Contents
Introduction 1.0 Site Location & Analysis 2.0 Physical context 2.1 Social context 2.2 Economic context 2.3 Planning policy context 2.4 Design Statement 3.0 Use 3.1 Amount 3.2 Layout 3.3 Scale 3.4 Appearance 3.5 Landscaping 3.6 Access 4.0 Approach 4.1
Introduction
This is the design and access statement for the Mann Island Salmon Farm which is proposed for the site located on the drydocks at Mann Island in Liverpool. The site is a world heritage site due to its rich inustrious and maritime history. The proposed site of the drydocks is currently fenced off, restricting public access and restricting the circulation of the site. Areas of the drydocks are also used as outdoor storage for old and disued equipment. Since the return of wildlife to the Mersey in recent years many species such as salmon have now made the river Mersey their spawning sight, returning each year to breed, in turn, prompting other species such as seals and dolphins to frequent the area. Local research has shown the current number of salmon returning to the area each year is approximately 200. The proposed scheme would transform the area into a spawning sight and aid in the repopulation of salmon in the Mersey.
Site Location & Analysis
This location of the site was chosen for a number of reasons. Firstly, the current area is fenced off to the public and is restricing the potential circulation, and secondly, the drydocks themselves provide ample oppurtunity for becoming the salmon environment, as they can easily be reconnected to the existing body of water which leads into the Mersey. Finally, the amount of tourists who frequent will help provide some of the income to the building.
Physical Context
The site is currently dockland featuring a number of listed buildings including Albert Dock’s Warehouses, Watchmans Hut, Dock Traffic Office, Port of Liverpool building, and Railway Pump Station. To the north there are a number of new developments such as Mann Island Building, Ferry terminal and the Liverpool Museum. Roads and waterways run close to the site providing a number of possibilities for transport routes.
Social Context
The salmon farm will greatly improve the area as well as the surrounding areas. The building aims to provide a repopulation service that will increase the population of salmon in the Mersey, and by doing this also aims to attract more wildlife.
5 1/2 years
March 2017
March 2012
The building will provide a tourist attraction by providing exhibits explaining the various stages of salmon breeding and educating on the various wildlife in the local community.
Sept 2017
Hand Fed
March 2012
Salt Water
Sept 2015
Actively Feed
Fresh Water
June 2012
Sept 2012
Economic Context
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The open nature of the salmon environments means that fishing ports are available to rent. The salmon produced there are available for capture to simulate natural deaths amongst the population. The fish caught will be sold in the buildings cafe area and others can be sold to the local businesses to generate revenue.
The buildings tourist facilities offer the public the oppurtunity to tag and monitor there own salmon that are bred and released from the farm.
Fish 100
Fish 101
Fish 102
Planning Policy
Along with numerous buildings on the site, the docks are Grade II listed buildings limiting what the proposal can do with the site. The buildingshall not damage the site in anyway and none of the docks shall be severly altered by the proposal. The use of the docks as the the salmon environments eleiminates the need for the excavation and construction of new environments.
Design Statement: Use
The proposed building has three uses. Firstly, it is to be used to repopulate the salmon of the Mersey river by creating a spawning site at the building, where salmon will return each year to mate. This increase in salmon will encourage other species of wildlife to return to the area. The second use of the proposal is to electronically tag and monitor each salmon that is released in to the wild. This is so population increases and decreases can be monitored within the Mersey and the wider area. The tagging will identify if the salmon return to the spawn sight in the Mersey. The third use of the building is to provide a tourist destination that specialises in exhibits on local wildlife and the procceses and methods used in the breeding and monitoring of the salmon.
Amount Public Zone 1. Entrance/Reception 2. Public W.C’s 3. Wildlife History Exhibit 4. Building Aims/Process Exhibit 5. Breeding Lab 6. Viewport Bridge
The proposal is for a two storey building that has been designed to accommodate 3 zones of public areas, exhibit areas and staff areas. Each area is divided into approximately 700 m2 each containing the spaces required for the function required. These areas have been arranged to fully maximise the circulation of the proposed site and usability of the building. The proposal will also include two environments for the breeding, holding and fishing of salmon.
Public/Lab Zone 1. Electronic Tag Lab 2. Cafe/Gift shop 3. Public Area 4. Fishing Ports 5. Public W.C’s 6. Viewport Bridge
Layout
The proposed building has been designed to mainly respond to the currently limited circulation of the site. The diagonal orientation of the building allows the circulation to cover more of the site, utilising more dead space. The staff quarters run central allowing them easy access to which ever areas of the building require there attention without the need to travel to full route of the building to reacha specific area. The building is situated between the Maritime Museum and the Liverpool Museum, this is to maximise the amount of tourists passing through between the site’s two most popular attractions. As the site is a world heritage sight, the building takes on a horizontal layout as not too dominate the docks skyline. The building is within five minutes walking distance of of the main road and transportation links making it easily accessible to the public and to tourists.
Scale
The scale of the proposed scheme is intended to reflect how, as in nature, only what is required has been used. The builkding does not attempt to consume more space than is required. The possibility of the buildings expansion would be for holding pens to be constructed in one of the neighbouring docks. As numerous buildings on site are listed, the buildings scale reflects how it does not aim to overshadow or detract from the historic nature of the sight. The buildings size is also does not cover more than the area it is trying to improve. It maximises the dead space while maintaining the usable space.
Appearance
The appearance of the building is designed to reflect the zoning and interconenctivity of the various spaces. The use of void spaces and glass are used to create vistas and viewports, maximising the views of the listed buildings, docks and the Mersey river. The sloping forms of the roof are intended to reflect the circulation route of the building and also to create the impression of waves or waters surface. The form is also meant to reflect the geometry of the new developments such as the Liverpool Museum, Ferry Terminal and Mann Island building. This ties it to the site whilst also contradicting the forms of the listed buildings, creating a noticable contrast bewteen the oild and new.
Access
The location of the site allows excellent access for the public. Located within walking distance from transport links and accessable from numerous footpaths. The walking distances circulate the entire site placing in center a public accessibility. The public access to the site surrounds the area in which my proposal aims to maximise circulation.
The site is also near major bus routes and a major bus station, allows visitors who do not have access to a vehicle the ability to travel easily to the proposal without having to walk great distances. Once travelling to the site by public transport, access to the building has to be gained on foot.
A number of carparks surround the site, providing parking oppurtunities for visitors and staff a like. Due to the location and nature of the site, personal transport has the least accessibility to the site as a carpark could not be built upon the docks.
Major roads and water ways also surround the site, but vehicle access is not available to the building due to its location. Access is achieved primarily by walking and public transport as the oppurtunity for the development of vehicle access does not exist.