DUNDEE an intimate study
FRONT COVER
01
CONTENTS
02
DÉRIVES
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DÉ R IV E 1
05
RIV ERF RONT TO HILLTOWN
DÉ R IV E 2
11
WATER TO COUNTRY
DÉ R IV E 3
19
GA RDENS TO FOOTBA LL
DÉ R IV E 4
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CITY S QUA RE TO DEER
DÉ R IV E F LORENCE
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SURVEY
35
CONTENTS
SPACE STUDIES
37
STRATEGIES
61
ALLOTMENTS
39
RO LLED UP DER IV E
62
W EAVE RS YA R D
43
S H R IN K IN G C IT Y
63
GRA FF I TI P I TC H
49
R EIN V EN T
65
FO RE BA NK ROA D
55
C UT UP V &A
67
N O DAL C IT Y
70
CO N N EC T I O N S
71
PROJEC T WORKERS
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DÉRIV ES defintion of a dÊrive from Situationiste Internationale #1: a mode of experimental behaviour linked to the conditions of urban society; a technique of transient passage through varied ambiances.
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DÉRIVE 1
Date: Tuesday 15.09.2009 Time: 1400 - 1800 Distance: 6.3km Weather: Overcast, sunny intervals Parameters: Starting at the Discovery and head east bound until the riverside is no longer accessible and then drift to where our eyes were drawn. Blurb: The first dérive started positively though an urge to get away from the water front started to develop as the lack of engagement with the buildings that occupy the land at the water’s edge and a lack of connections between it and the city produced an excitement about heading into hilltown for new and unknown territory.
D É R I V ES R I V E R FRO N T TO H I L LTOW N
dense hilltown area sparse riverfront
people line
no links to new housing development
DÉRIVE 1
texture map
SPAC E D STU É RD I VI ES R I V E R FRO N T TO ALLOTMENTS H I L LTOW N
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experience montage
DÉRIVE 2
Date: Sunday 20.09.2009 Time: 1100 - 1800 Distance: 10km Weather: Windy, sunny intervals Parameters: Starting at the river Tay by Tesco, walk north over the Law until countryside is met, not straying from set boundaries of 500m in width. Blurb: Walking the familiar grounds of the south side of the Law with pace to get to the unfamilar territory of to the north. Suburbia begins at the Law and sprawls endlessly to the countryside where it bares no relationship to the surrounding context. The suburbs sit in small pockets enclosed by busy dangerous roads; a walk not for the faint hearted.
D É R I V ES WATE R TO CO U N TRY
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The rushing and roaring of trains over ditches The cars on the road and the wind which whistles The smell of the sea which infests the face all on a continuous binding race From here we peer over roof top and gables Which lies before us as a dark dirty carpet Prime colours stand out like stains Up here the air seems to dance through our hair tugging our clothes to leave our soul bare Filtered sounds rise up through the trees Angle grinders grinding, siren sounds blaring, the hum of a coupe as it revs up a hill The chatter of sheet plastic, much closer still
seclusion is felt in the suburb of students distant sounds filter through delicate gardens flowers grow and birds sing only the rumble of tire on cobble and disturb this daydream In the in the industrial estates where jute ruled the throne stands crumbling relics of mortar and stone disjointed tracts and carved out paths leads drifters through these stark lands but a bird can be heard and a tree breaks the sight of this industrial inner city blight
DÉRIVE 2
D É R I V ES WATE R TO CO U N TRY
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people line
experience montage - derelict school
DÉRIVE 2
texture map
D É R IIV V ES WATE R TO CO U UN N TRY
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stream of consciousness
DÉRIVE 2
D É R I V ES WATE R TO CO U N TRY
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DÉRIVE 3
D É R I V ES G A R D E N S TO FO OTBA L L
Date: Saturday 26.09.2009 Time: 1330 - 1730 Distance: 6.6km Weather: Blue skies, sun Parameters: Starting at the Botanic Gardens walk in the direction of north east until the football grounds are met. Blurb: From the lush gardens of the Botanics we tapped into Dundee’s green corridor; passing through large expanses of green space rarely placing our feet on tarmac.
texture map
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the green corridor
DÉRIVE 3
image title goes here
D É R I V ES G A R D E N S TO FO OTBA L L
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people line
DÉRIVE 3
D É R I V ES G A R D E N S TO FO OTBA L L
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stream of consciousness
DÉRIVE 3
D É R I V ES G A R D E N S TO FO OTBA L L
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DÉRIVE 3
D É R I V ES G A R D E N S TO FO OTBA L L
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DÉRIVE 4
Date: Sunday 11.10.2009 Time: 1430 - 1800 Distance: 6.8km Weather: Overcast Parameters: Starting at a central location, walk towards landmarks along vistas then bounce off them into a new direction and so on. Blurb: Sucked into the flow of shoppers and spat out blindly into Hilltown, seedy spaces and dark corners bled into industrial sheds bled into wide suburban streets, release into green golf course and curious deer.
D É R I V ES C I TY SQUA R E TO D E E R
DÉRIVE 4
enclaves in Hilltown
D É R I V ES C I TY SQUA R E TO D E E R
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CAIRD SQUARE , city square, whatever its name is - Whatever it’s meant to be - Is that a staircase? Where to, a secret underground world - Civil servants beavering away along with the sunken rivers + dis. Tunnels - Sucked
into the flow of shoppers, fast forwardConcrete formed road, up past the gold discs, - up past poundland +spat out somewhere else - some other town - narrow steps open - up into an UNEXPECTED AMPHITHEATRE, - what
was the big idea? - A condom dumping ground - Route through, cats in long grass, observing us meet another dead end - Big steep passage up
DÉRIVE 4
people line and texture map
D É R I V ES C I TY SQUA R E TO D E E R
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from Michelangelo to David
D É R I V ES FLO R E N C E
FIRENZE As I sit in my tent in the campsite overlooking Firenze I am aware of a tension which is present, it has been growing as with my understanding of the city. My body and mind seem slightly disturbed by Florence, IS IT THE MOSQUITO, or the American students, or the fact that it seems to be a dead city which exists only in the past, preserved and restored in museums. What is the future of Florence? Is it in the POST CARDS OF THE PAST? What makes a city of achievement stop achieving? Florence is an image of itself badly reproduced thousands of times. It is like the preserved head of the saint, horrific to look at but kept and shown off. The people of this city seem insecure with self image, the designer labels all promote an awareness of this , advertising better people, plastic people in shop windows. Make-up is the preserver of the people it MASKS THE AGING OF THE FACE, from behind such masks souls are dying unloved unemotional sick. Florence’s quest to become cool it has over achieved, it has become dead cool, the life blood of the city ran dry many centuries ago. But RATHER THAN BE ALLOWED REGENERATE IT HAS BEEN PRESERVED.
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What do YOU DO student nurse • work off shore • drive busses • STUDENT • retired • sales assistant primark • work in retail • work in retail • student • I am a student • Sales operator • sales assistant • student • student • city centre assist • unemployed • retired, cleaner part time • part time MA, retired • Teach • designer • college • writer producer entertainer • student • engineer • architectural student • I cycle & I’m a student • student • cleaner • driver • pension • pensioner • RETIRED • city centre • BINGO • bingo • unemployed • retired nurse • domestic assist • unemployed • carrer husband • nurse nine • I am not working as I was declared unfit/unable to continue in any paid employment so apart from going to see Dundee F.C I also go to the cinema regularly like music t.v occasionally go to the ice hockey and I hope to start voluntary work at M-ID LIN centre soon • bilingual assistant @ schools • N/A • School
information • road system • roadworks • suburbia • the docks industrial estate, cuts off Dundee from brought ferry • tesco waterfront • hiltown or any run down area • city • blackness rd • tayside house • no where – like dundee • city centre • lack of jobs • lack of jobs • don’t have one • don’t have one • whitfield st kirkton, nothing to do • commercial street seagate • HOTEL BOARDED UP • some of the general rudness that I and no doubt others see going on the problem of litter drunken yobs harassing others and people constantly asking me for money even tho I do not owe them any • b- park not nice area • around the docks, frightened of water • where the junkies are
MOST FAVOURITE part of Dundee
What do you DO ON A SATURDAY MORNING
City centre – shops, pub/clubs • None • Law hill The view • riverside • brought ferry • shopping centre overgate • / • Don’t have one • City Centre, it has all the shops • City centre, the only interesting part of dundee • Downfield, because I live there • Law Hill, because you see everything • - non of it • city quay • city centre • City Centre • Lochee • Perth road • here – desperate dan sculpture • overgate for shopping, discovery • overgate • WEST END • buildings • quay • periferry, so you can look back and reflect • balgay hill viewing point, great 360 degree views of the river, and view toward s the country • the m green, open space • the law because the view from there • Dundee law • all over inside out • b.ferry hill town • dock sea • Dundee utd • hard to say camper down • LAW HILL THE VIEW • the town dunno why though • small • centre shopping • camperdown park • good rest + pubs • Dundee F.C + going to support them home + away because I am a life-long fan of the club • Camperdown good place for kids • none • town the shops
work • recover from hangover • watch t.v • sleep • come into town for breakfast • clean house • look after my son • housework • sleep in • go shopping • recover from a hang over • cure a hangover or shop in town centre • take son swimming • nothing • work / prepare for football • DRINK • 10 am mass • house work shopping coffee • clear up house • ride horse, look after kids • sleep • mostly work • work • / • recover from hang over • I cycle • shop • work • play tennis • usual, cup of tea red the paper • town, bus – ferry, st andrews • st andrews • keep garden tidy • work • long lie • into town • in bed till late • whitfield st kirkton, nothing to do • shopping • hotel boarded up • after a shower I get dressed then get ready to leave to go and watch Dundee F.C play • / • shopping • sleep
LEAST FAVOURITE Part of Dundee
What do you DO ON A SUNDAY EVENING
/ • everything • / • don’t know • charlestown • city centre too many chemist for junkies • where I live • where I live • / • Meneizhill nothing to do • fintry run down • schemes of Dundee e.g pole park hilltown and because of he junkies • nothing to do • don’t know, town centre at night • non – loves it • HILLTOWN • hilltown • hilltown • e.dock street roadworks – look I have to get to holiday inn • wellgate • no idea • tourist
Go to the gym • recover from hang over • WORK WATCH T.V • sleep • couple of pints with pall • watch telly • relax • watch t.v • get ready for school • watch t.v • relax, ready for another working week • watch t.v • have tea with family • watch t.v • play computer games • watch t.v • chill out in house • sit by fire, bottle of wine, book, telly • Iron • chill out, ready for wwk ahead • tv • drink • telly • watch t.v • recover from kayak-
SU RV E Y SU RV E Y ing • either exercise or video games or movie • relax • watch ice hockey • WATCH T.V • some one invites tea, t.v/music • stay in • st pauls cathedral • pissed • work • go to town • in the house • ready for work • family • relax t.v • in house • nothing in particular, just relax watch tv listen to music • / • veg out • roast dinner
Courier, sun • Daily Mail, courier, Telegraph • Courier • Sun, Evening telegraph • Sun • Courier, evening telegraph • courier + telegraph • express • metro • courier • no • The Sun (daily), Courier (Daily), Sunday Post, N.O.W • / • metro or telegraph • any
What would you CHANGE about Dundee? Why?
What is your favorite SOCIAL WEBSITE
• / • the hole lot Shithole • road signs, nobody adheres to them • fine • council • get junkies out of the city centre • GET RID OF THE JUNKIE CAUSE THEY SPOIL; THE PLACE FOR EVERYONE • get rid of junkies, spoil dundee • / • make a theme park so its not so boring • more music activities, less anti-social behavior, less junkies, less polish • get rid of the junkies • more things to do • road works • nothing • been here for years • not enough entertainment, bands • bring back old overgate, decent railway station • better road work diversion signs • driving through nightmare • / • people healthier, eat better, stop smoking, fit for life • / • move it closer to England • the attitude of scoltand to the city • I would make the railway bridge pedestrian so that you could cross the river one way and come back another • the relationship of the town to the tay • regenerate run down areas, to make it a nicer place to live • nothing • back the way, overgat, monkeys parade up and down • old buildings done up, high school • more housing homeless • local admin – snp, ASBO’s - beggars • MORE EMPLOY MENT, MORE STUFF FOR KIDS • more employment, more stuff for kids • pavements • ask young folk, done no bad considering • nothing • more for drug addicts, more for young people • to much outwith shopping, need a car more cinema in town • better housing for everyone, not enough • I would ban the big issue sellers from all parts of Dundee, only because they also beg and its only the big issue sellers, not all of them but some of them • / • not enough for young, more groups • bus times, more of them
Facebook • none • bebo • google • / • bebo • bebo • bebo • facebook • facebook • bebo • bebo, msn messange • bebo • facebook • paltalk • / • / • / • facebook • new rider (horses) • facebook • facebook • facebook • / • facebook • noobtoob.com • facebook • none • wp.pl • / • / • / • / • / • no • no • no • no • no • / • I don’t have one, I don’t own a computer • / • no • facebook • How Long have you LIVED IN DUNDEE 9 years • 12 years • 35 • 3 weeks • 46 years • 20 years • all my life • 40 yrs • 4 years • 4 years • 20 years • 19 years • 18 years • 4 years • 57 years • 26 years • 73 years • forfar, not dundee • visiting • dont • live in Perth • dont • visiting • 0 • 5 years • 4 years • 5 years • 42 years • 3 years • 79 years • 71 years • 72 years • 50 years • life • 27 years • all life, 66 years • all life, 44 years • 28 • 50 • all life • all of my life (43 years) I was born on April 1966 • / • ALL LIFE • 10
What NEWSPAPER do you read? SUN / Daily record • none • nill • / • Sun • Sun / record • Sun • Evening tele, Sun, Record • Metro • Metro • Telegraph, Courier • Telegraph • sun, telegraph • Daily Mail • nothing • sun • Daily mail, courier, telegraph • Herald • Gaurdian • Courier • / • Independant • / • Times • Gaurdian • online • Independant • Evening Telegraph • Dundee Courier •
Survey of 47 people at 9.30 am in City 35 square on 15/10/09
S PACE STUDIES While on Dérive the intimate urbanism group discovered a multitude of spaces in the city which were being used in a wholly positive way. We focussed in on 4 spaces in particular: The Arches, DPM graffiti pitch, allotments and Forebank road which mediated with their surroundings and in some way connected the community. They were chosen as studies not only for their positive contribution but also they showed success where similar spaces had failed. “functions and programs combine and intersect in an endless “disprogramming” or “crossprogramming”.”1 In each one of the examples, architectural elements help to articulate define and essentially legitimize the space.
1
(Tschumi, 1995)
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allotments hand drawing showing program and textures
SPAC E STU D I ES ALLOTMENTS
When recording and quantifying these spaces in Dundee, it was noted that a substantial amount was found to be the shared gardens of housing estates. These spaces, a modernest ideal, remain unused due to the uncertainty of ownership. Most are heavily overshadowed as they are internal courts. Therefore, unplanted, untended and unloved these spaces add nothing to the community. The allotment exists as an exception to the stated condition. It is heavily planted with edible vegetables. It is contributing to a rich sense of community as the residence care and tend for theie shared garden.
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SPAC E STU D I ES ALLOTMENTS
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the arches hand drawing showing program and textures
SPAC E STU D I ES TH E A RC H ES
This convoluted space links two streets on dierent levels, interfaces with an old converted mill and terraced housing. There is a spatial complexity due to the convolution of the route the change in level and the existing bridge and archways on site. Although the disjointed site seems to be a leftover from previous industrial functions it has been moderated by the council, lighting, planting and benches have been added. It is not merely a link, nor is it a park. The lower level of the space is colonised by the mill residence while on the upper level kids have transformed it into a football pitch by painting goal posts on the existing walls. Here the existing features; the archways, steps and the flyover, which contain the space, legitimize it. It is not just a waste of embankment leftover and abandoned.
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section
SPAC E STU D I ES TH E A RC H ES
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timber and steel model
SPAC E STU D I ES TH E A RC H ES
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graďŹƒti pitch hand drawing showing program and textures
SPAC E STU D I ES D P M G R A FFI TI P I TC H
This space mediates between two streets in Hilltown. A football pitch, public seating and graďŹƒti wall are overlooked by tenements. Initially a space charged with feelings of insecurity. Once analysed the space was seen to be a significant social space for young people in the Hilltown community.
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plan and section
SPAC E STU D I ES G R A FFI T TI P I TC H
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SPAC E STU D I ES D P M G R A FFI TI P I TC H
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SPAC E STU D I ES FO R E BA N K ROA D
This pocket park sits adjacent to a catholic church on Forebank road which connects the Hilltown to the city. It slopes steeply to the south. The catholic church of architectural importance and is bordered on 3 sides by single story residences. This setback oers relief from the street. In recent years planting and a bench has been added to give the space more definition. It is the mix of housing typologies in the area combined with the adjacency of the church which this space seems to mediate. The imposing tower block to the north, the social housing blocks and the duplex apartments, varied in scale, contribute the intrigue which is unique to this space.
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SPAC E STU D I ES FO R E BA N K ROA D
image title goes here
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SPAC E STU D I ES FO R E BA N K ROA D
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CITY STRATEGIES
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I N TI M ATE C I TY STR ATEG I ES “ RO L L E D U P D E R I V E ”
‘rolled up derive’ and ‘shrinking city’ is a reaction against Dundee’s continued low density expansion, despite the city’s shrinking population. The population of the city in 2010 is at the same level as the historic Dundee of 1870. ‘rolled up derive’ proposes that all of the modern, low density development out with the historic 1870 footprint should be ‘rolled up’ and redeveloped in the derelict and brown field sites that exist in modern day Dundee, creating a denser more compact city.
I N TI M ATE C I TY STR ATEG I ES “ SH R I N K I N G C I TY ”
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I N TI M ATE C I TY STR ATEG I ES “REINVENT”
‘Reinvention’ proposed four different programs that could occupy the old city council tower, a building that is set to be demolished in order to make way for the waterfront development. Although the programs proposed in ‘reinvention’ are only meant to be provocative, it does raise a serious question. Why spend money and energy demolishing a modern building, that could be re invented in a more sustainable and positive way? The ‘Reinvention’ proposal questioned why Dundee city council was redeveloping the cities water front site, beginning with a tabula rasa as appose to regenerating the unused and abandoned buildings that exist currently on the site and in and around the urban centre of the city. 65
C I TY STR ATEG I ES CUT UP V&A
response to the proposal of moving a faction of the Victoria and Albert to museum to Dundee and its projection as a renewed answer to urban problems in Dundee. We perceived the V&A ‘campaign’ as a cultural weight on the waters edge inserted more as a component of a conventional masterplan.We proposed fragmenting the program and dispersing it throughout the city. Taking one of the ‘loved’ spaces from our studies we installed a series of artworks in strategic positions as a means of augmenting the qualities of the space.
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C I TY STR ATEG I ES CUT UP V&A
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N O DA L C I TY
ex t re m e d e n s if icat io n o f t h e cit y at a fo cal p o int into a d e n s e p atch o f b u ild in g fo r m s connected by ‘drift ’routes to in st it u t io n al n o d e s . co n n e cte d by establishing new routes and co n n e ct io n s wit h in t h e cit y
C I TY STR ATEG I ES RO U T ES A N D CO N N EC T I O N S
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CO N FLU E N C E P O I N T
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Ryan McLoughlin
Esme Fieldhouse
Brian Murphy
Neil Walkinshaw
Stephen Mackie