Transit Oriented Development at Springfield Central SPRINGFIELD, QUEENSLAND IDEAS FOR INTEGRATED TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT February 20, 2006
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springfield central february 2006
FOREWORD FROM THE CHAIRMAN SPRINGFIELD LAND CORPORATION
The future of modern cities will be influenced significantly by our transport systems being correctly designed to support human movement. Successful cities will achieve high levels of accessibility and optimum city form, with the most appropriate land uses, designs and density of development. They will take full advantage of every opportunity to achieve a new and strong vision for the future. This is our mission at Greater Springfield. To achieve the best possible city form, development outcomes and community accessibility at Greater Springfield, a transit oriented development (TOD) design charrette was held in late November 2005. The Springfield Land Corporation, in association with development partners Mirvac and Delfin Lend Lease, engaged a team of local and international experts to examine opportunities and recommend a design to integrate passenger rail and bus facilities with current and future city centre development. This was about smart thinking and innovative solutions for a rapidly growing city of the future. The evolution of the thinking and the ideas for future development are set out in this booklet, to assist future design, investment and public sector decisions for this part of the Western Corridor. It builds on the very important initiatives of the Queensland Government in preparing and adopting a new Regional Plan and Infrastructure Program for South East Queensland. The Plan promotes a significant share of the rapid growth of the region in the Western Corridor at Springfield and Ripley, with key infrastructure investment as a catalyst to lead development and achieve the preferred urban pattern. The Government has committed considerable expenditure, in the order of $1.3 billion over the next five years, to upgrade and extend the Centenary Highway through Springfield and to open a passenger rail service to Springfield Central by 2011. This design charrette has responded to these challenges by examining the best ways to ensure the maximum efficiency of the public transport system and the full integration of the station with the CBD, retail activities, education, employment and residential development to achieve a vibrant and exciting urban centre at Springfield. It was a very participative process and I would like to acknowledge and thank all those people and organisations who contributed ideas and valuable time. In particular I would like to mention and thank the Mayor of Ipswich, Councillor Paul Pisasale and representatives from the Ipswich City Council, the Queensland Government, our lead consultants from Portland, USA the Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership, Brisbane architects Deicke Richards and our facilitator for the week, Malcolm Middleton. I commend this work to inform on-going planning and implementation by government and developers to ensure Greater Springfield can show the way forward and grasp this vital opportunity to be a truly integrated and transit oriented community of the future. Maha Sinnathamby.
On behalf of Springfield Land Corporation, Mirvac Group and Delfin Lend Lease. February 2006
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Acknowledgements These ideas for transit oriented development at Greater Springfield resulted from a design charrette held at Springfield, Queensland, from 28 November to 2 December 2005. The following participating organisations and stakeholders contributed to the charrette and the enthusiastic input and support from everybody is very much appreciated.
Integrated Transit Charrette Partners Springfield Land Corporation Delfin Lend Lease Mirvac
Facilitator Malcolm Middleton Architect
External Advisors Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership - Architects & Urban Designers Deicke Richards - Architects KFM Partnership – Town Planners & Surveyors Rice Daubney - Architects Edaw Australia - Landscape Architects Michel Retail - Retail Bovis Lend Lease
Stakeholders Ipswich City Council Queensland Government : • Office of Coordinator General • Office of Urban Management • Queensland Transport • Translink • Queensland Rail • Department of Main Roads
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springfield central february 2006
table of contents 3
INTRODUCTION
5
CENTRAL SPRINGFIELD: TODAY and TOMORROW
7 8 10
The Site Opportunities Proximity and Access
13
ANALYSING the OPPORTUNITIES
16 17 24 26
Establishing a Centre Transit Centre Configuration Rationalisation of the Transit Corridor Maximising the Opportunities
31
PRODUCTS OF THE DESIGN CHARRETTE
32 34 35 36 38 39 40 41 42
Design Principles Getting Connected Maintaining Continuity of the Town Centre Park A Destination Public Open Spaces Public Buildings Retail Mixed Use Realising the Vision
44
The Next Steps
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Proposed transport infrastructure — Western Corridor 2005–2026
Source: South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan & Program 2005-2026 (April 2005)
Integrated regional strategy and community master planning documents
Transport infrastructure — Greater Brisbane and the Western Corridor Source: South East Queensland Regional Plan 2005-2026 (June 2005)
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INTRODUCTION What is happening in Springfield and why think so far ahead? Greater Springfield is the fastest growing and largest master planned community development under one ownership in Australia. With a current population of 11,000, Springfield will accommodate over 80,000 people in approximately 30,000 dwellings over the next 20 years. This equates to an average of three families moving into Springfield each day. At the same time, the population of the western corridor of the South East Queensland metropolitan region is forecast to reach 503,000 by 2026. Of this, 318,000 will be in the Ipswich Local Government area, an increase of over 180,000, with the majority of this growth in Greater Springfield and the Ripley Valley. A 320-hectare central business district in the heart of Springfield contains the 40-hectare Orion shopping centre, 10.6-hectare Nucleus business centre, 25-hectare Education City, 30-hectare Health and Medical campus, a 24-hectare town centre park, and potential for over 16,000 medium- and higher-density dwellings. The first stage of Orion shopping centre will open in early 2007. With approval for 150,000m2 of retail, 22,000m2 of entertainment and 6,500 parking spaces, it will provide 5,000 jobs. At Education City, stage one of the University of Southern Queensland campus opened at the beginning of 2006 and will ultimately serve over 8,000 students. By 2011, passenger rail services will connect the heart of Springfield to central Brisbane. An inter-modal transit station with bus interchange at Springfield Central will be connected directly to an expanded Centenary Highway. This will become the most accessible place in the western corridor. The South East Queensland Regional Plan 2005-2026 (June 2005) proposes a robust structure for the region and identified the Western Corridor to accommodate significant growth. This was supported by a comprehensive Infrastructure Plan and Program and commitments to invest in new infrastructure and services in the region. These investments involve major transport improvements, including road up-grades and new rail extensions. The first westward extension of passenger rail from Brisbane
will terminate at Springfield, with westward extension planned for the future. A significant policy initiative of the SEQ Regional Plan is the integration of land use and transport planning (Desired Regional Outcome 8.7). The plan promotes transit oriented developments as mixed-use residential and employment areas designed to maximise the efficient use of land through high levels of access to public transport. Prerequisites include the ability to service with quality and high-frequency public transport; the capacity to provide levels of development density and intensity that support public transport; and provision of a vital and active pedestrian-friendly, walkable catchment centred around a public transport node or corridor. The plan also stipulates that “transit oriented development principles should be applied in the detailed planning of all regional activity centres and in close proximity to high-capacity public transport nodes and corridors.� Springfield is designated in the regional plan as a Principal Regional Centre, to be serviced by a highcapacity passenger rail. The potential for Springfield to achieve the SEQ Regional Plan objectives and surpass conventional expectations for a suburban centre can be realised with a clear strategy for appropriate and progressive intensification of development and staged implementation. The purpose of the charrette was to explore these opportunities and to propose solutions that will capitalise fully on the relationships between the railway station and bus interchange and adjacent land uses, specifically, future stages of the Orion shopping centre, higher density residential development and the confluence of people travelling by bus, by car and on foot. The symbiosis between a hub for fast, high-capacity public transit and compact, mixed-use development has yet to be fully realised in Australia. The passenger station that will open at the centre of Springfield, or Springfield Central, has the potential to achieve this goal. The purpose and organisation of the charrette is described more fully on the following pages.
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Design charrette participants at work
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CENTRAL SPRING��������������������������� FIELD OPPORTUNITIES: TODAY and ������������ TOMORROW The Springfield Land Corporation brought together experts and practitioners in several relevant disciplines with key stakeholder representatives for a week-long charrette in late November 2005. This was a creative dialogue focused on the ultimate development potential of the area surrounding the planned passenger rail station at Springfield Central. There is at present a very real opportunity to identify the full potential of development at this unique place. By making a thorough analysis of possibilities at this early stage of development, a strategy can be developed for progressive implementation of improvements that will make the most of opportunities at every step. A commitment has been made to deliver rail services and improved overall accessibility to Springfield Central; it is now important to ensure that complementary development can also be delivered. The purpose of the charrette was to give impetus to this process by: •
Enabling stakeholders to develop and adopt a common vision;
•
Identifying current and future opportunities;
•
Generating alternative approaches and design concepts for future development;
•
Distilling design principles from the body of information developed in the charrette;
•
Recommending design solutions for further detailed consideration; and
•
Getting the best possible outcome for the community by examining the full potential now.
The week began with a series of briefings on the many factors that will influence development. These include planned expansion of Centenary Highway; phased development of Orion, which will be one of the biggest shopping centres in Australia; anticipated development of other land near the station; local circulation options
including transit; access to Education City and the Health and Wellness Centre; landscape and waterway issues; and government and regulatory matters. Panels of advisors, stakeholders and partners assisted the core design team in understanding issues and priorities of relevance. The value of this diverse group was in the breadth of interests represented, ensuring that the core design team did not stray from the realities of development. Where expectations differed – for example in the right-of-way width necessary for highway and rail improvements – the necessary expertise was there to expose the facts and resolve differences. As the charrette proceeded, it became clear to all participants that development potential around the station was much greater than most had supposed at the outset. Also, the fact that this is likely to be a terminal station for the forseeable future is of considerable significance. It will require strong public transport integration at the centre to service the wider region and a coordinated approach to the positioning of park and ride facilities. The logic of this vision was pieced together from the many constituents that accompany successful central business districts: a dynamic mix of uses in a compact and stimulating urban environment with easy access, especially for pedestrians. Conceptual design solutions were designed around the special features that distinguish this place: the configuration of road and rail access, the topography, landscape, proximity of commercial, educational, recreational and residential destinations. Participants found rich possibilities, and in the course of the charrette, articulated these in terms of design principles, analyses and urban design concepts.
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Greater Springfield Precincts Plan
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the site Significant features of the site relate mainly to the varying topography. Centenary Highway as it exists today, the planned second carriageway and the rail line that will run in the median will all be approximately 50 metres above datum. This will also be the elevation of the south end of the shopping centre, which will slope down towards the point at which Mountain Creek passes beneath the highway. Town Centre Park will follow the course of Mountain Creek and its tributary, dividing
the shopping centre from Nucleus Business Park to the southwest, and Education City to the southeast. At about 45 metres above datum, the park near the creek will be the lowest elevation in Springfield Central, with land rising in every direction from it. The shopping centre will occupy a terraced plateau within this basin, which is rimmed by Sinnathamby Boulevard. North of the highway, playing fields will occupy low land near the creek. West of them, the land rises more than 20 metres to the crown of Development Area 5 and Augusta Parkway, as it climbs north towards Brookwater Golf Club.
+65
District Sports Fields +60
Development Area 5 +45
+50
+46
+50
+65 +58 +46
Orion
Orion
+50
Orion
Orion +50 +49
+45 Town Centre Park
Nucleus Business Park
+65
Education City
Site analysis plan showing the variable topography of Springfield Central
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OPPORTUNITIES In addressing the potential for mutually supportive transit service and mixed-use development at Springfield Central, the design team quickly realised that existing greenfield planning models have limited relevance. The capacity of passenger rail and the extent of the hinterland that the station will serve will draw thousands of people here. Doubling road capacity as the Centenary Highway is upgraded will have an equally profound effect. Springfield will quickly take on the characteristics of a central business district, so development must be structured towards that scale from the outset. Although initial retail development will be in low-rise structures, the capacity for higher and denser development must be preserved, and streets must be designed to adapt to the demands of a maturing urban environment.
Defining and designing elements of that urban environment that changes over time became central to the charrette. Without imposing premiums on initial development, the potential to grow and flourish must be preserved. The passenger station will be a place of interchange between cars, buses and trains, and the flow of people to and from this transit centre will contribute greatly to the urban core of Springfield. The energy and identity of the central district will depend on successful integration of retail, service and entertainment with the University, the Health and Wellness Centre, office employment and nearby housing, with a system of access routes radiating from the station. Walking distances emerged as critical measures of support for each of these uses.
Development Area 5 Residential
Centenary Highway crossing of Mountain Creek
Springfield Transit Centre site
Town Centre Park Development Area 5 Orion Regional Shopping Centre Future rail alignment Future expansion of Centenary Highway
View east along Centenary Highway at Transit Centre site. A second carriageway will be added to the north (left).
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Buildings at the Inter-modal Transit Centre will identify the station from the pedestrian bridge linking Education City to Orion Shopping Centre.
Education City: before and after
Stage one of the University of South Queensland campus at Education City opened in early 2006.
Education City is a multi-tennant educational campus of international standard
Orion Shopping Centre: before and after
Orion Regional Shopping Centre will be immediately south of the Intermodal Transit Centre. It will be the first component to be realised.
Orion Regional Shopping Centre will establish Springfield Central as a place accessible by car, yet dominated by those on foot in streets and open spaces within the centre.
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proximity and access cross a street, and best reflects convenience of transit access as well as proximity to various destinations.
The rolling land and drainages that converge on Town Centre Park contribute to the distinct character of the place. They have influenced siting decisions and street alignments in central Springfield, and will help to shape the built and natural environments as development proceeds. How people perceive and respond to this threedimensional environment will have much to do with its success as an urban centre.
A fundamental requirement of successful transit related development is interconnectivity with other activities nearby. One of the attractions to housing on the hill to the north of the transit centre will be the convenience of immediate access to transit and to an extensive variety of retail and services in the shopping centre to the south.
Commercial and social success of Springfield Central is thus linked to the ease with which people can walk between destinations. It is useful to recognise distances from the transit centre in walking time rather than distance. This accounts for interruptions such as the time spent waiting to
1 2 3
Ce
ar y nten
Access needs vary for different uses. University students, for example, are willing to walk further to a transit station than are most shoppers. The map opposite indicates the relationship of various elements of the central district by walking time.
Hi gh
way
1 Commuter Rail 2 Bus Interchange 3 Park and Ride Springfield Transit Centre
Opportunities For Integration By juxtaposing rail, bus and parking within the transit corridor, the attraction of Springfield Central will be greatly enhanced.
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V
AREA 5 TRANSIT NODE ORION
NUCLEUS 5 Minute Walk
EDUCATION CITY
10 Minute Walk 20 Minute Walk Assumptions: • Walk from one of two vertical circulation points for commuter rail
HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTRE
• Walking speed: 5 km/hr
The walking distances from the Transit Centre reveal that a 5 minute walk will cover the majority of Orion Regional Shopping Centre and one half of Development Area 5 Residential. A 10 minute walk will cover all of Orion Regional Shopping Centre and all of Development Area 5 Residential, and half of Nucleus and Education City. A 20 minute walk will cover all the major precincts of Springfield Town Centre that includes Education City, Nuclear Business Park and all of Town Centre Park & precincts beyond Sinnathamby Boulevard.
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TRANSIT CORRIDOR AS BARRIER
TRANSIT CORRIDOR AS INTEGRATED CITY FACILITY
12 springfield central february 2006
ANALYSING THE OPPORTUNITIES How can we preserve opportunities that will enable progressive realisation of the Vision? A clear vision has been established for the future city of Springfield. Its districts, streets and natural areas have been defined, and development is proceeding apace. The ultimate success of the central city will be strongly influenced by the quality of its urban design and architecture. A notable opportunity in this regard is design of the built environment at Springfield Central. How can design capitalise fully on the extraordinary accessibility of this place and the qualities of the immediate surroundings? There is an opportunity to create a mix of uses that will become more intensely developed over time. In the future, bold air rights development will signal arrival at a significant urban centre to those on the highway as well as those arriving by train. The intention is clear, but in the meantime, without careful safeguards, decisions based on expediency are likely to foreclose opportunities to realise this vision. Decisions must be based on far-sighted development strategies, not on urgent considerations of the passing moment. This chapter examines critical issues on which a strategic approach to decision making can be based. Central to these is the concept of optimising connectivity between districts north and south of the Centenary Highway, and concentrating transit access at a node on that connection. Another important issue is the design of the elevated structures for the highway and railway, and the quality of open spaces beneath them. Thoughtfully done, they can be a great asset to Springfield, yet without careful design, a dismal and unwelcoming environment could result. Realising the full value of the vision will demand vigilance as development decisions are made on contingent issues, such as design of Mountain Creek Road and highway ramps. The strategy must be clearly articulated. Described in the following pages are key elements of a successfully planned and designed urban core that would take full advantage of transit access and other opportunities at Springfield Central.
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Town Centre Concept Plan 2004 The 2004 Plan was the starting point for the charrette, as we sought to integrate the Transit Centre into emerging development and circulation plans.
14 springfield central february 2006
Springfield Town Centre Charrette 2005 The town centre concept plan was revised to show a consolidation of transit connections at the Transit Centre. It also illustrates development schemes as part of the Transit Centre project that would redefine this portion of Centenary Highway as a bridge and not a barrier between districts to the north and south of it.
february 2006 springfield central 15
establishing a centre As a transit destination, Springfield Central represents the heart of an emerging city. An early question in the charrette was whether the rail station could be moved outside the highway corridor to integrate it more closely with the shopping centre. This proved to be infeasible, so thereafter the focus was on optimizing connections and development relating to a transit centre located within the Centenary Highway alignment. The railway station, bus station and park-andride facilities will provide a constant flow of
people walking to and from shopping, the business centre, Education City, parks, and nearby housing. The connective tissue of streets and pathways was recognised as a key component of the built environment, since it assures convenience and accessibility between all elements of Springfield Central.
Development Area 5
Development Area 5
An early sketch shows the rail line looping south of the highway corridor to a station integrated with the shopping centre.
District Sports Fields
Orion Regional Shopping Centre
Orion Regional Shopping Centre Town Centre Park Town Centre Park
Nucleus Business Nucleus Centre Business Park
Education City
Education City
A ‘Main Street’ will connect the transit centre to the shopping centre, Town Centre Park, the business centre and the Education City. The same street will extend north through an urban housing district.
16 springfield central february 2006
TRANSIT CENTRE CONFIGURATION The circulation system could be extended through the Transit Centre recognising it as “the hub.” It will be important to design streets to serve vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians equitably, in contrast to the highway and its access ramps. Continuity of safe passage between pedestrian-only environments – to and from the Education City footbridge, for example – must be safeguarded.
1 The north-south circulation spine through the shopping centre could be extended north through the Transit Centre to Development Area 5, and south to Town Centre Park and Education City. It would become the principal walking street. 2 By introducing daylight to the space under Centenary Highway east of the station, the presence of Town Centre Park could be extended. 3 The service road on the west side of the shopping centre could be extended north over Centenary Highway, and could give passengers access to the west end of the rail station from above.
4
4 Frontage streets north and south of the transit centre would be much more successful with development on both sides of them. The station and highway would thus be fully integrated.
Dev. Area 5 District Sports Fields
1
4 3
2
1 4
Orion Regional Shopping 1
Town Centre Park
1
Education City
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Three critical decisions concerning the configuration of the Transit Centre were made: 路
the rail platform should be at or close to the elevation of the Centenary Highway road surfaces;
路
the north-south circulation spine through the shopping centre should be extended at or slightly below ground level under the highway and connect to a street serving future housing to the north;
路
fill under the highway to the east of the extended spine should be removed, creating an airy pass-through as a lateral extension of Town Centre Park.
It also became clear that buses should stop as close as possible to the rail platform to make transfers as convenient as possible. Places for cars to pick up and drop off passengers would also be provided. A park-and-ride facility could be accommodated under the highway east of the bus station. The design of these spaces should make them safe and appealing to people on foot, both by day and after dark.
The station can become a local landmark with distinctive architecture and accessibility to open spaces.
Springfield Transit Centre Orion North-South Spine
Parcel 5 Mountain Creek Park
Development Area 5
New Mountain Creek Street and Bridge Town Centre Park
+60
+58
4 +45
3
+46
4
+46
+ 43
2
1
Relative Levels
+43
Orion Regional Shopping Centre 1
Mountain Creek
18 springfield central february 2006
1
Decisions concerning the configuration of the Transit Centre resulted in a new Mountain Creek Street in addition to the Orion North-South spine. The NorthSouth spine functions as a linear pedestrian plaza extending into the transit centre. The schematic (left) shows bus platforms adjoining the extended spine. Mountain Creek Street accommodates buses leaving the north side of the Transit Centre and turning east. It also gives access to park-and-ride facilities. Though less convenient for passengers, shifting the bus platforms further east would give more overhead clearance.
The spacing of columns supporting the highway and rail structures east of the extended circulation spine should be as wide as economic construction allows, so that a sense of openness is achieved.
Study layout for bus platforms and park-andride facilities Permeability beneath the elevated highway and centralisation of activity around the hub of the Transit Centre are illustrated in this sketch.
1 A pedestrian-only extension of the North-South spine could terminate in a plaza north of the Transit Centre. This plaza will have views of the fig trees atop the hill to the northwest and of Parklands to the northeast.
4
4
1 6
2
3 5
2 The bus platforms and park-andride are shown here on a new road to the east of the Pedestrian Plaza.
4
5
5
3 In this scenario the rail platform was shifted east to bring it nearer to the bus station.
2
4 Developable parcels are identified along the eastern edge of the park .
5 4 4 4 4
5 Developable parcels abutting the highway are intended to bring activity to both sides of the streets and to activate public spaces at the base of the transit centre below the highway. 6 Large, flexible development parcels could be created by shifting the street marked ‘Bridge Link’ to the north.
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Having defined the general configuration of the Transit Centre in terms of location and elevation of the rail station, connectivity and openness beneath it, the remaining challenge was to identify the nature of enveloping development that could both benefit the transit function, and benefit from close proximity to it. Not only must uses be complementary to one another and
to transit; it must be possible to phase construction of the structures separately, and construction must be possible without interrupting highway or rail operations. Key to the solution of this design problem was a clear understanding of factors driving right-of-way dimensions.
Air rights development is not an immediate concern, and may not be implemented for many years. However, unless it is planned for in advance of transit centre construction, highway improvements and the configuration of adjacent streets, practical opportunities to use air rights may be lost.
The feasibility of transit-supportive development is often dependent on the compatibility of structural grids in overhead buildings with dimensions dictated by road and rail clearances and parking structures. Overhead clearances of highway lanes and the railway operations and maintenance, combined with adequate structural depths for spanning buildings must be considered. Construction techniques for later phases must not interfere with transport operations.
20 springfield central february 2006
Development scenarios explored various strategies for parking beneath adjacent development and in some cases building over the highway.
Perimeter development opportunities along the south and north edges of the Centenary Highway at the transit centre were examined. The feasibility of adjacent and air rights development is influenced by the ability to provide cost-effective, on-site parking. This demands efficiency in layout and access. It also implies single-aspect commercial or residential space with realistic bay depths between parking and the street frontage. Air rights development above the highway and railway are unlikely to be feasible in the near future, so provision must be made for phased construction without early phases having to carry a heavy premium for foundations and other structures that will eventually be necessary to support overhead buildings.
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Development Area 5 residential
mixed-use Over (Highway under)
plaza above PLATFORM
mixed-use
highway passenger RAIL
transit centre plaza/park (under highway)
PLATFORM passenger RAIL highway south lawn
RETAIL
mixed-use
RETAIL
mixed-use
commercial
Orion Regional Shopping Centre
Concept Diagram
vertical circulation from platform
Development Area 5
aREA: 2,400 M 2
approximate square metres
aREA: 3,000 M 2
transit centre plaza/park (under highway)
aREA: 600 M 2
mixed-use Over (Highway under)
aREA: 5,000 M 2
area: 7,000 M 2
aREA: 1,000 M 2
residential
commercial
Site Area
Orion Regional Shopping Centre
The transit centre and other uses integrated with it appear as a free-standing entity, but in fact depend entirely on the proximity of other developments to provide ridership. This diagrammatic plan view shows the potential disposition and footprint of distinct parts of the transit centre complex to which subsequent references are keyed.
22 springfield central february 2006
Leaving the station toward the east, passengers will descend from the platform using a broad stairway, an escalator or a lift, arriving in a plaza that overlooks Town Centre Park and leads south into the shopping centre. Streets will radiate from the plaza, with buses stopping nearby. Beyond the shopping centre will be a pedestrian bridge to Education City. To the north will be a medium to high density hillside residential community overlooking Springfield Central and the sports fields near Mountain Creek.
Bicycles remain a popular, healthy and sustainable form of transport in places that are designed to accommodate them safely. The principle of designing streets for equitable use should provide such an environment in Springfield Central.
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rationalisation of the transit corridor For improvement of Centenary Highway, a swath of land 120 metres wide has generally been set aside. This is wide enough to include embankments, ramps to and from the motorway, and passenger rail in the median between carriageways. At Springfield Central, the objectives are to locate transit as closely and conveniently as possible to users, and to minimize interruption of the urban fabric by the highway. These objectives suggest making the highway as narrow as possible without compromising
Current corridor proposal
Rationalised corridor proposal
24 springfield central february 2006
its functionality. An important dialogue among charrette participants thus concerned defining the width needed for each element to be accommodated in the overall right of way. Theoretically, everything could be accommodated within 70 metres, but it was agreed to set the dimension at 80 metres, which would allow greater flexibility in design – including accommodation of vertical structural elements that may be necessary for economical development of air rights at some time in the future.
DEVELOPMENT AREA 5
FREEWAY
ROAD
ORION
South
CL
28 m
north
120 m
DEVELOPMENT AREA 5
BUILDING
RAIL PLATFORM
FREEWAY
BUILDING
ROAD
ORION
current corridor proposal
30 m 19 m
35 m
20 m
20 m
35 m
70 m
DEVELOPMENT AREA 5
ROAD
BUILDING
RAIL PLATFORM
FREEWAY
BUILDING
ROAD
ORION
Rationalisation opt. 1
30 m 19 m
15 m
25 m
25 m
15 m
18 m
ROAD
BUILDING
RAIL PLATFORM
FREEWAY
PARK
ROAD
ORION
DEVELOPMENT AREA 5
80 m
Rationalisation opt. 2
30 m 19 m
15 m
25 m
Rationalisation opt. 3
25 m
35 m
18 m
80 m
Current Standards The corridor for expansion of the Centenary Highway is generally 120 metres wide, allowing for embankments and ramps with rail in the median.
embankments. 80 metres would allow for 3 highway lanes and a rail track in each direction, in addition to planned improvements (rationalisation 2,3).
Established Parameters include the north edge of the Orion development and the centre line of the Centenary Highway improvement corridor.
Balanced Development respecting property commitments to Orion suggested a relatively narrow development on the south side of the highway and provision for wider buildings on the Development Area 5 side, where residential uses will predominate.
A Practical Width for the corridor was set at 80 metres, assuming that retaining walls and structure would support the highway in lieu of
february 2006 springfield central 25
maximising the opportunities A distinguishing quality in successful urban centres is easy accessibility for the many people who give them vitality. The topography of central Springfield offers both challenges and opportunities in this regard, particularly where connections north and south of the highway are concerned. The three drawings that follow show how these separated areas can be closely integrated with one another, and with development flanking the highway. It also highlights the importance of removing the excessive fill batters associated with the Transit Corridor. Otherwise, the infrastructure will always be a divisive barrier within Springfield Central.
DEVELOPMENT AREA 5 HOUSING SITE BEYOND
HIGHWAY EMBANKMENT
ORION REGIONAL SHOPPING CENTRE SITE
Looking northwest toward Centenary Highway, the elevated road presents a barrier between the shopping centre and the planned residential community and sports fields in the park to the north.
26 springfield central february 2006
Development Area 5
District Sports Fields
Centenary Highway
Town Centre Park Orion Regional Shopping Centre
Current proposals suggest the road and rail corridor in Springfield Central as an earth bank with sloping batters. It creates a significant barrier in this configuration. An agreed-upon design principle in the design charrette was to enhance permeability of the Centenary Highway corridor at all stages of development of the Transit Centre. North-South connections between the centre of the Orion Shopping Centre and future housing on Development Area 5 are considered essential.
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Development Area 5
District Sports Fields
Development Opportunities
Centenary Highway
Orion Regional Shopping Centre
Town Centre Park
The design charrette team recognised the importance of breaching the barrier of Centenary Highway. By putting the highway and railway on a bridge structure, the main north-south spine of Orion could be extended to the station and into the residential district to the north. Town Centre Park could extend westward to the station, bringing light and air to the space below the bridge.
28 springfield central february 2006
Development Area 5
District Sports Fields
Development Opportunities
Centenary Highway
Town Centre Park Orion Regional Shopping Centre
By building the improved Centenary Highway partially on a structure it was recognised that there would be an opportunity to locate bus stops much closer to the rail station, with room for park-and-ride facilities nearby. Foot traffic generated by the transit centre would activate the area around it, enhancing the quality of the place and creating a more direct interface with the transit centre’s neighbours.
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PRODUCTS OF THE DESIGN CHARRETTE The Preferred Concept Questions addressed by designers, stakeholders and others who participated in the charrette included how to make the highway at the transit centre a connection rather than a barrier, and how to capitalise on the extraordinary accessibility of Springfield Central when the passenger rail service opens and Centenary Highway has been improved to motorway standards. An approved master plan for Greater Springfield and a development plan for the central area are both in place. However, detailed planning for the rail station and associated development is absent. The form and density of development at Springfield Central have yet to be determined. Design principles (listed on the next page) provide a means of assessing potential strategies and design solutions. With this guidance, a series of concept sketches were developed, exploring different possibilities. These are presented in the following pages, as well as conclusions about key elements of this nascent urban centre. An early goal of the design team was to find a configuration for the transit centre that would make it accessible from every direction and link developments on the north and south sides of Centenary Highway.
components of the central district safely and conveniently. There must also be strong links to all destinations by car, bus and bicycle. These routes will converge on Springfield Central and will energize the cafes, restaurants, shops and services clustered around it. These in turn will create an attractive environment for employment and city living. All will be linked in different ways to the natural environment of the place: the undulations, slopes and drainages that lead to Mountain Creek, and the natural parkland that will follow the course of the stream around the shopping centre, under the highway, and north to Opossum Creek. The vision shared by the design team is one of rich diversity in uses and activities, contrasting natural and built environments that are designed to complement one another. It will be a place with multiple circulation choices, inviting discovery at every turn. The vision is also of a transformable environment, equipped to adapt and evolve into a major urban centre.
We sought a permeable design that would enable pedestrians to filter through the shopping centre, the bus station, the rail station, the residential neighbourhood to be built to the north, and to reach other
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DESIGN PRINCIPLES As ideas and design parameters are discussed, certain principles of design begin to emerge as an important common basis; a means to generate consistency between projects which may have quite different purposes. The charrette was an important generator of fundamental ideas and principles which underpinned the work of the participants. The design principles below are an extension from the work undertaken during the charrette.
They also reflect the transit oriented development principles as presented in the South East Queensland Regional Plan (2005-2026).
Land use and density
Quality
• Match the uses and density of development to the opportunities provided through accessibility by road, rail, bus, bicycle and walking.
• Recognize that the quality of early phases of development will set a precedent for all that follows.
• Anticipate the eventual scale of Springfield Central, and size elements of the built environment accordingly.
• Match good quality development with good quality public spaces: streets, parks, plazas, paths and stations.
• Design a compact and cohesive urban district, with complementary uses engaging one another. Avoid separation and isolation by car parks and vacant land.
• Complete development of each phase so that each place looks finished and inviting.
• Design streets to connect, not separate, activities on either side of them.
• Respond to the sub-tropical climate in the design and orientation of buildings and open spaces.
• Encourage high density housing and employment developments near the station.
Circulation
Feasibility
• Capitalise on high capacity transit access with a compact mix of uses.
• Match the size and timing of each phase of development to the capacity of the circulation system to deliver patrons (e.g., opening of expanded highway and commencement of passenger rail service).
• Balance vehicular and pedestrian access needs equitably, recognising them to be complementary street users. • Ensure permeability of developments for safety and convenience of those on foot, and to give visibility to businesses. • Align and design streets and open spaces to expose recognizable features and views so that orientation and way-finding are supported. • Provide lighting and way-finding that is effective for all modes of travel. • Locate and manage parking so that it is supportive of walking, cycling and transit access. Parking should be convenient yet should not be visually dominant.
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• Stage construction to avoid burdening development projects with premiums to accommodate later phases. • Build flexible structures that can be adapted economically to meet changing needs. • Capitalise on sustainable design opportunities to reduce energy and other life-cycle costs.
Anticipate the eventual scale of Springfield Central.
Balance vehicular and pedestrian access needs.
Match good quality development with good quality public spaces.
Build flexible structures.
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GETTING CONNECTED The regional shopping centre and the transit centre will each generate large numbers of people on foot. By connecting these centres together and to adjacent areas, their vitalising influence can be extended, at the same time creating a greater regional draw. By multiplying the links that interconnect the many destinations in the central district, opportunities for exploration and discovery will increase, and development opportunities will grow. Permeability is a quality of successful urban development for which there is no substitute. Greater connectivity will benefit all.
“Design streets to connect, not separate, activities on either side of them.�
Retail opportunities at the transit centre depend on steady flows of patrons throughout the day. The University, medical campus and regional shopping centre will generate substantial numbers of off-peak riders necessary to the success of convenience retailers. 34 springfield central february 2006
MAINTAINING CONTINUITY OF the TOWN CENTRE PARK Town Centre Park gives definition and a special identity to the central district. Its expansion under the highway will extend this influence to the north, and westward to include the transit centre, a principle point of arrival. Openings in the deck supporting the highway and railway above are intended to admit light and rain so that the park will thrive, though its landscape architecture must adapt to covered conditions. The quality of the park as it passes under the highway is crucial to the success of the transit centre and the through route for pedestrians. Park design should focus on continuity of elements on the ground plane and on lighting. The objective is to create a place that feels welcoming and safe both during the day and after dark. “Align and design streets and open spaces to expose recognisable features and views so that orientation and wayfinding are supported.�
Early sketches from the charrette illustrate the idea of separating highway and railway structures over the park to admit light and air and to relieve the oppressive effect of a continuous lid.
Thoughtful design and furnishing of spaces beneath a highway structure can take advantage of the shelter it provides and add delight.
This elevated highway in Sydney illustrates how the noise of traffic above can be reduced and park uses can be extended under it. february 2006 springfield central 35
A DESTINATION This view from beneath the highway looks across the bus platforms and the extension of the north-south circulation spine toward a stairway, escalator and lift to the passenger rail station. Both arriving and transferring passengers will be introduced directly into the bustling core of Springfield. The Transit Centre will become a “doorstep” to the central district for residents, shoppers, students, workers, patients, joggers, spectators and other visitors. “Balance vehicular and pedestrian access needs equitably, recognising them to be complementary street users.”
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Public open spaces An essential feature of urban public spaces – streets, parks and plazas – is active uses overlooking each space. Transparent frontages share, and are shared by a public space, making it safer and more comfortable to use. A street bridging over the highway at the west end of the transit centre will give access via a public plaza to the rail platform below. Most buses will stop at a platform east of the station and below it, beside the pedestrian plaza that links the shopping centre and housing to the north under the highway. All buses will enter from the south, loading and unloading directly onto the pedestrian plaza. The greatest concentration of people will be at this level, near the entrance to the rail platform. It is here that convenience retail will thrive.
view 1
Rail Station
“Match good quality development with good quality public spaces: streets, parks, plazas, paths and stations.”
View 1 – A view looking west from town centre park towards the bus and pedestrian plaza, undercroft retail and stairs up to the rail platform.
Hard and soft landscape surfaces will be used as appropriate to the intensity and type of use in each place.
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public buildings As Springfield Central develops it will become much more than a train station; it will evolve into a full transit centre. The arrival image and identity for Springfield will be established at the station. A dense mix of uses should present a distinguished face to this emerging city. Public buildings could occupy the upper plaza, west of the station, since these are well positioned to become the most conspicuous and accessible buildings in the region. They will meet the criterion of being accessible to everyone.
view 2 Rail Station
“Anticipate the eventual scale of Springfield Central, and size elements of the built environment accordingly.”
View 2 – A view looking west from the rail platform to the stairs, escalator and lift that lead up to the upper public plaza and potential public buildings.
Buildings on the upper plaza should have welcoming and transparent faces.
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RETAIL Development around the transit centre will make it an active part of the urban scene. Continuity of the walking environment from the shopping centre, to and through the transit centre will provide a strong link to nearby housing in development Area 5 to the north. This will be complemented by a more pastoral link as Town Centre Park and Mountain Creek extend under Centenary Highway to the east. Vibrant retail activities along the edges of streets and open space will contribute to a vital city centre.
Rail Station
view 3
“Ensure permeability of developments for safety and convenience of those on foot and give visibility to businesses.�
View 3 – A view looking north from the shopping centre toward the transit centre entrance. Continuity of retail frontage and sustained energy and interest will be necessary to knit adjacent developments together effectively.
Transparency and activity will enliven the edges of the transit centre, making it an outgoing and sociable place.
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mixed use Streets should connect adjoining districts rather than separate them. Housing planned for the district north of the transit centre will be extended across the frontage street to engage the edge of the highway. The transit centre will form an active edge to the neighbourhood rather than being separated from it by a street that belongs to neither. The motivation for urban living is convenience of access to a wide variety of activities and services. Apartments adjoining the transit centre will be in a prime location.
view 4 Rail Station
“Capitalise on high capacity transit access with a compact mix of uses.�
View 4 – A view looking south from an upper storey apartment towards the transit centre and the regional shopping centre beyond.
One of the attractions to an urban lifestyle is the diversity of activities and venues close to home.
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REALISING THE VISION The transit centre will be one of a community of public structures that will serve and support the Springfield Central and Greater Springfield and surrounding populace. In time, a library, a community centre, City Hall and University Extension Centre can be expected to follow. Many of these would benefit from the peerless accessibility of Springfield Central, benefiting from high visibility and enhancing the signature of this unique place.
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“Design a compact and cohesive urban district, with complementary uses engaging one another. Avoid separation and isolation by car parks and vacant land.�
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the next steps Where to from here? To explore opportunities for transit oriented development (TOD) at Greater Springfield, the design charrette engaged a wide group of partners and stakeholders. All participants shared the vision and a keen interest in grasping the opportunity to create a highly functional and creative transit hub, in the heart of a new and rapidly growing city. This is a unique opportunity in South East Queensland. The ideas generated by the charrette now need to be developed and promoted by all interested parties, to ensure maximum community benefit is gained from the opportunity to influence the nature and timing of transport solutions, the allocation of land-uses, development forms and the design of individual buildings. From here the endorsement of the Minister for Transport and Main Roads will be sought for the overall concept following a briefing, with recommendations for the following actions: • Establishment of a small working group of key stakeholders to develop the TOD concept further in order to meet pr-existing timeframes of the Government for the delivery of the Springfield rail line. • This group to work with the Greater Springfield development partners, taking account of all SEQ Regional Plan objectives, to identify and assess the implications of the charrette outputs, recommend delivery arrangements and a critical decision time-line. • A further evaluation by the Springfield Land Corporation and development partners of the most appropriate land uses, development forms and designs to support the transit centre in the immediate and longer terms. • The final outcome to be included, as appropriate, in any future design brief and/or funding programs. • Amendments, where required, to relevant planning instruments covering the land within Greater Springfield which was the subject of the charrette.
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Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Partnership Portland Seattle Los Angeles Washington DC New York www.zgf.com
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