Matthew Harrison
Work Portfolio
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BLYTH MARITIME MUSEUM
Following extensive research into the context of Blyth and its history, as well as studying various architects and other discipline designers, I formulated the proposal to create a Maritime Museum that would break through the industrial barrier in Blyth, in order to reconnect its people to the water. The primary exhibit in this museum would be a 50m long submarine that was dockedin Blyth during WWII. The placement of my site was crucial and as I learned from a study of United Network Studio’s commentary on the evolution of culture and commerce relating to free port art galleries, “The moments of conflict are in fact moments of opportunity – where the relationship between culture and commerce can be re-thought and therefore re-designed”(1). This led to the selection of site at the juxtaposition of the four aspects of Blyth’s accommodation, the point at which Ridley Park, residential accommodation, Blyth Marina and the current industry all meet. Connecting and creating freedom of movement between them became a cornerstone of my proposal. This concept of movement was carried through into the site landscaping and design of my building as it features sliding elements of cladding inspired by both the travelling cranes that used to inhabit the site and Diller Scofidio + Renfro’s Shed in New York. These cladding elements are hung from a portal frame that spans
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Here I have summarised my final year architecture project at Newcastle University
a newly created water inlet that acts as the key axis of movement on the site. Reconnecting the people of Blyth to their historic maritime culture was another key driver for my project. I tackled this through not only creating exhibits that talked about Blyth’s boat building history, but also by offering opportunities for hands on experiences such as going inside a WWII submarine and pointers to new and existing workshops that deal with the construction of boats in various materials. Throughout the design process I felt it key to reflect back to the information and skills that I learnt during the various stages of the process. For example the extensive model making craft that I undertook during primer gave me a basis of skills that I could take forward into elements such as the thinking through making week as well as my final models.
Concept sketch showing the connection created between the public park and the water 1 UNStudio. 2018. Culture and Commerce part three: making up - UNStudio. ONLINE] Available at: https://www.unstudio.com/en/page/8107/culture-andcommerce-part-three-making-up. [Accessed 13 March 2018].
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PRIMER and STAGING The project began with a primer phase, where I was tasked with researching precedents related to coastal rescue, in particular life boat houses. Here I was interested in the housing of boats alongside residents and the movement of boats in and out. During these studies I created a model for each precedent and I have featured the best of these, shown in the bottom right corner, a model of FDNY Marine 9. This model making helped me gain a greater understanding of the precedents I was studying My studio also had a focus on cross disciplinary design and here I studied the work of architects, designers and artists in the ways that local crafts can be used to allow a sense of integrity and harmony to both architecture and design. These tasks were carried out alongside a larger project into researching a stretch of the Northumberland Coast between Blyth and Newbiggen. In keeping with the theme of cross disciplnary design, I created a handmade A1 poster to advertise a film which would summarise my research and initial site selection for my staging review. The QR Code here provides a link to this video.
SITE STRATEGY A key part of the project was in the site selection. I chose to locate my building (show in yellow) within the industrial barrier that exisits along Blyth’s waterfront. By doing this I aimed to draw the public through from Ridley Park to Blyth Marina.
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1 Blyth South Beach 2 Industrial Barrier 3 Residential Buildings
4 Area of Influence 5 Blyth South Harbour 6 Ridley Park
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Travelling Crane Blyth Marina Blyth West Pier
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Blyth Tall Ship Workshop Blyth East Pier
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11 Wider Site Axonometric Including My Intervention
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TECHNICAL STRATEGY
I carried out a technical analysis of my building before the design had been fully realsied. This increased the sense of an integrated design strategy that was encouraged throughout third year at Newcastle University. This was very beneficial to my project as it created many design oppourtunites and solutions, which would not have otherwise been achieved. Here I have featured images from my strucutral strategy. In addition my integrated design strategy also considered; Sustainability and Construction, Construction and Material, Environmental Strategy and Fire and Accessibility Compliance
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1 Exhibition Space Substructure 2 Exhibition Space Super Structure 3 Exhibition Cladding 4 Submarine Plinths 5 Submarine 6 Gantry Crane Foundation 7 Inner Structure Ground Level Rails 8 Inner Cladding 9 Inner Purlins Structure 10 Inner Structure Roof Rails 11 Main Gantry Frame Columns and Rafters 12 Gantry Frame Structure 13 Gantry Frame Cladding 14 Outer Structure Ground Level Rails 15 Outer Structure Roof Rails 16 Outer Purlins Structure 17 Outer Cladding
Outer Frame
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Main Frame
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Inner Frame
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Foundations
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Submarine
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Exhibition Space
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Exploded Axonometric
Detailed Technical Section without labels - Scale 1/20 @ A1
FINAL MODEL
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A DAY IN THE LIFE STUDY
Labels refer to images on the next spread
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PARK APPROACH
While wandering through Ridley Park you will be greeted by the vast expanse of glass that makes up the most western facade of my building. This element of glazing will inform you of the public nature of this building thus enticing you in.
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DOWN THE INLET
As you near the building, you will be able to view down the axis of the building through the cafe/bar area and towards the primary exhibition space. In the foreground is an element of landscaping water that is not accessible to the larger sailing boats that can moor in other parts of the inlet. Instead small remote controlled yachts can be placed in the water allowing younger generations to have races adding an element of fun to this public approach.
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CARBON FIBRE REINFORCED PLASTIC EXHIBITION
Once you have entered the exhibition spaces you will feel a lot more enclosed allowing you to have a greater connection to the exhibits. Views are framed looking back to Blyth and out to the water as discussed earlier. This is the carbon fibre reinforced plastic exhibition featuring the stools created as part of the cross disciplinary design, therefore allowing you to get in contact with the material about which you are learning. Internal cladding and handrail guarding will also be synonymus to the materiality expressed in each exhibition space.
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ON THE WATER
During your day trip to Blyth Maritime Museum you may be tempted to either experience a boat trip or attempt sailing for yourself in collaboration with the Royal Northumberland Yacht Club. Ensuring that my building had a presence from the water of similar magnitude as to what it has from Ridley Park was crucial. This was achieved through the creation of the inlet and the open ended nature of the portal frame structure.
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EVENING BAR
In the evenings the space that serves the museum as a cafe during the day is converted into a bar space. Although no furniture will be moved the use of lighting and acoustics will help alter the atmosphere of this space. You can come for a few drinks after an evening stroll through the park or before a night time performance under the submarine.
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NIGHT TIME PERFORMANCE
The steps that lead down towards the water double up as a lecture/performance space with the inspiring imagery of a WWII submarine a constant presence. A temporary stage can be floated into place in order for various activities to occur. Depicted here is a small scale concert that could link in with the sailing festival that would visit Blyth perhaps every 4 years. Also shown in this perspective is the way that the carbon fibre reinforced plastic exhibition space can be lit up at night due to its translucent fibreglass GRP cladding. It exists as a beacon of potential future growth of Blyth through its boat building industry.
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EXPLORING EXPERIENCE
In this project I was tasked with creating a building that celebrated the material of plastic through its construction and its use as an artists workshop and art gallery. The primary ambition of my design was to reconstruct the recently demolished Playhouse cinema of Berwick Upon Tweed. My aim was to recreate its form in a construction that was far lighter and more open than the original building. Having been assigned the material of plastic and after numerous experimentations I decided upon a polycarbonate cladding system for my building. The theory behind this was primarily inspired by buildings such as FRAC Dunkerque, which utilise large yet inexpensive structures of galvanized steel clad in polycarbonate. I also looked to take advantage of polycarbonate’s lightweight and translucent properties in order to create an experience similar to a substantial yet sheltered public square. A key value of my building was that it would successfully break down boundaries between the public and artists, but not so much as to still allow the artists personal space. Having views of the workshop without allowing access was crucial to this as it would inform visitors of the relevant processes to manipulate and recycle plastic without intruding on the artists working conditions. This incremental boundary between public and private was celebrated in the outreach space as here the artists’ would run classes and
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Here I have summarised my second year architecture project at Newcastle University
workshops on the manipulation of plastic and its experiential qualities. All of this aimed to celebrate the uplifting of plastic from its current negative image in architecture and in everyday life. The main response to my context was in utilising the existing slope of the site by having entrances on the ground floor off Sandgate and on the second floor from the adjacent car park. This created a route through the site and with the addition of sliding elements to three of my façades, this added to the open nature of my design. Historical Image of the Playhouse Cinema
Hand Drawn Section Perspective With Textures Added on Photoshop
CIRCULATION DIAGRAM Material Journey
Visitor Journey
As part of my project I created an exploded axonometric which detailed the various routes that the visitors and the recyclable plastic would take through the building. After uplifting of the plastic the visitors can interact with it in the previously described outreach space.
FINAL MODELS