ADRIENNE BUCCELLA|| SUSTAINABLE HOUSING|| FALL 2011

Robin Hood Gardens: A Fantasy for Revitalization

Part One: Identifying the Issues

The Mound: The landscaping at Robin Hood Gardens creates indefensible space. It acts as a visual barrier such that neighbors cannot keep an eye on one another, nor can residents efficiently move from one side of the park to the other. The park is there for usually abandoned.

The Wall: A giant concrete wall surrounds Robin Hood Gardens. The project is effectively cut off from the rest of its context and forcing residents to pass through tiny passage ways without knowing who or what is on the other side.

The Park: The park is largely unused, and provides no focal point of interaction between the residents.

The Units: Many of the units are unoccupied and in extreme need of maintenance and repair. Although the property participated in the “Right to Buy” program, few of the apartments are owned by their residents.

The Garages: The garages are also under-used due to the fact that many of the residents do not own a car, nor do they need to in such close proximity to the city center. The result is that many of the garages are used for illicit activities.

Part Two: A Potential Time Line

Year 1 (Spring): Renovation is begun on the interior landscaping to lower the mound and create a more natural, terraced recreation area. New plantings are taller, lining the perimeter of the park to screen the balconies from view.

Terraced Performance Seating

Year 1 (Spring): The concrete wall surrounding Robin Hood Gardens is removed. More trees are planed along Cotton St. and Robin Hood Ln. to act ask additional sound barriers.

Wall Removed

Terraced Performance Seating

Wall Removed

Year 1 (Summer): A summer art competition is held in the park. A temporary central pavilion is erected to show some of the more delicate pieces. Larger installations are scattered around the park; some pieces are kept longer than the exhibition.

Year 1 (Late Fall): A holiday art festival is held in the park. Another temporary structure is erected to act as the central pavilion for the vendors and performances. Artists set up stalls along the terraced landscape in order to display and sell their work.

Year 3 (Spring): Based on the success of the art competition and festivals, plans for a permanent pavilion begin construction. The pavilion is used throughout the year for resident’s meetings, community classes, studios, and exhibition space.

Terraced Performance SeatingPavilion

Wall Removed

Wall Removed

Year 4: Some artists and vendors who have set up their booths along Cotton St. and Robin Hood Ln. continue to keep them up year round due to the consistent traffic to the pavilion.

Terraced Performance Seating

Temporary Stands

Pavilion

Temporary Stands

Year 5 (Spring): A second building is erected in the park to house a large workshop for the collective which has formed from artists associated with the central pavilion. Artists share kilns, metal and wood working equipment, etc.

Terraced Performance SeatingPavilion

Wall Removed

Wall Removed

Year 5-6: Members of the collective are offered the option to buy apartments in Robin Hood Gardens. Their rent helps make improvements to the common areas of the development.

Year 5-6: Some of the vendors stands along the road find more permanent locations renovating the unused garage spaces below Cotton St. and Robin Hood Ln.

Terraced Performance Seating

Temporary Stands

Pavilion Workshop

Garage Occupied Garage Occupied

Temporary Stands

Year 7 (Spring): Renovation project begins to convert the ground level maisonettes into live/work spaces. Removal of non-load bearing walls allows for the formation of a combination of three bedroom and studio apartments.

Terraced Performance Seating

Temporary Stands

Pavilion Workshop

Garage Occupied Garage Occupied

Live/WorkLive/Work

Temporary Stands

ppe le elupper level

bedroom

living

bedroom

kitchen

access deck

dining

bedroom

deck level

retail/exhibitionspace

studio/meeting space

storage

officesible bedroom)(poss

officessible kitchen(posliving space)and

upper level

Year 7 (Spring): Openings are punctured through the circulation cores to allow connectivity between Cotton St., Robin Hood Ln. and the park. Bridges and stairs allow easy connection on multiple levels.

Terraced Performance Seating

Temporary Stands Temporary Stands

Pavilion Workshop

Garage Occupied Garage Occupied

Live/Work Bridge

Through

Year 10 (Spring): A larger retail development is proposed for the area above the garages. This brings mainstream retail; completing the activation and repurposing of the ground plane at Robin Hood Gardens.

Terraced Performance SeatingPavilion Workshop

Garage Occupied Garage Occupied

Live/Work Bridge

Through

RetailRetail