This is River Rea _ a project reveals a hidden River

This is River Rea A project to bring people to the river

Contents Introduction

Site within the city context Healthy Urban Landscape Site first impression Theoritical position

Site analysis and investigation Green space and river front Using Important buildings Walking distance Connecting Flood risk Typical section Key issues

Concept proposal Inspiration Concept

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15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 19

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Design development

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Masterplan

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Section

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Reference

In this project, I had requested to redesign the existing urban river under the theme of Healthy Urban Landscape. The site, River Rea, is a Birmingham inner river however, I would not ever know the city has their own river untill doing the project, since there is no signal, no sense and almost blocked by the brick walls, buildings and parking areas. It is so modest and silent inside of a dynamic industrial city, a city of a thousand trade.

A regret for the river has been evoked in my mind. I want to do something for the river in other to wake up “the Sleeping Beauty” as a place for every people to come an enjoy a nature and to return the river’s value for city environment and human health.

In an attempt to redefine the river Rea, there are three questions always appear in my mind. That are: - How to make the river become a great place to come?

- How is people connected with the river and the site both in physical and visical connection?

- How to improve the river habitat to make it become more nature?

However the main challenge behide is how to make the place is accepted from people perception while it ever plays a central in community life. They see what they want to see and people experience affect their way of acceptation ( John Berger, “the ways of seeing”), therefore to be a healthy place that high in environment quality, provide place for tackal mental and physical illness and increasing social interaction, the river must be a city landmark where peple structure the city (Kevin Lynch, “The city image”), where always stay in people mind and heart.

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introduction “seeing comes before worlds. The child looks and recognises before it can speak.”

- John Berger, “The ways of seeing”

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Site within city context Running through Digbeth, Birmingham city, RIver Rea is a uncommonly natural landscape into the inner city.

The river and its banks are potential spaces to provice an healthy landscape for local people and prompt a sense of place as the same time.

Above: River Rea through Digberth, is a rarely waterfront landscape in a highly construction density of Birmingham inner city

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Health issue Life expectancy

Birmingham Big City plan The Big City Plan, launched in september 2010, is a 20 year vision for Birmingham’s City Centre supporting transformational change to create a world class city centre delivering sustainable growth, improved connectivity, authentic character, environmental quality, new residential communities and a diversified economic base. Covering an area of 800 hectares at the centre of the UK’s nd city, the BCP provides the vision, strategy and principles to guide the future development and regeneration of the City Centre.

Accourding to Birmingham public health satistics, the city has lower average life expectancy compared with national average.

For males life expectancy at birth is 77.2 years (England 79.5) and females 81.9 years (England 83.1).

Within only eight stops people can save nine years off the average life expectancy of a citizen. Source: Birmingham city council JSNA report 2017/2018 - Strategic Overview Physical inactivity and obese

Source: https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/

Birmingham Smithfield A 14ha site delivering a new places for the city with vibrant new markets, cultural offer and family leisure and entertainment, alongside 2,000 new homes as part of an exemplar neighbourhood. The site is adjacent to the Curzon Masterplan aera, and this proximity will bring new impetus and activity. A masterplan for the site was launched by the City Council in March 2016.

Physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle are strongly associated with poor cardiovascular health. More than a third of adults in Birmingham are physically inactive.

Linked to Type 2 diabetes, CHD, some cancers and risk of stroke. One in four of 10 - 11 years old in birmingham are obese, according to Birmingham public health satistics Deprestion

History Each year, a quarter of Europeans suffer from depression or anxiety. It is costs the Eu economy about 170 billion per year, according to the World Health Organization

Source: Birmingham Big City Plan, Birmingham City Council

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Healthy landscape What do we mean by health and healthy landscapes?

‘Health’ describes a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and ‘public health’ is concerned with the health and wellbeing of whole populations - the definition of landscape in the European Landscape Convention (ELC)

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Public Health and Landscape

Public Health and Landscape Creating healthy places

Creating healthy places

Landscape Institute Position Statement

Landscape Institute

Landscape Institute

Inspiring great places

Inspiring great places

Five principles of healthy places.

Source: Institution, L. (2013) Public Health and Landscape - Creating Healthy Places.

London. Available at: http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/courses/geog334/Frontiers and boundaries.pdf.

1. Healthy places improve air, water and soil quality, incorporating measures that help us adapt to, and where possible mitigate, climate change 2. Healthy places help overcome health inequalities and can promote healthy lifestyles 3. Healthy places make people feel comfortable and at ease, increasing social interaction and reducing anti-social behaviour, isolation and stress 4. Healthy places optimise opportunities for working, learning and development

Evidence summary

5. Healthy places are restorative, uplifting and healing for both physical and mental health conditions

The Settlement Health Map BAL ECOSYSTEM GLO

Source: Institution, L. (2013) Public Health and Landscape - Creating Healthy Places. London.

Diet, Physical a cti v

rees ral Natu ings, Places, Pa d l i u B rks ng, Shoppin Worki g, M ov ing es Incom , Initiative s Social capital

Climate st abil ity habitats,T

iversity Biod

Health and well-being

ater, Land, Soil Air, W Streets, Routes

, cs liti s po orce , y m al f no b co , glo e e ro ltur ac m cu

PEOPLE

k or W

ity

ying , Learning , Pla ing Liv ent, markets estm Inv rks, culture two ne balance al -life

AL ENVIRONM TUR EN T NA VIRONM ILT EN E N U B T ACTIVITIES ECONOM CAL Y LO MMUNITY CO So ci STYLE LIFE

oth er pla ce s, o the r re gio ns

The Settlement Health Map illustrates how health and wellbeing are influenced not just by genetics, but also by the conditions in which people live. Local economic and community conditions influence the choices people make about where they work, shop and play. The way in which buildings are connected by networks of streets, footpaths and cycleways influences how people choose to move about and this can have an impact on how much physical exercise they get.

The settlement as the local human habitat in its global context

The Settlement Health Map (Barton and Grant 2006) is developed from a concept by Dahlgren and Whitehead first published in 1991

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First impression One of the identical features that we can easy to recognize around the river is “the arch door�, in various scale. The large one is in under these crossing road, another human scale is windows or entrance. To highlight this identity of place new proposal for facility building under the river (cafe, exhibition) will reuse the form of them.

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Site characteristic

Site identify

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Theoritical position Insumary,there is widely accepted that the high-quality of green space can benefits people and society as a hold from economies to physical and mental health, and to the environment. Furthermore researches indicate that local green space helps tackle health inequalities and improve health behaviour. However accounding to the research - There are two kind of engagement between people and green space that are visible (looking) and physical (touching, hearing, smelling...)

- The quality of green space more affects people health than quanlity of space.

- The design appearance is also important because almost no one wants to go to a poor design place.

Changing perception - The way of seeing John Berger - The way of seeing.

In his book, he discribe a phenomenon is that our experience, knowledge also affect how we see. For example, in this case, the River has a long time of pollution, flooding and almost hidden so it can be an obstacle for creating of perception. So the design must try to deliver that the river is interesting, safe and benefits. Other his example also describes how the advertising achievement. One of this successful strategy is that appear again and again until they take them for granted.

Making place Kenvin Lynch, Making place - “The city image and its elements” from the image of the city The concept explant the way in with people structure their cities, in which Landmarks is a distinct element that are strongly associated with acertain place. Landmarks often function as similitudes when trying to remember a place you’ve visited.

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Why people should expose to nature 1. CABE Community, Cabe and Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (2010) ‘Community green: Using local spaces to tackle inequality and improve health’,

The research reveals that there is a strong link between accessing to green space and human’s health and well-being. Firstly, public green space helps equal health between wealthy communities and poor communities who have low income, low quality of life including poor quantity and quality local green space. Secondly, green space provides walkable and playable environments that link with physical activities, a primary sector to preventing both mental and physical illness such as cardiovascular disease, depression and obesity. Thirdly, open green space reduces the feelings of loneliness and shortage of social welfare.

2. Mitchell, R. and Popham, F. (2008) ‘Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study’, The Lancet. Elsevier Ltd, 372(9650), pp. 1655–1660. doi: 10.1016/S01406736(08)61689-X.

The study evaluates health inequality between these communities that have the same health care system, public welfare and income, but living in different physical environment. Then, it concludes that the decline of the mortality related all-cause and circulatory disease are more obvious in greener areas. Furthermore, it is suggested that interventions in the physical environment are not only benefit health but also affect health behaviours in an positive way.

However both studies above claim that the quality of green space places an important factor to contribute for health and determine how often people use and activity within it.

3. Space, C. (2010) Urban green nation: Building the evidence base, London: CABE. Available at: http:// scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&btnG=Search&q=intitle:Urban+green+nation+:+Building+the+evidence+base#0.

The research indicate that there more people use the local parks, the more they value them. As a result they more satisfy with their local authority. Secondly, there is an unequally green space provision between deprived areas and affluent areas. Minority and ethnic communities are living in less and poor green space areas. Thirdly, high quality of green space attract more people using them than the large of green space. Therefore, a small public park is more valuable if it is well-designed and well-maintained, compared with a large and neglected space.

In addition, young people, from 16 year-old to 24 year-old, report lower satisfaction with quality of park in compared with other aged groups (15 per cent compared with 8 per cent of 55-74 year olds). In fact, younger people are more using parks, but they are not well-designed to meet their requirement. Therefore, it is important to provide green spaces regards to different ages.

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site analysis and investigation “Birmingham is built on creativity and industry. The artist and the engineer stand side by side�

- Prof Julian Beer. DVC BCU

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Green space and riverfront Top: dense construction density

There is a lack of green space in city center. River Rea is the only blue space gone through.

However it can be a big opportunity for building a iconic landscape.

Using The side is surrounding by dynamic group of people who use and get the benefits from the new proposal.

- Students - Artists - Business - Worker - Visitor - Local resident

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Important building

Site located in a development zone, surrounding by these new building and project. Other existing building is a work place, it is not really valuable

Waking distance From the midle of the site there are two points opportunity to create a sub hub supporting for walking

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Connecting

Flood risk

Flooding risk

90 100 110 120 130 140 The area around the site is lower than

The river is in slowest point of inner city. nearby area.

Water is collecting into the river Surfacesurface water flows.....

Tha flooding map is express the abundance of water resources in this site

The blue shape on the map illustrates that the site is located in higher flood zone from the river. This is also express the abundance of water resources in this site.

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Source: Digimap.edinca.ac.uk https://digimap.edina.ac .uk/roam/map/geology Lower flood potential from Higher flood potential from rivers

River Rea typical section Typical sections

The river is mainly hidden by building blocks, walls, car parks and wild shrubs.

It's hard to find and, if and when you do, it's disappointing: a brick-lined culvert, way below ground level.

Key issues The site is dealing with three mains issue that are: 1

A HIDEN RIVER

2

LACK OF BIODIVERSITY

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AN INACCESSIBLE RIVER

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concept “If you’re trying to get buildings that work with nature, that consume less energy, that are more healthy, and more joyful, you need to go out to a younger generation, and try to anticipate the future” - Norman Foster, “Seeing the future”, 2017

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Initiative concept Design brief: creating a healthy place, where promote people health and well-being by engagating them with nature.

To achieve that, the design must deal with three main challenges that are - Attach people to go - Make place for them - Improve water quality and river habitat.

By turning these challenges in to opportunities, the initiative idea aims to complectely tranform the river appearance from a narrow, hidden, and forgotten river into a widen riverfront with vertical space, continuos trail and be a city’s landmark.

More space for water and people

Take advantage of existing river levels for diversifying river’s views

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Be a landmark

design principle

Social place Where every one can come, find a place for sitting, chatting and enjoy social network or simply enjoy the sunlight

Actions Provide a wide rang of activities from personal, group, and family Provide social performent for free and at night Combine the river with nearby community

Attractive destination Bring people to a place is not simply as giving them a way or a road. And no one can surely define which design is attractive for all. However making place, as we creating a place with strong identity or could be call landmark, that we can call a mental connection. The place that help people structed their city that will stay in their mind even they do not see it.

Making place Easy and safe perdestrian to access

Healthy river The quality of place is a signigficant feature that contributing for human health. In fact, no one want to sit nearby a dirty or pollution river. Therefore improving river quality is also important to bring people to the river, and giving them an opportunity to tackle physical and mental illness.

Improving water quality Restore river habita

Further developt

water fillter

concept for main focal point with water fillter

water steps

When Birmingham Smithfield is built, some roads that crossing the river are going to loose their functional connection. Therefore it can reduce vehical traffic and the main perdestrian from Birmingham Smithfield can expend to the focal point combine with low-raise housing

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Inspiration The high-tech landscape is my inspiration. This is due to the fact that Birmingham was believed as a workshop of the word, resulted in a large of workplaces, warehouses, and factories, particularly in the site. And yet, some landmarks in the site showed a developing of manufacturing city such as Bullring building.

Furthermore, the site is nearby Birmingham Smithfield, one of “Big city plan”, which will represent for the new generation. Therefore, the high-tech style seems appropriate for the site and can go with Birmingham Smithfield to creating a strong sense of place.

Above: Apple’s Piazza Liberty Store in Milan, Italia, designed by Forster+Partners Source: Archdaily.com

Key element Advanced material: glass, metal, new com posite material Combination of metal with wood Lighting: any creative ideas and the most incredible lighting Paving with regular geometric forms Geometrical form Color: often use white, silver, all shades of green, blue, purple.Highlight by orange, red, yellow, black.

Plants and shrubs: in shape, dark green color Usually go with high-end technology

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Above: Chicago riverwalk, Michigan designed by Sasaki Source: Archdaily.com

Left and above: Chicago Apple’s store, designed by Forster+Partners Source: Archdaily.com

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High-end landscape feature

For improving water quality and improve river habitat

A series of piers and floating wetland gardens, offers an interactive learning environment about the ecology of the river, including opportunities for fishing and identifying native plants.

The custom railing is crafted of stainless steel and reclaimed teak and is designed predominantly at wheelchair accessible height.

The Jetty incorporates several innovative features — lunkers, hulas, and curtains — that provide a healthy habitat for the Chicago River’s diverse native fish population.

Righ: “Jetty - fish habitat”, design by SOM Source: https://www.asla.org/2018awards/453251-Chicago_Riverwalk. html

“Congress Filter” strives to elevate the river in an effort to educate the public on our efforts to improve river health.

River water and any flow from combined sewer outfalls are intercepted and pumped through a filter up to iconic waterfalls.

A series of floating platforms sequentially treat the water to a level of swim-ability through aeration, sediment collection, bio filtration, and ultraviolet cleansing.

Where the south and north filters meet; a shallow swimming pool forms.

Righ: “Congress filler”, design by Ross Barney Architects Source: https://www.chiriverlab.com/ideas/congress-filter

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design development “What attracts people most, it would appear, is other people.”

William H. Whyte, “The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces”, 1980

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Zonning

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Creative zone Take the advantage of Custard Factory inside. It is a place for young people who love street art, creative thingking and skateboarding

Curstard Factory Source: Author

Energetic zone In a central of site mainly connect with shopping center, it also a great place for a wide rang social activities, for visitor visit to enjoy the culture, history and city welcoming zone.

With night life style, it can be unsleeping zone

Above and left : The 78 - Amazon, Chicago Source: https://archpaper.com/

Hamonious zone This zone is near to a low-raise housing with high density of green space and quite place. This place can be a place for family outing and supporting for education people about nature. (exibition, floating plant and fish habitat)

Above:Millwall Docks Floating Gardens, Source: https://studioloci.eu/project-millwall-docks-london.php

Above: Chicago riverwalk, Michigan designed by Sasaki Source: Archdaily.com

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Connecting and accessibility

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Activities

Activities proposal based on the zone character and the landscape near by the zone.

It is also provide daily requirement for visitor and local

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View in stepping to river space Source: Author

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View in outdoor capfe Source: Author

View in floating plant Source: Author

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Master plan Scale 1/1250 @ fit to A3 paper

Note Space

New building

1. Rooftop bar- cafe

1. Proposal for Connaugh Square

2. Skateboarding park, Street art

2. Indoor cafe, toilet and convenient store (underground)

3. Stepping to the river 4. River deck 5. Water performent 6. Swimming pool 7. Water steps 8. Plaza fountain 9. Water games 10. Toward river park 11. Fishing area 12. Family camping 13. Proposal pocket garden in the workshop area and un-building area

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3. Facility for water sport and toilet (underground) 4. Facility for art-exibition and toilet (underground)) Others facility 1. Sighseeing perdestrian bridge 2. Water fillter for water treatment 3. Water fall 4. Arch-bridge 5. Mesh hammock 6. Floating plant 7. River Rea trail

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Section Scale 1/500

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reference

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article 1. CABE Community, Cabe and Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (2010) ‘Community green: Using local spaces to tackle inequality and improve health’, 2. Mitchell, R. and Popham, F. (2008) ‘Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study’, The Lancet. Elsevier Ltd, 372(9650), pp. 1655–1660. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(08)61689-X. 3. Space, C. (2010) Urban green nation: Building the evidence base, London: CABE. Available at: http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&btnG=Search&q=intitle:Urban+green+nation+:+Building+the+evidence+base#0.

books 1. ARUP, City alive, toward a walking city 2. Institution, L. (2013) Public Health and Landscape - Creating Healthy Places. London.

Available at: http://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/courses/geog334/Frontiers and boundaries.pdf.

3. John Berger, The ways of seeing 4. Jenhl, G, 2016, Life between buildings, Using public space 5. Kenvin Lynch, 1960, The image of city 6. Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Big City plan

data collection 1. Birmingham public health https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/50120/public_ health/1332/local_area_health_profiles 2. Birmingham children obese https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/how-many-children-severely-obese-14141046 2. World Health Organization (WHO) the data for Europe 3. River Rea’s level https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/

website 1. http://archdaily.com 2. https://visitbirmingham.com/things-to-see-and-do/searchresults?sr=1&poly=871 3. http://www.cushmanwakefield.co.uk/en-gb/news/2017/08/search-for-developer-to-transform-birmingham-smithfield-begins 4. https://therivermanagementblog.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/the-rivers-of-birmingham/ 5. https://www.birminghampost.co.uk/

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