Architecture & the City Group Analysis
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Colin Baillie Emily Cavanagh Ka Yiu Chan Li Jin Joe Holmes Alistair Hudson Sandy Muirhead Andrew Ng Alex Oliver Craig Sutherland Greig Williams Dundee School of Architecture M(Arch) 2013 / 2014 3
Masters Unit 2013 - 2014
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Architecture & the City ‘inside and outside the urban block’
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Contents Acknowledgment
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Introduction
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The City - History
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Site Analysis
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Wynds
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Public Space
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Boulevards
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Urban Blocks
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Masterplan Analysis
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Economics
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Exhibitions and Press
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank those who have given us their time to assist us with this body of work; Alan Watt, Nigel McDowell, Dundee City Council, The Guildry of Dundee, Husam Alwaer, those who have reviewed our work throughout the year; Domenico Enrico Massimo, Kevin Murray, Josh Wilson, Graeme Massie, Charles Green and Jeroen Geurst. Last but not least we would like to thank our tutors; Graeme Hutton & Charles Rattray.
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Introduction Graeme Hutton & Charles Rattray Dundee’s Central Waterfront is undergoing a period of dramatic change. Reclaimed dockland which, from the 1960s, had a chaotic infrastructure of carriageways, roundabouts and overhead walkways, has been re-ordered on a grid-pattern, establishing several blocks which form development sites. The vision is further emboldened by the imminent construction of the V&A at Dundee. Our research examines how Dundee’s existing urban fabric – the background architecture of the city – can be better understood and its qualities extended to create places, streets and buildings which, while modern, show continuity with the past.
We have been particularly concerned with three things: with adaptability and longevity within the urban block (rather than making responses to particular and potentially transient uses); with the development of a generic urban language and architectural grammar; with the role of the specific building within that context. We contend that the results of these typological enquiries suggest a civic continuity and significance that is appropriate to Dundee.
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The City
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‘Dundee‘s setting is probably more extraordinary than any other city in the UK. It is about as ideal - ludicrously ideal - as any setting could be’ Steven Fry
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Dundee‘s location on the Tay estuary has been the key factor in the development of its history, allowing a strong maritime industry to evolve. The city became a key trade port on shipping routes to and from the Baltic ports and other northern European ports. This maritime industry also gives Dundee to a rich history in ship building, with over 2000 ships being built in the city between 1871 and 1881. By 1872 the city had become the premier whaling port in the British Isles in part due to the local jute industry‘s demand for whale oil uses in the processing of its cloth. As part of the Industrial Revolution, Dundee‘s growth rapidly increased, with the city becoming vital to the jute trade. This caused the city‘s population to increase from 2,472 in 1801, to 168,784 by 1921. As such the city had to expand accordingly. This saw the harbour and rail system expand significantly sustain the jute industry.
Between 1812 and 1825 the King William IV Dock and the West Graving dock were created on the site of the old tidal harbour. Over the next 100 years development continued with the Earl Grey Dock formed from the Graving Dock, while the Victoria and Camperdown Docks were added to the east, as well as a new tidal dock to the south, to cope with increase in demand. This allowed the city to gradually move further into the River Tay. The first railway opened in Dundee in 1831. The West Station, Goods Station and Tay Bridge Station were built to the west of the harbour. Land was infilled to create a goods yard with the rail tracks lining the new shore and their retaining wall forming the esplanade. Above: Dundee from south end of Tay Road Bridge. Right: City and harbour development.
1777
1793
1893
1823
1960
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Above: Below: Right: 16
Castle Street, 1876. The Royal Arch,1933. Earl Grey Dock, 1927.
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Dundee City architect James Thomson (18691927) proposed a major redevelopment of Dundee’s waterfront in 1918. As part of his wider plan for the regeneration of the city, which included the creation of Caird Hall along with City Square and building the Kingsway Ring Road, he also proposed a large scale redevelopment at the waterfront, designed in a Beaux Arts style - similar to that of the Caird Hall. With the onset of first world war, these plans were scaled back and the proposed Civic Centre, seen as a driver for the long term improvement of the whole waterfront area, was never implemented.
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Left: JamesThomson Waterfront, 1918. Above: City Square, looking west, 1960. Below: City Square, looking east, circa 1950.
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During the 1960s, following the decline of the jute industry, the city‘s relationship with the waterfront once again changed with the proposed northern land fall of the new Tay Road Bridge in the heart of the city.
multi-level, modernist, civic and commercial centre. The Olympia Leisure Centre and Tayside House, with bridges to the Caird Hall and the city, were the only other completed elements of this proposal.
The original proposal saw the bridge hit land on a site further east, creating a direct connection with the Kingsway bypass. The eventual site however saw the historic central dock complex infilled and the prominent Royal Arch demolished to accommodate the off-ramps and resulting road infrastructure. This infill of the harbours removed the historic connection between the city and the river, creating instead an area in which vehicular routes were prioritised. At this time the rail system was reduced and the original Tay Bridge Station was demolished and replaced by the current Dundee Railway Station. This train station was the initial development as part of a 1970s proposal to create a
Above: The Royal Arch demolition. Built in 1849 to commemorate the visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to Dundee in 1844, and demolished in 1964 as part of the Tay Road Bridge construction. Right: Central waterfront circa 1980. 21
Site Analysis With the proposed masterplan being located by the waters edge, studies have been completed looking at the connecting routes from the central waterfront zone to the existing city centre. These include studying the scale and expression of the five connecting streets, and looking at the newly created public realm around the Malmaison Hotel. This is the first area to be completed according to the council design code with regard to material and colour choices throughout the masterplan.
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5 4
3 2 1
Commercial Street: Castle Street: Chrichton Street: Whitehall Street: Union Street:
1 2 3 4 5
North-South Existing Street Analysis
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Union Street
Whitehall Street
Chrichton Street
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Site Context - Views through the city towards the Central Waterfront Site 25
Castle Street
Commercial Street 26
Site Context - Views through the city towards the Central Waterfront Site 27
Ground Level Analysis - Union Street
Photomontage
Glazing
Uses
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Residential Retail Commercial Public
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Upper Level Analysis - Union Street
Photomontage
Glazing
Uses
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Ground Level Analysis - Ypenburg
Photomontage
Glazing
Uses
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Riverside Nature Park Completed Created from Dundee’s old landfill site, visitors will find new paths, viewing points, and information signs throughout the park. 34
District 10 Under construction Office buildings for the creative industry, each unit is made up of thirty seven recycled shipping containers, housing fifteen lettable office units.
Riverside flats Under construction 202 flats on Riverside Drive, the ÂŁ40m development will consist of a mix of one, two, and three bedroom flats and maisonettes.
Vision Building. Completed Creative, media and office development located within District 10.
Clock Tower Completed This Grade A listed building, built in 1877, has now been converted into nine apartments and three double storey penthouses.
Shed 25 Completed A Grade B listed renovated railway shed housing flexible office space with open plan work areas and panoramic views of the docks.
Dundee Marina Proposed Renovation of Dundee’s historic docks, funded by Scottish Enterprise, along side additional projects to raise funds for the repair of the Marina gates.
Dundee Port Proposed Seen as the most suitable port for marine renewables in Scotland, twenty five hectares of quayside land manufacturing components for the renewables industry. Wider Waterfront Zones
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Council Masterplan
In 1998, a decision was taken by the Dundee Partnership to attempt to reintegrate the central waterfront with the city centre and in 2001 a thirty year masterplan was proposed, outlining a new vision for Dundee’s waterfront area. Creating a distinct identity and providing new investment opportunities, the central area of the waterfront zone is the key development within this masterplan. Following an in-depth consultation process 36
a new image for the city emerged. This includes the extension of the city centre down to the waterfront, creating a new grid iron street pattern; improved provision for walking, cycling, and buses, while reducing the effect of cars and parking; and the realignment of the Tay Road Bridge offramps. The traffic from these off-ramps will be channelled through of a pair of new east-west tree lined boulevards. The
creation of a major new civic space, the reopened dock, and the design of a new rail station and arrival square completes the key infrastructural developments. The new plots made available as a result of this masterplan are to be populated with mixed use developments.
Left: Above: Below:
Initial masterplan proposal, circa 2001. Waterfront condition pre 2012. Initial construction work.
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Left: Current council plan. Above: Waterfront condition pre 2012. Middle: Current waterfront condition. Below: Initial council Masterplan, revised with V&A added.
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Malmaison Hotel (Left)
The hotel, prominently situated on the edge of Dock Street, is Grade B listed and situated within the Dundee Central Conservation Area. Constructed as the Mathers Temperance Hotel opening in 1899, it was then sold to the Centre Group in 1969 and later became the Tay Hotel. The building has been vacant since the mid 1990s but has recently been revived and restored as a four star boutique hotel which opened in February 2014. New Train Station - Nicol Russell Studios (right)
Nicol Russell’s vision for a new public arrival space within the central waterfront masterplan is framed by the five storey crescent shaped station building. The £14 million scheme also contains a hotel, shops, and a large cafe. Following recent planning approval initial groundwork has begun with completion scheduled for 2015.
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The V&A Museum Selected by a jury following an international competition, Kengo Kuma‘s design for the V&A Museum is anticipated to be key driven in the development of the central waterfront zone. This is the first satellite location for the London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, considered to hold one of the finest design collections in the world. With 500,000 visitors expected in the opening year, the V&A at Dundee will be a significant attraction - a cultural asset for both the city of Dundee and Scotland as a whole. Since the conclusion of the competition the building has been relocated from the original proposed site on the River Tay, in to the main grid plan on land.
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The building will be surrounded by a series of public spaces that integrate with the existing waterfront promenade, enhancing this popular waterfront route. The entry spaces of the V&A building link to the external public space, creating a connection between the city and the museum; and the museum and the river.
Top left: Interior view of main entrance. Left: Aerial view of central waterfront. Above: View from Tay Bridge. Right: Pedestrian route through.
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National Museum of Scotland
Edinburgh Castle
Riverside Museum
National Gallery of Scotland
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Most Visited Buildings in Scotland (left) Comparative data showing visitor numbers of the five most visited buildings in Scotland.
Most Visited Buildings By City (right) Comparative data showing visitor numbers at the most visited attraction in each city in Scotland, with the anticipated visitor data for the V&A. There is no data available for Inverness.
= 100,000 visitors annually.
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Stirling Castle
Dundee Contemporary Arts
Aberdeen Art Gallery
V&A at Dundee
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Dundee: the economic context Dundee is the fourth largest city in Scotland with a population of about 150,000. It is a city that is changing rapidly with the ambitious £1 billion waterfront development of which the centrepiece is the £45 million V&A buildng. Understanding the impact of this development economically, and how this could influence the viability of a proposed masterplan is a complex problem. With ‘destination’ cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow dominating the Scottish tourism industry, assesing the potential impact of the V&A as a driver for economic regeneration is crucial.
Residential Retail Commercial Public
Kelvingrove Museum Glasgow
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The National Museum of Scotland Edinburgh
Maritime Museum Aberdeen
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Wynds Wynds are a distinctive feature of Dundee’s townscape. Historically they were used to move goods through the city from the docks. They also provided access to tenements, shops and public houses as the city grew denser around the main streets. Today little of this density remains however many wynds survive as routes through the city.
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Top Left: Left: Right:
Historic plan of Peter Street Example of current wynds in Dundee with Peter Street highlighted. Peter Street existing condition
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Peter Street is a surviving wynd which links Seagate to Murraygate. The wynd is a well used pedestrian route between the city centre and the bus station, and there is a diner and several shop fronts at ground level. Tenements line the rest of the north side, though they are overshadowed by more tenements at the south east. 52
Several aspects of Peter Street could not be built today due to current building regulations. Below are several proposals for wynds at three and a half, six and ten metres wide. These explore ways of maximising the height in accordance with building regulations. The grey zones are non-habitable spaces which includes restaurants, bars, shops and their
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Peter Street
associated services and storage, as well as parking garages.
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Peter Street Sections - 1:500
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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PROD
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45 ° PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT 45 °
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT Proposed Section - 3.5m wynd
3.5m
6m
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT 40°
6.9m
30°
Proposed Section - 6m wynd
5.2m
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45 °
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AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT 13m
60°
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUC Plan - minimum window spacing
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Proposed 54
10.9m
50°
8.6m
CATIONAL PRODUCT
10.5m
45 째
Non-habitable space Proposed Section - 10m wynd
10m
8.6m
50째
17m
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60째
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Public Space A study into public space was taken to explore the Council plans to create a commercially viable concert venue in the heart of the proposed masterplan. Trieste in Northern Italy was selected for a comparison study as the public space shares many of the controlling factors and conditions as the Dundee proposal. This includes overall area, proximity to the waterfront and adjacency of a four lane boulevard.
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Proposed Public Square, Dundee Waterfront Scotland This proposed new public space of the Dundee central waterfront development stretches from the back of the monumental Caird Hall building to the waters edge and will be adjacent to the proposed new V&A museum. Described as the ‘front lawn’ to the city, the intention for this green space is to serve as a concert venue for Dundee with a similar capacity to George Square in Glasgow.
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The main green space is surrounded by a series of smaller and varied garden spaces providing public seating and more intimate landscaping, such as flower gardens. These smaller gardens provide the central space with some enclosure from the adjacent streets, while mature planted landscaping provides protection from the four lane boulevards. The space directly on the waters edge incorporates an ‘urban beach’ which includes a water pool and fountains.
Pedestrian routes through this new public space are restricted to hard landscaped pavements lined with trees with specific paved crossing points. This reduces mobility and accessibility between spaces, breaking the continuity of the green space where it is intersected by boulevards and roads. This prioritisation of vehicular access to the city and will have an impact on the character and nature of the exterior spaces.
Piazza unita d’Italia, Trieste Italy The sea port city of Trieste lies on the eastern coast of the Adriatic, within Italy’s narrow stretch of territory to the north-east of the main Italian peninsula. A large public space of similar size, this square makes an interesting comparison to that proposed for Dundee’s central waterfront. As with the Dundee proposal, the connection
from the piazza to the water is intersected by a four lane traffic artery. The entirety of the piazza’s ground surface is hard landscaped, with two pedestrian crossings extending across the traffic routes. A continuity in ground condition is achieved between the square and the adjacent waterfront esplanade, articulated by surface treatment.
The Piazza unita d’Italia, imposed on a plan of Dundee quantities the similarities of scale and condition. Recent events hosted within Trieste’s piazza provide data which can be appropriated to make assumptions about the capacity and functionality of the space, and therefore its potential economic performance.
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Piazza unita d’Italia, Trieste
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Piazza unita d’Italia - Elevations 62
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Piazza unita d’Italia - Landscaping 64
Area = 12,400sq.m
Dimensions & Area
Four lanes of vehicular traffic flow along the waterfront strip and a pedestrian precinct runs parallel along the waters edge.
Primary Traffic Routes
Backstage Area Audience Area
Concert Layout
A recent concert held in the piazza hosted around 10,000 standing spectators within the temporary configuration shown below. 65
Proposed Public Square & Urban Beach - Landscaping 66
Area = 12,789sq.m
Area = 5,522sq.m
Dimensions & Area
Four lanes of vehicular traffic flow along two boulevards and two lanes of vehicular traffic along secondary roads. A pedestrian precinct and landscaped urban beach is situated at the waters edge.
Primary Traffic Routes
Backstage Area Audience Area
Trieste Concert Layout in Dundee
Feasibile concert layout for Dundee holding 10,000 standing spectators within the temporary configuration used in Trieste piazza. 67
Paris Plages, Urban Beach The Urban beaches found in Paris were first introduced in 2002. Since then every summer the city of Paris creates temporary artificial beaches along the River Seine in the centre of Paris which includes sandy beaches and palm trees. 68
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Dundee Waterfront, Urban Beach Dundee City Council has explored the potential idea of creating an urban beach similar to the Paris Plages, to be situated between the River Tay and proposed water park. 70
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Boulevards One of the most important factors of Dundee’s waterfront regeneration is the integration of new transport infrastructure. The proposal shows two main boulevards running east and west, each made up of three to four lanes of traffic travelling in a single direction. As these boulevards play a crucial part of the waterfront’s layout it is imperative to study other boulevards elsewhere to draw a comparison with successful historical boulevards. The success of the regeneration will be highly influenced by the integration of the infrastructure, and so examples of other boulevards have been studied in order to examine the effects of major traffic arteries on successful urban environments.
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Dundee Waterfront Boulevard
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Paris Avenue Montaigne
London Regent Street
Barcelona Avinguda Diagonal
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Dundee Waterfront Boulevard
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Paris Avenue Montaigne
London Regent Street
Barcelona Avinguda Diagonal
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Dundee Waterfront Boulevard
London Regent Street
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Paris Avenue Montaigne
Barcelona Avinguda Diagonal
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Dundee North Boulevard Current Condition
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Boulevard Landscape
P 5.1m
2.9m
5.0m
Traffic Parking
10.5m
4.0m
Boulevard Pedestrian
Pedestrian
PROPERTY LINE
PROPERTY LINE
Pedestrian
2.9m
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Urban Blocks The City’s masterplan for the central waterfront is laid out as a block plan. Analysis of the urban block as a typology, reveals a vast disparity of scale, density and inhabitation. To develop a broader understanding of these typological variations, a comparative study of blocks from European cities has been conducted. Drawn from developments ranging from 18th century Edinburgh New Town to recent urban developments in The Netherlands, this analysis represents urban blocks at relative extremities of scale and density. Although urban density is determined largely by a gradual morphology, it is possible to observe how dense blocks are inhabited, and speculate as to how new urban blocks might develop over time.
Residential Retail Commercial Public
Comparison of plot subdivisions within the examples studied, suggests that Dundee City Council’s proposal to parcel the new urban blocks as plots for a single developer, will limit the potential for incremental growth, and diverse inhabitation. Drawing conclusions from this investigation, a strategy for subdividing new urban blocks within the city’s masterplan is suggested.
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Urban Block Studies
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Ijburg
Area = 15,800 m2 Edinburgh
Area = 12,830 m2 86 Barcelona
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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT Area = 16,300 m2
Area = 6,050 m2 Dundee (Central waterfront as proposed by council)
Area = 4,670 m2 Glasgow
Area = 3,025 m2 Ypenburg
Comparitive Scale 1:10000
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Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Ijburg 89
Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Ijburg 91
Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Edinburgh 93
Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Edinburgh 95
Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Barcelona 97
Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Barcelona 99
Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Dundee 101
Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Glasgow 103
Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Glasgow 105
Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Ypenburg 107
Section 1:1250
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Inhabitation
First Floor
Ground Floor
Ypenburg 109
Development Priority
Primary
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Secondary
Tertiary
Incremental Development With the intention of encouraging genuine variety throughout the new waterfront, incremental development is proposed as a means of both utilising initial work in a strategic manner, as well as allowing a more natural colonisation of the blocks. Developing smaller plots in this way is likely to result in a street scape which is more harmonious with the grain of the existing city. In their proposed masterplan for Ijburg, a new development east of Amsterdam, Claus and Kaan suggest a loose framework for inhabitation of the urban blocks. A formal perimeter must be adhered to, while the interior is less strictly defined. This emphasises the urban quality of the street and a more informal private quality within the blocks. A similar strategy could be adopted to control incremental development.
Claus and Kaan - “Formal Perimeter, informal interior�
Suggested Morphology 111
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Masterplan Analysis With the shift in the position of the V&A the block layout created in the masterplan has been eroded. As a result of this change there are new possibilities for the potential location of the large public space to be created as part of the waterfront development. Where previously the location of the public space was located to respond to the back faรงade of the Caird Hall, creating a direct route down to the waterfront; with the V&A now on shore, there is the potential to create a public space that responds directly to the museum. The following studies present a brief overview of our explorations of the location of the public space. Throughout each study we have maintained or increased the size of the public space.
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Masterplan comparative analysis: waterfront public space
Strengths: There is potential for the V&A to become the driver for activity in the public space, creating a vibrant new waterfront park.
Weaknesses: The public space does not engage with the new plots created in the waterfront development and hence will easily be a driver for greater footfall in the new streets. While the public space engages with the V&A to the West, to the East it is bordered by the off-ramps of the Tay Bridge. The noise from the bridge would negatively impact the quality of the public space. The public space fails to create links between key buildings in the central waterfront zone.
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Size of public space:
1245 m
2
Size of potential development plots:
40174 m
2
Economic potential for development of plots (area of buildings as shown in drawing):
20699 m
2
Amount of street frontage facing public space with potential for commercial activity as dictated by public space (facing public space):
238m
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Masterplan comparative analysis: station public space
Strengths: The main public space links together three key buildings within the waterfront development - the V&A, the train station, and the Malmaison hotel. Two public spaces are directly next to the V&A, increasing visibility of this key attraction within the central waterfront zone. This also allows the V&A to become a generator of activity within these spaces.
Weaknesses: There is no clear enclosing boundary for the main public space. This lack of control could make the space seem like a vast traffic island as opposed to a quality civic location at the heart of the new waterfront.
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Size of public space:
1556 m
2
Size of potential development plots:
38310 m
2
Economic potential for development of plots (area of buildings as shown in drawing):
22219 m
2
Amount of street frontage facing public space with potential for commercial activity as dictated by public space (facing public space):
282 m
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Masterplan comparative analysis: central public space
Strengths: Creates a public space connecting the historic centre of Dundee to the waterfront potentially increasing footfall down Crichton Street and Castel street. This increased footfall may improve the commercial viability of the waterfront development, becoming a natural extension of the retail and leisure that currently populates the existing centre. Located in the heart of the new block plan, the public space has the potential to increase th desirability of the adjacent plots for multiuse developments.
Weaknesses: Limited engagement between the train station and the main public space. The central public space engages only with the back of the Caird Hall - this is unlikely to stimulate vibrant activity in the space.
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Size of public space:
1245 m
2
Size of potential development plots:
40174 m
2
Economic potential for development of plots (area of buildings as shown in drawing):
20699 m
2
Amount of street frontage facing public space with potential for commercial activity as dictated by public space (facing public space):
238 m
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Economics The total cost of the waterfront regeneration project in Dundee is projected to be about ÂŁ1 billion. With this level of investment it is crucial for the city that the development generates a sustainable return of economic and commercial value. The following studies seek to first understand the current economic context for the waterfront development, looking both at the city of Dundee in the context of Scotland as a whole, and the waterfront development in the context of Dundee. This analysis is then used to speculate on the commercial advantages of varying the position of the public space within the waterfront development.
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Extending Dundee City Centre The position of the proposed new public square impacts the potential to extend the existing historic city centre towards the waterfront. What the most ‘natural’ extension looks like will depend on multiple factors, an important one being the key routes between the city centre and the edge of the Tay. The
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Pedestrian Traffic 1: Union Street 2: Whitehall Crescent 3: Crichton Street 4: Castle Street 5: Commercial Street 122
133 149 67 48 39
extension of these routes, with particular regard to pedestrian movement, highlights potential opportunities and weaknesses in each proposed masterplan.
movement. Crossings are marked in grey and where the road bridge is a barrier to pedestrian movement this is shown in a darker grey.
The diagram below shows how the existing centre of Dundee may be extended through the central waterfront zone towards the River Tay, with a particular focus on pedestrian
A count of pedestrian movement towards and away from the waterfront over a 10 minute period during a weekday lunchtime is noted for each of the streets marked.
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Economic opportunity and constraint Each proposed masterplan presents different economic opportunities and these have been analysed with data from Visit Scotland that outlines what holiday visitors do when visiting cities. This data, colour-coded to relate to the drawings, is shown on the right. Only buildings of a commercial interest
Sightseeing:
39%
Visited museums, art galleries, cultural centres:
39%
Creation of new commercial street frontage:
are marked in the drawings, residential buildings are not shown. The ‘walkability’ of the area is shown through a 500m radius circle. Speculations on how the economic opportunity of the proposed in relation to the existing are marked in the diagram; taking data about existing building use, analysis of key routes, space syntax and accessibility, and economic analysis of public space. Key
Shopping:
‘Just relaxed’:
20%
20%
833m
conclusions include a comparison of the available street frontage for commercial activity and the recognition of the public space as a significant driver in activating routes between the historic city centre and the waterfront - a stimulus for economic activity.
Short walks (under 2 miles / 1 hour):
17%
Creation of new commercial street frontage:
Analysis of station space
Analysis of central space
The creation of economic opportunity is driven by the ‘entry square’ that creates visual links between the train station, Malmaison, and the V&A; and by the ‘extension’ of Castle Street.
The creation of economic opportunity is driven by the central square, which in turn extends and activates both Crighton Street and Castle Street, and by the link of the train station to this central public space.
Also marked: Accommodation / hotels Arrival (bus / train)
962m
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Spatial Accessibility Diagram showing the spatial accessibility of the Dundee central waterfront zone including most visible (high accessibility) routes and barriers to movement - primarily roads intersecting these routes. The key marked indicates the different levels of spatial accessibility as defined by visibility, or sight lines.
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The Road bridge The Tay Road Bridge cuts through the waterfront development bringing significant vehicular traffic directly to the centre of Dundee. The scale of the bridge and off ramps, and its elevated position above the ground plane makes integration of the bridge in to the surrounding urban fabric of central Dundee challenging. The distances of the surrounding buildings from the bridge ramp, and the use of the ground level will play a significant part in the nature of the activities around the bridge. Pushing the buildings too far back from the bridge ramp would identify the bridge as an ‘object’ within the urban fabric instead of a part of the urban street scape. Building up too close to the bridge limits the potential for a vibrant ground plane, making the spaces ‘in-between’ uninviting for habitation. 126
“Historically,
infrastructural
systems
prioritised the macro needs of the city in connecting the inner and outer areas. However there is now pressure to address the secondary effects of these infrastructural
corridors,
especially
where their physical presence inhibits movement, growth and evolution of the centre.” Underground Architects
Bridges and the left-over spaces In London there has been a push to utilise the ‘left over’ spaces created by the infrastructure systems in a manner that has relevance to the immediate community. The spaces below and around the raised transport infrastructure are being transformed to become markets, allotments, and cafés, activating the ground plane with activity appropriate to the individual contexts. The transport continues to serve the macro requirements of the city, while the ‘space inbetween’ serves the micro requirements of the community. It is not just London that has sought to utilise the space below and around transport infrastructure. Berlin, where much of the Stadtbahn, or city railway, is raised above the ground plane, has also done so. The use of the spaces below the Stadtbahn ranges from restaurants to shops, with the relatively generic viaduct openings adapting to house different activities dependant on location. From shopping near Frederichstrasse to restaurants by Alexanderplatz, the utilisation of these spaces add to the experience of Berlin regardless of district or affluence.
Right: Left:
Maltby Street Market, London Tay Bridge Ramps, Dundee
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Exhibitions & Press Coverage
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Guildry Geddes New Architecture Exhibition (left) Exhibition to showcase the units work at the Dundee Central Library mid November. The exhibition was hosted by the Guildry of Dundee and was very well received by the Dundee public. School of the Environment Winter Lecture and Exhibition (right) A presentation to school leavers about different departments within the School of the Environment. The unit was showcased as part of architecture. There was also a chance for the leavers to question the students after the lecture.
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Homepage of the Courier website
Front-page of the Courier
Press and Visitor Comments For the Guildry Exhibition we had a small amount of press coverage in the Courier newspaper. A comments book was left on the large model over the two week period, some profound remarks were left about our work and the Dundee Central waterfont masterplan. 133
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