Royal Albert Dock Jonathan Wadding
Townscape
The three main aspects of townscape are legibility, permeability and visual analysis. The heritage buildings stand at the gateway at the site and clearly contrast with the existing and proposed buildings. The community theatre does not exceed the height of the heritage buildings and they are surrounded by open space to provide clear site lines, emphasising the heritage buildings. The site's clear access to the waterfront reinforces the maritime connection. Connections throughout the site place pedestrians at the top of a movement hierarchy, with ample connections between buildings and the waterfront.
Public Realm
The open green and hard space uplift the public realm, creating a high-quality urban environment, The supporting street furniture such as benches, stick lighting, bike storage and robust hard space enable this and attract visitors and locals to enjoy the space.
An example of a high-quality public realm can be seen in the use of multi-functional pop parks in Belfast as a response to Covid-19 and the demand for outdoor spaces. The parks became popular with all in the area and challenged many entrenched views of public realm needs.