A Landscape for Deptford
THE MAKING OF W AT E R M A N WHARF
by Lesley M Perez
Deptford's long-dormant yet historic riverfront is set for redevelopment as part of the 16.6ha Convoy's Wharf regeneration scheme.
The proposal herein is driven by the belief that in order to create a truly vibrant waterfront with appeal to the wider community Deptford’s unique cultural identity must be celebrated and along this important site. From its rich naval history to its time as a foreign cattle market and then a shipping wharf, the brief recognises the riverfront’s heritage as a highly eventful and productive space, and asks the proposal to reinterpret that heritage for a new generation. A key objective is to address the perceived exclusivity of the proposed Convoy’s development by inviting community groups to become active stakeholders of the site. Viewing the landscape as a performance space, the proposal’s goal is to set the stage for events that as they are enacted, experienced and repeated help to strengthen local cohesion and distinctiveness.
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F A Master’s Portfolio by Lesley M Perez University of Greenwich MA Landscape Architecture London, October 2016 ID 00857506–1
3
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION: RE-ENGAGING THE RIVER — 11
1 COMMUNITY PA G E S 1 5 – 2 6 1.1
S U P P O R T I N G LO C A L A C T O R S — 1 7
1.2
S U S TA I N I N G A B O AT- B A S E D L E G A C Y — 2 5
1.3
M I X I N G P E O P L E U P — 3 1
2 CHOREOGRAPHY PA G E S 3 7 – 6 0 2.1
T H E W AT E R M A N C U T T E R — 3 9
2.2
E N V I R O N M E N TA L DY N A M I C S — 4 7
2.3
W R I T I N G T H E L A N D S C A P E — 5 3
3 EVENT PA G E S 6 1 – 8 2 3.1
A C T I O N A N D S E Q U E N C E — 6 3
3.2
T H E W O R KS H O P — 6 7
3.3
T H E D E C K — 7 1
3.4
T H E L A U N C H — 7 5
3.5
T H E B A S I N — 7 9
CONCLUSION: CONSTRUCTING EXPERIENCE — 85 4
Convoys Wharf in its local context
Convoys Wharf as Deptford Dockyard in the late 18th century
Convoys Wharf today, with the towers of Canary Wharf in the background
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Re-engaging the river For nearly 500 years the River Thames was a crucial aspect of Deptford's identity. But many of today's young residents are barely aware of its presence. How can the relationship between residents and the river be restored for a new generation?
Early on during the initial research for this project I spoke with several Deptford residents at various locations across the neighbourhood. I was attempting to unearth what places and spaces they valued most in their community. As typically happens in these instances, I didn’t come away with the type of answers I had originally been seeking. Few people mentioned specific places unless directly prompted. What they did want to talk about were things like local memories that spanned generations, the area’s strong sense of community, self-sufficiency and its constant and highly dynamic capacity for change.
The Golden Hind at Deptford dockyards early in its history, circa 1581
11
INTRODUCTION
Very few residents mentioned the Thames, despite the fact that Deptford enjoys approximately 900m of river frontage. One person who did speak directly about the river lamented: “Why would people want to live by the river? It’s dead and the only thing you see going up and down it is the clippers anymore.” In fact this quote was instructive. Its speaker had lived in Deptford for more than 40 years and remembered a time when riverfront was actively used as a port. He recalled the sailors and labourers and ships, and smiled at memories of being able to go and share a drink with them on the barge bars. But the dockyard ceased all operations 17 years ago, and with that stroke more than half of Deptford’s river frontage was sealed off from the community. As a result, the area has mostly turned its back on the river and concentrated its energies southward, nearer the bustling transport links, studios, cafés and universities. The regeneration of Convoys Wharf is first and foremost an opportunity to give the Thames back to Deptford. But clearly it’s not going to be enough simply to re-open this stretch of land, backed as it will be by enormous and controversial new high-rise towers. To re-engage Deptford with the river the landscape also needs to come back to life: once again dynamic and productive, bringing different portions of the population together to engage with the events unfolding along its waters. This proposal sees community activation as essential in this regard. Through a focus on activity, it seeks to reinstate the performative aspects of the landscape that made it a such a draw for previous generations.
An architectural model of the proposed Convoys Wharf development, 2013
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Features and histories of Deptford's current riverfront corridor
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COMMUNITY 1 .1 S U P P O R T I N G LO CA L ACTO R S
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AHOY Centre shipmates in training 15
COMMUNITY
1 .1
1— COMMUNITY The nearby AHOY Centre, one of the last places along the Thames to still build rowing boats by hand, acts as a catalyst for a community based shaping of the landscape.
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
1.1
Supporting local actors If the riverfront is to become a living, productive 'performance' space, the first task is to identify what local actors can most effectively utilise this stage.
The AHOY Centre, a watersports charity, is tucked between residential towers, an old electrical plant and a rotting jetty. 17
COMMUNITY
1 .1
S U P P O R T I N G LO CA L ACTO R S
About 500 metres east of Convoy’s riverfront is the AHOY Centre, a charity providing important services for disadvantaged and/or handicapped youth in the area through teaching watersports, leadership and boatbuilding skills. Arguably this small centre is the last legacy of Deptford’s naval history, and it is also being deeply attuned to the needs of the current community. The AHOY Centre began operations in 2003, and predominantly serves youth in Lewisham and Greenwich. Its offering is tailored to provide skills and confidence-building experiences for people who for whom a traditional classroombased education has proved difficult. This includes a particularly notable activity that isn’t found anywhere else in London: youth apprenticeships in boatbuilding. The AHOY Centre is one of only two places in wider London that still makes Waterman Cutters, a traditional fixed-seat rowing boat that once ruled the Thames. Currently, the centre operates from a small plot of land tucked between residential developments just east of Convoys Wharf. It has no public interface and little visibility within the community. Furthermore, they have no room to grow, despite a increasing demand for their offering and grand ambitions to serve a wider proportion of the community.
The Centre is located just east of Convoys Wharf along a highly residential portion Pepys of the Thames Path. Park
Isle of Dogs
The Wharves Development site
Site boundary
Convoy's Wharf
Main site entrance
The AHOY Centre Sayes Court Park
Deptfo
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
What they do Using the medium of sailing, rowing and watersports, they AHOY Centre teaches transferable and employable vocational skills while also breaking down social barriers.
APPRENTICES S H I P M AT E S A volunteer programme for 8 to 18 year-olds, aimed at empowering disadvantaged and/or at risk youth. Volunteers pledge to be trained in all aspects of the charity – sailing, rowing, maintenance, admin, fundraising, etc. so they can in turn help and teach others. Shipmates meet weekly on Saturdays from 09:15 – 16:30.
A year-long programme structured to build professional skills for young people aged 16–24 years old, leading to qualifications including NVQs, NCFEs, BTechs, RYA (Royal Yachting Association) & BR (British Rowing). The centre offers two types of apprenticeships: 1) Boat Building and 2) Activity Leadership.
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SAILABILITY The Centre is a certified RYA (Royal Yachting Association) Sailability Centre for disabled people and its facilities have full wheelchair access. Volunteers learn skills through watersports activities and have access to a range of boats that are adapted to enable disabled users to sail or row them, including one with state-of-the art steering
COMMUNITY
1 .1
S U P P O R T I N G LO CA L ACTO R S
There is something very special going on at the AHOY and I would recommend to everyone to pop down and have a look. The quality of the staff and volunteers combined with the excitement of sailing on the Thames leads to life-changing experiences. You really do see your most vulnerable children redefining themselves as l e a r n e r s a n d a c h i e v e r s . Headmaster of St. John the Baptist school, Lewisham
R YA S K I L L S As an RYA training centre, the AHOY offers paid short courses in sailing, powerboat skills, first aid and theory to anyone who would like to learn watersports skills. Courses typically run across weekends. The centre offers reduced rates for groups and for their own volunteers.
TEAMBUILDING Corporate Responsibility activities are an important source of outreach and funding for the centre. The AHOY offers team-building days that include relay sessions their rowing gym, rowing training and races, and other volunteer activities. They also run several sector-themed rowing races down the Thames throughout the year for teams to fundraise and participate in. 20
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
A vision for the community With Clive Ongley, CEO and Clair Ongley, Operations Manager
T he AHOY C e n t r e i s i nspired b y C l i v e ' s o wn exper i e n c e a s a young p e r s o n w h o s truggled w i t h a t radition a l s c h o o l s ystem ed u c a t i o n .
Clive Ongley (CV)— The AHOY Centre started in 2003. Our mission is to utilise rowing and sailing as the medium for learning and education. Also, rowing is great at just mixing people up.
Clair Ongley (CL)— We find that watersport is a great medium because it requires exceptional discipline and communication. The inherent risk helps people fall in line, and people gain selfconfidence as they succeed and overcome initial fears. About 75% of the work we do is with disadvantaged youth, and a further 25% is with people wishing to earn RYA qualifications. We can support about 650-900 youth per year depending on funding. The AHOY relies on grants, donations and fundraising initiatives to fund its work, and all of these have to be applied for constantly – grant applications have only about a 3% success rate – so it’s very time consuming. We are desperate for some sort of self-sustaining funding.
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COMMUNITY
1 .1
S U P P O R T I N G LO CA L ACTO R S
CV— With the apprentices, each one we take on costs approximately £8 grand to support plus the living wage so no attitudes are allowed. We take people from any background – it more depends on attitude. Many of our apprentices lack basic literacy skills when they come in, so teaching often starts at that stage.
CL— Our shipmates programme is for disadvantaged youth aged 8–18, and teaches important life skills through boating-related activities. Shipmates stay with the AHOY for on average 2–3 years, however we’ve had several people carry on for longer. One lad with us now has been coming for eight+ years. We started the boatbuilding apprentice scheme about two years ago, targeting youth aged 16–21. We can take about 10–15 people per year, however problems at home frequently cause kids to drop out of the programme. It’s unfortunate. It takes about eight weeks start to finish to build a Waterman Cutter, however it can take longer in the winter when paint and epoxy takes longer to dry in the workshop tent. Since starting two years ago we’ve built four boats and sold three of them, although we don’t make much of a profit. They are popular with livery companies and are becoming a bit of a cult item.
CV— We are also now building ‘community boats’. The idea is to have many more boats in order to get more people involved. In order to do what we really want to do though we need a much bigger premises. We are always running out of classroom space and the work tent just insufficient—it was supposed to be temporary. Also, operating off a slipway wastes a lot of time. We were in talks with Fairview to develop the coal jetty just off-site with more storage, a floating pontoon and a “proper workshop”, but next thing we knew it had been sold off privately at auction.
CL—There is a huge demand for our offering. We’d also love to offer residential dorms to get kids out of toxic home environments and help them succeed. The dream is that every child in Lewisham could spend at least 2 days per week at the AHOY, as we have such great success rates with improving discipline, sociability and ambition in youth.
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Events and activities What happens and where
C r e a t i on Woodworking/Carpentry Fibreglass work Painting and varnishing Sanding Gluing Fitting Drilling
Preparation Classroom lectures Equipment training Simulation Demonstrations Boat rigging Boat maintenance
Realisation Boat launching Sailing Rowing Training runs Racing Docking/Mooring
Celebration Watching Photographing Cheering Medal ceremonies Toasts Reflecting
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COMMUNITY
1 .1
S U P P O R T I N G LO CA L ACTO R S
Carpentry workshop
Boatbuilding tent
Storage facility
total floorspace: 12.15m2 worktops and storage total floorspace: 71.5m2 fits 2 Waterman Cutters Slipway
Avg length x width: 50m x 10m accomodates double usage
Activities: Fibreglass work Metalwork Boat assembly Painting Varnishing
Activities: Wood cutting Wood working Sanding Varnishing
total floorspace: 37m2 2 stories Activities: Storing and removing gear Notes: Linked to wheelchair lift
Notes: Public access
Event/dining space
Parking spaces
Activities: Boat cleaning Boat maintenance
total floorspace: 49.5m2 3 offices Activities: Small meetings Paperwork Phone calls Computer work Planning
Activities: Boat launching Boat landing
total floorspace: 193m2 fits 3 Waterman Cutters, 19 dinghys, 5 powerboats
Administration
Classroom
Reception/classroom
Rowing gym total floorspace: 197.5m2 including wheelchair lift
total floorspace: 71.5m2 teaching area + facilities Activities: Teaching/learning Boat maintenance
total floorspace: 71.5m2 linked rowing machines
Notes: partitionable space
Activities: Training Exercise Notes: high standard/new
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Activities: Welcoming visitors Displaying incormation Teaching/learning
total floorspace: 187.5m2 not including balcony Activities: Social dinners Awards ceremonies Special events Teaching/learning Race watching Notes: small kitchen
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
1.2
Sustaining a boat-based legacy The AHOY Centre's boatbuilding activities are arguably the last remaining vestige of Deptford's celebrated shipbuilding history.
A notable aspect of the proposal site it its significant historical role in shipbuilding from the Middle Ages until 1869. In 1513, Henry VIII founded The Royal Dockyard within the area now known as Convoy’s Wharf in Deptford. It soon developed into the most important of the Tudor naval bases. During this period, a Great Basin was created by enclosing a natural tidal pool on the site. Archaeological evidence of the dry docks, mast ponds, the basin and the slipways remain in the Convoys Wharf riverfront site.
In the Seventeenth Century, the Dockyard grew in importance and was developed further. This included revisions to the structure of the Great Basin, as well as new slipways to the south of it. Although Deptford was second in importance to Chatham dockyards, it was often chosen for new or experimental construction due to its location. Following the Napoleonic Wars, the Dockyard was maintained only as a depot for small maintenance work and ship breaking. Shipbuilding returned in the 1830’s when the navy needed to increase their shipbuilding capacity in order to rapidly build up their steam-powered fleet. The Dockyard was expanded, and by the second half of the nineteenth century, was at its maximum extent but past its peak usage. It finally closed in 1869 and was split into three. The majority became the City of London’s Foreign Cattle Market, the north part including both the mast ponds was taken into the Royal Victoria Victualling Yard, and the south-western part of the site including the old Manor House was sold back to the Evelyn family. 25
COMMUNITY
1.2
S U S TA I N I N G A B O AT- B A S E D L E G A C Y
Basin
Slipways
Slip
1698 Royal Naval Dockyard Few if any structures protruded into the river itself. Instead, the river was invited inland through a series of basins and slips.
Basin
Landing stage
Mooring Landing dolphins stage
1890 Foreign Cattle Market As use became more focused on receiving imports during its period as a cattle market, structures were built for mooring and unloading.
Landing stage
1910 Foreign Cattle Market By this point, the basins and inland docks had been sealed over and a linear jetty was built to allow for increased mooring activity.
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Mooring Causeway points
Causeway
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Boat-building as craft The AHOY Centre is significant as one of only two places in Greater London to still be engaged in the building of Waterman Cutter-style traditional wooden rowing boats. It is the only place in East London to offer boat building and boat repairs. Boatbuilding at the AHOY is undertaken as part of their apprenticeship programme, aimed at teaching skills in carpentry, fibre glassing and mechanics for work in the construction and boatbuilding industries. The design of the Waterman Cutter’s is based on the traditional passenger rowing ferries which were used on the River Thames from the 18th Century onward. They are fast, light and strong – and although now essentially a hobby racing craft, they are comfortable for training, casual rowing and traditional boat regattas such as London’s Great River Race. They can be rowed by four to six people. It takes approximately eight weeks from start to finish to make a single cutter at the AHOY. Visiting the Centre over several weekends and speaking with various volunteers enabled a better understanding of the steps involved in constructing one of these hand-crafted vessels. In anticipation of re-framing the process into a more performative craft, the main actions being undertaken were observed and catalogued as follows:
In the drawing at right, the stages of boat craft have been catalogued, starting with the building up of the fibreglass hull through to final fitting of wooden parts.
Unrolling
Brushing
Drilling
Slicing
Sanding
Clamping
Fitting
Carving
Cutting
Lifting
Pushing
Waxing
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Product
Action
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
1.2
Sequence
Time
Week 1
COMMUNITY S U S TA I N I N G A B O AT- B A S E D L E G A C Y
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
C urrent ly the AHOY p ractic es the majo r i t y o f i ts boa tcraft is i n s i d e a stret ched canvas t e n t .
3— Woodworking is a significant and timeconsuming aspect of construction
1— Apprentices are shown inside the workshop
tent with two finished Waterman Cutters
Fibreglass w o r k , carpentry, r e p a i r s , painting and f i n i s h i n g all happen l a r g e l y i n the same spa c e
2— Boat repairs and refinishing also take place inside the tent. All along
the walls, tools and parts are stored
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COMMUNITY
1.2
S U S TA I N I N G A B O AT- B A S E D L E G A C Y
6— A small carpentry workshop contains several tables fitted with clamps
Finished boats a r e stored outside a d j a c e n t to the tent, p r o p p e d on tyres or st a c k e d in racks
4— Boats bring together fibreglass,
joinery and metalworking skills
7— Interior parts are fit to size inside the hull before being taken out, waxed and then fixed in place
5— Wood strips
must be moulded to fit the curvilinear hull.
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
1.3
Mixing people up Through distinctive community programme and placemaking, the proposal aims to make Waterman Wharf a pull for wider Deptford in order to re-link the local population to its riverfront.
One of the most frequent critiques of the Convoys Wharf redevelopment project is that it is likely to create a bubble of social exclusion precisely within an area of high cultural and historical value to the Deptford. As Ellis Woodman of The Spectator notes, “The fact that Deptford is the poorest ward in a borough that ranks among the 10 per cent poorest in England invites little confidence that many Convoys residents will work locally. Indeed, as the provision of 1,800 parking spaces confirms, what is envisaged is not so much an integrated piece of city as a commuter enclave with a nice view“ (Woodman, 2014). The map at right highlights hubs of Deptford’s creative community and shows how an activated riverfront will knit into this
The primary objective of the proposal is to resist exactly this sort of outcome. It recognises that current proposals to turn the jetty into a ‘river park’ fall short of providing little more than largely overshadowed greenspace for the existing community. Deptford is recognised by and large for its sense of diversity and creative possibility. The community is characterised by a lively DIY spirit evidenced in local institutions such as the high street market and the annual Deptford X arts festival. Engaging the AHOY Centre to activate the public realm at Convoys is a natural extension of that identity. It puts currently under-celebrated local actors to work on the riverfront—whose craft, watersports offering and racing events will form a draw for the wider community. Importantly, the layering of productive and leisure use along the riverfront will create the opportunity for different activities and populations to come into contact with each other across this locally important site. 31
COMMUNITY
1.3
MIXING PEOPLE UP
N
“You used to be able to go and have a drink on one of the ships. Sometimes there were so many of them out there you could almost walk between them.” – pub drinker
“Why would we want to build Henry VII’s ship there when we’ve got all this here, and that wharf that’s just sitting there and can’t be used and we’re working with local people.” Known buried shipyard ruins
– charity fundraiser
“The Goldsmiths students would put on plays over at the playground. We’d let them use the back rooms for changing space. They would make costumes here and everything.” – pub landlady
“They would dig a hole sometimes at the playground and make a fire. They’d do things that you can only do in the countryside.”
Axis
– volunteer
“Down here years ago there was a fairground run by a Gypsy family, the Botton’s. It was all illegal... illegal gambling, dodgems.” – shopkeeper
Community Nonprofit groups and social spaces providing for local young people Performing arts Theatre and dance organisations
“If the market closes that it; I’m leaving London.” – art student
Visual arts Artist studios and galleries
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Social context With nearly 80 inhabitants per hectare, Deptford is one of the most densely populated constituencies in the UK. Out of 659 constituencies, it is ranked 18th. Ethnic minorities make up 43% of residents, and a significant black community comprises approximately 30% of the population. Deptford is also home to the 4th largest Chinese population in the UK. Deptford falls within the London Borough of Lewisham. London’s Poverty Profile 2015 places Lewisham in the bottom eight boroughs of the city overall. The report cites a high level of deprivation across the area, including high rates of unemployment, poor health and low educational attainment amongst children and young people. The Evelyn Ward, where the proposal site is located, falls within the most deprived 10% of English neighbourhoods.
Site selection Waterman Wharf
River foreshore Accessible beach area during low tide cycles.
Youth provision Schools, Nonprofit and social spaces targeted to local young people. Circulation Accessibility of the urban grain, including access to the river foreshore
Buildings Residential, commercial, educational and other premises. Tree canopy Exiting and planned tree cover
Public greenspace Parks, fields, play areas lawns and wildlife areas with public access
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COMMUNITY
2.3
MIXING PEOPLE UP
The Evelyn Ward is also characterised by a large proportion of social housing tenants. Approximately 59% of residents currently rent their accommodation from the council.
Convoys Wharf has been vacant since 1999 when News International ceased operations at the site. Hutchinson Whampoa acquired it in 2005.
North Deptford and New Cross are currently the sites of several major new developments as part of Lewisham’s regeneration strategy. North Deptford in particular is host to four large-scale redevelopment projects that Lewisham Council says could provide over half of the borough’s new housing provision for the period 2011–2026 as well as significant amounts of new business space. In the context of these statistics, it remains an important balancing act to ensure that Deptford’s special character and history is not wiped out by ambitious but insensitive regeneration.
Site selection Waterman Wharf
Recent redevelopment Areas having undergone redevelopment in the past fifteen years
Future redevelopment Areas currently being developed, and with planning to be developed Circulation Accessibility of the urban grain, including access to the river foreshore
Social housing Housing areas likely to have a high percentage of disadvantaged people
Public riverfront Publicly accessible river frontage
River foreshore Accessible beach area during low tide cycles.
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Proposal operations By relocating the AHOY Centre’s boat-related activities to Convoys riverfront, their important communityrelated work is given a broader stage. Through the performance of boat-related craft, learning and skill a dynamic Deptford-specific riverfront that celebrates the area’s past and present character emerges.
The AHOY Centre a public stage
community recognition
additional space for private activities enables expansion of the centre’s mission
Administration
Training
Lodging
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COMMUNITY
2.3
MIXING PEOPLE UP
Convoys riverfront
relocating boat-based events to layer productive and leisure experience
Creation
Preparation
Realisation
Celebration
Contemplation
Conversation
Recreation
Congregation
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The launching of a Waterman Cutter
CHOREOGRAPHY
2 .1
T H E W AT E R M A N C U T T E R
2— CHOREOGRAPHY The sequencing of the AHOY's boat-related activities becomes the site's organising principle, with the movements of the Waterman Cutter, its users and the general public intermingling across the landscape.
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
2.1
The Waterman Cutter The central idea of the proposal is to shape the landscape around the Waterman Cutter, in the process giving this unique vessel and its makers a celebrated place in Deptford's cultural identity.
Bernard Tschumi has said that at ‘no moment could one say that architecture is the container; it is as much defined by movement” (Khan, O. and Hannah, D. 2008). Normally, movement is taken to refer to the movement of bodies in space. Within this proposal, that notion expands to view the Waterman Cutter as instigator, and investigates how the riverfront might be formed in relationship with the movement dynamics of this vessel. In his essay, Choreographic Objects, the dancer and choreographer William Forsythe describes choreography as the “instigation and organization of action” (Forsythe, 2011). He points out that this organisation can occur though the body, but it can also be made present in a more durable material form that directs that which comes into contact with it.
The modern Waterman Cutter is based on a drawings of a boat used by the Watermen of London in the 18th century.
Essentially the investigation becomes: How does the physical environment influence and organise movement? The intent is to intermingle people, activities and space in a landscape that blurs the boundaries between active and passive visitors by inviting a dance between their movements. This intermingling forges a unique performance/spectator dynamic that helps to construct identity through shared awareness. Importantly it also fuses visitors together into collaborative construction of numerous daily unfolding scenes with the Waterman Cutter as principle lead.
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CHOREOGRAPHY
2 .1
T H E W AT E R M A N C U T T E R
OBJECT Waterman Cutters are long, narrow boats that can be rigged for four to six oarsmen and a cox. The basic construction involves a fibreglass hull made from a mould, which is then sanded, painted and fitted with the timber parts detailed below. This makes them durable, stable boats that can be enjoyed by novice rowers and enthusiasts alike.
Capping
Keelson
Gunnel Inwhale
Soleboards
Elbow
Fingerplates
Seat
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Stretcher
Breast-hook
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Movement and use Observations on how a waterman cutter is currently handled and used within the landscape.
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CHOREOGRAPHY
2 .1
T H E W AT E R M A N C U T T E R
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
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CHOREOGRAPHY
2 .1
T H E W AT E R M A N C U T T E R
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
1402mm
2330mm
Pushing and carrying The waterman cutter is typically rowed by 4 to 6 people. The boat is pushed atop a small 2-wheeled trolley by the rowers who hold it at its sides.
10364mm
1830mm
A single boat on its trolley reaches approximately 1.8m in height. Boats are often stacked two or three up during storage.
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2300mm
Stacking and Storing
CHOREOGRAPHY
2 .1
T H E W AT E R M A N C U T T E R
5182mm
Turning
5182mm
Turning
two-wheeled trolley the boat to The two-wheeled The trolley allows the boat allows to rotate along central Turns can be rotate along a central axis. aTurns can axis. be relatively sharp, room for the relatively sharp, but require roombut forrequire the full swing the boat, at 5182mm. full swing of the boat, at of 5182mm.
5o slope
Incline
Incline
Dueoftothe theboat, length Due to the length it of the boat, it can enter incline can enter an incline at a an maximum of at a maximum of 5 degrees, ora approximately a 5 degrees, or approximately 1:12 grade 1:12 grade
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5o slope
Characteristics: Flat concrete Exposed
Characteristics: Flat concrete Flush with river wall
Characteristics: English garden wall bond Sloped
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
2.2
Environmental dynamics 270 metres long
New landscape instigations will interact with existing environmental processes and characteristics. They engage the site at both a built and natural level.
Activating a space through the rhythm and coordination of environmental phenomena incorporates an additional aspect of movement into the landscape. It also helps to create a sitespecific proposal that is unique to time and place. One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the proposal site is its dynamic tide. On average, the variation between high and low tide is roughly 6.5 meters, with spring high tide being 7.25 meters above chart datum. Tides can reach up to up to 4.5 knots on a fast spring tide. In reconnecting Deptford to its riverfront, it is essential to engage the dynamics of the tide and allow people to experience it in a variety of ways.
low spring tide
wind direction
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CHOREOGRAPHY
2.2
E N V I R O N M E N TA L D Y N A M I C S
High tide range
7.25 CD Mean High Water Spring tide 6.01 CD Mean High Water Neap tide
CD 0
Low tide range
1.62 CD Mean Low Water Spring tide 0.66 CD Mean Low Water Neap tide CD 0
Maximum tide for foreshore access
3.76 CD 0m
2.4m
4.4m
CD 0
Maximum tide for jetty understorey access
2.39 CD
CD 0
High tide range
7.25 CD Mean High Water Spring tide 6.01 CD Mean High Water Neap tide
Duri n g a s p r i n g h i g h tide , t h e w a t e r s r i s e dram a t i c a l l y , w i t h chop p y s e a sLow s etide n d i nrange g spra y s a n d s p l a s h e s onto t h e j e t t y s u r f a c e
CD 0
1.62 CD Mean Low Water Spring tide 0.66 CD Mean Low Water Neap tide CD 0
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Light and scale The proposal is situated within the context of the Convoys Wharf development by Hutchinson Whampoa. It is a high-rise mixedused development featuring several exceptionally tall towers, including a signature riverfront tower at 48 storeys. These buildings establish a sense of space that can feel constrained amongst their corridors, increasing the value of the expansive riverfront. Based on shadow studies, the northwest portions of the jetty offer the longest opportunities for sun exposure and should be prioritised as congregating spaces. Av e r a g e d a y i n J u n e
10am
12pm
Site in full sun
Site in full sun
Av e r a g e d a y i n S e p t e m b e r
10am
12pm
Site in full sun
Site in full sun
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CHOREOGRAPHY
2.2
E N V I R O N M E N TA L D Y N A M I C S
The m a s s i n g of t h e p r o p o s e d towe r s a l o n g the r i v e r f r o n t quar t e r
140 AOD
120 AOD
100 AOD
80 AOD
60 AOD
40 AOD
20 AOD
5 AOD
2pm
4pm
5pm
Site majority in sun
Riverfront in shadow
Riverfront and much of jetty in shadow
2pm
4pm
5pm
Central riverfront and eastern jetty in shadow
Riverfront and central jetty in shadow
Full site in shadow
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Existing features
3— At low tide the river foreshore comes into view
1— The foreshore is accessible by a set of
stairs just to the east of the site
The jetty pr o j e c t s approximate 2 5 m f r o m the river wa l l
2— A 270m long concrete jetty projects into the riverfront. Watermarks on
its piles describe the daily fluctuations of the tide
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CHOREOGRAPHY
2.2
E N V I R O N M E N TA L D Y N A M I C S
6— The foreshore is mostly shingle mingled with historic remnants of the site
The south-east e r n entrance to th e s i t e i s framed by a cl u s t e r o f mature plane t r e e s
4— The Grade II-listed Olympia Building
is a landmark of the riverfront corridor
7— The 5m brick river wall is colonised by algae and other pioneer plants such as Buddleja
5— The clustered
towers of Canary Wharf are visible across the river
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
2.3
Writing the landscape Choreographing the landscape according to the movement of the Waterman Cutter involves developing a rough score and set of organising principles around which action can unfold.
This proposal utilises narrative in order to create a loose sequence of interrelated spaces, each with a distinct function relating to the use of the Waterman Cutter. The narrative applies the AHOY event-sequence to the site, considering what aspects of the landscape might best play host to which event. It creates a cycle that can be experienced in a variety of ways, depending on the participant, the time of year, and the actions being performed on any given day. Each event interacts with neighbouring conditions, such as ground floor building usage and site circulation. Consideration has been given to how the sequence can interact with categories of social experience to heighten the experiential potential of certain spaces. Social experiences are layered in with the productive
Contemplation
Conversation
Recreation
Congregation
River watching People watching Reading Strolling Sketching Beach-combing
Dining Picnicking Sharing Activity watching
Fishing Water play Exercise Boating Informal play
Concerts Film screenings Sunbathing Boat races Festivals
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CHOREOGRAPHY
2.3
WRITING THE LANDSCAPE
N A R R AT I V E
Creati o n
Preparation
Realisation
Celebration
Woodworking/Carpentry Fibreglass work Painting and varnishing Sanding Gluing Fitting Drilling
Classroom lectures Equipment training Simulation Demonstrations Boat rigging Boat maintenance
Boat launching Sailing Rowing Training runs Racing Docking/Mooring
Watching Photographing Cheering Medal ceremonies Toasts Reflecting
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Manoeuvres Principle gestures in shaping the riverfront
1—
Remove barriers
The western part of the jetty blocks access to the basin proposed as part of the Convoy's development. This limits the basin to aesthetic value rather than allowing it to become an active landscape element.
2— Enhance access Boats are once again able to enter the Wharf. A low weir ensures basin waters rise with the tide yet never entirely empty. A cantilevered deck directly adjacent to the basin is created for watching boats come in.
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CHOREOGRAPHY
2.3
WRITING THE LANDSCAPE
3— Establish scale A masterplan grid is created based on the width of a Waterman Cutter when being carried comfortably by six people
4— Engage the river A new floating deck allows direct access to the water's edge at all times. This facilities activities such as boat launching and repair, and creates mooring opportunities for visitors. It further animates the landscape by engaging the cyclical rise and fall of the tide.
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Central expressions
TRACE The ground-plane is to be engraved with a system of functional tracks that work with the trolleys Waterman Cutters move upon. The tracks directly choreograph the movement of the cutters and further define the central narrative sequence.
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CHOREOGRAPHY
2.3
WRITING THE LANDSCAPE
F LO W The Waterman Cutter moves across the landscape smoothly on wheels and flows across the water. This principle of flow inspires the overall design of the landscape, with level changes provided by slopes and ramps and seating created by subtle dip-downs.
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Site relationships Consideration the relationship between space, movement and function
8 9
10
5 7
6
4
2
3
1
1. Workshop 2. Central square 3. Event plaza 4. Dinghy teaching space 5. Cutter promenade 6. Classroom 7. Pavilion 8. Thames Clipper dock 9. Mooring slips 10. Launch point
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CHOREOGRAPHY
2.3
WRITING THE LANDSCAPE
Movement
Spatial str a t e g y
Building fr o n t a g e s
Movement
Frontages
Pedestrian
Cafe/Restaurant
Waterman Cutter
Residential Cultural
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Spectators watching a river race
EVENT
3 .1
3— EVENT Through sensitive choreography and responsive design, the stage is set for AHOY-initiated events to unfold across the riverfront landscape.
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
3.1
Constructing events Events help to form sites of encounter that converge activity, environment and story. They punctuate the experience of the riverfront, enhancing its character and distinctiveness.
What constitutes the event? The Oxford English dictionary describes the event as, “A thing that happens or takes place, especially one of importance.” This proposal uses the concept of the event as a frame for amplifying certain activities, of increasing their importance.
The expansive river is seen as an important to the event cycle and the planted environment is structured to heighten its encounter
Earlier in this discourse an AHOY event-sequence was constructed by identifying specific groupings of purposeful activity relating to the making, care and use of Waterman Cutters. These ‘events’ were defined by considering what collages of activity might be particularly legible to the outsider or spectator. With activities thus grouped, their performative aspects can be heightened through an exploration of how they are enacted, encountered and experienced. The proposal’s ‘events’ are designed to create sites of social encounter, with site choreography mingling the actors and spectators in the vein of immersive theatre. The audience
Increasing exposure and expansiveness Pocket parks
Riverfront
Jetty
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Floating deck
EVENT
3 .1
CONSTRUCTING EVENTS
isn’t just observing, but is taking part in the event’s unfolding. Specifically, this ‘taking part’ includes but is not limited to interaction and conversation with the actors, familiarisation with the daily rituals of activity, and participation in the spectacle of races and ceremonies. Events are used to activate the landscape and facilitate opportunities for social exchange. Their repetition over time inscribes the site with rhythm. They give distinctiveness to the landscape, ensuring that the experience of this portion of the Thames is entirely specific to Deptford.
Narrative thresholds In this sequence apprentices enter Waterman Wharf through a leafy woodland of native alder, a tree whose wood has been historically valued the construction of boats.
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
The riverfront sequence Indicative section
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EVENT
3 .1
CONSTRUCTING EVENTS
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Event 1
C R E AT I O N The first stage in the event choreography involves the craft of boatbuilding. By relocating the AHOY Centre’s cutter workshop the long tradition of boatbuilding along this portion of the River Thames is restored.
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EVENT
3 .1
CONSTRUCTING EVENTS
S c en e 1 : T h e w o r k s h o p The central concept involves the performance of craft. The design puts these skills on a public stage to be observed and appreciated by visitors to the site. This both celebrates a skills legacy that is unique to Deptford and gives AHOY apprentices greater visibility and appreciation within their own community. 68
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Event 1: How it works
5. 3. 4.
2.
1.
1. Carpentry workshop 2. Fibreglass workshop 3. Assembly workshop 4. Restaurant/Cafe 5. Dry dock
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EVENT
3 .1
CONSTRUCTING EVENTS
Public
Cafe
Central pathway
Produce After forming the fibreglass hull, a boat moves to workshop two for further assembly
Private
Boat workshop
Reveal Curtains can be drawn to let in natural light, and doors opened for aeration
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Path
Dry dock
Picnic tables
Engage On warm days, activities like sanding, waxing and fitting can be performed outside
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
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EVENT
3 .1
CONSTRUCTING EVENTS
Event 2
P R E PA R AT I O N After a cutter has been built, it will process from the workshop to the jetty, where there is storage as well as dedicated spaces for teaching and maintenance.
S c en e 2 : T h e u p p e r d e c k The majority of the jetty is given over to the storage, maintenance and preparation of boats. The surface is has been divided into horizontal bands according to use, with the innermost band forming an undulating wave giving shelter to boats and classroom space. Embedded tracks in the surface facilitate movement and choreograph a procession of boats across the landscape. 72
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Event 2: How it works
7. 6.
5. 4. 1. 3.
2.
1. Dinghy demonstration area 2. The Wave sky-walk 3. Classroom space 4. Service point 5. Ramp to floating deck 6. Clipper dock
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EVENT
Riverfront connection
3 .1
Classrooms, storage and upper promenade
CONSTRUCTING EVENTS
Main deck
Reedbed
Lower storage
The Wave The westward plane of the jetty is split into two levels by The Wave, a free-form structure that houses boats and classrooms underneath and above creates an undulating promenade with multiple vantage points for which to view the action
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Tidal deck
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
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EVENT
3 .1
CONSTRUCTING EVENTS
Event 3
R E A L I S AT I O N This stage is characterised by a direct relationship to the river waters. A floating pontoon level responds to the tide and provides mooring and boat launching space.
S c en e 3 : T h e l a u n c h On the lower floating deck, maintenance, mooring, storage and launching facilities intermingle with seating and leisure spaces. Floating reedbeds affixed to the deck structure create a visual buffer from the jetty. 76
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Event 3: How it works
5. 6. 4.
3.
7.
2. 1.
1. The Wave sky-walk 2. Pavilion 3. Storage lockers 4. Mooring and loading points 5. Waiting deck 6. Cutter launch 7. Dinghy deck and launch
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EVENT
3 .1
Waiting deck
Cutter launch
Equip Integrated storage space means oars, lifejackets and wetsuits can be collected en-route to the launch
CONSTRUCTING EVENTS
Dinghy slipway
Launch Boaters place their vessel in a moulded slipway and jump in before pushing off to launch
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Main deck
Pavilion
Return The slipway can be rowed directly into on return. Boaters climb out, lift the boat, and place it back on its two-wheeled trolley
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Event 4
C E L E B R AT I O N The tidal basin becomes a focal point for celebrations and gatherings. It performs as a finish line for the AHOY Centre’s skills runs and fundraising races, surrounded on all sides by ample vantage points.
S cene 4 : The Basin As a part of their fundraising and outreach activities, the AHOY Centre organises approximately 12-15 boat races along the Thames each year. This is in addition to London-wide events such as the Great River race. The proposal creates a new natural finish line for these events by opening up the proposed basin, making it an active and dynamic space. 79
EVENT
3 .1
CONSTRUCTING EVENTS
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T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Event 4: How it works
5.
4.
3. 2. 1.
2.
1. Restaurants/CafĂŠs 2. Basin edge seating 3. Tidal basin/Race finishing point 4. Event square 5. Lookout deck
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EVENT
3 .1
Foreshore
CONSTRUCTING EVENTS
Stepped seating edge above floating pontoon
Footbridge
Stepped seating edge
Natural edge
Mean high tide level
floating pontoon 1.25m weir
Mean low tide level
Cross At high tide the basin can be entered directly from the river, becoming a finish line for the AHOY's rowing races
Dock After finishing, boats can moor directly in the basin along a narrow floating dock
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Celebrate Adjacent, an extended lookout point doubles as an awards podium, facilitating public ceremonies and photographs with a wide backdrop of the Thames
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
Constructing experience Through the exploration and integration of community, choreography and event, a distinctive riverfront landscape for Deptford emerges.
As I learned first-hand recently, rowing (especially in a Waterman Cutter) is all about rhythm: the fat sound of waves clapping against your hull, the sharp pat of six oars slicing into the water, and the constant counting of strokes and contracting of muscle as you seek to keep pace with your fellow shipmates. At first that rhythm is elusive, but with time you settle in. And it’s so pleasing to be in sync with that when it’s all over, you immediately want to go back. Similarly, this project is very much about creating a score for a new rhythm to breath life into Deptford’s long-forgotten waterfront. The procession of boats across the landscape, from creation to celebration and back again brings constant and repeated animation to the site. With that animation comes plentiful opportunities for engagement–for people to dip into the site’s rhythm, take notice of it and perhaps for a moment dance with it, in whatever manner they so choose. The goal, simply, is recognition. Recognition that leads a new generation to continue valuing this historic and highly eventful site and the ‘actors’ who are now its custodians. In this regard the proposal purposely focuses in on site relationships, activities and organising principles rather than an insistence on specific or stylised landscape form. Deptford was once celebrated for its maritime history and is now increasingly known for its burgeoning creative class. Waterman Wharf weaves together the stories of the seaman and the maker into a contemporary landscape that elevates both the natural environment and those that work upon it.
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1 .1
T H E M A K I N G O F W AT E R M A N W H A R F
References
Calafate-Faria, F. Urban ‘Regeneration’ in Deptford. http://www.gold.ac.uk/news/ comment-urban-regeneration-in-deptford/ Chiodelli, F. 2013. ‘Planning and Urban Citizenship: suggestions from the Thoughts of Henri Lefebvre’, Planning Perspectives, 28, 3 pp. 487-489. Forsythe, W. 2011. Choreographic Objects. In: S. Spier, ed., William Forsythe and the Practice of Choreography, 1st ed. Abingdon: Rutledge, pp.90-92. Khan, O. and Hannah, D. 2008. ‘Performance/Architecture: An Interview with Bernard Tschumi’, Journal of Architectural Education, 61, 4, pp. 52–58 Tschumi, B. 1994. Architecture and Disjunction. Cambridge, Mass.: The MIT Press. Woodman, E. 2014. How Londoners can Reclaim the River Thames [online] The Spectator. Available at: http://www.spectator.co.uk/2014/11/why-the-river-thamesneeds-rescuing-from-the-developers [Accessed 11 September 2016]
Thanks
To the volunteers, staff and trustees at the AHOY Centre in Deptford, for their enthusiasm, eagerness and insight.
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