Dundee, Scotland

Project 2000

The project emphasizes on creating four architectural ‘sensations’ which grow out of the specific nature of each individual site but at the same time could be seen as parts of a same overall concept.

The city is entered at a speed of 50 mph, the scale of the landscape is overwhelming and the visual chaos of the commercial signs and the traffic guidance is confusing.

To be competitive in this existing reality is the major challenge; single landmark object, whether a sculpture or a portico (getting more and more inflatory by every second city having its own) easily fails to leave any track on visitors mind.

In ‘Green Lights of Dundee’ all the four sites have been carefully researched. Each of the sites have a unique character which should be further developed into architectural intervention. Instead of being too literal or comprehended at a glance it rather may give a memorable experience in time and space.

Western Gateway is marked by a colonnade of green pillars west from the roundabout of Ring Road and A 90.

The pillars are located on the central reserve between the lanes. They are made of steel mesh creating a cylindrical tube-like ‘trellis’ for climbing plants. The core of the pillar is hollow for a floodlight to illuminate the structure from inside.

The diameter and the distance from one pillar to another is adjusted so that from far the colonnade looks like a solid green wall gradually changing into a regular sequence of lush accents when passing it by.

Eastern Gateway refers to the western one and thus underlines the east-west axis through the city.

The colonnade of green pillars starts eastwards from the Claypotts junction. They are situated on the southern side of the Arbroath Road. The structure is the same as in the west but now the cylinder is filled with turf growing through the mesh. The floodlights are around the pillar to light them from outside.

Northern Gateway is already existing by A 90 cutting its way through Powrie Brae. The hill blocks the view to the very last and then reveals the panorama over the town down to the river Tay.

The wild growing slopes on the both sides of the Forfar Road should be made even and planted with low bushes of strong colour impact.

On night-time the wedge in the hill will be lit by a grid of bollard lights.

Southern Gateway will be the refined Tay Road bridge. Besides creating one of the main accesses to the city it is dominating the view from the banks of Tay and visible up to the surrounding hills.

Today the bridge undoubtedly meets the routine engineering standards but with a limited facelifting it could be made into one of the icons of Dundee.

The project proposes new 15 foot high masts on the both sides of the central bike lane. The new masts should be located in-between the existing ones. The masts are made of H-profiles, and the lit inner sides of the profile are painted with two colours. The bridge is perceived green when entering the city and blue when leaving it. The hues of the colours could be seen far to the hills.