Looking at the River Rea in Birmingham, this design project was an exploration into the use of conceptual thought to generate, guide and refine design proposals with the spirit of experimentation and exploration. This project covered the design process from inception, scoping, analysis, concept and synthesis.

The River Rea is small river which passes through Birmingham. The river is well known for its variety of personalities, In ordinary rainfall the river is quite calm but when rain falls heavily this river changes dramatically, Transforming into a far more powerful and fast moving river which can flood large areas. 

Birmingham started as a small Saxon village but today is the second largest city in England. The growth of its population and trade play a huge part in its relationship with its River Rea. 

Using an experimentative design approuch and rythem analysis areas for potential improvements where highlighted using emotional response of character and place which was overlaid on a piece of music which best represented the mood and feeling of the journey along the Rea. 

This section study was taken along the course of the river from Stirchley to Digbeth. The piece of work below explores these section, extruding, mirroring and manipulating them in certain ways to inspires conceptual design that tells the historical story of the culvertisation of the river.

The Big City Plan “is about delivering transformational change in our city centre' and represent well over £1 billion of public investment in the city centre. 

 

Birmingham is currently undergoing and immense regeneration in the Big City Plan and this piece of work looks at areas highlighted in conceptual analysis for potential future projects to benifit the city. 

 

 

http://bigcityplan.birmingham.gov.uk

The Historical Core area will be an educational interactive area working with the existing structure of the former industrial buildings and extending out along the rivers course. Educating the public on the culvertisation and history of Birminghams river and inspiring the future of positive change in the City. 

This intervention in Digbeth is a proposal for a first phase of positive change, with the hope to inspire further change in the city. Future proposals suggested in this project highlight issues in Birmingham and aim to lead the way for future ideas and projects in the area to take action.

 

Birmingham is undergoing an immense regeneration and I believe that if more focus is given on productive landscapes similar projects can offer an improvement to the problem areas and issues of Birmingham and help to improve the lives of the people who live and work there.