Mitigation- Masterplanning and Detail Design

My attempt at implementing these mitigation measures have not been successful.  The response was that my design is dull - what's the big idea? I guess it's a case of designer's block.

Masterplan

After the master plan, it was clear that I didnot address the building mass at Elizabeth House and Shell Centre. So I thought about making Elizabeth House into a market , retail space, inspired by Covent Garden. Possibly a glass building that extends from the Station. The shell centre could be a plaza with a big water feature.

Buildings - Elizabeth House and Shell Centre.

 

For detail design, the response was also unfavorable. The ideas were too conventional.

• The water feature would be at the Shell Centre. I thought about the idea of a reflecting pool and fountains, like Miroir d'eau in Bordeaux France and  Somerset House, London.

• Hard landscape would be paving at Festival Square in front of the Royal Festival Hall.

• Planting design would be Forum Magnum Square.  the main plant s would be Magnolias, Viburnums and Camellias. I was told to consider roses and climbers as well.

I have to find a new approach to designing the site and some new inspiration. 

Assessment and Mitigation Diagrams

From my assessment of the site and proposals I found these issues:

Noise

The frequency and of the train service and noise it creates may contribute to the underuse of Jubilee Gardens. 

Charing Cross Viaduct

Building Mass
The increase in building density will affect access through the site .

Shell Centre -Building Model

Skyline Character
The shell tower along with the London eye are unique features of the skyline. The developers' proposals would infringe on the prominence of the shell tower.

Existing skyline

Skyline based on developers proposals

Microclimate - Shading
The site is heavily shaded and the increase of tall buildings will add to this shading.

Belvedere Street

Access and Permeability
Accessibility from the station , the main point of entry to the site is restricted by Elizabeth House.

Interface between Waterloo Station and Elizabeth House

Public Open Space
Most of the public open spaces are not well connected and some are underused , such as Forum Magnum Square.

Forum Magnum Square

Ecology

 Urban ecology and biodiversity is lacking within the site.

Bed planting at Jubilee Gardens

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'The Fractured Arc' - Developers' Proposals

The public spaces in the South bank are quite fragmented, these could be due to developments happening independent of each other and not part of a masterplan for entire site.

Existing - Squire and Partners Masterplan

Proposed - Squire and Partners Masterplan

My approach to the development of the site would be based on the assessment of three proposals

1. Elizabeth House - David Chipperfield Architects 
• public square, entrance to Waterloo Station
• 142 homes
• 85,700m² commercial space

     2.  Shell Centre - Squire and Partners

• 798 homes
• 76,043 m² of office space
• 5,957m² of retail space
• New public spaces and pedestrian connections
• Basement parking

    

Elizabeth House and Shell Centre

Shell Centre- Buildings

      

Both of these proposals will increase the building density on the site, reduce accessibility from the station and decrease the amount and quality of public open space within the site.

        3. Jubilee Gardens

• Children’s playground
• Granite pathways and seating edges
• New tree and bed planting

Jubilee Garden - West8

        Jubilee Gardens represents a missed opportunity. The car park space could have been incorporated into the garden. Although it is new, it fails to attract alot of visitors,  however the children's playground is quite popular.

The Brief

Based on the shortcomings of previous development proposals and my aspirations, below is the brief for  my vision of the South Bank. I hope when my proposal is realized, that it is as vibrant as the graffiti on the South Bank.

South Bank, London - "The Arc"

For my final design project, I chose London's South Bank, particularly ''the Arc'' as I refer to it, from Waterloo Station extending to Waterloo Bridge to the north and Westminster Bridge to the South.  It is a major tourist hub and being an international student I was not impressed. The site is less than 5 mins walk from the station and yet it seem so far away. The large building complexes: Elizabeth House and the Shell Centre restrict the permeability of the site. 

 

The site has many prominent attractions and landmarks:

• London Eye
• South bank Centre- Royal Festival Hall, Hayward Gallery
• County Hall and London Aquarium
• Jubilee Gardens

Besides these attractions the site seems very 'grey', fragmented and uninteresting. Most of the the excitement happens along the Riverside Walk and the informal skatepark beneath the Hungerford Bridge. I love the colour and vibrance of the graffiti under the skate park.

Book market beneath Hungerford Bridge

Graffiti and Skate Park

Graffiti

 Street performers

My aspiration is to reconnect the different spaces on the site forming a cohesive public realm. the first day of class I made this quick concept model. The main idea was about reconnectivity and creating activity spots throughout the site I thought about animating the site with water from the Thames but Tom suggested that I used the water from surface water management, i.e SUDS.

Line in Landscape- Cultural Use Survey

Ok........this Site Design process is becoming complicated. I understand that in order to have a succesful final design the site needs to be surveyed, but I never imagined that survey would be so detailed. Thank God the survey tasks have been split into two groups. I chose to cover culture.....hmm. This task has proven to be a bit challenging because I think culture is more abstract than a fixed parameter. However throughout the process and reading up on British architecture I have been enlightened.

The conclusion is the Line is an important part of the cultural heritage of London and it is important to both locals and visitors. The Line is important for recreation which is explored through site-seeing of historic sites, landmarks, entertainment, sports and ultimately shopping. This is my tally of the things which contribute to cultural use on the Line

Cultural Use Survey

Location/ Space	Interest/ Importance	Function	Users
Horse Guard Parade /St. James Park	Historic buildings, ceremonial courtyard War memorial Police memorial Duke of York column Carlton House Terraces-the Royal society, the Institute of contemporary Arts and the Photographic Department and Archives of the National Portrait Gallery.	Ceremonies Site seeing	Tourists Locals
Waterloo Place	Statues Edward VII Memorial to the Crimea, Florence Nightingale. Field Marshall J. F. Burgoyne John Franklin  Lord Lawrence  Lord Clyde Scott of the Antarctic	Historical, site -seeing	Tourists
Piccadilly Circus	Shaftesbury monument- statue of Eros Underground station Criterion theatre Sign boards	Leisure, Entertainment	Locals, tourists
Golden square	Statue of George II	Recreation, leisure, historical	Locals
Carnaby Street	Cafés, international fashion brand stores En route to Liberty store Spirit of Soho mural, Easter-street art decorations	Shopping, Entertainment	Tourists, Locals
Argyll Street	Cafés, Theatres- London Palladium	Recreational, Shopping, Dinning- Canton -Asian food, Bella Italia – Italian food	Locals, tourists
Regent Street (upper)	All Souls Church The University of Westminster Large outlet stores H&M, Nike town, etc. Cafés- Pret a Manger, Mc Donalds	Commercial, shopping	Locals, tourists- All Souls Church
Portland Place	BBC building- sculpture at entrance Langham Hotel Embassies- Namibia, China, Kenya, Poland Royal institute of British Architects Institute of Physics Association of Anesthetists Association of Radiologists Stucco detailing – no.21, 46-48 Statues Edward Augustus, Duke of Kent,  Surgeon Lord Lister,  Polish Prime Minister General Wladyslaw Sikorshi Field- Marshal Sir George White.	Administrative services, Historical, Architectural	Locals,
Regent’s Park Outer Circle	Sporting fields- football fields, ruby fields running routes, Zoo, Gardens, Cafés – the Hub, Open Air theatre Diorama- Princes Trust, Park Crescent- John Nash terraces and villas St. Mark’s Church Railings and gates, lamp posts	Historical, Architectural, Recreational, Ecological, Commercial	Locals, tourists
Primrose Hill	Summit – dramatic views Iolo Morganwy plaque Name plates affix to benches	Recreational, leisure, picnics, dog-walkers	Mainly locals

Transformations- Design Styles

With each week, I am learning that the design process is much simpler than it is made out to be.  A design can be either of seven transformations. I explored these transformations using empty juice cartons.

Addition

 Subtraction

 Symmetrical

Asymmetrical

Fragmentation

 

Distortion

Abstraction