Fire-hit flats in Perth focus of study on incorporating multis into community

Project looks at ways to create a vibrant neighbourhood

A blaze-hit block of flats in Perth city centre has become the focus of a new architecture study which looks at ways of reincorporating high-rises into the local community.

Pomarium Street flats was used as a case study by Dundee University graduate Alistair Battles, 24, who believes a vibrant new neighbourhood should be created around the buildings to increase social interaction.

He worked with Perth and Kinross Council on a series of theoretical ideas for the tower block which was the scene of three fires in three weeks between December and January.

Alistair wants local authorities to use the flats as a focal point rather than demolishing or recladding them and suggests bringing the lower floors into community use as shops or other facilities – in a process known as groundscaping.

Alistair’s Pomarium Street study proposed resiting the city’s bus station to create a new rail-bus transport hub with a residential development built opposite the multi-storey.

Alistair said: “Recladding is a quick fix that we saw have horrific consequences at Grenfell but even when appropriate materials are used, improving the aesthetics of a building does nothing to address some of the fundamental issues.

“By making more use of the ground floor to house amenities and connecting the multi to new and existing buildings you create a context for the structure.

“My project discusses how a neighbourhood can become encouraged in this new development through a new communal identity and social interaction between the community.”

The project is purely conceptual and was unveiled as part of Dundee University’s graduate showcase online.

The work can viewed at dundee.ac.uk/degreeshow/2020/ until June 21.

Some of Alistair Battles’ artwork for the project on the Pomarium Street flats in Perth’s city centre.