A public project to improve the reputation and utility of the highstreet

Initial site analysis showed that Chepstow’s high street is under-utilized by the community, upon which I plotted out the range of activities and services available on the high street. The results showed a lack of public spaces on and around the street, most of the spaces were occupied by cafés and pubs. The unpopularity of the high street is certainly due to the stagnant range of activities available and desirable by only a part of the demographic.

The project aims to introduce a “truly public” space at the core of the high street to improve the popularity as well as the utility of the entire area. The food market invites people to explore a variety of dishes in a public setting, where one is not obligated to purchase to occupy the space. A completely permeable ground floor plan indicates the building is designed for the public and allows an interesting passage of circulation on the high street.

The central space on the ground floor, where the food market is situated, can flexibly adapt to accommodate various events and activities such as workshops, dance competitions, etc. These events substitute the market a few days of the month and a few hours of the day ensuring the building hosts a dynamic range of entertainment and activity across the year. This attracts a wider range of the demographic to occupy, explore and enjoy the space more often. The proposal is built around an existing structure from a 1960s bank building. This concrete structure heavily influences the initial grid and form of the proposal, allowing it to retain the essence of the previous building. This concrete frame is then covered by a polycarbonate shell that produces an open-plan space that accommodates the market activities beneath.

The materiality of the shell is a conclusion from a series of qualitative as well as quantitative daylighting experiments to achieve constant and controlled atmospheric conditions all through the year. Overall, the project is closely knitted to the public realm as well as the city’s fabric, intending to lift the value of the entire high street. A public space that caters to all, equally, not only changes the economics of the town but also improves the communities health.