How to create a self sustaining ecosystem in a small area? How to engage community people to the process of placemaking to create belongingness? How to manage cost effectiveness while delivering a multipurpose activity space?
These are the core questions that I asked myself while designing this project. The aim of the project was to design or propose any idea that could improve a particular area of the union canal. Which will help to improve peoples' health and well-being.
from the project brief:
"On the basis of the results of Task 1 (Site analysis), as individuals, identify and suggest aspects which could be improved for your section and develop a number of small-scale design and/or management interventions under the concept of Urban Acupuncture. You should find and analyse precedents for your solutions and also develop original designs to meet the conditions and opportunities you uncovered in the group work.
Your design or intervention should be relatively low cost. We will establish a cost per square meter of £100. With a budget of £20,000 that would give you 200m 2 for your design. This is small. You are free to deviate from this footprint but be ready to explain your rationale. "
The Design idea was to create a self-sustaining landscape that will preserve and enhance the local ecosystem and a multipurpose space to enjoy nature, gather, play, and celebrate.
This part of the Union Canal is surrounded by three different communities. There is no space to relax, gather, and enjoy the canal view. This area is also accessible by different mode of transport. Which made this area suitable for this project.
This part of land has a slope area and it is seperated by two bridge over the canal. This area is also in the middle of the three community and connected through a common node.
Four different project was selected from four different context. The common aspect of these projects are all of these used cost effective or recycled material to create vibrant public space in the middle of busy urban setting.
The design aim was divided into four objectives:
1. Ceating Attraction and Visibility
2. Designing Multi-fuctional Public Space
3. Generating Community Activities
4. Developing Diverse Ecology
these four objective lead to the four core principle:
People Friendly - Cost Effective - Eco Friendly - Sustainable
