Shopping City
shipping containers replace car parking spaces, establishing an efficient, economical and exciting space for a host of new uses. Reinforcing connections back to the community, the adaptable programme consists of roof top food and beverage units, creative workshops and local business workspaces.
“Combined with this, a children’s play zone, multi-use exhibition hall and a series of pop-up shops help to create a vibrant destination hub in the town centre.”
Studio Mutt said: “Multi-Story looks to turn the barrier-like northeast car park into an outwardfacing entrance point for pedestrians, while reintroducing to the retailheavy ‘town centre’ a mix of much needed social functions: from markets, food & drink and community facilities to a diverse Youth Zone providing 21st century youth services such as sports pitches, music practice rooms, craft rooms, table tennis, climbing walls etc. “It uses the robust existing car park as a framework for social infrastructure, allowing for a bottom-up and organic process of design and construction over time, while borrowing from the language of roads and highways to create an informal and strangely familiar new public space for Runcorn.”
Studio Weave said: “‘Shopping City’ was constructed as the ‘town centre’ for Runcorn New Town.
“As was common of mid-century planning, it was the centre of an infrastructure network based upon personal car use.
“Current planning and policy context is characterised by a movement towards high-speed intercity public transport connections, increasingly devolved municipal governance and a need to deliver more housing. And emerging trends are shaping an aspiration for a greener, more walkable and accessible public realm.
“The dynamic of ‘Shopping City’ as a destination is reversed; acting as a site for intensification of dwelling as part of a connected, green and walkable ‘hyper-local’ city.”
Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City region said: “I want the Liverpool City Region to be somewhere people want to live, work and visit and the quality of our built environment plays a key role in achieving that.
“As Metro Mayor I am absolutely committed to raising the quality of design which is why I appointed the Sterling Prize-winning architect Paul Monaghan as our Design Champion.
“We know we have a vibrant and innovative architectural sector in the city region and it is really good to see so many city region-based practices taking part in Forgotten Spaces. It is important to me that we not only nurture our local talent but that we welcome talent from across the country to be part of our place making agenda.”