intimate urbanism

DUNDEEan inti mate study

FRONT COVER

CONTENTS

SURVEYDÉRIVES

DÉRIVE 1

RIVERFRONT TO HILLTOWN

DÉRIVE 2

WATER TO COUNTRY

DÉRIVE 3

GARDENS TO FOOTBALL

DÉRIVE 4

CITY SQUARE TO DEER

DÉRIVE

FLORENCE

01

02

3504

05

11

19

29

33

STRATEGIES

ROLLED UP DERIVE

SHRINKING CITY

REINVENT

CUT UP V&A

NODAL CITY

CONNECTIONS

PROJECT WORKERS61

62

63

65

67

70

71

74SPACE STUDIES

ALLOTMENTS

WEAVERS YARD

GRAFFITI P ITCH

FOREBANK ROAD

37

39

43

49

55

CONTENTS

5

DÉRIVES

defi ntion of a dérive from Situationiste Internationale #1: a mode of experimental behaviour linked to the conditions of urban society; a technique of transient passage through varied ambiances.

DÉRIVESDÉRIVE 1 R IVERFRONT TO HILLTOWN

Date: Tuesday 15.09.2009Time: 1400 - 1800Distance: 6.3kmWeather: Overcast, sunny intervalsParameters: Starti ng at the Discovery and head east bound unti l the riverside is no longer accessible and then drift to where our eyes were drawn.Blurb: The fi rst dérive started positi vely though an urge to get away from the water front started to develop as the lack of engagement with the buildings that occupy the land at the water’s edge and a lack of connecti ons between it and the city produced an excitement about heading into hilltown for new and unknown territory.

dense hilltown area sparse riverfront

no links to new housing development

people line

9

SPACE STUDIESALLOTMENTS

texture map

DÉRIVESDÉRIVE 1 R IVERFRONT TO HILLTOWN

experience montage

11

Date: Sunday 20.09.2009 Time: 1100 - 1800Distance: 10kmWeather: Windy, sunny intervalsParameters: Starti ng at the river Tay by Tesco, walk north over the Law unti l countryside is met, not straying from set boundaries of 500m in width.Blurb: Walking the familiar grounds of the south side of the Law with pace to get to the unfamilar territory of to the north. Suburbia begins at the Law and sprawls endlessly to the countryside where it bares no relati onship to the surrounding context. The suburbs sit in small pockets enclosed by busy dangerous roads; a walk not for the faint hearted.

DÉRIVESDÉRIVE 2 WATER TO COUNTRY

The rushing and roaring of trains over ditchesThe cars on the road and the wind which whistlesThe smell of the sea which infests the face all on a continuous binding race

seclusion is felt in the suburb of studentsdistant sounds fi lter through delicate gardensfl owers grow and birds singonly the rumble of tire on cobble and disturb this daydream

In the in the industrial estates where jute ruled the throne stands crumbling relics of mortar and stonedisjointed tracts and carved out paths leads driftersthrough these stark landsbut a bird can be heard and a tree breaks the sight of this indus-trial inner city blight

From here we peer over roof top and gablesWhich lies before us as a dark dirty carpetPrime colours stand out like stainsUp here the air seems to dance through our hair tugging our clothes to leave our soul bare

Filtered sounds rise up through the treesAngle grinders grinding, siren sounds blaring, the hum of a coupe as it revs up a hillThe chatter of sheet plastic, much closer still

13


experience montage - derelict school

people line

15texture map



stream of consciousness

17


Date: Saturday 26.09.2009Time: 1330 - 1730Distance: 6.6kmWeather: Blue skies, sunParameters: Starti ng at the Botanic Gardens walk in the directi on of north east unti l the football grounds are met.Blurb: From the lush gardens of the Botanics we tapped into Dundee’s green corridor; passing through large expanses of green space rarely placing our feet on tarmac.

DÉRIVESDÉRIVE 3 GARDENS TO FOOTBALL

19texture map

the green corridor

21image ti tle goes here


people line

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stream of consciousness

25


27


DÉRIVESDÉRIVE 4 C ITY SQUARE TO DEER

Date: Sunday 11.10.2009Time: 1430 - 1800Distance: 6.8kmWeather: OvercastParameters: Starti ng at a central locati on, walk towards landmarks along vistas then bounce off them into a new directi on and so on.Blurb: Sucked into the fl ow of shoppers and spat out blindly into Hilltown, seedy spaces and dark corners bled into industrial sheds bled into wide suburban streets, release into green golf course and curious deer.

29enclaves in Hilltown


CAIRD SQUARE , city square, whatever its name is - Whatever it’s meant to

be - Is that a staircase? Where to, a secret underground world - Civil serv-

ants beavering away along with the sunken rivers + dis. Tunnels - Sucked

into the fl ow of shoppers, fast forwardConcrete formed road, up past the gold

discs, - up past poundland +spat out somewhere else - some other town

- narrow steps open - up into an UNEXPECTED AMPHITHEATRE, - what

was the big idea? - A condom dumping ground - Route through, cats in

long grass, observing us meet another dead end - Big steep passage up

31people line and texture map


from Michelangelo to David

33

DÉRIVESFLORENCE

FIRENZEAs I sit in my tent in the campsite over-looking Firenze I am aware of a tension which is present, it has been growing as with my understanding of the city. My body and mind seem slightly disturbed by Florence, IS IT THE MOSQUITO, or the American students, or the fact that it seems to be a dead city which exists only in the past, preserved and restored in museums.

What is the future of Florence? Is it in the POST CARDS OF THE PAST? What makes a city of achievement stop achieving?

Florence is an image of itself badly re-produced thousands of ti mes. It is like the preserved head of the saint, horrifi c to look at but kept and shown off .

The people of this city seem insecure with self image, the designer labels all promote an awareness of this , adver-ti sing bett er people, plasti c people in shop windows. Make-up is the preserv-er of the people it MASKS THE AGING OF THE FACE, from behind such masks souls are dying unloved unemoti onal sick.

Florence’s quest to become cool it has over achieved, it has become dead cool, the life blood of the city ran dry many centuries ago. But RATHER THAN BE ALLOWED REGENERATE IT HAS BEEN PRESERVED.

What do YOU DO

student nurse • work off shore • drive busses • STUDENT • reti red • sales assistant primark • work in retail • work in retail • student • I am a student • Sales operator • sales assistant • student • student • city centre assist • unemployed • reti red, cleaner part ti me • part ti me MA, reti red • Teach • designer • college • writer producer entertainer • student • engineer • architectural student • I cycle & I’m a student • student • cleaner • driver • pension • pensioner • RETIRED • city centre • BINGO • bingo • unemployed • reti red nurse • domesti c assist • unemployed • carrer husband • nurse nine • I am not working as I was declared unfi t/unable to conti nue in any paid employment so apart from going to see Dundee F.C I also go to the cinema regularly like music t.v occasionally go to the ice hockey and I hope to start voluntary work at M-ID LIN centre soon • bi-lingual assistant @ schools • N/A • School

MOST FAVOURITE part of Dundee

City centre – shops, pub/clubs • None • Law hill The view • riverside • brought ferry • shopping centre overgate • / • Don’t have one • City Centre, it has all the shops • City centre, the only interesti ng part of dundee • Downfi eld, because I live there • Law Hill, because you see everything • - non of it • city quay • city centre • City Centre • Lochee • Perth road • here – desperate dan sculpture • overgate for shopping, discov-ery • overgate • WEST END • buildings • quay • periferry, so you can look back and refl ect • balgay hill viewing point, great 360 degree views of the river, and view toward s the country • the m green, open space • the law because the view from there • Dundee law • all over inside out • b.ferry hill town • dock sea • Dundee utd • hard to say camper down • LAW HILL THE VIEW • the town dunno why though • small • centre shopping • camperdown park • good rest + pubs • Dundee F.C + going to support them home + away because I am a life-long fan of the club • Camperdown good place for kids • none • town the shops

LEAST FAVOURITE Part of Dundee

/ • everything • / • don’t know • charlestown • city cen-tre too many chemist for junkies • where I live • where I live • / • Meneizhill nothing to do • fi ntry run down • schemes of Dundee e.g pole park hilltown and because of he junkies • noth-ing to do • don’t know, town centre at night • non – loves it • HILLTOWN • hilltown • hilltown • e.dock street roadworks – look I have to get to holiday inn • wellgate • no idea • tourist

informati on • road system • roadworks • suburbia • the docks industrial estate, cuts off Dundee from brought ferry • tesco waterfront • hiltown or any run down area • city • blackness rd • tayside house • no where – like dundee • city centre • lack of jobs • lack of jobs • don’t have one • don’t have one • whitf ield st kirkton, nothing to do • commercial street seagate • HOTEL BOARDED UP • some of the general rudness that I and no doubt others see going on the problem of litt er drunken yobs harass-ing others and people constantly asking me for money even tho I do not owe them any • b- park not nice area • around the docks, frightened of water • where the junkies are

What do you DO ON A SATURDAY MORNING

work • recover from hangover • watch t.v • sleep • come into town for breakfast • clean house • look aft er my son • housework • sleep in • go shopping • recover from a hang over • cure a hangover or shop in town centre • take son swimming • nothing • work / prepare for football • DRINK • 10 am mass • house work shopping coff ee • clear up house • ride horse, look aft er kids • sleep • mostly work • work • / • recover from hang over • I cycle • shop • work • play tennis • usual, cup of tea red the paper • town, bus – ferry, st andrews • st andrews • keep garden ti dy • work • long lie • into town • in bed ti ll late • whitf ield st kirkton, nothing to do • shopping • hotel boarded up • aft er a shower I get dressed then get ready to leave to go and watch Dundee F.C play • / • shopping • sleep

What do you DO ON A SUNDAY EVENING

Go to the gym • recover from hang over • WORK WATCH T.V • sleep • couple of pints with pall • watch telly • relax • watch t.v • get ready for school • watch t.v • relax, ready for another working week • watch t.v • have tea with family • watch t.v • play computer games • watch t.v • chill out in house • sit by fi re, bott le of wine, book, telly • Iron • chill out, ready for wwk ahead • tv • drink • telly • watch t.v • recover from kayak-

35Survey of 47 people at 9.30 am in City

square on 15/10/09

ing • either exercise or video games or movie • relax • watch ice hockey • WATCH T.V • some one invites tea, t.v/music • stay in • st pauls cathedral • pissed • work • go to town • in the house • ready for work • family • relax t.v • in house • nothing in parti cular, just relax watch tv listen to music • / • veg out • roast dinner

What would you CHANGE about Dundee? Why?

• / • the hole lot Shithole • road signs, nobody adheres to them • fi ne • council • get junkies out of the city centre • GET RID OF THE JUNKIE CAUSE THEY SPOIL; THE PLACE FOR EVERYONE • get rid of junkies, spoil dundee • / • make a theme park so its not so boring • more music acti viti es, less anti -social behavior, less junkies, less polish • get rid of the junkies • more things to do • road works • nothing • been here for years • not enough enter-tainment, bands • bring back old overgate, decent railway stati on • bett er road work diversion signs • driving through nightmare • / • people healthier, eat bett er, stop smoking, fi t for life • / • move it closer to England • the atti tude of scoltand to the city • I would make the railway bridge pedestrian so that you could cross the river one way and come back another • the relati onship of the town to the tay • regenerate run down areas, to make it a nicer place to live • nothing • back the way, overgat, monkeys parade up and down • old buildings done up, high school • more housing homeless • local admin – snp, ASBO’s - beggars • MORE EMPLOYMENT, MORE STUFF FOR KIDS • more employment, more stuff for kids • pavements • ask young folk, done no bad considering • nothing • more for drug addicts, more for young people • to much outwith shopping, need a car more cinema in town • bett er housing for everyone, not enough • I would ban the big issue sell-ers from all parts of Dundee, only because they also beg and its only the big issue sellers, not all of them but some of them • / • not enough for young, more groups • bus ti mes, more of them

What NEWSPAPER do you read?

SUN / Daily record • none • nill • / • Sun • Sun / record • Sun • Evening tele, Sun, Record • Metro • Metro • Telegraph, Courier • Telegraph • sun, telegraph • Daily Mail • nothing • sun • Daily mail, courier, telegraph • Herald • Gaurdian • Courier • / • Independant • / • Times • Gaurdian • on-line • Independant • Evening Telegraph • Dundee Courier •

Courier, sun • Daily Mail, courier, Telegraph • Courier • Sun, Evening telegraph • Sun • Courier, evening telegraph • courier + telegraph • express • metro • courier • no • The Sun (daily), Courier (Daily), Sunday Post, N.O.W • / • metro or tel-egraph • any

What is your favorite SOCIAL WEBSITE

Facebook • none • bebo • google • / • bebo • bebo • bebo • facebook • facebook • bebo • bebo, msn messange • bebo • facebook • paltalk • / • / • / • facebook • new rider (horses) • facebook • facebook • facebook • / • facebook • noobtoob.com • facebook • none • wp.pl • / • / • / • / • / • no • no • no • no • no • / • I don’t have one, I don’t own a computer • / • no • facebook •

How Long have you LIVED IN DUNDEE

9 years • 12 years • 35 • 3 weeks • 46 years • 20 years • all my life • 40 yrs • 4 years • 4 years • 20 years • 19 years • 18 years • 4 years • 57 years • 26 years • 73 years • forfar, not dundee • visiti ng • dont • live in Perth • dont • visiti ng • 0 • 5 years • 4 years • 5 years • 42 years • 3 years • 79 years • 71 years • 72 years • 50 years • life • 27 years • all life, 66 years • all life, 44 years • 28 • 50 • all life • all of my life (43 years) I was born on April 1966 • / • ALL LIFE • 10

SURVEYSURVEY

37

SPACE STUDIES

While on Dérive the inti mate urbanism group discovered a multi tude of spaces in the city which were being used in a wholly positi ve way. We focussed in on 4 spaces in parti cular: The Arches, DPM graffi ti pitch, allotments and Forebank road which mediated with their surroundings and in some way connected the community. They were chosen as studies not only for their positi ve contributi on but also they showed success where similar spaces had failed.

“functi ons and programs combine and intersect in an endless “disprogramming” or “crossprogramming”.”1

In each one of the examples, architectural elements help to arti culate defi ne and essenti ally legiti mize the space.

1 (Tschumi, 1995)

allotments hand drawing showing program and textures

39

When recording and quanti fying these spaces in Dundee, it was noted that a substanti al amount was found to be the shared gardens of housing estates. These spaces, a modernest ideal, remain unused due to the uncertainty of ownership. Most are heavily overshadowed as they are internal courts. Therefore, unplanted, untended and unloved these spaces add nothing to the community.

The allotment exists as an excepti on to the stated conditi on. It is heavily planted with edible vegetables. It is contributi ng to a rich sense of community as the residence care and tend for theie shared garden.


41


the arches hand drawing showing program and textures

43

This convoluted space links two streets on diff erent levels, interfaces with an old converted mill and terraced housing. There is a spati al complexity due to the convoluti on of the route the change in level and the existi ng bridge and archways on site. Although the disjointed site seems to be a left over from previous industrial functi ons it has been moderated by the council, lighti ng, planti ng and benches have been added. It is not merely a link, nor is it a park. The lower level of the space is colonised by the mill residence while on the upper level kids have transformed it into a football pitch by painti ng goal posts on the existi ng walls.

Here the existi ng features; the archways, steps and the fl yover, which contain the space, legiti mize it. It is not just a waste of embankment left over and abandoned.

SPACE STUDIESTHE ARCHES

secti on

45


ti mber and steel model

47


graffi ti pitch hand drawing showing program and textures

49

This space mediates between two streets in Hilltown. A football pitch, public seati ng and graffi ti wall are overlooked by tenements. Initi ally a space charged with feelings of insecurity. Once analysed the space was seen to be a signifi cant social space for young people in the Hilltown community.

SPACE STUDIESDPM GRAFFITI P ITCH

plan and secti on

51

SPACE STUDIESGRAFFIT TI P ITCH

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SPACE STUDIESDPM GRAFFITI P ITCH

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This pocket park sits adjacent to a catholic church on Forebank road which connects the Hilltown to the city. It slopes steeply to the south. The catholic church of architectural importance and is bordered on 3 sides by single story residences. This setback off ers relief from the street. In recent years planti ng and a bench has been added to give the space more defi niti on.

It is the mix of housing typologies in the area combined with the adjacency of the church which this space seems to mediate. The imposing tower block to the north, the social housing blocks and the duplex apartments, varied in scale, contribute the intrigue which is unique to this space.

SPACE STUDIESFOREBANK ROAD

57image ti tle goes here


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61

C ITY STRATEGIES

INTIMATE CITY STRATEGIES“ROLLED UP DERIVE”

‘rolled up derive’ and ‘shrinking city’ is a reacti on against Dundee’s conti nued low density expansion, despite the city’s shrinking populati on. The populati on of the city in 2010 is at the same level as the historic Dundee of 1870. ‘rolled up derive’ proposes that all of the modern, low density development out with the historic 1870 footprint should be ‘rolled up’ and redeveloped in the derelict and brown fi eld sites that exist in modern day Dundee, creati ng a denser more compact city.

63

INTIMATE CITY STRATEGIES“SHRINKING CITY”

65

INTIMATE CITY STRATEGIES“REINVENT ”

‘Reinventi on’ proposed four diff erent programs that could occupy the old city council tower, a building that is set to be demolished in order to make way for the waterfront development. Although the programs proposed in ‘reinventi on’ are only meant to be provocati ve, it does raise a serious questi on. Why spend money and energy demolishing a modern building, that could be re invented in a more sustainable and positi ve way?

The ‘Reinventi on’ proposal questi oned why Dundee city council was redeveloping the citi es water front site, beginning with a tabula rasa as appose to regenerati ng the unused and abandoned buildings that exist currently on the site and in and around the urban centre of the city.

6767

CITY STRATEGIESCUT UP V&A

response to the proposal of moving a faction of the Victoria and Albert to museum to Dundee and its projection as a renewed answer to urban problems in Dundee. We perceived the V&A ‘campaign’ as a cultural weight on the waters edge inserted more as a component of a conventional masterplan.We proposed fragmenting the program and dispersing it throughout the city.

Taking one of the ‘loved’ spaces from our studies we installed a series of artworks in strategic positions as a means of augmenting the qualities of the space.

69

CITY STRATEGIESCUT UP V&A

NODAL CITY

extreme densi f icat ion of the c i ty at a focal point into a dense patch of bui ld ing forms connected by ‘dr i f t ’routes to inst i tut ional nodes. connected by establ ish ing new routes and connect ions within the c i ty

71

CITY STRATEGIESROUTES AND CONNECTIONS

CONFLUENCE POINT

Ryan McLoughlin

Esme Fieldhouse

BrianMurphy

Neil Walkinshaw

StephenMackie

intimate urbanism

Documents

law unti

r iverfront

starti ng

sunny intervalsparameters

city square

siren sounds

fi lter

soul bare filtered sounds