(Re)Placement | Procuring Permanence in the City by Caitlin_MacLeod

(RE) PLACEMENT

PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY DESIGNREPORT CaitlinMacLeod|s1440163 ARCH11069

(RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

CONTENTS

00 01

ABSTRACT+STRUCTURE

THENEWTOWN:

THEOPENCITY:

BUILDINGANDDWELLING:

04 05 06

1.1 1.2 1.3

THEEMPTYINGCITY DEGREESOFVACANCY RE-PLACE

2.1 2.2 2.3

CITYOFBUNKERS SUPPORTSTRUCTURES RE-INTEGRATE

3.1 3.2 3.3

PLACEANDSPACE FINS,FACADE,ENCASEMENT RE-USE

CONCLUSIONS+REFLECTIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDICES

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00 ABSTRACT

00 //

ABSTRACT (Re)Placement: ProcuringPermanenceintheCityaimstoidentifyandutiliseaperceived condition of ‘emptiness’ in the NewTown to create a vibrant, diverse and socially sustainablecommunitycentredintheheart of thecityof Edinburgh, inresponsetoalack of current communityprovision, alowresident populationandacurrent skewtowards consumerandtourist-basedinterests. Theprojectseizesuponpre-existingchallengesthat havebeenacceleratedbytheeffectsof theCOVID-19pandemic, suchasthewidespread closingof highstreet retail unitsandtheabandonment of luxuryAirbnbs, andseeksto turntheseintoopportunitiesfor housing, leisureandworkprovision, withafocusonreintegratingandaccommodatingtheneeds of Edinburgh’s most vulnerablepopulations, suchasthehomeless. Theproject issupportedbyextensiveresearchinthefieldsof urbanplanning, anddraws upontheknowledgeof figuressuchasJaneJacobs, RichardSennett andProfessor Tim Rienietstotest sustainableandprogressivesolutionstotheerosionof theNewTown’s social andurbanfabric, attemptingto‘re-place’apreviouslydis-placedpopulation.Thisled totheformationofaguidingframeworkfortheprogrammaticconfigurationforthedesign, whichwastocentreonmixed-usedevelopment for adiversedemographicof residents anduser groups. Theresultingproposal for acombinedmarket hall, homeless support hubandresidential accommodationoccupiesthesiteof aformer department storeon PrincesStreet, andutilisesitsexistingstructural elementstoreduceconstructionwasteas faraspossible.Inthiswaytheprojectaimsto‘procurepermanence,’ notjustforvulnerable individualsseekinglong-termsolutionstohomelessness, but bythinkingintermsof the full life-cycleof ‘empty’ buildings, buildinglong-termNeighbourhoodresilience. ‘..the alternative to monoculture in the built environment is a collaging of different buildingtypes, peopleandactivities, whichmayappear visuallyandsociallyamess, but inthelongrun will provemoreresilient thanasingle-speciesenvironment.’ -RichardSennett, BuildingandDwelling: EthicsfortheCity

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REPORTSTRUCTURE Thereport is dividedintothreemainsections; TheNewTown, TheOpenCity and BuildingandDwelling. Thesections arenot organisedchronologically throughthe stepsof thedesignprocess, but rather exploreconcernsat adecreasingsequence of scales, fromtheconditionsof theNewTownandwider citytothefinal building proposal onthesiteof theformerBHSDepartmentStoreon64PrincesStreet. Extensivestudyof urbanplanningwritingandresearchwascoretothedevelopment of thevaluesandmotivationsbehindtheproject, andassuchmuchof thereport is structuredaroundprinciples of urbanplanningexaminedthroughquotes from academicsandprofessionalsinthefield,andrespondedtoinmyownwork. Eachsectionconcludeswithacoreprinciplefortheprojectwhichdirectlyrespondsto achallengepreviouslyexploredinthesection, andoutlineshowit will beaddressed throughthedesignproposal, asfollows: DIS-PLACE/RE-PLACE DIS-INTEGRATE/RE-INTEGRATE DIS-USE/RE-USE Left: Final proposal longsection,original drawing

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01 //

THENEWTOWN The NewTown, built between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, functions as Edinburgh’s city centre. Whilemainly populatedwithretail andbusiness units today withalowdensityresident population(PopulationEstimatesSummary, statistics.gov. scot), documentssuchasthe1752“Proposalsfor carryingonCertainPublicWorksin theCityof Edinburgh” pamphlet demonstrates, accordingtoanumber of 20thcentury scholars, that ‘theNewTownwasoriginallyintendedtobeanexclusiveresidential area forScotland’selitetolivein’(Lewis, 2006,p.4). Otherdocuments, outlinedinDr. Anthony Lewis in his 2006 PH.D.Paper The Builders of Edinburgh’s NewTown1767-1795 are showntosupportthis-that‘thereweretobenoshopsintheNewTown,nomarkets, no business,’ that it was‘plannedasaresidential area, withnoprovisionforshops.’ (Lewis, 2006, p.5). Ofcoursethis, too, shiftedintime, andthemodernNewTownbecamethe city’scentrefor commerce, particularlyPrincesStreet, functioningastheEdinburgh’s retail highstreet. However, this periodof the NewTown’s identity as a shoppingdestinationmay be meetingitsownend. Evenprior totheonset of theCovid-19global pandemicinearly 2020, theareawasseeingnotablehighstreet closuressuchastheBHSdepartment store, with less retail units opening up to take their place (Scotsman, 2018). The pandemichasonlyacceleratedthisdeclineinthepast year, not onlyinEdinburgh, but acrossthenation- ‘Nearlyoneinsixshopslyingempty,’ theBBCreportedafortnight priortothetimeof writing(BBC,2021). Adaptivere-useisintegral tothehistoryof theNewTown,andassuchthisprojectaims toprovidearesponsetothe‘emptying’of theNewTownwhichiscurrentlytakingplace byprovidingapotential next stepintheevolutionof theNewTown: thecreationof a community-focused‘NewTownNeighbourhood’whichre-usesexisting,emptyunits.

Left: NewTowncommunitycouncil area, original drawing

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01THENEWTOWN/THEEMPTYINGCITY

01 // THENEWTOWN

THEEMPTYINGCITY ‘Urbanwastelands provideus withtheopportunity tomake cities denser, sothat they canaccommodatetherisingnumber of peoplemovingtourbanareas seeking opportunitiesandabetterlife.Migrationtocitiesisatrendthatcanbeobservedall over theworld, andcitiesarerunningout of space. Spatial availabilityhasthusbecome aseriouschallengeandhasresultedinmodernsettlementissueslikegentrification.’

-AnjaGraner, ‘Integratingabandonedspacesinurbanplanning,’ Urbanet

‘Some3,954[vacant andderelict] sitesmakeuparound43squaremilesof Scotland’s land–almosttwicethesizeof Dundee–andthefigureshavenotchangedsubstantially sincethelate1990s’

-JamieMann,‘Legal overhaul urgedtotackleScotland’sderelictland andbuildings,’ TheFerret

Asmentioned, theCovid-19pandemichasdealt adevastatingblowtoBritain’salready struggling high streets, and Edinburgh’s is no exception - in fact, Glasgowand Edinburghwerereportedtobethecitieswiththesharpestdeclineinretail footfall across theUKpriortothenationwidelockdownlast year(Lanktree, Propertyweek.com,2020). Additionally, residential unitswhichhaveinrecent yearsbeenbought upbylandlords andconvertedintoluxury Airbnbs, usually attractingyear-roundtourist tenants, lie emptyandunused.Assuchweareseeingaconditionof ‘emptying’inEdinburgh’sNew Town,adis-placementofresidentsandbusinesseswhichhasleftbehind‘gaps’, creating adisconnectedandfracturedcitycentre,aswell asposinghazardstopublichealthand safety.Howandwhydowerespondtoaconditionof emptinessinthecity? Left: Imagefromarticle, ‘PrincesStreet Edinburghclosedascrewbattleblazeinformer Debenhamsstore’HeraldOnline, 19thApril 2021

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01THENEWTOWN/THEEMPTYINGCITY

Edinburgh NewTown // piqsels 13

01THENEWTOWN/THEEMPTYINGCITY (RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

‘Abandonedareasmostlydepict fracturesinthehistoryof cities, for instance Anotherformof ‘gap’uncoveredduringthecourseof thisresearchistemporal thedeclineof anentireindustry.’ - AnjaGraner, ‘Integratingabandoned innature, betweentheoriginal Georgianarchitectureof Princes Street and spaces,’ Urbanet subsequent Victorian and Edwardian replacements, and its modernist neighbours erected between the 1960s and 70s. This came about as the ‘Councils, buildingoperatorsandownerswereurgedtoovercomea“culture result of acontroversial decisionbythe‘PrincesStreet Panel’ inthe1960sto of neglect” whichcriticssayhasallowedbuildingstofall intodisuseand demolishthebuildingsofPrincesStreetandreplacethemwithuniform-height dereliction – an issue likely to be accelerated by post-Covid-19 closures.’ four-storeybrutaliststructures, ‘withapedestrianwalkwayabovetheground - JamieMann, ‘Legal overhaul urgedtotackleScotland’s derelict landand floor theoretically doubling the pedestrian-accessible retail space on the buildings,’ TheFerret street.’ (Cusack, 2010). Thedecisiontodemolishratherthanre-usetheexisting buildingswasascontroversial thenasnow,andassuchthisareaof research, WHATARE‘GAPS?’ of theforcedcreationof atemporal ‘gap,’ informedalater-developedstrategy Abandoneddepartment stores andsmaller retail units, empty Airbnbflats of re-useforthedesignproposal. and at-risk heritage buildings awaiting renovation or demolition: these formthe‘gaps’ referencedthroughout this study whichtheandwhichthe Early-stage research into this condition of ‘emptiness’ in the NewTown designproposal seeks toutilise and‘fill’ inthe formationof a NewTown involvedthestudyof articlesandpublishedpiecesonretail closureswithin Neighbourhood. Theselectionof thesespecificareasof focuswasinformed thearea, particularlyPrincesStreet, andtheAtRiskBuildingsRegisteronline, byadesiretoinvestigatephenomenawhichwerealreadyerodingtheurban aswell asconsiderableandextensiveresearchintotheusagetrendsof highfabricof Edinburgh’sNewTown, but whichwereundoubtedlyexacerbatedby useAirbnbapartmentsviaonlinedatabaseInsideAirbnb. theonsetof thepandemicandadeclineinconsumerismandtourism.

At-risk heritage building: St Andrews Square // Flickr

At-risk heritage building: Former Clydesdale Bank, George Street// Buildings at Risk

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Hector Russell // Flickr

BHSDepartment Store // CDAGroup Architects

Jenners Department Store // Wikimedia Commons

01THENEWTOWN/THEEMPTYINGCITY

Debenhams // Edinburgh Live

Cath Kidston // Foursquare

HSBCBank // Edinburgh Live

Prominent retail units onEdinburgh’s Princes Street which sawpermanent closure either just prior to or during the eventsof the2020global Covid-19Pandemic

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HIG H

NB EAIRB -US ILUNIT RETA SED

CLO

TAGE HERI ISK

AT-R

‘Airbnbclaimstobepart of the“sharingeconomy” anddisruptingthehotel industry. However, datashows that themajority of Airbnblistings inmost citiesareentirehomes, manyofwhicharerentedall yearround-disrupting housingandcommunities.’ -InsideAirbnb MAPPINGGAPS Finding data on and subsequently mapping recently, permanently closed retail units and at-risk heritage buildings was rather straightforward: the former required gathering information fromthe large volume of articles that havebeenwritten, especiallyinthepast year duringtheeventsof the pandemic, onthedeclineof retail intheNewTownandbeyond,andthelatter theaccessingof theBuildingsat Risk: RegisterforScotlandwebsite(https:// buildingsatrisk.org.uk/) forlistingsinthearea. MappingandunderstandingtheextentofthenotoriousAirbnbprobleminthe cityinvolvedanin-depthcollectionandstudyof datafromonlinedatabase ‘InsideAirbnb: Addingdatatothedebate.’ Thewebsitegathersinformation fromAirbnb’s own website to create interactive maps and spreadsheets of listings, their prices, approximate locations, host names and so forth for a selected city. Working concurrently across the interactive map and downloadedspreadsheetsofinformation,thesearchwasnarrowedtoinclude onlythosepropertieswhichfell underthefollowingcriteria; 1. Entirehomes/apartmentsavailablefor booking: Asopposedtoaresident offeringaspareroomintheirownhome 2. Highactivity: Propertieswhichhaveanoccupancyrateof 50%or above, whichdemonstratesthat thepropertyismost likelyasourceof considerable income for the host (it is worthnotingthat most entire home/apartment AirbnbsinEdinburghmeetthiscriteria) 3. Highavailability: Perhaps most important - those properties whichare available year-round to tourists. As Inside Airbnb notes, these properties ‘probablydon’thavetheownerpresent, couldbeillegal, andmoreimportantly, aredisplacingresidents.’ Again,mostEdinburghlistingsmeetthiscriteria.

Left: Sitedrawingmappingout‘gaps’ intheNew Town,original drawing,original scale1:1250atA0

ThesewerethencheckedagainstGooglemapdata(duetotheinaccuraciesof pointersontheinteractivemap)andlocationsof ‘highuse’airbnbsacrossthe NewTownweremappedalongsideclosedretail andat-riskbuildingstobuild upapictureof afracturedneighbourhoodpunctuatedby‘gaps.’

01THENEWTOWN/DEGREESOFVACANCY

01 // THENEWTOWN

DEGREESOFVACANCY ‘Therearealso40,000estimatedlong-termvacantemptyhomesinScotland,according totheScottishEmptyHomesPartnership. However, architect MalcolmFraser believes thismaybeanunderestimate, withoftenunusedflats abovehighstreet shops registeredasbusinessesratherthanresidential properties.’

-JamieMann,‘Legal overhaul urgedtotackleScotland’sderelictland andbuildings,’ TheFerret

(RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

Themappingexerciseandassociatedresearchshownonpreviouspageswasuseful in determiningtosomedegreethescaleof theproblemof ‘emptiness’ inEdinburgh’sNew Towninacurrentcontext, butsaidlittleof howthiscouldbeusedasanopportunityfor thedevelopment of anew,community-focusedNewTownNeighbourhood, theultimate motivationbehindthedesignproject. The discovery of the above quote duringthe research process prompteda kindof elevational/sectional thinking, where‘gaps’ whereexaminedingreater detail fromthe groundandconsideredinthree-dimensions. Thiswasdoneinorder todeterminethe ‘degrees of vacancy’ of theidentifiedbuildings; howmuchor littleof thebuildingis lyingempty?Dothesevacanciesexist at street-level, creatingunsightlyfrontagesout ontothestreet, oronupper-levelswheretheextentandnatureof emptiness(usuallyin residential properties) iskepthidden,tuckedawayfrompublicscrutiny?

Renovation in the NewTown // Wikimedia Commons

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Above: ‘Degreesof vacancy’ elevational study

CHOOSINGADESIGNPROPOSALSITE Prominent ‘gap’ sites (such as very high use Airbnb properties andretail unitssitedalongPrincesStreet) wereselectedfor closer studyandtheir ‘degreesof vacancy’ weredeterminedbyelevation. Originally the intention for the design proposal was to select a number sites with varying degrees and natures of vacancy to develop, forminganarchitectural strategy basedontheparticular challengesposedbytheseattributes. However, thiswassupplanted infavourof selectingasinglesitetodevelopingreaterdetail, where thewider ambitionsof theNewTownNeighbourhoodtoprovidea resilient, sustainable, vibrant newcommunitycouldbe‘tested’ at a

smaller, moreconcentratedscaleintheformof asinglemixed-use buildingproposal -thisprocesswill beexploredlaterinthereport. 64PrincesStreet, thesiteof theformer BHSDepartment Store, was ultimately selectedduetoanumber of factors, includingits total vacancy (full-height and depth), floor plan spanning Princes to Rose Street (providingopportunities for layeringof programmes), prominent locationonPrincesStreet, oppositetheScottishNational Gallery, andhistory, thelatter of whichwill betouchedupon inthe followingpagesof thisreport.

(RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY The North British &Mercantile Insurance Company, 64 Princes Street // AndrewCusack blog

01THENEWTOWN/DEGREESOFVACANCY

BHSDepartment Store, 64 Princes Street // AndrewCusack blog

64PRINCESSTREET,EDINBURGH Thesitewas formerly occupiedby theheadquarters of TheNorth British & Mercantile Insurance Company in a purpose-built EdwardianBaroquestructure, erectedin1903. Thesitewaschosen following a significant expansion of the Company, where ‘a new headquarters ontheprincipal thoroughfareof thenation’s capital seemedanappropriateexpressionof confidence.’ (Cusack, 2010). As mentioned previously, a number of buildings were slated for demolitioninthe1960s tobereplacedwithmodernist structures incorporatingaunifying, elevatedwalkway-64PrincesStreet was

thefirstofonlysevenbuildingstoundergothetransformation,andit wasreplacedwiththeBritishHomeStoresstructureseenoccupying thesitetoday. Themovewascontroversial (Perry, 2019), aswasthe demolition andreplacement of the nearby NewClubaroundthe sametime, andtothisdaytherearecallstopull downtheexisting modernist structuresandreplacethemwithbuildings‘intunewith’ theoriginals(Cusack, 2010). However, thisdesignreport takesthe approach that to end the cycle of unnecessary demolition and replacement wouldbethewiser andmoreecologicallysustainable approachinconsideringfuturedevelopment.

1967 building, long section // Edinburgh Planning

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1903 building, long section // AndrewCusack blog

01THENEWTOWN/DEGREESOFVACANCY

Initial site studies of 64 Princes Street // Original drawing Adaptivere-use,asmentioned,hasarichprecedenttobefoundEdinburgh’sNewTown,withclassical buildingsadapting theirprogrammesovertimetomeetthechangingneedsof thesocietyaroundthem.Wearealsonowaware, morethan ever, ofourresponsibilitywithintheconstructionindustrytoreducetheharmful effectsofexcessiveconstructionwaste; rigorousadaptivere-useisaneffectiveandnecessarymethodtotackletheclimateemergencyin thebuiltenvironment. Earlystudiesworkingintothesiteon64PrincesStreetthereforefocusedontheretentionofexistingstructural elements, sketchingoverdrawingslocatedthroughtheEdinburghPlanningPortal oftheoriginal planningproposalsfrom1967.This processof retentionandpreservationwill beexploredfurtherinChapter3.

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Yoga in a gated NewTown Garden // Original photograph

01THENEWTOWN/RE-PLACE

01 // THENEWTOWN

DIS-PLACERE-PLACE ‘Unused urban space remains as forgotten wasteland or gaps between buildings andother constructions. Thesespaces haveahighpotential for reconstructionand repurposingbyintegratingthemintothecommunity, andfor creatingstunning spacesbydistinguishingtheirspecificcharacter.’

-AnjaGraner, ‘Integratingabandonedspacesinurbanplanning,’ Urbanet

TheNewTownhasbeenundergoingaprocessof ‘emptying’ for sometimenow,with thegeneral declineof thehighstreet (partly duetoashift toonlineconsumerism) andthehollowingout of analready-sparsecommunityof residentsbytheseemingly uninhibited spread of high-use luxury Airbnbs. The Covid-19 pandemic has only exacerbatedandbrought thesechallengesintosharper focus; widespreadpermanent closuresof retail unitsandacompletelackof tourismduetotravel banshaveleft the citycentrefull of holes. Whilechallenging, thesetrendspresent anopportunitytore-thinkhowweapproach newdevelopment inapost-pandemiccontext. Thecitycentreisanideal locationfor thebuildingof avibrant anddiversecommunity, but thelong-term‘dis-placement’ of residentshaserodedthesocial fabricoftheNewTownconsiderably.Thisstudyproposes the‘re-placement’ of residentsandthenecessaryassociatedfacilitiestosupport them, identifyingsitesfornewdevelopmentintheformof aforementioned‘gaps’, buildinginto existingvacantretail unitsandbuyingbackhigh-useAirbnbs(viaCPOfromtheCouncil) fromtheirunofficial landlords. Theselecteddesignon64PrincesStreet, expandedupon inlater chapters, aimstodistil thevaluesof thisproposedNewTownNeighbourhood and strategies for heterogeneous, ‘collaged’ living in a single, mixed-use building proposal -‘amixof classesandfunctions.. plannedtointegratespacesandhouses, and peopletogether’ asDrAnthonyLewisdescribestheNewTownitself initsearliestdays.

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02 //

THEOPENCITY ‘Cities enable social encounter, collaboration, and solidarity. They are vast pools of knowledge, ideas, andinformation; they offer perspectives of personal and collective visions andtheycanoffer thefreedomneededfor emancipation and personal fulfilment. If therewereacitydevoidof theobstaclesthat areimpedingthe urbanlivelihoodof somany, acitythatcouldprovideall of itsinhabitantsaccesstothe concentratedmultitudeof opportunitiestheyhaveat their disposal, it couldbecalled anOpenCity.’

-TimRieniets, OpenCity: DesigningCoexistence

Acentral focusof thedesignprojectbecametheimportanceof mixed-usedevelopment, oncollagingandoverlappingprogrammesanduser groups-inSennett’swords, what ‘mayappear visuallyandsociallyamess, but inthelongrunwill provemoreresilient thanasingle-speciesenvironment’ (Sennett, 2018). Asmentioned,thereisprecedentfor thisintheNewTown’shistoryasevidencedinDrAnthonyLewis’ thesis, wherethearea accommodated‘amixtureof nobles, middleclasses, tradesmen, servantsandtourists livingsidebyside’ (Lewis, 2006). Theaimistoachievean‘OpenCity’ asdescribedby Professor TimRienietsinthepassageabove, inorder that amoresociallysustainable andresilient communitymight beachievedinthepreviouslyconsumer-focusedNew Town. Folded into this is the intention to provide for Edinburgh’s most vulnerable populationsinalong-termmanner, ‘procuringpermanence’ for thoseseekingit, such ashomelessindividualsandrefugees-themannerinwhichthislevel ofsupportwill be designedintoarchitectural interventionswill beexpandeduponinthischapter. Left: RoseStreet, Edinburgh(Flickr)

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02 // THEOPENCITY

CITYOFBUNKERS ‘..there are two concepts competing on the market. The first is aimed at absolute spatial transparency, illumination, andthe abolition of all possible hidingplaces; a pervertedOpenCity, sotospeak, wherespatial opennessisnot ameansof collective experienceandtogetherness, butapreconditionforubiquitousobservation..Thesecond concept isthereverseof thefirst; it triestogenerate security throughopacity andencapsulation, byisolatinggroupswithcommoninterestsinenclosedand controlledspaces. Thisconcept wouldleadtoa“city of bunkers”..that treatsall formsof spatial opennessasariskfactor.’

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-Michael Zinganel, OpenCity: DesigningCoexistence

TheNewTown, initscurrent state, ismoreakintothe‘Cityof Bunkers’ asdescribed byMichael Zinganel thanit istotheheterogeneousandinclusive‘OpenCity’. TheNew ClubonPrincesStreet, aprivatemembersclub,istheperfectexampleof such‘enclosed andcontrolledspaces’ whichpromoteexclusivity, opacity andsecrecy as seems to characterisetheneighbourhoodat present. Itsarchitectural conditionsof overlooking andatotal lackof street-front presence, too, areantithetical tothespatial openness andvibrancyof streetsasfavoured andpromotedbyurbanistssuchasJacobsand Sennett. Studiesof theNewClubinthisproject, examinedinthefollowingchapter, led toanextractionof material andspatial language, whilstaimingtounderstand(inorder tolater reverse) itslackof integration, asbothaninstitutionandworkof architecture, intothewiderurbanfabric.

Charity Dinner at Edinburgh’s NewClub // Lee Live on Flickr

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02THEOPENCITY/CITYOFBUNKERS

‘Here, these kinds of “private cities” are being built, promisingtheirinhabitantsalifeinsocial andphysical security, devoid of the uncertainties and disorder of contemporaryurbanlife.’

-TimRieniets, OpenCity

TheNewClubmovedtoitscurrentsiteat86PrincesStreet in1837, andsufferedthe same fate of demolitioninthe 1960s, at the wishes of the Princes Street Panel, as the BritishHomeStoresbuildingnearbyat 64PrincesStreet. TheformerGeorgianbuildingwassimilarlyreplacedwitha modernist, brutaliststructure,withsomeoriginal panelling retainedandincorporatedintothenewinterior. Exclusiveness is, of course, a coreconcept at theheart of any private members club such as this. Until very recently (2010), women were excluded frombecoming full members, andtothis day current stipulations state that ‘youmust beproposedandsecondedbytwoexisting Memberswhomyouknowwell’ (newclub.co.uk) inorder togainmembership, limitingaccesstoapool of socially well-connectedand,mostlikely,wealthyelites. Thearchitectureof thebuildingreflectsandenforcesthis conditionof exclusivityandopacity, withanunderstated, almost hidden entrance giving privacy fromthe street, whichcanbelookeddownuponfromelevatedterracesfar above.Thefacadeoverlooksratherthanmeetingthestreet, where the un-clubbable masses dwell, andthe internal workingsof theclubremainsecretandclosed-offtothem.

Archive photos of Edinburgh’s NewClub // Canmore

02THEOPENCITY/CITYOFBUNKERS (RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

LIBRARY,CASTLEROOMSTUDIES As apair, myself andShankar Mall weretaskedwithstudyingthelibrary and CastleRoom(s)oftheNewClub,withafocusonexaminingmanual-administrative conditions. Through a series of shared research tasks involving re-drawing andre-modellingspaces andaccessingarchivedatabothdrawnandwritten, we began toparse an architectural logic(s) of the spaces. These we termed ‘encasement’ and‘tethering’-of particularimportanceinthiswasthe rosewood bookcaseof theCastleRoom,withbuilt-indeskspaceandshelvingintoitsdepth givingtheappearanceof spacebeing‘carvedinto’thewall, formingan‘encased’ housingof sortsfor booksandfoliosandstudyingclubmembers. Wewerealso

interestedtouncover the contrastingspatial orderingof the series of rooms formingthelibraryandassociatedreadingandstudyrooms, andtheofficesof variousclubstaffmembers-themanual-administrativedivide. Theformerrooms areorganisedinanenfiladeformationalonganeast-west axis whichdefines almost thewholeof thestreet-facingfacadeof thethirdfloor, withviews out across Princes Street tothecastle, whiletheworkingoffices canbefoundon theother sideof thedistinctiveatriumtothe‘back’ of thebuilding, arrangedto onesideof anorth-southfacingservicecorridor andorganisedbyhierarchyof positionsheldbystaffmemberswhooccupythem.

Passage into atrium space and between study/gathering spaces deﬁned by ‘timber thresholds’

‘ENFILADE’ - Business, Card, Smoking Rooms connected along East-West axis CLUB SECRETARY’S OFFICE PA’S OFFICE CLERICAL OFFICE ASSISTANT SECRETARY’S OFFICE

‘ANCHOR’ WALL: Integrated bookshelves/desks/storage

Views out to Edinburgh Castle

Above: Early isometric studies of the manualadministrativespatialorderoftheNewClub,collaboration betweenCaitlinMacLeodandShankarMall

02THEOPENCITY/CITYOFBUNKERS (RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

Above: Bookcasedetail, original scale1:20

Wefurther exploredthis ‘tethering’ ina moreliteral sense, engagingina1:20study investigatinghowthebookcaseis ‘tethered’ tothelibrarywall, built uponasolidwoodplinth andsecuredonbracketsfastenedbacktoacavitywall, and nestledunder theacousticceilingwhich, duetoits boxing out, andtheframingof vertical elements roundtheatrium doors, givestheimpressionof thebookcasebeinghousedor ‘encased’inthewall.

City-fieldstudy (partial), collaborationbetween CaitlinMacLeodandShankarMall

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02THEOPENCITY/CITYOFBUNKERS

Study of New Club façades over time, reflecting upon prevailingconditionsof opacity, secrecyandexclusivityfrom thestreettorespondtoinfuturedesignproposal iterations.

TIMBER BOOKSHELVES/DESKS: Encased into/between thickness of concrete panels to create personalised study/work spaces (open access for homeless population of the city)

CONCRETE PANEL FACADE: Width taken from New Club concrete panels, rotated to create encased ‘nooks’

1787 Shake

1809 3 St An

drew S q.

spear

1805 5 Prin

ces St.

ENFILADE ROOMS:

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Connected work spaces

1837/ 19 84 - 87 Prince 63 s St.

ENFILADE ROOMS: Processional spaces

02 // THEOPENCITY

SUPPORTSTRUCTURES

re’s Sq .

TIMBER BOOKCASE: ‘Encased’ in wall to create inhabited/anchor wall

‘Providingsupport andbeingsupportiveimpliesnot onlybeingincontact, but being right upagainst thesubject of concern, andtakingit on-board, making common cause withit. Towork insupport alsomeans workingtowards the hypothetical disappearance of a lack, of the need for support, which are the basis for this intimacy inthefirst place: oncemore, against it.. Theimplicationof support is that of thepolitics of friendship, for togiveor receivesupport isanallegiance, and establisheswhoandwhatonecancounton.’

-CelineCondorelli, SupportStructures

BehindGlasgowCity, Edinburghwasrevealedtohavethesecondhighest populationof homelessindividualsinScotlandintheperiod2019/2020, seeinga5%increasefrom 2018/2019, andhasseena23%increaseof householdsintemporaryaccommodation duringthistime(Gov.scot, 2019/2020). Manyrough-sleepingindividualslinethestreets of theNewTownwhile, ashasbeenestablished, manyof itsbuildingslieempty- as landreformcampaigner Andy Wightman puts it, ‘Everyone in Scotlanddeserves a secure, warmhome. It’sindefensiblethat somanylieempty, andit’stimetheScottish Governmenthadthecouragetodosomethingaboutit’ (Wightman,2020).

STONE PANEL FACADE:

Rhythm, concealing + revealing views

Thepersonal desiretodevelopanantidotetotheprivacyandexclusivityof theNew Clubformedfollowingthepairedresearchworkexploredpreviously, ameansof testing theethosof theOpenCitybyapplyingandinvertinglessonslearnedfromstudyingthis particular buildinganditshistory. Thistest wastotaketheformof a‘Support Hub’ for thehomelessandvulnerablecitizensof thecity, borrowingamaterial andarchitectural languagefromtheNewClubtorealiseitsspatial andprogrammaticconfiguration. Left: Developedcity-fielddemonstratingmaterial andspatial linksbetweentheexisting NewClubonPrincesStreetandtheproposed‘SupportHub’of StAndrew’sSquare

02THEOPENCITY/SUPPORTSTRUCTURES (RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

‘Citiesarenolongerthespatial backdropagainstwhichsocial inequalitiesmay unfold..; todaythebuilt environment itself is ameans todetermine inequality. Onceit hasbeeninscribedintheurbanfabric, hastakenshape intheformof walls, buffer zones, anddead-endstreets, it isdifficult to(re-) introducespatial conditionsof theOpenCity.’ -TimRieniets, OpenCity: DesigningCoexistence PROCURINGPERMANENCE-ENCASEMENTINTHECITY Thepassageaboveisastartingpoint forthetransformationof theNewTown intoatrulyOpenCity-onewhichnot onlyprovidesavibrant andsustainable placetolive,buttacklesinjusticeandinequalityatitscore-byacknowledging the complicity of built environment professionals in perpetuating archaic, divisive and exclusionary spatial conditions in the city. This prevailing subconsciousbiastowardsopaquearchitecturemayderivefromour ‘expertdrivenseparation,’ aslandscapearchitect Walter Hoodtermsit -heurgesus insteadtoleavethisbehind,to‘becomeamemberof thecommunityinorder tounderstanditswebsof significance’and‘advocatesthatlivedspaceshould not betheoutcomeof designbut should, infact, informdesigndecisions.’ In particular, he‘focusesonthoseat themarginsof societyand, thus, rendered invisible in places, like children, the homeless, the drug addicted, and prostitutes,’ inother words, thosewhosuffer most fromour lackof inclusivedesignthinking(Hood,1997).

designandbuilding. TheFinnish, for example, haveadopteda‘HousingFirst’ model since2007,andassuchare‘theonlycountryintheEuropeanUnionwith decreasingnumbers onhomelessness’ accordingtoHousingFirst Europe’s ownstatistics. Notably, their strategies focusedonlong-term,preventative measuresandtheforegroundingof securingaplacetolive, rather thanthe temporaryapproachtosupport that wearesomewhat moreusedtointhe UK.ThefollowingarelistedasmeasurescontributingtoFinland’ssuccessin tacklingthechallengeof homelessness: 1. ‘Permanent housingbasedonanormal leaseandindividually tailored support services’ 2. ‘Increasingthesupplyof affordablerental housing’ 3. ‘New ways to support people and to improve integration in the neighbourhood’(HousingFirstEurope, 2021)

Studyingthesuccessof thismodel, aswell astheworkof ProxyAddress(who pair homelessindividualswithanaddressthroughwhichtheymight access vital servicessuchasbankingandjobapplication), ledtotherefiningof a unifyingintentionforallaspectsofthedesignproject:to‘ProcurePermanence.’ Thismeansfocusing, likeFinland, onlong-termandsustainablethinking, not just asaneffectivestrategyfor tacklinghomelessnessusingandexpanding uponthemethodsoutlinedabove,butintheselectionofbuildingandmaterial We might look towards cities who have effectively tackled problems of strategies, programmatic configurations, and environmental decisions homelessness in order to determine parameters for success in inclusive engaging,inaholisticmanneracrossall scales, ininclusivedesign.

Homeless Housing, Helsinki // Politico.eu

ProxyAddress diagram // Proxyaddress.co.uk

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02THEOPENCITY/SUPPORTSTRUCTURES

STREETWORKCONSULTATION Initial testsforthedesignofa‘SupportHub’wereconductedonthesiteof theformer NewClubonSt. Andrew’sSquare, employinganarchitectural strategyof‘slotting’intotheexistingfacade-theparticulardesignprocess for thiswill beexpandeduponlater inthechapter. Inorder todetermine a suitable programme of functions to include within the proposal as well asadesignstrategy, Assistant Director of StreetworkinEdinburgh Jan Williamson was contactedfor consultation, as someone who has workedinsuchenvironments(includingcurrentlyat asupport hubon HolyroodRoad) for aconsiderabletime, andwhothereforeunderstands theassociatedchallengesandbest practices. Belowaresomekeypoints takenfromtheconversation: •

Williamsonwaskeentoestablishhomelessnessasa‘broad’issue, and stressed the importance of acknowledging the homeless populationasadiverse, complexgroupcoveringarangeof ages, social backgrounds, andreasonsforbeinghomelessratherthana homogeneousgroupwithequivalentneedsandwants

•

Theprovisionof spacewhichcould‘host different agencieswho provideconfidential space’shouldbeakeyfocus, asshouldgiving ‘agencyandresponsibility’ tovulnerableusersof theHub

•

TheHubshouldprovidefor bothlongandshort-termneeds - a vulnerablepersonmaywishtowashclothes, gotothebathroom or contact a friend or family member in a confidential space beforeleavingimmediately afterwards, or they may beseeking permanentaccommodation,workorlong-termsupport

•

Williamsonwasencouragedbythesuggestionof a‘digital zone’ whichsheexplainedhas workedwell inexistingsupport hubs, whereaccesstoopen-sourcecomputersisprovided

•

Shouldhousingbeprovided, ‘supportedaccommodation’ should beincorporated(i.e.unitsstaffedwithsupportworkers)

•

In terms of design, Williamson’s personal wishes were for a purpose-built, flexiblespacewhichwouldbeabletobeadapted tofutureneeds, withwell overlookedspacestokeepeveryonesafe

Left: EarlysketchstudiesintoaSupportHubarchitectural language Right: Earlyfacadestudy‘slotted’intoStAndrew’ssite

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DEVELOPINGANARCHITECTURALLANGUAGE TheinitiallyproposedSupport Huboccupied3StAndrewsquareby‘slottinginto’ theexistingfacadeonthelower levelsof thebuilding, asabookwouldintoa shelf. Thislanguageof ‘encasement,’ developedfromstudyingthelibrarywall of theNewClub,aimedtocreateaspatial experiencewhichwouldfeel bothintimate andsafefor visitors, whilst beingvisibleandprominent topassers-by-bothin responsetoWilliamson’sadviceregardingoverlooked/monitoredspaces, andin contrasttotheopacityof theNewClubfromthestreet.

which would punctuate the facade of the building, ‘encasing’ visitors and providingpersonalised‘nooks’, whileofficespaces, interviewrooms andother administrativespaceswerehouseddeeperintheplan, reminiscent of thestudy/ administrative spatial choreography of the NewClub’s library and offices. In thisway, theseearlystudiesaimedtotest aborrowedlogicof materialityand structurefromtheNewClub(exposedconcreteanddarktimberinteriors), whilst subvertingandreversingitsperceivedvaluesof exclusivity,privacyandprivilege throughanewspatial choreography.

As the above sketches show, the concept was tested of desk spaces and bookshelvesbuiltintoandbetweenthethicknessof concrete‘fins’

Aboveandright: Sketchesandmaquettestestingafacadeof ‘fins’ intersecting withexistingfloorslabs, andtheinterplayof concreteandtimberpanelling.

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SUPPORTHUB-INTERMEDIATEDESIGNPROPOSAL Fromthesubmittedabstract: ‘ProcuringPermanenceisanadministrativecentrewhichseeks to cater to the long-termneeds of Edinburgh’s homeless population by linking homeless individualswith‘citycaretakers’ andprovidingaccesstointernet andlibraryfacilitiesfor work andstudy. Caretakersaretaskedwithadministering‘ProxyAddresses,’ whichallowthosefacing homelessnesstoaccessvital services(applyingfor work, voting, openingabankaccount, and soforth). Indoingsothecaretakers‘procurepermanence’ onthebehalf of homelessresidents, tetheringthemtothecityinwayspreviouslyclosedofftothem.’ Above: Longsectionthroughproposal, original scale1:100 Right: Internal visualisationsof proposal

02THEOPENCITY/SUPPORTSTRUCTURES

UB PORTH 3F: SUP

UB PORTH GF: SUP

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UB PORTH 2F: SUP

SHORTCOMINGS+REFLECTIONS: CO-EXISTENCE Subsequent reflection on the success of this intermediate design proposal, a ‘test’ for the intervention on 64 Princes Street, and further research into Rieniets work on the Open City revealedashortcomingintheprogramme’sconception; aproblemof ‘involuntarysegregation,’ as Rienietstermsit, wherethevulnerableandhomelessareseparatedand‘othered’fromtherest of thepopulation. ‘Inthisspatial order,’ heexplains, ‘thegeographiesof different social andcultural groupsaresuperimposed, yet highlydetachedfromeachother.’ Instead, heemphasiseshow‘the juxtapositionof social andcultural differencescouldleadtonewandunexpectedformsof urban coexistenceandexchange’(Rieniets, 2012). Fromthis, anotherkeydriverfortheprojectwasformedalongside‘procuringpermanence:’ afocus onco-existenceandintegration, sothat theNewTownNeighbourhoodmight ‘weavetogether fragments of the contemporary city that have been dividedfor reasons of exclusiveness and security’ (Christiaanse, Salewski, Graham,2012). Above: Intermediatesupporthubproposal plans-single-programme, homogeneous(1:100) Right: Final proposal perimetersection-multi-programmeincludingsupporthub,diverse(1:20)

UB PORTH 1F: SUP

2F: LONG-TERMACCOMMODATION

1F: SHORT-TERMACCOMMODATION

GF: SUPPORTHUB

BF: MARKETHALL

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02THEOPENCITY/SUPPORTSTRUCTURES

Final proposal: Support Hub internal visualisation - the architectural language of fins, nooks and an ‘inhabited facade’ aremaintained, but thehubisnowpart of alarger programmeof housingandcommunity-orientatedfacilities.

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SocialBite Village, Granton, Edinburgh // Culture Trip

02THEOPENCITY/RE-INTEGRATE

02 // THEOPENCITY

DIS-INTEGRR AT EE -INTEGRATE ‘Against this prospect, the Open City is not an abstract urban concept, but an

increasinglyurgent, interdisciplinary,andhighlyconcretedemand.ThisOpenCityhasto provideequal access—spatial aswell asnon-spatial—toall theurbanresourcesand opportunities available; and, consequently, it has tofacilitate coexistence of the diversegroupsandindividualssharingit.’

-TimRieniets, OpenCity: DesigningCoexistence

TheNewTownhasbeenestablishedasafracturedandfragilecommunity, andonein whichgrossinequalitybetweenthosewithplentyandthosewithverylittleisreadily apparent. Empty buildings arescatteredthroughout thecity centrewhilehomeless individualslineitsstreets. Thisprocessofsegregationhascontributedtoanunfortunate ‘dis-integration’of thesocial andurbanfabricof Edinburgh’sNewTown.Evengood-faith attemptstoprovidelong-termaccommodationforthehomeless, suchastheSocial Bite VillageinGranton(opposite), haveunwittinglycontributedtoadistancingand‘othering’ of thevulnerablepopulation, isolatingtheminaneighbourhoodwhichis physically distantfromthecitycentrewheretheyhaveaccessmanyvital facilities. The‘re-integration’ofvulnerablepopulationsbackintothefabricofsociety,bydesigning spaceswiththeir variedneedsandwishesinmind, iskeyinremedyingthis. Urbanist JaneJacobswasastrongbeliever inthepower of social diversityinthestrengthening of urbancommunities, andprovidingavarietyof programmesandmixed-usebuildings anddistrictswas‘most crucial’ inachievingthis, accordingtoher writing. Sheargued that ‘a mixed-use urban fabric is a vital precondition for creating socially diverse andhealthy communities –communities that allowtheir residents opportunities for personal growthandsocial interaction’ (Xie, 2012). Mixed-use development andreintegrationarekindredconcepts, andassuchtheformer becameakeyfocusof the designprojectinordertoachievethelatter.

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03 //

BUILDINGANDDWELLING ‘Urban development today displays almost everywhere a dramatic increase in separation. Residential areas, industrial andcommercial estates, universitycampuses, airports and shopping centres formmonofunctional clusters with single access routes, separatedbyclustersof infrastructurethatcompartmentalizethelandscape.’

-KeesChristiaanse‘TheOpenCityanditsEnemies’, OpenCity

Theresearchconductedover thecourseof bothsemesters-examiningcityarchives, parsing the social and architectural intricacies of Princes Street’s NewClub, the exploration of the city-field of the NewTown, extensive reading into urban design theory,anddrawingandmodellingasameansof testingarchitectural intervention-all contributedtotheconsolidationof aprogrammeof usesforabuildingproposal onthe siteof theformerBritishHomeStoresuniton64PrincesStreet, andgeneratedthetools requiredtorealisethis multi-useprogrammespatially andtectonically. Thefollowing chapter will examine the refinement of programmatic configuration, architectural language, andspatial strategyinthefinal iterationsof thedesignproposal. ‘Fieldof Emptiness’, original drawing

03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/PLACEANDSPACE

03 // BUILDINGANDDWELLING

PLACEANDSPACE ‘Moderncity planning, inSennett’s eyes, conceivedof public spaceas meretransitory space andnot as aplace for sensory andbodily interactionamongstrangers. Yet, accordingtoSennett, social interactionamongstrangersisvital inordertotransformurban publicspaceintoapublicrealm.Withoutit, itismerely“deadpublicspace”’

-NicolasKennyonRichardSennett, ‘TheSensesandSociety’ Volume12, 2017

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DEFININGPROGRAMME(S): MARKETHALL, SUPPORTHUB,HOUSING InthewordsofSennetthimself, ‘peoplemovethroughaspaceanddwell inaplace’(Sennett, BuildingandDwelling, 2018), and, asper thequoteabove, it isinPlaceswheremeaningful interactions between humans happen in the public realm.In refininga programme for thedesignproject, thedesiretocreatea ‘placefor sensoryandbodilyinteractionamong strangers’ was kept inmind, andas such, it was eventually determinedthat anindoor market hall wouldbeasuitablefunctiontoincorporate, fulfillingboththe‘play’ and‘work’ requirementsof the‘live, work, play’ mixed-usemodel. The wider aimof the ‘NewTownNeighbourhood’ project is tocreate a vibrant, diverse, sociallysustainablecommunityintheheartofthecity,andtheproposal on64PrincesStreet isintendedtobeadistillationof thesevalues. Amarkethall certainlyhasmuchpotential for vibrancyandthemixingof strangers-considerMarkthal inRotterdam(opposite) designed by MVRDV,whichhosts avariety of foodandcraft stalls, shops andcafés, andis highly popular among tourists and locals alike. Coupled with the proposed Support Hub, the market hall couldalsoprovidebuilt-inopportunitiesfor obtainingretail or foodprepwork placements, achievingthegoal of ‘procuringpermanence’ bythinkingabout thelong-term futureresilienceof usersof thesupport hub.Anotherobviousmeansof providinglong-term supportistheprovisionofbothlongandshort-termhousing(dependingontheneedsofthe individual), availabletousersofthehubandthegeneral publictopromotesocial mixingand integration.ThisisagainborrowedfromMVRDV’sownmixof programmes, whereresidential apartmentssurroundandlookintothecentral commercial spaceatMarkthal.

Markthal by MVRDV, Rotterdam, Netherlands // Wikimedia Commons

Sketch development of programmatic configuration

03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/PLACEANDSPACE (RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

PERSONALREFLECTION:DEVELOPMENTPROCESS Therequirement toworkfromhomeat all timesduetotheCovid-19pandemicled toconsiderablescreen-fatigueover thecourseof thisproject, andassuchI was compelledtosketchbyhandmorethanIadmittedlyhavebeeninrecentyears. This suitedworkingwithinanexistingbuildingratherwell, asI usedtracetolayerover existingelementsandselect what wastoberetained, removedandaddedto. The programmedevelopedfromagradual processof drawingandre-drawingintoand overthevacantbuilding, developingandunderstandingthescaleof eachexisting floorplate(toberetained) andforminganappropriatenetworkof programmesin bothplanandsectionbasedonmyfindings.

Developed proposed long section // Original sketch

Early iteration, proposed long section // Original sketch

03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/PLACEANDSPACE (RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

TESTINGTHESYNTHESISOFPROGRAMMATICELEMENTS Earlierstagesof thedesigndevelopmentonthissiteinvolvedminimal retentionofexistingelementsofthestructure,whilelaterdevelopment tookamorerigorousapproachtore-use. Part of thisearlystrategyof re-useinvolvedtheretentionof themajorityof theexistingconcrete floor slabs, andthe creationof a mezzanine level surroundingthe existingatriumbycuttingintofirstfloorslab,openinguptheheightof thespace. Thiswassomewhat toprovidethevertical spacerequired toair out themarket hall, whichwouldbefilledwiththeheat and smellsassociatedwithcooking, andprovideaseatingareaseparated frombut overlooking the bustle below. Spatial organisation and accommodationmixes of theresidential flats above, as well as the relationshipbetweenthemarkethall andSupportHuboffRoseStreet, werebeingtestedatthisstagealso. Opposite: Earlysketcheddevelopmentof floorplans

03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/PLACEANDSPACE (RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

Earlycrosssection,original drawingscale1:100-earlystudiessought torepresent therelationshipbetweennewandexistingelementsby contrastinganavyandredhatch. Thisrevealedaconsiderablelack of retention,andafocusbecameremedyingthisinlateriterations.

03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/PLACEANDSPACE

Final proposal: floor plans, original scale1:100-thefinal iterationof thedesignproposal revealsamorerigorousapproachtoretentionof existingstructural elements.

3 2

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ET SSTRE PRINCE

GROUNDFLOORPLAN

RETAINED+RE-USEDELEMENTS NEWELEMENTS

Main market hall - food/craft stalls, seating

Food truck area (for holding +serving)

Vehicular access fromRose St to basement

Public restrooms

Dining/seating area above market hall

Support Hub reception area

Support Hub contact room

Laundry room

Public restrooms

Study area +open access computers

Library +reading area

12 13

Waiting area

T ROSES

NE TS. LA ROSES

Meeting/admin offices 5

ET SSTRE PRINCE

UPPERGROUNDFLOORPLAN

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Final proposal: Market hall internal visualisation- thecoveredmarket hall off PrincesStreet isintendedtoemulatethebustleandvibrancyof theChristmas marketsatadjacentPrincesStreetGardens, exceptpurpose-builtandyear-round

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T ROSES

FIRSTFLOORPLAN 18

NE TS. LA ROSES 14

ET SSTRE PRINCE

17 16

03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/PLACEANDSPACE

RETAINED+RE-USEDELEMENTS NEWELEMENTS

Hireable community room(meetings, consultations)

Communal bike storage

Support worker accommodation (2 bedroom)

1 bedroomflat

2 bedroomflat

Communal garden/outdoor seating

1 bedroomduplex (ground floor)

2 bedroomduplex (ground floor)

18 18

T ROSES

17 15

NE TS. LA ROSES

18 18 20

19 20

21 21 21

ET SSTRE PRINCE

SECONDFLOORPLAN

03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/PLACEANDSPACE

T ROSES

NE TS. LA ROSES

18 18 22

19 22

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OM BATHRO

23 23 23

EET ESSTR PRINC

THIRDFLOOR+ROOFPLAN

RETAINED+RE-USEDELEMENTS NEWELEMENTS

1 bedroomduplex (first floor)

2 bedroomduplex (first floor)

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Final proposal: Rooftopgardenexternal visualisation-large concrete skylights punctuate the communal courtyard aroundwhichtheduplexesandflatsarecentred, bringing lightdownintotheatriumspacebelow

03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/FIN,FACADE,ENCASEMENT

03 // BUILDINGANDDWELLING

FIN,FACADE,ENCASEMENT

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Thearchitectural languageof theconcrete‘fin’ andencasedtimber ‘nooks’ weredeveloped early intheintermediatesupport hubproposal, andcontinuedthroughtoandexpanded upon in the final mixed-use development proposal. At the north facade, containingthe Support HubaccessiblefromRoseStreet, finsareutilisedinasimilar manner totheearlier Support Hubproposal to provide an ‘inhabited’ facade, where visitors have a space to sit, relax, meet, socialise, accesscomputersandreadfromtheprovidedlibraryof books, whether waitingtoattendameetingwithaSupport Hubstaffmember or as short term shelterfromtherain. Inthemarket hall, thelinearityof finsisusedtoorganiserowsof market stallsandtheset theboundaries of themezzaninefloor above, whereagain, spaces for sitting, eatingand socialisingarecarvedout fromtheconcreteandlinedintimber. Thefacadeonthesouth, Princes Street end is more uniform, and floor-to-ceiling glazing advertises the internal activityof themarket tothehighstreet outside, welcominginpassers-by. Abovethepublic functionsofthe64PrincesStreetproposal, concretefinsbecomepartywallsbetweennorthsouthduplexesandprovidefaçadesforeast-westorientatedflats. Thedesigndevelopment of theseconditions of fin, facadeandencasement areexplored throughoutthissection.

Early concept sketch of market hall mezzanine floor // Original sketch

03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/FIN,FACADE,ENCASEMENT (RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

Final proposal: ‘Facadeas fin’ physical and3dmodellingstudies - fins wereutilisedtogiveanopaque, solidappearancetopedestrianspassing throughthestreet, but aconditionof transparency(onthePrincesStreet side) tothoseviewingthebuildingfromafar.

03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/FIN,FACADE,ENCASEMENT (RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

Right: Early1:20maquetteof seatingspace Above: Sketchingtheinterplay of timber + concrete, alignmentof concretefins Farright: Developed3Dmodellingof cutsin concrete+timberinserts

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Final proposal: Mezzanine internal visualisation - timber ‘slats’ areutilisedtocreateasemi-transparent screenwhich ‘encases’ thecentral stairwayuptotheatrium

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03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/RE-USE

03 // BUILDINGANDDWELLING

DIS-USERE-USE ‘The housebuildingindustry wouldlike us tobelieve that buildingunsustainably is just business as usual, but weneedradical change..Beforewebuildanew,wemust prioritisecaringfor, mendingandimprovingthefabricof our existingtowns andbuildings–ourtrueecotowns.’

-MalcolmFraser, ‘Legal overhaul urgedtotackleScotland’sderelictland andbuildings,’ TheFerret

‘Abandonedareas will always exist as a city is ever evolving andnever ceases to develop. Social andtechnological change will provide further modification, and historical orevenmodernbuildingswill losetheoriginal purposeof theiruse.’

-AnjaGraner, ‘Integratingabandonedspacesinurbanplanning,’ Urbanet

TheNewTown’sidentified‘gap’ sitesareinacurrent stateof dis-use-asGraner says, thecityis‘everevolving,’ andtheirformerfunctionshavebeenoutgrownthankstothe popularityof onlineshoppingandagrowingdissatisfactionwiththe‘AirbnbEffect’ on thesocial fabricof cities. Dis-useddepartmentstoresliketheoneoccupying64Princes Street present vital opportunitiesforadaptivere-use-large, openfloorplansfacilitated byanexistinggridof structural RCcolumnsprovideflexibilityinaccommodatingfuture changesinfunction, suchasthemixed-usedevelopment outlinedinthisreport. The hugeamount of embodiedcarbonlockedintoaconcreteslabbuildingsuchas this makesastrongargument for theretentionandadaptionof suchexistingbuildings, as thereductionof unnecessaryconstructionwasteinvolvedindemolitionbecomesmore of afocusforconstructionindustryprofessionalsrespondingtotheclimateemergency. Left: Explodedaxoof tectonicelements, original drawing

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03BUILDINGANDDWELLING/RE-USE Exploded axo, highlighted retention of existing structural elements // Original drawing

RETAINED+ RE-USED; Concrete slab floors Stair cores Structural RCcolumns Perimeter walls

Concreteparapet Glazing

*Concretecladdingfixedbacktoconcrete: Zincplatedsecretpanel fixing Concretescrews(panel intocladding) M10Resinanchors(panel intowall)

EXTERIOR-ROOFTOPGARDEN

Greenroof/concreteslabbuildup: Vegetationlayer BauderIntensiveSubstrate Vapourcontrol layer Waterstorage/drainagemat Rockmineral wool insulation Dampproof course Retainedconcreteslab

FloatingCLTbenchwith‘secret’ fixings: Steel equal-anglebrackets Countersunktekscrews(intobenchandbracket) M12Resinanchors(intobracketandwall)

Skylight wall buildup: Concrete‘fin’builtontoproposedreinforcedconcretebeam Dampproof course Rockmineral wool insulation Vapourcontrol layer Concretecladding*

INTERIOR-MARKETHALL

Asshownintheexplodedisometric(opposite), amorerigorousapproachtore-useinlater designiterationsincludedtheretentionoffarmoreexistingstructural elements, comprising floor slabs, columns, perimeter wallsandstair cores. Proposedconcretefinswereslotted inaroundthese,andnewrampsdesignedtoprovidemaximumaccessibilitythroughoutall areasof themulti-functionbuilding. Detail drawingsdemonstratetheinterplayof existingandproposedstructurebyutilising thesamerepresentativetechniquesastheplan(existingascolour/navyfill, proposedas white) -for example, thedrawingonthispageshowstheincorporationof anexistingRC floorslabintoaproposedRCbeamandupstand,whichformstheskylight-seeAppendixA formoredetail drawingwork. Left: Skylightandrooftopgardendetail drawing,original scale1:20

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ATLASDRAWINGSUBMISSION// ‘QUALITIESOFSPACE’

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04CONCLUSIONS+REFLECTIONS

04 //

PROJECTCONCLUSIONS Thedesignproposal at 64PrincesStreet isintendedtorepresent astartingpoint inthe developmentof aNewTownNeighbourhood,avibrant, diverseandsociallysustainable communitycentredintheheart of thecityof Edinburgh, whereidentified‘gaps’ arereusedtoprovidearichmixofdevelopmentcateringtolocalsandvisitorsalike.Thedesign worktestedamixof programmefunctionsbeforesettlingontheprovisionof amarket hall, homelesssupport hubandresidential accommodation, aimingtoprovidespaces forworking,livingandleisureincloseproximityandlinkedtogetheraspart of awhole, reducingrelianceonvehicular transport byensuringeverythingneededfor ahealthy andrichlifestyleisprovidedwithinwalkingorcyclingdistance. The aimof accommodating and re-integrating the city’s vulnerable and homeless populationsisachievedbythisrichlayeringof programmes-built-injobopportunities providedbythemarket hall andtheflexibilityof longandshort-termaccommodation options in the residential flats above the Support Hub create the best chance of providinglong-termsupport and‘procuringpermanence’ for thoseseekingit. Amixof tenuresandtheoverlappingof market andSupport Hubprogrammesalsoensuresan inclusive, desegregatedapproachtohomelesssupportandhousing. Thedesignalsotested, at various stages, different levels of retentionandre-useof existingbuildingelements, resolvingtomaintainthemajorityof theexistingfloorslabs, partywalls, structural columnsandstair coreswherepossible. Theresultingbuilding proposal isricher for itsincorporationof existingelementsandcelebratestheconflict

betweennewandold, exposingoriginal concreteceilings andsandstonestair core walls, andpaintingstructural columnsinaconsistent, vibrantcolourtogivetheinterior astrongvisual identity.Itwouldhavebeendesirabletoexplorethisrelationshipvisually andstructurallyingreater detail, giventhetimetodoso; thiscouldbefurther worked intoinfutureiterations. Thedesignisintendedtobeusedasamodel for futurere-placement, asmentioned, intheremainingidentified‘gaps’ throughout theNewTown, buildingupacohesive community of mixed-use development over time. Considering the future of urban communitiesingeneral, thefollowingreflectionfromProfessor TimRienietsprovides relevant foodfor thought: ‘Perceptionsof near andfar andof inclusionandexclusion arechanging.Whilecitiesmaybeincreasinglyfragmentedandinternallydisconnected, newforms of cohesionandcoexistencehaveemergedthat arefreefromtheties of spaceandfromtheobligations of territorial community. It thus makes littlesenseto discusstheOpenCitywithoutacknowledgingthemultiplegeographiesoftoday’surban reality, andits newforms of inclusionandexclusion, connectionanddisconnection, that areeffectivewithinandbeyondthecity’sboundaries.’ (Rieiniets, 2012). It isworth considering then, as designers of physical space, this shift towards trans-spatial formsof communityliving, andreflectinguponhowthismight affect thepracticeof architectureinthenear future; as physical proximity loses its relevanceinfavour of virtual connectivity, howdowe accommodate for the needs of the vulnerable and ensurethefutureresilienceof urbancommunities?

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Working fromhome during a global pandemic // Original photographs

04CONCLUSIONS+REFLECTIONS

04 //

WORKINGPRACTICEREFLECTIONS Completing the majority of the MArch programme during the Covid-19 global pandemic was asignificant challengefor me, personally. Detachedfromtheactivityandvibrancyof thestudio environment, unabletoworkalongsidemypeersandbeinglimitedtothespaceandresourcesof myone-bedroomflat inEdinburghundoubtedlylimitedmywork. Model-making, for example, was reducedtothecraftingofsimplemaquettes, mypersonal laptopoftenstruggledwithlargetasksand timewasdefinitelywastedtolongloadingtimes, andIwholeheartedlymissedthedialoguebetween studentsregardingdesignideas, readingsandprecedentsthatwouldoccurorganicallyinatypically full studiospace- I amcertainmyproject ispoorer for alackof mypeers’ continuedinsight and influence, usuallyofferedandacceptedsoreadilyin‘normal times.’ Inother ways, workingfromhomepromptedsomebehavioursthat I’dliketohopeI cancontinue goingforwardintofuturepractice. Inparticular, I returnedtofrequent sketchingandhanddrawing designpractices, whichadmittedly, overtheyears, I haveoverlookedinfavourof workingdigitally, havingsomewhat lost confidenceinmyskillswithapenandsketchbookor trace. Fromthis, I am certainmy project benefits, asI wasencouragedtoscribbleideasthat I might otherwisetry to retainmentallyandmodel inCADlater, bywhichpoint theclarityof theconcept wouldhavefaded. Inall, I havegainedanewfoundappreciationforthepowerof collaborativepracticeintheprocess of architectural design,andgoingforwardthisissomethingIamunlikelytotakeforgrantedagain.

05BIBLIOGRAPHY

BIBLIOGRAPHY BBCNews. 2021. CovidinScotland: Nearlyoneinsixshopslyingempty.[online] Availableat: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-56935627> Brinkhurst-Cuff, C.,2021. HowEdinburghisfacingahomelessnesscrisis. [online] Newstatesman.com.Availableat: <https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/welfare/2018/06/ how-edinburgh-facing-homelessness-crisis> Condorelli, C.,Wade, G.andLangdon,J., 2014.SupportStructures. Berlin: SternbergPress. Cusack, A.,2021. APalaceonPrincesStreet. [online] AndrewCusack. Availableat: <https://www.andrewcusack.com/2010/64-princes-street/>[Accessed6March2021]. Dickson,N.,2020.ProjectReflections: TheNewClub,Edinburgh.[online] WeAreGLM.Availableat: <https://www.weareglm.com/project-reflections-the-new-club-edinburgh/> HousingFirstEuropeHub.2021. Finland-HousingFirstEuropeHub.[online] Availableat: <https://housingfirsteurope.eu/countries/finland/>[Accessed10May2021].

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Gov.scot. 2021. HomelessnessinScotland: 2019to2020-gov.scot. [online] Availableat: <https://www.gov.scot/publications/homelessness-scotland-2019-2020/pages/4/> Graner, A.,2021. Integratingabandonedspacesinurbanplanning.[online] Urbanet. Availableat: <https://www.urbanet.info/abandoned-urban-spaces/>[Accessed3May2021]. Group,C.,2020.64PrincesStreet, Edinburgh.[online] CDAGroup.Availableat: <https://www.cda-group.co.uk/architecture-projects/64-princes-street-edinburgh/> Henley, J., 2019. ‘It’samiracle’: Helsinki’sradical solutiontohomelessness. [online] TheGuardian. Availableat: <https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jun/03/its-a-miraclehelsinkis-radical-solution-to-homelessness> Hirt, S.andZahm,D.,2012. TheUrbanWisdomof JaneJacobs. Oxfordshire: Routledge. Humphrey,C.andSkvirskaja, V.,2012. Post-CosmopolitanCities: Explorationsof UrbanCoexistence.BerghahnBooks, Incorporated. InsideAirbnb.2021. InsideAirbnb: Edinburgh.Addingdatatothedebate. [online] Availableat: <http://insideairbnb.com/edinburgh/>[Accessed23January2021].

Lanktree, G.,2020. EdinburghandGlasgowseesharpest declineinshoppers. [online] PropertyWeek. Availableat: <https://www.propertyweek.com/data/edinburgh-and-glasgowsee-sharpest-decline-in-shoppers/5107154.article> Lewis, A.,2006.TheBuildersof Edinburgh’sNewTown1767-1795.Ph.D.Universityof Edinburgh. Lewis, A.,2021. TheBuildersof Edinburgh’sNewTown,1767-1795.[online] Era.ed.ac.uk. Availableat: <https://era.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/29849>[Accessed16May2021]. Mahboob,T.,2020.Housingisahumanright: HowFinlandiseradicatinghomelessness|CBCRadio.[online]CBC.Availableat: <https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/the-sunday-editionfor-january-26-2020-1.5429251/housing-is-a-human-right-how-finland-is-eradicating-homelessness-1.5437402>[Accessed9May2021]. Mann,J., 2020.Legal overhaul neededtotackleScotland’sderelictland.[online] TheFerret. Availableat: <https://theferret.scot/legal-overhaul-scotlands-derelict-land-buildings/> OpenAccessGovernment. 2019.Datarevealsthe20UKcitieswithdeclininghighstreets. [online]Availableat: <https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/20-uk-cities-with-declininghigh-streets/77943/>[Accessed13May2021]. Perry, B., 2019. Howacrackpot plantocreatean‘elevatedwalkway’ almost doomedPrincesStreet. [online] edinburghlive. Availableat: <https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/ edinburgh-news/brutal-surgery-how-crackpot-plan-16198428> Proxyaddress.co.uk. 2021. ProxyAddress. [online] Availableat: <https://www.proxyaddress.co.uk/>[Accessed1February2021]. Rieniets, T.,2012. Opencity.Designingcoexistenceinthecontemporarycity. Rieniets, T.,Sigler, J. andChristiaanse, K., 2009.OpenCity: DesigningCoexistence.Amsterdam:SUN. SchlosserDehn,A.,RemmeJakobsgaard,A.andGaseOlesen,C.,2016.UrbanCoexistence: Processual Transformationof aPost-Industrial Landcape.MastersThesis. AalborgUniversity. Sennett, R., 2018.BuildingandDwelling: EthicsfortheCity.Penguin. Statistics.gov.scot. 2020.PopulationEstimatesSummary(CurrentGeographicBoundaries). [online]Availableat: <https://statistics.gov.scot/slice?dataset=http%3A%2F%2Fstatistics. gov.scot%2Fdata%2Fpopulation-estimates-2011-datazone-linked-dataset>[Accessed8May2021].

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APPENDIXA:TECHNICALREPORT

( R E ) PLACEMENT

PROCURING PERMANENCE IN THE CITY

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TECHNICAL REPORT Caitlin MacLeod | s1440163 ARCH11069

POSITION + AIMS

CONTEXTUAL SITUATION The design project is situated in Edinburgh’s New Town, which is observed to have undergone a process of ‘emptying,’ both prior to and during (and ultimately accelerated by) the events of the Covid-19 pandemic. In prior years, this ‘emptying’ took the form of population displacement, where a significant number of residential units in the New Town were taken over by Airbnb landlords, seeing local populations increasingly replaced by yearround tourists. In a current context, the economic and cultural impact of the pandemic is visible in the ‘gaps’ left by the New Town’s permanently closed retail units, particularly on Princes Street - this, combined with the lack of tourism which leaves previously high-use Airbnbs unused, contributes to a condition of emptiness in the heart of the city. The project aims to respond to this condition of emptiness through the creation of a ‘New Town Neighbourhood’ - a diverse, heterogenous and socially sustainable community centred in the heart of the city which would ‘Re-place’ a previously displaced population of residents. The historic context of the site is such that there is plenty of precedent for adaptive re-use of buildings, with programmes being altered to accomodate for and adapt to the changing societal needs over time, and thus the aim to repopulate the area with housing and community facilities can be seen as another (post-pandemic) step in the evolution of Edinburgh’s New Town. These provisions will foreground the needs of the city’s most vulnerable populations such as those experiencing homelessness, in response to the current social context of the city centre where housing is unaffordable and underutilised and the homeless population is high. POSITION + AIMS

APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY As mentioned, the project was conceived initially with a focus on social sustainability, questioning what makes a community sustainable and resiliant. In order to achieve this, the early, broad aims of the project focused on providing built-in work opportunities for vulnerable populations to ensure long- term success, rather than short- term solutions to homelessness (‘procuring permanence’), an approach to flexible design which would allow units to be adapted to future use, and a clustering of mixed uses (home, work and play) in the city centre as a strategy to reduce reliance on cars and promote walking and cycling as modes of transport. Before a particular programme had been determined, it was decided that the proposal would focus on providing not only affordable and mixed-tenure housing, but some form of public-access facility which would directly benefit and bring together members of the community and further afield - a social hub, of sorts. Right: Study of ‘gaps’ in the New Town and degrees of vacancy along Princes Street. Note that 64 Princes Street has been identified as a suitable site to develop an in-depth mixed-use design proposal, due to its full-height vacancy, location on the high street and considerable size.

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POSITION + AIMS

RE-USE PRINCIPLES As mentioned, the buildings of the New Town have a history of being adapted and re-used for the changing needs of society over time. Since semester 1, the project has considered how best to work with existing buildings, re-using existing structural elements to reduce the significant environmental impact of demolishing and building anew, a significant problem in the construction industry. This was initially expressed through the retention of existing floorplates and the introduction of concrete ‘fins’ which would form an ‘inhabited facade’ these ideas were tested on the site of a prior New Club site on St Andrews’ Square.

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As the project developed and a more rational site was selected at 64 Princes Street (see previous page), a more rigorous approach to retention was adopted. Early iterations of the proposal for a mixed use building (containing a market hall,a ‘support hub’ for vulnerable populations and mixed tenure housing) retained only floor plates and perimeter walls from the existing build - see an early cross section overleaf. However, subsequent iterations opted for the further retention of structural columns and stair cores in addition to this, allowing as much of the building to be retained and re-used as possible, and reducing the structural burden placed on the proposed concrete ‘fins,’ which would now span the entire depth of the building(s) as a means of dividing and organising space. This approach would also reduce time and difficulty in construction stages, removing the need for propping mechanisms to be placed in order to remove structural columns. Left, above:: Early maquette studies of architectural language - new ‘fins’ intersecting with existing floor slabs Left, below: Detail sketches, working out relationship between existing/re-used elements with new elements

New elements

Retained + re-used elements

Early iteration cross-section, original scale 1:100 | Earlier work shows a less rigorous approach to retention of existing structural elements than seen in final iteration work (for example, floor plans), with only floor plates and perimeter walls retained and re-used at this stage. Discussion with tutors and engineering consultants and personal research into the environmental and cultural benefits of adaptive reuse motivated this developed approach.

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PRECEDENTS - MATERIALITY, FORM The following precedents were presented to the consulting engineers as aspirations for the materiality, form and spatial arrangement of the project building:

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BANCO DE LONDRES | Clorindo Testa + SEPRA: ‘Thin and deep concrete columns’ are used to punctuate the glazed facade of the building, with exposed concrete used internally on stair wells. This is utilised alongside mid/dark hue timber panelling - a contrastingBanco pallette de Londres Banco de Londres || Concrete Concrete 'fins' 'fins' as as structure structure ++ screen screen of materials which has been used within all iterations of the proposal since semester 1 (originally as a reference to the contrasting pallette of stone and polished timber in the New Club Building). Raised mezzanine levels are used throughout the tall, central atrium space this would later become precedent for the mezannine seating level overlooking the market hall in the proposed building. Farvardin House // ArchDaily

AD Classics: Bank of London and South America // ArchDaily

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Farvardin House // ArchDaily

POSITION + AIMS

Farvardin FarvardinHouse House/ / HAMAAN HAMAANStudio Studio

AD Classics: Bank of London and South America // ArchDaily

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www.archdaily.com www.archdaily.com

AD Classics: Bank of London and South America // ArchDaily

www.archdaily.com www.archdaily.com

Gallery: Gallery:Clorindo Clorindo Testa’s Testa’sBanco Bancode de Londres LondresThrough Throughthe the Lens Lensof ofFederico FedericoCairoli Cairoli

AD Classics: Bank of London and South America // ArchDaily

Design Design development development

FARVARDIN HOUSE | HAMAAN Studio: Less relevant as a precedent in terms of programme and spatial arrangement, however the recessed timber inserts of the facade significantly influenced the proposal - the contrast between the light colour of the brickwork and the dark panelling of the timber in particular guided decisions regarding the material pallette.

The Barbican // GreenBlue Urban

The Barbican // Decoration and Style Blog

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Farvardin Farvardin House House || Timber Timber recesses, recesses, planted planted roof roof

THE BARBICAN | Chamberlain, Powell and Bon: The pallette of rough-finish concrete and dark timber at the Barbican Estate also served as precedent for the selection of materials in the proposed building. Additionally, the arrangement of apartments around a central, communal greenspace became inspiration for the rooftop communal garden surrounded by apartments and duplexes in later project iterations.

Retained + re-used elements

New elements

CONSULTATION + RESPONSE

PROGRAMME/SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT The programme of the mixed-use building comprises three main components: a market hall, a support hub and housing. The main access point for the market hall is from Princes Street, where the floor-to-ceiling glazed facade creates an active, inviting frontage onto the street. The hall comprises stalls which can be modified to suit individual vendors who may sell a variety of wares including food, hot drinks or crafts - akin to the Christmas market stalls in Princes Street gardens, but year-round and purpose-built. Mezzanine levels above the hall provide seating, either for paying customers or simply as a free-to-use space for resting and socialising. On the ground floor (basement level below Princes Street), a space is provided for food trucks to park and sell directly to customers, with vehicular access up to Rose Street.

Main market hall - food/craft stalls, seating

Food truck area (for holding + ser ving)

Vehicular access from Rose St to basement

Public restrooms

The support hub is accessed from Rose Street, and provides services for vulnerable and/or homeless persons in the area. The programme and spatial organisation of this facility was carefully designed following a video consultation with Jan Williamson, Assistant Director of Services at Streetwork Edinburgh. Her emphasis was on recognising homelessness as a ‘broad’ issue, providing space which could ‘host different agencies who provide confidential space,’ and a focus on giving ‘agency and responsibility’ to vulnerable users of the hub. The hub aims to provide for both long and short-term needs - a vulnerable person may wish to wash clothes, go to the bathroom or contact someone before leaving, or they may be seeking permanent accomodation, work or long-term support. Jan was encouraged by the suggestion of a ‘digital zone’ which she explained has worked well in exsiting support hubs, where access to open-source computers is provided. The hub therefore comprises a laundry room, digital zone, library/reading area and consultation rooms/administration offices for staff, with a focus on spaces being well overlooked while still feeling comfortable and private to wary visitors. A ‘community room’ above the market hall can be used to run workshops and classes which can benefit these populations, while the hall itself is intended to provide built-in and local job opportunities in retail and food service. Flats and duplex housing are provided on the floors above, with a mix of one and two bedroom units. It is intended that a portion of these would be set aside for homeless visitors of the hub who are seeking either long or short-term accomodation, with one unit set aside (at Jan’s suggestion) to accomodate support staff, who can be accessed 24 hours a day. These would be integrated alongside affordable and mid-market rent flats and duplex housing, with a focus on integration rather than seperation as a means to build social resilience. On the south side, units surround a communal greenspace, puntuated by skylights looking down into the market hall atrium below.

PR IN CE

S ST RE

GF PLAN | MARKET HALL, FOOD TRUCK AREA

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06APPENDICES|APPENDIXA

Retained + re-used elements

New elements

Dining/seating area above market hall

Hireable communit y room (meetings, consultations)

Suppor t Hub reception area

Communal bike storage

Suppor t Hub contact room

Suppor t worker accomodation (2 bedroom)

Laundr y room

1 bedroom flat

Public restrooms

2 bedroom flat

Study area + open access computers

Librar y + reading area

12 13

Waiting area

DOUBLE DOUBLE LIVING +

Meeting/admin offices

RO SE ST

LIVING +

DOUBLE

RO SE ST

LIVING +

BED

RO SE ST

18 BATHRO BATHRO

S. LA NE

RO SE ST

S. LA NE

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PR IN CE

S ST RE

UPPER GF PLAN | MARKET HALL, SUPPORT HUB

PR IN CE

S ST RE

LIVING +

BED

DOUBLE

KITCHEN

BED

KITCHEN

BED

KITCHEN

17 12

DOUBLE

1F PLAN | MARKET HALL, COMMUNITY ROOM, APARTMENTS

BATHRO

BED

Retained + re-used elements

New elements

Communal garden/outdoor seating

1 bedroom duplex (first floor)

1 bedroom duplex (ground floor)

2 bedroom duplex (first floor)

2 bedroom duplex (ground floor)

DOUBLE DOUBLE LIVING + LIVING + DOUBLE DOUBLE

RO SE ST

LIVING +

DOUBLE

BED

BATHRO BATHRO

LIVING +

BATHRO

BED

RO SE ST

DOUBLE BATHRO DOUBLE DOUBLE

S. LA RO SE ST

DOUBLE

BED

KITCHEN

BED

KITCHEN

BED

DOUBLE

BED

DOUBLE

BED BATHRO

BED

DOUBLE

BED

DOUBLE

KITCHEN

18 18 LIVING +

BATHRO

S. LA RO SE ST

KITCHEN LIVING +

LIVING +

KITCHEN

DINING

BED

18 18 LIVING +

DOUBLE

BED

KITCHEN

BATHRO

KITCHEN LIVING +

STUDY/O

DOUBLE

FFICE

KITCHEN DOUBLE

BED

STUDY/O

KITCHEN

DOUBLE

BED

OM DOUBLE

FFICE

BED

BATHRO

KITCHEN LIVING + LIVING +

STUDY/O

FFICE

BED

DINING

BATHRO LIVING + KITCHEN LIVING +

STUDY/O

BATHRO STUDY/O

FFICE

DOUBLE

LIVING +

KITCHEN

BATHRO

KITCHEN DOUBLE

STUDY/O

BED

BATHRO LIVING +

STUDY/O

FFICE

OM DOUBLE

FFICE

BATHRO BATHRO LIVING +

KITCHEN

DOUBLE

BED

STUDY/O

FFICE

22 BATHRO

DOUBLE

OM DOUBLE

WC DOUBLE DOUBLE

21 LIVING +

PR IN CE

2F PLAN | APARTMENTS, DUPLEX HOUSING

S ST RE

LIVING +

WC WC DOUBLE

KITCHEN

DOUBLE

WC DOUBLE

KITCHEN

DOUBLE

PR IN CE

S ST RE

KITCHEN

BED

BATHRO BATHRO

BED

21 21

BED

3F PLAN | APARTMENTS, DUPLEX HOUSING

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CONSULTATION + RESPONSE

STRUCTURE

Consulting with structural engineer Patrick Wemyss at David Narro Associates, I initially opened up the conversation by asking a few questions, namely: how can I work with an existing structural framework alongside my propsoed system of concrete ‘fins’, and is it possible to build with concrete in an ecologically sustainable manner?

RETAINED RETAINED ++ RE-USED; RE-USED;

(RE)PLACEMENT|PROCURINGPERMANENCEINTHECITY

Concrete Concrete slab slab floors floors Stair Stair cores cores Structural Structural RC RC columns columns Perimeter Perimeter walls walls

Patrick was keen to advise on the potential sustainability benefits of using concrete for the proposed building programme, highlighting its considerable durability and thus longlife cycle as a material - the initial carbon footprint may be high, but using an appropriate material now and thinking long-term can make a more sustainable building in terms of full life cycle. As the project focuses on ‘procuring permanence’ and long-term societal resilience, I felt that this approach to long-term thinking in terms of material selection was appropriate. In terms of retaining existing structural elements, Patrick initially advised on how to replace existing structural columns with structural concrete fins by a system of temporary staged propping. This led me to reconsider and eventually opt for the retention of these existing columns, to reduce the complexity of the construction process and work as far as possible within the existing structural framework. Structural perimeter walls, concrete floor slabs and stair cores were also maintained (see drawing opposite). As a response to the proposed retention and altering of what would become the central mezannine floor, the consultant advised that a series of secondary beams supporting the perimeter of this floor would be needed, A similar ‘grill layout’ of RC beams was proposed to support the edges of the skylights above, and was incorporated (see skylight detail drawing). Left: Exploded isometric of final iteration

CONSULTATION + RESPONSE

ENVIRONMENT

DETAIL 5

Callum McIntosh of Max Fordham advised on the environmental aspects of the project these were far less considered than the structural aspects of the design at the stage of consultation, and as such my questions were general and broad; I asked if there would be specific demands placed on the building due to the presence of multiple overlapping programmes and building users, and if a particular energy strategy would best suit this kind of multi-use construction. Callum advised that the nature of the overlapping programmes - namely, the housing units and support hub situated atop the presumably noisy, communal market hall - meant that soundproofing and acoustic insulation would be a priority (note Detail 3). Acoustic baffles are also included on the ceiling of the support hub to prevent sound transfer to the residential units above.

DETAIL 4

In terms of heating, it was noted that the market hall would have less intense heating requirements than the residential units and support hub, with it being more of a ‘semiindoor’ space as people come off the street and keep on their jackets as they wander the stalls. The presence of cooking stalls and trucks would also aid in heating the space (it should be noted that large floor-to-ceiling glazing is provided on both the north and south faces of the hall in order to naturally cross-ventilate the space, at the suggestion of the consultant). As such I decided on a split, rather than collated, heat source strategy. For the less stringent heat loads of the commercial market hall, fan coil units (air heating only) would be used, where hot water is distributed via a gas boiler. For the residential units and support hub a CHP (combined heat and power) system would be used, where heat is generated from a gas pipeline, but the steam generated turns a turbine to generate electricity in turn, bringing down grid loads.

DETAIL 3

Further consultation with Andrew Brooks revealed a need to consider the risks involved in working with an existing basement, which can be prone to leakages and can be assumed to be poorly insulated - see details 1 and 2 for waterproofing and internal insulation strategies. Right: Perimeter section, original scale 1:20

DETAIL 1

DETAIL 2 RETAINED + RE-USED ELEMENTS (Foundations, floor slabs, basement walls)

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Concrete parapet Glazing

RESPONSE

DETAILING + FIXING In areas where timber is built into concrete to form seating and desk space (see skylight detail opposite, perimeter detail 3 below), a common ‘secret fixing’ language is utilised to give the effect of ‘floating’ benches, where screws and bolts are countersunk and or/ incorporated into wall buildups/behind cladding where they cannot be seen.

*Concrete cladding fixed back to concrete: Zinc plated secret panel fixing Concrete screws (panel into cladding) M10 Resin anchors (panel into wall)

EXTERIOR - ROOFTOP GARDEN

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Green roof/concrete slab buildup: Vegetation layer Bauder Intensive Substrate Vapour control layer Water storage/drainage mat Rock mineral wool insulation Damp proof course Retained concrete slab

Left: Skylight detail, original scale 1:10 Below: Perimeter section detail 3, original scale 1:5

Floating CLT bench with ‘secret’ fixings: Steel equal-angle brackets Countersunk tek screws (into bench and bracket) M12 Resin anchors (into bracket and wall)

Skylight wall buildup: Concrete ‘fin’ built onto proposed reinforced concrete beam Damp proof course Rock mineral wool insulation Vapour control layer Concrete cladding*

Concrete sill Glazing

Wall buildup: Timber wall panelling Plasterboard Timber studs + mineral wool insulation Plywood Timber cladding

INTERIOR - SUPPORT HUB

EXTERIOR Floating CLT bench with ‘secret’ fixings: Steel equal-angle brackets Countersunk tek screws (into bench and bracket) M12 Resin anchors (into bracket and studs)

INTERIOR - MARKET HALL

DETAIL 3 Basement wall/ceiling (including Delta Membrane wall system) Retained concrete wall + floor slab Mortar plus fillet Waterproofing coating Polysil anti-lime coating Primer Cornerstrip Cavity drain membrane Rockwool insulation Vapour control layer Plasterboard

INTERIOR - MARKET HALL BASEMENT

Balcony buildup: Softwood timber floorboards Raised floor supports Thermal insulation Damp proof membrane PIR Insulation board Vapour control layer Retained concrete floor slab EPS Insulation Proposed concrete slab

Basement floor buildup: Polished concrete flooring Screed Rockwool insulation Cavity drain membrane Polysil anti-lime coating Retained concrete slab

DETAIL 1

DETAIL 4

Balcony railing: Concrete parapet Timber ‘slatted’ balustrade (Fixed with resin anchors)

Delta Membrane System sump pump: Delta Membrane System sump Deltapump: Dual Sump V3 Delta Dual Sump V3 Pump chamber installed into concrete bed Pump chamber installed into Inlet concrete drainbed Inlet drain Cable duct Cable duct

Basement floor buildup: Polished concrete flooring Screed Rockwool insulation Cavity drain membrane Polysil anti-lime coating Retained concrete slab

Basement wall buildup: Retained concrete wall Polysil anti-lime coating Cavity drain membrane Rockwool insulation Vapour control layer Plasterboard

Roof buildup: Zinc helmet (atop parapet) Precast concrete XPS insulation Waterproofing membrane Levelling screed Screed Proposed concrete slab

Facing concrete wall/parapet

Flushing port with access panel

DETAIL 2

Thermal bridge break Koster quellband Adaptor Delta puddle flange

DETAIL 5

Inlet drain laid to falls

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