Layers of Salford
This photo attempts to express the complexity of Salford’s history and identity. The layers of Salford begin to emerge with the new commercial development in the background, the retained feature from the Industrial Revolution with Trafford Bridge in the mid-ground, and in the foreground a forgotten street. The design on the Ordsall site must be sympathetic of these complexities. The small sculpture was made using objects found on the forgotten street with a sensitivity to its surroundings.
‘A city is more than the sum of its inhabitants. It has the power to generate a surplus of amenity, which is one reason why people like to live in communities rather the in isolation.’ Gordon Cullen, The Concise Townscape
Opportunities and Constraints OPPORTUNITIES
CONSTRAINTS
Improve the Widder Community
Access
The wider Ordsall community is a relitively deprived area of Manchester. An innovative design on the site would act as a mediator between the Ordsall neighbourhood, surrounding districts and city centre.
Currently, the car dominates all other forms of access. While the tram circumnavigates the area it is largely unaccessable. The waterside access is also poor with limted points of entry from Ordsall Lane.
Ordsall Hall
Severence
Ordsall Hall is a huge asset to the area, sitting just outside to boundary of the site. It is a grade 1 listed building and set within the right landscape could prove to be a large pull factor to the neighbourhood.
There are many points of division and severence within the site. The Ship Canal creates a hard restrictive boundary, Ordsall Lane divides the site from the wider community and the business district to the south is of an insular design.
Link Between City Centre and Salford Quays Ordsall sits between the two largest spheres within Greater Manchester. By turning the Ordsall waterfront into a destination and establishing links of access between the City Centre and Salford Quays, Ordsall could becomes a significant space within the Manchester urban landscape.
Access Overview Halprin once wrote that the most exciting views of the city are from 30,000 feet at night. From a plane the street lights show the main thoroughfare and points of evening activity. These long exposure light drawings are inspired by his observation. As the car count shows, the area is dominated by Ordsall Lane and motorised vehicles. My aim is to reduce this dependency and create a more dynamic axis with the waterfront. The car count results are based over ten different recordings, the average result is represented below.
Car Count- 1 walker for every 19 cars
Proposed Access
The diagram on the left shows my proposed foot, boat and vehicle access for the site and wider area. I intend to implement a continuous promenade between Salford Quays and the City Centre which will run through the sitet, linking Ordsall to the wider city. Having identified Ordsall Lane as a major constraint to the site I have made several amendments. Firstly, by removing the road entirely infant of Ordsall Hall to create a continuous green space between the Hall and waterside. Secondly, moving the road away from the flats to the North of Ordsall Lane in order to create a strip of green frontage.
Foot Access
Boat Access
Vehicle Access
Proposed Axis
Axis Terminiation View Newly Created Space
The amendments to Ordsall Lane are intended to reduces the roads prominence over the site and to also stop it being used as a cut through. The map above shows that motorists can use the motorway networks to circumnavigate Ordsall Lane.
Current Footbridge Limitations
New Footbridge
View of St Clement’s from Pomona Island
Axis Terminiation View
While there is a footbridge positioned to the north of the site it is not fit for disabled access to the north and the southern exit passes under a dark bridge arch.
Axis
A new bridge placed in the centre of the site would be beneficial for several reasons.
Connections to Wider Ordsall
Through the bridge and wider axis, a link would be created between the existing Ordsall neighbourhood, the site and finally the future community that will be built on Pomona Island.
Current Footbridge Proposed Footbridge
Also gives the Ordsall community access to wider resources such as Cornbrook Station.
Tram Access Radius Site Boundary
Cornbrook Radius
Exchange Quay Radius
The bridge also allows residents of Ordsall to access Cornbrook tram station. While Exchange Quay sits to the south of the site it has many less connections than Cornbrook, only running between Eccles and Ashton-under-Lyne. Cornbrook creates many more opportunities with connections to all stops along the Bury, Altrincham and Eccles lines. The Urban Design Compendium recommends that in designing walkable neighbourhoods residents should be within 800 meters of local bus stops, so I have applied this theory to Ordsall and its relationship with Exchange Quay and Cornbrook Stations. Most of the site falls within the 800m radius of Cornbrook and northern areas of Ordsall are also brought within an 800m radius of a station.
Strategic Overview
Public Space
Community Gardens
Foot Access
Private Space
Children’s Play Area
Road
Public Green Space
Sport Facilities
Site Districts
Community
Commercial
Historic
Recreation
Orientation and Nodes
Destination Node
Node of Movement
Orientation
Axonometric View
Ordsall Lane
Ordsall Hall
Ship Canal
Pomona
1:500 Strategic Overview Ordsall Hall
I have selected this area of my design to explore further as it is framed by two crucial elements, the new bridge and Ordsall Hall. The Super Block that sits between it serves many functions but is primarily conceived as a way of negotiate between then two elements.
Blue Infastructure
Wetlands
Public Space
Private Space
Existing Structures
Wetland Planting Character Areas Ordsall Lane
Proposed Bridge
Super Block
1:500 Blue Infastructure Wetland as Mediator
As the research in my technical file shows, there is an unknown risk of flooding that could be significant in the worst case scenario. The wetland has been designed to act as a point of defence as well part of a wider engaging landscape. I have also designed a blue infrastructure between Ordsall Lane and the existing flats outside of the site. This is to create an interlocking relationship between the Block existing flats. Industry has hogged the waterside since the Ship Canal’s conception, so part of the design is to bring a waterside to the residents.
Ship Canal New Blue Infastructure Wetland Existing Stuctures Ordsall Lane Public Spaces Area for Flooding
1:500 Exposure vs Enclosure
Macro Scale
The diagram above shows at the macro scale that the wetlands represents an exposed area and the interior of the super block as position of shelter. At the micro level it is possible to see potential variations and subtleties of microclimate and how this might shape the area in terms of significant positions within the site.
Micro Scale
Blue Infastructure
Super Block
Ordsall Lane
Enclosure
Wetland
Existing Stuctures
Public Spaces
Exposure/ Shelter
Floor Plan and Access - Super Bloc The block has been planned as a mixed use space, combining residential, commercial and office realms within the design. Each of these spheres will animate the space at different times of the day and week. During the week internal space would be inhabited by residents and officers workers on their lunch breaks and during the weekends it would most likely be dominated by residents and visitors.
Office Space
High Street Residential Commercial Shopping Commercial Restaurant
Ship Canal
Public Space Private Green Space Access Shop Orientation Ship Access
Super Block Design Ordsall Lane High Street
Boat Entrance This entrance allows the boats to enter the internal space, designed to add an extra fluidity to the block’s internal landscape. This design is aimed at reinvigorating the Ship Canal as a new potential way to view the city as a mode of transport. Ordsall would bride the gap between Salford Quays and the City Centre.
This area facing onto Ordsall Lane and the rest of the Ordsall Community will act as a High Street creating a node for amenities.
South Facing Office Space This section of the building is only two floors high so as to minimise blocking the sun. The entire facade of this area is also made of glass to allow as much light to permeate through as possible. This would only be possible to do with an office space as privacy is less important.
N
I also feel that the offices would animate the space with their activity which can be viewed from inside the block courtyard.
Topography Visualisation of the Wetlands Block
From this drawing it is possible to see how the paths segment the wetlands into pockets for exploration. It has been designed to promote a stronger point of interaction between the landscape and visitor whilst creating points of refuge within an exposed area.
Office Space
Ship Canal
Ordsall Lane Visualisation
As the Ordsall masterplan states, there are a lack of amenities within the Ordsall area and this high street has been conceived to amend the issue. The high street faces toward the existing site so it is as central as possible to the area as well as to create a point of connection between the new and existing community.
High Street Ordsall Lane
Existing Flats
New Blue Infastrcutre
Initial Visualisation of Design Ordsall Lane
Ship Canal
Ordsall Hall
Wetland
Planting Character Areas
Pomona
View from Wetlands Towards the Block
View from Pomona Island
1:500 Plan Existing Flats
Decking Boating House
Wetlands
Ship Docks
Ship Canal
100m
New Bridge
Revised 1:500 Design Developing my design at the 1:200 scale has made me reconsider the strategic layout of the block and surrounding area. This design has less access routes within the block which creates a cleaner divide between the public and private space. The watercourse that has been designed as an interplay between the path and public spaces. The area of land between the block and wetlands has also been refined with a clearer hierarchy of paths that divides and invites access to the wetlands.
Blue Infastructure Wetlands Super Block Existing Structures Ordsall Lane Public Spaces Private Soace Access
Ordsall Lane
1:200 Plan
Viewing Deck Ramp Access
Wetlands
Piazza
Private Residential Space
Tangible Water
Grass Terrace
Boat Storage, Club House and Viewing Deck
50m
Samuel Cortis
March 2017
Strategy Plan
Primary Access
Piazza Connected with Cafe/Restauants
Secondary Access Raised Viewpoint Visual Barrier
Levels +2.5 m
0 m
Walking, Sitting and Play
Walking
Seating
Play
Walking, Sitting and Play Levels Materials
In this format it is possible to begin to find the correlations and links between the different diagrams and the information they convey.
Planting Philosophy
Shelter or Barrier
Visual and Sensory Aesthetics
Defining Spacial Elements
Singluar Features
Planting Plan Strategy
Spatial Boundary
Defined Spaces
Access
Planting Plan & Schedule Planting
1:50 Design Approach
1:50 Design
Viewpoint steping stones
Piazza
I choose this section to design at the 1:50 scale because I consider this area as crucial element of the wider design. This space mediates between the block and wetlands which represent two vast masses within the design.
B
As I concentrated on the area I also refined the design in way that I feel invites a greater and wider program of use.
B
Seating enclave
A
A C
Slope
C
10m
Path to the wetlands
BLOCK
Seating Enclave Detail 1:40 Sloped Seat
Concrete Slabs Timber seating with slots for water drainage
Granite Edging
In Situ Concrete
Root Balled Fraxinus excelsior
100mm Concrete 100mm Sub Base Motar Bed Compacted Sub Soil
Slot Drain Drainage
A
A
Paving Detail
Resin Bound Gravel
I felt it was important to detail the paving layout as this does not always seem to be considered in enough detail when looking at other projects around Manchester. What I was particularly interested in depicting was was the relationship between the pollarded Aesculus hippocastanum and paving. It is very common to see circular boarders but this often clashes with the rectangular paving so it was important for me that these two elements matched.
Sandstone Slab 600, 400mm
In terms of paving styles I was inspired by the sandstone slabs in St Peter’s Square with contrasting finishes on the same slab. I have opted for a similar style.
Flamed Texture Smooth texture
In this detail I also consider the exact relationship between the tree and the raised beds so that it left adequate access whilst also promoting a close reaction with the Aesculus hippocastanum.
Aesculus hippocastanum Pollarded.
Neyland Clay Pavers
Granite Edges 200, 100mm
1:20 Sections Granite Kerb Edge
Pre-cast Concrete Stair Unit
30mm Motar Bedding
Timber Bench
B
50mm Sandstone Paver
B 120mm Concrete Base
Compacted Sub-base
Bench 150mm Single Sized Gravel Drainage
Geo-texture 200m Topsoil 50mm Sandstone Paver
C
C 30mm Motar Bedding
450mm Compacted Sub-soil
Concrete Base
Compacted Sub-base