First Year Architecture Portfolio 2015-16

STAGE 1 PORTFOLIO • BA ARCHITECTURE • 2015-16 • HENRY JAMES CAHILL • 150271350

CONTENTS - PORTFOLIO -

ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS

CHARETTE

BEYOND THE FRAME

HEATON READING ROOM

ROW HOUSE TYPOLOGIES

ROW HOUSE LIVING

NON-DESIGN COURSEWORK

pages 1-2

pages 5-6

pages 9-16

pages 19-30

pages 33-36

pages 39-64

pages 69-96

ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS

ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS

HENRY CAHILL

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150271350

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N/A 68 52 N/A 62

Learning Summary Throughout the course of the academic year I feel as though I have approached each project with a certain confidence and strategy, however my performance has varied amongst projects as may be expected. Having participated in various projects during architectural work experience in the past I felt that I knew what I had myself in for to a degree. It turns out however, that this year has been a very steep learning curve. For example, the sheer amount of time and effort that has to be put in to achieve whatever it is one sets out to do.

At the start of the year it soon became evident that long hours would become the norm and time management would be more key than it ever has before. With the first Architectural Representation project ‘Measured Room’ I realised just how much work goes into creating a beautiful set of technical drawings, and I came to discover that I still have some way to go before I can truly say I have mastered this skill.

Having completed this project, the first design project, ‘Beyond the Frame’ was underway - this was the part I had been waiting for; where I could truly let my creativity take over. Considering I studied Art at A Level, exploring a creative subject had always been important to me. Moreover, the very fact that we were tasked with designing spaces for an artist to inhabit was fascinating to me. I also enjoyed the research that came with designing for a particular style; that being 17th century Dutch housing.

Although in terms of feedback I performed the best in ‘Beyond the Frame’ I personally was most happy with my ‘Row House Living’ project. This is because I felt that I had responded well to the client’s initial brief as well as the parameters I set myself at the beginning of the design process in this project; to develop a low level dwelling maximising both internal and external spaces, whilst using only the minimum necessary requirement of area for each space in the house. However when it came to the feedback for this project it was clear I had overlooked a few elements in the design, although I now feel I have made appropriate improvements making this my strongest project.

When it came to the Digital Communication project as the second part of the Architectural Representation module I feel as though I approached the brief with an idea of what I wanted to produce and how I was going to do it. Having used SketchUp substantially prior to coming to university I knew that this was the best way for me to approach the project. Leading on from this I feel that my digital skills have vastly improved - specifically when it comes to Photoshop rendering. However in hindsight I wish I had used the opportunity to learn Revit, which will come in very useful in the future of my architecture career; with Building Information Modelling (BIM) becoming the industry standard.

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CHARETTE

Charette Sensory Overload

CHARETTE

Charette was a week long project that commenced the academic year involving the entire school of Architecture, Planning & Landscape. The idea behind Charette is for everyone to interact with all the year groups and to create something interesting from a given title.

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Sensory Overload Our project was titled Sensory Overload, we decided to create a calm and tranquil space to relax the mood in a cloud-like atmosphere created from literally thousands of white plastic bags tied into net structures and draped around the space.

As one walked through this space that stretched from one end of the ground floor to the other the net structures got closer and closer together guiding people towards the space. The exit from the walkthrough space was through brightly coloured balloons tightly packed into a space to give the total opposite experience to the cloud-like space and therefore creating a ‘Sensory Overload’.

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BEYOND THE FRAME

Beyond the Frame Pieter de Hooch As students we were each allocated a 17th Century painting by the artist Pieter de Hooch, these paintings showed a domestic scene within a house.

BEYOND THE FRAME

We then had to model the room in the painting and leading on from this expand our design to the rest of the property following the traditional style of 17th Century Dutch housing. This had to include an artist’s studio and, depending on the context shown in the painting, the style of the house we designed would likely be either a canal house or a country house.

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Sketch Model I developed a 1:100 sketch model to develop the different levels of the house and to learn more about the context of the house as a whole.

This model stacks so each level can be removed and studied. I also explored the timber beam structure in the attic space which would become the space occupied by the artist.

The overall shape for the final design was informed by this sketch model.

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Final Model I explored the way in which spaces in the house would be divided, using both the sketch model (left) and the two point perspective image shown.

The narrative I came up with for my design was for a house owned by a wealthy merchant who would have rented out some spare attic space to an artist in residence, therefore creating a collaborative with the artist to help sell his paintings whilst making more money as a sideline for the merchant himself.

The final model shows the sequence of spaces as one takes the journey from the canal-side to the artist’s studio and living quarters in the attic, the oversized dormer roof-light brings in as much north facing natural light as possible.

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Room in the Painting Journey through the House When studying the painting, and other paintings by de Hooch, it became clear that the room in the painting was on the ground floor. The large fireplace and the subjects of the image imply that this room would most likely be a kitchen.

Inspecting the lighting in the image revealed the likely orientation of the house, thus informing a sensible location for the artist’s studio within the building.

This lighting distribution, as well as inspiration from other de Hooch paintings, led to the introduction of internal glazing panels between the room in the painting and the entrance hall.

I developed a staircase with a continuous banister from the front door to the artist’s studio in the attic; this subconsciously implies a journey through the building. This gives potential clients of the merchant (and his artist in residence) a reference point as they move through the property therefore making them want to continue their journey through the landing spaces to the studio in the attic.

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Artist’s Studio Due to the narrative I came up with, the artist’s living and working spaces would be in the attic. This meant that the studio/attic design was very compact; including a small research library at the top of the stairs. This would house the merchant’s personal book collection (just a small flight of stairs above his office on the first floor) whilst also providing space for the artist to research his work.

I included a small bunk bed space in this study library area for the artist to sleep. Leading through from here was the small studio space with a large north facing roof dormer window to allow ample light for the artist to paint by.

Following the style of traditional Dutch canal houses, my design also incorporates a simple crane system built into the roof trusses to allow for the manoeuvre of large canvases, as well as the merchant’s goods, which could not be moved easily through the tight awkward staircases typical of the time.

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HEATON READING ROOM

Heaton Reading Room Chillingham Road This project comprised of designing a Community Reading Room for one of two sites in the Newcastle suburb of Heaton, my allocated site was directly bordered by the arterial traffic route of Chillingham Road.

HEATON READING ROOM

To the south of the site sits Chillingham Road Primary School, therefore this provides a sensible location for a community reading space as it would encourage the local children to get more involved with books.

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Sketch Models Journey Exploration The main thread running through this project that informed my design was the idea of choreographing a journey through the site for the local people of Heaton.

I explored the concept of changing level through the site to create interest for pedestrian traffic; however in the end the need for accessibility led to the decision of levelling the site.

This meant that the paths around and through the building would now be informed by the shape of the building itself.

Furthermore, due to the dramatic height differences of the existing buildings bordering the site I tried to create a link between the domestic buildings to the north and the imposing school building to the south. This informed the sweeping roof shape of my design; thus linking the heights of the local typography, creating a more coherent elevation from Chillingham Road.

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Site Plan (Original 1:50 @ A3)

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Final Design The final design created three distinct routes through the site; one through the main body of the building guided by uninterrupted views from Chillingham Road to the interesting form of the church at the end of Tenth Avenue.

The second route for users of the space is through the external space with seating areas cradled into the exposed overarching structural beams.

The third bypasses the reading room however pedestrian traffic are enticed by the floor to ceiling display of books against the glazed shelving. Furthermore in the centre of this book wall passers by are met by an externally accessed glazed box which sits inside the reading room. This provides a visual insight into the reading room whilst providing a sheltered external space.

The form of the building also creates a visual link between the previously dramatic height differences of the domestic terrace to the north and the imposing school building to the south.

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Elevations (Original 1:50 @ A3)

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Plan (Original 1:50 @ A3)

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Shaded Section (Original 1:50 @ A3)

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Additional Work Coherent Study Nooks

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As a response to the feedback I received for my design for the reading room I have reconfigured the interior spaces.

Revisiting the design led to the reconfiguration of the internal reading and study nooks.

These new study nooks now provide better accessibility, as well as a more coherent overall aesthetic, whilst directing views towards the interesting form of the church at the east end of Tenth Avenue.

This addition also allows for better daylighting in the morning hours as there is a greater expanse of east-facing glazing.

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ROW HOUSE TYPOLOGIES

Row House Typologies 44 Rochester Place Matilda Barratt, Henry Cahill, Lily Davies, Charlie Donaldson, Sam Hawkins, Matt Ward

ROW HOUSE TYPOLOGIES

This group project was meant to help us interpret, understand and scrutinise significant 20th Century row house typologies and possibilities for urban dwelling.

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This was to be done through reading, drawing and writing in order to develop precedent studies for the subsequent Row House Living project.

Each group consisted of six students who had to contribute to the research and presentation, with half the group focussing on building a detailed analytical model of the selected row house.

The material palette was limited to white card and timber.

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Booklet 44 Rochester Place The other half of the group were tasked with creating a carefully designed booklet highlighting the house’s key themes and particular ways of thinking that underpin the architecture.

The man behind 44 Rochester Place, both designer and inhabitant, is David Wild - an architect who designed the house to fulfil his own criteria, hence the house is a pure translation of the client’s desires.

The design of 44 Rochester Place illustrates Wild’s interest in modernism and rational architecture which is no more obvious than in the plans of the house, where you can see the approach to simple, small scale open plan living.

His commitment to creating the best possible urban living in the design is reminiscent of the inter-war decades of socialist architecture, a time when architects were striving to create prototype houses that could be replicated for the masses. It is clear Wild’s agenda for number 44 is to relive that period of architecture, looking into the past for inspiration to create something that can be used in the present and replicated in the future.

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ROW HOUSE LIVING

Row House Living James Place Street, Ouseburn Following on from the previous typologies projects we had all studied a precedent in detail, these precedents were then made published to everyone meaning a rich bank of ideas and information regarding row housing was available.

The task was to design a house for a specific client, all of which were artists; as this reflects on the recent trend of creative industry taking over the Ouseburn Valley.

ROW HOUSE LIVING

Site analysis was a very important part of this project as the new dwellings had to feel as though they fitted into the local area whilst complying to strict conditions set out by the brief.

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It was important to take into account the sunlight, wind direction, noise pollution and views experienced from the site in order to maximise the use of the site in our given designs.

Both industry and housing redevelopment play a large role in the area of Ouseburn, meaning they were important things to consider when designing our self build projects for the site.

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1:100 Sketch Models Modelling Local Forms In close proximity to the site is the Byker Wall, a 1970s housing development by Ralph Erskine. This development replaced victorian slum terraced housing which had been condemned as unfit for human habitation.

During my exploration of the site and local area I documented certain spaces inside the Byker Wall development. Some of the housing follows a shallow sloping roof with an enclosed entrance area at the front. I began to explore this form for my own design on the James Place Street site.

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1:50 Sketch Model Having decided on a shallow sloping form for the design of my row house, I began to model the design at 1:50; focussing on specific spaces in the house.

One of these such spaces is the slowly rising corridor running along the north-west perimeter of the site. This series of steps gives users of the house a place to orientate themselves in the building and is a clear driver for the positioning of all spaces in the house.

However the defined spaces of the house are yet to be realised in this model. The feeling I wished to achieve in the final design is apparent, although the sequence of spaces is not yet finalised.

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Final Design Henna Askinainen The house has been designed in order to have a minimal impact on the gradually sloping site.

The slowly stepping nature of the house is complemented by the multi-use of certain spaces. For example the entry garden through the frosted glazed sliding gates provides a buffer between the public and the private from the street, and can be utilised as an outdoor space.

However, was the client to decide at a later stage that they wish to have a car; this space could easily double as protected parking from the street.

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Ground Floor Private Living Spaces Private spaces are situated on the ground floor, meaning the more public areas can celebrate the views over the valley from the higher vantage point.

The first room as one enters the building is a multifunctional space, which allows for the client’s child to practice the cello whilst also providing ample storage for a large collection of books.

This room also provides further sleeping space for guests in the form of a sofa bed for when guests come to visit from the client’s home country of Finland.

The family bathroom is sandwiched between the front room and the bedroom of the client’s son just beyond. This bedroom leads on to an internal courtyard providing ample daylight to this bedroom and the master bedroom nestled into the rear of the site.

The master bedroom suite at the rear of the site has an ensuite bathroom with a walk in showering and bathing space and sauna providing a hint of luxury and relaxation whilst harking back to the client’s Finnish roots.

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Ground Floor Plan (Original 1:50 @ A1)

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Additional Work Developing Privacy

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Building on the feedback I received from the final critique for the project, it became apparent to me that I had overlooked certain aspects of my design. One such aspect was that of privacy where it is probably most important in any home, the bedrooms.

As a result of this I have subsequently designed a set of timber screens that comply with the visual language of my project (namely vertical timber).

The screens I have designed are based on a bi-folding/ sliding solution. The idea is that the screens can either be offset between the two rooms in front of the glazed doors leading to the central courtyard in the house to create a visual barrier, or unfolded further to cover the full expanse of glazing, depending on the amount of privacy required.

The screens are totally adaptable, and can also be fully folded away as shown in the drawings here.

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Additional Work Lighting Improvement

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A further criticism my design received was that the entrance corridor would be without sufficient natural light.

In order to combat this issue I have introduced roof-lights into the corridor. Moreover, this creates symmetry in the plan as seen from the outdoor dining area of the roof garden.

These improvements are shown here using digital rendering. One can see the significant improvement of natural lighting in the corridor space itself, as well as the visual alteration from the first floor internal and external spaces.

Also shown is a daylight study of the multifunctional reading, music and guest room at the front of the ground floor plan; offset as one enters the dwelling.

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First Floor Public Living Spaces Arrangement of the living spaces on the first floor allows for a long and gently rising plan whilst also providing access to ample outdoor space in the form of a terraced roof garden.

Having this terraced roof garden design allows for my dwelling design to take over the full length of the site whilst also providing a large expanse of outdoor space.

This was important to my client as she liked the idea of having private areas to use the outdoor spaces and is very keen about experiencing nature.

The client’s studio space is situated at the rear of the site leading onto Back Stephen Street.

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First Floor & Roof Plan (Original 1:50 @ A1)

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First Floor Living/Dining Kitchen & Studio Having the living/dining/kitchen space as one with the garden provides for the client’s needs, as she often has family over to stay from Finland.

When designing these spaces I kept the key living areas open to allow interaction with guests, or for example if her son was to be doing homework whilst she was cooking. Entertaining was very important to Henna and she especially wanted a large dining table, I therefore included enough dining space for eight people.

The structure of the house comprises of a timber frame with load bearing concrete block infill on the ground floor. This allows support for the inhabited spaces open to the roof on the first floor above.

There is a glulam timber portal frame structure on the first floor allowing for an open floor plan whilst also referencing the industrial heritage of the Ouseburn Valley.

The aesthetic for the house is very minimal; this is shown by the kitchen units which fit within the structural elements of the roof so as not to obstruct the plan.

With the client being an artist the provision of a studio space was paramount. It was important that her studio be private but also easily accessible if she were to show potential clients around her workspace.

Storage was necessary in the design along with a digital workstation, I therefore developed a desk with oversized drawers built into the structure. This space was separated from the rest of the studio with a small level change, which allowed for further storage below this raised workspace.

Henna often produces large-scale installation works, it was therefore important to provide a way to remove these pieces from her studio for times when they would be exhibited. As a response to this I designed the whole back wall of the studio to be made up of sliding wooden door panels. This also provided further privacy and protection from the back street, which the client felt could have been unsafe.

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Shaded Section (Original 1:50 @ A1)

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NON-DESIGN COURSEWORK

ARC 1011: INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY

ARC 1011: INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY 69

Identify an element or space within your building or its grounds with qualities that particularly interests you and, making use of observational drawings, diagrams, photographs and description, explore it in relationship to one or more of the following: historical development, social/cultural context and use, other similar examples, use, spatial qualities and experience, materials and craftsmanship, construction, symbolism.

The development of The Chapel of the Nine Altars at Durham Cathedral as a comparison to that at Fountains Abbey Nave, looking towards Chapel of the Nine Altars [Pen & Ink Sketch]

The east end of Durham Cathedral had originally been composed of three apses, however by the thirteenth century these were in a dangerous state leading to the “threatened fall of the semicircular end of the Choir” vault above the tomb of St Cuthbert (Billings, 1843). By 1235, this meant that the Bishop of Durham, Richard Poore, was said to have been planning to replace the triapsidal eastern end of the church in order to rehouse the body of St Cuthbert in a “more appropriate - and a more fashionable - setting for his shrine.” (Draper, 1980). St Cuthbert had, at that time, the most important tomb in the north of England, meaning this led to the commission of The Chapel of the Nine Altars.

However the work itself did not actually begin until 1242 by which point it was under the supervision of Prior Melsonby; although it is doubtless that the ground plan was influenced

by Bishop Poore. Having previously been installed as Bishop at Salisbury, where he had employed Elias of Dereham to build the Cathedral there, Poore appointed Richard of Farnham to plan the new extension to the

Norman church at Durham. It is likely that Poore had made the decision to incorporate eastern transepts to provide the necessary grandeur; as the topography of the site is not in itself an adequate reason for the unconventional configuration of the space.

In fact, it would have been more logical to position the transepts further west.

The rehousing of The Shrine of St Cuthbert was the main motive behind the construction of the new extension and therefore there were apparent models to be followed in the recent building of both Canterbury and Winchester as Benedictine cathedrals. Although, as a result of the ground falling away so steeply from the east end of Durham Cathedral these model solutions were not as appropriate as they may have first seemed, meaning other options had to be considered. The simplest and therefore cheapest solution and one which would have been most characteristic of the northern region would have been provided by a square east end with high gable - as then under construction at Ely. Although seemingly for Poore, this would have lacked the resplendence of Canterbury,

Lincoln and his own foundation at Salisbury.

An important shrine had been incorporated in to the design of an extension at Beverley; however the plan for the new work there had the issue of having to provide access from the inner chapels of the eastern transept to the projecting chapel. As a result of this, an appealing proposal must have been that of Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire; as it satisfied the demands for the extension, and as Durham had an impressive Lady Chapel at its western end, the absence of an eastern chapel in the proposal was not an issue.

“The great ceiling height of the Chapel of the Nine Altars was attained by lowering the floor below the level of the Cathedral”, this is due to the bedrock beneath the chapel being considerably lower than the rest of the cathedral (Durham Cathedral, date unknown). It is known that an earlier attempt to build a chapel on the site where the Nine Altars is now situated had failed due to crumbling masonry; this chapel had been intended for women and its failure has been contributed to St Cuthbert who is said to have disliked women. The Chapel is

designed in a series of bays, three in each of the three compartments; there were so many pilgrims that wished to attend Mass and receive blessings each day that these nine altars were created; thus giving the Chapel its name.

There is evidence to suggest that the design deviated from initial intentions in several details during the advancement of construction, specifically in the earlier phases, one intriguing characteristic of these changes was a deviation from and successive return to the original idea of using detached marble shafts on the pillars; which are constructed on the former apse’s arc. It is also suspected that there was an alteration to the original suggestion for the Feretory platform of St Cuthbert between these pillars.

The chapel did not reach completion until 1280, having seemingly encountered problems with the construction of vaulting again; which had first been the reason for the commission of the new Chapel. It is presumed that the development of the new

build was a continuous process, with the south-east corner seeming to be the point of completion - indicated by the most southerly pillar in the eastern wall having stood without a roof for a considerable amount of time; having required some repair prior to the construction of the vault.

The distinctive architectural style of the northern region is shown in the elevation of the Nine Altars at Durham, which may seem odd considering Bishop Poore’s southern origins. Somewhat surprisingly, considering its reliance on the plan, the elevation at Durham did not follow that of Fountains Abbey. The exceptional length of the east wall was communicated in quite a different manner, which had significant implications for understanding of the design. The transepts at Fountains are distinctive as a result of the employment of free-standing pillars, which also provide a separation between the procession path to the west and the line of chapels to the east.

It is evident that the Nine Altars at Fountains

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was developed as a very consistent design unrestricted by its site. This is shown by the vertical division of the elevation having continuation in the main tier. However at Durham, there are awkward misalignments where the Nine Altars meets the original Norman building; this is a result of not only the general formation of Fountains being mimicked, but also the physical dimensions of the plan. This seems a strange decision as the two Norman churches were considerably different in both dimension and proportional scale relationship between their nave and aisles. As a result of these differences, alignment of both the east and west walls was impossible. Although, one significant change to the design at Fountains was made which “altered the whole conception of the transepts and their relationship to the main elevation: the omission of the freestanding piers.� (Draper, 1980). A distinct eastern crossing is formed at Durham by the arches and responds due to the larger size of the piers in the square central bay.

The Nine Altars at Fountains marked the commencement of the use of full height

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eastern transepts in the North as well as the trend of detached marble shafts with vertical grain (known as en dĂŠlit) being essential features for a great church. (These shafts at Durham were constructed from Frosterley marble, quarried locally). However the Nine Altars at Durham shows the conclusion of these trends in England. The unconventional ends of both Durham and Fountains had no further successors; however it is nonetheless interesting to note that this unusual form surfaced as a result of the eastern transepts in a Cistercian context, before being altered further to provide an appropriate backdrop to a major shrine.

Ground Plan of Durham Cathedral (Billings, 1843)

Bibliography REFERENCES Billings, R.W. (1843) Descriptive account to accompany the architectural illustrations of Durham Cathedral. London: Thomas and William Boone Draper, P. (1980) Medieval Art and Architecture at Durham Cathedral v.3: The British Archaeological Association Conference Transactions for the year 1977.

Great Britain: The British Archaeological Association.

Durham Cathedral (date unknown) Handbook of Durham Cathedral. Durham: Thos. Caldcleugh, Printer

Stained Glass Window, Chapel of the Nine Altars [Pen & Ink Sketch]

Window, South End of The Nine Altars [Pen & Ink Sketch]

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ARC 1012: PRINCIPLES & THEORIES

ARC 1012: PRINCIPLES & THEORIES 75

Choose a building that you admire and that you know well.

Try to explain, in 1500 words, with illustrations if appropriate, what it is about the building that makes you feel that it is good.

The Knoll

Growing up in a period property has greatly influenced my passion for buildings. A house with character has defined within me a drive to create unique spaces independent to the generic built environment that takes up so much of the world today.

Entering the expansive gateway and descending through the planted grounds of The Knoll, comforted by the soft crunching of the gravel driveway under foot feels as though one is entering a calm, secluded space; absent from the hectic outside world.

This is a far cry from how it once was when my parents first purchased the family home.

The Knoll was an undiscovered property in the pleasant Wigan suburb of Standish, having been on the property market for two years and slowly receiving less and less attention from prospective buyers. That is until my mother spotted a for sale sign in amongst the overgrown vegetation and made the apprehensive journey past the rotten timber garage.

Considering my mother had lived in the Standish area for her whole childhood and in

the local area for much of her life, it came as quite the surprise to her as she discovered an impressive dwelling concealed behind overgrown trees and shrubbery. From that very first glimpse, she saw the potential and knew that this dilapidated house was exactly what she was looking for, with its large garden spaces and charming character on the plot. To her it was the ideal start to a great family home.

The Knoll was a huge investment, and therefore one that would not at first bring great comfort. The joy of occupying a late nineteenth century property led to the first winter being spent with virtually no heating at all; the first heating installation attempt had been prior to our inhabitance and was nothing short of a failure. The cast iron water pipes had been configured in such a manner that between the living and dining rooms they in fact left the building. Furthermore, the roof was in a state of disrepair; meaning that, for a while at least, living in the house was as if my family had taken residence in a colander.

Wigan has been a long standing industrial

town with substantial emphasis on coal mining, most likely leading to coal stacks beneath the immediate local area of the house. The Knoll was built in 1898 to a modest scale characterised by Tyrolean render, however after just two years the house was extended to more than double its original size as a result of the acquisition of further land from the local railway to the rear of the site, the Boar’s Head railway station was decommissioned later in 1949 (Marshall, 1969). The extensions are distinguished from the original house with the use of exposed Accrington brick, which is typical of the area and is renowned for being very durable (Forterra, 2015). This led to considerable changes within the structure which are only obvious when one looks more closely. Upon closer inspection of the stained wooden flooring in the entrance hallway, both a difference in the direction of timber as well as the sizes of timber used can be discovered. Furthermore a visit to the cellar reveals that the original staircase in the house would have led in the opposite direction from the ground floor. As one enters the dwelling, it is apparent that the

house has been affected by subsidence and as a result has settled into its location since construction. Although the property is structurally sound, this has led to some aesthetic faults within; such as the slightly sloping floors and the door cases no longer being plumb, however I believe this adds character and enriches the inhabitance of the interior spaces.

To me, the house has always had a sense of security due to its age with characteristics such as the high ceilings and the heaviness of the structure from the solid masonry walls. There is something very comforting that comes just from sitting inside with a thunderous storm raging outside, knowing one is protected from the elements.

Although, having lived in the house for over seventeen years, some major regeneration of the spaces has ensued in order to bring comfort to populating an older property, meaning that each room of the house has now been reconfigured.

Prior to the renovation of the master bedroom, the bed had to sit on a platform

in the centre of the room just to be level. It was thought that this was simply the result of subsidence, however during the remodelling of the space it was discovered that diagonally opposite corners of that single room were out of line by two brick courses, an error that had occurred during the extensions to the original property. This meant that the room was therefore inaccurate to the order of eight inches.

Each room feels as though it has its own character and quality within the house, starting with the modest family room towards the entrance. This is a relatively bright room with a light colour palette; the perfect place to go for quiet uninterrupted reading. However across the hallway there is a complete shift in formality and ambience, the main reception room and the social hub of the house is the place where entertaining takes the forefront.

Following on from this is the main living area with a relaxed yet luxurious atmosphere, this is the most comfortable space to spend a winter evening in the warmth; a place to shroud oneself from the cold and enjoy a film.

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The most formal room of the house is the dining room, in a sense it is the most traditional space. The room is impressive with sweeping velvet window dressings, silk wallpapers and the centrepiece of the large marble table. This is the place where the most important times as a family are spent, a time to talk and to catch up about one another’s daytime activities. Having a separate dining space seems to be something that is no longer the norm, however I feel as though it is of great importance to inform a sense of formality away from the distractions of televisions and technology.

Although I have always been interested in architecture, my ideas have only started to be taken into consideration more seriously over recent years. As I began sixth form college the largest project to date was undertaken, to develop the garden surrounding the property and try to introduce a link between the house and the garden. Meaning it was finally time to remove the rotten heap of garage, and develop a fitting entrance to the property from the busy main road and eventually give

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the house some presence in the local area.

It is only now that the journey from the entry to the property to the house itself is one of pleasure and no longer apprehension.

Furthermore, there is a flow between the internal and external aspects which has been realised only very recently. To the rear of the house is an expanse of decked timber terraces, exploring the changing levels of the site. On a summers day in the rear gardens it is as if one could be anywhere in the world, with glimpses of a large pond in one area and of fruit trees in another, that is until a train storms past beyond the back wall; giving a reminder of home.

The house means a great deal to me as an individual, in a way it is all I have known, I have lived there for almost my entire life; but for at least as long as I can remember. I know the spaces so well that the building itself feels as if it is part of the family, everyone has their own individual space. However, since moving to university I have come to realise that I can look after myself and I can inhabit a new space and make it feel like home.

Furthermore, as a result of leaving the house I now have greater feelings for the place.

Although I now have a separation from the property, it is almost as though the home only exists in nostalgia and in memory. It is for this reason that I do not feel saddened by the fact that the time has come for the family home to be sold, and to move on to pastures new. I feel proud to have lived at The Knoll, and satisfied knowing that I have helped to orchestrate changes which have improved the place but also given the home some stature within its surroundings.

Bibliography REFERENCES Marshall, J (1969) The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, volume 1. 1st ed. UK: David & Charles.

Forterra (2015) Accrington brick [Online] Available at http://Http://forterra.co.uk/ bricks/accrington-brick [Accessed 3 December 2015] IMAGES Lomax, J (2014) The Knoll exterior

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ARC 1013: TECHNOLOGY 1.1

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ARC 1016: REPRESENTATION

Task Booklet In the first semester for ARC 1016 we were asked to produce a Task Booklet comprising of 6 tasks including: Measured Room, Observational Drawing, Photography, Small Hollow Object, City Drawing & Live Model Drawing.

ARC 1016: REPRESENTATION

These tasks then had to be collated into a well designed booklet and presented in a coherent manner.

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It was an important project as we learned architectural conventions for measured drawing as well as exploring photography; all of which will be useful throughout an architectural career.

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Digital Communication For the second semester for ARC 1016 we were asked to explore a line of inquiry into an unbuilt or lost piece of architecture.

This consisted of producing a 3D computer model, which then informed an A1 Board, a piece of Concept Art, a 15 second video clip and a process booklet showing the development of each of these individual pieces.

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A1 Board Line of Inquiry Louis Kahn focused on the communication of the mass and structural integrity of a building as well as the play of light and the richness of material textures.

When developing the design for the United States Consulate in Luanda, Kahn referenced the beauty of ruins; the idea being to wrap the building in ruins.

This thought came about due to an issue of glare that Kahn had experienced when he visited Angola; Kahn noted that workers in the sun would usually face the wall rather than the open country in order to combat the issues with glare. This discovery led to the development of sixteen detached wall segments which were inspired by Roman ruins.

The east and west faรงades imitate ruins with the use of unglazed openings in the form of keyhole shaped arches. The intention was that light would enter into the transitional zone between the ruinous sections and the building where it would be reflected and thus soften and scatter to create a more comfortable working environment. This intermediate region of softened light would allow people to experience a pleasant gradation from the relatively dark interior spaces to the harsh light from the arid landscape of the Angolan desert.

As a result of this I chose to reference the ruins throughout my project and thus based my concept artwork on the basis of the ruinous free-standing forms that surround the building design.

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