Ewan Malloch
Master of Architectural and Urban Design
2021 - 2022
Site User Analysis
Identified opportunities as a result of this research.
Source: Valley Gardens Report 2018 Brighton and Hove City Council
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RESEARCH.
Due to the recent developments taking place on The Valley Gardens and Old Steine Gardens I managed to obtain very thorough user analysis for the site. Orchestrated by The Brighton and Hove City Council their questionnaire outlines the key uses for the site as well as including the communities opinion of the site. Whilst largely traffic based, a number of interesting pieces of information can be gathered.
One of the most striking outcomes of this survey is that 85% of the users surveyed use valley gardens for travelling from A to B. The second most common use is catching a bus (52%) which again is a travel based use. This seems to highlight an opportunity as proximity to work and travel via car begins to change as a result of a sustainability conscious, big data, societal shift. Is there an opportunity to slow down the pace of the site and introduce opportunities for diverse, multipurpose spaces for people to stop, work, relax, exercise and interact within? It’s also important to note that one of the top use responses was attending events. Events only take place within the site at certain points in the year. However, they’re a large part of the character of not only Valley Gardens but Brighton as a whole. Is there a way to provide agency for these events when they occur but also provide alternative uses all year round?
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