Portfolio - Stage06.DP3

STAGE.06_DP3

JORDAN PAIGE INCE

The design thesis for this project - named ‘Republic of Wallsend’ - aims to explore how our existing architecture can develop and aid a different political world, one which challenges our existing government format as we currently understand it in the UK. To create something which aims to respect and challenge our existing architecture, whilst simultaneously demonstrating through design which further aids the effective political power of ordinary people.

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municipal buildings

The Site The focus for this project is on the municipal buildings of Wallsend, with the main elevation of the Town Hall along High Street East.

Then the old police courts, fire station and public baths are along the West side of the side along Lawson Street.

Surrounding is mainly residential, along with a school and a few shops which belong to the high street.

The original use of the buildings no longer run, and the buildings instead have been converted to offices with very minimal intervention internally and externally or either completely derelict. This was due to councils in towns within North Tyneside all combining to become one, with its main building now located in Cobalt business park.

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SITE PLAN | scale 1:1250

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Existing Plan Scale 1:200 @ A1

TOWN HALL

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Existing West Elevation - Lawson Street Scale 1:100 @ A1

Existing North Elevation - High Street East Scale 1:100 @ A1

Primer Project After the initial site visit, further research developed into the public baths. Learning the story of Jack Hatfield, a local Olympian, who opened the baths in 1912 by swimming 300 yards in three minutes and 40 seconds. Many locals attended to watch the event with reports that people were standing outside due to the expansive turn out.

It was from stories like these that enhances the historical significance these buildings had for the people of Wallsend. These buildings embraced many events, which ultimately provided joy for the community. The council who were a part of the Town Hall were all local citizens, and therefore discussions were kept very localised.

I wanted to explore each building within the site in more detail, creating a facade detail and an internal snapshot of these buidlings.

This was through the process of drawing a detailed plan showing materiality, model making and stop motion, with the stop motions capturing a fragments of people interacting with the buildings and the different life they had in the past.

To watch the stop-motion - here’s the link https://vimeo.com/672561295

The physical model’s (as shown here) contribution to this project is twofold. Initially, they first serve as the basis of the analytical site studies. As depicted through the video studies which accompany this presentation, the models are a method of reconstructing not only the site itself, but the histories of the respective buildings in which this project will intervene with. Secondly, the models will also serve as a platform for developing for the project ahead.

The practice of these models is more attuned to the self-citizen participation dimension of this project, in that the work/ space is defined by its user and not the organisational structures above them. In a sense, the architect is somewhat dismissed within the scope of this theory, and instead, agency is returned to the inhabitants of the site.

This practice draws inspiration from Hundertwassers’s window right; “The right to one’s window. Every man must have the right to lean out of his window and to recreate and reshape his third skin, the window and the outside walls of his house as far as his arms can reach so that he distinguishes himself from his imprisoned neighbours, and that from far away everybody can see: there lives a free man.”

Current Political Setting in UK Within the UK we are currently seeing Boris Johnson and his cabinet under-going huge scrutiny with how they are handling many different situations. From the coronavirus pandemic, the Afghanistan evacuation, climate crisis and the energy crisis - just to name a few.

During the start of the pandemic we were witness to the powerful Black Lives Matter movement - with a large outcry across all media, particularly so with social media.

Everyday people with no huge political influence share stories to educate others and encourage important changes to our society to evolve to become more inclusive for people of colour. This was one of the largest movements during the pandemic and since then revived further political debate across the public out from a lockdown.

In October 2021 COP26 was held in Glasgow, in what many were hoping was to be a turning point and create many strategies going forward as to how the world can become more sustainable and challenge climate

change. However, to see Boris Johnson taking a private jet to the event and actually very little tactics were developed during the event.

Moving forwards to January 2022 and the faith towards our government has only spiralled further down. Currently the revelation of the parties which occurred during lockdown by the government, whilst them telling society to stay at home - deepening a distrust from civilians to their government.

Overall, it feels that governments are ignorant to the needs of its people, and that whilst they say one thing to the nation it is something entirely different for them.

Whilst this does feel extremely disheartening, I think it is important to look at the many groups which are being established. From the well known group ‘Extinction Rebellion’ where they are permanently challenging political issues related to climate change. Having growing numbers of people supporting the group and adding their skills

in aid for the cause. To the smaller groups such as RESOLVE - an interdisciplinary design collective which aims to address social challenges through the built environment. With a lot of their work collaborates with young people and under-represented groups in the society.

Through the many independent grassroot groups there are many who are incrementally making change through collaboration within our society.

customer first centre, wallsend main north tyneside council building

Political Elements in Wallsend Whilst the headquarters for the North Tyneside council are located in the Cobalt Business Park on the outskirts of Wallsend, along with a Customer First Centre which is along the high street. The council however still feels largely separated from the town of Wallsend.

The buildings themselves are unwelcoming and not inviting for the public to enter, and there feels a xxdivision and neglect between the council and the people who live there.

Until 1983, it was it’s own municipal borough until it became a part of the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside. Meaning they are responsible for education, highways, transport planning, passenger transport, social care, housing, libraries, leisure and recreation, environmental health, waste collection, waste disposal, planning applications, strategic planning and local taxation collection.

Whilst there is some control over different daily aspects by the district, there is however very l;ittel control as to what citizens can voice and affect

change. Although the Customer First Centre does hold some events which encourages there is very little awareness about these events and furthermore the understanding that people have that very little change is taken from such events due to the nature of our governing body.

Precedent: Tower of David Caracas, Venezuela is home to one of the world’s largest slum populations, over 70% of its total population live in slums (Fulcher, 2014). In 1990 construction began on what is now the “Torre David”, the 45-story structure 9 was designed to be the third tallest skyscraper in Venezuela until construction was halted in 1993 when the owner died 10 and funding for the project had stopped. The government then took control over the building which they were unable to auction off because of the financial crisis, as a result, the building was abandoned for 25 years. During the turn of the new century, the housing crisis was so bad in Caracas that squatters overrun the building even though the building was barely a shell.

Miraculously, squatters had carried out their own works to the building to fit their own needs whether that be residential, commercial, or even leisure with the top floor being re-purposed as a gym, otherwise, the building was then informally occupied as an amalgamation of homes, barbershops, convenience stores, and even stretching as far as an orthodontist practice.

Precedent: People’s Parliament The irony of this study is that where the hierarchical powers deemed it was a necessary investment to further the capital of the upperclass minority, the project instead succeeded in exemplifying the problematic gap between the rich and the poor. Proving that hierarchical systems do not read from the same page when it comes to addressing the problems of a nation.

The project strikes a resemblance to our government’s attitudes towards the climate crisis, with Boris Johnson pledging £867m to a fossil fuel project in Mozambique(Decemeber 2021, Sky News) after his arguable commitments in the recent COP26 summit. A more than discernable pattern has emerged of, delivering one promise with one hand and then contradicting it with another.

The Torre David proves that what the demands of majority working-class society, are in fact better off led by such a group themselves and not the minority of higher powers above them.

A Channel 4 programme in 1994 where 90-100 randomnly selected citizens debated and voted on controversial issues. The format and type of democracy the show demonstrated how a true representative of people in society debate and vote on difficult issues.

The idea of the programme is based on James S. Fishkin’s theories of deliberative democracy. This is a form of democracy it must be precedent by authentic deliberation, and not just by simply voting, which is free from unequal political power.

Fishkin describes 5 characteristics which are essential for legitiamte deliberation: Information Those part of the debate are provided accurate and reasonably accurate information that is believed to be relevant to the issue to support any arguments.

Substantive balance Arguments from all sides should be discussed, as one makes one side an answer is made from a different perspective.

Diversity The extent to which the major position in the public are represented by participants in the discussion Conscientiousness All participating in the discussion should be willing to talk and listen, with civility and respect, understanding all levels of the argument.

Equal Consideration All arguments offered by all participants are considered and provided attention regardless of who offered them

Theory: Freespace and Heterarchy Lebbeus Woods introduces the idea of freespace to propose an architectural approach freed from its predetermined, hierarchical, and deterministic character. Freespace instead exposes itself first-hand to the demands of the working class, it is not akin to a style, but rather represents a fluid space that is constantly acclimatizing to its immediate conditions. See below extract taken from Woods’ War and Architecture, 1993, pg.32: What is Freespace?

People from every social class inhabit freespaces - whoever has the desire or necessity to transform their everyday patterns of life from the fixed to the fluid, from the deterministic to the existential. For the most part, it will be people who find the old, hierarchical orders too uncomfortable, too oppressive, too unworkable to stay within their dictates of custom or law, and are driven - from within or without - to take their lives more fully into their own hands. They will be the people of crisis: the

crisis of knowledge, the crisis of geography, the crisis of conscience. They are the ones who must perpetually begin again.

Who owns Freespace?

Those who make freespaces their own. Those whose lives, day to day, consecrate space with their own densities of meaning. This should not be mistaken for an ethic of “survival of the fittest”, but understood as a form of comradeship, or compassion. Those who can conceive or construct space, or leave it to others - their reward is in the making. For those who occupy space, it is something else - action transforming itself over time. A space that has been abandoned, for whatever reason, reverts to the common domain.

There is justice in this, and the reality of an ever-renewable beginning.

a concept for an heterarchy society

There is little optimism in looking to our political structures to solve a crisis, which they so created. To quote the PM himself at the recent COP26 summit "it is one minute to midnight" and that to explore an alternative to a heirarchial, capitalist led government, is perhaps a necessity.

This project aims to show a different form of government based on theories of localised, polycentric and heterarchical governance, giving ownership to a community over its’ built environment and ongoings.

Using the old municipal buildings in Wallsend, it intends to show how space can provide for lateral conversations amongst its society and in turn produce sustainable decision making which comprehends the opinion and needs of current and future citizens of Wallsend.

a concept for an heterarchy society

The network willl provide on-going lateral conversation betweeen the municipal collective and the community in which it is situated. The municipal collective is a group of elected people from the community, who are part of a sub-group which are essential to the success of a community. This collective will never make a decision or command without the participation of its community, with their ideas and opinion at the heart of any changes to the society.

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a concept for an heterarchy society

Wallsend itself has many derelict buildings but yet ongoing with building new, however what do they add to the culture of the town? Therefore, this projects proposes to revive the old municipal buildings in wallsend, it aims to provide a place for governance proceedings to primarily take place in a space which has pride for the town and no longer in the cold ‘customer first centre’. The old town hall revival, using also the old fire station and old public baths, will give a range of spaces to enable participatory conversation across the town ranging from: - A large public assembly hall, for the municipal collective and the citiziens are able to have discussion - A gallery, which allow the citizens to see proposals to wallsend and participate with any ideas they may have and opinion on the proposals - A space for the municipal collective to congregate, however this space will also be open for the citizens to hear about the proceedings taking place - A space which citizens can adapt to suit their current needs for political debate such as a protest prop making sites

Becoming the Republic of Wallsend Basing it off the theories and precedents understood previously, the idea is that the becoming of the Republic of Wallsend was an incremental one.

By witnessing the happenings of today with the fury towards our Government growing and more considering their lack of ability in taking care of the country. The Republic of Wallsend begins to become on idea in today’s time as people become more informed with media across all platforms.

Influenced by the likes of Extinction Rebelliong and Insulate Rebellion, protest groups begin to develop and become a deeper presence and poltical platform within our society.

As protests continue as do the

riots, and with the instance with the Republic of Wallsend history repeats itself with a revolution. The civilians of Wallsend creating a barricade around their town and isolating themselves from being a part of the rest of a governed nation.

It is through this incremental independence that Wallsend would eventually become an independent state. This leads to the design project as to how the old municipal buildings can adapt to suit the needs of the new municipal collective and the citizens in the new republic.

practice and management strategy

CLIENTS = CITIZENS

POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT

USERS = CITIZENS

DESIGN PROCESS

BUILDING

DELIBERATIVE DEMOCRACY CONTRACTORS = MUNICIPAL COLLECTIVE Above: Who’s Involved and How Below: Project Timeline for the Development of the Municipal Buildings

STAGE.01

STAGE.03

Deliberating whether there is justification for the development of the municipal buildings, preparing a business case, and creating an organisational structure for the project

Collective will hold a meeting with the citizens to agree to the brief, this will include but not limitied to items such as gathering of materials, time scale, waste management and costs

Business Justification

STAGE.05

Detailed Design

Project Brief

STAGE.02

Feasibility Studies

Architects part of the collective will consicientiously provide options to the citizens from open and participatory discussions

After approval of design from citizens, architects will finalise designs to be detailed and collaborate with engineers and builders to for detail technical design.

STAGE.04

Concept Design

Architects shall complete any surveys that may be needed and presents initial design ideas to the citizens, and from findings will make any neccessary amendments

Community Benefit Society The business structure for this build would fall similar to that of a ‘community benefit society’.

As the manifesto for this project falls greatly in line with the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) statement that the purpose of such a society ‘must be entirely for the benefit of the community. There can be no alternative or secondary puposes, including any that may preferentially benefit the members.’

Therefore, the municipal collective permanently reflect commitment to the community of Wallsend, with any profits being returned to local businesses, schools or future builds benefitting to the community.

In terms of membership the FCA says “it is not usually appropriate for a community benefit society to give any particular group of members

greater rights or benefits, because the society must be conducting its business for the benefit of the community. So, for example, we would expect to see community benefit societies run democratically on the basis of one-member-onevote.“ Which again is similar to the manifesto for the “Republic of Wallsend’ in ways that deliberative democracy is large part of the society and as to how municipal collective members are elected.

By being labelled as a community benefit society there is insurance that the municipal collective are always held to the responsibility of running to ensure benefits to the community and not for sole, selfish reasons. That any decisions and changes made are affectively positive ones for the society,

ultimately providing insurance for the citizens of Wallsend.

practice and management strategy Following a similar dynamic to this project, Star and Shadow is entirely run by volunteers through democratic decision making registered as a Community Benefit Society.

The build for its current site was community led, built by volunteers who are experts in different fields.

Although designed by architects, it was understood that the design and construction process was one which had to be flexible and adapt throughout to allow for what materials were found.

Precedent: Star and Shadow Cinema

STAGE.07

STAGE.09

The Collective shall finalise any remaining fundamental tasks that are needed before progression onto site. Those involved in building will collate materials needed for the build.

As parts of the build are completed, citizens shall begin using the different sites and shall have meetings with the collective to relay any problems with build that need to be rectified

Mobilisation

Occupation

STAGE.06

STAGE.08

The Collective will meet with those concerning and involved with the construction to the agreed programme of building, to determine and co-ordinate timeline of construction

The building works start!

Regular meetings between collective, citizens and volunteers are crucial to provide transparency throughout and care for those involved

Production Information

Construction

Procurement Style As the citizens of Wallsend are essentially the ones involved in the project as both client, contractor and manufacturer due to the municipal collective being an accumulation of different people from different backgrounds. Those that are contributing to the creation of the buildings will be as more of a voluntary basis and through public funding.

Taking inspiration from a ‘design and build’ procurement route.

The municipal collective will act as contractor and through participatory discussion and deliberative democracy are to be used to make any decision with the architecture of the new buildings.

Utilising this procurement route initiates an interesting dynamic to

challenging the role of an architect to the more typical ‘traditional’ procurement route style. It is intended that as architects are a part of the collective they will take a consultancy role and create a design which is conscientious of discussion held with the public, and furthermore a point of contact for the client (the citizens) for the design issues and shre their expertise when handling construction phases of the project.

This type of procurement also seems appropriate as it will allow construction to happen early on on the site, suiting the incremental build of the project and also providing immediate effect for participatory action in the Republic of Wallsend.

Whilst there are negatives such as difficulty in straying away into different variations from the original brief, but if adaptable and flexible design is included with some spaces this may aid this. There is also debate as to whether this form of procurement favours ease of fabrication over aesthetic quality, however this way of thinking suits the nature of this project. To consider earlier on how simple and ease of construction can be included within the design.

STAGE.10

Post Occupancy

As the Republic of Wallsend incrementally develops, changes may need to be made and therefore there will be regular meetings between citizens and the collective to deliberate any changes or further developments

environmental strategy

Wallsend

environmental strategy

Gateshead Newcastle-upon-Tyne North Tyneside South Tyneside Sunderland

Map showing re-use material sources in Tyne and Wear This sources include: - scrap metal yards - recycling and construction waste centres - construction tools and vehicle hire - reclaimed and new timber merchants - builders yards

Creative Reclaim and Reuse Materials essentially have limitless opportunities as to what they can create. Traditionally in designing there are limitations to a material, for example many would not see the use of plastic pond liner as a facade cladding such as what Assemble did with ‘Theatre on the Fly’. This project aims to use an element of creative material reuse to suit the needs of its users.

There are multiple benefits to material reuse, such as being less expensive whether that is from salvaging unused materials or buying leftovers from contractors.

This is important particularly through a ‘design and build’ procurement, the cost of construction should be as affordable as possible for the citizens of Wallsend and the municipal collective. And whilst

this project aims to separate from the North Tyneside council, it is important to take inspiration from the goals to set in local plans and develop on these. Materials reuse will fall in line with the local strategy aim to reprocure materials and puts less presssure on using landfill sites and increasing the use of recycling, and as a result the lifestyle within the Republic of Wallsend will become more sustainable.

In addition to this, the retro-fitting of the existing municipal buildings has many benefits with reducing the carbon footprint of the build.

With internal improvements to the existing to improve the historic building, i.e. thermal performance, which will result with less energy to be needed run the building in the future along with utilsing renewable

sources of energy such as from solar gain.

environmental strategy

Above: Sketch demonstrating re-using material of old scrap metal for walls

Precedents Blue House Yard Jan Kattein Architects

Theatre on the Fly Assemble

A temporary project which was created to support local businesses in the area.Constructing small sheds in the courtyard and minimal interventions to the exisitng building which revives no longer used structures.

Put together by a group of 40 volunteers aged between 16-68 years. This project was built from reuseable and recyclable materials, along with materials which were donated, due to the very limited budget. The three main materials that make the shell of the building include scaffolding, chipboard and plastic pond liner. The primary structure of the building is the scaffolding with a secondary structure from the chipboard, securely attached to the frame are structural seams fo the pond lining which dress over the structure which cost a total of £300. The roof is constructed from corrugated bitumen roofing.

Something in line with project is this idea of reuse and minimal intervention. Or where there has been more significant intervention they are constructed from recycled materials.

This space successfully proivded functioning spaces and satisfying its needs for its users, with a small budget and little impact on the environment.

initial sketch ideas

Spatial Programming To the North of the site the idea is to retain the function of the town hall as the main space for the municipal committee to collaborate and work in that space. To the South of the site is for complete public use, with the public baths becoming space for civilian debate.

Between the two it is to become a zone which combines both the North and South elements of the site. Encouraging public engagement with the local politics with provisions for things such as protest making. Along with an exhibition space which displays current discussions and debates ongoing, and allowing for participatory making from all citizens.

The key spaces that the design aims to explore in more detail is the neighbourhood watch tower, gallery, public asembly and central space for adaptable use.

Opening in Original Town Hall The concept behind this is to create a large opening throughout the building with which anyone could walk through into the courtyard. There is also the removal of the balcony which upholds the idea of someone announcing to the people and talking down to the citizens, adding substance to the idea of hierarchy.

Watch Tower Retaining the existing tower of the municipal buildings, but extending it upwards to allow for a 360 view across Wallsend. This is for the citizens to look out across the entirety of Wallsend, creating a version of neighbourhood watch. The tower is standing on and encased with scaffolding and a circular exposed staircase with access from inside the town hall and wraps around the towers.

Bridge Between From the top of the watch tower is a bridge which crosses over to the gallery and archive space. This is to link more of the architecture together and for the citizens, whether they are elected or not, to feel as though they have control of their municipal buildings and ownership. Also along the bridge there are points for citizens to listen through the tin telephone into any meetings the citizen collective may have in the meeting room below.

Adaptable Pods Running alongside the new public assembly hall is a open structure which follows that of the hall. In the centre of this exposure is open scaffolding and different pods.

This space is open for constant change to provide for the needs of the citizens. For instance, they could hold protest prop making

pods or food stalls to provide food for protest happening or citizens attending the gallery space or the public assembly.

Gallery Sitting above the original fire station building is a large new construction which holdxs the gallery and archive. Sitting in between the town hall and public assembly, this space creates a more formal space for all to participate with decision making for Wallsend. Exhibitions will display current discussions and presentations, and provide for all citizens to participate and share their thoughts and ideas. An important aspect of the gallery is the provision of safe space, different types of spaces to allow for all types of people to feel like they can participate with their town’s decision-making in comfort.

walk through route

new entrance walk through route

walk through route

new entrance walk through route

walk through route

spatial programme diagram

Challenging the Existing A design challenge for this project focuses on respecting the Grade II existing building and to as how much should be retained. It is valid that there should be a rememberance of Wallsend’s history and narrative, and a memory to the politics of the past - but how can this be balanced and work for the new civilian collective government.

To completely retain and build nothing new would not add an intrigue to the building and the encouragement for people to participate. As a result the initial scheme sets out the premise of additional adaptions combined with the existing. These new structures are to be radical and playful, having a more industrial aesthetic rather than the intricate stone detailing in bold colours. Along with the new

structures there should be some demolition of the exisiting building to allow larger openings to rid the idea that only those exclusive can may enter the buildings.

bridg to watch tower

large opening in original town hall

ge between watch ower and gallery adaptable pods gallery

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town hall / watch tower / bridge

Sketch Proposal West Elevation - Lawson Street Scale 1:100 @ A1

Sketch Proposal North Elevation - High Street East Scale 1:100 @ A1

public ALLERY

public gallery and entrance into courtyard through arches

public HALL adaptable pods

town hall / watch tower

public assembly