Mark Kitson
CV + Portfolio
Mark Kitson
e: mark.kitson.2013@uni.strath.ac.uk m: 07969685275
a: Basement 25 West Princes Street, Glasgow, G4 9BS
Education:
Professional Experience:
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (Sept 2009 – Jan 2012 Sept 2013 – Jun 2014):
Threesixty Architecture – Summer Placement (Jun 2011 – Aug 2011)
First Class BSc (Hons) in Architectural Studies with International Studies Dissertation: The Gorbals: Full Circle Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic (Feb 2012 – Jun 2012): International Exchange Programme Extra Curricular: How to Draw A Labyrinth – Architecture and Design Scotland: Volunteering as part of a schools workshop. Working with children from Blackfriars Primary school to create a labyrinth from simple plumbing tubes and connections. Co-editor of department End of Year Publication ‘A_Space’: I was part of the team that delivered the ‘A_Space’ publication. This involved seeking contributions and funding, collating content and the lay out and publishing of the paper.
I was involved in a number of projects with varying scales; concept imagery for a live/work master-plan, amendments to details for a large retail unit and a planning application for a private residence. Dress for the Weather – Freelance (Nov 2010 – Jul 2014) Since being recommended by my first year tutor I have been involved on a freelance basis with DFTW for a number of years. I have carried out a number of building surveys with the practice and recently produced models and concept imagery for a competition entry. Through a university elective class run in collaboration with DFTW I have carried out a study of the Glaswegian Pub typology; surveying, photographing and drawing various pubs. I presented the findings at the Barras Art and Design centre and helped to run a pub-crawl highlighting the chosen pubs. MAST Architects – Part 1 Architectural Assistant Placement (Aug 2012 – Aug 2013) During my time at MAST I was involved in a large number of projects at various stages of completion; • • • • • •
Framework bid for a housing scheme, North Lanarkshire. Glasgow Art Club renovations (Category A listed Mackintosh Gallery) Community Childcare Facility, Cairndow Numerous housing schemes for a variety social housing clients Common close repairs, Kirkintilloch Refurbishment, upgrade and extension to Grade B listed schoolhouse
Skills:
Recognition:
Adobe Indesign Adobe Photoshop Microstation AutoCAD SketchUp Vray Podium Microsoft Office Hand / Laser Cut Models Strong Research Skills Strong Presentation Skills
• Year 2 final project chosen to be presented in end of year exhibition • Year 3 exchange project chosen to be presented in international exchange exhibition • Numerous models from both Year 4 projects displayed in Art Store Queen Street as part of the ‘Objects of Curiosity’ display • Year 4 Bath House project displayed at Govanhill Baths • Year 4 Bath House project presented in ‘A_Space’ publication
References
Hobbies
Derek Hill - Year 1 Studio Director Strathclyde University derek.hill@strath.ac.uk
During my spare time I enjoy mountain biking and road cycling (being an active member of the university cycle club), hillwaking and camping. I also enjoy photographing the locations where I take part in these activities.
Michael Jarvis - Director MAST Architects 0141 221 6834 michael.jarvis@mastarchitects.co.uk
A Hospice in Kelvingrove Park The architecture of the hospice is intended to meet the young residents needs, whether they are visiting for a respite stay, a short visit, or for their final days. Emphasis was put on residents room design from an early stage, to provide privacy and dignity whilst allowing for social interaction. Certain spaces within the hospice are celebrated; the kitchen - for communal dining indoors or out, the courtyard garden provides a private space to escape to outdoors, whilst adaptable rooms offer spaces to read, watch films, listen to music and generally relax within. The gold boxes protrude from a black plinth, highlighting the spaces from afar, attracting notice from those passing through the park.
Bed-head viewing window TV cabinet
1200mm Activity Zone
Resident’s desk 1500mm sliding door
1500mm Turning Circle
Resident’s storage Resident’s bed Perforated mesh privacy screen Medical prep. space Wash-hand basin Oversized seating space Wheelchair storage 1000mm sliding door Family member bed space Medical / Linen store Level access shower Roof-light above
Residents Bedroom
1500mm Turning Circle
1500mm Turning Circle
A Hospice in Kelvingrove Park Examples of hand cut and laser cut design models.
Lower Kelvin Bathing Halls The lower Kelvin offers an opportunity for development which has so far been neglected. The upper parts of the river have been utilised to great effect through Kelvingrove park, however as the river approaches its merge with the Clyde, the banks become under-used and under valued. The area was heavily used for industry from the 17th Century, particularly from water driven mills. Since the retreat of this industry, the undeveloped wastelands along its banks have returned to an almost wild environment. Whereas the banks of the Kelvin to the North have been reclaimed and reused, forming the Kelvin walkway, this part offers no access to the riverbank. This project aims to extend the park, towards the south, linking the upper Kelvin with the Riverside Museum, forming a natural walk, lined with cultural and health buildings along the way. The Lower Kelvin Bathing Halls offer public swimming, gym space and therapy suites. The building celebrates the lost industrial heritage of the area with the inclusion of a research library, exhibition space and viewing tower.
Lower Kelvin Bathing Halls Examples of hand cut and laser cut design models.
Glasgow Pub Typology Study The Glasgow Pub Typology Study aims to document the changing nature of the history of Glasgow’s Public Houses and the physical effect that legislation, drinking habits and social developments has had on them. The idea for the project is a progression of ideas that have originated from Matt McKenna and Andy Campbell from the Glasgow based architectural practice ‘Dress for the Weather’. The project focuses on five Glaswegian pubs, chosen for their relevance to the project. To show how various changes have affected the layout of pubs, a cross section of history has been taken with the selection of the pubs. The pubs used in the study are; The Scotia Bar, The Horseshoe Bar, Steps Bar, The Lauriestion and Bar 10. An initial study of pubs was carried out to determine their worth and decide if they should be included in the final study. Certain pubs were omitted, such as the Old College Bar due to a loss of original character, and the decision was made on the final five pubs to be included. The Scotia offers an example of the earliest form of Public House that exists in Glasgow, having been established in 1792. Booths and snugs are common, with dark panelling and small windows exemplifying the nature of early pubs. The Horseshoe has a large bar surface, allowing the landlord to keep check on their clientele, a feature that was lacking in pubs like The Scotia and was introduced to reduce anti-social behaviour and crime. Steps Bar is a fine example of a late 1930’s Art Deco Bar, with veneered wall panels and a Lady’s Snug. The inclusion of a private Lady’s room shows a development in drinking habits, with women now allowed to drink in bars (albeit in separate rooms to the men). The Laurieston exemplifies 1960’s décor, and also features the Bar / Lounge division that became common in this era. Bar 10 has been chosen as a contemporary example of pub layouts, offering a form more suited to the cocktail and bottle drinking fashion that is common now.
The Scotia Bar 1:50
The Laurieston 1:50
‘A_Space’ Publication
A Editorial Team
Kim Noble / Mark Kitson / Michael Cockburn / Emma Long / Jonathan Dawson - Bowman / Edita Mencinskaite / Michal Supron / Jamie Yeo
Having reached the end of yet another inspiring year within The University of Strathclyde Architecture Department, the time has come to reflect upon the exciting work, determination and talent which the department and its students has accomplished.
Following the relocation of the department from the iconic Architecture Building to the James Weir Building, it seems only fitting to take this moment in time to introduce an entirely new publication from the architecture students. As many of you will remember, the annual Paperspace book was a delight to receive as a record of the academic achievements of each year and it was with great sadness for students and staff to see the publication discontinued. Seeing an opportunity to create a new form of publication which is exciting and
refreshing, a group of year 4 students have used this year to re-evaluate the identity of the Architecture Department and its relationship with independent architecture practices around Glasgow. It comes with great pleasure that we are able to introduce hopefully the first edition of A_SPACE; a new newspaper dedicated to celebrating the annual accomplishments of students (both current and past) and staff. Essentially, a space dedicated to the architectural achievements of the Department of Architecture at The University of Strathclyde. The task of returning an annual publication to the Architecture Department would not have been possible without the support and guidance of Derek Hill for whom we are grateful. We would also like to thank those who have contributed their work and assisted this process.
“Architecture is... what Architects do”
“A “radical proposal” would be for all of construction’s professional institutes to come together with a seamless multidisciplinary approach to education. Without that we will never discard the straightjacket that is the current silo mentality. There is no need for more consultation.”
Professor Gordon Murray Walter Underwood, President GIA in 1968, writes in their celebratory “1868-1968 the first one hundred years of Glasgow Institute of Architects” of...” the probable establishment of second School of Architecture”...as a corollary he sets out the origins of the first school. The Glasgow School of Architecture started in the Royal College of Science and Technology in 1888 as The Department of Architecture and Building. In 1903 this merged with classes in “Architecture” which had started at the Glasgow School of Art in 1885, to become the first Glasgow School of Architecture. In the spirit of cooperation and collaboration, between RCST and GSA, the first Chair was held by Eugene Bourdon and then, James B Fulton, Harold Hughes and William Smith until 1959 when Professor Frank Fielden took over- a year after the famous review of Architectural Education in Oxford. In marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of the University of Strathclyde, the first new university in Scotland for 381 years, we must also mark in that half century the laying down of plans for the new building at 131 Rottenrow. Becoming the Department of Architecture and Building Science at the same time as Tom Markus was appointed to the Chair in Building Science, in 1966. Markus came from the Welsh School of Architecture and brought with him the Building Performance Research Unit he had established there. This had as full time Research Fellows: an architect, a psychologist, an economist, a physicist, a computer programmer, and an operational research scientist - Dr. Tom Maver, who later became Professor, Director of Abacus and Head of Department. The BPRU was to establish the Department as an international leader in developing multidisciplinary architectural design, practice and research. As we complete our first academic year in our new building it is interesting to reflect on changes not only in our physical environment, in 1967 the most sophisticated piece of kit was the hi-fi record player in the office of the Head of Department; but also on the condition of architectural education. As the EU continues to work towards a greater alignment between Member States it has a corresponding impact on registration in an attempt to homogenise the profession across an expanded Union. The essence of that is increased mobility. Those graduates and young professionals produced here are still the most prized in Europe and whilst entrants to the UK Register from home schools is consistent at around 800-900 each year, entrants to the register from sister states has increased from 200 in 2011 to over 500 in 2013. Yet architecture accounts for less that 1% of all UK HE entrants and that number is falling. Thus looking at more flexible routes to entry and thus to the single gateway is essential. The ACE and EU and the potential constitutional changes in Scotland will impact on our profession. A separate Scottish system of regulation and education could also resolve the current tentative relationship between the
ARB and the RIBA. We may at last get our own seat on the Architects Council of Europe. The function and role of ARB is currently being reviewed by the Government– but the questions of how the title of architect is protected, or should it be the function, as the majority of the Profession believe, and the fit with the UK system of registration, has led to on-going competition between the ARB and RIBA. The last major review in Architecture was that Oxford Conference in 1958. Yet now we are all under the spotlight as a profession. The RIBA “has recognised that architectural education has to change and is drafting radical proposals for consultation”. A visionary review is long overdue. A “radical proposal” would be for all of construction’s professional institutes to come together with a seamless multidisciplinary approach to education. Without that we will never discard the straightjacket that is the current silo mentality. There is no need for more consultation. Looking at the graduate attributes necessary for the EU Directive - there is still a great deal of emphasis on the ‘architect’ as envisaged by Alberti six hundred years ago, an individual working within the confines of a professional framework, less on the potential role of architects to shape and lead the wider policy agenda around the built environment. There is a need for counter-models to be considered. Ones that value collective planning and co-ordination, address the wider ecological potentials of architectural and spatial design education, and prioritise common social needs. Innovation can occur in niches we haven’t even thought of yet. This more than anything will further future opportunities for the profession and define its second renaissance skills set. If architecture really is a public art, an essential part of our everyday lives; and if architects mean to be taken seriously, and at a level that convinces all - public and politician alike - of their relevance then we are going to need to be a lot smarter and innovative than to continue to replicate long outdated architectural values. A lot more effort needs to go into ensuring that practices, often young, smaller, intellectually agile outfits, who are already working and innovating in such cross-over environments are given airtime. We are already seeing a increasing number of our students seeking advice on how this architectural education that they are now completing, and that they enjoy, can benefit them in a sector where even good students are choosing not to enter the normal profession. Instead they are looking at history, conservation, property investment and management, construction, community engagement and activism. Critical Dialogues formed the Scottish contribution to the 2012 Venice Architecture Biennale and showcased the work of four emerging practices in Scotland and provides a ‘time-line’ and contextual overview of the development of a distinct architectural culture over the past 30 years. We see here a much stronger role for architecture in Scotland’s burgeoning Creative Industries and the opportunities for greater trans-disciplinary professional synergies, cross-cutting activity and entrepreneurial exchange. It seems to me that’s what Tom Markus had in mind in 1966.
Honours Dissertation - ‘The Gorbals: Full Circle’ Abstract: Over the last century Glasgow’s skyline has changed dramatically. Post-war Glasgow embarked on a construction drive of unprecedented scale and ideology. The utopian values that were engrained in the process of construction have now been lost and forgotten about and today, councillors, and much of the public, are as quick to condemn high-rise mass housing as their counterparts were to condemn the pre-war tenements. The question of whether or not the demolition of highrise blocks is short-sighted is a pertinent one, with many having already been knocked down and others being condemned. The Gorbals area of Glasgow is one that has seen some of the greatest changes in the city’s history. Once a middle class area, the industrial revolution brought mass immigration to the area and the working class population grew rapidly. Poor housing combined with overcrowding saw the Gorbals deteriorate into terrible slum conditions. By the 1950’s, the situation was dire and the Gorbals became Glasgow’s first Comprehensive Development Area. Over the relatively short period of 100 years the Gorbals has gone from an incredibly dense tenemental grid, to high-rise point and slab blocks and has now recently been ‘re-generated’ and has seen a return to a post-modern tenemental form. The Crown Street Regeneration Project was completed in 2000, but the destruction of the post-war mass housing has led to the gentrification of a historically working class area, and the loss of a once strong architectural identity. This dissertation will aim to document the changing nature of the built environment and architectural identity of the Gorbals, the ideologies behind the postwar comprehensive redevelopment of the area and propose the argument for documenting and preserving the few remaining buildings from that era.
MAST Architects Housing Bid, North Lanarkshire
MAST Architects Community Childcare Facility, Cairndow
Mark Kitson
e: mark.kitson.2013@uni.strath.ac.uk m: 07969685275
a: Basement 25 West Princes Street, Glasgow, G4 9BS