Thornwood lacks intentional public spaces which are important to developing a sense of community and promoting sociability amongst the residents. Instead Thornwood shows division through social hierarchy and unwelcoming edge conditions such as; inactive spaces, hard boundaries and unmaintained land.

From group research, an effective way to enhance the public realm is by increasing the amount of community based green spaces through improving pre-existing land and pedestrianising unnecessary roads. By breaking down the physical barriers that divide the community it will create an opportunity for social interaction as well as build relationships between the different types of housing that live together in the area. By focusing on the issues found and creating parks, retail opportunities and public allotments, create a healthy environment for all who live there. Implementing these changes could create several pockets of social spaces throughout which would bring the residents together and therefore provide the community the opportunity to live in agreement.

Thornwood in the West End of Glasgow city. My urban housing retrofit project is on top of a hill, which has the advantage of views and creating a heart for the community. The idea of my proposal is to create a relationship between the varied typologies as way to create a hierarchal shift and minimise the division in the area.