Posts Tagged ‘design’

3.4.7

Plain English Version

The new Park Central housing area with its town size, nice park (Sunset Park) and it’s range of housing is a much more successful housing area, although its design is not very individual. We might need more flexible approaches to design, size, the balance between public and private space and a range of ways that people can buy and rent their homes in the city centre to make mixed city centre communities that can attract a wide range of people.

Original Document

The new Park Central residential quarter with its urban scale, attractive park (Sunset Park) and its range of accommodation is a much more successful residential environment although its design displays a functionality of appearance that does not speak of diversity or individuality. More flexible approaches to design, scale, public/private space and tenure may need to be developed in the city centre to create mixed city centre communities that are capable of attracting a broad range of people.

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4.2.2

Plain English Version

We could change the area along the A38 (Bristol Road) in the city centre quite a lot to make the city centre surroundings better and improve pedestrian and cycle crossing links between the core and the rest of the city centre. If we restructure it, the areas to the west of it could fit in better with the rest of the city centre. We could make Great Charles Street lower, take apart the Suffolk Street viaduct or change its slip road and we could fill in the Holloway Circus underpass. The road would still be important to carry traffic. However, the changes could mean that it can’t cope with as much traffic and this could mean more traffic jams, so we would need to do some testing to find out how this affects accessibility and design.

Original Document

The A38 corridor within the city centre could be radically reconfigured to greatly enhance the city centre environment and improve pedestrian/cycle crossing links between the core and the rest of the city centre. Comprehensive restructuring would enable areas to the west of the corridor to fulfil their full potential as integral parts of the city centre. Lowering Great Charles Street, dismantling the Suffolk Street viaduct or changing its slip road arrangements and filling in the Holloway Circus underpass are all major engineering projects that could be pursued. The road would still retain an important traffic carrying function. However, depending on the extent of the changes to the road infrastructure, capacity could be reduced and this could have an effect on congestion, so any proposals would require modelling to establish the impact on accessibility and design.

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4.7.4

Plain English Version

Birmingham can also make bus travel in the city centre better, make more people want to use it, improve what people think of it and set a new standard for town travel. One idea is to look for good partnerships. Another is to encourage better vehicles and physical facilities, computer systems and customer facilities to develop one of the best public transport systems in Europe (the ‘Birmingham Bus’ idea). To do this, we could work with vehicle makers, universities, product designers and others, especially those based in the region.

Original Document

In addition to the options identified above, Birmingham can take the opportunity represented by the Big City Plan to launch an initiative to transform the quality, attractiveness and dignity of bus travel in the city and set a new benchmark for urban transit. One approach is the pursuit of quality partnerships. Another is to encourage further improvements in hardware and software and customer facilities to develop a truly leading European public transport brand (the ‘Birmingham Bus’ concept). This could be pursued with participation from vehicle manufacturers, educational establishments, product designers and others, especially those based in the region.

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Authenticity

Plain English Version

We think that Birmingham must remember its roots and history while planning for the future, and concentrate on acheiving excellent design quality and a feeling that it is unique right across the city centre.

Original Document

Birmingham needs to find expressions of the future that reflect its roots and history and concentrate on achieving excellent design quality and a sense of unique place right across the city centre.

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Create local

Plain English Version

We think that Birmingham should be a centre for creative industries (such as art, design, and publishing) that is just as good as other cities.

Original Document

Birmingham should become the focus for creative industries to rival those in other cities.

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Question COM4

Plain English Version

How can new design help make housing better to help more people live in the city centre and raise their families?

Original Document

What innovative design approaches to homes and the home environment could be developed to enable more people to live in the city centre and stay and grow their families?

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Question CON1

Plain English Version

How should we manage moving more people around the city, bearing in mind our aims of promoting modes of transport other than car and cutting carbon emissions? How can we manage access to the city centre for delivery and service vehicles? How can we use technology and new design to help deliveries to all types of buildings?

Original Document

How should we manage the anticipated growth in people movement, both “natural” growth and growth from new development, bearing in mind the objective of promoting non-car modes and reducing carbon emissions? How can future demands for delivery and service vehicle access to the city centre best be managed? What technological and design innovations could help facilitate deliveries to all types of premises?

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