I-Chen Yeh Portfolio GSA-1

I-CHEN YEH

REVITALIZATION via URBAN PARK

M.Arch (Taught)

Glasgow School of Art

2011.09~2012.09

Mackintosh School of Architecture

Pathway: Urban Design

Tutor: Robert Mantho

City of Glasgow

Urban design studio group work for producing documentation of the city of Glasgow on an urban context to identify the various developments in the city, and further synthesize the data to create an integrated framework for its evolution.

City of Glasgow

-History of Glasgow-

From the 18th century, Glasgow has been connected to the world’s trading routes. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, busy docks and ship yards along the River Clyde made it one of Europe’s major cities. Social philosophers and innovative engineers from Glasgow’s universities were at the forefront of progressive thinking which continues to influence the world today. And at the start of the 21st century, significant investment has transformed the banks of the Clyde, attracting new industries and new energy into the city centre.

Glasgow was hit hard by the decline of the traditional industries. During the second half of the twentieth century, almost all the ship yards closed down and many Scots left the country to create a new life as far away as America, New Zealand or South Africa.

The area around Glasgow has hosted communities for millennia, with the River Clyde providing a natural location for fishing. The Romans later built outposts in the area and, to keep Roman Britannia separate from the Celtic and Pictish Caledonia, constructed the Antonine Wall, remains of which can still be seen in Glasgow today. Glasgow itself was founded by the Christian missionary Saint Mungo in the 6th century. He established a church on the Molendinar Burn, where the present Glasgow Cathedral stands, and in the following years Glasgow became a religious centre.

-Investment in GlasgowProperty as an Investment

Over the last 40 years, UK residential property has increased in value by an average of 11% per annum and in the last decade has out-performed other asset classes such as equities, gold and funds. an increasing number of people now regard property as the most viable alternative to providing for their pensions. a recent study by the prudential showed that 55% of people aged 25-34 and 40% of those aged 35-54 are now looking at property investment to provide them with an income in retirement

2014 Commonwealth Games Glasgow

Glasgow’s bid to host the £300 million Commonwealth Games in 2014 has also been successful. Previous host cities have enjoyed a significant increase in property prices as a result of the ‘games effect’; in the five years prior to the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, property prices in the area increased by 102% compared with an average of 52% in the North West and 83% across the UK. in addition to the expected uplift in property values, the Glasgow games will also create around 2,000 new jobs and generate an estimated £56 million in revenue for the city.

Investing in Glasgow

Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city and contributes around £13 billion to the Scottish economy each year. the city’s popularity as a business location has grown significantly and today it is one of the UK’s leading knowledge-based economies; key sectors include finance, business services, media, broadcasting and education. total employment in the city has reached 420,000 and in the last decade Glasgow’s jobs base grew at nearly twice the average rate for Scotland and Britain.

Much of Glasgow’s economic success can be attributed to its large population of highly-skilled employees - almost 2 million people of working age live within 1 hour’s commute of the city centre. Glasgow’s four universities are internationally renowned centres for teaching and research and have a student population of 85,000. almost 40% of graduates enter the city’s workforce upon completion of their studies and a further 17% find employment in the surrounding metropolitan area.

Property prices in Glasgow have doubled in the last seven years. The expansion of Glasgow’s knowledge-based economy continues to attract graduates and young professionals; 35% of Glasgow residents are aged 20 to 39 and single person households represent two-thirds of the city’s population, making it an excellent location for buy-to-let property investment.

George Square in 1890s

City of Glasgow

-Land Use-

-Build Morphology-

The Site

The city of Glasgow is an old industrial city in Scotland. It grew vigorously once during 19th to 20th century for the industrial exportation, but declined after 1970 because of the retreat of industrial production and economic gloom. Now Glasgow City is the largest city in Scotland and is a city famous of its historical architecture, stylish atmosphere, and value of art in the city. However, there are still many places that are in urgent need of improvement.

The Site

-Sites in city centre that have opportunities to be improved-

1. Redevelopment of St. Enoch Square & precincts

St. Enoch Square lies at an important junction providing a link between Buchannan street and the riverfront. This link though in existence is not utilised as the square in its present form doesn’t attract much population through it. The redevelopment would create a new square and surrounding built form, which would help enhance the public space all around it.

2. Redevelopment of Tradeston & Kingston Dock Area (South Side)

The site is right opposite the Gala casino present on the Renfield street on the south site. The area is called Kingston dock and Tradeston. This site holds negligibility of a developed space and holds a very strong strength for improvement. It has 3 major routes of mere importance linked to it which are Central station, the river Clyde & the M8.

3. Regeneration of the Glasgow Gorbals along the riverfront

An area of potential high quality open space borders the River Clyde has the opportunity to improve the usage of the space in addition to connecting the City Centre to the Gorbals and river. Improving the Amenity Space and Green Corridors will link the area with the City Centre and River Clyde while improving the appeal for the public. A renovating of the Carlton Place tenements into multi-use buildings for residents, retail, and offices. An outdoor space for the residents of the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice will be created in addition to an open theater and café/ticket structure for the public. This space will utilize the River Clyde with water activities and create inviting open space adjacent to the river. The open space will be utilized throughout the day by all ages.

4. Revitalisation of the Glasgow Green riverfront

As the number of waterfront projects are increasing because of city growing at the present pace, and that almost one third of the population of the city is in a continuous network of urban communities around the Clyde valley, hence to revitalise the waterfront in Glasgow green which is under used is proposed. The proposal would involve creating new ventures which would make it a well utilised space.

5. Revitalisation of the Blythswood Square

Blythswood Square is a whole grid of a space in the city centre grid of Glasgow which is a private green space surrounded by public & private buildings. The square can help revitalise the urban context all around if access to it can be provided to the public and furthermore certain public functions be attached to it.

6. Revitalisation of the George Square

George Square is a very important public space in the city. Its acts as an interchange between the city centre and the merchant city. In its present form, the square remains inactive for the majority of the days as there is no specific function attached to it and also, since it is surrounded on all four sides by heavy private & bus transportation links, it further restricts people movement. A revitalisation plan would solve the heavy transportation problem existing and also create an all year round plan for different functions in and around the square.

7. Urban renewal of the Garscube Landscape link

Rethinking of the urban renewal of the Garscube landscape linkage which connects the Cowcaddens pedestrian movement to the Garscube road under the M8 to cater the pedestrian movement in a more active & attractive way.

8. Revitalization of the southern part of Merchant City Merchant City used to be the heart of Glasgow city centre, but after the commercial core moved to west, it becomes an abandoned area with few commercial activities and some residential buildings.

The Site

Glasgow City Centre

Pedestrian area in Glasgow city centre.

Site

New public space

Current commercial areas

Southern bank areas

Glasgow Green

A Linkage

This site is located at a linkage point in city centre. It can connect to current commercial centres, Glasgow Green, and the southern bank areas. Setting a new public space in the site is an implement to make the linkage work and revitalize this area.

The Site

-Transportation System-

People use Argyle Street from Central Station to King Street a lot because of the successful commercial activities along this part of the street. But going the east part of King Street, the amount of users declines evidently because of the shops stop developing here. Commercial activities are transformed from bigger brands at Argyle Street into small and stylish shops in the southern alleys. Going south to the centre of the site we could barely find commercial activities, only face a lot of parking lots and the backside of surrounding buildings. Keep going south will meet the riverfront, where has a wide but inactive pedestrian walkway.

-1 km Area-

Size about 1 km by 1 km corresponds to a comfortable walking distance. Most people are willing to walk about a kilometer at any given time, but not much more.

This drawing shows 1 km walkable area based on the new square as the centre.

Concept

After understanding the site, analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of it, start to compose the idea of design, the intention I wish to achieve to improve the site.

Concept

-A Crucial Node in City Centreto lead people from current activity areas to Glasgow Green and potential areas along the riverbank

-Important Nodes in City Centre-

The relationships between important nodes, pedestrian areas, activity centres and the site.

Concept

Problems of the site:

1. Many abandoned alleys and wastelands.

2. Declined commercial activities and people.

3. A potential space at the centre of the site is occupied by a large parking lot, and there are already a lot of parking lots in the site.

4. The potential space faces the backside of most of the surrouding buildings.

Opportunities of the site:

1. The former railway is planned to be reopened in the future.

2. The site can provide a potential public space which can lead people to Glasgow Green.

3. A public space where various recreational activities such as walking, cycling, roller skating, skateboarding, or sitting happen.

4. Little streets can become attractive art areas. They can cater to a great variety of functions: small shops, restaurants, galleries, workshops.

5. A linkage that links the city centre, Glasgow Green, southern bank, and Merchant City together.

Concept

-Proposal-

1. Replacing the main parking lot by a civic space, an urban park: The proposed public space can be the linkage which connects the commercial core, Merchant City, Glasgow Green, and riverside areas together. It can provide a space for recreational activities, such as walking, cycling, exercising, or sitting. The surrounding areas still provide a lot of parking lots therefore the elimination of the main parking lot in the site will not bring a drastic impact to motorists.

2. Setting a train station at the first floor on Kings Court: The former railway will be reopened in the future. Setting a station here provides an opportunity to invite people to the proposed urban park.

Concept

City Centre Linkages

Concept

-Objectives-

1. Covert the urban park from car space to an attractive and well-used people space.

2. Reduce parking lots and increase public spaces for civic activities.

3. Extend commercial activities from Buchanan Street and Argyle Street to Merchant City.

4. Extend civic activities from city centre to Glasgow Green and River Clyde.

5. Improve the commercial and civic activities in this area by setting itself as an art centre.

6. Provide a visial and functional link between the city centre and water.

7. Make Glasgow become a city that has good mixture of streets for moving and squares for resting.

St. Enochs Shopping Centre

Train Station

Railway

St. Enoch Square

I-Chen Yeh

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