Letchworth Garden City Collaborate Group Project: Visit to Letchworth Garden City

Today, 11th October, we visited Letchworth Garden City. David Ames, of the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation held a talk for all students in the fabulous Broadway Cinema in Letchworth. Thank you, David, this was very informative and a great kickstart to the project! Thanks also to Jason and his team at Broadway Cinema for accommodating us today.

After the talk, students spent the afternoon getting familiar with the town centre; particularly The Wynd area and The Arcade - as these are key areas where improvement is needed.

The Wynd

Broadway Cinema

The Arcade

The Broadway Cinema

Note taking

Arcade mapping snap shot

Tutorials were held on Polly's fabulous Camper Van - the rain outside seemed very far away.

Polly

Views of Letchworth:

In the antiques shop/The Wynd Heidi and Erica

The Spirella Corset Exhibition/Letchworth Garden City Museum

The findings from the visit, together with clear ideas and intentions will be presented on Tuesday 16th October at 1pm int he Studio at UH.

NEW PROJECT START 4-10-12

This semester, we are working on a cross level (4-5-6) live, collaborate group project with Letchworth Heritage Association.

The project was set 4th October 2012 and the groups have been working on research and creating a historical timeline and gathering background information.

Level 4 are working on historical timelines in the C&CS sessions with Polly and in studio.

Levels 5 and 6 are working on the ideas about re-using existing space for a new purpose/new technologies in design, sustainable matters and self reflection/decision making in design projects.

Together, all levels within each group will come up with a clear, well researched proposal for concept designs for an area in Letchworth Garden City town centre. This must have a positive impact on the local community and their needs - and also allow for visitors to enjoy and return to a thriving and innovative town centre.

Also on Studynet:

Dear all,

Today was a good day on site in Letchworth - make the most of the information David Ames gave you in his very informative and inspiring talk - and your own discoveries in Letchworth - give your response to the site and initial concept ideas.

PREPARE FOR PRESENTATIONS - Tue 16th Oct 1pm - group presentation - plan responsibilities for all group members. You need to start this now and continue until Tuesday.

PLEASE NOTE - Monday is set aside for self managed group work - You can use the studio. Your next feedback point is Tuesday at the presentations. Each group co-ordinator is in charge of this operation and that work is delegated and carried out as required. Logbooks are acting as registers and need to be kept up to date each day.

AT PRESENTATIONS YOU NEED TO SHOW:

1. Clear ideas and intentions -

a) response to the site - what you thought - found - heard - did (interviews, video, etc) ...

b) how you intend to take this further

2. A pdf slideshow - containing initial ideas and intentions for the next stage. Design and development process to date.

Be prepared to answer questions about your response and initial proposal ideas / know what you present:

(- How are you going to develop this? - What inspired you? - Background knowledge/research/evidence?

- What are the issues you are looking at/making better? Why? How?..)

3. Sketch development - ideas from research, site analysis; photos, sketchbooks, timeline draft - THIS CAN BE IN PAPER COPY/Sketchbooks.

Good luck and see you then. Technology sessions as usual Friday.

Heidi

USEFUL LINKS:

http://www.gardencitymuseum.org

http://www.gardencitymuseum.org/about_us/news/2012/mapping_memories

http://www.north-herts.gov.uk/letchworth_museum_and_art_gallery.htm

http://www.tcpa.org.uk Town and Country Planning Association

http://www.architecture.com/HowWeBuiltBritain/HistoricalPeriods/TwentiethCentury/GardenCityMovement/Introduction.aspx (RIBA link)

http://www.letchworthgc.com

C&CS Brief LEVEL 4 ONLY (Polly's C&CS sessions - this is also in the C&CS Module on Studynet):

PROJECT BRIEF

UNIVERSITY OF HERTFORDSHIRE – IAD Level 4/5/6 Date: October 2012 Semester A - Brief 1 2012/13
Design Studio 1, 3, 5 – The Wynd / Letchworth Garden City

Live Collaborative Group Project
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Project Duration: wk 2-64CTA1021 Design Studio 1: Anatomy of Space
5CTA1041 Design Studio 3: Close Up 6CTA10 Design Studio 5: Generator Credits: 15Weight: 20%
Tutors: Heidi Saarinen, Erica Liu, Polly Palmer

“Letchworth is the world’s first Garden City, created as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century. Based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard as published in his book of 1898 “Tomorrow: A Peaceful Path to Reform”. Letchworth Garden City inspired town planning across the globe”.
“Planned to combine the best of ‘town and country’ living, Letchworth Garden City offers something quite different, a unique heritage and some interesting places to explore.   From The Spirella Building to The Cloisters, you’ll be fascinated by the range of architecture, from Arts and Crafts to Art Deco”.
Source: www.letchworth.com

Letchworth Museum/H Saarinen

Themes* Level 4 – Investigate people’s relationship to objects and spaces, both existing and proposed
Level 5 – Understanding of interior architecture as the detailed transformation of an existing built fabric and its occupation
Level 6 – Demonstrate knowledge of current developments in the field of interior/spatial design, including sustainable design

To kick start the year, this cross-level (4/5/6) group project will explore concepts and re-thinking of the use of space in Letchworth Garden City, particularly in and around The Wynd. We will be working with the Letchworth Heritage Foundation, with an outcome to produce concept ideas for improvement of use and visibility of spaces in the town centre. Letchworth Heritage Foundation are working on real changes to take place in the area, and you will be part of that process, through this investigative study and group concept proposals. The project will work at micro/macro levels on and off site, taking into consideration cross-level skills and requirements.

Working in allocated groups, with set roles and tasks for each student/level of study, you will manage your time and team working, and produce carefully considered and researched concept proposals. A selection of successful teams will get the opportunity to take part in a student group competition.

The project will start with a visit to Letchworth Garden City. You will be working on specific guidelines for research and investigation at your level of study. As you are working across all three levels, it is very important that you show evidence of the design and team working process. You are required to keep a regular logbook of the teamwork and design development. As a team, you are responsible for making sure the team works effectively and professionally at all times.

The Arcade/ H Saarinen

Project Schedule

Studio Days: Mon-Tue-Thu

Week 1

AB145

Thu 4th Oct:

am: Project set / allocation of groups

pm: Research task / Group meetings / contact details / group members’ responsibilities, weekly activity group logbook set up, agreements.

Week 2

Mon-9th – Tue 10th Oct

Group meetings / research task. Deadlines for responsibilities/action plan. Development of research document.

Thu 11th Oct – site visit Letchworth Garden City

am: Client presentation by David Ames, Letchworth Heritage Association / Q&A Location: The Broadway Cinema, Letchworth (meet at Broadway Cinema 10.30) pm: Complete site study; mapping, recording and interacting.

Week 3

Mon 15th Oct

Group meetings and development of work.

Tue 16th- Thu 18th Oct

Group presentations from site visit. Research task, work in progress; ideas, intentions for set themes*.

Studio group work – project developments. Tutorials.

Week 4

Mon 22/10 Studio 11am all groups – design development and realisation / research document / tutorials, talk.

Tue 23/10 Studio – development of ideas in groups, group tutorials

Week 5

Mon 29/10 and Tue 30/10 Design developments - Tue pm: interim presentations

Mon 5th Nov Group Presentations / Final critique. Project Submission.