Project 2- Leeds Masterplan
Site and Historical Vernacular Research
YEAR 2 -
The first part of my Leeds project regarded creating a masterplan of a car park close to Kirkgate Market. This car park would serve as a central hub for the surrounding local community and had to allow for foot traffic in many different directions emitted from local landmarks that surround it. The main landmarks being Kirkgate Market and Leeds Corn Exchange. The usage of the occupied housing and other use building were also in my hands, I just had to be mindful of the kind of small society I wanted to create.
I felt views through the site via different vantage points were essential in grabbing the attention of commuters and tourists alike, as they provide both shortcuts and hints/accents of greenery and landscape design to wet the palette and to make you want to venture down that route to see the pay off at the end.
To understand however, the community of days gone by, I had to research the history of the site, and the impact the market trade has had on this area over time (that impact being massive). It was soon clear that creating a larger marketplace hub spanning from the center of the car park outwards was the right decision for the residents of the local context, because they live and work in this trade. I didn't however want to diminish the income or revenue of business already thriving, so the central space evolved into a multi functional square that would allow for eventing of all kinds to make the district seem more festival like.
With the masterplan complete, I had a good idea as to the attitude and values I wanted my Leeds community to live by, so took to beginning a site model for the purposes of massing my upcoming Hybrid Housing scheme.
Similarly to the Urban Farm site but on a much larger scale, this model incorporated the tunnels under the train tracks, the corner of Leeds Corn Exchange and the entirety of the car park.
In order to make the train tunnels as I did, I first cut a block of foam into the shape of the impression made in the topography, and then sliced it into three pieces. The top, the tunnels and the base. The base was slotted into the grove, and the top set aside while I sliced the center part into blocks, discarding the chucks where the tunnels were. The remaining blocks were reattached to the base and top leaving the missing blocks or 'tunnels' behind.
Me alongside a group of friends built the model, each tackling different streets. The foam we used was yellow, and the topography was printed in layers and laser cut using AutoCAD. The slices of ground were sprayed dark grey, and the building themselves sprayed a slightly lighter grey.
Site Renders and SketchUp Model
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My final masterplan renders and SketchUp model screenshots can be seen here, each of the three central garden circles used for pop up markets, performances by jugglers, buskers dance troupes etc. The block in blue is the intended location of my Hybrid Housing scheme and the buildings in red are mixed-use shops and residencies that tie the whole market district together.
Each circle is covered by a timber canopy which can be left uncovered or strung with sheathing in the winter months. These provide natural trellises for climbing plants to grow up, and fully harness the space they have been allowed to thrive in. The sunlight over these canopies will also cast very interesting and striking shadows throughout the day,
The stalls in yellow are small additional pop up markets that spill through the ambient tunnels and into the local music district, where different forms of entertainment can be found to suit every visitor, either those pacing through the scheme fast only getting a few moments to appreciate the music and smells as they walk, or those that wander and want to try new experiences, travel in new directions and go at their own pace.
Colours were added to the soft landscaping in addition to bushes trees and benches dotted around the site.
Finished Posters
