Sustrans Design Manual Chapter 3: Placemaking (2014, draft) Sustrans Design Manual Chapter 3. Placemaking (draft) November Novemberber

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1 Sustrans Design Manual Chapter 3 Placemaking (draft) November 2014 Novemberber

2 About Sustrans Sustrans makes smarter travel choices possible, desirable and inevitable. We re a leading UK charity enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys we make every day. We work with families, communities, policy-makers and partner organisations so that people are able to choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys, with better places and spaces to move through and live in. It s time we all began making smarter travel choices. Make your move and support Sustrans today. org.uk Head Office Sustrans 2 Cathedral Square College Green Bristol BS1 5DD Sustrans November 2014 Registered Charity No (England and Wales) SC (Scotland) Contents This chapter of the Sustrans Design Manual should be read in conjunction with Chapter 1 Principles and processes for cycle friendly design. That chapter includes key guidance on core design principles, whether to integrate with or segregate from motor traffic, the space required by cyclists and other road users as well as geometrical considerations. Readers are also directed towards the Handbook for cycle-friendly design which contains a concise illustrated compendium of the technical guidance contained in the Design Manual. This chapter has initially been issued as a draft and it is intended that it be reviewed during 2015; feedback on the content is invited and should be made to designandconstruction@sustrans.org.uk 1. Key principles 2. Introduction 3. What is placemaking 4. Where do you start? Texture and colour Planting Seating Art and sculpture Water and water features Lighting Other street furniture Legibility Issue level: Placemaking in the highway environment Owned by: Contact: NCN Director tony.russell@sustrans.org.uk 6. Community engagement Appendix. Case study: Bath Photography: Sustrans or Paola Spivach unless noted otherwise 2 November 2014

3 1. Key principles placemaking is the integration of urban design with the highway environment, to create memorable routes and places. route design should consider place and movement functions in combination a route should be made up of a series of links and squares requires a thorough understanding of the local context local people should be involved throughout the design process common principles apply both to the highway environment and to traffic free routes away from the highway 2. Introduction 2.1 Many urban streets are not wide enough to provide separate cycle facilities or have frontage activity that makes such provision impractical. Design for such environments needs to think beyond standard highway design, defining a slow speed highway environment where cycles, pedestrians and motorised traffic can safely integrate. A good street design can help create a bespoke solution that suits the local surrounding buildings and activities. 2.2 Further, in recent years there has been a growing acknowledgement of the importance of the place function of a street or traffic free route, alongside the more established movement function, in determining its character. Manual for Streets highlighted the need to consider both place and movement in combination, with their relative importance depending on the street s function within a wider network. Stonehouse before 2.3 This approach should be integral to the design of routes for walking and cycling, as the more attractive a route is, and the more links to destinations, the more people will use it. The designer should aim to reinforce this popularity by creating a route which: gives a message to the traveller that they are well catered for and welcome imparts a positive message such that individuals will want to come again is useful so it attracts a wide range of journeys is a special place in which local people can take pride Stonehouse after Novemberber

4 3. What is placemaking? 3.1 Placemaking is a design technique that integrates urban design within the highway environment, and within traffic free routes away from the highway, to create a place with a strong identity or a memorable route, engaging successfully with its surrounding buildings and activities. 3.2 It is the opposite of a standard design that is the same anywhere; it enhances the character of an area/place combining paving materials with planting, street furniture, lighting and possibly art, to provide an attractive place. 3.3 It can be difficult to imagine placemaking as a linear intervention as it is usually associated with areas and squares. But a place can also be more broadly defined as a route. A route designed following the placemaking principles is more distinctive and legible. The more attractive and legible a cycle or walking route is the more people will use it, and return to use it as part of their day to day journeys. 3.4 This approach requires a thorough understanding of the local context, history, uses, local activities, movements: all knowledge which sits with the local community, engaging with whom is a fundamental step. Approaching the design of a place in this way not only helps the understanding of its surroundings, but helps enhance a sense of community, belonging and the sense of ownership, resulting in interventions that are popular and long lasting. Haringey 4 November 2014

5 Fig 3.1 Town centre street design Supermarket Terraced houses Cycle parking outside destinations, Cambridge 6m wide carriageway with narrowing using drainage strips that reduce the visual width, slowing vehicles down Cafe Shops Shops Cafe Distinctively paved junction highlighted by vertical elements, giving space for outdoor cafe seating, Edinburgh Filtered permeability delivered by key traffic free route highlighted by distinctive vertical elements Terraced Attractive planting to combat localised street flooding, the urban heat island effect, airborne pollutants and to benefit wildlife Library houses Informal roundabout helps control speeds at junction, London Not to scale Flush central reserve helps reduce carriageway width (allowing occasional over-run by larger vehicles) and allows comfortable pedestrian crossings at more locations, Oxford Widened crossing in front of library creates a distinctive gateway feature into the scheme and addresses pedestrian desire lines, Poynton Novemberber

6 4. Where do you start? 4.1 There are several design elements that can be used to make a place or route memorable. Throughout the design process it is essential to: engage with people (residents, stakeholders, retailers, etc.), involving them in the design process from the very beginning design with the community, creating a unique, memorable place celebrate, to ensure visibility, a sense of pride and ownership of the local community. Texture and colour 4.2 Using distinctive paving materials or markings can help considerably to give character to an area, highlighting its surroundings, and making it unique. Use of texture and colour: makes it different from its surroundings Oriel School, Hounslow gives it character/ identity Planting 4.3 Planting softens the built up landscape making a street more pleasant and interesting. It can be used to frame key spaces and create a sense of enclosure or separation from the urban environment or can be used in the place of traditional traffic calming measures to slow vehicle movements. Appropriate planting can also be used to combat key urban street problems that can discourage pedestrian movement such as on street flooding, air pollution and the urban heat island effect. Including planting in street design: makes a place more attractive A home zone in Manchester changes the perception of the street from a through route to a place where you can take in your surroundings helps an area to be characterful and recognisable combats drainage problems by creating soakaways cools streets and provides shade in summer provides natural traffic calming solutions reduces the levels of street level pollutants can contribute to a network of habitats for wildlife to survive in built up areas. Trees in the carriageway, Bristol Urban greening, Barking and Dagenham 6 November 2014

7 Seating 4.4 Seating provides an extra element of comfort to a route and encourages the community to make the place their own, which is fundamental to help users feel safe. In some locations they can be associated with tables or play equipment for children. Providing seating can offer a splendid opportunity to make the most of a particularly beautiful view or sunny spot, and: can be traditional or informal (low bulky bollards, tree trunks) can maximise local activity, allowing people to socilaise and to linger Combined seating and lighting, Sheffield Seating artwork by Katy Hallett, Bristol Seat as bike rack: Robert Kilvington Art and sculpture 4.5 Art is an important element of placemaking, as it can help characterise a place, enhance its identity, and attract interest. It can introduce intrigue and make a route worth using just for the sake of seeing and experiencing a piece of art. The most successful public art allows people to interact with it, see through it, sit next to it, use it, play with it. Use of art: introduces intrigue enhances a sense of identity provides legibility Giaus Sentius by Gordon Young, a drinking fountain on the Bristol & Bath railway path Steel Wave by Peter Fink, Newport Novemberber

8 Water and water features 4.6 All waterfronts (rivers, sea-sides, lakes) make fantastic routes. Water can combine with art to create an attractive fountain feature. A drinking fountain or a fountain feature can help hide the noise of vehicular routes and can make a route more interesting and enjoyable, especially for children. Water and water features: makes a place memorable provides a natural play area Railway path from Drumgelloch to Bathgate along Hillend Loch The Centre, Bristol Lighting 4.7 Lighting is very important in creating a safe night time environment, and can also be used to highlight particular places of interest. It can be integrated in art and street furniture to create particular effects. (i.e. lights on benches). Use of lighting: improves night time visibility contributes to perceived personal safety highlights key places O Connell Street, Dublin Edinburgh Other street furniture 4.8 Cycle stands, bollards, litter bins, have fundamental functional roles and need to be located where required. They need to interact with the whole design of a place, whilst being kept to the absolute minimum. 4.9 For instance, if illegal parking is a problem, a strategic location of street furniture at the edge of the kerb can help create the necessary obstacles to avoid parking on pavements. 8 November 2014

9 Legibility 4.10 Users have a three-dimensional perception of their surroundings and the use of both horizontal and vertical cues can be very effective in rendering a route legible and unique Colour, paving patterns, art, and vertical elements can be creatively used to make a route legible and recognisable. Signing may be a minimal part of it. Recurrent themes can define its identity and can provide assurance to the user that they are on course to their destination This can prove particularly useful at junctions, crossings or when an offroad route is on-road for a while. Allowing the colour or features typical of the route to continue without interruption can have a considerable role in helping towards its legibility. South Gloucestershire 5. Placemaking in the highway environment 5.1 In some streets there is no room to provide standard cycle facilities. Placemaking helps define a slow speed highway environment where cycles, pedestrian and motorised traffic can safely integrate. 5.2 For example, a busy town centre, high street or residential street does not always have sufficient highway width to provide cycle lanes. In this case redesigning the street following placemaking principles can help create a slow speed environment where cycling is comfortably and safely integrated with the rest of the traffic. 5.3 Design for such environments needs to think beyond standard highway design, creating a bespoke design that suits local needs. In a street with a strong retail or residential function, traditional road markings and signs detract users attention from the actual activity of the street, concentrating only on its movement function. If a street environment acknowledges and emphasises all its functions, all users can safely integrate. Traffic signals removed, Coventry Novemberber

10 This approach follows a few simple design principles: 5.4 Clearly define the edges of the scheme with clear and strong entry points; highlighting the entry points where the highway environment changes drastically sends a clear message to users that a standard highway layout is replaced by a bespoke one, and allows them to adapt their level of attention and behaviour. 5.5 Keep road geometries tight; carefully allocating highway space is an essential element to ensure driving speeds are kept slow. Barking and Dagenham Petersfield 5.6 Where possible, remove road markings and re-pave or mark the carriageway using distinctive patterns and colours; removing the centre line helps reduce vehicular speeds and paving materials can be used to strongly distinguish particular areas of interest, such as retail areas, the forecourt of important buildings, historical features, pedestrian desire lines, or simply key junctions. 5.7 Highlight a sequence of spaces according to what is happening along the street; a slow speed environment is determined by a clear sequence of such spaces, with distinctive paving patterns and shapes in order to retain the interest and attention of the user, with the aim to prompt cautious and careful behaviour. Ashford Coventry 5.8 Cater for all users and needs; ensuring all needs are taken into consideration is fundamental to avoid illegal parking or unsafe pedestrian crossings. 5.9 Use trees and/or street furniture to define the street; vertical elements highlight particular places or junctions, enhancing user s three-dimensional perception. They can also help avoid long straight visual perspectives, especially if located on central islands, helping slow vehicles down. Stonehouse Kensington High Street 10 November 2014

11 6. Community engagement 6.1 A design can be enhanced enormously if the local residents and stakeholders are involved in the full design process, rather than simply being consulted on the outlined proposals. Thorough community engagement not only ensures that the new design addresses as many local issues and expectations as possible, but also fosters a priceless sense of ownership amongst locals who will not only contribute to the success of the scheme but even help with its maintenance. In want my street to be... The Dings, Bristol 6.2 A thorough community engagement process: enhances context awareness enhances the sense of community/ belonging enhances sense of ownership, ensuring a longer legacy to the project can help with ongoing maintenance Chapter 13 provides further guidance on this. Novemberber

12 Appendix. Bath tunnel case study : Combe Down Tunnel multi sensory artwork It can be very challenging to transform a corridor into a place, but there are several ways of doing so: enhancing its relationship with its environment through paving and hard landscaping, setting a pleasant soft landscaped area, creating a stopping area with seating and perhaps some informal playing equipment, or a well thought piece of interactive art. Art can be an intriguing way to create a place, and United Visual Artists have gone beyond all this with their artwork Passage in the Combe Down Tunnel, a section of disused railway in Bath. Passage has been imagined as a journey where the artwork is constructed through the experience of traveling through the tunnel rather than by an object. Drawing upon the idea of the historic railway, an array of sound emitting objects, inspired by the old train s light reflectors, are positioned along the length of the tunnel to create a spatially distributed soundtrack. The result is a soundscape forming a unique array of musical textures, triggered by the passage of the cyclist or pedestrian, where speed and presence determines the composition and playback of the music. Combined, the music, the colours and the fact that the user is the actual conductor of this musical piece transforms one of the most linear places by definition, a tunnel, into a place where the darkness, coolness and length of it, are only the frame of a charming experience, worth going back to over and over again. Lighting feature in Combe Down Tunnel 12 November 2014