Callum Garrison
Architecture BSc Honours
Sample Portfolio
Centre for Peace & Reconciliation - 3rd Year - Comprehensive Design Module - Coventry University
The Centre for Peace and Reconciliation for Coventry University is part of the city’s approach to conflict and reconciliation. The design for a new centre for Peace and Reconciliation in the heart of Coventry city centre offers a broad range of purposes, acting as an academic facility, as well as a public venue for events and exhibitions, whilst also offering private accommodation. The scheme is based upon the concept of spatial breakdown. The design is driven by the need to orientate the spaces created around the centre into purpose specific spaces, ultimately creating a public square, residential quarters and a private garden all corresponding to its links with the centre.
A particular focus on the external landscaping around the centre aims to create quality social spaces, developing the site into a place to be, rather than a route to other parts of the city. The change in topography has been addressed in such a way that it works to the advantage of the master-plan, opening up the basement level of the centre at ground level to the West of the site and offering more user friendly walkways with better disability access. The external aesthetics is based upon a ‘colour change louvre system’ concept. The external facade consists of a series of perforated aluminium louvres that serve both environmental purposes, as well as aesthetic. The louvre appear to change colour from violet to blue as you pass the building resembling the reconciliation of the site.
The scheme makes particular use of natural light within its internal spaces. Seen here in the main public gallery space of the building, a series of drop down light-wells are used to flood the spaces with natural light in a controlled manner creating an appropriate environment for art and exhibition work to be appreciated. Furthermore the exposed structure and honesty in materials presented within the internal spaces is a theme throughout the design, reflecting the significance of peace and reconciliation within the centre.
Ground Floor
Site Section - (West-East)
First Floor
Second Floor
Site Elevation - (North-South)
Development Models
Site Analysis
- 3D Route Analysis
Concept Diagram Pedestrian flow analysis The Centre for Peace and Reconciliation located in the heart of Coventry City centre is largely based upon its surrounding site and context. The building’s form is largely driven by the two main pedestrian routes across its site. The strategy behind this concept is to form a physical breakdown of the spaces surrounding the site whilst keeping the original pedestrian routes across the site in situ.
Environmental Strategy
- Section Diagram
Environmental Strategy The environmental strategy for this project focussed on the integration between the buildings environmental performance and its aesthetic appeal. The exposed concrete ceilings and iconic louvre system are both key examples of how the building makes use of environmentally orientated design features in an aesthetically pleasing fashion.
Pitched parapet roof allows drainage in centre ridge Waterproof felt Anodised Aluminium sheet Insulation foam Precast insert for Aluminium tube - Foam filled to accommodate for the slight movements of the louvre Internal louvre plate - Aluminium plates attach louvre to support arm Aluminium pin - Fixed into concrete supporting louvre arm Louvre support arm - 40mm circular Aluminium tube Anodised Aluminium louvre - 12mm perforated sheet Window opening allows ventilation Aluminium sill with motorised pin to control widow opening Double glazed facade - 30mm glazing fritted in areas
Concrete slab
Roof/Louvre Detail
Polished Precast concrete plank slabs - Slot together providing shuttering for above slab Steel I-beam - Supports concrete slabs TCUDORP LANOITACUDE KSEDOTUA NA YB DECUDORP
Plaster board - Smooth plaster finish to board Insulation foam
Concrete wall slab - 250mm thick with a Bitumen paint finish to prevent damp and water absorption Rubber bead Suspended floor slab Insulation batten
Steel support legs for floor Nut and bolt system used to secure steel I-beam to concrete foundation Concrete slab
Reinforced concrete pile foundation - 3200mm deep
Foundation Detail
Steel reinforcement within concrete
Construction There has always been a particular focus upon the construction and detailing within this scheme as the design not only proves to be challenging and complex with elements, such as, wracking columns to support the cantilevering first floor along with the sophisticated louvre system and glazed facades. The specification of materials and construction are essential to the environmental performance. One example can be seen in the detailing of the concrete floor slabs - not only do they serve the purpose of shuttering for the precast slab in which they sit beneath, but require a high quality polished finish as they are exposed as a ceiling to improve the building’s thermal mass.
Built Environment Faculty Building Extension & Refurbishment - 3rd Year - Integrated Project - Coventry University
The Integrated Project A team based project comprised of Coventry University’s Built Environment courses. The Architecture student is required to work alongside Civil Engineers, Costing Engineers, as well as Building Surveyors, Building Services Engineers and Architectural Technologists in their design process of the extension and refurbishment of the University’s Built Environment Faculty building.
Section Drawing - (North-South)
External Space Render
3D Visualisations
Ground Floor
Second Floor
The extension and refurbishment consists of an extension to the South of the site and the addition of two additional floors, accommodating for new state of the art facilities varying from practical learning spaces, such as labs to private conference rooms. Our key aim of this refurbishment is to adapt the spaces within the building to correspond with the learning and activity taking place inside. To achieve this, each floor has been broken down according to the role, examples include: - Practical learning spaces - labs - Open/social learning spaces - Private learning spaces and offices
Structural Strategy - 3D Visualisations
Physical Model - scale (1:250)
“Aesthetics vs Function”
The Effect of Conflict Between Aesthetics and Function in Modern Society and Contemporary Design
Coventry University Hub - Hawkins\Brown
Coventry University
Engineering & Computing Building
- Arup The on going conflict between the arrangement of aesthetics and function and its resulting effect on design is an area of architecture that fascinates me. I therefore took this subject forward as my dissertation title. The aim of this written investigation was not to find out which should come first ‘aesthetics’ or ‘function’ but to provide a better understanding of the varied effects the architectural arrangement of aesthetcis and function can have on modern society. In my attempt to reach a hypothesis on the subject a combination of primary and secondary research has been undertaken with use of case studies and questionnaires, including interviews with project architects and clients.
The investigation was largely based upon the findings from the two case studies. These were used as examples of how designs of similar briefs, similar location and commissioned by the same client can be approached in very different ways by different architectural designers. The Coventry University Hub and the Coventry University Engineering and Computing building are the two cases used.