Video guide to the Westgate Centre site description.

A map of the Westgate area in Oxford is displayed. The Westgate Centre development site is highlighted. There are 15 video hotspots marked around the perimeter of the development area starting with hotspot one at the North East of the development area and proceeding clockwise around the area to hotspot 15 back at the North East tip of the development. There is also a button which accesses a video entitled: "Westgate video guide." Users should view this video first and then proceed to view each of the hotspot videos in turn starting at hotspot one and ending at hotspot 15.

Description and transcript of: "Westgate video guide."

The visuals show an ancient map of Oxford with the Westgate Site and the Castle Mound marked on it. The Castle mound is situated on the East side of the settlement and the Westgate site area is situated on the North East side of the settlement.

The voiceover begins: "The historic university city of Oxford was first recorded in the Anglo Saxon chronicle in 912 and was probably a substantial settlement by then."

The visuals dissolve to a 1970s map of Oxford with the Westgate site highlighted.

"In the city centre much of the medieval street pattern has survived in spite of today's demands for vehicle access and retail developments. But the city's Westgate Quarter was largely demolished in the 1960's to allow the building in 1970 of a modern shopping centre and car park, with the subsequent lose of traditional street pattern and many old houses."

The visuals dissolve to a modern map of Oxford with the Westgate site highlighted.

"Since the 1980s, plans have been drawn up to improve the shopping centre and extend it into the car parking area thereby attracting more retail business. New proposals will increase the retail floor space providing flats, restaurants and other facilities as well."

The visuals dissolve to an aerial photograph of Oxford.

"This video tour will help you to examine Oxford's Westgate Centre site in the context of the urban design qualities and principles that we learned about in the previous sessions. You will be able to analyse the site and propose your own design solutions. We shall stop at 15 locations on our tour and look at our surroundings."

The route of the tour is marked on the aerial photograph of Oxford, around the perimeter of the Westgate site. Arrows indicate that the tour should take a clockwise route starting at the North East corner of the site.

"To begin the tour, press the numbered symbol at each location. We suggest that to analyse the site, the recording of one design quality is allocated to each group member. Don't forget to use the checklist of questions."

Transcript for video hotspot one.

"Moving along Queen Street, we approach the main entrance to the Westgate Shopping Centre. What do you notice?"

The video shows a bustling Queen Street. Looking down the street you can see the entrance to the shopping centre. The triangular shaped entrance facade has "Westgate" written on it underneath an icon which looks like a stylised gate.

Transcript for video hotspot two.

"Looking back along Queen Street, what is the most striking feature you can see?"

The camera pans back along Queen Street past a row of shops to rest on an old building, possibly a church, which has a spire.

Transcript for video hotspot three.

"The entrance to the Westgate shopping centre is located at the junction of Queen Street, Castle Street and New Road. Looking around here, what can you conclude?"

The camera pans 360 degrees, from the entrance of the Westgate Centre. Looking around you can see a variety of building styles from different ages. The buildings immediately adjacent to the Westgate Centre are modern.

Transcript for video hotspot four.

"From the Westgate entrance, we can now walk around to Castle Street passing the pedestrian underpass. What can you say about this route?"

The camera is positioned at the entrance to the underpass. This is below ground level and is reached on either side by a gently sloping, wide route.

Transcript for video hotspot five.

"Looking across Castle street we can now see the site of the former Oxford prison currently being redeveloped for leisure and residential uses. There will be a new pedestrian access from Castle Street. On the left there is also a side entrance to the Westgate shopping centre. Note your conclusions about this street."

The camera pans 360 degrees taking in, on the opposite side of the road; a bus stop, hoardings promoting the new prison redevelopment and another bus stop. The road has light traffic consisting of three buses. On this side of the road, we can see the side entrance to the Westgate Shopping Centre. The side entrance is raised above ground level and is accessed by a gently sloping concrete route.

Transcript for video hotspot six.

"Where Norfolk Street joins Castle Street, if we turn to the left we see along Old Grey Friars Street where the multi-story car park is connected to the back of the Westgate Centre via a pedestrian bridge and then we can look back along Castle Street. What do you notice about this area?"

The camera pans 180 degrees from Norfolk Street to Castle Street. The buildings in this area are modern in design and look as if they have been built in the 1970s.

Transcript for video hotspot seven.

"Here we are on Norfolk Street looking back at our last position. Look around here and record your observations. With the multi-story car park on our left we can see down to Thames Street."

The camera pans 180 degrees passing, on the other side of the road, a modern (1980's) residential housing development consisting of flats and semi detached buildings. The camera stops when it reaches the multi-story car park.

Transcript for video hotspot eight.

"Looking back at Norfolk Street from Thames Street, the Southern edge of the proposed redevelopment site, we can see the entrance to the surface and multi-story car parks. What messages do you get from this view?"

The camera pans 180 degrees and passes, from left to right; a modern residential housing development, a busy road junction, the multi-story car park and surface car park and stops at another modern residential housing development.

Transcript for video hotspot nine.

"There is housing in Old Grey Friars Street, opposite the exit from the car parks. What do you find significant here?"

Transcript for video hotspot ten.

"Several historic houses here on Turn Again Lane have been converted to office use. Here is the entrance to Roger Bacon Lane. Look carefully here. What do you notice?"

The camera pans along the historic buildings passing the entrance to Roger Bacon Lane, which is a narrow, sloping route. On the other side of the lane is a modern brick building.

Transcript for video hotspot 11.

"Roger Bacon Lane is a footpath which meets the Eastern Edge of the Westgate Centre. Let's follow the parking warden. How would it feel to walk through here?"

The camera is positioned at the top of the lane which is narrow and has a high brick wall on one side and a slightly lower brick wall on the other. It is overlooked by the upstairs windows of one of the historic buildings which has been converted for office use. There is no street lighting.

Transcript for video hotspot 12.

"Walking on up the lane, we can see that there is an alternative route to the shopping centre. What is the most noticeable feature."

We can see the narrow lane with brick walls on either side. As the camera pans around, the route widens slightly. There is one pedestrian using this route.

Transcript for video hotspot 13.

The lane, seen here on the left, leads into Penny Farthing Place at the Eastern Edge of the Westgate Centre. Looking around, we see that it merges into St Ebbes Street. What are the most significant features of this place?"

The camera pans around a small rectangular courtyard area. There is no traffic although there is one parked car and several parked bicycles. Looking beyond the courtyard to St Ebbes Street, we can see the entrance to a pub.

Transcript for video hotspot 14.

"Crossing the street, we can look down St Ebbes back into Penny Farthing Place and then up St Ebbes towards Queen Street. How does this differ from the other streets we have seen?"

Looking up St Ebbes we can see parked cars, but no moving vehicles. There is a road sign which indicates that cars are prohibited, except for access. People are walking along the pavements and in the middle of the road.

Transcript for video hotspot 15.

"Here, where St Ebbes meets Queens Street, we return to the shopping centre's main entrance. This concludes our video tour of the site. Your next task, working in your group, is to complete your analysis of the Westgate site using what you have learned on the tour and then to develop your own design recommendations for the site."

The video fades to a map of the site development area.

End.