Heriot-Watt University - School of Built Environment Real Estate And Planning programme Sustainable Design and Development Roland Lรกposi 2013
ARGYLE HOUSE DESIGN BRIEF - extract
1. SITE ANALYSIS
CONTEXT 1. SITE LOCATION The site of the design brief is located in Edinburgh in the Central Belt of the economic powerhouse of Scotland. Edinburgh City Centre is a World Heritage Site – the brief’s site is located in the centre of this on the Western fringe of the Old Town. It is wedged between the Castle hill, the Grassmarket and the Exchange districts.
The site boundaries are the Castle Terrace, Lady Lawson street, the West Port road, the Grassmarket and the King Stables Road from the North. Significant buildings surrounding it are Edinburgh Castle and Edinburgh College of Art.
2. SETTING
The site is well connected to public transport and cycle routes, international transport hubs - the Waverly Station, Edinburgh Bus reducing the amount of private transport required, thus lowering Station and Edinburgh Airport. This would be particularly useful for the carbon emissions affiliated to the site. international business relations. Good public transport and main road connections make it possible to have easy and fast access to the major national and
3. URBAN THEME Brownfield development potential: This site is burdened with lack of attractions, underutilised or vacant properties while being on the “high street� of the wider West Port area with thriving ground floor uses.
Conceptual analysis of thematic functions and primary roles (Jacobs; 1993) shows that the position of the King Stables area is in the conjunction of many different characters. It is in a transitional zone between tourism, culture and creative craft themes to residential, shopping and business roles within 500 m walking distance of all. . The mix of the themes on the palette representing a very urbanised and metropolitan environments and diversity. With good strategic positioning of this uses and urban design this site could connect those themes by offering a place of openness and accessibility to surrounding public places and focal points through an intimate quarter. Building on it location close to hotels, university, offices, theatres, playhouses, entertainment and leisure facilities as well as open space amenities it is a prime strategic set to explore.
4. CONNECTIONS & ACCESSIBILITY The site is directly connected to the Castle Terrace square, the Usher Hall neighbourhood, the West Port area And the Grassmarket district. It also has good connections towards the core World Heritage Zone - the Castle and the Royal Mile of the old Town - through the Johnston Terrace and the Granny’s Green Steps. The Exchange District is accessible via the Usher Hall’s quarter and via Spittal street, while the Princes Steer Gardens and the New Town connected via the king Stables Road. The main access points to the site are leading from the King Stables Road and West Port streets into the middle of the area. Individual blocks accessible from West Port street are also connected to the pedestrian King Stables lane and the Lady Wynd. The overall accessibility of the are however is limited, the Castle Hill and the main road on the North forming a natural barrier and boundary, meanwhile the Argyle House building and the closed steps including the Chapel Wynd presenting physical and visual blocking elements of free movement across the sit towards the King Stables lane. The long wall on the northern part of the King Stables lane is also a very strong barrier and absolutely “dead” urban edge. The problem of the inside is that the lack of attractions or uses combined with the lack of access points and barriers are driving people away, apart from the locals living their which means two residential buildings with access only from the King Stables lane.
5. MOVEMENT PATTERNS & PERMEABILITY
The area has three distinctive foal points with different primary functions. The Castle Terrace square (1) is mainly a car parking node for people coming to work into the centre, the junction (2) at the crossings of West Port, Fountainbridge and Lady Lawson streets is a local transport node supported by the presence of a very high intensity of retail, food & drink and specialist shops and pedestrian footfall of locals. Meanwhile the Grassmarket square (3) is a very popular open meeting place which offers a wide range of leisure, music and entertainment activities on the square and in the surrounding open-terrace pubs, cafes, restaurants it caters not only for the local residents and workers but for a significant tourist too. The main desire lines are paths taken by people to get to and from local points, they are representing the movement patterns of city users by showing the most effective , quickest and fastest way available between desired destinations. Not all of them used same frequently. Within the site the King Stables Lane and the Lady Wynd are the key pedestrian elements partially overlapping with desire lines, however the lack of permeability – good access and meaningful space - and a attractive function and uses prevent to knit the site into the street use patterns around the site. Potential openings of Argyle House site and existing steps which are leading to bus stops and do connect inner blocks to the focal points would increase the use of the pedestrian lanes and improve permeability.
Permeability now
Potential permeability
6. KEY VIEWS OF SITE The site is very interesting if looked at in the point of view of visibility, vantage points and key vistas. 5 main vantage points has been identified which offering a comprehensive overview of the whole area from the Castle, the Castle Terrace, the junction of West Port and Lady Lawson streets, the University of Art building and the Grassmarket square respectively. Three of them are very busy local focal points, which are connected by desire lines
– path where people actually passing by resulting high pedestrian flows. Those locations are most affected by changes in building heights, building frontage lines and roof heights. As the site is part of the World Heritage zone and has two distinctive identifiable landmark (Lynch; 1960) buildings the Castle and the mass of the University of Art any intervention shall be very careful.
Key vistas and desire lines are another aspect of the area’s image from view points of people passing by. There is four main vistas at the arriving points to the site which open itself only when a viewer gets to the point on the street corners. Two additional vistas exist when walking along the West Port street at the closed step next to the Argyle House building and at the also closed Chapel Wynd.
7. STREET LEVEL USES Dominant ground floors uses in the site’s environment are classified under commercial, office, residential (where appropriate) and third places ( Oldenburg; 1989).
Commercial uses have many different form from offering services such as hair dresser to niche market bookshops and corner shops. Third places including cafes, restaurants, pubs and clubs as well as any other places offering food & drink options to customers. Spatially they are clustered around focal points, where they display a rhythm and variety in details which are almost resembling to a traditional high street. These locations are having an average 8-15 shop fronts, entrances and different functions to interact with. According to Gehl et al this density of ground floor uses is falling into the category of liveable vibrant streets. This places generating a high pedestrian flows. Almost identical the edge of the attractive and active urban edges to the ground floor uses.
8. OWNERSHIP AND LAND USE OWNERSHIP
MAIN LAND USES
The ownership of individual parts of the site show a mixed picture. The biggest Argyle House plot is in one hand, the second biggest King Stables complex is owned by the Edinburgh Council apart from upper floors of the residential buildings at the King Stables Road and Lady Wynd corner. The rest of the properties are owned privately. Groundfloor units in mixed use buildings are on leases, individual class of uses permitted by the local authority.
Dominant land use on the site is the mixed use: groundfloor shops or commercial units with homes on the upper levels. Extensive residential buildings and green space areas also can be found. Many of the properties actually lacks occupiers or existing uses. Main examples are the Argyle House sections, former warehouses offices belonging to the Council.
9. SENSE OF PLACE
Based on Adams and Tiesdell (2013) the area has two main types of place use, which in turn influences the relating sense of place too.
Along the West Port side are uses and activities of existence, such as dwelling, shopping, buying food, access to public transport etc.
The Grassmarket side is more about experience and encounter: leisure, entertainment, music, tourism and meeting with others on public places.
10. URBAN EDGES Passive, blind urban edges along King Stables lane
Active and attractive urban edges along West Port and Lady Lawson streets
11. DAYTIME AND LATE NIGHT USES
DAY-TIME USES
NIGHT-TIME USES
Day-time activities are slightly different of those during the late evening or the night. The highlighted areas are the most frequently visited by people, customers of shops, student going to the university or workers going to offices.
Night-time and late evening activities are generated by “third places” such as restaurants, cafes, and pubs. The Grassmarket square is one anchor in the area, on the western side there is the Silk night club, and the adult entertainment clubs on the south.
This part of the environment are most exposed to users, traffic, pollution and social interactions and requires quality public places and service solutions. They are aligned with the desire lines.
Main issue is people’s safety and crime prevention which is not supported by urban design especially on the King Stables lane, Lady Wynd and King Stables road because of the lack of “eyes on the street” and good quality street lighting.
12. POLICY CONTEXT
NATIONAL CONTEXT Understanding the policies The sensitive location and historic setting of the development brief area and the fact that any development here would be de facto brownfield redevelopment makes the policy context very important. Addressing and analysing applicable policies makes it possible to outline a possible future and development framework for the area.
National Planning Framework 2 The NPF2 set out important approaches and identifies future scenarios which will influence the wider context and setting of Edinburgh , the Old Town and the Argyle House site. The Importance of Place (§13-14) highlights reasons behind location choice for companies and people and links it up to quality place making. Paragraph 16-17 introduce the Sustainability and Climate Change adaption covering energy use reduction, low carbon use and climate change consequences – which in the case of public open space are positive with the increase of sunny days (in turn it results more frequent droughts). One determinant of the form and use of settlement is the Transportation. Paragraph 22-23 addresses the issues of public transport systems, compact cities, mixed uses and walkable neighbourhoods. Summarised key aims are outlined in the paragraph 44 and unfolded in the subsequent parts. Considerations regarding design and built environment in §79-91 the promotion of high density compact cities, the use of already developed site through regeneration. Lessening car-dependency, increasing buildings energy efficiency, addressing pollution, waste and noise problems and creating sustainable patterns of developments are key points.
Scottish Planning Policy and Consultation Draft • SPP provides a general background to understand consequences and requirements in design. It influences the proposed development design framework. Like §43 which says design should address minimising emission, reducing carbon footprint and adaptation to climate change. • Economic Development §45 promotes regeneration, §46 states that opportunities for mixed use development should be identified and be accessible by walking, cycling and public transport. SPP emphasises (§47-48) small business development combined with high quality tourism related developments on brownfield locations including derelict lands. • Improving town centres (§53-61) says that viability, day-time and evening uses, pedestrian flows, built form, links to urban fabric are important. The siting and design of housing developments (§78-79) should look at its surroundings, landscape, ecology topography, character and the use of local materials and providing 25% affordable housing and be integrated into existing active travel networks. It is especially true in World Heritage and Conservation areas where appearance and views are protected.(§ 115, 120). • Open spaces should be accessible for every age and gender group, safe, attractive and well connected (§155). Parking provision in town centres shall contribute to overall requirements. • Consultation draft bring changes by identifying the role of sustainable development (§27) and prepares for climate change adaptation (§34). The most significant however is the introduction of the holistic placemaking approach in §35-40 as it incorporate the design principles of the previous Designing Streets and Designing Places (2010) as well as the recent Creating Places (2013).
13. POLICY CONTEXT
The policy context of the site is set in the Edinburgh Local Development Plan Proposed Plan (2013). According to the local plan the site is next to the Special Landscape Area (ENV11) on the Castle Hill’s rocky slopes ; adjacent and partially covered by the Speciality Shopping Street designation (RET9) to preserve and enhance the concentration of diverse niche retail units.
It belongs to the Old Town Designated Conservation Area (ENV6 – Development, 15 – Sites of Local Importance) which means that any development must have taken into account the built heritage and identity; and part of the World Heritage Site zone (ENV1).
The policy covering City Centre developments (DtS3) implicates that in the area mixed use developments are having priority, with ground floor shops and offices/homes above where it is appropriate.
14. EVOLUTION OF THE URBAN FABRIC Morphology, topography The area’s historical street pattern is adapted to topographic conditions of the surface, streets are aligned with the contour lines of elevation. The morphology of the blocks are determined by these natural features. The historical building lines are on the street edge , the main bulk of the buildings are massed up to the front. Perimeter blocks are typical. Buildings are oriented to catch the solar noon even in winter time. The surface gradually stepped down towards the King’s Stables Road. Dividing line is the King’s Stables lane which divides the site to a steep southern and a more gentle, flat northern part.
15. CHARACTER AND SCALE
King’s Stables Lane Lady Wynd
King’s Stables Lane
King’s Stables Road
16. TOPOGRAPHY The site topography contains a gentle slope down from south to north with Argyle House and the Edinburgh College of Art at the top end of the slope. Lady Lawson street varies quite dramatically in altitude with the northern section being 77 metres above sea level and the southern point 85 metres, Argyle House is located at the West Port/Lady Lawson Street crossroads which has an altitude of 80 metres The West Port also slopes upward gradually in the direction of Argyle House. At the bottom of the hill the altitude is 77m.
The building is articulated in different parts: two 11 storey office blocks (7 of which over ground). Because of it’s considerable height and the configuration of the site it is quite exposed to the outdoor environment. Argyle House dominates the skyline when viewed from elevated positions such as the Castle or Johnston Terrace, it is 7 storeys from street level on West Port and towers considerably over the traditional tenement buildings of 3 or 4 storeys.
2. PROPOSAL & Design FRAMEWORK
2.1 URBAN DESIGN BRIEF
Urban Design Brief
The brief outlines a future vision for the area by defining key principles and setting up of the design framework for developments. The main aim is to trigger change on the site by creating development opportunities while strengthening local identity and identifying new functions or the area with respect to the existing character and the local context.
Expected Outcomes •A sustainable community in a revitalised urban environment on the World Heritage zone •A clearly defined urban fabric woven together by mixed uses, well connected urban spaces •Establishing new tourism and city user destinations through new hospitality, art, creativity and cultural functions •Exploiting topographical and built from potentials to achieve high quality buildings and places for people
In outlining our vision for the Argyle House site we looked at the general and specific aims of the Scottish Policy (2010) and the SPP Consultation Draft (2013) as well as at the National Planning Framework 2 (2009). Our key principles and development framework elements are based on the Scottish Government guidance papers such as the Designing Streets (2010), Designing Places (2010) and the most recent Creating Places (2013).
Vision The scenario envisions a thriving transitionary urban zone between the Old Town – Grassmarket and the City Centre – Exchange District with respect to the scenic background of the Mound and the Castle. The King’s Stables “compound” will become a new cultural meeting point in the city centre appealing to the wider city audience by revitalising the unique mews character and will accommodate art venues, street looking galleries, community spaces, ruin-pubs and affordable artist studios accessible from both King’s Stables Road and Lane.
The transformation of the Argyle House site through partial demolishment and redevelopment will bring significant changes. Retaining , refurbishing the eastern wing of Argyle House to a premium located hotel and establishing a continuous urban edge along perimeter zone of the Lady Lawson street and Castle Terrace with active frontages, diverse in variety and choice of retail, commercial, food & drink uses on ground floors, small office units - under 5000 m2 -on 1st-2nd floors and flats - market and affordable homes - above will create a new sense of place and bring constant human presence in. The design of the inner core of the site will display new attractive public and open spaces in dialogue with the new art and creative functions in the King’s Stables by applying art as streetscaping and using the buildings as canvasses. New pedestrian routes through boundaries of Castle Terrace and West Port will enhance the ease of movement to reach and move within the block. The integration of new functions and uses will make the area a new destination to go to while knit together the City Centre , Royal Mile and Grass Market desire lines.
2.2 DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
The development framework’s aim to guide developments taken place on Argyle House site by outlining general and where appropriate specific design requirements to meet with. The design framework is aligned with the principles and approaches introduced by Designing Places and Designing Streets (Scottish Government 2010) and reinforced by Creating Places Scottish Government ,2013). Through quality design our brief wishes to contribute to the creation of a successful and sustainable place on the Argyle House site and in the brief area. How is it going to happen? The brief is concerned with the building stones of ‘good design’ (Creating Places 2013) and offers general responses to them : • Physical value: by identifying the World Heritage context of the site in the urban fabric, assessing the local built characters and guiding redevelopment built forms to be applied through the masterplan; •Functional values: by positioning the site in the wider context of city user functions in the Grassmarket - City Centre – Exchange District triangle; •Viability: by building upon demands for tourism and medium spaced cultural and art venues and the pressure on Argyle House to be redeveloped; proposing mixed use developments on Argyle House site and art & culture developments on King’Stables including housing to ensure resilience of local economy; by having area & parcel development phases;
•Social values: by preventing gentrification through allocating housing elements and affordable housing into the masterplan; via creating walkable connections to and within the site; shaping the public spaces via streetscaping and street art as well as stakeholder engagement in design development to gain legitimacy and reveal local identity; establishing local facilities for shopping, leisure and entertainment and allowing the local treatment of building facades on the inner core of the site; •Environmental value: by ensuring that building design and practices result reduction in energy use and lower carbon footprint; by emphasising local building materials comforting to the local character; setting out layout and orientation of buildings and creating a web of “sheltered pockets” on public place network protected by the buildings. Another aspect of the brief that it should be understand along with the following six qualities of successful places set out in Designing Places (2010): • distinctive; • safe and pleasant; • easy to move around; • welcoming; • adaptable; and • resource efficient.
2.3 CONCEPT DIAGRAM Positioning – concept of the urban fabric
Repositioning – concept of Argyle House site
Identifying Themes & Functions
Residential
Tourism
Business
Night Life
Tourism
Open Space
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Culture Shopping
Pubs, Cafes
City Centre
Niche Retail Creating Places & Destinations
High Street
Festival ‘Perimeter’ Zone
Castle
Culture and Art
Night club Mixed Use
Mixed Use Residential
Hotel West Port Area
Grassmarket
Integration - concept of proposed uses
Castle Terrace
‘Inner Core’ Zone
University
Inner Core Zone Perimeter Zone
• Corresponding to Castle Terrace, Lady Lawson Street and West Port • Tenement character – urban edge • Active ground floor uses • Corresponding to King’s Stables • Intimate, intricate public spaces • Everyday meeting point • Street art and identity forming
2.4 KEY DESIGN PRINCIPLES
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Quality of Space Achieving a clearly defined built character based on local identity through design and building practices with regards to the site’s World Heritage status and the proposed new uses in the brief area Applying correspondent built forms and layouts with strong boundaries and accessible urban edges. Commitment to high quality design, the use of natural and built heritage features. Permeability Establishment a system of distinctive and interconnected open spaces built upon locally traditional patterns such as intricate network of wynds, lanes and small public spaces on set backs at “landing” points and nodes. Pedestrian routes connecting destinations within and across the area by integrating local and visitor (tourism) desire lines. Sustainability Accommodation of mixed uses based on positioning of the area into the surrounding urban fabric – incorporating hospitality, Food & Drink, residential, small scale office and niche market retail, commercial and cultural functions. Commitment to sound and design and building practices to ensure environmental sustainability, economic viability and social cohesion.
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Community Supporting local community by providing open spaces and opportunities for social interaction through local shopping, leisure, entertainment and meeting point facilitates. Creating wide range of housing options – including affordable homes – by accommodating different household needs and types which also support social cohesion Tourism and Identity Revitalising the area through attractions and destinations for every day users and national & worldwide tourism participants. Streetscaping of public places and treatment of built environment as canvas for art Implementation Phased redevelopment and partial refurbishment responding to market signals and capability of delivery.
2.5 MASTERPLAN
2.6 MIXED USE New functions and Uses The brief propose a wide range of new functions and a mixed use scheme to be introduced to the two main development area: King’s Stables •The main aim is to become a new culture and art venue in Edinburgh comprising creative industry activities, art galleries, community uses, artist workshops, studio flats and ruin-pubs while maintaining the unique tenement – mews character. •Developments should use the given built environment without altering their character and identity. The new function will require improved connection and entrances – better permeability – on King’s Stables lane to ‘work’ together with the rest of the area. Argyle House Site •The allocation of uses on Argyle House site aimed to increase evening and day-time uses in the area as well as forming the base of a resilient local economy by offering wide range of units and purposes for businesses. •will accommodate a new hospitality function – hotel use – by refurbishing and converting the eastern wing of the Argyle House, and various mixed use element along the Lady Lawson Street and Castle Terrace by demolishing the western wing of Argyle House. •The new mixed use buildings will comprise specialist niche market shopping, retail, restaurant and commercial uses on ground floor of the ‘perimeter zone’ and cafes, pubs on the ‘inner core’ side.
•The first and second floors are providing space for small scale Grade B office uses under 5000 m2. •The upper floors should be for residential purposes including affordable housing option. In general wide range of layouts are encouraged from the studio flats till the family sized apartments to achieve inclusion and prevent gentrification. •The office floors will also provide a buffer between busy street life and evening-time ground floor uses and the residential floors. New functions in the area
2.7 ARGYLE HOSE SITE CONCEPT CHARACTER & IDENTITY The new development will based on two main zones: • the ‘perimeter zone’, the frontage and urban edge on Castle Terrace- and Lady Lawson streets, and •the ‘inner core’ zone which is behind the main bulks of buildings and embracing the new public places as set in the masterplan. The Argyle House will retain its place only in rescaled version. The character of the perimeter zone will reflect the identity of a busy quarter on the fringe of the Old Town with ground floor uses, many entrances and reveal new vistas and panoramas through new pedestrian routes and desire lines. This will be comforting to the existing scale and style of the surroundings however contemporary architectural interpretation is encouraged. The inner core zone which comprise the inner facades of the buildings and the King’s Stables open/public spaces within will reflect on the new culture and art function established in the King’s Stables and the use of street art and the treatment of building facades as art canvasses. This transitionary place will connect the more traditional urban realm to the revitalised King’s Stables area. Careful and sensitive approach is needed though to ensure that art on building frontages and streets will not have harmful effect on the World Heritage zone requirements. By engaging local community as well as the artist community in Edinburgh a new landmark can be created (see proposed design and uses of masterplan). The heart of the inner core will be the new ‘piazza’ the King’s Stables square.
•Scheme of new character areas:
2.8 IMAGINE THE PERIMETER ZONE DESIGN AND USE Tenements & Mixed Use – contemporary interpretations, ground floor uses, art, craft & designer shops, local grocery, cafe, restaurant , local amenities etc.
2.9 IMAGINE THE INNER CORE DESIGN Tenements – art and creativity reflecting to similar new function located to the Stables , a new public place looking at King ‘s Stables and a new pedestrian connection between Castle Terrace and King S Lane Street art and using building as canvas
•Steps - Istanbul, Turkey, •Terrace– Amaz ,Amsterdam •House – Hundertwasser, Vienna
Underground community places , open terraces, basement cafes
2.10 ARGYLE HOUSE HOTEL - IMAGINE OTHER DESIGN APPROACHES The biggest challenge Argyle House – turn it over to a Hotel which have steady income stream and by exploiting the location and the new customer magnet creative and art king Stables Quarter meanwhile being the most hip hotel in Scotland.... Scale it back...
Eco – biodiversity facade
Increasing transparency
Applying stepped rooflines
Colouring – facade treatment
2.11 KING’S STABLES – IMAGINE A BOHEMIAN QUARTER DESIGN AND USE Mews buildings, abandoned warehouses, storage rooms and courtyard – traditional mews housing combined with a new meeting point for creative industries eg. art venues, street galleries, organic-markets, ruin-pubs, affordable artist studios and flats, end the public realm around – King Stables Lane, and the long-long brick wall to “epater le bourgeoisie” to shock the middle class Re-Used warehouse, store and court Organic market, ruin-pubs, street art on streets Re-Vitalised Mews
2.12 BUILT ENVIRONMENT
BUILT FORMS Urban grain: development should be adapted to traditional perimeter block structure of the area by creating clear boundaries through placing building frontlines on streets edges. New openings from Castle Terrace and West port will break up the boundaries to increase permeability.
Scale and Rhythm: buildings and plots will reflect to the classical tenement / perimeter block features and facades allowing area as well as parcel development – to form diversity and individuality in the architectural character. Uniform design on the new edges are discouraged in this area of intricate architectural traditions.
Integrating Uses: new development on the Argyle House shall accommodate diversity of mixed uses varied vertically and horizontally. Horizontal division is possible when more then one building is delivered and their interiors are interconnected. On ground floors entrances and shop windows will form active and attractive edges and permeable frontages.
Masses and bulks: the new buildings’ main masses and bulks should be aligned with streets. By embracing the changes in surface levels and using contour lines as guides the shape of the bulk will be similar to a classical Greek open theatre facing the King’s Stables and the Castle.
Heights: building heights shall be adapting to different levels and elevations of the site – higher ground on Castle Terrace, Lady Lawson and West Port streets and lower ground on King’s Stables side. On the higher ground is potential for 3-5 storeys, on lower ground 5-7 storeys to be built. To reinforce Lady Lawson street and Castle Terrace corner a higher building shall be built there.
Rooflines: by varying building heights along the streets a stepped roofline can be established following topographic features which will comfort the existing roofline patterns in the surroundings and allow to see key panoramas and the view to the Castle.
Orientation and Layout: the new developments need to consider sun and wind patterns as well a climate change and microclimatic implications. The masterplan set out the located the building frontlines along streets to get the most solar gain – morning and afternoon hours on Castle Street buildings and midday hours on Lady Lawson street – and to block wind while allowing natural channelling of air movements through the site. By this layout the masterplan creates sheltered microclimate ‘pockets’ on public spaces behind the bulk of buildings
2.13 PERMEABILITY NEW PATTERNS Connections and Access: the new masterplan proposes new pedestrian route connecting Castle Terrace and King’s Stables lane and reintroduces two old ones by making steps next to Argyle house and Chapel Wynd accessible for public use.
Design should address new routes and improvements of the old connections. New connections will help to improve general permeability with as well as across the area by easy access from all directions, linked public transport nodes and junctions via inside routes. Improved existing ones will contribute to identity and character. Destinations – places with role and functions located along desire lines will also be connected by routes in turn reinforcing them by generating movement and people’s presence on public spaces. • Open/Public Space Networks: the proposal sets out a new pedestrian route system which laces up public places – a new piazza at new openings at Castle Terrace and another at the steps next Argyle House. Sense of intimacy and enclosure will be created by small setbacks to form public places embraced by boundaries of building masses connected by pedestrian routes.
Distinctive new places will come to existence in strategic areas of arriving or landing points in junctions of pedestrian routes telling a different urban ‘story’ at every corner. Vistas and key views: Sense of welcoming should be reinforced by new key views and vistas. A new urban edge on Castle Terrace will create a sense of place and a new panoramic view at the closing of the square – basically forming a new Castle – Castle Hill Castle Terrace ‘stage set’. The new vista through the steps connecting Castle Terrace to the new piazza in the inner core will be looking over the King’s Stables towards the eastern end, the new piazza in turn will be oriented towards the Castle. Which also enhances it solar gain from summer sun path and protects it from winds. The opening of Chapel Wynd and steps from West Port to King’s Stables lane next to Argyle House will give another two significant vistas over the site to the Castle. • Permeability, safety and uses: Design shall reduce opportunity for crime and increase natural surveillance .The permeability of the area will be enhanced by the active uses on streets and public spaces spread in the front of ground floor uses (like open terrace, stalls) as well in day-time as in evening-time. Windows and doors of ground floor units and flats over offices and shops will establish natural surveillance over the area making it safer for people. External lightning also will help to increase personal safety and security. Expected that lighting in the area will reduce light pollution and energy consumption, highlight identity forming character elements of buildings and open spaces. Dark and hidden places along King’s Stables Lane, Lady Wynd and Chapel Wynd must have been treated by lightning solutions.
2.14 PUBLIC REALM PUBLIC AND OPEN SPACES Character and Identity of Public Spaces: the secret of the character of open spaces within the area is the strong contrast between the busy high street like streets of the surrounding urban context and the more relaxed, human scale of the public realm of the lanes, wynds and steps. Developments should turn this to their advantage and create open spaces in the public realm where people can meet and spend time together. In the masterplan new places are ‘attached’ to ground floor uses to keep people attracted to them by offering meanings and reasons to go there. Entrances and windows will be placed according to the uses inside buildings. The presence of people – pedestrians, cyclers and locals alike-, the all-day use of places and distinct edges of activity will result small, human scaled openings and set backs at crossings and focal points in the area.
Streetscaping:
the streets and open spaces shall form an intricate and intimate network of public places the unique design challenge is to reflect on local character by involving street arts and the creativity of the community. The street network is mostly established and their dimension are given, however new openings should provide safe and appealing design to attract people. Small setback at junction where possible could offer new stories of the street stage set, and locations to place street furniture. Local street art project in conjunction with the development of the King’s Stables art and culture venue will have an advantageous spill over effect which will promote high quality and unique street design. Use of local features such as cobblestone pavements, stone and brick walls are encouraged.
Streetscaping also must have tackle waste disposal, rainwater drainage issues. Design has to be inclusive and allowing for any age and gender group especially disabled people to enjoy the use public and open spaces.
Climate change impacts: the proposed new public spaces and connections are outlined by care to microclimatic issues. New piazzas are oriented to face morning, midday or afternoon sun, and are sheltered from wind. The openings of the new steps connection from Castle Terrace to King’s Stables lane for example has to be wide enough to allow sunshine getting through the little square in the afternoon before sunset.
Landscaping: There is two main green open space within the area, one is at King’s Bridge another is located in the front of the Argyle House and along the steps to King’s Stables lane from West Port. As they are the only existing green spaces they must be protected and their quality improved by gardening, landscaping and to contribute to the wider ecological network.
Adaptation and Use of Resources: The development aim to call to life a new sustainable and resilient place with a mix of uses and tenures, places and buildings to accommodate different functions and all-day uses therefore generating different people’s presence in the public realm. Public realm design should build upon wider existing catchment features such as tourism, leisure and entertainment and workplaces to efficiently serve and shape movement patterns. By utilising abandoned buildings for cultural and creative uses and integrating it into King’s Stables lane a new more sustainable pedestrian and cycling pattern can be achieved.
2.15 IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC REALM
MASTERPLAN
2.17 SCHEMATIC DESIGN
3. EVOLUTION OF THE IDEA
That was the starting point...
A wee blob diagram explaining how I would place functions and uses + finding & shaping Argyle House and King’s Stables “identity”
Impressions ... Jimmy is Argyle House Site “perimeter zone” – design and uses going to like it. Tenements & Mixed Use – contemporary interpretations, ground floor uses, art, craft & designer shops, local grocery, cafe, restaurant , local amenities etc.
Argyle House Site “inner core” – design and uses Tenements – art and creativity reflecting to similar new function located to the Stables , a new public place looking at King ‘s Stables and a new pedestrian connection between Castle Terrace and King S Lane Facade, steps, piazza, streetscaping
Underground community places & F&B
King’s Stables block and the surroundings – design and uses Mews buildings, abandoned warehouses, storage rooms and courtyard – traditional mews housing combined with a new meeting point for creative industries eg. art venues, street galleries, organic-markets, ruin-pubs, affordable artist studios and flats, end the public realm around – King Stables Lane, and the long-long brick wall to “epater le bourgeoisie” to shock the middle class
Re-Used warehouse, store and court
Re-Vitalise Mews
Argyle House Building – design and uses The biggest challenge Argyle House – turn it over to a Hotel which have steady income stream and by exploiting the location and the new customer magnet creative and art king Stables Quarter meanwhile being the most hip hotel in Scotland.... Scale it back...
Increasing transparency
Colouring – facade treatment
Eco – biodiversity facade
Applying stepped rooflines