Urban Design

The Urban Tapestry project was part of the MAUD Spring Studio module which looked at introducing strategies into Cardiff Central Enterprise Zone. The area for this particular project is south of the zone which was home to a range of industrial factories producing materials such as steel, brass and acrylic. However, over the years the site had become derelict, which led to poor public infrastructure. The site had plenty of potential for its redevelopment as it sits opposite major transport links such as Cardiff Central Station and Cardiff Bus Station as well as natural elements including the River Taff. Therefore, when approaching the project I felt it was important to address these issues by building upon the unique identity and strengths of the site. This led to the project vision which was to: weave together people, space and time through transit connectivity at different scales, community cohesion and a design that uses its past to inspire its future.

People, space and time became the focus of my project I believed it was essential for these elements to be in balance and interwoven. For example, the needs of the current residents needed to be met as well as interventions to encourage new demographics into the area. The vision came to life through concepts, strategies and objectives that guided the different design layers (two of which are presented). Each of the design objectives that the design layer met can be seen on the bottom corner of each page as it was vital to ensure the design upheld the vision. A key aspect of the design was embracing the heritage of the site and building upon its present character. Although not shown here, this included three historical characteristics that were considered throughout the design process including the site’s relationship with water, railway history, and industrial heritage. Using heritage and character as a thread that connected each element to one another helped to create more cohesive interventions that celebrated the site rather than starting from scratch. This approach also allowed the initiatives to be considerate of the nuances and uniqueness of the area.

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