Gathering text

I called in to the new youth centre to gather some ideas for the text on the sculptural bench. Its an amazing new facilty and the young people love it. Mat, Charlotte and Dean posed for a quick photo in the lounge area.
I didnt collect much text from them as we got distracted by all the wonderful activity rooms in their new centre.
The more I think of the text on the stone bench, the more I think it will resemble a disfigured headstone in a cemetary. I think we should reconsider either a: using different materials for the bench i.e. dare I say it weathered steel or putting the text somewhere else or simply dropping the text idea altogether.

It will be a while before the sculptural bench is installed, especially as the landscaping is likely to be done first. Thats a shame as this is likely to be my last blog entry before I print the book which documents the whole project from the start of this blog in 2008 to 2011.

Presenting final materials

The landscape designer came down to present samples of the materials to the young people.
The footpath will peel back to create a table/bench feature and it will reveal coloured paving slabs to reference the river running under the site.

Debbie describes how it will all work.

There will be lights in the floor of the new design and the lighting people brought a fancy light display to demonstrate what can be done with interactive lighting.

The illumination display demonstrates how colours and moving light sequences can be activated by users of the space.

Closing in on final design

Judith and I met with the designer before she gets down to drawing up any final plans.
We talked about the choice of materials and how they would all fit into the overall scheme.
If we do include any trees, we could allow the group to choose from a number of native species which could sustain local wildlife. Below are caterpillars which were spotted (well striped actually) on the site in 2010 when we did the Space Shapers workshop.

After much debate about hard landscaping materials for the site we began to explore ideas and thoughts about the 'revealing bench'. However things didn't go quite as smoothly when I mentioned the use of weathered steel on the floor and it was concluded rather abruptly with the statement 'I'm telling you now, I will not have metal on the floor!'

Apparently, it has not been used in a public place before and would be considered hazardous to the public. Needless to say the statement was followed up with needless quoting of legislation and other phrases like 'I have been working in this business long enough to know that I will not be putting metal on the floor.'

So much for changing the regeneration mindset? Oh well, at least we know who makes the decisions around these parts regarding what can... and can't be installed.
Can this time-scale induced stress be alleviated in regeneration projects?

Its getting to that stage of the project where I'm also thinking about my own objectives and responsibilities i.e. the artists book and what I will discuss in its pages.

Some ponderings on recent activity include...
Could the presence of 'time-scale' pressure on the design process be the reason that some town centres look drab and dreary not to mention dysfunctional (a nearby town comes to mind)? Perhaps they were rushed through with very little time to develop ideas to a creative solution, all brought on by fast approaching deadlines?

After thinking about the contentious issue of metal on the floor, I remembered a photograph I took when the group went to Great Ancoats in Manchester. It was a pedestrian area busy with football supporters off to watch Man City. There were benches scattered about the pavement and at the side of the benches were huge weathered steel plates with floral designs installed in the floor. They may have been 8 or 9ft in diameter and proves that things can be done safely with metal.

Time for creativity must be embedded in the initial stages of the regeneration process if urban design is to make progress. It should be accompanied by a sense of long term collaboration with the public... not swift consultation.

Off the peg or not?

The landscape designer came to meet the group to confirm likes/dislikes. It wasn't a good turn out and the few who were present simply repeated what had been said in the previous meeting.

There is a sense of urgency from the designer, who has a tendency to apply pressure on the decision making process. That's something worth noting as we haven't had that on the project before.
It could be a good thing in terms of completing on time but could also jeopardise the overall design quality in favour of 'quick fix' landscaping.
I understand that it must come with the territory for her to be working against the clock and deadlines etc. The trouble is, it feels like a pushy consultation process and a long way from a collaboration with the group. This approach does seem harsh in light of how things have been done previously on the project.
Lets see how it pans out?

So what do you like... really?

Judith and I talked to the young people about what they liked and disliked about the initial drawings: see previous post.

They liked the idea of text on the floor or somewhere else in the space. Ideas for what the text could be needs careful consideration. A separate workshop would need to be run to determine what the text/messages could be: 'aspirations for the future' would be constructive and relevant to the site.

It was suggested that words could be etched into glass, stone or other material on the site.
The group generally like the idea of a sculpture on the site and lights in the floor. However they need to be subtle and 'not blind you as you walk over them' like the ones near the library.

This group are not that keen on the lights on the poles – though the young people at Mansfield did like these.

Almost everyone liked the idea of some reference to the river and that it could be illuminated in some way.

People in general like the seat which looks like the ground is curling back, though it was questioned how many people could actually sit on it.

The seating area with the flowers was felt not to be a good idea for practical reasons as it is likely that people will walk on the benches and the flowers will get trashed.

A couple of young people commented on liking the illuminated curly benches.

Strong ‘likes’ that should be retained:
Reference to the river (illuminated).
Text on the floor.
Lights.
Some seating.
Sculptural element.

Below are some very short video snaps of their thoughts and feelings about the designs.

Presenting Design Ideas

Debbie, the landscape designer brought two drawings to show the group. She has created two different spaces, each with its own sense of place.
The first one is relaxing with sunken lamps in the floor leading to the entrance through a small square of trees. This could have a much larger sculptural work emerging from the centre of the coppice. This drawing also makes reference to Hendon Brook, which runs under the site and is evident through the peeling back of the surface to reveal a representation of the stream, illuminated through blue glass. The peeling back of the ground would form a curved seat.
The second drawing feels more funky and much more in tune with the ideas generated by the young people with opportunities for the group to stamp their ownership on sculptural elements in the ground. It includes a string of tall illuminating poles leading to the entrance which could be interactive via motion senses built in to the vertical structures.
Perhaps we could all contribute to a text piece which describes our own personal aspirations for the future??

Debbie described her reasons for including the different elements..

and how they fit together...

to make a balanced functional landscape.

The group will meet again later this week to discuss their thoughts and feelings and how we could take the drawings forward to completion in line with the budget, materials and timescale.

There are also opportunities to mix and match some of the elements from both drawings to make a new design. Watch this space...

Post Drawings

Judith and I met with Debbie, the Landscape Designer who will be drawing up the initial plans for the site.
I took along some photographs to stimulate ideas about materials and we talked about the potential of the site and how we can incorporate the ideas from the young people into the fabric of the space.Debbie will now draw up a couple of design schemes for further discussion and then we can put them in front of the young people and other members of the community to make the final decision.