May 11th (afternoon)

Karol lead a workshop on photoshop teaching how to merge photos, taken on site this morning, into a collage of elevations. These will then be sketched over to illustrate conceptual proposals and used as part of the presentation to our client next week.

May 16th (afternoon)

The group's conceptual images are being finished off and added into the presentation. These images use perspective photos taken on our site visit to Chorlton earlier this week. They've been drawn over to show specifically how interventions could operate in context. This has been a fun process of getting our ideas across in colourful and abstract ways!!

Answering our brief

Working through the brief set by Alan, and Chorlton Traders Association, we established the following outputs that have been completed throughout our action weeks:

1. Research into meanwhile use.
2. A roadmap for implementation of meanwhile use in Chorlton.
3. A measured survey of an existing premises in Chorlton.
4. Provide examples of potential proposals in Chorlton, using precedents of similar project that have been successfully implemented elsewhere.
5. A culmination of all this research and design proposals into a presentation.

Output: Research and a roadmap for implementation

As part of our research into meanwhile use, we have come up with a suggested timeline of implementation that looks at the timeframes that meanwhile uses (generally) and our proposals (specifically) could be completed by. The colour scheme of this timeline correlates with our final output model to show how the interventions of different timescales can be implemented along the high street.

Immediate interventions could include the shutter front murals and displays of local artwork in vacant shop windows as these are low cost solutions that can be implemented straight way.

Short-term interventions could include installations at the entrances to the precincts designed to entice visitors into the space and increase footfall for the existing businesses and meanwhile use installations. These solutions are also low cost and quickly implemented, but may require slightly more planning and permission.

Medium-term interventions could include renovating the vacant Thomas Cook unit or installations within the precinct itself. These solutions can transform already vacant spaces that don’t require change of use planning permission and may be best suited to single shop units and/or external interventions.

Long-term interventions could be to look at how to bring the vacant Systems Plus office back into temporary use as this would require a much larger level of intervention, planning and preparation.

Output: Immediate intervention concept visual

Over the two-weeks the team of BA students have been putting together photoshop visuals of design proposals over images of Chorlton taken on our site visits. These conceptual images played a key role in the presentation, allowing us to explain and show how different types of meanwhile use interventions could be implemented across a range of different sites.

Designed to combat the number of closed properties along the high street (either vacant units or bars/restaurants that are close during the day), Joe’s visual shows how shutter murals can be implemented. The colourful designs represent the function of the interior spaces.

Output: Short-term intervention concept visual

Jiacheng’s visual identifies one of the 3 entrances to the Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre and uses Fred Aldous’ artist residency by Marcus Method as a precedent for brightly coloured murals to highlight the entrance within the carpark. These colours could also be spread up the vacant office block above, by colouring the empty windows, similar to the regeneration scheme in Park Hill flats, Sheffield.

Output: Medium-term intervention concept visual

Ellie’s visual depicts a adaptable and versatile community hub that can be used as a catalyst for meanwhile use in Chorlton by providing space to engage with the local community. Located on one of the 3 entrances to the Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre, and along the Wilbraham Road high street, it marks the principal entrance to the precinct. Using the Living Room Library (by Jan Kattein Architects) and street painting in Vercorin (by Lang/Bauman) as precedents, this design proposal, suggests blurring boundaries between public street and interior spaces to encourage relationships between this hub, other meanwhile uses around Chorlton, and activities carried out within the local community.

Output: Final presentation
May 18th (Evening)

Our action weeks culminated in a presentation, held in Chorlton Central Church, and attended by local Chorlton councillors. The MArch team and De-Winton presented back our research and design proposals. We ended the event with a conversation around the model, using it to establish key areas for meanwhile use and discuss the current development plans for the precinct with the councillors present. It was an enlightening and engaging meeting, and felt positive to share our research with people who can make real difference in the local community.