university town northampton - seminar 1 presentation

Sabine Coady SchäbitzDirector CCBE Collaborative Centre for the Built Environment

Sue McGlynn

Garry HallTransForm Places

Project

UTN Strategic Objectives

to support the university’s catalytic role in Northampton’s future as a

University Town

to demonstrate how the physical changes occurring in the town can

support long term economic, social, cultural, ecological and

institutional growth and transformation

to inspire Northampton’s change-makers to translate existing

ambitions into successful implementations of a high quality built

environment - to turn Northampton into a destination

to support enhanced engagement of stakeholders as the changes come forward

UNIVERSITY TOWN NORTHAMPTON

4

The Farrell Review: Our Future in PLACE

Engaging communities and decision makers

PERSPECTIVES

Urban Design: Connectivity and mutual

enhancement between town and university; civic

success and place-making

The Campus as Learning Laboratory: Academia,

Place and Space

6

Activities & Themes

Urban Design: Northampton Analysis and Proposals

The Campus as Learning Laboratory

Study Visits – Learning from other Places

Conferences

Communication and Dissemination

“This new Waterside Campus will place us in the

heart of the community”

Vice Chancellor Nick Petford, University of Northampton

www.utn.org.uk

- Project overview- Upcoming events- News- Interim reports- Useful links

COMMUNICATION

DISSEMINATION

Seminar 1: 'University Town’ What does this mean for Northampton?

About TransForm Places

- Not for profit, independent Architecture Centre- Set up to give advice and offer expertise to all development stakeholders- Urban design experts, promoters of best practice- Key partners in a number of national initiatives on design quality

www.transformplaces.com

- Introduction to our project

- Baseline study and urban design analysis –Report on work in progress

- Themed discussions

- Feedback and plenary session

Urban Design Baseline Study

Urban Design Mapping and Assessment

Urban Design Seminars

Academy of Urbanism Diagnostic

Learning from other places: Study visits

Introduction to our project

Future Seminars and Events

Seminar 2: What does a University Town look like?

Seminar 3: What needs to change to make this happen?

Seminar 4: Anticipating the impact of changes on the economic, social and cultural life of the town.

Study Visit: Malmo in Sweden - an exemplar study in city centre university relocation, regeneration and sustainable living.

Study Visits: Lincoln, Hertfordshire, Worcester and Sussex

Findings and explorations will be published in a final report in 2015

Urban Design baseline study of the town centre

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Fig 3 Summary of Strategic Issues

Waterside Northampton Strategic Framework, David Lock Associates for WNDC, 2009

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Fig 5 Existing proposals for the area - The ‘Plan of Plans’

Waterside Northampton Strategic Framework, David Lock Associates for WNDC, 2009

Building on previous work:

Character Assessment &Tall Buildings Strategy forNorthampton’s Central

Area, _Space 2010

Character Assessment & Tall Buildings Strategy for Northampton’s Central Area, _Space 2010

Character Assessment & Tall Buildings Strategy for Nor thampton’s Central Area 51

LAYER 13 CONSERVATION

The following diagram highlights the 4 Conservation Areas, Scheduled Ancient

Monuments and listed buildings within Nor thampton’s Central Area.

Holy Sepulchre

Conservation Area

St.Giles

Conservation Area

Derngate

Conservation Area

All Saints

Conservation Area

Listed Building - Grade.I

Listed Building - Grade.II*

Listed Building - Grade.II

Locally Listed Building

Scheduled Ancient Monument

LAYER14 OPEN SPACE & PUBLIC REALM

The following diagram illustrates open space and public realm within Northampton’s Central Area.

Holy Sepulchre

Bus Station East

Bus Station East

Becket Park

Trees and Vegetation (Hospital area)

Marina

Open space adjacent to Towcester Road

Market

The Foot Meadows

St.Peters Green

Remembrance

Park

Castle Mound

Open space around Park Inn

Bus Station West

Midsummer Meadow

St. Giles Church grounds

Character Assessment & Tall Buildings Strategy for Northampton’s Central Area, _Space 2010

‘Streets and public spaces are not only the settings for our everyday lives……..they can also be seen as drivers of urban prosperity.’

UN- Habitat , 2013

Urban Design Mapping and Assessment

Historic street structure – has staying power!

Source: _Space 2010

Source: _Space 2010

Urban Design Mapping and Assessment

Key Routes

A

BC

D

Key Routes

Methodology:

Key routes selected using most integrated lines of movement

Data on ease of movement and other factors likely to influence route choice such as:

- Waiting time and movement data- Active passive and dead frontage- Building quality

(Jan Gehl, 2014)

Route A: Beckett’s Park to Northampton StationRoute length: 1271m

Route A: Walking analysisRoute length: 1271mTotal time: 1380 secs (23 mins)Stop / wait time: 215 secs (3 mins 35 secs)Stop / wait %: 15.5%

Active / Passive / Dead

Route Quality: Frontage

PositiveNeutralNegative

Route Quality: Buildings

Route B: Northampton Station to All Saints SquareRoute length: 670m

Route B: Walking analysisRoute length: 670mTotal time: 622 secs (10 mins 22 secs)Stop / wait time: 200 secs (3 mins 20 secs)Stop / wait %: 32%

Active / Passive / Dead

Route Quality: Frontage

Positive / Neutral / Negative

Route Quality: Buildings

Route C: All Saints Square to Beckett’s ParkRoute length: 832m

Route C: Walking analysisRoute length: 832mTotal time: 1050 secs (17 mins 30 secs)Stop / wait time: 270 secs (4 mins 30 secs)Stop / wait %: 26%

Active / Passive / Dead

Route Quality: Frontage

PositiveNeutralNegative

Route Quality: Buildings

Route D: Beckett’s Park to All Saints SquareRoute length: 881m

Route D: Walking analysisRoute length: 881mTotal time: 980 secs (16 mins 20 secs)Stop / wait time: 78 secs (1 min 18 secs)Stop / wait %: 8%

Active / Passive / Dead

Route Quality: Frontage

PositiveNeutralNegative

Route Quality: Buildings

- Cycling in Northampton: Experience, directness, and safety- Green spaces and green networks: Making Northampton’s parks and green routes work together- Public realm quality and improvement works: Identifying priorities for continuing the public realm improvement programme

Future Work:

Shared space in Poynton, Cheshire – Ben Hamilton Baillie

Learning from other places: Study visits

Orkanen Building, Malmo University

New plaza, Hyllie

The flagship of urban sustainability for Sweden

Bo01 neighbourhood:

A new eco-friendly district that Integrates panning, architecture and sustainability

LINCOLN City and ceremonial city – Lincoln University

Masterplan for Brayford Pool campus, Lincoln University

Architecture students learning in the city

University Town: What does this mean for Northampton?

What role can a university play in a town?

What can a university town look like?

What does being a university town mean for Northampton – now and in

the future? How will the town centre change? What new economic

advantage can be exploited? What does Northampton look like in 20, 30

or even 50 years’ time?

What needs to change to make it the best university town it can be?

Seminar 1 workshop

9 Basic Elements of the Visitor Economy in Town and City Centres

1. Access 2. Accommodation3. Attractions 4. Built and Natural Environment 5. Eating and Drinking 6. Events 7. Shopping 8. Nightlife 9. Visitor Services

Place shaping in towns and cities, Locum Consulting

Making a ‘mosaic’ for Northampton

World class waterfront cities plotted on the place shaping mosaic

Flagship and Oasis zones.Source: Place shaping in towns and cities, Locum Consulting

44 45Place Shaping in Towns and Cities

CLASSIC OASIS: Lancashire Court, Mayfair

This inaccessible courtyard and series of small lanes near Oxford Street has been developed to provide a mixture of smart

restaurants, bars, boutiques, galleries and the beautifully refurbished Handel House Museum. It is not a place that people chance

upon – it is a destination. Many NW cities have opportunities to create places with similar feel.

COSMOPOLITANPREMIUM

BRANDS

HIGH

STREET

PREMIUM

INDEPENDENTS

BOHEMIAN

VALUE

BRANDS

THE PLACE MAKING MOSAIC

TRADITIONAL

INDEPENDENTSTRADITIONAL

High

Prices

Corporate Corporate - Independent Independent

Mid

Prices

Low

Prices

Flagship ZonesFlagship Zones

St Michael’s RowSt Michael’s Row

St Werburgh StSt Werburgh St Watergate St EastWatergate St East

Grosvenor SCGrosvenor SC Eastgate StEastgate St St John StSt John St

Foregate St WestForegate St West

Northgate St SouthNorthgate St South Pepper StPepper St

Forum Shopping CentreForum Shopping Centre

Foregate St EastForegate St EastFrodsham StFrodsham St

Bridge StBridge St

St Werburgh RowSt Werburgh Row

Watergate St WestWatergate St West

Brook StreetBrook Street

Indoor MarketIndoor Market

Oasis ZonesOasis Zones

Godstall LaneGodstall Lane

Friars GateFriars GateLower Bridge StLower Bridge St

Northgate St North/Rufus CtNorthgate St North/Rufus Ct

White FriarsWhite Friars

Chester is like the West End in that

the main streets in the city centre,

and the shopping arcades that adjoin

them, are dominated by national

multiple brands. The extremities

of each of the main streets have

a different character. They are

dominated either by value-orientated

multiples or a mix of independents

and national multiples that operate

out of smaller units. There are

also concentrations of bars and

restaurants at the extremities of

They are mainly branded at Foregate

Street (and adjoining St Johns

Street), and mainly independent

elsewhere. Chester also has some

attractive “oasis” areas, Rufus Court

and Godstall Lane being perhaps

the best examples. Like the West

End, it needs to focus on a mix

of “polishing” and expanding the

mixed use oases.

Experiences in Chester City Centre plotted on the Place Making Mosaic

PR

EM

IUM

INDEPENDENTSCORPORATE

VA

LU

E

1

23

4

1211

14

5

6

15

13

7

9

10

8

Experiences in Chester City Centre

plotted spatially using the Place

Making Mosaic

1. Northgate Street North

2. Forum Shopping Centre

3. Market Hall

4. St Werburgh Row

5. Eastgate Street/Bridge Street/

Grosvenor Arcade

6. St Michael’s Row

7. Foregate St West

8. Foregate St East

9. Fordsham Street South

10. Frodsham Street North

11. Watergate Street East

12. Watergate Street West

13. Pepper Street

14. Commonhall/Whitefriars

15. Lower Bridge Street

PEARL DISTRICT: Portland, Oregon, USA

Portland has perhaps the most “liveable” city centre in the US. The Pearl District

is a former industrial district that is now one of the best regenerated mixed-use

inner city areas in the world. The name is a recent creation. It came from an

article by a travel writer who said that the industrial buildings reminded him of a

pearl, unattractive on the outside but beautiful on the inside. The private sector

Pearl District Business Association takes the lead in marketing the area. There is

interesting detail on their web site: www.explorethepearl.com

The district’s name appears everywhere: on street signs (paid for by the Association),

business names, events etc.

Chester retail offerUsing the ‘Mosaic’ matrix

Using the heritage townscape: Relationship between listed buildings and cultural hubs. ‘Oasis’ areas, Liverpool.

Source: _Space 2010

Northampton's identity: - Key word/images that describe the town now- Key words/images that would describe the town in the future

Its assets and 'hot spots' for activity and investment: Where are they and how could they be improved/extended?

Anticipating change in the town following the University's relocation: What will or what needs to change? Big and small ideas and initiatives.

Maximising the economic and cultural benefits of the Waterside Enterprise Zone within the town, its region and beyond. How can the Town and the EZ be promoted as a destination of choice and investment?

Working together to make it happen: Strategic thinking and partnership: What works well and what are the most effective ways of managing change to the benefit of the town?

Workshop themes: