Islington Kings Cross: Urban Design Framework

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ContentsIntroduction 3ANALYSIS 4Historical context 5Heritage and Conservation 7Socio-economic context 8Policy context 9Mixed use ‘regeneration’ of employment land 10Movement 13Land use 14Environment 15Sensory analysis 17Urban form 18Public realm 21Triangle site analysis 22Constraints and Opportunities 24PROPOSAL 25Developing a Vision 26Masterplan Strategies 29Triangle site illustrative masterplan 32Conclusion 41Bibliography and references 42 Herta Gatter2
IntroductionKings Cross Islington is a central London area located next to rapidly changing environments that follow the global trend:transforming employment land into mixed use developments. While regeneration provides opportunities, it often displacesthose who cannot pay the price (Ferm and Jones 2016; Lees 2019). Usually it also comes with a change of environment thatpropels commodification and social control at the expense of social need (Edwards 2015). While this is nothing new (RuthGlass coined the term “gentrification” when talking about 1960s Islington) the premise of this design research process is thatit is something that could be and should be addressed. While admittedly cities (and should not!) be planned on paper (Rudlinand Hemani 2019) their change can be shaped. Rudlin argues that the state cities are in is a result of the way that emergenturban growth interacts with planners’ rules and plans. While Rudlin’s idea of ‘natural’ urban growth might be a construct itselfas I imply in my proposal and I would challenge the notion of necessary growth itself (Nelson and Schneider 2019), the purposeof this framework is still to provide a frame to contain the way Kings Cross changes and set out ‘rules’ which guide howchange takes place.Mind map12This report consists of two parts.First, it presents an in-depth analysis of the area which I carried out together with Ali Weatherup, Jacob Revell, Louise Dinsdaleand Bethany Griffin. The study area itself is interesting as it encompasses a variety of uses; commercial, residential and(increasingly disappearing) industrial. This reflects its rich history of including raves and resistance, and been criss-crossed bytransport infrastructure. The two major physical barriers; the canal and the railway lines, have shaped the area’s identity butalso mean that it lacks “joined-upness” which at the first instance makes it seem like isolated in its urban setting. The analysisuncovered numerous elements that are valuable but hidden, importantly the subterranean River Fleet. (Coursework 1)Second, it proposes a principle of guidance that I call clutter of wilderness ecology. In reality, a masterplan should be developedwith the participation of those who live and work in the area, but this document can hopefully serve as a starting pointfor a framework for urbanism and as illustration of how that can be applied on a site. (Coursework 2)Masterplan framework boundaryTriangle site boundary3
Page 1: ISLINGTON KINGS CROSS
Page 5 and 6: Historical contextIslington was ori
Page 7 and 8: Heritage and Conservation and conse
Page 9 and 10: AnalysisPolicy context9
Page 11 and 12: Reasons for mixed-use redevelopment
Page 13 and 14: Public transportConnectivity and pe
Page 15 and 16: EnvironmentBiodiversity and topogra
Page 17 and 18: Sensory analysisThis page is concer
Page 19 and 20: Building densityIn depth analysis o
Page 21 and 22: AnalysisPublic realm21
Page 23 and 24: Analysis12345623
Page 25 and 26: PROPOSAL25
Page 27 and 28: A Framework for Urbanismclutter eco
Page 29 and 30: Masterplan StrategiesEnergy strateg
Page 31 and 32: Movement and transport strategyLayo
Page 33 and 34: Illustrative masterplanFramework ma
Page 35 and 36: 1Wilderness-clutter. Embrace it!Cat
Page 37 and 38: 5Biological cement laboratory and p
Page 39 and 40: 8Heterotopia rooftop garden above t
Page 41 and 42: Conclusion?????????????????Framewor

Islington Kings Cross: Urban Design Framework

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