CONTENTS

project 1.1 wings of desire chronogram context 1 chronogram 1 3 chronogram 2 5 project 1.2 multiplicity: one and several spaces split personalities spitalfields: a fluid population the architect: inspired by body the parkourist the parkourist: movement the parkourist: exploring the city the set film concept shot list chronogram: the architect chronogram: the parkourist post edit chronogram project 2.1 urban design project tower hamlets: spitalfields and banglatown spitalfields and banglatown context whitechapel high street: 1841 whitechapel high street: 1934 whitechapel high street: 2011 the decline of the high street the transformation of the high street high street 2012 high street 2012: aldgate high street 2012: representation local traders: interviews high street: pastness high street: simulacra 33 35 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 105 107 109 111 113 115 117 119 121 123 125 127 129 131 133 135 137 139 141 143 145 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85 89 91 93 95 97 99 101 103

project 2.2 urban design project: site site location site location: the edge of the city re-writing history a site of two sides first impressions constructing the facade facade detail existing uses high street facade in 24 hours the alley in 24 hours process: lighting the high street process: vehicle lights vehicle lights walls, floors, roofs? making marks elements of interaction 1 elements of interaction 2 elements of interaction 3 chronogram project 2.3 urban design project: building the state of the human body the body as a generator fuel for the body energy case study: pavegen energy case study: biomechanical energy harvester energy case study: automatic quartz watches energy case study: gym equipment energy case study: body heat building concept building zones refuelling station the incentive demolition salvaging history salvage yards function: a drainpipe or a climbing frame morphing facade elevation study gym pods massing energy calculations

PROJECT 1.1 WINGS OF DESIRE_CHRONOGRAM CONTEXT Wim Wenders 1987 film Wings of Desire is set in Berlin before the demolition of the dividing wall. The film is centred around invisible, immortal angels who can travel freely around the city listening to and observing the inhabitants. The angels cannot intervene directly in the human world; they cannot eat, drink, interact with physical objects or with humans except to provide subtle consoling or stirring feelings to those in distress. The angels are immortal so have no experience of time; everything is just forever. The film follows the desire of one angel to become human so he can experience the physical world for himself. He is tired of being an observer of the world and longs to be part of it and experience the feelings of a human. There is a theme of duality running through the film, that of the spiritual domain and the physical universe;.Angels exist within the spiritual domain, having no impact on the physical world and humans exist in the physical world, only linked to the spiritual domain by the human consciousness. The human consciousness is an isolated island within the spiritual universe; each human can only experience the world through their own reflection, through their own senses. Angels can only experience the physical world through observing and interpreting the thoughts and feelings of the humans.

PROJECT NUMBER PROJECT TITLE PAGE TITLE

PROJECT 1.1 WINGS OF DESIRE_CHRONOGRAM CHRONOGRAM 1

Michael De Certeau - The practice of everyday life [p.117]

A space exists when one takes into consideration vectors of direction, velocities, and time variables. Thus space is composed of intersections of mobile elements. It is in a sense actuated by the ensemble of movements deployed within it. Space occurs as the effect produced by the operations that orient it, situate it, temporalize it, and make it function in a polyvalent unity of conflictual programs or contractual proximities...In short space is a practiced place The following two drawings aim to map the relationship between time, space, movement of the characters, movement of the camera and the sounds in relation to one another within a chosen scene from the film. The Chronogram [time based drawing] acts as a site survey of the experiences juxtaposed against the physical limits of the spaces. The library clip that was chosen for these drawings took place in Hans Scharouns Staatsbibliothek. The scene mainly follows the movements of Damien, the angel who wishes to be human, as he moves through the library observing humans and other angels and becomes increasingly pained by his desire to experience the human world. The first drawing acts as an abstract representation of the spaces and camera angles while damien moves through them whereas the second image, overleaf, is a more literal representation of the scene using screenshots from the film overlaid with the movement paths of both the camera and damien. The times shown in red act as a legend to orientate the viewer within the drawing as well as linking the drawings to one another.

In this drawing (viewed as portrait) the dotted lines show the movement of the two angels which become solid lines when the camera is showing their point of view. The arrowed lines show the direction of the camera when it moves independently of the angels. The glowing spheres show positions where the angels have a period of intense reflection listening to the thoughts of the humans which are represented by the soft blurred lines and rings. The white stars show places where there is interaction between two or more angels and the red text indicates that elapsed time within the movie scene. 3 4

PROJECT 1.1 WINGS OF DESIRE_CHRONOGRAM CHRONOGRAM 2

In this drawing the blue line represents damiens movements and the white line represents the movements of the camera. The tinted blue screenshots show when the camera takes on damiens point of view.

PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES SPLIT PERSONALITIES A schizophrenic out for a walk is a better model than a neurotic lying on the analysts couch

The Anti-Oedipus, Deleuze and Guattari

everyone has different characteristics, personalities and behaviour depending on where we are, what we are doing or who we are with. is it possible for one person to utilise these split personalities as a tool during analysis and design of architecture? continuing the theme of duality that was so explicit within wings of desire the following project looks at how one space can be perceived differently (or similarly) by two contrasting personalities which could be the personalities of two people or just the split schizophrenic personality of one person.

split personality - tank

PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES SITE CONTEXT: SPIALFIELDS, A FLUID POPULATION

in the 17th century french protestant refuges settled in the spitalfields area after the revocation of the edict of nantes. to avoid the restrictive legislation of the city guilds they settled on the edge of the city in spitalfields. the huguenots were skilled in silk weaving and brought this industry with them to the area. during the late 17th and 18th centuries large terraced houses were being built to accommodate the wealthy master weavers.

the 1730s saw the growth in the local irish population as weavers moved into spitalfields after the decline in the irish linen trade. the spitalfields silk trade went into decline because of the availability of cheaper silks from france. in 1769 riots caused by the depression led to both an irish and a huguenot weaver being hanged in bethnal green. the victorian era saw a further decline in the silk trade and the large dwellings once home to master weavers and merchants became multi-occupied slums. spitalfields became a by-word for urban deprivation. by 1860 the silk trade was dead, making way for new industry led by a new wave of immigrants.

the jewish population came to london to flee the pogroms of eastern europe in the late 19th century. they worked in the textile and furniture industry and also set up their own synagogues, kosher butchers and restaurants, giving the area a distinctly jewish feel. as the wealth of the jews increased they started to move out in groups to golders green, hendon and finchley.

in the 1970s and 80s bangladeshi men were entering britain looking for work. this brought a new wave of immigrants to the area. more overcrowding occurred as the typically large bangladeshi families were squeezed into small apartments. brick lane has become known as the curry capital of london with over 60% of the population of spitalfields made up of bangladeshis.

there is one building in the area which has followed this immigration pattern as it happened in the area. the current jamme masjid mosque on brick lane, once a french protestant church, serving the huguenots, became a synagogue, serving the jewish population and is now a mosque, frequented by the bangladeshi population.

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PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES THE ARCHITECT INSPIRED BY BODY architecture depends on order, arrangement, eurythmy, symmetry, propriety, and economy. order gives due measure to the members of a work considered separately, and symmetrical agreement to the proportions of the whole. it is an adjustment according to quantity. by this i mean the selection of modules from the members of the work itself and, starting from these individual parts of members, constructing the whole work to correspond. arrangement includes the putting of things in their proper places and the elegance of effect which is due to adjustments appropriate to the character of the work. its forms of expressionare these: groundplan, elevation, and perspective. a groundplan is made by the proper successive use of compasses and rule, through which we get outlines for the plane surfaces of buildings. an elevation is a picture of the front of a building, set upright and properly drawn in the proportions of the contemplated work. perspective is the method of sketching a front with the sides withdrawing into the background, the lines all meeting in the centre of a circle. eurythmy is beauty and fitness in the adjustments of the members. this is found when the members of a work are of a height suited to their breadth, of a breadth suited to their length, and, in a word, when they all correspond symmetrically. symmetry is a proper agreement between the members of the work itself, and relation between the different parts and the whole general scheme, in accordance with a certain part selected as standard. thus in the human body there is a kind of symmetrical harmony between forearm, foot, palm, finger, and other small parts; and so it is with perfect buildings. in the case of temples, symmetry may be calculated from the thickness of a column, from a triglyph, or even from a module; in the ballista, from the hole; in a ship, from the space between the tholepins; and in other things, from various members. propriety is that perfection of style which comes when a work is authoritatively constructed on approved principles. it arises from prescription, from usage, or from nature... propriety arises from usage when buildings having magnificent interiors are provided with elegant entrance-courts to correspond; for there will be no propriety in the spectacle of an elegant interior approached by a low, mean entrance. or, if dentils be carved in the cornice of the Doric entablature or triglyphs represented in the Ionic entablature over the cushion-shaped capitals of the columns, the effect will be spoilt by the transfer of the peculiarities of the one order of building to the other, the usage in each class having been fixed long ago. vitruvius, ten books on architecture vetruvio, architect, puts in his work on architecture that the measurements of man are in nature distributed in this manner, that is a palm is four fingers. a foot is four palms. a cubit is six palms. four cubits make a man. a pace is four cubits. a man is 24 palms and these measurements are in his buildings if you open your legs enough that your head is lowered by one-fourteenth of your height and raise your hands enough that your extended fingers touch the line of the top of your head, know that the centre of the extended limbs will be the navel, and the space between the legs will be an equilateral triangle. the length of the outspread arms is equal to the height of a man. from the hairline to the bottom of the chin is one-tenth of the height of a man. from below the chin to the top of the head is oneeighth of the height of a man. from above the chest to the top of the head is one-sixth of the height of a man. from above the chest to the hairline is one-seventh of the height of a man. the maximum width of the shoulders is a quarter of the height of a man. from the breasts to the top of the head is a quarter of the height of a man. the distance from the elbow to the tip of the hand is a quarter of the height of a man. the distance from the elbow to the armpit is one-eighth of the height of a man. the length of the hand is one-tenth of the height of a man. the root of the penis is at half the height of a man. the foot is one-seventh of the height of a man. from below the foot to below the knee is a quarter of the height of a man. from below the knee to the root of the penis is a quarter of the height of a man. the distances from the below the chin to the nose and the eyebrows and the hairline are equal to the ears and to one-third of the face. leonardo da vinci, vitruvian accademia, venice (1485-90) man, galleria dell

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PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES THE PARKOURIST its a way of transforming the city, you cant change it physically, you cant go and move the lamp post or the staircase, but you can change the way you look at it and the way you use it.
signe hojbjerre, team jiyo free runners 2004

architecture is as much about events that take place in spaces as the spaces themselves
bernard tschumi, 1999

parkourists/traceurs/freerunners embrace the city and find new ways of experiencing it and travelling through it in the most direct route possible. they embrace obstacles as opportunities within a concrete playground of immense potential ian borden, 2000 parkour as we know it today originated in the early 90s from the games of david belle and sebastien foucan. during their childhood they would practice their movement le art du deplacement as they described it at the time. for over a decade they practiced with a small group of friends as an isolated unit, reviled by the authorities and seen as wildmen by the public. draw a straight line on a map of your home town. start from point a, and go to point b. do not consider the elements as obstacles. hug them: climb, get over, jump: let your imagination flow sebastien foucan, 2003 their inspiration for this new movement through the urban environment may have come form david belles father who undertook the training methods of georges hebert whilst serving in the french military. herberts methods were inspired by the natural, physical conditioning of indigenous peoples from africa in particular dan edwardes,
2011

it is clear that parkours birth is not a straight line, although david belle and sebastien foucan can be seen as being responsible for bringing it out of the shadows onto the world stage it has most definitely been around for thousands of years. the art of moving across an environment in the quickest way possible would no doubt have been practiced by hunters many years ago. it is not simplified into one category; it is not just a sport, a philosophy, an art or means of travel; it is all of these things combined into one discipline. it is a new way of seeing and interacting with your surroundings. the city will reveal itself to a parkourist in ways the normal public would struggle to understand.

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PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES THE PARKOURIST: MOVEMENT movement is movement, and it is mastery of ones own movement that one should seek through the practise of Parkour dan edwardes, 2011 a jump is never an end in itself, what we call a following is needed after a jump, to be able to link with another move, to be always active sebastien foucan 2003 flow is a concept that is deeply routed in the practice of parkour. the parkourist is always interested in going forward and doing this in a smooth, fluid motion. it is about looking ahead and preparing yourself for what is coming next. parkour is often represented in films with the big moves, the money shots and the practitioners seem to be doing these extreme moves in isolation but this is not what parkour is inherently about. it is often the part of parkour that the viewer gets excited about but it is much deeper than just showing off a move that could be learn in a gym; it is about the flow through the environment and the art of movement. there are a set of basic moves which the parkourist will utilise to get over, around, below or through an obstacle. these moves form the basis for the movement but are open to interpretation and improvisation. they are what a beginner will start off learning but the experienced parkourist will have thousands of variations of the moves that respond to their environment; it is not a sport which dumbly regurgitates the same sequences and events. parkour is a new way of thinking and expressing oneself. it is an understanding of ones own body, of its limitations but mainly of the possibilities that come out of having complete control over yourself. it is an innate, effortless way of moving that utilises the entire body as a whole rather than consciously employing isolated muscle groups. the elusive flow state dan edwardes, 2011 where these movements are performed is crucial to the understanding of how parkour not only writes over preexisting narratives of space, place, and time, but to how the practice establishes its own narrative force zoe laughlin, 2004

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PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES THE PARKOURIST: EXPLORING THE CITY i met up with two parkourists, friends of friends, in the spitalfields/liverpool street area of the city. i didnt want to influence their decisions on where to go or what to do so i was very vague on what i wanted from them, telling them just that i was making a film on architecture and parkour and let them take the lead. i hung back and followed them for the most part and it was incredibly interesting to watch them walk around and assess different areas for practicing their discipline. their eyes would be darting around, heads scanning up and down, side to side, completely in contrast to the 6 oclock commuter zombies. we would stop at a spot and they would wander around touching, stroking and pulling on rails, walls, benches, lampposts, scaffolding, fences, every part of the built environment, intimately experiencing it. they would stop and look at an object and run through the possibilities in their head, often physically going through it with their limbs but standing on the spot; seeing their bodies move into different positions before they did it for real. nothing was out of bounds, everything was a new challenge. it didnt matter that people were calling them nutters and pointing and staring, they were in their own zone, at one with the environment and at one with their bodies. it was all about the challenge and having fun. one of the guys had been out injured for two weeks and the day before could not even touch his toes. when i suggested to him that he could have sat out for the evening so not to risk doing any further damged he just responded i wouldnt want to, i love parkour, it is what i live for.

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19 the rectangular box of the nave is surmounted at its west end by a broad tower of three stages topped by a steeple. the tuscan porch with its semi circular pediment is bluntly attached to the west end: it was a late addition to the design intended to add further support to the tower. christ church was built under an Act of parliament of 1711 which required the building of fifty new churches to serve the new populations on the fringes of london. Hawksmoors work has been woven into a parallel history of londons underworld, particularly his Christ Church Spitalfields, near which Jack the ripper performed his grisly murders. published in 1975, iain sinclairs feverish poem lud Heat suggests that the sites of hawksmoors london churches form an invisible geometry of power lines in the city, corresponding to an egyptian hieroglyph. peter ackroyd built on this myth a decade later with his murder thriller hawksmoor; and more recently, graphic novelist alan moore threw his pointy hat into the ring with the encyclopaedic From Hell.
steve rose, the guardian, september 2006

PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES THE SET

the central space of the nave is organised around two axes, the shorter originally emphasised by two entrances of which only that to the south remains. it has a richly decorated flat ceiling and is lit by a clerestory. the aisles are roofed with elliptical barrel-vaults carried on a raised composite order, the same order is used for the screens across the east and west ends.

the church appeals to the parkourist because of its varying levels, plinths, rails, and projecting surfaces and mouldings that can act as foot and hand holds. the church to them becomes a playground, they see the individual objects that they can interact with and link together through their journey.

i chose nicholas hawksmoors christchurch at spitalfields as the set for the first film as it has a strong appeal to both personalities. the architect appreciates the form and proportions of the building, inspired by the etchings and engravings of ancient rome; the classical orders which took their proportions from the harmonious proportions of the human body.

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PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES FILM CONCEPT the concept of this film is based around the idea of parkour being a hit and run choreography; the parkourist is often seen to invade the architects realm. the film looks at the parkourist as an explorer in the space created by the architect. it is about how a space that was conceived in one way by one person can be used in a multitude of different ways that could never have been imagined by the creator. wil alsop once said about parkour that it corrupts the original use but rather than corrupting this film looks at how parkour can enhance a space by writing over the preconceptions that people have of a place. the church is still appreciated as a monumental structure of worship but the parkourist adds another layer to its history.

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PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES SHOT LIST Catenient, num, cuptati nctatus, consequo ma si sitas eatempere posam simi, ut maion possi as ium ad eum re repudan ihicae sitaessit, simagniscid et escipistio imus et ab intur simusdae prent el ma dentemp elender fererferro vent. Parunt aut aceaqui unt ium erfere sam, cum, solupta temporior most, quaeri doluptate sam que ommodipit, am velest, cum entestis re lab il es ab id moles moluptatet maio magnat aut essin conse net dolore, soloremodit iunt et omnihil et faces quiae rem ute net eum quaspe quis re prae eumquam qui veliquide dis dolupti onsenis perunto ratus. Ati reraestios que doluptatur sandis eosam verum volorae estio int lab ium et a sus. Id magnihi liquas is estia velese conseque nus et atium eost et, num que verum quatur? Qui corae sum landam sequi qui quas amus rem enis molum susam, ommolescia et, te liassimus ium harum hilibeatur? Oluptaqui as re arcienditate et faccum es volende id molut eos re, que odi te et aspellorisin nos adis experrorem fugit officiur? Elluptiunto dolliquiate voluptur, ne et ma deligent ea sequia num quis eos ea cus dernam eosae pligent isi rem neture cusciet molestionem. Et mint pos accus, qui te pa pa aspitas imporatur? Odi ulles estios dus sapis minctatia derum, cullessitae optaspe ribus. Ximinis voloreseque et acepediant, nosaperum ut laborit que cus volo odit et reseribus, officiis doluptatis quaes cus, omnihicitam rae. Temqui adi cus molorrumqui illigen imint, simus etus nonsequist, aboritibus et pro vitemped ea dus alicia vellorerum quatem id que quiassiti im volum aut fuga. Ut et doluptae laciatio expereiunt aut ea coresectur? Quia dit labo. Equas acia id que porias maxim quamus aspel et harum que et od qui si ut aut veliam nonsed magnimus, seque serumquatio. Ribus a consedi tionsequae viditi debis utemperum hil int verum rem qui reperferunt int minis di consequo quiatur, voluptatia velibus min nobitata conseque vendiania vitia cus quae nis iur sinctur sumquos comnis etur, sit, tem quat magnis sequaec taspernam idunt ium que vella dem re cum et, arum, iuntiis sum qui dolorerae. Neque consequam is ellant. Ita quo et, cus dolorernati to coriaspit ex etur, optatis mod quateceprat ipit vento blacia incipsa in pellatemo id molland itatemquia illorec aerio. Neque poria corepel eos min et erion pliquo to quiae volores debit et re porrum, consequis eserum invelit venistium duciet odisqui commolu ptatessunt ratus et eatiandam quam, ute sum faccabo. Ga. Nequiae ma sae ipis se pa coritatur, seque JUMP AND ROLL FROM PLINTH/VAULT OFF PLINTH shot from courtyard chest camera - pause at edge close up of landing from railings shot from behind at plinth level CLIMB ONTO PLINTH shot from courtyard close up of hands and feet on plinth chest camera low level view from bottom of column CAT JUMP BETWEEN COLUMNS low level view angled up stairs beneath portico looking away from church vertical shot from directly below VAULT RAIL camera on the end of rail close up of hands panning shot from courtyard close up of feet landing chest camera WALK ON HANDS ALONG PLINTH low level shot looking along plinth low level shot from courtyard with church in background WALK ON HANDS BEHIND COLUMNS panning shot from centre of courtyard SIT ON STEPS, REACH OUT TO RAIL high level shot, above eye level in courtyard view from on top of plinth looking down RUN UP HANDRAIL camera on end of handrail view perpendicular to handrail FLIP IN FRONT OF CHURCH DOOR straight on from gates view look down portico, between columns chest camera WALK OUT OF CHURCH view from gates low level close up of feet on steps RUN HAND ALONG WALL/RAILINGS close up shot panning shot tracking hand movement ARCHITECTURAL SHOTS view from gates, pan up to top of spire pan up from bottom of column in portico, pan up to roof 360 panoramic within courtyard approach to the church filming feet pan past the front of church, around railings

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PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES CHRONOGRAM: THE ARCHITECT the architect sees the overall composition of carefully placed objects with their inter-related proportions and harmonies. they view each part of the building in relation to all the other parts. in the classical architecture all the proportions can be related back to the diameter of the columns; the columns are 7 diameters high and the spacing between the centre columns is 3.5 diameters, the outer columns are spaced at 2 diameters. the mind of the architect is always looking up, tracing the lines of the building which guide the eye towards the monumental spire, pointing to the gods. the architectural shots in the film were set up to follow these lines traced by the eye across the building. the architect appreciates from a distance.

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PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: ONE AND SEVERAL SPACES CHRONOGRAM: THE PARKOURIST the parkourist pictures themselves in the space, they see the architecture as a series of objects that they need to travel over, under or around in order to get to their destination. they analyse each obstacle in terms of what their body can achieve; what is the most efficient way to get past that object and continue their journey. they have a deep understanding of their own body and picture themselves moving through the space via a series of moves that they have practiced and performed on different obstacles many times. they see only the objects that they interact with or that have an effect on the body. they are moving quickly through the space, there is no time to stop and gaze at anything not in their path or out of reach of the body. they break down the space into individual, isolated objects.

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PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: TIMELINE POST EDIT CHRONOGRAM

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PROJECT 1.2 MULTIPLICITY: TIMELINE POST EDIT CHRONOGRAM

the chronogram represents the film as a series of frames within the setting of the church, set against the timeline. it aims to show the movement of the parkourist through the spaces which are gazed upon by the architect.

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT TOWER HAMLETS: SPITALFIELDS AND BANGLATOWN tower hamlets in the london context 6.1 tower hamlets occupies a key position within london, with the city to the west and the opportunities offered by an area defined as the east thames corridor (stretching from tower bridge on both sides of the thames into essex and kent), to the east. the development of docklands in particular has placed tower hamlets at the centre of londons future, providing new homes and entertainment but perhaps most dramatically of all, a new business centre for the capital. tower hamlets occupies a position at the centre of improvements to the infrastructure of the capital (covering road and rail). this combined with the continuance of major development opportunities places tower hamlets in a key position to shift the direction of development in the capital to the east. 6.2 in recent years there has been a massive amount of investment in commercial development in the borough, targeted at city functions, with more planned in the future. this is matched by an equally significant investment programme in road and rail infrastructure to service this growth. these processes will link the borough physically and functionally to the city and the west end. with these changes the character of parts of the borough will change to resemble more closely that of the central area. the plan has been formulated to recognise the growing importance of tower hamlets to the national and international functions of the capital. 6.3 tower hamlets is also located at the gateway to the east thames corridor, an area identified by serplan and the government as an under-used asset which needs to be developed to its full potential. the area has a number of natural strengths: access to central london and east coast ports, an abundance of land for development and its proximity to the channel and through this, to europe. the area contains a series of development sites terminating at docklands, together with proposals for major infrastructure improvements. realising the areas potential will take a number of years but central government has committed itself to assessing this potential and is preparing proposals on the future of the area. the implications of these proposals for tower hamlets will be incorporated into future revisions to the plan. 6.4 tower hamlets is at the centre of londons transport improvements. it lies within easy reach of londons newest international airports: at stanstead, and london city airport at the royal docks in newham. major transport infrastructure investment in road and rail (including the fast rail link to the channel tunnel) is taking place or planned for, or adjacent to, the borough. 6.5 tower hamlets, therefore, enjoys a singularly good location at a pivotal point between existing growth in the west and future growth to the east, which will enable it to benefit from new investment in london and the south east in terms of improved employment, shopping, leisure and cultural activities. the plan sets a context to enable these changes to be accommodated satisfactorily using the existing resources of the borough, in terms of land, and physical and social infrastructure. 6.6 the policies of the plan must also enable the borough to take advantage of these opportunities while ensuring that residents enjoy the benefits of these changes, and that the amenity and environment of the borough generally are protected and enhanced. 6.7 one of the means of ensuring that the amenity of residents and the environment are protected is to ensure that economic growth takes place in a balanced way. tower hamlets cannot achieve this on its own. it has therefore co-operated with other boroughs and through lpac and others, to agree a common approach to the development of londons central area. this approach includes the location of growth areas for particular central london functions; such as policies for transport, parking and for the environment. this approach is fully reflected in this plan.
tower hamlets udp, p.11

the city:london

the borough: tower hamlets

the ward: spitalfields and banglatown the udp introduction to the tower hamlets borough reads as a sales pitch to potential investors. it is selling the area as a servant to the city; what the city wants tower hamlets will give. the needs of the residents and small businesses feel like an after thought. tower hamlets is committed to developing the city functions and will ensure that residents enjoy the benefits of these changes although there is no mention of development primarilary for the local residents such as improvement to housing or community functions. the development is primarily to serve the city.

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high street typography

PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT SPITALFIELDS AND BANGLATOWN CONTEXT spitalfields and banglatown: overview

social and private residential

spitalfields and banglatown: residential buildings

wayfinding?

the banglatown and spitalfields ward sits in the south west edge of the borough and has the lowest population of all the tower hamlets wards. it has the third lowest average age of all the wards and lowest number of dwellings. it sits in an interesting position within london, not only does it have its own unique history of immigrants and culture but it also sits right on the edge of the city of london; on the city fringe. developments for the city are encroaching into the ward and are being actively encouraged by the tower hamlets council for economic reasons. there is a tension in the area between commercial development and cultural identity. to the east is the olympic park which places spitalfields and banglatown on an import route to the 2012 olympic venues, thousands of tourists will be passing through the area in 2012 on their way to the olympic stadiums. thousands of tourists already visit the area as the curry capital of the uk on the famous brick lane, for the east london graffiti scene and to visit spitalfields market. 35

HOUSING: TENURE

social housing and housing association housing account for the highest proportion of housing types in spital fields and banglatown and 38% of homes are classed as overcrowded. the homes in the area, especially the large proportion of high rise flats were not designed for the typically large bangladeshi families that have moved to the area. it is common for extended families to live under one roof. in rachel lichtensteins book on brick lane see speaks of a bangladeshi family living in flat where the bathroom also serves as a kitchen by placing a sheet of plywood over the bath as a kitchen surface.

HOUSING: OVERCROWDING

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education facilites relationship

PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT SPITALFIELDS AND BANGLATOWN CONTEXT spitalfields and banglatown: education buildings

religion and ethnicity

spitalfields and banglatown: religious buildings

population: age

population: religion

there are a number of primary schools in the ward but no secondary schools; these are located in the surrounding wards. just under 87% of pupils went onto post 16 further education in 2010, with 75.2% of pupils gaining 5 a*-c grades at gsce level, just 0.1% below the national average. the largest proportion of people in the area fall into the 16-29 year old category. the area is seen as a trendy place to live in london which is attracting a lot of young people to the area. there is also a large student population with london metropolitan university and a number of london colleges having campuses in the area. 37

the area has had a very fluid population with a number of migrant communities settling in the area over the past centuries. currently the majority of the population living in spitalfields and banglatown are bangladeshi, 58%, followed by the british population, only 34%. the bangladeshi community make up a large proportion of the muslim community in the area, which is the most practice religion in the ward. this has led to a number of mosques appearing in the area, as well as the london muslim centre on whitechapel high street.

education: post 16 education

population: ethnicity 38

NEW AND EXISTING GREEN/PUBLIC SPACE

PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT SPITALFIELDS AND BANGLATOWN CONTEXT spitalfields and banglatown: green spaces spitalfields and banglatown is quite a dense ward with few green spaces, the largest being altab ali park on whitechapel high street. the streets around brick lane are narrow and filled with dense terraces. towards spitalfields market and liverpool street there are hard landscaped courtyard areas enclosed by office buildings, these areas, however, are lacking in character and very much feel like part of the city of london, rather than banglatown. spaces for outdoor exercise and sports are limited. even skateboarders and urban sports are limited in the area with security guards patrolling the office areas. the lack of exercise space and green areas must have an affect on the residents. recent research has established evidence to support the benefits of a greener environment; studies have shown correlations between the interaction with nature and crime rates, adhd, and mental health; problems that have been increasing significantly in the last century. this puts importance on not only providing external spaces within developments but also allowing these spaces to be green. Compared with housing blocks that had little or no vegetation, housing blocks with high levels of greenery had 48 per cent fewer property crimes and 56 per cent fewer violent crimes. Greenery helps people to relax and renew, reducing aggression. Green spaces also bring people together outdoors, which increases surveillance and discourages criminals. frances kuo, mental health benefits unemployment in spitalfields and banglatown is 19%, much higher than the uk average of 8.3%. however the highest proportion of people in the area are employed at high levels as professionals and in managerial positions. this outlines one of the main themes of the area - the vast gap between the rich and the poor in terms of socioeconomic factors but their close proximity in terms of geographic location of the city of london and spital fields and banglatown. some of the residents live in overcrowded, poor housing whilst a few metres down the road large skyscrapers are being built to house some of the richest corporations in the world. this can be seen as the city of london encroaches into the eastern edge of spitalfields and banglatown. historic terraces have been demolished at the east end of whitechapel high street to make way for new office buildings.

office and industry

spitalfields and banglatown: offices, banks and industry

from nature - associate professor: landscape and human health lab, university of illinois.

not only is it thought that providing outside space increases surveillance and reduces crime but providing areas where residents of an area can exercise will lead to more people taking part in these activities and promote a healthier lifestyle. these spaces for exercise dont necessarily have to be green spaces, they can be cycle routes, running routes, skate parks or community leisure centres. the mire readily available these spaces become to the population the more likely they are to be utilised.

population: socio-economic status 39 40

COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIP TO HIGH STREET

PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT SPITALFIELDS AND BANGLATOWN CONTEXT spitalfields and banglatown: high streets

Conservation area and listed buildnings

spitalfields and banglatown: listed buildings and conservation areas

historically commercial street, brick lane and whitechapel high street have been densely packed with shops, restaurants and public houses, whilst this is still the case along brick lane the shops along the other high streets are thinning out. where there used to be long thin buildings on terraced plots housing butchers, bakers, tailors there are now vast office buildings or construction sites. the small independent shops are moving away from whitechapel high street in particular and, where they havent been replaced by office buildings, large chain shops are moving in, taking up multiple plots to create an imposing presence on the high street. a high proportion of the remaining small retail units are vacant and to let; a commentary on the general state of things in the recession, but also by the value of the land being pushed up by the encroaching development of the city. the city corporations can afford to pay large amounts for plots of land; pushing out independent retailers in the process and the historical buildings that house them. brick lane has been designated as conservation area, adding a layer of protection between it and the city. whitechapel high street has been designated as a conservation area but only in 1998 when many of the historic terraces had already been lost to new development. the conservation area weaves around these office buildings, leaving them out of the protected zone; the conservation area report even states that these buildings have ruined the fine grain of the high street. yet since the allocation of the conservation area more historic buildings have been demolished to make way for large scale offices, the most recent gaining planning permission in 2008 for a 19 storey office building bounded by whitechapel high street, leman street and commercial road.

the brick lane and fournier street conservation area is one of the most important historic areas in london. it was designated in july 1969 as fournier street. it was extended in 1978 and again in 1998, when its name was changed to reflect brick lanes contribution to the character of the area...it contains some of the most architecturally and historically significant buildings in the borough, including the exceptional group of 18th century houses around fournier street. they comprise the most important early georgian quarter in england and include christ church spitalfields, designed by nicholas hawksmoor. brick lane itself is home to a diverse mix of fashion, art, entertainment, retail and start-up businesses. the richness and complexity of the areas character today is due to many factors, not least the overlapping cultural legacy of three successive groups of immigrants, each of which has made a unique contribution to the area. the quality of the townscape today is also due to a committed local community which has acted to protect and restore historic buildings at risk.

brick lane and fournier street conservation area report, tower hamlets

the boundaries of the conservation area follow the historic footprints of buildings set on long, narrow plots, some amalgamated in twos and threes, but always presenting a narrow street frontage in relation to their depth. more contemporary buildings, set on plots with a far wider street frontage, interrupt the fine grain of the historic fabric and have been omitted from the conservation area. the area contains individually significant buildings and collectively the surviving pre-war townscape is of historic and architectural importance, worthy of preservation and enhancement.
whitechapel high street conservation area report, tower hamlets

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET: 1841

in 1841 the high street was a dense strip of terrace buildings housing butchers, bakers, tailors, drapers, cheesemongers, coach makers, saddlers, confectioners, chemists...it was a bustling haymarket and the hub of the local community.

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET: 1934

by 1934 the high street was already becoming less dense, a section of terraces on the southern side of the high street had been demolished to make way for a new road network and trams had been introduced to the area. a wide range of services were still available on the high street.

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET: 2011 Catenient, num, cuptati nctatus, consequo ma si sitas eatempere posam simi, ut maion possi as ium ad eum re repudan ihicae sitaessit, simagniscid et escipistio imus et ab intur simusdae prent el ma dentemp elender fererferro vent. Parunt aut aceaqui unt ium erfere sam, cum, solupta temporior most, quaeri doluptate sam que ommodipit, am velest, cum entestis re lab il es ab id moles moluptatet maio magnat aut essin conse net dolore, soloremodit iunt et omnihil et faces quiae rem ute net eum quaspe quis re prae eumquam qui veliquide dis dolupti onsenis perunto ratus. Ati reraestios que doluptatur sandis eosam verum volorae estio int lab ium et a sus. Id magnihi liquas is estia velese conseque nus et atium eost et, num que verum quatur? Qui corae sum landam sequi qui quas amus rem enis molum susam, ommolescia et, te liassimus ium harum hilibeatur? Oluptaqui as re arcienditate et faccum es volende id molut eos re, que odi te et aspellorisin nos adis experrorem fugit officiur? Elluptiunto dolliquiate voluptur, ne et ma deligent ea sequia num quis eos ea cus dernam eosae pligent isi rem neture cusciet molestionem. Et mint pos accus, qui te pa pa aspitas imporatur? Odi ulles estios dus sapis minctatia derum, cullessitae optaspe ribus. Ximinis voloreseque et acepediant, nosaperum ut laborit que cus volo odit et reseribus, officiis doluptatis quaes cus, omnihicitam rae. Temqui adi cus molorrumqui illigen imint, simus etus nonsequist, aboritibus et pro vitemped ea dus alicia vellorerum quatem id que quiassiti im volum aut fuga. Ut et doluptae laciatio expereiunt aut ea coresectur? Quia dit labo. Equas acia id que porias maxim quamus aspel et harum que et od qui si ut aut veliam nonsed magnimus, seque serumquatio. Ribus a consedi tionsequae viditi debis utemperum hil int verum rem qui reperferunt int minis di consequo quiatur, voluptatia velibus min nobitata conseque vendiania vitia cus quae nis iur sinctur sumquos comnis etur, sit, tem quat magnis sequaec taspernam idunt ium que vella dem re cum et, arum, iuntiis sum qui dolorerae. Neque consequam is ellant. Ita quo et, cus dolorernati to coriaspit ex etur, optatis mod quateceprat ipit vento blacia incipsa in pellatemo id molland itatemquia illorec aerio. Neque poria corepel eos min et erion pliquo to quiae volores debit et re porrum, consequis eserum invelit venistium duciet odisqui commolu ptatessunt ratus et eatiandam quam, ute sum faccabo. Ga. Nequiae ma sae ipis se pa coritatur, seque

2011, today the high street is much less dense, the long narrow plots have been replaced with much wider plots fronting on to the high street. the new office buildings have a dominating presence over the pavement; their facades are unwelcoming and secure. empty plots litter the high street; historical buildings have been demolished but building has not yet begun on the new skyscrapers. there are fewer services to for the local community, a high proportion of shops are closing down or vacant. it is no longer a hub for the local people, the shop and restaurant owners say the trade is just passing trade now.

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT THE DECLINE OF THE HIGH STREET

high street 1841

pubs/restaurants groceries/dairy/butcher fabrics chemist clothing printing financial other these diagrams represent the decline of the high street from 1841. whitechapel high street was once a thriving high street, but like many high streets in the country its status as a shopping hub is diminishing. this is to do with many factors; the rise in online shopping, an increase in out of town shopping centres, the development of the supermarket. however whitechapel high street has another factor which is contributing to its demise. the city of london is encroaching on the high street, the city itself is expanding and needs somewhere to go, spitalfields and banglatown sits on the city fringe and tower hamlets have identified the area as an opportunity area for new development. the new development consists of large scale office buildings serving the city. the role of the high street has shifted from providing services to the local community to providing land for the expansion of the city. the diagrams represent the services provided along the high street, in 1841 it was the only place you would need to go for all your shopping requirements, now the high street is sparsely populated with shops. the tightly packed terraces have been demolished to make way for new development. only one building has remained unchanged in its use since 1841; the white hart on the northern side of the high street. at least one service is still being provided to the local community...

high street 1934

high street 2011

the survivor

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE HIGH STREET

buildings demolished since 1841

surviving buildings from 1841

newly constructed buildings

as these diagrams show, very few buildings have survived since 1841, a lot of new buildings have been constructed on the high street and a lot of new construction is underway. the face of the high street is ever changing and will continue to change for the future. the conservation area allocation in 1998 may serve to protect the remain historical buildings but the high street will never regain the character it once had; the few remaining buildings sit as isolated islands amongst the dominating new developments.

construction sites in 2011

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT HIGH STREET 2012

high street 2012 is an ambitious programme to enhance and celebrate the ribbon of london life that connects the city at aldgate to the olympic park at stratford. the project combines a series of area-based initiatives that respond to specific places along the route with street actions that cover the whole stretch to create a coherent thread that unites the intersecting high streets. the various projects that form part of high street 2012 will create a thriving high street of which london can be proud and which the world will admire, where there is a balance between pedestrians and other road users, where people and places are connected, where locals and visitors want to be, and where there is a sense of history, diversity, community, fun and well being.
high street 2012

despite the marathon not passing along the route, the high street 2012 initiative is still going ahead. it is still the main route to the olympic games and will be an important part of the london olympic games. there are overall initiatives along the entire route which involve; historic buildings. this strand of work will repair, restore and reinstate historic buildings and shop-fronts to celebrate the streets heritage and create a better sense of place. green thread. to enhance the environment for locals and visitors this street action will create a green thread running along the high street by intensifying existing green space and creating new pockets of greenery. lighting. not only will this activity light up the route, but it will also bring the high street and its jewels to life. the improved lighting will provide unity as well as underpin and emphasise the area-based initiatives, taking the existing urban context into account. street surfaces. this activity will provide improved surfaces for pedestrians using materials which complement local character and features. wayfinding. this street action aims to complement navigational signage with more subtle and intuitive interventions that use existing features of the streetscape to provide a sense of direction and point to places of interest both obvious and hidden. de-cluttering. high street 2012 project partner transport for london (tfl) has recently undertaken work to remove unnecessary street furniture along the a11 corridor in order to improve the built environment.

they are also undertaking area based initiatives along the route. the spitalfields and banglatown area has been identified by the high street 2012 team as aldgate, which is the first section of the route and the gateway to high street 2012.

its fitting that there will be a wonderful, vibrant avenue leading to londons 2012 legacy in the east of the city.
boris johnson, mayor of london

high street 2012 is an initiative set out to prepare the route along the a11 from the centre of london to the olympic park in stratford for the visitors to the olympic games in the summer of 2012. originally the olympic marathon was going to pass along the a11 to the olympic park but the route was changed by the olympic organisers, locog, who said it was looking to create the best experience for spectators and athletics and to profile london, a reason that has been criticised by many within the city. the olympic games were won on the basis that they were going to be regenerating east london, bringing a fresh face to a rather run-down area, part of our capital. it does seem rather ridiculous that the olympics should turn its back on it for one of the main events.
john biggs, london assembly

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT HIGH STREET 2012: ALDGATE

0, a 01 he 2 f ry nd t t o ace a a ar sp ru eb ons y p il f i in l u in but ous anq rk i wo vi tr ed o et ontr pre re l c wh o s mp wa a m ple co 106 , s s hat es peo nd rk k wa or w vid d la the g pa r ct on ro an of s. pin k p et t pa se ts e e ip ding sca par w tors e r i no r st tre vat k s i st uil and he e m s pri ar and vis l w t th s ha am p m ro ce b rd of a , r to t i by ew te br rah ts ha na ffi ir b ded e n sys den e sign don t i ing the a o th n n h si on ll , de lon bu oi ng e fu a. t oad re ts y ta eel the of nts adj ati y th el g r al d y i b l s f n p s e e n b c e 12 e k i city sid th on ay echa ssi . bu r lo ea. t 20 ar ides rat ith s e om d t p r pa ere o w the r r fr fo e artree pe the whi ne et th s orp es o s th h h s e l f o t g tr bo y c lin hin rk ker ona of the any rk s n hi t o it pa er d k m si o a pa ha ed o a v gle d w a h sm cca mos lin s t a k o or s o br an an oun as it ou ven l k ha rp e f ld d w the d f as n bvi s e f r a o s i h so ate nd owe pa d sh tho is l s a ad and not ere u g h an mic it pop n th is rs gs i mi st. ly ild ove din it hat we arse bu is uil lf. et t b se e sp fice it ng it str . di f ch o n n et gh lu rrou tre hi su gh s the hi ong al

rk pa i he al b or t ill w ta d al ng f at tan h t ti s e t o a t s d t th ne r se rea ed o n e t a a s pl ett ng t u ea r i ha e a ar a b eat t e th ts ng, w s rch f e ry en u to em anti d n ch y o v f his y an he tor ro pl t mu rk y the uni in pa imp ee ent f t his b . o e m nd r um i of t n e rk s om u 11 al h pa 20 ptur a c fo b ies new mo ion g t e of t r ca ta n r s. cts th be al ser ing ina nda ngi u ri d em o re ent efa in ect was can v t a clu d m fo b t s id rt no t ff t in ahee the te, n med res e a ion g e wha tha it e i i e e 2 i h lat in ts h ce r s t s a a ut al ed ay 01 r st wer r the . t 2 et ect loc and tal aye spec a w ty b t he e s gh pl e l re in hi ings f t gs om proj lve eld in muni on rfac tre c o in n ed a it ed l ld o h m i e i v s su gh s r ts ld ap wa the in was uf eat yet ent l co i m cr ch x bu par bui pai 12 d g s h . a e i n rk re 20 gn pre oc d by it pa ects e a di e d park esi re e l en. wh he s an th on et t e l i d is s 8 e e th chit si ica use e . th be -6 to t ion eet vat str th , r the og re th new st a by has r h t tr 64 s f et l e e o a f va s k ns hig of cheo g w n o s a e p ated at ng stre the or ele gh co h w t r di sig t i th ci di h l a e d l hi ve t e of w an gina n h ui hig de y; i re. ppr en fron he nsi t e b m o t te a che io er ri re ve th stor bef nd e apel ov d o vat ore ro the ced ex t h ti p n r e m nd n ele hi eir d a pas fa rom im o pl tec nde r a s d m f wa k a to th use a at e he e re co whi at s th ted n rend f t ect wor hs ns e be not r th nto bee e of roj ne rap io e nt ing fit is h o ad e d ce ed p sto og rat th on uild ben h d. t ppe he lv ace t te c b w i k of ft. vo ho t e e in at f wor mov str e. h ne c p o al ns eli av h h ck re ly lac it ori e n tio fac ct w st je es t bri nd p r te va a o pr cad al d a ple in tion hi e we ele ly n e g e com ut ra e th o fa igi mag in ther ear mer s ps p sto us r da r s they were three specific area objectives set out for tw e o wa li d a g. he re a eate din r t t w the aldgate area of high street 2012, these were the th work ork k s c l n cr ne ck w ric tha ui s, o oje creation of a new park at braham street, improvements o b r ng st bri w b ld pr to the existing altab ali park and the works to historic ei inal rio he e ui b n d reb gs rig nte , t buildings at 64-68 whitechapel high street. i n an a g di he o he din of moul t o t il c t bu mi mi
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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT HIGH STREET 2012: REPRESENTATION high street 2012s documentation uses a vibrantly coloured, simplistic way of representing the scheme and the areas that it relates to. their forms of representation flatten and remove the scheme from reality. its use of superlatives in the text give off a positive image of the scheme. it reads as a manifesto for the project, as if it is selling something to you. high street 2012 is an ambitious project to improve and celebrate one of londons great high streets. this ribbon of london life is both everyday and remarkable. it is historic and modern, and constantly evolving. high street 2012 the images dont do anything to represent this remarkable area. the use of bold areas of colour give the impression of a generic brush stroke being applied to the areas. the only differentiating feature between the areas of the high street that have been identified as unique area initiatives that respond to the specific needs of different places, making each work better for the local community area that they are show in different colours. diagrams will always have a place in representing themes but representing historic buildings with a clipart image of a castle and plastering an area in brightly coloured shapes that have no relation to any thing that they represent is almost insulting to the area. the overly simplified aesthetic of their documents seem to contradict with the values that they put forward in their text.

HIGH STREET

HIGH STREET

Greenway

PUDDING MILL LANE

2012

2012

ALDGATE: A FITTING GATEWAY TO HIGH STREET 2012

Refurbished accent lit heritage buildings. Improved pedestrian routes and crossings, including north-south links connecting the Royal London Hospital with the future Crossrail station. Decluttering and removal of railings. Improvements to the market. Encouragement of night time uses.

Olympic Park Olympic Stadium Aquatics Centre

STRATFORD

A new park at Braham Street. An improved, more accessible, well lit Altab Ali Park. Restored historic buildings opposite the newly refurbished Whitechapel Gallery. Better pedestrian links to Brick Lane.

WHITECHAPEL: A HISTORIC AREA OF IMMENSE DIVERSITY AND INTENSE ACTIVITY

OCEAN GREEN: A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN PAUSE, REST AND PLAY
A new linear park. New seating, planting and lighting. A community caf building fronting onto the main road. The potential to develop community gardens. Better pedestrian connections.
Victoria Park

STRATFORD HIGH STREET AND A NEW CROSSING TO THE STATION

Improve connections between the DLR station, the Olympic Park and new shopping areas. Refurbish and accent light heritage buildings. Explore removal of bus lanes after 2012.

Theatre Square

Carpenters & Docklands Youth Centre

Stratford Town Hall

WHITECHAPEL

Brick Lane

ALDGATE EAST

ST. BOTOLPHS

Vallance Gardens

STEPNEY GREEN

OVERALL STREET ACTIONS

Repair, improve and reinstate historic buildings to celebrate the streets heritage and create a better sense of place.

Bethnal Green Gardens

Spitalfields Market

STREET HISTORY PROJECT

STRATFORD HIGH STREET

Stratford Park

Queen Mary University of London Jewish Burial grounds

Tredegar Square

Central Foundation Girls School

OLYMPIC MARATHON CELEBRATIONS

Bow Arts Trust Grove Hall Park

Whitechapel Art Gallery

Greenway

PUBLIC ART PROJECT

Royal London Hospital

HS2012 STREET PARTY

MILE END

ALTAB ALI PARK

BOW ROAD

OCEAN COMMUNITY CAFE

BOW CHURCH

ARTS MARATHON

GARDENING PROJECT

BRAHAM STREET PARK

Create a green thread by enhancing clusters and clumps of green along the street, from green spaces and tree planting to green walls and roofs. Support community gardening projects to contribute to greening the street.

Bromley by Bow Centre Three Mills Park

Shandy Park Mile End Park

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

Stepney Green Park

Three Mills Studios

BROMLEY BY BOW

WEST HAM

Involve local communities in High Street 2012 through a range of projects, some with physical outcomes and others which have a social focus.

Tower of London

St Katharine Docks

Light up the High Street to bring it to life. Working with artists and designers, develop lighting for the high streets carriageways and pavements, and create special lighting for key spaces and destinations such as parks, markets and historic buildings.

MILE END WASTE: A WELCOME GREEN OASIS, THE FORMER EDGE OF A HISTORIC COMMON

Improve surfaces for pedestrians using materials which complement local character and features. Create a new cycleway with bikes to hire along parts of the route.

Refurbished Wickhams department store and other historic buildings. High quality shared surface between the Waste and the buildings. Green area extended. Area decluttered with unnecessary bollards and railings removed.

MILE END INTERSECTION: LANDSCAPED ACCESS TO THE PARK AND CANAL

BOW AND THE FLY-OVER: IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT AND LINKS TO THE WATERWAYS
Potential major public art commission. Refurbish and accent light buildings. Pedestrian crossings across the roundabout and long term removal of flyover to extend the high street between Bow and Stratford.

Improved access via special paved areas. Integrate new Queen Mary, University of London developments. Long term redevelopment of station quarter destination.

GREENWAY: REVEAL AND CELEBRATE THE LEA VALLEY AND EASY ACCESS TO THE WATERWAYS
Improved access to the canal and waterside development. Enhanced lighting and pedestrian crossing. Restore sense of Lea Valley crossing.

Transform wayfinding by complementing signage with more subtle and intuitive interventions that use existing features of the streetscape to provide a sense of direction and point to places of interest both obvious and hidden.

ONE TWO
5.3 m

W AY

WAY

Declutter the street by removing unused signage, railings and furniture to make it more attractive and easier to navigate.

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT LOCAL TRADERS: INTERVIEWS Said, the eatery, 68 whitechapel high street Have you been in these units long? This one? 3 years, this one was falling down, this building, the lottery fund has paid for it. The lottery fund and the local council because the Olympic marathon was supposed to be going that way, but I dont think its not going because of security or some political, because someone wants a bigger fish so they changed it round now. But Im not complaining. For 9 months we were just opening for the sake of it because the scaffolding was up, they wanted to change the front but we didnt. this building looked like this 60 years ago. Its a grade 2 listed building, you cant do much with it. Did they mind that you didnt want to change the front? No I said they were most welcome to go to court with it because I dont want wooden frame window, two rainy seasons like this they will start, the plywood will start to rot again. Was your trade affected much by the work, when they had the scaffolding up? We were very quiet, just opening for the sake of it, here mostly is regular customers, we have a set of customers from offices, university, here passing by trade is dead virtually, its all regular, people keep coming back. Im not too sure about this side, Im not sure what they are doing with that. Do you think its just going to be for the showcase of the Olympics? Yes, I think the recession is not even here yet, it will come after when the Olympics finishes , youll see how the legacy lasts. Is there a maintenance contract to keep the buildings repaired? This will stay because it is owned by a big company. There is a restriction down here, we wanted to put in a kitchen down here but they will not let us put any grill or anything. There is a problem from upstairs because all the pipework comes down here. We would keep it as a caf. We have a basement as big as this, plus we have air conditioning so all we would have to do is put one more outside and get the pipe in so we would have a central air conditioning. The it would be lovely for evening bar, for drinking, because coffee shop, we dont need it now, after 2 oclock everybody is gone, we can get rid of everything. Its still going on, we are fighting with it. The landlord wont let us, they have submitted a plan. Have your rates changed since the improvements have been done? No, but there is a clause in the lease saying when the rent is reviewed it will always go up. I t is reviewed every 5 years. It was reviewed last year so there is no change, because it was falling down we did not budge on the rent. The landlord was quite pleased because it was 550,000 spent on it, all the cornerstones, this sandstone, those were made to put in there, this was just plastered building before. Everything is new, they broke everything down on the front and rebuilt everything. The bricks was laid in two parts, they took the front one out. These bricks are not full bricks, they are half bricks, like a tile. All the stones, they made them somewhere else and just put them up. I think it looks absolutely beautiful, I like the library even better, I dont like concrete buildings, I think the best british architecture is in the brick. Maybe in 5 years when it has aged a bit it will look even better. Some of it is there from 1700s and not even one single brick has been damaged. Some of it is going away, people work over it, they put things on. Before it was wasting like this, falling down, breaking apart. 20 years ago this place was dangerous. I grew up in this area, lived all of my life here. Mohammed, stall 22, whitechapel market Is it [high street 2012] going to affect your business? Yeah my business is not very good, they give you a small pitch. What size will the stalls be? About 7 x 10ft What size are the stalls presently? 13ft Have they had much dialogue with yourselves regarding the changes? No, nobody here knows, only people here know one day before. So there was no consultation with you? No, no,no,no nothing with us. Not given any notice or anything like that. One day before, what can I do? Are you opposed to it? Yes, after that, maybe we will complain, nobody is happy. Everybody has double vans, they pull up, too small pitch, too small pitch. How long have you been here? 22 years. Do you have to pay for the upgrades yourself or is it being funded for you? No, but for us the price is going up, it was 198 for the pitch before, now 270 for a smaller pitch. You spend money to get more money from us. You cant park your van, we have too much stock, I cant leave it in my van, I have to find somewhere else to park it. Look at all the stock, all messed up. Are they very regimental about over stepping the edge of your stall? Yes they give you a hard time, they fine you. Would you consider relocating to another market because of the changes? No, this is my market, I have been here for 22 years.

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT HIGH STREET: PASTNESS

high street 2012

many historic buildings along the high street 2012 route have fallen into a state of disrepair, lost their architectural features and have often undergone unsympathetic modernisations. as a key high street 2012 street action, clusters of especially important historic buildings in strategic conservation areas have been targeted for improvements.

64-68 whitechapel high street were identified by the high street 2012 team as key historic buildings. the cluster sits opposite the exit to aldgate east tube station so has a very prominent position on the high street. high street 2012 set about restoring the buildings to their former glory. improvement works to the six buildings were concentrated on the front elevations and parts of the buildings that faced the high street. the buildings have benefitted from extensive conservation repair.
high street 2012

even the high street 2012 documentation admits that the works were concentrated on the parts of the building that will be seen during the 2012 olympics, on the route from the city to the olympic park. they are creating a false facade which they have created based on photos and documents from the past. they claim they are restoring the building to its former glory but they are only creating an impression of an idealised past. by recladding the facades of the building the buildings only mimic what they once were; they are no longer used in the same way and their context has changed. the past is always looked on as a better time but realistically times were just as hard, if not harder back when the buildings were constructed. the area was full of some of the worst slums in london. replicating history is entirely different to retaining history. retaining history involves the building up of historical layers, not stripping back all the layers that have be created and replacing them with a false disneyfied replica of the past.

nostalgia film was never a matter of some old-fashioned representation of historical content, but instead approached the past through stylistic connotation, conveying pastness by the glossy qualities of the image, and 1930s-ness or 1950s-ness by the attributes of fashion...
fredric jameson, the cultural logic of late capitalism

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT HIGH STREET: SIMULACRA

the high street 2012 team want to transport the visitors to the games into an idealised version of the past; they are creating a perceived reality of what once was, rather than building on the culture and diversity of the area as it is. baudrillard talks about the simulacra, in his essay simulacra and simulation he talks about he construction of a perceived reality through the use of images of the past. natural, naturalistic simulacra: based on image, imitation, and counterfeiting. they are harmonious, optimistic, and aim at the reconstitution, or the ideal institution, of a nature in gods image

baudrillard, simulacra and simulation

the creation of this perceived reality by high street 2012 is meant to fool the visitors into believing that they are somewhere that they are not. they are trying to create, in their words, a thriving high street of which London can be proud and which the world will admire. after the restoration works 3 of the 5 retail units at 64-68 whitechapel high street are vacant. have they created a thriving high street, or have they just polished a failing high street? their attempt to return their buildings to how they once were has resulted in the construction of a new building, with no signs of age, in the style of an old building.

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE SITE LOCATION

the site is situated on whitechapel high street in east london, it sits adjacent to the entrance to osbourne street which leads onto brick lane. the area is in a state of transition with the city encroaching from the west and the effect of the olympics which are taking place to the east. the chosen site is very important for the high street 2012 initiative. it sits in a very prominent position on whitechapel high street, opposite the entrance to aldgate east station. it is part of the main thoroughfare to the olympic park at stratford and has recently undergone extensive conservation work, resulting in the complete rebuilding of the front facade with brick slips, covering up the historical layers of the building and creating a false impression of the past.

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT SITE LOCATION: ON THE EDGE OF THE CITY

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the site sits right at the edge of the city. it marks the change from the tall monolithic office buildings to the smaller scale of the traditional high street. the adjacent london metropolitan university building acts as a intermediate between these two scales but beyond this planning consent has been given for a 19 storey office building that fills the site of the old leisure centre which has already been demolished. the high street is again losing community buildings in place of office buildings which serve the city. any building proposal on the site needs to be for the community in the area.

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT RE-WRITING HISTORY

high street 2012 have decided to rewrite history, or turn back time. 64-68 whitechapel high street had aged and over those years it transformed to show its age; stonework was lost, brick was rendered, windows were upgraded. these changes were deemed unsympathetic by the conservation team who went about undoing the changes by constructing the new facade which mimics the original.

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE A SITE OF TWO SIDES

following on from the previous urban study i have chosen 64-68 whitechapel high street as my site and will develop a deeper analysis of these buildings within their wider context on whitechapel high street. these buildings featured very strongly in the high street 2012 scheme and raised some interesting questions in the previous research. they brought up questions on facade treatment, historical nostalgia and pastness, as well raising issues into participation within architectural schemes and how this can be achieved effectively. 64 - 68 were restored to create an idealised version of the past. the layers that have built up on the building over its life were stripped back and a fake historical facade was created. if it was possible to go back in time and proposed a different way of bringing these buildings back to life to create something that london could be proud of how would i undertake it differently? what are appropriate uses for these buildings given the lack of demand for high street retail units and the encroachment of the city? a number of the surrounding sites have gained planning permission for 15 - 20 storey office blocks, how will any development sit within that new landscape? how will the character of whitechapel high street be retained, improved or reinvented in the future? this block of buildings has two faces. the newly created historical facade which is clean, polished and hides the real age of the block which faces onto whitechapel high street in a very prominent position opposite the exit to aldgate east underground station. the other side is a much more revealing face, a small alley which runs along the southern edge of the block. this alley is dirty, dark and haphazard. shutters, flues, signs, satellite dishes, street lights, downpipes seem to have grown over the original building and enveloped it. there are clearly more layers to this side of the building. the history is real and is there to be read.

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PROJECT 2.1 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT FIRST IMPRESSIONS

the cluster of buildings sits directly opposite the exit to aldgate east tube station making it the first visual people get of the area when arriving on the underground. aldgate east is the nearest station to brick lane, making it heavily frequented by tourists who often pass by the high street, not giving it a second glance, on their route to brick lane. this prominent site is an opportunity to bring the focus back to the high street.

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE CONSTRUCTING THE FACADE

modelling the facade from photos i learnt to look more closely at the subject, not only taking the building is as whole but as individual elements. by constructing the facade in 3d space it lead me to start breaking it down. 75 76

PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE FACADE DETAIL

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE EXISTING USES despite the recent work that has gone into the appearance of 64-68 whitechapel high street 3 of the 5 ground floor retail units are vacant, including the prominent corner unit. when the work was done they made no internal improvements. the only incentive to new retailers was the new facade. the work in a sense has been unsuccessful. it doesnt matter how the facade looks when the windows contain large to let signs. high street 2012 has failed in their aim to create a thriving high street; it is not a high street if there are no shops. above this 3 stair cores access office spaces and a wholesalers. the corner unit and 3rd floor are primarily residential space.

vertical circulation retail office residential

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE HIGH STREET FACADE IN 24 HOURS

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE THE ALLEY IN 24 HOURS

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the following pages take a 4 second clip from the site analysis film and look at how they were created using blender and after affects. the 4 second clip was part of a longer sequence showing the site over a 24 hour period, this section looks at the early morning.

the orange outlines on this image show the active camera and the settings used for it in terms of position and rotation within the 3d space and the lens type.

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE PROCESS: LIGHTING THE HIGH STREET the following 4 images are 4 frames from the sequence which was made up of 100 frames in total. they are frames 1 [artificially lit, no sunlight], 45 [combination of sunlight and artificial lighting], 55 [sunlight only] and 100 [sunlight only]. the sequence involved creating the sun as a point light in the scene, changing the intensity [energy] of the sunlight along the timeline to create the effect of sunrise and changing the position of the sunlight across the scene, tracking the suns path to create a realistic lighting effect. spotlights were also created for the street lamps which were set to turn off at a given point as the intensity of the sun increased and their colour was set to match the orange glow of street lighting. the size of the spotlight, in terms of the angle of spread of the light, and the softness of the light, the feathering of the edges, also had to be set. all of the settings and changes to the settings are set along a timeline, using keyframes. each keyframe controls what each object in the scene does and when, by set two keyframes of different values the computer will process the time between the key frames and create a transition which can then be sped up or weighted towards one of the keyframe values. when rendered the animation is exported as a series of images [frames] which can then be brought together in a video editing suite and converted into a video file. street light settings sunlight settings street light settings sunlight settings street light settings sunlight settings street light settings sunlight settings

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the following page out lines how the vehicle lights were added to the scene during the night sequence in the video 87 88

PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE PROCESS: VEHICLE LIGHTS step 1

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after opening a new composition in after effects the first step was to import the precomposed video sequence created from the nighttime renders in blender.

the precomposed sequence contained the street lights and the sunlight which were animated to change as the video changed from day to night and back to day time.

the first step in creating the illusion of car lights passing by the building at night was to draw a path using the pen tool. this is the path that the lights would be animated along. the path was drawn to match the route a car would take along the road and at a height that their headlamps would be.

using the 3d stroke effect the path was stroked to create a coloured line which followed the path. if animated at this stage the line would be a stationary line within the scene. to give the line some variation and movement, as if it were the lights of cars driving past, the settings of the 3d stroke need to be changed.

the end point of the stroke and the offset were set to vary which would create a series of lines of different lengths passing along the path when animated. the thickness, colour and feathering were changed to create a more realistic light effect. the glow effect was added to the stroke to create the illusion of light and a wave warp added to make the line wobble to creating the effect of cars passing along slightly different routes along the road. the wave warp was altered so that the speed of the wobble changed as the animation progressed giving it more variation. step 9 settings

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the path was duplicated to create more lines of headlights and the path and settings altered slightly for each one so that they animated differently and matched the perspective of the scene.

the lights on the far side of the road were passing in front of the pedestrian island, to give the illusion that they were passing behind it the island was cut out in photoshop and applied as a layer mask to the lights in after effects. this removed the section of the lights which would be hidden behind the island.

as the car lights passed by the environment would be effected by the light. to create this effect part of the surroundings was duplicated and cutout using the pen tool, the edge of the cut was feathered to soften the edges of the light.

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the colour balance effect was applied to the cut out section of the environment, this gave the area a red tint as if red lights were passing over it. the colour balance was set to vary over the animation so the light appeared to flicker as cars passed by. this effect was repeated to create a flickering white light on the other side of the road. this was then all overlaid on the original render.

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE VEHICLE LIGHTS

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE WALLS, FLOORS, ROOFS?

the urban landscape dictates to us how we should interact with its architecture in terms of functionality and accessibility. we visit certain buildings and places with the intention of carrying out certain tasks and achieving certain aims. the way in which we move and reach within these spaces is mapped out for us in relation to these aims... 93

...parkour calls into question these notations of functionality and accessibility since it is the traceur who selects his or her route and the aspects of the architectural landscape with which to interact sophie fuggle, le parkour; reading
or writing the city?

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE MAKING MARKS

using thermal imaging it is possible to capture the moment traceurs come into contact with objects and the marks they leave upon them. these marks and interactions are usually so quick that it can be hard or impossible to process them using normal imaging or the human eye. the intensity of the mark shows the intensity of the touch on the surface and different surfaces produce different types of mark so it represents both the act of the traceur and their effect on the object as well as the effect the texture, surface and shape of the object on the interaction of the traceur.

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE ELEMENTS OF INTERACTION 1

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE ELEMENTS OF INTERACTION 2

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PROJECT 2.2 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT - SITE CHRONOGRAM

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the chronogram maps out the exploration of the parkourist through the film. it identifies the parts of the building that they interact with and experience. it therefore highlights the parts of the building which are important to the parkourist. quite often it is the parts of the building that we ignore or unsee in our everyday lives that excite the parkourist the most.

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT: BUILDING THE STATE OF THE HUMAN BODY

parkour is a method of training which allows us to overcome obstacles, both in the urban and natural environments. its a weapon in disguise. We train and when one day we encounter a problem, we know that we are able to use it. it can be the art of flight, of the chase, of helping someone with a problem, something ordinary.
david belle,2009

for most of us it has become the norm to sit hunched over a computer for 8, 9, 10, maybe even 12 hours a day whilst at work. and then what do we do when we go home, turn on the tv, watch a film, indulge in some social media? we are becoming less active, our evolution could soon start to take a backwards step, we will become constantly hunched in the perfect position for working at a desk. to travel from place to place we slump down in a seat on the train, bus, or car. look at the parkourist, not only are they experiencing the city in a new way, they are faster, fitter and stronger than the average person. by exploring the city and seeing built obstacles as opportunities they remain in peak physical condition. what if everyone moved like a parkourist? parkour evolved from the methode naturelle training developed by georges herbert. he creating obstacle course based around his motto tre fort pour tre utile (be strong to be useful). he created training sessions consisting of ten fundamental groups of movement: walking, running, jumping, quadrupedal movement, climbing, balancing, throwing, lifting, self-defence, swimming. these he believed developed three main senses; energetic or virile sense: energy, willpower, courage, coolness, and firmness; moral sense: benevolence, assistance, honour, and honesty; physical sense: muscles and breath. according to herbert, if we all embraced and practiced parkour we would be a lot more useful.

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN PROJECT: BUILDING THE BODY AS A GENERATOR

The body is in constant motion, even when we think of ourselves as still there is movement; pulse, breathing, beating. everyday we make our way around our environment, our footsteps impact upon the floor and produce heat and sound; energy which disappears into the environment. we sit at desks and use our mice and keyboards for hours every day; this motion we input into our devices creates an interaction with technology but what happens to the energy we transfer from our bodies into these devices through movement? we fuel our bodies with food to enable us to move, to breath, to live. this fuel creates energy within the body which powers our movement, we interact with our environments and transfer this energy to them, why not transfer this kinetic energy which is usually dissipated as heat or sound into useful energy to power the buildings which we inhabit. we could ourselves provide the energy need to heat, light and power our homes, offices, shops, schools and venues. the more intense the movement or the longer it goes on for the more energy will be produced. what would happen if you were inhabiting a building that was powered by your movement and the lights went out. would this inspire you to become more active?

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING FUEL FOR THE BODY in order for the body to be in motion it needs fuel. this fuel produces the energy that could be harnessed once it leaves the body. food is fuel for the body. energy is produced from respiration. fats, complex carbohydrates and glucose in the food we eat are converted into energy by the body. fats and carbohydrates are broken down into glucose which is used in respiration. the body has a complex energy management system; it closely monitors the amount of fuel that enters the body and the amount required by the body. if too much glucose enters the blood stream the pancreas releases insulin to counteract it. insulin converts the excess glucose into glycogen which can be stored in the muscles and liver to be used later. glucose in its simple state cannot be stored by the body. the liver can store between 90-100g of glycogen at any time, the equivalent amount of energy for 3-4 hours of normal activity. once this limit has been reached the liver will start to convert any more excess glucose into fat. this process occurs each time we eat a meal and it is normal for glucose to be converted into fat after a normal sized meal. as the amount of glucose in the blood starts to drop in the hours after we eat the pancreas responds and releases glucagon which stimulates the liver to access the fuel it has stored as glycogen. the glycogen is broken down into glucose which then enters the blood stream to be used in respiration. once the glycogen reserves in the liver start to fall they are replenished by the break down of fat into replacement glycogen to be stored in the liver. when fat reserves start to fall it is time to eat again and the fuel cycle continues.

hydrogen atom

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING ENERGY CASE STUDY: PAVEGEN pavegen harvests energy from footsteps. every time someone walks over the pavegen pad kinetic energy is converted into electricity that can be stored and used, each pad includes a central luminaire which lights up every time someone steps on it. this engages the user with the energy generation process and also attracts more footfall to the pad. the pads can be retro fitted within existing floor surfaces; they come in standard slab and tile sizes. the upper part of the pad is made from 100% recycled tyres and over 80% of the lower part and mechanical components are also made from recycled material. they perform well in both internal and external environments. the pads are ideally suited to places of high footfall, especially places where large crowds are channelled through a narrow route such as ticket barriers at train stations or entrances to buildings. they have been installed in school corridors to contribute to the energy requirement for the schools lighting needs. the pads in the school provide the equivalent energy to power 400 leds for the entire 8 hour school day. plans are also in place to use pavegen at the london 2012 stratford site. 5% of the energy from each pad is used to power the built in luminaire and the other 95% is harvested for other uses. the pads create 4-8w over a period of 1 second for each footstep. the output voltage is 12v.

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING ENERGY CASE STUDY: BIOMECHANICAL ENERGY HARVESTER cyclic motion limb continually accelerates [+} & decelerates [-} cyclic motion & continuous generation generator resists acceleration & assists deceleration cyclic motion & generative braking generator only assists deceleration many devices take advantage of human power capacity to produce electricity, including hand-crank generators as well as wind-up flashlights, radios, and mobile phone chargers. a limitation of these conventional methods is that users must focus their attention on power generation at the expense of other activities, typically resulting in short bouts of generation. for electrical power generation over longer durations, it would be desirable to harvest energy from everyday activities such as walking. max donelan, professor
of kinesiology, simon fraser university

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researchers from simon fraser university in british columbia have developed a device which, worn much like a knee support, generates electricity from the natural motion of walking. the device harvests energy from the end of a walkers step, when the muscles are working to slow the movement of the leg, the biomechanical energy harvester uses sensors and a real-time control system to assist the hamstring muscles in slowing the knee motion. the system only turns on power generation at the end of the walkers swing phase. the aluminium chassis contains a gear train converting low velocity and high torque at the knee into the high velocity and low torque for the generator A one-way roller clutch allows for selective engagement of the gear train during knee extension only and no engagement during knee flexion.
max donelan, professor of kinesiology, simon fraser university

the graphs show a comparison between the metabolic energy consumed by the body and the electric energy produced for three situations; without the knee brace, with the knee brace generating energy in both the acceleration and deceleration stage of a stride and just in the deceleration stage of a stride. when the brace is generating energy during both stages of the stride the increase in metabolic energy used is significant; the body will be burning a lot of energy in proportion to the electrical energy being produced. this is because the wearer has to fight against the force of the generator when they accelerate their leg at the beginning of a stride. they will notice a considerable difference; they will have to extert more effort into taking each stride. when the brace is just producing electricity during the deceleration stage it is actually aiding the deceleration, the only increase in metabolic energy used is due to the extra weight of the brace on the leg as the wearer walks. although the generator will only produce half the amount of electricity the additional energy consumed by the body is greatly reduced making this the most efficient configuration. this was the aim of the brace; to produce as much energy as possible without effecting the mobility of the wearer; a passive system.

electric power

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wearing a device on each leg, an individual can generate up to 5 watts of electricity with normal physical effort. walking quickly, however, generates as much as 13 watts. at that rate, when the energy is stored in a battery, one minute of walking time could provide enough electricity to sustain 30 minutes of talk-time on a mobile phone. people are an excellent source of portable power, an average-sized person stores as much energy in fat as a 1,000 kg battery. people recharge their body batteries with food and, lucky for us, there is about as much useful energy in a 35-gram granola bar as in a 3.5 kg lithium-ion battery. max donelan, professor of kinesiology, simon fraser the device comprises an aluminium chassis and generator mounted on a customized orthopaedic knee brace. with one worn on each leg, its total mass is 1.6 kg but the developers are working on using lighter weight materials, such as carbon fibre to bring this down.

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING ENERGY CASE STUDY: AUTOMATIC QUARTZ WATCHES

PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING ENERGY CASE STUDY: GYM EQUIPMENT

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automatic quartz watches combine a self-winding mechanism to generate electricity to power a quartz piezoelectric crystal as the timing element. a rotating pendulum [1] inside the case is attached to a relatively large gear [2] which meshes with a very small pinion [3], which multiples the movement of the pendulum. as the wearer moves, the pendulum turns and spins the pinion at a very high speed - up to 100,000 rpm. the pinion is coupled to a miniature electrical generator which charges a capacitor. when compressed or bent a piezoelectric crystal generates a charge or voltage on its surface and vice versa. when the electrical current from the capacitor in the watch is applied to the quartz crystal it, making it oscillate at very high frequencies, this movement is then reduced down to 1 second pulses which in turn generate the movement of the watch hands. once the capacitor is fully charged the watch will run for 6 months to 4 years off the wrist.

APPLIANCE single room air-con unit coffee maker laptop pc cfl light bulb fridge/freezer stereo toaster washing machine tv

ENERGY USAGE [W] 1000 800 60 120 20 475 30 800 500 500

NO. MINUTES POWER FROM 1HOUR WORKOUT [60W WORKOUT] [120W WORKOUT] 3.6 4.5 60 30 180 7.6 120 4.5 7.2 7.2 7.2 9 120 60 360 15.2 240 9 14.4 14.4

through the use of dynamos it is possible to capture the energy of a persons gym workout. most gym equipment is based around rotating or oscillating parts which work well with dynamos. These dynamos can be attached to a battery which is used to store the electricity for later use. a dynamo uses rotating coils of wire and magnetic fields to convert mechanical rotation into a pulsing direct electric current through faradays law of induction. a dynamo machine consists of a stationary structure, called the stator, which provides a constant magnetic field, and a set of rotating coils called the armature which turn within that field. the motion of the wire within the magnetic field causes the field to push on the electrons in the metal, creating an electric current in the wire. wikipedia the green microgym in portland has utilised this technology to provide some of its energy requirement and a company called plug-out have been developing gym equipment for both the home and commercial gyms which plugs into a standard electric socket and feeds electricity directly back into the buildings electrical system, effectively reversing the electricity meter. if you produce more electricity than you are using it will feed the electricity back into the grid. this technology means that the equipment will work straight out of the box with no retro fitting of existing electrical systems. a person in decent shape can produce between 60 to 120 watts of electricity during strenuous exercise using this gym equipment. the dynamos are about 70% efficient so this electrical power out is 30% lower than the persons output. The body is about 20% efficient meaning that only 20% of the food energy we eat is turned into available chemical energy. The rest is lost as heat.

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the table above shows the amount of time it would be possible to power different appliances from a single persons 1 hour workout. it would clearly take a lot of people working out for a long time to power an air conditioning unit but the system does seem suited to powering lower energy appliances such as lighting, and laptops or appliances which have a high energy consumption but over a short period of time, such as a coffee maker or toaster.

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING ENERGY CASE STUDY: BODY HEAT jernhusen, a property company in sweden, has come up with an interesting way to make use of the excess heat produced by the hordes of commuters passing through stockholm central station everyday. this energy produced by the commuters and their activity within the station and its shops and restaurants would normally be ventilated away into the external environment and wasted. by installing heat exchangers in the ventilation system they are using this energy to heat water which is them pumped through pipes to an adjacent office building where it is used to heat the internal spaces. the energy used to pump the hot water into the office building outweighed by the energy saved by not using a gas system to heat the offices. the solution saves the office block 25% on their energy bills. with 1,107,000,000 passenger journeys undertaken every year on the london underground across 270 stations there is definitely a potential for this system to be utilised in ticket halls in london. aldgate east tube station sits directly below the chosen site for this project.

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING BUILDING CONCEPT taking inspiration from the previous work on parkour and the parkourists movement the concept for my building is to utilise this movement and harness the energy it gives off to contribute to the power requirement for the building. the building will be a performing arts venue and gym. with the gym providing power to the venue. audience members will be able to pay for their tickets to events with energy. the energy they create in the gym will be transferred to points which will allow them entry in to the arts venue. it is a building powered by humans; a renewable source of energy.

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING BUILDING ZONES the building will be split into 3 main zones; the venue, the gym and a cafe/bar. the gym acts as the generator for the buildings energy requirement. the cafe/bar acts as a refuelling station for the gym users; for them to continue to create energy they must take on energy in the form of food. the venue will be the incentive for people to use the gym and will allow people to engage with the energy creation process and experience where the energy goes.

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING REFUELLING STATION

the cafe/bar/foyer will act as a refuelling station for the energy suppliers of the building. to keep producing energy that will power the building they will need to take on energy themselves. this energy will be in the form of food and drink. they will convert this chemical energy into kinetic energy which will then be converted into electrical energy to power the performance venue. it will also serve as the foyer for the performances providing a source of economic income to the building. it will be open to the general public and users of the building and will supply high energy, healthy food and drink that will provide the users with the suitable sources of energy and nutrients they require. 123 124

PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING THE INCENTIVE

the incentive for the energy producers will be that they can convert their exercise into tickets for live performances being shown in the venue. the performances will have to be desirable enough to encourage visitors to the venue who will then provide the energy to power it. the amount of energy each person will have to produce before gaining a ticket for the performances will depend on the amount of energy required to power the performance and the audience capacity. the performances will involve music, dance and theatre with an emphasis on movement arts. the venue will serve to promote the art of movement both by encouraging people to exercise to get tickets and by raising the profile of the arts within the performance venue.

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING THE CLIENT

academy music group (amg) is the uks leading owner and operator of nationwide live music and club venues, including south londons award winning concert venue, o2 academy brixton (london) and o2 shepherds bush empire (london). its shareholders include live nation, metropolis music and sjm concerts, who are responsible for promoting many international acts on the touring circuit, as well as collectively owning and promoting some of the biggest outdoor music events, including the annual v festival. at the start of 2009, amg and live nation welcomed a strategic partnership with o2, to enhance the music experience for fans visiting its venues and boost support for future music talent.

the venue as a concept for new performance venues around the country. their contacts with high profile performers will help to encourage people into the venue and into the gym to obtain tickets for the venue by providing energy through exercise. the project will be a joint venture between the high street 2012 team and the academy music group. the high street 2012 team is coordinated by tower hamlets and a number of other parties, including design for london, transport for london, london development agency and the heritage lottery fund who fund the projects. the project will be run to promote the movement and sports during the olympics. it will aim to promote general exercise as well as parkour which can be practiced by anyone, anywhere. it will aim to break down the paradigms associated with parkour, which is often looked upon as an act of trespass and vandalism. by associating the sport with such a highly regarded event as the olympics and making the sport visibly useful as a renewable energy source its reputation will be improved in the public eye. people will realised it is about more than just trespassing and rebelling; it is a way of thinking; a way of experiencing; a way of life.

academy music group, http://www.academy-music-group.co.uk

the academy music group are committed to developing music and performing arts across the country, as well as a huge number of music events and contacts with artists and bands they also hold events such as the b-boy world championships which come to brixton academy every year. their partnership in this project would guarantee the legacy of the building after the olympics. they will run

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING DEMOLITION

despite the work that was done to the facade the buildings interiors are becoming vacant and falling into disrepair. the uses are no longer suitable for the changing character of the high street and the spaces the interiors provide are not suitable for the proposed uses in the performance venue and gym. the facade will be retained and supported with a new structure but the building behind will be dismantled and objects from it salvaged for re-use in the new building. objects will be chosen for re-use for their value to the parkourists and will be utilised in the new structure to benefit the parkourists interaction with the new building.

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING SALVAGING HISTORY

whether it is considered appropriate or not development on whitechapel high street is happening. historical buildings are being demolished to make way for new larger scale buildings. these historical buildings are being completely lost. it is proposed that in this scheme historical features and structural components will be salvaged and used in the new building. these building parts will not only provide a tool for retaining elements of history but will also provide the parkourists with a range of parts to interact with. the building will not just become a pastiche of what was there before; it will have historical parts integrated into its structure. they may be used in a different way to their original use but they will have been salvaged and presented as a part of history which is useful to the future. the parts will be salvaged from buildings on the site and adjacent sites which will be dismantled. 131 132

PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING SALVAGE YARDS as well as salvaging historical parts from the site itself, parts will also be obtained from nearby sites. demolished buildings which would be lost will be given new life used in the new building. elements will be salvaged and re-used. salvaged parts will be used to create a new structure for the new building; the structure will have to be designed around the parts and components that can be sourced from the site and nearby sites. proposed site proposed site

site: proposal:

15 - 25 osbourn street Demolition of main buildings and development of a six storey building facing Osborn Street providing retail, showroom, light industrial and office with flats above.

site: proposal:

Site bounded by Leman Street, Whitechapel High Street, Commercial Road and Buckle Street Demolition of the existing buildings and erection of a part 19-storey, part 21-storey building comprising office floorspace (Use Class B1) and retail floorspace (Use Class A1-A4) at ground floor level, together with underground parking, associated plant, 134

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING FUNCTION: A DRAINPIPE OR A CLIMBING FRAME

the cladding system of the new building will provide the parkourist with an environment that they can interact with. usually the parkourists only get to interact with the external facades of a building but this building will provide internal and external spaces that the parkourists can utilise to practice their discipline. the spaces will intertwine with one another, the parkourist will be able to move through the inside and outside of the building as if it were one space. the cladding system, internally and externally will the made up of salvage elements from historical buildings. that the parkourists can interact with. the structure and services of the new building will also be exposed to allow further interaction between the movement and the parkourists and the building elements. not only will the services provide the building with the systems it requires to function but they will also be providing the parkourists the systems they need to practice and create kinetic energy to power the buildings services. 135 136

PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING MORPHING ELEVATION

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING ELEVATION STUDY the facade of the building will morph to accommodate its new users and uses. it will create layers in the building that the parkourists can move between. they will be able to not only move across the facade but it will also allow them to penetrate it. the building will celebrate the act of parkour internally and externally. by extruding parts of the facade and pushing other parts inwards it blurs the boundary of the facade and creates spaces within the facade that can be inhabited. users within the building will be connected with the high street and the high street will extend into the spaces within the facade. the boundary that exists so strongly with the new office buildings between the private internal space and public high street will be broken down. people will be able to interact with the facade, go through it and explore it rather than it just being a physical boundary.

although the existing historical elevation will morph to accommodate the new building and create a space for the parkourists to inhabit, the orthographic elevation will remain the same. a simple line drawing of the elevation would match exactly with the approved planning drawings submitted by julian harrap architects; conserving the elevation in a new way that supports future uses. looking forward as well as back.

existing elevation

proposed elevation

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING GYM PODS

when the facade was reconstructed it was rebuilt using a brick slip system that was attached to the outside of the existing blockwork construction. this system could be removed from the facade in sections and re-attached to a steel frame system used to extrude parts of the facade. some of the extruded parts of the facade will be infilled with gym pods which will be where human movement will be captured and the energy converted into electrical energy to power the building.

the pods will be constructed from scraps salvaged from demolished buildings. this will lead to a structure which is made up of lots scraps of different sizes; whatever could be found and salvaged from the other buildings. this is a structure that will provide the parkourists with lots of elements they can interact with. the structure will be exposed externally to allow this interact. the transparent gym pods will sit within this structure allowing a visually connecting between the two zones.

sash window

mechanically fixed to structure

stone window surround

brick slips

mortar bed

brick slip base layer

steel mesh

backing board

elevation framing structure

scrap structural grid

transparent gym pod

individual pod

combined extruded pods

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING MASSING

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PROJECT 2.3 URBAN DESIGN: BUILDING ENERGY CALCULATIONS the energy requirement for the building can be roughly calculated from available statistics of energy use by building type available from the energy information administration; commercial buildings energy consumption survey 1999 in the usa. the survey provides information on energy consumption per square foot per hour for multiple building types. PERFORMANCE VENUE to calculate the amount of energy used by a performance venue, gym and cafe i will use the statistics for public assembly buildings. the energy consumption per square foot per hour of assembly buildings; 20.5 btu 1 btu = 1055 joules therefore, 20.5 btu = 21627.5 joules to convert this to power [watts] we can use; power [watts] = energy [joules]/time [seconds] power = 21627.5/3600 power = 6w per square foot converted to square metres this is; 65w per square metre from their data the performance venue will require 65w of electrical power per square metre of the building. the approximate areas of the are; gym cafe performance venue TOTAL 157 462 163 782 sqm sqm sqm sqm 3 parts of the building the total power requirement of the building would be; 50,830 watts this, however would be only when the entire building is in use. realistically only parts of the building will be in use at different times. the total power requirement of the performance venue: 10,595 watts the performance venue would only be in use for a few hours a day when a performance is happening, so although this is a high requirement it will be over a short period of time. if the whole gym was in use at once the total power requirement of that area would be; 10,205 watts however this area will be split up into smaller pods which operate independently from one another. the pods will only be activated when required. when only a few people are in the gym only one pod will be activated but when the gym is full of people producing energy all the pods will be used and active. if each pod is roughly 20 sqm then the power requirement per pod will be; 1,300 watts similarly the venue, the foyer/cafe will only be used for short periods of time but has a high power demand. its total power demand will be; 30,030 watts during a hard workout one human is capable of producing 120 watts. the number of hours exercise required to power the performance venue for 1 hour; 88 hours the number of hours exercise required to power the cafe/ foyer for 1 hour; 250 hours if the venue and foyer are open for 4 hours per performance the number of hours exercise required to power it will be; 4[250+88] = 1352 hours if the capacity of the venue is 1000 each audience member will need to undertake 1.35 hours of exercise to provide enough power to power the building during each performance. however the gym pods will be using energy whilst the audience are producing energy. each pod will require 11 hours of exercise to power it, however at 20 sqm each pod is only large enough to accommodate 5 workout machines, therefore only half the amount of energy will be produced. the amount of energy required by the pods will need to be reduced substantially through energy efficient design. it needs to be reduced by more than half so that enough power is produced to power the gym pods and have excess power to power the performance venue. additional energy will also be produced by the parkourists who use the outside of the buildings so require now powered internal space, meaning 100% of the energy harvested from them can go into powering the performance venue.

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