APPRECIATING

02 THE CONTEXT

2.1 Community 2.2 Place 2.3 Natural resources 2.4 Connections 2.5 Feasiblity 2.6 Vision
London Aerial Photo Library
 What is meant by context
Context is the character and setting of the area within which a
projected scheme will sit. It is its natural as well as human
history; the forms of the settlements, buildings and spaces; its
ecology and archaeology; its location, and the routes that pass
through it. Context also includes people, the individuals living in
or near an area and how communities are organised so that
citizens become real participants in the projected development.
A thorough appreciation of the overall site context is the starting
point for designing a distinct place.

Why context is important

Context is crucial.It is about understanding the position of
development,and how to position a development.This involves a
range of considerations and participants,directly or indirectly. High
quality places will only emerge if the approach is cohesive and
inclusive.Designers need to take account of the following priorities:

Strengthening local communities

To help ensure that proposed development reinforces, rather
than undermines local communities and assists successful
project delivery.
Creating places of distinction
Drawing inspiration from a neighbourhood’s indigenous
character strengthens local identity. Context-less design leads to
‘anywhere places’.
Harnessing intrinsic site assets and resources
Harnessing the intrinsic resources of the site - the existing
development form, soils and geology, drainage, landscape, solar
and wind energy - to create more sustainable development.
Integrating with surroundings
Achieving careful integration with the landscape or surrounding
built environment, using the right materials, forms and
landscape elements for the locality; respecting footpaths, street
and road linkages and relating to existing urban structures.
Ensuring feasibility
To ensure economic viability and deliverability.
Providing vision
A vision focusses community aspirations, sells a scheme to a
developer and provides a long term aim for project participants.
It embodies a strategy for the future that everyone can sign up to
and work towards over a period of time.

urban design compendium 19

2 appreciating the context 2.1 community

The success or otherwise of a project is a product of understanding the

human as well as the physical geography. Above all, places must be
stimulating for people, and buildings and open spaces must be comfortable
and safe.This requires an appreciation of the dynamics of the local
community, including:
• local views and initiatives;
• local history and custom;
• the views of other stakeholder groups and individuals (such as
developers, landowners, utility organisations);
• organisational or institutional arrangements;
• the policy context.

Design is an essential tool for negotiating trade-offs between different

interest groups and securing mutually compatible solutions.The best way to
gain the necessary understanding of the above factors, and the potential
role of design in strengthening existing communities, is to adopt a public
participation strategy that involves a wide spectrum of local interest groups
and individuals.

Understand the social dynamics

Hosting an Action Planning Day during the initial phase
of the Brixham Harbour Regeneration Project ensured
A community-led review process will address a number of key questions.
design ideas were based on a thorough appreciation of What are the perceived problems? What is the local image of the place?
the views of local people Can the development complement this existing identity, or does it need
‘re-imaging’? What behavioural characteristics are distinguishable on the
site and its surrounds? Where are the main routes, popular uses and focuses
of activity? In order to answer these questions, it is essential to include local
people in the design and development process. It is also useful to delve into
local historical archives to understand how the place has evolved over time.

Table 2.1 provides an inventory of considerations for undertaking a review of

the existing community network and the policy context within which design
aspirations are to be taken forward. Section 6 provides references on public
participation in design.

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2 appreciating the context 2.1 community

Table 2.1 Community and Policy Appraisal Inventory

Subject area Considerations
Community profile • Stakeholders
• Local views, preferences and aspirations
• Organisational structures
• Census and other statistical data
• Cultural characteristics
• Safety and security
Local plan policies • Design
• Strategic views
• Land uses
• Transportation plans
• Interim uses
Built as monolithic structures 30 years ago, much of
Bracknell town centre has come to the end of its life • Specific constraints (eg. airport
protection zones)
Heritage and conservation • Conservation areas
• Listed buildings
• Ancient monuments
• Archeology
• Sites of Special Scientific Interest
• Local Nature Reserves and other designated
ecological sites
• Protected flora and fauna
• Nature conservation, Countryside and
Green Strategies
Other relevant policies and • Supplementary planning guidance
Public workshops sought to address the initiatives – Development frameworks
challenges faced – Design guides
– Site development briefs
• Other relevant local authority policies
• Relevant policies and requirements of
other bodies (eg. RDAs, Environment Agency)
• Other local initiatives

Bracknell Town Centre Renewal: Creating a consensus for improvement

Location: Bracknell Town Centre
Design Team URBED, Jon Rowland Urban Design
Local Authority Bracknell Forest District Council
Project Urban Design Framework and provision
of Supplementary Planning Guidance
An urban design framework was prepared Details: Bracknell Forest District Council, in the face of two major
planning applications, required an urban design framework
that would help set the design agenda for the renewal of the
town centre and provide a basis for negotiations with the
developers. A series of public workshops, which also included
members, officers, and representatives from the developers,
was held.These established the image and perception of the
town centre and a set of design principles.The workshop
groups also designed their own plans and aspirations for
their town centre. A general consensus was apparent, and
this formed the basis of the Urban Design Framework.The
key principles on such aspects as access, mix of uses, and
public realm were set out in the form of Supplementary
The detail of priority projects were then worked up
Planning Guidance.
Contact Bracknell Forest District Council. Tel: 01344 424642

urban design compendium 21

2 appreciating the context 2.2 place

Part of the urban design lexicon is the “genius loci”, the prevalent feeling of
place. Perceptions of a place are made up of layers of understanding - the
settlement in the landscape, its overall structure, the district, the street, the
building.They arise from understanding the physical and human geography,
the history and morphology of past uses, the natural landscape and
buildings, both on a site and around it.

This analysis is essential for both regeneration and new build schemes to
Responding to local context – applying a palette make them distinctive and to halt the production of endless, almost
of materials and architectural features unique
to the North-East Region
featureless, estates which look the same throughout the country.

Everywhere is somewhere
An assessment of the roles and relationships of the area or site to its
strategic context, together with an appreciation of the individual
characteristics of form and the way a place is used, will lay the foundations
for a unique design response.

Table 2.2 provides an inventory of considerations in undertaking a character

appraisal.

The key components are:

1 Regional identity
Start by identifying the common characteristics of the region or sub-region.
This may relate to climate and physical geography (see Table 2.2), as well as
to socio-economic profile (see Table 2.5).
2 Linkages to surroundings
How do connections define the settlement characteristics - is it a linear
structure along a main route or part of a grid of streets?
3 Local character
Establish the elements of local distinctiveness, both the form of a place and
Studies of local vernacular in and around Ashford
the way it is used. How can these be built into a project? Are there particular
local materials, building forms and features that can be used as a source of
inspiration?
4 Morphology
Define what gives shape to the local morphology (historic routes, block
patterns, building heights and massing, local vernacular, for instance), and
how this provides cues for appropriate design forms.
5 Natural features
Are there particular ecological or geological characteristics, for instance, that
give a place its essential character? (see Table 2.2)
1919 Today
6 Socio- economic profile
What are the demographics of an area and are there particular local
Devonport street grid traditions and events to draw influence from? (see Table 2.3 and 2.5)

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2 appreciating the context 2.2 place

Ravenscraig Master Plan, North Lanarkshire, Scotland: A new place based

on old foundations
Location Between the towns of Motherwell and Wishaw and adjacent
Craigneuk and Carfin in West Central Scotland, 15 miles
from Glasgow.
Design Team Master Planner: Llewelyn-Davies
Property surveyor: Grimley
Engineer:The Babtie Group
Developer Lanarkshire Development Agency, North Lanarkshire
Council and British Steel
Site Area 455 hectares
Project The preparation of a Master Plan for the redevelopment of
the former Ravenscraig Steelworks.
Details The closure and subsequent demolition of Ravenscraig
Ravenscraig is located between Motherwell and Wishaw
Steelworks left a huge physical hole in the Motherwell /
Wishaw urban fabric, and a huge economic and social hole in
the community. The North Lanarkshire area was traditionally
very dependent on steel and allied industries, and since 1979
has lost some 40,000 jobs.

Preparation of the Master Plan in 1997 required an

appreciation of these wider issues and the physical design of
buildings, streets and public spaces had to take account of
the constraints posed by ground contamination, deep
foundations, large drainage culverts (including the South
The legacy of the Ravenscraig steelworks Calder Water), high voltage cables and railway lines.
(shown here in 1922) is a site largely constrained by
sub-surface structures
The design response has been to propose an orthogonal grid
(which takes a cue from Craig’s New Town Plan of 1767 for
Edinburgh) aligned with these sub-surface constraints.

This provides a flexible framework that is capable of

accommodating over 3000 new homes, a full range of
community and leisure facilities, a variety of employment
opportunities (from large single users to small workshops)
and an efficient public transport network - all contained
within an outstanding landscape setting.
Contact Lanarkshire Development Agency. Tel:01698 745454
The figure-ground plan shows how streets and blocks
are proposed that take account of these constraints

The Ravenscraig vision is for a new settlement comprising more than 3,000 new homes

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2 appreciating the context 2.2 place

Table 2.2 Character appraisal inventory

Subject area Considerations
Roles and relationships • Function • Current performance
of the site/area to its • Linkages to wider area relative to similar areas
strategic context • Relationship to • Identity
adjacent areas
Contiguous areas • Land uses
• Views and skyline
Character appraisal • Historical development • Building elements
• Settlement pattern and fenestration
• Archeology • Rhythm and pattern
Michelin building, Fulham Road, London (initial appraisal) • Details and richness
• Cultural characteristics • Local community
and heritage aspirations
• Local history • Local/regional building
• Colour and textures traditions and materials
• Local vernacular • Other local traditions
• Facade treatments • Events/festivals
• Roofscape • Place names
• Natural environment/
ecology / local
provenance
(plants, trees etc.)
Streetscape and public • Visual clutter • Street furniture, public
realm analysis • Lighting information and signing
• Barriers • Public art
• Live edges • Safety
Buildings, structures • Layout and form of spaces • Sense of enclosure
and spaces • Public /private interface • Types of buildings
• Layout and form of • Continuity of facades
buildings (including • Urban grain
Sketching concepts to respond to place
height, scale and • Public and open spaces
massing)
• Age and condition of
buildings and structure
• Relationship between
built and unbuilt form
Uses and activities • Ground floors • Arts and culture
• Upper floors • Amenities and facilities
• Evening economy • Education
• Activity spines and nodes • Leisure and recreation
• Public and open spaces • Employment
• Wildlife
Visual analysis • Image and perception • Boundaries and barriers
of the area • Aesthetic quality
• Gaps and enclosure • Legibility
• Views (local and strategic),
vistas and landmarks
• Skylines
• Gateways and thresholds

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2 appreciating the context 2.3 natural resources

A thorough investigation of a site’s natural resources will lead to an overall

design response that:
• integrates the various needs of the new development;
• identifies possibilities that the site offers; and recognises the
site’s limitations.

Work with the elements

The optimum approach involves the maximum use of the site’s resources
while placing minimum demands on the environment.This involves taking
a long term view of the possible environmental impact and addressing
how to:
• utilise the solar potential;
• make full use of rain water and drainage systems;
Urban design in the Nieuwland neighbourhood of
Amersfoort, Holland, is centred on optimising solar • use the potential of the ground for heating or cooling;
potential • harness wind energy;
• further reduce energy demands by, for instance, integrating a
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant into the development (see 3.4.5)
or harnessing biomass.

Table 2 .3 (taken from English Partnerships’Best Practice Note 65) provides an

inventory of considerations to use as the basis for environmental and
landscape appraisal.This may culminate in an environmental statement or
environmental impact assessment, according to the project scale.

‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’

A terrain model can provide an invaluable tool for
masterplanning sloping sites The critical questions to be asked include:
• should the site be developed at all?
• if it should, then what parts of the site?
• what mitigation measures can be taken to avoid, reduce and remedy
negative environmental impacts?
• what types of development are appropriate and how can these
integrate with the wider urban structure?
• which features can form the basis of the landscape structure?
• how can exploitation of the site’s assets reinforce a unique sense of
place?

As a general principle, it is important to focus on how to repair and re-use

previously developed or damaged parts of the site, while retaining and
respecting undamaged parts.This requires three key considerations:

1 Identify landscape assets to preserve

Many of the most valuable spaces, places and landscape assets are precisely
thus because they have been left alone. Most ecological or landscape assets
need respecting, rather than exploiting.The value of a landscape asset can
easily be degraded.

2 Re-use and repair brownfield land

Many sites will be deficient in natural or semi-natural assets, such as
topographical features, watercourses and planting. Furthermore,
decontamination or remediation may cause further impacts on the existing
landscape. On such sites consider ways of:
• introducing new landscape features and wildlife habitats;
• restoring damaged parts by, for instance, re-profiling a slope; and
• integrating elements from the site’s past life, such as routes,
structures and buildings.
Existing features can provide cues to inform design

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2 appreciating the context 2.3 natural resources

3 Strengthen the identity and structure of the landscape

Identify those landscape features for inclusion in a scheme which contribute
towards the unique character of a site. Particularly on greenfield sites, every
effort should be made to work with the ‘grain’of the land and incorporate
existing features of the landscape into a scheme. Reviving historic features
provides opportunities to enrich outdoor space and can include natural
and man-made elements, from watercourses and streams to ancient field
boundaries.

The intrinsic landscape characteristics for evaluation include topography;

orientation; aspect and prospect; current landscape assets (trees, water,
habitat etc) and liabilities; contaminated, despoiled and poorly drained land,
unsightly structures; overhead lines and utility facilities.

Ecolonia: A model of low-energy housing

Location Ecolonia, Alphen aan den Rijn,The Netherlands
Promoter NOVEM - Dutch Government Trust for Energy
and the Environment
Design Team Urban Designer / Masterplanner:Atelier Lucien Kroll, Brussels
Details The Masterplan provides the framework for nine different
architects, each given a particular design priority:
Energy
1 Bakker, Boots,Van Haaren,Van der Donk, Schagen
(high insulation)
N
2 J.P. Moehrlein, Groningen (solar energy)
3 Hopman bv, Delft (low embodied energy and in use)
Recycling
Ecolonia’s layout is centred on a reed-fringed pond, with 4 BEAR architects, Gouda (economy of water and materials)
buildings orientated to maximise solar gain
5 Alberts & van Huut, Amsterdam (durable materials)
6 Lindeman c.s., Cuijik (flexibility and adaptability)
Quality
7 Vakgroep FAGO,Technical University, Eindhoven
(acoustic insulation)
8 Peter van Gerwen, Amersfoort (health and safety)
9 Archi Service, s’Hertogenbosch (bio-ecology)
Developer Bouwfonds Woningbouw Housing Association
Project 101 housing units (constructed between 1991-93) in groups of
8 to 18 buildings to foster a sense of community, each with
different environmental design priorities (see above). A reed-
fringed pond with bisecting canals forms the focal point.
Highest density homes are located in the central area
Details Ecolonia is heralded as the most important EU-funded low-
and enjoy a direct relationship with the water
energy housing demonstration project to date.The project is
organised to develop a wide range of new technologies and
housing designs, each focussed on different ecological
aspects.These include the
• use of rainwater;
• use of passive and active solar energy;
• energy saving strategies;
• reduction in water consumption;
• recyclability of building materials;
• organic architecture;
• durable materials;
• flexible ground plans;
• soundproofing;
• healthy building materials.
The performance of buildings is subject to on-going
testing, evaluation and monitoring.
Contact Novem bv, Orderpoint Publications, PO Box 17,
NL-6130 AA SITTARD Fax: 00 31 46 452 82 60

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2 appreciating the context 2.3 natural resources

Table 2.3 Environmental Appraisal Inventory

Characteristics of the Proposed Development

Operation Construction
Characteristics of the
Existing Environment

Potential Emergencies (including hazards)

Location of Buildings or Works

Location of Buildings or Works

Transport Requirements

Drainage Construction
Potential Emergencies

Building Construction
Equipment Operation

Equipment Operation
Labour Requirements

Labour Requirements
Demand for Services

Raw Material Inputs

Raw Material Inputs

Storage/Stockpiling
Production Outputs
Traffic Movements

Traffic Movements
Waste Disposal
Water Demand

Land Clearing
Landscaping

Landscaping
Physical Environment

Ground conditions
and soils
Surface and groundwater
resources
Topography and geology
Climate, microclimate,
orientation, exposure
Air quality
Hydrology (inc. water quality
and watersheds)
Land and Land-Use

Property (residential
and commercial)
Leisure activities
Agriculture
Forestry resources
Access to the countryside
Ecology and Nature
Conservation
Terrestrial & aquatic
habitats & communities
Plant and animal species
Specially protected animals
and plants
Heritage

Landscape setting, structure

and type
Archeology
Historic sites and features
Cultural interests
People

Human health and welfare

Employment
Community and
cultural cohesion
Views
Noise and vibration
Transport
Accessibility

urban design compendium 27

2 appreciating the context 2.4 connections

Successful development depends on good access and connections. The

connections between a site and its surroundings are important for even the
smallest of developments. A site that comes up for redevelopment will have
existing points of access, but they may not be of the right kind or in the right
place. For instance, the entrance to a railway goods yard may be totally
inappropriate when the site is made available for a mixed-use development.

The contextual analysis that will provide the basis of a movement

framework will need to establish:
• how routes from the new site will knit in with the existing
infrastructure;
Minimising barriers to pedestrian movement • the provision made for all forms of movement, with positive
helps create a walking – friendly environment
discrimination in favour of walking, cycling and public transport;
(Amiens, France)
• how the new development can benefit the area as a whole, for instance
by the extension of a bus route, or a more direct footpath to the
neighbourhood centre;
• how movement will be provided for at all stages in the development.

At project inception, it is a matter of establishing the principles of the

movement framework. The structure will be designed later in relation to the
overall development scheme.

Understand existing access and linkages

To integrate the site with its surroundings, it is first necessary to analyse
existing points of access and linkage for both movement and infrastructure.
Table 2.4 provides an inventory of considerations.

Observe the quality of movement

Watching how people move through an existing area reveals the various
influences on movement at work.How people move, particularly on foot, is
not just a matter of the simplest and most obvious route, but will be
influenced by, for example: variety and interest; safety; light and shade;
commercial activity; landscape; noise and pollution. Movement analysis will
suggest how these considerations can be added to and improved.Remember,
how we experience travel also differs according to the particular needs of
women,children,the elderly,the disabled etc.
Sometimes facilities introduced in the name of
‘pedestrian improvements’ actually impede movement Table 2.4 Movement analysis inventory
on foot and reinforce vehicular priority Subject area Considerations
Circulation • Access and mobility
• Walking
• Cycling
• Public transport
• Private vehicles
• Interchanges
• Permeability
• Barriers
• Rights of way
Legibility • Points of entry / gateways
• Hierarchy of routes and spaces
Traffic generation • Current levels
• Future proposals and projects
Accommodating cars and • Parking
services vehicles • Servicing
• Traffic management

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2 appreciating the context 2.4 connections

Boundary treatments provide a sense of privacy

and enclosure

A wonderful variety of architectural forms is included,

whilst fully integrating with the existing townscape

The Piggeries , Frome, Somerset: New housing fully integrated into the existing town
Location The site is located within the historic market town of Frome
in Somerset which has a strong industrial history based on
wool and cloth manufacture.
Designer The Architecture and Planning Group
Developer The Guinness Trust and Knightstone Housing Association
Local Authority Mendip District Council
Site Area 1.25 hectares
Density 57 units per hectare (net)
Project 71 social housing units, including a mix of family housing and
Overlooked footpaths run throughout the site
flats, warden-assisted sheltered housing and a foyer scheme,
all set within the Frome Conservation Area. The completed
scheme was handed over to the Housing Associations in
February 1998.
Details Some important lessons were learnt in terms of design:
• the tenure of the scheme is not discernible from the
architectural form and quality;
• building height and massing vary from 2 to 4 storeys
across the site in order to respect the surrounding built
form, creating a strong sense of place and containment;
• good use of boundary treatments, such as natural stone
walling and railings, contribute to the sense of enclosure;
• buildings are outward-looking, with minimal setbacks,
creating active street frontages;
• maintaining pedestrian access across the site has aided
footfall to the nearby secondary retail area and peripheral
streets,adding to the vitality and viability of the town centre;
• the design respects and takes advantage of the need to
move through and express the slope of the site;
• the scheme successfully accommodates the car while
minimising its impact;
• A high quality, robust townscape is created by attending
to the detail of meter covers, chimneys, walls, bin storage,
lighting, cable TV and street surfaces;
• sustainable solutions are the result of continuity
within the core design team from both conception to
implementation, and establishing links with the
community early in the design process.
Contact Mendip District Council. Tel: 01749 343399

urban design compendium 29

2 appreciating the context 2.5 feasibility

The feasibility of a project, both in economic and practical terms, requires an

assessment of:
• community need;
• market supply and demand;
• funding sources;
• site capacity;
• land ownership, assembly and tenure;
• integration with surrounding context;
• construction costs;
• engineering constraints;
• local planning policy context.

The proposals will need to relate to their location and context, and will vary
with the type of project, whether infill, brownfield, urban extension or
regeneration. Appropriateness is the key; a highly urban solution will not be
appropriate on a suburban edge-of-town site, and vice versa.
Urban design studies for the Greenwich Peninsula have
had to address a wide range of engineering constraints
An early assessment of the factors likely to affect a project’s feasibility will
form the basis for preliminary designs and testing.These will then require
continual iteration and re-evaluation.Table 2.5 provides an inventory of
considerations for undertaking an economic appraisal and feasibility review.

Sketches such as this can help evaluate urban capacity potential

Table 2.5 Feasibility appraisal inventory

Subject area Considerations
Market • Existing feasibility studies
• Ownership and tenure
• Current development pressures
• Supply and demand (in relation to competition,
socio-economic profile, regional context etc.)
• Cost
• Funding sources (public/private/partnership)
• Grant regimes
Engineering • Existing services and utilities
• Existing obstructions (such as foundations and basements)
• Major constraints (such as culverts or gas mains)
• Ground conditions (such as contamination and subsidence)
• Geology
• Archeological investigation
• Drainage
• Man-made structures (such as bridges / roads)
• Requirements of other bodies (such as utilities)

30 urban design compendium

2 appreciating the context 2.6 vision

The vision is an amalgamation of hard physical and financial facts and

a series of aspirations.The synergy between these is crucial – to say: this is
what we want; this is how we will get there; this is who needs to be included
and take responsibility; this is where the money comes from; this is who
will champion the vision; and these are the mechanisms for delivery
(see section 6).

The contextual analysis is a springboard for shaping a vision as to what

can be achieved. It is easy to lose sight of the potential in facing up to the
numerous constraints, but regeneration projects that have been successfully
implemented provide sources of encouragement, and this Compendium
contains many examples.

Value can be created

A poor physical fabric or social problems may have stigmatised an area, but
history shows these attitudes can be changed.There are numerous
examples of ‘problem places’becoming ‘opportunity places’ through a
quantum shift in their planning and marketing.

Constraints can be overcome

Creative proposals for brownfield land are often inhibited by the claim that
there is no market for what is proposed. As the transformation of Hulme in
Manchester has shown, with vision new markets and new futures can be
created and value added (see p.49).

Context is dynamic
Designs that are inherently flexible will enable future changes to be
accommodated - such as in household size and composition, lifestyles and
movement patterns. It is vital to conceive a masterplan as a framework that
New ‘visions’ for proposed projects within will enable adaptation over time.The initial context appreciation stage has
Devonport Urban Village
two key outputs:

1 A SWOT analysis (Strengths,Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats)

that provides a composite of the various ‘layers’of consideration by
identifying existing strengths and weaknesses, opportunities for
improvement and threats to the project’s success (see 6.3).

2 Initial concept ideas and strategic options that sketch out the vision,
and build in flexibility to the project as it unfolds by ensuring that
the process is:
• participatory;
• capable of incremental implementation - balancing long-term
aspirations with short-term improvement or pump-priming
St. James Road Urban Village, Gateshead: initiatives.
defining the vision for the future regeneration
of a 50 hectare site

The use of computer modelling in the Granton Waterfront project has helped articulate the desired block structure and mix of uses

urban design compendium 31