Hillfields Square Retrofit

The thesis explores a design retrofit project in a social housing-public setting, utilizing a ‘commensalist’ intervention structure allowing for social programming in an attempt to reinvigorate the cityscape, culture scape, and landscape, decanting anti-social behaviour. Commensalism is an association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives no harm.

The scheme aims to bring about the expression of the cultural diversity inherent in the Hillfields. The expression of culture, especially in the form of intangible heritage requires a safe and healthy, controlled space and willing participants for the transference and enjoyment of unique cultures a long way from their origins; a folk song whistled in the garden; a folklore told at moonlight; art appreciated in the open.

The premise comprises the defunct heart of the Hillfields, the neighbourhood Square, colloquially referred to as the ‘Frontline’, accessed by the arterial route into the neighbourhood, and perceived with great volatility and negative ambience.
Over the years, elements have been eroded from the square space in a bid to counteract the pathologies and anti-social behaviour affecting the square and the neighbourhood at large, including loitering, crime, and the stigma associated herewith. This has left the square with an incredibly feeble connection with its context, people, users, and thus the square’s connection to the community, transforming the square into a directional, non-interactive apparition.

The context commands an eminent series of retail functions across the main narrow street de-emphasized by double-loaded street parking also affecting the quality of active frontages and perhaps why crime reports on the street exceed 40 percent of the rest of the entire neighbourhood combined. The square in an interesting contrast mainly functions as a directional conduit for residents of the nearby towers asides from serving as a playground for children, the only culturally induced characteristic of the square.

The explorations travel a research paradigm with some of the tower occupants’ experiences and understanding of how the Modernist domicile plays a part in their setbacks and/or accomplishments and desires. The term ‘overpart’, the second chapter of the thesis, describes the functionality of the modernist tower with culture, hailing from an ideal that sought to put space and function in charge of the person, Ill-equipped to handle the cultural fluidity, the state of which the Hillfields now represents.

Breaking down the residential tower, Pioneer house, a victim of the modernist creed of functional separation on the cultural front. For the success and efficacy of the scheme, the intervention targets substrata of floors of the 17 floors tower. The community is designed to accommodate 90 – 120 people, consisting of 4 floors each are four in Number. They all comprise a garden and play area, communal dining laundrette, and lounges as well as two special programmes.
Ideally, occupants may swap into communities they would more likely associate with. Special functions are generic enough to be useful for most people but exact enough to bring people in the same phase of life together.
They cater to the elderly, energetic youth, and phlegmatic as well as young parents and children with special programmes ranging from viewing theatres, board games area, creche, reading area, Classrooms, Gyms, and physical area, Sports court, and a playground on the rooftop.