NP20 - Pillgwenlly community hub

Research aim: How can a participatory design process facilitate the redesign of public space to encourage community use and discourage anti-social behaviour?

THE CLIENT: Newport City Homes

THE TEAM: Poppy Sheehan, Faye Morrison, Samuel Blight, Laura Mitchell, James Morris

We are Studio 3 Masters of Architecture students from UWE who collaborated with Newport City Homes to present ideas to regenerate a basketball court and surrounding area.

The site, Francis Drive basketball court area is located within the Pillgwenlly regeneration project in Newport, South Wales.

The area in and around the basketball court near to Francis Drive is known as the cage. Following the initial meeting with Newport City Homes we have established an understanding of their requirements for the overall regeneration project and aim is to define a brief for the Francis Court basketball court.

Through an extensive and creative consultation process with local stakeholders and the community we were able to produce proposals for the social, economic and physical development of the project. The key ideas presented included the conversion of surrounding garages to provide accommodation for community clubs and events, to be managed by a locally appointed neighborhood board. The plans would essentially take ownership of the space, decreasing antisocial behavior and enriching the lives of those in the local area.

In this document we will set out our vision and proposed outcomes for the project based on initial analysis and consultation with key stake holders. As well as =identify time scales, costs and funding options. This site possesses the potential to engage the surrounding physical and cultural contexts.

UWE MArch Students: Poppy Sheehan, Faye Morrison, Samuel Blight, Laura Mitchell, James Morris 

Client: Newport City Homes