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H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L
proposa l s fo r r enewing pub l i c p la ces
for
Groundwork
Hackney
autumn 1997
prepared by
Tom Young
Architects
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C O N T E N T S
Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 3
sheet
1 STUDY AREA: London context
2 PROJECT AREAS: where projects areas are
3 PROJECT PLANS: OS map project layout
4 INTRODUCTION: Existing Places
5 INTRODUCTION: Stimulat ion
6 INTRODUCTION: Centres
7 INTRODUCTION: Urban Finishes
8 INTRODUCTION: Divers ity
9 INTRODUCTION: Use Distribution
10 INTRODUCTION: Decay
11 INTRODUCTION: Study Area
PROJECTS
12 AMHURST ROAD: annotated photo pan
13 AMHURST ROAD: analysis
14 AMHURST ROAD: projects
15 AMHURST ROAD: strategy
16 AMHURST ROAD: screen wall proposal
17 HACKNEY CENTRAL: annotated photo pan
18 HACKNEY CENTRAL: annotated photo pan
19 HACKNEY CENTRAL: analysis
20 HACKNEY CENTRAL: analysis21 HACKNEY CENTRAL: projects - Option 1
22 HACKNEY CENTRAL: projects - Option 2
23 HACKNEY CENTRAL: strategy
24 HACKNEY CENTRAL: old station demolition
25 TOWN CENTRE CAR PARK: projects
26 TOWN CENTRE CAR PARK: strategy
27 CLARENCE ROAD: annotated pan photo
28 CLARENCE ROAD: annotated pan photo
29 CLARENCE ROAD: analysis
30 CLARENCE ROAD: analysis
31 CLARENCE ROAD: projects
32 CLARENCE ROAD: strategy
33 CLARENCE ROAD: strategy
34 CLARENCE ROAD: sketch view
35 DALSTON LANE: annotated pan photo
36 DALSTON LANE: photos
37 DALSTON LANE: aerial view of existing
38 DALSTON LANE: analysis
39 DALSTON LANE: projects
40 DALSTON LANE: strategy
41 CHURCH GARDENS: annotated pan photos
42 CHURCH GARDENS: analysis
43 CHURCH GARDENS: projects44 CHURCH GARDENS: strategy
45 BUS STATION SITE: projects
46 BUS STATION SITE: strategy
47 N.LONDON VIADUCT: annotated pan photo
48 N.LONDON VIADUCT: analysis
49 TESCO SITE: projects
50 TESCO SITE: strategy
51 MARCON PLACE: annotated pan photo
52 MARCON PLACE: annotated pan photo53 MARCON PLACE: analysis
54 MARCON PLACE: analysis
55 MARCON PLACE: projects
56 MARCON PLACE: strategy
57 ROWE LANE: strategy/projects
58 BODNEY ROAD: strategy/projects
59 NARROWAY: strategy / projects
60 projects: June 1997
61 meeting list
figure 0.1Gibbons storefront on Amhurst Road with derelict accommodation over
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1 . T H E S T U D Y A R E A
figure 1.2STUDY AREA within boundaries of Hackney
figure 1.1STUDY AREA in context of London
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5 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
2 . P R O J E C T L O C A T I O N S
AMHURSTR
OAD
DALSTON LANE
DALSTO
NLANE
5 WAYS
MA
RCON
PLACE
A3
A1
A2
M1
M4
C4
C4
C5
A4
B1
B2
B3
C3
C2
C1
A5
M5
M2
M3
M3M7
NARRO
WAY
MARE
ST
REET
LOWER
CLAPTON
ROAD
L O C A T I O N S
A1 Aspland Estate/Amhurst Road
A2 Hackney Central Station approaches
A3 Tescos approaches
A4 Church gardens
A5 Bus-station site
B1 Viaduct spaces & related roads
B2 Marcon Place & nearby vacant buildings
B3 Town centre car park enlargement
C1 New Pembury Estate front onto
Clarence Road
C2 Clarence Road/Narroway
C3 New Pembury Estate front onto
Dalston Lane
C4 Estate open spaces
C5 Estate OAP club
M1 Pembury Tavern corner
M2 Derelict public convenience
M3 Street crossings
M4 Derelict workshops
M5 Kenmure Road off-street space
M6 Narroway hoarding
figure 2.1
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 6
3 . P R O J E C T P L A N S
new build
refurb of derelict or vacant buildings
new or enhanced gardens
new tree planting
new paving for pedestrians and vehicles
new paving for pedestrians
new art installations/public art
C O L O U R C O D E
figure 3.1: plan of proposed
figure 3.2: plan of proposedproject layout for enlarged town centre car park
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figure 5ramp: view from Clarence Rd
figure 5ramp: view from Clarence Rd
figure 5ramp: view from Clarence Rd
7 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
4 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
E X I S T I N G P L A C E S
The work presented here is intended toinform inter-agency partnerships workingon improving public spaces in Hackney
Central town centre. The aim is to stimu-late discussion by putting forward specificprojects which realise thinking about pub-lic places in the study area. GroundworkHackney are keen that the rationalebehind individual projects is recognisedby the other agencies involved in regener-ation. One aim of this brochure is to pro-mote urban design thinking as part of an
overall regeneration strategy.
Projects have not been conceived as atotal vision for the whole area. Ratherplaces encountered have been consideredin terms of their urban potential which isexplained in terms of existing urban struc-ture. Structure here means the durableand dominant features of a place.
Clarification of what is present and usefulalready in various parts of the study areais then part of the process of renewingpublic places and through it one hopes togive the strength of well-realised architec-tural ideas to public places.
Improvements to public places are often
projects which can be carried off withminimum fuss. The general preference is
for furniture or street paraphernaliawhich can be inserted into the urbanscene with the least bureaucratic over-
head. These simple insertions are often notwell-co-ordinated and sometimes seemmade for the sake of spending budgets.Curiously, such improvements - suchcommonplaces as Victorian pastiche lampstandards, bins or benches, finger signs,hanging baskets, tree-planting etc - cometo signify the very thing which they arepositively meant to deny, namely contempt
for the urban environment and that gener-alised disregard for the idea of livingtogether in cities with some degree ofpleasure and sophistication. The result isless improvement than trivialisation of theurban environment.
Improvements should be real and lasting.Perhaps, the best hope of this is through
projects that reinforce the best and mostdurable aspects of existing places whilstdealing effectively with inherent difficultiesand obstacles to better use.
figure 4.1looking north towards Pembury Estate OAP club across
Hindrey Road which is set into a cutting isolating the clubfrom the southern portion of the main estate garden
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The stimulation of Hackney Centralsurban environment is a main objective ofthis work. Several different approaches to
stimulation are adopted here.
ARTArt installations are a simple, validresponse to urban design problems, andgiven Hackneys wealth of artistic activity,there is every reason to seek out opportu-nities for such projects.
ROUTESImproving pedestrian accessibility is a wellunderstood principle of urban design.Better used routes are better public places.
LANDMARKSThe 19th C practice of positioning glam-ourous pub buildings on corners is anexample of the role of landmark buildings
in ordinary residential settlements.Distinctive architecture in a background ofbland buildings invigorates the idea of thecity.
ROOTINGImproving areas between buildings so thebuildings and public places seem tocohere more strongly helps root existing
buildings and define a more compellingidea of place.
WORKWork can stimulate public places. Newwork buildings to support and enhance
public places are proposed here. Suchprojects are consistent with the prevailingpolitics of work and welfare. What isimportant now, as Gordon Brown hassaid, is what the state can enable youto do for yourself. This does not meanthat making work happen in particularplaces is easily done by the state. If thepreference is for real work, then great
sensitivity is needed to match existingwork cultures with new work buildingsfunded by public agencies. HABITATs1996 report on human settlements (AnUrbanizing World) argues similarly:
Plannersneed to learn how informalemployment is generated and sustainedand how to reduce negative land-use
controls to the minimum required formaintenance of public health and envi-ronmental safeguarding
The proposals here are for very smallscale work spaces positioned to makebusiness easier, and to make places fordoing business with the public into well-defined and convincing urban settings.
Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 8
5 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
S T I M U L A T I O N
figure 5.1an interesting work milieu off Dalston Lane providing a
public route to Hackney Downs: the setting benefits fromcobble paving and the clear crescent shape of the space
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9 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
6 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
C E N T R E S
The proposals for stimulating the urbanenvironment in Hackney Central which arelaid out here can be summarised simply
as ways of getting more activity in thearea. In a basic sense, the goal is to makemore happen. This is very apparent whendealing with the deadened spaces to befound around housing estates and areasaffected by acute decay and dereliction.
Richard Sennett, professor of sociology atNew York University and writer on urban-
ism, speaks about the needfor an experi-ence of disorder in cities, of urban cen-tres as the assumed setting for this stimulusor experience of the real. The centre givesa sense of being part of something alive.The residential periphery, in contrast, iso-lates and defines a condition of exclusion.This can be understood just by imaginingthe terrific difference between Hindrey
Road on the New Pembury Estate andNarroway. The former affords an experi-ence of dullness and unease, the latter ofsociability, the human crush, of local soci-ety and business.
Sennett writes; urban placeshave thecapacity to help people to grow out ofthemselves into a more impersonal citi-
zenship, and so to relieve themselves oftheir own subjective burdens. The relief
of self found in dense streets, mixedpubs, playgrounds, and markets affectshow people think of themselves as citi-
zenssensing ones right to the cityhelps people feel entitled to other rights,rights not based on personal injury or
victimhood
Strengthening the centre so it remains cen-tral to peoples experience is an objectiveof this work.
Quite obviously too, the centre must beinteresting. Less formal uses of publicspace - ones perhaps associated withdisorder - afford interest, perhapsbecause informality and opportunism areexpressions of lifes improvised nature. Inthese terms urban design and publicspaces created through it can be thoughtof as a process of accommodating infor-
mality successfully. Certainly, without suchusage, public spaces seem uninteresting.
Interest, informality, opportunism are signsof an urban environment which supportsthe life expected of a centre. One clearaim of this work is to encourage moreactivity in public places.
figure 6.1: Lower Clapton Roadinformal trading next to an 18th C building
containing many different uses
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 10
7 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
U R B A N F I N I S H E S
Because the role of workspace as a stimu-lus to public places is important but never-theless fraught with scrupulous anxiety
about engaging with a real work culture(creating real jobs), the followingremarks about small scale urban develop-ment are included. What may be usefulabout this discussion is the idea of highlyresponsive or opportunistic commercialbuildings.
The building shown here in figure 7.1 on
the corner of Graham Road and MareStreet is extraordinary, but unlikely to fig-ure in discussions urban design inHackney Central although it is a goodexample of constructive opportunism.
It is tiny - in width, less than 4m. It housesaround ten separate businesses, all of
which get a good frontage location; this
type of building is all aboutfrontageandcan hardly be said to have a back at all.
The accommodation offered is only mar-ginally more sophisticated than lock-upstorage. But this reduced specificationkeeps costs down so encouraging occupa-tion and use. These are very importanturban design benefits that the small
buildings shown here greatly facilitate.These buildings cannot have been
expensive to erect so for a modest outlay,new business space is made which makesa virtue out of difficult sites, or indeed,realises a site that would otherwise beignored by the public. These sites areunconsidered trifles which can beturned to advantage by small business.
The term urban finishes seems a good
way to describe these buildings. Built offthe raw flanks of larger buildings, theyprovide an inhabited veneer which capi-talises on the frontage location and pro-
vides small business opportunities.
Small scale sliver development is liberat-ing: it gives an urban benefit dispropor-tionate to its size. New small buildings
should thus become a natural part ofurban improvement work.
figure 7.1view of urban finish on corner of Graham Road and Mare Street
figure 7.4: railway viaduct at Hackney Downs stationsmall shops built off the viaduct which inhabit the areaunder the bridge space and establish a public space
figure 7.2view of urban finish on flank of Hackney Institute buildings
figure 7.3view of urban finish on Clarence Road
figure 7.3.1OS extract
figure 7.2.1OS extract
figure 7.1.1OS extract
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 12
9 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
U S E D I S T R I B U T I O N
single user commercial space
light industrial
residential housing estate
mixed: shops, workshops, flats, offices
traditional terraced housing
institutional e.g school, health centre
public open space
AMHURSTROAD
NARROWAY
KENMUR
E ROAD
DALSTON LANE
KENMURE YARD
ATHE
RDEN
ROAD
ALFEA
RNROAD
LOWERCLAPTO
NROAD
CLAPTO
N POND
DALST
ONLANE
SIGDONROAD
ROWELANE
LOWER C
LAPTON
ROAD
MOTHER SQUARE
HILLRO
ADLOWER
CLAPTO
NRO
AD
GOULT
ONROA
D
CLAR
EN
CE
ROAD
The specific ways in which a diverse stockof buildings might be assembled is veryimportant. Because the work shown here
includes proposals for new small structuresit is useful to consider the tradition ofblock organisation found in the studyarea. Certainly, adjacency of differentuses should be understood as beingabout more than separation and isola-tion of nuisance. It is also about makingrelationships, one aspect of which may bemutual enrichment. Through these relation-
ships, we can add qualities to publicspace and semi-public space such asestate gardens and access roads .
One result of comparing the area as awhole (figure 9.1) and blocks within it
(figures 9.2-9.6), is the realisation thatthe area as a whole resembles a block. Ina way, the urban block is a miniature ver-
sion of the area. This mutuality betweenconstituent blocks and the study area isbroken where the excesses of modernzoning are apparent i.e the undifferentiat-ed residential blocks created by the
Aspland and Pembury estates.
One part of this work is to suggest thatnew uses are seen in this tradition where-
by the mixture of uses in any particularplace is complementary to the citysorganisation as a whole. Creating cityblocks as diverse as the examples belowshould be one urban design objective.
figure 9.2Kenmure Yards developmentas residential has radicallyreduced the work content ofthis block
figure 9.1basic use distribution in study area
figure 9.3 figure 9.4 figure 9.5 figure 9.6Mother Square
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 14
figure 11.1schematic of study area with distribution of projects
1 1 . I N T R O D U C T I O N
5
WAYS
CLAR
ENC
ERD
DALSTON LANEGARDENS/SPORTS& WORK SPACE
RAMPREFURBS
RESIDENTSGARDENS
RESIDENTSGARDENS
TICKET HALLREFURB PEMBURY
TAVERNREFURB
CLARENCE ROADMARKET
STATIONARCADE
STATIONARTWORKS
NEWGARDEN
CHURCH ARCADE
VIADUCTSHOPFRONTAGE&PATHWAY
AMHURSTRO
ADFRO
NTAG
E
GIBBO
NSREFURB
MARCON GARDENSHOMES & WORKDEVELOPMENT
SPURSTOWE ROADROAD/WORKIMPROVEMENTS
NEWPATHLINK
OLD STATIONCOVERED
MARKET
NEWTRADERSPAVEMENT
BUS-STATIONREDEVELOPMENT
GALLERY/FUNCTIONROOM
TOWNSQUAREPROJECT
NARROWAYGARDEN
NARROWA
Y
MARESTREET
S T U D Y A R E A
The study area is focused around theNarroway. In the middle, there is the fig-ure subtended by the Narroway, Amhurst
Road and Dalston Lane. This triangle maybe likened to a kind of gathering point atthe head of Mare Street, which leads ontothe main spaces in the area i.e theNarroway, the Town Square and MareStreet.
One aim of the projects is to strengthenthe places adjacent to this triangular fig-
ure formed by the main street spaces.This, it is hoped, will consolidate and rein-force the importance of the mainNarroway/Mare Street axis.
The new projects serve as spaces that leaddirectly to and from the main centralrooms of the area. This approach toorganising new work can be thought of as
increasing the surface area of the centre- a way of engaging more of the immedi-ately surrounding area in the idea of thecentre.
The new spaces laid out in this brochureare important not just in terms of localimprovement but to the extent that theycontribute to the urban idea and reconcile
people to an urban life.
It is then quite clear that these projectsadd to the centre. Geared to the life of thestreet, and the ordinary functionality
offered by public places, they favour nei-ther the rich nor the poor - the sameeven-handedness which public space hasalways offered.
Sustainability is built on functioning, con-fident city areas. Local centres are basicto a sustainable future. The projectsshown here focus on the life of a key local
centre in Hackney and aim to sustain itwell into the next century.
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P R O J E C T S
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/
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figure 12.1
17 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
1 2 . A S P L A N D E S TAT E / A M H U R S T R O A D F R O N TA G E
street's straightness isan enjoyable aspect of
the scene: creates a
sense of climax
street sign almost an
artistic statement in
this environment
very poor entrances
spaces to flats
random tree-planting;no idea informing
planting layout or the
tree species
very weak corner into
Aspland Estatehinterland: blind
facades stare out of
estate
area of grass behind
stub wall: purpose of
grass is hard to discern
completely random
display of trees - note
tree to right which hasnot been trained and
now tilts heavily
toward street
near derelict and
unused TA Hall in very
public position
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1 4 A S P L A N D E S TAT E / A M H U R S T R O A D F R O N T A G E
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19 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
P R O J E C T S
,
yz
|
,
yz
|
,
yz
|
|
, ,
y yz
|
, ,
y yz z
| |
, yz z
New kiosk
(see scheme for
Hackney Central
Station approaches)
approx value of project
15,000
New curving end to
existing garden wall
approx value of project
2,000
New bus-stop seating
approx value of project
3,000
New build housing
over shops
approx value of project
200,000
Realignment of Malpas
Road and positioning of
Marcon Court service
court to rear
approx value of project
75,000
New canopies and
door treatment to
main entrances into
Marcon Court
approx value of project
40,000
Extension and
enlargement of Marcon
Court TA hall to form
public training and
education resource
centre
approx value of project
150,000
New garden court
entry areas to
Marcon Court with
planting and art-works
around theme of a
garden wall
approx value of project
75,000
New tree planting
forming consistent line
with redefined soft
landscape areas
approx value of project
35,000
1 4 . A S P L A N D E S TAT E / A M H U R S T R O A D F R O N T A G E
figure 14.1
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1 6 A S P L A N D E S TAT E / A M H U R S T R O A D F R O N T A G E
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21 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
G A R D E N WA L L S C R E E N S
1 6 . A S P L A N D E S TAT E / A M H U R S T R O A D F R O N T A G E
figure 16.1
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1 7 H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S
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23 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
1 7 . H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S
gross dereliction of
supply and depot
buildings at back of
Gibbon department
store
complete
redevelopment?
very poor lighting not
related to lighting on
platforms or on street
appalling fencing
dead emptiness of
upper parts of Gibbonfrontage buildings
new homes?
small trees and
planting unrelated to af
formal idea: blocks
transparency between
station and street
new approach to trees
on Amhurst Road
opening onto street
lacks a focus: the
corner here is weak
out of control planting
and weed growthlong view down ramp
is an asset
figure 17.1
1 8 H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 24
confusion of
lamp standards
very poor exit point
from path alongside car
park, disgorging onto
car park access roadout-of-date sign
planting concealing
station building
weak corner fails
to frame open
space of car park
1 8 . H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S
figure 18.1
1 9 . H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S
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25 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
A N A L Y S I S
There are two public approaches toHackney Central Station. The one dis-cussed here is the pedestrian route from
Amhurst Road across the so-called towncentre car park owned by LBH.
This car park forms a significant space offAmhurst Road. It links together three dis-tinct areas of urban development: the rail-
way viaduct/embankment, the AsplandEstate and the conventional19th Centurystreet development on Amhurst Road.
One very important aspect of this spacefrom a design point of view is that it main-tains a direct visual link between the sta-tion platform area and Amhurst Road. It is
works like a window that reveals a hinter-land behind the street frontage - see fig-ure 19.2.
Everything about the stations current con-dition suggests that nobody takes thespace seriously as public space notwith-standing its credentials as a town centrecar park. This is very mistaken given howpublic a space it actually is and howclearly visible it is from Amhurst Road.
Simple urban design issues can beworked out for the car park space. Theseare to do with the car parks very public
position and importance as a linkingspace. Visual clarity around the station isan important attribute. Equally vital ispedestrian movement through the car parkspace.
Both design issues are related. Good han-dling of pedestrian movement is partlydependent on the visual ordering of the
car park space. Clear sight lines and anoverall sense of a constructed set of viewswill add considerably to the experience ofmoving through the car park space as apedestrian.
figure 19.1: plan of existing
figure 19.3: view towards station on embankment
figure 19.2: diagramstations position behind street frontage
and seen across car park space
1 9 . H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S
AM H U R S T R O AD
c a r p a r k
X X
a
cce
ss
roadG i b b o n s B u i l d i n g
G i b b o n s d e p o t
housin
g
h o u s i n g
s ta t
i on
old
stat
ion
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2 2 . H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 28
new rail sign
(work by local artist)
approx value of project
15,000
new hoardings with
lighting to conceal
derelict rear of Gibbon
Building
approx value of project
3,000
new purpose built
screens (work by local
artist)
approx value of project
50,00
new illuminated
bollards
approx value of project
18,000
O P T I O N 2
figure 22.1
2 3 . H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S
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29 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
Option 1Option 1 develops the idea of an arcadeas a way of moving through the car parkspace. The arcade not only brings trav-ellers to the station but also provides anentry court to the housing. This combina-tion of residential and traveller accesshelps integrate the arcade as a new urbanfigure into the existing urban framework.
The arcade is accessed from the existingramp leading down from the station via anew stair. The stairs top landing gives thetraveller good views over spaces through
which she has to pass to reach the streetand helps personal security.
The arcade disgorges onto Amhurst Roadin such a way that the pedestrians are notforced across the access road to the sup-ply depot at the back of the GibbonsBuilding. Pedestrians are brought directlyto the nearest street which can be seen. Asmall retail kiosk marks the end of thearcade on the street side, and is set in asmall area of existing greenery. An infor-mation sign is suggested for this garden.
A new zebra crossing here would makesense, helping travellers get on their way.
The arcade effectively makes a space outof the car park - that is, gives it a dignity
which currently perhaps it is hard toimagine. The car park should be repavedto consolidate this improvement. As such,
it has potential as a setting for such eventssuch as ftes, car-boot markets or outdoorparties. Its position by a main publicstreet, close to a pub, next to housing anda working London overland rail serviceare strengths which make such a commu-nity role readily imaginable.
The plan opposite shows as well new
build at the back of the Gibbons Building.New build here is more a less a certaintyat some point given the existing rottencondition.
Option 2This shows a range of minor improve-ments. The screens project is difficult toimplement because it is on Rail Track
land. The other projects should be mucheasier to do.
The bollard scheme recognises that thereis no need to replacing the derelict fenc-ing with new fences. Illuminated bollards
would provide a simpler, less clutteredsolution.
figure 23.1: plan of option 1red shows new buildpink shows refurb
S T R A T E G Y
ex
isting
-op
tion 2
G i b b o n B u i l d i n g
pro
pose
d-o
ptio
n 1
ho
usin
g
s t
a ti o
n
G i b b o n s B u i l d i n g
hous
ing
s ta t
i on
c a r p a r k
arcade
figure 23.2: diagrambroken line shows derelict edgesarrowheaded l ine shows pedestrian route
2 4 . H A C K N E Y C E N T R A L S TAT I O N A P P R O A C H E S
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 30
figure 24.1new covered public space
figure 24.2: plan of proposedshops arranged off new public areaformed by demolition of old station
N E W U R B A N S PA C E O N S I T E O F O L D S TAT I O N
Over three years ago, there was anattempt to recommission the old stationbuilding. Hackney Business Link & Self-
Help Enterprises with some support fromHeart of Hackney explored a scheme fordeveloping the station as small businessunits.
Costs were obtained. These were consid-erable and had some bearing on the pro-ject not going ahead. There is every rea-son to think the building would be very
expensive to recommission. This is partlydue to its direct proximity to railway track.Railway engineering requirements arealways going to make maintenance of thebuilding expensive.
Demolition would create a new publicspace at the approach to Hackney Centralfrom Mare Street. The view opposite and
the sketch above suggests how this couldbe done. Demolition creates the opportu-nity to make a new public place - in thiscase sheltered by a high level glass roof -
where shops and stall traders could dobusiness with the passing public.Removing the old station serves also toclarify the nature of the freehold in thearea: RailTracks interests would be simpli-fied to arches or spaces within the viaductstructure, the kind of spaces which
RailTrack are developing a keen commer-cial strategy for. This contrasts with therelative apathy and lack of interest whichthe long standing problem of getting com-mercial or other value from the old stationhas demonstrated. Viaduct spaces givingonto a new public space would clearlyhave a strong and marketable commercialappeal to retailers. In other words, the
existing station building which makessmall, bitty public places around it, actu-ally stands in the way of the commercialpotential of viaduct spaces which it con-ceals.
G i b b o n s B u i l d i n g
hous
ing
s ta t
i on
shopshop
shopshop
shop
cover
edarea
c a rp a r k
arcade
figure 24.3: sketch view
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31 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
figure 25.1
pub extension forming
new townscape figure
approx value of project
75,000
work units off car park
approx value of project
150,000
new station caf
new housing with ground
floor work units
approx value of project
500,000
new residents garden and
youth club building
approx value of project
150,000
new town centre car
park with 85 stalls
improvements to ramp
and brick retaining wall
alongside it
new arts/crafts market on
Gibbons depot site with
housing in main building
approx value of project
500,000
old station refurb'ed with
new small traders arcade
at ground level
arranged off new path
linking Mare St, car park,
Aspland Estate & SocialSerivces (Marcon Place)
P R O J E C T S
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 32
S T R A T E G Y
The urban design thinking keyed to theopportunity presented by the plan toenlarge the town centre car park fromaround 20 spaces to approximately 80 isfocused on the need to take the new carpark seriously as an urban space.
What it is necessary to avoid is a spacewhich neighbouring buildings turn theirbacks on. In other words, the new carpark is very much part of the functioningof the city centre and given its importance,deserves its own frontage or buildings
which indicate importance by frontingonto it.
The proposals shown here thereforeinclude new buildings - new buildings
which mark out and make use of the carpark as a space. The new buildings are
work related. They will be a part of thecar parks newness and the whole aura ofmajor change and improvement which itbrings to the town centre.
The new arts and crafts market shown onthe site of the Gibbons depot building (fig-ure 25.1) will benefit from pedestrianbusyness to and from the car park.
The car park site will also be strengthenedby the proposal shown to extend a new
public footpath towards the SpurstoweRoad/Marcon Place area. The footpathhelps integrate the area by providing a
new shortcut.
The footpath would be strengthened byany improvements to the ground floor ofthe old station; an arcade of shops isshown here. Such an improvement wouldcomplement the arts & crafts market
which would also have a frontage ontothe footpath.
The work units shown would enrich themonotonous residential stock of the
Aspland Estate in such a way that theestates residential values were not threat-ened. Mixed use blocks could help makea new positive, relationship between workand dwelling.
The new housing opportunities shownhere could help fund some of theimprovements through partnerships withhousing agencies. Equally partnershipsare implied here with the owners of theGibbons building and the Earl Amhurstpub - see proposal to extend the pub witha new landmark corner building at theentrance to the new car park.figure 26.1: new car park
new buildings shown working off car park space - car park as significant urban space
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33 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
trees beings used as a
screen along with stub
wall and railings: many
different versions of
same thing i.e a wall
build new wall?
lack of a protected
crossing here is part of
the uncelebrated
relationship betweenClarence Road and
Narroway
weak corner on this
side of Clarence Road
can corner be
strengthened?
bus stop obstructs
footway: there is a lotof space doing nothing
behind
estate sign set back
from street with
planting in front of it:
why?
green space here with
no discernible function
extend residents
gardens?pile up of hardware:
grotesque?
pastiche elements such
as lone lamp standard
and knobbly guard rails:
part of random
approach to urban
space
can it be doneaccording to an urban
idea?
figure 27.1
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 34
street tilts towards
centre of area i.e
Narroway
can this directionality
become part of new
works on the street?
small-scale retail
frontage
tree planting to screen
ramps: no formal
relationship to urban
space of street
new pattern of
planting?
single-storey block has
very convoluted
relation ship to street
more direct
relationship?
directionality: desire
line pointing toward
Narroway
is the grass here
appropriate?
street is very different
on each side; footway
on estate side works asdirect route to
Narrowaybollards are used as
somewhere to sit
off-street parking
works well here forClarence Road, saving it
from congestion
figure 28.1
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A N A L Y S I S
35 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
The relationships between the NewPembury Estate and the Narroway andClarence Road are poor.
The new Pembury Estate lies centrally inthe northern part of the study area. It isarranged off Clarence Road. All thestreets in the estate are cul-de-sacsaccessed from Clarence Road.
The southern part of Clarence Road isdominated by the Pembury Estate. One
whole side of it is formed by the estate.The retail frontage on the other side,between Lower Clapton Road andClarence place relies on customers fromthe estate.
Clarence Road is a key public place forthe estate. Part of its obvious function is aslink between the estate and the Narroway.The relationship between the two streets ispoor because of the very heavy-handedlayout of traffic management parapherna-lia at their junction. Figure 29.3 gives animpression of this. Only one protectedcrossing is provided with all the ironmon-gery which has been used.
Spatially, the fact that the corner of theNew Pembury is set back from the junction
space (figure 29.4) creates great weak-
ness. As a result, Clarence Road is notasserted as a significant space on a sig-nificant corner. Obviously, it is visible, butnot presenced with any conviction.
In summary, the spatial weakness of thiscorner is its most serious structural fault.Its functional weakness is the relativemeanness of the crossing and indifferentfeel of using that crossing. This last is alsorelated to the predictable mass of confus-ing standing figures - i.e trees, signs, rail-ings, lamp standards etc.
figure 29.2: diagramNew Pembury Estate arranged off Clarence Road
figure 29.3over to Clarence Road - a lot of ironmongery for one crossing
figure 29.: planClarence Road/Narroway junction with just one crossing
CLARENCER
D
NA
RR
OWA
Y
NEWPEMBU
RY ESTATE
crossing
CLARENCEROAD
NARROWAY
HINDREY
RD
TOLSFOR
D RD
SHELNESS
RD
NEW PEMBURY ESTATE
figure 29.4:south east corner of estateset back from junction space: weak corner
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A N A L Y S I S
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The dominant architectural figures onClarence Roads southern section towardNarroway are the large concrete ramps
which serve the upper maisonette units inthe dwelling blocks.
The ramps function, sheer bulk and on-street position as a kind of urban finish(figure 30.2) mean they are strong sym-bols of connectivity between the estate andClarence Road. They summarise this rela-tionship in negatively. When using theramps, one is quite separate from both thestreet and the estate, in a dark, smelly,hard, claustrophobic enclosure (figure30.4). From the street, the ramps are sim-ply gross - that is quite out of scale withthe street (figure 30.1).
The scale of the old parts of ClarenceRoad varies along is length. The southernsection by the New Pembury is in two
parts. A small part by Narroway isaround three storeys high i.e bigger bythe important corner. The rest is twostoreys and quite petite in scale. Curiously,the plot size of the two storey parade is
very close to that of the individual estateflats i.e there seems to be a typologicalcorrespondence between the dwellingsand the shops serving them. This much
adds to the idea of a great divide
between the worlds of Clarence Road andthat of Clapton Square, which is theneighbouring north-south urban space.Houses round the square are considerablylarger.
Another difference between the Squareand Clarence Road is the kind of publiclife suggested by each place. The Squaregarden, protected by railings all around,is a effective symbol of the public lifeintended. By contrast, the public life ofClarence Road is about loitering andliming along the frontage, taking aninterest in the sporadic events which occur- a young mother shouting abuse at herdrug-user boyfriend.
It is certainly a strength of the study areathat such differing ideas of city space asClapton Square and Clarence Road areso close to each other. The differences areinteresting. And the premise for taking the
world of Clarence Road seriously.
figure 30.1ramp structures out of scale with street
figure 30.2ramps constructed off blind end wall of dwelling blocks
figure 30.3desire line
figure 30.4dark ramp space
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New wall forming enclosure for
enlarged residents gardens, with
new bus-stop built in
approx value of project
100,000
New sliver development of
costermonger units , small offices
and new stair access to flats
approx value of project
200,000
New street paving and setts
forming new area for street
market: Tolsford Road access to
Clarence Road blocked for cars
approx value of project
100,000
New arch fronts to existing single
storey block with new secure
doors to street establishing
strong edge to market area
approx value of project
50,000
Modifications to access ramps
approx value/ramp
20,000
Improvements to crossing
according LBH Highways
existing
indoor
market
P R O J E C T S
figure 31.1
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 38
S T R A T E G Y
The aim of the new work on this junctionis to establish Clarence Road much morestrongly than present arrangements allow.
A new space between the Narroway andClarence Road is proposed which corre-sponds to the three storey section of theretail frontage.
The diagram (figure 32.2) describes theprinciple of this new space as a roomclearly linked to the junction space wherethe pedestrian crossing is located. Theroom could not be made without asserting
the south east corner of Clarence Roadmore firmly. To do this, a new urban fin-ish is proposed built off the blind endfacade of the dwelling block in spacereleased by the demolition of one of theramps.
The urban finish protrudes out ofClarence Road towards Narroway (figure
34.1). Its short end elevation, facingtoward Narroway, can be read as belong-ing to a traditional type of urban monu-ment like the Crouch End clock tower.Oblique views reveal the flank of thisstructure which incorporates costermon-gers storage at street level and abovesmall offices for disparate bureau-typebusinesses. The costermonger stores reflect
existing demand in this corner of the study
area and an attempt to encourage more
street trading. It is proposed that part ofClarence Road is repaved to establish atrading area.
The existing crossing arrangement ismean. A new one with parallel zebracrossings is suggested. Instead of pedestri-an movement being funnelled into a sin-gle protected crossing - a funnel of rail-
ings, a traffic island and traffic light stan-dards, the idea is to make a wide zone ofsafety through which pedestrians move.
CLARENCEROAD
NARROWWAY
newurban
finish
figure 32.1improved Narroway/Clarence Road junction space
figure 32.2: diagramidea of linked rooms - one round, one rectangular
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39 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
The ramps are identified as architecturalsymbols of how the estate relates to thepublic world of Clarence Road. Work torefine or replace them ought to be consid-
ered.
The modifications envisaged relate to theweighting of Clarence Road. The rampsconsist of three runs. The changes pro-posed require the demolition of only one -the bottom one - and the bricking up ofanother one. The high concrete guard railon the top run would be demolished and
replaced by new open railings. This toprun would be terminated by a new opentread stair leading directly down to thestreet. The stair would face down ClarenceRoad.
Clarence Road tilts, as it were, towards thefocal point of the area which is Narroway.The whole physical experience of leaving
the estates ugly mechanistic spaces behindand making ones way to the close socialspace of the Narroway is an essential partof life in the area. Narroways particularquality of closeness, its narrowness isremarkable. It gives a physical quality tothe history of the area; indeed, Narrowaymarks the top end of the old village ofHackney. In a sense, entering Narroway is
entering Hackney.
The feeling of coming into town, into thecentre, is part of the urban quality ofNarroway today, and part of the excite-ment of Clarence Road and its position inthe network of streets making up theHackney Central area. The ramp modifi-cations suggested here refer to theNarroway and the direction of centrality.The ramps are made into dynamic figures,
which celebrate movement down andtowards the centre.
Clarence Roads asymmetry is one of itsdistinctive features. The estate side is verydifferent to the old shop side. The changesto the ramps will not only make themmore pleasant to use, but powerfullyemblematic of Clarence Roads sidednessand orientation towards Narroway.
S T R A T E G Y
figure 33.2: Hindrey Road rampimprovements
figure 33.1:Tolsford Road rampimprovements
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S K E T C H V I E W
This view shows how the urbanfinish proposed to strengthenthe corner of Clarence Roadmight appear from Narroway.The impression given is of someform of minor urban monument
which is clearly and perhapsunusually inhabited.
The mouth of Clarence Road isasserted unambiguously by thenew urban finish.
The new crossings furtheremphasise the link between thetwo spaces. Moving upNarroway, Clarence Road isrevealed as a positive urban set-ting.
figure 34.1: sketch viewNarroway/Clarence Road junction
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blank facades of
dwelling blocks onto
Dalston Lane
an urban finish?
garden space withclear potential as
public focus
very poor ramp and
stairs to flats
is better accessbetween street and
estate possible?
large area of pavingserving no ostensible
purposerandom shrubbery
Plane trees forming
edge demeaned by
poor quality planter
is it necessary?
random tree planting,
paving , railings with
odd figures such as car
parks and the singlestorey office building
seen on left
large green area
serving no distinct
purpose
is there a better use?
figures 35.1
figures 35.2
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 42
middle sectionof New Pembury's
Dalston Lane frontage
Ckarence Roadof New Pembury's
Dalston Lane frontage
Five-Ways endof New Pembury's
Dalston Lane frontage
figure 36.1
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43 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
E X I S T I N G
housing training office
set in very conspicuous
position on public
margin of estate
green space in front
small flat gardens with
no discernible purpose
large area of paving to
front of dwelling blocks
separate from public
footway and having no
apparent purpose
large green space
difficult to enter with
little apparent purpose
dead-end to pathways
(this one and one
parrallel)
superb mature
London Plane trees
huge area of futile
paving: crude ramp and
stairs onto to it from
flats
Tolsford Road garden:
potentially strong
garden inviting to both
estate residents and
ordinary public
parking access rampcutting up gardens and
making pedestrian
barrier across
approaches to
OAP club
small car park
small car park
OAPclub
refurb'edvillas
small car parkSYAWEVI
F
figure 37.1
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 44
A N A L Y S I S
figure 38.1: New Pembury Estategarden off Tolsford Road showing pathway running in front of dwellings
Until one has become accustomed to theNew Pembury Estate, its frontage ontoDalston Lane seems incomprehensible. Itspublic edge onto Dalston Lane is as bad,
and presents the problem of a puzzlinglydisorganised mass of bitty, small publicplaces.
A good part of the problem is not due tothe estate but a barrier-like row ofdetached Victorian villas lying oppositeacross the street, which are beingrefurbed by housing associations after a
long period of decay and even dereliction.Where the Pemburys boundary edge isvery permeable with many vaguely publicspaces, these villas constitute a longimpenetrable barrier, giving a certaincoldness and boredom to the street.
More people are going to live in the villas.They will go to Dalston Lanes two corners
- to Five Ways and Narroway wheresomething happens and services can befound, and the pavement outside theirfront doors will take them to both placesdirectly. The estate frontage can have noattractions for them in its current condi-tion.
Westward movement out of New Pembury
is badly served. One impediment is the
residents garden at the end of TolsfordRoad that slopes down to Dalston Lane,
without a pathway over the turf. There isno gate in the railings at the bottom
either. The long east-west paths at thefront of the estate dwelling blocks dieinconclusively at the western extremitiesmaking public places lying west of theestate less than accessible.
This failure of accessibility is a criticalone, and produces an popular idea of anenvironment without utility and assistance
for ordinary life.
The residents garden at the end ofTolsford Road which slopes down toDalston Lane is nevertheless a majorresource. It is pleasant, well-aspected,connected to all the main east-west routesacross the estate and clearly seen fromthe Dalston Lane. The OAP club forms its
hortus conclusus off Shelness Road. Notmaking more of this garden is wasteful.
The garden is capable of becoming moreexplicitly public in its functioning - a wayof bringing life and public confidenceonto the estate, breaking up its monolithicquality, and a way of welcoming the newinhabitants on Dalston Lane.
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Improvements on
Clarence Road
New access to residents
parking on Tolsford Road
existing connection to
Clarence Road blocked to
create market place
approx value of project
50,000
New all-weather sports
pitch with fencing/ancilliary
offices
approx value of project
150,000
New pathway out of estate
across sloping gardens
towards 5-Ways
approx value of project
35,000
New residents gardens
on site of playground
approx value of project
25,000
New residents gardens
on existing open space
approx value of project
25,000
New housing
and single-storey
workshop
approx value of project
750,000
New pedestrian friendly
crossing over parking
ramp on Hindrey Road
approx value of project
7,000
New dedicated OAP club
garden
approx value of project
20,000
New residents gardens
enclosed by wall
approx value of project
20,000/dwelling block
SYAWEVI
F
existing shopping parade
refurbished
P R O J E C T S
figure 39.1
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47 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
17th Century wall
falling down
no separation from
rectory grounds: note
pressure on parkingspace and overflowing
shop frontage
high quality stonemonuments in lee of
derelict wallstreet trader
church gardensprotrude toward
Narroway
derelict publicconveniences and
seating area
figure 41.1 figure 41.2
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A N A L Y S I S
figure 5ramp: view from Clarence Rd
figure 5ramp: view from Clarence Rd
figure 5ramp: view from Clarence Rd
Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 48
The 17th Century wall separating St Johnsat Hackney rectory from the church gar-dens in which St Johns itself is set, isfalling down. Its condition concerns the
incumbent at St Johns although responsi-bility for upkeep falls to LBH.
Heart of Hackney will not be reinstatingthe derelict public toilets and seating area
which lie at the eastern corner of this wall.The assumption is that toilets should belocated on Narroway.
It is likely that the church gardens toiletsand seating area will continue to decay.Given the location of these amenities inthe middle of the gardens, where differentpaths intersect, their dereliction seemsstrategically placed to do most harm.
Along the existing rectory wall, old grave-stones are stacked up together like so
many bargain books in a shop window.The adjacent images gives an idea of this.This cannot possibly be the best way todisplay these artifacts which have an inef-fable quality unique to old, carved stone -that adds to the church gardens remark-able sense of authenticity and continuity
with the past.
The diagram below shows how movementinto the church gardens runs past thederelict rectory wall (thick broken line).The L-shaped building above the rectory
shows the position of the public toilets atthe point where the gardens expandsnorthwards and the first view of the apseend of St Johns is given.
NARROWAY
St Johns
rectory
figure 42.1
figure 42.2: paths focusing on Narroway
thick broken line shows derelict wallL-shape above the rectory shows derelict public conveniences
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P R O J E C T S
existing successful
public space
New paved area mirroring similar
area on other side of bank
building, for street traders and
events. Existing monuments
retained.
approx value of project
30.000
New gates to secure rectory
courtyard
approx value of project
10.000
Wall between rectory and church
gardens to be rebuilt and
gravestones displayed on it.
Canopies mounted off wall at
rear with arcade at front.
approx value of project
125,000
New paved sports area for Scout
Club
approx value of project
5,000
New function room/gallery
arranged in courtyard
configuration with artists studio
and sculpture court to rear
approx value of project
250,000
rectory
scout
hut
figure 43.1
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S T R A T E G Y
The church gardens provides strong conti-nuity of space between the down-to-earth,robust world of the Narroway shop frontsand St Johns at Hackney. This is a terrific
bonus for the area. Most neighbourhoodcentres are fortunate if they have a meancar park behind the shops or a businesspark.
The public places renewal proposal herehas two main themes
1) Narroways relation to the gardens
2) the rectory wall as a linking elementto the middle of the gardens
The proposal is for a new stone-flaggedarea made immediately to north side ofthe old town hall matching the flaggedarea on the other side, part of which isused by street traders. The new area
would be for specifically for l icensed streettraders, allowing them to take advantageof the crowd close to the bank, main bus-stop and the shops.
The renewal of the wall would be as apartial colonnade off this new streettraders space. The wall would respond tothe idea of mediating between the com-
mercial traders space and St Johns. The
effect of moving away into the gardens
would be heightened by the walls treat-ment as a display surface for the oldgravestones.
The colonnade would be somewhere to sitand rest. It would be concluded by a newpublic gallery where an artist/artisan
would be able to live and work - a lived-in house in the gardens. The occupant
would manage and curate the gallery.
The gallery would be built off a wallthrough which pedestrians would pass toenter the other part of the gardens whereSt Johns becomes visible. It would thusmark a significant spatial connectionbetween the part of gardens in which thechurch is set and the other part directly
off Narroway.
figure 44.1: plan of proposed
figure 44.2existing street space on south side of old Town Hall
ST JOHNSAT HACKNEY
rectory
old town
hall
new functionroombus station
NARROWWAY
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P R O J E C T S
New large scale mixed use
development with parking,
containing business units,
conference facilities and
apartments
approx value of project
9,000,000
Tescos supermarketand town centre
parking
New function
room
Viaduct arch spaces
refurbed as shops
New exhibitonspace with access
from gardens
New way between church
gardens and Tescos site
Formal
gardencourt behind
shop units
figure 45.1
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The bus garage site is clearly a hugedevelopment question for HackneyCentral. Although LBH have approachedthe bus companies about their operations
from the Narroway garage and attemptedto find alternative locations for thegarage, there is apparently very littlenear-term prospect of the garage moving.
However, the site is so vast and has suchpotential, that its future needs to be dis-cussed.
The proposal put forward here simplydraws attention to the fact that a verylarge development is indeed possible. It isalso important to recognise that such adevelopment could do much to transformthe nature of work space in the studyarea. Given that so much workspace islow-grade - some nothing more thanwork-slums- there is need for workspace
which increases range of commercialenterprises that would consider locating inthe area. At the moment, steady dilapida-tion and decline in the areas workspacesseverely limits the opportunities for changeand renewal of the working culture. Evennow, the largest employers in the boroughare LBH itself, health trusts and CentralGovernment. Nevertheless, the borough
does rely on small business and self-
reliance for most of its employment. Thissmall business sector needs renewal par-ticularly in Hackney Central which toremain truly diverse cannot be allowed to
develop into a merely retail/residentialcentre. This would be a negative evolutionantithetical to the goal of diversified andsustainable local economy and social life.The comments about backlands in theintroduction also refer to this issue.
The redevelopment of the bus garage sitecould provide a whole new tranche of
high-quality workspace close to a newTube connection which will be sited atHackney Central station. The new build-ing should also contain apartments notonly to offset development costs but tointroduce new living space right at thecentre of the area. This, of course, is verymuch what sustainability is about.
S T R A T E G Y
figure 46.1: plan of proposed
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53 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
old station building -
long empty and derelict
demolish it and make a
new urban space?
plethora of guard rails
forcing pedestrian
movement around the
junction
is there a better
solution?
train timetable where
nobody would expect
it and where nobody
uses it
"modern" type lamp-
standard next to
pastiche 19th Century
standard
pavement here is
cluttered with trees,
guard rails & benches;
the taxi rank is poorly
use
do something really
useful: a new protectedcrossing to and from
Tesco's site?
bridge space badly lit
new lighting?
very important
hoarding site, too
important for picture
of instant coffee
public art site?
very narrow pavement:
note how guard rails
are pushed into the
pavement space by the
need to avoid the
granite kerb stones
widen?
viaduct arches
obscured and
brickwork in poor
condition
refurb viaduct?
pastiche 19th Century
standardfigure 47.1
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 54
A N A L Y S I S
There is a series of linked spaces runningalongside the North London railway
viaduct which cuts across the study area.The diagrams on this sheet show links on
both sides of the viaduct - one runningbetween the station area and BohemiaPlace, the other between the station areaand the Tescos site.
An integrated treatment of these linkedspaces is not apparent on the ground.
Very little, if anything, suggests that theurban design potential of these links has
been addressed.
The adjacent figure suggests how thespaces between Bohemia Place and thestation could, for example, benefit from acoherent approach to small scale architec-tural elements such as railings, lightstands, canopies, the metal frieze to the
station building itself, shop windows andother small scale elements.
Another idea of coherence is suggested in
figure which shows how a symmetry orfamily of spaces can be seen connectingthe Tescos site and station. The point hereis the similarity of scale, proportion andfunction of the spaces. For instance, theorange boxes are both kinds of vestibulespaces - one to the Tesco footway, theother to the station ramp.
These ideas about coherent groups ofspaces afford a framework for thinkingabout minor improvements. Although thesmall scale nature of these spaces invitesa bitty approach to improvement work,the fact of continuities or links betweenspaces suggests an overall view should beadopted.
pedestrian linktoHackneyCentralStation
MARE
STREET
AMHURSTROAD
NARR
OWAY
BOHEMIA PLACE
pedestrian linktoTescos
pede
strian
link t
o
Amhurst
Road
Bohemia Place Mare Street stall area at front of old station
flank wall of oldstation
ramp up to new station new station stairs to westboundplatform
figure: 48.2: ramp sectionorange elements, such as lightstandards, railings, canopies &shop windows are componentswhich could all be subject to acoherent design approach
figure 48.1: roomslinked pedestrian spaces connectingTesco site and station area with symme-try around Mare Street
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55 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
P R O J E C T S
New protected crossing ,
widening of pavement over
existing taxi rank, removal of
poorly sited trees & benches
approx value of project
35,000
Key hoarding location
made into public art
display
Widening of adjacent
narrow pavement
Major refurb of viaduct
spaces as shops fronting
onto Tesco's site
approx value/arch
50,000
Continuous paved path to
edge of car park with tree
planting and run of
illuminated bollards
75,000
Cleaning of viaduct
brickwork
figure 49.1
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Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 56
S T R A T E G Y
The work proposed revolves aroundimproving pedestrian access to and fromthe Tescos site. A key element is dealing
with the presence of dereliction and decay
along the viaduct edge which overlooksthe Tescos car park. The viaduct containscommercial spaces whose backs facetowards the supermarket. These backs arein many case shambles i.e rough brickextensions to the actual viaduct archspace. The new path link to the front ofTescos will currently run alongside thesedecaying back structures with a separa-
tion in the form of a new, standard timberfence (although this is being discussedcurrently by LBH planning).
The adjacent diagram shows how twoimportant pathways - the Tescos one andthe pedestrian approaches to HackneyCentral are shadowed by derelict struc-tures.
It is important that what opportunitiesthere are for integrating the new Tescosbuilding with the surrounding city aretaken. It is sad, for instance, that theTescos building is not mixed use. Thereare now exciting and up-to-date prece-dents in London of supermarket develop-ment (by Tescos, in fact) being combined
with housing and other uses.
In the case of the Tescos site, the proposalhere calls for the demolition of the sham-bles and the refurbing of the arches asshop units fronting onto the supermarket
site. This new frontage would representthe high street frontage within the Tescossite. Instead of the supermarkets cus-tomers being divorced totally from thehigh street in every part of the Tescos site,the car park at least would seem like apositive part of the city.
It may be that supermarket customers
treat their shopping very functionally andmay perhaps be uninterested in anydiversion from their set task. Nevertheless,Rail Tracks property surveyors are inter-ested in the concept of renewing theirarches to take advantage of the newsupermarket. London Workspace - partlyresponsible for the Kingsland viaductrefurb - believe the arches by Tescos are
a business opportunity.
figure 50.1plan showing refurbed viaduct spaces next to Tesco site
figure 50.2the dark tone shows dereliction:light tone shows paths
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Navarino Mansions
- massive end stop to
Marcon Place cul-de-sac
how to benefit from a
strong spatial
structure?
very poor factory
building between
Navarino Mansion and
Marcon Place: there is
no pedestrian link
through the barrier the
factory makes
appalling paving and
decaying margin
Government
employment service
building to be vacated
new use?
poor servicing for
factory building
new dedicated service
road?
the whole area seems
dominated by parking:
note parking courts
behind street parking
very long white wall,
almost a serene urban
element
Parking on footway:
pressure on parking
space
is there a solution?
figure 51.1
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indeterminate
relationship between
estate and street: note
pointless guard rails
is all this ironmongerynecessary ?
barren area of paving
leading in no obvious
way to a playground
which is nearly derelict
appalling spectacle of
work slum
does this constitute an
idea of work to which
the respectability of
the estate can relate?
note how all
workspaces are masked
by fences or walls
matching the estate's
mania for garden walls
iron columns masked
by "growth" of informal
workspaces
decaying viaduct
refurb viaduct?
figure 52.1
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A N A L Y S I S
59 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
Marcon Place and the streets forms a dis-tinct quarter in the study area. Part of it isformed by the Aspland Estate. TheHackney Downs Station viaduct runs
through it and contains large commercialspaces at street level. These front ontoSpurstowe Road, one of fourcul-de-sacsoff the Marcon Road/Spurstowe Terracethrough route. As indicated before, the
viaduct spaces are in appalling conditionnotwithstanding their concealment behindfences of the poorest quality.
On the Marcon Place cul-de-saca sawmill(no.1) and polishing shop (no.2) arearranged at right angles to each other.These businesses work with each otherrather like the auto-repair businesses andscrap dealer in the viaduct work do.
Across the road from the sawmill isHackney Social Services - a very signifi-
cant centre which is going to stay in thearea according to Social Service propertymanager. Social Services deal with Youth
Justice, Hearing Disability, LearningDisability and Occupational Therapy.
The Services Building seems remarkablygifted with attached open spaces. One isa very large garden at the rear, running
up to the North London Line embankment.
The garden does not appear well used.
Social Services employs considerablenumbers of workers who depend on their
cars partly because of the areas confusedand slightly threatening feel. Car-use is acritical part of the area and obviously
what the viaduct businesses rely on. Thereis great pressure on street parking.
Looking down on all this, is the huge turn-of-the-century dwelling block calledNavarino Mansions. This forms a remark-
able spatial end-stop to the Marcon placecul-de-sac.
1
2
SPURSTOWERD
SPURSTOWE TER
MAR
CONPL
MARCONPL
AMHUR
ST ROA
D
NAVARINOMANSIONS
SOCIALSERVICES
EMPLOYMTOFFICES
SOCIAL
SECURITY
HACKNEYDOWNSSTATION
ASPLAND ESTATE
figure 53.1: plan of existing Marcon Place areagray shows residentialblack shows commercialheavy outline shows institutional
housinghousing
housing
housing
private garden
DALSTON LANE
MARCONPL
AMHURSTROAD
secivreslaicos
figure 53.2: concept diagram of existing situationhousing backing onto low quality space in which social service buildingis embedded with its own private garden to the rear (grey areas showlow quality or underused space)
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A N A L Y S I S
The paucity of building entrances whichwork directly off the street is cer tainly onefactor which makes the Marcon Place/Spurstowe Terrace route unsatisfying as a
public space.
Intermediate spaces in the form of walledpaths, parking forecourts and front gar-dens are inserted as links between themain public space which is street andbuildings themselves. Many of these inter-mediate links are actually arranged off thefourcul-de-sacs that run off the main
through-route (the Marcon Place/Spurstowe Terrace continuity) so removingbuildings even farther from the most publicplace in the area. The main public spacetherefore lacks the simple compelling logicof a street onto which buildings opendirectly.
There is a sense of buildings and spaces
not quite in view and involved in publicspace. The entrances to the blocks of flatsand the Social Services building areobscure from the street. Reaching thespaces in the viaduct is also far from obvi-ous.
With so many entrances distanced in theway described, the street is no longer a
place where a value is born out of the
process of everyone accessing their homeor workplace from the same space. Theopposite is true. The little access funnelslinking the buildings to the street make
accessing buildings into a private activity.A simple fellowship of street-use is thuslost.
Clearly, there is a minimum degree ofproximity needed for rich, developed rela-tionships between urban figures such ashouses or workplaces to be sustained. Theremoteness of the buildings along Marcon
Place from the street indicates a perversewillingness to avoid fulfilling this minimumrequirement for positive urban design.
There is a need to be decisive in thisarea, to redress the inconsequence of thestreetspace that is the result of distancingso many buildings from Marcon Placesfrontage. The streets primacy needs to be
reestablished.
SPURSTO
WETERRA
CE
MARC
ONPLACE
DALSTO
NLANE
EMPLOYMENTOFFICES
SOCIAL SERVICES
AMHURSTRD
figure 54.1: diagramconcentration of remote entrancesto buildings around Marcon Place
figure 54.3: anti-street buildingsbuildings which do not form or give functional
support to the street - the street is left to chanceunsustained by the involvement of habitations
or workplaces
figure 54.2: street buildingsthey form the street and create a street room
linking public and private space directlyand as part of life of the street
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P R O J E C T S
New work units
approx value
200,000
Refurbishment of disused
Employment offices as part of
"New Deal", forming new work
courtyard off Spurstowe Terrace
approx value of project
300,000
New live-work units
fronting new public
garden with works
access from new work
yard to rear
approx value
500,000
New public garden
approx value
150,000
New way through
approx value
1,500
New car park and access road
for social services
approx value of project
175.000
Refurb of viaduct spaces
approx value/space: 65.000
New cobble finish for
Spurstowe Road
approx value of project
80,000
Special needs housing with
workshops
approx value of project
150.000
figure 55.1
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The cul-de-sacspace held by the imposingmass of Navarino Mansions at the end ofMarcon Place is the spatial climax of thearea. It was not intended but does suggest
that a strong spatial structure can beteased from the existing mess of inconse-quential spaces.
The proposal is to create a new centralspace in Marcon Place. Access to SocialServices - the main building in the area -
would be from this new space whichwould be a new garden. Effectively, the
space establishes a sense of order bymaking a significant new public space inthe middle of the area giving a stronghierarchy. Marcon Place becomes theentry sequence to this space.
The new garden would be formed by flip-ping the large garden at the rear of theSocial Services building to the front. A
new car park would be made for SocialServices at the rear where the main gar-den is now. This would relieve pressure onstreet space. That the new garden wouldstop off the back street link betweenDalston Lane and Amhurst Road wouldalso help traffic management without hin-dering pedestrian or cycle movement.
Other aspects of the proposal include the
refurbishment of vacant space (see thepink tone) and possible new build of live
work accommodation and workspace.The 3-D view shows new live-work
accommodation on the sawmill site. Itwould also be possible to keep thesawmill and polishing shop - both localemployment uses - and still go ahead withMarcon Gardens by maintaining worksaccess via the new car park.
The proposal calls for the refurb of theviaduct spaces that are currently in such a
poor condition on Spurstowe Road. This iswork done in partnership with Rail Trackand promises the possibility of a moredignified work culture taking root in thearea close to the Aspland Estate.
S T R A T E G Y
housinghousing
housing
housing
DALSTONLANE
MARCONPLACE
AMHURSTRO
AD
publicgarden
newcarpark
secivreslaico
s
figure 56.2: concept diagram of proposednew high quality space in middle of Marcon Place area(pink areas show general refurb work)
figures 56.1: plan of proposedred shows new buildpink shows refurb
SPURSTOWERD
SPURSTOWE TER
MARCONGARDENS
NEW
CAR-PARK
AMHUR
ST ROA
D
MARCONPL
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S T R A T E G Y
63 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
figure 57.1: montagenew live-work building forming archway to Rowe Lane
figure 57.2: archway on Narroway figure 57.3: use planRowe Lane / Urswick Road junction marked by newmixed development - see also figure 9.5
The proposal for Rowe Lane is for a newarchway building spanning the lanesopening onto Urswick Road. Part of thebuilding would be built on a derelict pub-lic convenience.
Rowe Lane is a back lane where a fewsmall manufacturing businesses are based.These are in buildings built in the backgardens of large early 19th C houses thatfront Lower Clapton Road. This pattern ofdevelopment is highly opportunistic,organic and suggestive of an activeurban work culture.
A brief might be developed for a new livework building. This combination wouldcomplement the existing small businessculture of Rowe Lane, and build on thetradition of this small street. The combina-tion of home and work activities in thissetting, where work buildings face ontothe backgardens of terraced houses, canalso be seen as fulfilling one theme of thisreport - namely establishing a positiverelationship between the values of the
workplace and the values of the home.
Working backlands are a threatenedurban habitat although one with greatpotential to develop positive and produc-tive relationships between the world of the
home and world of work. Mother Square,Kenmure Yard and Sutton Square are allrecent, large residential developments onbacklands in the study area. The tendency
is for backlands to turn into residentialenclaves or havens. These are placeswhere separation from working life is ide-alised, where residential values are puri-fied of work associations. Hackneysdependence on small business and pro-ductive individuals in the community sug-gests that more thought ought to be givento the role of work in residential areas.
LWRCLAP
TONRD U
RSWICKRD
ROWE LA
figure 57.4: the site - view down Rowe Laneon left - blind side elevation of Urswick Road terraceon right - derelict single storey public convenience
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S T R A T E G Y
Bodney Road is an interesting street whichleads off from Amhurst Road up towardsHackney Downs. On one side, it is linedby the old Pembury Estate. On the other,
by a row of detached Italianate villas dat-ing from the last century.
The villas back onto railway track. AsBodney Road rises towards HackneyDowns, the track becomes buried under-ground and disappears completely by theend of the street. Beyond the railway tracklies the large precinct of Hackney Downs
School which is now closed.
Bodney Road carries the mark of variedand interesting development, including atits southern junction with Amhurst Road,Downs Court, a remarkable block of flats
whose bulk and distinctive design con-tribute greatly to the urban scene.
Opposite the west wall of Downs Court,backing onto the railway, is the near-derelict workshop shown here. The build-ing is in use, notwithstanding its crapulouscondition. All its functions are carried onbehind a high fence to shield the publicstreet from the chaos within. To an extentHackney benefits from the presence oframshackle small businesses such as these.
But there is no reason why this work slum
- if it was a home, its condition wouldcause outrage - should be sited on suchan important corner to such a fine street.
The proposal here shows how the sitemight be redeveloped as a new workbuilding. A new public corner is made bythe new building and a refurbed viaductarch that is concealed by the existingdecrepit building.
Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567 64
figure 58.1: montagenew workspace on corner Bodney Road / Amhurst Roadforming small public space
figure 58.2: existing condition
figure 58.3: location plan
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S T R A T E G Y
The two projects shown here deal withNarroway itself - the very centre ofHackney Central area. Narroway looksafter itself really - its importance does not
need to be asserted because its so wellknown. The projects in this report thusdeal with areas which lie beyond this mostfocal of spaces but which contribute to theidea of the central area.
The first project here is simply an artopportunity involving updating an old
wall sign. The flank wall shown adjacent
(figure 59.2) might be painted by aHackney artist. The southern end ofClarence Road frames a view of this wall.It is therefore an important surface anddeserves thought.
The other project shown is for the junctionbetween Narroway and Kenmure Road -an opening which introduces light and the
idea of a public place along Narrowaysbusy confines.
This space has already received a lot ofattention. The view of the existing space(figure 59.3) shows bollards, benches, abin, bike stands and the large stand sup-porting the CCTV camera. It is noticeablethat all these elements are distinct. Each is,
as it were, introduced as an independent
element of street furniture. The proposalhere asks whether or not a more integrat-ed approach to these items could bemade i.e whether a single unit containing
bench, cycle stands and bins could bemade. Such a unit could be more integrat-ed with the ground increasing its affinity
with building rather than furniture byusing materials such as stone or concrete.
The bay window shown (figure 59.1) is amodification to an overlooking building tohelp inhabit the space (and improve a
dwelling). It is suggested that the CCTVstand is replaced by a less intrusive wayof suspending the CCTV camera over thestreet - a bracket fixed off a buildingfacade as shown.
65 Tom Young Architects 80 Lamble Street London NW5 4AB 0171 267 7567
figure 59.1: montageimprovements to Narroway / Kenmure Road junction
figure 59.2: montage - view from New Pembury EstateNarroway flank wall as art opportunity
figure 59.3: existing conditionNarroway / Kenmure Road junction space
figure 59.4: new street furnitureconcept of integrated furniture
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DATE ORGANISATIONS IN ATTENDANCE
28/5/97 TYA / Groundwork Hackney T.Young / T.Chapple
5/6/97 TYA / Groundwork Hackney / Hackney Planning T.Young / T.Chapple / D.Morrissey
10/6/97 TYA / Groundwork Hackney / Hackney Planning T.Young / T.Chapple / D.Morrissey
10/6/97 TYA / Hackney Arts & Leisure T.Young / L.Goode & C.Jenkinson
13/6/76 TYA / Groundwork Hackney / Hackney Planning T.Young / T.Chapple / D.Morrissey
20/6/76 TYA / Groundwork Hackney / Hackney Planning & Highways T.You