FORGOTTEN STRETFORD
Stretford has a strong, close knit community, but nothing to manifest itself in. Whilst people love the area, there are limitations on what one can do. The Mall is half empty, closes early and becomes a ghost town. Stretford Public Hall is seen as the heart, but is in need of regeneration. The dual carriageway has been said to be "the kiss of death" to Stretford.
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The community is in need of a space which puts them first, and is accessible to those of all ages, day and night. The Essoldo Cinema has the potential to become such a space. With links to the canal on one side and the town hall on the other, it could tie the area together and become a new focal point, drawing away from the road.
REGENERATE ESSOLDO
Regenerating the Essoldo site into a community kitchen garden with an associated music venue and restaurant will provide the people of Stretford with a space which provides activity, events and an environment away from the dominant Chester Road.
MAKING MARKS
1. zoning the site
2. laying a grid
3. massing and framing
4. linking roofs
ZONING THE SITE
1. The first zone is where the existing Essoldo Cinema stands and the core area for development.
2/3. The two zones between the canal and buildings transition people into core of the site. They are pseudo public areas, open but still belonging to the development.
In looking at where to place buildings, it is important to consider the nature of the site's spaces moving from the public domain all the way into the building. This transfer is important to keep a relationship between the developments so they are not separated or hostile to the wider context, particularly as they are public serving.
4. The area by the canal is the most open area of the site, and is the first threshold from the public domain to the Essoldo.
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LAYING A GRID
Stretford is primarily organised on grids, giving uniformed streets. Following on the grid from Trafford Grove onto the site provides a base to develop off that is continuous with the surroundings.
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Building on the grid also provides a barrier to Chester road. Facing the road creates a visual barrier that helps protect the site inside, whilst allowing visual access from the smaller roads which are accessible to pedestrians.
MASSING AND FRAMING
New massing for the restaurant and community centre, in addition to the Essoldo, act as boundary markers to the first garden area. A massing on the north corner blocks Chester Road and faces out onto the garden. The building which serve the primary functions are found in the core area, and the development stretches into the first transitional zone.
The layout of the massing creates two zones for the community gardens. A courtyard is made by the surrounding buildings for garden 1. Garden 2 is more open to the public domain. They act as buffers to the buildings.
initial massings
LINKING ROOFS
PRECEDENT - Extension to the Acaemy of Fine Arts, Nuremberg
Selected images taken from: https://www.archdaily.com/561978/extension-to-the-academy-of-fine-arts-hascher-jehle-architektur
Copyright Svenja Bookshop
The extension by Hascher Jehle Architektur adds studio, seminar, multi purpose and cafe spaces in three separate pavilions, linked by one roof scape. Despite being physically separate, the singular roof connects the pavilions, allowing them to feel open and serve as a single unit [see middle right diagram]. Adding roof links also frames thresholds [see bottom right diagram]. They are highlighted and help guide people into the Academy.
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These elements could be useful to incorporate and relate to the Essoldo development. A single roof scape can link the three elements and help frae to garden spaces.
1. Roof link ties together the separate massings to make a single coherent development. It also frames the first garden area.
2. Spaces between building create framed thresholds to enter the site.