ST ANDREW'S DESIGN PROJECT

2015

This design project was very different from all the other projects as it exercised my sketching skills. Structural Engineers took on this project alongside Architectural Engineers and Geography students. This project was carried out in the Design of Place module which focused on the design of urban space. When designing a structure or space, the designer needs to consider the structural design theme or image of the area, the culture of the people living in the area, and the flow of movement. New buildings or spaces designed should complement the identity of the areas they are created in.

​

The design project required us to redesign St Andrews square in Edinburgh considering the identity of the space that it is in, functionality, and sustainability. The first part of the project involved researching about St Andrew Square to get a sense of its history and identity culturally and structurally. This was an individually assessed part of the project. In my assessment of the square, I found that the walking paths were inadequately designed for the flow of people through the square. More paths were needed. Furthermore, I found that disabled access in some areas was poor. Even though the square is well used for festivals and special events, it was bare and not well utilised in the times between such happenings.

When it came to the group part of the project which was the redesigning aspect, all these issues were addressed. More greenery was added to the square to increase its visual attraction. There was an addition of street furniture and public art to the square. Sheltered seating was added to encourage people to use it even in bad conditions. All the details of the new design were carefully chosen to promote more usage of the square while enhancing the identity the square already has. This project did open my eyes about designing while taking into account the culture, the history, and the nature of the user behavior in a space