N4 group 2

NORTHERN QUARTER

History, Analysis and Precedent Presentation

History of the Northern QuarterPOP BOUTIQUEPOP BOUTIQUEThe first Pop Boutique store opened in 1994 in Oldham opened in 1994 in Oldham Street, Manchester in what is now referred to as the N h Q Th h d Northern Quarter. They had been running vintage clothing shops since 1983 and wanted pto create a shop that didn't just sell vintage clothing but all manner of things your everyday manner of things your everyday vintage junkie might find interesting and even buy.

History of the Northern Quarter

AFFLECKS PALACEAfflecks is an emporium of

l i i f i di eclecticism, a totem of indie commerce in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and above Northern Quarter and above all else a fantastic place to shop for anything from Top p y g phats to tattoos.

History in the Northern QuarterMATT AND PHREDS JAZZ BARMatt and Phreds is the only club in the North West dedicated to li J i d F l live Jazz music and Freestyle poetry.

History in the Northern QuarterMUSICMUSICDave Haslam was a DJ at the Hacienda night club in the gnorthern quarter which started a community around music makers who loved to experimentalism.who loved to experimentalism.

New Order were the flagship band for dance music in the UK, and their minimalist album sleeves and non-image reflected the label's gaesthetic of doing whatever the relevant parties wanted to do, including an aversion to including including an aversion to including singles as album tracks.

History in the Northern QuarterMUSICThe Night and Day Café is a music venue located on Oldham

Th bli h ff l f f i street, The establishment offers a platform for emerging young talent as well as hosting bands such as Glasvegas, The Futureheads Cherry Ghost The Enemy and Arctic Monkeys Futureheads, Cherry Ghost, The Enemy and Arctic Monkeys.

Matt and Phreds jazz club started around 8 years ago and really Matt and Phreds jazz club started around 8 years ago and really boosted and helped further the Northern Quarters diverse music scene.

History in the Northern QuarterMUSICPiccadilly Records was born in 1978, was taken over by the

i 1990 d d h d present management in 1990 and moved up the road to our current location in Manchester's record shopping Mecca, the Northern Quarter in 1997Northern Quarter in 1997.

The Music industry has pretty much taken over the northern The Music industry has pretty much taken over the northern quarter and has had a major impact on the cultural and social makeup of the area, so this should be taken highly into p g yconsideration upon creating design ideas/concepts.

History in the Northern QuarterRECREATIONManchester on a whole has always been a vibrant and exciting i d h N h Q i i I b f city and the Northern Quarter is no exception. It began to form

its own niche even in the early twentieth century when a street dancing culture emerged in the area This small area of the town dancing culture emerged in the area. This small area of the town centre has various restaurants/pubs/clubs/bars which are hidden gems located in this quieter part of the town centre. These range from old to new establishments and have a great cultural and social impact on the area.

History in the Northern QuarterCUBA CAFECUBA CAFE• The Cuba Cafe is a great example of the

kind of vibrancy and interest that M h t h t ff Manchester has to offer.

• Local residents who are there to enjoy the atmosphere.

• The bar is truly unique to Manchester, providing a little taste of Cuba for the customers

• The bar says a lot about the Northern Quarter due to its success, and demonstrates how the atmosphere of the

area which is quiet, contemporary, intelligent and set back from the inner city centre, is composed by the residents

History in the Northern QuarterMANCHESTER BUDDHIST CENTREMANCHESTER BUDDHIST CENTRE• This is another defining icon of the Northern Quarter and is advertised as

bringing the ancient traditions and religion to the modern city. • There are also meditation and yoga classes available which are needed

within the city to keep peace and tranquillity within the busy city life.

History in the Northern QuarterFASHION & BOUTIQUEIn the late twentieth century, the growth of the high street and d M k S d h A d l C department stores on Market Street and the Arndale Centre meant that commercial interest in the Northern Quarter was diminishingdiminishing.

However the low rent costs and unconventional feel of the However, the low rent costs and unconventional feel of the Northern Quarter attracted many independent shops and boutiques to spring up, this grew throughout the 80’s and 90’s q p g p g gand helped encapsulate the over hip feel of the NQ.

History in the Northern QuarterAs the NQ re in larit in the As the NQ grew in popularity in the indie and hip circles throughout Manchester, the attraction of low price vintage and charity shops grew, p g y p g ,and with Manchester having a large student population, business was booming.

Some boutiques and shops have blossomed more than others, and Afflecks Palace is a phrase familiar Afflecks Palace is a phrase familiar with almost everyone in Manchester. Home to many independent retailers with products ranging from your p g g ytraditional vintage clothes, to the kind of costumes seen in 60’s horror movies and everything in between.

History in the Northern Quarter• Another shop notorious for

its popularity in the NQ is Pop Boutique with stores on Pop Boutique, with stores on Oldham St and in Afflecks. Selling mainly their own g ybrand vintage clothing now, it was the prime location for hipsters looking for a second hand or vintage bargain.

History of the Northern QuarterHistory of the Northern Quarter

h• Pre-18th Century, Agricultural space.

• Housing for cotton industry hits area. Three storied building contain living space on the first two floors and ‘Loomshops’which were humble in scale compared to the larger ‘mills’which were humble in scale compared to the larger millswhich followed on.

• 1840’s iron works, engineering and clothing manufactures hit the area.the area.

History of the Northern Quarter• 1820 Sir Oswald Mosley merges the areas markets at Smithfield

in close proximity to the Railways and canals.Mid 19th C i i d f h i f ffi d • Mid 19th Century are is stripped of housing for offices and warehousing.

• 1894 Manchester Ship Canal is built which leads to larger • 1894, Manchester Ship Canal is built which leads to larger warehousing.

• Early 20th Century Oldham Street was claimed for women to • Early 20 Century, Oldham Street was claimed for women to be “The hub of the Universe”

History of the Northern Quarter• 1920’s Woolworths Boots and Marks and Spencer were all

located here.Mid 1900’ i fl d h l i • Mid 1900’s economy in flux and the area lost its way

• 1980’s onward City-center warehouse appartment developments become the trend Boutique shops and small developments become the trend. Boutique shops and small clothes makers and artists take off.

History of the Northern Quarter• Roman Catholic Society• Even though there is no particular place of worship at present

i hi h N h Q D i h l 18th within the Northern Quarter. During the late 18th century there would have been influence within the area on its architecture and its peoplearchitecture and its people

• Sanctus 1: Christianity• Providing Christianity teachings with a modern spin A • Providing Christianity teachings with a modern spin. A

welcoming society inviting anyone in whom wishes to share their views on God.

History of the Northern Quarter• Buddhist Centre• Appeared in 1977 in Manchester then moved to the Northern

Q i 1996 hi li lif bQuarter in 1996, teaching to live your life by:• Being generous

Li i i l d d lif• Living a simple and contented life• Speaking truthfully• Living mindfully

History of the Northern QuarterM h di CMethodist Centre:

John Wesley opened two Methodist Chapels in the Northern Quarter in 1750’s. Which continued hi til 1883 hipreaching until 1883, preaching:

Shun evil & avoid partaking in wicked deeds at all costsP f ki d h iblPerform kind acts as much as possibleAbide by the edicts of God the Almighty Father

SSummaryDue to the past and present influence from different religions their teaching and way of life can not be ignored in the design of the sites.W h i b i i il l f hi i ifi l i hi Weather it being, creating a tranquil place for worship or encouraging unifing people within a space as each religion has done individually and collectively . Either way this is a large make up of the cultural society today and cannot be ignored.

Analysis for Port Street


• This is a very large site, on a slight gradient which rises from south west to north east.


• This site is concrete and tarmac throughout and is currently used as a car park.

Analysis of Port Street

• Too much soft landscape• Needs more consistent texture• Lack of green infrastructureg• No thought or design process • The site has just evolved over time with very little human intervention• Road surface access needs improvement • Narrow roads• Good amount of residential buildings with small businesses surrounding the site: potential

people to use the site.

Analysis of Newton Street

Access and Movement


• This site is a very flat area. Its location in between two buildings in between two roads make it feel enclosed but yet open, knowing that the norm would be another large building in its place. but yet ope , ow g t at t e o wou be a ot e a ge bu g ts p ace.


• Its history of having a building that once stood there mean the land is tough and haggard and consists of stones and concrete with no soil visible. Knowing that a building once stood there is knowing that soil is also not in close reach either.


• The site is enclosed by two brick facades by neighbouring properties which again create a nice feature• The ground material is similar to the other sites and is used as a make shift car park• More durable materials to the ground level need to be used to with stand heavy pedestrian trafficMore durable materials to the ground level need to be used to with stand heavy pedestrian traffic• Again there is no major features to attract any use of the site apart from an area to park

Analysis of Spear Street

Access and Movement

Analysis of Spear Street• This is a very small area, again

in between two buildings which make it very sheltered and make it very sheltered and shady but somewhat cut off from everything due to its y glocation down a back street. It is also surrounded by buildings with a newly constructed art gallery and apartment/offices building opposite The site is building opposite. The site is rough but still relatively flat.


• The mixed materials and litter create the ground level and weeds The mixed materials and litter create the ground level and weeds • The site is fenced so there is no current usage• The site is surrounded by a brick façade by the neighbouring properties which could be a nice

feature of the site• There is no major feature to the site, but art galleries and café attract pedestrians to the area:

using these features that surround the site to encourage usage to the site

Precedent Studies• The clash between soft and hard

landscape works well, less maintenance to the site and less of an eye soreto the site and less of an eye sore

Good idea on forcing urban planting showing we can Good idea on forcing urban planting showing we can use anything at our disposal to incorporate foliage within the city landscape and a feature that would attract passers-by.p y

Precedent Studies

Small areaPoor lighting originallyPoor lighting originallyGood planting schemeTopiary usage p y gHigh walled area

Precedent Studies

This canteen was proposed as a ‘Semi open air Café’. This allowed to have an ambient temperature for most of the year along with good ventilation, and a variety of degrees of shade from the climate.

Precedent Studies

Liverpool Rope Walk

Pedestrians have been given greater Pedestrians have been given greater priority over much of the rest of the road network and a combination of granite sets and yorkstone flags are granite sets and yorkstone flags are used with kerbs either raised or set flush depending on the levels of vehicular use.vehicular use.

Precedent StudiesStreet furniture is restricted to Street furniture is restricted to bespoke designed bollards to control on-street parking where necessary with light fittings mounted necessary, with light fittings mounted to the walls. Tree planting is restricted to the new urban squares.

Spear Street Problems• The site is situated down 3 narrow alleyways which gives a

dangerous feel to the site.Th hi h f ll i i h l i i i • There are high amounts of pollution in the close vicinity (rubbish bags, mouldy food)

• The site gets pummelled by the noise of traffic coming from the • The site gets pummelled by the noise of traffic coming from the direction of Lever Street.

• Views from the site on 2 sides are very dull and boring• Views from the site on 2 sides are very dull and boring.• Darkness is an issue, as the sun does not have any ground

cover around the site.cover around the site.

Spear Street Solutions• Lighting could be added to the site to brighten up the area.• Screening or plants could be added to combat the pollution

bnearby.• Screening or trees could also be used to dampen traffic noise.

Gi i ld b i d b i li h i h i• Giant mirrors could be incorporated to bring light into the site.• Colour boards could be attached to the surrounding building

t i th ll th tito improve the overall aesthetics.

Newton Street Problems• The site smells awful to the west.• Road traffic is very high and surrounds the site on two sides.• The site is faced with dull buildings.• The site is currently in full sun, could be a sun trap in summer

hmonths.• Traffic pollution is very high around the site.

Newton Street Solutions• Grow sweet smelling plants on site.• Site could be enclosed to prevent noise pollution, or have

k l ispeakers playing.• Site could be given higher boundaries to block out unsightly

viewsviews.• Shelter in the form of trees or artificial awnings ect.

A i t i i f ll t t iddi l t ld b • Again certain species of pollutant ridding plants could be grown.

Port Street Problems• Feels very unsafe, we were approached by 2 unsociable

characters whilst on site.Th i i ll d b bi b ffi d i l ll i i • The site is polluted by bin bags, traffic and visual pollution in the form of closed buildings.

• The site is surrounded by traffic on every side• The site is surrounded by traffic on every side.• There is an ugly green house situated in the centre of the site.

Th it i t d d i tl l• The site is not secured and is currently open plan.

Port Street Solutions• Fencing or an appropriate physical boundary could be put up to

stop unauthorised access.Th ld b l d h i ld h l i h • The streets could be cleaned; the site could help give the area a new lease of life whilst encouraging new businesses to the area.

• Traffic could be redirected• Traffic could be redirected.• Ugly green house could be demolished.

T d l i l t ld b d t b k d • Trees and sun loving plants could be used to break down pollution.

N4 group 2

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