The cohesion of industry and public through the retention and extension of fabrics to allow public life to thrive

‘What we want is precisely to maintain and amplify what we’ve found here, nothing more’ - Lina Bo Bardi

This outlines the theme I am exploring where I am looking to harvest the existing life on site and provide space for it to thrive. Furthermore, the theme of walkability addresses the necessity for people-focused placemaking and ensures a rich pedestrian experience with active building fronts. I am also looking to provide a cohesion between industry and public in order to retain the existing heritage and culture on site.

The Marsh currently has large plots and extremely narrow pavements which leaves an undesirable pedestrian experience. The large plots result in a lack of active building fronts and all the inhabitation being set far back from the streetscape and concealed from public life. Walkability and public space is essential for promoting social capital which improves quality of life and encourages growth within the community.

The development of the project was undertaken primarily through massing studies and precedents. I built a model of the existing fabric and used this to explore the form and scale of the interior units. The existing space contained a pop-up bar so through the theory of tactical urbanism I could address the successes and problems within the current space in order to establish a more permanent structure that is focused on community involvement.

The Marsh is undergoing regeneration and therefore the necessity to retain culture and community within the area cannot be understated. The concept of walkability and people-focused placemaking should be central to all other urban regeneration schemes to ensure growth within a community and the promotion of social capital.