Northern Above Bar, Southampton

Working to our urban design services we reviewed the term culture and 'le quartier’ as a component of urban form and through the review of three existing cultural quarters, Sheffield Cultural Industries Quarter, Manchester Northern Quarter and Temple Bar in Dublin, we analysed placemaking theory to discover the characteristics of cultural quarters.

These characteristics were incorporated into a systematic area appraisal on the Northern Above Bar area, using an appraisal framework adjusted to draw out the specific qualities to be retained, enhanced and promoted in a quarter that would attract cultural industries. Primarily this was through our analysis of eight dimensions of cultural placemaking; spatial, morphological, contextual, visual, perceptual, social and functional dimensions of urban design.

We believe our masterplan will spark new economic activity, promote the arts in a suitable context and provide an important, lively and engaging public space.

This work led to a first phase, the design for a mixed-used scheme which included visual arts facilities for John Hansard Gallery, Art Asia, City Eye arts groups with a performance centre containing three flexible auditoria and 200 apartments.