Nurturing Erosion: Floodplains at Llandeilo
Unit 11 Archiving Space Cecelia Huang C1844325
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Contents
Introduction video can alternatively be found: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i w2ltua6IuW88XDD7D9oDWAcYQw7BPe2/view?usp=sharing
Semester One: Conserving Erosion............................................... Ireland Portrane Case Study........................................................... Protection under the EU Habitat Directive.................................. Unprotected due to Brexit............................................................... “Beauty”............................................................................................. Semester One: Conclusion..............................................................
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Semester Two: Protection through Erosion.................................. 10 Protection using Broadleaved Plants............................................. 11 Erosion as a mechanism.................................................................. 12 Testing the River............................................................................... 13 Precedent Study................................................................................ 17 Site plans through time................................................................... 18 Concept Axonometric..................................................................... 21 Joinery Study..................................................................................... 22 Deflection Fishing Hut.................................................................... 24 Fishing Hut....................................................................................... 29 Garden Shed..................................................................................... 33 Cabin................................................................................................. 38 Site Elevation.................................................................................... 45 Atmospherics through time........................................................... 46 Atmospherics in 100 years.............................................................. 51
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Semester One: Conserving Erosion Erosion is derived from the Latin word “Erosionem” which can be defined as a gnawing away of. It is often seen with a negative connotation but erosion itself is filled with benefits, capturing the fleeting moments and the always changing flow of the river. The river erodes and deposits spreading the land and in turn making it more fertile. Allowing what is left behind to be better than what was previously there. This mobility and dynamism is the norm, constantly changing the geography. Allowing this constant fleeting moment to become the mundane. Nurturing Erosion highlights the need to conserve erosion through studying an Irish Case Study. The Project studies how the River Towy in Llandeilo is protected under British and EU acts. It investigates the notion of preservation in a pre and post Brexit context. Wishing to re-implement EU rules into the British Acts. (Please see Appendix 1: Primer Project for more in-depth understanding)
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Ireland-Portrane Case Study.
Zone 1
ZONE 1: 1973-82 = Accretion 1982-2000= Erosion
Zone 2
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ZONE 2: 1973-1982 = Accretion 1982-1995 = Erosion 1995-2000 = Accretion 2000-2009 = Erosion -2013 = Accretion
Erosion
ZONE 3: 1973-1995 = Accretion 1995-2000 = Static 2005-2009 = Erosion
Accretion
Portrane was starting to see an increased number of dwelling, caravans and mobile homes on the coast. Portrane consists of sand dunes which are dynamic and unable to withstand any large scale development. As the community began to fear for the damages erosion was causing, the Local Council funded a Management Risk Study. The area studied was the Portrane Coast (dunes). It provides many water recreational sports for the local community. The study split the area into Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 The study was carried out through historical aerial photographs to understand the trends of erosion in Portrane.
The findings outlined the importance of understanding the shoreline and coastal processes for an efficient protection plan As rates of erosion may be accelerated due to storms and rise in sea levels due to climate change, the report suggests protection to existing infrastructure along the coast. Conclusively, the report a recommended “Do-Nothing” option where they understand the trends of erosion and accretion to predict the changes in the future. This was seen as the most viable solution in the long term. By opting for the “Do-Nothing” option, the current Natural Designation will be fulfilled. The Dune Management would continue to let them erode. This allows for the natural coastal processes to continue and a naturally functioning coastline to be maintained. The option would also fulfil the country’s National objective as well as the European Nature Directive. This case study shows how allowing erosion to carry on its natural course undisturbed actually has many benefits and it itself is beautiful. This project will look at the River Towy through the same lens of “Nurturing Erosion”.
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Protection under the EU Habitat Directive The Portrane Case study emphasized the importance of preserving and nurturing the processes of erosion as that is what is most natural. This project then begins to look at the floodplain through the same lens of preserving the natural process of erosion. The case study also drew attention to the EU Habitat Directive whereby they state the importance of preserving and protecting the quality of the natural environment and habitats. The Directive aims to promote the maintenance of these habitats and then proceed to list out in categories what habitats should be protected. From the Directive, the floodplain in Llandeilo is protected under Annex I under “Freshwater Habitats.
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Unprotected Due to Brexit
This area of Llandeilo previously fitted under the EU directive to be protected. However, now with the current situation of Brexit. There used to be all these restriction but now those restrictions don’t apply. The area that was once protected is now a free-for-all space where people could take advantage of. How is this area protected under British acts now?
To understand how the Floodplain would be protected post-Brexit, I studied these two acts. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 states that areas of outstanding natural beauty should be conserved and enhanced. Within the Environment Act 1995, “natural beauty” should be conserved and enhanced. Both acts use “beauty” as a criteria for preservation.
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The “beauty” of AONB
Isles of Scilly ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Scenery ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Walks ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Wildlife ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Peaceful
Northumberland ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Scenery ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Walks ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Wildlife ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ Peaceful
Cornwall ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Scenery ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ Walks ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Wildlife ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ Peaceful
Gower Scenery ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Walks ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ Wildlife ⭐⭐⭐ Peaceful
In my opinion the British Acts are vague compared to the EU acts. The EU Directive is more specific with what is protected. The British acts uses “Beauty” as a definitive tool to designate areas to protect but “beauty” is subjective. As both of the British Acts mention Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty(AONB), I decided to research into that but is there a way to define “beauty”. Collins Dictionary defines AONB as an area designated by the appropriate government bodies as requiring protection to conserve and enhance its natural beauty. These are the government’s criteria for AONBs: landscape quality, where natural or man-made landscape is good quality • scenic quality, such as striking coastal landforms • relative wildness, such as distance from housing or having few roads relative tranquillity, where natural sounds, such as streams or birdsong are predominant • natural heritage features, such as distinctive geology or species and habitat cultural heritage, which can include the built environment that makes the area unique, such as archaeological remains or historic parkland (Natural England, 2018) •
• •
Tourists who have visited these sites were asked to review mostly based on their scenic value. Isles of Scilly Northumberland Coast Antrim Coast & Glens Cornwall Mourne Dorset Strangford Lough Causeway Coast Gower Norfolk Coast Suffolk Coast & Heaths
93% 90% 85% 85% 85% 84% 84% 83% 83% 82% 82%
Nidderdale North Pennines Cotswolds Isle of Wight North Devon Shropshire Hills Wye Valley Forest of Bowland Llyn East Devon Malvern Hills
81% 81% 80% 80% 80% 80% 80% 79% 79% 78% 78%
Anglesey Arnside & Silverdale Howardian Hills Tamar Valley Quantock Valley Chichester Harbour Chilterns Clywdian Range & Dee Valley Dedham Vale Mendip Hills
77% North Wessex Downs 77% Solway Coast 76% Surrey Hills 76% Cranbourne Chase 75% Kent Downs 74% Lincolnshire Wolds 74% Cannock Chase 74% Blackdown Hills 74% 74% 73%
73% 72% 72% 71% 71% 70% 69% 67%
These areas were designated AONB based on their natural beauty and yet there’s a hierarchy within them.
Much of the criteria are very subjective. The AONB seems to suggest that “beauty” has a norm and a definition by allocating specific areas to conserve based on their “natural beauty”.
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The “beauty” of Llandeilo Beauty in Hatches: I did a survey asking people from the Unit, other students and my family to chose one area of the site they thought was the most beautiful. I then used the data and hatched in where everyone thought was most beautiful. Each hatch represents different people’s area of beauty.
This just goes to show how vague and subjective “Beauty” is. In opposition to the Acts and the defined AONB, “Beauty” does not have a norm or definition.
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Semester One: Conclusion “Beauty” is UNDEFINABLE. Thus to have acts that state natural beauty should be conserved and protected is futile.
Before Brexit, The EU Nature Directive protected the floodplains whereas now its open too all. In order to nurture the process of erosion,the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 and the Environment Act 1995 need to be amended.
In order to allow the natural geological process of erosion of the River Towy, we need to nurture and protect it with rules that specify what to protect.
Therefore I have set up a petition to amend both acts to include more concrete ways of protected in order to protect ALL natural habitats.
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Semester Two: Protection through Erosion Continuing from the need to amend the British acts, the comprehensive project capitalises on a loophole within preservation legislations through the use of erosion. The project aims to let nature prosper and to regenerate the river-front of the Llandeilo floodplain, creating a re-engagement between people and nature through the process of erosion and the dispersal of seeds to grow and form into new areas of preserved landscape. “Nurturing Erosion” challenges the idea of using architecture to change the landscape and highlight the importance of these natural habitats so people can actively protect and nurture the land.
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Broadleaved plants
Protection through Broadleaved plants From the primer project, the Llandeilo floodplain has been exposed due to Brexit and the British Acts which don’t protect the Llandeilo floodplain. So the question arises: “How can this floodplain actually be protected in a concrete way” After further study of the site, there is an area on site where “Broadleaved plants” grow. As can be seen most of the areas of these “Broadleaved plants” are currently protected either within the Brecon Beacon National Park or the National trust EXCEPT for the area by the river. Furthermore, the Broadleaved plants are listed plants that have been protected within the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. However as it is situated directly on the river bank, the river erodes and washes away the plants, reducing the area of protected land that the plants sit on.
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Erosion as a tool and mechanism This project takes advantage of this loophole, as the more Broadleaved plants grow, it spreads the area of preserved land. Erosion will be used as a tool and mechanism through the architecture to orchestrate the deposition of the protected plant’s seed carried by the river to the other side onto the floodplain where they have more potential to grow and not just washed away. Allowing them to grow into new areas of land protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. Which in turn will also people to see the importance of the floodplain, re-engage with the natural environment and protect the floodplain in Llandeilo in a more concrete way.
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Testing the River River Flow:
Deflections
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In order to redirect the river, I first needed to understand the current flow of the River Towy. To do this, I made a model of the current state of the floodplain and river and allowed running water to run through to understand how the landscape affects the river flow. The flow of the river can be seen through the red dye where the river flows freely between the meanders downstream.
To understand where the “deflections” had to be placed I tested their placement and studied how the river moved between them. I began placing “deflections” in different areas of the river and used sesame seeds to see where the actual seeds could be deposited. I tested out different variations to see which one worked out best, as some variations created whirlpools in the river. From this I was able to understand where to put the “deflections” to successfully navigate the seeds.
Flow Direction
Placement of deflections
River Flow after
To understand the Floodplain further I illustrated this process showing the river flows relation to the Broadleaved plants.
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(Please see Appendix 2 and 3 for GIFs of Erosion)
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Understanding erosion To get a better understanding of the site and the erosion of the River Towy I made a model using millet-grain to understand the erosion and deposition of the fluid landscape. Firstly exploring the trends of erosion after 50 years Noticing that over time the river attempts to find the quickest route possible, creating a more linear river.
7 Floodplain
8 River
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Deposition
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(Please see Appendix4 for GIFs of the series)
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How deflection impact the Floodplain As I previously placed the deflections to successfully navigate the seeds to the other side of the floodplain, I needed to understand how it would affect the landscape. Using the same modelling method using the millet-grain, I studied the erosion and deposition as a result of the deflections.
Floodplain
River
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Deflections
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(Please see Appendix 5 for GIFs of seeds journey)
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Deposition of seeds From studying the River through the models, I began to understand where the potential protected seeds would end up depositing. Illustrating through the time periods where the seeds would end up and grow. As the land would only be protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act after the growth of the protected broadleaved plants.
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Floodplain River Deflections Seeds
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(Image from dezeen)
Precedent Study: Niall McLaughlin As the projects main focus is to preserve the land and nurture and aid erosion, the architecture has to be embodied in this language of grounding to the river. Having light touches that sit on top of the river and landscape. Using the language of stilts that sit within the river and the landscape in Niall McLaughlin’s Fishing Hut.
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
The project will embody this lightweight architecture that doesn’t intrude the landscape
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
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Deflection Fishing Hut
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Fishing Pier
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Cabin
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Garden shed
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Pier
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Fishing Hut
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Site plan: Now This site plan includes the proposal where the placement of the architecture is based on the prediction of the river formation after 100 years. The fishing huts will act as the deflections in the river to navigate the deposition of the seeds. Each architectural building highlights the changes of the landscape over 100 years.
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Site plan: 50 Years later
Deflection Fishing Hut
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Fishing Pier
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Cabin
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Garden shed
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Pier
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Fishing Hut
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This is the site plan after 50 years where fishing huts have already began navigating the deposition of the seeds to the floodplain. The colours in the site plan represent the growth of the protected plants which protects the land. The garden shed and the cabin emphasise the growth of the protected plants as before they were on open land but now trees are starting to engulf the buildings.
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Deflection Fishing Hut
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Fishing Pier
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Fishing Hut
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Site plan: 100 Years As the site plan is all in colour now, this shows how the protected plants have grown to protect the floodplain under the wildlife and countryside act. The fishing hut that was currently in the middle of the floodplain has been reached by the river. It creates this point of intrigue as before it was a fishing hut no where near the river. Emphasising the drastic change of the landscape
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Concept Programme Axonometric The activities for the proposal all aims to allow people to fully immerse themselves into nature. Where the fishing huts actively place the river, the garden shed that provides the tool to nurture the growth of the protected plants and a cabin for users to embrace, live and grow with nature. Where the dashed lines emphasise the multiply spontaneous desire paths for people to explore and meander within the site. Making it all about the experience of the landscape and even when one is inside, the detail of the structure highlights the longevity of the building. So, when on the inside you experience the timeframe of the project. The drawing shows the sporadic and spontaneous growth of the protected plants and the fluidity of the landscape and the river. The project explores the idea of allowing people to grow and live with the land as it changes so that they would form a connection to the landscape. As a result they would actively want to preserve the floodplain. Emphasising the importance of the maintenance for preservation.
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Chinese joinery Welsh joinery
Merging two joinery As the project evolves over a long time-frame the architecture needs to respond to this. Where the architecture is static emphasising the changing dynamic landscape. Timber Frame
To introduce this light architecture, the project studied and merged traditional Welsh joinery and ancient Chinese joinery. Where the Welsh joinery fixates on a simple mortise and tenon joint with dowels to secure the pieces together, it is quite heavy. Whereas, the ancient Chinese joinery utilises smaller intricate pieces through stacking them to secure them in place.
Timber Frame joining to column Dou-gong roof structure to column
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Timber frame
The two connections used
Merging two joinery The Welsh joinery grounds the project to the local Welsh context, however with the heaviness of the Welsh joinery, the merging of the Chinese joinery alleviates it creating this long lasting joinery that accommodates for both the context of the project and the time frame. Combining the use of dowels that secure mortise and tenons joints from traditional Welsh joinery and the use of stacking each element allowing vertical loads to secure them from Chinese joinery. This will be the main frame that repeats to form the overall structure of the buildings.
Timber frame exploded axonometric
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Fishing Hut Fishing Pier
Deflection Fishing hut Plan: Now The fishing hut allows users to enter into the landscape as the panels allows the users to engage with the surroundings, creating a dynamic interaction as they choose which panel or hatch to open.
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Fishing Hut Fishing Pier
Deflection Fishing hut Plan: 100 years The fishing pier will act as the deflections to navigate the deposition of the protected plant’s seed. It also brings the users into the river but making sure that it is not intruding into the river as it steps down.
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Deflection Fishing hut Plan: South Elevation It also brings the users into the river but making sure that it is not intruding into the river as it steps down.
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Deflection Fishing hut Plan: Section AA’
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Deflection Fishing hut Plan: Interior Perspective
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Shed Fishing Pier
Fishing hut Plan: Now This Fishing hut acts as a place on intrigue. Enticing users to a fishing hut in the middle of the landscape...
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Shed Fishing Pier
Fishing hut Plan: 100 years ...As it is only reached by the river after 100 years, emphasising the changing landscape.
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Fishing hut South Elevation Where there is more shading as it will be exposed to glare being in the open floodplain for the first 50 years.
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Fishing hut Section BB’
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Entrance Terrace Entrance Garden Storage Kitchen Balcony Allotments
Garden Shed Plan: Now The garden shed provides tools to let people nurture and maintain the growth of the protected plants. Providing a tool for the maintenance of preservation.
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Entrance Terrace Entrance Garden Storage Kitchen Balcony Allotments
Garden Shed Plan: 100 Years Where it becomes engulfed with the landscape. As previously it was sitting on the open floodplain then becoming immersed within nature.
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Garden Shed South Elevation
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Garden Shed Section CC’
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Garden Shed Interior Perspective
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Entrance Terrace Entrance
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Lounge Courtyard Stairs to go upstairs
Cabin Ground Floor Plan: Now Creating a social engagement on site allowing for reconnection with the floodplain as people take time to live with nature.
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Stairs to go upstairs
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Communal Kitchen Communal Bathroom Cabin rooms
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Terrace
Cabin Ground First Plan: Now Encouraging people to live with nature. Allowing them to form a connection with the floodplain as they live and grow with it...
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Entrance Terrace Entrance
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Lounge Courtyard Stairs to go upstairs
Cabin Ground Floor Plan:100 years ...So that they would be more inclined to come back even after 100 years. Experiencing the same site but a new landscape creating a different landscape.
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Stairs to go upstairs
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Communal Kitchen Communal Bathroom Cabin rooms Terrace
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Cabin Ground First Plan:100 years Becoming an always changing dynamic floodplain where the architecture is static highlighting the shifting floodplain.
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Cabin Ground North Elevation Where all the materials are lightweight materials. Using cork as a sustainable material for the facade and the whole structure and interior is from timber. As cork also has a long lifetime as a material. Carrying this lightweight material language throughout all the buildings. 42
Cabin Ground detail Section DD’
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Where the interior is simple highlighting the joinery that shows the time frame of the building
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Cabin Ground detail Section DD’
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Site North Elevation Where the main experience is on the outside with nature and all the buildings are on stilts to archive and measure the change of the floodplain.
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Atmospherics through time Showing the journey through the site and the various time periods: Now, 50 years later and 100 year later. (Please see Appendix 6,7,8 for GIFs full Atmospherics through time)
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Atmospherics through time
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Atmospherics through time
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Atmospherics through time
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Atmospherics through time Emphasising the transience of the shifting floodplain.
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100 years Atmospheric Fishing pier: As the architecture acts as a time-capsule for the floodplain in Llandeilo as new pockets of protected land under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
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100 years Atmospheric Fishing pier: Proposing this re- engagement with the river front even after 100 years, showing the value of the river.
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100 years Atmospheric Fishing pier: Creating this area of intrigue that will allow nature and erosion to entice and allure people to interact with the river and the floodplain.
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100 years Atmospheric Garden Terrace: Making users invested and want to actively protect the floodplain themselves. As the architecture archives nature and the river that is slowly decaying in today’s society.
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100 years Atmospheric Floodplain: Emphasising that the floodplain and all other natural habitats and environments are just as important as those that are deemed beautiful under British Acts.
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100 years Atmospheric River: While project, “Nurturing Erosion” where it uses erosion as a tool to actively protect and archive the landscape creating new areas of protected land. Where its acts as a loophole to protected the Llandeilo floodplain, other natural habitats are exposed due to Brexit. As a result I would like to emphasise the goal of the earlier petition to amend both the Countryside and Rights of Way Act and the Environment Act to protect ALL natural habitats and environments.
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