This project, titled 'The Undercrofts', proposes three interventions within existing railway arches adjacent to Mayfield. Historically, the construction of the railway arches has led to the fortification and subsequent deactivation of Mayfield especially from the communities that exist towards the north of the site. Taking this into consideration, this scheme opens up several arches which are often underutilised to provide porous connectivity towards Mayfield from different parts fo the site, and more importantly, provide delightful spaces for people to stay and linger.
Taking into consideration the existing and potential future users in and around Mayfield, this scheme provides a series of spaces that will meet their potential wants and needs as well as allow them to enhance engagement with the public. The sites are commonly characterised through the use of colour and differentiation to produce attractive spaces which have the power to draw people in from different parts of the site. Besides this, existing atmospheric aspects of different arches are enhanced by preserving them and also allowing people to experience them.
Taking climate change into consideration, this proposal maximises the reuse of existing spaces. Besides this, demolished materials have been utilised to form new materials where possible in order to maximise the environmental sustainability aspect of this scheme.
