hackney central

7/30/2019 Hackney Central

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H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L

proposa l s fo r r enewing pub l i c p la ces

for

Groundwork

Hackney

autumn 1997

prepared by

Tom Young

Architects


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C O N T E N T S

Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 3

sheet

1 STUDY AREA: London context

2 PROJECT AREAS: where projects areas are

3 PROJECT PLANS: OS map project layout

4 INTRODUCTION: Existing Places

5 INTRODUCTION: Stimulat ion

6 INTRODUCTION: Centres

7 INTRODUCTION: Urban Finishes

8 INTRODUCTION: Divers ity

9 INTRODUCTION: Use Distribution

10 INTRODUCTION: Decay

11 INTRODUCTION: Study Area

PROJECTS

12 AMHURST ROAD: annotated photo pan

13 AMHURST ROAD: analysis

14 AMHURST ROAD: projects

15 AMHURST ROAD: strategy

16 AMHURST ROAD: screen wall proposal

17 HACKNEY CENTRAL: annotated photo pan

18 HACKNEY CENTRAL: annotated photo pan

19 HACKNEY CENTRAL: analysis

20 HACKNEY CENTRAL: analysis21 HACKNEY CENTRAL: projects - Option 1

22 HACKNEY CENTRAL: projects - Option 2

23 HACKNEY CENTRAL: strategy

24 HACKNEY CENTRAL: old station demolition

25 TOWN CENTRE CAR PARK: projects

26 TOWN CENTRE CAR PARK: strategy

27 CLARENCE ROAD: annotated pan photo

28 CLARENCE ROAD: annotated pan photo

29 CLARENCE ROAD: analysis

30 CLARENCE ROAD: analysis

31 CLARENCE ROAD: projects

32 CLARENCE ROAD: strategy

33 CLARENCE ROAD: strategy

34 CLARENCE ROAD: sketch view

35 DALSTON LANE: annotated pan photo

36 DALSTON LANE: photos

37 DALSTON LANE: aerial view of existing

38 DALSTON LANE: analysis

39 DALSTON LANE: projects

40 DALSTON LANE: strategy

41 CHURCH GARDENS: annotated pan photos

42 CHURCH GARDENS: analysis

43 CHURCH GARDENS: projects44 CHURCH GARDENS: strategy

45 BUS STATION SITE: projects

46 BUS STATION SITE: strategy

47 N.LONDON VIADUCT: annotated pan photo

48 N.LONDON VIADUCT: analysis

49 TESCO SITE: projects

50 TESCO SITE: strategy

51 MARCON PLACE: annotated pan photo

52 MARCON PLACE: annotated pan photo53 MARCON PLACE: analysis

54 MARCON PLACE: analysis

55 MARCON PLACE: projects

56 MARCON PLACE: strategy

57 ROWE LANE: strategy/projects

58 BODNEY ROAD: strategy/projects

59 NARROWAY: strategy / projects

60 projects: June 1997

61 meeting list

figure 0.1Gibbons storefront on Amhurst Road with derelict accommodation over


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1 . T H E S T U D Y A R E A

figure 1.2STUDY AREA within boundaries of Hackney

figure 1.1STUDY AREA in context of London


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5 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567

2 . P R O J E C T L O C A T I O N S

AMHURSTR

OAD

DALSTON LANE

DALSTO

NLANE

5 WAYS

MA

RCON

PLACE

A3

A1

A2

M1

M4

C4

C4

C5

A4

B1

B2

B3

C3

C2

C1

A5

M5

M2

M3

M3M7

NARRO

WAY

MARE

ST

REET

LOWER

CLAPTON

ROAD

L O C A T I O N S

A1 Aspland Estate/Amhurst Road

A2 Hackney Central Station approaches

A3 Tescos approaches

A4 Church gardens

A5 Bus-station site

B1 Viaduct spaces & related roads

B2 Marcon Place & nearby vacant buildings

B3 Town centre car park enlargement

C1 New Pembury Estate front onto

Clarence Road

C2 Clarence Road/Narroway

C3 New Pembury Estate front onto

Dalston Lane

C4 Estate open spaces

C5 Estate OAP club

M1 Pembury Tavern corner

M2 Derelict public convenience

M3 Street crossings

M4 Derelict workshops

M5 Kenmure Road off-street space

M6 Narroway hoarding

figure 2.1


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3 . P R O J E C T P L A N S

new build

refurb of derelict or vacant buildings

new or enhanced gardens

new tree planting

new paving for pedestrians and vehicles

new paving for pedestrians

new art installations/public art

C O L O U R C O D E

figure 3.1: plan of proposed

figure 3.2: plan of proposedproject layout for enlarged town centre car park


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figure 5ramp: view from Clarence Rd




4 . I N T R O D U C T I O N

E X I S T I N G P L A C E S

The work presented here is intended toinform inter-agency partnerships workingon improving public spaces in Hackney

Central town centre. The aim is to stimu-late discussion by putting forward specificprojects which realise thinking about pub-lic places in the study area. GroundworkHackney are keen that the rationalebehind individual projects is recognisedby the other agencies involved in regener-ation. One aim of this brochure is to pro-mote urban design thinking as part of an

overall regeneration strategy.

Projects have not been conceived as atotal vision for the whole area. Ratherplaces encountered have been consideredin terms of their urban potential which isexplained in terms of existing urban struc-ture. Structure here means the durableand dominant features of a place.

Clarification of what is present and usefulalready in various parts of the study areais then part of the process of renewingpublic places and through it one hopes togive the strength of well-realised architec-tural ideas to public places.

Improvements to public places are often

projects which can be carried off withminimum fuss. The general preference is

for furniture or street paraphernaliawhich can be inserted into the urbanscene with the least bureaucratic over-

head. These simple insertions are often notwell-co-ordinated and sometimes seemmade for the sake of spending budgets.Curiously, such improvements - suchcommonplaces as Victorian pastiche lampstandards, bins or benches, finger signs,hanging baskets, tree-planting etc - cometo signify the very thing which they arepositively meant to deny, namely contempt

for the urban environment and that gener-alised disregard for the idea of livingtogether in cities with some degree ofpleasure and sophistication. The result isless improvement than trivialisation of theurban environment.

Improvements should be real and lasting.Perhaps, the best hope of this is through

projects that reinforce the best and mostdurable aspects of existing places whilstdealing effectively with inherent difficultiesand obstacles to better use.

figure 4.1looking north towards Pembury Estate OAP club across

Hindrey Road which is set into a cutting isolating the clubfrom the southern portion of the main estate garden


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The stimulation of Hackney Centralsurban environment is a main objective ofthis work. Several different approaches to

stimulation are adopted here.

ARTArt installations are a simple, validresponse to urban design problems, andgiven Hackneys wealth of artistic activity,there is every reason to seek out opportu-nities for such projects.

ROUTESImproving pedestrian accessibility is a wellunderstood principle of urban design.Better used routes are better public places.

LANDMARKSThe 19th C practice of positioning glam-ourous pub buildings on corners is anexample of the role of landmark buildings

in ordinary residential settlements.Distinctive architecture in a background ofbland buildings invigorates the idea of thecity.

ROOTINGImproving areas between buildings so thebuildings and public places seem tocohere more strongly helps root existing

buildings and define a more compellingidea of place.

WORKWork can stimulate public places. Newwork buildings to support and enhance

public places are proposed here. Suchprojects are consistent with the prevailingpolitics of work and welfare. What isimportant now, as Gordon Brown hassaid, is what the state can enable youto do for yourself. This does not meanthat making work happen in particularplaces is easily done by the state. If thepreference is for real work, then great

sensitivity is needed to match existingwork cultures with new work buildingsfunded by public agencies. HABITATs1996 report on human settlements (AnUrbanizing World) argues similarly:

Plannersneed to learn how informalemployment is generated and sustainedand how to reduce negative land-use

controls to the minimum required formaintenance of public health and envi-ronmental safeguarding

The proposals here are for very smallscale work spaces positioned to makebusiness easier, and to make places fordoing business with the public into well-defined and convincing urban settings.



S T I M U L A T I O N

figure 5.1an interesting work milieu off Dalston Lane providing a

public route to Hackney Downs: the setting benefits fromcobble paving and the clear crescent shape of the space


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C E N T R E S

The proposals for stimulating the urbanenvironment in Hackney Central which arelaid out here can be summarised simply

as ways of getting more activity in thearea. In a basic sense, the goal is to makemore happen. This is very apparent whendealing with the deadened spaces to befound around housing estates and areasaffected by acute decay and dereliction.

Richard Sennett, professor of sociology atNew York University and writer on urban-

ism, speaks about the needfor an experi-ence of disorder in cities, of urban cen-tres as the assumed setting for this stimulusor experience of the real. The centre givesa sense of being part of something alive.The residential periphery, in contrast, iso-lates and defines a condition of exclusion.This can be understood just by imaginingthe terrific difference between Hindrey

Road on the New Pembury Estate andNarroway. The former affords an experi-ence of dullness and unease, the latter ofsociability, the human crush, of local soci-ety and business.

Sennett writes; urban placeshave thecapacity to help people to grow out ofthemselves into a more impersonal citi-

zenship, and so to relieve themselves oftheir own subjective burdens. The relief

of self found in dense streets, mixedpubs, playgrounds, and markets affectshow people think of themselves as citi-

zenssensing ones right to the cityhelps people feel entitled to other rights,rights not based on personal injury or

victimhood

Strengthening the centre so it remains cen-tral to peoples experience is an objectiveof this work.

Quite obviously too, the centre must beinteresting. Less formal uses of publicspace - ones perhaps associated withdisorder - afford interest, perhapsbecause informality and opportunism areexpressions of lifes improvised nature. Inthese terms urban design and publicspaces created through it can be thoughtof as a process of accommodating infor-

mality successfully. Certainly, without suchusage, public spaces seem uninteresting.

Interest, informality, opportunism are signsof an urban environment which supportsthe life expected of a centre. One clearaim of this work is to encourage moreactivity in public places.

figure 6.1: Lower Clapton Roadinformal trading next to an 18th C building

containing many different uses


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U R B A N F I N I S H E S

Because the role of workspace as a stimu-lus to public places is important but never-theless fraught with scrupulous anxiety

about engaging with a real work culture(creating real jobs), the followingremarks about small scale urban develop-ment are included. What may be usefulabout this discussion is the idea of highlyresponsive or opportunistic commercialbuildings.

The building shown here in figure 7.1 on

the corner of Graham Road and MareStreet is extraordinary, but unlikely to fig-ure in discussions urban design inHackney Central although it is a goodexample of constructive opportunism.

It is tiny - in width, less than 4m. It housesaround ten separate businesses, all of

which get a good frontage location; this

type of building is all aboutfrontageandcan hardly be said to have a back at all.

The accommodation offered is only mar-ginally more sophisticated than lock-upstorage. But this reduced specificationkeeps costs down so encouraging occupa-tion and use. These are very importanturban design benefits that the small

buildings shown here greatly facilitate.These buildings cannot have been

expensive to erect so for a modest outlay,new business space is made which makesa virtue out of difficult sites, or indeed,realises a site that would otherwise beignored by the public. These sites areunconsidered trifles which can beturned to advantage by small business.

The term urban finishes seems a good

way to describe these buildings. Built offthe raw flanks of larger buildings, theyprovide an inhabited veneer which capi-talises on the frontage location and pro-

vides small business opportunities.

Small scale sliver development is liberat-ing: it gives an urban benefit dispropor-tionate to its size. New small buildings

should thus become a natural part ofurban improvement work.

figure 7.1view of urban finish on corner of Graham Road and Mare Street

figure 7.4: railway viaduct at Hackney Downs stationsmall shops built off the viaduct which inhabit the areaunder the bridge space and establish a public space

figure 7.2view of urban finish on flank of Hackney Institute buildings

figure 7.3view of urban finish on Clarence Road

figure 7.3.1OS extract




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U S E D I S T R I B U T I O N

single user commercial space

light industrial

residential housing estate

mixed: shops, workshops, flats, offices

traditional terraced housing

institutional e.g school, health centre

public open space

AMHURSTROAD

NARROWAY

KENMUR

E ROAD

DALSTON LANE

KENMURE YARD

ATHE

RDEN

ROAD

ALFEA

RNROAD

LOWERCLAPTO

NROAD

CLAPTO

N POND

DALST

ONLANE

SIGDONROAD

ROWELANE

LOWER C

LAPTON

ROAD

MOTHER SQUARE

HILLRO

ADLOWER

CLAPTO

NRO

AD

GOULT

ONROA

D

CLAR

EN

CE

ROAD

The specific ways in which a diverse stockof buildings might be assembled is veryimportant. Because the work shown here

includes proposals for new small structuresit is useful to consider the tradition ofblock organisation found in the studyarea. Certainly, adjacency of differentuses should be understood as beingabout more than separation and isola-tion of nuisance. It is also about makingrelationships, one aspect of which may bemutual enrichment. Through these relation-

ships, we can add qualities to publicspace and semi-public space such asestate gardens and access roads .

One result of comparing the area as awhole (figure 9.1) and blocks within it

(figures 9.2-9.6), is the realisation thatthe area as a whole resembles a block. Ina way, the urban block is a miniature ver-

sion of the area. This mutuality betweenconstituent blocks and the study area isbroken where the excesses of modernzoning are apparent i.e the undifferentiat-ed residential blocks created by the

Aspland and Pembury estates.

One part of this work is to suggest thatnew uses are seen in this tradition where-

by the mixture of uses in any particularplace is complementary to the citysorganisation as a whole. Creating cityblocks as diverse as the examples belowshould be one urban design objective.

figure 9.2Kenmure Yards developmentas residential has radicallyreduced the work content ofthis block

figure 9.1basic use distribution in study area

figure 9.3 figure 9.4 figure 9.5 figure 9.6Mother Square


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figure 11.1schematic of study area with distribution of projects

1 1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N

5

WAYS

CLAR

ENC

ERD

DALSTON LANEGARDENS/SPORTS& WORK SPACE

RAMPREFURBS

RESIDENTSGARDENS

RESIDENTSGARDENS

TICKET HALLREFURB PEMBURY

TAVERNREFURB

CLARENCE ROADMARKET

STATIONARCADE

STATIONARTWORKS

NEWGARDEN

CHURCH ARCADE

VIADUCTSHOPFRONTAGE&PATHWAY

AMHURSTRO

ADFRO

NTAG

E

GIBBO

NSREFURB

MARCON GARDENSHOMES & WORKDEVELOPMENT

SPURSTOWE ROADROAD/WORKIMPROVEMENTS

NEWPATHLINK

OLD STATIONCOVERED

MARKET

NEWTRADERSPAVEMENT

BUS-STATIONREDEVELOPMENT

GALLERY/FUNCTIONROOM

TOWNSQUAREPROJECT

NARROWAYGARDEN

NARROWA

Y

MARESTREET

S T U D Y A R E A

The study area is focused around theNarroway. In the middle, there is the fig-ure subtended by the Narroway, Amhurst

Road and Dalston Lane. This triangle maybe likened to a kind of gathering point atthe head of Mare Street, which leads ontothe main spaces in the area i.e theNarroway, the Town Square and MareStreet.

One aim of the projects is to strengthenthe places adjacent to this triangular fig-

ure formed by the main street spaces.This, it is hoped, will consolidate and rein-force the importance of the mainNarroway/Mare Street axis.

The new projects serve as spaces that leaddirectly to and from the main centralrooms of the area. This approach toorganising new work can be thought of as

increasing the surface area of the centre- a way of engaging more of the immedi-ately surrounding area in the idea of thecentre.

The new spaces laid out in this brochureare important not just in terms of localimprovement but to the extent that theycontribute to the urban idea and reconcile

people to an urban life.

It is then quite clear that these projectsadd to the centre. Geared to the life of thestreet, and the ordinary functionality

offered by public places, they favour nei-ther the rich nor the poor - the sameeven-handedness which public space hasalways offered.

Sustainability is built on functioning, con-fident city areas. Local centres are basicto a sustainable future. The projectsshown here focus on the life of a key local

centre in Hackney and aim to sustain itwell into the next century.


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P R O J E C T S


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/


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figure 12.1


1 2 . A S P L A N D E S TAT E / A M H U R S T R O A D F R O N TA G E

street's straightness isan enjoyable aspect of

the scene: creates a

sense of climax

street sign almost an

artistic statement in

this environment

very poor entrances

spaces to flats

random tree-planting;no idea informing

planting layout or the

tree species

very weak corner into

Aspland Estatehinterland: blind

facades stare out of

estate

area of grass behind

stub wall: purpose of

grass is hard to discern

completely random

display of trees - note

tree to right which hasnot been trained and

now tilts heavily

toward street

near derelict and

unused TA Hall in very

public position


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1 4 A S P L A N D E S TAT E / A M H U R S T R O A D F R O N T A G E


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P R O J E C T S

,

yz

|

,

yz

|

,

yz

|

|

, ,

y yz

|

, ,

y yz z

| |

, yz z

New kiosk

(see scheme for

Hackney Central

Station approaches)

approx value of project

15,000

New curving end to

existing garden wall


2,000

New bus-stop seating


3,000

New build housing

over shops


200,000

Realignment of Malpas

Road and positioning of

Marcon Court service

court to rear


75,000

New canopies and

door treatment to

main entrances into

Marcon Court


40,000

Extension and

enlargement of Marcon

Court TA hall to form

public training and

education resource

centre


150,000

New garden court

entry areas to

Marcon Court with

planting and art-works

around theme of a

garden wall


75,000

New tree planting

forming consistent line

with redefined soft

landscape areas


35,000

1 4 . A S P L A N D E S TAT E / A M H U R S T R O A D F R O N T A G E

figure 14.1


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1 6 A S P L A N D E S TAT E / A M H U R S T R O A D F R O N T A G E


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G A R D E N WA L L S C R E E N S

1 6 . A S P L A N D E S TAT E / A M H U R S T R O A D F R O N T A G E

figure 16.1


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1 7 H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S


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1 7 . H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S

gross dereliction of

supply and depot

buildings at back of

Gibbon department

store

complete

redevelopment?

very poor lighting not

related to lighting on

platforms or on street

appalling fencing

dead emptiness of

upper parts of Gibbonfrontage buildings

new homes?

small trees and

planting unrelated to af

formal idea: blocks

transparency between

station and street

new approach to trees

on Amhurst Road

opening onto street

lacks a focus: the

corner here is weak

out of control planting

and weed growthlong view down ramp

is an asset

figure 17.1

1 8 H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S


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confusion of

lamp standards

very poor exit point

from path alongside car

park, disgorging onto

car park access roadout-of-date sign

planting concealing

station building

weak corner fails

to frame open

space of car park


figure 18.1



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A N A L Y S I S

There are two public approaches toHackney Central Station. The one dis-cussed here is the pedestrian route from

Amhurst Road across the so-called towncentre car park owned by LBH.

This car park forms a significant space offAmhurst Road. It links together three dis-tinct areas of urban development: the rail-

way viaduct/embankment, the AsplandEstate and the conventional19th Centurystreet development on Amhurst Road.

One very important aspect of this spacefrom a design point of view is that it main-tains a direct visual link between the sta-tion platform area and Amhurst Road. It is

works like a window that reveals a hinter-land behind the street frontage - see fig-ure 19.2.

Everything about the stations current con-dition suggests that nobody takes thespace seriously as public space notwith-standing its credentials as a town centrecar park. This is very mistaken given howpublic a space it actually is and howclearly visible it is from Amhurst Road.

Simple urban design issues can beworked out for the car park space. Theseare to do with the car parks very public

position and importance as a linkingspace. Visual clarity around the station isan important attribute. Equally vital ispedestrian movement through the car parkspace.

Both design issues are related. Good han-dling of pedestrian movement is partlydependent on the visual ordering of the

car park space. Clear sight lines and anoverall sense of a constructed set of viewswill add considerably to the experience ofmoving through the car park space as apedestrian.

figure 19.1: plan of existing

figure 19.3: view towards station on embankment

figure 19.2: diagramstations position behind street frontage

and seen across car park space


AM H U R S T R O AD

c a r p a r k

X X

a

cce

ss

roadG i b b o n s B u i l d i n g

G i b b o n s d e p o t

housin

g

h o u s i n g

s ta t

i on

old

stat

ion


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28/67


new rail sign

(work by local artist)


15,000

new hoardings with

lighting to conceal

derelict rear of Gibbon

Building


3,000

new purpose built

screens (work by local

artist)


50,00

new illuminated

bollards


18,000

O P T I O N 2

figure 22.1



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Option 1Option 1 develops the idea of an arcadeas a way of moving through the car parkspace. The arcade not only brings trav-ellers to the station but also provides anentry court to the housing. This combina-tion of residential and traveller accesshelps integrate the arcade as a new urbanfigure into the existing urban framework.

The arcade is accessed from the existingramp leading down from the station via anew stair. The stairs top landing gives thetraveller good views over spaces through

which she has to pass to reach the streetand helps personal security.

The arcade disgorges onto Amhurst Roadin such a way that the pedestrians are notforced across the access road to the sup-ply depot at the back of the GibbonsBuilding. Pedestrians are brought directlyto the nearest street which can be seen. Asmall retail kiosk marks the end of thearcade on the street side, and is set in asmall area of existing greenery. An infor-mation sign is suggested for this garden.

A new zebra crossing here would makesense, helping travellers get on their way.

The arcade effectively makes a space outof the car park - that is, gives it a dignity

which currently perhaps it is hard toimagine. The car park should be repavedto consolidate this improvement. As such,

it has potential as a setting for such eventssuch as ftes, car-boot markets or outdoorparties. Its position by a main publicstreet, close to a pub, next to housing anda working London overland rail serviceare strengths which make such a commu-nity role readily imaginable.

The plan opposite shows as well new

build at the back of the Gibbons Building.New build here is more a less a certaintyat some point given the existing rottencondition.

Option 2This shows a range of minor improve-ments. The screens project is difficult toimplement because it is on Rail Track

land. The other projects should be mucheasier to do.

The bollard scheme recognises that thereis no need to replacing the derelict fenc-ing with new fences. Illuminated bollards

would provide a simpler, less clutteredsolution.

figure 23.1: plan of option 1red shows new buildpink shows refurb

S T R A T E G Y

ex

isting

-op

tion 2

G i b b o n B u i l d i n g

pro

pose

d-o

ptio

n 1

ho

usin

g

s t

a ti o

n

G i b b o n s B u i l d i n g

hous

ing

s ta t

i on

c a r p a r k

arcade

figure 23.2: diagrambroken line shows derelict edgesarrowheaded l ine shows pedestrian route



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figure 24.1new covered public space

figure 24.2: plan of proposedshops arranged off new public areaformed by demolition of old station

N E W U R B A N S PA C E O N S I T E O F O L D S TAT I O N

Over three years ago, there was anattempt to recommission the old stationbuilding. Hackney Business Link & Self-

Help Enterprises with some support fromHeart of Hackney explored a scheme fordeveloping the station as small businessunits.

Costs were obtained. These were consid-erable and had some bearing on the pro-ject not going ahead. There is every rea-son to think the building would be very

expensive to recommission. This is partlydue to its direct proximity to railway track.Railway engineering requirements arealways going to make maintenance of thebuilding expensive.

Demolition would create a new publicspace at the approach to Hackney Centralfrom Mare Street. The view opposite and

the sketch above suggests how this couldbe done. Demolition creates the opportu-nity to make a new public place - in thiscase sheltered by a high level glass roof -

where shops and stall traders could dobusiness with the passing public.Removing the old station serves also toclarify the nature of the freehold in thearea: RailTracks interests would be simpli-fied to arches or spaces within the viaductstructure, the kind of spaces which

RailTrack are developing a keen commer-cial strategy for. This contrasts with therelative apathy and lack of interest whichthe long standing problem of getting com-mercial or other value from the old stationhas demonstrated. Viaduct spaces givingonto a new public space would clearlyhave a strong and marketable commercialappeal to retailers. In other words, the

existing station building which makessmall, bitty public places around it, actu-ally stands in the way of the commercialpotential of viaduct spaces which it con-ceals.

G i b b o n s B u i l d i n g

hous

ing

s ta t

i on

shopshop

shopshop

shop

cover

edarea

c a rp a r k

arcade

figure 24.3: sketch view

2 5 . E N L A R G E D T O W N C E N T R E C A R P A R K


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figure 25.1

pub extension forming

new townscape figure


75,000

work units off car park


150,000

new station caf

new housing with ground

floor work units


500,000

new residents garden and

youth club building


150,000

new town centre car

park with 85 stalls

improvements to ramp

and brick retaining wall

alongside it

new arts/crafts market on

Gibbons depot site with

housing in main building


500,000

old station refurb'ed with

new small traders arcade

at ground level

arranged off new path

linking Mare St, car park,

Aspland Estate & SocialSerivces (Marcon Place)

P R O J E C T S

2 6 . E N L A R G E D T O W N C E N T R E C A R P A R K


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S T R A T E G Y

The urban design thinking keyed to theopportunity presented by the plan toenlarge the town centre car park fromaround 20 spaces to approximately 80 isfocused on the need to take the new carpark seriously as an urban space.

What it is necessary to avoid is a spacewhich neighbouring buildings turn theirbacks on. In other words, the new carpark is very much part of the functioningof the city centre and given its importance,deserves its own frontage or buildings

which indicate importance by frontingonto it.

The proposals shown here thereforeinclude new buildings - new buildings

which mark out and make use of the carpark as a space. The new buildings are

work related. They will be a part of thecar parks newness and the whole aura ofmajor change and improvement which itbrings to the town centre.

The new arts and crafts market shown onthe site of the Gibbons depot building (fig-ure 25.1) will benefit from pedestrianbusyness to and from the car park.

The car park site will also be strengthenedby the proposal shown to extend a new

public footpath towards the SpurstoweRoad/Marcon Place area. The footpathhelps integrate the area by providing a

new shortcut.

The footpath would be strengthened byany improvements to the ground floor ofthe old station; an arcade of shops isshown here. Such an improvement wouldcomplement the arts & crafts market

which would also have a frontage ontothe footpath.

The work units shown would enrich themonotonous residential stock of the

Aspland Estate in such a way that theestates residential values were not threat-ened. Mixed use blocks could help makea new positive, relationship between workand dwelling.

The new housing opportunities shownhere could help fund some of theimprovements through partnerships withhousing agencies. Equally partnershipsare implied here with the owners of theGibbons building and the Earl Amhurstpub - see proposal to extend the pub witha new landmark corner building at theentrance to the new car park.figure 26.1: new car park

new buildings shown working off car park space - car park as significant urban space

2 7 . C L A R E N C E R O A D / N A R R O WAY


33/67


trees beings used as a

screen along with stub

wall and railings: many

different versions of

same thing i.e a wall

build new wall?

lack of a protected

crossing here is part of

the uncelebrated

relationship betweenClarence Road and

Narroway

weak corner on this

side of Clarence Road

can corner be

strengthened?

bus stop obstructs

footway: there is a lotof space doing nothing

behind

estate sign set back

from street with

planting in front of it:

why?

green space here with

no discernible function

extend residents

gardens?pile up of hardware:

grotesque?

pastiche elements such

as lone lamp standard

and knobbly guard rails:

part of random

approach to urban

space

can it be doneaccording to an urban

idea?

figure 27.1

2 8 . C L A R E N C E R O A D


34/67


street tilts towards

centre of area i.e

Narroway

can this directionality

become part of new

works on the street?

small-scale retail

frontage

tree planting to screen

ramps: no formal

relationship to urban

space of street

new pattern of

planting?

single-storey block has

very convoluted

relation ship to street

more direct

relationship?

directionality: desire

line pointing toward

Narroway

is the grass here

appropriate?

street is very different

on each side; footway

on estate side works asdirect route to

Narrowaybollards are used as

somewhere to sit

off-street parking

works well here forClarence Road, saving it

from congestion

figure 28.1



35/67

A N A L Y S I S


The relationships between the NewPembury Estate and the Narroway andClarence Road are poor.

The new Pembury Estate lies centrally inthe northern part of the study area. It isarranged off Clarence Road. All thestreets in the estate are cul-de-sacsaccessed from Clarence Road.

The southern part of Clarence Road isdominated by the Pembury Estate. One

whole side of it is formed by the estate.The retail frontage on the other side,between Lower Clapton Road andClarence place relies on customers fromthe estate.

Clarence Road is a key public place forthe estate. Part of its obvious function is aslink between the estate and the Narroway.The relationship between the two streets ispoor because of the very heavy-handedlayout of traffic management parapherna-lia at their junction. Figure 29.3 gives animpression of this. Only one protectedcrossing is provided with all the ironmon-gery which has been used.

Spatially, the fact that the corner of theNew Pembury is set back from the junction

space (figure 29.4) creates great weak-

ness. As a result, Clarence Road is notasserted as a significant space on a sig-nificant corner. Obviously, it is visible, butnot presenced with any conviction.

In summary, the spatial weakness of thiscorner is its most serious structural fault.Its functional weakness is the relativemeanness of the crossing and indifferentfeel of using that crossing. This last is alsorelated to the predictable mass of confus-ing standing figures - i.e trees, signs, rail-ings, lamp standards etc.

figure 29.2: diagramNew Pembury Estate arranged off Clarence Road

figure 29.3over to Clarence Road - a lot of ironmongery for one crossing

figure 29.: planClarence Road/Narroway junction with just one crossing

CLARENCER

D

NA

RR

OWA

Y

NEWPEMBU

RY ESTATE

crossing

CLARENCEROAD

NARROWAY

HINDREY

RD

TOLSFOR

D RD

SHELNESS

RD

NEW PEMBURY ESTATE

figure 29.4:south east corner of estateset back from junction space: weak corner



36/67

A N A L Y S I S


The dominant architectural figures onClarence Roads southern section towardNarroway are the large concrete ramps

which serve the upper maisonette units inthe dwelling blocks.

The ramps function, sheer bulk and on-street position as a kind of urban finish(figure 30.2) mean they are strong sym-bols of connectivity between the estate andClarence Road. They summarise this rela-tionship in negatively. When using theramps, one is quite separate from both thestreet and the estate, in a dark, smelly,hard, claustrophobic enclosure (figure30.4). From the street, the ramps are sim-ply gross - that is quite out of scale withthe street (figure 30.1).

The scale of the old parts of ClarenceRoad varies along is length. The southernsection by the New Pembury is in two

parts. A small part by Narroway isaround three storeys high i.e bigger bythe important corner. The rest is twostoreys and quite petite in scale. Curiously,the plot size of the two storey parade is

very close to that of the individual estateflats i.e there seems to be a typologicalcorrespondence between the dwellingsand the shops serving them. This much

adds to the idea of a great divide

between the worlds of Clarence Road andthat of Clapton Square, which is theneighbouring north-south urban space.Houses round the square are considerablylarger.

Another difference between the Squareand Clarence Road is the kind of publiclife suggested by each place. The Squaregarden, protected by railings all around,is a effective symbol of the public lifeintended. By contrast, the public life ofClarence Road is about loitering andliming along the frontage, taking aninterest in the sporadic events which occur- a young mother shouting abuse at herdrug-user boyfriend.

It is certainly a strength of the study areathat such differing ideas of city space asClapton Square and Clarence Road areso close to each other. The differences areinteresting. And the premise for taking the

world of Clarence Road seriously.

figure 30.1ramp structures out of scale with street

figure 30.2ramps constructed off blind end wall of dwelling blocks

figure 30.3desire line

figure 30.4dark ramp space



37/67


New wall forming enclosure for

enlarged residents gardens, with

new bus-stop built in


100,000

New sliver development of

costermonger units , small offices

and new stair access to flats


200,000

New street paving and setts

forming new area for street

market: Tolsford Road access to

Clarence Road blocked for cars


100,000

New arch fronts to existing single

storey block with new secure

doors to street establishing

strong edge to market area


50,000

Modifications to access ramps

approx value/ramp

20,000

Improvements to crossing

according LBH Highways

existing

indoor

market

P R O J E C T S

figure 31.1



38/67


S T R A T E G Y

The aim of the new work on this junctionis to establish Clarence Road much morestrongly than present arrangements allow.

A new space between the Narroway andClarence Road is proposed which corre-sponds to the three storey section of theretail frontage.

The diagram (figure 32.2) describes theprinciple of this new space as a roomclearly linked to the junction space wherethe pedestrian crossing is located. Theroom could not be made without asserting

the south east corner of Clarence Roadmore firmly. To do this, a new urban fin-ish is proposed built off the blind endfacade of the dwelling block in spacereleased by the demolition of one of theramps.

The urban finish protrudes out ofClarence Road towards Narroway (figure

34.1). Its short end elevation, facingtoward Narroway, can be read as belong-ing to a traditional type of urban monu-ment like the Crouch End clock tower.Oblique views reveal the flank of thisstructure which incorporates costermon-gers storage at street level and abovesmall offices for disparate bureau-typebusinesses. The costermonger stores reflect

existing demand in this corner of the study

area and an attempt to encourage more

street trading. It is proposed that part ofClarence Road is repaved to establish atrading area.

The existing crossing arrangement ismean. A new one with parallel zebracrossings is suggested. Instead of pedestri-an movement being funnelled into a sin-gle protected crossing - a funnel of rail-

ings, a traffic island and traffic light stan-dards, the idea is to make a wide zone ofsafety through which pedestrians move.

CLARENCEROAD

NARROWWAY

newurban

finish

figure 32.1improved Narroway/Clarence Road junction space

figure 32.2: diagramidea of linked rooms - one round, one rectangular



39/67


The ramps are identified as architecturalsymbols of how the estate relates to thepublic world of Clarence Road. Work torefine or replace them ought to be consid-

ered.

The modifications envisaged relate to theweighting of Clarence Road. The rampsconsist of three runs. The changes pro-posed require the demolition of only one -the bottom one - and the bricking up ofanother one. The high concrete guard railon the top run would be demolished and

replaced by new open railings. This toprun would be terminated by a new opentread stair leading directly down to thestreet. The stair would face down ClarenceRoad.

Clarence Road tilts, as it were, towards thefocal point of the area which is Narroway.The whole physical experience of leaving

the estates ugly mechanistic spaces behindand making ones way to the close socialspace of the Narroway is an essential partof life in the area. Narroways particularquality of closeness, its narrowness isremarkable. It gives a physical quality tothe history of the area; indeed, Narrowaymarks the top end of the old village ofHackney. In a sense, entering Narroway is

entering Hackney.

The feeling of coming into town, into thecentre, is part of the urban quality ofNarroway today, and part of the excite-ment of Clarence Road and its position inthe network of streets making up theHackney Central area. The ramp modifi-cations suggested here refer to theNarroway and the direction of centrality.The ramps are made into dynamic figures,

which celebrate movement down andtowards the centre.

Clarence Roads asymmetry is one of itsdistinctive features. The estate side is verydifferent to the old shop side. The changesto the ramps will not only make themmore pleasant to use, but powerfullyemblematic of Clarence Roads sidednessand orientation towards Narroway.

S T R A T E G Y

figure 33.2: Hindrey Road rampimprovements

figure 33.1:Tolsford Road rampimprovements



40/67


S K E T C H V I E W

This view shows how the urbanfinish proposed to strengthenthe corner of Clarence Roadmight appear from Narroway.The impression given is of someform of minor urban monument

which is clearly and perhapsunusually inhabited.

The mouth of Clarence Road isasserted unambiguously by thenew urban finish.

The new crossings furtheremphasise the link between thetwo spaces. Moving upNarroway, Clarence Road isrevealed as a positive urban set-ting.

figure 34.1: sketch viewNarroway/Clarence Road junction

3 5 . D A L S T O N L A N E F R O N T A G E ( N E W P E M B U R Y S I D E )


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blank facades of

dwelling blocks onto

Dalston Lane

an urban finish?

garden space withclear potential as

public focus

very poor ramp and

stairs to flats

is better accessbetween street and

estate possible?

large area of pavingserving no ostensible

purposerandom shrubbery

Plane trees forming

edge demeaned by

poor quality planter

is it necessary?

random tree planting,

paving , railings with

odd figures such as car

parks and the singlestorey office building

seen on left

large green area

serving no distinct

purpose

is there a better use?

figures 35.1

figures 35.2



42/67


middle sectionof New Pembury's

Dalston Lane frontage

Ckarence Roadof New Pembury's


Five-Ways endof New Pembury's


figure 36.1



43/67


E X I S T I N G

housing training office

set in very conspicuous

position on public

margin of estate

green space in front

small flat gardens with

no discernible purpose

large area of paving to

front of dwelling blocks

separate from public

footway and having no

apparent purpose

large green space

difficult to enter with

little apparent purpose

dead-end to pathways

(this one and one

parrallel)

superb mature

London Plane trees

huge area of futile

paving: crude ramp and

stairs onto to it from

flats

Tolsford Road garden:

potentially strong

garden inviting to both

estate residents and

ordinary public

parking access rampcutting up gardens and

making pedestrian

barrier across

approaches to

OAP club

small car park

small car park

OAPclub

refurb'edvillas

small car parkSYAWEVI

F

figure 37.1



44/67


A N A L Y S I S

figure 38.1: New Pembury Estategarden off Tolsford Road showing pathway running in front of dwellings

Until one has become accustomed to theNew Pembury Estate, its frontage ontoDalston Lane seems incomprehensible. Itspublic edge onto Dalston Lane is as bad,

and presents the problem of a puzzlinglydisorganised mass of bitty, small publicplaces.

A good part of the problem is not due tothe estate but a barrier-like row ofdetached Victorian villas lying oppositeacross the street, which are beingrefurbed by housing associations after a

long period of decay and even dereliction.Where the Pemburys boundary edge isvery permeable with many vaguely publicspaces, these villas constitute a longimpenetrable barrier, giving a certaincoldness and boredom to the street.

More people are going to live in the villas.They will go to Dalston Lanes two corners

- to Five Ways and Narroway wheresomething happens and services can befound, and the pavement outside theirfront doors will take them to both placesdirectly. The estate frontage can have noattractions for them in its current condi-tion.

Westward movement out of New Pembury

is badly served. One impediment is the

residents garden at the end of TolsfordRoad that slopes down to Dalston Lane,

without a pathway over the turf. There isno gate in the railings at the bottom

either. The long east-west paths at thefront of the estate dwelling blocks dieinconclusively at the western extremitiesmaking public places lying west of theestate less than accessible.

This failure of accessibility is a criticalone, and produces an popular idea of anenvironment without utility and assistance

for ordinary life.

The residents garden at the end ofTolsford Road which slopes down toDalston Lane is nevertheless a majorresource. It is pleasant, well-aspected,connected to all the main east-west routesacross the estate and clearly seen fromthe Dalston Lane. The OAP club forms its

hortus conclusus off Shelness Road. Notmaking more of this garden is wasteful.

The garden is capable of becoming moreexplicitly public in its functioning - a wayof bringing life and public confidenceonto the estate, breaking up its monolithicquality, and a way of welcoming the newinhabitants on Dalston Lane.



45/67


Improvements on

Clarence Road

New access to residents

parking on Tolsford Road

existing connection to

Clarence Road blocked to

create market place


50,000

New all-weather sports

pitch with fencing/ancilliary

offices


150,000

New pathway out of estate

across sloping gardens

towards 5-Ways


35,000

New residents gardens

on site of playground


25,000


on existing open space


25,000

New housing

and single-storey

workshop


750,000

New pedestrian friendly

crossing over parking

ramp on Hindrey Road


7,000

New dedicated OAP club

garden


20,000


enclosed by wall


20,000/dwelling block

SYAWEVI

F

existing shopping parade

refurbished

P R O J E C T S

figure 39.1


46/67

4 1 . C H U R C H G A R D E N S


47/67


17th Century wall

falling down

no separation from

rectory grounds: note

pressure on parkingspace and overflowing

shop frontage

high quality stonemonuments in lee of

derelict wallstreet trader

church gardensprotrude toward

Narroway

derelict publicconveniences and

seating area

figure 41.1 figure 41.2



48/67

A N A L Y S I S





The 17th Century wall separating St Johnsat Hackney rectory from the church gar-dens in which St Johns itself is set, isfalling down. Its condition concerns the

incumbent at St Johns although responsi-bility for upkeep falls to LBH.

Heart of Hackney will not be reinstatingthe derelict public toilets and seating area

which lie at the eastern corner of this wall.The assumption is that toilets should belocated on Narroway.

It is likely that the church gardens toiletsand seating area will continue to decay.Given the location of these amenities inthe middle of the gardens, where differentpaths intersect, their dereliction seemsstrategically placed to do most harm.

Along the existing rectory wall, old grave-stones are stacked up together like so

many bargain books in a shop window.The adjacent images gives an idea of this.This cannot possibly be the best way todisplay these artifacts which have an inef-fable quality unique to old, carved stone -that adds to the church gardens remark-able sense of authenticity and continuity

with the past.

The diagram below shows how movementinto the church gardens runs past thederelict rectory wall (thick broken line).The L-shaped building above the rectory

shows the position of the public toilets atthe point where the gardens expandsnorthwards and the first view of the apseend of St Johns is given.

NARROWAY

St Johns

rectory

figure 42.1

figure 42.2: paths focusing on Narroway

thick broken line shows derelict wallL-shape above the rectory shows derelict public conveniences



49/67


P R O J E C T S

existing successful

public space

New paved area mirroring similar

area on other side of bank

building, for street traders and

events. Existing monuments

retained.


30.000

New gates to secure rectory

courtyard


10.000

Wall between rectory and church

gardens to be rebuilt and

gravestones displayed on it.

Canopies mounted off wall at

rear with arcade at front.


125,000

New paved sports area for Scout

Club


5,000

New function room/gallery

arranged in courtyard

configuration with artists studio

and sculpture court to rear


250,000

rectory

scout

hut

figure 43.1



50/67


S T R A T E G Y

The church gardens provides strong conti-nuity of space between the down-to-earth,robust world of the Narroway shop frontsand St Johns at Hackney. This is a terrific

bonus for the area. Most neighbourhoodcentres are fortunate if they have a meancar park behind the shops or a businesspark.

The public places renewal proposal herehas two main themes

1) Narroways relation to the gardens

2) the rectory wall as a linking elementto the middle of the gardens

The proposal is for a new stone-flaggedarea made immediately to north side ofthe old town hall matching the flaggedarea on the other side, part of which isused by street traders. The new area

would be for specifically for l icensed streettraders, allowing them to take advantageof the crowd close to the bank, main bus-stop and the shops.

The renewal of the wall would be as apartial colonnade off this new streettraders space. The wall would respond tothe idea of mediating between the com-

mercial traders space and St Johns. The

effect of moving away into the gardens

would be heightened by the walls treat-ment as a display surface for the oldgravestones.

The colonnade would be somewhere to sitand rest. It would be concluded by a newpublic gallery where an artist/artisan

would be able to live and work - a lived-in house in the gardens. The occupant

would manage and curate the gallery.

The gallery would be built off a wallthrough which pedestrians would pass toenter the other part of the gardens whereSt Johns becomes visible. It would thusmark a significant spatial connectionbetween the part of gardens in which thechurch is set and the other part directly

off Narroway.


figure 44.2existing street space on south side of old Town Hall

ST JOHNSAT HACKNEY

rectory

old town

hall

new functionroombus station

NARROWWAY

4 5 . B U S S TAT I O N A R E A


51/67


P R O J E C T S

New large scale mixed use

development with parking,

containing business units,

conference facilities and

apartments


9,000,000

Tescos supermarketand town centre

parking

New function

room

Viaduct arch spaces

refurbed as shops

New exhibitonspace with access

from gardens

New way between church

gardens and Tescos site

Formal

gardencourt behind

shop units

figure 45.1

4 6 . B U S G A R A G E


52/67


The bus garage site is clearly a hugedevelopment question for HackneyCentral. Although LBH have approachedthe bus companies about their operations

from the Narroway garage and attemptedto find alternative locations for thegarage, there is apparently very littlenear-term prospect of the garage moving.

However, the site is so vast and has suchpotential, that its future needs to be dis-cussed.

The proposal put forward here simplydraws attention to the fact that a verylarge development is indeed possible. It isalso important to recognise that such adevelopment could do much to transformthe nature of work space in the studyarea. Given that so much workspace islow-grade - some nothing more thanwork-slums- there is need for workspace

which increases range of commercialenterprises that would consider locating inthe area. At the moment, steady dilapida-tion and decline in the areas workspacesseverely limits the opportunities for changeand renewal of the working culture. Evennow, the largest employers in the boroughare LBH itself, health trusts and CentralGovernment. Nevertheless, the borough

does rely on small business and self-

reliance for most of its employment. Thissmall business sector needs renewal par-ticularly in Hackney Central which toremain truly diverse cannot be allowed to

develop into a merely retail/residentialcentre. This would be a negative evolutionantithetical to the goal of diversified andsustainable local economy and social life.The comments about backlands in theintroduction also refer to this issue.

The redevelopment of the bus garage sitecould provide a whole new tranche of

high-quality workspace close to a newTube connection which will be sited atHackney Central station. The new build-ing should also contain apartments notonly to offset development costs but tointroduce new living space right at thecentre of the area. This, of course, is verymuch what sustainability is about.

S T R A T E G Y


4 7 . N O R T H L O N D O N R A I L WAY V I A D U C T


53/67


old station building -

long empty and derelict

demolish it and make a

new urban space?

plethora of guard rails

forcing pedestrian

movement around the

junction

is there a better

solution?

train timetable where

nobody would expect

it and where nobody

uses it

"modern" type lamp-

standard next to

pastiche 19th Century

standard

pavement here is

cluttered with trees,

guard rails & benches;

the taxi rank is poorly

use

do something really

useful: a new protectedcrossing to and from

Tesco's site?

bridge space badly lit

new lighting?

very important

hoarding site, too

important for picture

of instant coffee

public art site?

very narrow pavement:

note how guard rails

are pushed into the

pavement space by the

need to avoid the

granite kerb stones

widen?

viaduct arches

obscured and

brickwork in poor

condition

refurb viaduct?

pastiche 19th Century

standardfigure 47.1

4 8 . N O R T H L O N D O N R A I L WAY V I A D U C T


54/67


A N A L Y S I S

There is a series of linked spaces runningalongside the North London railway

viaduct which cuts across the study area.The diagrams on this sheet show links on

both sides of the viaduct - one runningbetween the station area and BohemiaPlace, the other between the station areaand the Tescos site.

An integrated treatment of these linkedspaces is not apparent on the ground.

Very little, if anything, suggests that theurban design potential of these links has

been addressed.

The adjacent figure suggests how thespaces between Bohemia Place and thestation could, for example, benefit from acoherent approach to small scale architec-tural elements such as railings, lightstands, canopies, the metal frieze to the

station building itself, shop windows andother small scale elements.

Another idea of coherence is suggested in

figure which shows how a symmetry orfamily of spaces can be seen connectingthe Tescos site and station. The point hereis the similarity of scale, proportion andfunction of the spaces. For instance, theorange boxes are both kinds of vestibulespaces - one to the Tesco footway, theother to the station ramp.

These ideas about coherent groups ofspaces afford a framework for thinkingabout minor improvements. Although thesmall scale nature of these spaces invitesa bitty approach to improvement work,the fact of continuities or links betweenspaces suggests an overall view should beadopted.

pedestrian linktoHackneyCentralStation

MARE

STREET

AMHURSTROAD

NARR

OWAY

BOHEMIA PLACE

pedestrian linktoTescos

pede

strian

link t

o

Amhurst

Road

Bohemia Place Mare Street stall area at front of old station

flank wall of oldstation

ramp up to new station new station stairs to westboundplatform

figure: 48.2: ramp sectionorange elements, such as lightstandards, railings, canopies &shop windows are componentswhich could all be subject to acoherent design approach

figure 48.1: roomslinked pedestrian spaces connectingTesco site and station area with symme-try around Mare Street

4 9 . T E S C O S


55/67


P R O J E C T S

New protected crossing ,

widening of pavement over

existing taxi rank, removal of

poorly sited trees & benches


35,000

Key hoarding location

made into public art

display

Widening of adjacent

narrow pavement

Major refurb of viaduct

spaces as shops fronting

onto Tesco's site

approx value/arch

50,000

Continuous paved path to

edge of car park with tree

planting and run of

illuminated bollards

75,000

Cleaning of viaduct

brickwork

figure 49.1

5 0 . T E S C O S


56/67


S T R A T E G Y

The work proposed revolves aroundimproving pedestrian access to and fromthe Tescos site. A key element is dealing

with the presence of dereliction and decay

along the viaduct edge which overlooksthe Tescos car park. The viaduct containscommercial spaces whose backs facetowards the supermarket. These backs arein many case shambles i.e rough brickextensions to the actual viaduct archspace. The new path link to the front ofTescos will currently run alongside thesedecaying back structures with a separa-

tion in the form of a new, standard timberfence (although this is being discussedcurrently by LBH planning).

The adjacent diagram shows how twoimportant pathways - the Tescos one andthe pedestrian approaches to HackneyCentral are shadowed by derelict struc-tures.

It is important that what opportunitiesthere are for integrating the new Tescosbuilding with the surrounding city aretaken. It is sad, for instance, that theTescos building is not mixed use. Thereare now exciting and up-to-date prece-dents in London of supermarket develop-ment (by Tescos, in fact) being combined

with housing and other uses.

In the case of the Tescos site, the proposalhere calls for the demolition of the sham-bles and the refurbing of the arches asshop units fronting onto the supermarket

site. This new frontage would representthe high street frontage within the Tescossite. Instead of the supermarkets cus-tomers being divorced totally from thehigh street in every part of the Tescos site,the car park at least would seem like apositive part of the city.

It may be that supermarket customers

treat their shopping very functionally andmay perhaps be uninterested in anydiversion from their set task. Nevertheless,Rail Tracks property surveyors are inter-ested in the concept of renewing theirarches to take advantage of the newsupermarket. London Workspace - partlyresponsible for the Kingsland viaductrefurb - believe the arches by Tescos are

a business opportunity.

figure 50.1plan showing refurbed viaduct spaces next to Tesco site

figure 50.2the dark tone shows dereliction:light tone shows paths

5 1 . M A R C O N P L A C E


57/67


Navarino Mansions

- massive end stop to

Marcon Place cul-de-sac

how to benefit from a

strong spatial

structure?

very poor factory

building between

Navarino Mansion and

Marcon Place: there is

no pedestrian link

through the barrier the

factory makes

appalling paving and

decaying margin

Government

employment service

building to be vacated

new use?

poor servicing for

factory building

new dedicated service

road?

the whole area seems

dominated by parking:

note parking courts

behind street parking

very long white wall,

almost a serene urban

element

Parking on footway:

pressure on parking

space

is there a solution?

figure 51.1



58/67


indeterminate

relationship between

estate and street: note

pointless guard rails

is all this ironmongerynecessary ?

barren area of paving

leading in no obvious

way to a playground

which is nearly derelict

appalling spectacle of

work slum

does this constitute an

idea of work to which

the respectability of

the estate can relate?

note how all

workspaces are masked

by fences or walls

matching the estate's

mania for garden walls

iron columns masked

by "growth" of informal

workspaces

decaying viaduct

refurb viaduct?

figure 52.1



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A N A L Y S I S


Marcon Place and the streets forms a dis-tinct quarter in the study area. Part of it isformed by the Aspland Estate. TheHackney Downs Station viaduct runs

through it and contains large commercialspaces at street level. These front ontoSpurstowe Road, one of fourcul-de-sacsoff the Marcon Road/Spurstowe Terracethrough route. As indicated before, the

viaduct spaces are in appalling conditionnotwithstanding their concealment behindfences of the poorest quality.

On the Marcon Place cul-de-saca sawmill(no.1) and polishing shop (no.2) arearranged at right angles to each other.These businesses work with each otherrather like the auto-repair businesses andscrap dealer in the viaduct work do.

Across the road from the sawmill isHackney Social Services - a very signifi-

cant centre which is going to stay in thearea according to Social Service propertymanager. Social Services deal with Youth

Justice, Hearing Disability, LearningDisability and Occupational Therapy.

The Services Building seems remarkablygifted with attached open spaces. One isa very large garden at the rear, running

up to the North London Line embankment.

The garden does not appear well used.

Social Services employs considerablenumbers of workers who depend on their

cars partly because of the areas confusedand slightly threatening feel. Car-use is acritical part of the area and obviously

what the viaduct businesses rely on. Thereis great pressure on street parking.

Looking down on all this, is the huge turn-of-the-century dwelling block calledNavarino Mansions. This forms a remark-

able spatial end-stop to the Marcon placecul-de-sac.

1

2

SPURSTOWERD

SPURSTOWE TER

MAR

CONPL

MARCONPL

AMHUR

ST ROA

D

NAVARINOMANSIONS

SOCIALSERVICES

EMPLOYMTOFFICES

SOCIAL

SECURITY

HACKNEYDOWNSSTATION

ASPLAND ESTATE

figure 53.1: plan of existing Marcon Place areagray shows residentialblack shows commercialheavy outline shows institutional

housinghousing

housing

housing

private garden

DALSTON LANE

MARCONPL

AMHURSTROAD

secivreslaicos

figure 53.2: concept diagram of existing situationhousing backing onto low quality space in which social service buildingis embedded with its own private garden to the rear (grey areas showlow quality or underused space)



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A N A L Y S I S

The paucity of building entrances whichwork directly off the street is cer tainly onefactor which makes the Marcon Place/Spurstowe Terrace route unsatisfying as a

public space.

Intermediate spaces in the form of walledpaths, parking forecourts and front gar-dens are inserted as links between themain public space which is street andbuildings themselves. Many of these inter-mediate links are actually arranged off thefourcul-de-sacs that run off the main

through-route (the Marcon Place/Spurstowe Terrace continuity) so removingbuildings even farther from the most publicplace in the area. The main public spacetherefore lacks the simple compelling logicof a street onto which buildings opendirectly.

There is a sense of buildings and spaces

not quite in view and involved in publicspace. The entrances to the blocks of flatsand the Social Services building areobscure from the street. Reaching thespaces in the viaduct is also far from obvi-ous.

With so many entrances distanced in theway described, the street is no longer a

place where a value is born out of the

process of everyone accessing their homeor workplace from the same space. Theopposite is true. The little access funnelslinking the buildings to the street make

accessing buildings into a private activity.A simple fellowship of street-use is thuslost.

Clearly, there is a minimum degree ofproximity needed for rich, developed rela-tionships between urban figures such ashouses or workplaces to be sustained. Theremoteness of the buildings along Marcon

Place from the street indicates a perversewillingness to avoid fulfilling this minimumrequirement for positive urban design.

There is a need to be decisive in thisarea, to redress the inconsequence of thestreetspace that is the result of distancingso many buildings from Marcon Placesfrontage. The streets primacy needs to be

reestablished.

SPURSTO

WETERRA

CE

MARC

ONPLACE

DALSTO

NLANE

EMPLOYMENTOFFICES

SOCIAL SERVICES

AMHURSTRD

figure 54.1: diagramconcentration of remote entrancesto buildings around Marcon Place

figure 54.3: anti-street buildingsbuildings which do not form or give functional

support to the street - the street is left to chanceunsustained by the involvement of habitations

or workplaces

figure 54.2: street buildingsthey form the street and create a street room

linking public and private space directlyand as part of life of the street



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P R O J E C T S

New work units

approx value

200,000

Refurbishment of disused

Employment offices as part of

"New Deal", forming new work

courtyard off Spurstowe Terrace


300,000

New live-work units

fronting new public

garden with works

access from new work

yard to rear

approx value

500,000

New public garden

approx value

150,000

New way through

approx value

1,500

New car park and access road

for social services


175.000

Refurb of viaduct spaces

approx value/space: 65.000

New cobble finish for

Spurstowe Road


80,000

Special needs housing with

workshops


150.000

figure 55.1



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The cul-de-sacspace held by the imposingmass of Navarino Mansions at the end ofMarcon Place is the spatial climax of thearea. It was not intended but does suggest

that a strong spatial structure can beteased from the existing mess of inconse-quential spaces.

The proposal is to create a new centralspace in Marcon Place. Access to SocialServices - the main building in the area -

would be from this new space whichwould be a new garden. Effectively, the

space establishes a sense of order bymaking a significant new public space inthe middle of the area giving a stronghierarchy. Marcon Place becomes theentry sequence to this space.

The new garden would be formed by flip-ping the large garden at the rear of theSocial Services building to the front. A

new car park would be made for SocialServices at the rear where the main gar-den is now. This would relieve pressure onstreet space. That the new garden wouldstop off the back street link betweenDalston Lane and Amhurst Road wouldalso help traffic management without hin-dering pedestrian or cycle movement.

Other aspects of the proposal include the

refurbishment of vacant space (see thepink tone) and possible new build of live

work accommodation and workspace.The 3-D view shows new live-work

accommodation on the sawmill site. Itwould also be possible to keep thesawmill and polishing shop - both localemployment uses - and still go ahead withMarcon Gardens by maintaining worksaccess via the new car park.

The proposal calls for the refurb of theviaduct spaces that are currently in such a

poor condition on Spurstowe Road. This iswork done in partnership with Rail Trackand promises the possibility of a moredignified work culture taking root in thearea close to the Aspland Estate.

S T R A T E G Y

housinghousing

housing

housing

DALSTONLANE

MARCONPLACE

AMHURSTRO

AD

publicgarden

newcarpark

secivreslaico

s

figure 56.2: concept diagram of proposednew high quality space in middle of Marcon Place area(pink areas show general refurb work)

figures 56.1: plan of proposedred shows new buildpink shows refurb

SPURSTOWERD

SPURSTOWE TER

MARCONGARDENS

NEW

CAR-PARK

AMHUR

ST ROA

D

MARCONPL

5 7 . R O W E L A N E


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S T R A T E G Y


figure 57.1: montagenew live-work building forming archway to Rowe Lane

figure 57.2: archway on Narroway figure 57.3: use planRowe Lane / Urswick Road junction marked by newmixed development - see also figure 9.5

The proposal for Rowe Lane is for a newarchway building spanning the lanesopening onto Urswick Road. Part of thebuilding would be built on a derelict pub-lic convenience.

Rowe Lane is a back lane where a fewsmall manufacturing businesses are based.These are in buildings built in the backgardens of large early 19th C houses thatfront Lower Clapton Road. This pattern ofdevelopment is highly opportunistic,organic and suggestive of an activeurban work culture.

A brief might be developed for a new livework building. This combination wouldcomplement the existing small businessculture of Rowe Lane, and build on thetradition of this small street. The combina-tion of home and work activities in thissetting, where work buildings face ontothe backgardens of terraced houses, canalso be seen as fulfilling one theme of thisreport - namely establishing a positiverelationship between the values of the

workplace and the values of the home.

Working backlands are a threatenedurban habitat although one with greatpotential to develop positive and produc-tive relationships between the world of the

home and world of work. Mother Square,Kenmure Yard and Sutton Square are allrecent, large residential developments onbacklands in the study area. The tendency

is for backlands to turn into residentialenclaves or havens. These are placeswhere separation from working life is ide-alised, where residential values are puri-fied of work associations. Hackneysdependence on small business and pro-ductive individuals in the community sug-gests that more thought ought to be givento the role of work in residential areas.

LWRCLAP

TONRD U

RSWICKRD

ROWE LA

figure 57.4: the site - view down Rowe Laneon left - blind side elevation of Urswick Road terraceon right - derelict single storey public convenience

5 8 . B O D N E Y R O A D / A M H U R S T R O A D C O R N E R


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S T R A T E G Y

Bodney Road is an interesting street whichleads off from Amhurst Road up towardsHackney Downs. On one side, it is linedby the old Pembury Estate. On the other,

by a row of detached Italianate villas dat-ing from the last century.

The villas back onto railway track. AsBodney Road rises towards HackneyDowns, the track becomes buried under-ground and disappears completely by theend of the street. Beyond the railway tracklies the large precinct of Hackney Downs

School which is now closed.

Bodney Road carries the mark of variedand interesting development, including atits southern junction with Amhurst Road,Downs Court, a remarkable block of flats

whose bulk and distinctive design con-tribute greatly to the urban scene.

Opposite the west wall of Downs Court,backing onto the railway, is the near-derelict workshop shown here. The build-ing is in use, notwithstanding its crapulouscondition. All its functions are carried onbehind a high fence to shield the publicstreet from the chaos within. To an extentHackney benefits from the presence oframshackle small businesses such as these.

But there is no reason why this work slum

- if it was a home, its condition wouldcause outrage - should be sited on suchan important corner to such a fine street.

The proposal here shows how the sitemight be redeveloped as a new workbuilding. A new public corner is made bythe new building and a refurbed viaductarch that is concealed by the existingdecrepit building.


figure 58.1: montagenew workspace on corner Bodney Road / Amhurst Roadforming small public space

figure 58.2: existing condition

figure 58.3: location plan

5 9 . N A R R O W A Y


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S T R A T E G Y

The two projects shown here deal withNarroway itself - the very centre ofHackney Central area. Narroway looksafter itself really - its importance does not

need to be asserted because its so wellknown. The projects in this report thusdeal with areas which lie beyond this mostfocal of spaces but which contribute to theidea of the central area.

The first project here is simply an artopportunity involving updating an old

wall sign. The flank wall shown adjacent

(figure 59.2) might be painted by aHackney artist. The southern end ofClarence Road frames a view of this wall.It is therefore an important surface anddeserves thought.

The other project shown is for the junctionbetween Narroway and Kenmure Road -an opening which introduces light and the

idea of a public place along Narrowaysbusy confines.

This space has already received a lot ofattention. The view of the existing space(figure 59.3) shows bollards, benches, abin, bike stands and the large stand sup-porting the CCTV camera. It is noticeablethat all these elements are distinct. Each is,

as it were, introduced as an independent

element of street furniture. The proposalhere asks whether or not a more integrat-ed approach to these items could bemade i.e whether a single unit containing

bench, cycle stands and bins could bemade. Such a unit could be more integrat-ed with the ground increasing its affinity

with building rather than furniture byusing materials such as stone or concrete.

The bay window shown (figure 59.1) is amodification to an overlooking building tohelp inhabit the space (and improve a

dwelling). It is suggested that the CCTVstand is replaced by a less intrusive wayof suspending the CCTV camera over thestreet - a bracket fixed off a buildingfacade as shown.


figure 59.1: montageimprovements to Narroway / Kenmure Road junction

figure 59.2: montage - view from New Pembury EstateNarroway flank wall as art opportunity

figure 59.3: existing conditionNarroway / Kenmure Road junction space

figure 59.4: new street furnitureconcept of integrated furniture


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6 0 . M E E T I N G L I S T


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DATE ORGANISATIONS IN ATTENDANCE

28/5/97 TYA / Groundwork Hackney T.Young / T.Chapple

5/6/97 TYA / Groundwork Hackney / Hackney Planning T.Young / T.Chapple / D.Morrissey


10/6/97 TYA / Hackney Arts & Leisure T.Young / L.Goode & C.Jenkinson


20/6/76 TYA / Groundwork Hackney / Hackney Planning & Highways T.You

hackney central

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