Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects 2013 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects 2013 AN CAMAS MÒR, ROTHIEMURCHUS AREA describes cultivating a new settlement within the woodlands 0f the ← An Camas Mòr masterplan. National Park ↙ The masterplan supports the creation of vibrant and walkable streets: an urban terrace and a woodland loan ↙↙ Legibility diagram ↓ Section through the central kettlehole

1500 homes, business, retail, leisure, from the local indigenous forms including community facilities including a primary timber cladding, corrugated metal and school and health centre, alongside a new slate. A broad mix of house types will community park shared with . include provision for self-build. Affordable The AREA masterplan has developed housing (40 per cent) will be integrated, to reflect three core themes: culture, indistinguishable and dispersed structure and nature. throughout. Car parking has been carefully integrated within the design of the plots CULTURE (150 per cent for smaller units and 230 per The National Park has an aspiration for An cent for larger units). Camas Mòr to be a balanced community, combining homes and new employment, NATURE

B970 Aviemore rather than a holiday village. It will have Lying within its wooded landscape, the Community a distinct identity derived from the use 105ha site will incorporate a matrix of park of local materials, the involvement of Nethybridge habitats providing biodiversity as part of a craftsmen and artists, and formats for wider habitat network. A robust landscape outdoor living supporting access to structure will provide visual character Lairig Kettleholes Northern Ghru the Cairngorms. The opportunities for gateway and ecological connectivity. Existing pine gateway working from home, access to high-speed and birch woods will permeate through broadband, supporting business start-ups the settlement, linking the characteristic View to and local enterprise have been maximised. Craigellachie glacial kettlehole landforms with the Mature Work continues with the relevant B970 existing forest. These areas will be a plantation agencies including Highlands and Islands Foot/cycle diverse and irregular mixture of trees and retained Enterprise to ensure the ability to provide connection Western heathland, typical of the Cairngorms. They Spey Ancient a sustainable employment base. The to Aviemore gateway will provide a wooded setting for new and station Woodland woodland new residential accommodation across homes, establishing an intimate scale. gateway all tenures will assist in retention of View to the employment, retain existing local talent/ Lairig Ghru LESSONS LEARNED Farmland graduates, support an economically active Springfield Properties PLC, the developer, population and attract entrepreneurs who High Kettlehole continues to work closely with John Grant Principal street Coylumbridge can create and grow new and existing access of Rothiemurchus, the CNPA and the LIFE IN THE NATIONAL PARK the housing needs of the local community. businesses in this unique setting. community to realise a shared vision. This An Camas Mòr is the first new community The site, first proposed by Aviemore & Located 800m east of Aviemore across collaboration is key for the successful planned for a National Park in the UK. Vicinity Community Council in 1989, the Spey, the new village will have a STRUCTURE character and increases legibility. These delivery of An Camas Mòr. Reconciling Respectful of an exceptional and sensitive was identified as the location for a reciprocal relationship with the existing An organic layout is derived from are designed to be naturally traffic-calmed the design for people with the ecological landscape, the vision seeks an exemplar new community in the Badenoch and community. Initially many of the services the topography and ecology of the and to prioritise walking and cycling. imperatives of the park was the principal of sustainable development and was Strathspey Local Plan 1997 and the and facilities used by residents will be in site. A strong urban grain is inspired Street types range from urban terraces in challenge. The design of phase 1 in parallel recognised by Scottish Government under Structure Plan 2001. The Aviemore but as An Camas Mòr grows by indigenous Scottish villages and the medium and higher density areas (45u/ with this has allowed the masterplan to the Scottish Sustainable Community Authority’s it will become more independent. Early a response to climate. The principal ha), to informal loans within lower density be tested and scrutinised, informing the Initiative in 2009. The aspiration is for (CNPA) Local Plan supports a new phases will be to the east alongside the access leads directly into the heart of (15u/ha) woodland areas. Public open process and enriching the design. a strong self-sustaining community, sustainable community at An Camas Mòr. existing B970, including the beginning of the settlement, bringing activity and space is designed to be well overlooked, meeting the needs of an active, outdoor The current masterplan establishes a the high street and public spaces oriented passing trade to a short section of the high to integrate walking routes and informal ROLE and sociable way of life while creating physical framework, while anticipating a towards the view of the Lairig Ghru. street. Its sinuous form, with staggered children’s play areas. The design of the masterplan, the first a protected and sheltered place for a gradually evolving community that will Future phases will develop west along the closes and wynds, is designed to create a Building elevations, garden walls phase streetscape and architecture growing population to live and work. grow and establish itself over a period of high street, progressively strengthening sheltered microclimate. These narrower and hedges are designed as a single has been led by AREA with Ian White Aviemore is a year-round destination 20-30 years. The aim is to do this with the link to Aviemore. The primary school routes provide access to an informal and composition to increase enclosure and Associates. This builds on the early for access to activities within the minimal land take and on an area of and health centre will anchor a public navigable hierarchy of secondary and strengthen placemaking. A simple palette visioning and engagement work of Gehl Cairngorms. Despite its growth in recent lower ecological value. Once complete, space towards this western end linked to tertiary streets and lanes. A diverse mix of of materials that unifies the streetscape, Architects, Benjamin Tindall and Mark years, it has struggled to accommodate the planned settlement will consist of new facilities in the community park. shared space streets brings a richness of landscape and architecture, is derived Turnbull. •

36 — Urban Design – Autumn 2013 – Issue 128 Issue 128 – Autumn 2013 – Urban Design — 37 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects 2013 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects 2013 CHILMINGTON GREEN, KENT John Thompson & Partners designs a 21st century Garden suburb

number of homes from 7,000 to 5,750. across the development. The outcome is whilst also delivering placemaking new methodology for testing the optimum Densities range from 8-66 dph with an a cohesive masterplan with three distinct principles and reflecting ABC’s recently solar orientation of the street grid to average of 34dph. neighbourhoods and a hamlet at its heart. adopted parking standards. These identify streets with the best potential for Residential densities are highest around dictate a minimum of 1-1.5 spaces per 1 rooftop solar technologies. Alternative PROCESS the market square and neighbourood or 2 bed flat and 2 spaces per 2 or 3 bed renewable technologies were proposed for Layered Approach centres and lowest along the rural edge house, plus 0.2 visitor spaces per home. streets where existing features prevented The masterplanning process involved to the south and Great Chart Ridge to the The exercise which tested the desired optimum orientation. extensive analysis of the site and a north. Higher densities are also found housing mix, parking provision and systematic exploration of options for each around the edges of Discovery Park and servicing requirements led both ABC and The High Street layer of the masterplan to provide the along the boulevards. the Consortium to significantly reduce A high street with a market square forms evidence base for the Chilmington Green expectations for overall housing numbers. the centrepiece of the new plan. Selling Area Action Plan (AAP), which ABC are LESSONS LEARNED this concept to commercial agents expected to formally adopt in July 2013. Strong Vision Statement Street Design looking for a ‘retail box in a car park’ was Time spent agreeing a clear Vision Detailed design of streets, in section and challenging. Studies of successful centres Response to Heritage Statement early in the process through plan, was an essential part of the testing in Kentish market towns were undertaken The masterplan is underpinned by a collaborative workshops was time well process. Design work focused on the to demonstrate how pedestrian flows response to the rich natural and built spent. The strong overarching vision practical details of street design to ensure and parking could be accommodated in heritage of the site which is crossed by and shared commitment to delivering the plan’s ‘warped grid’ of interconnected traditional urban forms. A Design Code is two Roman roads and has remnants of Garden City principles has kept the design streets can elegantly accommodate being prepared to ensure the new centre ancient woodland. There are also several on-track and informed the complex parking at a range of densities, encourage will reflect the enduring qualities of places listed buildings within Chilmington Green process of evaluating options for the AAP. walking and cycling and allow space for that grew over time and have the ability to hamlet which is surrounded by a historic street trees and small areas of incidental adapt to changing use patterns. medieval field pattern. Testing Mix and Density landscaping. • Typical block layouts were developed to Green Corridors demonstrate how many homes could be Orientation An ‘arc of green’ will create a sympathetic accommodated within the land available The design team developed and used a setting for the hamlet, whilst connecting the new park to the countryside and ↖ 3D masterplan with new centres beyond. The arc will include a cricket highlighted in colour Chilmington Green was identified in high quality environment rather than just green, allotments, play areas, natural ← Chilmington Green Character Areas Ashford Borough Council’s (ABC) 2008 providing housing. They also identified greenspace, sustainable drainage features ↙ Section through Boulevard Core Strategy as the site for a sustainable problems with recent developments and species rich hedgerows. ↓ View of Market Square urban extension able to accommodate up around Ashford where ‘wiggly layouts’ ↓↓ View of the Cricket Green in the hamlet to 7,000 dwellings and 1,000 jobs along with no hierarchy of routes made Connectivity: Walkable with a new park. A design team led by John wayfinding difficult. Rear parking courts, neighbourhoods & Movement Thompson & Partners (JTP) developed a fussy street design, repetitive standard The movement network is designed to masterplan on behalf of the Chilmington house types and a lack of greenery in promote walking, cycling and public Green Consortium which led to a radical residential areas were also criticised. transport. Historic lanes, which are re-evaluation of the size and form of the The Consortium’s masterplan, an important aspect of the area’s new settlement. submitted for outline planning approval character and ecological diversity, will The ambition to make Chilmington in August 2012, is based on a ‘warped grid’ be downgraded to recreational routes. Green an exemplar garden suburb of interconnected streets that follow the A circular bus route connecting the emerged through a collaborative design site’s topographical contours and respect three centres to Ashford’s town centre process involving many stakeholders. A landscape features. A high street, market and rail station will run along new tree- Community Development Trust (CDT), square, boulevard and two neighbourhood lined boulevards which have dedicated based on the Letchworth model, is now squares are designed to provide a cyclepaths. being promoted by the Consortium memorable sequence of spaces and a clear The mix of land uses is designed to members who are working closely with structure for the residential areas. Access create walkable neighbourhoods with ABC to define the form and remit of the to green space, a key aspect of Garden mixed uses clustered around a high street Trust. Chilmington Green CDT will take City planning, is provided by a network and two neighbourhood centres. The responsibility for safeguarding assets and of green corridors that follow existing secondary school is close to the High managing facilities and open space for the watercourses and provide a sympathetic Street, while the four primary schools all benefit of the community using funding setting for listed buildings in Chilmington have good residential catchments and from resident contributions and income Green hamlet. attractive walking/cycling routes to school. from CDT assets. A placemaking approach, designed to Local councillors and residents, who deliver the garden city vision and create a Character areas attended collaborative design workshops variety of character areas, including very The character area concept focused on early in process, highlighted the low density streets around the hamlet defining an appropriate scale, grain importance of creating a community and a and rural edge, led to a reduction in the and character for key edges and centres

38 — Urban Design – Autumn 2013 – Issue 128 Issue 128 – Autumn 2013 – Urban Design — 39 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects 2013 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects 2013 MIDDLEHAVEN DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK Urban Initiatives Studio proposes delivering change through a multitude of ← Aerial view of the illustrative masterplan small-scale developments showing a built-out Middlehaven Illustrations key: ↙↙ Hoardings artwork promoting 1 Civic Spine Middlehaven and the Urban Pioneers 2 Middlehaven Cross ↘ Artist impression of the new Middlehaven 3 Bridge Street Park 4 New Middlehaven Park ↘↘ Urban structure diagram 5 Urban Pioneer Project Site ↘↘↘ Design Code illustrations 6 New Dock Bridge

A FLEXIBLE FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPMENT The framework provides a high level of Transporter Bridge flexibility so that it can accommodate a range of development propositions and Tees River Old Town respond to future developer interest. This Hall 4 fluidity is established through flexible 2 5 zoning of land uses and land parcelisation, 5 with a design code ensuring a coherent and coordinated development. 1 Parcelisation into many smaller sites Boho is an essential aspect of the delivery Zone strategy. Plot-subdivision enables smaller Middlesbrough developers and individuals to take part, College Temenos Sculpture creates rich and diverse environments, 3 Middlesbrough Station and spreads the risks and rewards of 6 Middlesbrough development across many shoulders. Dock The plan provides more than 200 lots, (standard development modules of 15m width). Lots can be joined together CIAC to create larger sites or subdivided into 4 Retail Core 2 smaller plots if required. This flexible 5 approach can accommodate a wide A CHALLENGING CONTEXT landmarks, public land ownership and a new infrastructure. The plan is based on range of housing and mixed-use building 1 Middlehaven is the historic birthplace number of high profile public investments, the following principles: typologies. 3 6 of Middlesbrough, founded as a planned the challenges to regeneration in • Reinforcing key connections settlement to facilitate the coal trade and Middlehaven were significant. An The Civic Spine, linking the town centre DELIVERY – A STRATEGY TO later becoming the centre of Britain’s steel underperforming national economy, with the waterfront, the Middlehaven STIMULATE DEVELOPMENT industries alongside the River Tees. One- a weak local property market, dried Cross two intersecting streets meeting The Development Framework was and-a-half century later, the area had seen up public funding and the lack of an on the Old Town Hall, and Bridge Street, launched in 2012 and the project is now the decline of the original centre, slum established sense of place, meant that which links the railway station with the building a strong momentum towards developers to get a foothold in the area LESSONS LEARNED clearance, two failed housing estates and Middlehaven needed not only a strong Dock change. and gives social housing providers the Our pro-active approach was a major the departure of its industries. vision, but one that was rooted in a • Establishing superblocks with a soft Start with the Park opportunity to build their portfolio. departure from the previous developer The Tees Valley Regeneration Agency strategy for delivery. centre We are currently designing Middlehaven Guiding development in the area led delivery model and a challenge to our hoped to breathe new life into the area Middlehaven will not be transformed The plan sub-divides the area into Park which will help to symbolise change The Development Framework and client. Focussing on delivery right from through a grand vision prepared by Alsop. into a great urban living and working superblocks the edges of which provide and encourage further investment in the Design Codes have proved instrumental the start and in parallel to the design His masterplan envisaged a ‘landscape neighbourhood, using the same delivery a coherent urban frontage with good area. This park will be completed by late in guiding change in the area (including development gave us the opportunity fit for the 21st Century’ and promoted a models that have failed previously. The enclosure, overlooking and animation spring 2014. a health facility that is currently to take our client on a journey towards series of iconic object buildings situated huge scale of the scheme combined with to the street space. Their centres are Urban Pioneers under construction) and in delivering understanding, supporting the approach in a park landscape. FAT’s Community in a the weakness of the market meant that we reserved for intensification during later We are working with the Middlehaven infrastructure (we are currently advising and ultimately becoming an active Cube (CIAC) is the only building that was had to find a different solution, one that development phases. In the interim they Partners to initiate the Urban Pioneers on the design of a new dock bridge which proponent of it. realised from this vision. could harness the enthusiasm and energy can be used as open spaces, community project as a delivery pilot. The project will improve access to the area). The project offers a novel approach to of local people and smaller developers to gardens or for car parking offers serviced development plots with Promotion regeneration masterplanning. Delivery A VISION WITH DELIVERY AT ITS deliver transformational and innovative • Providing a new urban park as focus deferred payment for land located Raising the profile of the project and the is an integral part of the design strategy HEART development over time. Self-build and for the area around the new park. Our Urban Pioneers opportunity for Pioneers to get involved rather than an afterthought. Masterplans Urban Initiatives were appointed in co-housing projects in particular are an A triangular shaped space located on Prospectus has been approved by the HCA is critical to the programme. We have can be a means to an end rather than an 2010 by the Middlehaven Partners, important part of this story. the Civic Spine opens up views towards National Board and will be launched in designed posters that have been placed end product themselves. In collaboration (Middlesbrough Council and the Homes the iconic Transporter Bridge and will 2014. It offers the local community an in bus shelters across the town and 500m with the client, they are a process to and Communities Agency), to develop A ROBUST STRUCTURE present a welcoming gesture when opportunity to have direct involvement of bespoke hoardings are being erected develop ideas and initiatives, to achieve a masterplan for Middlehaven that The layout plan is based on the historic arriving from the north. in the building of a new neighbourhood around key sites in Middlehaven. A consensus on key objectives and design was realistic and deliverable. We were regular street grid. It provides a logical through custom-build, and community number of workshops and events have principles, and to establish a framework supported by Halcrow and GVA. organising structure for development driven and local development. It been held to stimulate interest in the for development that is open to innovation

Despite its central location, striking while minimising the need for building also enables local builders and small project. and change. •

The New

Be an Urban Pioneer. The BOHO area. On Bridge Street. Welcome to Middlehaven Park.

The Middlehaven Partners (Middlesbrough Council and the Homes and Communities Agency) are building an exciting new Park for the community in the heart of Middlehaven, on Durham Street, less than 5 minutes walk from here. The triangular Park emphasises views to the Transporter Bridge and creates an attractive entrance into Middlesbrough from the North. The Park will offer spaces for the young and old including play facilities. To What would The next u Want to open The place for / offices / residential / education the south, the Park will offer formal tree planting and multi-purpose grass areas, whilst to the north a wilder landscape treatment is proposed, possibly accommodating wild flower meadows and pocket woodland planting. The design of the Park was commissioned in January 2013. Construction is planned to start at the end of 2013 and the Park will YOU do on COOL place is / culture / bars & cafes YOUR business be ready in early 2014. urban pioneers and

this site? here. / eating out / and more ... here? The heart of the new neighbourhood. entrepreneurs. Interested. Go to www.middlehaven.co.uk for more information or Interested? Go to www.middlehaven.co.uk for more information or e-mail us at [email protected] e-mail us at [email protected] Middlehaven!Middlehaven!

Illustration of the new Middlehaven Urban Park. The park will offer seating, green spaces to hang out, and places to play in an high quality landscape environment.

40 — Urban Design – Autumn 2013 – Issue 128 Issue 128 – Autumn 2013 – Urban Design — 41 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects 2013 Francis Tibbalds Award Shortlisted Projects 2013

ICKNIELD PORT LOOP ↓ Aerial perspective showing the relationship of the site to URBED creates a new waterside quarter for Birmingham Birmingham City Centre ↓↓ A view of one of the courtyard housetypes ↙ The illustrative masterplan → One of the regulatory plans for the site showing the showing housing density medium density urban housing (yellow – low, brown – medium, to the north, the lower density dark red – high) early phases to the south and ↘ View of the canal loop showing the local centre housing built right up to the canal

THE SITE Icknield Port Loop is a key site in the history of the canal system. The Loop in question is James Brindley’s 1769 canal from Birmingham to Wolverhampton which was built on the 450’ contour thereby avoiding the need for locks. This did however lead to it being described by Thomas Telford as little more than a ‘crooked ditch’ and in 1827 it was bypassed by Telford’s Mainline canal (top right of the plan) making the central part of the site an island. The body of water on the left of the plan is the reservoir built to serve the mainline canal, which has been a place of recreation for Birmingham people ever since. The area around the canal was developed for industry forming a barrier between the more affluent suburbs to the north and west and the inner city district of Ladywood to the south and east. As the industry declined and relocated it became later phases of the scheme. The majority of to do this. The main lesson of the IPL part of a major area of opportunity. the masterplan is therefore designed to be scheme is the way that it negotiates a mid at 70 u/ha with a first phase at 40 u/ha to point between an aspiration for dense, THE BIG CITY allow an early start. This reduced the site quality, mixed-use development and a Birmingham is seeking to grow its yield to 1,000 units. Ironically, when the market that is currently suspicious of population significantly over the next scheme was considered by committee, one such things. It achieves this, not so much fifteen years. To this end it is planning of their concerns was the suitability of the through the plan, but rather through a to build 50-60,000 new homes within 70 u/ha housing for families. carefully negotiated set of parameters and the city. The Big City Plan developed by THE REGULATORY PLANS a pragmatic approach to the development Urban Initiatives sets out a framework THE MASTERPLAN The concern of the planning authority process. The aim is to build momentum to achieve this. After the city centre the The plan is based on five principles: throughout was that the ambition of the with a first phase which does not scare the largest concentration of new housing is to • The neighbourhood centre: the creation illustrative material would not be followed market, but which establishes the location be in the Western Growth Corridor, at the of a local centre where Icknield Port through into the scheme. Meanwhile DTZ and development values, allowing the heart of which sits Icknield port Loop. The Road crosses the loop. This includes were concerned that an overly prescriptive higher density phases to follow. plan envisages the Greater Icknield Area a mix of uses and the higher density consent would limit market interest. The This places a great deal of pressure on being developed as a Sustainable Urban housing consent is therefore structured around a the masterplan as a tool to give the City Neighbourhood (based on the model • The central park: all the open space set of regulatory plans defining densities, confidence that quality can be maintained, developed by URBED in the 1990s) with requirement is gathered together in massing, access, parking open space and to sets parameters for development and to 6,000 new homes. the heart of the site. The park creates waterside uses. The planning submission create briefs for each of the future phases. view corridors to the canal in three includes a great deal of work on the 70 u/ As such it is an example of how pragmatic DENSITY, INNOVATION AND FAMILY directions as well as the dam ha density band which is regulated across modern masterplanning can respond to HOUSING • The canal: there was much debate over half of the housing development land. The the current economic climate. Icknield Port Loop (IPL) is the best site will be marketing the site to secure The Greater Icknield framework envisaged the canal character. The masterplan illustrative material shows how this could • in Birmingham, the best site by general developers. 1,700 units on the IPL site with housing seeks to replicate the historic character be developed with a range of innovative consent and by a considerable margin. The key question to be addressed by density bands of 70, 120 and 180 units per by which buildings rise sheer from the courtyard houses, but is also achievable Located about a ten minute walk along the masterplan has been how to bring hectare (u/ha). These proved very difficult water. There is also a strategy to create with more conventional housetypes. the canal from the city centre, this 23 ha forward the site in a manner befitting its in a market where apartments were no a variety of residential and visitor vacant site is entirely in public ownership. importance at a time when the market has longer seen to be viable. Much or URBED’s moorings LESSONS LEARNED The central part of the site is owned by no appetite for innovation. This created a early work was therefore based on a study • Sub-neighbourhoods: the site is split There has always been a gap between the Canals and Rivers Trust, the northern gap between the land owners’ aspirations of density typologies, using examples into four sub-neighbourhoods each to the aspirations of local authorities to section by the HCA and the triangular site for a high-density exemplar development from the UK and Europe to illustrate that be developed by different developers promote innovation and the concerns to the south by the City Council. Together (which was nevertheless viable) and high densities and innovation were not and with different characters of the housebuilding industry. Since the they commissioned URBED and DTZ to the market’s desire for something necessarily synonymous. The conclusion • Stitching: the masterplan is designed to recession this gap has widened to a gulf. secure planning consent on the site for ‘a more traditional and low density. The was that 70 u/ha was the highest density ‘regrow’ the existing street network to The inevitable temptation, at a time when high-quality, family-oriented, sustainable significance of URBED’s masterplan is the possible without apartments. stitch the site into its surroundings. the priority is to achieve housing numbers, and mixed use waterside neighbourhood’. way that it has sought to resolve these As a result of this work the City agreed is to dumb things down, to accept Permission was granted in October requirements. to drop the highest density band and to more traditional types of development. 2012 and later this year the land owners allow the 120 u/ha zones to be allocated to Birmingham is clear that it is not prepared

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