Public Spa ces: a netw ork

Public Spa ces: a netw ork

Public spaces offer the opportunity for people to spend time in the city - a place to relax and watch the world go by, or a refuge from the city centre’s busy streets.

Sheffield has a number of public spaces of diverse character and function ranging from civic use to informal recreation. The last twenty yearshaswitnessed the reclamation of public

space from car parks (for example Tudor Square and

Riverside Walkways

Victoria Quays Qu

Devonshire Green) and the improvement, indeed the transformation in some cases, of the environmental quality of

Paradise Square

Hartshead Square

many of the key public spaces in the city centre.

Castle Square

St. Paul

Cathedral of St. Peter &

Fitzalan Square

The Peace Gardens is an example of a highly successful

Barkers Pool

civic space, and illustrates the positive impact that investment

Orchard Square

in quality design and construction can have on the public life

St. Georges Church

Park Hill

of both citizens and visitors to Sheffield.

Tudor Square

Peace Gardens

The Masterplan promoted the development of a public space

Hallam Square

Devonshire Green

network, consisting of a ‘fine – grained network of smaller spaces’ which are each central to the character and use of

Public Spaces: a network

the distinct areas of the city centre. There are a variety of

KEY

committed projects currently under construction such as those

Public Spaces

Connecting Routes

within the Heart of the City. Many more are nearing the final design or implementation stage, including the re-design of Sheaf Square as a major arrival gateway to the city centre.

Peace Gardens

Devonshire Green.

Sheaf Square.

Use and Perception part 2.3

Activity on the Street

The pedestrian connections between these different chains of Active uses at the ground floor of buildings can help promote

activitiesand the linksto public transport, taxi ranksor parking life at street level. W hen a connection ismade between internal

facilities need to be made safe and secure at all times of the and external spaceswithin a city, and there isa flow of activity,

day and night.

a more animated street scene is the result. There is a selection of outdoor cafes and markets located in Blank facades do not contribute to the appearance or activity

Sheffield city centre. The marketsare located at the two ends of the street and create potentially unsafe and intimidating

of the retail spine along Exchange Street, in the form of the pedestrian environments. Well designed shop window displays

enclosed Castle Market in Castlegate and more informal stalls can make a positive contribution to streets during the day and

housed under permanent pavilions in the Moor. These are also at night, throwing out light and creating visual interest.

thriving commercial areas, however the outdoor spaces at both markets require public realm improvements to provide a

Most of the shop fronts in the key retail streets of Sheffield city comfortable environment for sellersand consumersthroughout centre have display windowsto exhibit goodsand merchandise

the year and renew of their vitality and attractions to ensure which addsinterest to the street. However, many streetsoutside

they do not slowly decline.

these retail areas are characterised by blank facades as a result of their industrial nature. Often the 1960s developments make no connection with the street and present monolithic blank facades facing onto to major traffic routes, creating a hostile pedestrian environment.

W here feasible it may be possible in the redevelopment, refurbishment and conversion of some areas of the city centre to create active facades at ground level facades at ground level to promote connections between internal spaces and the street.

The use of the city centre’sstreetsand spaces, and the pedestrian routestaken, are different during the evening and night to those of the daytime. A city centre should offer itscitizensand visitors

a lively and safe environment at all times. W ithin the city

King Street Outdoor Market.

Outdoor cafe at Orchard Square.

centre, there are some “no go” or deserted areas at night which are bustling during the day. The retail areas of The Moor, Fargate and Orchard Square are practically deserted after the close of shops at 5.30pm, aside from people en- route between car parks and evening venues.

There are certain areas in the city which have strong daytime flows and remain well utilised throughout the evening. This includes Division Street, with its mix of restaurants, cafes and bars, and the “West Street run”, with its line of pubs. The Cultural Industries Quarter contains many late night venues, including restaurants, bars, cafesand clubs, making it a popular

evening destination. Niche nightclub in CIQ.

Sheffield City Centre part 2.3

Conclusions

• The siting of modern tall buildings has resulted in landmarks such as church spires being obscured and many key viewlines into and out of the city obstructed.

• There is currently a poor sense of arrival into the city, and key gateways lack definition.

• There is a wide range of materials used in the built form and the public realm of the city centre which creates an urban character that lacks consistency and continuity.

• Post-war road developments have created a pedestrian environment which is hostile and lacks permeability.

• There is a need to better integrate the various quarters of the city centre, whilst retaining and enhancing the local character that each has developed.

• Many buildings have blank facades at ground level and do not integrate well with the activity of the street as a result.

Key Findings part 2.4

2 .4 Key Fin d in g s

Sheffield City Centre part 2.4

Key Fin d in g s From the background analysis of Part 2, key findings

have emerged. These raise issues and prompt questions which must be addressed as a part of the strategic guidance for the city centre:

• Can the remnants of Sheffield’s industrial heritage

be feasibly retained?

• How can the city’s history of craftsmanship be celebrated and allowed to flourish?

• How can a connection with the waterways of the city be re-established?

• Could the city build upon the success of the Peace Gardens by encouraging the reintroduction of water in the city centre?

• W hat is the most effective way to maximise the potential impact of the topography and the 3- dimensional aspect of Sheffield?

• How can the image of, and sense of the arrival to, the city centre be improved?

• Would the encouragement of a local palette of materials create a consistency in the urban form or result in a loss of character?

• How can the severance caused by the post-war road network be resolved?

• Can the various quarters of the city centre be better integrated whilst retaining and enhancing their local distinctiveness?

• Can the streets be re-invigorated by creating active frontages to connect the land-uses to the street?

• W ill the implementation of the masterplan’s key strategic projects help to maximise development opportunities in other areas of the city?

Degrees of Intervention part 3.1