"Being able to fully participate in the redesign, working with artists and architects has given the residents a proper say in what will happen and has allowed our knowledge and ideas for the area to come to the fore. I feel proud of the results and look forward to seeing it built"
Angie Passingham, resident of Ringcross Estate and Chair of the Ringcross Tenants Association
Arsenal Regeneration - Homezone
Client and Partners: London Borough of Islington, METAL, Arsenal Regeneration Team, Newlon Housing and Hyde Housing Association. Designed in collaboration with artist Nayan Kulkarni
Size: 1600sqm homezone street
Current Stage: Detailed scheme design, on site Spring 2008
Cost: Estimated £200,000
The design of the homezone and linked open space was developed through the involvement of local residents from the Ringcross Estate, and school children from the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School in nearby Georges Road.
civic were appointed to design a 100m long ‘Homezone’ between an existing Council owned residential estate and newly proposed homes for shared ownership.
Meetings with local residents, schoolchildren and local community representatives led to the development of a 'demand-led' design brief for the new streetscape. The resulting design mapped out a large patterned surface that is shared between the two adjoining landowners and which accommodates play and pedestrian access with priority over vehicles.
above: Initial design sessions with the residents established a detailed awareness of the site-constraints and pre-existing development proposals before the design work was inlayed
left: Aerial view of computer game 'base model' used to sharpen residents sensitivity to spatial issues
above (top and bottom): Bird's eye views of computer 'base model'