masterplanning a practitioner’s reflections
karen cadell AREA
3 strands of thinking: nature, culture, structure 5 masterplans: whitecross, dornoch north, carron den, an camas mòr and the expo
nature looking for clues in the landscape capturing the intrinsic qualities of place › topography and geology › flora and fauna › climate › shelter and material 5 contrasting landscapes: › a plateau › a valley › a forest › moorland › a man-made terrain
moorland: expo
trees + watercourses
topography + routes
settlement in the landscape
waterways as a defining element
The layout integrates natural and man-made landscape structures and patterns, responding to elements such as 18th century tree-lines, early roads, dykes, burns, gorges and remnant forest.
plateau: carron den, stonehaven
valley and esker: dornoch
STRATEGY FOR GROWTH: » » » » »
Connect with existing routes. Integrate with the grain and density Dornoch. Respond to topography. Retain the natural flood plain of the Dornoch Burn. Regenerate and add to woodland.
KEY
Higher density around meadow Medium density Lower density on steeper slopes
Existing and proposed woodland Parkland
Dornoch Burn flood plain Settlement form
DIAGRAM 1: CONNECTIONS
DIAGRAM 2: LANDSCAPE FRAMEWORK
man-made terrain: whitecross
Grangemouth
Bo’ness
Airngath Hill
Polmont Brightons Wallacestone
Rumford
Whitecross
Linlithgow
Maddiston Kendieshill
Cairsie Hill
Castlehill Bowden Hill Kipps Hill
Cockleroy
Cathlawhill Cairnpapple
WIDER LANDSCAPE WITH 50M CONTOURS AND ABSTRACTED CONTOURS OF VISIBLE LANDMARKS.
Riccarton Hills Beecraigs Hill
PRINCIPAL NATURAL STRUCTURES SIRR boundary
Substantial areas of historic or naturally regenerated woodland
Emb
Woodland / wildlife corridor associated with road or rail embankments
ent ankm
Haining Wood
Canal Corridor Aqueduct / Viaduct River Valley Corridor
Woo dlan d Bu ffer
Linear vegetation at boundaries
Developed Land
ankm ent
Ridges
Manuel Burn
Em b an km ent
Em b an km ent
A801
Emb
Former Works
WHITECROSS
A River
rla Crowne
nd Burn
b Em
t en m k an
Avo n Aq
ued uct
von
Element 4
North boundary woodland
Element 1
Almond Castle and Haining wood
Element 2 Stein’s Park
Element 3
Meadows Park
Element 4
Haining Valley, Woodland and Parkland
LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS /INTERVENTIONS Woodland Fringe woodland Meadow Grass lawn Community activity areas Existing meadow
Element 4
Strategic woodland planting
Element 4
South east edge planting
forested: an camas mòr
culture: communities and integration
designing sustainable places
› socio-economic vibility and regeneration
designing places for people
› creating humane habitable environments › streets and spaces
carron den
› intimate streets and wynds
4.5m
11.5m
5.5m shared space
3m front garden
1.5 storey house
Walled courtyard
6m
1.5 storey house
2m high garden walls
Minimum 18m to prevent overlooking
Street trees
Shared space
Close
Walled courtyard 2m high garden walls
3m front garden
5.5m shared space
Street trees 6m
Pinning wall Wynd
2 storey house
Hedge
5.5m shared space 5.5m
South facing gardens 4.1m
Park
Close South facing gardens 2m high garden walls Walled courtyard
6m
1.5 storey house
5.5m shared space including service strip
3m front garden
5.5m
4.1m
Street trees
11.5m
3m front garden
6m
4.5m
Wynd Walled courtyard
2 storey house
2 storey house
South facing gardens
an camas mòr
› contrasting streets - urban and rural
2.5-3.5 storey with retail/office space on ground floor to activate street with residential above
East Square with view to Lairig Ghru
Streetscape materials are extended across the High Street at squares and transitions as a visual cue to reduce drivers’ speed and increase their awareness of pedestrian priority
biotope
terraced house with pend
house faces south over the swale the landscape provides privacy whilst the large windows allow for passive solar gain
3m threshold space
the swale widens towards the landscape edge
5.5m shared space
4.1m shared space lane
3m threshold space with hedges or garden walls to define the boundary
terraced house with pend
street opens to views kitchens overlook of the wider landscape the street to ensure passive surveillance
home-work unit
private south facing garden
biotop
designing sustainable places for people
› resource efficient › creation of microclimate
engaging with communities › stakeholders › communities › information gathering and stories about place
School site A
School site B
structure characteristics of built form and movement patterns 5 contrasting urban grains: a post industrial landscape, a historic burgh, a planned town, a new settlement and urban expansion
Plockton
St Kilda
Ullapool
post industrial landscape: whitecross
Manuel Works
Whitecross
Union Canal
River Avon
ALMOND CASTLE
CANAL PLACE
VILLAGE CENTRE
STATION GATE OLD CENTRE
HAINING GATE
MANUEL GATE
historic burgh: dornoch north
Built form development Late 20th Century Early 20th Century development 1874 Figure ground
DIAGRAM 3: MOVEMENT STRUCTURE
DIAGRAM 4 : BUILT FORM
planned town: stonehaven
Hopeman, Aerial Photograph 2006
Town Plan of Johnstone, Renfrewshire, 1857 (Reproduced by permission of National Library of Scotland)
Inveraray, Argyll (Reproduced by permission of National Library of Scotland)
Town Plan of Stonehaven. Surveyed 1864. (Reproduced by permission of National Library of Scotland)
1st planned urban expansion. Town of Stonehaven. Surveyed 1823.
The ‘new town’ refers to the planned grid of the 18th and 19th century streets. Carron Water
Dunnottar Church Woods of Dunnottar
1864 FIGURE GROUND
Dunnottar Square
Stonehaven sits at the southern origin of an ancient causeway which connected the Bridge of Dee to Cowie Castle via Stonehaven’s central square.
Cowie Water
The primarily urban form of Stonehaven survived intact until the late 20th century.
so res e t t t Fe duc a i V
A
l wa Rai h t r e nP dee r e b
y Li
During the Victorian era many large stone walled villas were built.
ne
Carron Water
Dunnottar Church
Woods of Dunnottar
1902 FIGURE GROUND
20th century development in Stonehaven is in suburban cul-de-sac typology which does not respond to the historic townscape character, particularly the grid form and cohesiveness, of Stonehaven The A90 defines the edge of Stonehaven
Town centre
A90 Late C20th development creates a fragmented edge at Mill of Forest. Development that turns its back onto Carron Water.
Carron Water
Carron Den Woods of Dunnottar
Toucks Burn 20TH CENTURY GROWTH
Burn of Glaslaw
C19th buildings fronted onto Carron Water
DIAGRAM 1 Re-connecting a site, severed by the bypass, into Mill of Forest whilst connecting the existing community with the Dunnottar Woods. Connected by bridges the plateau avoids isolation from the neighbouring town.
DIAGRAM 2 Establishing straight roads, connected by cross paths, allowing views out from the plateau from all areas.
DIAGRAM 3 Distributing new public gardens integrated into a network of routes linking across the valley tops and down into the valley floor. The new housing is intended to open (at its edges) to the surrounding valleys and therefore to open these up as publicly accessible parkland.
DIAGRAM 4 A pattern of housing that prioritises the street as a device for composing the adjoining architecture, that is open ended and well connected. It enjoys the protected precinct condition (like Dunnottar Church) offered by the plateau. It also enjoys the exposed edge conditions offered by the adjoining river valleys.
Greener south facing front gardens.
Paved north facing front gardens.
Parapet gables to important street frontages. Timber cladding with lead roof
Beech hedge
Stone pinning wall
Street trees in the shared spaces
Slate roof with lead detail
a new settlement: an camas mòr Planted swales integral with shared spaces create a matrix of landscape connections Key open spaces celebrate topography and interconnect with swales and tree belts
B970 gateway
Gateway from Aviemore and community park
North south succession strips connect larger landscape elements
Play
Park
Park
School square
High street
Kettle hole
Woodland gateway
Principal vehicular access from Aviemore
East square Lairig Ghru gateway
Existing trees framed by high street
Kettle hole
Play
Play
Existing walking routes
Kettle hole
tr e e t a ry S d n o Sec
Proposed community park
Str e
et
Kettle hole
Pr inc ip
al
Kettle hole
et High Stre
Gateway from Aviemore
Woodland
Gateway from B970
Gateway from Lairig Ghru
urban expansion: expo
collectively the streets form a simple narrative of place:
› the two terraces - a frontage to the wider landscape - a gateway. › the avenue - tree lined - leads directly to the forest edge.
› the close - a sheltered location for home offices and studios. › bridges, paths and lanes - linking to neighbours - linking to the countryside. › the green - a central meeting place - with a surprise view to the firth and mountains.
reflections:
› aspration and vision paramount › complex process which takes time › design is a problem solving tool as well as place making › commitment required from all parties › interdisciplinary working from both design team and local authority › realitic ambitions for s75 if design quality is to be maintained › masterplanning is a process