Civic Voice shortlists 12 schemes for new design awards !
The Margate Flood & Coastal Protection Project aka ‘Margate Steps’, has been shortlisted for this new design award.
“Civic Voice – the national charity for the civic movement – has today announced its national shortlist for the best designed new development nominated by communities in the country”.
Griff Rhys Jones, Civic Voice President said:
“What I really like about the Civic Voice Design Awards is that they are national awards which have been nominated by local community organisations like civic societies, residents groups, town and parish councils and other community based voluntary organisations, rather than the industry professionals. They show that people are willing to welcome the new developments we need when they have been properly consulted and involved and where the quality of design has been of the highest standard. I look forward to meeting the award winners”
A quick site visit yesterday – 19th March – to see the manifestation sample installed in the M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. This is one of the interpretive artworks on site – part of the public realm and public art enhancements.
Central Chelmsford, Genesis Housing Association. Landscape and embedded public art interpretation during installation on site. Image:Christopher Tipping
This is the interior courtyard space, which we know as The Place – this is a public space for both residents and pedestrians alike. The site will provides a new pedestrian route along a desire line from Chelmsford Station, through to the town centre.
Genesis Housing Association. Detail: sandblasted granite paving, part of the embedded public art interpretation, taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher Tipping
The green granite with sandblasted text is supplied by Hardscape.
Genesis Housing Association. Detail: sandblasted granite paving, part of the embedded public art interpretation, taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingGenesis Housing Association. A view of the interior courtyard known as The Place, with embedded public art interpretation, taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: cnc routed text in slatted timber seating, part of the embedded public art interpretation, taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher Tipping
Central Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: cnc routed text in slatted timber seating, part of the embedded public art interpretation, taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: slatted timber seating, part of the embedded public art interpretation carries cnc routed text – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: large platform slatted timber seating, part of the embedded public art interpretation carries cnc routed text – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text to the risers, part of the embedded public art interpretation – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher Tipping
The York Stone steps with inset granite text are manufactured by the Ashfield Group.
Central Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text to the risers, part of the embedded public art interpretation – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Detail: Yorkstone steps with inset granite text to the risers, part of the embedded public art interpretation – image taken during installation on site. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher Tipping
Interior of entrance lobby – with sample vinyl manifestation taped to the glazing. The weather was really dull & overcast. The printed white inks don’t jump out very much. If it had been bright and sunny, the design would cast a myriad of shadows onto the frame and floors. Will have to wait & see how that works out !
Central Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestations are being applied to the glazed screen for M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher TippingCentral Chelmsford for Genesis Housing Association. Glazing manifestation test sample to M1 / M2 Block entrance lobby. Image: Christopher Tipping
On Thursday 12th March I flew down to Newquay to visit CCP Ltd – Cornish Concrete Products – to review production on the first set of bespoke benches for Southampton Station Quarter. I was meeting up with Simon Taylor, Urban Design Manager –Southampton Highways Partnership, Balfour Beatty Living Places, who is the Design Manager for the Station Quarter project. Simon met me at Newquay Airport & we drove down to Bissoe to CCP’s manufacturing plant.
Gatwick Airport to Newquay with Flybe – around 55mins – not bad !
I left Ramsgate on High Speed 1 for London, St Pancras, then by Tube to Victoria to pick up the Gatwick Express & Gatwick to Newquay by Twin Prop and from there by car to Bissoe – easy ! A great day – but one delay along the way could have been a disaster – fortunately it was brilliant.
Great views of Southampton and the Isle of Wight on the flight down. Image: Christopher Tipping
The units below are the first to be manufactured and are, as such the sample test for the project. We will be looking to iron out any issues presenting at this stage and develop a methodology for ensuring quality control through the production period. The Type C unit – is only one of several bespoke profiles being developed – with each profile there are accompanying bespoke ends and specials to be made.
Southampton Station Quarter – Visit to Cornish Concrete Products Ltd to review manufacture of Type C bench Units.
This is a single unit, part of a six unit seating set for the landscape works. The seating forms part of the interpretation and public art created for the project. The units as seen here have yet to have the etching treatment to expose the surface aggregates, so appear quite light in colour. The finished colour and aggregate mix reflect the multi blend granite paving used throughout the site and is informed by the geology of the site – alluvial gravels – which were at one time quarried nearby in the area now occupied by the Civic Centre. These gravels would have formed the beach of the River Test Estuary, which was – until 175 years ago – to be found where Blechynden Terrace now stands.
Southampton Station Quarter – concrete samples developed with Cornish Concrete Products Ltd for bespoke landscape works. Image: Matt Dyer, Balfour Beatty Services.
We have selected the Blackhill Aggregate – White Cement – Heavy Etch sample to work with –
Southampton Station Quarter – preferred sample developed with Cornish Concrete Products Ltd for bespoke landscape works. Image: Matt Dyer, Balfour Beatty ServicesSouthampton Station Quarter – Visit to Cornish Concrete Products Ltd to review manufacture of Type C bench Units.Southampton Station Quarter – Visit to Cornish Concrete Products Ltd to review manufacture of Type C bench Units. Bespoke return end unit, showing inverted fibreglass mould.Southampton Station Quarter – Visit to Cornish Concrete Products Ltd to review manufacture of Type C bench Units.Southampton Station Quarter – Visit to Cornish Concrete Products Ltd to review manufacture of Type C bench Units.
The composite image below, illustrate the evolution of the Type C Bench. The basic section is added to with bespoke and varying ‘ends’, with some units being further cast with lighting recesses.
Type C Bespoke Cast Concrete Bench for Southampton Station Quarter. Drawings by CCP LtdSouthampton Station Quarter, Type C Cast Concrete Bench development. Image: Christopher TippingBespoke timber mould for the Type C bench fabricated by CCP Ltd. Image: Christopher TippingBespoke timber mould for the Type C bench fabricated by CCP Ltd. Image: Christopher Tipping
I particularly like to see the timber joinery and craftsmanship which goes into the moulds. No-one else really sees this – and the general public generally have no idea of the work that goes on behind the scenes to achieve the objects they see in the public realm.
I recently saw some new aerial images of Margate Steps at low tide taken by the project contractors Breheny –
Breheny have very kindly allowed me to publish them on my blog. Notwithstanding its success as an example of coastal engineering within an urban setting, these images of the project really show to good effect the scale and impact of the project. As a public realm & additional amenity space which the step revetment provided for the town, the project was also successful as demonstrated by the awards it has won.
I was commissioned as the project Artist by MACH – Margate Art & Cultural Heritage, Thanet District Council & the Environment Agency. My role was to supply an interpretive & contextual backdrop developed with which to influence the design process & inform the structure, detailing & interpretation of this major sea defence works. The total budget for the project was £6m.
Works are well underway by the Ashfield Group to manufacture and supply the artwork step details to the project. The double height steps in York Stone are being inset with a darker granite text detail set into the face of the riser, which is part of the art interpretation on site. These double height steps will also have a slatted timber top, which creates ad hoc seating within the main sequence of steps at the southern end of the site. The timber will also carry cnc routed text.
Individual water jet cut granite letters are inset into York Stone, which has had the word already cut by water jet as a negative space. Image by Ashfield GroupThe letters are cut from granite tiles. Image by Ashfield GroupImage by Ashfield GroupImage by Ashfield GroupImage by Ashfield GroupImage by Ashfield GroupThe finished step block with negative text space awaiting granite letters to be inset. Image by Ashfield GroupFinished ! Image by Ashfield Group
The timber seating units for The Gate – a set of 6 radius benches with cnc routed text – are currently being installed at the Central Chelmsford site. The benches are being manufactured by City Squared in Leeds & installed by Ground Control. The designs were developed in collaboration with City Squared. The cnc routed text refers to the history, location and memory of the space & is defined by the adjacency of the Anne Knight Building, which has been refurbished & is considered the anchor building of the development site.
Plan drawing showing the arrangement of radius timber benches within the area known as The Gate.One of the benches in the factory during manufacture by City Squared. Image by City Squared.Detail: Timber sections set out in the factory. Note the cnc routed text. Image by City Squared.For engineering & structural reasons, the long arcs of the benches had to be constructed in two sections. Image by City SquaredEach of the benches has a timber upstand end against which one can rest or lean. The timber detail is reinforced with a stainless steel internal frame and horizontal steel pins. Image by City SquaredThe detailing is very well engineered and finished. Image by City SquaredThe timber benches sit atop a brick built plinth, which mirrors the semi circular setting out of the site. The benches here have not be fully installed and fastened. Image by Ground Control
Detail of cnc routed text. The benches are constructed in two sections. The sections have yet to be aligned during installation. Image by Ground ControlImage by City Squared.
507 new homes as well as retail and offices will make up the new development. The project is delivering a blueprint for a new community in Chelmsford.
The site has a number of key buildings once part of Anglia Ruskin University, which are being partly or wholly retained and refurbished. These are the Frederick Chancellor Building of 1905 and the Law Building of 1931.
One of the most historic & resonant as well as the earliest buildings on the site is the Grade II listedAnne Knightbuilding, a former Friends Meeting House from 1824. Named after one of Chelmsford’s most distinguished women, Anne Knight 1786 – 1862.
Anne Knight was a Quaker and a stalwart Anti Abolitionist, one of very few women to attend the World Anti Slavery Convention meeting held in London in 1840. She would have attended this Quaker Meeting House, now named after her. This is the key anchor building on site.The refurbished Anne Knight Building with new public realm
The view of The Gate with its blue black brick curved elevation. This area is intended as a public open space, extending the forecourt and public realm of Chelmsford Station. The ground floor elevations are glazed and the interiors will be used as retail and food outlets.
Looking South, through the aperture into The Place. The elevation of The Gate is dynamic & brooding. The crisp detailing is pared down. A facade of cantilevered black balconies appear to jut out from deep into the interior of the building from recessed windows.
Looking south towards Central Park through The Place. The main pedestrian route will be on the left of this image, with the remaining site will be landscaped as a formal courtyard garden for residents and visitors alike
The view north, towards the Station from within The Place
These are both samples of text to be used in the interpretive artwork which is embedded throughout the site. The sample on the left is York Stone with inset water jet cut grey granite, by Ashfield Ltd. Inset text such as this is used for step risers at the south of the site. The sandblasted sample on the right is part of a Royal Green granite paving supplied by Hardscape , called The Stream which runs continuously through the site north to south. Both interventions are based on contextual and site specific research I undertook.
