AndrewWilliamThompson MArchApplicationPortfolio September2014
LeedsMetropolitanUniversity
UnderGraduateDegree
September 2010 - June 2013
Introduction. My undergraduate degree was completed at Leeds Metropolitan University. The course was based around design studio projects with technology and context modules intended to enhance the skills and techniques developed in studio projects. Covering a variety of topics, typologies and contexts enabled me to develop an understanding of theory and the beginnings of an architectural skill set to apply to project based design work.
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Year One
Year Two
Year Two
Year Three
Year Three
Year Three
Overview Page 4
Trinity Buoy Wharf Page 5
Bold Street Page 6-7
Masterplan Page 8-9
Component Design Page 10-11
Thermal Spa Page 12-17
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YearOne First year undergraduate involved studio projects based around the formation of architectural language culminating in two design proposals, a residence for a method actor at Kirkstall Abbey and a live work studio for an artist at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Kirkstall Abbey was a proposal for Tom Hanks’ character in Saving Private Ryan, the themes were based around stealth and solitude. Yorkshire Sculpture Park was an artists residence for Fischli and Weiss who often use found objects to create dioramas epitomical of modern life as well as producing Rube Goldberg machines. As such the proposal was based around containers and moving parts. The majority of first year projects were heavily concept driven which taught me the basics of research and developing that information into architectural propositions. Conceptual research was something new to me having come from a more science, maths and engineering palette. However the development of research into architectural techniques, particularly the YSP artists residence, was something I found very interesting and engaging. Yorkshire Sculpture Park - Elevations
Kirkstall Abbey - Entrance Visual
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Meaning models - Aspect
YearTwoSemesterOne Transition, the aptly named studio unit for semester one of second year, tasked us with developing language and a ‘design tool-kit’ to take forward into a proposition we were each responsible for defining. The site was Trinity Buoy Wharf, a small former dockland opposite the 02 at Greenwich. Home of the container city it was a transient community for ‘creatives’. I proposed a two phase accommodation scheme after becoming riled by an article about the extortionate price increases of London’s hotels during the 2012 Olympics. The first phase was a hostel style Olympic only hotel, following which the building was to be reconfigured and act as live/work accommodation for creative industries. Further enhancing Trinity Buoy Wharf’s reputation as a community built on the arts. The project was founded upon a relatively good idea. A proposition that introduced me to the social responsibility of the architect and a brief excursion into architectural activism. However, it’s execution was flawed. I found it extremely difficult to deal with a complex site. The main lesson I took away from this project was the importance of site analysis. Without well executed site analysis a project is always destined to never fill its potential. Olympic Phase - Interior Visual
Legacy Phase - Sections
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YearTwoSemesterTwo Our second year project saw an introduction to master-planning as well as a proposal of our choice. The site was a hole in the ground between Liverpool Central and Bold Street, soon to be turned into the new ‘Central Village’ complex. A literal void in the city. My proposal was to create a new green space, for a city which is tragically lacking in them, centred around a busking hub. Liverpool has since the days of Merseybeat been a world leader in pop music and institutions like LIPA, to whom we paid a visit, reflect this. It was intended to create a space which combined the sites high footfall, Central station being one of the busiest stations in the country with low transfer rates, and Liverpool’s broader musical heritage. Providing community performance space for students, professionals and aspiring John, Paul, George and Ringos.
Long Elevation
Once again the proposition was founded on a solid understanding of social context however unlike my first semester project a much better understanding of the constraints, coupled admittedly with a more forgiving site, led to a proposition that was far more successful. The form itself was conceptually driven by an origami interpretation of a site plan. Folded and manipulated to form a space naturally suited to music due to its unusual, yet still linearly driven, form.
Long Section
Short Elevation
Concept Model - Photograph
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Short Section
Site Solar Study
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YearThreeMasterPlanning Third year moved away from semester based projects and aimed to segment a year long project into master-plan, component design and a more traditional architectural proposition all of which were complimented by technology and context modules around similar themes. Based in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, the master plan phase gave us the opportunity to research and map the town then make an informed decision on where we wished to propose change. I chose to master-plan the site of the old fair ground. A raised mound in the north bay of the town once home to laughter and thriving industry now home to empty cans of Tesco’s own super strength lager and discarded packets of Benson and Hedges. A physical epitaph of seaside Britain. Site research threw up interesting maps regarding flood levels and the separation of the site from the town. I decided to formulate a master-plan around the process of desalination. The new format of the year meant the approach towards work had to be more considered and thoroughly developed. It taught me valuable lessons in patience and properly thorough architectural development. I felt the holistic year-long project with modules in other areas complimenting the proposal benefited me substantially.
Master plan
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Input and Output Model
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YearThreeComponentDesign Having developed a master-plan around the language of energy transfers, fortresses and industry the component from my master-plan I chose to design was a ‘Seaweed Tower’. In its conception it was an ‘intelligent’ greenhouse which adapted kinetically to changing conditions both seasonally and diurnally. Borrowing from the fun-fair aesthetic it stood as a landmark for new industry whilst doffing its cap to what had once stood on its ground. The seaweed towers I felt were very successful pieces of design. Beginning with a solid foundation in research from a variety of angles they worked aesthetically and albeit only theoretically in practise.
Exploded Axonometric
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Elevations and Sections
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YearThreeArchitecturalProposition The culmination of my undergraduate studies was an intervention based around what put Scarborough on the map. The Spa. In a master-plan all about how a seaside town deals with water, often its greatest friend and fiercest foe, it was an opportunity to add a diversification of use to the master-plan with the addition of a leisure link from the open air theatre to the west across the site to the beach huts which lay below. Designing for an imagined context threw up a unique set of constraints and issues. The scheme culminated in a triptych of buildings; the spa itself, an accommodation block and a visitors centre. All three taking up axial references acting as a fulcrum for the whole project. The spa was a particularly challenging design. I became interested in architectural techniques that are particularly challenging to communicate on paper. Namely phenomenological principles of design to do with tactility and light. I attempted to explain this through models and material samples but ultimately struggled to put some of my ideas across. That being said I was quite pleased with the final design, it allowed me to experiment with styles I’d previously not delved into but have always admired. Visiting works of Zumthor and Ando during the course of the project served to inspire and frustrate. Given that much of what makes their buildings so sensational is only available to its visitors. I do definitely feel that my communication matured dramatically due to the difficulties and complexities of this project. Producing my best analytical and graphical representation work to date.
Development Sketches
Concept Model
Site Model
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Top-light Lighting Study
Hotel Corridor Visual
Infinity Pool Visual
Spa Corridor Visual
Tepidarium Visual
Visitors Center Visual
Hotel Room Visual
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West-East Elevation
North-South Elevation
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A
13
1 13 10
7
1
10
7 7
10
1
10
1
7
B
14 14
15
16
17 1
2
17 17 17 17 17
B
A
1 - Exhibition Space 2 - Visitors Centre Lobby 3 - Spa Lobby 4 - Spa and Hotel Reception 5 - Staff Office 6 - Plant Room 7 - Changing Rooms 8 - Exercise Courtyard 9 - Frigidarium
10 - Massage Rooms 11 - Tepidarium 12 - Social Pool 13 - Treatment Room 14 - Floatation Tank Room 15 - Goods Loading Bay 16 - Funicular Terminal 17 - Hotel Room
Ground Floor Plan
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West-East Section
South-North Section
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D
12 10
11
C 8 9 7 5
6
4 3 2
13
1
13 13
C
13 13 13
D 1 - Conference Space 2 - Toilets 3 - Offices 4 - Access Lobby 5 - Kitchen Store 6 - Kitchen 7 - Restaurant
8 - Sauna 9 - Steam Room 10 - Infinity Pool 11 - Rest Space 12 - Fire Bath 13 - Hotel Room
First Floor Plan
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FaulknerBrownsArchitects
PartOnePlacementYear September2013-August2014
Introduction. Working out of FaulknerBrowns’ Darlington office I have spent the majority of my year working as part of a studio that is responsible for a large portion of the firms schools output. Education architecture has taught me valuable lessons in user-centric design and given me a far deeper understanding of the often complex process’ involved in the design process. I have been fortunate enough to be involved in all stages of design from concept through production information and site experience. Learning and developing a plethora of skills be that; technical, design based or professional. The following pages are a snapshot of my year at FaulknerBrowns and the transition from paper based projects to tangible ‘live’ projects.
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Durham
Durham
Tameside
Tameside
Wolsingham Page 20-23
The Meadows Page 24-25
Hyde Primary Page 26-27
Ashton Primary Page 26-27
Telford and Wrekin Lakeside Academy Page 28-29
Telford and Wrekin Burton Borough School Page 28-29
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WolsinghamSecondarySchool FaulknerBrowns won a batch of 3 design and build schools from Durham County Council in Summer 13’. Wolsingham School, a significant £5m extension to consolidate the teaching onto one site is one of those 3 projects. I have contributed to the design development of Wolsingham School from its conception, carrying out design based tasks as well as production information, consultant and client correspondence. I worked on specific tasks such as developing elevations as well as a broader role producing 3D visuals for all stages of the project. Wolsingham has most importantly taught me how to work as part of a design team. Working along side architects, landscape architects, M&E engineers, fire consultants et al. has given me a solid understanding of how a design is developed in a commercial model. This has proven to be invaluable experience and I have been lucky enough to be involved in client meetings and design team meetings alike. Liaising with sub-contractors to complete a variety of tasks. It is difficult to evaluate just how much I’ve learned working on this project in images. Much of my time has been spent developing designs with colleagues rather than the production of finalised drawings. It’s these processes that have been most beneficial to my development as a designer during my time at FaulknerBrowns.
Hall in ‘Performance’ Mode
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Atrium Link Between Old and New
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North Elevation
1st Floor Gallery Corridor
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East Elevation
South Elevation
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TheMeadowsBESDSchool The Meadows School is a modest extension to provide new specialist teaching facilities and a sports hall for a BESD school. Much like Wolsingham I have been involved from an early stage and my work has taken on many facets. I have produced development work as part of the team as well as visual representation and production drawings as documented in this spread. The Meadows is arguably my favourite project I’ve worked on during my year out so far. It’s less restrictive constraints, most noticeably its simple programme and scale, allowed the intervention to be bolder. Originally massed as three large blocks which expanded telescopically from one another the project was moved into the large wedge you see during a discussion about drainage. The strong wedge opens out creating entrance lobbies as shown immediately right. The form appears bold in orthogonal drawings but will gradually reveal itself and shift composition as you walk around the main façade. The strong form is complimented in its materiality by a bold choice of black block which is symbolic of the strength needed at an institution which deals with some of the counties most vulnerable young people.
View From Student Drop-o
View Behind Fin-Walls Into Entrance Lobbies
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East Elevation
off Area
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HydePrimarySchool Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council appointed FaulknerBrowns to design a ‘mini-batch’ of two new schools and an extension to another, also a FaulknerBrowns project, following the extremely successful completion of a batch in the recent past. Hyde Primary is a brand new one form entry primary school for the Hyde and Hattersley area of Tameside. Whilst Ashton Primary is a two form entry school for the Ashton region.
Ashton (2 Form Entry)
During the projects feasibility stage I was given the task of taking some exemplar projects given to us by the council and stripping them back to simple diagrams, this lead to simple conceptual plans. At a later stage I developed 3D massing studies and concept designs which have been taken forward by a project architect to planning stage. I really enjoyed the process of developing the two new build primary schools, it gave me the opportunity to create my own interpretation of the school model used by FaulknerBrowns which is so successful. The concept, though fairly simple, worked really well in both composition and organisation. Developing a clear and precise language which has been taken forward and developed into full schemes, maintaining the same core principles and some major design features, though admittedly some have fallen fowl of value engineering. Ashton uses many of the same techniques as Hyde as is obviously apparent from the drawings. It could be said Ashton is a more interesting building, though perhaps slightly less articulate as a result. The boomerang shaped plan was a reaction to the two sides of the site, setting the teaching wings perpendicular and arranging them around a ‘knuckle’ containing ancillary accommodation and a hall. This concept was then translated back to Hyde where the knuckle became rectilinear.
Hyde (1 Form Entry)
Ashton and Hyde Kit of Parts
Ashton South Elevation
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Ashton Massing Development
Hyde Massing Development
Ashton Entrance Approach Sketch
Ashton West Elevation
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LakesideAcademy. Lakeside Academy is the new home to Lord Silkin Secondary and Grange Park Primary. A two phase project it will be home to some 600 secondary school and 100 post 16 students from September 2015 and a further 420 primary school children from September 2016. I was responsible for generating the interior branding for the scheme. Along-side developing a solution for how to tie in an existing substation which needed to remain into the existing scheme. TheBurtonBoroughSchool Burton Borough is a development of an existing school with a new block added to accommodate Arts facilities, the schools specialism, and communication subjects. Burton Borough was also an interior branding exercise but for a more specific brief. The proposals played on the schools arts specialism with quotes from literature, film and the arts.
Burton Borough Central Street
Lakeside and Burton Borough were new experiences for me as it was the first time I’d contributed to projects which were already well into the design phase. I felt the branding on both schemes was well executed. I learnt valuable lessons in how way-finding can manifest itself in many forms and developed some eloquent ideas about how this impacts the user of a building. The canopy/sub-station was the first design task I was given to complete independently, given a set of options to work through I took the initiative and developed an additional solution which was taken forward as the final solution.
Burton Borough Perspective Section Showing Interior Branding
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Lakeside Entrance Canopy
Lakeside Dining Space Showing Interor Branding
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