Of paramount concern to many locals spoken to was the loss of Stretford high street and the lack of a familiar town centre. Many missed the old high street and the large variety of shops and eateries it provided, although the mall still provided shopping opportunities many felt there was a lack of independent retailers and fresh/local food on offer.
Recreating what was taken away
The Town with the missing High Street
A
B
C
A
B
C
Proposal
This led to me beginning to explore the notion of creating a modern replica of the original high street. Due to the arrangement of the roads a traditional ground level street was not achievable therefore I began to explore the creation of a high level walkway connecting points of interest around Stretford and crossing though my site to create a central area with pedestrian precinct and public facilities.
I felt this option also provided Stretford with a visual landmark as glimpses of this proposed walkway could be gained from various entrances to Stretford, marking a point of arrival (which many of the people we spoke to felt was severely lacking).
MOUSE OVER TO REVEAL STRETFORD IN THE 1950'S