OPLC North Park Hub + Playground Design Competition

Vision
Ingredients & ideas - A trigger to imagination

Setting the Scene As one of the first post-Olympic projects to be opened in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, this project will set the tone for future developments; creating a benchmark for design quality and a sustainable place for local people to be proud of and be part of. Wetlands Investment We appreciate the massive investment in the recreation of the wetlands area on the River Lea which runs adjacent to site. Our proposal takes its cue from this. Proposal in a Nutshell Our proposal, in a nutshell, is to create a natural and simple building structure inspired by the reed beds in the wetlands nearby. This structure is easy to erect and capable of being built within time and budget. Host for People Once established, the building will be overlaid with play, cultural and ecological activities. In contrast to the Olympic phase, where it is important that the buildings are the stages of global events, the hub concerns local people, play and nature. None-the-less it must give rise to the stars of the local community: An armature for the many layers of programme and activity that we have proposed and others, unknown, to be played out by its users. We aspire to make spaces that have longevity, rather than looking to passing trends. We envisage the Hub, and surrounding area as being a new model of urban living intimately connected to the natural environment. Play Exemplar This facility is designed to be a national exemplar for play, and in order to do this we have consulted national experts on play, field studies and inclusive play, rather than proposed commercially driven play products. Our approach has enabled us to look at the fundamental principles for innovative play and to produce exemplary principles. Our design is for a playable landscape and a playable building that adults and children of many ages and neighbourhoods want to spend time in and be part of. Host for Nature The hub should also be a honeypot for indigenous creatures such as birds, bees and bugs. Our design includes residences for these other inhabitants. Sustainability Our design incorporates the technical requirements for sustainability, i.e. low carbon, low embodied energy, but also is design in which sustainable thinking is encouraged and nature is heartfelt.
Site context - community & activity Concept sketch - relationship to the wetlands Users and activities of the North Park Hub

Local wild life - harvest mouse

Local wild life - reeds

Local wild life - Sedge Warbler

Local wild life - Green pea moth

Exterior view - cafe & multifunction space

Concept sketch - key axes of the site

Sparrows eye view

I can see a kestrel!!! What a beauty!!!

Platform 2: Challenge level 2

Platform 1: Challenge level 1

I want to go on the hammock!

Roof-top play area: fully accessible

Where does my food come from?

Section 1:100

Vegetables and herbs grown on the roof could be served in the cafe. It gives children first hand experience of seeing where their food comes from and how they are grown.

N3

OPLC North Park Hub + Playground Design Competition

The Hub Building

Building as a host for people
The entrance walkway is covered, providing an outdoor meeting area with a bench to take off muddy boots and hooks to hang soggy raincoats. The reception area has adjacent office and security room nearby. It has a lift with allows access for all to the roof; a glazed scissor lift which allows joyful ascendance to the gardens above. There is a secure buggies store near to reception. The flexible spaces are adjacent to each other to facilitate one function or two separate functions at the same time. Within each of these rooms they can be subdivided for small meetings, with particular attention being paid to acoustic separation through material modifications in the ceilings. The cafe is located to enjoy the view of the wetlands and the park at the same time. It is designed to allow for overspill into the flexible space when required and opens out onto an outdoor terraced seating area for sunny days. The final quadrant accommodates the brief requirements for toilets and disabled toilets as well as a full changing to provide full inclusively. The two multi-faith rooms are provided with unimpeded orientation to Mecca, washing facilities and natural light.

Building layers diagram

Reeds

Siting The building is located to enable the best views of the surrounding landscape. It is sited on the crossing of two viewing axes to the river (between the two hills) and along the length of the site. This allows activity to revolve and radiate around it, enabling the building to respond to the context and constraints of the site and programme. The position of the building allows all the desired activity and life of the building to occur safely and securely. View from Above The landscape extends to the roof where the first level is accessible to all by ramps and a scissor lift and higher levels area accessed by children who wish to aspire to different levels of physical challenge. The building The building is divided into four distinct but interlinked quadrants revolving around a common core. This enables the spaces to be interlinked or separated as required. They face out in different directions to enjoy different aspects of the view. The entrance is reached from diagonally from the south east corner of the site, with blue badge parking adjacent to the entrance walkway.

Routes & views

Views to the River Lea

Service entrance

Surfaces
Planted roof Timber decking

Timber canopy Glazing: 50% of building envelope Hard wearing screed with under- oor heating Wood ooring Tree bark cladding

Exterior view - cafe & multifunction space

Outdoor covered area

Exterior view - entrance

Section

Section
Planted roof garden Platform with net protection

Outdoor covered area

Outdoor covered area

Services

Under- oor heating Kitchen WC and other plumbed areas

Planted roof garden Play cube Play cube Elevated walkway

Ramp

Woven slide

Interior view - cafe

Bird box

Light

W N

Outdoor covered area

Planted roof garden

S E
Lighting concept - A summer wedding Lighting concept - An autumn exhibition

ground floor plan 1:200

roof plan 1:200

N3

OPLC North Park Hub + Playground Design Competition

Structure & Programme

A simple building inspired by the wetlands
weather or many pairs of hands over time and obtain a beautiful patina.

1. Ground Floor Slab Week 06

2. Timber Columns Week 08

Passive design diagram

Structure and buildability The building has been designed to comply with all of the known site restrictions and program requirements whilst fulfilling the need for sustainable construction techniques.

There is currently a proposal to use the Grand Union Canal to convey raw materials to London. We can take advantage of this by transporting the timber from the Chilterns The following diagrams outline the design teams straight to the Olympic Legacy Park. approach to delivering the project on time and Current over-supply of larch in the market on budget and should be read in conjunction could be an opportunity to obtain this raw with the Project Milestone Programme and North Hub Construction Programme contained material quickly and cost effectively use unseasoned or dressed timber. in the report section of our submission. Materials We propose to use Larch trees grown in the Chilterns for the columns. (Shown to the right) Sweet Chestnut is also an alternative. The poles can be peeled manually or mechanically to remove the bark. The bark will hold for a period, but will ultimately detach if left on the poles. The peeled surfaces can become very polished by the

Lightweight superstructure and flat slab Localised slab thickenings Shallow pit for hydraulic lift

Timber columns for sustainability, workability, and warmth Opposing sets of raked columns used to evenly distribute column loads and negate any rotational moment Laminated timber wall panels allow speedy erection of glue-lam timber roof beams

3. Timber frame Week 10

4. Roof finishes 1 Week 13

5. Pre-fab modules & exterior wall cladding Week 18

Construction materials

Stacked flitches from saw logs from a larch tree. Milling by-product which can be used as cladding.

Connection detail
angle of welded steel outstand plate varied as desired

Lattice of glue-lam timber roof beams Timber joist infill Deep planters formed at roof edges

High performance roofing membrane over entire roof surface Drainage layer, filter fleece and rigid insulation laid above roofing membrane Zinco profiled rubber protection mats

Pre-plumbed and finished accommodation modules Natural ventilation is achieved through areas of solid wall Glass walls with opening doors will have a steel goal post frame arrangement

Connection plate screwed / bolted to steel plate

6. Roof finishes 2 & underfloor heating Week 19

7. Roof planting & elevated walkway & canopy Week 26

8. Floating play elements

rounded column bolted to general steeel flitch plate

Wall & roof detail

Free standing balustrade concealed in roof-top planting or as support for whattle fencing 500-600mm deep planters formed in depth of laminated beam grillage External column penetrating roof deck Drainage layer, rigid insulation and protective rubber mat to plater edges Single ply membrane External grade ply to both sides of roof edge

600 X 200mm deep laminated timber beam Rigid cold-bridge insulation Concealed column/ beam connector

150 X 150mm joist layer between beams to form planters or joist layer on top of beams in areas of hard landscaping or Joist layer on top of beams in areas of hard landscaping

Edge beam profiled to provide concealed fixing for stainless steel shuffle glazing bead Insulated glass units shuffle glazed into place and silicone jointed Raked timber columns in opposing directions to negate rotational movement

Under-floor heating Rigid insulation Accommodation block heating provided by LPHW radiators

Ramps formed between various roof levels Hard landscaped areas of timber decking Soft landscaped areas established in areas of deep planting

Roof top installations are designed to be influenced and built by local residents. Timber lattice joists and decking spanning between columns provide platforms for planting/activities or fully enclosed to provide elevated play-spaces Access between floating decks by enclosed walkways/slides/climbing apparatus

Single ply membrane on plywood inverted roof

N3

OPLC North Park Hub + Playground Design Competition

Play & Landscape

Playing with natural elements

Grid
The grid of poles/reeds/trees marks the territory of the playground and forms visual continuity across the space. Each pole/reed/ tree marks a new play opportunity.

Landscape plan
PHASE TWO [extent]
king of the wetlands

new look outs

the tor the retreat the arena the stack valley of sleeping trees central hub shelter bounce and twirl adventure play swales

The playground is a childrens treasure map. Each play experience defined by either an easily understood topographical feature such as hill, stream, meadow, woodland or a recognisable playground challenge such as sand play, climbing and clambering, ropewalks etc. Children can navigate between play experiences either in sequence or random depending on their routes and desire for challenge. The Hub is the Mother ship; the safe haven of play and community spirit. The Tor is the far away challenge; the land of mystery and escape. Between these outer features lies a patchwork of unique play spaces each with a particular play focus. There is an emphasis on natural play and connection with the natural environment and a desire to find a symbiotic relationship between the ecological systems and the play experiences within the site. Significantly, the play areas are defined by a connected water course that is both an ecological and a play corridor. This boundary condition is strengthened by a strong belt of trees and vegetation that offer shade, shelter and act as a filter to the surrounding urban noise and dust. This green framework becomes the bridge between the adjacent habitats and the new play ground. Care has been taken to consider the implications of inclusive play and to scale features appropriately whilst maintaining a real sense of challenge throughout the scheme. At the same time aspects of supervision have been considered through the organisation and inter-visibility of the spaces.
Swale Barrier made of live material

Structure + Form
An elevated web of 3d play structures connect ground to roof and play space to play space. These connections hover over pockets of play defined by cellular earthworks and inviting surfaces.
Big eel - close-up Wetlands

PHASE THREE [entending play into the landscape]

PHASE ONE [extent] hub building hub play roof

explorative play

secret gardens

natural play dens

Play Landscape 5850sqm Play Roof 550sqm

Building 550sqm

The Tor

Play Spaces
A parade of defined play spaces offer a linked sequence of sensory ,creative, physical and imaginative play. Each space delivering a unique play experience. A progression occurs between more formal and structured play around the Hub to more informal and natural play towards the north.

The Retreat

Natural play

Poles and water

The Arena

The Stack

Circulation
A parade of defined play spaces offer a linked sequence of sensory creative, physical and imaginative play. Each space delivering a unique play experience. A progression occurs between more formal and structured play around the Hub to more informal and natural play towards the north.

Valley of the sleeping trees

Central Hub shelter

Imaginitive Bounce & Twirling

Water
A recirculating water system offers multiple play activities integrated with site drainage and SUDs management. From informal swales along the western edges through reed rich wetlands to the north and a more formal channel along the eastern edge each enriched with play activities and infrastructure.

Adventure Climbing & Jumping

Phase 2 Phase 1

View of Hub from play area

Green Infrastructure
A simple framework of planting articulates the play spaces and adds a dynamic ecological and seasonal envelope to the playground. A robust perimeter of trees provides scale, shelter and shade. Species rich lawns, meadows,, reeds and robust groundcovers connect and define the play spaces. All species are selected to optimise the biodiversity potential of the site.

Explorative Slide up and down

Treasure Island

Hub play roof

Lighting concept for play area

Frogs eye view - View of play area from swale

Integrated Play World

A symbiotic organisation of environmental systems with unique play experiences that establishes a new benchmark for inclusive play and ecological diversity.

Subtle lighting that expresses seasonality

View towards the wetlands from play roof

N3