Design Issue
The city of Walsall suffers from high levels of anti social behaviour, crime and disinterest in their local urban environments. This has resulted in many prominent buildings and spaces being forgotten and misused, in such ways as graffiti and vandalised dumping grounds. Such issues have arrived in Walsall due to high levels of unemployment, government budget cuts and a large disconnection between local residents and the council who seem to view these areas as a place to store rubbish or ignore as there is little interest as to what happens to them. Therefore, it is our intention to raise awareness of these latent spaces and inject new life into the city through a series of “URBAN INJECTIONS”
The Site
Known as the flagship park of the town, Walsall Arboretum covers around 80 acres of land which developed around two flooded limestone quarries. The Arboretum was originally the largest openwork limestone quarry in the town. Hatherton Lake’s operation had ceased leaving two great pits to filled up with water (both from nearby stream, springs, general drainage. The original plan of this area is to create a park for the people did not fall by the wayside.
The Walsall Aboretum area is choosen as ‘latent space’ because this area seems like isolated from it surrounding. It looks dull, empty and keeps vacant although it is situated near the city and located near the main road. Not so many people use this place, Although some facilities are provided here. The Aboretum is nice and very busy long time ago. There are some activities that occur there like illumination celebration. But since four years ago, the celebration was end due to financial constraints and mismanagement by the local authority. It makes the area not lively and active like before
Design Proposal
In response to enhance and facilitate local community by the activity of fishing, an urban recreational fishing park is proposed to draw a social interaction between communities in Walsall and to reduce social gap between them as well as providing a proper place to fishing. This idea can also increase public awareness on the need for clean parks and healthy aquatic resources, opportunities for participation and instruction in sport fishing, a wholesome, outdoor recreational activity encouraging family participation, opportunities for community involvement, and economic benefits to local businesses.
The lake area of the Arboretum is chosen in efforts to redefine its lost identity as a limestone quarry long time ago as well as fully utilizing its present empty spaces.
About FABLE
Fable is one of four studio units for Year 5 MArch student of Birmingham City University (2013-2014). This unit investigates the act of storey telling as a creative device for exploring new architectures. There are two part of design syllabus which are Critical Urbanism and Architectural Synergies. The Critical Urbanism and Architectural Synergies projects are symbiotically linked to develop student understanding and abilities in this complex and critical areas. Together they form the agenda for a yearlong exploration of sites, concepts, technologies and modes of representation linked to the studio's ideology and UK location. In Critical Urbanism, student will develop readings of texts and spaces towards declaration of a strategy for change, setting up a spatial and programmatic framework for the Architectural Synergies project where the student will be supported by a dedicated design team including consultants in structures, cost, environments and construction in articulating an integrated design proposal.
