why would anyone want to go there?

the brownfield site
 

• the 1930’s power station was sold to j j gallagher developers after being used initially as a power station, then a grain store and most recently a police training ground powergen currently lease part of the site which has a sub-station and façade of the old turbine hall with fully operative generators inside
• the railway is currently dismantled and owned by railtrack
• the former avon cosmetics factory site sits partly on floodplain, north of the railway and west of the power station and has proposals for mixed density waterside housing
• engine sheds and a domineering railway crane are still in place but not in use
• the river nene which is managed by the environment agency cuts through the site dividing an area of meadowland and the power station presenting a vast area of floodplain
• drains and culverts run through the site and are managed by anglian water
• the site is surrounded by new commercial and housing development, the town centre, a large industrial estate, a victorian park and the established suburb of far cotton
• there are proposals to build the northampton ‘eden project’ to the south of the site
• a restoration project initiated by the council is progressing to the east of the site and around the north shore of the lake
• nature is gradually getting its own way

the brief

• a contemporary urban park which exposes the raw industrial qualities and services of the site
• reflect the simplicity found in raw materials
• retain the curiosity initially found in the site but not to scare people away
• water will contribute to give the space a strong identity and theme by exploiting the floodplain
• will contrast to the surroundings and provide major links to context
• recognises that it is already used as a shortcut to its context
• explores ephemeral as a concept

• arts and cultural centre providing café, toilets, educational workshops, performance areas, technology units, small cinema, exhibition area
• car park and bus route links
• cycle and pedestrian routes linking context
• public square hosting performances, local markets and relaxation areas
• link to rapid transport system and hub

the clients

• the environment agency
• powergen
• j j gallagher developers
• northampton borough council

current attitudes to the project :

• social
• supports improvements to surrounding area and urban regeneration
• adds to the civic pride
• free and accessible to all
• supports trend towards encouragement of active lifestyles
• cultural
• brings facilities to local community, both active and passive
• offers opportunities for social interactio
• economic
• positive effect on local economy
• concentrates activities towards northampton with aid of proposed projects such as the ‘northampton eden’
• project contributing to regional economy
• political
• proposal is not to build on floodplain
• regeneration of brownfield industrial site
• provides and adds to existing green space structure
• supports recent reports such as urban green spaces task force, 2002
• the environment agency (‘our urban future’, october, 2002)
• dtlr policies (beacon councils, improving urban parks, 2002)
• northampton borough council (policy to concentrate on leisure and green space improvements along riversides and canals)
• environmental
• interaction and consideration for floodplain
• supports and encourages alternative transport methods
• promotes sustainability through landscape and arts/cultural centre
• historical / industrial
• celebrates industrial past and functions but definately looks to the future and needs of a rapidly changing and growing community
• design intent
  
• exploits conceptmaterials expose raw qualities and services are not hidden
• industrial simplicity
• not to please or to be safe
• will probably not appeal to everybody as a park
• testing the design concept:  ephemeral
• the weight of a line, shadow, light or tone
• the quality of the line
• the play between lines, ephemeral lies in between the layers of lines
• the energy and lethargy created, the rhythm
• the line plays and defines space
• it is a 3-d experience
• not just vertical layers or screens, can go up and down or be angular
• leads the eye in and out over the landscape
• gives direction and circulation
• design principles
• fading
• drifting
• colliding
• reappearing
• applied to masterplan through
• change in water levels
• play and experimentation with materials (soft and hard)
• materials work with elements (sun, wind, air, noise, temperature)
• energy created, buzz, rhythm in central areas
• keep the curiosity going through views (e.g. façade of turbine hall remains but contemporary park behind; a shock)
• ephemeral : the park is constantly changing
• translucency with surfaces
• circulation and routes
• limitations of the site
• bad views in and out of site
• open and flat character of main site centre
• sub station and service area
• vandalism / graffiti / rubbish dumping / undesirables
• industrial units
• exposure, frightening and threatening site, particularly if female and alone
• fence around main site interest – forbidden areas
• opportunities of the site
• could flood the site or part areas
• plant succession and management
• wild v. nature
• enhance industrial qualities, rawness
• use the functional
• history of the site and it’s previous purposes
• the energy and adrenaline feeling
• scary site
• accessibility of site and its context
• prediction of users from context
• catylist to proposed ‘northampton eden’ project
• interaction and social inclusion
• cultural and educational facilities
• relaxation areas
• bring civic pride to town centre
• provides changing environment for a changing context

my project shall reveal why anyone would want to go there!