The Urban Scout - Final year 'PGDip in Architecture' thesis project:

Interior shots

2009-05-25T12:25:00.001-07:00

Life skills classroom

Main entrance with views through to courtyard beyond

First floor corridror looking towards life skills classroom

IT cafe

I have already pinned up but thought that the presentation was lacking some views of the interior of the building - especially if I am going to talk about visual permeability in my presentation - so have done a couple of quick shots to add to the portfolio before tomorrow's internal exam board.

Presentation Boards

2009-05-18T06:59:00.001-07:00

A slightly low quality image but it shows the general content and layout

Final Images

2009-05-18T06:31:00.000-07:00

Here are the final renders that are to go in the presentation

View from Chapeltown Road (main image)

Main entrance though renovated Reginald Parade

Outdoor sports court

Courtyard and main hall

Creche outdoor play area Bus stop and bike store to Reginald Parade
Landscaped Park

Creche entrance from park

Reginald Parade - Behind the Bike Sheds

2009-04-21T07:44:00.001-07:00

Reginald Parade - Before And After

A design review of my thesis project at work brought up some concerns about the treatment of Reginald Parade. I had removed the shops leaving the colonnaded facade as an entrance to the site with railings between the bays. This was felt to be too incongruous with no architectural connection to the building.

I have since tried to strengthen that connection by bringing some of the architectural language of the building to the parade. I have also tried to make the scheme interact more with its context by incorporating and developing the existing bus stop and adding a new cycle store.

Elevations

2009-04-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

East Elevation South Elevation

West Elevation
North Elevation

Final Design?

2009-04-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

A quick render of the scheme in context.

Volumes and Elevations

2009-04-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

Further amendments to the plans resulted in the addition of the second floor. This tied in with site sections forming a stronger relationship with the site and raised interesting opportunities for the internal volumes and the elevations.

Materials

2009-04-16T13:30:00.000-07:00

Earlier sketched explorations of potential building forms looked at contemporising the traditional building typology. This sketch sees the combination of these ideas with an initial attempt at rationalising the elevations with the general arrangements.

Visual / Physical Connections

2009-04-16T13:28:00.000-07:00

Once a decision on the position of the building had been made the idea of how to connect the road and the urban context to the park was considered. The sketch shown exhibits the idea of integrating the building and park and flowing the landscape through.

Posistion Within the Site

2009-04-16T13:22:00.000-07:00

The size of the site posed the question of where to site the building. Depending upon its position within the park the building took on differing relationships with the local and wider community. Siting the building to the front of the park on Chapeltown Road increased its relationship with the wider urban context whilst still retaining ties with the immediate community.
This advanced position also allows the scheme to make maximum use of the remaining parkland. It offers the potential to connect the building and its uses to the landscape and provide further facilities for the community.

Response to the Site

2009-04-16T13:21:00.001-07:00

The sloping nature of the site raised a number of possibilities. One of the first steps was to investigate options for the building’s relationship with the landscape.

Retrospective Design Process

2009-04-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

The next few posts will hopefully explain the design process a little more clearly. Ideally these should have been posted earlier and in some cases come before some that have already been posted.

The order that things should have gone is as follows:

Response to the Site

Position Within the Site

Spatial Hierarchy (previously posted)

Visual / Physical Connections

Earthships (previously posted)

Activity Boxes (previously posted as 'Block Model')

Materials

Volumes and Elevations

Earthship Concept

2009-04-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

The conceptual approach to the design of the scheme is based upon the theory of Earthships. This small scale residential concept produces an autonomous building that provides its own energy, water and heating and manages its own waste disposal.

One of the main techniques that the system uses is the regulation of internal temperatures by the use of passive solar gains and thermal mass.

The aim is to take as many of the Earthship techniques as possible that are appropriate and adapt them to a larger scale public building.

Block Model

2009-02-18T06:06:00.000-08:00

Following a critical analysis with Bob I have revisited the scheme; from its positioning and relationship with the site to the arrangement of rooms.

A series of 'activity boxes' (Bob, not me) relate to each other and to the site either expressing the activity within or secluding it dependent the amount of privacy required.

2009-02-16T13:58:00.000-08:00

Trying to see how the form sits in its context. The above image doesn't show it particularly well but there needs to be a stronger relationship between the landscape and the building due to the weak context surrounding the site.

A Blank Canvas

2009-02-09T08:12:00.001-08:00

Only the facade of Reginald Parade remains. The shops have been replaced with contemporary
iron railings to open up the site and allow views through to the park.

All I have to do now is design a building.

Spatial Hierarchy

2009-02-09T05:21:00.000-08:00

The above diagrams are an analysis of the spatial relationships between the different uses throughout the building. The theory here is to help with the hierarchical arrangement of the building.

Certain rooms / uses interrelate and overlap with each other - if these interactions were to take on a physical manifestation it can be seen which use would be dominant and which subordinate, helping to develop an architectural language throughout the building.

Schedule of Accommodation

2009-02-08T06:47:00.001-08:00

A combination of the activities undertaken by the scout movement and local youth organisations would require the following accommodation. This also takes into consideration a use of the facilities by the wider community; to increase community involvement and to increase the revenue potential of the building.

· Communal gathering space (internal / external)
· Management offices
· Meeting rooms
· IT
· Café
· Kitchen
· Life skills training - kitchen teaching rooms
· Overnight stay - dormitory
· Counselling rooms
· Leisure / sport facilities
· Gymnasium
· Changing facilities
· Plant

Working ideas

2009-02-08T06:34:00.001-08:00

A continuous swathe of green flows into the streetscape to connect the urban context to the park.

Potential Design Solutions

2009-02-08T06:30:00.000-08:00

In addition to the facilities required for a scout group the brief calls for an inclusive facility to provide amenities for the community and to enhance to local area. Even with this additional accommodation the result could still be a relatively simple building.

Due to the strong community aspect to the brief the importance of the landscaping throughput the scheme is elevated.

The size and the deep rectangular shape of the site offer a number of potential options for the placement of the built form. The positioning of any buildings and their relationship with the landscape and context is vital to the success of the scheme.

The example above shows the primary structure set back form the main road. The existing façade of Reginald Terrace is made more permeable so as to invite the user both visually and physically through to the communal gardens to the rear of the site.

Site Opportunities

2009-02-08T06:28:00.000-08:00

The large size of the site allows for the inclusion of varied activities that could be extended to the wider community. A strong local desire for quality public space could comfortably be incorporated into the scheme.

Reginald Parade, the single storey shopping parade on the east boundary of the site, offers the opportunity for conversion into a main entrance gate.
The architectural language of the surrounding buildings, with the exception of the recently renovated shops across Chapeltown Road, is relatively bland. The challenge therefore is to create a building with a strong relationship to its context as the context is weak. Initial thoughts are that the design will be more influenced by the requirements of the brief. The trap to be avoided is designing an incongruous stand alone building with no real relationship to its surrounds.

Site Constraints

2009-02-08T06:26:00.000-08:00

The site has a slope of approximately 1 in 27 dropping 7.8m from west to east and 1 in 35 dropping 1.9m north to south.

The residential properties along Reginald Street and Reginald Terrace currently have an uninterrupted view onto the park. Any development must ideally take this into consideration and not adversely effect the existing aspect.

Reginald Parade sits rundown and largely vacant to the front of the site. This solid barrier currently obstructs views onto the site from Chapeltown Road.

Chapeltown Road is a main route from North Leeds and the A61 into Leeds city centre. The noise and pollution from the road particularly at peak times could be a factor that needs to be considered.

Physical Site Analysis

2009-02-08T06:21:00.000-08:00

The site is partially hidden from the main road to the east by Reginald Parade, a row of single storey retail units which are either vacant or in the process of relocating. To the north, south and west the site is surrounded by residential properties of little architectural merit.

A low wooden fence currently bisects the site to the east of the sports court demarking the extent of the proposed Joint Services Centre.

The gently sloping site is predominately covered with utility grass. A 3m high wire fence surrounds a tarmac surfaced sports court at the centre of the site.

The children’s playground consists of a slide set into a low manmade hill and a single arched ladder climbing frame.

A number of mature trees pepper the site including sycamore, Norway maple, ash, holly and rowan.

Site 1

2009-01-05T09:14:00.000-08:00

This is the site that has been selected as the location for the scheme. The strong aspect of community involvement that this scheme potentially has made this site the most desirable of the three. It allowed more scope for the brief to develop and become more inclusive to the wider community.

Location: Chapeltown Road, between Reginald Terrace and Reginald Street.

Area: 13857m2 (3.4 acres)

Use: Demolished pub and underused /disused park

Status: Planning permission pending - joint services centre

Considerations: Size - too big?

Site 2

2009-01-05T09:07:00.001-08:00

Location: Corner of Chapeltown Road and Grange Avenue.

Area: 884m2 (0.22 acres)

Use: Empty - demolished residential plot.

Status: Planning permission rejected - Part two storey part three storey block of 14 flats.

Considerations: Proximity of adjacent residential properties. Size - too small.

Site 3

2009-01-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

Location: Chapeltown Road, between Savile Road and Savile Place

Area: 1141.6m2 (0.28 acres)

Use: Empty - demolished residential plot.

Status: Planning permission pending - 4 storey block of 6 retail units with 16 two bedroom flats over; and 4 storey block of 6 two bed flats and laying out of 22 car parking spaces.

Considerations: Size - too small.

Sites Considered

2009-01-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

All three sites considered are in Chapeltown, Leeds. Chapeltown has been the subject of various regeneration initiatives over the years at both national and local levels, and some improvements have been made, but it still remains in the bottom 3% of deprived areas in the country [Indices of Deprivation 2007].

And so it begins...

2009-01-05T08:31:00.000-08:00

Well, the thesis project is now and truly underway or at least should be. The design proposal document is starting to take shape (starting being the operative word - I may have faffed around with the formatting for a little longer than required) so hopefully a deluge of information should be making its way onto the blog soon.
The research that I have done so far seems to be steering me away from my initial thoughts. The scheme is developing from purely an Urban Scout Centre to more of a community based project.
I have a tutorial tomorrow so hopefully Nick will be able to tell me if I am heading in the right direction.

Briggate - Updated Sheets 4 of 4

2008-12-11T08:22:00.001-08:00

Sheet 4 - just some added annotation and a change of some image colours to tie in with earlier sheets.

Briggate - Updated Sheets 3 of 4

2008-12-11T08:17:00.001-08:00

Sheet 3 - now showing how the space benefits everyone, not just the traceurs (Parkour practitioners)

Briggate - Updated Sheets 2 of 4

2008-12-11T06:27:00.000-08:00

More info on the Parkour sheet - hopefully the additional images will give a little insight as to how I developed the wall form for this scheme.

Briggate - Updated Sheets 1 of 4 (well 5 really)

2008-12-11T06:16:00.001-08:00

The original sheet 1 has been demoted to sheet 0 as it reitterates the define / redefine part of the project. This new sheet 1 analyses public space in Leeds.

Feedback on presentation

2008-12-05T14:15:00.000-08:00

Review with Bob and Claire (fulltime PGDip tutors)

Didn't go down too well. Comments and recommendations include:

Is too one dimensional - mearly linear from top to bottom of Briggate. Suggested inclusion of a cafe or taking structure off at different angles.
Obscures views. Briggate is a successful space because of its visual permeability. A few breaks in the wall and a couple of holes punched through it aren't enough. Could it be a temporary installation.
Need to demonstrate how the scheme improves Briggate.
How can the space be enjoyed by by the general public?
Demonstrate that the scheme is not exclusively for parkour.
Show more design development - from parkour perspective and also from public space perspective.
Compare to public space throughout Leeds - what are they lacking, what does this scheme bring?
On the plus side the graphic layout and presentation style were praised.

So looks like I have a little bit of work to do. Personally I am reasonably happy with the design and do feel that it enhances Briggate but agree that I need to sell it a bit better and show more of the development.

Briggate Proposal - Sheet 4 of 4

2008-12-02T18:06:00.001-08:00

The pretty images (remembered to put in the narrative too)

Briggate Proposal - Sheet 3 of 4

2008-12-02T16:04:00.001-08:00

The design process, plans, section etc.

Briggate Proposal Sheet 2 of 4

2008-12-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

Briggate Proposal - Sheet 1 of 4

2008-12-02T05:58:00.000-08:00

First of the 4 A1 sheets done (barring any last minute changes).
The idea is to do the background stuff on sheet 1, intro to Parkour and why in Leeds on sheet 2, the design for Briggate sheet 3 and fancy images on sheet 4.

Something more subtle?

2008-11-24T08:50:00.001-08:00

So Far, So ?

2008-11-24T07:42:00.000-08:00

still struggling with the vertical transfer from ground to rooftop (top pic), might try something more subtle.

Concept

2008-11-24T05:25:00.000-08:00

The hub on briggate needs to have an everyday use but be designed with parkour moves and techniques in mind. If an artificial parkour training area is formed this could alienate other users of Briggate and may not be attrative traceurs as it would be too contrived (?).

The installation also needs to create a link from the ground to the rooftops for the exhibitions/ competion races.

Parkour Route

2008-11-24T04:58:00.000-08:00

A series of parkour hubs - public spaces designed with parkour in mind.

These hubs would be nursery slopes where would be 'traceurs' can practice their techniques but when connected make a circuit for parkour or freerunning exhibitions and competitions. The hubs would become viewing points along the course.

Yokohama Ferry Terminal

2008-11-13T02:53:00.000-08:00

A similar installation down Briggate?

Parkour Practice Wall

2008-11-13T02:36:00.000-08:00

A4 Proposition Document

2008-11-11T05:23:00.000-08:00

Briggate Proposal - Leeds Parkour Route

2008-11-08T15:44:00.000-08:00

Our redefinition of Briggate concentrated on the pedestrian routes throughout Leeds. I am proposing various public spaces throughout the city that can be connected to create a parkour course - an alternative route not constrained by percieved or actual physical obstructions.

The plan at the moment is to concentrate on one of these nodes, creating a space that gives the opportunity for both practice and observation.

Redefining Briggate Group Work

2008-11-06T05:13:00.000-08:00

Briggate as a component of a larger synergistic system, linked by a pedestrian network.

The thought processes that led to the new definition, the network of coponents and its links.