Task 7 - Urban spaces - Victoria Square, Birmingham

As I'm from Birmingham,  thought I would choose an urban area I have spent a lot of time in, back at home. Victoria square is a very popular and busy urban space situated in the heart of Birmingham. It has many similarities with the Market Square of Nottingham, such as being situated next to the council house, and having a water feature. However, I think the design of Victoria Square makes it a much more inviting space.

 As shown in my first sketch, at the heart of Victoria Square is a large, 2 tired water fountain, where water from the upper tier falls down stairs to the bottom tier. Both pools have a water statue, which either sits in the flowing water or projects water into the air. Just the sound of running water creates a peaceful effect, which is nice in a busy city when trying to escape some where for lunch. Surrounding the water fountain is low, thick wall which is often used for seating, weather or not it is busy. The purpose of this urban area seams to be junction for people walking through, as there are many entrances and exits to this area, all leading to different parts of the city. I think this because there is very little purposely built seating, suggesting it was never in the design , or brief for this area to be used as a seating area. Maybe it should have been put in the brief, as many people sit in the area, and its almost always occupied.

My second sketch is a view from the top tier, looking upon the fountain. Many, large concrete sphere balls create an edge around the area, following the shape of the fountain wall. Although these could be there for an aesthetic impact, I believe they may serve as fancy bollards preventing drivers from going in that direction. They too could even be an informal type of seating, and together with the spheres, and the fountain wall, maybe the client brief was a seating area, but the architect has tried to disguise the seating so that its not formal.   

Finally I tried to draw the whole of the area so the layout of the area can be properly seen. Other pointers why I think the brief for this area is for 'passers by' and not for people to linger is the stairs. Both stair cases are very large, plenty enough room for the rush hour pedestrians commuting to and from work. The size of this area also means events, and markets such as the very famous German market can be held here, and can accommodate for a lot of people. Its now also viable that the design of the urban space is very symmetrical, with equal stairs either side of the fountain. then, protruding from the fountain are different coloured, yellow, floor bricks, creating an effect that nearly draws you closer to the fountain. The surroundings of this Urban space are also very impressive, with the famous Town hall, and council house facing the space. To conclude for this urban space, I again think that this urban space is very successful as it is used by a lot of people, for multiple reasons, its a flexible, attractive space in an urban landscape.

Task 7 - Urban spaces - Castle gate, Nottingham

Castle Gate, Nottingham is also home to an urban space, with much more unique properties than many other spaces. The site sits on the footstep of the towering walls of the historic Nottingham castle. Here there is the famous statue of Robin hood, with several plaques and information boards spread across the area, mainly for the benefit of tourists who visit the site all year round. This is what I chose to sketch first. Because of this statue, the access to historic information, and the castle, its hard to argue with the fact this area was designed for tourists to visit, to walk around and find out about the history of the area. Furthermore, only a 20 second walk down the road is the 'trip to Jerusalem' which claims to be the oldest 'inn' in England. This too is a tourist magnet and brings an influx of people to the area.
 My second sketch looks at the layout of the area with plenty of grass, which is well kept, where, especially in the summer months people can sit and have lunch whilst visiting this historic area. The way these paths are mapped, in relation to the information plaques, and the robin hood statue further support the claim the brief is to design an area for tourists to learn about the history of the area. Large trees offer shade, as the area gets a lot of sun during the spring and summer making it ideal for parents too take there children there too. this area is only a 5 minuet walk from market square, the centre of Nottingham, but it is a very quite area, with little traffic pedestrians.

 Finally, I sketched the site as if you where walking up to it. In the foreground you have the grass area, and in the back ground you have the large tunnels under the walls of the castle. Like the castle, the surrounding buildings are all old, or follow old, traditional styles such as Tudor. Even the Old Trip To Jerusalem was built in 1189. The lack of modern buildings makes the urban space very unusual, and it feels very separate from the rest of the city. I think the council have tried to limit the redevelopments in the area to keep this atmosphere, as plays a massive role in the phenomenology of the area. There is no seating in the area, similarly to the Victoria Square, Birmingham, so it is assumed the area was not designed for people to stay. To conclude, I think the area is another successful urban space, and the client brief has been met.

Task 7 - Urban spaces - Market Square, Nottingham

The first public space I choose to sketch was Market square. Working down the page, my first sketch is trying to represent the tranquil water feature with seating near by. Second I have drawn nearly all the floor of market square, trying to show the almost invisible changing in levels that the architect has done well to hide. Finally, the council house is a massive part of market square, as tourists will come to visit it, and will view it from market square.
 I am a big fan of market square for a number of reasons. Firstly, there is not many places in a city with such a large area of open space, that feels so clean, well kept and out in the open. In fact, Market square is the biggest of its kind in the UK. The choice of material for the paving is the main reason why this area feels so clean and open. The very pale grey, smoothly finished stone has a modern, social feel to it, and certainly is a better choice than a dark grey tarmac, or brownish concrete slabs.
Another reason why I like market square is its nearly invisible changing of levels. The landscape is uneven, and where the ground descents, Gustafson porter, the architect who redeveloped market square, cleverly divided the differences in height with seating, or steps, which makes the whole place feel the same height. Market square is also the home of many events such as the the parading of the FA and European trophies nottingham forest FC won, as well as being home to the anual christmas markets, ice rinks and summer fairs.
There are also 2 attractions at market square, both making it a nice environment to sit down, maybe eat lunch or have a chat with a friend. firstly, the water fountain is a feature based at the rear of market square. this has seating all around it, and itself is tiered to allow water to fall. This feature faces the mighty Council house. This towers over market square, and is the eye piece of the area. Having a building like this is nice to look at for nearly any one, having an effect similar to that a TV has on a lounge. In my opinion, I would certainly say market square is a successful area, and has been a successful redevelopment because the area is used by a lot of people everyday.

References : - all sketches by Matthew Parsons on 02/05/14
- information from http://www.architecturetoday.co.uk/?p=6910 , 02/05/14

Task 6 - Maggies Centres in general

Having read the BMJ article Inspiration: Maggies Centres, Edwin Heathcote, 23-30th dec 2006, I now have an understanding of the importance of these centres and what they really mean.
Its a very cruel, and barbaric idea to create a place to die in, what ever the reason, especially something as traumatic as terminal cancer. It takes a great deal of acceptance to come to terms with death, and of course I'm not speaking from experience, but it must be hard to continue with everyday life, as the little things start to become less and less important to you. This is were Maggies Centres really help. It needed someone like Maggie Keswick Jencks to come up with such an idea. As mentioned in the article, architecture cant cure cancer, but it can help in keeping you calm, relaxed, and most importantly happy.
The design of a building, as discussed in my blog post 'Phenomenology', can change your mood based on how you feel in and around it. All Maggies centres are designed with unique, vibrant shapes, colours and symbolism. These produce a positive atmosphere, which patients will feel when entering the centre. This is a good climate to come to terms with your illness, and to think positive about the future. This is very important for both the patients, and there families.

http://openbuildings.com/blog/2011/08/architecture-of-hope-maggies-centres

Each architect puts a part of themselves into each of there centres. For example, Zaha Hadid took a strong, forward approach in the design of her centre, with the reasoning that 'why should spaces built to contain some of our more traumatic moments always be modest and domestic?' This is a fair point, and she successfully designed a building that reflected this mind process, as shown in the above photo

, and will be felt by the patients that use the centre. Another example is the Dundee Centre, which takes nearly the opposite approach, in creating a very tranquil place to rest, over beautiful scenery in a domestic looking property. Again, due to the careful design, this intention will be felt by the patients, and will be reflected in how the patients feel. this is the target for all the architects who create a Maggies Centre.

http://www.bustler.net/index.php/article/2012_riba_award_winners_announced

These buildings aren't just to increase the positive mood of the patients, but also raise awareness throughout the community and the public. Its hard to notice an average domestic building in the concrete jungle we live in today, and it takes fine, unique ideas to create buildings that stand out, which the Maggies Centres do. because of this, members of the public take an interest in the building, and therefore the charity, and this is a form of fundraising. It also raises awareness among the population and further advertises the scheme. Finally, a comparison must be made between these maggies centres, and a very basic looking building offering similar support. Although its a big pill to swallow, members of the public don't want to pass a dull looking building, with the dull thought that people venture there to die. This sort of approach wont invite people support the cause. instead, if the funding is there, more attractive places give the public a more positive opinion of the idea, and make the saddening truth a more pleasant thought.

References: BMJ, inspiration: Maggies Centres, Edwin Heathcote, 23rd-30th Dec, 2006

Task 6 - Maggie Centre - Highlands

http://openbuildings.com/buildings/maggie-s-highlands-profile-2171/media

My second choice of Maggie centre is the Highlands Maggie Centre, located in Inverness, Scotland. In contrast with the Centre in Dundee, the location of this centre is much different, and arguably much harder to work with. Next to a busy main road, and only over the street from houses, the size and design of the building is compromised, as a centre to cater for the terminally ill should be a quite, peaceful, yet positive place away from loud traffic noise. Page and Park Architects worked together with Charles Jencks to try and over come these issues.

http://pagepark.co.uk/projects/maggies-centre-inverness

Again, the design of this building is very unique. however, the design is also very practical, as the curved structure of the main building flows into a fence like sound barrier effectively blocking much of the noise coming from the busy road creating a peaceful garden for the centres patients. The landscaping of the 'garden' must also be praised with eye shaped hills projecting from the ground, also known as 'Dividing cells', 'symbolising healthy growth and life' (http://openbuildings.com/buildings/maggie-s-highlands-profile-2171/media), also subtracting some of the noise, as well as being an attractive feature to walk past before entering the centre. On the right is an initial sketch of a plan for the centre, which is visibly reflected in the final product.

http://www.building.co.uk/fourth-maggie%E2%80%99s-
centre-turns-confusion-into-calm/3052313.article

The building its self is also in the shape of one of the 'dividing cells' finished in green copper cladding, which goes well with the treated timber cladding finish on the garden wall, and the well kept green grass of the garden. The interior, also covered in timber cladding, is a very bright space due to the clever roof windows that spiral around the shape of the building. this creates a positive, welcoming atmosphere inside the centre, fit for anybody seeking support with any cancer related issues. I believe all of the Maggie's Centres have similar client briefs; a place where people can go if they feel they need space from the world, or need support, which I think this building does.

References: All information accessed on 02/05/14
- http://pagepark.co.uk/projects/maggies-centre-inverness
- http://www.building.co.uk/fourth-maggie%E2%80%99s-centre-turns-confusion-into-calm/3052313.article

Task 6 - Maggie Centre - Dundee

http://www.galinsky.com/buildings/maggiescentre/

Maggie Centres are buildings across the UK where people who in some way have been effected by cancer, mainly targeted with people with terminal cancer. There seems to be a unofficial competition between leading architects on who can create the most imaginative, and positive design.
My first choice of Maggie Centres I liked was the one in Dundee. I understand that in my previous blog post I took credit away from a building because of its location, but this is brilliant! Firstly, the building, from a rear view ( above) seems to have the original structure of a large bungalow, which because of the fantastic location and views would be enough to suffice most patients. However, the architect, Frank Gehry, went the extra mile to design an eye catching building. The jagged, uneven roof puts a lid on the building, which can be seen from miles around. Furthermore, so visitors of the Centre can fully enjoy the views, Frank designed an unusual looking tower at the front of the building (below) taking everyone step higher.

https://beautifuldundee.wordpress.com/category/craft-design/

I think the use of stained wooden window frames and doors contrast well with the smooth white finished exterior walls, creating an inviting and pleasant atmosphere of the building. The client brief was to 'create a building for people with cancer that was a home, but not a home' (http://www.building.co.uk/to-be-frank/1023708.article). I certainly agree that this building fulfils its client brief, as my first impressions was that it looked homely, but had a twist with the design of the roof. This building has such a positive feel, which also satisfies the client brief because it is a very nice environment for a terminally ill cancer patient, or a person struggling with issues related to cancer, to spend there time. Also from this article, it tells us that the roof is finished in stainless steel, which had been brushed with a wire brush so that it was not shiny and reflected the tranquil colours of the sky. This further goes to show the level of designing this building has gone through, and why it is my favourite out of the Maggie Centres.

References : http://www.building.co.uk/to-be-frank/1023708.article - accessed on 02/05/14

Task 5 - The Marbach Museum Of Modern Literature

http://www.archinfo.it/david-chipperfield-museum-of-modern-
literature/0,1254,53_ART_198240,00.html

Choosing a building out of the 14 RIBA sterling prize winners that I least liked was much harder than one that I liked, as I like them all for different reasons. However I had to choose The Marbach Museum Of Modern Literature.
My reasons for the choice of this building are mainly summed up in one question: Why did this building win? Out of all the other exiting or historic buildings that are being built today, I'm slightly surprised that this building emerged as a winner. I have to give it credit that its location is beautiful, set on high ground looking over a German valley, and the fact very old German authors collected and dispersed there work from this very museum is also very interesting. But the architecture its self I don't think is all that special.
There seems to be a very limited use of materials, giving a very modern approach to what looks like the re-creation of a very old Greek temple. I must agree that the pillared structure, together with a large use of glass, has an eye catching effect which I do quite like. It is efficient, in terms of saving energy through lighting, and also provides a very light, clean atmosphere so the literature inside can be seen easily, which I believe would be a huge part of the client brief. In addition to this, as described on the RIBA website ( http://ribastirlingprize.architecture.com/marbach-museum-of-modern-literature-germany-2007/), the entrance to the building is another feature. Without being too critical, the description seems to use the setting as the main attraction, with the decent of a couple of steps, until you reach a large door. It even describes the lack of materials as a 'palate of materials'. It seems a few fancy words have been used to over sell this building. In my opinion, the beautiful location of this building won its award, and not the architecture, or the buildings relationship with the surroundings. Although I think the building has met the client brief, I think something much better could have been built.

References: http://ribastirlingprize.architecture.com/marbach-museum-of-modern-literature-germany-2007/

Task 5 - The Peckam Library

http://ribastirlingprize.architecture.com/peckham-library-london-2000/

The Peckam Library, London,  won the RIBA sterling award in the year 2000. Firstly, looking at the building, I think it looks absolutely great. Its an extremely modern looking building because of its unusual shape, and enormous use of glass. I also find it very clever and effective how the colours have been used in the glass, to give a very bright and aesthetic look, but still maintaining a level of transparency allowing plenty of light into the building. It also entered my mind that the colours are very simple, and are mainly primary colours. This reminds me of when I was a child, learning about colours, and I think these colours have been used as a library is a place where people read and learn, making it very appropriate.The building is also in the shape of an 'L', which other than coincidence, could stand for the word 'learn'. The shape is unusual, and together with the mix of colours and glass, I think creates a very attractive and welcoming building, which gets rid of the common 'dull' stereotype many libraries have. Although it can be argued the building doesn't suit its surroundings, the reason for building such an aesthetic building of an unusual nature is because the client, Southwark council, wanted a building to set a new bar for the regeneration of the 'under privileged borough'. In this sense, I feel the architect was very successful in fulfilling the client brief.

References: All information and photos was taken from http://ribastirlingprize.architecture.com/peckham-library-london-2000/ , on the 30/04/14.

Task 4 - Re-appropriating the past

32, Broadway house, Stoney street, The Lace Market, Nottingham is an old factory building erected during the industrial revaluation. Now it is common for buildings, such as this building, to be turned into living accommodation in the form of flats, apartments, or in some cases offices. This particular building has been converted into apartments. However, certain features of the building are still visible today. The ceilings of each floor are very high, as large machinery may have been used in the original factory. Although this was not something that could be changed, this
has a positive effect on each of the apartments, making them feel very light, big and spacey. Exposed brick walls have also been left unchanged, especially on the road facing wall. This again has been used as a feature by the developer, and has been considered when designing the rest of the apartment. each room is very spacious, which could be due to the structural layout of the building, restricting the shapes and sizes of each room. Large Arched windows take up a lot of the wall space, shedding light into each of the rooms.

Reference - sketch by Matthew parsons

Task 3 - Sketches (2)

Industrial revaluation

Above are my sketches for the industrial revolution period. On the left is an old factory. These where introduced in the industrial revolution so that managers could control there staff rather than them working at home. It also enabled mass production as large machines could fit in the factory and safely operate.
On the right is a canal, connecting the the river Trent. These canals meant everything made in Nottingham such as lace could be transported out in mass, at a much cheaper cost to other cities and towns. It also meant supplies could be brought into Nottingham.

Victorian architecture

Next I sketched 2 examples of Victorian architecture. Below is an example of Victorian terrace housing. These where small, cramped houses for the working class, catering for the ever growing population. typical Victorian details can be found on these houses such as cresting at the top of the roof and detailed and decorative brick work. It was also common that attractive brick was used on the side of the house facing the road, and less expensive, and less attractive brick would be used for the rest of the house. this says a lot about how the Victorians thought as they always added decorative detail to make buildings attractive, but they were also very efficient with there resources, and buildings were made well and strong.           

Although bay windows were not invented in the Victorian period, the became extremely popular. There is not one given reason why they became popular, but bay windows allow more light into a room, and also make the room slightly larger. they allow space for extra furniture, ornaments and they also look decorative from the exterior. Another feature of Victorian architecture was there very large front doors.

Gothic architecture

 For my sketches of Gothic architecture, first i decided to sketch St Cathrines church. this church is a classic example of Gothic architecture, with the use of arched windows, coming to a slight pint at the top. however, another classic example of Gothic architecture is the churches layout. nearly every Gothic church followed the same layout, which is almost like a larger square joined to a smaller square. This sort of architecture originates from the Romanesque period, but the use of flying buttresses and structural innovations that allow large, stained glass windows to be made, such as the window on the gable end of the church, tell us its Gothic.
The second building i chose to sketch isn't from the Gothic era itself, but uses a Gothic style to achieve something different. The Arkwright building is a historic building used by Nottingham Trent university. however, the newton building was built beside it, and the task was given to an architect to try and mould these buildings together, both having completely different styles. The use of Gothic windows on this building contrasts with the modern brick used to create it, but still has an old, Gothic feel to it. as a result, there is a more mellow transition between the 2 buildings and they work well together.

References: All sketches and information is by Matthew Parsons