PUBLIC REALM + STREET DESIGN |
Market Street Oxford | Oxford City Council
Urban Movement was commissioned by Oxford City Council to reimagine the historic Market Street, in Oxford City Centre, to create a people-first space that supports the Covered Market, as well as providing space for people to enjoy the city and relax. The Historic Covered Market in Oxford city centre is also being reimagined to ensure that its offer and amenities continue to attract people for another 100 years, and the public realm work along Market Street is part of this longer term project, with this first phase of public realm upgrade running initially as an 18 month trial, before a permanent scheme is planned to coincide with works completing inside the Market.
Throughout the process UM have been deeply collaborative, working with the City and County Council; with local stakeholders and adjacent Colleges; and with the Market traders first and foremost, to both set the level of ambition but also put some lines in the sand, in terms of what they need to go about their daily Market activities.
The result was a scheme that better stitches the Covered Market into the City, and better connects people and city life to the Market. Historically Market Street was the back door of the Market, a space people did not spend time in, and often chose not to walk or cycle through, as it was dominated by vehicle storage and loading. The layout of the street maximised carriageway to the detriment of pedestrian space and space for city life, creating a baggy carriageway that invited negative parking activity.
Urban Movement developed a strategic approach to the street, that rationalised movement space whilst carving out space for city life to unfold - better connecting the Market to the street and providing planting, trees, outdoor dining space, and community seating.
As part of this strategy, Urban Movement’s work included:
Urban Movement led the project through all RIBA stages (0-7), developing a design that delivered an enormous impact and unrecognisable change so people can really see what city centre public realm in Oxford can be. The scheme was constructed in just 3 weeks, was delivered on programme, and to budget.
“Market Street offers a new vision for City Centre public realm in Oxford, and one that has proved popular with residents and visitors alike already.
Making Market Street a place people want to walk and cycle through, and drawing people to rest and relax along the street, supports the Covered Market and better connects the city to the Market, helping to preserve this wonderful asset for the next 250 years.
Embedding green infrastructure, seating, cycle planting and community dining not only supports the attractiveness of the city centre and Covered Market, but helps protects the city environmentally and improves people’s quality of life - which is what our public spaces need to deliver.”
Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council and Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy and Partnerships
Throughout the process UM have been deeply collaborative, working with the City and County Council; with local stakeholders and adjacent Colleges; and with the Market traders first and foremost, to both set the level of ambition but also put some lines in the sand, in terms of what they need to go about their daily Market activities.
The result was a scheme that better stitches the Covered Market into the City, and better connects people and city life to the Market. Historically Market Street was the back door of the Market, a space people did not spend time in, and often chose not to walk or cycle through, as it was dominated by vehicle storage and loading. The layout of the street maximised carriageway to the detriment of pedestrian space and space for city life, creating a baggy carriageway that invited negative parking activity.
Urban Movement developed a strategic approach to the street, that rationalised movement space whilst carving out space for city life to unfold - better connecting the Market to the street and providing planting, trees, outdoor dining space, and community seating.
As part of this strategy, Urban Movement’s work included:
- Designing surface improvements to create a street that site more harmoniously with the surrounding historic buildings; creating wider footways; delivering new cycle parking; and the addition of outdoor seating, dining, and planting to support the Covered Market and increase visitors.
- An evidence-led approach to loading, rationalising the number of loading bays available on the street to deliver what was necessary for efficient operation, and accompanying this with an increased monitoring of parking regulations.
- Re-arranging the remaining loading bays to improve safety and maximise the value of the space the street offers.
- Developing a design that gives the City the ability to temporarily close the street for events, markets or other uses to make the most of public realm improvements for as wide a range of people as possible.
Urban Movement led the project through all RIBA stages (0-7), developing a design that delivered an enormous impact and unrecognisable change so people can really see what city centre public realm in Oxford can be. The scheme was constructed in just 3 weeks, was delivered on programme, and to budget.
“Market Street offers a new vision for City Centre public realm in Oxford, and one that has proved popular with residents and visitors alike already.
Making Market Street a place people want to walk and cycle through, and drawing people to rest and relax along the street, supports the Covered Market and better connects the city to the Market, helping to preserve this wonderful asset for the next 250 years.
Embedding green infrastructure, seating, cycle planting and community dining not only supports the attractiveness of the city centre and Covered Market, but helps protects the city environmentally and improves people’s quality of life - which is what our public spaces need to deliver.”
Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council and Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy and Partnerships
As reported in the AJ.
