Broomhall for All

Year | 2023

Location | Broomhall, Sheffield

Clients | Israac Somali Community Association, Broomhall Park Residents Association & The Broomhall Centre

Over 6 weeks Team Broomhall For All sought to respond to the needs of Broomhall’s diverse communities by developing an urban vision as part of Sheffield School of Architecture’s Live Project initiative. The team worked closely with 3 previously unacquainted client groups; lsraac Somali Community Association, The Broomhall Park Association and The Broomhall Centre. By participating in community engagements through existing events whilst also reaching out to local authority groups and developers, the team sought to bridge the gap between stakeholders. The resulting urban vision is informed by research surrounding Broomhall’s preservation and design work surrounding proposed enhancements.

Sheffield School of Architecture students immerse themselves in Broomhall to create an urban vision that harmonises the needs and experiences of three distinct client group.

Broomhall in south Sheffield has a diverse range of communities, urban landscapes and building typologies. However, clients concur that the neighbourhood’s diversity comprises of distinct groups that exist somewhat segregated from one another. The clients mutually value the importance of integrating Broomhall’s communities without assimilating them.

The purpose of the urban vision is to present informed and attainable proposals for Broomhall’s public realms, natural environment and built forms, ensuring that future investment is used to enhance

prosperity and wellbeing for residents. A shared aspiration of the client groups is to enhance the welcoming and inclusive nature of Broomhall, encouraging a sense of local ownership rather than being a short-term residence for a transient population.

From start to finish, the team focused on distinct yet overlapping themes of both protecting and developing the community assets. Thus, the project’s outputs present firstly a Preservation booklet highlighting and celebrating cherished aspects of Broomhall from local perspectives through mapping, photography, storytelling and visuals. The specific purpose of this booklet is as a tool to spotlight local experience and raise objection to future developments that overlook them. The document can be presented to both Sheffield City Council and future developers.

The project further delivers an Enhancement tool kit which proposes an urban vision informed by the challenges, needs and desired improvements collected through community engagement during the initial weeks of the project. This toolkit consists of 5 themes; community led gathering spots, direct routes and connectivity, safety and accessibility, green infrastructure and climate action, all of which overlap to form a wider neighbourhood scheme.

To maximise the legacy and accessibility of the Live Project, a website was produced presenting the findings and proposals alongside information about the client groups and the process. In addition, the visual files produced by the team were organised onto a USB for clients to adapt and repurpose to address future needs and challenges, ensuring versatility of the collective efforts. A portable box compiling the work was then handed over to each of the 3 client groups as a collection of resources to be taken to future meetings.

Furthermore, the outcomes provide the clients of Broomhall For All with a practical and credible concept to show future investors and stakeholders, ultimately centring the Broomhall community in the development of their neighbourhood.

Credits

Student Team: 

Charles Mahony, Sarah Chiu, Luke Hadley, Aakash Bala Saravanan Mathialagan, Jessica Minton, Dane Carlos, Sasina Chanaphai, Mariya Nesheva, Tianhui Du, Sumeyye Nur Ozturk Alkan, Yuxiang Ruan

Mentor: 

John Sampson