NEVER OBSOLETE An alternative development strategy rebuilding Stockport for the people.
Bethany Lodge 180208221
Word Count: 2743 Sheffield School of Architecture
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Acknowledgements With thanks to Jo Sharples, for her advice and enthusiasm throughout this project.
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Contents
THESIS INTRODUCTION 6
STUDIO & SETTING 9 A N E W WAY O F EXPLORING THE TOWN 27 OBSOLESCENCE 39 PROPOSITION 59
SITE 81
BIBLIOGRAPHY 91
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Establishing the Research Question
How can an alternative approach to redevelopment dismantle illusions of obsolescence from the bottom up?
Stockport, a northern town renowned for its industrial heritage, has suffered heavily as a result of de-industrialisation. Alongside these industrial landmarks sit the two high streets with these too demonstrating the impact of decline, with empty shop fronts dominating the once bustling parade. Now on the precipice of a great urban renewal Stockport hopes to reverse the obsolescence that has blighted its landscape. Amongst this renewal valued landmarks are nurtured and protected whilst the spaces between, those which sit unnoticed, unvalued and abandoned, face a far bleaker future, demolished and replaced to make way for developer led schemes, with those who inhabit these spaces having little input to how this redevelopment is manifested. At such a critical juncture in Stockport’s urban development perhaps it is time to challenge the current approach to renewal and local democracy on both a strategic and architectural level. What if the power of urban decision making was handed back to the people who inhabit the town, situated not in a traditional expression of civic architecture but scattered amongst an increasingly empty retail core, inhabiting the architecture that we have declared obsolete? This thesis seeks to explore how the inhabitants of a place can be enfranchised to actively participate in the governance of their town, working in collaboration with local authorities and experts within the field to produce urban space. Situated within a timeline that follows an alternative trajectory of redevelopment the thesis takes the position that the city should evolve, not in ebbs and flows but gradually, producing urban landscapes of complexity, value and interest through the utilisation of existing form.
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Figure 1 - A new expression of civic architecture, embedded within the high street.
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8
STUDIO & SETTING
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Introduction to the Studio
Palace of Reason
Figure 2 -Palazzo della Ragione.
‘‘Is there an antidote to the emptiness and how can we recreate a collective, civic society.’’ - Jo Sharples, 2019 The decline of the high street is an issue faced by many urban centres, streets full of shopfronts are left empty, their ‘’quality of inevitability’’ (Moore 2018) fading as the online retailer triumphs. With a focus on frugality the Palace of Reason Studio will take the position that the vacancy of our once bustling high streets should be presented as an opportunity. ‘’We will use the year to propose alternative urban approaches’’ (Sharples 2019), envisioning a future reality for the voids that dominate our towns.
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Studio Themes
Climate Emergency
High Street Obsolescence Expendability
Frugality Temporality Redundancy
Salvage
Heritage Governance Heritage
Thesis In-Betweeness
Brief 02
Personal Interest
Brief 01 Heritage
Studio Value
Material
Deindustrialisation Community
Urban Narratives
Typology
Local Governance
Place
Local Value Stockport Specific High Street
Figure 3 - Studios themes. Threads for each section of the brief indicating points of intersection and plotted against an axis of personal interest
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Approach to Enquiry - Methodology & Methods
The studio methodology has evolved from an insistent and direct approach, examining issues from the inside out. Conducted within a series of group briefs, these meticulous, in-depth studies have allowed the studio to create connections and draw conclusions, often bolstered by contextual readings, resulting in a series of resources that aid in harnessing a collective understanding of Stockport and the wider context in which it operates.
Brief 01 Understanding Stockport
Initial visit to Stockport + meeting with council
Italian Thoughts Alison + Peter Smithson
Studio session + discussion
City Structures Florian Beigel + Philip Christou
Dissemination Cross-studio review
Meeting in Stockport: Brief 02 A Public Room
Desk Research: Study Groups
Figure 4 - Studio Methodologies
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Reading
Reading:
Reading:
The Architecture of the City Aldo Rossi
Making: A tapestry for a town
Approach to Enquiry - Methodology & Methods
The examination of issues from the inside out has resulted in the adoption of a research by design methodology. Research can be defined as ‘‘a process of investigation leading to new insights, effectively shared’’ (Fraser 2013). The design process, although incredibly focused on specific outcomes, has evoked larger questions, different for every member of the studio. For myself Brief 01 instigated questions of value and ownership, brief 02 questions of frugality and expendability. By determining our rationale for the chosen response to the studio briefs, as a studio we have been able to apply these rationales to wider contextual issues, expanding the scope of the investigation.
Figure 5 - Brief 02 Design Sketches
Figure 6 - Brief 02 Material Testing
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Approach to Enquiry - Methodology & Methods
Another key methodology adopted by the studio is an ‘in residence’ approach. By situating ourselves within the urban retail core, as both a studio and individuals we can engage in a thorough ethnographic study of place whilst simultaneously dismantling the hierarchical barriers that usually exist between academia and reality. As the thesis similarly seeks to examine how the political barriers within the redevelopment process can be removed the rationale of working within the context, alongside those at the heart of the design, can be embedded within the thesis proposition.
Figure 7 - A studio in Stockport. Sketched to indicate a public exhibition, allowing the dissemination of the early studio studies.
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Approach to Enquiry - Personal Methodology
My individual methodology has emerged as a continuation of the studio approach, specifically the utilisation of an ethnographic study alongside the process of examining issues at a local scale before examination within a wider context. This study will utilise a mixed method approached, positioned within an intersubjective paradigm. This paradigm recognises that there are multiple views of sociocultural realities although shared understanding of these is possible and that establishing a value free stance within research is not (Groat & Wang 2013). The suitability of the positioning of the thesis within this paradigm is reiterated due to the importance of value and its inherent subjectivity as a thematic strand of interest.
Theroy
Intersubjective Paradigm Qualitative
Existential phenomenology
Ethnography
Making Modelling
Practice
Interviews
Correlational
Critical Theory
Policy Analysis
Case Studies
Historical
Cartography
Narrative
Archival research
Photography Drawing
Literature Review
Figure 8 - A qualitive, mixed method approach has been selected in order to provide a holistic viewpoint, grounded within the context of the object of inquiry, embracing interpretation within this context (Groat & Wang 2013).
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Figure 9 - A selection of key texts that have influenced both the studio agenda alongside the thesis positioning.
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Architecture of the city by Aldo Rossi
Buildings must Die: A Perverse view of Architecture by Jane Jacobs & Stephen Cairns
Obsolescence: An Architectural History by Daniel Abramson
Key Texts
Personal Research Development & Thesis Positioning
Figure 11 - Y3 Project. Architecture as a storyteller of place
Figure 10 - Subterranean House. An exercise in reuse of materials.
Live Projects
Y5 Facadism: Conservation, Compromise or Contradiction
Figure 12 - Glossop Connect Live Project. Participatory Placemaking .
Figure 13 - Y5 Project. Bethany Lodge
Figure 14 - MArch Dissertation. Facadism: Conservation, Compromise or Contradiction?
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Establishing the Context - The High Street
The importance of the high street cannot be understated. ‘’The identity and self-esteem of entire towns and city districts is wrapped up with retail’’ (Moore 2018). The complexity and interconnectivity of the high street with our urban areas is a fundamental driver for the studio. It’s decline is a well-documented national issue due to this importance. ‘’As it has become ingrained that one of the main forms of shared public life is shopping, its loss becomes an existential threat to society’’ (Moore 2018). Alongside these social implications the continued economic repercussions of this decline have led to the implementation of a £1 billion Future High Streets Fund aimed at facilitating the regeneration of the nation’s high streets, transforming these urban cores to respond to the current context.
Figure 15 - The question of how we respond to the changing face of the high street should also be considered from a spatial perspective as fundamentally the studio asks ‘’is there an antidote to the emptiness and how can recreate a collective, civic society?’’ (Sharples 2019).
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Establishing the Context - The High Street
Evolution of the High Street
Online sales as a % of total UK retail sales
In 2019 the government increased the future high street fund to
£1 BILLION
in order to provide ‘’co-funding towards capital projects that bring transformative change’’.
% 25 20 18.6%
15 10
2016
2017
2018
2019
(Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2018)
UK high street Footfall change year-on-year (%) 0
15-16
16-17
17-18
18-19
-0.2 -0.4 -0.6 -0.8 -1.0 -1.2
Average UK high street vacancy rate in July (%)
-1.4 -1.6 -1.8 -2.0
2015 2016
According to the BRC*, UK Retail had
2017
106,000
2018 2019 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 10 11
Job Losses from 2016 to 2019
Figure 16 - High Street Statistics * British Retail Consortium
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Establishing the Context - Stockport
Figure 17 - Stockport within the UK context
Figure 18 - The extreme topography is exaggerated by built landmarks like the viaduct, becoming a defining characteristic in many representations of the town. Figure 19 - Little Underbank in Stockport
Founded in 1260, Stockport lies to the south east of Manchester city centre, situated on the river Mersey with the town forming a continuous urban route from the city to the Cheshire plains. In recent years the town has been defined by both its failing industry and retail quarters however a ÂŁ1 billion programme of investment has been initiated aiming to combat this legacy of decline and restore Stockport to a vibrant urban centre.
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Establishing the Context - Stockport
rea
yA
d Stu
Figure 20 - Stockport Town Centre,. The scope of the area is focused around the retail cores of the town.
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Stockport’s High Street
Merseyway Opened in 1965 and refurbished in the 1990s, this large pedestrianised area built over the River Mersey, attracts 14 million visitors per year. It is currently in the ownership of Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council.
2. 1.
Underbank The location of Stockport’s historic retail core. The area is currently in the midst of a £7 Million investment programme. It is comprised of a mixture of both council and privately owned assets.
Figure 21 - ‘High Streets’ as defined by a cluster of 15 or more retail addresses within 150 metres
Our focus area as a studio was established as a direct response of the intention to examine the decline of the high street. Stockport has a range of retail typologies, each articulating a moment in the evolution of the high street and their subsequent decline. In 2015, Stockport was declared the most vacant high street within the UK, with 27.7% of shop units vacant. Whilst this level of vacancy has decreased in recent years it is still a prevalent problem within Stockport’s high street despite attempts to instigate a resurgence, posing the question whether the high street can ever be reinstated or whether it needs a fundamental shift in it’s usage.
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The Regional Challenges of Stockport’s High Street
20 mi n
Dr i
ve 2
30 m
in D
10
rive
Neighbouring Competition
Train min
1 - The Trafford Centre 2 - Manchester City Centre 3 - Heaton Moor Town Centre 4 - Edgely Town Centre 5 - Cheadle Town Centre 6 - Retail Park, Cheadle 7 - Hazel Grove High Street
1
in 15 m
Drive
3
4 5 7 6
Figure 22 - The challenges of Stockport’s high street do not only stem from the rise of the internet shopper but also the specific regional context.
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Stockport High Street Typologies
Figure 23 - Underbank High Street Elevation 1:750
Figure 24 - Meresyway Elevation 1:750
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A N E W WAY O F EXPLORING THE TOWN A series of briefs in which to explore the town
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Brief 01 - A Tapestry for a Town
Figure 25 -The tapestry making process, embedding value and creating unexpected results.
Brief 01 asked us to create a ‘tapestry for the town’. Taking influence from the works of Isobel Napier, a series of tapestries were created, representing a series of spaces and structures which we recognised as holding value to those within the town. Through the process of creating the tapestries, in which paper was meticulously laser cut to create the impression of fabric, we were able to embed value into the paper, elevating the source material and providing an ethos to take forward as the thesis progressed.
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Brief 01 - A Tapestry for a Town
Figure 26 - Tapestry for a Town. The completed tapestries.
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Throughout the study of Stockport we would often gravitate towards the spaces of value, landmarks within the town. But what of the spaces in-between, the spaces in which the decline which we aimed to solve was most prevalent? Surely it is these spaces, the overlooked and undervalued that offer the greatest opportunity to embed value.
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Landmarks & Value
Figure 27 - Landmarks and the voids between.
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Brief 02 - A Public Room
Figure 28 - Existing Elevation0 of1 the2 29 - 35 Little Underbank. 5
Brief 02 offered the opportunity to examine and impact the vacant spaces within the town, to capitalise on the in-between and shift the process of embedding value from found materials to existing urban forms. The chosen site was not only vacant but declared obsolete, the 1960’s building scheduled for demolition as part of the council effort to regenerate the historic Underbank. Could this approach be challenged? Using an attitude of frugality, as defined by the studio, Brief 02 sought to provide an alternative and embed value and challenge the declaration of obsolescence.
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Brief 02 - Analysis of the site
Ground Floor
Figure 29 - Sketch explorations of possible design moves First Floor
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Artist References
Figure 30 - The Laundry Room by Michael Marriot + Richard Wentworth Figure 31 - Conical Intersect (1975) by Gordon Matta-Clarke
With only ÂŁ10,000 to transform this space the design response needed to maximise the existing, however the condition of the building required a radical response. Taking influence from the works of Gordon Matta-Clarke, Michael Marriot and Richard Wentworth, the decision was made to embrace the decay of the building, to strip the fabric back further and to celebrate it. The planned demolition of the building meant there was nothing the lose, we planned to puncture holes, as observed in the artistic references above, to create new spatial relationships both internally and externally.
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Brief 02 - The Proposition
Figure 32 - 1:20 Physcial Model. Made from foamboard and greyboard.
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Brief 02 - The Proposition
Figure 33 - Proposed front elevation, demonstrating the openings created on to the Underbank.
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Brief 02 to Thesis Project
Of the positions developed throughout design brief 02 the most significant is the attitude towards the obsolete. The studio asks as we move towards an age where all materials are precious, should we ever declare them obsolete? Perhaps the answer is not to demolish and start again but to reinstate the perceived value of these buildings.
Architectural Approaches
Civic Usage on the High Street
Thesis Project
Rationale of Increasing Value
Attitude towards Demolition
Figure 34 - Brief 02 and the subsequent design proposal raised a series of questions and established a number of positions in which the thesis project can relate, regardless of whether specific design moves are continued.
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OBSOLESCENCE ‘’Obsolescence is engaged with the temporality of use – and disuse - that goes beyond creators’ intentions and individuals experience of place’’ Abramson, 2016
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Obsolescence
The decline in the high street epitomises many of the issues discussed with the contemporary paradigm of architectural obsolescence. Buildings are left empty with no purpose as decision makers strive to instigate redevelopment of the obsolete. The term obsolete, to me, infers that an object is no longer of use and subsequently has no value. Therefore obsolescence, as a state of being, is not a categorical fact but a value decision (Cairns & Jacobs 2014) and regarding architecture the term is often used to justify this redevelopment. Obsolescence implies failure, which carries its own negative connotations, instead it should ‘’force us to redefine value’’ (Mollard 2019) but as explored in brief 02 this does not require us to tear down and start again.
Yes
Functional
Value
Yes No
Economic Value
Yes No
Social Value
Yes
Yes No
Historic Value
No
Aesthetic Value
No
Obsolete
Redevelopment
Demo
Figure 35 - ‘’The kind of impermencance found in obsolescence is a process of devaluation imposed upon architecture that is not intentionally short lived, unfinished or lightweight’’ (Abramson 2016).
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Functional and Physical Obsolescence
Figure 36 - ‘’No amount of imagination or analysis can pierce the fog of contingency veiling what will come’’ (Abramson 2016).
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A Legacy of Obsolescence
Retail
Figure 37 - Stockport’s Legacy of Obsolescence
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Industrial
The Physical Manifestation
Figure 38- The physical impact of Obsolescence within Stockport.
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Stockport High Street Vacancy
Stockport High Street Units Occupied Vacant Unknown
Figure 39 - There is clear distinction between vacant and obsolete as responses to these vary, with strategies such as reduced rent used to combat vacancy, demonstrating it’s reversibility as opposed to the supposed permanence that the term obsolete implies.
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A Legacy of Obsolescence Vacant Typologies
Upper Deck Units Industrial Buildings
‘Traditional’ High Street Units
Large Floor Plates
Figure 40 - The most common vacant typologies within Stockport and those at the greatest risk of becoming declared obsolete.
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A Response to the Obsolescence
The strategy to redevelop Stockport and by extension, to tackle buildings that have been declared ‘obsolete’ is the product of various political agencies, each with varying motivations.
National Monarchy Parliament Prime Minister
Member of Parliament
Government Cabinet
Regional Greater Manchester Combined Authority Local Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
Governs Member of Elects Sets Agenda
Council Leader
Cabinet
Committees
Local Councillors
Stockport Residents Figure 41 - Stockport’s political hierarchy.
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Political Context
Stockport Population
291,000 *as of 2019
General Election 2019 Results - Stockport Constituency Labour - 52% Conservative - 27.9% Liberal Democrats - 12.1% The Brexit Party - 4.6% Green - 3.4%
Constituent Demographics
Percentage share of the vote
Youth - 0-15 Stockport Council Political Party Share (%)
56,300 (19.4%) 0.5% above UK population
Labour Liberal Democrats Conservative Independent Ratepayers
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42
12 4
Working Age 16-64
Stockport Council is comprised of 63 Councillors
177,000 (60.8%) 2.1% below UK population
Wards of Stockport
Elderly - 65+ 57,600 (19.8%) 1.6% above UK population
Registered Voters
65, 457
Voter turnout down by 0.9% in 2019 General Election
Labour Liberal Democrats Other Conservative
Figure 42 - Stockport Political Statistics
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Stockport Development Strategy
Driven by Stockport Council, the regeneration scheme known as ‘Future Stockport’ aims to bring over 3000 residents into the town centre, revitalising the residential and retail markets within many ex-industrial areas around the town’s core bringing them into productive use as mixed-use residential and commercial developments.
Heritage Lottery Fund Central Government
Private Investors Regeneration
Mayoral Development Corporation
Stockport Council
Future High Street’s Fund
Figure 43 - Key stakeholders within the Stockport regeneration plan of which over £1 Billion has been raised to drive the regeneration.
Figure 44 - Council powers such as compulsory purchase orders (CPO’s) are being utilised to acquire obsolete buildings for redevelopment, such as this ruinous building on the Underbank, bring them into council ownership and as such public ownership.
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Future Stockport
01 - Market & Underbank £7 Million council investment combined with £1.8 Million heritage lottery funding to regenerate the historic quarter.
02 - Mereseyway Full scale configuration of the main retail offer within Stockport which attracts 190,000 visitors per week.
03 - Redrock A £45 Million transformative leisure development to create a variation to the current retail offer. Completed 2017.
04 - Transport Interchange £50 Million redevelopment of the existing bus station. Improving connectivity to Central Manchester
05 - Town Centre West Mixed use redevelopment initiated as part of the creation of the mayoral development corporation. .
06 - Stockport Exchange £145 Million redevelopment providing both commercial and retail floor space.
Figure 45 - Outline of the Future Stockport regeneration framework. 49
Response within a heritage context
Regardless of the context in which the obsolete architecture is located, the strategy by the council is one of demolition and redevelopment. Within the context of Stockport’s conservation area these redevelopments comprise of the erection of facsimile facades, creating a curated impression of place that undermines the authentic heritage that they sought to protect, in order to conform to predefined views on what constitutes heritage.
Figure 46 - Most of the buildings declared obsolete within the high street are located within a conservation area, placing stipulations on the proposals for redevelopment.
Listed Buildings
Conservation Area
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Response within a heritage context
The importance of preservation and heritage within a global context continues to grow, with 12% of the world now protected (Koolhaas 2011). AMO suggests enforced obsolescence and demolition should be used as an alternative to preservation to combat the constraints that result from this perceived over protection.
Figure 47 - This thesis proposes a third option, condemning demolition for the sake of progress in favour of promoting a gradual and organic evolution of our urban landscape through reuse of the existing.
This content downloaded from 154.59.124.32 on Thu, 16 Jan 2020 17:50:20 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms
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Response outside of the heritage context
Figure 48 & 49 - Proposal images for Stockport West, the homogeneity of the proposed architecture is clear to see.
When outside of the heritage context, planned redevelopments involve the widespread clearance of low-density industrial stock. Their replacements are homogeneous blocks which lack a sense of place and will likely result in gentrification of the area.
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Pockets of Particularity
Of course, this issue is not specific to Stockport, the homogeneity of our cities is a global issue. We risk swathes of indistinguishable architecture, with towns and cities losing their individuality. Stockport could shirk this trajectory at such a pivotal moment in its urban development history by embracing the ethos from Brief 02 and creating the unexpected, a unique experience to drive footfall.
Figure 50 - Cities and towns will be left with only pockets of particularity as opposed to an organic urban landscape that shows the passage of time.
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Involving the Community
When asked, as part of our ethnographic study, about the level of community participation within these regeneration plans the council explained that the approach predominantly consisted of consultation as opposed to participatory design, an approach which on closer examination appears to disillusion some residents.
‘‘They believe bosses have not consulted them properly and failed to answer questions they have over their future.’’
“They are set on this course, they have decided to do this then go through the consultation period because they have to. But they have already made up their minds about what’s going to happen.’’ - Local Resident
(Statham 2019)
"I always get a feeling that consultation periods are not worth anything.’’ - Local Resident
Figure 51 - Residents of Stockport have expressed their dissatisfaction at the current tokenistic approach to consultation regarding regeneration strategies.
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The Climate Emergency
The most compelling argument for a shift to the current approach to the redevelopment of obsolete sites arises when it is examined within the context of the climate emergency. The council’s method fails to acknowledge the material value of these building when no other value is seemingly attributed.
A Climate Disaster
% of all
60%
sed su l a d ri uce ate r od M P ons issi m d uce 2E rod C0 P ste Wa
Tripled by 2100
45% 33% A change in approach?
2100
2020
A Climate Emergency
Figure 52 - The contribution of the construction industry to the climate emergency is vast. A change in approach must be implemented.
‘‘What if we stopping knocking things down? What if every existing building had to be preserved, adapted and reused’’ (Wainwright 2020)
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Gentrification
Lost sense of place & identity
Redevelopment
Obsolete
Use
Lack of Community Input
Demolition
Architectural Taste
Urban Change
New Technology
Perpetuating a Cycle of Obsolescence
Homogenous Architecture
Figure 53 - The current short sited approach perpetuates a cycle of obsolescence.
The question should be posed as to whether this approach by the council is perpetuating a cycle of obsolescence, through the creation of buildings that are not optimised to retain their value. What happens when the cycle repeats? Can we afford to continue a cycle that involves short term development? This thesis project argues that this approach must change and presents an alternative, one that denies total obsolescence and embraces an ethos of continual adaptation and evolution.
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Alternative Architectural Approaches to Obsolescence - Case Study
‘’The potteries thinkbelt is about process, not product’’ (Cairns & Jacobs 2014)
Cedric Price - Potteries Thinkbelt. Ongoing Architectural Process
Figure 54 - Author’s reproduction of Potteries Thinkbelt Plan (Price 1966)
When examining the town as an ongoing architectural process influence can be taken from Cedric Price’s Potteries Thinkbelt project. Whilst the attitude of expendability does not align with either the thesis positioning or that of the studio, the value in process and constant evolution offers a basis on which a new approach to redevelopment within Stockport could be based. 57
58
PROPOSITION
59
Defining the Proposition
Figure 55 - An opportunity to explore an architectural approach that can be more invasive, experimental than acts of reuse governed by conservation legislation.
The project seeks to propose an alternative to Stockport’s currently redevelopment plan, facilitating a disruption to the defined approach of the council. As opposed to systematically devaluing buildings, declaring them obsolete and subsequently demolishing the project seeks to establish an ethos of revaluing, through retention and transformation, shifting the current narrative of urban development within Stockport to produce a rich ensemble of buildings that proudly document a gradual evolution of place. In order to achieve this aim, there are two aspects to the thesis which must be interrogated, the approach to the urban fabric and the democratic process which drives development.
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Implementing an Alternative Approach
Vibrant & Varied Landscape
Reuse of exisitng buildings
Driven by urban inahbitants
Lack of Community Input
Gentrification
Lost sense of place & identity
Redevelopment
Demolition
Obsolete
Architectural Taste
Use
Urban Change
New Technology
Alternative Trajectory
Homogenous Architecture
Figure 56 - Implementing an alternative approach to urban redevelopment from the bottom up.
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01- An Alternative Approach to the Urban Fabric
01
02
03
01 Building in Use 02 ‘Obsolete’ Building 03 Renovation
04
04 Building in Reuse
Alternative Approach 01 or
Alternative Approach 02 (When approach 01 is not viable) 01 Building in Use 02 Building in Ruin 03 Redundant Materials 04 Materials in Reuse
01
02
03
04
Figure 57 - An alternative approach to the urban fabric, in which the obsolescence is denied in order to respond to the climate emergency, by treasuring materials. The result from such an approach would also result in a varied urban landscape, a palimpsest within the town.
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Sites for Exploration
euse al R
eri Mat
Bu
ildi
ng
Reu s
e
euse Material R Building Reuse
se
u Re ing
ild
Bu
i
g ldin
Bu
Bui
e
us Re
ldin
gR euse
Figure 58 - Potential sites for the implementation of an alternative approach 63
02 - Democratic Drivers of an Alternative Response
In 2018, a councillor census received a response rate of,
15%
Gender of Councillors in England - LGA Councillors Census 100% 75%
M
50%
F
25% Age of Councillors in England LGA Councillors Census 70 + 26%
60-69 31%
50-59 22% 40-49 11% 40 > 10%
0%
2004
2006
2008
‘‘The average councillor in England is 59, white and probably called David or John.’’
2010
2013
2018
Ethnicity of Councillors and the Population 100%
BAME
White
75% 50% 25% 0% Population Councillors
Figure 59 - Councillor demographics of those within local government demonstration a distinct lack of adequate representation.
64
Henri Lefebvre and The Right to the City
In order to challenge the democratic approach currently in place the thesis will build upon the ideas of Henri Lefebvre’s concept of the right to the city. This theory expresses the need to ‘’restructure the power relations that underlie the production of urban space, fundamentally shifting control away from capital and the state and toward urban inhabitants’’ (Purcell 2002). Inhabitants of the town should be enfranchised to assist in the production of urban space allowing them to create an urban realm that is relevant to it’s residents.
Figure 60 - The current approach perpetuates a perceived lack of public ownership of the regeneration scheme, both in a physical and intellectual sense and as such this could result in a decreased level of social value being attributed to these elements.
65
The Town Hall
‘‘The town hall is historically the backdrop for urban decision making’’ (Beaumont 2018)
Pynx Athens
Roman Forum
Palazzo Pubblico
Figure 61 - Early examples of the town hall typology which originated in Ancient Greece before spreading across Europe and beyond..
The town hall has historically been synonymous with urban democracy and whilst these connotations still remain the town hall today is ‘’more readily associated with council taxes and parking fines than with citizenship and Democracy’’ (Rodgers 2004). Originally positioned as a resource to the people, this civic architecture offered an abundance of public facilities, as depicted in figure 62. However as democratic structures and methods of governance have shifted so has the relationship of the town hall with the public.
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Functions and Features of the Town Hall Figure 62 - Historic Functions of the Town Hall
Civic Libraries Market Halls Clock Tower
Justice
Magistrates courtrooms Magistrates offices Prison Cells
Democracy Council Chambers Municipal offices Mayoral Reception Rooms
Assembly Grand Hall
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Town Hall Typology
The architectural representation of the town hall has often been described as a continuing reminder of the aspirations and values of place. (Rodgers 2004). Coleman’s study of London town halls demonstrates a coherent architectural language across a selection of town halls. This language is one of dominance, formality and monumentality. The classical influences of these buildings can be perceived as intimidating and perhaps unwelcoming and whilst they may generate a civic pride it should be considered whether this form encourages political participation from the public.
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Figure 63 - Town Hall Series: A London Typology by Anthony Coleman
69
Design for Democracy
Figure 64 - The spatial arrangement of the democratic spaces within a town hall provides an insight into the type of democracy and governance that is practiced, with layouts such as the horseshoe or semi-circle perceived as the most democratic.
Sem
i-
oe
esh
rs Ho
Cla
ssr
oo
m
lar
cu
Cir Op
po
70
site
Cir
cle
On the periphery of politics
Street
Entrance
Gallery
Gallery
Meeting Hall
Observational / Public Participation / Private
Figure 65 - An engrained separation between the political and the public with the community on the periphery of the decision making. They can observe but not impact.
71
Stockport’s Town Hall
Figure 66 - Stockport’s town hall embodies many of the characteristics we associated with civic architecture, the monumentality and dominance of the form make a large impact on the townscape.
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To wn
H
all
Th
eu
nd
erb
an
ks
Me
rse yw ay
A Geographical Separation of the People and Politics.
Figure 67 - The town hall towers above the high street, Stockport’s steep topography reinforcing the dominant architectural language.
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Project Timeline
Taking influence from the in-residence methodology of the studio, the thesis envisions a new form of civic architecture within Stockport, embedded throughout the retail core and ending the separation of the political and everyday life. It’s evolution can be documented as both during and after the realisation of the thesis project.
Brief 02 A temporary intervention
Time of Thesis A testbed for democracy within the high street
Beyond the Thesis A spine of democracy amongst the high street
Figure 68 - A proposed project timeline.
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Manifestation of The Approach Throughout The Town
Figure 69 - Embracing the ruin. A temporary solution amongst the decay Figure 70 & 71 - Transforming the existing
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Brief
Building on Lefebvre’s ‘Right to the city’ the thesis proposes a reimaged town hall, one in which inhabitants of the town play a central role within the urban decision making. Whilst this new approach seeks to challenge and restructure the current hierarchical approach it doesn’t propose to reinvent it in its entirety, instead facilitating a collaboration between the municipality and the people. Inhabitants will be offered a seat at the table of democracy, empowered to impact not only observe.
The Council
Stockport Residents
The Architect
The Developer Greater Manchester Combined Authority
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Figure 72 - All stakholders can work in collaboration in the production of urban space.
Precedent - The Guerrilla Neighbours
Figure 73 - Stakeholders in the Project. Figure 74 - Gathering opions City of Malmo Local Government
Malmo Residents
MKB Housing Agency
The Guerrilla Neighbours
Connectors Malmo Grassroots Organisation
“The whole point is to create a system where urban planning is really with the people who live here.� Talavera, 2015
Figure 75 - Entrance to the urban room.
Established in Malmo, this project strived to demonstrate the power of co-creation of space. This small-scale approach was trialled with a singular building offering inhabitants the opportunity to make decisions about the space with the intention that the approach could be translated to assist in the development of the wider urban realm.
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Programme
Beyond the Thesis
Brief 02
Figure 76 - Each stage of the imagined project timeline interconnects, adapting or assisting in the production of the next phase.
Urban Room
Thesis
Adapted
03
02
D
eb a
te
p elo ev
D
Development Planning Design
Urban Forumn
01
The project will form a part of the of a long-term plan to the embed a variety of democratic and civic functionality amidst the high street and as such does not need to encompass all of the functions of a traditional town hall. Each insertion along the high street will facilitate a different democratic usage. As the first step in the evolution of this series of civic spaces and at a critical point in Stockport’s spatial development it seems pertinent to establish the project as platform to that allows local residents to participate in the production of urban space and facilitate the development of the future civic spaces.
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Programme
Figure 77 - An initial programme.
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SITE
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Expanding the Site
The project will operate as a continuation of brief 02, imagining the next stage within its evolution. The site presents an opportunity to demonstrate that the building is not obsolete as currently declared by the council. As the site is reimagined once more, further analysis must be undertaken in order to understand the site in response to its newly proposed usage building upon the analysis undertaken from brief 02. Alongside this site, the adjacent collapsed building shall be incorporated within the proposals, expanding the capacity of an otherwise small site and presenting the opportunity to engage with both alternative approaches to the urban fabric, as proposed in the previous chapter.
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Figure 78 - Street Elevation of the Underbank, with chosen sites highlighted
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Site History - 29 - 35 Little Underbank
Figure 79
Figure 80
Figure 81 Figure 79 , 80, 81 - Historic photographs and drawings of 35 Little Underbank before it was demolished and replaced in the 1960’s.
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The Sites Today
Figure 82
Figure 83
Figure 84
Figure 82 , 83 & 84 - Selected sites in their current condition.
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Exploring An Architectural Approach
Establishing A Potential Design Strategy Design Strategy 01 Re-establishing the tightness of the street on Mealhouse Brow Design Strategy 02 Utilisation of the extreme levels on the site to create multiple points of access. Design Strategy 03 Open up to the street, embrace an ethos of transparency and approachability - the antithesis of the town hall. Design Strategy 04 Extensions above the existing, increasing the height to the level of those adjacent.
Design Strategy 05 Celebration of the legacy of ruin - reusing existing materials where possible.
01 + 02
Figure 85 - A drawn investigation on site, exploring a potential architectural language.
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Exploring An Architectural Approach
03 + 04
05
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Next Steps
NEXT STEPS
Define and Develop the programme Explore design propositions through 1:1 modelling Further interrogate a vision for the a re-imagined town hall across the town. Explore the environmental and technology implications of the chosen alternative approach to the urban fabric. Experiment with architectural responses in regard to the historic context of the site.
Figure 88 - The continuation of the project.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abramson, D., (2016). Obsolescence: An Architectural History. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. BBC,. (2019). UK Results: Conservatives Win Majority. BBC. [Viewed 6 January]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000969 Beaumont, E., (2018). Paint the town in red: Ledeberg municipal services centre in Ghent, Belgium, by de Vylder Vinck Taillieu. The Architectural Review. 246(1452), 28-35. Beigel, F., (2003). Time Architecture. London: London Metropolitan University. Bolton, R., (1911) Building for Profit: Principles Governing the Economic Improvement of Real Estate. New York: The Devinne Press. Cairns, S. and Jacobs, J., (2014). Buildings Must Die: A Perverse View of Architecture. Cambridge: MIT Press. Cohen de Lara, M. and Mulder van der Vegt, D., (2016). Parliament. Netherlands: Imprint Uknown. Eriksen, L., (2015). A Glimpse into the Future of City Halls. The Guardian [online]. 18 March. Updated 18 March 2015, 13:30. [Viewed 7 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/mar/18/futurecity-halls-malmo-tallinn-communities-power Fraser, M., (2013). Introduction. In: M. Fraser, ed(s). Design Research in Architecture: An Overview. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing. pp 1-14. Great Britain. Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government., (2018). Policy Paper: Future High Streets Fund [online]. London: Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. [Viewed 6 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/future-high-streets-fund/future-high-street-fund Greater Manchester Combined Authority., (2017). Our People Our Place. Manchester: Greater Manchester Combined Authority. Groat, L. and Wang, D., (2013). Architectural Research Methods. 2nd ed. New Jersey: Wiley. Hatherley, O., (2019). Changing Places: Reuse of Obsolescent Buildings in South London. The Architectural Review. (1458), 77-79.
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Koolhaas, R., (2011). Cronocaos. Log [online]. 21, 199-123. [Viewed 16 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41765406?seq=1 Lefebvre, H., (1991) The production of space. Oxford: Blackwell. Local Government Association., (2018). National census of local authority councillors 2018. London: Local Government Association. Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government., (2019). ÂŁ1 billion Future High Streets Fund expanded to 50 more areas. Gov UK. [Viewed 6 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/1-billionfuture-high-streets-fund-expanded-to-50-more-areas Mollard, M., (2019). Form Follows Failure. The Architectural Review. (1458), 3. Moneo, R., (1978). On Typology. Opposition. 13, 22-45. Moore, R., (2018). After the retail apocalypse, what next for the high street? The Guardian [online]. 1 December. Updated 1 December 2018, 16:00. [Viewed 27 December 2019]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/dec/01/everything-must-go-what-next-for-the-high-street-new-retailempty-shops Office for National Statistics., (2019). High Streets in Great Britain. Office for National Statistics. [Viewed 8 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/articles/h ighstreetsingreatbritain/2019-06-06 Padhilla, E. and Tsutsumi, M. eds., (2013) The Laundry Room Book. London: The Everyday Press. Purcell, M., (2002). Excavating Lefebvre: The right to the city and its urban politics of the inhabitant. GeoJournal [online]. 58(2), 99-108. [Viewed 6 January 2020]. Available from: https://faculty.washington.edu/mpurcell/geojournal.pdf Rodgers, B., (2004). Reinventing the Town Hall: A Handbook. London: Institute for Public Policy Research. Rossi, A., (1982) Architecture of the City. Cambridge: MIT Press. Sharples, J., (2019). Studio Summary. Sheffield: Sheffield School of Architecture. Simpson, E., (2019). High Street: How many UK shops have closed. BBC. [Viewed 8 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-49349703
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Statham, N., (2019). Business owners fearing for their future due to 'urban village' plans [online]. Manchester Evening News. [Viewed 20 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greatermanchester-news/business-owners-fearing-future-due-16993667 Statham, N., (2019). Stockport museum staff put on redundancy notice fear controversial cuts are 'done deal' [online]. Manchester Evening News. [Viewed 20 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/stockport-museum-staff-putredundancy-17210476 Talavera, J., (2015). World’s first crowdsourced living room opens in Sweden. Skoll Foundation Archives. [Viewed 24 January 2020]. Available from: http://archive.skoll.org/2015/02/11/worlds-first-crowdsourced-living-room-opensin-sweden/ Tate., (2020). Rachael Whiteread [online]. Tate. [Viewed 20 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/rachel-whiteread-2319 Vissman, C., (2001). The Love of Ruins. Perspectives on Science. 9(2), 196-209. Wainwright, D., (2019). Council elections: 'Not enough' women and minorities stand. BBC. [Viewed 20 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47947867 Wainwright, O., (2020). The case for ... never demolishing another building [online]. The Guardian. [Viewed 15 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2020/jan/13/the-case-for-never-demolishinganother-building
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IMAGE REFERENCES All Images produced by the author or Studio Palace of Reason unless stated below,
Figure 2: Canaletto,. (1742). Padua: The Palazzo della Ragione [Digital Image]. [Viewed 18 December 2019]. Available from: https://www.rct.uk/collection/907503/padua-the-palazzo-della-ragione Figure 9 : Extracted from. Rossi, A., (1982) Architecture of the City. Cambridge: MIT Press. Abramson, D., (2016). Obsolescence: An Architectural History. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Cairns, S. and Jacobs, J., (2014). Buildings Must Die: A Perverse View of Architecture. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Figure 10: Arkhi., (2017) Subterranean House [Digital Image]. [Viewed 20 January 2020]. Available from: http://arkhi.co.uk/ Figure 30: Balin House Project., (2013). The Laundry Room [Digital Image]. [Viewed 16 January 2020]. Available from: https://balinhouseprojects.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/the-laundry-room-close-up-images/ Figure 31: Matta-Clarke, G., (1975). Conical Intersect [Digital Image]. [Viewed 16 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.artforum.com/print/previews/200701/gordon-matta-clark-12276 Figure 36: Cowan, P., (1963). Functional Obsolescence [Digital Image]. [Viewed 25 January 2020]. Available from: http://www.grahamfoundation.org/grantees/5127-obsolescence-an-architectural-history Figure 44: Extracted from, Architecture M., (2017). Design and Access Statement. Manchester: Architecture M. Figure 47: Extracted from, Koolhaas, R., (2011). Cronocaos. Log [online]. 21, 199-123. [Viewed 16 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.jstor.org/stable/41765406?seq=1
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Figure 48 & 49 : Unknown., (2019). Stockport West [Digital Image]. [Viewed 20 January 2020]. Available from: https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/masterplan-for-stockport-town-centre-west-revealed/ Figure 54: Authors own adapted from, Price, C., (1963-1966). Master Diagram [Digital Image]. [Viewed 8 January 2020]. Available from: https://discoversociety.org/2014/07/01/the-thinkbelt-the-university-that-never-was/ Figure 60: Unknown., (No Date). About the Old Town [Digital Image]. [Viewed 20 January 2020]. Available from: https://stockportoldtown.co.uk/about-us/ Figure 61: Unknown., (No Date). The Pynx [Digital Image]. [Viewed 12 January 2020]. Available from: http://antares-labs.eu/pnyx/ Figure 63: Coleman, A., (2018). Town Hall Series: A London Typology [Digital Image]. [Viewed 6 January 2020]. Available from: http://www.anthonycoleman.com/projects-site/town-hall-series-a-london-typology Figure 74 & 75: Connectors Society., (2015) Guerrilla Neighbours [Digital Image]. [Viewed 12 January 2020]. Available from: http://connectorsmalmo.com/?reqp=1&reqr=
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APPENDIX
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Alternative approaches to tackle obsolescence
Kisho Kurokawa - Nakagin Capsule Tower Regeneration through short-life elements
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Louis Kahn - Salk Institute Interior flexibility
Farrell & Grimshaw Architects - Herman Miller Factory. Exterior Adaptability.
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