales and different context of terrorism. Overall, the research ones such as London, Paris and Venice. The of crime and poor schooling, aspirations for Jacobs’ Hudson Street, Koolhas, complexity parts of urban environments; it combines findings will probably not be very surpris- book assesses how these places provide for private wealth rather than pride in the public theory and so on. elements of urban planning and the design This book explores cities as places where rad- ing to urban designers, but the case studies sustainable living and at a time, when Europe realm. Some may see echoes of a comparison The next chapter includes a debate be- of buildings and of open and green spaces; it icals are shaped, polarisation happens, com- make interesting reading and would be appears to be imploding under the strain of between the UK with the rest of Europe. tween Locke and Hobbs’s models of society, involves different skills…; it responds to the munity cohesion should occur and shared useful to those working in areas with social monetary union and recession, it is an almost For a book with no plans and few illustra- an analysis of beehives, comments on Dubai, ecology of the region; it is flexible enough spaces can emerge. It looks at the minutiae groups becoming polarised, whether about uncommonly positive view of the continent. tions, this is an encouraging read on ‘the art Singapore and Newark, the London riots and to adjust to changes through time’ (p.7). It of street life and the urban environment and political, religious, or cultural differences, The editor identifies Europe’s limited land of the possible’ even if it is not an essential the effects of social media on politics. One of describes the evolution of the discipline and asks whether urban design and architecture or indeed anywhere with new and existing supply, its history of urbanism, strong plan- urban designer’s manual and its main in- the oddest things about this book – and some suggests that planning and architecture need are the catalysts or cures to issues of conflict communities. ning systems, parliamentary systems that ar- tended audience is American. people will no doubt find it endearing – is urban design to envision the future and open and polarisation. Louise Thomas ticulate green concerns and cultural support Tim Hagyard that a chapter starts on a subject and then opportunities. The rest of the book offers a In the well-illustrated case studies from • for green city ideas as factors in this story. • digresses into various directions, a bit like process of design which they call ‘the not- Belfast, Beirut, Berlin and Amsterdam, we The achievements and ambition of the starting a search on Google and ending up only-one-solution’, in other words a kind of learn about a variety of ‘radicals’ or situations selected cities is impressive: in Helsinki, 67 reading something totally different, forget- route map to approach the solution but not of serious conflict between different social per cent of all journeys are made by sustain- Cities are good for you – ting what the initial purpose was. limited to just one output. groups, through academic research based on able modes. In Copenhagen, 50 per cent of The Genius of the It is therefore difficult to summarise The following chapters develop the stakeholder interviews. The common themes all commuters cycle and 80 per cent of these what the book is about, but it covers a lot of ten-steps methodology from process to are: the management of conflict by the feel safe in traffic. In Freiburg no buildings are Metropolis ground, geographically and mentally. Some implementation, through prerequisites, authorities; the provocative demarcation of permitted above 12.6m to allow for improved Leo Hollis, Bloomsbury, 2013, of it is entertaining and lay people may find it knowledge, synthesis, options, dialogues, areas by various groups; how the duplication air flow. In Vauban, Freiburg’s suburb with £16.99 HB, ISBN 978-1408826624 stimulating, but urban designers have heard master plan, presentation and details. Most of services allows daily prejudices to go un- efficient fast and affordable rapid transit, much of it before and in a more coherent of these are not new and would have been challenged; plus projects which demonstrate the population lives within 500m of a train form. What it doesn’t have is a clear focus. the standard techniques expected for any de-escalation, cooperation and interaction. every 8 minutes and there are only 85 cars for Any urban designer seeing this book’s title, In spite of some philosophical references, it project, whether or not concerned with ecol- Interestingly Amsterdam’s urban renewal every 1000 inhabitants. Stockholm’s public will want to read it and this reviewer was no is not an academic book. Nor is it punchy in ogy. As a result, parts of the book read like a programme is seen as not having adequate transit system will be fossil fuel free by 2025. exception. The expectation was of an account the manner of Jonathan Meades who can be good traditional manual of urban design that social vision alongside its successful physical In Malmo 100 per cent of the city’s energy is that would convince nay-sayers of the ben- irritating but is never fluffy. Hollis’s material would be helpful to students, not one that is transformation. from local renewable energy. efits of living in cities, a kind of manifesto for would probably have worked much better as breaking new ground. The difference should The book also includes interviews with Change happens through political com- the city. What lies between the covers of this a series of articles. be in the environmental aspects that need four international experts - Scott Bollens, mitment. Since 1939 Denmark ‘s Planning book is something else. Finally, the presentation is very disap- to be embedded in all stages of the process, Wendy Pullan, Frank Gaffikin and Jon Calame Act has required that masterplans cover the The author, a historian, loves cities, no pointing: in spite of having a reputable pub- but these are not significantly emphasised in - who work with communities in conflict, to whole municipality ensuring continuity. In doubt about that. He, like many of us, also lisher, the text is surprisingly poorly edited the text. The concluding chapter does indeed explore more issues than the four case stud- Helsinki 68 per cent of the land is owned by loves Jane Jacobs who is mentioned and with some serious clangers, and with terrible discuss responsibility and stewardship, in ies could cover, discussing similar contem- the city. Green roofs are sponsored in Austria cited repeatedly; he hates Le Corbusier. grey photographs that cannot be justified. particular the urban designer’s responsibili- porary and historic issues in Bilbao, Siena, and green walls provided in Paris. While He has travelled to many cities and he has The book’s title is great: let’s leave it at that. ties towards the environment and future gen- Guben and Cyprus. London can’t compare with these places it read about them, perhaps too much as such • Sebastian Loew erations, but this no longer seems innovative. It also sets out the implications of the 48 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 49 Practice Index Practice Index other Contributors Regional contacts Practice Index Allies & Morrison: Barton Willmore Building Design Partnership CITY ID David Lock Associates Ltd Urban Practitioners Partnership 16 Brewhouse Yard, Clerkenwell, 23 Trenchard Street 50 North Thirteenth Street, Matthew Carmona, Professor If you are interested in getting Directory of practices, corporate 85 Southwark Street, London SE1 0HX Beansheaf Farmhouse, Bourne Close, London EC1V 4LJ Bristol BS1 5AN Central Milton Keynes, •of Planning and Urban Design involved with any regional activities organisations and urban design T 020 7921 0100 Calcot, Reading, Berks RG31 7BW T 020 7812 8000 T 0117 917 7000 Milton Keynes MK9 3BP C Anthony Rifkin T 0118 943 0000 C Andrew Tindsley C Mike Rawlinson T 01908 666276 and Head of the Bartlett School of please get in touch with the following courses subscribing to this index. E [email protected] C James de Havilland, Nick Sweet and E [email protected] E [email protected] C Will Cousins Planning, UCL The following pages provide a service LONDON to potential clients when they are W www.urbanpractitioners.co.uk Dominic Scott W www.bdp.co.uk W cityid.co.uk E [email protected] Specialist competition winning urban E masterplanning@bartonwillmore. BDP offers town planning, Place branding and marketing vision W www.davidlock.com Tim Catchpole, Planning Robert Huxford and Louise Ingledow looking for specialist urban design regeneration practice combining co.uk Masterplanning, urban design, Masterplanning, urban design, Strategic planning studies, •consultant specialising in industrial T 020 7250 0892 advice, and to those considering economic and urban design skills. W www.bartonwillmore.co.uk landscape, regeneration and public realm strategies, way finding area development frameworks, parks E [email protected] taking an urban design course. Projects include West Ealing and Concept through to implementation sustainability studies, and has teams and legibility strategies, information development briefs, design STREET LONDON Those wishing to be included in future Plymouth East End. on complex sites, comprehensive based in London, Manchester and design and graphics. guidelines, Masterplanning, Tim Hagyard is Planning Team design guides, urban regeneration, Belfast. implementation strategies, •Manager, East Herts Council Katy Neaves issues should contact the UDG, E streetlondon@urban-design-group. 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ AMEC Environment & brownfield sites, and major urban Clarke Klein & Chaudhuri environmental statements. org.uk T 020 7250 0892 Infrastructure UK Ltd expansions. Burns + Nice Architects Joe Holyoak, architect and Gables House Kenilworth Road, 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ 22 Bloomsbury Street, Define •urban designer C Louise Ingledow SOUTH EAST E [email protected] Leamington Spa, Warwicks CV32 6JX The Bell Cornwell T 020 7253 0808 London WC1B 3QJ Cornwall Buildings, 45-51 Newhall Louise Thomas W www.udg.org.uk T 01926 439 000 Partnership C Marie Burns/ Stephen Nice T 020 7637 9719 Street, Birmingham B3 3QR Sebastian Loew, architect and T 01865 514643 C David Thompson Oakview House, Station Road, Hook, E [email protected] C Wendy Clarke T 0121 213 4720 •planner, writer and consultant E [email protected] ADAM Architecture E [email protected] Hampshire RG27 9TP W www.burnsnice.com E [email protected] C Andy Williams Old Hyde House W www.amec.com T 01256 766673 Urban design, landscape Small design-led practice focusing E [email protected] Jane Manning, Associate at SOUTH SOLENT 75 Hyde Street Masterplanning, urban design, C Simon Avery architecture, environmental and on custom solutions for architectural, W www.wearedefine.com •Urban Practitioners Peter Frankum Winchester SO23 7DW development planning and E [email protected] transport planning. Masterplanning, planning or urban design projects. Define specialises in the promotion, E [email protected] C Peter Critoph landscape within broad-based W www.bell-cornwell.co.uk design and public consultation for Exploring the potential for innovative shaping and assessment of Judith Ryser, researcher, E peter.critoph multidisciplinary environmental and Specialists in Masterplanning and the community-led work. urban design. development. Our work focuses on •journalist, writer and urban affairs EAST MIDLANDS @adamarchitecture.com engineering consultancy. coordination of major development strategic planning, masterplanning, consultant to Fundacion Metropoli, Laura Alvarez W www.adamarchitecture.com proposals. Advisors on development Capita Symonds Ltd Colour Urban Design Limited urban design codes, EIA, TVIA, estate Madrid T 0115 962 9000 World-renowned for progressive, AREA plan representations, planning (incorporating Andrew Milburn House, Dean Street, strategies, public realm design, E [email protected] classical design covering town Grange, Linlithgow applications and appeals. Martin Associates) Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1LE consultation strategies, urban design Louise Thomas, independent and country houses, housing West Lothian EH49 7RH Croxton’s Mill, Little Waltham, T 0191 242 4224 audits and expert witness. •urban designer UDG STREET NORTH WEST development, urban masterplans, T 01506 843247 Bidwells Chelmsford, London office Emma Zukowski commercial development and public C Karen Cadell/ Julia Neil Bidwell House, Trumpington Road Essex CM3 3PJ 94 Euston Street, London NW1 2HA DEVEREUX ARCHITECTS LTD Neither the Urban Design Group nor E street-north-west@urban-design- buildings. E [email protected] Cambridge CB2 9LD T 01245 361611 T 0207 387 8560 200 Upper Richmond Road, the editors are responsible for views group.org.uk W www.area.uk.com T 01223 559404 C Sophie O’Hara Smith, Richard Hall C Peter Owens London SW15 2SH expressed or statements made by Alan Baxter & Associates Making places imaginatively to C Philip Ayres E [email protected] E [email protected] T 020 8780 1800 individuals writing in Urban Design NORTH EAST Consulting Engineers deliver the successful, sustainable E [email protected] W www.capitasymonds.co.uk W www.colour-udl.com C Duncan Ecob Georgia Giannopoulou 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ and humane environments of the W www.bidwells.co.uk Masterplans, urban design, urban Office also in London. Design E [email protected] We welcome articles from our T 0191 222 6006 T 020 7250 1555 future. Planning, Landscape and Urban regeneration, historic buildings, oriented projects with full client W www.devereux.co.uk readers. If you wish to contribute E [email protected] C Alan Baxter Design consultancy, specialising project management, planning, EIA, participation. Public spaces, Adding value through innovative, to future issues, please contact the E [email protected] Arnold Linden in Masterplanning, Townscape landscape planning and design. regeneration, development, ambitious solutions in complex urban editors. YORKSHIRE W www.alanbaxter.co.uk Chartered Architect Assessment, Landscape and Visual Masterplanning, residential, environments. Robert Thompson An engineering and urban design 54 Upper Montagu Street, Impact Assessment. Carter Jonas education and healthcare. T 0114 2736077 practice. Particularly concerned with London W1H 1FP Berger House, 36-38 Berkeley Square DHA Planning & Urban M 07944 252955 the thoughtful integration of buildings, T 020 7723 7772 Boyer Planning London W1J 5AE Conroy Crowe Kelly Design E robert.thompson@sheffield.gov.uk infrastructure and movement, and the C Arnold Linden Crowthorne House, Nine Mile Ride T 020 7016 0720 Architects & Urban Eclipse House, Eclipse Park, creation of places. Integrated regeneration through the Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 3GZ C Rebecca Sanders Designers Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, SCOTLAND participation in the creative process T 01344 753220 E [email protected] 65 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 Kent ME14 3EN Francis Newton, Jo White Albonico Sack Metacity of the community and the public C Craige Burden W www.carterjonas.co.uk/en-GB/ T 00 353 1 661 3990 T 01622 776226 Edinburgh Architects & Urban at large, of streets, buildings and E [email protected] dev-planning-development-2-1.aspx C Clare Burke C Matthew Woodhead E [email protected] Designers places. W www.boyerplanning.co.uk Multidisciplinary practice working E [email protected] E [email protected] 56 Gwigwi Mrwebi Street Offices in Wokingham, Colchester, throughout the UK, specialising in W www.cck.ie W dhaplanning.co.uk Wales Market Theatre Precinct Assael Architecture Cardiff, Twickenham and London. urban design and masterplanning, Architecture, urban design, Planning and Urban Design Noel Isherwood Newtown, Johannesburg Studio 13, 50 Carnwath Road Planning and urban design place-making, new settlements Masterplanning, village studies. Consultancy offering a full range M 07891 776251 South Africa London SW6 3FG consultants offering a wide range of and urban extensions, urban Mixed use residential developments of Urban Design services including E [email protected] T +27 11 492 0633 T 020 7736 7744 services to support sites throughout regeneration, sustainability with a strong identity and sense of Masterplanning, development briefs C Monica Albonico C Russell Pedley the development process: from and community consultation. place. and design statements. E [email protected] E [email protected] appraisals to planning applications Complemented by in-house W www.asmarch.com W www.assael.co.uk and appeals. architecture, planning, development, Construkt Architects Ltd FaulknerBrowns A multi-disciplinary practice Architects and urban designers investment, property and minerals 17 Graham Street, Auckland Dobson House, Northumbrian Way, specialising in large scale, green covering mixed use, hotel, leisure Broadway Malyan teams. New Zealand Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 0QW field, urban regeneration and and residential, including urban 3 Weybridge Business Park T +64 (0)9 373 4900 T 0191 268 3007 upgrading strategies, as well as frameworks and masterplanning Addlestone Road, Weybridge, Chapman Taylor LLP C David Gibbs C Ben Sykes residential, special and educational projects. Surrey KT15 2BW 10 Eastbourne Terrace, E [email protected] E [email protected] projects. T 01932 845599 London W2 6LG W www.construkt.co.nz W www.faulknerbrowns.co.uk Atkins plc C Erik Watson T 020 7371 3000 Construkt offer urban design Formed in 1962, FaulknerBrowns is Allen Pyke Associates Euston Tower, 286 Euston Road, E [email protected] E [email protected] and architectural services. Our a regionally-based architectural The Factory 2 Acre Road, London NW1 3AT W www.broadwaymalyan.com W www.chapmantaylor.com work spans through civic and design practice with a national Kingston-upon-Thames KT2 6EF T 020 7121 2000 We are an international MANCHESTER cultural projects to masterplanned and international reputation. T 020 8549 3434 C Paul Reynolds interdisciplinary practice which Bass Warehouse, 4 Castle Street communities and private residences. From a workload based initially on C David Allen/ Vanessa Ross E [email protected] believes in the value of place- Castlefield, Manchester M3 4LZ Shaping space is our passion. education, library and sports and E [email protected] W www.atkinsglobal.co.uk making-led masterplans that are T 0161 828 6500 leisure buildings, the practice’s W www.allenpyke.co.uk Interdisciplinary practice that offers a rooted in local context. E [email protected] David Huskisson Associates current workload also extends Innovative, responsive, committed, range of built environment specialists Chapman Taylor is an international 17 Upper Grosvenor Road, across a number of sectors including competitive, process. Priorities: working together to deliver quality Brock Carmichael firm of architects and urban Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2DU masterplanning, offices, healthcare, people, spaces, movement, culture. places for everybody to enjoy. Architects designers specialising in mixed T 01892 527828 commercial mixed use, industrial Places: regenerate, infill, extend 19 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9JQ use city centre regeneration and C Nicola Brown and residential, for both private and create. T 0151 242 6222 transport projects throughout the E [email protected] public sector clients. C Michael Cosser world. Offices in Bangkok, Brussels, W www.dha-landscape.co.uk E [email protected] Bucharest, Düsseldorf, Kiev, Madrid, Landscape consultancy offering Masterplans and development Milan, Moscow, New Delhi, Paris, Masterplanning, streetscape briefs. Mixed use and brownfield Prague, Sao Paulo, Shanghai and and urban park design, estate regeneration projects. Design in Warsaw. restoration, environmental impact historic and sensitive settings. assessments. Integrated landscape design.

50 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 51 Practice Index Practice Index

Feria Urbanism Gillespies HOK international Ltd Land Use Consultants LHC Urban Design Mouchel Novell Tullett Plincke Second Floor Studio, 11 Fernside Road Environment by Design Qube, 90 Whitfield Street 43 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD Design Studio, Emperor Way, Exeter 209-215 Blackfriars Road The Old Mess Room Tuscany Wharf, 4A Orsman Road Bournemouth, Dorset BH9 2LA GLASGOW London W1T 4EZ T 020 7383 5784 Business Park, Exeter, Devon EX1 3QS London SE1 8NL Home Farm London N1 5QJ T 01202 548676 21 Carlton Court, Glasgow G5 9JP T 020 7636 2006 C Adrian Wikeley T 01392 444334 T 020 7803 2600 Barrow Gurney BS48 3RW T 020 7739 3330 C Richard Eastham T 0141 420 8200 C Tim Gale E [email protected] C John Baulch C Ludovic Pittie T 01275 462476 C Victoria Summers E [email protected] C Brian M Evans E [email protected] GLASGOW E [email protected] E [email protected] C Simon Lindsley E [email protected] W www.feria-urbanism.eu E [email protected] W www.hok.com 37 Otago Street, Glasgow G12 8JJ W www.lhc.net W www.mouchel.com E [email protected] W www.plincke.com Expertise in urban planning, MANCHESTER HOK delivers design of the highest T 0141 334 9595 Urban designers, architects and Integrated urban design, transport W www.novelltullett.co.uk MANCHESTER masterplanning and public T 0161 928 7715 quality. It is one of Europe’s leading C Martin Tabor landscape architects, providing an and engineering consultancy, Urban design, landscape Studio 1.22, Waulk Mill, participation. Specialisms include C Jim Gibson architectural practices, offering E [email protected] integrated approach to strategic changing the urban landscape in a architecture and environmental Bengal Street, Manchester M4 6LN design for the night time economy, E [email protected] experienced people in a diverse W www.landuse.co.uk visioning, regeneration, urban positive manner, creating places for planning. A trans-disciplinary design prac- urban design skills training and local OXFORD range of building types, skills and Urban regeneration, landscape renewal, Masterplanning and sustainable living. tice: Urban and ecological design, community engagement. T 01865 326789 markets. design, masterplanning, sustainable public realm projects. Creative, Paul Drew Design Ltd landscape architecture and plan- C Paul F Taylor development, environmental knowledgeable, practical, Nathaniel Lichfield & 23-25 Great Sutton Street ning. Place-making and community Fletcher Priest Architects E [email protected] Hyland Edgar Driver planning, environmental assessment, passionate. Partners Ltd London EC1V 0DN engagement. Middlesex House, 34/42 Cleveland W www.gillespies.co.uk One Wessex Way, Colden Common, landscape planning and 14 Regent’s Wharf, All Saints Street, T 020 7017 1785 Street, Urban design, landscape Winchester, Hants SO21 1WG management. Offices also in Bristol Liz Lake Associates London N1 9RL C Paul Drew +Plus Urban Design Ltd London W1T 4JE architecture, architecture, planning, T 01962 711 600 and Edinburgh. Western House, Chapel Hill T 020 7837 4477 E [email protected] Spaceworks, Benton Park Road T 020 7034 2200 environmental assessment, C John Hyland Stansted Mountfitchet C Nick Thompson W www.pauldrewdesign.co.uk Newcastle upon Tyne NE7 7LX F 020 7637 5347 planning supervisors and project E [email protected] Lavigne Lonsdale Ltd Essex CM24 8AG E [email protected] Masterplanning, urban design, T 0844 800 6660 C Jonathan Kendall management. W www.heduk.com 38 Belgrave Crescent, Camden T 01279 647044 W www.nlpplanning.com residential and mixed use design. C Richard Charge, Tony Wyatt E [email protected] Innovative problem solving, driven Bath BA1 5JU C Matt Lee Also at Newcastle upon Tyne and Creative use of design codes and E [email protected] W www.fletcherpreist.com GM Design Associates Ltd by cost efficiency and sustainability, T 01225 421539 E [email protected] Cardiff other briefing material. W www.plusud.co.uk Work ranges from city-scale 22 Lodge Road, Coleraine combined with imagination and TRURO W www.lizlake.com Urban design, Masterplanning, Specialist practice providing strate- masterplans (Stratford City, Riga) to Co. Londonderry BT52 1NB coherent aesthetic of the highest 55 Lemon Street, Truro Urban fringe/brownfield sites where heritage/conservation, visual PD Lane Associates gic masterplanning, urban design architectural commissions for high- Northern Ireland quality. Cornwall TR1 2PE an holistic approach to urban design, appraisal, regeneration, daylight/ 1 Church Road, Greystones, guidance, analysis, character profile professional clients. T 028 703 56138 T 01872 273118 landscape, and ecological issues sunlight assessments, public realm County Wicklow, Ireland assessment and independent design C Bill Gamble John Thompson & Partners C Martyn Lonsdale can provide robust design solutions. strategies. T 00 353 1287 6697 advisory expertise. FPCR Environment E [email protected] 23-25 Great Sutton Street, E [email protected] C Malcolm Lane & Design Ltd W www.g-m-design.com London ECIV 0DN W www.lavigne.co.uk LSI Architects LLP New Masterplanning Limited E [email protected] Pod Lockington Hall, Lockington, Architecture, town and country T 020 7017 1780 We are an integrated practice of The Old Drill Hall, 23 A Cattle Market 2nd Floor, 107 Bournemouth Road, W www.pdlane.ie 99 Galgate,Barnard Castle, Derby DE74 2RH planning, urban design, landscape C Marcus Adams masterplanners, Urban Designers, Street, Norwich NR1 3DY Poole, Dorset BH14 9HR Urban design, architecture and Co Durham DL12 8ES T 01509 672772 architecture, development E [email protected] Landscape Architects and Product T 01603 660711 T 01202 742228 planning consultancy, specialising T 0845 872 7288 C Tim Jackson frameworks and briefs, feasibility Edinburgh Designers. Experienced in large C David Thompson C Andy Ward in Masterplanning, development C Andy Dolby E [email protected] studies, sustainability appraisals, 2nd Floor Venue studios, 15-21 scale, mixed use and residential [email protected] E [email protected] frameworks, site layouts, E [email protected] W www.fpcr.co.uk public participation and community Calton Road, Edinburgh EH8 8DL Masterplanning, health, education, W www.lsiarchitects.co.uk W www.newMasterplanning.com applications, appeals, project co- Newcastle Integrated design and engagement. T 0131 272 2762 regeneration, housing, parks, public Large scale Masterplanning and Our skills combine strategic planning ordination. G27 Toffee Factory environmental practice. Specialists C Alan Stewart realm and streetscape design. visualisation in sectors such as with detailed implementation, Lower Steenbergs Yard in Masterplanning, urban and mixed Halcrow Group Ltd E [email protected] health, education and business, and design flair with economic rigour, Pegasus Group Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 2DF use regeneration, development Elms House, 43 Brook Green W www.jtp.co.uk LDA Design new sustainable settlements. independent thinking with a Pegasus House C Craig Van Bedaf frameworks, EIAs and public Hammersmith, London W6 7EF Addressing the problems of physical, 14-17 Wells Mews, London W1T 3HF partnership approach. Querns Business Centre W www.designbypod.co.uk inquiries. T 020 3479 8000 social and economic regeneration T 020 7467 1470 Malcolm Moor Urban Design Whitworth Road, Cirencester GL7 1RT Masterplanning, site appraisal, C Robert Schmidt, Asad Shaheed through collaborative interdisciplinary C Vaughan Anderson 27 Ock Mill Close, Abingdon Nicholas Pearson T 01285 641717 layout and architectural design. Framework Architecture E [email protected] community based planning. [email protected] Oxon OX14 1SP Associates C Michael Carr Development frameworks, urban and Urban Design W www.halcrow.com W www.lda-design.co.uk T 01235 550122 30 Brock Street, Bath BA1 2LN E [email protected] regeneration, design codes, briefs 3 Marine Studios, Burton Lane, Award winning consultancy, Jon Rowland Urban Design GLASGOW C Malcolm Moor T 01225 445548 W www.pegasuspg.co.uk and design and access statements. Burton Waters, Lincoln LN1 2WN integrating planning, transport and 65 Hurst Rise Road, Oxford OX2 9HE Sovereign House, E [email protected] C Simon Kale Masterplanning, detailed layout T 01522 535383 environment. Full development cycle T 01865 863642 158 West Regent Street W www.moorud.com E [email protected] and architectural design, design Pollard Thomas Edwards C Gregg Wilson covering feasibility, concept, design C Jon Rowland Glasgow G2 4RL Master planning of new communities, W www.npaconsult.co.uk and access statements, design Architects E [email protected] and implementation. E [email protected] T 0141 2229780 urban design, residential, urban Masterplanning, public realm codes, sustainable design, Diespeker Wharf, 38 Graham Street, W www.frameworklincoln.co.uk W www.jrud.co.uk C Kirstin Taylor capacity and ecofitting studies, design, streetscape analysis, development briefs, development London N1 8JX Architecture and urban design. A Hankinson Duckett Urban design, urban regeneration, E [email protected] design involvement with major concept and detail designs. Also full frameworks, expert witness, T 020 7336 7777 commitment to the broader built Associates development frameworks, site Offices also in Oxford, Peterborough international projects. landscape architecture service, EIA, community involvement and C Robin Saha-Choudhury environment and the particular The Stables, Howberry Park, Benson appraisals, town centre studies, & Exeter green infrastructure, ecology and sustainability appraisal. Part of the Andrew Beharrell dynamic of a place and the design Lane, Wallingford OX10 8BA design guidance, public participation Multidisciplinary firm covering all Melville Dunbar Associates biodiversity, environmental planning multidisciplinary Pegasus Group. E [email protected] opportunities presented. T 01491 838 175 and Masterplanning. aspects of Masterplanning, urban Studio 2, Griggs Business Centre and management. W www.ptea.co.uk C Brian Duckett regeneration, public realm design, West Street, Coggeshall, Essex CO6 1NT Philip Cave Associates Masterplanners, urban designers, Garsdale Design Limited E [email protected] Kay Elliott environmental impact and community T 01376 562828 NJBA A + U 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ developers, architects, listed building High Branthwaites, Frostrow, W www.hda-enviro.co.uk 5-7 Meadfoot Road, Torquay, Devon involvement. C Melville Dunbar 4 Molesworth Place, Dublin 2 T 020 7250 0077 and conservation area designers; Sedbergh, Cumbria, LA10 5JR An approach which adds value TQ1 2JP E [email protected] T 00 353 1 678 8068 C Philip Cave specialising in inner city mixed use T 015396 20875 through innovative solutions. T 01803 213553 Levitt Bernstein W www.melvilledunbarassociates.com C Noel J Brady E [email protected] high density regeneration. C Derrick Hartley Development planning, new C Mark Jones Associates Ltd Architecture, urban design, planning, E [email protected] W www.philipcave.com E [email protected] settlements, environmental E [email protected] 1 Kingsland Passage, London E8 2BB Masterplanning, new towns, urban W www.12publishers.com/njba.htm Design-led practice with innovative Powell Dobson Urbanists W www.garsdaledesign.co.uk assessment, re-use of redundant W www.kayelliott.co.uk T 020 7275 7676 regeneration, conservation studies, Integrated landscapes, urban yet practical solutions to Charter House, Links Business Park GDL provides Masterplanning and buildings. International studio with 30 year C Glyn Tully design guides, townscape studies, design, town centres and squares, environmental opportunities in urban St Mellons, Cardiff CF3 0LT urban design, architecture and history of imaginative architects E [email protected] design briefs. strategic design and planning. regeneration. Specialist expertise in T 029 2079 9699 heritage services developed through Hawkins\Brown and urban designers, creating W www.levittbernstein.co.uk landscape architecture. C James Brown 25 years wide ranging experience in 60 Bastwick Street, London EC1V 3TN buildings and places that enhance Urban design, Masterplanning, full Metropolis Planning and Node Urban Design E [email protected] the UK and Middle East. T 020 7336 8030 their surroundings and add financial architectural service, lottery grant Design 33 Holmfield Road PLANIT i.e. LTD W www.powelldobsonurbanists.com C David Bickle value. bid advice, interior design, urban 4 Underwood Row, London N1 7LQ Leicester LE2 1SE The Planit Group, 2 Back Grafton Street Our mission is to create enduing new Globe Consultants Ltd E [email protected] renewal consultancy and landscape T 020 7324 2662 T 0116 2708742 Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 1DY places and help to make existing 26 Westgate, Lincoln LN1 3BD W www.hawkinsbrown.co.uk Landscape Projects design. C Greg Cooper C Nigel Wakefield T 0161 928 9281 places work better. T 01522 546483 Multi-disciplinary architecture and 31 Blackfriars Road, Salford E [email protected] E [email protected] C Peter Swift C Lynette Swinburne urban design practice specialising in Manchester M3 7AQ W ww.metropolispd.com W www.nodeurbandesign.com E [email protected] Project Centre Ltd [email protected] mixed use regeneration, educational T 0161 839 8336 Metropolitan urban design solutions An innovative team of urban design, W www.planit-ie.com Fourth Floor Westgate House W www.globelimited.co.uk Masterplanning, sustainable rural C Neil Swanson drawn from a multi-disciplinary landscape and heritage consultants Public realm solutions informed by Westgate, London W5 1YY Provides urban design, planning, development frameworks, transport E [email protected] studio of urban designers, architects, who believe that good design adds robust urban design. We create T 020 7421 8222 economic and cultural development infrastructure and public urban realm W www.landscapeprojects.co.uk planners and heritage architects. value. Providing sustainable urban quality spaces for people to live, C David Moores services across the UK and design. We work at the boundary between design and masterplan solutions work, play and enjoy. E [email protected] internationally, specialising in architecture, urban and landscape at all scales of development with a W www.projectcentre.co.uk sustainable development solutions, design, seeking innovative, sensitive focus on the creation of a sense of Landscape architecture, public realm masterplanning and regeneration. design and creative thinking. Offices place. design, urban regeneration, street in Manchester & London. lighting design, planning supervision, traffic and transportation, parking and highway design.

52 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 53 Practice Index Practice Index

PRP Architects SAVILLS (L&P) LIMITED Shepheard Epstein Hunter Stride Treglown Tetlow King Tweed Nuttall Warburton Vincent and Gorbing Ltd 10 Lindsey Street, Lansdowne House, 57 Berkeley Square Phoenix Yard, 65 King’s Cross Road, Promenade House, The Promenade Building 300, The Grange, Chapel House, City Road, Sterling Court, Norton Road, London EC1A 9HP London W1J 6ER London WC1X 9LW Clifton Down, Bristol BS8 3NE Romsey Road, Michelmersh, Chester CH1 3AE Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2JY T 020 7653 1200 T 020 3320 8242 T 020 7841 7500 T 0117 974 3271 Romsey SO51 0AE T 01244 310388 T 01438 316331 C Andy von Bradsky W www.savills.com C Steven Pidwill C Graham Stephens T 01794 517333 C John Tweed C Richard Lewis E [email protected] SOUTHAMPTON E [email protected] [email protected] C Gary Rider E [email protected] E urban.designers@vincent-gorbing. Architects, planners, urban 2 Charlotte Place, W www.seh.co.uk W www.stridetreglown.com/ E [email protected] W www.tnw-architecture.co.uk co.uk designers and landscape architects, Southampton SO14 0TB SEH is a user-friendly, award- W www.tetlowking.co.uk Architecture and urban design, W www.vincent-gorbing.co.uk specialising in housing, urban T 02380 713900 winning architects firm, known for Stuart Turner Associates Award winning multi-disciplinary Masterplanning. Urban waterside Masterplanning, design statements, regeneration, health, education and C Peter Frankum its work in regeneration, education, 12 Ledbury, Great Linford, practice encompassing architecture, environments. Community teamwork character assessments, development leisure projects. E [email protected] housing, Masterplanning, mixed use Milton Keynes MK14 5DS urban design, masterplanning, enablers. Visual impact assessments. briefs, residential layouts and urban Offices throughout the World and healthcare projects. T 01908 678672 design coding, regeneration, capacity exercises. Savills Urban Design creates value C Stuart Turner development frameworks, Urban Design Futures Randall Thorp from places and places of value. Sheppard Robson E [email protected] sustainable design/planning and 34/1 Henderson Row Wei Yang & Partners Canada House, 3 Chepstow Street, Masterplanning, urban design, 77 Parkway, Camden Town, W www.studiost.co.uk construction. Residential and Edinburgh EH3 5DN Berkeley Square House Manchester M1 5FW design coding, urban design advice, London NW1 7PU Architecture, urban design and retirement care specialists. T 0131 557 8944 Berkeley Square, T 0161 228 7721 planning, commercial guidance. T 020 7504 1700 environmental planning, the C Selby Richardson London W1J 6BD C Pauline Randall C Charles Scott design of new settlements, urban Tibbalds Planning & Urban E [email protected] T 020 3086 7658 E [email protected] Saunders Partnership E [email protected] regeneration and site development Design W www.urbandesignfutures.co.uk C Dr Wei Yang W www.randallthorp.co.uk Studio Four, 37 Broadwater Road, W www.sheppardrobson.com studies. 19 Maltings Place, 169 Tower Bridge Innovative urban design, planning E [email protected] Masterplanning for new Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 3AX Manchester Road, London SE1 3JB and landscape practice specialising W www.weiyangandpartners.co.uk developments and settlements, T 01707 385 300 27th Floor, City Tower, Piccadilly Plaza studio | REAL T 020 7089 2121 in Masterplanning, new settlements, Independent multi-disciplinary infrastructure design and urban C Martin Williams Manchester M1 4BD Oxford Centre for Innovation C Katja Stille urban regeneration, town and village company driven by a commitment to renewal, design guides and design E urbandesign@saundersarchitects. T 0161 233 8900 New Road, Oxford OX1 1BY E [email protected] studies. shape more sustainable and liveable briefing, public participation. com Planners, urban designers and T 01865 261461 W www.tibbalds.co.uk cities. Specialising in low-carbon city W www.saundersarchitects.com architects. Strategic planning, urban C Roger Evans Multi-disciplinary practice of urban Urban Initiatives development strategies, sustainable Random Greenway regeneration, development planning, E [email protected] designers, architects and planners. 36-40 York Way, London N1 9AB large-scale new settlement master Architects Scott Brownrigg Ltd town centre renewal, new settlement W www.studioreal.co.uk Provides expertise from concept T 020 7843 3165 plans, urban regeneration, urban Soper Hall, Harestone Valley Road St Catherines Court, 46-48 Portsmouth planning. Urban regeneration, quarter to implementation in regeneration, C Hugo Nowell and public realm design, mixed Caterham Surrey CR3 6HY Road, Guildford GU2 4DU frameworks and design briefs, town masterplanning, urban design and E [email protected] use urban complex design and T 01883 346 441 T 01483 568 686 Smeeden Foreman ltd centre strategies, movement in towns, design management to public and W www.urbaninitiatives.co.uk community building strategies. C R Greenway C Alex Baker Somerset House, Low Moor Lane Masterplanning and development private sector clients. Urban design, transportation, E rg@randomgreenwayarchitects. E [email protected] Scotton, Knaresborough HG5 9JB economics. regeneration, development planning. WestWaddy: ADP co.uk W www.scottbrownrigg.com T 01423 863369 Townscape Solutions The Malthouse, 60 East St. Helen Architecture, planning and urban Integrated service of architecture, C Mark Smeeden Taylor Young Urban Design 128 Park Road, Smethwick, West Urban Innovations Street, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 5EB design. New build, regeneration, urban design, planning, E [email protected] Chadsworth House, Wilmslow Road, Midlands, B67 5HT 1st Floor, Wellington Buildings, T 01235 523139 refurbishment and restoration. Masterplanning, involved in several W www.smeedenforeman.co.uk Handforth, Cheshire SK9 3HP T 0121 429 6111 2 Wellington Street, Belfast BT16HT C Philip Waddy mixed use schemes regenerating Ecology, landscape architecture T 01625 542200 C Kenny Brown T 028 9043 5060 E [email protected] Richard Coleman inner city and brownfield sites. and urban design. Environmental C Stephen Gleave E [email protected] C Tony Stevens/ Agnes Brown W westwaddy-adp.co.uk Citydesigner assessment, detailed design, E [email protected] W www.townscapesolutions.co.uk E [email protected] Experienced and multi-disciplinary 14 Lower Grosvenor Place, Scott Tallon Walker contract packages and site Liverpool Specialist urban design practice W www.urbaninnovations.co.uk team of urban designers, architects London SW1W 0EX Architects supervision. T 0151 702 6500 offering a wide range of services The partnership provides not only and town planners offering a full T 020 7630 4880 19 Merrion Square, Dublin 2 W www.tayloryoung.co.uk including masterplans, site layouts, feasibility studies and assists in site range of urban design services. C Lakshmi Varma T 00 353 1 669 3000 Soltys: Brewster Consulting Urban design, planning and design briefs, design and access assembly for complex projects but E [email protected] C Philip Jackson 4 Stangate House, Stanwell Road, development. Town studies, housing, statements, expert witness and 3D also full architectural services for White Consultants Advice on architectural quality, E [email protected] Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan CF64 2AA commercial, distribution, health and illustrations. major projects. Enterprise House, 127-129 Bute Street urban design, and conservation, W www.stwarchitects.com T 029 2040 8476 transportation. Specialist in urban Cardiff CF10 5LE historic buildings and townscape. Award winning international practice C Simon Brewster design training. TP bennett LLP URBED (Urbanism T 029 2043 7841 Environmental statements, listed covering all aspects of architecture, E [email protected] One America Street, London SE1 0NE Environment & Design) C Simon White buildings/area consent applications. urban design and planning. W www.soltysbrewster.co.uk Terence O’Rourke LTD T 020 7208 2029 Manchester E [email protected] Urban design, masterplans, Everdene House, Deansleigh Road, C Peter Davis 10 Little Lever Street, W www.whiteconsultants.co.uk RICHARDS PARTINGTON Shaffrey Associates design strategies, visual impact, Bournemouth BH7 7DU E [email protected] Manchester M1 1HR A holistic approach to urban ARCHITECTS 29 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1 environmental assessment, T 01202 421142 W www.tpbennett.com T 0161 200 5500 regeneration, design guidance, Unit G, Reliance Wharf, T 00 353 1872 5602 regeneration of urban space, E [email protected] Development planning, urban C John Sampson public realm and open space Hertford Road, London N1 5EW C Gráinne Shaffrey landscape design and project W www.torltd.co.uk design, conservation and E [email protected] strategies and town centre studies T 020 7241 7770 E [email protected] management. Town planning, Masterplanning, Masterplanning – making places W www.urbed.coop for the public, private and community C Richard Partington W www.shaffrey.ie urban design, architecture, and adding value through creative, LONDON sectors. E [email protected] Urban conservation and design, with spacehub landscape architecture, progressive, dynamic and joyful The Building Centre W www.rparchitects.co.uk a particular commitment to the Grimsby Street Studio, environmental consultancy, complex exploration. 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT WYG Planning & Urban design, housing, retail, regeneration of historic urban 20a Grimsby Street urban design problems. C Nicholas Falk Environment education, sustainability and centres, small towns and villages, London E2 6ES Turley Associates T 07811 266538 100 St. John Street commercial projects that take including new development. T 020 7739 6699 Terra Firma Consultancy 10th Floor, 1 New York Street Sustainable Urbanism, London EC1M 4EH a responsible approach to the C Giles Charlton Cedar Court, 5 College Street Manchester M1 4HD Masterplanning, Urban Design, T 020 7250 7500 environment and resources. Sheils Flynn Ltd E [email protected] Petersfield GU31 4AE T 0161 233 7676 Retrofitting, Consultation, Capacity C Colin James Bank House High Street, Docking, W www.spacehubdesign.com T 01730 262040 C Jaimie Ferguson – Director of Urban Building, Research, Town Centres E [email protected] Richard Reid & Associates Kings Lynn PE31 8NH spacehub is a young design C Lionel Fanshawe Design & Masterplanning and Regeneration. W www.wyg.com Whitely Farm, Ide Hill, T 01485 518304 studio, specialising in public realm, E contact@terrafirmaconsultancy. E [email protected] Offices throughout the UK Sevenoaks TN14 6BS C Eoghan Sheils landscape, ecology and urban com W www.turleyassocaiates.co.uk URS Infrastructure & Creative urban design and T 01732 741417 E [email protected] design. We are passionate and W www.terrafirmaconsultancy.com Offices also in Belfast, Birmingham, Environment masterplanning with a contextual C Richard Reid W www.sheilsflynn.com committed to creative thinking and Independent landscape architectural Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, 6-8 Greencoat Place, approach to place-making and a E [email protected] Award winning town centre collaborative working. practice with considerable urban Leeds and Southampton. London SW1P 1PL concern for environmental, social W www.richardreid.co.uk regeneration schemes, urban design experience at all scales from UKintegrated urban design, T 020 7798 5137 and economic sustainability. strategies and design guidance. Spawforths EIA to project delivery throughout UK masterplanning, sustainability C Ben Castell RPS Specialists in community consultation Junction 41 Business Court, East and overseas. and heritage services provided E [email protected] Yellow Book Ltd Bristol, Cambridge, London, Newark, and team facilitation. Ardsley, Leeds WF3 2AB at all project stages and scales W www.ursglobal.com 39/2 Gardner’s Crescent Southampton & Swindon T 01924 873873 Terry Farrell and Partners of development. Services include Also at Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh EH3 8DG T 0800 587 9939 C Adrian Spawforth 7 Hatton Street, London NW8 8PL visioning, townscape analysis, Manchester and Plymouth T 0131 229 0179 E [email protected] E [email protected] T 020 7258 3433 design guides and public realm Urban design, planning, landscape, C John Lord W www.rpsgroup.com W www.spawforth.co.uk C Max Farrell resolution economic and architectural E [email protected] Part of the RPS Group providing a Urbanism with planners and E [email protected] design expertise supported by W www.yellowbookltd.com wide range of urban design services architects specialising in W www.terryfarrell.com comprehensive multidisciplinary Place-making, urban regeneration including Masterplanning and Masterplanning, community Architectural, urban design, planning skills. and economic development involving development frameworks, design engagement, visioning and and Masterplanning services. creative and cultural industries, guides and statements. development frameworks. New buildings, refurbishment, tourism and labour market research. conference/exhibition centres and visitor attractions.

54 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 Issue 129 – Winter 2014 – Urban Design — 55 Education Index

Education Index Leeds Metropolitan University College London University of Sheffield University Bartlett School of Planning School of Architecture, The Arts Tower, ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY School of Architecture Landscape 22 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0QB Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN Department of Engineering & Built & Design, Broadcasting Place, Arts T 020 7679 4797 T 0114 222 0341 Environment, Marconi Building, Building, Woodhouse Lane, C Filipa Wunderlich C Florian Kossak Rivermead Campus, Bishop Hall Lane, Leeds LS2 9EN E [email protected] E [email protected] Chelmsford CM1 1SQ T 0113 812 1717 W www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/planning/ W www.shef.ac.uk/architecture/ T 01245 683 3952 / 3962 C Edwin Knighton programmes study/pgschool/taught_masters/ C Dellé Odeleye / Andrew Claiborne E [email protected] The MSc/Dipl Urban Design & City maud E [email protected] W www.leedsmet.ac.uk/courses/la Planning has a unique focus on the One year full time MA in Urban [email protected] Master of Arts in Urban Design interface between urban design & Design for postgraduate architects, W Full time: consists of one year full time or city planning. Students learn to think landscape architects and town www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/ two years part time or individual in critical, creative and analytical planners. The programme has a home/prospectus/pg/Urban_ programme of study. Shorter ways across the different scales of strong design focus, integrates Design.html programmes lead to Post Graduate the city – from strategic to local -and participation and related design Part time: Diploma/Certificate. Project based across urban design, planning, real processes, and includes international www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/ course focusing on the creation of estate and sustainability. and regional applications. home/prospectus/pg/_urban_ sustainable environments through design.html interdisciplinary design. University College London University of Strathclyde Graduate Diploma in Urban Design & Bartlett School of Planning Department of Architecture, Place Shaping. Innovative, one year, London South Bank Wates House, 22 Gordon Street, Urban Design Studies Unit, workplace-based course. Developed University London WC1H 0QB 131 Rottenrow, Glasgow G4 ONG to enable built environment Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences, T 0207 7679 4797 T 0141 548 4219 professionals to better understand, 103 Borough Road, London SE1 0AA C Dr Lucy Montague C Ombretta Romice design and deliver great places. C Bob Jarvis E [email protected] E [email protected] T 020 7815 7353 W www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/planning/ W www.udsu-strath.com Cardiff University MA Urban Design (one year full programmes/postgraduate/ The Postgraduate Course in Urban Welsh School of Architecture and time/two years part time) or PG Cert mresInter-disciplinary-urban- Design is offered in CPD,Diploma and School of City & Regional Planning, Planning based course including design MSc modes. The course is design Glamorgan Building, King Edward V11 units on place and performance, The MRes Inter-disciplinary Urban centred and includes input from a Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3WA sustainable cities as well as project Design cuts across urban design variety of related disciplines. T 029 2087 5972/029 2087 5961 based work and EU study visit. Part of programmes at The Bartlett, allowing C Allison Dutoit, Marga Munar Bauza RTPI accredited programme. students to construct their study University of the West of E [email protected] in a flexible manner and explore England, Bristol [email protected] Newcastle University urban design as a critical arena for Faculty of the Built Environment, W www.cardiff.ac.uk/cplan/ma_ Department of Architecture, Planning advanced research and practice. Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, urbandesign and Landscape, Claremont Tower, The course operates as a stand- Bristol BS16 1QY One year full-time and two year part- University of Newcastle, Newcastle alone high level masters or as C Janet Askew time MA in Urban Design. upon Tyne NE1 7RU preparation for a PhD. T 0117 328 3508 T 0191 222 6006 MA/Postgraduate Diploma course in Edinburgh School of C Georgia Giannopoulou University of Nottingham Urban Design. Part time two days per Architecture and E [email protected] Department of Architecture and Built fortnight for two years, or individual Landscape Architecture W www.ncl.ac.uk/apl/study/ Environment, University Park, programme of study. Project-based ECA University of Edinburgh postgraduate/taught/ Nottingham NG7 2RD course addressing urban design Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9DF urbandesign/index.htm T 0115 9513110 issues, abilities and environments. T 0131 651 5786 The MA in Urban Design brings C Dr Amy Tang C Dr Ola Uduku together cross-disciplinary expertise E [email protected] University of Westminster E [email protected] striking a balance between methods W www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy/ 35 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5LS W www.ed.ac.uk/studying/ and approaches in environmental courses/architecture-and-built- T 020 7911 5000 x3341 postgraduate/degrees design and the social sciences in environment/sustainable-urban- C Bill Erickson Jointly run with Heriot Watt University, the creation of the built environment. design-march.aspx E [email protected] this M.Sc in Urban Strategies and To view the course blog: Master of Architecture (MArch) MA or Diploma Course in Urban Design focuses on urban design www.nclurbandesign.org in Sustainable Urban Design is Design for postgraduate architects, practice and theory from a cultural, a research and project-based town planners, landscape architects and socio-economic, case-study Oxford Brookes University programme which aims to assist the and related disciplines. One year full perspective. Engaging students Joint Centre for Urban Design, enhancement of the quality of our time or two years part time. in 'live' urban projects, as part of Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP cities by bringing innovative design the programme's ‘action research’ C Georgia Butina-Watson, Alan Reeve with research in sustainability. pedagogy, it also offers research T 01865 483403 expertise in African and Latin Diploma in Urban Design, six months University of Salford American urban design and planning full time or 18 months part time. MA School of the Built Environment processes. one year full-time or two years part- Maxwell Building, The Crescent time. Salford M5 4WT Kingston University T 0161 295 4600 School of Surveying & Planning University College London C Dr Riccardo Balbo Penrhyn Road Development Planning Unit, E [email protected] Kingston-upon-Thames KT1 2EE 34 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9EZ W www.salford.ac.uk/built- T 020 8417 7107 T 020 7679 1111 environment E [email protected] C Anna Schulenburg The MSc/PGDip in Urban Design C Alan Russell E [email protected] & Regeneration develops W www.kingston.ac.uk/postgraduate- The MSc Building and Urban physical digital design expertise course/sustainable-place-making- Design in Development programme in sustainable design and policy. msc/ combines cultural, social, economic, Suitable for architecture and Spatial planning, urban design & political and spatial analysis in the urban planning graduates and place-making – MA Sustainable effort to present a critical response practitioners. Place-making and Urban Design. to the growing complexities within the design and production of urban realms.

56 — Urban Design – Winter 2014 – Issue 129 EndpieceNews

Velocity* respectability. We might wonder why it has and I have never seen a photograph of him on taken so long, when we look across the water a bike. But in the words of the Prodigal Son’s at precedents that urban designers have long father, be glad….. I wouldn’t bet against see- celebrated, like Copenhagen or Amsterdam ing rows of Albert Bikes for hire in a few years (60% share of the modal split). I long ago from now. I was a teenage racing cyclist, almost perma- became aware that many good and positive Joe Holyoak nently attached to my bike by the shoeplates things happen for the wrong, or at least for • on my paper-thin kangaroo-skin racing shoes, accidental, reasons. Froome and Wiggins *Kelvin Campbell will like this. and covering about 10,000 miles a year. are certainly part of the explanation for the Nowadays I ride a tiny fraction of that dis- increased popularity of cycling in Britain. tance, sitting upright on my folding Bromp- Yet there is no sensible relationship between ton, but it still feels more natural for my legs Chris Froome burning off the opposition on to be going round and round than to be going Ax 3 Domaines in the Pyrenees, and someone backwards and forwards. Riding is mostly cycling quietly along the River Rea to work in more to get somewhere necessary than for Digbeth. The pink helmets are probably part pleasure, but an exception was in September of the connection. when I rode in the Skyride in Birmingham. In November 2013, Birmingham, long Sky is not one of my favourite businesses, but notorious as a car-mad city, and madly like some other cyclists I know, I suspend my redesigned in the 60s as a result, launched dislike when it comes to their sponsorship of a consultation paper on reorganising its Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins. transport patterns, with a major role to be On a damp Sunday, 11kms of streets given to cycling. The city has won £17m from between Digbeth and Cannon Hill Park were the Department of Transport’s Cycle City closed to all but bicycles, and the whole Ambition Grant scheme, and aims to achieve circuit was filled with thousands of cyclists 10 per cent of all journeys made on bikes by of all types and ages. Many of them were tiny 2033. It’s a modest ambition, starting from children on tiny bikes, out with their parents. 2 per cent, the second lowest share in any For small girls, pink helmets seemed to be an UK city. It will be interesting to see how the essential fashion item. It was a delightfully city’s motor-oriented infrastructure will be surreal sight to see tiny tots pedalling fear- modified in order to achieve this. MADE, the lessly down the centre of the four-lane A441 regional architecture centre, has responded Pershore Road, which on any other day they quickly by organising a training session on wouldn’t be allowed anywhere near. It was Design for Cycling, run by Phil Jones. an inspiring vision of what the city could be Not the least satisfying element of the like if it were differently organised, with more city’s Mobility Action Plan is seeing the intelligent priorities. Council’s Leader, Sir Albert Bore, rebranded Across the country, cycling as a regular as a born-again cycling evangelist. I don’t ↖↑ Local bike shop in Digbeth means of urban transport is fast gaining recall Albert previously espousing cycling, ↑↑ The Birmingham Skyride Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design 19 Maltings Place 169 Tower Bridge Road London SE1 3JB Telephone 0207 089 2121 [email protected] www.tibbalds.co.uk

Bringing Planning and Design together to make good places happen