Reinventing the suburban railway stations- Streatham, London Case

Reinventing the suburban railway stations From micro public intervention to macro vision of a green London Master dessertation booklet 2017-2018

Student: Thi Thuy Tien, Pham ID: R06178992

CONTENT A. Urbanization and immigration in London 1. Immigration flow to London 2. "Urban marginals" in a different perspective 3. Older people in the changing world and needs B. London's fieldtrip and inspiration 1. The meeting with "Active- Aging community council" and other active elders 2. Feeling of belongings in local spaces 3. Micro- public spaces: the potential solution to urban equation in local scale.

3.1 The greenaries 3.2 The public facilities 3.3 The stations D. Mobility in London and the affect of railway to urban landscape E. Rethinking local stations in suburban area as micro- public spaces F. The site G. Streatham common station and the approach H. Project propositions I. References

A. Urbanization and immigration in London 1. Immigration flow to London

Being a big capital city, London is undergone the influence of globalization. Globalization is believed to have affects to social context, economic and especially spatial setting not only in the city fabric but also the surrounding urban outskirt. The influence of globalization relates closely to the urban landscape change in London city where the presence of history of immigration appears in layers. These layers contents elements in which identify London from other famous world cities like New York, Paris or Dubai etc.. This uniqueness of an urban multi-culture mentioned by Suzanne Hall an “ordinary orientation� is what creating London and also shape the life of people living in it. The diversity created can be the knife with two sharp faces. At one side, a diversified living environment creates a vision of a vibrant and mix living community. In the other side, boundaries are created due to the differences in the way of living in different individual origins and those are elements making the social coherence in within a city.

Immigration flow to UK from different continents

The rate of immigration to London keeps rising constantly in the recent years and the rate is predicted to continue to go higher in the upcoming years. This flow of immigration is a strong evidence of globalization in London and it shows to have strong affects to the city both socially and physically.

London city, in fact, has showed to have the highest rate of immigration compare to the rates from other regions in UK.

2. "Urban marginals" in a different perspective

Immgration flow in London has showed to have strong affects in both social and physical aspects. In terms of social side, it creates a multi- culture living environment which brings a great dynamic sphere to London. At the other hand, this mixcity brings up some arguement about wherther those areas are considered "urban margin".

“It is a mistake to frame or relegate these territories simply as marginal. Rather London’s urban margins are places where the cultures and divisions of class race, ethnicity are densely inscribes”- Suzanne Hall. The changing of urban landscape in London due to its rich history of immigration creates the complexity of population within different areas. However, that does not prove whether this area is better than the others. The urban marginal areas are often referred as those areas which are believed to reveal social and economic deprivation presented through GIS mapping in London since 1990. The “urban margins” – the local people living in these “not-center” areas – those much invested in the local spaces being in a risk of lost or damages are “the less mobile, the elderly, the young, the poor and the new comers” (Ash Amin 2002) – p.6 whom shows to need more care are pushed to the side of the developing map due to many factors but mostly economically driven and possibilities of social connection.

“A question for our urban age is what forms of work and associated modes of public connection are permitted within cities that are highly varied and rapidly change” Suzanne Hall. The contradicting analysis of urban context in London in term of population diversity challenges not only sociologists but also geographers and architects. The connections in a diversified environment can be found to appear perhaps not from a top-down vision but from the vision of the people using it - a smaller scale but more specific. Based on Suzanne Hall argument, to have the spatial connection, social connection should be noticed as it is the reason that would qualify the standard of spaces, therefore, as an architect, watching people’s daily activities perhaps can give more precise evidences of how daily activities of inhabitants might influent the construction of spatial structure in the future development. In the other side, learning from the existing urban environment helps me understanding the image of local adaptation to the spaces that is already there and how the space also adjusts to the needs of its users. This argument will be strongly reflected in my thesis paper as it is the approach that I believe would give an inside look of London neighborhoods and lead me to the right perspective of how I should see the urban environment in London and later on helps me deciding on my architectural project.

The column chart illustrates that there is a higher rate of residents who earn a degree in London suburb compare to other suburb areas in UK. this means in the suurban areas in London there is a higher rate of professional potential workers.

3. Older people in the changing world and needs

Beside new comers, youth and less mobile population, older people are also considered the one that are push -ed to live outside of London city center directive and indirectively. In one hand, the suburban area gives them a less hactic living environment but in the other hands, the physical develoment - facilities has not yet reach to the level that would give them the feeling of belonging to the place.

Elderly care has always been a concern from the scale of a family to a larger extend of the whole society.

The aging community tends to be more vulnerable to the changing world. There are subjective and objective reasons for this argument. As people age, health issues remain to be the biggest concern both mentally and physically. This is also the reason elderlies are put into the privilege group in which if there is any change in the world that would affect to people’s life, considering the adaptation of older should be discussed more carefully.

The meeting with the active aging members in London along with some other active elders in Belgium inspired me and gave me an inside look of how the active aging members are adapting to today changes. They show not only the way how they adapt to the society but also show their passion towards how society should respond to their needs. All of these adaptations to the altering world perhaps should not only come from the vulnerable aging group but the changing world should also change actively based on its own inhabitants.

It is clear to say it is important to keep older people physically fit however, what tends to be more important is to keep their mentality strong. The heart in the head I would say, drives young people with passions, endowments and it works the same way to older people. But the happiness at the end of the life is not only based on the basic necessity and materials, it is beyond that. The loneliness they are going through when their world shrinks socially, drives them to seek for more attentions, not only from the family but also from the society. The physical and mental condition are both equally important in terms of building the well-being of older people. While physical well-being varies based on the condition of each body through stimulation (activities and physical effort etc.) and comfort, the mental or social well-being is constructed much by the outside impacts- the social environment.

The social well- being is strongly connected to social cohesion and social belonging which are the two elements which are lacking between the elderly and the rest of the society.

The priority of future development perhaps now should start shipping to the older generation. London’s population demographic data shows the rising number of aging inhabitants but they are put in such a situation where younger generations are still in the higher priority in many ways especially in the spatial urban setting. Therefore in London, beside the boundaries created by urban multi-culture, a hidden social and spatial disconnection is made which limits older groups from entering the larger society.

The monochromatic living environment in the suburban area of London does not give elderly many chances to live on their hobbies. Base on the information provided by the protagonists whom are considered aged, a list of activities is made. The map illustrate the destinations where the given activities can take place. It is clear that to facilitate an activiy in this area, aging members need to cover quite some distance from their living space, or to travel a long distance from one spot to the others.

B. London's fieldtrip and inspiration 1. The meeting with "Active- Aging community council" and other active elders

Method: In the framework of the studio, a fieldtrip to London was held with the mentality to have a closer look at London’s social and spatial aspects. Spatial analysis started in a broad context in London southern suburban area.

Whereas, there were several meetings with the aging community in London. Each meeting reveals a different aspects of aging issues and how they are dealing with the living as an elder in London’s context. This helps creating a bigger picture of the aging community in London in order to encourage the student group to have a deeper understanding in multi perspectives of aging issues.

It is inspiring to see the active aging members who tend to show their attention more to the social context they are living in and in a sense are fighting for it. Several issues were brought on the mutual table of discussion including health issues and social health care services along with social constitu-tion in London. After that, interviews were conducted separately in small groups with each member of active aging in a casual communication form.

“The mobility can be inactive but the mind is active” (John Macy- London fieldtrip note). It is clear to say it is important to keep older people physically fit. However, what tends to be more important is to keep their mentality strong. The heart in the head I would say, drives young people with passions, endearments and it works the same way to older people. But the happiness at the end of the life is not only based on the basic necessity and materials, it is beyond that. The loneliness which they are go-ing through when their world shrinks socially, drives them to seek for more attention, not only from family but also from society.

Interview with active aging members

Result: Many aspects were discussed in a constructive and opening commnicative enviroment during the workshop time in London. It is true to say, elders in today's society in general and in London specificly are struggling to live in a constantly changing world. Yet, some manage to follow it but some tend to be behind it and struggle. Through the interview, the aging community talked about thier daily activities and what is needed in their living environment for older people and their living condition.

Conclusion: The physical and mental condition are both equally important in terms of building the well- being of older people. While physical well-being varies based on the condition of each body through stimulation (activities and physical effort etc.) and comfort, the mental or social well-being is constructed much by the outside impacts- the social environment. The social well- being is strongly connected to social cohesion and social belonging which are the two elements that are lacking between the older generation and the rest of the society. This rings an alram in the lack of care of the social-well being of older people while the rate of aging member is rising every year in London.

Archive.

In the elder shrinking world, people's daily activities have a lot to do with hobbies and their desires and their local environment

One specific example of how the world change is having a strong effect on older generation is the growth of technology. In the era of innovative technology, it is clear that technology has great impact on people’s life. Technology is not only considered a tool anymore but it starts to be part of a greater connection in human society. People can easily find the presence of devices and information which are technology based almost everywhere in the world and in daily life.

The fast growth of technology gives a positive signal to the revolution of humanity but at the same time it is a disadvantage to those that are not able to follow the trend and/or are limited learn about the new changes. It cannot be denied that learning and catching up to the new society becomes very essential. Giving opportunities to approach technology for elderly can be considered as already a step to help them integrate into the innovative society.

Inside Streatham Library computer section

B. London's fieldtrip and inspiration 2. Feeling of belongings in local spaces

The local social environment is an important factor that affects to the older people’s well-being. However it is strongly believed that the relation between social environment and well-being is poorly understood. This at the same time, means that the presence of social cohesion and social belonging of older people in recent time remains vague. In terms of spatial setting, the adaptation in future development perhaps needs to be reflected through the local public facilities and spaces.

A great concern is shown over the local scale development because there is a consideration of the physical characteristic of elders into that. There might be a limitation in mobility for older people, in fact, it is different from one elder to the other. However, sooner or later this is a sign of old age, physical downgration will come.

Focusing on building the close-up environment that they are living in, will give them more opportunities to access to it, especially when they dedicate most of their time in their local environment and they are the ones creating the local sphere. This is where the idea of creating micro public- spaces in the neighborhood starts.

Inside Streatham Library An elder is reading in the library - one of the limited public facilities where older people can enjoy themself into in the suburban of London

B. London's fieldtrip and inspiration 3. Micro- public spaces: the potential solution to urban equation in local scale.

3.1 The greenaries

Activities offered by surrounding green spaces Through site observation and analysis, Streatham site gives an impression as an area filled with many kinds of green spaces. At one side, these spaces offer quite some active outdoor activities. There spaces often are often covered by fences for security reasons and have specific hours to visit. The entrances to the spaces and the hour to visit, hence, are limited.

Streatham green spaces and nearby green areas

3.2 The public facilities

In City, Street and Citizens Suzanne Hall chose to look into the spaces where adaptation of local people to the changing society appear. She chose to observe the main vibrant shopping street and follow it to understand how the spatial connection might happen along with social connection might happen in and around the city the shops in high street. In my case, I seek for not only that adaptation of the inhabitants but the potential from the existing spatial setting would provide. To understand more about the space, the local ones, I chose to walk along the small often forgotten streets where people use it every day but underestimate its value. Along with the journey is the research on local public facilities and spaces- Intimate spaces where there are more group setting and face to face meeting happen. As a start of the research I decided to have an analysis on public spaces and its connection within the local area includes: green spaces, parks, sport center and other indoor public facilities etc. Those are the places that are considered to be opened to people but might or might not serve as it should be or not fit with its importance to the urban context. Among those places, railway stations are highlighted to have my focus on due to its potential in spatial and social connection.

Public facilities and amenities

3.2 The stations

The importance of public transportation cannot be denied in a time of urbanization. It is shown in the map of public transportation in London that there is a greater concentration to serve the mobility in the city center and it gets less when it comes to those areas that are further. Older people tend to move out of the city center due to its high estate price, noisiness, weather and its disconnections in contact to older people both socially and physically. This lack of mobility gives another reason for the disconnection of older people to the whole vibrant society in the city. Improving the transportation system by increasing the amount of routes would cost a fortune.

Economically deprived areas tend to be the first ones giving up on that idea. Perhaps, instead of that we should focus on the mobility condition, not only the number but also the quality of what already existed which is strongly presented through local scale.

Local stations The local stations nowadays serve purely as a ticket check position. They have little or non-intervention or connection to the users

D. Mobility in London and the affect of railway to urban landscape

Railway system in London nowadays

Railway system in London nowadays

London has a complicated public transportation. This complication comes from the size of the city and the demand of people moving from one place to the other which creates the enormous amount of train lines running in and through London. London offers people yet a complicated but convenient mobility system. It is shown clearly that the connection rate now is denser in the center and lighter in the outskirts. This situation, in fact, gives the people living in the city center more privileges in mobility and leaves people from the outskirt in difficulty of moving around the city.

The complicated railway system nowadays, accidentally creates a fragmented urban environment, especially in the areas where the railway conjunction lies. Along the conjunction areas, many empty spaces area left over along with the ecological system that is nauturally growed or with the least of artifitial landscape.

Bickley station area

Selhurst station area

Sutton station area

Streatham common station area

Local stations in London suburban and the ecological system around A small green space next the railway in Streatham common station; the space is covered by fences around and filled with gabages.

Due to safety and pollution reasons, railway offset spaces are created and appear to be in between the railway and the inhabited spaces around it. These spaces are often considered as the buffer zones. The buffer zone green areas combine with the spaces left over in between the railway junction unexpectedly create an eco- system along with the infrastructure. However, most of these spaces are considered empty and fenced.

Ecological system along the rail

A small pedestrian path is created and fenced all around

Under the railway bridge now is left empty next to a residence

the side of the walkway leading to the station area

Railway system along with the urbanization in London from 1845 to1888

In the history of London city during the industrialization era, the railway appeared to be a beneficial mean of transport of products and humans. It was created out of people needs to travel and out of necessity of transporting goods.

The railway system in London, therefore was created with the mentality of creating a pure transportation tool around London without having consideration in the total urban context the railway system would affect. However, along with the growth of the railway, urbanization unexpectedly happened along these connections. The most noticeable evidence for this urbanization is the existence of several towns along with the growth of the railway. Railways in the city of London are now not seen any more as the chance of urbanization along with it because of its densely populated characteristic. The lands around are all occupied mostly by and for buildings and the railway system is forgotten behind the backyard of the houses. It becomes the place where people would avoid to be close to. The railway nowadays appears to be in a pure transportation function and yet it plays an essential role in the mobility of London residents. Due to the change of the socio- political sphere, the presence to the railway tends to be disconnected to the context around it, while in the past time it was the reason why urbanization happened.

E. London's exsiting green spaces- future plan and its potential

Existing green spaces in London

"Green belt" project

London city has proved to start having a great concern about the green structure in and around the city center. There are several green projects proposed and launched in UK and in London specifically. The original drive of the projects is to engrave the value of existing green spaces and illustrate how important the green spaces would help constructing a better living environment in London. These projects vary from the idea of reserving the natural green spaces in the city- the central part and the suburban to building a picture of a green city starting with the green belt around it.

F. Retinventing the local stations space and its surrounding landscape in the suburban of London

Strategy map- urban proposition "Green belt"project together with the ecological along the railway show a great landscaping poten-tial that in the future they would contribute the whole greenery scenario of London and the neigh-borhood. The idea is to combine the two landscaping features together. The green belt scenery would be first constructed then infiltrate into the city through the ecological system along the railway.

Strategy map- urban proposition- Streatham area

G. The site

Age group

Age group 0-14

17

0-14

19

15-64

75

15-64

64

>64

17

>64

8

Streatham demography

National average demography

Streatham property owned data

National property owned data

Streatham's allocation in the map of London Demographic data shows that, Streatham population in a whole is younger than national average. However, the presence of older population in Streatham is also higher than national average. The job seekers rate in Streatham is higher than national average while it is proven that there are more pro-fessional workers in the suburb of London.

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Connections from and to Streatham common station

Connections from and to Streatham common station

Streatham common station situates in the heart of Streatham district. Having a strategic position in the area, Streatham common station is a well- known transporting hub which is well connected to the city center with a higher rate of trains passing through. However, the rate of train usage in this station proves to drop in recent years.

Streatham common is also known as the closing point of one section of the capital ring. The capital ring is a walking route divided by 15 main routes along London’s finest scenery which are mostly reserved green spaces and famous monuments. Streatham common is part of the route number 4 which starts from Crystal palace to Streatham common. Being part of the capital ring and owning the eco potential, Streatham common station site shows to have a greater complexity and value that need to be exploited.

Streatham common station building from the front the approach to the station and the connection to it tend to be vaguely presented in the site. The station hall- the ticket area is hidden next to a private timber yard and its location has a lower level compare to the street level.

The whole area is surrounded by fences, left over spaces, dumbs and so isolated.

Land use map The site is a pure residential suburban neighborhood where there is very little public facilities. Some commertial activities tends to appear closely to the train station.

A potential ecological system along the raiway

Transportation in the area The streets around the station area are the busiest street among all others due to some commercial activities

The railway junction next to the station makes the fragmentation in the neighborhood. There is an effort of trying to connect the space by the small walkway. However, the walkway is narrow and mostly fenced around

The existing effort to connect the neighborhoods around the junction is made through a small fenced walkway next to the railway and the ecological system along with it. It is also consider as part of the connection to the station area. However, beside the leading boad " Station approach", the walk way and the station has no spatial connection. The lost of the spatial connection also causes the lost of its users.

The station is dedicated to the users of the train and serves purely as the ticket trading house and isolated to the neighborhood around it because of fencing.

Exisiting station area

Proposition for timber seedling houses

Proposition for wood trading and workshop center

Proposition for new residence with commertial space, public elevator next to the tunnel platform

H. Project propositions

The main goal of the project is to improve the living quality of the neighborhood around the railway while taking older generation into the appropriation. This can be done by reinventing the raiway station and conjunction in London suburban. The main idea is to integrate existing local station Streatham common and increase the quality of the approach to it directly and indirectly by using the landscape as the strategy and constructing micro- public spaces as the backbone. "Micro public spaces area spaces that dedicate to the local livability, the micro politics of everyday social contact and encounter. The engagement to micro public spaces plays a significant role on constructing the local sphere, beyond the differences in generations, cultures and social classes. That is the reason why the presence of micro public spaces in a local context generates its own importance to the city fabric in general and especially the suburban areas where the needs of having these spaces rise".

The main idea of the project is to create a connection above the existing railway junction (which is now

The new design for the station space is marked as a start to construct further changes in the neighborhood.

heavily dividing the area) by using set of spaces which dedicate to public and outdoor activities. The con-

The station area would be opened and connected to the nearby bridge which would create an outdoor space

nection plays not only as an basic infrastructure but also brings value back to the spaces along the railway

for ocassional activities. The space would then be connected to the new level on top of the existing platform

especially the local stations.

which is called the " urban living room"

Indoor sport room with ping pong and football table

A brasserie above the waiting platform

Indoor music room

Reading corner at the station

Seating stairs connected the street level with the station yard makes the station house presented clear. The yard dedicates to pedestrians and cyclists.

Double glazing tempered glass

wooden plank

metal plate

Scale 1.50

Elevated pedestrian and cycling path

The landscape design decision would depends on the existing condition. These interventions includes the new cemetery along the landscape, the series of productive landscape at the back yard of houses along the railway, the connection to the timber yard through the top of railway power station, create a complex facility. All of the landscape elements are strongly connected to the idea of contributing to the green sphere of the neighborhood, and to the green scenario of London in the future.

The new cemetery is a part of the landscape along railway junction.

The wood trading and worshop center

The building offer spaces not only for the wood merchants and the users of the workshop.

The rooftop which is a part of the neighborhood connection, offers an outdoor public tree exhibition. This contributes not only a great view but also an educational purpose to the user.

The space is potentially to be the place all generations meet and merge in the sphere of it.

Educational and recreational platform- the view from the connecting bridge to the wood center

The new residential area with commercial on ground floor. The public elevator is installed to the side of the building where it is connected to a platform of the existing connecting tunnel.

The building typology responses to the need of living space, public amenities and public spaces for to both its residents and the public .

The connection between the residential area and the wood center

Walking and cycling path along the railway and productive landscape

I. References Reading references : https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Lambeth%20Tall%20Building%20study%20 2014%20FINAL.pdf http://orr.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/24832/passenger-rail-usage-2016-17-q4.pdf https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pl_map_of_conservation_areas_in_lambeth.pdf https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pl-streatham-common-ca-appraisal-2017.pdf https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4369354/ http://www.urbandesignlondon.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/TDAG_CanopyWeb.HighRes. pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308749636_Introducing_England%27s_Urban_Forests http://content.tfl.gov.uk/capital-ring-section-4.pdf https://research.historicengland.org.uk/Report.aspx?i=15794 Suzanne Hall, "City, Street and Citizen: The Measure of the Ordinary"; 2012

This publication contains the researchs and results of the Master Dessertation studio about London. The studio was organized in the framework of the programme Master of Architecture in Brussels, Belgium.

Without written permission of the promotor and the author, it is forbidden to reproduce or adapt in any form or by any means any part of this publication Promotor: Anuschka Kutz Student: Thi Thuy Tien Pham

Copy right by K.U.Leuven, June 2018 Department of Architecture - Luca School of Art Rue des Palais 65-67, 1030 Schaerbeek, Brussels, Belgium All images in this booklet are, either credits are given, made and drawn by the author