Technical and Theoretical Report: Royal Victoria Square.

LD 2004 STREETLIFE Simon Lapinski K0637991

Contents.

1. Site location and Accessibility.2-3. History of Royal Victoria Square.

Chapter One. Outline of project site.4. Project detail.5. Surrounding developments.

Chapter Two. Technical appraisal.7. Plan of Royal Victoria Square.

8-9. Material and plant use.10 Sectional elevation of Royal Victoria Square.11. Construction details.12. Sectional elevation.13. Construction detail.14. Operation15. Evening experience.

Chapter Three. Theoretical appraisal.16-18. Theoretical appraisal.19. Summary.20. Bibliography.

6. Related developments.

Site location and Accessibility

Map of East London and River Thames. Map of postcode E14, home of Royal Victoria Square.

Site location of Royal Victoria docks.

Site location of Royal Victoria Square.

Accessibility.

1. Custom’s House, Docklands light railway.

2. A13 for vehicular transport.

3. London City Airport.

4. Pedestrian footbridge linking with Silvertown, the southern portion of docks.

Site and accessibility 1

History of Royal Victoria Square.• Victoria Dock built east of Bow Creek on Plaistow Marshes.

• Dock owes origin to necessity to accommodate larger steam vessals.

• Work on original 90 acre site started in 1850 and opened in 1885 by Prince Albert.

• Soil excavated used to consolidate Battersea Park, which opened in 1859.

• Did not become Royal until opening of Royal Albert Dock in 1880.

• First dock to be directly linked to national rail system(North Woolich Railway).

• 1888 site became finger dock with adjacent piers where ships were birthed and unloaded their cargo.

• Original five finger docks 166m long.

• Replaced by monolith quay in 1937, delayed by WW II and completed in 1944.

• Dock flourished in 1960’s, being the worlds most modern dock facility. Figures during peak.

1. 11 miles of quays.

2. Total area of 1056 acres(826 land+230water).

3. 12 million tonnes of cargo per annum.

4. 3000 deep sea ships birthed per year.

5. 35000 people employed associated to dock.

Plan of Victoria docks

1885.

Sketch of construction works of Victoria docks 1884.

Sketch of two battleships moored in Victoria dock.

Plan after constructi

on of Finger docks 1887.

History 2

History of Royal Victoria Square.• Main goods of dock.1. Meat from South America.

2. Tobacco from North America.

3. Fruit(oranges and bananas) from South Africa.

• Decline of Royal Victoria docks result of containerisation in late 70’s and changes in patterns of world trade.

• 1981 closure of Royal docks announced.

• 1985 Royal docks passed to London docklands corporation.

• Handed to English partnerships in 1998, until 200 when current owners London Development Agency took over.

• EDAW commissioned to design and manage Royal Victoria Square.

• Construction completed November 2000.

Above shows lives of 20m high dock cranes.

Above Royal Victoria dock then and now.

Monolith quay completed in 1944.Front and sectional elevation of Monolith quay.

History 3

Project details

Client

• London Development Agency Project team•Lead consultant and designer: EDAW

• Structural engineer: Aspen Burrow Croker

• Mechanical & electrical engineer: Aspen Burrow Croker

• Architect: Patel Taylor Architects

• Quantity surveyor: Tweeds

• Planning supervisor: Aspen Burrow Croker

• Contractor: Fitzpatrick ContractorsSite information• 1.6Ha site

• Two Grade II-listed warehouses

• Four 20m dock cranesBudget• £3.5millionContract/programme/phasing• Tender process: Two-stage European-wide competitive tender

• Construction Period: 11 months

• Design Commencement: 1996

• Project Completion: December 2000

Brief

• Provide high quality, innovatively designed public square to provide setting for existing warehouses.

• Square to extend to dock waterfront, including existing cranes and incorporating footbridge landing.

• Square ensure continuous accessibility to new and existing uses.

• Provide setting for future developments.

• Square to function as arrival and exhibition space for Excel Centre.

Use of cranes within

scheme.

Incorporation of W warehouse.

Patel Taylor’s canopies.

Outline of project site 4

Surrounding developments

A

BC

D

F

C

HI

Plan of developments around Royal Victoria Square. Scale 1:1000

A and D are warehouses K and W respectively, constructed in 1888 and currently used as office space and restaurants.

A

B Leap frog day nursery constructed in 2005.

E

G

C Electrical sub stations constructed 2002.

E Glass extension to W warehouse constructed in 2005. Currently occupied by Frank Mcknight.

G Pedestrian footbridge.

H Novotel hotel constructed 2002.

I Apartments constructed in 2004.

Legend

Outline of project 5

Related developments

1. London Development Agencies flagship schemes.

• Thames barrier Park.

• Urban Village.

• Royal Victoria Square.

Thames Barrier Park.

Outline of project 6

Plan of Royal Victoria Square

Legend

Buff paving blocksRed reconstituted paving

Quartz pavingGranite paving

Trees

Water

Decking

Granite paving

Concrete fins and cranes

Cobbles

Edging stone

Lawn

Canopy

Steel deck

Scale 1:1000

0m 10m 20m 40m

North

Technical appraisal 7

Materials and Plant useA. Surface materials.

240mm & 160mm x 160mm buff block pavers.

Loose sand based gravel.

300mm,500mm, 700mm x 500mm course granite pavers.

1.5m x 1.5m white reconstituted edging stones.

200mm and 400mm x 800mm and 600mm black quartz pavers.

450mm x 450mm red course reconstituted pavers.

100mm x100mm grey granite setts.

150mm wide timber decking boards.

1m x 1m steel grid deck.

1.5m x 1m smooth pre-cast concrete dock edging blocks.

C. Details.

100mm strip of gravel with 60mm granite edging.

60mm granite edging dividing lawn and granite pavers.

100mm x 100mm Oxidsed steel drainage channel.

B. Signage.

Fishing restrictions.

Informative.

Directional.

Street sign. Warning. Water source.

Stainless steel lettering in white reconstituted edging.

D. Drainage.

160mm grilled ACO drain.

21x 5mm drainage holes for water jets.

10mm drainage joints around water jets.

Slotted ACO drain and inspection cover.

E. Lighting.

300mm x 300mm two facet path lights.

250mm x 250mm eyelid light.

300mm x 300mm grilled uplighter.

4m high single black lamp post.

4m high silver single lamp post.

1.2m bollard light.

300mm x 150mm caged light.

Electrical sub-station.

Technical appraisal 8

Materials and Plant use

F. Street furniture

1.2m x 500mm waste bins.

4m x 380mm timber slatted benches with 3 x steel supports.

Mooring post.

3.7m x 500mm timber slatted benches with back support.

1.2m steel grey powdered coloured bollards.

Water buoys. 14m x 550mm x 340mm white course granite clad benches.

G. Planting

Fagus sylvatica ‘common beech’.

Betula pendula ‘silver birch’.

Turf.

H. Railings and vertical surfaces.

1.2m x 70mm iron black powder coated dock bank railings and chain.

1.1m high grey powder coated 20mm grilled railings with timber hand rail.

Technical appraisal 9

Sectional elevations and construction details

Plan elevation of Royal

Victoria Square depicting

Section A-A.

A A1. Sectional elevation A-A.

Novotel Hotel

W warehouse

Excel Centre

Canopy

Lawn square

B BC C

Bosque

Section

Section

View of Eastern canopy and brise soleil

Image of 105 Fagus

sylvatica which make

up the western

triangular bosque

Technical appraisal 10

Construction details

B-B C-C

Surface materials

50mm Granite paving

50mm mortar bed200mm compacted MOT type oneConcrete footings

Surface materials

50mm gravel bed50mm paving blocks50mm mortar bed200mm compacted MOT type oneConcrete footings

Fagus sylvatica

Slotted drainage channel

Gravel bed

60mm granite edging

2. Section C-C1. Section B-B

4.5m high Black concrete fin.

Canopy and brise soleil

150mm wide powder coated support columns

1.2m high powder coated balustrade

Slotted drainage channel

•1m brise soleil fixed to canopy to provide extra cover from the sun.

•Names of past ships cut into edge.

• Passing sun creating shadows on granite paving.

0m

2.5m 5m

Technical appraisal 11

Sectional elevation of Royal Victoria SquareD

D1. Section D-D

Dock watersPool

Kinetic wands

warehouse W

Steel deck

Dock crane

Western canopy

Quay side

Lawn square

E E F F

View of pool in front of warehouse W.

Detail of steps up from lawn square.

Technical appraisal 12

Construction details

E

E

F

F

Surface materials

40mm Quartz paving50mm granite paving50mm mortar bed

200mm MOT type1Gravel layerConcrete footings

Surface materials

Granite

Conc. fins

Mortar

MOT type1

Supporting structureTurf

1. Section E-E. 2. Section F-F

Black concrete fins

Supporting powder coated steel framework.

4x150mm steps

3.7m timber slatted bench

Grass square

Kinetic wands

Pool

1.2m timber and steel powder coated balustrading

Granite seating

Reinforced brick retaining wall

Image of Kinetic wands and water jets.

Details of the four steps that lead down to lawn square.

0m 2.5m

5m 10m

Technical appraisal 13

Operation: Drainage, lighting, management and maintenance

1. Drainage. Legend

Slotted drainGrilled drain

Corten steel drainage channel

Water jet drainage

Direction of fall

2. Lighting Legend

Balustrade lightingFacet ground lighting4m lamp posts

Canopy uplightersStep lights

Terrace uplighters

Water jet lights3. Management and

maintenance

• Excel Centre responsible for the operation and maintenance of Royal Victoria Square.

• Present condition could be improved.1. Kinetic wands gone.

2. Re- pointing of paving units.

3. Broken slabs.

4. Leaking canopy.

5. Cigarette butts.

Overall condition of square after eight years is good, a testament to the durability of selected material and level of workmanship in their installation. Current issues I believe are wear and tear and slack cleaning of site.

High maintenance wands removed.

Cigarette butts in drainage channel

Leaking canopy.

Re-pointing needed. Broken slabs.

Technical appraisal 14

Evening experience

View of Lifshutz Davidson’s footbridge from Royal Victoria Square.

Ceremonial route at night. Illuminated water jets, Kinetic wands.

Terraces recessed uplighters reveal

expanse of canopy.

Technical appraisal 15

Theoretical appraisalDesign process• Site unconstrained by surrounding developments.

• Designer to decide scale and form of enclosure.

• Historical references unlock design process.

• Composition between warehouse and cranes to create square.

• East and west borders defined by discovery of finger dock.

• Northern edge ceremonial route to Excel center/Docklands Light Railway.

• Southern frame of walkway and steel deck.

• Contrast of triangular Bosque.

1. Finger dock.

large copping turn into square to illustrate former use as finger dock

1.5mx1.5m concrete copping running length of square.

Subtle reminder in design detail of historical past.

Plan of finger dock 1888.

Corten steel for drainage channel reflecting sites former industrial use.

Squares grass plane to express past expanse of water and inclined towards dock to expose edge and provide seating along copping.

Plan of site.

Theoretical appraisal 16

Theoretical appraisal

2. East and West borders

Cantilevered canopy supported by black fins to reflect dock cranes.

Steel supporting columns at angles suggesting masts of former ships.

Benches between fins provide place to relax and enjoy views

Canopies complete enclosure of square.

3. Northern ceremonial route

• Historic warehouse as backdrop.

• Focus on route between excel centre/Docklands light Railway and Hotels/apartments.

• Water jets and kinetic wands create experiences for visitors along walkway.

Water jets and kinetic wands which bind elements during the day.

Ceremonial route illuminated at night.

View of route towards Excel centre. Granite seating provides rest and views.

Theoretical appraisal 17

Theoretical appraisal

4. Southern walkway and steel deck.

• Steel deck contrast with stone edged dock.

• Cantilevered over dock waters, visitors can connect with defining element.

• Dark quartz paving provides a visual link into dock waters.

Cantilevered steel deck extends 2m from dock edge.

Steel grids of deck surface bordered by powder-coated grey monolith balustrade and railings.

Dark grey quartz paving.

Dock waters through steel deck.

5. Triangular Bosque.

• After thought.

• Create sense of mass to counter Excel Centre.

• Softer colours and type of material to contrast with main square.

Surface materials of pavers, cobbles, block pavers and gravel

Rows of trees divided by paths.

Aerial view of Bosque from steps of Excel Centre.

Theoretical appraisal 18

Summery Theoretical appraisal 19

• Scheme works effectively linking industrial past to regeneration area.

• Well built, lasted the test of time.

• Highlight amongst some assorted ill-related developments.

• Created an oasis of calm and tranquility for residents from commercial developments.

• LDA objective to create catalyst for rejuvenation of Royal docks a success.

• Proof high quality, multi-functional public realms can prompt establishment of new urban regions.

BibliographyBibliography 20

Websites.

• www.cabe.org.uk

• www.edaw.com

• www.maps.google.co.uk

• www.architectureweek.com

Journals.

• Landscape, Journal of the Landscape Institute. July 2004.

• Urban squares, Topos Edition.

Institutes.

• Sainsbury Study Centre, archives at the Museum in Docklands. Supplied historical sketches, maps and referencing.