EXPLAINER: What can we expect from the new urban park being developed in Kilkenny?

Kilkenny County Council has commissioned PLACE+U to develop the 'Watergate Urban Park'.

This project seeks to redefine Watergate Park, Parliament Street, Kilkenny with the provision of a set of flexible spaces that can be configured according to event users, or day to day users, using a combination of fixed and loose furniture to facilitate a change in use.

This development will see the Watergate Park redeveloped to provide an Urban Park. The project aims to provide a thoroughfare for pedestrians and cyclists, linking Abbey Street and Parliament Street with the adjacent Abbey Quarter Development.

The site is located to the south of the Watergate Theatre, Parliament Street, Kilkenny. It had been used as a parking facility with a small urban park space to Parliament Street.

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The Watergate Urban Park is designed to be accessible by pedestrians and cyclists with a through route between Horse Barrack Lane and Parliament Street.

The provision for outdoor seating is an important aspect of the scheme. Permanent seating is to be provided that will not impact on the entertainment aspect of the venue, when in use.

Consideration is to be given to suitable temporary seating when events are taking place.

While the use of this area is primarily as an outdoor seating space, sheltered areas - such as canopies or similar are to be provided to cater for inclement weather conditions.

The use of the park as an outdoor entertainment area is likely to be sporadic throughout the year, coinciding with festivals and events.

A raised stage area is required in order to facilitate outdoor performances. This shall be covered by a roof and have the structural integrity to accommodate temporary lighting and sound equipment.

An outdoor power supply that can be used for all potential events in this area is to be provided.

Sufficient public lighting is to be provided to ensure the safe use of the park throughout the whole day.

Consideration is to be given to the use of feature lighting and coloured lighting that may enhance the night-time aesthetics and amenity of the park.

The project sees the removal of most of the existing parking provision, but the retention of some parking is to be considered adjacent to Horse Barrack Lane.

Future parking provisions should include two e-charging bays, a disabled bay and a small number of short-term spaces, to accommodate customers of the local businesses.

The Watergate Theatre has a loading bay to the rear, but this is designed for larger vehicles. Smaller vehicles such as vans often load/unload from the fire exit that opens onto the car park. A loading bay near this fire exit to facilitate vans is to be considered.

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The boundaries of the site will be finished in a manner that is in keeping with the design of the Park.

The drainage design for the Park will be in regard to the aesthetic nature of the Park and avoid cumbersome looking infrastructure, such as large gratings and uncamouflaged manhole covers.

Consultations were held with various festival committees and organisers in Kilkenny, in addition to the management of the adjoining Watergate Theatre.

A detailed brief analysis and site analysis process informed the general design strategy and identified the attitude to the site as a whole.

This then led to a direct walking/cycling route through the site, with a slight curve to soften the rigidity of the proposed route.

The walking route will differ from the other hard pavement of the park in only the direction of the brick bonding. This sets it apart from the main seating area but only in a subtle way.

The seating area makes use of dynamic seating that can be pivoted around a fixed point, to allow the layout of the site to change, for example in the event of a performance.

The seating is designed in such a manner that it cannot inhibit the space of the walking route, leaving the route clear for cyclists and pedestrians at all times.

A substantial number of the benches will be age friendly enabled through the addition of back rests and arm rests.

The entrance on the Parliament Street boundary is formed under a canopy that invites people into the site through a set of compression and release spaces, and also functions as a shelter for inclement weather.

This canopy is composed of a steel frame structure clad in polycarbonate sheeting, to allow light to filter through.

The entrance from Horse Barrack Lane is much more open, allowing for more space for free-flowing furniture in this area.

The Park will be open and fully accessible at normal times but may be closed off for specific events.

The Park can accommodate a variety of different performance requirements and capacities, both seating and standing e.g. proscenium stage (capacity 75/100) thrust stage (capacity 125/150) and other less formal performance arrangements (capacity 20 to 200).

The boundary treatments of the site on the North side adjoining the Watergate Theatre consists of a six-meter-high timber screen with vertical strip lighting incorporated.

This screen aims to provide privacy for the Watergate performers as they make their way from the backstage area to the proposed outdoor performance area, whilst also screening some of the services that are attached to the Theatre itself that would take from the aesthetic of the site.

The outdoor performance space incorporates the boundary screen into the opening for the stage, meaning when there are no performances on site, the screen is fully closed, giving the affect that it is seamless.

The proscenium arch is 6000 x 3700mm with accordion style folding doors, to allow the stage to become part of the park.

There is a temporary roof for the thrust stage which protrudes 1500mm from the boundary screen when put in place.

Lighting is incorporated in both the boundary screen and along the south line of the pavement, which is the route through the site.

Lighting will ensure the safety of the park users at all times of day. The lighting along the pavement will be of the wand type, in keeping with the contemporary aesthetic of the Urban Park.

On the south boundary, the timber screen incorporates a facility for temporary lighting, and sound equipment for future external events.

This boundary treatment also functions as a screen to the rear of the hostel along this site boundary.

The planting and soft landscaping of the site are designed to become micro-habitats for insects and urban birds. The feature tree in the middle of the site functions as both an aesthetic piece and shelter under the canopy.

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