How can disused infrastructure be retrofitted to make new public space for local communities?

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AbstractThe research topic of my project was focused on issues relating to disused infrastructure. Urban areas require lots of hard infrastructure and modification to the landscape. In Auckland, there are a number of disused infrastructures, for example disused factories, disused railways and disused motorways. The old Nelson St off-ramp in Central Motorway Junction was chosen as site for investigating, as originally introduced by my supervisor, Matthew Bradbury. It was the former was the right-side exit off-ramp leading to the city centre, and offers an impressive view to the harbour.

Within my research for this project, I am interested and concerned about how changes on the disused off-ramp can impact on the enjoyment of the surrounding communities, therefore improve the accessibility of non-motorized transport to the site and connection of the wider public transport system. Some significant site issues will be addressed and transformed a disused space into a functional and accessible public space that may have the potential to enhance the planning at the city central, even the Auckland waterfront.

How can disused infrastructure be retrofitted to make new public space for local communities?

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1.0 INTRODUCTION1.1 Context1.1.1 Auckland City

Auckland City is the most populous city in the country. With the strong population growth, it will add stress on Auckland’s capacity for dwelling, transport and open space. Auckland city is the Auckland region’s largest centre for employment, business and entertainment, and also a pleasant place to live and relax. There is a need to balance the city competing roles, in terms of commercial and residential development, public and private transport, public spaces and private development, and pedestrian-friendly streets that also support the flow of vehicles (Auckland Council, 2012).

1.1.2 Council Strategy

In preparation for this population growth, the Auckland Council has prepared a number of documents concerning the strategies that could be implemented to accommodate the healthy growth.

In the City Centre Masterplan (2012), increasing trees and parks as well creating a walkable and pedestrian-friendly city centre was part of the outcomes for the plan. The indicators for the outcomes included a five-minute walk from a public open space and more kilometres of pedestrian footpaths/walkways and cycleway to link to the wider transport system, in order to achieve the goal as required by all the residents of city centre.

Population growth and the need of open space which will drive Auckland’s demand in future generations. To addressing these key issues, Auckland Council has encouraged development of public space network, walkways and trails for surrounding residents from now and in the future. In relevance to the plan, recycling of disused infrastructure provides an opportunity for new urban space and enhances the usage of the city (Auckland Regional Growth Forum. 1999).

According to the Central Motorway Junction Walking and Cycling Masterplan 2012, Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and NZ Transport Agency is going work alliances and spend 2 million dollars to develop the site links with K Road within 3-10 years. Although in their long-term plan, they are going to link the site with North-western cycleway at Upper Queen Street (Central Motorway Junction Walking and Cycling Masterplan, 2012.

One Network

Auckland Plan

City Centre Masterplan

Integrated Transport Programme

Regional Cycle Network

031.2 The Site1.2.1 Location

K Road (Karangahape Road) QuarterThe city centre has a cluster of distinct areas, and my study area was situated in K Road Quarter with its own characteristics and uses. K Road is one of the major streets that spatially defines the area. It has a collection of shops, cafés and art galleries, at night its restaurants, bars and nightclubs make it a major part of Auckland’s social scene.

CMJ Junction (Central Motorway Junction)Within the K Road Quarter locates the CMJ Junction (known locally as ‘spaghetti junction’) and is owned by NZTA (NZ Transport Agency). It has a multilevel structure that connects State Highways 1 and 16, and offers a few off-ramp accesses to city centre. The disused Nelson St off-ramp located in Auckland’s Central Motorway Junction. My research focused area - Nelson St off-ramp starts from K Road viaduct and leading to upper Nelson Street. Previously, the off-ramp was the right-side exit ramp leading to the city centre.

The Asset Manager from NZTA, Hennie Lombard pointed out that the Nelson St off-ramp being disused was because it was built based on a non- standard and low-cost solution in the 1960s. When the latest CMJ improvements were made, the opportunity was taken to resolve that long-standing anomaly by providing a ramp exit on the left side of the north-bound carriageway instead. Weaving of traffic has been eliminated resulting in safer and smoother traffic flow.

New Zealand

Auckland

Central Motorway Junction

LEGENDCity_Fringe

City_Centre

State Highway

Study Area

1:20,000

City Centre

City Fringe

PONSONBY

PARNELL

04

KARANGAHAPE ROAD

TOTAL (net) FLOOR AREA

126,000m2

277,000m

46,000m 2

2÷40m per resident =1,925 =962additional

residents @ 2 residentsper dwelling

=2,300 additionalworkers

additionaldwellings

2 per worker÷ 20m

149

05

K ROAD

Hopetoun St

Study Area

Entrance from Nelson St

View from Hopetoun St looking West

View from Upper Queen St

View from Hopetoun St looking North

View from K Road Viaduct looking South

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1.2.2 HistoryBack in the 1950s, the area was an inner-city suburb, Newton. It has one of Auckland’s premier shopping streets-K Road. On the 1960s, CMJ Junction took up the area for construction, and with most of its links built in the 1970s, then totally spending 50 years of continuous construction. When the motorway network was constructed, this forced more than 50,000 people to moved out and there was a removal of 15,000 dwellings in the inner suburbs. The massive expansion of motorways through the nearby inner city area, causing the site to turn into a run-down red light district in the 1960s (Reynolds, 2012).

The blue lines are existing road system, the stage maps show where today’s motorways and ramps and give a good indication of how the motorways have really split and separated the suburbs from the central city (Arbury, 2009).

1959 1996 2010

CMJ Junction 1973

081.3 Rationale and Aims

1.3.1 Why disused infrastructure? Burkhalter and Castells (2009) observed that the connectivity within a city refers to alternative of public space, but not limited to a traditional public space. It can be a street corner or other spaces. On the other hand, disused infrastructure in urban environments is highly prized because it is a vantage point and sometimes they represents a junction of more than two streets, offering wider and more interesting views. This makes it easier to navigate and therefore a more walkable city.

1.3.2 Why Nelson St off-ramp?Due to the site’s rich and complex issues, I have chosen the Nelson St off-ramp to investigate as my negotiated study topic. I am proposing this project as an opportunity to intensify the central Auckland, to explore how this can evolve further and potentially find a new way to attract people to use the new public space. This would be a beneficial project to the surrounding residents.

The main purpose of this research is to use alternative research methods, and collect the data to develop a way to design the space that fits into the existing context. The restriction space and the functional aspects are seen as a negative side of the Nelson St off-ramp. The space is linear, inaccessible from street level and dangerous etc, all these site issues do not seem like a story with a downbeat ending. A space like the Nelson St off-ramp indicates the potential to introduce new spatial typologies – open space above street level, and promotes alternative movement on space.

Design ConceptFundamentally the Nelson Street off-ramp design strategies are about:1) Opening the off-ramp to the central city,2) Connecting the off-ramp with the central city,3) Creating a new “hub” of city fringe.

Current and existing roads Possible connecting nodes Strategy

09Strategy

1.4 Research Methodology

The methodology is about layering of the mapping and diagrams to identify intensities, relationship, find out the occupation location, zoning and take them as a consideration for my design.

Methodology Plan• Site visit: use site photos to find out activities occurring around the site – residential, retail streets, occupation places

• Site analysis: - view quality, view through R road viaduct and Hopetoun St viaduct- Site quality, safety level investigation - Accessible level, find out possible entrance points- Links to surrounding public space and cycle path

• Mapping- District Plan from Council, identify the boundary and location of residential, business, special purpose, and open space activity zones- GIS mapping, large scale to small scale- • Drawing /overlays- Overlaying various maps and creating drawing identifying areas of intensities, relationships and patterns

• Case Studies

• Design tests- After the above process, identify opportunities and issues - Draw a few concepts based on the funding

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Dwyer Canal, designed by Elizabeth Mossop

Duisburg-Nord Park, designed by Peter Latz

2.0 Literature Review

Peter Latz

Peter latz a German landscape architect, he is best known for his emphasis on reclamation and conversion of former industrialized landscapes. He pointed out that infrastructure is a key attribute of communities that is often disregarded in contributing features and identity of a site. Infrastructure could seem to be a frame of transformation. As city growth often follows roadways and other transport systems, therefore, the disused infrastructure will be a target of intensification of urban city and further implications regarding sustainability (Latz, 2007).

In another Latz’s essay - Landscape Park Duisburg-Nord: The metamorphosis of an industrial site, he discussed different kinds of metamorphosis of landscape architecture in the design of Duisburg-Nord Park, it focused on the recycled and reused the sit as educational and culture activities zone. Memory is re-collected in fragments of ruin walls, tracks and bridges are “naturalized” as industrial archaeology in the site. This is an example of brownfield cleanup and reprogramming (Latz, 2001).

Elizabeth Mossop

Elizabeth Mossop, is a landscape architect with wide-ranging experience in both landscape design and urban planning. In her essay - Landscape of Infrastructure, she suggests to look at “Mundane Landscape” – the landscape dominated by vehicles carparks, roads and motorways and blurring boundaries and hybrid landscape. She also thinks that designers need to engage with infrastructural landscape, especially difficult spaces such as under elevated roads, street underpass and complex transit interchanges, as well as disused infrastructure. Landscape urbanism also suggests that function of infrastructure and the social / cultural needs of the community (Mossop, 2006).

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LEGENDState Highway

Study Area

1:10,000

3.0Project Development

3.1 Site Explorations

3.1.1 GIS Analysis

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istance

istance

Oriented

Oriented

LEGENDOpen Space 3

Open Space 2

Open Space 1

State Highway

Study Area

1:10,000A

CT

IVIT

IES

LEGENDOpen Space 3

Open Space 2

Open Space 1

State Highway

Study Area

1:10,000LEGEND

Collector Road

District Arterial Road

Regional Arterial Road

Service Lane

Strategic Route

State Highway

Study Area

1:10,000

OP

EN

SP

AC

ES

TR

AN

SP

OR

T

LEGENDMix-use

Business

Residential

Education

Study Area

State Highway

1:10,000

ZO

NIN

G

LEGENDBuilding footprint

State Highway

Study Area

1:10,000

CY

CLE

WA

YS

LEGENDBuilding footprint

State Highway

Study Area

1:10,000Shared with bus lane

Path on busy road

Dedicated cycle lane

Share with pedestrian

LEGEND

PrecinctsThe map showed the large amount of motorway which network limits pedestrian and cyclists, the site almost has no relationship to its surrounding environment, just being a corridor for the transit of vehicles.

The motorway is the boundary of city centre and city fringe, the surrounding suburbs seem to be as fringe areas which provide the resource for the CBD. They need to be better connected via street enhancement and public transport improvements.

Open spacesOpen spaces are scattered throughout the city centre, and a lack of attractive pedestrian links between the open spaces. The overall pedestrian environment is of poor quality and does not encourage people to walk across the city centre.

Education, Mixed Use, Business, Residential ZoneThe site contains a high volume of education, mix-use, business and residential zones.

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3.1.1 Negatives and Positives

ACC

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LEV

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SAFE

TY L

EVEL

VIE

W Q

UA

LITY

High

Medium

Danger

Dark

Traffic

Traffic

Low handrail

Low

Low

Low

Low

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3.2 Case Studies

Promenade Plantée, Paris

The High Line, New York

Parissy Footbridge, Paris

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3.2.1 Promenade Plantée, Paris

Promenade Plantée is a 5 - kilometre narrow parkway that is located in Paris, France. It is built on the former train tracks of the Vincennes railway, as an extensive urban green belt, from the Bois de Vincennes on one end to the Place de la Bastille on the other, up to the eastern edge of the city. The Promenade Plantee was the first elevated park in the world transformed railway viaduct into green space, and it is the model for New York’s High Line Park.

The site was renovated in the 1980s. In 1984, the Bastille station was demolished to permit construction of the Opéra Bastille. The Reuilly area was designed in 1986; it incorporated the old commercial rail depot of Reuilly into a group of park areas. The Promenade Plantée was put into place at the same time in order to reuse the rest of the abandoned line between the Bastille and the old Montempoivre gate to the city. Landscape architect, Jacques Vergely and architect, Philippe Mathieux designed the parkway, and it was installed in 1993. Most of the trails are above street level, but there are stairs down to the street at various points. The first portion of Promenade Plantée is elevated and reserved for pedestrians that goes along on old railway viaduct, it rises almost 9 metres above the ground and can be accessed via stairways and elevators leading up to the top. Within 1.6 kilometres, the ground floor turns into restaurants, furniture showrooms, galleries, and studios for various designers, and on the top is a tree-lined linear park with lots of different garden rooms in traditional French garden style. The eastern portion of the parkway is accessible via ramps and stairways and is open to both pedestrians and cyclists through a tunnel and another along some shopping streets, one more floral section at the end.

By researching the Promenade Plantée, it shows how disused railway line can be created to a functional and pleasant formal garden, at the same time offering an impressive view of the surrounding area and a quiet stroll unimpeded by vehicular intersections. The design provides large portion of green space in a relatively green-less part of town. Due to the high usage, straight form and openness to the site, all kinds of people use this facility at all times of the day, in all weathers. It is well connected with the surrounding residents, as the site is well used by locals, including a multitude of joggers, pre-school children, visitors, but it is really crowded during weekends and holiday time, which means most of the time they will not feel the quiet and peaceful Promenade Plantée.

The entrance of Promenade Plantée

Studios and shops below the Promenade Plantée

The pathway cut through buildingThe garden in eastern portion

Benfield, K. (2011, July 14). The original ‘High Line’: la Promenade Plantée in Paris. Retrieved from http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/

kbenfield/

TripAdvisor (n.d.). Promenade plantee: Traveler Reviews. Retrieved from http://www.tripadvisor.com/

193.2.2 The High Line, New York The High Line is an elevated public park located on Manhattan’s West Side. The site was recycled from an unused rail line that was owned by the City of New York, and maintained and operated by Friends of the High Line.

The High Line was built in the 1930s to reduce dangerous trains cross from the largest industrial district thus to protect pedestrians. It is designed to go through the centre of blocks and connect directly to factories and warehouses, allowing trains to roll right inside buildings. During 1950s, the growth of interstate trucking leads to a drop in rail traffic, nationally and on the High Line. Finally, the High Line stops running trains since 1980.

The first phase of the High Line opened in 2009, it runs from Gansevoort Street to West 20th Street. The second section, which runs between West 20th and West 30th Streets, opened in 2011. The total length up to second section is 1.6 km with 6-18 metres width.

The High Line is essentially a green roof on top of an elevated railroad track, it is the longest green roof in the world. The green roof system is designed to allow the plants to retain as much water as possible. The High Line’s planting design is inspired by the self-seeded landscape that grew on the disused High Line during the past years after trains stopped running. Many of the species that originally grew on the High Line’s rail bed are incorporated into the park’s landscape.

The High Line demonstrates how a disused industrial site can be re-imagined. It changes the rules of engagement between plant life and pedestrians, by forming a smooth, linear, virtually seamless walking surface for people to enjoy. The public environment on the High Line contain special features to engage with public response, including a water feature, viewing platforms, a sundeck, and gathering areas to be used for performances, art exhibitions and educational programs.

Phase One, 2009

Friends of the High Line. (2012). http://www.thehighline.org/

Designboom. (2012). Section 2 of the high line – now open. http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/9/

view/19808/high-line-at-the-rail-yards-design-unveiled.html

Phase two, 2011 Phase three, proposed

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3.2.3 Parissy Footbridge, Paris

The Parissy footbridge project is 2.8 kilometres long, it is a vibrant living footbridge and designed by Stéphane MALKA Architecture. It connects the banks of the Seine to the Boulevard Victor RER station in the Parisian suburb of Issy les Moulineau.

The project takes an obstructive element that was abandoned by the vehicle, and gives it back to the pedestrians. The first step for the design is to unify the abandoned roadways into one congruous and clean roundabout. This process not only cleans up lines, but also increases the visibility of both Issy and Paris, by removing unnecessary road structures, matching down to a single line. The foot bridge provides cooling respite in terms of the planted vegetation on and around it, as well as the natural shade it casts to the roadway below. The landscaped path will change colour and density as the seasons also change. The elevated faux-forest, amidst the urbanism of Paris and Issy, is a lush oasis, that combines urbanism, architecture, landscape and land art.

Stéphane Malka. (2011). http://www.stephanemalka.com/en

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The first stage of my research was mainly focused on site investigation and primary site analysis. The logic behind the “what, why, how” process helped me to understand clearly what can work and what cannot work, it also offered me a basic understanding of the Central Motorway Junction from its surrounding environment and historical background. By using GIS mapping, the usual data was carried out to discover the topography, roads, building footprint, and residential areas etc, each of them showed singular characteristics. In this case, all mapping layer can be overlaid to produce another set of maps, to present the dynamic relationship between data.

From the intern submission one, some of the feedback given at the presentation were extreme useful to help me improve in the next stage, for example my research question was crystal clear for people to understand the general issues I was dealing with, also sets up a general proposition which was appropriate for me to investigate. The site selection also was a good choice to investigate disused infrastructure in Auckland, especially the Auckland Council had proposed initiative of my study area in the City Centre Master Plan.

At the presentation, I have showed two authors’ articles to find out why we should look at disused infrastructure, their suggestions which are related to my research question. However, I think the background research and the literature review was quite limited, maybe in next stage I needed to show how the infrastructure could be reused in practice and explore some of the theoretical themes a bit more. In the case study, I showed two examples of the disused railway viaduct, but again some critiques pointed out that I need to question the examples more, also find out what ways the designers use the bridges to make public space in terms of design themes, ideas and moves. It is important to think how the community can access to the site, how I can understand the local condition in order to connect to the community.

The project development at the moment is slightly behind others, there are a few problems including getting the information from outside sectors. I am after the as-built plans that show the heights of the various structures so that I can accurately represent the Nelson Street off-ramp. Both NZTA and Opus do not hold a comprehensive set of general layout drawings to show the heights to the floor level and sections, as the CMJ motorway was constructed in 1960s - 1970s, some of the new structures were done by an alliance which included BECA. It is quite difficult to obtain various sets of as-built plans for old and newer carriageways and also multiple structures are not available as an integrated cohesive set. During my visit in NZTA, the Asset Manager, Hennie Lombard suggested that I would have to pull various bits and pieces together in order to build a 3D model. He also commented that the plans going back to different historical dates were not likely to be based on a common elevation and horizontal grid. I also had some ccomments from a senior planner - Scott Wickman, he said lighting and visual barriers was a key point to look at, especially under bridges; as well as loading and weight of my design, the kind of structure which fit into the site.About the next move, I have to continue research and modify by design. Especially manipulating different design concepts onto the site, I would expect each design will becomes more refine and concise, new problems and challenges will appear that must be feedback into the design process. Applying these methods to my research, could this encourage people to opt for walking and cycling instead of driving? Many aspects must research in order to achieve a suitable design for my site.

3.3 Reflection

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4.0Design Process4.1 Design Test

4.1.1 Sub-Areas

From the above GIS maps, I have come up with a concept showing 3 different types of users for the area. The top part is for residents, the lower part is for business and the middle part is shared space for both. The whole design is about bringing a functional pedestrian and cycle connections across the motorway, taking advantage of high views. I also looked at 3 models of cycle path then applied these models and manipulated with my design, so the idea is about different concepts to accommodate different people’s needs. I am proposing a cycle way from Upper Queen St, then along Canada St, using the idea of cantilever to support and finally link to my site.The first portion is a kind of formal garden spaces with benches, cycleways separated from the pedestrian. The second portion is cycle path in the centre, pedestrians on both sides. The third portion is mainly for residents, it will have more recreational facilities. Because the cyclists and pedestrians they are moving around the same space, so I am using some design features to slow the movement.

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Community recreational space

The “Hub” entrance; mixed zone

Business type open space

1

2

3

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Area One

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Area Two

26

Area Three

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5.0 Outcome

Proposed Plan

Cross-sections

Perspectives

Plant Selection

Future Plan

1:750

S1_ Looking North 1:500

S2_ Looking North 1:500

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S3_ Looking North 1:500

S4_ Looking North 1:50

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S6_Looking East 1:100

S5_ Looking South 1:100

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

BEFORE

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LEGENDBuilding footprint

State Highway

Study Area

1:10,000

FUTURE PLAN

Proposed cyclepath

Shared with bus lane

Path on busy road

Dedicated cycle lane

Share with pedestrian

LEGEND

The outcomes for this project lined up with the version of the current Auckland Central Masterplan, and accommodated a few outcomes to intensify the area, therefore may able to shape the future of the city centre. The project also sets up a condition that is reflective of the current Auckland planning interventions and input, and adapting them to continue the evaluation of future growth. The site will treat as a new “hub” for K Road quarter with higher pedestrian and cycling amenities and safety, which connects with the current cycle and pedestrian network, as well as the future City Rail. By connecting to the wider public transport system, it is possible to see that this research will contribute and enhance the future Auckland planning strategy and create a well-connected and distinct city central and as well as the Auckland waterfront.

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The project illustrated how design on disused infrastructure can contribute to the wide community, and created a cohesive and unique design throughout the site. By investigating three possible site user groups of the Nelson St off-ramp, it indicated that how the user group can influence a tailored design outcomes. The proposed design addressed issues related to the surrounding users and improved the accessibility of non-motorized transport to the site and becomes distinctly different from other elevated public spaces.

The outcomes for this project lined up with the version of the current Auckland Central Masterplan, and accommodated a few outcomes to intensify the area, therefore may able to shape the future of the city centre. The project also sets up a condition that is reflective of the current Auckland planning interventions and input, and adapting them to continue the evaluation of future growth. The site will treat as a new “hub” for K Road quarter with higher pedestrian and cycling amenities and safety, which connects with the current cycle and pedestrian network, as well as the future City Rail. By connecting to the wider public transport system, it is possible to see that this research will contribute and enhance the future Auckland planning strategy and create a well-connected and distinct city central and as well as the Auckland waterfront.

5.0Conclusion

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References

Auckland Council. (2011). The Draft Auckland Plan. Retrieved from http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/PlansPoliciesPublications/theauc klandplan/Pages/theaucklandplan.aspx

Center for Creative Land Recycling. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cclr.org/

Whitburn, D. (2010). NZ Population Projections to 2031 released. Retrieved from http://www.davidwhitburn.com/2010/02/nz-population-projections-to-2031-released/

Latz, P. (2001). Landscape Park Duisburg-Nord: the metamorphosis of an industrial site. In N. Kirkwood (Eds.), Manufactured sites: rethinking the post-industrial landscape (pp. 125-149). London: Spon.

Latz, P. (2007). In search of identity over time. In P. Lukes (Eds.), Suburban Transformations (pp.23-40). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Mossop, E. (2006). Landscape of infrastructure. In C. Waldheim (Eds.), The Landscape Urbanism Reader (pp. 163-178). New York: Princeton Architectural Press.