getting the big picture right

7/31/2019 Getting the Big Picture Right

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Getting the bigpicture right

A guide to large scaleurban design


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Published in 2010 by the Commission for

Architecture and the Built Environment.

Graphic design: Draught Associates.

Printed by Blackmore on Revive recycled paper.

Blackmore holds ISO14001 environmental

accreditation.

Cover image: Hartburn, County Durham

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, copied or

transmitted without the prior written consent of the

publisher except that the material may be photocopied

for non-commercial purposes without permission from

the publisher.

CABE is the governments advisor on architecture,

urban design and public space. As a public body, we

encourage policymakers to create places that work

for people. We help local planners apply national

design policy and advise developers and architects,

persuading them to put peoples needs rst . We show

public sector clients how to commission buildings t hat

meet the needs of their users. And we seek to inspire

the public to demand more from their buildings and

spaces. Advising, inuencing and inspiring, we work to

create well designed, welcoming places.

CABE

1 Kemble Street

London WC2B 4AN

T 020 7070 6700

F 020 7070 6777

E [email protected]

www.cabe.org.uk

This document is available in

alternative formats on requestfrom the publisher.


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Foreword 4

Introduction 6

The challenges that large scale urban design tackles best 8

Six distinctive features 12

The outputs from large scale urban design 16

Who most benets from using the process? 17

Conclusion 21

How to use large scale urban design 22

Prepare 22

Design 24

Implement 26

The benets of a workshop-based approach 28

Contents

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Do we create better places when wedesign them? Or are the best placesthose that emerge instead fromneighbourhood level initiatives, tocreate a whole that is somehowmore than the sum of the parts?

At CABE we are in favour of engaged, localapproaches to urban design. But people dontlive their lives only in one neighbourhood thesedays. Increased mobility, including more carownership, has extended that area well beyondany one boundary.

The planning system needs to respond to this change, for instancewhen deciding where public transport links and new urban extensionsneed to go; when designing large scale energy generation; whenreclaiming large post-industrial sites.

But how can we design successfully at this large scale, to try toshape the bigger picture? Is urban design only a process for theneighbourhood scale, for choosing the right bollards and paving?

CABE decided to nd out. Using a mix of UK best practice,international research and workshops with academics andpractitioners, we examined whether there is a design approachthat can work for the big picture. Over the coming decades thiswill include adapting to climate change, achieving sustainableeconomic development in a globalised market, and redressing thebalance between advantaged and disadvantaged communities.

Foreword

AdamGaultPhotography

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Interestingly, we found the best projects contain elements of bothlocal level self-organisation and bigger scale design. For example,in Germany the Emscher Landschaftspark in the Ruhr succeeded inachieving environmental quality and culture-led regeneration with localaction knitted into a broader strategy. Closer to home, CambridgeFutures faced up to large scale challenges, such as nding spacefor more housing, through a self-organising combination of local

authorities, the university and private companies.

CABE has drawn on this best practice to develop new advice aboutlarge scale urban design. It is described briey in this summary andthere is a step-by-step online guide on www.cabe.org.uk

One of the most promising features of the new approach is that ituses a creative, workshop-based process to bring all interested

parties together to design high-quality solutions. So this is not aboutmicro-level interventions, hoping that they will add up to somethingthat works at large scale. Nor is it about imposing inexible solutions.Instead it embraces the complexities and uncertainties facing peopletoday. It is a design process that allows people to shape the placesthey want.

It means operating in different ways. But there are plenty of examples

of how we can design places well at a large scale. I hope that thisguide will inspire others to create and develop their owngood examples to add to the list.

Richard SimmonsChief executive, CABE

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One of the most dramatic changes to affect planning and urban designhas been the growth of the area within which people live their lives, orwhat economists and planners call functional spatial areas. People nowhave communities of work and communities of interest and networks offriends, customers, shops, leisure facilities and suppliers which go wellbeyond the immediately local.

These extended areas form the scale at which economic and housingmarkets now operate, and correspond to the catchment areas of largeretail centres, major hospitals, leisure facilities or higher educationinstitutions. Housing and job markets do not observe local authorityboundary red lines on a map. Nor do people notice red lines when theyare crossing them in the car or on the train.

Planning needs to operate across boundaries as well. To take advantage

of the change from top-down regional strategies, the bigger picture hasto be thought about in ways which allow people to work together to ndanswers to the questions which result from our way of life.

So a exible new framework is needed to inform decisions on wherebest to invest limited resources for infrastructure, or where to focusthe energies of private developers and public service providers. Thosewhose lives are directly affected have to be involved in the process.

In recent years, the statutory plan-making system in England has takena collaborative approach to local development frameworks and corestrategies, but this approach was not always taken for larger areas.

So for the past two years, CABE has been trialling a better way todesign the bigger picture.

Introduction

Planners should engagein rational strategicplanning when forthe purpose of arrivingat the best result theboundaries of authorities

are banished fromthe mind.Patrick Abercrombie, 19331

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The Northern Connection research programmeof the University of Manchester explored theeconomic links between northern cities andregions, for the Northern Way, and looked at thegrowing importance of the key urban centres indriving growth. The study used commuting owspatterns to dene spatial boundaries of 12 city-

regions in the area. These are the types of areasthat may benet from adopting a collaborativeurban design approach to planning fortheir future.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

http://cabeurl.com/dqMapping economic links at thelarge scale: The NorthernConnection (2008)

Functional spatial

clusters based on net

commuting flows

City-regions in the North

of England based on

travel-to-work patterns

OneNorthEastfortheNorthernWay

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CABE has worked with many of the cross-boundaryorganisations set up to tackle big scale challenges,whether economic, nancial or environmental.

Our experience of these sub-regional development bodies, jointplanning units and regeneration partnerships suggests that they couldusefully adopt a more creative and collaborative approach to planning

and delivering change.

Our research showed that their approach could be improved byfocusing more on the physical aspects of a place. Indeed, one of thestrengths of the new large scale urban design approach is the way thatit focuses on improving the quality and distinctiveness of a place byconsidering social, economic and environmental performance at thesame time as its physical characteristics.

Facilitating economic growthIn many places goods manufacturing has been replaced withknowledge-based and service sectors, which rely heavily on accessto a skilled workforce. These sectors tend to cluster into specialisedcentres with strong links and complementary relationships withinnatural economic areas. So, increasingly, competitiveness of placesdepends on attracting and retaining the right people, which in turn is

dependent on providing a distinctive and high quality living and workingenvironment. Economic performance is also affected by how well thephysical structure of the natural wider area is designed to facilitateclustering and linkages between the economic centres within it.Where areas are failing to thrive because they are poorly connectedto facilities and economic opportunities, large scale urban designwill identify the most appropriate response.

Successful cities andregions in this periodof globalization arethose with the capacityto discover their ownidentity, singularities

and strengths.Fundacin Metropoli,20072

The challenges that large scaleurban design tackles best

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Using nancial resources efcientlyWhen public budgets are tight and there is limited private nance, it isessential to address competing priorities. This means that many publicservices, and most large scale infrastructure, should be consideredacross boundaries. Whether evaluating or planning the provision ofutilities, transport, higher education institutions or hospitals, there aresignicant efciencies to be made through involving all parties in a timely

way. This is a key benet from using large scale urban design.

Achieving environmental sustainabilityMany environmental challenges such as water management, oodprevention, increasing biodiversity and generating low carbon energy can be addressed most effectively by cross-boundary action. Theseneed to be dealt with alongside social and economic issues, for examplemanaging the seemingly insatiable desire for travel and ows of people and

goods whilst reducing resource use and facilitating greener lifestyles.

Managing large schemes and masterplanningLarge scale urban design can be used to instigateand orchestrate the delivery of developments likebig retail and employment centres and large housingdevelopments and transport infrastructure. It ensureseach project is considered within a wider spatial,

economic and social context. This approach maximisesthe value of investment and spreads the benetsbrought about by the development across the wholearea and to all sectors of the population.

StephenMc

Laren

Newcastle and Gateshead:

joi nt wo rk ing by the two co unc ils

has led to dramatic transformation

on both sides of the river

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The project focused on construction of alight railway infrastructure and the associateddevelopment between the northern edge ofZurich and the airport. The ve municipalities ofthe Glattal region involved in the project, togetherwith the Canton of Zurich, set up a public limitedcompany VBG Verkehrsbetriebe Glattal AG to

oversee the planning, construction and operationof the light rail.

They saw the project as an opportunity totake a comprehensive approach to planningtransport, public space and urban and economicdevelopment in this part of Zurich. They joinedforces with private sector partners to develop a

sub-regional development strategy on the back ofthe light railway project to stimulate investment andmeet wider policy objectives. Regular monitoringof new developments within the 400m radiusareas surrounding the new Glattalbahn stationsindicates that so far the level of private sectorinvestment has been 15-16 times higher thanthe investment made in the light rail by the

public sector.

Undertaking large scalemasterplanning: Glattal light railway,Zrich city region, Switzerland(since 1995)

Glattal municipalities

and the light rail route

1

Proposed light rail

infrastructure and urban

development opportunity

areas in the Glattal

municipalities

VBGVerkehrsbetriebeGla

ttalAG


http://cabeurl.com/dr

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A study of 120 rapidly expanding cities in thedeveloping countries for The World Bank focusedon the minimum level of intervention that is required tobe taken by cash-strapped city authorities to guidea spatial expansion at a massive scale and achieve:

an anti-poverty objective: to help ensure an

adequate supply of affordable land for housingthe poor

a planning objective: to lay the foundationsfor an effective city planning regime

a transport objective: to introduce an efcientnetwork of public transport and trunk infrastructure

into expansion areas; and

a nancial objective: to substantially reducethe cost of putting the essential city infrastructurein place.

The project team led by Professor Shlomo Angelfrom New York University organised workshops

with municipal ofcials from the planning, legal,and nance departments to investigate options anddevelop spatial proposals. It was found that the bestway of achieving project objectives was to focuson the early introduction of an arterial grid in theexpansion areas, through advance acquisition ofland and laying out a system of dirt roads.

Using financial resources efficiently:The dynamics of global urbanexpansion (2006)

Planned transit-sensitive

arterial grids in Milagro

and Rio Bamba, Ecuador

ReprintedfromCitiesvol25,ShlomoAngel,Anarterialgrid

ofdirtroads,p146162,(200

8),withpermissionfromElsevier

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It is selective in its interests

A project based on this newapproach begins with aspecic problem and focuseson providing answers to thatproblem. Restricting the remitto issues that are of genuinecross boundary importance fora natural economic area, and

cannot be tackled at any otherspatial level, keeps the approacheffective and efcient. Thisselectiveness applies not only tothe scope of the project but alsoto its outcomes - a limited set ofstrategic themes and projects.

Six distinctive features

There are a number of defining characteristics ofthe new large scale design approach which make itdistinctive from masterplanning, local developmentframeworks or recent English regional andsub-regional planning.

It is spatially led, three-dimensional andvisually rich

The new approach goesbeyond land use planning which is generally twodimensional and deals withthe physical characteristics ofa place in all its complexity andin three dimensions (hence

the use of urban design in thelabel). It results in proposalsfor specic projects and sites.Even though the nal product a spatial strategy mayshow these proposals in adiagrammatic way, the processgrounds them in the physical

context of a place. Detailedexamination of specicissues and proposals may benecessary to ensure viabilityof the strategic concept.The results are highly visual,synthesising complex ideas ina way which communicates to

a full range of people.

It takes an integratedapproach to analysisand design

Improving the quality of ordinaryplaces is as important as newlandmark places and spaces.The new approach considershow the physical, economic,environmental, social andcultural aspects of a place

all contribute to its success,and how its natural assets canbe protected and capitalisedon. It integrates analysis andproposals, across all boundariesand denes an overall vision.This is achieved by translatingstrategic themes or options into

a set of manageable projects.

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It is an engaging andinclusive process

At the heart of large scale urbandesign is a creative processwhich actively engages everyone.

It is compressed into a numberof workshops where key playerscome together, assisted by anexpert team, to scope the work,input data, prioritise areas orthemes, consider scenarios,draw up preferred proposalsand projects and nalise plans

for delivery.

It is focused on delivery

An integral part of the approachis developing an implementationplan that sets out a programmeof what to do now, with the future

in mind. By providing a clearpolicy and delivery framework,it stabilises, coordinates anddirects development activity and,in areas with low values and littleor no developer interest, createsmore attractive conditions fordevelopers and investors. It makes

clear to key partners their part infunding, investment, the provisionof land, public services andinfrastructure.

It is flexible

Implementing a large scalestrategy takes a long time and thecontext may change, sometimesradically. The new approach

accommodates new data beingincluded, and proposals beingre-tested and revised. Whilebeing capable of providingexibility and change, theprocess and its outputs providenonetheless enough guidanceand detail to ensure quality of

the nal projects, and effectivedecision making and delivery.

British cities havespread out economicactivities and smallboundaries. The dangerof small boundaries

is that it can lead tosub-optimal policyinterventions thataddress only small areaswhere symptoms arepresent, rather the largerareas (markets) where

problems can bebest tackled.Defra advisor, 20093

FaberMaunsell

Cleveleys New Wave sea defences and promenade (2004-2008):

Addressing environmental and economic challenges through

an inclusive and creative process. Designed by Birse Coastal.

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The Emscher Landshaftspark(Landscape Park) was originallyconceived as a part of a 10-year regeneration programme

led by the International BuildingExhibition Emscher Park (IBA).The programme addressed thedecline of the Ruhr Region inNorth-Rhine Westphalia, theindustrial heartland of north westGermany, stretching across 20local authorities and including

several major urban centres.

Characteristics of large scale urbandesign: Masterplan for EmscherLandschaftspark 2010, Germany(since 1989)

The area was characterisedby social deprivation, hugeoutward migration and economicproblems caused by the closure

of most of the mines and steelfactories. Its environment wasextremely poor because ofdecades of heavy industrialpollution.

The regeneration programmescoordination group made a bold

decision to focus on a handful ofstrategic themes to reverse the

decline and change the internaland external perceptions of thearea. As well as social initiatives education, training and new

types of jobs they includedthe following:

Industrial monuments:retention and creative reuseof key industrial heritage

The new Emscher:

regeneration of theriver system

Masterplan for Emscher

Landschaftspark 2010


http://cabeurl.com/dshttp://cabeurl.com/dthttp://cabeurl.com/du

ProjektRuhrGmbH/Klartext/Germany

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Working in the park: provision

of new types of employmentspaces

Living in the park: provisionof new types of housing.

The most ambitious idea was tounite all the themes under the

umbrella of a regional park. Thisentailed tremendous efforts toimprove the environmental qualityof the existing green areas andto clean up and integrate formercontaminated industrial sitesinto a green network. Namingthe regional park after the river

Emscher, which was for decadesthe main industrial drain ofthe area and its most polluted

element, was a clear sign of the

projects ambition and the projectleaderships condence andresolve.

The team carried out a hugeamount of consultation withlocal authorities in the areato overcome an initial lack of

interest in addressing thedecline through coordinateddelivery of local projects withinthe agreed strategic themes.Through a process of developingthe joint strategy this viewgradually changed as peoplerealised that they had to work

together to attract investmentand people to live and workin the area.

The result of the teams design

work with local partners wasa non-statutory, exible spatialstrategy to guide the work atlocal level. Each local authorityeventually took on and translatedthe strategic directions into localpolicies and projects.

After the conclusion of the initialregeneration programme ledby IBA, further revisions of thestrategy and the coordinationof projects were led byProjekt Ruhr GmbH andRegionalverband Ruhr (RVR).There have been over 400

projects delivered across thesub-region since 1989.

More detailed prop osals for key areas

and sites in the Emscher region

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The outputs from large scaleurban design

At the end of a project, those involved will have:

an overarching story of change a clear description of thetransformation to be brought about by a package of interventionsand investments in the built and natural fabric of the wider area,based on its identity and potential.

a creative and inspiring visual expression of this story of change

that can be communicated easily to a wide range of interest groups a database of quantitative and qualitative information which can beanalysed spatially, and through multi-layered analysis. This allowsa whole range of issues to be considered together, to identifyconicts, synergies and priorities, develop effective proposalsand coordinate their delivery

a distillation of this analysis into key areas ofinterest which need to be addressed at this

scale or which require greater coordination an agreed set of proposals which dene thetype and location of priority projects underkey themes, including specic sites and designbriefs for those sites

a set of design and sustainability principles,standards and tools to guide masterplansand more detailed urban design and

building proposals.

NepalAsatthawasi

Cheonggyecheon Restoration

Project, Seoul, South Korea (2005) :

A city-wide effort to revitalise a river

and connect the city centre with

an ecological conservation area

outside the city. Designed by Seoul

Development Institute with the Seoul

Metropolitan Government.

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Who most benefits from usingthe process?

Large scale urban design will help those organisations and partnerships often a mix of public and private sector partners - tasked with deliveringsolutions to the challenges outlined. Key players will include those mostresponsible for delivery; local or regional government or other cross-boundary partnerships; developers and others delivering large scaleprojects; urban design and planning practitioners and policy makers.Those whose lives are affected the community are the most important

people to be involved in the process.

This urban design approach will particularly benet localpartnerships that:

want to improve coordination between sector-specic or local strategies,initiatives and projects

want to improve the quality and distinctiveness of what gets built in their area

have a concentration of social, environmental or economic problems inthe area and need to have a thorough approach to dealing with declineconstructively

are performing well and growing, and wish to either accommodate thisgrowth or spread its benets across the wider area, particularlysignicant housing growth or regeneration

need to strengthen the links between town and city centres or withina natural economic area

need to plan strategic infrastructure such as water or wastemanagement, energy production or a network of green spaces are planning new facilities such as hospitals or large leisure and

shopping centres want to protect or enhance important natural, cultural or heritage assets.

The new large scale urban design approach could be used at avariety of spatial scales (regional, city or town wide), in differentdelivery contexts (statutory or informal), and internationally.

Whitela

wTurkington

Ashford ring road, Kent:

Stimulating growth in the wider

area through key infrastructure

projects. Designed by

Whitelaw Turkington.

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In France a new generationof sub-regional strategies SCOTs (Schma de CohrenceTerritoriale) have been developedsince 2004. Montpellier SCOTprovides a cross-scale and

cross-sectoral policy and deliveryframework for Montpellierconurbation. It includes spatialpolicy at different spatial scales,including:

conurbation-wide plansfocusing on management and

conservation of the strategicenvironmental, economic andsocial assets

more detailed spatial plansfor six sub-areas of theconurbation at 1:25,000 scale

a design guide for localplanning, including guidance

for preparing urban projects,local plans and street designstandards

design briefs for elevenstrategic sites, to demonstratethe application of the SCOTprinciples in the range ofdifferent contexts found inthe conurbation.

From strategy to site briefs:Montpellier SCOT, France(2003-2006)

Key diagram

The proposed limits of urban expansion (left)and Existing and proposed retail centres (right)


http://cabeurl.com/dv

MontpellierA

gglomeration

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The 1:2500 sector plan for Montpellier

(urban core of the conurbation)

A description of the principlesfor defining an urban edge

A design brief for one of the strategic

sites (a new business park)

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The Cambridge Futures projectlooked at ways of relievingdevelopment pressure in andaround Cambridge, in thecontext of statutory restrictionson growth, including a greenbelt around the city, and a high

degree of perceived communityopposition to growth.

A group of local stakeholders,including public and privatesector representatives, initiatedand managed the project. Theydeveloped and evaluated several

growth scenarios for the area,including a no growth option anda green swap option (includingdevelopment in the green belt).Establishing a genuine choiceof options, coupled with a well-structured and clearly presentedassessment of options, helpedthe project to get a wide buy-in. This opened the door to thestatutory planning process, andthe projects results fed into theregional spatial strategy.

Integrating strategies: CambridgeFutures (1997-1999)

Option 4: green swap,

showing the Cambridge

Airport area after the policy is

implemented

Option 2: densification,

showing an area in Cambridgeafter the policy is implemented


http://cabeurl.com/dwhttp://cabeurl.com/dx

UniversityofCambridge/Met

aphorm

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The high growth era in the British economy was strongly linkedto investment in property and places, and we have experiencedsomething of a physical renaissance. Our cities, towns and evenour villages have all changed, sometimes radically, and oftenfor the better.

In todays very different scal climate, it is even more critical to

appreciate the role of architecture, the bricks and mortar, the parksand trees, the trains and trams which provide the backdrop andcontext for our daily lives. Distinctive places and well designedbuildings will support high quality public services, generate civicand community pride, and attract and retain investors.

But if we are to succeed in doing more with less, the way in whichwe plan and design our towns and cities and rural areas will needto change.

A strategy is about selecting particular developments, a particularrelationship, particular problems - and then making the toughdecisions. To understand the unique capacity of large scale urbandesign to help make those decisions and guide the transformationof places, you should go to www.cabe.org.uk for a comprehensivestep-by-step guide.

In general a balancehas to be struck betweenpredicting the futureand allowing the futureto emerge from theeconomy. We have to becareful that plans dontnarrow down possibilities- creating potential isone of the key things thatplanners can do for theeconomy.Strategic urban design

panel (2008)

Conclusion

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The new approach uses a workshop-based process split intothree phases, as summarised below.

1. Prepare understand the challenge

The people who set up the large scale urban design project start

by dening its scope. The area of study must obviously relate to thescale at which problems can be understood and possible solutionstested. They select a project team, a steering group and a championto secure the necessary political backing. The project team writes amanagement plan that includes the aims, outputs and outcomes, atimeline, milestones, resources and risks. It also sets out how it willcommunicate with all those involved, including with the general public.

The team gathers, summarises, maps and analyses the backgroundinformation needed for the design phase. This is an intensive andcreative part of the process where participants interrogate data andlearn a lot about their area. It is informed by perceptions of the qualityof the existing area. They look at issues and data in a multi-layeredway, assisted by strong and imaginative imagery and presentation ofdata and spatial information.

The culmination of this phase is a design brief that guides thenext phase of work. It sets out the vision statement for the projectand includes a summary of the information and analysis, deliverychallenges for the wide area, aspirations for design quality andindicators to monitor the forthcoming spatial strategy and/orpriority projects.

How to use large scaleurban design

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E l i id tit Th G t FURTHER INFORMATION:


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This project, commissioned bythe Thames Gateway StrategicPartnership and led by CABE,studied the character and identityof the UKs largest regenerationarea, stretching for 40 milesalong the Thames Estuaryfrom the London Docklandsto Southend in Essex andSheerness in Kent. Its aim wasto investigate how the uniquequalities of the landscape andexisting places can be used toensure new development in the

Exploring identity: Thames Gatewayproject (2006-2008)

Thames Gateway Love to

live character map draws on

research commissioned by

CABE and illustrates how

the character of the Thames

Gateway is set to develop inthe years to come.

area is of a high quality, createsvalue and drives investment.

The background researchwas wide-ranging, includingmapping the landscapeand urban character, andconsultation with the peoplewho live and work in thearea and the professionalsengaged in change there. Thesubsequent publication Newthings happen set out a visionfor the future of the Thames

Gateway based on four identitythemes to help create a strong,coherent image for the region.

The study informed theoverarching strategic frameworkfor the Thames Gateway. It

was the basis for a furtherprogramme of work by CABEincluding a Design Pact forthe Gateway, which sets outthe standards and approachesto development that mustbe adopted.


http://cabeurl.com/dy

GrundyNorth

edge

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2. Design develop a spatial strategy

This phase is based on one or more intensive workshops thatare guided by expert facilitators.

The people participating develop the vision into a more detailedstory of change that includes strategic themes and priorityprojects. The identication of issues and areas of investigation anddesign into strategic themes is an important characteristic of theprocess. It identies the critical issues and projects that needto be addressed at cross-boundary level.

They create in parallel a number of spatial options or scenarios forimplementing the themes and projects and test these by simulatingwhat the impact would be. The options, together with the resultsof the testing, are often put out to wider community consultation.Once feedback has been analysed, an option is taken forwardand rened, including more detailed design briefs or proposalsfor specic sites.

The key output of this phase is a spatial strategy, which summarisesthe story of change for the area, preferred themes, projects and thespatial option for their implementation. It is published widely in thearea in formats that are easy to understand, to assist public buy in.

Those participating then prepare and publish a design guide tounderpin the implementation of more detailed proposals: thesuccess of the urban design process will be judged by the qualityof the buildings, spaces and places that are developed.

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Design workshops in action: FURTHER INFORMATION:


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The project explored the most sociallysustainable and environmentallysensitive ways to accommodate growthin the years to 2021, while maintainingexisting character and landscape. It wasinitiated by local and national sponsors,including Hertfordshire CountyCouncil, the University of Hertfordshire,local landowners and a number oforganisations and companies based inthe county. The project involved a sevenday long charrette (an intensive designworkshop) for the public and privatesectors and social and communityadvocates, alongside a multi-disciplinarydesign team.

During the charrette six growthscenarios or spatial options weregenerated based on the overall growthprojections. Each scenario includedmore detailed examples of the typesof projects or spatial interventionsthat would support it.

The nal report included a criticalanalysis of each option and anenvironmental assessment. Thedesign team also provided an analysisof typical urban models, including acritique of the design of one of the townsin the county and case studies suchas village and hamlet urban extensions.

Design workshops in action:Hertfordshire guide togrowth (2008)

Hertfordshire charrette in progress

The transport-oriented scenario one of six

growth options developed during the charrette

A detailed study of the redevelopment potent ial of the area around the railway

station in Stevenage (before and after), illustrating the application of the

transport-oriented scenario

BRE GreenPrint radar sustainability

assessment of one of the options

http://cabeurl.com/dz

TheUniversityofHertfords

hire

DuanyPlater-Zyberk&Co.

BRE

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3. Implement deliver the strategy

The implementation plan sets out how the strategy will be deliveredand by whom. This is based on the earlier exploration of deliveryissues and its preparation may culminate in a dedicated workshopwith delivery partners.

The issues that are covered by the implementation plan are: delivery mechanisms delivery partners costs, funding requirements and sources phasing and timing managing risks coordinating and monitoring of delivery monitoring the impact of the strategy revising and refreshing the strategy

This may highlight gaps in expertise or investment that need to belled to make sure that the strategy can be delivered.

Throughout the process, design quality needs to be continued to bemade a priority, for example by strengthening existing design policiesor introducing new ones into statutory plans; setting up design reviewor quality panels; or running design competitions.

They also need to agree how to measure the impact of the spatialstrategy. This can be a complex task, performed consistentlyover a long period, possibly decades.

For a comprehensive, step-by-step guide, including examples toillustrate the key stages of the process, go to www.cabe.org.uk

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Delivering a strategic vision: Spatial- FURTHER INFORMATION:


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The City of Amsterdam, Municipality ofHaarlemmermeer, the Province of Noord-Hollandand the Schiphol Group (airport operator) wereconcerned that they were not sufciently capitalisingon the benets of the airport because of a lack of jointworking. They also felt that leaving the developmentof business sites around the airport to marketforces would lead to fragmented development, withadverse effects on the accessibility and internationalcompetitiveness of the airport and the region.To address this they set up a management forum(Bestuursforum Schiphol) in 1987 and subsequentlya joint development company the Schiphol AreaDevelopment Company (SADC).

Delivering a strategic vision: Spatialeconomic vision for Schiphol region,Holland (since 2000)

In 2000 the Bestuursforum produced its rstspatial-economic vision aimed at providing acoherent development framework for the economicgrowth in the airport region and a powerfulmarketing tool. The framework establisheda strong context for SADCs activities.

Even though the vision was developed and isbeing implemented outside the statutory planningsystem, it has been perceived by the partners asan essential and meaningful strategy that lls thegap between the regional structure plan forNoord Holland Zuid and the local land useplans for Amsterdam and Haarlemmermeer.

Key diagram

Amsterdam airport corridor concept diagram

BestuursforumSchiphol

http://cabeurl.com/e0

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The benefits of a workshop-based


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A workshop-based approach has many advantages overother methods of spatial planning. These include:

a shorter time scale: the design process is compressed into anumber of workshops, making it cheaper and less likely to beout-of-date before it is nished

iterative working: frequent feedback loops and immediatedesign responses are built in

integration: all parties are engaged, and work brought togetherat different spatial scales in a single design process

engagement and sense of ownership: active participation indeveloping design solutions helps stakeholders to be positiveand to own the project

conict resolution: with all parties working together, any conictsbecome evident quickly stakeholders can discuss and resolvethem immediately

consensus building: working alongside each other allowsparticipants to develop an understanding of the wider issues

capacity building: participants become informed decision-makerswho are able to develop strategic solutions in a structured andinclusive manner

increased probability of implementation: the workshops considerdelivery issues from the start through a process that includesmulti-disciplinary teamwork and engages politicians, funders,delivery bodies and the wider community.

The benefits of a workshop basedapproach

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Despite these advantages, challenges remain. The biggest ofthese is how to reconcile different views and avoid consensus ascompromise, that is, reaching decisions that no one objects tobut no one believes in either.

The new approach as outlined in this guide addresses difcultissues head on: this will be a tough process and not everybody isgoing to get everything they hoped for. It selects a handful of good,deliverable projects rather than agreeing to a long list of untestedones. And it develops strategic themes, spatial options and proposalsfor key projects to a level that is detailed enough for the widercommunity to engage with, allows for proper testing andforecasting of impacts, and provides adequate guidancefor delivery partners.

Northala Fields, London (2007): Involving

local residents and school children in the

design of a key green space project to

transform derelict land. Designed by

FORM associates.

FormAssociatesLimited

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Footnotes

1 Abercrombie P (1933) Town and Country Planning. Oxford: OxfordUniversity Press, p17

2 Fundacin Metropoli (2007) Regin De Murcia, ProgramaTerritorios Inteligentes. Madrid: Fundacin Metropoli, p29

3 Clark G (2009) UK-China SDD Urban, Working Paper, Foundationsof Urban Regeneration in the UK, unpublished paper

Acknowlegements

CABE would like to thank all those who contributed to the content ofthis guide and the background research. We would particularly liketo thank the expert panel and other participants in the think-tanks thattook place at CABE; individuals and organisations who have madeavailable case study materials; and members of the CABE family andclients who helped us test the emerging methodology ideas.

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EcologyPark,GreenwichMillenniumVillag

eGreenwichMillenniumVillageLtd

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How do we deal with economic, sociald i t l h ll th t

CABE1 Kemble Street


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and environmental challenges thataffect the lives of people over largeareas and cannot be solved throughlocal action? This guide outlines a new

approach to large scale urban designthat allows people to shape the placesthey live or work in, and improve itsdistinctiveness and quality. It will helpthose organisations and partnerships often with a mix of public and privatepartners tasked with working with

local people to prioritise actions andinvestment.

London WC2B 4ANT 020 7070 6700F 020 7070 6777E [email protected]

getting the big picture right

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