01. industrial ego
Union Canal is a Canal that goes across Glasgow and Edinburgh. Initially developed for transporting goods, it has now become a frequently used promenade by people working and living around the lochrin basin, small local businesses and cyclists who travels between Glasgow and Edinburgh. However, the canal fails to attract more users due to lack of facilities and funding to further make more facilities since the millenium link. The site is very exposed, in the sense that it is south-facing, and there is almost none amenities to cope with strong winds and frequent rain in autumn or winter. When I went to the Union Canal (twice), it was raining for both visits and I ended up soaking wet. However, by choosing Site 1, I felt there is a lot of potential to thrive. Firstly, the Leamington Lifting Bridge is one of the most eye-catching element in all of the three sites, it is almost the only vertical structure that can be seen from afar, also it celebrates the history of the canal, which is very meaningful. It also acts as a tool that construct the atmosphere and people uses it to cross from one side to the other. It is a very successful installation' for both aesthetically and functionality.
Audrey Chan Course Code: ARCH08018 Detail Design -Structures and Materials
After a series of analyses, I concluded the key problem to this site is there is a lack of continuity in the sense of materials, which separates the well-developed Lochrin Basin from the Canal, no proper separation between paths for pedestrian and cyclists which often creates conflict between two groups of users. There is a potential safety issue in the sense of no night lightings along the canal which makes it a dangerous site at night, and how the site lacks amenities for people stopping by to rest. Therefore, the Urban Park I am proposing for site 1 shall be tackling such problems, by apporaching a direction of utilizing variety of materials.