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| Intervention 01: Public square and new thoroughfares |
Lace Market, the historical quarter of Nottingham, has a canyon-like character in its physical setting with tightly knit tall former-warehouses - the rare exposed spaces within the area give a sense of relief from somewhat claustrophobic everyday life for users of the area. With majority of them being occupied by private car parks, this sort of opportunity is limited.
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| Site as existing - lower level car park |
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| Site as existing - upper level car park |
By partially adapting two existing car parks that are disconnected to each other in two levels into a small square with ancillary 'urban furniture' pieces, the intervention intends to transform the space into a significant public place for both the users of the Lace Market and of Nottingham, the city.
From a seemingly mundane urban area, the new spaces will stimulate observers to start realising the archaic beauty in weathering materiality seen in many of the former warehouses and view the urban landscape from different perspectives. The new square that has a close relationship with the Lace Market Theatre will hold activities that over time will become familiar to Nottingham users as authentic characters of the city.
In essence, the architectural adjustments on this site will reveal this previously unnoticed urban interior and enable people to navigate through Lace Market in new ways. The contrast between the existing characters and the contemporary language of intervention pieces will give new meanings and intent to the decaying fabric of the city.
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| Long section through site - Concrete buttresses and proscenium tower |
New Architectural Elements on Site
1. Concrete buttress structure and connection ramp
2. Proscenium tower and urban lift
3. Public square and audience seating
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