DESIGN REALISATION

CITY AND LANDSCAPE STUDIES

TOWN 1035 chris kelly, unit 15

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1.0 URBAN CONTEXT 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 tower hamlets udp spitalfields and banglatown: a fluid community spitalfields and banglatown: overview housing education business and industry conservation areas high street 1841 high street 1934 high street 2012 decline of whitechapel high street the transforming high street whitechapel high street: north side whitechapel high street: south side pa/08/02690 approved development urban grain high street 2012 project high street 2012 initiatives aldgate initiatives 64-68 whitechapel high street 64-68 whitechapel high street photographs interviews with the community pastness simulacra 3.0 PROJECT CONTEXT 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 project setting brief for the community... a local cinema working with existing proposals breaking down the facade facade study retaining existing scale recreating the facade ground floor relationship orientation movement energy pods key views: aldgate east key views: osborn street key views: high street west after the games

2.0 SITE CONTEXT 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 site location plan existing site stats key views: aldgate east key views: osborn street key views: high street west sun study existing uses vacant units

1.1

INTRODUCTION

this report sets out the urban and site context for the project for a human powered gym, cinema and market space in tower hamlets. the site is 64-68 whitechapel high street in the spitalfields and banglatown ward of the london borough of tower hamlets which was a site identified by the high street 2012 team as part of its historical buildings scheme. the first part of this report sets out the wider urban context of the scheme and its position within the olympic high street 2012 scheme. the second part of the report looks more closely at the site context and the last section describes how the key aspects of the proposed project and brief developed in context at both the site and urban scales.

PART 1

URBAN CONTEXT

1.1

Tower hamlets udp

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... 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... 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.

6.4 tower hamlets is at the centre of londons transport improvements. 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. 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. 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. this approach includes the location of growth areas for particular central london functions.
tower hamlets udp, p.11

the udp sets tower hamlets up as an area of growth for the city of london. it reads as a sales pitch to potential developers and investors. the introduction to in the udp fails to mention the unique cultural characteristics of the area and the values this provides. it focuses on how the boroughs proximity to the city places it in a perfect position for the citys expansion. the expansion of the city will bring money into the area and to the local authority, but the effect this expansion will have on the smaller businesses and residents comes across as an after thought. tower hamlets seems to be sold as a slave to the city. development in the area should be beneficial to both developers and the local population. obviously developers and investors are looking to make a profit but this should not be at the expense of residents, existing businesses and the character of an area. Tower hamlets has an important position in the history of london which should not be overlooked.

1.2

SPITALFIELDS AND BANGLATOWN A FLUID COMMUNITY

C
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.

H
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.

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 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.

a b c d e f g h

princlet street beigel bake, brick lane leo epstein, epra fabrics brick lane street sign jamme masjid mosque, brick lane arch at south entrance to brick lane banglacity supermarket, brick lane jamme masjid minaret

1.3

SPITALFIELDS AND BANGLATOWN OVERVIEW

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. many tourists already visit the area as the curry capital of the uk on brick lane, for the east london graffiti and fashion scene, the jack the ripper tours and to visit spitalfields market. n private housing social housing educational buildings religious buildings industrial buildings banks offices retail/restaurants listed buildings Brick lane & fournier street conservation area whitechapel high street conservation area spitalfields and banglatown ward overview

1 4

2 housing tenure

1 2 3 4

social owned/mortgage rented other

1.4

HOUSING

social housing and housing association housing account for the highest proportion of housing types in spitalfields 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 in which it is common for extended families to live under one roof. n private housing social housing spitalfields and banglatown ward housing housing overcrowding 2 1 overcrowded 2 other in rachel lichtensteins book on brick lane she 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.

I 2 J

H 1 other 2 further education

education post 16 C E B G D 4 a b c d e f g h I J london met. uni. east end community school coventry uni. canon bernett primary aldgate college london met. uni. whitechapel art gallery christchurch c of e school st. annes catholic primary osmani primary A F 2 1 5

1.5

EDUCATION

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.

n educational buildings 3 population age

spitalfields and banglatown ward education buildings

1 2 3 4 5

0 -15 yrs 16-29 30-44 45-65 65+

1 78 5 6 4 E 3

F G 2

H D A B C

population ethnicity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

bangladeshi british other white other asian african other mixed race caribbean 1.6 RELIGION AND ETHNICITY

1 56

4 3 a b c d e f g h london muslim centre east london mosque fieldgate st. great synagogue great garden st. synagogue st. annes rc church jamme masjid mosque christchurch sandys row synagogue

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 practiced 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. the jamme masjid mosque on brick lane is an example of the migrant population, having previously been a synagogue and, before that, a french protestant church.

2 n religious buildings population religion

spitalfields and banglatown ward religious buildings

1 2 3 4 5 6

muslim not stated no religion christian hindu jewish

1.7

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY

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 high rise office blocks 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. 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.

population socio-economic status 1 2 3 4 5 professional/managerial unemployed student routine/semi-routine technical/supervisory

n banks industrial buildings retail/restaurants offices spitalfields and banglatown ward commercial buildings

N M L K J I O

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 st. conservation area report tower hamlets

1.8

CONSERVATION AREAS

the brick lane and fournier street conservation area was designated in 1969, and extended further in 1978 and 1998. this has provided it with a layer of protection from the encroachment of the city. whitechapel high street conservation area was only designated in 1998 when many of the historic terraces had already been lost to new development. the conservation area weaves around these new office buildings, leaving them out of the protected zone; the conservation area report even states that these new 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.

F A C

E D

n listed buildings Brick lane & fournier street conservation area whitechapel high street conservation area spitalfields and banglatown ward listed buildings and conservation areas

a church bell foundry b 64-68 whitechapel high street [site] c whitechapel public library d whitechapel art gallery e toynbee hall f 44-52 commercial st. g 43a commercial st. h jewish soup kitchen I 16-48 fashion st. J christchurch primary school K christchurch L fournier st. M spitalfields market N princelet st. O jamme masjid mosque P trumans brewery

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

10

1.9

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. 11

1.10

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. 12

1.11

HIGH STREET 2012

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. 13

1.12

DECLINE OF WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET

high street 1841

these diagrams represent the decline of the high street from 1841. whitechapel high street was once thriving, 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 along the high street, in 1841 it was place you would need to go for all your requirements, now the high street is populated with shops. the tightly packed have been demolished to make way development. provided the only shopping sparsely terraces for new

high street 1934

high street 2012

pubs/restaurants groceries/dairy/butchers fabrics chemist clothing printing n financial other

the only unchanged use 1841 -2012

only one building has remained unchanged in its use since 1841; the white hart public house on the northern side of the high street.

14

buildings demolished since 1841

surviving buildings from 1841

newly constructed buildings

1.13

THE TRANSFORMING HIGH STREET

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 remaining 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 2012

15

1.14

WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET: THE NORTH SIDE

the white hart is the only building on the lower part of whitechapel high street thats use has remained unchanged since the 19th century. it sits on the northern side of the high street within a block of historical buildings, the longest block of surviving buildings on the tower hamlets section of the high street. making up more than half of the buildings in the whitechapel high street conservation area this block is important to the character of the area.

the townscape is typified by small-scale, single and double-fronted properties lining whitechapel and commercial roads. rebuilding has taken place many times over the same sites, resulting in overlays of building forms and styles, often contained and/or hidden within the structure and fabric of the building. the resulting variety of architecture over successive periods contributes to the historic interest and cultural significance of the area, although historically buildings were developed at a relatively small scale and made a positive contribution to the townscape as a whole.
whitechapel high street conservation area report tower hamlets

there is a distinct difference between the north and south sides of the high street. the fine grain of the remaining buildings on the north side faces onto the sparseness of the southern side where construction sites are boarded up and large scale office blocks have taken over all but one small isolated island of remaining historical buildings.

16

1.15

WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET: THE SOUTH SIDE PLANNING APPLICATION PA/08/02690 this site has planning permission for a 22 storey building which will provide 84,305sq.m of offices and 2,805sq.m retail use. once built it will drastically change the character of the high street. the site has been vacant for 5 years and closed off with hoardings having a detrimental effect on the high street. prior to their demolition the plot was the site of the summit sports centre serving the local community. LLOyDS BANK BUILDING the lloyds bank building will be demolished as part of the application pa/06/00510. this building, built in the 80s, only 30 years ago has had a very short lifespan. it seems like an incredible waste of energy, resources and money to demolish a building that is functioning as it was intended. for this to happen there has been a mistake made in the development of the high street by developers and planners.

CENTRAL HOUSE LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY central house marks the point on the high street that the large scale, high rise office buildings of the city meet the smaller scale buildings of the high street. at 6 storeys it acts as an intermediate between the two.

PROPOSED SITE the proposed site is the first set of surviving historical buildings on the south side of the road as you travel east along whitechapel high street.

17

1.16

PA/08/02690 APPROVED DEVELOPMENT

The development contributes to creating a new civic quarter and enables urban regeneration eastward. Its displacement of conservation area buildings must be set against both their peripheral nature and has drawn on the benefits of regeneration. Its juxtaposition with the remaining conservation area has drawn on the considerable design skill of the architects, Wilkinson Eyre. At a detailed level, to redeem what is otherwise a substantial impact. The architects have introduced horizontal discontinuous striations to the surface using a silvered fritted pattern, and divided the floors into groups of three. The upper parapet consists of a more controlled and regular horizontal silver fritted line. Without a design of excellence the impact rating would be substantial and adverse. The architect has produced a design, which demonstrably transforms the adverse rating into one which is beneficial, through its overall form and the high quality detail applied to the fenestration.
application PA/08/02690, townscape report produced by richard coleman city designer

view 1 whitechapel high street: existing

view 2 whitechapel high street: proposed

This view is the one which most fully illustrates the dynamic form of the development, giving rise to a beautiful skyline and the gently curving surfaces. This is a substantial impact, particularly in the way it influences the ambience of the Park. It is beneficial because of the beauty of the building and the level of quality in the design concept and its detail.
application PA/08/02690, townscape report produced by richard coleman city designer

n view 2 altab ali park: existing view 2 altab ali park: proposed my site position of verified view proposed development site

the report focuses on the design of the building, describing it as excellent, using this as justification for the negative impact that the scale of the building will have on its surroundings. the scheme involves the removal of buildings within the conservation area and their replacement with something which contradicts the character of the conservation area as set out in the conservation area report. the application fails to show any verified views of the building in its high street context and its relationship directly with the ground and immediate context.

18

1.17

URBAN GRAIN

historical high street massing terraced blocks , typically 3-4 storeys tall, developed over many years plot slightly differ from one another but all conform to the overall urban scale. narrow roads and alleys punctuate the blocks.

current high street massing high rise monolithic buildings tower over the high street which no longer has a human scale. it becomes harder to orientate yourself within the high street. unless the areas around the base of the high rise blocks is carefully treated it often becomes dead space

historical high street footprint long narrow plots with a facade that addresses the high street. retail on the ground floor with living accommodation above.

current high street footprint long narrow plots merged together and replaced with long deep plots. the relationship to the high street is less obvious, only small areas of the facade provide entrances onto the high street. these buildings have more private functions as offices so the facade becomes a barrier.

19

olympic park

1.18

HIGH STREET 2012 PROJECT

the high street 2012 project was initially conceived to enhance the proposed marathon route for the london 2012 games. the marathon was to pass along the a11 [whitechapel high street] to the olympic park in stratford. the marathon route has since been changed and will no long end in the olympic park and will not enter east london at all. however the high street 2012 project is still going ahead to enhance what will be one of the main routes to the olympic stadium for spectators and officials visiting the games but staying in central london.

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

central 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

aldgate n original london 2012 marathon route

20

HIGH STREET

2012

1.19

HIGH STREET 2012 INITIATIVES

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.

as well as specific area based initiatives there are overall initiatives along the entire route of the a11 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. 21

Theatre Square

Carpenters & Docklands Youth Centre

Greenway

PUDDING MILL LANE

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.

St. Botolph St.

whitechapel high st. mansell st. leman St. B

commercial St.

1.20 a.

ALDGATE INITIATIVES braham street park b. 64-68 whitechapel high street c. altab ali park

braham street park was completed in february 2010, funded by private sector s106 contributions and the lda. the new park sits on what was previously part of a busy road system and now provides a more tranquil space for local residents, visitors and people who work in the area.
high street 2012

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

a series of improvements are planned at altab ali park including new tree planting, a better setting for the shaheed minar monument and new seating areas that will trace the foundations of the church that used to stand on the site, bringing the history of the area to the surface.
high street 2012

braham street park sits on a narrow strip of land, flanked on both sides by tall office buildings. the park has a very corporate feel, the hard landscaping and sharp angled lines within the design of the park mimic those found within the city of london to the west. it is sold as a park for residents but it is sparsely populated with smokers from the adjoining office buildings and the occasional person eating their lunch. it is overshadowed for most of the day by the surrounding buildings and has no link the whitechapel high street itself. it is not obvious to anyone passing along the high street that there is even a park there.

the project involved the complete rebuilding of the two facades that face onto whitechapel high street, the original brickwork had been render over and the stonework damaged and removed. the render and original brick work was completely stripped off the elevation and new brick slips put in place. the project was more of a rebuild than a restoration with new stone work and mouldings being created using historic photographs to mimic the original building. there were no alterations to the interiors, or the rear elevations of the building, the project was merely a facelift.

the park was completed in november 2011 by muf architects. the project aimed to recapture the history of the site and involve local residents. a community archeological dig was held and the artefacts found in the dig were used by muf in installations in the park. the design of the park created a layering effect of history; it is a new design yet it respects what was their before. the past is represented in a way that can be used and appreciated by the local community but it is not a pastiche of what has been. 22

1.21

64-68 WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET APPLICATION PA/09/02395

applicant london borough of tower hamlets agent julian harrap architects description of works repair and restoration of the front elevations to no.s 64[taken from application 68 whitechapel high street including repairs to mansard roof forms] slope and dormer windows, reinstatement of cornice and decorative window surrounds together with new timber framed shop fronts complete with hand written fascia signage. funding lottery funded

the julian harrap application drawings show only the elevations of the building to which it relates without any context. there were no plans, except a site location plan, submitted with the application. the works, as described in the application are purely external works to the elevations, no internal works were proposed to the buildings which emphasises the fact that the work was purely a facelift to give off an better impression of the high street to the worlds television cameras during the olympics. the application was submitted by the local authority, not the building owners, and the work was funded by the national lottery. the real benefit of this scheme goes to the building owner who gets substantial restoration works to his building without any expense to him in terms of funding during the construction or the application process.

23

1.22

64-68 WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET PHOTOGRAPHS

1920s the buildings in their original form narrow shop fronts open onto the high street with awnings to cover external displays. the whitechapel in the background was destroyed during wwii and never rebuilt

2009 the degraded buildings most of the architectural stonework has been damaged or removed. the brick work has been rendered over and the shop fronts replaced with aluminium framed glazing. two shop fronts have been combined to make one wide retail unit.

2012 the restored buildings using historic photos the original stonework details have been recreated, the render has been removed and the damaged brick facades replaced with brick slip construction. the timber shop fronts have been reinstated but 3 of the 5 retail units sit vacant.

24

1.23

INTERVIEWS WITH THE COMMUNITY

ON THE RESTORATION WORK TO 64-68 WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET 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 your shop 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, 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.

eatery location

25

1.23

INTERVIEWS WITH THE COMMUNITY

ON THE WORK TO WHITECHAPEL MARKET 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.

market location

26

1.24

PASTNESS

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 states 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. mimicking history cannot replicate the layers of history that build up on a building over its lifetime. rebuilding a facade completely removes these historical layers. conservation allows historical layers to build up whilst maintaining the original fabric. the proposed works are not conservation but a pastiche, creating a disneyfied version of the past.

27

1.25 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.

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.

baudrillard talks about the simulacra, in his essay simulacra and simulation he talks after the restoration works 3 of the about he construction of a perceived reality 5 retail units at 64-68 whitechapel high through the use of images of the past. street are vacant. have they created a thriving high street, or have they just natural, naturalistic simulacra: based on polished a failing high street? their image, imitation, and counterfeiting. they attempt to return their buildings to are harmonious, optimistic, and aim at the how they once were has resulted in the reconstitution, or the ideal institution, of a construction of a new building, with no signs of age, in the style of an old nature in gods image baudrillard, simulacra and simulation building.

28

PART 1I

SITE CONTEXT

os bo rn
D C
hi gh st re et

str eet
E B 2.1 SITE LOCATION PLAN the chosen site is 64-68 whitechapel high street, one of the projects in the high street 2012 scheme. it is at the very start of the high street 2012, adjacent to the city of london and new development on whitechapel high street. the existing buildings are the only surviving historical buildings on the south side of the high street between altab ali park and the city so are an important set of buildings for the character and history of the area. the buildings have however fallen into significant disrepair. a b c d e proposed site of 21 storey office block london metropolitan uni. building entrance to aldgate east underground whitechapel art gallery altab ali park

te hi

ch

l pe

n site conservation area

0 100 200m 0 50 100m

30

2.2

EXISTING SITE STATS

10.0m

thir d sec ond

13.

fir st gro un d bas em ent

24

no. storeys max. height site footprint

4 13.9 m 335 sqm

.5

12

.0

9m

31

ALDGATE EAST

2.3 KEY VIEWS: ALDGATE EAST 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, meaning it is 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.

32

OSBORN STREET

2.4

KEY VIEWS: OSBORN STREET

the view from the osborn street, similarly to the view from aldgate east tube station, has a heavy foot-flow. brick lane is a very popular, busy area drawing, tourists and locals to it. osborn street links the end of brick lane to whitechapel high street. the site sits almost directly opposite the end of osborn street meaning it can be seen for quite a distance up osborn street.

33

WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET [WEST]

2.5

KEY VIEWS: HIGH STREET WEST

the view of the site as you approach from the west is seen by both pedestrians, motorists and buses. this is the main vehicular route to the london 2012 olympic games and this is the view that people using this route will see of the site. the site steps forward from its neighbouring building meaning its west elevation is completely visible - it has two facades which front onto the high street.

34

2.6

SUN STUDY
noon

07:00

09:00

11:00

13:00

15:00

17:00

no

rth

summer solstice: sunrise 0445, sunset 2120, sun angle 600

no

on

no

rth

spring/autumn equinox: sunrise 0600, sunset 1815, sun angle 450

no

on

no

rth

winter solstice: sunrise 0805, sunset 1555, sun angle 300 35

2.7

EXISTING USES

retail office residential vertical circulation

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 the ground floor 3 stair cores access office spaces and a wholesalers. the corner unit and 3rd floor are primarily residential space.

36

2.8

VACANT UNITS

there comes a point when the vacancy rate is so high that no new retailers will come in to a location because they dont want to be sited among empty shops. it is, in effect, a death spiral. there is some debate about where the threshold lies but it is probably between 20% and 30%.
guardian.co.uk, Thursday 2 February 2012 Phil Wrigley
like many high streets, whitechapel high street is suffering from vacant shops. within the proposed site 3 of the 5 ground floor retail units are vacant. once the vacancy rate reaches a certain level it creates an area which is undesirable to potential new retailers. the role of the high street needs to be reassessed, people are choosing to do their shopping online, at supermarkets and out of town shopping centres. the high street is no longer the centre of the community, it needs to be reassessed and replanned.

37

PART 1II

PROJECT CONTEXT

july 2008 london wins olympic games

jan 2010 planning permission granted for works to 64-68 whitechapel high street

may 2010 announcement that london 2012 marathon route no longer passing through east london

june 2010 site start date for works to 64-68 whitechapel high street

nov 2010 works to 64-68 whitechapel high street completed

february 2009 high street 2012 project initiated

nov 2010 application submitted to local authority for revised scheme.

may 2011 site start date for revised scheme under management procurement contract allowing detail design to be undertaken in parallel with on site construction

actual timeline redefined timeline for this project may 2010 funding for restoration works to 64-68 whitechapel high street cut. all proposed works cancelled aug 2010 edf energy, as official energy supplier to the london 2012 games, come forward as new investor. new brief formed for a building powered by movement. feb 2011 planning approval received for revised scheme 27th july 2012 london 2012 opening ceremony building must be completed and open to public

3.1

PROJECT SETTING already involved in the london 2012 olympics as the official energy supplier edf energy are looking to undertake projects along the olympic route and decide to take on the project at 64-68 whitechapel high street. working to a tight deadline to have the building designed and constructed before the games the project works partly with the existing application for a faster route through planning and also uses a management procurement method on site meaning a full tender set of drawings does not need to be produced prior to start on site, so detailed design can be carried out at the same time as on site construction.

the project envisages a different set of events after the announcement that the london 2012 marathon route has been change to finish in central london and will no longer pass along the a11 in east london. it is conceived that this announcement caused the funding for the london 2012 scheme to be cut and the need for tower hamlets, together with the surviving high street 2012 organisation, to look for new investors to undertake projects at proposed sites along whitechapel high street.

39

3.2

BRIEF

edf energy are looking into new ways of powering buildings and as part of their link with the london 2012 olympics are looking into ways in which human movement and interaction with buildings can be captured as an energy source for powering buildings. the project at 64-68 whitechapel high street will be a test ground for their new technologies. the building will be used to test not only methods of capturing the energy in human movement but it will also be a test ground for capturing waste products from the body and growing high energy foods in controlled conditions which provide the body with the energy it needs to move. the tight urban site is an ideal test ground for these technologies as it is the kind of site that eventually the technologies will be installed into in other buildings in the city context.

40

3.3

FOR THE COMMUNITY CLIENT BENEFITS revenue from stall rental daytime. revenue from exhibition space rental - evening. market stalls less likely to be vacant for long periods of time than shops. MARKET/ EXHIBITION AREA

...BUT AN ATTRACTIVE INVESTMENT opening up the entire ground floor as market space will ensure a more constant income for the building owners, rather than having 3 of 5 retail units empty the market is more suited to the transitional character of the high street allowing traders to come and go freely and easily ensuring pitches are not left vacant for long periods of time. the cinema will bring in a consistent income and when screening films made by local producers they will take a payment from them, effectively renting out the screen space. the cinema will also bring in income through advertising on the cinema screen. the gym will involve a membership scheme where members pay a monthly fee to use the gym and whilst using it they will be providing energy to power the building reducing the overall costs of the entire building. the building as a test ground is an investment by edf energy in to future technologies but at the same time it will be making them profit. whilst doing so it will be serving the local community in a two way relationship.

the building will function as a gym [there used to be a gym in the recently demolished leisure centre on a site adjacent to the proposed site], a local cinema showing a range of films and a market area. the gym provides a service to the local community and it is the gym that will harness most of the energy from human movement. so in this way the building will be powered by the local community whilst be used by the local community. the cinema will show films aimed at the community, such as bollywood films for the high proportion of bangladeshi immigrants in the area, but will also show films produced by local people. the ground floor of the building will be an extension of the high street and house a small market area. in contrast to the retail units which stand empty the market will allow a space for small traders to sell goods and services without the commitment of high and long term rents of a full retail unit.

membership revenue. energy harnessed in gym reduces energy costs in entire building.

ticket revenue. revenue from hiring out the cinema to local film makers. revenue from advertising.

high street repopulated with traders. affordable stalls for local traders. exhibition space for local artists. COMMUNITY BENEFITS

local amenity returned to high street. interaction with the building by helping to power it.

local entertainment venue to bring life back to the high street. a stage for local film makers to exhibit their work.

CINEMA

GYM

41

3.4

A LOCAL CINEMA

in 2012, when the eyes of the world are focused on the olympics, the east end film festival will be showcasing all that is good about east london, and its extraordinary diversity of citizens and culture.
http://www.eastendfilmfestival.com

london metropolitan film society

tower hamlets, a lead consultant in the high street 2012 team, is also the lead partner in the east end film festival [eeff]. the eeff has developed an international reputation attracting some large names in the film industry such as danny boyle [slumdog millionaire], tony grisoni [fear and loathing in las vegas] and andrew macdonald [trainspotting] but at the same time providing a platform for local directors and producers. they use a combination of local cinemas and site specific events. the human powered cinema would provide the eeff with a venue in the very heart of the east end. it could also provide a venue for the london metropolitan film society and film studies course as well as playing bollywood movies for the local bangladeshi population.

east end film festival

42

3.5

WORKING WITH EXISTING APPROVALS

the existing approval for the julian harrap scheme still stands on the site. to speed up the planning process the key concept of recreating a historic facade will be maintained if not in exactly the same way as julian harrap intended. the previous application was just for works to the facades whereas the new application will involve the construction of a new building behind the facade and a change of use. tower hamlets will be consulted all the way through the design process as part of the high street 2012 team but also as the local planning authority to get the scheme through planning as quickly and efficiently as possible.

43

3.6

BREAKING DOWN THE FACADE

the new development encroaching on the high street from the city of high rise office blocks lack an interaction with the high street, their functions are private and their facades distinct boundaries between the high street and their interiors. this project aims to break down that barrier and as a community building it needs to be accessible and open to the public. that concept is going to be taken on in the aesthetic of the building. the historic facade proposed in the julian harrap scheme is literally going to be broken down and pulled apart to allow the high street to flow into the building and the internal spaces of the building to extend onto the high street. the ground floor market will occupy the spaces between the broken up facade creating a covered but external market linked to the high street.

44

3.7

FACADE STUDY

although the julian harraps historical elevation will morph to accommodate the new building and create a space for the users 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. as you pass by the facade sections of it will start to align at different points giving glimpses of sections of the historical facade. visitors to the olympic village will pass by the building as they travel to and from the olympics. the building will no longer be a pastiche copy of a history that once was but will hint at a history whilst functioning for its new use. existing approved facade proposed facade

45

3.8

RETAINING EXISTING SCALE

although the facade will be broken up the overall scale of the building will stay close to its original scale. the site will act as a marker on the developed south side of the high street as a scale of building that used to sit along the entire high street. the site sits as an island on the high street which will help to emphasise its small scale amongst the new large scale developments that are being constructed around it. the building aims to represent the historical scale and urban grain of the historical high street without becoming a pastiche of the historical building that has been lost to history. 46

3.8

RECREATING FACADE

to continue to move away from the pastiche the historical sections of the facade will be recreated from photographs and cast in concrete rather than creating a false version of the past as julian harraps scheme was proposing to do in brick slips.. historical photos will be used to create a virtual 3d model of the historical facade that can then be used as an input into cnc cutting machines to form moulds for the concrete casting process.

47

roof

3.9

GROUND FLOOR RELATIONSHIP

the ground floor is an extension of the public realm of the high street, apart from a small ticket office and reception the entire ground floor will be an open market area. the open theme of the building will continue to the floors above with all the circulation as unheated external space within the building. the circulation will be constructed in a steel mesh allowing a visual connection through the entire building. second floor the external circulation that weaves through the building expands on the theme of breaking down the boundary between the high street and the building, creating an open accessible building. the gym pods and cinema will be suspended within a lightweight structure above the market. ground floor market area circulation vertical circulation tickets/reception gym pods cinema greenhouse pods bar
n

first floor

basement

48

no

rth

noon

summer sunpath
on

3.10

ORIENTATION

no

no

rth

the sun study showed that the site is heavily overshaded for most of the year except during the summer months when the sun angle is sufficient so that the surrounding taller buildings do not overshadow the south facade. using passive solar heating to directly heat spaces during winter months will be impractical because of this overshading. overheating in the summer will be avoided by careful planning of the internal spaces. the gym area will be a hot spaces, heated by a large number of people working out within it, solar gain would quickly cause overheating problems, increasing the load on the cooling systems in the building. to avoid this situation the gym is positioned on the north side of the building, allow them to be lit with diffused north light. the cinema, an enclosed black box, will act as a shading device, positioned on the south side of the site.

autumn/spring sunpath

no

on

n
rth

no

winter sunpath

market area gym pods cinema greenhouse pods

49

3.11

MOVEMENT

the gym will be broken up into a series of small spaces which will be constructed as translucent pods which populate the spaces within the broken up facade. movement is integral to the theme of the building as an energy creating structure and the translucent pods suspended above and extending over the high street will allow a visual connection between the high street and the movement within them. the translucent material will be opaque enough that only the outline of movement within the gym will be visible. at night time the pods will only be lit if they are being used so it will be immediately visible which pods are creating energy for the building and the movement within them will cast shadows on the facade. the mesh walkways used for the circulation will also allow a visual link between people moving through the building.

50

solar energy

electrical energy to rest of building

electrical energy

3.12

GROWING PODS

GYM PODS

the growing pods form an important part of the building, the food grown within them will be used in the bar within the building that will provide the gym users with high energy natural snacks and will also provide refreshments to the cinema users.

chemical energy [food]

JUICE BAR

the roof is often an under utilised area of urban buildings and if the growing tests are successful it is the most likely space that is available for growing space to be retro fitted into existing city buildings.

grown produce

GREENHOUSE PODS

51

solar energy > fruit and vegetables

grown produce > high energy juices

chemical energy > kinetic energy kinetic energy > electrical energy

the test growing areas in the building will be constricted from a similar material to the gym pods - an insulated translucent material with a high light transmission factor - allowing solar gain in but not letting the heat out. they will be placed on the roof as it is the only part of the building that benefits from solar gain all year round.

ALDGATE EAST

3.13

KEY VIEWS: ALDGATE EAST

the aesthetic of the broken up facade is clear from this view that looks straight onto the facade. the old glazed shop fronts allow clear views through into the market area and parts of the facade extend over and retreat from the pavement blurring the boundary between the building and the high street. the sections of facade recreated in concrete will sit like sculptures suspended in the air above the high street.

52

OSBORN STREET

3.14

KEY VIEWS: OSBORN STREET

this oblique view of the facade allows views into the translucent gym pods which extend over the high street. the movement of people within the gym will be visible as shows moving over the facade. at night the pods will glow when in use softly lighting the immediate facade around them.

53

WHITECHAPEL HIGH STREET [WEST]

3.15

KEY VIEWS: HIGH STREET WEST

on the main route to the olympic stadium the west elevation will appear flat but as you approach closer and the perspective changes it will become more obvious that the building has been morphed into something new.

54