RIBA Hanley City Centre Public Realm Competition

Introduction

In 2005, the Stoke on Trent City Council and its regeneration partners commissioned the preparation of the City Centre Development Framework and Investment Plan.

This Strategy sets out the major projects that will deliver an exciting physical and economic environment appealing to investors, developers, residents, businesses and visitors alike.

An open RIBA organised design competition was the undertaken to enable the City Council to appoint an Urban Design based team to deliver the first phase of the development plan.

Our project succeeded in becoming short listed, although unfortunately was not selected to be implemented.

Primary Brief and Objectives

• To create a coherent sequence of streets and spaces that transforms the identity of Stoke-on-Trent.

• To create an environment that is pedestrian friendly, legible and easy for visitors to find and navigate around.

• To create an exciting and innovative central space or spaces that become a vibrant civic heart that can accommodate large scale events.

• To create a City Centre that is Socially, Environmentally and Economically sustainable.

Analysis of Brief

The City of Stoke on Trent has had a complex and varied history which has most notably been associated almost entirely with one industry, the pottery industry.

As a local team with first hand knowledge and experience of many of the problems and issues facing the city we felt it was vital that the city respected this strong tradition while at the same was not tied to it. We also felt that in order for the city to improve and progress it was vital that the city shed its stuck in the past image and moved on.

If there has been one consistent theme in the city's development it has not been the pottery industry itself but the innovate, pioneering and forward looking people that have made it. This is the theme that we intended to continue by providing the infrastructure that will enable the city to become an attractive, enjoyable and accessible place providing future opportunities for future generations. A city to be proud of.

Pioneering Spitfire designed by Reginald Joseph Mitchell

Analysis of Site

Over the last few years, Hanley has been subject to a number of studies and development frameworks, this plan shows how the Urban Core (competition site) relates to these areas:

Hope village - Lively, high density, mixed use, 24 hour community, East west precinct - New retail centre, competing and complementing the existing Potteries shopping centre, Cultural quarter - Art Galleries, Music venues, theatres and specialist shops, Business quarter - High density development providing opportunities for investment and economic growth, Potteries Shopping Centre - Existing 1980's shopping centre, New Bus station - Proposed position of new bus station, Tesco Development - Proposed retail development.

The urban core currently suffers from disconnection between its centre and its adjacent areas, we intended to improve this situation by improving existing connections and making new ones, linking the urban core and improving connections at key strategic locations.

Currently Hanley's streets and spaces lack distinction and suffer from poor quality paving, street furniture and excessive signage that combine to create an ambiguous 'could be anywhere' feeling.

We intended to change this perception by using innovative paving and street furniture and by enhancing existing high quality buildings with lighting and masking poor quality buildings with trees and planting. Creating a variety of exciting, legible green streets and spaces with differing characters, enhancing the city's identity and legibility.

Our Response

• A connected accessible city with a Sustainable Movement System.

• A city with streets of Distinction and Character with a Civic Heart supported by a lively program of events.

• A pioneering, innovative Green and Sustainable City.

Our Proposed Response Click to enlarge

The budget for the competition was set at 20million (2007) however it was envisaged the the public realm improvements would facilitate a further 100million private sector investment.

Our proposal intended to create long term attainable and deliverable vision that would encourage and promote further investment within the city. A vision that would be shared and developed over time as further funding became available.

Funding Key Click to enlarge

Sustainable Movement

This plan illustrates our aspiration for the city to move towards creating an Integrated Transport System. At its core this strategy is founded upon the principals of providing a high quality pedestrian priority environment, encouraging much greater use of cycling as a means of personal transport within the city, consolidating and expanding the public transport systems. It was intended to expand the current pedestrianised areas within the urban core. It was also intended to provide dedicated cycle routes into and through the city centre, and to create a pooled cycle hire system with considerable lockers and infrastructure. With the realisation of the new bus station project it would be possible to consolidate the bus routes into and through the city centre.

Transportation Plan Click to enlarge

This plan illustrates our wider improved transport proposal, the plan also shows how it is not possible to walk between either of the six towns which make up the city of stoke on Trent within a ten minute time period, hence the reliance on the motor car as the main form of transport and as a consequence all the problems that are associated with it - noisy pedestrian unfriendly urban environments dominated by surface carparks and health problems due to poor air quality and lack of exercise, however the plan also illustrates how it is easily possible to travel between the towns via bicycle using the existing enhanced canal and cycleway network with in a short time period.

An integrated transport system will enable the city centre to become accessible, pollution free, healthy and pedestrian friendly.

Movement Plan Click to enlarge

CYCLING PROPOSAL

• To provide infrastructure to support and promote the increase of cycling.

• To provide secure storage for cycles.

• To further enhance safe cycle ways and routes in and around the City.

• To provide further facilities (such as showers, enable bikes to be transported on existing buses etc).

• To operate a free or very low cost mechanically operated cycle pool.

CYCLING ASPIRATION

To widen the scheme to include the whole conurbation.

WHY PROMOTE CYCLING?

• Promotes healthy lifestyles.

• Reduces traffic congestion.

• To make use of Stoke-on-Trent’s extensive recently improved and existing cycleway networks (existing canals and disused railway lines).

• A form of sustainable transport.

• To discourage the use of the motorcar especially in the city centre, improving air quality and reducing noise and the clutter of parked cars on the streets.

• Reduces the city's CO2 emissions

• To create a sustainable transport network, it is also proposed that existing buses be converted to carry bicycles, promoting Stoke-on-Trent as a progressive, innovative and sustainable city

CABLE CAR PROPOSAL (3 million part funded in budget).

PHASE 1 of a cable car system linking Central Forest Park and Hanley City Centre (The Potteries Shopping Centre)

CABLE CAR ASPIRATION (not funded in budget).

PHASE 2 of a cable car system linking the cable car station at the Potteries Shopping Centre to the proposed new bus station and on to Stoke on Trent railway station (Platform 4) and its associated park and ride car park.

Indicative view from cool, open and light proposed Stoke cable car with extensive views out over Central Forest Park, greened Hanley city centre beyond over the unique topography of the North Staffordshire landscape, adjacent to affordable land, affordable houses, affordable skilled labour and universities

Sweaty, smelly, and crowded London tube train adjacent to expensive land, expensive houses and expensive labour.

WHY A CABLE CAR SYSTEM?

• To provides a beautiful illuminated and animated feature on the sky line that will enhance Stoke-on-Trent identity and make it a unique destination.

• To encourage the use of central forest park and increase security via increasing public presence and providing lighting.

• To attract further Leisure use into the city centre, promoting the city centre as a sustainable tourist, and business destination.

• To act as a means of orientation providing a distinctive skyline and landmarks that would aid orientation, navigation and legibility when walking and cycling to and from the city centre.

• To create views across Stoke-on-Trent's extensive green landscape and over the Staffordshire countryside, especially when combined with ‘green roof strategy'.

• To create a Catalyst for investment

• To create further growth in Hanley's commercial and retail sectors

• To provide a renewable form of transport that does not smell and is not noisy enabling the creation of a city centre that is car and exhaust fume free.

• To make the city more accessible.

• A sustainable transport system that will improve the public realm by reducing traffic congestion enabling the inner city to become extensively pedestrianised.

• Little infrastructure required when compared to other low energy forms of mass transit e.g. tram

• Impact on the existing fabric and infrastructure of the City would be minimised.

• To complement the Cycling proposals, enabling users to gain elevation.

• To provide a enjoyable sustainable link between Stoke Railway Station, Stoke Collage, Staffordshire University, The Business Quarter and the City Centre beyond.

Proposed cable car route (above) - from Stoke Railway Station (bottom of picture) to Central Forest Park summit (top of picture). Via Hanley Park (adjacent to Stoke College and Staffordshire University), proposed New Bus Station (adjacent to the Victoria Hall, Hanley City Centre South), Potteries Shopping Centre Roof Top Park (Hanley City Centre North).

It was the intention that the proposed cable car system will be flexible and multi functional serving mainly leisure and tourism uses at the weekends while operating more as a form of commuter transport during the week serving Hanley city centre and the local Universities.

Existing section through Central Forest Park - Central forest park although currently a popular destination, the park is not easily accessible. Poor lighting and dense bushes make the the park feel isolated and unsafe especially after dark.

A Series of Streets and Spaces of Distinctive Character

One of our key proposals was the creation of a high quality public realm focussed on strong unified pedestrian movement corridors throughout the City Centre and enhancing the 'sense of place' which will aid orientation when moving through the City.

This network of streets will link a series of revitalised public spaces and squares that will be transformed into new areas for relaxation, street/market trading, events and performance creating a city with meaningful and symbolic civic spaces that will become a place of destination for the people of Stoke-On-Trent and the wider world.

Proposed Plan

St Johns aerial sketch as proposed - It was intended that St Johns Church will become a thriving hub of activity. It was envisaged that with the help of gap funding the Church in poor condition would refurbished to become a primary youth culture centre with climbing walls, cyber cafι, activity and learning spaces. It was envisaged that children's slides and escalators while provide access to and from the newly proposed Potteries shopping centre roof garden.

Town Road aerial sketch as proposed - It was intended that Hanley Forest Park to Town Road would become a pedestrian prioritised route and will extend the green character of Forest park into the heart of the city. Existing bridge walls planted and greened combined with over head cable car route creating a further visual impression to visitors and city residents entering and leaving the city via the existing ring road. Roof top mounted wind turbines making use of Hanley's High altitude and reliable strong winds - Promoting on Stoke on Trent as a sustainable city

The city currently lacks a central cultural accessible space. We proposed to create a central multiple use space in the heart of the city around fountain and market square that would enable a multitude of events to take place: street theatre, live performance art, televised sporting events (Wimbledon, football, athletics), themed markets, local cultural events and films. Provide Fountain Square with fountains evoking a more quite and contemplative feeling with distinct character.

The paving and street furniture will reflect a meaningful and symbolic reference to the unique identity of Stoke-On-Trent as a City. This will be achieved by using simple locally sourced clay paving with careful detailing giving each a street a unique understated character integrated with bespoke street furniture, creating spaces of distinction while assisting orientation.

It is envisaged the the central space will become a showcase for local events e.g:

Indicative view of proposed central heart when Stoke City wins the FA cup

Fountain Square as it should be, as a place with water, to be heard, watched and played in.

Parliament Row

A busy shopping street with aspirational enlivening from overhead cable car system.

Parliament Row detail plan as proposed

Tontine Street

It was intended that Tontine Street would become the primary link to Albion Square. Extending green and market character of Tontine Square.

Tontine Street detail plan as proposed

Stafford Street

It was intended that Stafford Street would become the cycling hub of the city with dedicated cycle carriageway and unique cycle storage facilities as street furniture.

Stafford Street detail plan as proposed

Stafford Street aerial photograph as existing (left) - Steep dropped curbs and lack of pedestrian crossings create an unwelcoming pedestrian unfriendly space, where cars are given too much priority. Road islands, signage, barriers and clutter .Existing national cycleway disjointed and unclear.

Stafford Street aerial sketch as proposed (right) - Deep dropped curbs and pebble dashed no mans land islands removed to form a shared surface improving pedestrian links over Stafford street into the cultural quarter. Clear paving rationale giving priority to pedestrians, cyclists, buses and cars in that order. Existing signage system minimised and rationalised (one pole for multiple uses) reducing street clutter. Cars and buses rerouted reducing barriers and clutter. Existing national cycleway enhanced by bespoke local paving.

Albion Square

It was intended that Albion square would be a more formal and ceremonial space with highly coloured and scented planting.

The Potteries Shopping Centre

The potteries shopping centre is an large building situated in an elevated position in Hanley city centre.

The building houses a wide variety shops that a attracts thousands of shoppers into Hanley city centre each year, however the 1980's building responds poorly to its adjoining context.

The building is inwardly focused and lacks permeability (linkages in, out and through) creating a poor relationship with surrounding external streets (no active frontages) as a consequence the streets around the centre feel unwelcome and visitors to the building are not encouraged to venture outside.

The garden would be accessed by glass elevators and escalators with slides back down enabling links and connections through, between and over being both beneficial to the city centre and to the shopping centre itself, encouraging and enabling future development to take place in Hope Street and the other formally cut off surrounding areas.

Existing view into Stoke on Trent's city centre - illustrating the dominant position of the Potteries shopping centre - a local landmark.

Green Routes and Spaces. Working with, and reinforcing the strategy of improved linkages and hierarchy of streets, we proposed to create a series of green routes and spaces through the city centre.

This plan illustrates our detailed and strategic proposals for greening the existing walls and roofs of the city, and thus bringing another layer of spatial distinction to the public realm.

GREEN ROOFS PROPOSAL

To convert some of the roofs of the Potteries Shopping Centre to green roofs and to promote the ‘greening’ of other roofs in the City Centre via a grant scheme.

GREEN ROOFS ASPIRATION

For the majority of flat or low pitched roofs in the City Centre and beyond to be ‘greened’ and planning guidance adjusted to support this.

Modular green roof during construction - a lightweight system that is pre-planted making it ideal for retrofitting, the system also allows access to the roof membrane for maintenance and is relatively cheap and simple to install.

WHY GREEN ROOFS?

• Create a unique identity for the City and attract visitors especially when combined with the cable car system and roof top park.

• To promote Stoke-on-Trent as a pioneering, progressive, innovative and sustainable city.

• To assist with rainwater attenuation Hanley's Victorian drainage system and preventing localised flooding.

• To assist in making the potteries shopping centre more permeable.

• To increase thermal and sound insulation levels - preventing heat loss through the building fabric during winter and preventing heat build through radiation/conduction during summer reducing heating and cooling loads, saving money and reducing the buildings energy consumption and consequent carbon footprint.

• To improve air quality in the city centre by CO2 and airborne pollution absorption.

• To provide longer (and more economical) maintenance cycles due to the earth protecting the membrane from climatic extremes, UV light and mechanical damage.

• Reduce the ‘Heat Island’ effect.

Summary

In order to enhance and reinforce the unique identity of Stoke on Trent and make it a destination of choice, we proposed the following . . .

A city with a sustainable movement system.