Tending the Nettle
2023 - Ongoing
Architecture Competition Winner
Organised by GIA and RIAS
Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland
Architecture Competition Winner
Organised by GIA and RIAS
Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, Scotland
Tending the Nettle presents the winning entry of a two-stage open competition to reimagine the Cumbernauld Town Centre, a brutalist megastructure in Lanarkshire, Scotland. Designed by Geoffrey Copcutt in the 1950s, the original building was imagined as a stepping mass defined by a bare concrete framework and enlivened with a diversity of occupation.
The Town Centre of today has been muddled by later impositions and divestment from the initial masterplan. Hastily assembled from low-performance materials, these extensions have undercut the rationality and openness of the original scheme. Interiors are now devoid of sunlight, with circulation often hidden, dimly lit and in disrepair.
The competition proposal sought to reintroduce the key axes of the original masterplan as planted ravines, around which a stepping topography of flexible multi-use pavilions inhabit the stripped back building. Over time, cars are phased out, replacing parking with workshops, play spaces and sports facilities. Housing is then sited on the roof, reusing the concrete rubble produced by cutting new circulation voids as structural party walls.
Collaborators and Credits
Kirsty MacLeod
Framework
The Cumbernauld Town Centre of Geoffrey Copcutt was defined by a bare concrete framework of great structural clarity, enlivened by its density of occupation and entwining of diverse programmes.
The Town Centre of today, however, has been muddled by later impositions and divestment from the initial masterplan. Hastily assembled from low-performance materials, these extensions have undercut the rationality and openness of the original mass. Interiors are now devoid of sunlight or direction, with circulation often hidden, dimly lit and in disrepair.
The Cumbernauld Town Centre of Geoffrey Copcutt was defined by a bare concrete framework of great structural clarity, enlivened by its density of occupation and entwining of diverse programmes.
The Town Centre of today, however, has been muddled by later impositions and divestment from the initial masterplan. Hastily assembled from low-performance materials, these extensions have undercut the rationality and openness of the original mass. Interiors are now devoid of sunlight or direction, with circulation often hidden, dimly lit and in disrepair.
Public Topography
The proposal seeks to draw out and enhance the latent qualities of the original building, re-considering its spatial generosity via a series of precise architectural interventions.
The building is foremost stripped of its internal cladding and suspended ceilings to reveal its dignified and airy concrete skeleton. Two primary circulation spines are subsequently introduced, as a considered sequence of voids are inserted along two axes – the existing Forth Walk and Ettrick Way.
The proposal seeks to draw out and enhance the latent qualities of the original building, re-considering its spatial generosity via a series of precise architectural interventions.
The building is foremost stripped of its internal cladding and suspended ceilings to reveal its dignified and airy concrete skeleton. Two primary circulation spines are subsequently introduced, as a considered sequence of voids are inserted along two axes – the existing Forth Walk and Ettrick Way.
Ravines
These atria, branched by a network of walkways, lift cores, and stairs, are an echo of Copcutt’s original intention, opening up the immense floor-plates to daylight, air, and clear orientation. They moreover produce an openness into which planting can be accommodated. The internal streets are re-imagined as winter gardens, densely planted ravines, and a public topography around which Cumbernauld’s occupants circulate and further interventions centre.
These atria, branched by a network of walkways, lift cores, and stairs, are an echo of Copcutt’s original intention, opening up the immense floor-plates to daylight, air, and clear orientation. They moreover produce an openness into which planting can be accommodated. The internal streets are re-imagined as winter gardens, densely planted ravines, and a public topography around which Cumbernauld’s occupants circulate and further interventions centre.
Stepping Terrain
Cumbernauld Town Centre was originally conceived as a stepping public terrain, a vessel whose robust construction and simple structure facilitated a constantly renewing and diverse internal programme of retail, public amenity and entertainment. This was architecturally manifested as an extensive concrete framework, a coherent grid occupied by timber and glass pavilions.
Over time these pavilions have been removed and replaced by banal retail spaces, formed of suspended ceilings and blockwork partitions that have obscured much of the original building and its idiosyncratic character. These confined spaces are over-reliant on energy intensive HVAC and artificial lighting systems and are largely inflexible for other uses and possibilities.
Cumbernauld Town Centre was originally conceived as a stepping public terrain, a vessel whose robust construction and simple structure facilitated a constantly renewing and diverse internal programme of retail, public amenity and entertainment. This was architecturally manifested as an extensive concrete framework, a coherent grid occupied by timber and glass pavilions.
Over time these pavilions have been removed and replaced by banal retail spaces, formed of suspended ceilings and blockwork partitions that have obscured much of the original building and its idiosyncratic character. These confined spaces are over-reliant on energy intensive HVAC and artificial lighting systems and are largely inflexible for other uses and possibilities.
Vessel
As such, the proposal pares the building back to its concrete grid, inhabiting it with a series of colourful pavilions, kiosks and partitions – formed of locally sourced timber and glass. These lightweight partitions can easily be opened, changed, enlarged or removed to adapt to the wider requirements of Cumbernauld Town Centre. They can thus flexibly accommodate spaces such as retail, supermarkets, a library, market hall, sports facilities, play spaces, and community amenities – such as laundrettes, galleries for local art and an events space.
As such, the proposal pares the building back to its concrete grid, inhabiting it with a series of colourful pavilions, kiosks and partitions – formed of locally sourced timber and glass. These lightweight partitions can easily be opened, changed, enlarged or removed to adapt to the wider requirements of Cumbernauld Town Centre. They can thus flexibly accommodate spaces such as retail, supermarkets, a library, market hall, sports facilities, play spaces, and community amenities – such as laundrettes, galleries for local art and an events space.
Appropriation
The reconsidered spaces can begin to extend into the car parking levels, providing studios for offices and make-spaces that take over the parking floors as cars are phased out in favour of public transport and pedestrian links. New sports facilities, places for children to learn and play, and also larger rooms for events and performance now sit within the concrete frame. They can be temporary or permanenty, adapted and reconfigured. Thus, the retained structure of the Cumbernauld Town Centre becomes a locus of appropriation, community and future adaptation.
The reconsidered spaces can begin to extend into the car parking levels, providing studios for offices and make-spaces that take over the parking floors as cars are phased out in favour of public transport and pedestrian links. New sports facilities, places for children to learn and play, and also larger rooms for events and performance now sit within the concrete frame. They can be temporary or permanenty, adapted and reconfigured. Thus, the retained structure of the Cumbernauld Town Centre becomes a locus of appropriation, community and future adaptation.
Housing
Housing, that once sat within the projecting aqueduct structures, is proposed to lie close to the wider residential neighbourhoods on the northeast roof deck of the Town Centre, constructed in Phase 4.
These houses are repeated to form a pair of two-storey parallel terraces that enclose a central garden – containing dense planting, a community centre and play spaces for children. The linear arrangement of the buildings ensures each unit is dual aspect and can utilise natural cross-ventilation, as well as direct sunlight into living spaces, private planted balconies and rooftop solar cells.
Housing, that once sat within the projecting aqueduct structures, is proposed to lie close to the wider residential neighbourhoods on the northeast roof deck of the Town Centre, constructed in Phase 4.
These houses are repeated to form a pair of two-storey parallel terraces that enclose a central garden – containing dense planting, a community centre and play spaces for children. The linear arrangement of the buildings ensures each unit is dual aspect and can utilise natural cross-ventilation, as well as direct sunlight into living spaces, private planted balconies and rooftop solar cells.
Robust Interiors
All the houses provide generous spaces for a wide range of living situations, with level access, nearby community amenities and gardens, as well as robust interior spaces. As such, they can easily enable ageing in place and a range of occupation forms, such as one to four bed flats, larger family houses and even inter-generational housing.
All the houses provide generous spaces for a wide range of living situations, with level access, nearby community amenities and gardens, as well as robust interior spaces. As such, they can easily enable ageing in place and a range of occupation forms, such as one to four bed flats, larger family houses and even inter-generational housing.
Reparative Construction
The construction of the terraces priorities the use of local materials, skills and the circular economy. The load-bearing party walls of the accommodation units, sitting on the existing structural grid below, are composed of concrete demolition waste and lime mortar - recycling material from the creation of voids and removal of internal finishes within the Town Centre interior. These blocks exhibit similar properties to stone, and are carbon negative, with the mortar absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere via carbonisation. Inside the houses, the floors, roof structure and non-structural walls are made from locally sourced CLT.
The construction of the terraces priorities the use of local materials, skills and the circular economy. The load-bearing party walls of the accommodation units, sitting on the existing structural grid below, are composed of concrete demolition waste and lime mortar - recycling material from the creation of voids and removal of internal finishes within the Town Centre interior. These blocks exhibit similar properties to stone, and are carbon negative, with the mortar absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere via carbonisation. Inside the houses, the floors, roof structure and non-structural walls are made from locally sourced CLT.
Image Credits
Caro, 6 Dec 2023 https://murderiseverywhere.blogspot.com/2013/12/whats-it-called-cumbernauld.html
Cumbernauld Community News, https://www.facebook.com/cumbernauldcdt/photos/merry-christmas-to-all-past-and-present-residents-of-cumbernauld/1014772747353395/?_rdr
GIA, 13 June 2023, https://gia.org.uk/cumbernauld
Jim Mccourt, 2018, https://mx.pinterest.com/pin/cumbernauld-scotland--304133781087062451/
Joe Barber, 19 January 2016, https://wharferj.wordpress.com/tag/cumbernauld-new-town/
Kirkland Ciccone, Level 3, Cumbernauld Town Centre, https://i.pinimg.com/736x/54/b1/9d/54b19d066bda1290bc16a481208d29e6.jpg
North Lanarkshire Heritage, 14 March 2022, https://x.com/NL_Heritage/status/1503387979506765827?lang=ar
Caro, 6 Dec 2023 https://murderiseverywhere.blogspot.com/2013/12/whats-it-called-cumbernauld.html
Cumbernauld Community News, https://www.facebook.com/cumbernauldcdt/photos/merry-christmas-to-all-past-and-present-residents-of-cumbernauld/1014772747353395/?_rdr
GIA, 13 June 2023, https://gia.org.uk/cumbernauld
Jim Mccourt, 2018, https://mx.pinterest.com/pin/cumbernauld-scotland--304133781087062451/
Joe Barber, 19 January 2016, https://wharferj.wordpress.com/tag/cumbernauld-new-town/
Kirkland Ciccone, Level 3, Cumbernauld Town Centre, https://i.pinimg.com/736x/54/b1/9d/54b19d066bda1290bc16a481208d29e6.jpg
North Lanarkshire Heritage, 14 March 2022, https://x.com/NL_Heritage/status/1503387979506765827?lang=ar
Old Cumbernauld Pictures, 8 April 2013, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=359318687508235&id=356752177764886&set=a.356762484430522
Ray Lucas, 11 March 2022, https://www.thenational.scot/culture/19987268.cumbernauld-town-centre-miss-gone/
Ray Lucas, 11 March 2022, https://www.thenational.scot/culture/19987268.cumbernauld-town-centre-miss-gone/