After a period of a couple of weeks of undertaking precedent studies for design philosophy, methodology, and process [see blog post Oct 10, 2019: Shin Egashira] and desktop research into the site, we then went on a whole-studio site visit. The main focus was on experiencing the site first-hand for the first time, walking around to investigate different parts of it, but equally important at this stage was to gain an understanding of it in its wider context of Manchester, Trafford and Salford.
View of Manchester Waters under construction and the Manchester Ship Canal
Travelling to the site
We made our ways independently from Leeds to Manchester, where we congregated at Victoria Station. We then got the Metrolink as far as Deansgate-Castlefield, before disembarking so that we could walk the rest of the way to the site, meaning that we could understand some of the site's surrounding context and the routes to it. It is possible to travel all the way from Victoria to Cornbrook on the Metrolink without any changes, taking only 13 minutes travel time, which is something that I may do on return trips.
From Deansgate, we then walked along the Bridgewater Canal, taking a slight detour to look at the Urban Splash development north-east of the site, before arriving at the site over the Cornbrook bridge.
Bridge on the approach to the site along the Bridgewater Canal
Experiencing the site
Once on the site, we walked through along the road running through the site, to the Pomona tramstop end of the island. We immediately came across evidence of twin presences of humanity and nature on the site, seeing graffiti and plants juxtaposed together on the bridge, the tent of a member of the street-homeless community amongst small trees and bushes, and then a large array of fly-tipped objects on the road-side, in front of much more well-established nature between the road and the Bridgewater Canal.
Tent in amongst the nature of the site
Beyond this, approaching the road bridge crossing over the Ship Canal/Bridgewater Canal lock, there were well established trees next to the Bridgewater Canal, which had come back into view.
Well-established trees next to the Bridgewater Canal
Over the bridge, we were confronted with the reality of the Peel Group development of the site - a construction site working on the Manchester Waters apartment blocks. We continued walking and reached the Pomona Metrolink stop.
Manchester Waters under construction
After this, we split off to go and investigate which parts of the site were of interest to each of us. Firstly I walked underneath the elevated tramway, looking at the abundant graffiti and various abandoned or fly-tipped possessions.
Underneath the tramway
I then had a look around the lock which connects the Manchester Ship Canal and Bridgewater Canal, before crossing over the road bridge back onto the main unoccupied part of the island.
Lock connecting the Bridgewater Canal to the Manchester Ship Canal
From here, I diverted from the road, and explored the north-western side of the site. I found that here the site was very overgrown with plants, making it difficult to easily pass through. I moved to the water's edge and then walked along the perimeter of this side of the site. I found that there were railings which had been damaged and twisted, intertwined with the continued presence of much overgrown nature.
Twisted railings on the Manchester Ship Canal edge
After walking the length of the site on this side, I exited the site by the Pomona Wharf development at the north-eastern end of the site, and walked around to the Cornbrook Metrolink stop. Having observed that the tramway was elevated whilst it ran adjacent to the site, I decided to travel from Cornbrook to Pomona on the tram, to get an overview of the site.
Site viewed from the Metrolink
Beyond the site
We met up again at Pomona tramstop and then took the Metrolink to MediaCityUK and had a look around there, before going in the Imperial War Museum North. After this, we took the Metrolink back past Pomona Island to Deansgate, where we got out and went to a bar to discuss our findings of the day, before going back to Victoria station to get the train back to Leeds.
Reflection
My first impressions of the site are largely in line with the thoughts that I'd been having based on desktop research, such as in the George Haydock film, articles in The Skyliner, and historical research - that it is a very ecologically special wilderness, and that it is a space which offers freedom for nature and humanity alike. It has reinforced my feeling that nature and ecology should be central to the proposal that I bring to the site, and that a very sensitive approach must be taken, to not damage the auspiciousness of the site.
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