Reclaiming a residential block in SOPA
Pierre Fladgate Z5169033 Assignment 3
Vision
To Creating a sense of place through social interaction
Mitigating isolation issues within this new development.
Changing the way cars are used to focus on the human experience
Addressing the Issue high density living
What
Isolation
Physical engagement with the site, getting the residents and visitors to move through the site and engage with the physical elements of the design.
Semi integrating the public with the private within my site to allow for people to use communal spaces while being very close to their private residence, this also allows them to experience food and drink options within walking distance.
Increasing the public realm Removing road and adding pedestrian car share ways to allow for some vehicles to access the site. this removes physical barriers within the site and allows more freedom of movement within the site as well as allowing more space for people centered design.
Why
To mitigate the negative effects that high density living brings and to feed the need for human interaction.
Recognizing faces Being able to recognize people who live in the same building Increasing the familiarity of residents within the same vicinity to create that sense of community that can be found in small towns. These small interactions make a huge difference in the way that we live our lives
How
Change the road layout to allow people to get their feet on the ground and use the site more. Adding programs within my design intervention to cater for all ages and all demographics.
Principles + Design Objectives
Engagement
Interaction
Physical engagement with the site, getting the residents and visitors to move through the site and engage with the physical elements of the design.
Physical engagement with the site, getting the residents and visitors to move through the site and engage with the physical elements of the design.
1 – Closing and changing street programs to allow more space and freedom for the users of the space, this is aimed to allow more engagement and remove physical barriers and constrains within the site.
1 – Closing and changing street programs to allow more space and freedom for the users of the space, this is aimed to allow more engagement and remove physical barriers and constrains within the site.
2 – Allowing residents to project their images and ideas onto laneways and small scale spaces to promote individuality and to create a more interesting urban fabric.
2 – Allowing residents to project their images and ideas onto laneways and small scale spaces to promote individuality and to create a more interesting urban fabric.
3 – Designing different sized spaces within the site to give people options off what and where people choose to engage in.
3 – Designing different sized spaces within the site to give people options off what and where people choose to engage in.
Site Within Sydney Importance of the SOPA region to the Sydney’s future Northern Beaches 12 minute drive from Parramatta CBD 25 minute drive from Sydney CBD Western Sydney
Greater Sydney’s region is projected to hit 6,611,720 in 2031 up from 525,252,611 currently.
6km
13km
North Sydney
Extension of the Parramatta light rail to connect Sydney Olympic park to the city of Parramatta. Proposed increased population from 2500 to 15000 within the precinct.
City of Parramatta
Sydney Olympic Park
Key space within two major centers that is currently underutilized and one dimensional in its uses. Sydney CBD
Eastern Beaches
Site Within SOPA
Site within SOPA
Site within my neighborhood plan
My chosen site is sitting in the center of the SOPA district. This is a continuation of my master plan from the previous semesters work centered around creating a neighborhood plan.
My chosen site is sitting within the previous master plan. This gives context around the site as a system rather than a singular design intervention on its own.
Green Space + Road Network
Opportunity + Constraints Opportunity: Understanding how the road network can change to accommodate pedestrians and to minimize the impact on the road network. This map highlights the fragmented connection of green space from the train station to the school plaza and shows how linear and through road can be closed to create my site. Constraints: Keeping some sort of vehicle access within my chosen site to service retail and commercial within my site boundary. Understanding the implications of closing road and interrogating the effect these closures will have on the function of the greater site.
Legend Primary Road
Site Boundary
Secondary Road
Current open space
Minor Road Dead End Road
Retail + Residential
Opportunity + Constraints Opportunity: Understanding how different frontages will dictate different programs within the site and how this will influence my design placement and thinking surrounding different areas. Designing around these spaces to maximize human interaction at different scales gives me a solid framework. Constraints: Keeping a clear distinction between retail frontage and residential frontage as to not clutter the spaces and make sure residents are not exiting their apartment buildings In front of commercial or retail frontages.
Legend Retail edge Site Boundary Proposed school Medium / High Density Residential
Building Density
Opportunity + Constraints Opportunity: Realizing that the proposed density needs to be paired with open space and programming to get the surrounding residents out of their homes and into the public realm to promote interaction and social wellbeing. Constraints: Working around the tall buildings and how they affect the proposed public spaces in both feel and shading. Constraints also include balancing the public and commercial spaces and how people access their buildings.
Legend Building height 4-7 story’s Building height 8 - 10 story’s Building height 10 + story’s Commerical and/or Private
Key Pathways + Nodes
Opportunity + Constraints Opportunity: Realizing that the proposed density needs to be paired with open space and programming to get the surrounding residents out of their homes and into the public realm to promote interaction and social wellbeing. Constraints: Working around the tall buildings and how they affect the proposed public spaces in both feel and shading. Constraints also include balancing the public and commercial spaces and how people access their buildings.
Legend Potential connections Site Boundary Key human scale spaces Key Existing Nodes
Design Strategy
Design Strategy I will reclaim the neighborhood block for human interaction by altering the road network around the site to allow for access and use by the surrounding residents while not hindering the functionality of the greater site. Promoting social engagement and interaction to limit the effects that come with high density living, this allows more time spent outside of their private homes and into a more communal space to create community feel. This site will be focused on residents and cater to residents of all ages and demographic’s. Working with the commercial premises on site to integrate programming to aid a more cohesive design outcome.
Legend Connections Altered Roads Site boundary
Hierarchy of Space
Hierarchy of Space: This design intervention has a central spine of more open spaces running from the train station to the proposed school, intersecting this central spine are the road which make up the majority of my medium space. This allows for more intimate human experience. The smallest spaces branch of the spine, these laneways promote intimate encounters and allow for expression of any and every kind.
Legend Large Space
0m
50m
Medium Space Small Space
N
100m
Programming of Space A civic space
A place to play
A civic plaza that can be used for community events and as a meeting place, due to its key positioning in the site and favorable aspect.
Providing a space for people of all ages to interact and play, activated with a retail edge and a green spine will give multiple options to suit everyone.
Train station A key entry point into the site allowing users to be less reliant on private transport
Traffic slowing measures Design measures put in place to slow traffic to make my design more pedestrian friendly. Cars will have a maximum speed limit of 20 km.
A Place to meet
A Place to Express
A Place to learn
More intimate spaces allowing visitors and residents to connect in a more informal setting. Retail will activate the edges with a focus on accommodating small to medium groups that will sit and stay.
Small alley ways provide a different design scale and present opportunity’s for residents to claim these spaces as their own and express their personality’s on these spaces.
Providing a place for the school children to claim as their own within the boundaries of the site, this plaza could also be integrated into the site for other uses
Shared Space Commercial vehicles will be allowed to this space in conjunction with the residents of SOPA, commercial access will be limited to specific hours to service retail.
Traffic slowing measures Design measures put in place to slow traffic to make my design more pedestrian friendly. Cars will have a maximum speed limit of 20 km.
0m
50m
N
100m
Design Exploration
Engagement for different ages groups
Idea generation for engagement and different programs for different age groups that will be experiencing my design intervention. This quick sketch looks at how different programs can be integrated to bring a holistic design approach to these spaces.
Circular nodes
Exploring the idea of circular nodes and how these could possibly function within an urban setting. These nodes could be meeting places and allow easy access into them all.
Impromptu gathering
Impromptu spaces that can cater for a range of people in both ages and in group number. Exploring how I could make these spaces visually inviting as well as function with my design choices.
Design Exploration
Exploring Scale
Gaining a better understand of working scales how these different scales can affect the experience of spaces throughout my design. Looking to test unique shapes and seeing if these could be incorporated into my design.
Crossing Space
Exploring crossing spaces and how they can offer both an experience to some users as they move through or can act as a communing route for others whom do not want or do not have time to take a experiential route.
Movement + Nodes
Modelling movement of people around nodes and how these nodes could possibly act as a reference points throughout my design. Exploring the space needed make these nodes possible spaces for gathering and other spaces for travelling.
Playful Objects
Playing with objects to see what they could possibly be. Looking at customs structures and changing their scale to then change their function. Looking at shapes to be either tables, seats or shelters through my site.
Exploring Edge Conditions Integrated buildings
Working and highlighting the buildings into the design key features. This would allow residents to have more or a varies experience and would increase the diversity of programming contained within the site.
Putting feet on the ground
Visualizing how to create more social interaction within the site by getting the residents onto the ground and physically moving around the site. This allows for more spontaneous interactions to occur and fosters a community feel.
Buildings in the back ground
Exploring how to minimize the effect of the buildings by filling the eye level with objects and programs to maximize the personal experience down at the human scale.
Master Plan Key
D
D
A B
A B
C
C Legend Section
Detail Plan
Section AA
Place to Meet
Residential Retail
Residential Retail
8 m wide walk way
15m central program
Spill over space for the retail stores
Informal meeting space nestled within a tree grove
8 m wide walk way
Spill over space for the retail stores
Section AA 1 : 200 @ A3
Section BB
Section CC
Share way Section
Lane way section
Residential Retail
Residential Retail
Share way / spill out zone
Shared space Pedestrian focused allowing cars to service the commercial venues
Share way / spill out zone
Section BB 1 : 200 @ A3
Residential
Residential
Offset area leading into residents homes
Lane way promoting residents personal expression
Offset area leading into residents homes
Section CC 1 : 200 @ A3
Section DD
Traffic Slowing Measures
Threshold moving to a road crossing
Low garden bed on following the rise in land form to highlight the crossing
Raised road acting as a speed bump, signaling for drivers to slow down
Low garden beds to funnel pedestrians across the road in one spot
Section DD 1 : 50 @ A3
Materials
Grey Paver to show continuation through the site
Threshold moving to a road crossing
Red Brick to show change and to give drivers a visual aid to slow down
Grey Paver to show continuation through the site
Detail Plan 1
3
Legend
3
Shared Road
2
Seating Area
3
Spillout Area
4
Place to Meet
N 1 3 2
3
1
3
4
1 : 200 @ A3
Master Plan 1
4
6 8 9
2 8 3 2 Legend
9
1
Civic Space
6
Place to Play
2
Place to Meet
8
Shared Space
3
Place to Express
9
Age Specific Play
4
Traffic Slowing Measures
10
School
5
Place to Learn
4
5
10
N
1 : 1500 @ A3
Model
Model