Charlie Kay Portfolio by PDF Uploads

STAGE 3 ACADEMIC PORTFOLIO Charlie KAY WEAVING IN WALLSEND

Contents Introduction

Cultural Bibliography Reflective Diary Studio Themes Urban Commons Civic Life

1. Project Framing

4 6 12 14 18 20

24 28 30

Brief Site Analysis Initial Proposals

2. Project Testing

Structure Charity Spaces Workspaces Winter Garden/Hall/Cafe Forum Tower

38 44 45 46 48

3. Project Synthesis

Floor Plans Sections Internal Perspectives 1:50 Section Phases of construction Phase 1 - The Street Phase 2 - Civic Life Phase 3 - Urban Farming Looking to the Future

52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68

Bibliography

List of Figures

Appendix

Reference Key = Authors own image = Accredited to another

Thematic Case Study

Cultural bibliography Attending the small talks delivered by Newcastle University Architecture Society has been a very inspiring experience. Being introduced to real life projects from actual architects in the field helped me to understand the reality of the architectural process. We also had the opportunity to ask the guests questions which helped to inform my own projects in terms of different processes in design and ideas about green architecture. I particularly found the talk given by Ingrid Petit from Feilden Fowles inspiring because she was able to take us through a few of her own interesting projects from start to finish as well as talking in depth about her up and coming practice. She talked about the different problems and solutions that she faced when bringing a project to fruition on site in terms of materials, construction and the dialogue between the architect and the builders. This was really influential in my own design process because it made me think about how much detail is needed when finalising drawings and architectural outputs.

One method of drawing that I chose to develop during my project was a 3D sectional style inspired by the work of Atelier Bow Wow. I was particularly interested in this style because of how much detail and inhabitation can be understood about a building by drawing more than just the 2D sectional detail. I developed my own style based on this and used it to create a section of Granby Street during the introductory stage of my project and a section through my own design project in the later Synthesis stage. Discovering different drawing styles and techniques formed the basis of my Theory into Practice essay, where I investigated the work of Daniel Libeskind and Stan Allen in their own discoveries of architectural representation.

Fondaco dei Tedeschi Venice

Ta i Kw u n H e r i t a g e & A r t s C e n t r e Herzog & De Mueron Case Study ARC3001

Studio: Curating the City

“Change is the only constant in life”

Newcastle University School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape

Granby Four Streets Project

STUDIO 8 CURATING THE CITY GMIT Furniture College Letterfrack, Ireland - O’Donnell + Tuomey Ching Yee Jane Li Jamie Ryan Bone Karolina Lutterova Yuen Man Cheng

By Assemble

PORT HOUSE ANTWERP ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS

NANTES SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE LACATION & VASSAL

2009- 2016

Sophie Henderson Benjamin Galvin Guoyi Huang

Creative Synergies Group 3: Question 01: Ehan Halimun Question 02: Ella Freeman Question 03: Xinrui Lin Question 04: Chao Jung Chang Question 05: Anna Toft

Simon Tarbox Jenna Goodfellow Lea Udrescu

THE HILL HOUSE Joanneumsviertel, Graz, Austria Group 4 - Urban Form

BY SAM FARD, ELEANOR METTHAM, MICHELLE MOK, CATHERINE MCCONNACHE, HANNAH BATHO AND REECE MINOTT

Another part of the Framing stage of our project was to complete a group investigation of a selected precedent study. The objective was to analyse the building in terms of our own individual studio themes so that we could share them with other studios to spread this knowledge to each other. These eight studies were the ones that I read and I was most interested by the Granby Four Streets one as it allowed me to see a project that I was familiar with in terms of my own studio themes, from another studio’s perspective. This studio was the Creative Synergies Studio who were investigating the art of hands-on making, architectural craft and a tactile appreciation of space and volume. This is something that the Granby Street project has a lot of, from community planting incentives to the crafting of bathroom tiles and door handles.

Reflective diary CASE STUDY 1 THE FOUNDRY: SOCIAL JUSTICE CENTRE Architecture 00 has transformed a former shoe-polish factory in Vauxhall, London into a facility that could house various charities on a disused industrial site. Recognising the aesthetic and spatial qualities of the existing 20th-century brick factory building, as well as its heritage within the neighbourhood, the architects chose to preserve and extend it into an derelict service yard adjacent to the site. They have also added a zigzagging extension on the roof that mimics the gabled profile of the existing building. Office, meeting, conference and exhibition spaces are available to social justice and human rights focused organisations and discounted rates are provided to registered charities, Community Interest Companies and social enterprises. The project has been very successful in its ability to engage with and educate the public on social justice and human rights issues and there has been a strong emphasis on the potential for connecting with the local community.

CASE STUDY 2 GRANBY WINTER GARDEN, LIVERPOOL Granby Street is an example of an urban commons in Liverpool which had a great influence on my design project. The part which initially interested me was the community Winter Garden that developed inside a dilapidated terraced house in association with Assemble Architects. This project ultimately helped me to gain and understanding in themes of retrofit and community participation.

CASE STUDY 3 AGROCITE COLOMBES, FRANCE The creation of Agrocité saw the collection of residents from all disciplines project leaders, activists, students and elected officials to discuss and reflect on the city of tomorrow. Residents have been a huge part of every stage of the Agrocité project from the construction and design of the buildings and planting of the gardens to the management of the café and the architecture workshop. R-Urban’s intentions with Agrocité are to initiate and support civic dynamics of urban agriculture and to support cultural and educational activities. Regarding this, all citizens are required to invest in local collective activities that mix conviviality with the resilience of everyday life. This includes composting of organic waste, shared gardens, recycling and soft mobility. As a place for teaching, learning and researching, AAA have set up an architecture workshop on site which helps promote AAA’s ideas of ‘urban tactics’ where they encourage the participation of inhabitants in the self management of abandoned urban spaces and the initiation of intervening practices that explore potentialities in contemporary cities. Aware of the urgency of concerted action, R-Urban’s political ambitions with the Agrocité are to facilitate citizen engagement in order to achieve an ecological transition strategy. The plan is to use emerging practices that will change urban lifestyles in order to combat the ongoing global crises of global warming, air pollution, resource depletion, the collapse of biodiversity and the energy crisis. R-Urban are calling on political, institutional and media decisionmakers to support them in their collective endeavour and the site in Gennevillers is often used as an example in presentations delivered by R-Urban of how various solutions such as reversible and organic architecture can be used to preserve a habitable planet and a democratic society. 10

Introduction Neoliberal capitalism has led to widespread spatial injustices within contemporary urban developments where the demands of the market are held high above the demands of the community. The overarching aim of this studio is to understand how the architect must act as an advocate for social and political change in society. We want to comprehend how an architect’s role in the construction industry should be used to support citizen empowerment and inclusivity. Through our project we want to discover how we can design meaningful public spaces which will support the community and improve the local urban fabric in a nondestructive way leading to a future of economic and social prosperity.

The site of our project will be located in Wallsend, a regional town in North Tyneside which has suffered greatly from the injustice of neoliberal capitalism. Like many former industrial towns in the UK, it has felt great impact from the shifting global economy since the industrial revolution. Once-thriving shipyards have long since closed down and unemployment rates soar above the national average. Wallsend also has low rates of ownership with many local businesses struggling and local youth are not given the same opportunities as wealthier areas. 12

Studio themes

Communities and Participation Our studio aims to reintegrate communities in ways that will benefit the local society as a whole. The sharing of resources and contribution and participation of the local people are central to our ideas.

Critical Spatial Practice Critical Spatial Practice is an idea initiated by architectural theorist Jane Rendell. Critical spatial practices ‘are those that question and transform the social conditions of the sites into which they intervene, as well as test the boundaries and procedures of their own disciplines.

Activism and Advocacy Our studio believes that the public are of the highest importance when it comes to intervening in the civic centre of the city. The architect should therefore provide a platform for the people to have a voice in the future of their city.

Commoning by Design Using a ‘research by design’ approach, we draw our methods from a wide and deep range of sources, ideas and practices. Central to our studio culture is that architectural practice can be used as a tool to critique dominant ideas that shape the architectural profession.

Meaningful Civic Exchange Our studio imagines a future where civic centres are designed based on positive discussions between the local people and the government, rather than private conversations with large companies.

RetroFirst and Adaptive Re-Use Construction in the UK produces 35-40% of the country’s total emissions and is based on a wasteful economic model of demolition, disposal, new build. Our studio believes in the re-use of existing structures in the creation of new places.

Urban Commons This studio aims to explore ideas of civic space through the construction of ‘urban commons’. These are networked sites of shared public resources and community facilities that are carefully woven into the fabric and ecologies of the city, challenging the typical divisions between ‘public’ and ‘private’ space. The first stage of our project was to develop a deeper understanding of the urban commons in terms of its many forms and designs as well as its impact on society in terms of political, ecological, economical and social directions. As a studio we were each tasked with creating a drawing that analysed and described the individual schemes and ideas of a wide array of different urban commons from around the world. We each presented and discussed our drawings to the rest of the studio which was critical to helping us understand the concepts and theories that would underpin our projects. Granby Four Streets, Liverpool Granby Four Streets is an ongoing community-led project to rebuild Granby, a Liverpool neighbourhood that was nearly made derelict by decades of poorly-planned regeneration initiatives. Granby Street was once a lively high street at the centre of Liverpool’s most racially and ethnically diverse community. The demolition of all but four of Granby’s streets of Victorian terraces during decades of ‘regeneration’ initiatives saw a once thriving community scattered, and left the remaining “Granby Four Streets” sparsely populated and filled with tinned up houses. The resourceful, creative actions of a group of residents were fundamental to finally bringing these streets out of dereliction and back into use. Over two decades they cleared, planted, painted, and campaigned in order to reclaim their streets. The outcome of this vision has been the realisation of a number of projects in association with Assemble architecture studio and the Granby Four Streets Community Land Trust including 10 redesigned houses, Granby Winter Garden and Granby Workshop. 14

Studio atlas Oasis Farm, London On a small strip of land between Waterloo Station and St Thomas’ Hospital you can find the site of Oasis Farm Waterloo. Over the last few years a company called Jamie’s Farm have transformed a former wasteland into a thriving and productive half-acre, with the help of young people who have visited the countryside farms and others from the local community. The site includes an enormous timber framed barn, available to hire for events, and a serene walled garden for more reflective discussions.

Chris Hegg

The Urban Village Project The Urban Village Project is an idea proposed by a combined effort from IKEA’s research lab Space10 and architecture studio EFFEKT. It is built around three central ideas: that cities should be more liveable, more sustainable and more affordable. Rather than owning their homes outright, residents could have the option of buying “shares” of community real estate each month, progressively increasing ownership with the potential to cash these in at a later date. The designers also suggest that members of a community could swap apartments between them as family needs change. It addresses the problem of affordable housing both in terms of the building of homes and the buying of homes, with the fundamental goal of cheaper housing.

Zoe Ingram

Hidden Homeless, London Architecture studio Morris + Company have proposed the transformation of a London Underground station into a co-working space and hostel for homeless people. Named Stepping Stones, the design combines temporary accommodation for people living rough with coliving and co-working spaces for young people starting out in the city. A charity shop on the ground floor would provide the scheme revenue. Morris + Company believes that combining the accommodation for homeless people with coliving and working spaces for young people will make the building a key hub in the community. Ben Franklin

Granby fou

ur streets

Granby Street 3D Section

Civic life The second part of our project looked at ideas of common space and civic life. We initiated this with a discussion of ‘The Ecological Thought’ and ‘The City as Commons’ by Timothy Morton and Stavros Stavrides. Both of these books discuss ideas of interconnection, ownership and space. Civic engagement involves working to make a difference in the civic life of one’s community and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes.

Lorand Nagy

Ameerah Kasmirhan

Chui Yip

Studio Atlas The finalisation of this discussion was to each interpret an element of civic life, highlighting the interactions and activities of people in different locations. We compiled these drawings in another studio atlas.

Chris Hegg

Zoe Ingram

This stage of the project was influential to the design process because it got us thinking about how the public use their civic space and what can be done to improve it.

Bank Scene, Civic Life

Design PHASE one: Project fRAMING

The Moment

Welcome to wallsend Wallsend has a rich history and culture dating all the way back to the Roman era where it hosted the Roman fort Segedunum, which protected the eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall. The fort was constructed in the year 125 A.D. and was in use until the end of the Roman period in the late 4th century. In more recent history, Wallsend was a large proprietor of shipbuilding and was the home of the Wigham Richardson shipyard, which later amalgamated to form Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, probably best known for building the RMS Mauretania. Other famous ships included the RMS Carpathia which rescued the survivors from the Titanic in 1912. Due to the fall of the Industrial Revolution, Wallsend has faced a long period of de-industrialisation which has caused the region to struggle socially and economically.

The town was home to Wallsend Boys Club, an association football club, which has produced many famous players such as Alan Shearer, Lee Clark, Steve Watson, Peter Beardsley, Robbie Elliot, Mick Tait and Michael Carrick. It is also hometown and birthplace to internationally successful musician, Sting.

Wallsend Site Map 1:5000

CLIENT BRIEF The client for our project is North Tyneside Council and they have tasked us with designing a new urban commons scheme that will intervene with the existing Forum Shopping Centre in the centre of Wallsend. Currently, the economic situation in Wallsend is fairly poor and less people are visiting the Forum resulting in many of the shops having to close down or be replaced by larger companies. This has also caused the residents to be detached from each other and the wider community. This new proposal should therefore include a programme that will benefit the residents of Wallsend and bring them back to their civic centre. To enable a future of economic, social and political prosperity, the proposal should be sustainable and make use of retrofit where possible. Overall, the project should work closely with the residents to allow them to reintegrate with eachother in an attractive proposal that will suit the needs and requirements for a brighter future in Wallsend.

North Tyneside Council’s Targets 1. Enhance the role of The Forum Shopping Centre at the heart of the primary shopping area in Wallsend. 2. Provide a new retail floorspace to serve the town and wider community. 3. Enhance the internal and external appearance of the shopping centre making the area attractive to shoppers and visitors. 4. Would deliver enhanced community facilities and services for the whole of Wallsend, alongside the existing improved library services. 5. Provide improved and accessible parking provision that is available for use by shoppers at the supermarket, The Forum and the town centre as a whole. 24

Visual Brief

Building programme Hotdesk workspaces To help combat the rising unemployment levels in Wallsend, the proposal will offer lots of spaces for people to work.

Hireable Offices Office spaces will be available to hopefully bring back smaller local buisnesses to the civic centre.

Winter Garden

Wallsend Children’s Community To improve outcomes for children and young people living in the area, this organisation believes they need to be provided with the same ‘offer’ as those in more advantaged areas. This is comprised of an interconnected network of services for children that spans their homes, schools and community in order to address multiple, interrelating challenges. My site will provide a base of operations for this charity including spaces for children to learn and play.

Age UK

Wallsend Boys Club

‘North Tyneside Age UK’ are a local charity working in the community to support older people, their families and carers. To enable everyone to love later life they provide advice and home help services as well as providing a wide range of activities such as lunch clubs and exercise classes, giving older people the opportunity to keep fit, socialise, or learn a new skill. Part of my spatial programme will include a space for these activities to take place.

Although it is known for producing famous footballers such as Alan Shearer and Peter Beardsley, Wallsend Boys Club is also a registered charity with the objective of helping and educating members, through leisure activities, to develop their physical and mental capacity in order to help them become useful and responsible members of society. The new site at Wallsend Forum will include a location for this charity to operate and provide activities to young people. 26

A indoor, communityrun garden will be open to residents to improve community integration and to encourage carbon neutrality.

Community Hall A large space will be available for the charities to use in activities and workshops but also for the wider community to hold events and meetings.

Cafe In the hope of bringing people back to the Forum, an expansive cafe will be built and run by the community.

Climate crisis Declaration

Urban Farming To suit our studio themes of community and participation, the site will include planters for shared urban farming amongst the residents of Wallsend. The site will also include a rainwater collection system and compost bins.

RetroFirst Demolishing will be kept to a minimum on the site to keep to the aims of our studio and RetroFirst. A lot of the adjacent areas of the site will be left untouched or will be retrofitted and renovated.

Local Materials Local materials will be used to reduce emissions and energy usage. A lot of building could use re-used timber in favour of materials that are the source of high carbon dioxide emissions such as steel or cement.

Circular Economies The site will aim to create a circular economy for the people of Wallsend. Food and agriculture products that are grown on site will be sold in the market and some of that money will come back into the site to keep it sustainable for the future.

Low Carbon Footprint To keep a low carbon footprint, the site will make use of renewable energy such as solar energy. The site will also use rainwater collection facilities, composting and recycling.

Low Energy Construction The building itself will require a simple construction that will keep energy consumption to a minimum. This could mean simple and easy-to-remove timber frames and possibly the implementation of green roofs.

Site analysis Social Analysis Lots of people come to the site everyday to shop, meet up or take children out. The site lies in the centre of Wallsend, surrounded by rows of terraced housing which means it has strong links to public transport, schools and local attractions such as pubs. It is also home to the Customer First Centre which holds the town’s library and aims to care and connect with people by supporting them to stay independent within the community. Eloise Littler

Ecological Analysis Around the site itself there are not many areas of nature or vegetation so it would be good to introduce more green areas around the immediate location. To the north of the site, there are a few green locations such as Richardson Dees Park and Prince Road Arboretum. As the site is going to explore ideas about urban farming, gardening and renewable energy, it is important to analyse the sun path and wind direction. The site should receive unblocked sunlight to most areas all day so this shouldn’t be a problem.

Economic Analysis Despite the Forum still receiving lots of visitors on a daily basis, the centre is clearly struggling with lots of businesses being closed down or replaced with larger chain industries. High street shopping has long been a British pastime but a perfect storm created by an age of austerity, the continued preference for online shopping, crippling rents and business rates have all taken their toll on the life of the shopping centre. Eloise Littler

Site Analysis

Early Massing studies The three main areas of the Forum that I aimed to intervene with were the underdeveloped indoor market space, the roof-top car park above and the pedestrianised fronting space outside. Because the roof of the Forum is mostly used for delivery trucks to bring stock for shops in the Forum, I wanted to preserve this route so as not to disturb the existing urban fabric of the site too much. The final outcome of my massing studies at this stage was to create a ‘street’ on top of the Forum, accessed by a set of stairs from the fronting space. The street would be enclosed by a taller, hierarchal building which would take over an existing service building, creating a vista.

Fronting Space

Roof Car Park

Market Hall

The Forum

Site Declaration Axonometric

Framing proposal This section sets out my final proposals for the scheme at this early stage in the project. A relationship is created between the new street and the existing plaza and market areas. The street is enclosed on all sides to create a safe and secure zone where outdoor activities can be carried out such as markets and games for children. The market below the street will be retrofitted and renovated to promote the selling of agricultural products produced within the street in a circular economy. The buildings in the street will hold the different spaces set out within the building programme.

Proposed Section 1:100

Design PHASE TWO: Project Testing

35 29

Testing Process

Continuing with my ‘street’ concept, I decided that the removal of the canopy roof structure that shelters the shopping centre circulation route should be part of my proposal. This would restore how the Forum was originally designed with the shopfronts opening straight outside. Having two other streets within the Forum presented an opportunity to create a block of streets by bringing the newly built street down to ground level and connecting the three streets together. This creates a much simpler circulation route around the Forum and works much better spatially. To preserve the rooftop delivery route, part of the building is left as an overpass.

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERS

To allow maximum sunlight into the buildings on the north side of the scheme, I used a 25 degree rule of thumb to measure where the ridge of the building on the south side would be. This allowed me to find the maximum massing size for the building.

EXISTING CIRCULATION

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Wallsend Forum in 1981

PROPOSED BUILDING PROPOSED CIRCULATION

PROPOSED BUILDING

Proposed circulation routes

Daylight Analysis

Programme Massing

* Retrofit

One of our studios themes is the concept of retrofitting or readapting existing structures into new-use buildings to reduce the need for demolition which contributes around 40% of the UKs carbon footprint. There is an excellent opportunity to explore this in our site by making use of the existing concrete frame that previously would have held up the ceiling of the market. To create the street void through the middle of the Forum, a row of concrete columns and slabs will be removed from the centre of the grid, whilst the buildings either side of the street will make use of the frame to form the structure of the ground floor. Therefore, the first floor will be made up of the existing concrete slab and internal and external walls can be created out of simple timber stud walls between the concrete columns. The building above the first storey can then be built ontop of the concrete frame using the spacing of the columns as a guide for its internal arrangement. Zetland House, one of the UK’s first fully retrfitted houses

Concrete frame on ground floor

Structure Axonometric

* Materials Whilst the ground floor of the newly proposed building will make use of the existing concrete frame and simble timber stud walls, the spaces above will be created using cross-laminated timber as it is a sustainable material and can be quickly and easily put together on site. A thermal line will be achieved by wrapping insulation around the around the columns and CLT construction with timber cladding will be used to finish the external facade.

32.5mm insulated plasterboard

140mm cellulose insulation OSB and breather membrane Timber cladding Timber studs 130mm screed floor finish with underfloor heating pipes 100mm rigid insulation Existing concrete floor slab Concrete upstand Granite step

Existing concrete column foundation Timber Infil Panel Detail

CORE i7

ARC3013 1:20 Tech Section

Constructio

on sequence

Construction Sequence

Charity spaces My design concept for the charity spaces within the building is to have each charity take up a space over two floors, with the lower floor being used for administration and support for the community and the upper floor used as a space where the organisation can put on workshops and activities for the local residents. The facade of the building where each charity space is located will be given its own unique design to produce a stronger feeling of a street with each building having its own style. To allow the local community to integrate and be part of the project, the charitable organisations will work with the local residents to design these individual facades, much like the Blue House Yard projecti in London where the local community were able to help in the construction and painting of the different spaces.

Blue House Yard, London

Proposed Facades

Workspaces An early concept for my proposal was to include roof gardens within the street to promote bringing eco-systems back to the city. Through my Thinking through Making project, I developed a pergola model which I envisioned being constructed ontop of these rooftop gardens to provide a place for outdoor lighting and plants to be hung. There are three rooftop gardens within the proposal which all overlook the street. They are all located adjacent to workspaces or offices to provide a moment in the building for people to get outdoors and take a break from working. The planting and maintenance of these areas will be managed by the local community.

Thinking through making pergola model

Balcony accessed from work room

* Community spaces The three more communal spaces within the proposal are the hall, the cafe and the winter garden. Each of these areas will be a double height space that receives a lot of daylight through large south-facing windows and skylights. The hall will provide a place for the local community to host meetings and talks as well as events and other activities. It is also somewhere for the charities to spread out further and put on dance classes for older people or games for younger children. The cafe will keep the existing structure of the concrete frame to provide structural stability and also to allow lights and other services to be hung. The kitchen will be run by membrs of the local community and they will serve some produce grown within the site to create a circular economy where some of the profits gained can be put back into the development of the site and wider Wallsend. Community Hall

The winter garden is inspired by the one at Granby Street in Liverpool. The management and maintenance of it will be down to the local community and there will be great encouragement to get residents involved in the growing and planting of different vegetation. Cafe

Winter Garden Concept Illustration

* FORUM TOWER

Due to the positioning of the site in the centre of the Forum, it made sense for the proposal to include a tower at the end of the street to create the vista that was planned during the early massing stages of the scheme. I wanted the tower to remain an openframe, timber structure to promote the use of natural materials and also to allow for views out through the facade for visitors that want to travel to the viewing platform at the top. The design was inspired by the Auckland Tower and recalls the rich history of Wallsend by mimicking timber structures that would have been used for scaffolding during Wallsend’s history. Auckland Tower, Bishop Auckland

Segedunum Viewing Tower, Wallsend

Forum Tower

Design PHASE THREE: Project SYNTHESIS

Cafe Visualisation

Second Floor Plan 1:100

First Floor Plan 1:100

1. Wallsend Children’s Community 2. Wallsend Boy’s Club 3. Age UK 4. Workspaces 5. Office 6. Cafe 7. Hall 8. Winter Garden 9. Rentable shop space 10. Kitchen 11. Foyer 12. Tower 13. Garden/Balcony 14. Urban Farming Ground Floor Plan 1:100

Sections

Section A 1:100

Section B 1:100

Street Render

Workspace Visualisation

Winter Garden Visualisation

Section A

Section A 1:50 @ A1

phases of site development

1. The Street Creation of the new urban commons street in the centre of Wallsend with spaces for charity organisations, hotdesk workspaces, community hall, cafe, winter garden and the Forum Tower.

2. Civic Life Improvements The shopping centre will return to its open state with the removal of the canopy to allow plants and trees a reintroduction to the city centre.

3. Urban Farming The final phase will introduce a new community-managed, sustainable urban farming scheme which will occupy the underutilised rooftop carpark. This will include rentable allotments and greenhouse growing capabilities.

Project Phases

Phase 1 - The street

Street Section/Elevation

* Phase 2 - Civic Life Improvements The Anson Pub The pub at the eastern end of the site ahs received a new renovation including outdoor seating out onto the plaza

Planting With the opening of the shopping centre’s circulation there are many opportunities for planting within the Forum which will promote a sustainable and environmental future for Wallsend

Street Markets With the Forum being redeveloped into a block of streets, there will be space for temporary street markets to be run within the Forum which should bring locals back to the civic centre and help with the reintegration of the community and improvement of the local economy.

Zoe Ingram

Improved Shopping Centre Visualisation

* Phase 3 - Urban farming Phase 1 - The Greenhouse An expansive greenhouse has been created using the existing canopy structure that has been removed from the Forum. Within here, local residents will be able to grow food and other plants which can be sold in local markets.

Phase 2 - The Hut The scheme will also provide a small hut with a kitchen and bathroom for visitors to use as well as a meeting room where discussions from the local community can take place about the future of the urban farming scheme.

Phase 3 - Allotments There will be allotment spaces available to local residents on a yearly paid subscription. This should promote urban farming and also bring vegetation and wildlife back to the city.

Urban Farming Sheme Floor Plan

Looking to the future

A speculative view of Wallsend

Bibliography “Agrocité – Colombes”, AAA, 2021 <https://www.urbantactics.org/ projets/agrocite/> [Accessed 27 May 2021] “AGROCITÉ”, R-Urban English, 2021 <http://r-urban.net/en/projects/ agrocite/> [Accessed 27 May 2021] Bluehouseyard.Com, 2021 <https://www.bluehouseyard.com/> [Accessed 27 May 2021] “Gallery Of Auckland Tower / Niall Mclaughlin Architects - 3”, Archdaily, 2021 <https://www.archdaily.com/958969/auckland-towerniall-mclaughlin-architects/6058eeb8f91c8187aa00091a-aucklandtower-niall-mclaughlin-architects-photo?next_project=no> [Accessed 27 May 2021] “Granby Four Streets”, Assemble, 2021 <https://assemblestudio. co.uk/projects/granby-four-streets-2> [Accessed 27 May 2021] “Granby 4 Streets Community Land Trustgranby 4 Streets Community Land Trust”, Granby 4 Streets Community Land Trust, 2021 <https://www.granby4streetsclt.co.uk/> [Accessed 27 May 2021] My.Northtyneside.Gov.Uk, 2021 <https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/ sites/default/files/web-page-related-files/North%20Tyneside%20 Local%20Plan%202017-2032.pdf> [Accessed 27 May 2021] “Project Gallery”, Passivhaustrust.Org.Uk, 2021 <https://www. passivhaustrust.org.uk/projects/detail/?cId=91> [Accessed 27 May 2021] “The Foundry: Social Justice Centre — Architecture 00”, Architecture 00, 2021 <https://www.architecture00.net/00projects/2018/4/11/thefoundry-36yt8> [Accessed 27 May 2021]

List of illustrations Page 15 - Chris Hegg, Zoe Ingram, Ben Franklin - Newcastle University students Page 18 - Lorand Nagy, Ameerah Kasmirhan, Chui Yip, Chris Hegg, Zoe Ingram - Newcastle University students Page 22 - Wallsend Photos - https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/lifestyle/ nostalgia/old-pictures-wallsend-down-years-2642709 Page 24 - North Tyneside Local Plan - https://my.northtyneside.gov. uk/sites/default/files/web-page-related-files/North%20Tyneside%20 Local%20Plan%202017-2032.pdf Page 28 - Eloise Littler, Newcastle University student Page 36 - Wallsend Forum photos - https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/ news/history/wallsend-forum-shopping-centre-fifty-12246780 Page 38 - Zetland House - https://www.passivhaustrust.org.uk/ projects/detail/?cId=91 Page 44 - Blue House Yard - https://www.bluehouseyard.com/ Page 49 - Auckland Tower - https://www.archdaily.com/958969/ auckland-tower-niall-mclaughlin-architects/6058eeb8f91c8187aa 00091a-auckland-tower-niall-mclaughlin-architects-photo?next_ project=no Page 49 - Segedunum Viewing Tower - cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Peter McDermott - geograph.org.uk/p/2420173 Page 64 - Zoe Ingram, Newcastle University student

Other illustrations were created by the author.

Appendix

Section A draft version

Civic Life draft version

Thinking through making model photos

Visual Brief draft version

Thematic Case study

AgroCité atelier d’architecture autogérée

Agrocité Introduction Agrocité was initiated in 2008 by Constantin Percou and Doina Petrescu from Atelier d’Archiecture Autogéreé (AAA). Originally located in Colombes, the project moved to a new site in 2018 at Gennevilliers to make space for a car park proposed by the local council. The scheme is part of the R-Urban citizen ecological transition strategy, which has been developing a series of local, ecological and civic facilities around urban agriculture, shared use and social solidarity since 2008. The Agrocité consists of a building made from partly recycled materials which is surrounded by plots dedicated to market gardening, individual plots, collective plots for the Agrocité kitchen and educational plots. It is a civic place open to all residents and associations dedicated to enivronmental and collective practices.

Contents

Eloise Littler Question 1: How does the case study relate to the Architect’s theoretical position / how does it explore their ideas / preoccupations?

Peng Yin Question 2: How does the case study demonstrate advocacy?

Charlie Kay Question 3: How does the case study demonstrate critical spatial practice?

Luca Philo Question 4: How does the case study relate to its environmental / climate crisis context?

Advocacy-Client Agrocite's clients are Columbus's 84,000 residents, but due to space constraints, they can only offer 60 venues for family use. The architects decided that 40 homes were appropriate because more land meant more difficult management. Their project is very popular. According to the director of R-Urban Studios, they said the waiting list for the project is long and rotating. While waiting for land allocation, residents need to regularly participate in collective life.

Catherine is busy baking cakes for the café. “It fills my free time, and you meet a lot of people. We learn from each other.”

Architects said, "It's not just a matter of farming "They hope residents can regard this land as an investment in their lives. And hope they can fully pitch in it.

Benoît is a local resident. He said:“You see, here my daughter and I can grow our own vegetables, and we don’ t u se an y pesticides. Organic fruits and vegetables are really expensive, so getting an allotment here has been nice.”

FIG.2 Residents' Feedback

FIG.1vv About 60 families can participate in the programt

Advocacy-Community Activities

Experimental Micro-farm In the shared garden, people ca n grow th eir favo rite vegetables here. They can also breed poultry or bees in the backyard of the garden. FIG.3 Gardening

Community Space In community space, they usually hold group activities like market fairs. Residents can trade eggs and vegetables that they harvest at Agrocite. FIG.4 Local Markting

Educational and Cultural Space

Agrocite is an agricultural centre built on a 3,000-square-metre plot in the heart of a social housing complex that includes an experimental micro-farm, community gardens, educational and cultural Spaces.Different areas have different social functions, and here the residents are the masters

In Educational and Cultural Space, they usually Organized workshops on gardening and cooking courses. Architects sometimes organized c o ll e c t i v e G o v e r n a n c e sessions with residents to discuss development of Argrocite.

FIG.5 Project Meeting

Comments for Agrocite Architect's thought

FIG.6 Constantin Petcou, Project Leader

R-urban studio found that the social relationship between residents and the city is gradually disappearing through research on Columbus. They thought As architects, they have the responsibility to restore this connection by rebuilding largescale communities. After investigation, a shared garden was established on the open space in the suburbrns of Columbus. FIG.7 Constantin Petcou, Project Leader

Agrocite Feature Shared gardens have two features., First of all, the public space attributes of shared gardens can strengthen social bonds. Secondly, the unique ecological properties of shared gardens can change people’s lifestyles. For example, poultry farming, plant cultivation requires residents to spend more time in sharing gardens. In a sense, it encourage locals to focus on socializing.

FIG.8

Poultry farming

FIG.9 Plant cultivation

Relationship Between Architects and Agrocite The project has attracted the attention of some people from all trades and professions. Some of them founded workshop to teach useful agriculture skills to locals. Others help agrocite set up its own community committee and realized self-management. As r-urban studio said, they are invisible architects. They created and managed agrocite. Then, they attracted residents to join, and manage with them together. At the end, they pulled out, and let the residents manage agrocite themselves. FIG.10 Communal cooking session in the “Agrocité” pavilion

FIG.11 workshop

In the last collage, I dislocation the ground and the sky. And arranged Agrocite’s surrounding building irregularly. The aim is to show the relationship between Argocite and the surrounding context.

Demonstrating Critical Spatial Practice Charlie Kay

Political Resilience Aware of the urgency of concerted action, R-Urban’s political ambitions with the Agrocité are to facilitate citizen engagement in order to achieve an ecological transition strategy. The plan is to use emerging practices that will change urban lifestyles in order to combat the ongoing global crises of global warming, air pollution, resource depletion, the collapse of biodiversity and the energy crisis. R-Urban are calling on political, institutional and media decision-makers to support them in their collective endeavour and the site in Gennevillers is often used as an example in presentations delivered by R-Urban of how various solutions such as reversible and organic architecture can be used to preserve a habitable planet and a democratic society. Schools Several universities and schools have made visits to Agrocité in order to learn more about the sustainable city of tomorrow.

Research

Agrocité provides a platform for exploration, action and research around urban changes and emerging social and political practices in the contemporary city.

Social Resilience

Composting of organic waste Part of R-Urban’s approach is to reduce and reuse household organic waste. Residents are therefore encouraged to use the compost bins located on the site.

The creation of Agrocité saw the collection of residents from all disciplines project leaders, activists, students and elected officials to discuss and reflect on the city of tomorrow. Residents have been a huge part of every stage of the Agrocité project from the construction and design of the buildings and planting of the gardens to the management of the café and the architecture workshop. R-Urban’s intentions with Agrocité are to initiate and support civic dynamics of urban agriculture and to support cultural and educational activities. Regarding this, all citizens are required to invest in local collective activities that mix conviviality with the resilience of everyday life. This includes composting of organic waste, shared gardens, recycling and soft mobility.

Shared Gardens Sixty individual plots and six large collective plots are available to all of the inhabitants in the district of Genevilliers to encourage sustainable food growth and social connection.

As a place for teaching, learning and researching, AAA have set up an architecture workshop on site which helps promote AAA’s ideas of ‘urban tactics’ where they encourage the participation of inhabitants in the self management of abandoned urban spaces and the initiation of intervening practices that explore potentialities in contemporary cities.

Recycling Part of the Agrocité scheme is to motivate all residents in the district to recycle in order to fight the ongoing crises of air pollution, resource depletion and global warming.

Reintegration Events and talks are often held at the Agrocité where residents from all walks of life are invited to participate, encouraging the reintegration of the local society.

Economic Resilience A meeting is held annually between members to discuss the project objectives, financing, accounting, possible economic models, the report of activities, the future collective manager and internal regulations. This allows them to take stock of the year and plan for the coming year. The idea each year is to “produce what we consume and consume what we produce”. The results of the first year were very positive, the garden had developed particularly well, the collective organisation was well structured and the financial results were very encouraging. Enercoop provide 100% renewable electricity for Agrocité. They stand out from other suppliers because they are the only French supplier to go exclusively through over-the-counter agreements with small French producers of renewable energy. They also work together with renewable energy professionals and local communities to progress research in the field.

Crowdfunding

Collaborative and Circular Economy

The construction and maintenance of the site relies on crowdfunding which comes from the support of the local residents.

R-Urban’s ambitions are to promote an economy where residents work together to improve their collective lives and funds are used to finance necessary projects.

Food Growth

Soft Mobility

The plantations on the site are very bountiful and new plots and plants are constantly planted. Vegetables and local agricultural products are sold at the markets regularly held on site.

R-Urban encourage residents to use non-motorized transport where possible to combat global warming and air pollution.

Critical Spatial Practice

Evironmental and Climate Crisis : Response LUCA PHILO

G WIN

AGRICULTURE

Agrocité

GR O

+20%

Agrocité Colombes was the first of three planned constructions within a housing estate in in Colombes, Paris. The East facing dismountable building functions “under the principles of economic and ecological circuits”. The construction, material choice, spatial and technical organisation are designed to fulfil the requirements of sustainable circular processes of production, consumption and reuse. These ‘urban tactics’ within Argocite embody the response of Atelier d’architecture autogérée (AAA) to the environmental and climate crisis’. By fostering an engaged, citizen-led ecological transition as part of circular economies, AAA provide the community the tools and architecture to combat urban pressures.

ON CONSULTAT

TOOLS

CIR C

ULA R ECO NOM IES

ORGANIC L SE

G LIN -20%

ING EAT

Growers, buyers, sellers, users and volunteers commit to “expand[ing] beyond a cursory participatory approach, as they invest their time exhaustively in the long-term trajectory of live projects”2. Promoting new, resilient ways of living within urban communities constitutes AAA’s primary response to the environmental and climate crisis’. Doina Petrescu describes the complexity of the social arrangement in Colombes. In an area of high

ILD IN G

UND MATERIALS OU FO

Fig.1 Another tenet of Agrocité, and all R- Urban projects alike, is to build ‘urban resilience’. Resilient social, economic and ecological networks are enabled by the architecture of Agrocité and the associated 1700m2 cultivated plot, including an “experimental farm, a community-garden and a pedagogical garden”1. Resilient practices fostered within the premises are sustained by a practicing community of engaged stakeholders.

TEACH IN

N ESIG

D CO -

COOKING

FUN

DR A

ISIN G -20%

S RAN

T POR

Fig.2 unemployment and retirement, volunteers and self-employed workers make-up the majority stakeholders. Where profit comes after participation, 20% of all profits made must be returned to a collective pot. Doina explains, “[in this way] we produced a complex flow that was both ecological and economic, and circulated between the two units that were built, Agrocité and Recyclab”3.

Reclaimed Windows and Doors

Material Response

Corrugated Plastic

OSB Screw Piles

Fig.3

Fig.4

Scaffold Boards

REUSED MATERIALS

LOW-IMPACT BUILDING

Roof mounted Solar Panels

AgroCite Fig.5

FAMILIAR CONSTRUCTION

Fig.6 Stone Foundation and Retaining Walls

REDUCED CARBON FOOTPRINT

Straw Bale Insulation

Fig.11 Fig.7

Fig.9

The timber platform base is elevated above ground level on steel screw piles (See Fig.9) . This elevated construction allows for sustainable services below. Equally, screw piles were chosen due to their low destructive impact in the ground beneath. This was particularly beneficial when the Colombes site was evicted and relocated to Generville. The re-use of architectural salvage reduced building complexitiy, allowing for a civic-led maintenance programme. In addition, a combination of found and upcycled architectural salvage reduced the buildings carbon footprint.

Fig.8

Fig.10

Agrocité is constructed using a simple timber frame. Additional functional elements to enclose the building envelope are primarily recycled materials. Those that are not recycled are locally sourced to reduce economic and environmental costs associated with transport. Key elements of the material response also include low-impact technologies, materials with a reduced carbon footprint and the use of familiar construction techniques. The justification for materials chosen is described in Fig.11.

The shed-like vernacular, recognisable to many, is a subtle environmental design tactic by AAA. The choice of low-skill construction methods of timber frame and cladding affords a community the ability contribute to civic-led construction, maintenance and retrofit, utilsing the existing competence in the community. Similarly, the outwardly ‘dismountable’ architecture ensures emphasis on processes of building urban resilience, rather than explicit architecture related to locale.4

TIMBER FRAME CONSTRUCTION

Fig.12

Agrocité

AGRICULTURE

Solar panels and Solar Water heater supply electricity and heated water during winter

DRY COMPOSTING TOILET

Technical Devices LUCA PHILO AgroLab, as part of Agrocité, houses key prototype technologies central to R-URBAN’s response to the environmental and climate crisis’. “These micro-devices [are utilised] for power generation and food, water management and organic waste” realised in the use of “local materials and with simple technology”5. This methodology substantiates a key ‘urban tactic’ deployed throughout the R-URBAN scheme, to “promote innovation within the reach of citizens”6. Devices to re-use energy and water and produce rich fertilizers for growing are devised and built alongside to community, to demonstrate simple and accessible methods of sustainable practice. The devices are self-built with professional help, and sophisticated studies were carried out in response to the poor urban soil on site.

Recovery of human waste for natural fertilisation

Vent

Solid and liquid seperated to generate two types of fertilizer, and rich compost and leachate - very effective solution. Full of sawdust, low maintenance, long lasting, low-odour

Two- types of highly enriched fertilisers are reintroduced to the allotments by volunteers

SOLAR

Fig.14

FERTILISER PRODUCTION Fig.13

Green roof and Gree runoff water collec below-grade tank via

Runoff water collected from Green roof

Runoff reused

Closed - cycle hydroponic system requires no drainage or top-up

Neutral and Inert substrate

for irrigation of crops

Water collection tank

HYDROPONIC GROWING

en wall cted in a ducts

GREY WATER FILTRATION

Additional water from City

Compost water heater recovers and reuses the thermal energy produced by the compost during the biological breakdown process

Grey water recovery, biologically filtered tank Grey water from building

HOT COLD

Tap for crop irrigation

BIOMASS HEATER

Runoff to soil

Bibliography Agile-city.com. 2020. R-Urban, Colombes | Agile City. [online] Available at: <https://agile-city.com/agile-city-research/r-urban-colombes-a-sustainable-network-of-agriculture-and-building-processes/> [Accessed 14 December 2020]. “AGROCITÉ”, R-Urban English, 2020 <http://r-urban.net/en/projects/agrocite/> [Accessed 11 December 2020] “AID - R-Urban”, Architectureindevelopment.Org, 2020 <https://www.architectureindevelopment.org/project.php?id=463> [Accessed 11 December 2020] “Anqi Liu”, Facilitating Resilience, 2020 <https://facilitatingresilience.wordpress.com/student-projects/anqi-liu/> [Accessed 11 December 2020] Constantin Petcou and Doina Petrescu. http://bit.ly/2wWWlcf. Accessed 13 Dec. 2020. “Facilitating Resilience: Image”, Facilitatingresilience.Files.Wordpress.Com, 2020 <https://facilitatingresilience.files.wordpress. com/2013/11/03.jpg> [Accessed 11 December 2020] “Flickr”, Flickr, 2020 <https://www.flickr.com/photos/r-urban/with/11306293386/> [Accessed 11 December 2020] Fr.wikipedia.org. 2020. Agrocité. [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrocit%C3%A9#Petcou_&_Mugnier-Viret_2015> [Accessed 14 December 2020]. Frichot, Hélène, Catharina Gabrielsson, and Helen Runting, Architecture And Feminisms (London: Routledge, 2018) “Gallery”, R-Urban English, 2020 <http://r-urban.net/en/gallery/> [Accessed 11 December 2020] Harvard GSD. GSD Talks: Doina Petrescu and Constantin Petcou, “Tactics for a Co-Produced City.” 2014, https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=4iREr7Xfam8. Petcou, Constantin, and Doina Petrescu. “Co-Produced Urban Resilience: A Framework for Bottom-Up Regeneration.” Architectural Design, vol. 88, no. 5, 2018, pp. 58–65, doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/ad.2343. Petrescu, Doina. Altering Practices: Feminist Politics and Poetics of Space. Taylor & Francis Group, 2007, http://ebookcentral. proquest.com/lib/ncl/detail.action?docID=308692. Petrescu, Doina, et al. “Co-Producing Commons-Based Resilience: Lessons from R-Urban.” Building Research & Information, vol. 44, no. 7, Oct. 2016, pp. 717–36, doi:10.1080/09613218.2016.1214891. Publicspace.org. 2020. Works - Publicspace. [online] Available at: <https://www.publicspace.org/works/-/project/j281-r-urbannetwork-of-urban-commons> [Accessed 14 December 2020]. “Réseau Éco-Ville Solidaire – Bagneux.” AAA, 19 Sept. 2017, http://www.urbantactics.org/projets/reseau-eco-ville-solidaire/. The Guardian. 2020. Why Is A Paris Suburb Scrapping An Urban Farm To Build A Car Park?. [online] Available at: <https://www. theguardian.com/cities/2015/sep/11/paris-un-climate-conference-colombes-r-urban-urban-farm-car-park> [Accessed 14 December 2020]. Urbantactics.Org, 2020 <http://www.urbantactics.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/schema-general-agrocite.png> [Accessed 11 December 2020]

List of Figures Question 2: Demonstrating Advocacy

Question 4: Environmental and Climate Crisis

1. Diagram by author

1. Diagram by architect, Urbantactics.Org, 2020 <http://www.urbantactics.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/schema-general-agrocite.png> [Accessed 11 December 2020]

2. Diagram by author : Ibid

2. Diagram by author

3. A-i-d.org. 2020. Architecture In Development - News - 10 Examples To Learn About The Next Generation Architecture. [online] Available at: <https://www.a-i-d.org/news.php?id=89> [Accessed 14 December 2020].

3. Edited image by author, original photograph accessed from: Frichot, Hélène, Catharina Gabrielsson, and Helen Runting, Architecture And Feminisms (London: Routledge, 2018)

4. Facebook.com. 2020. Atelier D’architecture Autogérée. [online] Available at: <https://www.facebook.com/atelierdarchitectureautogeree/photos/a.108289982843661/108290059510320/?type=1&theater> [Accessed 14 December 2020].

4. Edited image by author, original photograph accessed from: Ibid 5. Edited image by author, original photograph accessed from: Ibid

5. Lesactivateurs.org. 2020. Maitre Composteur – Module MC5 | Les Activateurs. [online] Available at: <https:// lesactivateurs.org/formation/maitre-composteur-soutenance-mc5/> [Accessed 14 December 2020].

6. Edited image by author, original photograph accessed from: Ibid

6. Xximagazine.com. 2020. Constantin Petcou — XXI Magazine. [online] Available at: <https://xximagazine.com/ authors/constantin-petcou> [Accessed 14 December 2020].

7. Edited image by author, original photograph accessed from: Ibid 8. Edited image by author, original photograph accessed from: Ibid

7. 2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Doina_Petrescu3> [Accessed 14 December 2020].

9. Edited image by author, original photograph accessed from: Ibid 10. Edited image by author, original photograph accessed from: “International Village Shop: Shops: R-Urban Shops/ Boutique Locale: Agrocite Two Day Summer Shop”, Internationalvillageshop.Net, 2020 <https://www.internationalvillageshop.net/shops/agrocite-summer-shop/agrocite-three-day-summer-shop> [Accessed 11 December 2020]

8. AAA. 2020. Agrocité – Gennevilliers | R-Urban. [online] Available at: <http://www.urbantactics.org/projets/ agrocite-gennevilliers/> [Accessed 14 December 2020]. 9. R-urban.net. 2020. AGROCITE NEWS | Activity Categories | R-Urban English. [online] Available at: <http://r-urban.net/en/activity_type/agrocite-news/> [Accessed 14 December 2020].

11. Diagram by author

10. the Guardian. 2020. Why Is A Paris Suburb Scrapping An Urban Farm To Build A Car Park?. [online] Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/sep/11/paris-un-climate-conference-colombes-r-urban-urban-farm-carpark> [Accessed 14 December 2020].

12. Edited image by author, original image accessed from: “Flickr”, Flickr, 2020 <https://www.flickr.com/photos/r-urban/with/11306293386/> [Accessed 11 December 2020] 13. Image accessed from: Ibid

11. Publicspace.org. 2020. Works - Publicspace. [online] Available at: <https://www.publicspace.org/works/-/project/j281-r-urban-network-of-urban-commons> [Accessed 14 December 2020].

14. Celebration piece by author

100

101