Emily Ducker Portfolio

Portfolio Emily Ducker Ghost In The Machine 180370805 ------- 1 -------

Fig 1: Submerged Forest Remnants infront of Redcar Beacon

NB: Work marked with this red square has been amended/produced since the relative review. It will be located next to the page number at the bottom, like this...

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Contents Illustrated Reflective Report 04 Framing 09 Testing & Synthesis 78 Cultural Bibliography 127 Additional Studies 167 Bibliography and Figures 169 Appendix A: Thematic Case Study 173

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Reflective Diary Introduction

Reflecting on my final year at Newcastle University, I feel incredibly grateful to have continued my education, even during a pandemic. My studio, ‘Ghost in the Machine’ was collaborative throughout framing which helped set the tone for the rest of the year.

Despite having little physical interaction, the tasks we did as a group during framing helped form connections and create a ‘studio-like’ atmosphere from home.

better suited to working remotely, such as modelling in SketchUp instead of physically.

That being said I have massively missed the studio this year. Designing from within your own four walls is challenging and can be slow. It has however taught me to persevere and find different workflows that are

The studio’s approach to the designing pushed me to try new methods. The systemic design approach, with focuses on user centricity meant I was simultaneously aware of the macro and micro systems and their affect on one another with each ‘task’ I did.

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I found the lack of studio most challenging during the testing phase, and seemed reluctant to work to scale and only wanted to sketch my ideas. I eventually conquered this by learning AutoCad, which enabled me a quicker way of drawing/modelling to scale which helped the iteration process.

Readings and Development J.G Ballard’s ‘Now Wakes the Sea’ was a formative reading for me, highlighting and confirming the mystery and draw of the coastline. His animation of the protagonist drew parallels with our studio theme of usercentricity. As my proposal is a well-being centre and spa, the experience of the user in my building is of utmost importance and has influenced all of my design decisions throughout.

The systemic design approach helped reveal my protagonists naturally. Then revisiting the system through their lens, such as the way a user would experience clay, was key in developing my project themes. Clay was difficult to form rigid shapes with, therefore the user would experience it organically and dynamically; something that is embodied in my final design.

My dissertation gave me the baseline knowledge of environmental psychology that has later brought itself into being in my design in the form of biophilic design and slow architecture.

The key spaces are designed to reveal the surroundings to the user (ocean) to minimise their troubles through relation of scale.

This process was slightly uncomfortable for me and I had felt a bit lost at times, but now I realise that this was part of the process; finding the unknown in Redcar. It is easy to do ‘traditional’ site analysis such as sun paths, but the systemic analysis we undertook as a studio helped get to the root of the site and explore and exploit this in a much more rich and interesting way.

The organic interiors utilise a number of biophilic design principles, such as materials, form, lighting, views and scent.

Slow Architecture also draws upon such principles and embraces the user to lose track of time in the building and disconnect from their reality. In this way, the principles shaped the physicality of my design.

The studio enabled each student to focus on a system that fascinated them; something that I think has added enjoyment and engagement to a year-long design project. I love how unique each of my peers’ projects are because of this.

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Reflective Diary Context

It has been the continual discovery of my site context revealed through the non-design modules that has re-shaped my design. From the social context of Redcar’s deprivation (health and financial) to the physical dynamic context of the sea’s 6m tide fluctuation.

The tide fluctuation brought with it many challenges and shut off ideas before I could even explore them fully. As an example, a pontoon level for visitors was not feasible, as it would have required a 100m+ ramp for access.

The unpredictability of the weather urged me to have a more ‘covered’ whole building, rather than the initial ‘pod-like’ individual

forms I had originally.

Similarly, the views from the building are directed mainly at sea, with smaller windows on the southern facades. The public/ private division of the building is seen in the materiality too in this way.

The prevailing wind shaped the form of the building, along with Redcar’s typology of fisherman’s huts. The orientation of the buildings form also enables solar panels on the roof of all three ‘sheds’.

Smaller, exposed ‘pod-like’ rooms

Development to larger massings with smaller internal ‘pods’ to protect users from the elements

Form shaped by prevailing wind

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Form shaped by solar orientation

“Design is so much more than prettiness” Non-Design Modules I began looking into Science Fiction and Architecture for ‘Theory into Practice’ module. This helped me massively in embracing the ‘theatre’ of my chosen system ‘the Submerged Forest’ and not getting too caught up in making it look ‘nice’ and literal.

The technology module complemented this by balancing the fiction with the fact.

I struggled with this module the most, because as a result of home-working, my design was not quite where I would have liked it to be in the run up to the module.

This was not necessarily a disadvantage for design however, as this module pushed and shaped my design through key decisions that needed to be made.

It pushed me to resolve details and bring my design into the ‘real world’ through compliance with fire and structural strategies.

A significant number of changes were made following the technology submission for

– Cara Lund, May 2021

the resolution of escape routes, ventilation systems and environmental effects.

The challenging context of my building and being ‘off-grid’ meant my creativity and use of context was key in developing an energy strategy that could power and sustain my building.

The 1:20 section in particular pushed me to get to grips with timber, the main material element of my building and protagonist vehicle in my system. It is used in a GluLam frame with CLT wall panels and timber shingle cladding; all of which give different tectonic effects. As a sustainable material, I am keen to use my knowledge of timber in further projects and test it in new exciting ways.

The professional practice module was particularly difficult. Less precedents are available regarding the health and safety

Process of working out changes to be made to protected stairway following the tech submission

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concerns for construction on the coastline.

The cost of doing so is arguably more than on land, so I included a ‘day centre’ for locals to enjoy the building, further justifying its cost to the client, Redcar Council.

This module gave me valuable insight into the world of architecture and helped contextualise my previous decisions in reality.

My proposal is the consolidation of all modules mentioned during the year and my readings and research. As I graduate and venture into the working architectural world, I aim to maintain the balance of these these aspects; backing up creative ideas with science to give them vigour. This along with balancing the user with the macro context is also an important skill I have learned and will take forward with me.

Example of work from Theory into Practice submission looking at how science fiction can free the imagination as a designer

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Framing At the beginning of stage 3, I was slightly confused as to how the group work, jumping from section to section, would relate to our own specific projects further down the line. However, the tasks and readings we did forced us to challenge ourselves into different ways of thinking about Redcar, therefore develop unique proposals.

Investigating the systems on a number of different sites and sharing this work with my peers was actually helpful in understanding Redcar’s wider society, rather than if we had stuck to one site from the beginning. This

did mean, however, that feedback from other studios said we were lacking in specific site context as a consequence.

Alternative methods of site analysis, such as newspaper articles and blog posts, were key in my decision to chose to investigate the Submerged Forest in Redcar. I actually think I may not have known it was there had I visited the site, as it can simply look like rocks on the beach, demonstrating how successful systemic design can be.

Reading science fiction for the Theory into Practice module helped me to embrace this

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mystery and project a new future for the Submerged Forest and its use for deprived Redcar. My dissertation studies introduced me to environmental psychology which I explored further through biophilic design in my project.

Deciding on a protagonist was fundamental to making design decisions, even early on.

In hindsight, it would be interesting to have explored my proposal from the ocean, rather than land’s point-of-view, given it’s obvious impact on the ocean and its systems.

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Ghost In The Machine Studio: Here is a self-portrait of each member of the studio.

Our Studio follows a systemic design approach, meaning we only design after fully researching and understanding the systems in the area.

We then incorporate and respond to one of these systems, whilst recognising their interconnectedness.

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dynamic user-centric circular economy systems protagonist system design sensory design connection intervention Intangible cause and effect Input and output dying infrasturctures scale climate change tourism augment disrupt project future thinking narrative hide/conceal storyboard process entropy decay decline revitalisation change politics of nature comlpexity pattern non-linear collective network adaption scale interrelated

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Manifesto Ghostly Architecture Should Be: As a studio, we discussed and agreed on these.

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Glossary System: Highly interconnecting parts that work together to create a complex outcome or whole Systemic Design: Integrates systems-thinking with user-centric design to tackle complex design challenges, typically caused by globalisation.

User-Centric: Users are placed into every design decision and their experience prioritised when designing.

Circular Economy: Keeps products and materials of a system or process in use to eradicate waste and pollution.

Tangible: Systems that can be touched, interacted with or showed.

Intangible: Systems that exist, but cannot be physically touched or given an exact quantifiable value.

Protagonist: The main user at the centre of the design concept. Usually have a specific narrative.

Infrastructure: Mainly tangible systems that a country needs to function efficiently.

Entropy: A lack of order or predictability, mainly used in reference to nature.

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Site Redcar: Redcar is a coastal town in the North East of England. It has a rich industrial heritage, however this has diminished rapidly in recent years, due to the closure of the Steel Works.

The studio has chosen to break this large area down into 15 smaller sections that we investigate individually, but share the information collaboratively.

Fig 2: Ariel view of Redcar showing Coastal and Industrial Systems. (Fish

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herman’s Huts to the right, disused Steel works towards the top)

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Site Fig 3: South Gare

Coastal

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Diagram showing where Redcar is in the UK

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Fig 5: Regent Cinema, Promenade

Tourism, Residential

Fig 4: Coastline and Steelworks

Industrial

Redcar

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Redcar is a diverse site with a rich fishing and industrial heritage.

Unfortunately the closure of the steelworks has led to deprivation amongst the population. The land is varied, featuring green space, both natural and maintained, residential, exindustrial and small commercial areas.

This variety provides the studio with systems to investigate, thus many unpredictable outcomes.

Fig 7: Paddy’s Hole on South Gare

Fig 9: Shark washed up on Redcar Beach

Fig 11: Coatham Marsh

Fig 10: Teesside Wind Farm

Fig 12: Teesside Car Recycling

“Unemployment, relationship breakdown, substance misuse, crime and anti-social behaviour, social isolation and stigma” - Healthy Minds (Redcar: Redcar and Cleveland Council, 2016) on what causes and are consequences of poor mental health

Fig 8: Regents Cinema Closure

Fig 6: Coastal defences and rides on the promenade

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Framing Systemic Analysis: The framing stage helps us to gain a collective understanding of the site, Redcar, though a number of tasks.

Model making, sketching, reading, collaborating and analysing help us to develop a specific site within Redcar which we interrogate further through our designs.

Framing involves identifying a system that we wish to study further and alter through augmentation, disruption or projection of it.

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2D Mapping Systems in Section

To the right is a quick sketch I produced to help me grasp the contents and layout of the site section I was looking at. It contained Locke Park and Coatham Green, both green areas for the public to use, as well as residential areas with a school and church nearby.

The arrows stemming from the main section line show the surrounding elements that the section line doesn’t cut through, but that contribute to the site character.

Producing the sectional drawing kick-started the use of digital resources, such as Digimap and Google Earth, following the Summer holiday. They helped gain accurate and factual measurements of the site, without visiting it.

This section lacks life, so I would like to add inhabitation and colour.

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The mapping of infrastructures began with tangible, more obvious, systems, such as water and electricity, but progressed to more suggested ones, like the human interference with nature.

I plan to add more intangible features to the map, such as the system of death, suggested by the Christ Church, and perhaps local perceptions of the site, through blog posts.

It would be interesting to dissect the natural systems further by looking at the specific processes involved, such as erosion or the ecosystem within each green space.

Upon further research, I discovered that Coatham Green is the village green, meaning it is protected land. There is a question here as to how natural this ‘natural’ land is, as the very avoidance of interfering with it could be seen as unnatural and forced. Reading the Ecological Thought has prompted me to re-visit this diagram. I aim to overlay another mapping over this one to highlight this.

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Pop-Up Model Sketch Mechanism Model

One of my first sketch models. The tall tube represents the wind turbine.

The sketches show my thought process of deciding how to depict the system i.e. from more of a plan or sectional view, as well as experimenting with the type of paper engineering technique I was going to use.

Alongside sketching, I was playing with the paper; switching between the two mediums was very helpful for me to understand the mechanisms I was trying to create. I have included some images of my sketches, as well as some sketch models to highlight the iterative process.

The user pulls the tab attached to the wind turbine, simulating the wind energy.

This movement pulls the wire down the turbine, under the paper to reveal the coloured paper below. This represents the wind energy turning to electrical energy and lighting up the homes on the coast.

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I gained a lot of inspiration from youTube, pop-up books and paper engineering techniques. After the first sketch model, I made another smaller unit that the would sit inside the wind turbine that the user would turn, instead of pull as in the first model.

In the final model, this is in black and is where the user interacts with the model.

This mechanism and a pull tab to reset, have been used in the model.

The final moving paper model demonstrates the translation of kinetic to electrical energy.

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------- FRAMING ------The black squares represent the housing in Redcar, and change to yellow and back to black signifying the everchanging demands and activity of the inhabitants. Each home could be determined as its own infrastructure in this model, as what one home could function without, another may heavily rely on.

Fig 13: Redcar houses as represented by black squares in the model

Pop-Up Model Interactive Dynamic Model

Whilst I am happy with the mechanism I decided upon, I feel my portrays of the wind turbine system could have been more refined or abstract.

I wanted to highlight the, often unconsidered, dependence humans have on nature to upkeep our lifestyles as we know them.

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‘Infrastructure and Modernity’ by Edwards We discussed “Infrastructure and Modernity”

by Edwards, with each student being given a different ‘lens’ through which to comment on the reading themes. I critiqued the reading with a specific focus on culture.

Through the ‘culture’ lens, one of the main points I thought the text highlighted was the different experiences of infrastructure each culture has. In the Western world, infrastructure is almost taken for granted, as it only becomes apparent when it is failing, such as a power cut. In under-developed countries, infrastructure fails more often.

Another student pointed out that it is commonplace for roads in underdeveloped countries to have large pot holes and be heavily congested as an example.

Culture is built on the experience we have from infrastructure. Infrastructure

‘sophistication’ determines culture norms.

Level of superiority relies on level of infrastructure.

People who chose not to follow the norms of western infrastructure are seen as different.

Seen to be ‘escaping’ the norm. An example of this is nature walks with no internet to switch off from work and stresses of their culture. In this way technology and modernity are seen as measures of culture.

Theory Into Practice Peer-to-Peer Forum Experience

I found the peer-to-peer discussion extremely useful. The text was quite long, so having a specific theme to focus on made it easier to digest. It was then helpful to hear other people’s thoughts on the piece and how that interlinked with the comments I had made.

We raised some important discussions regarding the term ‘natural’. For example, are all natural disasters completely natural?

Their impacts wreak havoc on society, mainly through their impact on infrastructure and its inability to withstand such shocks. Disasters can be predicted, so why haven’t we enabled

our infrastructures to adapt in a way that would prevent mass destruction in the event of a natural disaster? Climate change is accelerating the occurrence of natural disasters, so why aren’t we relying less on infrastructures. One person pointed out that if the systems were less connected, the destruction would also be less, which I think is a valid point to be explored.

Considering this wider social and political context when designing could help add a layer of contextual understanding and complexity in the future.

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Interconnectedness Causal Loop Diagram

Initially, I struggled to determine which system I would like to map. I eventually decided on the quality of green space within Redcar because my first site section (10) ran through Locke Park, Coatham Green, Rainbow Park and the coast. I found it interesting the differences between these spaces, despite all being classed as ‘nature’. Locke Park and Rainbow Park had been made by man, whereas the Coast and Coatham Green were a lot less groomed. The

natural infrastructure of the ecosystem was thriving more in the areas where man had not interfered, meanwhile Locke Park was suffering from a lack of funding to maintain the, once great, park.

It prompted me to think about the factors that were affecting this quality difference and what made an outdoor space ‘great’. Here, I have mapped financial, physical, social and environmental factors, showing the links and influences between them, highlighting what ------- 27 -------

a complex system exists on the site.

As a tool for design, it was useful to help visualise the interconnectedness of the systems and their possible influence on one another. When designing, I will make a causal loop diagram for my chosen system to help me recognise the other processes I will affect. This diagram appears a little messy, but this highlights reality.

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Research Section 10 This is my plan for the 3D section diagram.

It comprehends the research I did and the processes I wanted to map. It also shows how complex and somewhat interlinked they are.

The rectangle in the centre of the page represents the section I was analysing. I had planned to annotate this on the small piece of paper, but had to stick it onto a larger piece to accommodate the amount of information I found.

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These screenshots were taken from the same view at various times when creating the 3D mapping. I felt it particularly important to record the changes I was making, due to the quick erasability of digital tools such as SketchUp. From this view, you can see my research has focussed more on land, than in the ocean.

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I mapped various social, economic and historical processes. These included population density, social class (“hardpressed living”,”constrained city dwellers” and “urbanites”), government financial indicators, the human life cycle, historical culture through key events, community spirit, erosion and forces acting on the site.

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Systems 3D Systemic Section Mapping

Feedback from the sectional mapping suggested I look into how things have changed historically and explore both macro, meso and micro scales of infrastructure to get a better understanding of my section.

For the 3d diagramming, I mapped what I had already researched, and built upon this to produce a 3d diagram that delivers information to the reader. I think a more

detailed key would help deliver specific information that was not conveyed by icons alone. My use of quotes with the mapping of the systems and addition of people to remind viewers of the human aspect within the rather abstract-looking mapping.

Using SketchUp in this way was a good test. It was useful to try and learn how it restricted or enabled ways of communicating

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information. I found it challenging to map movement, so this is something I would like to improve upon.

In the future, I would like to include an animation or interactive map of this section to maximise my understanding of the site and the complex systems that make it what it is.

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Framing Celebration and Presentation Miro Board

Group Work Above shows the Miro presentation our studio produced for the Framing Celebration. We prepared a 12 minute presentation about the work we had done so far and out studio for the rest of the year. It was interesting to see how other studio’s approaches differed to ours, for example most other studios had focussed on doing site analysis during framing.

The right page shows the 3D Systemic Mapping and model that we produced and used in the presentation. I modelled section number 10, as shown on previous pages and highlighted to the right.

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Group Sectional Model

Section 10

3D Group Systemic Modelling

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3D Diagramming Group Site Systemic Mapping

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This task involved constructing the moment that a user and intangible system met.

The ‘little erget’ bird was my protagonist. This bird is native to Italy and the Mediterranean, but has been spotted in Coatham marsh. Residents have speculated that this is down to global warming increasing the temperature of Redcar.

This PPP model speculates where the ‘little erget’ would collide (or not) with the system of climate change; a system influenced by other infrastructures, such as government funding/ attention, community action and global intention.

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User Interface Moment Protagonist Perspective Projector

My intentions were to give the perspective more from the birds view, however I was limited by my knowledge of SketchUp. I do, however, feel that I learned more about SketchUp’s capabilities through this task than I knew previously.

Following the discussion in the studio, I feel it would be beneficial for me to re-model this concept into a wearable device that would enable the user to experience the devastation the bird would feel when it realised it could not enter Coatham Marsh. Perhaps there is a further level of personalisation and emotion that would help communicate the interaction of user and system in a more convincing way.

Steel works closing led to 6% drop in UK carbon emissions.

Temperature falls again as climate change is reduced.

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‘Little Erget’ bird can access previous years temperature bubble, but not the future’s cooler one.

‘Little Erget’ bird cannot access Coatham Marsh. Diversity decreases.

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Research Section 7

This pyramid sketch was my first attempt to map the system change of green to industrial. Reading from left to right shows the timeline of events that have occured to make Coatham and Warrenby what it is today.

It prompted me to think about the future of this space and the juxtaposing interrelation between green, natural space and industrial space.

In order to not become precious over one section slice, I swapped randomly with a peer. I was given section 7. I then mapped a system that had not previously been looked at and showed how this system had changed over time.

This sketch shows the build up of the site.

The area that was subject to the most change on this section was near a railway

Storyboard of the system change over time in section 7.

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line and Coatham Marsh. I started looking at how the site had changed historically, using maps to highlight differences and then investigated these reasons for the transformations.

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Animation Group Model Animation

This barcode takes you to the video of the group animation that we showed to the other studio in the cross-studio forum.

Skip to 5:42 to see my section 10 animation.

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1840’s - Site was marshland with no inhabitation

1850’s - Marsh house built and Coatham Junction constructed

Marsh House in the 1850’s

1890’s - Fisherman’s Crossing established, housing created. Church, school, allotments and hotel added nearby. Warrenby became a place for fisherman to stay, as well as a social hub.

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1917 - Steel Works built

1920’s - Need to accommodate workers from the Steel Works

------- FRAMING ------The space changed from marshland, following salt mining further down the site, to residential, following the creation of the steel works. Economic influences from the government meant the site was demolished, other than the grade 2 listed marsh house. Perhaps this was due to the closure of the steel works.

Currently the area is industrial; full of car recycling centres or scrap yards. What was once a bustling centre for workers has now become a place that cars go to die. In contrast, the wildlife over the small hill to the marsh is rife.

The village of Warrenby was once described by locals as a thriving hub. It’s name was derived from the diversity of wildlife in the area, particularly warrens from rabbits.

In hindsight and after viewing how some of my peers had mapped the change over time, I think I could look further into one particular system. Specifically nature or industrial or residential and map the reasons for such change to the system in greater detail. Perhaps this would provide the reader with a greater understanding of the invisible forces acting on Redcar.

1920’s - More housing built to accommodate the worker’s nearby

1950’s - Some housing ruined. Church turned into army barracks during the war.

1950’s - Image of the barracks

1950’s - some houses ruined, no evidence of how.

Warrenby demolished by the council.

2020 - Area largely industrial, made up of car recycling centres.

2020 - Marsh house now surrounded by disused cars and waste.

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Cross Studio Forum Key Feedback from Presentation

1) Clarify in 2D before delving into 3D 2) Use a mixture of 2D, 3D, user-perspective and macro perspective 3) Utilise frames when presenting in Miro 4) Curate the ‘Pin-Up’ better, especially heirarchy 5) Define key terms of the studio 6) Highlight the user narrative more, as well thought of but under represented 7) Be stricter with time-limits

This was an opportunity for the ‘Ghost in the Machine’ and the ‘Curating the City’ studio to see what each other were exploring.

We discussed site location, methodology and tasks undertaken, as well as questioning similarities between themes and differences in site settings. Redcar was identified, as being more open to opportunity, whereas

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Saltaire (Curating the City’s site) was a lot more constructed, so potentially open to less radical interventions.

The group presented the studio using the animation on the previous page. This was successful in communicating the scale and vastness of the combined sites, but lagged slightly when playing on miro over zoom.

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“our minds can become saturated with memories”

The other group highlighted the potential for culture to add value, both economically and socially, to an area.

In terms of Redcar, I feel it’s industrial heritage exists, but is rarely celebrated. It sits as a shadow of Redcar. Utilising such industrial culture could propel Redcar to regeneration, both in terms of tourism, and population pride.

This statement they made prompted me to confront the ‘heritage’ argument and question the pros and cons of preserving memories of a place, or whether to create new ones.

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Enrichment Week Further Research 13

Below is a collage of precedents, research, articles and reading that I looked at during week 4, showing the system of a Submerged Forest covering section 13, 14 and 15.

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The Submerged Forest System Mapping how it came to be

This is a collage diagram to show the submerged forest history. It highlights how the site has changed from one land mass to being an island that we now know as Britain. Tectonic plate movements have caused the land breakup, leading to there being water where a forest once was.

There was a landslide, caused by gravity, that forced water onto existing land, further burying some of the forest.

More recently, storms have exposed remnants of the forest for locals to see. The three images show these remnants, as well as the locals flocking to see them, perhaps signalling there is an attraction to the area.

The sightings of the forest are dotted about in time and place, and are hard to pin point exactly where and when they were in existence. The green shaded circle highlights the vast area they could cover, if investigated.

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These paintings by Jeremy Miranda capture the essence of my thoughts; there is a hidden world below sea level.

The artist paints spatial confusions, between worlds: reality and memory, indoor and outdoor, past and present. His work inspired my to further investigate the gap between mythology and truth through the Submerged Forest in Redcar and how this could look when mapped out on a painting.

I found the very lack of evidence surrounding

the submerged forest magical and started investigating the impact mythology can have over the heritage and identity of places.

Artist

He paints places of solitude and relaxation; something I am keen to incorporate into my project to mentally rejuvenate users.

Jeremy Miranda

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Developed Mapping The Submerged Forest and the Deprivation of Redcar

Video of Underwater Forest Remnant Extraction

I took the previous mapping of the Submerged Forest and began looking at other incidences/data from the site where it was exposed and in Redcar in general.

I also did some more research into what exactly a submerged forest is and the systems and processes that construct it. I looked at precedents of submerged forests and their potential uses.

It is said that some fossilised forests can hold healing properties, either through the bugs living inside them, or through the material in which they are ‘petrified’.

Redcar’s forest was preserved for so long as it was covered in peat and blue clay. I looked into the uses of these two materials too.

Blue clay is anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-tumorial.

Typical illnesses that come from years of working in the steel industry are cancer, asthma and dermatitis.

This diagram proposes whether the blue clay holds enough healing power to help combat one of these illnesses, given the closure of the steel works.

I find the juxtaposition of Redcar’s deprivation data and proximity to the coast (with healing properties) intriguing. This is something I wish to explore further.

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This short story confuses the reader by making you question what is real. The protagonist dreams of the sea and it engulfing ‘reality’; the reader is forced to toy with which world is actually happening. You question his consciousness in relation to the events he is describing.

The sea has a ‘meditative’ quality for me. It has a sublime characteristic of reminding you of scale which can make any problem seem insignificant. Humans instinctively want

to be in nature. The attention restoration theory (ART) says that humans can be mentally revitalised following fatigue if in the presence of nature, perhaps explaining why many seaside towns are holiday destinations for city dwellers with less access to the outdoors.

The contrasting perspective of the man’s wife who tries to ‘experience the sea at night’ gives a multitude of realities, depending upon existence and perspective. In this way,

Now Wakes

reality is questionable depending upon willingness to embrace or accept what you want to see.

The piece has a mythological feel to it, as the reader is left wondering what is real or not.

The submerged forest in Redcar captures this quality too. It is not obvious at first, but becomes more apparent as you accept and investigate it further.

This question of reality and escape is something I am keen to delve deeper into.

“Everything is becoming science fiction”

the Sea J. G. Ballard

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Sketches showing my thought process when reading ‘The Ecological Thought’

Morton talks about taking a wider perspective of the world utilising technology such as Google Earth. However, embracing the Ecological Thought removes yourself from this perspective - enabling you to realise the interconnectedness of the world.

The only thing separating different cultures is the physical earth between them, so this is the way the world should be viewed.

Such wider sense of Earth could not be experienced readily without technology,

such as Google Earth or the ability to send humans/objects to outer space. I began questioning how useful such technology is in ‘fixing’ the problems of the Earth.

The more we know, presumably, the more issues we find for ourselves to ‘fix’. Perhaps the challenge for design is how to merge problem and fix, rather than seeing them as opposites of one another. The two could come hand in hand.

If applied to ‘Now Wakes the Sea’ this could

The

Comparison Morton encourages “thinking big”, stating the phrase should make us feel humble, not ambitious or proud. He suggests that whilst traditionally local thinking has epitomised ecological thought, we need to think globally and look at how our actions will affect another culture.

The sense of vastness he discusses hint that the effects of climate change are not felt locally, but globally. They cannot be identified or recognised on a smaller scale,

mean embracing the ‘dream-like confusion’ of the protagonist. Why is it a problem that he is having such vivid out-of-world experiences? Perhaps the fix for this is to embrace it.

This concept of blurring the boundary between problem and fix is also something I am keen to explore through design.

as their impacts daily are minute. Time exemplifies these pressures on the world.

The piece drew parallels with ‘Now Wakes the Sea’ by J.G. Ballard, as they play and discuss scales. The scale of the sea is picked up in both and highlighted by investigating the smaller systems within that one large system.

This is something I will research further in my design process.

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Ecological Thought T. Morton

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How Can Architecture Heal?

Precedent Analysis

My dissertation (ARC3060 module) focussed on the environmental psychology of retail spaces. As part of this I looked at a number of different theories, one of which was the ART (discussed on previous page).

Combined with the awareness of scale from Ballard and Morton’s readings, I started looking at the ways in which nature can help heal humans through their environment.

Fig 14: Maggie’s Centre Oldham / DRMM Architects

Fig 15: Maggie’s Centre Oldham / DRMM Architects

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I was intrigued by biophilic design and precedents which have successfully utilised this, such as the Maggie’s Centres for cancer patients.

With my coastal site in mind, I began thinking how I could augment the site position to benefit the mentally, physically and financially deprived Redcar society.

------- FRAMING ------As tourism is one of our studio themes and Redcar Council are keen to boost their economy through our projects, I began looking at the history of Redcar’s tourism.

The collage on the following page shows the change in the representation of Redcar for tourists through postcards. The top line show from 1900 and the bottom right is 2020. The older postcards show vibrant, busy, exciting beaches, whereas the most recent shows a bleak, bare coastline, lacking any signs of life.

Redcar’s economy causing some deprivation could be as a result of this change in demand for tourism. Perhaps there has been

a change in demand from what the British public want from a holiday.

Wider society now has different pressure and daily stresses than in previous years, so may want a relaxing, quiet holiday to unwind, rather than exciting and busy. Foreign holidays are also more accessible, so the public may find abroad more appealing.

I started looking at the concept of slow architecture, alongside biophilic design and our studio themes to see how I could bring a new identity to Redcar that could appeal to the modern day tourist.

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Slowing Down A new identity for Redcar Seaside?

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“the only constant in the universe is change” “Floating Cities, The LEGO House And Other Architectural Forms Of The Future | Bjarke Ingels”,

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Specific Site Research and Analysis

With the system of the Submerged Forest in mind, I began revisiting the ‘zones’ of Redcar to determine a site for my project. Initially, I was drawn more towards the South Gare, as group work had revealed it was

quieter than sites closer to the city centre, so could be more suitable for a well-being centre to relax.

My research revealed that sightings of the submerged forest have been few and far between and spread beyond the sections our studio are exploring. The most recent sighting (2018) has been infront of the Redcar Beacon, a tourist zone, which attracted the locals.

The research suggests that it is possible for remnants to be found all over the ocean from Hartlepool down to yorkshire, given the scale of the systems that submerged it in the first place (mega-tsunami).

I decided I wanted my project to fulfil both local and tourist needs, so it made sense to place it next to the most recent sighting and on the tourist route, along the promenade (yellow).

Recent Sightings of Submerged Forest Potential to find more Forest Remnants

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Site Section Senses Mapping

After deciding to base my project between sections 13 & 14, where the forest remnants had recently been spotted, I began thinking about where on these sections I wanted my building to be.

sound levels.

User’s visual attention at this point is also focussing on the ocean. This grasps humans’ attention, but is relatively quiet in comparison to the promenade.

Based on the biophilic and slow architecture design principles I was following, I mapped each sense based on the surroundings.

As I am proposing a well-being centre to destress users and calm them, whilst attracting tourists, it makes sense to me to build something out at sea. This way users would benefit from the peace and close proximity with nature.

From this I discovered the promenade near the coast was the busiest in terms of sound, visual landmarks and smell, given the tourist attractions and shops and restaurants nearby that attracted people which increased the ------- 58 -------

The novelty of being at sea could also attract tourism to the proposal.

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View of the city from Coatham Rocks and the Ocean

These images taken from Google Earth show the view looking back at the city from the rocks at sea. These views may help inform my design later on.

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The sketch to the right was produced to show the systems acting on site 14 that lead to the exposure of the submerged forest.

The sketch below is a related diagram, a timeline. It shows the forces that have caused the submerged forest in the first place. It is nature that has mainly had an impact on this system, not humans.

The Submerged Forest Collage of Research

The Submerged Forest System timeline

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System Scale Mapping 13

14 15

Section 13 & 14

The Submerged Forest System Sectional Site Mapping

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------- FRAMING ------Initially, I struggled to develop a programme that fulfilled a local and tourist agenda based on my research.

System to

I decided on a Blue Clay well being centre that performed relaxing treatments for users using the clay tat was extracted from the forest remnants. There is also an education centre for day visitors to help connect with nature.

Programme

I used a ‘Bee Breeder’s’ Clay Spa competition winner to develop some of the spaces I need for the well-being centre. It also helped with deciding the sizes of the spaces in relation to one another.

Unpacking the Blue Clay System

I then combined the spa and well-being activities with the extraction process.

Below shows how these two elements and systems interact and the journey of the blue clay/forest remnants through them.

Fig 19: Bee Breeders Spa Competition Runners Up Render of Spa Space

Fig 16: Bee Breeders Spa Competition Winner Floor Plan

Fig 17: Bee Breeders Spa Competition Winner External Circulation Render

Sketches showing the process of extracting submerged forest remnants from the ocean floor

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Fig 18: Bee Breeders Spa Competition Runners Up Render of Sauna

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Sketch Diagram showing Priority of Initial Programme Spaces

Sketch showing the Blue Clay Journey through the programme

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Spatialised Mapping Mapping the system on site

I produced this spatialised mapping after deciding the rough spaces that would be needed for a spa and well being centre and an extraction unit.

I have diagrammed these spaces into functional, relaxation and educational. The more relaxing spaces have been put further out to sea than the extraction and education spaces. This is because I want the sea’s inherent calming qualities, as exaggerated by Ballard in ‘Now Wakes the Sea’, to put guests

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at ease.

The journey from land to water could mimic Miranda’s dream-like qualities by creating unusual landscapes on or below the water.

I would like to create a space that blurs the boundaries between reality and dream worlds in my proposal, creating a seaside escape for visitors. This confusion would mimic the submerged forest’s ability to escape and ‘come back to life’ with disaster.

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I found this process fascinating to watch on the documentary about the submerged forest in Mexico, so knew this was something I wanted to make a feature of. This is a watercolour sketch i produced depicting the floating of the trunks up to land level.

They use small, hot air balloon type bags to balance and lift the heavy stumps up to a boat for inspection.

Forest Remnant Retrieval Watercolour

I decided this process should be celebrated within my proposal so developed where a moment where I imagine users could see this happening.

User Interface Moment Design

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The previous page shows models I made out of clay. I used clay to try to understand the feeling of it, so I would understand how the user would experience it. I did some free form models that could be massings and modelled others on objects to get a smoother finish.

I pierced holes and openings in some of them to get different light atmospheres around and within them.

I realised that clay is messy somewhat unpredictable to work with, but can achieve smooth finishes.

I have produced some basic collages (right and left) in Photoshop to show how they could float on the sea if they were to be spa massings.

The models don’t communicate where the user meets the system, rather were useful as a tool for me to understand the properties of clay; the primary material in the system I have chosen.

I have noticed clay does not lend itself well to rigid shapes, so most of these models appear organic in shape. This is something I will investigate further when it comes to testing and how I want the user to experience my proposal.

The Materiality of Clay Experimenting with the tectonics of Clay

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UserCentricity Protagonists

Following the research I have done, I have created two protagonists who I will use to help make design decisions moving forward.

One is a local and will utilise a day centre, whilst the other is a tourist and will stay overnight.

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User Interface Moment User-System Connection

The collage to the left combines a clay model I made with a watercolour painting I produced and some images of people to show inhabitation. Below the spa area, you can see the process of retrieving the submerged forest onto land to extract the healing materials from it.

This is where the user comes into contact with the system.

They are relaxing but can view the sea and the extraction process to which they then apply the blue clay that has been extracted. They are constantly reminded of where they sit within the system.

It is almost surreal, adding to the blurring between dream and reality worlds.

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Programme 3D Spatialising on Site

3D Spatialised System on Site

Programme Arrangement 1

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Programme Arrangement 2

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Sensory Journey Key User Moments

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Programme Arrangement 3 with user senses moments mapped

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Site Section AA

Site Declaration Site Analysis

A Coatham Rocks

Recent Submerged Forest Remnant Sightings

A

Site Plan 1:5000 @ A3

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Sun Path

Tourist Route

South West Prevailing Wind

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Line of Enquiry Site, System, Protagonist

My Project aims to benefit the mental, physical and economic health of Redcar’s deprived society.

It will extract forest remnants from the ocean floor and use the blue clay from them in treatments to heal users. The remnants will be displayed and used in an education centre for locals to learn about the history of the site.

For tourists, the centre and spa will help them de-stress from daily life and they can stay overnight too.

It will use biophilic and slow architecture design principles to help users relax and connect to their surroundings.

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Submerged Forest Remnants Sightings on Site

Footage of floating logs to shore (The Underwater Forest, 2017)

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Testing & Synthesis

Development: The testing and synthesis phases blurred into one for me, as I was continually developing my design and making significant changes.

The non-design modules actually forced these changes in order to make my building perform structurally, environmentally and financially.

The changes I made since the initial massing studies in framing are detailed in the following pages.

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“…the enjoyment of scenery employs the mind without fatigue and yet exercises it, tranquilizes it and yet enlivens it; and thus, through the influence of the mind over the body, gives the effect of refreshing rest and reinvigoration to the whole system.”

- Frederick Law Olmsted, 1865 Introduction to Yosemite and the Mariposa Grove: A Preliminary Report

Fig 20: View from redcar Beacon towards the Ocean, taken from Google Earth

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Testing The testing phase was the most challenging for me, as I found it increasingly difficult not being in a studio environment. I had none of my peers to ask for advice or look to for inspiration, which I think shows in my process, becoming stuck with my designs at times.

My plans lacked verticality, complexity and felt disjointed. The theory into practice module helped me to forget about my design for a moment and revisit the principles I had developed during framing.

I looked at how architects can learn from science fiction to become better designers.

As such, I developed different scenarios that my site and Redcar’s society could find itself

in, if the deprivation and fast paced lifestyle continued. This helped me reconnect with my protagonists, walking through my designs as them and ultimately making decisions to give them a better experience.

FRAC Dunkerque (my thematic case study) has some wonderful user moments that link to biophilic design. I combined these with user moments I wanted to create and amended my floor plans and sections accordingly, as well as augmenting more of the blue clay system throughout.

The technology submission was also key in pushing me to develop my design by understanding the capabilities of timber.

Most of my material decisions were finalised

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as a result of interrogating the materials for the structural strategy. It was challenging to find a marine grade environmentally friendly solution for the underwater elements of my building, so looking earlier on in the design process for materials is something I will do moving forward.

This phase has been an amalgamation of sketching and modelling ideas, with interventions from precedents and protagonist perspectives. I am grateful I persevered to develop a more complex design and have learned the value of appropriate, timely precedent analysis.

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Tidal Architecture Above, below or on the water?

My site analysis revealed there was a 6m tide difference between high and low tide. This brought with it many challenges and oppurtunities for designing.

I started thinking about my programme and what user moments I wanted to create within this. The sketches show my thought process about where I would like each space to be placed within the site to enable different views and experiences for the user. This evolved throughout the testing and synthesis phase for various reasons.

A boat needs a minimum of 2.5m water, so if my proposal was to have boat access at times (necessary for the extraction process) it has to be at least 500m out from the coastline and tourist route.

I then began thinking about the type of language out at sea I wanted the building to have. As I wanted some elements to be under, on and above the water, It was possible that my design would need to combine a few different precedents and elements to perform both technically and atmospherically, balancing the macro systems with the user experience.

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Refining the Programme Sketching the Activites and Journey to Scale

Shop

Pier

Sketches on the beige are on the coastline and on the blue/green are out at sea.

From my own experiences and knowledge of spas, you go to the cold areas before the warm areas, so that your muscles are relaxed ready for your treatment and following relaxation. That is why the rooms have been placed in this order.

Changing Rooms

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Cold Swimming Pool

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Labratory

Staff Area

Hot Bath

Sauna and Hot Tub

Treatment Rooms

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Relaxation Pods

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Programme in Section Moment/Journey Mapping

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Thinking Through Making Under the Pier Experience As I knew the transport to my building would be over the top of where the submerged forest remnants were, I wanted to somehow connect locals, dog walkers and other users of the beach to the remnants and my building.

Being on the coastline, a pier seemed like the obvious choice .

The underside of a pier has the ability to echo a forest through its timber columns and presence above.

This is something I have explored in my thinking through making models. The first one I did was irregular to literally try and replicate a forest, whereas the second was more rhythmic and traditional.

I liked the irregular one for its likeness to the irregular remnants that had been found, but the rhythmic one looked more aesthetically pleasing and would be easier to construct.

As the pier will need to be 500m+ out to sea, it is important my building tries to keep costs down, as highlighted by the Professional Practice module.

Perhaps using a tartan grid could produce a hybrid of the two. This is something I will explore later.

Visualisation of what the under pier experience could be like with locals looking at the remnants and then out to my building

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Following the user journey Circular Route

Fig 21: Kastrup Sea Bath / White Arkitektur

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As my site was lacking immediate context, other than the ocean, I was unsure on how I wanted the architecture to look externally. For this reason, I took the activites I had drawn and formed the shapes around them. I then placed these rooms on a circular route that was slanted to allow users different experiences and expose them to the elements.

I analysed the Steel Works forms and used these to try and tie the design back to land, as you can see the steel works from the platform.

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Te s t i n g Review Presentation

Miro Board Presentation

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Relaxation Pods and Treatment Rooms, Outdoor Swim

My Plans and sections for the testing review weren’t as resolved as I would have liked them to be. It is clear in the image above that I had not resolved the structural strategies completely.

Feedback suggested that the ‘pod-like’ forms potentially exposed the users too much to the elements, and whilst this was my intention following biophilic design principles, perhaps it could be executed better.

The steel works forms felt irregular and random which is because of the unique activities happening in them. I started looking to see if there was a way to make them feel coherent, but different and maintaining the users journey through the treatment centre.

The design here is also too small, and would be expensive to build, so I looked into adding overnight accommodation for users. .

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Development Redcar’s Typology

Fig 22: Fisherman’s huts with Steel Works in the background

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Following the feedback from the testing review and my own dislike of the ‘randomness’ of the design, I began looking at the pier structure and how that would translate out at sea.

As the steel works forms weren’t working, I started thinking about how else I could add value both socially and economically through Redcar’s culture (diagram from cross studio forum).

The fisherman’s huts on the South Gare are unique to Redcar and treasured by locals. I love the simple, coastal form and the rhythmic way in which they are arranged.

Another thing I loved about them is how each fisherman has made them their one, with some having extensions and decoration to personalise them.

This got me thinking what they would look like inside, but of course without visiting the site I could not tell. This mystery and personalisation is similar to my project themes with the submerged forest sightings and unique shapes of the treatment rooms. The sketches show my thought process of combining the organic with the new typology.

I then began developing floor plans from the same grid (4m x 4m) as the fisherman’s huts. I found this quite restrictive, so began modelling to see how they looked in 3D.

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Development

I then started developing accommodation for the locals to use. This included a shop, lido and cafe. I wanted something to remind users of their environment, such as a lido only accessible on a high tide.

The next page shows the development of the floor plans and model using the fisherman hut typology. Here are some sketch diagrams showing the reasons for the design decisions such as structural grid, energy and circulation.

Local Accommodation

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This design lacked verticality and didn’t really celebrate the verticality of a forest. It is fair to say that at this point I was struggling to develop my ideas and I realised this could be because I was sketching instead of modelling. The regular structural grid was restricting me slightly too.

The user journey is still exposed in this design as well, so this is something I needed to address.

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Development Verticality In an attempt to create more interesting user moments and more reminiscent of a forest, I looked at my building in section.

This was a key step in understanding the dynamic aspect of my site and how to project this through my design. I don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner, as this is when my design started to come together.

This sketch also helped me decide that

a larger volume with smaller ‘pods’ inside would be more exciting for the user and help provide more privacy; key for a spa and wellbeing centre.

Putting the retrieval deck in the middle of the building allowed opportunities for the user to see and engage with the system. This could also allow a feeling of risk, one of the biophilic principles.

Spatialised System mapping from framing reminded me that user-system interaction was important in my design

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Fig 23: Floating House/Mos Architects

Fig 24: FRAC / Lacaton and Vassal Daytime

Fig 25: FRAC / Lacaton and Vassal Nighttime

FRAC Dunkerque is my thematic case study, the work of which can be found under Appendix A. I was inspired by how the extension lights up at night and shows off the activity within. This is something I want to replicate in my design, with the smaller podlike rooms acting as solids within the void.

The spa and accommodation will be covered like the original building, again adding to the mystery.

I have used floating house to figure out the

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technicalities of having a floating, dynamic element to my design. It will be anchored off the pier columns and float up and down with the tide, allowing staff to bring in findings and the public to watch the process and the remnants moving through the building and into clay.

I like their use of timber and the way it interacts with the light. Their use of one material, but in different arrangements helps the building feel coherent, but interesting.

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Development Spatial Opportunity in Plan

After looking at the verticality, I explored more spa and bath precedents to see how they created dynamic plans and interesting user moments.

Zumthor uses corners to create drama and lighting to relax.

The way the rooms are arranged is similar to how I have in terms of heat and user journey.

I liked his use of controlled outdoor experience in Therme Vals and thought this is a good way of exposing the user to the elements without overwhelming them.

I knew I wanted to incorporate an indoor/outdoor space such as this, as well as using the relaxation and treatment rooms to guide users through the building and create different experiences.

Kengo Kuma’s use of light is also interesting and calming.

It reminded me of the dappled light you would see walking under a forest, so is something I could look to include in my design.

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Floor plan from previous design, open space, little spatial experience

Amended design, enclosed space with small huts, arranged to generate interesting user journey (exterior walls hidden to show internal pods)

Corresponding floor plan of spa level

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ARC3013 Technology Module Design

These diagrams were produced for my technology submission. I have included them here as I made a lot of design decisions in the run up to and as a result of this module. The below image shows my thoughts behind the movement from the coastline to out at sea too.

This image shows some materiality decisions have been made, such as making the element furthest out to sea transparent, so as to maximise views for spa users. This changed since, as I realised the spa space would be more relaxing if enclosed and private, with selected framed views instead.

The sketch on the next page shows my working out as to how to fit the programme onto a smaller footprint and different structural grid. The technology submission showed my plans as ‘baggy’, so I amended this by choosing a different sized structural grid to work from.

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------- TESTING ------Treatment Rooms Hotel / Accommodation Sauna / Hot tub / Meditation Baths Relaxation Pods Underwater Treatment Rooms and Pods Vertical Circulation Staff Room, Store and Lab Changing Rooms

Key Changes since this submission: - Changed from a 4 x 8m tartan grid to 3 x 8m - Changed materiality of public/ private spaces -Amended outdoor areas and deck - Made building smaller to make less ‘baggy’ and comply with fire safety - Included hotel accommodation within main massing - Moved entrance to see three ‘sheds’ on arrival - Entrance now sheltered from prevailing wind ------- 103 -------

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ARC3013 Technology Module Design

Here are my submissions for the 1:20 section and elevation for the technology module.

I have included them as they were key in my design development and resolution. In paricular, understanding the capabilities of timber. The floating house precedent on the previous page inspired me to use timber throughout, yet in different ways. The building has a GluLam frame with CLT wall and floor panels and charred timber cladding.

I wanted the relaxation and treatment rooms to feel completely different to the exterior, so have housed an organically shaped timber frame within the fisherman hut form. This adds an element of surprise for the user but also relaxes them.

As the building is on a pier, it is important I keep it lightweight, so I developed a way of achieving a layered look, without using solid timber throughout.

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Pods Development of Relaxation and Treatment Rooms

Clay Massing from Framing

Relaxation Pods from Testing Review

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Fig 26: Grotto Sauna / Partisans

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Comparison of 1x1, 2x2, 3x3 m pods

Treatment and Relaxation Rooms from later design

Technical Concept Sketch for using layered timber

The Grotto Sauna was what made me consider using timber to create an organic interior. I also loved its contextual use of a square exterior against the organic interior and window shapes. The cracks in the timber enable a convection current, so this precedent also technically informed my design.

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Extract from 1:20 section Technology Module

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Pier

Kastrup Sea Baths/ White Arkitectur

Form and Solid/ Void User Experience

FRAC Dunkerque/Lacaton & Vassal

Interior/Exterior Juxtaposition

Tectonic Materiality

Grotto Sauna/Partisians

Fig 27: Shingle House/FlowerMichelin Architects

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Precedent to Proposal

Underwater Technicality

Floating Technicality

Fig 28: Under (Underwater Restaurant) / Snohetta

Floating House / MOS Architects

My Project

There are many precedents that have informed the design of my project. The ones here are the key ones that have helped make design decisions and have helped in understanding the technology of construction at sea, on a dynamic landscape.

FRAC Dunkerque was the most influential in informing the latter decisions I made regarding the floor plans, as I wanted to recreate the feeling of suspense in the public ‘shed’ to remind users they were over the water. FRAC successfully creates these exciting moments through voids in the massings and a transparent outer shell.

This helps to distinguish the public from the private in my design, as well as offering 360 views of the coastline.

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Synthesis Review Presentation

Here is my Miro board from the Synthesis Review. As with the testing review, my design and drawings were not quite where I would have liked them to be.

I think the lack of studio and the other restrictions the pandemic brought with it had taken its toll on me and my work. My feedback reflected the fact my drawings were unfinished, but I have progressed with them in the following pages by refining the floor plans and sections of the building. .

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Ve r t i c a l Distribution Post Synthesis Changes The main changes that have been made since the synthesis review have been to the levels underwater.

I have pulled out what was a gap in the massing and added another underwater level with maisonette. This is clearer on the following pages.

The elevation has also changed and I have amended the windows and facade by adding a recession in the cladding and adding organic windows within these.

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Iteration 3D Studies

Testing review

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Technology Submission

Synthesis Review

Synthesis Review building in context

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Iteration Section

Testing Review

Testing Review

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Technology Submission

Technology Submission

After looking at FRAC precedent

Synthesis Review, through the cafe and education centre

Synthesis Review, through the changing rooms and courtyard

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Synthesis Review, through the spa and treatment rooms

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Iteration Shop

Testing Review

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Synthesis Review

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Iteration -2 Underwater Floor Plans

Technology Submission

Synthesis Review

Final Submission

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Iteration -1 Pontoon Level Floor Plans

Technology Submission

Synthesis Review

Final Submission

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Iteration 0 Deck Level Floor Plans

Testing Review

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Technology Submission

Synthesis Review

Final Submission

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Iteration 1st Floor Plans

Testing Review

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Technology Submission

Synthesis Review

Final Submission

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Iteration 2nd Floor Plans

Technology Submission

Synthesis Review

Final Submission

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Iteration 3rd Floor Plans

Technology Submission

Synthesis Review

Final Submission

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Synthesis Synthesis for me has been the resolution of testing and confirmation of my design.

Overall I am pleased with how the final design has turned out, but of course would like to make some changes if I had more time!

The way I have worked throughout testing has made synthesis slightly more difficult as what was resolved in my head, hasn’t quite come into being yet in Synthesis, perhaps because of my default method to get ideas

out quickly - sketching. This is something I aim to improve upon, in order to come to a more refined design idea sooner, enabling me time to make more prominent changes to resolve my design.

That being said, the user-experience and connection to the system has backed every design decision I have made. Similarly, the biophilic design principles align with this, due to their benefits for humans, so the spaces designed are to connect users to

All following work is new or has been amended since the synthesis review.

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their surroundings, but in a controlled way.

Becoming the client through user-centricity is something I will take with me into my architectural career.

I hope my project has done what it set out to do and provide a place of calm for locals and tourists to reconnect with nature and mentally revitalise, as well as providing an interactive engaging attraction for Redcar’s society.

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“ The tide of life, swift always in its course, May run in cities with a brisker force, But nowhere with a current so serene, Or half so clear, as in the rural scene.”

- William Cowper, 1782 (Carl Honoré, In Praise Of Slowness (Pymble, NSW: HarperCollins ebooks, 2009).

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Synthesis Site Plan

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View from the tourist promenade and shop out to the Well-Being Centre

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Synthesis Site Section

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Synthesis Elevations

South Elevation

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West Elevation

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Synthesis Shop Floor Plans

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1) Staff Room 2) Staff Office 3) Shop and display 4) Pier to Well-Being and Education Centre at Sea

3

1 2

4

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1

2

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5 3

4

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Synthesis -2 Underwater Floor Plan @ 1:200 on A3

1) Treatment Rooms 2) Relaxation/meditation pods 3) Shared Relaxation Room 4) Storage Cupboard 5) Plant Room

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2

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1

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Synthesis -1 Underwater Floor Plan and Floating Pontoon @ 1:200 on A3 1) Water Dispenser 2) Shared Lounging Space

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7 8 9

5

6

4 3

2

10

1

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Synthesis 0 Deck Level Floor Plan @ 1:200 on A3 1) Outdoor Seating/Activity Area 2) Cafe 3) Kitchen 4) Storage 5) Staff Access from Pontoon 6) Entrance Lobby 7) Exercise Class/Flexible Space 8) Hotel Lobby 9) Decking Seating and Viewpoint 10) Glass Link to Deck

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8

7

6

5 1 4 2 1

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3

5

10 9

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Synthesis 1 Floor Plan @ 1:200 on A3 1) Storage 2) Remnant Processing 3) Public Seating 4) Pulley from Pontoon for Remnants 5) Changing Area 6) Hot Tub 7) Relaxation Pod 8) Sauna 9) Dark Sauna 10) Hot Baths

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5 2

4 2 1 3 2

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6

2

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Synthesis 2 Floor Plan @ 1:200 on A3

1) Reception 2) Relaxation/meditation Pods 3) Exercise/Flexible Space 4) Indoor/Outdoor Pool 5) Treatment Rooms 6) Courtyard

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1 2

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Synthesis 3 Floor Plan @ 1:200 on A3

1) Hotel Room 2) Wet Room

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In the end, I am pleased with how this piece turned out. I feel the materiality works well with the dark exterior and lighter interior. This is similar to the forest remnants, as they are weathered and black on the outside, but have been preserved in the clay, so look as if they have just been cut if cut open.

The shingles add a texture, whilst the interior is smooth. This juxtaposition is something I am happy with, as it follows the same lines as the relaxation pods, adding to the mystery for the user.

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Synthesis Celebration Section

This sketch is taken from Framing, but I have highlighted the principles or moments that have been incorporated into my design.

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Synthesis Cross Section through Spa

If I had more time, I would have liked to work this section up as much as my celebration piece. I have chosen to show a section through the spa so you can see the verticality of my design and how the pool depths affect the space below and generate different user experiences.

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Synthesis Relaxation Pods

Exterior render of one of the pods

I was struggling to model the organic pods digitally, so decided to make a physical model.

These are some renders of the model, showing materiality and atmosphere.

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View looking through the organic shaped window

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Relaxation Pods Technical and Atmosphere

I have layered a structural section drawing over my model to show how it would look when finished.

The layered wood is not only formed around the activity or view that is happening within that room, but has technical benefits too. For example, It provides dappled light, a biophilic principle, replicating a forest and acts as a sound wall to absorb some any acoustic pollution.

It is sustainable and I plan on charring the wood to different levels to achieve a layered, geomorphical look, reminiscent of the submerged forest.

The gaps between the wood also enable a convection current when used in the sauna and hot tub rooms. The gaps behind the frame are where services will be lead.

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“ Listen! Interiors are like large instruments, collecting sound, amplifying it, transmitting it elsewhere.

That has to do with the shape peculiar to each room and with the surfaces of the materials they contain and applied.”

- Peter Zumthor, Peter Zumthor: Atmospheres (Basel: Birkhauser, 2008).

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Relaxation Pods Model Images

Image highlighting the dappled light effect

Image highlighting the organic form shaped round the user and view

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Render showing user covered in clay and layered wood. View out to see the clay being extracted.

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Blue Clay Distribution Fish’s Eye View

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Cultural Bibliography 3D Mapping of Systems (human body) Pier architecture, just south of my site

Baltic Gallery Visit

As I sited the Baltic Art Gallery fairly late in my project, I noticed artwork that drew on similar themes to my project and the studio.

It would have been beneficial to visit the gallery earlier on in my project, but this was not possible due to the pandemic.

Deprivation

Nature vs. Infrastructure

organic forms, sea/ocean, layers, comfort

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Cultural Bibliography Example of a commission I have done

Sketching

I also attended a RIBA Future Architects sketching workshop with Howard Litchfield Partnership Architects in February of this year, which I found useful in prompting me to sketch more throughout my work.

They stressed the importance of using sketching outside of architecture to really enjoy and become better at it.

I took this advice and started sketching people’s pets and houses and framing them as gifts. I now do commissions for people alongside university work (@tamarandtilly).

The sketches I came across in the Baltic have similar qualities to my own.

My own sketches used in my project

Iterative Sketches telling a story at the Baltic

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Spa Visits, images of internal spaces

Spectrum Architecture on Linked In

Work by Karakusevic that inspired me

Ball Secretary NUAS

Small Talk Lectures

Mone

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Cultural Bibliography Throughout my time at Newcastle University, I have been fortunate enough to part-take in some amazing experiences. The Small Talk series provides constant inspiration and motivation to become an architect and how to work as one.

I was also the Ball Secretery for NUAS last year which was a rewarding yet challenging experience. It made me more aware of the interior spaces of architecture and how the styling and atmosphere of them can produce different experiences for the user.

Croatia, Orebic Pier

I follow a number of different architectural designers on Instagram, Pinterest and Linked In and Spectrum Architecture on LinkedIn has been a great source of inspiration for me this year. They produce posts relating to a theme, many of which have related to my design process or outcome. I was particularly interested in the two to the left as they explore biophilic design and light and shadow with nature; something that later informed my design.

Seville Architecture Skyline

I have been to a couple of spas, but don’t have many images of the interior spaces, as phones are not normally allowed. I found two images showing the relaxation room that my mother and I went to after having a treatment. They are dark and cosy, with unique calming lighting. These experiences have informed my design process through having a user’s perspective of a spa.

Seville

et’s Water Lillies in Paris

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As well as this, I managed to visit a number off different places. I love experiencing new cultures and different cities with different histories and architecture to our own. It keeps me creative and inquisitive.

Orebic in Croatia was one of the most peaceful places I have visited which could be because it is a small island, detached from mainland Croatia. I like to think this inspired my final design this in Redcar.

Additional Studies

GMIT Furniture College Letterfrack / O’Donnell + Tuomey

Think Corner Helsinki University / JKMM Architects

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St Peter’s Seminary / Gillespie, Kidd and Coia

Port House / Zaha Hadid Architects

Granby Winter Garden / Assemble Architects

Nantes School of Architecture / Lacaton and Vassal

Marshall Building / Grafton Architects

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Walmer Yard / Peter Salter + Mole Architects + John Comparelli Architects

Bibliography

, 2017 <https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/grafton-architects-wins-approval-for-seminal-100m-lse-building> [Accessed 6 June 2021] Browning, William, Catherine Ryan, and Joeseph Clancy, 14 Patterns Of Biophilic Design, 2014 <http://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/04/14-Patterns-of-Biophilic-Design-Terrapin-2014e.pdf> [Accessed 6 June 2021] “Crunch - Paddy’s Hole, South Gare, Redcar, Cleveland UK - Pentaxforums.Com”, Pentaxforums.Com, 2021 <https://www.pentaxforums.com/ forums/12-post-your-photos/388469-landscape-crunch-paddys-hole-south-gare-redcar-cleveland-uk.html> [Accessed 7 June 2021] Dawson, Kristy, “Dog Walker Alan’s Shock Discovery - A Shark Washed Up On Redcar Beach”, Teessidelive, 2021 <https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/ news/teesside-news/dog-walker-alans-shock-discovery-19081404> [Accessed 7 June 2021] “Floating Cities, The LEGO House And Other Architectural Forms Of The Future | Bjarke Ingels”, Youtube.Com, 2019 <https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ieSV8-isy3M> [Accessed 16 February 2021].

“Floating House / MOS Architects”, Archdaily, 2005 <https://www.archdaily.com/10842/floating-house-mos> [Accessed 4 June 2021] “Flower Michelin Extends Scottish House With Cabin Clad In Blackened Wood Shingles - Dr Wong - Emporium Of Tings. Web Magazine.”, Dr Wong - Emporium Of Tings. Web Magazine., 2019 <https://drwong.live/design/shingle-house-flower-michelin-scotland-residential-extensions/> [Accessed 6 June 2021] “Gallery Of Bee Breeders Announces Winners Of The Blue Clay Country Spa Competition - 29”, Archdaily, 2017 <https://www.archdaily. com/867743/bee-breeders-announces-winners-of-the-blue-clay-country-spa-competition/58d32d1de58ece3368000069-bee-breedersannounces-winners-of-the-blue-clay-country-spa-competition-image?next_project=no> [Accessed 6 June 2021] “Gallery Of FRAC Dunkerque / Lacaton & Vassal - 1”, Archdaily, 2013 <https://www.archdaily.com/475507/frac-of-the-north-region-lacaton-andvassal/52f9b712e8e44eb4cf00006f-frac-of-the-north-region-lacaton-and-vassal-photo?next_project=no> [Accessed 4 June 2021] “Gallery Of Grotto Sauna / Partisans - 5”, Archdaily <https://www.archdaily.com/574851/grotto-sauna-partisans/547fba3fe58ece8a0e0000b2grotto_sauna_08-jpg?next_project=no> [Accessed 4 June 2021] “Gallery Of Kastrup Sea Bath / White Arkitekter - 45”, Archdaily, 2004 <https://www.archdaily.com/2899/kastrup-sea-bath-white-arkitekterab/500edbf328ba0d0cc70009e6-kastrup-sea-bath-white-arkitekter-ab-image?next_project=no> [Accessed 4 June 2021] “Gallery Of Nantes School Of Architecture / Lacaton & Vassal - 3”, Archdaily, 2009 <https://www.archdaily.com/254193/nantes-school-ofarchitecture-lacaton-vassal/5018d49828ba0d5d5d000b8d-nantes-school-of-architecture-lacaton-vassal-image> [Accessed 6 June 2021] “Gallery Of Under (Underwater Restaurant) / Snohetta - 10”, Archdaily, 2019 <https://www.archdaily.com/913575/under-snohetta/5c925ea1284d d14c82000729-under-snohetta-photo> [Accessed 4 June 2021] ------- 169 -------

“Gallery Of Walmer Yard / Peter Salter + Mole Architects + John Comparelli Architects - 1”, Archdaily, 2016 <https://www.archdaily.com/800485/ walmer-yard-peter-salter/583df170e58ecee67900004f-walmer-yard-peter-salter-photo> [Accessed 6 June 2021] García, Mark, The Diagrams Of Architecture (London: Wiley, 2012) “Granby Winter Garden”, Assemble, 2019 <https://assemblestudio.co.uk/projects/granby-winter-gardens> [Accessed 6 June 2021] Healthy Minds (Redcar: Redcar and Cleveland Council, 2016) <https://www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/resident/adult-children-health/health-careservices/Documents/Redcar-Cleveland%20DPH%20Annual%20Report%202017.pdf> [Accessed 6 June 2021] Honoré, Carl, In Praise Of Slowness (Pymble, NSW: HarperCollins ebooks, 2009) “JG Ballard: Fictions Of Every Kind”, Jgballard.Ca, 2021 <https://www.jgballard.ca/non_fiction/jgb_fictions. html> [Accessed 9 February 2021 “Kastrup Sea Bath | White Arkitekter”, White Arkitekter, 2021 <https://whitearkitekter.com/project/kastrup-sea-bath/> [Accessed 6 June 2021] Kopec, Dak, Environmental Psychology For Design “Maggie’S Oldham / Drmm”, Archdaily, 2017 <https://www.archdaily.com/874795/maggies-oldham-drmm> [Accessed 6 June 2021] Miranda, Jeremy, The Descent To The Submerged Forest (New Hampshire: Sebastian Foster) “O’Donnell + Tuomey – Award-Winning Practice Based In Dublin, Cork And London”, O’Donnell + Tuomey, 2001 <https://odonnell-tuomey.i.e./ furniture-college-letterfrack> [Accessed 6 June 2021] Robson, Dave, “So What’s It Like To Live In Redcar? We Went To Find Out”, Teessidelive, 2021 <https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teessidenews/whats-like-live-redcar-took-13467517> [Accessed 7 June 2021] Smout, Mark, Laura Allen, and Neil Spiller, Augmented Landscapes (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2013) “South Gare Huts On The River Tees”, Hutters.Uk - Iain’s Blog About Hutting <https://hutters.uk/2015/07/01/south-gare-huts-on-the-rivertees/#jp-carousel-747> [Accessed 5 June 2021] “Think Corner Helsinki University / JKMM Architects”, Archdaily, 2017 <https://www.archdaily.com/940159/think-corner-helsinki-university-jkmmarchitects> [Accessed 6 June 2021] University, Teesside, “Pioneering Project Could Help Government Meet Wind Power Pledge | Media Centre | Teesside University”, Tees.Ac.Uk, 2021 <https://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/news/pressreleases_story.cfm?story_id=7513&this_issue_title=November%202020&this_issue=330> [Accessed 7 June 2021] Waite, Richard, “Cardross Exclusive: Design Team Revealed For St Peter’S Resurrection”, The Architects’ Journal, 2020 <https://www. architectsjournal.co.uk/news/cardross-exclusive-design-team-revealed-for-st-peters-resurrection> [Accessed 6 June 2021] “Zaha Hadid Architects, Fabrice Fouillet · Port House”, Divisare, 2016 <https://divisare.com/projects/346316-zaha-hadid-architects-fabricefouillet-port-house> [Accessed 6 June 2021] Zumthor, Peter, Peter Zumthor: Atmospheres (Basel: Birkhauser, 2008) ------- 170 -------

List of Figures NB All images are authors’ own unless listed below. Sources can be found in the Bibliography

Fig 1: Submerged Forest Remnants in front of Redcar Beacon Fig 2: Ariel view of Redcar showing Coastal and Industrial Systems.

(Fisherman’s Huts to the right, disused Steel works towards the top) Fig 3: South Gare Fig 4: Coastline and Steelworks Fig 5: Regent Cinema and Promenade Fig 6: Coastal defences and rides on the promenade Fig 7: Paddy’s Hole on South Gare Fig 8: Regents Cinema Closure Fig 9: Shark washed up on Redcar Beach Fig 10: Teesside Wind Farm Fig 11: Coatham Marsh Fig 12: Teesside Car Recycling Fig 13: Redcar houses as represented by black squares in the model Fig 14: Maggies Centre Oldham / DRMM Architects Fig 15: Maggies Centre Oldham / DRMM Architects Fig 16: Bee Breeders Spa Competition Winner Floor Plan Fig 17: Bee Breeders Spa Competition Winner External Circulation Render Fig 18: Bee Breeders Spa Competition Runners Up Render of Sauna Fig 19: Bee Breeders Spa Competition Runners Up Render of Spa Space Fig 20: View from redcar Beacon towards the Ocean, taken from Google Earth Fig 21: Kastrup Sea Bath / White Arkitektur Fig 22: Fisherman’s huts with Steel Works in the background Fig 23: Floating House/Mos Architects Fig 24: FRAC / Lacaton and Vassal Daytime Fig 25: FRAC / Lacaton and Vassal Nighttime Fig 26: Grotto Sauna / Partisans Fig 27: Shingle House/FlowerMichelin Architects Fig 28: Under (Underwater Restaurant) / Snohetta

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Appendix Thematic Case Study The following pages are from the Group Thematic Case Study.

I did pages 20 - 24.

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1

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SYSTEM

EXHIBITING CONTEMPORARY ART HEAVY SKIN - HOLLOW INSIDE LIGHT SKIN - FILLED INSIDE

PRE-EXISTING STRUCTURE

INDUSTRIAL TIME (SHIPYARD)

ALLOWING LIGHT + ALLOWING TO SEE THROUGH

PRESENT DAY (EXHIBITIONS)

4

NEW STRUCTURE

The FRAC, currently a gallery for contemporary art was once a shipyard during the industrial days. The form of the building and the open interior is designed around the size of the ships that were stored and manufactured inside. The skin of the old part conceals the inner process whereas the new extension reveals the inner movement and art through its deliberate translucent skin.

EXHIBITION SPACES

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HISTORY AND PURPOSE OF FRAC (SHIPYARD)

“GIVES VISITORS AN INDIRECT HISTORY LESSON IN ADDITION TO A LESSON IN ART”

Nessin core pra venimusa sequi volut et aut ex esendero quas eossequi untiunti sum facimus andebitat.Ullam intia que praes resto mi, aliquuntiis consequat. Dantincia sinvenectia culparunt vel is quatur audi consecabo. Busciae si volupta dus et ut facere et excessuntur aligenis et lam ernam ut evenecatur aliquam aute nis est latis accullu pictibusci corest, quunto evelesequi coremo idessum num faceperepro eos as es simolor rorerum sunt, autatur sundist accabo. Onsed moditi bea venditatum etus et ma solore pro intion rem evelecae porecta volum volor 5

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ADAPTABLE EXHIBITION AREAS + TRANSLUCENT STRATEGY

6

THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE SKIN ALLOWS TO SEE THE BACKGORUND VISION OF THE OPAQUE VOLUME OF THE ARTWORK RESERVES

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VERTICALITY

LIFT DESIGNED TO TRANSPORT ALL SIZES OF ARTWORK PIECES

The aspect of verticality can be seen throughout the building - the circulation corridors, the exhibition spaces and the elevator. It is essential for circulation corridors to be wide and open to allow movement of all kinds of art pieces. The double height ceilings create an open atmosphere, allow more light in and help with acoustics of the space.

ABLE TO CARRY 7600 KG

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7

USER

USER-CENTRIC DESIGN

INTRODUCTION The project repaired and extended an industrail space to contain an art gallery. It creates an ambitious public resource, of flexible capacity, which allows work at several scales from everyday exhibitions to large-scale artistic events The new building was constructed by translucent and transparent materials, linking visitors to the harbor outside. The transparency of the skin also allows to see the background vision of the opaque volume of the artwork’s reserves. The intersecting layers and openings encourage people to interpret with space.

1 View 1

2

3

USER AND THE FABRIC The whole building is open and bright. When visitors stand closed to the fabric, they can feel the outside temperature immediately.

"Under a light and bioclimatic envelope, a prefabricated and efficient structure determines free, flexible and evolutionary platforms, with few constraints, fit to the needs of the program," said the architects. "The transparency of the skin allows to see the background vision of the opaque volume of the artworks reserves."

View 2

View 3

8

Translucency and Transparency Diagram

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INTERSECTING LAYERS AND HUMAN SCALE The project creates a double of the halle, of the same dimension, attached to the existing building, on the side which faces the sea.

From the ground floor, there is a café attached to an exhibition place.

After going up through two exhibition halls, another forum hall appears for conducting events. What intersected with the forum hall are intermediate spaces for sitting and chatting. On the top of the whole building, harbor landscape shed the light on the artworks through the translucent fabric. The existing hall is left it empty so it can be used to host events, exhibitions and house large-scale artworks The designers applied multi height on different spaces. The ceiling heights were varied from 3m to 5m, producing dynamic spatial ambience in the gallery. As visitors walk through the halls, the ceiling will go up and down, implicating the shifts of functions.

Exhibition Space - Small Scale Artworks

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Exhibition Space -- Big Scale Artworks

Exhibition Space --Artworks and Landscape

9

BUILDING TYPE AND USER’S SPATIAL EXPERIENCE SOILD AND VOID

SOILD AND VOID

LAYOUT

10

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LAYOUT

SPATIAL AMBIENCE

Dimension of Side Entrance

Position of Public Passenger

Dimension of Side Entrance and Wheelchairs

Image of Public Passenger

Position of Ramps, Elevators and Automatic Doors

ACCESS FOR ALL As a gallery, this building also emphsize the importance of access for all. The area surrounding the building is accessible for wheelchair and so is in interior. A new public passenger was added to make the gallery morer approachble. The widths of the doors and the slope of ramp allow all users to use the entrance comfortably.

Automatic Door on the entrance

Automatic Door to Ap2

Automatic Door to Exhibition1

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11

CLIMATE

EXPLORING ITS RELATION TO CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABLITY The approach Lacaton and Vassal took towards the buildings composition is where the structures ecological and environmental significance is exposed. The building consists of two main structures.

The first and outter most strucure is made up of an enormous metal frame which supports and encases the plastic cladding, essentially forming a bioclimatic bubble of insulation around the more interactable elements of the building.

The second is seen in reference to the inner structure comprised of a concrete frame in which commercially available prefabricated posts, insulation and beams are joined.

The ingenious design of the FRAC building , which will be explored in more depth has its routes set in a former project on which the architects worked. Its most impressive environmental and ecological features stem from the winter-gardens project used in the redesigning of the Tour Bois-le-Prêtre.

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THE WINTER GARDENS AND BIOCLIMACTIC INSULATION The winter-gardens system was developed by Lacaton & Vassal whilst working on redesigning the Tour Bois-le-Prêtre. The Tour Bois-le-Petre is a 16 storey apartment block, originally designed by Raymond Lopes in the 1960s, that was redesigned by Frederic Druot in collaboration with Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal of Lacaton and Vasal. The Building was Nicknamed ‘Alcatraz’ and was in need of serious modernisation.

It is here that Lacaton and Vassal first designed the ‘Winter Gardens’ System, which is featured in the FRAC building. It was designed in response to the desire for the apartment block to expand in terms of floor space and bioclimatic insulation. As detailed by Illustration No (insert) external sunlight penetrates through the glass and corrugated plastic sheeting in the outside of the building into the ‘winter garden’. This sunlight essentially heats the space refered to as the ‘winter-gardenn’ located between the balcony and inner apartment. This ‘winter-garden’ essentially forms a bioclimatic bubble between the inner rooms of the apartment and the harsh exterior temperature of the balcony.

The solar curtain depicted in illustraition (insert) allows for the occupants to control how much sunlight enters the garden and in turn the internal temperature of the apartment.

With the addition of these winter gardens, balconies and heated extensions the overall square footage of the building was increased from 8900 m^2 to 12469 m^2. With the addition of these elements in particular the winter-gardens, the consumption of energy throughout the building fell by more then 50%.

Winter Garden Extension Solar Curtain Balcony Extension Supporting/ Load Bearing Collumns

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THE WINTER GARDENS AND BIOCLIMACTIC INSULATION Most of the building is clad with corrugated polycarbonate panels which suffice in terms of insulation requirements for the areas where the concrete innerstructure meets the outerframe, however the upper most floor of the building requires a much more efficient and effective level of insulation as the architects wanted to make the most of the fantastic volume between the inner concrete structure and greenhouse roof.

The Illustrations featured above and to the left represent how Lacaton and Vassal have translated the Winter-Garden method of design over to the FRAC building. In comparison, the winter-garden in this example is essentially the orange area, the space between the exterior of the building and inner most concrete mass. Through utalizing the natural heat generated by the sun and storing it within the bio-climactic zone this drastically reduces the amount of energy needed to heat the building as a whole. In fact it creates a buffer zone that only uses sustainable energy sourced from the sun.

This solves both a technical and energy efiiciency issue at the same time. Overall this makes a tremendous contribution to the enviornmnetal strength of the project.

Climactic Bubble/ Outer Frame Concrete Inner structure Lift Access Lacaton and Vasssal here used air-filled cushions fashioned out of ETFE sheeting in order to provide a sustainable and effective level of insulation.

The ETFE allows for the entry of natural sunlight into the buffer zone much like the corrugated plastic sheeting however with an increased level of insulation. The air-filled cushions are represented above in blue. In order to add increased control to how the space can be maintained at a moderate temperature the solar curtain used in the Tour Bois-le-Prêtre has been elevated and hangs bellow the bubbles, operating on cable ways. The air-filled cushions at the apex of the roof can be opened to allow for natural ventilation with no worries of birds flying into the building with the built in anti-bird net. Lacaton and Vassal really thought of everything for this project.

Corrugated panelling

14

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PREFABRICATED PANELLING AND ITS EFFICIENCY RELEVANCE PRE-CASE CONCRETE SUSTAINABILITY In order to actually cast and manufacture concrete lots of carbon is released into the atmosphere. However, during the buildings life-time pre-cast units will actually absorb much of the CO2 that was used to manufacture them making them more sustainable then other building materials.

In addition to this Pre-cast/ prefabricated concrete panels can withstand all kinds of weather conditions and uses meaning that they will most likely not need replacing for a very long time further adding to the buildings sustainability.

Prefab Prestressed Honeycomb daife Quartz Hardened Concrete Floor

Thermal insulation Pre-fabricated/Cast concrete beam

ETFE SUSTAINABLITY ETFE sheeting or Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene is a translucent polymer and as illustrated it is utilized by Lacaton and Vassal with reference to the outer shell or structure of the building. ETFE actually transmits more light and importantly insulates better then glass. Its also incredibly light weight and its malleable workable properties are the reason why the Winter-Gardens area of the building is able to be unfit with energy consuming heating systems.

However, it is still plastic, an unnatural building material that will take thousands of years to decompose. When accounting for sustainability however, the lifecycle of the building must be taken into account and the benefits that this sheeting provide can be argued to outweigh the energy used to produce them. Without the use of this material the closest substitute to form the outer structure of the building would have been glass. This would have had direct implications on insulation and in turn energy consumption in relation to heating. This may have further had design implications forming a completely different building.

As it stands Lacaton and Vassal have found a relatively sustainable and eco-friendly way of delivering their design aspirations with seemingly unnatural materials. Could they have utilized natural sustainable building materials for this project? Of course. However, the building would not be able to accommodate the design the architects have envisioned that stands today.

15

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THEORY

TIMELINE OF ARCHITECT’S PROJECTS

Lacaton and Vassal met as students during the late 1970s, and though their career they have advanced a set of ideas, a theory of architecture not divorced from use and inhabitation, from life.

The timeline shows some of the architects’ buildings which I thought to be the most essential as examples of their architectural approach. I draw a line following the timeline to mark the scale of each project depend on its purpose and importance in their career.

16

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TIMELINE OF ARCHITECT’S PROJECTS

17

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IMPORTANCE AND VALUE OF EXISTING

EXTRA SPACE, FREEDOM OF USE

“Never demolish, never remove or replace, always add, transform, and reuse!”

Lacton and Vassal has incredible architectual approach to the importance and value of the existing buildings, as they believe that place has beauties if we are attentive enough to see them. Throughout their creation they prove that every restriction can be positively turned around by reusing, transforming and reinventing what already exists.

Each project requires focusing on accuracy, amiability and attention: to people, to uses, to structures and everything that already exists which allows appreciation of the values which already there. In the architects’ oppinion this is the great opportunity for the sustainable development of the cities.

Therefore, they believed that Halle AP2’s interior needed to be saved because it still had potential. Filling the building wasn’t just senseless, but as Lacaton and Vassal argued: it was unnecessary. So they decided to propose that new structure, ‘‘twin building’’, of the same volume and shape be erected beside the AP2, one specifically designed to the house the required galleries, cinema, offices, educational spaces, and art storage.

Futhermore, the Halle AP2 makes the FRAC not simply a museum or an archive, but a fully-functional complex the architects identified as a “unique and symbolical object”. The building is not only a visual magnet in the post-industrial landscape of the port area but a presenvation of its raw and industrial atmosphere of the area.

The halle AP2 collage - ‘‘freedom of use’’ Lacton and Vassal’s aim to design an architecture that is not standardized but creative, that challenges conventional answers to free the uses of buildings from artificial constraints. They believe that architecture is the freedom to use a space, to innovate a space, to get beyond mere functionality and provide a kind of liberty in the spaces we create that allows many types of functionality.

The halle AP2 therefore is completely available space to be ‘‘free in use’’ for creativit, which can work either with the FRAC, in extension of its activities, (exceptional temporary exhibitions, creation of large scale works, particular handlings) or independently to welcome public events (concert, fairs, shows, circus, sport, art exhibitions) and which allows work at several scales of regional but also european and international resonance, which consolidates the redevelopment of the port of Dunkerque.

View from the port area

18

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A BIOCLIMATIC CONCEPT “Circulation between indoor and outdoor is better than insulation”

Lacaton & Vassal by using their economical construction techniques and the winter-garden approach, build upon the climate using the maximum of the natural resources. Natural climatic controls, such as passive cooling, natural ventilation, and solar heat gain, allow architects’ to create bioclimatic spaces which are not only luxurious but also they eliminate most of the costs associated with installation and operation of mechanical systems. They believe that greenhouse technologies are incredible sustainble solutions which are much better than traditional architectural approaches. Rather than learning from other disciplines how living conditions could be better designed, building regulations force architects to surround themselves with thick walls, small windows, and a maximum amount of insulation (whose greatest beneficiary is clearly the industry supplying the insulation material).

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TYPOLOGY

SIMILAR RE-PURPOSED PRECEDENTS

DUPLICATION

DIFFERENTIATION

MODUALR

THROUGH

FRAC Lacaton and Vassal

TATE MODERN Herzog & de Meuron

FONDAZIONE PRADA OMA

THE BALTIC Ellis Williams Architects

Architect: Lacaton and Vassal Location: Dunkirk, France Year built: 1949, re-purposed and re-built 2013 Original Purpose/Function: Shipbuilding Workshop New Purpose/Function: Art Gallery and exhibition Context: Situated by the Harbour Architect’s Aim: Create a catalyst for the new area and to keep the existing halle in its entirety.

Architect: Herzog & de Meuron Location: London, UK Year built: 1940’s, re-purposed 2000, extended 2017 Original Purpose/Function: Power Station New Purpose/Function: Art Gallery Context: Situated by the River Thames Architect’s Aim: Enhance the physical power of the existing building without breaking or diminishing it. Shape the energy in a new and unexpected way.

Architect: OMA Location: Milan, Italy Year built: 1910, re-purposed and extended 2015 Original Purpose/Function: Gin Distillery New Purpose/Function: Gallery/Museum Context: Part of the industrial complex, south-side of Milan Architect’s Aim: To expand the repertoire of spatial typologies in which art can be exhibited.

Architect: Ellis Williams Location: Gateshead, UK Year built: 1950, re-purposed and re-built 2002 Original Purpose/Function: Flour Mill New Purpose/Function: Art Gallery Context: Situated by the River Tyne, Quayside Architect’s Aim: To maintain the building’s idiosyncratic and dominant presence on the river front through maintaining its verticality.

The sketches highlight the number of different ways architects can approach extending or re-purposing existing buildings.

The three examples picked to compare to the case study each embody one of these techniques.

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TIMELINE OF RE-PURPOSED BUILDINGS

AIMS FRAC, The Baltic and Tate extension both aimed to keep the original dominance of the existing building, whilst Fondazione Prada was less precious in its approach. Perhaps this is due to the context - FRAC, the baltic and the Tate are next to water, which can instil a feeling of calmness for humans, whereas the Fondazione Prada is situated in an industrial complex, arguably much less of a beauty spot. Maintaining the site means less change, which could disrupt the calmness of the water presence.

FRAC

THE BALTIC

TATE MODERN

FONDAZIONE PRADA

The black line shows footfall before the change, whilst the white line shows footfall after the extensions. In all cases, the extensions have brought more people to the area and increased the presence of people in the buildings and surrounding.

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INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE

Industrial buildings are inherently vast and spacious, as they need to house large equipment and complex processes. This makes them ideal for architects’ re-use, as their space can be manipulated for a number of programmes.

In the case of FRAC, the original building was nicknamed the cathedral by locals, due to such height and character.

Art exhibitions also require flexible space, as for different layouts, sizes and lighting requirements, making disused industrial buildings a superb choice.

FRAC, the Tate, and the Baltic have all utilised the verticality of the existing building in their adaptations of industrial to exhibition, maintaining fragments of existing heights. They recognise such dramatic heights are not needed throughout, so have divided some elements into smaller heights, allowing multiple floors.

Fondazione Prada lacked verticality in the existing building, instead the architect built a vertical element to accompany the smaller modules of the gallery.

This suggests that galleries benefit from a mixture of spaces to experience art and re-enforces the notion that industrial buildings make for great exhibition spaces.

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FRAC LACATON AND VASSAL

TATE MODERN HERZOg & DE MEuRON

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FONDAZIONE PRADA OMA

THE BALTIC ELLIS WILLIAMS ARCHITECTS

MATERIALITY Materials used in new part of building

FRAC Lacaton and Vassal

TATE MODERN Herzog & de Meuron

Glass is used in each of the new elements of the typologies.

FONDAZIONE PRADA OMA

THE BALTIC Ellis Williams Architects

FRAC, the Baltic and Fondazione Prada all use materiality as a tool to distinguish old and new elements, whereas Tate Modern differentiates the extension through shape, whilst maintaining a similar material palette. That being said, Tate Modern has added a glass top floor in the first stage of its extension. Such elements give the dense, older buildings a facelift, signifying their new use.

The diagrams show the uses of glass in a building, proposing reasons why this has been used for galleries.

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LIST OF FIGURES: Exploded Axonometric: Axonometric Own diagram Shipyard sketch-over: sketch-over Own diagram sketched over image found on Present day exhibition: exhibition photo found on Exhibition space FRAC2: FRAC2 photo found on Historical Shipyard: Shipyard Photos found on Building form parti diagram: diagram Own diagram Adaptable exhibition area sketches: sketches Own sketch traced over images found on FRAC at night: night Photo found on Transparency parti diagram: diagram Own diagram Floor plans axonometric: axonometric Own diagram made by using floor plans from Section sketch: sketch Own diagram traced over photo found on Circulation corridor: corridor Own sketch traced over phot found on Elevator interior: interior Photo found on

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