HA R R Y WY A T T
METAMORPHOSES UNDERGRADUATE ARCHITECTURE DEGREE PROJECT
Produced by Harry Wyatt (2020) for assessment as part of BSc Architecture at the University of Bath for unit AR30022 Design Studio 4.2. issuu.com/harrywyatt linkedin.com/in/harry-wyatt/ instagram.com/harryjwyatt/ harryjohnwyatt@gmail.com Many thanks to the university staff who have helped and guided me through this project. Architectural Tutor: Matt Harrison Landscape Tutor: Tim Osborn Structural Tutor: Jamie Siggers Environmental Tutor: Doug King Tectonic Tutor: John Griffiths Workshop: Owen Rutter, Miles Chambers and Steve Handley Unit Coordinator: Matthew Wickens Also thank you to my peers and family, in particular my grandmother, Carole Lewis, for offering guidance and support throughout. Note that while Ruskin Mill Trust is a real charity and reference to their philosophy, activities and methods is based on their prospectus and a conversation I had with a member of staff, they have no affiliation with this project and their role is therefore purely fictitious.
Metamorphoses (n.) transformation, development ‘Each individual has the potential to shape their own future through experiencing meaningful relationships with universe, earth and people’ - Ruskin Mill Trust [client]1
Dedicated to Margaret Wyatt [1927-2020] Teacher and Grandmother
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CONTENTS
01 Background
05 - 18
02 Scheme Development
19 - 26
03 Scheme Design
27 - 44
04 Tectonics : Building Experience
45 - 54
05 Structure + Construction
55 - 74
06 Environmental Strategy
75 - 88
07 Regulation Compliance
89 - 94
08 Reflections + Conclusion
95 - 100
References
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‘Of bodies chang’d to various forms, I sing: Ye Gods, from whom these miracles did spring, Inspire my numbers with coelestial heat; ‘Till I my long laborious work compleat:’ - Ovid, 8, Metamorphoses2
01 BACKGROUND
Introduction Many of the stresses of loud and connected modern life are amplified for those with autism and other complex educational needs. People with disabilities often struggle to find work and thus, in a world which celebrates what we make and do, a sense of meaning or value can be difficult to attain. Ashton Court College of Woodland will help students with complex needs transform themselves into more independent adults, providing them with valuable skills that give their lives meaning through a role in society and protection of the planet. ‘Our task is not to return to Nature... but to find the natural man again’ - Carl Jung
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01 - BACKGROUND The Brief
Children with the most severe special educational needs and disabilities [SEND] are granted an EHC plan which allows them to attend specialist schools or colleges paid for by the local authority until they are 25. Autism is the most prevalent primary type of need for these students3, followed by communications needs, mental health needs and learning difficulties. Despite this support, these people often leave education at 18 and are significantly more likely to be unemployed. With job satisfaction being by far the largest predictor of mental positivity4, are the rates of depression and suicide [9x general population5] in autistic adults surprising?
Autistic Adults in Employment8
32%
Just 16% are full time 77% of unemployed want work 40% have never worked
Adults in Employment
80%
Meaningful activity gives us a sense of purpose and can cement us in a community. Responsibilities give us a sense of self worth. Some gain this from having children or pets, others from work or volunteering. The client, Ruskin Mill Trust, offers hope. 76% of students take up further education, employment or volunteering after finishing their course6. These courses build skill and confidence through working material from the natural world. At a time where rebuilding nature will be part of the global response to save the earth, rural crafts are an excellent skill with which to equip people to help them find meaning in their lives. The UK is far more poorly forested than Europe [right]7. All parties support a big increase in tree planting, requiring people trained in creating and managing woodland. PROPOSAL: A new 16-25 SEND college for 50-60 students in Bristol with a curriculum designed to enable students to gain independence and find meaningful occupation through courses in woodland craft.
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The Client + End User
‘Fine art is that in which the head, the heart and the hand of man go together’ - John Ruskin
The client, Ruskin Mill Trust, runs a chain of colleges and schools across the UK. Bristol, near the Nailsworth hub, is well placed for their next premises. All the colleges teach arts, catering, biodynamic gardening and rural crafts alongside living skills9. Individual Colleges have specialities based on the history of their location; Ashton Court College will draw on the estate woodlands to teach woodcraft. It must also have facilities for the other skills. The client is architecturally ambitious, with previous projects including a renovation of a former cutlery works to create a college similar to this one and a rammed earth field centre as a home for their educational research. Craft, retrofit and environmentally conscious design are all key elements common to their projects. Ruskin Mill Trust is funded both as a charity and by local authorities who pay fees averaging £52,000 per student per year for colleges of this type, but can be much higher10. Design features for autism will cater directly for many students, but other SEND students with communication, sensory or social difficulties will benefit from the same interventions. Spaces and details should be logical to support routine and predictability. Interactive fixtures should have high perceptible affordance11, for example clear handles contrasting with the doors. Transition zones between spaces [such as a quiet room and noisy workshop] should be provided to allow recalibration of senses. A variety of compartmentalised spaces allows each student to find somewhere comfortable to be. Neutral and customisable escape spaces should also be provided12 and take the form of ‘quiet’ or ‘refuge’ rooms.
The Site [Bristol] Specialist Colleges [16-25] Specialist Schools The Field Centre [SEN Research]
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01 - BACKGROUND Existing Context : Constraints and Opportunities
The site was once part of the Ashton Court estate and the college will make use of the estate and surrounding rural area as a teaching resource. Staff, students and graduates of the college will maintain and manage the land to bring back biodiversity and sustainable productivity. Initially 30 acres will be made available as a Satellite site within ten minutes walk from the college. Land will be used for the creation of productive woodland, a market garden and reed cultivation. The satellite site will also include facilities that need to be close to the productive land such as a base for tree felling activities, a timber sawmill, seasoning shelters and plant nurseries. While the entire estate will be crucial to the success of this project, this design proposal focuses on the Central College which will include all indoor in-house teaching spaces, staff offices, a medical centre [for therapy], breakout space and community facing facilities [for social learning]. This is the site that will generally be referred to throughout this design report. It is accessible by road, a new cycle path and public bus with a stop just 75m away at UWE.
Existing Location Plan13 - 1:25 000 The site is in a unique area which benefits from direct access to the countryside whilst having a relatively large daytime population of workers and students from a school, university campus and workshops who will make the college cafe, a vital social learning tool, viable. The neighbours include the Forests of Avon Wood Co-Op and the Council Parks Dept. who will provide external apprenticeships as students begin to transition into the world of work. The buildings on site include the old estate farmhouse [below].
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Existing Block Plan14 - 1:5 000 Existing Site Model - 1:500 - Shown Opposite
01 - BACKGROUND Existing Site : Constraints and Opportunities
[6]
[1] [2] [3]
[5] [4]
The site includes existing farm buildings, most of which will be retained and will inform the massing of the new building. [1] Early C19 Barn [not listed] [2] C20 Garage [not listed, to be demolished] [3] Early C19 Park Farm, 1 and 2 [Grade II listed]15 [4] C21 Extension [not listed] [5] Early C19 Outhouse [not listed, to be demolished]
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[7]
Part of the southern boundary of the site is bounded by a listed wall16, which will be retained. In order to attract customers to the cafe and shop, new access should be introduced across the site to link the two roads: [6] Kennel Lodge Road [7] Parklands Road The existing openings in the listed wall will be used.
The site includes mature trees, mostly in the East corner. As many trees as possible should be maintained. Image opposite from Google Earth.
01 - BACKGROUND Ruskin Mill Method + Philosophy
‘Using the insights of Rudolf Steiner, John Ruskin and William Morris, Ruskin Mill Trust works with hand, head, heart and place to provide students with the tools to transform material and in doing so transform themselves. In this way students come to recognise themselves and others, they develop self and social awareness and are empowered to achieve and make positive contributions to society at large, giving back in a self-directed, productive and enjoyable way’17
[1]
- Ruskin Mill Trust
The colleges follow a three step programme [right] using their practical skills therapeutic education method to help students find a meaningful place in the community18.
[2]
1 - Overcoming Barriers to Learning Through apprenticeship, students overcome difficulties with learning and authority. Progress is made following instructions and seeing results in practical skills.
2 - Becoming Skilled Levels of support are gradually reduced while challenge is increased with a variety of internal work experience and qualifications available. A variety of high quality workshop spaces and a wood fired bakery will be included in the college for work with wood in all forms.
3 - Contributing to Community Moving on, students undertake external work experience, work in social enterprises and learn living and social skills in order to move into independent life. It is important for the college to engage with a thriving community.
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[3]
[Internal Work Experience]
[Learning Skills]
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01 - BACKGROUND Schedule of Accommodation: Central College
House 3 no. student 1 no. staff
Workshops ~300sqm House 3 no. student 1 no. staff
Quiet Rooms
Service Yard / Material Storage
Breakout Spaces ~170sqm
Courtyard / Transition Zone [for recalibrating senses between spaces] Bakery ~50sqm
Class ~50sqm
Class ~40sqm
Medical + Therapy Staff Offices + Reception ~300sqm
Shop ~90sqm
Cafe + Kitchen ~120sqm
Wood Boiler
Wood Chip St.
Public Street
Learning Public Residential Communal Administration Medical Centre Service
15
Houses for residential students are close to the college but separate to maintain study / home separation. Additional houses in the area will be used to meet demand. Services such as WCs, changing rooms, circulation and plant space are required in addition to the noted areas. This will be approximately 20% of floor area. Additional facilities for wood processing, seasoning storage, sawmill, a market garden and nursery will be located on the 30 acre satellite site [not part of this design proposal].
Architectural Aims
1. A therapeutic building that can meet the variable needs of students
2. An environmentally conscious construction true to the Trust’s philosophies
3. A building that celebrates craft and traditional skills
4. Engaging public spaces to attract regular customers for developing students’ confidence
5. Spaces that provide opportunity for developing independence in stages
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GE A P LE ) B E U D O A D GL ( R DE N E R
GE A P LE ) B E U D O A D GL ( R DE N E R
‘One simply cannot rely on eureka moments to generate design proposals’ - Alex Wright, 2011, Critical Method: A Pedagogy for Design Education19
02 SCHEME DEVELOPMENT
02 - SCHEME DEVELOPMENT Week 1 to 3
Massing and Layout From the outset I thought that the massing should echo the neighbouring agricultural buildings to form a series of farmyard type spaces between barnlike buildings. At the stage of writing the brief I had assumed two major courtyards - one public and one private - but I soon realised that in order to have public access from both sides I needed access across the whole side and so the public courtyard became a street. From arranging scaled pieces of card on plans I came to two viable options: [i] that the site be expanded to allow the street to run through part of the council depot, using the existing barn as a cafe or [ii] that the street run through the large opening in the listed wall. This cut the site in half, which compressed the college [as all teaching space ought to
[i]
be on one side of the street for safeguarding]. However, the side effect of cutting the site in half made the street far more dominant and more inviting. The corner with mature trees could become a small public park. This placement stuck; the balance between private and public and the journey students could make between them became the genius loci of the scheme [pg 41].
Curved Timbers At this stage I was considering using curved timbers [with the view that they were not generally useful, but I could make them useful] to make the cloister arches. However, simply by going for a woodland walk I realised the immense difficulty in sourcing the correct curved timbers. More waste might be generated by cutting down trees just because one part of them was desirable. If I wanted anything to be curved, I would do it with steam bending.
Desktop Review The public street with the private college spaces behind was well received as a general arrangement, as was the general massing. Building on top of the old barn was controversial however, as this scheme required the existing roof to be almost entirely removed for the extra storey. Part of this was the result of the street compressing the college into one side of the site.
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[ii]
02 - SCHEME DEVELOPMENT Week 4 to 5
The Trefoil Chimney From initial zoning I wanted to unify the bakery, kitchen and boiler flues into one massive chimney that celebrated the final earthbound stage of the carbon cycle of the trees grown and managed by the college. The chimney also acts as a vertical visual anchor for the scheme. Perhaps it was this arrangement of circles that started me thinking about radial geometry.
Something Rad[ical] After the desktop review I felt unreasonably dissatisfied with the scheme despite positive feedback. It felt to me like a series of buildings that never came together in a complete whole, much of which I feel came from the 15 degree skew between the street [defined by the existing wall] and the existing barn. The messy agricultural massing that I had been aiming for was now feeling problematic. I decided a radical new form was needed, so I initially devoted a week to it, fully prepared to drop it if it failed to work out. This was the genesis of the circular form. The 15 degree skew between defining axes meant that a 24 sided shape was needed to place each of them on a tangent from the courtyard, which gave me the radial structural grid. The scheme grew from there. In its first iteration it was still disorderly at the roof, but there were some clear advantages. The circular courtyard was a similar size but was narrower east-west which allowed me to leave the existing barn alone and build next to it instead of over it. The first time I attempted a fully radial building was in the second year of this degree. The feedback I got from that review was that I had resolved it better than expected. It worked out very well, but was it a good idea to start with? There is something inherently awkward about a radial form in a world of rectilinear materials and tessellation. There seems to be a justified mistrust of radial buildings; there is an assumption that they must have had to make compromises or that they will inevitably be inefficient. Certainly cost wise the final scheme is arguably implausible, but with the client’s network of craftspeople, access to funding and high architectural ambitions [pg 8] it could be feasible. In this first iteration, the street had lost some of its linear clarity as it curved off and the building felt overbearing on the courtyard with the two storey cloister. But there was a sign of a coherent whole emerging, resolving the skewed axes, and there was something about this form that was intriguing to me; I was not ready to give up on it yet.
21
02 - SCHEME DEVELOPMENT Week 6 to 9
Determining Abstraction I had been hesitant to put too much time into this radial form, but taking it to a 1:200 resolved level gave me more confidence in it. When I created the axonometric cutaway [opposite page] I was finally starting to look at the scheme and believe that this was a place that people could love. Reducing the inner cloister to a single storey and removing the arches around it offered vast improvement; this was now a friendly space. There is something magical and inviting about the circular courtyard which is hard to articulate so I have generally justified it through deterministic reasoning [pg 29]. Even if I can convince my head that it is the right choice, is the heart simply leading the way? My preference for the circular over the rectilinear reminds me strongly of the statement that hit me most in Zumthor’s Thinking Architecture. ‘When architects talk about their buildings, what they say is often at odds with the statements of the buildings themselves. This is probably connected with the fact that they tend to talk a good deal about the rational, thought-out aspects of their work and less about the secret passion that inspires it.’20
Interim Review The narrative of the inward facing circular building and the outward facing street facilitating the students’ transition to independence was well received, which assured me further that this form was viable. However, I was told, as expected, that the scheme needed simplifying in order to resolve this complex geometry. At this point the roof had too many elements and I needed to reconsider the junctions between the radial and linear elements.
Tectonic Review In earlier weeks I had a setback finding that commercially available oak in the sizes I needed was rare in the UK and usually imported. Sourcing timber from abroad would not fit my narrative of localism and local regeneration of nature. I began exploring fabricated timber structures which used smaller members. Both larch and spruce in suitable sizes for this type of construction are available nearby in Wales. The fabricated cruck frames were well received, but both critic and tutor found it a shame that I had cut the cruck into multiple storeys in some areas; however, they acknowledged that it might be necessary. In the final scheme as many spaces as possible use the full height of the cruck.
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02 - SCHEME DEVELOPMENT Week 10 to Hand-In
Detailed and Environmental Design The part of the process I enjoy most is when the general arrangement is sufficiently resolved to give me a rock to stand on, but there are still fresh design problems to solve. The crucks create deep buttresses in most of the rooms, creating a good opportunity for fixed furnishing between them. This can provide reassurance to autistic users who know their favourite work area cannot be changed21. It was overly ambitious to think I could get air vents within the structure of the desk; however, the low occupancy meant that most of the spaces could be entirely naturally ventilated. I have greatly improved my understanding of environmental design during this project; looking back at previous years I was using the same calculations but without true comprehension of the figures that went into them. I had assumed that I would use the space between the primary structural elements for insulation. This became difficult when deciding where the vapour control layer should go as it would have to wrap awkwardly around the back of each pair of vertical members [i]. As this is also the airtight layer, this arrangement was unacceptable. The built in furniture meant it did not matter if the primary structure protruded further into the room and therefore I moved it entirely within the insulation layer. This leaves a simple, clean, airtight line [ii].
Final Review As previously, the narrative, massing and structural strategy was well received and this time the circular form was considered well resolved. The simplification and integration with the street vastly improved it. The main area lacking was landscaping. I have since drawn a 1:100 section [pg 85] but still feel this is a subject that could have more exploration if there was more time. I could show how the landscape changes with seasons and years both on the site and on the estate. This would emphasize the importance of the living world to the college.
[i]
Opposite Page Documenting the process week-by-week on Instagram forced me to produce something of visual interest for each weekend [apart from my Easter time off flower photo]. This system pushed me through week 7 when the world felt like it was falling apart but I still forced out a quick tectonic render.
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[ii]
‘A block of cast iron or steel will sink when placed in water yet the same cast iron or steel worked into the shape of a vessel will float and sail across the oceans. [...] It is the power of form in operation; the power to form performing miracles.’ - Frank Lyons, 2019, The Architecture of Nothingness22
03 SCHEME DESIGN
02 - SCHEME DESIGN Ashton Court Estate
A connection to the land is integral to the Ruskin Mill philosophy. The Ashton Court Estate, which the college borders, will form the primary body of land for teaching, production and regeneration.
Ashton Court Estate
30 Acre Satellite Site
Central College [This Design Proposal]
The college will have a huge effect on the estate and surrounding areas through its tree planting and woodland creation operations, which would run primarily from a nursery on their satellite site [not part of this design project]. Graduating students may go on to work for the council or local charities such as Avon Needs Trees and the Forest of Avon Trust to expand the work. Durnford Quarry, on the estate, will end operations within the next decade after supplying stone for the college. Current plans are to restore it for nature, which students or graduates could be involved in. A lot of potential new tree cover in Bristol falls within private gardens. The college shop will act as a gallery to promote student work and also sell seeds and saplings.
Nature Opportunities - Woodland Data from West of England Nature Partnership.23
Core Woodland Network
Best Opportunities for Woodland Creation
Other Opportunities for Woodland Creation
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02 - SCHEME DESIGN Site Proposal
The street is defined by an existing opening in the South listed wall, angled to meet an entrance to the UWE campus on the North side. Existing buildings shown.
The two major axes on the site are skewed by 15 degrees, a radial grid of 24 segments unifies these into one form. The existing house gable is extended to point to the centre of the circle, tying the existing elements neatly together.
[3] [2] [1]
The radial form allows the courtyard to be as wide as possible whilst maximising the depth of the house garden. A rectilinear courtyard would force a uniform width of each, making both tight.
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The college houses [1 + 2] are individually accessed from the street, allowing them to easily become normal houses in a change of use. The medical centre [3] is also separate with its own garden for privacy but also allows it to become a house again.
UWE
3
Proposed Site Plan - 1:500 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Wood Co-Op
Street - For Public Areas Glade - Courtyard For College Areas Staff / Visitor Parking [New bays] Medical Centre Delivery / Assembly Yard College Housing Wildlife Corner [Woodland microcosm] Disabled / Minibus Parking
8 5
1
7 2 Council Depot
4
6
6
Ashton Park School
02 - SCHEME DESIGN North / South Section - 1:200
Kennel Lodge Rd. [+ New Parking Bays]
Wood Chip Store
Bakery
East / West Section - 1:200
Allotments [Existing, not part of College] 33
College Street
The Glade
Medical Centre [Existing Building]
The Glade
Canteen
Parklands Rd.
Quiet Workshop [Existing Building] 0
2
4
6
8
10m
34
02 - SCHEME DESIGN Design for Autism and SEND
35
The Glade [cloistered courtyard] acts as an escape and transition space to recalibrate senses. It is the safe heart of the college, accessible quickly from all college areas and landscaped to provide relief for ASD / ADD. See pg 85 for landscape design for SEND.
Long corridors are avoided, however prospect areas [also doubling as wind lobbies] exist outside each room. Rooms can be observed through slit windows before entering or the doors can be hidden behind if the student needs time before engaging.
For safeguarding, the college areas are accessible only via keycard activated gates. Doors to the building not within the protected zone are also keycard activated.
Complex repeating patterns24 are experienced as component parts rather than a whole by some with ASD, making them visually noisy in a way neurotypicals may not realise. Wood flooring is laid linear [rather than paraquat or herringbone].
High ceilings reduce the sense of crowding in a space, which has been shown to increase social interaction and willingness to participate25. Pitched [as opposed to flat] ceilings generate a sense of volume without excessive air to heat.
3 no. refuge / quiet rooms are provided for individual use. Students may sit, crouch or lie down in various ways. The common room and canteen are nearby to encourage a return to social situations.
People with ASD are ‘over-represented in both the transgender and nonbinary groups’26. WCs and changing facilities are non-gendered individual spaces.
Three different workshops are provided to help individuals find a place they are comfortable, including a quiet workshop which has no power tools.
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02 - SCHEME DESIGN Ground Floor - 1:500
1:200 Zoom In
Learning Public Residential Communal Administration
Medical Centre Service
37
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
4
Workshop Bakery Cafe Shop / Gallery College House Canteen Reception Meeting Rm. Staff Break Rm. Medical Reception Consulting Rm. Laundry Changing Rms. Boiler Rm. Wood Chip Store Dust Extract / Bins
8
12
16
20m
15 4
16 14
2
3 1 1
7 0 2 12
4 13 6 1
6 8
8 10m
9
11 10
5
11
02 - SCHEME DESIGN 1:200 Zoom In
First Floor - 1:500
Learning Residential Communal
Administration Medical Centre Service
39
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
4
Classroom Art Room College House Study Mezzanine Common Rm. Refuge / Quiet Rm. Staff Office Head Office Consulting Rm. Loft Store MVHR Plant Rm.
8
12
16
20m
10
2
1
8
11
0 2 6
4
6 5
6 8
4
10m
6
9
3
9
7
02 - SCHEME DESIGN The Independence Gradient - 1:200
‘Cocooning the ASD Pupil [in a learning environment] from all external factors will not necessarily help them reach their full potential in life’27 One of the primary objectives of this education is to prepare students for occupation and independence, which will mean working with or for other people. The programme allows students to learn on a gradient of increasing responsibility, using the street to interact with the public.
[1] Hidden back of House [Bakery shown, also workshops] Products are made for public sale without interacting with buyers. These spaces are based around the Glade. Confidence is instilled in students by showing that they can produce objects of value. Opposite page: Dylan and Lisa come in early to make fresh products for the cafe.
[4] [1]
[2]
[2] Visible back of House [Cafe Kitchen] Students work in sight of patrons but without direct interaction. The connection between the work and its value is made clearer. This space is located on the street, yet still has access to the safety of the Glade.
[3] Front of House Working as waiting staff or at the counter gives students face-to-face public contact in a setting they already know.
[4] Shop Students leave the main building to work in the shop across the street; the escape space of the Glade is now more distant.
[5] External Finally students may go on to work at commercial workshops or social enterprises whilst remaining enrolled in the college on their path to independence.
Public Staff Students
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[3]
02 - SCHEME DESIGN College Street West Elevation - 1:200
Parklands Rd.
Staff Entrance
Main College Entrance [+ Undercroft to Glade]
College Cafe
College Street East Elevation - 1:200
Kennel Lodge Road [+ New Parking Bays] 43
College Shop / Gallery
Storage Access [Park Maintenance / External Seating]
Pavilion [Annual Design + Make Project]
Kennel Lodge Road [+ New Parking Bays]
Public Park
Parklands Rd.
0
2
4
6
8
10m
44
‘I enter a building, see a room, and - in the fraction of a second - have this feeling about it’ - Peter Zumthor, 2006, Atmospheres28
04 TECTONICS : BUILDING EXPERIENCE
06 - TECTONICS : BUILDING EXPERIENCE Flexible Workshop Tectonic Section - 1:50
Full Height Open Cruck Type Also used for the Cafe [with a stone wall to the west, glazed curtain wall to the east and flagstone floor].
Automatic air exit vent
Thatch Roof [buildup pg 65]
Lime render internal finish
Steel Gutter
Timber wall [buildup pg 67]
Automatic air intake vent [behind ventilated cladding]
Non-slip epoxy floor finish
Opposite Page: Ian praises Jaliah for her progress. She likes to work in the flexible workshop because she is able to set up a workbench in a position that suits her. 45
06 - TECTONICS : BUILDING EXPERIENCE Shop Tectonic Section - 1:50
3/4 Height Open Cruck Type Also used for the canteen [with stone walls and windows on one side only].
Automatic air exit vent
Thatch Roof [buildup pg 65]
Lime render internal finish
Steel Gutter
Automatic air intake vent [behind ventilated cladding]
Timber wall [buildup pg 67]
Flagstone floor [buildup pg 69]
Opposite Page: The shop engages the public with produce and products from the workshops and the estate and encourages people to grow their own. 47
06 - TECTONICS : BUILDING EXPERIENCE Classroom / Bakery Tectonic Section - 1:50
Full Height Split Cruck Type Also used for staff office / reception, common room / WC’s, head office / undercroft and the art room / kitchen. When used on straight sections of the building both walls are timber with larch cladding to the ground.
Automatic air exit vent
Thatch Roof [buildup pg 65]
Lime render internal finish
Steel Gutter
Automatic air intake vent [behind ventilated cladding]
Built in desk
Timber wall [buildup pg 67]
Reclaimed oak floor
MVHR Ducts
Stone Wall [buildup pg 69]
Flagstone floor [buildup pg 69]
Opposite Page: Lesley teaches students about the circular use of materials. SEND classes are very small and usually include a teaching assistant. 49
06 - TECTONICS : BUILDING EXPERIENCE Staff Office / Break Room Tectonic Section - 1:50
3/4 Height Split Cruck Type Also used for the computer room / canteen kitchen and storage area.
Automatic air exit vent
Thatch Roof [buildup pg 65]
Lime render internal finish
Build in desk
Steel Gutter
Automatic air vent [behind ventilated cladding]
Timber wall [buildup pg 67]
Reclaimed oak floor
Opposite Page: Markus enjoys the fact that his route downstairs for a coffee break comes with a glimpse of nature.
51
06 - TECTONICS : BUILDING EXPERIENCE South Elevation [Parklands Rd.] - 1:200
The existing site is bounded by high red sandstone walls which create a sense of safety and security. The listed segment is maintained with existing openings used. The [unlisted] wall is modified on the North side to open up the new street to the UWE campus and Wood Co-Op.
College Residential Accommodation [New Building]
College Residential Accommodation [Existing Building]
North Elevation [Kennel Lodge Rd.] - 1:200
Allotments [Existing, not part of College] 53
Medical Centre [Existing Building]
Medical Centre Entrance [Existing Opening]
College Street South Entrance [Existing Opening] Listed Section of Wall
College Street North Entrance [New Opening]
Service Yard [Existing Opening] 0
2
4
6
8
10m
54
‘I think the more we increase material prosperity, the more serious in the long run will be the ultimate catastrophe if people cannot find aesthetic satisfaction’ - J.E Gordon, 1978, Structures: or Why Things Don’t Fall Down29
05 STRUCTURE + CONSTRUCTION
05 - STRUCTURE + CONSTRUCTION Metamorphoses of a Cruck Frame - 1:100
The traditional cruck frame, using the natural curve of an oak, is used as a base for the structure as it suits the vernacular farmyard typology and aligns with the traditional and sustainable methods of construction that the college teaches.
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Cruck frames approximate a parabola but the use of a true parabola means the frame can be stable and therefore not need a tie, allowing for the creation of larger open spaces.
Since large structural timber is rare in the UK, the parabolic cruck is constructed from smaller larch sections, which can be sourced from nearby in Wales. The ridge is split for light and ventilation and means a thatch ridge, prone to leaks, can be avoided. A 3/4 height cruck is used for lower areas but uses the same top members.
05 - STRUCTURE + CONSTRUCTION Fabricated Timber
To be true to the craft and localism promoted by the trust and the educational programme at the college, the building has to be constructed in a low tech manner. The classroom, sometimes referred to as the ‘third teacher’, should be a showcase of what can be achieved with wood by the students.
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Brettstapel - sometimes referred to as dowelam offers a good starting point. Large elements can be created from small members by joining them with dowel. The result is a construction that is entirely timber. However as a massive system it does not use the material most efficiently.
Tŷ Unnos is a building system developed to use Welsh softwood in a low tech manner for construction. Voids allow the system to use less timber than Brettstapel. The ladder beam provided inspiration for the design of major structural elements in this scheme.
Fabricated Parabola Joints - 1:12.5
100 x 150mm Welsh larch is used for the main elements of the parabola and 240 x 100mm for the tangential ties. Low tech use of small timber, rather than using glulam or chipboard, echoes the approach of the college that aims for integration through individualised [rather than ‘meat grinder’] treatment.
20mm diameter oak dowel is used to pin the joints together, with an oak wedge hammered into each end of each peg with a bead of casein glue to fix it.
Variants of the same joint are used around the parabola. The top members are steam bent to achieve the curve. Different height parabolas in the scheme use the same kit of parts, but shorten or omit lower members.
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05 - STRUCTURE + CONSTRUCTION Primary Structure - Fabricated Cruck Frames
59
05 - STRUCTURE + CONSTRUCTION Secondary Structure
Larsen trusses are used to support the timber clad wall on the primary structure. This adequately supports the insulation and timber cladding while minimising thermal bridging.
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Each truss is fitted with insulation before attaching it to the primary structure. The trusses are fitted at 600mm centres, working with the 4800mm centres of the crucks.
The main insulation panels [woodfibre] fit between the trusses. Once cladding and internal finishes are applied the wall achieves a 0.14 U value.
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05 - STRUCTURE + CONSTRUCTION Roof Build-Up - 1:10
Roof Build-Up [444mm]
A-A
U-Value: 0.14
The build-up uses the TAS100 Thatch Fireboard System, which is LABC certified30. This roof also complies with the ‘Dorset Model’31 for fire resistance. On curved sections the build-up is faceted [treating the circle as a 24 sided polygon]. However, the thatch layer is varied in thickness to create the appearance of a perfect curve externally. The roof build-up is supported on the internal primary structure of cruck frames and purlins.
[1] 300mm Combed Wheat Reed Thatch
Can be grown on the estate32 while frame is built
Fixed to battens with screws and wires
[traditional crooks can damage fireboard]
Treated with TAS Thatchsayf intumescent spray
Protected from birds / rodents with galvanised mesh
λ = 0.080 W/mK
[2] 25x50mm Timber Battens
300mm spacing
No counter battens [can create chimney effect in fire]
Offset gaps between battens to allow moisture escape
A
[3] Breather Membrane [4] 9mm TAS Thatch Fireboard
Calcium Silicate board
Joints sealed with intumescent caulk
[5] 100mm Thatchbatt Insulation Between Rafters
High density resin bonded Rockwool product
Non combustible / part of fire protection strategy
Installed between rafters on a wire + staple system
Rafters at 400mm centres
λ = 0.034 W/mK
[6] Pro Clima Vapour Check and Airtight Membrane
Keeps vapour from entering the walls
Variable diffusion resistance allows walls to dry out
Joints sealed with airtight sealing tape
[7] 10mm Lime Plaster
Between elements of internal primary structure
Plaster over mesh
Limewashed off-white / Cream
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A
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05 - STRUCTURE + CONSTRUCTION Timber Wall + Window + Floor Build-Ups - 1:10
Timber Wall Build-Up [428mm]
B-B
U-Value: 0.14
The timber clad wall is fixed externally to the primary structure. On curved sections, the build-up is faceted [treating the circle as a 24 sided polygon] but the cladding is attached to curved battens, varying the air gap behind to give the appearance of a perfect curve externally. [1] 22mm British Larch Cladding
135mm wide, 15mm gap between [Cork layer visible]
[2] 38mm Battens + 38mm Counter Battens [3] 5mm Cork Breather Membrane [4] 250mm Pavatherm Woodfibre Insulation
Supported on insulated larsen trusses, 600mm centres
Îť = 0.038 W/mK
[5] Pro Clima Vapour Check and Airtight Membrane
Same as roof
B
B
[6] 58mm Service void
D
[6] 12mm Plasterboard [6] 5mm Lime Plaster Skim
Plaster over mesh
Limewashed Offwhite / Cream
Window [20mm] C-C U-Value: 1.5 [1] Low-E Double Glazing with Argon Cavity
Internal Floor [217mm+joists]
D-D
D U-Value: N / A
[1] 20mm Reclaimed Oak Flooring [Laid Linear]
Fixed to screed with resin adhesive
[2] 65mm Limecrete Screed + Wet Underfloor Heating [3] Foil Backed DPM [4] 100mm Pavatherm Woodfibre Insulation
Pressure resistant, suitable for floor use
[5] 22mm Tongue / Groove Boards [6] Vapour Check Membrane [7] 10mm Lime Plaster
Plaster over mesh
Limewashed off-white
[8] 47x195mm C24 Welsh Larch Joists33 [9] Welsh Larch Ladder Beam 67
Voids used for services [pg 78]
C
C
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05 - STRUCTURE + CONSTRUCTION Stone Wall + Ground Floor Build-Ups - 1:10
Stone Wall Build-Up [600-770mm] E-E
U-Value: 0.15
The stone wall type is only used on curved sections, the curve giving stability and the stones able to be laid in a perfect curve. [1] 180mm Red Callow Sandstone [Herefordshire]
Has weep holes at the base draining to gutter
Tapers to 350mm at base of taller sections
[2] 50mm Cavity
Element at risk of condensation
Cavity tray into weep holes at the base to drain
E
E
[3] Breather Membrane [4] 220mm Pavatherm Woodfibre Insulation
Tied to stone with thermally broken wall ties
Wall ties also increase stability of wall
Îť = 0.038 W/mK
[5] Pro Clima Vapour Check and Airtight Membrane [6] 150mm Red Callow Sandstone [Herefordshire]
Ground Floor [500mm]
F-F
U-Value: 0.14
Based on LABC certified Ty-Mawr system34. A Radon membrane is needed in addition to the system Build-Up since the site has a radon Potential of 3-5%.
F
[1] 30mm Grey Limestone Flags [2] 20mm Bedding Screed [3] 150mm Limecrete slab + Wet Underfloor Heating [4] Geogrid Mesh [5] Radon Mat [6] Puncture Prevention Sheet [7] 300mm Foamglass Insulation [Insulated hardcore]
100% recycled glass
Has no capillary action, does not require DPM below
Îť = 0.05 W/mK
[8] Geotextile Membrane
Opposite Page: The timber appears to meet the ground but is supported on a steel box set into the pad foundations. This prevents moisture getting drawn up into the timber. Air vents allow moisture egress from the box. 69
F
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05 - STRUCTURE + CONSTRUCTION Construction Sequence
The existing house is used as accommodation for some of the workers, many of whom are sourced from Ruskin Mill Trust’s alumni, staff and associates. The existing barn will be used as an on site workshop and site office.
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Seasoned timber arrives on site as square or rectangular sections. It is processed into jointed parts in the workshop.
While timber is being prepared, a separate team lays foundations: strip foundations under walls and pad foundations under cruck footings, into which metal fixings are set. The end of each cruck will attach to one of these.
The shop is a small standalone structure but uses the same construction as the rest of the building. Each stage of construction starts here to identify potential issues.
The first cruck frame in each series is constructed. A form work is used to support the arch. Each cruck uses arcs with the same radius so the same top form work can be used for all.
Temporary supports hold the first frame in place as it is constructed. When subsequent crucks are added the purlins and bracing between them provide lateral support.
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05 - STRUCTURE + CONSTRUCTION Construction Sequence
The heaviest timber element is 45kg. A crane will not be needed to construct the frame, though scaffolding hoists will be used.
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In parallel to the timber frame construction the masonry elements are constructed. Stone arrives on site broken or cut to the required size range.
The building envelope is sealed as the roof substructure is added [waterproofed with a membrane], windows fitted and the timber walls are constructed.
The thatch is installed. It is grown on the estate 5 minutes from site. The walls are clad in larch and the building is fully weathertight. Work moves indoors.
The Ruskin Mill Trust workers move out of the house, allowing it to be renovated, as specialists fit services in the college. Craftspeople associated with the trust will finish surfaces.
Fitted furniture, machines and equipment are installed in the building and landscape areas are planted out as the site is cleared up.
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‘At its deepest foundation, the industrial infrastructure we have today is linear: it is focused on making a product and getting it to a customer quickly and cheaply without considering much else’ - Michael Braungart + William McDonough, 2009, Cradle-to-Cradle (Patterns of Life)35
06 ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY
04 - ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY [A] - Material Selection
A sustainable natural world works as a series of cyclically changing materials; this building seeks to acknowledge this as its students learn to work material from the natural world. Materials are sourced locally, some even from the Ashton court estate, and processed minimally to limit embodied carbon.
HEREORD
Grey limestone is quarried at Durnford Quarry, within the estate. The quarry is nearing the end of its operations and will be given back to nature within 10 years, a project the college would work on. The college will use limestone of all grades from floor slabs, to rubble walls, to hoggin and gravel surfaces, to lime plaster. At all stages of breaking down, the limestone is useful. Neglected stone rubble in the neighbouring council depot will also be used in construction. Facing stone on the walls will be red sandstone to match the existing buildings and is sourced from Herefordshire. Timber cannot yet be harvested from the estate, although the college will change this and future repair timber may be very local. Initially larch will be sourced from Wales. In the same way that limestone is used throughout stages of degradation, wood-fibre insulation and wood-chip will be used to keep the building warm. Reclaimed oak flooring will be used
Callow Hill, Herefordshire Red Sandstone
upstairs. Most thatch used in the UK is imported; however wheat reed thatch, suitable for growing in the area, will be planted on the college’s satellite site. The thatch is replaced every 40-50 years. Old thatch can be turned into fertiliser. Other Ruskin Mill colleges teach rural crafts so building skills will be sourced from within the network. Stonemasonary and thatching will be options at the college alongside woodwork.
South Wales, Various
[B] - Overshadowing and Daylighting [Opposite Page]
Larch
The higher side of the courtyard is towards the North to ensure that sunlight can reach the courtyard. At lunchtime every day of the year there is a patch of sunlight in the courtyard. Most spaces in the college have roof lights [also added to the existing barn] to maximise natural lighting while minimising glazed area for heat loss. Additional windows provide views out at eye level in every habitable room. CARDIFF
[C] - Building Integrated Renewables
Ashton Court Estate Grey Limestone, Thatch
The building is heated by a wood boiler, fuelled by woodland management activities [J]. No electricity will be generated on site; however, as part of the development of the wider estate, wind turbines could be added to the golf course. Occupying a relatively high elevation they could provide enough power for the entire estate and the wider Bristol area.
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BRISTOL
March Equinox - Mid Morning
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04 - ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY [D] - Building Area + Volume
Total: 2145m² 8292m³ Conditioned: 1974m² 7705m³
Naturally Ventilated [new college + existing medical centre]
1177m² 5460m³
Mechanically Ventilated [new college work areas]
373m² 1096m³
Mechanically Ventilated Intermittent [new college WCs + Showers]
52m² 145m³
Naturally Ventilated [existing house] 180m² 486m³ Mechanically Ventilated [new house] 192m² 518m³ Unconditioned [covered + enclosed storage areas] 171m² 587m³
[E] - Occupancy Ventilation Type by Area
New College / Medical Centre:
Natural Mechanical Intermittent
Usually 50 students enrolled, maximum 60: up to 45 on site in January and 40 on site in July due to external apprenticeships and working on the estate. Occupy the space for 8 hours per day.
Mechanical
100 staff employed [based on precedent RMT college of similar size], but many are care staff or part time specialists, up to 45 on site at a time. Occupy the space for 8 hours per day. 200 daily visitors to the shop / cafe. Occupy the space for 15 minute each, varying between those having lunch to buying a coffee.
Housing [per House, x2]: 3 students, 1 staff member - note that there would be additional houses offsite which are not counted as they are not centrally heated by the wood boiler. Occupy the space for 16 hours per day.
[F] - Servicing - Ground Floor Ventilation Type by Volume Cafe Kitchen ceiling shown opposite page, other ground floor areas similar. The ladder beam provides ordered and accessible voids for services such as air ducts, sprinklers [to high risk areas such as kitchens and workshops] and electrical cables. Secondary beams provide a consistent anchor to which to attach these .
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Natural Mechanical Intermittent Mechanical
04 - ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY [G] - Servicing - First Floor - 1:20
Art Room shown, similar strategies in all first floor spaces.
LED Strip Light
Manually controlled to turn on, auto-off
Housed in Aluminium box running purlin length
Wiring runs along behind
Roller Blind
Manually operated via pull chain
Generally voile, blackout for rooms with projectors
Manually Operated Window
Automatic Natural Air Vent
Opens based on CO2 and temperature sensors
Manually overriden with switch next to power sockets
Manual override functions per work station
Paired with automatic exit vent at roof ridge
Power Sockets [Also Below Desk]
Electrical Distribution
Contents Identifier Label
Creates predictability in finding and returning items
Particularly beneficial for people with autism36
Drawer Handles in Contrasting Wood
Clear, standard handles have perceptible affordance
Users instinctively know ‘pull to open’
End unit has no handles [holds heating manifold]
Hot Air Supply [Classrooms Only]
Heat from kitchens supplements underfloor heating
Recovered via MVHR
Underfloor Heating
Opposite Page: Xiao works independently, designing a cabinet he hopes to sell in the college shop. 79
04 - ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY [H] - Ventilation + Air Heat Loss
[i] Naturally ventilated spaces [college / medical centre] Occupied by staff, students and visitors for 500 person hrs / 8 hr day. At 8l/s per person 14400m³ of fresh air is required, or 1800m³/hr. In a volume of 5460m³ this is just 0.32 AC/hr on average. Large spaces and low occupancy as a result of requirements for special educational needs leads to this low value and allows most spaces to be naturally ventilated, even during winter. Systems should cope with up to 3.5 AC/hr at peak [e.g canteen at lunchtime]. Variations will be automatic with vents [G] controlled by CO2 and temperature sensors. In quiet areas natural ventilation is beneficial for those with sensory disabilities as intermittent duct sounds can be uncomfortable37. Assuming an average of 0.5 AC/hr during the day and 0.1AC/hr [infiltration] otherwise gives a 24 hour average of 0.23 AC/hr. Air heat loss / degree day [nat. vent space] = 1/3*0.23*5460*(24/1000)
9.95 kWh
[i]
[ii] Mechanically ventilated space with MVHR system [college work areas] Includes 2 no. workshops [the third being naturally ventilated] and kitchens, occupied by staff and students [max. 60 users over the day] for an average of 4.5 hours each, thus requiring 270 person hours of fresh air at a rate of 15l/s per person [high activity]. 10530m³ fresh air is required over the 8 hr day. The volume of these spaces is 1096m³, thus 1.2 AC/hr are required during the 8 hr day. Given a 0.1 AC/hr for other times the average is 0.47. Ducts will be sized for quiet operation; however these spaces are noisy anyway. Air heat loss / degree day [mech. vent space] = 1/3*0.47*1096*(24/1000)
4.07 kWh
During the day the MVHR runs, 80% of day heat loss recovered thus total is
2.67 Kwh
Peak requirement in the kitchen is 20 AC/hr [to meet summer cooling load]. Peak requirement in the workshops is 4 AC/hr based on full occupancy.
[ii]
[iii] Mechanically ventilated spaces with MVHR [ College WCs / showers] Fans operate during and after use at 10 AC/hr. Assuming 3hrs of use with 80% heat recovery [thus 2 AC/hr lost] and 21 hours of infiltration at 0.1 AC/hr gives an average heat loss from 0.34 AC/hr. Air heat loss / degree day [WCs w. recovery in use] = 1/3*0.34*145*(24/1000) 0.39 kWh
[iv] Houses The existing house will be naturally ventilated and the new house will use an MVHR. AC/hr will average 0.5. To provide 8l of air per person for 4 people each house requires 0.3 AC/hr, but rates will need to be higher in bedrooms [0.8 AC/hr for single occupancy of 14sqm room with 2.6m ceiling]. The MVHR recovers 80% of heat. Air heat loss / degree day [nat. vent house] = 1/3*0.5*486*(24/1000) Air heat loss / degree day [MVHR vent house] = 1/3*0.5*518*(24/1000)*0.2 Total air heat loss / degree day [all areas]:
1.92 kWh 0.42 kWh 15.35 kWh
During summer cooling is required. The most active spaces have MVHRs and benefit from active cooling. Other spaces are kept cool via natural ventilation as the occupancy is low and the building will automatically open vents at night to cool down. Glazing is shaded where necessary. 81
[iii]
i Natural Ventilation [College / Medical Centre] ii Mechanical Ventilation [College Work Areas] iii Mechanical Ventilation [College WCs / Showers] iv Natural Ventilation [Existing House] iv Mechanical Ventilation [New House]
04 - ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY [I] - Form Factor + Fabric Heat Loss
[i] New / Replaced Thatch Stone Timber cladding Foundations Glazing / doors / frames Tile roof Vents / frames
1167m² 508m² 743m² 1213m² 555m² 206m² 190m²
U x Area
U = 0.14 pg 65 for buildup UA = 163 U = 0.15 pg 69 for buildup UA = 76 U = 0.14 pg 67 for buildup UA = 104 U = 0.14 pg 69 for buildup UA = 170 U = 1.50 pg 67 for buildup UA = 833 U = 0.11 UA =23 U = 0.70 UA = 133
Fabric heat loss from new build / degree day
ΣUiAi*24 / 1000 = 36.05 kWh
[ii] Existing / Renovated Stone Foundations Glazing / doors / frames Tile roof
574m² 230m² 89m² 524m²
U = 0.18 UA = 103 U = 0.25 UA = 58 U = 2.00 UA = 178 U = 0.15 UA = 79
Fabric heat loss from existing / degree day
ΣUiAi*24 / 1000 = 10.03 kWh
Surface areas from insulation interior face. Form factor is 3.0 including existing buildings.
Fabric Area New / Replaced Existing / Renovated
[J] - Heating Cost
Cost of heating is for the central college campus including 2 no. dwellings and medical centre. Wood chip heating nominally costs 4.11p/kWh, though will be sourced by the college [thinning trees in areas they are planting] so true costs will depend on whether the activity is part of a lesson or routine operation. Heat is delivered via underfloor heating. The system covers all buildings on the site, meaning there is less variation in demand during the day as the dwellings are used during the times the college buildings are not. Air heat loss / degree day [H]
15.35 kWh
Fabric heat loss from new build / degree day [Ii]
36.05 kWh
Fabric heat loss from existing / degree day [Iii]
10.03 kWh
Total heat loss / degree day
61.43 Kwh
Degree days Bristol, 15.5C base temp for January / Oct-Apr Total heating for January / Oct-Apr Nominal cost for January / Oct-Apr
218 / 104938 13392 Kwh / 64440 Kwh £550 / £2648
Heat Loss by Type Air Heat Loss
[K] - Workshop Ventilation [Opposite Page]
The workshops in the old barn are ventilated with an MVHR. The new build workshop is naturally ventilated. Local exhaust ventilation extracts dust from power tools.
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Fabric Heat Loss
Local Exhaust Ventilation Air Intake Air Extract
04 - ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY [L] - Biodiversity and Landscape [Spring] - 1:100
The landscaping is designed as a microcosm of the woodlands the college creates and manages, with the wildflower ‘Glade’ echoing the clearings and the public park echoing the gradient of plant sizes at the edge of a forest. Studies have shown that children with symptoms of ADHD and autism are better able to concentrate after contact with nature39. This is also likely to be the case for 16-25 year olds. The Glade acts as an immediate escape space from all college areas. The garden should ‘resonate with people with autism’s desire to move their bodies in active ways and rest in positions that are comforting’ it is important for areas to offer ‘individual choice’ so that users may ‘bounce, swing, sway, pace and sit or lie on the ground as they choose’40. Grass and wildflowers of varying height, a swing seat, in -ground trampoline, wet pour rubber path and balancing beams offer a variety of environments with which to interact.
The Glade [Wild-Flower Meadow] 85
Flower Beds Along Paths [Various Perennials]
[M] - Water Attenuation - 1:100
1960m² of the site is built over and a further 1200m² is hard landscaped [50% permeable]. The remainder is permeable soft landscaping, gravel or water. Calculations based on CIRIA C697 2007: The SUDS Manual41 require a 66m³ discharge tank. The pond is 120m², to hold 66m³ of water for attenuation the level must be able to vary by 0.55m. The summer pavilion [designed and made annually by students] combined with a timber walkway give the public the opportunity to connect with the wildlife corner.
Wildlife / Attenuation Pond [Max. / Min. Level Shown]
Wildlife Corner [Cow Parsley / Bluebells / Ferns / Dogwood / Crabapple]
Timber Walkway [Under existing Mature Trees] 86
‘For a long time, people were saying that most accidents were due to human error and this is true in a sense but it’s not very helpful. It’s a bit like saying that falls are due to gravity’ - Trevor Kletz, 2008, Anatomy of a Disaster42
07 REGULATION COMPLIANCE
07 - REGULATION COMPLIANCE Building Regulations - Access
M1 - Access to and use of buildings other than dwellings43 The site is flat with level access provided to all external doors and from the carpark to main entrance [25m distance]. This carpark is only used by college minibuses and disabled building users to ensure space is kept free; others park in bays along Kennel Lodge Road.
External doors are motorised and opened by button press; the same interface can be used to read a key card where the door requires security. The cafe door is automatic.
Corridors are limited since the courtyard acts as the main circulation, but where they exist they are a minimum of 1200mm wide with areas at least 1800mm wide for passing wheelchairs
In the college a 1400 x 1100mm lift with 800mm door is provided adjacent to each main stair with a 1500mm square manoeuvring zone in front of it. In the medical centre, an existing building, there is no space for a lift but ground floor consultation rooms are provided.
An accessible WC is provided in each section of the college: 1 no. by the workshops, 1 no. in the shop, 1 no. in the medical centre, 1 no. in the cafe (for visitors) and 1 no. with the changing rooms, which includes an accessible shower. Design of these facilities is in accordance with diagrams 18 and 24 in M1/M3.
Doors to all major rooms are fitted with vision panels with visibility at least between 500-1500mm. While not required by part M, these allow autistic people to assess the social situation within rooms before entering, but also allow sheltering behind the solid portion of the door.
1:500 Ground Floor - M1 Compliance [Right] Accessible WC Accessible WC + Shower 1400 x 1100mm Lift Level Access : Carpark to Entrance
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Building Regulations - Fire
B1 - Means of warning and escape44 Automatic fire detection and alarms will be installed throughout, the noise level balancing the need for audibility with minimising distress for students. A high staff to student ratio will aid evacuation of vulnerable students. Most rooms are under 9m long and open onto protected stair cores, each with a 900 x 1400mm safe refuge at first floor. The staff office is 20m long and thus has an additional staircase at its far end. Other large rooms are on the ground floor and have direct egress to the outside [see accessibility plan, opposite page]. Low occupancy means that all escape widths are over-provided for by meeting part M and K provisions. Doors to the protected cores are self closing. 1:500 First Floor - Protected Cores + Safe Refuges [Right] B2 / B3 / B4 - Preventing Fire Spread The protected cores divide the building into fire protected compartments. Additional fire protection is added to adjacent walls to complete the break in the building that the cores provide. Timber dowel (rather than metal) fixings in the frame increase fire resistance. The Pavatherm wood fibre insulation used throughout the building forms a protective layer of ash when exposed to fire and thus achieves a fire-resistance class of up to REI 9045. It is supplemented by lime plaster. This is used around cores and also in the ceilings of high risk areas such as kitchens and workshops. Statistics show that homes with a thatched roof are no more likely to catch fire than those with conventional roofs46. However, the results are often far worse. Ejected embers are the most common cause so chimneys are a minimum of 1.8m higher than the top of the thatch on the adjacent roof in accordance with the Dorset model. Intumescent coating and fireboards are used in the roof buildup [pg 65]. B5 - Access and facilities for the fire service With roads to the north and south, the college street to the east and council carpark to the west, there is vehicular access to all sides of the building. A fire hydrant will be provided. Building Bulletin 100 - Design for fire safety in schools47 This document provides additional guidance specific to schools. Except for low risk instances, new schools should have sprinklers. Low occupancy, the small building scale and a high staff to student ratio minimise the risk; however sprinklers are to be installed in high risk areas including the kitchens, boiler room and workshops. The building must be constructed with a fire resistance of REI 60.
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07 - REGULATION COMPLIANCE BS 4163:2014
Health and safety for design and technology in educational and similar establishments – Code of practice48
BS 4163:2014 - 5 - Planning and Design
The college is designed for 50-60 students, split between external work experience or the college street, land based activities and workshop activities. The college workshops should accommodate 20-30 students. For resistant material activities a formula of minimum 27 + ( 4 x student no.) is used to calculate area in square meters. The quiet workshop has no power tools so requires less fixed space, thus 19 + (4 x student no.) is used. The standard assumes 1 teacher; however, in special education there will be more teachers who have been counted as learners and thus the main workshop [excluding prep / storage area] holds 16
Prep / Storage Area 40sqm
people, flexible workshop 19 and the quiet workshop 12. A maximum of 47 people can use the workshop facilities at once, up to 30 of whom would be students.
BS 4163:2014 - 6 - Working Area Environment
1 000 lux is provided for fine bench and machine work.
Main Workshop 90 sqm
Local exhaust ventilation is provided to all fixed power tools; this is also required to meet COSHH Regulations 200249. The epoxy floor is level, non slip and easy to clean. Walls and ceiling are off-white to reflect light.
BS 4163:2014 - 7 - Services
The electrical supply in all work areas can be turned off from the control office; the isolating switch can be locked in the off position. Emergency switching systems [to cut all power in a room] are present in both workshops containing power tools. Switches are evenly distributed at eye level on the buttresses and clear of obstructions. Switches are coloured red on yellow plates and labelled with a safe condition sign conforming to BS EN ISO 701050. Individual emergency stop switches are provided to all fixed machines both at bench and foot level. Hot and cold water is provided to each working area
Opposite Page: Roger and Jailah work on personal projects in the main workshop 91
Control Office
Quiet Workshop 65 sqm
Flexible Workshop 100sqm
07 - REGULATION COMPLIANCE Construction Design and Management
Preparation The existing sandstone wall and gates provide a secure boundary against intruders [shown over existing site in red]. The north gate is in poor condition so will need replacing. A CDM manager will be appointed before works begin. Workers on site will be sourced from staff and alumni of current Ruskin Mill Trust colleges and they will have the option to live on site in the two existing houses while works are carried out. Temporary hoarding will be in place between this house and any active construction. A full survey of existing buildings and boundary walls will be required before commencing any works. This should include but not be limited to assessing structural integrity and whether asbestos is present.
Construction Kennel Lodge road [North] is wider than Parklands Road [South] and is currently used by vehicles delivering to the Wood Co-Op and council depot, so the North entrance to the site will be used for deliveries [shown in pink]. This will remain a delivery entrance for the college upon completion. The existing barn will be renovated initially so it can be used as a site office and workshop. The shop / gallery will be the first new building to be constructed as it stands apart from the main building but is constructed in an identical way so offers an opportunity for practice testing and evaluation. Due to the residential nature of the area, noise, vibrations and dust must be limited, though there is a line of trees between the works and houses. Most construction is towards the edge of the site adjacent to the council depot which is less sensitive.
Maintenance The craft taught at the college will give staff and students necessary skills to maintain the building. The most major regular works will be thatch maintenance, with the roof needing replacement every 40-50 years. Reed will be grown on college land on the Ashton Court estate. Scaffolding with protected edges should be used during roof maintenance.
Images from Google Earth.
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‘Eventually you fall asleep. And when you wake up, it’s true. You are part of a brand new world.’ - Murakami, 2002, Kafka on the Shore51
08 REFLECTIONS + CONCLUSION
08 - REFLECTION + CONCLUSION Project Reflection
I started this project inspired by the experiences, good and bad, which my brother has had with special education for autism. At each stage the narrative has been well understood and praised, perhaps largely because it is a clear typology that exists and functions albeit on a small scale. I sometimes wondered along the way if it was ‘different’ enough; Electric Sheep52 will forever glisten in the eyes of Bath students. But then I considered what I was here to do: make something good, not something novel. There is a temptation to try and reinvent the wheel but as Professor Alex Wright so clearly said in perhaps the best series of lectures of this degree, there is no need to invent a new typology. There is always the feeling that one should try and stand out in architecture. I convinced myself that the radial form was the right decision but how much of this stems from it being sensible or desirable and how much of it comes from feeling a need to do something not too ‘basic’, whatever that means. There was also a general concern about making the project feel ‘modern’ enough and not as if it had been transplanted from 19th century rural England. In my final review it was noted that I had successfully avoided making it too ‘twee’. I do still think that some of the project might possibly remain overcomplicated, despite a lot of work to pare it back. There were a few key moments throughout this project which reminded me why I love architecture. The evening I drew the first cutaway section, the day I made the fabricated cruck model and the days I produced some of the better renders all gave me a sense of achievement. Here is something that I have created that I feel is good - that I would like to visit if it were real. There is something indescribable about feeling a sense of pride in a creation, particularly if it follows several weeks of revolving doubt. At the end of it all when I look at the GAs I still have those doubts and still wonder whether the circle was the right option. But when I look at some of the tectonic sections and spaces the forms create I am happy. These are space that make me feel good; this is a project I am glad to be submitting for my undergraduate degree.
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08 - REFLECTION + CONCLUSION
From my first interest in architecture I have been drawn to the design of dwellings and homes. I always felt that there was something intimate and personal that these places could offer. Initially I felt a little frustrated that I could not explore housing within this project, but without that restriction I would not have produced this scheme. A school can become a second home, particularly for those who are vulnerable or feel that they do not fit in with the rest of the world. Indeed many buildings can evoke the intimate connection of a home, something I recognised in part when being forced out of university studios by the coronavirus pandemic. I’m sure I lost a good week through low productivity and a sudden decision to return to Milton Keynes as the government told us to stay home. Thankfully, the university has been very supportive and I’m blessed with decent enough internet speeds that enabled most of the tutorials to run smoothly. A lot of architecture students develop some connection to ‘studio’. It had become one of my favourite spaces over this past year and I found myself using it more than in previous years. I’m sure there’s a correlation between the time I spent there and the closeness of friendships I developed. The hardest part about being in lockdown was being away from these great people. Filesharing isn’t quite a crit day and Zoom drinks isn’t quite the Cork. But I played scrabble every day with my family and saw far more of my brother than usual as we took over his care duties. I was, and am, in good company.
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Conclusion From the abstract lines of Kandinsky we used to design a playground in Poplar to the calculated grid of steel in the Basil Spence structure my education at Bath has been broad and varied. 2019 was perhaps the best year I have had. The balance of working and living in London, full of exciting experiences, with studying amongst good friends in Bath, was perfect. I have so many great memories with so many great people. Looking back over this project, I feel it is a fitting reflection of my time here, the things I have learned and the architect I hope to become. Thank you Bath.
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