Reconnecting Carlisle
Centred around the River Eden in Carlisle, my thesis project explores how a landscape-led Ecological Mobility Network can address issues of spatial inequality through improved access to greenspace, proposed sustainable travel networks, and greater connections between new and existing green infrastructure. The project also considers the wider impact of this network at a city-wide scale before focusing on a site-specific intervention at the former rail yard of Engine Lonning and the adjacent disused Waverley Viaduct. Together, these sites form a primary connector within the proposed network linking communities, landscapes and heritage assets across Carlisle.
The strategic four-phase Ecological Mobility Network initially focuses on reopening the Waverley Viaduct and Engine Lonning, retaining former rail infrastructure while improving access to the River Eden and introducing new wetland, grassland and woodland habitats along a proposed linear railway park from Engine Lonning to Kingmoor Nature Reserve. The later phases expand these proposed habitats and create flood resilient landscapes across underused land along the river corridor, reconnecting communities, heritage and wildlife through active travel routes and multifunctional green-blue infrastructure.
Throughout the development of the final proposal, I referred to the placemaking framework I devised for the project to ensure a consistent and integrated design approach. Structured around the three core pillars of People + Access, Nature + Ecology, and Heritage + Identity, with subsequent operational themes and measurable outputs also outlined.
During the project, I also had the opportunity to speak with a local charity in Carlisle to discuss their ambitions for reopening the Grade II Listed Waverley Viaduct as an accessible walking and cycle route. In response, the Ecological Mobility Network centres on the reactivation of the Waverley Viaduct as a key ecological, pedestrian and cycle connection across the city.
