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Urban Design 1 Quarterly The Journal of the ' Urban Design Group
Issue 63 July 1997 i
Topic: Symposium on The New Urban Design Agenda i I
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' Practice Profile Civic Trust Regeneration Unit
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ISSN 0266-6480 Urban Design Group Contributors Regular contributors
Forum for: Robert Cowan Derek Abbott architects • town planners • Writer and Consultant on Urban Architect and Planner involved in engineers • landscape architects and affairs. Currently working with Urban consultancy, writing and teaching. Initiatives on Good Practice Guidance all those interested in the quality of Previously Conservation Officer for for Design in the Planning System. North Devon. the built environment
Mike Galloway John Billingham The Urban Design Group, founded nineteen Town Planner and urban Designer. Architect and Planner, formerly years ago, has been established to provide Project Director of Crown Street Director of Design and Development high standards of performance and inter- Regeneration Scheme, Glasgow. Milton Keynes Development professional cooperation in planning, Member of Urban Villages Forum. Corporation. architecture, urban design, and other related disciplines; and to educate the relevant Angus Gavin Sebastian Loew professions and the public in matters relating to Planning Advisor for the Chairman of Architect and Planner, until recently urban design. Membership is made up of Solidere, the private sector Principal Lecturer at the School of architects, planners, landscape architects, corporation charged with the Urban Development at South Bank reconstruction of Beirut's war engineers, surveyors, historians, lawyers, University. damaged city centre. Formerly leader photographers, in fact anyone interested in the of the consultants' team that prepared Marion Roberts quality of our built environment. Local the Master Plan for the area. He is Architect, writer and Senior Lecturer authorities, practices, and universities are also also author, with Ramez Maluf, of in the School of Urban development at members. The U.D.G. runs a series of public Beirut Reborn: the restoration and the University of Westminster. lectures, workshops and other events which development of the Central District, are valid for C.P.D. The Kevin Lynch Memorial Academy Editions, London, 1996. Jon Rowland Lecture has attracted such speakers as Leon Architect and Urban Designer, Krier, Peter Hall, Sir Roy Strong, and Sir Philip Peter Howard previously technical Director of Dowson. Annual study tours are also Architect in private practice, Milton Llewelyn-Davies Planning. Past organised. The U.D.G. publishes a quarterly Keynes. Chairman of the Urban Design Group. magazine dealing with urban design issues and an Urban Design Source Book which Justyna Karakiewicz Architect and lecturer at University of identifies urban design practices, courses and Hong Kong. Previously Design Tutor members. The U.D.G. is working closely with at UCL and A A Schools of the R.T.P.I, to raise the profile of urban design. Architecture. It has reciprocal membership with a number of complementary organisations including Vision John Punter for London, and the British Urban Regeneration Professor of City and Regional Association (B.U.R.A.). The U.D.G. has set out Planning at University of Wales an agenda aimed at explaining urban design College at Cardiff. Major research and how, using urban design principles, the undertaken for DoE on Design quality of the environment can be raised. The Policies in the Planning System. Urban Design Group continues to grow. Giinter Schlusche Membership is national, and each region has Consultant Architect and Planner in its own convenor, who organises local events. Berlin. Coordinated architecture and urban development projects for the IBA 1981-87. Programme Coordinator Errata for Berlin Stadtforum 1991-96 with Administrator Susie Turnbull whom he is still involved. A few errors regrettably appeared Tel. 01235 851415 within the Source Book. One name that was incorrectly listed should Fax. 01235 851410 Les Sparks have been shown as follows: Architect and Planner and Director of Chairman Roger Evans Planning and Architecture for Community Design Service Tel. 01865 377030 Birmingham City Council. The Maltings East Tyndall Street Helena Webster Cardiff Architect and Lecturer in Architecture CF15EA at the University of Sheffield. The Principal of the Service is Gordon Gibson, MA, Dip (Urban Design), BA (Hons), ARICS. Contents
Enquiries and change of address: Cover 6 Ash brook Courtyard, Westbrook Street Hilmer & Sattler's Potsdamer/Leipziger Platz Masterplan Blewbury, Oxon 0X11 9QH Tel: 01235-851415 Fax: 01235-851410 News & Events Leader 4 News Items Chairman Roger Evans 01865-377030 The New Urbanism 5 Public Participation Patrons Sittingbourne Settlement Competition 6 Alan Baxter Civic Trust Awards 7 Honor Chapman Australian Award 8 Sir Philip Dowson Student Exhibition Terry Farrell Urban Design Education Discussion 9 Peter Hall Good Practice Guidance for Design Simon Jenkins Space Syntax Conference Letter from Beirut 10 Jane Priestman Annual General Meeting 11 John Worthington
Viewpoints UDG Regional Activities New Labour, New Beginnings? 13 Regional convenors: Marion Roberts Scotland Mike Galloway 0141-429 8956 International North Alan Simpson 0191-281 6981 Reclaiming Hong Kong 14 Yorks/Humber David Black 01482-612352 Justyna Karakiewicz North West Andy Farrall 01244-402213 East Midlands Steve Tiesdell 0115-951 4874 Topic West Midlands Peter Larkham 0121-331 5152 The New Urban Design Agenda 18 Summary of Symposium 19 South Wales Sam Romaya 01222-874000 Robert Cowan South West Andy Gibbins 01179-222964 Birmingham - Regional Capital 24 East Anglia Alan Stones 01245-437642 Les Sparks South East Roger Evans 01865-377030 Crown Street Regeneration Glasgow 27 Mike Galloway Editorial Board Berlin - Strategies for a Changing City 30 Derek Abbott GunterSchlusche John Billingham West Coast Cities of the USA 34 Tim Catchpole John Punter Roger Evans Bob Jarvis Reviews Sebastian Loew Visit to Lille 38 Joe Holyoak Tony Lloyd-Jones 39 Book Reviews Francesca Morrison tian Loew Marion Roberts Derek Abbott, Peter Howard and Helena Webster, Sebasl Judith Ryser Alan Simpson PracticCivie Profilc Truset Regeneration Unit 42
Editors John Billingham Practice and Education Index 44 Sebastian Loew Endpiece 47 Editor for this issue John Billingham Planning Change in London Sebastian Loew Book reviews Tim Catchpole Back Cover 56 Gilpin Ave, London SW14 8QY UDG Events
Future Issues 64 Art direction Simon Head Selected papers from Education Conference held in April at Oxford Brookes University Print production Constable Printing ©Urban Design Group ISSN 02666480
Material for publication: This should be addressed to The Editor, 26 Park Road, Abingdon, Oxon 0X14 1DS
Subscriptions: The Quarterly is free to Urban Design group Members who also receive newsletters and the biennial Source Book at the time of printing. Annual rates: Individuals £30 Students £14. Corporate rates: Practices £40 Libraries £40 The subscription charge for Practice and Education Index entries is £80 per year Local Authorities £75 (2 copies of UDQ) covering an inclusion in four issues if paid within one month of the renewal date. Overseas members pay a supplement of £3 for Europe and £8 for other locations. Neither the Urban Design Group nor the editor is responsible for views expressed or Individual issues of the journal cost £4. statements made by individuals writing in this journal. News and Events
These are exciting times for urban design. After Practice Profiles
years of seeking to put urban design on the It has been the custom of the A further study visit is being Two Community Design planned this year by Sebastian Discussions were held at the Loew who will lead a visit to Prince of Wales Institute. They Nimes and Montpellier from 17 were Participatory Learning to 20 October. Details will be and Action, 6 February, and circulated with UDQ. Open Space Workshop, 6th March. The New Urbanism These two evening meetings co-ordinated by Nick Wates, A joint event on The New Project Manager for the UDG's Urbanismwas held in February Public Participation organised by the Urban Programme, attempted to Villages Forum and with which discuss some of the real issues the UDG was associated. The related to public participation, speakers included three Dutch such as its links with designers and developers, and community development and Peter Katz and Terry Farrell and the practical problems was chaired by Ricky Burdett. encountered. Both evenings involved participatory The Dutch speakers referred to Peter Katz is chief executive of exercises, i.e. they were not the ways in which the VINEX the Congress for New The discussion raised a just lectures, and used specific programme is being Urbanism and his views have number of issues: weren't CNU techniques replicating real ideas merely Jane Jacobs' implemented; this concerns ten been eloquently stated in the situations. views dressed up more? The locations in Holland where the publication reviewed in UDQ VINEX programme seemed to objective is to designate areas 53. He compared the facilities The first of these events was involve the development of near or within large cities to he enjoys in central San led by Jules Pretty whose work large areas of land close to accommodate residential Francisco with the regional is mostly in agricultural major cities - can as much be development and other uses as shopping centres, office parks communities in the Third World. achieved by higher density a way to prevent sprawl. The and housing subdivisions This may appear surprising but infill? Is CNU's view about the land is being acquired by devoted solely to one use. He it made perfect sense once he neighbourhood right - don't you private developers on land contrasted that with the explained the issues involved have different boundaries for designated by local authorities alternative approach of proper in encouraging people in poor different activities? and includes a required neighbourhood planning, the and remote areas to adopt proportion of social housing. use of transit oriented techniques that increased Peter Katz felt many of the UK developments where public production whilst being problems resulted from the Rene Strijland compared the transport generates nodal sustainable and viable: "first - outdated views of highway Dutch housing situation with the access points and the stop doing harm" is a motto engineers - eg no cross-roads UK and Dirk van der Harst provision of true public space. worth reflecting upon in almost and the proliferation of illustrated the application of the These ideas were illustrated by any context. The principles of shopping malls as against infill VINEX programme to The schemes in Seaside, Boston, participation and the problems within communities. He saw the Hague where public transport Boca Raton and in HUD encountered there are very solution in urban design terms routes, rainwater lakes and guidelines in USA and in similar to those found in being the use of coding to formal layouts as extensions to Melbourne and the Victoria equivalent exercises in control development. However the existing city appear to be Code for development in advanced societies, even if the what I took away from the event employed in Wateringse Veld, Australia. issues are totally different. was the proactive role of the one of the larger project areas. Indeed the list of interpretations Dutch government in initiating Terry Farrell's talk included of public participation the VINEX programme to define Roy Bijhower emphasised the many of the projects described presented was almost identical sites for development within need to create a landscape at the UDG Lecture in 1996 to Arnstein's ladder of 1969 their conurbations, something structure and illustrated this reported in UDQ 60. He and the exercises that were which relates to the UK search with work at Zeewolde, an referred to work on the new organised in small groups for sites to meet new household independent community of village in Cambridgeshire (see reminiscent of Goodey's mental growth. # about 13000 people using a UDQ 56) which he saw as the maps of 1971. Having sat central landscaped mall as the picturesque interpretation of the through similar talks many John Billingham framework for a English landscape. This was times since those dates, the neighbourhood. The new contrasted with his work in the frustrating feeling of having community seemed to provide Far East where a totally been there before and not a natural connection to the different cultural background having advanced very much, existing landscape and the demanded different was inevitable. Nevertheless lakeside frontage illustrated his approaches. The issues of the visualisation exercises that point about the need to design density and gregariousness followed were stimulating and at a larger scale. The urban produced a different response obviously enjoyed by schemes he showed did not and he maintained that the high participants who found at least appear to make this point as rise solution illustrated was some of the conclusions, persuasively. more efficient than the low rise surprising. Perhaps the most alternative we might favour important (and not necessarily here. new) lesson of the evening was News and Events that to be successful, Sittingbourne Ideas List of Prize participation has to be part of a Competition Winners and community development Commendations programme; otherwise the work The North Kent Architecture o dies with the end of the Centre organised the First Prize programme. Sittingbourne Settlement shown at top Competition with support from David West The second evening was an Swale Borough Council, and Nick Askew "Open Space Workshop" and sponsorship from Blue Circle Richard Alvey the subject of debate "What are Properties Limited. WS Atkins Planning the issues and opportunities Consultants facing Community Planning?" It The purpose of the competition Woodcote Grove, was led by Romy Shovelton was to encourage Ashley Road Epsom who explained the principles environmentally sensitive urban Surrey and the format of the designs for a theoretical workshops; the forty settlement around the north- Joint Second Prize participants then divided into eastern fringe of Sittingbourne. shown at mid page five groups, each one dealing The site holds wonderful Creekside/Plotlands with some aspect of possibilities for a holistic Julia Dwyer Community Planning: its approach to planning an Yvonne Dean relationship with democracy, exciting edge development, Duncan Baker-Brown the scale at which it should which can both extend and Ian McKay operate, the dangers of support the historic town, as Debbie Parker hijacking by powerful well as create a precedent for 8 Wavertree Road individuals, the role of the new settlements in Kent. There Streatham Hill professionals. The is also an opportunity to London SW2 recommendations of all develop an architecture which workshops were then posted integrates and responds to Joint Second Prize up and Rob Cowan explained local conditions and traditions shown at bottom the relevance of the Open of North Kent. Jonathan Sergison Space concept to urban Stephen Bates design. During the following The site has three distinct Mark Brearly discussion participants agreed points of interface: Murston Marie Brunborg that the method had very useful Estate and East Hall Farm, the Julian Lewis features such as the agenda football and greyhound racing Mark Tuff setting process and the stadium, and other existing Sergison Bates workshop sheets, and a development. The end of the Architects/East logically coherent process. site terminates at the creek, Architects and the edge of the 'Eurolink' 44 Newman Street It is worth speculating about industrial estate. Also at this London W1 an evening combining the two point is the site of a Saxon events and the two leaders: church, a Scheduled Ancient Joint Second Prize would Jules Pretty approve of Monument. not illustrated the Open Space Workshop Barnaby Johnston methodology and has he tested The specific objectives stated Simon Wright similar ones? Are there in the competition brief were to 36 Beatrice Road successful and sustained develop an architecture Southsea examples of public appropriate to the 21 st century, Portsmouth participation/community to create quality in the built development in Britain? In environment and achieve Highly Commended Western Europe? Specific to sustainable design. Owen O'Carroll design? Have there been any Sarah Judge innovations on the subject The brief basically required a Rebecca Woodward since the seventies? residential development with a Gavin Redfern Undoubtedly these are the capacity of around 550 Stock Woolstencroft questions being addressed by dwelling units, the incorporation 61 Redchurch Street the PPP and the workshops are of the proposed northern by- London E2 one of the ways of finding out. # pass, which will link the creek, narrow-gauge railway, mainline Alan Stones Sebastian Loew railway and the A2, and the Tony Aspinall provision of a townscape and a Essex Design landscape framework. Fullerthorne Church Street Kelvedon Essex Anthony Okoye Department of Architecture Edinburgh University Assessors for the Competition Jon Rowland commented on So too did the Sergison Bates/ Civic Trust Awards included the following people: the schemes as follows: East Architects entry that used bunds both for shelter, linkage The great and the good Professor David Lock "The winning scheme and mini-communities. I liked gathered at the Royal Society David Lock Associates responded best to most of the the logic of this proposal. It of Arts on 17 April for the 1997 Jon Rowland requirements of the competition drew on the site's Civic Trust Awards ceremony Chairman Urban Design Group brief. Based on a wise analysis characteristics, the micro- and exhibition, an encouraging Robin Pyle it provided sound and climatic needs, local ecology, event for anyone interested in Executive Director workmanlike ideas for and the relationship with the the quality of the built Blue Circle Properties Ltd transportation, for a good mix existing settlements. The idea environment and particularly for Stuart Fraser of uses and sustainable of bunds as integrators, easing those of us concerned with Construction Director Costain development. It treated open the natural demands of the site urban design. These last two Construction representing spaces as design challenges and acting as 'soft words were mentioned by North Kent Success rather than left-over land. interventions' bringing the every speaker of the evening Ian Russell fingers of green right into the and were clearly present in the Director of Development The plan was well integrated heart of the area, was exciting. minds of the adjudicators of the Services Swale Borough with the existing town. It It included ideas on public awards. Council stitched together the disparate transport. Again it was looking Panos Arvanitakis elements that make up the site. forward in terms of housing Too many awards ceremonies Acting Dean University of It made imaginative use of morphology, and I was are purely self congratulatory Greenwich water and created quite encouraged to see the concept and ignore the fact that by Andrew Nellies sophisticated development of courtyard housing beginning showing the few outstanding The Sittingbourne Youth Forum opportunities for housing on the to be explored. schemes, they are ignoring the John Montgomery waterfront that together with a poor ones. It was refreshing to Managing Director Urban good analysis seemed to show The other entry given joint hear the Civic Trust's director Cultures an understanding of the second prize produced an Michael Gwilliam making two Barry Shaw challenges a developer would interesting combination of statements that reminded the Chief Executive North Kent face in having to 'sell' the area. nostalgic morphology and audience of human frailty: first Architecture Centre Value creation, mixing uses, modern European house he showed that past awards coming to terms with some of designs. Again the emphasis have not always stood the test David Lock commented: the sensitivities of the area on relationship with the natural of time; judging by the gasps in were strong points. The characteristics of the site, in the audience, some of the "25 Projects were submitted explanatory sketches also told this case the use of water to winning schemes in the past and after a lengthy debate, the their story adding to the depth promote oyster beds, made me would not get past today's jury came to a unanimous of perception this entry associate this proposal with a planning committees (I decision to award four prizes: showed. Finally the urban Scandinavian fishing village. personally found some of the one first prize of £2,000, and design aspects of the scheme gasps unfair...). Second, created a pleasing sense of three joint second prizes of The three commended Gwilliam made the point that space where people would £1,000. Three schemes were schemes were of the same good design is still in the wish to belong. highly commended. broad school of thought and minority; too many schemes were all good in different ways. amongst the 600 put forward There was unanimity on the I was pleased that we agreed Well presented, they all were still mediocre. 'Should try harder' is obviously the winning selection. The panel on the more adventurous proposed ways of pulling message. felt that in the winning scheme schemes as joint second prize together the area. I thought that there was the basis of a winners. I liked three for they reflected the spirit of the scheme that would be different reasons. Creekside/ 'fin de siecle'. There was a Looking at the 21 winning practicable yet innovative, that Plotlands evoked an ideal of combination of harking back to schemes (awards and special would enrich the town to which the plot as a total productive the Garden City and a awards), one point stands out: it would be attached yet which unit, big enough to live and genuflection to some of the with very few exceptions they would have its own sense of work on, grow vegetables, ideas of the New Urbanists. are public sector or charity place, and which faced up to house a growing and even This says more about the circle commissions. The commercial the planning and urban design extended family (something we've gone round since sector's contribution to agenda of today. that flies in the face of the Ebenezer Howard's manifesto architectural or urban design accepted idea of the and the dearth of quality of quality is almost nil. Perhaps The panel selected for special fragmentation of the family that present day volume building, not surprisingly, quality and mention a number of less is fuelling the argument for 4.4 than the excitement of the 21 st public spirit go hand in hand, conventional proposals. Each million dwellings). It was also century that competitors were but it is worth emphasising raises an issue or an approach ecologically sustainable. Whilst asked to consider. Never- since this goes against the that is truly fresh, and unique to having some reservations theless they were good, robust, dominant ideology of the past the site. We hope that some of about the separateness of the and confident pieces of work." # twenty years which seems to these ideas might inform the layout, the concept of linking have equated public sector work of planners, urban the different settlements by intervention in the built designers and landscape using allotments, footpaths and environment, exclusively with architects generally and cycleway, together with the failed housing estates. encourage lateral thinking". variety that such development would generate, epitomised The Centre Vision Award this scheme's very different (sponsored by Boots) was approach when compared to given to Kilmarnock Town the more conventional first Centre Regeneration Scheme prize-winner. which combines a new bus News and Events ^ station, the restoration of Laigh Right: Huddersfield § Kirk and improvements to the Cultural Quarter by o public realm, using high quality Nicola Clarke (5' materials and specially Leeds Metropolitan q designed street furniture. This University § and two of the other special Far right: Greenwich ro awards (Glen Gran Garden Peninsular scheme by restoration and Bristol's Alistair Huggett $ College Green enhancement) University of Settlement simulation Letter from Beirut The response in London and model referred to by other venues in the UK seemed Bill Erickson and Tony I have recently returned from a to me in some ways similar, Lloyd-Jones in the lecture tour in the States and though more muted, less boldly Canada on the reconstruction stated. I was, therefore, O Space Syntax Symposium. and renewal of central Beirut. surprised to hear from several The tour followed shortly after English friends of the presentation, kindly misrepresentations in an sponsored by the Urban ongoing correspondence in Design Group, which I gave 'Building Design' that followed with my colleague Ramez Maluf the RIBA lecture. I understand at the RIBA on March 24th. This that the project was illustrated exposure, together with in BD with two damning images publication of 'Beirut Reborn', that had, in fact, been taken has brought an increasingly from a previous, rejected world-wide focus on the way in Master plan and had been which the Lebanese are reproduced in 'Beirut Reborn' recovering from the devastation as an example of how not to 10 of war and beginning to proceed. For those interested relaunch their capital on the in a more balanced appraisal, I international stage. can recommend a review by the conservation architect Finally, although results seem observation and human James Parry in the April issue obvious in most cases, they involvement in urban life. The In North America the response (No. 36) of 'Arts & the Islamic can also explain successes or modelling, not surprisingly, from a wide range of World', published by the failures: Stonor's paper showed tends to dehumanise the professional, academic, Islamic Arts Foundation, that the failure of a pedestrian subject of study and the Lebanese and Middle East London. shopping centre, adjacent to scientist needs to remember to policy interest audiences was but cut off from a high street bring reality back into it. For almost invariably positive. was due to its lack of those of us who were brought People were impressed by the My own personal satisfaction, connections with the rest of the up with "the systems approach combination of publicly however, goes beyond the movement system. This to planning", there was a sense approved and ambitious book to what has amounted to particular example could be of deja-vu in the almost comprehensive planning with a a key role in the urban planning useful in discussing, in more religious faith in scientific novel private sector and implementation of the general terms, the advantages modelling and in the regeneration mechanism that project itself. If you work in and disadvantages of impossibility of including all the incorporates previous property Beirut you are confronted by a pedestrianisation. Another variables needed to emulate owners as stakeholders. rich array of differing cultures, paper (by Bill Erickson and reality: for instance, though Bringing together their pooled and eventually recognise that Tony Lloyd-Jones) showed a Space Syntax manages to deal property assets with the capital what you regard as the normal methodology that could be with space and movement in invested by new shareholders way of working - from an used to manage the growth of two dimensions, it has more seems to have turned a post- appreciation of the physical unplanned settlements growing trouble in dealing with three war disaster into an opportunity and cultural context outwards, around the cities of the Third dimensions and to add land that is rapidly materialising. rather than from some World, though it could not uses and activities to the same preconceived diagram predict or check this growth. model. Undoubtedly these and Many American audiences downwards - stems from a other refinements will be added reacted with fascination and definable cultural position. It in time. Similarly, modelling can During the three days papers almost a sense of nostalgia to represents, perhaps, the be used to analyse and to succeeded papers; most, the presentation of concepts English way. At any rate, I convince, not to design: the though not all of them, were by and objectives behind the believe it is more democratic, shortcomings are best PhD students from the Bartlett. Master Plan. There, the less confrontational and exemplified by the application They were grouped by themes: processes of central area arrogant, richer in spirit - and of Space Syntax to the South Space Syntax Today, decline are so endemic in many by comparison with other Bank area leading to the Comparative Cities, Complex cities that to talk of reviving a methodologies out there in the Richard Rogers scheme. In Buildings, Domestic Space/ mixed use, residential city international marketplace, conclusion, in the right hands Archaeology, Urban Themes centre seemed in the American eminently transferable and and used with a healthy dose and Methodology; they covered context to invoke an almost exportable. # of scepticism, Space Syntax a wide rage of geographical unattainable dream of seems to be a useful tool for areas and at varying scales, opportunities long since lost. In Angus Gavin planners, urban designers and from Holland to Brazil. They Beirut the objectives are to architects. Nobody pretends it varied in their degree of create a pluralistic focus of a is a panacea. # sophistication, rigour and service-sector economy usefulness but almost all reconnecting a divided utilised the most advanced Sebastian Loew community, of integrating technology for their archaeology and surviving presentations. Perhaps fabric in a multi-layered because of the overwhelming expression of the continuous amount of analytical and city and of re-creating that statistical data, the most city's historic meeting point in a interesting parts of the high-quality, extensive, presentations were those pedestrian -friendly public dealing with empirical domain Annual General Meeting Let me enlarge on each of October UDQ and your Events these: comments are important. This, together with the now biennnial We seem to be progressing in The DoE grant finally came student exhibition, the second some areas, but still have through last autumn. A steering of which took place in Apri, will problems getting people to group was formed to oversee help prise urban design issues some of our events, there is progress of the £100,000 into the open and explore ways more competition around but I project. Nick Wates was of improvement. Incidentally I hope we can do better. Now appointed Project Manager and would like to see an exhibition that the words Urban Design Emma Collier, together with the of practices soon. Perhaps we are common parlance and to University of West of England, can try and make that happen? some extent some of the as Project Evaluator. The principles that we've been project revolves around Through our relationship with emphasising for years exploring different ways of the DoE I would like to think accepted, we need to turn our Chairman's Report engaging the public in that we had some bearing on eyes to the future. We have a by Jon Rowland participatory processes geared the PPG1 which put urban number of roles to play. One is 14 May 1997 to addressing urban design (if I design at the centre of the to be radical and to think abut can use that term in the widest process of achieving good the next set of issues that This past year has been a sense) issues at local levels. quality built environment. With urban design has to tackle. political success. A positive This builds on the experience some consultation, Roger Perhaps our future events can relationship with the DoE has of the Urban Design Campaign Evans and I represented the generate some discussion and allowed us to build on the and other similar events. The UDG's view. Not everything we new ideas. previous government's UDG programme carries out put forward was incorporated; initiatives that we were involved and monitors a series of in particular the ideas of town- selected public participation with including the Urban wide urban design strategies Reciprocity Design Campaign. The UDG events that are taking place as part of the planning across the country. Some of played a part in helping to process, supported by Our reciprocal relationships these are relatively small and organise the October multi- neighbourhood urban design with other organisations rapid events, some are larger disciplinary seminar frameworks and site specific continue to grow, the latest events lasting several days, established under the auspices guidelines did not find their being the Congress of New run in association with local of Richard MacCormac with the way into the Guidance Notes. Urbanism in the USA. We look authorities, business and DoE's support. Never mind. When you think forward to increased interaction residential communities. You that five years ago no-one between relevant organisations have recently been sent a This new raised profile for knew the words urban design and ourselves. questionnaire regarding your urban design has enabled the and now here it is in skills and availability for those UDG to achieve four things: government legislation, voluntary occasions - and I'm something must be going right. Patrons sure many of you will want to • We have obtained a DoE I certainly hope that the new participate. A key objective of government will continue the grant for a three year It is time to review our Patrons, the programme is to produce a emphasis on the importance of research programme into what they have done for us, good practice guide. I believe urban design and that Mr public participation in the how they have helped this will be of immense service Prescott's door will now be planning process. represent the group and urban to the whole principle of public open to us and that he will design to the public. There is participation and be useful to speak on urban design issues • Following the production last no doubt that we have been local authorities, communities in the near future. year of an agenda for urban and professionals. I have to lucky with some, others have design which outlined the say that I also look forward to disappointed us. I would like group's priorities and the success of this project Perhaps because of the you to think of some names principles we held this year's being a stepping stone to other continued high profile of urban and let us know by post or conference on the issue of similar programmes the UDG design, we are engaging in telephone to the UDG office. urban design education, at might become involved in wide ranging discussions on which some initial ideas were through DoE support. how urban design sits with the Finally -1 have been Chair for presented. professional institutes. We have five years. That is a long time. I held exploratory meetings and think I have helped consolidate • We were consulted on Our educational conference, hopefully in the not too distant the Group's future direction. PPG1 and some of the held jointly with Oxford future we may be able to say But I believe it's time for a principles we put forward Brookes, allowed participants something about where this is change. New labour - New have been included in that to survey the breadth of urban all leading. I hope it will involve UDG. This year no nominations policy document. design practice, from closer collaboration with for Chair were received. I could community participation to the beneficial professional and have stayed on but I don't think • We finally managed to sit Internet, from urban educational spin-offs. In this it is what the UDG needs. I around the table with some regeneration to gender issues context I'm pleased that the have discussed this with the of the key environmental and to explore the implications RICS has asked the UDG to vice-chair Roger Evans, and professional institutes to talk for urban design education. On join with it in taking messages propose the following. The about urban design as a behalf of the UDG I put forward about urban design to its Vice-Chair is at present a mechanism around which a a provocative ten point agenda members in the regions. nominal position, and has no more integrated approach to that I believe urban design standing within the constitution the urban environment could education has to address if we which only admits three be achieved. are to capitalise on our ever officers. The Group is too big increasing role. That agenda for one person - or even two. will be published in the Perhaps the Chair should be News and Events for a fixed two year term. The A Summary of income and Income/Expenditure new chair should have the expenditure over two years is Summary for 1996/97 benefit of the past Chair and a given below. future Chair in the form of a INCOME Income 95/96 96/97 D new Vice- Chair. So as I step down I propose that the current £32,263 £40,341 Administration Vice Chair Roger Evans Broadly this splits as follows: Subscriptions 24,345.52 becomes the new Chairperson Subscriptions etc. 66% COIF Interest 7,48.32 - and that we consider and vote Publications 31% UDG:PPP 1,665.67 on a new Vice-Chair. I don't (mostly Practice Index) BT Refund 1.28 know the protocol but perhaps Events 3% 26,760.79 we can amend the constitution Treasurer's Report Publications accordingly. by Simon Rendel Expenditure UDQ Adverts 160.00 £38,201 £38,550 UDQ Sales 1,018.82 Why do we need this? The Administration Broadly this splits as follows: Practice Profile 480.00 UDG has to grow and renew Admin 31% Practice Index 4,460.00 itself every few years if it is to Susie Turnbull continues as Publications 63% English Partnerships 2,800.00 act as an important player on Group Administrator in Events Sourcebook '96 3,668.00 12 issues affecting the urban Blewbury. We are now running Regions/Publicity/ 12,586.82 environment. That renewal a tightly controlled budget Promotion 6% Events needs to go through the regime to which all sub- London Lectures 309.29 organisation. In the past I have committees have adhered in The above figures omit major RTPI Conference '95 10.97 asked for more participation 1996/97. tours (Budapest and Lille) and RTPI Conference '96 673.74 from the members with a mixed Leeds Conference on which a Leeds Conference '96 6,807.50 response. It is vital that anyone net profit of £1,135 was made Budapest Tour 15,777.84 who feels he or she could come Membership in 1996/97. Lille Tour 4,320.00 aboard the events, committee 27,899.34 or publicity group or public We at present have The increase in income is due participation programme or approximately 944 members, of to: Overall Total £67,246.95 other elements of the group's which 96 are overseas • increase in subscriptions + activities should do so. That is members. This is a small local authority mailshot EXPENDITURE the only way a radical agenda increase on last year. • contribution from UDG:PPP will survive, change and of £1,666. Administration prosper. Salaries 3,682 Finance Rent 3,010.23 So thank you all for the last few Balance Sheet for Year BT 769.55 years. I look forward to working The 1996/97 accounts have Ending 28 February 1997 Office Expenses 3,280.33 alongside the new Chair. been audited in accordance Bank Charges 540.00 with the requirements of the Total income 96/97 67,246.95 UDG:PPP 568.52 Charities Commission and a Total expenditure 64,321.97 11,930.97 Elections copy sent to them. The Profit for year Publications UDG:PPP project is separately ending 28.2.97 £2,924.53 UDQ Print 15,407.95 The following people were audited. UDQ Design 1,911.14 proposed and seconded at the Balance at bank General 101.50 meeting: The Group relies almost entirely 29.2.96 £3,551.77 English Partnerships 2,229.21 on subscriptions for the main Profit for year Sourcebook 4,129.83 Chair: Roger Evans costs which are the production ending 28.2.97 £2,924.53 BPPO conf (JB) 193.88 Vice Chair. Tony Lloyd-Jones of the Quarterly and Balance at bank Practice Index 113.00 Treasurer: Simon Rendel administration. Generally it is 2&Z97 £4,195x06 24,149.51 Secretary: Susie Turnbull estimated that with a more or Events less self-funding events COIF Fund General Expenses 1,226.02 programme we are now running Balance in COIF RIBA/UDG '96 111.49 Committees at break-even. The surplus for Fund on 29.2.96 14,086.94 Leeds Conference '96 6,723.37 1996/97 was £2,925 of which Transfer to UDG/PPP D. Black exp. 23.20 Reports on the various £1,666 was contributed by the account (on loan) 5,000.00 Cardiff w'shop 53.32 Committees' work and the PPP project towards office Transfer from COIF JR: Stoke Conf. 77.49 Public Participation Programme costs. We are not proposing Fund (11.2.97) 1,000.00 J Peverley 16.20 were given and copies are any further increases in £8,086.94 Newcastle Conf. 200.00 available from the UDG office. subscriptions as they were Repaid from Budapest Tour 15,537.97 raised in January 1997. UDG:PPP ,531.36 Lille Tour 3,510.00 Interest for year 748.32 27,479.06 Balance in COIF Publicity Fund on 28.2.97 £10,366.62 Printing 313.34 General 448.98 762.43 Overall Total £64,321.97 Viewpoint So, this is it. By the time that this Integrated local transport schemes, pilot schemes for road charges, innovative article has gone to press, we shall freight projects and a strategic rail authority Integrated Transport The type of partnerships made in the previous government's Single Regeneration Further support to the public realm is given Budget between local government, the by the commitment to an integrated private sector and voluntary agencies are transport policy, developing attractive to be formalised and encouraged, but alternatives to the car and lorry, making funds will be allocated on the basis of need journeys on foot and bicycle more pleasant and quality rather than competition. Here and trying to encourage more passengers the City 2020 document advocates the and freight to go by rail. setting up of Civic Forums for regeneration Viewpoint International areas with powers vested in a co-ordinating Hong Kong is going through a sea change not only in its body made up from one-third local authority representatives, one-third business government but in its urban topology through the interests and one-third voluntary and ft community groups. reclamation of parts of its valuable harbour. D o We all remember those wonderful places we have visited - San Design ST Francisco, Sydney, Cape Town. Hong Kong is one of these places, ••i endowed with a remarkable topology, combining the sky, the sea The interest in any policy lies in what is not and the land in a rich three-dimensional mix that leaves you being said, as much as what is. Regretfully, 3 thinking about the fascinating juxtaposition of habitation and natural the only mention of design quality comes in beauty. In Hong Kong, the elements which create this magnificence a policy commitment to expand and are the harbour surrounded by the hills on Kowloon and the ridge improve the tourist industry. Whilst tourism along Hong Kong island and Lantau Island beyond. Without the is to be encouraged, planning procedures Existing plan of Central and Wanchai. Metroplan Conceptual Development Plan showing proposed reclamation. Alternative to Metroplan showing less reclamation and continuous waterfront promenade. Although at first glance it looks like Metroplan is trying to provide their rules are absurd, their perspective deceitful, and everything open space, most of this space remains separated from the city conceals something else," notes Calvino5 in Invisible Cities. The fabric not only by the road system carrying heavy traffic but also by lower density expansion proposed for the waterfront of Hong Kong its isolation from the city fabric. Most of the proposed open space populated by pumping stations and ducts, seems to lay bare the will probably stay deserted and often unnoticed. At the same time, dreams and expose them for their emptiness, leaving us with the existing open spaces which are already overpopulated will become feeling of having been disturbed from our peaceful existence. even more congested and crowded. The significance of green space seems to have been completely Reclaim the Land, not the Harbour forgotten. While some areas in the designated open space will be planted, most of it will remain bare with exposed concrete slabs. Transposing assumptions of space and form from Occidental Green space and trees can improve the air quality, reduce noise societies seems to be inappropriate and undesirable in this impact, soften a hard concrete environment and provide a situation. Surely there are other strategies which can be followed modulated micro-climate. They also can provide shelter for the which continue the characteristics which make Hong Kong the wildlife (birds and butterflies). It cannot do this when it is exciting place it is, give it green space and allow traffic to flow fragmented into small patches of planting squeezed between lanes better. of traffic or contained in planting boxes positioned on acres of concrete paving. Instead of reclaiming more land from the sea, thereby reducing and destroying the beautiful harbour, we should look at reclaiming abandoned or under-used space. We should try to identify all the Built Space gaps in spatial continuity and link them together, or fill them in, in order to generate a new urban pattern which would return to the Metroplan sets out broad patterns of land use and proposes city valuable land, the sites' full economic potential and provide a various guidelines with regard to the type, form and density of new stimulating physical environment. The waterfront should be different kinds of development. The overall pattern of land use has returned to the city as an accessible and attractive promenade, been formulated within a network of highways and railways. The providing the area with badly needed recreational and leisure current plans tear the urban fabric apart and create spaces which facilities. threaten to introduce sterility along the waterfront. "What is the city but the people?" asked Sicinius of the citizens of Starting with the need for traffic to be accommodated, the proposal Rome in Shakespeare's Coriolanus4. There is something wonderful shown here develops a green lung within the dense urban fabric, about a city which functions, which lives and which enriches. All combining buildings, car parks and traffic arteries into a landscape over the world, people are attracted to city life, to the excitement of gardens. The design offers: which can be found on streets lined by cafes, shops, life and activity. Hong Kong is one of the most remarkable cities in this • A building as part of an urban form, not an island respect - the streets are busy day and night. In its most fascinating • Safe separation of pedestrians from traffic without creating sectors, every inch of space is fully used. disembodied and dehumanised walkways over noxious traffic • The development of green valleys with views of the harbour The new urban configuration, proposed by Metroplan, is very • Gardens which reach vertically through the air and not only lie different from the existing city structure. The buildings are on the distant ground plane scattered, with empty spaces and heavy traffic surrounding them, • Roads integrated with buildings to maximise use of land turning them into inaccessible islands, connected to each other • Parking structures which contribute to the urban landscape only be means of extremely long and unpleasant pathways. (by holding up gardens) instead of consuming and destroying Analysed closely, the outline planning documents suggest that a the fabric substantial part of the new reclaimed area will be devoted to • Reduced impact of traffic service structures such as gas pressure reduction stations, • Improved micro-climate telephone exchanges, a sewage pumping station, refuse collection points, pump houses, ventilation buildings, leaving very little space The model of reclamation proposed by Metroplan is one being available for commercial and residential needs. This reinforces practised by many Asian nations to cope with high urban growth further the theory that the waterfront promenade may remain rates. It is important to show an alternative which saves natural deserted and unattractive ("let's stroll past the pump house, dear"). resources, makes more efficient use of land already developed, City dwellers walk on the street where they can have access to and leaves large open spaces for recreation. shops, restaurants, offices and places of work, where they do not feel exposed, threatened by isolation, overwhelmed by traffic. References While high density may be scorned by some, it is just this attribute 1. Metroplan: the selected strategy, Hong Kong Government which makes Hong Kong work. Being able to descend from their Printer, Hong Kong, 1990. dwelling directly into an environment of shopping, eating and work 2. Barron, WF, 'Managing Transport for Environmental Quality' in is attractive to the people of Hong Kong. Without broad ownership Moving Away from the Motor Vehicle, ed. H T Dimitrou, Centre of of private cars, the commuting demanded of a zoned and Urban Planning and Environmental Management, University of segregated city is not attractive. Inversely, being able to leave the Hong Kong, 1994. density behind and lose themselves in large areas of green space 3. Webb, B, 'Engaging the Highway' in Architecture and Urbanism, is important. Reducing the density of the buildings, blending built no. 289, 10:1994. form with open space into an indistinct mix renders neither 4. Shakespeare, Coriolanus, ed. Parr, T, Macmillan, London, 1985. attractive. 5. Calvino, I, Invisible Cities, trans. Weaver, W, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York, 1974. "With cities it is as with dreams: everything imaginable can be dreamed, but even the most unexpected dream ...conceals a desire or, its reverse, a fear. Cities, like dreams, are made of desires and fears, even if the thread of their discourse is secret, Topic A Multi-disciplinary Working Group on Urban Design was set up in 1993 following a visit to the Royal Institute of British Architects by John Gummer, (D Secretary of State for the Environment, when Richard MacCormac was President of the RIBA. Richard MacCormac chaired the group, which included architects, planners, engineers, landscape architects (D and urban designers, and observers from the Department of the Environment. The group organised a symposium in October 1996 on The New Agenda for Urban Design with the support of the DoE and the generous sponsorship of Boots the Chemists: the aim was to help shape the evolving urban design agenda and to widen the debate. The working group identified what it saw as the 0) essential conditions for successful urban design: • Shared visions and language • Appropriate legal and administrative structures • New opportunities for the development and finance industries (D • Supportive land use and transport policies and 0) programmes • Creative collaborations and partnerships, with <5 effective community involvement. The aim of the symposium, chaired by Paul Finch, was to shed light on how those conditions might be > created and, in places where some of them already exist, how they might be used. The event focused on s* Potanual Pedestrian Existing Poor Quality Frontage already prominent on the civic agenda: Birmingham, »• Linkage ^ (D ^^ Bxmtmg Foeal Space Potential Waterside Frontage Glasgow, Berlin, and the west coast cities of the USA. Potential Focal Space Panoramic View 3 0 Local Landmark .r&tt** SUaaU For Enhancement ^ City Landmark ^^^ Structured Landscaping a Robert Cowan Liatad / Noteworthy Buridmg &> Robert Cowan summarises the key unspecific too, as it is generally accepted that the quality of the built environment is that urban design can relate also to influenced not only by what is built, but points raised at the symposium. He villages. The debate's productivity also by the spaces around and between depends on people making clear what they buildings, by traffic, noise, the street believes there is little argument about mean by 'urban design' in a particular pattern; by parks, squares, and other open context. spaces; by trees; and by finer grain factors the importance of raising the quality such as signs, street furniture, and lighting. of the built environment, nor about the Richard MacCormac Those who made a further assumption that achieving better quality urban design is need for action at both the small Richard MacCormac, Chairman of the incredibly expensive, even extravagant, Multi-disciplinary Working Group, reminded have got that wrong too. When we talk of scale and, at the larger scale, in the symposium that urban design was not quality of design and urban design we are an original notion. 'We have been talking not talking about turning Basildon or the creating a framework of appropriate about it for 30 years,' he said, 'but we were London Borough of Brent into Barcelona; talking among ourselves.' He thought the we are not talking about houses being built policies. What is controversial is the professions had been complacent. Over entirely of Portland stone; and we are not half Britain's architects used to work in talking about replacing the North Circular question of whose role and local government: they had became with a yellow brick road. No, we are talking institutionalised, and the relationship had about things which often involve little or no responsibility it should be to intervene needed to be rethought. extra expense, but which do involve much more thought. We are talking about at each scale. As President of the RIBA, MacCormac had buildings with good proportions, decent felt a sense of urgency to bring urban layouts, which fit well with their Planning Policy Guidance Note 1 defines design back into the political arena and the surroundings; buildings which stand the urban design as: "the relationship between planning process. The climate that John test of time. We are talking about mixed different buildings; the relationship between Gummer has created was unimaginable development in city centres, with homes as buildings and the streets, squares, parks two or three years ago,' he said. well as offices and shops, cutting the need and other spaces which make up the to travel and helping to keep areas alive at public domain; the nature and quality of the He conceded that urban design was hard night. public domain itself; the relationship of one to define: 'it's like the smile on the Cheshire part of a village, town or city with other cat.' The need for urban design was clear, While we do not seek to create a planning parts; and the patterns of movement and though. We should think of towns and system which encourages every building to activity which are thereby established: in cities, as we think of the natural look like the one next door, neither can it be short, the complex relationships between environment, as a powerful yet vulnerable right that buildings are sometimes imposed all the elements of the built and unbuilt resource. At one level, urban design could on communities without reference to what is space. As the appearance and treatment of become a strategic element in the planning next door. Additionally, while we do not the spaces between and around buildings process. Strategic visions needed to be seek to impose a costly burden on the is often of comparable importance to the sustained in rapidly changing development industry, effective urban design of the buildings themselves, circumstances: that was essential, among design strategies can reduce costs by landscape design, whether hard or soft, other reasons, to provide developers with providing a clear framework for future should be considered as an integral part of the certainty they wanted. He wondered, development and giving greater certainty urban design". though, whether local government was about the sort of development considered capable of fulfilling that role. appropriate for an area. That definition, useful though it is, describes the scope of urban design but Moreover, those developers whose not the process. Some of the participants at Robert Jones proposals respect their surroundings will the symposium clearly saw the concerns of find that their schemes may well pass more urban design as being limited to aspects of Robert Jones MP, Minister of State at the quickly through the planning process, by those 'complex relationships between all Department of the Environment, recalled attracting fewer objections, and by the elements of the built and unbuilt space' that it was well over two years since the avoiding the cost and uncertainty of (in the words of PPG1) which were capable launch, by John Gummer and himself, of planning appeals that often accompany of being drawn on paper. Others were Quality in Town and Country. An edited contentious schemes. They will also find implying a definition of urban design that version of his talk follows: that quality and good design makes sense extended to how those 'complex for developers and investors, not just local relationships...' were shaped by the whole "I find very encouraging how the Quality communities. process of urban management: processes Initiative has caught the imagination and which would ultimately provide the wider has put design and urban design firmly on Having established the case for urban framework in which urban design in its the agenda. design, what is vital is that general aims more limited sense would later be carried and principles are translated into specific out. Some saw urban design in this sense Those who thought that the Quality Initiative and practical action. That is why events like as providing a holistic view of the urban was just a passing fad about matters of this symposium are crucial, bringing environment. architectural fashion or style got it wrong. together more than just the built They misunderstood the nature of the environment professions, getting away from The 'design' part of the phrase 'urban initiative. It goes far wider, and deeper. It is over-elaborate theorising and moving design' is, therefore, unspecific, being about the well-being of cities, towns and towards the practical application of urban applied to scales ranging from the design villages. It is about looking at places as a design to real everyday places and of a group of buildings to the setting of whole, seeing how the many factors situations. frameworks in which design decisions are influencing the quality of the built taken. The 'urban' part of the phrase is environment mesh together: recognising Topic / The New Urban Design Agenda If urban design is to fulfil its potential there Peter Buchanan Why has urban design started to take off is a need to show how it is relevant to in Britain? everyday development. Urban design The writer, critic and lecturer Peter theory can only have limited value unless it Buchanan gave the morning's main talk. First, a major impetus came from the formation of its supposed antithesis, the D has practical application: it needs to move off the drawing board and on to the streets, "Urban design is not just about physical enterprise zones. Potential investors in for the true worth of good urban design can form, but lived experience as well. It has a development want to know what the only be realised through its practical social and psychological dimension. The character and quality of an area will be. At application to the specific circumstances of breakdown of the physical fabric of our Canary Wharf, despite all the freedom real places. towns and cities has been mirrored by offered by the enterprise zone, the social breakdown. At its best, urban design investors insisted on an urban design That is why the department launched the is about feeling at home in the world: masterplan, stringent design guidelines, Urban Design Campaign last summer. The creating a sense of continuity and and high quality design and materials. campaign, culminating in the current authenticity. exhibition, has been about showing the Second, with the world becoming a single relevance of urban design to everyday Urban design is about how to recapture global marketplace, cities are finding development in ordinary places, to small certain of the qualities (qualities which we themselves in direct competition with each sites as well as to large ones, and to small experience as well as those we see) that other to attract investment and skills. A key 20 towns as well as to major city centres. we associate with the traditional city: a factor in attracting investment is the quality sense of order, place, continuity, richness of life: not just the public transport and the We want the good practice guidance that of experience, completeness and educational facilities, but also the character emerges from the evaluation of the belonging. of the city. So cities are intensifying their experience of the campaign participants to character and creating visible symbols of provide helpful advice about the various This does not imply aping the forms of their general upgrading. mechanisms and processes within, or traditional cities. In Britain, too many people related to, the planning system, which assume that urban design or urbanity imply For Paris this has meant building on its influence the design of new development - a neo-vernacular or even neo-medieval image as a city of monuments. Barcelona, including, of course, the role played by style, with picturesque winding streets, with less to spend, chose projects requiring local plans, as well as local design guides turreted gateways and cobbles. But such relatively little investment, but with a high and development briefs. places feel phoney, and they ignore the fact public relations impact. The sum total is that much of our tradition is classical. greater than the parts. Barcelona's strategy Of course, no one profession or interest included opening up areas that were too has a monopoly of wisdom about urban With today's highly complex life, we need dense, and intensifying ones that were too design or a monopoly of responsibility for to accommodate cars and public transport, open, linking them with a series of spaces. it. It crosses the boundaries of different an ever-expanding range of sports and Other factors supporting the new emphasis disciplines, including planner, architect, leisure pursuits, and many other activities. on urban design include changing highway engineer, landscape designer and These, and our new technologies (not least demographics, lifestyles and work surveyor. It includes the sponsors of urban of construction), all imply a quite different patterns, with people working from home design - the investors, developers, kind of city, even if it shares certain crucial demanding new local focuses for social life. bankers, business people, and others who qualities with the cities of the past. Probably a major determinant on the future make so many of the decisions which city will be drugs. Places will have to be shape our cities, towns and villages. Last, Urban design lies somewhere between the designed to be self-policing, and to give a too often last and least, the users of urban broad-brush abstractions of planning and sense of inclusion, of belonging, rather than design - the people who live and work and the concrete specifics of architecture. It alienation. socially interact in the built environment - implies a notion of citizenship: life in the they too have something to say on urban public realm. It is not just about space, but We need to conceive of a more sane and design issues and increasingly wish to be time as well. Much of what passes for satisfying culture, more gentle in its heard. urban design is conceived only for one impacts on the world. Sustainability is not moment. Good urban design implements just a technical issue, but a cultural one as Yet if we are all to participate, if we are to itself: it might be organised so that each well. Just as ecology is alerting us to achieve common understanding between phase pays for the next. It is more than just dependencies on the biosphere, so we are the various disciplines and professions, knitting together the townscape - knit one, discovering our dependencies on and between these specialist groups and purl one, with cobbles, paviors and urbanism. The industrial era destroyed our the sponsors and users of urban design, bollards. Urban designers should be cities, but that era is ending in a world of we need a common and comprehensible configuring a rich network in which global competition and dependencies." vocabulary. Unnecessary jargon and buzz buildings come and go: a framework of words can sometimes obscure important transport, built fabric and other features, Top: Paris building on ideas which would otherwise gain wider which will create natural locations for its image as a city of currency and acceptance." things. Urban design structures activities. monuments. A particular kind of street generates shops. Bottom: Barcelona The urban design framework should chose projects generate uses. requiring relatively little investment, but Urban design is not just about providing with a high public buildings with a context. An area has a relations impact. context too. Urban design involves looking at the area in the context of the total city and the whole region. grandest terraces. These boulevards were seldom shopping streets, being too wide for the business of commerce and this was often carried out in the less wide streets which carried public transport and where there was space to unload, The narrowest thorough fare was the ordinary residential side street. Present day conditions suggest that this hierarchy should be reversed. Through traffic should really be confined to effectively non-pedestrian streets. The shopping street can then be rediscovered, although it should still be of medium width, and the majority of residential streets can become quiet, leafy boulevards. By planting large trees down the centre of the residential roads, light penetration can be allowed into the ground floor of the tenements and cars can be parked under the trees opposite each resident's home, where they can be more easily observed. The boulevards can then be continuously fronted by tenements with four storey facades to give a Glaswegian urban scale. The traditional arrangement of service deliveries from the street front is perfectly adequate for the scale of shops planned. The shopping street can be made wide enough to carry public transport for convenience and passing trade. It has wide pavements for cafes and other something quite different? Should they be but being based on urban design generalists or specialists? concepts). Whatever they are, they should not be Urban design is about being able handle seduced by standard solutions. Urban change, not about being prescriptive. It designers need to avoid the danger of can be a way of putting forward fairly plagiarism - admiring ideas in one place general ideas of what an area will be like. and applying them superficially somewhere Local authorities might be able to use else. urban design as a mediating process which is able to cope with sudden and Where does the impetus for urban design relatively unexpected change. But urban come from? In Birmingham it was from design also needs to be entrepreneurial, political leaders saying: we want to sort this and this may be an unfamiliar role for local place out and mend it. In 1988 Birmingham authorities. held the Highbury Initiative, funded through the DTI's City Action programme. This Urban design is about saying that there is ambitious brainstorming event brought in not a single design solution to every international specialists to work over a problem: if the circumstances change, the period of 48 hours on the opportunities and design solution has to change. But the problems of Birmingham city centre with degree of flexibility that is desirable is a people who knew the city intimately. tricky matter. An urban design strategy is Eighteen months later a second event worth little if it can be discarded in favour of brought together many of the same 90 seemingly conflicting social and economic people to review progress. The Highbury benefits. Initiative was effective in breaking a log-jam in thinking, and opening the way to a A balanced planning and urban design radical urban design strategy for the city strategy is likely to be based on a mix of centre. For the Crown Street area in the issues that are most important to the Glasgow, it was a visit of city officials to the particular area. Some will be urban design development in Berlin undertaken in the issues, others will not. IBA (international building exhibition) which changed their view of what might be Many clients with large estates in the private possible back home. sector these days refer to what they want as 'setting a master strategy'. They do not like the word 'masterplan': that sounds Topic / The New Urban Design Agenda too fixed. A master strategy directs where Lessons from Case Studies capital investment might go, allowing for changing circumstances. It sets out the Participants in the symposium took part in process for dealing with particular issues an individual case study, of which there as they arise, defines what an area's were four, which focused on urban design constraints and opportunities are, action in Birmingham, Glasgow, Berlin and establishes goals, and articulates a vision West Coast Cities of the USA. Each case of what is to be achieved. A good deal of study group noted down the main points of urban design involves drawing up master their conclusions on flipcharts and strategies and working out how the participants later voted, by sticking red development process is to be organised. dots next to the points which they rated as being most important (participants being What is the measurable benefit of urban limited to five dots each). The points are design? Urban design is analogous to listed below (amalgamated in cases where designing a building: effort spent on more than one group came up with the considering the aims of a building project same point) and ranked according to the will probably be repaid in terms of a better number of votes they received. The first building at a cheaper price. Similarly with point received the most votes, the last the 22 urban design: what matters most is how fewest. much time is spent on thinking in the early stages. For example, to British eyes the • Urban design can be effective only urban design process in Berlin looks slow, when sufficient resources and but the race is a little like that between a appropriate skills are available. hare and a tortoise. The Germans and Japanese proceed slowly at first, but when • Urban design should be a process they have made up their minds they move which actively involves the public. fast. In the UK we go quickly all over the place and never arrive. • Urban design must address social and economic issues: it is likely to be 'Urban design' is a rather loose term, marginalised if it is seen as a purely involving numerous value objectives that physical discipline. can not be spelled out. It incorporates, among other things, the process of • Politicians must use their power and reconciling conflicting interests in the urban influence to champion urban design scene (between community and private from the top. interests, and between place-making and transport, for example); sustainability; and • Further evidence is needed of central aesthetics. government commitment to urban design. Nicky Gavron responded to the discussion from her personal experience as a • Urban design is not essentially about politician involved with urban design at a how places look, but about how they number of levels. She referred to City function. Challenge experience which taught us that better partnerships are needed, not just • Urban design works best in a planning between local authorities and other sectors, system seeking consensus rather than but within local authorities themselves. in one based on an adversarial Professionals in local authorities tend to put approach. the blame on one another: what is needed are integrated implementation or project • Effective urban design depends on teams. We need joined-up thinking about strategic thinking. policy, implementation and budgets. Were it not too expensive, it would also be useful to • Urban design should be a means of have urban design skills in every relevant resolving conflicts and achieving a Potsdamer/Leipziger council department. vision of the future. Platz, Berlin. Top: Competition • Local authorities should take the lead entry by Axel Scultes in formulating urban design strategies. and Charlotte Frank. Below: Development • Urban design has an essential role in proposals now under managing the local and regional construction. economy. The structure and organisation of local authorities is a key issue for urban design. The ownership or control of land is essential if local authorities are to succeed as urban design strategists. • Land values or betterment should be Five Priorities Next Steps taxed to help fund urban regeneration. These points can be summarised under A number of questions, raised by the • Urban design can help to get the best five main headings: context, process, symposium, remain to be resolved: out of developers by giving them a clear resources, scope, strategy. Ranking these O framework within which to operate. categories under the same points system • Evidence of good practice in urban shows that the symposium participants design shows that a great deal can be • Means must be found to make the considered that, in order of importance, achieved even with present structures decision-making process transparent. effective urban design depends on: and resources. How can others be encouraged to emulate that good • Used effectively, urban design can • A collaborative process practice? speed up processes of decision- making. • Adequate resources • The Urban Design Campaign has shown what can be achieved when • Urban design should reinforce the • A wider scope than just physical design even modest additional resources are particular characteristics of a city or made available. How can the resources neighbourhood. • A strategic framework necessary for urban design be provided? 23 • Land values are a key issue for urban • Careful analysis of the local context design. • Different aspects of urban design are relevant at different scales, from site- • The processes of urban design should Urban Design Strategies specific, local, town-or city-wide, and be disciplined and well-ordered. regional. Who provides leadership and Symposium chairman Paul Finch proposed shares responsibility at each scale? • It is important in any situation to identify six steps which it was generally agreed which urban design principles are should be put to the Department of the • How can urban design be integrated negotiable and which are not. Environment: into the planning process? • Urban design briefs should be clear 1. Acknowledge the crucial role of local • Urban design requirements relating to and unequivocal, not merely wish-lists. authorities in the further development of the physical form of development must good quality urban design strategies. be applied flexibly in changing socio- • The urban design process should economic and market circumstances, relate to every part of a town or city, not 2. Assess the ways in which the but not so flexibly as to make their only particular areas or sites. procurement of urban design strategies purpose unattainable. How can the right could be better resourced, especially at balance be struck? • Team work with a common direction is concept stage. the key to successful urban design. Numerous conferences, seminars and 3. Encourage the commissioning of urban other events on aspects of urban design • The first step in urban design must be design strategies by all relevant local take place these days, particularly in well-formulated analysis of existing authorities as an integral part of the London. Most of them attract design conditions. planning process. professionals, rather than the wider audience of people whose decisions help • Integrated decisions are essential. 4. Fund a series of urban design strategies to shape the environment but who do not in key cities as a follow-up to the consider urban design to be a concern of • Successful urban design operates at a Marsham Street urban design theirs. This wider audience is most likely to variety of inter-connected levels and competition. be reached by events which directly scales. address their own concerns, and introduce 5. Promote a better understanding of urban design ideas in that context, rather • Properly evaluated pilot projects are urban design among developers, local than by events specifically about urban needed. authorities and everyone else who can design. This Multi-disciplinary Working contribute to the process. Group's symposium helped to identify the • The success of an urban design issues which the urban design debate must initiative will depend on local people 6. Explore the relationship between urban confront. The next step may be to devise having a stake in it. design strategies and sustainability. ways of discussing those issues among selected specialist audiences (of • The broad design of infrastructure must developers or investors, for example) in be the first step. locations outside London. # • Urban design professionals must be Robert Cowan better and more appropriately educated. • Public awareness of urban design must be raised. Any urban design masterplan should be flexible. Topic / The New Urban Design Agenda Birmingham City Council has with Birmingham a decade ago, but the changes which have taken place over pioneered local government's role as recent years have begun to reshape the city to suit its role in the new Millennium. o an enabler of urban design. Its urban 3 strategy has developed from the City A Change of Philosophy ••I 3 Centre Strategy of 1987, which During the 1960s and 1970s Birmingham was reshaping itself to a different agenda. (S identified distinctive 'quarters', As the home of the British motor industry, ft) the City's engineers were giving priority to through the Highbury Initiative (an the car. The City was emulating the North American approach, building its inner-ring international urban design road and approaching radials with grade- 3 separated junctions and pedestrian brainstorming event); the City Centre subways. The traditional urban form was shattered by redevelopment projects which 24 Design Strategy; and further urban disregarded established building lines and heights and erased much of the rich design studies. Recent achievements character of Victorian and Edwardian developments. Quarter Plans The pedestrian framework and the City Centre Design Strategy are complemented by a series of Urban Design studies for each of the quarters surrounding the central core. These Quarter Plans establish the role and character of each quarter, identify development opportunities and promote a planning framework for each area. Each area has its own distinctive features on which the Plans build. All quarters planning conforms with the overall principles of the City Centre Urban Design Strategy which includes guidelines on building heights, the re-establishment of building lines and frontage development, protection of views, establishment of landmarks, and a distinction between —f River / Canal Corridors buildings which have a landmark role and t1'- 1 Open Space Opportunity those which should be designed as part of Gateway Opportunities the background street scene. ~ Major Underutilised Sites f""J Warwick Bar / Bordesley *•«..» Conservation Area The phenomenal success of the Council's Statutory Listed / Noteworthy new planning strategies are now very Buildings evident on the west side of the city centre. Elevated Road Impact The pedestrian Queensway crossing into /v/^ Ma)or Road Impact the new Centenary Square with the Railway Impact International Convention Centre and Archaeological Importance Symphony Hall as a council led flagship industrial Improvement Area project, have stimulated a large number of private sector development projects. Foremost amongst these is Brindleyplace, a mixed-use development providing one million sq. ft. of high quality office development, 143 dwellings for sale, bars, shops, restaurants, the National Sea Life Centre, a theatre, an art gallery and a College of Law (see UDQ 62). Above: Plan of Digbeth area showing Quarter issues. However, on the opposite side of the city centre there has been virtually no investment in recent decades. St Philip's Cathedral in the heart of the city is equidistant from the new civic square in Brindleyplace to the west, and to a derelict site used for waste transfer on the east. The contrast could not be more pronounced! The Digbeth Millennium Quarter Plan Paradoxically the quarter to the east of the City Centre is one of the most interesting. Its derelict appearance belies the rich heritage which is there to be discovered. Last year we published the Quarter Plan for this area - the Digbeth Millennium Quarter Plan. 'Millennium' because, within close walking distance of Masshouse Circus is the site Birmingham has chosen for its landmark Millennium project. This project is Topic / The New Urban Design Agenda gi expected to become the catalyst for the Park Street/Moor Street § regeneration of Digbeth in much the same Section of Digbeth o way as the International Convention Centre Millennium Quarter <5- has stimulated development across the Plan q opposite side of the city centre. c 03 Protection ol <$ The lack of investment on the east side of Panoramic view ^ the City Centre is largely attributable to the Maximum 3 storey $ uncompromising nature of that section of S the Queensway which separates it from the 3 city core. Passing close to the back of 6 - 8 Storey Buildings ^ Marks and Spencers, the road is elevated Fronting Moor St. Boulevard < with a huge multilevel interchange at its with lively ground floor uses This regeneration cannot happen while Digbeth is severed from the city core by the elevated road. The Quarter Plan proposes the complete demolition of Masshouse Circus and its replacement by ground level boulevards with frontage developments, generous pedestrian crossings and reservations for public transport (buses and possibly trams). A new ground level road network for the area has been devised by engineers, planners, architects and surveyors working as a team. The network not only meets the needs of pedestrians, private and public transport, it forms part of an urban design framework which produces a range of mcMMM developable sites designed to meet a mixture of uses, and adheres to the principles in the City Centre Urban Design provide education and research in support with links into adjoining Quarters and Strategy. Most of the development land of the region's industry. The whole complex into the core area. created by this network is in public will be open and attractive to the public, ownership, either under the condemned with a particular emphasis on school • Mixed Uses road structures or used as temporary car children. Extra-mural studies, organised by The fine-grained approach applies parking. the new Youth Academy based at equally to land use with a preference for Millennium Point, will encourage young a mixture of small scale workshops, By the time Millennium Point opens in 2001, people to take up careers in science and studios, leisure uses, pubs, restaurants the elevated road should have been engineering and so support the region's and housing. The canal-side locations demolished and the city core will be industries. are particularly favoured for mixed-use growing outwards to meet it. Millennium development. Point itself is currently being designed by Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners to an Key Planning Principles • Introduction of city living estimated cost of £110 million, of which £50 Digbeth is seen as a particularly good million will come from the Millennium The Key Planning Principles in the Digbeth opportunity to further the Council's Commission. The project both celebrates Millennium Quarter Plan are as follows: ambition to greatly increase the number Birmingham's immense contribution to of residents living in Central scientific discovery and engineering • Positive use of heritage Birmingham. With its potentially history, and promotes the region's future as The Plan looks to provide a higher cosmopolitan feel, it should be attractive an advanced industrial economy. It looks profile for Digbeth's historic artefacts to a wide range of residents, but back to the last Millennium and forward to whilst regenerating the area in a way particularly to younger people and those the next. Birmingham's outstanding which does not overwhelm them. The with a taste for the cultural opportunities science and industry collection will be majority of older buildings are modest in of the area. transferred from its present museum to appearance and the Plan seeks to Millennium Point where it will be extended maintain a fine grained approach with • Use of Canals by exhibits and demonstrations of modern new buildings which are of similar scale. Birmingham's extensive network of technology. The Engineering and Computer canals provides the city with a Sciences Faculty of the University of • Better links distinctive character and compensates Central England will also relocate to In addition to the removal of Masshouse for the absence of any major natural Millennium Point as the core of a Circus, the Plan generally identifies key features or outstanding architectural Technology Innovation Centre which will pedestrian corridors through the area heritage. Developments at Brindleyplace and Gas Street Basin In 1990 the Crown Street Regeneration Project was have demonstrated the potential of canalside locations and the network established to fill the gaping hole in the urban fabric caused offers great possibilities for future tourism. The Plan promotes these O by the demolition of twelve 1960's deck-access blocks in the possibilities in Digbeth, a quarter where the Grand Union Canal meets up with s heart of the Gorbals area of Glasgow. the Digbeth Branch Canal and the Birmingham/Warwick Junction Canal. 3 The Project's main aim was to redevelop this 40 acre vacant site but it also sought to bring new life and confidence to the Gorbals by creating Enhancement of Spaces a new mixed use and mixed tenure community through a process of Years of neglect have left the area in a c/> 'careful urban renewal'. run-down state and the public realm is particularly shabby. However, Digbeth In order to stimulate ideas for the new development, a major Urban has escaped the unsympathetic Design Competition was held and, from a shortlist of four, CZWG were developments of the 60s and 70s which (D chosen as winners. They were commissioned to draw up a Masterplan have undermined the character of many The Block The urban block is a ring of buildings dividing the public street from the private enclosed space. Too often in the past this internal space has been only semi-private or semi-public; and access for dustbins, cars or just 'open planning' has allowed the public to get in, giving a lack of privacy and safety for residents. To make the city a liveable place, the strenuousness of the public realm needs to be counter-balanced by a secure and peaceful private space. For sanity, every flat and every house should face both a public and private side, and there must be no ambiguity about it. A large, shared communal garden, therefore, fills the centre of each block. It can only be accessed by residents through their secured residential entrances, the public are not allowed in and children can play in safety. The ground floor flats or maisonettes have private gardens or terraces leading onto the shared space. The Street Traditionally the main traffic thoroughfares of the city were the widest, reducing in width down to the common residential street. Dating from the time when main road traffic was not so devastating, the great boulevards were often lined with the Points from the Discussion Urban design depends on leadership and responsibility. A new initiative needs The discussion opened with one participant leadership, but little will be achieved if a asking why it had taken so long for the wide range of interests does not take responsibility for it. The local authority has penny to drop about urban design. Others D thought that the penny had yet to drop: that a major role in providing leadership. Recent urban design was still widely thought of as research carried out for the Royal Institute relating mainly to small sites, and in terms of Chartered Surveyors quoted financial of development control. institutions saying that it was not their job to take the first step. Vincent Wang, a developer who was part of the team that developed Broadgate in Urban designers are more likely to London, pointed to where he thought the persuade politicians by saying, in effect: value of urban design lay. Urban design 'Here's something that makes sense for made the difference between success and your area - and, by the way, it's called good failure, he said, but it did not add rental urban design' rather than by saying: 'What value. Broadgate was an example of you need is an urban design framework - combining investment decisions and urban and, by the way, it will also achieve certain 21 design decisions. The Broad Street station things for you'. Politicians are pragmatic: site had been the subject of development they want policies which will be delivered in proposals for 20 years. What cracked the ways that will meet their objectives. problem finally was the developer's urban design strategy. This introduced public The enormous time and effort that goes into space, made the backlands the frontlands, considering small details through phased the development, and based the development control could be reduced by design on pedestrian patterns. more proactive thinking at an early stage about how particular sites fit into a town. Not long ago advocates of urban design were calling for local authorities to appoint Planning control is usually negative: urban urban designers. Now many authorities do design can be positive. There is a danger employ them, but when they advertise for of local planning and urban design urban designers they often do not know operating separately. In Birmingham this is what they want. Should urban designers be avoided by the plans of the city's quarters architects who know about planning, having the status of local plans (being planners who know about design, or supplementary guidance to the city plan, retailers to spread out and enjoy good Caledonia Circus and Gorbals Park summers, wile a colonnaded arcade or The previous vista looking south down canopy can allow protection from the more Crown Street, although very powerful, was legendary Glaswegian weather. unresolved. The view merely 'bled' away into the distant horizon. There was a need to provide some form of visual stop, a The Tenement 'place of arrival', to give some meaning to this important axis out from the city centre. The tenement is Scotland's, and especially There was also a need, however, to allow a Glasgow's, archetypal building form. It is glimpse of the view beyond and this is synonymous with its strong urban particularly important in terms of the view character and its close links with the north into the city centre. continent, where the tenement is also prevalent. It is noteworthy that in England, A major new urban space is, therefore, where more sub-urban and anti-urban being constructed at the southern end of attitudes can often prevail, the tenement is Crown Street, within which will be located a virtually unknown. new Gorbals Park. The Park will not only form a strong feature on Crown Street, but The rediscovery of the suitability of the also on Caledonia Road as it approaches tenement for urban housing, following the the Greek Thomson Church, which is excesses of the modernist age, is a major Grade A listed. Within the park a landmark factor in the recent regeneration of structure will be located just 'off-centre' of Glasgow. Nevertheless, doubts have often the Crown Street and Caledonia Road been expressed about the appropriateness axes, thereby creating a creative tension of the tenement for family housing, and this between providing a visual stop and allowing a view beyond. has sometimes led to the use of other, less urban types such as two storey terraces. East/West linkages Given the desire to recreate a strong urban In order to re-integrate the communities to character in the Gorbals, but also to the east and west of the site, there was a provide family housing, there is a need to need to create strong east/west linkages rethink the basic format of the tenement. In within the development. Some of the former a four storey tenement, the ground and first streets in the area have, therefore, been floors can be devoted to the creation of reinstated, extended or realigned to form three and four bedroom family maisonettes, these linkages. The intention is that these each with their own front and back door routes should also give emphasis to the and back garden, such that they provide role of Crown Street as the unifying axis the same 'quality' of accommodation as a between Laurieston and Hutchesontown. two storey semi. The third and fourth floors can then be used for one, two and three Laurieston Road bedroom flats accessed by a separate It has been recognised that there is a need common 'close' and stairway. By this to separate the role of 'major traffic route' method, at least half of the tenement from the role of 'local shopping street' if housing can be made truly suitable for Crown Street is to act as an integrating family occupation. element of urban form rather than as a barrier. Laurieston Road will, therefore, be a tree-lined boulevard which has tenements Left: Plan of the The Masterplan facing onto it and suitably set back behind Regeneration Project an access road, in a manner not dissimilar with Crown Street The agreed Masterplan which was to parts of the West End of Glasgow. This running north-south in developed by CZWG in conjunction with same design approach will also be applied the centre of the the Project team, sets down an urban to the new realigned Caledonia Road. scheme and the new design framework for the development of oval Gorbals park the site and it has formed the basis for the Building heights located on this line. subsequent marketing and implementation Given the desire to present a strong urban Top left: Street of the Project. The main urban design character, most of the new development will frontage of the first elements of the Masterplan are: be four storeys in height. All of the main block to be road frontages will have four-storey developed and tenements fronting them, apart from the Top right: View into Crown Street realigned Caledonia Road which will also the interior space in Crown Street is the north-south major axis have some three-storey buildings. Crown which some dwellings through the site. Even in its previous state, Street itself will vary in height between four are located as well as it created very powerful vistas, especially and five storeys at its northern end, to three private open space. when looking north to Glasgow Cross and storeys in the south. Some two and three Above: An Urban the city centre. The existing alignment of storey development is then proposed in the Street Scale is Crown Street was, therefore, retained to lanes or mews that will run down the produced by the form the main structuring element of the eastern edge of the site. A broad range of height of the frontage new development form. building height is thereby achieved without and by the ground compromising an urban character. floor treatment and entrance detailing. Topic / The New Urban Design Agenda Mixed uses cr Creating an urban design framework § The main purpose of the Project is to assist in the regeneration of the o area by developing a major new residential community on the Crown for Berlin as a newly designated cq Street site. Housing will, therefore, be the predominant use on the site 30 (D Progress appropriate physical form for new The Masterplan proposals have been divided up into manageable (fi development. The Stadtforum is one development packages which have been released on a phased basis. Each package is marketed by way of Developer/Architect Competitions ^^ aspect of Berlin's strategy which has which are based on detailed Urban Design Briefs and fixed land values, so that submissions can be judged solely on their design 0) been widely admired. quality, build quality and grant requirement. The Project is now half way through its overall development programme Reunification and has achieved the completion of 350 new houses, o a new supermarket (1,200 sq metres), 11 new shop units, a new Since reunification in 1989-90 Berlin has business centre (6,100 sq metres) and a new employment and training stepped into a new phase of urban centre (3,500 sq metres). development: after 40 years of physical fi> division, in which the city became the Each development package is sold by way of a 'Feu Disposition' which symbol of a bi-polarized world, it is now in has strict conditions regarding future management and maintenance of the unique position to define its role in a the development. The Project has retained the 'Feu Superiorship' to all unified Europe ending no longer at the wall of the development land in order that these conditions can be properly but including the young democracies in monitored and enforced. The ultimate aim is to transfer this 'Superiority' Eastern Central Europe. to a Trust Company which is owned and run by the residential and &> business community within Crown Street, and which can inherit the role Whereas politicians and economists still of overseeing the development of the Project in the longer term. 3 rely on optimistic future prospects for the The main task remaining for the Project is to ensure that there is Government Development sufficient drive and commitment to see the plan through to its completion; Glasgow has often been very good at starting grand Under these circumstances the move of projects, now we are going to show that we can finish them as well. (/) federal parliament (Bundestag) and O government (Bundesregierung) has gained Mike Galloway # importance for the city. It already has led to CD a considerable growth (and overproduction) in available office space. Besides that a wave of investments in housing and technical infrastructure, especially railway, streets and public transport is under way. The city state of Berlin (880 km2, 3.5 million population) has based its calculations for its new land use plan (the first for the whole city for more than sixty years) on a population growth of +300,000 people and + 700,000 people for the greater Berlin region, including the surrounding conurbation in the state of Brandenburg, until 2010. A key factor in the large number of private and public development projects is inner city office development. Their strategic importance is based on the fact that they were initiated and designed in a phase where a coherent planning framework was non-existent and urban design principles were just about to be formulated on a larger scale. The following examples may illustrate this: Potsdamer/Leipziger Platz As early as 1991, the scope of this project on a historically important but, for more than forty years, empty site was established by an urban design competition: the concept of Hilmer & Sattler was awarded the first prize. On this basis the investors started three architectural competitions, won by Renzo Piano (Daimler-Benz), by Helmut Jahn (Sony) and by Giorgio Grassi (ABB), whose designs are partly under construction although partly rearranged (construction site 11 ha, residential area 200,000 m2, office space 800,000 m2 + cultural and hotel areas etc.). In 1991/92 this project gave reason for a general debate about possible development rules and the quality of design guidelines. Alexanderplatz Above: Urban design For this central square of the former East concept for Potsdamer/ Berlin a two stage architectural competition Leipziger Platz by led to the concept designed by Hans Hilmer & Sattler 1991. Kollhoff. It proposes about twelve skyscrapers within a block structure used mainly for office, retail and commercial uses (810,000 m2 gross area), but also for housing (440,000 m2 gross area). The rigorous densification of the Alexanderplatz area in this concept caused strong opposition and demonstrated the differences in the social and aesthetic values within the population especially in the eastern and in the western parts of the city. The realisation of major elements of this concept remains quite uncertain also with respect to actual economic calculations. Topic / The New Urban Design Agenda Above: Urban design concept for Spreebogen 1993. Below: Inner City Plan for Berlin 1997 (Dieter Hoffmann-Axthelm/Bernd Albers). I^IES-JSil XJSmBg® Jg I^JGllSg Spreebogen the private property rights are being autocratic and formal, if not old fashioned restored in a very intricate process. approach. As a first reaction the initiators As a result of an open international have developed a phased process of competition in 1992/93, the concept of Axel public discussion on the different layers Schultes and Charlotte Frank (Berlin) A conceptual and a structural and on the main intervention areas of this proposed a band of federal buildings approach plan, which is aimed to produce a broad ("thread of the federation") formed by the public consensus about the aims of this Federal Chancellery (Schultes/Frank), the The vast number of projects and the plan regardless of the question of its Parliamentary offices in the Alsen Block changing conditions of the urban economy statutory powers. (Stephan Braufels) in the Dorotheen Blocks in combination with the limited resources of (Busmann/Haberer, Gerkan/Marg, the city, especially in financial terms, has In the years after 1991 Berlin was the arena Schweger, van den Valentyn) and a Federal led to the need for a general agreement for another quite different approach to deal Forum as a new linkage between the about a rational system of ranking, with the increasing numbers and changing eastern and the western part of the city, adapting and refining all these projects. quality of development projects. This was whereas the reconstruction of the old This gave way to the development of two initiated by Volker Hasserner, until 1996 Reichstag for the German Parliament quite different planning strategies, both minister for urban development. The (Bundestag) will be carried out by Sir based on prior experiences connected with sudden but fundamental change in Norman Foster, (overall construction site 65 the International Building Exhibition (IBA) in planning conditions combined with the ha, overall office space 115,000 m2. Due to the eighties and both initiated by politicians unfolding of quite heterogeneous social political decisions the realization of all responsible for the planning department. values within the population of East and West was the justification for a structural federal building projects has been concept, in which planning is understood postponed until 1999/2000, but will In 1991/92 Hans Stimmann formulated a as a coherent incentive for an open and co- nonetheless be of major importance for the new urban design initiative for the operative discussion of aims, areas, means urban economy especially in the old centre. Friedrichstadt, one part of the old centre: and contents of urban developments - not "the critical reconstruction of the city" was a only for the inner city but for all levels and transformation of a concept developed by layers of planning and not in already Rummelsburger Bucht the architect and former IBA director Josef predecided issues, but open for public Paul Kleihues. Stimmann postulated a concern and advice. Klaus Theo Brenner's masterplan for an handful of guidelines for approval of the 'urban landscape' with individual urban projects in this area: reconstruction of the neighbourhoods on a strategically historic street pattern, maximum important site near the eastern railway ring permissible building height 22 m, 20% Stadtforum was the result of a competition in 1993. It residential use, average floor ratio: 5.0, plot suggests the conversion of a centrally based city dwellings. Despite its structural The arena of this discursive approach is located area with outstanding natural and functional intentions these guidelines the Stadtforum, an advisory and pre- beauty, now a disused or underused mainly worked as a design rule and evoked decision-making body which tries to industrial wasteland, into a mixed use an international but fruitless debate about compact, to qualify and to accelerate the concept with 5,000 residential units, up to conformity and innovation in recent Berlin necessary decisions in advance. In this 10,000 new jobs, parks and open areas architecture, peaking in a hardheaded strategy Berlin is understood as a (construction site 13 ha). The realisation is dispute between stone and glass facades polycentric city whose regional, urban and partly under way due to the efforts of a for Pariser Platz. local dimensions deserve the same amount special Development Agency for this area, of attention and public awareness and whose different scales of intervention, although the costs of conversion of This unsatisfactory result has led Stimman - conservation and protection have to be industrial polluted wasteland have been after a political reshuffle now together with sorted out without any prior decision. underestimated. Minister Peter Strieder in charge of the planning department - to the reformulation Additionally many projects have been of urban design guidelines for the inner city In its regular monthly meetings, especially initiated in the outer boroughs especially to as a whole: the new 'Inner City Plan'. This in the phase between 1991 and 1995 this meet future housing needs: new suburbs plan covers the central parts of the old body tried to open the planning process to have been constructed in the Northeast, in centre from Unter den Linden and not only the professional experts but also the West (Water City, Oberhavel) and in the Alexanderplatz to the new western centre the engaged and concerned members of Southeast. The development project of around Bahnhof Zoo and Ernst-Reuter- the urban society. The membership Johannistal/Adlershof in the outer borough Platz. It is not based on an analysis of represents the full spectrum of planning of Treptow deserves special attention existing land uses and demands nor on a actors in public, private and semi-private because of its concept of an integrated general assessment of already approved institutions - based on personal landscape of economics and science, projects. The plan offers an additional engagement, not on the principle of including a media communications and potential of approximately 4.7 million m2 delegation. In its debates prepared by the convention centre, a public and private gross floor area (including 28,000 new administration as well as independent research centre in combination with a new housing units) by increasing considerably experts, the Stadtforum did not present a university campus for natural science and the density of already built up areas mainly new series of blueprints, but saw planning mathematics. through narrowing wide streets and using as a negotiation process in which the green or underused public space. It is structured dialogue leads not to final votes, The historically unique chance for Berlin aimed "to foster the inner growth of the city but to a well balanced consensus. Urban lies in the fact that the process of urban in order to contain marginal sprawl and to design does not stand at the beginning of restructuring takes place not in a fully curb the sacrifice of rural landscape". this strategy but forms an inductive factor, developed structure, but in a city with which enables but not prejudices possible assessments and consensus about certain amazing spatial capacities in the outer The theoretically convincing foundations of development projects. boroughs as well as in the very centre, this concept do not correspond with its whose historic roots are sometimes rich, but extremely ambivalent public unidentifiable and in whose eastern parts response. Often it was understood as an Topic / The New Urban Design Agenda Conclusions This paper concentrates upon experience in six west coast Both approaches have to be altered and cities of the USA over the last three decades and tries to refined and need more time for sober I D assessments, but some conclusions can distil lessons for British practice. be drawn from the first experiences: <0 Such cross-cultural applications of 'lessons' are usually remarkable • Planners, designers as well as for their naivete and idealism, and careful consideration must be politicians need regular professional given to the different economic, social and political contexts of local advice and advanced public exchange o government, urban planning and development in the USA. The for better preparation and foundation of USA1 has no national planning system and is characterised by a their decisions to overcome the general o proliferation of tiny, independent and under-resourced local weakness of parliamentary legitimisation a> governments that utilise zoning rather than planning powers, and of urban political decisions. which depend heavily on the property tax and hence development for their survival. Most state governments exercise very little control • Planning is a co-operative process over local government and hence regional growth management is which is not compatible with a often non-existent, although the west coast states of Washington, deductive approach but needs socially Oregon and California are exceptions to this rule. Zoning 34 balanced and structural sensitivity. ordinances are frequently more important than the various comprehensive and district plans (if these exist), although • No city can afford to ignore important increasingly the former are being modified to conform to, and help sources of knowledge and expertise implement, the latter.2 A range of design guidelines, historic embodied especially in non- of the modern movement" established in ZD design frameworks. No one city exemplifies all stages of this the twenties. Such a defined planning CD process in their current endeavours. Rather they are all building on culture can be cultivated as a positive long-established studies and analyses, strategies and guidelines advantage for the city. # and progressively refining these in the light of experience and in order to respond to new economic and political realities. Gunter Schlusche Design regulation and review remain very controversial areas of government intervention and there is an active academic, professional and legal debate about the organisation, processes, scope and impact of design control focusing particularly upon the extent of professional or political discretion. Two verdicts of the Supreme Court are worth highlighting - Justice Brennan's statements that acceptance of design judgements requires that, firstly, a municipality demonstrate "a comprehensive co-ordinated effort" in its regulation of environmental quality and that "it is pursuing an identified objective seriously and comprehensively in ways which are unrelated to the restriction of speech." Now known as Brennan's Law, these combined verdicts emphasise that cities should be developing a comprehensive plan and programmes for design quality of which design review, design policies and design strategies are key components.3 The major west coast cities are exemplars of this kind of "comprehensive co-ordinated effort" and this is why their approaches are fundamentally relevant to the design efforts of local authorities, and to the design dimension of IV. Design Guidelines Checklist British planning at large. We can examine their efforts under four headings of design appraisal, consultation and visioning, strategy This checklist is intended it i summary of the Issues addressed by the guidelines. It is not meant to be a regulatory device or a and frameworks and guidelines before summarising the key factors substitute for the language and examples found in the guidelines which ensure that these approaches are both thoroughgoing and themselves. Rather, it is a tool for assisting the determination about which guidelines are most applicable on a particular site. effective. A. SUe Planning Appraisal of the locality Lower Higher N/A Priority Priority 1. Reinforce existing site With regard to appraisal, the San Francisco experience remains the characteristics • • • model, albeit a dated one. The eleven detailed, interdisciplinary 2. Reinforce existing streetscape studies of character and environmental quality that they undertook characteristics • • • between 1968 and 1970 remain the exemplars of the analysis of 3. Entry clearly identifiable from the street • • • city pattern, built form, and environmental resources.4 By contrast, 4. Encourage human activity on Lynch and Appleyard's study of San Diego was but the briefest street • • • sketch, but it was still able to distil a set of key design concerns 5. Minimize intrusion into privacy on and principles that remain critical to regional development more adjacent sites • • • 35 than two decades later.5 In Portland the city planning authority is 6. Use space between building and sidewalk to provide security, proceeding steadily area by area with detailed analysis of urban privacy and interaction • • • (residential projects) form to produce design frameworks that fit into a concept plan and 7. Maximize open space opportunity development strategy. The 1988 Central City Plan, with its minimum on site (residential projects) • • • of text and maximum of illustration, mapped each policy area to 8. Minimize parking and auto impactsi explain its spatial implications and then synthesised these into a on pedestrians and adjoining property • • • concept plan that was elaborated in seven detailed urban design plans for sub districts.6 9. Discourage parking in street front • • • 10. Orient building to corner and parking away from corner on • • • In Seattle and San Francisco, as in many other cities, there are no public street fronts (corner lots) longer the resources to undertake such work, but rather than ignore its fundamental importance both cities have encouraged B. Height, Bulk and Scale neighbourhoods to execute their own appraisals and write their I. Provide sensitive transition to own guidance. In Seattle, the City has developed city-wide nearby, less-intensive zones • • • guidance for multi-family and commercial development, but provided neighbourhood groups with a DIY manual and resources C. Architectural Elements and MaterialsMaterials so that they can conduct appraisals of the character of their area 1. Complement positive existing and develop policies for control in these areas of intensification.7 character • • • 2. Respond to nearby historic structures • • • This latter experiment is of particular interest because it brings 3. Follow architectural concept • • • together the twin requirements of thoroughgoing appraisal and 4. Use human scale and human consultation as the underpinnings of policy and guidance, a point activity • • • 5. Use durable, attractive and firmly endorsed in the new version of PPG1. In Seattle, this well-detailed finish materials • • • participative dimension is reinforced by the creation of a 6. Minimize garage entrances • • • neighbourhood design review process where pre-design public meetings are held with the developer. Subsequently, the D. Pedestrian Environment community's design priorities are clearly articulated for 1. Provide convenient, attractive consideration by the planning authority and the design review and protected pedestrian entry • • • board (which includes local representatives). 2. Avoid blank walls • • • 3. Minimize height of retaining walls • • • 4. Minimize visual and physical Consultation and Visioning intrusion of parking lots on • • • pedestrian areas 5. Minimize visual impact of Portland remains the exemplar of active citizen participation in parking structures • • • planning and design matters. The Planning Department is reported 6. Screen dumpsters, utility and to spend nearly three quarters of its annual budget on consultation, service areas • • • which involves local business associations as well as 7. Consider personal safety • • • neighbourhood groups. Among its best practice features aimed at increasing citizen involvement are funding and tax exempt status E. Landscaping for neighbourhood associations, training programmes for activists, 1. Reinforce existing landscape character of neighborhood • • • early notification procedures for major projects and the active 2. Landscape to enhance the building commitment of top city officials to the principles.8 or site • • • 3. Landscape to take advantage of In San Diego, 40 out of 58 communities have prepared their own special site conditions • • • plans with citizen groups being resourced with a planning team. These plans can have whatever design content the citizens desire and one at least (Golden Hill) has carefully analysed the styles of Seattle has particular site when architecture in the neighbourhood and devised design controls to developed a check multi-family or reproduce four of these styles. Another has focused particularly list to help everyone commercial upon issues of intensification (La Jolla) creating design guidelines assess which development is from the stated preferences of residents and paying close attention guidelines are most proposed. to builders' dimensions, materials, colour and landscape. relevant to a Topic / The New Urban Design Agenda Some of these guidelines are very prescriptive, and it is worth S 1 LJLJLJL-ll-Jl_lt._ll.it. il i< noting in passing that in many new master planned communities JXinnnnnnmnm•••••[.1(II|JIi throughout the USA the developers are now writing very strict codes, covenants and restrictions to control any alteration to each property. These are then adopted and policed by neighbourhood 1 groups, and they tend to become part of a strong, exclusionary and conformity impulse. These are not parts of the American experience that we would want to copy, and a balance has always to be struck, as it is in Seattle through the 1994 Comprehensive Plan, between urban change and neighbourhood protection. Design strategies and district frameworks Of particular interest to a British audience is the way in which American cities had proceeded from public consultation through visioning to the development of design strategies. Portland has a quarter of a century of experience with a Downtown Strategy that 36 began in 1972 identifying major development opportunities, new parks, major road investments, better parking, and commercial and cultural opportunities. It expressed this as 'a concept plan' that indicated broadly where such developments would take place and how they would relate spatially (and partly three-dimensionally) one to another. This concept plan has been refined and modified over the years, but the continuity of vision and extent of achievements are very impressive, so much so that the 1988 concept plan is now something of a design icon. The expression of each policy dimension (economic development, housing, public safety, etc.) in a spatial form underpins this design strategy which utilises quite a limited range of concepts, some of which are very conventional (and questionable, e.g. the ubiquitous 'gateways'), others which URBAN DESIGN are quite innovative (e.g. Portland's transit mall). What is also particularly valuable about the Portland approach is the way that LJJWtlT the concept plan is then detailed by finer-grained urban design plans for sub districts and the way these district design plans are Above: The twelve backed by specific sets of action proposals with broad time functional policies in horizons and identified implementing agencies (both public and Portland's 1988 private). Of special interest to those developing such strategies is Central City Plan are the notation of these plans, the concepts that are being used for each expressed in analysis and prescription, and how these relate back to design map form. theory, principles and practice. Right: These policies are then elaborated in Both Seattle and San Diego have tried to develop city-wide detailed urban design sustainable design strategies. Seattle's 'urban villages strategy' will plans for each of already be familiar to UDQ readers, with its objectives of resisting eight districts. urban sprawl and increasing public safety, social justice, green space and commercial centre viability while reducing traffic congestion.9 The aforementioned devolved guidance preparation and design control mechanisms are twin planks of that strategy which has clearly embraced the social as well as the environmental dimensions of sustainability. In San Diego, the debate is about a regional growth strategy, always a problem given the fragmentation of municipalities in the USA. The strategy dates back to urban growth management objectives of the 1979 plan which was very successful in concentrating development (60 per cent of the growth) into existing urban areas through the manipulation of infrastructure costs. Whereas citizen propositions were responsible for caps on commercial development in Seattle in 1989 and San Francisco in 1985 it was residential development that was the focus of debate in San Diego and a 1985 proposition required citizen approval for further suburbanisation. A new growth management strategy (1993) has much stronger environmental quality objectives (air, water, sewage, waste, transport, housing) as well as a particularly interesting multiple species conservation programme based on federal and state endangered species legislation.10 This introduces habitat-based land-use planning and, along with clean water programmes, is setting a natural frame for urban development in San Diego County that is potentially much more Conclusion The experience of west coast cities of the USA in design matters emphasises the value of clearly defining a sense of place through detailed character assessment; articulating it into a shared vision to which many different constituencies can subscribe (business, environmental, professional, neighbourhood); and translating this vision into a concept plan and design strategy that is easily grasped and understood. This can only be developed and, more importantly, implemented through long-term political commitment at various levels - municipality, district, neighbourhood - and genuine public-private partnerships built on mutual interests (quality public investment in streets and spaces promotes quality private development to capitalise on the 'value added'). The implementation of such visions and strategies depends upon close corporate working and a skilled and resourceful bureaucracy particularly able to bring transportation and land use, parks and property together. Finally, it is important to note that the quality of design and development is heavily dependent upon public investment (in the public realm), and on enlightened patronage which might include anything from consultants' studies, well- ^ River Viewpoint designed light rapid transit, parks and fountains to public buildings /Vvaw and spaces. In all these dimensions the best American practice Distoct Galaway • •O Vintage Trolley has much to teach us. # OO Proposed Boulevard eeeee ftver Pedestien Loop 00000 Pedes*»anway * Existing Boulevard {——| Propo sed Transit Corridor (j^ Proposed Historic District. John Punter 1 j 1 Existing Transit Corridor \ Existing Historic Districts KZ2 Proposed ParV/Open Space J A ShjdmoreOd Town gjHW Existing Part/Open Space B Yamhl Hjool Housing Target Area References IDxNI Par* Defcoeot Area Jv\VsJ Required Housing Area URBAN DESIGN PLAN Public Attraction DOWNTOWN 1 Delafons, J. (1990) Aesthetic Control: A Report on Methods used in the USA to control the Design of Buildings, Berkeley, University of — - — District Boundary A'- California, IURD Monograph 41. Booth, P. (1996), Controlling Development: Certainty and Discretion in Europe, the USA and Hong Kong, London, UCL Press. Wakeford, R. (1990), American Development Control, Parallels and sustainable and creative. The City of San Diego's Landscape Paradoxes from an English Perspective, London, HMSO. Technical manual (1989) provides an example of how landscape 2 Cullingworth, J.B. (1993), The Political Culture of Planning: American issues can be taken much more seriously in both regional growth Land Use Planning in Comparative Perspective, New York, Routledge. 3 Lai, R. (1994), "Can the Process of Architectural Design Withstand allocations and in subdivision design.11 Constitutional Challenge", in B.C. Scheer and W. Preiser, Design Review: Challenging Urban Aesthetic Control, New York, Chapman and Hall, pp.31-41. Design Guidelines 4 Jacobs, A.B. (1980), Making City Planning Work, Chicago, Planners Press, pp.89-225. 5 Lynch, K. And Appleyard, D. (1974), "Temporary Paradise? A Look at The development of design guidelines to underpin these design the Special Landscape of the San Diego Region", in T. Banerjee and M. strategies and more detailed neighbourhood plans is particularly Southworth (1990J, City, Sense and City Design: Writings and Projects of Kevin Lynch, Cambridge, MIT Press, pp.721-763. instructive in the USA context. There has been a wide and informed 6 City of Portland (1988), Central City Plan, Portland, Bureau of Planning. debate about freedom, justice and aesthetics that has been 7 City of Seattle (1993), Design Review: Guidelines for Muiti Family and conducted in the courts, as well as in professional and political Commercial Buildings, Seattle Planning Department DCLU. City of Seattle (1994), Preparing Your Own Design Guidelines: A circles. There have been determined efforts to write guidelines that Handbook for Seattle's Neighbourhoods, Seattle Planning Department limit discretion and follow due process, but are precise rather than DCLU. visionary, that clearly separate design principles and design 8 Abbott, C. (1991), "Urban Design in Portland, Oregon, as Policy and process: 1960-1989", Planning Perspectives 6(1), pp. 1-18. advice and that avoid being too prescriptive.3 This debate has Adler, S. And Blake, G.F. (1990), "The Effects of a Formal Citizen helped spawn the concern to ensure that policies are underpinned Participation Program on Involvement in the Planning Process: A Case by area appraisal, public consultation, and a design strategy. It has Study of Portland, Oregon", State and Local Government Review 22(1), been spurred on by some state legislation, notably in Oregon, pp.37-43. 9 Lawrence, G. (1996), The Seattle Approach, Urban Design Quarterly which requires that control decisions are based on 'findings' that 57, pp.23-26. illustrate how applications have been judged, and how design 10 San Diego Association of Governments (1993J, Regional Growth criteria have been applied and weighted. The ability to translate Management Strategy, San Diego, SANDAG. See also Fulton, W. (1990), Guide to California Planning, Pont Arena, Calif., Solano Press. design guidance and policy into a closely linked hierarchy of goals, 11 City of San Diego (1989), Landscape Technical Manual, San Diego, objectives, principles, policies and guidelines that are both easily City Planning Department. understood and easily applied in the control process is one of the 12 Lang, J. (1996), "Implementing Urban Design in America: Project most impressive features of practice in San Francisco and Types and Methodological Implications", Journal of Urban Design, 1(1), pp.7-22. Portland, and offers important lessons for British policy writers. In particular, these guidelines12 tend to emphasise the broad The author is currently completing a monograph on design review in west character or 'personality' of the locality, and particularly the quality coast cities. A more detailed exposition of these examples is available in "Developments in Urban Design Review: the Lessons of West Coast Cities of the public realm, both in terms of the creation of a quality of the USA for British Practice", Journal of Urban Design (1(1), pp.23-46. pedestrian network (especially in Portland) and quality spaces, with particular attention paid to the building's relationship to the street. The guidelines are also interesting for the way they tackle issues of architectural detail and the emphasis they place on architectural compatibility not conformity. Lille Visit Left: Koolhaas's 1993 concept sketch Joe Holyoak comments on 1 hotel 2 Credit Lyonnais the visit to Lille which was 3 World Trade Centre 4 Lille Flanders station held in March. 5 Euralille shopping centre 6 urban park A significant sector of urban 7 Grand Palais. design activity today is composed of cities reinventing themselves - usually worn-out industrial cities and ports having to find a new economy and a new persona in order to compete with newer competitors that are not handicapped by the burden of the industrial revolution. None clearly has enormous were built before the station We had a particular look at the is more celebrated in recent managerial skills in being able was opened (including the famous art deco fish and years than the example of Lille, to conceive, design and deliver notorious boot-shaped Credit seafood restaurant L'Huitriere - and on March 14th a band of a remarkably cheap building in Lyonnais building by Christian very expensive, but I believe thirty UDG members, under the a remarkably short time. But I de Portzamparc) this means our Chairman and his wife were leadership of Sebastian Loew, found the result inhuman and the others can now never be seen there that evening. boarded Eurostar at Waterloo to alienating, and not one surface built. To construct them would Adjacent to the city centre is see it for themselves. that gave pleasure to the eye or require the railway to be the enormous Citadelle, a star- the hand. closed. This inflexibility is a shaped fortification by Vauban. Lille, the fourth largest city in serious error in a masterplan, The inside is still occupied by France, is located in Flanders, But am I out of touch? Others especially when it derives from the military, and is sadly close to the Belgian border, argued that the building's very what looks like a picturesque inaccessible. But a large park and part of an industrial insubstantiality and motive. surrounds the massive walls, conurbation of about 1.8 million impermanent appearance was which provides an impressive people. The key to its recent its very point; that it would But enough about Euralille, circuit for walking prominence is its location at the make a great deal of money in because there is a lot more to centre of the London-Paris- a short time and then be see in Lille which is not so well Sebastian Loew seems to know Brussels rail network following replaced by something else; known. For a start there is an everyone who matters in Lille, the building of the Channel and that a more conventional excellent metro system which and we had expert guidance Tunnel. It is now a familiar story and expensive building was not connects Lille to other parts of and interpretation to everything how the mayor of Lille and an alternative, because it the conurbation, and is now that we saw. The organisation sometime Prime Minister, Pierre simply would not have got built. being extended to Roubaix. was immaculate; it was an Mauroy, led a lobby to have the Sebastian introduced us to the excellent trip. No, I didn't TGV route, originally planned to Euralille, designed by a intricacies of the system, as to applaud the OMA work, but bypass Lille, changed so that it number of architects to so much else, and had found many did, and it was in any passed through a new station Koolhaas's plan, is also very us a new hotel right next to the case an education. Thanks to in the town. Around the station brash and diagrammatic, and station in Wazemme. Here there Sebastian and the UDG for the is the new shopping/business/ also exemplifies Koolhaas's is a splendid food market opportunity to see so much in residential development of "theory of bigness" and the which seemed to be a mecca three days, and to Eurostar Euralille, and across an urban "culture congestion" (I haven't for much of the city on the which makes this possible. motorway the Grand Palais; yet read the book, but I have Sunday morning. The quality From Lille to my house in exhibition halls, conference picked up the catchphrases). and variety of the fresh food Birmingham takes five hours - centre and arena all in one But I felt more comfortable with was staggering, and yet again it's just around the corner. # colossal building. The it, mostly because it connects reminded me of how masterplanner for both was well with the older city centre impoverished is our Rem Koolhaas of OMA. and its infrastructure, rather mainstream British food culture. than being an isolated object The individuals who met at building like the Grand Palais. We had a guided tour of the old Waterloo doubtless had various town, which is reminiscent of motives for signing up for the It has one aberration, which is Bruges or Ghent; not of weekend. Mine was to see curious coming from a comparable quality, but worth whether my prejudice about masterplanner to whom the seeing. Like them, it had Koolhaas - that his urban development process is a canals, but sadly they are now design programme is simply major source of form. It was to filled in or drained. There is a the discredited principles of have had a row of six towers good revitalisation project to be 1960's modernism repackaged spanning the TGV line next to done on the canals. The town for a new generation - would be the station. This is an centre has a well preserved supported or defeated by extravagant conceit, requiring network of streets, with what experience of the reality. I must enormous structural beams to looks like a high residential say that I simply hated the span the track. But because density, and a lively and varied Grand Palais, for which OMA the development fell behind urban culture. Lille is highly was the architect. Koolhaas schedule, and only two towers regarded for its gastronomy. Book Reviews The Compact City call for sustainable regions The Editors conclude that Corbusier's Maison de A Sustainable Urban rather than compact cities from implementing the Compact City I'Homme in Zurich (1963-7) Form? Edited by Mike Jenks, Roy Green of theTCPA. idea will be difficult. This book slips through the net: Jackson's Elizabeth Burton & Katie is a good effort, but it could reactions to this building, Williams Section 3 considers that an have been done with more and designed originally as a house, E & FN Spon 1996 £29.95 approach which addresses better illustration, which would would have been interesting. Urban Form alone is not make it easier to read. # This book consists of a series enough. Three Bristol Part 4 demonstrates that the of about thirty essays by a academics feel that additional Derek Abbott genre still flourishes. In wide range of different authors incentives (eg tax increases) England John Winter (in whose on the theory of the Compact will be needed to discourage Norfolk retreat Jackson City; and also investigates people from using cars, The Modern Steel House completed the script of his other forms of city living as well however good public transport Neil Jackson book), Spence and Webster, as the classic densely is. Not surprisingly, the E& FN Spon 1996 £35 Ian Ritchie, Richard Horden, developed core of the historic contributors from Amsterdam Peter Aldington, Georgie European City. came out strongly in favour of Scattered around the world, Wolton and the Hopkins, all the Compact City, and even principally in Europe, California built first houses in the classic The book covers five areas: Dutch transportation experts and Australia, is a select band mould. Their most recent work, expect compact city policies to of people living in a very together with that of Compact City Theory be successful. particular twentieth century practitioners such as Glen Social and Economic Issues house type - those constructed Murcott and James Grose in Environment and Resources Section 4 is mainly concerned with steel frames. A Australia, Jourda and Perraudin Measuring and Monitoring with research into traffic disproportionate number are in France, Edward Niles in Implementation movements, environmental architects or their parents, and California and various appraisals, city space and all are enthusiasts for the type, Japanese architects, seems to be attempting to imbue the Is the Compact City a romantic pollution, presented in a which is usually a single storey tectonic language of the steel idea, or a genuine way somewhat dry academic pavilion surrounded by house with more plastic forward? The Editors state they manner. However, as an ex- countryside, more rarely a qualities, proving that it is a have tried to achieve a balance conservation officer, I found the bridge, or sometimes a diverse and evolving type, and of views from the essayists, piece by Peter Drummond & courtyard shoe-horned suggesting an exciting future. most of whom, together with the Corrine Swain interesting; incongruously into an urban Editors, are academics. entitled Environmental Capacity setting. of a Historic City: the Chester The book is well illustrated and In Section 1, three of the Experience. They rightly For a period of seven years mention must be made of the contributors support a examine the pressures on starting in 1988 Neil Jackson drawings of Guy Marsden and compromise solution (ie neither compact historic cities, and spent much of his time loana Vasile: thanks to them the extreme centralisation, nor suggest ways they could be travelling to track down the two book is illustrated with crisply decentralisation). Only Mayer relieved. hundred or so extant steel drawn plans of most of the Hillman comes out strongly in framed houses, at the same houses, all at a scale of 1:200, favour of the Compact City; Section 5 is possibly the most time recording interviews with which allows the reader to because he feels it is the only interesting part of the book their architects, engineers and make fascinating comparisons. way to reduce dependency on because it assumes a house owners. The outcome is It is only sad that their skills the car, use less energy, commitment towards the a book which is exhaustive could not have been used to reduce pollution and noise, and Compact City which the Editors without ever being exhausting. produce more sections and increase use of cycles, generally support. Harley The interviews make the writing some large scale constructional walking, together with Sherlock shows how it is chatty and anecdotal. His details. improved public transport. possible to house 300 people careful research and recording and his powers of observation Hugh Stretton from Adelaide, per hectare in 4-storey terrace Although often seminally mean that the reader is always South Australia, supports his houses, which the 18C and important, these houses will supplied with a comprehensive native very low density 19C Architects and Builders always be 'architecture for set of empirical facts and sprawling city, but he is in did anyhow. Sherlock suggests architects': their lack of popular theoretical ideas. favour of electric cars. Michael the older terraces could be appeal is best summed up in Welbank notes sadly that today converted into two maisonettes, the words of one American "life has nearly been squeezed and uses the same idea for a After the introduction, the book consumer quoted in a 1995 out of planning", but he is modern equivalent. In Urban is composed of four parts, Part issue of the California enthusiastic about Agenda 21. Footprints, making the best use 1 dealing with the early years magazine Arts and of urban land and resources, (1929-1939). Part 2 traces the Architecture: "These modern In Section 2, Hedley Smyth's Tony Burton and Lilli Matson of development of the steel house houses just don't look homey'.# essay "Running the Gauntlet - a the CPRE support the Compact in the States, covering in compact city within a doughnut City, and call for a new California such important Peter Howard and Helena of decay", portrays a daunting commitment from planners, proponents as the Eames, Webster scenario in which the doughnut developers, and government. Raphael Sorriano, Craig is the zone in which all the main There are also interesting Ellwood, Joseph Eichler and social problems are pieces on Edinburgh Old Town Pierre Koenig. Here Jackson concentrated. Knight & Fulford by Jim Johnson and by Louise makes good use of the classic represent the developers' Thomas & Will Cousins on the photographs of Julius Shulman, viewpoint, and Fulford is the proposed new city based at himself a client of Sorriano. more optimistic about their Ebbsfleet, within the highly Europe and Australia from the response to the challenge of contentious Thames Gateway 1950s are covered in Part 3, the compact city; and there is a project. although unfortunately Le Book Reviews The Modern Station, do the same for the railway Left: Many new New Approaches to system and its stations". He railway schemes are Railway Architecture also mentions "the the result of joint Brian Edwards opportunities to exploit urban investment initiatives o E&FSpon 1997 £45 design by a coalition of railway involving public and and property owning interests private sources of Brian Edwards, Professor of as a growing feature of recent funding, often with Architecture at Huddersfield, railway development world- contractors taking a has written a comprehensive wide"; a theme referred to financial stake. The and informative book on throughout this book. new street-based modern railway station design. elevated railway in Euralille is exemplified as an Bangkok is typical of His preface places Modern "Economic Magnet", being at partnership funding Railway Stations in their Urban the centre of an ambitious rail in the Pacific Rim. Design context: "Trains network linking Paris, London transport people with only a and Brussels, with a population fraction of the greenhouse of 70M within 2 hours travel gases produced by planes, time by train. Under "Design 40 cars and buses, and move Types : What is a Railway them from city centre to city Station?", the author says that centre, not city edge to city the 1992 refurbished Liverpool edge". However, a specific Street Station could easily pass section on stations and urban for a Conference Centre, design, does not appear until Superstore or Craft Fair, so is p.87, strangely forming part of all this leading to a loss of a chapter on "Technical character for the Railway issues". Station as such? This book does not give a clear answer, Bilbao, Genoa and Berlin Colourscape but instead categorises railway The book consists of three underground stations are Michael Lancaster stations as follows: parts, perspectives on Station shown, as is the Bangkok Academy Editions, 1996 £21.95 Architecture, Some Recent • Interchange Termini - main Transit System, Docklands Station Projects and line and airport • Suburban Light Railway and Sheffield In general, most architects and Reflections. In his introduction • Rural • Underground and Supertram. most planners tend to take the author states that the • Light Rail. colour for granted, particularly present "renaissance of interest Reflections, the very short final in the context of planning. in railways is due to the The Charles de Gaulle Airport part of the book in some ways However, Michael Lancaster, ecological benefit of rail travel, railway station, Paris, is cited is the most interesting. Yet with almost evangelical zeal, combined with the technical as a bold well integrated again the author stresses the sets out to rectify this situation. breakthrough in high-speed solution to this particular multi-use aspect of modern His preface states that trains"; but adds that Britain problem. Suburban stations do stations; though it is difficult to Colourscape is concerned has been particularly slow to not have to be dull; a most see how they will attract people principally with buildings; "but recognise the new train culture, successful example being there who have no ambition to buildings are not seen in following France, Holland, Calatrava's Stadelhofen station, travel! There is a brief section isolation: every one has a Japan and even the USA. For Zurich. on structure and the book context... Since colour journeys under three hours, concludes with a short piece depends upon relationships, trains are becoming Urban Design aspects are called "The station as a bridge the context assumes visual increasingly competitive with discussed under Technical across the millennia"; an importance equal to that of the air travel. The TGV network and issues and the case for the optimistic end piece to the building itself." Therefore colour recent Dutch stations are large railway station as "a book. The book is fully is central to Urban Design, particularly significant, and mixed-use multipurpose illustrated with annotated and this book fills a major gap designs from Calatrava to megastructure is re-stated. drawings and photographs, but since it is not just another Grimshaw have celebrated the Thameslink 2000: the station not always referred to in the survey of different aspects of new railway age. as bridge (unbuilt) by Terry text. Nevertheless The Modern environmental colour, but a Farrell is described; but the Station is an invaluable handbook that attempts to In Chapter 1, entitled 'The idea is not new, eg Edinburgh's contribution to considering clarify the place and meaning politics of railways', we are Waverley Station, where the transport architecture and of colour in our surroundings. warned that the privatisation of main concourse is crossed at urban design issues. # British Rail could result in loss high level linking the old and One theme that is consistent of design standards throughout new towns of the city. Derek Abbott throughout this book is that the network, whereas in France since the industrial revolution, it and Holland, railways are Recent projects include is not enough to rely on viewed more as social services international stations such as intuition, taste and personal than in the UK. However one Lille-Europe, Waterloo preferences in colour design. hopes that with a new International and the Channel Indeed the author sees Government this may change. Tunnel UK Terminal. Airport knowledge, understanding, and The author in support of his stations include Charles de application of colour as both an belief in public transport states Gaulle, Lyon and Kowloon. art and science. "Design has sold cars Town Stations include throughout much of the 20th Stadelhofen and good Dutch Chapter One, "The Purpose of century; now Design needs to examples, such as Sloterdijk. Colour", studies the origins of colour, and colour vision in author was appointed as Of Planting and Planning, 'ignorance and apathy' than to nature and human beings, colour consultant in 1987. The Making of British build sanitary housing. Port including camouflage, both Colonial Cities cities are the third theme, of natural and man-made. • A colour analysis of Robert Home which Calcutta is the main Chapter Two, "from Evolution to Norwich where the author Spon 1996 £49 example. The next section is Revolution", identifies a was commissioned to concerned with the provision of hierarchy of colours; and contribute to a study of For generations, gardening has housing for the vast numbers of considers that most people colour in European Cities been one of the main leisure workers migrating to the seem to have a predisposition in 1990. pursuits of the British. It seems colonial cities either from the towards the warm reddish that this activity is not unrelated rural hinterland or from other colours of the earth. • A study of three sections of to colonial imperialism: the parts of the Empire. It is easily the River Thames as it Empire's builders were in fact linked to the next chapter which Chapters Three and Four are passes through London, on gardening. In this highly analyses racial segregation in concerned with light and which the author is still informative book, Robert Home its various forms. The colour, vision and perception. engaged. analyses the development from development of town planning The author states that 'planting' colonies in the 16th in the colonies is the last of the paradoxically it is "white" that is Although very different century to their planning in a themes: the design of capital the most intrusive colour in our projects, the author followed a more modern sense. A sites (Delhi), the first surroundings, because of definite sequence in each case plantation is not quite the same experiments with garden cities, optimum light reflection, and is which was Site Survey, Site as a garden but it requires as the 'improvement' of existing much tending if it is to yield the common colour for both Analysis, Colour Strategy Plan, cities and the export of newly expected results and the buildings and other objects; Presentation, Implementation developed planning representatives of the British e.g. caravans, notices etc. Procedures and Management. techniques, used in particular Empire developed a number of Colour classification systems in the last days of the Empire. ways to endure that their are examined in Chapter Five, Under "Colour Choices", the colonial settlements produced which is entitled "In Search of author restates his belief that The above summary does the expected blooms. In the Harmony". colour design can do much to scant justice to the wealth of process they often destroyed alleviate the massive planning material in the book. Not all existing cultures, enslaved and/ Chapter Six, "Impressions and problems of increasing world aspects of British colonial or decimated populations Expressions", is particularly population, rapid planning can be treated in which they mostly treated with interesting since it describes industrialisation, and even new depth and Home may be contempt, experimented with and illustrates work by The technology. "High Colour" opening a Pandora's box to forms of planning and often Bauhaus, De Stijl, Victor introduces the colour problems further studies on colonial ensured that they left a real old Pasmore at Peterlee New Town, imposed by high buildings, and planning: this may be the mess when they left after Bruno Taut and Le Corbusier. in "Future Colour" the author starting part of a number of independence. This is not to The splendid colour concludes his book by further studies on particular say that Home's book is photographs of Bruno Taut's reiterating that it is only through places or specific periods and polemic or anti-British. Facts Berlin housing estate (1926- the self-conscious process of trigger comparisons between are left to speak for themselves 1932), known as Uncle Tom's design that colour can play a the British and other colonial and the tone of the book is Cabin, show how far ahead of major part in the future of urban empires. sympathetic to both colonists its time it was. Chapter Seven, design. and colonised, but at the end, "Colour Effects", examines the Throughout the book, Home the exploitation of men by other notional and immeasurable Despite its somewhat glossy emphasises the role of men, through the means of format, Colourscape covers its characters such as Colonel factors influencing our colour town planning (in the widest subject comprehensively and is Light, Sir William Ritchie, perceptions. A telling colour sense of the word) leaves a a useful reference document. Charles Compton Reade and photograph of a green hut at bitter taste. the head of the water supply However, it would be a great many others, who played a key pipe in Snowdonia, proves the help to readers if in future role in the way that colonial author's point that a contrasting editions illustrations could be The material is interestingly settlements developed. He also colour, red, brown, black or numbered and listed, which organised by themes which describes the urban form even a carefully chosen yellow could also allow better approximately correspond with resulting from the various would have been better. integration with the text. # a chronology (although there period and ideologies; readers are overlaps) starting with the may want to compare these to In "Colour Planning", Turin gets Derek Abbott government controlled "grand contemporary designs in the special mention because it was model" of which Savannah and metropolis and ponder over the probably the first city scale Adelaide are typical examples. direction of the influences. After colour plan, the period of The second period is that of the numerous mishaps, Voltaire's control being 1805-1850. It professionals, land surveyors, Candide returns home to work uses a hierarchy of more than engineers, public health on his own garden, as his 100 colours. Bruges has also experts and finally town philosopher-tutor has always been transformed by colour planners, who introduced new advised him to do. The British planning during recent urban forms and new methods colonists seemed to have decades, by considering the of administration into the followed this advice but they city as a whole. colonies. In some cases their need to look carefully at heir proposals were not mistakes in order to succeed at Colour Planning refers to three appreciated by the authorities home better than they have case studies: in London as they would have abroad. # resulted in 'unnecessary' • A colour conservation study expenditure; it was easier to Sebastian Loew of llfracombe where the blame the natives for their The Civic Trust Regeneration Unit (CTRU) was formed ten years ago in response to repeated requests to the Civic Trust for guidance and practical assistance with local regeneration initiatives. It now exists as a sister organisation to the Civic Trust, which is a national environmental charity established in 1957 as 'a champion of the built environment'. Run as a 'not-for-profit' practice, the CTRU focuses on developing best practice solutions to the myriad of problems faced by Britain's cities, towns and villages. The Unit is supported by the Department of the Environment Special Grants Programme as well as private sector sponsorship from Boots the Chemists, Sainsbury's, John Laing pic and the Post Office. This unique combination enables it to pursue value added research associated with each commission. Importantly it also means that many of the training programmes which are run by the Unit can be offered for free or at a subsidised rate to facilitate participation by community and voluntary groups who would otherwise often be excluded. A Professional Product Today, the CTRU has a core team of twelve professionals based in the Trust's London head office. It also runs a smaller office in Liverpool. In-house expertise includes urban design, planning, economic development, community participation and business planning. The Unit also operates established co-consultant relationships with a further ten professional associates. CTRU offers comprehensive advice on all aspects of urban and rural regeneration including: • environmental appraisals and urban Above: Extracts from Top right: Sketch of design strategies Frame Town Centre Falmouth indicating • economic evaluations Study including an the potential of • town and city centre development analysis of the creating stronger • townscape and conservation strategies townscape qualities links between the and issues of the shopping street and It is perhaps the only practice which can historic town and a the waterfront and also claim to be at the forefront of: sketch indicating the providing public importance of key routes and facilities • project management for regeneration sites and the along the harbour. • partnership development initiatives landscape setting. Bottom right: • training and capacity building Proposals for Brixton programmes Town Square which • consultation and participation schemes include spaces for eating and seating As pioneers of community based and the provision of participatory approaches to regeneration, public art. we pride ourselves on our ability to analyse needs and opportunities, devise strategies and programmes of action, secure funding and develop partnership mechanisms which ensure a sense of ownership and shared vision in terms of the final product. A new look for Brixton In September 1994 Brixton Challenge called in the CTRU to draw up a new five year regeneration programme for the town O centre. Three years later the team is still actively involved with what has become known as South London's economic success story. Most recently, the CTRU and Lambeth Council have unveiled plans for a £1.5m town square and public piazza. The scheme includes the construction of a glass roofed underground cafe as well as a new restaurant complex and an area of public art. The square will be extended by the creation of a landscaped park on adjacent currently derelict land. The team has also been closely involved with 43 upgrading two 1920s internal market arcades in the town centre, working alongside Alan Camp Architects to create high quality commercial space to enhance the area's retail and leisure economy. Creating a splash in Falmouth Working on behalf of Carrick District Council, the CTRU has recently undertaken a development feasibility study for Falmouth's waterfront. The proposed scheme includes a new promenade and waterfront piazza plus an upgrade of the neighbouring historic buildings. Frome and Rural Regeneration The Unit's work in Frome consisted of a historic town centre audit and the subsequent development of a commercial, physical and social strategy for the town centre. Work in this area is now being developed under its Market Towns programme. The Unit has been actively involved with rural regeneration and has successfully completed a total of 30 regeneration strategies under the auspices of its Rural Partnership Programme (sponsored by the Rural Development Commission). The Unit has shown itself to be highly successful in combining physical, economic and social dimensions to create realisable and sustainable strategies for clients. With an established track record of over 250 projects throughout the UK we can draw on our professional experience to create a tailor made package which effectively delivers results. If you would like any more information on the Civic Trust Regeneration Unit please contact Miffa Salter at CTRU, 1/Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y5AW. Tel: 0171 930 9730 (www.civictrust.org.uk) Practice Index Directory of Bell Fischer Building Design Partnership ECD Architects and Landscape Architects PO Box 4WD Energy Consultants 160 Chiltern Drive practices and 16 Gresse Street 11-15 Emerald Street Surbiton London W1A 4WD London WC1N3QL Surrey KT5 8LS Tel: 0171 631 4733 Tel: 0171 405 3121 urban design Tel: 0181 390 6477 Fax: 0171 631 0393 Fax: 0171 405 1670 D Fax: 0181 399 7903 Contact: Richard Saxon BArch Contact: David Turrent BArch RIBA Contact: Gordon Bell DipLA ALI (Hons)(L'pool) MCD MBIM RIBA courses ECD Architects specialise in the Landscape architects with Transport design. Landscape design. design of energy efficient buildings subscribing to specialisms including urban design, Commercial development planning. and advise on the environmental urban regeneration and environmental Sports and Leisure planning. aspects of new developments using planning throughout the UK and Industrial site planning. Educational the Breeam assessment method. this index overseas. Quality assured to BS EN campus planning. ISO 9001. This directory EDAW Planning Burrell Foley Fischer 80-82 Grays Inn Road Chris Blandford Associates 15 Monmouth Street Covent Garden Holborn, London WC1X 8NH provides a service Possingworth Craft Workshops London WC2H 9DA Tel: 0171 404 6350 Blackboys Tel: 0171 836 5097 Fax: 0171 404 6337 to clients when Uckfield Fax: 0171 379 6619 Contact: David Keene BA Dip TP East Sussex TN22 5HE Contact: John Burrell MA AADip RIBA MRTPI 44 Tel: 01435 866488 FRSA Jason Prior BA Dip A ALI they are looking Fax: 01435 864381 Also at Glasgow & Colmar, France Contact: Chris Blandford/Philip Specialisms: Urban regeneration and for professional Russell-Vick/ Geoff Smith Arts and Cultural buildings - Part of the international EDAW Group Museums, Galleries, Theatres, providing urban design, land use The skills of CBA's multi-disciplinary Cinemas. Redevelopment of planning, environmental planning and advice on projects team embrace the core disciplines Redundant Estate Land, Urban landscape architecture services associated with development housing. New settlements. New throughout the UK and Europe. involving urban planning, urban design, landscape design in Historic Contexts. Particular expertise in market driven architecture, environmental Waterfront buildings and strategies. development frameworks, urban assessment and management. Innovative Urban Design and regeneration, masterplanning and design issues and Particular strengths include urban Planning approaches. implementation. regeneration and enhancement, to students and master planning, environmental strategies and implementation. Philip Cave Associates Roger Evans Associates 5 Dryden Street Covent Garden 59-63 High Street professionals London WC2E 9NW Kidlington Oxford 0X5 2DN Trevor Bridge Associates Tel: 0171 829 8340 Tel: 01865 377 030 considering taking 7-9 St Michaels Square Fax: 0171 240 5800 Fax: 01865 377 050 Ashton-under-Lyne Contact: Philip Cave BSc Hons MA Contact: Roger Evans MA DipArch Lancashire OL6 6LF (LD) ALI DipUD RIBA MRTPI an urban design Tel: 0161 308 3765 Fax: 0161 343 3513 Design led practice seeking A specialist urban design practice course. Contact: Trevor Bridge Dip LA DA Ml innovative yet practical solutions. providing services throughout the UK. Hort ALI Large scale site planning through to Expertise in urban regeneration, small scale detailed design - from development frameworks, master W S Atkins Planning Consultants Landscape Architecture, Urban studies to constructed projects. planning, town centre improvement Woodcote Grove, Ashley Road Design, Environmental Planning, Specialist experience in landscape schemes and visual impact Epsom, Surrey KT18 5BW Ecology, expert witness. From architecture. assessment. Tel: 01372 726140 inception to completion the practice is Fax: 01372 743006 committed to maintaining high Contact: Joanna Chambers BA BTP standards and meeting the needs of Civic Design Partnership Terry Farrell and Partners MRTPI the client. 22 Sussex Street 17 Hatton Street London SW1V 4RW London NW8 8PL Multi-disciplinary practice of urban Tel: 0171 233 7419 Tel: 0171 258 3433 planners, landscape designers, Colin Buchanan & Partners Fax: 0171 931 8431 Fax: 0171 723 7059 transport planners, urban designers, 59 Queens Gardens Contact: Peter J. Heath Architect and Contact: Nick Birchall/Martin Sagar architects and environmental planners, London W2 3AF Town Planner specialising in Master Plans, Tel: 0171 258 3799 Architectural, urban design and Development Frameworks and Fax: 0171 258 0299 Whether it's our strategy for the external planning services. New buildings, Concepts, Development Briefs, Contact: Neil Parkyn MA DipArch areas of BAA pic's airports, presented to refurbishment, restoration and Environmental Assessment, Environ- DipTP (Dist) RIBA MRTPI Sir John Egan, a Conservation interiors,masterplanning and town mental Improvements, Town Centre Enhancement plan for Covent Garden, planning schemes. Retail, renewal, Traffic Management and Town planning, urban design, transport an application for Millennium funding for Conference Centres, Exhibition Halls, Contaminated land. and traffic management and market traffic management, Orpington Town Offices, Railway infrastructure and research from offices in London, Centre proposals or a landscaped Railway Development, Art Galleries, Edinburgh, Bristol and Manchester. square for Hove - our integrated service Museums. Cultural and Tourist Alan Baxter & Associates Specialism in Town Centre projects, of architecture, planning, landscape, buildings, Television Studios, Consulting Engineers including public realm design. product and urban design gives our Theatres, Housing, Industrial 14-16 Cowcross Street clients not only what they want, but also Buildings. London EC1M6DR what they never dreamt they could have. Tel: 0171 250 1555 Fax: 0171 250 3022 FaulknerBrowns Contact: Alan Baxter FIStructE MICE Edward Cullinan Architects Dobson House MConsE 1 Baldwin Terrace Northumbrian Way London N1 7RU Newcastle upon Tyne NE12 0QW An engineering and urban design Tel: 0171 704 1975 Tel: 0191 268 3007 practice with wide experience of new Fax: 0171 354 2739 Fax: 0191 268 5227 and existing buildings and complex Contact: Karen Hughes Contact: Neil F Taylor BA (Hons) urban issues. Particularly concerned with DipArch (Dist) RIBA MBIM the thoughtful integration of buildings, Designing buildings and groups of infrastructure and movement, and the buildings within urban or rural contexts. Urban Design, Environmental and creation of places which are capable of The relationship to existing buildings Economic Regeneration, simple and flexible renewal. and the making of spaces between Masterplanning, Development and buildings is of particular importance to Implementation Strategies. us, in the struggle to re-establish the civic place. Gillespies Paul Hyett Architects Gordon Lewis Associates Limited MacCormac Jamieson Prichard Environment by Design Architecture Urban Design Westgate Court, Westgate St 9 Heneage Street GLASGOW Planning Cardiff CF1 1DD Spitalfields, London E1 5LJ Tel: 0141 332 6742 36-37 Featherstone Street Tel: 01222 231401 Tel: 0171 377 9262 Fax: 0141 332 3538 London EC1Y 8QX Fax: 01222 399287 Fax: 0171 247 7854 MANCHESTER Tel: 0171 251 0783 Contact: Gordon Lewis BSc, BArch, Contact: David Prichard BSc DipArch D Tel: 0161 928 7715 Fax: 0171 251 1691 RIBA, FFB (Lond) RIBA Fax: 0161 927 7680 Contact: Paul Hyett AA Dipl RIBA MPhil OXFORD Architecture, planning and urban Master-planning, development briefs, Tel: 01865 326789 We provide a comprehensive range of design. Public and private sector. urban regeneration studies, land use Fax: 01865 327070 services: Architecture. Urban design and Development strategies, business studies, rural settlements. Planning in development. Town Planning. Project plans and public realm studies. historic and sensitive sites. The Practice philosophy provides management. Master Planning. Business park, residential and health clients with creative and sustainable Development Briefs. Historic building estate planning. solutions and a commitment to restoration, conversion and/or Andrew Martin Associates excellence from inception to development. Waterfront Croxton's Mill, Little Waltham completion in Planning, Urban development. Environmental and Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Chelmsford, Essex CM3 3PJ Design, Landscape Architecture, visual impact assessment. Ltd Tel: 01245 361611 Architecture, Graphic Design and 14 Regent's Wharf, All Saints St Fax: 01245 362423 Ecology. London N1 9RL Contact: Andrew Martin MAUD DipTP Landscape Design Associates Tel: 0171 837 4477 (Distinction) FRICS FRTPI 17 Minster Precincts Fax: 0171 837 2277 Greater London Consultants Peterborough PE1 1XX (also in Newcastle upon Tyne) Strategic, local and master planning, 45 127 Beulah Road Tel: 01733 310471 Contact: Nicholas Thompson BA BPI project co-ordination and facilitation, Thornton Heath Fax: 01733 53661 MA (UrbDes) MRTPI and lain Rhind development briefs and detailed Surrey CR7 8JJ Contact: John Dejardin DipLA ALI BA MPhil DipUD (Dist) MRTPI studies, historic buildings and Tel: 0181 768 1417 Chris Royffe MA DipLA ALI conservation. Comprehensive and Fax: 0181 771 9384 Independent planning, urban design integrated planning of new and Contact: Dr John Parker DipArch Urban and landscape design, and economics consultancy, expanded communities, including ARIBA DipTP FRTPI FRSA landscape and development combining analysis with creativity. housing, employment, shopping, planning, masterplans, environmental Masterplans: all sites, all uses. recreation and leisure, transport and Services focus on architectural and strategies, urban regeneration, town Residential schemes. Urban environmental considerations. urban design aspects of planning and and village studies and environmental regeneration. Town centres. Visual environment including: photo- improvements. Feasibility to appraisal. Conservation. montage studies especially high implementation. Peter McGowan Associates building proposals, site investigation, The Schoolhouse traffic, applications, appeals, marinas, Llewelyn-Davies 4 Lochend Road ElA's, feasibility, development Derek Latham & Company Brook House Edinburgh EH6 8BR schemes, conservation and security St. Michael's, Queen St 2 Torrington Place Tel: 0131 555 4949 schemes. Derby DE1 3SU London WC1E 7HN Fax: 0131 555 4999 Tel: 01332 365777 Tel: 0171 637 0181 Contact: Peter McGowan DipLA MA Fax: 01332 290314 Fax: 0171 637 8740 (UD) ALI Greig + Stephenson Contact: Derek Latham Dip Arch RIBA Contact: Jon Rowland AADipl MA 4-5 Long Yard DipTP MRTPI RIBA and David Walton BA MRTPI Landscape architecture and urban off Lamb's Conduit Street FIHT design: planning and design. London WC1N 3LU Specialists in the Creative Reuse of Highways, pedestrianisation and Tel: 0171 405 6789 Land and Buildings', the Company Architecture, planning, urban design, traffic calming. New town Fax: 0171 405 3999 brings its planning, landscape and development and masterplanning; development. Urban parks and Contact: Ken Greig or Nigel architectural expertise to highlight urban regeneration, town centre and spaces. Sea fronts. Urban Renewal. Stephenson both urban and rural opportunities in conservation studies; urban design Landscapes for housing and industry. sensitive areas of change. Town and briefs, landscape and public realm Architects, designers and planners City Centres, National Parks, strategies. specialising in retail-led urban infill Conservation Areas, Listed Buildings, NFA and town centre repositioning. Wide- combining the new with the old. Falcon House ranging international experience. Master planning, development David Lock Associates Ltd 202 Old Brompton Road proposals, E.I.A.s. 50 North Thirteenth Street London SW5 0BU Central Milton Keynes Tel: 0171 259 2223 Fax: 0171 259 2242 Halcrow Fox Milton Keynes MK9 3BP (also at Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, 44 Brook Green LEITHGOE Landscape Architects Tel: 01908 666276 Kuala Lumpur, LA, Melbourne, Paris, Hammersmith and Environmental Planners Fax: 01908 605747 Singapore, Vietnam) London W6 7BY 6 Southernhay West Contact: Will Cousins DipArch Contact: Peter Verity MArch MCP Tel: 0171 603 1618 Exeter EX1 1JG DipUD RIBA (Penn) RIBA Fax: 0171 603 5783 Tel: 01392 210428 Contact: Asad A Shaheed BA Arch Fax: 01392 413290 Strategic planning studies, public Architectural, Urban Design, MArch (also London tel: 0171 229 6469) inquiries, urban regeneration projects, Planning, Landscaping services Contact: Andrew Leithgoe DipLA FLI master plans, area development internationally. Development Area and site planning, town centre framework plans, environment Planning, Urban Regeneration, New renewal, waterfront regeneration, Landscape Assessment, Planning, statements. Communities, Waterfront traffic calming studies, conceptual Design and Maintenance. Hard and soft Regeneration, Tourism Planning and design, visual impact assessment. Landscape solutions. Experienced in Design. working with Architects and Engineers. Lyons + Sleeman + Hoare Clients include PSA/DoE, Local Nero Brewery Hunt Thompson Associates Authorities, Property Institutions, Cricket Green Terence O'Rourke pic 79 Parkway Universities, Private clients. Hartley Wintney Everdene House London NW1 7PP Hampshire RG27 8QA Wessex Fields, Deansleigh Road Tel: 0171 485 8555 Tel: 01252 844144 Bournemouth BH7 7DU Fax: 0171 485 1232 Fax: 01252 844800 Tel: 01202 421142 Contact: Benjamin Derbyshire DipArch Contact: Andrew Aldridge BA Dip Arch Fax: 01202 430055 (Cantab) RIBA FRSA RIBA or Colin Darby BSc DipTP Contact: Terence O'Rourke DipArch Dip Urban Design MRTPI (Oxford) DipTP RIBA MRTPI Development, Architecture and Urban Design. Optimising development Architecture, planning, master Planning and Design Consultancy potential by integrating social, physical planing, urban design - commercial specialising in land use planning, and economic issues. Making buildable, practice covering broad spectrum of landscape architecture, ecology, cost effective, user responsive work - particularly design of buildings environmental assessment and urban environments. and spaces in urban and historic design. Development Briefs, Master contexts. Plans, Urban Regeneration, Town Studies, Conservation and Public Realm Strategies. Practice Index Education Index PRP Architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Inc. Tibbalds Monro Ltd University of the West of 82 Bridge Road, Hampton Court 46 Berkeley Street, London W1X 6NT 31 Earl Street England, Bristol East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9HF Tel: 0171 930 9711 London EC2A 2HR Faculty of the Built Environment Tel: 0181 941 0606 Fax: 0171 930 9108 Tel: 0171 377 6688 Frenchay Campus Fax: 0181 783 1671 (also Chicago, New York, Washington, Fax: 0171 247 9377 Coldharbour Lane, Bristol BS16 1QY Contact: Peter Phippen San Francisco, LA, Hong Kong) Contact: Andrew Karski BA (Hons) Tel: 0117 965 6261 OBE DipArch (RWA) RIBA Contact: Roger Kallman MSc (Econ) FRTPI Fax: 0117 976 3895 Contact: Richard Guise Social and private housing International multi-disciplinary Multi-disciplinary practice of MA/Postgraduate Diploma course in development, special needs housing, practice. Master Planning, architects, planners, urban designers, Urban Design. Part time 2 days per including housing for elderly people, Landscape Architecture, Civil landscape designers, tourism fortnight for 2 years, or individual mentally handicapped and single Engineering and Urban Design. specialists and interior architects. programme of study. Project based people, healthcare, urban Project types: urban regeneration The firm provides consultancy course addressing urban design redevelopment. schemes, business park master services to institutional, public sector issues, abilities and environments. plans, university campus design, and corporate clients. transportation planning. Associated University College Dublin Anthony Reddy Associates services: environmental impact School of Architecture and The Malt House assessments, design guidelines, Urban Design Futures Department of Regional and Grand Canal Quay infrastructure strategies. 97c West Bow Urban Planning Dublin 2, Ireland Edinburgh EH1 2JP, Scotland Richview, Clonskeagh Tel: 010 353 1 6704800 Tel/Fax: 0131 557 8820 Dublin 14, Ireland Fax: 00 353 1 6604801 Symonds Travers Morgan Contact: Selby Richardson DipArch, Tel: 00 353 1 7062757 46 Contact: Anthony Reddy, BArch, Environment DipTP, MSc, ARIAS Fax: 00 353 1 2837778 FRIAI, RIBA, DipPM, MAPM 24-30 Holborn Contact: Philip Geoghegan, Course Paul Duignan, B.Arch, FRIAI London EC1N 2LX Land use planning, development Director Tel: 0171 421 2000 feasibility and site layout studies, MSc in Urban Design is an Architecture, planning, urban design, Fax: 0171 421 2222 urban design strategies and Interdepartmental Postgraduate project management. Project types: Also at Reading: 01734 573330 appraisal, town centre and village Programme in Irish and European Masterplanning, Development Contact: Marie Burns BA (hons) studies, environmental improvements, Design offering study within the Frameworks, Urban Regeneration MAUD Dipl. LA ALI traffic calming, design guidelines. framework of developing urban Projects, Town Centre Renewal, design policy at European level. Residential, Business Parks. Multidisciplinary Practice of urban 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time. designers, landscape architects, The Urban and Economic planners, ecologists, noise and air Development Group (URBED) Edinburgh College of Art/Heriot RMJM pollution expertise - undertaking 41 Old Birley Street Watt University 83 Paul Street environmental and visual impact Manchester M15 5 RF School of Architecture London EC2A 4NQ assessments, traffic calming studies; Tel: 0161 226 5078 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9DF Tel: 0171 251 5588 town centre and waterfront Fax: 0161 226 7307 Tel: 0131 221 6071/6072 Fax: 0171 250 3131 regeneration schemes, contamination Contact: David Rudlin BA MTP Fax: 0131 221 6606/6157 Contact: Bill Grimwade MA (Cantab) remediation, new build housing and Contact: Robert Smart MS MICECEng estate refurbishment. Urban regeneration / town centres / Diploma in Urban Design: 1 year full housing including health checks, time or 3 years part time. MSc in International multi-disciplinary environmental audits, urban design, Urban Design: 1 year full time or 3 practice. Master planning, landscape Taylor Young Urban Design master planning, analysis and years part time plus 1 year part time. architecture, planning, urban design, The Studio strategy development. Recognised by the RIBA for the RIBA infrastructure engineering and 51 Brookfield Urban Design Diploma. architecture. Project types: business Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 1DQ park master planning, urban Tel: 0161 491 4530 Urban initiatives University of Greenwich regeneration schemes, university Fax: 0161 491 0972 35 Heddon Street School of Architecture and campus design, environmental audits Contact: Stephen Gleave MA DipTP London W1R 7LL Landscape and design guidelines. Optimising (Dist) DipUD MRTPI Tel: 0171 287 3644 Oakfield Lane, Dartford DA1 2SZ development potential by integrating Fax: 0171 287 9489 Tel: 0181 316 9100 social, physical and economic issues. Urban Design, Planning and Contact: Kelvin Campbell BArch RIBA Fax: 0181 316 9105 Development. Public and Private MRTPI MCIT FRSA Contact: Philip Stringer Sectors. Town studies, housing, MA in Urban Design for postgraduate Rothermel Thomas commercial, distribution, health and Urban design, transport planning, architecture and landscape students, 14-16 Cowcross Street transportation are current 'live' projects. infrastructure and development planning full time and part time with credit London EC1M6DR Specialist in Urban Design Training. to include master planning, town centre accumulation transfer system. Tel: 0171 4904255 studies, conservation, environmental Fax: 0171 4901251 improvements, traffic calming and Leeds Metropolitan University Contact: James Thomas BA (Arch) John Thompson and Partners design guidelines. School of Art, Architecture and DipTP FRIBA FRTPI FRSA FIMgt 77 Cowcross Street Design London EC1M 6BP Brunswick Terrace Urban design, conservation, historic Tel: 0171 251 5135 Weston Williamson Leeds LS2 8BU buildings, planning, architecture. Expert Fax: 0171 251 5136 Architects and Urban Designers Tel: 0113 283 2600 witness at planning inquiries. Contact: John Thompson MA DipArch 70 Cowcross Street Fax: 0113 283 3190 RIBA London EC1M 6BP Contact: Edwin Knighton Tel: 0171 608 0894 Master of Arts in Urban Design Shepheard Epstein and Hunter Multidisciplinary practice, working Fax: 0171 608 0896 consists of 1 year full time or 2 years Architecture Planning and throughout the UK and Europe, Contact: Chris Williamson RIBA part time or individual programme of Landscape specialising in architecture, urban MAPM MRTPI FRSA study. Shorter programmes lead to 14-22 Ganton Street design and masterplanning, urban Post Graduate Diploma/Certificate. London W1V 1LB regeneration, new settlements and Weston Williamson consider all Project based course focusing on the Tel: 0171 734 0111 community consultation; addressing aspects of the urban environment creation of sustainable environments Fax: 0171 434 2690 the problems of physical, social and integrating the smallest detail with the through interdisciplinary design. Contact: Steven Pidwill Dip Arch RIBA economic regeneration through overall concept. Eugene Dreyer MA (City and Regional collaborative interdisciplinary University of Manchester Planning) community based planning. School of Planning & Landscape Manchester M13 9PL Architecture, master-planning, Tel: 0161 275 6914 landscape, urban design, computer Fax: 0161 275 6935 modelling, environmental statements, Contact: Dr Patrick Malone planning-for-real, public consultation, MA in Urban Design and development consultancy. Regeneration. MA in Urban Design Studies. B.Phil, in Urban Design (International linked courses PhD/MA routes). Endpiece University of Westminster English Heritage must have been organising the debate on Planning School of Urban Development and Planning 2 in London, held on May 29, for some months and cannot have known 35 Marylebone Rd London NW1 5LS ST that a new government would be in power by the time it happened. Tel: 0171 911 5000 Fax: 0171 911 5171 They must have been very pleased to secure the presence of Contact: Urban Design Unit on extns Heritage Minister Mark Fisher, whose views on the future of the capital 3343 or 3108 MA or Diploma Course in Urban city were already expressed in the book he co-authored with Richard Design for postgraduate architects, town planners, landscape architects Rogers, A New London (1992, Penguin). The audience was eager to and related disciplines. 1 year full hear what the Minister would say about the future of London's time or 2 years part time. Oxford Brookes University CO to which most participants, on and off the platform, referred. Each (formerly Oxford Polytechnic) CD subject was introduced by at least one speaker, and led to comments Joint Centre for Urban Design cr Headington fD and questions from a very articulate and vocal audience, which Oxford 0X3 0BP OT Tel: 01865 483403 i—I- included a mixture of professionals from the built environment, most of Fax: 01865 483298 Contact: Dr Georgia Butina or Ian whom have a vested interest in the subject. Some of the speakers Bentley exaggerated the woes of London: "Most Londoners live in squalid Diploma in Urban Design 6 months full time or 18 months part time. MA in o areas" (N. Gavron), "London is a sick and unhappy place" Urban Design 1 year full time or 3 CD years part time. MPhil/PhD by (J. Thompson), but only offered general ideas ("we need successful research (full time and part time). neighbourhoods most of all") rather than practical solutions. Having University of Strathclyde spent a good part of the last 18 years attacking an unsympathetic Dept of Architecture and Building Science government (although John Gummer was praised by Mark Fisher, an Urban Design Studies Unit 131 Rottenrow unusually generous gesture for a politician) a number of participants Glasgow G4 0NG must find it difficult to turn to positive action. Predictably, particularly Tel: 0141 552 4400 ext 3011 Fax: 0141 552 3997 in view of the venue chosen for the debate (Lasdun's magnificent Contact: Dr Hildebrand W Frey, Urban Design Studies Unit offers its Royal College of Physicians in Regent's Park) there were points of Postgraduate Course in Urban Design disagreement concerning conservation and design control with the in CPD, Diploma and MSc modes. Topics range from the influence of the Victorian Society defending one point of view and the former Director city's form and structure to the design of public spaces. of Planning and Transport at Westminster City Council warning against turning London into a theme park. Somehow the debate lacked the energy of those organised last year by the Architecture Foundation and the Evening Standard at Central Hall, Westminster. Closing the meeting, Sir Jocelyn Stevens warned: "Unless we get it right, including transport, we will have failed London". Let us hope that everybody listened and knows what needs to be done. # International Seminar on Urban Form isto2i juty The Fourth International Seminar on Urban Form will take place at Mason Hall, University of Birmingham, England from 18 to 21 July. Among the themes on which papers will be presented are: historical urban development, r r late-twentieth century cities, the history of urban morphology, culture and urban form, the Muratorian school, urban morphology and planning theory, and Asian urban form. The programme also includes a new researchers' forum, poster presentations, computer displays, excursions and an exhibition of publications. Among the plenary sessions will be a lecture by Les Sparks, Director of Planning and Architecture, City of Birmingham, on 'Reshaping Birmingham's built * a v-* — environment' at 8 pm on Friday 18 July, and an address by Anne Vernez Moudon, on The development of an interdisciplinary urban morphology' at 8 pm on Sunday 20 July. The conference will conclude in the afternoon of Monday 21 July with a forum on 'Urban morphology: assessment and prospect', at which the principal speakers will be Jean Castex, Ecole d'Architecture de Versailles, Michael P. Conzen, University of Chicago, Attilio Petruccioli, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Anthony Sutcliffe, University of Leicester. Further information and booking forms may be obtained from Professor J.W.R. Whitehand, Urban Morphology Research Group, School of Geography, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. Telephone: 0121 414 5536 Fax: 0121 414 5528