Project Saltburn Top Promenade Public Realm Project, Saltburn by the Sea
Date/Duration 2007
Author’s Role
As a project manager, the author carried out design development, construction detail and contract administration for the project. In particular, during public consultation, the author produced various computer visualisations for community groups, artists, public and other stakeholders to communicate. Throughout the process, computer visualisation was produced and utilised by the author.
Nature of Work
A public realm refurbishment project located in a Victorian town in North East England, Saltburn by the Sea. The project included landscape design, planning permission preparation, public and stakeholder consultation, and contract administration. Since the site was within well-developed communities areas, a number of interest, concerns, and attention were drawn into the project.
Saltburn Top Promenade and Cliff Lift are located in the eastern part of Saltburn by the Sea, Redcar & Cleveland in the north east of England. Opened on 28th June 1884, this is the oldest remaining water-balance cliff lift in Britain. The height of the lift is 120 ft. above the shoreline and the length of the track is 207 ft. The lift was refurbished with stained glass windows and links Saltburn pier, one of the few left in the country, with the town.
Saltburn was developed as a Victorian resort. The foreboding cliffs tower above the crashing North Sea which shadows the sand and shingle beach. A recently restored pier extends 200 metres from the shoreline. The sea at Saltburn offers some of the best surfing conditions in the country.
The project was managed by Groundwork South Tees and White Young Green
Environmental was commissioned to provide design and contract administration services. Construction work was carried out by Seymour Civil Constructions who are based in Hartlepool.
As a community project, a number of consultations were made from conceptual
development, funding and construction issues with Saltburn Forward, a community group, local residents, police and local planning authority. Moreover, a local artist was involved to design specific features such as fossil patterns in conjunction with neighbouring schools.
The promenade is located in a stunning position at the top of the Saltburn Cliff Lift, with panoramic views over the adjacent coastline. The initial scheme proposed a series of ‘wave’ pattern ramps and steps, a viewing platform, seating, paving, artwork and telescopes. A palette of pre-cast and in-situ concrete incorporating ‘ammonite’ features was utilised to construct the paving retaining walls and the fossil garden.
Most of the Ordnance Survey information including existing base plan, topographic survey and rasterised base map was supplied by Groundwork South Tees and Redcar & Cleveland Council.
Existing survey drawings included a topographic survey (.dxf), and base plan (.dwg) that were in vector formats, which were compatible within AutoCAD software. The proposals were drawn in the same file format. Then, 3D Studio Max was used to generate a TIN39 model and other three dimensional elements. Bitmap textures were superimposed on those elements to increase the level of detail.
Throughout the design stages, two forms of media have been produced; pre-set simulation and photomontage.
Computer visualisation models produced in the case study tried to contain as much information as possible including colour, texture, and materials. By doing that, local communities were well informed and able to be guided to make decisions on the design and construction issues. As an easy tool for communities, visualisations were implemented extensively for the project and decision making processes.
Figure 4.16 Community Consultation - Saltburn Forward Progress Meeting
Although initial proposals were agreed by local communities there were still a number of decisions to make as the project progressed. For instance, on the colours of materials,
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Triangulated Irregular Network, A TIN is a digital data structure used in a geographic information system for the representation of a surface. A TIN is a vector-based representation of the physical land surface or sea bottom, made up of irregularly distributed nodes and lines with three dimensional coordinates that are arranged in a network of non-
details of artwork and landscape furniture had to be tested and agreed by the residents. Periodical progress meetings with Saltburn Forward (community groups) were arranged with the local police force and artists also in attendance.
The progress meetings were held monthly and White Young Green, a community officer from Groundwork, and the local artist were all invited to attend the meetings. Decisions that were aided by the computer visualisation were:
1. Overall design
2. Colour of railings, ramp wall, ammonite artwork 3. Seating and telescope choices
4. Paving materials
Computer visualisations representing the above issues were shown through a projector on a wall in order to communicate to all participants at one time. Then discussion followed. Each session took about 30-40 minutes including a 10 minute presentation and a follow up discussion.
In terms of media types, animations were presented for overall design in most of the meetings. Photomontages were also used for individual decision-making process such as colour choices. After each discussion, revised models were prepared as a follow up and re- presented to the same participants before any construction works or ordering of materials was undertaken.
The revisions to the visualisation were backed up by paper-copies of each media which were made available to every consultee. In terms of colour and resolution, this is an important process to go through rather than relying on one media i.e. the projector and computer screen.
Detailed results and analysis including interviews are presented in Chapter 6. In summary, there was much appreciation of the use of computer models to aid the decision making process. In particular, computer models that contain options for alternative colour finishes to the railings and the gravel paving were the most favourably received.
However, most of respondents claimed that computer visualisation – as well as physical models - was still supplementary as opposed to traditional drawings such as plans and sections. All respondents were aware of the formal processes of the planning application
and they had been involved from the concept and design development process, through to the submission of the planning application and to the completion of construction works.
4.3.3 Relocation of Windlestone Hall EBD (Emotional and Behavioural