A Plan for the Future of Birkenhead Birkenhead Arts Collective
A Plan for the Future of Birkenhead By 2017 this country will have been subjected to two years of a Conservative government. It is envisioned that during this period Birkenhead will remain on its current trajectory and continue to worsen socially, economically and physically. Meanwhile across the river Mersey, Liverpool will continue to grow and property values will increase. This will result in the poorer groups, such as artists and younger professionals, being priced out the area and being forced over to the cheaper Birkenhead. It is at this moment that the Birkenhead Arts Collective will be formed. Through collaborative means the Collective seeks to regenerate Birkenhead using a programme of arts and small scale urban interventions which involve the local community at all levels. Utilising the existing iconic and period architecture, the Collective seeks to reinvigorate the town while still keeping a link to its historic past. This report is written with the intention of telling the story of the Collective and the urban strategy we propose.
www.wearethebac.org
Our Manifesto - We reject radical and large scale re-development by the multinationals who undermine local, independent businesses. - We seek to regenerate Birkenhead through small scale interventions that utilise art and architecture. - We place community engagement and democracy at the heart of the decision making and the resultant policies. - We value creative reuse of existing structures and preservation of existing fabric as the key to maintaining a sense of place. - We aim to strengthen the Birkenhead economy by implementing monetary policies derived from our community values.
Contents
How We Started 8
Birkenhead In Numbers Our Narrative Who We Are
Urban Analysis
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Unused Built Form Dead Space Listed & Iconic Buildings Main Pedestrian Traffic
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Case Studies
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Our Plan Phase 1
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Protecting Birkenhead The Problem With Regeneration
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54 60 70 76
Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4
The Protected Core - Monetary Policies - Planning Policies The Birkenhead Pound The Biennial Artist Residencies
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90 92 93
Environmental Strategy
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Cost Appraisal
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Appendices 107
How We Started Birkenhead In Numbers...
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How We Started Our Narrative...
On the back of the slow and steady move out of the recession, property prices in the centre of Liverpool continued to creep up through 2014 into the first half of 2015. Because of this, large numbers of fringe professionals such as artists have been left with no other option but to swap one side of the Mersey for the other, with property prices in Birkenhead - a poor and unpopular arearemaining rather stagnant. But in the last two years of Conservative rule since May 2015, the UK has seen severe austerity measures which worsened an already unstable economic climate and had significant effects on the living conditions of many of this nations poorest people. Whilst the 1% and large parts of the Capital continue to flourish under the effects of mass infrastructural investment such as Crossrail and HS2, the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ is still far from what it has been billed to become. Substantial budget cuts and the devolution of power have left swathes of the North-East and North-West with a lack of funding and no national support: stranded in a boat without a paddle, so to speak. No-where has seen such acute affects of this as Birkenhead. Birkenhead has been in the top 3% of deprived areas nationwide for a number of years and has painfully high levels of unemployment which continue to increase. Already discontented with Government attitudes to the NorthWest and with frustration continuously rising, the people and the workers of Birkenhead have finally had enough. We are the Birkenhead Arts Collective and this is the artist’s revolution.
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How We Started Who We Are...
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The Birkenhead Arts Collective is a Community Interest Company (CIC) formed in the summer of 2017 by a number of art and design professionals. Whilst we are not political activists, we make no apologies about being a politically driven group who share socialist values and principles. We may operate in a similar way to a traditional business, but we value people and our community and we do not value profit for the sake of profit. As a CIC our operations are regulated to ensure beyond any doubt we work in a way that benefits our community and not individuals. Any profits made are purely for the wellbeing of our community and are reinvested into the regeneration of our historic town as part of our efforts to restore Birkenhead to its former glory.
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Urban Analysis
Learning from Birkenhead...
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As our manifesto previously outlined, we have a series of ideals which underpinned our strategy for redeveloping Birkenhead. We reject radical and large scale re-development by the multi-nationals in favour a small scale approach that makes strategic interventions. We value creative re-use of existing structures and preservation of existing fabric as the key to maintaining a sense of place. To start our program of analysis, we studied the heart of Birkenhead, both in terms of its architectural qualities and in terms of its infrastructure and how it is used by the people.
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Urban Analysis Unused Built Form...
UNUSED BUILT FORM
DEAD EXTERNAL SPACE 14
As part of our redevelopment approach, before the Collective could begin to re-appropriate buildings as part of our wider Masterplan strategy we had to identify which buildings would be suitable for our needs. Therefore, we undertook a ‘sifting’ analysis of the built fabric of Birkenhead examining which buildings were unused and in need of little to no structural renovation work to become usable. We also evaluated the buildings in terms of their potential and how their forms and spaces might accomodate the types of functions we needed. For example, larger buildings with generous floor plates and lots of glazing were deemed good for studios or workshops. We also looked at location, and how this might influence function. For example, unused buildings with a good relationship to the street on the corner of Argyle Street and Conway Street were conducive to a public facing building.
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UNUSED BUILT FORM
Urban Analysis Dead External Space...
DEAD EXTERNAL SPACE
LISTED & ICONIC BUILDINGS
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Further to our sifting analysis of the built form, we felt it was important to understand where all the dead or negative spaces were in the area which we could utilise in our strategy. This included vacant land sites, overgrown plots and car parks. We also categorised these spaces in terms of their quality so as to show the places which would be most appropriate to re-use in terms of cleaning up the most overgrown sites, thus generating a more positive change.
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DEAD DEAD Urban Analysis
EXTERNAL SPACE EXTERNAL SPACE Listed & Iconic Buildings...
LISTED & & LISTED ICONIC BUILDINGS BUILDINGS ICONIC
MAIN MAIN PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PEDESTRIAN
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Birkenhead is a town with a great architectural history and is fortunate enough to have retained a number of buildings with significant architectural merit. However some have unfortunately declined and degraded in the same way the town has. As part of our strategy, the decision was made to use some of the local iconic buildings as anchor points for the scheme. Also, it was important to understand which buildings were listed, both grade I and grade II, to determine which would be suitable to re-appropriate as part of our scheme.
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Urban Analysis Main Pedestrian Traffic... LISTED & ICONIC BUILDINGS
MAIN PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC
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Much like how we intend to re-use the existing built fabric, we felt it would be important and, in reality, more likely to make the scheme succeed if we generated our scheme around areas where there is already a larger mass of people when compared with the rest of the area. Therefore, we undertook a piece of analysis which allowed us to determine where the main flow of pedestrian traffic was and what facilities they centred around: mainly the transport hubs and the existing shopping arcade.
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Case Studies
How we’ve decided what we should and shouldn’t do...
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What we are trying to do is an inherently difficult task. It will not simply just happen because we want it to. Whilst hard work and a strong community togetherness will help this project, we need to do more to ensure that Birkenhead improves as we see fit long term. To make this work, we have been researching case studies to discover what was successful and what wasn’t. This understanding of both good and bad examples of urban design and strategic redevelopment is what underpins our plan and what we believe will make Birkenhead the success story that it has the potential to be.
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Case Studies
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The Baltic Creative, Liverpool.
(Community Interest Company/Arts based regeneration) The Baltic Creative is a Community Interest Company based in an old warehouse building in Liverpool city centre. Formed in 2009, the CIC is aims to promote small practices in the creative industries. Baltic was set up in two phases, the Pilot (10,000 sqft) in 2009 and later the Catalyst (40,000 sqft) in 2011. Baltic is a centralised organisation that uses a framework which allows flexible, managed space in a collaborative environment. The CIC status ensures all surpluses are reinvested into the businesses, the buildings and the creative sector generally. Baltic Creative CIC owns and manages all of its buildings so oversees this reinvestment. Baltic Creative has made a significant contribution to the wider regeneration of the Baltic Triangle, an area south of the Liverpool one development. Other key creative happenings in this area include Elevator Studios, Camp and Furnace and the North Liverpool Academy Studio School and Life Sciences UTC. Collectively these represent an exciting, vibrant and expanding creative and digital cluster. The City Council has also made a commitment to the area improving roads and pavements and investors are bringing new life to some iconic architecture. The Baltic Creative is a prime example of how a collective can have a much stronger impact on an area working as a managed group rather than individuals. Considering that the scheme has achieved recognition as a model of best practice for successful growth and collaboration, it is obviously a good precedent to build on as our strategic starting point.
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Case Studies
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Water Of Leith, Edinburgh. (Community engagement initiatives)
The Water of Leith is a river which flows 24 miles from its source in the Pentland Hills, through the heart of Edinburgh and out towards the Firth of Forth in Leith. In the heart of Edinburgh, there is a 13 mile walkway along the water which is run by the Water of Leith Conservation Trust. Within the walkway there is also a visitor centre situated in a renovated schoolhouse. It combines a free exhibition together with a cafe and a gift shop. The Conservation Trust works to conserve and enhance the river, its heritage and wildlife. The Trust also promotes education and recreation through the Visitor Centre, and works with volunteers and community groups to deliver around 100 river clean-ups and habitat improvement tasks annually. Operating since 1988, it was the first river charity to be established in Scotland. As well as running numerous community iniatives which maintain the river, the Trust runs an educational outreach programme which goes into school and teaches youngsters about a variety of subjects from Water and Rivers, to Bugs and Beasties, to Active Citizens - Sustainable Rivers to the Jacobites in Edinburgh. The Water Of Leith and the programmes which the conservation trust carry out are a great example of getting the community involved in large scale projects similarly to the High Line. The projects enlist the community for the good of the area and also in reverse uses a large infrastructural asset to educated and train the members of the community.
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Case Studies
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muf, Various Locations.
(Urban regeneration/arts based regeneration) muf are an art and architecture practice formed in 1994 based in London. muf has established a reputation for pioneering and innovative projects that address the social, spatial and economic infrastructures of the public realm. The practice philosophy is driven by “an ambition to realize the potential pleasures that exist at the intersection between the lived and the built”. muf have worked extensively across London - as well as internationally - and in particular, in Hackney. In 2009 muf put together “Making Places in Dalston”, a report which proposed a strategy to support local creative businesses and community organisations in the regeneration of public space. The study identified and celebrated the existing social, cultural and physical assets and proposed strategies to join these up through design moves and a programme of cultural activity to enhance the public realm as shared spaces. The principles of value what is there, nurture the possible and define what is missing, determined ten themes that encompassed over a hundred smaller projects, proving that improvement does not always come from big moves but is also delivered through small scale, detailed and specific interventions. In 2010, they also began an ongoing research project called We Are Artists (pass it on). The Project was initiated in response to the Design for London curatorial strategy to ‘home grow’ public art and enable art practice to actively inform policy making. The first phase of the project began with a chaired dinner debate that led to an artist manifesto for the area and briefs for four temporary commissions for Hackney Wicked Festival.
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Case Studies
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The Bristol Pound
(Complementary currency/local economic growth) Following the success of the Totnes, Lewes and Brixton Pounds, Bristol rolled out its own complementary currency in 2012 which is now the largest and only city-wide currency in the UK. The Bristol Pound is managed by the non-profit Bristol Pound Community Interest Company in collaboration with the Bristol Credit Union and is supported by the City Council. Bristol Pounds can be used in both paper and electronic format and One Bristol Pound is equivalent to one Sterling Pound. The Bristol Credit Union ensures that every physical ÂŁ1 converted to a printed ÂŁB1 is backed in a secure trust fund as it not legal tender. Participation is voluntary and the directors of the scheme also cannot prevent national and multinational companies accepting the currency. They can however decide whether a business fits their rules of membership and is therefore permitted to open a Bristol Pound account and trade electronically. The premise behind complementary currencies such as the Bristol Pound is known as the local multiplier effect. If a person spends Bristol Pounds at a local shop, the owner of this shop can use their Pounds to pay a farmer in the area for fresh fruit and vegetables. This farmer might pay a local architect to renovate a part of his farm, and so on. Money continues to circulate locally, thus benefitting local businesses. If the person had spent Sterling Pounds at a supermarket chain instead, it is claimed more than 80% of their money would have left the area almost immediately. Hence, cash flow between independent businesses increases, thereby stimulating local employment and sustainable economic development.
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Case Studies
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Acme Studios, London.
(Artist residencies/arts based regeneration) Acme Studios is a London-based charity formed by artists in 1972, which supports the development of fine art by providing artists with affordable studio and living space. Acme provides 573 studio units, runs studio awards and residency schemes and manages an international residencies programme for visiting artists. Acme is recognised as the leading studio development organisation in England and has helped more than 7,000 artists with this fundamental means of support. Acme continues to build on its success in creating a permanent and sustainable network of affordable, accessible, professionallymanaged and high quality studios for artists in London. In addition to the provision of studio and living space, Acme has taken a leading role in helping develop the affordable studio sector in England. In recent years it has been working nationally with other studio organisations and Arts Council England and in London has led on Capital Studios, an advocacy programme on behalf of affordable studio providers in the capital. Acme are a great example of the kind of organisation that we aim to learn from. One of our most important goals is to provide affordable studio spaces for artists and creative enterprises in the North-West. We see Acme as a great model to take lessons from as longevity is key to the long term plans we have from Birkenhead. What better way to replicate this than to study an organisation which has been providing affordable studios in the capital for over 40 years?
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Case Studies
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Liverpool Biennial.
(Events & local economic growth) Founded in 1998 by James Moores, the Liverpool Biennal is the largest comtemporary arts festival in the UK and attracts over half a million visitors per year in its 10 weeks over summer. Over this time, the biennial has commissioned 266 new artworks from 424 artists around the world, including 34 collaborative neighbourhood projects in the city. During the last 10 years Liverpool Biennial has had an economic impact of £119.6 million. Over 16 weeks, Liverpool Biennial 2014 attracted over 877,000 visits, making it the most visited Biennial since starting in 1999, and signifying a significant 27% increase in visits on the 2012 festival. Economic impact of the 2014 event – excluding spend by residents and those not primarily drawn by the Biennial, but including the indirect economic impact – remained steady by generating at least £20.78m. The biennial is supported by FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) as well as Tate Liverpool, The Bluecoat and The Open Eye Gallery. The Liverpool Biennial has an ongoing year-round role commissioning art for the public realm, such as Richard Wilson’s Turning the Place Over and Antony Gormley’s Another Place at Crosby Beach.
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Case Studies
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Winter Gardens, Sheffield. (Urban realm/connecting device)
Sheffield Winter Gardens sits in the heart of Sheffield as a connection between the railway station and the geographic centre of city. A series of arched glulam beams form the structure and are infilled with glazing. The winter gardens are a warm and comfortable restbite from the harsh winter weather in the middle of the city which grows tropical plants. There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy the environment and there is a cafe too. It connects a hotel on one side and a walk through art gallery on the other on the North/South axis and connects a public square to the Peace Gardens on the other side on the East/West axis. Although it is a stand alone building and a piece of interesting architecture in it’s own right, the Winter Gardens are primarily a connecting device and a very pleasant public space at the time. We see this as very good example of a Winter Garden which is not purely a spectacle, but has a clear function in terms of articulating routes. It does this whilst maintaining a sense of intrigue as a piece of architecture in and of its own right and providing a very pleasant public space.
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Case Studies
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Richard Serra (Urban Artwork)
Born in 1939, Richard Serra is an American artist/sculptor from San Francisco who has created work across the world. His early works were varied but in recent years Serra has made a name building large sculptures out of sheet metal. Serra states “the work of art might virtually interrupt viewers’ daily routines in ways that are not necessarily universally welcomed among a given community.” Serra’s sculptures suggests that art should be something “participatory”, a gesture, or physical insertion into everyday life, not something confined to a cloistered museum space. One of his most famous pieces, Tilted Arc (1981), forced people to walk around, rather than directly across its chosen site of Federal Plaza, in a downtown New York City business district. Tilted Arc is one of Serra’s most notable, but it was also widely vilified in public by those who encountered it. Serra’s particpatory artwork is the kind of artwork which could be beneficial in that generating a sense of participation and engaging with people - whether loved or not - is a way of encouraging discussion about art and getting the community involved in the artists’ scene.
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Case Studies
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Superlambanana (Urban Artwork)
Taro Chiezo’s iconic SuperLambBanana made its first appearance on the streets of Liverpool in 1998 as part of the ArtTranspennine98 exhibition. Chiezo had first created a model of the hybrid beast just four inches tall and that was brought to towering 17foot life by local sculptor Andy Small, Julian Taylor, Tommy Reason and Ray Stokes. Originally exhibited at a New York gallery, it took an ironic swipe at genetic engineering and, later, Liverpool-specific interpretations saw in it a representation of the city’s traditional role as a port, exporting Lancashire wool and importing Fyffes bananas. At the end of ArtTranspennine the superlambanana was handed over to the Liverpool Architecture & Design Trust for safekeeping and was moved from its resting place adjacent to the tunnel ventilation tower on Mann Island, first to Williamson Square, then Spike Island, Wapping and – its current home – outside the Liverpool John Moores University Avril Robarts Centre on Tithebarn Street. The Superlambana has since taken on a life of its own in Liverpool with masses of public enthusiasm in support of it. Whilst the original remains infront of John Moores’ library, a number of smaller models have been produced and dotted around the city centre, with several appearing on the waterfront. The superlambanana shows how a piece of art can bring people together and extend the links between art and the community.
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Our Plan
The Exciting Stuff...
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The 10 Year Plan Exactly what the future will hold is clearly anybodies guess. But what we have done as a collective is we have put together a phased masterplan which will take place over a period of 10 years. We are taking an organic approach to regeneration which makes small, specific moves but is backed by a wider reaching and more strategic long term goal. Whilst we are keen to do as much as a community as possible, we realise we cannot do everything and we by no means assume a monopoly on development in Birkenhead. But what we do envisage is that our passion and our efforts will spill outwards and spread, and that others who wish to be involved will work with us in our continued efforts to improve Birkenhead.
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Concept Diagram
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Our Plan
Rennovation of existing building Proposed new building Site at risk of development Installation site
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Phase 1 - Year 1 Our Phase 1 plan is rather simple, and it is to establish two bases. Within the next year we aim to acquire 4 buildings - two in the North and two in the South - which will provide our working base of studios, a cafe as a source of income, a workshop and an indoor/outdoor exhibition space which will provide a platform for our expansion.
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Our Plan
Rennovation of existing building Proposed new building Site at risk of development Installation site
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Phase 2 - Year 2 By the end of year 2, the plan looks significantly more ambitious. We plan to have a portfolio of buildings under the umbrella of the collective within 2 years which will cement us a community group at the heart of Birkenhead. We aim to purchase a series of buildings along Argyle Street and around the two bases of Phase 1 which will begin to shore up a connection between the two areas. We also aim to strengthen the notion of a more public facing, promotional area in the South and a slightly more back of house, working area in the North.
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Our Plan
Rennovation of existing building Proposed new building Site at risk of development Installation site
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Phase 3 - Year 5 Phase 3 is where our plan starts to really develop and grow into something more tangible. The moves behind phases 1 and 2 are driven by the wider strategy. The two key strategic moves are to re-use the disused railway line as a winter garden and to reinvigorate Argyle Street. By year 5, we plan to have carried out regeneration works to Argyle Street and have completed the works to the disused railway line. At either end of the railway there will a tower which acts as a visual marker and as an announcement of the area and the new connection. These two arteries connect the two areas densely packed with interventions at either end, restoring this part of Birkenhead as the heart of the town.
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Our Plan
Rennovation of existing building Proposed new building Site at risk of development Installation site
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Phase 4 - Year 10 The ten year plan concludes with a series of new buildings which will densify the area and will provide further links to ensure the longevity of the development. A new arts college, an artists market, a performance venue and an education/community centre will increase the remit of works that the collective is involved in. In doing so, this will strengthen the community, thus ensuring that Birkenhead has every chance possible to thrive for years to come.
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Protecting Birkenhead
Our long term strategy to safeguard the community...
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The Problem with Regeneration Some people may have you believe that regeneration is always a good thing, but anyone who has worked in urban design will tell you that there are two sides to regeneration. One of the biggest problems which any area receiving regeneration will face is gentrification. A city or town sees years of decline. Someone starts to rebel and small scale regeneration begins. Regeneration begets more regeneration and large scale regeneration ensues. Property prices rise, the original rebels and those less fortunate are forced to move to a poorer area. The poorer area cannot deal with the influx of poorer people and as such. The poorer area sees years of decline. It’s a vicious cycle. What makes us different? Well, Birkenhead is unique. And so are we. What follows is a series of strategic moves and policies which seek to prevent the aformentioned from happening and to protect the integrity and the values of the community long beyond the 10 year plan.
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Protecting Birkenhead
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Strategy 1 - The Protected Core The first step is often the biggest and the hardest. In creating a Community Interest Company we have taken a big step, but what is debatably our biggest proposed step is the protected core. What we are proposing, with the backing of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, is a protected zone within the town centre that comes into action once the regeneration has already begun to make its mark. We are suggesting this protection comes into force by no later than 2022, as this is about the time we expect our plans to start generating much larger interest in the local area. This protected zone, or ‘core’ will be similar to that of a conservation area and any development within this area not proposed by the collective will have to abide by a strict framework.Beyond the protected core there will also be a buffer zone. Development within this buffer zone will face a similar but slightly more relaxed framework in order to not create too much of a distinction between what is protected and what isn’t. We believe this will also help spread the values and the beliefs that we hold into the wider community, thus creating a larger and more coheesive whole.
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Protecting Birkenhead
The Protected Core - Framework Policies Planning Policy 1a - Any permitted development other than that which is residential must provide public space at ground level. This does not premeditate function, and might include space which is publicly bookable but not constantly accessible. Policy 1b - All permitted development will be limited in height. The area wide height limit will apply to all developments but each development will be judged specifically against that of the immediate built context. Policy 1C - All occupants within the area will be granted the opportunity to take up long term leases on rented premises if required. Policy 1D - All new-build developments will be subject to committee approval and a number of consultation meetings with community members from then on until completion. The committee will include council members and representatives from the collective. Policy 1E - All residential developments must be at least 50% affordable housing and must include affordable rent within this allowance.
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The Protected Core - Framework Policies Monetary Policy 2a - All land owners or tenants of premises owned by the collective will pay a monthly fee which will go to the collective and be secured within the CIC asset lock, thus ensuring the funds are re-invested in the area. Policy 2b - Financial incentives/relief will be provided for any projects which undertake rennovation works. This includes existing fabric, existing external spaces and existing infrastructure. Policy 2C - Any development which requires financial support from the collective will automatically be allowed to present its case for receiving said funding fas part of a democratic community engagement programme which gives the people of Birkenhead the chance to choose which developments receive funding. Policy 2D - All business must pay employees the national living wage as an absolute minimum. Policy 2E - 10% of all profit that arises from the sale of property, built or otherwise, will be paid back to the CIC by the seller.
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Protecting Birkenhead
Strategy 2 - The Birkenhead Pound
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Whilst monetary policies of the protected zone will help the our local economy significantly, we believe in doing as much as we can to protect our community and by introducing the Birkenhead Pound in the next few years, that is exactly what we will do. Here are our rules for the Birkenhead Pound: - 1 Birkenhead Pound will be equal in value to 1 Pound sterling - Birkenhead Pounds will be available in B£1, B£5, B£10 and B£20 notes. There will be no coins. - Birkenhead Pounds will not be legal tender - Using Birkenhead Pounds is optional - Anyone using Birkenhead Pounds to make payments to the state will recieve a unilateral 5% discount compared to Sterling. As it has been proven by the Bristol Pound case study, these measures will help the Birkenhead economy grow and will make it much more robust in comparison to the national economy. In creating a community-currency, those who get involved will be encouraged to spend their money locally. This builds local, independent business, emphasises the importance of local relationships and prevents big business from coming into the community and taking their profits elsewhere.
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Protecting Birkenhead
Strategy 3 - The Biennial As well as being an asset for an arts driven city, the Biennial is an international event which draws tens of thousands of people from abroad and brings significant economic benefit to Liverpool. As part of our long term strategy for Birkenhead, the Liverpool Biennial will in future years will expand across the River Mersey and will use a number of sites across Birkenhead for its artworks and events. The impact of this will be two-fold: - Firstly, this will further enhance the artistic community within Birkenhead, with the year-round curatorial arm of the Biennial being ever present and also by adding further impetus to the artists who come to work here. - Second, this will provide Birkenhead with much needed financial investment on a regular basis. Figures from 2014 suggest around a hundred thousand international visitors coming to the area for a sustained period, with each injecting nearly ÂŁ250 into the local economy. In the long periods between each Biennial, the sites and studios used in the Biennial will be given over to the collective for use by resident artists and as public space.
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Strategy 4 - Artist Residencies One of our most important goals is to provide affordable studio spaces for artists and creative enterprises in the North-West. We see Acme Studios as a great model to take lessons from as longevity is key to the long term plans we have from Birkenhead. By introducing artist residencies, the artist community in Birkenhead will be strengthened several times over. The residencies will continously push the artistic output of the area and will create a large network of artists that are connected to Birkenhead without necessarily being local. This network and the expansion of the effects that the community in Birkenhead has on the wider arts community will reap long term benefits that long outlast the stay of any given artist. This will also help ensuring the longevity of the community by providing affordable studios and workshops for budding artists who may otherwise be unable to dedicate their time to producing art because of the temporary and unstable nature of undertaking a career in artistic fields.
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Environmental Strategy
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As part of our manifesto, the Collective seeks to ‘regenerate Birkenhead through small scale interventions that utilise art and architecture.’ This subtle, small scale approach ensures that the environmental impact of our masterplan is as minimal as possible, as well as keeping costs down. The Collective feel it is important to re-use and preserve the existing structures and fabric to maintain a sense of place and keep a historic link in the area. In fact, by the end of phase four we have only proposed a total of eight new builds, which we have specified will all use locally sourced materials in their construction where possible. This approach alone provides significant environmental benefits over a knock it down and start again approach, reducing the amount of the earth’s resources used by a huge amount. By re-appropriating the existing buildings we have assumed that they will already have an existing power and water supply which may require small enhancement in certain buildings to meet the new functional needs of their proposed use. However, to help mitigate the increased power requirements we have suggested that Birkenhead could work with Cammell Lairds to utilise the existing Burbo Bank off-shore wind farm, which is currently being extended, as an environmental power source. In terms of other infrastructure, the only major change the Collective has proposed is the removal of the Argyle Street roundabout and the reclamation of usable public space around that site, in partnership with Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. The intent behind this move is to make the crossing over Conway Street more pedestrian friendly. Further to this, as part of a drive to make the area less vehicle-centric, we have suggested the widening of pavements on both sides of Argyle Street as well as street planting to help make the area more attractive and vibrant.
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Environmental Strategy
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As part of our Masterplan scheme, the Collective proposed a new walkable park using the site of the disused railway line. Not only will this park act as a new ‘pull’ in the area, attracting more visitors to Birkenhead, it will allow us to offset some of the C02 emissions that will occur as a result of our proposal. Further to this, it is an employment opportunity for the local residents as it will require regular maintenance and upkeep. The development of new job opportunities is something the Collective is actively encouraging through our proposed redevelopment, whether it be in the cafés, galleries and workshops; we have also proposed education centres to improve access to higher learning for the area’s residents. For this scheme to be truly successful the project needs to ensure the economic sustainability of the area, which is looks to do through new jobs and the introduction of their ‘Birkenhead Pound.’ The main idea behind the pound is to keep money in the local area, and encouraging spending at local retailers and establishments rather than at global companies such as Tesco. Through the Pound, we hope that the local economy will grow which will encourage further external investment in the area.
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Cost Appraisal
Refurbishment is widely accepted to be a generally more expensive procedure than new build, particularly with older buildings. As 70% of this masterplan uses existing building stock, it is important to outline the terms under which this cost plan has been calculated. Generally, the condition of the buildings being refurbished seems good, and in most cases the need for work externally would only be superficial. Some buildings are worse than others and a number need new glazing, but nothing which looks like it requires major structural work has been used. It is also important to note that as part of the design process, functions in refurbished buildings were derived from the fabric of the existing buildings so as to minimise the amount of works needed. For example, large warehouses with large open plan spaces and lots of light would possess similar qualities to studios and workshops. As such, it will be made clear in each stage which usage classification is charged at a higher rate for refurbishment than the standard rate, and which classification is charged at a base rate. Also, as this masterplan has been phased strategically over a period of 10 years, inflation should be taken into account. The Bank of England target for inflation is 2%, this figure is to be used as an annual multiplier of total cost to account for a steady growth in the economy. All ÂŁ/m2 figures have been taken from the following sources: http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Europe/United-Kingdom/ http://www.thepropertyspeculator.co.uk/tag/build-costs/
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Studios, workshops and galleries have all been costed at the base rate. Restaurants and Cafes have been costed at an increased rate of +15% for refurbishment. For this initial, small scale stage, short term finance has not been added. For all phases, letting, sales, marketing and advertising have all been ignored due to the collective set up. It is assumed that all spaces will be run, managed and organised by the collective and as such, letting agents, marketing etc will not be necessary.
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Cost Appraisal
Studios, workshops and galleries have all been costed at the base rate. All other classifications have been costed at an increased rate of +15% for refurbishment. For this second stage and for subsequent stages, short term finance for the full cost including contingencies over the half the build period at 10% per annum has been included. This is the second year of the masterplan so inflation has also been factored in for one year.
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For phase 3, all buildings are new build and as such all usage classifications have been costed at the base rate figures. Demolition of 4 poor condition industrial buildings has also been factored in. An initial ÂŁ/m2 cost for the Walkable Park for the regeneration was taken as similar to that of the New York High Line precedent. This figure was increased by 750 ÂŁm2 to account for the roof structure to make it a winter garden. Costs for this were reduced by 15% overall (labour accounting for 30% of total cost) as it is suggested that half of the labouring would come from a community participation scheme. Finance has been included for this stage as has four years of inflation with this being the 5th year of the masterplan.
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Cost Appraisal
For phase 4, all buildings are new build and as such all usage classifications have been costed at the base rate figures. All of the demolition work for the new building plots is carried out in phase 3 so there is no demolition work in phase 4. Finance has been included for this stage as has nine years of inflation with this being the 10th year of the masterplan. The total cost of all four phases over the 10 years ÂŁ133,793,726.
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Relatively speaking, the capital value of this project is not particularly high in comparison to the total cost, but this project does not seek to be a highly profitable investment. The aims of the Collective are to build on what exists currently and to gradually regenerate Birkenhead piece by piece so that it becomes a more financially stable and self supportive area. By building on what exits and using existing fabric, far less money is being spent on demolition. This is beneficial in that it means that the masterplan is providing maximum added value to the area. It is expected that this small scale, long term approach to redevelopment will encourage further development in and around the site in the future, thus making the financial benefits more apparent long term than short term.
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Cost Appraisal
The financial strategy for this masterplan extends beyond just the collective itself though. As part of participating in the protected zone, any businesses within it will have to abide by the monetary policies previously outlined, thus creating more revenue for the collective. Furthermore, the introduction of the Birkenhead Pound will be of significant benefit to the masterplan. By introducing a complimentary currency, it strongly encourages the use of local services and trades and keeps income within the local area and strengthens the economy. It is suggested that nearly 80% of money spent at national and multinational companies is effectively removed from the area very quickly, whereas with the complementary currency this is prevented from happening. As well as this, introducing the Liverpool Biennial to Birkenhead will have a significantly beneficial impact on the local economy. In its last 10 years of operation, the Biennial has grown year on year and generated around ÂŁ120 milllion for Liverpool, with over ÂŁ20 million of that coming in 2014 alone. Extending the Biennial to Birkenhead will as such provide substantial financial benefits for Birkenhead and the business within.
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Appendices
How We Operate 108 Further Research
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Model Photos
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References
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How We Operate
Company Structure Birkenhead Arts Collective is a Community Interest Company (CIC). A CIC can exist in a variety of forms but essentially it operates somewhere between a private limited company and a charity. The primary core features of any company holding CIC status are two fold; - Assets owned by the company are held in an asset lock which secures those assets to applications for the good use of community. - Limitations applied to dividend and interest payments made to shareholders and financiers ensure a profit can be made, but the primary focus remains on achieving benefit for the community Both of these features are regulated by the CIC Regulator via an annual report, known as the CIC34, which is submitted to the Regulators office on an annual basis. The CIC Regulator is in turn governed by the Department for Business and Innovation. This structure allows a number of benefits over being a charity or a PLC. In our case, being a CIC clarifies our intention to provide community benefit to Birkenhead and also ensures that no-one can become part of the CIC for their own financial gain, thus giving the community reassurance. Not only this, but it also allows us to be a trading enterprise that can benefit from having limited liability, as well as enabling us to put in place infrastructure which allows flexible day-to-day management and encourages small creative businesses to prosper.
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How We Operate
Our People In early 2016 the road to becoming a collective began with architects Andrew Jarman and Matthew Kerrod who decided that enough was enough. After gathering together with 3 of their artist friends, a Community Interest Company was officially founded. After a few months of canvassing the area, Andrew and Matthew had found a large number of like-minded artists and design professionals who bought into the idea of an arts collective, who together started working towards this plan for Birkenhead’s future. At present, Andrew and Matthew are the Managing Directors of the Collective and they sit alongside the 3 other founding members and 5 others on the Board of Directors. Below the board is the committee, which is essentially the voice of the collective. Every business, artist or organisation involved in the collective has one member who is part of the committee. Finally and most importantly, our members. Anyone in the community, whether an employee of a collective business or a resident of Birkenhead, can be a member, and we welcome everyone and anyone to join us. We are also engaged with Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council and numerous other bodies who all play some part in the future of Birkenhead.
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How We Operate
The Democratic Process Our board of directors technically have authorative command, but the collective does not conduct itself like a large top down corporation. Our board are simply the members of the collective who devote their time to ensure the smooth running of the business and to enact the wishes of the collective as a whole. This does involve some decision making, but the mandate for the collective is inspired by our members, clarified by the committee and simply implemented by our board. The key to the democratic process is the monthly hearings of the collective who are attended by board members, the committee and the members of the collective. The committee hold bi-weekly discussions to debate on the wide range of issues raised at hearings and to narrow down the scope of works which the board should be moving forward with. As well as working as a team 9-5 in the collective office and across Birkenhead, the board also hold weekly focus sessions with alternating members of the committee looking at more specific issues with the running of the collective. This bottom up approach governs the collective’s work in a fair and democratic way and maintains not only a strong dialogue, but a clear set of community driven goals.
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Further Research
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Christo & Jean-Claude (Urban Artwork)
Christo and Jean-Claude were a Bulgarian/Morrocan couple who created artworks internationally from the 1960’s up until the death of Jean-Claude in 2009, although Christo continues to work today. Their work covered a range of typologies and contexts but two of their most famous works are the wrapping of the Reichstag (1995) - in a polypropylene fabric with 100,000 square meters of aluminum surface and 9.7 miles of rope - and the New York Gates (2005) - 7,503 vinyl gates, with free-flowing nylon fabric panels, anchored to 15,006 steel bases on 23 miles of walkways. The “wrapping” is not at all the common denominator of the works. What is really the common denominator is the use of fabric, cloth, textile. Fragile, sensual and temporary materials which translate the temporary character of the works of art. Before each project, there is a long design process, and it is the drawings from this process which fund their works. Christo and Jeanne-Claude sell to museums, art collectors, art dealers and galleries, through the corporation which was created to build the projects. The money coming from the sale of Christo’s original works of art is used to pay all the expenses of the preparation, completion, maintenance and removal. This approach to art is one that is particularly resonant with our core values and would be healthy for our local economy, as well as helping with the integration of an arts community into Birkenhead.
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Further Research
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Temple Bar, Dublin.
(How to avoid gentrification) Temple Bar is an area of Dublin inner city which faced significant decline in the 1970s and was then the subject of major regenerationg through the late 80’s. The area initially saw an influx of artists and small independent shops who gave the area a buzz and started to create a community. As interest in the area grew, a number of local bodies started collectively looking at larger scale regeneration. Numerous reports were put together and eventually led to a wider strategy for development. Dublin was named European Capital of Culture in 1991 and in parallel with this it received £3.6 million in funding from the EU. This funding however meant that the pressure on regeneration was increased and the speed with which projects took place was quickened. In short, this led to rise of property prices which led to gentrification of the area. Temple bar is still a hive of activity within Dublin, but it is seen by many as an unsuccessful attempt at urban regeneration for one main reason. What started as a small scale, socially motivated regeneration that started with artists and fringe professions ended up becoming like many other urban redevelopment plans and forgot it’s original agenda. Temple Bar is now mostly bars and restaurants and has lost the community which once saved it. This is a valuable lesson for us moving forward and is exactly what we don’t want to happen to Birkenhead. By studying this example of what went wrong, we believe we are immediately putting ourselves in a much stronger position for the future.
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Further Research
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Studio Weave, Various Locations.
(Urban realm works/regeneration/artistic interventions) Studio Weave is a small London based practice formed in 2006. Studio Weave have completed a number of public realm regeneration schemes across London and recently won the Civic Trust Special Award for Community Impact and Engagement. Studio Weave’s recent regeneration works include Romford Public Realm, Mitcham Regeneration, Croydon High Streets, Narrow Way Festival, Hornchurch Public Realm and Barbican Highwalks. In their ongoing project in Croydon, Weave’s proposals “comprise a number of installations that seek out opportunities for playfulness in forgotten pocket spaces, unloved forecourts, and busy high streets in the centre of town.” In Hackney, Weave were members of a team who designed the Narrow Way Festival, a 6 month temporary pedestrianisation of the Narrow Way high street. During the six month period of the temporary pedestrianisation, there was a series of events organised that included community planting workshops, street festivals, and building workshops. Proposals included painting the ground surface with patterns inspired by the festivities, hot air balloon rides and adorning the street with new benches and planters to invite people to spend time on the Narrow Way. Studio Weave’s approach to masterplanning is a particularly relevant to what the collective seeks to do and how it seeks to do it. Artistic interventions and generate interest in the area and redefine previously harsh environments into the kind of place people want to spend their time.
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Further Research
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The High Line, New York.
(Community engagement initiatives/adaptive re-use) The high line is a 1.45 mile long stretch of disused overground freight railway from New York’s West Side Line. After it’s last commercial use for transporting goods in 1980 the railway fell into disrepair. In 1999, Friends of The High Line (a non-profit conservancy) was formed by community residents with the mission to save and re-use the High Line in response to Property Owners proposed demolition. Friends of The High Line work with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (who own the high line) to make sure the High Line is maintained as a public space. In addition to overseeing maintenance, operations, and public programming for the park, Friends of the High Line works to raise the private funds to support more than 98 percent of the park’s annual operating budget, and to advocate for the transformation of the the third and final section of the High Line at the Rail Yards. In 2009, Friends of The High Line founded High Line Art, a public arts program which commissions and produces artworks including site-specific commissions, exhibitions, performances, video programs, and interventions. High Line Art invites artists to think of creative ways to engage with the architecture, history, and design of the High Line and to foster a productive dialogue with the surrounding neighborhood and urban landscape. The High Line is a prime example of reappropriating infrastructure as public space but more importantly, it is an example of how powerful community groups can be in the transformation of urban environments.
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Further Research
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Summer Streets, New York. (Community engagement/temporary re-appropriation) Summer Streets is an annual celebration of New York City’s most valuable public space, the streets. On three consecutive Saturdays in August, nearly seven miles of NYC’s streets are opened for people to play, run, walk and bike. Summer Streets provides space for healthy recreation and encourages people to use more sustainable forms of transportation. In 2014, more than 300,000 people took advantage of the open streets. Summer Streets is modeled on other events from around the world including Ciclovía in Bogotá, Colombia and the Paris Plage in France which temporarily turns the banks of the Seine into a beach for 3 months in summer. All activities at Summer Streets are free of charge, and designed for people of all ages and ability levels to share the streets respectfully. Although Birkenhead and New York are for all intents and purposes incomparable, the Summer Streets show how a city can be reappropriated temporarily in a large variety of ways. It is this concept of reappropriation and returning the ownership of the roads to the people which we feel Birkenhead can learn from. By banishing vehicles and turning familiar urban environments into new and unfamiliar environments, a community can strengthen and grow. This also allows people to start to imagine a future where purpose may be derived from the urban fabric in a much more abstract and interesting way.
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Clerkenwell Design Week, London.
(Artistic intervention/temporary reappropriation/events) Clerkenwell Design Week is a week long annual festival of design in an area of London historically known for being a creative hub. Every year Clerkenwell Design Week presents new design projects and street spectacles, commissioned specially for the festival and featured prominently around Clerkenwell. Inviting some of the leading pioneers in the creative industry, these projects aim to push the boundaries of design, in terms of concepts, process and material capabilities. They are created to challenge visitors’ perception of design application, as well as to inspire and entertain them. Previous participants include Cousins + Cousins architects, Studio Weave, Gruppe, Assemble, Monotype, OKAY Studio, Russ + Henshaw and Grimshaw Architects. Integral to the festival are the local resident design showrooms, who partner with Clerkenwell Design Week every year, providing the festival with a programme of topic-led events including talks, workshops and product launches. These participating companies include high-end furniture, lighting, kitchen and bathroom brands and also material manufacturers. Clerkenwell is also home to a variety of other creative practices including architects, branding agencies and craft studios. Many of these local practices throw open their doors to the festival’s visitors and host workshops, displays and installations.
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Further Research
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The Arts Market, Yorkshire. (Events and arts based regeneration) The Art Market is an established art, design and contemporary craft event based in Holmfirth and York. What started in 2007 as an experimental one day event to bring art to the people of Holmfirth has become a hugely successful set of events creating a cultural destination for the Yorkshire region. At each event there are over 100 unique and talented artists, across a wide range of disciplines showing and selling their own artworks direct to the public, as well as demonstrations, art installations, interactive areas and live music. The Art Market showcases established, professional artists but also provides a platform for talented, up-and-coming artists, who often have never exhibited or sold their work to the public before. Each year, these specially selected artists receive mentoring from the show’s organisers on how to work, present and sell in a professional arts environment. Holmfirth and York Arts Market is a triumph of local art and helps with not only creating a wider sense of community, but it also helps support local artists and boosts the local economy by ensuring money stays within the area.
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Model Photos
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References
http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Europe/UnitedKingdom/Rental-Yields http://www.thepropertyspeculator.co.uk/tag/build-costs/ https://www.bristol.gov.uk/sites/default/fi les/documents/ planning_and_building_regulations/planning_policy/local_development_framework/BCC%20response%20to%20 GVA%20Statement%20%26%20answers%20to%20Examiners%20Questions_0.pdf The National Planning Policy Framework http://www.propertyweek.com/Journals/Builder_Group/ Property_Week/12_February_2010/attachments/Research%20Refurb%20v%20Rebuild%20FINAL.pdf http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/Pages/home.aspx http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/the-high-line http://www.a4architect.com/2013/04/percentage-of-costbreakdown-between-labour-materials-and-contractorprofit-in-construction/# http://www.baltic-creative.com/ http://www.studioweave.com/ http://www.thehighline.org/
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http://www.waterofleith.org.uk/ http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/summerstreets/html/home/ home.shtml http://www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com/ http://www.muf.co.uk/ http://bristolpound.org/ http://www.acme.org.uk/ http://www.biennial.com/ http://artmarkets.co.uk/ https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/out--about/parks-woodlands-countryside/gardens/the-winter-garden http://www.theartstory.org/artist-serra-richard.htm http://christojeanneclaude.net/ http://www.superlambanana.eu/history.html http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/jun/07/the-innovators-the-bristol-pound-is-giving-sterling-a-run-for-its-money
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Report compiled by Matthew Kerrod & Andrew Jarman
A Plan for the Future of Birkenhead We are the Birkenhead Arts Collective and this is our vision for the future. Not a finite plan, this document sets out who we are, why we are doing what we doing and what we plan to do not just in the short term, but in the next decade of Birkenhead’s existence and far beyond.
Š Birkenhead Arts Collective 2017 www.wearethebac.org