24 hours to save...Winchester
Snug Projects led a team, including engineers, urban designers and members of the local public, at '24 hrs to save Winchester...'. The event was an overnight design charette challenging teams to develop a vision for a more sustainable city. Three teams worked collaboratively to establish a creative and robust strategy, before demonstrating their application at two specific locations. The vision was then presented to the city at 12.00 noon on Saturday. Our core ideas included:
Guerrilla Tactics - small changes involving local people on a realistic budget that allow change to begin and be tested today. See Queens Park Soundscape.
Walking within the walls - a strategy aimed at developing a walking culture within the city. Carparks are pushed out of the city centre encouraging residents to walk further. The one way system is transformed into a shared space.
Mobile Markets - promoting a more local diet under the banner 'watercress soup'. The strategy included evening markets at commuter hubs and mobile allotments.
Sub Hubs - densification to saturation is proposed at well located local centres that encourage self sufficient suburbs with a strong identity.
Boutique Business - aimed at promoting local working and the return of our 10,000 strong commuter workforce.
Tourist magnet - our effort to redue the nations footprint by promoting Winchester as a UK 'city break' encouraging people to holiday at home.
Our core vision was to create small physical changes that encourage the all important transformation in behaviour that will underpin a sustainable future. We are looking forward to building on the success of the event in the coming weeks as we work with others to develop these ideas and ensure there is a lasting legacy. We are committed to being part of not only implementing physical changes to the city, but also helping to stimulate the all important cultural transition that will underpin a more sustainable future for the city.
