Tag Archives: LDA Design

Chatham Research Project – first contact !

Visit 1 – Tuesday August 25th 2015 –

 

In early August this year I was commissioned by FrancisKnight Art Consultants  and Medway Council to identify and scope creative public realm opportunities within the strategic Chatham Placemaking Project, which is being delivered by LDA Design.

“FrancisKnight have been appointed to work with LDA DESIGN and Medway Council on the Chatham Placemaking Project and in particular producing a creative public realm strategy to enhance the proposals and to add a sense of place and purpose to the spaces.

 At the heart of the Thames Gateway, only 30 miles from central London, Medway is the largest conurbation between the capital and continental Europe. A modern place with green spaces and a superb quality of life, close to breathtaking countryside, the area has a young and culturally diverse population.

 Chatham is located at the heart of Medway, with a population of 264,900 people living in the urban area in 2013. The area is world famous for its historic naval dockyard, and has also been a strategic centre for trade”.

This is a short term consultancy for me, which focuses particularly on the pedestrian route between Chatham Railway Station and The Waterfront, Chatham, via Railway Street and Military Road. This route leads on towards the Historic Dockyard Chatham – which is the subject of a World Heritage Bid –

I had up till this point never been to Chatham!  I know of Chatham via Dickens and Pepys – as well as having looked at the Historic Dockyards online ! I have passed through the Medway Towns many times on the train between Ramsgate and London, which does not really help frame a complete & honest image of the town.

This is a small sample of the visual record I made of my first visit in response to the project brief –

 

Chatham Railway Station.  Image:Christopher Tipping
Chatham Railway Station.
Image:Christopher Tipping
Chatham Railway Station, Kent.  Image:Christopher Tipping
Chatham Railway Station, Kent. Image:Christopher Tipping
Chatham Railway Station approaches. Image:Christopher Tipping
Chatham Railway Station approaches. Image:Christopher Tipping

As you leave the Station  and turn left, this leads you, via Railway Street towards the Town Centre and The Waterfront – however this route is a difficult one to navigate – if you know the town, then various landmarks map this out for you, but for a visitor, the experience is confusing and not for the faint hearted. The first 100m of this route, the car is certainly King – much to the detriment (& risk) of the pedestrian!

Railway Street, Chatham,  Kent. The same view -   Image:Christopher Tipping
Railway Street, Chatham, Kent. The same view – Image:Christopher Tipping
Railway Street, Chatham,  Kent. Image:Christopher Tipping
Railway Street, Chatham, Kent. Image:Christopher Tipping

This view looks down Railway Street towards the Town Centre with the red brick edifice of Mountbatten House  dominating the centre view.

Railway Street, Chatham,  Kent. Looking up towards the Train Station through the Viaduct, which replaced the original Old Viaduct of 1794, which was referred to as a 'defensive'  gateway.   Image:Christopher Tipping
Railway Street, Chatham, Kent. Looking up towards the Train Station through the Viaduct, which replaced the original Old Viaduct of 1794, which was referred to as a ‘defensive’ gateway. Image:Christopher Tipping
St John the Divine Church, Railway Street. Built in 1820/21 & closed in 1998. Image:Christopher Tipping
St John the Divine Church, Railway Street. Built in 1820/21 & closed in 1998. Image:Christopher Tipping

 

Railway Steet was split into two sections with Waterfront Way connecting to the A2. This created issues with pedestrian flow and connectivity. Image:Christopher Tipping
Railway Steet was split into two sections with Waterfront Way connecting to the A2. This created issues with pedestrian flow and connectivity. Image:Christopher Tipping
Railway Street, Chatham, looking towards the Town Centre from St John's Church. Image:Christopher Tipping
Railway Street, Chatham, looking towards the Town Centre from St John’s Church. Image:Christopher Tipping
Railway Street, Chatham, looking towards the Town Centre from St John's Church. Image:Christopher Tipping
Railway Street, Chatham, looking towards the Town Centre from St John’s Church. Image:Christopher Tipping
A variety of great buildings still extant on Railway Street. Image:Christopher Tipping
A variety of great buildings still extant on Railway Street. Image:Christopher Tipping
The 'Prince of Wales' Public House on the lower part of Railway Street, Chatham. Image:Christopher Tipping
The ‘Prince of Wales’ Public House on the lower part of Railway Street, Chatham. Image:Christopher Tipping
Two views along Military Road, Chatham, which is dominated by the red brick office block on the right hand side - Mountbatten House and the Pentagon Shopping Centre. At the far end of the long view is the beautiful Brook Theatre, the former Town Hall. Image:Christopher Tipping
Two views along Military Road, Chatham, which is dominated by the red brick office block on the right hand side – Mountbatten House and the Pentagon Shopping Centre. At the far end of the long view is the beautiful Brook Theatre, the former Town Hall. Image:Christopher Tipping
A wide view at the lower end of Military Road looking towards the Brook Theatre and the New Bus Station. Image:Christopher Tipping
A wide view at the lower end of Military Road looking towards the Brook Theatre and the New Bus Station. Image:Christopher Tipping
A wide view at the lower end of Military Road looking towards the new Bus Station and Waterfront. Image:Christopher Tipping
A wide view at the lower end of Military Road looking towards the new Bus Station and Waterfront. Image:Christopher Tipping
Walking from the Bus Station towards The Pentagon Shopping Centre and Military Road, Chatham. Image:Christopher Tipping
Walking from the Bus Station towards The Pentagon Shopping Centre and Military Road, Chatham. Image:Christopher Tipping
The main pedestrian crossing point towards the Bus Station & Pumping Station. Image:Christopher Tipping
The main pedestrian crossing point towards the Bus Station & Pumping Station. Image:Christopher Tipping
Chatham Waterfront Pumping Station and Big Screen, Chatham. Image:Christopher Tipping
Chatham Waterfront Pumping Station and Big Screen, Chatham. Image:Christopher Tipping
The Pumping Station appears to divide two distinct landscapes along the river frontage. Top - looking left of the Pumping Station. Bottom - looking right of the Pumping Station. Image:Christopher Tpping
The Pumping Station appears to divide two distinct landscapes along the river frontage. Top – looking left of the Pumping Station. Bottom – looking right of the Pumping Station. Image:Christopher Tpping
The local population on the river below the Pumping Station. Image:Christopher Tipping
The local population on the river below the Pumping Station. Image:Christopher Tipping
The local population sit on railings along the waterfront,  Chatham. Image:Christopher Tipping
The local population sit on railings along the waterfront, Chatham. Image:Christopher Tipping
The new Bus Station looking towards Mountbatten House. Image:Christopher Tipping
The new Bus Station looking towards Mountbatten House. Image:Christopher Tipping
The Paddock, which is green space between the Bus Station, Mountbatten House and the Pentagon Shopping Centre. Image:Christopher Tipping
The Paddock, which is green space between the Bus Station, Mountbatten House and the Pentagon Shopping Centre. Image:Christopher Tipping
Brook Theatre, Chatham, the former Chatham Town Hall. Image:Christopher Tipping
Brook Theatre, Chatham, the former Chatham Town Hall. Image:Christopher Tipping