Journal Vol. 02: Regenerating a Typology by katiephillips.architecture

integrated architectural design

Instantiation: Fragments and Sub-Fragments

R e g e n e r a t i n g a Ty p o l o g y

macro micro studio

AR40007

synthesis, threads, socio-urban contextualisation, iterations, resolution, architectural form, socio-spatial content, integration, theoretical analysis, technical application, critique

katie phillips

Proposed development, Hilltown Road

3.1 Maxwelltown Shopping Centre, 1984

00 Introduction 01 Theory and Research V Passivhaus and Carbon Neutral Fuel Poverty 02 Case Studies II Goldsmith Street Hanham Hall Rayne Park ZedBed Community Housing 03 Site Strategy Access Development

07 Theory and Research VI Balfron Tower Exploring New Typologies

14 Conclusion Soft City

08 Public Realm Life Between Buildings Parking development Masterplan Access

Appendix

04 The Tenement III Re-inventing the Tenement Case Study: Common Place Initial Sketch Plans Repetition Curiosity Site

10 Ethnographic Studies

05 Spatial Diversity and The Street Active Ground Floors Small, Medium, Large 06 Elements and Iterations I Drawing and Re-Drawing Modules Tenement Elements

09 The Regenerated Tenement Scale plans Elevation development Allocation of dwellings Elevation details

11 Technological Resolution Structure Acoustics Insulation Ventilation Fire safety Services Adaptability 12 Sustainability Geothermal energy capture Bladeless wind turbines Sedum-roofs and rainwater collection 13 Final Drawings

Humanities critical reflection

ii.

Lecture reflections

“People can inhabit anything. And they can be miserable in anything, and ecstatic in anything. More and more I think architecture has nothing to do with it.” Rem Koolhaus

(Keedwell, P., 2017, pg. 9)

5.1 Maxwelltown Multistoreys, 1984

Introduction

On average, we spend over 90% of our time indoors, and most of this (especially nowadays post-covid) is spent in our homes. (Keedwell, P., 2017) If home is an unpleasant or unsafe place to be, the effects on us physically and psychologically can be severe. The quote from Koolhaus on the previous page is very much paradoxical to this thesis, where architectural form and place-making strives to enrich and improve people’s experience. The housing crisis in Hilltown identified in Volume 01 requires affordable housing, plus an element of public space and retail, to attract people to the area and encourage economic and social growth. A successful scheme will create a vibrant street-scape with mixed uses, an interesting and dynamic public realm as Landmark, and homes which are high quality with low energy costs. Everyone should have a refuge from the outside world which is quiet, warm and affordable. Alongside the continuation of theories informing design decisions from the previous journal, the focus of Volume 02 will be architectural technology, and how we can enhance our lives with sustainable and environmentally friendly design.

Bedroom 05, co-living apartment

[It is worth noting that many of the principles stressed in this thesis stem from my own first hand experience of living in several rented properties in Dundee and Glasgow which have not met a tolerable standard, never mind a comfortable one. I currently live in one of the last surviving tenement rows with a cobbled street, built circa 1900, in Dundee’s Blackness area. The tenements have little to no insulation and many still have single glazed windows, which are unable to shield noise from the busy street and leaves them impossible to heat. As with Hilltown, there is a high level of deprivation; closes are often vandalised and used syringes left in stairwells as a sad reminder of the poverty in the area. I feel very strongly about this project; its beauty lies in the theories and principles it embodies from a macro to micro scale, creating good quality homes and safe, engaging public environments which I hope would make a positive change to people’s lives.]

Theory and Research V

8.1 Challender Court, Bristol. Small scale Passivhaus social housing.

Pa s s i v h a u s a n d C a r b o n N e u t r a l

Around 22% of UK carbon emissions are attributed to housing, of which, 45% is from heating. In order to meet the government’s energy target of net-carbon neutral by 2050, a serious effort must be undertaken in producing new build homes to a carbon neutral or Passivhaus standard, as well as regenerating existing homes which fall below standard. (Mitchell, R., Natarajan, S., 2020) Defining the lowest energy standard globally, the Passivhaus standard requires that a building should use no more than 15 kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m2) per annum in heating and cooling energy. In addition, it requires that the total primary energy consumption for the building should be no more than 120 kWh/m2 annually. (Loftness, V., 2013) In simpler terms, it is defined as “a building in which thermal comfort can be achieved solely by post-heating or post-cooling the fresh air flow required for a good indoor air quality, without the need for additional recirculation of air.” (passivhaustrust.org.uk) Since a Passivhaus requires up to 95% less energy for indoor temperature regulation than a traditionally constructed building, these have very low energy bills and are a comfortable temperature year round, usually without the need of additional heat sources. The following principles are necessary for a building to achieve true Passivhaus qualification: (Loftness, V., 2013)

Super-insulation (depending on climate)

Airtight construction

Heat or energy recovery ventilation (depending on climate)

Eliminating thermal bridges

High-performance windows and doors (depending on climate)

Calculating the energy balance

Optimization of passive-solar and internal heat gains (depending on climate) As the name suggests, Passivhaus utilises passive heat sources, such as solar gain, heat produced by human occupants, home appliances, and heat extracted from ventilation systems, usually driven by wind or other eco harnessed energy, in order to keep the internal spaces at a regulated temperature. (passivhaustrust.org. uk) In the UK, where cooler weather is typical, highly insulated wall build-ups are required, as are high performance windows and doors with insulated frames.

F u e l Po v e r t y

In addition to the environmental benefits of Passivhaus, residents benefit from: Quieter internal spaces Higher air quality Low energy costs Passivhaus helps to alleviate fuel poverty, as although properties may be affordable, it can be very difficult to pay to keep them at a comfortable temperature. A review found that 78% of low income households in Scotland are fuel poor, and 73% of these fuel poor households are economically inactive, such as unemployed, disabled, retired or student. (Arnot, J., 2016) As explored in Vol. 01, the high levels of deprivation in Hilltown combined with the out of date housing stock would imply that most of these households are experiencing fuel poverty. A Passivhaus design, especially for the apartments lining the Hilltown Road, would mitigate the noise and pollution of the street and create more comfortable and pleasant homes. This aligns with the Dundee Local Housing Strategy 2019-2024 document, where a main aim outlined is that “People live in good quality homes that they can afford to heat.” (Local Housing Strategy, 2019) [As well as Passivhaus principles, the design should include an exploration of water saving and energy efficient appliances.]

* optional additions (diagram: personal)

Case Studies II

The following case studies further the understanding of the environmental principles outlined in the previous theory chapter.

11.1 Goldsmith Street

Goldsmith Street Mikhail Riches

Riches Hawley Mikhail won an international RIBA competition in 2008 to provide new housing in Norwich, which the City developed itself without a housing association or development partner. Among a long list of accolades, it was the RIBA Stirling Prize winner of 2019. The design provides around 100 new homes, and is the largest passivhaus scheme in the UK. The design controlled solar gain and highly insulated buildings mean that homes have extremely low fuel bills of around £150 per annum. The majority of these houses aim to be socially rented. (mikhailriches.com/goldsmithstreet)

scheme existing buildings blocks created new streets / pedestrian friendly routes

The development creates streets and low rise homes in an area of the city where high rise flats dominate the environment. The streets have been designed narrow, at 14 metres, which echoes a more historic build model. This unusually narrow street width was accepted due to the careful design of windows to alleviate overlooking. There are back alleys which encourage socialisation and children’s play, which are secure and only residents have access to. Maintenance was reduced by designing out communal entryways and lobbies, and instead every flat has its own front door and access at street level. (ibid)

(mapping: personal)

12.1

12.2

The houses are in a dense, low rise arrangement, which corresponds to Jacob’s theory of passive surveillance and a higher degree of interaction between the residences and the street. The roofs have been designed as such to aid and block solar gain throughout the year, with the angle of the roofs allowing the winter sun to pass into the row of houses behind, while brise soleil block too much solar gain during summer when the sun is highest. The majority of the principle rooms face south. To achieve passivhaus certification, the windows had to be smaller than a typical proportion in a terraced scheme, and therefore the architects used a set back panel around the windows to give the illusion that they are bigger. Each house has a range of provider’s services wired in, to remove the need for opening holes in the skin of the building and damaging the essential vapour barriers. (architecture.com/goldsmith-street)

(mapping: personal)

Hanham Hall H TA a r c h i t e c t s

Among many accolades, Hanham Hall in South Gloucestershire won the 2014 Housing Design Awards for best affordable housing. As England’s first large scale housing scheme to achieve the zero-carbon standard, it provides 187 homes as a mix of private and affordable tenures, and offers 1 to 5 bedroom houses alongside community facilities and commercial spaces. A key focus of the scheme is the renovated grade 2 listed building, Hanham Hall, which provides office space, a crèche and a cafe. It has been described as an intergenerational neighbourhood with a diverse demographic, enriching the community. (https://www.hta.co.uk/project/hanham-hall) The houses prioritise views and solar gain with large windows, and also feature balconies and verandahs to connect with the surrounding green space. Water has been an important feature of the site, and is integrated into the SUDs solution while also offering a peaceful environment, attracting wildlife to the site. (ibid.)

14.1

(mapping: personal)

14.2

14.3

Greenhouse Allotments

“Our POE* surveys found that 82.46% of residents agreed or strongly agreed that the neighbourhood gave them opportunities to stop and talk with people regularly and that 81.82% felt the design of the home and its environment lifted their spirits” HTA architects, *(Post Occupancy Evaluation)

The space in the centre of the development (highlighted on the masterplan in yellow) which would typically be assigned as car parking, was instead designed as a communal garden with a long shared greenhouse. Sandy Morrison discussed the scheme and described the choice of a greenhouse over parking as an important factor in making people love the place that they are living in. “Arguably, even though the building is not necessarily beautiful, the idea is beautiful, and the building becomes beautiful as a result”. (ADAS lecture, 06/11/20) [The landscape and shared facilities clearly encourage and promote the strong sense of community in this development, and the idea of a shared greenhouse or several greenhouses is one I will take forward. A greenhouse, rather than allotments, is tidier and more inconspicuous than having open plots of earth, and can easily be used year round with protection from the elements.]

15.1 The communal greenhouse.

R a y n e Pa r k Hamson Barron Smith

As part of a larger masterplan for 1000 new homes, HBS’s proposals for a residential scheme in Threescore, Bowthorpe in Norwich are underway, providing 172 homes, of which 112 are aiming to meet Passivhaus certification and 57 are affordable housing. Once complete, it will be one of the largest Passivhaus schemes in the UK. Development began in 2017 by Norwich Regeneration Ltd, a company founded by Norwich City Council to meet the need for new housing in the area. With a social objective of communal gardens, car-free streets and home zones, the focus was to make the development safe and prioritised pedestrians and cycles over vehicles. (hamsonbarronsmith. com/three-score-norwich)

home zones completed units under construction

Taking inspiration from the location, the architecture reflects the vernacular forms of typical Norfolk barns with pitched roofs. The solar shading panels and balcony panels on the juliet windows are metal sheets with a laser cut design of the Norwich Drawloom Shawl, a reflection of the city’s historic textile industry. The homes are a mix of social and private tenures, and range from 1 to 5 bedrooms in a mix of apartments and terraced houses. The development utilised structural insulated panels (SIPs), provided by Kingspan Timber Solutions, which are manufactured off site and quickly assembled once delivered. (passivhaustrust.org.uk/news/ detail/?nId=856)

(mapping: personal)

16.1

Pa s s i v h a u s S t r a t e g y

Through a careful development of site strategy, 112 of the 172 units are aiming to meet Passivhaus certification. This was based on form and orientation. The orientation is key to harnessing passive solar gain, while also trying to mitigate risks of overheating. Long blocks were angled at the maximum of within 30 degrees of south to ensure they received the necessary sunlight. Simple building forms were prioritised, such as the flat blocks and terraced houses, and where there were detached units, the larger 4 and 5 bed houses were given priority to ensure cost viability. (hamsonbarronsmith.com/threescore-norwich)

agreed passivhaus possible passivhaus

[This strategy is useful to take forward when considering how challenging it will be to meet Passivhaus standard for some of the units on site. Not all units will be suited to Passivhaus, although they should strive to be as close as possible. The apartments lining the Hilltown Road are in a difficult orientation but are the units which would benefit most from the certification.]

not suitable as passivhaus

(mapping: personal)

BedZED Eco-Community Bill Dunster, ZedFactory

BedZED (Beddington Zero Energy Development) was far ahead of its time; conceived in 1997 and completed in 2002, it was the first large scale housing project in the UK to implement sustainable carbon neutral design. Winning the RIBA Stirling Prize for sustainability in 2003, it still stands as, arguably, the most ambitious attempt at overall sustainability in a large housing development. It offers 100 homes, and workspace for 100 people. Construction included reclaiming steel and soft-wood studs from local demolitions, most within a 50 mile radius of the site, to be regenerated into new structural components. (zedfactory.com/bedzed)

residential live / work units

The buildings are oriented on site with the residential space facing south and live / work units facing north, to maximise the solar gain into the homes while creating cooler spaces for offices. Although not fully car free, there are a number of pedestrian streets between the buildings, which have been generously planted with greenery. Almost every flat has a small roof garden and a conservatory. The sedum roofs that feature on the north facing roof slopes have an absorption capacity of 28 litres/m2. With light to moderate rainfall, all rainfall will be absorbed, whereas with heavy rain, the run off is collected and stored in underground water tanks. The harvesting of roughly 363 cubic metres per year replaces the same volume of treated mains water. (greenroofs.com/projects/bedzed-beddington-zeroenergy-development) (mapping: personal) 18.1

18.2

A study taken 7 years after completion found BedZED homes use 81% less hot water and 45% lower electricity than the average home in the area. The site features its own on site water treatment plant plus a biomass CHP (combined heat and power) plant. The thermal demand of the homes is for hot water only, which allowed the plant to easily meet this requirement. It matched average electricity demand, giving back to the grid when there is excess power generated and borrowing when peak demand is required. Unfortunately, the CHP plant and both the water treatment plant are now defunct, as they were too small scale to justify the maintenance required to keep them running, and the water treatment plant actually had a higher energy requirement than regular sewage treatment. (Hodge, J., Haltrecht, J., 2009) [Despite this, BedZED is still highly commendable as a preliminary model for how sustainable housing should work in theory, and there are important lessons to be learnt for designing towards a greener future. Rainwater collection and conservatories to heat living spaces will be taken further into the design] (mapping: personal)

[Critical Reflections]

By analysing the previous case studies, I can take certain aspects forward into the design, such as rainwater collection, wind powered MVHR, and sun spaces within the units. I am also now aware that the orientation of blocks on my site, which was dictated by the theoretical discourse in Vol. 01, will be challenging in regards to Passivhaus certification. The orientation of the blocks however is key to the concept of repairing the street and the block, creating a lively street with economic benefits to the area and I do not feel it is worth sacrificing for solar gain. I can instead utilise other technologies in order to generate energy and heat for the buildings, such as geothermal heating powered by solar panels or wind turbines. This will be explored further in the ‘sustainability’ chapter.

Site Strategy Access

Adjacent is a critique of the masterplan at the end of Volume 01. It highlights areas which need to be more clearly defined and, for example, denotes the need for access and hard landscaping to the terraced houses. Further development of strategy has been to assign the apartments on Alexander Street as accessibility and co-living. It is the closest building to a bus stop, plus on street parking can be afforded and doesn’t compromise the car free internal zone of the site. The dashed lines denote the area of the slope, with a 5 metre rise between them. An access road to the terraced flats is possible, and with a rough calculation this would be well within legal regulations at a 6% slope. (Regardless, this would follow the same gradient as the Hilltown Road.) degrees = tan-1(rise/run), [rise = 5, run = 46]

Development

The next stage of development was to visualise the site in full, noting ideas about form, materiality and programme. I could not proceed any further with the masterplan at this stage without first testing accommodation types to scale. As the focus of Vol. 01 was the tenement and the street, I feel it would be most logical to start with the apartments on the Hilltown Road, and the dimensions and layout of these will then determine space given to the internal courtyard, and aim to find a balance between the two. The next steps will be to test how these apartments will be accessed, their internal layout, and how they function on the gradient of the site.

T h e Te n e m e n t I I I

This chapter revisits the tenement as explored in Vol. 01, and seeks to bring the housing model into the modern age.

(image: author’s own)

R e - i n v e n t i n g t h e Te n e m e n t

The tenement was an important thread throughout Vol. 01, and this journal hopes to demonstrate an even deeper understanding and critical reflection upon it. The success of the tenement arguably stemmed from its ability to be easily replicated - not only to form a block or row on a site but on a deeper level as a housing model and precedent. Early 20th century tenements can be found in urban areas all over Scotland, and the decay and abandonment of them is one of the defining characteristics of the Hilltown enclave. As a driving policy of the welfare city (see Vol. 01), housing provided by the local authorities during the 40s was used as a model for reformation and a way of implementing social change. (Costa Santos, S., et al., 2018) Now, new housing provided by the government should do the same by actualizing sustainable and carbon zero solutions as standard for all new homes. New regulations by the Scottish Government state that all new homes should use “renewable or low carbon heating” by 2024, with a wider aim of achieving “net zero” emissions overall by 2045. (gov.scot/news/new-build-homes-to-be-more-energy-efficient) The new tenement model as discussed in this chapter can be used to implement this strategy; inspiring a change in social housing where sustainable, passivhaus aimed design becomes standard practice, while also echoing and celebrating the positive aspects of the old tenements.

23.1 An archetypal Hilltown tenement row.

Case Study: Common Place

‘Common Place’ is an exhibition and research project by Baillie Baillie architects on re-interpreting and modernising the tenement. A new tenement unit is created, which embodies the language of the old. It retains the repetitive qualities, both in facade and form, allowing the unit to form a continuous block. It has the ability to form a ‘fragment of city’ through adjustment to topographical, spatial and economic requirements. (Baillie Baillie) It also operates in a micro to macro scale, unit > block > district > city. “This project seeks to re-appropriate the enduring characteristics of the Glasgow tenement, while acknowledging the ever changing requirements and expectations of contemporary urban dwelling. Our work seeks to identify a language capable of making coherent new pieces of city, and one which remains embedded within existing traditions. We argue that commonality among urban buildings is an essential element in most successful urban places. Commonality, the state of sharing features and attributes, is a defining characteristic of the existing city, and is a quality which is lacking in many recent urban developments. We propose that the traditional set of repetitive common elements can be redefined, and that by adapting and developing these parameters, it is possible to form the basis of a coherent language, in continuity with the existing city and reflective of contemporary society.” - Baillie Baillie

25.1 “The ubiquitous bay window” .

(images and quoted text: copyright Baillie Baillie architects)

Echoing the Past

(images: copyright Baillie Baillie architects)

Adaptive Modules

External Loggia

Responsive Facade

Repeating Units

(images: copyright Baillie Baillie architects)

Creating a Block

(images: copyright Baillie Baillie architects)

Forming the City

[Critical Reflections]

The re-interpreted tenement by Baillie Baillie is a delicate and sympathetic approach to housing, one which I would hope to emulate in my own project. The notion that the units can be adaptable; both in regards to the flexible internal spaces, and the treatment of façades where they respond to orientation, topography and programme, is important. This is consistent with my own hypothesis of how a unit should function, and the following pages explore my thought process of how to create a new tenement.

(image: copyright Baillie Baillie architects)

The typical tenement block, as seen in Hilltown, has a street entrance which divides the unit into two flats on either side.

The circulation is kept central as a concept, and the two flats are pushed to give the illusion of a shorter elevation and create a more dynamic street front.

As a result, three blocks, or modules are created; two flats and the circulation core. This simplifies the structural grid and keeps construction costs low.

The New Tenement creates a more active street, with varied sizes of retail space on the ground floor, and repeating units of flats above.

Initial Sketch Plans

Top Floor

The new tenement model follows the old, with flats on either side of the circulation core. It includes space on ground level for retail, divided by the entrance to the flats and the refuse store. Incorporating the refuse area inside the building means the bins are still easily picked up from the street, there are no issues with the infamous Dundee seagulls picking through bins which have been left open, and it will not attract rodents. It makes for a cleaner and more presentable surrounding environment. The ground floor also deals with the possible level change between the inner public courtyard and the street, hence the rough division of sub-ground denoted in the plan. The blue highlighted area, where towards the lower end of the site where there is no change in level, can be used as an extension of the retail unit, or possibly as a rented coworking or office space. There are a range of apartment types provided to cater to as many people as possible. A studio flat might suit a student, or a young couple starting out, whereas the 3 bed apartment might appeal to a small family. Another option can be explored for the top floor where a 4 or 5 bedroom flat can be provided instead of the roof garden, as this may not be desirable or viable for every unit. The rooftop garden is shared by residents of the block, which is more private than the typical rear drying green of the tenement, and will give fantastic south-west views towards the Tay.

Mid Floors

Studio Flat 1 Bed Apartment 2 Bed Apartment 3 Bed Apartment

Retail Unit

Ground Floor

Flexible Space Rooftop Garden Plant

Repetition

The nature of the tenement as a self-contained unit allows it to be constructed in a row while dealing with level changes. This is key for the Maxwelltown site as in order to ‘repair the street’, a row of buildings must be constructed to line the Hilltown Road. Unlike the archetypal tenement row however, this new model does not need to be constrained to an axis or have a ‘flat’ frontage. The units can step in and out, and can be placed to mirror the angle of the street. Repeating the unit is efficient and cost effective; it saves costs on elevations, creating shared walls means services can travel through cavities between blocks, and the manufacture of the same stair core and multiples of the same flat units is cheaper than designing creating bespoke elements for each building. This allows for more costs afforded to quality of materials, the choice of interiors eg. kitchen and bathroom pods, and a higher percentage of fenestration.

Materiality I

The materiality of the Hilltown was previously discussed in Vol. 01, along with its current state of neglect and decay. The original historic mills and tenements were constructed from sandstone blocks, varied in their colour but typically warm tones. Newer buildings have been constructed from brick, or even sometimes simply exposed concrete blockwork. The development will echo the look of the heavy stereotomic construction of the historic buildings but with a modern steel frame and brick cladding. The proposed bricks will also emulate the old, with varying tones and hues but neutral overall. (images: author’s own)

Curiosity

As previously discussed, the Hilltown was historically built as many dense small blocks, with narrow passageways and alleys winding through the spaces between buildings. These mysterious nooks and crannies spark our curiosity, and to repeat a quote from Vol. 01; “the most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious”. (Keedwell, P., 2017, pg. 31) However, an important principle in making safe spaces is natural surveillance, so these new alleys must be in suitable locations in order to mitigate issues of crime and misconduct. These historic passageways can be re-interpreted in the masterplan of the site, creating access from the Hilltown Road to the internal courtyard from the street and acting as a device to draw people into the new public realm. Breaking the block also contributes to the walkability of the street, creates the illusion of a shorter journey and creates opportunities for interest. (Gehl, J., 2010) This is the safest place to have any narrow spaces, as the main street is busy and will have plenty natural surveillance and daylight. There must be suitable lighting designed to ensure they are well light at night.

34.1 No. 23 Hilltown, c. 1920.

Site

A. The tenement units were placed on site to create two separate blocks, with a path for access to the internal courtyard between. The blocks help to divide the internal space of the courtyard, creating the new sloped public pedestrian street directly behind block 1 (B), and a smaller, level ground area (C) adjacent to the community hub behind block 2. The area (A), also on level ground, creates the public space which engages with the existing community garden, and could house the allotments/greenhouses. The blue arrows denote new alleys and ‘closies’. These spaces are deliberately narrow, echoing the tight urban fabric of the old Hilltown. They also embody Cullen’s ‘kinetic unity’, whereby one walking along Hilltown Road might look through the passageways and be drawn into the courtyard. (Cullen, G., 1961) The orientation of the units allows for the elevation facing Hilltown Road to be in sunlight, and maximise the solar gain. This elevation will be designed to also maximise the southern views towards the Tay, and to harness passive heating. [I like that there is an exposed gable on the south end, which is very reminiscent of the existing urban language in the area.]

B. Block 1

Block 2

N 35 1:750

Spatial Diversity and The Street

(image: Gehl, J., 2010, pg. 30)

“The street aquires major significance; the city is born in a fixed place but the street gives it life” (Rossi, A., 1982, pg. 51)

The form of the new tenement, with short frontages and a varied facade, embodies Gehl’s principle of narrow blocks enhancing the street. (Gehl, J., 2011) The density of each block allows for a vibrant and active elevation, and balconies and juliet windows create opportunity for interaction between people in apartments and people on the street as the majority of apartments do not exceed Gehl’s recommended height threshold of 13.5 metres. (ibid.) As there are no flats on the ground floor, this mitigates a myriad of issues; such as noise from the street and the security of apartments considering the high crime rates in the area as shown through analysis in Vol. 01. Pushing part of the block back to create a deeper threshold allows for activity to occur outside shops and cafés; people can sit outside, there’s room to meet and talk without blocking the pavement and there’s space to plant greenery. This all adds to the positive image of the street. The diversity created by having varied uses on ground level aligns with Jacob’s theory of mixed use, creating reasons for people to come and go at different times throughout the day, and adding to the economic growth of the Hilltown.

Active Ground Floors

In order to generate a vibrant street, there must be mixed use. People should be attracted to different spaces at different times of day, and this is key to the success of the street and its economy. (Jacobs, J., 1961) Ground floors are so crucial to the area’s overall image, and many narrow units and doors along a street creates the ideal environment for traders and buyers to interact. (Gehl, J., 2010) Buildings which are pushed and pulled to create an interesting edge also give the illusion of breaking up the block, and makes the street more appealing to walk down. Gehl states that a study in Copenhagen found that the levels of activity and engagement in streets with ‘soft’ edges, ie. many windows, doors and narrow premises were up to seven times greater than ‘hard’ edges, or passive façades. (Gehl, J., 2010) Primary and secondary uses of space were discussed in the previous journal, where primary uses generate the main attraction to the area, while secondary uses are sustained or often born out of the traffic to the primary functions. Therefore, these primary uses should be fairly economically secure, with a high chance of being successful at bringing people to the street. In Hilltown, the current primary uses are food stores, bars and take-aways, and salons. There are few secondary use spaces. There is the option for the large units to be divided to allow for a flexi-space, which could be used for co-working, office, workshop or studio. As this is not a public function, it seems acceptable that this be accessed through the secure lobby. These spaces will have views / access to the internal courtyard.

Large Retail Unit

Small Retail Unit

Medium Retail Unit

Co-working / Off ice / Workshop

N 1:750

F l ex i b i l i t y o f u n i t t o a d a p t t o t o p o g r a phy

The large retail units are most suited to uses which do not require natural light throughout, such as a salon or supermarket. Moving forward, fire escape strategy will have to be tested to ensure this will work with occupancy load factors and the length of escape route/ additional escapes.

If the ground level of the courtyard is less than half a storey - this can allow for clerestory windows and for the space to be divided into two separate uses. Retail facing the street and a private use space accessed through the secure lobby on ground floor. As suggested, this could be a co-working space or an office space to rent etc.

If the courtyard level is equal with the street, the unit can have a more dynamic relationship with the courtyard immediately outside. There is also an option that the unit facing the street could continue through to the courtyard, occupying the whole length.

Small Spaces

Medium Spaces

Small spaces such as the one above can accommodate a small shop with room for customers inside as well as basic back of house facilities for the trader / shop-keeper and staff. This could be suitable for a cafe, take-away, barbers, tattoo parlour, florists or even a small bar. Boutique and specialist shops, or start-up business premises are also viable as the rent would be fairly low. Smaller spaces are often the most enriching for the street as they offer higher density and diversity. (Sim, D., 2019)

Medium spaces are able to accommodate a wide range of functions, and as with small spaces, only address the main street side of the building. With a wider frontage, this space can have windows as well as an entrance. They are suited to premises such as bars, cafés, salons, grocery stores and as an evolution for businesses starting out in the small units aiming to expand. This aligns with the discourse in Vol. 01 around the positives associated with being able to stay in the same area.

Large Spaces

Large spaces fill the depth of the ground floor, and may have the option to engage with the space behind the block. The premises may be divided into clear zones for public and private (staff) use, with ancillary spaces to the back, or if the space continues through to the back, these functions are kept to the middle in plan. (Sim, D., 2019) These are best suited to supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, bars and other typical primary uses. This is also large enough to accommodate fitness or childcare facilities.

The following pages show examples of retail units within tenement blocks found in the two district centres explored and analysed in Vol. 01; Perth Road and the City Centre. Both of these districts are vibrant and successful (at least in comparison to the Hilltown district) which was previously discussed as partly due to their features of short blocks, narrow building frontages and high density and diversity of shops which attract people to the areas. Each unit diagram is paired with examples of shops of similar size and form.

1. Clark’s Bakery, City Centre 2. Le Freak Records, Perth Road 3. The Haus Studio, City Centre

[take-away food] [entertainment] [hairdressers]

(images: author’s own)

4. Agacan, Perth Road 5. Browjam, Perth Road 6. Sicilia, Perth Road

[restaurant] [beauty salon] [cafe]

(images: author’s own)

7. Pacamara, Perth Road 8. The Little Green Larder, Perth Road 9. Boots, Perth Road

[cafe] [green-grocer] [pharmacy]

(images: author’s own)

Elements and Iterations

This chapter shows my process of drawing and redrawing plans, where ideas are also formed about structure, materiality, form, functionality of spaces and adaptability. There were many versions before these and the process was not linear, but for the sake of this journal the following iterations were chosen to show and there must be an order in which to display them. I have therefore started with the floors where the spatial requirements were the most challenging and these then dictated the lines of construction for the remainder of the plans.

(image: author’s own)

see overleaf for studio development

Studio Development

A new 4 bedroom Co-Living option is explored, where young professionals or students share the communal spaces of living areas, kitchen and dining, and utility, but also have a self-contained room with the essentials; an en-suite, a basic kitchenette and a juliet window for a higher degree of outdoor access. This affords the autonomy over whether one chooses to use shared facilities or stay in their own room - a principle which in a post-covid world of social distancing and self-isolation is pertinent.

Notes: - factory manufactured steel frame construction - 500mm thick walls with high insulation - concrete fire/circulation cores - pre-fab concrete wideslab/hollowcore: for acoustic insulation, thermal mass, and fire resistance. Have assumed maximum live load of 7.5kN/mm2 and allowed 250mm depth as stated in architect’s pocket book, overall 3200 floor/floor and 300/350 floor depth to alllow for services - fire break between retail GF and residential, 450mm floor - 100mm timber parti walls - extra insulation between flats on same floor and also co-living bedrooms, walls 200mm

Modules

Discussed in Vol. 01 was the importance of factory modular construction as not only sustainable and cost effective, but also as an adaptable and customisable solution which affords the occupier more control and ownership over the home. This creates a concept of home as a product, which can be more accessible and affordable. The element of control over the home will hopefully encourage people to take more pride and responsibility in the upkeep of their home, block, street and neighbourhood. In the previous sketch plans, the same repeated kitchen and bathroom modules were used as often as possible. This is in order to achieve the lowest manufacture and construction costs, so that a range of styles and materials can be offered to the occupants. There are 10 repeated domestic kitchen layouts, a singular kitchenette for the ground floor flexi-space, 3 domestic bathroom types and 1 non-domestic WC for retail units. The efficiency of using the same dimensions of module allows for varying options available to the potential occupiers.

Te n e m e n t E l e m e n t s

The historic tenement model allowed for shops to occupy the ground floor, and in more affluent areas, bay windows added interest and punctuated the otherwise flat façades of blocks. In Hilltown however, the majority of tenements are basic with simple, flat frontages. This makes for an uninteresting environment where a pedestrian can see everything at once and the long elevation can become boring to look at while walking along the street. (Gehl, J., 2011) In the reinvented tenement block, the frontages of each unit area are pushed and pulled to create a staggered effect. This gives the illusion of narrow frontages, which Gehl stated as being important in keeping people’s attention span lively, sparking curiosity and creating a more dynamic street. (Gehl, J., 2011) The new street-scape created is far more activated than the historic precedent in Hilltown, and echoes the rhythm of the more elaborate Scottish tenement’s bay windows.

Front and Back There was a clear divide between front and back in the historic tenement, with the public spaces facing the street and the private spaces, namely the kitchen and bedroom(s), facing the rear. Due to the revolution of the ‘working kitchen’ in the 50s, (Costa Santos et al, 2018) the norms of front and back were no longer necessary. In the new tenement model, the kitchen and living room is open plan, facing the main street, which challenges the historic principle as the kitchen is no longer an ‘unclean’ space to be hidden from public view. In the LDP, it is still required that main living spaces face the street, and bedrooms face a quieter and more private area if possible. The living rooms have either balconies or juliet windows, which creates livelier streets with interaction possible between people in homes and people on the ground. (Gehl, J., 2011) With the new unit, there is no private rear as there was with the old tenements, as the ‘back’ overlooks the new pedestrian street. This is arguably still more private than the main street, and as it will also be protected from noise from the main road, it is sensible that bedrooms occupy the ‘back’ of the units.

Drying Green As previously identified in Volume 01, ownership and responsibility over a semi-private (ideally, private) green space extends to the surroundings and helps to maintain a good level of care and upkeep of the street in general. The theme of communality in the tenement model is a driving principle and the inclusion of a shared space keeps this alive. In these apartments, ground level private gardens are not afforded, so instead a rooftop garden is provided to allow a safe and private green space, shared and accessed only by residents of the unit. This is an improvement on the historic green, which was located behind tenements on the ground floor and by nature tends to be overshadowed by the block, and also can be accessed by non-residents. The new garden will also help to activate the street and create a livelier atmosphere on the Hilltown Road. Small tree varieties such as birch, apple and cherry blossom can be planted, which are lightweight and can be raised in planters rather than directly into the ground (if the design requires).

Close and Stairwell Historically, the close was thought of as an extension of the street, where one might run into their neighbour and talk for a while. (Worsdall, F., 1989) Landings acted as places to interact, and this concept is emulated in the new model. The landings are more generous, allowing for people to be engaged in conversation without blocking other’s access to flats or the circulation core. The new core is more efficient than the tenement’s, and allows the block to be accessible by all with the addition of a lift. As with the tenement, the main, and only entry to the block, is from the street. This is safer than an entrance at the rear where there is reduced natural surveillance, and again helps to activate the street front.

Density As discussed in Volume 01, the higher the number of people sharing a space is proportionate to the decline of the usability of the space. (Keedwell, P., 2017) Density has been addressed to provide lively spaces and streets, but with an aim to make shared spaces safe, private and ensure that the residents feel they have sufficient accountability and ownership over them. In the new model, there is a maximum of 10 units sharing the communal facilities; less than the historic tenement of up to 12 units in one block, and more than the archetypal modern tenement of 8.

[Critical Reflections]

The plans have been drawn with intentionally thick walls, at 500mm (600mm for shared party walls), to emphasize the thickness of insulation required for a Passivhaus standard. This also allows deeper window reveals in the facade, which personally I think adds interest to an elevation as well as quality and sophistication in the overall design. The retail and office space on the ground floor plan is flexible and its programme determined by placement on the site. Moving forward, the blocks will be arranged on site to determine which will be afforded types of additional ground floor space. Now that the units have working floor plans as a strong basis to start from, I would like to experiment with the building section, to see how the spatial diversity can be pushed and create more interesting living spaces which adapt to modern lifestyles.

Theory and Research VI

This chapter explores an overview of Balfron Tower, and an exploration into new typologies.

61.1 A balcony on Balfron Tower, pre renovation.

B a l f r o n To w e r

A 27 storey concrete monolith that stands in Poplar, East London, Balfron Tower is a brutalist’s dream. Designed by marxist architect Erno Goldfinger, and built in 1967 at the peak of high rise living popularity, the tower offered generous social rent apartments. To prove the desirability of high rise living, Goldfinger and his wife famously moved into flat 130 for two months. Every apartment and masionette feature dual aspect windows, with sunrise in the bedrooms and sunset in the living rooms [a parallel with my own proposal]. The design was based on a ‘scissor plan’ - a way of interlocking flats to maximise space, and the separate service tower with its connecting bridges every three storeys also aided in maximising the volume of liveable space. (Frearson, A., 2014) The tower embodies the evolution of housing over the last half a century, almost stereotypically capturing the essence of each decade; a utopian council estate in the 1960s, to a resented brutalist icon in the 70s, a right-to-buy opportunity in the 80’s, a crime filled estate in the 90’s, a developer’s dream in the 2000’s and finally a gentrified high class fetishization of concrete in the 2010’s. In 2011, residents of Balfron tower, some that had been there since its opening, were told they had to leave [apart from 7 leaseholders who fought for their right to stay]. (Burrows, T., 2019) The tower was being renovated for the luxury market: concrete was sandblasted, windows replaced and interiors revamped with modern servicing. Contrary to its virtues of generous spaces and high quality design, Balfron residents felt isolated in the tower, with one resident reporting that he felt like a “battery chicken in a box”. (ibid.) People complained that there was a lack of opportunity for social interaction due to the circulation being contained in the service tower, and no playing space for children. (ibid.) Despite these complaints, in regards to the gentrification of the tower, it was clearly so successful as social housing that the rich decided they wanted it for themselves.

62.1 Balfron Tower, c1970.

E x p l o r i n g N e w Ty p o l o g i e s

A lesson that I want to take from Balfron is the importance of circulation being at the heart of the building, instead of as a separate entity. It allows for more opportunities for a passing conversation with a neighbour, or for an impromptu visit. Additionally, while we cannot halt the gentrification of areas, we should try to incorporate a mix of tenures and living typologies in a development in order to provide for everyone. In the proposal, it would be practical to include mid to high end market apartments, which would help to balance the clientele and also add value and viability to the development. These could emulate the split level apartments and maisonettes found in Balfron Tower, offering a unique spatial experience in comparison to the rest of the apartments. The importance of a space for play is also a focus for the proposal, and is discussed further on the following pages.

Public Realm

Life between Buildings

The title of this page is the well known concept spurned by Jan Gehl, and also the name of his 2011 book which was an invaluable resource during Vol. 01. Public spaces are vital in a neighbourhood; providing areas to relax, meet with friends and family, places to walk your dog, areas for children to play, and gives opportunity to create interaction between neighbours. The internal space created by the block is completely car free, giving over to pedestrian use and creating a safe new street. The masterplan will be further iterated and developed according to principles outlined in both Gehl’s ‘Life between Buildings’ and ‘Cities for People’. On the site, instead of a community hub building, a community fridge will take its place, as the size of the hub would be inappropriate and cause issues with minimum distances between buildings, and cause overshadowing for the terraced houses directly behind it. As discussed in Vol. 01, the community fridge on Perth Road is highly successful at bringing people to the street, as I personally explained that even though I live around 15 minutes away, I still make the journey to visit, as often as a couple times a week. It also helps to break the stigma surrounding food banks as everyone is welcome to take items, and as Hilltown is a highly deprived area the fridge would benefit many households. The community fridge acts as a primary use to attract people to the site, and activates the inner courtyard space. This also helps to mitigate any issues of anti-social/ unsafe behaviour in the courtyard as people would be visiting throughout the day. The image opposite is of the pedestrian focused public realm at King’s Crescent, Hackney. The street is re-imagined as a place for play, not simply as a route of access.

65.1 King’s Crescent, Karakusevic Carson, Henley Halebrown and muf architecture/art.

N 1:750

Pa r k i n g D e v e l o p m e n t

As stated in the LDP, Hilltown lies within the ‘Inner City’ standards, and therefore the following parking guidelines apply from the planning committee:

Indicative Section 1:500

“Houses (5 units +) : All car parking should be located within the curtilage of each house. All tenures should have at least 1 space. In addition, 40% of private houses should have 2 spaces. Where on street parking is a problem, 30% visitor parking space should be provided. Flats : All car parking should be located within the curtilage of the property. Private flats should have 130%; and social rented 100% parking provision.” In Vol. 01, it was discussed that this would be firmly challenged, in context of the climate crisis, good transport network and close proximity to the city centre. There are also 2 bus stops directly adjacent to the site. However, I recognise that parking options for electric vehicles should still be considered.

Level -01 Alexander Street

The plans opposite demonstrate the testing of an underground car park, accessed from Alexander Street and located underneath the accessibility flats. This option does not work, as in order to keep it within a reasonable footprint and maximise the number of spaces while still allowing two escape cores, the ramp is too long and is already at its maximum legal gradient as shown.

N Level 00 68

1:500

Instead of a ramp, alternative options were explored. The most feasible was a car lift, which would be powered by geothermal energy. This would also generate the electricity for the electric vehicle charging points. There are overall 29 spaces provided, with 5 of these as accessible spaces on ground level, which meets the regulation guidance. A car lift is an expensive solution however, and many clients would not agree to installing a car lift as they require maintenance. Ideally, there would be 2 car lifts in case one broke down, however with the correct maintenance 1 would be acceptable.* Positive argument for a car lift is that it uses less concrete, and is manufactured off site and delivered and installed more quickly than a traditional ramp. As the ‘client’ is Dundee City Council / a Housing Association and many tenures are social housing, it can be therefore argued that the maintenance and repairs be carried out by these factors. The electricity to power the lift is at no cost to the client, as the geothermal plant will already be created to power the residences.

Level -01 Alexander Street

[*Although I cannot formally reference this page, this information was discussed with a senior architect who submitted a planning application for a housing development at Kelbourne Street, Glasgow which features a car lift, details of which can be found online at (https://publicaccess.glasgow.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails. do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=QFEUO9EXFGX00) ]

Level 00

N 1:500 69

Courtyard Alexander Street

Indicative section demonstrating the drive through nature of the lift.

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Final Masterplan

The following pages illustrate how the public realm is utilised for play, socialising and reviving the street.

Thresholds between inside and out.

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Spaces for play.

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Areas to meet and socialise.

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Extensions of the ground floor on to the street priority for pedestrians.

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Access

As per section 2.12 of the Non-Domestic Handbook (2021) and section 2.0 of the Domestic Handbook (2021), vehicular access is required to at least one facade of all buildings to assist in fire fighting operations. Fig. 76a demonstrates the accessibility of all buildings in the masterplan, emergency vehicles have access to buildings on the street and may enter the site as per the arrows to access the terraced houses and courtyard area. Roads are a minimum of 5 metres wide to accommodate a fire engine (2.3 metres wide) and ambulance (2.1 metres wide). These vehicles can then use the loop at the top of the courtyard as a turning circle and leave, as it is prohibited for an emergency vehicle to reverse more than 20m along an access route.

Also illustrated is the refuse access, where bin lorries (2.97 metres wide) can access refuse stores directly from the street, and utilise the access road in the same manner as emergency vehicles. These access routes are not for use by the public, only residents from the terraced houses may use them for access and would not be permitted to park on the street - these houses have ground floor garages. To disuade unauthorised vehicles from entering the site and for pedestrian safety, telescopic posts will be in place marked on fig. 76a at A, B, C and D, the existing barrier for the nursery at location E, and the barrier at the underground parking, F.

D. E.

Emergency Access Routes

Refuse Collection Points

76a

T h e R e g e n e r a t e d Te n e m e n t

The following pages show the plans for each floor type in a singular unit.

G r o u n d F l o o r Ty p e A Level 00

retail, access, storage

G I A : 1 8 8 m²

1. Retail Unit 1, 23 m² 2. Retail Unit 2, 108 m² 3. Refuse store 4. Bike storage 5. Gas Meters and Plant, 26 m² 6. Fire escape

[ scale 1:100]

G r o u n d F l o o r Ty p e B Level 00

retail, off ice / co-working, access, storage

G I A : 1 8 8 m²

1. Retail Unit 1, 21 m² 2. Retail Unit 2, 60 m² 3. Bin Store 4. Bike storage 5. Office space / co-working, 45 m² 6. Gas Meters and Plant, 26 m² 7. Fire escape

[scale 1:100]

The flexible co-working or office space features sliding partitions which allow the space to be divided into separate rooms for meetings and work, or to allow people to share the same space while being socially distant.

[scale 1:50]

M i d F l o o r Ty p e A Level 01 - 03 residential

G I A : 2 3 1 m²

1. 2 bed apartment, 84 m² 2. 3 bed apartment, 104 m²

[scale 1:100]

M i d F l o o r Ty p e B Levels 01 - 03 residential [co - living]

G I A : 2 3 1 m²

7. 5 Bed Co-Living, 190 m² 1. Room 01, 22 m² 2. Room 02, 22 m² 3. Room 03, 23 m² 4. Room 04, 23 m² 5. Room 05, 30 m² 6. Shared kitchen, living, dining, 46 m² 7. Utility room, 3 m²

[ scale 1:100]

In the co-living apartment, the partitions are included again to allow sub-division of each activity space to meet the residents needs and privacy. For example, if one resident has guests in the dining area, other residents can still use the kitchen and living space without feeling imposed upon or awkward.

[scale 1:50]

The largest bedroom (room 05, and with therefore a higher rent) allows the resident to divide their space into a work/kitchen area and a separate bedroom. This would be useful to someone who is working or studying from home, and gives them a more healthy separation of spaces. As with all the bedrooms in the co-living apartment, there is a kitchenette to allow residents to prepare small meals without the need to visit the communal areas. This is important for autonomy and privacy, but also relevant in the current pandemic where residents may have to isolate in their rooms, or if they don’t feel comfortable mixing with others in shared spaces.

[scale 1:50]

To p F l o o r Ty p e A Level 04 residential, communal garden

G I A : 1 7 2 m²

1. Communal Garden, 60 m² 2. 1 Bed Apartment, 63 m² 3. Studio, 40 m² 4. Plant, 24 m²

[scale 1:100]

The partitions in the studio allow the user to divide their sleeping/living space from the kitchen. This allows more privacy in the home, for example if a guest was visiting, the resident can partition the bedroom area to hide it from view and entertain them in the kitchen/dining area. The sofa-bed gives flexibility and saves valuable space.

[scale 1:50]

To p F l o o r Ty p e B Level 04 residential, communal garden

G I A : 1 7 2 m²

1. Communal Garden, 60 m² 2. Duplex 3 Bedroom Apartment, 62m² [110 m² total] 3. Duplex 1 Bedroom Apartment, 37 m² [57 m² total] 4. Plant, 24 m²

[scale 1:100]

1. To p F l o o r Ty p e B Level 05 residential, plant

G I A : 1 4 3 m²

1. Duplex 3 Bedroom Apartment, 48 m², [110 m² total] 2. Duplex 1 Bedroom Apartment, 20 m² [57 m² total] 3. Duplex 1 Bed terrace, 12 m² 4. Rainwater filtration 5. Plant, 16 m² 6. Fire escape and plant access stair 7. Lift workings

3. 2.

[ scale 1:100]

The 3 bedroom duplex offers a work-space overlooking the open plan kitchen and living room. This caters to our new ‘work from home’ lifestyles [a work space like this would not be appropriate in the social rent apartments where residents are most likely to be essential workers] and allows a degree of interaction between the two floors. It creates an open space to work, and the sliding partitions allow the void to be closed while still allowing light to filter through.

[scale 1:50]

The bedroom of the 1 bed duplex overlooks the open plan kitchen / living space, and benefits from a rooftop terrace. Again, the bi-fold partitions can be pulled across to give privacy to the bedroom, or remain open to give a bright open atmosphere and assist in natural ventilation with cool air rising from the lower floor windows and exiting the terrace doors.

[scale 1:50]

[Critical Reflections]

Moving forwards with spatially diverse apartments, the elevation can be tested to create a varied frontage and an engaging street-scape. I want to explore how the refuse stores can be designed so that they aren’t an eyesore or take away from the quality of the rest of the proposal. I have had brick in mind since the start of this project, as previously discussed, and hope to explore neutral colours for the elevations to harmonise with the surrounding context.

Elevation development

B Allocation of Dwellings

D The units aim to create a diverse community within, where a mix of people from different backgrounds can co-exist, helping to break the stigma surrounding social housing and aiming to mitigate issues which arise from high density of social rents, as explored through the mapping in Vol. 01. The Hilltown, in a socio-economic regard, has been segregated from the rest of Dundee, and this development aims to combat the Enclave. The allocation of apartments was primarily on a basis of balancing each unit to ensure an even distribution of apartment types throughout the development. The units were then considered in elevation, and location of types within each unit was tested. Dispersing the Co-Living apartments throughout the blocks helps create a more varied elevation, as well as mitigating any social issues that could arise from a high density of short term rents; such as poor to no maintenance of communal areas and anti-social behaviour. The 2 and 3 bed apartment types and the single level 1 bed and studio types are designed as tenure blind. There are a total of 36 apartments; with 4 of these as Co-Living which create a further 20 individual mid-market rent tenures as they offer self contained rooms, and 4 duplex flats as mid / high market sale. The 28 remaining homes, comprised of 3 bed, 2 bed, 1 bed and studio apartments, will be allocated as a mixture of social rent, Rent-to-Buy, and affordable home ownership. Rent-to-Buy allows residents to pay 80% of local market rents for up to 5 years, in order to save money for a deposit and then purchase the home, or a share of the home. (www.hoa.org.uk/advice/guides-for-homeowners/)

Social rent, Rent-to-Buy and affordable sale Studio Flat 1 Bed Apartment 2 Bed Apartment 3 Bed Apartment

Mid market Rent Co-Living

High market sale 3 Bed duplex 1 Bed duplex

Elevation details

1. Materiality

2. Balconies

3. Refuse Doors

The following pages explore in more detail (a non-exhaustive documentation) of the main thoughts and process behind design considerations and issues that were raised when designing elevations for the units, while building on contextual analysis and providing high quality of space and user experience.

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1. Materiality

The above images are of tenements and mills in the development’s immediate context, showing the range of colour and building materials used in historic construction. Colour samples were taken from each and the most suitable were selected to be developed. (images: author’s own)

1. Vandersanden 503 Berit Brick (210 x 100 x 50mm), 15mm pale mortar with bucket handle joints. 2. Vandersanden 516 Flemming Brick (210 x 100 x 50mm), 15mm pale mortar with flush joints. 3. Pale beige anodised aluminium accents. 4. Dark grey anodised aluminium window frames and railings.

2. Balconies and Outdoor Access

Balconies in urban developments in Scotland are the pinnacle of optimism in regards to our weather. Annually, it rains on average 48% of the time*, but as soon as the temperature reaches double figures and the sun peeks through the clouds, people can be seen in shorts and t-shirts, as though it were some tropical climate. The link below to a news article about a Glaswegian sunbathing out a third storey tenement window accurately sums up the Scottish psyche. (www. glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/14539219.glaswegiantakes-taps-aff-to-new-level-by-sunbathing-outthird-floor-flat-window/) As shown in the images opposite, even the smallest opportunities for outdoor access are taken advantage of, with railings acting as washing lines, places to grow herbs and as extra storage space. Sunlight and fresh air are extremely important to our health, both physical and mental, and living in mid to high rise apartments is not ideal for spontaneously making the most of the sunshine. Therefore, all apartments in the development have either balconies or juliet windows, allowing residents to enjoy the sun or easily ventilate their homes. (*scotlandinfo.eu/scotland-weather-and-climate/)

98.1 Apartments on Exchange Street, City Centre.

98.2 Apartments, Lochee Road.

(images: author’s own)

3. Refuse Doors

Dundee House by Reiach and Hall integrates a listed historic building in the city centre with new office space. As an additional point of interest, this building adopted highly sustainable practices, including natural ventilation and exposed thermal mass, and was BREEAM assessed as excellent. (reiachandhall.co.uk/work-re-use-conservation/ dundee-council-civic-offices-dundee) Very sensitively conceptualised and designed, every elevation was considered as demonstrated in the building’s access doors. Thin metal fins extrude from the doors and extend upwards over the opening for ventilation, so that when walking past on the street, the entrance is almost completely screened by the illusion the fins create. The same concept is adapted for the refuse doors which open from the units on to Hilltown Road, allowing natural ventilation while being hidden from view by pedestrians travelling up and down the street. [I have always admired this building- the photos adjacent were taken several years ago, as there is currently scaffolding along this elevation. There is such simple beauty in something which would ordinarily have been an eyesore.]

99.1 Front view of access doors, Nth Lindsay Street.

99.2 Illusion created when walking past.

(images: author’s own)

1:50 100

Hilltown Road Elevation

Unit A

Unit B

Block 1

Unit C

Unit D

Unit E

Block 2

NTS

101

Ethnographic Studies This chapter demonstrates how the apartments could be occupied by different people, and the modern living situations afforded by the reinvented tenement typologies.

Unit D Section

NTS

102

Studio apartment

Freya and Olivia have decided to move in together for the first time, and were looking for a small, affordable apartment to rent while they finish their undergraduate degrees. The studio apartment is perfect for the young couple, and the sliding partitions allow them to have privacy and their own spaces within the flat. Olivia can have a friend round for lunch in the kitchen while Freya studies in the living/bedroom space.

103

1 bedroom apartment

John and Annie have been re-housed from a condemned tenement into a 1 bedroom apartment. Previously, their flat had no garden and they had to travel up and down 3 flights of stairs. The normative typology (without sliding partitions or 2 levels) suits them best, and reminds them of their old home. They benefit from the ease of access the elevator gives them, and enjoy cups of tea in the sun on their balcony.

104

2 bedroom apartment

Zoe and Stefan are expecting their first child and had to be re-housed by the council into a bigger home to accommodate. The bedrooms are in an ideal position for them to be able to easily check on their child through the night, and the high insulation and concrete slab floors mean they won’t have to worry about waking up the neighbours, or vice versa.

105

3 bedroom apartment

Kieran, Layla and Charlie have moved into their new 3 bedroom apartment. They were looking for an affordable apartment near the city centre which had close proximity to a primary school for Charlie. The spare bedroom is ideal for them as their immediate family are not local to Dundee and would need to stay over when visiting. The communal garden is great to grow vegetables in for healthy, cheap meals and to let their young child play in a secure environment.

106

5 bedroom co-living apartment

The co-living apartment is shared by five young adults. Andie has opened a small business in one of the ground floor retail units and likes the very short commute to work. Grace is currently between jobs, but the low rent of the room allows her to keep her independence and avoid moving back into her parent’s home. Andrew is self-employed, has the biggest budget of the five and lives in the larger room, where he can separate his work-space from his bed. The residents enjoy sharing the communal space but also like to be able to partition the dining area when they have guests over.

107

Duplex 1 bedroom apartment

Anya is becoming a homeowner for the first time, and decided that the duplex 1 bedroom apartment was perfect for her. She likes the visual connection that the bedroom has with the living space and closes the partitions at night or when she has guests over who sleep on the sofa-bed downstairs. The private terrace is great for making the most of the sunshine and getting fresh air with her dog.

108

Duplex 3 bedroom apartment

Tom and Michael have bought one of the duplex 3 bed apartments, and run their events management business from home. Their bedrooms are on separate floors which gives them more privacy, and their guest room is used often by friends coming to visit the city. They love the workspace over the living room as it creates a more sociable environment and allows them to stay in conversation while doing other activities in their home.

109

Te c h n o l o g i c a l R e s o l u t i o n

This chapter explores construction techniques in response to issues within the historic tenement. Any information not directly referenced can be attributed to ‘European Building Construction Illustrated’ (Ching, F., Mulville, M., 2014).

110

Structure

The structure of the historic tenement was typically built with sandstone blocks and a timber frame. The large stone walls acted as a thermal mass, but took a long time to heat up. The timber joist floors were lightweight but allowed for noise to carry between flats, and for vibrations to travel throughout the building.

3. 10.

4. 5. 6.

The primary structure of the new tenement will be a steel frame, which can be manufactured off site in a factory, and transported to the site to be assembled quickly and more efficiently.

Concrete hollowcore slabs will be used due to their rigidity, fire retardant and acoustic qualities. The staircores will also be manufactured in concrete for fire safety and cost efficiency. Internal walls will be timber framed, using sustainable British timber and prefabricated.

12.

Due to the history of the site and the comments on the LDP the foundations must be deep to find stable soil, as the ground has been assessed as problematic. Pre-cast reinforced concrete piles may be suitable, as these satisfy the aim of utilising factory construction where possible.

1. Acoustic plasterboard 2. 503 Berit Brick 210 x 100 x 50mm 3. 516 Flemming Brick (210 x 100 x 50mm) 4. Laminate timber flooring 5. Damp Proof Membrane / Radon barrier 6. Mineral wool insulation 7. Rigid insulation board 8. Timber joists and studs 9. Hanger wire tied to metal channels and plasterboard 10. Universal steel beam 11. Concrete blocks 12. Concrete hollowcore slabs

Opposite is a (non-exhaustive) list of pre-fabricated structural components.

11.

111

Factory prefabrication of elements: staircores, slabs, steel beams, windows etc.

112

Delivery of components as required to site for construction

Excavation and foundations

Steel structure constructed

Stair-cores and concrete slabs

113

Wall construction, fenestration and services installed

114

Cladding and final detailing

Acoustics

With little to no acoustic buffering through insulation between timber floors or inside walls, privacy is hard to come by. In times gone by, tenement neighbours were often very courteous to one another, and mindful that noise would be heard in other’s flats.* Nowadays, with different lifestyles and modern appliances, the noise of other’s homes seems unavoidable. Unfortunately, tenements were not designed to cope with the vibrations of washing machines, the noise of televisions, or students having parties until 5am.

wall separating co-living bedrooms

wall separating apartments

internal apartment walls

Privacy and autonomy over your own space is paramount, and therefore acoustic insulation should be incorporated everywhere possible. This should be between floors separating flats, within flats where bedrooms share walls with living rooms, and especially between bedrooms in the co-living apartment. The 200mm concrete hollowcore floor slabs aid in impact acoustic insulation, and due to their density they will also help with airborne noise travel between flats on top of one another. Between all internal timber stud walls there will be 50mm acoustic rigid insulation slabs and faced with acoustic plasterboard (also used in ceilings).

Typical floor

[scale 1:10]

Additionally, the greenery in the inner courtyard and on Hilltown Road will aid in buffering noise from the road and from people in the courtyard. * Conversation with my mam who grew up in a Glasgow tenement in the 1960’s.

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Insulation

Thermal insulation has typically been added to the roofs of tenement flats in an attempt to bring them up to current living standards. Floors between flats often have no insulation, and there is none in external walls unless it has been added on the exterior as can be seen throughout Dundee since 2017 and discussed in Vol. 01. As previously shown, in order to achieve a near passivhaus certification, insulation must be generous and work to avoid any cold bridges through the steel structure and cavities. Insulation has been used to protect the concrete slab and allows it to act as an efficient thermal mass, storing heat and mitigating any rapid loss through direct contact with external structure. The external walls of the buildings are 480mm thick to allow for a 50mm cavity for airflow, and over 200mm of dense mineral wool insulation. In walls and floors, rigid acoustic insulation boards have been used where necessary to mitigate noise pollution from neighbouring flats/occupants. Where possible, recycled rigid cellulose insulation boards will be used where acoustic performance is not necessary. This will help to create homes which have very low heating requirements, and the heating that is used will be generated by sustainable and free means (such as geothermal heating). This will aid in tackling fuel poverty, an issue which as previously discussed affects 78% of low income households in Scotland. (Arnot, J., 2016) This aligns with the Dundee Local Housing Strategy 20192024 document, where a main aim outlined is that “People live in good quality homes that they can afford to heat.” (Local Housing Strategy, 2019) [scale 1:20]

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Ve n t i l a t i o n

The sash and case windows of the historic tenement allowed the user to open both the bottom of the window and the top, using single sided ventilation to draw air into and out of the room. These were single glazed however, and originally had wooden frames which, untreated, can rot and become ill-fitting over time. (They are also extremely expensive to replace with modern replicas, as a joiner quoted my landlord almost £10k to replace the sash and case windows in my flat) In many modern windows, such as tilt and turn or top/ bottom hung windows, it is only possible to open the top to a degree, or to open the entire window. One sided ventilation with this type of window is less efficient, and the user only has the choice between the window being very slightly open, or fully open. In the re-invented tenement, windows and glazed doors will emulate this traditional style of ventilation, and will allow far more control over the interal environment than typical modern windows. Having more flexiblity over the internal temperature / quality of air is an important aspect of autonomy and will improve people’s health and wellbeing. Updating from the traditional, the windows and glazed doors will be at minimum double glazed for thermal and acoustic insulation, with an aim to being triple glazed if the client agreed. (diagram: author’s own)

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Taking inspiration from my own louvred kitchen windows, a vent mechanism within the window/door frame was designed to allow for efficient single sided ventilation with openings at both the top and bottom, without having to fully open the windows/doors.

(images: author’s own)

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The vents within the custom designed aluminum frame allow for efficient ventilation without the need to open the doors/windows. Adjacent are sections through the glass doors present in the balconies and ‘juliet windows’, portaying varying degrees of ventilation. This same vent mechanism is also adapted and used in the single windows. Both vents would be operated independently by means of a small sliding lever on the internal face of the frame, opposed to the lever which extends outward in the louvered window example. The anodised aluminum frame is cheap and corrosion resistant, and will be dark grey in colour. Plastic thermal breaks mitigate any cold bridges through the frame.

[scale 1:2]

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single window

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juliet window with glazed doors

glazed balcony doors and static window

Section through a typical 2 bedroom social rent apartment, illustrating the efficient single-sided ventilation through a glazed door.

[scale 1:20]

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As the bathrooms are without windows and therefore unable to be ventilated naturally, they will be fitted with mechanical extractor fans which will be serviced directly into the service shaft located in the lobby, or into the shared party wall/ external wall, and carried up to the roof for discharge. The walls on which the sink and toilet are against have a 210mm cavity for services / pipework. The ventilating fan must be located close to the shower and high on a wall opposite the bathroom door. (Ching, F., 2014) The diagram adjacent shows the bathroom of the 2 bedroom social apartment and illustrates the typical components of all residential bathrooms throughout the building.

3. 1. Extractor fan ducted to service shaft

2. Heated towel rail 3. Water saving appliances 4. 210mm service cavity within stud wall for services 5. Non-slip durable tile flooring supported by timber joists on concrete slab.

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Fire Safety

In accordance with the Fire Safety guidance set out in the Building Standards Domestic Handbook 2021, the protection of structural elements is dictated by height. The height of the topmost storey above ground level is above 7.5 metres but does not exceed 18 metres, so the required fire resistance duration is stated as “medium”. The concrete hollow-core slabs between each floor are naturally fire retardant, and would have an estimated 4 hour fire rating. (Ching, F., 2014) All flooring in communal areas and hallways is poured white mix terrazzo which is very durable and fire resistant. The universal steel beams and columns as previously discussed will be treated with spray-on fireproofing material; either a mixture of gypsum plaster and mineral fibres, or magnesium oxychloride cement applied with a spray gun. (ibid.) Intumescent fire breaks have been included in external wall cavities, and a fire suppressant system will be installed in the protected lobbies. Every flat must be fitted with optical or ionising smoke alarms in each room, with a heat detector alarm above the kitchen space. Carbon monoxide detectors will also be installed as required. Every apartment front door to the protected lobby/zone will be self closing and fire rated at 30 minutes as per regulations, and doors to stair cores at 60 minutes. The service shaft incorporates space for a wet or dry riser to be used by fire-fighters.

FD30 door FD60 door protected lobby concrete stair core wheelchair refuge window with automatic vents 126a Protected lobby in circulation core, with fire resistant terrazzo flooring and sprinkler system. [scale 1:100

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Fire Escape

Ground floor escape routes and external fire doors. Travel distances as per non-domestic regulation are not more than 15 metres from the farthest internal point of each space to a protected zone or external space.

external door escape route

[scale 1:200]

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Ground Floor Type A

Ground Floor Type B

Mid floors escape routes and protected lobbies. Travel distances as per domestic regulation are not more than 18 metres at the farthest point of each apartment to a protected zone. As a HMO, all doors in the co-living apartments will be self-closing solid core fire doors with a 30 minute fire rating, fire extinguishers and fire blankets will be located in the hallway and communal area, there will be an extension of the sprinkler system into the shared hallway and emergency escape route lighting.

protected zone escape route [scale 1:200]

Level 01 - 03 Type A

Level 01 - 03 Type B [co-living]

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Fourth floor protected lobbies and escape route travel distances, which as per regulation are not more than 18 metres from the farthest internal point of each apartment or plant space to a protected zone.

protected zone escape route

[scale 1:200]

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Level 04 Type A

Level 04 Type B

Fifth floors escape routes and protected lobbies. Travel distances as per regulation are not more than 18 metres at the farthest point of each apartment to a protected zone. Due to the location and nature of the open plan kitchen on the lower floor (level 04) of the duplex 1 bedroom apartment, occupants must have a separate escape route from a sleeping area that does not lead past a kitchen or where there could be an increased level of smoke. Therefore, the access stair for the plant and lift maintenance will be utilised by the residents in an emergency and accessed through the outdoor terrace. This is in accordance with clause 2.9.6 ‘Escape within dwellings - alternative exits’ (Domestic Handbook, 2021) protected zone escape route

[scale 1:200]

Level 05 [Type B upper level]

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Services

Services are contained within risers in the concrete stair cores, illustrated in fig. 128a. Building services are carried up through these risers and along through walls or ceilings to the apartments. The risers continue to the roof where exhaust ventilation is expelled from bathrooms and kitchens. Furthering on the previous pages on fire saftey, there are also dry and wet riser inlets for fire fighting. Walls and ceilings have a (minimum) 50 - 100mm service cavity. Plasterboard ceilings are hung from metal channels and are suitable to hold the weight of standard light fittings and decorations. Access to the roofs is via a fixed ladder and access hatch in the top floor plant room, and due to the upstands on the roof being only 400mm high, the only personnel permitted on to the roof for maintenance or repairs should be professionally trained, wearing PPE and a harness secured to the roof. It is acceptable to have a fixed ladder as access to these areas as stated below: “Fixed ladders are considered to be too dangerous for residents to use for escape however a fixed ladder may be used from a lift machine room or a plant room provided it is not a place of special fire risk. These rooms will only be used intermittently by engineers who are likely to be familiar with and trained in the use of fixed ladders.” (Domestic Handbook 2021, pg. 87)

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service risers 128a Services carried upwards through the building in the circulation core.

Adaptability

Tenement flats had no need to be adaptable, and had a very traditional division of activity spaces. With modern lifestyles blurring the lines between what we do in certain spaces, adaptability is key to creating homes which can suit the needs of the occupants. As explored in Vol. 01, Anabo utilised moveable and interchangeable partition walls to allow residents full control over their space. Taking this concept forward, the flexible partitions in the new typology apartments will allow occupants to divide space to give varying degrees of privacy and light. In the co-living apartments, as previously shown in the plans, the living space can be divided into a kitchen area, dining, and living to give the tenants more individual control when sharing communal spaces. In the larger bedroom, the space can be divided to create a bedroom and a separate live/work space with a kitchenette and desk. In the studio apartments, the kitchen/dining area can be closed off to allow for a more enclosed environment when cooking, or conversely to hide the bedroom area when guests visit. The duplex 1 bedroom and duplex 3 bedroom features slightly different upper level partitions to open/close the bedroom and work-space respectively. These upper level partitions take inspiration from the following case study. 129.1 Kensington Street Flat, London.

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Case Study: Kensington Street Flat

VW+BS designed this central London flat to function as a flexible space for an extended multigenerational family from SE Asia who regularly travel to London for work and leisure. It was pertinent that the home could accommodate as many people and functions as possible but with a minimalist design. (Williamson, C., 2014) The mezzanine level is home to a bedroom and work space, and a folding polycarbonate screen brings light into the otherwise artificially lit area. The opaque screens allow light to diffuse through even when closed, and give privacy to those staying in the bedroom while people occupy the lower dining and living space.

130.1

The partitions operate on recessed runners in both the ceiling and a ledge protruding slightly further than the glass balustrade.

130.2

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There are two types of partition proposed; the duplex bi-fold partitions, and the singular pivoting partitions. The latter are found in the studio apartments, the co-living communal areas and co-living bedrooom 05. The aluminium frame of both proposed partition types is light and will not add unnecessary weight to the bracket and runner system, and can be powder-coated white in a silk finish for easy cleaning. The frames of the singular pivoting partitions have short magnetic strips on the outer edge at 1100mm elevation which allow the screens to be locked into place next to one another, and will separate with a light force applied. The polycarbonate is very lightweight, robust and cheap, which makes it suitable for home life where they may need to be replaced occasionally. It is natually opaque which allows for the passage of light but affords a degree of privacy. The partitions in all situations are operated on a recessed runner in the ceiling, which is bolted directly into the concrete slab. There are no runners on the floor which allows for easy cleaning of the floors, and also stops the space from looking compartmentalised when the partitions are not in use.

[scale 1:5]

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Singular pivoting partitions

Bi-fold duplex partitions [scale 1:20]

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triple glazed door with custom double vented frame

powder coated steel balustrade

200mm concrete hollowcore slab 12mm timber laminate flooring concrete slab on pedestals aluminium sill Berit Brick 210x100x50mm, 15mm pale mortar. DPM universal steel I beam steel plate welded to tips of flanges bracket 75mm cavity 10mm sheathing board steel angle supporting masonry intumescent faced fire break to cavity anodised aluminum cladding panel to soffit rigid insulation board [scale 1:20] 133

double glazed window with vented frame

50mm white terrazzo 150mm concrete slab 100mm rigid insulation board DPM / radon barrier 225mm base course of compacted hard-core stable dense soil base

capping stone brick veneer mineral wool insulation timber studs plasterboard

concrete block weep hole 60mm sand concrete slab as step 134

[scale 1:20]

Sustainability

The following pages explore the integration of sustainable energy strategies into the development, and how they can enhance and inform the design process.

Sedum roofs and rainwater collection

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Geothermal Energy Capture

Geothermal energy is sourced from hot water under the Earth’s surface. Depending on location and application, geothermal energy can be utilised for heating and cooling or can be harnessed and transformed into electricity. The latter however is only suitable in locations which have high temperature resources below the surface and are typically tectonically active, such as Iceland, where geothermal energy supplies a significant share of electricity and over 90% of heating demand. (irena.org/geothermal) Geothermal heating will be used throughout the site rather than harnessing it as electricity, as the sub-surface temperature is likely too cool, and the power plants required to transform the energy are on an industrial scale. Geothermal heating systems are widely used on a domestic level as well as larger scale applications. The system is comprised of an indoor handling unit, a buried network of pipes (an earth loop), and a distribution system. For the purposes of this development, the pipe network will be a closed loop. The indoor handling units will be located in the ground floor plant space of each building unit, and the heating distribution system will be normative pipes and radiators. (diagram: personal, information: greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2016/02/a-guideto-geothermal-hvac)

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In order to supply hot water, a “desuperheater” will be added to the heat pump. This is a device that heats household water that circulates through the normal piping system. In cooling periods (summer), the heat removed from the building heats water thanks to the “desuperheater”, matching the whole demand and creating completely free hot water.

heat pump and desuperheater

The pump is powered by the vortex wind turbines, creating a sustainable and free heating source for all dwellings on site.

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Bladeless wind turbines

Vertical wind turbines are currently under development by Spanish company Vortex Bladeless, and prototypes have been manufactured and tested since 2018. Rather than using propellers, these turbines take advantage of a phenomenon called ‘vortex shedding’. The turbine oscillates from side to side, generating a vibration and powering the alternator system. This consists of coils and magnets, adapted to the vortex dynamics, without gears, shafts or any rotating parts which reduces maintenance. As there are no blades, there is no negative impact on wildlife, and overall the structure is noiseless. This allows the turbines to be constructed in gardens or even on roofs of developments. It is estimated that the turbine’s levelised cost of energy (LCOE) is low, which means investment is returned faster. They are cheaper to manufacture and maintain than any other wind turbines, and due to their lightweight carbon fibre and fibreglass construction, they do not require extensive foundations.

(diagram: personal, information: vortexbladeless.com/technology-design/)

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The Vortex Mini turbine model measures at 13 metres, and can be suitably placed on the grassed slope next to the community centre. This area is unused, and its open nature is ideal. The turbines are omni-directional, so no need to orient them with wind streams. In urban environments, air-flow is usually turbulent which is problematic for horizontal axis turbines, but Vortex can easily adapt to changing air flows and intensities. With no blades and smaller foundations, a higher number of turbines can be installed in an area than typical horizontal axis turbines.

(diagram: personal, information: vortexbladeless.com/technology-design/)

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Sedum roofs and rainwater collection

A sedum roof specifically refers to an extensive (rather than intensive) green roof system where the plants are of a hardy sedum/ succulent variety, live in shallow soil and require less water than a regular vegetation roofing system. They are lighter overall and only require minimal maintenance such as occasional weeding and clearing gutters/drainage pipes which can be undertaken annually. (Ching, F., 2014) The plants improve air quality, and offer important habitat for wildlife. This is especially important in this instance as the brownfield site will have provided important habitat for insects and birds, so is therefore vital to replace. Similar to the BedZED precedent, rainwater is collected in the run off from the sedum roofs and directed to the lower roof where it is naturally filtered through layers of rock, sediment and a filtration material. This water is then stored in a tank in the plant room and used for flushing toilets and can also be accessed by an outdoor tap for residents to water plants in the rooftop garden and greenhouse. Any excess water will be directed to the drainpipes as normal. As previously mentioned, water saving appliances will be fitted throughout, such as smart toilets and shower systems by Roca which save up to 4000 gallons per year per person.* All white goods in rented apartments will be of A* energy rating. (* CPD at HAUS collective by Roca on water efficient design, 2020)

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sedum carpet, or sedum cuttings, 60g/m2 50mm soil substrate filtration sheet steel tray for water retention DPM and root blocker 75mm rigid insulation board

[scale 1:20]

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grasses and wildflowers 150mm soil substrate filtration sheet and root blocker 150mm gravel and pebbles 200mm fine sand 100mm charcoal 200mm filtration material 100mm rigid insulation board

The roof adjacent to the duplex terrace will be used to filter rainwater for use in flushing toilets and providing water for those gardening on the rooftop and in the greenhouse. The vegetation will be allowed to grow as wildflowers and grasses, rather than short small growing sedums. Incorporating water saving systems are important in conserving energy and hopefully the residents, such as those living in BedZED and Hanham Hall, would develop a positive attitude and engagement with their building and its environmental strategies.

water storage tank [scale 1:33]

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Final Drawings

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The former multi-storey site which left a hole in the heart of Hilltown for over a decade brings vitality back to the enclave, repairing the street and connecting the district with the City Centre. Proposed is an affordable housing development with a mix of tenures and apartment types, where mixed use on the ground floor attracts people to the area, providing a much needed boost to the local economy. The development emulates elements of the historic Scottish tenement and utilises it as a vehicle for social change in response to modern lifestyles. Diagram: macro to micro [fragments to sub-fragments] 1. The City, 2. Connecting Districts, 3. Urban Interventions, 4. Line of Life, 5. Small Block, 6. The Regenerated Tenement, 7. Modular Units, 8. New Typologies, 9. Autonomy.

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Masterplan [scale: 1:200 at A0] [NTS] 146

A route of urban acupuncture as part of a wider master-plan links the length of the Hilltown Road with the existing street art trail that runs through the City Centre and along Perth Road. The intervention route of colourful structures and seating continues through the inner courtyard of the development - a fully pedestrianised zone for play and socialising. The courtyard is reminiscent of the space inside the archetypal tenement block, which was a semi-private area for the residents. However, in the re-invented tenement, the historic notion of ‘front and back’ is challenged as it is no longer the norm to keep the rear of the buildings hidden from public view due to the invention of the modern kitchen and bathroom.

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The success of the historic tenement as a typology arguably stemmed from its ability to be easily replicated to form a block or row on a site, while dealing with level changes. The cost effectiveness of the repeated unit is the driving force of this scheme and allows a high quality of construction and materialiy to be afforded, which would not typically be found in social housing. The internal spaces reflect the abolishment of the old ‘front and back’ through open plan kitchen and living rooms and bedrooms facing both the Hilltown Road and the inner courtyard. The plans illustrated show the tenure blind designed apartments for social rent, rent-to-buy, affordable home ownership and the co-living as mid-market rent. Mixing tenures in one building unit helps to break the stigma surrounding social housing and aims to mitigate issues which arise from a high density of social rents. The Hilltown, in a socio-economic regard, has been segregated from the rest of Dundee and this development aims to combat the Enclave.

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[NTS]

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Hilltown Road Elevation

In response to modern lifestyles, new spatially diverse typologies within the tenement were created to offer a higher degree of flexibility in the home. New typologies such as studios already exist within tenements; flats which have been sub-divided by landlords, but there are rarely opportunities for double levels within. The four duplex apartments are to be offered at mid to high market sale, which elevates the value of the development while remaining as an affordable housing majority. These apartments create a varied elevation and with permanent residents rather than temporary tenures, communal areas within the units will hopefully be well kept and respected.

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The duplex apartments offer a generous separation between living, work and sleeping areas. Sliding transluscent partitions on the upper level divide the space as required by the occupants, to give sociable work spaces [3 bedroom duplex] or to create an open and bright atmosphere [1 bedroom duplex]. They afford privacy and control over their respective spaces, while allowing light to softly filter through. The typology of the single level studio can be found in tenements today where renovated rooms function as entire flats, however, in the modern revival, the studio has the ability to be partitioned to allow for flexibility in programme and privacy.

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[NTS]

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Autonomy over our home environment is vital to our health and wellbeing; we tend to be happier when we have control over our home. [Keedwell, P., 2017] In the historic tenement, there was little flexibility over internal spaces, rooms were traditionally compartmentalised, with separate kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. Our lifestyles have changed and evolved since the early 20th century, and so our housing must reflect new ways of living. The previously mentioned duplex apartment bi-fold partitions allow for further division of visually connected spaces, but the sliding and pivoting partitions of the co-living and studio apartments allow for subdivision of space in an open plan.

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The singular sliding and pivoting partitions operate on runners held in an aluminium channel with a pivoting mechanism which allows them to rotate 180 degrees. There are magnets within the sides of the screen frame which allows them to lock into a closed position.

[NTS]

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[NTS]

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Autonomy is also considered in the form of noise pollution. Apartments are highly insulated with acoustic plasterboard and rigid insulation panels, to create homes which are truly a refuge from both the outside world and neighbours in adjacent apartments or rooms. This section through a timber stud partition wall in the co-living apartment illustrates the level of acoustic insulation between the bedrooms, which is important when living in such close proximity to others.

[NTS]

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In the co-living apartments, each en-suite bedroom contains a small kitchenette, providing the tenant with the choice of socialising and occupying the communal areas to prepare and eat meals, or to do this independently in their bedroom. This is particularly pertinent in regards to the pandemic and current rules where residents can, if necessary, safely isolate in their self-contained rooms. These rooms offer privacy and independence, a safe place to retreat to. The kitchenette includes a sink, storage for food and utensils, a space for a microwave / electric oven, and optionally even an under-counter fridge.

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In addition to the moveable partitions in certain apartments in the development, there is control over the internal environment in all dwellings through natural ventilation. The traditional sash and case tenement window with its ability to open independently at the top and bottom served as a precedent to emulate and modernise. The windows and glazed doors in the apartments are custom designed with vents the top and bottom of the frames, which affords a greater degree of control over the space without the need to fully open glazed doors and windows, and allows static windows to ventilate where previously this would not have been possible. Air circulation is also very efficient in this manner, with cool air drawn in at the floor and warm air exiting the top vents.

[NTS]

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Single sided ventilation strategy illustrated by a glazed door section. The vent mechanism is adapted into each fenestration type, and are operated by the user via a small sliding lever on the inside frame. Each frame has plastic thermal breaks to mitigate cold bridges.

[NTS]

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Detailed Section [scale: 1:50 at A1]

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[NTS]

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[NTS]

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Courtyard Elevation

In lieu of a traditional semi-private space to the rear of the building, the regenerated tenement features a rooftop garden on each building accessible only by the residents. Here, people can relax, socialise with neighbours and grow plants and vegetables in the greenhouse. This space can help to nurture a sense of community within the individual blocks, and due to the low number of residents per unit [creating an optimum density] people will feel more ownership over the space. They will be more likely to engage with the communal garden and help with upkeep and maintenence.

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This sense of ownership is hypothesised to extend to the neighbourhood as a whole, aiding in transforming this part of Hilltown from a neglected and decaying array of empty shops and poor public spaces into a bright and thriving destination for people from all over Dundee. The Hilltown Community Fridge located in the courtyard will attract people to visit from the surrounding areas while mitigating the stigma around food banks and social housing in general. The Regenerated Tenements will become a landmark for Hilltown, fostering a vibrant street-scape and providing opportunities to live and work for people from all walks of life.

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Conclusion

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Soft City

In David Sim’s book ‘Soft City’, he discusses the urban environment in terms of responsiveness, ease and comfort, with density, sustainability and liveability as the focus. He has drawn inspiration from Scandinavian planning concepts, which are traditionally human centred and put diversity at the heart of urbanism. An architectural movement, the ‘Dense-Low’ (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 4) was born in the 1970’s in Denmark, which balanced the needs of both the individual and the collective. It was the Goldilocks of housing design - not too big, not too small. It celebrates community as much as personal space, which I hope to have achieved in my own proposal. Soft City is a counterpoint to a ‘smart’ city, where instead of utilising advanced and complicated technology to combat the challenges of growing cities and denser urban environments, small-scale, low cost and low tech solutions are used which are human oriented and help to make urban life more pleasant and comfortable for everyone. This is a concept I explored in Vol. 01 with ‘everyday life’, Lefebvre’s solution to alienation, and a way of engaging in a more modest and gentle way with the environment. This was realised through a macro scale with the urban acupuncture route and small scale interventions to improve the Hilltown and beyond. It was also implemented through to a micro scale with small and sensitive designs within the apartment buildings, such as the polycarbonate partitions and the new vented window frames. Sim proposes nine criteria to assess the quality of a built environment; “diversity of built form and outdoor spaces, flexibility, a human scale, walkability, a sense of control and identity, a pleasant microclimate, a smaller carbon footprint, and greater biodiversity”. (Sim, D, 2019, pg. 212) I will use this in the following pages as a framework in which to critique my own proposal.

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“What is the goal? It is the transformation of life in its smallest, most everyday detail”

(Lefebvre, H., 1947)

1. Diversity of Built Form “The urban form should accommodate different sizes of buildings... The diversity of buildings and their combination should create visual variation. The juztaposition of different appearances can contribute a sense of place, making for more interesting sensory experiences for both individuals and the community. These visual differences make a street or neighbourhood more distinct and recognisable” (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 214) The development includes a range of building types, from the 4 to 5 storey regenerated tenement typology buildings on Hilltown Road, to the small 3 storey pitched roof terraced houses to the east of the site, and the 6 storey mixed use building at the northern corner. The buildings are physically respectful of one another in proximity and orientation, while remaining harmonious in materiality and quality. Diversity of form also extends to the range of dimensions in the retail units (small, medium and large spaces), and the spatial diversity of the apartments themselves through both duplex and single level.

(illustration: author’s own, adapted from ‘Soft City’)

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2. Diversity of Outdoor Spaces “Public spaces like streets, squares and parks offer something different than private spaces like gardens and courtyards. If both types can exist in close proximity to each other and complement one another, greater choice and opportunity can be delivered to more people in everyday life.” (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 216) The courtyard created by the arrangement of the buildings on the site offers a different experience to the wider street created by the ‘pulling’ back of the building line on the Hilltown Road. There are also different dimensions created by the passageways into the courtyard, moving from an open and very busy space into a narrow vennel, and then out into a semienclosed courtyard which is full of greenery and objects for play. This also satisfies Sim’s argument for robust, flexible spaces, as the inclusion of the community fridge and surrounding area provides a space which could be used for many different activities, from performances and events to games and sports. He also mentions “hybrid inside-outside” (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 217) spaces, such as terraces and roof gardens, both of which are included in the proposal. He states that these connect people to the outdoors, and the interconnection between them makes for a complex system of activity and interaction.

(illustration: author’s own, adapted from ‘Soft City’)

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3. Flexibility “Life is in constant change, and the town, city or neighbourhood is never finished. If a place is to be truly resilient, its urban form must be responsive to and capable of change. It must adapt to changing demographics and economic cycles, densification, new activities and functions, new people” (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 218) Flexibility is a recurring theme throughout the project, albeit on a more micro scale than the macro scale Sim refers to. Nevertheless, with the nature of the construction of the apartments on Hilltown Road, more storeys to the steel structure could theoretically be added in the future to combat densification and overpopulation. Sim states, “the larger the proportion of a ground floor with direct access, the more flexible the building is and the greater potential to change uses”. (Sim. D., 2019, pg. 218) The proposal meets this criteria as the mixed use ground floor is flexible in its variety of volumes of retail spaces which could accommodate a vast number of purposes. The co-working / office space in the Type B ground floor plan is flexible by design with its partitions, and can provide a multitude of options for people. The same is true of the partitions in the apartments, but this is discussed further under the heading of ‘control’.

(illustration: author’s own, adapted from ‘Soft City’)

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4. Human Scale “Human scale in general terms means dimensions rooted in the human senses and behaviour, resulting in smaller built components and lower heights. In particular, it means designing with attention to the experience at eye level, including appealing to sensory stimuli, and using dimensions that relate to the human body.” (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 220) Sim states that “walk-up-height” (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 220) buildings help to maintain a strong connection to the street, and that buildings up to five stories can meet this criteria - the proposal on Hilltown Road is a majority of four storeys, with two units at five storeys, therefore meeting this. At street level, the exclusively non-residential ground floor creates a captivating and engaging street-scape, where at eye level there will be lots to see and interact with. Sim also states that human scale is about having a multi-sensory experience; seeing other people doing activities, shadows and light, greenery and animals, and a diversity of colour and materials is also important. I feel the proposal meets this criteria through the varied elevations which are pushed and pulled to create depth and shadow, different tones of brick on each half unit creates texture and interest, and there are plenty of trees and greenery on both the street, in the courtyard and on the rooftop gardens.

(illustration: author’s own, adapted from ‘Soft City’)

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5 . Wa l k a b i l i t y “Walkability refers to the smallest, but perhaps most important movements that people make every day. Designing for walkability is about connecting people to the life of their neighbourhood, seeing what is available, and having access to it. ... The urban form should allow for a small but useful space right outside dwellings and workplaces, so that you can literally step outside.” (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 222) Sim lists a range of these ‘useful’ spaces, and includes balconies and roof terraces. I think it would be fair to include juliet balconies in this list too, as it allows the occupant to fully open the doors and lean against the railing to experience the outdoors. There is direct access to the outdoors in this regard for all of the proposed apartments on Hilltown Road, and in addition the occupants also have access to the semi-private roof gardens. The importance of the ground floor is discussed again, as it allows people to easily move from the street to the building, and between buildings. Lower rise buildings, such as the proposed 5 storey apartments, are again suitable as they are more accessible and can feasibly be reached without the use of an elevator.

(illustration: author’s own, adapted from ‘Soft City’)

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6. A Sense of Control and Identity “The built form should be made up of identifiable, distinct places, physically defined...The structure of the built environment can make defined spaces, which can be recognisable places. For example, on a larger scale, a block of joined up buildings may have a clear outside and inside, with fronts and backs, and a clear differentiation between public and private.” (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 224) The proposal brings vitality back to Hilltown, with a strong street line, shops and a community fridge that will attract people to the area. This creates an identity and a landmark for the neighbourhood. The spaces within the site are clearly defined, and by locating the community fridge inside the courtyard, it signals that it is a public space and is welcome to be enjoyed by all. This does mean that there is no longer a traditional ‘front and back’, as stated by Sim, but there is still a strong differentiation between public and private through edge zones around buildings, walled private gardens and the exclusivity of the rooftop gardens. Control and autonomy has been a major focus throughout the development, and is implemented through the polycarbonate partitons, the vented windows, the kitchenettes in the co-living rooms and highly insulated (both thermally and acoustically) homes which provide a truly personal and private space.

(illustration: author’s own, adapted from ‘Soft City’)

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7. A Pleasant Microclimate “Working with built form and microclimate is about softening the weather, not denying or changing it. It is a process of filtering out the extremes... An urban form that is consistent with lower building heights almost always creates a better microclimate because there are no tall buildings to cause turbulence... Semi-enclosed spaces such as recessed balconies can have a longer useful season.” (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 226) The courtyard created will aid in protecting from wind, and will act as a pleasant sun trap. The courtyard also buffers noise from the road, and will have slightly cleaner air. A downside to the proposal however is that there are no covered outdoor spaces. He states that windows (such as juliet or french) that can open fully can turn a room into a balcony, and can connect people with fresh air and the outdoors. Every apartment features at least one juliet balcony, and others have recessed and covered balconies which make them useful for longer throughout the year and are protected from the rain.

(illustration: author’s own, adapted from ‘Soft City’)

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8. Smaller Carbon Footprint “The layout, size and shape of buildings can translate into lower energy use, less pollution as well as saving natural resources... Having more joined-up buildings means that there are not as many exposed sides, reducing construction costs, and, over time, reducing heating and cooling costs in the individual buildings. There is no substitute for natural light. There are considerable energy savings and benefits to health and wellbeing when indoor spaces have natural light.” (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 228) The apartments on Hilltown Road are joined repeated units, which as Sim states, reduces construction costs and materials. The apartments are all dual aspect bar the single level studio and 1 bedroom types, and have a generous amount of fenestration for passive solar gain and light. This also means the apartments are all naturally ventilated, reducing costs and energy consumption. Sim also discusses the importance of roof space, where the greening of roofs can reduce heat-island effect, and can provide locations for greenhouses for food production. The proposal meets this criteria, with the sedum roofs and communal greenhouses on each apartment unit. Due to the high insulation, joined up buildings, solar gain, geothermal heating and rainwater collection the apartments will have very low running costs and will be much kinder to the environment. A negative aspect of the proposal is that in order to provide low cost and acoustically protected homes, the construction is a steel frame with concrete slabs and cores. This obviously creates a much higher level of pollution to manufacture than timber, but the added rigidity of structure from the concrete, the fire protection and acoustic insulation made it a better choice, and it is hopefully offset by the other environmental strategies.

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(illustration: author’s own, adapted from ‘Soft City’)

9. Greater Biodiversity “The built form should allow green spaces and natural life to thrive... Vegetation has an acoustic effect, absorbing and masking amidst the many hard surfaces of walls and paving in the urban context (and hence reducing stress). It also has the ability to help mitigate pollution... Consistently lower building heights create a better microclimate for green roofs (from roof gardens with potted plants to sedum and planted roof surfaces). (Sim, D., 2019, pg. 230) As discussed in the Sustainability chapter, the loss of the brownfield site as an important habitat for birds and insects is replaced through the greenery in the inner courtyard, and additionally through the rooftop gardens and sedum roofs. The trees lining the street on Hilltown Road help to buffer noise and absorb pollution, as well as providing visual stimulation and contrast from the built form. A drawback in the proposal in relation to this criterion is the deep foundations that would be likely necessary, and the underground car park at the northern area of the site. As Sim explains, these eliminate the possibility of natural drainage on the site. However, the proposal does include rainwater collection and numerous areas of soft landscaping with deep soil and vegetation, both of which he states as important points.

(illustration: author’s own, adapted from ‘Soft City’)

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In all, I feel that the proposal meets my initial aim of providing high quality, low cost affordable housing that tackles fuel poverty, with a vibrant public realm and dynamic street-scape which improves the lives and businesses of people in Hilltown. The theories of Jacobs, Newman, Gehl and Lefebvre have influenced and shaped this project from the beginning, and every design decision has stemmed from their principles and my personal experiences. I am incredibly proud of myself for finishing this year, it has been the hardest thing I have done [so far]. I would like to thank you for your time reading both this journal and the previous, and hope that I have successfully articulated my passion for sensitive, sustainable and beautiful buildings.

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Appendix

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Critical Reflection [humanities]

The project addresses the studio’s central question of ‘what is home’ through a re-invention of a Scottish vernacular typology, and explores how autonomy over the home can have positive effects on the wider urban context. Home should be a refuge from the outside world (Keedwell, P., 2017), and everyone should have the right to live in comfort. The housing crisis and deprivation identified in Hilltown (Phillips, K., 2020) required an intervention which addressed the lack of good quality affordable housing, and provides a carefully designed area of public realm and amenities to boost the local economy and attract people to the area. Not only is the proposed housing on the brownfield site affordable, but it utilises sustainable and environmentally friendly technology to create homes with low running costs which mitigate fuel poverty, an issue which many in Hilltown struggle with due to outdated buildings with single glazing and a lack of insulation. (ibid.) Lefebvre proposed that everyday life was a solution to counteract a sense of isolation in all aspects of existence (McLeod, M., et al, 1997), and using this concept of sensitive, modest engagement, a route of small scale and low cost urban ‘acupuncture’ (De Solà-Morales, 2008) was proposed to link the Hilltown with the City Centre and Perth Road. The small scale urban interventions will encourage people to follow the route created and will benefit all three district centres. By improving the currently unpleasant and dull areas in Hilltown, people will be more likely to spend more time on the street which can encourage economic growth. The “disintegration” (Gehl, J., 2011, pg. 76) of liveable public spaces into uninteresting streets is an important factor in instances of vandalism and crime, so by stengthening them and creating a lively street-scape, the urban scale proposal aims to prevent spaces from falling into neglect and mitigates anti-social behaviour through passive surveillance. (Gehl, J., 2011)

(image: author’s own)

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182.1 Proposed Hilltown Park entrance

The development itself acts as an ‘urban device’ which directly links the edge of the district centre of Hilltown with the City Centre. The empty brownfield site of the former Maxwelltown multistoreys had the potential to restore the Hilltown Road and enable residents of the Hilltown and Coldside areas to feel more connected to the centre.

Repair the Street

The narrative of the development in context of the Hilltown as a whole was directly informed by theories outlined by Lynch, Jacobs, Gehl and Newman, although the main framework was informed by Jacobs’ four main elements (as supported by Keedwell, P., 2017 pg. 110-111) of an effective street; mixed uses, small blocks, aged buildings and a minimum concentration of people. The section in Vol 01 on ‘Mixed uses’ addressed the state of disrepair of the retail units on the street, and therefore acted as a mandate for increased housing in the area and the inclusion of ground floor mixed use spaces. This also mitigated having ground floor apartments which are less secure and experience noise and privacy related issues. ‘Small blocks’ reiterated the historical construction of Hilltown and the desirable ‘walkability’ of the city. (Keedwell, P., 2017). ‘Aged buildings’ was the lens through which to recognise the importance of the tenement and use it as precedent moving forward. The ‘minimum concentration of people’ was used to argue the importance of making streets with pedestrians as priority over vehicles, and additionally to ensure the proposal was of optimum density. Moving forwards and looking at the development on the scale of the immediate site and context; the proposal repairs the gap in the street and defines the Hilltown Road, reinstating the Line of Life as it looked pre - 1967. (Lynch, K., 1960) The site itself forms a small block, which emulates the surrounding urban fabric and aligns with Jacobs’ theories on small, walkable blocks giving rise to interesting and dynamic streets. (Jacobs, J., 1961) A void was created in the block, echoing the archetypal tenement block with an inner courtyard and set the focus of the main building typology: re-interpreting the tenement in order to accommodate modern life and reflect new social norms.

(diagram: author’s own)

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The form of the new tenement, with a varied facade and the illusion of short frontages enhance the street. (Gehl, J., 2011) The apartment density of each unit allows for a vibrant and active elevation, and balconies and juliet windows create opportunities for interaction between people in apartments and people on the street. The diversity created by having mixed uses on ground level; the office/co-working spaces and varied sizes of retail units, create reasons for people to come and go at different times throughout the day, adding to the much needed economic growth of the Hilltown. As previously mentioned in Vol. 02, the success of the tenement stemmed from its ability to be easily replicated, not simply to form a block or row on a site but on a theoretical level as a housing model and precedent. The physical repetition of the unit is efficient and cost effective; saving expense on elevations and manufacturing costs by producing repeating elements such as the steel structure, concrete stair cores and timber frame modules. These savings can be then allocated to a higher percentage of fenestration, and higher quality materials and finishes which typically would not be afforded to social housing. The new tenement addresses and reflects modern day life, and the evolution of societal norms from the 20th century to present day. In the original tenement model, there wa a necessity for a clear divide between areas of the home, with the more public spaces facing the street and private spaces facing the rear, or ‘back’. After the introduction of the working kitchen and the invention of modern appliances like the washing machine, the kitchen was no longer an unclean space to be hidden from view. (Costa Santos et al, 2018) The new tenement embraces the kitchen as the heart of the home, incorporating cooking, dining and living into one multifunctional space. The new units have no ‘front’ and ‘back’ as per the historic model, but the majority of bedrooms still face the inner courtyard to provide a less public atmosphere, and where they will be more sheltered from noise and polluted air from the busy street.

(diagram: author’s own)

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The addition of three new typologies provide homes which cater to modern lifestyles, which the historic tenement model is not fit for. As explored in Vol. 01, overcrowding is an issue in Hilltown, and often landlords will sacrifice the living room to maximise the number of bedrooms in a HMO tenement flat. This creates an isolatory culture within these flats, where occupants are confined to their own rooms with no option of adequately socialising in a shared space. They also must share kitchens and bathrooms with other tenants, which can be uncomfortable and difficult. The 5 bed co-living apartment provides 5 self-contained rooms, a communal kitchen, living and dining room with moveable partitions, and a separate utility room. The bedrooms have indivudual en-suites and basic cooking facilities to ensure that tenants have autonomy over their own space, and the option to be self-sufficient in their own room or cook meals, socialise and dine in the large communal space. The sliding partitions in the communal spaces allow the compartmentalisation of each activity space to allow for privacy within the room. The partitions are also present in the affordable studio typology, where the tenant can create a traditional public/ private divide of kitchen/dining and a bedroom space. The duplex apartments challenge the normative tenement model of one apartment per floor, and provide a greater divide between functions of the home while still remaining connected through choice. The 3 bed duplex offers an upper floor work space over the open plan kitchen living room, which is compartmentalised to allow for a healthy separation of work/living in the home. It caters to the new ‘work from home’ lifestyle while still offering interaction between people involved in different activities in the home- the opaque screens allow the work space to be closed or open, allowing for both formal and casual working conditions. (image: author’s own)

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Though this project offers a modern, new build approach to providing housing, I think it is important to maintain and upgrade the existing building stock as a sustainable and often more affordable solution to the housing crisis. As one of Jacobs’ four elements of a successful neighbourhood, aged buildings add character, interest and allow the history of an area to be celebrated. (Jacobs, J., 1961) This is particularly pertinent to Hilltown and Dundee as a whole. Most of Hilltown’s original urban fabric was bulldozed between the 1960s and 2000s, to make way for the multi-storeys and low rise social housing. The Hilltown was the most ancient part of Dundee, and the thoughtless destruction eradicated these invaluable historical sites. Had this not happened, would Dundee boast a world heritage site similar to Edinburgh’s Old Town? The number of tourists who flood Edinburgh is growing every year, in fact so much so that there are actually issues with overcrowded pavements, and local residents left unable to travel efficiently. (Newsroom, 2018) Sadly, it is difficult to imagine Dundee being so densely populated by tourists. Perhaps in a parallel universe, Dundee is overrun by international visitors and generates over a billion pounds of revenue. (ETAG, 2016) In stark contrast to the shiny new waterfront developments, Dundee’s remaining aged buildings are falling into disrepair. Recently, a stone’s throw from my own tenement block, numbers 219 to 245 Blackness Road which stood for over 100 years have been demolished to make way for new affordable housing. The decision was taken as (allegedly) engineers stated the external stairwells would need to be replaced, at an estimated cost of £1.2 million. The council claimed that the majority of residents backed the demolition, but a freedom of information request showed that 6 private landlords who did not reside in the blocks, had been counted as tenants. It is estimated to cost £4.5 million to demolish and rebuild. (Eighteen, S., 2021) (image: author’s own)

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186.1 Number 237 Blackness Road, mid demolition.

There was a noble fight put up by now ex Coldside ward councillor Jimmy Black, who protested the demolition and stated that a refurbishment would have been more appropriate as the building was in good condition. As of April 2021, there haven’t even been any plans submitted for what will replace the tenement block. (ibid.) As Dundee council continues the mindless destruction of its city’s past, I question why there is such disregard for the buildings which made Dundee what it is today. As a current resident of an old, out of date tenement flat, I fully empathise with the need for good quality, sound proof, highly insulated and energy efficient homes. There is however, no need to demolish buildings which are otherwise in good condition and could be renovated, which is as previously stated, often a much more environmentally friendly and more affordable route. We need new build housing to provide the necessary modern living typologies which are not found in our current housing stock, and we must update and revitalise our aged buildings in an effort to not only protect our past, but to ensure a more sustainable and green future.

(image: author’s own)

187.1 Numbers 229 to 219, mid demolition.

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Lecture Reflection

I found the lecture series this year overall to be truly very interesting, especially the richness of Lorens’ philosophical lectures and Andy’s engaging theoretical discourse, however I am disappointed and embarassed to admit that I remember very little from the second semester and the lectures I do recall were frustratingly the ones which I couldn’t draw parallels against my own project. I don’t think this is due to a poor memory as I can recall lectures quite vividly from first semester, can even remember parts of ‘in person’ lectures from years ago, and it also wasn’t for lack of engagement as I often had my camera turned on and would ask questions. I can say with confidence that the lectures will have had an impact on my project, my design process and way of thinking, but if I’m truly honest, this past semester I would not be able to pinpoint it to any specific ones, and I’m not interested in fabricating or postrationalising a rhetoric. In Vol. 01 however, I wrote about the direct influence of Lorens’ lecture featuring Lynch’s ‘The Image of the City’, Andy’s ‘Anabo’ lecture and the ADAS run lecture with guest speaker Sandy Morrison from HTA. These were all very relevant subjects which I immediately engaged with and assimilated clearly into my journal, while this semester I obviously failed to. This is due to a number of reasons, but top of the list are online learning and burn out. Online learning and pre-recorded lectures are a pale imitation of the immersive and captivating education system that we came to university to experience. Architecture, like medicine, dentistry, art disciplines and other intensive, ‘hands-on’ courses, should not have been expected to continue as normal during lockdown when there was little to no access to studios, make-labs and workshops. Our time on this course should be about having the ability to experience built form through experimenting with model making and

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materials, charettes with peers and tutors, sketching on metres upon metres of detail paper and plastering the walls with ideas and notes. This was just not possible the past year. While I accept that it was necessary to close these spaces for safety and there was little that could have been done to change the circumstances, I still can’t help feeling robbed of a precious year of my time to make use of the incredible facilities and opportunities we have. Higher education in the UK has evolved from a move towards the global political economy of capitalism that began in the 1970’s, which has resulted in the neoliberalism of university education and changed the way in which the student is percieved by the institution - a customer who is buying a service. An expensive service at that. But, for the university, lectures being delivered online are (unfortunately) very cost effective. (Baxter, J., et al, 2018) This makes it one of the key issues around online pedagogy where institutions are saving so much of their budget formerly allocated to running large buildings and lecture halls, that it is very tempting to focus on its advantages rather than critique what it really means for students and staff alike. The statistics from the government run Student COVID-19 Insights Survey conducted 24th May 2021 - 7th June 2021, show that nearly two thirds of students reported that the lack of face-to-face learning had a major or moderate impact on the quality of their course, and around half stated that the pandemic had a major or significant impact on their academic performance. (Office for National Statistics) I can relate to this, and feel that remote learning has been disorienting and had a major impact on my engagement this year. It puts pressure on the individual to be fully self-motivated, which under current pandemic circumstances has been exceptionally hard. Although running far smoother than I imagine the previous year did who where were thrown into an emergency online transition, I feel the delivery of the tutorials and lectures

could have been improved upon, possibly by utilising a platform which was optimised for creatives rather than the university’s collaborate which is limited in it’s visual communication capabilities, such as sketching and overmarking. Participating in a tutorial with lounge clothes I wouldn’t be seen dead in outside my home was a nice change or a while, but did this contribute to my difficulty recalling lectures and discussions? I certainly had experiences where I was thankful for online learning, where I could roll out of bed and tune into a lecture while eating breakfast, although I think this was ultimately the problem. If I didn’t make every effort to be present, professional and disciplined in my home environment; put on ‘proper’ clothes and refrain from eating a bowl of cereal while these were taking place, the information just didn’t seem to stick long term. For most of time it felt futile, and collectively I think we all went through a stage of well I’m not leaving the house today and I’m not seeing anyone, so why bother. There was a feeling of disconsolation with the course in general, caused by a lack of propinquity mixed with the loss of routine. It all comes back to environment, and a bedroom or living room is not an adequate space in which to study a full time course. Being in a library or studio or lecture theatre where there is a shared atmosphere of concentration and dilligence is unparalleled, and that’s where I thrive. Trudging to a lecture theatre at 9am in the pissing rain is a very distant memory, but do I actually miss being present for these, despite how irritating it was at the time? I will undoubtedly eat my words if the situation returns to ‘normal’, and I have to walk 20 minutes to campus, having not eaten breakfast and deliberated over what to wear for the past half-hour, but next semester I would like nothing more.

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B i bl i o g r a phy

Sim, D., “Soft City”, 2019. Gehl Architects Finance and Administration ApS. Island Press. Library of Congress Number: 2018946755

Books and Journals

Veletsianos, G., “Social media in academia: Networked scholars.” 2016. New York: Routledge. (https://www.routledge.com/Social-Media-in-Academia-NetworkedScholars/Veletsianos/p/book/9781138822757)

Baden-Powell, C., “Architect’s Pocket Book” third edition updated by Jonathan Hetreed and Ann Ross., 2009, Elsevier Ltd. ISBN: 978-0-7506-8617-4 Baxter J., et al, “Creativity and Critique in Online Teaching and Learning: Innovations in Online Pedagogy” 2018. Baxter J., Callaghan G., McAvoy J. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78298-0_1) Ching, F., Mulville, M., “European Building Construction Illustrated” 2014, John Wiley and Sons Ltd. ISBN: 978-111-9-95317-3 Jacobs, J., “The Death and Life of Great American Cities”, 1961, Penguin Books. ISBN: 0-14-0171948-8 Loftness, V., “Sustainable Built Environments”, 2013. New York, NY: Springer. ISBN : 9781461458289 Mitchell, R., Natarajan, S., “UK Passivhaus and the energy performance gap”, Energy and Buildings volume 224, 1 October 2020, 110240 2020, Elsevier. (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.110240) Newman, O., “Defensible Space”, 1972, The Macmillan Company. ISBN: 0-85139-136-2 Rossi, A., “The Architecture of The City”, The Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies, and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1982. ISBN: 9780-262-68043-1

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Technical Handbook - Domestic Buildings, 2021. (https://www.gov.scot/policies/building-standards/monitoringimproving-building-regulations/) Technical Handbook - Non-Domestic Buildings, 2021. (https://www.gov.scot/policies/building-standards/monitoringimproving-building-regulations/) Watermeyer, R., et al, “COVID-19 and digital disruption in UK universities: afflictions and affordances of emergency online migration”. 2020, Springer. (https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10734-020-00561-y.pdf)

Reports Arnot, J., “Fuel Poverty: Overview”, ScotPHN Report, NHS Health Scotland, October 2016. (https://www.scotphn.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016_10_31- Fuel-Poverty-JA-Lit-review.pdf) ETAG, “Tourism in Edinburgh, Key Figures”, 2016. Edinburgh Tourism Action Group, Scottish Enterprise. (https://www.etag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Facts-andFigures-2016-Final.pdf)

Local Housing Strategy, Dundee City Council, 2019 (https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/sites/default/f iles/publications/ local_housing_strategy_2018_-_2023_working_copy.pdf) Office for National Statistics, “Coronavirus and higher education students: England, 24 May to 2 June 2021” (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/ healthandsocialcare/healthandwellbeing/bulletins/ coronavirusandhighereducationstudents/england24mayto2june2021) Articles Burrows, T., “Balfron 2.0: how Goldfinger’s utopian tower became luxury flats”, September 2019, The Guardian. (https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/sep/19/balfron20-how-goldfingers-utopian-tower-became-luxury-flats) accessed 24/05/21

Williamson, C., “Central London Flat by VW+BS”, 2014, Design Milk. (https://design-milk.com/central-london-flat-vwbs/?fbclid=IwAR2DEOKpK_W8YoKSSczkhFj9AuXqk2uZF46KgAMAZSutqziL1OFpzD3qM) accessed 24/03/21 Images 3.1 (https://canmore.org.uk/site/299675/dundee-maxwelltown-cdaalexander-street?display=image) 5.1 (https://canmore.org.uk/site/299675/dundee-maxwelltown-cdaalexander-street?display=image) 8.1 (https://www.architecture.com/awards-and-competitions-landing-page/ awards/riba-regional-awards/riba-south-west-award-winners/2018/challendercourt)

Frearson, A., “Brutalist buildings: Balfron Tower, London by Ernö Goldfinger”, September 2014, Deezeen. (https://www.dezeen.com/2014/09/24/brutalist-buildingsbalfron-tower-london-erno-goldfinger/) accessed 24/05/21

11.1 (http://www.mikhailriches.com/project/goldsmith-street/#slide-3)

Eighteen, S., “Former residents bid sad farewell to Blackness Road flats as demolition continues”, April 2021. The Courier. (https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/dundee/2115388/ blackness-road-tenements-demolition-farewell/) accessed 24/05/21

14.1, 14.2, 14.3 (https://www.hta.co.uk/project/hanham-hall)

The Newsroom, “Edinburgh can’t cope with booming tourism, official report warns”, January 2018. (https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-andentertainment/edinburgh-cant-cope-booming-tourism-off icial-reportwarns-590782) accessed 24/05/21

12.1, 12.2 (http://www.mikhailriches.com/project/goldsmithstreet/#slide-4)

15.1 (https://www.hta.co.uk/project/hanham-hall) 16.1

(hamsonbarronsmith.com/three-score-norwich)

18.1, 18.2

(zedfactory.com/bedzed)

61.1, 62.1 (http://midcenturymagazine.com/architecture/1968-interiors-atbalfron-tower/)

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65.1 (http://karakusevic-carson.com/work/kings-crescent-estate-phases-3-4) 129.1, 130.1, 130.2 (https://design-milk.com/central-london-flatvwbs/?fbclid=IwAR2-DEOKpK_W8YoKSSczkhFj9AuXqk2uZF46KgAMAZSu tqziL1OFp-zD3qM) Thanks to Colin Baillie for sharing ‘Common Place’ research and exhibition project, images and text are copyright of Baillie Baillie architects.

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193.1 Leo demonstrating natural surveillance from a tenement window.

Fin

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