Research Paper on RIverside Performance

MACKINTOSH SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

Clyde-Riverside Performing Arts Center Pooja Suryakumar April 22th 2014 Pathway Tutor: Prof Mark Baines Pathway: Urban Building (Masters in Architecture, Individual Research Paper 2, Stage 2)

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Chapter- 1 INTRODUCTION River Clyde, Scotland which runs from Glasgow green in the heart of Glasgow to Dumbarton on the firth of Clyde forms a 20 km stretch of what is called the “Clyde Waterfront”. For many years the river Clyde has brought trade and commerce into the heart of the city of Glasgow but now the Clyde street has merely become one of the transitional vehicular access routes for people travelling across east to west of Glasgow. Along this river the city is connected to its southern parts along various different bridges namely the Jamaican and Suspension bridges.

While the city is known for its rich and varied history that stretches back to as long as two thousand years ago, around the 1900 Glasgow was adorned as the European city of Cultures and later it also went on to host the Festival of Architecture and design in 1999.Today Glasgow is a treasure of museums and art galleries and city’s finest concert halls and International conference centres and Science Centres. The city houses many yet undiscovered artists who everyday thrive to find a platform to nurture, showcase their artistic abilities.

A common platform for artists of all genre, easy accessibility and affordability is the need of the hour, which gives rise to idea of arena for performance of art, music and theatre – Clyde Performing arts Center.

Fun factory Urban Timeout Urban Edge Performing arts centre

Briggait

Image above shows collective urban building context

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1.1 Research Introduction

This project aims at focusing on bringing together the On-going live Clyde waterfront Regeneration project along With providing a common platform for the artists of Glasgow along the Clyde Street between the two famous bridges that connects Glasgow north and south of river Clyde between the Jamaican bridge and Victorian Bridge. The urban building site chosen is bounded between the Clyde Street on south and Fox Street on the north and Maxwell Street on its East. The Site is also an axis view from the Suspension bridge that connects the North and South of Glasgow and one of the main desire routes that connect from the St. Enoch’s square to the river banks and Southern parts of Glasgow. Hence this site is considered one of the critical locations for activation of Clyde Street and hence focussing towards the regeneration of Clyde waterfront.

(Drawing showing the history of what existed in the site along 1857(left) and 1892-94(right) respectively)

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Chapter-2 Research Objectives The Clyde waterfront along the mentioned area was an important location in terms of transitional point for trade and commerce in earlier times. Around 1857, the block was the entry point and hence housed the Clyde hotel and temperance hotel for the visitors and around the late 1800’s it gradually got converted into office as trade and commerce flourished the need for many retail and commercial spaces gradually increased and this was also important location in close proximity of then St. Enoch Station. The economic and financial value of this area grew as this was connected both by land and water.

In the present day scenario the Clyde Street remains very inactive and unsafe for pedestrians and is only accessed by vehicular traffic. The aim of the research is to activate the Clyde Street by introducing an urban building at this site that runs twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. This in turn would activate the commercial and retail activities along Clyde Street and the waterfront along the same street, thus making it more accessible for the public. Finally, it brings the life from the city towards the river.

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2.1 “The Urban Building creates the Urban Space” (Camron, et al., n.d.)

The research question along the building level focusses on the the concept of street as a artery and a means of orientation. These street-like passage create a sense of city-center within the urban building. This must be fashioned such that, it is relatively narrow.

The passer-by must be able to cast an eye over all the spaces around without perpetually having to cross from one side of the street to other. This passage must be cautiously designed since it is disadvantageous to provide exactly the street frontage like a shopping arcade. (Krier, 1979,20) Image Source :(Krier, 1979) In the given context the street-like space is the heart of the building that creates a communication link between the fox street and the Clyde Street and inturn the river. This also creates activity along the riverfront of Clyde street , as well. Thus it creates a visual promenade infront of the urban building.

At a differential level, the flexibility of “performing houses” is an important factor that provides for the artist to use the facility in accordance with artist requirements and economic affordibility. The flexibilty questions the need to satisfy all possible configurations. Experiments have shown that the more the seats, the less flexible theatres will be, a modular system must be designed to make the transition from one configuration to another smooth and efficient. (Stephen A. Kliment & Hardy, 2006) Image shows diagrams by Yale professor emeritus Ming Cho Lee. Cho Lee constituted the planning team for new space designed for student work as the Yale school of drama. The project included a renovation plus addition to a 1950’s Jewish community center originally designed by Louis Kahn, now a houses the School of Art and The yale Repertory new Theatre.

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Chapter-3

Site Context

The drawing maps all the theatres and galleries in glasgow city centre taken .

The King’s theatre and Theatre royal and Pavillion theatres are not only the prominent theatre’s but also one of the oldest in the city. It dates back to the time when the only source of entertainment for people of glasgow were to watch plays and musicals at these theatres. This is also one of the reaons for the popularity of Pre-theatre course dinner at many restaraunts. Back in 1860, the owner of theatre royal felt cowcaddens was far too north of the city and hence proposed a for a theatre in dunlop street.

3.1 Street Elevation – Clyde Street

The image below shows the street elevation

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Chapter-4 Preliminary Analysis “Getting towards the Water” The diagram shows the desired routes to get towards the water ; one is directly coming from Buchanan street to St. Enoch’s square Via Dixon Street another one is the Stockwell street which continues from Glassford street and Italian centre.

The secondary axes are the Maxwell Street and Dunlop Street. The latter ones are very less significant when considered to connect the city centre towards the water and across the river Clyde.

The concept proposal for this site consists of adding a desired route from the site towards the water and across the Portland street suspension bridge to connect to Carlton. This desire route is a very important pedestrian axis that connects the northern to the southern city centre across the Clyde. The performance arena along the river, situated at the termination of one of the important axis also allows it to become a part of the skyline and be one of landmark building.

The proposed program shall consist of various zones or group of similar functions put together: The theatre Supporting theatre space Supporting studios The artist’s studios The gallery spaces The retail spaces

Café/Bar

Back Stage –Accomodation space- This is accounted with the consideration of retaining the building on the corner of the maxwell street.

Chapter-5 5.0 Feasibility study 1– Young’s Centre for Performing Arts, Toronto, Canada - KPMB Architects

This Building is an example for new prototype which combine teaching and live performances under one roof. The idea behind the project was to develop a clear plan order such that it maximises the building performance, said the architects, KPMB. The design creates a common platform for the performance and teaching to be conducted hand-in-glove and it creates a cycle of events which are interdependent and grow mutually along each other. It is said to incorporate Old and new modes of Interactivity for teaching and performance to successfully co-exist.

Technically speaking this space was created between two tank houses with massive timber trusses that span the historic load bearing walls. The place is characterised by a “raw warm industrial aesthetics” – as quoted by the Architectural Record magazine, November 2007 issue. This exercise was performed to test the program and scale of the building on the chosen urban site. ((KPMB)Architects, 2006) 8|P a g e

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5.1 Feasibility study 2 – Byre Theatre, St Andrews (Unbuilt) – Richard Murphy Architects,

This project along with other two theatre projects is known to emphasize the obsession with the idea of expressing the semi-circular plan form of auditorium within the foyer; which they (architect) calls it, “a building within the building.” The Architects say the idea has it’s lineage from Aalto’s early projects for theatre, all up to Palladio’s Teatro Olympia, Vicenza. Here in this project, the foyer would by default be an internal piece of the city as they would have been urban shortcuts.

Byre’s theatre grew out of a converted farm shed, its front of the house was located off the one of many pedestrians’ wynds in St. Andrews. The idea was to have two front doors such that it connects the theatre to both sides of the town. (Artifice Books on Architecture , 2012, 274)

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5.2 Conceptual Proposal

IMAGE SHOWING CONCEPTUAL SECTION ACROSS THE CLYDE RIVER 10 | P a g e

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5.3 The image showing the front elevation of the building

MAIN THEATRE FOYER RETAIL

RETAIL

ACCOMODATION

STUDIOS GALLERY RETAIL

CLYDE STREET

Building line starts right at the same level as street to enforce the connection of the building along with the city and urban scape. The side facing the fox’s street, a niche is created such that it makes allowances for coaches and at other times acts a courtyard. The terrace of the retails space opens out to the river. All these together create a dialogue between the north and south of the site. The building elevation along the Clyde Street attempts to balance the existing skyline- 13 storied residential apartment along east and 7 storied Mixed-use building on the west. The retail outlets along the street are conscious effort in activating pedestrian activity along the Clyde Street and thus connecting the either sides of the street.

The Galleries along the Fox Street and Clyde Street are placed in an attempt to give the residential elevation along Fox Street a new lease by creating a sense of mystery. The residential block is placed along the Maxwell Street such that it is placed well receded in quiet place with its view to the river. The building conceptualises to be extrovert in an attempt to create a balance and create a strong dialogue between the Fox Street and Clyde Street.

Images below showing the building elevation along and Fox street (Left corner) and the Clyde Street (right corner)

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References (KPMB)Architects, K. P. M. B., 2006. Archdaily. [Online] Available at: http://www.archdaily.com/142776/young-centre-for-the-performing-arts-kpmb-architects/ [Accessed 10 04 2014].

Artifice Books on Architecture , 2012. Of it's time and of it's place - The work of Richard Murphy Architects. 1 ed. London: Artifice .

Camron, M., Heath, T., OC, T. & Tiesdall, S., n.d. Public spaces Urban Spaces. s.l.:s.n.

Krier, R., 1979. Urban Space. London: William Clowes.

Stephen A. Kliment & Hardy, H., 2006. Performing Arts Facilities. 1 ed. s.l.:Wiley.

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