Urban Studio
Hannah Simpson
Urban Design Strategy and Building Proposal Research and Development
Introduction Holbeck was chosen as the focus of our studio based design work due to its economic downturn in recent years and the current regeneration in Leeds that has split Holbeck into two very distinct areas, Holbeck Urban Village, and ‘Old’ Holbeck. Holbeck Urban Village thrives with new creative businesses, apartments, retail and restaurants, whilst ‘Old’ Holbeck struggles with a lack of work, run down, vacant, derelict buildings and has a real need for a regeneration plan of its own. Whilst some residents feel that crime and anti social behaviour has began to dampen the community spirit, many believe the strong community base is still there and are working together with Leeds City Council to design and implement a strategy to get the area back on its feet. It is with this strong community foundation forefront in my mind on which the proposed Urban Strategy and Building design began to develop. It was clear that to return Holbeck to its strong, successful and established routes the strategy was to focus first of all on creating a place that residents took pride in and to provide them with spaces and facilities that they could take ownership of. To put Holbeck back into the hands of the community. The vision is that by implementing community strategies to improve relationships, encourage interaction, provide education and offer the services that Holbeck currently requires, the end product will be a healthier environment. A healthier, sustainable, green, dense, safe and friendly environment then has a huge impact on the health of the people that live there, physically and mentally, and from this, the proposition of a Health and Wellness ‘Village’ was derived, to support this change and to ensure its longevity. The contents of this book explain the processes, facts and figures that influenced the final scheme. It is an extended version of the studio portfolio, and highlights key elements of the design process, from the statistics that made clear what Holbeck needs, to the detailed strategies that will make it happen.
Contents
000 Masterplan 001 - Context 002 - History 003 - Statistics 004 - Site Photos 005 - Site Analysis 006 - Research 007 - Proposal Building 008 - Site and Brief 009 - Development Yr1 010 - Development Yr 2 011 - Further Development image examples
Holbeck
001
Context
The Rim Holbeck is situated approximately one mile to the South of Leeds City Centre, adjacent the M621 and Holbeck Urban Village. The ‘Rim’ diagram was designed as part of Renaissance Leeds and identifies areas surrounding the centre which are key to developing Leeds as a whole. Sometimes referred to as the ‘Rim of disconnectivity’, Holbeck certainly falls under this category as its small physical distance from the city is not represented by the large gap in levels of wealth, services, employment and health which have left Holbeck behind as the city, and Holbeck Urban Village, have been developed and improved. Neighbours to Holbeck are Armley, Beeston, Wortley and the Urban Village. Holbeck is ranked as the most deprived of them all in the index of multiple deprivation and covers an area of around 553 acres.
Holbeck is situated in the southern part of the ‘rim’ that surrounds the city centre of Leeds.
Holbeck Urban Village
An 'Urban Village' is designed as a response to the urban monoculture characteristic of many British Towns and Cities. They focus upon creating a sustainable population size, which is big enough to sustain a range of services without feeling impersonal. The facilities provided include places to eat, play, work, shop and live, and most importantly, places to meet and socialise with others. Holbeck Urban Village has been successful in creating a fun, safe and exciting pedestrian friendly space. Situated within a short walking distance of the centre of Holbeck, it was intended as a driving force behind the development of the entire area, however residents of Holbeck feel it has isolated them and left them behind., and is a constant reminder of the promise of development which has yet to be seen.
Marshalls mill is a great example of how the historic industrial buildings in Holbeck can be brought back to life and once again become an important feature of the area. Marshalls Mill was refurbished to offer work spaces for a mix of creative, digital and design agencies and public sector services.
Wonderwood - Originally a temporary public space intended for people to enjoy through the summer, however the space became so popular that it has become a permanent feature and a pleasant green space within the Urban Village
Green Corridor Project - A project which focuses up on routes from the centre of Holbeck, through the urban village and into the centre of Leeds. Work completed and underway includes sowing wild meadows at eight different locations and the installation of over-
Granary Wharf - situated along the canal, Granary Wharf contains the majority of the retail outlets, bars, cafes and restaurants in the development. It is a vibrant space, day and night, and draws people out from the city centre with its clear pe-
Round Foundry - The Round Foundry Media Centre neighbours a new development that included the refurbishment of listed buildings, and the provision of commercial office space, leisure, retail and landscaped public spaces.
Holbeck
002
History
1850’s Map The name Holbeck came from Hol Beck (Hol being the archaic name for low) and the Beck that cuts through the area. In the 18th century Holbeck was known for its natural spa water that was carried into Leeds for its sale. The spa water supply was diminished when numerous wells were sunk to supply the mills and works in the area. The 1850’s map shows how Holbeck was a hamlet of a few streets, most being owned by John Scholey. To the North of Holbeck , industry had began to expand after the construction of the train station and railway lines, beginning the construction of several Mills and Iron works that Holbeck was to become known for.
1890’s Map Holbeck had become one of the most densely populated suburbs in Leeds with large areas of workers housing for the local industry. It became known as ‘the most crowded, most filthy and unhealthy village in the country’ due to its overpopulation. Housing had began to spread south around the East of Holbeck Moor which became a prominent green space in the area. Holbeck Viaduct was completed in 1882, strengthening railway connections to the city and to the newly constructed Holbeck High and Low Stations. The Viaduct began the separation of residential and industrial areas and could be seen as the beginning of Holbecks disconnectivity from the city as it became more self sufficient, constructing a school and church at Holbeck Moor.
1900’s Map Slum Clearance began in by 1900. Tower Works, a listed and prominent building of the area today, was built in 1919. Holbeck continued its route of self sufficiency with the construction on the terraced housing to the West of Holbeck Moor, bringing more people to the area, attending the local school and creating a community. Holbeck Moor became an important feature of the area, hosting community events and providing the only usable green space in the area. Industry had began to be built closer to the city, turning Holbeck into a more residential area and but still surviving through its own industry.
1960’s Map
Matthew Murray High school was constructed to the East of Holbeck Moor. The now demolished Holbeck Towers lined the Moor and terraced housing still dominated the area. Parts of the Beck began to be built over, expanding the built environment to the West. Green Public space began to be recognised for its importance in a community and public parks began to pop up around the main housing areas. Industrial buildings still dominated the North of Holbeck, however much of it was now vacant and in a real state of disrepair.
1980’s Map The 1980s map shows the impact of the newly constructed motorway, obviously splitting what was one community into two distinct areas. Most of the terraced housing was demolished and replaced with new smaller blocks of housing, apart from the Runswicks to the West of the Moor which still exist today. Another feature of significance clearly missing from this map is the Beck which was mostly covered apart from a small area near Water Lane. The density of the area has clearly been reduced, with areas around the motorway now unattractive for development. The South Leeds Sports Centre was constructed to the North of Beeston and became a much loved facility in the area. Large office, retail and industry blocks have taken over the North of Holbeck
Holbeck
003
Statistics
General Statistics Holbeck Vs Leeds -
The most significant different between the comparison of Holbeck with Leeds as a whole was found when looking at Housing Tenure. In Holbeck the majority of housing is Local Authority owned, with only 10% being owned outright. In Leeds as whole the statistics are drastically different. With the majority of houses being owned with a mortgage, and 24% being owned outright. Holbeck is in the lowest 10% of the indices of multiple deprivation, and with many residents being out of work due to health issues and a lack of employment in the area, it is not surprising that they have to rely on the Local Authority for help with housing. These statistics show how Holbeck has been cut off from Leeds, not only geographically and through the lack of development, but on an economic scale too.
Incapacity Benefit Claimants
The statistics regarding the incapacity benefit claimants in Holbeck are interesting as the amount of claimants, especially in the working age bracket, is very high. 53.3% of the claimants are of the age 25 - 49, which could be due to a lack of education and the social problems that come with it. The biggest medical reason for claiming is mental and behavioural illnesses which includes illnesses such as depression and anxiety which are often caused by a persons environment and their day to day life, such as the stress associated with being jobless and struggling with money, which the economic statistics show is a problem for many residents in holbeck.
Education- Secondary School Percentage of students achieving Level 4 or above in Key Stage 2 Science, Maths and English
Beeston Science
Wortley Maths
Beeston English Richmond Hill Maths
Burmantofts - English
Hunslet Science
Burmantofts - Science
Wortley Science
Armley Maths Burmantofts - Maths Armley - English
Wortley English
Hunslet English
Beeston Maths Richmond Hill Science Richmond Hill English Hunslet Maths
University English
Armley - Science
University - Maths University Science Holbeck - English
Holbeck - Science Holbeck Maths
Percentage of students achieving.........in their GCSE’s.
Far Left - The statistics show that Holbeck students are doing well in their studies at key stage 4 with them being the top achievers in Science and Maths , however their results differ drastically in English with Holbeck being in the bottom Hunslet 5+ Grades C-G
Hunslet 5+ Grades A*-C
Richmond Hillall pass grades
Beeston 5+ Grades C-G
Beeston 5+ Grades A*-C
Hunslet - all pass grades Richmond Hill - 5+ Grades Richmond Hill - 5+ Grades Beeston - all pass grades
Wortley all pass grades Wortley - 5+ Grades C-G
Wortley - 5+ Grades A*-C University 5+ Grades C-G
University - all pass grades
Holbeck - 5+ Grades C-G University 5+ Grades A*-C
Holbeck - all pass grades
Holbeck - 5+ Grades A*-C
Right - The assumption that if the children are achieving good grades at KS2 then they will achieve good grades at GCSE is shown to be wrong in the results shown to the right. Holbeck is second to bottom in the 5 A* - C category and joint bottom for the ‘all pass grades’ and the 5+ C G categories. Since these results were published before the closure of St Matthews High School, it can be assumed the majority of the students in Holbeck will now be attending the school in Beeston and as Beeston scored highly in the three categories this bodes will for those students.
Education distance to School
College
Primary School
-
Secondary School
The majority of educational facilities are within a 10-12 minute car journey from the centre of Holbeck. Many of the top 8 facilities are within this distance which means Holbeck students have the opportunity to attend the best schools in Leeds if they can afford the transport there. However, an 8-10 minute car journey is the shortest available for those students living in Holbeck, which is not a comfortable walking distance and so students do not have the opportunity to take the healthier option of walking to school each day, and cycle routes are limited which makes cycling unsafe.
Student Performance Tellus and Every Child Matters Survey
Attendance Comparing Leeds to England and its closest neighbour, there is a clear difference in the rates of attendance and exclusion amongst secondary school students. The reason for this is hard to pin point but does show that Secondary School students in Leeds perhaps have more behavioural problems which is causing the much higher rate of exclusion. It is an aim of education Leeds to improve these figures as studies show that children who have been excluded from school often go on to have difficulties with employment, training and other important aspects of adult life.
Post Secondary School Education
% Achieving 3 or more A* A levels
England England
% 16 + 17yr olds NEET
Yorkshire
% Achieving 3 or more A* A levels % 16 + 17yr olds NEET
Yorkshire
% Achieving 3 or more A* A levels
The statistics regarding post 16 education show that Holbeck and Leeds are falling behind England , with less students achieving 3 or more A* grades at A level and with more students being out of education, employment or training. The lack of colleges could be the reason for students deciding not to carry on their studies, also not all secondary schools offer the opportunity to carry on into sixth form. If facilities and training opportunities were to be provided closer to Holbeck it would encourage students to participate in further education and get the qualifications that could help them gain employment.
% 70
% 60
% 50
% 40
30
%
% 16 + 17yr olds NEET
10%
Holbeck
% 16 + 17yr olds NEET
%
Leeds
20
Leeds
The statistics show that adult residents within Holbeck have little skills in areas that would help them gain employment. A high amount gave no response to the question., and so it is assumed by the lack of response that the answer would be ‘none of the above’. Through research it has been shown that people who are brought up in an area of deprivation suffer from lower education skills, whether that be due to the good schools being in more affluent areas, or whether issues in their social lives such as living in an unhealthy environment or eating unhealthily has affected them negatively. Study may have become less of a priority or something they couldn’t mentally cope with due to health and social problems.
No Response 64.6%
Communication Skills 17.7%
Management Skills 14.1%
% 100
% 90
80
%
Customer Care Skills 28%
Selling Skills 12%
Marketing Skills 7.7%
Team working Skills 28.6%
Clerical Skills 14.1%
Microsoft Office Skills 18.4%
Health in Holbeck vs Leeds
The most striking statistic shown here are the figures for the general population health within holbeck. Almost half of the residents are considered to be in ill health, with 26% of those having a lifelong limiting illness. These figures show that there is an underlying cause behind the health issues in holbeck and it needs to be addressed by making a healthier all round environment for the residents. The other upsetting figures are those regarding child health. Holbeck has almost double the amount of child deaths as Leeds, and a higher rate of children underweight at birth. The reason for low birth weight is usually due to the mother smoking or having a bad diet during pregnancy which starves the child of the essential nutrients etc that it needs. This may be due to unhealthy habits that the mother could not stop or it could be due to a lack of education about what can harm the child.
Holbeck
004
site photos
Covered in car tracks, Holbeck Moor is often vandalised and misused, mainly due to bored teenagers and the lack of recreational facilities in the area.
Paths through the park use bollards as a measure to discourage cars and motorcycles driving on the grass. They make the park look unfriendly and the under maintained paths make the surfaces unsuitable for cyclists, skaters and people with
Holbeck Moor
The Viaduct edges around Holbeck, lined by paths and green spaces on one side, and busy roads and industry on the other. It offers exciting spaces that could be utilised to make a feature out of the stunning structure
The Viaduct
Much of the paths also run alongside the busy motorway and feel unsafe and are under maintained
Paths wind around the Viaduct but the green spaces lack interesting features and so don’t encourage residents to make the most of the walking routes
The earliest known record of The Spotted Cow Pub is 1847, however the pub suffered fire damage and later on vandalism and has had no interest for renovation.
Scattered around Holbeck are numerous shops, industrial units and retail units that have been closed down and are unable to reopen due to the current lack of investment in the area.
vacant properties
Holbeck Mills is currently a carpet warehouse, constructed in 1880 and designed by EJ Dogshun, it was formerly a United Methodist Free Chapel
Character
The terraces were built as early as 1866 and offer a sustainable form of housing but many are currently boarded up and in need of renovation.
Built 1829 -32 to a design by RD Chantrell the church currently acts as a community centre for local residents and is a beautiful feature in the centre of Holbeck
Holbeck
005
site analysis
Site Analysis Site analysis for Holbeck and the adjoining area of Beeston focuses upon vehicular movement, Green spaces and vegetation and topography. Understanding how people and vehicles use the area is essential to understand where diversions and improvements can be made. Also thoughts must go into the noise and air pollution that is associated with heavy traffic and how to protect people and buildings from this. Analysing the green spaces and vegetation means ensuring that developments don’t damage these areas and take away greenery that is essential within a high density area. Analysing the amount of use these areas get and the quality of the spaces means that areas can be improved or left alone where necessary. The topography of a site effects factos such as access to light, views, wind protection and access. Utilising the topography can reduce the impact and cost of a building as elements such as artificial lighting and bracing to protect from the wind can be reduced or removed from the design. Access to good light is essential for landscaped and built areas and so ensuring the proposal doesn’t have a detrimental effect on light to existing buildings and public spaces is essential.
Heavy Vehicle use Medium Vehicle use Light Vehicle use Pedestrian Only
Movement - Current movement around and through the site is mainly heavy traffic due to the m621 and a643. Many drivers also use the roads in holbeck as a shortcut to these major roads. Pedestrian only routes are short and either intersected by these major roads or run alongside them, creating routes that are unsafe or heavily polluted meaning they aren’t enjoyable for the users
Vegetation - Holbeck currently has a range of green spaces, the main green space being that of Holbeck Moor. The other Green Spaces line the Viaduct and edges of the motorway. Green spaces around the motorway are currently inaccessible and heavily polluted by the traffic cutting through them. Around the Viaduct the greenery runs along pedestrian routes but needs improvements due to littering and overgrown areas.
Lowest point to the north - 28m Highest point to the South - 80m
Topography - clearly shown on the topography map, there is a significant change of levels across the site from the north to the south in beeston. Across the centre of Holbeck, the levels climb around 2 to 6 metres in height. When developing the proposal these level changes are key and proposed routes and buildings must account for them to ensure all spaces are accessible for all modes of travel and abilities of the users.
Masterplan
006
Research
What makes a good design
Definition of well-being Physical Health, Income and Wealth, Relationships, Personal Stability, Meaningful Work and Leisure, Good Mental Health
Wellbeing
Improve Physical and Mental Health Encourage Healthy Lifestyles, Provide Facilities, Educate
Create Sustainable Community Good Quality Services, Education and Training Opportunities, Minimise use of Resources, Educate, Engage Community, Safe and Healthy Environment
Health
Good Design
Sustainability
Leeds Health Strategy To create a healthy environment for Holbeck it was key to use the existing strategies and policies as a foundation on which to develop Holbecks Urban Strategy. The ‘Health and Well-being Partnership Plan’ focuses on the whole of Leeds and improving peoples Health all over the city. It recognises that areas of Leeds, such as Holbeck, suffer from more health issues than other areas and it aims to fast track theses areas alongside improving health for everyone across the city. Holbeck has advantages over other deprived areas in Leeds, the main one being its proximity to the Centre. There is the opportunity to utilise its relationship with the city, to improve links to existing services, and to create a safe pedestrian and cycle friendly environment that shows people exercise isn’t difficult. For example. by making what could be a pleasant twenty minute walking journey to the centre instead of a ten minute bus ride, people will naturally begin to walk as they realise its not as far as it seems, that its an enjoyable area to walk in and that they are improving their health without even realising it. The quote below sums up exactly what is needed to ensure that residents in Holbeck not only have the opportunity to improve their health, but those that are yet to suffer from health problems have the opportunity to keep illnesses away. Focus is to be on giving residents Intellectual Inspiration, more opportunities to have a healthy diet, an environment that encourages physical activity and spaces where they can get the support to improve upon their emotional wellbeing. By ticking those boxes, a healthy environment will emerge and will only improve as people begin to feel the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle.
“Wellbeing is a positive physical, social and mental state; it is not just the absence of pain, discomfort and incapacity. It arises not only from the action of individuals, but from a host of collective goods and relationships with other people. It requires that basic needs are met, that individuals have a sense of purpose, and that they feel able to achieve important personal goals and participate in society. It is enhanced by conditions that include supportive personal relationships, involvement in empowered communities, good health, financial security, rewarding employment, and a healthy and attractive environment” (Whitehall Wellbeing Working Group 2006)
Intellectual Inspiration Areas identified through research into Holbecks Health and Education statistics is the requirement to improve opportunities for Adults to receive more education and improve work skills, and to encourage teenagers to continue their education post GCSE.
Benefits A large amount of research has been undertaken to show the links between health and education. The findings show that Education, of any form, can improve a persons health and well-being physically and mentally.
Learners with disabilities and health problems have reported more benefits of education than those in good health
80% of older learners reported a positive impact in self confidence, coping skills and enjoyment of life
Physical
Estimated to increase the chances of quitting smoking by the age of 42
Educating women to level 2 reduces risk of depression at age 42 by 15%
Mental
Physical
Physical
Slows the development of the 2 brain lesions that are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s Disease
Mental
Family Learning has been found to be the most effective tool to involve the parents of disadvantaged children in their education
A greater number of women take up cervical smear tests when enrolled in adult education.
Mental
Physical
Adult Learners have shown to increase and maintain their level of exercise after taking educational courses
Mental
Physical
Educated and literate parents are shown to have healthier lives and less diseaseprone children with more nutritious diets
Precedence NIACE, the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, is an independent, non-governmental organisation and charity. They focus upon schemes in universities, further education colleges, workplaces and local community settings where Adults are encourages to participate in some form of education, ranging from basic numeracy courses through to weekly art classes. Their focus upon 8 main areas: Health and Well-being Older Peoples Lives Social Mobility and a more equal society Family Life Active citizenship and empowered, cohesive communities A resilient and productive economy International Development Sustainability
Niace Scheme Examples Prescriptions for learning - In 2000 NIACE obtained funding to establish a programme that would place learning advisors inside GPs surgeries to prescribe learning as part of a route back into encouraging well-being, especially for those diagnosed with mental health problem. Of the 49 people referred to a learning advisor, 46 took up their appointment and 32 went on to participate in a learning activity Feedback was overwhelmingly positive and participants reported numerous benefits to their mental health, and in some cases to their physical health too. Applying it to Holbeck - As the aim is to create an environment that can offer opportunities to improve all aspects of health, it is important for the individual areas to work together and create a stronger support network. Prescriptions for learning would be an ideal scheme in holbeck with the high levels of mental health problems and the low rate of adult education. Young Adult Carers -NIACE found a need to create a policy which looks out for the needs of young adult carers and supporting them in further education. The research focused upon the needs and experiences of disadvantaged young adults, and access to education for people with learning disabilities and their carers. Funding was obtained to identify the practical, psychological and structural barriers to mainstream and further education. As a result of this work, the Department of Health is now funding a new NIACE project called ‘Who Cares?’ that supports young adult carers in finding a way to carry on their studies. Applying it to Holbeck - Statistics show that a large amount of residents in Holbeck suffer from lifelong limiting illnesses and so it is likely that many of them will have some sort of care provided for them. Often, it is the case that this is provided by their children, and so by providing services and facilities in Holbeck these young adults from Holbeck and the nearby areas will have the opportunity to take up courses that work around their role as a carer. Adults with Mental ill health - Over the past five years NIACE has created a mental health network with a cross-sector membership of approximately 1,700 contacts. Their work has highlighted the importance of education in helping those effected by Mental health disorders, and they are aiming to provide more support for those in other marginalised and disadvantaged groups such as offenders, people from black and minority ethnic groups and people with other disabilities. They have also influenced the ‘Mindful Employer’ scheme and have developed a training package to support mental health and well-being amongst the post 16 workforce. Applying it to Holbeck - Holbeck has a high rate of Post 16 year olds who are not in education, employment or training. By taking guidance from NIACE policies in this area, a support network between the local education facilities and places of work could be encouraged and utilised to offer local teenagers the chance to get involved in some work based learning or training, especially those with mental ill health who find it difficult to study and find work.
Healthy Eating Educating residents about healthy eating and providing facilities to purchase and grow fresh food will enable the local community to improve their diets and increase their intake of healthy food. Holbeck is lacking in outlets for fresh food, with the local supermarket, Kwik Save, closing down, and a large amount of fast food take aways scattered amongst the housing and shopping street, tempting residents to the easy but unhealthy option for their daily meals.
Research
Research has shown that it is common for the more deprived neighbourhoods to have a higher amount of fast food outlets due to the cheap prices and usually the lack of grocery stores. Holbeck has around 8 take aways and cafes that serve mainly hot, unhealthy food. There are three local, small stores, that offer a range of fresh fruit and vegetables but due to the size of the shops they are expensive options and not available at the prices that a large chain store could provide. Much of the research in this area has shown that the closer a residents are in proximity to a shop selling heathier produce, the healthier their dietary intake or the lower their weight, The community allotments offer a great space for residents to grow their own food, however, as is the case with most community allotments, many people are on the waiting list for a plot and so can’t take advantage of this opportunity. Key benefits of community allotments are: Mental health: a form of ‘horticulture therapy’, improving health and wellbeing, raising self-esteem and developing social skills. Physical activity: digging and shovelling can burn up to 360 calories in 30 minutes. Nutrition: vegetables are rich in nutrients and children involved in growing their own fruit and vegetables are more likely to eat them. Social interaction: providing a focus for communities by promoting inclusion, integration and acceptance. Environment: reducing ‘food miles’ – it is estimated that food consumed each year in the UK has been transported 18 billion miles. Skills: providing hands-on learning to engage and motivate young people and those with learning difficulties and limited qualifications. Economical: growing your own fresh fruit and vegetables saves money. Inter generational: involvement of older people in training schemes promotes inter generational relationships. Improving health and reducing inequalities Applying this to Holbeck - There is clearly a need to provide a way in which residents can access fresh fruit and vegetables. The closure of the Kwik Save shows that perhaps the need for this is not sufficient as yet to reopen a large store. Once the main features of the proposed Urban strategy have been developed and put into place, such as new sustainable housing and better links with the city centre and surrounding areas, a higher demand for a large store would come and so could support the redevelopment of the old Kwik Save into a new supermarket. The community allotments need to be extended, and with the derelict sire of St Matthews nearby, this could be developed into new allotments for the rest of the community and have plots for local businesses who can grow their own vegetables and fruit to sell and cook to provide healthy alternatives to those offered by the current cafes and takeaways.
Precedence
Work AC designed a new schoolyard in New York that offers school children the chance to learn in a hands on way all about the production of healthy fruit and vegeta bles.. Combining this with the sustainable systems put in place to produce energy and heat, collect rainwater, process compost and sort waste, will provide the childre with an overall look at systems of the future, how they can personally preserve non renewable energy sources and provide food for themselves and their families whe they’re the generation in charge of protecting the environment.
As well as the spaces to learn about and grown their own food, the Edible Schoolyard provides a kitchen classroom, where they can learn recipes and cooking tech niques that they can share with their parents, encouraging families to cook together at home.
Applying this to Holbeck - Holbeck and Beeston have two medium sized primary schools, Ingram Primary School and St Lukes. St Lukes has large grounds and could easily benefit from a scheme such as the Edible Schoolyard which would then benefit the families of the children in Beeston. Ingram Primary school has smaller grounds yet the land across the quiet road next-door would be perfect for this type of scheme and it is ideally located next to the community allotments. This type of scheme would be the starting point on which the aim to improve Holbecks eating habits could extend from. If the children can get excited about it will quickly spread to the rest of the community and encourage them to get involved too.
Physical Activity Although Holbeck has numerous sporting facilities and greenery within walking or cycling distance, the paths and cycle lanes that link to the places are unsafe, under maintained and often travel along busy roads. To encourage residents to take part in some form of physical activity, whether it be walking for half an hour or playing a game of football, Holbeck and the surrounding areas need greener, safer and more interesting spaces, routes and facilities.
Walkability The Foresight Report compiled by the Government Office for Science states that by 2050, 60% of males and 50% of females could be obese. With statistics like that, its clear that physical activity, alongside healthy eating, needs to be encouraged. One of the main ways to encourage a community to participate in physical activity is by creating a walkable community, a place where services are available within walking distance, and the streets are safe and pleasant so that people enjoy walking and it doesn’t feel like a chore. To analyse the walkability of an area, it is easiest to look under the category of the ‘Three D’s’ - Density, Diversity and Design’. Analysing Holbeck under these categories it becomes clear that it easily falls short of being a walkable community. Density is poor away from the terraced housing, with derelict sites and vacant buildings which leave the streets feeling empty. Diversity is the access to diverse services; retail, health, recreation and educational to name a few, Holbeck suffering with a lack of services under most categories. And finally is Design, pedestrian and cycle friendly streets which prioritise cyclists and pedestrians over vehicles. Holbeck is currently used as a cut through by motorists to gain access to the M621, making the roads busy and unsafe for cyclists. Improvements in these three areas could drastically change the way people go about day to day tasks and strengthen the community by creating more spaces for social interaction. Applying this to Holbeck - To improve Holbecks walkability the Urban Strategy must focus on creating cycle paths in and around Holbeck, linking it to the city and the available services close by. Divert the main traffic away from the centre, creating pedestrian only routes and improving walkways and green spaces. And finally to encourage growth in the area, fill the vacant sites with developments that will bring people to Holbeck and fill the vacant shops and factories with businesses that can bring back some employment to the residents.
Sports Leeds Sports Leeds was established in 2003 and is a city wide partnership for sport and active recreation. They partner with Schools, Leeds City Council, the Voluntary Sector Sport, Higher and Furhter Education, Disabled / Black and minority ethnic group representatives, Sport England, Education Leeds, The Primary care Trust, Professional Clubs and West Yorkshire Sport. They are responsible for making Leeds a city recognised for the opportunities it offers in sport and active recreation across Leeds, making it accessible to people from all backgrounds. Sports Leeds categorises Physical Activity under the following headings;
Physical Activity Active Living
Active travel
Active Recreation
Housework, Gardening DIY Lifestyle Healthcare Programmes, Weight Management
Active Transport Walking, Cycling, Using the stairs, School Travel Plans Walking bus etc
Exercise Active Play Dance Walking or cycling as a leisure pursuit
Active Sport Informal Sport Unstructured Activities e.g Street Sports, Casual Badminton or Squash
Organised Sport Organised Participation Structured Competitive Activity
Sport England Sport England commissioned ‘Active Design’ guidelines to promote new environments that offer opportunities for communities to be naturally active as part of their daily life. ‘Active Design’ integrates with three converging Agendas - The Design Agenda; promotion of high quality inclusive design of buildings and public spaces, The Health Agenda; Improving overall health and wellbeing of the nation, and the Transport Agenda - promoting active travel as a sustainable and environmentally friendly mode of transport. ‘Active Design’ provides a checklist under three headings - Improving Accessibility, Enhancing Amenity and Increasing Awareness. These guidelines are then applied to three activity settings - Everyday Activity Destinations, Informal Activity and Recreation and Formal Sports and Leisure Activities. Published for use in Masterplanning, the guidelines can be used during the design process and for evaluation to ensure a successful ‘healthy’ masterplan has been achieved. Applying this to Holbeck - As the main intentions of the Urban Strategy are to provide an overall Healthy environment, adherence to the guidelines set out by Sport England would ensure a design base that has already been proven successful elsewhere. The strategies used to improve walkability and the uptake of physical activity mentioned by Sport Leeds and Sport England overlap on a number of themes. The key points made seem to be under the headings of promoting active travel and providing recreation and sporting facilities. It is intended to tick these boxes with Holbecks Urban Strategy and ensure the proposal focuses on creating an encouraging environment that is accessible to all.
Urban Sports ‘Skateboarding, Parkour and free running are changing the perception of urban space and how the spaces and buildings they are moving on are changing them� Skateboarders and Free Runners are often frowned upon by many in todays society as they move through cities apparently leaving a path of destruction. However, if you take away the fact that pedestrians and property owners get frustrated by the damage and hazards people participating in Urban sports can create, what you have is pretty much a FREE sport. To discourage an activity that keeps children and teenagers active, doesn’t cost their parents much, if any, money, and develops strength, co- ordination, balance and positive mental health in the participants, seems like a ridiculous idea. So instead of designing spaces that deter these activities, how about actively encouraging them by providing dedicated spaces for their use and creating an environment where pedestrians, skaters and freerunners can move around each other in a safe manner, creating an exciting space full of movement and activity, encouraging others to get active and join in the fun.
The email shown to the right is a response from the Super Eagles Juniors FC Coach in Holbeck. After researching local sports teams and facilities, I found that there seemed to be very little in the area and so contacted the coach to ask whether he felt the facilities were adequate, what facilities Holbeck could benefit from, and whether he felt team sports helped the children with any social, physical and mental issues they may have, His response points out a need for improved facilities in the area, preferably with good natural surveillance and maintenance, and he was very encouraging about the positive effects he has seen the sport have on the children that take part. It was also noted that funding is a problem and is something that would need to be considered.
Hi Hannah, Thanks for your inquiry about the above mentioned, I a m sorry for the late response but i hope my response will be helpful to your progra m. F irstly, our youth tea m focuses on training young people funda mental core skills relating to technique, passing & movement, confidence and skill. We also focus physical fitness and agility in our training progra ms. At the moment we are not playing ga mes because we decided to consolidate our coaching progra ms first before setting up tea ms. We tend to play a lot of friendlies and participate in local, regional and national tourna ments so that we broaden the scope of what we are trying to achieve with our people. We intend to register four tea ms this coming season starting with U7, U9, U14 and U16 boys tea ms. All our training sessions are being held at Thomas Danby College because of lack of facilities in the Holbeck. There is no astro turf pitch and indoor pitch for winter sessions and it is very difficult to do sessions with young kids of 5-12yrs. We do get a lot of kids who cannot afford to pay for training sessions and membership thus worsening the retention of good nu mbers. During su mmer in Holbeck we do encounter problems with some poorly behaved kids who try to disrupt sessions on the park. Also the issue of residents who use the pitch for dog fouling making it very hard to invite many kids to participate in our activities. Looking back over the years since we started in 2004, i can honestly say that we have helped and inspired many young people to progress with their studies and talents in sport. We have many young people who have furthered their studies in colleges, F E Vocationals and Universities. Some of the more talented and committed young players have been signed with professional academies. The downside of it all is that funding is a big issue, we have been doing it through limited personal funds and it has been very difficult. We had a tea m that used to participate in the Saturday League under the Red Triangle League, we had to stop it due to so many reasons that were not adequately addressed and we felt we were putting young people at risk through poor officiating and constant bullying in some areas of the city where we would play ga mes against local tea ms. I hope i have addressed some issues that could be helpful, if you need more info, you can try phoning me on my mobile nu mber, ########### Yours Faithfully, Super Eagles Juniors FC Coach
Emotional Well being A feeling of emotional well being cannot be achieved without social interaction and a feeling of purpose. Most mental health illnesses such as depression and anxiety are often linked with a feeling that they are lacking something. Perhaps daily life is boring them, or they are becoming overwhelmed by something at home or at work. Studies have shown that activities such as an educational course, a new hobby such as painting or a new social event they can regularly attend, creates a feeling of well being and can remove them from the routine or the trigger that was causing their illness. Environmental factors such as access to green space have also been linked with helping to treat mental health problems as access to nature and fresh air can have a calming effect and relax a person who has been dealing with stress
Volunteering Volunteering has many benefits to the health and wellbeing of those that are involved. It has been shown that people are more likely to volunteer for groups that have helped them, and so many volunteer groups work on the ethics that if they can help people get new life skills, create new relationships within the community, educate them about healthier lifestyle options and improve their life in some way, then they will be motivated to come back and help others do the same. Local volunteers groups also encourage people to get involved in their community and by doing so, gives them a feeling of pride and ownership of their local area, resulting in a stronger community that look out for each other and stand up against vandalism and anti social behaviour.
Areas that can employ volunteer schemes for development are the extended allotments, edible gardens, paths and landscaping around the viaduct, and the community gardens to the terraced housing
Groundwork Uk creating safe and beautiful green spaces
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Groundwork Uk is a charity that helps get residents involved in making their community spaces look better and feel safer. They focus their work in disadvantaged areas and offer all volunteers the chance to improve their job prospects with training and employment opportunities. By teaching people that they have a say in what happens in their neighbourhoods, it gives them the confidence to speak up to the local council, businesses and housing associations and gets them to take ownership of where they live. Often working on unused sites they get residents to get physical and help with designing, digging, planting and building allotments, gardens, parks and play areas that benefit the whole community. Measuring their work by sustainable measures, through their activities they have saved 291,500 tonnes of carbon emissions and 240,860 tonnes of waste were diverted from landfill. Working with young people, they have got 2,400 schools involved in their sustainability and environmental education programmes and 79% of the young people they worked with said they were more likely to return to education or training as the schemes had inspired and motivated them to better their lives. Applying this to Holbeck - Involving Groundwork Uk or arranging a similar scheme in Holbeck could be put to use on the numerous public spaces that require development or refurbishing. By engaging the community in the development of these spaces, they will feel a part of the regeneration of Holbeck and gain confidence that they can have input on the decisions that are to be made, rather than watching the transformation as an outsider. Physical involvement in the development of new green spaces and the allotments will give them a sense of pride and ownership of the spaces and discourage people from littering and vandalising the areas as they do now. The presence of green space has also been shown to decrease illnesses such as depression and lung disease, and by getting the community involved in the design of the green spaces means that they are more likely to use them and feel the benefits of more leisure time spent outside.
Landscapes Just as important as the buildings is the landscape that surrounds them. With the aim to encourage natural play and create public spaces that bring people together and entice people to participate in outdoor activities, whether that be a quick stroll through the park or a day exploring and playing, the landscape needs to cater for all users and make their journey a enjoyable one. The main priority is that of access, ensuring that those with walking difficulties, prams, bikes or skateboards etc can all use the space yet feel safe in doing so and can get around with ease. This gives the opportunity to bring people of different ages together and create an environment of movement, activity and integration, excluding no one and inspiring people to get involved in the activities and urban sports that they witness. Often people only participate in a sport or fitness activity when they are invited or have had some experience with as there is the fear of the unknown. By ‘showcasing’ activities, people can watch those that are playing tennis for example, and find an interest in the sport that will encourage them to give it a try, a new hobby that they may not have even thought about before.
S-E Coastal Park by Foreign Office Architects create a landscape that caters for all
Urban Sports Malov Axis by Adept Architects
Müløv Axis creates an urband landscape that is accessible and safe for everyone. The fluent landscape directs people through squares and green areas, providing spaces for people to sit, play, relax, and socialise. The spaces have been designed with urban sports as a priority and creates areas where free runners, cyclists and skaters can jump, swerve, climb and challenge themselves as people walk on by.
Materiality
The Green Cloud Project by Tema The Green Cloud project is a privately owned plaza, yet completely open to the public, available for the enjoyment of passersby and employees. Faced on three sides by cafes, offices, restaurants and shops, the buildings create a large square transformed into a contemplative garden with connecting paths from each side. The use of timber and lush greenery creates a feeling of being close to nature, a feeling of warmth from the wood and the bright colours of the wild flowers creating a scene that you could sit and relax whilst gazing over. The integrated long wooden bench along the central route through the garden provides the space to do just that, and the choice of plants has encouraged a range of small wildlife to set up home there. To define routes, the choice of a contrasting material was used to express movement and guide users to the surrounding buildings.
Assisting Interaction CITY SQUARE DEVELOPING BY ALLESWIRDGUT ARCHITEKTUR On the grounds of a former steel mill., the design focuses on allowing the architecture to speak and ‘highlighting’ it with the choice of materials, vegetation and seating areas. The seating provides areas large enough for groups to meet, and in forms that encourage interaction with those around you. The warm colours of the timber contrast against the cold concrete and steel, making them even more inviting to sit and relax upon.
Natural Play BUGA PLAYGROUND BY RAINER SCHMIDT
When thinking of a playground you imagine a prefabricated structure with swings, bridges and allocated spaces for certain activities. Whilst these do fulfil the aim of getting children taking part in physical activities, they do no encourage the use of their imagination and can become boring to them. The Buga Playground is a landscape that doesn’t use typical playground elements yet it sets the scene for numerous activities. The contours encourage children to run, climb, slide and design games that involve the unusual spaces and levels whilst also encouraging them to play with other children in group activities.
Masterplan
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Proposal
Connecting Holbeck Holbeck is surrounded by areas of interest that could be better linked to Holbeck with improved walking and cycling routes. To the North, the City centre has improved its cycle lanes in recent years but as soon as you enter the area of the Urban Village the cycle lanes disappear and with busy roads it becomes an unsafe route. The routes linking Holbeck to the countryside to the West, the canal on the East and the John Charles sports centre and Middleton Park to the South, currently cut through large areas of industry and busy roads. If the routes were diverted with cycle lanes, improved crossings and new pedestrian routes winding through the areas of interest, parks and green spaces, they would become attractive journeys for those wishing to have a leisurely bike ride or walk.
Green Spaces
By sinking the motorway which currently cuts through the centre of Holbeck, a linear park is formed which creates a green link between Holbeck and Beeston. The park will provide paths for cyclists and pedestrians, as well as areas to play and socialise, integrating two communities which are currently segregated. An extended green lid to the A643 allows ease of access from Wortley to Holbeck, and the improvement of the green spaces around the viaduct make the area much more appealing and user friendly.
Pedestrian spine
By creating a pedestrian only route reaching from Wortley, along Shafton lane and Holbeck Moor Road and finally entering into Hunslet, residents now have a safe route that they can take to walk to the shops, to the park and to surrounding work places and facilities. The route also encourages residents from other areas to walk into Holbeck and use the services that are to be provided.
Cycle Routes
By creating cycle routes through Beeston, access between the two areas becomes much easier and safer. The new routes link the two primary schools to the main areas of Holbeck, allowing the schools to implement new school travel plans which encourage the children to safely cycle to school as a way of getting some daily exercise. They also run along the main routes of shops and services in Beeston and the Urban Village where the traffic poses the biggest threat to cyclists.
Industry
New cycle and pedestrian routes run through areas of industry and employment in Lower Wortley and the Urban Village. As a step to get the Industry in Holbeck thriving once again, links between the proposed education facilities and the local businesses will be put into place with the aim to create partnerships that get people back into work or into training schemes to improve their work skills. This will benefit the existing businesses as they will receive fresh and eager to learn trainees and the students will get to improve their CV’s with the experience they will gain. The new routes also mean that residents will find it easier to travel to work in the surrounding areas, encouraging them to leave their cars at home.
Growth
Extended allotments close to the main area of housing in Holbeck give the opportunity to more residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables. The edible gardens at the local primary schools take the steps towards teaching children about sustainability and healthy living.
Housing
To the North and the South of the linear park , on the site of the recently demolished Holbeck Towers and the Bowling Greens which have been relocated, it is proposed to build new sustainable housing. The housing will be in a prime location, with views of the linear park and strong links to good pedestrian and cycle paths . The block of housing to the North on the Eastern side of the old Holbeck Towers site is a proposed development of sheltered accommodation. This accommodation will have strong links with the proposed health centre and is situated alongside pedestrian routes which link to the local shops and services, making travel much easier for the occupants.
Access to the city and surrounding areas is improved with a new green tram line on the existing Viaduct. Paired with new and improved cycle and walking routes, Holbeck encourages healthy and sustainable modes of travel and shortens the physical distance to the city.
The linear park provides areas for natural play rather than set out swings and see saws etc. This encourages youths to use their imagination and develop more social and natural strength skills.
To create a stronger feeling of community and give the back to back terraces some green space, new ‘green streets’ will occupy alternate roads providing a shared space that residents can design and use as they wish.
A new dense High Street along the pedestrianised ‘spine’ creates ease of access and the opportunity for multipurpose trips
A new path and skate route links the linear park to the existing indoor skate park, creating a fun and safe environment for skaters, BMX riders and cyclists to travel and play without disturbing other pedestrians
The linear park leads on to refurbished paths and spaces surrounding the viaduct. Using the Viaduct as exhibition spaces , local and visiting artists, students and members of the community can get involved in creating art pieces as part of an art trail around the area. Spaces will also be provided for the youths of Holbeck and Beeston to display Graffiti artwork and to learn the skills and morales associated with this genre of art
Building
008
Site & Brief
Building Brief One Objective - Eight buildings
Prevention is better than the cure - the health and wellness scheme has not been designed just to improve the lives of the residents already suffering with health problems, but to prevent further problems from occurring, and to focus on the youths of the area to set them up for a healthy and happy life.
Multi Agency Approach
To create a successful healthy environment, every aspect must work together. The physical buildings can work together through form, but the processes behind them must come together in the same way. The key is a multi agency approach, an approach where professionals can liaise and use all their expertise to create a programme that covers all aspects of health, improving the physical, mental and / or emotional health of whoever may need it.
A welcoming environment People are often intimidated by health centres, gyms, sports facilities and the activities that occur in them. By creating a welcoming environment through the building form and materiality, and by creating spaces that offer opportunities for socialising and playing, the environment becomes a healthy and friendly place where people can be comfortable and enjoy spending time whether they are visiting one of the facilities or not.
Access for all All aspects of the scheme have been designed to ensure that every resident, regardless of age, race, ability, background or any other differing factor of their life, can enjoy all the facilities in some way. even facilities such as the college or youth club, which have a primary user, have spaces within them that are for all residents to share and enjoy. whether this be as an outsider looking in and observing the action, or as a participant in a dance production or lecture series for example.
Create freespace The spaces around and through the buildings have been purposefully designed with no pre determined use, allowing users to skate, run, cycle, jump, sit, socialise, relax...............pretty much do anything they like.
Multi Agency working in Holbeck a one stop shop The proposed health and wellness ‘hub’ lends itself to the centre based delivery of multi-agency working. With the facilities available to have a ‘head office’ at the core of the development, the separate agencies will have a space where they can easily communicate and co-ordinate events. Also, due to the aim of the scheme being so broad that it focuses upon all ages and abilities of residents, the centre based format ensures all agencies are equally involved whilst allowing one to take a larger role if necessary for individual cases, for example - a case which may involve children with learning difficulties, an education professional would perhaps
Site Choice
The choice of site became an obvious one through the development of the masterplan. The point where the routes collide naturally becomes the ‘core’ of Holbeck, linking holbeck to the surrounding ‘healthy’ buildings and recreational spaces. This point is where the health village is proposed, supporting and providing additional services to those that already exist.
A site of two halves Holbeck Cutting through the middle of the site is the m621 . It is proposed to sink the motorway and allow for the two communities to once again be connected. Currently the motorway creates an area that feels unused and distant from the rest of Holbeck. Travellers have recently brought back some life to the area after setting up on the old Holbeck Towers site but they will soon move on and there will again be little reason for people to walk around the area .
Holbeck
The main road is only used for access to the local industrial units in this area, which have an alternative and more favourable access road.
Beeston Passing through to Beeston’s side of the motorway, you are welcomed by the boarded up Sports Centre and a Public House and Take Away which have recently closed down. The area looks like it has been vacated in preparation for redevelopment but the truth is that there is little reason for people to visit this area
Beeston Spaces feel unsafe, neglected, and appear to have been forgotten. The undercroft has a bicycle lane that stops after two metres, and the skate ramps are falling to pieces, looking as if they are becoming dangerous for the users. The area is uninviting and most of all, uninspiring.
Building
009
Development yr 1
Form and Orientation The first stage in the design development was sketching arrangements for the buildings centering around the routes that passed through the site. After numerous form and orientation ideas were explored, a theme of creating a ‘place’ seemed the most successful, allowing the routes to converge at a single point, a public square, where the buildings would interact with this space and create a meeting point , A kind of health ‘village’ appeared to meet the brief and set the foundation for further development.
Sketch Scheme one - End of MArch Year one Focusing upon creating a ‘place’ in the form of a public square, the first proposal was for a square closed to three sides by the building which hosted a doctors surgery, fitness centre with spa, a cafe and retail, office and residential units. The design allowed for pedestrian routes on top of the building, where outdoor cold plunge pools were also located in line with the kneipp style therapy that the spa would offer. This spa therapy involved hot and cold plunge pools, different types of body wraps and steam treatments, aimed at improving circulation and respiratory diseases.
Building placed at the centre of activity
Open up to the main park creating a public square
Extend the southern block to draw people into the area
Create Access and routes on the first floor to create different levels of movement
1. Fitness Building 2. Health Centre 3. Shops, cafe, Sports Leeds Office and residential flats 4. Public Square
Gf plan
Plans
ff plan
The plans focus on creating levels of movement, allowing people to cut through the square to the numerous adjoining spaces. The first floor allows an external path around the square with large open spaces that people can relax on and watch any events that are being held in the square.
2f plan
3f plan
Informal Sport Organised Sport Active Recreation
Links The overall building orientation and form was derived from its surroundings, creating physical and operational links with the buildings that border the site. The design of the informal sports courts are so that the activities can be witnessed by those walking along the linear park, but also as an opportunity for those working nearby to enjoy a quick game on their dinner. The school has close links to the facilities and so benefits from the use of them as part of educational class trips or out of school activities. The sheltered accommodation is ideally situated next to the health centre and the pedestrian only path for ease of access
The Core Iphone Application literally puts the users health in their hands. It is designed as a piece of software that helps set the users goals with regards to their mental and physical health, and to ensure they are kept up to date with any events or clinics that may be of use to them. Each user will have a personalised profile which will specifically recommend workouts, recipes, equipment and events that would keep them on the right track, as well as places where they can communicate with others who may have the same health or weight goal etc and who can provide extra support and encouragement.
Square The Square provides the opportunity to hold numerous community events. The central area is lowered for fountains and a shallow paddling area in the summer, which will also cool the air and make the environment more pleasant to be in. The space can also be converted to a platform for performances, arranged by the local schools or dance classes at the sports centre. It also provides a perfect space for a visiting market, whether that be crafts or local food produce. During the winter an ice rink could be constructed, encouraging people to continue with physical activity when the colder weather often discourages people.
Building
010
Development year 2
College Precedence Central College Utrecht Rau Architects
Although of a greater scale and aimed at a different group of students, the Central College in Utrecht was designed on the same principles as the proposed Adult Education College in Holbeck. Designed for an area in urgent need of improved education and social integration, the college has been designed in a series of clusters, each catering for the various subject needs. The college focuses upon practice based learning as a way to integrate students into the community, whilst benefitting the neighbourhood by providing on site shops, restaurants and services, ran by the students as an aid to their education. Applying this type of practice based learning in Holbeck will allow the adult students to gain the employment experience they are lacking. It also allows for the college to integrate with the existing and proposed buildings in the area to create stronger relationships between the individual buildings. For example, the Health students can gain experience by visiting the health centre and occupants of the local sheltered accommodation, allowing them to grow relationships with members of the community that they may have otherwise never met.
Orestad College copenhagen 3xn Architects Recently the concept of a teaching environment has been challenged by many in the education and design professions. Orestad College is one of few that has challenged the standard classroom arrangement and has created a flexible and open learning environment. The different teaching and learning spaces overlap and interact with no distinct borders, allowing the students more independence and allowing them to take some responsibility for their own learning., As in Holbeck the college is mainly focused upon Adult students and its main aim is to improve the students health by getting them to interact with others and exercise their minds, this form or relaxed and social layout would be suited. The college also uses soft and hard furnishings to distinguish the more serious hard working study areas from the relaxed group areas where they can talk freely about their work and help each other. This approach can also be adapted to the situation in Holbeck by providing ‘breakout spaces’ and quiet study areas.
Sports Precedence The Danish Foundation for Culture and Sports Facilities SEA and Elkiear Ebbeskov Architects The Danish Foundation for Culture and Sports recently held a competition to design Pulsen - the Community Centre of the future, of which the proposal by SEA and Elklear and Ebbeskov Architects were the winners. The project was organised into a village like arrangement where the main functions are placed in separate buildings linked by covered streets and squares. The aim of the proposal was to create an environment that brought the community together and promoted sport, health and wellbeing, the same concept as the strategy in Holbeck. Ane Ebbeskov sums up perfectly how a proposal to promote good health can also bring the people of the community together “Sport and health is something that binds everyone together across generations. Therefore, health is the perfect theme for the new Community Centre in Balling. But health alone does not create a gathering point. That is why we have decided to realize the building as a small “town” with streets and squares, which creating a new and different framework for residents to absorb and enjoy whether they have errands to run in the centre or not” The covered spaces act as activity and meeting spaces, whilst the primary buildings hold the health centre, spa, sports centre and facilities for the outdoor pool. The building had sustainability at the forefront of the design, and the material choice of timber, geothermic heating source and low energy systems ensure the building creates as little impact on the environment as possible.
Soweta Training Facility for Nike RUF Project The Nike training facility in Soweta, South Africa, can cater for over 200,000 youth football players, as well as acting as an education centre to fight against HIV/ Aids. The centre uses local timber as sun protection fixed to the steel, creating a sleek exterior that stands out amongst the grounds. Internally the centre is fun, using vibrant colours, furniture and illustration in each section of the building, giving each area its own theme. The fact that RUF project and Nike can have turned a recreational building, which have a reputation as being ‘black boxes’ due to the strict requirements of space, light and form, into such a fun and vibrant facility is inspiring. The form is simple but the rich timber cladding, use of angles and the vibrant interior make the building very approachable and inspiring for the youths that use it.
Youth Centre Precedence Culture Fusion Bradford Bowman Riley Architects Culture Fusion in Bradford was designed by Bowman Riley Architects and built using funds under the ‘My Place’ scheme by the government. Bradford was in desperate need of a central space where children from all over the area could come together, have fun and feel safe. To make the centre as successful as possible, the local children were involved in almost every design stage. After researching many Youth Centres all over England, a key point is the fact that the children need to be involved in the design. They know what they need and what will help them and so in Holbeck the proposed youth centre would be used as a basis on which the children of the area can discuss and change according to their needs and priorities. Culture Fusion hosts a climbing wall, Music Studio, Rooftop Cafe and Games Room, Performance Space, Events Pod, Gym and a Dance Studio. Staff work closely with the local schools and offer information and support for all those who attend.
Library Precedence Multimedia Library France De Aluza Jerome Architects The library is located in a new eco-district in France, naturally directed towards a square with which it maintains a strong connection by using materials and form to create a smooth transition from outside to in. The form reacts to its surroundings with service spaces acting as a thermal buffer to the North, and the South opens up and allows light to flood the internal space with a large canopy protecting the interior from solar heat gain. The design has made efforts to ensure the users feel at home and can relax and enjoy their time there. This has been done through the choice of furnishings and the links to the exhibition space and adjacent buildings, creating a sense of public space rather than a private building. The library in Holbeck will require strong physical and operational links to the college, supplying study materials to the students, yet maintaining a welcoming vibe to the general public so that they don’t feel they are intruding in the college spaces. This could be done through its location within the ‘Health Village’, ensuring it is in a prime location where the public will be passing by and engaging with the building. Also its positioning within the landscape so that the routes can flow up to / into it and it can open up to the outside, allowing the public to view in and the users to gaze out.
Health Centre Precedence Maggie Centre OMA A Maggie Centre has a whole different brief to a regular Health Centre, however the approach that OMA took when designing the centre focused upon the same principles that I wish to engage for the Health Centre. The design utilises natural light as much as possible, knowing that natural light plays an essential role in improving health. The centre also cleverly offers a great deal of privacy yet gives numerous views of the nature outside through its clever placement of partitioning walls and glazing. When designing a health centre privacy is obviously key, however that clashes with the desire for as much natural light and links to nature as possible, unless the building is positioned in a secluded and private space. As the proposed Health Centre is to be positioned at the core of activity, the use of floor levels, room arrangements and facade materials will all have an important role in ensuring the design is successful.
Initial Building and landscape Concepts
Model Exploration This is an example of the type of models used during the development stages to explore new ideas. Using simple card and foamboard models that could be easily rearranged, this set of models show the option of a ‘street’ linking the Health and Wellness facilities to Beeston at a larger scale. Different layouts explored the links with the surroundings and between the proposed buildings themselves, and analysed the types of spaces the arrangements could create.
Gf plan
Sketch Scheme two
creating more of a village style environment
ff plan Sports
ff plan Library
ff plan College
2f plan Library
2f and 3f plan College
This scheme focused on arranging the buildings to create a kind of ‘village’ style layout. Each building focuses on creating a public space on the ground floor so that each building is accessible to all. They are centred at the point where the routes collide, and create a northern square where cafe seating can intrude into, and a southern square stepping up to the higher ground. The southern square is aimed at working with the youth club so that the hall can be opened up and use the stepped area as space for an audience to view performances put on by the youths.
Using Form to express movement After critiques with tutors I decided to explore the idea of how the building form can express movement as the buildings original concept was getting lost in the static form. The buildings are centred around a landscape that draws people in, encourages active recreation and makes space for cyclists, skaters, runners and walkers, yet the buildings didn’t express this movement as much as the landscape did. Therefore, the following precedence looks at numerous buildings that in some way or another have expressed movement through form.
Angles Uno Charter School Proposal by stl Architects
Cantilever and overhangs CO Habitation Kilo Architectures
Bournville College Broadway Malyan
Repetition
Texture
Genesis David Adjaye
Gf plan
Sketch Scheme three Expressing Movement
ff plan
This scheme was after a tutorial in which I was encouraged to explore movement through the form of the building. This proposal looked at what angles and arrangements could work, with the aim of toneing it down where needed. After trying numerous versions I felt that the concept of the ‘healthy’ buildings and the impact of the use of timber and links to nature would be lost within such strong shapes and forms.
Layout drawings These layout options represent dome of the building orientation that were explored before moving on as they didn’t achieve what I was looking for. They mainly focus on moving the sports building and the location of the outdoor sports courts.
Gf plan
Sketch Scheme four Stengthening Links
ff plan
After trying more abstract forms, I returned to the village style layout and looked at expressing movement it a more subtle way that could work with my choice of materials and structure. This scheme focused on creating better links between the buildings, and working with the proposed routes. The cafe and Library share a more organised space and physically link to the first floor of the college. The youth centre now has a strong relationship with the sqaure which is to be covered so that it can be used for events in all weather.
Sketch Scheme five Connecting Sports At this point the development focused upon expressing movement with the orientation of the buildings and the diversion of routes, as well as connecting the proposed Sports Centre to the existing, which I had previously proposed to demolish. This meant a new brief for the Sports Hall so that it complimented the services that were already on offer at South Leeds Sport Centre. The other buildings were revised, changing positions to strengthen the relationships between them and to the surrounding buildings. A proposed separate Creche was introduced to the South to support working and studying parents in the area.
Sketch Scheme five The firslt floor plan of the college is also repeated for one more floor, with the same fairly unregulated teaching spaces that can open up to one another and the offering of more relaxed study spaces. The sports Hall’s first floor rests on the higher ground and makes use of the difference in topography.
Site Sections The sections through the buildings and the canopy show the relationship of the buildings to the landscape and the sunken motorway.
physical Model at 1:500
Sketch Scheme Render This initial render was intended to show the quality of space, materials, landscape and the built form. Looking at the square from the raised ground to the South it was clear that features of the landscape could be improved and incorporate the use of timber perhaps in the surfaces and or / fixtures and fittings.
Health Centre
Sketch Sections Quick sketch sections allow fast decisions about building heights, interior qualities, ventilation strategies and relationships to the context of the building
Sports Centre
Youth Club
Sketch Elevations Quick sketch elevations allow fast decisions about surface quality, structure and form.
Youth Club
Cafe and library Space Sketches It was important to understand the relationship between the cafe and library and the quality of spaces within them. Sketches allowed quick explanations of the spaces and how they will function
Sports Centre
Health Centre
Study Pod
Youth Centre
Timber Canopy The structure and form of the timber canopy was explored at a fairly early stage to allow me to develop its relationship with the surrounding buildings and the depth of support it would require. Below are examples of sketch images I used to explore different canopy configurations, adjusting the high and depth of overhang and its effect it had on the environment.
Sketch Cafe and Library Elevation This sketch drawing shows the relationship of the cantilevered study pods and the external cafe space. A restriction on the cantilever has ensured the overhang doesn’t shadow the area and make it unwelcoming
Sketch College Elevation Simple line form drawings and material application on Photoshop allowed me to envisage the form of the buildings and play around with materials and structure. This early college elevation showed how the building appeared quite flat on elevation and didn’t create an entrance which would draw people in.
Sketch Youth Centre Elevation As part of the development of the entrance to the Youth Centre, I created quick sketch images that allowed me to visualise the mass of the multi purpose hall and how it height effected the surrounding landscape and buildings
Sketch Holbeck Moor approach The main approach to the village is from Holbeck Moor. On entering the square it is essential that users feel welcome to enter all areas, explore and interact with the buildings and other users. The low profile buildings stop the area from feeling intimidating and ensures it doesn’t interfere with the quality of the green space.
Sketch Sports Centre Entrance There is an important relationship between where the existing sports centre and the proposed sports centre meet. It is at this point that a new entrance is formed. This sketch is one of many that I carried out to develop the relationship between the two and how I can create an exciting entrance to contrast the plain elevation of the existing and the mass of the proposed. This example was further developed in many ways, one of which was to wrap the entrance in a ‘box’ that was the highest point and so magnified the entrance to those approaching from the main square.
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Further Development image examples
Further development - college
Further development- Youth Club
Further development - Health Centre
Pedestrian mOVEMENT
Sport Function
Site Plan with Landscape Site Plan with Landscape
Timber Canopy Further development to the canopy included the increase of timber size for added strength., new steel beam connectors and the introduction of heliotropic solar panels. I also explored the build up of a typical facade to contrast size and aesthetics
Health Centre internal concept Glazed internal courtyard
Sports centre entrance concept Glazed box joining two entrances
Youth Centre internal concept Central entrance space
To be continued......
As an edited collection of research and development work from the two years studying my Masters of Architecture, this document was intended as an aid to the final studio portfolio. Although impossible to cover all development work, it summaries the main development stages of both the Urban Strategy and Building proposal with the aim to clarify decisions made and my inspirations and thought processes.