Natalie Bowker Emily Simpson Patrick Taft
cultivo simbiose urbana
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Contents
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Introduction Site Analysis Project Brief Design Principles & Uses Masterplan Design Studies Model Phasing Demolition Infrastructure
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Appendix Sustainability Planning Policy Cost Plan Design Strategy
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Porto Oporto is the second largest in Portugal after Lisbon. Located along the River Douro in Northern Portugal it is one of the oldest Cites in European with the city centre registered as a world heritage site by UNESCO. It is mainly known for the Port wine which is made then shipped all over the world.
City District Located on the banks of the River Douro the Fontainhas area has irregular topography which renders access difficult, inert industry, decaying residential and dilapidated housing. It has a large low-income and unemployed population with little public space and services. Taken all together it creates a stigma in the residents excluding them from the city and its benefits.
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Vision
Green Porto
Overall
The challenge is to transform the site from a dismal, poorly connected, vacant, landscape with little public realm for social interaction and ‘knit’ it back into the current urban fabric. It has the potential to become a vibrant haven and community space with latent potential in the river front location, south facing landscape, panoramic views and quaint residential housing. By introducing a closed-loop, sustainable and active landscape it will ‘tap-into’ the locals love/ need to grow their own food in an economic recession and instigate their own power source through Biogas benefiting the wider area of Porto.
The architectural response will predominantly derive from the built, social context and steep topography of the site. The Fontainhas area requires radical change if it is to reverse its decline. By introducing a harbour, fish farm and urban farm, the food sources are sourced as ‘locally’ as possible. A philosophy of “growing what is needed near where we live” means the ‘food miles’ associated with long-distance transportation are minimised. The freshest produce money can buy is delivered right on the ‘door-step’ and locals and tourist are encouraged to eat in season and visit an area of sustainable initiative, consequently re-connecting the site back into the city becoming a ‘must see destination’.
In adding much needed greenery to Porto it reduces harmful runoff and increased shading. This green oasis will help people gain a greater appreciation of where their food comes from and add a space of relaxation and contemplation attracting tourists and making creating a focal point locals can be proud of. The area will bring jobs to an under-served and depressed area of Porto. Attracting tourists into a location of unparalleled green space in the City, the proposal will be the catalyst required to regenerate the immediate and larger area of Porto.
It is imperative the detailing of the site offers a higher standard of interest to attract tourists from the thriving waterfront area adjacent to the Fontainhas. The master-plan creates a much needed access between the top and bottom of the site by following a ‘produce journey’, through serpentine routes (taking inspiration from Porto’s meandering streets). It encourages tourists to follow the local produce from the harbour to the ‘destination’ restaurants in the new public realm at the top of the site. The proposal will add a significant new public place to this City.
Introduction
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Site Analysis Upon visiting the site in Porto, a variety of problem could be identified. The forthcoming criteria was utilised to consolidate the relevant issues
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Site Analysis
Disused Space Firstly there was a vast amount of disused space and derelict buildings. This is possibly due to the difficult typography of the site, and something we had to tackle.
Disjointed Routes Another being the existing routes on the site. It was apparent there was a lack of routes from the top of the site to the river’s edge. The two existing pedestrian routes were quite demanding and severe, therefore one of our main focuses was to introduce pedestrian route that are both manageable and accessible. The existing vehicular routes were not sufficient enough for you to travel from one side of the site to the other without roaming through smaller roads.
Lack of Public Realm There was a shortage in public realm within our site. The only glimpses of public realm were small number of civic buildings, the public routes and a small public space situated on the Eastern side of the site.
Green Space What was evident when we visited the site was that there was a vast expanse of green space. Only a small amount of this green space was maintained, whereas most of it was overgrown and neglected. A large amount of the site was covered in wild Ipomoea Purpurea. Throughout the site there was evidence of allotments and people growing their own food/ produce. There was good and bad examples, however it was visible that there was this want for the residents to be self-sustaining in some way.
Project Brief Reusing derelict buildings and disused areas
Under utilised River The River Douro is a key asset to both Porto and Gaia offering tourist boat trips and sightseeing tours throughout the day. However, these tourist routes do not extend to the site. The River could also be home to a wealth of fish and shellfish, however due to pollution and over fishing, the river is now in a state far from its full potential.
Activate the river and frontage
Rejuvenate
community and provide employment opportunities
Create a more successful Create a self
sustaining development
Tie into
Create new Cater for a wide
public realm
existing fabric
routes, informed by existing
range of tourists, for example eco tourists and fine dining tourists
It was more important to satisfy the
existing community on the western side of the site,
concentrating on providing a more successful public realm, a sustainable community and a place that will provide a variety of new
jobs for the residents of the site, reducing high unemployment rates 5
Design Principles & Uses Fish Farming Out at Sea A fish farm out at see is a new exciting proposal to create a sustainable facility to serve the people of Porto providing residents and tourists alike with a steady and high quality supply of fish from the Atlantic Ocean. The facilities out at sea will be constantly operational with cultivated fish being shipped into the new proposed harbour. The process will create employment for the residents of Porto, not only stimulating the food industry, but stimulating the micro economy of Porto as a whole.
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Design Principles & Uses Harbour The first stage of the design was to review the river’s edge. The harbour is being built out onto the river to create more land, and it takes the line of an existing path on the site. The form of the harbour is designed in order to enclose the shellfish farming area. There is a fish farm on a more industrial size out at sea, where boats will visit and bring the farmed fish back to the site. The harbour incorporates four spines that extend out onto the water, in order for boats to dock. The harbour is split into two levels: the docker’s level and the tourist’s level. The docker’s level is essentially the base level of the harbour, and this is where the worker’s can unload the fish from sea and also farm the shellfish. It will be a place where these workers can process the fish. The tourist’s level is raised up from the docker’s base and is separate. The tourists can get off from a site seeing boat and continue onto the site.
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Shellfish Cultivation In conjunction with the fish farming facility out at sea, the harbour makes home for a controlled shellfish cultivation zone at the river’s edge. Research into the process found that shellfish cultivation is most efficient in close proximity to the river’s edge / rockface where a thriving habitat can be formed.
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Design Principles & Uses Urban Farm Taking inspiration from the paddi fields of Bali and Vietnam, the terracing technique was utilized to create our urban farm, which would grow a range of produce. This terracing would follow the lines of the existing contours, and so therefore not eliminating the existing typography completely. The terracing would be built in a way so that the planters would be raised to allow the farmers to be able to reach over to all the planting.
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Design Principles & Uses
New active public realm As part of the development of the scheme, a new active, stimulated and exciting public realm will be established. This will integrate with the existing major junction to the North West of the site and provide a better pedestrian route along the northern boundary of the site.
New horizontal routes Currently, the site as existing represents a difficult terrain and the impossibility of access from east-to-west. To ensure new connections between existing residential on either side, new routes across the urban farm terracing will introduce integration between communities as well as access to the urban farm facility. These routes will be informed in part by existing thoroughfares, integrating with the existing make up of the site
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New vertical routes Running perpendicular to the urban farm routes, new meandering pathways will be introduced as tourist routes through the site. Cross-over points will create additional public realm, creating unique destinations in themselves along the route. This will also encourage integration between tourists and residents, stimulating further the community
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Design Principles & Uses New build restaurants At the north of the site, at the top of the ‘cliff’, new build restaurants are proposed. Currently, there are no buildings existing, therefore these additions will create new destinations and aid in stimulating the new public realm
Unique refurbishment projects The current state of some of the buildings on the site makes them completely uninhabitable. However, architecturally, they reflect the character of the site and their treatment requires a sympathetic approach. Therefore they will be renovated with the intention of creating very unique spaces, some of which will be home to a new market for the produce of the fish farm and shellfish cultivation facility, and others will be additional restaurants & recreational spaces for residents.
Residential Rejuvenation A point of major consideration throughout the scheme is the aim to cater for existing residents of the site. Currently, the residential dwellings are generally in poor condition. The living conditions are inadequate and the integrity of the physical fabric of the buildings reflects this. There is a definite need to refurbish these dwellings, with structural considerations being a priority. The redeveloped residential area will be complimented by the facilities introduced in the rest of the scheme, however this part of the proposal underpins the values held by the scheme’s objectives. 14
Refurbishment
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Masterplan
Masterplan
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Precedent Study
Design Study
Harbour The newly proposed harbour serves for multiple objectives for the project. - Working environment for fish farming facility & shellfish cultivation - Designed to maintain visual connection between tourists and workers, yet creates a physical separation
Visualisation of stop-off points
The padi fields of Bali and Vietnam presented us with a principal inspiration for our urban farm. It was not necessarily the process of having a flooded parcel of arable land, but purely for the forms they created and how they utilize the space and typography successfully.
Urban Farm A new urban farming facility on the site fulfils the following objectives: - Working environment for fish farming facility & shellfish cultivation
- The existing road is spanned across, maintaining an existing key vehicular route
- Designed to maintain visual connection between tourists and workers, yet creates a physical separation
- A new destination for tourist boats extends the existing sightseeing route along river
- The existing road is spanned across, maintaining an existing key vehicular route
Detailed sectional study
- A new destination for tourist boats extends the existing sightseeing route along river
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Design Study
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Precedent Study De Kas – Amsterdam The restaurant that dates back to 1926, used to function as a municipal greenhouse in which the city cultivated the flowers and plants that decorated its public spaces. Today, De Kas serves 800 to 1000 guests a week. Much of the food comes from the on-site gardens, which include roughly 70 different herbs and vegetables. The menu changes weekly and all the food is cooked the same day it is harvested.
Restaurants Restaurants to the North of the site are made up of renovated dilapidated building as well as new build developments. - Fantastic vistas across the river are fully celebrated - They are a rewarding destination at the end of a unique journey. - They serve food using only ingredients grown within the development or cultivated in the fish farm facility. - Stimulates new public realm 20
Design Study
Model
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Phase 7 At this stage of the project there will be an increase of tourists visiting the site, therefore phase seven will see the construction of the meandering routes, connecting the harbour, through the urban farm and connecting with the restaurant destinations. New public realm areas will ensure an interaction and intertwining of the tourists and the local community.
Phase 1 Phase one is to demolish any derelict buildings that we cannot utilize within the masterplan. The concrete retaining walls on the western side of the site will also be demolished, creating space for the terraces.
2 Phase 2
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Phasing
Phase two will redevelop and refurbish the leftover existing residential and civic buildings present on the site. This will allow the current residents as well as past residents who have lost their homes to integrate into the community again. This phase will serve as a benchmark for the rest of the masterplan; conveying the intention of creating a community based project and allowing the community to grow and succeed.
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Phase 4 Phase 3 Phase three will overlap with phase two and will establish the industrial fish farm out at sea; ensuring that one of the main sources for the masterplan has had time to develop and flourish.
Phase four will commence the work on the terraces. This phase in particular will provide employment for the residents of the community, and will allow the residents to be part of this project from the construction to the future of the urban farm. The early stage of the building of the terraces will ensure that the retaining walls are replaced on land that is prone to landslides. Once this infrastructure for the terraces is built, residents can begin work on planting. As this begins at an early stage of the project, it will give the urban farm time to thrive and be equipped for the construction of the restaurants. A beehive facility will be integrated into the site to ensure pollination of the crops.
Phase 5 The success of the industrial fish farm will demand a port for this cultivation; therefore work will begin on the harbour. The shellfish farm will then become up and running at this stage, and provide more employment for the local community.
7 Phase 6 The fish and urban farms will be well established; therefore construction of the restaurants at the top of the cliff can begin.
Phasing
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Appendix
On the site there is a vast amount of land that is disused. The scheme will utilize this space to create a sustainable community within the site and for the existing residents.
Materials
Waste Storage & Recycling
The project will be constructed from sustainable materials when possible. The stone from the demolished retaining walls will be reclaimed and used for the terracing structures. Existing residential buildings will be refurbished instead of new build to cut down on new materials. Some derelict buildings will be made into new restaurants and market spaces, which will also cut down on new materials on site. When new materials are used they will be from a sustainable local source.
Waste from the restaurants i.e. From toilets and food, and wasted produce will be used in a composting process to provide fertilization for the urban farm. All residential and civic buildings will be provided with sufficient space for waste storage to comply with the relevant regulations.
Water Conservation
Sustainability 28
The proposed buildings, i.e. The restaurants will have grey water recycling systems, and also rainwater harvesting on their roofs. Rainwater harvesting will also occur on the site using the canopies. The rainwater will run off each canopy and collect at the bottom of the cliff. This rainwater will be reused to flush toilets in the restaurants and also to go into the water irrigation for the urban farm. All public spaces and new routes i.e. New roads and walkways will be made of permeable materials to help reduce water runoff.
Renewable Energy To reduce greenhouse emissions, the scheme will not be dependent on fossil fuels; therefore a variety of techniques will be used to create energy for the site. Photovoltaics will be used throughout the site to provide solar energy for heating and lighting of the various residential and civic buildings. Photovoltaic panels will be applied to the front facing terraces (south-facing). Other photovoltaic panels will be applied to residential buildings that are south facing. All new buildings will be built passively; therefore sustainable materials will be used to provide passive solar gain and cooling to reduce the need for heating and cooling. Shading will also be applied to the buildings to reduce the need for cooling. 29
CONSTRUCTION COST Concrete Terracing Harbour Steelwork for walkways Restaurants (New Build) Restaurants (Refurb) Fish Farm installation Public Realm (soft/hard landscaping) Refurb Existing Dwellings
ANCILLARY COST Infrastructure @ 5% of build cost PROFESSIONAL FEES Architect & Consultants etc @15%
INVESTORS
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Area
Max Cost per m2
Min Cost per m2
Av. Cost per m2
Av. Sector Cost
(m2) 15,800
(£) 650
(£) 750
(£) 700
(£) 11060000
5,000 480
700 300
800 400
750 350
3750000 168000
560 400 2,400 8,400 10,378
800 900 400 200 700
900 1000 500 250 800
850 950 450 225 750
476000 380000 1080000 1890000 7783500
(£) CONTINGENCY
(£) BUILD COST
1,329,375 Contingency allowance @10%
£26,587,500
2,658,750
(£) 3,988,125
(£) DEVELOPERS PROFIT
National Institute for Housing and Urban Renewal Housing associations European development fund
1,500,000.00 Social Enterprise seeks no profit 800,000.00 3,500,000.00
European investment bank
3,200,000.00
%
TOTAL CONSTRUCTION COST 0 SITE VALUE
£34,563,750 £956,964
INCOME
Capital Value
Income Yield
Sales (restaurants) Council Sale Rental (Farming & Port Facilities)
4x5200m2 @ £60/m2 (-10%)
Rental (Residential)
250 x av.70m2 @ £35/m2 (-10%) Capital Value
1,400,000 1,200,000 1,123,200
7%
1,400,000 1,200,000 16,045,714
551,250
7%
7,875,000 £26,520,714
Micro Economics Analysis of the economic situation of the site revealed an evident community in residence on the site, however conditions are poor. The presence of a primary school and the reasonable provision of health care was, however a promising discovery. Unemployment figures for Portugal, on the whole due to a macroeconomic downturn in recent years have been high – currently standing at 15.6% (UK-7.6%). The Porto district however, is of particular concern with regard to unemployment having the highest rate in the country. This analysis along with further research into the Portuguese economy as a whole provided a stable case in the emphasis to create a source of employment within the scheme. It is a paramount objective to ensure employment for the current residence of the site is provided, along with the availability of jobs for the rest of Porto.
Housing Site visits uncovered the current state of housing on the site. Around 35-40% of the site area consists of residential dwellings ranging in condition and quality. Around 10% are in a state of dereliction and research into local news articles and news reports informed us of the recent eviction of long established families from dwellings of an untenable standard. The community retaliation to such actions was evident and supported further the point that community is of considerable focus for the scheme. There is very little housing in current existence which is not in a serious need of repair and brief surveys would raise the question of structural integrity. Such analysis fully supports the need to renovate the current housing on the site. Community insistence on remaining in place within familiar established surroundings supports the case further for renovation as opposed to demolition/new build. The character of the architecture on the site is noteworthy as typical of the district, climate and heritage and therefore a sympathetic approach will be employed.
The project deals with a diverse site which suffers from complexities surrounding economic, physical and social issues. The analysis of the existing situation quickly identified that the majority of the site is poorly maintained, isolated and in most cases, the urban fabric is in a state of disrepair. Further analysis took the form of specific criteria in order to rationalize the particular areas of need and enabled therefore, the development of a project brief;
Routes & Connections Site visits and analysis of the Porto pedestrian and road maps discovered a clear problem with the ability to access many parts of the site. The lack of routes from the Northern boundary down to the river was easily identifiable. One is therefore able to identify the isolation of the clusters of residential dwellings, whose residents were physically very detached from the rest of Porto, fundamentally because of the difficult access. The difficulty in being able to travel East-West horizontally across the site was also an evident problem – again, isolating residents, but also causing a real disconnect between the sparse pockets of public realm. This analysis therefore is a robust supporting factor in deriving a key aspect of brief – to introduce new key routes through the site, connecting new proposals to each other, in a logical workable manner, to connect residents to the rest of Porto as well as to each other and to ensure better access for tourists enhancing the appeal of the area.
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River The River Douro provides Porto & Gaia with substantial character, and has enabled Porto to become a well-known destination around the world. The River frontage is stimulated throughout the main stretch of Porto with tourism and general recreation being present on both sides. The undeveloped frontage present on the site, however does not utilize the offerings of such a River and the stimulated activity present further down does not occur. Historically, Porto was home to a thriving fishing industry. The River was an active place and therefore, its frontage and character was a beneficiary. In recent times, due to the decline of the fishing industry, subsequent unregulated over fishing and ultimately anti-fishing legislation, has meant that the water quality has degraded and the river activity has been limited to transportation. This identified the need to regenerate the River’s cleanliness and wildlife. It also supports the need for a new active frontage on the site to draw upon the activity present further down the river. The introduction of fish farming out at sea and a shellfish cultivation zone in the river is supported by this and the stimulating of an active frontage can be achieved by proposing a new harbour.
The intellectual position of the project Analysis of the site as existing highlighted key needs for not only the site as an entity, but for Porto as a whole. A new development is required to tackle serious social, economic and physical issues and to provide a new destination in the process. The emphasis relies upon the key principles of ensuring existing communities are catered for, to ultimately improve quality of life for residents and to provide a positive purpose for being a proud part of Porto. The aims to integrate residents with the rest of Porto, breaking down the evident feeling of isolation is of paramount importance and in doing so a new industry is created. Tourism is a substantial contributor to the micro economy of Porto and should be exploited in drawing activity to the site. The symbiosis of tourism with the operational processes of the cultivation of produce is a unique concept which serves to provide employment while a new destination flourishes. Drawing upon successful precedents such as Liverpool ONE, the newly proposed routes are sympathetically informed by existing thoroughfares. This continuation of pathways and pedestrian public realm aims to knit in with the existing fabric; ensuring community integration is made seamless.
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The refurbishment of existing buildings where possible, aims to present a modest development highly respectful of the heritage of the site. New build developments occur only in the entire absence of existing structures and therefore aid in generating a new stimulated