The gridded Merchant city Student work, Glasgow school of art
The formal, regular Grid is an integral part of the merchant city of Glasgow. The grid as an ordering device in the planning of Glasgow was not a top down process unlike in Edinburgh. The grid sits on the uneven topography of the city. The grid continues through the built public, private and the public pen spaces through the city centre. The city grid extended very early to the south of Clyde, though the southside underwent rebuilding time and again that overrode the city grid largely.
Along the River Clyde
The North river edge - Finance district
O P P O S I T E S
The South river edge - Undefined
Boundary Conditions
Glasgow ,view of Broomielaw
Java Island, Amsterdam
Conditions: Water edge and infrastructure as boundaries to residential quarters
La Massena, Paris
Glasgow ,Tradeston, Laurieston
Proximity Enoch square is a prominent public hub that hinges Argyle Street and Buchanan Street. If Enoch Square was the centre, Tradeston lies largely within a 10 minute walking radius, giving Tradeston some very important advantages that come with being part of the city centre.
5 = Minute, 10 = Minute walking radius from Enoch centre
Gather Commute Walk
City Grid as an ordering device
To inform the design decisions and to fully appreciate the grid of Tradeston and its ability to reinstate a residential quarter, some city grids, new and old were studied in relation to context, scale, functions, usage advantages and disadvantages.
City Grids Paris
Jaipur
Glasgow
Mohenjo-Daro, Indus valley civilisation
Barcelona
Chandigarh Miletus
Edinburgh
Amsterdam
a
Urban park - How big? Residential quarters need spaces for a large set of activities for its varied resident groups. It is a popular practice to set out a number of small open spaces or gardens, this space functions in the top two sections of the size vs. activities pyramid. Moving down the pyramid, more multifunctional spaces could get added to an urban park as the footprint of the park increases. It is also important to orient the open space so as to have the most solar advantage. Also, as stated earlier, an urban park should preferably be within a 1 mile or 10 to 12 minute walking distance of its farthest catchment area for it to maximise on the on and off-site benefits.
Tradeston Proposed plan
Section A
Section B
A
B
+ THE HOUSING
Urban Park in between High Density Residential Blocks, that acts as a gathering, recreation, community spaces along with being a natural retreat, thus relieving the pressure of the dense neighbourhood.
Park edges Built + Unbuilt Shopping Street
Boulevard
Riverside Housing Boulevard Hosing Work and live The park is conceived such that it rightly responds to its edge conditions. At the riverside housing, the park is mostly a combination of recreational uses, namely sports, jogging track with the backdrop of a richly landscaped mound. The Boulevard housing is a mirror of the existing line of 3 grand Parisian buildings. The park reciprocates with a formal, tree lined boulevard with space for artistic and community initiatives. A built edge of the size of the block is proposed for art and cultural needs that could be rental in nature. This is to define the edge of the Boulevard and mark a sense of entry. The shopping street is the approach to and from the city centre that brings people to the riverfront. It is a major gateway to open up the park as a destination, a place to be. The park here gives way to some temporary and permanent shopping clusters, aspiring to be a busy bazaar, bustling with people. At the rail bridge, collective memory claims the street character. The Park edge here is built up to mirror the Rail bridge, accommodating community gathering spaces, Art galleries. It also makes way for a performance area, an open air theatre.
BLOCK STRATEGIES: Maximum Solar Gain, Living space orientation ( park, river), Minimise through traffic in residential area, Minimise Ground car parking, Kids-safe play areas, strategize positions of active ground floors , porosity of Blocks, Conceptual closeness to the original Glasgow grid and block.
Housing At The Riverfront
Rules!!!
Housing At The Boulevard
Block Interiors
Housing At The Riverfront
Public ground floor, way between the River and the Park
Housing At The Boulevard
Ground floor for residents’ usage
Recreation Edge
The Bouevard
Pedestrian street, looking towards the river
Conclusion
THIS NOT ONLY MAKES WAY FOR AN AGREEABLE HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOOD, BUT ALSO RELIEVES THE PRESSURE OF TOO MANY PEOPLE IN NEAR PROXIMITY. IT ALSO ADDRESSES THE IDEA THAT HIGH DENSITY NEIGHBOURHOODS HAVE TO COMPROMISE ON CERTAIN LIVING STANDARDS. AN URBAN PARK COULD THUS BE CONSIDERED TO BUNDLE INTO ONE SPACE, THE THIRD SPACE NEEDS OF ALL THE RESIDENTS IN ITS CATCHMENT AREA.