Urban design and master planning project to regenerate a central area of Bristol.
The brief of this design project was to develop a master plan for the area surrounding St. Mary Redcliffe Church and Chatterton's house. This was to include a downgrading of the highway works (including the removal of existing roundabout), as well as determining the form of the new street system, propsed land uses, and sites of new development. The income generated from new development would finance the proposed changes, and was an important consideration.
The proposal began with an examination of the area, relation of location to surrounding areas, and examined the wider planning policy and development context. Having outlined this a detailed historic study of the area was undertaken, with the historic pattern of development supporting the community vision for the area. This provided a context for a more detailed analysis of the study area, including analysis of the townscape, building styles, land uses, urban grain, and mass of existing buildings.
This was supported by a series of precedent studies, with the final design heavily influenced by a study of Valencia (Spain) where a dry river bed was developed into a series of green spaces and parks to provide a pedestrian walkway through the centre of the city.
This information and analysis informed an identifaction of potential development sites and design objectives for the area. The objectives integrated the ambitions of the community forum The Redcliffe Futures Group, as well as the need to support:
- A vibrant and mixed economy in line with local objectives, associated with the historic activity of Redcliffe Wharf.
- Increase accessibility and ease of movement to the church.
- Provide a high quality pedestrain environment and increase permeability and legibility through the area.
- New design should be repsonsive to the context, with building styles appropriate to the area.
- New developemnt should reinforce a pattern of tight urban grain.
- Provide higher quality, linked green spaces.
In response to these objectives a design master plan was developed to provide a pedestrian link of connected green spaces and complete the Brunel Mile. This design would provide a new gateway into Bristol, particularly for visitors entering the city from Temple Meads Station. The design included a major highway downgrading.
The Redcliffe Wharf was opened up to provide space for new economic activity while supporting current boat-building activity and providing community amenities such as a doctor's surgery and ferry stop. The immediate area around the church was developed into a public square to provide a more sensitive setting and provide greater legibility through the area. This would become a important public space surrounded by new economic activity. Additional housing and office space was developed within the area to meet financial objectives.
