Green Sky Thinking 2018 - Find out about the events you missed…
Now that the dust has settled after a weeks worth of Green Sky Thinking, it is time for us to reflect upon the projects and ideas that were shared. Over the forthcoming weeks we will be posting about a few of the events that took place between the 10th to 18th May. We present this retrospective to give you a look into the pioneering ideas that were presented and discussed, and will hopefully provide inspiration for your future work.
This week we look back at the following events:
Putting people at the centre of urban regeneration: lessons from Clapham Park - Greengage Environmental & PRP
Designing for people or designing for density – Can we continue to create urban live-ability at ever increasing densities - Mæ Architects
Experiencing the Digital Public Realm - Atkins
Putting people at the centre of urban regeneration: lessons from Clapham Park
Greengage Environmental & PRP
Green Sky Thinking’s supporter Greengage Environmental hosted their event alongside PRP architects on the 16th May and discussed their ‘people first’ approach at Clapham Park.
Greengage Environment strives to create well-designed, sustainable buildings. They aim to make the most of the spaces between buildings and encourage flow through the site and into the wider community.
This major regeneration scheme accommodates various spaces putting people at the heart of their design. Multiple elements included in the project aimed at encouraging:
- a more active lifestyle
- improvement to the overall health and wellbeing of the user
- the creation of community at Clapham Park
Greengage Environment has produced a video following ‘a day in the life’ of future individuals living within the new Clapham Park scheme. The video showcases how these individuals might experience life within such an environment, as well as how the design principals might change and enhance their lifestyles. Find the full video here.
Find the slides for the event here.
Designing for people or designing for density – Can we continue to create urban live-ability at ever increasing densities?
Mæ Architects & Vastint UK
During Green Sky Thinking, Mæ Architects teamed up with Vastint UK to consider how we might be able to determine what a suitable density for housing designed within London might look like. Prompted by the inclusion of the density matrix within the New London Plan, the evening brought together a number of speakers across the industry to debate whether we are designing for the people or designing for the density. It questioned: can we continue to create urban liveability at ever increasing densities?
Michial van Soest, Development Manager at Vastint UK argued that we need a holistic approach for the increasing density. He highlighted the importance of including mixed-uses within a scheme, and referenced examples of Vastint’s projects in London, Leeds, and Cardiff. He stressed the importance of not over-designing and the need to allow the community to take ownership of spaces with unspecified uses.
Jennifer Currier, Head of Design at Red Door Ventures introduced the idea that density does not necessarily oppose design for people. She highlighted that some of the most desired places to live in London are among the densest. She argued that it is, in fact, these higher densities and the corresponding activity, that support the character and liveability of a space.
Peter Maxwell, Director of Design at LLDC considered that density should be evaluated in the context of liveability. He highlighted several factors, from health to the economy, that should be taken into account when determining appropriate density. He focused on the 5 new neighbourhoods of the Olympic Park which LLDC had delivered as part of long-term plans to improve the quality of life whilst providing additional housing.
Oliver Bulleid, Associate Director at Mæ proposed that scraping density limits would not necessarily improve the quality of places being designed. He suggested that compact nodes of urban settlements could allow further protection of green space, referencing the Mæ proposal for the Oxford to Cambridge corridor.
Find further information on this event here –
Mæ Architects article written by James Halsall - Designing for people or Designing for density
Experiencing the Digital Public Realm
Atkins
Atkins hosted the very first event of this year's Green Sky Thinking week, kicking it off with a stunning presentation of their work surrounding the future of digital technologies within the public realm. The audience was invited to part in a hands-on demonstration of the tech they have been developing. First with a Virtual Reality tour of the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street, followed by an exploration of extruded AR plans, which could portray a huge amount of information in just one document.
The morning focused on projects such as the award-winning ‘Key to the City’ scheme.
Here are two captivating videos showcasing two of these projects –
KEY TO THE CITY
Croydon iStreet competition entry
If you would like further information on any of the events, please contact green@open-city.org.uk