MASTERS PORTFOLIO by Elizabeth

Content

01.

Architectural Design - Stage 5 Semester 1 - This Could be Rotterdam or Anywhere Pg 4 - 21

02.

Architectural Design - Stage 5 Semester 2 - Hybrid Objects Pg 22 - 57

03.

Thesis - Stage 6 â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Freespace of Translationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; - Community Island Pg 58 - 125

04.

Historical & Theoretical Writing Tools for Thinking - A critical review of the Byker Wall Development (1960-1980) Pg 126 - 129

05.

Linked Research Mapping Subterranean London - Hidden Geographies of Residential Basements Developments 2008-2017 Pg 130 - 141

06.

Construction & Management Professional Practice - Case Study Pg 142 - 145

See original submissions* for more detail: 01. 02. 04. 05. 06.

Architectural Design - Stage 5 Semester 1 - This Could be Rotterdam or Anywhere

01.

[ INTRODUCTION ] Project [ REFLECTION ]

See original submission for more detail: ARC8054 - Architectural Design Stage 5 Portfolio

Architectural Design - Stage 5 For ARB criteria see Stage 5 Portfolio

In this semester I worked in the ‘This could be Rotterdam or anywhere’

studio; which was a group of 8 students, primarily aimed to employ a variety of ground-based research and theoretical study, with the outcome of a proposed urban strategy and intervention that explores the notion of the ‘image of the city’. This notion has been critically reflected upon and re-imagined in the masterplan at an architectural scale. The studio challenged me to critically analyse the city of Rotterdam and identify key elements which generate the city’s identity. These ranged from the historical background largely influenced by the shipping port industry and the bombing in WWII, as well as the introduction of new cultures due to immigration. I focussed on Rotterdam’s wish to be seen as a city of culture. The character of culture is the main focus for my ‘Brainpark fragment’, Including how the future plans for Rotterdam react to the current lack of social housing developments. The ‘This could be Rotterdam or anywhere’ studio has explored how the city positions itself as a ‘World City’, with its declining port and increasing population an aura of paranoia within Rotterdam has been created. This has shaped the nature of my proposal from the early stages of the project. Our site is located in Brainpark just East of the city centre. Brainpark is an old business park with a declining rate of occupancy. The local government have an initiative to increase affordable/social housing by spending 1.3 billion on new schemes; with the increasing amounts of citizens in the city, alongside loss of jobs in the port, it appear to anticipate a seemingly inevitable problem of unemployment within Rotterdam, a city that prides itself on its hard work ethic. Using Kevin Lynch’s ‘The Image Of The City’, on the ground interviews and general site analysis we created a critical analysis of Brainpark/Rotterdam and the issues present. The intervention was specific to the site I chose of Brainpark 1 and was targeted particularly at low income families, with the aim of providing training and the prospects of new skills for future employment. However over the course of the projects it appeared to weave together several different demographics including working professionals, tourists and the student population. The scheme and its principles of concentrating the most deprived members of the community in the same areas in fact ensured they are even more deprived. This can be applied not only within Brainpark but beyond its current boundaries. My proposal resulted in an a network of buildings within the site, showcasing an urban ambition in response to the decline of jobs at the port (previously Rotterdam’s largest source of employment) as well as responding to the need for new social housing. The scheme accepts the decline of the port while redefining Brainpark as a dynamic area in its own right within the generic metropolis of Rotterdam.

OUTSTANDING SHOPPING AREA! BEAUTIFUL ERAZMUS BRIDGE!

LARGEST PORT IN EUROPE!

AMAZING ARCHITECTURE! SO IMPORTANT ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EVEN ON ROTTERDAMS MONOPOLY! WORLDS LARGEST PIECE OF ART WORK

EVERY PORT HAS TO HAVE A MARITINE MUSEUM THE FOUNTAIN EVEN CHANGES COLOUR!

The

symposiums showcased our group and individual analysis of Rotterdam, both as a whole and specifically in our site of Brainpark. Through in-depth investigation I looked to reveal the various images of Rotterdam, presented to us through marketing and city-branding and those experienced as visitors and inhabitants. My experimental mapping on the left showcases the strong emphasis Rotterdam puts on its landmark architecture. On the next page is my experimental mapping of Brainpark, highlighting the districts, edges, nodes, as well as potential landmarks and paths. Experimental mapping techniques look to reveal more about the narrative of a place than just to create an accurate physical representation. This mapping highlighted the potential for strong pathways to connect the three currently separated Brainparks (1, 2 & 3). As well as potential strategical locations for landmarks and nodes.

Urban Lexicon - a visual reference of the elements that make up the image of the city.

Rotterdam Branding Landmark

Edge

District

Path

Node

Non-Place

Nodes Nodes

Paths Paths Non-Place

Brainpark Branding Branding

Landmarks Landmarks

Branding

Landmarks

Edges Edges

Nodes Nodes

Branding Branding Paths Branding Paths

Landmarks Landmarks Districts Landmarks Districts

Edges Edges None Places Edges None Places

Edges

Nodes

Paths

Districts

None Places

Branding Landmark

Edge

District

Path

Nodes Node

Paths

Districts Districts Districts

None Places None None Places Places

Landmark

Node

Edge

Landmarks Landmarks

Edges Edges

Nodes Nodes

Paths Paths

Landmarks

Edges

Nodes

Paths

Path

Districts Districts

None None

Districts

None

In Rotterdam we catalogued a visual record of the image of the city using

Lynchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 5 elements as a starting point. Capturing as many instances of Paths, Edges, Districts, Nodes and Landmarks as was feasible. We started to explore new elements. These images have created an urban lexicon of Rotterdam and Brainpark. The number of images shown of each element is representational of the occurrence of each element.

Districts

Sophie Ette Lives an hour north of Rotterdam, works Lives South of the river. We interviewed for a recycling company in Brainpark II, Ette where she works, at ROOM Hostel interviewed in her office located North of the river

Nettie Lives and works in Katendrecht - owner of Beppie Bakgraag on Delistraat

Bastiaan & Issac Friends who both live and go to school in Capelle, East of Brain Park III

Claudios & Demi Friends who both work at a family ran hair salon on Witte de Withstraat, Maistro Kappers. Claudios also studied in the UK

Gregor Has lived in North Rotterdam (marked on map) for 11 years, works in Fenix Food Factory in Katendrecht

Berta Has lived in South of the river for 7 years. Berta was interviewed at

Sarah Lives in Spijkenisse, works for the Story House. Originally from Germany, she was interviewed at Story House

Hans Lives in Katendrecht, works for the local government, was interviewed in a café near his home

Vincent Lives in Vlaardingen, runs his own consultancy firm, was interviewed at Eramus University where he studies

On Rotterdam: “We call Rotterdam little Manhattan. I’d recommend Rotterdam to a tourist for the architecture - to see what a war can do to a city” “To be honest, I feel much safer here than in Amsterdam, I wouldn’t walk around Amsterdam at night”

On Rotterdam: “I love the village atmosphere in the city - people aren’t in a rush, you greet strangers and talk to people”

On Rotterdam: “This phrase symbolises Rotterdam for me: Geen woorden maar daden - don’t talk about it, just do it!”

“ People of Rotterdam have a working mentality, they are friendly and open”

On Rotterdam: “I think it is an outgoing city, very good for young people. There are more buildings and people all the time - I think it is better that it is all new” “People say they are from North Rotterdam or South Rotterdam, like two different places”

On Rotterdam: “The harbour areas are the most defining part of Rotterdam. However, it feels like the port is now alienated. It is very difficult to get to” “People don’t stab you in the back, they say what they think here. I like it, you know where you stand”

On Rotterdam: “I like the Architecture buildings as well as the Fenix Food Factory. This is my area for me”

“The Erasmus bridge is the biggest mountain of Rotterdam”

On Rotterdam: “We like to go to the Markthal for the food and cafes” “The city centre in the North symbolises Rotterdam” “We love football and the big rivalry between Rotterdam and Amsterdam”

On Rotterdam: “I really like it, for me it has a really open atmosphere about it. Also I guess because of the water, the harbour and this eclectic style of architecture. And still some green in it.’’

On Rotterdam: ‘’Of course you know our city was bombed. It’s becoming a great cliché but it’s true. And the entire centre was gone, so we (re)built everything. I think Rotterdam is always looking forward to redevelop itself, to re-find itself. So there is a big reason to do new things.’’

On Rotterdam: ‘’The buildings along the Maas river. The buildings, the high bridge, the Maas river. Those are very distinctive for Rotterdam.’’

“I very much stay around this part of Rotterdam (South of the river)”

‘’I think I’ve been to the Markthal about once or twice…’’

Through on-the-ground investigations, I gained a deeper understanding of how the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Imageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of Rotterdam is perceived. In groups, we were given specific target groups to research. Whilst in Rotterdam I interviewed as many people as possible. The encounters recorded were in depth through film, photographs and drawings. The photos to the left show the interviewees portraits; quotes and maps are scaled due to how many of the interviewees mentioned them in a positive light.

New Housing For Young Prossesionals

Medical Center

Tourist Industry

Financial District

Largest Employer In Rotterdam

3rd Largest Employer In Rotterdam

2rd Largest Employer In Rotterdam

Diagram showing Potential for housing scheme to grow via self-build

Diagram showing the large decline in employment by the port of Rotterdam

Diagram showing Teaching Centres within housing scheme

Mapping of Brainpark 1,2 & 3 - Showing districts, paths, edges, nodes and Landmarks.

One core node with many subnodes creating a hierarchy of routes

Diagram showing the protected views along pathways

Landmark used to create a core node at the meeting point straight off the metro.

BP3

Masterplan highlighting landmark created by the housing for young professionals in refurbished car park

BP2 BP1

University

Diagram showing the pathways connecting BP1,2,3 and the university

Perspective Master Plan - showing housing scheme with community centres

Housing half built provided

Section through language teaching centre

Housing half build provided with self build elements constructed

Second Floor Plan First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan

First Floor Plan

Ground Floor Plan

This Could be Rotterdam or Anywhere

In this semester I have changed my initial approach to architectural design

towards being more researched based to create not just an individual building but to take into account the wider context of a cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movements, theories and histories. This method of design process has been difficult however has lead to clearer decision making and highlighting problems in the design proposal. I have found the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;tools for thinkingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lectures eye opening in encouraging me to broaden my architectural knowledge of context and global issues. I think this approach to design has been critical to the urban scale project of this semester, in understanding the context of Rotterdam as a whole. It will be interesting in the next project to see how this approach to design will unfold in a detail scaled project. In this project I have learnt to keep evaluating my critical approach to the program and how best to represent this in the architectural scheme. Designing in this way has removed me from my comfort zone, and highlighted some problems however this has lead me to develop a scheme that has continuously changed and had a more flexible program as I have become more informed. I have used more relevant statistics, theories and art movements when creating my images. This has informed my design process no end. I am looking forward to exploring ideas of gentrification in architecture with my linked research project, which is research-based project working with Roger Burrows, one of the lecturers from the tools for thinking about architecture series. Semester two will focus on the detail and construction of architecture; I have become more aware of how buildings are read at different scales, which I hope will inform my next project. Taking what I have learnt in this semester into semester two will hopefully help guide my process and outcomes. I think it is crucial however to explore other new ways of starting to think about design, gaining a wide range of skills and avoiding my designs becoming repetitive from the use of the same design process.

Architectural Design - Stage 5 Semester 2 - Hybrid Objects

02.

[ INTRODUCTION ] Project [ REFLECTION ]

See original submission for more detail: ARC8054 - Architectural Design Stage 5 Portfolio

Architectural Design - Stage 5

The brief of the Hybrid Objects studio was to create an architectural

response to the complex space that exists between viewers and objects, in other words a Hybrid Object. The aim was to respond to the museums flooding issues in order to create a art repository. I selected two paintings by Hieronymus Bosh ‘Before and After The Flood’ & ‘The Garden Of Earthly Delights’. I then undertook a set of readings and interpretations into the object, these entailed analysis of the perspective, distilling its colour, extracting the meaning and essence of each panel and showing the object as a physical artefact. Each painting gave key inspirations for the projects. Before and After the Flood related to Rotterdam and its connection to the River Rhine and the port industry. By extrapolation of current data with regards to rising sea levels, Rotterdam can be predicted to flood by 2067. With inspiration from the before and after the flood painting my project will take of the form in two scenarios. Before the Flood - 2017 and after the Flood - 2067. Rotterdam's link to the port industry has provided me with a key structural strategy regarding amphibious architecture and the movement of water through the building (water tower system). Both paintings are split into a triptych, which informed my initial massing on the site. Each object is linked to a message depicted from the panel of the ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ painting. Object One - Pleasure, Harmony & Tradition Program - Spa and digital archive Object Two- Vitality & Temptation & Transformation Program - Water Bar and Nightclub Object Three - Transformation & Hidden aspects & Waste Program - Restoration Tower My two chosen paintings are from the Boijams collection. Hieronymus Bosch painted both of these triptych paintings. Hieronymus worked, lived and died in Hertogenbosch, a town in North Bradant (1480-1516). Other than this very little/nothing is known of his past, his work however is widely known and praised. Many of his paintings highlight confusion in religion in terms of eschatology (death/the end of the world disaster). This could explain the attraction/horror to Bosch’s paintings due to his use of distorting form. The idea of a disastrous scenario has influenced the idea of a Before and After scenario in my project.

Before and after the flood is one of many

triptychs Bosch completed. Bosch also painted the similarly triptychs e.g. The Last Judgment, The Haywain Triptych and others. Each one can be read chronologically left to right. This gave a huge inspiration for the landscaping as well as the program within my project.

Both paintings have a strong sense of symmetry within them. As well as each panel showcasing key themes.

The Golden ration (right) and the idea of dynamic symmetry (left) have been shown to exist in Boshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work. This has played a key part in landscaping as shown on the following pages. The site and creating an overall arching architectural Language.

VITALITY

PLEASURE

WARNING

WORK

Each panel of the painting symbolises a different message. The meaning taken from the painting has informed the architectural language and program of each tower. *See the diagram on the right showing the connection between each panels meaning, colour scheme and final architectural form. Panel One Meaning - Pleasure and Harmony Colour scheme - Pale pastels Program - Digital Archive and Spa Panel Two Meaning - Vitality, Temptation and Warning Colour scheme - Pale pastels Program - Digital Archive and Spa Panel Three Meaning - Work and Waste Colour scheme - Greys, Black & Orange Program - Restoration Tower

Before and After the Flood Plate a.

Before and After the Flood Plate b.

(a) The Haunted House (b) The Ploughman and the Devil. Grisailles. From the reverse of the Flood. Plate a.

The two panels on the far left are the wings of the ‘Before and

After the Flood’ triptych, the central panel of which has been lost. Panel (a) shows a burning city and swarms with devilish figures. Panel (b) depicts the stranding of Noah’s Ark. Noah and his family can be seen on deck while the pairs of animals disembark through a hatch into the desolation following the flood. The two images on the right are from the reverse of the “Before and after the flood” paintings. The idea of creating two landscapes related to the flood is highly relevant to Rotterdam due to rising sea levels and it flat topography. (a) The Tribulations of the Souls. (b) The Return of the Soul of God. From the Reverse of the Flood. Plate b.

Product Information

SizeH: 40m

Function- pressurize a water supply system for the distribution of potable water

Material- concrete/steel

Product Information

SizeH: 45m

SizeH: 42m

Function- pressurize a water supply system for the distribution of potable water

Material- concrete/steel

The diagram on the left describes the steps taken in order to determine

the site plan, the architectural placement and the scale of each tower. Step one was overlaying the image onto the site. The reason for overlaying the painting was to recreate the story telling aspect of Boshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s painting across the site. Overlaying the painting on the site aided the architectural placement of each tower. I then scaled each object on the site relating to the scale of the figures surrounding the object in the painting. This increased the scale of the central tower in relation to the two side towers due to change the perspective in the painting.

Diagram of electricity generator *See technical portfolio

Section through digital archive *See technical portfolio

Section through Spa (Originally at 1:100)

View into Spa pool with digital archive behind

Section through Water Bar & under-ground Nightclub (Originally at 1:100)

Water Bar axo

Section of Water Bar before the flood

Water Bar before the flood

Water Bar after the flood

Night club before the flood

Night club after the flood

An infra-red reflectograph is a process that allows you to appreciate

pencil drawings under painted art work. Boshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s garden of earthy delights has under gone infra-red reflectography. The garden of earthly delights underwent significant changes between pencil drawing and painting this idea of hidden elements within the painting inspired the turning doors to view the art work hidden behind as well at the program relating to restoration.

Section through Restoration Tower (Originally at 1:100)

Detail of metal sliding door to reveal artwork *see technical portfolio

View into Restoration Tower work space

C 18

RESTORATION STAGE 3 - Reframing Pile Foundations

RESTORATION STAGE 2 - Repainting

RESTORATION STAGE 1 - Xray Analysis

Concrete Lift Shaft

Steel Spiral Staircase

Large Steel Panel Handrails

Glazed Floor Walkway to See Water Below

Telescoping Vertical Guidance Poles

Steel Channel Sill Beam Reinforcement Steel Double Angle I Beam Frame to Support Buoyancy Blocks

Buoyancy Blocks

Water Debris Barrier

Before The Flood

Concrete Underground Base Pad With Retaining Wall

Before The Flood

Hollow Steel Column

Concrete Water Basin (Attached to Existing Car Park Below)

Concrete Underground Base Pad

Pile Foundations

After The Flood

View after the flood hits in 2117

Section of Spa, Water Bar and Restoration Tower before the flood

In my year out in a London practice I worked almost exclusively on

projects within the UK, particularly galleries in London. I gained valuable experience and increased my understanding of the architecture profession whilst on my year out, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work on many project relation to the urban fabric of cities abroad. Beginning the first semester project was both daunting and an exciting challenge which I enjoyed. The project required a critical analysis of the urban context of Rotterdam across a city scale, in particular, the relation to non places. I found this on the ground approach to a project fascination and enjoyable, however I struggled to create an architectural response relating to the brief â&#x20AC;&#x153;This Could Be Rotterdam Or Anywhereâ&#x20AC;?. I found this the most challenging project from both semesters in regards outlining the scale the project required to focus on. The second semester offered a contrasting experience as we were encouraged to create an architectural response from a piece of art work in the Boijmans collection. Ultimately resulting in a number of different programs and varied architectural responses. This fundamentally allowed me more time to consider the experiential nature of the spaces. I am looking forward to continuing to develop and learn more about some of the processes and topics I have come across this year. I feel this year has given me a strong platform to improve upon for my final year on the MArch degree.

Thesis - Stage 6 ‘The Freespace of Translation’ - Community Island

03.

[ INTRODUCTION ] Project [ REFLECTION ]

See original submission for more detail: ARC8054 - Architectural Design Stage 5 Portfolio

Thesis - Stage 6

Introduction The Freespace of Translation - Community Island

The site of my thesis project is in Killin, a small rural town in the Tay

Valley. I entered the landscape of the Tay Valley with two allies by my side in order to create and analyse my freespace. My allies were John Buchan and Alfred Hitchcock. These lead me to explore the translation between the landscape of Killin, which was the setting for the novel ‘The Thirty-nine Steps’ - written by John Buchan and the film ‘The 39 Steps’ directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Therefore the freespace I have explored is ‘The Freespace of Translation.’ In this scenario the landscape of Killin is the original and everything that follows is a Translation. The translations and the original have very different standings in the realm of art, each one adds its own level of depth and understanding to the receiver. Therefore, it seems to be the only conceivable reason for saying ‘the same thing’ over again. The island in Killin is currently not open to the public without a key. Drawing on the deep history of cinema and its ability to create social events whilst allowing the viewer to experience an escape from every day life, this project aims to open up the island to the community, allowing the residents and visitors to explore their surrounding landscape, get involved in social events and provide a sense of freedom. I have drawn on the rich depth of information available in both the novel and the film, allowing a new translation into the art form that is architecture in order to ‘provide free and additional spatial gifts to those who use the island and to address the unspoken wishes of strangers.’ Analysis from the novel allowed me to translate written descriptions of the landscape into a built form, focusing on materiality and physical relation to the body. While analysis of film techniques focusing on, shot set-ups, camera movements, flashbacks, and a taxonomy of equipment helped set up, key views, orientation, and spacial connections in order to create an architectural proposal. Analysis of the two different journey’s taken in the book and film lead to the creation of two routes onto the island. The bridge linking the island to the village took inspiration from the Forth Bridge shot in the film and the external shelter drew structural cues from the steals in Kings Cross station also shot in the film. Landscaping the island was informed largely by analysis of the taxonomy in order to create a view finder, framing the route through which the residents and visitors first encounter the architecture and certain views across the island. The island will be left largely unaltered with two buildings at either end allowing the central route through the island taken each year by residents to the Mc Nab clan’s burial site to be maintained. The two buildings create a sequence of various sized spaces. Theses have been designed around events or places in the village that currently exist.

Ariel Photo of Killin

Ariel Photo of Killin & Loch Tay

Photo of Killinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landscape

Killin

Village of Killin

Community Island

Site Plan of Killin

GC5

Diagram showing routes through ‘The Core’

The diagram to the left shows the routes through the core

building. Each space is connected internally however the village hall may not always be accessible to the public therefore each space has its own individual entrance highlighted in the diagram. Village Hall Cafe Circulation core Auditorium -

Valley Section & Location Plan

The island in Killin was chosen as my site, drawing on the deep history

of cinema and its ability to create social events whilst allowing the viewer to experience an escape from every day life. The site is currently entered through a historic gate that I have used to frame views of my proposal on site. The island is situated within a dramatic valley section.

GC5

Site Plan of Community Island

GC1 + GC5

Section through Community Island

GC1 + GC5

Ground Floor Plan 0

The island will be left largely unaltered with two buildings at either end

allowing the central route through the island taken each year by residents to the Mc Nab clanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s burial site to be maintained. The two buildings create a sequence of various sized spaces. Theses have been designed around events or places in the village that currently exist. The Core shown above in section and to the left in plan houses the following functions. Village Hall- the previous village hall burnt down and has yet to be rebuilt. It is a multi function space allowing for local meetings and other small scale gatherings. Gallery - the village of killin has a strong history of landscape painting, ink printing and pottery which are currently not exhibited anywhere within the village. Cafe - the villages main source of income is through tourists, therefore this allows a space for social interaction between residents and visitors. Auditorium - to hold Killinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual music festival as well as events linked with the Edinburgh fringe festival

GC1 + GC5 + GC6

Ground Floor Plan 0

The

final building is situated at the end of the island its location is associated with the final reveal in the novel. It is a small library to be linked with the current book club within Killin, and will be dedicated to John Buchan. The John Buchan Library (JBL) is situated at the end of the island which can first be seen very clearly when exiting the island, from under the arch of the bridge. A delicate white cast wall slices through the building creating a gradual reveal of the waterfall beyond. The ceiling of the library is lined with thin pink and blue marble tiles allowing the light in through roof lights above.

GC1 + GC5 + GC6

Primer

The

studio aims to engage with the Freespace thematic proposed by Grafton Architects as curators of the 2018 Venice Biennale. With a focus on making, and the possibilities this holds, we have mediated between the earth and humanity, through architecture that proposes a ‘new geography’. 1. Freespace describes a generosity of spirit and a sense of humanity at the core of architecture’s agenda, focusing on the quality of space itself. 2. Freespace focuses on architecture’s ability to provide free and additional spatial gifts to those who use it and on its ability to address the unspoken wishes of strangers. 3. Freespace celebrates architecture’s capacity to find additional and unexpected generosity in each project - even within the most private, exclusive or commercially restricted conditions. 4. Freespace provides the opportunity to emphasise nature’s free gifts of light - sunlight and moonlight, air, gravity, materials natural and man-made resources. 5. Freespace encourages reviewing ways of thinking, new ways of seeing the world, of inventing solutions where architecture provides for the well-being and dignity of each citizen of this fragile planet. 6. Freespace can be a space or opportunity, a democratic space, un-programmed and free for uses not yet conceived. There is an exchange between people and buildings that happens, even if not intended or designed, so buildings themselves find ways of sharing and engaging with people over time, long after the architect has left the scene. 7. Freespace encompasses freedom to imagine, the free space of time and memory, binding past, present and future together, building on inherited cultural layers, weaving the archaic with the contemporary. We have tested our Freespace within an exhibition format, using a 1:20 model of the Venice Corderie as a container and scaling device. Set within the Tay Valley, our interpretations of the Freespace manifesto were coupled with interrogations into a chosen ally; a significant figure married to this landscape by their notable contributions to its history. As a way of interrogating these characters we each produced a ‘wunderkammer’ a diorama that contains fragments of our ally, laid out within a recreated Tay Valley. The exhibition can be seen in photographs on the left.

GC3

Map showing contrasting Journeys taken by Hannay in the novel and the film

‘The 39 Steps’ / ‘The Thirty-Nine Steps’

‘The 39 Steps’(Film) / ‘The Thirty-Nine Steps’(Novel)

The map on the left shows the two different journey taken in the ‘The

39 Steps’(Film) and ‘The Thirty-Nine Steps’(Novel) by Hannay the lead character. This map mainly analyses the differing routes and was a starting point in translating the novel to the film, in order to highlight shared locations and differing time frames.

GC3

Fan

Light

Tripod

Crane

Dolly Track

Camera

Taxonomy

Film Analysis

Axo of Taxonomy within Hannay’s Apartment

The image above

shows an axo of Hannay’s (the main character in both the film and the novel - ‘The Thirty-nine Steps’) apartment and the technical equipment used when filming ‘The 39 Steps’. On the page to the left is a Taxonomy of film equipment that would have been used by Hitchcock and his team. Both sets of drawings were created as a method of analysing the use of equipment and methods of framing shots used during the production. GC3 + GA2.2

01.

02.

Hannay’s Apartment - Lobby LONDON

Hannay’s Apartment - Hallway LONDON

Analysis of film set - ‘The 39 Steps’ FILM

03.

04.

Hannay’s Apartment - Living-room LONDON

Hannay’s Apartment - Kitchen LONDON

Analysis of film set - ‘The 39 Steps’ FILM GC3 + GA2.2

05.

06.

Innkeepers cottage - Kitchen KILLIN

Innkeepers cottage - Bedroom KILLIN

Analysis of film set - ‘The 39 Steps’ FILM

07.

08.

Professor Jordan’s House - Kitchen KILLIN

Hotel Inn - Bedroom KILLIN

Analysis of film set - ‘The 39 Steps’ FILM GC3 + GA2.2

01.

02.

03.

04.

05.

06.

07.

08.

01.

Hannayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apartment - Lobby LONDON

For each of the film sets I analysed the camera shots and the key set ups used for framing scenes.

Hannayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Apartment - The camera starts zoomed out taking an overall master shot of the apartment doors. The shot is cut, to reveal Hannay and Annabel entering the lobby from a second set up. The camera pans left slightly, now splitting the frame between Hannay and Annabel. Hannay becomes the focus of the shot, leading Annabel to look at the sign revealing his name and apartment number. The camera pans further left showing both characters disappearing into the lift. Hitchcock takes full advantage of the proportions of these frames to give Hannay the key focus in the frames throughout this scene. GC3 + GA2.2

Combined Camera Analysis

The

combined camera analysis plan above provided many lines of enquiry when it came to designing a proposal. The main points of interest were - Framing views, allowing built form to allow visual flashbacks, a sense of materiality relating to the taxonomy, a sense of behind the scenes/ hidden aspects, shot set up, a progression/sequence of framed views . GC3 + GA2.2

Installation

The proceeding method of translation is to take information extracted

from both the film and the book in order to create an installation within 3 bays of the Venice Biennale Rope Factory. The plans created from the film set have been translated into the central part of the installation with chapters of the book informing individual installations in the surrounding space. The installations relating to the novel are focused on the physical relationship to the body and its senses. I drew inspiration for the form and detailing of each of these spaces from descriptions in the novel â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Thirty-nine Stepsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. As the novel is the second translation of the landscape its installations are always in contact with the ground.

GC3 + GA2.2

Novel Analysis

When analysing the text it became apparent that aspects present in the novel have not been translated into film. These were aspects such as physical relation to the body and its senses e.g. smell, touch, sounds, changing of seasons and materiality. I drew inspiration for the form and detailing from descriptions in the novel “The Thirty-Nine Steps”. e.g.

“I slipped through a nook beside a calming waterfall with the sent of lavender all around” “The waves of tarn lapped on their grey granite beach” “I cut a walking-stick of hazel” “The hazel caved my way in the stone” “I used the hazel to divide the earth and mark out my place of rest for the evening” “Set in a nook beside a waterfall” “The light flooded down on me from the sky above”

The space is entered though a nook in the side of the building. The entrance has a grey fabric cast concrete wall, scented with lavender. The internal space’s are lined with hazel embedded in the concrete walls and a drop down hazel wall allows for the space to be divided. The building has been situated so the window seat looks out onto a waterfall while the roof light placed within an angled ceiling allows light to flood down into the space.

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THE THIRTY - NINE STEPS

“I sat down in an armchair and felt very sick”

“Hawthorn flowering on every hedge, and I asked

- “succeeded by a fit of horrors” - “Then I

myself why, when I was still a free man, I had

staggered to a cupboard, found brandy and

stayed on in London and not got the good of this

swallowed several mouthfuls” - “I was in the

heavenly country” - “I was the very model of one

soup that was pretty clear” -

“The faint light

of the hill farmers” - “Every hill showing as clear

of a summer morning was flooding the skies” -

as a cut amethyst” - “The air had a queer rooty

“Sparrows begun to chatter” - “My notion was

smell” - “I felt light hearted” - “Brawling stream”

to get off to some wild district ... for I would be

- “To increases the desolation the waves of tarn

like a trapped rat in a city” - “I poked into the

lapped on their grey granite beach half a mile

tobacco my fingers touched something hard,

away” - “Plashing of water and interminable

and I drew out Scudder’s little black pocket

crying of curlews” - “The only thing I disbelieve

book....” - “I crossed the street, whistling gaily

is the normal” - “I cut a walking-stick of hazel

and imitating the jaunty swing of the milkman”

and presently struck of the highway up a by-path

- “As soon as I got to Euston Road I took to my

which followed the glen” - “Set in a nook beside

heels and ran” - “I dogged them and clambers

a waterfall” - “Thick sweet milk” - “And by six

onto the last carriage” - “Three minutes later

had breakfasted and was striding southward”

we were roaring through the northern tunnels”

- “The moor surged up around” - “Sitting well

- “I mopped my brow” - “An atmosphere of

back in the shadow I watched them carefully” -

protest against authority. I reminded myself that

“I felt the terror of the hunted on me” - “From

a week ago I had been finding the world dull”

my vantage point I could scan the whole moor ”

THE THIRTY - NINE STEPS

“Over the crisp moor roads on that shinning May

“Slithered through the hedge like a stick of

morning” - “The real thing was so importantly

butter” - “A branch on hawthorn got me in the

big” - “The story that hummed in my brain” - “

chest, lifted me up and held me there, then

I steered east by the sun” - “I was down from

dropped me with an almighty smash fifty feel to

the moorland and traversing the broad haugh

the bad on the stream” - “Slipped down the long

of a river” - “I ran alongside a park wall, and

dust road” - “Then drank grog in a big cheery

in a break of trees saw a great castle” - “Over

smoking-room with a crackling wood fire” - “and

peaceful lowland streams, and past gardens

myself lying back in an arm-chair” - “Down at

blazing with hawthorn and yellow laburnum” -

his country cottage for Whitsuntide, It’s close to

“About midday I entered a long straggling village”

Arstenwell on the Kennet” - “Anything will do as

- “Got into a glen with steep hills all about me,

long as the colour is the opposite of the clothes

and a corkscrew road at the end which climbed

I destroyed this afternoon” - “At two o’clock he

over a pass” - “Struck a double lined railway” -

wakened me from my slumbers in the smoking-

“Away below me I saw another broadish valley”

room arm-chair, and led me blinking into the dark

- “I was furiously hungry” - “My only chance to

starry night” - “An old bicycle was found” - I

get the leafy cover of the valley’ - “Down the

pedalled diligently up steep roads of hill gravel

hill I went like blue lightning, screwing my head

till the skies grew pale with the morning light ”

round” - “Then came a bit of thick wood where

- “I found myself in a wide green world with glens

I slackened my speed”

“Ran slap into the

falling on every side of me and far-away blue

hedge, trusting to find something soft beyond”

horizon” - “The real thing was so importantly big”

THE THIRTY - NINE STEPS

“I sat down in an armchair and felt very sick”

“Hawthorn flowering on every hedge, and I asked

- “succeeded by a fit of horrors” - “Then I

myself why, when I was still a free man, I had

staggered to a cupboard, found brandy and

stayed on in London and not got the good of this

swallowed several mouthfuls” - “I was in the

heavenly country” - “I was the very model of one

soup that was pretty clear” -

“The faint light

of the hill farmers” - “Every hill showing as clear

of a summer morning was flooding the skies” -

as a cut amethyst” - “The air had a queer rooty

“Sparrows begun to chatter” - “My notion was

smell” - “I felt light hearted” - “Brawling stream”

to get off to some wild district ... for I would be

- “To increases the desolation the waves of tarn

like a trapped rat in a city” - “I poked into the

lapped on their grey granite beach half a mile

tobacco my fingers touched something hard,

away” - “Plashing of water and interminable

and I drew out Scudder’s little black pocket

crying of curlews” - “The only thing I disbelieve

book....” - “I crossed the street, whistling gaily

is the normal” - “I cut a walking-stick of hazel

and imitating the jaunty swing of the milkman”

and presently struck of the highway up a by-path

- “As soon as I got to Euston Road I took to my

which followed the glen” - “Set in a nook beside

heels and ran” - “I dogged them and clambers

a waterfall” - “Thick sweet milk” - “And by six

onto the last carriage” - “Three minutes later

had breakfasted and was striding southward”

we were roaring through the northern tunnels”

- “The moor surged up around” - “Sitting well

- “I mopped my brow” - “An atmosphere of

back in the shadow I watched them carefully” -

protest against authority. I reminded myself that

“I felt the terror of the hunted on me” - “From

a week ago I had been finding the world dull”

my vantage point I could scan the whole moor ”

THE THIRTY - NINE STEPS

“Over the crisp moor roads on that shinning May

“Slithered through the hedge like a stick of

morning” - “The real thing was so importantly

butter” - “A branch on hawthorn got me in the

big” - “The story that hummed in my brain” - “

chest, lifted me up and held me there, then

I steered east by the sun” - “I was down from

dropped me with an almighty smash fifty feel to

the moorland and traversing the broad haugh

the bad on the stream” - “Slipped down the long

of a river” - “I ran alongside a park wall, and

dust road” - “Then drank grog in a big cheery

in a break of trees saw a great castle” - “Over

smoking-room with a crackling wood fire” - “and

peaceful lowland streams, and past gardens

myself lying back in an arm-chair” - “Down at

blazing with hawthorn and yellow laburnum” -

his country cottage for Whitsuntide, It’s close to

“About midday I entered a long straggling village”

Arstenwell on the Kennet” - “Anything will do as

- “Got into a glen with steep hills all about me,

long as the colour is the opposite of the clothes

and a corkscrew road at the end which climbed

I destroyed this afternoon” - “At two o’clock he

over a pass” - “Struck a double lined railway” -

wakened me from my slumbers in the smoking-

“Away below me I saw another broadish valley”

room arm-chair, and led me blinking into the dark

- “I was furiously hungry” - “My only chance to

starry night” - “An old bicycle was found” - I

get the leafy cover of the valley’ - “Down the

pedalled diligently up steep roads of hill gravel

hill I went like blue lightning, screwing my head

till the skies grew pale with the morning light ”

round” - “Then came a bit of thick wood where

- “I found myself in a wide green world with glens

I slackened my speed”

“Ran slap into the

falling on every side of me and far-away blue

hedge, trusting to find something soft beyond”

horizon” - “The real thing was so importantly big”

Cinematic Translation

Analysis of film techniques lead to the spacial arrangement on the island.

Key views shown in the above diagram on the island site plan have been framed using routes on site, the building proposal as well as landscape elements e.g. the existing historical gate way, bridges, trees and pavilions.

GC3 + GA1.2

Above are camera diagrams that I used to inform the frames external views on the island shown on the left.

GC3

Bridge Plan

Analysis of the two different journeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taken in the book and film lead to

the creation of two routes onto the island. The bridge linking the island to the village took inspiration from the Forth Bridge shot in the film and the external shelter drew structural cues from the steals in Kings Cross station also shot in the film. Landscaping the island was informed largely by analysis of the taxonomy in order to create a view finder, framing the route through which the residents and visitors first encounter the architecture and certain views across the island. Below is an image of an initial bridge model and above is an image of the Fourth Bridge.

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101

Abstracted Floor Plan from Combines Camera Stills *see page 75

Auditorium Cinematic Translation

The auditorium drew inspiration from the film in its method of design, positioning on site and view framing. As the film is a translation of the book, structurally the auditorium is supported by the spaces below, using details reminiscent of the taxonomy study. Analysis of the film equipment also created a source of inspiration for the materiality of the auditorium, which is made from steel and internally lined with material panels, similar to the inside of old cinematic cameras. Curtains are used to create the stage, and a curve wall leads the way to a framed flashback onto the island.

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103

First Floor Plan 0

105

Written Translation

Village Hall Chapter 1, 2 & 3 THE MAN WHO DIED THE MILKMAN SET OUT ON HIS TRAVELS & THE ADVENTURE OF THE LITERARY INNKEEPER

The Village Hall is designed to replace the previous hall that burnt down and has yet to be rebuilt. It is a multi function space allowing for local meetings and other small scale gatherings. Space 1 shown here in the perspective was created from the following lines in chapter 1 & 2 of the book -

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107

Perspective from Village Hall

Ground Floor Plan

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109

Heather roof light detail - Section

“A translation, instead of resembling the meaning of the original, must lovingly and in detail incorporate the originals mode of significance, thus making both the original and the translation fragments of a greater language” Walter Benjamin -The Task of the Translator

Cafe Chapter 4 & 5 THE ADVENTURE OF THE RADICAL CANDIDATE & THE ADVENTURE OF THE SPECTACLED ROAD MAN

The cafe is situated within The Core building. It is a small cafe to be linked with the strong sense of tourism present in Killin. The cafe was created from the following lines in chapter 4 & 5 of the novel -

“I saw the first pale blue sky through a net of heather” “I found shelter in an over hanging rock in the crook of a hill” “I found myself with glens falling on every side” “Calling of plovers and the tinkling of streams were in the air” “Behind me was the upper glen of some notable river” “I sat down on the crest of the pass and took stock of my position”

The cafe is embedded within the island, with concrete pillars surging up either side. The roof lights are lined with heather netting allowing light to enter the space. The external glazed wall and allows for views down to the river below.

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111

Cafe Perspective

Ground Floor Plan 0

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113

Gallery & Staircase Chapter 6 & 7 THE ADVENTURE OF THE BALD ARCHAEOLOGIST & THE FLY DRY FISHERMAN

Gallery space - The village of Killin has a strong history of landscape painting, ink printing and pottery which are currently not exhibited anywhere within the village. The gallery space was created from the following lines in chapter 3 & 4 of the novel -

“Over peaceful lowland streams, and past gardens blazing with hawthorn and yellow laburnum” “The smell floated all around me” “I pedalled diligently up steep roads of hill gravel till the skies grew pale with shadowing of the forest” “As the day advanced it was flooded with soft fresh light till it has a fragrant sunniness” “The free moorlands were like bared prison walls” “I was forced to slow by a dense patch of forest”

This gallery space is lined on one side with starch formed material walls, soaked in scented hawthorn and dyed using yellow Laburnum. A metal wheel controls the roof light blinds made from netting creating diffused light as the day advances and the roof lights are situated above slender corten steel fins. The stairway in front is lined with timber battens and forces the user to slow their pace.

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115

Gallery Space Perspective

Lower Ground Floor Plan 0

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117

Staircase Perspective

The main connection stairway is show to the left and was created from the following lines in chapter 5, 6 & 7 of the novel -

“my head spun around like a corkscrew” “Over the glen I could see a village of red brick” “the copper pipe work gleamed in the light” “I spent the night on a shelf of the hillside, looking out of a moss whole” “I heard noises from the stream below” “As I sat on the hillside, watching the water cascade”

The staircase is a spiral corkscrew stair to allow for visual interaction throughout the space, the tower is built from red brick with a circular window and a copper handrail. From the top of the stair (shown in the perspective) the brawling stream can be seen and heard from below.

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119

John Buchan Library - JBL Chapter 8 & 9 & 10 THE COMING OF THE BLACK STONE & THE THIRTY-NINE STEPS & VARIOUS PARTIES CONVERGING ON THE SEA

The final building is situated at the end of the island its location is associated with the final reveal in the novel. It is a small library to be linked with the current book club, and will be dedicated to John Buchan. The John Buchan Library was created from the following lines in chapter 8, 9 & 10 of the novel “I sauntered down the cliff” “The fisherman rowed us around the yacht” “I saw Trafalgar lodge very plainly, a red peculiar looking brick villa with a veranda” “The yacht that lay like a delicate white bird ready at any moment to flee” “I felt mesmerised by the whole place” “My heart was in my mouth” “A pink and blue June morning found me at Bradgate”

The library is situated at the end of the island which can first be seen very clearly when exiting the island, from under the arch of the bridge. A delicate white cast wall slices through the building creating a gradual reveal of the waterfall beyond. The ceiling of the library is lined with thin pink and blue marble tiles allowing the light in through roof lights above.

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121

JBL Perspective

Curved brick wall detail with embedded brass - Elevation

Curved brick wall detail with embedded brass - Plan

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Critical Reflection

The work documented in my academic portfolios looks closely at the interaction between various art forms including literature. Drawing and modelling have been key to my method of design in my thesis however they are not the only means of representation available. Literature is more than often disregarded as a useful tool in architecture; and has a tendency to be used for routine jobs, for example, labelling and annotation, rather than used to aid and contribute to the design process. In my thesis, allowing text to filter into the design process early has allowed for me to design a type of architecture more focused on feelings and senses. I have always been captivated by architecture when it aligns with various other artistry. I have found it fascinating to explore cultural art forms, often used entirely independent of each other. For example, using the novel ‘The Thirty-nine Steps’ in the my thesis project allowed me to deal with the body and its senses as well as the feelings a space can invoke, as opposed to purely the physicality of built form. The narrative of the novel allowed for the poetic scenarios John Buchan so vividly described to be translated into a built form. This draws parallels from my stage 5 project- Hybrid Objects which used Hieronymus Bosh’s painting - ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ as a start point to inform the project. The type of spatial story telling Bosh used was the basis for choosing this painting, well-known for its fantastic illustrations of religious concepts and narratives. Hybrid Objects fundamentally allowed me more time to consider the experiential nature of the spaces. I used a lot of the techniques from this project in my thesis project, albeit drawing from very different art forms; ‘The Thirty-nine Steps’ (Novel) and ‘The 39 Steps’ (Film). I found it an extremely beneficial to enter the landscape of my thesis project (the Tay Valley) with two allies by my side in order to create and analyse my concept of Freespace. The concept of Freespace set by Grafton Architects has allowed me to see the potential benefits of translating various art forms often separated from architecture to allow built form to fulfil some of Grafton’s manifesto 1. Freespace describes a generosity of spirit and a sense of humanity at the core of architecture’s agenda, focusing on the quality of space itself. 2. Freespace focuses on architecture’s ability to provide free and additional spatial gifts to those who use it and on its ability to address the unspoken wishes of strangers. 3. Freespace celebrates architecture’s capacity to find additional and unexpected generosity in each project - even within the most private, exclusive or commercially restricted conditions. 4. Freespace provides the opportunity to emphasise nature’s free gifts of light - sunlight and moonlight, air, gravity, materials natural and man-made resources. 5. Freespace encourages reviewing ways of thinking, new ways of seeing the world, of inventing solutions where architecture provides for the well-being and dignity of each citizen of this fragile planet.

Set within the Tay Valley, my interpretations of the Freespace manifesto were coupled with interrogations into my chosen ally. My allies were John Buchan and Alfred Hitchcock. These led me to explore the translation between the landscape of Killin, which was the setting for the novel ‘The Thirty-nine Steps’ - written by John Buchan and the film ‘The 39 Steps’ directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Therefore, the freespace explored was ‘The Freespace of Translation.’ In this scenario the landscape of Killin is the original and everything that follows is a translation. The translations and the original have very different standings in the realm of art, each one adds its own level of depth and understanding to the receiver observer. Therefore, it seems to be the only conceivable reason for saying ‘the same thing’ over again. I have drawn upon the rich depth of information available in both the novel and the film, allowing a new translation into the art form that is architecture in order to meet part of Grafton’s manifesto. e.g.‘provide free and additional spatial gifts to those who use the island and to address the unspoken wishes of strangers.’ Analysis from the novel allowed me to translate written descriptions of the landscape into a built form, focusing on materiality and physical relation to the body. While analysis of film techniques focusing on, shot set-ups, camera movements, flashbacks, and a taxonomy of equipment helped set up, key views, orientation, and spacial connections in order to create an architectural proposal. ‘The Freespace of translation’- has allowed me to explore the potential richness that architects can draw form interrogating the representation, essence and cultural significance of various art forms. This is something I would like to take forward with me into practice. The aim of my linked research report was to expose the proliferation of subterranean development within the alpha territories of London’s elite neighbourhoods. Many comments have been raised about the controversial ‘iceberg’ developments, causing much distress for neighbouring residents, but thus far little has been done to realise the scale and expanse of such developments. Working alongside British newspaper, The Guardian, and following the release of both the Panama and Paradise Papers1 exposing the “secrets of the super- rich”,2 the report systematically sets out to investigate the otherwise hidden residential geography of subterranean London. The database included in this report provides the framework for similar studies to be conducted. Thus, with greater search parameters, the database could provide a detailed landscape of subterranean residential London. It is hoped that future funding can be obtained to carry out this more detailed and geographically expansive study.3 This study was part of the masters that I particularly enjoyed. It was a project grounded in current events and made me question the unspoken responsibilities that we, as architects, have on the cities we design.

6. Freespace can be a space or opportunity, a democratic space, un-programmed and free for uses not yet conceived. There is an exchange between people and buildings that happens, even if not intended or designed, so buildings themselves find ways of sharing and engaging with people over time, long after the architect has left the scene. 7. Freespace encompasses freedom to imagine, the free space of time and memory, binding past, present and future together, building on inherited cultural layers, weaving the archaic with the contemporary.

1 Panama Papers were released in May 2016, and Paradise Papers 2017. 2 The Panama Papers, Secrets of the super-rich <https://topdocumentary lms.com/panama-papers-secrets-super-rich/> [Accessed on 17/01/2018] 3 Further investigations are currently being undertaken with thanks to Joseph Nettleton Burrows, who has helped to extract some of the data included in this report.

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125

Historical & Theoretical Writing Tools for Thinking about Architecture - A critical review of the Byker Wall Development (1960-1980) and the establishment of the Byker Community Trust (2012-2016).

04.

See original submission or more detail: ARC80541- Tools for Thinking about Architecture

Historical &Theoretical Writing GC2 + GC6 + GA2.4 + GA2.7

Fig.2 Elevation of the Byker Wall

Abstract In this essay I aim to gain a more through understanding of how housing developments allow for examples of true community participation. I will be using definition below to define community participation: ‘Brager, Specht, and Torczyner (1987) defined participation as a means to educate citizens and to increase their competence. It is a vehicle for influencing decisions that affect the lives of citizens and an avenue for transferring political power.’1 Using the Byker area as a case study I aim to analyse whether the 1960’s redevelopment of Byker or the Newcastle City Councils 2002 Conservation Plan were true examples of community participation. I will formulate a literature based review of the 1960’s redevelopment. Subsequently I will review the 2002 Conservation Plan document. I will analyse these two attempts at community participation in order to gain an understanding of which (if any) was truly community participation and the effects they could have on the future of Byker.

(lyceumbooks. 2017) 129

Linked Research Mapping Subterranean London - Hidden Geographies of Residential Basements Developments 2008-2017

05.

See original submission for more detail: ARC8068 - Linked Research , Mapping Subterranean London

MAPPING SUBTERRANEAN LONDON: Linked Research GC2 + GC4 + GC6 + GC11 + GA1.2 + GA1.5 + The Hidden Geography of Residential Basement GA2.4 Developments 2008-2017. Supplementary A3 Maps

1. Introduction

“Inequality is all around. You can rage at the phenomenon of young people, unable to afford sky-high London rents, cramped into one shared room, while the super-rich dig down under their homes or buy the house next door to expand their living space.”1

This report sets out to explore the extents of a new subterranean architecture within the ‘golden postcodes’ of plutocratic London. The 2008 financial crash resulted in widespread austerity yet also saw large increases in wealth in the property market. This encouraged the notion of housing no longer being deemed as a human right,2 or for the purpose of social good, but as a “safety deposit box”3 for the alpha elites. This project, working alongside the British newspaper, The Guardian4 intends to expose the extravagant trend in basement developments commonplace within the alpha territories of many centrally located London boroughs. London has been argued to be the destination of choice for the super-rich and has been recorded as the “world capital” for money laundering and corruption.5 Respectively, London as a city provides the landscape for financial elite to “enjoy luxury lifestyle and cleanse their reputations”.6 Knight Frank, a well known London property agent, crowned London property the most sought after in the world (2016), with the title of the most important location to Ultra High Net Worth Individuals.7 An Ultra High Net Worth Individual (UHNWI) has been defined as someone with a wealth of £24.2 million ($30 million) or more, a sum including business interests, investments and property, but excluding their main home. Despite threats of Brexit, it is still argued that London will remain a “magnet”, and in the European context, the dominant city for the super-rich.8 London, as a city, is now home to the highest number of billionaires, 86, followed by New York with 74 (2017).9 Additionally it has been predicted that the number of UHNWI in the UK is due to increase by 30%, to a total of 12,310 by 2025.10 The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea alone, is known to home around 4,900 UHNWI’s.11 The large number of transnational elites, with property assets in prime London boroughs causes a ripple effect over the entire city as the merelywealthy are displaced by the super-wealthy, and so on. This pushes people and families on lower incomes to the outskirts of the city, with many cases out of the capital completely. Due to strict planning policies on the housing market in London, with restrictions in place on both lateral and vertical construction, the super-rich are combating this by building down. Resultantly, there has been a surge in the construction of a range of basement sizes, from the ‘typical’ one or two stories, to immense ‘iceberg’ basements. One company which delivers such excavations, The London Basement Company, reported in 2008 a 30% increase year-on-year.12 The rise in basement projects seems to align with the increase in construction size. The average new floor space created in 2004 was around 400 square foot, which by 2008 had risen to 700.13 Within prime locations of London, both the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) have seen a major rise in subterranean excavations between 2008-2016. During this period, RBKC alone granted 1689 basement excavation applications.14 With such an increasing trend in subterranean excavation, the projects have inevitably not gone unnoticed. Tim Coleridge former RBKC’s cabinet member for planning policy stated that “basements have been the single greatest planning concern our residents have expressed to us in living memory.”15 The main priority of this report therefore is to provide the exact data information of subterranean excavations in the prime and sub-prime London boroughs. The study focuses on the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, the City of Westminster, Hammersmith and Fulham, Camden, Islington and Haringey. Collecting information on the scale, location, house type, architect/designers, and development amenities, we aim to provide the factual platform to be able to discuss further the effects that the ultra-wealthy and basement developments are having on London as a city, from local planning policies to the widespread displacement of individuals. Although the linked research submission,16 of which this report is a part of, suggests a completion of the project, the database that we will be providing in fact provides the outset for further analysis and future routes of study and enquiry.

<https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/19/inequality-threat-recovery-poverty-pay:> [Accessed on 30/05/17] Articled 25, the right for adequate housing. Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 <http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_ Translations/eng.pdf> [Accessed on 20/12/17] 3 Anna Minton, ‘Big Capital, Who is London For?’ 2017. pg xiv 4 The Guardian is a well-known British newspaper for its liberal values, founded in 1819 under the name ‘The Manchester Guardian’, changed simply to The Guardian in 1959. 5 Anna Minton, ‘Big Capital, Who is London For?’ 2017. pg 1 6 Transparency International, ‘Paradise Lost: ending the UK’s role as a safe haven for corrupt individuals, their allies and assets’ April 2016. pg 2. <http://www.transparency.org.uk/publications/paradise-lost/#.WjqABbacab8> [Accessed on 20/12/17] 7 Knight Frank, ‘The Wealth Report’ 10th Edition, 2016. pg 36. <http://content.knightfrank.com/research/83/documents/en/wealthreport-2016-3579.pdf> [Accessed on 20/12/17] 8 <https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/mar/01/london-to-remain-a-magnate-for-global-super-rich-despite-brexit-knight-frank> 2

Highlighted : The London Boroughs which have been studies in this report 1. Kensington and Chelsea

2.City of Westminster Highlighted: The London boroughs which have been studied in this 3. Hammersmith and Fulham report. 4. Islington 5. Camden 6. Haringey

1. Kensington and Chelsea 2. City of Westminster 3. Hammersmith and Fulham 4. Islington 5. Camden 6. Haringey

[Accessed on 20/12/17] 9 The Sunday Times, ‘Rich List 2017, the division of wealth’, <https://nuk-sto-editorial-prod-staticassets.s3.amazonaws.com/ SundayTimesGraphics/Rich-List/2017/rich-list-2017/division-of-wealth/index.html> [Accessed on 20/12/17] 10 Knight Frank, ‘The Wealth Report’ 10th Edition, 2016. pg 22. <http://content.knightfrank.com/research/83/documents/en/wealthreport-2016-3579.pdf> [Accessed on 20/12/17] 11 Anna Minton, ‘Big Capital, Who is London For?’ 2017. pg 10 12 Stephen Graham, ‘Vertical’ 2016. pg 314 13 Ibid. 14 The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: ‘Planning and Borough Development Monitoring Report 2016’ December 2016. pg 86. <https:// www.rbkc.gov.uk/ sites/default/fles/atoms/fles/17-02-22%202016%20Monitoring%20Report%20FINAL_1.pdf> [Accessed on 28/05/16] 15 <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/25/kensington-palace-mega-basement-plan-angers-neighbours-claim/:> [Accessed on 30/05/17] 16

Linked Research is a module on the MArch course at Newcastle University where students undertake a research topic ran by a member of staff.

133

12. Overall Analysis

472

Accepted Applications

Map highlighting all granted basement applications in the six London boroughs in 2008.

Including pool

4,140

Accepted Applications

Map highlighting all granted basement applications in the six London boroughs between the period 2008-2017.*

*January - September 2017.

135

16 3 41

600

20 0 47 8 2

400

2009 299

2015 475

200

385 2010

596 2014

5 20 62 13

523 2012

5 41 11 20

Overall number of accepted applications across the six boroughs per year between 2008-2016.

600

2009 29

200

2015

400

37 2010

2014

5 20 3 13

63 2012

49 1 1 20

Overall number of refused applications across the six boroughs per year between 2008-2016.

Accepted: 4,140

Total number of accepted and refused applications between 2008-2016. 94

Refused: 450

175

125

60 2014

42 2010

2009

2015

5 20 1 13

52 2012

37 1 1 20

Number of accepted applications with swimming pools per year between 2008-2016.

ge y 39

rin

r te ins 3

125

es W

175

75 25

120 K&C

97 n Camde

Isli 2 ng ton

4 F H&

Number of accepted applications with swimming pools per borough between 2008-2016.

With: 395

Total number of applications with swimming pools between 2008-2016.

Without: 3,745

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Photo of The Guardians article - A product of our data collection

Small Basement (Typology 1 or 2) Medium Basement (Typology 3 or 4)

Depth of excavation (meters)

Large Basement (Typology 5 or 6)

The Shard

310 meters

Westminster

K&C

H&F

Islington

Camden

Haringey

Combined depth of accepted basement excavations per borough between 2008-2016.* *This is based a rough estimation of the total depth of excavations per year based on ‘small’ being 3m in depth, ‘medium’ as 6m in depth, and ‘large’ as 9m in depth.

139

Figure 4: Section through Tregunter Road, Kensington and Chelsea. An example section through Tregunter Road in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The semidetached properties shown are numbers: 2,4,6,8,10,12,14, and 16. Out of the eight properties illustrated, six have received a granted basement application between the period 2008-2017.

104

105

141

Construction & Management Professional Practice - Case Study

06.

See original submission for more detail: ARC8061 - Professional Practice

Construction & Management GC7 + GC8 + GC10 + GA1.1 + GA2.5 + GA2.6

Professional Practice Report : Case Study This report is written to consider what professional practice/project management issues would arise for the architect if this Museum archive was to become a “real” (i.e. fee paying) project. I. Responsibilities Under Client Appointment As an architect working on this project the main responsibility under client appointment would be provide an architectural service (the specifics of which may vary between projects). On the Museum archive project the architect takes on the role of the Lead Designer as outlined under the RIBA’s standard agreement1, this includes responsibilities such as, communication with client of significant design issues and co-ordinating designs from specialists and consultants. The Museum archive would require a lighting specialists to be appointed as well as various other technical specialists in order create the right conditions in which to preserve the artwork.

document for submission to the planning authority outlining their findings and recommendations.

Due to taking on the role of Lead Designer under the RIBA’s standard agreement the architect automatically takes on the duties of the designer outlined in the CDM regulations.2 On this project the architect is not opting to take on the role of Principle Designer. The duties of the designer in compliance with CDM regulations include eliminating, minimising or controlling foreseeable health and safety risks through out the design process. The museum archive will have multiple structures in place to support climate regulating equipment in areas where artwork is stored. One of the responsibilities of the architect under the CDM regulations would be to provide sufficient information as to how to maintain these structures post project completion.

Underground Structures The site is situated above an existing three story car park, which can accommodate 1,150 cars as well as housing one of the largest underground reservoirs with the capacity of 10,000m3 of water . The understanding of the form and construction of the existing structures is based upon information relayed form Paul de Ruiter who was the architects in charge of the car park project. The Car park buildings appears to be in good condition from site observations and there are no obvious signs of distress. However it is the nature that existing buildings do contain structural defects some of which tend to be hidden. Therefore the architect should advise the appointment of a structural engineer to provide advise of its stability.

Another role taken on by the architect in the realisation of the Museum archive is that of Project Lead,3 responsible for managing the team and the project more generally. The Project Lead has responsibilities such as implementing feasibility studies, preparing the clients initial statement outlining project objectives, as well as advising the client regarding a procurement route. The feasibility study would establish weather the project is viable, help identify various options of feasibility and assist in other project documentations e.g. the initial client statement. With this site of the museum archive being situated within a parkland the feasibility study may address concerns such as the likelihood of an environmental/ecological assessment being required. II. Priorities and Constraints The project to provide the additional objects storage depository was time sensitive as the existing underground archive was allowing water damage to affect the stored objects. The Museum had therefore placed an 8 year deadline for the delivery of the completed project. The client being the Museum will therefore have a to acquire suitable storage facilities within this time frame otherwise their art collection will be sold on to other museum collections. This is a time constraint that the architect should be aware of and a milestone that must be met. Another constraint on this museum archive project is cost control, this would be split into four stages: 1. Brief (viability and feasibility) 2. Design (cost planning and cash flow forecast) 3. Tender (bill of quants and tender report) 4. Construction (construction cost report, loss and claims report) The brief would be critical stage for cost control with Museum archive project as it is a large budget project. The brief stage takes into account the project budget including priorities regarding funding and contingencies. The maximum allocated budget set by the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum was 50 million, this is the maximum spend on the project therefore a contingency sum of 10% (5 million) will be put in place within the briefing stage to cover any unforeseen construction issues. III. Statutory Approvals The Project will require detailed planning consent and building regulations approval as it involves the construction of a new building. The planning application will need to be submitted to the relevant local authority and sufficient time will need to allowed for this process. The Building regulations application can be submitted to the relevant local authority or an approved inspector. Further, as the site is situated in the densely populated city of London, rights to light and the protected views of St. Paul’s Cathedral would need to be considered. IV. Site Constraints Site Ecology The Project site is situated within a parkland therefore an ecology report will be required to consider the impact that the proposed project will have on its surrounding environment. This would include ecological factors such as habitat, vegetation and wild life. A qualified ecologist would complete a

Lost Rivers The River Thames is located South of the site. The majority of the natural tributary rivers of the River Thames have been culverted or infilled as development of the city has progressed. There are no lost rivers in the near vicinity of the site, therefore this is not a constraint however this information would need to be outlined.

V. External Input This project is a large scale project with a specific function of storing art work, consequently external input may be required for example : • • • • • • • • • • • • •

M&E engineers Quantity surveyor Specialist design consultants Lighting designer Acoustic specialist Fire consultant Landscape designer Planning consultant Flood risk assessment Structural engineer Ecologist Party Wall Consultant Rights to Light Consultant

Specialist consultants will provide advice and often take on the responsibility for detail design of specific components. VI. Achieving Value On the Museum archive project one of the clients main concerns in terms of achieving value was the efficiency to store and preserve existing art collections within the time frame as well as accommodating further future additions the Museum may acquire. As an architect working on this project some of the key responsibilities affecting the client achieving value by these means when acting as the Lead Designer would be: • • •

Advising on the need for and the scope of services by consultants, specialists, subcontractors or suppliers Co-ordinating design of all constructional elements, including work by consultants, specialists or suppliers Health and safety matters in conjunction with the health and safety manager.4

With this project being a museum archive a large range of specialist consultants would need to be employed in order to ensure that art work is stored and preserved in the most effective way. The procurement method would be competitive. The preference for using a competitive method of procurement is that it would promote transparency, economy, efficiency, and limit favouritism. The architectural firm I am employed by have previously undertaken numerous Museum projects. They consequently have in place established relationships with a large number of specialist consultants: • •

Lighting consultants. Acoustic consultant

1 < http://www.ribabookshops.com/uploads/0ea0aba8-51dc-e424-d5eb-a1ab9a4e56aa.pdf > [Accessed on 16/03/18] Pg.11 2 < http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l153.pdf > [Accessed on 16/03/18] Pg.6 3 < http://www.ribabookshops.com/uploads/0ea0aba8-51dc-e424-d5eb-a1ab9a4e56aa.pdf > [Accessed on 16/03/18] Pg.9

• • •

Interior designer Art restoration specialist Furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) consultants

These specialists would be given the brief in order to supply a design proposal for tender alongside other specialist consultant. The value for the client would be based on which specialists provided the most effective design for the best price. With the clients main concern involving value being on preserving the artwork and meeting the time constraints the specialist who provide the most effective design for the best price would be most suited. However previous work with specialist consultants may help achieve value as it provides reliability thus reduced risk. This reduced risk may be due to the fact the firm can rely on the capability of known specialist designers to provide design solutions that will preserve the artwork the most effectively, or it could be reduced risk if that specialist consultant is known to be reliable when working to deadlines especially with time being a key constraint the Boijmans current flooding basement archive. The choice of details designed/used by specialists will also drastically affect the cost and production time e.g. if a specialist roof light to control daylight is designed using standard prefabricated details it will reduce the cost and time. Therefore will help the client with achieve value on the development.

• • •

Using materials with low permeability to at least 0.3m Using flood resilient materials (eg lime plaster) and design (raised electrical sockets) Making sure there’s access to all spaces to enable drying and cleaning8

5. Submit assessment Once the flood risk assessment has been completed it will be submitted to the local planning authority to be reviewed. If the application is unsuccessful the environmental agency will need be contacted. As the museum is under a tight time constraint due to the ongoing water damage to the existing basement archive, the flood risk assessment is a high priority to get submitted and accepted as quickly as possible in order to get the development underway on site.

VII. Controlling Risk One of the main risks that would hinder/stop the client achieving value on this project is the risk of flooding on site. Therefore a flood risk assessment is key. Once it has been identified that the site is within a flood zone an accurate flood risk assessment would be carried out. Information of flood zones can be found by contacting the local authority, who can also check if the site area has any critical drainage problems. As it can be seen from the map on the left, the majority of areas in close proximity to the River Thames are within flood zone 2 or 3. • • •

Flood Zone 1 - Do not need a flood risk assessment Flood Zone 2 - Need a flood risk assessment Flood Zone 3 - Need a flood risk assessment5

Therefore a flood risk assessment should be carried out on site as the site is in flood zone 2/3.6 The following procedure would take place in order to carry out a flood risk assessment so that a planning application can be completed: 1. Research Development site The following organisations will be contacted• Environmental agency (as the site is within 20m of a main river) • Internal drainage board • The local authority 2. Plans and Survey The following would be provided• • •

A location plan showing the street names, rivers, streams and geographical features e.g. railway lines or other museums in the park. A site plan showing the existing site, the museum proposal and structures that could effect the water flow e.g. the underground car-park/reservoir. A survey of the site in relation to its surroundings.

3. Assessment The assessment should include details of the risk to the new museum archive if the site were to flood, including the order in which the site would flood. An assessment of surface water runoff will also have to be undertaken and be in line with the local authorities strategic flood risk assessment and sustainable drainage principles. Current flood resistant measures on the site will be taken into account and can be provided by the local authorities. 4. Extra Measures “Which flood resistance and resilience measures you need to take depends on the estimated depth in metres (m) that flood water will reach in your building.”7 In the case of the site in museum park the estimated water depth would be between 0.4-0.5m, The museum should therefore be designed to keep water out by:

5 < https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-assessment-for-planning-applications#when-you-need-an-assessment > [Accessed on 04/04/18] 6 < https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-assessment-for-planning-applications#when-you-need-an-assessment > [Accessed on 04/04/18] 7 < https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-assessment-in-flood-zones-2-and-3#contact-the-environment-agency > [Accessed on 04/04/18] 8 < https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-assessment-in-flood-zones-2-and-3#contact-the-environment-agency > [Accessed on 04/04/18]

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