UWE Portfolio - 3rd Year - Architectural Portfolio

Portfolio Third Year

Architecture & Planning Edward Russell _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Projects ____

C.01 Ferry Terminal

C.02 Living Bridge

C.03 Barcelona

C.04 Castle Park Masterplan & Cultural Forum

C.01

C.02

C.04

This portfolio consists of four design briefs that were set over the past year. Three of these schemes fell along the Floating Habour; Ferry Terminal, Living Bridge, International Cultural Forum. The other project was part of a student field trip to Barcelona. The Field trip to Barcelona was set to enhance our architectural understanding of space and the language of architecture that encompasses the occupier within it.

The three projects that were set in Bristol all set the tone of providing Bristol with a more culturally diverse and less fragmented city centre. The centre currently houses some of the poorest and most affluent areas to the east and the west. The city centre has been the heart of Bristols growth throughout its industrial life. The fourth project was set in Barcelona, throughout this portfolio the sketches, designs and diagrams of public spaces have influenced the design of the three floating harbour schemes. As these schemes lean so heavily on the floating harbour, I think it is only right to provide a brief histoy of the historic development.

Floating Harbour Why was the harbour built - The town of Bristol grew up around a point on the river Avon six miles inland from where it flows into the Severn Estuary (now called Avonmouth), and from there into the Bristol Channel.

Bristol developed at the most downstream point where it was convenient to cross the Avon, and where ships could be carried up to the town’s harbour on the tidal current in the river. The tidal range of the rivers in the Bristol Channel is the second greatest of any in the world (the biggest is the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, Canada). At Avonmouth the tide can rise and fall as much as 14 metres twice a day and even in Bristol the water level can change as much as 12 metres. This was both an advantage and a disadvantage for sailing ships. On the plus side, ships could be carried all the way to Bristol on the current before the tide changed.

Less helpfully, they would be stranded in the mud when the tide went out. Until the late 1700s, this was not considered too much of a problem, and ships were built that little bit stronger to cope with this. By the 1760s, however, Bristol was so popular as a destination for cargo ships that it became impossible to accommodate them all. Some ships were beginning to go to other ports like Liverpool where there was more capacity.

The design Process - In 1765, the first proposal for creating a non-tidal harbour was put forward by the eminent engineer John Smeaton. There followed a number of different ideas, but no progress was made until the 1790s, when a new round of plans was tabled. In 1802 William Jessop, a famous civil engineer, was engaged to come up with a scheme. Jessop had been born in Plymouth in 1745. During his time as Smeatons’ apprentice he learned a lot about canal building that led to a successful career in his own right later. He carried out extensive waterways work on the river Trent, the river Severn and the river Thames, and created the Grand Junction Canal in the Midlands and the West India Docks in London. He died in 1814. Jessop’s final scheme was an amalgamation of the best ideas from numerous earlier proposals.

The Proposal - The river Avon was dammed at Rownham and at the bottom of Totterdown Hill, near Temple Meads, impounding all the water of the Avon and Frome between these points. A weir at Netham controlled the level of the Harbour water, channelling water along a Feeder Canal and allowing excess to spill back into the tidal river Avon. A second weir, the Overfall Dam, at Rownham controlled the level at the outward end of the Harbour. A new half-tidal basin (Cumberland Basin) was constructed with entrance locks from the river and a junction lock into the Harbour. These locks catered for larger vessels. The New Cut was dug from Rownham to Totterdown, creating a tidal bypass on which smaller vessels could proceed further inland to secondary entrances at Bathurst Basin and Totterdown, bringing them closer to the quays that they wished to visit. This was the idea of the Reverend William Milton, vicar of Temple church.

Until the early 19th century, rivers were the most important means of moving goods and people around the country. Bristol grew up around the point where the rivers Avon and Frome met, a convenient crossing place at the furthest point inland that ships could reach by drifting on the tidal current. The earliest evidence of Bristol as a named place (Bristol means ‘Bridge place’) is about the year 1000, but the Romans had a port further down the river Avon at Abonae (now Sea Mills).

The effectiveness of the port was much improved in 1240s by major civil engineering work to divert the river Frome and create a wide and deep artificial channel. This in turn enabled the building of the Quay, now Broad Quay, which was to become the harbour’s principal wharf right through to the 19th century.

In the 1300s, Bristol was the second most important port in the country after London. Woollen cloth woven in the Cotswolds was brought to Bristol for finishing and dyeing before export to Gascony in south west France (around Bordeaux). Red cloth was prized particularly, and Bristol had a monopoly of this. Ships returned with wine from the region.

At the end of the 1400s, this trade declined and Bristol merchants had to look elsewhere for cargoes. Bristol merchants built trading links with Spain and Portugal, the Baltic states, North Africa and the Mediterranean, but couldn’t break into the very valuable spice trade with the East. This began a period of exploration in search of a route to the Far East by sailing westward (around the world in the opposite direction). This culminated in John Cabot’s voyage in 1497, when he is thought to have discovered Newfoundland and the mainland of America.

At the end of the 1600s, Bristol merchants broke into the lucrative Africa trade, transporting trade goods, including cooking pots and guns, to West Africa, exchanging these for enslaved African people and carrying them to the West Indies and America. There they were sold to buy sugar, tobacco and other luxury goods grown on plantations. For a time, Bristol was the main port in this trade but by the 1750s most merchants traded directly with the Caribbean rather than transporting African people; there were fewer risks involved in this. At this time, too, Bristol regained its place as second port in the kingdom, but was quickly overtaken

by Liverpool and other new ports before the end of the century.

After the creation of the Floating Harbour, Bristol continued to grow as a port, but declined in overall importance – other places expanded more quickly because they benefited from the development of industry in the north of England. In the 1830s, Isambard Kingdom Brunel built two ships in the port, the paddle steamer Great Western and later the iron screw steamship Great Britain. Each was the largest ship in the world when it was built. After this shipbuilding declined, although some ships are still built in Bristol today.

In the 1870s, new docks were built on the Severn estuary at Avonmouth and Portishead to accommodate larger ocean-going ships. Avonmouth was expanded greatly throughout the 1900s and became the main centre of the Port of Bristol, although the Floating Harbour (known as the City Docks) remained important until its closure to commercial traffic in 1975. In 1977, another enormous new dock was opened at Royal Portbury (on the south side of the mouth of the Avon) and it, with Avonmouth, is the thriving centre of Bristol’s present day port.

Ferry Terminal _____________________________________________________________________________________________ C.01

Perspective image of site and terminal in context

Project C.01 Contents ____ Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Image by Edward Russell (Group 7 - Stan Furness, Camilla Huber, Edward Russell)

Introduction This project looks at how a new ferry terminal could be incorporated into Bristol’s Floating Harbour.

The client is the Bristol Ferry Company, who have had a rise in customers and the demand for more practical ferry terminals has also risen. The site lies around the Arnolfini, previously an industrial warehouse, though now stands as a cultural center. This project will look into the various ways that a scheme such as this could be undertaken, and the analysis of the site is crucial to provide an affective scheme.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

There are five boats that work for the Bristol Ferry Company.

They run to a scheduled timetable (bottom right) and can also be hired out for private events. Each boat has a different capacity, with their largest boat holding 40 people.

Original Sketch of Site

The company is looking to expand its collection radious and they have asked for a “modest terminus� building near the Arnolfini. The building needs to be accessible to all. There will be a place to buy tickets, embark and disembark. This will need minimal maintenance and the site will be operated by a single operator.

Sketch of Site Plan (Mike Devereux)

Ferry Route Predicted Route of Bristol Ferry (edit of original from their tourist information website).

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Historical Images of Site, From Right; Painting of M-shed during Late 1800, Picture of Arnolfini Late 1800, Floating Harbour Early 1800

History

Rivers have been an essential passage of travel up until the 19th century. Bristol grew up at the intersection between the River Avon and the River Frome, this enabled ships to float up the estuary during high tide to the point at which the two rivers met.

The earliest written evidence of Bristol being used as a port was during the 1000 where the romans had a port called Abonea (now Sea Mills), by the 1240 the river Frome was diverted to create a wide and deep artificial Channel. This allowed Bristol to become the second most important port in the country after London. At this point wool was woven and dyed too be exported to the South-

west of France, to be traded for wine from this region.

At the end of the 1600s, the merchants of Bristol broke into the lucrative Triangle Trading routes. At this point the harbour become congested and trade had peaked. The harbour was unable to effectively do its job.

This led to the development of the Floating Harbour. The floating harbour planned on damming eighty acres of tidal river to provide water to a harbour that would not strand ships for weeks on end. This affectively made the harbour non-tidal. The floating harbour was opened in 1809 and over the next 2 centuries provided an essential income to the economy of Bristol.

In the 1870s, new docks were built on the Severn estuary at Avonmouth and Portishead to accommodate larger ocean-going ships. Avonmouth was expanded greatly throughout the 1900s and became the main centre of the Port of Bristol, although the Floating Harbour (known as the City Docks) remained important until its closure to commercial traffic in 1975.

Today the Harbourside has since seen a huge regeneration scheme for leisure, commerce and residential real estate. The harbours taxi service also provides water transportation for tourists and commuters through the Bristol Ferry Company.

Material Landscape Cross-section (original image from group 7)

Landscape

ENVIRONMENTAL LANDSCAPE The water may look brown and dirty due to the mud swept in from Avon- mouth estuary however it is frequently tested to ensure it is safe and clean for people and wildlife. Common fish and birds found in the harbour are bream, roach, eels, cormorants, ducks and gulls.

Fishing is allowed only for those with a license. Maple trees have been deliberately planted and have been specially selected because they can easily survive in urban areas affected by air pollution.

These trees are also adapted to drier conditions, a necessity when most rain water runs off man-made surfaces, such as pavements and roads, and down drains with little reaching the tree roots themselves.

CULTURAL LANDSCAPE Cultural landscapes are associated to historic events, activity, people, groups of people and also relate to land use as an expression of identity.

The public space in front of the Arnolfini with tables and chairs is actively used by the public. E.g fruit stall and a multi purposes Anolfini shed. The separation of this space from the boundaries of the Arnolfini is achieved with a change in brick pattern. Creative spaces such as the Arnolfini and M-Shed should be taken into account.

MAN-MADE LANDSCAPE Industrial and maritime use has had a huge impact on the landscape.

Mooring posts for ships, trees and bollards provide a physical boundary to the edge of the water protecting its inhabitants. The ground cover sets are positioned around the site in a way that separates the landscape from different uses and public/private ownership. The topology of the land has been altered by this leaving uneven spots where repair and drainage has been added.

Materials

Arnolfini has a pennant sandstone exterior, rusticated base, worked stone (made up of tiny grains of quartz. hard, fine grained, compact, resilient). All interiors have been replaced with a concrete reinforced structure, under a metal clad pyramidal roof, with glazed mansard.

Arched ground level entrances and windows above. All feature modern double glazing units (Glass). A mixture of large flag stones, concrete, and patched tarmac, has been used for the pavement. Cast Iron edging along the pavement edge, typical around Bristol. A series of granite setts face in different directions, directly outside of the Arnolfini. The lack of movement suggests setts were laid from mortar, and pointed in using grit, ash, and lime. Moss has been allowed to grow over the joints between the setts. A number of trees populate the site. Showering the surrounding area with leaves. There is a bronze statue of John Cabot. Cast Iron Swing Bridge, bollards, and docking cleats are all key features of the site. Small, timber clad structure. There is a modern style phone booth (built from a variety of plastics and aluminium). The daily foot traffic brings with it a number of different materials; the fabrics of peoples clothing, Cigarette ends, dog’s mess, bottle caps, etc.

Access Routes

The ferry stop has restricted access due to the nature of the ground surfaces surrounding the site. Currently the site is permeable through two access points, the North and the East. The ferry will allow penetration into the current barrier of water. The site is accessible by vehicle, though is not a public road (therefore primarily used as a drop off point for goods for the Arnolfini). The materials on site make it difficult for movement due to their obstructive nature. The bollards

placed along the waterfront provide access for boats, though prevent large vehicles falling into the water.

The site is met by four different movements of people, those who take public transport, private vehicle use, pedestrians and ferry traffic. This has meant that although the site is restricted by being on two sides of land, it has relatively good access.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Views in cross-section

Views in plan

Parti Diagrams The positioning of the building was essential in the design process. There were four main design ingredients that the site already possessed and that I wanted to incorporate into my design.

- The positioning of the site captured views of M-shed, the city, Clifton and the harbourside.

- There was movement along all sides of the site.

- The site had definitive boundaries (vegetation, materials, massing) - Glare was a problem coming off the harbour.

Boundaries in Plan

Access through scheme

Public Private

Public & Private Space Diagram

Access & Ownerships of Space The design will seek to achieve a simple ferry terminal for commuters and tourists. The design will provide an accessible pontoon that falls away from a populated harbour side. The terminal will be at ground level elevated over the harbours edge. The pontoon will be accessible from two sides, this will allow for passengers to get off and on at the same time, therefore making the switchover more efficient. This will be beneficial for the clients to minimise time wasting and keeps the pontoon clear, which will be better for safety.

The terminal will house the robotic ticket machines, a disabled toilet and a staff room. The staff room will be used for storage and will occasionally house maintenance workers when problems occur at the terminal.

Movement In Movement Out

Movement Diagram

1,2

Models

1 - Initial sketch models 2 - 1:10 sketch model. of the movement of people through a robotic ticket machine.

3 & 4 - 1:500 sketch model.

3

4

5

5,6 & 7 - 1:500 sketch models.

6

7

8

8,9 & 10 - 1:500 Final Model In Context.

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10

Exterior Perspective looking across the Floating Harbour

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Position Of Terminal On Site

The aim of the terminal was to subconsciously attract visitors that would not normally take such a mode of transport. The idea is taken from that of a crab. The crab has a pincer which when closed is deemed useless, though once opened it has the ability to catch objects within it. This site, sits at the corner of a harbour, where people walk everyday. As with a crab the pincer allows for people to be pulled into the captive triangle. This in theory should pull more people into the terminal.

Proposed Cantilever The proposal of having a cantilever set over the Floating Harbour came about, due to the site having a variety of options of where to build, though these options all had equal problems to solve if the terminal was to be positioned in one of them.

For example this may be related to; Views, access and historical materiality boundaries.

The local area currently holds a floating pontoon on the proposed location for this structure, so no loss of views or materiality will be lost. The boundary that will be created where the cantilever meets the historic mooring stones will be a development of history like that of the several other boundaries of brick sets that lie around the site.

The boundaries still cause a problem due to a straight cantilever requiring deep foundations that would need to go double the distance backwards (Standard Building Mechanics).

The scheme will now adhere to the problems that it was faced with, while compromising with the issues that are imposed on the site. Some issues have been solved to the best possible option e.g. the view. However, this was not completely solved as a sturucture of some sort was need to house the various requirement set out in the brief.

The proposal sort inspiration from designs that conquered vulnerable sites, where building blocks did not allow for conventional building techniques. This was similar to the arnolfini site, with few areas that would fit my strategy, the only option was to build out and over the water. Designs that were proposed over uninhabitable sites can be seen to the right.

Form Of Roof The Arena Stage at the Mead Centre for American Theatre doubles the previous facilities in size. It is composed of a wood and glass structure that encloses three theatres topped by a sculptural and dramatic cantilever roof.

The idea of bringing a ferry terminal to the arnolfini site that brings out all the passionate exuberant, profound, deep and dangerous Bristolian characters. Bristol has been the city of engineers in the past, including its leap into the unknown for transportation that brought Bristol such huge recognition with Brunel. Architectural language in Bristol needs to take new leaps, and this cantilever, although small would achieve a sense of exploration.

This cantilevered roof would represent the sails of a theoretical boat mored at the side of the harbour, bringing the sense of boarding when you buy your ticket, as opposed to when you board the ferry.

The cantilever roof will act as a frame for eastern and northern pedestrian walking through the site.

Final Reason for Positioning

Vertical Circulation The Pompidou Centre is one of the most efficiently circulated building in the world. This is why it was viewed as a precedent to how circulation may work in a building.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

10m Scale Bar Plan

1:2500 Plan

West Elevation

North Elevation

10m Scale Bar

South Elevation 1:500

East Elevation 1:500

10m Scale Bar

Cross-Section

10m Scale Bar

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Environmental Strategy

The ferry terminal will meet the highest of BREAM standards (possible). It will take embodied energy into account, with all materials being locally sourced.

Apart from the structural concrete, the structure will be timber and steel framed, which is more environmentally friendly.

The building will be passively ventilated. This will be due to the building being occupied not very frequently. so less heating is required. The passive ventilation will require a through flow of air through the ticket walkway to be pulled into the living space.

The building will be lit up from the South, East and West sides, this will max-

amise the potential light exposure the building will gain during daylight hours. the building during shading or darkness will use LED lighting to account for less energy. Hot water will come from a wood pelet boiler to provide both an economically and environmentally sustainable aproach to providing hot water.

The pontoon will hold several PVC units to generate energy for the lights and power service to work. Any excess will be able to be sold to the grid.

The design of the walkways will minimise rainwater run off and flooding, due to its nature of being cantilvered over water and having gratings within the flooring to allow water to permeate through the structure.

Details

Wall Detail

Plasterboard (18mm) Steel Column (200-300mm) Insulation (100mm) Damp Proof Membrane (2mm) Purlins (25mm) Maple Wood Cladding (25mm)

Roof Detail

Steal Beam(200-250mm) Zed Purlin (120mm) Insulation (100mm) Damp Proof Membrane (2mm) Steel Deck (70mm) Standing Seam

Glass Box Detail

Pontoon Detail

(Moving Joints)

Steel Frame Reinforced glass (40mm) Steel Bolt

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Conclusion To conclude, this project gave me a better understanding of modes of transport through Bristol, and how a terminal may create problems for certain citizens that may want to participate in a boat journey. This scheme achieves a level of justness, that allows all to participate in this activity, while minimising the affect to the surrounding views and physical landscape.

The scheme provides above satisfactory conditions for the occupier due to the degree of attention that follows various UK regulations.

For example; - Part M of the Building Regulations include the following:1.5m wide with a minimum unobstructed width of 1.5m. and the following gradients related to length and rise. Has a maximum individual length of 10m and maximum. Gradients of 1:20 maximum length 10m maximum rise 500mm.

- Part K of the Building Regulations provided details of how to achieve protection from falling with minimums of 1.1m for hand rails.

Living Bridge ______________________________________________________________________________________________ C.02

Perspective image through bridge.

Project C.02 Contents ____ Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Dublin Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Dublin Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Introduction Contextually, this proposal pulls a variety of Bristol’s urban design together to merge one living bridge into the heart of the city.

The Bridge s set amongst historical context and will be amongst the Harbourside regeneration. The bridge will comp Contextually; this proposal pulls a variety of Bristol’s urban design together to merge one living bridge into the heart of the city.

The Bridge s set amongst historical context and will be amongst the Harbourside regeneration. The bridge will comprise of a safe access route for all to cross, while holding a cafe that creates a focal point within the bridge. The bridge will study the wider context, and shall allow for a less fragmented Bristol.

These ideas all link in the ideas of previous designers. The bridge will forge both sides both economically and geographically to prevent isolation of emerging streets. A safe access route for all to cross will be designed, while at the same time holding a cafe that creates a focal point within the bridge. The bridge will study the wider context, and shall allow for a less fragmented Bristol.

These ideas all link in the theories of previous designers. The bridge will forge both sides both economically and geographically to prevent isolation of merging streets.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Dublin Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Brief

This brief is for a client, The Bristol Bridge Company. They are asking for a pedestrian-only living bridge to link two sides of the River Avon in Bristol. The plan shows where it is to span the river. Either a single story market or a bar/cafe must inhabit the bridge. No additional uses are to be provided. Circulation across the bridge must be open to the weather.

There are very few living bridges globally, though the few that do exist have had a major impact on the cities that they inhabit. Well-known bridges such as Ponte Vecchio in Florence comprise of shops while creating a through flow for pedestrian traffic over the River Arno. The Pulteney Bridge in Bath has allowed the migration of inhabitants of bath to move over the river, without a class change being severely changed.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Dublin Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Islambard Brunels’ Final Design

William Bridges’ Design

Ambitious Proposals for Clifton Bridge

Bristol has always been a city of engineering triumphs. Mainly due to its natural topography, that lead to ambitious designs to allow the city to expand and develop. However in recent years, the city has become a high-tech hub.

The design for this brief will look to enhance the historical past of Bristol, with a new design that will allow the residents and passers by to flow through the heart of Bristol. Bristol currently has a fragmented through flow of pedestrian traffic, from Clifton through to Temple Meads. Currently pedestrians and cyclist have to follow routes taken by vehicles that has caused longer and broken routes.

Sir Marc Isambard Brunel Design (Brunels Father)

Thomas Telford’s Design

Historical Context The site is surrounded by a rich history. The most prominent is that of the Floating Harbour. This is not listed, though is seen to be one of bristols greatest attractions along with Clifton Suspension Bridge. There are also other historic surrounding that the site looks onto, like that of St Thomas’s, the historic cobbles of the Harbourside and the oldest pubs in Bristol.

The design of the bridge should minimise architectural destruction to both sides of the harbour, while keeping a structurally strong bridge. this should also line up with boundaries on each side of the bridge, to allow the bridge to flow with the current architectural language of the area.

Transport Routes Throughout Bristol, one of the main building blocks is that it is a sustainable city. The Bristol core strategy indicates this, while the Bristol Green Capital enables it to happen. A key emphasis on this is to try and push Bristol forward into the 21st century for transportation links. Currently the city sentre is fragmented, with routes that come to dead ends, and several one way systems that confuse traffic. The solution front eh city council is to make Bristol into a cycling hub.

Bristol, already has a high proportion of its citizens transporting themselves by bikes, though NOT all. This is due to the less appealing thought of cycling through a city that is so hilly and fragmented. Would a new bridge here enable the occupiers to swing through this part of Bristol quicker?

Demographics To both sides of the site lie different forms of activity. To the west sits the residential affluent area of the Harbourside and Cliton, while the east is home to Bristol’s CBD commercial units and the less affluent areas like Bishopston.

The problem of this fragmentation is similar to that of Bath a few centuries ago, to solve this they built a bridge that would prevent the citizens of realizing they were crossing a boundary and allow the city to expand.

The question is; Should Bristol build a built up bridge to prevent destroy the boundary? or should Bristol provide a bridge that encompasses the boundary, though prevents the boundary from being the key to the fragmented city?

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Dublin Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Parti Diagrams 1. The Draw-bridge will be layered to split up/ stagnate the current boundary problem

1.

Draw-Bridge Concept

Contextually, this proposal pulls a variety of Bristol’s urban design together to merge one living bridge into the heart of the city.

The surrounding area that collides with both ends of the bridge, harbour a variety of businesses. The bridge will echo the hillside fabric of the exterior facades of the coloured houses, littered around Bristol and the floating harbour. The local pastel like colours will fuse with the island itself and then unite with the harbour walls.

The harbour side has been transformed over the last few decades, and little to none of the buildings show the renaissance of pre-modern buildings. This is why I have looked into the modernising of the bridge itself. The design has been based around the medieval design of how the local economy would be drawn from far and wide and then closes by the simple movement of a drawbridge. The incorporation of the eight triangular prefabricated structures will slide into place, and prevent any restriction to the local river traffic. This structure will be replicated to provide two moving bridges on each side. These bridges will provide for the movement of commuters smoothly at peak hours of the day. The bridge aims to be the central linking point for the Temple Meads business district and Clifton.

2 & 3. The island in between the building will be open and closed, similar to a castle during market day. This will allow people through the scheme during business hours and restrict them during closed hours.

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3.

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4,5 & 6. The Bridge hopes to become a key feature in Bristols architectural and engineering history. The though of a new more complex form of draw bridge will occur, with more architectural and engineering ambition that will be right for the 21st century.

The bridge will provide a local café seeking to deliver a quick service to entice customers in on route to work. These hours will be minimal so this service will have to work function efficiently. The design will allow easy access into the café from the “slow” walkway to catch the people most likely to need a break. The Building will provide an ephemeral service and business will peak at peak commuter times.

The bridge will become an island when; river traffic needs to pass through, and during hours of minimal business. When the triangles all come together they provide a octagonal shape which will be frames by the pyramid like sculpture on top of the building. This will deliver a form which will effortlessly sync into the surrounding area, though have a minimal affect on the direct surroundings during construction and after due to the unlikely need for the destruction of surrounding buildings and ground covers.

These ideas all link in the ideas of previous designers as can be seen in the precedents to the left. The bridge will forge both sides both economically and geographically to prevent isolation of emerging streets.

Colour Scheme This simple diagram indicates why the colours on the bridge are there. This will allow the bridge to flow with the pastel heritage of Bristol, that so many of the houses participate in. The folding down of the bridge will provide access back and fourth for boats, while minimising the damage to the surrounding landscape.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Dublin Proposal Strategy Conclusion

The bridge will be set across an artificial island that will act as a pivot point for the two bridges to push off.

De-Fragmenting the Boundary The picture above is a bridge crossing the river Shannon in five spans, the deck width fluctuates along the length of the bridge to allow for resting places or public art displays. The impression is both of a single crossing but also of a series of bridges jumping from pier to pier, like stepping-stones. Yet assumes a strategic importance that transcends its physical presence.

The simple idea of splitting this fragmentation up allowing for the development to proceed to give two bridges that would then meet in the middle at a cafe (Cafe would allow for the break up between complete residential and the commercial district)

The scheme will align walkways, therefor not obstructing any other areas. This will also prevent the creating of any unnecessary new axis boundaries being created, while also providing efficient flows through the site.

Transportation Through Scheme To maximise usage of the bridge, the bridge had to be appealing. The bridge would become appealing by making it the quickest route for pedestrians to take to travel from Clifton down to Temple Meads.

The Bridge would allow quick access while minimising the disruptance of different speeds of pedestrian traffic.

Two Flows of Traffic - Cyclists - Pedestrians Both routes would then have a 1.5m gap on each side to allow for cyclist to travel in opposite directions and not colliding. The pedestrian route would have easier access to the smoothie bar, while the cyclist will have to dismount and walk through the pedestrian flow (opposed to pedestrian walking through bicycle traffic which could create health and safety issues).

Bristols Industrial Heritage The Tulip (above) concept for a canal in Amsterdam by Zalewski provided the initial idea of having a folding out bridge (the next stage was incorporating this into the ‘Castle’ Draw-bridge).

The Flower Concept is basic; a flower opens when the sun is out, and closes when there is no light to be absorbed.

The Castle Draw- Bridge Concept is similar to that of the flower. A castle opens for business and opens its bridges, while closing them when business is up and protection is more vital.

The concept development for this idea meant that the bridge would open when the cafe was up and running while closes when the cafe is not. This would run parallel to businesses on the east side, therefore allowing for the commuters to gain optimal use out of the facility. Mimics human form by sleeping.

Tobacco & The Folding Bridges - Bristol was also a key distribution centre for centuries for selling tobacco, this is why the study of how the leaves fold was taken into consideration. This then led to the development of the bridge folding out to both sides like that of a tobacco leaf (middle images).

The Cafe - This will be a smoothie bar, where people can pick up their locally produced fruit and veg smoothies. It will be designed around the central island space, so all that have to cross the bridge will go past the cafe optimising the potential customers.

Engineering Past & Future Bristol has a rich heritage for industrial engineering prowess. It has seen the likes of Brunel build some of the worlds most advance transportation schemes in the world. The design of this living bridge will focus on bringing back this engineering ambition and develop a modern technical draw-bridge.

The bridge will take its shape from a similar method taken by Thomas Heatherwick on his folding bridge (top right sequence). This bridge has acted as a precedent to allow the modern drawbridge to work. The idea will stay the same (the folding of triangles), though the design will incorporate a more Bristolian out take. This will be achieve through a number of colour schemes and facading the exterior of the bridge. This can be seen on the next page.

The shape of the triangle pops up through out this scheme, primarily due to its relativity to engineering strength in design. The Egyptians used it as a sign of strength within their pyramids, and it is still used throughout proposals today due to its structural strength.

Colour The scheme introduced colour to allow it to blend into Bristol. Bristol has international recognition for its diversity f coloured buildings, and if this scheme was to connect the two fragmented sides, colour may be the best way to blend them together.

The bridge and the window divides will consist of a variety of pastel colours that exhibit themselves throughout Bristols Skyline. The idea of rolling the colour led to the image bellow which contributed to the final outcome.

Conceptual collage of how scheme will look and work in perspective.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Dublin Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Proposed Plan

10m Scale Bar

North Elevation

10m Scale Bar

South Elevation

East Elevation

10m Scale Bar

West Elevation

A-A Cross-section

10m Scale Bar

B-B Cross-section

Photoshop Perspective Looking East

Photoshop Perspective Looking North Into Smoothie Bar

Model Perspective Looking East

Model Perspective Looking North Up River

A series of pictures taken of a 1:200 scale model

A series of pictures taken of a 1:200 scale model These pictures give an idea of how the island expands and contracts.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Dublin Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Perspective of Bridge set in Dublin

Plan of Bridge set across

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Dublin Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Structural Strategy

The structural strategy of the Drawbridge is relatively simple, 4 concrete columns will support each bridge. These columns ill support the balancing of the folding bridge. This however will not have to be a heavy-duty concrete form. The bridges should all equal each other out due to their equal length, providing minimal structural concrete. The primary resource will be concrete, and the island will be made from reinforced concrete. There will be steel decking above the concrete to provide a balcony over the waterfront framing the south views down the harbour.

The Bridge itself will be designed from prefabricated steel in triangular shapes. These will be fixed together, each with an individual hydraulic lever to project it upwards, and therefore allowing it to curve and lift up (The hydraulics will always be able to come down, due to gravity). The main steel structure will apply load and various forces to the concrete island it is fixed to. The triangular shapes will also have a banister and will externally have vertical louvers.

The structural strategy of the two towers is quite simple, 8 concrete columns are embedded in a brick cavity wall constructed tower at 4.9m intervals. A lift and fire stair take up 2.8m of the building (my whole building & site is still based on a 1400mm grid, based on the requirements of map storage). This is a structural system built into each tower. The private/staff tower has an identical structural strategy.

I have drawn a basic construction sequence. The existing earth on the site could be used to construct Cambridge’s flood defenses up stream. Once the hole is dug, a retaining basement wall would be needed to stop earth falling into the site. The pile foundations and strip foundations supporting the depository’s load-bearing brickwork walls would be built, followed by the basement level. The depository ceiling could then be made watertight as the concrete framework for the towers could be built on top. The two towers would be the last to finish construction: I like to think that in hundreds of years time when the towers are disassembled, the depository/labyrinth will remain below ground for future generations to explore.

The facade would be constructed from locally sourced concrete, much like the 3 surrounding buildings. This was an early idea of proportions, which are the same as one of the large light wells, as are the window openings in the tower - floor to ceiling 700mm x 3900mm openings set back to give the facade some depth.

Environmental Strategy

The cafĂŠ will be built from an exterior concrete layer that will have an insulated and damp proof interior space. These spaces will be lit up by artificial low energy lights when needed, though predominantly from the large south facing windows, absorbing as much natural light as possible. This will take advantage of low-level solar energy to warm the interior space. The exterior banister on the balcony will be glare resistant glass to prevent solar glare from flowing internally.

A natural bridge of air will form through the building allowing for cold air to penetrate and warm air to leave through the other side.

This will minimise the need for artificial cooling during summer months, while during winter months the doors and windows can be sealed shut to prevent the loss of heat.

The glass banister surrounding the scheme will be composed of anti-glare glass, this will prevent the reflecting radiation off of the Floating Harbour causing any damage to both the physical structure and the human occupants.

Side Elevation of Walkway Sketch - Showing the Hydraulic Pump UP

Cross-section Detail 1:50

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Dublin Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Conclusion Throughout this project the aim was to give Bristol an incite into the future of what can be achieved. The idea of bringing a modern take of engineering prowess and integrating a sustainable business within the Bridge may work. However problems may occure due to maintenance and the cost would be high for a scheme like this, thought the final outcome would stand out from the crowd and that would mean the initial task was complete.

The scheme provides above satisfactory conditions for the occupier due to the degree of attention that follows various UK regulations. For Example; - Part A of the Building Regulations allowed for a variety of Structural regulations. For a scheme that was to take engineering to the next level this was important. The use of glare proof glass for the waterfront was a key engineering component to making the scheme work better in the environment that it sat within.

- Part M of the Building Regulations include the following:1.5m wide with a minimum unobstructed width of 1.5m. and the following gradients related to length and rise. Has a maximum individual length of 10m and maximum. Gradients of 1:20 maximum length 10m maximum rise 500mm.

- Part K of the Building Regulations provided details of how to achieve protection from falling with minimums of 1.1m for hand rails.

Barcelona ___________________________________________________________________________________________ C.03

Short Film Esquisse Sketches

Barcelona Short Film - 90 sec Brief - In your group you are (using one mobile phone) to produce a film 90 seconds long illustrating Rimbaud’s piece as though he was writing about Barcelona. Everyone in the group must appear in the film somehow. Think carefully before filming anything.

You should not try to be comprehensive and film the whole city (obviously) but instead think how, by focusing on one or two elements or places, you might make a strong point. Your film will be one of 14 (one per group) and needs to be suitable for display at the end of year show, and you will also need to include the story of its making and stills from it in your portfolio.

Arthur Rimbaud – Les Illuminations (1886) I am an ephemeral and a not too discontented citizen of a metropolis thought to be modern because all known taste has been avoided in the furnishing and exterior of houses as well as the city plan. Here you cannot find the trace of a single monument to superstition. Morals and language are reduced to their simplest expression, at last! These millions of people not needing to know each other pursue their education, work, and old age so identically that the course of their lives must be several times shorter than absurd statistics show for this continent’s people. So, from my window, I see fresh spectres roaming through thick eternal fumes – our woodland ghosts, our summer night! – New Spirits, before my house which is my homeland, my whole heart, since all here resembles this – Death without tears is our child and servant, desperate Love and pretty Crime whimper in the mud of the street.

Ephemeral Ephemeral Definition - Ephemeral things (from Greek – ephemeros, literally “lasting only one day”) are transitory, existing only briefly.

Idea - The idea of the film was to take the word ephemeral out of the poem and see Barcelona through this temporary perspective.

The word ephemeral was deemed the most important word in the passage due to its destructive/constructive meaning. It allows the reader to understand the way a city life coincides with the built environment which it inhabits. This term gives value to the passing of form and the inventing of new space. For this reason this word led us to walk around Bristol in the hope to find temporary activity that gave the built environment a better/worse future.

Description of Film 1. Originally the film starts with a Star-Wars theme tune and a Star-Wars credit style. This gave a futuristic out look on the film which we thought was well suited to our idea (how the world is alway changing, though the future is always our priority).

2. (Joe Roberts Feature) The film starts on top of the most prominent hill in Barcelona. Here the film spells out the word ‘ephemeral’ to get across the impact that this word had on us as student. It was spelled out on a slab of hard rock, this represented a more permanent feature within the urban landscape of Barcelona. The writing however was written in water (this took several takes) due to the water evaporating. This evaporation represented the more temporary nature of water in a hot climate. This all overlooked Barcelona giving depth to the word we were about to take hold of .

3. (Rich MacDonald Feature) We began walking down the hill and proceeded to film Rich as a temporary human walking in a natural environment that all though has not been there for necessarily that long, still positions itself as a more solid feature in the landscape.

4. This part does not feature anybody, due to the temporary nature of the sign. The sign was LED lit, with blue writing sprawled across it. Reading “mobility is the future” one second, then advertising the next. The sign was so quick we caught it by accident, though due to its ephemeral nature we felt this should be part of our sequence.

5. (Kyle Underwood, Ross Wise, Stan Furness) The next scene looked down on a busy street from a pedestrian viewpoint. This view gave the viewer the ability to understand how a town is constantly changing, with people and physical structures placements being scattered around in different directions constantly.

6. The Built environment is constantly evolving through out the world. This frame gives the watcher the chance to notice how a more modern/high tech building falls along side a piece of renaissance architecture.

7. (Edward Russell) The next two frame show Barcelona staying stationary, while I fade out of the picture. This is designed to give the viewer the an aspect of how everything is temporary, though some things outlive some things, while other die off early. Barcelona will outlive me,

and its history will live on for decades/centuries into the future.

8. The previous frame if of the same view, though these frames take a wider view of the site that the task has been built around. This wide angled view gives a broader perspective of Barcelona and gives an incite into how the city has developed over time, while other parts have become extinct for example, the street layout has been kept, while the streets buildings have evolved.

9. This frame features all members of the group walking back home. As if to indicate that as one day is over, the next day is starting. A constant movement of time that leads this world to be so dependent on the past, though apprehensive about the future.

Short Film Esquisse Sketches

Quick/Esquisse Sketches, drawn while walking around Barcelona

Analysis of Site Esquisse Sketching – Esquisse is a method of working that aims to produce preliminary design sketches in a very short period of time. Esquisse is the French word for ‘sketch’. Its Spanish translation - croquis – as it is the name of a very good architecture journal. The esquisse was developed by the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris in the 17th century and was subsequently used in England as a method of teaching architectural design at Liverpool University. It aims at removing distraction and promoting mental discipline in design.

Quick sketches of surround streets

Original proposed elevation - scattered to symbolise the current shambolicness of area

Proposed elevation - development of original idea, though making providing a more simplistic approach

Site Proposal Idea - NOT enough green space - Paths up either end (better accessibility) - Job Center for tramps: - Area is densely populated with homeless (Romanians/Africans) - Don’t think housing would solve the issue (education might) - EDUCATION - “give a man a fish and he will live for a day, teach a man to fish and he will live for a lifetime” (bible, set in religious area) - Outside CBD (central business district) - Make modern to sync in with surrounding buildings - Include changing of heights due to surrounding buildings doing the same

Final Elevation - height change linking with surrounding area, while providing a larger green space

Ground floor Plan for Homeless Centre

Site plan from final elevation proposal

Perspective image through bridge.

Cultural Forum _____________________________________________________________________________________________ C.04

Contextual Perspective of Proposed Building on Site

Project C.03 Contents ____ Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Introduction The design brief asked for a proposal for a master-plan of the site, and an International Cultural Forum.

Cultural Forum Definition; “A cultural forum or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural forums can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run”

The brief asked for us to interpret cultural forum for ourselves, and this is what led to my decision to provide Castle Park with The Phloem Culural Forum.

The proposal for the site, was to fundamentally hold Bristol to its word on bring a Green Capital. The scheme was going to be lead by statement of sustainability. The master-plan and buildings would ‘meet the needs of today without compromising the future for others’.

The master-plan was to take a slice of Bristol’s vegetated landscape and redesign it to become a more pleasant experience and functional zone. The Simple idea was to follow the forms of ‘Rus in Urbe’ to create the countryside in a town.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Green Spaces in Bristol

Bristol from a birds eye view can be analysed to understand the spread of green space within the city.

The city currently houses numerous parklands, though there does not seem to be a defining link through the centre for the spaces com merge. The proposal for castle park to become a more urbanised area was dismissed, due to the loss of this crucial link of green space designated directly in the centre, that once lost would be hard to retrieve.

1:1500 Bristol Green Space

Transport Routes The current issues of Bristol being one of the most congested cities in Europe has lead many of it citizens to either; live closer to their work and play or adopt new modes of transport.

The Mayor has proposed a new environmentally friendly bus route, though this will not be sufficient for the growing dependency on public transport in Bristol. Therefor the need for new cycle routes will rise.

Bristol already has a huge cycling population and this may be the answer to both a greener city and a less congested one.

Pedestrian Route Through Bristol Vehicle Route Through Bristol

Heart of Bristol The ‘heart’ of Bristols economy and historical past lies along the Floating Harbour. The city has recently reinvested in this specific area for luxury flats and retail outlets. However, this has not necessarily allowed Bristol to reconstruct the social divides that have magnified since the Triangular Trade period in time.

The new scheme should encompass a better networking strategy to allow the city centre to act more as the integral merging point of cultures and the economy.

Bristol needs to reconstruct itself as a multicultural city, that conforms to plans that have been laid out by partnerships in the Bristol Green Capital policies.

Residential Areas Commercial Heart to the City

History of Castle Park Castle Park is located to the south of Broadmead, formerly the location of Bristol Castle during the c.11-17. Subsequently during the c.17, the site became denser, and housed light industry and residential homes.

Broadmead accommodated the Dominican Friary that was positioned past the town walls during the c.13 and, from the c.17 the area was a focal point of religious activity. By the 1930s Broadmead held a mix of residential, business and religious, which was bombed less than Castle Park during the blitz.

During the c.20 Castle Park was where the heart of the city was based. It housed the cities retail industry which was booming, and you could find; cafes, shops and cinemas and that were bursting with life during the weekends. Post-war this key social function in the city was never brought back to life, after it saw devastation during the blitz.

Post-war the inner city was amongst the most severely bombed areas in the UK, the once thriving Old Market became run down and derelict. The linear connection between Clifton and the New Market became fragmented with a loss of social, economic and political integration. “The post-war redevelopment is a half hearted piece of planning,� (Foyle, 2004, p169)

Since the Blitz, the land has been set aside for public parkland, though has been developed on the eastern corner (redevelopment of these block is key, due to the lack of coherence between spaces). The landscaping has been reconsidered several times, though none of the schemes have managed to reconnect the fragmentation of what was lost during the war. In 1993 the scheme by Sir Hugh Casson was watered down, the new scheme re-landscaped the site and fitted sculptures around Castle Park. Both churches still remain on the site, though they have been fully eviscerated.

The proposed site has two major historical features, that were hollowed out during the bombings, and have been left as dead space since. The churches have both seen dereliction, due to there position on the current landscaping, which makes passers by unaware of the historical value. To achieve a better master-plan, these should be incorporated within to allow them to be brought back to life.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Green Pathway Bristol is home to some of the countries finest parks and green space. However, these are not common and in the centre are few and separated by long distance. Castle Park will allow for a linking of the disjointed green space that already flows through the center of Bristol.

“Meets the demands of today, without compromising the future” The aim is to create a space where more trees and open space is made more accessible to a active sustainable com unity. The city has grown into a Green Capital, and this is why the scheme will propose the maximum green space possible, so that the city is more sustainable.

“Rus in Urbe” The linking of green space will allow Bristol to become part of the ‘World Greenways Movement’. This is already occurring in cities like Boston, Paris and London and sees the regeneration of brown-field sites.

Fragmented City Bristol currently is a fragmented city, both economically, socially and culturally. This has been due to several reasons, but most of all due to the industrial movement throughout the past few centuries causing social divides within communities. This is not helped by the post-colonial stance that Bristol faces being a multi-ethical/cultural entity.

The idea is based around creating new links through Bristol (including the former proposal for a ‘Living Bridge’). The scheme hopes to re-layout the routes through the site, to link streets to streets as efficiently as possible, without compromising green space. The continuation of Castle Park as a large urban green space will also keep the final strand of green space that currently links Bristol’s inner city with its rural suburbs.

Park Concept The Phloem Cultural Forum exhibition will focus on three main strands: tradition and innovation in the production and distribution of basic foodstuffs; maintaining a healthy diet and traditional habits of nationalities exhibiting their nations food production; sustainable agricultural production as a means of preserving the landscape and heritage.

Peter Harnick lists several points on how to make a park great; Landscape, Environment, Stimulate interaction, Communal gathering facilities, Relief of vibrancy through circulation, Public Buildings Diversity and responsibility are the pillars on which the presence of the Phloem Cultural Forum will rest. These elements will be enhanced both in the technological equipment of the forum and through events, conventions and happenings which will enliven the exhibition area. The project will be based on the idea that food is a universal language and that the future of nutrition depends on the political, diplomatic, social and technological ability to solve in a creative way the problems connected to nutrition at world level.

THE FORUM HOPES TO ENABLE THE OCCUPANTS TO UNDERSTAND THE FOOD CRISIS THE WORLD FACES EVERYDAY. THIS LINE INDICATES THE DIRECTION WHICH THE FORUM HOPES TO TAKE TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM AND PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE AND EQUIPMENT TO DO THEIR OWN PART IN THE CRISIS.

If there were 100 people FOOD

Movement Diagram

Time-line for Occupants

Concept The arrangement of spaces, is going to be layered to provided a significant boundary between public and private space.

The Diagram to the left describes how the building will incorporate the UWE students and their exchange students, while the lower levels are for public education of food production around the world.

The public space will allow citizens and visitors of Bristol to transfuse through the building. These spaces will be large and naturally lit. The building aims to incorporate theories of the city, to try and eliminate problems that may occur with who as the ‘right to the building’ along with whether the building is ‘just’ politically for those that want to access it. For example, the building will be accessible from the north and south wand will have no gradient on the first floor and on the surrounding paths around the building. This will allow for better access for people with disabilities.

The private space will be contained within the top floors. These spaces will be accessible only by those who temporarily are living there or by those who work in the building. There will also be a green space on the roof that will provide the temporary students with a private exterior space which is hard to come across in the city centre.

The arrangement of the flats on the top floors will provide a private kitchen and living room space per 7 people, then a public terrace space that will surround the building.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Current Path Network

Development for footpath

Proposed Path Network

Historic Castle Wall Radiated Circumference for buildings on Castle Park to be deflected off Most efficient routes through the site

Development of forum and master-plan The Forum falls off the focal point that is indicated in this map. This focal point has come about by radiating off the historic wall that flowed through Bristol.

The radiating circular lines will provide a point for all the pavilions, the student accommodation and the forum to reflect off of.

The red lines indicate the routes that the pathways intend to take. These are all to maximise efficiency of travel through site. This has been done by linking busy routes together and patching up historical routes that have vanished and left a fragmented city.

The New Maribor Art Gallery was designed through a series of blocks. The initial block was complete, then by drawing lines directly through it in the direction of the most efficient route through the building they slowly cut off sections to provide a final plan of the building.

Water Management The building will focus in on a central core to flow through. As a plant would, this building hopes to achieve the ability for rainwater to peculate down and through the building. The building is set beside the Floating Harbour, which could be used as a man-made fresh ground water zone.

The building will be comprised of a set of green roofs and flat roofs. These will be intensive so that human activity can occur on them. Precipitation will then be allowed to occur in its natural way, for the building to either retain the water then transpire it pack into the atmosphere or allow for surface runoff. Since the recent floods around the UK and the hugely affected South West, the retaining of water in Urban areas, may decrease the level of flooding.

Considered direction of building. Design was ruled out, as did not flow with the historic wall positioning

Elevated Terraces More and more are we becoming disconnected from our natural surroundings, The Phloem Cultural Forum aims to make people aware of this. The Forum is a design that will try and reunite and reconnect us back to the elements of nature and how we interact with it. Whilst using materials resourcefully, this is achieved through biomimicry of a plant. This building has been studied by the way that the plant folds out as they reach out towards light, this has been mimicked by the balconies acting as radiation terraces.

Designs by the like of Archivo by Zeller Moye and FR-EE have given an incite into buildings flowing out of a central core. In this cultural forum, the central core is described as the Phloem, similar to a plant, where all the resources and activity flow through.

Conceptualisation of how the walkways will exhibit plant-life, like that of the picture to the left.

Public Exhibition Space The Museum Maya de America by Harry Gugger Studio and Overunder provided an incite into the variety of spaces that could be achieved by an urban concrete style with vegetation hanging off of balconies and ledges. This is what I hope to achieve with my internal green house and my hanging natural louvres on the outside of the building. These will also provide solar shading during months which could severely affect the internal temperature of an all glass building (some glass will be spandrel panels and some will be rain-screen cladding).

The exhibition space will allow the occupant to flow through examining both the plants in the real life forms (1st floor) and to study the plant lifes characteristics, through lectures/ library space and museum (on the 2nd floor).

The Plant Pots - As seen to the right, the plants will be planted in blocks, that will be around a meter high, depending on the plant being contained, and will be displayed in the pot for several months. These pots will also act at a handrail at 1.1m of the ground, which will meet the national standards for the built environment in public spaces. After studying plants in building this seemed to be the solution to containing large plant life at heights above ground floor, as does not damage structural loads through root erosion.

The Green House Space - The space will have an exterior glass curtain wall, that will achieve the task of providing the maximum amount of day light as possible for the space. This will then be accompanied by both a passive ventilation system to minimise condensation within the building and a mechanical ventilation system that will provide for the buildings (Humidity, temperature and air velocity).

The Gallery Space - This will be where the visitors will be able to get an educational understanding of plant life. This will be based on a museum experience, where you walk around stands that give you the opportunity to understand how things are made,live and die.

Both the building and the forum hope to achieve a sense of ‘Rus in urbe’. The space that will achieve this are the balconies, the hanging green louvres, the green house exhibition room and the glass walls will act as a reflectance to the surrounding green wall as if to mirror the surrounding park.

Conceptualisation of how the walkways will exhibit seeds & written history

1.

4.

2.

3.

5.

1. The building grew out of the ground like a petal 2. A urban concept of a petal was created (huge cantilever problems), Cross-Section 3. Urban concept in Plan 4. Efficient routes through building allowed for petals to be lost.

5. A few petals were left surround a core 6. The central core became inverted within the petals

Biomimicry

The strength of the building will be in the core. This will represent the stem of a plant, where the phloem acts as a central flowing point for occupants to pass through.

The language of biomimicry throughout architecture has followed the form of plants, as well as the processes that they stimulate. This building will focus o the way a plant has a central core for strength as well as a transportation duct.

The building will be designed to raise awareness to vegetation and plants that have been lost and are under threat of extinction around the world through process of urbanisation causing desertification. This scheme will be an incite into what countries had, and what they had now, and the ways in which they hope to tackle problems of deforestation etc.

Barcelona During our Barcelona Field trip, we studied the space that had been created in public buildings though out the city. The sketches to the left are diagrams that have enabled my scheme to understand how public spaces may work better.

For example laying out staircases to provide for a more efficient flow of people and defining public and private space, especially in the central Atrium. This has allowed my project to progress to understand the way my foyer allows the occupiers to be guided through it.

A clear boundary between partitions, like that of Paul de Ruiter Architects

The petals fall out of a central core (phloem), this is represented by the extruded balconies upwards, plants also tend to follow genetic symmetry which the top floors express with their similarity in size and position of balcony.

From Left: Perez Art Museum - Herzog And De Meuron, Paul De Ruiter Architects, Lucasfilm Company - AEDAS, Renault Distribution Centre - Norman Foster

Exterior Green Facades The buildings fabric was developed to allow the building to be a living organism, within Castle Park.

This was achieved by allowing the building to grow out of itself, with large balconies representing the petals of a plant. The balconies then provided a platform for plant life to hang off, this would bring the building to life, along with acting as a natural louver to incoming solar rays.

The balcony was also designed to have a small garden section parallel to the wall of the building on the upper accommodation floors. This will allow the residents themselves to take responsibility for harvesting their own crops while providing a significant boundary from onlookers viewing through their window. The boundary will both hold aesthetic value, while being valuable for privacy and sustainability. giving student the opportunity to provide for themselves becoming more economically and environmentally sustainable.

Public A set of suspended platforms that fauna is suspended from, like that of Herzeg and de Meuron.

Private

Surrounding Vegetation

Focal Point of Interest

Parti Diagrams A cultural forum that will provide the user with a breath of fresh air. The Phloem Cultural Forum will enhance the natural world, by attracting botanists and new plant lovers from around the globe. The aim is to raise awareness for plant life that has been destroyed forever, and those plants that are endangered of becoming extinct. This forum will allow the occupant to slip away from the artificial world and into the natural world of tomorrow. “An exhibition is a display which, whatever its title, has as its principal purpose, the education of the public. it may exhibit the means at man’s disposal for meeting the needs of civilization, or demonstrate the progress achieved in one or more branches of human endeavour, or show prospects for the future.�

A series of transparent spaces arrange a vertical core, with floor plates that branch outwards to provide shelter. The glass facades are stepped back from the slab edge, causing it to overhang and create terraces or social staircases.

The vertical stacked connected floors full of life and activity connect the building with its surrounding, thereby challenging the trend of enclosed facades and stimulating an upcoming community through culture and exchange.

Level Changes

Access Routes

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

1:2500 Collaged Master-plan of Site

3D Contextual Master-plan

Long Section Through Site 1:1000

Ground Floor Plan 1:200

First Floor Plan 1:200

30m Scale Bar

Second Floor Plan

Third Floor Plan

30m Scale Bar

Typical Floor Plan (floors 4-9)

Roof Plan

30m Scale Bar

North Elevation 1:200

30m Scale Bar

South Elevation 1:200

West Elevation

30m Scale Bar

East Elevation

Cross-Section 1:200 20m Scale Bar

A

A

B

B-B Perspective Cross-Section

B

Sketched Perspective

Interior Perspective Collage of Green House Looking Towards the Floating Harbour

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Structural Strategy

The Phloem Forum will be offset around a focal point directly outside the entrance to St Nicholas Market. This will offset two circular shadows towards Templemeads. This will provide a base for where the reinforced concrete building will be set. The building will be nine stories tall with a roof balcony. This building will be held up by a series of 16 columns on each floor that will transfer the forces down to the bearing strata.

The central core of the building will reflect balconies out on occupied floor spaces. This will be suspended in place by a set of steel support cables running through each floors balcony, this will be met by a bracing system on the roof that will triangulate the forces inwards towards the concrete columns.

The balconies will be met by a thermal break between them and the concrete floor slab, this will minimise the use of thermal insulation within the building.

The first floor will be predominantly a curtain wall however; the exterior wall around the theatre space will be a green wall. The green wall will act as a natural insulator as well as provide a nicer aesthetic look.

The curtain wall will introduce a large amount of light into the foyer and the exhibition spaces and offices and restaurant. This will provide a more stimulating feel for the particular user of these areas.

The top floors of accommodation will be set behind a reflective rain screen cladding system, this will aesthetically keep with the rest of the building, though will provide a more insulating and private feel for occupants within these spaces.

The roof will be a green roof. The green roof will be an intensive system that will allow occupants from the student accommodation to ravish in the sun.

Detail Through Exterior Facade 1:50

Environmental Strategy

Environmentally this building will be passively ventilated, through a flow of air running parallel to the horizontal lifts passing through the building. This will pass through the roof terrace to pull air out of the building. The vertical open staircases will also provide a movement of air through the building.

The building although concrete will be environmentally friendly, this is due to the concrete being designed out of a lattice of balls that will eradicate large percentages of concrete. Due to their being less concrete, with a similar strength, this allows the concrete to span larger distances while being thinner due to it being less dense. This is more beneficial to the cantilevered parts of the building.

The internal spaces will be lit up by artificial low energy lights when needed, though predominantly from the large south facing windows, absorbing as much natural light as possible. The balconies will act as louvers towards solar glare providing better liveable conditions behind south facing glass walls. This will take advantage of low-level solar energy to warm the interior space. The exterior banister on the balcony will be glare resistant glass to prevent solar glare from flowing internally.

The building would be built though a series of sequences, each floor would be set in turn, and once the roof has been set, the balconies can be suspended off the triangulate steel wires. The prefabricated curtain wall would then be able to be inserted into place, while the green wall is being built, this would be constructed at a similar time to the green roof, due to the similarity of skills used in both professions. The student accommodation would then be prefabricated and then inserted into the building; this would be more economical, due to the similarity between the 5 floors. Then the interior spaces would have all necessary parti walls and services put in place.

Introduction Brief Analysis Concept Development Proposal Strategy Conclusion

Conclusion The three design briefs that we have been set this year all have followed the path through the Bristol’s Floating Harbour. My three projects have fluctuated in architectural ambition with my Bridge pushing boundaries for engineering, while the cultural forum had a harder layout to make the strategy work.

The Phloem Cultural forum grew out of the ground to provide a food sustainability museum, with student accommodation and theatre, office space, a restaurant and a private green roof. The building allowed for a large number of occupants while meeting its strategy to allow a walk through of foreign countries exhibiting their natural and artificial farming techniques which led into a museum gallery space that gave a more structured educating experience. The pavilions were then going to be used as a workshop space for people to experience these processes for themselves.

The scheme provides above satisfactory conditions for the occupier due to the degree of attention that follows various UK regulations. For Example; - Part A of the Building Regulations allowed for a variety of Structural regulations. For a scheme that was to take engineering to the next level this was important. The use of glare proof glass for the waterfront was a key engineering component to making the scheme work better in the environment that it sat within.

- Part B of the Building Regulations stated the importance for fire safety of large public buildings. This is why this building has a large number of fire resistant elevators and fire escapes.

- Part C of the Building Regulations was where I gathered crucial information on how to make an indoor green space work, while minimising moisture decomposition of crucial structural components.

- Part K of the Building Regulations provided details of how to achieve protection from falling with minimums of 1.1m for hand rails.