Autumn 2013 Urban Design Group Journal 128 URBAN IssN 1750 712x ART IN THE DESIgn PUBLIC REALM URBAN DESIGN GROUP URBAN DESIGN GROUP NewsUDG Update Recently I was listening to a radio show that of what we do. Some will say that you can’t VIEW FROM THE was explaining the idea of place-making to do it: it is all about the history of a place and what would have been a predominantly lay that cannot be made up; all that you can do CHAIR audience. It was interesting to hear how the is ensure that it is brought to the fore. Others speakers tried to describe it, although I was will say that you can create a sense of place slightly surprised when they said it was a through close liaison with local communities, new idea. While place-making may be new as it is the people who will bring the sense of to some, the term goes back to at least the place, not the built fabric. 1970s, and the ideas and theories behind it While on my honeymoon in New York further back to the work of Jane Jacobs and this summer I was struck by the impact of William H Whyte. It was certainly something the Highline on the surrounding areas, and that I was very aware of as I went through how it has created a new sense of place. The my own training as a landscape architect physical benefits are well reported, and the and urban designer. However, it did pose visitor numbers certainly support the hype, an interesting question: as professionals but what struck me walking along it was the we talk about place-making a lot, but why massive impact that it has had on the adja- isn’t the average person on the street aware cent blocks of the city. Nearly all of the new of it? Is the fact that it is going unnoticed developments (and there are many) include a sign that place-making is actually being the name Highline somewhere in their title: done well, or simply that it is not working at The Highline Hotel, Highline 537 Residences, all? Place-making seems to be accepted by Port 10: Home on the Highline, OHM on the the more enlightened parts of the develop- Highline …. The list goes on. A cynic would ment industry, but do they just accept that suggest this is just real estate agents jumping it works, even if they don’t really understand on a bandwagon, but the reality is that this is what it is? a strong example of place-making in action – The ability to successfully create a sense a whole new district identity being created of place is possibly the most complex part • Paul Reynolds words in comment which have duly been re- Perhaps these things are cultural. A tell- UDG NEWS layed to the relevant parties, and participat- ing comment made at the UDG Urbanism in ing in numerous working parties. Clear views China event held in July was that ‘in China the have emerged including: government makes decisions and then sets NEW RECOGNISED PRACTITIONERS • a common educational route for everyone up a construction programme: in Britain the IN URBAN DESIGN in the built environment, such as a founda- government makes decisions and then sets The UDG congratulates the following on tion year at undergraduate level up a Commission’. Indeed Britain seems to be becoming recognised practitioners: • support for a formal architecture and the unequalled in terms of its ability to produce Martin Douglas built environment policy, provided it does urban policy reports – with an enviable track Hannah Elborn not block creativity, but has the teeth to record of at least one landmark report every Leo Hammond coordinate taxation and grant schemes, 10 years… but very few urban landmarks. This Jie Liu and the work of relevant government de- apparent inability to turn words into deeds is Stuart Randle partments, and all the more inexplicable given that London Paul Sallin • the need for active political leadership. is in effect Europe’s first city, with a popula- Stephen Taylor tion nearly 2 ½ times that of its nearest rival, Bryan Wynne In the discussion workshops, an often voiced Berlin. Emma Zukowski complaint was the lack of urgency in improv- Should we look to politicians or look to ing towns and cities, and responding to the ourselves? By the time this edition of Urban 2013: a time of POLICY REVISION, challenges of population growth, climate Design has been published Roger Evans will OR A TIME FOR ACTION? change and the decline of finite fossil fuel re- have given his presentation on A manifesto for In England, 2013 will be marked as the year serves. The need for positive political leader- Urban Design, and Jon Rowland and Nicholas of the Farrell Review on Architecture and ship has been strongly made: it should be the Falk, theirs on the Oxford Charter and, one the Built Environment, the Taylor Review prime role of national politicians to articulate hopes, there will be a renewed vision and a on planning guidance, the publication of a vision for the long term future of towns and determination to bring about action. There is revised guidance to accompany the National cities. The reality is that the vast majority of no monopoly on leadership: urban designers Planning Policy Framework, and the review politicians focus on short-term single issues, across the world can and must fill that void. of housing standards. UDG members have rather than the immensely powerful and com- Robert Huxford, Director played their part, providing over 30,000 plex urban systems on which we all depend. • Current subscriptions Annual membership rates UD practice index and on the UDG website) Urban Design is free to Urban Design Group UK individuals £40 UK students £20 Local authorities £100 (including two members who also receive newsletters and International individuals £50 copies of Urban Design) the directory at the time of printing Recognised practitioner in urban UK libraries £40 design £80 International libraries £50 UDG Office Practices £250 (including a listing in the UD Individual issues of Urban Design cost £10 Tel 020 7250 0892 practice index and on the UDG website) Email [email protected] Education £100 (including a listing in the Contents CONTENTS This issue has been generously sponsored by UPDATE Urban Initiatives Studio, Middlehaven Wei Yang & Partners Events 3 Development Framework 40 Urban Design Group AGM 4 URBED, Icknield Port Loop 42 COVER Urban Design Library #9 5 Felice Varini's Across the Buildings. Urban Design Interview: Michael Cowdy 6 FRANCIS TIBBALDS AWARDS BOOK Photograph by John Sturrock SHORTLIST INTERNATIONAL Introduction, Alastair Donald 44 FUTURE ISSUES Using Regional Rail Lines for Local Transit, Ilse Helbrecht and Peter Dirksmeier (ed), Issue 129 Market Towns Michael A Richards 7 New Urbanism: Life, Work, and Space Issue 130 Waterfronts in the New Downtown, Ashgate Publishing 44 TOPIC: ART IN THE PUBLIC REALM Vikas Mehta, The Street: A Quintessential Introduction, Lindsey Whitelaw 9 Social Public Space, Earthscan/ Routledge 45 Autumn 2013 Kings, Swings, Pings, Wings and Rings, Lance Hosey, The Shape of Green: Urban Design Group Journal 128 ISSN 1750 712X Michael Pinsky 11 Aesthetics, Ecology, and Design, URBAN Bringing Art to the Public Realm, Graham Island Press 45 ART IN THE DESIGN PUBLIC REALM Roberts and Andrew Knight 13 June Williamson, Designing Suburban Bridges and the Kinaesthetic of space, Futures: New Models from Build a Better Mark Whitby 16 Burb, Island Press 46 Art in Public Spaces, David Taylor 18 Lucy Bullivant, Masterplanning Futures, Castle Square, Stranraer, Rachel Simmons 21 Routledge/Taylor & Francis 47 Burnishing the Phoenix, Neil Deeley 23 Brian McGrath (ed), Urban Design Concerning the Nature of Things, Johanna Ecologies, AD Reader, Wiley 47 Gibbons and Katherine Clarke 25 Eric Firley and Katharina Grön, The Art of Seeing Things Invisible, The Urban Masterplanning Handbook, Rosie Freeman 28 Wiley 48 Light: The Invisible Art, Satu Streatfield 31 Alexander Garvin, The Planning Game: The Role of Art in Sport, Kat Martindale 34 Lessons From Great Cities, WW Norton & Co 49 FRANCIS TIBBALDS AWARDS PRACTICE SHORTLIST PRACTICE INDEX 50 URBAN AREA, An Camas Mor, Strathspey 36 EDUCATION INDEX 56 DESIGN GROUP John Thompson & Partners, Chilmington ENDPIECE Working both sides of the URBAN DESIGN Green, Kent 38 street, Joe Holyoak 57 GROUP 17-19 OCTOBER 2013 – NEWCASTLE WEDNESDAY 27 NOVEMBER DIARY OF National Conference on Urban Design 2013 Kevin Lynch Memorial Lecture: Kelvin For this year’s conference, the UDG is in New- Campbell EVENTS castle to address The Pursuit of Growth: The Winner of the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Role of Urban Design. In collaboration with Award for Urban Design, Kelvin Campbell Unless otherwise indicated, all LONDON the University of Newcastle this landmark will deliver his vision for the future of towns events are held at The Gallery, 70 Cowcross event will explore how to create an advanced, and cities, exploring innovative ideas on the Street, London EC1M 6EJ at 6.30 pm. Tickets balanced and sustainable economy which can processes and methods, which can help to on the door from 6.00pm. £3.00 for full price support homes, jobs, vibrant town centres generate good urbanism and foster effective UDG members and £7.00 for non-members; and a high quality of life. civic leadership. £1.00 for UDG member students and £3.00 Subjects will include designing for busi- for non-member students. ness, science and industry; creating healthy DECEMBER 2013 (DATE TBC) Please check the UDG website for the lat- and enterprising communities; securing fund- Urban Design Group Christmas Celebration est details, plus events outside London (in- ing and buy-in from stakeholders; and provid- As always this will be held in a quirky and cluding East Midlands, Scotland and Solent): ing political and commercial leadership.