Portfolio

urban planning & design | 城市规划 & 设计

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Yanjun Li |李颜君

email murouko@gmail.com phone +86 18612757947 location: China YOB: 1992

EDUCATION London, UK 2015. 09 - 2016. 09 London, UK 2014. 09 - 2015. 09 Liverpool, UK 2011. 09 - 2014. 06

University College London (UCL) | The Bartlett School of Planning Master of Science in Urban Design & City Planning Queen Mary, University of London |School of Business & Management Master of Science with Merit in Management University of Liverpool |School of Environmental Sciences Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Urban Regeneration & Planning

EXPERIENCE Project |Bishopsgate Goodsyard Masterplan 2016 | London, UK

Project |Mount Pleasant Masterplan 2016 | London, UK Workshop| Organiser 2015 - 2016 | London, UK Internship | Assistant Planner 2013 | Part 1 Architect, Liverpool

leading a team of six to provide an alternative masterplan proposal for the site. Led across all phases, from ground research, coordinating with local partnerships through to the drafting and presenting of the final masterplan. worked primarily in the design phase of providing different types of urban design proposals for the Mount Pleasant site. organised a series of workshop activities among students in London. The key aim was to exchange ideas on the issues of sustainability, big data, transport and other urban related topics.

assisted other urban planners and architects in site research, policy and strategy making, drafted various design drawings. Also gained experience in project marketing.

SKILLS Software: Id |Ai|Ps|Sketchup|ArcGIS|AutoCAD|Microsoft Office| iWork Languages: Chinese (native) | English(full professional proficiency)

yl portforlio

作品集

about I’m Yanjun, an Urban Design and City Planning graduate of the University College London interested in expanding professional experience in the field of urban regeneration, urban design or other urban planning related fields. I am a motivated individual who is able to work in a busy environment and produce high standard works. I am an excellent team worker that enjoys working in an international environment. The following portfolio contains a selection of projects that I have done recent years in the UK.

works 1

Hammersmith

2

Mount Pleasant

3

Popganic Garden

4

Bank & Fitzroy Square

THE PROJECT CONTEXT The project aims to develop an

awareness of place and space qualities in the area of Hammersmith by using a variety of analytical urban design tools.

The study area in this project is situated in the southern parts of Hammersmith Broadway, which is one out of 16 wards in the Hammersmith and Fulham council, usually refereed as to Hammersmith town centre and riverside. Hammersmith and Fulham is a borough in the inner western part of London with a strategic location on the transport routes between the City and Heathrow (Hammersmith and Fulham council, 2011).

Hammersmith Broadway is characterised by some of the busiest road junctions in London and the massive four-lane A4 flyover that was completed in 1961 (Transport for London, 2012). However, the area benefits from a long frontage along the River

Thames, which enhance the environment and character (Hammersmith and Fulham council, 2011). In the core strategy for Hammersmith and Fulham, published in 2011, the borough is described as an area of contrasts, of wealth and poverty and of attractive and unattractive environments in need of improvement.

The population of Hammersmith and Fulham is ethnically divers and relatively young. Nearly half of the population is between the ages of 19 and 40 years old. It is a highly mobile population with about half of all households having moved in the previous five years. The borough has also been facing a major population growth over the last years. (Hammersmith and Fulham council, 2011).

1 Hammersmith

VISUAL DIMENSION RIVER CONNECTION & AXIAL VIEWS The connection to the River Thames provides an important visual feature within the Hammersmith study area and has a distinct effect on its identity. The river creates a feeling of naturalness and openness. It is also a significant landmark of the Hammersmith and Fulham council. However, the connection to the river is poor or non-existing in some parts of the area. By analysing a number of the major axial views on site, the relationship between the urban environment and the river has been visualised in this map. It will be showed that the connection to the river is not only based on the distance to the river but also the spatial structures of buildings and street enclosures.

Low connection to river

High connection to river

1 Hammersmith

DEAD These pictures all show examples of dean frontages. The lack of windows facing the street creates a excluding feeling.

The wall in front of the riverside prevent people from facing the water.

ACTIVE The active frontages are heterogeneous and lively. The green space between the houses and the street gives a welcoming feeling and makes the residents feel less privatised. The cafĂŠs with tables and chairs outside the buildings create a street life and attract people.

DEAD & ACTIVE FRONTAGES Creating active, interesting and inviting frontages is an important part of the visual dimension. Dead frontages tend to cause an insecure, excluding and dull urban experience. Retail, community, cafĂŠs and bars on street level could ensure active frontages. Interesting architecture, street interference, windows and entrances could still create a sense of activity and permeability to non-accessible frontages. The illustrations below show some examples of dead and active frontages within the study area.

1 Hammersmith

LEGIBILITY MAP This map shows the perceived legibility in the study area. The major paths indicate a clear legibility as opposed to the red areas, which indicates bad legibility. These areas lacks clear street patterns and signs which make it hard to navigate in.

When analysing the legibility, three major areas where identified. Area number 1 is characterised by retail and cosmopolitan attributes. Area number 2 is characterised by residential buildings, most of them social or post-social housing. Area number 3 is located along the riverside, providing it with a strong character. The different “districts� makes it easier to navigate.

NOTATION MAP In addition to the legibility map, the notation map shows perceived legibility and character. This notation shows particular qualities and inaccuracies.

1 Hammersmith

HEIGHT -TO-WIDTH RATIOS FOR STREET AND SQUARE ENCLOSURE The relationship between the height of buildings and the width of streets and open spaces affects the sense of enclosure, exposure and comfort. A number of streets and squares in the study area has been analysed and measured. A high ratio creates a narrow, enclosed, and rather stressful environment. A lover ratio is more proportional and creates a comfortable environment for pedestrians. Nevertheless, a low ratio also creates a sense of exposure, which could be problematic in some cases.

The visual analyses of Hammer- smith have shown that the river is an important aesthetic feature in

the area. However, the connection to the river is poor or non-existing in some parts, which could be improved in future developments. Legibility, height and density affect the links to the water- front and need to be thoughtfully designed. It is clear that different architectural styles and expression are clustered together in the area. Any design proposal within these areas therefore needs to enhance the locality and respect its history. Lively frontages, enclosed and exposed spaces are important features when creating comfortable and inviting areas. Hammersmith shows both good and bad examples of these features. The good examples could be used as inspiration in future development

1 Hammersmith

THE PROJECT CONTEXT The Mount Pleasant site in Farringdon, London. It has

3.53 hectares in total. It is currently used as sorting office, service areas for operational vehicles, and parking. In the context of the reorganisation of its services and facilities and due to its location in a prime real estate area, the Royal Mail Group aims to release a large part of the site and redevelop it into a residential led, mixed use development. This task aims to provide alternative proposals for the site and it is an opportunity to explore how urban typologies can be used to respond to complex urban problems.

New Routes

Proximity to Exmouth Market

New Green Spaces KEY FINDINGS 1. Lack of green space.

2. Lack of hard public spaces.

3. Lack of permeability across site.

4. Potential to build on the success of Exmouth Market.

5. Potential for the introduction of the new North-South Cycle Superhighway crossing the site along Phoenix Place.

New Nodes & Public Spaces

New Identity on Site

THE STRATEGY 1. Opening up the site, prioritising pedestrians, providing calmer and more attractive routes in contrast with the wide, busy thoroughfares of Farringdon Road and Rosebery Avenue.

2. Providing new attractive green and hard spaces for both new residents and the general public to stop in and enjoy.

3. Building on the success of Exmouth Market by providing an extension to it in the form of new complementary retail and spaces

2 Mount Pleasant

SCHEME 1 DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

INSPIRATION Green Space

Circular Plaza

Permeability

CONCEPT

The new central circular greenspace provides an addition of a new public park in the neighborhood.

Each residential block has its own communal green space, which will enhance the sense of security and privacy, and therefore creates a sense of enclosure. Also serves as a buffer area to separate the noise from the plaza and traffic.

The new green circular plaza with a spacious open space creates an ideal public gathering point not only for the residents but also the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Surrounded with a series of commercial facilities, which will enhance the liveability and vitality of the site and attract more visitors and therefore light up the whole area.

The design creates centralized permeability with north, south, east, and west connectivity, which therefore promotes a highly accessible place for people to come from each direction.

2 Mount Pleasant

SCHEME 1

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

ADVANTAGES • The spacious central green space served as a focal gathering point of the site, surrounded by a series of restaurants, cafes and other retail facilities. A new residential and public gathering point is created for the entire surrounding area.

• Each housing block with its own communal green space creates a sense of enclosure and privacy and functions as a buffer area which separate the noisy environment from the square and traffic.

DISADVANTAGES • Since Scheme 1 is a 90% residential site, retail activities in the ground floor might have a negative impact.

• Lacks of a continuous linkage to the Exmouth Market.

• Poor contextual linkage with surrounding street (north side). site area 35,300m2

total plot area 9,885m2

residential total floor area 60,940m2 (70%)

plot coverage 28%

commercial floor area 6,771m2 (30%)

gross floor area 84,640m2

FAR 2.8

residential units 1 bedroom: 300 50m2 2 bedroom: 640 65m2 1,060 3 bedroom: 120 80m2

population density: 538 people/Ha residential density: 269 units/Ha

2 Mount Pleasant

SCHEME 1

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

2 Mount Pleasant

SCHEME 2

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

INSPIRATION Green Space

Market Alleyway

Permeability

CONCEPT

The new central circular greenspace provides an addition of a new public park in the neighborhood.

New pockets of semi-private greenspace promote specialised usage for residents.

This area is specifically focused on providing a secure environment for families with children whom may be living in the new buildings.

The sense of enclosure provides an element of protection while promoting the usage of outdoor space.

The new alleyway creates an idea connection to Exmouth Market.

The corner of Farringdon Road would provide a viewing corridor to the new active retail frontages in the alleyway.

The design creates centralized permeability with north, south, east, and west connectivity.

The design is based off of a centralised connectivity design from landscape architects and the University of Cincinnati.

2 Mount Pleasant

SCHEME 2

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

ADVANTAGES • Promotes a large amount of mixed green spaces for public and semi-private use • Creates connectivity to Exmouth Market through the development of a linear market alley way • Connection created with the implementation of a new pedestrian crossing leading to the alley filled with mixed-use retail and office space DISADVANTAGES

site area 35,300m2

total plot area 15,810m2

residential total floor area 43,866m2 (70%)

plot coverage 45%

commercial floor area 18,800m2 (30%)

gross floor area 78,333m2

FAR 2.22

residential units 1 bedroom: 150 50m2 680

• Design consists of multiple small pockets of greenspace, rather than one centralized large space • Focuses on a greater sense of enclosure and privacy for the residents who reside in the buildings, rather than creating a space that promotes usage to the public Linear market space could possibly create a feeling of segregation from the surrounding properties due to the large amount of semi-private spaces

2 bedroom: 410 65m2 3 bedroom: 120 80m2

population density: 377 people/Ha residential density: 193 units/Ha

2 Mount Pleasant

SCHEME 2

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

2 Mount Pleasant

FINAL MASTERPLAN strong edge to busy junction

new, small public square

new retaildominant high street

strong connection to Exmouth Market, helped by the presence of a large public space and legible entrance to the linear park

attractive public linear park improving connections and setting of Royal Mail Museum

large shared surface for cars, pedestrians and cy-

new green space with a more semi-private nature

new node and public square, further linking development with Exmouth Market through a view

CONCEPT

Considering the size of the development site and our identified opportunity to establish a new distinct character area on site, we explored the idea of establishing a distinct and uniform typology across the site and we looked in more detail at the use of the podium typology. Drawing inspiration from several examples particularly from Vancouver, we concluded that implementing this typology would have several benefits.

Furthermore, a good precedent study is of Namba Parks, a massive retail and office compound in Osaka, has an eight level of roof gardens that features tree groves, lawns, ponds and space to grow vegetables.

Secondly, it allowed us to set back the main buildings on top of the podiums further, helping alleviate any sense of perceived density throughout the development.

Finally, this typology, which is beginning to emerge as an exciting and modern solution for separating commercial and residential development, would help create a distinct identity for the site.

First of all, it allowed us to supply the residential blocks with clearly defined semi-private space, well separated from the public spaces across the site.

2 Mount Pleasant

FINAL MASTERPLAN CENTRAL COURT - NEW NODES & PUBLIC SPACE The courtyard introduces a new high quality public realm.

Central Court acts as an attractive neighbourhood connection centre. The central location provides a sense of security and visitors.

MUSEUM PLAZA - PERMEABILITY The plaza creates connectivity and interaction between Central Court while providing a legible public space. The plaza was created based on adaptability. If the Phoneix Place Supercycle Highway is implemented, the Museum Plaza area is open for change.

PHOENIX PLAZA - PERMEABILITY & GREENSPACE The park plaza adds aesthetic diversity to the site by acting as a greenspace with various passages of connectivity.

The area acts as a new miniature park space that can be appreciated by residents and employees in the surrounding area. This green passage not only creates a new point of access, but provides an attractive outdoor area.

MARKET ALLEY - EXMOUTH MARKET CONNECTION The new market space is a commercial corridor arch. The market adds economic value to the neighbourhood by providing high quality services and retail infrastructure.

LINEAR PARK - GREENSPACE The horizontal park brings biodiversity benefits while acting as an attraction with a unique landscape design. The public park gives residents and visitors the opportunity to utilise a new place space.

2 Mount Pleasant

FINAL MASTERPLAN

GROUND FLOOR LANDUSE The mixed-use space on the ground floor creates an opportunity for commercial space that can be utilised by residents. New office and retail space has the ability to contribute employment opportunities to the neighbourhood while adding economic value to the area.

The ground floor land-use has potential to provide amenities that are currently lacking in the adjacent districts. Various offices are located near the site and would be able to unitlise retail.

OPEN SPACE The demand for new public space is addressed with a combination of hard and soft spaces within the site.

The soft green spaces are intended for recreational use and act as a square that is open to the public.

The objective of additional greenspace was met by the creation of new park linear design. The linear park act as an attraction while providing ecological aesthetics.

The centralised paved square spaces act as areas open for mixed use.

STREET TYPES & HIERARCHY

PEDESTRIAN ROUTES

Street access to the site is vital for pedestrians, businesses, and Royal Mail. Underground space beneath the buildings will be utilised as a service entrance or parking area for Royal Maila and future commercial businesses.

Although the new design is focused on pedestrians, it is essential to take into consideration the demand for disability parking and commercial service space.

The primary routes are intended to be shared with cyclists, while bicycle parking will be placed on the secondary routes for the convenience for residents and visitors in the area.

Unlike most masterplan design, this unique plan was designed as a result of the need for new pedestrian junctions. The variety of pedestrian routes create a connection between the existing structures and each new building within the plan.

A key element in the design pattern is North, South, East, West connectivity that contributes to the character of the area. This connectivity is achieved by a web pattern throughout the site providing various nodes of accessibility. The pedestrian routes between each building structure is designed with a clear legibility and easy to reach access.

2 Mount Pleasant

FINAL MASTERPLAN site area 35,300m2 total plot area 15,260m2 43% gross floor area 96,448m2

63,182m2 (25% for circulation)

residential total floor area 438,66m2 (70%) commercial floor area 188,00m2 (30%)

770 1 bedroom: 253 50m2 2 bedroom: 433 70m2 3 bedroom: 84 90m2 population density: 388 people/Ha residential density: 218 units/Ha

2 Mount Pleasant

FINAL MASTERPLAN

2 Mount Pleasant

THE PROJECT CONTEXT

The study area located in the

Semi-public Spaces

north of Canary Wharf. This is an area where social inequality in London becomes visible. On the south side of the highway and the DLR, one of the major financial districts in Europe, and on the north side, an area with social housing and low-income households.

The arrival of the Crossrail and the regeneration schemes are some of the challenges that the area will face in the next few years. This is an area in the process of transformation and the approach for intervening in these area will influence whether the changes are for a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable future or not.

Private Spaces Public Spaces

POTENTIAL FOR POPLAR Public spaces identified on the map are potential sites for Popganic gardens to be established in the future, should demand in the area grow. Poplar has an abundance of open spaces which can be used for growing crops.

3 Popganic Garden

PROPOSAL NANKIN STREET

Nankin Community Garden is located in the western side of Poplar,and within it is some neglected space with potential. The neglected space can potentially be made into a community garden, because of its location between two rows of housing facing the space. This is hoped to attract residents to participate in the development of the community garden. The garden is dedicated to growing vegetables

and some herbs. The design of this garden utilizes boxes to house the plants. The community will able to manage the boxes and plants according to their needs and desire.

3 Popganic Garden

PROPOSAL CHRISPS MARKET PAVILION

The boxes are arranged in a way that they can be used as a place for learning and recreation

This area will have vegetations produced

by Poplar’s community garden

Chrisp Market Pavilion will be located in the western side of Chrisp Market.

Chrisp Market will function as a central area that connects to the proposed community garden. Residents will have the opportunity to sell the produce they grew at the community garden in the weekend market, so Chrisp Market plays an important role. The idea to build a pavilion is aimed to facilitate the community and outsiders to learn about what plants are grown at Poplar, and how to grow them. This pavilion also functions as public art to engage residents to play and learn, so it is hoped that the knowledge about this community garden will not stop at just one generation but will continue on to the next.

This area will provide information on how to grow plants inside the boxes

3 Popganic Garden

MASTER PLAN GREEN ROUTES

Chrisp Market Pavilion will be located in the western side of Chrisp Market. Chrisp Market will function as a central area that connects to the proposed community garden. Residents will have the opportunity to sell the produce they grew at the community garden in the weekend market, so Chrisp Market plays an important role. The idea to build a pavilion is aimed to facilitate the community and outsiders to learn about what plants are grown at Poplar, and how to grow them. This pavilion also functions as public art to engage residents to play and learn, so it is hoped that the knowledge about this community garden will not stop at just one generation but will continue on to the next.

3 Popganic Garden

THE PROJECT CONTEXT Choose an area / neighbourhood

in central or inner London, study and experience its urban fabric and public spaces in regards to Layout: urban structure and urban grain and Character and sense of place.

The project will begin by examining each concept individually. Firstly, explore the emergence of the discourse, and elucidate key definitions and concepts.

Then, key debates within the literature will be highlighted. Lastly, methodologies used to explore the concept are discussed.

Prominent themes and methodologies highlighted within the literature will then be used to formulate a toolkit. This toolkit will act as the foundation for our site analysis and comparison. We will explore and analyse both concepts, and their relationship with one another, using the case studies of Bank and Fitzroy Square.

BANK Bank, located in the City of London, acts as a vibrant business district.

The site has been associated with commerce since the 1500’s, with the Bank of England building being constructed in 1734. The area is filled with civic buildings; many of which have been transformed to house offices and retail spaces. Our site is centred around the main Bank junction; an area characterised by its heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

FITZROY SQUARE Fitzroy Square is a Georgian area, located in central London. The square itself was pedestrianised in the 1970’s, and all green space is considered semiprivate, as only residents are allowed to enter. The surrounding area is of a similar Georgian style, with the exception of more modern developments, such as the BT tower. Our site is bordered by Euston Road and Tottenham Court Road; two extremely traffic-intensive streets.

4 Bank & Fitzroy Square

TOOLKIT CONCEPT

RESASONS FOR ANALYSIS

METHODS OF ANALYSIS

REASONS FOR METHOD

INFLUENCED BY...

Rowe & Koetter (1978)

DEFINITIONS

Block Sizes

To see if permeable networks effect pedestrian flows

• Figure Ground

To visualise the relationship between built and unbuilt space

Street Pattern

To assess the significance of street structure for movement patterns

• Route Hierarchy • Space Syntax • Tissue Analysis

To visualise the hierachical order and coherence of the city

Marshall (2004), Jenkins (2008)

• Historic Regression • Tissue Analysis

To visually compare historic maps to assess changes

Jenkins (2008)

Historic Analysis

To see how layout has changed

Legibility

To understand the ease with which people can • Lynch Map understand the layout of a place

To see how people identify and characterise space

Lynch (1984)

Land Use Analysis

To see if land use effects experience and place-image

• Observational Mapping

To examine land-use maps in conjunction with human activities

Merlino (2014)

Temporal Experiences

To examine how sense of place can be temporal

• Photographic Research Diaries

To visually emphasise busyness

Latham (2003)

Sensorial Experiences

To understand how people form place associations

• Observational Mapping

To spatially represent experiences

Powell (2010) Degen & Rose (2012)

Enclosure and Pedestrian Experience

How frontages, building heights and street width effect experiences

• Street Wall Analysis

To visually understand how Jacobs (1993) street characteristics influence experiences

WHY THESE SITES? • Both areas have different street patterns; Bank has an organic, medieval street pattern with multiple public spaces, and Fitzroy has a grid design with one central garden.

• Both areas have different users, & uses; Bank is a business area, whilst Fitzroy has more fixed uses.

• Architecturally, the areas are different; Bank has a more cohesive style.

Although contested concepts, for the purpose of research, we have adopted the following definitions. It is felt that due to their less contentious nature, Layout and Form do not need to be defined again.

•

Sense of Place

‘‘Subjective or emotional attachment people have to place’’

•

Character

Qualities that make a place distinguishable

•

Character of Place

Geographically distinguishable areas

WHY COMPARE TWO SITES? • To illustrate how sense of place is influenced by morphology.

• To show how different morphologies produce areas of dissimilar character.

4 Bank & Fitzroy Square

LEGIBILITY & IMAGEABILITY

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Bank contains a lot of office buildings. As such, the area is characterised by its temporal distinctiveness; with streets being extremely busy during rush hour times, and noticeably quieter during the evening.

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Bank contains numerous civic buildings, which add historic value to the area. In addition, the religious buildings that are found on this site, add another layer to the historic fabric of built form.

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Residential

Commercial Station Religious

Pubs & Bars Takeway Restaurants Student Accomodation

Retail

Museums Hotels

STREET NETWORK

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Each primary route has branches of secondary streets.

“WORKING HERE, THE BUILDINGS LOSE THEIR STATUS”

Respondent’s mental maps shows a number of landmarks including The Exchange and the main statue. Bank Junction is seen as the only node within the area.

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The contrast between main roads and smaller alley ways is most evident in the northwestern part of Bank.

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The radial street pattern is characterised by Bank Junction, smaller streets and pedestrianised alley ways.

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4 Bank & Fitzroy Square

LEGIBILITY & IMAGEABILITY

LAND USE

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Office buildings and cafe spaces ensure that some areas of the site are busy during working hours; however, these areas only experience temporal vibrancy.

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Tottenham Court Road is an extremely busy street, filled with retail uses. In contrast to the square, this accessible space is vibrant, and encourages pedestrian movement.

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Fitzroy Square is surrounded by businesses and embassy’s; yet, the central green space is accessible to residents only. Furthermore, the lack of restaurants and retail in the area limit the vibrancy of the square.

Commercial Restaurants Civic Buildings Religious

Museums Retails & Stores

Pubs & Bars Takeaways Underconstruction

Retail Hotels

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This area has a regularised street pattern, that has been influenced by the Georgian typology, grouped around the central square.

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* “BT TOWER DOMINATES THE SKY ”

Respondent’s mental maps shows a number of landmarks including The BT Tower and Fitzroy Gardens.

Warren Street Station is seen as the only node within the area.

4 Bank & Fitzroy Square

ENCLOSURE AND PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE

Building heights and rhythm, Moorgate

BLOCK SIZES A consistent wall facade establishes an enclosed, pleasantly proportioned street space, which has a human scale within the 8m-wide road reserve.Whilst building heights remain uniform among Bank‘s streets, road widths range dramatically.

Thus, levels of enclosure are stronger in narrow alley ways.

Height-to-width ratio: 1:1.5, Moorgate

Pedestrian crossing routes (informal) during peak hours

Pedestrians in Bank were found to use narrow alley ways as shortcuts to reach their destinations. As such, these narrow streets provide an interesting streetscape, and an increased permeability.

The underground station heavily influences pedestrian flows.

Pedestrian movement is also influenced by Bank‘s proximity to London tourist attractions (e.g. St Pauls).

The size of the blocks reflect Bank‘s historic layout.

Although of a large size, they are punctuated with narrow alley ways and side streets. Blocks are of an irregular shape, adding to the distinctiveness of Banks character. Buildings located on the junction occupy whole blocks, meaning permeability is reliant upon historic thoroughfares.

4 Bank & Fitzroy Square

BLOCK SIZES

ENCLOSURE AND PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE

Frontage and building placement, Tottenham Court Road

Building heights and rhythm, Warren Street

Wide streets, and low building heights, limit the sense of enclosure felt by pedestrians.

However, there is a greater consistancy of enclosure towards the Northern side of the square, this is due to the continuation of the terraces along Fitzroy and Conway Street.

The more regularised blocks provide a more continuous streetwall, but in turn, the longer blocks allow for much larger building footprints and building grain.

Height-to-width ratio: 1:1.3, Fitzroy Square Fitzroy Garden is used as a short-cut for pedestrians travelling towards Warren Street Station. Pedestrian flows in this area are of a temporal nature.

Movement is heavily influenced by sensorial experiences; people avoid using Euston Road due to its heavily vehicular traffic. The pedestrianised nature of Fitzroy Square enables people to use a quieter route. However, despite its vehicular traffic, people still use Tottenham Court Road, due to its diverse land use and non-conformity in building style.

Pedestrian flows would be altered if Fitzroy Garden, itself, was opened up to the public; creating a more prominent destination in the area.

4 Bank & Fitzroy Square

FINDINGS CONCEPT

BANK

FITZROY SQUARE

Block Sizes

The size of the blocks reflect Bank‘s historic layout. Although of a large size, they are punctuated with narrow alley ways and side streets. Blocks are of an irregular shape, adding to the distinctiveness of Banks character.

Long, square blocks enable buildings of a large scale and massing.

Despite the usual positive connotations with the traditional grid style, within Fitzroy the large blocks decrease pedestrian permeability.

Street Pattern

Radial street network focussed around Bank Junction which is the intersection for all the major vehicular routes. Smaller alleys flows between them.

The significance of Euston Road and Tottenham Court Road dominant the street hierarchy.

Historic Analysis

Poultry, Cornhill and Lombard Street have long been the established roads in the area since 1630. Blocks seem to have grown over time to today where they are the largest they have been. Area has always been of importance due to civic uses.

A designed place of which the grid has stayed the same. Other than the Georgian buildings, everything has been rebuilt all of which still remains within the grid.

The area is relatively legible despite a more complex, denser movement network. There are many of what you could consider ‘landmark’ buildings in the area but they are often lost in the overall character of the place. Bank station is the most picked out element in the area.

The area has a strong legibility due to the grid street pattern, despite relatively few of each of Lynch’s elements. Fitzroy Garden is the most picked out element in the area by the members of the public.

Land Use Analysis

There have been changes in land use over time, but still the area maintains some civic functions but it now predominantly offices supported by retail and food outlets.

There is no retail around the public space which is restrict to the amount of pedestrian activity within the area.

Temporal Experiences

Bank is busiest during the weekdays because of the large amount of offices in the area. This means at the weekend it’s a lot quieter and slower: effecting visitor experience.

Fitzroy square is mainly used during the working day. There are very few reasons to visit this area during the evening.

Sensorial Experiences

Bank is visually distinctive as an area within London due to the it’s iconic architecture. However sensorial experiences are limited due to a large amount of inactive frontages.

Fitzroy Square offers unique visual, smell and touch experiences. The green square offers a sense of tranquility. This is contrasted by the experiences felt on Tottenham Court Road. The sense of place is further enhanced by the repetive pattern of Georgian facades.

Enclosure and Pedestrian Experience

Narrow streets provide a constrasting sense of enclosure compared to the wider vehicular routes. This shapes pedestrian experiences and increases walkability in the area.

The central green space is confined by the surrounding built form; continuous facades demarcate the square’s boundary.

Legibility & imageability

photography

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, Spain

London, UK

London, UK