Niazi Roden

Revitalising Oxford: Niazi Roden's Journey with VU.CITY for Efficient Urban Design and Planning

Niazi Roden Architects, known for their innovative approach to urban design, were faced with the task of revitalising an old car factory site dating back to the '80s in the historic city of Oxford. Their vision was a project that not only adhered to Oxford's intricate planning policies but also harmonised with the city's iconic views and historic context. The challenge lay in navigating Oxford City Planning's policies, especially concerning height limitations – a substantial concern in university towns like Oxford.

Armed with VU.CITY, the Architecture firm set out to bring their vision to life – transforming a dated business park into a 21st-century science hub with connectivity, amenity spaces, and a design that respects the historical essence of Oxford.

Watch the video above, or keep reading to discover how architects at Niazi Roden successfully executed this project, and how using VU.CITY all the way up to RIBA design stage 4 saves them allowed for seamless communication with the local council and saved them buckets of time in the process.

“We use VU.CITY from the first day a project comes into the office and we have done since we got it.”

David Roden

Managing Director - Niazi Roden

Cracking the Planning Code with VU.CITY

Niazi Roden found themselves at the intersection of past and present, tasked with transforming an old car factory site into a modern life science hub. The challenge here was in trying to make the building as efficient as possible from the clients point of view, whilst overcoming local planning policies.

For example, within the VU.CITY model you can see that the site was a sea of 80's and 90's buildings, with no urban context and no connectivity. The architects needed to communicate that the site would evolve into a 21st century science park with connectivity, amenities, and become a place to walk and use the space between the buildings to live rather than just a roadway. They used VU.CITY to demonstrate to the council how the site could develop, and how the scheme would develop a cohesive urban and townscape approach. VU.CITY became the tool that helped decode the intricate planning regulations, paving the way for densification and a bold height increase to six stories from three.

What started as a modest agreement on 8 impact views soon evolved, more than doubling in number by the time the planning application reached the council's desk. VU.CITY became the virtual collaborator in shaping these critical decisions, providing a visual narrative that resonated with the historical essence of Oxford. They used the transport layer to show where public transport was and where it was going to be coming from, and utilised it for shadow study and analysis as well as developing the massing of the scheme to prove to the council the impacts of the scheme.

"We always use VU.CITY right fro the outset for mass modelling... it's that powerful in terms of the layers and the information that you can glean from it."

The Design Process

The utilisation of VU.CITY's mass modelling capabilities transformed the design process for the project. Using VU.CITY's tools and features enabled them to seamlessly navigate project timelines, monitor building heights, and visualise the evolution of their endeavour. Public transport routes were laid out as a comprehensive connectivity map, while the interplay of shadows provided insights through impact studies on landscapes and surroundings.

Addressing conservation concerns became an art with VU.CITY, producing early view studies and verified views that ensured every design decision resonated harmoniously with its surroundings. The platform was not merely a design tool but a partner in crafting a narrative that respected the historical fabric of Oxford.

“We always VU.CITY right from the outset from the earliest mass modelling… I think we probably can now do in a day what used to take a week. It’s that powerful in terms of the layering and the information that you can glean from it.”

David Roden

Managing Director - Niazi Roden

Navigating the Skyline

One of the challenges to overcome on this project was the protected views in the historic city, and in this case was complex given the architectural tapestry of Oxford's skyline. In this instance, VU.CITY helped by becoming the storyteller, vindicating the project's impact with visual precision. Using VU.CITY for studies on church towers, castles, and the historic core, showcased how the project impacted a mere 0.0014% of the skyline, significantly helping their case for consent.

Being able to demonstrate impacts in different seasons as well as with daylight, sunlight, and shadow considerations, the platform was able to demonstrate the minimal impacts of the scheme, supporting their case for consent. VU.CITY became an invaluable tool, not just in the design process but in the communication strategy, proving that innovation can seamlessly blend with historical preservation.

"Not only in terms of stage two design, but in stage 3 we've been using it for photovoltaics, where did they sit in the townscape views? So we are using it up to stage 4 of RIBA design."

Key Outcomes:

Efficient Navigation of Planning Policies
- Leveraging VU.CITY, Niazi Roden Architects successfully decoded intricate planning regulations, overcoming challenges posed by Oxford City Planning's policies, particularly concerning height limitations.
- The platform facilitated communication with the local council, illustrating how the proposed project would adhere to planning policies while revitalising the old car factory site into a modern life science hub.

Seamlessly Communicating Design Vision:
- VU.CITY served as a virtual collaborator, aiding architects in communicating the evolution of the site into a 21st-century science park with connectivity and amenities.
- Through visual narratives and transport layer utilisation, the platform effectively demonstrated the cohesive urban and townscape approach, paving the way for densification and height increases.
Time and Cost Savings:
- Utilising VU.CITY streamlined the design process, transforming weeks of work into a single day.
- The platform optimised negotiations with the council, providing context, demonstrating views, and analysing building heights, ultimately saving time and resources.
Enhanced Design Process:
- VU.CITY's mass modeling capabilities revolutionised the design process, enabling seamless navigation of project timelines and visualisation of design evolution.
- Comprehensive connectivity maps and shadow impact studies provided valuable insights into public transport routes and conservation concerns, ensuring design decisions harmonised with the surroundings.
Effective Storytelling and Visual Precision:
- VU.CITY emerged as a storyteller, validating the project's impact with visual precision amidst the complexity of Oxford's skyline.
- Through studies on landmarks and historic core areas, the platform showcased the minimal impact of the project, supporting the case for consent with precise data on seasonal variations and sunlight considerations.