Conclusion
Why was the Tricorn Centre built and what were its conceptual ideas? This study has revealed that the Tricorn was built and conceived in response to its contexts. Historically, city centre bombing during WWII, created redevelopment need for the Tricorn site. Commercially, the Tricorn was built during an economic upturn, increasing the need for retail facilities. Portsmouth was a regional shopping centre and the site presented potential to create a shopping centre, built back in depth to connect to existing key tenants of Commercial Road and provide new retail, market and car parking facilities. The functions of the building were defined by the developer who wanted a shopping centre but also the city council’s requirements for a market with car parking (due to the increase of private vehicle ownership) and housing. It was also built during a time when there was an increase in the use of vehicles. Although the Tricorn’s form is complex, there are simple conceptual ideas behind the scheme. Firstly, it was a shopping centre built backwards in depth, providing more affordable shopping units for shops, intending to draw a flow of pedestrian shoppers in from three directions, the back entrances of key tenants on Commercial Road, the bypass road, Marketway where the bus depot was supposed to be located and from its car parking levels. Secondly it has layers defining its form. A number of horizontal planes, the floor levels, are connected with sculptural vertical access elements, ie. The access towers with staircases for pedestrian access to each level and spiral ramps for vehicular access and servicing. Thirdly, like casbahs, the centre is built around a central square, accessed via narrower, twisting alleyways with vistas, it is introverted and it has an irregular, picturesque form. The square is the nucleus, key tenants are positioned around the square to attract a flow of shoppers in.
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