Jonathan Coekin 160068137 Stage Three School of Architecture Newcastle University
The Baltic Community
Future City Design Studio Kieran Connolly & Luke Rigg
Hispanic routes. Her father moved to Liverpool in 1922 when his father got a job working at the Mersey docks, in ‘the biggest, greatest city the world had ever seen.’1 Today, Janet walks her Niece from school to her residence on Jamaica Street.
The day that Liverpool won the Champions league, he was in Madrid, celbrating with 50,000 other Liverpudlians, on the greatest day on his life. Right now, Chris is making a mental note that this is the place that streams big games on a large projector screen. He’ll comeohere next week to watch tball - Chris
Religion - Richard Richard is a pastor at Clubmoor Presbyterian Church, on Cherry Lane. In his 25 years of ministry, he has never found a more
After enjoying the underground music scene during his time at a London University, George never imagined that his home city let alone his local area, the Baltic Triangle would be considered of the most exciting Musicone - George in the UK event space for music. George is especially interrested in discovering new local DJ’s and attending venues with heavy visuals. When his uni mates visit, he makes sure to check the lineup for the next big event at this venue. Right now, George has
Local Business - Jenny Jenny works at the Baltic Bakehouse, on Bridgewater Street. ‘B2’ (as she and her colleagues call it) occupies one of the ‘pods’ at the event space down the road. Today, Jenny is on her favourite shift of the week; Saturday morning. It has become her favourite for the way it makes
Edith was once a competitive ballet r. She hadn’t danced for 30 years before this year. Edith now attends salsa classes here with her husband, Henry, every Thursday. Merseyside Senior Dance Initiativev host classes for her age cateogory at 3:30 on Bridgewater street. Today, their teacher told them that
The Unheard, Heard - Samuel Noramlly, each year Samuel gets the train down to London, to join the ‘Pride’ celebrations at Trafalgar Square. This year, Liverpool’s parade will be bigger than ever and the march is starting in the Baltic Triangle. Samuel and his partner agree to meet their friends for a drink, on Bridgewater Street, before joining the march, proud to be living in one of the most diverse cities in Britain.
Contents 5
Reflective Report 9
Charrette
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Project Primer
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Project Staging
46 Field Trip (Field Trip Case Study) 74 Theory into Practice
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Dissertation
Project Realisation and Synthesis 94 Thinking Through Making 118 Tech Symposium
156 Illustrated Cultural Bibliography 160 Bibliography and List of Figures 161 Appendix
New Notably edited
(Opposite) Author’s site axonometric drawing of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street in the Baltic Triangle, Liverpool
Reflective Report This year has enabled me to develop design principles that uniquely combine my interest in community events and small business with my passion for architecture and urban development. Having grown up in the architectural maelstrom that is London, I have long appreciated the impact of place upon human social identity, especially when architecture fails to respect the history of a community. I was struck by Rem Koolhass’ observations of London’s only identity being ‘a lack of clear identity’.1 I have witnessed this take effect not just in the competitive hostility of ethnic and socio-economic tensions created by careless gentrification, but also in the less obvious damage of social disintegration and demoralisation that accompanies the loss of identity resulting from the needless destruction of historic buildings – when residents feel they, ‘no longer belong here anymore’. My project has been based in the exciting Baltic Triangle district of Liverpool, an area of Victorian industrial architecture being revitalised as warehouses are restored and brownfield sites redeveloped into vibrant venues for cultural events. The evolution of this project has been heavily influenced by the current UK events industry (I work for an events company in London when not at university). Author’s photograph taken on a studio’s site visit to the Baltic Triangle, in Liverpool showing the a commercial block of flats being built on the site of an industrial warehouse
Author’s photograph taken on a studio field trip to Liverpool showing the group engaging with the studio themes of urban development at a precedent for neighbourhood regeneration in the deprived inner-city area of Granby, Liverpool
My Dissertation research (including a visit to a hydraulic power station in Helgeland, Norway) has helped enormously in my understanding of architectural theories of place, which deepened my consideration of the social factors raised by my project for the Baltic Triangle.
Design studio Future City has created an engaging theoretical programme that I have found thoroughly enjoyable (see opposite). Tutors Luke Rigg and Kieran Connolly have been wonderfully supportive, encouraging and approachable throughout the year. I have particularly benefited from Kieran’s vast theoretical knowledge and from Luke’s experience of professional design and technical expertise. (I have also hugely enjoyed having Luke as a tutor for two Stages). Presenting and developing my ideas in conversation with my tutors has proved very constructive and I am proud of the project they have helped me produce. The field trip to Turin, Italy with our tutors was certainly a highlight of my year. This studio has been particularly helpful in encouraging me to engage deeply with a specific site context (the Baltic Triangle), for a particular community of people (the local residents of Liverpool), from the perspective of a particular industry (UK events). Exploring the potential usage of my building for a real client (Clownfish Events) forced me to engage much more seriously with the professional factors explored in my Professional Practice essay than would have been the case with an entirely imaginary client. I believe this has significantly enriched my design. Our studio has observed with sadness the loss of historical architecture to commercial development and gentrifying trends which has separated many people from their social identity (see opposite). We believe this erosion of identity has a significant detrimental effect upon the personal wellbeing and community cohesion of residents. I believe
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Part of author’s construction detail showing the important tole that technical integration played in this design for an events space
that with continued supporting theoretical research, my project offers an important model for cultural re-development of areas of historical significance in cities that offers exciting new purpose without erasing the past. My project speaks directly into current debates about the justice of property ownership in urban centres, gentrification and the demolition of old buildings. In doing so, my project also engages with the current discussion about sustainability in the construction industry. Technical integration has been vital to my design. A form of realisation through testing was required to polish my project’s realisation. Aided by my research into sustainable construction materials (for my dissertation), my pursuit of technical solutions informed key architectural decisions, for example, making provision for the sound and lighting equipment necessary for an events space and recommending ‘de-constructible’ and recyclable materials that would accommodate live events well. (See opposite) I believe one consistent strength in my design process throughout the year has been my experimentation with different proposals for materials. This can be seen in my Thinking Through Making model (which required me to learn new skills in casting and reinforcing concrete, welding, and building a lightweight timber structure with connecting joints). (See opposite). This would not have been possible without the Architecture workshop staff who (especially, Nathan) have been immensely helpful and patient with me across my three years at Newcastle; I have loved days spent in the workshop.
learning new skills such as film production, since this became central to the representation of my programme and design. My Theory into Practice essay helped me realise the importance of film in the representation of my project. (See opposite) A weakness of my design process, of which I have been made aware by my tutors on a number of occasions, has been my tendency to hurry towards big picture design changes rather than taking time to document my thought processes through iteration. This has probably limited my project where my drawings have sometimes struggled to explain to reviewers how I have arrived at a particular conclusion, realisation or drawing. Producing this portfolio over a number of months has helped me learn to more carefully formulate the narrative of my design and to organise my thought processes into a more disciplined and succinct programme. I have pushed myself to work extremely hard for this degree (especially in the context of working in my spare time and holidays for an events company in London). This has given me a tremendous sense of achievement and satisfaction in my project and in my university career more generally. Thank you, Newcastle University School of Architecture!
Another benefit of my design process has been throwing myself into Annotated frames from author’s video ‘Static Shift’ for Project Staging showing the author engaging with a new skill of film production
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Annotated process photograph from Thinking Through Making Week showing the author’s material experiments with construction techniques
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Charrette Week SOFT STUDIO For Charrette - the week long series of creative projects at the start of the year - I was placed in ‘soft’ studio where I, in a team of four, designed and built a piece of furniture for ‘a softer working environment.’ The concept we developed as a team, was for a working, resting and playing. The multi-functional everyday aid could be ‘flipped’ onto any of sides to be used for any given scenario. Some scenarios we focused on included (and were not limited to); working on a laptop, as a desk substitute; resting, providing a soft flat surface to lie or recline on; playing - when laid on its largest side, perfect for sitting close to a low table or in front of TV screen; and finally, screening - in this case (left), a rugby game on my phone (sunk deep into the chair) whilst fitting ergonomically into the chair’s sunken troughs designed for your arms and legs. We eventually named our chair the ‘Easy Squeeze Chair’ (or, when said lots of times very fast, the ‘Squeezy Eames Chair’!)
(Opposite) Photograph of author and a chair that was designed and built in a group of four by the author for ‘Charrette Week’ 8
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Concept and Testing We made use of the beanbags by performing a topple-test with the chair, ‘falling’. We learnt that whilst in the upright position, good posture and an engaged core was needed to keep the chair completely balanced exercising was added to the scenarios. The day before the show was also the day that Wales were playing Ireland in the Six Nations, giving us the perfect opportunity to test our chair’s screening capabilities. Hannah enjoyed a fully immersive (and extremely comfortable) rugby game whilst we finished sewing the last of the chairs complicated seams.
Photographs of author’s material experiments and the head of Art and Design at Sheffield University coaching this Charrette studio in sewing and material choice for designing a piece of furniture for a ‘softer working environment’
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Author’s photographs showing the studio culture in ‘soft studio’ Charrette group showing experimentation (bottom left), brainstorming in a variety of group sizes (bottom right) and testing the functionality of the chair (top)
Photograph of author performing ‘topple’ test and testing the chair for an ergonomic finished product
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(Opposite) Author’s photograph showing ‘The Easy Squeeze Chair’ during the Charrette show in SOFT studio’s exhibition space
The Show... and beyond! Author’s photographs showing the use of ‘The Easy Squeeze Chair’ during the Charrette show - where it was used by over 50 people - and also at the author’s house, where it has been used almost every day since
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For the show, attended by all years across the design school, we furnished our ‘soft studio’ with balloons, cushioned wall finishes and warm lighting. ‘This Easy Squeeze’ chair came into its own not in the show but throughout the following year - it still remains in my living room, warn from use.
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Project Primer My design outputs for my Project Primer were an illustrated exemplar study booklet exploring the design scenario ‘Working in the City’; and a celebratory video providing important context for my brief, setting the scene for my project in the Baltic Triangle district of Liverpool. I used NewBridge Project in Gateshead as my exemplar study; although my representation skills needed refinement, I thought it was successful in priming my project design thinking for playing a role in resourcing the local residential community and for designing a project that accords with the vision of ‘Work in the City’. Learning film production was important at this stage in the year; I was greatly assisted in learning quickly by a one to one coaching session with a professional film producer and by online tutorials. Clearly the quality of my primer would have been further increased by greater experience in this form of representation or by having the finance to provide further professional help. I was inspired by local film artists to develop my own style of representation which aims to portray the socio-historical narrative of a place through film. I was pleased with my final outputs and our studio show (see below) was received very well.
Frame from author’s celebration video on the Baltic Triangle in Liverpool showing the sense of community at a football celebration in Liverpool in 2019 14
(Right) Photograph of author’s final outputs for Project Primer at an exhibition event in Newcastle University School of Architecture 15
Old Town Hall
Exemplar Study - NewBridge Project, Gateshead
The Blue Bell
“The NewBridge Project is an active and vibrant artist-led community supporting the development of artists and curators through the provision of space for creative practice, curatorial opportunities and an ambitious artist-led programme of exhibitions, commissions, artist development and events.”3
Gateshead Metro
I have chosen NewBridge as my exemplar study for this stage of the project because of my interests in community events, a temporal and flexible materiality and social identity.
NewBridge Project
NewBridge have two locations in Newcastle and Gateshead - although I have received helpful input from artists at the Newcastle space, I chose to focus on where NewBridge is based and how it plays an active role in the community of Gateshead. Grey Nag’s Head Annotated image2 of NewBridge Project in Gateshead showing a flexible and temporary materiality and setting the scene for this precedents use as an exemplar study of ‘working in the city’
Gateshead is a community of roughly 200,000 people. The past century has seen the growth of its mining and heavy engineering industry and its more recent decline. Many districts of Gateshead are deprived low income areas with one of five children in Gateshead living in poverty.4 Through their programme of events, the NewBridge project encourages incremental change that engages with the social, political and civic environment in Gateshead.
St Edmund’s Author’s site map of Gateshead town centre at scale 1:2500 showing green spaces and key locations of social interaction. Gateshead High Street has also been highlighted for its significance in the identity of the area, connecting it to neighbouring city, Newcastle Upon Tyne 16
The William IV
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‘Working in the City’ As a scenario from which to approach our Future City studio themes, I chose to focus on ‘working in the city’. The working environment at NewBridge is based largely upon the ‘studio culture’ in art schools and resident artists are encourages to express themselves however they wish to do so NewBridge Project is primarily a working environment for artists; curating exhibitions and other events to promote their work as well as providing membership-based residencies in their on site studios. A timber workshop allows them to build temporary structures for art exhibitions and is used mostly by the artists themselves. Studios, desks, and chairs have also been built in the workshop.
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(Two above and right) Annotated images5 of NewBridge Project in Gateshead showing a flexible and temporary materiality and the studio culture for those working in the space
Working space Creative space Office and services Workshop 18
Author’s axonometric drawing showing the spatial layout at NewBridge Project in Gateshead and integration of working spaces 19
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Materiality - Flexible. Temporary.
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Lightweight timber is used throughout this venue for its low cost a so that the space can easily change or creative events and performances. The temporary materiality reflect the use of the spaces.
Author’s section at scale 1:100 through the temporary work spaces at NewBridge, Gateshead with workers and a dance performance showing materiality and inhabitation 20
(Two above and right) Images6 of NewBridge Project in Gateshead showing a flexible and temporary materiality and temporary structures and installations that have been built for events
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Community Events Newbridge have describes themselves as being ‘focused on collaboration and community’ believing that ‘a supportive network is a key instigator to continued creativity. We instil a spirit of collaboration, collectivity and community in our activity to generate peer learning, critical conversation and social interaction.”7
Reception Studios
As well as running a day-to-day working environment, this sense of community can also be seen in events that NewBridge puts that bring people from across Gateshead together.
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(Two above and right) Images7 of NewBridge Project in Gateshead showing a flexible and temporary materiality and the use of the spaces for events put of for people who live in Gateshead
Author’s drawing of the ground floor at NewBridge Project, Gateshead at scale 1:100 showing the layout of co-working spaces, studios and galleries. Highlighted in red are the stud wall partitions that can be quickly and easily built, moved or de-constructed. 22
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Site Visit: The Baltic Triangle Future City design studio visited the Baltic Triangle in Liverpool on a site visit organised by our tutors. We met with people who work in reactivated warehouse spaces and owners of small businesses that have moved to the Baltic Triangle for these unused spaces I particularly enjoyed a tour around Constellations events venue and particularly like a timber canopy (see opposite) that had been built in an abandoned industrial forecourt, surrounded by disused Victorian factory buildings.
Annotated photograph from author’s site visit to The Baltic Triangle taken inside an event space at ‘Constellations’ (headquarters of an events company and venue space that has converted an old brownfield site)
(Four above) Annotated photographs from author’s site visit to the Baltic Triangle showing the industrial typology of the area and author’s notes on some venues that have converting old buildings into event spaces 24
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Film - Professional Influence
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In their recent book, The High Line,7 the architects behind the 2009 New York development, including James Corner, have documented their design, construction and realisation processes using film clippings that are time and geo-stamped. This tells a story of the city, mapping out the routes where the High Line will be built. This form of representation can be used to show access to my site from the city as well as being an effective way of mapping building typology and materiality over time and location (fig 16-17). In summary, these three professional styles of representation have each influenced my design practice of film throughout this project so far. The result of these influences can be seen in my Staging video.
Aaron Guy and Jim Newrick are local video artists who have influences the way I have chosen to lay out the context for my project with a site case study for the Baltic Triangle. Each present a clear narrative t=in their videos that are both emotive and informative. (Opposite) Annotated images from ‘Extraction Shift’ and ‘Working, Viod’/’II’ by Jim Newrick9 and Aaron Guy10 (both Newcastle based artists) showing the author’s inspiration to produce a film as a celebratory piece
‘The High Line’ - a film and accompanying book by the architects of the New York development also influenced my film. The way the architects have presented the film in their book connects film footage to the site using site maps, frames from the video and time stamps to give the viewer a quick understanding of the site.11
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Extract from Author’s Theory into Practice essay8 including the author’s reading and inspiration from a book by architect James Corner that uses a film ( with accompanying drawings and frames) to tell the story of the film production and to show the project
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For Primer I produced a short film, set in Liverpool and the Baltic Triangle, to explore the themes discussed in the introduction (fig 24). To ensure my eventual design would be rooted in place at an urban scale, I used shots of existing industrial buildings (fig 1) and other historic landmarks to set the scene for the film.
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(Two right) Phtographs of author’s ‘Theory into Practice’ essay in which the author made notes on tracing paper over frames from this video showing reflection and representation skills
Primer Celebratory Video
An important element of my design is the materiality of existing restoration projects, especially those that now host small businesses (figs 3-7). It was clear that these venues and companies were driven by a desire to enrich the local community, as well as growing as businesses. I tried to capture the material and experiential qualities of these spaces as well as their functions by visiting and filming events.
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The Baltic Triangle Liverpool At this stage in the year Future City design studio have begun focusing our design themes around our interests and forming a line of enquiry from which to critique (and to design for) the city. For me, this was a focused site analysis in the form of a video that places my project within the political debate over fairness of land use that threatens the Baltic with a loss of old buildings and a loss of social identity in the area.
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Prior to our first studio visit to Liverpool, I decided to invest in some light camera equipment to shoot for this video. On the day, I noted the large number of construction sites and the exciting atmosphere in the Baltic Triangle. I focused on the materiality and atmospheric qualities of event spaces in the Baltic that seemed to represent a particular social identity in Liverpool and a unique creative buzz about the Baltic Triangle.
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8. Overall, I was happy with my Primer celebratory study of the Baltic Triangle. Using the voice of professor and podcaster, Michael Parkinson4, who narrates the film, I was pleased that a story can be understood about the Baltic Triangle and its community of people and spaces within an urban context.
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As a theme of my film, I decided to juxtapose the existing developments and renovations, with the new building sites scattered across the Baltic (Fig 8-12). This can be seen in fig 9, where a lonely digger is depicted slowly shifting a small amount of dirt, a bare steel frame in the background. There is satire in the way this scene is edited, intentionally left on camera for a prolonged period of time, giving the impression that it is an unwelcome visitor stopping the viewer from proceeding with the film.
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Author’s Project Primer celebration video, ‘The Baltic Triangle Liverpool’ that introduces the socio-political themes that have influenced this project and scheme. (Left) Extracts from author’s ‘Theory into Practice’ essay12 in which the author reflects on the successes of this film and what leaned from the process.
To watch video, press here
Conversations with members of small businesses in the Baltic Triangle and their own stories of concern for the area became the narrative for this video. Each person we met had an acute understanding of an ‘authoritarian regime’ (Koolhaas, 1998) that was to blame for the fast development of the area and each was determined not to lose their place in the Baltic community. The film is Narrated by professor Michael Parkinson, and lecturer at the University and an expert in the history of Liverpool.13
Here, film can be seen as a tool for developing the themes of my design practice at a theoretical stage.
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Frames from author’s video with time stamps and a linking site map of the Baltic Triangle and Liverpool City Centre showing where these shots were captured, at what point they appear in the video and how the video represents Liverpool’s past prosperity using shots of spaces captured by the author whilst on a studio field trip
The Baltic Triangle - Past Prosperity ‘We were the biggest, richest city of the biggest empire the world had ever seen’14 The video begins with this quote from professor Michael Parkinson and tries to convey the former glory of Liverpool’s history as one of the largest ports in the world in the early twentieth century.
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Annotated frame from author’s video with time stamp and authors notes showing how the video displays a ‘narrative’ by returning to walking feet, as if a protagonist is headed for a destination. Ground texture changes are also used to mark chapters in the video’s storyline
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Contemporary Urban Centre Victorian Warehouse Cains Brewery - built 1858
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Frames from author’s video with time stamps and a linking site map of the Baltic Triangle and Liverpool City Centre showing where these shots were captured, at what point they appear in the video and how the video represents Liverpool’s recent decline using shots of spaces captured by the author whilst on a studio field trip
The Baltic Triangle - Recent Decline ‘The City has had probably the biggest cuts of any city in the country’15 The ‘containerisation’ of the port industry in the UK (along with other financial hardships in the past hundred years) has seen the decline of many of Liverpool’s former industrial areas. A lack of investment in Liverpool’s industry has meant that it hasn’t been able to recover from years of austerity*. This has led to the degradation of many of its buildings, especially in areas where building restoration is expensive (like the Baltic Triangle). The hardship in the past 50 years for the people of Liverpool is mentioned by Parkinson, with supporting imagery. Austerity in Liverpool has - perhaps ironically - also meant that many of the industrial style warehouses in the Baltic Triangle have been preserved, simply for lack of money to demolish them. *
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Vandalised wall - School Street
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Typical suburban Home with Liverpool football flag
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Annotated frame from author’s video with time stamp and authors notes showing the protagonist in the film stepping in a puddle signifying a new chapter in the video on the hardships that the city has endured
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Barbed wire on construction site on site of former industrial warehouse 33
Frames from author’s video with time stamps and a linking site map of the Baltic Triangle and Liverpool City Centre showing where these shots were captured, at what point they appear in the video and how the video represents a trend in Liverpool of demolishing old buildings using shots of construction sites captured by the author whilst on a studio field trip
The Baltic Triangle - Demolished and developed industrial sites ‘You can see tower blocks coming up everywhere, in and out the Baltic’16 The problem put to this design studio is that Liverpool must develop and grow, but the current system of development in the Baltic sees historical buildings demolished to make way for faceless commercial buildings, normally flats or offices.
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Common construction site on Brunswick Street
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Frame from author’s video with time stamp showing footage shit by the author on a studio field trip 00:18:37 00:07:12 00:37:01 00:39:20
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Construction site on site of former industrial warehouse
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Frames from author’s video with time stamps and a linking site map of the Baltic Triangle and Liverpool City Centre showing where these shots were captured, at what point they appear in the video and how the video represents a recent trend in the Baltic Triangle of re-inhabiting old industrial buildings using shots of event venues captured by the author whilst on a studio field trip
The Baltic Triangle - Event Spaces ‘Look how far we’ve come’17 The solution to this problem (at least for the narrative of this film) is the restoration and reactivation of industrial brownfield sites into places of a greater cultural and social worth. I chose to focus on the renovated event spaces of the Baltic Triangle because of my personal interest in events and also my concern for the embodied carbon of existing buildings (explored in my dissertation research).
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Brick Street event space in activated brownfield site
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Annotated frame from author’s video with time stamp showing footage shot in Northern Lights events venue in the Baltic Triangle by the author whilst in a studio field trip
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Constelations - events venue and events company headquarters on activated brownfield site. Northern Lights - events venue and affordable artist studios on site of former brewery warehouse 37
Frames from author’s video with time stamps and a linking site map of the Baltic Triangle and Liverpool City Centre showing how the video represents a the new found sense of community in the Baltic Triangle using shots of events captured both on a studio field trip and at event in the Baltic Triangle18
Events for the Collective Community, Not the Wealthy’ ‘We now are on the way’19 Another hugely important problem that must be overcome by this project is concerned with the community (the residents) of the Baltic Triangle and the City of Liverpool. ‘Event’ spaces, especially in large cities like London, can often fall into the trap (or indeed the conscious commercial decision) of creating an expensive culture whereby more wealthy people are attracted to the area for its affluent culture. In this gentrifying trend, the existing residents are ‘pushed out’ of the area by the subsequent rise in property values and/or the price of everyday amenities such as High Street shops or leisure spaces or; because they longer feel the have connection (or an identity) in the area or it’s community. Koolhaas notes that London’s ‘only identity [is] a lack of clear identity’.20 Concert Square filled with Liverpool football fans
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At the NewBridge project local artists host affordable events tailored for the people of Gateshead enriching its local community and not attracting wealthy resident sot the area.
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Annotated frame from author’s video showing the sense of community at a football celebration in Liverpool earlier in the year 00:18:37 00:07:12 00:37:01 00:39:20
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Posters promoting community events by the Baltic Creative and other venues
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Shots from event at Northern Lights - venue and affordable artist studios on site of former brewery warehouse 39
Project Staging During Project Staging, I built upon my case study of the NewBridge Project in Gateshead which I began in Project Primer after attending an event at the venue. This was the opportunity for me to refine my brief around potential events for a community and to ensure a ‘flexible’ materiality for a live event venue. On a second studio visit to Liverpool, I chose my site on Bridgewater Street in the Baltic Triangle, committing to the restoration of an eighteenthcentury industrial warehouse. I went on to complete preliminary site drawings that would later prove vital for Project Realisation and Synthesis. Whilst on a field trip to Turin in Italy, I was inspired by Toolbox, a coworking office space and, Via Baltea, a venue with co-working offices, a community cafe and an adaptive event space to extend the multi-purpose potentials of my site design. Since visiting Constellations (an events venue in the Baltic Triangle) during Project Primer, I have heard news of it’s closure for redevelopment as commercial flats. Reflection upon this change of use (documented in this chapter) challenged me as a designer to avoid this familiar but lamentable loss of architectural cultural identity in Liverpool. I resolved to refine my project brief upon the studio themes of ‘community resilience’ in urban development. My final output for Project Staging, a celebratory video, discusses the evolution of this brief.
Author’s collage of photos taken by the author at a community event (organised by the author, in London) for local businesses and employees to network
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My final outputs for this stage of the project were an in depth case study of Clownfish Events, an events company in London (the chosen client for this project), and an accompanying series of videos which present my chosen site, my (developed) site study from Project Primer and the ’programme’ for my project which builds upon theoretical research.
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Author’s site axonometric drawing of Gateshead High Street and the ground floor of The NewBridge Project during an event that the author attended showing inhabitation and materiality
The NewBridge Project (continued) In December, I attended the Newbridge Project ‘Christmas Party’ as research for this drawing (opposite) that focuses on the inhabitation of NewBridge in Gateshead for a community event. Some materiality is also expressed and photos from the event show how they decorated the interior. (Below) Authors edited photograph of the ‘free entry’ sign outside the event showing a community initiative to host affordable events
Annotated photograph of The NewBridge Project in Gateshead taken by the author when attending a festive event hosted at the venue showing the author’s research into community initiatives
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Author’s section through the NewBridge Project in Gateshead showing materiality, inhabitation with people and the integration of sound and lighting equipment (and decorations) for an event
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(Two above) Annotated photographs of The NewBridge Project in Gateshead taken by the author when at an event hosted at the venue showing materiality, inhabitation and a sense of community at the venue 0
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Field Trip to Liverpool and Turin, Italy A studio field trip to Liverpool (completing research for a field trip case study on Bluecoat Art Centre), the Baltic Triangle (choosing a site for this project) and Turin, Italy (discovering key precedents and broadening my research around the studio themes.
Annotated photograph taken by the author at Pier Luigi Nervi’s Torino Exposizioni Exhibition Hall (completed 1948) on a studio field trip to Turin, Italy showing author’s notes from the trip
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Extracts from author’s Field Trip Case Study submission1 showing the author’s research into typology of art centres and site analysis
B. Typology
Glasgow Centre for Contemporary Art
City Centre Location
Glasgow CCA
Key Social Agendas
Championing local artists
The Whitworth is an amalgamation of a number of separate stages of development that have been undertaken over the past 126 years. Two new wings of contrasting character extend into the adjacent park.
2008 - Page Park
Cultural events at the cinema and theatre with student focus 1,075 events and 26 festivals in 2016
Glasgow
Whitworth Gallery
Whitworth Gallery
Hosts public debates
The Whitworth is an amalgamation of a number of separate stages of development that have been undertaken over the past 126 years. Two new wings of contrasting character extend into the adjacent park.
Music, visual and performance artistic workshop events
2015 - MUMA
Manchester
Assemble were commissioned by Goldsmiths Uni, to create a new public art centre, transforming the former industrial spaces of the Grade II listed Laurie Grove Baths.
Exhibitions, events and education.
Gallery Area
Visitors (per year)
Glasgow CCA
500m2
Spaces
Spatial Strategy
Materiality Ground
First
Second
- Galleries - Cinema - Theatre - Bar - Creative lab - Student club - Event space
24,841
Stone - Steel - Concrete
1,750m2 Whitworth Gallery
Whitworth Gallery
1000m2
- Shop - Galleries - Cafe - Events room - Workshops - Study centre - Walled garden
440,000 (2015)
4,250m2 Goldsmiths
Two extensions – one glass and stainless steel, and the other red brick
Annotated photograph of Bluecoat Art Centre in Liverpool taken by the author whilst on a studio field trip showing juncture between a new gallery extension to the building and the historic facade
Goldsmiths
c. 20,000 1000m2
2,250m2
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At Bluecoat Art Centre in Liverpool, I was most interested in the contrasts between the existing historical building and the materiality of the recent art gallery extension. I noted some of the ways the architect negotiated key thresholds in this design and focused particularly on moments when old materials met with new.
A significant cultural resource for students, and the whole London community
London
2018 - ASSEMBLE
Footprint new/old
Bluecoat Case Study Research
The Whitworth Youth Contemporaries (WYC) initiative.
Goldsmiths
Goldsmiths Contemporary Art Gallery
Glasgow CCA
Field Trip Day One
Part of the University culture
- Galleries - Café - Curators - Studio - Event space Exposed brick - Steel Concrete
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Extracts from author’s Field Trip Case Study submission2 showing the author’s research into thresholds at Bluecoat vvvv
L. Threshold
Bluecoat Case Study Research Sloped approach False entrances route the building to the ground and front courtyard.
This ‘conversation’ between old and new is achieved through the thresholds in this building - discussed in further detail in case study (opposite) - and also through materiality. Open atrium with skylight. Viewing platforms at each level Raw materials on staircases
Thresholds: Entrance/approach Entrance hall/cafe Transitions from existing to new Vertical thresholds Quad
(Above) Annotated photograph of old exposed masonry at Bluecoat Art Centre taken by the author whilst on a studio field trip showing authors notes
Exposing raw building materials, sometimes old meeting new intentionally highlights the warn elemental characteristics of the old materials. A similar visual effect has been achieved on the facade, where geometric lines of stacked new masonry meet the warn edges of the existing bricks and windows. This architect has chosen to celebrate the history of Bluecoat, rather than hide or ‘wash’ over it.
Unfinished
Movement past this ‘threshold’
Transition between existing and new block with view through whole building.
Enclosed courtyard Sliding doors from cafe Four different typologies Landscapping prevention of shortcutting Keeping people there Many shared views
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Annotated photograph of full height atrium and lightwell at Bluecoat Art Centre taken by the author whilst on a studio field trip showing authors notes on the design of the stairs and atrium
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Field Trip Day Two Choosing 66 Bridgewater Street Whilst on the studio field trip to the Baltic Triangle, I chose 66 Bridgewater Street for it’s situation between the historical city centre (10 minutes west) and Jamaica Street (the main road in the Baltic Triangle, connecting the area to the city). Also, the South facing entrance and a car park that receive good afternoon and early evening sun and could be ‘activated’ easily for an event. The high windows capture westerly views on the City Centre and over the River. It is surrounded by quiet cobbled streets with a main road to the west. The large car park space at 66 Bridgewater Street would mean that, if I restored the existing warehouse, excavation could be minimised. The west facade (with it’s thirty-six openings) exhibits a Victorian warehouse design from architects Culshaw and Sumners.
Annotated photographs and frames from film shots taken at 66 Bridgewater Street in Liverpool by the author whilst choosing a site for this project showing the author’s nots on the building
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Photograph of graffiti in the Baltic Triangle taken by the author whilst choosing a site for this project showing the fear within the community of the Baltic that buildings are being lost to new commercial flats or office developments
Image3 of the third floor interior at 66 Bridgewater Street that proved vital in helping the author understand the structure of the warehouse (now understand it to be load-bearing masonry walls with internal timber structure currently using iron column for support)
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Author’s (hand drawn) South elevation (left) and third floor plan (bottom left) of 66 Bridgewater Street in the Baltic Triangle at scale 1:100 (shown here at half scale - shown full scale in appendix) that would later prove vital for producing accurate iterations to significantly improved the finished design of this project
Author’s (hand drawn) West Elevation (left) and ground floor plan (bottom left) of 66 Bridgewater Street in the Baltic Triangle at scale 1:100 (shown here at half scale shown full scale in appendix) that would later prove vital for producing accurate iterations to significantly improved the finished design of this project
Site Readings ”History has an invidious half-life - as it is more abused, it becomes less significant” (Koolhaas, 1998)4 These drawings and photographs show the site that I will restore for this project. In doing so, I will not abuse the history of the Baltic Triangle, but celebrate it, renewing it’s significance in the city by giving it a new cultural identity and worth. (full set of drawings at original scale are presented in the appendix).
(Two above) Author’s photographs taken at 66 Bridgewater Street whilst on a studio field trip showing broken windows and overgrown vegetation at the disused site
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Author’s photograph taken at 66 Bridgewater Street whilst on a studio field trip showing the red brick west facade and vegetation on the dilapidated site
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Field Trip Day Three Toolbox, Turin After travelling to Italy as a studio, the fourth day of the field trip was a chance for us to visit Toolbox; a co-working office space that has inhabited an abandoned warehouse for 10 years. The spaces at Toolbox, each on some way personalised by the company that rents it, have evolved over time in materiality and character. Toolbox offer a variety of tenancy agreements for companies small and large who want to use the space for different lengths of time - one company had been there for five years and another was moving out after just two months. Toolbox sets in interesting precedent for the development of working spaces in future cities. Although the spaces were not originally designed for work, the simple materiality and resident driven character made the most of the space. We all agreed we would enjoy working in a such a creative space.
Annotated photograph taken by the author at Toolbox in Turin showing a simple existing mezzanine that is used by different companies on top and below Annotated photograph taken by the author at Toolbox in Turin showing one warehouse space that Toolbox has planned to convert into another working space and authors notes
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Annotated photograph taken by the author at Toolbox in Turin showing exposed services, high ceilings and large windows in the converted warehouse used as a communal kitchen showing the authors notes and the industrial character that has been expressed through simple materials and light colours
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Field Trip Day Four Via Baltea, Turin Via Baltea is a community centre that we visited on the fourth day of the field trip. This precedent serves as fine example of a venue that has become a pillar of its community, supported by local residents by employing underprivileged refugee staff and putting on events specific to the needs of the area. On the loss of socio-cultural identity in modern cities, Rem Koolhaas laments that ‘this thinning is exacerbated by the constantly increasing mass of tourists, an avalanche that, in a perpetual quest for “character,” grinds successful identities down to meaningless dust.” (Koolhaas, 1998)5 At Via Baltea, it was clear that the only people socialising in the cafe and attending its events were from the local community and (apart from our design studio) there were no tourists in sight. I believe that this has been achieved by the types of events that the venue hosts (specific to local needs) and the personal materiality of the spaces. Photograph taken by the author at Via Baltea in Turin showing Future City design studio eating at the community cafe where we were served by refugees from Turin who have been employed at Via Baltea as part of their initiative to support the local community
This precedent has challenged me as a designer to ‘champion’ the local and to avoid contributing to the ‘explosion of beige’ in Koolhass’ ‘generic city’.6
Author’s line drawing of the community cafe at Via Baltea, Turin showing inhabitation and materiality 58
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Flexible Event Space at Via Baltea This event space at Via Baltea is used to host events for the local community. For example, as we were leaving the event space, elderly couples arrived with kit bags for a salsa lesson. When we were in the space, a local band was holding a band practice. These types of events do not attract tourists and makes Via Baltea a place of cultural significance and of importance to the community which will help it survive as the city of Turin develops.
Photograph taken by the author at Via Baltea in Turin of the event space being used for a local band practice and the movable patrician showing inhabitation and a flexible materiality in an event space
Author’s line drawing of the event space at Via Baltea, Turin showing materiality and a flexible patrician 60
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Co-working Offices and Workshop at Via Baltea A timber workshop at Via Baltea was used as a form of income for the refugee staff employed in the cafe. The staff could use the space to produce figurines and furniture that were sold in the cafe to local residence as support for these underprivileged men and women. This is a admirable initiative and shows an undeniable support for all types of local residents. This is a ‘mantra’ I will to take with me as my project develops. The co-working space at Via was simple yet extensively inhabited by the users. The space was therefore perfect for its use. This space was very different to Toolbox and yet provides a helpful precedent for small-scale shared offices. When we visited, Via Baltea hoped to one day extend these office to provide more space for more local businesses.
Image18 of the timber workshop at Via Baltea used to build furniture at the venue and for community ‘workshop’ events showing figurines made by employed refugees at Via Baltea, to help them make money by selling the products in the community cafe
Author’s line drawing of the co-working office space at Via Baltea, Turin showing inhabitation and materiality 62
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Field Trip Day Five Exploring Turin The fifth and final day of the field trip was a chance for the design studio to explore Turin with planned tours around buildings of interest by our tutors. This was a thoroughly enjoyable day and a chance to get to know all of the members of my design studio better.
(Two above, right and opposite) Annotated photographs taken by the author on a field trip in Turin of buildings visited by Future City design studio showing the authors notes and architectural inspiration
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Constellations, The Baltic Triangle (continued) “But the fact that human growth is exponential implies that the past will at some point become too “small” to be inhabited and shared by those alive. We ourselves exhaust it. To the extent that history finds its deposit in architecture, present human quantities will inevitably burst and deplete previous substance” (Koolhaas, 1998). 7 At this stage in the year, I heard news that Constellations, an events venue that restored an abandoned warehouse on Greenland Street in the Baltic Triangle and a precedent that inspired this project from an early stage, will be closing for development of the site into commercial flats. Annotated frame from author’s Project Primer video of an event at Constellations in the Baltic Triangle with author’s notes reflecting on the venues closure for redevelopment as commercial flats
Author’s drawing and photograph (collage) of the canopy at Constellations event venue envisaged on the site at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the author’s early concept to use a similar form, materiality and covering element in this project
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(Two above) Annotated photographs taken by the author on a site visit to the Baltic Triangle during Project Primer showing the author’s notes on materiality that will be realised in this design at a later stage of the project
As I reflect upon the closure of this venue and on the observations of Koolhaas, I am reminded that the ‘depletion’ of cultural identity in modern cities is inevitable as human populations grow. But, as Via Baltea and Newbridge have modelled (albeit imperfectly), I am charged with a responsibility (in this project and as a prospective member of the architectural profession) to seek a future city that defies this convention and brings identity to urban areas.
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Events Company Case Study Event for local community (organised by the author) and introduction to Video Series Having worked with Clownfish Events for just under 5 years, I was able to carry out this case study with the intention of making the company a ‘client’ for this project. I chose to document the people, spaces and occupation of spaces in a series of ‘interview’ style videos. This was another chance for me to experiment with a new style of film that seeks to present lots of information about the subject and the spaces they are describing whilst showing 66 Bridgewater Street, as a suggestion of its future occupancy. I will use this case study to outline suggested accommodation requirements for my project. Suggested accommodation requirements for community events: - Large open event space to host 100+ people - ‘Kiosk’ style accommodation for bar service and external vendors Annotated photo collage of frames from videos shot by the author showing team members of Clownfish Events and their roles in the company
Author’s photo collage from images taken by the author at a non-profit event (designed and organised by the author) in September at Clownfish Events’ warehouse and offices in London that brought over one hundred members of the local and city-wide community together for a free entry event giving local business owners and employees a chance to meet and network with food (from a local food vendor), drink and entertainment (event company equipment) provided. This shows the community atmosphere at the event and the authors research into this case study subject and community events
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Video One: Workshop and Warehouse Space This video introduces the company through an interview with Matt, the managing director. Kieran, the warehouse manager, and another member of the team, explain what happens in the warehouse. A split screen is used to show of members of Clownfish Events using their current workshop in London alongside shots of the site on Bridgewater street in Liverpool to suggest requirements for a future occupancy at 66 Bridgewater Street.
Frame from author’s video showing a filming experiment carried out by the author using a drone to capture shots of company vans leaving the warehouse for events
Sound recordings taken in the London warehouse and on the site in Liverpool are ‘merged’ to convey a sense of what the atmosphere might be like if this events company were to occupy the Bridgewater site. Suggested accommodation requirements for workshop and warehouse: - Warehouse with floor space for fork lift and 1.2m deep racking - Timber workshop for building new event ideas and furniture for warehouse and offices Author’s video using footage shot entirely by author staging a proposal for new workshop and warehouse spaces for a UK events company at 66 Bridgewater Street To play video, press here
Frame from author’s video filmed at Clownfish Events’ warehouse in London showing Kieran occupying the space
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- Loading bay for five vans with rolling shutter at least 2m (W) x 3m (H) - Racking space for event equipment - Open wall storage for cables and other technical equipment
Frame from author’s video filmed in Clownfish Events’ workshop in London, showing Nathan occupying the space
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Video Two: Co-working Office Space This video explains the use of the office spaces through an interview with Sara, an employee at Clownfish Events filmed at the Clownfish offices in London. Ed, a graphic designer, is named as an example of someone who rents a shared desk in the co-working office in London. Collage of frames from author’s video showing a filming experiment carried out by the author using a drone to show the company office spaces being used in three different scenarios: working in an individual office; team members chatting in the co-working office space; and, a team meeting in the sales ‘blue’ room (the author can be seen controlling the drone from this room)
Videos of the London office spaces are paired on a split screen with shots of the exterior of the warehouse on Bridgewater Street in Liverpool. Other shots of company vans, warehouse and kitchen area provide a wider image of the space and the requirements of an events company. Suggested accommodation requirements: - Single desk office space - Co-working office space with 5 desks (2 desks to be rented by external users) Author’s video using footage shot entirely by author staging a proposal for co-working offices for a UK events company at 66 Bridgewater Street
- Meeting room - Kitchenette and space for team to socialise
To play video, press here
Frame from author’s video filmed in Clownfish Events’ coworking office in London showing Ali occupying the space
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Frame from author’s video filmed in Clownfish Events’ coworking office in London, showing Sara and Callum occupying the space
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DOGMA Architects are a firm focusing on ‘the relationship between architecture and the city by focusing mostly on urban design and largescale projects.’5 In a recent exhibition and book entitled, Loveless, perspectival drawings (fig 14) represent ‘minimal dwellings’6 in modern cities. This is an effective way to explore space and to discuss current issues facing architects and Urban planners, as populations grow, and more is required of our cities.
Film Experiment - Office Spaces This experiment was shot using GoPro cameras attached to the ceilings of each space at Clownfish Events’ offices in London. This video shows people moving through the space, working at desks and walking up and down the stairs. Although this experiment was carried out over an hour, this video only shows a portion of the footage from each space framed together to give an idea of how each room is used.
14.
Audio from Jim Newrick’s video looking at mundane office spaces has been used to emphasise the everyday nature of the video.11 Technically, this experiment was challenging and although I would like to shoot it again with more cameras (removing the need for the wideangled distortion), I believe the desired representation (and critique) of the spaces was achieved.
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Before I had found a way of representing DOGMA Architect’s drawings through film, I watched a scene in the movie El Camino, in which the camera looks down on an entire flat where the protagonist is searching for money in each room simultaneously (fig 15). This is relevant to my theme of ‘working in the city’ and the efficiency of commercial spaces.
Suggested accommodation requirements: - More space to stand and socialise - Larger kitchenette area Edited frame from authors film experiment carried out by the author using multiple cameras to document the use of the space at Clownfish Events’ offices in London and to suggest accommodation requirements for a proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street in the Baltic Triangle
- More space to entertain visiting clients
To play video, press here Extracts from the author’s Theory into Practice essay8 explain how this experiment was inspired by a scene in ‘El Camino: A Breaking Bad film’9 and DOGMA Architects’ critique of spaces in perspective plan.10 74
15.
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Video Three - Event Spaces, Baltic Triangle This video explores nine of the Baltic Triangle’s event spaces using nine simultaneous screen frames. The amalgamation of shots taken at these venues and the overlapping audio from each results in a discussion about the growing event scene in the Baltic Triangle and the speed at which they are born and closed. The Beatles are used as a reference to the culture of Liverpool. An extract of audio from one of the Liverpudlian band’s ‘jam sessions’ controls which windows are hidden and revealed by changes in the music, drum rhythms and guitar riffs. Shots of people walking and a ferry on the water provide a movement to the video that is suggestive of an urban progression. While the venues are caught in a visual fight for places on the screen this suggests the competitive nature of urban development and sites of cultural significance. This film introduces the motif of the ocean, as a symbol of past prosperity and mercantile trade that defined Liverpool a century ago.
Author’s video exploring the flippant coming and goings of event venues in the Baltic Triangle forming a discussion around the fairness of land use and owners in cities Annotated frame from author’s video on event spaces in the Baltic Triangle showing names of venues and author’s notes on the narrative of the video. From a previous video by the author, a quote by professor Michael Parkinson12 speaks to the optimism of the local residents in the growth of culture in the Baltic Triangle. The closure of Constellations in noted and the visual metaphor of the ocean references the past prosperity of the Baltic Triangle during its industrial trade
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Also, a ‘static’ feedback noise is used as metaphors for the conversation between small venues and the urban cycle of development.
To play video, press here
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‘Static Shift’ - Staging Celebration Video ‘Static Shift’ builds upon the themes of urban development and the history of the Baltic Triangle (explored during project Primer) and places Clownfish Events in that story. The events company represents a positive chapter in Liverpool’s development by enriching the city’s culture and encouraging community resilience that fosters a stronger sense of social identity. The hard times that the people of the city have come through is expressed using footage of Liverpool football fans queuing to enter Hillsborough Stadium on April 15th 1989 (on the day of the Hillsborough disaster) and celebrating winning the Champions league in 2019. Liverpool’s progressive industrial history is represented with visual metaphors such as fast moving trains (Liverpool Railway was one of Britain’s first modern railroads) and the ocean (Liverpool was once the most advanced trading port in the world). The video shows event spaces already in the Baltic Triangle that have respected the history of the area in their restoration of existing industrial buildings. ‘Static Shift’ grounds this project in it’s site on Bridgewater Street, in the studio theme of ‘community resilience’ and in my chosen scenario of ‘working in the city’. My programme for progressive urban development and strengthening social identity in the city has also been clarified. Author’s video integrating the author’s footage of Clownfish Events with footage taken by the author at 66 Bridgewater Street and in the Baltic Triangle to summarise this projects realisation of it’s site, client and context To play video, press here
The name for this video references Rem Koolhaas’ declaration that some cities are becoming ‘static’ amid rapid growth and development. (Koolhaas, 1998)13
Annotated frames from author’s video ‘Static Shift’ on event spaces in the Baltic Triangle showing author’s notes on the narrative of the video. The dual screen format shown here sparks conversations between the past and the present, and expresses this projects intent to bridge the gap between the two.
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Before returning from this specific a clichéd term in danger of meaning architectural example to the wider everything and thus nothing.’ In the debate about sustainability in the UK, ‘the extensive and complicated nature of sustainability has rendered built environment, it is important Contents to recognise the gap between public it a theoretical nicety”.11 Preface assumptions and 1 architectural realities, and between reputation Ovre Forsland was constructed with FIGURES large amounts of non-degradable and fact. Within the 3context ofLIST an OF environmental crisis, it is surprising materials and yet has nevertheless 5 that a building celebrated forIntroduction its won sustainability awards because of sustainability employs materials other sustainability factors combined Chapter one: 11 with its essential commitment to that hold more embodied carbon Ovre Forsland Hydraulic PowerIt illustrates a fuel power. (a reinforced steel superstructure non-fossil Station, Northern Norway: an any holding 2030kg/t of CO2 and a vital principle in approaching introduction to modern sustainable reinforced concrete substructure consensus about sustainability – architecture the measures will have to be multiholding 119kg/t) than many suitable 8 substitutes. And it should not be factorial. Chapter two: forgotten that prior to19 being this prize‘Sustainable Architecture’: seeking winning example of sustainability, One must adopt an analytical a definition there was a significant period when methodology that can assess differing, there was environmentally damaging, and often conflicting, standpoints 2.1 The Global Place: high-tech 25 ‘noise, dust, emissions from excavating as diversifiers of knowledge and cities and a ‘quantitative’ approach machines (and helicopters) and other contribute to new ways of seeing, 2.2 Materiality: and the 35 effects on the local ecosystems’9 during in order to offer a reconstructed ‘sustainability’ aesthetic construction. This damage has to be framework for sustainable 2.3 The Healthy Place: humanistic 39 weighed against the enormous benefit architecture. sustainability of power to human society. 2.4 Eco-Centricity: the natural place 43
Dissertation Developing a life-cycle approach to construction This year, my extensive dissertation research has influenced my design in a number of ways. My paper entitled, ‘Sustainability and Architecture: An appraisal of contemporary approaches’, uses a review of current literature on sustainability to form a framework for assessment of ‘sustainable architecture’ and from which to design more sustainable buildings. 2.1 The Global Place: modernisation perspective situates sustainability ‘within a context that is distant and a ‘quantitative’ approach Whilst reading around the subject, I was particularly challenged by a 3 terms of subchapter is focused upon inCarbon’ 16 space and time’. It is lecture from This professor John Kinsley on ‘embodied and by the grounded in scientific data and is policy-oriented approaches toof ‘reuse writings of Guy and Farmer on the technologies and recycling’.17 concerned with propose This affirmedsustainability my decision that to restore the‘science existing warehouse on mythe site globalisation of ‘new technologies that are more and technology’ as ‘the that solutions and helped develop a visual language celebrates its restoration.
2.5 The Cultural Place: lessons from 49 This ‘gap’ between public assumptions the vernacular about sustainability 55 and the reality 2.6 The Social Place: appropriate of what is being built and called design ‘sustainable’ by architects needs to be explored. Sustainability is clearly Chapter three: 59 a complicated measure, and many Conclusions: reconstructing a bemoan the ‘variations’ of ‘social, framework for architectural students political, cultural and economic assessing ‘sustainable architecture’ factors, as well as… ‘individual factors’ influencing the debate. 3.1 Closing statements 65 10 Indeed, many researchers express their BIBLIOGRAPHY 69 of the term frustration that, “misuse means that sustainability has become
7. Authors on-site drawings and images exploring materiality and texture Simon Guy, “Cultures Of Architecture And Sustainability”, Building Research & Information, 33.5 (2005), (p.5). 11 Mike Kelly, Paul Selman and Andrew Gilg, “Taking Sustainability Forward: Relating Practice To Policy In A Changing Legislative Environment”, Town Planning Review, 75.3 (2004), p.309. 10
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8. From Bloomberg website, showing their pride in a recent award from BREEAM for sustainability.
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Extract from the author’s dissertation paper on ‘Sustainability and Architecture’ showing the author’s critical case study analysis of a prize-winning building for sustainability in Northern Norway and the paper’s contents page that shows the authors line of argument
Extract from the author’s dissertation paper on ‘Sustainability and Architecture’15 showing the author engaging with current debate about sustainability in architecture and more widely with the architectural profession 1
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Simon Guy and Graham Farmer, Reinterpreting Sustainable Architecture: The Place of Technology, Journal Of Architectural Education, 54.3 (2001), p.142.
Sara Cook and Bryn Golton, “Sustainable Development Concepts And Practice In The Built Environment - A UK Perspective”, Sustainable Construction, 1994, 677-85.
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Simon Guy and Graham Farmer, Reinterpreting Sustainable Architecture: The Place of Technology, Journal Of Architectural Education, 54.3 (2001), p.142. 4
Ibid. p.142.
to environmental problems’.1 Cook intelligent than the older ones and that benefit methods the environment’ on the and ofGolton explainI chose that more such sustainable As a direct result my research, of thepanelling existence- that of Iurban construction,theories such as‘recognise CLT timber also scale. explored during environmental and want totechnologies that seek to Stage One and Stage Two problems - and progressive There is an ‘optimism in the reduce a buildings embodied carbon over it’s entire life-cycle. solve them through the management institutions to of the environment’. This approach adaptability of I was also challenged the‘objective Living Building Standard to accommodate environmental claims to bebyan analysis Challenge account for [of the nature], energy and useda in a buildings deconstruction and was rational scientific demands’. This is achieved with introduced tomethod’ the importance of ‘de-constructibility’ in my design,quantitative’ opting systems of quantifying our effects on ‘overwhelmingly to use materials and recycled once 2 such as ETFE that can be taken apart through which ‘success is expressed it. used, whilst also performing adaptively for events.in numerical’ terms.4 Located in the This approach is concerned with our Global Ecological space, ‘what is global place. Guy and Farmer outline required [here] is the formation of that ‘a key feature of the ecological an international political consensus modernization paradigm’ is ‘its around the need for centralized globalizing viewpoint’. Concerned national and global action’… ‘that with ‘an ethical responsibility prioritises energy efficiency with to distant humanity or future global concerns’.5 generations in maintaining both the 81 stability and resource richness of the Some architects are confident globe’, this ideology lends itself to that technology is the route to the idea that ‘the only possible way sustainability. Thomas Herzog’s out of the ecological crisis is by going approach is ‘using renewable forms
Project Realisation and Synthesis This latest stage of my Project conceived of it’s realisation as co-working offices and warehouse spaces for Clownfish Events with a community cafe, a series of key and ancillary spaces designed for live events, and storage for the day-to-day running of a modern UK events company. As my project approached realisation I produced a short video, narrated by me, which introduces the project, site and programme. I have also realised and integrated detailed technical aspects of my building through experimentation with materials (as shown in my model studies and Thinking Through Making Week outputs). This was enhanced by the research for my Technical Symposium report. The synthesis of my project was achieved mainly by representing its ‘inhabitation’. This involved specifying the types of events that could be hosted at the venue and is illustrated in my final outputs. These include a 1:50 site section (which identifies user profiles), detailed plans, a site axonometric drawing (also showing the surrounding building typology) and a ‘day in the life’ study (outlining the potential everyday usage of all the spaces). There are obviously some limitations to my project, and the processes involved in preparing it, which are inherent to the specificity of every project. Designing for another scheme would have brought some different learning experiences. But given my own current interest in community events and urban revitalisation I am delighted with the learning process and proud of the outputs of this project. Author’s render of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street 82
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‘Community Resilience’ Video introducing Project, Site and Programme A short film narrated by the author introducing the proposed development of 66 Bridgewater Street and introducing Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle as the site for this project. The programme for this project (that will encourage community resilience and avoid gentrifying the Baltic) is also explained by the author. An interview with Professor Michael Parkinson1 - an expert on the history of Liverpool and lecturer at Liverpool University - sheds light on the problem of land ownership in the area that has seen the sad loss of lots of old buildings to commercial flats or office blocks. This project will join the movement of small businesses, cultural art venues and independent event spaces that have renovated some of these buildings to sites of cultural significance for the residents of Liverpool to use and be proud of.
Author’s video summarising the site, project and programme for the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street in Liverpool’s post-industrial district, the Baltic Triangle (Two right) Annotated frames from author’s video showing the author’s process of hand drawing and the author inhabiting drawings for this project
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The Baltic Triangle is at the heart of a 21st century movement within modern European cities that is now under threat of being snubbed out by large scale commercial developments and by the loss community culture to gentrifying trends.
To play Video, press here
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(Opposite) Collage of author’s drawings of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the author’s refinement of the design and the richness of that inhabitation at the proposed rejuvenation site in the Baltic Triangle, Liverpool
‘Community Resilience’ - Accompanying Drawing “What if this seemingly accidental - and usually regretted homogenization were an intentional process, a conscious movement away from difference towards similarity? What if we are witnessing a global liberation movement: “down with Character!” What is left after identity is stripped? The Generic?’ - Rem Koolhhaas in ‘The Generic City’2 This proposed restoration of a disused site in the Baltic Triangle, Liverpool, which would otherwise probably be demolished in the near future, not only safeguards some of the cultural history of this disused site, but adds a distinctive and exciting new chapter to the continuing story of the relationship between the Baltic triangle and its community. Indeed, the drawing opposite combines digital and hand drawings (including technical realisations of this design) to create a celebratory representation of my scheme that defies ‘homogenisation’, rejects ‘similarity’ and refuses to surrender the Baltic Triangle to becoming ‘generic’. As shown by the accompanying time lapse video (see previous page), the hand drawn elements to this piece were completed over the course of three months and the digital elements over the course of one academic year. The drawing charts the evolving realisation of this project and the thought processes behind my design decisions (illustrated by my quick sketches and note taking).
Part of Author’s ground floor plan (pencil) of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the author’s notes on design and inhabitation of the spaces (full drawing provided in appendix)
This scheme seeks to embody a socio-cultural consciousness of the importance of architectural history in the identity and wellbeing of urban communities. It represents a small but defiant challenge to the homogenising virus of ‘the Generic’3 that threatens to continue infecting modern trends in urban development.
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Site Analysis The Baltic Triangle is situated in Liverpool. The coastal city (on the East coast of the UK) receives a South-Westerly wind and an average yearly rainfall of about 800mm.4 66 Bridgewater Street (in the Baltic Triangle) is an existing Victorian warehouse and car park that once hosted a sail merchants in the midtwentieth-century. Although surrounded by only local (and cobbled) roads with few vehicles, Chalenor Street (the main road connecting Liverpool to it’s Eastern districts and beyond to Manchester) runs to the west of the site - this creates noise pollution that can be heard from the site. Jamaica Street (The main road in the Baltic Triangle that connects the area to the city centre) is situated to the east of the site. Local prevailing winds approach the site (from across the river) from the South-West. (See left) The proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street will utilise views over the City and across the River Mersey. An ETFE cushion facade system enclosing the main event space will provide sound a weather proofing, whilst also making the most of afternoon and early evening sun. (See left) Author’s annotated site map of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street and part of the Baltic Triangle with nearby locations and the author’s notes the site constraints showing how this building has been designed in response to this site
Local building occupations include a brewery (attached to 66 Bridgewater Street), a KFC drive through, a bakehouse and museums on the historic Queens Dock. As a venue that will hold events for the residents of the Liverpool and the Baltic Triangle, it’s location between the two areas is advantageous.
Author’s annotated collage of maps to form a site map of Liverpool’s historical downtown, City Centre and the Baltic Triangle showing with the author’s notes of other nearby sites 88
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Author’s early concept sketch (in section) of a proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the author’s early designs for spaces and how they might be used
Author’s early sketch (in section) of a proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street inhabited with people at an event for local businesses in the Baltic showing the author’s earliest conception of a ‘canopy’ and how it might be used to activate a space for events
Early Concept Sketches Designed for Community Events In response to the studio themes I explored over Project Primer and the scheme that I developed over Project Staging, the concept for this project was conceived through design iterations for community events and the running of a modern UK events company. These early sketches show that this project was designed to accommodate for events that bring the Baltic community together and also for an events company.
Photograph of author’s early massing (sketch) proposal in section through the existing warehouse on Bridgewater Street showing author’s concept of activating the car park for events and the early decision to hollowing out some of the existing warehouse space for use by an events company (the form of neighbouring buildings has also been considered here)
Author’s render of proposed co-working offices at 66 Bridgewater Street showing how the author’s early concept sketches of the office on the third floor were realised
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Author’s render of proposed covered event space at 66 Bridgewater Street showing how the author’s early concept of extending a structure from the existing warehouse over an event space was realised
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‘Thinking Through Making Week’ Reflection ‘Thinking’ through the process of ‘making’ has been a hugely effective form of concept development and iteration throughout this project. I have spent lots of time in the workshop producing mode studies and experimenting with materials. This week of exploration was a chance for me to do just this. My final model built upon my Parti drawing (opposite) that I produced early in the year - the central idea of this project to subtraction from the existing site and extending a new development towards the city centre and the river beyond. A key ‘theme’ of this model was the activation of the resulting spaces from this process of massing. I was pleased with the output for this week of experimentation with materials and construction techniques - although the finished model was extremely heavy and took three people to take it to the photo room for to be photgraphed.
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This redevelopment combines new offices, event space and warehouse within a pre-existing industrial building (for an events company to host community events in partnership with local charities) with a new café, bar, recording studio and moveable ‘pods’ under and an exciting timber-framed canopy.
Project Declaration
Site Constraints
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(Above) Photograph of author’s completed model for Thinking Through Making Week with integrated battery powered lights and a lightweight timber structure that extends out from under the solid structure away from the model
Photograph of author’s process sketches that were used to build the final output model for Thinking Through Making Week (shown opposite) showing the author’s concept of transition from rough to smooth surfaces as a signifier of old and new structures, to expose red brick as a reference to the existing Victorian structure on Bridgewater Street and the idea to weld a steel ‘node’ to support the timber structure (see the realised model opposite)
Views to City Centre and River
This model (above) builds upon one of the author’s early Parti drawings (right) that shows the removal of mass from an existing heavy body and stretches it out (responding from to the site) towards the city centre to form a reactivated space of cultural significanceNoise main road Prevailing winds
Recieves most sunlight
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This brief summary of site constraints outlines some key challenges
7 This diagram reveals the project’s intention to both preserve the historic character of an old site while
Process These images document some of the tests that I performed during thinking through making week and show consideration of construction techniques that I used to experiment with materials at a smaller scale.
Annotated Process photograph of; reinforcing steel wire being cast into the concrete structure of the author’s ‘Thinking Through Making Week’ final model to support the cantilevered design and; foam disks cast to create sockets for battery powered light fixtures to appear ‘sunk’ into the structure - this shows the authors early concept of integrating lighting equipment that will later be realised in the design of this project
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Annotated Process photograph of author’s large concrete cast for Thinking Through Making Week being protected from the rain showing the author’s experimental approach to model making
Annotated Process photograph of a steel ‘node’ that the author welded (based on a common ‘flitch-plate’ joint for glulam timber structures) showing a new skill adopted by the author and the early conception of a timber structure that would later be realised in the design of this project
Process photograph of author’s ‘Thinking Through Making Week’ model during the process of chipping away at the cast concrete structure to expose red brick that the author cast into the concrete to signify the character and warn texture of the existing warehouse on Bridgewater Street - this is early evidence of the author’s intention to preserve the existing warehouse and to celebrate its history through the design
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Finished Model As I had observed at Bluecoat Arts Centre in Liverpool, I hoped to convey a ‘threshold’ between the light and heavy elements being realised in my conceptual drawings and to contrast the material qualities of an industrial red brick building with a new lightweight canopy that ‘interact’ with each other. I have done this by building a canopy that reaches under a cantilevered concrete and brick composite structure. The conceptual ‘event space’ in the created alcove has been ‘activated’ using battery powered light fixtures that are early suggestions of the use of the spaces in my project and the integration of technical event equipment into my design.
Photograph of author’s final ‘Thinking Through Making Week’ model showing a finished steel connector that was cast into the concrete structure and was structurally similar to a ‘flitch-plate’ joint commonly used in glulam column and beam construction - a similar joint would later be realised in this project’s design
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Photograph of author’s final ‘Thinking Through Making Week’ model showing the relationship between a lightweight timber structure and a heavy concrete and brick composite structure. This image highlights the warn and damaged qualities of the concrete and the light cleanness of the timber - this juncture would later become an important technical realisation for this project
Photograph of author’s final ‘Thinking Through Making Week’ model showing evidence of the author chipping away at the concrete structure to reveal the red brick that was cast into the concrete. Capturing the aesthetic quality of rough raw materials when viewed under artificial light, this image serves as a celebration of the rejuvenation of old buildings
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Author’s early sketch of evening sun coming through the canopy into the proposed covered space at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the authors use of the detailed site drawing produced during Project Staging as a base drawing to trace over
Form Development Response to Site Constraints and a Structural Seminar
Photograph of author’s early sketches at a structural seminar showing the author considering the placement of structural columns to support the large timber canopy in this project
The conceptual ‘covering’ of the proposed main event space in this project and it’s ‘flexibility’ of for events was developed across the whole year. These images show how it has evolved throughout the design process. The image below shows my early notes on the potential uses of a covered space for events and also the concept of a courtyard space in responses to the site constraints.
Author’s incomplete render of the proposed covered space under the canopy at 66 Bridgewater Street showing how the concept of allowing late evening sun into the space began to be realised
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Photograph of author’s early Parti drawings showing consideration of site and key formal decisions to remove from the existing warehouse, extend the new development towards the City Centre and to ‘activate’ the bottom two floors of the existing warehouse at the site on Bridgewater Street
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Author’s early sketches of diagrid canopy structure and notes from tutors about the integration of guttering and openings in the structure for ventilation showing design iteration and the author’s developing understanding of timber structures
Photograph of author’s early development sketch of proposed spaces at 66 Bridgewater Street (in perspective section) showing the concept of a covered space being ‘activated’ by a canopy
Designing a Diagrid Timber Canopy: Help from a Structural Engineer During the Technical Symposium week, Graeme DeBrincat (a structural engineer at ARUP) kindly had a one to one session with me to help design my canopy, refining it’s structural integrity and aesthetic form. I am grateful to Graeme for explaining the following design process to me: The ‘rhythm’ of the structure in my realised canopy derives from the repetition of the internal timber columns of the existing warehouse on 66 Bridgewater Street. First, this column structure was ‘repeated’ across the car park space before structurally strong triangles were drawn across the space to connect supporting beams. This same geometry was then applied to the rest of the canopy with consideration for the site conostraints and opportunities. Whilst also being heavily informed by; a timber canopy at a local venue (Constellations); the ‘macro’ and ‘micro’ climate at the site on Bridgewater Street; the form of local industrial pitched roofs (and at 66 Bridgewater Street); and use for events; this engineering strategy helped me realise the eventual form of the structure.
Author’s inhabited render of proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the realised form of the canopy structure with ETFE skin and timber framed glass panels in this design
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Photograph of the author’s sketches showing some of the author’s extensive research notes on the geometry of the complicated proposed canopy structure at 66 Bridgewater Street
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Physical Model Studies Early Concept Modelling - 1:200 Site Model The surrounding site in this model was made on a timber router (with street names routed onto the model). The buildings were made by me and a group from my studio with nearby sites. My massing model studies were made using foam and white card to allow me to make quick iterations. Developing the form of my building on this site model was important in ensuring that my building was designed in context.
Annotated photograph of 66 Bridgewater Street on the author’s 1:200 site model with a foam and card massing model showing iteration, triangular ‘openings’ in the canopy and the flow of people through the site (in orange)
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Annotated photograph of author’s 1:200 site model with foam and card massing model showing the author’s concept to close off and activate the ground and first floor of the 66 Bridgewater Street site
Annotated photograph of author’s 1:200 site model with the existing warehouse at 66 Bridgewater Street and an un-built office block that is currently under construction on a nearby site included in this model to design for the site as will look in the future
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Annotated photograph of author’s 1:200 site model with the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street and people inhabiting the surrounding public space showing inhabitation of reactivated ‘covered’ space (with sunlight shown coming through canopy onto the space) and scale 104
Annotated photograph of author’s 1:200 site model with the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street and people inhabiting the surrounding public space showing scale and the inhabitation of covered space and landscaped public realm
Annotated photograph of author’s 1:200 site model with people inhabiting the proposed main event space at 66 Bridgewater Street showing inhabitation and scale
Annotated photograph of author’s 1:200 site model with people inhabiting the proposed main event space and ancillary space showing inhabitation during an event and scale
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1:10 Timber Canopy and ETFE Model Study
This model was an experiment with the atmospheric qualities of ETFE and how it might be integrated into the timber canopy structure of my design. Although this model lacks realistic understanding of the substructure required for an ETFE cladding system, this served as an effective testing model, forcing me to engage with the geometry of the canopy and also to carry out light tests using later model studies. Also, it is clearly helpful for me as a designer to visualise structural details by experimenting with materials. After building the timber frame, it was used as a mould when using the vacuum former to create the ETFE forms with acrylic plastic sheets. (See below)
Author’s workings while building this timber structure (built to scale and using the same geometry of the proposed canopy for this project)
Photograph of author’s 1:10 model study of the proposed timber canopy structure and ETFE cushions showing the author experimenting with ‘openings’ in the canopy and how light interacts with the material
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(Three above) Photographs of author’s 1:10 model study of the proposed timber canopy structure and ETFE cladding system showing the author engaging with ETFE as a construction material and performing light studies to see how this material would effect the atmosphere of an event space below 107
1:10 Facade Detail and Sunlight Study This model was produced in order to experiment with the use of corrugated steel as a facade material. I bent the steel sheet myself (see below) and engaged with construction techniques (see opposite). I performed sunlight studies (see below) using my scale model of my diagrid canopy structure (at the same scale as this model) to show the atmospheric qualities of the proposed spaces in this design.
Photograph of author’s 1:10 facade detail study of a corrugated metal facade with light being shone through a 1:10 canopy structure showing the author’s experimenting with light inhabitation and how the facade might look on the site, when sunlight comes through the canopy above
Process photographs of author’s 1:10 construction detail model showing the author bending the currugated metal sheet by hand and the author staging a sunlight experiment with this and a previous model
Annontated (collage) photograph of author’s 1:10 facade detail study of a corrugated metal facade system - timber ‘sliding’ elements, battens and cross-battens (and other construction materials/membranes) and a battery powered light show the author’s understanding of scale and construction techniques, this programme’s intention to create ‘flexible’ spaces for events and the author beginning to integrate lighting systems 108
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1:5 ETFE Study Moving up in scale from 1:10 to 1:5 in my experimentation with ETFE as a construction material encouraged me to explore the use of an operable ‘membrane’ within the cushion that allows for light and solar levels to be regulated - a result of my technical explorations. (The timber element to this model was left in the workshop before the building was locked and so the structural element remains unfinished as an experiment with the ETFE cushion alone, it serves as a successful material experiment).
Photograph of author’s 1:5 scale experiment with the unfinished ETFE elements of this model showing how warm event ‘festoon’ lighting bounces off the shiny undulating surface of ETFE cushions as an experiment to imagine the atmospheric qualities under the proposed canopy during an event
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Process photograph of author’s 1:5 scale experiment with ETFE showing the scale timber mould used in a vacuum former to produce the form of the ETFE cushions (this mould and rest of 1:5 timber canopy study we not able to be presented with this model study)
Annotated photograph of author’s 1:5 ETFE model with a ‘membrane’ inside the cushion representing the smart membrane researched by the author that can regulate the amount of sunlight that gets into the proposed main event space at 66 Bridgewater Street showing research into ‘flexible’ materials for an events venue
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1:100 Model and Evening ‘Light Spill’ Study This model was created using mdf timber, foam and paper card. A laser cutter was used to add fenestration to the existing warehouse façades and a timber ‘set’ was built to capture ‘warm’ light coming from the building. Engaging with the Bridgewater Street site at scale 1:100 was a helpful tool for visualise the impact of my design decisions. As a result of this model, I decided to restore the existing windows on the west facade of the warehouse. The light study performed with this model shows how the proposed building might look with its lights on at night, perhaps for an evening event, exploring a moment of ‘character’ in the design of this building as I begin to consider the inhabitation of it’s spaces for event.
Photograph of author’s evening ‘light spill’ study using 1:100 model of the proposed changes to 66 Bridgewater Street showing movable ’pods’ that can slide through the space to accommodate different event scenarios
Annotated photograph of author’s 1:100 model of the proposed changes to the existing warehouse at 66 Bridgewater Street showing; the development of the spatial layout in this design; the author’s decisions to preserve the existing south facade, knock through some of the existing windows (the author later decided to renovate these windows instead) and to create large openings on the ground floor to encourage horizontal movement through the site; the author engaging with technical strategies; and the site’s relationship with Bridgewater Street
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Integrated Construction (Opposite) Author’s Technical Section and Part Elevation Study from the author’s Integrated Construction submission showing the author’s rigorous attention to technical resolution of the timber panel construction and the joints that hold the glulam canopy together. (Opposite - above the section and part elevation study) Author’s two drawings at scale 1:1 (this image has been scaled down) showing the steel substructure that holds the ETFE cladding system to the timber frame and also shows how a guttering system might be integrated into this substructure showing the author’s extensive research into construction materials and the author’s design intentions being brought into motion
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Technical Report The following pages present extracts from my technical report5 that I produced for an ‘Integrated Construction’ module. Research for this report has significantly influenced the key structural detailing in this design and thus the overall refinement of my project. Some key structural moves that were realised in this report include the integration of a glulam and steel node structure for my canopy, an ETFE cladding system for the wrap of my canopy, a CLT timber panel construction and a system of integrated guttering for rainwater retention. In response to the challenge put to me by my Dissertation research to reduce the carbon footprint of my design by consider the embodied carbon of construction materials across their whole life-cycle, I used this report to discover the potential for ‘de-constructable’ design that can ensure the re-use or recycling of materials after their use. These include an ETFE cladding system and recyclable timber elements. Another important role that this report played in this project was to encourage me to consider how ‘flexibility’ could be realised in the design of the main event spaces. Lightweight timber movable ‘pods’ have been integrated into the design here and also accommodation for event sound and Lighting systems has been considered. This report has enriched the inhabitation of my building and improved the overall synthesis of my project.
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Extract from author’s technical report showing the realised technical integration of the proposed CLT structures at 66 Bridgewater Street
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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION The diagrams below show the CLT structure, raft foundation, recycled corrugated steel 'twin-facade' system and exposed CLT interior finishes within the public cafe space and bar service hatch. This facade system provides a second skin for effective heat regulation during both hot and cold weather.
1:20 Section
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These diagrams detail the structure and footing of my glulam lattice canopy and the ETFE skin used at two important moments in the design. And, to clarify the intended usage of this space – a diagram of the aluminium truss suspended by a steel anchor and fitted with event speakers, lights and a projector is included (fig. B).
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Fig. A shows a vertical bi-folding opening as a hatch for a bar service. Small layers and membranes in the 1:20 wall detail have been enlarged to a standard 5mm and coloured in to make the waterproofing layer clear (fig. B). A concrete raft slab foundation has been chosen with a total floor thickness of 300mm including insulation, an underfloor heating system and a polished concrete floor finish (fig. C). Rejecting the option of designing a 'false finish' and creating a services barrier behind wall and ceiling finishes, I have chosen to expose the services in this building and surface mount them onto the bare CLT using steel conduits. This decision was made both to evoke the industrial history of artisan workshops in this space (fig. D) and to reduce the carbon footprint of this build.
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To avoid rot, the glulam column will be kept separated from potentially wet concrete and has been given a steel footing (fig. A). This detail is also considerate of the eventual deconstructability and recycling of the frame; this is important in reducing the carbon footprint of these materials over their entire life-cycle. A high level of detail is provided here of the ETFE steel substructure and internal build-up (fig. C and D) including a representation of the membrane within the cushion that will regulate the amount of sunlight allowed to enter the space through a technology using air pressure to open and close small perforations in the skin. This is drawn at scale 1:1 in my larger drawing and is explored further in sections 3.1 and 4.
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Perspective of diagrid at node and ETFE cushion connection
Extract from author’s technical report showing a summary of the proposed structural systems at 66 Bridgewater Street
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Structural Strategy Construction Sequencing
Structure
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The key structures in this project are an existing loadbearing masonry wall (that will be supported by glulam timber columns and beams), a CLT wood panel structure and a Glulam timber diagrid canopy (supported by glulam timber columns).
Extract from author’s technical report showing the realised technical integration 1 of the proposed ETFE and steel sub-structure at 66 Bridgewater Street 5 2
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Structural Strategy Construction Sequencing
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The key structures in this project are an existing loadbearing masonry wall (that will be supported by glulam timber columns and beams), a CLT wood panel structure and a Glulam timber diagrid canopy (supported by glulam timber columns).
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This exploded axonometric drawing shows the connecting structures in this project. The colour key in this drawing informs the colouring of the other drawings on this page.
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This image, from Foster and Partners, demonstrates the layered structural system of the ETFE grid supported by Glulam diagrid. Unlike this precedent, my project has a smaller canopy with smaller weight and tension - requiring steel nodes only at the key junctions between the major supporting beams and columns.
The glulam column grid in figs. A and B support the timber structure above it through connection points at the troughs of the pitches canopy. Extra columns have been employed at the NW edge of the site to support the largest lattice sections. Additionally, in accordance with the recommendation of a structural engineer, an extra column will be attached to the peak of the largest pitch in the canopy on. Again, upon the advice of a structural engineer, the glulam beams that form the SW edge of the pitched canopy have been thickened (to 300mm) to prevent warping - this is shown in orange below the ETFE steel substructure (in pink).
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Case Study | Crossrail Canary Wharf, London
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Fig. A and B are drawings from Foster and Partners which formed an important precedent for the design of the ETFE structure. Fig. C is a 1:20 scale drawing of the footing at the bottom of one of my Glulam columns. Fig. D is a 1:2 scale drawing of the ETFE build-up (scale bars above) - labelled in greater detail in my 1:20 technical detail.
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Primary Existing warehouse structure: loadbearing masonry walls and internal timber structure currently with iron columns for reinforcement
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Secondary Glulam timber lattice canopy
Tertiary Movable ‘pods’: Lightweight timber frame structure
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Extract from author’s technical report showing a construction sequence in the proposed development of 66 Bridgewater Street
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Extract from author’s technical report showing a proposed deconstruction sequence at 66 Bridgewater Street and research into the use of temporary event structures at the site
Structural Strategy Construction Sequencing
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The key structures in this project are an existing loadbearing masonry wall (that will be supported by glulam timber columns and beams), a CLT wood panel structure and a Glulam timber diagrid canopy (supported by glulam timber columns).
RIBA Stage 7: Use
Construction Sequencing A
Structural Strategy Construction Sequencing
The key structures in this project are an existing loadbearing masonry wall (that will be supported by glulam timber columns and beams), a CLT wood panel structure and a Glulam timber diagrid canopy (supported by glulam timber columns).
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Stage 2: - CLT construction takes place over 2-3 weeks with minimal disturbance to local neighbourhood and a small workforce. - Glulam columns are also installed. - Cladding for permanent structures are installed. - Existing interior work continues.
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Stage 5: - ETFE substructure is installed using the same crane and a larger workforce - ETFE gutter system is installed - ETFE cushions are installed
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Stage 2: - CLT construction takes place over 2-3 weeks with minimal disturbance to local neighbourhood and a small workforce. - Glulam columns are also installed. - Cladding for permanent structures are installed. - Existing interior work continues.
Stage 5: - ETFE substructure is installed using the same crane and a larger workforce - ETFE gutter system is installed - ETFE cushions are installed
Timber frame 7 These drawings show the site before and after construction.
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Events often require flexibility for new temporary structures so an event space like this can be expected to change constantly. This kind of construction is not covered by the RIBA plan of work 2020, despite becoming more common recently.
After the site has been excavated (fig. A), the raft slab foundation will be poured and the concrete plinths for columns and CLT walls set. Parts of the existing building will be removed and the rest supported by iron columns during construction. CLT construction (fig. B) happens over a 1 - 2 week period with a small workforce and minimal disturbance to the local neighbourhood. Glulam columns will then be fitted and the timber canopy constructed (fig. C). Once the ETFE skin has been applied, the internal furnishings will be installed.
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The future deconstruction of this project is important when designing sustainably, remembering the full life-cycle of the materials used. The images above show how some of the materials could be deconstructed carefully for recycling.
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Extract from author’s technical report showing micro-climate response and the integration of a twin-facade system in the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street
The diagrams above show the annual average wind speeds on the site - and the sun-path, shown here at 5:20pm on the summer solstice to capture the latest time when overshadowing can begin to occur on the site.
This section demonstrates a few ways in which I plan to achieve a U-value of 0.12 (passive house standards) in my CLT structure as recommended in the KLH 'Component catalogue for building a passive house'.
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This page outlines how this project will utilise the large surface area of it's ETFE canopy by collecting rainwater in a sustainable system that will reduce the running costs of the building as well as reducing use of the mains water supply for everyday needs such as cleaning vans and other equipment.
Rainwater Retention
Technical Strategy: Twin-Facade System A
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Sustainability Strategy Environmental Design
Extract from author’s technical report showing the realisation of a proposed rainwater retention scheme and integrated guttering system at 66 Bridgewater Street
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The axonometric drawing above shows the annual rainfall in Liverpool, and demonstrates how the canopy collects this water using a connected system of gutters that all lead to an underground attenuation tank. This tank is used to provide water for the underfloor heating system and also for the general water usage of the building.
Although ETFE reduces light transmission and will limit the solar gain under the canopy, it does not remove all solar gain. This could result in overheating of the space, especially where 'direct' sunlight meets occupied spaces, like the facade to the public cafe. One response to this challenge has been to employ a twin-facade system whereby warm air is allowed to rise up behind the cladding, drawing cooler air in from below - as well as providing effective solar shading. This method of passive cooling is shown here with a 1:10 model (A and B). Having realised from personal construction experience that the battens behind the facade would probably be laid vertically and then horizontally (in order to mount the profiled cladding most easily) - I have made the adjustments detailed in 1:20 detail (fig. C). 11
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Technical Strategy: Guttering A
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The figures above show how the guttering for collected rainwater has been integrated into the design of the glulam columns (fig. A), the steel node connector for the timber canopy (fig. B), the glulam beams in the canopy (fig. C) and in the ETFE steel substructure (fig. D - this guttering can be seen in greater detail in my 1:20 detail drawing).
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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION
Extract from author’s technical report showing the realisation and integration of the key structural moments the proposed canopy meets the existing warehouse at 66 Bridgewater Street
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Studio Specific Technical Research
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Extract from author’s technical report showing a key precedent for ETFE and the realisation of a sub-structure for the proposed ETFE cladding system at 66 Bridgewater Street
Studio Specific Technical Research
ETFE provider
Canopy and Existing Warehouse
Canopy and Existing Warehouse
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ETFE provider
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Sustainability Strategy Environmental Design
Solar Regulation
Key Moments
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Integrated solar technology automatically regulates light levels
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This axo. diagram shows where the A and B above relate to the scheme. ETFE provider
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B: This section shows how the canopy comes into contact with the existing warehouse building. These are separate structures.
Canopy and Existing Warehouse
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This axo. axonometric diagram shows shows where where Athe and A and B are B in above the scheme. relate to the scheme. A: Axo. Perspective of corner view where of the canopy window meets where thecanopy existingmeets warehouse existing - the masonry. layers have been drawn back to show the soft rubber joint between the timber canopy and the masonry. The flashing can also be seen here. axonometric shows where A and B are in the scheme. B: This axonometric diagram shows the threshold where the canopyThiswill A: Perspective meet B: This ansection existing shows window. howItthe appears canopy ascomes though into thecontact canopywith continues the masonry. view of the window where canopy meets existing into the interior existing warehouse events building. space,These though are inseparate fact the window structures. simply stops. B: This axonometric diagram shows the threshold where the canopy will
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Lead apron flashing secured with lead wedges
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An external canopy with an ETFE cladding system allows for levels 17 20 of sunlight, synthetic light and airflow to be regulated by an operable membrane within the ETFE cushion. Larger openings in the canopy to the north encourage a steady airflow all year round and avoid glare from the sun in summer. The 1:10 model study above shows how levels of light and shading can be regulated using this new technology. The 1:5 model study below this highlights the built-in membrane that will be used to regulate solar gains and light levels.
Rubber sealant
Canary Wharf Crossrail, London
Pillows comprise of extruded ETFE films which with 2, 3 or 4 layers Fully integrated aluminum perimeter clamping Translucent flexible pipes at the pillow nozzle is ABS, UV stable PVC pipe or galvanized spira Waterproof and acoustic baffled air supply unit blowers for redundancy and industry leading p
Perspective of diagrid at node and ETFE cushion connection 1
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This diagram explicates the operable membrane within the ETFE cushions that determines how much natural light gets into the covered space. This technology uses air pressure within the cushions to utilise perforations in the 'skin' to control the levels of light and solar rays in the space. This is like a 'third-skin' to the built spaces providing impressive levels of control. This diagram also details expected sound propagation, heat transmission and condensation during large events - mitigated by the large openings at either end of the canopy (as demonstrated at Foster and Partner's Crossrail Place).
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Station, retail units and public park
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Perspective of diagrid at node and ETFE cushion connection
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Project information
Introduction
The axonometric diagram above shows the ETFE skin on the canopy.
Building type:
May 2015
Station, retail units and public park
Visual gap from below Brick wall 21 29
Crossrail is the largest transport project in Europe, connecting London from east to west with nine new stations and 42 kilometres of new tunnels under the city. While the Canary Wharf Crossrail Station will be operational only in 2018, the overground structure, including four levels of retail and a landscaped roof park has been open to the public since May this year. As part of a collaborative design project, Foster + Partners designed the roof and external facades of the overground structure, including the retail facades. The structure is unified by a timber diagrid roof which curves around the building like a protective shell. At 310 metres long, with dramatic arches cantilevering 30 metres over water at each end, it is one of the longest continuous timber roofs in the world.
technique was developed by Arup to form the perimeter walls and a concrete superstructure was then built to house the station level and four higher levels of retail units with a public landscaped park on the top floor. The Crossrail station lies below the water level and only two floors of retail and the public park are now visible, linked to the dock edges by bridges. The retail floors, just opened, include shops, cafés, cinema, health centre and other amenities, and have built-in flexibility, with double-height entrances, to accommodate changing needs.
The imageCanary below shows an important precedent for this project Wharf, London CrossrailCanary Place, Foster Client: Wharf Group PLC and Partners. I have visited this buildings many times – both it's construction in 2013 and since it's completion in Design architect: Foster +during Partners Executive architect Associates 2015. TheAdamson atmosphere within the structure has excellent acoustics and Structural engineer: Arup balanced temperature control. Location:
meet an existing window. It appears as though the canopy continues into the interior events space, though in fact the window simply stops.
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Station, retail units and public park
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System Components
Canary Wharf Crossrail, London
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Radiated heat from temperature of cushion
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Sound Station, retail units and public park
Rubber sealant
Studio Specific A: Axo. of corner where canopy meets the existing warehouse - the layers have been drawn back to show the soft rubber joint between the timber canopy and the Technical masonry. The flashingResearch can also be seen here.
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Canary Wharf Crossrail, London
ETFE Substructure
Membrane System
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Lead apron flashing secured with lead wedges
Research / Functionality
AFP-System
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Technical Strategy: ETFE
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Studio Specific Technical Research
This section demonstrates a few ways in which I plan to achieve a U-value of 0.12 (passive house standards) in my CLT structure as recommended in the KLH 'Component catalogue for building a passive house'.
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Structural engineer (glulam):
Weihag
Main contractor:
Canary Wharf Contractors
Glulam supplier and manufacturer:
Weihag
EFTE cushion manufacturer:
se-austria
Timber elements:
Diagrid structure
Timber species:
FSC®-certified spruce
Awards:
2015 London Construction Awards, London Building Excellence Award
The glass and steel office towers of Canary Wharf stand amidst docks and waterways where sailing ships once unloaded their cargoes. The timber roof is clad with translucent ETFE cushions, acting as a counterpoint to the steel and glass towers of the offices nearby. Studies showed that the only suitable position
The diagrid roof, clad with translucent air-filled ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) cushions, arches over the landscaped park and curves downward at the sides to partly enclose the retail levels. When open at night, the park will be lit, illuminating the timber lattice from below and creating a welcoming glow through its translucent ETFE outer skin.
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Detail section at node and ETFE cushion
Excellent for sports arenas, aquatic facilities, c A: The 1:10 ETFE test model. corrosive environments and special effect ligh B: The 1:5 ETFE cushion model created using a timber frame vacuum former.or transparent designs requiring l 02. andTranslucent up to 13’ (4m) and beyond and impressive leng C: NOVUM detail of an ETFE ultra lightweight aluminium clamping.. 03. Ideal for freeform surfaces, triangles and nonp Key
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System Attributes Case Study | Crossrail Canary Wharf, London
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ETFE cushion
Key Adonised aluminium cover extrusion 1. ETFE cushion Adonised aluminium base extrusion 2. Adonised aluminium cover extrusion Condensation drip catch 3. Adonised aluminium base extrusion Primary air pipe 4. Condensation drip catch Support bracket 5. Primary air pipe Air pipe to cushion 6. Support bracket Electric services 7. Air pipe to cushion Glulam diagrid beam 8. Electric services Galvanised steel node 9. Glulam diagrid beam Galvanised steel end plate 10. Galvanised steel node 11.
Galvanised steel end plate
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Ultra lightweight cladding with a self 125weight ty The ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) mater diverse climates and is UV resistant Membrane thickness and air pressure can be o
Case Study | Crossrail Canary Wharf, London
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Extract from author’s technical report showing the realisation and integration of an event AV (sound and Lighting) design for the proposed development of event spaces at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the authors understanding of accommodating for event spaces
Extract from author’s technical report showing the integration of movable ‘pods’ into the proposed event space at 66 Bridgewater Street as a ‘flexible’ materiality is realised
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Structural Strategy Construction Sequencing
RIBA Stage 7: Use
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Studio Specific Technical Research
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This series of diagrams above shows how the movable 'pods' will reconfigure the event space. The canopy has been removed for clarity. As can be seen, the pods will be motorised on steel tracks, controlled by mechanical switches mounted upon the existing building wall.
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The key structures in this project are an existing loadbearing masonry wall (that will be supported by glulam timber columns and beams), a CLT wood panel structure and a Glulam timber diagrid canopy (supported by glulam timber columns).
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22 The drawing above shows the integration of the venue AV (sound and lighting) into my design. The products have been chosen based on current event trends - the image below was taken at an event earlier this year. My previous experience of working with such contact anchors and automatic hoists has helped considerably in this design. This high spec design does not limit the space to production based events, but would offer high quality production capacity for events that require it.
In Fig. A, pods are moved to provide for an open layout connecting the inside and outside event spaces Fig. B depicts the configuration of pods to create a more intimate space for a smaller event. In this scenario, hatches could be open on both sides of the pods, for catering Fig. C depicts an arrangement for creating a walk-around piazza with the pods open at multiple points
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The projector in the top left of this pictures can display split images, videos, text and colour-washes to the back of the ETFE, transforming its appearance at street level (fig. C and D). To provide suitable 'flying' capacity within the event space in the existing warehouse, a suspended truss has been integrated into the design, appearing to be an extension of the canopy into the existing building. Visually, this contributes to the compelling intrigue of this design, in the conversation between old and new functions in this space.
Fig. D shows them moved all the way under the existing warehouse, opening up the full canopy space 20 126
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The Baltic: Site Integration Axonometric Drawing The Baltic Triangle - dubbed the number one ‘coolest place in Britain’ by one editor of The Times1 - is the site for this project. With it’s history as one of the great powerhouses of British industry, the area has many abandoned factories and warehouses. This project hopes to restore one dilapidated warehouse (previously a sail merchant) and reactivate it as a site of cultural value in the City. The axonometric drawing opposite looks directly North, showing the proposed development on 66 Bridgewater Street. The inhabitation of this drawing shows different types of people on different journeys from, to and through the Baltic. The site is viewed here at a cultural meeting place for the people of the Baltic. The site’s relationship to the City Centre is shown here with crowds of people drifting out of the drawing towards the City, connecting the Baltic to Liverpool’s historical centre. As discussed in Project Staging, this project, on 66 Bridgewater Street uses it’s spaces to enrich the local culture and ensuring it is a ‘pillar’ of the Baltic community, resilient against further commercial development and supportive of local business and residents.
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Author’s site axonometric drawing with proposed development of 66 Bridgewater Street and the inhabitation of the Baltic Triangle showing this building as a ‘pillar’ of the local community
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1 Queens Dock 2 Chaloner Street 3 KFC Drive Through 4 Love Lane Brewery 5 Baltic Bakehouse 6 Jamaica Street
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Authors site elevation with nearby sites and proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing it’s site integration, proximity to main roads and response to local building typology
The Baltic Community
Football - Chris Hispanic routes. Her father moved to Liverpool in 1922 when his father got a job working at the Mersey docks, in ‘the biggest, greatest city the world had ever seen.’6 Today, Janet walks her Niece from school to her residence on Jamaica Street.
The day that Liverpool won the Champions league, he was in Madrid, celebrating with 50,000 other Liverpudlians, on the greatest day on his life. Right now, Chris is making a mental note that this is the place that streams big games on a large projector screen. He’ll come here next week to watch
Music - George After enjoying the underground music scene during his time at a London University, George never imagined that his home city let alone his local area, the Baltic Triangle would be considered one of the most exciting in the UK event space for music. George is especially interrested in discovering new local DJ’s and attending venues with heavy visuals. When his uni mates visit, he makes sure to check the lineup for the next big event at this venue. Right now, George has
Religion - Richard Richard is a pastor at Clubmoor Presbyterian Church, on Cherry Lane. In his 25 years of ministry, he has never found a more productive place to write his sermons than in the cafe on Kitchen Street. The owners even let his church run an evangelistic event in their cafe, in January.
the smoking area watching the visuals being projected onto the side of the venue.
Culture - George George grew up in liverpool. His father worked 2 minutes away, as a ferryman, and George went to school 10 minutes down the road, where he enjoyed music. In 1958, at 14, George and his friend, John, started a band that played in these very streets. They would later called that band, The Beatles.
Education - Juliet Juliet recently became a mother. She had never thought she could afford nursery, and had intended to wait until Oscar was old enough to go to Junior school. Her friend Micheal, however, community Nursery that met on Kitchen Street, and convinced her to give it a go. The people who ran the Nursery were lovely, and the venue were so accomidating. Juliet thinks it ‘very cool’ that Oscar goes to nursery in the Baltic Triangle, of all places!
Edith was once a competitive ballet dancer. She hadn’t danced for 30 years before this year. Edith now attends salsa classes here with her husband, Henry, every Thursday. Merseyside Senior Dance Initiative host classes for her age category at 3:30 on Bridgewater street. Today, their teacher told them that she and Henry would be moved to a more advanced class next week - she must remember to put the new time in her diary.
Local Business - Jenny Jenny works at the Baltic Bakehouse, on Bridgewater Street. ‘B2’ (as she and her colleagues call it) occupies one of the ‘pods’ at the event space down the road. Today, Jenny is on her favourite shift of the week; Saturday morning. It has become her favourite for the way it makes her feel as though she is in the centre of the city’s culture. She has never interracted with such a variety of people with whom she probably wouldn’t otherwise have had the chance to meet. Each shift, she serves roughly 200 customers, most of which now recognise her and stop for a chat. Tomorrow, at the pub, Jenny will tell her old school friends with some pride that she plans to continue working at B2 for the foreseeable future.
The Unheard, Heard - Samuel Normally, each year Samuel gets the train down to London, to join the ‘Pride’ celebrations at Trafalgar Square. This year, Liverpool’s parade will be bigger than ever and the march is starting in the Baltic Triangle. Samuel and his partner agree to meet their friends for a drink, on Bridgewater Street, before joining the march, proud to be living in one of the most diverse cities in Britain.
Client - Nathan Nathan studied technical production at college and went on to work for an events company in London as a sound engineer. As a self-proclaimed ‘nerd’ when it comes to ‘AV’ sound and lighting, Nathan was particularly excited by the facilities at the comapany’s new headquarters, in Liverpool. Nathan spends long hours in the studio, editing video clips for their weekly vlog and, occasionally, recording and producing music for his own music channel.
Homeless - Malcom
Education - Luke Luke lives in London and teaches Architecture at a University. Each year, he brings his students to the Baltic Triangle, as the setting for their design projects. Today, Luke is visiting a project that one of his students went to on to complete. He will bring his next tutor group here in October, proud of the part that he had to play in the design of this project.
Malcom has been homeless for about 3 years. In 2019, he arrived in Liverpool and now stays because of his new prospects here. Each Monday and Wednesday, Malcom works shifts at the Kitchen Street Cafe and returns each day at 6 to queue for soup. In 2 weeks, he has a job interview at a restaurant in the City Centre with his new CV (that Jenny helped him write).
“The Generic City is on its way from horizontality to verticality. The skyscraper looks as if it will be the final, definitive typology” (Koolhaas, 1998)7 Author’s site section through the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing inhabitation, user profiles and the socio-cultural value of this site to the Baltic community. This drawing presents a picture of a future city that is not ‘beige’ or ‘generic’ but vibrant, unique and ‘horizontal’. This drawing celebrates this project in all it’s ‘horizontality’
1 Loading Bay 2 Event Space 3 Community Cafe 4 Kitchen and Bar Service 5 Main Event Space 6 Movable ‘Pod’ One 7 Movable ‘Pod’ Two 8 Movable ‘Pod’ Three 9 Recording Studio 10 Van Car Park 11 Main Warehouse 12 Wood Workshop 13 Office
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(Above) Author’s line drawing of proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street with members of the homeless community queueing outside the cafe on Kitchen Street for soup showing this building is a pillar of the Baltic community
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Author’s line drawing of the proposed covered event space at 66 Bridgewater Street with a light display being projected onto a building facade and members of the public exploring the space showing its use when there is no event on
Author’s drawing of proposed ground floor plan at 66 Bridgewater Street
1 Multi-use Mezzanine (shown here as cafe seating area) 2 Multi-use Balcony (shown here as seating area and DJ set) 3 Workshop Mezzanine
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(Above) Author’s line drawing of the proposed event space in the existing warehouse at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the aluminium truss structure in use and the inhabitation of the space during a music concert
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Author’s line drawing of the proposed balcony at 66 Bridgewater Street looking onto the main event space showing the use of the space during a music concert
Author’s drawing of proposed first floor plan at 66 Bridgewater Street
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Author’s drawing of proposed second floor plan at 66 Bridgewater Street
1 Office and Team Meeting Room 2 Co-working Office 3 Kitchenette and Seating Area
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Author’s line drawing of the proposed co-working office space at 66 Bridgewater Street with ‘crazy golf’ hole (designed specifically for Clownfish Events for entertaining clients) and inhabited desks showing the day-to-day use of the space
Author’s drawing of proposed third floor plan at 66 Bridgewater Street
A Day in the Baltic Setting the scene The weather forecast for tomorrow is bright sunshine all day, and the Baltic Triangle in Liverpool is set to be thriving. At 66 Bridgewater Street, the unsung community cafe on Kitchen Street will be open and will serve soup to Liverpool’s homeless community in the afternoon. An elderly dance class will occupy the event space in the existing warehouse and in the evening, a large live music concert will take place under the canopy, in the venue’s main event space. Clownfish Events will be running as normal, with five vans coming and going from both private and community events across the city. The offices on the top floor of 66 Bridgewater Street will be running their businesses as usual.
Author’s site axonometric drawing of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the inhabitation of the building and surrounding public spaces (the canopy and existing warehouse roof have been removed to show the main event space and the third floor co-working office)
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Liverpool’s PRIDE march will begin in the Baltic Triangle tomorrow and can be seen from this venue as it passes down Bridgewater Street towards the city centre. Tomorrow, there is only one place to be. A new day in the Baltic is about to begin...
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6:30am (Opposite) - Part of Author’s site axonometric drawing showing pedestrians passing the site, the inhabitation of one of the ‘pods’ in the main event space and the inhabitation of the co-working offices
6am - 9am Waking up with the Baltic It is six in the morning when the Baltic wakes. Workers cycle down Bridgewater street, headed for the City Centre (see left and opposite). 30 minutes later, the noise of a rolling shutter cuts through the sound of seagulls as Ali arrives at the Clownfish Events warehouse on Bridgewater Street to load his van and leave for an event. By eight thirty, Callum has arrived at work to greet Jenny, who has already been serving coffee for a couple of hours to commuters (see left and opposite) from the hatch of ‘pod two’ and unlocks the existing warehouse front entrance. At a quarter to nine, Sara watches the morning ferries departing the docks from her desk window in the office at 66 Bridgewater Street (see opposite). As the hour approaches nine, the Clownfish team have arrived, locked up their bikes in ‘pod three’ (see opposite), made a coffee from the office kitchenette and are making their way to the meeting room, ready to start another exciting day in the Baltic.
6-7am (Two above) - Author’s renders of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing commuters on their way past the site to work in the City Centre showing this projects integration into the daily life of local residents 144
8:30am - Part of author’s site section through the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the inhabitation of the movable ‘pods’ (ground floor), warehouse storage space (second floor) and the co-working offices (third floor).
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1pm - Part of author’s site section through the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street inhabited with members of the LGBT community on Bridgewater Street showing that the building is central to the community in Liverpool
11am (Left) - Author’s render of the proposed community cafe at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the inhabitation and atmospheric qualities of the space - the exposed CLT interior finish is also shown here
9am - 2pm Socialising inside (and outside) 66 Bridgewater Street At nine o’clock, people are congregating in the open spaces around 66 Bridgewater Street (see left). The benches outside the building are a popular meeting place for local dog walkers and friends heading into or out of - town for breakfast, or just a stroll through the Baltic. More people arrive, now from further away, on the bus to the west and from the train station to the east. At midday, visitors meander through the site, exploring its pockets of space, each with its own unique display of sunlight coming through the canopy above (see left and opposite). The atmosphere in this space is buzzing; the hiss of a coffee machine from a service hatch; the smell of freshly baked bread from another; the excited sounds of people looking and pointing at the PRIDE colours being projected onto the ETFE facade and onto the indoor building façades (see left and opposite). There is an air of excitement around. 9am (Opposite) Part of Author’s site axonometric drawing of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing people congregating in the public spaces around the building and in the main event space
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12 noon - Authors inhabited render of proposed covered event space at 66 Bridgewater Street showing materiality (including projected lights onto buildings facades) and that this is a site of cultural and social value
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2pm - 7pm Co-working offices and event spaces High above the bustle of the event space below, the sales team are working away. Matt entertains a client with a competitive game of crazy golf - “best of 5.” (See left and opposite) Local graphic designer, Ed, who’s renting a desk in the co-working office, looks out of his window (see left). From up here, the dramatic structure below seems to reach out toward the historic city centre and to the passing ships just beyond. Inside the existing warehouse, a group of elderly couples are having a salsa lesson and will soon make way for the events team to begin preparing the main space for tonight’s live music concert. 5:30pm (Above) - Author’s render of proposed co-working office space at 66 Bridgewater Street in perspective plan showing the inhabitation and materiality of the spaces
4pm (Left) - Author’s render of proposed co-working office space in the at 66 Bridgewater Street - with ‘crazy golf’ hole, designed specifically for Clownfish Events showing the view from the windows and the material and atmospheric qualities of the space
2pm (Opposite) - Part of Author’s site axonometric drawing of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing the inhabitation of the main event space and the co-working offices on the third floor 148
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10pm - Author’s 1:100 physical model study of evening spill light at the proposed development of 66 Bridgewater Street with surrounding buildings (edited with people walking towards the site) showing that this building has social and cultural value, bringing people together
(Opposite) Part of author’s site axonometric drawing of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street showing a Clownfish van arriving at the site and projected graphics onto the west facade ETFE cushions
7pm - 3am Night in the Baltic At seven o’clock, the events team run their final audio and lighting tests as the local DJ sets up on the balcony of the main event space. Nathan returns to 66 Bridgewater Street in a Clownfish van from his nearby event (see left) and will operate the sound desk for tonight’s live music concert. A local food vendor has arrived, parked his van across the road, and is unloading his food into ‘pod one’. He will serve food at tonight’s event. As the sun goes down, those who pass 66 Bridgewater Street will see tonight’s event’s art graphics projected onto the west facade (see left). By ten in the evening, crowds walk towards a vibrantly lit venue (see opposite) and queue along Kitchen Street. By midnight, 66 Bridgewater Street has come to life. The west entrance is opened, and the pavement gated off, forming a large smoking area with seating under the trees, backlit by the venue’s colour and the muffled thud of the music inside. Passers-by can instantly sense the hype. This is the Baltic at its very best. At 3 in the morning, 66 Bridgewater Street is empty. The following morning, Kieran and Callum will arrive at seven thirty to clear away the cabling and clean the space (see opposite) before opening the doors at nine for another day in the Baltic. 7:30am (Left) - Author’s render of the proposed development at 66 Bridgewater Street looking from the first floor balcony onto the main event space showing Kieran and Callum clearing the space after a music concert the night before 150
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Illustrated Cultural Bibliography
Author’s photographs taken at an event for the local community in London (organised and designed by the author) showing research undertaken for a case study in Project Staging
Author’s photographs taken at IAAPA event convention in Florida showing research into temporary event structures and a lightweight easily de-constructed timber diagrid structure that influenced the design of this project’s timber canopy
Images of author’s sketchup model for an exhibition stand for events company showing extra curricular research and developing an understanding of temporary structures (design with an aluminium truss structure shown on left) and design for engaging spaces
(Opposite top) Photograph of author at London’s Excel Centre in front of exhibition stand designed by author showing a realised design that was successful for its purpose of engaging over 7000 people across three days
This year I have worked two days a week (and full time during holidays) for an events company in London. When I was encouraged by my tutors to make the company the client for my project, I began documenting the use of their company offices, warehouse and workshop spaces. In order to produce videos as the site analysis for this project, I very quickly learnt how to use a film camera and how to edit film. This required a one to one session with a professional film producer and several on-line tutorials, to develop a skill which has heavily influenced the representational form of this project throughout. To further develop this design skill, I produced a video each week for 20 weeks documenting the everyday workings of the events company. I also decided to organise an event for over 100 people (see opposite) as part of my research for this project (documented in Project Staging). This required a sophisticated understanding of events and how spaces can be flexibly used - which was enormously helpful in my project design.
(Opposite bottom) Photograph of author on an event in December documenting Clownfish Events as a client for this project and developing skills in filming as research for use in this project
As part of my research into temporary event structures, I accepted an exciting opportunity to attend the world’s largest event exhibition at a convention centre in Florida where I discovered many creative ideas which have informed the design of the canopy in my project (see opposite). I used some of the skills I have acquired in this degree to design and build an exhibition stand at the biggest event trade show in the UK at London’s Excel Centre. I ended up using the same aluminium truss that I designed with for my project which was included in my technical symposium booklet (see opposite). The stand had to be uniquely designed for its promotional purposes and functioned very well across the three days (winning the Exhibition’s ‘Best Stand’ award). While these excursions are open to the charge of not being academic in nature, I have found engaging with such practical realities enormously helpful in realising my projects design and appreciating the value of my academic work.
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(Top Left) Author’s photograph showing ‘Neverland’, London; a multi-use, evolving urban beach previously a brownfield site and showing the author’s research into spaces that change over time and use lightweight, flexible materials (Top Middle and Right) Photograph’s of the author at a casting workshop; a skill that would become useful in developing model studies (documented in Project Realisation and Synthesis) (Bottom Left and Middle) Author’s photographs taken at a collaging workshop developing representational skills
Illustrated Cultural Bibliography As part of my dissertation research, I travelled to Northern Norway to visit Ovre Forsland Hydraulic Power Station. This trip required extensive planning and took 3 days to get to Helgeland in Northern Norway (it was then a 4 hour hike to get to the remote site high up in the mountains).
(Opposite) Photograph of author in the Helgeland District of Northern Norway undertaking research for Dissertation paper
As part of my research into cultural event spaces in cities, I visited a number of disused sites in London that have been converted into culturally valuable places of social interaction. One of these spaces was a brownfield site converted into an urban ‘beach’ - which I have documented over three years. These creative flexible event spaces have influenced the materiality of my design. I attended Thinking through Making seminars to develop skills in casting and in collage (see opposite). I also attended a Structural Seminar (see opposite) that helped me understand the complex structure of the canopy in my project and the connections it would require.
(Bottom Right) Author’s photograph taken at a structural seminar of the author’s sketches that informed the projects structural strategy showing the iteration and the author developing the ability to analyse a buildings structure
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Bibliography Andersen, Michael Asgaard, “In Conversation:Peter Zumthor And Juhani Pallasmaa”,Architectural Design, 82 (2012), 22-25<https://doi.org/10.1002/ad.1487> “Baltic Triangle Liverpool”, Spotify, 2020<https://open.spotify.com/show/4uUm3OCx-UVIIMQNE8sKBWI> [Accessed 20 February2020] Corner, James, The High Line, 1st edn (NewYork: Phaidon Press Limited, 2020)Dogma, fabioruolo, “Dogma”, Dogma.Name,2020 <http://www.dogma.name/about/>[Accessed 20 February 2020] Gehl, Jan, “In Search Of The Human Scale | Jan Gehl | Tedxkea”, Youtube, 2020 <https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cgw9oHDfJ4k>[Accessed 20 February 2020] Gitai, Amos, and Annette Michelson, Koeck, Richard, “Liverpool In Film: J.A.L. Promio’S Cinematic Urban Space”, Early Popular Visual Culture, 7 (2009), 63-81 <https:// doi.org/10.1080/17460650902775666> Nikolov, Nik, “Cinemarchitecture”, Journal Of Architectural Education, 62 (2008), 41-45 <https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1531- 314x.2008.00214.x>
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Dayaratne, Ranjith, ‘Toward Sustainable Development: Lessons from Vernacular Settlements of Sri Lanka’, Frontiers of Architectural Research, 7 (2018), 334-46 Farmer, Graham, ‘Re-Contextualising Design: Three Ways of Practising Sustainable Architecture’, Arq: Architectural Research Quarterly <https:// www.cambridge.org/core/journals/arq-architectural-research-quarterly/ article/recontextualising-design-three-ways-of-practising-sustainablearchitecture/ A9C220F4EC60710054D3D9125B6711C4> [accessed 21 January 2020] Farmer, John, and Kenneth Richardson, Green Shift: Changing Attitudes in Architecture to the Natural World, 2nd edn (Boston: Architectural, 1999) Guy, Simon, and Graham Farmer, ‘Reinterpreting Sustainable Architecture: The Place of Technology’, Journal of Architectural Education, 54 (2001), 14048
23 Thompson, M., 2015. Between Boundaries: From Commoning and Guerrilla Gardening to Community Land Trust Development in Liverpool. Antipode, 47(4), pp.1021-1042. Meanwhilespace.com. 2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.meanwhilespace.com/ single-post/Available-Spaces-Meanwhile-Space> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. Peckhamlevels.org. 2020. Peckham Levels. [online] Available at: <https://peckhamlevels. org/> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. Architecture 00. 2020. The Foundry — Architecture 00. [online] Available at: <http://www. architecture00.net/socialjusticecentre/0lpzxaoul48iwzooughgatau0sgrnz> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. 2020. [online] Available at: <https://theguideliverpool.com/what-does-the-closure-ofconstellations-mean-for-the-baltic-triangle-and-for-liverpool/> [Accessed 15 June 2020].
Guy, Simon, and Steven A. Moore, ‘Sustainable Architecture and The Pluralist Imagination’, Journal of Architectural Education, 60 (2007), 15-23
“Planning Framework Adopted January 2008”, Liverpool.Gov.Uk, 2020 <https://liverpool. gov.uk/media/9387/baltic-triangle-planning- framework.pdf> [Accessed 20 February 2020]
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Bridgens, Ben et al, ‘Creative upcycling: reconnecting people, materials and place through making’, Journal of Cleaner Production, 189 (2018), 145-154
Maxman, Susan, Shaking the Rafters, (Location: Earthwatch, 1993), pp.11 Moore, Steven A., ‘Technology and The Politics of Sustainability at Blueprint Demonstration Farm’, Journal of Architectural Education (1984-), 51 (1997),
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References and Figures
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Primer
Staging
Realisation and Synthesis
Reflective Report
2 - Denton, G., 2020. Home Page - The Newbridge Project. [online] The Newbridge Project. Available at: <https://thenewbridgeproject.com/> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. 3 - Ibid. 4 - Council, G., 2020. [online] Gateshead.gov.uk. Available at: <https://www.gateshead.gov. uk/media/4234/Director-of-Public-Health-Annual-Report-2017-18/pdf/1419-PS-DPH_ Annual_Report_Final_web_2017-18.pdf> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. 5 - The Newbridge Project. 2020. About Us - The Newbridge Project. [online] Available at: <https://thenewbridgeproject.com/about/about-us/> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. 6- Ibid. 7- Ibid. 8 - Coekin, J., 2020. Author’s Theory into Practice essay 9 -Newrick, J., 2020. Jim Newrick. [online] Vimeo. Available at: <https://vimeo.com/ user5701748> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. 10 - Guy, A., 2020. Aaron Guy. [online] YouTube. Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/ user/aaronguyuk> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. 11 - Corner, James, The High Line, 1st edn (New York: Phaidon Press Limited, 2020) 12 - Coekin, J., 2020. Author’s Theory into Practice essay 13 - “Baltic Triangle Liverpool”, Spotify, 2020 <https://open.spotify.com/show/4uUm3OCxUVIIMQNE8sKBWI> [Accessed 20 February 2020] 14 - Ibid. 15 - Ibid. 16 - Ibid. 17 - Ibid. 18 - Hinterlands. 2020. Hinterlands - Event Space Liverpool. [online] Available at: <https:// hinterlands-liv.com/> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. 19 - “Baltic Triangle Liverpool”, Spotify, 2020 <https://open.spotify.com/show/4uUm3OCxUVIIMQNE8sKBWI> [Accessed 20 February 2020] 20 - Koolhaas, R., 1998. The Generic City. 2nd ed. New York: The Monacelli Press, pp.12481264.
1 - Author’s Field Trip Case Study Submission 2 - Ibid. 3 - Spaces, D., 2020. Queens Store Company, Liverpool July ‘17. [online] Derelictplaces.co.uk. Available at: <https://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/main/industrial-sites/35294-queens-store-company-liverpool-july-17-a.html> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. 4 - Koolhaas, R., 1998. The Generic City. 2nd ed. New York: The Monacelli Press, pp. 1248. 5 - Ibid. p. 1248 6 - Ibid. p. 1260 7 - Ibid. 1248 8 - Coekin, J., 2020. Author’s Theory into Practice essay 9 - El Camino: A Breaking Bad Film on Netflix 10 - Dogma, fabioruolo, “Dogma”, Dogma.Name, 2020 <http://www.dogma.name/about/> [Accessed 20 February 2020] 11 - https://vimeo.com/101526170 12 - “Baltic Triangle Liverpool”, Spotify, 2020 <https://open.spotify.com/show/4uUm3OCxUVIIMQNE8sKBWI> [Accessed 20 February 2020] 13 - Koolhaas, R., 1998. The Generic City. 2nd ed. New York: The Monacelli Press, pp.1248. 14 - Coekin, J., 2020. Sustainability and Architecture: An appraisal of contemporary
1 - “Baltic Triangle Liverpool”, Spotify, 2020 <https://open.spotify.com/ show/4uUm3OCx- UVIIMQNE8sKBWI> [Accessed 20 February 2020] 2 - Koolhaas, R., 1998. The Generic City. 2nd ed. New York: The Monacelli Press, pp.1248-1264. 3 - Ibid.v 4 - Liverpool, I., 2020. Liverpool Climate: Climate-Data.Org. [online] En.climate-data.org. Available at: <https://en.climate-data.org/europe/united-kingdom/england/liverpool-107/#:~:text=Liverpool%20climate%20summary&text=The%20is%20a%20great%20deal,mm%20%7C%2031.3%20inch%20 per%20year.> [Accessed 15 June 2020]. 5 - Author’s tech report 6 - “Baltic Triangle Liverpool”, Spotify, 2020 <https://open.spotify.com/ show/4uUm3OCx- UVIIMQNE8sKBWI> [Accessed 20 February 2020] 7 - Koolhaas, R., 1998. The Generic City. 2nd ed. New York: The Monacelli Press, pp.1248-1264. 8 - Whateley, L., 2020. 20 Coolest Places To Live In Britain. [online] Thetimes. co.uk. Available at: <https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/20-coolest-placesto-live-in-britain-qc8f28xvb> [Accessed 15 June 2020].
1 - Koolhaas, R., 1998. The Generic City. 2nd ed. New York: The Monacelli Press, pp.1248-1264.
approaches. Newcastle University 15 - Ibid. 16 - Kinsley, John, ‘Accounting for the Sustainable Environment’, 2019 17 - Guy, Simon, and Graham Farmer, ‘Reinterpreting Sustainable Architecture: The Place of Technology’, Journal of Architectural Education, 54 (2001), 140- 48 18 - Viabaltea.it. 2020. Home. [online] Available at: <https://www.viabaltea.it/> [Accessed 15 June 2020].
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Appendix One Project Staging Site Readings This chapter presents the full scale drawings by the author of the existing site at 66 Bridgewater Street in the Baltic Triangle, Liverpool. These drawings became a strong design tool in this project, allowing the author to trace over accurate representations of the site and when it came to realising the design that was accurate in its integration into site.
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Appendix Two Full hand drawn ground floor plan The following page shows the hand drawing produced by the author which allowed the author to make notes on technical integration and overall synthesis of this project throughout the course of three months.
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