Bedingfield, Ella

Ella Bedingfield

2022 .

BA(Hons) Architecture

Liverpool School of Art and Design 20202020 Portfolio Portfolio First First Name Name Surname Surname

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About me Having grown up in a never quite finished stone barn conversion, began by my parents in the 1990s, I have seen and experienced the joy which comes from seeing something that began as a rough idea, or casual conversation become reality.

I am lucky to have travelled widely and have always been fascinated by local architecture- especially old and historic buildings. I have always loved the thought of repurposing unused buildings and giving them new life whilst still maintaining their character, and celebrating their history.

I have had a great three years studying Architecture in Liverpool. I have learned so much about the built environment and have a deepened appreciation for design in all areas of daily life! I particularly enjoy how a design brief can be interpreted, and how the conceptual ideas develop.

During my first year, I especially enjoyed the project ‘A place for Crafting’, in which I designed a small studio and living space for a potter, using my knowledge of the craft as the basis for design decisions.

During final year, the project ‘Weather or Not’, allowed me to design a cluster of stone buildings which celebrated and referenced vernacular construction, materials and techniques of their Lake District location in response to rising flood levels in the area. My final project, Dockyard Swim drew inspiration from time spent in Scandinavia and the way that natural water of rivers and canals is utilised and enjoyed by locals and tourists alike. I enjoy how simple pleasures can be incorporated to enhance wellbeing and how lighting and materials used can positively affect mood.

Contents BA Year 3 Semester 2: Comprehensive Design Project: Dock Yard Swim

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BA Year 3 Semester 1: Weather or Not: Rain or Shine

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BA Year 2 Semester 2: Experimental Project : Elements and energies

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BA Year 2 Semester 1: Urban Design Project 17 BA Year 1 Semester 2: A Place for Crafting

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The comprehensive design project: H2O - A bath house for Liverpool.

DOCK YARD swim Dock yard swim is heavily inspired by Nordic bathing culture, where beliefs and ritual surrounding water run deep.

In Finland and Denmark, a daily quick cold water swim is common practice, and is believed to improve general physical and mental wellbeing, among other personal benefits.

The urban swim opportunities of Copenhagen and Helsinki particularly, remain popular for both locals and tourists .

The ‘Wild Swim’ community within the UK is growing massively, in both urban and natural settings, as more people are recognising the benefits of cold water immersion.

An important aspect of the concept was to create a place where these people could engage and reap the health and social benefits from their riverside dwellings, since currently, the dock and Mersey edges are fenced off, and shrouded by ‘No Swimming’ signs.

The concept allows people to experience the docks in an new way, but also includes hotter pools, a yoga studio and a cafe and bar for everyone to enjoy.

Site: Princes Half Tide Dock

Concept development - hand sketches and photoshop montage

experimentation

Resolution - Hand drawn axonometric of Dock yard Swim.

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A summers day at Dock Yard Swim Ella Bedingfield 2022 Portfolio

A winters night at Dock Yard Swim

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DOCK YARD swim:

Structural strategy: CLT- steel hybrid frame

Isometric hand drawings of structural steel frame with CLT panel wall and floors, and concrete Pile foundations.

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Details and sections hand drawn 2022 Portfolio Ella Bedingfield

Weather or Not - Reacting to climate change at Lake Windermere.

RAIN OR SHINE

The initial concept for the scheme was based on research into how architecture and the environment had an impact on human health and happiness. This allowed me to form a set of design principles for the project. The aim of Rain or Shine is to create a workplace where not only would the physical building be sustainable in its purpose and environmental impact, but the experience of the staff, who spend so much time there year-round, be positive.

One way in which staff health has been considered is splitting the components of the workplace into 3 separate buildings, with raised, sheltered external circulation routes, around a south facing sun trap courtyard garden. This will increase movement throughout the workday, and allow staff to get more fresh air, and experience the beautiful natural site engaging the senses, whilst reducing stress. Internally, tactile and natural materials, high ceilings and exposed roof structures with skylights and many large windows ensure lots of daylight can enter, and many different views of Fell Foot are seen.

Other, smaller interventions which encourage healthy and active staff is the dedicated wellbeing room with showering and changing facilities, and a bike rack to encourage healthy lifestyle outside of the workplace too.

To address the issues of climate change and environmental sustainability, the design looks to vernacular architecture of the Lake District. Both in the form and layout- inspired by agricultural barn clusters, and in locally sourced materials with traditional construction methods. Many buildings built this way are still standing centuries later, though the uses and requirements have changed, this kind of building haws proven to be adaptable. Therefore even if the need for a lab at Fell Foot is outlived, the simple forms should be able to house the next iteration, and fit in well with the existing buildings at the delicate site.

Ella Bedingfield 2022 Portfolio

2022 Portfolio Ella Bedingfield

RAIN OR SHINE: Plans, sections and elevations

Ella Bedingfield 2022 Portfolio

2022 Portfolio Ella Bedingfield

RAIN OR SHINE: Visualising spaces

Ella Bedingfield 2022 Portfolio

2022 Portfolio Ella Bedingfield

Detailed design project. Elements and Energies.

RESTORING THE BALANCE

The origin of this concept is Balance. During my thematic research, I focussed on the multitude of essential balances maintained in both human life, and the natural world. I became interested in a project which could establish and build a symbiotic relationship between nature and people, for mutual wellbeing.

The aim of the Elements and Energies research centre is therefore to educate on, restore, and maintain an ecosystem.

The site is a 1.5 kilometre stretch of the Speke and Garston Coastal Reserve. This was due to its unique balance of features, situated between the natural River Mersey - with a delicate estuary ecosystem home to endangered and thriving populations alike - and industrial land, including the John Lennon Airport, and International Business Park.

The proposal is a research and visitor centre within the reserve, encouraging a symbiotic relationship between its visitors and the ecosystem. It will exist as a series of pavilions scattered along the coastline, rather than a singular closed off, incongruous form.

There will be a variety of public and private structures, with separate routes for visitors and staff. Structural forms are inspired directly by the nature reserve they will reside in: Raised wooden paths, meandering like the many rivulets running from the shores into the river, and structures modelled after nests, and the eggs found within them.

Because minimal disruption to the delicate ecosystem is a priority, prefabricated components will be utilised, and all forms raised on stilts, with removable pile foundations to mitigate negative impacts of the research centre from instalment, through life, to removal, and potential re-installation elsewhere 12

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Concept photo montages

2022 Portfolio Ella Bedingfield

RESTORING THE BALANCE: Resolution: Hand drawings and physical modelling

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Urban design project: Reinvigorating the Fabric District

Liverpool ARTS PARK!

The initial group project aimed to build on the creative history of the district.

In place of the unkempt warehouse buildings and ground level parking between Constance Street and Bayhorse Lane, we proposed a market place, and designated graffiti exhibition, as well as a much needed green space of grass and trees.

I decided to focus my individual design on the arts aspect of this original project. The grassy rooftop gardens become sculptural forms, which juxtapose the run down, industrial feel of the district. These rooftop sculpture gardens are the centre of an enlarged version of the maze from our original project, with some neglected facades and paving on surrounding streets being designated to murals of street art and mosaics.

Along the North edge of Kempston Street is a line of disused shop facades, which are to be transformed simply with bright unique murals, and become small cafes with mostly outside seating, and independent stores. These smaller scale interventions, which are to be community lead projects will link Arts Park into its context, whilst encouraging people to explore the district, and stay a while.

The multilevel rooftops themselves utilise bricks reclaimed from the demolished central warehouse buildings, along with steel and concrete, mosaicked to create organic curving forms to sit with friends, and the picnics brought from the market place below, showcase art, look at, and move through. Steel and stained glass bridges connect the two rooftops, and external stair and lift access is found at ground level.

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Liverpool ARTS PARK! Concept collage, visuals, plans and sections

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Design project. ‘A place for crafting’:

WONKY POT HOUSE

The project focusses on the products of pottery, which are so ingrained into our lives and culture, that the skill of their creation - from raw earth to functional beauty is often under-appreciated.

In our modern, industrial society, vessels of any shape or colour, can be reproduced, blemish free, identically millions of times, using moulds, standardised procedures and machinery. This allows a massive range of ceramic pieces to be accessible to almost everyone, and at very low prices.

However, the unpredictability and individuality of a hand made pot is what makes it beautiful.

Imperfections, like imprints from its makers fingers are seen to add character. The use of a handmade bowl is savoured, just as the tea within it is.

Pottery is a labour intensive, hands on craft. When choosing the materiality of the building, I wanted to find a way to express this, and the belief that beauty is found in uniqueness, and create a sculptural design - favouring curves and the appearance of a single, organic form over clinical straight lines I chose rammed earth as the main structural component for the walls, as it can be built to the thick curving shape of the design, and has a very hands on construction process, taking place on site - fitting for the manipulation of earth which will also take place once the pottery begins!

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Wonky Pot House - facade experimentation

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WONKY POT HOUSE.

Perspective section AA

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Context collage

Roof terrace: flexible exhibition/ enjoyment space

First floor: living space

Ground floor: pottery studio 2022 Portfolio Ella Bedingfield

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