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URBAN REGENERATION ESSAY Architectural Placement: Reflection
Essay question/title: Urban Regeneration, rebuilding a ‘greener’ future or concealing economic convenience? Summary: “Urban regeneration”, “green”; all terms which are playing an increasingly important role in the modern construction industry. Urban regeneration injects a new lease of life into a decaying society, with plans implemented to transform the physical appearance to reflect the modern social needs. Green construction which is a modern trend of those conscious of the environment depicts a well thought through procedure of building, which when every aspect is taken into consideration can produce low emission buildings, but at the risk of being costly if techniques not used properly. This report will focus on the development of urban regeneration from the industrial age and how it progressed with the influence of the government, proving that ‘green’ can be promoted to be an unrealistic ideal in many cases. To prove these issues a range of case studies will be examined to show that when carefully planned out to suit the site context a urban masterplan, can prove to perform highly environmentally.
LO1
The ability to propose a subject of study with clear objectives demostrated though the submission of a summary.
LO2
The ability to thoroughly analyse, reflect and demonstrate familiarity with the chosen topic ensuring references to key text in the field.
LO3
The ability to present written work (including drawings and illustrations) that is objective, lucis, clearly expressed and shows a coherent structure and style.
AD TE AH AR AP AT D AP
“... The move to improvement proved itself a key element of the Urban renewal policy. Since the introduction of the 1949 Housing Act grants which provided home owners up to 50% of the total cost of renovations were in place to stimulate the growth of whole house regeneration. However the policy makers faced a public which lacked confidence in the regime as due to widespread slum clearance they were left insecure as to if their homes of that of their neighbours would be there in long term future. The main purpose of 1971 grant changes were to stimulate the building industry (Fig.4 ) and counteract the misuse of those using money given for improvements to second homes. This shown that the current state measures were taken with economic importance emphasised opposed to the public’s need for housing as key. Under the newly inaugurated labour administration, critical changes were made to grant policies . These led to overall drop in construction statistics, however enabled the key objective of improvement to lowest condition building regeneration as a focal point, transforming the most deprived areas. The concept of urban design is a vital process for the overall successful outcome for Urban Renewal. It plays a key role in the building and rebuilding of regenerated cities. Historically the applied use of urban design has followed a conscious and comprehensive approach. For example, in the classical city, bastide towns, Georgian London and Haussmann’s Paris (Fig.6). However in the majority of processes its use is of an unconscious nature. Similar to the outdated government clearance schemes, sudden accelerations in the rate of urbanisation alongside the intrusion of non-local materials/ methods brought in with the rise in immigration. These foreign methods were applied without the crucial local awareness and sympathy required. Here society can suffer due to the poor decisions that could be made in the process of urban development. The rejuvenated area must consist of all the common aspects expected of the modern city infrastructure. Setting a confidence in its inhabitants
GC1 GC2 GC3 GC4 GC5 GC6 GC7 GC8 GC9 GC10 GC11 GC2 GC3 GC6
that they are safe in knowing their surroundings and proud of what they own. According to urban planner Kevin Lynch in his writing of “The image of the city”(1959), the perception of the city as a physical entity can be conditioned and interpreted by the existence of five vital elements: paths, edges, districts, nodes and landmarks ...”
References BURNETT, J., 1978. A Social History of Housing 1815-1970. London: Metheun, pp. 235-236. COUCH, C., 1990. Urban Renewal: Theory and Practice. London: Macmillan education. HOBSBAWN, E.J., 1968. Industry and Empire. Harmonsworth: Penguin, pp. 34. LYNCH, K., 1959. The image of the city. Cambridge: MIT Press, pp. 47. MACDONALD, R., 1989. The European Healthy Cities proect. Urban Design Quarterly, (30), pp. 4-5. MACDONALD, R., 1989. Liverpool North Docklands: The potential for Urban Design and Industrial Regeneration. Urban Design Quarterly, (29), pp. 23.
Year 3 2011/2012