STORIES UNTOLD ENGAGING EDINBURGH THROUGH NARRATIVE
NAOMI WHITE | LUCY LUNDBERG FILM SUBMISSION: Animation: https://youtu.be/VKus65khyis
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CONTENTS PREFACE INTRODUCTION
BOOK I I
THE SETTING
II
METHODOLOGY CHARACTERS
III
THEMES
IV
DISCOVERING THE PLOT
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Literature as education and therapy
BOOK II 7 23
INTRODUCING THE PROTAGONISTS UNDERSTANDING THE WRITER (Writers mind + design drivers)
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UNDERSTANDING THE DEAF (design requirements}
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THE MAP AND IDENTIFYING THE SITES
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DESIGN APPROACH
BOOK III | THE STORY 57 REPRESENTING THE STORY
BOOK IV 81 THE ARCHIVE | Tron Kirk To Remember
110 THE OLD DEAF SCHOOL | Chessels Court To Learn
122 THE STORYTELLING CENTRE To Translate and Inspire
202 THE PLATFORM | St. Giles To Perform
213 THE REFLECTION TOWER | Sir Basil Spence Stairs To Reflect
EPILOGUE BIBLIOGRAPHY
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THESIS INTRODUCTION
A book has a fabric, tactility and narrative, like a building. It contains a story, which has the single aim of connection with a reader or an audience to stir emotion, to educate, or to transport to another place or time. This allows the reader to become part of the narrative through the characters and connecting their own experiences to those they read. We do not interact with screens in the same way, which force information upon us visually, removing the need for the imagination and encoding processes. The telling of stories also gives individuals the power of being understood. For some, finding a voice and a platform from which to be heard and understood is a frequent struggle. Our interest in Edinburgh has primarily focused on the literary attributes of the city given its extensive history in storytelling, prominent authors, education and culture, including many festivals. Edinburgh has so many layers of history, poetry and culture, evoking the feeling within the city itself in walking through it, that one is in the setting of a story. The concept of narrative in architecture is intriguing, given a simple detail or tool can express a larger story. By investigating the narrative of Edinburgh, its key authors and poets, we have explored how architecture can engage with, and tell the story of, specific people groups in the city. SETTING Researching the buildings of literary relevance, it became apparent that the Royal Mile has a rich past of heritage and legend, where literary greats have long lived and written about. Our proposed architectural interventions are therefore located along this infamous and busy street, all on sites of heritage interest. The choices of existing structures were also driven by themes discovered from studying the area’s history and the stories of our key figures. OUR STANCE | WHY This project began as an open-ended exploration into the roles that place and space have in storytelling. The thesis has been honed as we delved deeper into the narrative of Edinburgh, discovering and testing recurring themes which shape the city. To carry out this research, we outlined our own methodology based on literary processes and devices, examining the structure of stories, book-making and expression, leading us to perceive Edinburgh itself as a book. The wider themes relate to the city as the setting, the chosen authors as influencing characters and the plot emerging as the subsequent programme of our proposals. INFLUENCES | CHARACTERS Key narratives in the city were identified, many of which are interlinked with literary figures. Due to their influence on the stories of Edinburgh and Scotland, as well as their own fascinating characters, we chose Robert Louis Stevenson, Robert Burns, Walter Scott and Daniel Defoe to investigate further. Their work encapsulates Edinburgh’s themes, giving insight into the lives and struggles of individuals and society. METHODOLOGY | TOOLS The theory understood from the tools, themes and processes of the literary figures’ are manifested in the development of the protagonists, programme and architecture of our concluding proposals. To develop a more physical understanding of literature, we studied with professional bookbinders and printmakers, learning and practicing processes, as well as understanding the machine-like space they live and work in, appropriating with their own narrative. In our everyday working, we have used a writing bureau to organise our work and materials in a way similar to the bookbinder. In summary, literature has been a tool to understand the needs and stories of specific people to create unique and relevant designs.
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PROGRAMME | PLOT As our research developed, key themes emerged. These include; digging into the past, individuals’ isolation, ignorance, duality and mental health. They stem from centuries of influences and changes in the city and are therefore reflected in the work of the chosen authors who, themselves, have been molded by their surroundings. These themes and authors relate directly to demographics within Edinburgh. The proposals will therefore be aimed at providing young deaf people who are battling to be heard with a platform and education for others to understand them, as well as writing retreats for young people suffering from loneliness, anxiety and depression shaped by negative effects of social media. The issues faced by our chosen protagonists bridge between the research of historic Edinburgh and present-day. Both groups can experience isolation and loneliness, emotional states which are proven to be eased by the connections formed when reading fiction and expressing stories. ARCHITECTURAL APPLICATION | HOW Focusing on the two protagonist groups, the programme and designs involve a play between introverted and extroverted spaces and characters. They weave memory, perception, imagination and duality through the understanding of the city, while enabling the expression of this narrative by those who are ignored or not understood. One group create and write their own stories, escaping reality in the process, while the other physically express them, finally being heard and understood by those also being educated in sign language as part of the programme. These concepts intertwine and complement each other by concluding two different strands taken from studying Scottish literature; the psychological qualities and the expression of stories. Stitching these overarching concepts together with a setting, plot and characters, we have realised an overall programme and designed interventions along the length of the Royal Mile. The early research of our thesis concluded as fragments, including objects, devices, and an insight into history and specific individuals. Developing this into an architectural scheme was approached by drawing connections between places, stories and programmes. Five sites were identified, each with their own heritage to exhibit. We have treated our proposals as parasitic to these existing structures, considering materiality and mass, being sympathetic to historic features. Each intervention has been considered at varying levels of enquiry. Continuation of design languages are recognizable across the interventions. Representation and collaboration are key drivers in this project which have been developed and tested throughout, embracing storytelling at the core.
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“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today.” – Robert McKee
BOOK I
LINES OF ENQUIRY How can literature be expressed in the narrative of architecture? Examining the history and storytelling of Edinburgh through the perspectives of authors; Stevenson, Burns Scott and Defoe. Studying the palimpsest of narrative in the city, in book making, history and culture. Exploring the positive influences the act of reading has on mental health, and giving isolated groups a voice through storytelling.
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I | THE SETTING A key to a successful story is an immersive setting, with its own personality and character. ‘Setting establishes the time, place, and environment in which the main characters or narrator operates’ (‘Understanding The 7 Key Elements of A Narrative’ 2018).
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ATHENS OF THE NORTH CONTEXT OF LEARNING
During the Enlightenment period, Edinburgh was a city acclaiming its many intellectuals in philosophy, literature, science, architecture and visual arts, bestowing upon it the name ‘Athens of the North’. Athenian culture celebrated linking learning to public life as the glory of the ancient world, as a substitute for sovereignty. Thus, intellectuals met in Old Town to discuss and write about learnings to help society, who ‘came to think of learning and letters as a machine for modernising an underdeveloped country’ (Phillipson 1992). ‘Humans can only find true happiness if outworn dogmas abandoned, if they learned to be adaptable and pragmatic in their outlook’ David Hume, Edinburgh philosopher (Phillipson 1992). During Edinburgh’s Victorian age, before its establishment as a cultural city of festivals post World War 2, this dictum was forgotten, that ‘in the modern world, human happiness goes hand in hand with adaptability with progress depending on society’s ability to distance itself from tradition and to generate new cultures to articulate its rapidly-changing needs’ (Phillipson 1992) Today, Edinburgh as ‘Athens of the North’ relates more to arts and culture than to learning and literature as it did during the Enlightenment. Perhaps an alternative schooling could bridge this gap between the Edinburgh’s current standing as a cultural city of arts and festivals and its historic reputation of being a centre of literary learning, considering again the importance of letters and learning being easily accessible to all and a tool for addressing particular issues within society.
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THE LITERARY HEART OF EDINBURGH The University of Edinburgh’s project ‘Palimpsest’ enables the exploration of ‘the dimensions of literary Edinburgh through encounters with geolocated extracts of literary works’ aiming to ‘newly engage scholars and the public with the urban environment and its literature’ (‘Palimpsest: Literary Edinburgh’ n.d.). The concentration of these located literary encounters is highest in the Old Town, with many works using the Royal Mile as settings.
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Map taken from ‘Lit Long’, showing locations in the city used as settings in novels.
Robert Burns
Robert Louis Stevenson Walter Scott John Knox
Map showing locations of importance to key literary figures, primarily along the Royal Mile xi
EDINBURGH CASTLE RAMSAY GARDEN
ROYAL MILE
LOCATION OF HISTORIC WALL
HOLYROOD ABBEY ARTHUR’S SEAT
EDINBURGH TUNNELS
OLD TOWN We have chosen Old Town as our area of study given its rich history and links to the narrative and literature of Edinburgh.
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HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN
MORAY HOUSE SCHOOL This building used to be an aristocratic house, in which the Scottish-Anglo union was plotted WORLD’S END CLOSE This used to be the site of the toll gate to the city, and therefore the ‘end of the world’ for those who could not afford to leave
HEAVE AWA’ HOUSE a building on this site in the 1800’s collapsed. The current building shows a carving of one of the survivors
HUNTLY HOUSE The house is decorated with latin motifs, chiding the neighbours for opposing the building of the house
GOLFER’S LAND This land was previously dedicated to golf for Royals MOORISH EFFIGY This effigy depicts the Moors who kidnapped one of the residents of this house on his travels
QUEENSBURY HOUSE The spit in this house was apparently used by a cannibal occupant for roasting a servant boy
ST PAUL’S WORK The ‘Work’ was previously a workhouse and voluntary hospital. WHITE HORSE INN This was named due to its history as the start of messenger routes to London
HOLYROOD CASTLE This was the site of David Rizzio’s murder (Mary Queen of Scots’ aide)
NARRATIVE OF OLD TOWN & PRESENT DAY We are interested in how narrative can be demonstrated in Architecture and therefore convey a story without words. These are some examples in Old town which link to its history.
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EDINBURGH CASTLE
WRITER’S MUSEUM
MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD STORYTELLING CENTRE
THE PEOPLE’S STORY
OLD CANNONGATE THEATRE
SCOTTISH POETRY LIBRARY
NARRATING BUILDINGS These buildings all show or document the methods of narrative, storytelling and literature, alongside the authors and stories themselves in relation to Edinburgh.
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“Narrativity is always thinking and imagining in the realm of time” (Bleeckere & Gerards). A good narrative appeals to all senses, written with a purpose, for example, a lesson, enlightenment, reflection. Threads of narrative exist throughout Edinburgh’s Old Town, in its fiction, history and buildings, hidden within the stones which enclose them. We intend to further explore the concept of narrative, considering the ways in which individuals and authors create them, as well as the interrelations between narrative, space and emotive response. ‘Narrative is crucial to the ways that humans understand or make sense of their world, and it is a spatiotemporal world, to be sure’ (Fredric Jameson).
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II | METHODOLOGY The methodology derives from the path of research; analyising Edinburgh as a setting, key literary figures as characters and themes of their works as motivations for the resulting plots. The plots shape programmes for architectural interventions endeavoring to support specific people groups, the choice of which influenced by the literary characters.
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PATH OF RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
WRITING METHODOLOGY NARRATIVE OF ARCHITECTURE
EDINBURGH LITERATURE
HISTORIC
INDIVIDUAL
BOOK MAKING
TECTONIC STRUCTURE + USE OF SPACE
BURNS
DEFOE
STEVENSON
PEOPLE GROUPS
METHODOLOGY TRAITS
EDINBURGH OLD TOWN
SCOTT
THEMES
ACT OF READING
HOW THE NARRATIVE IS READ THROUGH ARCHITECTURE
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THE TECTONIC If the imagination and pen are a writer’s tools, the bureau is their workshop. Like those of Edinburgh’s literary figures, our bureau has become our own device for making and binding books as well as storing all materials and tools. Throughout the thesis project it is being adapted to display and develop architectural manifestations of our themes, narratives and discoveries.
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DINING/LINO-CUTTING SPACE
BOOK BINDING DESK
BEDROOM STORAGE
BOOK BINDING DRAWER
This 1:20 model explored the appropriation of space in the bookmakers house and the patterns of usage xx
Similar to the style of Sarah Wigglesworth, this drawing tracks the movement throughout the flat to investigate the appropriation of space by individuals who both live and work in this flat, informing their own narrative. It is printed onto perspex and fits into the drawer to be read in conjunction with the model.
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“Memory is the seamstress, and a capricious one at that. Memory runs her needle in and out, up and down, hither and thither. We know not what comes next, or what follows after. Thus, the most ordinary movement in the world, such as sitting down at a table and pulling the inkstand towards one, may agitate a thousand odd, disconnected fragments, now bright, now dim, hanging and bobbing and dipping and flaunting, like the underlinen of a family of fourteen on a line in a gale of wind� (Woolf 1995).
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CHAPTER:
NARRATIVE ARCHITECTURE THE STORYTELLING CENTRE
Considering the book as a device of knowledge and understanding, the first in a series of ‘chapters’ employs the method of collage to take the reader through a building abstractly, demonstrating architecture’s narrating ability. Hand-making books allows layering of understanding, a narrative process in itself. The tactility of the materials allows for a further personal connection and an interpretation which is not entirely pre-planned but develops as the work is created.
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Front faรงade: This demonstrates the materiality of the faรงade, the integration of old and new construction and the prominent view through the building
Multi functional space: This galley is a flexible story telling space which frames the view of Edinburgh
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Theatre: The storytelling space is designed to be simple in order to allow the mind to be the creative input, overlaying stories onto the scene. The space looks outside in order to have a connection with nature.
Back bookcase: This is a scale model of the dividing bookcase wall in the multi-functional space. This exhibits the storytelling centre’s origins whilst providing privacy.
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III |CHARACTERS Fiction ‘is a meld between the mind of the reader and the writer, and the minds of reader and character.’(Frankman 2017)
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ROBERT BURNS THE POET
Burns is a character significant to the whole of Scotland, a representative of Scottish culture, known for his poems and songs, so famous that a day celebration, ‘Burns night’, exists in his name. As well as the famous songs and poems marking celebration and occasion,
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DRINK Burns’ death was apparently brought about by his love of drink
WRITER’S CLOSE Burns stayed opposite here on his frist visit to Edinburgh
MARGARET CHALMERS JOHNNIE DOWIE’S TAVERN Burns frequented many of the taverns of Old town
CROCHALLEN FENCIBLES A convival club which Burns was part of, on Anchors Close
MEG CAMERON Burns frequented many of the taverns of Old town
CANNONGATE KIRK GRAVEYARD The resting place of many of his heroes and lovers, including Robert Fergusson and Agnes Maclehose MRS LOVE’S OYSTER CELLAR This was where Burns courted many women
WOMEN OF OLD TOWN Burns’ love interests included lady Agnes Maclehose, her maid Jenny Clow
THEMES Duality of character, a chameleon Believed in equality, wrote about ignorance of society Used nature as constant, as therapy Unusual education Personal interpretation of the city xxix
CHAPTER:
REFLECTIVE BURNS Collaging the Burn’s education, character and ‘To a Mouse’, concluding in architectural translation his poetry and character in a site significant to the research and analysis.
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The famous Scottish poet came from humble beginnings.
He did not receive the level of education available to most of his contemporaries.
A symbol of Scottish culture, Burns influenced many with his works and themes of ignorance, equality, love and nature he expressed.
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RHYME SCHEME
POETIC STRUCTURE TO A MOUSE
Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie, O, what a panic’s in thy breastie! Thou need na start awa sae hasty, Wi’ bickering brattle! I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee, Wi’ murdering pattle!
STANZAS
A A A B A B
+ + + +
-
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SITE
ESCAPSIM, TAKING INDIVIDUAL TO ANOTHER PLACE: elevated above the urban landscape, removal from reality and current setting to feel emotional connection with another. FURTHER PERSONAL CONTEXT: Height just above the roof level of the church opposite, reflecting Burns’ mocking of preachers for false piety. Obvious gap in street facade.
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NATURAL LANDSCAPE: view to Aurthur’s Seat and Carlton Hill, reflecting Burns’ use of nature. He saw it as a constant, while life was chaotic. REFLECTION OF RELATIONSHIPS & WORKS: overlooking Cannongate churchyard, where Agnes MacLehose (which ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ is written about), and Robert Furgeson are buried.
Translated to spacial plan, by making turns:
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+
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5
4
Movement pattern
+
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+
3
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2 Translated to elevation by number of storeys:
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Viewing platform
BURNS’ CHAMELEON CHARICTERISTIC IAMBIC PENTAMETER Overlapping pattern from next stanza/ storey
Wee, SLEEkit, COWrin, TIM’rous BEAstie
Viewing platform
Wee
Placement of walls forcing the movement according to the rhyme
SLEE
kit COW
rin
TIM
rous
BEA
Length of syllable pronounced by depth of step or amount of effort needed for each step
Vernacular stone
Steel frame
Timber elements
Demonstrated in materials, juxtaposing and natural materals in conjuction with vernacular.
TRANSLATION OF POEM ‘TO A MOUSE’ xxxiii
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON THE AUTHOR
Stevenson was a writer whose work was bathed in the architecture of Edinburgh around him. His work was based a lot on observations and inspired by the events of Edinburgh. His Jekyll and Hyde book for example is said to have been inspired by the duality of Edinburgh’s New and Old town, alongside the actions of criminal’s Burke and Hare.
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BURKE & HARE These two body snatchers apparently inspired his character of Jekyll and Hyde
TRON KIRK An effigy of Stevenson is here
DR. JOHN KNOX Burke and Hare’s patron also inspired the book
EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY Stevenson appeased his father by training to be a lawyer in order to support his passion of writing
WRITER’S MUSEUM
DEACON BRODIE This man inspired Stevenson’s themes of duality
RUTHERFORD’S BAR Stevenson often here
LORD BRAXFIELD This judge inspired the character of the judge in Stevenson’s book; Weir of Hermiston
drank
THEMES Isolated and lonely childhood with unusual education Duality of character, place and society Memories of place and emotions influenced his narratives Methodology: began process of writing Treasure Island by imagining a place, drawing a map - architectural xxxv
WALTER SCOTT
POET, HISTORIAN AUTHOR Walter Scott is a classic example of how Edinburgh has built itself around the literature written about itself. Waverley station and Scott’s monument commemorate his work as well as his use of the city as the setting for much of his work and root of his ideas. Scott was a keen historian, grounding his stories in Edinburgh’s rich history. This is an approach we have included in our methodology to fully incorporate the depth and wealth of understanding. Scott was the father of the historic novel - a novel which was defined by its deep roots in the past, strong plots and perception of human psychology. Edinburgh and Scotland set a background to his tales of normal people. He used a world of contrasting demographics and classes to propose mediating solutions and engage with the specific problems of individuals. xxxvi
COLLEGE WYND HOUSE Walter Scott was born here on the Royal mile. This was the family home until he moved to Abbotsford due to his poor health
WRITTEN FOLKLORE Scott was the first primary author to write down the folklore which had previously only been passed down through oral tradition. Therefore making it more accessible to the masses
25 GEORGE SQUARE Scott settled here after marrying his wife. This house was on the outskirts of old town and close to the University campus
THE INDIVIDUAL Scott’s writing went against the common writing of the times by focusing on the tales of normal individuals as opposed generic people in privileged positions BRIDGING Scott aimed to use his work as a mediator in issues of debate and create an understanding between different groups
ABBOTSFORD Scott was sent here (his grandfather’s house) where he was told many of the folktales of Scotland which inspired his writing.
DIGGING UP THE PAST Scott was fascinated by the history of Scotland and carried out in depth historical research into every element of his novels. This methodology was groundbreaking in comparison to previous novels.
THEMES Use of the Scottish dialect The lives of Individuals Historic research Mediating divides Making education accessible for all xxxvii
THE
DANIEL DEFOE
AUTHOR, PAMPHLETEER, JOURNALIST AND SPY
Defoe lived in Edinburgh for six key years of his literary career. A time during which he acclimatised to Edinburgh and Scottish culture and wrote Robinson Crusoe amongst other texts.
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MOUBRAY HOUSE Defoe lived here whilst writing his famous works
ALEXANDER SELKIRK This Scottish castaway inspired Defoe’s story of Robinson Crusoe
LITERATURE Defoe’s most famous works were written and inspired by his time in Edinburgh
LITERATURE His book ‘Walking tour through Great Britain’ is an indepth documentation of the life of Old Town
HAND SIGNING Defoe was the first author to formally document and develop the early forms of British Sign Language
THEMES Hidden existence Duality Unity Representation of deaf community xxxix
IV | THEMES From studying the literature and history of Old Town Edinburgh, we conclude that the following themes of philanthropy, ignorance and duality are core to its culture and identity. Stevenson references the duality in throughout his work. He was inspired by criminal protagonists of the Old Town’s past, as well as the contrasting light and dark characteristics experienced within the city itself. The ignorance relates to equality and mental health issues within society. Referenced by Robert Burns in poems such as ‘To a Mouse’, and deeply-rooted in the city’s history. The philanthropy relates to the provision of resources for those affected by the ignorance e.g. Defoe’s book on signing.
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PHILANTHROPY A | George Heriot School B | James Gillespie School C | Braidwood deaf School D | Edinburgh blind School E | Elsie Inglis dispensary F | St Paul’s Work G | St Saviour’s children garden
IGNORANCE H I J K L
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Edinburgh AIDS epidemic Edinburgh witch hunt Poor + Rich divide Edinburgh Bedlam Disability discrimination
DUALITY M N O P Q P
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Protestants v. Catholics Jekyll + Hyde Mountains + Valleys Scottish v. English Rich v. Poor Old town v. New town
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Robert Burns is Born | 1759
Anglo-Scottish Union | 1707
Daniel Defoe publishes signing book | 1720
Daniel Defoe’s death | 1731 Defoe’s Tour through GB | 1724-7 Robinson Crusoe written based on Sottish castaway Alexander Selkirk | 1719
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Dean & Cauvin Young People’s trust established | 1733 Edinburgh witch trials | 1597-1728
George Heriot Ragged school | 1628
George Heriot Ragged school | 1628
45 | 16
1 70 n | io h Un pl The
hi ts ague
b Edin
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St Paul’s Work voluntary hospitalformed in the 15th C
Re The
’s 70 - 15 1560 n | atio form
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t nmen ghte Enli The thC 9 1 C 18th
t is Scot o Angl 1544 ng | oi h Wo Roug The
Daniel Defoe sent to Edinburgh | 1706
Princess Joanna of Scotland is the first recorded example of a form of sign language | 1428-86
URGH B N I F ED O TERS C E A N R A LI D CH TIME N A IVE T A R NAR
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Daniel Defoe Born | 1659
hes blis esta 1124 d I y | e b Davi b A rood Holy
BSL is formally named at Moray house | 1975
Deaf Children’s education Act | 1944
The Scottish Council on deafness formed | 1927
Stevenson dies| 1894 Stevenson moves to Samoa| 1890 Stevenson produces famous novels Treasure Island and Jekyll and Hyde | 1880-1886
results in AIDS epidemic
| 1980’s8
Debtor’s sanctuary at Holyrood Abbey comes to an end|1880
Thomas Guthrie Ragged school | 1847
Scott goes to nEdiburgh for private educaiton | 1778
xliii Blind poet Thomas Blacklock forced to leave post as church minister due to discriminiation | 1762
Walter Scott is born and inspired by the folklores of his granparent’s home Sandyknowes | 1771-1773
James Gillespie’s Ragged school| 1800
Edinburgh Blind school established with the support of Thomas Blackwood | 1764
Poet Robert Fergusson is locked up in Ediburgh Bedlam for psychiatric issues and eventually dies | 150-1774
Walter Scott starts writing | 1796
Scott becomes a Freemason 1801
Scott hunts for crown jewels | 1817
Walter Scott’s death | 1832
Patrick Geddes proposes town pocket gardens and revitalisation of Old Town through small insertions in order to improve quality of life for resdients | 1880
St Saviour’s first free Kindergarten on Cannongate | 1903
Elsie Inglis opens the first free clinic + dispensary on High Street for Women | 1925
Edinburgh crack down on hyperdemic syringes
The Milan congress declares sign lanugage inferior to oral communication,and therefore should be banned. Stevenson meets wife Fanny | 1876 THis results in the closure of deaf schools | 1880-1893 Stevenson’s LJR club | 1873 Follows Walter Scott’s journey for the ‘Pirate’ Decides to be a poet instead of an Engineer | 1870 Enrolls at Edinburgh University | 1867
Stevenson’s Birth. His childhood was plagued by Bronchial issues | 1850
Burn’s death | 1796
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Robert Burns left his father’s farm | 1766
Robert Burns moves to Mauchline where he meets his future wife Jean Armour and many other women who inspire his poetry | 1770
Burns leaves Edinburgh | 1788 Burns arrives in Edinburgh | 1786
t Grea
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Stevenson starts at Edinburgh Academy | 1861
Burns is popular in the many salons and bars of Old Town, meeting Scott and Blacklock in this period | 1786-8
THe first school for the deaf, Thomas Braidwood institute of the deaf and dumb is opened | 1760
07
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1824 gh |
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50 19 ur dinb of E Fire
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V | DISCOVERING THE PLOT READING AS THERAPY Using literary imagination as a generator to appeal to senses, ‘to understand and implement a literary imagination at the roots of an architecture capable of producing communicative atmospheres, both emotive and cognitive, for embodied human action, conveying its meanings in a multisensory way’ (Alberto Perez-Gomez 2018).
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PSYCHOLOGICAL QUALITIES OF STORIES Books of fiction “disengage us from ourselves”, ‘from the self to the other, crossing a boundary’ Robert Louis Stevenson.
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PHYSICAL EXPRESSION OF STORIES Benefits of performance include ‘emotional expression, self-affirmation, and catharsis’ alongside ‘the ability to see one’s individual challenges as a reflection of socially-constructed and politically-reinforced norms’ (Sajnani 2013). xlvii
BOOK II
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VI | INTRODUCING THE PROTAGONISTS We have depicted young people as our characters due to them themselves already being in a transitional state, between adulthood and childhood which already bring about many interesting factors regarding imagination, memory and perception as well as a will to be heard and understood.
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PSYCHOLOGICAL QUALITIES
LITERA
PROTAGONISTS
PROPO
PROPO
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ATURE
PHYSICAL EXPRESSION
PROTAGONISTS
OSAL
OSAL
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LITERA PSYCHOLOGICAL QUALITIES INTERNALISED
THERAPY & LEARNING
ROBERT LOUIS
- Reading as t - Escapism by - Work, idlene
HISTORY OF EDINBURGH - Women with mental health issues accused of being witches and burnt/drowned/hanged - Poet Robert Ferguson in Edinburgh asylum - Edinburgh architecture telling stories, providing certain form of intellectual interaction - Stevenson’s novel ‘The Misadventures of John Nicholson’ involves a character suffering from mental illness who is taken to Morningside Asylum.
PROTAGONISTS
Teenagers suffering with anxiety, depression and loneliness, influenced by social media. Difficult transitional period of life, struggling to take authorship of themselves, in need of escape
ROBERT BURNS - bipolar - used poetry to express emotions - providing escapism from oneself and one’s environment
LITERARY (ALTERNATIVE) EDUCATION CENTRE & RETREAT
Temporary escape in order to disconnect with the online world to connect with the literary to learn how to have more successful connections with others. Perception vs. reality / imagined vs reality
- Giving isolated young people/introverts a voice - Duality in society, character and place - Relation to own character and childhood
Use literature as alternate way of learning and developing emotional intelligence, involving screen-less education (a regression in technology). A place young people can escape, crossing boundaries between self and fiction, regain authorship of their own narratives. A place aiding the understanding the duality of social media, the human character and society while connecting to literary characters, plots and settings to understand the importance of connections outside a screen.
Architectural manifestation their charact
PROPO
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ATURE PHYSICAL EXPRESSION EXTERNALISED
THERAPY & LEARNING
S STEVENSON HISTORY OF EDINBURGH
therapy reading fiction ess and pleasure - Isolated, lonely childhood with limited access to education, like deaf children - Fascination with theatres and set design as a child - Translation of folktales into written format
DANIEL DEFOE - 1720 Wrote and developed the first book of finger signing (however Defoe is the only author linked to Edinburgh to acknowledge deaf needs in literature. - Robinson Crusoe - Escapism story
l n of themes of ters and works
PROTAGONISTS Deaf teenagers of Edinburgh have been ignored and excluded from Scottish society through the oral tradition of storytelling and lack of involvement in literature
- 1428 Princess Joanna is one of the first documented examples of sign language - In 1760 Thomes Braidwood established the World’s first educational institution for Deaf and mute adults at what is now Dumbiedykes, teaching the first recognised form of BSL. - British Sign Language was first coined at Moray house in 1975 - 1927 - Present Day: Scottish Council on Deafness and Deaf Action both originate and advocate on behalf of Deaf people
LITERARY (ALTERNATIVE) EDUCATION & THEATRE CENTRE - Use deaf performance and expressions of literature as alternative way of changing the current accepted way of conveying literature. -Create an accessible portal for Deaf users into Scottish literature culture - Reinstall the Dumbiedykes School - Perform tales of the literature education centre and Stevenson and Crusoe
- Give the voiceless a voice - Oppose the phonocentric ways of creative culture which box deaf people as cultural and linguistic minorities, given language and culture are inextricable..
OSAL
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PROTAGONIST Life revolving around perfect little squares. Valuing ‘likes’ based on image rather than genuine connections with depth.
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A survey by the Royal Society for Public Health found ‘Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter all led to increased feelings of depression, anxiety, poor body image and loneliness’ in 14-24 year olds.
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PROPOSAL As a society we have become in need of constant stimulation from excessive time looking at screens, exacerbating feelings of loneliness, boredom and mental illness. The design outcomes aim to, like a book, provide an escape for an individual from their current situation, emotionally and physically, removing them from their environment, providing interaction to occupy the mind and scope for the imagination to remove them to somewhere entirely different.
15
PROTAGONIST The Deaf community. Excluded from Scottish culture, seen and not heard A strong root in Edinburgh but not yet fully acknowledged
16
17
Scottish Culture is intrinsically linked with literature, given its rich history of folk tales through music, spoken word, dance which have been the primary format of passing on history and therefore the traditions revolve around speaking and hearing. For example Scots language, Burns night etc.
This means that the deaf commun Scottish literature but also Sc inserting them back in Given being deaf is not always be a very isolating an
Almost all early deaf therapy was based on the assumption of the deaf community lacking intelligence. This belittling presumption was only due to the fact that they were not given a form of communication, therefore their intelligence could not be heard.
As a result, speaking groups wh the deaf community’s best inte community did not need their o instead should conform to the wa BSL and deaf schools were there deaf education has since be rein fully been recognis
HOW HAS THE DEAF COM FROM SCOTTISH CUL TRADI
‘Van Cleve continues, ‘as thou people grew up, married, worke their children was somehow unr habited by people who hear.’ T lives throughout history, and half of the 19th century, can histories of other minorities, lising details hidden in the h late a wider picture from thes
finding-deaf-lives-in-the-statistical-accounts-of-
https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handl
18
nity are not just excluded from cottish culture. The key way of is through literature. visible to the public, it can nd lonely experience.
Throughout history there has been almost no acknowledgment of the deaf community in Scottish literature. The only forms of communication have been Defoe’s finger signing book, Scott’s transcribing of folktales into a written form, Braidwood’s school and Stevenson’s writings on loneliness.
ho thought they were acting in erest, decided that the deaf own form of communication but ays of the speaking community. efore removed in 1893. BSL and nstituted, but it is still not sed as a language.
The proposal aims to tackle this entrenched attitude of ignorance through gathering up the fragments of relevant Edinburgh literature and history and educating the community through narrative and BSL. It also aims to create awareness of the possibilities of storytelling through bodylangauge, lip reading, drawings, models etc. and therefore create a dialogue.
MMUNITY BEEN EXCLUDED LTURE THROUGH ORAL ITIONS?
ugh the world in which deaf ed, procreated, and educated related to the larger world inTrying to find evidence of deaf especially before the second be a challenge; as with the , we often have to seek tantahistorical record and extrapose.’http://statacc.blogs.edina.ac.uk/2015/10/28/
-scotland-1791-1845/
le/1842/23449/Leith2016.pdf?sequence=2
19
EXCLUSION OF THE DEAF For centuries the literature was only accessible through oral tradition, this therefore significantly excluded the deaf community from apsects of Edinburgh culture, alongside basic education and company. The work of Walter Scott, transcribing the spoken tales into written format was the only access deaf communities initially had to this literature, and they continued still to face ignorance. For example, deaf communities used to be presumed as dumb given they hadn’t been taught to speak. This programme intends to challenge the ingrained society of ignorance and place the deaf community of Edinburgh at the forefront of storytelling.
20
PROPOSAL The proposal aims to fracture the historic foundations of oral tradition and ignorance in Old Town by teaching the speaking community to be inclusive to those who communicate differently, forming a deaf theatre school incorporated into the storytelling centre, a deaf education installation and a public performance space. Works of Edinburgh authors will be incorporated and expressed in a way which is accessible to the deaf community along the Royal Mile with the backdrop of historic Dumbiedykes.
21
22
VIII | UNDERSTANDING THE WRITER
23
IMAGINATION
DUALITY
PERCEPTION
LONG-TERM MEMORY
THOUGHT
THE WRITER’S MIND
ENCODER
To visualise the cognitive processes important to writing and connecting to stories in a more tangible way, this drawing communicates the mind as an architectural space. The bureau in the centre is encodes the memories, perceptions, thoughts and influence of imagination and duality.
24
OUTPUT
25
WRITING PROCESS
Archive of narrative
LONG-TERM MEMORY
READING PROCESS
IDENTIFYING CONGNITIVE PROCESSES TO INFORM THE PROGRAMME
Library spaces to escape reality and enter the fictional world
IMAGINATION
26
Disc inspir thought
TH
cussion, ration and t provoker
HOUGHT
Creative escape spaces to write and produce
Library spaces to exhibit and discuss work
ENCODER
OUTPUT
Escape spaces to reflect on the crossing between fiction and reality
Therapeutic effect on loneliness, anxiety and depression, enhancing emotional intelligence and reconnecting the mind with personal narrative, imagination and reality.
REFLECTION
RECONNECTION
27
LONG-TERM MEMORY
2020 SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICT
Becoming more detached from personal narrative and negatively impacting memory ability
PERCEPTION
IMAGINA
Becoming more detached from reality, with more focus on perceptions
Expressed his views on religion in Scotland
JOHN KNOX
Jou Nev lea ent
J.M. BARRIES’ WENDY DARLING
As a poet, he describes emotions and how he sees the world subjectively
ROBERT BURNS
Memories from childhood to inspire his stories
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
28
Scr the ima the rem nee ima
Perceptions of real places and people inspire his literary settings and characters.
ATION
reens plant eir own ages in e mind, moving the ed for agination
DUALITY
ENCODER
OUTPUT
Increased levels of lonliness, anxiety and depression
Views of religion at the time were opposing and conflicting
Vocalised and wrote views
Between child and adult, expressing importance of connection to childhood and imagination
urneys to verland, aving reality tirely behind
Undiagnosed bipolar sufferer, his moods fluctuated. Chameleon, fitting into any social situation.
Obsession with the light and dark in all people and places, expressed in his characters
Published poetry and songs
Published novels
29
30
VII | UNDERSTANDING THE DEAF
31
WAVERLEY
ROB ROY
HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN
CRUSADES + THE SAXON/NORMAN DIVIDE
KING RICHARD IS IMPRISONED AND THE NORMANS ARE ABUSING THE SAXONS
JACOBITE UPRISING
JACOBITE UPRISING BASED ON THE REAL ROBERT ROY MACGREGOR PORTEOUS UPRISING
A TIME OF RIOTS AND ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE JAMES II
INTRODUCTION OF THE SETTING OF OLD TOLBOOTH JAIL
DILEMMA
KEY PROTAGONIST INTRODUCED
HISTORICAL SETTING TO HOST THE PARASITIC PLOT
IVANHOE
IVANHOE AND HIS FATHER ARE INTRODUCED. IVANHOE HAS BEEN DISOWNED DUE TO ROLE IN THE CRUSADES
JOURNEY BACK TO ENGLAND UNDER DISGUISE
EDWARD WAVERLEY
JOURNEY NORTH WAVER EMBRA TO SCOTTISH THE W HIGHLANDS THE H LANDE
JOUR TO E UNDE DISG
FRANK IS INTRODUCED
JOURNEY TO JACOBITE UNCLE
IMPOR FAMIL DOCUM ARE S AND F IS AC
JEANIE DEANS INTRODUCED
HER YOUNGER SISTER EFFIE DEANS IS INTRODUCED
EFFI CHAR KILL OWN
JOURNEY OF OVERCOMING THE EXCLUSIVE ORAL NATURE OF SCOTTISH S
PROPOSAL
AUTHORS AND ROOTING IN OLD TOWN
DEAF STUDENT PROTAGONISTS ROOTED IN EDINURGH HISTORY
ORAL TION SCOT LITE HAS THE COMM THER FROM CULT
SCOTT’S PLO
Producing a building inkeeping autho Scott’s plots always followed a clear j
a weaving of disparate threa
32
RESOLUTION
CONFLICT
RNEY BACK ENGLAND ER GUISE
RLEY ACES WAYS OF HIGHERS
EDWARD IS DISMISSED FROM THE REGIMENT
JOINS THE JACOBITES ONLY TO FAIL
WAVERLEY IS PARDONED
MARRIES ROSE TO SYMBOLISE UNITY OF POST_UNION SCOTLAND
RTANT LY MENTS STOLEN FRANK CCUSED
PURSUES THE THIEF WHO IS HIS COUSIN RASHLEIGH
JACOBITE BATTLE INVOLVES ROB ROY KILLING RASHLEIGH
FRANK RESCUES HIS RELATIVES WHO ARE IN HIDING
MARRIES HIS FEMALE COUSIN AND INHERITS THE ESTATE, UNIFYING RELIGIOUS DIVIDES
JEANIE TRAVELS TO LONDON TO BEG PARDON
JEANIE IS ATTACKED BY THE WOMAN WHO KILLED EFFIE’S BABY
JEANIE EVENTUALLY MAKES IT TO THE DUKE OF ARGYLL
IE IS RGED WITH LING HER BABY
JEANIE GAINS THE PARDON AND MARRIES HER CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART, UNIFYING THE FAMILY
STORYTELLING CULTURE
L TRADIN AND TTISH ERATURE EXCLUDED DEAF MUNITY REFORE M SCOTTISH TURE
CONSISTENT FIGHT WITH GOVERNMENTS TO RECOGNISE BSL
OWNERSHIP OF LITERATURE THROUGH THE CREATION OF A DEAF HEATRE WHICH PRESENTS STORIES IN AN ACCESSIBLE WAY
KEY HISTORICAL FRAGMENTS WOVEN IN
OT PATTERNS
g with the work of Edinburgh’s ors. a certain pattern was one of a journey
ads into homogeneous picture
PHYSCIAL JOURNEY JOURNEY OF SELF DISCOVERY PLOT MARKERS
33
HISTORIC FRAGMENNT HISTORIC FRAGMENNT
HISTORIC FRAGMENNT
HISTORIC FRAGMENNT
HISTORIC FRAGMENNT
JOURNEY
HISTORIC FRAGMENNT
BIGGER PICTURE
UNDERSTANDING THE BIGGER PICTURE A series of fragments which do not make sense on their own however are crucial to explaining the final narrative.
DESIGNING IN LITERARY FRAGMENTS
34
HISTORIC FRAGMENNT
HISTORIC FRAGMENT LITERATURE FRAGMENT
JOURNEY
LITERATURE FRAGMENT
DEAF FRAGMENT
THEATRE FRAGMENT
OF NARRATIVE
LITERATURE EDUCATION
BSL EDUCATION
DEAF STORYTELLING
IN CONTEXT The proposal only makes sense in the context of the other fragments. The journey through the narrative educates those involved, preparing them for the concluding element of the theatre.
DESIGNING IN LITERARY FRAGMENTS
35
IDENTIFY STORY
TRAN
DEAF STORYTELLI
Deaf theatre is alre beautiful performance acknowledged in Edinbu centre has performed som not en
https://www.deafinit
36
NSLATE
EYE CONTACT & SPACE
ING IN THEATRES
eady a prominent and however it is not as urgh. The Storytelling me workshops before but nough.
telytheatre.co.uk/
37
SPACE & PROXIMITY
LIGHT & COLOUR
VIBRATIONS
SENSOR
SEEN AND NO
Deaf design re
https://www.curbed.com/2016/3/2/1 washingto
38
& ACOUSTICS
RY REACH
MOBILITY & PROXIMITY
OT HEARD
equirements
11140210/gallaudet-deafspaceon-dc
39
AUTHOR SITE REQUIREMENTS • Parasitic • Attached to building of significance • Footprints of history • Links to multiple elements of Old Town • Domestic scale surroundings • busy crowd • parasitic • mediate • narrative • Materiality
40
DEAF THEATRE SITE REQUIREMENTS • Prominent position in Old Town with views onto main streets • Division of Public and private space • Elevated views • Private entrance to educational elements • Views of Arthur’s Seat and Dumbiedykes • Public area can be overlooked • Easy access • Close to Old Town centre • Good lines of site • Nature access
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IX | THE MAP AND IDENTIFYING THE SITES
43
Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘TREASURE ISLAND MAP’
Following earlier research, Robert Louis Stevenson’s approach of drawing a fictional map to create his story’s setting was adopted.
This map of Edinburgh incorporates areas identified as having geographical, historical, symbolic and literary importance.
44
45
M
S
U
DEAF A | Deaf Support Services B | Deaf and Dumb institute C | Deaf Action D | Dumbiedykes MUSEUMS/PUBLIC BUILDINGS E | St Giles Church F | Museum of Childhood G | Storytelling museum H | Poetry library I | The people’s story J | Writer’s museum K | National museum of Scotland
X
JY REF L O
Z
THEATRE L | Bedlam theatre M | The Lyceum N | The Space
EDUCATION O | George Heriot P | Edinburgh Scho
DANIEL DEFOE Q | Daniel Defoe’s
BUILDINGS OF
46
C N
F
T
QG
P
K
I W
B
H
D
Z
e
School ool of English
s house
A WALTER SCOTT R | Heart of Midlothian S | Edinburgh Castle T | College Wynd U | Scotts Monument ROBERT STEVENSON W | Burke and Hare X | Doctor Knox Y | Deacon Brodie Z | Edinburgh University
SIGNIFICANCE
47
TRON KIRK
CHESSEL’S COURT
JOHN KNOX HOUS
CHOSEN HERITA THE ROYA 48
& MOUBRAY USES
ST. GILES
SIR BASIL SPENCE STAIRS
AGE SITES ON AL MILE 49
X | DESIGN APPROACH
50
All the sites and proposals involve parasitic structures attaching to existing heritage structures. Choice and detailing of materials ensures definition and clarity between existing and new, protecting the integrity of the architectural heritage.
51
BOOKCASES WITH MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS E.G STAIRS & SEATS
LEVELS IN THE BUILDING WHICH MIRROR THE TOPOGRAPHY OF EDINBURGH
ARCHITECTUR
52
PARASITIC INTERVENTIONS
HIDDEN NOOKS
RAL MOTIFS
53
INTERCON
54
The proposal aims to in world of the writer wi of the deaf performer, public. The scheme crea of creativity in which t work of the writers who the performance
NNECTION
nterconnect the introvert ith the extrovert world , intermingled with the ates a continusuous cycle the performers act out the o are in turn inspired by es of the actors.
55
BOOK III
56
XI | REPRESENTING THE STORY
57
57
58
Of the five proposed interventions along the Royal Mile, each of the two protagonists visits three, travelling in opposite directions but meeting to interact in the central storytelling centre.
59
LUCY
EXHIBITION I
We had envisioned our submission as a phys research work in the devices Representation has been a key driver in
Beginning by experimenting with collagi
sequences to navigate through a b
60
NAOMI
INTENTIONS
sical exhibition, surrounded by all our of books and the bureau. our process and thesis development.
ing techniques, designing narrative
book as you would a building.
61
Perception
Memory
ANIMATION AS A TOOL
We had envisioned our submission as a phys research work in the devices Representation has been a key driver in
Beginning by experimenting with collagi
sequences to navigate through a b
62
Imagination
Encoding
OF REPRESENTATION
sical exhibition, surrounded by all our of books and the bureau. our process and thesis development.
ing techniques, designing narrative
book as you would a building.
63
CHARACTER DE
We developed the charact
artists such as Rebecca
The figures allow for flexi
animation process whils
the storybook na
64
ESIGN PROCESS
ters based on the work of
a Green and Clover Robin.
ibility in the stop motion
st also clearly conveying
ature of the film.
65
CHARACTER CO
It was important to te
character in order to m against the background
well with the blue and g
as suggested by Deaf des
66
skin tone t
OLOUR PROCESS
est the colouring of the
make sure they stood out of the film. This worked
green architectural tones
sign, which allows for the
to stand out.
67
STORYBO
68
OARDING
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
BOOK IV
79
80
XII | THE ARCHIVE | Tron Kirk To Remember Representing the long-term memory of the writer, the vaults beneath the South Bridge house artefacts of importance to the city and its people. They inspire the writer, reconnecting them with the past of the place and their own personal memories.
81
Located at the ‘ruins’ and ‘caves’
82
THE ARCHIVE IN LITERARY CONTEXT The vaults beneath the South bridge are full of legend and secrets. The notorious Burke and Hare are said to have hidden bodies beneath the busy city centre street, and they are home to many tourist haunted tours, embodying the memory and duality concepts from the ‘writer’s mind’ drawing.
83
EAST ELEVATION
WEST ELEVATION
SITE MAT
The materiality of the
arches are continued in t
84
NORTH ELEVATION
SOUTH ELEVATION
TERIALITY
e church and underground
the parasitic intervention
85
86
Section through archive intervention, in the context of the Royal Mile
87
Sketch Plans
Public urban garden Mezz
Reception
Mezz Shelving/ seating
Mezz
Shelving/ seating/ stairs
Shelving/ seating
-2 Level
-1 Level
ARCHIV
88
WC
Marlin’s Wynd
Framed view
Entrance from Royal Mile
Shelving structures above ruin foundations WC
Set display
Set store
-1 Level
0 Level
VE PLAN
89
Shelving structures a ruin foundat
‘Cave’ archive
Transnational space
ARCHIVE
90
g above tions
Framed view Royal Mile
‘Ruins’ archive
Sketch Section
SECTION
91
92
The vaults beneath the South bridge provide the long-term memory archives, storing and displaying the oldest artefacts and curiosities.
93
Perspective view inside archive ‘cave’
94
1 Existing stone walls 2
2 Existing vaulted stone ceiling 3 Existing uneven stone floor surface
4 Framed view to activity below 5
5
1
3
Design allows person to sit within the structure increase physical contact with archive
4 New timber frame structure, partitioning the cavernous volumees into more personal spaces and displaying arhive curiosities 5 New smoothsurfaced stone forming transitions between spaces withing the heavy rough walls
95
96
The area of the archive between the cave and kirk is a transitional space between these two historic sites. The ground level is lowered significantly to mediate the great difference in levels.
97
This transitional space aims to intrigue the public, providing passers by with a space to pause an sit in the urban garden environment, drawing them into the archives.
98
99
100
Concrete arches provide partial covering for the urban garden area
Timber frame structures provide display shelves and public seating
The architectural language further connects the two archive buildings by continuing the arched geometry, seemingly growing from the ‘cave’ Steps are constructed from stone to continue the historic materiality
and
parasitic timber
structures from the kirk, as they meld together.
101
Use of the Trok Kirk has been turbulent, most recently it has been transformed from a market to an heritage exhibition. However, beneath the floor of this exhibition lies ruins and foundations of historic tenements, wynds and the High Street itself.
102
The proposal inside the kirk is to lift the floor to expose these ruins and use timber frame structures to structures display curiosities which seemlingly grow from these foundations. They encompassing the historic spacial arrangement in a tectonic manner, giving a more authentic interaction with the site’s heritage.
103
4
g din l i Bu C
1& 2
Wy nd
Plan as existing, showing layout of historic fabric beneath the Kirk floor
104
Mi le Ro ya l
St re et Hi gh
Bu il di ng
B
In du s ar tria ea l
Ma rl in ’s
3
Co ur ty ar d
Bu il di ng
D
Ce ll ar
Ce ll ar s
Ce ll ar
Mi le Ro ya l
Hi st or wh ic t ee he at co led r ur i nt e se ty o ar ol ts d d si te
Axonometric sketch demonstrating spacial arrangement of parasitic structures within the kirk
105
3
1
2
1 Martin’s Wynd route reestablished as primary route through kirk
106
2 Raised timber platforms to protect archaeological importance of foundations
3 Structure at entrance to frame view through kirk upon arrival
4 New timber frame curiosities, arr to appropriate s
4
4
e structures to display archive ranged above the historic foundations some of their past spacial qualities.
A 200mm gap is left between the new timber platform flooring and the foundations, to further define new fabric from the historic.
Raised timber platforms allow the visitor to walk the same routes as those five Centuries before, while preserving the building fabric.
107
The Tron Kirk has recently been adapted to accommodate the Edinburgh World Heritage Exhibition. Rather than merely educating visitors through posters, this proposal reinstates an experience and understanding of the site as it was before the kirk was built in the 17th Century. The archives continue into the kirk, representing more recent memory and thought. Historic stage sets are exhibited in the old courtyard, to further inspire the writer with stories which have come before.
108
109
XIII | THE OLD DEAF SCHOOL | Chessels Court To Learn
110
Located at the ‘old school’
111
CHESSELS COURT
DEAF AND DUMB I
SITE AN
• Accessible but also • Links to Midlothian • Patrick Geddes hist • Deaf history • Site of Brodie crim capture • Inspiration for Ste
112
INSTITUTE | 1817
BRAIDWOOD ACADEMY | 1817
NALYSIS
o private n tory
me which lead to his
evenson
113
PROPOSAL
An extension of o facades which extend Patrick Geddes. A sm install
114
COLLAGE
one the historic ds into the work of mall educational BSL lation
115
VIEW OF INSTA CANNONGATE THR COURT A
116
ALLATION FROM ROUGH CHESSELS ARCHES
KEY | WRITER’S USE | PUBLIC USE | DEAF EDUCATION USE | EXISTING BUILDING | PROPOSED BUILDING
117
INTERACTIVE
• Documenting • Vertical panels h obscuring communic a glimpse into lif • Educate
118
E FURNITURE
g deaf history hide eyes or mouth, cation and providing fe as a deaf citizen es on bsl
119
EXPLODED INSTALL 120
EXPLODED AXO WITH ROOF ON
D AXO OF LATION 121
XIV | THE STORYTELLING CENTRE To Translate and Inspire
122
Located at the ‘walls’ and ‘gateway’
123
SITE IN LITE
Depicted as the wall a
this site lies on a hi dual nature, which also boundaries
124
ERARY CONTEXT
and gateway on the map,
istoric city boundary of signifies the crossing of into fiction.
125
STORYTELLING CENTRE
18
WHY CHOOSE THI
The Storytelling Centre is an the hub of our interventions with history and material ch Following Stevenson’s theme of spreads over the old city wa the old Flodden wall. The are changed often, for example a hurch. The building line on has been pushed ba Our decision to replace the own building is a result of storytelling design requireme centre does not acknowledge the façade is uninspiring and based on a bothy, however th piece. We intend to maintain incorporating bot Similarly to much of the arch intend to leave and celebrat on the site (including the J history, literatur
126
• • • • • •
Links to Defoe Links to John Knox Accessible Prominent Links to Nature Avoid Jury Inn, due to too small a programme • Occupation of the streets • Already taps into deaf community • Current proposal has a limited function
869
IS AS A SITE?
appropriate choice of site for as it is a site which is laced hanges, many of them visible. f crossing boundaries, the site all and is located just inside ea next to John Knox house has accommodating tenements and a the eastern end of this block ack over the years. storytelling centre with our f examining and assessing the ents. The existing storytelling the site’s important history, the bookshop area is apparently his is not evident in the final n the design intentions whilst th of our programme hitecture on the Royal Mile, we te historic material elements John Knox house), intertwining re and storytelling.
127
HISTORIC SITE OF NETHERBOW PORT
WORLD’S END
SOUTH SIDE
LOCATION OF THE COLLAPSE OF TENEMENT HOUSING IN 17TH C
NORTH SIDE CARRUBERS CHRISTIAN CENTRE
SITE MATE
HIGH STREET AT THE S
128
MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD
ACCOMODATION OF AUTHOR OF SIGN LANGUAGE BOOKS, DANIEL DEFOE ACCOMODATION OF JOHN KNOX, KEY FIGURE IN
LOCATION OF HISTORIC JOHN KNOX CHURCH
THE REFORMATION
MOUBRAY HOUSE
JOHN KNOX HOUSE
STORYTELLING CENTRE SITE OF HISTORIC KING’S WALL
ERIALITY
STORYTELLING CENTRE
129
COBBLES
SLATE TILES
RANDOM RUBBLE STONE
SITE MATE
THE MATERIAL PALETTE TAKE FRO
130
SHUTTERED CONCRETE
TIMBER
RENDER
ERIALITY
FOR THE PROPOSAL IS OM THESE
131
STORYTELLING CENTRE MOUBRAY HOUSE
E
JOHN KNOX
L MI AL
Y RO
REMOVAL OF EXISTING STORYTELLING CENTRE
RETAIN ‘THE WALL’ & HISTORIC
THE CURRENT STORYTELLING CENTRE DOES NOT FUFIL THE REQUIRED NEEDS
JOHN KNOX AND MOUBRAY HOUSE HOLD
FOR STORYTELLING AND CAN BE REBUILT FOR MORE PURPOSE
WILL THEREFORE BE RETAINED. THE ‘
CENTRE WILL ALSO BE RETAINED GIVE THE HISTORIC KINGS WALL ON SITE
NATURE
INTERACTION OF OLD AND NEW
INTROVERT & EXTROVERT ENTRAN
THE HISTORIC WALL WILL FORM A DIVIDE OF OLD AND NEW IN ARCHITECTURE
THE DEAF EDUCATION ENTRANCE WILL
HOWEVER THE PROGRAMMES WILL BREACH THE DIVIDE. IN ADDITION THE
DIRECTION OF THE ROYAL MILE, WHER
SCHEME WILL REACH OUT TO THE EXISTING NATURE, WHICH IS A KEY PART
ENTRANCE WILL BE ORIENTATED TOWAR
OF STORYTELLING.
SITE MA
132
C BUILDINGS SIGNIFICANT HISTORICAL VALUE AND
‘WALL’ FEATURE OF THE STORYTELLING
THE CORE THE PROGRAMME CONSISTS OF TWO SEPARATE YET INTERTWINING SCHEMES. ONE WILL FORM A CORE WHILT THE OTHER REVOLVES AROUND IT
EN IT IS A SIGNIFICANT REFERENCE TO
NCE BE PROMINENT AND FACE THE BUSY
SOLAR GAINS GIVEN THE STREET FACADE IS RELATIVELY HIGH, THE BUILDING IS BROKEN
REAS THE MORE INTORVERTED WRITER’S
UP AND STEPPED DOWN TO THE GARDEN IN ORDER TO CAST MINIMAL SHADOW
RDS CCANNONGATE AND LESS OBVIOUS
ON THOSE IN THE NATURE
ASSING
133
NARRATIVE | DEAF THEATRE
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Cafe foyer theatre wings central stage shop gallery viewing tower toilets exhibition space makeup and hair exhibition space clothes making sound effects props dressing rooms box offic cloakroom maitenance offices meeting room stage door carpenting workshop stage lighting nature
FRAGMENTS | STOR THEATRE
• • • • • • •
Workships books WC mpitheatre Private Discussion education
PROGRAMME
134
RYTELLING OUTLETS | PRODUCTION
BRIDGE GAPS | DEAF EDUCATION
• • • • • • •
Books storytelling workshops read discussion space storage WC
PROPOSAL
135
POP-UP PAPER | FLW The concept of pop-up books and cards inspired us to create a pop-up set
TARA THEATRE | AEDAS Parasitic Foyer extension on to John Knox house
WHITE HORSE INN The faรงades aim to architecture of Ed
PRECED
136
o mimic the jumbled dinburgh
YUE LIBRARY | BEIJING SPACE DESIGN The bookcase have mulitple functions such as tables and stairs
O’DONNELL & TUOMEY Perforated views throughout building and layers of interaction
DENTS
137
FLIPBOARD CAFE| BROLLY DESIGN Rehearsal room bookcases act as stalls for those viewing from above
YUE LIBRARY | BEIJING SPACE DESIGN Stepped rooms with strong visual connections
JANE EYRE SET | NA Simple yet multi-f
PRECED
138
ATIONAL THEATRE functioning stage
BRISTOL OLD VIC | HAWORTH TOMPKINS Perforated viewing wall into theatre from all aspects of production
SWAN THEATRE Public entrance to stage doubles up to be actors entrance
DENTS
139
Insertion into facade from access and insertions into the Royal mile for reading. Visual facade which to allow passers-by to view connection building without actualand access internal activity therefore create a Visual
more inclusive programme
The stage moves vertically, similarly to the ‘Swan Theatre props to precedent, the auditoriumconnecting similar to the Swan the theat to the introvert of the Theatre precedent. This would part link the building where sets are built. A stage which moves vertically from stage
introverted manufacturing part of the centre with the extroverted performance space
RYTELLING CETNRE
ecting moments (so far...)
DESIGN P INTERNAL
140
Writer’s visualbetween connection to Visual connections the writers deaf theatre - interesting opportunity for interpretation theatre performs their writings whilst also and inspiration and the deaf theatre, in which the deaf
Insertion into facade from Writ Royal mile for reading. Visual to storyboard area dea connection to building without oppor actual access
Deafconnection visual connection DEAF visual to storyboarding area
inspiring other scripts with their acting
STORYTELLING CETNRE
Inter-connecting moments (so far...)
PROCESS CONCEPTS
Auditorium summarising internal concepts
141
Publishing Studio
Reading nooks
Book Binding
Discussion points More solid barrier
WRITERS + READERS
Storytelli
Programming
DESIGN P
PROGRAMME A
142
Nature
View through
DEAF
ing Centre
g Exercise
PROCESS
ARRANGMENT
143
Views to hil skies (imagi View
skies
Visual connection between writing spaces and theatre Visual connection between storyboard space and theatre/ rehearsal
DESIGN PROGRAMME
S t
SHOWING INTER-WEAVING NA
PROGRESSIONS. THROUGH T
CONNECTIONS BE
144
ills and ination) ws to hills and
Views to hills and skies (imagination)
s (imagination)
DEAF USER WRITER/ READER
STORYTELLING CETNRE
Sketch Sectional Diagram
Showing inter-weaving nature of separate users’ progressions PROCESS through the building and visual connections between the two. ARRANGMENT
ATURE OF SEPARATE USERS’
THE BUILDING AND VISUAL
ETWEEN THE TWO.
145
DESIGN P
EXTERNAL ENT
146
The design of the parasitic entrance aims to create a more prominent feature on the Royal mile whilst uniting the two historic structures of Moubray house and John Knox house. This entrance is for the use of deaf education staff and visitors to the theatre. The
design
features
are
a
contemporary
amalgamation of the surrounding architectural features, aiming to complement the existing structures.
PROCESS
TRANCE FORM
147
DESIGN P
FOR
148
PROCESS
RM
149
Reading nook
Ticket check
Stairs
Seating
Foyer
Stage
Writer’s Library
Education on BSL
Reading nook
Backstage
Writing exhibition
Foyer
Stage Fitting
Rehearsal space WC
Reading nook
Ticket check
Stairs
Seating
Foyer
Stage
Writer’s Library
Education on BSL
Reading nook
Backstage
Writing exhibition
Foyer
Stage Fitting
Rehearsal space WC
STORYTELLING
Section (only GF a
Throughout the building we are between the users and space, m levels across the site and des meeting at half-storey
Childrens’ reading space
Extrovert entrance for deaf theatre Visual connection
More private entrance, drawing writer/reader down into the building
GF Plan
LF Plan
STORYTELLING CETNRE
Sketch plans (only GF and LG)
GF
DESIGN P
INITIAL SPATIA
150
DEAF EDUCATION WRITERS
G CETNRE
and LG so far)
playing with interractions making use of the changing signing two progressions, level boundaries.
Blue = Deaf, Orange = Writer/reader
Reading nook
Ticket check
Stairs
Seating
Foyer
Stage
Writer’s Library
Education on BSL
Reading nook
Backstage
Writing exhibition
Foyer
Stage Fitting
Rehearsal space
LGF
GF
STORYTELLING CETNRE
LGF
Sketch plans (only GF and LG) - explained Blue = Deaf, Orange = Writer/reader
WC
PROCESS
AL PROGRAMMING
151
DESIGN P
COLOUR T
152
PROCESS
TESTING
LIGHT & COLOUR IN DEAF DESIGN
153
A
154
B
BIRDS EYE VIEW A | DEAF EDUCATION AND PUBLIC ENTRANCE B | WRITER’S ENTRANCE
KEY | WRITER’S USE | PUBLIC USE | DEAF EDUCATION USE | EXISTING BUILDING | PROPOSED BUILDING
155
E
D
156
B
A
C
SECOND FLOOR AXONOMETRIC A B C D E
| | | | |
CORE STAIRCASE MEZZANINE OVERLOOKING STORYBOARDING WRITING NOOK SPIRAL STAIRCASE BOOKCASE MEZZANINE OVERLOOKING WRITING LOUNGE
157
L M
J H
K
I
158
G
F E
G B
A
C
D
FIRST FLOOR AXONOMETRIC A | CORE STAIRCASE B | MEZZANINE OVERLOOKING REHEARSAL SPACE C | WRITING NOOK OVERLOOKING REHEARSAL SPACE D | PUBLISHING OFFICE E | WRITING SNUG F | STORYBOARDING BOOKCASE DISPLAY STORIES TO REHEARSAL SPACE G |VIEW ON TO STAGE H | VIEW ON TO DEAF EDUCATION ROOM I | WRITING OFFICE J | WRITING LOUNGE K | W.C L | WRITING LIBRARY M | INTERNAL GARDEN
159
S
Q P
O
K
R J
N
I M L
D
B
A
160
G H E
F
S
GROUND FLOOR AXONOMETRIC
C
A | ENTRANCE B | RECEPTION TO PUBLIC & DEAF EDUCATION C | EXHIBITION SPACE ON HISTORY OF DEAF EDINBURGH D | DEAF EDUCATION E | REHEARSAL SPACE F | STREET SEAT WITH VIEW INTO REHEARSAL SPACE G | TRANSLATION SPACE H | STEPS DOWN TO DRESSING ROOM I | STAGE MAKE UP ROOM J | ACTOR’S STEPS ON TO STAGE K | SECONDARY ENTRANCE TO STAGE THROUGH PUBLIC STEPS L | W.C M | LIBRARY NOOK N | CAFE O | KITCHEN P | PUBLIC STEPS ON TO STAGE Q | STAGE R | INTERNAL COURTYARD 161 S | EXTERNAL STAGE
O
N
J
I K
162
D
L M
C E
F
A B
G H
BASEMENT AXONOMETRIC A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
ENTRANCE RECEPTION TO WRITERS EXHIBITION W.C OFFICE RECEPTION & ACCESS TO CORE STAIRS CORE STEPS WRITERS EXHIBITION ARCHIVE OF WRITER’S WORK WORKSHOP FOR SET PRODUCTION POP UP STAGE ON RAILS BASEMENT OF MOWBRAY HOUSE W.C LIBRARY NOOK STAGE EXTERNAL STAGE
163
164
PARASITIC PUBLIC & DEAF EDUCATION ENTRANCE The parasitic entrance to The Storytelling centre merges the two historic buildings of John Knox House and Mowbray house, combining their literary histories in the internal programme. The form of the enlarged entrance is an amalgamation of the adjacent jumbled architecture. The larger entrance aims to create a prominent feature for deaf education and history on the Royal mile.
KEY | EXISTING BUILDING | PROPOSED BUILDING
165
K
E D
C A
B
PUBLIC & DEA ENTRA
166
KEY | WRITER’S USE | PUBLIC USE | DEAF EDUCATION USE | EXISTING BUILDING | PROPOSED BUILDING
F
A B C D E F G H I J
| | | | | | | | | |
DEAF EDUCATION AND PUBLIC ENTRANCE RECEPTION CAFE LIGHT POD VIEW FROM WRITER’S OFFICE INTO RECEPTION VIEWING WINDOW FROM PUBLISHERS INTO RECEPTION PUBLISHING SPACE STAIRCASE CONVERTED INTO BOOKCASE DEAF EDUCATION EXHIBITION BRIDGE TO REHEARSAL
G
H
I
J
AF EDUCATION ANCE GROUND FLOOR AXO 167
VIEW FROM DEAF HI INTO EDUCA
168
ISTORY EXHIBITION ATION ROOM
GROUND FLOOR AXO 169
VIEW FROM DEAF INTO CHILDREN’S RO 170
EDUCATION ROOM LIBRARY & MAKEUP OOM GROUND FLOOR AXO 171
A | DEAF EDUCATION B | WRITER’S PUBLIC LIBRARY C | WRITER’S EXHIBITION D | BRIDGE OVERLOOKING CORE STAIRCASE & WRITER’S EXHIBITION E | WRITER’S CORE STAIRCASE F | ENTRANCE TO WRITING NOOK G | SECOND FLOOR MEZZANINE OVERLOOKING REHEARSAL H | FIRST FLOOR MEZZANINE OVERLOOKING REHEARSAL I |VIEWING PLATFORMS BUILT INTO BOOKCASE J | STEPS FROM REHEARSAL INTO DRESSING ROOMS K | REHEARSAL L | RECEPTION TO WRITERS EXHIBITION M | PRIVATE ROUTE BEHIND RECEPTION TO ACCESS STAIR CASE N | PUBLIC STREET SEAT WITH VISUAL ACCESS TO REHEARSAL O | READING SNUG LIT FROM HIGHER WINDOW P | ALLEY TO BACK GARDEN
A
F
G
H E
D
B
J
L
C
KEY | WRITER’S USE | PUBLIC USE | DEAF EDUCATION USE
SECTION THROUGH
| EXISTING BUILDING | PROPOSED BUILDING
172
E
G O I
N
P
K
M
REHEARSAL SPACE
GROUND FLOOR AXO 173
REHEARSA
174
AL SPACE
GROUND FLOOR AXO 175
CHILDREN’
176
’S LIBRARY
GROUND FLOOR AXO 177
STORYBOARDING SECOND FLOO
178
LOOKING UP TO OR MEZZANINE
FIRST FLOOR AXO
179
F
E
B
G
D
C
H
I
A
KEY | WRITER’S USE | PUBLIC USE | DEAF EDUCATION USE | EXISTING BUILDING | PROPOSED BUILDING
180
WORKSHOP
M
N
J
S
O
R
Q K
P L
A | STORYTELLING GARDEN B | VIEW FROM TRANSLATION AREA TO STAGE C | AUDITORIUM SEATING D | TRANSLATION DESKS E | VIEW FROM STORYBOARDING F | VIEW FROM LANDING G | VIEW FROM DRESSING ROOMS H | POP UP STAGE PROPS I | INTERNAL COURTYARD FOR CONNECTION TO NATURE
J | AND K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S |
ENTRANCE TO LIBRARY POD INTERNAL COURTYARD MAKE UP PREP WORKSHOP WRITER’S NOOK WRITER’S LOUNGE CHILDREN’S LIBRARY CAFE STORE CUPBOARD CAFE W.C
P SECTION
GROUND FLOOR AXO 181
D
C
E
A
F
B
KEY | WRITER’S USE | PUBLIC USE | DEAF EDUCATION USE | EXISTING BUILDING | PROPOSED BUILDING
182
AUDITORIU
I
K
L
J
H
G
A | SEMI-CIRCULAR SEATING FOR VISUAL CONNECTION TO ACTORS B | TIERED STAGES TO ALLOW FOR ADAPTION BETWEEN DIFFERENT STORIES C | AUDITORIUM SEATING D | TRANSLATION DESKS E | STEPS TO STAGE F | AUDIENCE ENTER THEATRE VIA THE STAGE IN ORDER TO EXPERIENCE THE PLATFORM OF THE ACTOR G | STEPS DOWN FROM CAFE
H | ACTORS JOIN AUDIENCE ON THESE STEPS TO CREATE A SENSE OF UNITY I | WRITERS LIBRARY POD TRANSECTS THE OLD AND NEW BUILDING, GIVING A VIEW OF ALL ACTIVITY J | VIEWING WINDOW FROM CAFE ONTO STAGE K | CAFE L | KITCHEN M | WRITER’S NOOK
O
UM SECTION
GROUND FLOOR AXO 183
5 6
1
2
3 4
1 | FOLD OUT STAGE MECHANISM ON WHEELS
2 | RAILS
3 | STAGE
4 | FLOOR
5 | CONNECTION WITH NATURE
Hardwood timber flooring (22mm) Timber frame (75 x 50mm) and (150 x 75mm) Plasterboard (12.5mm) Timber beams 150 x 75mm
Solid wood flooring 22mm Screed 100m In-situ Concrete 250m Insulation 150mm Hardcore 300mm Pile cap dependent on ground conditions In-situ Retaining wall (150mm)
Green roof build up Solid wood flooring 22mm Rockwool acoustic 50mm Glulam 250 x 90mm battens 22 x 22mm Plasterboard 12.5mm
6 | RESTRICTIVE GAP
7 | SU TIMBER
Solid wo Rockwool Glulam 2 battens Plasterb
1.20 DETAIL DEMO STA
184
VIBRATIONS & ACOUSTICS
8
7 10 9
USPENDED R FLOOR
8 | MAKE UP ROOM - BUILT IN STORAGE
ood flooring 22mm l acoustic 50mm 250 x 90mm 22 x 22mm board 12.5mm
Timber frame 75 x 50mm Plasterboard (12.5mm) Rigid insulation (160mm) Stainless steel brackets In-situ shuttered reinforced concrete(200mm)
9 | WORKSHOP
10 | RETAINING WALL Solid wood flooring 22mm Screed 100m In-situ Concrete 250m Insulation 150mm Hardcore 300mm Pile cap dependent on ground conditions In-situ Retaining wall (150mm)
ONSTRATING POP UP AGE GROUND FLOOR AXO
185
BASEMENT
GROUND
PLA
BROWN LINE IND BLACK LINE IND
186
FLOOR
FIRST FLOOR
ANS
DICATES EXISTING DICATE PROPOSED
187
WRITING NOOK REHEARSAL SPACE
A
EXTERNAL SEATING NOOK
STORYBOARDING
TRANSLATION
C
DRESSING ROOM WC
A | WRITER’S ENTRANCE LOOKING INTO WRITER’S EXHIBITION
OFFICE
B | BRIDGE TO REHEARSAL LOOKING OVER CORE STAIRCASE
C | VIEW INTO AUDIT SPACE
KEY | WRITER’S USE | PUBLIC USE | DEAF EDUCATION USE | EXISTING BUILDING | PROPOSED BUILDING
188
LONG SECTION TH AND STAGE
STAGE
E
TORIUM FROM REHEARSAL
HROUGH REHEARSAL E SEATING
SEATING TO EXTERNAL STAGE
GARDEN
D | VIEW FROM FIRST FLOOR INTO DEAF EDUCATION
E | WORKSHOP
E D
C B
A
GROUND FLOOR AXO 189
A | WRITER’S LOUNGE LOOKING UP TO SECOND FLOOR MEZZANINE
C | WRITER’S LIBRARY LOOKING OVER CAFE
EXPLAINING
190
B | CAFE THROUGH TO CHILDREN’S LIBRARY AND UP TO WRITER’S LOUNGE
C | WRITER’S LIBRARY LOOKING OVER CAFE
B C A
THE DESIGN
FIRST FLOOR AXO
191
ARENA
ENDSTAGE
• Easy to see and engage, but actor will always have back to an audience
• Never have back to audience • Less accessible • Less flexible/immersive
THRUST
THRUST/HORSESHOE
• Never have back to audience • More accessible • Less flexible/immersive
• This is most appropriate for deaf audiences given it allows constant eye contact with the actor and an immersible experience
THEATRE DESIGN Environmental theatre relies on the architecture of the theatre to aid the narrative
192
CONNECTION TO NATURE In storytelling communities, the connection to nature is imperative. This pocket courtyard is therefore placed directly behind the stage. Even though there is not a huge amount of light accessible, it will be suitable with appropriate planting. Environmental theatre relies on the architecture of the theatre to aid the narrative https://live.staticflickr.com/3050/2814775369_53617c6bb2_b.jpg
193
MATERI
194
SLATE TILES
SHUTTERED CONCRETE
TIMBER
IALITY
195
SE
CO
ND FL
OO
R
FI
RS
T FL
OO
R
GR
OU
ND FL
OO
R
BA
SE
ME
NT
ZONING NATURE
196
PUBLIC
DEAF
WRITER
SE
CO
ND FL
OO
R
FI
RS
T FL
OO
R
GR
OU
ND FL
OO
R
BA
SE
ME
NT
MOVEMENT
197
SE
CO
ND FL
OO
R
MOBILITY & PROXIMITY
FI
RS
T FL
OO
R
GR
OU
ND FL
OO
R
BA
SE
ME
NT
INTERACTION BETWEEN GROUPS 198
SE
CO
ND FL
OO
R
SENSORY REACH
FI
RS
T FL
OO
R
GR
OU
ND FL
OO
R
BA
SE
ME
NT
MOVEMENT VIEWS
199
INTERCON 200
NNECTION 201
XV | THE PLATFORM | St. Giles To Perform
202
203
ST GILES
St
• Memorials to Scot Burns • Heart of Midlothi • Old Tolbooth • Historic roots • Parasite to Scott • Stevenson trained south • Brodie hung at ol • Potential to brid religion
SITE AN 204
OLD TOLBOOTH | 1765
GILES
tt, Stevenson and
ian
tish religion d as a lawyer to the
ld tolbooth dge politics and
NALYSIS 205
PLATFORM COLLAGE Silent Theatre which performs an accessible interpretation of the stories of those in the Storytelling centre
206
VIEW FROM STREET WATCHING BRIDGE A bridging element which digs into the history of the site and mediates divides
207
KEY | WRITER’S USE | PUBLIC USE | DEAF EDUCATION USE
208 |
EXISTING BUILDING | PROPOSED BUILDING
ST GILES PERFORMANCE PLATFORM 209
BIRDS EYE VIE
210
EW OF PLATFORM
211
212
XVI | THE REFLECTION TOWER | Sir Basil Spence Stairs To Reflect The final destination in the writer character’s journey is reflection. Influenced by Robert Burns’ draw to nature for therapeutic effect and his works, the tower removes the user from the busy High Street, elevating them to view the hills above the rooftops.
213
IDENTIFYING THE SITE An external staircase of the listed Sir Basil Spence housing complex is tucked away just behind the Royal mile, with many levels and turns, similarly to those experimented with in the poem translation earlier in the thesis process.
Identified as a key characteristic of Robert Burns, the stairs also has a chameleon-like quality in its materiality, with timber-cast concrete, suggesting a natural grain in an urban material.
INTENTIONS Provide spaces to escape from the world below, to reflect on the crossing between fiction and reality, considering connections made. Identified as a key characteristic of Robert Burns, the stairs also has a chameleon-like quality in its materiality, with timber-cast concrete, suggesting a natural grain in an urban material.
Located at the ‘ruins’ and ‘caves’
214
215
CONNECTION TO BURNS MONUMENT
CONNECTION TO Natural landscape: Burns while life
216
ARTHUR’S SEAT used nature as a constant, was chaotic.
CONNECTION TO CANNONGATE CHURCH Reflection of personal relationships and individual works: view to church where Agnes MacLehose (which ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ is written about), and Robert Furgeson are buried.
217
DEVELOPMENT SKETCHES
218
The parasitic structure does not protrude further than the existing building, keeping it hidden from the activity on the Royal Mile. Similar to the bothy, there is a single heat source, a heated pipe which runs the height of the structure.
219
The tower design is based on the concepts of a traditional Scottish bothy. A bothy provides shelter of simple construction and extremely basic comfort so that the user, instead, looks out to their surrounding environment, with further appreciation for the internal comfort.
220
View to Authur’s Seat
Solid front facade as protective barrier, more open side elevation view views to nature
le Royal Mi
The parasitic structure does not protrude further than the existing building, keeping it hidden from the activity on the Royal Mile. Similar to the bothy, there is a single heat source, a heated pipe which runs the height of the structure.
221
222
Perspective view of parasitic tower in context
223
Section through tower showing parasitic structure on existing fabric
224
There is a transition point between opposing characteristics; old and new as well as urban and natural materials.
Where the concrete stair
and metal banisters run out they meet juxtaposing timber frame.
225
226
Perspective internal view showing view to Aurthur’s seat
227
Perspective demonstrating tectonic approach to design
228
Parasitic timber frame creating stairs and banisters
Heated pipe running height of structure
1 2 3 4
Composite flooring construction on steel beams
1 2 3 4
plywood battens concrete slab steel beams
229
Epilogue:
The process of working together on this project, has, in a way, become part of the thesis. Like our architectural proposals and the characters for whom they are designed, we have needed to interweave and streamline our ideas and methods, in order to successfully design and create together. More recently, due to the challenges imposed by the Covid 19 pandemic, this collaboration has been remote from one another, consequentially altering how we were previously approaching some processes of the project. However, our individual ideas, techniques and styles have remained sincere throughout and have been integral to the overall process and thesis outcome. Furthermore, they have been developed and enhanced through the collaboration as we have developed our styles to present one cohesive project.
The change in situation has impacted how we would have ideally presented this work, however, it present us with the opportunity to test other ways of telling the story, such as through animation. This decision led us to visualise the drawings we wanted to present in an alternative way, as scenes as opposed to more conventional drawings. Each image has been chosen for its narrative qualities. The way in which they were conceived has been more fluid, focussing on time and movement rather than static qualities. This allowed us more creative freedom when testing methods of representation. Together, the interventions encompass a running thread of enquiry, incorporating playful interactive spaces designed at a human scale. Extensive research established the foundations of this thesis, creating rich and complex contexts in both Edinburgh’s fiction and reality, a platform for the telling of stories untold.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY Alberto Perez-Gomez. 2018. ‘Foreward’. In Reading Architecture - Literary Imagination and Architectural Experience. Routledge. Bachelard, Gaston. 2014. The Poetics of Space. Revised ed. Penguin Classics. Bleeckere, Sylvain De, and Sebastiaan Gerards. 2017. Narrative Architecture: A Designer’s Story. Taylor & Francis. Hannah Frankman. 2017. ‘The Importance of Reading Fiction - Mission.Org - Medium’. 18 October 2017. https://medium.com/the-mission/the-importance-of-reading-fiction7f57546a229b. Lehtinen, Heini. 2019. ‘Environments for a Happier Mind’. Environments for a Happier Mind (blog). 13 April 2019. https://medium.com/ravenandwood/environments-for-ahappier-mind-4c0e3fb3db55. Menikoff, Barry. 2005. Narrating Scotland, the Imagination of Robert Louis Stevenson. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carloina Press. ‘Palimpsest: Literary Edinburgh’. n.d. The University of Edinburgh. Accessed 5 February 2020. https://www.ed.ac.uk/literatures-languages-cultures/english-literature/ research/palimpsest. Phillipson, Nicholas. 1992. ‘The Athens of the North’. In Edinburgh A Celebration, 73–84. Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd. & Bowman Associates Partnership. Reclam, Hannah. n.d. ‘Performance as Therapy and Its Role in Community Healing: A Literature Review’, 34. Sajnani, Nisha. 2013. ‘The Body Politic: The Relevance of an Intersectional Framework for Therapeutic Performance Research in Drama Therapy’. The Arts in Psychotherapy, Gender and the Creative Arts Therapies, 40 (4): 382–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. aip.2013.05.001. Tally, Robert T. 2012. Spaciality (THe New Critical Idiom). 1st ed. Routledge. ———. 2017. The Routledge Handbook of Literature and Space. Routledge. ‘Understanding The 7 Key Elements of A Narrative’. 2018. An Arts & Literary Magazine. From Whispers to Roars (blog). 16 January 2018. https://www.fromwhisperstoroars.com/ blog-1/2018/1/11/understanding-the-7-key-elements-of-a-narrative. Woolf, Virginia. 1995. Orlando: A Biography. New edition edition. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions. Artwork for collages: Rebecca Green Clover Robin Amanda White Marion Barraud
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