OUGD505 - Studio Brief 2 - How can we best utilise space within cities? - Initial Ideas

Initial Ideas / Concepts

Idea: Design Competition for small unused spaces within the city

Aim: To create spaces that reflect the needs of the local community and encourage biodiversity through new green spaces

How / Benefits: This will create stepping stones and wildlife corridors for nature throughout the city allowing them to move between larger green spaces enabling them to breed, find food etc. Neighbourhood green space allows for social interaction between people, while making the space and using the space, creating a sense of community. This scheme would create spaces that reflect the needs of the local community increasing the likelihood of them being used and benefited from. Using disused spaces within the local community also increases accessibility, proximity and connectivity of green spaces. It also makes use of the limited space available within cities. People have a connection with their neighbourhood so would be more motivated to take part.  

Facts / Research: Having a personal connection with an issue motivates people to do something about it. Property values are increased because it is desirable to have green spaces which are aesthetic. It is difficult to introduce biodiversity into cities because of limited space. Neighbourhood green space, streetscape vegetation, landscaping and paths allows for social interaction and is associated with an increase in perceived community and social cohesion. Sites need to be planned at different scales according to the city, region, neighbourhood and site. Wildlife corridors help plant species spread and provide more space for animals to connect and find resources.

What: Designs can be submitted by individuals or groups for different areas within the city. The designs must reflect the needs of the local community / specifications as well as considering wildlife. This would then be created by the community with the help of the council.

Idea: Green streets campaign for businesses

Aim: To improve the walkable quality of the street environment and increase the biodiversity within cities.

How / Benefits: It encourages the use of spaces by the community, increases social interaction and pride in the area as well creating a stronger sense of community for people, whilst acting as stepping stones for biodiversity.  

Facts / Research: Streetscapes can be improved by encouraging vegetation near buildings with planting on balconies, in window boxes and on roofs. The walkable quality of the street environment requires destinations and attractive spaces that encourage people to spend time in their streets and local amenities. Green infrastructure should go beyond just parks and consider greening solutions such as green roofs, walls, facades and increased greening in streetscapes. Environmental psychology suggests people prefer natural scenes in cities compared to scenes that include built elements. Engage businesses that can help with biodiversity. 78% of people wanted to see greener streets within Leeds. Pleasant and well maintained environments in city centres increase the amount of people going to visit.

What: This would be a campaign for businesses to plant up whatever outside space they have, which would improve the streetscapes within cities. This could involve planting up window boxes, or planters near shop fronts, greening up roof terraces etc. 

Idea : Adopt a patch

Aim: To allow people without gardens to have access to / create their own space whilst regenerating green space and increasing biodiversity connectivity within the city.

How / Benefits: Allows for the regeneration and creation of new pocket green spaces within cities. This allows for wildlife corridors to be created between larger green spaces providing space for wildlife to spread, connect and find resources. For people it provides a sense of pride in their community and gardening is good physical exercise.  Having more small spaces within cities increases the larger ecosystem. Existing spaces / habitats will be protected, maintained and enhanced making the scheme beneficial for wildlife.

Facts / Research: City centre residents most likely to live in a flat or an apartment meaning they are unlikely to have their own garden. It can be difficult to introduce biodiversity into cities because of limited space. Where healthy habitats exist, these should be retained. The availability of neighbourhood green space, streetscape vegetation, landscaping and paths allows for social interaction and is associated with an increase in perceived community and social cohesion. Restored habitats can help reconnect or enhance existing natural areas. Unused land within cities can provide corridors between larger areas and enhance biodiversity habitats. There should be a balanced system of protection, sustainable use and management of local, regional, national and European levels. Urban wildlife habitats provide a focus for local communities, who also become attached to the spaces.

What: This is a community project where patches are rented out to people, these can be spaces that need regenerating or places that need upkeeping, the size and type of space can vary.  

  

Idea: Trail / Trails connecting green spaces around Leeds

Aim: To promote, raise awareness and increase the use of green spaces within Leeds.

How / Benefits: It will improve accessibility to green spaces as it will make it easier to find green spaces within the city. The city as a whole will benefit from the trail as this will create a tourist attraction bringing money to the local area along the route. It will protect and enhance existing green spaces from development therefore supporting wildlife in the future. The trail will take people around the most scenic routes within the city highlighting the walkable quality of streets within the city. The attractive routes and green destinations would encourage people to use their streets and local green spaces more. The defined routes will encourage more social interaction and a better sense of community. The routes will be accessible at different points increasing accessibility to green space. The routes would encourage movement across the city between destinations increasing physical exercise. 

Facts / Research: The walkable quality of the street environment requires destinations and attractive spaces that encourages people to spend time in their streets and local amenities. The availability of neighbourhood green space, streetscape vegetation, landscaping and paths allows for social interaction and is associated with an increase in perceived community and social cohesion. Pleasant and well maintained environments in city centres increase the amount of people going to visit. Evidence suggests that people are happier with public green spaces and will use them more if they have natural elements. ‘Nature’ for many suggests places far from cities and opposite to the place they live in. By promoting quality green space within cities biodiversity can be protected and enhanced and brought closer to people in the cities. The High Line Trail in New York has used a disused railway line as a new green space which has become a major attraction.

What: The trail would be branded and would include wayfinding and information about wildlife and facilities along the trail. An app / map would also be used alongside this showing all the existing green spaces within the city allowing you to search in terms of facilities, wildlife, proximity and features of existing trails / spaces.

Idea: City Islands with the fundamentals of quality habitats

Aim: To create multifunctional spaces where both wildlife and people can interact, by providing the fundamentals of a good quality habitats and combining this with seating facilities.

How / Benefits: Planting will include understorey vegetation, leaf litter, logs, long grass and native planting etc which will act as a good quality habitat for a variety of wildlife. These islands of fundamental habitat will act as wildlife corridors for animals through the city allowing them to go between larger green spaces, breed, connect and find resources. The use of seating in these areas allows for destinations to be created within the street and enables people to connect and see wildlife. These pockets will also create a more aesthetic environment encouraging people to visit more. The use of environmental furniture and greener streets, encourages people to visit the space more, leading to greater social interaction and multifunctional spaces as well as integrating and increasing biodiversity into the city.

Facts / Research: Evidence suggests that people are happier with public green spaces and will use them more if they have natural elements. Pleasant and well maintained environments in city centres increase the amount of people going to visit. Quality features include focal points e.g. trees, connected pathways and seating, nature and the absence of litter and graffiti. Models of networks within cities suggest that even small patches within a city have the potential to connect populations of highly mobile and small animals. Natural features can act as wildlife corridors or stepping stones e.g. pond, hedgerows, woodland strips, watercourses etc. The walkable quality of the street environment requires destinations and attractive spaces that encourage people to spend time in their streets and local amenities.  The vegetation and structures that make up green spaces can contribute directly to species diversity. Suitable habitats for biodiversity are needed within urban green spaces. Increased understorey cover and native planting in urban green spaces can improve biodiversity. Habitat structure is important to animal biodiversity and includes understorey and canopy vegetation, leaf litter, logs, long grass, wetlands, streams, ponds etc.  

What:  The scheme will involve planting up areas around trees throughout the city to create quality pockets of habitats, whilst benches will be provided if not already at the site. This will be a voluntary community event that happens every month where people go out to predesignated areas to create these habitats or to tend existing ones.