12 minute read
Urban Design Project 15 Minute Cities Barras, Glasgow
15 MINUTE CITY
Barras, Glasgow September - December 2022
Taking inspiration from Anne Hidalgo’s Ville De Quart De Quart D’ Heure, our 15-minute city will celebrate Glasgow’s Barras area as a destination. The Barras has had a long history operating as a successful market however it has lost traction over the years. Our aim was to regenerate this within our proposal. Our 15 Minute Market city will introduce pedestrianised streets to revitalise an area which has become disconnected through its reliance on vehicles. Stitching the site together reduces vehicular traffic to create a healthier and safer streetscape for the Barras’ residents. A central square and surrounding buildings will create places for community to gather, strengthening local ties to the Barras. Considering the wider context within our proposal, a series of three other 15-minute cities have been created with fast transport links that do not exceed 30 minutes. The cities chosen each have their own characteristics ie. Barras’ Market which encourages visitors.
Le Paris Du 1/4 Heure
Art City
Science & Tech City
Market City
The Barras area of Glasgow can be characterised by the famous markets occupying the space, having been founded in 1921 by Maggie McIver (BBC, 2014). The Barras Arches placed around the site create an external threshold, making one feel when entering the space that they are in the market area of the city
Science and Tech City
The Glasgow Science Centre, as well as the Glasgow Science Centre Tower, are found on the edge of the River Clyde, across the way from Glasgow city centre. Film City is another building located near by, suggesting that the area is one with both science and tech related characteristics
Market City
Sports City
Located to the east of the site, in the Newbank area, are a number of sporting venues including Celtic Park and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. Having these sporting venues within close proximity to one another could create a microcity, where people travel to one area to experience sporting events A number of galleries and museums can be found within the Kelvinhaugh area of Glasgow, including the Kelvington Art and Gallery, as well as Zaha Hadid’s Riverside Museum. The area is one where people wishing to experience and appreciate the arts may travel to, with several buildings providing the opportunity to do so.
Art City
Sport City
1:10000
Existing Hard Rail
Existing Metro
Proposed Metro Existing/Proposed Metro
Other key districts are highlighted with transport via the existing/ proposed metro. It is clear to see that west Glasgow has more established links and districts closer in proximity. The proposed metro hopes to reconnect the east with the west of Glasgow.
Looking at the proposed transport networks for Glasgow’s metro system it is clear to see that there have been many iterations over the years. However, the existing loop has never changed and any extensions to this have never been implemented (CityMonitor, 2021).
Existing Hard Rail
Existing Metro
Our Proposed Metro
Art City
Science & Tech City Market City
Proposed 15 Minute Cities Sport City
Railway Shops
St Andrew’s in the Square The Barras Market
People’s Palace
Walking Routes to/from the metro
Proposed Metro Links From Metro Links
(ColourfulHeritage, n.d) (Scotland.org.2019)
To Metro Links
(McKenzie, 2020)
The People’s Palace The Barras Market St Andrew’s in the Square
Celebrated Promenade
Adjacent Cities
Railway Shops
Streetscape Types 1-3
Streetscape Type 1 Streetscape Type 2 Streetscape Type 3
Streetscape Type 1
• 20MPH Traffic • Combination of curbs & planting to seperate pedestrians from cycle lanes and cyclists from vehicles • Planting & lighting creates buffer for pedestrians Streetscape Type 2
• Curbless • Shared space • Fluctuations in paving offers spill out from Cafe & Barrowland Ballroom • Street furniture • Further planting & lighting
Routes via metro & river
Streetscape Type 3
• Full pedestrian access • No Vehicular Traffic • Spill out from cafe & other rentable units • Street furniture • Further planting & lighting • Surrounds Barras market sqaure
Kambic, M. (2016) with annotation
Kambic, M. (2016)
BIG (2020) with annotation
BIG (2020)
Caroline, J. (2019) with annotation
Elodie, D. (2020)
Kambic, M. (2016) BIG (2020) Zimmermann, J.L.
Precedent: Streetscape Type 1 Slovenska Street, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Slovenska Street, a main street in the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia was transformed from a four-lane road dominated by traffic to a shared space giving priority to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport. The urban space consists of a concrete road surface and paved pedestrian areas. Living the streets are manna ash trees, creating a divider between the pedestrianised walkways and the road. Street furniture has also been incorporated into the scheme.
Precedent: Streetscape Type 2 Downtown Brooklyn, BIG Group
In 2020, BIG and WXY released a masterplan for Downtown Brooklyn that aims to reduce vehicular access, reorienting streets to prioritise foot traffic and pedestrians. The masterplan seeks to create playful environments where the public can congregate outdoors. The installation of street furniture, planting and lighting generates safe, shared spaces that are visually pleasing to the eye; the curbless areas prioritising pedestrians opposed to vehicles.
Opened in 2002, Bercy Village incorporates a cobblestoned pedestrian street bordered by shops, restaurants and cafes. The public are able to browse between the different spaces that line the street, safe from any vehicular movement. Furniture and planting is also placed throughout the street, allowing pedestrians to sit and relax whilst in a pleasant environment. Pop-up coverings and stalls can also be found within the space, allowing for outdoor dining and socialising.
P6
P5
P2
P3
P4 P1 P7 P9
P8
PLOT 1 - Market Square
- Commercial units - Maximum building height of 4 storeys (Barrowland) with majority being 2 storeys
PLOT 2 - Mixed-use
- A mixture of commercial and residential - Maximum building heights of 5 storeys with majority being 2 storeys
PLOT 3 - Mixed-use
- Proposed metro station and residential block with commercial on ground floor - Maximum building height of 3 storeys
PLOT 4 - Mixed-use
- A mixture of commercial and residential accommodating the elderly and single parents - Maximum 4 storeys
PLOT 5 - Mixed-use
- Commercial occupying ground floor with residential above - Maximum building height of 5 storeys
PLOT 6 Residential
- Residential blocks with shared courtyard -Maximum building height of 5 storeys
PLOT 7 Emergency services
- Local dispatch units for police and ambulance services - Building height of 2 storeys
PLOT 8 Residential
- Located on the outskirts of the Barras market area - 2 storey terraced housing
PLOT 9 - Residential
- Student accommodation footprint to match existing in the area - Maximum building height of 6 storeys
Building uses
Streetscape 1 Buildings on street edge
Comprises of residential, office and small commercial. Apartments to be located above shops and businesses only with level access to all frontages.
Pavement and road textures
Large concrete paved surfaces with darker textures picking up party wall positions. Large scale concrete road setts with relief in texture in the form of cobbles to crossings. Planters to road edges at crossing points.
Frontages
To be constructed from engineered brickwork with timber window frames and shop fronts. No canopies or extensions to shops and businesses at ground floor.
Cobblestones
Pavement width
(Crocker, 2018)
Trees (Goldsmith Street)
(Cafe Rosco, 2011)
Street light Timber framed shop front
(NYC Dot, n.d)
Planter
Restricted to no less than 2m to allow for small extensions to ground floors in the form of stalls or extra seating to supplement interiors, and to allow for passing points. Seating and planting for traffic control to be used where possible.
Street lighting
At regular intervals coinciding with the party walls of buildings. Street lamps should be simple.
Signage
Backlit signage, in conjunction with 3d text all at larger scales permissible, all surface mounted above ground floor levels.
Streetscape 2 Buildings on street edge
A mixture of residential and commercial. Apartments above shops and cafés only. Larger scale chain and independent restaurants and shops at the ground floor as well as some of the established uses relating to hard ware etc.
Pavement and road textures
Granite setts for paved surfaces with darker textures picking up party wall positions. Larger scale concrete road setts with relief in texture in the form of cobbles to crossings. Planting to road edges.
Frontages
To be constructed from reclaimed brickwork with timber detailing. Use of permanent canopies for extensions to ground floor areas.
Concrete setts Granite setts Asphalt Reclaimed brick
(Lawrence, 2019)
Planting
Pavement width
Restricted to no less than 2m to allow for small extensions to ground floors in the form of stalls or extra seating to supplement interiors, and to allow for passing points.
Street lighting
At regular intervals coinciding with the party walls of buildings. Lamps should be ornate enough to allow for fixing of bunting and seasonal signage but sufficiently tall to allow for passage of larger vehicles where required.
Neon, uplit signage to allow for supplementary street illumination and animation. All signage to be placed behind glazed areas of shop fronts.
Building Uses
Streetscape 3 Buildings on street edge
A mixture of residential, start-ups and commercial. Apartments above shops and cafes as well as a percentage of houses fronting the street much like the Dutch model. Full houses that front the street to use ground floors as kitchen and dining areas. Accommodation blocks for the elderly and single parents, fronting Glasgow Green must have an internal courtyard for security. Maximum building heights of 5 storeys with the bulk being 2 or 2.5 storeys.
Pavement and Road Textures
Brick stretcher Bond or Herringbone for all paved areas.
Frontages
To be constructed from smaller format brickwork with intermittent relief or reclaimed brickwork or shingles with timber detailing. Use of temporary canopies for extensions to ground floor areas.
Brick Stretcher Bond Herringbone Reclaimed brick
(Art Form, 2018)
Recessed paving lights Street Furniture
Street Furniture
Permanent street furniture to be constructed from timber and or ornate metal work. Arrangement should allow for use in conjunction with adjacent shops and restaurants.
Street lighting
At regular intervals coinciding with the party walls of buildings. Lamps should be ornate enough to allow for fixing of bunting and seasonal signage.
Signage
No Neon signage. All signage to be uplit to allow shopfronts and the activity inside to provide the bulk of street lighting.
1. Train station 2. Mix of Accommodation and Townhouses 3. Apartments 4. Proposed Residential Terraces
Type 1 Street Scape
Type 2 Street Scape
Type 3 Street Scape 2
4
Proposed Accomodation Footpath
5m Tree Zone Dropped Curb
0.1m Two Lane Road
8m Planting Buffer Zone Bike Lane
1m 2.5m Footpath Proposed Accomodation
3m Barrowland
Streetscape Type 1 Streetscape Type 2
1
3 2
Bike Lane
2.5m Footpath
3m Proposed Mixed Use Square Footpath
3m Seating
4m
10m Footpath
3m Artist Studios
Streetscape Type 3
(Google Earth, 2021)
Streetscape Type 1
Streetscape Type 2
(Google Earth, 2021)
Streetscape Type 3
