Germ of a Design Idea for North Place

 Germ of a Design Idea for North Place.  Equus, a place of international welcome and dining, allied to provision for Cheltenham festivals but enriching the town all year long.

I thought I would follow on from the previous blog post by relating the germ of my idea to 1) Contextual  2) Relevant  3)Working with and respecting nature.

1) The context is a current car park site considered for development, situated within the one way transport system. Some interesting architecture exists.  Victorian listed church, Holy Trinity blends with the other sandy coloured buildings on the other side of the car park.  There are three Cotswold stone type buildings that continue that theme grouped together, North place chapel and the two buildings next to it.  The North Place chapel is also listed and has impressive pillars.  It has arched windows which are a bit simpler than the more stylised arched windows of Holy Trinity. (Holy Trinity's windows are the same as at Francis Close Hall and look Gothic) I want to implement (in my new proposed building) the more simple arched windows from North Place chapel (aka Portland Place chapel) which still connect well to the shape of the ones at Holy Trinity, which will appear as a backdrop but the view of the church will not be obscured.  They will be large enough to look onto planted large window boxes with upright and trailing plants. My new building will act as a cafe, restaurant, bar and will raised off the ground and form a first floor but not a particularly high building (no ground floor) as I wish to respect windows at level two of the white building at the far end of the North Place car park ie diagonally across the space from North Place chapel and the buildings connecting to it.  This will also mean that upstairs in the houses, as the new restaurant/cafe is not too tall, their view will not be obscured across the current car park. As well as the simple arched windows of North Place chapel, the sandy stone and the pillars will be used to translate that design across to the new building.  Again this will all blend in well with Holy Trinity in the background.  Pillars will also be thematic as the name of the space will be Equus. A Latin name and a new building with Roman pillars that reflect those already in existence at North Place chapel.  The current entrance and exit routes to the space can stay. Unless traffic considerations have altered since they were designated.

It is interesting to note that the well executed refurbishment of the former Dowty House celebrated the lovely red brick and cream stone and black railings but a new part was done in grey which lines up with the large grey looking building next door.  My inspiration will equally draw out and extend elements of architecture currently found but will be creamy/sandy and replicate pillars and arched windows across the space.

2) Relevant - what is needed in the area.  More greenery would help break up the bleakness that car parks and several high  rise  buildings give off. The new building (restaurant/cafe) will have a roof garden and green walls which will be expressed as the Spanish architect did by planting balconies outside the windows. It will specialise in non alcoholic beverages which have greatly improved. It will be in the shape of a T.  The head of the T will look towards the Brewery.  The Head of the T will have short ends slanting from it either side.  Those parts of the T will have their own access/exit so two different entrance/exits.  This will assist for VIP dining and for those who need a quiet space eg autistic or people with dementia coming with carers. Business people wanting privacy.  May rent out that small space if necessary.  Seat up to 12 in each sloped bit of head of the T. Idea is fairly small intimate gatherings. For conferences a bigger venue is needed. People will be dining and drinking in the head of the T.  The body of the T will be for coffee and cakes and seat 40 and have its own entrance, exit. A third entrance/exit is for the main part of the head of the T. The new building does not obscure the view of the church as stated. The site will have three components, firstly the cafe/restaurant, secondly a sculpture of a black horse (Equus), large and in the ground, like the white horses found chalked on  hillsides.  Probably made from Welsh slate.  Paved and planted around.  Materiality - interesting and varied paving, black and white theme. The horse is standing on its hindlegs, hooves raised (whilst being of course flat or possibly three inches off the ground).  Think of Lloyds bank black horse.  It is a nod to Cheltenham's standing as a centre for race horse events.  It is placed on the route to the Cheltenham racing festival.  This horse continues the theme of the horse for locals and punters but it is unbridled and free.The name Equus has an international and classy flavour. (The word Equus obtained a sinister feel in 1977 when a film based on Peter Schaffer's play featured Alan Strang a "17 year old stable boy" (source google) who had blinded a stable full of horses.  He is treated by Martin Dysart, a psychiatrist who explores his own demons. Alan is deemed schizophrenic).  This space will be far from sinister.  Beautifully laid out with some scented plants. Solar lighting pillars.The sandy cream theme will be continued across the black and white surface by some seating comparable to what is in St Mary's Minster surround. Water sprays border the black horse. An entrance sign, black metal, stating welcome to Equus will be either side of the horse at entrances to the space which will be separate to vehicular access. A teardrop theme will also lead the eye across the space as the T shaped restaurant/cafe and the Equus sculpture will be surrounded by a marked teardrop boundary.  The third and final space will be as you come in to the space from the North Place chapel.  This will be given over to four small garden areas with seating.  There will be a small gravel teardrop in the middle with metal or stone standing stones.  therefore the eye will see three teardrops of varying size across the space emphasising the three separate elements by three teardrops. The gardens will continue the Christian theme of the church and be called St Andrews, St Patricks, St George's and St David's. They enable a clear view of the church to be had.  The church has no real outside space so parishioners and locals can use this space for fresh air and quiet reflection, dog walking, chatting. It will also be a cut through.  It protects local views. The UK nations will be consulted as to what they want to see in the gardens. This also reflects the theme of hospitality and an outward looking Cheltenham.  The space around the restaurant will contain a mosaic and or mural on a wall or floor of international flags.  Food vans will occupy the space around the outside teardrop boundary of the T shaped restaurant.  Restaurant/cafe will not be set flush to the boundary and will have planting in front of the bit that faces The Brewery  and some planting all around the T structure to provide a buffer to the vehicular space. The restaurant needs to allow space around it for entrance and exit to food vans. (A small white tented marquee has been put up alongside the Story teller restaurant during race week which indicates the need for dining and refreshment in the area and it abuts the Storyteller restaurant which was busy).  Food vans will be welcomed and international food encouraged. Some vans will be given all year round status and be pitched there.  Travelling in and out and pitch time for food vans must be outside rush hours. In order to trade from here an ethos of giving something back is mandated and even in festival ie race week this will apply ie reduced chips after 2pm to 3pm (racegoers arrive back in mass after that) or second coffee free. Cake or snack plus coffee offers as Greggs does.  (A successful Charlton Kings chip shop gives school children a £1 small portion of chips. They can be predicted to arrive at a certain time.  This type of community initiative is a key strength of village communities. How great to roll out a bit of that community care to a townscape).  The food van trader decides what offer is practicable for them.To generate good will and get away from the ethos that visitors have to pay extreme prices eg £12 for fish and chips during race week.  Visitors bring a lot of money to the town at festivals.  Let them have something back. Offers will also assist locals enjoy the space. Again the vans can sell alcohol free beverages, soft drinks, coffees. I think the variety of food on offer, outside planted gardens, international feel, interesting sculpture and water feature and offers will mean that people come despite no alcohol.  There are many other places in town to get alcohol. A marquee seen offering refreshments has already indicated a need during race week in this area for food/drink provision. The bar and restaurant No 131 The Promenade Cheltenham looks like it is having its permission for the outside white tents removed.  They feature nice lighting.  This should create demand for a new and different cafe, restaurant bar in Cheltenham which the restaurant/cafe at Equus can fill.

3) Working with and respecting nature - The cotoneaster hedging outside St Margaret's Terrace will be placed around the  four gardens.  This will provide food for the birds and create a buffer from any road pollution.  The entrance way to the gardens from both ends will be formed by a short archway of trees interconnecting.  Scented lilacs, magnolias will be used and cherry blossom but the main planting would be ascertained in consultation with UK nations eg probably daffodils for St David's. Thistles for St Andrew's.  Roses for St George's. Shamrock of course will not grow here. As well as local UK govt contacts, local dwellers can be consulted from these UK nations.  The trees currently in place throughout the space will be kept. Climate change will be taken into consideration with regard to planting. An international themed plaque can feature, eg Four Nations, One World.  Not sure if the site is big enough to entail biodiversity net gain.

Three components - It is quite a large space so I think three elements can work together loosely combined.  Three was a number used in magic and is thought to have translated from pagan times into the Christian notion of the Holy Trinity.  This ties in with the name of the church opposite.  Equus representing the local scene and part of the identity of Cheltenham.  The UK Garden of Four Saints, although UK is probably now nominally Christian, it represents a wider community and relates to outside visitors which Cheltenham pulls in with festivals. It also relates to history and heritage of the UK. Lastly, the international food space reflects a cosmopolitan world view. Cheltenham has a history of twinning and also has global footsteps as a charity within the town.