Access Theme

Stepping Stone 4 adds layers to the High Street. Like the other visions, we wanted to use CoLab Dudley’s principles ‘use nature as a guidebook’ and ‘create conditions for curiosity and experimentation’. The main way we proposed to do this was adding a green canopy to provide shelter, create a hybrid indoor outdoor space welcoming to families and a more communal open space, and support ecosystems.

Drawing Map Food Nature Growing Plantlife Unused Ownership Access Agency Stillness Shelter Lingering Invitations Imagination Interacting Actions Change Health Colour Curiosity Consumption Commerce Community Care Economics Fairness Future Layer Life People Potential Opportunity Emotion

This visual represents Dudley High Street re-imagined; a new vision of a re-wilded, food-centric town centre. The green canopy will begin as a frame that will encourage the growth of plants. Smaller scale units will be integrated at the start and build towards the final vision.

Collage Imagining Abundance Access Big Things Change Food Future Growing High Imagination Layer Life Lingering Material Nature Opportunity People Plantlife Potential Regenerative Relaxing Shelter Sustainable Views

These are stepping stones that we wanted to achieve, with a scale of intervention, starting with small changes that could still have a big impact e.g. street furniture. At the other end of the scale is topography, where larger adaptations can be made for what we want to achieve.

Collage Imagining Drawing Access Actions Agency Care Control Future Growing Imagination Layer Nature Opportunity Ownership People Plantlife Potential Shelter Unused

Here's some stuff in a locked yard (that just happened to be open) down Wolverhampton Street. There are what look like two chapels in there.

Photo Access Architecture Boundaries Broken Care Chance Craft Curiosity Decay Exposed Hiding Material Old Overlooked Opportunity Ownership Past Shelter Unfamiliar Weathered

This gift represents the green spaces around CoLab Dudley and the connections they have to the high street. The black point marks the location of the High Street and the other pins mark each green space within the High Street’s immediate location. The lines act as a travel route that you may take in order to get from one green space to another. From this we can establish that there is a lack of greenery in some spaces. This then impacts the High Street as people do not need to use it as a travel route. By simply creating more of these green spaces like in the top right it will add more connections to the High Street which will draw more people to this particular location.

Model Connection Gift Interacting Invitations Missing Access Change Future Imagination Moving Nature Pattern People Potential Plantlife Colour Making

My gift was created to highlight the importance of connections to Dudley high street through the use of transportation which is key to encouraging people to come and use the high street. The jigsaw shows a map of Dudley with the different types of transport and was made from paper and card.

Other visual delight Access Connection Material Making Vehicle Transport People Kindness Gift

The first step is sectioning out for pedestrianisation. It was important that we did this so we can move down the intervention scale to the next stepping stone; laying the foundation for social and ecological benefits. The hierarchy of space is very much dedicated to cars right now. If you design for cars, you’re going to get more cars. If you design for people, you’re going to get more people. According to Just Economics, the footfall can increase by about 40% following pedestrianisation, and retail follows suit with about 30% increase in sales.

Map Drawing Imagining Change Access Future Imagination Moving Opportunity People Potential Safety Traffic Transport Vehicle

LAYERS TO THE HIGH STREET - To introduce covered, sheltered areas on the high street. Making the high street welcoming for the entire family and adding topographical value to the high street that is visually interesting. Adding another layer to the high street that will encourage exploring spaces for children as well as adults.

Collage Imagining Access Aesthetic Beauty Big Things Change Curiosity Future High Imagination Invitations Layer Opportunity People Potential Shelter

By placing a community garden in this space space you can learn how to plant food and it will lead to more edible spaces on the High Street that will then lead to the re-wilding of Dudley.

Collage Drawing Imagining Abundance Access Architecture Care Change Community Creativity Creatures Culture Curiosity Food Future Growing Imagination Invitations Learning Life Lingering Nature Opportunity People Plantlife Potential Regenerative Relaxing