3rd edition. part 6 - master planning and urban design. (7 of 48)

8/9/2019 3rd Edition. Part 6 - Master Planning and Urban Design. (7 of 48)

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6 Master planning and urban designStuart FoleyUrb io Masterplanning and Urban Design

KE Y POINT:0 Teamwork is crucial to the masterplanning pro cess, with differ-

ent professional perspectives requiredContents1 Introduction2 Master planning typologies3 Master planning principles4 Consultant teams5 Process and activities6 Master planning and urban design7 Overview8 Bibliography and References

1 INTRODUCTIONSpatial master planning is the process whereby existing and pro-posed land use of a specific site is considered in terms ofenvironment, economic, social, political and technical matters. Amaster planner is the individual w ho collaborates across these fiveprinciples to direct the origination of a site-planning strategy thatembodies the findings of this collaborative process. A master planis most likely to be set out in several documents, written and visual,identifying how a site-planning strategy of this type can be app liedto a site.This chapter concentrates on the master planning of large orcomplex site-planning projects. It looks at some issues likely torequire consideration by master planners and designers (architects,landscape architects and urban designers) operating in the core team .

Table I Project forms

2 MASTER PLANNING TYPOLOGIES2.01Exercises in master planning are undertaken in urban, suburbanand rural contexts. Master plans may be undertaken for severalforms of development (Table I), with differing scales of detail, fordistinct purposes and all vary individually from project to project.The range and level of information used to generate a master planproposal will be matched with its intended purpose.

2.02 Master plans for marketingThese master plans are aimed at raising the profile of a potentialproject, primarily to attract funding. They seek to inform potentialinvestors about a development opportunity. They show broaddetail and aim to identify a vision for the project. Som e investiga-tion into impo rtant issues will be considered , though for reasons ofpracticality these may not cover the entire site. Many aspects ofthe proposals will potentially be under review in later stages. Themaster plan documentation will usually cover some or all of thefollowing:0 Project description. Concept plans and drawings of the propo-

sal, outline information on environment, transport andinfrastructure requirements, land use and project phasing.0 Market information. Regional and domestic background dataand a description of aspirations for the project.0 Strategic business plan. Covering accomplishments to date,future development strategy and a project programme or

timeline.

I I I EXAMPLE I1 Residential 1 1 Housing. I1 Retail I I Retail parks and shopping centres. I

II Business parks and o ffice campuses.I CommercialParks, public squares and plazas.Hosp ital campuses and health retreats.

1 Education 1 I School, university and staff training establishments.Industrial Research and produc tion facilities.

Beach resorts, adventure parks and ski resorts.e.g. Figs 6.1 and 6.2New owns, urban extensions and renewals.

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6-2 Master planning and urban design

0 Project economics. Including initial information on investmentreturns, development opportunities within the proposal and pro-ject cost assumptions.0 Company profile. Details of senior management personnel, theproject team and office contact particulars.0 Preliminary development programmes. Tabling facilities, unitsnumbers and areas and capacity details.

Though not all, these projects are often proposed on green fieldsites and can be prepared for any project form (Table I). It will be veryclear what form of developm ent is to be proposed for the site at theoutset. They are often lightweight, high-impact documents. Exampleprojects may include 6.1 and 6.2 exclusive residential developm ents,golf courses, theme parks and leisure resort master plans.2.03 Forward planning and managementAll master plans are Concerned with the future; however, thistypology is particularly concerned with strategic aims and objec-tives of governance and large organisations.There are a range of sca les of operation with this type of masterplan related to site area. Smaller more complex projects may alsorequire a master plan. At the largest scale, master plans mayconsider the future development of an entire urban area and some-times are called strategic frameworks in those instances.Large institutions and international corporations require forwardplanning involving land use. The large property portfolios oftencontrolled by these groups periodically require consideration forcapital construction programmes and future investment purposes,calling for a master plan.

In the UK, Area Development Briefs and Master Plans areprepared as Supplementary Planning Documents and used bylocal government in their Local Development Framework. Theyare assembled on behalf of a landowner or developer, in liaisonwith local planning authorities. They are included in the LocalDevelopment Framework as a future guide to the general form ofdevelopment or use that would be acceptable on a particular site.All varieties show a broad level of detail for the entire site andare backed up with survey and analysis data. They aim to identifyand rationalise the range of structural issues a development willhinge on during later stages. Because of the large areas withpotential new uses involved, for some cases part of the actualprocess will involve establishing potential final uses.2.04 Master plan competitionsMaster plan compe titions can be set up if enough baseline informa-tion is readily available. They are often appropriate for high-profileinternational projects and other situations where design ideas andquality are particularly important. Competition submissions offer avaluable ideas resource for a client. The selection process mayinclude interviews in front of a technical panel for finalists. Here, aclient team can examine other factors besides design talent. It isalso a mom ent to cdarify project m ethodology and previous projectexperience. t \,2.05 Design and construction master plansThese master planning projects usually arise from initial workprepared as part of one, or occasionally working through all ofthe previously outlined typologies..The form of development willbe clearly understood though may undergo refinement. Projectwork can cover single sites if large gnyugh. Occasionally, it willcover zones of larger scale strategic framework projects or perhapsa component of the proposed phasing , o f a ~ t r ~ \ e g icroject. A planwill identify site layout and cover consideia!Ay m ore detail incomparison to all the other typologies: ahd .fbf lte+ ,entire ite. Inmost cases, the necessary information required: o y e k permissionsand licenses to build ar e presented, re quj nng &$prehensivedocumentation. I,. * , > y+. I

3 MASTER PLANNING PRINCIPLES3.01An effective master plan should establish the means by whichvaluable places for living, work and play can be created. Creatingthese surroundings is an interdisciplinary act, achieved throughcooperation between client, professionals, communities and users.A suc cessful master plan can be view ed in broadly similar terms toan ecological system, where apparently independent elements com-bine to set co nditions that enable life to evolve and sustain activity.Ecology is the branch of biology that deals in relations of organism sto one another and to their physical surroundings. Unlike in thenatural world, undertaking the creation of surroundings for humanactivity draws other variables in addition to physical ones. Themaster planning process involves consideration of both thephysical issues of environment and technology or Visible (HardInformation), along with economic, social and political matters orInvisibles (Soft Information). Together, these terms outline fivetectonic axioms, or the ecology of the master planning process(Table 11). This ecology must be considered whole if a m aster planis to have substance. In the same way, the ecology of a naturallyoccurring habitat will require the complimentary elements forgrowth to be in place in order to establish and thrive.Of the five axioms, the title containing most relevance to designdisciplines is environment. However, the equal impact of all fiveaxioms on a deliverable master plan is vital. Each axiom willestablish prominence at one time or another, through variousstages, in the course of a project.

4 CONSULTANT TEAMS4.01 Spatial master plan documentEvolving a strategy for the creation of changes of land use is thefocus of the master planning process. A key image that illustratesthe outcome of this effort is the spatial drawing or spatial masterplan and this is invariably drafted - with several iterations - mongthe designers (architects, landscape architects and urban de signers)in the core team.

4.02 Design team make-upThe involveme nt of design professions provides considerably mo rethan a beautiful final image. The opportunity for a more complexdiscussion takes place when planning and engineering are inte-grated together with spatial design. The work of designers shouldadd substance to the ambiguous realm of planning and estheticvalue to the system basis of engineering via synthesis across dis-ciplines. Master planners often come from design backgrounds inarchitecture, landscape architecture or urban design.4.03 Master plannerFor certain projects, a large team of consultants will need assem-bling, each prepared to contribute expertise within their particulardiscipline (Table 111). The consultant list will vary according toeach project, in relation to Visible and Invisible demands of theproject. A master planner will be in control of the core team ofconsultants - and therefore project direction. Their project knowl-edge will be drawn from across the core consultant team. It is inthis pivotal role that the master planners are able to offer directionto the core team and interact with the client concerning projectprogress. When dealing with a client, this individual will be look-ing to compress and interpret the volume of detailed informationbeing considered by the core team into digestible summaries.

4.04 Smaller projectsFor smaller projects, the master planner may take multiple respon-sibilities, e.g. ma ster planner, architect, urban designer a nd project


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Master planning and urban design 6-3

materials

6.1 Muster Plan Typology: Marketing. Island resort design strategy, illustrated with themes that address the enhancem entand protection of local environmental capital (Vilingili Addu Attol resort. Maldives )

manager, as individual experience sometimes allows for this. It 4.05 Consultant 'Territories'may not always be necessary or financially viable to commission Master planning projects vary in many ways, nevertheless thethe full list of consultants (Table 111) in all master planning range of consultant groupings or 'Territories' (Spatial Design,projects. Conservation and Protection, Engineering, Costs, Legislation,


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6.2 Maste r Plan Typ ology: Marketing. Island resort design strateg y, illustrated with themes that address the enhancementand protection of local environmental capital (Vilingili Addu Attol resort. Maldives)

Organisation and Public Consultation) are likely to be consistent(Table IV).To assist with briefing of the master planner and core teamorganisation, senior professionals from each consultant group canbe appointed responsible for a 'Temtory'. The headings shown in

Table IV assist with the identification of subteams and aid inter-disciplinary communication through ensuing stages. The range ofskills making up a territory may not all be in-house.

This is also a useful division when considering the structure ofmeetings and its attendees. The duration of master planning


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Master planning and urban design 6-5Table 11 Five tectonic axiomsVlSlBLES

I. Environmental

2. TechnologicalINVISIBLES

3. Economic

4. Political

5. Social

Table 111 Consultant team

dISIBLES

NVlSlBLES

AXIOM

Environment

Technological

Economic

Political

Social

CONSULTANT

ArchitectLandscape ArchitectUrban DesignerEnvironmental ConsultantEcology ConsultantArchaeologist

Transport EngineerBuilding Services EngineerCivil& Structural Engineer

Quantity SurveyorProperty Agent

Town & Cou ntry PlanningProject Management

comm unity Mediation

projects may be a minimum of a year and expand into several.Territorial divisions help if members leave the team, by rootingexperience within associated professional areas, thereby helpingreplacements to cons olidate preparation during staffing transitions.

4.06 Territories in smaller design teamsSmaller design teams are often structured to allow responsibility formultiple Territories to be held where experience allows; for exam -ple, Spatial Design and Organisation or Planning and PublicConsultation. Care must be taken in these circumstances, as indivi-dual w orkloads start small and tend to increase sub stantially throughthe term of a project. Primarily because a characteristic of the processis discovery , an attribu te that clearly invites uncertainty in workloads.Issues reveal themselves unexpectedly; require attention and

Table IV Project TerritoriesCONSULTANT

ArchitectLandscape ArchitectUrban DesignerEnvironmental ConsultantEcology ConsultantArchaeologist

Transport EngineerBuilding Services EngineerCivil & Structural Engineer

Quantity SurveyorProperty Agent

Town & Country PlanningProject Management

Community Mediation

TERRITORY

Spatial Design

Conservation & Protection

MovementServices & DrainageEngineering

costs

PlanningOrganisation

Stakeholder Consultation

insertion into the process. Duties can become unmanageable, andavailability of key individuals problematic, invariably causing di ff -culties when time is short. Unless planned in advance, enlarging theteam in order to redistribute responsibilities will result in reductionsin work quality and impact on project programme. The impact ofreducing a teams size will inevitably lead to increases of individualresponsibility for on e or more team mem bers. This also has negativeeffects on quality and p rogramme, unless planned correctly.

4.07 Indisciplinary communicationThere is significant overlap between the thinking developed by eachindividual consultant and between the temtories that make the coreteam. Allowing time for interdisciplinary communication of the coreteam as a group is vital for these areas of similar interest to receivediscussion. Views can then be cross-referenced between consultants,discussed and agreed prior to decision-making. Aim to establishregular consultant team meetings where tabling of rough and earlydraft ideas and outline information is encouraged. At con sultant teammeetings, avoid using elab orate graphic presentation techniques, theytake comp aratively more time to draft and often encourage the viewthat things are fixed. Am endments to this work can be fiddly and timeconsuming, and with tight fees and tighter time budgets, always comeat the expense of face-to-face comm unication. Consider using pre-sentation graphic work primarily for client meetings, there are likelyto be many time consuming changes and amendments to these formaldocuments alone. Make room for interdisciplinary communicationbetween the core team whenever possible.

5 PROCESS AN D ACTIVITIES5.01 Project evolutionThe pro cess of m aster planning is inherently prone to change, as thevariables contributing to the process are m ultifarious. Unless viewed


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64 Masterpl.nniagaadurbandedgnas a living process, changes that enter during the evolution of aproject are ikely tobe considered an encumbrance, when in fact theyare important developmental stages of the endeavor. Experienceddesign teams will be constantly scanning for new issues with poten-tial to alter the project bearing in both negative and positive ways.Any opposing effects on workload - androbustness of theprocess -can be educed by q r t i n g ssues early. Clients will often be tied tofairly strict delivery programmes but even so. the impact of unfore-seen issues on delivery, e.g. seasonal windows for environmentalstudies cannot be ignored (Table V). Structuring a master plan aroundincomplete or unchecked information will impact on its credibility.This reflects badly on the eam and ma y affect implementation.5.02 BackgroundmaterialIn most cases, the process of master planning will expose thelargest volume of background material ever collected and consid-ered for the particular site concerned. Placed in a position to directoutcomes from this material, it is im portant for the m aster plannerto take a flexib le approach and maintain a broad view of the issuesas initial objectives may change when levels of project know ledgeincrease.5.03 Master planningprocess phasesThere are three basic phases in the master planning process:Devising, Design and Delivering. Designers are mostly active inthe first two. but co ntinue involvement throughout alongside themaster planner and other core team members. Contributions arerequired from all tenito ries of the core team both befo re and afterthe period when they are ind ividually most active. For the durationof the projec t, a regular process of testing options and ideas takesplace as decisions are aken.5.04 DevisingpbaseThis phase establishes of a strategic context for the project bycollecting together information related to each of the five axioms(Table II) - environment, technological, economic, political andsocial. Designers will engage mainly with environm ental and tech-nological issues initially, when beginning site study work. Thiswork should be carried out while keeping a watching brief ondevelopments with the remaining three axioms.For designers in the core team, the finalaim of the Devisingphase is usually to a ssemble and order all the reference inform ationinto a Master Plan Brief. The brief will defm requhments , setinitial objectives and establish the fram ework that will inform thepreparation of the spatial master plan in the following Designphase. The design team will often rationalise this information

Table V Habitataurvm -opthnatperiod#

through text and graphics, and combine this work into one docu-ment on behalf of all the consultants in the core team. During thisphase, resist value judgments, as they will often presume knowl-edge that has not been qualified. Report fac ts and observations andnote ideas (to incorporate later in the Design and AccessStatem ent) separately, for use in the Design phase.

5.05 Submissionto the clientAfter completion, the docum ent will be submitted to the client forconside ration. The details of this brief will be sub ject to amend-ment, e.g. surveys may be due to be commissioned or stillunderway. Overlooked information may appear and new issueswill arise. This new information will need to be incorporated intothe brief as and when available. The mutable n a m of the brief isto be expected and the client should be m ade aware of this and whyit is so.

5.06 Work areas for master planners and designem1. Identify initial aims and ob jectives for the project:a. Set out in a docum enti. Build detail up from client discussion with core teaminput.2. Produce the maste r planning briefa. Collect and Analyse Readily Av ailable Informationi. These are desk studies that can be attended to withoutvisiting the site (Table VI). Undertaking some of thesebefore visiting the site will help establish a mental m ap ofthe project area.b. Site-Based Analysis and Commissioning Studiesi. This work provides u p t o d a t e information. Consultantswill undertake site surveys and carry out various t y p e s ofanalysis (Table W).Threshold and capacity studies forfunding, transport and services are particularly important.

i. State aspirations and elaborate with images in a referencec. Portray the Project Visiondocument.d. Collate and Present the Master Planning Briefi. Present initial analysis documents. Chapters may includeProject Vision, Env ironment, Landscape, Built Fabric,Transport. Services and Planning. A final chapter maycover initial ideas.3. Maintain watching briefa. Economic. Consider the outline business caseb. Social. dentify main stakeholders. Review consu ltation and

c. Political. Consider project delivery issuescomm unication strategy

]AN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCTBADGERBATSBIRDS - BREEDINGBIRDS -WINTERINGCRAYFISHDORMOUSEGREATCRE!STEDNEWTREPTILESVEGETATIONSURVEYSWATERVOLE

NOV DEC- l l-H


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Table VI Secondary sources - collect and analyse readily a vailable informationXlOM~

ieneral

nvironment

1ONSULTANTDesign Team

Base plansReview existing site surveysOrdnance Survey plan (with contour information)Strategic area I :25,000 medium scale mapSite area I : 250 large scale mapTopography analysis

Scheduled MonumentsWor ld Heritage SitesLand use patternsFigure GroundPrecedent studiesProject team contact list

ArchitectReview relevant existing data and material provided by clientArchitecture related Policy ReviewArchitectural Constraints: Desk Review

National, Regional and LocalMap relevant designations and other information

Landscape ArchitectReview relevant existing data and material provided by clientNational or International andscape designationsLandscape Policy ReviewLandscape ClassificationTree Preservation OrdersLandscape Constraints: Desk Review

National, Regional and Local

Map relevant designations and other informationWeb sites:Natural England.www.naturalengland.org.ukScottish Natural Heritage. W.snh .0 rg .ukWales Environment Link. www.waleslink.orgEnvironment& Heritage Service. www.ehsni.g0V.uk

Urban DesignerReview relevant existing data and material provided by clientUrban Design Policy ReviewStrategic Access & Permeability (Public roads& Rights ofWay)Urban Design Constraints: Desk Review

National, Regional and Local

Map relevant designations and other information1 Environmental ConsultantReview relevant existing data and material provided by clientNational o r International nature conservation designationsEnvironmental Policy Review

Map relevant designations and other informationEnvironmental Constraints Desk Review:National, Regional and Local

WaterWasteBiodiversityAir & ClimatePollution Web sites:

Magic. w.magic,gov.ukEnviroCheck. w.envirocheckco.ukEnvironment Agency.w.environment-agency,goV.ukUKAir Quality Archive. w.airqual ity.co.ukNatural England.www.naturalengland.org.uk

Zontinues ..


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6-8 Master planning and urban designTable VI (Continued)

810Mnvironment

khnological

Economic

Political

Social

~1ONSULTANTEcology ConsultantReview relevant existing data and material provided by clientDraft scope of potential habitat surveys:BadgerBats

Birds - BreedingBirds -WinteringCrayfishDormouseGreat Crested New tReptilesVegetation surveysWater voleWeb sites:Natural England.www.naturalengland.org.uk~~ArchaeologisReview relevant existing data and material provided by client

Scope for potential archeological issuesMap regression exercise of site and contextTransport EngineerReview existing traffic modelling data and material provided by client:Private vehiclesPublic TransportCyclistsPedestriansWeb sites:Department for Transport. www.dft.gov.uk

Review relevant existing data and material provided by clientBuildingServices Engineer

Civil& Structural EngineerReview relevant existing data and material provided by clientQuantity Surveyor

Review relevant existing data and material provided by clientDemography (economic)* Property AgentProperty market demand& supply' Town& Country PlanningPlanning overviewPlanning permissions& proposals

OwnershipsLegal constraintsListed buildings1 Project MonagementReview relevant existing data and material provided by client:Project FinanceTime and Delivery IssuesQuality IssuesHuman Resources1 Community MediationDemography (social)

Community informationCultural facilitiesCultural identityAmenity locationConsultation and communication strategy


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Master planning and urban design 6- 9

Table VI1 Primary information requirements: site analysis visits and commission studies

M O M;eneral

invironment

IONSULTANTDesign TeamSite checking of desk studies

Topography analysisScheduled MonumentsWorld HeritageSitesLand use patternsFigure Ground

Site checking of desk studies:Building dentification and Photo surveyBuilding entrancesBuilding heightdstoreysBuilding of InterestCommission Studies

ArchitectArchitectural Constraints: Desk Review

E.g. Building condition surveys1 Landscape ArchitectSite checking of desk studies:

Landscape ClassificationLandscape Constraints: Desk Review

Landscape character assessmentViews - See accompanying text Analysing ViewsCommission Studies

E.g.Tree surveys. Section 5.12

Urban DesignerSite checking of desk studies:Strategic Access & Permeability (Public roads & Rights ofway)Urban Design Constraints: Desk Review

Urban Analysis. E.g.PermeabilityLegibilityVitalityVarietyRobustness

Views - See accompanying text Analysing Views - MethodologyCommission Studies

E.g. Space syntax surveysEnvironmentol Consultant

Site checkingof desk studies:WaterWasteBiodiversityAir & ClimatePollutionE.g. Pollution monitoring

Commission Studies

EcologyConsulfontHabitat surveys. For optimal survey periods see (Table7)

BadgerBatsBirds - BreedingBirds -WinteringCrayfishDormouseGreatCrestedNewtReptilesVegetation surveysWater voleContinues ..


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Table VI1 (Continued)

WOMlnvironment

bchnological

iconomic

'olitical

iocial

CONSULTANTArchaeologist

Carry out archaeological surveysTransport Engineer

Desire line studiesTravel lsochrone Maps.Threshold studies

Building Services EngineerThreshold studies

Civil & Structural EngineerThreshold studiesE.g. Ground conditions:Water absorption capacity

Quantity SurveyorCapacity studies

E.g. Retail SurveyProperty Agent

Site checking of desk studiesTown & Country Planning

Initial Planning Strategy R ep or tProject ManagementInitial a ssess me nts of:

Project FinanceTime and Delivery IssuesQuality IssuesHuman Resources

Community MediationDevelop r epo rt materialDemography report (social)Community information reportCultur al facilitiesCultural identity assessm entAmenity locationConsultation and communication strategy

5.07 Design phaseThis is the start of this site-planning phase. Designers once againwill engage mainly with environmental and technological issues.The structural components of the site will not always be immedi-ately evident but must be established. These are opportunities andconstraints or desirable components that collectively identify sitecharacter.

5.08 Study layersSeparating the site-planning study into five layers or headingscovering Street blocks, Streets, Public and Communal spaces,Buildings and Landscape will permit study of all the maincomponents that go to make a place. Each design profession(architecture, landscape architecture and urban design) will con-sider the headings from their own particular attitude. They willestablish the important characteristics that make up the structureof a site to them professionally and to some extent personally.These considerations will require discussion and clarification in

drawings. Each consultants approach to site planning is consideredin various items of published reference material. Of particularvalue to the designers of the core team is urban design site-planning reference material (See Bibliography). In all masterplans, the source of site-planning ideas and direction is mostlyextrapolated from successful existing urban environments.The synthesis of environmental and technological informationwith knowledge from other disciplines of the core team will befocused through preparation of various drafts of the spatial masterplan. A procedure of testing and refinement is undertaken, until afinal draft of the spatial master plan emerges.

5.09 Some con siderations for master planners and de signersStreet blocks0 Identify each street block. Roads and pathways usually define

the edges of these. Study the block sizes looking for signs oflocal scale and patterns of development.


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0 Grid orientation may be important if the Project Visionincludes sustainable building techniques, e.g. proposals fornorth-south building facades.

0 Street block edges have a high level of permanence. For largerprojects, a method of subdividing the site may be required tomake things manageable. Divide the site into zones using majorstreet block edges.

0 Teams covering areas or zones of study can then be set up.0 Axoid arbitrary zone subdivisions or plot layouts. This oftenleads to extra land area calculation work in later phases.Streets0 Consider roads, cycle routes and footpaths. Movement desire

line studies will have indicated where traffic is coming from andmost likely to enter and cross the site.

0 Set out these access points, and consider what can be seen alongthem in addition to what destinations they may lead to and howbusy these routes are likely to be. Busy routes will usuallyremain so. These are all linear features that historically cutacross various boundaries.

0 New movement corridors require new boundaries to be crossedand construction will often have a disruptive environmentalimpact.

0 Increasing widths of existing movem ent comdors also attracts envir-onmental impact, but it is often reduced by comparison and maylead to the strengthening of existing links and movement networks.

Public and communal spaces0 Hard and soft types will probably feature and they may be

located on nodes, where streets cross. Locate the interestingones and the reasons why the are valuable.0 For urban settings, some public space may exist, that is civic

space the public have a right to freely occupy. However, inmany newly propo sed situations, outside space will be privatelyowned and therefore more accurately termed communal space.

0 Distinguish between the two types of outside space. Communalspace can operate very differently both immediately followingproject construction and in the more distant future. It may be subje ctto m aterial change by a land owner, w ithout recourse to its users.

Buildings0 Buildings do not need to be designed in detail for a spatialmaster plan. Simple outline forms are enough, with an indica-

tion of storey numbers and entry points.0 Massing studies should take into account the scale of imm ediate

surroundings and the impact of buildings on the nearby comm u-nity; particularly in terms of interference with valuable views.0 Though generally buildings do not need designing, there can be

advantages in showing features of some for one reason oranother. Develop a quick, 1:500 sketch plan of these and thenchange this drawing scale to match the scale of the spatialmaster plan. This will identify a simple set of lines in plan thatcan be reproduced to show an architectural intent.

Landscape0 Consider valuable landscape features, local connections with

open space, streets scene and important views. Orientatingstreets to compose views, and using buildings to enclos e squaresand plazas, w ill set up situations for landscape to play its part inthe structure of the spatial master plan.

0 Often sites - or their surroundings - hold evidence of nativelandscape character that is particular to the locality, e.g. treegroupings, hedgerows, wall construction, etc. Identify thesecharacteristics, find and record them in photographs. Considerways of introducing these features into the proposed landscapestrategy of the site. Native plant species thrive.in their homesurroundings and using local crafts also assists with sustainableobjectives.

5.10 Analysing viewsIdentify important viewpoints and divide them into two groups:long range and short range. Identify each vantage point, the direc-tion, length, width and elevation of each view and set them out onbase plans; one showing long range and another short range:0 Long Range 1:lO 000 (Street names should be readable)0 Short Range 1:2500.Use a 50mm or equivalent digital image lens and shoot view pointsat eye level, i.e. 1.67 m above street level. Photograph the viewsthat are obscured (by trees or buildings) for reference.

5.11 Finding viewpointsIdentify easily accessible public places where people pause andtake-in the view. These are unlikely to be traffic islands, roadcrossings or the views from the insides of buildings. Considerbridges, public parks and hillsides as these places provide particu-larly good vantage points. Aim to review al l the viewpoints thatwill be affected by the proposed development from:0 Conservation areas- Existing individual or groups of interesting buildings- Important public open spaces- Key entry points- Listed buildings- Local landmarks- Movement corridors (vehicular and pedestrian)

0 Prominent escarpments.

5.12 Delivery phaseDelivery addresses how new development will take place on theground. Delivery issues such as realistic market demand assump-tions should be considered from the introductory stages andregularly tested through the master planning process. Designersalso have an important role in developing structures that helpclients safeguard the aspirations of master plans.

6 MASTER PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN6.01 Urban renaissanceThe relatively large resident population of urban and suburb an cityprojects is the common factor separating urban master planningprojects from a range of comparatively less complex master plan-ning exercises. Since the publication of the Urban Task ForceReport Towards an Urban Renaissance in 1999, master planningof urban and suburban areas is an idea that has increased inimportance. The term has entered into UK planning debate andnow finds itself integrated with the current planning system.

6.02 Urban designersMaster planning in an city context is likely to involve the skills of aqualified urban designer. The profession is concerned withmechanisms that drive and create valuable places to live, workand play. Their work involves the incubation of ideas in urbanism ,under the headings urban studies (i.e. Urban economics), urbanplanning (i.e. City planning) or social sciences (i.e. Urban sociol-ogy or geography). Urban studies and urban planning work areprimarily applied or practice-based problem solving. These twosubjects are concerned mainly with the structuring of ideas intopublic spaces, layouts of roads and car parks, with the use of hardand soft landscape, and use of street furniture, lighting and signage.There are strong similarities between topics that interest urbandesigners and landscape architects, but the chief distinction is theurban designers intimate knowledge of the city environment, itsland economics and social issues.


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6.03 Urban master planningUrban design has become recognised as a vital ingredient in suc-cessful urban master planning. In fact, it can be illustrated thatsuccessful urban space can and does exist without great architec-ture. Conversely, good architecture will suffer in a poor urbansetting.6.04 Urban design perspectiveThe subjects of architecture and landscape architecture provideinput to the origination of site plans, but connect directly withparticular specialisations that shape a particular perspective, i.e.buildings and their operation or exterior space and horticulture,respectively. Sim ilarly, urban design is not a subject solely focusedon site planning, as important face ts of urban debate are bonded tothe master planning process by the presence of an urba n designer inthe design team. There w ill be separate detailed considerations thatdo not reliably arrive through the perspectives of architecture orlandscape architecture. Incorporating a concerted urban designperspective within the aims and objectives of the project brief - ormany contemporary projects - s necessary for it to be consideredcomplete and robust.

7 OVERVIEW7.01Though the following two descriptions were prepared with urbanmaster planning in mind, they usefully set out the various rolesrequired of a master planner:

A master planner will need to communicate ideas and pro-posals clearly and succinctly through words, diagrams andthree dimensional illustrations, present research, evaluationand proposals clearly to a wide range of audiences, explaindesign decisions to stakeholders, think holistically about asite, prepare urban design proposals, coordinate a diverserange of technical inputs and evaluate the relative impor-tance of different elements, address how proposals are goingto be delivered, manage the team, manage client input,

budget and program effectively and bring together key stake-holders interests into a coherent whole. (Creating Succ essfulMasterplans, CA BE 2004)

A ma ster plan at its best, is a description (both visual andwritten) of the potential of a place. It sets down the differentlayers of physical change (the buildings, public spaces,roads, pedestrian routes, etc.), and is able to assimilate theaspirations of key stakeholders in the public and privatesectors and moderate their impact on the natural environ-ment. Its outcomes are usually a set of policies andapproaches for interventions in the physical environment,with a clear mechanism for delivery. (Design ReviewedMasterplans, CAB E 2004)

As this is an introduction to the master planning process,what can probably described as a traditional approach is dis-cussed here. Most groups, professional, student and client findthis approach logical to follow. However, i t is worth pointingout that this method can cause unnecessary costs and lowmaneuverability in certain cases as the labour involved canbe substantial. For instance, studies can be expensive andprove what was already understood intuitively, and as poten-tially interesting new opportunities emerge, quick alterations tothe trajectory of a project can prove difficult. The potentialfor more lightweight models exist, but these are not consid-ered here.

8 BIBLIOGRAPHY AN D REFERENCESUrban Design Compendium. English Partnerships/HousingCorporation, 2000Creating Successful Masterplans, CAB E, 2004Towards an Urban Renaissance. DETR, 1999The Value of Urban Design. CABE, 2001Civic Realism. Row e, 1997The C ity Reader. Legates and Stout, 2007Time Saver Standards for Urban Design. Watson, Platus andShibley, 2003