Martime Streets Project - Barrow-in-Furness
‘Barrow Maritime Streets’ is located in Barrow Island, accessible from Barrow-in-Furness town centre by a bridge. The surrounding housing on the island, including the Maritime Streets that form the site, is characterised by tall sandstone tenement blocks. The buildings have a quality and intrigue, although their urbanity is unforgiving. There was nothing to soften the blocks, as the landscape was run down and degraded, devoid of everything. No planting or trees, along with mainly unoccupied buildings, boarded-up shops, pubs, and empty streets, all telling a story of their own. The incremental effect of years of neglect was finally reaching a point of irretrievability.
Our approach was to understand the challenges and qualities of the site, the work focused around creating a ‘tipping point’ from which the neighbourhood could move from appearing undesirable to becoming an attractive place that would invite people in.
The Barrow Maritime Streets includes landscape improvements to the large central square, two courtyard gardens and improvements to the immediate network of streets.