Hulme Living Leaf Street Housing
Hulme Living Leaf Street Housing by Mecanoo for One Manchester The area around Leaf Street in Hulme, just outside Manchester city centre, has a history
New Places
Urban Structure
Introduction
New places are defined as large scale new or regenerated communities, usually requiring a new urban structure to be formed. This includes the pattern or arrangement of landscapes, open spaces, development blocks, the streets and buildings, which make up urban areas. It is the interrelationship between these elements, not just their particular characteristics that bond together and make a place.
The urban structure should be designed around a landscape-led strategy in order to deliver a positive and coherent identityThe identity or character of a place comes from the way that buildings, streets and spaces, landscape and infrastructure combine together and how people experience them. and lay the foundation for the detailed design that follows. When successful it provides a coherent framework which forms the basis of the design of individual elements bringing them together to create coherent, characterful and unique places.
Codes in this Section
Urban structure characteristics
- Development should be informed by landscape-led placemakingRecognising the distinctiveness of individual locations in plans, policies and proposals, and responding accordingly. principles;
- A clear movement framework;
- Careful consideration of density;
- A range of local services and facilities, ideally within walking distance, orotherwise accessible public transport;
- Consideration of views into and out of the site.
NPUS 1
Layout and identity
CODE
Description
Compliance
CODE
Applicants must demonstrate how their development will deliver a sense of place with a clear character and identity.
Description
The identityThe identity or character of a place comes from the way that buildings, streets and spaces, landscape and infrastructure combine together and how people experience them. of a place comes from the way that buildings, streets and spaces, landscape and infrastructure combine together and how people experience them.
Local characterCharacter includes all of the elements that go to make a place, how it looks and feels, its geography and landscape, its noises and smells, activity, people and businesses. This character should be understood as a starting point for all development. Character can be understood at three levels; the area type in which the site sits, its surroundings and the features of the site. makes places distinctive and memorable and helps people to find their way around. Well-designed, sustainable places with a strong identityThe identity or character of a place comes from the way that buildings, streets and spaces, landscape and infrastructure combine together and how people experience them. give their users, occupiers and owners a sense of pride, helping to create and sustain communities and neighbourhoods.
Design decisions at all levels and scales shape the identityThe identity or character of a place comes from the way that buildings, streets and spaces, landscape and infrastructure combine together and how people experience them. and characterCharacter includes all of the elements that go to make a place, how it looks and feels, its geography and landscape, its noises and smells, activity, people and businesses. This character should be understood as a starting point for all development. Character can be understood at three levels; the area type in which the site sits, its surroundings and the features of the site. of a new place or building and help to create a memorable sense of placeA sense of place is the unique collection of qualities and characteristics that makes one town or development different to another. It lends meaning or attachment to a development or place, transforming it into a home, a neighbourhood, or a community. A sense of place is also what makes our physical surroundings worth caring about.. It starts to be determined by the siting of development in the wider landscape, then by the layout and grain – the pattern of streets, landscape and spaces, the movement network and the arrangement of development blocks. It continues to be created by the form, scale, proportions, design, materials, detailsThe details of a building are the individual components and how they are put together. Some are a deliberate part of the appearance of a building, including doors, windows and their surrounds, porches, decorative features and ironmongery. Others are functional, although they can also contribute to the appearance of a building. These include lighting, flues and ventilation, gutters, pipes and other rainwater details. Detailing affects the appearance of a building or space and how it is experienced. It also affects how well it weathers and lasts over time., patterns and colours of buildings and landscape. In this way, it creates a coherent identityThe identity or character of a place comes from the way that buildings, streets and spaces, landscape and infrastructure combine together and how people experience them. for residents and communities to identify with.
Compliance
Applicants should demonstrate in their submission how this element of the code has been complied with.
Documents required:
- Context characterCharacter includes all of the elements that go to make a place, how it looks and feels, its geography and landscape, its noises and smells, activity, people and businesses. This character should be understood as a starting point for all development. Character can be understood at three levels; the area type in which the site sits, its surroundings and the features of the site. appraisal (may be incorporated into the Design and Access Statement)
- Masterplan
- Site plan
- Site Wide Landscape Strategy
- Elevations as appropriate
NPUS 2
Defining spaces with built form
CODE
Description
Compliance
CODE
All new spaces must be defined by buildings which provide an active frontage to the space.
Description
All new spaces should be defined by buildings that front on to the space in order to provide a sense of enclosure.
In high density areas there should be a clear distinction between public and private spaces, both physically and visually.
Compliance
Applicants should demonstrate in their submission how this element of the code has been complied with.
Documents required:
- Site plan
- Site wide Landscape Strategy
- Floor plans
- Elevations
Examples of space definition
Square
Circus
Linear park
Informal
Crescent
Street
Principles of context led space enclosure
High rise, high density neighbourhoods or town centres; A ratio of 1:1 building height to street width
High density suburbs and town centres context; A ratio of 1:2 building height to street width
Low density new places and medium density suburb context; A ratio of 1:3 building height to street width
Low density residential context; A ratio of 1:4 building height to street width
Examples of varying enclosure to create variety of visual characters
NPUS 3
Creating a skyline
CODE
Description
Compliance
CODE
Tall buildings must be sited in a manner that delivers a coherent skyline in accordance with an approved masterplan.
Description
The provision of tall buildings should follow the established principles of group composition, such as noticeable stepping down in height, scale and grain around cluster edges to achieve an acceptable relationship with existing buildings.
Tall buildings should be elegant with a slender form to emphasise verticality, with a carefully considered termination point which positively contributes to the skyline.
Compliance
Applicants should demonstrate in their submission how this element of the Code has been complied with.
Area Types:
- Not relevant in New Places – Low Rise, Low Density as tall buildings arenot appropriate.
Documents required:
- Context characterCharacter includes all of the elements that go to make a place, how it looks and feels, its geography and landscape, its noises and smells, activity, people and businesses. This character should be understood as a starting point for all development. Character can be understood at three levels; the area type in which the site sits, its surroundings and the features of the site. appraisal (may be incorporated into the Design and Access Statement)
- Long distance views / skyline assessment (may form part of the Design and Access Statement
- Townscape Visual Impact Assessment
NPUS 4
Views, vistas and landmarks
CODE
Description
Compliance
CODE
Applicants must demonstrate that they have optimised opportunities to protect existing views, vistas and landmarks and create new views into, within and out of the New Place.
Description
Developers should look for opportunities to link the development site with its surroundings and create a visual connection between areas. Creating new views, and protecting and strengthening existing views can help to create a sense of placeA sense of place is the unique collection of qualities and characteristics that makes one town or development different to another. It lends meaning or attachment to a development or place, transforming it into a home, a neighbourhood, or a community. A sense of place is also what makes our physical surroundings worth caring about., aid legibilityThe degree to which a person understands and recognises characteristics about an area or building which help them to navigate around an area, or understand a building. and make wayfindingBetter wayfinding means improving the ease with which people can navigate themselves to, from and within a place or development. easier.
Compliance
Applicants should identify the key existing views, vistas and landmarks relevant to the application (with assistance through the pre-application process if necessary) and analyse the impact of the development upon them. Where a site is in a conservation area, the relevant views identified in the Conservation Area Appraisal / Management Plan should be used as a minimum. Consideration should be given to changes in topography which may produce unexpected views. Applicants must show, where relevant, what new views will be created in or through the development.
Documents required:
- TVIA in accordance with requirements in the Council’s adopted
Validation Checklist
- Accurate visual representations in accordance with requirements set out inthe Council’s adopted Validation Checklist
Principles of views, vistas and landmarks
Terminated views
Corner plots
Vistas
Framed views
Deflected views
Landmarks
Examples of neighbourhood views, vistas and landmarks
New places urban structure case studies
Timekeepers Square
by Buttress Architects for Muse Developments The development is located in the Adelphi/Bexley Square Conservation Area and the primary aim of the site was to
Accordia
Accordia by Fielden Clegg Bradley Architects, Alison Brooks Architects and Maccreanor Lavington Architects Accordia was the first housing project to win the RIBA Stirling Prize and widely regarded
