A stage for the city

2009-02-08T09:04:00.000-08:00

“Architecture is the most unequivocal of all the arts. It imposes a quasi – permanent change on the fabric of the world. It uses real people and their lives as “material” to be processed by the artist. And its audience is there by obligation more often than by choice. In no other art is the imagination so frankly on trial”.
Richard Rogers Biography, by Bryan Appleyard.

Since my last post I have been busy working hard on the design and form of the building, through the process of models. I have stepped away from my sketch book, or as my lecturer would put it; out of my comfort zone. Designing through model making has been an exciting process and one that allows a different throught process to be evoked.

With each model I have tried to explore and develop on from my previous thinking. My main exploration has been with light and analysing how this is transferred through to the main public and performance space at ground floor level.

I have attached below some of my modelling images, and I have sneaked in a few hand sketches too.

Upon reviewing my modelling work, that whilst not a driving concept it has become clear that I have developed a strong desire to bring movement into and through the building. Whether these are internal or external spaces the movement of people through the space created has become key.

2009-01-04T12:27:00.000-08:00

I have attached below some of my latest modelling experiments...

Innovation exists;

“You just have to accept that today innovation is impossible on your own. Real, significant innovation occurs when several people simultaneously have the same idea and move in the same direction, following subliminally emitted and received signals the contemporary inclination to see innovation as an inherently collaborative effort a communal growing and groping towards the new, appears to find confirmation throughout history, from the renaissance, to Picasso and Braque, to the radical architecture groups of the 1960s and 1970s. So we experiment by working with others, including other architects.
What have we got to lose?
Instead of being afraid of losing our identity, perhaps we should be glad. Let’s liberate ourselves from our brands….”

UN Studio, Architecture Urbanism, Infrastructure. Ben Van Berkel, Caroline Bos.

Christmas Break

2008-12-27T08:28:00.000-08:00

Since my last post a lot of my time has been spent researching, model making and burring my head into my sketch book. I have especially looked in greater detail at the brief and programme schedule required by this building and how this effects my original concept design.
Below are just some of my “thinking sketches” coupled with some earlier sketches. Following on from an informal crit with a project architect at the office (Napper Architects), I have been looking to the combination of the two.
I have already made models (pictures to be posted) and in the following days I will be modelling the ideas examined from this combination.
Two projects I have been looking at over these holidays are Cedric Price’s Fun Palace and Archigram’s walking City, more on these to projects to be published.

The final image attached is a 3d model of the proposed site with the existing buildings demolished and the Bigg Market shown as one great public space. I tend to keep working in my sketch book till the 11th hour and then put everything on computer, but I have modelled the site to look at the shadow play from the surrounding buildings and especially the spire from the Cathedral.

Below I have attached two concept sketches, the value of these was to look at how the light filtered through to the ground floor level, and how the building will work with in the existing context... A valuable experience all in all, over the next few days I'll be working in the workshop producing a model showing my lastest thinking, and hopefully somwhere close to a final design, where I can knuckle down with the detail.

Review 3

2008-11-18T13:39:00.000-08:00

Model making begins…

Leaving the sketch pad in the drawer I decided to have a few weeks of fun, get the paints out (never painted before) and model making “bits and bobs”…Above, two A3 sheets of concept design images shown at review... A different method of process has resulted in exploring new forms and types of design.

Where to go from here...

To express, represent and stimulate the values of a society constructed as an open source system. A portal to a world that showcases technology and produces a learning platform fused with social interaction.

This “building” is envisioned as a vibrant hub connecting and learning through the cities evolving environment.

My 50 mission statement, this is essentially a working document that develops with the design process.

Approaching the brief…

This is my main focus, whilst my concept largely relates to the site and its city context the brief/programme will develop the architecture and enable myself to design and develop the “spaces”. I can start to look at what each individual space is actually doing.

Originally I had developed a process of Information In – Information Out.
I basically dissected how the information would come into the building and ultimately how it would leave.

For example;

INFORMATION IN – exhibition – process- research – develop – create – evaluation – exhibition…

From this I aim to break down each element and develop a series of spaces and connections that will be required.

Review 2

2008-11-18T13:21:00.000-08:00

More Concept design...

Following on from review 1 and the comments recieved back I have been busy working away in my sketch book looking deeper at aspects such as;

Urban Design Issues i.e. what the city demands from this building...

What this building will give back to the city...

I analysed and researched these ideas through sketching, see below.

Feedback from the review;

I was encouraged to start to model my ideas, begin to develop my initial concept design.

Review 1

2008-10-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Concept design begins…
The process of sketching, model making and creative thinking will contribute to a framework of ideas that will be the basis of my final design.
I have uploaded various images from my sketch book and pictures from a concept model.

This model, made from papier-mâché starts to develop the idea that the proposed design will consist by layers of information appealing to the various users and will not just be restricted to the defined site boundary but will connect and learn through the city…

No one is quite sure how to define a culture of innovation, but they know it when they see it and potential users, universities, colleges, business individuals want to take part and develop it. Information technology has been said to develop and network societies capable of creating unprecedented cultural and economic wealth.
With the wireless world and technology such as the ipod and Nintendo WII revolutionizing the way we coexist, the phenomena will only expand and what better vehicle than that of “public space” for distributing it whether via face to face discussion in a café or through digital art showcased via our movement paths.

Precedent

2008-10-05T05:05:00.000-07:00

Precedent study

As part of the development of this project I am analysing various building types both built and conceptual;POMPIDOU CENTRE: Since opening in 1977 it has become the most visited building in Europe and continues to attract some several million visitors a year, more than the Eiffel tower and Louvre combined. Lord Rogers refers to the building as a place for all people, the young and the old, the poor and the rich, all creeds and nationalities - a cross between New York Times Square and London’s British Museum, the great public space to the front has been described as a university of the street with a constant flow of people moving, gathering and entering the space. Street performers make this a destination in its own right. The actual building is a live flexible dynamic communication machine, hosting facilities such as; A Museum of Modern Art, A Reference Library, Centre for Industrial Design, Centre for Acoustic and Music Research, Office administration areas, Book Shop, Restaurant Cinemas.
THE IDEA STORE: Nominated for the Stirling Prize 2006, The Idea Store, Whitechapel, London is the flagship building of a programme based on a new type of information and learning provision being pioneered by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Information display is a key element of the facade concept and reinforces the idea of the building as a hub of information.

2008-09-28T09:49:00.000-07:00

The Site

The site I have chosen for my final year project is the Bigg Market in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England. The total site area for the proposed scheme is 0.74hectares, it is currently a mixed use occupancy of leisure and commercial with a small retail aspect. The sites city centre location offers some unique design opportunities, and with the current need of redevelopment underpins this decision.

The name ‘Bigg’ is derived from a particular kind of barley that was sold in the market historically located in this part of the city. The Bigg Market was a combination of the Meal or Groat Market and the Old Flesh Market. It is the oldest market in Newcastle (currently active) and is overlooked by St Nicholas Cathedral, which was built in 1359 (and became a cathedral in 1882).

The Bigg Market is one of the most famous places in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. At night it becomes a lively, illuminated hub attracting Stag and Hen parties from across the country, along with regular party goers. The large open public square is lined with bars, restaurants and clubs leading down towards the quayside, earning Newcastle a reputation of one of liveliest city in the World.

In the daytime however, it is a forgotten and colourless place peppered with market stalls. In contrast to its appeal as a night time destination, the daytime Bigg market is more of a through-route. People pass through it to get to their destinations.

“To a European Visitor it looks like a part of the city where people might live as well as work and play but, as in most cities in Britain, this is not the case. The upper storeys of the historic buildings are disused and in poor repair” Streets for People, Cityscape, Newcastle upon Tyne.

However, this has not always been the case. Throughout the medieval period, the Cloth, Flesh and Groat Market (collectively known as the Bigg Market) were once a great space of the city occupying a prime position next to the public square of St. Nicholas’ Cathedral. In the 19th Century the town hall was built in the middle of the square (what was known as middle street), and this construction inevitably changed how the space was perceived and used. The great dynamic square which was once a bustling arena of public activity declined into a lonely transitional space. The people who formerly occupied the square had now been both physically, and perhaps too metaphorically, divided by the imposition of the town hall structure in the middle of their (the publics’) space. The old town hall has since been demolished and replaced with a dull, lifeless office building of poor design.

Unfortunately now the sett paving throughout the Bigg market is undervalued by the users, neglected and run through with patched services. Undeniably, the binge drinking culture that has swept through the region is having a monumental and devastating effect on this once great public space.

Essentially the site can be considered as one of the main links to the quayside, served by some of the most famous streets in the city.
The Site is flanked by two minor roads, predominately used as taxi ranks and loading bays. The road on the west is accessed from Westgate road which becomes part of a one way street linking through Pudding Chare passing through the site connecting to Collingwood Street.

(Public Squares and Building Useage Ground Floor Plan)

Collingwood Street and Mosley Street, hosting examples of Newcastle’s beautiful Georgian Architecture, run east to west at the south of the site, separating the Groat and Cloth Market from St. Nicholas Square. These roads are a major link through the lower part of the city, connecting the main link from Hexham, Westgate road to the A167 (the old A1) that runs over the Tyne bridge and forms the city motorway through the east side of the city.

To the North of the site lies the Bigg Market which connects into Grainger Street. The Bigg Market is the collective term used to describe this general area, housing throughout history several smaller markets, such as Meat, Cloth and Produce. Today part of the area is a public space lined with night clubs and bars served by pedestrian and road links from Grainger Street at the head. This street runs from the city centre south to the train and central metro station.
(Section Through the Proposed Site, Quayside and River)
The “Bigg Market” today continues to occupy a prime position in the city centre, providing a link between historic and modern Newcastle. It is therefore important that this proposal takes account of its setting and provides links to its neighbours, while simultaneously settling into its surrounding context. It must assert its identity as a ‘stage for the city’ without dominating its surroundings. The development will have a “counter point” effect within its glorious setting.

City Links

The Site enjoys a host of major attractions and amenities in its immediate vicinity, holding both historical and local values. Their variety provides for a rich social and cultural experience, unique to this part of the city. The site is surrounded by some of the most exclusive and most frequented bars and clubs in Newcastle, transport links ranging from rail to road, a Cathedral and Castle. There are a collection of businesses located around the site ranging from the office and print works for the Chronicle (a local newspaper) to small “one off” clothing shops.

Newcastle is a compact city and favours pedestrian movement; however the city has an infrastructure for double its present population. The main public transport system is the efficient Metro Line that emerges from below ground level as it leaves the city centre. The nearest metro stations are Monument and Central, both are within walking distance.
The site also has close proximity with the main bus routes, including the “Quaylink” which is a free sustainable yellow bus service travelling from Gateshead, through the quayside and up the steep banks of the river Tyne into the City centre. The main Central Rail station which is part of the main north south route from Edinburgh to London and other national rail lines is also within walking distance from the site.

2008-08-03T15:51:00.001-07:00

The Idea

With the explosion of blogs, wikis, social networking sites and other masterpieces of the wireless world, our social face to face interaction is quickly diminishing. As designers, this creates both a challenge and an opportunity. We need to both exploit this technological revolution and also ensure that physical interaction between humans is preserved and encouraged. Essentially we need to explore how technology and social interaction can fuse together to create a complementary marriage.

Cities will only reflect the values, commitment and resolve of the societies that live within them. The success of the cities therefore depends upon them. We need to develop an architectural typology where the use of urban space is fused with the access to, learning and showcase of technology. We need a building where media is made then screened, work is created and exhibited, people are inspired and expressive. A space where children are stimulated, youths are entertained, couples are strolling, families are ‘together’ and OAPs are socially included.

The city will connect and learn through these vibrant meeting places, and users will be drawn back to the rich and engaging experience. It will connect people of all backgrounds and generate a sense of belonging. It will teach us the tools to constantly think critically, exchange views, challenge, authenticate and verify. No longer will we, the citizens, be passive consumers of media but rather we will become innovators hungry for human interaction.7th August 2008

Whilst talking with a work colleague about this blog, he asks;

Will this building become a modern day Village Hall??

His question got me thinking; has the web taken the place of this once socially significant building?

The Village hall was once the hub of the community; an integral, centrally located space where people met and interacted, freely and often. But in recent years village halls have become somewhat divorced from the concept of ‘community’ that they once symbolised. For many, the concept of village halls today conjures up images of dilapidated and vandalised shells, symbolising social decline and a loss of community spirit. This image couldn’t be further removed from their intended purpose. Essentially the building has failed to evolve with society.

On a larger scale the cities of San Francisco, Seattle and Portland have integrated public participation in urban planning into their electoral systems. In local elections in these cities you don’t just choose a candidate, you have the opportunity to become an innovator and to shape the environment in which you live. This approach illustrates how societies can evolve to take the shape of their specific culture and needs.

With only two life spans between the invention of the first bike and placing a man on the moon, technology demonstrates just how fast human kind is developing.

What do we require as users of this building, and how can we help to future proof it??

Will this become a research and development experiment for the city??

“Twenty years from now we will look back at this period of the early twenty-first century as a critical turning point in economic and social history. We will understand that we entered a new age, one based on new principles, worldviews, and business models where the nature of the game has changed.” Wikinomics, Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams 14th August 2008

Being digital and the movement of technology will become part of the basic services provided by the city. In order to achieve local and innovative information we must take control from the telecommunications agents that are driven by the bottom line and harness the potential offered through the web 2.0 and the efforts human participation in mass collaboration.

Norman Foster States, as communications technology makes it easier to work in isolation, paradoxically the demand for new kinds of places for face to face discussions continues to grow.

The posted comments to date are a great insight to the reactions and thoughts of people regarding this matter. They will undoubtedly aid my research and ultimately contribute to a building design.

Whilst the overall building design and other intricate details will take time to evolve, I must first generate a brief for this building.

Should this become a building consisting of networked spaces that form new creative hubs? The hubs could house video media labs, exhibition spaces displaying physical and interactive medium from other connected hubs, educational rooms and schooling hubs, hands on spaces that connect to public spaces littered with cafes and restaurants, and performance arenas for people to dance, act, advocate, mime and otherwise be expressive?

In what other ways might we encourage the building to become an open network for public ideas and which generates interaction and participation?

“It is unarguably true that there are only two primary sources of wealth available to us: what we get from the earth itself and what we get from our own creative imaginations. Unless we start relying less on the former and much more on the latter, then it is unconceivable that we can sustain the growing population of the world with anything approaching decent, civilised and broadly comparable standards of living” David Puttnam, Cities for a small planet

28th September

Societal and Technological Change

I am a keen user and follower of technology but I also believe it is paramount we do not let technology rule us; it must be focused by the citizen/user for the benefit of the public/user.

A platform for open and creative thinking and interaction through the development of technology could have an impact on the city and urban life, equalling that of the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century. An open platform of participation and collaboration could begin to create a new type of urban engagement; it could impact through experiments, debates, exhibitions, improvements and adaptations.

On a smaller scale we have seen this interaction through technology with the revolutionary computer console, the Nintendo Wii. No longer do users lock themselves away for hours in dark rooms, protected by the safety of anonymity. People are engaging each other and developing relations through this advanced technology.

A statement published by Nintendo, “Wii sounds like 'we', emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can be easily understood by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.

No longer is the gaming industry encouraging it’s users to isolate themselves from important social contact with other humans and basic skills such as communication, but it is bringing all genders, sexes, ages and together. The Wii has been developed in such a way that kids can play with their parents, friends, siblings and even grandparents can play together. The users are still enjoying the advances of technology whilst also benefiting from the coming together of people. Such is the brilliance of this innovation that throughout the country adults and children are hosting Wii parties. It serves as a powerful example of how, albeit on a small scale, the idea of collaboration and face to face interaction through technology has become a success. Making a Historic Concept Relevant to Today

Ancient Greece saw the development of ‘Agoras’. These spaces sprung up in the heart of every city and became hubs of busyness and interaction. They became a centre for debate, ideas, politics, commerce, and knowledge sharing, visited by a whole spectrum of societal classes from the local man to people of nobility.

Perhaps we can reinvent the ancient concept of the Agoras into a 21st Century ideal. It could be similar to the internet based customer-to-customer retail site Ebay, which over one hundred thousand people connect to everyday. They buy and sell items ranging from cars, holidays, artwork and pencils. Ideas are developed and innovation is created. The same could be said about the advertising giant YouTube. This internet site has become the heart of mass collaboration. It is an explosion of home cinema and media advertising, allowing people to unload, view and share video clips, users tag and post comments on videos of interest.

In 2008 it was estimated by the New York Times that 13 hours of video play is uploaded onto the Web every minute. In January of 2008 alone according to the The Wall Street Journal Online, Dow Jones & Company, states nearly 79 million users had made over 3 billion video views. This explosion of an easy to use interface has turned video sharing into one of the most important and relevant parts of Internet Culture today. The idea of creating, sharing and advertising has become an esential part of the Web 2.0. WWW and single dimension web sites of old have been replaced with Wikis, Blogs, chat rooms, search engines, advertising broadcasting and research and development centres.

Looking at the use and attraction of the ancient Agoras alongside the characteristics of the revolutionary Web2.0, I wonder: Has the Internet become the 21st century public square?

Exploring the idea of Mass Collaboration

The idea of mass collaboration has become a tool benfitting every user of the wireless world. The idea that everyone can input and develop a space, website, wiki or blog has changed the way in which the internet in being used, and has effectively paved the way for the new Web 2.0. The terminology “Web 2.0” is the birth of a new age. This new technology enables the user to participate, the web has now become a platform for mass collaboration, creating communities and peering. From sites such as Flickr which enables photo sharing and social photography, to Facebook and Myspace which are at the forefront of online social networking.

Wikipedia is a site developed with the free softwear “Wiki”. It is the fastest growing encylopedia in the world; with thousdands of volunteers publishing media and editing existing pages. It has developed into a world of collaborative knowledge, with contributions from field experts keen to share their knowledge, eager students posting their travelling experiences whilst a society looks on and reads, comments and edits. With only 5 full time employees working for Wikipedia, participation is the lifeblood of the website. It has enabled Wikipedia to grow, develop and ultimately, to exist.

When asked in a recent interview with a web expert why people engage in this form of interaction, they answered simply: ‘Why do people play football?’. In other words, a common interest is held and appreciated, and participation in these activities provides human gratification.

“On July 7, 2005, at 8:50am, the city of London came to a standstill as four synchronized bombs exploded in its transportation system. Eighteen minutes later, as media outlets scrambled to cover the story the first entry appeared on Wikipedia… Within several minutes other uses of this free online encylopedia had updated the site with additional information… By the end of the day, over twenty five hundred users had created a comprehensive fourteen – page account of the event”. Wikinomics, Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams, Page 65.

This account of events re-enforces the power of mass collaboration and the potential effects that it can have on the media and advertising businesses.

I wonder if this concept of collaboration can be developed into a building that would have the same potential. A building that fully embraces the multidimensionality, diversity and uncertainty that has become the connected world…?

Using Mass Collaboration as the Underlying Concept to a Building

A recent article in the economist highlighted the fact that much of what passes for regeneration and new design in the United Kingdom lacks creativity or imagination. With the current financial market volatility, the global credit crunch, the housing market crisis and other issues such as climate change it is becoming apparent that both the public and private sectors need to identify opportunities and adopt new creative environments for learning and developing. As Frank Lloyd Wright put it, "Maybe we can show government how to operate better as a result of better architecture".
The idea is to create and design a building based on the access to information and information exchange within a free and open public setting. A learning environment that will inspire and harness creative thought and capitalise on the wealth of collaboration. An open platform which facilitates and, more importantly, encourages discussion and participation. A building within the city that connects strangers through the creation and showcase of technology.

The use of urban space fused together with the access of technology.

A place that will belong to the people who use it. I believe a sense of ownership, belonging and pride are critical to a building of this type. An empty studio is not the place of discovery and an empty warehouse is not a place of production. Similarly, an empty plaza is not the place for interaction.

“We are no longer operating with only two spaces; physical space and mental space. But have added a third zone of exploration; digital space, cyberspace, virtual space, call it what you will”.
Peter Eisenman, The Charter of Zurich.
Consequently, I believe that for this building to be really relevant to today’s society and also effectively utilise successful concepts of old, such as the Grecian Agoras, the incorporation and exploitation of this technology is fundamental.