Liverpool Knowledge Quarter PART 4: The Climax Plan 52 Liverpool Knowledge Quarter Looking north-west across the Knowledge Quarter with the River Mersey and the Waterfront in the left hand top corner 53 Liverpool Knowledge Quarter 4:1 Vision In which we describe the vision for the Knowledge Quarter and introduce the idea of a Climax Plan as an end state vision for what the area could be like in 20 years so that we can set a course for current policy to work towards this. Aerial view of Renshaw Street Aerial view of Islington n the first three parts of this report we have Vision Facilitating and encouraging social Climax City complexity and interdependency of its systems. described the current state of the Knowledge interaction: Developing places and uses where Coupled with Liverpool’s problems of wider civic IQuarter. It is an area that contains many of The Regeneris Prospectus for the Knowledge people can meet and interact. Cities are often compared to complex eco-systems decline, the result has been a city which in terms the city’s greatest assets; its universities, its Quarter sets out its potential role in the like forests. These evolve through stages and of vitality falls far short of its rich climax state cathedrals, the hospital and many important regeneration of Liverpool. The Prospectus A role for iconic architecture: Using iconic adapt to their environment to reach a relatively as described in the early sections of this report, cultural institutions. It is also an area of the city stresses the concentration of knowledge and design to create an atmosphere of quality and a stable and steady state. In this state the individual a fact demonstrated visually by comparisons that has retained much of its traditional character economic activity already focused in the area and sense of place to complimet the two cathedrals. constituents are renewed and refreshed without between the historic and modern figure ground particularly the Georgian neighbourhood in the the potential for expanding this as a driver to the disturbing the harmony and integrity of the whole. plans earlier in this report (page 9). south of the area. It is an area that has a buzz wider regeneration of the city. The Prospectus Welcoming young people: Promoting an area Ecologists terms this the ‘climax state’. of life generated by the universities, the cultural usefully sets out the criteria that the quarter will that is exciting and attractive to young people. In developing proposals for the Knowledge uses and evening economy. need to meet to achieve its potential. This has The natural climax vegetation of Merseyside, Quarter we recognise the gap between the ideal formed the starting point for our masterplanning High quality teaching and working like most of England, would be broad leafed of what the area could become and the reality These positive aspects of the area have, however, work. As we described in the introduction the environments: Ensuring that the quarter deciduous forest. Leave any piece of land alone, of current funding capacity and the immediate become embattled. The Knowledge Quarter is Regeneris criteria are: provides a high-quality working environment for and over time it will regenerate itself, first scope for action. Like politics, planning is about cut-off from the city centre by a Shatter Zone, the universities. with grasses and flowers, then with scrub and the ‘art of the possible’ – reaching as high as can the legacy of a failed road scheme. It is bounded A distinct sense of place: Creating a clear and woodlands, and eventually with the climax forest, be achieved at any one point. We have therefore to the north and soon to the east by more major recognisable quarter of the city. Strong name recognition: Bringing this together which will continue to renew itself and last for developed the concept of a ‘Climax Plan’ for the roads and its urban fabric has been eaten away into strong and recognisably branded location. centuries - or until cut down. area, to suggest an ambitious but achievable by decline and poor quality development over Clear but permeable boundaries: Ensuring that vision for what the Knowledge Quarter could the last fifty years. The heart of the Knowledge people know when they are entering the quarter These themes provide a good starting point for There are similarities in the way cities develop. become over a period of fifteen to twenty years. Quarter around Hope Street has therefore shrunk but that they find this is easy to do. the Knowledge Quarter Vision. It needs to create Evolving from villages into densely variegated and become disconnected from the rest of the a strong and distinct identity with excellent places, teeming with life which achieve some sort Many proposals are already close to fruition city. This needs to be fixed if the area is to play its Communicating a strong knowledge identity: connections to the rest of the city and a lively of natural balance. Liverpool last reached such a or at the design stage. Others are some years full part in Liverpool’s recovery. Emphasising the presence and roles of the and inclusive public realm where people can ‘climax state’ in the 1930s, as described in Part away, and a few may initially be seen as highly universities. meet and interact. This vision is developed in One of this report. radical. What the plan does do is illustrate the remainder of this report. In the final section the vast potential to build upon and repair the Visual and physical linkages within and we look at a series of immediate infrastructure Unlike the steady state forest of course, cities urban structure of the area with new design, between: Ensuring that the quarter is easy to and public realm projects that can take the first are shaped by human agents and subject to to reconnect it both internally and to the rest move around. steps towards realising this vision. However, their whims and mistakes. There were elements of the city, to encourage a lively and friendly before taking the first steps it is important to of the climax city people wished to eradicate public realm, and a create a thriving network Open and inclusive spaces: Creating a series of know where you are going. We have therefore – congestion, overcrowding, unclean air and of connected streets and attractive spaces. We attractive public streets and spaces. developed the idea of a Climax Plan as an end architecture that had fallen from fashion. In therefore set this climax state as our destination state vision for the development of the area. Liverpool, gap sites created by wartime bombing as described on the following pages before stimulated a clean sweep approach to the plotting our course to achieve this plan over a husbandry of the urban ecology, ignoring the number of decades. 54 Liverpool Knowledge Quarter An 1859 aerial drawing of Liverpool developing towards its ‘climax state’. 55 Liverpool Knowledge Quarter 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70m ‘Climbing the hill’ Areas historically blighted by highway projects Climbing the hill Bridging the Shatter Zones 4:2 Opportunities & Constraints Constraints - The Knowledge Quarter covers a Constraints - In addition to topography, the relatively flat shelf of land between two steep Knowledge Quarter is cut off from the city and ridges. The first steps up from the old Pool of the area to the east by Shatter Zones, areas of In order to build up the Climax Plan we have Liverpool and the arrows show the streets which poorly defined buildings, open spaces and vacant In which we describe the process of started with an assessment of the opportunities are a sharp climb into the area. The Knowledge sites that are unpleasant to walk. These include building up the Climax Plan, starting and constraints in the area. These are the Quarter is divided from the city centre by this Crown Street and Grove Street that have become main drivers of the spatial vision and are dealt natural barrier. Topography also separates the a notorious red-light district since their clearance. by overcoming the topographical with in turn in this section. We look first at Knowledge Quarter from neighbourhoods to the They also include the areas affected by a series constraints of the area and the Shatter the topography of the area and how it can be east. of road schemes. The planned north-south road exploited before looking at the way in which that would have divided the Knowledge Quarter Zones that surround it and expanding a series of Shatter Zones disconnect the Opportunities - Hills can’t be moved, and we can from the city centre has long been abandoned. the core of quality along Hope Street. Knowledge Quarter from the surrounding city. do nothing to avoid the steepness of the streets However, its legacy remains in a string of vacant The strategy is therefore to expand the core of on either side of the Knowledge Quarter. However, and underdeveloped sites. The New Islington quality in the Knowledge Quarter until it creates this also presents opportunities for views into and Road to the north has been built and creates a a seamless link with the surrounding areas. On across the area. Much more could be made of barrier between the quarter and Everton while the following page we expand this further to the locations where these views are best, notably the road to the east, the Hall Lane Bypass, is yet improve internal and external connections, repair around the cathedrals and from Kensington to start on site. the townscape of the area and reinforcing the and Edge Hill.