2023 school project: Lower Porter Brook Regeneration

OƷƌȵɋ ȏǑ ɋǚƷ ¥ȏȵɋƷȵ

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Heart of the Porter

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ȽǠɋƷ‫ژ‬ƩȏȄɋƷɱɋ ‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ƨƌƩǵǒȵȏɓȄư ‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ȽȲƌɋǠƌǹ‫ژ‬ȽɋȵƌɋƷǒǠƷȽ ‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ȏɫƷȵƌǹǹ‫ژ‬ȂƌȽɋƷȵȲǹƌȄ ‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ȽǠɋƷ‫ٮ‬ȽȲƷƩǠ˟Ʃ‫ژ‬ǠȽȽɓƷȽ

‫א‬ ‫ב‬ ‫ב‬ ‫ג‬

ưƷȽǠǒȄ‫ژ‬ƌȲȲȵȏƌƩǚ ‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ǒɓǠưǠȄǒ‫ژ‬ȲȵǠȄƩǠȲǹƷȽ ‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ȲȵƷƩƷưƷȄɋ‫ژ‬ȽɋɓưǠƷȽ

‫ג‬ ‫ד‬

ưƷȽǠǒȄ‫ژ‬ȲȵȏȲȏȽƌǹ ‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ǹƌȄư‫ژۯژ‬ƨɓǠǹưǠȄǒ‫ژ‬ɓȽƷ ‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ƌƩƩƷȽȽ‫ژۯژ‬ȂȏɫƷȂƷȄɋ ‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ȽɋȵƷƷɋȽƩƌȲƷȽ‫ژۯژ‬ǑȵȏȄɋƌǒƷȽ ‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ȏȲƷȄ‫ژ‬ȽȲƌƩƷȽ

‫ה‬ ‫ו‬ ‫ז‬ ‫ח‬

‫ ژ ژ ژ ژ ژ‬ưƷɋƌǠǹƷư‫ژ‬ȂƌȽɋƷȵȲǹƌȄ

‫ח‬

Lower Porter Brook Regeneration Project

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ȽǠɋƷ‫ژ‬ƩȏȄɋƷɱɋ background Figure 1: Map of Lower Porter Brook area and Chosen Site

Figure 2: Culverted (pink) areas of Lower Porter Brook (Sheffield Waterways Strategy Group, 2014)

ǠȄɋȵȏưɓƩɋǠȏȄ‫ژي‬ưƌɲǹǠǒǚɋǠȄǒ

ȲȏǹǠƩɲ‫ژ‬ƌȽȲǠȵƌɋǠȏȄȽ

ƩȵǠɋǠƩƌǹ‫ژ‬ƌȽȽƷȽȽȂƷȄɋ

The river has always been a part of Sheffield’s culture and history. However, the narrative of being “hidden” or “poisoned” due to heavy culverting and pollution threatens to undermine the significance of rivers in urban residents.

Urban river regeneration gaining popularity around the world for its benefits to biodiversity, human and ecological wellbeing.

Slow Implementa on While managing authorities such as Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust (2021) are in favour of replacing deteriorating buildings with green walkable development, these often take many years with uncertain results.

With the looming climate emergency, the need for environmentally sustainable public realm and preservation of natural spaces are supported by local and international policies.

While the eponymous Sheaf River will gain a £50,000 grant (The Newsroom, 2017) to be daylighted, where the culvert will be removed and the riverside restored, the nearby Porter Brook remains shut off from the Sustainable regeneration achieves Goal 11 and 13 public, poorly navigable and easily missed. of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, where rivers are crucial in inclusive and emission saving public realm. (United Nations, 2022) Local plans detail the regeneration of rivers also for attracting development, especially local businesses.

(Sheffield Waterways Strategy Group, 2014)

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Heart of the Porter

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Figure 3: View of Porter Brook from Matilda St Pocket Park

Lack of Strategic Masterplan Sheffield has abundant blue-green spaces in varying conditions, but each are subject to isolated improvements with very little interconnection and interaction between them. Such piecemeal development can negatively affect the holistic condition and character of the river. (SWSG, 2014) What is next?

The Matilda St Pocket Park, winner of 2016 Living Waterways Award and auded by many policies, reports and reviews, remains the only green space in the Lower Porter Brook area despite some new development.

(Canal & River Trust, 2016)

Lower Porter Brook Regeneration Project

‫א‬

ȽǠɋƷ‫ژ‬ƩȏȄɋƷɱɋ spatial strategies & overall masterplan Figure 4: Map of key landmarks and proposed nodes

ɋǚȵǠɫǠȄǒ‫ژ‬ƩǠɋɲ‫ژ‬ƩƷȄɋȵƷ‫ڹژ‬ ˠȏȏư‫ژ‬ȂǠɋǠǒƌɋǠȏȄ The masterplan takes advantage of a widened and completely daylit river to connect four of the city centre’s landmarks. Along the way, areas with flood risk will be set for new public spaces. The land use of new developments are to be complementary to high street shopping corridors.

landmark

Figure 6: Overall masterplan for Lower Porter Brook residential mixed use local businesses/retail heritage/character area bird park

Applica on to Site Site 2 is comfortably central and should accommodate the increased footfall. Land use would aim to be less active and intensive as urban centre shopping, hence a possible focus on leisure and relaxation.

flood risk node

Figure 5: Map of proposed grid circulation system

circulation path

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ƌƩɋǠɫƷ‫ژ‬ɋȵƌȄȽȲȏȵɋ‫ڹژ‬ ƩǠɋɲ‫ژ‬ǠȂƌǒƷ

ɫǠȽǠȏȄ‫ژۯژ‬ǑȏƩɓȽ‫ژ‬ƌȵƷƌȽ

The proposed Georgian gridiron ensures legibility, connectivity and identity. Rectangular blocks that arise from it have unique possibilities when allowing the river to bisect them.

The masterplan emphasises quality of blue-green infrastructure (BGI) that crucially form the backbone of the scheme. Another key tenet is diversity in spatial experiences along the river, combining greenery and irregular land uses.

Applica on to Site The grid can be expanded to further centralise on the river and direct visual and physical access to external green spaces. City image can be built upon with contrasting organic paths that direct attention to character buildings.

Heart of the Porter

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In particular, Mary St and Matilda St should include local businesses in riverside development, however on a scale smaller than other sites. The noteworthy endangered bird population also congregates mainly in this area.

Applica on to Site Riverside development should thus be staggered, allowing a variety of views, open spaces and unique buildings. Interesting sections of the river can easily build on nearby contexts such as heritage, businesses and bird protection for character.

Lower Porter Brook Regeneration Project

‫ב‬

ȽǠɋƷ‫ژ‬ƩȏȄɋƷɱɋ

ưƷȽǠǒȄ‫ژ‬ƌȲȲȵȏƌƩǚ

site-specific issues ɬƷƌǵȄƷȽȽƷȽ

Figure 7: Close up of existing chosen site

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Sidewalk condition in disrepair

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Riverside infrastructure in disrepair

‫ב‬ ‫ד‬

Paths begin and end abruptly

‫ב‬

ɋǚȵƷƌɋȽ

guiding principles

‫ב‬ ‫א‬ ‫א‬

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Buildings to respect plot, height and mass

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River width and depth not significant for public enjoyment

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Consideration of weir and existing river

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‫ה‬

‫ג‬

ưǠȽɋǠȄƩɋ ƩǚƌȵƌƩɋƷȵ ƩȵȏȽȽǠȄǒȽ

‫׏‬

‫ژב‬ȂƌǠȄ ƨɓǠǹưǠȄǒ ɋɲȲȏǹȏǒɲ

‫׏‬ ‫ג‬

ƨǠȵư ƷƩȏǹȏǒɲ ȲȵǠȏȵǠɋɲ

ȴɓƌǹǠɋɲ ȲɓƨǹǠƩ ȵƷƌǹȂ ȵǠɫƷȵ‫ژ‬Ǒȏȵ ǹƷǠȽɓȵƷ

ȏȲȲȏȵɋɓȄǠɋǠƷȽ •

Seamlessly connect Pocket Park and heritage buildings to the river

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Create a central habitat for endangered birds

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Open up new vantage points to underappreciated landmarks

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Utilise empty open spaces in the wider area

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Establish connection to green spaces in the wider area

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Heart of the Porter

quality public realm In line with policies, the public infrastructure design will provide smooth and walkable paths, seating and shade, scaled with regards to amount of activity and footfall.

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Lower Porter Brook Regeneration Project

dis nct character crossings A multitude of river crossings can be created where the grid plan meets the river. This way, interesting design themes can be used to breathe character into the crossing.

3 main building typology A system of regulating building height and scale to prevent character buildings from being overshadowed.

Consistent typology can reinforce district identity especially when constrasting with the surrounding homogenous residential blocks.

(Tibbalds, 1992) bird ecology priority From crayfish to trout, many endangered wildlife has been reintroduced in Sheffield.

(Blackburn et. al., 2018) Likewise the alarming decline of native birds can be mitigated by dedicating a portion of the riverside to facilitiate their habitat. river for leisure Promotion of the leisure land use (formerly D2 use class) for occupancy.

With less activity, emphasis is on local businesses and small outlets to maintain interactions, along with explorative paths for relaxing and slowing down.

‫ג‬

ưƷȽǠǒȄ‫ژ‬ƌȲȲȵȏƌƩǚ precendent studies ȂƌǵǠȄǒ‫ژ‬ǠȄɋƷȵƷȽɋǠȄǒ ȵǠɫƷȵ‫ژ‬ƩȵȏȽȽǠȄǒȽ

GU‫ژ‬Ǒȏȵ‫ژ‬ƨǠȵưȽ

Riverside regeneration schemes throughout the world have achieved placemaking at their crossings in various ways. The Avon River Precinct relies heavily on native and iconic sculptural pieces to define previously unassuming corners of their riverside. Figure 7: Avon River Precinct, Christchurch, New Zealand (Otakaro Ltd, 2017) In Cheonggyecheon, varying levels of enclosure contain different, sometimes playful ways of hopping the river.

(Seoul Solution, 2014) The conceptual masterplan for San Pedro Creek uses architecturally eyecatching landmarks that stand out amongst the greenery.

Figure 8: San Pedro Creek (rendering), TX, United States (Pace, 2013)

The Wushan and Qili reservoirs have uniquely identified key steps towards a thriving human-bird co-existing habitat and aim to achieve this through multiple elevation types of BGI. (IFLA, 2021) Similarly, the Baton Rouge Lakes restoration also mixes ecologically beneficial wetland species with social and cultural spaces.

(ASLA, 2016)

ȵǠɫƷȵ‫ژ‬ȴɓƌǹǠɋɲً‫ژ‬ɬǠưƷȄǠȄǒً ȽɋȏȵȂɬƌɋƷȵ‫ژ‬ưȵƌǠȄƌǒƷ

ȲɓƨǹǠƩ‫ژ‬ǹƷǠȽɓȵƷ‫ژ‬ȽȲƌƩƷ

Use of BGI to alleviate flash floods can take the form of staggered wetland treatment such as in the Jakarta River, or natural weirs and submerged rocks in Cheonggyecheon to recreate a natural riverbank.

Figure 9: Jakarta River Development, Indonesia (Seoul Facilities Corporation, 2015) In both cases, this is part of a holistic effort that involves nearby buildings, roads, surfaces and headland to drain effectively.

The San Antonio and San Pedro rivers are part of a integrated regeneration project based on the success of the San Antonio River Walk scheme.

(Dimmick, 2014) Their interconnectivity draws parallels with Sheffield’s own Sheaf and Porter rivers where similar regenerative efforts to promote locally beneficial riverside development are taking place.

Accessibility and separation through elevation change between strolling and direct movement is seen in these schemes, and should be noted how elevation change also enables striking views of the river corridor.

Figure 12: Baton Rouge Lakes, LA, United States

Figure 10: Cheonggyecheon, Seoul, South Korea

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Heart of the Porter

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Figure 11: Wushan Reservoir, Shenzhen, China

Lower Porter Brook Regeneration Project

Figure 13: San Pedro Creek, TX, United States

Figure 14: San Antonio River Walk, TX, USA

‫ד‬

ưƷȽǠǒȄ‫ژ‬ȲȵȏȲȏȽƌǹ land & building use Figure 15: Site zoning map

Figure 16: Land use map

small outlets & shops • 100m2 - 300m2 • Low density • 5-7 meters tall • Aimed for local businesses and smallscale outlets

Sidney St Waterfront Shoreham St

ƨǠȵư‫ژ‬ȽƌȄƩɋɓƌȵɲ

River Mary St

large mixed use block • Residential with offices and retail podium • High density • 12-14 meters tall • Extensive green roof

ȽǠɋƷ‫ژ‬ɼȏȄǠȄǒ With the priority for a widened river and wetland provision on its riverbank, most existing development on the riverbanks are set back. The treatment of existing development differ by zoning shown: Sidney and Shoreham St has deteriorating industrial buildings replaced with irregular high density blocks supplemented with single-storey shops and greenery.

The Waterfront area is to be most intensive in green flood resilience, accommodating open lawns and wetlands. Thus it will be mostly public infrastructure and parks, including land dedicated to a bird sanctuary.

The Mary St area is to be lightly refurbished except to allow for a permeable ground floor.

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riverside block • Follows historic building plot • 8-12 meters tall • Faces river with nice views • Intensive green roof

exis ng buildings The rationale for a restrictive building typology is to reduce the heights, scale and dominance of new development especially adjacent to buildings of heritage. This is in line with both guidelines from the Conservation Quarter (Sheffield City Council, 2001) and the masterplan’s decision to respect the flow of activity at the Moor high street. Surrounded by large residential housing blocks, this further helps to establish an identity for Porter Brook’s riverside districts.

In addition, green roof provision also is ensured by assignment to buildings of larger footprint and closer proximity to the river and bird sanctuary. (shown above) This continues a method already practiced by buildings adjacent to the site, such as the UTC College and Derwent Students’ Hall.

Heart of the Porter

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Lower Porter Brook Regeneration Project

‫ה‬

ưƷȽǠǒȄ‫ژ‬ȲȵȏȲȏȽƌǹ

Figure 21: River crossings

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access & movement Figure 17: Site-specific grid system of circulation

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axis

‫ב‬

alley

ƌɱǠȽ‫ٮ‬ƌǹǹƷɲ‫ژ‬ȽɲȽɋƷȂ In line with spatial strategy, the grid system of accessibility has been applied with the river as a central corridor. Paths are replaced with the wider axes and smaller alleys, which function as primary and secondary means of pedestrian connectivity.

Axes are straight corridors of 3-5 metres that direct activity to converge towards the river. Alleys are smaller, quieter and more private pathways leading to residential blocks, and follow former streets that have been pedestrianised such as Mary St and Sidney St. Places where axes and alleys intersect will tend to be semi-private spaces, places with high social activity and interactions and thus are supplemented with green open space and seating options.

(Gehl, 2011)

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under-road gallery space With the lowering and widening of the river, both sides can be traversed for pedestrians to walk under the road into the Pocket Park.

Sheltered by the road overhead, the space and bridge below can host art and media installations similar to the bridges of Cheonggyecheon.

‫א‬

Figure 18: Cheonggyecheon’s Samilgyo bridge

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explora ve boardwalk Figure 19: Wetland boardwalk The circular addition to this bridge makes for a slower side path for appreciating the variety of wetland flora & fauna, as well as new views out around the riverbed. willow bird sculptures As a form of landmarking and riverside placemaking, artistic willow sculptures are placed at popular node crossings. Willow sculptures last many years, able to become “living” sculptures while also enriching surrounding plants.

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stone arch bridge At a higher elevation than other bridges, this arch bridge extends views to both ends of the river and heritage buildings.

‫ד‬

wetland bridge This bridge’s distinct character comes from the two wetland habitat areas it connects.

Figure 20: Willow sculptures

The axes and alleys, coupled with interesting river crossings, not only encourage mobility around the river but with alternative transport options such as cycling and walking. Functional and social opportunities ensure the river caters to family and pets as well.

Heart of the Porter

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‫ג‬

Lower Porter Brook Regeneration Project

‫ד‬

‫ו‬

ưƷȽǠǒȄ‫ژ‬ȲȵȏȲȏȽƌǹ streetscapes & frontages Figure 22: Massing map

Figure 23: Section A-A, view of streetscape

A

A

ưǠɫƷȵȽǠɋɲ‫ژ‬ƌȄư‫ژ‬ƩȏȄɋǠȄɓǠɋɲ Like many elements of the scheme, streetscapes aim to be interesting and unique despite the consistent widths and lengths of their axis. One way this is accomplished is by irregular building form and provision of similarly irregular green spaces. This ensures while many elements of the public street experience is similar, no two places are the same.

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Heart of the Porter

riverside promenade

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riparian shelf

wetland environment

Lower Porter Brook Regeneration Project

heritage buildings (triple point brewery)

nodal public green

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ưƷȽǠǒȄ‫ژ‬ȲȵȏȲȏȽƌǹ open spaces

detailed masterplan ‫׏‬

Figure 24: View of all new open spaces

‫׏‬

‫א‬

‫ב‬

‫ג‬

ȂɓǹɋǠǑɓȄƩɋǠȏȄƌǹ‫ژ‬ȽȲƌƩƷȽ

public sea ng lawn Semicircle of viewing steps and slopes, allowing wading into the water’s edge next to riparian reeds.

‫א‬

free sea ng area Located at major nodes of connection, with bicycle parking facilities. wetland environments Boardwalks allow traversing of marshland habitats, allowing interaction with flora & fauna.

‫א‬ ‫ב‬ ‫ב‬

walkable traffic island New traffic crossings allow safe and reliable crossing to wider green areas.

‫ב‬

Within the urban fabric, a large variety of open spaces has been identified to enliven the area’s dominantly block-based building typology.

(Sheffield City Council, 2009)

‫ג‬

New green spaces straddle important nodes and prioritise shade and public seating. These will be kept simple to balance intense and heavily organic BGI provisions along the river. (Tibbalds, 2000)

Figure 25: 1:1500 Detailed masterplan for the chosen site

On the riverside, open spaces serve multiple uses. At its core, green pockets serve as congregation area and ecological habitats while green veins are flood mitigation and bring fresh air along the river corridor. As a result, between the river and urban block, new green spaces achieve multifunction, multi-scale, diversity and continuity, all common principles of green infrastructure design.

(Monteiro et. al. , 2020)

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Heart of the Porter

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‫ב‬

ƷƩȏȽɲȽɋƷȂ‫ژ‬ȽƷȵɫǠƩƷȽ When open spaces are linked into an integrated BGI river corridor, as a whole, there are provisions of biodiversity, heritage, recreation, flood mitigation, relaxation and sustainability in the holistic scheme.

Such open space thus achieves both cultural and regulative ecosystem services.

Figure 26: Similar BGI river schemes in Yangpu, Shanghai

Lower Porter Brook Regeneration Project

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• ArchDaily. (2019). Demonstra on Sec on of Yangpu Riverside Public Space / Original Design Studio. [online] Available at: h ps://www.archdaily.com/930494/demonstra on-sec on-of-yangpu-riverside-public-space-original-design-studio [Accessed 16 Dec. 2022].

• ASLA (n.d.). Baton Rouge Lakes: Restoring a Louisiana Landmark from Ecological Collapse to Cultural Sanctuary | 2016 ASLA Professional Awards. [online] Available at: h ps://www.asla.org/2016awards/172896.html [Accessed 16 Dec. 2022] • Blackburn, S & She eld and Rotherham Wildlife Trust (2018) She eld State of Nature. Available at: She eld-State-of-Nature-2018-report-web-version.pdf (wildshe eld.com)

• Dimmick, I. (2014). San Pedro Creek: San Antonio’s Next Linear Park. [online] Available at: h ps://sanantonioreport.org/san-pedro-creek-san-antonio-linear-park/.

• IFLA (2021). 喜讯 | 深圳宝安区沙福河碧道获2021 IFLA 国际⻛景园林师联合会卓越奖 - 深圳市蕾奥规划设计咨询股份有限公司. [online] Available at: h ps://www.lay-out.com.cn/news-i_14480.htm [Accessed 16 Dec. 2022].

• Gehl, J. (2011) Life between buildings: using public space. Washington, DC: Island Press • Landscape Institute (2016). National Living Waterways Awards winners announced | Landscape Institute. [online] Available at: https://www.landscapeinstitute.org/news/national-living-waterways-awards-winners-announced/ • Lynch, K (1981), A theory of good city form. Cambridge, Mass.; London MIT • Monteiro, R., Ferreira, J. C. and Antunes, P. (2020) ‘Green infrastructure planning principles: An integrated literature review’, Land (Basel), 9(12), pp. 1–19. doi: 10.3390/land912052 • Ōtākaro Ltd (2017). Te Papa Ōtākaro / Avon River Precinct» Otakaro Ltd» Otakaro Ltd. [online] Available at: https://www.otakaroltd.co.nz/anchor-projects/avon-river-precinct/ • Pace, E. (2013). Concept Designs For The New San Pedro Creek. [online] Available at: h ps://alta-architects.com/2013/05/28/concept-designs-for-the-new-san-pedro-creek/ [Accessed 16 Dec. 2022].

• Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust (2021), The Sheaf and Porter River Trust. Available at: Revealing Shef eld's Hidden Rivers - Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust (sheafportertrust.org)

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Shef eld City Council (2018) Green City Strategy. Available at: City Council - Citizen Space Shef eld City Council (2009) Shef eld’s Green and Open Space Strategy 2010-2030. Available at: Shef eld City Council (2008) Shef eld City Council Strategy Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Level 1. Available at: Shef eldSFRA_FinalJuly2008.doc (geosmartinfo.co.uk) Shef eld City Council (2001) Cultural industries quarter conservation area appraisal and guidelines. Available at: Microsoft Word - Style Club Proposal.doc (shef eld.gov.uk) Shef eld City Council (1998) Shef eld Unitary Development Plan. Available at: Adopted Shef eld Local Plan | Shef eld City Counci

• The Newsroom, 2017 'Grant will help shef eld river see daylight for rst time 'in a century’’, The Guardian, 25 March. Available at: https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/grant-will-help-shef eld-river-see-daylight-for- rst-time-in-acentury-444844 (Accessed: 10 November 2022

• Tibbalds, F. (2001) Making people-friendly towns: improving the public environment in towns and cities. London; New York: Spon Press

• United Nations (2022) The 17 goals | sustainable development. .Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals • 네이버 블로그 | 한화그룹, 지속 가능한 내일. (n.d.). 서울 여행의 필수 코스! 청계천에서 가장 시원하고 아름다운 길 ‘한화 불꽃길’. [online] Available at: https://m.blog.naver.com/hanwhadays/221322891849 [Accessed 16 Dec. 2022]

• www.sisul.or.kr. (2015). 복원다리와 조형물 | 청계천>청계천 소개>복원다리와 조형물. [online] Available at: https://www.sisul.or.kr/open_content/cheonggye/intro/sculpture.jsp [Accessed 16 Dec. 2022]

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References