Historical foot print & urban form

Medieval cities : the story told in lines

1850 Plan of Aberdeen
1920

Historical data on the evolution

of urban form:
 Union Terrace at its glory days
-Corbie Heugh Crows
nesting

-Accessibility & size of Union

Terrace Garden then and
now

-- Union Terrace gardens

overshadowed by buildings

--The civic buildings (HMT,

Central Library) were built in
the North end of Union
Terrace.

--The garden was a node, an

important connecting point.
 Eateries
Financial House
Hotels
Commercial offices
Civic/Cultural Centre
Gardens
School (RGU Schoolhill)
Shopping malls

Density pattern : Land Use

 5 Storey

4 Storey

3 Storey

2 Storey

Gardens

Density pattern : Building Heights

-Variety, Legibility, Visual Appropriateness (identity)
-Richness (Leveling allows perception of senses)
Variety
Real
Hand Facade
sketch
permeability
Legibility
Aberdeen suffers the effects of its
radial form. Road space is shared by But Union street has good linkage
through traffic and people/goods Vehicular movement system, all places can be access
trying to access the city centre Parking Space from union street.

Accessibility pattern (vehicular

movement)
 No proper bicycle
parking spaces.

High frequency bus routes

Bus Stop
180 buses move along Union Street per hour. The resulting congestion creates bottlenecks that help regulate the flow of traffic: throughout the city, traffic levels
are rising, but not in the city centre. This is partially because the city centre is already at, or near capacity. Within the study area, traffic volumes are highest on
the eastern inner by-pass and Union Street; if some or all traffic were denied access to Union Street, there is no obvious alternative route, particularly through
the West End.

Accessibility pattern (Bus Routes)

Pedestrian too union Pedestrian to union Sir William Wallace
street/schoolhill/union street/schoolhill
terrace
Pedestrian at Belmont street

Pedestrian at little Belmont street

Pedestrian towards city

center City Center
pedestrian flows
Key nodes neighbor
Pedestrian flows are highest in Union Street (between Union bridge and the St Nicholas Centre) and on
the axis through to the Bon Accord Centre. Beyond this core area, flows diminish
significantly. Pedestrians share Union Street with vehicles: on average, 50,000 people walk along the
street every day, while 20,000 vehicles drive along it; but in terms of space for people and vehicles the
ratio is reversed. Union Street is an uncomfortable and frustrating experience for pedestrians, with
congested pavements and long waits to cross the road or negotiate
Pedestrian at Bridge street
side streets. In its present configuration, Union Street cannot accommodate street cafes or seating. None
of this adds up to an attractive or appealing ambience for shoppers and visitors.

Accessibility Pattern (Pedestrian)

Accessibility pattern (Pavement)
Permeability
Permeability
Man-made & Natural Elements
Landmarks
SITE SECTION
CONCLUSION
Robustness, Variety, Legibility, Permeability, Visual Appropriateness,

The S.W.O.T Analysis

 STRENGTH
High frequency bus routes
Bus Stop
WEAKNESS/THREATS
OPPORTUNITY