THE BELFAST KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURAL QUARTER | Design & Regeneration Project

Location History Development evolution

Land use Character area Building height Building vacancy Traffic system Legibility People’s activities

London knowledge quarter Knowledge quarter Place d’ Youville Grangegorman Community Garden Project Vertical Gym in Venezuela Copenhagen squares & spaces

Knowledge quarter Cultural quarter

Location

The site is located within the United Kingdom of great Britain and Northern Ireland. It lies at the heart of Belfast, the capital city of northern Ireland.

United Kingdom

Site location at the city scale indicates the relationship of the site to other areas of significance within Belfast City, like City Hall, Victoria Square and The Odyssey. It also illustrates the site’s location to the west of the River Lagan.

City Hall indicates the civic center of importance for the city while Castle court and Victoria Square are highlighted to show the site’s proximity to the main retail destinations. The Odyssey and Waterfront have been highlighted to demonstrate the Cathedral Quarter’s relationship to the other major sites of regenerative activity within the City Centre.

Northern Ireland

Belfast

History Traditionally, the Cathedral Quarter was the centre of Belfast's trade and warehousing district, which sprung up directly from the prosperous linen and shipbuilding industries. The quarter still retains some of Belfast's oldest buildings and thoroughfares, including Waring Street and Hill Street. This is what contributes to the Quarter’s reputation as being one of the oldest parts of Belfast.

Structurally, the Cathedral Quarter is typified by brick built warehouse style premises dating back to the 17th century, with relatively narrow streets and lanes. The Quarter takes its name from the Cathedral Church of St. Anne, which was constructed approximately one hundred years ago. Following the building of High Street in the 19th century (requiring the channeling of the Farset River) where the busy quays had once supported a thriving portside economy, the Cathedral Quarter fell into a spiral of decay and neglect.

After years of significant decline and lack of investment, Laganside Corporation was given the mandate in 1997 to include the Quarter within its overall area of responsibility. This has seen the re-emergence of the area as a dedicated ‘cultural quarter’ of Belfast.

Areas such as North Street are still in a state of dilapidation, but are likely to be redeveloped along with the rest of the quarter.

Queen’s Bridge, Belfast

High Street

City Hall

LinenHall Library

Market Street, Belfast

Cromac Square/Place, Belfast

Historical Development The shift in focus from urban form to urban landscape was encouraged by the so-called ‘cultural turn’ in the social sciences.

It is likely that the development of a morphological perspective in Irish urban studies from the 1970s onwards owes a great deal to an emerging sense that the quality of cities and towns in Ireland was about to be lost in the development boom of the late 1960s.

As the population increases, the rapid expansion of the city was running towards a high-density residential housing development.

But until 1960s, the urban fabric gradually was in the opposite direction, reducing housing density with a large amount of land converted to urban landscape uses.

It is clearly that people now pay more attention on urban morphology, their quality of life and cultural heritage.

(WMUD was commissioned to carry out research into the morphological history of Belfast from the earliest times to the present day and to produce an animation of Belfast Historical Development.)

Policy Timeline

Policy Analysis

CATHEDRAL CONSERVATION AREA (1990)

The designation of the Cathedral Conservation Area represents an important stage in the regeneration of Belfast.

Conservation can help to promote economic revival by identifying and enhancing the architectural and historic character of the City.

This status provides a framework and vision for the regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter This document is of key significance regarding the design and regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter. It recognises the importance of economic growth and development within the area while seeking balance in respect to protecting the character of the area.

The document has a number of key objectives.

Primarily, it seeks to protect and enhance the essential character of the Cathedral Conservation Area. It encourages the retention, rehabilitation and reuse of existing buildings wherever possible in a way that is in sympathy with the appearance of the Cathedral Quarter. Furthermore, it aims to promote the commercial benefits of investing in the area, recognising that the long term viability of the area necessitates the creation of an attractive entrepreneurial environment.

The designation of the Cathedral Quarter as a conservation area is hoped to bring derelict and underused land back into productive economic use. It aims furthermore to introduce a variety of land uses into the area to include offices, small scale retailing, cultural and recreational uses.

Policy Analysis

BELFAST URBAN AREA PLAN (1991)

SHAPING OUR FUTURE : REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2025 (2001)

Published in June 1990, this document comprises the adopted version of the Belfast Urban Area Plan. It seeks to inform the general public, statutory authorities, developers and other interested bodies of the policy framework and land use proposals that will be used to guide development decisions within the Plan area. This document is still officially the plan that must be referred to when dealing with planning and development decisions within the Belfast Urban Area. For this reason it has direct relevance to the Cathedral Quarter and any development that takes place within this area.

The Regional Development Strategy relates to the Cathedral Quarter regeneration by outlining the broad framework of regional development. The Spatial Development Framework within aims ‘to develop the Cathedral Quarter as a dynamic and distinctive mixed use, historical and cultural quarter.’ The strategy calls for sustainable patterns of development with an emphasis on the importance of social cohesion and economic development. It argues that ‘a strong and vibrant metropolitan area is fundamental to the continuing social and economic development of the region’. It urges Belfast to fulfill its role as regional capital and grow a stronger role as an international city.

Policy Analysis

CATHEDRAL QUARTER URBAN DESIGN FRAMEWORK This document provides guiding principles for future developments in the Cathedral Quarter.

It focuses on how key assets can be capitalized upon and less helpful aspects can be addressed. It highlights the areas where efforts should be focused to ensure improvements built upon the inherent qualities.

This will reinforce its distinct identity and extend its role as an important city center neighborhood. The framework considers it essential that derelict parts are sensitively restored and new high quality contemporary buildings introduced to repair the eroded urban fabric. Built frontages need to be reinstated to help define streets and external spaces must be designed to be attractive day and night. A positive relationship to the street is vital, creating visually permeable ground floor facades with eye catching window displays and lighting.

The document states that new external public spaces needed to complement and extend the current network of routes. The fine grained texture of the historic quarter needs to be reinstated and complemented by high quality streetscape treatments using natural materials.

The key urban spaces should be flexible to accommodate a variety of uses at different times of the day. Provision should be made for arts related activities such as displays, installations, exhibitions and other types of performance. It is seen as vital that people linger around the quarter. The framework hopes to redress the balance in favor of pedestrians by discouraging traffic from penetrating the area, yet it discourages the exclusion of cars entirely as they bring activity and security to the area. The framework proposes to link the area perceptually and physically to neighboring areas with direct attractive and safe routes. Doing so will overcome barriers such as the Dunbar Link. It outlines the need to focus attention on the Four Corners area as a revitalized landmark junction respecting its historical status as one of the oldest parts of Belfast.

Policy Analysis

A STRATEGY FOR NEIGHBOURHOOD RENEWAL (2003)

BELFAST METROPOLITAN AREA PLAN 2015 (2004)

This seven to ten year strategy targets those communities throughout Northern Ireland suffering the highest levels of deprivation. Neighbourhood Renewal is a cross government strategy and aims to bring together the work of all Government Departments in partnership with local people to tackle disadvantage and deprivation in all aspects of everyday life. Neighbourhood Partnerships have been established in each Neighbourhood Renewal Area as a vehicle for local planning and implementation. Each Neighbourhood Partnership should include representatives of key political, statutory, voluntary, community and private sector stakeholders. Together, they have developed long term visions and action plans designed to improve the quality of life for those living in the area.

This document (BMAP) provides the planning framework which facilitates growth and a high quality of development in the Belfast metropolitan area while protecting, and where appropriate enhancing, the natural and man-made environments. As the Cathedral Quarter is located within Belfast city centre, BMAP recognises that the city centre has the potential to thrive and grow from strength to strength. BMAP also understands that the city centre must encourage quality design and development. This will have to be taken into consideration when dealing with the regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter. BMAP seeks ‘to create a thriving metropolitan area’ with Belfast city centre as the focus. Its strategic objectives are to: enhance the role of the City of Belfast, develop the metropolitan area, and improve transport. At present BMAP is in draft format but the document still must be used when dealing with development within Belfast.

Policy Analysis

BELFAST - THE MASTER PLAN (2004 - 2020) The key objectives of the masterplan focus on the creation of an attractive, accessible and energised city core. It seeks to grow the city centre in order to reverse the spiral of decline. In developing the city centre, it hopes to enhance and diversity the retail offering while considering the options available to establish further public private partnerships.

Neighbourhood renewal is another emphasis of the masterplan. It aims to reduce social exclusion and tackle multiple disadvantage. The environmental assets of the area are to be maximised and quality city presentation in its urban design and public realm is of paramount importance. In this way, the urban environment will attract tourists, students and investors which are crucial to the sustainability of the city.

NORTH EAST QUARTER MASTERPLAN (2005) The plan states that such a scheme will enhance the overall shopping offer within the city centre, but also significantly improve linkages and pedestrian flow to and through the area. The proposal seeks to bring back to use key historic and listed buildings. The vision of the masterplan is to create a vibrant mixed use area with a particular emphasis on the creation of new shopping opportunities within the NEQ. It is envisaged that private investment will create a new destination which will attract activity to the area. The main elements of the concept plan include a new shopping street with an entrance opposite the Castlecourt Shopping Centre. Central to the scheme is an anchor store located between North Street and Donegall St, with a side entrance linking through a redefined Writer’s Square to the Library Quarter beyond.

Policy Analysis

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY (2010)

FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC VISION AND DEVELOPMENT PLAN (2011)

The aim of this strategy is: “To identify and develop actions that will improve the quality of life for ourselves and for future generations.” The strategy should be seen as a highly participatory instrument, intended to ensure socially responsible economic development while protecting the resource base and the environment for the benefit of future generations.

The document outlines four principles which describe the necessary conditions of sustainable development: achieving a sustainable economy; promoting good governance; using sound science responsibly; and promoting opportunity and innovation.

The strategy relates to the Cathedral Quarter in that it highlights the critical importance of an innovative economy and an inclusive society. These two particular points are critical to the success of the Cathedral Quarter as cultural hub within Belfast City.

This document envisages the Cathedral Quarter as a focal point and leading destination for culture, enterprise and learning. A key proposal within the document is the formation of a Cathedral Quarter Trust to maintain a focus on the Cathedral Quarter’s shared goals and ambitions. The document prioritises support of the ‘cultural core’, the centre of the arts and creative industries. It supports the provision of managed workspaces providing a supportive environment for business incubation. Furthermore, the document outlines provision for improved public transport with a new Cathedral Quarter University train station at Gamble Street. This will help attract the increased visitor numbers to the area to sustain the expansion of services, and ensure that the necessary supporting infrastructure needed to achieve the goals is in place.

Policy Analysis Belfast’s City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy

Increase the Employment Population Capitalise on Belfast’s advantage of competitive costs of space and labour and a well-educated work force. Support the development of new.

Increase the Residential Population Add liveliness and bustle to the city centre at all hours and create a market for retail, restaurants and entertainment by supporting residential development of various types and tenures at key locations.

Manage the Retail Offer Address the retail decline of the centre through a targeted and proactive approach to regeneration of retail areas and management of the city centre retail offer.

Maximise the Tourism Opportunity Take tourism in Belfast up a level by complementing the existing offer with another big attraction or festival and fostering the general buzz and activity of the centre.

Create the Region’s Learning and Innovation Centre Address Belfast’s low level of innovation and by building on the strength of existing institutions in the centre and providing cheap and flexible space for new businesses.

Create the Region’s Learning and Innovation Centre Address Belfast’s low level of innovation and by building on the strength of existing institutions in the centre and providing cheap and flexible space for new businesses.

Create a Green, Walkable, Cyclable Centre Reduce the area of tarmac and increase green space in the city centre through provision of new open spaces, a comprehensive streetscaping programme and development of the Lagan corridor as a recreational spine.

Connect to the City Around Reduce barriers between the city centre and the communities that surround it by connecting to activity in adjacent neighbourhoods, developing two new access points such as walkways, crossing routes over the River Lagan, potential reconfiguration of road infrastructure, improving pedestrian crossings where feasible, streetscaping key corridors and improving the built form relationship at the edges of the city centre.

A Shared Space and Social Impact Ensure that the city centre is a welcoming and attractive place for everyone in Belfast through the design and programming of space.

To facilitate the implementation of the eight policies for the city centre the strategy identifies a series of projects for each district.

Institutional Outline

Institutional Analysis

DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT The Department of the Environment (DOE) is tasked with protecting and promoting the natural and built environment. It recognised the underuse and undervalue of the Cathedral Quarter and set objectives to increase the significance, population, and use of the area. They identified the Cathedral Quarter as a historic and mixed use part of the city located on the fringes of the main shopping area and set the aim to ‘consolidate the area as part of the main city core’. The DOE’s approach supported the creation of new and sustainable communities with sufficient density to support a range of amenities and public transport provision.

DEPARTMENT FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT The Department for Social Development (DSD) took over the responsibilities of Laganside Corporation in July 2007 and became responsible for the further regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter. The primary policy objective for regeneration is to promote and implement a comprehensive approach to tackling social, economic and physical regeneration and redressing disadvantage in cities and towns throughout Northern Ireland. The DSD works in conjunction with the DOE to ensure regeneration issues are addressed in a comprehensive strategic manner.

The DSD Regeneration Policy Statement provides clear direction for the further regeneration of Belfast City Centre. One of their main aims is to strengthen Belfast City Centre as a first class shopping destination whilst providing a high quality safe urban environment, attractive to investors, employees, residents and tourists. For this to take place, it is vital to revitalise and reconnect the Cathedral Quarter back into the city centre. As such, the DSD encourages opportunities for major retail led development schemes such as the Royal Exchange to expand the retail activity of the city.

Institutional Analysis

DEPARTMENT FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT The Department for Regional Development deals with matters pertaining to regional strategic planning and development, and issues relating to transport and infrastructure. Its strategic objectives are to support the economy through planning, developing and maintaining safe and sustainable transport networks, and addressing regional imbalance in infrastructure. The key ways in which the Department for Regional Development have impacted on the Cathedral Quarter relate to its transport network. Key targets of the DRD for the area include a shift towards more pedestrian and cyclist friendly systems such as controlled junctions, cycling lanes and bike racks

NORTHERN IRELAND ENVIRONMENT AGENCY The Northern Ireland Environment Agency is the largest agency within the Department of the Environment. They implement government strategies and policies, while encouraging sustainable development, biodiversity and impacts on climate change. Their vision is to have a healthy and well protected environment and heritage in Northern Ireland which contributes to the social and economic wellbeing of the whole community. In relation to the Cathedral Quarter, the NIEA would advocate for the development of a sustainable quarter, one which minimises the impacts of future developments on the environment. This is likely to take the form of a reduced emphasis on road transport in favour of pedestrianisation and improved public transport. Another role of the NIEA is to ensure that the heritage and built environment of the Cathedral Quarter is conserved and protected. They have protected the historic structure of the area through designation. This was achieved by establishing and protecting landmark buildings such as the Merchant Hotel.

They promote the location of development on vacant land and specify that new developments are to respect the existing form and scale of the buildings already in the area which gives a sense of cohesion to the area.

Institutional Analysis

BELFAST CIVIC TRUST Belfast Civic Trust argues that Belfast’s Edwardian and Victorian architectural core should be preserved and enhanced by sympathetic development, for cultural, environmental and economic reasons. This will foster a better environment to live in, a brighter city and encourage tourism. Belfast Civic Trust have organised talks on topics such as the revitalisation of the Cathedral Quarter and are keenly interested in the regeneration of this sensitive area. They have been heavily involved supporters of the St. Anne’s Cathedral project, providing recommendations to the DOE as a blueprint for renewing the identity of this unique sector of Belfast. They campaign and lobby for new buildings in Belfast to be sympathetic to the character of the city and to be of a high design standard which means they will continue to be keenly interested in any proposed buildings within the Cathedral Quarter regeneration plan. They have pushed for more residential development within the Cathedral Quarter and they support the re-use of unused historic buildings. As such and they are likely to endorse any such proposals to increase population and vitality within the regeneration concept plan.

BELFAST CITY COUNCIL Belfast City Council is the local authority for Belfast City. The council have been involved heavily in the development and regeneration of the Cathedral Quarter. They were instrumental in establishing the Cathedral Quarter Steering Group, a group including a representative from the Council itself, which went on to produce the Cathedral Quarter Strategic Vision and Development Plan. This set out the vision for the Cathedral Quarter and the means of obtaining it. The Belfast City Council Development Committee described the council as being a key and active partner in driving and investing in the Cathedral Quarter which has been identified as a key place destination in the councils four year Integrated Tourism Strategic Framework. In addition to this, the council also provides financial support for many of the projects such as the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. This support is crucial for the continued growth of the culture scene and identity within the Cathedral Quarter.

Institutional Analysis

LAGANSIDE CORPORATION Laganside Corporation originated in 1989 as a government funded body. Its role was defined as ‘Contributing to the revitalisation of Belfast and Northern Ireland by transforming Laganside to be attractive, accessible and sustainable, and recognised as a place of opportunity for all’. In 1996 the Corporation expanded and worked in conjunction with Belfast City Council to regenerate areas closer to the city centre to enable them become a nucleus for business, leisure, cultural activities and residential properties. The Cathedral Quarter was designated as the area of culture as it was felt the area had potential to become a cultural quarter like those seen in other regenerating cities. The importance of preserving its heritage and unique character was emphasised. The Corporation aimed to meet these objectives by encouraging private sector investment and working with established foundations in the area to create arts facilities, for example, the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. By implementing a clear system of traffic flow management through the area the Corporation hoped to attract inward private investment.

Laganside aimed to restore the Cathedral Quarter to an important position within Belfast City in light of its historical significance. In 2004 the area received streetscape improvements such as the relaying of traditional cobble surfaces, the widening of existing pavements and extensive use of Caithness stone, making the area more attractive.

ULSTER ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE SOCIETY The Ulster Architectural Heritage Society was founded 1967 to promote the appreciation and enjoyment of architecture from the prehistoric to the present in the nine counties of Ulster, and to encourage its preservation and conservation. Today with a membership of about 1200, it is considered one of the most active groups in the UK or Ireland in this field. The society successfully advocated for the introduction of listed building legislation to Northern Ireland in 1972 and is a regular contributor to planning and development matters. In May 2008, in conjunction with Belfast City Council, the society produced a guide to the more interesting buildings and streets in the Cathedral Quarter. This is a valuable resource in safeguarding and promoting the architectural character of the Cathedral Quarter.

Land use The land use analysis reveals a number of things about the site. Firstly, there is a shortage of greenspace within the Cathedral Quarter. It is limited in distribution to the area in front of the University of Ulster building and Writer’s Square. Both are underused spaces and neither give the sense of truly green environment. The high level of dereliction within the Quarter is illustrated also and gives an obvious indication of where regeneration efforts should be concentrated in order to lift the aesthetic of the area. Thirdly, the low supply of residential land use is highlighted.

The concept plan should focus on increasing the supply and in doing so increase the activity that will activate the dependent spaces and functions of the Cathedral Quarter.

Character Area This graphic displays the division of the Cathedral Quarter into distinct character areas. As the categories show, a congruous character area may be defined by a dominant architectural style or a dominant land use. In some areas the edges between character areas may not be concrete.

Building Height

The building heights analysis demonstrates the characteristic height of the Cathedral Quarter. With most of the area falling within 3 to 4 storeys, this must be kept in mind when proposing infill development.

Vacancy There are a huge number of vacant land and buildings in the site. Plenty of lands simply use as car parking, and only ground floor of some buildings come into use and waste upper storeys.

Traffic system

*Data and information from Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan

Pedestrian Network

*Data and information from Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan

Cycle Route Network

*Data and information from Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan

Legibility

KEY landmark church

This map illustrates how the Cathedral Quarter operates in terms of paths, nodes, landmarks and edges.

The map shows the dispersion of landmarks throughout the site with the graduated sizing of the star indicated the relative significance of each. The primary nodes are lcoated along the site boundary where the Cathedral Quarter interacts with neighbouring areas.

In terms of edges, the Dunbar Link is a divisive feature within the streetscape, disrupting pedestrian flow which might be moving from the residential communities to the north of the Cathedral Quarter.

node Listed buildings open space green space pedestrian zone vista edge

Interesting Area The location and extent of the Cathedral Interesting Area is illustrated in this graphic. It indicates the dispersion of potential development throughout the site. These buildings and lanes are amongst those that give the strongest sense of the character of the Cathedral Quarter. It is important to consider them and configure ways to enhance their influence on their surroundings in the concept plan.

Activities and Behaviors

Activities and Behaviors

Knowledge Quarter London The area around King’s Cross, St Pancras and Euston stations is a gateway to the most valuable commodity of the 21st century – knowledge. Just as the great Victorian railway engineers built a revolutionary transport hub for people and goods in this part of London, and South Kensington was the knowledge hub of the 19th century, so the Knowledge Quarter has become established as an interchange for creative ideas, research and innovation: a centre for the knowledge economy in the 21st century.

Within a one-mile radius (approximately 10-15 minute walk) is a remarkable cluster of organisations spanning research, higher education, science, art, culture and media. Individually they offer resources for specialists in numerous fields, from architecture and the arts to biotechnology and veterinary science. Together they represent a concentration of knowledge and expertise to rival any in the world. What links them all is a focus on the advancement and dissemination of knowledge for research, inspiration, growth, creativity and enjoyment.

The Knowledge Quarter brings together over 55 cultural, research, scientific, business and academic institutions large and small under one umbrella, positioning the area as unique in the knowledge economy. It is becoming a recognisable brand that resonates with all kinds of knowledge seekers, whether prospective visitors, UK and overseas students or other knowledge based institutions and businesses.

Just as St Pancras International has become a new gateway to Europe, so the Knowledge Quarter is becoming synonymous in the public mind as the gateway to knowledge.

Knowledge Quarter London The Knowledge Quarter fosters knowledge exchange and collaboration between staff and users of cross-disciplinary communities to exchange ideas, expertise and evidence. Developing networks to encourage collaborative projects, training, commissioned research and access to funding is engaging a wide variety of audiences and benefiting the local research community.

KQ vision is a world-class knowledge and business hub for the 21st century.

KQ mission is to encourage openness, innovation, networking and opportunity by making the facilities, collections and expertise of our members understood, available and used as widely as possible for the benefit of researchers, creative people, students and the whole community.

Strategic priorities 1 Knowledge exchange: Facilitate knowledge exchange and identify opportunities for openness, collaboration, networking and efficiencies.

2 Community engagement: Increase access to resources and collections and create opportunities for local community engagement.

3 Public realm, environment and sustainability: Identify and support work that improves our local sustainable environment.

4 Advocacy and communications: Increase the area’s profile through advocacy and stakeholder engagement.

Community Garden Project (Project 24, Bangor)

Project 24 is an innovative and impressive project which has captured the public’s interest, bringing vibrancy and interest to this popular seaside town, Bangor.

Project 24 utilises 6 bespoke, colourful art pods each split into two mini artist studios where artists take residency. The art pods are customised shipping containers, seen as light boxes with a fluid and translucent environment allowing visitors to experience different moods and atmospheres depending on the season and time of day.

Modern materials, modern furnishings and excellent lighting have helped to create this welcoming, vibrant, engaging and creative space.

The area around the art pods is landscaped with an event space ‘The Hub’, seating and a community garden.

Community Garden Project A community garden is a shared project where people from all age groups, abilities and backgrounds can come together to grown their own fruit, vegetables and flowers. Community growing has been around for centuries and can be traced back to the fields in Cornwell, near Lands End around 100BC. In the late 19th and early 20th century, both England and America created formal recognition of communal growing. Recently there has been resurgence in the popularity of communal growing and studies have shown many benefits such as; Health (physical and physiological), Social (cultural and intergenerational), Educational (learning and teamwork) and Urban Improvement (recycling and biodiversity).

VERTICAL GYM (GIMNASIO VERTICAL) - Caracas Limited land and high crime rates in the dense informal settlements and slums of Caracas made it unsafe for children to play and participate in sports. Local architects transformed a rundown sports field in Chacao’s Barrio La Cruz into Chacao Vertical Gym (Gimnasio Vertical), a four-story sports, recreation, and cultural event facility. Taking cues from residents who are unable to expand out, the architects built up on the 1,000-square-meter (10,700 sq. ft.) site without displacing any families. The popular new public space, with 15,000 users a month, has helped to reduce crime in this barrio by over 30% by offering a safe, open space that nurtures fair play, tolerance, and a civic community through sports competition.

Based on the initial 2002 Chacao design, UTT developed a building system as a kit of parts in 2004, which allows flexible design and construction. Stacked volumes are reassembled and programmed for different locations in response to local needs. Caracas’s government is constructing four additional Gimnasios Verticals—Baruta GV includes an outdoor market; Los Teques GV has an aquatic sports center; Ceiba GV incorporates a library and metrocable station; and El Dorado GV includes space for informal vendors.

VERTICAL GYM (GIMNASIO VERTICAL) - Caracas

A prefabricated bolted-steel construction system is erected onsite. A ramp provides access at every level, eliminating the expense of an elevator. The latest design incorporates recycled materials, wind towers, solar panels, and rainwater collection to reduce environmental impact and operational costs. UTT is changing the way people think in other parts of the world about sports areas in dense, low-income neighborhoods. Hybrid Vertical Gyms are proposed for several New York City public schools, as well as in Rusaifah, Jordan, and Hoograven, the Netherlands, which is planning a dynamic sport, cultural, and commercial complex.

Regeneration E-News update Government’s regeneration Scheme(Isle of Man)

Ramsey has been seeing some very exciting changes over the last year or so. Not only has the area around the Courthouse been transformed into what is now undoubtedly the heart of the town, new businesses in the form of shops and restaurants have been popping up at a rapid rate. There is a real buzz about the town which is an excellent example of what can be achieved when stakeholders work together. And works are continuing along Parliament Street with wider pavements, traffic calming and new street furniture being provided to give an enhanced experience for those visiting the thriving town centre. And the shops within the retail area have also been getting spruced up. These include Feltons, a long standing landmark building which has received a fresh coat of paint and Sadler and Vanderplank who now occupy their smart new premises on Parliament Street.

One of the real talking points of the Ramsey regeneration story is the piece of public art that the Commissioners have placed outside the Courthouse. And not content with just one new sculpture, the Commissioners have raced ahead and will soon be unveiling a sculpture by a local artist which of all the proposals that came through a call for public art ideas, the Ramsey Regeneration Committee felt resonated most with the town.

Regeneration E-News update Government’s regeneration Scheme(Isle of Man)

SHOP IMPROVEMENTS The grant scheme to help encourage improvements to the exterior of commercial properties located within the regeneration areas has continued and the results have been impressive

Regeneration E-News update Government’s regeneration Scheme(Isle of Man)

HIGH QUALITY SIGNAGE A key part of making town and village centres more accessible to visitors from both on and off-Island is the provision of clear, consistent and high-quality signage and information. Commonly known as ‘wayfinding’, this approach seeks to provide confidence to pedestrians and ensure that they are directed to the main amenities and attractions of a place. They can also provide information, stories and images to add interest.

Signage has already been installed in a number of locations including Douglas, Ramsey and Castletown and more are set to follow.

URBAN EQUIPMENT AND LIGHTING The design concept offers the kind of urban equipment typical of a contemporary and young town. The selected materials are pleasant, durable and easily maintainable. The equipment includes three types of lights: tall double-sided lights by the artery, tall singlesided lights by the main transverse connection and lower point lights within green and gravel areas.

Monuments and sculptures are to be placed by the eastern side of the artery, with other decoration elements, fountains, maquettes and similar complementing the area of the main transverse connection.

Place d’ Youville It is a place, a statement, and a collector of people.

Envisioned as a protective blanket of pedestrian walkways, the project responds to the archaeological memory of the site through materials and textures while recreating the 500-year-old sidewalk construction in the city. Angular pathways connect to the access points for museums, offices, restaurants, and residential units and represent their movement functions through timber boardwalks (domestic), concrete (commercial), and granite or limestone (institutional).

Cormier (in collaboration with Groupe Cardinal Hardy) has adopted this approach in his recent project, Place d’Youville in Montreal, Quebec. Place d’Youville is a historical square in Montreal and forms the meeting point of important roads at the gateway to the city’s waterfront and old port.Named after Marguerite d’Youville (one of the city’s first residents), the site provides an important place of archaeological important and cultural heritage. The project is undeniably urban, and while it contains a large amount of green space, its focus is on materiality, memory, and the choreography of human movement. It does not pretend to be an inner city linear park or an active city square.

Place d’ Youville A central pathway of mixed paving colors functions as a pedestrian collector and references the stream — the Petite Reviere — that runs beneath its hardened surface.

Even the placement of the trees responds to archaeological sites as the trees preserve access holes for future artefact excavation. The first aspect of Cormier’s design philosophy is his firm belief that a project’s success lies in a singular focus and the idea that if you do too much it “just becomes noise".

Design Philosophy: “If you do too much it just becomes noise“. Cormier has aimed to apply his conceptualist approach to Place d’Youville by marrying the graphic and visual aesthetic with the experience of movement and materials.

The redevelopment of Place d'Youville, which started in the section now known as Place de la Grande Paix, highlights its many links with the past.

Grangegorman Development Masterplan Purpose Section 12 of the Grangegorman Development Agency Act 2005 requires the preparation of a Strategic Plan (comprising of a written statement and a “plan”). This section describes the “plan” element of the Strategic Plan (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Masterplan’). GDA determined that in order to articulate the Vision for the Project and to test the project viability a comprehensive spatial masterplan of the highest standard needed to be developed. A spatial masterplan is a sophisticated model which: 1. Shows how streets, squares and open spaces of a neighbourhood are to be connected 2. Defines the height, bulk and massing of buildings Sets out suggested relationships between buildings and public spaces 3. Identifies the movement patterns for people on foot, or by bicycle, car or public transport, as well as looking at the needs of service and refuse vehicles 4. Sets out the basis for the provision of utilities and other infrastructural elements 5. Relates the physical form of the site to social, economic and cultural contexts and takes account of the needs of people living and working in the area 6. Shows ways in which new neighbourhoods can be integrated into existing communities, and into built and natural environments

Grangegorman Development

Student residences and social life are gathered along a major east west urban procession, linking academic centres, recreation/sports facilities, and the public realm, and making the entire Quarter a place of vibrant activity.

The Grangegorman Urban Quarter is a proposed education, health and community development by the Grangegorman Development Agency for Dublin Institute of Technology and the Health Service Executive. The site's design has been provided by the American architectural firm of Moore Ruble Yudell under the direction of Irish-born Architect James Mary O'Connor. The surrounding community is an equal stakeholder in the project and receives technical support from the Grangegorman Community Forum.

Shows how streets, squares and open spaces of a neighborhood are to be connected, defines the height, bulk and massing of buildings, sets out suggested relationships between buildings and public spaces, identifies the movement patterns for people on foot, or by bicycle, car or public transport, as well as looking at the needs of service and refuse vehicles, shows ways in which new neighborhoods can be integrated into existing communities, and into built and natural environments.

At the eastern edge of the Quarter, Broadstone Gate leads quickly from Broadstone Place to a second focal point for the Quarter, the “Social/ Cultural Heartâ€?, where district and community life come together: the vibrant Arts Centre. Here a small piazza is framed by a pair of semi-enclosed winter garden spaces, a cafĂŠ and restaurant with sheltered, indoor/outdoor dining to the north and a grand, weather-protected court of performance and exhibition halls to the south.

Copenhagen – public spaces, public life

Copenhagen is the capital and most populated city of Denmark. It has a municipal population of 591,481 and a larger urban population of 1,280,371 (as of 1 January 2016). The Copenhagen metropolitan area has just over 2 million inhabitants. The city is situated on the eastern coast of the island of Zealand; another small portion of the city is located on Amager, and is separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the strait of Øresund.

The study area is the centre of Copenhagen, where the majority of the city’s commercial and cultural activities are located. In size, the city center is about one kilometer by one kilometer. Interestingly enough, many city centres are about the size, which corresponds to a comfortable walking distance. Most people are willing to walk about a kilometer at any one given time, but not much more.

Copenhagen – public spaces, public life Up until 1962, all the streets in the city were filled with traffic and parked cars.

Old photographs of the city squares show them to have been largely inaccessible and a poor environment for pedestrians; great assets which could not be enjoyed.

Later in that year, Copenhagen’s main street, Stroget, was the first to be turned into a pedestrian area. This was hotly debated at the time, but the new street proved an immediate success. Many did not believe that a cold, northern European city could have pedestrian streets and squares, and outdoor cafes!

However, Stroget proved to be the start of a remarkable transformation of the core of the city, from overcrowded traffic environment into a lively people-orientated centre. Over a period of 34 years the traffic and parked cars have gradually been removed from the central area.

As pedestrian streets have been established for walking, square after square has been set aside for people who want to stop walking and settle in to enjoy the city. This policy has been very successful. The recreational use of the city has increased year by year. This development of recreational use is the most interesting feature of the transformation of the centre of Copenhagen. The city cenre in=s not alone a shopping centre, a workspace, a recreational area or an amusement park. It is finely balanced combination of them all, neatly woven in and around public spaces.

A lively and popular meeting place for people.

Copenhagen – public spaces, public life No single factor has more influence on the vitality of city centres than the presence of universities and students in the area. They populate cities in winter, filling the void left by departing tourists and fair-weather locals out for a stroll.

Srtudents come and go at all times of day and night, helping to keep the city active in the evening. Many businesses, bookstores, galleries and cafes also benefit greatly from the presence of students in the city. Students also walk a lot in their cities, to and from classes and between the various buildings.

All of the famous university cities and city districts in Europe – Oxford, Cambridge, Heidelberg, the Sorbonne – are known for their vitality and interesting atmosphere.

Any city with lots of students in the city centre in quite fortunate. Copenhagen is one of them, and the presence of 14.000 students (as of 1 January 1996) almost daily is an important factor in understanding some of Copenhagen’s many positive features. The five educational institutions in the city centre are located in various districts and housed in a number of building complexes.

Higher education in the city centre

Night map showing all types of city functions open around 23:00 on summer evening

Sun map showing the best sun locations at lunch time and in the afternoon

Copenhagen – public spaces, public life

Although Denmark is windy and rather cold for a good part of the year, bicycling has traditionally been an important mode of transport. Over the past 25 years, after the oil crisis in the early 1970’s as a turning point, substantial effort has been given to making bicycling safer and more popular. Increased interest in fitness and health issues plus general concern for the environment have helped motivate potential bicyclists.

In the Copenhagen area, the bicycling policy has been to extend or establish bicycle lanes in all major streets, in order to offer a city-wide network of comfortable and reasonably safe routes. Bike crossing have been established parallel to the customary pedestrian crossings at intersections. Bicycle lanes have frequently been established at the expense of curbside parking or traffic lanes, thus promoting bicycling and discouraging car traffic at the same time.

The overall effect of this combines effort has been a marked increase in the use of bicycles as a means of transport. The secret to making bicycling popular and reasonably safe is to have a sufficient number of bicyclists.

Motorists only learn to watch out for bicyclists when bicycling becomes part of a general traffic culture.

Copenhagen – public spaces, public life

Lessons learned The successful experience of the Copenhagen Sustainable update is to "people-oriented", respect everyone's life anchored to establish multilevel, multi-demand and overall development objectives and strategies multi-mode, strengthen green transportation, the development of public space, providing multicultural services and inject new industries and improving the life of the community has made progress, both to avoid the pursuit of a single, short-term economic benefits, but also to avoid travel to the surface in the form of renovation, resulting in enhancing the overall performance of the city.

People have a cumulative effect, the original activities can attract others Active node will be activated by activists, exerting energy radiation at the same time After the node is activated, people’s behavior and the nodes will make a symbiotic relationship

The livable city is one that offers a variety of attractions and opportunities to citizens and visitors. A livable city puts public life at the center of planning, strengthened by an overall focus on liveliness, health, attractiveness, sustainability and safety. The human, cultural and social aspects should be carefully taken into consideration to deliver truly sustainable developments for the future. In other words, the planning process needs to have a holistic approach.

Learned from case study, using urban acupuncture theory to develop from nodes to streets/lanes, then to zone.

recreation restaurant retail

Strategic Approach for Knowledge Quarter A model of sustainable city-university relationship Strategic planning may allow communities to undertake a virtuous cycle of development, in which an attractive city works like a “magnet” for higher education and research, and this fosters an even more attractive urban environment for citizens, investors, tourists, etc. In the end HEIs become a real “growth factor” for the regional economy and society. The sustainable relationship between the university and its environment is assumed to depend on the balance in its process of exchange with the place. The interaction between the actors involved in the development of higher education in a city can be analysed systematically to highlight the role of the student community in urban development, the existing points of weakness in this interaction and the actions that can redress this balance.

The role of higher education as an engine of sustainable urban development.

Approach for Traffic & Streetscape

City centre regeneration, Nova Gorica, Slovenia

Place Dyouville

“City in a Park” Streetscape Improvement Project Sheet for the City of Greater Geelong, Australia

Regeneration Project in Isle of Man

Places for Activities & Events

Temple Bar, Dublin

Grangegorman Development, Dublin

Knowledge Quarter, London Project 24, Bangor

Sports Centre

Vertical Gym, Avenida Francisco de Miranda, Caracas, Venezuela. Local architects transformed a rundown sports field in Chacao’s Barrio La Cruz into Chacao Vertical Gym (Gimnasio Vertical), a four-story sports, recreation, and cultural event facility.

Strategic Approach for Cultural Quarter - Process

Step 1: enhance Cathedral

Step 2: use square and green land to link with surroundings

Step 3: make a pedestrian network for anyone with any purpose

Lower Garfield Street - before

It is important to enhance this building since its value for learning history and structures.

Lower Garfield Street - processing

Take people’s flow into consideration and find out that this street can be a relax and interesting pathway with unique architecture features.

Lower Garfield Street- after

As a significant linkage between Writer’s Square, St Anne’s Cathedral and CastleCourt, it should provide convenience facilities and impressive atmosphere, so that we set up some benches with shelter and colourful ball above it. Also, after Garfield building re-open to public again, some street market can hold for festivals or weekends.

Donegall Street

Donegall Street can be changed as pedestrian zone, because of the surroundings, the St Anne’s Cathedral, Writer’s Square and Buoy Park. All of them are landmarks of the city centre.

There is a Ulster University at the end of this street, which will bring lots of students here, so something for young people and old people should be provides. As to create an interesting pathway, it can be a green land expansion area from those parks with some convenience facilities, like benches and lights, which will allow people to enjoy the street all day long.

Plan

Royal Avenue

To create this new pedestrian-friendly environment, the city raised streets up to sidewalk level to create a flat walking surface. Bollards were put up to keep out cars and trash containers were put underground to keep down the stench. To add to the ambiance at night, iconic buildings within the area were lit up with energy-saving LED lamps.

This is all part of an effort to get people to move downtown, close to their workplace. The idea is to add value to the area, create a more active nightlife and variety of tourist attractions.

On the new pedestrianized streets, restaurants and bars have put up tables on the sidewalks and night-time activity has greatly increased.

The downtown will be better from an aesthetic point of view, and it's more comfortable and quieter to walk around and this affects people who have cars, but it's good for everyone after time tested like Copenhagen’s years experience.

Berry Street

Berry Street can use different colours to highlight itself since it is an importance connection from Royal Avenue to Folktown Market and St Mary’s Church. Those colours will play a role as directive guidance. And the colours on the ground can be made as a ground game for fun, which will enhance friendly atmosphere in public realm.

Also see that International Lighting Design Firm of the Year Winner’s work – ‘Light + Design’ which is in London and has used them to what appears to be great success in the public project. Now this changes things a bit. For example, it becomes an identification and has guiding role to show direction towards folk cultural square.