Driving Investment in nottingham through quality design and great place-making
Officials impressed by architecture students' vision for disused site
11 November 2009
Working in groups, the students have put forward a variety of residential schemes which they feel best-complement the former Westbury School site in Basford, and the surrounding area. The project forms part of Design 09, an initiative run by Nottingham City Council and representatives from the private sector, which aims to raise interest or investment in redevelopment. The students' ideas, shown through detailed 3D models, videos and drawings, could even be considered when the site undergoes redevelopment.
One of the groups envisaged an environmentally friendly, self-sustaining community, with residential properties including rainwater collection systems and green roofs - made from vegetation and soil - to provide natural insulation. The focal point of their design was a central allotment area with a plot for each of the properties capable of yielding enough fruit and vegetables for themselves and their family, and the local community.
The group considered various opportunities for local people to utilise the allotments - including schemes for young people and school visits - and had even proposed a planting and harvesting timetable suggesting the most appropriate crops.
Another group proposed the ‘Westbury Field' residential development, which they termed as ‘a scheme which adapts to the needs of the constantly changing dynamics of a contemporary family'. Their development comprised three types of houses for families, couples and single occupancy and even came with an expansion option, as the properties for couples and families could be combined to create a five bedroom family unit.
The development also included a number of green spaces to create community feeling rentable office spaces, and used local materials and stone.
Councillor Alan Clark, Nottingham City Council's Portfolio holder for Neighbourhood Regeneration, said: "The student proposals were incredibly inventive, reflecting how families, communities and buildings may well function in the future. Design 09 is a public/private campaign with the aim of raising the standard and awareness of design. One of the priorities this year is to help develop smaller vacant sites that, if left undeveloped, can blight our neighbourhoods. The Westbury School site is a good start to the collaborative process between both our universities, architects and the city council in developing design briefs and master plans to help developers get an idea of the sort of proposals we are looking for in Nottingham."
Raymond Quek, Programme Leader for Architecture in Nottingham Trent University's School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, said: ""This project demonstrates the engagement with regional communities, which is part of the ethos of Nottingham Trent University's architecture programme. It was a remarkable achievement on the part of the students."